hotair--2020-09-05--WaPo gives Biden four Pinocchios(!?) on Social Security claim

Team Biden is spending some of their record-setting August haul of campaign cash on developing and deploying a news series of campaign advertisements for both television and the web .
But not all of these efforts are producing high-quality results .
One recent example is their advertisement about Social Security and how the Bad Orange Man plans to wipe out the security net in less than three years .
If that sounds outlandish to you , that ’ s because it is .
But they ’ re running the ad anyway .
Here it is , just in case you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basis of the claim , if you can call it that , is the President ’ s plan to suspend the withholding of certain payroll taxes beginning this month .
Those withholdings include workers ’ payments into the Social Security system .
So in some warped , Bizzaro World of American politics , this somehow translates into no more money going into Social Security ever again and the system ’ s fund being depleted by the summer of 2023 .
Of course , since the deferral would only last for a limited amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession and the withholdings would have to be repaid anyway , the actual net effect on the Social Security System is… zero .
So how big of a whopper is this advertisement ’ s claim ?
It was so bad that even the Washington Post was bestirred to do a fact check on it and they awarded the Biden team their full four Pinocchios for making claims about a Trump plan for Social Security “ that does not exist.
” Trump gets mentioned in this ad three times .
But there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats an opening with a series of confusing remarks after he signed an executive order that would suspend the payment of payroll taxes until the end of the year… The ad cites “ Trump ’ s plan.
” But the actuary ’ s letter says it is referring only to a hypothetical plan sketched out by Democrats .
The ad asserts that if “ Trump gets his way , ” benefits will run out .
But actually the letter says if transfers are made from general funds , no benefits would run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moment , is what Trump says he would do .
That adds up to Four Pinocchios .
( If Trump yet again opens the door to permanent elimination of the payroll tax , we will revisit this fact check . )
Do you have any idea what it takes for Glenn Kessler to even question a statement by a Democrat in this heated election season , to say nothing of handing out four Pinocchios to their presidential candidate ?
He ’ s generally so busy parsing every single thing that the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparing it against hypothetical predictions in order to pump up the number of “ Trump Lies ” during this administration that I ’ m shocked he can find time to eat .
But now we know what it takes .
Criticizing a plan that does not exist ( and has never existed ) will garner you four Pinocchios .
So a hearty tip of the hat to Mr. Kessler , I suppose .
I wonder if Facebook and Twitter will start suspending accounts that embed this advertisement because it promotes false claims that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who am I kidding ?
For what it ’ s worth , one of Biden ’ s campaign advisers responded to the WaPo by saying that the ad was “ a fair hit.
” His reasoning was that it is crazy to think you could fund Social Security through regular tax revenue without having a specific Social Security payroll tax withholding .
( A plan for which no legislation has even been drafted , to say nothing of being introduced . )
So based on that logic , we should be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on bizarre things that Uncle Joe has mumbled during debates and town halls , and then produce ads against them .
We should really get to work on that .

Team Biden is spending some of their record-setting August haul of campaign cash on developing and deploying a news series of campaign advertisements for both television and the web. But not all of these efforts are producing high-quality results. One recent example is their advertisement about Social Security and how the Bad Orange Man plans to wipe out the security net in less than three years. If that sounds outlandish to you, that’s because it is. But they’re running the ad anyway. Here it is, just in case you haven’t seen it.
The basis of the claim, if you can call it that, is the President’s plan to suspend the withholding of certain payroll taxes beginning this month. Those withholdings include workers’ payments into the Social Security system. So in some warped, Bizzaro World of American politics, this somehow translates into no more money going into Social Security ever again and the system’s fund being depleted by the summer of 2023.
Of course, since the deferral would only last for a limited amount of time to help combat the coronavirus recession and the withholdings would have to be repaid anyway, the actual net effect on the Social Security System is… zero. So how big of a whopper is this advertisement’s claim? It was so bad that even the Washington Post was bestirred to do a fact check on it and they awarded the Biden team their full four Pinocchios for making claims about a Trump plan for Social Security “that does not exist.”
Trump gets mentioned in this ad three times. But there is no such Trump plan. The president gave the Democrats an opening with a series of confusing remarks after he signed an executive order that would suspend the payment of payroll taxes until the end of the year… The ad cites “Trump’s plan.” But the actuary’s letter says it is referring only to a hypothetical plan sketched out by Democrats. The ad asserts that if “Trump gets his way,” benefits will run out. But actually the letter says if transfers are made from general funds, no benefits would run out. That, at least at the moment, is what Trump says he would do. That adds up to Four Pinocchios. (If Trump yet again opens the door to permanent elimination of the payroll tax, we will revisit this fact check.)
Do you have any idea what it takes for Glenn Kessler to even question a statement by a Democrat in this heated election season, to say nothing of handing out four Pinocchios to their presidential candidate? He’s generally so busy parsing every single thing that the President or anyone on his team says and comparing it against hypothetical predictions in order to pump up the number of “Trump Lies” during this administration that I’m shocked he can find time to eat.
But now we know what it takes. Criticizing a plan that does not exist (and has never existed) will garner you four Pinocchios. So a hearty tip of the hat to Mr. Kessler, I suppose. I wonder if Facebook and Twitter will start suspending accounts that embed this advertisement because it promotes false claims that might affect the election? Bah. Who am I kidding?
For what it’s worth, one of Biden’s campaign advisers responded to the WaPo by saying that the ad was “a fair hit.” His reasoning was that it is crazy to think you could fund Social Security through regular tax revenue without having a specific Social Security payroll tax withholding. (A plan for which no legislation has even been drafted, to say nothing of being introduced.) So based on that logic, we should be able to imagine any number of “plans” based on bizarre things that Uncle Joe has mumbled during debates and town halls, and then produce ads against them. We should really get to work on that.


hotair--2020-09-05--Grenell rips White House press corps: Can you find Kosovo and Serbia on a map?

Cartography wasn ’ t Ambassador Richard Grenell ’ s actual main concern , of course .
A proper translation of his blast at the White House press corps would be : can you find your a** with both hands and a flashlight ?
The White House made Grenell available for the daily ( -ish ) press briefing to allow the media ask for the details and meaning of yesterday ’ s surprising Serbia-Kosovo deal brokered by the Trump administration .
Anyone who watched the Balkans Wars in the 1990s — and especially the fight over Kosovo — had to marvel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s participation .
The problem , as Grenell surmises almost immediately , is that few if any of the journalists in the room had reached an age of reason by the time those wars finally ground to a halt .
After a reporter tried to change the subject with the very first question of the briefing , Grenell ripped into their approach as “ atrocious ” : AMBASSADOR GRENELL : Yeah , let me just talk about Kosovo and Serbia .
I don ’ t know if you can find it on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I have to tell you guys , you might be too young to understand what this issue is about .
Maybe the older journalists should step up and say , “ This is a big deal.
” This is a big issue .
I ’ m astounded what happens in Washington , D.C. , and especially in this room .
I got to tell you , it ’ s substantive .
Maybe it ’ s too complicated of an issue for you all .
Q Ric , respectfully , this is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to speak with these individuals .
There are a lot of questions to address .
AMBASSADOR GRENELL : Okay , but today is about Kosovo and Serbia .
Let ’ s take a little time and talk about this 21-year issue , Peter .
I mean , 21 years .
We ’ re getting the same questions that are all politics .
I don ’ t — you guys don ’ t understand what ’ s happening outside of Washington , D.C. People aren ’ t listening to you anymore .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I think it ’ s because people are too young to understand the issues like Kosovo and Serbia .
Reuters correspondent Jeff Mason then huffily responded , “ I don ’ t think any of us came here for a lecture about our questioning.
” Mason then asked a question about the issue at hand — but it didn ’ t improve matters .
He asked whether the agreement constituted “ full economic normalization ” between Serbia and Kosovo .
When Grenell asked him to define “ full , ” it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what he himself had meant by it , and hadn ’ t bothered to check out the agreement first : One measure of Grenell ’ s criticism can be taken from what didn ’ t get asked .
Not one reporter in the room thought to ask why Russia hadn ’ t been part of this process , or why Vladimir Putin ended up on the sidelines .
For nearly twenty years , Putin has supported Serbia against all challenges to its sovereignty ; Russia , along with China , refuses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Putin ’ s absence from this process signals a surprising distance between Serbia and Russia and an apparent waning of Moscow ’ s influence in the Balkans , which would be a very big development for the integrity of Europe as a political entity .
Just three months ago , Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic had declared that Moscow would have veto power over any attempted resolution of its status with Kosovo .
So where were the Russians yesterday ?
Did they approve of this agreement , or did Vucic decide to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration instead ?
Didn ’ t anyone in the room know enough of that history and context to think to ask these questions ?
It ’ s not as if the press corps didn ’ t know Russia existed .
The press briefing included multiple questions about Russia in terms of election interference and its actions against American forces in Syria .
The interest in these issues were clearly of the inside-the-Beltway variety , as Grenell surmised .
Not one of the reporters in the room appeared aware of the geopolitical issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in regard to Russian influence , and what this agreement might mean for it .
Grenell must have been mystified that no one picked up on that … but I ’ d guess he wasn ’ t much mystified by it at all .

Cartography wasn’t Ambassador Richard Grenell’s actual main concern, of course. A proper translation of his blast at the White House press corps would be: can you find your a** with both hands and a flashlight? The White House made Grenell available for the daily(-ish) press briefing to allow the media ask for the details and meaning of yesterday’s surprising Serbia-Kosovo deal brokered by the Trump administration. Anyone who watched the Balkans Wars in the 1990s — and especially the fight over Kosovo — had to marvel at the development, especially without Russia’s participation.
The problem, as Grenell surmises almost immediately, is that few if any of the journalists in the room had reached an age of reason by the time those wars finally ground to a halt. After a reporter tried to change the subject with the very first question of the briefing, Grenell ripped into their approach as “atrocious”:
AMBASSADOR GRENELL: Yeah, let me just talk about Kosovo and Serbia. I don’t know if you can find it on a map. But this is atrocious. I have to tell you guys, you might be too young to understand what this issue is about. Maybe the older journalists should step up and say, “This is a big deal.” This is a big issue. I’m astounded what happens in Washington, D.C., and especially in this room. I got to tell you, it’s substantive. Maybe it’s too complicated of an issue for you all. Q Ric, respectfully, this is the first time we’ve had the opportunity to speak with these individuals. There are a lot of questions to address. AMBASSADOR GRENELL: Okay, but today is about Kosovo and Serbia. Let’s take a little time and talk about this 21-year issue, Peter. I mean, 21 years. We’re getting the same questions that are all politics. I don’t — you guys don’t understand what’s happening outside of Washington, D.C. People aren’t listening to you anymore. It’s really a crisis in journalism. And I think it’s because people are too young to understand the issues like Kosovo and Serbia.
Reuters correspondent Jeff Mason then huffily responded, “I don’t think any of us came here for a lecture about our questioning.” Mason then asked a question about the issue at hand — but it didn’t improve matters. He asked whether the agreement constituted “full economic normalization” between Serbia and Kosovo. When Grenell asked him to define “full,” it became clear that Mason didn’t know what he himself had meant by it, and hadn’t bothered to check out the agreement first:
Richard Grenell: "I'm just going to talk about Kosovo-Serbia. I don't know if you can find it on a map…you might be too young…maybe it's too complicated an issue for you all."@jeffmason1: "I don't think any of us came here for a lecture about our questioning." pic.twitter.com/8nXKyCNv3J — CSPAN (@cspan) September 4, 2020
One measure of Grenell’s criticism can be taken from what didn’t get asked. Not one reporter in the room thought to ask why Russia hadn’t been part of this process, or why Vladimir Putin ended up on the sidelines. For nearly twenty years, Putin has supported Serbia against all challenges to its sovereignty; Russia, along with China, refuses to recognize Kosovo at all, in fact. Putin’s absence from this process signals a surprising distance between Serbia and Russia and an apparent waning of Moscow’s influence in the Balkans, which would be a very big development for the integrity of Europe as a political entity. Just three months ago, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic had declared that Moscow would have veto power over any attempted resolution of its status with Kosovo.
So where were the Russians yesterday? Did they approve of this agreement, or did Vucic decide to go it alone after all and trust the Trump administration instead? Didn’t anyone in the room know enough of that history and context to think to ask these questions?
It’s not as if the press corps didn’t know Russia existed. The press briefing included multiple questions about Russia in terms of election interference and its actions against American forces in Syria. The interest in these issues were clearly of the inside-the-Beltway variety, as Grenell surmised. Not one of the reporters in the room appeared aware of the geopolitical issues surrounding the Balkans and Serbia in particular in regard to Russian influence, and what this agreement might mean for it. Grenell must have been mystified that no one picked up on that … but I’d guess he wasn’t much mystified by it at all.


hotair--2020-09-05--Federal judge halts Trump administration policy detaining migrant children in hotels

Judge Dolly Gee of the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles is best known for a series of decisions on immigration in which she has often ruled against the government .
She is the first Chinese-American woman appointed to a federal trial court and she says her upbringing was shaped as the child of immigrants .
She was appointed by President Obama .
Friday Judge Gee ruled against the Trump administration ’ s recently implemented practice of placing migrant children ( and some families ) in hotels to mitigate exposure to the coronavirus .
Migrant children are detained in hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be deported .
Gee points to the Flores Agreement as guidance for her ruling .
The Flores Agreement , signed into effect during the Clinton administration , set limits on the length of time and conditions under which children can be incarcerated in immigration detention .
Judge Gee ruled that the coronavirus can not be used as an “ excuse for DHS to skirt the fundamental humanitarian protections ” of the Flores Agreement .
“ This court is sensitive to the exigencies created by COVID-19 and recognizes that the pandemic may require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system to enhance public safety .
But that is no excuse for [ the Department of Homeland Security ] to skirt the fundamental humanitarian protections that the Flores Amendment guarantees for minors in their custody , especially when there is no persuasive evidence that hoteling is safer than licensed facilities , ” she wrote .
Gee added that “ the Court is obliged to ensure that minors in DHS custody are not left in a legal no-man ’ s land.
” With this ruling , border agencies must halt the placement of children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those already there as soon as possible .
Her opinion is that hotel rooms do not provide a safer place for illegal migrant children during the coronavirus pandemic than do federal detention centers .
Since March , at least 577 unaccompanied children have been placed in hotels in Texas and Arizona .
They remain in hotels until they are placed on deportation flights .
Judge Gee opines that the Trump administration “ can not seriously argue in good faith that flouting their contractual obligation to place minors in licensed programs is necessary to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument frequently heard since the outbreak of the coronavirus throughout the country has been that detainees should just be released because detention centers are facilities that are ripe for the spread of the virus among detainees .
This kind of argument usually comes from those who prefer open borders or less stringent measures to uphold immigration laws .
Nonetheless , the Trump administration has continued to work to secure the borders .
Wouldn ’ t it be a humane move to detain illegal immigrant minors outside the facilities , if they are so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a taxpayer-funded hotel room until arrangements are completed to deport them ?
Wouldn ’ t it be a comfortable arrangement ?
Of course , it would .
I would argue it is a very generous arrangement .
Judge Gee ’ s ruling doesn ’ t sound so “ sensitive ” , does it ?
It sounds like she just wants to continue her streak of rulings against the Trump administration ’ s immigration policies , especially since her ruling does allow the minors to be detained for a night or two as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave them in one spot until final arrangements are in place ?
Back in March , it was the CDC that issued a directive that addressed rapid expulsions of illegal migrants in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
Since then U.S. officials have , as rapidly as possible , expelled the migrants to Canada or Mexico .
The judge makes it sound as though minors are just checked into a hotel and left unattended to wait for deportation .
That ’ s not the case .
There is a protocol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Are they as free as they would be if they were released into the general population ?
No .
They shouldn ’ t be .
The judge wrote that it isn ’ t CDC personnel but DHS that are the ones who process and detain minors and ultimately decide whether they should be expelled .
The Trump administration maintains that the minors don ’ t fall under the Flores Agreement .
The CDC released a final rule codifying its authority to direct DHS to expel the illegal immigrants due to a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d expect , disagrees .
Citing the CDC order , the Trump administration has argued it can exclude unaccompanied minors from this process .
On Friday , the CDC published the text of a final rule that would codify the CDC ’ s authority to direct DHS to expel unauthorized migrants during a pandemic .
The rule argued that unaccompanied children processed under public health authorities are generally not entitled to safeguards in the 2008 anti-trafficking law or the Flores settlement .
“ This regulation makes clear that the CDC is fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of the COVID-19 pandemic to turn away refugees , ” Aaron Reichlin-Melnick , a policy counsel at the American Immigration Council , told CBS News .
Friday ’ s ruling also requires the administration to allow lawyers in the Flores case , as well as independent monitors Gee appointed , to visit facilities where minors processed under the CDC order are held to conduct interviews and oversight .
“ We are thrilled that the Court unequivocally stripped away the government ’ s legal fiction that these children are not in ‘ immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the lead Flores attorneys and the director of the immigration division at the National Center for Youth Law , told CBS News .
“ While the government keeps insisting on violating the basic human rights of children , thankfully the courts are here to uphold the rule of law.
” The Justice Department will likely appeal the judge ’ s ruling .

Judge Dolly Gee of the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles is best known for a series of decisions on immigration in which she has often ruled against the government. She is the first Chinese-American woman appointed to a federal trial court and she says her upbringing was shaped as the child of immigrants. She was appointed by President Obama.
Friday Judge Gee ruled against the Trump administration’s recently implemented practice of placing migrant children (and some families) in hotels to mitigate exposure to the coronavirus. Migrant children are detained in hotel rooms while arrangements are made for them to be deported. Gee points to the Flores Agreement as guidance for her ruling. The Flores Agreement, signed into effect during the Clinton administration, set limits on the length of time and conditions under which children can be incarcerated in immigration detention. Judge Gee ruled that the coronavirus cannot be used as an “excuse for DHS to skirt the fundamental humanitarian protections” of the Flores Agreement.
“This court is sensitive to the exigencies created by COVID-19 and recognizes that the pandemic may require temporary, emergency modifications to the immigration system to enhance public safety. But that is no excuse for [the Department of Homeland Security] to skirt the fundamental humanitarian protections that the Flores Amendment guarantees for minors in their custody, especially when there is no persuasive evidence that hoteling is safer than licensed facilities,” she wrote. Gee added that “the Court is obliged to ensure that minors in DHS custody are not left in a legal no-man’s land.”
With this ruling, border agencies must halt the placement of children in hotels by Sept. 15 and remove those already there as soon as possible. Her opinion is that hotel rooms do not provide a safer place for illegal migrant children during the coronavirus pandemic than do federal detention centers. Since March, at least 577 unaccompanied children have been placed in hotels in Texas and Arizona. They remain in hotels until they are placed on deportation flights.
Judge Gee opines that the Trump administration “cannot seriously argue in good faith that flouting their contractual obligation to place minors in licensed programs is necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
The Friday ruling orders the government to resume sending unaccompanied children to Department of Health and Human Services’s (HHS) shelters where they can receive legal services, education and the opportunity to be placed with relatives already in the U.S. The ruling also gives immigration lawyers access to children the government is trying to deport under an emergency declaration put in place during the pandemic, and it applies to children with parents who crossed the border with no authorization.
An argument frequently heard since the outbreak of the coronavirus throughout the country has been that detainees should just be released because detention centers are facilities that are ripe for the spread of the virus among detainees. This kind of argument usually comes from those who prefer open borders or less stringent measures to uphold immigration laws. Nonetheless, the Trump administration has continued to work to secure the borders. Wouldn’t it be a humane move to detain illegal immigrant minors outside the facilities, if they are so dangerous to the health of detainees, in a taxpayer-funded hotel room until arrangements are completed to deport them? Wouldn’t it be a comfortable arrangement? Of course, it would. I would argue it is a very generous arrangement. Judge Gee’s ruling doesn’t sound so “sensitive”, does it? It sounds like she just wants to continue her streak of rulings against the Trump administration’s immigration policies, especially since her ruling does allow the minors to be detained for a night or two as they travel between locations. Why not leave them in one spot until final arrangements are in place?
Back in March, it was the CDC that issued a directive that addressed rapid expulsions of illegal migrants in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Since then U.S. officials have, as rapidly as possible, expelled the migrants to Canada or Mexico. The judge makes it sound as though minors are just checked into a hotel and left unattended to wait for deportation. That’s not the case. There is a protocol in place and the minors are supervised. Are they as free as they would be if they were released into the general population? No. They shouldn’t be.
While single migrant adults are being expelled directly to Mexico or Canada, hundreds of unaccompanied children and families with minors have been held in hotel rooms while they await to return to their home countries on flights chartered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Inside these hotels, children and families are supervised by private contractors hired by ICE and generally not allowed to call lawyers or present their case for asylum if they fear returning to their home countries, according to attorneys and court documents.
The judge wrote that it isn’t CDC personnel but DHS that are the ones who process and detain minors and ultimately decide whether they should be expelled. The Trump administration maintains that the minors don’t fall under the Flores Agreement. The CDC released a final rule codifying its authority to direct DHS to expel the illegal immigrants due to a pandemic. The open-borders crowd, as you’d expect, disagrees.
Citing the CDC order, the Trump administration has argued it can exclude unaccompanied minors from this process. On Friday, the CDC published the text of a final rule that would codify the CDC’s authority to direct DHS to expel unauthorized migrants during a pandemic. The rule argued that unaccompanied children processed under public health authorities are generally not entitled to safeguards in the 2008 anti-trafficking law or the Flores settlement. “This regulation makes clear that the CDC is fully complicit with the Trump administration’s use of the COVID-19 pandemic to turn away refugees,” Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a policy counsel at the American Immigration Council, told CBS News. Friday’s ruling also requires the administration to allow lawyers in the Flores case, as well as independent monitors Gee appointed, to visit facilities where minors processed under the CDC order are held to conduct interviews and oversight. “We are thrilled that the Court unequivocally stripped away the government’s legal fiction that these children are not in ‘immigration custody,'” Neha Desai, one of the lead Flores attorneys and the director of the immigration division at the National Center for Youth Law, told CBS News. “While the government keeps insisting on violating the basic human rights of children, thankfully the courts are here to uphold the rule of law.”
The Justice Department will likely appeal the judge’s ruling.


hotair--2020-09-05--WaPo wonders... how can we convict more cops?

The one person mentioned most frequently during the current spate of unrest , protests and riots around the country is still George Floyd .
His death while being taken into custody by Minnesota police has led to calls for justice ( assuming anyone can agree as to what that means in this case ) and the prosecution of the officers involved in the incident .
But even with video of the last moments of Floyd ’ s life having been made publically available , not everyone hoping for a conviction is convinced that it will happen .
Over at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kimberly Kindy decided to take a deep dive down the rabbit hole of police shootings and subsequent criminal investigations .
The one question that seems to have left them perplexed was why there aren ’ t more police officers convicted of crimes following lethal use-of-force incidents despite all of the public outrage ?
They begin with the story of Ohio prosecutor Joseph Deters , who attempted to prosecute a White police officer who shot and killed a Black suspect during a traffic stop in 2015 .
Officer Ray Tensing had ended the life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public outcry .
But after two attempts at taking Tensing to trial ended in hung juries , Deters gave up .
This incident is framed in the WaPo article as part of the residue left over after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson the previous year .
So why , the authors wonder , is it so tough to send police officers to prison ?
A Washington Post analysis of prosecutions that occurred before and after Ferguson found little change in the conviction rate for officers charged in fatal on-duty shootings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors faced the same hurdles that existed before Ferguson .
Officers are afforded wide latitude to use force under the law , vouched for by experts and trusted by juries .
They are convicted less than half the time , usually for lesser charges .
What happened in the months and years after Ferguson — the last time the country was gripped by intense , widespread demonstrations prompted by police uses of force — could hold significant lessons as America confronts some of the same issues in the wake of George Floyd ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are wringing their hands over the relatively small number of police officers who wind up being charged after the shooting deaths of suspects and the even more minuscule number that are eventually found guilty of either murder or manslaughter .
But they bring in a “ hopeful ” tone on the topic when they interview a defense attorney and conclude that “ some believe the summer ’ s unrest could transform what happens in the future.
” What they mean by “ what happens ” is that more cops will be sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that as a desirable outcome , the WaPo ’ s own research proves that it ’ s unlikely , and for good reason .
The two primary problems with this “ analysis ” seem to be the assumption that convicting more police officers is a desirable outcome and the use of the Michael Brown shooting as a stepping-off point .
The Washington Post article appears to make the same mistake that many others do when it comes to Ferguson .
To this day you can still find people wearing “ Hands Up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking about the “ injustice ” that took place there .
Of course , most of those people likely either don ’ t know or , more likely , don ’ t care about the final results of the investigation .
When the grand jury investigating the shooting finally concluded its work , it was found that the few supposed witnesses to the incident either weren ’ t in a position to have seen what happened or they simply lied about what they saw .
The physical evidence from the scene showed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he was shot and that was only after he had reached into the police cruiser in an attempt to attack the cop .
The entire story about Brown ’ s shooting had been concocted from false assumptions and bogus testimony .
In March of 2015 , even the Washington Post ’ s Jonathan Capehart , one of the most liberal opinion writers and BLM supporters you are likely to find , wound up writing a column on how “ Hands Up , Don ’ t Shoot was built on a lie.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than half of a decade later , with journalists still waving the Michael Brown flag as an example of how not enough police are prosecuted .
Asking why more police officers aren ’ t sent to jail is the wrong question and it ’ s one that is only posed by people who think that more cops should be behind bars , evidence to the contrary be damned .
The reality is that it ’ s hard to convict police officers of murder because actual murders committed by police officers are vanishingly rare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seem to contradict their premise with the paper ’ s own research which they include as part of the discussion .
The WaPo has been carefully tracking incidents of deadly use-of-force encounters ever since Ferguson .
They have found that there are an average of roughly 1,000 such fatalities per year .
But in the vast majority of cases , the suspects are armed and either attacking or threatening to attack the police .
While it goes unmentioned by the Washington Post , it ’ s also worth noting that the majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by cops are White .
Granted , the number who are minorities are overrepresented based on the percentage of the total population , but a lot of White suspects are getting killed .
( When was the last time you saw one of those shootings result in people marching in the streets demanding “ justice ?
” Just saying… ) The lion ’ s share of police shootings are justifiable and necessary .
Others , such as the killing of Tamir Rice in 2014 , are the result of a tragic series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of intentional desire to murder civilians .
In the small number of cases where police officers have definitely gone over to the dark side , convictions are not only possible but really do happen .
Michael Slager is still doing time for the murder of Walter Scott , though it ’ s true that his first trial resulted in an 11-1 hung jury but he later took a plea deal on federal charges resulting in a 20-year sentence .
The question here shouldn ’ t be whether enough police are being charged and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not charges are justified to begin with , and making that case requires more than public outrage .
If you find arguably guilty cops not being convicted , that ’ s when we ’ ll be able to have a civil conversation about this issue .

The one person mentioned most frequently during the current spate of unrest, protests and riots around the country is still George Floyd. His death while being taken into custody by Minnesota police has led to calls for justice (assuming anyone can agree as to what that means in this case) and the prosecution of the officers involved in the incident. But even with video of the last moments of Floyd’s life having been made publically available, not everyone hoping for a conviction is convinced that it will happen. Over at the Washington Post yesterday, Mark Berman and Kimberly Kindy decided to take a deep dive down the rabbit hole of police shootings and subsequent criminal investigations. The one question that seems to have left them perplexed was why there aren’t more police officers convicted of crimes following lethal use-of-force incidents despite all of the public outrage?
They begin with the story of Ohio prosecutor Joseph Deters, who attempted to prosecute a White police officer who shot and killed a Black suspect during a traffic stop in 2015. Officer Ray Tensing had ended the life of Sam DuBose, resulting in significant public outcry. But after two attempts at taking Tensing to trial ended in hung juries, Deters gave up. This incident is framed in the WaPo article as part of the residue left over after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson the previous year. So why, the authors wonder, is it so tough to send police officers to prison?
A Washington Post analysis of prosecutions that occurred before and after Ferguson found little change in the conviction rate for officers charged in fatal on-duty shootings. Once these cases moved into courtrooms, prosecutors faced the same hurdles that existed before Ferguson. Officers are afforded wide latitude to use force under the law, vouched for by experts and trusted by juries. They are convicted less than half the time, usually for lesser charges. What happened in the months and years after Ferguson — the last time the country was gripped by intense, widespread demonstrations prompted by police uses of force — could hold significant lessons as America confronts some of the same issues in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
The authors are wringing their hands over the relatively small number of police officers who wind up being charged after the shooting deaths of suspects and the even more minuscule number that are eventually found guilty of either murder or manslaughter. But they bring in a “hopeful” tone on the topic when they interview a defense attorney and conclude that “some believe the summer’s unrest could transform what happens in the future.”
What they mean by “what happens” is that more cops will be sent to jail. But even if you see that as a desirable outcome, the WaPo’s own research proves that it’s unlikely, and for good reason. The two primary problems with this “analysis” seem to be the assumption that convicting more police officers is a desirable outcome and the use of the Michael Brown shooting as a stepping-off point.
The Washington Post article appears to make the same mistake that many others do when it comes to Ferguson. To this day you can still find people wearing “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” shirts and talking about the “injustice” that took place there. Of course, most of those people likely either don’t know or, more likely, don’t care about the final results of the investigation. When the grand jury investigating the shooting finally concluded its work, it was found that the few supposed witnesses to the incident either weren’t in a position to have seen what happened or they simply lied about what they saw.
The physical evidence from the scene showed that Brown was closing on the police officer when he was shot and that was only after he had reached into the police cruiser in an attempt to attack the cop. The entire story about Brown’s shooting had been concocted from false assumptions and bogus testimony. In March of 2015, even the Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart, one of the most liberal opinion writers and BLM supporters you are likely to find, wound up writing a column on how “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot was built on a lie.” And yet here we are, more than half of a decade later, with journalists still waving the Michael Brown flag as an example of how not enough police are prosecuted.
Asking why more police officers aren’t sent to jail is the wrong question and it’s one that is only posed by people who think that more cops should be behind bars, evidence to the contrary be damned. The reality is that it’s hard to convict police officers of murder because actual murders committed by police officers are vanishingly rare. The authors of this article again seem to contradict their premise with the paper’s own research which they include as part of the discussion. The WaPo has been carefully tracking incidents of deadly use-of-force encounters ever since Ferguson. They have found that there are an average of roughly 1,000 such fatalities per year. But in the vast majority of cases, the suspects are armed and either attacking or threatening to attack the police.
While it goes unmentioned by the Washington Post, it’s also worth noting that the majority of the suspects who are shot and killed by cops are White. Granted, the number who are minorities are overrepresented based on the percentage of the total population, but a lot of White suspects are getting killed. (When was the last time you saw one of those shootings result in people marching in the streets demanding “justice?” Just saying…)
The lion’s share of police shootings are justifiable and necessary. Others, such as the killing of Tamir Rice in 2014, are the result of a tragic series of errors, still not demonstrating any sort of intentional desire to murder civilians. In the small number of cases where police officers have definitely gone over to the dark side, convictions are not only possible but really do happen. Michael Slager is still doing time for the murder of Walter Scott, though it’s true that his first trial resulted in an 11-1 hung jury but he later took a plea deal on federal charges resulting in a 20-year sentence.
The question here shouldn’t be whether enough police are being charged and convicted. It should be one of whether or not charges are justified to begin with, and making that case requires more than public outrage. If you find arguably guilty cops not being convicted, that’s when we’ll be able to have a civil conversation about this issue.


hotair--2020-09-05--White House shutting down Stars and Stripes? Not so fast

When this plan was initially announced earlier this week , I had more than a few qualms about it .
The proposal in question involved ending the publication of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes .
The paper has been around for as long as I can remember and back in the day it was one of the only news sources available for many military members , particularly those in the Navy .
So why shut it down now ?
And more to the point , whose idea was this ?
According to NPR , the decision came from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it was caused by the failure of the Senate to include funding for the publication in next year ’ s defense budget .
The Pentagon has ordered the closure of the military newspaper , Stars and Stripes , despite its popularity among many military members and bipartisan congressional efforts to provide continued funding .
A memo signed by U.S. Army Col. Paul Haverstick said the newspaper would be shut down by Sept. 30 , the last day of the government ’ s 2020 fiscal year .
The memo gave no reason for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not in next year ’ s budget request .
The office of Defense Secretary Mark Esper “ decided to discontinue the publication of States and Stripes as a result of the defense-wide review as outlined in the president ’ s budget request for fiscal year 2021 , ” the memo said .
I ’ m guessing this was little more than a clerical oversight in the Senate version of the appropriations bill .
The cost of producing , printing and distributing Stars and Stripes inside the military doesn ’ t even add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total military budget .
They spend significantly more on coffee .
As it turns out , however , our men and women in uniform probably don ’ t need to worry about it .
It seems that nobody informed the President of this decision , and when Trump heard about it he quickly slammed the door on the idea .Predictably , the New York Times pounced on the story as being part of Donald Trump ’ s “ war on news media , ” including government outlets covering the military .
President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reverse Pentagon budget cuts that would have permanently closed Stars and Stripes , the military newspaper that has both informed and spoken for American troops over the decades .
Under Defense Department spending plans , the paper would cease print and online publication by Sept. 30 , a move seen as expanding the Trump administration ’ s war on news media to include those paid by the government to cover the military .
Yet , while the demise of Stars and Stripes had been in budget cuts first proposed by Mr. Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced the paper would continue to publish .
Notice how the decision is being described as having been part of budget cuts proposed by “ Mr .
Trump ’ s Pentagon.
” Can you be any more obvious ?
They make it sound as if someone from the Defense Department goes to the Oval Office and reviews every single line item in a budget package that ’ s roughly the size of entire Encylopedia Brittanica in its printed version .
Anything to get in a quick shot at the Trump administration , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Stars and Stripes go away , personally .
I still recall my days in the Navy when we were out at sea and the only fresh reading material that showed up on a daily basis was the Plan of the Day .
( Basically , a flyer that detailed all of the duty events and upcoming exercises scheduled for the next 24 hours .
It was about as gripping as watching paint dry , which we also did a lot of . )
That monotony was broken up by the regular arrival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mail plane didn ’ t break down .
The great thing about Stars and Stripes was that it covered plenty of the news of the world , but it targeted stories that were directly applicable to and/or of interest to service members .
And it wasn ’ t always just rah-rah cheerleading for the branches of the service , either .
When service members raised issues or had complaints about policies , the paper would regularly cover them and frequently got results by getting the leadership to reconsider unpopular dictates .
Hopefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away relatively quickly and keep the Stars and Stripes in production .
It ’ s a lot of value for not all that much money .
And does the President really want to come off looking like he ’ s kicking the military right before an election ?
Trump is far smarter than that .

When this plan was initially announced earlier this week, I had more than a few qualms about it. The proposal in question involved ending the publication of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes. The paper has been around for as long as I can remember and back in the day it was one of the only news sources available for many military members, particularly those in the Navy. So why shut it down now? And more to the point, whose idea was this? According to NPR, the decision came from the office of the Secretary of Defense, but it was caused by the failure of the Senate to include funding for the publication in next year’s defense budget.
The Pentagon has ordered the closure of the military newspaper, Stars and Stripes, despite its popularity among many military members and bipartisan congressional efforts to provide continued funding. A memo signed by U.S. Army Col. Paul Haverstick said the newspaper would be shut down by Sept. 30, the last day of the government’s 2020 fiscal year. The memo gave no reason for closing the publication other than saying funding was not in next year’s budget request. The office of Defense Secretary Mark Esper “decided to discontinue the publication of States and Stripes as a result of the defense-wide review as outlined in the president’s budget request for fiscal year 2021,” the memo said.
I’m guessing this was little more than a clerical oversight in the Senate version of the appropriations bill. The cost of producing, printing and distributing Stars and Stripes inside the military doesn’t even add up to a rounding error in the total military budget. They spend significantly more on coffee. As it turns out, however, our men and women in uniform probably don’t need to worry about it. It seems that nobody informed the President of this decision, and when Trump heard about it he quickly slammed the door on the idea
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1301968873487564802
.Predictably, the New York Times pounced on the story as being part of Donald Trump’s “war on news media,” including government outlets covering the military.
President Trump said late Friday that he planned to reverse Pentagon budget cuts that would have permanently closed Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper that has both informed and spoken for American troops over the decades. Under Defense Department spending plans, the paper would cease print and online publication by Sept. 30, a move seen as expanding the Trump administration’s war on news media to include those paid by the government to cover the military. Yet, while the demise of Stars and Stripes had been in budget cuts first proposed by Mr. Trump’s Pentagon in February, the president announced the paper would continue to publish.
Notice how the decision is being described as having been part of budget cuts proposed by “Mr. Trump’s Pentagon.” Can you be any more obvious? They make it sound as if someone from the Defense Department goes to the Oval Office and reviews every single line item in a budget package that’s roughly the size of entire Encylopedia Brittanica in its printed version. Anything to get in a quick shot at the Trump administration, I suppose.
I would hate to see the Stars and Stripes go away, personally. I still recall my days in the Navy when we were out at sea and the only fresh reading material that showed up on a daily basis was the Plan of the Day. (Basically, a flyer that detailed all of the duty events and upcoming exercises scheduled for the next 24 hours. It was about as gripping as watching paint dry, which we also did a lot of.) That monotony was broken up by the regular arrival of the Stars and Stripes, assuming the mail plane didn’t break down.
The great thing about Stars and Stripes was that it covered plenty of the news of the world, but it targeted stories that were directly applicable to and/or of interest to service members. And it wasn’t always just rah-rah cheerleading for the branches of the service, either. When service members raised issues or had complaints about policies, the paper would regularly cover them and frequently got results by getting the leadership to reconsider unpopular dictates.
Hopefully, the Senate can get this squared away relatively quickly and keep the Stars and Stripes in production. It’s a lot of value for not all that much money. And does the President really want to come off looking like he’s kicking the military right before an election? Trump is far smarter than that.


hotair--2020-09-06--Sunday morning talking heads

Sunday morning talking heads

Before we get to who you ’ ll be seeing on the Sunday shows today , we should highlight the one very public figure who will be missing in action .
That ’ s right .
Sleepy Joe Biden will apparently be sleeping late since he ’ s not showing up anywhere this morning .
He ’ ll have plenty of surrogates out there making his case , including his Veep pick , but no questions for Joe .
That ’ s just par for the course this year .
On ABC ’ s This Week , you ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first is Florida Congresswoman Val Demings ( D ) who has been trotted out a lot recently , probably for her willingness to blame the Bad Orange Man for , well… pretty much anything .
For a preview of her rope-a-dope style of debate , look no further than the transcript of her appearance last week on Face the Nation .
The host had to ask her no less than five times whether rioting was bad before she finally admitted that we are a nation of laws and anyone who breaks the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – must be held accountable .
You can expect more of the same today .
They ’ ll also interview Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine ( R ) who will probably be asked about his decision to reopen the schools in his state .
CNN ’ s State of the Union has Dana Bash filling in for Jake Tapper again .
She was lucky ( ? )
enough to get Kamala Harris this week , as well as an interview with VA Secretary Robert Wilkie .
You can expect more of the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frame every answer in a way that blames Trump for all the ills of the world while saying almost nothing about policy .
If the subject of the rioting comes up , watch for her to adopt the new , panic-driven line from Team Biden about how those who break the law must be held accountable before returning to the “ mostly peaceful ” line .
Wilke has been making the rounds this week doing damage control from that story about the President allegedly calling fallen service members “ losers.
” He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are improving veterans ’ services during the pandemic , so they ’ ll probably talk about that .
Meet the Press will have the Secretaries of State for both Ohio and Michigan .
Given the polling in both states and all of the questions about mail-in voting , you can probably guess what they ’ ll be asked about .
They ’ ll also have Karen Brinson Bell of the North Carolina State Board of Elections .
You ’ re probably sensing a theme here .
The battle is still raging over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have in November on both how long it will be before we know the results and whether massive voter fraud will show up .
Face the Nation has Allianz chief economic adviser Mohamed el-Erian .
He ’ s been making the rounds this week , talking about the stock market plunge we just saw , as well as offering some controversial takes on why the economic recovery isn ’ t proceeding more quickly .
( Spoiler alert : He blames the novel coronavirus . )
Oh , and instead of a “ v-shaped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says we ’ re experiencing a “ square root ” recovery .
If you figure out what that means , let me know .
They ’ ll also be talking to Scott Gottlieb and David Rubenstein .
Fox News Sunday will feature an interview with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
It ’ s a safe bet that he ’ ll be asked to address the debt .
Why is that coming up now ?
Because this week we heard an estimate that the country ’ s total debt will exceed the value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With another round of pandemic stimulus spending in the works , Mnuchin will probably be expected to explain how everything is going to be fine and we can just continue to pluck cash off of the magic money tree in the Rose Garden .

Before we get to who you’ll be seeing on the Sunday shows today, we should highlight the one very public figure who will be missing in action. That’s right. Sleepy Joe Biden will apparently be sleeping late since he’s not showing up anywhere this morning. He’ll have plenty of surrogates out there making his case, including his Veep pick, but no questions for Joe. That’s just par for the course this year.
On ABC’s This Week, you’ll find two guests this week. The first is Florida Congresswoman Val Demings (D) who has been trotted out a lot recently, probably for her willingness to blame the Bad Orange Man for, well… pretty much anything. For a preview of her rope-a-dope style of debate, look no further than the transcript of her appearance last week on Face the Nation. The host had to ask her no less than five times whether rioting was bad before she finally admitted that we are a nation of laws and anyone who breaks the law – up to and including the President – must be held accountable. You can expect more of the same today. They’ll also interview Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) who will probably be asked about his decision to reopen the schools in his state.
CNN’s State of the Union has Dana Bash filling in for Jake Tapper again. She was lucky (?) enough to get Kamala Harris this week, as well as an interview with VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. You can expect more of the same from Harris, finding a way to frame every answer in a way that blames Trump for all the ills of the world while saying almost nothing about policy. If the subject of the rioting comes up, watch for her to adopt the new, panic-driven line from Team Biden about how those who break the law must be held accountable before returning to the “mostly peaceful” line. Wilke has been making the rounds this week doing damage control from that story about the President allegedly calling fallen service members “losers.” He was in Atlanta this week talking about how we are improving veterans’ services during the pandemic, so they’ll probably talk about that.
Meet the Press will have the Secretaries of State for both Ohio and Michigan. Given the polling in both states and all of the questions about mail-in voting, you can probably guess what they’ll be asked about. They’ll also have Karen Brinson Bell of the North Carolina State Board of Elections. You’re probably sensing a theme here. The battle is still raging over mail-in voting and what impact it will have in November on both how long it will be before we know the results and whether massive voter fraud will show up.
Face the Nation has Allianz chief economic adviser Mohamed el-Erian. He’s been making the rounds this week, talking about the stock market plunge we just saw, as well as offering some controversial takes on why the economic recovery isn’t proceeding more quickly. (Spoiler alert: He blames the novel coronavirus.) Oh, and instead of a “v-shaped” or “u-shaped” recovery, he says we’re experiencing a “square root” recovery. If you figure out what that means, let me know. They’ll also be talking to Scott Gottlieb and David Rubenstein.
Fox News Sunday will feature an interview with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. It’s a safe bet that he’ll be asked to address the debt. Why is that coming up now? Because this week we heard an estimate that the country’s total debt will exceed the value of our entire economy by next year. With another round of pandemic stimulus spending in the works, Mnuchin will probably be expected to explain how everything is going to be fine and we can just continue to pluck cash off of the magic money tree in the Rose Garden.


hotair--2020-09-07--Not just hair salons. San Fran city gyms open to city workers, not the public

Speaker Pelosi ’ s salon-gate fiasco has another scandal to keep it company these days .
After San Fran Nan brought attention to all of the hair and nail salons that were still being kept from resuming normal operations while a favored few were able to get their hair styled , some San Francisco residents learned that there were gyms that were open for business .
Great news , right ?
Well , not if you were a member of the public .
All of those commercial gyms were still locked down , but certain municipal employees had been able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the owner of one gym and fitness center reached out to local police asking if they wanted to arrange private workout sessions at her facility , she was informed that they had no need for her generosity because the police gyms had been up and running the entire time .
The only words she was able to muster at that point were “ shocking and infuriating.
” ( NBC News ) For months , the city of San Francisco health order has prevented local gyms from opening its doors , but some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months and are allowing city employees to use them , crushing private gym owners .
“ It ’ s shocking , it ’ s infuriating , ” said Daniele Rabkin from Crossfit Golden Gate .
She said she has done everything she can to keep her gym on Sutter Street alive .
“ Even though they ’ re getting exposed , there are no repercussions , no ramifications ?
It ’ s shocking , ” she said .
It ’ s not just the police gyms that we ’ re talking about here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dug a bit deeper , they learned that the Hall of Justice in the City by the Bay has been open since July 1st with modified rules mandating social distancing while working out .
That gym serves judges , lawyers , bailiffs , paralegals and other employees of the municipal Justice Department .
Good work if you can get it , I suppose .
As some of the local gym owners are pointing out , the city is demonstrating more than just hypocrisy and favoritism .
They ’ ve shown that municipal leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safely operated provided precautions against spreading the novel coronavirus are in place .
Unfortunately , they ’ re not offering the same opportunity to the private sector , despite the efforts of many owners to reconfigure their equipment layouts and implement sanitation procedures in preparation for reopening .
Dave Karraker , the owner of MX3 Fitness in the Castro district , offered the following observation .
“ What the city has unwillingly done is created this great case study that says that working out indoors is actually safe , So at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they allow us to have the same workout privileges for the citizens of San Francisco that the employees of San Francisco have.
” With Nancy Pelosi acting as a role model for her home city , this seems to be the current mode of operation .
Privilege for me , but not for thee .
Things have been at least somewhat back to normal for a couple of months now , provided you ’ re an elected official or an employee of the city .
But for everyone else ?
Suck it @ @ @ @

Speaker Pelosi’s salon-gate fiasco has another scandal to keep it company these days. After San Fran Nan brought attention to all of the hair and nail salons that were still being kept from resuming normal operations while a favored few were able to get their hair styled, some San Francisco residents learned that there were gyms that were open for business. Great news, right? Well, not if you were a member of the public. All of those commercial gyms were still locked down, but certain municipal employees had been able to hit the gym for months.
When the owner of one gym and fitness center reached out to local police asking if they wanted to arrange private workout sessions at her facility, she was informed that they had no need for her generosity because the police gyms had been up and running the entire time. The only words she was able to muster at that point were “shocking and infuriating.” (NBC News)
For months, the city of San Francisco health order has prevented local gyms from opening its doors, but some city-owned gyms have been back open for months and are allowing city employees to use them, crushing private gym owners. “It’s shocking, it’s infuriating,” said Daniele Rabkin from Crossfit Golden Gate. She said she has done everything she can to keep her gym on Sutter Street alive. “Even though they’re getting exposed, there are no repercussions, no ramifications? It’s shocking,” she said.
It’s not just the police gyms that we’re talking about here, either. When NBC News reporters dug a bit deeper, they learned that the Hall of Justice in the City by the Bay has been open since July 1st with modified rules mandating social distancing while working out. That gym serves judges, lawyers, bailiffs, paralegals and other employees of the municipal Justice Department. Good work if you can get it, I suppose.
As some of the local gym owners are pointing out, the city is demonstrating more than just hypocrisy and favoritism. They’ve shown that municipal leaders obviously believe that gyms can be open and safely operated provided precautions against spreading the novel coronavirus are in place. Unfortunately, they’re not offering the same opportunity to the private sector, despite the efforts of many owners to reconfigure their equipment layouts and implement sanitation procedures in preparation for reopening. Dave Karraker, the owner of MX3 Fitness in the Castro district, offered the following observation.
“What the city has unwillingly done is created this great case study that says that working out indoors is actually safe, So at this point, we’re just demanding that they allow us to have the same workout privileges for the citizens of San Francisco that the employees of San Francisco have.”
With Nancy Pelosi acting as a role model for her home city, this seems to be the current mode of operation. Privilege for me, but not for thee. Things have been at least somewhat back to normal for a couple of months now, provided you’re an elected official or an employee of the city. But for everyone else? Suck it up, buttercup.


hotair--2020-09-06--Different states have different levels of confidence about Election Day

There are different levels of confidence within different states about when election results will be finalized .
NBC ’ s Meet the Press held a roundtable with three officials today on what they could expect when the 2020 election will ( finally ) happen in November .
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose seemed unworried about November 3rd ’ s election even though he expects a plethora of absentee ballots in his comments to Meet the Press : [ T ] he thing that we ’ re thinking about more than anything right now is poll worker recruitment .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Day .
And so we ’ re doing all we can to recruit those poll workers .
And next , we ’ re making sure that we get accurate information out to Ohio ’ s voters .
It ’ s just crucial that people have reliable information .
That ’ s why your profession is protected by the very First Amendment .
And that ’ s why one of my most important jobs is being that source of accurate and trusted information for Ohio ’ s voters .
The Republican did point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the aforementioned absentee ballots .
[ W ] e ’ re making it clear that the numbers that you hear on Election Night are never the final result , and that ’ s going to be even more so the case this year as we rely on more and more absentee balloting .
We ’ re even changing the way that our Election Night reporting is done on our website to make it clear that there still may be tens or hundreds of thousands of outstanding absentee ballots .
We expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s one of my former military teammates who ’ s serving overseas , or maybe an Ohioan that just procrastinated and waited till the last minute , as long as those ballots are legally cast , they deserve to be counted .
And so again , Election Night , yeah , we ’ ll give a snapshot of those results .
But the final tabulation is what really matters .
Another state expressing confidence in Election Night is North Carolina .
State Board of Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell sees November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people requesting absentee ballots .
Via MTP : I think North Carolina ’ s uniquely positioned for this because we , you know , began sending out absentee-by-mail ballots on September 4th to nearly 600,000 absentee requests that we had received .
We are ahead of the game in sending out those ballots .
That ’ s more time for voters to return them .
We also have had in place for a number of years now the ability to process absentee-by-mail ballots in advance of Election Day .
We also tabulate on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early voting which we think will be about 50 percent of the ballots cast .
We ’ ll have probably had 30 percent , 40 percent of the ballots cast absentee-by-mail .
So even by the close of polls on Election Night , we may be reporting as much as 80 percent of our voter turnout and how they ’ ve chosen before — at the time that the polls close .
Brinson Bell also credited the June election as a good trial run for November while praising the work being done by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Jocelyn Benson ’ s confidence appeared mixed regarding what could happen .
She suggested Election Day could turn into Election Week due to a mixture of voting early by mail and going to the polls .
From MTP : [ W ] e ’ re increasing tabulators .
We ’ re increasing capacity to more efficiently and securely count those ballots .
But I ’ m also laser-focused on accuracy .
And if it takes a few extra days to ensure we have a full and accurate counting of the results of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s going to take .
And we ’ re going to be transparent throughout that whole process to make sure every citizen knows exactly where we are in the counting process and how many more ballots we have to get through .
The Democrat ’ s comments could be seen as hedging because she said a few minutes earlier this year had given the state time to , “ hone this plan for November through three successful elections that we ’ ve had already this year where we ’ ve seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Perhaps she expects even more turnout on Election Day since it is the “ most important election of our time ” ( note sarcasm because all the other elections were also the most important election ever ) and the system to be overrun with voters .
It ’ s likely the secretaries of state in Ohio and Michigan are simply playing partisan politics since they ’ re both elected positions .
Benson flat-out blamed the Republican-controlled Michigan legislature for not giving her enough resources for November ) .
North Carolina ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official , although politics plays a factor in how the elections board is put together .
A part of me doubts this since election fatigue is real and voter turnout keeps dropping ( 55.4 % in 2016 and 53.4 % in 2018 ) .
President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are not great candidates meaning it ’ s likely turnout will go down again .
Despite the “ most important election of our time , ” claims .
We ’ ll just see what happens in November , I suppose @

There are different levels of confidence within different states about when election results will be finalized. NBC’s Meet the Press held a roundtable with three officials today on what they could expect when the 2020 election will (finally) happen in November.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose seemed unworried about November 3rd’s election even though he expects a plethora of absentee ballots in his comments to Meet the Press:
[T]he thing that we’re thinking about more than anything right now is poll worker recruitment. It takes 35,000 Ohioans to run in person Election Day. And so we’re doing all we can to recruit those poll workers. And next, we’re making sure that we get accurate information out to Ohio’s voters. It’s just crucial that people have reliable information. That’s why your profession is protected by the very First Amendment. And that’s why one of my most important jobs is being that source of accurate and trusted information for Ohio’s voters.
The Republican did point out Election Night results are technically unofficial because of the aforementioned absentee ballots.
[W]e’re making it clear that the numbers that you hear on Election Night are never the final result, and that’s going to be even more so the case this year as we rely on more and more absentee balloting. We’re even changing the way that our Election Night reporting is done on our website to make it clear that there still may be tens or hundreds of thousands of outstanding absentee ballots. We expect those to come back in. Whether it’s one of my former military teammates who’s serving overseas, or maybe an Ohioan that just procrastinated and waited till the last minute, as long as those ballots are legally cast, they deserve to be counted. And so again, Election Night, yeah, we’ll give a snapshot of those results. But the final tabulation is what really matters.
Another state expressing confidence in Election Night is North Carolina. State Board of Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell sees November as business as usual, despite more people requesting absentee ballots. Via MTP:
I think North Carolina’s uniquely positioned for this because we, you know, began sending out absentee-by-mail ballots on September 4th to nearly 600,000 absentee requests that we had received. We are ahead of the game in sending out those ballots. That’s more time for voters to return them. We also have had in place for a number of years now the ability to process absentee-by-mail ballots in advance of Election Day. We also tabulate on Election Day the results from our one-stop early voting which we think will be about 50 percent of the ballots cast. We’ll have probably had 30 percent, 40 percent of the ballots cast absentee-by-mail. So even by the close of polls on Election Night, we may be reporting as much as 80 percent of our voter turnout and how they’ve chosen before — at the time that the polls close.
Brinson Bell also credited the June election as a good trial run for November while praising the work being done by county election workers.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s confidence appeared mixed regarding what could happen. She suggested Election Day could turn into Election Week due to a mixture of voting early by mail and going to the polls. From MTP:
[W]e’re increasing tabulators. We’re increasing capacity to more efficiently and securely count those ballots. But I’m also laser-focused on accuracy. And if it takes a few extra days to ensure we have a full and accurate counting of the results of every race, that’s what it’s going to take. And we’re going to be transparent throughout that whole process to make sure every citizen knows exactly where we are in the counting process and how many more ballots we have to get through.
The Democrat’s comments could be seen as hedging because she said a few minutes earlier this year had given the state time to, “hone this plan for November through three successful elections that we’ve had already this year where we’ve seen in every single one turnout has doubled.” Perhaps she expects even more turnout on Election Day since it is the “most important election of our time” (note sarcasm because all the other elections were also the most important election ever) and the system to be overrun with voters.
It’s likely the secretaries of state in Ohio and Michigan are simply playing partisan politics since they’re both elected positions. Benson flat-out blamed the Republican-controlled Michigan legislature for not giving her enough resources for November). North Carolina’s head of elections is not an elected official, although politics plays a factor in how the elections board is put together. A part of me doubts this since election fatigue is real and voter turnout keeps dropping (55.4% in 2016 and 53.4% in 2018). President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are not great candidates meaning it’s likely turnout will go down again. Despite the “most important election of our time,” claims.
We’ll just see what happens in November, I suppose.


hotair--2020-09-06--The cast of Ted Cruz's favorite movie is hosting a fundraiser for WI Democrats

Sorry , Senator Cruz , but the cast of your all-time favorite movie is reuniting to host a fundraiser for Wisconsin Democrats .
If you ’ ve followed Senator Cruz for very long , you ’ ve probably heard him mention that The Princess Bride is his favorite movie .
He can recite dialogue from the movie , and act out scenes .
He ’ s been known to use a line or two from the movie to zing an opponent on social media .
Now , however , the Democrat Party of Wisconsin has co-opted the cast of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as you know , is a hotly contested swing state in the November presidential election .
Hillary Clinton and her incompetent campaign staff took the state for granted in 2016 .
Trump ended up winning the state by a narrow margin of 0.77 % .
He received 47.22 % of the total votes over the 46.45 % of Hillary Clinton .
That amounts to a 22,748 vote difference .
This election cycle , the Democrats are trying to not make the same mistake .
It ’ s a bit difficult for them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t get out of his house very often .
The strategy so far has been to keep him doing random interviews from his basement studio and away from any tough questioning or exposure on the campaign trail .
The coronavirus pandemic has made drastic changes to typical campaigning and up until recently , Joe ’ s been hiding .
The Kenosha BLM protests and rioting gave Joe Biden an excuse to get out and show his wokeness with the movement .
He had to go , though , because President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Jacob Blake ’ s family but did go and show his support for the people of Kenosha and the law enforcement dealing with law and order on the ground there .
Biden ’ s visit was straight political opportunism of which he was forced into taking advantage .
I think even the Democrats realize Biden isn ’ t going to get a lot of goodwill points from his visit , though , as he was a follower , not a leader , in his concern for Kenosha .
The people in Wisconsin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll note that the carefully orchestrated attack on President Trump by The Atlantic and Biden campaign just so happened to land the day after Biden ’ s trip to Wisconsin .
There are no coincidences in politics .
The Biden campaign was successful , unfortunately , and the hit piece is all the 24/7 cable news stations are talking about – not the great economic report from last week , or the historic agreement reached between Serbia and Kosovo , brokered by the Trump administration .
Nope .
Crickets on all that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the story of The West Wing ’ s cast reunion and support of the Black Lives Matter movement which is a Hollywood-style fundraiser for Democrats , specifically Joe Biden ’ s campaign .
They are working in conjunction with Michelle Obama ’ s get out the vote initiative .
As it turns out , Ben Wikler , chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party , is a big fan of The Princess Bride .
He sounds as though he is in Cruz territory with his fondness of the movie .
Wikler used a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his sister ’ s wedding .
Wisconsin State Journal reports that Cary Elwes , who played Westley in the film , is a childhood friend of a staffer of the Wisconsin Democratic Party .
The idea came to event organizers with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin after the success of a livestreamed reunion of “ West Wing ” cast members , led by Madisonian Bradley Whitford — who played fictional White House deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman on the show — for a taping of “ West Wing Weekly , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNC in August .
The livestreamed podcast taping brought four of the show ’ s cast members together and acted as a fundraiser to support the Democratic Party .
The event ’ s success got the gears moving in the minds of organizers as they searched for similar ways to virtually engage both politically savvy donors as well as those who might not be as tuned in to politics .
The Princess Bride ‘ s cast will do a live-streamed reading from the film .
Other than Elwes , cast members Robin Wright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Prince Humperdink ) , Mandy Patinkin ( Inigo Montoya ) , Wallace Shawn ( Vizzini ) , Billy Crystal ( Miracle Max ) and Carol Kane ( Valerie ) will participate .
The movie ’ s director , Rob Reiner , will also make an appearance as well as other special guests and comedian Patton Oswalt .
It ’ s a liberal ’ s dream of a cast , right ?
I am happy to see that Fred Savage isn ’ t included in the list of names .
As far as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a political activist .
Elwes and Reiner are “ very concerned about another four years of Donald Trump and they know Wisconsin is the key to the election , ” Wikler said .
He said the Biden-Harris campaign is working “ hand-in-six-fingered-glove ” together , which I assume is a reference to something in the movie .
I confess I have never seen the movie .
I must have been doing something else in 1987 .
It ’ s a fundraiser , you know , so the live stream isn ’ t free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least a dollar .
Wikler says since Friday ’ s announcement , the party has seen “ a staggering amount of interest and thousands of donations ” though he isn ’ t providing any numbers .
C ’ mon , man .
Of course , he ’ s not .
It ’ s all smoke and mirrors in Hollywood .
Ted Cruz has criticized the actors for politicizing the cult classic .
Elwes , who just last year advised again politicizing the movie , now tells Cruz to “ leave the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have more to tweet as the event is live-streamed .

Sorry, Senator Cruz, but the cast of your all-time favorite movie is reuniting to host a fundraiser for Wisconsin Democrats. If you’ve followed Senator Cruz for very long, you’ve probably heard him mention that The Princess Bride is his favorite movie. He can recite dialogue from the movie, and act out scenes. He’s been known to use a line or two from the movie to zing an opponent on social media.
Now, however, the Democrat Party of Wisconsin has co-opted the cast of the movie for political fundraising purposes. Wisconsin, as you know, is a hotly contested swing state in the November presidential election. Hillary Clinton and her incompetent campaign staff took the state for granted in 2016. Trump ended up winning the state by a narrow margin of 0.77%. He received 47.22% of the total votes over the 46.45% of Hillary Clinton. That amounts to a 22,748 vote difference. This election cycle, the Democrats are trying to not make the same mistake. It’s a bit difficult for them, though, given that Joe Biden doesn’t get out of his house very often. The strategy so far has been to keep him doing random interviews from his basement studio and away from any tough questioning or exposure on the campaign trail. The coronavirus pandemic has made drastic changes to typical campaigning and up until recently, Joe’s been hiding.
The Kenosha BLM protests and rioting gave Joe Biden an excuse to get out and show his wokeness with the movement. He had to go, though, because President Trump went there and didn’t meet with Jacob Blake’s family but did go and show his support for the people of Kenosha and the law enforcement dealing with law and order on the ground there. Biden’s visit was straight political opportunism of which he was forced into taking advantage. I think even the Democrats realize Biden isn’t going to get a lot of goodwill points from his visit, though, as he was a follower, not a leader, in his concern for Kenosha. The people in Wisconsin aren’t stupid. You’ll note that the carefully orchestrated attack on President Trump by The Atlantic and Biden campaign just so happened to land the day after Biden’s trip to Wisconsin. There are no coincidences in politics. The Biden campaign was successful, unfortunately, and the hit piece is all the 24/7 cable news stations are talking about – not the great economic report from last week, or the historic agreement reached between Serbia and Kosovo, brokered by the Trump administration. Nope. Crickets on all that.
I literally cannot find a single US news outlet that has reported on the content of the historic Serbia-Kosovo deal. So read my piece on what these two countries just agreed to do. Thank you, @realDonaldTrump! https://t.co/tsbEquKeh8 — Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) September 5, 2020
The Democrat Party in Wisconsin was inspired by the story of The West Wing’s cast reunion and support of the Black Lives Matter movement which is a Hollywood-style fundraiser for Democrats, specifically Joe Biden’s campaign. They are working in conjunction with Michelle Obama’s get out the vote initiative. As it turns out, Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, is a big fan of The Princess Bride. He sounds as though he is in Cruz territory with his fondness of the movie. Wikler used a quote from the movie in a toast at his sister’s wedding.
Wisconsin State Journal reports that Cary Elwes, who played Westley in the film, is a childhood friend of a staffer of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
The idea came to event organizers with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin after the success of a livestreamed reunion of “West Wing” cast members, led by Madisonian Bradley Whitford — who played fictional White House deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman on the show — for a taping of “West Wing Weekly,” a show-specific podcast, during the online DNC in August. The livestreamed podcast taping brought four of the show’s cast members together and acted as a fundraiser to support the Democratic Party. The event’s success got the gears moving in the minds of organizers as they searched for similar ways to virtually engage both politically savvy donors as well as those who might not be as tuned in to politics.
The Princess Bride‘s cast will do a live-streamed reading from the film. Other than Elwes, cast members Robin Wright (Princess Buttercup), Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdink), Mandy Patinkin (Inigo Montoya), Wallace Shawn (Vizzini), Billy Crystal (Miracle Max) and Carol Kane (Valerie) will participate. The movie’s director, Rob Reiner, will also make an appearance as well as other special guests and comedian Patton Oswalt. It’s a liberal’s dream of a cast, right? I am happy to see that Fred Savage isn’t included in the list of names. As far as I know, he isn’t a political activist.
Elwes and Reiner are “very concerned about another four years of Donald Trump and they know Wisconsin is the key to the election,” Wikler said. He said the Biden-Harris campaign is working “hand-in-six-fingered-glove” together, which I assume is a reference to something in the movie. I confess I have never seen the movie. I must have been doing something else in 1987.
It’s a fundraiser, you know, so the live stream isn’t free. Donors are asked to cough up at least a dollar. Wikler says since Friday’s announcement, the party has seen “a staggering amount of interest and thousands of donations” though he isn’t providing any numbers. C’mon, man. Of course, he’s not. It’s all smoke and mirrors in Hollywood.
Wisconsin Democrats are asking for donations in any amount above $1 in exchange for access to the exclusive live stream. Funds raised will go toward Wisconsin Democratic Party infrastructure, including continued hires throughout the election season, digital ad buys and other means to support the party through the November election.
Ted Cruz has criticized the actors for politicizing the cult classic. Elwes, who just last year advised again politicizing the movie, now tells Cruz to “leave the fire swamp.”
There’s a shortage of perfect movies in this world. It would be a pity to damage this one. https://t.co/5N8Q3P2e5G — Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) September 18, 2019
.@tedcruz if you only left the fire swamp you could join us. #dumptrumperdinck https://t.co/TelBc2QT9G — Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) September 5, 2020
I’m thinking Cruz will have more to tweet as the event is live-streamed.


hotair--2020-09-06--Another crackdown in Hong Kong

Another crackdown in Hong Kong

Around 300 pro-democracy protesters are in custody in Hong Kong following another crackdown by police .
The arrests happened Sunday during an “ illegal demonstration ” over delayed elections .
Via RTHK : In a confrontation at the intersection of Shantung and Sai Yee streets in Mong Kok , a group of plain-clothes officers subdued a number of people .
Witnesses said officers used pepper spray against passers-by who voiced their displeasure with the police action .
The force also said it had found bags of bricks and stones in an alley in Yau Ma Tei and suspected that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests .
And as night fell , police continued their stop-and-search operation in Mong Kok .
The League of Social Democrats said three of its core members – Leung Kwok-hung , Raphael Wong and Figo Chan – were arrested by the police near Eaton Hotel in Jordan .
They were seen trying to protest against the government ’ s decision to delay the Legco election but police quickly intervened and stopped them The government decided to delay this year ’ s elections citing the coronavirus pandemic .
Hong Kong ’ s government suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots , something which ended up causing a bit of a split amongst LegCo opposition membership .
From South China Morning Post : But Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said it was too early to decide whether to stay or not as there was little information to go by .
“ With no details of the arrangement , it is immature to discuss it .
But I believe the camp has to be united , ” he said .
“ Dividing its enemies is always the tactic of the Chinese Communist Party.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s party colleague , conceded views within the camp were split .
“ Some proposed for a collective resignation , but I see more residents wishing for the pan-democrats to fight for every inch of space , ” Hui said .
But another pan-democrat , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said he was inclined to quit and hoped all his allies would follow suit if [ four incumbents who were declared ineligible because they didn ’ t swear allegiance to Hong Kong ] were banned .
“ I believe there would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while the government might bulldoze more draconian laws to the legislature , ” the pan-democrat said .
“ It is getting difficult for us to avoid criticism from the public.
” Likely what Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and her Chinese handlers want .
It ’ s understandable why pan-democrats are split on the issue .
After all , is it easier to cling to some semblance of power and attempt reforms from within or follow Basic Law and the moral high ground .
My own instincts say follow Basic Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if it means a temporary loss of power .
Hard decision to make , especially when facing a tyrannical government .
Back to Sunday ’ s demonstrations .
The government defended police actions by telling RTHK the protesters were in violation of the National Security Law and Hong Kong ’ s ban of gatherings of more than two to keep the spread of coronavirus at a minimum .
HKPD also sent undercover officers into the crowds and quickly started rounding up people .
SCMP also reported journalists were threatened with arrest on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal event .
Hard to do your job when police are vowing to make your life hell .
A LegCo election needs to happen this year , not next year like Lam is planning .
I ’ m thankful Hong Kong pan-democrats are keeping up their push for free and open elections despite HKPD and the government ’ s awful behavior .
However , I fear the worst is yet to come for democrats there .

Around 300 pro-democracy protesters are in custody in Hong Kong following another crackdown by police. The arrests happened Sunday during an “illegal demonstration” over delayed elections. Via RTHK:
In a confrontation at the intersection of Shantung and Sai Yee streets in Mong Kok, a group of plain-clothes officers subdued a number of people. Witnesses said officers used pepper spray against passers-by who voiced their displeasure with the police action. The force also said it had found bags of bricks and stones in an alley in Yau Ma Tei and suspected that they were intended to be used in the protests. And as night fell, police continued their stop-and-search operation in Mong Kok. The League of Social Democrats said three of its core members – Leung Kwok-hung, Raphael Wong and Figo Chan – were arrested by the police near Eaton Hotel in Jordan. They were seen trying to protest against the government’s decision to delay the Legco election but police quickly intervened and stopped them
The government decided to delay this year’s elections citing the coronavirus pandemic. Hong Kong’s government suggested a one year delay to the casting of ballots, something which ended up causing a bit of a split amongst LegCo opposition membership. From South China Morning Post:
But Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said it was too early to decide whether to stay or not as there was little information to go by. “With no details of the arrangement, it is immature to discuss it. But I believe the camp has to be united,” he said. “Dividing its enemies is always the tactic of the Chinese Communist Party.” Ted Hui Chi-fung, Wu’s party colleague, conceded views within the camp were split. “Some proposed for a collective resignation, but I see more residents wishing for the pan-democrats to fight for every inch of space,” Hui said. But another pan-democrat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was inclined to quit and hoped all his allies would follow suit if [four incumbents who were declared ineligible because they didn’t swear allegiance to Hong Kong] were banned. “I believe there would be little room for us to filibuster, while the government might bulldoze more draconian laws to the legislature,” the pan-democrat said. “It is getting difficult for us to avoid criticism from the public.”
Likely what Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and her Chinese handlers want.
It’s understandable why pan-democrats are split on the issue. After all, is it easier to cling to some semblance of power and attempt reforms from within or follow Basic Law and the moral high ground. My own instincts say follow Basic Law because the chances of later reform remain even if it means a temporary loss of power. Hard decision to make, especially when facing a tyrannical government.
Back to Sunday’s demonstrations. The government defended police actions by telling RTHK the protesters were in violation of the National Security Law and Hong Kong’s ban of gatherings of more than two to keep the spread of coronavirus at a minimum. HKPD also sent undercover officers into the crowds and quickly started rounding up people.
Bedlam just broke out on Shantung Street in Mong Kong after undercover police posing as protesters tackled several people to the ground and pepper sprayed the crowd. pic.twitter.com/SeOT8BWLS3 — Ryan Ho Kilpatrick 何松濤 (@rhokilpatrick) September 6, 2020
SCMP also reported journalists were threatened with arrest on claims they were taking part in an illegal event. Hard to do your job when police are vowing to make your life hell.
A LegCo election needs to happen this year, not next year like Lam is planning. I’m thankful Hong Kong pan-democrats are keeping up their push for free and open elections despite HKPD and the government’s awful behavior. However, I fear the worst is yet to come for democrats there.