hotair--2020-10-18--Report: Trump keeping tabs on Republicans who are disloyal to him in the home stretch

I may be a Never Trumper , but in the battle of POTUS versus the Republican weasels in the Senate who gladhanded him for four years only to finally find their balls when he slipped 10 points behind Biden , I ’ m as MAGA as they come .
Watching him attack Ben Sasse on Twitter yesterday made me think of Eddie Murphy on the courthouse steps in “ Trading Places ” : May I suggest using your nightstick , officer ?
It would be a remarkable irony if the angel of vengeance against Republicans for playing ball with Trumpism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they need to suffer for their sins and he may be the only figure in American politics who can inflict real suffering on them .
They shouldn ’ t be allowed an opportunistic retreat in the face of defeat , when tongues are suddenly loosened after four years and we hear from all quarters that they never much liked him .
The president will retain enormous influence over the party after he ’ s left office ; he should use it to make sure that the pols who made a devil ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of it even when he ’ s gone .
If they had nothing too disapproving to say about the many , many , many civic norms he flouted while in office , they shouldn ’ t have anything to say afterward .
Make them wear it forever , Mr. President .
I pledge my full support in the effort .
You know why he ’ s going after Sasse if you read this post , which actually overlooked the most cutting thing Sasse said about Trump on his call with constituents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be , ‘ Ben Sasse , why were you so mean to Donald Trump ?
’ It ’ s going to be , ‘ What the heck were any of us thinking , that selling a TV-obsessed , narcissistic individual to the American people was a good idea ?
’ ” I ’ m much less confident than Sasse himself seems to be that the debate post-defeat won ’ t be “ Why were Senate Republicans so mean to Trump ?
” The MAGA base will be looking for scapegoats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t eligible for that role .
In fact , if Trump really wants to punish them , he should start complaining loudly that they ’ re in the process of sabotaging him and the American people , right at this moment , by refusing to consider a new coronavirus stimulus package that ’ s commensurate with the public ’ s need .
It ’ s one thing for Trump to whine that a bunch of fellow politicians were fickle in their support for him , it ’ s another for him to lay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans will feel this fall if the caucus won ’ t pass a big stimulus .
That ’ s *real* political pain .
And he ’ d be perfectly right to inflict it on them .
The Daily Beast reports that he ’ s keeping a list of who ’ s naughty and who ’ s nice in the final weeks of the campaign .
Imagine if a bunch of Senate Republicans decide to finally unburden themselves this month of their true feelings about Trump… …only to see him shock the world again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 .
How much more obsequious would the ass-kissing need to be next year to atone for their ill-advised disloyalty ?
Anyway , from the Beast : According to one of the sources with direct knowledge , the president is already contemplating retribution .
“ [ The president ] said something to the effect of : If you ’ re backing away from him now , don ’ t bother coming back for a favor when he wins , ” the other source said .
“ He made a comment about how there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can only count on when things are going your way.
” Some of the coverage that has been bookmarked for Trump includes recent stories on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) , who has not only split with the president on coronavirus-related stimulus legislation but made a point of saying he hadn ’ t been to the White House in weeks because of its cavalier approach to the pandemic .
Declare war , Mr. President .
His tweets about Sasse are actually pretty warlike , in fact , as he comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that GOPers in Nebraska shouldn ’ t vote for Sasse next month .
If Sasse hits back at him this week for those tweets , might Trump actually reach that point where he anti-endorses him ?
Normally I ’ d say , “ Nah , McConnell will talk him out of it.
” But as you can see from the excerpt , McConnell ’ s also guilty of disloyalty .
He may have lost his sway inside the White House now .
The latest Republican to distance himself from Trump — more tactfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Cornyn , who ’ s likely to win his Senate race next month but not quite the sure thing he usually is in Texas .
Cornyn initially described his relationship with Trump as “ maybe like a lot of women who get married and think they ’ re going to change their spouse , and that doesn ’ t usually work out very well.
” … “ [ W ] hen I have had differences of opinion , which I have , ( I ) do that privately , ” Cornyn said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed me to be much more effective , I believe , than to satisfy those who say I ought to call him out or get into a public fight with him.
” … Cornyn said he also disagreed with the way Trump handled trade agreements with China and other Asian countries .
Trump in 2017 pulled the United States out of a Trans-Pacific Partnership , an agreement that would have expanded trade in 12 countries… Cornyn also opposed taking money from the defense budget to build portions of a border wall , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hawk ” who disagreed with the use of national security funds for that purpose .
Those “ private ” disagreements suddenly aren ’ t so private .
May I suggest using your nightstick , officer ?
I ’ ll leave you with this tragicomic graphic from Tim Miller , who noticed that our fightin ’ president seems to have a hierarchy of people whom he ’ s eager to fight with .
Disloyal Republicans rank much higher than Democratic candidates from the other party , about whom Trump rarely tweets even though the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using his platform to attack them .
( Miller found exactly two Trump tweets this year targeting Dem Senate challengers versus 15 targeting Joe Scarborough . )
Normally the president ’ s habit of fighting people who are aligned with him is a liability .
Post-presidency , I think it ’ ll operate as something resembling justice .

I may be a Never Trumper, but in the battle of POTUS versus the Republican weasels in the Senate who gladhanded him for four years only to finally find their balls when he slipped 10 points behind Biden, I’m as MAGA as they come.
Watching him attack Ben Sasse on Twitter yesterday made me think of Eddie Murphy on the courthouse steps in “Trading Places”: May I suggest using your nightstick, officer?
It would be a remarkable irony if the angel of vengeance against Republicans for playing ball with Trumpism turned out to be Trump himself, but they need to suffer for their sins and he may be the only figure in American politics who can inflict real suffering on them. They shouldn’t be allowed an opportunistic retreat in the face of defeat, when tongues are suddenly loosened after four years and we hear from all quarters that they never much liked him. The president will retain enormous influence over the party after he’s left office; he should use it to make sure that the pols who made a devil’s bargain with him keep up their end of it even when he’s gone. If they had nothing too disapproving to say about the many, many, many civic norms he flouted while in office, they shouldn’t have anything to say afterward.
Make them wear it forever, Mr. President. I pledge my full support in the effort.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1317460179223498753
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1317495725786353670
You know why he’s going after Sasse if you read this post, which actually overlooked the most cutting thing Sasse said about Trump on his call with constituents. Quote: “The debate is not going to be, ‘Ben Sasse, why were you so mean to Donald Trump?’ It’s going to be, ‘What the heck were any of us thinking, that selling a TV-obsessed, narcissistic individual to the American people was a good idea?’”
I’m much less confident than Sasse himself seems to be that the debate post-defeat won’t be “Why were Senate Republicans so mean to Trump?” The MAGA base will be looking for scapegoats, and the TV-obsessed narcissistic individual-in-chief isn’t eligible for that role. In fact, if Trump really wants to punish them, he should start complaining loudly that they’re in the process of sabotaging him and the American people, right at this moment, by refusing to consider a new coronavirus stimulus package that’s commensurate with the public’s need. It’s one thing for Trump to whine that a bunch of fellow politicians were fickle in their support for him, it’s another for him to lay at their feet the economic punishment that Americans will feel this fall if the caucus won’t pass a big stimulus.
That’s *real* political pain. And he’d be perfectly right to inflict it on them.
The Daily Beast reports that he’s keeping a list of who’s naughty and who’s nice in the final weeks of the campaign. Imagine if a bunch of Senate Republicans decide to finally unburden themselves this month of their true feelings about Trump…
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/1317487495068737536
…only to see him shock the world again by winning a second term on November 3. How much more obsequious would the ass-kissing need to be next year to atone for their ill-advised disloyalty?
Anyway, from the Beast:
According to one of the sources with direct knowledge, the president is already contemplating retribution. “[The president] said something to the effect of: If you’re backing away from him now, don’t bother coming back for a favor when he wins,” the other source said. “He made a comment about how there are some people out there who you can only count on when things are going your way.” Some of the coverage that has been bookmarked for Trump includes recent stories on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who has not only split with the president on coronavirus-related stimulus legislation but made a point of saying he hadn’t been to the White House in weeks because of its cavalier approach to the pandemic.
Declare war, Mr. President. His tweets about Sasse are actually pretty warlike, in fact, as he comes right up to the edge of saying that GOPers in Nebraska shouldn’t vote for Sasse next month. If Sasse hits back at him this week for those tweets, might Trump actually reach that point where he anti-endorses him? Normally I’d say, “Nah, McConnell will talk him out of it.” But as you can see from the excerpt, McConnell’s also guilty of disloyalty. He may have lost his sway inside the White House now.
The latest Republican to distance himself from Trump — more tactfully than Sasse, but still — is John Cornyn, who’s likely to win his Senate race next month but not quite the sure thing he usually is in Texas.
Cornyn initially described his relationship with Trump as “maybe like a lot of women who get married and think they’re going to change their spouse, and that doesn’t usually work out very well.”… “[W]hen I have had differences of opinion, which I have, (I) do that privately,” Cornyn said. “I have found that has allowed me to be much more effective, I believe, than to satisfy those who say I ought to call him out or get into a public fight with him.”… Cornyn said he also disagreed with the way Trump handled trade agreements with China and other Asian countries. Trump in 2017 pulled the United States out of a Trans-Pacific Partnership, an agreement that would have expanded trade in 12 countries… Cornyn also opposed taking money from the defense budget to build portions of a border wall, saying he is “very much a defense hawk” who disagreed with the use of national security funds for that purpose.
Those “private” disagreements suddenly aren’t so private. May I suggest using your nightstick, officer?
I’ll leave you with this tragicomic graphic from Tim Miller, who noticed that our fightin’ president seems to have a hierarchy of people whom he’s eager to fight with. Disloyal Republicans rank much higher than Democratic candidates from the other party, about whom Trump rarely tweets even though the GOP would stand to benefit from him using his platform to attack them. (Miller found exactly two Trump tweets this year targeting Dem Senate challengers versus 15 targeting Joe Scarborough.) Normally the president’s habit of fighting people who are aligned with him is a liability. Post-presidency, I think it’ll operate as something resembling justice.


hotair--2020-10-18--Women's March sign: "Trump is an unstable penis!"

Halloween came early to the nation ’ s capital .
Thousands of angry women marched in Washington , D.C. on Saturday to protest Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and President Trump .
Some women wore their pink pussy hats and some wore long red capes and white bonnets .
Since this march was mostly a protest against ACB , many women wore black robes with white lace collars as Ruth Bader Ginsburg did .
Sounds like a super spreader event , right ?
No , no .
The mitigation measures to battle the coronavirus pandemic only apply to some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in American cities .
The protesters are magically inoculated from being infected , apparently .
Only Trump supporters attending a campaign rally or church members attending a church service infect each other .
Even Thanksgiving dinner with your family and friends is off the table this year , according to Dr. Fauci .
Reporters are not interested in following up to find out if protesters spread the virus which leads to the opinions that they do not .
Also , there are quarantine restrictions on visitors to Washington , D.C. and those must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters .
The story of a young woman driving up from Florida with her mother and grandmother to attend the Women ’ s March , an 18-hour car trip , shows that the rules only apply to some people .
Remember when we were told that women have to support other women ?
That , too , is no longer true .
If a conservative woman is nominated for the Supreme Court , liberal women by the thousands will rise up and march in the streets against that nomination , as happened Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Any woman who does not support other women is going to hell.
” It was always a dumb generalization aimed at women who don ’ t support liberal women , like Hillary Clinton .
Funny , I don ’ t remember marches held by conservative women against Elena Kagan , who had absolutely no judicial experience when she was nominated to the Supreme Court .
The Washington Post reports that the marchers were mostly white .
And there were lots of signs being held up .
One read , “ Trump is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks to be a white man .
There was desperation in the air , according to the WaPo article .
ACB will be confirmed and become the newest justice on the Supreme Court .
They can march all they want , but it ’ s happening .
One young woman said she is terrified and is fighting the patriarchy or something .
This year ’ s event has an urgency akin to the first one , she said .
“ There ’ s a desperation to it.
” A group of a dozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dresses and white bonnets , lined up in a row with signs hanging from their necks with the words “ Trump Pence OUT NOW !
” The costumes were a reference to Barrett ’ s leadership role in the Christian group People of Praise , a position that had been called “ handmaiden ” until 2017 when “ The Handmaid ’ s Tale , ” a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood , was adapted for TV and the term was associated with women subjugated by men .
A few feet away , Kelsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey , held a sign with the words “ W.A.P .
: Women Against the Patriarchy.
” Weir said she feels terrified about the years ahead , especially with Barrett on the Supreme Court .
She said she felt it was her duty as a citizen to march .
“ Women are threatened in a world where a Christian theocracy is threatening to take over , ” she said , pointing to the women in handmaiden costumes .
“ This is the crisis for our world .
The next few weeks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women.
” Margaret Atwood , a Canadian writer and author of The Handmaid ’ s Tale , has posted a plea on Twitter for all American ex-pats to vote in this election .
She refers to America as a democracy , not a constitutional republic , and dramatically encourages Americans to get out and vote while we still can .
This rally was to attack ACB on her religious beliefs as a practicing Catholic and a member of a group that performs community service in her city .
This is extreme to liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status quo .
They know they can ’ t attack ACB on her credentials , which are impeccable , or her intellect , which is superior , so they go for personal attacks .
Even then , they can only find her religion to attack .
It always boils down to abortion .
ACB hasn ’ t suggested that she ’ ll vote one way or the other if such a case comes before the Supreme Court .
There were counter-protesters who met the angry liberal women who marched on to the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-abortion women .
And , of course , children were dragged into the protests .
They were dressed in Handmaid ’ s capes and bonnets , and one pair of 7-year-old twins were dressed as RBG and Rep. John Lewis .
There may be some protest fatigue setting in after so many months of continual protests , mostly about BLM , and that may account for the lack of black protesters Saturday .
Or , at least , that is what one person is saying .
Marches were to have been held all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I did a quick search in my city ’ s newspaper online and found no articles on any local protests except for one .
It was a bike ride organized by a group of people in recognition of George Floyd ’ s birthday .

Halloween came early to the nation’s capital. Thousands of angry women marched in Washington, D.C. on Saturday to protest Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and President Trump. Some women wore their pink pussy hats and some wore long red capes and white bonnets. Since this march was mostly a protest against ACB, many women wore black robes with white lace collars as Ruth Bader Ginsburg did.
Sounds like a super spreader event, right? No, no. The mitigation measures to battle the coronavirus pandemic only apply to some events and activities, not large protests in American cities. The protesters are magically inoculated from being infected, apparently. Only Trump supporters attending a campaign rally or church members attending a church service infect each other. Even Thanksgiving dinner with your family and friends is off the table this year, according to Dr. Fauci. Reporters are not interested in following up to find out if protesters spread the virus which leads to the opinions that they do not. Also, there are quarantine restrictions on visitors to Washington, D.C. and those must have been waived for all the out-of-state protesters. The story of a young woman driving up from Florida with her mother and grandmother to attend the Women’s March, an 18-hour car trip, shows that the rules only apply to some people.
Remember when we were told that women have to support other women? That, too, is no longer true. If a conservative woman is nominated for the Supreme Court, liberal women by the thousands will rise up and march in the streets against that nomination, as happened Saturday. Madeleine Albright once said, “Any woman who does not support other women is going to hell.” It was always a dumb generalization aimed at women who don’t support liberal women, like Hillary Clinton. Funny, I don’t remember marches held by conservative women against Elena Kagan, who had absolutely no judicial experience when she was nominated to the Supreme Court. The Washington Post reports that the marchers were mostly white. And there were lots of signs being held up. One read, “Trump is an unstable penis!” held by what looks to be a white man.
Lots of people out at Freedom Place in DC this afternoon for the #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/EndzCPOw7c — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 17, 2020
“Trump is an unstable penis!” sign is something I didn’t expect to see today pic.twitter.com/CXuptYkhB7 — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 17, 2020
This woman apparently drove 500 miles to march. There are others from out of town, too, from what I’ve heard. pic.twitter.com/zn29xBvua6 — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 17, 2020
Thousands are now marching in DC for the #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/btdMnFhbYo — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 17, 2020
There was desperation in the air, according to the WaPo article. ACB will be confirmed and become the newest justice on the Supreme Court. They can march all they want, but it’s happening. One young woman said she is terrified and is fighting the patriarchy or something.
This year’s event has an urgency akin to the first one, she said. “There’s a desperation to it.” A group of a dozen women dressed as handmaidens, with red dresses and white bonnets, lined up in a row with signs hanging from their necks with the words “Trump Pence OUT NOW!” The costumes were a reference to Barrett’s leadership role in the Christian group People of Praise, a position that had been called “handmaiden” until 2017 when “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, was adapted for TV and the term was associated with women subjugated by men. A few feet away, Kelsey Weir, a 29-year-old artist from southern New Jersey, held a sign with the words “W.A.P.: Women Against the Patriarchy.” Weir said she feels terrified about the years ahead, especially with Barrett on the Supreme Court. She said she felt it was her duty as a citizen to march. “Women are threatened in a world where a Christian theocracy is threatening to take over,” she said, pointing to the women in handmaiden costumes. “This is the crisis for our world. The next few weeks are going to decide so many things for women.”
Margaret Atwood, a Canadian writer and author of The Handmaid’s Tale, has posted a plea on Twitter for all American ex-pats to vote in this election. She refers to America as a democracy, not a constitutional republic, and dramatically encourages Americans to get out and vote while we still can.
In @MargaretAtwood’s award-winning #TheHandmaidsTale the US is no longer a democracy. Atwood's plea to US citizens living in #Canada & overseas is you can & should vote while you still can. Even if you never lived in the US, if you are a US citizen you can https://t.co/7Ldw2H8PRT pic.twitter.com/sBp8qRRegU — Democrats Abroad Canada 🇺🇸🇨🇦 (@DemsAbroadCan) October 13, 2020
This rally was to attack ACB on her religious beliefs as a practicing Catholic and a member of a group that performs community service in her city. This is extreme to liberal women and threatens to shake up their status quo. They know they can’t attack ACB on her credentials, which are impeccable, or her intellect, which is superior, so they go for personal attacks. Even then, they can only find her religion to attack. It always boils down to abortion. ACB hasn’t suggested that she’ll vote one way or the other if such a case comes before the Supreme Court.
There were counter-protesters who met the angry liberal women who marched on to the Supreme Court building. Pro-life women argued with pro-abortion women.
We’ve reached the Supreme Court where the Women’s March has met a line of pro-life protesters. There’s now a sort of standoff with the two groups pic.twitter.com/OF2VNuiTmm — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 17, 2020
A pro-ACB speech/group is surrounded by people chanting “RBG” … there are multiple speeches going on in front of the Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/ZaWEk46Bpr — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 17, 2020
And, of course, children were dragged into the protests. They were dressed in Handmaid’s capes and bonnets, and one pair of 7-year-old twins were dressed as RBG and Rep. John Lewis.
Earlier: There were a lot of extra Handsmaid’s outfits and some adults outfitted a younger girl with one: pic.twitter.com/wgQMIKOur2 — Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 17, 2020
There may be some protest fatigue setting in after so many months of continual protests, mostly about BLM, and that may account for the lack of black protesters Saturday. Or, at least, that is what one person is saying.
The crowd was predominantly White, a marked difference from the racially diverse protests that filled the city this past summer following the death of George Floyd in police custody. “There’s some degree of protest fatigue,” said Cherie Craft, founder of Smart from the Start, a community engagement organization that serves primarily Black families in Southeast Washington. “After the summer, people think you know, is this really making a difference?”
Marches were to have been held all around the country, according to organizers. I did a quick search in my city’s newspaper online and found no articles on any local protests except for one. It was a bike ride organized by a group of people in recognition of George Floyd’s birthday.


hotair--2020-10-18--Two sides of the same coin: Sunday reflection

The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech .
They sent their disciples to him , with the Herodians , saying , “ Teacher , we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth .
And you are not concerned with anyone ’ s opinion , for you do not regard a person ’ s status .
Tell us , then , what is your opinion : Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not ?
” Knowing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are you testing me , you hypocrites ?
Show me the coin that pays the census tax.
” Then they handed him the Roman coin .
He said to them , “ Whose image is this and whose inscription ?
” They replied , “ Caesar ’ s. ” At that he said to them , “ Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.
” Today ’ s Gospel reading is , by itself , one of the most enjoyable of Christ ’ s rebukes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point in Matthew ’ s Gospel , it has become abundantly clear that these authorities had decided Jesus was a threat to their own position , rather than the One who would save the world .
This would provoke the “ Woes ” Matthew records in the very next chapter , in which Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees at the temple as “ blind guides , ” “ hypocrites , ” “ blind fools , ” and so on , and ending with a lament over Jerusalem ’ s betrayal of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conceived in retrospect , but in context , it had a malicious cleverness to it .
The Romans had imposed taxes on Jerusalem ( as most occupiers do ) , and anger over them contributed to unrest ( as they usually do , too ) .
The Pharisees clearly hoped to put Jesus in a position where the Romans would see Him as part of the unrest as a tax protester or a denier of Roman authority .
Either that , or they hoped to force Jesus into a tacit endorsement of Roman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher .
Either way , it would derail the threat Jesus posed to their authority without the scribes and Pharisees having to do anything at all .
They would be able to “ keep their skirts clean , ” so to speak .
Jesus sees right through this , of course .
Instead , He makes the distinction between the temporal and the spiritual , giving us one of the most memorable of all lessons in the Gospels : Render unto Caesar what is Caesar ’ s , and render unto Me what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and poetic version .
But what is Caesar ’ s , and what is the Lord ’ s ?
Today ’ s first reading from Isaiah puts this episode into a different light , and calls us to see past the distinction drawn by Jesus in this rebuke .
The prophet proclaims that King Cyrus of Persia is the Lord ’ s instrument , “ his anointed , ” even though Cyrus “ knew me not ” : Thus says the LORD to his anointed , Cyrus , whose right hand I grasp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making kings run in his service , opening doors before him and leaving the gates unbarred : For the sake of Jacob , my servant , of Israel , my chosen one , I have called you by your name , giving you a title , though you knew me not .
I am the LORD and there is no other , there is no God besides me .
It is I who arm you , though you know me not , so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ besides me .
I am the LORD , there is no other .
Isaiah could not be referring directly to Cyrus the Great , at least not from contemporary experience .
Cyrus the Great became one of the most influential dynasts in history , most remembered ( in Biblical terms ) for having released the Judeans from their Babylonian captivity in the sixth century BC , an event described in Second Chronicles 36:22-23 .
However , Isaiah prophesied long before the fall of Jerusalem , starting in the eighth century BC .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cyrus I of Anshan and Persia , Cyrus the Great ’ s grandfather , or a true prophecy of the future .
Either way , this becomes an even more compelling vision of the Lord ’ s use of us as instruments of His will — whether we know Him or not .
As Isaiah says just before this passage , the Lord “ says of Cyrus , ‘ He is my shepherd , and he shall fulfill all my purpose ’ ; saying of Jerusalem , ‘ She shall be built , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your foundation shall be laid.
’ ” The Lord anointed Cyrus I to have His people liberated two generations later through the actions of his grandson .
Cyrus — both Cyruses — are God ’ s instrument .
And this brings us back to Jesus ’ rebuke with the coin of Caesar .
It is not quite so easy to determine what serves the Lord and what does not .
Did Caesar serve the Lord , unwittingly ?
Did Pontius Pilate ?
Do we all serve the Lord , whether we know Him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in how we serve the Lord that determines our fate .
We are given free will , by which we can cooperate with His own will or choose not to do so at all .
Clearly , Pilate chose another path , as did the whole line of the Caesars of Rome until Constantine .
And yet , in both our cooperation and our refusals , the Lord ’ s will gets accomplished .
The idol-worshipping of the kings of Israel destroyed the mission of Israel as a nation of prophets for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ episodes of renewal and rebirth .
The sins of Judea allowed for the Greek occupation , but that produced the Maccabean re-assertion of Judaic principles and the Law .
Roman occupation crushed Judaic independence , but it allowed the moment in time for the Messiah to proclaim salvation , and establish His church .
It is this duality that challenges us in living lives of faithfulness .
Our spiritual lives are caught up in the temporal world ; all eventually serves the Lord ’ s will , but sin ensnares us and leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as easy as looking at the head of a coin .
Life is two sides of one coin , in which we strive to remain faithful to the Lord while dealing with the consequences of the fallen world warped by man ’ s will rather than His .
The Lord calls us to cooperate for our sakes , to form ourselves for salvation ; He does not call us for His sake .
So how are we to accomplish that ?
We need to keep our minds and hearts fixed on the Lord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signposts of sin .
This is why Jesus dismissed the politics and commerce of His time as a snare rather than a part of His mission .
We are called to participate in the world , but to put it in its proper perspective .
If we recall Jesus ’ commandment that our first mission is to love the Lord with all our hearts and will , everything else falls into place — like a coin dropping in a machine , a tool rather than an end in itself .
The front page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de César ” [ Caesar ’ s Coin ] by Domingos Sequeira , 1790 .
Currently in a private collection .
Via Wikimedia Commons .
“ Sunday Reflection ” is a regular feature , looking at the specific readings used in today ’ s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world .
The reflection represents only my own point of view , intended to help prepare myself for the Lord ’ s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion .
Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

This morning’s Gospel reading is Matthew 22:15–21:
The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Today’s Gospel reading is, by itself, one of the most enjoyable of Christ’s rebukes to the temple authorities. By this point in Matthew’s Gospel, it has become abundantly clear that these authorities had decided Jesus was a threat to their own position, rather than the One who would save the world. This would provoke the “Woes” Matthew records in the very next chapter, in which Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees at the temple as “blind guides,” “hypocrites,” “blind fools,” and so on, and ending with a lament over Jerusalem’s betrayal of the prophets.
This particular trap looks poorly conceived in retrospect, but in context, it had a malicious cleverness to it. The Romans had imposed taxes on Jerusalem (as most occupiers do), and anger over them contributed to unrest (as they usually do, too). The Pharisees clearly hoped to put Jesus in a position where the Romans would see Him as part of the unrest as a tax protester or a denier of Roman authority. Either that, or they hoped to force Jesus into a tacit endorsement of Roman rule that could discredit Him as a teacher. Either way, it would derail the threat Jesus posed to their authority without the scribes and Pharisees having to do anything at all. They would be able to “keep their skirts clean,” so to speak.
Jesus sees right through this, of course. Instead, He makes the distinction between the temporal and the spiritual, giving us one of the most memorable of all lessons in the Gospels: Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and render unto Me what is Mine, in the more archaic and poetic version.
But what is Caesar’s, and what is the Lord’s? Today’s first reading from Isaiah puts this episode into a different light, and calls us to see past the distinction drawn by Jesus in this rebuke. The prophet proclaims that King Cyrus of Persia is the Lord’s instrument, “his anointed,” even though Cyrus “knew me not”:
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp, subduing nations before him, and making kings run in his service, opening doors before him and leaving the gates unbarred: For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not. I am the LORD and there is no other, there is no God besides me. It is I who arm you, though you know me not, so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, there is no other.
Isaiah could not be referring directly to Cyrus the Great, at least not from contemporary experience. Cyrus the Great became one of the most influential dynasts in history, most remembered (in Biblical terms) for having released the Judeans from their Babylonian captivity in the sixth century BC, an event described in Second Chronicles 36:22-23. However, Isaiah prophesied long before the fall of Jerusalem, starting in the eighth century BC. This appears to be either a reference to Cyrus I of Anshan and Persia, Cyrus the Great’s grandfather, or a true prophecy of the future.
Either way, this becomes an even more compelling vision of the Lord’s use of us as instruments of His will — whether we know Him or not. As Isaiah says just before this passage, the Lord “says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ” The Lord anointed Cyrus I to have His people liberated two generations later through the actions of his grandson. Cyrus — both Cyruses — are God’s instrument.
And this brings us back to Jesus’ rebuke with the coin of Caesar. It is not quite so easy to determine what serves the Lord and what does not. Did Caesar serve the Lord, unwittingly? Did Pontius Pilate? Do we all serve the Lord, whether we know Him or not? Indeed, but it is in how we serve the Lord that determines our fate. We are given free will, by which we can cooperate with His own will or choose not to do so at all. Clearly, Pilate chose another path, as did the whole line of the Caesars of Rome until Constantine.
And yet, in both our cooperation and our refusals, the Lord’s will gets accomplished. The idol-worshipping of the kings of Israel destroyed the mission of Israel as a nation of prophets for the world, but it allowed for episodes of renewal and rebirth. The sins of Judea allowed for the Greek occupation, but that produced the Maccabean re-assertion of Judaic principles and the Law. Roman occupation crushed Judaic independence, but it allowed the moment in time for the Messiah to proclaim salvation, and establish His church.
It is this duality that challenges us in living lives of faithfulness. Our spiritual lives are caught up in the temporal world; all eventually serves the Lord’s will, but sin ensnares us and leads us astray. Discernment isn’t as easy as looking at the head of a coin. Life is two sides of one coin, in which we strive to remain faithful to the Lord while dealing with the consequences of the fallen world warped by man’s will rather than His. The Lord calls us to cooperate for our sakes, to form ourselves for salvation; He does not call us for His sake.
So how are we to accomplish that? We need to keep our minds and hearts fixed on the Lord and His Word, rather than the signposts of sin. This is why Jesus dismissed the politics and commerce of His time as a snare rather than a part of His mission. We are called to participate in the world, but to put it in its proper perspective. If we recall Jesus’ commandment that our first mission is to love the Lord with all our hearts and will, everything else falls into place — like a coin dropping in a machine, a tool rather than an end in itself.
The front page image is a detail from “Moeda de César” [Caesar’s Coin] by Domingos Sequeira, 1790. Currently in a private collection. Via Wikimedia Commons.
“Sunday Reflection” is a regular feature, looking at the specific readings used in today’s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world. The reflection represents only my own point of view, intended to help prepare myself for the Lord’s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion. Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here. For previous Green Room entries, click here.


hotair--2020-10-18--San Francisco conservative rally attacked by Antifa mob

When you think of San Francisco , a conservative rally in support of the President and law enforcement probably isn ’ t the first thing that comes to mind .
But a group called Team Save America somehow managed to pull one off yesterday .
Or at least they did so briefly .
The group was displaying Thin Blue Line flags , along with American flags as they protested Twitter ’ s suppression of free speech and the blackout of news unfavorable to Joe Biden .
The reason the rally didn ’ t last long was that hundreds of Antifa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacking both the protesters and the police who were attempting to keep the two groups apart .
At least one protester was taken to the hospital and multiple officers were injured .
( Associated Press ) A free speech demonstration staged by conservative activists quickly fell apart in downtown San Francisco on Saturday after several hundred counterprotesters surged the area , outnumbering and attacking those gathered , including knocking one in the mouth .
A photographer working for The Associated Press witnessed an activist with Team Save America taken away in an ambulance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ground by San Francisco ’ s United Nations Plaza .
Team Save America organized the rally to protest Twitter , which it said squelches conservative speech .
Philip Anderson , the event organizer , was taken away by ambulance after being beaten to the point where he lost one of his front teeth and another was dangling loose .
The moment Anderson took the stage , the mob began throwing plastic water bottles and glass bottles at both the speaker and the cops .
The Antifa thugs acted without hesitation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And here ’ s the really incredible part .
As of this morning , not a single arrest has been made .
No wonder they think they can get away with it .
The following images from the Associated Press ( obtained via our subscription to their media image library ) show more of the action .
( Click for full-size image ) One Antifa member ( incorrectly described in the article as a “ counterprotester : ) throws an egg at the police .
It ’ s one of the less destructive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the barricades to directly attack the cops .
How is the city government continuing to allow this to happen ?
This was not any sort of “ counterprotest.
” There was no liberal protest scheduled for yesterday in San Francisco .
Team Save America announced their plans , obtained the required permit and showed up to peacefully demonstrate in support of their cause .
Antifa rounded up hundreds of armed thugs wearing masks to hide their identities and simply launched an attack without provocation .
In a more sane world , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mob bloody , if not shooting a few of them to get the message across .
But by allowing all of this to transpire without making so much as one arrest for assault , attacking police officers or obstructing law enforcement is an embarrassment .
And you can rest assured , those orders came down from the top , rather than this being a case of the cops simply being ineffective .
As long as that pattern continues , Antifa will feel free to attack where and when they wish .
This needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if some of the mob members have to pay for their audacity with their own trip to the hospital or worse .

When you think of San Francisco, a conservative rally in support of the President and law enforcement probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But a group called Team Save America somehow managed to pull one off yesterday. Or at least they did so briefly. The group was displaying Thin Blue Line flags, along with American flags as they protested Twitter’s suppression of free speech and the blackout of news unfavorable to Joe Biden. The reason the rally didn’t last long was that hundreds of Antifa thugs showed up almost immediately and began attacking both the protesters and the police who were attempting to keep the two groups apart. At least one protester was taken to the hospital and multiple officers were injured. (Associated Press)
A free speech demonstration staged by conservative activists quickly fell apart in downtown San Francisco on Saturday after several hundred counterprotesters surged the area, outnumbering and attacking those gathered, including knocking one in the mouth. A photographer working for The Associated Press witnessed an activist with Team Save America taken away in an ambulance and an injured San Francisco police officer on the ground by San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza. Team Save America organized the rally to protest Twitter, which it said squelches conservative speech.
Philip Anderson, the event organizer, was taken away by ambulance after being beaten to the point where he lost one of his front teeth and another was dangling loose. The moment Anderson took the stage, the mob began throwing plastic water bottles and glass bottles at both the speaker and the cops. The Antifa thugs acted without hesitation and demonstrated no fear of law enforcement. And here’s the really incredible part. As of this morning, not a single arrest has been made. No wonder they think they can get away with it.
The following images from the Associated Press (obtained via our subscription to their media image library) show more of the action. (Click for full-size image)
One Antifa member (incorrectly described in the article as a “counterprotester:) throws an egg at the police. It’s one of the less destructive things they did.
The mob crashed through the barricades to directly attack the cops.
How is the city government continuing to allow this to happen? This was not any sort of “counterprotest.” There was no liberal protest scheduled for yesterday in San Francisco. Team Save America announced their plans, obtained the required permit and showed up to peacefully demonstrate in support of their cause. Antifa rounded up hundreds of armed thugs wearing masks to hide their identities and simply launched an attack without provocation.
In a more sane world, those cops would have started beating the Antifa mob bloody, if not shooting a few of them to get the message across. But by allowing all of this to transpire without making so much as one arrest for assault, attacking police officers or obstructing law enforcement is an embarrassment. And you can rest assured, those orders came down from the top, rather than this being a case of the cops simply being ineffective. As long as that pattern continues, Antifa will feel free to attack where and when they wish. This needs to be put to an end, even if some of the mob members have to pay for their audacity with their own trip to the hospital or worse.


hotair--2020-10-18--More on the PA mayor that fired her police Chief over wife's pro-Trump FB posts

As you may recall , about a week ago we learned that the Mayor of Lancaster , Pennsylvania had given her chief of police a stark choice .
Retire early or be fired .
Mayor Danene Sorace had said she negotiated a “ private agreement ” with Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser so she would not comment further on the details .
The reason , as detailed by a past President of the PBA , was that Mayor Sorace was incensed over a couple of Facebook comments the Chief ’ s wife had posted in support of President Trump .
Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and also refused to comment , allegedly on the advice of the police union and his attorney .
At the time I speculated that there was much more to the story than what the Mayor was saying .
That prediction is looking considerably more solid now .
After being badgered by the local press for more information , the Mayor decided to comment on the subject she was “ not allowed to comment on ” after all .
She ’ s now telling a different story , claiming that the Chief didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the progressive future of Lancaster .
( Lancaster Online ) Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace said she and police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser negotiated his retirement because she came to doubt he shared her vision for the direction of the police department following the death of George Floyd .
While not addressing it directly , Sorace ’ s statement — released late Thursday afternoon — refutes claims made by Berkihiser ’ s wife on social media and the Fraternal Order of Police that Berkihiser was forced to retire because of a pro-Trump Facebook posting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Chief Berkihiser about racial equity , policing , and the ways in which Lancaster city could continue to lead the way as it related to progressive policing as in the county and the region , ” Sorace said in a video statement released Thursday afternoon .
There are two distinct points about the Mayor ’ s recent comments that are worth noting .
The first is the fact that she commented at all after telling everyone that the “ agreement ” she had reached with the Chief forbade her from saying any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public about this .
Chief Berkihiser has kept up his end of the bargain , still refusing to offer any public comments while he consults with his attorney .
So if there was an “ agreement , ” the Mayor has broken it .
The second point to note is all of this malarkey ( thanks , Joe Biden ! )
about the Chief not “ sharing her vision.
” After some incidents of use-of-force encounters between police and minority suspects , Chief Berkihiser had already implemented policy changes and new training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the future .
He was following the same general path that police forces around the nation have been charting , for better or worse .
In other words , he was already doing precisely what the Mayor had publicly said they needed to do .
You ’ ll also note that Mayor Sorace doesn ’ t provide any specifics about these “ conversations ” she had with the Chief , offering no examples of how he “ failed to share her vision.
” If that was really the case , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back up her claim now that she ’ s violated their “ agreement ” anyway , wouldn ’ t you ?
Sorry ( not sorry ) , but I ’ m not buying it This still looks like a case of a Mayor who is rabidly anti-Trump and was caught ending a lifelong law enforcement officer ’ s career in an act of petty revenge over some incredibly mild comments that the Chief ’ s wife had made on social media .
And now she ’ s trying to back peddle her way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s worth , the Mayor has made more of an enemy of the Chief ’ s wife than of the Chief himself .
On Thursday she posted to Facebook yet again saying , “ The Mayor lies through her ****ing teeth.
” You might not want to tick her off too badly , Mayor .
She sounds like a tough cookie .

As you may recall, about a week ago we learned that the Mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania had given her chief of police a stark choice. Retire early or be fired. Mayor Danene Sorace had said she negotiated a “private agreement” with Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser so she would not comment further on the details. The reason, as detailed by a past President of the PBA, was that Mayor Sorace was incensed over a couple of Facebook comments the Chief’s wife had posted in support of President Trump. Chief Berkihiser was not present for the announcement and also refused to comment, allegedly on the advice of the police union and his attorney. At the time I speculated that there was much more to the story than what the Mayor was saying.
That prediction is looking considerably more solid now. After being badgered by the local press for more information, the Mayor decided to comment on the subject she was “not allowed to comment on” after all. She’s now telling a different story, claiming that the Chief didn’t “share her vision” for the progressive future of Lancaster. (Lancaster Online)
Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace said she and police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser negotiated his retirement because she came to doubt he shared her vision for the direction of the police department following the death of George Floyd. While not addressing it directly, Sorace’s statement — released late Thursday afternoon — refutes claims made by Berkihiser’s wife on social media and the Fraternal Order of Police that Berkihiser was forced to retire because of a pro-Trump Facebook posting. “… I had many many discussions with Chief Berkihiser about racial equity, policing, and the ways in which Lancaster city could continue to lead the way as it related to progressive policing as in the county and the region,” Sorace said in a video statement released Thursday afternoon.
There are two distinct points about the Mayor’s recent comments that are worth noting. The first is the fact that she commented at all after telling everyone that the “agreement” she had reached with the Chief forbade her from saying any more. She was clearly lying to the public about this. Chief Berkihiser has kept up his end of the bargain, still refusing to offer any public comments while he consults with his attorney. So if there was an “agreement,” the Mayor has broken it.
The second point to note is all of this malarkey (thanks, Joe Biden!) about the Chief not “sharing her vision.” After some incidents of use-of-force encounters between police and minority suspects, Chief Berkihiser had already implemented policy changes and new training for the force to minimize such occurrences in the future. He was following the same general path that police forces around the nation have been charting, for better or worse.
In other words, he was already doing precisely what the Mayor had publicly said they needed to do. You’ll also note that Mayor Sorace doesn’t provide any specifics about these “conversations” she had with the Chief, offering no examples of how he “failed to share her vision.” If that was really the case, you’d think she would be willing to back up her claim now that she’s violated their “agreement” anyway, wouldn’t you?
Sorry (not sorry), but I’m not buying it This still looks like a case of a Mayor who is rabidly anti-Trump and was caught ending a lifelong law enforcement officer’s career in an act of petty revenge over some incredibly mild comments that the Chief’s wife had made on social media. And now she’s trying to back peddle her way out of it.
For what it’s worth, the Mayor has made more of an enemy of the Chief’s wife than of the Chief himself. On Thursday she posted to Facebook yet again saying, “The Mayor lies through her ****ing teeth.” You might not want to tick her off too badly, Mayor. She sounds like a tough cookie.


hotair--2020-10-19--The case of the Chinese "mystery seeds" is pretty much solved

You probably remember that back during the summer we were wrestling with something of a mystery .
People all over the country were suddenly receiving packages of mysterious , unlabeled seeds in the mail , most appearing to have come from China .
Initially , nobody knew where they came from or what sorts of plants they might germinate .
Concerns were raised as to whether the seeds represented some sort of invasive species that could wreak havoc on American agriculture , along with plant and animal life in general .
Despite warnings from the Department of Agriculture to not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually planted some but it only produced Asian squash that was already being grown here anyway .
And yet , the packets contained a wide variety of types of seeds , so that didn ’ t answer all of the questions .
An investigation was undertaken and it ’ s taken a while , but the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forestry seems to have arrived at a conclusion .
Roughly 5,000 species of seeds have been identified , with origins in more than 40 countries .
But this is no longer looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communist Party to take us over in some Little Shop of Horrors scenario .
Instead , they ’ ve identified two different scenarios where these random seeds were being mailed out .
( The Advocate ) One avenue was that the seeds weren ’ t unsolicited but ordered online by consumers who were unaware that the seeds would actually be sent from a foreign country that wouldn ’ t be in compliance with U.S. import requirements , said Osama El-Lissy , the deputy administrator for the USDA ’ s Animal and Plant Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The second tranche of unknown Chinese seeds came as part of an internet “ brushing ” scam , El-Lissy said .
It appears that at least some of the deliveries were mix-ups on the part of both the consumer and the supplier .
Some sales portal was probably offering the seeds at an attractive price , but not checking to make sure they were in compliance with the laws regarding importing agricultural products .
When the packages wound up arriving from China , the buyer didn ’ t realize that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds rather unlikely to me , but I suppose I ’ ll take the USDA ’ s word for it .
The other , more plausible scenario was one that some savvy readers were suggesting when the seeds first began arriving .
The internet “ brushing ” scam is apparently a common practice employed by shady vendors .
They create fake customer accounts and send inexpensive , unrequested products to them to register what looks like a valid “ transaction.
” That allows them to write fake , positive reviews and drive up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s all there was to this , it ’ s turned out to be much ado about nothing .
While there were a dizzying variety of seeds being shipped , the USDA is saying that there weren ’ t any invasive “ weeds ” among them , nor did they record significant incidents of diseases with the shipments .
And judging by the size of the crop of squash that one farmer wound up with , they might have even been useful in some cases .
It ’ s hard not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though .
Everyone loves a mystery and at least for a while there , this looked like it might have been a good one .

You probably remember that back during the summer we were wrestling with something of a mystery. People all over the country were suddenly receiving packages of mysterious, unlabeled seeds in the mail, most appearing to have come from China. Initially, nobody knew where they came from or what sorts of plants they might germinate. Concerns were raised as to whether the seeds represented some sort of invasive species that could wreak havoc on American agriculture, along with plant and animal life in general. Despite warnings from the Department of Agriculture to not mess around with them, one farmer eventually planted some but it only produced Asian squash that was already being grown here anyway. And yet, the packets contained a wide variety of types of seeds, so that didn’t answer all of the questions.
An investigation was undertaken and it’s taken a while, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forestry seems to have arrived at a conclusion. Roughly 5,000 species of seeds have been identified, with origins in more than 40 countries. But this is no longer looking like some sinister plot by the Chinese Communist Party to take us over in some Little Shop of Horrors scenario. Instead, they’ve identified two different scenarios where these random seeds were being mailed out. (The Advocate)
One avenue was that the seeds weren’t unsolicited but ordered online by consumers who were unaware that the seeds would actually be sent from a foreign country that wouldn’t be in compliance with U.S. import requirements, said Osama El-Lissy, the deputy administrator for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine Program. The second tranche of unknown Chinese seeds came as part of an internet “brushing” scam, El-Lissy said.
It appears that at least some of the deliveries were mix-ups on the part of both the consumer and the supplier. Some sales portal was probably offering the seeds at an attractive price, but not checking to make sure they were in compliance with the laws regarding importing agricultural products. When the packages wound up arriving from China, the buyer didn’t realize that it was the product they had ordered. That sounds rather unlikely to me, but I suppose I’ll take the USDA’s word for it.
The other, more plausible scenario was one that some savvy readers were suggesting when the seeds first began arriving. The internet “brushing” scam is apparently a common practice employed by shady vendors. They create fake customer accounts and send inexpensive, unrequested products to them to register what looks like a valid “transaction.” That allows them to write fake, positive reviews and drive up their popularity ratings online.
Assuming that’s all there was to this, it’s turned out to be much ado about nothing. While there were a dizzying variety of seeds being shipped, the USDA is saying that there weren’t any invasive “weeds” among them, nor did they record significant incidents of diseases with the shipments. And judging by the size of the crop of squash that one farmer wound up with, they might have even been useful in some cases.
It’s hard not to be a little disappointed with the outcome, though. Everyone loves a mystery and at least for a while there, this looked like it might have been a good one.


hotair--2020-10-19--NBC: Say, you know who turned out to be right about forest fires?

Recall this discussion at the first presidential debate ?
This turned into one of Donald Trump ’ s more surprising moments , in which he exhibited preparation on a key piece of policy before facing off against Joe Biden .
Moderator Chris Wallace wanted to introduce climate change into the debate , and used the forest fires on the West Coast to frame the question .
Trump pushed back against the idea that climate change was responsible , and instead blamed bad forest management for the crisis : WALLACE : OK .
The forest fires in the west are raging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acres .
They have displaced hundreds of thousands of people .
When state officials there blame the fires on climate change , Mr. President , you said I don ’ t think the science knows .
Over your four years you have pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord .
You have rolled back a number of Obama environmental records .
What do you believe about the science of climate change and what will you do in the next four years to confront it ?
TRUMP : I want crystal clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean air .
We have now the lowest carbon .
If you look at our numbers right now , we are doing phenomenally .
But I haven ’ t destroyed our businesses .
Our businesses aren ’ t put out of commission .
If you look at the Paris Accord , it was a disaster from our stand point .
And people are actually very happy about what ’ s going on because our businesses are doing well .
As far as the fires are concerned , you need forest management .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floors are loaded up with trees , dead trees that are years old and they ’ re like leaves and everything else .
You drop a cigarette in there , the whole forest burns down .
You ’ ve got to have forest management , you ’ ve got to have cuts … I also think we have to do better management of our forest .
Every year I get the call California is burning .
California is burning .
If that was cleaned — if that were — if you have forest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t be getting those calls .
You know in Europe they live — they have forest cities — they ’ re called forest cities .
They maintain their forest , they manage their forest .
I was with the head of major country .
It ’ s a forest city .
He said , sir , we have trees that are far more — they — they ignite much easier than California .
There shouldn ’ t be that problem .
I spoke with the governor about it .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor .
But I said , you know , at some point you can ’ t every year have hundreds of thousands of acres of land just burn to the ground .
That ’ s burning down because of a lack of management .
Biden actually avoided the forest-management issue in his answer , as the two of them got caught up in a testy exchange over the Green New Deal instead .
Instead , media outlets and pundits rushed to fill the gap by declaring this a form of climate-change denial .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ News , which pointed out the obvious today .
While tipping its cap to climate change , NBC noted that wildfires go back at least centuries in California .
And they also point out that forest-management experts have been raising the same alarm as Trump did , for decades : For decades , federal , state and local agencies have prioritized fire suppression over prevention , pouring billions of dollars into hiring and training firefighters , buying and maintaining firefighting equipment and educating the public on fire safety .
But as climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American West , many experts say it ’ s long past time to shift the focus back to managing healthy forests that can better withstand fire and add to a more sustainable future .
“ Fires have always been part of our ecosystem , ” said Mike Rogers , a former Angeles National Forest supervisor and board member of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees .
“ Forest management is a lot like gardening .
You have to keep the forest open and thin.
” … Long before the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California .
In 1542 , conquistador Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sailed along the coast and noticed smoke billowing up from what is now known as the Los Angeles Basin .
He called it “ la baya de los fumos , ” or “ the bay of smoke.
” Part of the problem is a rush to extinguish nature fires , which has long been part of the ecosystem .
That creates a denser forest not just of trees but also of brush , which dries out into virtual tinder .
A century ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Forest had 19 trees per acre ; it is now 260 trees per acre .
That creates a density that guarantees any fire will turn into an inferno that makes suppression virtually impossible until everything burns .
“ When a fire starts in there , ” Rogers told NBC News , “ it ’ s unstoppable.
” It ’ s that data that makes clear that this isn ’ t a climate-change issue .
It ’ s a forest-management issue , one that would benefit from properly balanced logging as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopted the Green New Deal tomorrow as penance for our global-warming sins , the accumulation of fuel in the forests would still exist , and the wildfires would be just as out of control .
Without adequate management , the forests will burn , and as people move closer to them , so will their homes .
But who ’ s to blame for that ?
To some extent the states , but mostly it ’ s the federal government , at least out West : Firstly , most forest in California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility of the state authorities – in fact , their share of forest land is small .
In California state , the federal government owns nearly 58 % of the 33 million acres of forest , according to the state governor ’ s office .
The state itself owns just three per cent , with the rest owned by private individuals or companies or Native American groups .
There ’ s a similar picture in Oregon , with significant proportions of forest land in federal rather than state hands , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , only 12 % of forest land is in the hands of the state authorities , with 43 % federally-owned and 36 % in private hands .
Federal agencies like the US Forest Service , the Bureau of Land Management and the National Parks Service are responsible for the upkeep of federally-owned land , and as far as private forest land is concerned , it ’ s up to the owners to manage these areas .
So in the end , this goes back to the federal agencies , at least in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this is a forest-management issue , but it ’ s his administration that should be setting the policies for it .
If funding from Congress , existing regulation , or a combination of those is blocking or slowing proper management techniques , then Trump needs to take action to fix that .
Getting the answer right is only the beginning of solving the problem .

Recall this discussion at the first presidential debate? This turned into one of Donald Trump’s more surprising moments, in which he exhibited preparation on a key piece of policy before facing off against Joe Biden. Moderator Chris Wallace wanted to introduce climate change into the debate, and used the forest fires on the West Coast to frame the question. Trump pushed back against the idea that climate change was responsible, and instead blamed bad forest management for the crisis:
WALLACE: OK. The forest fires in the west are raging now. They have burned millions of acres. They have displaced hundreds of thousands of people. When state officials there blame the fires on climate change, Mr. President, you said I don’t think the science knows. Over your four years you have pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord. You have rolled back a number of Obama environmental records. What do you believe about the science of climate change and what will you do in the next four years to confront it? TRUMP: I want crystal clean water and air. I want beautiful clean air. We have now the lowest carbon. If you look at our numbers right now, we are doing phenomenally. But I haven’t destroyed our businesses. Our businesses aren’t put out of commission. If you look at the Paris Accord, it was a disaster from our stand point. And people are actually very happy about what’s going on because our businesses are doing well. As far as the fires are concerned, you need forest management. In addition to everything else; the forest floors are loaded up with trees, dead trees that are years old and they’re like leaves and everything else. You drop a cigarette in there, the whole forest burns down. You’ve got to have forest management, you’ve got to have cuts … I also think we have to do better management of our forest. Every year I get the call California is burning. California is burning. If that was cleaned — if that were — if you have forest management, good forest management, you wouldn’t be getting those calls. You know in Europe they live — they have forest cities — they’re called forest cities. They maintain their forest, they manage their forest. I was with the head of major country. It’s a forest city. He said, sir, we have trees that are far more — they — they ignite much easier than California. There shouldn’t be that problem. I spoke with the governor about it. I’m getting along very well with the governor. But I said, you know, at some point you can’t every year have hundreds of thousands of acres of land just burn to the ground. That’s burning down because of a lack of management.
Biden actually avoided the forest-management issue in his answer, as the two of them got caught up in a testy exchange over the Green New Deal instead. Instead, media outlets and pundits rushed to fill the gap by declaring this a form of climate-change denial.
On that score, kudos to NBC News, which pointed out the obvious today. While tipping its cap to climate change, NBC noted that wildfires go back at least centuries in California. And they also point out that forest-management experts have been raising the same alarm as Trump did, for decades:
For decades, federal, state and local agencies have prioritized fire suppression over prevention, pouring billions of dollars into hiring and training firefighters, buying and maintaining firefighting equipment and educating the public on fire safety. But as climate change continues to fuel dry conditions in the American West, many experts say it’s long past time to shift the focus back to managing healthy forests that can better withstand fire and add to a more sustainable future. “Fires have always been part of our ecosystem,” said Mike Rogers, a former Angeles National Forest supervisor and board member of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees. “Forest management is a lot like gardening. You have to keep the forest open and thin.” … Long before the country’s founding, Spanish explorers documented wildland fires in California. In 1542, conquistador Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sailed along the coast and noticed smoke billowing up from what is now known as the Los Angeles Basin. He called it “la baya de los fumos,” or “the bay of smoke.”
Part of the problem is a rush to extinguish nature fires, which has long been part of the ecosystem. That creates a denser forest not just of trees but also of brush, which dries out into virtual tinder. A century ago, NBC News notes, the Stanislaus National Forest had 19 trees per acre; it is now 260 trees per acre. That creates a density that guarantees any fire will turn into an inferno that makes suppression virtually impossible until everything burns. “When a fire starts in there,” Rogers told NBC News, “it’s unstoppable.”
It’s that data that makes clear that this isn’t a climate-change issue. It’s a forest-management issue, one that would benefit from properly balanced logging as well as more robust culling. Even if one adopted the Green New Deal tomorrow as penance for our global-warming sins, the accumulation of fuel in the forests would still exist, and the wildfires would be just as out of control. Without adequate management, the forests will burn, and as people move closer to them, so will their homes.
But who’s to blame for that? To some extent the states, but mostly it’s the federal government, at least out West:
Firstly, most forest in California, Oregon and Washington isn’t the responsibility of the state authorities – in fact, their share of forest land is small. In California state, the federal government owns nearly 58% of the 33 million acres of forest, according to the state governor’s office. The state itself owns just three per cent, with the rest owned by private individuals or companies or Native American groups. There’s a similar picture in Oregon, with significant proportions of forest land in federal rather than state hands, as well as under private ownership. And in Washington state, only 12% of forest land is in the hands of the state authorities, with 43% federally-owned and 36% in private hands. Federal agencies like the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the National Parks Service are responsible for the upkeep of federally-owned land, and as far as private forest land is concerned, it’s up to the owners to manage these areas.
So in the end, this goes back to the federal agencies, at least in significant proportion. Trump may be right that this is a forest-management issue, but it’s his administration that should be setting the policies for it. If funding from Congress, existing regulation, or a combination of those is blocking or slowing proper management techniques, then Trump needs to take action to fix that. Getting the answer right is only the beginning of solving the problem.


hotair--2020-10-19--Trump campaign to debate commission: We want the third debate to be about foreign policy, not the to

Trump campaign to debate commission: We want the third debate to be about foreign policy, not the topics you've chosen

The constant whining about unfairness in all things , at all times , is part of the reason why Trump ’ s behind today .
Only hardcore political junkies will pay any attention to this letter from Bill Stepien , but it ’ s in keeping with the endless grousing from the candidate himself about every development that ’ s unfavorable to him , large or small .
For many swing voters , I think , the feeling right now is hour four of a road trip with a cranky child in the backseat .
Every parent knows that moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I think the electorate ’ s reached its limit .
But here ’ s the thing : Just because the child is cranky doesn ’ t mean every complaint it has is without merit .
Stepien ’ s right that foreign policy has been given short shrift thus far , although that ’ s partly because Trump decided he didn ’ t want to bother with the second “ virtual ” debate .
And Stepien ’ s certainly right to believe that foreign policy would be a stronger subject for Trump than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which includes COVID , race relations , and leadership .
That ’ s a bloodbath in the making for the incumbent .
He ’ d be better off taking it to Biden on his support for the Iraq war , the Iran deal , his far too sanguine view of China ’ s rise to power , and Trump ’ s successes in brokering peace deals between Israel and various Arab states .
The country deserves a night devoted to foreign policy and Biden deserves to have to answer for his terrible foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say to Stepien in response is this : Trump has been free to draw this contrast since the start of the campaign .
A smart , sane candidate would have spent 50 percent of his time since April on the trail discussing the blockbuster economic growth of his first three years in office and the other 50 percent on his foreign-policy successes , starting with the lack of any major new wars and the successful termination of al-Baghdadi and Soleimani .
No one ’ s forcing him to spend his time attacking Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laptop or Section 230 .
All of that is crap geared at pleasing the people who are already committed to voting for him .
If he ’ s suddenly interested in reaching swing voters with a foreign-policy message , why hasn ’ t he pushed it from the start ?
Why didn ’ t he make it a condition of his townhall with NBC last week that the topics be restricted to foreign policy ?
Good points all , and points that the president is free to make outside the debate context but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question : Does the campaign truly want the debate commission to change its topics at the last second or is this letter a pretext to … back out of the debate on Thursday ?
More from the letter : If the commission says “ no , we ’ re sticking to our plan and letting the moderator cut the mic as needed , ” what ’ s Trump ’ s and Stepien ’ s next move ?
The conventional wisdom is that he desperately needs this debate since it ’ s his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a gigantic audience .
But what if Stepien has concluded that the risk outweighs the potential reward ?
Maybe his advisors fear that Trump ’ s reached a point of such loose-cannon off-message mania that he ’ s more likely to do himself further damage on Thursday than to hurt Biden .
So they came up with this eleventh-hour demand for a foreign-policy showdown , knowing that the commission will probably decline and that they can seize on that as an excuse to bail .
They don ’ t want him saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the few remaining undecideds out there that might alienate them .
Here ’ s what ’ s on Drudge as of 5 p.m .
ET , as I ’ m writing this .
The message , clearly , is that Trump is off the rails .
He did say that reporters were criminal for not reporting more on Hunter Biden ’ s laptop .
He said he wanted Biden locked up too , presumably without probable cause : He also complained that there ’ s too much reporting about … COVID : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listen to Fauci .
To which Biden replied on Twitter : Yes .
Do even MAGA fans think this is a smart way to finish the campaign ?
At what point does Trump ’ s habit of sloppy scattershot attacks bear some blame for the political hole he ’ s in ?
Last week it was reported that he might deliver a foreign-policy speech before the election to highlight his achievements , but he could be delivering abridged versions of that message every day at his rallies , to a national cable-news audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead .
If he loses next month and the “ it ’ s the end of America ” freakout starts , remember that he himself didn ’ t care enough about victory to stick to a message that would maximize his chances of success .
The campaign was more a vehicle for his vanity , to give him a chance to recite his grievances in front of an adoring audience , than a means of persuading reluctant people to vote for him .
I ’ ll leave you with this from the Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a reason to back out on Thursday , the Democrats will oblige them .

The constant whining about unfairness in all things, at all times, is part of the reason why Trump’s behind today. Only hardcore political junkies will pay any attention to this letter from Bill Stepien, but it’s in keeping with the endless grousing from the candidate himself about every development that’s unfavorable to him, large or small. For many swing voters, I think, the feeling right now is hour four of a road trip with a cranky child in the backseat. Every parent knows that moment when they’ve reached their limit.
I think the electorate’s reached its limit.
But here’s the thing: Just because the child is cranky doesn’t mean every complaint it has is without merit. Stepien’s right that foreign policy has been given short shrift thus far, although that’s partly because Trump decided he didn’t want to bother with the second “virtual” debate. And Stepien’s certainly right to believe that foreign policy would be a stronger subject for Trump than the current slate of scheduled topics, which includes COVID, race relations, and leadership. That’s a bloodbath in the making for the incumbent. He’d be better off taking it to Biden on his support for the Iraq war, the Iran deal, his far too sanguine view of China’s rise to power, and Trump’s successes in brokering peace deals between Israel and various Arab states. The country deserves a night devoted to foreign policy and Biden deserves to have to answer for his terrible foreign policy instincts.
All I’d say to Stepien in response is this: Trump has been free to draw this contrast since the start of the campaign. A smart, sane candidate would have spent 50 percent of his time since April on the trail discussing the blockbuster economic growth of his first three years in office and the other 50 percent on his foreign-policy successes, starting with the lack of any major new wars and the successful termination of al-Baghdadi and Soleimani. No one’s forcing him to spend his time attacking Fauci or obsessing about Hunter Biden’s laptop or Section 230. All of that is crap geared at pleasing the people who are already committed to voting for him. If he’s suddenly interested in reaching swing voters with a foreign-policy message, why hasn’t he pushed it from the start? Why didn’t he make it a condition of his townhall with NBC last week that the topics be restricted to foreign policy?
From Stepien’s letter:
Good points all, and points that the president is free to make outside the debate context but largely chooses not to.
Which raises a question: Does the campaign truly want the debate commission to change its topics at the last second or is this letter a pretext to … back out of the debate on Thursday? More from the letter:
If the commission says “no, we’re sticking to our plan and letting the moderator cut the mic as needed,” what’s Trump’s and Stepien’s next move? The conventional wisdom is that he desperately needs this debate since it’s his last chance to expose Biden in front of a gigantic audience. But what if Stepien has concluded that the risk outweighs the potential reward?
Unless Stepien thinks Trump would be so bad that debating would lower his comeback odds, even though Trump generally wants high-variance strategies. It's not crazy: Trump historically loses ground following debates and his messaging has been even more erratic than usual lately. — Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) October 19, 2020
Maybe his advisors fear that Trump’s reached a point of such loose-cannon off-message mania that he’s more likely to do himself further damage on Thursday than to hurt Biden. So they came up with this eleventh-hour demand for a foreign-policy showdown, knowing that the commission will probably decline and that they can seize on that as an excuse to bail. They don’t want him saying anything in a big spotlight in front of the few remaining undecideds out there that might alienate them.
Here’s what’s on Drudge as of 5 p.m. ET, as I’m writing this. The message, clearly, is that Trump is off the rails.
He did say that reporters were criminal for not reporting more on Hunter Biden’s laptop. He said he wanted Biden locked up too, presumably without probable cause:
President Trump says Joe Biden is lucky that Bill Barr is attorney general "because I know people that would have had him locked up five weeks ago." — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 19, 2020
He also complained that there’s too much reporting about … COVID:
“They are getting tired of the pandemic, aren’t they? You turn on CNN, that’s all they cover. ‘Covid, Covid, Pandemic, Covid, Covid.’ You know why? They’re trying to talk everybody out of voting. People aren’t buying it, CNN, you dumb bastards.” — Trump pic.twitter.com/QobvMA6Yz0 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 19, 2020
Then he accused Biden of wanting to listen to Fauci. To which Biden replied on Twitter: Yes.
Do even MAGA fans think this is a smart way to finish the campaign? At what point does Trump’s habit of sloppy scattershot attacks bear some blame for the political hole he’s in? Last week it was reported that he might deliver a foreign-policy speech before the election to highlight his achievements, but he could be delivering abridged versions of that message every day at his rallies, to a national cable-news audience. He prefers to ride his hobbyhorses instead. If he loses next month and the “it’s the end of America” freakout starts, remember that he himself didn’t care enough about victory to stick to a message that would maximize his chances of success. The campaign was more a vehicle for his vanity, to give him a chance to recite his grievances in front of an adoring audience, than a means of persuading reluctant people to vote for him.
I’ll leave you with this from the Biden campaign. If Team Trump is looking for a reason to back out on Thursday, the Democrats will oblige them.


hotair--2020-10-19--San Diego school district does away with traditional grading to combat racism

The San Diego school district released data showing that minority students receive far more D and F grades than their white counterparts .
During the first semester of last year , 30 % of all D or F grades were given to English learners .
One in four , 25 % , of failing marks went to students with disabilities .
By ethnicity , 23 % went to Native Americans .
Another 23 % of failing grades went to Hispanics .
And 20 % of D or F grades went to Black students .
By comparison , just 7 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It actually makes a lot of sense that English learners , i.e .
people who don ’ t speak English as a first language , have far more D and F grades than people who grew up speaking English .
I ’ m not sure why that comes as a surprise to anyone .
If students can ’ t understand what they ’ re being taught in class , it makes it harder for them to keep up .
I don ’ t know what accounts for the higher percentage of minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I think we get a hint what the district things is the problem from the details of the new grading plan .
The new system doesn ’ t rely on grade averages throughout the year or turning in work on time : Academic grades will now focus on mastery of the material , not a yearly average , which board members say penalizes students who get a slow start , or who struggle at points throughout the year .
Another big change , teachers can no longer consider non-material factors when grading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and classroom behavior will now instead count towards a student ’ s citizenship grade , not their academic grade .
Under this system it doesn ’ t really matter what you did or didn ’ t do throughout the course so long as you can show mastery of the required material in the end .
So working backwards from this , it seems the district believes turning in work on time is a problem for minority students .
One easy way to get a D or F in a class is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the white students are turning the work in on time and only 80 % of black students are doing the same , that ’ s obviously going to be reflected in the low grades given to each group .
But that ’ s how grading is supposed to work .
At least that ’ s how it used to work .
Reason ’ s Robby Soave points to a document outlining the new approach in San Diego which states that , under the new system , even class attendance no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confusingly written—still includes letter grades , but these will reflect student ’ s “ mastery ” of the subject rather than their completion of homework , quizzes , and tests .
What constitutes mastery is left unexplained .
Grades “ shall not be influenced by behavior or factors that directly measure students ’ knowledge and skills in the content area , ” which sounds like a recipe for highly subjective grading .
And a great deal of leniency will now be given to students who don ’ t do the work for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t show up at all : Attendance can no longer be a factor in grading .
Looking at the document , it seems it will now be all but impossible to get an F , which is now defined as “ Little to no progress towards meeting content-area standards.
” So if you ’ ve done anything at all , you can get a D in the class and getting a C only requires “ Approaching content-area standards.
” What defines approaching ?
It ’ s not really clear .
It will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this new plan .
Will they still give homework if turning in homework no longer counts toward a final grade ?
Will they give semester-end tests ( finals ) and if so will the finals effectively decide the grade ?
It ’ s all a bit vague and I suspect that ’ s the point .
The new system seems to allow for teachers to play a bigger role in grading .
Students ’ work ethic , behavior and attendance in class are no longer part of the equation .

The San Diego school district released data showing that minority students receive far more D and F grades than their white counterparts.
During the first semester of last year, 30% of all D or F grades were given to English learners. One in four, 25%, of failing marks went to students with disabilities. By ethnicity, 23% went to Native Americans. Another 23% of failing grades went to Hispanics. And 20% of D or F grades went to Black students. By comparison, just 7% of failing marks went to White students.
It actually makes a lot of sense that English learners, i.e. people who don’t speak English as a first language, have far more D and F grades than people who grew up speaking English. I’m not sure why that comes as a surprise to anyone. If students can’t understand what they’re being taught in class, it makes it harder for them to keep up.
I don’t know what accounts for the higher percentage of minority students receiving poor grades than white students but I think we get a hint what the district things is the problem from the details of the new grading plan. The new system doesn’t rely on grade averages throughout the year or turning in work on time:
Academic grades will now focus on mastery of the material, not a yearly average, which board members say penalizes students who get a slow start, or who struggle at points throughout the year. Another big change, teachers can no longer consider non-material factors when grading. Things like turning work in on time and classroom behavior will now instead count towards a student’s citizenship grade, not their academic grade.
Under this system it doesn’t really matter what you did or didn’t do throughout the course so long as you can show mastery of the required material in the end. So working backwards from this, it seems the district believes turning in work on time is a problem for minority students.
One easy way to get a D or F in a class is to not do the work. If 93% of the white students are turning the work in on time and only 80% of black students are doing the same, that’s obviously going to be reflected in the low grades given to each group. But that’s how grading is supposed to work.
At least that’s how it used to work.
Reason’s Robby Soave points to a document outlining the new approach in San Diego which states that, under the new system, even class attendance no longer matters:
The new approach—which is rather confusingly written—still includes letter grades, but these will reflect student’s “mastery” of the subject rather than their completion of homework, quizzes, and tests. What constitutes mastery is left unexplained. Grades “shall not be influenced by behavior or factors that directly measure students’ knowledge and skills in the content area,” which sounds like a recipe for highly subjective grading. And a great deal of leniency will now be given to students who don’t do the work for a course, including those who don’t show up at all: Attendance can no longer be a factor in grading.
Looking at the document, it seems it will now be all but impossible to get an F, which is now defined as “Little to no progress towards meeting content-area
standards.” So if you’ve done anything at all, you can get a D in the class and getting a C only requires “Approaching content-area standards.” What defines approaching? It’s not really clear.
It will be interesting to see how teachers actually implement this new plan. Will they still give homework if turning in homework no longer counts toward a final grade? Will they give semester-end tests (finals) and if so will the finals effectively decide the grade? It’s all a bit vague and I suspect that’s the point. The new system seems to allow for teachers to play a bigger role in grading. Students’ work ethic, behavior and attendance in class are no longer part of the equation.