hotair--2020-12-26--Boston doctor suffers first severe reaction to Moderna vaccine, warns allergy sufferers to come prep

Boston doctor suffers first severe reaction to Moderna vaccine, warns allergy sufferers to come prepared

A Boston cancer doctor experienced the first severe reaction documented from the Moderna vaccine .
He credits his preparation before being vaccinated for sparing him from being intubated .
Now he is delivering a warning to others – if you suffer from allergies , educate yourself before deciding to take the vaccine .
Come prepared .
Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh , a geriatric oncologist at Boston Medical Center , is severely allergic to shellfish .
He took the vaccination on Christmas Eve .
This is the first week of the rollout of the Moderna vaccine .
Sadrzadeh experienced an allergic reaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He had an appointment on Thursday afternoon and came prepared .
He brought his personal EpiPen with him to the appointment .
He used it after the allergic reaction began while he was being monitored by nurses at the hospital .
He was taken to the emergency department to be evaluated , treated , and observed .
By Friday morning he said he was feeling normal again .
At first , Dr. Sadrzadeh thought the onset of his allergic reaction was stress or anxiety .
He quickly realized that was not the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and throat were tingling and beginning to go numb .
He began sweating profusely , went pale , and was very cold .
He experienced a severe anaphylaxis reaction , the worst one he said he ’ s experienced since he was eleven years old , he said .
The doctor credits his foresight to bring his EpiPen for sparing him of the need to be intubated , his reaction was that severe .
“ I feel that if I did not have my EpiPen with me , I would be intubated right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Sadrzadeh is hoping to spread the word to other allergy sufferers about potential reactions to the coronavirus vaccines .
Sadrzadeh said he hopes his story will encourage anyone else with a history of allergies to arm themselves with information before getting their vaccine — and bring their EpiPen with them when they do get vaccinated .
He also recommended that people with allergies get their coronavirus vaccine in a hospital setting , rather than at a community provider .
“ I really want people to take this seriously , those people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to talk to their doctors , to their allergist .
I want them to carry their EpiPen if they have it at home and also inform the person that is administering that injection to them that they have a severe allergic reaction , ” he said .
“ I knew the symptoms .
I had the experience .
I was a physician , and I was scared to death .
Imagine someone who does not have the information.
” He doesn ’ t want anyone else to go through the experience he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna with a blood sample in order for the company to figure out what ingredient in their vaccine may spark an allergic reaction for some people .
I ’ m a little surprised that Dr. Sadrzadeh took the vaccine with his history of a severe allergy .
The CDC issued a warning that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines might not be appropriate for people with a history of anaphylaxis to ingredients in either injection .
The agency recommended that people with other allergies wait the standard 15 minutes post-injection before leaving the vaccination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaction to a substance , including another vaccine or an injectable drug , an extra 15 minutes.of monitoring is recommended .
As we have seen with others , allergic reactions to the vaccines come quickly .
Moderna did not report any links between its vaccine and anaphylaxis .
Rare side effects are always a possibility with vaccines , though .
None of the ingredients in either vaccine have been identified as common allergens .
But several experts have cautiously pointed to polyethylene glycol , or PEG , which appears in both recipes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a possible culprit .
PEG is found in a bevy of pharmaceutical products , including ultrasound gel , laxatives and injectable steroids , and allergies to it are extremely rare .
Dr. Kuruvilla said it remained possible that something else was responsible , and more investigation was needed to nail down the cause of this smattering of events .
Dr. Kimberly Blumenthal , an allergist and immunologist at Massachusetts General Hospital , noted that anaphylaxis can sometimes be difficult to confirm without blood work that hunts for an enzyme called tryptase , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s essential , she added , for there to be protocols in place so similar cases can be investigated further .
People who use lip and facial fillers for cosmetic reasons are also being warned about the risk of side effects .
They can experience swelling and inflammation as several trial participants did .
The makers of the Moderna vaccine and the National Institutes of Health are considering conducting clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines in very allergic populations to help understand the rate of allergic reactions and what is causing them .

A Boston cancer doctor experienced the first severe reaction documented from the Moderna vaccine. He credits his preparation before being vaccinated for sparing him from being intubated. Now he is delivering a warning to others – if you suffer from allergies, educate yourself before deciding to take the vaccine. Come prepared.
Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh, a geriatric oncologist at Boston Medical Center, is severely allergic to shellfish. He took the vaccination on Christmas Eve. This is the first week of the rollout of the Moderna vaccine. Sadrzadeh experienced an allergic reaction just minutes after receiving his vaccination. He had an appointment on Thursday afternoon and came prepared. He brought his personal EpiPen with him to the appointment. He used it after the allergic reaction began while he was being monitored by nurses at the hospital. He was taken to the emergency department to be evaluated, treated, and observed. By Friday morning he said he was feeling normal again.
At first, Dr. Sadrzadeh thought the onset of his allergic reaction was stress or anxiety. He quickly realized that was not the case when his symptoms began. His tongue and throat were tingling and beginning to go numb. He began sweating profusely, went pale, and was very cold. He experienced a severe anaphylaxis reaction, the worst one he said he’s experienced since he was eleven years old, he said. The doctor credits his foresight to bring his EpiPen for sparing him of the need to be intubated, his reaction was that severe. “I feel that if I did not have my EpiPen with me, I would be intubated right now because it was that severe.”
Dr. Sadrzadeh is hoping to spread the word to other allergy sufferers about potential reactions to the coronavirus vaccines.
Sadrzadeh said he hopes his story will encourage anyone else with a history of allergies to arm themselves with information before getting their vaccine — and bring their EpiPen with them when they do get vaccinated. He also recommended that people with allergies get their coronavirus vaccine in a hospital setting, rather than at a community provider. “I really want people to take this seriously, those people who have severe allergic reactions. I want them to talk to their doctors, to their allergist. I want them to carry their EpiPen if they have it at home and also inform the person that is administering that injection to them that they have a severe allergic reaction,” he said. “I knew the symptoms. I had the experience. I was a physician, and I was scared to death. Imagine someone who does not have the information.”
He doesn’t want anyone else to go through the experience he had. Sadrzadeh has offered to provide Moderna with a blood sample in order for the company to figure out what ingredient in their vaccine may spark an allergic reaction for some people.
Boston Medical Center released a statement.
In a statement, David Kibbe, a spokesman for Boston Medical Center, said that Dr. Sadrzadeh ‘felt he was developing an allergic reaction and was allowed to self-administer his personal EpiPen. ‘He was taken to the Emergency Department, evaluated, treated, observed and discharged. He is doing well today.’
I’m a little surprised that Dr. Sadrzadeh took the vaccine with his history of a severe allergy. The CDC issued a warning that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines might not be appropriate for people with a history of anaphylaxis to ingredients in either injection. The agency recommended that people with other allergies wait the standard 15 minutes post-injection before leaving the vaccination site. For those with an anaphylactic reaction to a substance, including another vaccine or an injectable drug, an extra 15 minutes.of monitoring is recommended. As we have seen with others, allergic reactions to the vaccines come quickly. Moderna did not report any links between its vaccine and anaphylaxis. Rare side effects are always a possibility with vaccines, though.
None of the ingredients in either vaccine have been identified as common allergens. But several experts have cautiously pointed to polyethylene glycol, or PEG, which appears in both recipes, albeit in slightly different formulations, as a possible culprit. PEG is found in a bevy of pharmaceutical products, including ultrasound gel, laxatives and injectable steroids, and allergies to it are extremely rare. Dr. Kuruvilla said it remained possible that something else was responsible, and more investigation was needed to nail down the cause of this smattering of events. Dr. Kimberly Blumenthal, an allergist and immunologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, noted that anaphylaxis can sometimes be difficult to confirm without blood work that hunts for an enzyme called tryptase, which is released during allergic reactions. It’s essential, she added, for there to be protocols in place so similar cases can be investigated further.
People who use lip and facial fillers for cosmetic reasons are also being warned about the risk of side effects. They can experience swelling and inflammation as several trial participants did.
A California-based dermatologist said the reaction was immunological, ABC7 reported yesterday. Dr. Shirley Chi said any side effects were easily treatable with steroids and anti-histamines, adding: ‘Your immune system which causes inflammation is revved up when you get a vaccine, that’s how it’s supposed to work. ‘So it makes sense that you would see an immune response in certain areas where they see some substance that is not a naturally occurring substance in your body.’
The makers of the Moderna vaccine and the National Institutes of Health are considering conducting clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines in very allergic populations to help understand the rate of allergic reactions and what is causing them.


hotair--2020-12-26--Thune: We're trying to convince Tommy Tuberville not to object to the election results on January 6

I guess Trump warning him that his political career is over didn ’ t have the desired effect .
McConnell and the GOP leadership can and will try to talk Tuberville out of objecting but the effort is doomed .
Even if Tuberville stands down , some other populist in the chamber will break ranks and do it .
It ’ s a simple matter of incentives .
Without any objections from the Senate , there ’ ll be no floor debate about election irregularities and no floor vote on whether to accept a particular state ’ s election results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans are preparing floor speeches about vote-rigging conspiracies — but they won ’ t get a chance to deliver them unless and until at least one senator objects .
Imagine if no one does and this whole grievance parade ends up being canceled .
Who ’ ll be blamed by MAGA Nation in that scenario ?
Why , the populists will .
Tuberville , Ted Cruz , Rand Paul , Tom Cotton , Josh Hawley , Marsha Blackburn , new guy Bill Hagerty : Trump fans will demand to know why not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s defense by objecting when they had the chance .
It ’ s the ultimate loyalty test and they ’ ll each have failed , probably ending their chances of winning a future presidential primary .
Whereas if any one of them objects , thereby forcing a floor debate and a floor vote , blame will shift from the populists to the RINOs .
Cruz and the rest can then safely vote to reject the results from various swing states in order to stay on MAGA ’ s good side .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those Republicans who vote to accept them , starting with McConnell and Thune but by no means ending with them .
What will Marco Rubio or Mike Braun or Ron Johnson do when forced to declare themselves ?
Thune told The Hill that efforts are underway to try to convince Tuberville not to speak up : “ Ultimately every senator will have to make their own decision about that but I think there will be people , yeah , reaching out him just to kind of find out ” what he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuberville ’ s intentions about the Electoral College tally on Jan. 6 .
“ If nothing else , we need to kind of know the plan , ” he added .
“ We ’ ll see .
He ’ s made some public statements ” about objecting to the vote .
“ I ’ m hoping in the end that all senators will conclude that this election needs to be over with and it ’ s time to move on , ” he said .
Another unnamed Republican senator told the paper that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants in the end because , well , why wouldn ’ t he ?
“ The question is will [ Tuberville ] listen [ to McConnell ] because his whole election was predicated on Trump not liking Sessions , ” the senator said .
“ From a cold-blooded standpoint … if Trump asks him [ to object ] , I assume he would probably do it because he would see no downside.
” Trump has indeed asked him and sounded happy with the response he got from Tuberville .
Why would Tommy T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by disappointing Trump on his third day on the job ?
Especially when he ’ s talking like this : Someone ’ s going to object .
If it ’ s not Tuberville , it ’ ll be Blackburn .
If it ’ s not Blackburn , it ’ ll be Hawley , etc .
Frankly , it ’ d be untrue to the spirit of what the party ’ s become if this process didn ’ t end up being as obnoxious , conspiratorial , and rejectionist as possible to the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral results after the fiasco of the past 53 days would be a bizarre anticlimax .
The best thing Republican senators have going for them is the fact that an even bigger scapegoat is destined to emerge from the “ grand betrayal ” of January 6 than those who vote to accept the results in states won by Biden .
That would be the VP , who ’ s required to preside over the session .
Pence ’ s role is essentially ceremonial but a president who ’ s grown paranoid about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no patience for ceremonial passivity by his deputies right now : Hours before President Donald Trump retweeted a message for his vice president to “ act ” in stopping the ratification of the Electoral College , he met for more than an hour in the Oval Office with Mike Pence , whom he has complained recently isn ’ t doing enough to support his bid to overturn the election… Trump has told people recently that Pence isn ’ t doing enough to fight for him as his presidency ends , and has recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional role during the certification .
As President of the Senate , Pence presides over the proceedings .
Sources say Trump in recent days has brought the matter up to the vice president and has been “ confused ” as to why Pence can ’ t overturn the results of the election on January 6 .
Pence and White House aides have tried to explain to him that his role is more of a formality and he can not unilaterally reject the Electoral College votes .
One law professor told WaPo that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just go declare us reelected , ’ ” which is doubtless correct .
But according to aides , “ Pence is hoping for a low-key Jan. 6 and is not planning any unnecessary drama ” and reportedly told House Republicans who recently met with Trump that “ his constitutional duty will be to open and count the results , not to determine their legitimacy.
” Unlike the Senate GOP , Pence really is just a rubber stamp for whatever happens at the session .
If the election results are to be blocked , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Senate floor .
Pence will spend the weeks after January 6 trying to remind MAGA fans of that but he ’ s destined to get the brunt of their abuse .
After all , an act of “ disloyalty ” by Trump ’ s own handpicked VP obviously dwarfs any similar act McConnell or Thune or Rubio or whoever in terms of the magnitude of its betrayal .
I keep thinking that Pence will find an excuse not to preside over the session , leaving it to Chuck Grassley instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t do him any good .
The complaints about him will simply shift from “ Why did you accept the election results ?
!
” to “ Why didn ’ t you attend the session so that you could reject the election results ?
!
” In an odd way , I understand why MAGA fans will be furious with him after he inevitably disappoints them : Why would Pence spend four years passing every loyalty test only to fail the last one ?
Having gone all-in on Trumpism believing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GOP nominee in 2024 or 2028 , why wouldn ’ t he just do what Trump wants this one last time by rejecting the results on January 6 and leaving it to the Supreme Court or whoever to certify Biden as the winner ?
Here ’ s Pence a few days ago at the Turning Point USA conference trying to please Trump and the crowd by insisting that their effort to contest the election continues .
Even so , he ’ s planning to get out of Dodge just hours after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off on a trip to Bahrain , Israel , and Poland .
Exit question : What if Tuberville objects to several states ’ results , forcing a lengthy floor debate that runs all night and pushes the vote-counting off until the morning of January 7 ?
Is the trip canceled , or will Pence bail out of the session after a few hours on grounds that he has commitments abroad ?

I guess Trump warning him that his political career is over didn’t have the desired effect.
McConnell and the GOP leadership can and will try to talk Tuberville out of objecting but the effort is doomed. Even if Tuberville stands down, some other populist in the chamber will break ranks and do it. It’s a simple matter of incentives. Without any objections from the Senate, there’ll be no floor debate about election irregularities and no floor vote on whether to accept a particular state’s election results in either chamber. Dozens of House Republicans are preparing floor speeches about vote-rigging conspiracies — but they won’t get a chance to deliver them unless and until at least one senator objects.
Imagine if no one does and this whole grievance parade ends up being canceled. Who’ll be blamed by MAGA Nation in that scenario? Why, the populists will. Tuberville, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Marsha Blackburn, new guy Bill Hagerty: Trump fans will demand to know why not a single one spoke up in the president’s defense by objecting when they had the chance. It’s the ultimate loyalty test and they’ll each have failed, probably ending their chances of winning a future presidential primary.
Whereas if any one of them objects, thereby forcing a floor debate and a floor vote, blame will shift from the populists to the RINOs. Cruz and the rest can then safely vote to reject the results from various swing states in order to stay on MAGA’s good side. Trump’s ire will turn instead to those Republicans who vote to accept them, starting with McConnell and Thune but by no means ending with them. What will Marco Rubio or Mike Braun or Ron Johnson do when forced to declare themselves?
Thune told The Hill that efforts are underway to try to convince Tuberville not to speak up:
“Ultimately every senator will have to make their own decision about that but I think there will be people, yeah, reaching out him just to kind of find out” what he’s going to do, Thune said of Tuberville’s intentions about the Electoral College tally on Jan. 6. “If nothing else, we need to kind of know the plan,” he added. “We’ll see. He’s made some public statements” about objecting to the vote. “I’m hoping in the end that all senators will conclude that this election needs to be over with and it’s time to move on,” he said.
Another unnamed Republican senator told the paper that he thinks Tuberville will do what Trump wants in the end because, well, why wouldn’t he? “The question is will [Tuberville] listen [to McConnell] because his whole election was predicated on Trump not liking Sessions,” the senator said. “From a cold-blooded standpoint … if Trump asks him [to object], I assume he would probably do it because he would see no downside.” Trump has indeed asked him and sounded happy with the response he got from Tuberville. Why would Tommy T want to become the new Jeff Sessions by disappointing Trump on his third day on the job?
Especially when he’s talking like this:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1342245390540804096
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1342817496924086278
Someone’s going to object. If it’s not Tuberville, it’ll be Blackburn. If it’s not Blackburn, it’ll be Hawley, etc. Frankly, it’d be untrue to the spirit of what the party’s become if this process didn’t end up being as obnoxious, conspiratorial, and rejectionist as possible to the very end. Having Congress quietly rubber-stamp the electoral results after the fiasco of the past 53 days would be a bizarre anticlimax.
The best thing Republican senators have going for them is the fact that an even bigger scapegoat is destined to emerge from the “grand betrayal” of January 6 than those who vote to accept the results in states won by Biden. That would be the VP, who’s required to preside over the session. Pence’s role is essentially ceremonial but a president who’s grown paranoid about the loyalty of “his” party has no patience for ceremonial passivity by his deputies right now:
Hours before President Donald Trump retweeted a message for his vice president to “act” in stopping the ratification of the Electoral College, he met for more than an hour in the Oval Office with Mike Pence, whom he has complained recently isn’t doing enough to support his bid to overturn the election… Trump has told people recently that Pence isn’t doing enough to fight for him as his presidency ends, and has recently taken an interest in Pence’s traditional role during the certification. As President of the Senate, Pence presides over the proceedings. Sources say Trump in recent days has brought the matter up to the vice president and has been “confused” as to why Pence can’t overturn the results of the election on January 6. Pence and White House aides have tried to explain to him that his role is more of a formality and he cannot unilaterally reject the Electoral College votes.
One law professor told WaPo that “Trump would probably tell Pence, ‘Just go declare us reelected,’” which is doubtless correct. But according to aides, “Pence is hoping for a low-key Jan. 6 and is not planning any unnecessary drama” and reportedly told House Republicans who recently met with Trump that “his constitutional duty will be to open and count the results, not to determine their legitimacy.” Unlike the Senate GOP, Pence really is just a rubber stamp for whatever happens at the session. If the election results are to be blocked, it’ll need to happen somehow on the Senate floor. Pence will spend the weeks after January 6 trying to remind MAGA fans of that but he’s destined to get the brunt of their abuse. After all, an act of “disloyalty” by Trump’s own handpicked VP obviously dwarfs any similar act McConnell or Thune or Rubio or whoever in terms of the magnitude of its betrayal.
I keep thinking that Pence will find an excuse not to preside over the session, leaving it to Chuck Grassley instead, but then I consider that that probably won’t do him any good. The complaints about him will simply shift from “Why did you accept the election results?!” to “Why didn’t you attend the session so that you could reject the election results?!” In an odd way, I understand why MAGA fans will be furious with him after he inevitably disappoints them: Why would Pence spend four years passing every loyalty test only to fail the last one? Having gone all-in on Trumpism believing that it’s his ticket to becoming the GOP nominee in 2024 or 2028, why wouldn’t he just do what Trump wants this one last time by rejecting the results on January 6 and leaving it to the Supreme Court or whoever to certify Biden as the winner?
Here’s Pence a few days ago at the Turning Point USA conference trying to please Trump and the crowd by insisting that their effort to contest the election continues. Even so, he’s planning to get out of Dodge just hours after the session on January 6 ends, heading off on a trip to Bahrain, Israel, and Poland. Exit question: What if Tuberville objects to several states’ results, forcing a lengthy floor debate that runs all night and pushes the vote-counting off until the morning of January 7? Is the trip canceled, or will Pence bail out of the session after a few hours on grounds that he has commitments abroad?


hotair--2020-12-26--NYT wonders: Do Dem setbacks in California portend disaster in 2022?

Short answer : yes , although disaster might already be the default whether Democrats learn any lessons or not .
The New York Times warns Democrats today that their losses in several House races in California last month could mean that they have lost their momentum in the suburbs , where they took back control of the lower chamber in 2018 .
The NYT ’ s Adam Nagourney chalks that up in part to Republican “ false or exaggerated ” attacks on socialism and defunding the police , but concedes that Democrats ’ messaging played right into those attacks : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of reasons , including forces particular to California and the complications of campaigning during a pandemic .
But as much as anything , they reflected the potency of Republican attacks , some false or exaggerated , that Democrats were the party of socialism , defunding the police and abolishing private health insurance .
The attacks — led in no small part by Mr. Trump as a central part of his re-election strategy — came at a time when parts of California were swept by street protests against police abuses and racial injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bouts of looting and confrontations with law enforcement that were heavily covered on local television .
“ Republicans hung around Democrats ’ necks that we are all socialist or communist and we all wanted to defund the police , ” said Harley Rouda , a Democrat from Orange County who was defeated by Michelle Steel , a Republican member of the Orange County board of supervisors .
“ In my opinion , we as a party did a less than adequate job in refuting that narrative .
We won in 2018 and took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me — moderates — flipping radical Republican seats.
” The GOP hung that around the Democrats ’ necks because Democrats were quick to grasp that mantle — at first , anyway , especially in cities controlled entirely by Democrats .
At the state and federal levels , Democrats spoke out in favor of defunding or abolishing police , and many others played footsie with the radicals by endorsing a “ reimagining ” of police .
As for socialism and abolishing private health insurance , the GOP didn ’ t need to exaggerate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drove those messages nationally .
In fact , of the score of Democrats who vied for the presidential nomination , only Joe Biden explicitly opposed eliminating private health insurance .
That ’ s why Republicans scoffed at that explanation : Democrats also complained that they couldn ’ t canvass , thanks to decisions made by the party ’ s national leadership , as too dangerous in a pandemic .
This turned out to be less of an issue than it might otherwise have been , however , although it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too .
Thanks to a widespread ( and in some cases ill-advised ) adoption of mail-in balloting and the fact that the pandemic and riots kept voters hyper-engaged , the 2020 election became a high-turnout contest .
In 2016 , just under 129 million ballots were cast , while the latest count from November shows 155 million ballots cast .
It seems unlikely that there were any potential voters left out because of a lack of personal contact , at least not in numbers that would have moved the needle significantly enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by fewer than a hundred votes .
It ’ s that turnout that points to the real problem for Democrats in 2022 .
Republicans usually lose high-turnout elections all the way down the ballot , thanks to Democratic voter-registration advantages .
In November , however , the GOP won at every level except the presidential contest .
That means Republicans carried more voters despite those registration disadvantages , which signals that the Democrats lost significant ground in the political center — and largely that means the suburbs .
That brings us to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midterms .
If Republicans manage to keep control of the Senate , the incoming Biden administration will have two broad choices for its agenda in the first two years .
Either they go big to gain favor among progressives and resign themselves to two years of gridlock , or Biden offers a narrow policy agenda that can gain traction with Republicans .
The latter might help Democrats gain back a little trust in the suburbs , but it will alienate the progressives and the media that love them and depress turnout elsewhere .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda , Democrats will continue to alienate the center and the suburbs , especially with Republicans playing I Told You So on repeat cycles all during the 2022 elections .
Even aside from agendas , Democrats have another problem regardless of which tack Biden takes .
First-term presidents lose seats in midterm elections , after the reality of empty campaign promises become clearer .
House Democrats are making this even more likely by pushing their sclerotic leadership team back in charge , a group of progressives that are practically the GOP ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America .
Is Nancy “ Ice Cream ” Pelosi really the image Democrats want to leverage in 2022 ?
Finally , Democrats managed to limit their losses in 2020 by successfully leveraging anti-Trump sentiment and mail-in balloting .
Neither of those will apply in 2022 , at least not in the same potent forms they did this year .
Without Trump as a bête noire , their turnout will suffer — while Pelosi will remain potent enough for GOP turnout efforts in the suburbs , along with Biden and Kamala Harris .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disaster for House Democrats in the next midterms , and maybe Senate Democrats as well .

Short answer: yes, although disaster might already be the default whether Democrats learn any lessons or not. The New York Times warns Democrats today that their losses in several House races in California last month could mean that they have lost their momentum in the suburbs, where they took back control of the lower chamber in 2018. The NYT’s Adam Nagourney chalks that up in part to Republican “false or exaggerated” attacks on socialism and defunding the police, but concedes that Democrats’ messaging played right into those attacks:
The Democrats’ losses came for a number of reasons, including forces particular to California and the complications of campaigning during a pandemic. But as much as anything, they reflected the potency of Republican attacks, some false or exaggerated, that Democrats were the party of socialism, defunding the police and abolishing private health insurance. The attacks — led in no small part by Mr. Trump as a central part of his re-election strategy — came at a time when parts of California were swept by street protests against police abuses and racial injustice, some of which turned into glass-shattering bouts of looting and confrontations with law enforcement that were heavily covered on local television. “Republicans hung around Democrats’ necks that we are all socialist or communist and we all wanted to defund the police,” said Harley Rouda, a Democrat from Orange County who was defeated by Michelle Steel, a Republican member of the Orange County board of supervisors. “In my opinion, we as a party did a less than adequate job in refuting that narrative. We won in 2018 and took the House back because of people like me — moderates — flipping radical Republican seats.”
The GOP hung that around the Democrats’ necks because Democrats were quick to grasp that mantle — at first, anyway, especially in cities controlled entirely by Democrats. At the state and federal levels, Democrats spoke out in favor of defunding or abolishing police, and many others played footsie with the radicals by endorsing a “reimagining” of police. As for socialism and abolishing private health insurance, the GOP didn’t need to exaggerate that at all — party leaders like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drove those messages nationally. In fact, of the score of Democrats who vied for the presidential nomination, only Joe Biden explicitly opposed eliminating private health insurance.
That’s why Republicans scoffed at that explanation:
Republicans said that attempts by Democrats to portray themselves as moderates were undercut by a shift of the party to the left and by the demonstrations. “It was incredibly easy for us to draw contrasts,” said Jessica Millan Patterson, the leader of the California Republican Party. She said the protests “were happening all over. It looked like a war zone.”
Democrats also complained that they couldn’t canvass, thanks to decisions made by the party’s national leadership, as too dangerous in a pandemic. This turned out to be less of an issue than it might otherwise have been, however, although it was a gap we highlighted repeatedly here, too. Thanks to a widespread (and in some cases ill-advised) adoption of mail-in balloting and the fact that the pandemic and riots kept voters hyper-engaged, the 2020 election became a high-turnout contest. In 2016, just under 129 million ballots were cast, while the latest count from November shows 155 million ballots cast. It seems unlikely that there were any potential voters left out because of a lack of personal contact, at least not in numbers that would have moved the needle significantly enough except in two or three contests decided by fewer than a hundred votes.
It’s that turnout that points to the real problem for Democrats in 2022. Republicans usually lose high-turnout elections all the way down the ballot, thanks to Democratic voter-registration advantages. In November, however, the GOP won at every level except the presidential contest. That means Republicans carried more voters despite those registration disadvantages, which signals that the Democrats lost significant ground in the political center — and largely that means the suburbs.
That brings us to the problem for Democrats between now and the midterms. If Republicans manage to keep control of the Senate, the incoming Biden administration will have two broad choices for its agenda in the first two years. Either they go big to gain favor among progressives and resign themselves to two years of gridlock, or Biden offers a narrow policy agenda that can gain traction with Republicans. The latter might help Democrats gain back a little trust in the suburbs, but it will alienate the progressives and the media that love them and depress turnout elsewhere. If Biden goes big on a progressive agenda, Democrats will continue to alienate the center and the suburbs, especially with Republicans playing I Told You So on repeat cycles all during the 2022 elections.
Even aside from agendas, Democrats have another problem regardless of which tack Biden takes. First-term presidents lose seats in midterm elections, after the reality of empty campaign promises become clearer. House Democrats are making this even more likely by pushing their sclerotic leadership team back in charge, a group of progressives that are practically the GOP’s poster children for imperious derision of middle America. Is Nancy “Ice Cream” Pelosi really the image Democrats want to leverage in 2022?
Finally, Democrats managed to limit their losses in 2020 by successfully leveraging anti-Trump sentiment and mail-in balloting. Neither of those will apply in 2022, at least not in the same potent forms they did this year. Without Trump as a bête noire, their turnout will suffer — while Pelosi will remain potent enough for GOP turnout efforts in the suburbs, along with Biden and Kamala Harris. One hardly needs to be Carnac to predict disaster for House Democrats in the next midterms, and maybe Senate Democrats as well.


hotair--2020-12-26--A two-tier society of those with and without "immunity passports"

Back in early April , while the pandemic was still gaining traction , I peered into my crystal ball and asked if the day was coming when we would end up creating a two-tiered system of freedom in our country .
On the upper level would be those who had survived the virus ( or received a vaccination when they became available ) and were “ certified immune ” so they were free to go about their business .
Below them would be those who were unable to get a vaccine or didn ’ t wish to have one .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown , wearing masks and all the rest .
I described this as a sort of dystopian , science-fiction future .
Well , welcome to the future .
We ’ re about to deal with precisely that issue and it ’ s already under discussion in New Hampshire .
A debate is underway as to whether or not your employer can make a COVID vaccination mandatory as a requirement for keeping your job .
And the general consensus thus far in the legal community is that they can .
But this isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about whether or not you can keep your job .
The arrival of vaccination identity cards or “ immunity passports ” should be alarming to anyone who is keeping an eye on their civil liberties .
( Inside Sources ) Will the new COVID-19 vaccines be added to the list of mandatory inoculations for school kids ?
Can employers require their employees to prove they ’ ve been vaccinated ?
Can a business refuse to serve customers who ’ ve refused the vaccine ?
The New Hampshire Department of Justice is issuing guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised by the slow rollout of the COVID vaccines , such as the use of vaccination cards as so-called “ immunity passports.
” “ The purpose of this document is to provide employers , employees and businesses with frequently asked questions and answers that may be used to evaluate their options and to assist in responding to inquiries from their communities , ” the NHDOJ said in a statement .
We covered a related issue a couple of weeks ago in terms of whether or not your employer can grill you about your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they can and probably will in the near future , assuming they aren ’ t doing it already .
In some cases , those who are reluctant to sign up for the vaccine may be forced to do so or face legal problems .
New York is already looking at a law that could make vaccinations mandatory if the state fails to reach “ herd immunity.
” Both the idea of issuing immunity passports and making vaccinations mandatory in at least some circumstances are obviously already on the table .
The COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of required vaccines for children to be able to attend school yet , but that ’ s only because the CDC has only issued emergency approval for the vaccines .
When they issue general approval , it will almost certainly be added to the list .
The New York legislation referenced above shows us that some governments will attempt to force you to take the vaccine , though they offer no suggestion as to how they intend to enforce the order .
This is no longer some sort of hyperbolic warning of future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tipping point when it comes to this question .
If you don ’ t qualify for an immunity passport for whatever reason , you could be barred from going to school , holding a job , boarding a plane , or taking any other public transportation systems .
You could be banned from stores , bars , restaurants , or virtually any other aspect of public society .
You could fall under laws mandating face masks or even quarantine conditions while your fellow citizens with passports will be free to go about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a bit of grim humor in the way that some of our more liberal neighbors rail against the idea of voter ID or a requirement to show citizenship papers to immigration enforcement officials but they seem perfectly willing to sign up for this sort of system .
Racism and sexism are definitely verboten , but it looks like “ immunityism ” will be just fine and dandy going forward .
Is there anything to be done about this before we land firmly in a situation where the “ haves ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be free and legally supported to engage in discrimination against the “ have nots ?
” Not as far as I can tell .
It looks like that train has already left the station .
And you won ’ t be allowed on the train without your immunity passport .

Back in early April, while the pandemic was still gaining traction, I peered into my crystal ball and asked if the day was coming when we would end up creating a two-tiered system of freedom in our country. On the upper level would be those who had survived the virus (or received a vaccination when they became available) and were “certified immune” so they were free to go about their business. Below them would be those who were unable to get a vaccine or didn’t wish to have one. They might be forced to continue in lockdown, wearing masks and all the rest. I described this as a sort of dystopian, science-fiction future.
Well, welcome to the future. We’re about to deal with precisely that issue and it’s already under discussion in New Hampshire. A debate is underway as to whether or not your employer can make a COVID vaccination mandatory as a requirement for keeping your job. And the general consensus thus far in the legal community is that they can. But this isn’t going to simply stop with questions about whether or not you can keep your job. The arrival of vaccination identity cards or “immunity passports” should be alarming to anyone who is keeping an eye on their civil liberties. (Inside Sources)
Will the new COVID-19 vaccines be added to the list of mandatory inoculations for school kids? Can employers require their employees to prove they’ve been vaccinated? Can a business refuse to serve customers who’ve refused the vaccine? The New Hampshire Department of Justice is issuing guidelines to address some of the difficult questions raised by the slow rollout of the COVID vaccines, such as the use of vaccination cards as so-called “immunity passports.” “The purpose of this document is to provide employers, employees and businesses with frequently asked questions and answers that may be used to evaluate their options and to assist in responding to inquiries from their communities,” the NHDOJ said in a statement.
We covered a related issue a couple of weeks ago in terms of whether or not your employer can grill you about your holiday travel plans. Legal experts believe that they can and probably will in the near future, assuming they aren’t doing it already. In some cases, those who are reluctant to sign up for the vaccine may be forced to do so or face legal problems. New York is already looking at a law that could make vaccinations mandatory if the state fails to reach “herd immunity.”
Both the idea of issuing immunity passports and making vaccinations mandatory in at least some circumstances are obviously already on the table. The COVID vaccine isn’t on the list of required vaccines for children to be able to attend school yet, but that’s only because the CDC has only issued emergency approval for the vaccines. When they issue general approval, it will almost certainly be added to the list. The New York legislation referenced above shows us that some governments will attempt to force you to take the vaccine, though they offer no suggestion as to how they intend to enforce the order.
This is no longer some sort of hyperbolic warning of future events. We’re already at the tipping point when it comes to this question. If you don’t qualify for an immunity passport for whatever reason, you could be barred from going to school, holding a job, boarding a plane, or taking any other public transportation systems. You could be banned from stores, bars, restaurants, or virtually any other aspect of public society. You could fall under laws mandating face masks or even quarantine conditions while your fellow citizens with passports will be free to go about their business in the usual fashion.
There’s a bit of grim humor in the way that some of our more liberal neighbors rail against the idea of voter ID or a requirement to show citizenship papers to immigration enforcement officials but they seem perfectly willing to sign up for this sort of system. Racism and sexism are definitely verboten, but it looks like “immunityism” will be just fine and dandy going forward. Is there anything to be done about this before we land firmly in a situation where the “haves” (in terms of immunity) will be free and legally supported to engage in discrimination against the “have nots?” Not as far as I can tell. It looks like that train has already left the station. And you won’t be allowed on the train without your immunity passport.


hotair--2020-12-26--New York City approving barely 10% of new gun permits

Nervous residents of New York City ( at least those who haven ’ t already fled the area ) have been signing up in increasing numbers for firearms permits , many for the first time in their lives .
Given the conditions on the ground there , that ’ s understandable .
But making the decision to take advantage of your Second Amendment rights and actually laying your hands on a firearm legally are two very different things in the Big Apple these days .
The New York Post is reporting that there ’ s a significant backlog in permit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that do manage to get processed , nearly nine in ten are denied .
The NYPD ’ s License Division hasn ’ t had too much to say about it , but local gun dealers suspect that this isn ’ t entirely accidental , while a variety of factors have led to the surge in demand .
The Big Apple ’ s staggering surge in shootings amid the COVID-19 pandemic has led nearly 9,000 terrified New Yorkers to apply for gun permits — but the NYPD has signed off on fewer than 1,100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,088 applications for first-time pistol and rifle permits submitted since March 22 — when coronavirus-related restrictions went into effect — represent a threefold-plus increase over the 2,562 submitted between March 22 and Dec. 31 , 2019 , NYPD statistics obtained by The Post this week show .
But only 1,087 applications were approved , far less than the 1,778 granted during the same period last year , according to the official data .
There are two primary aspects of this phenomenon to consider , those being why approval rates are down and why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is the more disturbing of the two .
Last year , between March and December , the gun permit approval rate was close to 70 % .
But during the same period in 2020 , the approval rate is less than 14 percent .
You might be tempted to believe that these figures represent a lot more people applying who turn out to have criminal records or other disqualifying factors , but that doesn ’ t seem to be the case .
Some ( probably larger ) percentage are being denied , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the applications simply aren ’ t being processed .
One reason is that many officers from the NYPD ’ s License Division have been pulled off and sent to other assignments during all of the riots and unrest .
But some cops believe that this slowdown is being at least partly driven from the top down .
An NYPD source familiar with the situation said the License Division was too short-staffed to deal with the flood of new applications and also blamed an unofficial reluctance to process them .
“ The politicians are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with , so it ’ s not a priority , ” the source said .
The cause for the surge in demand seems more obvious .
Shootings and murders are up significantly in the city , as are robberies .
There are still regular massive gatherings in the streets and you never know when the “ peaceful protesters ” are going to suddenly turn out to be an angry mob that ’ s trying to drag you out of your car and beat you .
People are frightened and looking to defend themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources inside the NYPD have noted that this slowdown in permit approvals isn ’ t something that just cropped up recently .
It began when the George Floyd protests kicked off in the spring .
No matter what combination of factors is driving this issue , it ’ s unacceptable .
Many of the people who have seen their applications simply disappear into the void have no criminal record should easily have been approved .
The Post spoke to owners of jewelry stores that have been robbed repeatedly during the riots who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are unable to get one .
But City Hall doesn ’ t seem the least bit interested in investigating and resolving this problem .

Nervous residents of New York City (at least those who haven’t already fled the area) have been signing up in increasing numbers for firearms permits, many for the first time in their lives. Given the conditions on the ground there, that’s understandable. But making the decision to take advantage of your Second Amendment rights and actually laying your hands on a firearm legally are two very different things in the Big Apple these days. The New York Post is reporting that there’s a significant backlog in permit applications this season, and among those that do manage to get processed, nearly nine in ten are denied. The NYPD’s License Division hasn’t had too much to say about it, but local gun dealers suspect that this isn’t entirely accidental, while a variety of factors have led to the surge in demand.
The Big Apple’s staggering surge in shootings amid the COVID-19 pandemic has led nearly 9,000 terrified New Yorkers to apply for gun permits — but the NYPD has signed off on fewer than 1,100, The Post has learned. The 8,088 applications for first-time pistol and rifle permits submitted since March 22 — when coronavirus-related restrictions went into effect — represent a threefold-plus increase over the 2,562 submitted between March 22 and Dec. 31, 2019, NYPD statistics obtained by The Post this week show. But only 1,087 applications were approved, far less than the 1,778 granted during the same period last year, according to the official data.
There are two primary aspects of this phenomenon to consider, those being why approval rates are down and why demand is so high. The first one is the more disturbing of the two.
Last year, between March and December, the gun permit approval rate was close to 70%. But during the same period in 2020, the approval rate is less than 14 percent. You might be tempted to believe that these figures represent a lot more people applying who turn out to have criminal records or other disqualifying factors, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Some (probably larger) percentage are being denied, of course, but a lot of the applications simply aren’t being processed. One reason is that many officers from the NYPD’s License Division have been pulled off and sent to other assignments during all of the riots and unrest. But some cops believe that this slowdown is being at least partly driven from the top down.
An NYPD source familiar with the situation said the License Division was too short-staffed to deal with the flood of new applications and also blamed an unofficial reluctance to process them. “The politicians are generally against giving licenses, to begin with, so it’s not a priority,” the source said.
The cause for the surge in demand seems more obvious. Shootings and murders are up significantly in the city, as are robberies. There are still regular massive gatherings in the streets and you never know when the “peaceful protesters” are going to suddenly turn out to be an angry mob that’s trying to drag you out of your car and beat you. People are frightened and looking to defend themselves if they can.
In fact, sources inside the NYPD have noted that this slowdown in permit approvals isn’t something that just cropped up recently. It began when the George Floyd protests kicked off in the spring.
A source familiar with the situation said would-be gun owners began flooding the department with permit applications shortly after the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which sparked widespread protests, including in the Big Apple. Some of the local demonstrations led to riots and looting, including the ransacking of Macy’s famed flagship store in Manhattan’s Herald Square.
No matter what combination of factors is driving this issue, it’s unacceptable. Many of the people who have seen their applications simply disappear into the void have no criminal record should easily have been approved. The Post spoke to owners of jewelry stores that have been robbed repeatedly during the riots who have waited all year for a permit and are unable to get one. But City Hall doesn’t seem the least bit interested in investigating and resolving this problem.


hotair--2020-12-27--Sunday morning talking heads

Sunday morning talking heads

You can expect most of the talk shows this morning to focus on three competing stories .
One will be the car bomb in Nashville and the subsequent investigation .
Next is the expiration of unemployment benefits for millions of people who were receiving checks through a federal program that expired last night .
President Trump ’ s refusal to sign the relief package allowed them to run out .
And finally , of course , the distribution of the vaccine and the various hiccups that have cropped up along the way .
On State of the Union , CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or “ Saint Fauci ” if you prefer ) about the ongoing vaccination program .
Perhaps he will be able to explain why he lied for months on end about what level vaccine distribution we would need to have to reach herd immunity .
He started at 60-70 % and now he ’ s up to 90 .
He ’ ll be joined by Governor Gretchen Whitmer , who will probably explain what she meant by saying she was “ relieved ” not to have been chosen as Biden ’ s VP pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviewed and asked for the bazillionth time whether or not he ’ s running for president in 2024 and he ’ ll once again be all coy about his answer .
Congressman Adam Kinzinger ( R- Illinois ) will join in on the fun for some reason .
Fox News Sunday will feature Pat Toomey .
Since he ’ s being credited for negotiating the COVID relief bill with Chuck Schumer , he ’ ll be asked to explain why President Trump didn ’ t sign it .
I won ’ t speculate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very curious to hear the answer .
They will also interview Admiral Brett Giroir , US Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary .
Plan on more vaccine distribution analysis .
CBS ’ Face the Nation will have the Mayor of Nashville on to talk about the investigation into the Christmas bombing .
There ’ s supposedly a person of interest who has been identified .
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Gretchen Whitmer ( again ) will likely be asked about both the vaccination issues and the COVID relief bill .
Also , former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to talk about the pandemic .
If you ’ re looking for fresh interviews , you can probably skip Meet the Press .
Instead of any new content , they ’ ll be running a greatest hits collection of fifty interviews that Joe Biden has done on their network .
Drink plenty of coffee before sitting through that one .

You can expect most of the talk shows this morning to focus on three competing stories. One will be the car bomb in Nashville and the subsequent investigation. Next is the expiration of unemployment benefits for millions of people who were receiving checks through a federal program that expired last night. President Trump’s refusal to sign the relief package allowed them to run out. And finally, of course, the distribution of the vaccine and the various hiccups that have cropped up along the way.
On State of the Union, CNN will be talking to Dr. Fauci (or “Saint Fauci” if you prefer) about the ongoing vaccination program. Perhaps he will be able to explain why he lied for months on end about what level vaccine distribution we would need to have to reach herd immunity. He started at 60-70% and now he’s up to 90. He’ll be joined by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who will probably explain what she meant by saying she was “relieved” not to have been chosen as Biden’s VP pick. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan will be interviewed and asked for the bazillionth time whether or not he’s running for president in 2024 and he’ll once again be all coy about his answer. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R- Illinois) will join in on the fun for some reason.
Fox News Sunday will feature Pat Toomey. Since he’s being credited for negotiating the COVID relief bill with Chuck Schumer, he’ll be asked to explain why President Trump didn’t sign it. I won’t speculate here, but I’ll be very curious to hear the answer. They will also interview Admiral Brett Giroir, US Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary. Plan on more vaccine distribution analysis.
CBS’ Face the Nation will have the Mayor of Nashville on to talk about the investigation into the Christmas bombing. There’s supposedly a person of interest who has been identified. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Gretchen Whitmer (again) will likely be asked about both the vaccination issues and the COVID relief bill. Also, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb will be on to talk about the pandemic.
If you’re looking for fresh interviews, you can probably skip Meet the Press. Instead of any new content, they’ll be running a greatest hits collection of fifty interviews that Joe Biden has done on their network. Drink plenty of coffee before sitting through that one.


hotair--2020-12-27--Trump signs COVID relief bill and spending package

In retrospect , this probably seemed inevitable , didn ’ t it ?
Despite all of the bluster , the President decided to sign the bipartisan COVID relief and massively pork-laden spending bill on Sunday evening .
He had some attachments to the decision that he sent along to Congress as a warning , but the doom and gloom associated with the failure of the bill has largely been averted .
( Axios ) President Trump signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits and avert a government shutdown , Republican sources tell Axios .
What to watch : While Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 checks for most Americans hours before a midnight government shutdown deadline , he will continue his push to bring that amount to $ 2,000 , according to two sources familiar with the planning .
Why it matters : Trump ’ s delay in signing the $ 900 billion coronavirus relief bill and $ 1.4 trillion government funding measure caused unemployment benefits for millions of Americans to lapse overnight .
So why the change of heart ?
There ’ s a good chance that the pressure of all the negative fallout from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people was more damage than the President wanted to endure .
Yes , the bill is burdened with an obscene amount of pork .
And he wanted larger direct payments to taxpayers .
But the old rule about half a loaf being better than nothing is still in play .
Did Trump “ lose ” in this standoff , even taking the rules of The Art of the Deal into play ?
In some sense , that ’ s a fair description .
The President drew a line in the sand and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely shut down But at the same time , he signaled that he had additional negotiating points that he wanted to press forward with .
One reporter tweeted out the signing statement .
The President is referencing the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 while signing the bill .
He ’ s laying out a list of demands that he wants to see Congress invoke to revise and amend the bills he is signing .
Whether or not that actually takes place is a question for the scholars to debate .
Among his chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual payments to taxpayers to be increased to $ 2,000 and a removal of wasteful spending .
But President Trump made clear that the primary objectives in signing the bill were to restore unemployment benefits to those affected by the pandemic shutdowns , slow down evictions , provide rental assistance , and fund vaccine distribution .
So did the President “ cave ” on this ?
His opponents will say yes .
His supporters will point out that the fight continues and he ’ s still trying to beat this bill into something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least , a shutdown has been averted and some of the more critical issues being addressed by a significant , bipartisan majority in both chambers of Congress appear to be moving forward .

In retrospect, this probably seemed inevitable, didn’t it? Despite all of the bluster, the President decided to sign the bipartisan COVID relief and massively pork-laden spending bill on Sunday evening. He had some attachments to the decision that he sent along to Congress as a warning, but the doom and gloom associated with the failure of the bill has largely been averted. (Axios)
President Trump signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits and avert a government shutdown, Republican sources tell Axios. What to watch: While Trump signed the current bill providing for $600 checks for most Americans hours before a midnight government shutdown deadline, he will continue his push to bring that amount to $2,000, according to two sources familiar with the planning. Why it matters: Trump’s delay in signing the $900 billion coronavirus relief bill and $1.4 trillion government funding measure caused unemployment benefits for millions of Americans to lapse overnight.
So why the change of heart? There’s a good chance that the pressure of all the negative fallout from the collapse of unemployment benefits to millions of people was more damage than the President wanted to endure. Yes, the bill is burdened with an obscene amount of pork. And he wanted larger direct payments to taxpayers. But the old rule about half a loaf being better than nothing is still in play.
Did Trump “lose” in this standoff, even taking the rules of The Art of the Deal into play? In some sense, that’s a fair description. The President drew a line in the sand and he wound up backing down before the government entirely shut down But at the same time, he signaled that he had additional negotiating points that he wanted to press forward with. One reporter tweeted out the signing statement.
STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT: " I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item." pic.twitter.com/yjK3K3MJwV — Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) December 28, 2020
The President is referencing the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 while signing the bill. He’s laying out a list of demands that he wants to see Congress invoke to revise and amend the bills he is signing. Whether or not that actually takes place is a question for the scholars to debate. Among his chief demands is a renewed call for the individual payments to taxpayers to be increased to $2,000 and a removal of wasteful spending.
But President Trump made clear that the primary objectives in signing the bill were to restore unemployment benefits to those affected by the pandemic shutdowns, slow down evictions, provide rental assistance, and fund vaccine distribution.
So did the President “cave” on this? His opponents will say yes. His supporters will point out that the fight continues and he’s still trying to beat this bill into something palatable. But for now, at least, a shutdown has been averted and some of the more critical issues being addressed by a significant, bipartisan majority in both chambers of Congress appear to be moving forward.


hotair--2020-12-27--A lawsuit over "wrongfully prolonging life"

One of the more unusual stories about end-of-life issues to cross the transom comes to us this week from Massachusettes .
I ’ m sure we ’ ve all heard plenty of reports involving wrongful death lawsuits , particularly in both the medical community and law enforcement scenarios .
But have you ever heard of a “ wrongful life ” lawsuit ?
That ’ s essentially what ’ s playing out at St. Peter ’ s Hospital .
Last year , 67-year-old Rodney Knoepfle was at the hospital for a routine procedure .
Knoepfle was in terrible shape , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from back and neck surgeries to multiple hip replacements and advanced heart disease .
But when he went to use the restroom , he felt a huge surge of pain in his chest and he collapsed to the floor .
Rodney Knoepfle died there in that restroom .
And then he woke up .
The hospital staff had found him without respiration or a pulse and called a code blue .
They shot epinephrine into his system , performed CPR and shocked his heart back into action .
They had literally brought Knoepfle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his head cleared enough to realize what had happened , Rodney Knoepfle was angry and that anger only grew over the coming months .
What the staff didn ’ t know was that he had a Do Not Resuscitate order filed on his behalf .
And Rodney felt that they had cheated him out of a natural death .
( Boston Globe ) Digesting this news , Rodney , then 67 , became profoundly offended and inconsolably angry .
The hospital had cheated him , he felt , out of a natural death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instructions in his medical file labeled Do Not Resuscitate , a widely accepted medical directive , known as a DNR order .
It is for patients who choose to forgo heroic medical interventions , such as CPR , at the end of their lives .
Thousands of Americans have similar orders , which instruct doctors when patients no longer can speak for themselves .
Rodney had entered St. Peter ’ s for a cardioversion , a brief procedure to zap his misfiring heart back on the correct rhythm .
This was not really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the treatment , in March 2016 , would reduce the agonizing symptoms of his advanced heart disease : the dramatic fluid retention , the irregular heartbeat , the weakness , the shortness of breath .
I ’ m curious to see not only how this lawsuit works out , but how people on both sides of the euthanasia debate will respond to it .
What happened here is obviously tied to the entire debate over end-of-life issues and the right of people to meet their own end as they choose , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rodney wasn ’ t asking anyone to help him die .
He was in the hospital seeking relief .
But once he had passed away in his own time , having made his wishes clear , he wants justice for those wishes being ignored .
Just for full disclosure in case you haven ’ t read my previous articles on this subject , I too have a DNR order on file , drawn up by our attornies .
Going one step further ( though I won ’ t gross you out with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters DNR and the words “ Do Not Resuscitate ” tattooed across my sternum in a way that could not possibly be missed or mistaken by any medical personnel or first responders .
Should my wife be present , she has assured me that she will respect my wishes and inform any medical personnel who are involved .
In case you couldn ’ t guess , I have more than a little sympathy for Rodney Knoepfle ’ s position .
If I had somehow shuffled off this mortal coil through an event that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would have little to no quality of life , I ’ m pretty certain that I too would be pretty angry to wake up and learn that I ’ d been dragged back from whatever lies beyond the vale .
And yes , though I have never felt compelled to sue a single person or other entity in my life , I ’ d probably be feeling pretty litigious .
Even if I don ’ t agree with them , I can understand the argument that some people , including many conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you feel that only God can choose the date of your passing , I can respect that .
But what about Rodney ?
As I said , he didn ’ t ask anyone to end his days for him .
He died a perfectly natural death after suffering for many years with severe cardiac issues .
Why shouldn ’ t the people who took that from him be held accountable ?
To be clear , I ’ m not arguing against medical professionals making every effort to save people ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better job of recording and identifying people with DNR orders on file .
And if there is little to no hope for a patient to have a fruitful life after extraordinary measures are undertaken to revive them , those wishes should be legally binding .
This is a difficult subject for most of us to wrestle with .
Pretty much all issues of death and suffering are .
But as some character in a book I can ’ t recall just now once said , how we die is surely as important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some cases , the dead need to be allowed to rest in peace .

One of the more unusual stories about end-of-life issues to cross the transom comes to us this week from Massachusettes. I’m sure we’ve all heard plenty of reports involving wrongful death lawsuits, particularly in both the medical community and law enforcement scenarios. But have you ever heard of a “wrongful life” lawsuit? That’s essentially what’s playing out at St. Peter’s Hospital. Last year, 67-year-old Rodney Knoepfle was at the hospital for a routine procedure. Knoepfle was in terrible shape, having lived a lifetime with medical problems ranging from back and neck surgeries to multiple hip replacements and advanced heart disease. But when he went to use the restroom, he felt a huge surge of pain in his chest and he collapsed to the floor. Rodney Knoepfle died there in that restroom.
And then he woke up. The hospital staff had found him without respiration or a pulse and called a code blue. They shot epinephrine into his system, performed CPR and shocked his heart back into action. They had literally brought Knoepfle back from the dead. And when his head cleared enough to realize what had happened, Rodney Knoepfle was angry and that anger only grew over the coming months. What the staff didn’t know was that he had a Do Not Resuscitate order filed on his behalf. And Rodney felt that they had cheated him out of a natural death. (Boston Globe)
Digesting this news, Rodney, then 67, became profoundly offended and inconsolably angry. The hospital had cheated him, he felt, out of a natural death. The staff had not followed the instructions in his medical file labeled Do Not Resuscitate, a widely accepted medical directive, known as a DNR order. It is for patients who choose to forgo heroic medical interventions, such as CPR, at the end of their lives. Thousands of Americans have similar orders, which instruct doctors when patients no longer can speak for themselves. Rodney had entered St. Peter’s for a cardioversion, a brief procedure to zap his misfiring heart back on the correct rhythm. This was not really about extending his life. He hoped the treatment, in March 2016, would reduce the agonizing symptoms of his advanced heart disease: the dramatic fluid retention, the irregular heartbeat, the weakness, the shortness of breath.
I’m curious to see not only how this lawsuit works out, but how people on both sides of the euthanasia debate will respond to it. What happened here is obviously tied to the entire debate over end-of-life issues and the right of people to meet their own end as they choose, but it’s effectively the opposite of euthanasia. Rodney wasn’t asking anyone to help him die. He was in the hospital seeking relief. But once he had passed away in his own time, having made his wishes clear, he wants justice for those wishes being ignored.
Just for full disclosure in case you haven’t read my previous articles on this subject, I too have a DNR order on file, drawn up by our attornies. Going one step further (though I won’t gross you out with a picture) I have the block letters DNR and the words “Do Not Resuscitate” tattooed across my sternum in a way that could not possibly be missed or mistaken by any medical personnel or first responders. Should my wife be present, she has assured me that she will respect my wishes and inform any medical personnel who are involved.
In case you couldn’t guess, I have more than a little sympathy for Rodney Knoepfle’s position. If I had somehow shuffled off this mortal coil through an event that would probably leave me so damaged that I would have little to no quality of life, I’m pretty certain that I too would be pretty angry to wake up and learn that I’d been dragged back from whatever lies beyond the vale. And yes, though I have never felt compelled to sue a single person or other entity in my life, I’d probably be feeling pretty litigious.
Even if I don’t agree with them, I can understand the argument that some people, including many conservatives, make when it comes to euthanasia. If you feel that only God can choose the date of your passing, I can respect that. But what about Rodney? As I said, he didn’t ask anyone to end his days for him. He died a perfectly natural death after suffering for many years with severe cardiac issues. Why shouldn’t the people who took that from him be held accountable? To be clear, I’m not arguing against medical professionals making every effort to save people’s lives, but we need to do a better job of recording and identifying people with DNR orders on file. And if there is little to no hope for a patient to have a fruitful life after extraordinary measures are undertaken to revive them, those wishes should be legally binding.
This is a difficult subject for most of us to wrestle with. Pretty much all issues of death and suffering are. But as some character in a book I can’t recall just now once said, how we die is surely as important as how we live. Perhaps in some cases, the dead need to be allowed to rest in peace.


hotair--2020-12-27--Deepfake Queen Elizabeth slams Prince Harry, Meghan, and Randy Andy, too

Queen Elizabeth II delivered her annual Christmas message this year .
However , this year there was a twist to the monarch ’ s tradition – a deepfake version was presented by Channel 4 on Friday .
In the fake digital version , the Queen takes shots at some family members along the way .
The message from the fake version is a serious one – beware of information presented on social media , much of it is phony .
It ’ s “ fake news ” , as Trump likes to say .
We are well aware of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Actress Debra Stephenson plays the Queen .
Her reference to Randy Andy has to do with his involvement in the Epstein story .
She says she doesn ’ t think he ’ ll be heading for North America anytime soon .
And , there is a TikTok dance , too .
“ If there is a theme to my message today , it is trust .
Trust in what is genuine , and what is not , ” the fake queen said in the altered version that aired Friday .
T The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zingers , mentioning the withdrawal of Prince Harry and Meghan from royal duties and Prince Andrew ’ s step back from active participation in most royal family activities .
In the case of Meghan and Harry , she notes , “ There are few things more hurtful than someone telling you they prefer the company of Canadians.
” The real Queen ’ s Christmas message received high ratings this year , the highest rating in years .
It didn ’ t top the ratings of her COVID-19 address , though .
The viewership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in April .
In her annual address , Her Majesty told the country that people “ are not alone ” in struggling without absent friends and family over the festive period .
“ Even on the darkest nights there is hope in the new dawn , ” she added in a note of hope .
The speech topped the Christmas Day television ratings battle after being watched by 8.2M people across BBC One and ITV , according to overnight figures supplied by overnights.tv .
That 8.2M is likely to be Queen Elizabeth II @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some time .
According to a website that collates Christmas Day TV audiences , it could be her highest rating in as many as 18 years .
Channel 4 released a brief statement explaining that the message of caution is an important one .
Prince Harry and Meghan are reported to be negotiating an extension of their Megxit deal with the Royal family .
Their deals with Netflix ( $ 100M ) and Spotify ( $ 30M ) aside , they would like another 12 months deal with Buckingham Palace .
The current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 .
It allows them to hold on to their royal patronages , or charity support duties .
They want to retain their patronages .
Of all the Royal family , Harry and Meghan are the most woke , especially in their choices of progressive organizations .
The deepfake nod to those two Royal snots was well-deserved .
They ’ d like their cake and eat it , too .
They will make friendly video calls to senior royals next month before Harry heads here for face-to-face talks , possibly accompanied by Meghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 31 .
Talks are said to be “ less confrontational ” than at January ’ s Sandringham summit .
But royal aides will pore over the Netflix and Spotify deals , reportedly worth £100million and £30million respectively , to ensure they meet “ the values of Her Majesty ” .
At least the two will trouble themselves to attend some important events in the new year .
It ’ s the least they can do .
I ’ m sure after a horrible year ( annus horribilis ) with the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brits enjoyed a little levity from the deepfake as it presented an important reminder to be cautious about what is real and what is not .

Queen Elizabeth II delivered her annual Christmas message this year. However, this year there was a twist to the monarch’s tradition – a deepfake version was presented by Channel 4 on Friday. In the fake digital version, the Queen takes shots at some family members along the way.
The message from the fake version is a serious one – beware of information presented on social media, much of it is phony. It’s “fake news”, as Trump likes to say. We are well aware of how quickly misinformation can travel on the internet. Actress Debra Stephenson plays the Queen. Her reference to Randy Andy has to do with his involvement in the Epstein story. She says she doesn’t think he’ll be heading for North America anytime soon. And, there is a TikTok dance, too.
“If there is a theme to my message today, it is trust. Trust in what is genuine, and what is not,” the fake queen said in the altered version that aired Friday. T The faux Queen Elizabeth II delivers a few zingers, mentioning the withdrawal of Prince Harry and Meghan from royal duties and Prince Andrew’s step back from active participation in most royal family activities. In the case of Meghan and Harry, she notes, “There are few things more hurtful than someone telling you they prefer the company of Canadians.”
The real Queen’s Christmas message received high ratings this year, the highest rating in years. It didn’t top the ratings of her COVID-19 address, though. The viewership of that address was about 24 million in April.
In her annual address, Her Majesty told the country that people “are not alone” in struggling without absent friends and family over the festive period. “Even on the darkest nights there is hope in the new dawn,” she added in a note of hope. The speech topped the Christmas Day television ratings battle after being watched by 8.2M people across BBC One and ITV, according to overnight figures supplied by overnights.tv. That 8.2M is likely to be Queen Elizabeth II’s biggest Christmas Day audience in some time. According to a website that collates Christmas Day TV audiences, it could be her highest rating in as many as 18 years.
Channel 4 released a brief statement explaining that the message of caution is an important one.
Director of programs at Channel 4, Ian Katz said: “Deepfake technology is the frightening new frontier in the battle between misinformation and truth. This year’s Alternative Christmas Address – seemingly delivered by one of the most familiar and trusted figures in the nation – is a powerful reminder that we can no longer trust our own eyes.”
Prince Harry and Meghan are reported to be negotiating an extension of their Megxit deal with the Royal family. Their deals with Netflix ($100M) and Spotify ($30M) aside, they would like another 12 months deal with Buckingham Palace. The current deal is set to expire on March 31. It allows them to hold on to their royal patronages, or charity support duties. They want to retain their patronages. Of all the Royal family, Harry and Meghan are the most woke, especially in their choices of progressive organizations.
Meghan’s patronages include organizations that forward women’s empowerment, universal education and animal welfare. Harry’s include his title as president of the African Parks nonprofit conservation charity and the Invictus Games foundation. Harry is also hoping to regain the honorary military posts that were stripped from him during Megxit, The Sun reported.
The deepfake nod to those two Royal snots was well-deserved. They’d like their cake and eat it, too.
They will make friendly video calls to senior royals next month before Harry heads here for face-to-face talks, possibly accompanied by Meghan. Their deal with Buckingham Palace expires on March 31. Talks are said to be “less confrontational” than at January’s Sandringham summit. But royal aides will pore over the Netflix and Spotify deals, reportedly worth £100million and £30million respectively, to ensure they meet “the values of Her Majesty”.
At least the two will trouble themselves to attend some important events in the new year. It’s the least they can do.
Harry and Meghan are also looking to return to the U.K. for Queen Elizabeth II’s 95th birthday in April, for Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh’s 100th birthday in June, and for the unveiling of a statue of Princess Diana on what would have been her 60th birthday on July 1, The Sun reported.
I’m sure after a horrible year (annus horribilis) with the coronavirus and all that it entails, the Brits enjoyed a little levity from the deepfake as it presented an important reminder to be cautious about what is real and what is not.


hotair--2020-12-27--Was the Nashville bomber attacking the 5G network out of paranoia?

As if the story of the Christmas day bombing in Nashville couldn ’ t get any weirder .
When John updated us on the story yesterday , a “ person of interest ” had been identified .
The likely suspect is ( or at least was ) a 63-year-old computer technician named Anthony Quinn Warner .
Not a lot is known about Warner aside from the fact that he owned an RV pretty much identical to the one used in the blast and neither he nor the vehicle have been seen since .
Now , however , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it lines up with some conversations I ’ ve had at home and observed on social media .
The latest hot take on this attack is that Warner may have been one of the people who was really paranoid about the latest generation of 5G networks and the blast was intended to stop all of those microwaves from bouncing around his city .
( NY Post ) FBI agents working the Nashville Christmas bombing are asking around about whether Anthony Quinn Warner — a local computer expert named as a “ person of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology , according to a report .
Agents are probing if Warner , 63 , feared that 5G technology was being used to spy on Americans , a source close to the investigation told the NBC News affiliate in Nashville .
There have otherwise been no arrests or motive revealed in the bombing as of early Sunday .
The reporting is a little bit sketchy on the 5G angle .
Multiple sites have linked the claim to a Nashville real estate agent who contacted the FBI with information about Warner .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the FBI asked him about 5G paranoia but he told them that Warner had never mentioned it to them .
So where did the story come from originally ?
As I suggested above , there have been notions like this making the rounds all weekend .
I saw a few reporters from the Nashville area tweeting about how anyone with AT & T mobile service was completely cut off after the blast and many people didn ’ t even have access to 911 emergency services .
When I mentioned that to my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said was ‘ maybe the explosion was an attack on the 5g network.
’ I laughed at that , but now it ’ s not seeming entirely out of the question .
Warner is still only the alleged bomber until we have more proof .
As John noted yesterday , the remains of the person found at the blast site were too damaged for a positive identification .
The FBI is currently seeking DNA from Warner ’ s relatives to find out if that was him .
If so , this will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If that ’ s the case and he was really that worried about 5G , surely there ’ s some sort of digital paper trail out there regarding his concerns , right ?
Either way , Warner appears to have had several strange things going on in his life .
The Post article points to something that may or may not be totally unrelated but still seems odd .
It involves Warner ’ s relationship with a 29-year-old Los Angeles woman named Michelle Swing .
Records indicate that Warner signed the deed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Swing for free in November .
Further , Warner had previously signed over another $ 249,000 property on the same street to the woman earlier this year , also at no cost .
Swing declined to comment to reporters on the nature of her relationship with Warner but said that the property transfers took place “ without her knowledge.
” While that sounds unlikely , the first thing that crossed my mind was that Warner may have been planning his suicide attack for a very long time and was unloading some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s just speculation on my part , though .
Curiouser and curiouser , Alice said .
I suppose we ’ ll have to wait for the results of the DNA testing and more interviews with Warner ’ s circle of contacts before this puzzle is solved .
But we can at least take some comfort in the fact that no innocent bystanders were killed if the remains from the blast turn out to be Warner ’ s .

As if the story of the Christmas day bombing in Nashville couldn’t get any weirder. When John updated us on the story yesterday, a “person of interest” had been identified. The likely suspect is (or at least was) a 63-year-old computer technician named Anthony Quinn Warner. Not a lot is known about Warner aside from the fact that he owned an RV pretty much identical to the one used in the blast and neither he nor the vehicle have been seen since.
Now, however, there’s a new wrinkle to the story and it lines up with some conversations I’ve had at home and observed on social media. The latest hot take on this attack is that Warner may have been one of the people who was really paranoid about the latest generation of 5G networks and the blast was intended to stop all of those microwaves from bouncing around his city. (NY Post)
FBI agents working the Nashville Christmas bombing are asking around about whether Anthony Quinn Warner — a local computer expert named as a “person of interest” — was paranoid about 5G technology, according to a report. Agents are probing if Warner, 63, feared that 5G technology was being used to spy on Americans, a source close to the investigation told the NBC News affiliate in Nashville. There have otherwise been no arrests or motive revealed in the bombing as of early Sunday.
The reporting is a little bit sketchy on the 5G angle. Multiple sites have linked the claim to a Nashville real estate agent who contacted the FBI with information about Warner. But the original reporting from NBC News specifically says that the FBI asked him about 5G paranoia but he told them that Warner had never mentioned it to them. So where did the story come from originally?
As I suggested above, there have been notions like this making the rounds all weekend. I saw a few reporters from the Nashville area tweeting about how anyone with AT&T mobile service was completely cut off after the blast and many people didn’t even have access to 911 emergency services. When I mentioned that to my wife yesterday, the first thing she said was ‘maybe the explosion was an attack on the 5g network.’ I laughed at that, but now it’s not seeming entirely out of the question.
Warner is still only the alleged bomber until we have more proof. As John noted yesterday, the remains of the person found at the blast site were too damaged for a positive identification. The FBI is currently seeking DNA from Warner’s relatives to find out if that was him. If so, this will have turned out to be a suicide bombing. If that’s the case and he was really that worried about 5G, surely there’s some sort of digital paper trail out there regarding his concerns, right?
Either way, Warner appears to have had several strange things going on in his life. The Post article points to something that may or may not be totally unrelated but still seems odd. It involves Warner’s relationship with a 29-year-old Los Angeles woman named Michelle Swing. Records indicate that Warner signed the deed to his $160,000 Nashville home over to Swing for free in November. Further, Warner had previously signed over another $249,000 property on the same street to the woman earlier this year, also at no cost. Swing declined to comment to reporters on the nature of her relationship with Warner but said that the property transfers took place “without her knowledge.” While that sounds unlikely, the first thing that crossed my mind was that Warner may have been planning his suicide attack for a very long time and was unloading some of his earthly possessions before his grand exit. That’s just speculation on my part, though.
Curiouser and curiouser, Alice said. I suppose we’ll have to wait for the results of the DNA testing and more interviews with Warner’s circle of contacts before this puzzle is solved. But we can at least take some comfort in the fact that no innocent bystanders were killed if the remains from the blast turn out to be Warner’s.