theblaze--2020-02-23--Bernie Sanders wins Nevada caucuses, cementing his status as Democratic frontrunner

By 8 p.m. EST on Saturday , both Fox News and NBC News projected that Sanders had won The Silver State , dominating his Democratic competitors among Latinos and young voters .
Sanders was leading with more than 50 percent of the votes , while Joe Biden was in second place with less than 20 percent .
According to Politico , it is not yet clear when the complete caucus results will be tallied , though it could be sometime Sunday .
The uncontested victory comes on the heals of Sanders ' narrow win in New Hampshire earlier in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Amy Klobuchar in a much closer race .
Sanders and Buttigieg also effectively tied in Iowa , meaning Sanders has essentially swept the first three Democratic primary contests .
Sanders was not in Nevada when his victory was announced .
Instead , he was campaigning in Texas ahead of Super Tuesday on March 3 .
Brad Parscale , President Donald Trump 's campaign manager , said after Sanders ' win , `` There is no denying that Big Government Socialism dominated again as Bernie Sanders remained the leader of the leftist pack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Day and another day closer to re-electing President Trump . ''
The president also weighed in on Twitter : In his post-caucus speech , Buttigieg laid into Sanders , saying the Vermont senator `` believes in an inflexible , ideological revolution that leaves out most Democrats , not to mention most Americans . ''
The next Democratic primary will take place in South Carolina on Feb. 29 .
Biden leads there , current polling shows .

Sen. Bernie Sanders has won the Nevada Democratic caucuses.
By 8 p.m. EST on Saturday, both Fox News and NBC News projected that Sanders had won The Silver State, dominating his Democratic competitors among Latinos and young voters.
Sanders was leading with more than 50 percent of the votes, while Joe Biden was in second place with less than 20 percent.
According to Politico, it is not yet clear when the complete caucus results will be tallied, though it could be sometime Sunday.
The uncontested victory comes on the heals of Sanders' narrow win in New Hampshire earlier in the month when he bested Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar in a much closer race. Sanders and Buttigieg also effectively tied in Iowa, meaning Sanders has essentially swept the first three Democratic primary contests.
Sanders was not in Nevada when his victory was announced. Instead, he was campaigning in Texas ahead of Super Tuesday on March 3.
Brad Parscale, President Donald Trump's campaign manager, said after Sanders' win, "There is no denying that Big Government Socialism dominated again as Bernie Sanders remained the leader of the leftist pack. We are another day closer to Election Day and another day closer to re-electing President Trump."
The president also weighed in on Twitter:
In his post-caucus speech, Buttigieg laid into Sanders, saying the Vermont senator "believes in an inflexible, ideological revolution that leaves out most Democrats, not to mention most Americans."
The next Democratic primary will take place in South Carolina on Feb. 29. Biden leads there, current polling shows.


theblaze--2020-02-23--James Carville rips DNC as Bernie Sanders wins Nevada: 'One of the truly stupid parties in the world

James Carville rips DNC as Bernie Sanders wins Nevada: 'One of the truly stupid parties in the world'

James Carville rips DNC as Bernie Sanders wins Nevada : 'One of the truly stupid parties in the world '

James Carville is not being coy about who he would like to win the Democratic nomination in 2020: Anybody but Sen. Bernie Sanders.
During an appearance on MSNBC on Saturday to analyze the Nevada caucus results, Carville compared today's DNC to the 1983 British Labour Party, describing it as "one of the truly stupid parties in the world, which of course Bernie Sanders loves."
'There is a clear, defined frontrunner'
The legendary political strategist also blasted the DNC's incompetence, as reports circulated Saturday of problems with the Nevada caucus voting process.
"If the DNC were running a carnival parade, we'd never get out of the chute," he said.
Carville, who became famous after helping Bill Clinton win the presidency in 1992, also argued that other Democratic candidates have failed by not attacking him sufficiently during the primary process.
"It's obvious that Senator Sanders is going to do very well tonight. It's obvious that he's the frontrunner. It's obvious that these other candidates have not sufficiently talked about him," he said.
'It's obvious that he has not been vetted in the press'
Sanders' candidacy, Carville explained, is a risky proposition for a Democratic Party that's eager to get rid of an incumbent president with a strong economy.
"It's obvious that he has not been vetted in the press. I've not seen the four-part series in the New York Times and Washington Post, NBC News, or anything else. So we're in a whole new ballgame here," Carville said, adding that the Democratic primary may very well be decided by mid-March.
"Some of these candidates are going to have to make really hard decisions about who stays in, who gets out, and where we go from here," he argued, suggesting that so-called moderate candidates may want to consider dropping out so one of them can take on Sanders.
Carville also dismissed the notion that Sanders is capable of energizing new voters to turn out in November and said he has received calls from down-ballot Democrats who are concerned about the impact the Vermont socialist will have on their campaigns.
"If you want to vote for Bernie Sanders because you don't like the banks on Wall Street, you don't like pharmaceuticals, that's completely legitimate. I understand that," he said.
"But if you're voting for him. If you think he'll win the election because he'll galvanize sleepy parts of the electorate then, politically, you're a fool," he added.
www.youtube.com


theblaze--2020-02-23--New report undercuts claim that Russia is trying to help Trump's re-election: 'Intelligence doesn't

New report undercuts claim that Russia is trying to help Trump's re-election: 'Intelligence doesn't say that'

New report undercuts claim that Russia is trying to help Trump 's re-election : 'Intelligence does n't say that '

American intelligence does not indicate that Russia is attempting to help President Donald Trump's re-election campaign, according to a new report.
According to CNN, who spoke with several U.S. intelligence officials, Shelby Pierson, the top election intelligence official, overstated the intelligence community's assessment on Russian interference in the 2020 election during a recent classified briefing with the House Intelligence Committee. She told lawmakers that Russia is attempting to aid Trump's re-election, the New York Times reported last week.
However, the intelligence simply does not indicate that.
"The intelligence doesn't say that," a senior national security official told CNN. "A more reasonable interpretation of the intelligence is not that they have a preference, it's a step short of that. It's more that they understand the President is someone they can work with, he's a dealmaker."
More from CNN:
Pierson's characterization of Russian interference led to pointed questions from lawmakers, which officials said caused Pierson to overstep and assert that Russia has a preference for Trump to be reelected.
One intelligence official said that Pierson's characterization of the intelligence was "misleading" and a national security official said Pierson failed to provide the "nuance" needed to accurately convey the US intelligence conclusions.
Despite these facts, the president's political opponents maintain claims that Trump is a pawn for Russia.
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell, for example, called Trump a "Russian operative" last week, while Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Sunday that Trump "has been a gift to Russia."
But according to other reports, Trump is not the only candidate for whom Russia has a preference.
The Washington Post reported last week that Russia also has a preference for Sen. Bernie Sanders. The Post noted that Russia does not necessarily favor Trump or Sanders over other candidates — nor are Trump or Sanders colluding with Russia — but that Russia is exploiting Trump and Sanders to operate a massive disinformation campaign.


theblaze--2020-02-23--LIST: Steven Crowder's top reasons Mike Bloomberg is a 'piece of s***'

In case you 've been living under a rock , you 've likely heard the name Mike Bloomberg .
You @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic Presidential candidate under the impression he will be able to defeat Trump in @ @ @ @ @ too is a billionaire .
Aside from his lame policies and miniature stature , there @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg is a `` piece of s*** . ''

In case you've been living under a rock, you've likely heard the name Mike Bloomberg. You know, Mike Bloomberg. The Democratic Presidential candidate under the impression he will be able to defeat Trump in the 2010 election because he too is a billionaire. Aside from his lame policies and miniature stature, there hare plenty of reasons Mike Bloomberg is a "piece of s***."
Here's Crowder to explain.


theblaze--2020-02-23--Video of Hispanic former Dem attending first Trump rally goes viral: 'Build that wall!'

Video of Hispanic former Dem attending first Trump rally goes viral : 'Build that wall ! '
'Where are the @ @ @ @ @ '

A video of Moses, a pro-Trump Hispanic voter, went viral Saturday showing the man's energetic reaction to his first rally in support of the president's re-election campaign.
"This is my first rally. I used to be a Democrat!" he told a reporter with Abate Media.
Moses is one of many Hispanics who has attended a Trump campaign event this year. According to Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, 27 percent of attendees at a recent Trump rally in Las Vegas, Nevada were either black or Hispanic.
Parscale has highlighted how many attendees of President Trump's rallies are not always Republicans. At a recent rally in Colorado, for instance, 17 percent of those in attendance were registered Democrats.
'Where are the racists everybody talks about?
Moses also took a moment to mock liberal media personalities who peddle stereotypes of Trump supporters, such as MSNBC's Joy Reid who said on Saturday people who voted for President Trump in 2016 were preoccupied with "taking this country back from the brown people, the immigrants."
"Where are the racists that everybody talks about?" said Moses while looking around pretending to be searching for someone.
"I felt so comfortable here," he added while noting Trump rallies are attended by "just people who care about America."
'Build that wall!'
The reporter then asked Moses what would he tell the president if he was listening.
"I support everything you do," he said.
Adding, "I am Latino. I am from El Paso, Texas. Build that wall!"
Moses explained he and his family support the wall because it curtails the flow of illegal substances. "So many drugs come in through that border. You're doing a good thing with that wall."
The El Paso man's support for the border wall is not unusual among Hispanic Americans. According to a June 2019 poll by Spanish-language network Univision, over "a third of Latinos agree to some extent with building a border wall with Mexico, as proposed by President Donald Trump, in an attempt to stop undocumented immigrants from entering into the country."
"We support you. We're 100% Mexican and we're proud to be American!"
A January 2020 Pew Research poll found that 30 percent of Hispanic voters support President Trump, a two-point improvement from his 2016 performance, according to exit polls.


theblaze--2020-02-23--Greyhound hit with boycott calls over shock decision to stop immigration cooperation

Greyhound hit with boycott calls over shock decision to stop immigration cooperation 'It 's a sad day to see something @ @ @

Acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli is calling for a boycott of Greyhound after the bus company announced last week it would stop cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
In a shock announcement last Friday, Greyhound announced that "it would notify the Department of Homeland Security that it does not consent to unwarranted searches on its buses or in areas of terminals that are not open to the public."
The transportation company cited customer and employee safety as the reason for the surprising change.
"It's a sad day to see something like this, and hopefully #BoycottGreyhound will pick up," Cuccinelli said Saturday on Fox News.
"This is not something they talked to us about before they made their public comment. So for us, it's ultimately about how we can all work together and the effectiveness of our law enforcement efforts," he explained.
Cuccinelli later said the DHS would engage in discussions with Greyhound about the policy change.
And just as Cuccinelli wanted, "#BoycottGreyhound" trended on Twitter on Saturday.


theblaze--2020-02-23--Top Dem panics: Sanders' socialism would be a 'burden' on Democrats, places House majority 'in dange

Top Dem panics: Sanders' socialism would be a 'burden' on Democrats, places House majority 'in danger'

Top Dem panics : Sanders ' socialism would be a 'burden ' on Democrats , places House majority 'in danger @

Democratic House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) spoke in unequivocally blunt terms on Sunday when he was asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos if he thinks Sen. Bernie Sanders' ideology would be a drag on his party in House races.
"You're already to see these attacks on his background as a democratic socialist. How deep will that cut in South Carolina, and if he's the nominee, do you think it could put the [Democrats'] House majority in danger?," the host of "This Week" asked him.
"A lot of people think so," Clyburn answered. "I do believe it'll be an extra burden for us to have to carry."
'A real burden for us'
The longtime Democratic leader went on to explain how Sanders' embrace of socialism would hurt Democrats in down-ballot races across throughout the South and other regions.
"This is South Carolina and South Carolinians are pretty weary about that title socialist and so I think that'll be a real burden for us in these states or congressional districts we have to do well in," he told Stephanopoulos.
Sanders could jeopardize the Dems House majority
In addition, Clyburn correctly argued that Democrats took back the House in 2018 by winning a series of suburban districts with moderate or conservative constituencies. Sanders, he noted, would jeopardize the House majority.
"If you know how well we did the last time and look at the congressional districts, these are not liberal or progressive districts. These are moderate and conservative districts that we did well in. And in those districts it's going to be tough to hold on to these jobs if you have to make the case for accepting a self-proclaimed democratic socialist," he explained.


theblaze--2020-02-23--Ex-Clinton adviser predicts Bloomberg, Clinton plotting 'scheme' to make Hillary the Dem nominee

'Hillary is the only candidate that they 'll be able to come up with that can measure up to Donald @ @

Dick Morris, a former adviser to Bill Clinton, predicted Sunday that Michael Bloomberg and Hillary Clinton are plotting a "scheme" that would allow Clinton to become the 2020 Democratic nominee.
Speaking with radio host John Catsimatidis on "The Cats Roundtable," Morris said that he believes Bloomberg will continue to campaign and spend loads of cash to syphon support from Sen. Bernie Sanders and trigger a brokered convention.
"Here's the deal that I think is going down. I think Hillary and Bloomberg have gotten together and cooked up a scheme," Morris said.
Morris went on to explain:
Nobody will be nominated on the first ballot, and it'll go to a second ballot. Now, the problem is that the party establishment doesn't have a candidate. They can't do Bloomberg because he got killed in the debate. ... Can't do [Joe] Biden because he's already lost the frontrunner status. … [Pete] Buttigieg looks like a high school kid at the Model UN, and he's not gonna be able to have it, certainly not against [President Donald] Trump. [Elizabeth] Warren is third, but she's pretty far to the left, and people are not gonna want to— they're not going to want to trust her.
And when you put it together, it will go to a second ballot and then I think Hillary Clinton enters the race. And the superdelegates will all leave who they are for and go to Hillary.
Morris characterized his theory as the "establishment scenario," suggesting that he believes moderate Democrats will do everything in their power to prevent Sanders from securing the Democratic nomination.
"Hillary is the only candidate that they'll be able to come up with that can measure up to Donald Trump," Morris said.
Morris went on to say that if Sanders does win the Democratic nomination, then President Donald Trump will not only "massacre" him in the general election, but the Democratic Party as a whole, predicting Democrats would lose upwards of 60 seats in the House.


theblaze--2020-02-23--MSNBC host attacks Trump supporters as racists who revolted against 'smart people'

MSNBC host attacks Trump supporters as racists who revolted against 'smart people' 'We 're taking this country back from brown @ @

In case there were any doubts as to how limousine liberals feel about people who vote for President Trump, MSNBC's Joy Reid made it clear yesterday that they look down upon them.
During the network's live coverage of the Nevada Caucuses, Reid offered an analysis of why she felt Donald Trump won the 2016 election. Unsurprisingly, she said Trump won thanks to racism.
"Even though Donald Trump did not have a majority, the hungry constituency was a lot of white ethnic voters, north and south, who said 'we're taking this country back from the brown people, the immigrants. We're getting rid of unlawful migration,'" Reid said.
Reid also implied that Trump voters were not particularly smart and resent college-educated elites. Paraphrasing what she believes 2016 Republicans were thinking, she said, "'We don't care what you say... The smart, the smarty pants, the college educated... forget them. We're the hungriest.'"
Not the first time she smears conservatives
The MSNBC host has a record of launching unfounded personal attacks at Republicans.
As TheBlaze reported in December 2017, Reid said Trump is the worst version of Americans.
"If you think of the presidency as a national avatar, Obama is who we hope we are, and Donald Trump is who we fear we are," she siad.
Reid continued to blast "Trumpism" as exuding "something sort of guttural ... like playing to all of your base fears of other people — your anger, your rage, your neediness. The core of his need is this black hole inside himself is kind of what America fears — like the crass part of ourselves is becoming."
Also bashed Pete Buttigieg
In fairness, Reid also accuses fellow Democrats she doesn't like of being racists.
Earlier this month, as TheBlaze's Sarah Taylor reported, Reid speculated on her program that former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg's use of the word "heartland" in a tweet might be a racist dog whistle.
"So I want to read you a tweet from you," she said. "'In the face of unprecedented challenges, we need a president whose vision was shaped by the American Heartland rather than the ineffective Washington politics we've come to know and expect.'"
She added, "I got a lot of texts on that tweet. Not positive. From people saying, 'heartland'—that sounds to a lot of people like a dog whistle to white voters."


theblaze--2020-02-23--Leftists explode at Chris Matthews, demand his firing over Bernie comparison to victorious Nazis

Leftists explode at Chris Matthews , demand his firing over Bernie comparison to victorious Nazis 'Retire , get fired , @ @ @ @ @ that Matthews needs to be out of a job '

MSNBC host Chris Matthews faced an onslaught of backlash, including calls for his firing, late Saturday for comparing Sen. Bernie Sanders' Nevada victory to the Nazi victory over France.
"I'm reading last night about the fall of France in the summer of 1940," Matthews said. "And the general, Reynaud, calls up Churchill and says, 'It's over.' And Churchill says, 'How can it be? You've got the greatest army in Europe. How can it be over?' He said, 'It's over.'"
In response, critics called for Matthews' ousting from MSNBC, and the hashtag "#FireChrisMatthews" trended on Twitter.
"It is absolutely unacceptable that Matthews is making comparisons between Bernie Sanders, whose family was murdered by Nazis, to Nazis. @HardballChris needs to retire. Immediately," Media Matters editor Parker Malloy said.
"Retire, get fired, whatever. Bottom line is that Matthews needs to be out of a job," she added.
Alex Kotch of the left-wing Center for Media and Democracy said, "For once, I'm not being sarcastic here. I'm dead serious. I'm really, really insulted by a major pundit on an allegedly liberal news network comparing a Jewish candidate's overwhelming caucus victory to the French losing a battle with the Nazis. Get this lunatic off the air."
"#FireChrisMathews for the disgusting and anti-Semitic attacks on Bernie Sanders. Comparing a Jewish man who literally lost family to the Holocaust for wanting to give everyone healthcare is BEYOND acceptable," another critic said.
"Chris Mathews needs to be removed from national television immediately. His remarks are absolutely unacceptable," another person said.
However, not everyone was calling for blood. Rather, many other critics simply denounced Matthews for his comparison because Sanders' Jewish family lost family members in the Holocaust, and because invoking Nazi comparisons is generally frowned upon.
Matthews has been outspoken about his opposition to Sanders.
On Saturday, Matthews said that President Donald Trump's re-election would be better for the Democratic Party than Sanders "taking over" the party, and last week said that Sanders would lose in a landslide election to Trump if he secures the Democratic nomination.


theblaze--2020-02-23--Obama-era Homeland Security whistleblower found dead on side of road

He believed the Obama administration could have prevented numerous domestic Islamic terror attacks

Philip Haney, a former Homeland Security official who became a whistleblower in the Obama administration, was found dead on Friday.
The Amador County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that Haney, 66, was found about 40 miles east of Sacramento, California, from what appeared to be a "a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound," Fox News reported.
The press release said:
On February 21, 2020 at approximately 1012 hours, deputies and detectives responded to the area of Highway 124 and Highway 16 in Plymouth to the report of a male subject on the ground with a gunshot wound.
Upon their arrival, they located and identified 66-year-old Philip Haney, who was deceased and appeared to have suffered a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound. A firearm was located next to Haney and his vehicle. This investigation is active and ongoing. No further details will be released at this time.
Sources who spoke with the Washington Examiner said that Haney was exploring a return to the Department of Homeland Security and was engaged to be married.
Haney was an Arabic culture and language expert and outspoken critic of the Obama administration, particularly over its handling of Islamic extremism.
Haney testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in June 2016 that the Obama DHS ordered him to delete hundreds of files on individuals believed to be involved in Islamic extremism.
Haney also said publicly that the government possessed enough information to prevent domestic Islamic terror attacks, including the San Bernardino attack in Dec. 2015.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Sanders doubles down on support for communist dictator Fidel Castro in '60 Minutes' interview

Sanders doubles down on support for communist dictator Fidel Castro in '60 Minutes ' interview

In a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday night, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders doubled down on comments he made in the 1980s where he praised late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. When asked about his current stance on Castro, the Democratic front-runner said he continues supporting aspects of his totalitarian regime.
"We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba," Sanders told host Anderson Cooper before pivoting to defending Castro. "But it's unfair to say that everything is bad."
He then began parroting talking points often cited by the country's communist government. "When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing even though Fidel Castro did it?"
Sanders is parroting communist propaganda
While it is true that Castro implemented a reading program on the island after seizing power in a bloody revolution in 1959, Cuba's literacy rate was already high for a Latin American nation at the time and its educational gains have been comparable to those of its peers in the years since.
As attorney Hans Bader noted in an August 2016 article, nearly eight out of 10 Cubans already knew how to read by 1950. This figure was similar to that of Costa Rica, which also achieved 100 percent literacy over the following decades — except Costa Rica and other countries did so without the kind of Marxist dictatorship that Cubans have endured under the Castro regime for over 61 years.
According to UNESCO, Cuba had about the same literacy rate as Costa Rica and Chile in 1950 (close to 80%). And it has almost the same literacy rate as they do today (close to 100%). Meanwhile, Latin American countries that were largely illiterate in 1950 — like Peru, Brazil, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic — are largely literate today, closing much of the gap with Cuba. El Salvador had a less than 40% literacy rate in 1950, but has an 88% literacy rate today. Brazil and Peru had a less than 50% literacy rate in 1950, but today, Peru has a 94.5% literacy rate, and Brazil a 92.6% literacy rate. The Dominican Republic's rate rose from a little over 40% to 91.8%. While Cuba made substantial progress in reducing illiteracy in Castro's first years in power, its educational system has stagnated since, even as much of Latin America improved.
The island's literacy program was part of a Marxist indoctrination effort
Reached by TheBlaze on Sunday evening, Dr. Andy Gomez, a retired University of Miami professor who led the school's Cuban Studies department for decades, said the democratic socialist presidential candidate is misinforming voters about the true motives behind Castro's education efforts.
"Contrary to what Senator Bernie Sanders said, the literacy campaign used by the Castro regime was part of their strategic plan to indoctrinate the Cuban people by using education at all levels in support of a Marxist ideology," Gomez said.
Claims of Castro's health care, education, and social achievements have been a common talking point of the Castro regime for decades.
As National Review's Jay Nordlinger noted, in 1986 former Cuban political prisoner Armando Valladares was asked at a Harvard forum about Cuba's literacy rate and other supposed accomplishments of the island's communist revolution. He responded by noting that not only are many of the regime's claims false, even if they were true, they came at the expense of basic human freedoms and dignity.
Say all those things are true. They're not, but just say they are. Can't you have those things without torturing people? Can't you have them without wrongly imprisoning them? Can't you have them without killing them? Without denying them rights? Without forbidding them to speak freely, without forbidding them to worship, without forbidding them to vote and have a normal political life and pursue their own destinies, and so on? Why is material well-being — not that Cuba has it, or anything remotely like it — but why is material well-being incompatible with freedom? Or not even with freedom: with the absence of a stifling, horrid dictatorship? Why?


theblaze--2020-02-24--Sanders is an important step to full-blown socialism and 'huge leftward shift,' say leading leftists

Sanders is an important step to full-blown socialism and 'huge leftward shift , ' say leading leftists 'We want to @ @ @ @

If there was ever any doubt as to the true intentions of democratic socialists, then look no further than a sobering article in Salon written by two of the movement's most prominent leaders.
In their piece, which is an adaptation of a forthcoming book, writers Micah Uetricht and Meagan Day of Jacobin, a socialist publication, argue that Sen. Bernie Sanders is merely the first step in a broader strategy to push the United States to the far left.
Uetricht and Day posit that the Vermont democratic socialist's presidential campaign is the tip of the spear of what they describe as "a new socialist movement." The two make a case for manipulating "democratic structures and processes" to march the country toward full-scale socialism.
A new socialist movement is cohering in the US, thanks in large part to the popular class politics of Bernie Sanders. But as that movement grows and progresses, it is bound to run into dangerous obstacles and thorny contradictions. The new US socialist movement is without a single "line" or monolithic political position. That's a strength of the movement, since none of us has all the answers. Still, many people in the movement, ourselves included, feel strongly about certain approaches to strategy. One approach we feel strongly about is what we call "the democratic road to socialism," or the idea that we need to make good use of the democratic structures and processes available to us (and to improve and expand them) in order to advance our cause.
While the two note that the American system is inherently designed to work against their cause, to achieve "revolutionary change," Uetricht and Day call for eroding "the power of the capitalist class."
We can accomplish that by, for example, imposing capital controls—measures that stop the free movement of capital in response to changing social and economic conditions.
In other words, they call for systemic changes and a "fundamental transformation of the political economy," through a series of economic reforms that would bring the economy under their control and the control of their ideological allies. "To replace capitalism with socialism," an author the pair cites wrote, socialists must achieve the following two goals:
(a) socialists should fight to win a socialist universal suffrage electoral majority in government/parliament and (b) socialists must expect that serious anti-capitalist change will necessarily require extra-parliamentary mass action like a general strike and a revolution to defeat the inevitable sabotage and resistance of the ruling class."
The two also warn that the type of "revolution" they call for could result in bloodshed, though they do not openly call for violence. "To pull off a revolution in our circumstances," Uetricht and Day write, "that popular support would need to be mobilized both inside and outside of government."
Additionally, they caution that though they do not know "the precise sequence of events that will lead us to socialism," achieving "socialist governance" will require "both a mass movement of workers and the formal power to stop capitalists from undermining that movement as it engages in class struggle."
To get there, Uetricht and Day insist on winning elections. "[I]t's not enough for socialists to be a tiny minority in the House of Representatives, or run inspiring but failed campaigns for president, or hold only 10 percent of seats in a city council," they write. Adding, "We don't want simply to fight against some other political majority—we want to become the majority."
In other words, the two seem to caution fellow socialists to put intra-socialist debates aside and focus on winning the presidency. By electing Sanders to the White House, the duo imply their socialist movement will be in a much stronger position to then launch a much broader, full-scale assault on the American free market system and way of life.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Joe Biden excoriates Bernie Sanders in scathing statement about 'offensive' Cuba comments

`` ... not just dangerous , it is deeply offensive ... ''

The campaign for presidential candidate Joe Biden excoriated Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over comments he made defending the communist regime in Cuba.
The Biden campaign released a statement on Monday.
"Make no mistake: Bernie Sanders' comments on Fidel Castro are a part of a larger pattern throughout his life to embrace autocratic leaders and governments across the globe," read the statement.
"He seems to have found more inspiration in the Soviets, Sandinistas, Chavistas, and Castro than in America. His admiration for elements of Castro's dictatorship or at least willingness to look past Cuba's human rights violations is not just dangerous, it is deeply offensive to the many people in Florida, New Jersey, and across the country that have fled political persecution and sought refuge in the United States," the statement continued.
"Bernie's comments indicate he either fails to understand the pain and suffering that Fidel Castro, Nicolas Maduro, and Daniel Ortega have caused to so many people, including Americans now living here, or worse, that his ideology blinds him to the realities of life in these countries," he added.
"We already have one president who praises dictators and their mob-like tendencies; we don't need another one," the statement concluded.
Even Democrats were surprised and dismayed at the comments from Sanders that appeared to downplay the horrors of the communist Cuban regime.
"We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba," said Sanders, "but it's unfair to say everything was bad!"
He went on to note that Castro also had implemented literacy programs after executing political dissidents.
There has been a renewed focus on Sanders' previous controversial comments after he overtook Biden as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary race.
Here's more about Bernie's scandal:


theblaze--2020-02-24--SUICIDE? Whistleblower found dead by 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound

' I so strongly feel that he did n't kill himself '

Philip Haney, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) whistleblower during the Obama administration, was found dead near Plymouth, California, on Friday.
Authorities said 66-year-old Haney died from a single gunshot wound to his chest, which was determined to be "self-inflicted." Read more on this here.
Haney was a good friend to Glenn Beck and the program. On the radio Monday, Glenn said it's almost impossible for him to believe that the man he knew so well could have taken his own life.
"He was one of the most honorable men I've ever met," Glenn said. "A guy who was willing to put himself in danger. A guy who knew what he was dealing with, knew that he could be killed, or that he would be disappeared, or that he could go to prison. And he was absolutely unafraid. And this is one reason why I know, why I so strongly feel that he didn't kill himself."
Watch this clip to hear Glenn's thoughts as he pays tribute to a true patriot.
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theblaze--2020-02-24--Lefty founder of The Young Turks Cenk Uygur loves unions ― just not at his company

Lefty founder of The Young Turks Cenk Uygur loves unions ― just not at his company Uygur recently scolded his @ @ @ @ @ unionize

Cenk Uygur, the outspoken co-founder of the left-wing news network, The Young Turks, recently scolded employees at an all-staff meeting after discovering their intentions to form a labor union.
According to the Huffington Post, Uygur passionately urged employees to rethink their decision, throwing papers and openly reprimanding an employee. Despite being pro-union himself, he argued that a union does not belong at a small, independent outlet like TYT and that if there had been a union in the network's early years, it would not have grown like it has.
It was only just earlier that day that employees announced on Twitter their decision to unionize, a move that evidently caught Uygur off guard. He later told Huff Post he wasn't sure if it was real or if he was "being punked."
In the same interview, Uygur also insisted that he still strongly supports unions but argued that a unionized workforce could cripple TYT with unsustainable new legal and bureaucratic costs.
"The reality is we're in a precarious position," he said. "We're in a digital media landscape where almost no one makes money or is sustainable."
"For a smaller digital media company, those are absolutely real considerations. It doesn't mean you shouldn't have a union. Everyone should know the full context. ... If folks say they don't believe we're in a precarious position, OK. And that's their decision to make," he added.
Uygur also confirmed that he did in fact throw papers ― though not toward anyone ― and that he dressed-down an employee who he thought was smiling, saying things would not be funny "later."
"The person smiling seemed to be openly mocking the idea that the company might not survive after 18 years. And we put all this blood, sweat, and tears into it," he said. "I don't find the idea of us going down funny."
Staffers reportedly found the statement to be ominous and unsettling and were generally discouraged by Uygur's entire talk, which they believe betrayed the principles that TYT broadcasts to followers.
"We generally feel disappointed, but unshaken," one staffer told Huff Post anonymously. "We feel it's the right thing to do because of what TYT values."
Uygur ― who is running for the California congressional seat made vacant by former Rep. Katie Hill's resignation ― has already been criticized by his Democratic opponent, Christy Smith.
Uygur responded on Twitter, rebutting the claim that The Young Turks "refused voluntary recognition" of the TYT union. He also hit back at Smith, pointing out that the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the organization backing the TYT union, has announced support for his opponent.


theblaze--2020-02-24--‘The View’s’ Meghan McCain goes after co-hosts for ignoring Bernie Sanders and alleged Russia ties

‘ The View ’ s ’ Meghan McCain goes after co-hosts for ignoring Bernie Sanders and alleged Russia ties

Co-host Meghan McCain hit out at her fellow "The View" co-hosts on Monday, blasting them for ignoring alleged ties between presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Russia.
According to recent reports, Sanders was reportedly briefed in January about the possibility of Russian operatives attempting to aid his bid for president.
What are the details?
During a heated exchange, McCain squared off with her co-hosts and insisted that any discussions concerning Russian election interference and President Donald Trump should not exclude Sanders.
Co-host Sunny Hostin added, "Bernie was briefed privately about the fact that Russia is likely helping him with his election, and wasn't really that forthright, in my opinion, with the public. I also think a piece of this is about the fact that if Bernie — let's say is the nominee — and if he wins, Trump will contest the results of the election because of Russia being involved and so that may also be a part of the Russian plan."
McCain said that if Russia were interfering in the election to help Trump or Sanders, it's only fair that Sanders be put under the microscope as well. The conservative commentator noted that "The View" has seemingly spent time chewing over only reports that Congress was briefed about operatives attempting to interfere on Trump's behalf.
"We didn't even mention that Bernie was also briefed at the same time [as Trump]," she said. "That was completely omitted from reports. We also didn't mention that now it's come out that maybe people that had briefed those people, briefed the campaigns, may have overstepped it a little bit."
She added, "I always think it's interesting that when we're talking about Russia, we only ever talk about Trump. When it comes out that Bernie has as serious a problem as Trump does. Why aren't we talking about that?"
What else?
Later during the segment, McCain declared, "I mean, Bernie spent his honeymoon in Soviet Russia. I mean, I think if you're going to go back and forth over who is more in the tank for Russia, it's a really hard one between Bernie and Trump."
(H/T: The Daily Caller)


theblaze--2020-02-24--VIDEO: Lesbian delivers scathing takedown of 'ridiculously woke left,' announces she's 'officially l

VIDEO: Lesbian delivers scathing takedown of 'ridiculously woke left,' announces she's 'officially leaving' the 'hive-mind cult'

'Never in my life have I been more canceled , tortured , tormented , harassed than by members of my @ @ @

Arielle Scarcella — a lesbian activist and popular, longtime YouTuber — has had it with the "insane, progressive left" and announced on a video Friday that she's saying goodbye to it for good.
"Hi, I'm Arielle, I'm a lesbian, and I don't think gender is a social construct. I don't think cis-straight white men are evil. I don't believe that genital preferences are transphobic or that there are 97 genders," she says in a rat-a-tat pace as the eye-opening clip commences.
"I don't think that male sex offenders belong in women's prisons. I don't think it's normal for people to be praised for walking around with shirts that say, 'Kill TERFs,'" Scarcella adds, referencing the acronym for "trans-exclusionary radical feminist" — a verbal kill shot for feminists who don't buy into the transgender agenda. "I don't think like these people, and I no longer want to be associated with them. I've reached peak LGBT; this is my coming out video."
What's immediately striking is how, um, conservative she sounds pretty much all the way through — which is not lost on Scarcella in the least.
"Some of you have noticed this change coming onto my channel within the past few years as I've gotten what some people would say more conservative," she later offers. "And yeah, I have, haven't I?"
Image source: YouTube screenshot
The takedown
"Never in my life have I been more canceled, tortured, tormented, harassed than by members of my own community," Scarcella explains. "Never have I witnessed literal mentally ill individuals who are latching themselves on to the LGBTQ community without actually being LGBT for the sake of oppression points, external validation, and sympathy. Never have I seen such disrespect from younger LGBT people to the older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocates who have been paving the way for us for longer than we've all been alive. Never have I seen people that use the word 'bigot' so frequently and not see the hypocrisy and irony in themselves saying it."
She then confesses, "I'm coming out. I am officially leaving the left."
The rant intensifies
Scarcella then offers examples of why she's decided to take this momentous step:
"When it's gotten to the point where I can no longer even list 'LGBT' or 'women empowerment' in my Instagram and Twitter bios without people thinking I'm part of this ridiculously woke cult; when we have rules and a pecking order of who's able to speak and how long, even about their own bodies and experiences; when we have children drag queens and think it's OK for them to perform sexually for adults ..." she says, referencing pre-pubescent drag queen Desmond is Amazing.
Scarcella also noted a story about a transgender man who gave birth after a sperm donation from transgender woman, saying it makes "absolutely no sense" and does "nothing for our movement or for people understanding us."
She also ripped a Huffington Post story about a bearded transgender woman and mocked that the subject was "deemed a speaker for lesbians" before noting her exasperation when "people say that 'straight black men are the white men of black people,' and I know what they mean, I no longer wish to be a part of this."
'Ridiculously intolerant while preaching love'
In conclusion, Scarcella blasted the woke left as "ridiculously intolerant while preaching love" and noted its bald-faced pattern showing that "anyone who goes against the grain and thinks for themselves is immediately outcast — that's not a community, that's a hive mind cult ... I no longer want to be associated with the ridiculously woke left."
youtu.be
(H/T: BizPac Review)


theblaze--2020-02-24--FEC flags over 500 pages of Sanders campaign donations for apparent problems

The Bernie Sanders campaign's finances have come under scrutiny from the Federal Election Commission, according to a Sunday letter from the body to the campaign's treasurer.
The six-page letter requests more information from the campaign on 10 different items related to campaign finance regulations that appear to have been violated in the report. These include individual donations that appear to exceed contribution limits outlined by federal law, improper-looking donations from LLCs, a question about a contribution from someone with a non-U.S. mailing address, concerns about incorrect-looking totals, and other accounting problems
Following the letter, the commission listed 510 pages worth of "apparent excessive, prohibited, and impermissible contributions."
The letter gives the campaign until the end of March to respond to the commission's listed concerns, in order to determine whether the campaign will be audited or not. It also says that failure to comply may result in enforcement action against the campaign.
"Letters such as this aren't uncommon for large presidential campaigns," Center for Public Integrity editor-at-large Dave Levinthal explained on Twitter, "but this is still a lot."
While Sanders' campaign spending may be dwarfed along with the rest of the Democratic field by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's self-funded 2020 bid, the self-described democratic socialist is still out-fundraising his non-billionaire primary rivals.
According to FEC numbers from January, Sanders raised $25.1 million, outperforming Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), former Vice President Joe Biden, and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg for the month.
Sanders wasn't alone in getting such a notice from the Federal Election Commission over the weekend, either. The Trump campaign also got a similar letter from the FEC with three listed items to respond to and 411 pages of "apparent excessive, prohibited, and impermissible contributions."
But regardless of what the responses to the letters are or whether the commission deems them adequate, the FEC's enforcement abilities are still severely hamstrung by a monthslong lack of a quorum, which raises the question of whether or not the federal body will actually be able to do if the deadline were to run out without any responses.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Bernie Sanders passes Joe Biden with black voters, increases overall lead nationally: poll

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) has caught up with former Vice President Joe Biden with the one demographic Biden has been counting on above all others to win the Democratic presidential nomination — black voters .
Do n't worry about the fourth-place finish in Iowa , or the fifth-place finish in New Hampshire , the Biden campaign assured supporters , because when black voters get involved in Nevada and South Carolina , things will look different .
Biden indeed finished better in Nevada , coming in a rather distant second to Sanders .
But Biden needs to win South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are black .
That primary is increasingly in doubt for Biden as Sanders passes up the former vice president with black voters nationally , according to a new Morning Consult poll .
Sanders leads overall with 32 % of voters supporting the socialist as their first choice , followed by former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg at 19 % and Biden at 18 % .
It 's worth noting that a disastrous debate performance only cost Bloomberg one percentage point from where he stood before the Nevada debate .
Sanders leads nationally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's 29 % , within that subsection 's 4 % margin of error .
The new numbers may indicate that as Sanders wins primaries , Democratic voters are getting more comfortable with the idea of Sanders as their nominee to face President Donald Trump in November , despite concerns from establishment Democrats and media about the overall electability of a socialist .
From the Morning Consult poll : The next Democratic debate is Tuesday in South Carolina and will feature Sanders , Biden , and Bloomberg , along with Pete Buttigieg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) , and Tom Steyer , who returns to the stage after having failed to qualify for the Nevada debate .

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has caught up with former Vice President Joe Biden with the one demographic Biden has been counting on above all others to win the Democratic presidential nomination — black voters.
Don't worry about the fourth-place finish in Iowa, or the fifth-place finish in New Hampshire, the Biden campaign assured supporters, because when black voters get involved in Nevada and South Carolina, things will look different.
Biden indeed finished better in Nevada, coming in a rather distant second to Sanders. But Biden needs to win South Carolina, where a majority of voters are black. That primary is increasingly in doubt for Biden as Sanders passes up the former vice president with black voters nationally, according to a new Morning Consult poll.
Sanders leads overall with 32% of voters supporting the socialist as their first choice, followed by former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg at 19% and Biden at 18%. It's worth noting that a disastrous debate performance only cost Bloomberg one percentage point from where he stood before the Nevada debate.
Sanders leads nationally among black voters with 33% to Biden's 29%, within that subsection's 4% margin of error.
The new numbers may indicate that as Sanders wins primaries, Democratic voters are getting more comfortable with the idea of Sanders as their nominee to face President Donald Trump in November, despite concerns from establishment Democrats and media about the overall electability of a socialist. From the Morning Consult poll:
With Biden at his lowest point since Morning Consult began tracking the race, and no moderate contender solidifying support, Democratic primary voters are increasingly coming to terms with the possibility that Sanders could lead the ticket in November. Among the 69 percent who correctly identified Sanders as the winner in Nevada, a 43 percent plurality said they expect him to be the party's nominee, up 11 points from the post-New Hampshire poll.
The next Democratic debate is Tuesday in South Carolina and will feature Sanders, Biden, and Bloomberg, along with Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Tom Steyer, who returns to the stage after having failed to qualify for the Nevada debate.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Clint 'Genteel Harry' Eastwood supports Bloomberg?

On Monday 's episode of `` Pat Gray Unleashed , '' Pat discussed Clint Eastwood 's shocking announcement about who @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Democratic presidential nomination .
Eastwood went from speaking at the Republican National Convention as @ @ @ @ @ declaring the former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg , as the best option for @ @ @ @ @ primary election .
Pat highlighted policies enacted by Bloomberg during his time as mayor that @ @ @ @ @ as well as soft drinks larger than 16 ounces .
What the video below to @ @ @ @ @ say .
Use code PAT to save $ 10 on one year of BlazeTV .
@ @ @ @ @ ?
To enjoy more of Pat 's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores @ @ @ @ @ world , subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America @ @ @ @ @ live the American dream .

On Monday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed," Pat discussed Clint Eastwood's shocking announcement about who he will support for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
Eastwood went from speaking at the Republican National Convention as a conservative/ libertarian to outwardly declaring the former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as the best option for America in the Democratic presidential primary election.
Pat highlighted policies enacted by Bloomberg during his time as mayor that included a ban on salt as well as soft drinks larger than 16 ounces.
What the video below to hear what Pat had to say.
Use code PAT to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.
Want more from Pat Gray?
To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Drag queen called 'Flowjob' is a guest at a Scotland elementary school — and parents are furious

Drag queen called 'Flowjob ' is a guest at a Scotland elementary school — and parents are furious

Parents of elementary school students in Scotland are outraged after the school reportedly permitted a visit from a drag queen called "Flowjob."
What are the details?
According to The Scottish Sun, the drag queen recently appeared at Glencoats Primary in Paisley in order to read a story to elementary school students.
Parents were outraged following the visit, saying that Flowjob's appearance at the school was "disgusting." The outlet reported that many of the parents also voiced their contempt for school officials that permitted the visit, as parents were reportedly not notified of the appearance beforehand.
The outlet reported that the school set its Twitter account to private following the outrage. An internet search for the school's Twitter account now directs users to a page that appears to have been deleted.
One parent told the outlet, "While I don't agree with the abuse being given, my kids go to this school [and] there was no information fed to parents about this happening. Surely that's a parent's choice? I'm happy my child is learning about LGBT, but it's overtaking the school now. Something every week."
The parent added, "I'm not opposed to learning about LGBT, but my 7-year-old doesn't need to know what a drag queen is, and certainly not the one they had in. The head teacher is more concerned about furthering her career than tackling issuing (sic) that our school has."
The Sun reported that the drag queen's social media presence is chock-full of sexual content and innuendo, which further upset many parents.
Flowjob apparently took heat for the appearance as well, and the outlet reports that the drag queen fended for themselves on social media.
"Don't bring your negativity into my life," Flowjob demanded. "I am a drag queen yes who does adult jokes, but I also do under 18 Venus [sic] and cater around children."
What else?
A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council acknowledged the controversy in a statement to the Sun.
"The school pupils at Glencoats Primary are currently organizing a series of activities and events to mark LGBT history month," the statement explained. "In discussion with pupils in their Rainbow club, one of their requests was to invite people from the LGBT community to hear about their own experiences growing up and they wanted to invited [sic] a drag queen to talk to this group to hear about their own personal experience."
The spokesperson added, "Learning about values including equalities and diversity has an important role in the school curriculum."
"All school visits are arranged and managed with the wellbeing of pupils first and foremost however it is clear in this case, the social media content associated with the speaker's stage persona is not approproate [sic] for the children and had we been aware of this, the visit would not have been arranged," the statement concluded. "We are sorry for the concern this has caused and are investigating."


theblaze--2020-02-24--SCOTUS takes up case over Philadelphia's move to exclude Catholic ministry from foster program over

SCOTUS takes up case over Philadelphia's move to exclude Catholic ministry from foster program over marriage views

SCOTUS takes up case over Philadelphia 's move to exclude Catholic ministry from foster program over marriage views 'CSS has @ @ @ @ @ for more than a century '

In a list of orders issued Monday morning, the Supreme Court announced that it would take up the case that asks whether a Catholic organization can be excluded from Philadelphia's foster care program because of its views on marriage and morality.
The case in question deals with the city of Philadelphia's 2018 decision to end its foster program contract with Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The reason? In accordance with Catholic teaching on marriage and the family, the organization would not place children with same-sex couples, which violated the city's nondiscrimination policy.
In response, the city stopped referring children to CSS. In turn, CSS took the matter to court claiming that the city's decision had violated its religious liberty rights.
In April 2019, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against CSS, saying, "The City's non-discrimination policy is a neutral, generally applicable law, and the religious views of CSS do not entitle it to an exception from that policy."
"CSS has been serving Philadelphia foster children for more than a century," the ministry's petition to be heard by the Supreme Court says. "But its foster care services are being shut down by the City of Philadelphia because the City disagrees with the Archdiocese about marriage. As a Catholic agency, CSS cannot provide written endorsements for same-sex couples which contradict its religious teachings on marriage."
The petition also notes that the ministry's beliefs haven't stopped anyone from getting into a foster home, arguing that "Philadelphia has a diverse array of foster agencies, and not a single same-sex couple approached CSS about becoming a foster parent between its opening in 1917 and the start of this case in 2018"
In addition to Catholic Social Services, the case is also being brought by Philadelphia foster mothers Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch. Fulton has fostered more than 40 children over the course of 25 years and Simms-Busch recently adopted the kids she fostered through CSS, according to case briefing materials from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the petitioners in the case.
"Both mothers chose CSS because the agency shares their most deeply held values and beliefs, and both have relied heavily on CSS's support during their foster care journey," a Monday news release said.
Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket, said in statement that she was "relieved to hear that the Supreme Court will weigh in on faith-based adoption and foster care" and that "over the last few years, agencies have been closing their doors across the country, and all the while children are pouring into the system."
In a twitter thread following the court's order, Windham said this is the first such adoption or foster care case to get all the way to the Supreme court, as "most agencies shut down before the case reaches this level."


theblaze--2020-02-24--1,500% rise in gender dysphoria diagnoses among teen girls highlights bitter debate over transgender

1,500% rise in gender dysphoria diagnoses among teen girls highlights bitter debate over transgender medical procedures in Sweden

1,500 % rise in gender dysphoria diagnoses among teen girls highlights bitter debate over transgender medical procedures in Sweden ' @ @ @ @ @ corrective surgery if I had the same choice today '

Sweden's Board of Health and Welfare has confirmed a 1,500% rise in gender dysphoria diagnoses from 2008 to 2018 among 13- to 17-year-olds born as girls, the Guardian reported.
The severe spike reflects the fast-moving shift in public opinion regarding the appropriateness of gender reassignment procedures among young people, the paper said, adding that a year ago there were few obstacles preventing such treatment.
But in the fall 2018, the social democrat government was pressured by an LGBTQ group and proposed a new law reducing the minimum age for sex reassignment medical care from 18 to 15, removing all requirements for parental consent, and letting children as young as 12 change their genders, the Guardian said.
Backlash
Which seemed to trigger a backlash, the paper reported — the first salvo coming from a noted psychiatrist who penned an article last March warning that hormone treatment and surgery on children was "a big experiment" and could lead to a huge medical scandal.
A month later, an investigative TV program ran with a documentary profiling a former trans man who regretted undergoing the irreversible procedure, the Guardian said. The paper added that in October the show probed Stockholm's Karolinska University hospital, which specializes in treating minors with gender dysphoria and has been criticized for doing double mastectomies on children as young as 14, rushing through treatment, and failing to adequately examine whether patients' other psychiatric or developmental issues might better explain their unhappiness with their bodies. The hospital disputed the claim, the paper said, arguing that it carefully assessed each case.
More from the Guardian:
At the same time, Filter magazine profiled the case of Jennifer Ring, a 32-year-old trans woman who hanged herself four years after her surgery. An expert on psychosis who was shown her medical journal by her father, Avi Ring, was quoted as saying that she had shown clear signs of psychosis at the time she first sought treatment for gender dysphoria.
Indeed, the first clinic she approached refused to treat her, citing signs of schizotypal symptoms and lack of a history of gender dysphoria. But the team at Karolinska went ahead. "Karolinska don't stop anyone; virtually 100% get sex reassignment," says Ring.
Government response
The bill that would've lowered the minimum age for sex reassignment was shelved shortly before it was due to be debated in September, the paper said, adding that the Board of Health and Welfare was ordered to take another look at the data — its report is due March 31.
In addition, the Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment — which was asked by the government to review the scientific research surrounding the recent surge in teen girls reporting gender dysphoria — said on Dec. 20 there was very little research into the reason for the spike or the risks or benefits of hormone treatment and surgery, the Guardian said.
Other numbers, other voices
The report that noted a 1,500% increase in gender dysphoria diagnoses among teen girls also found that 32.4% of them also had anxiety disorder, 28.9% of them had depression, 19.4% had ADHD, and 15.2% had autism, the paper said.
In addition, Aleksa Lundberg — a trans woman and longtime activist — is supporting the call for more research, the Guardian said, adding that last October Lundberg apologized for not having been open enough regarding depression that followed Lundberg's gender reassignment operation.
"I would probably not undergo corrective surgery if I had the same choice today," Lundberg said. "And I want to apologize to those who perhaps needed to hear that story earlier."
Also, Swedish toxicologist Karin Svens has spoken about how her trans son at age 17 announced being a boy, went to Karolinska's adult clinic when he turned 18, and now identifies as male, the paper said.
"When I started questioning this some years ago, I thought I was alone," Svens said, according to the Guardian. "They tried to scare me by repeatedly implying that there is a high risk of suicide, especially if the parents don't agree. Now more and more parents have found the courage to question what the doctors say."


theblaze--2020-02-24--Michael Bloomberg hits Bernie Sanders on Cuba. He must have forgotten his own comments on China's re

Michael Bloomberg hits Bernie Sanders on Cuba. He must have forgotten his own comments on China's regime.

Michael Bloomberg hits Bernie Sanders on Cuba .
He must have forgotten his own comments on China 's regime .

Democratic presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is calling out his primary campaign rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for the latter's comments praising the authoritarian Fidel Castro regime in Cuba, but he might want to rethink that tactic given what he's previously said about the authoritarian Communist regime in China.
During a Sunday night interview on CBS' "60 Minutes," Sanders was confronted with some of his past comments supporting the repressive regime in Havana. When asked about them by show contributor Anderson Cooper, the senator said that he still does support aspects of the Castro government's rule.
"We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba," Sanders said to Cooper before offering his defense of the regime. "But it's unfair to say that everything is bad."
Sanders then went on to say that "When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing even though Fidel Castro did it?"
Cue Mike Bloomberg's retort. The New York billionaire was one of many people who took issue with Sanders' partial defense of the communist government, putting out his criticism in the form of a Monday afternoon tweet.
"Fidel Castro left a dark legacy of forced labor camps, religious repression, widespread poverty, firing squads, and the murder of thousands of his own people," the former mayor wrote. "But sure, Bernie, let's talk about his literacy program."
While Bloomberg's criticism may have been apt, indeed, for the matter at hand, the former mayor doesn't come from too strong of a position to lecture others on not defending repressive regimes.
Lest we forget, just a few months ago Bloomberg went as far as to say that Chinese leader Xi Jinping was not a dictator and that the regime in Beijing has to listen to its constituents and claimed an effort to boost air quality by moving coal-fired plants away from cities as an example.
"The Communist Party wants to stay in power in China, and they listen to the public," Bloomberg said in a September interview with PBS. "When the public says 'I can't breathe the air' — Xi Jinping is not a dictator. He has to satisfy his constituents or he's not going to survive."
"He's not a dictator?" PBS' Margaret Hoover asked.
"No," the former New York City mayor responded, "he has a constituency to answer to."
But if Xi Jinping isn't a dictator, as Bloomberg has posited, his government certainly does a lot of dictatorial things.
The statement came after the literally months of reports about violentcrackdowns against Hong Kong protesters by Beijing. It also was made a few months too long after stories of concentration camps holding over one million Uighur Muslims, as well as the numerousreports about Beijing's high-tech surveillance operation against the religious minority.
In addition there's the 2018 report that served to bolster the long-standing charges that the Chinese government sanctions live organ harvesting of members of the Falun Gong religious group, as well as the 2019 tribunal that concluded that the regime was harvesting organs from prison camp detainees, some of whom were still alive.
When it comes to religious and political repression, the Chinese government also routinely jails dissidentsand led the world in political prisoners in 2018. Freedom House notes that "in its attitude toward political dissent, the Chinese Communist Party has proven much harsher than the old Soviet regime of the Brezhnev era."
In additionally, the regime has been engaged in a yearslong crackdown against Christian churches, which has even included the government trying to rewrite scripture. A report from January 2019 found that repression of Christianity in the country is at its worst levels since Mao Zedong's infamous Cultural Revolution.
But sure, let's talk about moving coal plants.


theblaze--2020-02-24--New report says evidence suggests China lied about origins of coronavirus outbreak

Despite China's claim that the coronavirus outbreak was traced back to a market in Wuhan that sold live animals, there have been rumblings that the disease escaped from a biology lab or was part of a biological warfare experiment. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.) has perhaps been the loudest voice parroting this theory.
Now, a new report in the New York Post points to evidence that suggests Cotton's theory may be more fact than fiction.
According to the Post, after Chinese President Xi Jinping recently warned about the need to prevent similar viral outbreaks in the future, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology released a new document, titled, "Instructions on strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus."
Additionally, there is only one microbiology lab in the China capable of handling the deadly coronavirus: the National Biosafety Laboratory, which is part of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
That means the only Chinese lab capable of safely handling the disease is located in the outbreak's epicenter.
But that's not all, according to the Post.
The fact that China's top biological warfare expert, Maj. Gen. Chen Wei, was dispatched last month to accelerate containment efforts also suggest the outbreak's origin is more nefarious than the Chinese government has admitted.
More from the Post:
The evidence points to SARS-CoV-2 research being carried out at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The virus may have been carried out of the lab by an infected worker or crossed over into humans when they unknowingly dined on a lab animal. Whatever the vector, Beijing authorities are now clearly scrambling to correct the serious problems with the way their labs handle deadly pathogens.
In fact, Cotton has not been coy about his belief that China is being dishonest. Last Friday, the Arkansas senator said the Chinese government is "lying to the world about this deadly matter."
The potential for global pandemic still remains high, as the coronavirus has now infected a significant number of people in Italy, opening the door for a European outbreak.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Ruth Graham: The case for President Trump and Christianity

Ruth Graham : The case for President Trump and Christianity What do Christians see in Donald Trump ?

Christians are conflicted when it comes to President Donald Trump. Some proudly support him and his policies, while others just can't accept the man behind the boorish language.
Ruth Graham, daughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham, joined Glenn Beck on "The Glenn Beck Podcast" this week to make a case for the president from a Christian's point-of-view.
Watch a the clip from the podcast below:
Watch the full interview below:
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theblaze--2020-02-24--Harvey Weinstein found guilty on just two counts, acquitted on most serious charges

Harvey Weinstein found guilty on just two counts , acquitted on most serious charges He still faces up to 29 @ @ @

Disgraced former Hollywood filmmaker Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of third-degree rape and criminal sex act but has been acquitted on the most serious charges brought against him in the most high-profile case of the #MeToo movement.
The monthslong trial officially came to a close Monday when a jury of seven men and five women read the verdict after five days of deliberation, sealing Weinstein's fate.
Weinstein, 67, was convicted on a count of criminal sex act against Mimi Haley, a former "Project Runway" production assistant, in 2006, and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a New York City hotel room in 2013, the Associated Press reported. The two convictions could land Weinstein in prison for as many as 29 years.
The jury found him not guilty on the most serious charges, however, which were two counts of predatory sexual assault, and one count of first-degree rape against Jessica Mann. The two predatory sexual assault charges each carried a life sentence.
NBC News reported that Weinstein "showed no emotion" as the verdict was read.
District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said the guilty charges signaled "a new day" for survivors of sexual assault in America.
"It is a new day because Harvey Weinstein has finally been held accountable for crimes he committed," he added. "Weinstein is a vicious, serial sexual predator who used his power to threaten, rape, assault and trick, humiliate and silence his victims."
Weinstein maintained his innocence throughout the trial and pleaded not guilty on all five counts. Late last year, he even insisted that he should be credited for helping women achieve success in Hollywood.
"As sure as I'm a bald man, we will be appealing," Weinstein's defense attorney, Arthur Aidala, said.
The guilty verdict is seen as a reckoning for Weinstein and a win for the #MeToo movement, which encourages victims of sexual harassment to publicly speak out against powerful offenders who use their power and influence to harm others.
In all, more than 80 women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein since October 2017, when a bombshell report by investigative journalist Ronan Farrow made the "open secret" of Weinstein's history of abuse public.
Weinstein was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs and is scheduled to be sentenced March 11.
Here's more about the verdict:


theblaze--2020-02-24--Florida Democrats in Cuban districts hit Bernie Sanders for praise of Fidel Castro: 'Absolutely unac

Florida Democrats in Cuban districts hit Bernie Sanders for praise of Fidel Castro: 'Absolutely unacceptable'

Florida Democrats in Cuban districts hit Bernie Sanders for praise of Fidel Castro : 'Absolutely unacceptable' Will this be an @ @ @ @ @

Two Democratic congresswomen from Florida who represents districts with large Cuban American populations criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for his flattering comments about the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.), an immigrant from Ecuador, tweeted that Sanders' remarks about the good accomplished by Castro were "absolutely unacceptable."
"As the first South American immigrant member of Congress who proudly represents thousands of Cuban Americans, I find Senator Bernie Sanders' comments on Castro's Cuba absolutely unacceptable," Mucarsel-Powell wrote on Twitter. "The Castro regime murdered and jailed dissidents, and caused unspeakable harm to too many South Florida families. To this day, it remains an authoritarian regime that oppresses its people, subverts the free press, and stifles a free society."
Mucarsel-Powell wasn't the only Florida Democrat to take exception to Sanders' rhetoric. Rep. Donna Shalala suggested Sanders speak to some Floridians before speaking so favorably of Castro.
"I'm hoping that in the future, Senator Sanders will take time to speak to some of my constituents before he decides to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant like Fidel Castro," Shalala tweeted.
During a "60 Minutes" interview with contributor Anderson Cooper that aired Sunday night, Sanders' refuted the notion that everything about Castro's authoritarian reign was bad.
"We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba," Sanders said. "But it's unfair to say that everything is bad. When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing even though Fidel Castro did it?"
Sanders omitted some important context behind literacy efforts in Cuba under Castro, however.
"Contrary to what Senator Bernie Sanders said, the literacy campaign used by the Castro regime was part of their strategic plan to indoctrinate the Cuban people by using education at all levels in support of a Marxist ideology," said Dr. Andy Gomez, a retired University of Miami professor who led the school's Cuban Studies department.


theblaze--2020-02-24--MSNBC analyst turns on Chris Matthews over Nazi remarks: 'Gulag thinking'

'Stuck in an old way of thinking '

MSNBC analyst Anand Giridharadas blasted network colleague Chris Matthews on Sunday as an "out of touch" aristocrat in a "dying aristocracy."
Matthews came under fire Saturday for comparing Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) Nevada caucus win to Nazi Germany's victory over France during World War II.
What are the details?
In a fiery statement, Giridharadas also took aim at other liberals and members of the liberal media who are worried that Sanders might win the Democratic nomination.
“This is a moment for curiosity in America," Giridharadas said of Sanders' burgeoning popularity within the Democratic Party. "I think about this network, which I love, you love, and I think we have to look within [MSNBC] also, why is a lobbyist for Uber and Mark Zuckerberg on the air many nights explaining a political revolution to us?
"Why is Chris Matthews on this air talking about the victory of Bernie Sanders, who had kin murdered in the Holocaust, analogizing it to the Nazi conquest of France?" Giridharadas continued. "The people who are stuck in an old way of thinking, in 20th-century frameworks, in gulag thinking, are missing what is going on."
Giridharadas concluded by insisting that people should open their minds to what could possibly be a turning point for the U.S.
"It is time for all of us to step up, rethink, and understand the dawn of what may be, frankly, a new era in American life," he concluded.
What else?
During MSNBC's Saturday caucus coverage, Matthews said, "I'm reading last night about the fall of France in the summer of 1940. And the general calls up [British Prime Minister Winston] Churchill and says, 'It's over,' and Churchill says, 'How can it be? You got the greatest army in Europe. How can it be over?' He said, 'It's over.'"
Matthews faced severe scrutiny on social media following his remarks, with many critics calling for his resignation.
#FireChrisMatthews also began trending on social media.
You can read more about the fallout from Matthews' remarks here.
(H/T: Fox News)


theblaze--2020-02-24--In socialist Venezuela, 1 in 3 are going dangerously hungry.  But Bernie won’t denounce the regime.

In socialist Venezuela , 1 in 3 are going dangerously hungry .
But Bernie won ’ t denounce the regime @

Roughly one-third of Venezuela's population is unable to reach minimum nutrition requirements, a recent study by the United Nations World Food Program has found.
What are the details?
Researchers concluded that the nationwide concern is due to economic crisis and political upheaval in the country, which has led to "hyperinflation [that] renders many salaries worthless," according to the Associated Press.
A total of 9.3 million people are moderately or severely food insecure, according to the study, which found that a startling number of Venezuelans are surviving off a diet of mostly potatoes and beans. The World Food Program defines food insecurity as an individual being unable to meet basic dietary needs.
The problem is evidently not one of food availability, but of food affordability, with 7 in 10 reporting that while food could always be found, it is difficult to purchase due to high prices. And 37% also reported that they had lost their job as a result of the economic crisis in the country.
The survey also discovered that over 60% of households have adopted "food-related coping strategies," which include rationing and limiting the variety of foods to be able to afford it. One-third admitted to accepting food as payment, and one-fifth said they have sold family assets to cover basic needs.
"The reality of this report shows the gravity of the social, economic, and political crisis in our country," Miguel Pizarro, a Venezuelan opposition leader, told the Associated Press.
The study, which sent out 8,375 questionnaires and then analyzed responses, was surprisingly welcomed by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been previously been reluctant to allow researchers in the country.
A warning for Americans
With the rise of avowed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to the top of the Democratic presidential field, the study may serve as a warning of what socialistic policies could look like in practice.
Only days ago, a Venezuelan entrepreneur warned Americans in an interview with Fox News that socialism, quite literally, kills people. And earlier this month, Venezuelan Americans communicated a similar message, hoping to persuade voters in the U.S. to not let socialism happen here.
Sanders has heaped praise on communist and socialist regimes in the past and has refused to denounce Maduro's reign in Venezuela.
President Trump, on the other hand, has taken a hardline stance on Maduro by placing a total economic embargo on his socialist regime and supporting the leader of his opposition in the country, Juan Guaidó.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Man brings a gun to a kids’ snowball fight, ends up being charged with 7 criminal counts

Man brings a gun to a kids ’ snowball fight , ends up being charged with 7 criminal counts

Authorities charged a Milwaukee man with seven criminal charges after he allegedly shot several children who reportedly threw snowballs at his car in January.
What are the details?
According to a WITI-TV report that cites the criminal complaint, several children were having a snowball fight and reportedly throwing snowballs at passing vehicles.
One driver — later identified as 24-year-old William Carson — reportedly stopped his vehicle and opened fire on the group of several children as they tried to flee. Carson struck several children before getting back into his car and driving away.
Three children were struck, according to the complaint. One was shot in the thigh, another was shot in the arm, and a third was grazed but not injured.
Authorities arrested Carson a week after the incident. Carson was reportedly driving under the influence when officers caught up to him and discovered a gun after executing a search on the car. Authorities determined that it was "highly probable" it was the same gun used in the attack.
The station said that Carson reportedly purchased the gun just 11 days before the January incident. He reportedly told police that he purchased the weapon for self-defense.
Authorities charged Carson with two counts of first-degree reckless injury, use of a dangerous weapon, and five counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, use of a dangerous weapon.
Carson is due in court on Tuesday.
What else?
One of the adolescent victims told the station that he didn't even realize he was shot until he looked down and saw the blood.
"I saw two holes in my coat and that's when I realized blood started coming out of my arm," the 13-year-old victim said.
The child said that his 12-year-old female cousin was also wounded.
"I saw her walking and she was looking dizzy and stuff," the teen said.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Sen. Tim Scott compares Bernie Sanders to Trump, says Medicare for All attracts black, Hispanic vote

Sen. Tim Scott compares Bernie Sanders to Trump, says Medicare for All attracts black, Hispanic voters

Sen. Tim Scott compares Bernie Sanders to Trump , says Medicare for All attracts black , Hispanic voters

As socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) gets closer to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, many Republicans seem to feel that President Donald Trump would have no trouble defeating a candidate with such radical views. GOP Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) warned that Sanders should not be underestimated, according to CBS News.
According to Scott, Sanders represents the biggest potential threat to President Trump in November, for some of the same reasons Trump was so effective in 2016.
"Bernie Sanders brings that outside game in a similar fashion that President Trump did in 2016," Scott said. "Think about the similarities. In 2016, Republican leadership, Republican wisdom said that there is no way in the world out of the 17 candidates, Donald Trump will be the president. I think it's very similar."
Scott also said that Sanders, unlike 2016, appears to be making an impact with black and Hispanic voters — and his single-payer health care proposal could be the cause.
"Bernie Sanders is doing something in 2020 that he could not do in 2016, which is getting African Americans and Hispanic voters to take a second look at his campaign," Scott said. "I think perhaps a primary reason is health care. If you look at what stands out the most in his campaign is he is undeniably a socialist, but he is strong and clear and competent on the issues he supports and the issue of health care is a big issue in the African-American community and I think it is the issue for why he ended up with 51% of the Hispanic vote in Nevada."
If Sanders is able to earn enough of the black vote in the South Carolina primary on Feb. 29, he could effectively end the nomination hopes of former Vice President Joe Biden, who after struggling in Iowa and New Hampshire had assured supporters that he would regain momentum in more racially diverse contests.
A Sunday CBS News poll shows Biden leading the way in South Carolina at 28%, followed by Sanders at 23% and Tom Steyer, who has invested significant resources into the state, at 18%.
Biden still holds a lead with black voters in South Carolina at 35%, with Steyer at 24% and Sanders at 23%. However, in November, Biden was the first choice for 54% of black voters compared to only 17% for Sanders and 2% for Steyer.
In 2016, Sanders lost the black vote in South Carolina to Hillary Clinton by a staggering 86% to 14% margin. Black voters made up 61% of the total Democratic primary votes that year. Biden has led among black voters throughout the primary, but his lead has dwindled in recent weeks.


theblaze--2020-02-24--SCOTUS declines to hear religious freedom case about working on the Sabbath; conservative justices e

SCOTUS declines to hear religious freedom case about working on the Sabbath; conservative justices explain why they agreed

SCOTUS declines to hear religious freedom case about working on the Sabbath ; conservative justices explain why they agreed 'Fired @ @ @ @ @

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a religious discrimination case about a man who was fired after not showing up for work on the Sabbath, and some of the court's Republican-appointed members explained why they agreed with the decision.
The case in question has to do with Darrell Patterson, a former Walgreen's employee and Seventh-day Adventist who says that he was fired because of his faith because he is not permitted to work on Saturdays.
According to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty — which helped represent Patterson in court — Patterson was fired in 2011 after he missed a training session for which he was scheduled on a Saturday. The group's website explains that he tried to switch schedules with his co-workers, "but because it was last minute, he was unsuccessful." He then made the training up the following Monday but was fired anyway, the group adds.
Patterson sued for religious discrimination, but lost at the district and appeals courts levels, with judges finding that the pharmacy chain had legally done enough to accommodate his religious beliefs. Under current interpretation of federal religious discrimination law, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission explains that employers are prohibited from turning down employees' religious accommodation requests unless the request would "impose more than a de minimis [or minimal] cost or burden on business operations."
This standard is backed up by a 1977 Supreme Court ruling that also involved an employee's inability to work on Saturday's due to religious beliefs: Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote a short opinion agreeing with decision to not hear the case in which he was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch. The opinion found that employers' standards of religious accommodation supported by the Hardison ruling ought to be revisited, but Patterson's case didn't present the right opportunity to do that.
"Title VII prohibits employment discrimination against an individual 'because of such individual's . . . religion,'" the ruling states, "and the statute defines 'religion' as 'includ[ing] all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employee's or prospective employee's religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's business.' "
It goes on to say that the 1977 ruling "does not represent the most likely interpretation of the statutory term 'undue hardship.'"
While the three justices agreed that the court "should grant review in an appropriate case to consider whether Hardison's interpretation should be overruled," they concluded that "this case does not present a good vehicle for revisiting" the precedent.
And though the court's decision may disappoint religious freedom advocates, Alito's opinion could point to better legal outcomes for religious employees in need of accommodation in the future.
"This is a disappointing outcome both for Mr. Patterson, who was fired for following his faith, but also for people of all religious traditions who seek to live out their beliefs and do an honest day's work," a statement to Blaze Media from Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said.
However, Rassbach also added that the organization is "hopeful that Justice Alito's opinion is a sign that the Supreme Court will soon take up the question of whether employees can be forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood."


theblaze--2020-02-24--'Macho Man' rings out for President Trump as over 100,000 wearing white Trump hats pack India stadiu

'Macho Man' rings out for President Trump as over 100,000 wearing white Trump hats pack India stadium and cheer his arrival

'Macho Man ' rings out for President Trump as over 100,000 wearing white Trump hats pack India stadium and cheer @ @ @ @ @ favorite … He tells how it is .
I love him . '

We've come to expect rapturous crowds packing arenas for one of President Donald Trump's high-octane rallies here in the United States — but in India?
Yes, sir.
But the crowd in Ahmedabad didn't fill an arena — it packed out a stadium with over 100,000 people Monday, the vast majority of whom wore white baseball caps with a "Namaste Trump" logo across the front, Politico said.
Photographer: T. Narayan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
And what does "namaste" mean? Well, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi explained that it's "very deep. This is a word from the oldest languages of the world — Sanskrit. It means that we pay respect to not only to the person but also to the divinity inside him."
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraces U.S. President Donald Trump during "Namaste Trump" rally on Feb. 24, 2020. Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images
Perhaps the most surreal scene was a CNN clip of the massive crowd as the Village People's disco-era hit "Macho Man" blasted over the loudspeakers. Cue leftists choking on their soy burgers and hemp milk in 3 ... 2 ... 1:
Politico noted that when Trump finally appeared on stage, the crowd "burst into a deafening, rapturous applause."
“Namaste Trump!" Modi shouted to the crowd, which repeated it back to a "beaming Trump," the outlet added.
'Trump is my favorite'
“Trump is my favorite," Gautam Patel, wearing a “Trump, Make India Great Again" baseball cap, according to Politico. “I like Trump. He's straightforward, outspoken. … He's got the verbal diarrhea, but that's OK. … He tells how it is. I love him."
Patel is a businessman who grew up in India but now lives outside Chicago and planned his vacation to India around the rally, the outlet said, adding that he supports Trump because he helped push through the 2017 tax cuts and due to his opposition to illegal immigration: “I elected him and I will elect him again."
Suresh Patel, 67, who splits his time between Jersey City, New Jersey, and Anand, India, told Politico that "my friends, my family, maybe every Patel likes Trump." While Patel can't vote since he's a green card holder, the outlet said his wife and three adult children are all U.S. citizens and voted for Trump: “I'm feeling proud. It's the meeting of the world's oldest democrat and the world's biggest democracy."
Daksha Dalal, 66, —a federal government retiree from Kansas City, Kansas, who was spending the winter in India and attending the rally with her husband — told Politico that "we are registered Democrats, but we have changed our views lately."
Trump is scheduled to head to the capital city of New Delhi Monday night after a private tour of the Taj Mahal, the outlet noted.


theblaze--2020-02-24--Pete Buttigieg gives advice on coming out as gay to 9-year-old boy

Presidential candidate and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg advised a 9-year-old boy on how to come out to other people as gay at a campaign event Saturday night.
According to The Colorado Sun, the exchange took place at a rally in the town of Aurora, Colorado, on Saturday night. In one of the questions being pulled out of a bowl by Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D), Buttigieg was asked by 9-year-old Zachary Ro, "Thank you for being so brave; would you help me tell the world I'm gay too?"
Buttigieg responded to the question by praising the boy saying, "I don't think you need a lot of advice from me on bravery; you seem pretty strong," to laughs, cheers and applause from the audience.
"It took me a long time to figure out how to tell even my best friend that I was gay, let alone go out there and tell the world," Buttigieg continued. "And to see you willing to come to terms with who you are in a room full of a thousand people, thousands of people you've never met, that's really something."
The openly gay candidate then proceeded to give the boy advice and encouragement about his decision to go public with the matter.
The first thing is, it won't always be easy. But that's okay, because you know who you are and that's really important.
The second thing I want you to know is that you'll never know who's taking their lead from you, who's watching you and deciding that they can be a little braver because you have been brave.
When I was trying to figure out who I was, I was afraid that who I was might mean that I could never make a difference. And what wound up happening instead is that it's a huge part of the difference I get to make. I never could have seen that coming, and you'll never know whose life you might be affecting right now just by standing here.
According to the Colorado Sun report, the crowd chanted "love means love" as the boy was brought to and from the event stage. Griswold also told the newspaper that the question was chosen out of the bowl at random, and that she didn't know it was going to come up.
After the event, the child told KDVR-TV that he felt "inspired by Pete" and also said that he thought the former mayor "gave me some very good advice."


theblaze--2020-02-24--AIPAC blasts 'truly shameful' Bernie Sanders in blistering statement over claims of 'bigotry'

AIPAC blasts 'truly shameful ' Bernie Sanders in blistering statement over claims of 'bigotry' 'Senator Sanders is insulting his very @ @ @ @ @ of Americans who stand with Israel '

American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobbying group, released a blistering statement on Sunday targeting socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders after the Vermont senator accused the organization of illuminating "bigotry."
Sanders announced Sunday that he would not attend AIPAC's annual conference because AIPAC "provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights."
"As president, I will support the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians and do everything possible to bring peace and security to the region," Sanders added.
In response, AIPAC called Sanders' decision "truly shameful," noted that he has never attended the annual AIPAC conference, and accused Sanders of turning his back on those who support U.S.-Israeli relations.
Senator Sanders has never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment. In fact, many of his own Senate and House Democratic colleagues and leaders speak from our platform to over 18,000 Americans from widely diverse backgrounds — Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, progressives, Veterans, students, members of the LGBTQ+ community—who participate in the conference to proclaim their support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.
By engaging in such an odious attack on this mainstream, bipartisan American political event, Senator Sanders is insulting his very own colleagues and the millions of Americans who stand with Israel.Truly shameful.
Despite coming from Jewish origins, Sanders is often openly critical of Israel and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In fact, Sanders has called Netanyahu "racist," and condemned President Donald Trump's decision to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Sanders has said he would likely return the embassy to Tel Aviv to help bring peace between Israel and Palestine.