theblaze--2020-12-21--Federal judge rules inmate convicted of sexually assaulting child should get gender reassignment sur

Federal judge rules inmate convicted of sexually assaulting child should get gender reassignment surgery on taxpayer dime ' ... she @ @ @ @ @

A federal judge ruled last week that taxpayers are responsible for funding the gender reassignment surgery of a transgender inmate spending decades in federal prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting his own daughter.
What are the details?
Mark Campbell — who now identifies as "Nicole" — began serving a 34-year prison sentence in 2007 after he was convicted of sexually assaulting his 10-year-old daughter.
According to the criminal complaint against Campbell, the child victim told police that Campbell "had sex with her, masturbated in front of her, used various sex toys with her, and exposed her to DVD and video porn movies and magazines."
Nicole Campbell, formally Mark Campbell. (Image source: Wisconsin Department of Corrections)
In 2013, Campbell began to seek gender reassignment surgery, claiming he experienced "gender dysphoria." But the Wisconsin Department of Corrections denied the request, which Campbell's advocates said amounted to cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of Campbell's Eighth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.
Still, the prison system allowed Campbell certain privileges not extended to other inmates. Campbell was given hormone treatment and is allowed to wear women's clothing despite being locked inside a men's prison.
However, following a three-day bench trial in March, U.S. District Judge James Peterson ruled earlier this month that Campbell should receive the surgery.
"The rights of transgender persons and sex reassignment surgery remain politically controversial, even outside the prison context," Peterson said. "And some members of the public are outraged at any effort to improve the health and well being of inmates. But the true public interest lies in alleviating needless suffering by those who are dependent on the government for their care."
According to Peterson, Campbell suffers from "the most severe form of gender dysphoria, in which the presence of male genitalia on her body causes particularly severe anguish," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
In fact, Peterson agreed that the Department of Corrections had violated Campbell's constitutional rights because of Campbell's severe gender dysphoria and the fact Campbell is a responsibility of the state while imprisoned.
Because there is only one surgeon qualified to perform gender reassignment surgery in Wisconsin, Peterson said it may be up to one year before Campbell receives the surgery. Peterson said Campbell should be moved to Taycheedah Correctional Institution, a women's prison, in the meantime.
"I decline to impose any further prerequisites on Campbell's sex reassignment surgery; she has waited long enough," Peterson said.
Peterson, however, did not grant all of Campbell's requests. He denied the requests for breast augmentation, voice therapy, and electrolysis.
What the reaction?
According to Wisconsin Public Radio, the state Department of Corrections has declined to comment. However, Campbell's lawyers celebrated the decision.
"She has done everything she can within the confines of the male prison," attorney Tom Heneghan explained, WPR reported. "She was allowed to purchase feminine eyewear, she could wear feminine undergarments, they provided her with hormone therapy. But they drew the line and said, 'No prisoner in Wisconsin will ever be allowed this kind of surgery.' It wasn't even an assessment of her situation."
Heneghan added of Campbell's move to a women's prison, "She assumes, and probably correctly, her life will be easier there, because she will be with other women."
Campbell will become the first Wisconsin inmate to receive gender reassignment surgery while in custody.


theblaze--2020-12-21--Even CNN is calling out Pelosi for playing politics with COVID relief —  and now she's ignoring them

Even CNN is calling out Pelosi for playing politics with COVID relief — and now she 's ignoring them You @ @ @ @ @ even CNN is on your case

Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) — who earlier this month openly admitted she was happy to pass a smaller coronavirus relief package now that Democratic nominee Joe Biden is president-elect — dodged a CNN reporter on Sunday when he tried to ask her some pointed questions.
What happened?
CNN's senior congressional correspondent Manu Raju was actually doing some real reporting over the weekend (which is news in itself), and that evidently didn't sit well with the embattled speaker.
After Pelosi held a press conference about the forthcoming $900 billion stimulus deal in which she blamed Republicans for delays in the process, Raju pressed her about "why the $900 billion deal is more acceptable to her than the $1.8 trillion offer [Treasury Secretary Steve] Mnuchin made to her this fall?"
In response, Pelosi reportedly refused to answer Raju, purposely not calling on him and ignoring his question even though he was one of just five reporters at the event.
When Raju followed her into the hallway to ask the question again, she simply continued ignoring him. Finally, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), who was walking alongside her, stepped in to provide some clarity.
"Ask Mitch McConnell," he said of the Republican Senate majority leader from Kentucky.
Raju noted that Pelosi in October characterized the $1.8 trillion plan as amounting to "one step forward, two steps back" for the country.
Lawmakers are set to debate and vote on the new $900 billion package on Monday, and it is expected to pass. The deal will be attached to a $1.4 trillion spending bill that will fund federal agencies through the fiscal year, or until next October.
What else?
Though she is acting more tight-lipped now, Pelosi made no mystery earlier in December about her motives for approving a smaller stimulus package post-election.
In a press conference about the ongoing negotiations, Pelosi listed "a new president and a vaccine" as the two obvious reasons for her change of heart after a reporter asked a question similar to the one Raju asked.
"Perhaps you missed what I said earlier: Joe Biden pledged to crush the virus ... and a vaccine, an answer to our prayers," she snapped at the reporter. "With a Democratic president committed to a scientific solution for [the virus], with the idea that we will have a vaccine, it's a complete game-changer from then."


theblaze--2020-12-21--Horowitz: Comprehensive analysis of 50 states shows greater spread with mask mandates

How long do our politicians get to ignore the results ?

For months, we've been lectured to by the political elites that cases of coronavirus are spreading too quickly and that we must wear masks to stop the spread. The obvious fault with their act of desperation is that they can no longer mask the fact that most parts of the country have already been fully masked for months — long before the ubiquitous spread this fall.
Researchers at RationalGround.com, a clearinghouse of COVID-19 data trends run by a grassroots group of data analysts, computer scientists, and actuaries, did an analysis of all 50 states divided by those that had mask mandates and those that did not. Justin Hart, co-founder of the website, posted the results in a Twitter thread and shared with me the data analysis:
They studied the number of cases over a 229-day period from May 1 through Dec. 15 and divided the results of the two study groups by days with mask mandates and days without mask mandates. The non-mandate data group includes both states that never had a mandate and those that did at some point, but data set included only the days they did not have a mask mandate.
The results: When comparing states with mandates vs. those without, or periods of times within a state with a mandate vs. without, there is absolutely no evidence the mask mandate worked to slow the spread one iota. In total, in the states that had a mandate in effect, there were 9,605,256 confirmed COVID cases over 5,907 total days, an average of 27 cases per 100,000 per day . When states did nothave a statewide order (which includes the states that never had them and the period of time masking states did not have the mandate in place) there were 5,781,716 cases over 5,772 total days, averaging 17 cases per 100,000 people per day .
The reverse correlation between periods of masking and non-masking is remarkable.
The 15 states that did not have a statewide mask mandate for the duration of this analysis were Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Importantly, for purposes of this study, the analysts gave the mask mandate states a 14-day grace period from the time of implementation in order to begin counting cases against mask efficacy. This gives time for the existing spread from the original policy to become obsolete, in order to more accurately assess the efficacy of the mandate. Proponents of the mask mandate might suggest that mask mandates were often imposed once cases already spread quickly, so there is a negative bias of increased cases in those areas (or times) that had mandates in place. However, there was no evidence of any reduction in cases or even better outcomes many weeks later. In fact, Ian Miller, one of the researchers at RationalGround.com, found that three counties in Florida (Manatee, Martin, and Nassau) that allowed the mandate to expire after having implemented it had fewer cases per capita than those counties that kept the mandate.
Nor has the mandate worked in states where it was implemented long before the surge in cases began.
California is the ultimate example of a state that had a mask mandate in place forever — long before its turn for spread hit in earnest.
The simple reality is that there is no legitimate data showing the mandates worked.
My first question when reading this analysis was that perhaps there is a bias in case counts against those areas with mask mandates because, by definition, most areas without them are more conservative and tend to have lower population density. After all, dense areas seem to be associated with more spread, and therefore, those areas must be judged by a different standard.
First, it's important to recognize that over the past few months, as the virus has spread rapidly to the low-population states and counties, the gap between the urban and rural areas has really closed as the virus appears to be giving everyone equal treatment. Also, included in the top-line number of 17 cases per 100,000 in the non-mask states are also the larger states that did eventually adopt a mandate, but had prior days without the mandate in which the cases were counted among the non-mandate data set. Thus, the study is more apples-to-apples than simply taking places that never had a mandate vs. those that always did over the entire study period.
More fundamentally, this study analyzed Florida by county data and shows no correlation between mask mandates and fewer cases, even adjusting for population density. Gov. Ron DeSantis has notoriously declined to issue a statewide mandate in the Sunshine State; however, of the 67 total counties in Florida, 22 have implemented an executive mask order at some point during the study period. Two of them (Miami-Dade and Osceola) were in effect for the entire period, while the other 20 began in the spring, summer, or fall.
What are the results?
When counties didhave a mandate in effect, there were 667,239 cases over 3,137 days with an average of 23 cases per 100,000 per day. When counties did nothave a countywide order, there were 438,687 cases over 12,139 days with an average of 22 cases per 100,000 per day.
Did population density play a role?
When you isolate only the top 12 most populous counties in the state (>500,000), eight of them had effective mask orders implemented at some point during the study period, and four never had a countywide order (Brevard, Lee, Polk, and Volusia). When the eight didhave an order in effect, there were 24 cases per 100,000 a day. On the other hand, during the days when mandates were not in place (which is never in four counties, and some weeks in seven of the other eight except for Miami-Dade), there were 17 cases per 100,000 per day.
We can turn the numbers upside down and inside out, but no matter how we examine them, there is no evidence of masks correlating with reduced spread. If anything, the opposite is true. And it sure as heck is not because of a lack of compliance.
It's self-evident that the virus does what it does naturally and follows a very mechanical pattern regardless of state policies.
The burden is on those who want to violate the Constitution with such a draconian mandate for the rest of our lives to present affirmative evidence that their religious symbol works. The phony "fact checkers" will always find ways to show that we can't prove beyond a shadow of doubt that masks will never work. But while they force us to prove 100% that they don't work, mandaters don't have to prove any efficacy at all, even as 2-year-olds are forced to have their faces covered on planes.
We used to all scoff at the Islamic fundamentalist for believing that if they just waged jihad a little harder, they'd earn their 72 virgins. Well, those people can learn a thing or two about faith from the mask fundamentalists who believe it's never too late for masks to magically stop a virus after months of failure.


theblaze--2020-12-21--Stella Parton, sister of Dolly Parton, goes mega-viral after calling out politicians on COVID vaccin

Stella Parton, sister of Dolly Parton, goes mega-viral after calling out politicians on COVID vaccine

Stella Parton , sister of Dolly Parton , goes mega-viral after calling out politicians on COVID vaccine ' I noticed @ @ @ @ @ away while people are starving and dying you Aholes '

Stella Parton, the younger sister of legendary country music singer Dolly Parton, went mega-viral on social media over the weekend after she slammed politicians for jumping in line to receive the coronavirus vaccine before the most Americans.
"If a little Hillbilly singer like my big sister Dolly can invest in the vaccine then why the hell can't some of you old moldy politicians pitch in a few million yourselves? I noticed you started getting vaccinated right away while people are starving and dying you Aholes," Parton tweeted.
In follow-up tweets, Parton further lashed out at rich pastors who did not finally contribute to vaccine research.
"I haven't heard of one Televangelist donating one damn cent to the research fund but they sure can fleece the flock and try to cast out demons when they are possessed themselves!" Parton said.
She continued, "If Paula White and Kenneth Copeland didn't convince you then what about Benny Hinn? BTW, he and Paula were caught 'holding hands' coming out of a hotel in Rome or Paris, not sure which but come on people, really!! Oh, let's not forget Jerry Falwell Jr. and his lovely spouse."
What was the response?
Parton's initial tweet had received more than 50,000 retweets and more than 380,000 "likes" by Monday morning, indicative of a message that resonated with Americans.
In fact, replies mostly thanked Parton for speaking out.
"I'm a nurse working with immune compromised cancer patients. Im still waiting for the vaccine. But, as you mention, politicians are all in line before us healthcare workers, even though they didn't do anything so save 1 life. Thanks for fighting for the people," one person responded.
"Love your sister. Grew up on her music and movies. But you are one feisty woman, and I think I love you just as much!" another person said.
"I've been saying this since we learned what wonderful work your sister did for the vaccine! You tell them!" another person responded.
"Thank you so much for standing up against these fake Christians-politicians and pastors," another fan said.
What's the background?
Parton's fiery message came as politicians of all stripes rushed to be inoculated with Pfizer's COVID vaccine, which was officially rolled out last week.
Politicians from Vice President Mike Pence to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have already received the vaccine.
What did Dolly do?
After the pandemic began last spring, Parton donated $1 million to research being conducted on COVID-19 at Vanderbilt University.
Then, last month, the world learned that Parton's generous donation contributed to the development of the Moderna vaccine, which was given emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration last week after being highly successful in clinical trials.
Distribution of the Moderna vaccine began over the weekend, and Americans can receive inoculations beginning this week.


theblaze--2020-12-21--Commentary: It's past time to start asking which media outlets are on the take from the Chinese gove

Commentary: It's past time to start asking which media outlets are on the take from the Chinese government

Commentary : It 's past time to start asking which media outlets are on the take from the Chinese government @ @ @ @ @ this stupid ?

On Sunday, Reuters credulously reported claims from the Chinese government that mainland China had only 23 new cases of the novel coronavirus that day and that the Chinese mainland had only 23 new cases the previous day as well. In the same article, Reuters published the laughable claim that "mainland China has now reported an accumulated total of 86,852 coronavirus cases, with 4,634 deaths."
I don't know what the actual number of new COVID-19 cases was over the past two days in China, but anyone who is not a complete idiot knows that 23 is a laughably low number. So is the number of 86,852 total reported cases.
It just is not plausible that the country at the epicenter of the global pandemic, with many high-density population areas where the virus thrives, has had less than one-third the number of the coronavirus cases than the relatively sparsely populated state of Iowa. Even if the Chinese government had a long history of being the most credible government in the entire world, it would be irresponsible to pass on such facially obvious bovine fecal material as fact.
Of course, China is the opposite of the most credible government in the entire world. Like every other communist government in history, the current Chinese regime has a lengthy and storied history of publishing obviously false propaganda to its own citizens and the world at large. Obviously false propaganda is not a bug for communist governments; it is a feature. In China, in particular, the Chinese government has a long and colorful history of propaganda that predates even the adoption of communism as a governing philosophy. The Chinese government's philosophy is and always has been that if they aren't lying, they aren't trying.
Not only has the Chinese government been one of the greatest purveyors of bull crap in history generally speaking, it has also been repeatedly busted for lying about this pandemic . Officials lied about the size of the initial outbreak. They lied about how transmissible the disease was. And yes, they have repeatedly lied and underreported their number of cases, as even CNN finally conceded (after, of course, the presidential election was over).
Moreover, they have a specific, agenda-driven reason to lie about their success in this pandemic: They want to demonstrate that their authoritarian method of government is superior to freedom-oriented methods of government, which is why they have attempted to prevent Taiwan from presenting information to the World Health Organization about how it has successfully combatted spread of the disease.
Sometimes, in the media, your job is not to report that the claim being made by a particular government is accurate, but merely that the government made the claim. Generally speaking, if the government (particularly the United States government) publishes a statistical claim, that's fairly reportable even if a media organization does not fully verify all the underlying statistics. No media organization has the resources to verify all of the thousands of statistics the government produces every year.
But if a claim walks, talks, and smells like obvious bull crap, and it comes from a source with a lengthy history of peddling obvious bull crap, the media assert that a sense of social responsibility prevents them from repeating that claim without at least a warning that the information in question is suspect.
The last six weeks have demonstrated that the media know how to get this job done. Just look at the way they have reported about virtually every word that has come out of President Trump's mouth. "No evidence," they have declared. "False," they have screamed. Trump can't even tweet about virtually anything without having a warning label — DISPUTED — slapped on it by Twitter and Facebook. Fine.
Well, if it's dangerous and irresponsible to report on unverified claims about election fraud, why isn't it dangerous and irresponsible to report on obviously false claims about the extent of the spread of COVID-19 in its home country without any kind of warning that those claims are almost certainly false? For that matter, why should Reuters' water-carrying for the ChiComs be treated any differently by the Big Tech giants than videos claiming that the virus is fake or that masks don't work? How is it any less dangerous to the public at large to allow them to believe that the oppressive Chinese government has discovered a miracle way to prevent the spread of the virus that has been foisted upon the world because it couldn't contain the original outbreak?
At a certain point, you have to ask why the media — and the big tech companies who are turning a blind eye — are carrying water for the Chinese government. Hanlon's Razor would suggest that stupidity, not malice, is the most likely culprit. The lesser-known Heinlein's Razor, however, reminds us that we shouldn't rule out malice, either.
We know that the Chinese government has made it a point to attempt to infiltrate both the American government and American media institutions, as Eric Swalwell and a whole host of media companies can attest. As long as the media continue abandoning their basic common sense at the door in order to report obviously fake statistics, it's fair to wonder how often the Chinese have succeeded.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Here are the top 15 family-friendly Christmas movies of all time

One of the many great things about the Christmas season is the entertainment available for families. Whether you prefer recordings of your favorite Christmas songs from Nat King Cole and Perry Como or Mariah Carey and Cee Lo, TV specials you grew up with as a kid or new specials created for your kids, or holiday movies in black and white, Technicolor, or 3-D, there's always something for everyone looking to submerge themselves in the spirit of the season.
If you've got kiddos at home now for Christmas break, you're probably looking for things to fill the hours before the big day arrives. Here are some ideas for TV time.
Below are the 15 best Christmas movies for your family. There are just a few rules behind these selections: Each movie had to have been a “Christmas-y" movie shown in theaters (no TV specials), couldn't be rated worse than PG (keep it clean, so no "Die Hard"), and had to have a hook for families to actually want to see it — just having a good message wasn't enough, it also had to be worth watching.
#1: Miracle On 34th Street (1947) STORY: The Macy's store Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, says he is the real Santa Claus—a claim he eventually has to defend in a court of law, which sends the locals into an uproar. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: Though it was first filmed in 1947, this story has continued to be an American favorite for generations. Families love seeing the no-nonsense Doris Walker and her daughter Susan let down their defenses to experience the true gifts of Christmas: hope and love.
***
#2: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) STORY: A man on the verge of losing it all and taking his own life is visited by an angel who shows him what life would be like if he'd never existed. And it's not a pretty picture. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: Filmed in the 1940s, it's family friendly and contains a ton of moral messages, from sticking out rough situations, self sacrifice, and how communities can come together and help each other in tough times to how much worth each life actually carries.
***
#3: White Christmas (1954) STORY: WWII Army buddies Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to create a hugely successful song-and-dance duo after the war. They and the Haynes Sisters put together a Christmas spectacular in a Vermont inn owned by the men's former commanding officer. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: The acting and choreography are great. The Christmas spirit shared by all is, of course, prevalent. But it comes as no surprise that the music of the film is what everyone remembers.
***
#4: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) STORY: In this musical depiction of "A Christmas Carol," Jim Henson's magical Muppets play second-string to Michael Caine's performance as Dickens' skinflint. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: The original songs and scoring are tremendous. Caine's turn on the miserly Scrooge is masterful. And the brilliance of the Muppet casting defies description. (Gonzo as Charles Dickens; Miss Piggy as Mrs. Bob Cratchit; Statler and Waldorf as the Marley brothers? C'mon, it doesn't get any better.)
***
#5: Elf (2003) STORY: Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole, sets out from Santa's workshop to New York City to find his dad who is on the "naughty list." WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: The quotes — "Smiling's my favorite"; "I'm a cotton-headed ninny-muggins." The humor—an elf-costumed man treks through Manhattan, finds his dad and becomes a part of his family. The morals—everyone wants to be loved. Christmas is not about physical gifts, it's about family. And this movie highlights that journey in one of the funniest ways possible.
***
#6: The Nativity Story (2006) STORY: The Biblical account of Jesus' birth comes to life in this film that faithfully adapts the account found in Matthew and Luke. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: This film reminds us how very revolutionary Jesus' message of peace and love truly were. Christmas movies typically avoid any mention of Christ, but this film serves to remind us of the true reason for the holiday.
***
#7: The Santa Clause (1994) STORY: After accidentally killing the real Santa Claus, a divorced dad finds himself as the reluctant replacement. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: This movie cleverly details Tim Allen's transformation into Kris Kringle, everything from sprouting white facial hair to massive weight gain to having a desire to wear red and green. Families who have been touched by divorce will also be encouraged by the happy ending.
***
#8: The Polar Express (2004) STORY: A young boy on the verge of giving up his belief of Santa Claus boards the Polar Express train on Christmas Eve. His astonishing journey to the North Pole that teaches a lesson on the spirit of Christmas. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: The animation does an incredible job of bringing this beloved story to life. The kids experience action, adventure and mystery all in one night — reminding us that Christmas is truly a magical time of year for children.
***
#9: A Christmas Story (1983) STORY: Ralphie dreams of getting a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas — he's obsessed with it. Now he has to convince his parents, who are sure he'll shoot his eye out. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: The movie portrays what it's like, through the life of an Indiana 9-year-old, to grow up in middle America around 1940 (or even today) — dealing with family, friends, bullies, and teachers — all while wishing for what every kid wishes for: that perfect present from Santa under the tree on Christmas morning.
***
#10: Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) STORY: Mickey Mouse and his fellow Disney all-stars offer their version of Dickens' 1843 masterpiece. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: The Oscar-nominated short isn't just a Disneyesque portrayal of Scrooge and his ghosts, it serves as a faithful adaptation of a life-changing story that's accessible for children.
***
#11: Home Alone (1990) STORY: This is what happens when a mischievous 8-year-old boy is left to his own devices to defend his family's home against a pair of hooligan crooks during the Christmas season. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: While the antics that young Kevin McCallister employs to protect his home are hilariously entertaining, the true message of the movie showcases how everything is better when you can share it with your family.
***
#12: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) STORY: Everyone in the city of Whoville embraces Christmas, except for the Grinch — until he experiences the ultimate transformation of the heart. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: Dr. Seuss' classic is brought to life complete with delightful rhymes, colorful imagery and the always adorable Max the dog. The Grinch's lesson about love is the icing on the cake.
***
#13: Scrooge (1970) STORY: In a performance for the ages, Albert Finney brilliantly transforms Ebenezer Scrooge from super-grump into the giddy Scrooge of Christmas morning. The fact that it's a rare musical interpretation of the holiday story makes it even more powerful. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: The music from the film is unforgettable, the redemption story is, of course, powerful, and the film itself is very well done. The whole thing is worth watching just for Alec Guinness' loopy performance as Jacob Marley.
***
#14: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) STORY: The king of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, stumbles into Christmas Town, is moved by the spirit of Christmas and decides the residents of his hometown need to get in on the act. WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT: Tim Burton's tale celebrates the generous spirit of Christmas with a lesson on being yourself using great humor, award-winning stop-motion cinematography and a fabulous score from Danny Elfman.
***
#15: Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) STORY: The 1980s' favorite bumbling neighbor, Ernest P. Worrell, helps an aging Santa Claus with his eye on retirement find a replacement. WHY WE LOVE IT: Ernest's unwavering faithfulness and innocence leads not only to comical scenes but also to heartwarming lessons about loyalty, friendship and the child-like wonder that permeates Christmastime. "KnowhutImean?"
***
A version of this list first appeared in the December 2013 issue of TheBlaze magazine.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Nancy Pelosi calls $600 stimulus check 'significant.' Remember what she said about a $1,600 tax cut?

Nancy Pelosi calls $ 600 stimulus check 'significant . '
Remember what she said about a $ 1,600 tax cut @

During the course of patting herself and her Democratic colleagues on the back for being shamed into passing a coronavirus relief bill before the end of the year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made an interesting claim about the widely derided $600 stimulus check that some American families will receive as part of the bill.
"We also have in the legislation direct payments, which were not in the Republican bill, to America's working families. I would like for them to have been bigger, but they are, uh, significant, and they will be going out soon," Pelosi said.
Six hundred dollars is a "significant" amount for working families?
At least one Twitter user noted that Pelosi had a different opinion of what the even larger tax cut in 2018 provided for working families:
That's right: After Republicans passed a tax relief package in 2017 that not only provided working families with an average of $1,600 in tax breaks, but also saw a large number of employers give their employees raises and bonuses, Pelosi smirked, "In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic. It's so pathetic."
The backlash over her "crumbs" remarks was so severe, including from people within her own party , that Pelosi was eventually forced to clarify and concede that "certainly we are thankful whenever workers get bonuses."
Of course, Pelosi's 2018 comments were themselves an interesting contrast to what Pelosi said just a few years earlier in 2011, when a Democrat occupied the White House. Then, remarking on an overwhelming $40-per-paycheck reduction in the payroll tax, she called the amount a "victory for the American people" and an amount that "will make a difference."
It seems that, to Nancy Pelosi, the most important determining factor in whether an amount of money is large/significant/helpful or not is whether Democrats can claim credit for having given it to people or not.


theblaze--2020-12-22--'The View' tried to cancel comedian Nicole Arbour — but it quickly backfired

'The View ' tried to cancel comedian Nicole Arbour — but it quickly backfired

The Left erupted when comedian Nicole Arbour posted her viral video, "Dear Fat People." At one point, "The View" even tried their best to destroy her, but she decided to have some fun instead.
Nicole joined the Glenn Beck Podcast to discuss the future of comedy, why "Saturday Night Live" sucks, how to bypass the threats of cancel culture, and the ridiculousness of the women at "The View."
Watch the video clip below or the full podcast with Nicole here:
Want more from Glenn Beck?
To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-12-22--(UPDATED) Congress rushes to pass $900B COVID-19 relief package as part of larger spending bill

( UPDATED ) Congress rushes to pass $ 900B COVID-19 relief package as part of larger spending bill Trump expected @ @ @ @ @ law when it reaches his desk

Congressional leaders unveiled a long-awaited agreement for $900 billion in coronavirus relief as part of a huge spending bill on Monday, leaving members mere hours to review on the 5,593-page behemoth before casting their vote the same night.
The legislation passed 359-53 in the Democrat-led House, before being sent to the Republican-control Senate where it passed 91-7 Monday night.
What are the details?
Leaders from Congress and the White House have been negotiating for months to decide on a deal that was finally reached Sunday and released in text form the next day — just in time to pass the legislation ahead of a Christmas break.
The final product was rolled into "a $2.3 trillion package that included $1.4 trillion to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30," The New York Times reported.
According to Fox Business:
The measure includes about $325 billion in small business relief, including $284 billion in forgivable loans for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program; an extension of boosted federal unemployment benefits at $300 a week through March 14, 2021, and a second $600 stimulus check for Americans earning less than $75,000. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday he expects the federal government to begin issuing checks to millions of Americans as soon as next week.
Members from both sides of the aisle condemned the $600 stimulus checks as too paltry given the number of Americans pushed out of work and into poverty due to the pandemic and its effects on businesses and individuals. Some Republicans, however, voiced concern over the $1 trillion already added to the federal deficit from the bill as it stood.
Anything else?
Lawmakers from both parties and both chambers also expressed frustration at receiving the bill with such short time to review what it entails.
Several Republicans made the rare step of agreeing with far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), when she condemned the fact that members were not shown the legislation in enough time to review what they were expected to sign off on.
"Congress is expected to vote on the second largest bill in US history *today* - $2.5 trillion - and as of about 1pm, members don't even have the legislative text of it yet," she wrote. "It's not good enough to hear about what's in the bill. Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on."
She added, "I know it's 'controversial' & I get in trouble for sharing things like this, but the people of this country deserve to know. They deserve better."
The Hill reported that the White House has signaled that President Donald Trump "will sign the legislation into law when it reaches his desk."


theblaze--2020-12-23--These 15 Christmas TV specials are the best ever made

The Christmas season offers some of the greatest television ever made — from touching commercials to holiday episodes of your favorite shows to seasonal specials. There is always something available for families to gather and watch this time of year.
Yesterday, you experienced the “Top 15 Christmas family-friendly Christmas movies of all time." Today, enjoy a look at the 15 best Christmas TV specials ever made. Like the movie list, there were a few rules needed to set boundaries for the TV list: Each item had to be “Christmas-y" and family-friendly; had to be created for TV and not a theatrical release that's now replayed on TV annually; and had to be an actual “special" created for Christmas and not just a Christmas-themed episode of a regular series.
#1: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) This is one overtly Christian cartoon that has become and annual must-see — even among secularists. When Charlie Brown becomes depressed over the commercialism of Christmas, he turns to the school's Christmas pageant for inspiration. But as the director of an unruly cast — not to mention his disappointing tree — he finds himself more frustrated than ever. All of that changes when Linus reminds everyone about true meaning of Christmas by reciting the Nativity story from Luke's Gospel. Plus, the special put the musical genius of Vince Guaraldi into the mainstream of American pop culture.
***
#2: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) Featuring the incredible vocal talents of Boris Karloff, this tale of a nasty … well … Grinch who hated Christmas because of the happiness it brought to the lives of others offers a poignant story of redemption and change. Determined to keep Christmas from coming, the Grinch steals all of the gifts, decorations and food from the entire town of Whoville. When the Whos still celebrate sans gifts, ol' Grinchy Claus realizes that Christmas will come without ribbons, come without tags, come without packages, boxes or bags.
***
#3: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) The "Rudolph" tale of a band of misfits' journey across the North Pole trying to find where they fit in inspires kids everywhere and is probably the best-known of Rankin/Bass' many stop-motion Christmas programs. The characters who'd been cast-off save Christmas and become the heroes. Throw in the beloved voice of Burl Ives, and you've got a classic that will continue to endure.
***
#4: Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) This is another one of several Rankin/Bass gems chock-full of great songs and characters. The Mickey Rooney- and Fred Astaire-led creation delves into Santa Claus' origins and pits him against one of the best comic "villains" of all time — the evil Burgermeister Meisterburger
***
#5: A Christmas Carol (1984) George C. Scott's turn as the miserly Scrooge is the most famous of the made-for-TV movie adaptations of the Dickens tale (though the 1999 Patrick Stewart version may be closing in). The film stayed true to the story and earned Scott an Emmy nomination.
***
#6: Frosty the Snowman (1969) Based on Gene Autry's 1950 hit song, it features Frosty "dying" so he can save a little girl. Kids are taught about love and laying-down-your-life-for-others sacrifice, all with palpable Christian parallels — even the bad guy changes his ways in the end.
***
#7: John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979) In 1979, Jim Henson's team worked with country folk artist John Denver to create an LP of 13 Christmas songs (which eventually went platinum). From that album came a one-hour special for ABC featuring great Muppet takes on holiday classics, plus the typical Muppet humor.
***
#8: The Star of Bethlehem (2007) The Magi followed a star in the heavens to find the Christ child. Explore the truth of God's stellar handiwork in this documentary that uses historic and scientific evidence to tell the real story of the Star of Bethlehem.
***
#9: Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962) Call it a history-maker. It was the first-ever animated Christmas special produced for TV, according to IMDB.com. The cartoon was created to give the feel of a Broadway production — a feel that was enhanced by the musical work of two Broadway show writers, Jule Styne and Bob Merrill.
***
#10: The Little Drummer Boy (1968) This old-school, stop-motion 1960s production about the little orphan boy who didn't have anything to give to the infant Jesus except his drumming ability teaches kids that the best things we offer each other have nothing to do with money or "stuff."
***
#11: Mickey’s Once (and Twice) Upon a Christmas (1999/2004) Both of these shows are a series of cartoon shorts all about the importance of friends and family and doing good for others at Christmas. From Donald's repentance for his selfishness to Goofy's expressions of love for his son Max to Mickey and Minnie's selfless giving of everything they have for each other, these specials offer great lessons for the little ones.
***
#12: A Flintstone Christmas (1977) The story in Fred Flintstone's one-hour special begins with Fred begrudgingly agreeing to play Santa Claus at a party for the Bedrock Orphanage on Christmas Eve. On the night of the party, an injured and sick Santa Claus recruits Fred to fill in for him (and Barney takes the role of an elf) to make sure all the presents get delivered. The boys work through a massive storm, make a trip to the North Pole and barely make it back to Bedrock in time for the orphanage party.
***
#13: Prep & Landing (2009) The North Pole has gone super-hightech in Disney's Emmy-winning special. Elves Wayne and Lanny, while prepping the world for Santa's annual trip, are the only members of the command team available to make possible a visit by St. Nick in the midst of a terrible storm. They save Christmas for Sector 7 using sweet gadgets and a little creativity.
***
#14: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (1983) Grace (played by Loretta Swit aka "Hot Lips Houlihan") is tasked with the job of leading her church's annual Christmas pageant. The disaster of a job gets even worse when the six Herdman kids, who are known troublemakers from a broken home, decide to be a part of the play. By the end, the Herdman children, from whom no one expected anything worthwhile, learn the power of the Christmas nativity story and teach the church the true meaning of Christmas.
***
#15: Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977) One of the lesser-known Rankin/Bass creations, "Nestor" is a very religious special that shares the story of an outcast and abused long-eared donkey who goes on to fulfill his special purpose—to carry a very pregnant Mary to Bethlehem. The message, combined with the musical talents of the estimable Roger Miller, make this a powerful show for kids.
A version of this list first appeared in the December 2014 issue of TheBlaze magazine.


theblaze--2020-12-23--Trump issues batch of pardons and commutations. List includes allies convicted in Mueller probe

Trump issues batch of pardons and commutations .
List includes allies convicted in Mueller probe George Papadopoulos , Duncan Hunter @ @ @ @ @ an 89-year-old former bootlegger receive pardons

President Donald Trump granted 15 full pardons and commuted the sentences of five others on Tuesday, including allies convicted under the special counsel Robert Mueller probe, nonviolent drug offenders, and a man who was busted running moonshine in the 1950s as a teen.
What are the details?
White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany issued the news in a statement, spelling out the reasoning behind each action and disclosing details of the offenses and who recommended clemency to the president.
The most high-profile names on the list included George Papadopoulos, a 2016 campaign adviser for Trump who served 12 days in prison after pleading guilty to lying to investigators in the Russian collusion investigation and later wrote a book about his account called "Deep State Target."
A second Mueller target, Alex van der Zwaan, who served 30 days in prison for a false statement charge before leaving the U.S., was also pardoned by the president, Politico reported.
Other noteworthy pardons were for former Republican congressmen Duncan Hunter (Calif.), whom Roll Call reported pleaded guilty to misusing "hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds for his own enrichment," and former Rep. Chris Collins (N.Y.), who pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges. Both representatives were among the first to endorse the president when he ran for president.
The Daily Caller pointed out the the president's pardons included four former Blackwater Worldwide military contractors — Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, and Dustin Heard — "who were convicted in a 2007 massacre that left 14 unarmed Iraqis dead."
At the recommendation of Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), state Utah Rep. Phil Lyman was wiped clean of his "conviction on charges of leading an illegal ATV protest on federal lands," and "a Utah music producer who was originally sentenced to 55 years in prison on a marijuana charge selling and gun possession conviction because of minimum sentencing rules," The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
President Trump also took the advice of Alice Johnson — whom he pardoned following her speech to the Republican National Convention after commuting her nonviolent sentence in 2018 — in commuting the remaining supervised releases of Crystal Munoz and Tynice Nichole Hall, who were also previously condemned to decadeslong nonviolent drug offenses.
Alfred Lee Crum, 89, was also granted a full pardon by the president on Tuesday. According to McEnany's release, Crum:
Pled guilty in 1952—when he was 19 years old—to helping his wife's uncle illegally distill moonshine in Oklahoma. Mr. Crum served three years of probation, and paid a $250 fine. Mr. Crum has maintained a clean record and a strong marriage for nearly 70 years, attended the same church for 60 years, raised four children, and regularly participated in charity fundraising events.
Anything else?
According to the Associated Press:
Trump has granted about 2% of requested pardons in his single term in office — just 27 before Tuesday's announcement. By comparison, Barack Obama granted 212 or 6%, and George W. Bush granted about 7%, or 189. George H.W. Bush, another one-term president, granted 10% of requests.


theblaze--2020-12-23--WATCH: Vote for your favorite RANT video of 2020?

WATCH : Vote for your favorite RANT video of 2020 ?

Vote now for your favorite Rant Video of 2020. Here are the four nominees...
Chad Prather: I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE THIS COLOR!
Glenn Beck: I Can't Take it Anymore!
Steve Deace: All of These People Should Be in Prison
Steven Crowder: Why No One Talks about George Floyd's Criminal History...
Cast your vote below:

The Best Rant Is...

1. I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE THIS COLOR!

2. Glenn Beck: I Can't Take it Anymore!

3. All of These People Should Be in Prison

4. Why No One Talks about George Floyd's Criminal History...

Vote in every category!
Best Quarantine Hot Take
Best Parody
Best Impression
Best Rebuttal
BlazeTV?
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theblaze--2020-12-23--President Trump sends COVID-19 spending package back to Congress, calling it a 'disgrace.' He wants

President Trump sends COVID-19 spending package back to Congress, calling it a 'disgrace.' He wants more for Americans, small businesses

President Trump sends COVID-19 spending package back to Congress , calling it a 'disgrace . '
He wants more for @ @ @ @ @ wants less 'wasteful spending , ' suggests he may not sign it

President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted the COVID-19 relief package that was rushed through Congress the night before, calling it a "disgrace" and saying he wants to see more money going to individuals and small businesses impacted by the virus and less in "wasteful spending."
He also suggested he may not sign it.
The $900 billion coronavirus relief was rolled in as part of a catch-all spending package totaling $2.3 trillion that covered lawmakers' unfinished business — but exposed priorities of Congress that caught the eye of the American public.
What are the details?
In an address to the nation, the president decried the Democrats' refusal to agree to larger deals on COVID-19 relief that would have delivered more direct assistance to Americans than what was passed following the general election.
"It really is a disgrace," Trump said of the package that overwhelmingly passed in the Democrat-led House and Republican-controlled Senate. "For example, among the more than 5,000 pages in this bill — which nobody in Congress has read because of its length and complexity — it's called the COVID relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID."
The president went on to name a long list of what was included in the omnibus bill that added another $1 trillion to the national debt, such as "$25 million for democracy and gender programs in Afghanistan," and "$40 million to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., which is not even open for business."
Trump went to say, "Despite all of this wasteful spending and much more, the $900 billion package provides hardworking taxpayers with only $600 each in relief payments, and not enough money is given to small businesses and, in particular, restaurants — whose owners have suffered so grievously — they were only given a deduction for others to use."
"Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists, and special interests, while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it," he continued. "It wasn't their fault. It was China's fault. Not their fault."
"I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple," the president said. "I am also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package — and maybe that administration will be me. And we will get it done."


theblaze--2020-12-23--Glenn Beck shares story of personal security scare — and what it taught him about evil

Glenn Beck shares story of personal security scare — and what it taught him about evil Evil is even scarier @ @ @ @ @ seen what it looks like

On the radio program, Glenn Beck shared a story about a personal security scare that taught him how to recognize evil —and how to fight it.
Glenn acknowledged that evil is something even scarier to face when you've seen what it looks like, but added how important it is to be willing and able to stand up against it. He said American families might have to make a spiritual decision soon. Why? Because he believes the Left will push their radical ideas even more in the months and years to come.
Watch the video below:
Want more from Glenn Beck?
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theblaze--2020-12-23--Sidney Powell says White House officials have blocked her from speaking to President Trump

Sidney Powell says White House officials have blocked her from speaking to President Trump She says the president 's 'own @ @ @ @ @ him '

Attorney Sidney Powell says White House officials have barred her from speaking to President Donald Trump, claiming the president's "own people are misleading and undermining him."
What are the details?
Powell told The Washington Examiner that her access to Trump has been cut off since Friday, when the president reportedly floated the idea of appointing her to serve as a special counsel to investigate voter fraud — which was an idea shot down by some of his advisers.
"I haven't met or spoken with the President since Friday night," Powell told the Examiner. "The President knows this election was stolen but he is not getting the support he, the Constitution, and the Republic deserve. His own people are misleading and undermining him while protecting their own careers and agendas."
She added:
"I haven't spoken with the DNI on these issues at all. My efforts to educate [Trump personal attorney Rudy Giuliani] on demonstrable foreign interference in the election including multiple CISA and FBI findings have been met with irrational hostility. I have been blocked by White House counsel and others from seeing or speaking to the President since I raised the public formal findings and even more evidence of the foreign interference from IRAN and CHINA in this election."
Powell became nationally recognized due to her defense of Trump's former national security adviser, Gen. Michael Flynn, and her profile has been raised following the election with her filing of several unsuccessful "Kraken" lawsuits alleging widespread voter fraud.
What did the Trump campaign say?
More than a month ago, the Trump campaign publicly distanced itself from Powell, after she alleged during a campaign news conference that voting machines were manipulated nationwide to flip the election for President-elect Joe Biden as part of a widespread conspiracy involving foreign powers.
Giuliani reiterated Monday on Newsmax:
"Let me say definitively: Sidney Powell is not part of our legal team. She hasn't been for five weeks. She is not a special counsel for the president. She does not speak for the president, nor does she speak for the administration. She speaks for herself. And she's a fine woman, a fine lawyer, but whatever she is talking about, it's her own opinions. I'm not responsible for them, the president isn't, nor is anybody else on our legal team."
On Tuesday, longtime Republican adviser and strategist Karl Rove blasted Powell, telling Fox News, "Ms. Powell has peddled theories that have little basis in fact."
He picked apart several witnesses that Powell has presented in court for "Kraken" lawsuits.
"What she has done to sort of throw mud on the president through her antics is unbelievable," Rove said. "The president has been so ill-served by this crowd, and she's chief among them."


theblaze--2020-12-22--Joe Biden warns 'darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us,' despite vaccine

Joe Biden warns 'darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us , ' despite vaccine 'We 're @ @ @ @ @ thousands more lives in the months to come '

President-elect Joe Biden has issued a dire warning to Americans, saying the "darkest days in the battle against COVID[-19] are ahead of us" as the death toll rises from the virus that has already taken more than 300,000 U.S. lives.
Although two vaccines have been approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration, it will take months for the inoculations to be widely available. In the meantime, Biden says, "tens of thousands more" people will die from the coronavirus.
What are the details?
"Experts say things are going to get worse before they get better, notwithstanding the fact that we have the vaccine," Biden said during a news conference Tuesday. "As you all know, we're averaging a death rate of 3,000 people a day. That means we're going to lose tens of thousands of more lives in the months to come, and a vaccine won't be able to stop that so we'll have to remain vigilant.
"One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis," he continued. "I'm gonna tell it to you straight. I'm going to tell you the truth. And here's the simple truth: Our darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us, not behind us."
'Darkest days ahead': Joe Biden gives sobering message on Covid www.youtube.com
Biden also hailed Congress' passage of a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package from the night before, which includes $600 stimulus checks to Americans making less than $75,000. He urged Democrats and Republicans to come together and deliver additional legislation in the near future to address the pandemic.
"Like all compromises, it's far from perfect, but it does provide vital relief at a critical time," Biden said, according to The Hill. "However, as I have said all along, this bill is just a first step — a down payment — on addressing the crisis we're in. We have a lot more work to do."
Biden tweeted after his speech, "In the first 100 days of my administration, we will: - Ask all Americans to mask up - Administer 100 million vaccine shots - Get most schools back open We're going to contain the virus and get back to our lives."
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump touted the fact that vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna — which were rolled out in a matter of months rather than the years it typically takes for approval to be administered — are being distributed nationwide.
"Distribution of both vaccines is going very smoothly," Trump tweeted. "Amazing how many people are being vaccinated, record numbers. Our Country, and indeed the World, will soon see the great miracle of what the Trump Administration has accomplished. They said it couldn't be done!!!
Anything else?
As of this writing, tracking by the researchers at Johns Hopkins University shows there have been more than 1.7 million deaths attributed to COVID-19 globally, with 322,218 in the U.S.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Gym holds maskless Christmas party in private home — and now city officials are investigating

Gym holds maskless Christmas party in private home — and now city officials are investigating There were at least two @ @ @ @

Officials in Durham, North Carolina, are investigating after learning a fitness studio held a Christmas party in a private residence last weekend during which at least two dozen people gathered without masks, which violates state and local COVID-19 restrictions, WRAL-TV reported.
What are the details?
Triangle Krav Maga posted photos of the party on Facebook, the station said, adding that it featured movies, pizza, "quality booze," a white elephant exchange and other games, and a sleepover for kids.
"Sure beats sitting at home in a mask, doesn't it?" a Facebook post noted about the event, which WRAL said was deleted Tuesday morning after the station began asking questions about the party.
TKM owners Molotov Mitchell and his wife, Dr. Greer Gunther, didn't return multiple requests for comment, the station reported.
But Mitchell posted the following on his Facebook page late Tuesday afternoon:
What did city officials have to say?
Durham officials are investigating the party after receiving at least two complaints about it, city spokeswoman Amy Blalock told the station, adding that the city attorney's office was preparing a letter to send out Tuesday afternoon notifying Mitchell and Gunther of the complaints and reminding them of existing restrictions.
North Carolina currently limits indoor gatherings to 10 people in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, WRAL said, and people are required to wear masks whenever they're with those not in their household.
More from the station:
Krav Maga, which means "contact combat" in Hebrew, is a self-defense and fighting system developed for the Israeli Defense Forces that emphasizes aggression and simultaneous defensive and offensive maneuvers.
The gym, at 4911 S. Alston Ave., also has kickboxing and firearms classes and provides stuntman training, according to its website.
Mitchell's online bio states that he has taught hand-to-hand combat and weapons training. He also is a former columnist for the far-right news site WorldNetDaily, and he ran for state Senate in 2014 against Democrat Josh Stein, now North Carolina's attorney general.
WRAL added that Gunther is in the second year of a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the Duke University School of Medicine, and that Duke officials didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
But the News & Observer reported that some social media posts noted a Duke University psychiatrist at the party and encouraged people to contact the university — and with that Duke health officials issued the following statement Tuesday to the paper:
"At Duke Health, we are steadfast in our support of state public health mandates to fight COVID-19. We expect all of our health care providers to comply with these orders and to live our Duke values, specifically our commitment to caring for our patients and each other. While we do not comment on specific personnel matters, we take employee conduct very seriously and potential transgressions are managed according to our institutional policies and procedures."


theblaze--2020-12-22--Sen. Lindsey Graham defends foreign aid to Pakistan in omnibus spending bill

'Pakistan is a place I really worry about '

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Tuesday defended foreign aid spending included in the $2.3 trillion spending package Congress passed Monday night, arguing foreign aid is necessary to compete with China for influence abroad.
Appearing on Fox News' "Fox & Friends," Graham faced questions about the massive spending package, which members of Congress were given with fewer than eight hours to read before it was brought up for a vote. Critics have slammed the bill, which was sold to the public as a coronavirus relief package, for containing several provisions seemingly unrelated to the pandemic, including funding for Pakistan's "gender programs" and other bits of foreign aid.
In reality, the $900 billion coronavirus relief package was tied to a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill Congress needed to pass to keep the government open. The criticized provisions were mostly part of the omnibus bill, not the COVID-19 relief package.
Host Brian Kilmeade asked Graham if he was disappointed with how the vote turned out.
"So the bottom line is they wanted $3 trillion for the pandemic last year, we wound up with $900 billion," Graham said, referring to congressional Democrats' demands for more spending. "You could've gotten this package in July, Mitch McConnell is right about that. They refused to even talk to us before the election because they thought a relief package would help President Trump."
"If you think this bill is bad, lose Georgia and see what happens," Graham said ominously, referring to the state's upcoming runoff elections for U.S. Senate.
Those Senate races will determine which party has control of the U.S. Senate — for Republicans their only hope to thwart President-elect Joe Biden's agenda and for Democrats their chance to advance long-sought after policies like repealing President Donald Trump's tax cuts and expanding Obamacare.
Graham went on to praise other provisions of the omnibus bill, including military spending and funding for the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
"The foreign aid budget is 1 percent of all American spending," Graham said, responding to critics of foreign aid. He went on to defend the provisions related to Pakistan, which included $15 million toward "democracy programs" and $10 million distributed to "gender programs."
"Pakistan is a place I really worry about. Eighty-five countries a woman can't open up a bank account without her husband's signature, she can't inherit property. If you're a young girl in Pakistan life is pretty tough, so we're trying to make life better for women throughout the world," Graham said.
"One percent of all federal spending is foreign assistance, China is everywhere. We've got to compete," he added.
As for the coronavirus relief, Graham asserted that the $600 stimulus checks assigned to every American will be a boon after months of economic hardship inflicted by state coronavirus restrictions.
"I like the COVID package in the sense that it is targeted. If you're a family of four you get $2,400 bucks out there. If you're about to lose your small business, you can get another round of PPP loan. And there's $38 billion to get the vaccine in a place near you so you can actually take it," Graham said.
To those still skeptical, he encouraged them to vote.
"So this is sausage-making, but the Democrats have a say," Graham said. "They run the House. And if they ever get the House, the Senate, and the White House it will be a financial disaster for this country, so vote in Georgia."


theblaze--2020-12-22--Dr. Deborah Birx announces she will retire, cites backlash against her family following hypocritical

Dr. Deborah Birx announces she will retire, cites backlash against her family following hypocritical Thanksgiving trip

Dr. Deborah Birx announces she will retire , cites backlash against her family following hypocritical Thanksgiving trip 'It 's been @ @ @ @ @ '

Dr. Deborah Birx, one of the nation's leading public health experts and a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, has announced her intent to retire.
What are the details?
Birx — who came under fire this week after it was revealed she flouted her own health guidance by traveling to Delaware over Thanksgiving weekend with three generations of her family from two separate households — said that the subsequent treatment of her family was a contributing factor in her decision.
In an interview with Newsy's Amber Strong on Tuesday, the 64-year-old Birx said she would assist the incoming Biden administration if they requested, but then after that she would retire.
"I want the Biden administration to be successful," she said. "I've worked since 1980 in the federal government, first through the military, then through [the Department of Health and Human Services], and then detailed to the State Department and detailed here, where I hope I was helpful. I will be helpful in any role people think I can be helpful in, and then I will retire."
According to the Washington Examiner, Birx then commented on her infamous Thanksgiving trip, insisting that the purpose of the gathering was not to celebrate the holiday though acknowledging that the family members did enjoy a meal together.
"I have to say this experience has been a bit overwhelming," Birx said. "It's been very difficult on my family. I think what was done in the last week to my family, you know, they didn't choose this for me.
"You know, they've tried to be supportive, but to drag my family into this, when my daughter hasn't left that house in 10 months, my parents have been isolated for 10 months, they've become deeply depressed, as I'm sure many elderly have as they've not been able to see sons, their granddaughters. My parents haven't seen their surviving son for over a year," she added. "These are all very difficult things."
What else?
The backlash over Birx's gathering would not have been so strong if it weren't for the fact that she publicly urged Americans not to do the very thing she would go on to do. Hypocrisy from political leaders regarding coronavirus restrictions has been a major cause of the overall frustration.
On Nov. 20, in an interview with CNN, where she warned Americans to "be vigilant" ahead of the holiday and limit gatherings to "your immediate household."
Then after the holiday passed, Birx insisted that those who ignored advice and gathered during Thanksgiving should assume they are infected and avoid elderly friends and family.
"We know people may have made mistakes over the Thanksgiving time period," Birx said. "If you're young and you gathered, you need to be tested about five to 10 days later. But you need to assume that you're infected and not go near your grandparents and aunts and others without a mask."


theblaze--2020-12-22--University's media office hops aboard Jill Biden woke train, will call all doctorate holders 'doctor

University's media office hops aboard Jill Biden woke train, will call all doctorate holders 'doctor' — in name of 'equity, diversity, and inclusion'

University 's media office hops aboard Jill Biden woke train , will call all doctorate holders 'doctor ' — in @ @ @ @ @ , and inclusion '

Following left-wing outrage over an op-ed writer who dared suggest that Jill Biden — who is not a medical doctor but is the wife of President-elect Joe Biden — should drop her beloved "Dr." title, a Canadian college's media relations department has revamped its editorial policy and now will bestow the title upon all doctorate holders regardless of discipline.
What's the background?
Author Joseph Epstein argued in his piece for the Wall Street Journal that Biden shouldn't use the "Dr." title because her doctorate is neither in medicine nor science but in education.
His op-ed — "Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D." — noted:
Madame First Lady—Mrs. Biden—Jill—kiddo: a bit of advice on what may seem like a small but I think is a not unimportant matter. Any chance you might drop the "Dr." before your name? "Dr. Jill Biden" sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic. Your degree is, I believe, an Ed.D., a doctor of education, earned at the University of Delaware through a dissertation with the unpromising title "Student Retention at the Community College Level: Meeting Students' Needs." A wise man once said that no one should call himself "Dr." unless he has delivered a child. Think about it, Dr. Jill, and forthwith drop the doc.
Left-wing howls followed. News anchors were aghast. Pundits were perturbed. Social media movers and shakers demanded Epstein's head on platter.
And that kinda happened, as Northwestern University — where Epstein had lectured — canceled its associations with him for the grave misdeed and called his op-ed "misogynistic."
Is it getting chilly in here, or is just me?
Right after Epstein's op-ed ran, a University of British Columbia math professor posted the following tweet:
A few days later, the school's media relations department changed its policy regarding the "doctor" title. Here's more from its news release:
Until recently, the response from UBC Media Relations was that, as a general rule, we follow Canadian Press (CP) style for our press releases and media materials. In CP style, the professional title "Dr." is used only for licensed health care professionals, such as physicians, dentists and veterinarians. We follow CP style so that the stories we write are consistent with the style used by hundreds of media outlets across Canada.
At UBC Media Relations, we have a great deal of respect for members of our academic community who have demonstrated the ability and perseverance needed to obtain a doctoral degree, the highest level of academic credential.
UBC also strives to be a community in which equity is embedded in all areas of academic, work and campus life. As such, it is imperative that UBC press releases and media materials are reflective of the university's ongoing commitment to fostering equity, diversity and inclusion in our community. Just as UBC Media Relations recently updated our style guide to recognize our faculty members' preferred pronouns, so too will we now also recognize their academic titles.
The department now will use the "Dr." title "in front of the names of any faculty, staff member, or postdoctoral scholar who has been awarded a doctoral degree from the University of British Columbia or other post-secondary institutions"; the "Dr." title will be used in first and all succeeding references; the department will defer to individuals who desire a different designation, the news release added.
(H/T: The College Fix)


theblaze--2020-12-22--Despite COVID-19 restrictions, 500 Missouri church volunteers find way to pack more than 40,000 meal

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, 500 Missouri church volunteers find way to pack more than 40,000 meals during Sunday's morning services

Despite COVID-19 restrictions , 500 Missouri church volunteers find way to pack more than 40,000 meals during Sunday 's morning @

They were not going to let a pandemic get in the way of providing for the less fortunate — especially during the Christmas season.
That's what was going through the hearts of some 500 volunteers at a church in Joplin, Missouri, over the weekend.
What did they do?
Members of Hope City Church gathered for a different style of worship service Sunday morning, the Christian Post reported. Instead of the usual time of music, prayer, and sermons, the church's entire morning services — at 9:45 and 11:15 a.m. — were reserved for packing meals for a local charity.
Lead Pastor Cody Walker told the Post that the teams of hundreds packed 40,218 meals for Watered Gardens Ministries, an organization the church has worked with for years now.
What about the pandemic? Walker said they took the appropriate precautions, knowing that it would take extra effort to complete their mission.
"We had about 525 individuals pack the meals. Everyone was required to wear a mask, hair net, and gloves," the pastor told the Post. "Every volunteer was stationed with a small team of about 10 in a specific spot while they packed the meals."
It was worth the effort because the church was focused on the desire to "give our people an opportunity this season to impact our local community."
"In a season where it can be easy to give our attention and focus to things, we wanted to focus on people. Instead of having a typical worship gathering, we spent most of our time packing meals that will help feed hungry families," Walker said. "We know everyone needs two things: food and hope. We hope these meals will be able to provide both for people who need to know they are not forgotten or alone. Our people at Hope City know we are all in the same boat and serving others is at the heart of the Gospel."
Watered Gardens Ministries told the Post that Hope City Church filling an ongoing need for an item that runs out regularly and shared that the meals will be passed out at their Mission Market and their Outreach Center.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Family of murdered Maryland father gets Christmas surprise from police, pays it forward to community

Family of murdered Maryland father gets Christmas surprise from police, pays it forward to community to honor his legacy

Family of murdered Maryland father gets Christmas surprise from police , pays it forward to community to honor his legacy @ @ @ @ @ Smith was murdered in his home in January .
Now , his wife is supporting @ @ @ @ @ drive in his name .

Police in Maryland put together a Christmas surprise for a family suffering from loss this holiday season, and the grateful family is paying it forward.
Almost one year ago, evil men stole the life of father of three Billy Owens Smith, murdering him in his own home. This year, his family will celebrate their first Christmas without him.
On Jan. 17, Smith, a 41-year-old youth coach, was stabbed to death by three masked men as his son watched in horror, WUSA-TV reports. Police have since arrested and charged three individuals with his murder, but justice alone hasn't eased the pain experienced by the Smith family.
"He was such a blessing to others," Billy's wife, Kristina Smith, said. "I feel like I just need to keep his memory alive and let the world know what a good person he was and what was taken from us."
Christmas traditions are just not the same this year as the three Smith children lost their father. Every year, Billy would buy candy canes to decorate the Christmas tree and would hoist up one of his children to place the star upon it. This year 10-year-old Layla, the family's youngest daughter, topped the tree by herself.
"Trying to do those things to help keep his memory alive has helped us, but it is hard," Kristina said. "This was his favorite time of year."
But on Saturday, Greenbelt, Maryland, police surprised the Smith family to give them some Christmas cheer. When Layla answered a knock on the front door, she found Santa Claus had come with some officers bearing gifts.
"She's 10 and it just made her day, and seeing her happy and excited made me happy, because her happiness is really how it gets me through from day to day," Kristina said.
She told WUSA that her late husband would use the holidays as an opportunity to give back to the community, and she wants to continue his legacy this year.
Kristina, a first grade teacher at Cherokee Lane Elementary School, worked alongside the school to set up a donation drive in December, collecting money, clothing, and food to share with families in need.
"It's helping me deal with the grief and it's also helping families at my school that really could use the extra love and help, because it's been tough with COVID," Kristina said. "The neighborhood my school was in has been pretty hard hit, and families are struggling."
So far they've raised $3,000 and are still collecting donations. According to WUSA, the donation drive will set up a "store" where 24 families who signed up to "shop" will be given the money collected to purchase items they need.
"So many people have given me so much support and my kids so much support, so I feel like it's just my way of paying it forward, because that's what he would want us to do," Kristina said.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Democratic leader dumps cold water on Buffalo Bills fans, reporters: 'Get your priorities straight'

Democratic leader dumps cold water on Buffalo Bills fans, reporters: 'Get your priorities straight' amid the pandemic

Democratic leader dumps cold water on Buffalo Bills fans , reporters : 'Get your priorities straight ' amid the pandemic

On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills put an absolute beatdown on the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium to clinch the AFC East Division title for the first time in a quarter-century. Upon returning home, the team was greeted by a sea of raucous fans at the airport celebrating the achievement.
Fans in the thousands bundled up and stood in the freezing cold to await the team's arrival and let them know how much they meant to the community. The scene quickly garnered national attention and, frankly, served as a feel-good story for the whole country.
But on Monday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, a Democrat, decided to dump a big old bucket of ice water on the party.
During a press conference, after reporters evidently asked Poloncarz one too many questions about the Bills — and whether or not fans would be allowed in the stadium for upcoming playoff games — the disgruntled politician shot back with a sharp message: "Get your priorities straight."
"If we can get fans in the stadium, great, but our priority should be on reducing the number of cases and deaths in our communities. I announced 60 people died unfortunately in the last few days and most of the questions have been about the Bills," snapped Poloncarz, who announced at that point that he would not take any more questions about the team, according to WGRZ-TV.
Earlier in the conference, the county executive reportedly expressed disappointment over the fact that so many people chose to gather without properly socially distancing themselves amid a pandemic.
"If somebody in that crowd was sick and they passed it on to other individuals and only increased our rates, they're only hurting our opportunity to be able to actually put people in the stands. And what would happen if [star quarterback] Josh Allen got COVID?" he said, obviously frustrated.
While Poloncarz's point is not totally unfounded, he failed to see that in a season of grief, the Bills have supplied the community with something positive to rally around. By scolding fans and reporters for celebrating, he likely won't win any more supporters, especially in a county obsessed with its football team.
To make matters worse, Poloncarz, though not totally rejecting the notion, expressed doubt about the possibility that fans would be allowed in the stadium this postseason, noting that the positive COVID-19 test rate is higher in the county now than it was before the season began.
His remarks came after Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo seemed to open the door to the possibility. To the ire of Bills fans, Cuomo has barred fans from the stadium all season, but now he apparently wants to attend a game himself. Ultimately, the decision will be made by New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Democrat who lost Iowa congressional race by 6 votes asks Congress to throw out the certified result

Democrat who lost Iowa congressional race by 6 votes asks Congress to throw out the certified results of the election

Maybe you've heard this one before.
The loser of a close 2020 election is asking the House of Representatives to throw out certified election results and name the conquered candidate the victor.
No, this time it's not President Donald Trump (or one of his allies) — it's the loser of the extremely close election in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.
When Trump and his team have made similar requests of the House or the legislatures of various states to overrule the certified Electoral College results, they have been roundly mocked and criticized by political opponents.
Now failed Iowa Democratic House candidate Rita Hart is making life difficult for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and other Democrats in Congress.
What's going on?
Hart famously lost her race to Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks by just six votes — 196,964 to 196,958.
Hart's team has repeatedly claimed that the election was essentially stolen by Miller-Meeks who somehow was able to prevent some votes from being counted.
Hart campaign manager Zach Meunier alleged late last month that "the Miller-Meeks campaign has sought to keep legitimate votes from being counted — pushing to disqualify and limit the number of Iowans whose votes are counted," the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported.
And now Hart is following up on those allegations, not by taking the appropriate legal steps and making challenges in court, but instead by filling a Notice of Contest with the U.S. House of Representatives. Hart wants the body to intervene and throw out the results of the election, which were certified by the state on Nov. 30.
In an announcement posted to Twitter Tuesday morning, Hart said, "Today, I am officially asking the House to ensure every Iowan's voice is heard in #IA02. 22 ballots remain uncounted from Election Night & thousands of others that were never examined. We've got to count the votes & get this right."
The press release included in Hart's tweet claimed that the 22 "legally-cast, uncounted votes" would be enough to put her ahead by nine votes.
Hart's petition to the House, the Des Moines Register reported, calls for an investigation on two counts: first, on the alleged 22 legally cast but uncounted votes; second, that the recount boards in the district's 24 counties — which ultimately showed Miller-Meeks to have been the rightful winner — used irregular procedures.
The notice claims that Hart would have netted 15 votes had the allegedly wrongfully excluded 22 votes been included.
It also alleges "the recount itself failed to comply with Iowa law and the U.S. Constitution" because each county's recount board conducted its own recount and failed to do so consistently across the district.
According to Hart's complaint, Congress needs see that a "uniform recount" is conducted and must avoid "prematurely ending this contest" in a way that would "disenfranchise Iowa voters and award the congressional seat to the candidate who received fewer lawful votes."
"Federal law does not permit such an outcome," the notice states.
"Everyone has acknowledged that there are uncounted votes left and, after reviewing those ballots and making sure they are counted, it will be clear that I have won this election," Hart said, according to the Register. "It is crucial to me to make sure that this bipartisan review by the U.S. House is fair. Iowans deserve to know that the candidate who earned the most votes is seated."
"I am that candidate," she claimed.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Van Morrison: 'Those who are shutting down our economy haven't missed a paycheck'

Van Morrison : 'Those who are shutting down our economy have n't missed a paycheck' Legendary vocalist 's latest anti-lockdown @ @ @ @ @ venom from those who usually sing his praises — the left

Iconic singer Van Morrison is known the world over for his instantly recognizable stellar vocals. And those among his biggest fans — in this case those who lean left politically — know something else about the veteran crooner: He has an attitude and doesn't scare easily.
So it's quite a thing to witness Morrison rip into coronavirus lockdowns, then watch leftists castigate Morrison's stance — then see the singer come back for more.
What's the background?
Morrison and fellow music superstar Eric Clapton have made a number of headlines over anti-lockdown songs. Back in September, a health minister in Northern Ireland labeled Morrison's anti-lockdown songs "dangerous." Morrison's tunes "Born to Be Free," "As I Walked Out," and "No More Lockdown" reportedly target the U.K. government for using COVID-19 lockdowns to "enslave" the people.
Clapton noted late last month that he and Morrison were releasing a new anti-lockdown song, "Stand and Deliver" — penned by Morrison and recorded by Clapton — and the guitarist took a lot of grief from the left over it.
But despite the ever-looming specter of cancel culture , Morrison just won't shut up.
On Monday the singer took to Twitter to blast politicians who suffer no economic hardships due to coronavirus lockdowns since they always stay employed as long as they're in office:
"Remember, those who are shutting down our economy haven't missed a paycheck since lockdown began," Morrison tweeted to his nearly 66,000 followers before adding a mocking zinger. "We are not in this together."
Earlier Monday he also tweeted, "10 months on and the @niexecutive still hasn't presented the science for the Northern Ireland lockdown."
How did folks react?
While it appears that the majority of fans lauded Morrison's stance ("You're spot on Van," one commenter replied. "We can't stand for this anymore."), others — whose ultimate loyalties are to their leftist causes — blasted Morrison:
"You're dead to me," one user wrote.
"From he who hath not had to worry about pay checks for decades!" another commenter said.
"I am a massive fan, but you're testing me with this bulls**t, you're in the wrong side of this argument, and you much like the people you refer to are not worried about a paycheck either, whilst huge numbers of people worry about nothing else," another user noted.
Far-left singer-songwriter David Crosby predictably skewered both Morrison and Clapton for their anti-lockdown stance:
Specifically regarding Morrison, Crosby added the following:
The media also is in lockstep against what the Morrison/Clapton collaboration hath wrought, as Consequence of Sound titled its piece, "Eric Clapton and Van Morrison Share Awful Anti-Lockdown Song 'Stand and Deliver'"; Variety said, "Van Morrison and Eric Clapton Strike the Wrong Note About COVID-19," and the Los Angeles Times took it a step further: "Eric Clapton's anti-lockdown protest song by Van Morrison is totally worth protesting."
Here's "Stand and Deliver":
Stand and Deliver by Eric Clapton - Music from The state51 Conspiracy youtu.be
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-12-22--Rep. Mo Brooks and a handful of House Republicans meet at White House to discuss plan to challenge E

Rep. Mo Brooks and a handful of House Republicans meet at White House to discuss plan to challenge Electoral College results

Rep. Mo Brooks and a handful of House Republicans meet at White House to discuss plan to challenge Electoral College @ @ @ @ @ the official certification of the Electoral College vote , but almost certainly wo n't overturn @ @

Conservative Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives led by Rep. Mo Brooks (Ala.) met with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at the White House Monday to discuss a long-shot, all-but-certain-to-fail effort to object to the Electoral College results before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated.
The plan is to have several GOP members of the U.S. House and an unknown number of Republican senators object when Congress moves to officially certify the Electoral College votes from several contested battleground states where the Trump campaign's legal team and its allies have made allegations of election irregularities. Should a senator join these representatives from the House, their objection would trigger several hours of debate in a joint session of Congress that could delay — but is highly unlikely to stop — the certification of the results on Jan. 6.
"I believe we have multiple senators and the question is not if but how many," Brooks told CNN, adding that the Republicans on board with the effort will challenge the results in at least six states and will prepare "as many as 72" five-minute speeches to deliver throughout the day.
Republican leadership in the Senate is opposed to the effort. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told his colleagues on a conference call that objecting to the Electoral College results would lead to a "terrible vote" where several Republican senators would have to choose between voting with Trump to overturn the election or against the certified election results of several states. The No. 2 Senate Republican, John Thune (S.D.), also spoke to CNN and said the effort would be futile.
"I think the thing they got to remember is, it's not going anywhere. I mean in the Senate, it would go down like a shot dog. I just don't think it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is going to be," he said.
Despite the opposition from Senate leadership, Brooks said a double-digit number of representatives attended the meeting at the White House. GOP leadership in the House has so far not commented publicly on the matter, and Brooks told CNN no one, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), has attempted to dissuade him from challenging the election. Lawmakers reported to be involved in the plan include conservative Reps. Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Jody Hice (Ga.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), and Louie Gohmert (Texas).
In the Senate, incoming Senator-elect Tommy Tuberville (R) has made public comments appearing to endorse the election challenge and signaling his intention to be involved. CNN reported that Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have not ruled out participating. Only one senator needs to join House Republicans to object to a state's Electoral College results.
"In a general sense, how it looks like we're headed, it looks like we're gonna have valid objections filed to the number of states on Jan. 6," Brooks said. "And we'll probably know sometime on Jan. 7, after all the speeches and votes have taken place, what the Electoral College returns are."
Even if these Republicans successfully challenge the results of one or several states, it would take a majority vote of Congress to reject the results after up to 12 hours of debate. But no such majority exists. Most Republicans do not have the political will to overturn the election and deny Joe Biden the presidency.


theblaze--2020-12-22--Ilhan Omar digs at fellow 'Squad' member AOC, says it's 'shameful' for lawmakers to receive vaccine

Ilhan Omar digs at fellow 'Squad' member AOC, says it's 'shameful' for lawmakers to receive vaccine before frontline workers

Ilhan Omar digs at fellow 'Squad ' member AOC , says it 's 'shameful ' for lawmakers to receive vaccine @ @ @ @ @ a rift in 'the Squad ? '

Two members of the progressive congressional group dubbed "the Squad" appear to be at odds over whether lawmakers should be first in line to receive the new coronavirus vaccine.
In a tweet Sunday, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), whose father reportedly died from complications with the virus, called it "shameful" that some political leaders are receiving the vaccine before frontline workers.
In response to a question posted on Twitter about why political leaders were being offered the opportunity before others, the lawmaker acknowledged, "It would makes sense if it was [based on] age, but unfortunately it's [based on] importance and its shameful."
"We are not more important then [sic] frontline workers, teachers etc. who are making sacrifices everyday. Which is why I won't take it," she added. "People who need it most, should get it. Full stop."
The message was clearly intended to rebuke colleagues who opted to have the vaccine administered even as millions of other Americans will need to wait until there is more supply.
While it's not totally clear if Omar meant to call out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), her comments on Twitter specifically pertain to the actions of her fellow progressive lawmaker. Over the weekend, the 31-year-old New York representative recorded herself receiving the vaccine live on Instagram.
"I would would never, ever ask you to do something I wasn't willing to do myself," Ocasio-Cortez wrote in the caption to the post. "Yesterday, in accordance with national security protocols, Congress began to get vaccinated. I documented the entire process and am here to answer all of your questions to help you feel as comfortable as possible with your healthcare decisions."
Omar is not the only political leader to abstain from receiving the vaccine in protest.
Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) also voiced her concern over the vaccine distribution, ripping the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for prioritizing young healthy individuals over the elderly.
"Heartless, arrogant, unelected CDC bureaucrats have decided that the lives of elderly Americans don't count," Gabbard tweeted. "They're recommending 100 million 'essential workers' (i.e. healthy people working at liquor stores or phone companies) can get the vaccine before our grandparents."
"This is immoral and bad health policy," she continued., "I had planned to get the vaccine but will now stand in solidarity with our seniors by not doing so until THEY can. I urge my colleagues who are under 65 and healthy to join me."


theblaze--2020-12-22--Pakistani 'gender programs,' horse-racing integrity, climate monitoring in Tibet: Just a few of the

Pakistani 'gender programs,' horse-racing integrity, climate monitoring in Tibet: Just a few of the ridiculous things thrown into the COVID relief omnibus package

Pakistani 'gender programs , ' horse-racing integrity , climate monitoring in Tibet : Just a few of the ridiculous things @ @ @ @ @ omnibus package Prepare to be very disappointed in your government

On Monday, Congress passed a long-awaited $900 billion coronavirus relief bill as a part of a $2.3 trillion omnibus spending package to fund the the government through next September, and as you might expect, the behemoth piece of legislation included far more than just stimulus checks and pay for government workers.
In fairness to the nation's lawmakers, they were only granted a handful of hours to review the more than 5,000-page document before they were expected to vote for its passage. It's doubtful that anyone outside congressional leadership read it, but nevertheless it received overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats in both chambers.
Now that the legislation has been approved, details about what exactly is in it have started to trickle out — and, needless to say, it's not pretty.
What are the details?
Included in the bill are millions of dollars to fund "gender programs" in Pakistan, fund new cars for federal HIV/AIDS workers, and establish a Climate Security Advisory Council, according to Grabien Media founder Tom Elliott, who posted a lengthy Twitter thread with snapshots of the document Monday night.
Money is even set aside to fund an investigation of the "1908 Springfield Race Riot" and enforce horse-racing integrity.
Evidently, lawmakers thought it unacceptable not to provide funding for a museum to celebrate "the life, art, history, and culture of women." Oh and they also made sure to appropriate funding for programs to discourage teenagers from drinking under age and engaging in unsafe sex.
Townhall reporter Beth Baumann even discovered a section of the bill where millions of dollars are set aside to monitor the climate change taking place in Tibet.
What else?
In a blistering speech on the Senate floor, Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) denounced the bill and called out the so-called conservatives who abandoned their "soul" and their "fiscal integrity" to vote for it.
"If free money was the answer ... if money really did grow on trees, why not give more free money? Why not give it out all the time?" the senator asked.
"Why stop at $600 a person? Why not $1,000? Why not $2,000?" he said in reference to the forthcoming stimulus checks set to be distributed to every American. "Maybe these new Free-Money Republicans should join the Everybody-Gets-A-Guaranteed-Income Caucus? Why not $20,000 a year for everybody, why not $30,000? If we can print out money with impunity, why not do it?"
The legislation passed in the Senate by a vote of 91-6. Five Republicans — Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Mike Lee (Utah), and Ron Johnson (Wis.) — joined Paul to vote against the bill. Prior to that, the bill passed in the House by a vote of 359-53, with only 53 members — 50 Republicans, 2 Democrats, and 1 independent — disapproving.