lewrockwell--2020-10-05--Cops Are Requesting Data From People’s Smart Speakers at an Alarming Rate

Remember all those conspiracy theorists and Luddites who told you they didn ’ t want Echo or Alexa devices in their home because those gadgets were spying on them ?
Well , they were right .
That ’ s not even up for debate .
If you were one of those friends who mocked them and called them crazy , you were wrong .
Just admit it .
If you are bewildered by what you just read , please , read on .
Nearly ten years ago , writers like Brandon Turbeville and others were warning that “ smart technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” were being developed for surveillance and manipulation purposes .
( Despite the companies ’ claims of greater convenience . )
We ’ ve been in a virtual dragnet for years .
Too Smart : How Digital ... Sadowski , Jathan Best Price : $ 12.75 Buy New $ 15.16 Those devices and technologies are ubiquitous and are being used to soak up data , private and personal conversations , interactions , and even movement .
All of this openly discussed in mainstream outlets .
Lately , this website has reported on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracker , and other “ smart ” technology .
We ’ ve even talked about how we all have “ surveillance scores.
“ Take a look at WIRED ’ s article by Sidney Fussell , “ Meet the Star Witness : Your Smart Speaker.
” In this article , Fussell details a murder case in which an Amazon Echo device was presented as evidence .
In July 2019 , police rushed to the home of 32-year-old Silvia Galva .
Galva ’ s friend , also in the home , called 911 , claiming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her boyfriend , 43-year-old Adam Crespo .
The two lived together in Hallandale Beach , Florida , about 20 miles from Miami .
When officers arrived , Galva was dead , impaled through her chest by the 12-inch blade at the sharp end of a bedpost .
Police believe Crespo tried to drag Galva from their bed .
She held onto the bedpost to resist , but the sharp end snapped , somehow killing her .
Police charged Crespo with second-degree murder .
He pleaded not guilty and was released on $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the months since the arrest , Crespo ’ s lawyer has presented a surprising piece of evidence in his defense : recordings from a pair of Amazon Echo speakers .
“ I had a lot of interviews where people said , ‘ Oh , are you aware that this could be the first time Alexa recordings are going to be used to convict somebody of murder ?
’ ” says Christopher O ’ Toole , Crespo ’ s lawyer .
“ And I actually thought of it the opposite way , that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexa recording is used to exonerate somebody and show that they ’ re innocent.
” When police and prosecutors collect smart home or speaker data , it ’ s typically used as evidence against suspects .
The Hallandale Beach Police Department filed a subpoena for Crespo ’ s speakers , as they may have picked up audio of the argument Galva ’ s friend overheard .
Weapons of Math Destru ... O'Neil , Cathy Best Price : $ 8.97 Buy New $ 10.59 The incident shows the growing role of smart home devices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , police in Bentonville , Arkansas , requested Amazon Echo data in connection with a man ’ s death , believed to be the first such request .
Amazon initially tried to block the request , but later handed over the data .
A murder charge against the defendant was later dropped , but the speaker , smart home , and wearable data has figured into multiple cases since then .
Requests for smart and wearable data has increased rapidly .
Earlier this month , Amazon said it had received more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first half of this year , and complied almost 2,000 times .
That was a 72 percent increase in requests from the same period in 2016 , when Amazon first disclosed the data , and a 24 percent jump in the past year alone .
Amazon doesn ’ t provide granular data on what police are seeking , but Douglas Orr , head of the criminal justice department at the University of North Georgia , says police now look for smart home data as routinely as data from smartphones .
Data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other devices , which they then probe as the investigation continues .
By amending a search warrant , police can “ keep going to keep collecting data , ” Orr says .
“ That usually leads to an Echo or at least some other device.
” As Orr explains , officers are getting more savvy about smart home devices , creating templates that simplify requesting data .
Police departments often share these templates , he says , tailoring requests for the specifics of the case they ’ re investigating .
Google ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data from its smart speakers through 2018 .
Google then stopped reporting Nest data separately , including such requests in its broader corporate transparency report , which shows increased requests for Google user data .
The Age of Surveillanc ... Zuboff , Shoshana Best Price : $ 18.59 Buy New $ 19.06 In their terms of service , most major apps and websites include a clause warning users that companies may hand over their data if requested by the government .
Law enforcement agencies file subpoenas or search warrants for data , detailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find on the devices and how it may serve the investigation .
Amazon and Google both notify users of a request for data unless the order itself forbids it .
Any number of entities can request user data , but the companies say they prioritize requests based on urgency .
“ Things like Homeland Security , they ’ re going to take high priority , ” explains Lee Whitfield , a forensic analyst .
“ Other law enforcement requests will come in under that .
And then things like divorce cases or civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In an emailed statement , an Amazon spokesperson said the company “ objects to overbroad or otherwise inappropriate demands ” from law enforcement and referred WIRED to its policy on government requests .
A Google spokesperson also referred WIRED to its updated policy on requests .
Forensic experts tell WIRED that information from the devices is valued because it can offer a timeline of a person ’ s activities , their location , if they ’ re alone , and can verify statements made during questioning .
Orr has studied the types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speakers like the Amazon Echo .
“ Voice clips are only the beginning , ” he says .
Speakers keep time-stamped logs of user activity .
Police can examine these logs to get a sense of what someone was doing around the time of an alleged crime .
Fussell then provides another example of how these devices are used by law enforcement .
Consider a potential suspect who can ’ t prove where they were at 11 pm on a Thursday , because they live alone .
Something as simple as ordering pizza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and location of the request and , if voice recognition is enabled , who made the request .
“ It might be benign information that someone was ordering a pizza , but it might also be an alibi for somebody , ” Orr says .
Ten Arguments for Dele ... Lanier , Jaron Best Price : $ 24.88 Buy New $ 13.00 Police increasingly rely on wearables and smart devices to verify the claims people make during an investigation .
Sometimes , the tools can reveal a lie .
Heather Mahalik , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which a man killed his wife , then tried to impersonate her .
The husband sent texts and Facebook messages from his wife ’ s phone in an attempt to blur the timeline of her disappearance .
While the woman ’ s phone activity continued , her Apple Watch showed a sudden drop in heart rate activity that the husband claimed was due to a dead battery .
Activity on the man ’ s phone synced perfectly with when he used the wife ’ s phone to post to Facebook .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the husband picked it up to post , with timestamps matching his activity to the use of the wife ’ s phone .
“ We were able to tell from his device that he would pick up the phone , take 18 steps , and it corresponded with the time he posted a Facebook post , ” Mahalik says .
Connecting information from multiple devices is a common practice , analysts say .
Information on one device can suggest evidence on another .
This ability to string together discoveries leads to what another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forensics .
“ They ask for something , the investigation moves along , they find something else interesting , and then they request the next thing , ” says Whitfield , the forensic analyst .
O ’ Toole , Crespo ’ s lawyer , says police subpoenaed Crespo ’ s social media accounts right away , then requested his voice recordings about four weeks later .
Officers wrote in the search warrant that the speaker data may include “ audio recordings capturing the attack on victim Silvia Crespo.
” O ’ Toole says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recordings in his client ’ s favor .
Via email , a spokesperson for Hallandale Beach Police confirmed the case was still active but did not provide further comment .
O ’ Toole says smart speaker recordings are part of several cases he ’ s working on , including a divorce in which a woman subpoenaed data from a smart speaker that may have picked up the sounds of her husband with another woman.. Whitfield says police are becoming more savvy about the information in the smart speakers ’ activity logs .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a household with multiple residents .
Officers identified a suspect after seizing data from a smart speaker .
Its log not only listed recent queries related to drugs but identified who spoke them .
Google and Amazon speakers let users create profiles so the devices recognize their individual voices .
This information helped police identify the suspect .
“ I just don ’ t see this going away , ” Whitfield says .
“ I think this is going to be more and more prolific as time goes on.
” Reprinted with @ @ @ @ @ @

Remember all those conspiracy theorists and Luddites who told you they didn’t want Echo or Alexa devices in their home because those gadgets were spying on them? Well, they were right. That’s not even up for debate.
If you were one of those friends who mocked them and called them crazy, you were wrong. Just admit it.
If you are bewildered by what you just read, please, read on.
Nearly ten years ago, writers like Brandon Turbeville and others were warning that “smart technology” and the “internet of things” were being developed for surveillance and manipulation purposes. (Despite the companies’ claims of greater convenience.) We’ve been in a virtual dragnet for years. Too Smart: How Digital... Sadowski, Jathan Best Price: $12.75 Buy New $15.16 (as of 05:01 UTC - Details)
Those devices and technologies are ubiquitous and are being used to soak up data, private and personal conversations, interactions, and even movement. All of this openly discussed in mainstream outlets. Lately, this website has reported on the Nest, your phone’s location tracker, and other “smart” technology. We’ve even talked about how we all have “surveillance scores.“
Take a look at WIRED’s article by Sidney Fussell, “Meet the Star Witness: Your Smart Speaker.” In this article, Fussell details a murder case in which an Amazon Echo device was presented as evidence.
He writes,
In July 2019, police rushed to the home of 32-year-old Silvia Galva. Galva’s friend, also in the home, called 911, claiming she overheard a violent argument between Galva and her boyfriend, 43-year-old Adam Crespo. The two lived together in Hallandale Beach, Florida, about 20 miles from Miami. When officers arrived, Galva was dead, impaled through her chest by the 12-inch blade at the sharp end of a bedpost. Police believe Crespo tried to drag Galva from their bed. She held onto the bedpost to resist, but the sharp end snapped, somehow killing her. Police charged Crespo with second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty and was released on $65,000 bail, awaiting trial. In the months since the arrest, Crespo’s lawyer has presented a surprising piece of evidence in his defense: recordings from a pair of Amazon Echo speakers. “I had a lot of interviews where people said, ‘Oh, are you aware that this could be the first time Alexa recordings are going to be used to convict somebody of murder?’” says Christopher O’Toole, Crespo’s lawyer. “And I actually thought of it the opposite way, that this could be the first time an Amazon Alexa recording is used to exonerate somebody and show that they’re innocent.” When police and prosecutors collect smart home or speaker data, it’s typically used as evidence against suspects. The Hallandale Beach Police Department filed a subpoena for Crespo’s speakers, as they may have picked up audio of the argument Galva’s friend overheard. Weapons of Math Destru... O'Neil, Cathy Best Price: $8.97 Buy New $10.59 (as of 05:01 UTC - Details) The incident shows the growing role of smart home devices and wearables in police investigations. In 2016, police in Bentonville, Arkansas, requested Amazon Echo data in connection with a man’s death, believed to be the first such request. Amazon initially tried to block the request, but later handed over the data. A murder charge against the defendant was later dropped, but the speaker, smart home, and wearable data has figured into multiple cases since then.
Requests for smart and wearable data has increased rapidly.
Fussell continues,
Earlier this month, Amazon said it had received more than 3,000 requests from police for user data in the first half of this year, and complied almost 2,000 times. That was a 72 percent increase in requests from the same period in 2016, when Amazon first disclosed the data, and a 24 percent jump in the past year alone. Amazon doesn’t provide granular data on what police are seeking, but Douglas Orr, head of the criminal justice department at the University of North Georgia, says police now look for smart home data as routinely as data from smartphones. Data on a smartphone often points officers towards other devices, which they then probe as the investigation continues. By amending a search warrant, police can “keep going to keep collecting data,” Orr says. “That usually leads to an Echo or at least some other device.” As Orr explains, officers are getting more savvy about smart home devices, creating templates that simplify requesting data. Police departments often share these templates, he says, tailoring requests for the specifics of the case they’re investigating. Google’s Nest unit reported increasing police demands for data from its smart speakers through 2018. Google then stopped reporting Nest data separately, including such requests in its broader corporate transparency report, which shows increased requests for Google user data. The Age of Surveillanc... Zuboff, Shoshana Best Price: $18.59 Buy New $19.06 (as of 03:11 UTC - Details) In their terms of service, most major apps and websites include a clause warning users that companies may hand over their data if requested by the government. Law enforcement agencies file subpoenas or search warrants for data, detailing to judges what evidence they expect to find on the devices and how it may serve the investigation. Amazon and Google both notify users of a request for data unless the order itself forbids it. Any number of entities can request user data, but the companies say they prioritize requests based on urgency. “Things like Homeland Security, they’re going to take high priority,” explains Lee Whitfield, a forensic analyst. “Other law enforcement requests will come in under that. And then things like divorce cases or civil cases, they have a lower ranking.” In an emailed statement, an Amazon spokesperson said the company “objects to overbroad or otherwise inappropriate demands” from law enforcement and referred WIRED to its policy on government requests. A Google spokesperson also referred WIRED to its updated policy on requests. Forensic experts tell WIRED that information from the devices is valued because it can offer a timeline of a person’s activities, their location, if they’re alone, and can verify statements made during questioning. . . . . .
Orr has studied the types of data police can pull from smart speakers like the Amazon Echo. “Voice clips are only the beginning,” he says. Speakers keep time-stamped logs of user activity. Police can examine these logs to get a sense of what someone was doing around the time of an alleged crime.
Fussell then provides another example of how these devices are used by law enforcement.
He writes,
Consider a potential suspect who can’t prove where they were at 11 pm on a Thursday, because they live alone. Something as simple as ordering pizza through a speaker would show the time and location of the request and, if voice recognition is enabled, who made the request. “It might be benign information that someone was ordering a pizza, but it might also be an alibi for somebody,” Orr says. Ten Arguments for Dele... Lanier, Jaron Best Price: $24.88 Buy New $13.00 (as of 05:01 UTC - Details) Police increasingly rely on wearables and smart devices to verify the claims people make during an investigation. Sometimes, the tools can reveal a lie. Heather Mahalik, a forensics instructor, recalls a Florida case in which a man killed his wife, then tried to impersonate her. The husband sent texts and Facebook messages from his wife’s phone in an attempt to blur the timeline of her disappearance. While the woman’s phone activity continued, her Apple Watch showed a sudden drop in heart rate activity that the husband claimed was due to a dead battery. Activity on the man’s phone synced perfectly with when he used the wife’s phone to post to Facebook. Her phone showed no activity except for when the husband picked it up to post, with timestamps matching his activity to the use of the wife’s phone. “We were able to tell from his device that he would pick up the phone, take 18 steps, and it corresponded with the time he posted a Facebook post,” Mahalik says. Connecting information from multiple devices is a common practice, analysts say. Information on one device can suggest evidence on another. This ability to string together discoveries leads to what another expert calls a phased approach to digital forensics. “They ask for something, the investigation moves along, they find something else interesting, and then they request the next thing,” says Whitfield, the forensic analyst. O’Toole, Crespo’s lawyer, says police subpoenaed Crespo’s social media accounts right away, then requested his voice recordings about four weeks later. Officers wrote in the search warrant that the speaker data may include “audio recordings capturing the attack on victim Silvia Crespo.” O’Toole says he intends to introduce the smart speaker recordings in his client’s favor. Via email, a spokesperson for Hallandale Beach Police confirmed the case was still active but did not provide further comment. O’Toole says smart speaker recordings are part of several cases he’s working on, including a divorce in which a woman subpoenaed data from a smart speaker that may have picked up the sounds of her husband with another woman..
Whitfield says police are becoming more savvy about the information in the smart speakers’ activity logs. He recalls a case where police found drugs in a household with multiple residents. Officers identified a suspect after seizing data from a smart speaker. Its log not only listed recent queries related to drugs but identified who spoke them. Google and Amazon speakers let users create profiles so the devices recognize their individual voices. This information helped police identify the suspect.
“I just don’t see this going away,” Whitfield says. “I think this is going to be more and more prolific as time goes on.”
Whitfield is right.
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper.


lewrockwell--2020-10-05--Your Life Under the Green New Deal

Your Life Under the Green New Deal

Green New Dealers would bring our country its knees – except that they would get more money , power and control .
Please , please , please , you must read this .
Locking our nation ’ s abundant coal , oil , natural gas and petroleum liquids in the ground would have far-reaching impacts that have ( deliberately ? )
received little media attention .
The GND would control and pummel the jobs , lives , living standards , savings , personal choices and ecological heritage of rural , poor , minority , elderly and working classes .
_____________ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dennis Andrew Best Price : $ 10.77 Buy New $ 9.95 “ Joe Biden doesn ’ t want to tell us whether he supports single-payer nationalized healthcare , packing the Supreme Court or eliminating the Senate filibuster , ” writes Paul Driessen .
“ However , he has been open and consistent about supporting the Green New Deal , which would completely replace America ’ s fossil fuels with “ clean , green ” electricity and biofuel energy by 2035.
” “ He and other GND proponents want us to believe this can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ecologically , sustainably and painlessly .
My article this week presents the facts about what this “ total energy and economic transformation ” would actually do .
It ’ s all pain for no gain .
”

Green New Dealers would bring our country its knees – except that they would get more money, power and control.
Please, please, please, you must read this.
Locking our nation’s abundant coal, oil, natural gas and petroleum liquids in the ground would have far-reaching impacts that have (deliberately?) received little media attention.
The GND would control and pummel the jobs, lives, living standards, savings, personal choices and ecological heritage of rural, poor, minority, elderly and working classes.
_____________
United Nation’s ... Ball, Dennis Andrew Best Price: $10.77 Buy New $9.95 (as of 04:44 UTC - Details) “Joe Biden doesn’t want to tell us whether he supports single-payer nationalized healthcare, packing the Supreme Court or eliminating the Senate filibuster,” writes Paul Driessen. “However, he has been open and consistent about supporting the Green New Deal, which would completely replace America’s fossil fuels with “clean, green” electricity and biofuel energy by 2035.”
“He and other GND proponents want us to believe this can be done quickly, easily, affordably, ecologically, sustainably and painlessly. My article this week presents the facts about what this “total energy and economic transformation” would actually do. It’s all pain for no gain.”
Read the Whole Article


lewrockwell--2020-10-05--We Are Being Lied to! Here’s How…

We Are Being Lied to! Here’s How…

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the novel coronavirus outbreak , we find ourselves facing many unanswered questions .
We find ourselves worse off in many ways , in comparison to when the outbreak just began , as we receive signals from public health officials and the media to prepare for another lockdown .
It appears we are approaching what could to be a perfect storm .
The US Presidential Elections , flu season , the arrival of the new experimental COVID vaccine and the prophesied ‘ second wave ’ of COVID .
The big news of the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and the First Lady have both tested positive for COVID .
The President has been hospitalized .
President Trump ’ s doctor said that Trump ’ s diagnosis was confirmed using the PCR test .
Just like virtually every other ‘ confirmed case ’ we hear reported .
Dancing Naked in the M ... Mullis , Kary Best Price : $ 5.52 Buy New $ 15.17 But was PCR really developed with the intention of diagnosing infectious diseases ?
Is PCR capable of diagnosing infectious diseases ?
How could a test developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnose a brand new disease found less than one year ago ?
In this report , we examine this questions in addition to reviewing video clips of multiple doctors weighing in on the subject including the biochemist Kary Mullis who invented PCR and won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for doing so has to say .
Why is understanding the test so important ?
Because it is the driving factor in the fear campaign that is being driven by the corrupt media and then used by the government to justify the restrictions imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must-see report that may change the perception of you , or of someone you may know , regarding the crisis .
Crooked : Man-Made Dise ... Forrest Maready Best Price : $ 21.53 Buy New $ 21.59 Good-Bye Germ Theory : ... Trebing , Dr. William P Best Price : $ 36.69 Buy New $ 14.00 What Really Makes You ... Parker , David Best Price : $ 35.77 Buy New $ 31.50

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the novel coronavirus outbreak, we find ourselves facing many unanswered questions.
We find ourselves worse off in many ways, in comparison to when the outbreak just began, as we receive signals from public health officials and the media to prepare for another lockdown.
It appears we are approaching what could to be a perfect storm. The US Presidential Elections, flu season, the arrival of the new experimental COVID vaccine and the prophesied ‘second wave’ of COVID.
The big news of the week, of course, has been President Trump and the First Lady have both tested positive for COVID. The President has been hospitalized.
President Trump’s doctor said that Trump’s diagnosis was confirmed using the PCR test. Just like virtually every other ‘confirmed case’ we hear reported. Dancing Naked in the M... Mullis, Kary Best Price: $5.52 Buy New $15.17 (as of 02:58 UTC - Details)
But was PCR really developed with the intention of diagnosing infectious diseases? Is PCR capable of diagnosing infectious diseases? How could a test developed almost 40 years ago be used to diagnose a brand new disease found less than one year ago?
In this report, we examine this questions in addition to reviewing video clips of multiple doctors weighing in on the subject including the biochemist Kary Mullis who invented PCR and won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for doing so has to say.
Why is understanding the test so important? Because it is the driving factor in the fear campaign that is being driven by the corrupt media and then used by the government to justify the restrictions imposed on our lives.
This is a must-see report that may change the perception of you, or of someone you may know, regarding the crisis.
Read the Whole Article
Crooked: Man-Made Dise... Forrest Maready Best Price: $21.53 Buy New $21.59 (as of 02:00 UTC - Details) Good-Bye Germ Theory: ... Trebing, Dr. William P Best Price: $36.69 Buy New $14.00 (as of 04:04 UTC - Details) What Really Makes You ... Parker, David Best Price: $35.77 Buy New $31.50 (as of 04:40 UTC - Details)


Goodbye, Cows

GSTAAD—It is not exactly a stop all the clocks occasion , let alone cut off the telephones , but I ’ ve finally come to a decision : My looking-at-cows time is over .
I am going to leave good old Helvetia and find something nice in the green and pleasant land I hear about sung in hymns in British churches .
Easier said than done .
The reason I want to move is that I ’ ve had it .
For the first time in my life I ’ m bored with my surroundings and the new people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you-know-what .
An enormous hike in taxes by the Swiss government on foreigners does not help .
Sixty-two years in Switzerland is a long time , but then Gstaad isn ’ t the charming little alpine village it once was .
It ’ s still charming but not so little anymore , with every blade of grass that ’ s not farmland covered by a wooden structure .
Time to blow this trap .
I have three options : Athens , New York , or the English countryside .
Park Avenue ( Fifth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : $ 19.79 Buy New $ 18.99 I ’ ll start with the Bagel , where I have a jewel of a flat on Park Avenue and my closest of friends , Michael Mailer .
The city right now is paralyzed by race-driven maniacs intent on intimidating and looting .
Habitual criminals are running wild , with the murder rate out of control and a plan by the Democrats to further defund the police by 50 % .
The on-dit is that the city is in far worse shape than it was 45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I had some of my best times in the Bagel .
Walking in Central Park was a challenge , and muggers waited outside the Plaza Hotel for rich out-of-town suckers .
Thieves were everywhere and everyone I knew got mugged , but it was almost like a game .
If you didn ’ t give it up you got a brass-knuckle sandwich but very rarely got shot .
Now things are different .
There ’ s no Elaine ’ s to go to late at night and watch the muggers congregate outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times doesn ’ t even report the crimes in the city , nor the fact that garbage is rarely collected and rats are everywhere .
( Sept. 24 headline : “ Few Police Officers Who Cause Death Are Charged or Convicted.
” ) I find the average New Yorker so breathtakingly ill-informed , I prefer to converse with animals , or even trees .
The trouble is , Central Park is full of black thugs with guns and Antifa whites who are also armed .
The fuzz looks the other way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city for places more salubrious , which means I will have to eat at home instead of in restaurants , a fact that depresses me rather a lot .
I am nevertheless going next week in order to convince myself I can not live there anymore .
( Michael has promised all sorts of goodies , but he ’ s lying . )
The Best of Taki Theodoracopulos

GSTAAD—It is not exactly a stop all the clocks occasion, let alone cut off the telephones, but I’ve finally come to a decision: My looking-at-cows time is over. I am going to leave good old Helvetia and find something nice in the green and pleasant land I hear about sung in hymns in British churches. Easier said than done. The reason I want to move is that I’ve had it. For the first time in my life I’m bored with my surroundings and the new people who are arriving and sticking like flies on you-know-what. An enormous hike in taxes by the Swiss government on foreigners does not help.
Sixty-two years in Switzerland is a long time, but then Gstaad isn’t the charming little alpine village it once was. It’s still charming but not so little anymore, with every blade of grass that’s not farmland covered by a wooden structure. Time to blow this trap. I have three options: Athens, New York, or the English countryside.
Park Avenue (Fifth Ave... Smith, Christopher Best Price: $19.79 Buy New $18.99 (as of 05:03 UTC - Details) I’ll start with the Bagel, where I have a jewel of a flat on Park Avenue and my closest of friends, Michael Mailer. The city right now is paralyzed by race-driven maniacs intent on intimidating and looting. Habitual criminals are running wild, with the murder rate out of control and a plan by the Democrats to further defund the police by 50%. The on-dit is that the city is in far worse shape than it was 45 years ago, but that’s when I had some of my best times in the Bagel. Walking in Central Park was a challenge, and muggers waited outside the Plaza Hotel for rich out-of-town suckers. Thieves were everywhere and everyone I knew got mugged, but it was almost like a game. If you didn’t give it up you got a brass-knuckle sandwich but very rarely got shot.
Now things are different. There’s no Elaine’s to go to late at night and watch the muggers congregate outside waiting for us drunks. The degenerate New York Times doesn’t even report the crimes in the city, nor the fact that garbage is rarely collected and rats are everywhere. (Sept. 24 headline: “Few Police Officers Who Cause Death Are Charged or Convicted.”) I find the average New Yorker so breathtakingly ill-informed, I prefer to converse with animals, or even trees. The trouble is, Central Park is full of black thugs with guns and Antifa whites who are also armed. The fuzz looks the other way. Everyone I know has left the city for places more salubrious, which means I will have to eat at home instead of in restaurants, a fact that depresses me rather a lot. I am nevertheless going next week in order to convince myself I cannot live there anymore. (Michael has promised all sorts of goodies, but he’s lying.)
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Taki Theodoracopulos


lewrockwell--2020-10-05--Gavin Newsom Beclowns Himself Finding Nonsensical Excuses To Keep California Locked Down

California ’ s Governor Gavin Newsom , who is Nancy Pelosi ’ s nephew , is once again moving the goalposts in order to keep his state shut down , imposing irrelevant criteria to delay recovery .
He has become an economic troll .
With his state accounting for almost 15 % of the national GDP , hobbling his state ’ s economy , even as counties are already starting to meet the criteria he set for relaxation of restrictions , depresses national output and employment statistics and thereby contributes to defeating President Trump .
Newsom , who is becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really stretching to find excuses to keep businesses closed and Californians unemployed and reverting to race-pandering .
Jennifer Van Laar of RedState writes : Now that more counties are set to move out of the most restrictive tier , Newsom ’ s changed the game again and has added an “ equity requirement ” counties must also meet before they can move down a tier .
From the California Department of Public Health website : Womens Even My Dog Hat ... Buy New $ 21.99 For a county with a population of greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Equity Metric .
Ensure that the test positivity rates in its most disadvantaged neighborhoods , as defined as being in the lowest quartile of the Healthy Places Index census tracts , do not significantly lag behind its overall county test positivity rate , as described in detail below .
• Targeted Investments .
Submit a plan that ( 1 ) defines its disproportionately impacted populations , ( 2 ) specifies the percent of its COVID-19 cases in these populations , and ( 3 ) shows that it plans to invest Epidemiology and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emerging Infectious Diseases ( Strategy 5 : Use Laboratory Data to Enhance Investigation , Response , and Prevention ) grant funds at least at that percentage to interrupt disease transmission in these populations .
The targeted investments can include spending on augmenting testing , disease investigation , contact tracing , isolation/quarantine support , and education and outreach efforts for workers .
Effective for the October 13th tier assignment , this plan must be submitted before a county may progress to a less restrictive tier .
Due to data limitations in small populations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reliably applied to smaller counties , as described below .
With Democrats enjoying absolute dominance of the state Legislature , Newsom ’ s unilateral dictates will not be challenged by the lawmaking branch of the state government .
And , with the state ’ s media at least as dominated by leftists as the national media , few voices will be heard by the public , who have been passively accepting economic strangulation in the name of safety , and now in the name of racial grievances .

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, who is Nancy Pelosi’s nephew, is once again moving the goalposts in order to keep his state shut down, imposing irrelevant criteria to delay recovery. He has become an economic troll. With his state accounting for almost 15% of the national GDP, hobbling his state’s economy, even as counties are already starting to meet the criteria he set for relaxation of restrictions, depresses national output and employment statistics and thereby contributes to defeating President Trump.
Newsom, who is becoming known to Californians as Nussoloini, is really stretching to find excuses to keep businesses closed and Californians unemployed and reverting to race-pandering. Jennifer Van Laar of RedState writes:
Now that more counties are set to move out of the most restrictive tier, Newsom’s changed the game again and has added an “equity requirement” counties must also meet before they can move down a tier.
From the California Department of Public Health website: Womens Even My Dog Hat... Buy New $21.99 (as of 05:04 UTC - Details) For a county with a population of greater than 106,000, the county must: Equity Metric. Ensure that the test positivity rates in its most disadvantaged neighborhoods, as defined as being in the lowest quartile of the Healthy Places Index census tracts, do not significantly lag behind its overall county test positivity rate, as described in detail below.
Targeted Investments. Submit a plan that (1) defines its disproportionately impacted populations, (2) specifies the percent of its COVID-19 cases in these populations, and (3) shows that it plans to invest Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (Strategy 5: Use Laboratory Data to Enhance Investigation, Response, and Prevention) grant funds at least at that percentage to interrupt disease transmission in these populations. The targeted investments can include spending on augmenting testing, disease investigation, contact tracing, isolation/quarantine support, and education and outreach efforts for workers. Effective for the October 13th tier assignment, this plan must be submitted before a county may progress to a less restrictive tier. Due to data limitations in small populations, the equity metric described above cannot be reliably applied to smaller counties, as described below.
With Democrats enjoying absolute dominance of the state Legislature, Newsom’s unilateral dictates will not be challenged by the lawmaking branch of the state government. And, with the state’s media at least as dominated by leftists as the national media, few voices will be heard by the public, who have been passively accepting economic strangulation in the name of safety, and now in the name of racial grievances.
Read the Whole Article
American Vinyl Commief... Buy New $5.99 (as of 05:04 UTC - Details) Recall Gavin Newsom, R... Buy New $16.99 (as of 05:04 UTC - Details)


lewrockwell--2020-10-06--Trump and Biden Squabble While America Burns

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden spent most of last week ’ s first Presidential debate trading insults and interrupting each other .
The result was a debate with very little discussion of actual issues or policies .
In one of the evening ’ s few substantive exchanges , President Trump rightly criticized Vice President Biden for saying he would listen to the “ scientists ” in determining whether to lock down the country .
President Trump also acknowledged that the lockdowns were a harmful over-reaction that needs to end .
Unfortunately , President Trump once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available .
This raises the specter of a repeat of the swine flu debacle where a vaccine rushed into production for political purposes caused more deaths than the swine flu itself .
President Trump also raised concerns about mandatory Covid vaccinations by suggesting the military would be in charge of vaccine distribution .
Fed Up : An Insider & rsq ... DiMartino Booth , Danielle Best Price : $ 2.99 Buy New $ 11.99 Vice President Biden vehemently denied he was a socialist , while championing increased spending , taxes , regulations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green New Deal.
” Biden may not consider himself a socialist , but if his economic plans were implemented it would take America further down the road to socialism — and serfdom .
President Trump also denounced socialism , while bragging about his own big government policies such as tariffs , massive spending increases , and plans to maintain the “ popular ” provisions of Obamacare .
One topic that did not come up was gun control .
This may have been because both candidates support infringements on the Second Amendment .
Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee when it passed gun control measures like the assault weapons ban and the “ Brady Bill.
” President Trump has not only banned bump stocks by executive order , which President Obama refused to do because his Attorney General correctly determined that the President lacks the authority to do so , but has enthusiastically endorsed “ red flag ” laws .
These laws allow law enforcement to , as President Trump put it , “ take the guns first worry about due process later.
” The Congressional Budget Office has projected that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic product next year and reach 195 percent of GDP by 2050 !
This report was issued before this week ’ s revelation that the federal debt reached record levels of $ 27 billion .
America ’ s Bank : ... Lowenstein , Roger Best Price : $ 1.95 Buy New $ 7.98 This is the biggest threat to our national security , but it was unmentioned during the debate .
This is not surprising since few in the political or media elite understand the debt crisis well enough to give it the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wins and Democrats seize control of the Senate , Republicans will likely remember they are supposed to be against big spending and debt .
One critical area that could have led to an interesting exchange was monetary policy .
Biden has called Trump ’ s tweets attacking the Fed as an assault on Fed ’ s independence , as if the Fed were ever free from political pressure .
President Trump has gone from supporting a fed audit , criticizing low interest rates , and supporting the gold standard , to pushing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero interest rates The debate is the latest evidence the two major parties will not on their own restore our lost liberties .
Those who want to roll back the welfare-warfare state should avoid focusing on political parties or personalities .
Instead we must focus on spreading the ideas of liberty among our fellow citizens and building a liberty movement that puts principles of liberty above partisanship .
The Best of Ron Paul

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden spent most of last week’s first Presidential debate trading insults and interrupting each other. The result was a debate with very little discussion of actual issues or policies.
In one of the evening’s few substantive exchanges, President Trump rightly criticized Vice President Biden for saying he would listen to the “scientists” in determining whether to lock down the country. President Trump also acknowledged that the lockdowns were a harmful over-reaction that needs to end.
Unfortunately, President Trump once again pledged that Covid vaccines would soon be available. This raises the specter of a repeat of the swine flu debacle where a vaccine rushed into production for political purposes caused more deaths than the swine flu itself. President Trump also raised concerns about mandatory Covid vaccinations by suggesting the military would be in charge of vaccine distribution. Fed Up: An Insider&rsq... DiMartino Booth, Danielle Best Price: $2.99 Buy New $11.99 (as of 04:15 UTC - Details)
Vice President Biden vehemently denied he was a socialist, while championing increased spending, taxes, regulations, expanded Obamacare, and a modified “Green New Deal.” Biden may not consider himself a socialist, but if his economic plans were implemented it would take America further down the road to socialism — and serfdom.
President Trump also denounced socialism, while bragging about his own big government policies such as tariffs, massive spending increases, and plans to maintain the “popular” provisions of Obamacare.
One topic that did not come up was gun control. This may have been because both candidates support infringements on the Second Amendment. Joe Biden was chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee when it passed gun control measures like the assault weapons ban and the “Brady Bill.” President Trump has not only banned bump stocks by executive order, which President Obama refused to do because his Attorney General correctly determined that the President lacks the authority to do so, but has enthusiastically endorsed “red flag” laws. These laws allow law enforcement to, as President Trump put it, “take the guns first worry about due process later.”
The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the federal debt will exceed the gross domestic product next year and reach 195 percent of GDP by 2050! This report was issued before this week’s revelation that the federal debt reached record levels of $27 billion. America’s Bank: ... Lowenstein, Roger Best Price: $1.95 Buy New $7.98 (as of 04:38 UTC - Details)
This is the biggest threat to our national security, but it was unmentioned during the debate. This is not surprising since few in the political or media elite understand the debt crisis well enough to give it the attention it deserves. Although if Biden wins and Democrats seize control of the Senate, Republicans will likely remember they are supposed to be against big spending and debt.
One critical area that could have led to an interesting exchange was monetary policy. Biden has called Trump’s tweets attacking the Fed as an assault on Fed’s independence, as if the Fed were ever free from political pressure. President Trump has gone from supporting a fed audit, criticizing low interest rates, and supporting the gold standard, to pushing the Fed to adopt the insane policy of zero interest rates
The debate is the latest evidence the two major parties will not on their own restore our lost liberties. Those who want to roll back the welfare-warfare state should avoid focusing on political parties or personalities. Instead we must focus on spreading the ideas of liberty among our fellow citizens and building a liberty movement that puts principles of liberty above partisanship.
The Best of Ron Paul, MD


lewrockwell--2020-10-06--The Fight for Free Speech

The Fight for Free Speech

The violence , looting and mayhem that this nation has seen over the last several months has much of its roots in academia , where leftist faculty teach immature young people all manner of nonsense that contradicts commonsense and the principles of liberty .
Chief among their lessons is a need to attack free speech in the form of prohibitions against so-called hate speech and microaggressions .
Here are examples of microaggressions : “ You are a credit to your race.
” “ Wow !
How did you become so good in math ?
” “ There is only one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m not racist .
I have several black friends.
” “ As a woman , I know what you go through as a racial minority.
” It is a tragic state of affairs when free speech and inquiry require protection at institutions of higher learning .
Indeed , freedom in the marketplace of ideas has made the United States , as well as other Western nations , a leader in virtually every area of human endeavor .
A monopoly of ideas is just as dangerous as a monopoly in political power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goods and services .
HATE : Why We Should Re ... Strossen , Nadine Best Price : $ 9.35 Buy New $ 11.00 We might ask what is the true test of a person ’ s commitment to free speech ?
The true test does not come when he permits people to say those things he deems acceptable .
The true test comes when he permits people to say those things that he deems offensive .
The identical principle applies to freedom of association ; its true test comes when someone permits others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deems offensive .
While free speech has been under attack , we are beginning to see some pushback .
More than 12,000 professors , free speech leaders and conservative-leaning organization leaders have signed “ The Philadelphia Statement.
” The 845-word document says in part : “ Similarly , colleges and universities are imposing speech regulations to make students ‘ safe , ’ not from physical harm , but from challenges to campus orthodoxy .
These policies and regulations assume that we as citizens are unable to think for ourselves and to make independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engage , they foster conformism ( “ groupthink ” ) and train us to respond to intellectual challenges with one or another form of censorship .
A society that lacks comity and allows people to be shamed or intimidated into self-censorship of their ideas and considered judgments will not survive for long .
As Americans , we desire a flourishing , open marketplace of ideas , knowing that it is the fairest and most effective way to separate falsehood from truth .
Accordingly , dissenting and unpopular voices — be they of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afforded the opportunity to be heard .
They have often guided our society toward more just positions , which is why Frederick Douglass said freedom of speech is the ‘ great moral renovator of society and government . '
” Free Speech on Campus Gillman , Howard Best Price : $ 7.70 Buy New $ 10.92 The recognition of the intellectual elite attacking free speech is not new .
In a 1991 speech , Yale University President Benno Schmidt warned : “ The most serious problems of freedom of expression in our society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assumption seems to be that the purpose of education is to induce correct opinion rather than to search for wisdom and to liberate the mind.
” Tyrants everywhere , from the Nazis to the communists , started out supporting free speech rights .
Why ?
Because speech is important for the realization of leftist goals of command and control .
People must be propagandized , proselytized and convinced .
Once leftists have gained power , as they have in most of our colleges and universities , free speech becomes a liability .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be suppressed .
Attacks on free speech to accommodate multiculturalism and diversity are really attacks on Western values , which are superior to all others .
The indispensable achievement of the West was the concept of individual rights , the idea that individuals have certain inalienable rights that are not granted by government .
Governments exist to protect these inalienable rights .
It took until the 17th century for that idea to arise and mostly through the works of English philosophers such as John Locke and David Hume .
And now the 21st @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these inalienable rights .
The Best of Walter E. Williams

The violence, looting and mayhem that this nation has seen over the last several months has much of its roots in academia, where leftist faculty teach immature young people all manner of nonsense that contradicts commonsense and the principles of liberty. Chief among their lessons is a need to attack free speech in the form of prohibitions against so-called hate speech and microaggressions. Here are examples of microaggressions: “You are a credit to your race.” “Wow! How did you become so good in math?” “There is only one race, the human race.” “I’m not racist. I have several black friends.” “As a woman, I know what you go through as a racial minority.”
It is a tragic state of affairs when free speech and inquiry require protection at institutions of higher learning. Indeed, freedom in the marketplace of ideas has made the United States, as well as other Western nations, a leader in virtually every area of human endeavor. A monopoly of ideas is just as dangerous as a monopoly in political power or a monopoly in the production of goods and services.
HATE: Why We Should Re... Strossen, Nadine Best Price: $9.35 Buy New $11.00 (as of 05:59 UTC - Details) We might ask what is the true test of a person’s commitment to free speech? The true test does not come when he permits people to say those things he deems acceptable. The true test comes when he permits people to say those things that he deems offensive. The identical principle applies to freedom of association; its true test comes when someone permits others to voluntarily associate in ways that he deems offensive.
While free speech has been under attack, we are beginning to see some pushback. More than 12,000 professors, free speech leaders and conservative-leaning organization leaders have signed “The Philadelphia Statement.”
The 845-word document says in part: “Similarly, colleges and universities are imposing speech regulations to make students ‘safe,’ not from physical harm, but from challenges to campus orthodoxy. These policies and regulations assume that we as citizens are unable to think for ourselves and to make independent judgments. Instead of teaching us to engage, they foster conformism (“groupthink”) and train us to respond to intellectual challenges with one or another form of censorship. A society that lacks comity and allows people to be shamed or intimidated into self-censorship of their ideas and considered judgments will not survive for long. As Americans, we desire a flourishing, open marketplace of ideas, knowing that it is the fairest and most effective way to separate falsehood from truth. Accordingly, dissenting and unpopular voices — be they of the left or the right — must be afforded the opportunity to be heard. They have often guided our society toward more just positions, which is why Frederick Douglass said freedom of speech is the ‘great moral renovator of society and government.'”
Free Speech on Campus Gillman, Howard Best Price: $7.70 Buy New $10.92 (as of 04:39 UTC - Details) The recognition of the intellectual elite attacking free speech is not new. In a 1991 speech, Yale University President Benno Schmidt warned: “The most serious problems of freedom of expression in our society today exist on our campuses. The assumption seems to be that the purpose of education is to induce correct opinion rather than to search for wisdom and to liberate the mind.”
Tyrants everywhere, from the Nazis to the communists, started out supporting free speech rights. Why? Because speech is important for the realization of leftist goals of command and control. People must be propagandized, proselytized and convinced. Once leftists have gained power, as they have in most of our colleges and universities, free speech becomes a liability. It challenges their ideas and agenda and must be suppressed.
Attacks on free speech to accommodate multiculturalism and diversity are really attacks on Western values, which are superior to all others. The indispensable achievement of the West was the concept of individual rights, the idea that individuals have certain inalienable rights that are not granted by government. Governments exist to protect these inalienable rights. It took until the 17th century for that idea to arise and mostly through the works of English philosophers such as John Locke and David Hume. And now the 21st century campus leftists are trying to suppress these inalienable rights.
The Best of Walter E. Williams


lewrockwell--2020-10-06--Capital Destruction by Enemies of Our Civilization

With respect to lockdowns , additionally , let ’ s never forget that it takes more time to build something than to destroy it .
The time it takes to build up a collection of better ways to produce better goods and services is accompanied by their being embodied in physical and human capital .
It takes years for a human being to become an adult , and even child prodigies take years to grow up .
Killing them takes very little time .
Burning a church to the ground takes much less time than constructing it , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church or bridge took thousands of years to accumulate .
The techniques of making submarine cables and laying them , and the techniques of building satellites and launching them into space take a long time to learn .
Our knowledge of botany and plant life has taken thousands of years to accumulate .
Western civilization permeates everything that its enemies and destroyers take for granted .
There is no greater act of suicide and genocide than destroying this incredibly valuable civilization .
The discovery of America took hundreds of years , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this continent didn ’ t think of it as a New World or even as a continent .
Europeans had been trading with Asia for a long time in 1492 , but the trade routes were long and dangerous .
At that time , heads of state and governments financed business ventures .
The idea of making London into a trade center , if a short sea route to Asia could be found , was what motivated the voyages of John Cabot .
Explorers from Spain and Portugal had similar ideas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ landed on Greenland before the year 1,000 , but they didn ’ t discover America as a continent .
They didn ’ t communicate this idea to Europe .
There had to be an Age of Discovery that initiated the large scale transformation of a thinly populated continent into what we see today .
Cancel Culture : The La ... Dershowitz , Alan Buy New $ 25.99 Africans didn ’ t discover America as a continent replete with opportunities .
They didn ’ t have the ships or the motivation .
Asians didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their descendants lived in the land .
They were blocked by the Pacific Ocean expanse .
The process of discovery took a long time and even longer were the complex processes of trade , commercialization , exploration , invasion , migration , invention , and industrialization .
We have a bountiful civilization that ’ s European in origin .
We have Columbus Day and Columbus statues to memorialize this history .
It is by no means a history of total glory and perfection .
There have been many injustices , and that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all sorts of human blemishes .
Our culture absorbs many influences .
Culture is not the same as civilization .
Our language , law , ethics , peoples , family systems and religions have largely drawn from European sources .
Tearing down statues of Columbus is a symbol of tearing down our predominantly Western ( European ) civilization .
In the same way that a mass LOCKDOWN quickly destroys capital that has taken lifetimes to build up , tearing down our civilization will relatively quickly destroy other valuable portions of our individual and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up impoverished if we let this happen .
It ’ s one thing to create and make a place within our civilization for many other cultural ideas that can co-exist .
It ’ s an entirely different matter to work out of hatred and hostility to destroy what ’ s there and replace it with rubble or ideas that destroy capital and civilization .
Don ’ t Burn This ... Rubin , Dave Best Price : $ 18.40 Buy New $ 16.20 LOCKDOWNS have been accompanied by movements whose aim is to destroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movements of which antifa and BLM are most notable .
But off-camera , American freedom-lovers face many enemies : oligarchs , professional cliques , generals , deep state bureaucrats , counter-cultural judges and attorneys , socialists , and fascists .
The challenge ahead of us is to avoid the destruction of capital and existing systems of civilized life while ridding our land of elements that are hostile to these .
This is a battle of ideas .
The communication of ideas and understanding to unenlightened people is absolutely essential to win this battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in media and universities .
They need to be starved out by withholding funds from them unless they change their practices .
Anyone who in any way advocates doing away with western civilization is advocating death by suicide and genocide .
Such advocacy is therefore profoundly immoral and evil .
Advocating for specific improvements is categorically different from “ down with Western civ ” .
The Best of Michael S. Rozeff

With respect to lockdowns, additionally, let’s never forget that it takes more time to build something than to destroy it. The time it takes to build up a collection of better ways to produce better goods and services is accompanied by their being embodied in physical and human capital. It takes years for a human being to become an adult, and even child prodigies take years to grow up. Killing them takes very little time. Burning a church to the ground takes much less time than constructing it, and the knowledge it takes to build a magnificent church or bridge took thousands of years to accumulate. The techniques of making submarine cables and laying them, and the techniques of building satellites and launching them into space take a long time to learn. Our knowledge of botany and plant life has taken thousands of years to accumulate. Western civilization permeates everything that its enemies and destroyers take for granted. There is no greater act of suicide and genocide than destroying this incredibly valuable civilization.
The discovery of America took hundreds of years, and it was a great accomplishment. The natives on this continent didn’t think of it as a New World or even as a continent. Europeans had been trading with Asia for a long time in 1492, but the trade routes were long and dangerous. At that time, heads of state and governments financed business ventures. The idea of making London into a trade center, if a short sea route to Asia could be found, was what motivated the voyages of John Cabot. Explorers from Spain and Portugal had similar ideas. The North Men (Norsemen) had landed on Greenland before the year 1,000, but they didn’t discover America as a continent. They didn’t communicate this idea to Europe. There had to be an Age of Discovery that initiated the large scale transformation of a thinly populated continent into what we see today. Cancel Culture: The La... Dershowitz, Alan Buy New $25.99 (as of 04:47 UTC - Details)
Africans didn’t discover America as a continent replete with opportunities. They didn’t have the ships or the motivation. Asians didn’t discover America, even though their descendants lived in the land. They were blocked by the Pacific Ocean expanse. The process of discovery took a long time and even longer were the complex processes of trade, commercialization, exploration, invasion, migration, invention, and industrialization.
We have a bountiful civilization that’s European in origin. We have Columbus Day and Columbus statues to memorialize this history. It is by no means a history of total glory and perfection. There have been many injustices, and that is the way of mankind. It has all sorts of human blemishes. Our culture absorbs many influences. Culture is not the same as civilization. Our language, law, ethics, peoples, family systems and religions have largely drawn from European sources.
Tearing down statues of Columbus is a symbol of tearing down our predominantly Western (European) civilization. In the same way that a mass LOCKDOWN quickly destroys capital that has taken lifetimes to build up, tearing down our civilization will relatively quickly destroy other valuable portions of our individual and social capital. We’ll end up impoverished if we let this happen. It’s one thing to create and make a place within our civilization for many other cultural ideas that can co-exist. It’s an entirely different matter to work out of hatred and hostility to destroy what’s there and replace it with rubble or ideas that destroy capital and civilization. Don’t Burn This ... Rubin, Dave Best Price: $18.40 Buy New $16.20 (as of 03:44 UTC - Details)
LOCKDOWNS have been accompanied by movements whose aim is to destroy and/or transform America. There are street movements of which antifa and BLM are most notable. But off-camera, American freedom-lovers face many enemies: oligarchs, professional cliques, generals, deep state bureaucrats, counter-cultural judges and attorneys, socialists, and fascists.
The challenge ahead of us is to avoid the destruction of capital and existing systems of civilized life while ridding our land of elements that are hostile to these.
This is a battle of ideas. The communication of ideas and understanding to unenlightened people is absolutely essential to win this battle. The enemies hold important strategic ground in media and universities. They need to be starved out by withholding funds from them unless they change their practices.
Anyone who in any way advocates doing away with western civilization is advocating death by suicide and genocide. Such advocacy is therefore profoundly immoral and evil. Advocating for specific improvements is categorically different from “down with Western civ”.
The Best of Michael S. Rozeff


lewrockwell--2020-10-06--Trump, Taxes, and the Rich

Trump, Taxes, and the Rich

“ Anyone may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible ; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury ; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one ’ s taxes.
” ~ Judge Learned Hand , Helvering v. Gregory , 69 F.2d 809 , 810-11 ( 2d Cir .
1934 ) The Trump tax bombshell , according to the New York Times , is that the president only paid $ 750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 and “ paid no income taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 years—largely because he reported losing much more money than he made.
” First of all , Trump didn ’ t write the tax code , Congress did .
Kangaroo ’ s Delux ... Buy New $ 18.49 Secondly , if Trump is cheating on his taxes , then it is up to the IRS to uncover the fraud in an audit .
Third , it is not illegal to legally pay as little in taxes as possible .
Fourth , Trump legally avoiding paying millions of dollars in taxes to the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought up again because of the upcoming election .
And fifth , the New York Times is , as usual , not telling the whole truth .
As the Times article states : Each time , he requested an extension to file his 1040 ; and each time , he made the required payment to the I.R.S .
for income taxes he might owe — $ 1 million for 2016 and $ 4.2 million for 2017 .
But virtually all of that liability was washed away when he eventually filed , and most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover potential taxes in future years .
And that is just the money that Trump paid when he filed his extension of time to file .
It doesn ’ t include quarterly estimated tax payments .
In other words , Trump did what many rich businessmen do every year .
But Trump is an anomaly .
“ The rich ” are the ones who pay the bulk of the income taxes in the United States .
According to the latest figures released by the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ) , as reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People Holsters ... Buy New $ 28.99 • In 2017 , the bottom 50 percent of taxpayers ( those with AGI below $ 41,740 ) earned 11.3 percent of total AGI .
This group of taxpayers paid $ 49.8 billion in taxes , or roughly 3 percent of all federal individual income taxes in 2017 .
• In contrast , the top 1 percent of all taxpayers ( taxpayers with AGI of $ 515,371 and above ) earned 21.0 percent of all AGI in 2017 and paid 38.5 percent of all federal income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top 1 percent of taxpayers accounted for more income taxes paid than the bottom 90 percent combined .
The top 1 percent of taxpayers paid roughly $ 616 billion , or 38.5 percent of all income taxes , while the bottom 90 percent paid about $ 479 billion , or 29.9 percent of all income taxes .
“ The rich ” are also punished through the phase-out of tax exemptions , deductions , and credits as their income rises .
And not only do “ the poor ” pay little or no income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money they never paid in , in the form of refundable tax credits .
The maximum Child Tax Credit ( CTC ) is $ 2,000 per child , of which $ 1,400 is refundable as the Additional Child Tax Credit ( ACTC ) .
The ACTC is the refundable portion of the CTC that is available if the CTC reduces one ’ s tax liability to zero .
The maximum amount of the Earned Income Tax Credit ( EITC ) is • $ 6,660 with three or more qualifying children This means that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes between about $ 13,000 and $ 15,000 a year can pocket almost $ 11,000 a year .
Twenty-nine states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have their own version of the EITC on top of the federal EITC .
And refundable tax credits , like other welfare benefits , aren ’ t counted as income when determining if one is eligible for benefits or assistance under any federal or state welfare program .
Of course “ the rich ” benefited from the Reagan tax cuts , the Bush tax cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are the ones who pay the bulk of the income taxes collected , and always have .
The income tax began in 1913 with a 1 percent tax on taxable income above $ 3,000 ( $ 4,000 for married couples ) followed by a series of surcharges of up to 6 percent applied to higher incomes .
The maximum rate of 7 percent was applied to taxable income over $ 500,000 .
The top rate has fluctuated widely over the years , and was near or above 90 percent from 1950–1963 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to pay their “ fair share , ” they are already paying the greatest share .
The Best of Laurence M. Vance

“Anyone may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one’s taxes.” ~ Judge Learned Hand, Helvering v. Gregory, 69 F.2d 809, 810-11 (2d Cir. 1934)
The Trump tax bombshell, according to the New York Times, is that the president only paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 and “paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years—largely because he reported losing much more money than he made.”
Ho-hum.
First of all, Trump didn’t write the tax code, Congress did. Kangaroo’s Delux... Buy New $18.49 (as of 04:48 UTC - Details)
Secondly, if Trump is cheating on his taxes, then it is up to the IRS to uncover the fraud in an audit.
Third, it is not illegal to legally pay as little in taxes as possible.
Fourth, Trump legally avoiding paying millions of dollars in taxes to the government is old news that is only being brought up again because of the upcoming election.
And fifth, the New York Times is, as usual, not telling the whole truth. As the Times article states:
Each time, he requested an extension to file his 1040; and each time, he made the required payment to the I.R.S. for income taxes he might owe — $1 million for 2016 and $4.2 million for 2017. But virtually all of that liability was washed away when he eventually filed, and most of the payments were rolled forward to cover potential taxes in future years.
And that is just the money that Trump paid when he filed his extension of time to file. It doesn’t include quarterly estimated tax payments.
In other words, Trump did what many rich businessmen do every year.
But Trump is an anomaly. “The rich” are the ones who pay the bulk of the income taxes in the United States.
According to the latest figures released by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as reported by the Tax Foundation: We The People Holsters... Buy New $28.99 (as of 02:26 UTC - Details)
In 2017, the bottom 50 percent of taxpayers (those with AGI below $41,740) earned 11.3 percent of total AGI. This group of taxpayers paid $49.8 billion in taxes, or roughly 3 percent of all federal individual income taxes in 2017.
In contrast, the top 1 percent of all taxpayers (taxpayers with AGI of $515,371 and above) earned 21.0 percent of all AGI in 2017 and paid 38.5 percent of all federal income taxes.
In 2017, the top 1 percent of taxpayers accounted for more income taxes paid than the bottom 90 percent combined. The top 1 percent of taxpayers paid roughly $616 billion, or 38.5 percent of all income taxes, while the bottom 90 percent paid about $479 billion, or 29.9 percent of all income taxes.
“The rich” are also punished through the phase-out of tax exemptions, deductions, and credits as their income rises. And not only do “the poor” pay little or no income taxes, they receive tax refunds of money they never paid in, in the form of refundable tax credits.
The maximum Child Tax Credit (CTC) is $2,000 per child, of which $1,400 is refundable as the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). The ACTC is the refundable portion of the CTC that is available if the CTC reduces one’s tax liability to zero.
The maximum amount of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is
$538 with no qualifying children
$3,584 with one qualifying child
$5,920 with two qualifying children
$6,660 with three or more qualifying children ZPOKA 60PCS Halloween ... Buy New $12.99 (as of 04:48 UTC - Details )
This means that a single woman with three children who makes between about $13,000 and $15,000 a year can pocket almost $11,000 a year. Twenty-nine states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have their own version of the EITC on top of the federal EITC. And refundable tax credits, like other welfare benefits, aren’t counted as income when determining if one is eligible for benefits or assistance under any federal or state welfare program.
Of course “the rich” benefited from the Reagan tax cuts, the Bush tax cuts, and the Trump tax cuts. They are the ones who pay the bulk of the income taxes collected, and always have.
The income tax began in 1913 with a 1 percent tax on taxable income above $3,000 ($4,000 for married couples) followed by a series of surcharges of up to 6 percent applied to higher incomes. The maximum rate of 7 percent was applied to taxable income over $500,000. The top rate has fluctuated widely over the years, and was near or above 90 percent from 1950–1963.
“The rich” don’t need to pay their “fair share,” they are already paying the greatest share.
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lewrockwell--2020-10-06--Trump Still in Danger: Doctors Added Third Drug to His Reckless Experimental Treatment

I ’ ve written and published two articles on the Water Reed doctors experimenting with drugs on the president of the United States .
[ 1 ] [ 2 ] Of course , major media ignore this stunning reality ; they see nothing but “ cutting-edge ” treatments and “ the finest medical care.
” The two initial drugs were Remdesivir and Regeneron .
A lack of immediate adverse effect does not rule out an ensuing impact on Trump ’ s health .
Remdesivir , among its many listed effects , can cause serious kidney injury .
Dr. Peter Breggin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know from the beginning that remdesivir was a failed antiviral drug that would probably do more harm than good .
An earlier , famous remdesivir trial for Ebola was stopped because remdesivir was causing a significantly higher mortality rate than other antiviral drugs in the same trial… ” Repel Umbrella Windpro ... Buy New $ 22.95 Regeneron , the other drug Trump is taking , is one of a class of “ antibody therapies.
” The often-cited adverse effect of this type of medicine is expanding infection .
The combined effects of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depth .
Nevertheless , the Walter Reed doctors treated the president of the United States with both of them .
Their hypothesis seemed to be : if a little bit of medicine is good , a lot will be better .
Needless to say , this approach has never been backed by science at any time .
It is reckless in the extreme .
And now we learn about a third drug , dexamethasone .
LA Times : “ Like other steroids , dexamethasone can have significant side effects that could have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
Those can include irritability , mood swings and trouble sleeping… ” [ 3 ] Note : It ’ s not clear when dexamethasone was started .
If it was administered after Regeneron , we could be looking at an attempt to reverse increased lung inflammation resulting from the effects of Regeneron .
If true , this would be disturbing , to say the least .
totes Women ’ s Cl ... Buy New $ 22.98 What are some of the effects of dexamethasone ?
WebMD presents a list of common and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , headache , dizziness , trouble sleeping , increased appetite , weight gain , fever , persistent sore throat , bone/joint pain , increased thirst/urination , fast/slow/irregular heartbeat , eye pain/pressure , vision problems , heartburn , puffy face , swelling of the ankles/feet , symptoms of stomach/intestinal bleeding ( such as stomach/abdominal pain , black/tarry stools , vomit that looks like coffee grounds ) , pain/redness/swelling of arms/legs , tiredness , mental/mood changes ( e.g.
, depression , mood swings , agitation ) , unusual hair/skin growth , muscle pain/cramps , weakness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thinning skin , seizures .
“ A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare .
However , seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction , including : rash , itching/swelling ( especially of the face/tongue/throat ) , severe dizziness , trouble breathing.
” And now , since the Walter Reed doctors are treating Trump with three drugs , they are ignoring the fact that the combined effects of these three have never been studied in depth .
More reckless experimentation .
Naturally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health will be attributed to “ COVID-19 , ” not the drugs .
Remember , the whole episode began with Trump ’ s positive PCR test .
I have spent many words refuting the relevance and reliability of the test .
A patient can read positive or negative , depending on which lab runs the test .
The standards are not uniform .
Kalolary 62 Inch Extra ... Buy New $ 20.99 The PCR test has NEVER been vetted by several necessary large-scale studies , which , in the real world , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It should never be used for medical diagnosis .
But it is used , all over the world .
And it was used to launch a sitting president into the hospital , where doctors have violated the most basic principles of the healing profession .
They are endangering the president ’ s health and life .
People who view “ leading doctors ” as unshakable symbols of good science , and avid Trump supporters who believe the president is far too brilliant to submit himself to these dangerous drugs…need to rethink their positions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Jon Rappoport

I’ve written and published two articles on the Water Reed doctors experimenting with drugs on the president of the United States. [1] [2]
Of course, major media ignore this stunning reality; they see nothing but “cutting-edge” treatments and “the finest medical care.”
The two initial drugs were Remdesivir and Regeneron. A lack of immediate adverse effect does not rule out an ensuing impact on Trump’s health.
Remdesivir, among its many listed effects, can cause serious kidney injury. Dr. Peter Breggin has written: “Fauci had to know from the beginning that remdesivir was a failed antiviral drug that would probably do more harm than good. An earlier, famous remdesivir trial for Ebola was stopped because remdesivir was causing a significantly higher mortality rate than other antiviral drugs in the same trial…” Repel Umbrella Windpro... Buy New $22.95 (as of 04:49 UTC - Details)
Regeneron, the other drug Trump is taking, is one of a class of “antibody therapies.” The often-cited adverse effect of this type of medicine is expanding infection.
The combined effects of these two medicines have never been studied in depth.
Nevertheless, the Walter Reed doctors treated the president of the United States with both of them. Their hypothesis seemed to be: if a little bit of medicine is good, a lot will be better.
Needless to say, this approach has never been backed by science at any time. It is reckless in the extreme.
And now we learn about a third drug, dexamethasone.
LA Times: “Like other steroids, dexamethasone can have significant side effects that could have an impact on Trump’s ability to work. Those can include irritability, mood swings and trouble sleeping…” [3]
Note: It’s not clear when dexamethasone was started. If it was administered after Regeneron, we could be looking at an attempt to reverse increased lung inflammation resulting from the effects of Regeneron. If true, this would be disturbing, to say the least. totes Women’s Cl... Buy New $22.98 (as of 04:49 UTC - Details)
What are some of the effects of dexamethasone? WebMD presents a list of common and less common adverse effects: Stomach upset, headache, dizziness, trouble sleeping, increased appetite, weight gain, fever, persistent sore throat, bone/joint pain, increased thirst/urination, fast/slow/irregular heartbeat, eye pain/pressure, vision problems, heartburn, puffy face, swelling of the ankles/feet, symptoms of stomach/intestinal bleeding (such as stomach/abdominal pain, black/tarry stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds), pain/redness/swelling of arms/legs, tiredness, mental/mood changes (e.g., depression, mood swings, agitation), unusual hair/skin growth, muscle pain/cramps, weakness, easy bruising/bleeding, slow wound healing, thinning skin, seizures.
“A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.”
And now, since the Walter Reed doctors are treating Trump with three drugs, they are ignoring the fact that the combined effects of these three have never been studied in depth. More reckless experimentation.
Naturally, any decline in the president’s health will be attributed to “COVID-19,” not the drugs.
Remember, the whole episode began with Trump’s positive PCR test. I have spent many words refuting the relevance and reliability of the test.
A patient can read positive or negative, depending on which lab runs the test. The standards are not uniform. Kalolary 62 Inch Extra... Buy New $20.99 (as of 04:49 UTC - Details)
The PCR test has NEVER been vetted by several necessary large-scale studies, which, in the real world, would show the test has multiple flaws. It should never be used for medical diagnosis.
But it is used, all over the world. And it was used to launch a sitting president into the hospital, where doctors have violated the most basic principles of the healing profession. They are endangering the president’s health and life.
People who view “leading doctors” as unshakable symbols of good science, and avid Trump supporters who believe the president is far too brilliant to submit himself to these dangerous drugs…need to rethink their positions. If they dare.
SOURCES:
[1] https://blog.nomorefakenews.com/2020/10/03/trump-in-danger-the-test-the-experimental-drugs/
[2] https://blog.nomorefakenews.com/2020/10/03/walter-reed-doctors-are-endangering-trumps-life/
[3] https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-10-04/trump-receiving-powerful-lung-drug-doctors-disclose-revealing-more-serious-symptoms
Reprinted with permission from Jon Rappoport’s blog.
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lewrockwell--2020-10-06--Revolutions Always Devour Their Own

Revolutions Always Devour Their Own

Filip Stojanovski is a CSO activist and leader of many of the Stormtroopers of the CSOs in Macedonia , many of whom turned out to be members of the so-called “ colorful revolution.
” As head of the CSO Metamorphosis , which implements both USAID and Soros Foundation grants , Filip has been at the forefront of the “ colorful revolution , ” actively participating in the destruction of public property .
In a column for the platform “ Global Voices ” in October of 2016 , he described the activities of the revolutionaries writing “ The anti-corruption protests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-violent demonstrations that included marches , performances , and a great deal of color .
Carrying paint buckets and water squirters , protesters in more than 20 cities across the country splashed paint on structures.
” Grim Reaper Girl Costu ... Buy New $ 39.99 Now , surely Filip ’ s parents — if they were good parents — taught him that destroying public property — indeed that destroying anyone ’ s property — was wrong .
If they didn ’ t teach him this then they abdicated their responsibility as parents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the parents to instill in their children knowledge of right and wrong .
However , Filip can insist all he wants that the revolution was “ non-violent ” but at the end of the day , he knows , and the “ revolutionaries ” know that is a lie ( the classic dictionary definition of “ violent ” is “ using or involving physical force intended to hurt , damage , or kill someone or something.
” ) But since they all do insist on calling themselves “ revolutionaries ” I thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happens to most revolutionaries , especially those from the left .
30 LED Halloween Pumpk ... Buy New $ 16.99 Both the current prime minister and defense minister were a part of this so-called revolution , gleefully throwing paint-filled balloons at the institutions they now purport to lead and cherish .
Odd .
But two points are warranted .
First , they will both end up as all revolutionaries do .
Second , if any individuals or groups were to pull the same stunt , the current government would arrest and fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So when they were a part of the so-called “ colorful revolutionaries ” that demanded the “ right ” to deface and destroy public property but now they would defend these institutions .
That is simply because at their core they are hypocrites .
Ludwig von Mises ( 1881–1973 ) was an Austrian-American economist and the leader of what has become known as the Austrian School of economic thought ( also known as the Chicago School as opposed to the Keynesian School , named after John Maynard Keynes who famously called himself an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founded in von Mises ’ name “ exists to promote teaching and research in the Austrian school of economics , and individual freedom , honest history , and international peace , in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises and Murray N. Rothbard.
” I encourage readers to take a deep dive into both the institute and von Mises ’ thinking .

Filip Stojanovski is a CSO activist and leader of many of the Stormtroopers of the CSOs in Macedonia, many of whom turned out to be members of the so-called “colorful revolution.” As head of the CSO Metamorphosis, which implements both USAID and Soros Foundation grants, Filip has been at the forefront of the “colorful revolution,” actively participating in the destruction of public property. In a column for the platform “Global Voices” in October of 2016, he described the activities of the revolutionaries writing “The anti-corruption protests, dubbed the “Colorful Revolution” were non-violent demonstrations that included marches, performances, and a great deal of color. Carrying paint buckets and water squirters, protesters in more than 20 cities across the country splashed paint on structures.” Grim Reaper Girl Costu... Buy New $39.99 (as of 04:50 UTC - Details)
Now, surely Filip’s parents — if they were good parents — taught him that destroying public property — indeed that destroying anyone’s property — was wrong. If they didn’t teach him this then they abdicated their responsibility as parents. It’s one of the roles of the parents to instill in their children knowledge of right and wrong. However, Filip can insist all he wants that the revolution was “non-violent” but at the end of the day, he knows, and the “revolutionaries” know that is a lie (the classic dictionary definition of “violent” is “using or involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.”) But since they all do insist on calling themselves “revolutionaries” I thought it would be useful to find out what happens to most revolutionaries, especially those from the left.
30 LED Halloween Pumpk... Buy New $16.99 (as of 04:50 UTC - Details) Both the current prime minister and defense minister were a part of this so-called revolution, gleefully throwing paint-filled balloons at the institutions they now purport to lead and cherish. Odd. But two points are warranted. First, they will both end up as all revolutionaries do. Second, if any individuals or groups were to pull the same stunt, the current government would arrest and fine them, as they rightly should. So when they were a part of the so-called “colorful revolutionaries” that demanded the “right” to deface and destroy public property but now they would defend these institutions. That is simply because at their core they are hypocrites.
Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973) was an Austrian-American economist and the leader of what has become known as the Austrian School of economic thought (also known as the Chicago School as opposed to the Keynesian School, named after John Maynard Keynes who famously called himself an “immoralist”). The institute founded in von Mises’ name “exists to promote teaching and research in the Austrian school of economics, and individual freedom, honest history, and international peace, in the tradition of Ludwig von Mises and Murray N. Rothbard.” I encourage readers to take a deep dive into both the institute and von Mises’ thinking.
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lewrockwell--2020-10-06--Ten Days That Shook the Presidency

Ten Days That Shook the Presidency

Saturday , Sept. 26 , was among the best days of the Trump presidency , or so some of us thought watching the president introduce in the Rose Garden his sterling candidate for Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s seat on the Supreme Court .
The academic and professional credentials of Amy Coney Barrett , 48 , a U.S. appeals court judge , were superb .
Moreover , she was a devout Catholic and mother of seven , two of whom were adoptees from Haiti .
From every standpoint , a 10-strike for Donald Trump .
Ahead was the Tuesday debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden , and the long-awaited opportunity to expose Sleepy Joe ’ s visible loss of mental and verbal acuity in the four years since he was vice president .
Sunday , however , The New York Times detonated a bomb directly beneath the Trump campaign .
Declaring that it had Trump ’ s tax returns , the Times story blared : We The People Holsters ... Buy New $ 28.99 “ Donald J. Trump paid $ 750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency .
In his first year in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 750 .
He had paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years — largely because he reported losing much more money than he made.
” Far from being a billionaire , the Times said , Trump was mired in debt with hundreds off millions of dollars in loans coming due in 2021 .
Suddenly , Trump was on the defensive .
And in the Cleveland debate , he began a series of accusations and insults that lasted 90 minutes .
The debate was widely declared the worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wallace and the media agreed that the descent into chaos was caused by the endless interruptions of Trump .
Believing he accomplished what he had come to do , Trump headed out for the friendly country of Minnesota ’ s Iron Range .
On the return trip on Air Force One , Hope Hicks , feeling unwell , was quarantined .
Shop4ever Trump 2020 S ... Buy New $ 14.99 She later tested positive for COVID-19 .
At 1 a.m. Friday , came word came that both the president and first lady had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One was transporting Trump from the White House to Walter Reed hospital in Bethesda .
Saturday came the doctors ’ report that the president was doing well , followed by chief of staff Mark Meadows ’ backgrounder suggesting that Trump ’ s situation had been more serious than the country knew .
Came then news that some of Trump ’ s guests at the Rose Garden ceremony had tested positive : campaign manager Bill Stepien , Governor Chris Christie of his debate prep team , Kellyanne Conway , and Sens .
Mike Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , both of the Senate Judiciary Committee that will vote on Judge Barrett .
Sunday , with a crowd in front of Walter Reed loudly cheering for him , Trump commandeered an SUV and ordered it to drive by his followers so he could wave to them .
In the front seat of the SUV , in masks and protective gear , were Trump ’ s Secret Service agents .
Donald J. Trump Signat ... Buy New $ 49.95 The cumulative impact of these 10 days has been distracting at best and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Trump , to get back to the White House and the campaign , suggests this is his take as well .
The coronavirus and how he has handled it , the contraction of COVID-19 and how Trump got infected , his prior mockery of masks and ridicule of many who wear them , the specter of thousands of maskless Trumpsters at MAGA rallies — all are now the stuff of front-page news and back-page commentary .
The nation tends to respond sympathetically when the president faces a life-threatening situation .
It did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1955 , and to Reagan after he was shot at the Washington Hilton by John Hinckley and then had colon cancer surgery early in his second term .
But Trump may have forfeited some of that sympathy by his mocking the wearing of masks .
On the weekend after the Trump-Biden debate , a Wall Street Journal poll found that Trump had fallen 14 points behind Biden , and , in an average of national polls , Biden now led him by 8 points .
Trump has four weeks to turn it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to describe , is not so easy to accomplish .
He needs to persuade undecided and soft Biden voters that Joe is simply not up to the job of president .
Assuming he is well enough to campaign as he used to , Trump has to convince the country that Joe Biden is too big a risk to take .
He has two more debates to do what he failed to do in the first debate .
Wednesday will be Mike Pence ’ s opportunity , in his debate with Kamala Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right call in choosing him .
He can pay back the favor by exposing the radicalism of the people and policies Joe Biden would bring with him into the White House .
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What a difference a week can make.
Saturday, Sept. 26, was among the best days of the Trump presidency, or so some of us thought watching the president introduce in the Rose Garden his sterling candidate for Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court.
The academic and professional credentials of Amy Coney Barrett, 48, a U.S. appeals court judge, were superb. Moreover, she was a devout Catholic and mother of seven, two of whom were adoptees from Haiti.
From every standpoint, a 10-strike for Donald Trump.
Ahead was the Tuesday debate, the first of three with Joe Biden, and the long-awaited opportunity to expose Sleepy Joe’s visible loss of mental and verbal acuity in the four years since he was vice president.
Sunday, however, The New York Times detonated a bomb directly beneath the Trump campaign. Declaring that it had Trump’s tax returns, the Times story blared: We The People Holsters... Buy New $28.99 (as of 02:26 UTC - Details)
“Donald J. Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency. In his first year in the White House, he paid another $750. He had paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years — largely because he reported losing much more money than he made.”
Far from being a billionaire, the Times said, Trump was mired in debt with hundreds off millions of dollars in loans coming due in 2021.
Suddenly, Trump was on the defensive. And in the Cleveland debate, he began a series of accusations and insults that lasted 90 minutes. The debate was widely declared the worst in U.S. presidential history.
Moderator Chris Wallace and the media agreed that the descent into chaos was caused by the endless interruptions of Trump.
Believing he accomplished what he had come to do, Trump headed out for the friendly country of Minnesota’s Iron Range. On the return trip on Air Force One, Hope Hicks, feeling unwell, was quarantined. Shop4ever Trump 2020 S... Buy New $14.99 (as of 04:51 UTC - Details)
She later tested positive for COVID-19.
At 1 a.m. Friday, came word came that both the president and first lady had tested positive. By evening, Marine One was transporting Trump from the White House to Walter Reed hospital in Bethesda.
Saturday came the doctors’ report that the president was doing well, followed by chief of staff Mark Meadows’ backgrounder suggesting that Trump’s situation had been more serious than the country knew.
Came then news that some of Trump’s guests at the Rose Garden ceremony had tested positive: campaign manager Bill Stepien, Governor Chris Christie of his debate prep team, Kellyanne Conway, and Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both of the Senate Judiciary Committee that will vote on Judge Barrett.
Sunday, with a crowd in front of Walter Reed loudly cheering for him, Trump commandeered an SUV and ordered it to drive by his followers so he could wave to them. In the front seat of the SUV, in masks and protective gear, were Trump’s Secret Service agents. Donald J. Trump Signat... Buy New $49.95 (as of 03:36 UTC - Details)
The cumulative impact of these 10 days has been distracting at best and dreadful at worst. And the pressure from Trump, to get back to the White House and the campaign, suggests this is his take as well.
The coronavirus and how he has handled it, the contraction of COVID-19 and how Trump got infected, his prior mockery of masks and ridicule of many who wear them, the specter of thousands of maskless Trumpsters at MAGA rallies — all are now the stuff of front-page news and back-page commentary.
The nation tends to respond sympathetically when the president faces a life-threatening situation. It did so to Ike’s heart attack in 1955, and to Reagan after he was shot at the Washington Hilton by John Hinckley and then had colon cancer surgery early in his second term.
But Trump may have forfeited some of that sympathy by his mocking the wearing of masks.
On the weekend after the Trump-Biden debate, a Wall Street Journal poll found that Trump had fallen 14 points behind Biden, and, in an average of national polls, Biden now led him by 8 points.
Trump has four weeks to turn it around. And his task, while easy to describe, is not so easy to accomplish. He needs to persuade undecided and soft Biden voters that Joe is simply not up to the job of president.
Assuming he is well enough to campaign as he used to, Trump has to convince the country that Joe Biden is too big a risk to take. He has two more debates to do what he failed to do in the first debate.
Wednesday will be Mike Pence’s opportunity, in his debate with Kamala Harris, to show that Trump made the right call in choosing him.
He can pay back the favor by exposing the radicalism of the people and policies Joe Biden would bring with him into the White House.
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