thestream--2020-10-28--Bobulinski Interview Digs Deeper Into Corrupt ‘Biden Inc.’

NOTE : Because the following story relates to the Biden “ family business ” scandal , it should be mentioned once again that this is NOT Russian disinformation .
Tucker Carlson had an exclusive interview Tuesday night with former Biden business associate Tony Bobulinski , who was recruited by the Bidens to “ do the math ” and structure their deals .
He said he has to come forward out of his patriotic duty , having nothing to gain except to salvage his own good name , as he ’ s being tarred , ridiculously , as an agent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Well , why is he going on FOX News to do this ?
” The answer : Virtually everyone else is ignoring this story .
Where else is he going to go ?
As Tucker said , “ Never in American history have more power centers in this country aligned to kill a legitimate news story in the days before an election.
” He hinted at “ an extraordinary attempt ” made Monday night to interfere with FOX News ’ reporting of the Biden story and said details would be coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make with the Bobulinski interview is that this scandal is not about Hunter Biden , but about Joe Biden , the Democrat who might be elected President of the United States in a matter of days .
“ Joe Biden , ” Tucker said , “ had direct personal involvement with his family ’ s business dealings in Communist China , and likely in other countries as well.
” And it ’ s true .
Joe Biden denies he ever even spoke to his son about those foreign deals , but we know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There ’ s plenty of evidence documenting this .
Tucker ’ s interview with Bobulinski took place in a Los Angeles hotel room on Tuesday afternoon .
As the story unfolds , Bobulinski received a proposal on Christmas Eve 2015 from English businessman James Gilliar in a text saying , “ There will be a deal between one of the most prominent families from U.S. and them constructed by me.
” This was the deal involving Chinese energy company CEFC .
A lot of work had apparently been done during 2015 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was moving forward .
“ One of the most prominent families ” was the Biden family — not Hunter or James , but the “ entire family legacy , ” meaning , of course , Vice President Joe Biden .
Moving forward to 2017 , Bobulinski was asked by Rob Walker , who was a partner in the Biden-connected investment firm Rosemont Seneca and had been working to develop the CEFC deal , to “ sit down with their father [ Joe Biden ] , just to meet him and , at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how they approached things.
” He added that Walker was involved in the family ’ s participation with the Chinese in Sinohawk and was a self-described “ proxy ” for the Biden family around the world .
Bobulinski and Joe Biden met very late on May 2 , 2017 , in Los Angeles in a dark bar ( which struck him as surreptitious ) at the Beverly Hilton during the Milken Conference , which he described as “ one of the top three conferences in the world for anybody that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes and a variety of things.
” Hunter and James had carved out a time for them to talk not so much in detail about business , but just about his own background and what he could bring to the table .
“ … They were sort of wining and dining me , ” he said , “ and presenting the strength of the Biden family , to get me more engaged [ to ] take on the CEO role and develop Sinohawk , both in the United States and around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There was no other reason for me to be in that bar , ” he said , “ meeting Joe Biden , than to discuss what I was doing with his family ’ s name in the Chinese CEFC.
” This was direct involvement in the “ family business ” on the part of Joe Biden — so it was a blatant lie that he never discussed it with Hunter .
Recall that Bobulinski attended the last debate between Biden and President Trump .
He told Tucker that when Biden was still denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost stood up and yelled , “ Liar !
” He stressed that he had just been “ brought in to run this company , ” was personally “ irrelevant , ” and had “ been exposed to all of this fact ” and believes “ the American people should see this fact.
” He ’ s got dates , times , meetings and many emails generated not by him , but by others within the business .
“ The FBI can interview THEM , ” he said .
“ But I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that not only is the media [ not ] discussing this , but they ’ re going to the other extreme — they ’ re dismissing it as ‘ Russian disinformation ’ … it ’ s just absurd.
” The Family Legacy On The Line He ’ d much prefer the Biden family present these facts , but they obviously won ’ t , and when he told Rob Walker he would do it , Walker told him , “ Tony .
You ’ re just gon na bury all of us man.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his initial meeting with Joe Biden was mostly an introduction , more about themselves personally than about the business .
Biden thanked him for his military service .
It was sort of a get-to-know-you thing , and an inducement by Hunter and James for Bobulinski to get involved in the family business .
“ They were putting their entire family legacy on the line , ” he said .
“ They knew exactly what they were doing .
They were dealing with a Chinese-owned enterprise run by Chairman Ye , CEFC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support from the Chinese Communist Party … That ’ s not my own words ; it ’ s how they presented it to me and read me in on it.
” He said Hunter Biden seemed quite proud that he had this relationship with Chairman Ye and could get deals like this done around the world .
Bobulinski also talked about the now-familiar email from James Gilliar to him about “ how the equity from the enterprise would be divvied up.
” It ’ s “ crystal clear ” to him that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get 10 percent ( held by “ H , ” Hunter ) is Joe Biden .
Importantly , the final document that was drawn up hides Joe Biden ’ s 10 percent participation within his brother James ’ share .
He said he ’ d anticipated that Joe Biden might run for President in the future and thought this kind of foreign involvement — especially with the Chinese — might be a political risk .
When he asked James something like , “ How are you getting away with this ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … ?
, ” James just chuckled and said two words .
There ’ s much more .
Please watch the entire interview .
Bobulinski has some choice words for Adam Schiff .
In related news , Hunter Biden served as the attorney defending an executive of CEFC ( cozy ) who was being investigated for spying for the CCP .
There ’ s an audio recording from Hunter ’ s laptop in which he says , “ I have another New York Times reporter calling about my representation of Patrick Ho — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” So we know Hunter was well aware of how murky the water was in which he swam .
Oh , and it gets worse .
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events .
A New York Times best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

NOTE: Because the following story relates to the Biden “family business” scandal, it should be mentioned once again that this is NOT Russian disinformation.
Tucker Carlson had an exclusive interview Tuesday night with former Biden business associate Tony Bobulinski, who was recruited by the Bidens to “do the math” and structure their deals. He said he has to come forward out of his patriotic duty, having nothing to gain except to salvage his own good name, as he’s being tarred, ridiculously, as an agent of “Russian disinformation.”
Killing the Story — It’s About Joe
One might ask, “Well, why is he going on FOX News to do this?” The answer: Virtually everyone else is ignoring this story. Where else is he going to go?
As Tucker said, “Never in American history have more power centers in this country aligned to kill a legitimate news story in the days before an election.” He hinted at “an extraordinary attempt” made Monday night to interfere with FOX News’ reporting of the Biden story and said details would be coming.
“Never in American history have more power centers in this country aligned to kill a legitimate news story in the days before an election.”
The main point Tucker wanted to make with the Bobulinski interview is that this scandal is not about Hunter Biden, but about Joe Biden, the Democrat who might be elected President of the United States in a matter of days. “Joe Biden,” Tucker said, “had direct personal involvement with his family’s business dealings in Communist China, and likely in other countries as well.”
And it’s true. Joe Biden denies he ever even spoke to his son about those foreign deals, but we know without a doubt that he is lying. There’s plenty of evidence documenting this.
Tucker’s interview with Bobulinski took place in a Los Angeles hotel room on Tuesday afternoon.
The CEFC Deal
As the story unfolds, Bobulinski received a proposal on Christmas Eve 2015 from English businessman James Gilliar in a text saying, “There will be a deal between one of the most prominent families from U.S. and them constructed by me.” This was the deal involving Chinese energy company CEFC. A lot of work had apparently been done during 2015 to put this deal together, and it was moving forward. “One of the most prominent families” was the Biden family — not Hunter or James, but the “entire family legacy,” meaning, of course, Vice President Joe Biden.
Moving forward to 2017, Bobulinski was asked by Rob Walker, who was a partner in the Biden-connected investment firm Rosemont Seneca and had been working to develop the CEFC deal, to “sit down with their father [Joe Biden], just to meet him and, at a high level, discuss the Biden family and how they approached things.” He added that Walker was involved in the family’s participation with the Chinese in Sinohawk and was a self-described “proxy” for the Biden family around the world.
Meeting with Joe
Bobulinski and Joe Biden met very late on May 2, 2017, in Los Angeles in a dark bar (which struck him as surreptitious) at the Beverly Hilton during the Milken Conference, which he described as “one of the top three conferences in the world for anybody that’s a global investor or developing different humanitarian causes and a variety of things.” Hunter and James had carved out a time for them to talk not so much in detail about business, but just about his own background and what he could bring to the table. “… They were sort of wining and dining me,” he said, “and presenting the strength of the Biden family, to get me more engaged [to] take on the CEO role and develop Sinohawk, both in the United States and around the world, in partnership with CEFC.”
Joe’s Blatant Lie
“There was no other reason for me to be in that bar,” he said, “meeting Joe Biden, than to discuss what I was doing with his family’s name in the Chinese CEFC.”
This was direct involvement in the “family business” on the part of Joe Biden — so it was a blatant lie that he never discussed it with Hunter.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Recall that Bobulinski attended the last debate between Biden and President Trump. He told Tucker that when Biden was still denying his involvement during the debate, he almost stood up and yelled, “Liar!” He stressed that he had just been “brought in to run this company,” was personally “irrelevant,” and had “been exposed to all of this fact” and believes “the American people should see this fact.” He’s got dates, times, meetings and many emails generated not by him, but by others within the business. “The FBI can interview THEM,” he said.
“But I was shocked,” he continued, “that not only is the media [not] discussing this, but they’re going to the other extreme — they’re dismissing it as ‘Russian disinformation’ … it’s just absurd.”
The Family Legacy On The Line
He’d much prefer the Biden family present these facts, but they obviously won’t, and when he told Rob Walker he would do it, Walker told him, “Tony. You’re just gonna bury all of us man.”
As he described it to Tucker, his initial meeting with Joe Biden was mostly an introduction, more about themselves personally than about the business. Biden thanked him for his military service. It was sort of a get-to-know-you thing, and an inducement by Hunter and James for Bobulinski to get involved in the family business.
“They were putting their entire family legacy on the line,” he said. “They knew exactly what they were doing. They were dealing with a Chinese-owned enterprise run by Chairman Ye, CEFC, that had strong financial support and political support from the Chinese Communist Party … That’s not my own words; it’s how they presented it to me and read me in on it.”
He said Hunter Biden seemed quite proud that he had this relationship with Chairman Ye and could get deals like this done around the world.
Plausible Deniability
Bobulinski also talked about the now-familiar email from James Gilliar to him about “how the equity from the enterprise would be divvied up.” It’s “crystal clear” to him that “the big guy” who was supposed to get 10 percent (held by “H,” Hunter) is Joe Biden. Importantly, the final document that was drawn up hides Joe Biden’s 10 percent participation within his brother James’ share.
He said he’d anticipated that Joe Biden might run for President in the future and thought this kind of foreign involvement — especially with the Chinese — might be a political risk. When he asked James something like, “How are you getting away with this?” or “Aren’t you concerned …?,” James just chuckled and said two words.
“Plausible deniability.”
There’s much more. Please watch the entire interview. Bobulinski has some choice words for Adam Schiff.
In related news, Hunter Biden served as the attorney defending an executive of CEFC (cozy) who was being investigated for spying for the CCP. There’s an audio recording from Hunter’s laptop in which he says, “I have another New York Times reporter calling about my representation of Patrick Ho — the [bleeping] spy-chief of China.” So we know Hunter was well aware of how murky the water was in which he swam.
Oh, and it gets worse.
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN.
Originally published at MikeHuckabee.com. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-10-28--Is Amy Coney Barrett a Submissive Wife?

Is Amy Coney Barrett a Submissive Wife?

The new associate justice of the Supreme Court , Amy Coney Barrett , has been portrayed as a submissive “ handmaid ” — a head hanging , meek little mouse , an object for men and a mute baby machine .
If her critics aren ’ t quite as harsh as that , they worry that , despite her stellar accomplishments and sharp intellect , she is in favor of keeping women “ barefoot , pregnant and in the kitchen.
” Much of the criticism is based in Justice Barrett ’ s unashamed Christian faith and her participation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christians of keeping women in bondage .
They point to a key passage from St. Paul ’ s letter to the Ephesians : That clinches it doesn ’ t it ?
Women are supposed to be subject to men and second rate citizens .
St. Paul is certainly reflecting the standards of his day in the Roman Empire two thousand years ago , but when we know more about the historical context , the passage actually reveals early Christianity ’ s remarkably liberal attitude to women .
In his enlightening study of Roman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us how women were treated in the Roman Empire in the time of St. Paul .
In his book , The Rise of Christianity : How the Obscure , Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries , Stark explains that women were married off by their fathers for a good price at around the age of twelve or thirteen .
Regarded as just one step above a slave by the strictly hierarchical system , most girls were destined to a life of drudgery and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How the Christian Revolution Remade the World , historian Tom Holland relates how the male Roman citizen had no concept or what we would understand as marital fidelity .
He considered it his right to have sex with anyone he fancied .
That a Roman male should be sexually faithful to his wife was unheard of .
She was there to provide legitimate children , not necessarily to be loved or to be a faithful partner and friend .
Neither did she have any rights .
The man could divorce her at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this context , Christian teaching about men , women and marriage actually liberated women in a radical new way .
Breaking the Old Order From the Inside Out St. Paul ’ s typical style of teaching was to break the old order from the inside out .
He picked up on the Roman custom of women being subject to their husbands , but expands the idea to give it a new dimension of meaning , then goes on to plant a seed that would break that image from the inside out .
Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their husbands , but he establishes this principle to illustrate a Christian ’ s relationship to Jesus Christ .
The symbolism is easy to understand : Jesus is like the bridegroom .
We are the bride .
This imagery dates back to the Old Testament and to Jesus himself , who used marriage imagery in his stories and called himself “ the bridegroom.
” So rather than simply affirming the submission of women , St. Paul uses that existing custom to illustrate the Christian ’ s relationship to Jesus Christ .
Then he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory .
He goes on to say that the husband should “ love his wife as Christ loved the church and give himself up for her.
” According to Christian theology , Jesus died for us .
Therefore Paul is saying the husband must give himself up in total , loving service for his wife — even to the point of death !
In the Roman society of Paul ’ s time , this was totally unheard of .
It was a radical departure from the customs of the day , and one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual slavery of the Roman time period .
That Paul ’ s teaching was not demanding slave like submission of the woman to the man is confirmed at the end of the passage where he says simply , “ However , each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself , and the wife must respect her husband.
” In other words , a Christian marriage is built on mutual self-giving , respect and equal dignity .
We know the implications of Paul ’ s radical teaching bore fruit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Acts of the Apostles , we learn of women leaders in the church — the teacher Priscilla with her husband Aquila , Dorcas the hostess of a house church , Mary Magdalene and , most of all , Jesus ’ own mother Mary , who Catholics hail as the holiest and most powerful of God ’ s creatures .
Rodney Stark points out that the radical new understanding of marriage and women ’ s rights in the young Christian movement was one of the most attractive aspects of the faith , and one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Romans locked in the old way , of cruel submission of women to men , saw how the Christian couples loved and respected one another and said , “ I want some of that !
Where can I sign up ?
” Have Christian men failed to live up to this high calling down through the centuries ?
Yes we have .
The record of Christian men oppressing women and taking St. Paul ’ s words in Ephesians out of context to force women into submissive roles is out there .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Christian teaching .
However , there are also countless examples of Christian marriages which are full of love , mutual respect and dignity for both husband and wife .
If appearances are realities , Justice Amy Coney Barrett and her family are an example of how things should be .
It seems that Ms. Barrett and her husband work together as a team .
With mutual respect they support one another professionally and within their large family .
They would seem to bring out the best in one another — the wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love and the husband loving the wife with the gift of total self-giving .
Are such arrangements always blissful and perfect ?
Of course not .
And I expect the Barrett family would tell you of all their frustrations , trials , temptations and failures to live up the high ideal .
But at least the ideal is in place .
The Christian ideal is not one in which the woman is a sniveling , submissive doormat yielding to the husband ’ s every whim — but it is a relationship of mutual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dwight Longenecker is a Catholic pastor in Greenville , South Carolina .
His latest book Immortal Combat-Confronting the Heart of Darkness explores the tensions in modern society .

The new associate justice of the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, has been portrayed as a submissive “handmaid” — a head hanging, meek little mouse, an object for men and a mute baby machine.
If her critics aren’t quite as harsh as that, they worry that, despite her stellar accomplishments and sharp intellect, she is in favor of keeping women “barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen.”
Much of the criticism is based in Justice Barrett’s unashamed Christian faith and her participation in the People of Praise community. Critics accuse Christians of keeping women in bondage. They point to a key passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
That clinches it doesn’t it? Women are supposed to be subject to men and second rate citizens.
St. Paul is certainly reflecting the standards of his day in the Roman Empire two thousand years ago, but when we know more about the historical context, the passage actually reveals early Christianity’s remarkably liberal attitude to women.
Romans and Women
In his enlightening study of Roman civilization, the sociologist Rodney Stark tells us how women were treated in the Roman Empire in the time of St. Paul. In his book, The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries, Stark explains that women were married off by their fathers for a good price at around the age of twelve or thirteen. Regarded as just one step above a slave by the strictly hierarchical system, most girls were destined to a life of drudgery and child bearing.
In context, Christian teaching about men, women and marriage actually liberated women in a radical new way.
In his book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, historian Tom Holland relates how the male Roman citizen had no concept or what we would understand as marital fidelity. He considered it his right to have sex with anyone he fancied. That a Roman male should be sexually faithful to his wife was unheard of. She was there to provide legitimate children, not necessarily to be loved or to be a faithful partner and friend. Neither did she have any rights. The man could divorce her at will and send her packing.
Given this context, Christian teaching about men, women and marriage actually liberated women in a radical new way.
Breaking the Old Order From the Inside Out
St. Paul’s typical style of teaching was to break the old order from the inside out. He picked up on the Roman custom of women being subject to their husbands, but expands the idea to give it a new dimension of meaning, then goes on to plant a seed that would break that image from the inside out.
Paul does say women should be subject to their husbands, but he establishes this principle to illustrate a Christian’s relationship to Jesus Christ. The symbolism is easy to understand: Jesus is like the bridegroom. We are the bride. This imagery dates back to the Old Testament and to Jesus himself, who used marriage imagery in his stories and called himself “the bridegroom.”
So rather than simply affirming the submission of women, St. Paul uses that existing custom to illustrate the Christian’s relationship to Jesus Christ. Then he pushes the symbolism into a totally new territory.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
He goes on to say that the husband should “love his wife as Christ loved the church and give himself up for her.” According to Christian theology, Jesus died for us. Therefore Paul is saying the husband must give himself up in total, loving service for his wife — even to the point of death!
In the Roman society of Paul’s time, this was totally unheard of. It was a radical departure from the customs of the day, and one which served to liberate women from the virtual slavery of the Roman time period.
That Paul’s teaching was not demanding slave like submission of the woman to the man is confirmed at the end of the passage where he says simply, “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” In other words, a Christian marriage is built on mutual self-giving, respect and equal dignity.
We know the implications of Paul’s radical teaching bore fruit in the early church. In the Acts of the Apostles, we learn of women leaders in the church — the teacher Priscilla with her husband Aquila, Dorcas the hostess of a house church, Mary Magdalene and, most of all, Jesus’ own mother Mary, who Catholics hail as the holiest and most powerful of God’s creatures.
Christianity and Women’s Liberation
Rodney Stark points out that the radical new understanding of marriage and women’s rights in the young Christian movement was one of the most attractive aspects of the faith, and one which drew many converts. Put simply, Romans locked in the old way, of cruel submission of women to men, saw how the Christian couples loved and respected one another and said, “I want some of that! Where can I sign up?”
Have Christian men failed to live up to this high calling down through the centuries? Yes we have. The record of Christian men oppressing women and taking St. Paul’s words in Ephesians out of context to force women into submissive roles is out there. This is an abuse and a misunderstanding of the Christian teaching.
It seems that Ms. Barrett and her husband work together as a team. With mutual respect they support one another professionally and within their large family.
However, there are also countless examples of Christian marriages which are full of love, mutual respect and dignity for both husband and wife. If appearances are realities, Justice Amy Coney Barrett and her family are an example of how things should be.
It seems that Ms. Barrett and her husband work together as a team. With mutual respect they support one another professionally and within their large family. They would seem to bring out the best in one another — the wife being submissive to the husband’s love and the husband loving the wife with the gift of total self-giving.
Are such arrangements always blissful and perfect? Of course not. And I expect the Barrett family would tell you of all their frustrations, trials, temptations and failures to live up the high ideal. But at least the ideal is in place. The Christian ideal is not one in which the woman is a sniveling, submissive doormat yielding to the husband’s every whim — but it is a relationship of mutual respect, admiration and self-sacrifice.
Fr. Dwight Longenecker is a Catholic pastor in Greenville, South Carolina. His latest book Immortal Combat-Confronting the Heart of Darkness explores the tensions in modern society.


thestream--2020-10-28--The Catholic Case for Biden, Part V: More Bags of Cash for Leftist Teachers Unions and Bishops

For the dogged , dedicated reader , this is Part Five of our six-part series .
( See Parts One , Two , Three , and Four . )
Since the U.S. Catholic bishops decided that forty-six other issues were just as important as abortion in this election , we decided to take them at their word .
We would go through their whole laundry list of political issues , which they distilled from Catholic social teaching , and judge both Joe Biden and Donald Trump .
We ’ re responding to a frankly biased website created by professional Catholics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to look like an official church publication .
It isn ’ t , but that doesn ’ t matter .
It might as well be .
The U.S. Catholic bishops conference for years has issued annually over 200 policy demands , as if they were some government in exile .
And when Republicans are in power , that ’ s the tone the bishops take .
Except on a few social issues , most bishops ’ statements seem like Democratic National Committee press releases .
They skew heavily toward the government taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain of imprisonment , and spending it to buy the votes of others .
A shocking amount of this money goes through the bishops as middlemen .
Forty percent of the USCCB ’ s budget comes from federal programs , where Catholic agencies win contracts and cream off hefty fees to perform purely secular services like any other federal contractor .
If the federal government shrank any of those programs , much less sent them back to the states , the lights would go out at USCCB headquarters .
Nevertheless , the issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will examine the next batch of them , in light of the real moral principles of Catholic social teaching and the American Constitution , and see how candidates score .
On this score , Catholic Voters Guide judges both candidates as somehow aligning with Catholic principles .
That strikes us as strange , since Biden ( once more moderate ) has followed the Democratic party to the Jacobin secular left .
He ’ s absolutely opposed to tuition tax credits , vouchers , or other mechanisms allowing parents to direct their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — especially religious schools .
Donald Trump , by contrast , has come out strongly for school choice , including religious schools .
Given the power of schools to form children ’ s souls , and the radical politicization of so many public schools , this issue is crucial .
Remember that the fraudulent 1619 Project , which fosters a conspiracy theory that the U.S. was founded to perpetuate slavery , is even now being foisted on public schools across the country .
Meanwhile , public teachers unions are among the most rabidly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them all .
Catholic Voter Guide claims that Biden , unlike Trump , favors “ just salaries and benefits ” for the teachers in those failing public schools .
That depends , of course , on what you think their performance deserves .
On this issue again , Catholic Voter Guide gets confused .
It praises Joe Biden , one of the main authors of the 1994 Crime Bill that so many black Americans considered unjust .
For one thing , it imposed much harsher standards on drug crimes common in black communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It took President Trump ’ s recent efforts , widely hailed by the likes of Kanye West , to remedy some of those inequities .
Supporting Reasonable Restrictions on Access to Assault Weapons and Handguns Pardon the propaganda language .
Neither the U.S. bishops nor Catholic Voters Guide show much respect for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution .
That Amendment protects a basic human right , akin to free speech or free exercise of religion .
As we ’ ve written elsewhere , the U.S. bishops have followed Mainline Protestant churches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state as a hive and citizens as termites , with rights doled out to them insofar as the Queen thinks it ’ s safe .
They de facto deny that citizens have the right to self-defense , either against violent crime or tyrannical government .
Joe Biden has supported wide-ranging , arbitrary and unconstitutional measures infringing this basic right .
Donald Trump stands with the plain meaning of the Constitution — a meaning that accords both with the natural law and the Jewish-Christian tradition .
Please read our “ God , Guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detailed explanation .
Opposing the Use of the Death Penalty On this issue , the bishops have followed Pope Francis in rejecting the entire Judaeo-Christian tradition , going back to the Covenant of Noah in Genesis — the first written form we have of the natural law .
They ’ d oppose execution even for terrorists and war criminals , like the Nazis at Nuremberg .
Francis even opposes life imprisonment for criminals , absurdly claiming that it deprives them of the virtue of Hope .
( He is unaware , perhaps , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not earthly parole . )
To understand how capital punishment affirms human dignity , instead of undermining it , read Jules Gomes ’ s profound essay here .
Joe Biden has followed the Democratic party to come around to his new position .
Donald Trump stands with the Bible , the tradition , and the U.S. Constitution in allowing for capital punishment .
However , he has shown great concern about overly harsh sentencing , and those of us who think that the U.S. system for implementing capital punishment is broken , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find in him an ally .
Stay tuned for our final installment , Part Six .
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream .
He is a film producer , author , activist and human rights worker .
You can follow him @ TGCWithJason .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
Together , Jones and Zmirak wrote The Race to Save Our Century .

For the dogged, dedicated reader, this is Part Five of our six-part series. (See Parts One, Two, Three, and Four.)
Since the U.S. Catholic bishops decided that forty-six other issues were just as important as abortion in this election, we decided to take them at their word. We would go through their whole laundry list of political issues, which they distilled from Catholic social teaching, and judge both Joe Biden and Donald Trump. We’re responding to a frankly biased website created by professional Catholics, Catholic Voter Guide, which seems designed to look like an official church publication. It isn’t, but that doesn’t matter. It might as well be.
Except on a few social issues, most bishops’ statements seem like Democratic National Committee press releases.
The U.S. Catholic bishops conference for years has issued annually over 200 policy demands, as if they were some government in exile. And when Republicans are in power, that’s the tone the bishops take. Except on a few social issues, most bishops’ statements seem like Democratic National Committee press releases. They skew heavily toward the government taking money from one group of people on pain of imprisonment, and spending it to buy the votes of others.
Bishops as Middlemen
A shocking amount of this money goes through the bishops as middlemen. Forty percent of the USCCB’s budget comes from federal programs, where Catholic agencies win contracts and cream off hefty fees to perform purely secular services like any other federal contractor. If the federal government shrank any of those programs, much less sent them back to the states, the lights would go out at USCCB headquarters.
Nevertheless, the issues the bishops raise do matter. So we will examine the next batch of them, in light of the real moral principles of Catholic social teaching and the American Constitution, and see how candidates score.
Quality Education
On this score, Catholic Voters Guide judges both candidates as somehow aligning with Catholic principles. That strikes us as strange, since Biden (once more moderate) has followed the Democratic party to the Jacobin secular left. He’s absolutely opposed to tuition tax credits, vouchers, or other mechanisms allowing parents to direct their own tax money toward schools of their choice — especially religious schools.
Donald Trump, by contrast, has come out strongly for school choice, including religious schools. Given the power of schools to form children’s souls, and the radical politicization of so many public schools, this issue is crucial. Remember that the fraudulent 1619 Project, which fosters a conspiracy theory that the U.S. was founded to perpetuate slavery, is even now being foisted on public schools across the country. Meanwhile, public teachers unions are among the most rabidly leftist, pro-abortion, and pro-LGBT of them all. Catholic Voter Guide claims that Biden, unlike Trump, favors “just salaries and benefits” for the teachers in those failing public schools. That depends, of course, on what you think their performance deserves.
Reforming the Broken Criminal Justice System
On this issue again, Catholic Voter Guide gets confused. It praises Joe Biden, one of the main authors of the 1994 Crime Bill that so many black Americans considered unjust. For one thing, it imposed much harsher standards on drug crimes common in black communities than on those in white subcultures. It took President Trump’s recent efforts, widely hailed by the likes of Kanye West, to remedy some of those inequities.
Supporting Reasonable Restrictions on Access to Assault Weapons and Handguns
Pardon the propaganda language. Neither the U.S. bishops nor Catholic Voters Guide show much respect for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That Amendment protects a basic human right, akin to free speech or free exercise of religion. As we’ve written elsewhere, the U.S. bishops have followed Mainline Protestant churches in halfway divinizing Caesar. They see the state as a hive and citizens as termites, with rights doled out to them insofar as the Queen thinks it’s safe. They de facto deny that citizens have the right to self-defense, either against violent crime or tyrannical government.
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Joe Biden has supported wide-ranging, arbitrary and unconstitutional measures infringing this basic right. Donald Trump stands with the plain meaning of the Constitution — a meaning that accords both with the natural law and the Jewish-Christian tradition. Please read our “God, Guns, and the Government” for a detailed explanation.
Opposing the Use of the Death Penalty
On this issue, the bishops have followed Pope Francis in rejecting the entire Judaeo-Christian tradition, going back to the Covenant of Noah in Genesis — the first written form we have of the natural law. They’d oppose execution even for terrorists and war criminals, like the Nazis at Nuremberg. Francis even opposes life imprisonment for criminals, absurdly claiming that it deprives them of the virtue of Hope. (He is unaware, perhaps, that Hope refers to eternal salvation, not earthly parole.)
To understand how capital punishment affirms human dignity, instead of undermining it, read Jules Gomes’s profound essay here. Joe Biden has followed the Democratic party to come around to his new position. Donald Trump stands with the Bible, the tradition, and the U.S. Constitution in allowing for capital punishment. However, he has shown great concern about overly harsh sentencing, and those of us who think that the U.S. system for implementing capital punishment is broken, and unjustly affects less wealthy defendants, will find in him an ally.
Stay tuned for our final installment, Part Six.
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream. He is a film producer, author, activist and human rights worker. You can follow him @TGCWithJason.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.
Together, Jones and Zmirak wrote The Race to Save Our Century.


thestream--2020-10-28--Hunter’s Ex-Business Partner Tony Bobulinski: ‘Joe Biden and the Biden Family are Compromised’

Hunter Biden ’ s ex-business partner Tony Bobulinski told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will be “ compromised ” as president because of his family ’ s business dealings with China .
“ I think Joe Biden and the Biden family are compromised , ” Bobulinski said .
“ I just don ’ t see , given the history here in the facts , how Joe can ’ t be influenced in some manner based on the history that they have , ” Bobulinski said .
“ So as a citizen and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very , very concerned.
” Bobulinski explained how he met with Joe Biden in Los Angeles on May 2 , 2017 , at the request of Hunter and his uncle , Jim Biden , to discuss the Biden family dealings at a high level .
“ They were sort of wining and dining me and presenting the strength of the Biden family to get me more engaged and want to take on the CEO role ” of the joint business venture between the Chinese energy firm CEFC China Energy Co. and Oneida Holdings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was “ crystal clear ” that Hunter Biden had brought his father up to speed on the status of a joint venture deal with the before he met with the former vice president .
“ They were putting their entire family legacy on the line .
They knew exactly what they were doing .
They were dealing with a Chinese-owned enterprise … that had strong financial support and political support from the Chinese Communist Party .
That ’ s how it was presented to me .
That ’ s not my own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presented it to me and read me in on it , ” Bobulinski said .
Bobulinski recalled bringing up his concerns with Jim Biden the following day after his meeting with the former vice president that their business dealings with the Chinese could impact his brother ’ s 2020 presidential aspirations .
“ I know Joe decided not to run in 2016 , but what if he ran in the future ?
Aren ’ t they taking political risk or headline risk ?
And I remember looking at Jim Biden and saying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this ?
Like , aren ’ t you concerned ?
’ “ And he certainly looked at me and he laughed a little bit and said , ‘ plausible deniability , ’ ” Bobulinski said .
Later that day , Bobulinski described a second meeting he had with Joe Biden in a parking lot in which the former vice president told him to “ keep an eye on his son and brother.
” Joe Biden is not named in any corporate documents for Oneida , despite a much-publicized May 13 , 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associate James Gilliar saying that 10 % of the firm would be “ held by H for the big guy.
” Bobulinski said the “ big guy ” in the email is a reference to Joe Biden .
Jim Biden was granted a 20 % stake in Oneida when the deal was finalized on May 22 , 2017 , up from his proposed 10 % stake in Gilliar ’ s May 13 email , according to documents obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation and other media outlets .
Bobulinski said he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ownership in the firm went from 10 % as proposed in Gilliar ’ s email to 20 % when the deal was ultimately finalized .
“ I ’ m sure there were discussions within the Biden family .
I wasn ’ t privy to that discussion .
But this is Jim Biden , the brother of the potential future president of the United States .
It ’ s not a distant cousin .
It ’ s not an employee .
It ’ s his brother who in documents defines himself as a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the structure of Oneida , Hunter Biden texted Bobulinski stating : “ both James ’ and my Chairman gave an emphatic NO.
” Bobulinski said Hunter Biden was referring to his father when he said , “ my Chairman , ” in the May 19 , 2017 , text .
“ What Hunter ’ s referencing there is he spoke with his father and his father is giving an emphatic no to the ask that I had , which was putting proper governance in place around Oneida Holdings , ” Bobulinski said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal , Bobulinski said , “ it was always the Biden family… who is obviously led and operated by Joe Biden.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Hunter Biden’s ex-business partner Tony Bobulinski told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will be “compromised” as president because of his family’s business dealings with China.
“I think Joe Biden and the Biden family are compromised,” Bobulinski said.
“I just don’t see, given the history here in the facts, how Joe can’t be influenced in some manner based on the history that they have,” Bobulinski said. “So as a citizen and an American taxpayer, I’m very, very concerned.”
Bobulinski explained how he met with Joe Biden in Los Angeles on May 2, 2017, at the request of Hunter and his uncle, Jim Biden, to discuss the Biden family dealings at a high level.
“They were sort of wining and dining me and presenting the strength of the Biden family to get me more engaged and want to take on the CEO role” of the joint business venture between the Chinese energy firm CEFC China Energy Co. and Oneida Holdings, a Delaware-based LLC.
WATCH:
Bobulinksi said it was “crystal clear” that Hunter Biden had brought his father up to speed on the status of a joint venture deal with the before he met with the former vice president.
“They were putting their entire family legacy on the line. They knew exactly what they were doing. They were dealing with a Chinese-owned enterprise … that had strong financial support and political support from the Chinese Communist Party. That’s how it was presented to me. That’s not my own words. That’s how they presented it to me and read me in on it,” Bobulinski said.
Bobulinski recalled bringing up his concerns with Jim Biden the following day after his meeting with the former vice president that their business dealings with the Chinese could impact his brother’s 2020 presidential aspirations.
“I know Joe decided not to run in 2016, but what if he ran in the future? Aren’t they taking political risk or headline risk? And I remember looking at Jim Biden and saying, ‘How are you guys getting away with this? Like, aren’t you concerned?’
“And he certainly looked at me and he laughed a little bit and said, ‘plausible deniability,’” Bobulinski said.
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Later that day, Bobulinski described a second meeting he had with Joe Biden in a parking lot in which the former vice president told him to “keep an eye on his son and brother.”
Joe Biden is not named in any corporate documents for Oneida, despite a much-publicized May 13, 2017, email Bobulinski received from Hunter Biden associate James Gilliar saying that 10% of the firm would be “held by H for the big guy.”
Bobulinski said the “big guy” in the email is a reference to Joe Biden.
Jim Biden was granted a 20% stake in Oneida when the deal was finalized on May 22, 2017, up from his proposed 10% stake in Gilliar’s May 13 email, according to documents obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation and other media outlets.
Bobulinski said he did not know why Jim Biden’s ownership in the firm went from 10% as proposed in Gilliar’s email to 20% when the deal was ultimately finalized.
“I’m sure there were discussions within the Biden family. I wasn’t privy to that discussion. But this is Jim Biden, the brother of the potential future president of the United States. It’s not a distant cousin. It’s not an employee. It’s his brother who in documents defines himself as a political advisor to his brother.”
During negotiations over the structure of Oneida, Hunter Biden texted Bobulinski stating: “both James’ and my Chairman gave an emphatic NO.”
Bobulinski said Hunter Biden was referring to his father when he said, “my Chairman,” in the May 19, 2017, text.
“What Hunter’s referencing there is he spoke with his father and his father is giving an emphatic no to the ask that I had, which was putting proper governance in place around Oneida Holdings,” Bobulinski said.
To the Chinese involved in the deal, Bobulinski said, “it was always the Biden family… who is obviously led and operated by Joe Biden.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-10-28--Major Fast Food Chain Ramps Up Use of Robot Fry Cooks

Fast food chain White Castle announced Tuesday that it is expanding its automated cook concept after the company successfully tested it over the summer .
The American fast food chain said that Flippy , a robotic fry cook made by tech company Miso Robotics , will be added to 10 of its restaurants in 2021 , according to Business Insider .
The robot will assist White Castle employees during night shifts and while they are busy preparing takeout and delivery orders .
“ Artificial intelligence and automation have been an area White Castle has wanted to experiment with to optimize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lisa Ingram , Business Insider reported .
The robotic fry cook technology , essentially a robotic arm that hangs from an overhead rail , is able to place baskets in a fryer , shake baskets and cook chicken tenders , according to Business Insider .
Since September , Flippy has cooked about 14,500 pounds of food at White Castle locations .
Flippy also helps restaurants facilitate social distancing amidst the coronavirus pandemic , according to ZDNet .
With Flippy in a kitchen , there is less crowding , a fact that Miso Robotics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sneak peek of the prototype in January , we ’ ve seen demand through the roof from operators , especially in light of COVID-19 ” Miso Robotics CEO Mike Bell said in a press release , according to Business Insider .
The company noted that Flippy “ creates an avenue for reduced human contact with food ” in a July press release .
The pandemic has forced fast food chains to make significant operational changes , according to The Wall Street Journal .
Expanding takeout and increasing drive through availability has led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the U.S. economy continues to suffer .
White Castle and Miso Robotics downplayed the effect technology like Flippy could have on the workforce , according to ZDNet .
Both companies said the technology will allow employees to focus on different tasks instead of frying .
However , fast food chains have increasingly turned to robots and self-serve kiosks , according to a 2018 Wall Street Journal report .
Further , as many states phase to a $ 15 minimum wage , it is possible that robots become more present in fast food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Bureau of Economic Research paper found that increasing the minimum wage results in lower low-skill employment .
“ We find that increasing the minimum wage decreases significantly the share of automatable employment held by low-skilled workers , ” the paper concluded .
It continued : “ Our work suggests that sharp minimum wage increases in the United States in coming years will shape the types of jobs held by low-skilled workers , and create employment challenges for some of them.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Fast food chain White Castle announced Tuesday that it is expanding its automated cook concept after the company successfully tested it over the summer.
The American fast food chain said that Flippy, a robotic fry cook made by tech company Miso Robotics, will be added to 10 of its restaurants in 2021, according to Business Insider. The robot will assist White Castle employees during night shifts and while they are busy preparing takeout and delivery orders.
“Artificial intelligence and automation have been an area White Castle has wanted to experiment with to optimize our operations,” White Castle CEO Lisa Ingram, Business Insider reported.
The robotic fry cook technology, essentially a robotic arm that hangs from an overhead rail, is able to place baskets in a fryer, shake baskets and cook chicken tenders, according to Business Insider. Since September, Flippy has cooked about 14,500 pounds of food at White Castle locations.
Flippy also helps restaurants facilitate social distancing amidst the coronavirus pandemic, according to ZDNet. With Flippy in a kitchen, there is less crowding, a fact that Miso Robotics has repeated.
“After we shared a sneak peek of the prototype in January, we’ve seen demand through the roof from operators, especially in light of COVID-19” Miso Robotics CEO Mike Bell said in a press release, according to Business Insider.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The company noted that Flippy “creates an avenue for reduced human contact with food” in a July press release.
The pandemic has forced fast food chains to make significant operational changes, according to The Wall Street Journal. Expanding takeout and increasing drive through availability has led several chains to see increased profits even as the U.S. economy continues to suffer.
White Castle and Miso Robotics downplayed the effect technology like Flippy could have on the workforce, according to ZDNet. Both companies said the technology will allow employees to focus on different tasks instead of frying.
However, fast food chains have increasingly turned to robots and self-serve kiosks, according to a 2018 Wall Street Journal report.
Further, as many states phase to a $15 minimum wage, it is possible that robots become more present in fast food restaurants across the country. A 2017 National Bureau of Economic Research paper found that increasing the minimum wage results in lower low-skill employment.
“We find that increasing the minimum wage decreases significantly the share of automatable employment held by low-skilled workers,” the paper concluded.
It continued: “Our work suggests that sharp minimum wage increases in the United States in coming years will shape the types of jobs held by low-skilled workers, and create employment challenges for some of them.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-10-28--Get Ready for the Pre-Election ‘Casedemic’

President Trump recently tweeted : “ The Fake News is talking about CASES , CASES , CASES .
This includes many low risk people .
Media is doing everything possible to create fear prior to November 3rd .
The Cases are up because TESTING is way up , by far the most , and best , in the world .
Mortality rate is DOWN 85 % plus !
” The president is right .
On any objective measure , the pandemic is waning .
We are now in what many call a “ casedemic ” — a swell of positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing .
And the media is , for the most part , using this to induce maximum fear in the electorate .
But much of what the press is calling cases are mislabeled .
Before 2020 , every health professional knew the difference between cases and infections .
Cases referred to patients with symptoms seeking treatment , who test positive for an infection .
But not all infections become cases .
An infection refers to the presence of active virus in someone ’ s body .
Many of these infected people don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even no symptoms .
False positives complicate the picture a bit : These are those who get tested and are mistakenly told they are infected .
Still , public health officials always knew the difference between a case , a mere infection , and a positive test ( which may or may not signal a real infection ) .
That ’ s all changed .
In 2020 , public health officials seemed to forget all that old stuff they knew in 2019 — at least when talking to the press .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signals an infection , that every infection rises to the level of a case , and that every case means serious illness with a major risk of death .
These shifts in meaning took place just as the number of tests for COVID-19 skyrocketed .
The COVID Tracking Project tallies daily tests across the US .
We have averaged over one million tests every day since the start of October .
This is a huge number , especially when compared to the number of tests conducted when the deaths attributed to COVID-19 peaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of daily tests was around 125 thousand .
But that number soon inched up as more testing facilities came online .
By July , as the virus migrated from the northeast to the south and west , and attributed deaths re-peaked , albeit at lower levels , the US was conducting about 800 thousand tests daily .
At the end of summer , even the number of tests , like deaths , began to fall .
Then the number of tests rose again and reached our current million plus tests every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And when we account for counting delays , are now about where they were in March , at the beginning of the drama .
Clearly , more testing means more positive test results .
But what does that mean ?
Not much .
For one thing , not all tests are the same .
There are antigen tests that scan for certain proteins , antibody tests that look for immunity measures , and polymerase-chain-reaction ( PCR ) tests that look for pieces of the virus genome .
PCR tests are the most common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can “ amplify ” samples , which can lead to many false positives .
One study found a range of false positive rates of between 0 and 16 % , with most in the range of 0.8 to 4 % .
As the authors said , “ Such rates would have large impacts on test data when prevalence is low.
” Well , the prevalence of active infections of COVID-19 is low .
That means huge numbers of healthy , uninfected people are now , in all likelihood , being mislabeled as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the many asymptomatic and minor infections that do not require treatment .
But to much of the press , they ’ re all cases .
Of course , testing can also produce false negatives — when a test fails to detect an infection .
But this almost always involves mild cases that would not need treatment anyway .
Doctors aren ’ t going to pass over a person who shows up at the ER gasping for breath , regardless of test results .
This is why the daily press clamor about “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misleading .
Still , don ’ t expect it to let up before the election .
The press seems keener on pushing panic porn in the run up to November 3rd than on calmly reporting the facts .
The electorate , for their part , will have to do their own homework .
William Briggs , Jay W. Richards , and Douglas Axe are the authors of The Price of Panic : How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe .

President Trump recently tweeted: “The Fake News is talking about CASES, CASES, CASES. This includes many low risk people. Media is doing everything possible to create fear prior to November 3rd. The Cases are up because TESTING is way up, by far the most, and best, in the world. Mortality rate is DOWN 85% plus!”
The president is right. On any objective measure, the pandemic is waning. We are now in what many call a “casedemic” — a swell of positive tests due largely to enormous surges in testing. And the media is, for the most part, using this to induce maximum fear in the electorate.
But much of what the press is calling cases are mislabeled. Before 2020, every health professional knew the difference between cases and infections. Cases referred to patients with symptoms seeking treatment, who test positive for an infection. But not all infections become cases.
Test, Infections and Cases
An infection refers to the presence of active virus in someone’s body. Many of these infected people don’t need treatment because they have mild or even no symptoms. False positives complicate the picture a bit: These are those who get tested and are mistakenly told they are infected. Still, public health officials always knew the difference between a case, a mere infection, and a positive test (which may or may not signal a real infection).
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
That’s all changed. In 2020, public health officials seemed to forget all that old stuff they knew in 2019 — at least when talking to the press. Now the press assumes that every positive test signals an infection, that every infection rises to the level of a case, and that every case means serious illness with a major risk of death.
A Million Tests Per Day
These shifts in meaning took place just as the number of tests for COVID-19 skyrocketed. The COVID Tracking Project tallies daily tests across the US. We have averaged over one million tests every day since the start of October. This is a huge number, especially when compared to the number of tests conducted when the deaths attributed to COVID-19 peaked back in April.
Back then, the number of daily tests was around 125 thousand. But that number soon inched up as more testing facilities came online. By July, as the virus migrated from the northeast to the south and west, and attributed deaths re-peaked, albeit at lower levels, the US was conducting about 800 thousand tests daily.
Clearly, more testing means more positive test results. But what does that mean? Not much.
At the end of summer, even the number of tests, like deaths, began to fall. Then the number of tests rose again and reached our current million plus tests every day. Deaths continue to fall. And when we account for counting delays, are now about where they were in March, at the beginning of the drama.
Clearly, more testing means more positive test results. But what does that mean? Not much.
Why “Case” is Misleading
For one thing, not all tests are the same. There are antigen tests that scan for certain proteins, antibody tests that look for immunity measures, and polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) tests that look for pieces of the virus genome.
PCR tests are the most common. These have varying sensitivities because they can “amplify” samples, which can lead to many false positives. One study found a range of false positive rates of between 0 and 16%, with most in the range of 0.8 to 4%. As the authors said, “Such rates would have large impacts on test data when prevalence is low.”
Well, the prevalence of active infections of COVID-19 is low. That means huge numbers of healthy, uninfected people are now, in all likelihood, being mislabeled as “cases.” And this is in addition to the many asymptomatic and minor infections that do not require treatment. But to much of the press, they’re all cases.
Of course, testing can also produce false negatives — when a test fails to detect an infection. But this almost always involves mild cases that would not need treatment anyway. Doctors aren’t going to pass over a person who shows up at the ER gasping for breath, regardless of test results.
This is why the daily press clamor about “surges” in “cases” is misleading. Still, don’t expect it to let up before the election. The press seems keener on pushing panic porn in the run up to November 3rd than on calmly reporting the facts. The electorate, for their part, will have to do their own homework.
William Briggs, Jay W. Richards, and Douglas Axe are the authors of The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe.


thestream--2020-10-29--Are We Living in a Video Game?

Are We Living in a Video Game?

In the 1999 film The Matrix , Neo learns that he ’ s living in an elaborate computer program .
He seizes an opportunity to join others in rebelling against The Machine , setting us off on an epic adventure .
The action flick was a big hit .
It ’ s not hard to see why .
Like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings , it ’ s a larger-than-life story , with universal , quasi-religious implications .
Viewers are drawn into Neo ’ s quest against the evil powers that would keep humanity ignorant and enslaved .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just a crazy idea .
A recent Scientific American article reminds us there are real scientists who believe there ’ s a good chance we ’ re characters in a computer somewhere .
Some put the odds at 50/50 , others at better than 50/50 .
It ’ s known as The Simulation Hypothesis ( also the title of a 2019 book by Rizwan Virk , a video game designer , and MIT and Stanford alumnus ) .
The idea has been brewing since at least 2003 , when an important academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A popular form of the argument goes like this .
We ’ ve come a long way in our ability to simulate the real world , right ?
We ’ ve gone from Pac-Man to World of Warcraft in the space of 40 years .
World of Warcraft is a 3D , fully immersive virtual reality ( VR ) experience .
Even if we ’ re not gamers , we ’ ve got Siri , Google and Alexa in our homes , talking to us , listening to us , getting to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal is for our interactions with these virtual assistants to feel more natural .
What if programmers were to simulate fully conscious beings like ourselves ?
Many today pursue this task with vigor .
Bizarre examples already exist , like a Japanese man who married a hologram a couple years ago .
For them , it ’ s not just about self-driving cars or robots that do housework ( which this Chinese man hopes his robot wife will soon do ) .
No , they dream of superior versions of ourselves — virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better chess and can more engagingly relate to us , having carefully learned our inclinations , desires and temperament .
Virtual companions we might prefer over real ones .
When stuff like that happens , the argument goes , the scales will have tipped in favor of the view that we are living in a simulation .
After all , if the conscious beings we create are indistinguishable from what we call the “ real ” beings , how do we know that we ’ re not living in someone else ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be advanced versions of that which we ’ re now aspiring to create ?
Reading up on this reminded me of a G.K. Chesterton quote : “ When men choose not to believe in God , they do not thereafter believe in nothing , they then become capable of believing in anything.
” Psalm 14 explains that only fools deny God .
Romans 1 says that we become stupid by denying what is clearly there .
After all , there is a theistic element to this simulation fantasy .
The thought of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a god , for a connection to the transcendent .
Yet without any messy moral accountability , since we — our machines , our bodies — cease to function at death .
Until then , eat , drink and be merry .
But without any ultimate meaning or significance .
Man is incurably religious .
We were made to worship the Triune God and to live in a state of unbroken fellowship with our God .
In this world , we have an innate sense of exile , of disconnectedness , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our true home yet .
Experiences of beauty in music , art or nature often awaken in us a sense of longing , a desire to follow the beauty as it were , back to its Source .
C.S .
Lewis and others have discussed how this longing bears testimony to our spiritual nature , to our being made to enjoy God .
Science was once an endeavor that took place largely within a Christian framework .
The scientist was one who sought to understand the work of God in His universe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Him , to see what was revealed through what has been made ( Ps .
111:2 , Rom .
1:20 ) .
Laws , patterns , predictability — these were predicated on the eternal existence of an intelligent Creator and Sustainer of all things .
Science also presupposes our ability to trust our sense perceptions .
Absent that , no discovery could be made .
Which means the simulation fantasy can ’ t be falsified , since you can ’ t trust whatever data might suggest another conclusion .
I ’ m reminded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind is nothing more than random bits of neurons , chemicals , muscles and tissues which self-assembled over eons through a random , directionless process .
And yet I should give full confidence to the thoughts produced by this mind .
Better to recognize that absolutely nothing makes sense in the absence of God .
It ’ s good to harness the laws of God to develop new ways to serve humanity .
Christians can design advanced robots with a clean conscience , out of love for neighbor and a desire to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We create because we ’ re made in the image of our Creator .
But robots will never replace or supersede God ’ s image-bearers .
There ’ s a fine , bright line between imitating God and playing God .
We are in a larger story .
But it ’ s not a video game .
Our Creator is not a programmer .
He ’ s our God and rightful Lord .
We were made in His image to know , love and enjoy Him forever , together with other fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , He entered our physical world and paid the highest price to restore it .
While we are ultimately spiritual beings , our physical world is real , the creation of our God .
As a result , everything we do in this world matters .
Our entire lives are shot through with significance .
Right now truly counts forever .
Dr. Alex Chediak ( Ph.D. , U.C .
Berkeley ) is a professor and the author of Thriving at College ( Tyndale House , 2011 ) , a roadmap for how students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college years .
His latest book is Beating the College Debt Trap .
Learn more about him at www.alexchediak.com or follow him on Twitter ( @ chediak ) .

In the 1999 film The Matrix, Neo learns that he’s living in an elaborate computer program. He seizes an opportunity to join others in rebelling against The Machine, setting us off on an epic adventure.
The action flick was a big hit. It’s not hard to see why. Like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings, it’s a larger-than-life story, with universal, quasi-religious implications. Viewers are drawn into Neo’s quest against the evil powers that would keep humanity ignorant and enslaved.
The Simulation Hypothesis
But for some, it’s not just a crazy idea. A recent Scientific American article reminds us there are real scientists who believe there’s a good chance we’re characters in a computer somewhere. Some put the odds at 50/50, others at better than 50/50. It’s known as The Simulation Hypothesis (also the title of a 2019 book by Rizwan Virk, a video game designer, and MIT and Stanford alumnus). The idea has been brewing since at least 2003, when an important academic paper on the topic was published.
A popular form of the argument goes like this. We’ve come a long way in our ability to simulate the real world, right? We’ve gone from Pac-Man to World of Warcraft in the space of 40 years. World of Warcraft is a 3D, fully immersive virtual reality (VR) experience. Even if we’re not gamers, we’ve got Siri, Google and Alexa in our homes, talking to us, listening to us, getting to know us. With every upgrade, the goal is for our interactions with these virtual assistants to feel more natural.
Superior Versions of Ourselves
What if programmers were to simulate fully conscious beings like ourselves? Many today pursue this task with vigor. Bizarre examples already exist, like a Japanese man who married a hologram a couple years ago. For them, it’s not just about self-driving cars or robots that do housework (which this Chinese man hopes his robot wife will soon do). No, they dream of superior versions of ourselves — virtual persons who write better music, play better chess and can more engagingly relate to us, having carefully learned our inclinations, desires and temperament. Virtual companions we might prefer over real ones.
We are in a larger story. But it’s not a video game.
When stuff like that happens, the argument goes, the scales will have tipped in favor of the view that we are living in a simulation. After all, if the conscious beings we create are indistinguishable from what we call the “real” beings, how do we know that we’re not living in someone else’s simulated world? Couldn’t we be advanced versions of that which we’re now aspiring to create?
Advanced Nonsense
Reading up on this reminded me of a G.K. Chesterton quote: “When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.” Psalm 14 explains that only fools deny God. Romans 1 says that we become stupid by denying what is clearly there.
After all, there is a theistic element to this simulation fantasy. The thought of a mysterious programmer overseeing us fills the need for a god, for a connection to the transcendent. Yet without any messy moral accountability, since we — our machines, our bodies — cease to function at death. Until then, eat, drink and be merry. But without any ultimate meaning or significance.
Man is incurably religious. We were made to worship the Triune God and to live in a state of unbroken fellowship with our God. In this world, we have an innate sense of exile, of disconnectedness, of brokenness. We’re not in our true home yet. Experiences of beauty in music, art or nature often awaken in us a sense of longing, a desire to follow the beauty as it were, back to its Source. C.S. Lewis and others have discussed how this longing bears testimony to our spiritual nature, to our being made to enjoy God.
True Science
Science was once an endeavor that took place largely within a Christian framework. The scientist was one who sought to understand the work of God in His universe, to think God’s thoughts after Him, to see what was revealed through what has been made (Ps. 111:2, Rom. 1:20). Laws, patterns, predictability — these were predicated on the eternal existence of an intelligent Creator and Sustainer of all things.
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Science also presupposes our ability to trust our sense perceptions. Absent that, no discovery could be made. Which means the simulation fantasy can’t be falsified, since you can’t trust whatever data might suggest another conclusion. I’m reminded of materialism’s insistence that my mind is nothing more than random bits of neurons, chemicals, muscles and tissues which self-assembled over eons through a random, directionless process. And yet I should give full confidence to the thoughts produced by this mind.
The Larger Story
Better to recognize that absolutely nothing makes sense in the absence of God. It’s good to harness the laws of God to develop new ways to serve humanity. Christians can design advanced robots with a clean conscience, out of love for neighbor and a desire to put the Creator’s goodness on display. We create because we’re made in the image of our Creator. But robots will never replace or supersede God’s image-bearers. There’s a fine, bright line between imitating God and playing God.
We are in a larger story. But it’s not a video game. Our Creator is not a programmer. He’s our God and rightful Lord. We were made in His image to know, love and enjoy Him forever, together with other fellow image-bearers. When that fellowship was broken, He entered our physical world and paid the highest price to restore it. While we are ultimately spiritual beings, our physical world is real, the creation of our God. As a result, everything we do in this world matters. Our entire lives are shot through with significance. Right now truly counts forever.
Dr. Alex Chediak (Ph.D., U.C. Berkeley) is a professor and the author of Thriving at College (Tyndale House, 2011), a roadmap for how students can best navigate the challenges of their college years. His latest book is Beating the College Debt Trap. Learn more about him at www.alexchediak.com or follow him on Twitter (@chediak).


thestream--2020-10-29--Military Photo of the Day: Inland Water Rescue Maneuvers

MH-60S Nighthawk helicopters conduct inland water rescue maneuvers with members of the West Virginia National Guard on the Kanawha River @ @ @ @ @ , on October 21 , 2020 .
Thank you to Edwin Wriston for capturing this @ @

MH-60S Nighthawk helicopters conduct inland water rescue maneuvers with members of the West Virginia National Guard on the Kanawha River in Dunbar, West Virginia, on October 21, 2020.
Thank you to Edwin Wriston for capturing this image.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-10-30--#Election2020: GDP Leaps, MSM Dodges … and is the FBI Investigating ‘Hunter and His Associates’?

We are just over four days away from America choosing its fate .
Choosing between Dark , Socialist Winter or a Bright American Spring .
Between a cult of death and a culture of life .
Two days ago I predicted Trump would win a surprising landslide .
I have seen nothing to change my mind .
I have , however , seen a lifelong Democrat and Flint City Councilman named Maurice Davis reveal he is backing Trump .
What we ’ ve also seen is a full-on Soviet style effort to stifle information critical of Joe Biden and supportive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan .
Why ?
Because he tweeted something positive about the border wall .
When Jack Dorsey testified Wednesday that Twitter does not have the ability to impact elections , his nose grew as long as his beard .
Most astoundingly , not a single network or cable channel beyond Fox News has carried anything about Tony Bobulinski ’ s devastating interview with Tucker Carlson .
Bobulinski detailed how Joe Biden is lying about never having any involvement with his son ’ s businesses .
He knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partner on a deal involving the Chinese .
Why would networks censor the story , rather than even try to rebut it ?
Because Bobulinski is very believable and his evidence is indisputable .
Because if their audiences saw the former naval officer and Biden family business partner , they would know just how corrupt Joe Biden is .
Here is part of that interview .
Post it on your social media .
Given the extent the media is burying the story , it ’ s most likely your liberal friends think Tony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green Bay Packers .
That the news media would go to bat so blatantly for Biden exposes the media even more .
It is shocking .
In a taped conversation with Bobulinksi , two Biden operatives admitted that if the news media should learn the truth , “ it blows up big time.
” They were wrong .
For the moment .
The news media knows the truth .
They won ’ t share the truth .
The only thing blown up is their credibility .
Still , I have a prediction : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick up again in January .
The media will suddenly declare how they ’ ve now investigated Bobulinski ’ s claims , and gosh , golly , Bobulinski ’ s right .
Joe is compromised by China !
DOJ is right to investigate Biden Inc. for money laundering , et al .
Why ?
Because once the Democrats and their media partners ride the old mule to victory , he will be put out to pasture .
Or more accurately , thrown there with a violence that would alarm PETA .
Then again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even Joe might be changing his vote to Trump .
Boom !
The third quarter GDP numbers came out , and they show the economy grew a staggering 33.1 % in the third quarter .
An historic amount , marking a V shaped recovery from the COVID economic shutdown .
Unemployment claims fell last week as well .
For that matter , Americans ’ satisfaction with the country ’ s direction is on the rise .
President Trump was , of course , crowing about the numbers at his huge rally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GDP news was amusing , if predictable .
How many tweets this morning reported the great news , but following it with “ But the numbers are still below pre-COVID highs.
” Yeah .
We get it .
But the insistence on adding a “ but ” is bizarre .
These people simply hate good news for America if it can help Trump .
A few weeks back , Washington quarterback Alex Smith entered their game with the Los Angeles Rams .
This was an unbelievable achievement given the injury he suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political media were reporting his miraculous comeback they ’ d be saying , “ Sure , Alex Smith came back , but he ’ s less mobile than he was before he shattered his leg , got a very serious infection , and nearly had the leg amputated.
” Breaking News : Hunter and Associates Under Investigation Since 2019 Breaking at this hour , journalist James Rosen is reporting that a DOJ official has confirmed the FBI opened a criminal investigation in 2019 into “ Hunter Biden and his associates , ” focusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains open and active today .
A question for people set to vote for Joe Biden .
Dig deep .
Do you really believe he didn ’ t know what his son was up to with his dealings ?
Right now , perhaps you really don ’ t care because Orange Man Bad .
But if Rosen ’ s reporting pans out , how confident are you that Joe isn ’ t sucked into the investigation ?
On Tuesday , Tony Bobulinski shared how he was worried about how the China deal could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So he asked Joe ’ s brother Jim about it , and how the family got away with its wheelings-and-dealings .
“ Plausible deniability.
” Do you really want to pin the future of the country on Joe ’ s “ plausible deniability ” ?
With the FBI on the case ?
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t already , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

We are just over four days away from America choosing its fate. Choosing between Dark, Socialist Winter or a Bright American Spring. Between a cult of death and a culture of life.
Two days ago I predicted Trump would win a surprising landslide. I have seen nothing to change my mind.
I have, however, seen a lifelong Democrat and Flint City Councilman named Maurice Davis reveal he is backing Trump.
Flint City Council member and life long Democrat Maurice Davis says he is backing @realDonaldTrump . Read More: https://t.co/ehAFeCtNGv pic.twitter.com/r401LTrtK1 — Mid-Michigan NOW (@midmichigannow) October 28, 2020
What we’ve also seen is a full-on Soviet style effort to stifle information critical of Joe Biden and supportive of Donald Trump.
Censoring the Story
Twitter has blocked Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan. Why? Because he tweeted something positive about the border wall. When Jack Dorsey testified Wednesday that Twitter does not have the ability to impact elections, his nose grew as long as his beard.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Most astoundingly, not a single network or cable channel beyond Fox News has carried anything about Tony Bobulinski’s devastating interview with Tucker Carlson. Bobulinski detailed how Joe Biden is lying about never having any involvement with his son’s businesses. He knows because he was Hunter’s business partner on a deal involving the Chinese. Why would networks censor the story, rather than even try to rebut it? Because Bobulinski is very believable and his evidence is indisputable. Because if their audiences saw the former naval officer and Biden family business partner, they would know just how corrupt Joe Biden is.
Here is part of that interview. Post it on your social media. Given the extent the media is burying the story, it’s most likely your liberal friends think Tony Bobulinski is a retired linebacker for the Green Bay Packers.
That the news media would go to bat so blatantly for Biden exposes the media even more. It is shocking. In a taped conversation with Bobulinksi, two Biden operatives admitted that if the news media should learn the truth, “it blows up big time.”
They were wrong. For the moment. The news media knows the truth. They won’t share the truth. The only thing blown up is their credibility.
Still, I have a prediction: If Biden wins, the story will pick up again in January. The media will suddenly declare how they’ve now investigated Bobulinski’s claims, and gosh, golly, Bobulinski’s right. Joe is compromised by China! DOJ is right to investigate Biden Inc. for money laundering, et al. Why? Because once the Democrats and their media partners ride the old mule to victory, he will be put out to pasture. Or more accurately, thrown there with a violence that would alarm PETA.
Then again, with economic numbers like they are, even Joe might be changing his vote to Trump.
Trump Boasts 33.1% Jump in Economy
Boom! The third quarter GDP numbers came out, and they show the economy grew a staggering 33.1% in the third quarter. An historic amount, marking a V shaped recovery from the COVID economic shutdown. Unemployment claims fell last week as well.
For that matter, Americans’ satisfaction with the country’s direction is on the rise.
President Trump was, of course, crowing about the numbers at his huge rally in Tampa today.
The MSM reaction to the GDP news was amusing, if predictable. How many tweets this morning reported the great news, but following it with “But the numbers are still below pre-COVID highs.”
Yeah. We get it. But the insistence on adding a “but” is bizarre. These people simply hate good news for America if it can help Trump.
A few weeks back, Washington quarterback Alex Smith entered their game with the Los Angeles Rams. This was an unbelievable achievement given the injury he suffered in 2018. Still, if the political media were reporting his miraculous comeback they’d be saying, “Sure, Alex Smith came back, but he’s less mobile than he was before he shattered his leg, got a very serious infection, and nearly had the leg amputated.”
Breaking News: Hunter and Associates Under Investigation Since 2019
Breaking at this hour, journalist James Rosen is reporting that a DOJ official has confirmed the FBI opened a criminal investigation in 2019 into “Hunter Biden and his associates,” focusing on allegations of money-laundering. That investigation remains open and active today.
A question for people set to vote for Joe Biden. Dig deep. Do you really believe he didn’t know what his son was up to with his dealings? Right now, perhaps you really don’t care because Orange Man Bad. But if Rosen’s reporting pans out, how confident are you that Joe isn’t sucked into the investigation?
On Tuesday, Tony Bobulinski shared how he was worried about how the China deal could impact Biden politically if it got out. So he asked Joe’s brother Jim about it, and how the family got away with its wheelings-and-dealings. “Plausible deniability.”
Do you really want to pin the future of the country on Joe’s “plausible deniability”? With the FBI on the case?
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-10-29--Chuck Schumer’s Massive Misstatement About Amy Coney Barrett and the Unborn

During the confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made this remarkable comment : “ At the end of this sordid chapter in the history of the Senate , in the history of the Supreme Court , my deepest and greatest sadness is for the American people .
Generations yet unborn will suffer the consequences of this nomination.
” To the contrary , as a consequence of her nomination , future generations will have a much better chance of making it from unborn to born .
( See here for my tweet . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , instead of having generations of children who remain unborn after conception because of abortion , Barrett ’ s appointment to the Supreme Court could open up new possibilities for these children to make it out of the womb alive .
Of course , we have no way of knowing with certainty which cases will come before the Court and how the justices will vote .
But Barrett would surely be the most likely new member of the Court to cast a pro-life vote should the opportunity arise .
And perhaps , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roe v. Wade , thereby sending things back to the individual states , in many of which the pro-life tide continues to rise .
That ’ s why her nomination was opposed so bitterly by the Democrats , to the point that not a single one of them voted for her , as I noted in a recent article .
Schumer ’ s statement is therefore beyond ironic .
It is an example of expressing compassion for future unborn children in the name of protecting Roe v. Wade .
What could be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t He See the Irony of His Comments ?
The senator from New York also said , “ As the globe gets warmer , as workers continue to fall behind , as unlimited dark money floods our politics , as reactionary state legislatures curtail a woman ’ s right to choose … my deepest , greatest and most abiding sadness tonight is for the American people and what this nomination will mean for their lives , their freedoms , their fundamental rights.
” Personally , I take him at his word .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America is going from bad to worse under the Trump administration .
I believe that he honestly thinks that global warming is a dire threat to future generations .
I believe that , from his perspective , every woman deserves to have complete sovereignty over her own body and that the “ right to choose ” is a sacred right .
And I believe that there are people he really cares about and that he wants to see a bright future for the generations to come .
In other words , I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ruthless politician , a cruel and uncaring man who wants to destroy our country .
I do not see him as evil incarnate .
Instead , I simply see him as an ideological liberal .
I see him as starting with a humanistic worldview , thereby coming to wrong conclusions and focusing on wrong priorities .
And that is why Senator Schumer does not see the exquisite irony of his comments .
That is why he fails to see that his vote against Justice Barrett was a vote against the unborn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hall of Infamous Quotes Last year , Leana Wen , former CEO of Planned Parenthood , said to Interview Magazine , “ Our nurses and our clinicians are all here because we believe in life .
Being pro-choice is being pro-women .
It ’ s being pro-family .
It ’ s being pro-community .
It ’ s being pro-life.
” I wrote in response : What !
?
The nation ’ s leading abortion provider believes in life ?
The organization responsible for terminating the lives of millions of unborn children is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the Nazis saying they were “ pro-Jewish.
” Or American slave traders saying they were “ pro-African.
” Or segregationists saying they were “ pro-equality.
” Or drug cartel leaders saying they were “ pro-law.
” Or Hamas terrorists saying they were “ pro-Israel.
” To call this a poor joke is to insult humor .
There is nothing funny or laughable about this statement at all .
Now , Senator Schumer has added his own comment to the hall of infamous quotes .
My hope is that generations of children will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise would have died unborn .
My hope is that such children will be quite glad the Senate confirmed Justice Barrett to the court .
And my hope is that they would shake their heads in disbelief at Senator Schumer ’ s misguided comments .
If he could see their faces today , perhaps he would have a change of heart .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

During the confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made this remarkable comment: “At the end of this sordid chapter in the history of the Senate, in the history of the Supreme Court, my deepest and greatest sadness is for the American people. Generations yet unborn will suffer the consequences of this nomination.”
Sen. Schumer says ‘generations of unborn will suffer’ now that Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/tmspnOGnVg — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) October 27, 2020
To the contrary, as a consequence of her nomination, future generations will have a much better chance of making it from unborn to born. (See here for my tweet.) Talk about a massive misstatement.
Beyond Ironic
Yes, instead of having generations of children who remain unborn after conception because of abortion, Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court could open up new possibilities for these children to make it out of the womb alive.
Of course, we have no way of knowing with certainty which cases will come before the Court and how the justices will vote. But Barrett would surely be the most likely new member of the Court to cast a pro-life vote should the opportunity arise.
It is an example of expressing compassion for future unborn children in the name of protecting Roe v. Wade. What could be more self-contradictory and self-refuting?
And perhaps, just perhaps, her vote would help overturn Roe v. Wade, thereby sending things back to the individual states, in many of which the pro-life tide continues to rise.
That’s why her nomination was opposed so bitterly by the Democrats, to the point that not a single one of them voted for her, as I noted in a recent article.
Schumer’s statement is therefore beyond ironic. It is an example of expressing compassion for future unborn children in the name of protecting Roe v. Wade. What could be more self-contradictory and self-refuting?
Why Doesn’t He See the Irony of His Comments?
The senator from New York also said, “As the globe gets warmer, as workers continue to fall behind, as unlimited dark money floods our politics, as reactionary state legislatures curtail a woman’s right to choose … my deepest, greatest and most abiding sadness tonight is for the American people and what this nomination will mean for their lives, their freedoms, their fundamental rights.”
Personally, I take him at his word.
I believe that, in his mind, America is going from bad to worse under the Trump administration.
I believe that he honestly thinks that global warming is a dire threat to future generations.
I believe that, from his perspective, every woman deserves to have complete sovereignty over her own body and that the “right to choose” is a sacred right.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
And I believe that there are people he really cares about and that he wants to see a bright future for the generations to come.
In other words, I do not see Schumer as simply a heartless and ruthless politician, a cruel and uncaring man who wants to destroy our country. I do not see him as evil incarnate.
Instead, I simply see him as an ideological liberal.
I see him as starting with a humanistic worldview, thereby coming to wrong conclusions and focusing on wrong priorities.
It’s that simple.
And that is why Senator Schumer does not see the exquisite irony of his comments. That is why he fails to see that his vote against Justice Barrett was a vote against the unborn, not for the unborn.
Adding to the Hall of Infamous Quotes
Last year, Leana Wen, former CEO of Planned Parenthood, said to Interview Magazine, “Our nurses and our clinicians are all here because we believe in life. Being pro-choice is being pro-women. It’s being pro-family. It’s being pro-community. It’s being pro-life.”
I wrote in response: What!? The nation’s leading abortion provider believes in life? The organization responsible for terminating the lives of millions of unborn children is “pro-life”?
That would be like the Nazis saying they were “pro-Jewish.”
Or American slave traders saying they were “pro-African.”
Or segregationists saying they were “pro-equality.”
Or drug cartel leaders saying they were “pro-law.”
Or Hamas terrorists saying they were “pro-Israel.”
Planned Parenthood, pro-life?
To call this a poor joke is to insult humor. There is nothing funny or laughable about this statement at all.
Now, Senator Schumer has added his own comment to the hall of infamous quotes.
My hope is that generations of children will be born in the years ahead who otherwise would have died unborn. My hope is that such children will be quite glad the Senate confirmed Justice Barrett to the court. And my hope is that they would shake their heads in disbelief at Senator Schumer’s misguided comments.
If he could see their faces today, perhaps he would have a change of heart.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-10-29--Leo Terrell’s Message Every American Needs to Hear: The Left and BLM Don’t Care About Black People

This is the message every American needs to hear .
For months the radical BLM and Antifa movements have been @ @ @ @ @ .
Philadelphia is the latest , and now they ’ re threatening coast-to-coast unrest if @ @ @ @ @ Civil rights lawyer Leo Terrell , for decades a very vocal Democrat , has now @ @ @ @ @ says that BLM does not represent 99 % of Black Americans , and their lies @ @ @ @ @ James Robison is The Stream ’ s founder and publisher .
He is co-founder of @ @ @ @ @ of LIFE Today .
He ’ s the author of many books , including Indivisible @ @ @ @ @ and Living Amazed .

This is the message every American needs to hear. For months the radical BLM and Antifa movements have been torching cities across this country. Philadelphia is the latest, and now they’re threatening coast-to-coast unrest if President Trump wins re-election. Civil rights lawyer Leo Terrell, for decades a very vocal Democrat, has now “walked away.” Leo says that BLM does not represent 99% of Black Americans, and their lies need to be exposed.
James Robison is The Stream’s founder and publisher. He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed.