thestream--2020-07-30--US Sees Worst-Ever Contraction for Second-Quarter GDP

The United States gross domestic product ( GDP ) fell 32.9 % in the second quarter of 2020 , the Department of Commerce reported , marking the largest decline the country has ever seen , according to CNBC .
In addition to the record drop in GDP , The Department of Labor reported Thursday that over 1.43 million Americans filed initial claims for unemployment last week , marking a swift economic contraction as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the country .
The report also comes as the $ 600-per-week unemployment benefits are set to expire on July 31 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans .
Despite the deadline fast approaching , bipartisan talks have been largely unproductive and have stalled in recent days , Bloomberg reported .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
“ We are still very far apart on a lot of issues , ” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters Wednesday as he left a meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi , according to Bloomberg .
The report comes as the rise in coronavirus cases increases the likelihood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once again , further contributing to the economic decline .
Several states in the Southern and Western U.S. have consistently reported over 10,000 new cases daily , and on Wednesday it was confirmed that over 150,000 Americans have died from the virus , according to a Johns Hopkins University database .
The rising case count also threatens the reopening of schools across the country .
While some schools are set to return to in-person classes tomorrow , some of the largest districts in the country have announced that they will begin the academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus ’ spread .
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 .

The United States gross domestic product (GDP) fell 32.9% in the second quarter of 2020, the Department of Commerce reported, marking the largest decline the country has ever seen, according to CNBC.
In addition to the record drop in GDP, The Department of Labor reported Thursday that over 1.43 million Americans filed initial claims for unemployment last week, marking a swift economic contraction as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the country.
The report also comes as the $600-per-week unemployment benefits are set to expire on July 31, risking the financial security of millions of Americans.
US GDP plunged by a record 33% in the 2nd quarter as coronavirus lockdowns raged https://t.co/oPMMDl1PV5 — Business Insider (@businessinsider) July 30, 2020
Despite the deadline fast approaching, bipartisan talks have been largely unproductive and have stalled in recent days, Bloomberg reported.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“We are still very far apart on a lot of issues,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters Wednesday as he left a meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to Bloomberg.
The report comes as the rise in coronavirus cases increases the likelihood that some states may temporary close businesses once again, further contributing to the economic decline. Several states in the Southern and Western U.S. have consistently reported over 10,000 new cases daily, and on Wednesday it was confirmed that over 150,000 Americans have died from the virus, according to a Johns Hopkins University database.
The rising case count also threatens the reopening of schools across the country. While some schools are set to return to in-person classes tomorrow, some of the largest districts in the country have announced that they will begin the academic year online in order to prevent the virus’ spread.
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--2020-07-30--We Are Reclaiming Our Time

We Are Reclaiming Our Time

Maybe you saw me the other night , appearing on Tucker Carlson ’ s show .
It was a great honor to talk to one of America ’ s great truthtellers of course .
But the occasion was a sad one .
I went on to talk about my column on the death of Prof. Mike Adams .
I contrasted the left ’ s success at hounding him to suicide with the outlier fate of Nick Sandmann .
We might take comfort that “ the system works ” from that young man ’ s successful pursuit of damages from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to destroy him .
We would be wrong .
Sandmann isn ’ t the canary in the coal mine , but the one that flew away .
The door on the cage broke for a moment , and that good young Christian pro-lifer escaped suffocation .
The left has since then made sure to weld it shut .
Want to know what ’ s at stake in this election ?
Talk to Mike Adams .
Of course , you can ’ t , since he ’ s no longer with us .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in prayer .
But we do have something that Adams told an interviewer just two weeks before his death .
It ’ s particularly haunting , considering what happened next .
He gave a front line report on the spiritual warfare we face , which finally claimed him .
Read it and weep .
Or maybe you should ask black Trump supporter Bernell Trammell .
Again , you can ’ t , because someone gunned him down in broad daylight in Milwaukee .
Move along folks , nothing to see here .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Read You might want to read a prophetic novel , which in the early 1970s predicted , with creepy accuracy , how the Woke cult would murder the West .
Jean Raspail ’ s The Camp of the Saints did exactly that .
But good luck reading it : the book is effectively banned , out of print , and its Kindle edition stuck under “ permanent review.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
You see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it “ racist.
” So you ’ re not supposed to read it , to check that claim out yourself .
( Please do .
An online edition still exists , for now . )
I have read it , and it does contain a few passages that I find offensive , over against hundreds of pages of deadly prophetic events and characters pulled from the headlines of 2020 .
Merchant of Venice has quite a few offensive passages too .
Maybe it ’ s next for the shredder .
But if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at stake this November , you probably ought to listen to what Bill Barr said to Congress .
Oops , that ’ s almost impossible .
The Democrats who asked him to testify and then posed him questions , shouted him down and refused to let him speak .
His testimony quickly took on the atmosphere of a Nazi or Soviet show trial , where prosecutors and even defense attorneys berate the hapless defendant , who may speak only if he ’ s willing to make some absurd confession to spying for some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) As Andrew McCarthy observed at National Review : Democrats do not act this way because they are preternaturally rude .
They act this way because their voters expect and demand that they act this way .
… Democrats do not merely disagree with Donald Trump .
They abhor him .
Their supporters and media friends so loathe him that each “ hearing , ” each issue , becomes a contest of who can be the most indecorous and contemptuous .
Who among us can spew the most bile ?
It doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump or Bill Barr .
A faction that would rather delegitimize than debate its opposition can do that to anyone or anything .
Barr Fought Back .
Could You or I ?
Maybe you didn ’ t watch the hearings , or don ’ t believe me .
Watch this selection of golden moments from the Barr show trial .
We really do see here the stakes of this next election .
Think about this the next time some churchy person wags his uncalloused finger at you about Donald Trump ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ norms.
” This is what Democrat congressmen are willing to do to the Attorney General of the United States .
On television .
Under a Republican president .
On the eve of an election .
Just think what the thugs of Black Lives Matter , or Antifa , or whatever other political hit squad replaces the defunded police in your city would do to you , your spouse , or your kids .
Under a Democrat president .
In secret .
The Charge of the Gadarene Swine America isn ’ t magic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not immune to principalities and powers , of the kind that plunged France into Hell in 1789 , Germany in 1933 , and Cambodia in 1975 .
The last time the Democrats and the religious left got together , they produced the Rev .
Jim Jones ’ colony in Guyana .
Imagine that on a vast , continental scale , in 2021 .
The most astonishing moments at the Barr hearing came when the members of Congress would pose him questions , then halt his answers with the rote phrase , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We must reclaim our time for Christ , for our ancestors who built an imperfect but deeply decent country , and our descendants who deserve somewhere better to live than a huge , nuclear-armed Venezuela .
Each of us must hold his neighbors back .
Stop them from chasing the Gadarene swine all the way down the slippery slope .
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 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

Maybe you saw me the other night, appearing on Tucker Carlson’s show. It was a great honor to talk to one of America’s great truthtellers of course. But the occasion was a sad one. I went on to talk about my column on the death of Prof. Mike Adams. I contrasted the left’s success at hounding him to suicide with the outlier fate of Nick Sandmann. We might take comfort that “the system works” from that young man’s successful pursuit of damages from a few members of the media mob that tried to destroy him. We would be wrong.
Sandmann isn’t the canary in the coal mine, but the one that flew away. The door on the cage broke for a moment, and that good young Christian pro-lifer escaped suffocation. The left has since then made sure to weld it shut.
What’s at Stake in November
Want to know what’s at stake in this election? Talk to Mike Adams. Of course, you can’t, since he’s no longer with us. Maybe talk to God on his behalf in prayer. But we do have something that Adams told an interviewer just two weeks before his death. It’s particularly haunting, considering what happened next. He gave a front line report on the spiritual warfare we face, which finally claimed him. Read it and weep.
Or maybe you should ask black Trump supporter Bernell Trammell. Again, you can’t, because someone gunned him down in broad daylight in Milwaukee. Move along folks, nothing to see here.
The Book You’re Not Supposed to Read
You might want to read a prophetic novel, which in the early 1970s predicted, with creepy accuracy, how the Woke cult would murder the West. Jean Raspail’s The Camp of the Saints did exactly that. But good luck reading it: the book is effectively banned, out of print, and its Kindle edition stuck under “permanent review.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
You see, the Southern Poverty Law Center deemed it “racist.” So you’re not supposed to read it, to check that claim out yourself. (Please do. An online edition still exists, for now.) I have read it, and it does contain a few passages that I find offensive, over against hundreds of pages of deadly prophetic events and characters pulled from the headlines of 2020. Merchant of Venice has quite a few offensive passages too. Maybe it’s next for the shredder.
A Soviet Show Trial Before Congress
But if you really want to know what’s at stake this November, you probably ought to listen to what Bill Barr said to Congress. Oops, that’s almost impossible. The Democrats who asked him to testify and then posed him questions, shouted him down and refused to let him speak. His testimony quickly took on the atmosphere of a Nazi or Soviet show trial, where prosecutors and even defense attorneys berate the hapless defendant, who may speak only if he’s willing to make some absurd confession to spying for some foreign power. (Sound familiar?) As Andrew McCarthy observed at National Review:
Democrats do not act this way because they are preternaturally rude. They act this way because their voters expect and demand that they act this way. … Democrats do not merely disagree with Donald Trump. They abhor him. Their supporters and media friends so loathe him that each “hearing,” each issue, becomes a contest of who can be the most indecorous and contemptuous. Who among us can spew the most bile? … It doesn’t matter how you feel about Donald Trump or Bill Barr. A faction that would rather delegitimize than debate its opposition can do that to anyone or anything.
Barr Fought Back. Could You or I?
Maybe you didn’t watch the hearings, or don’t believe me. Watch this selection of golden moments from the Barr show trial.
We really do see here the stakes of this next election. Think about this the next time some churchy person wags his uncalloused finger at you about Donald Trump’s “character” or his “violation of norms.”
This is what Democrat congressmen are willing to do to the Attorney General of the United States. On television. Under a Republican president. On the eve of an election.
Just think what the thugs of Black Lives Matter, or Antifa, or whatever other political hit squad replaces the defunded police in your city would do to you, your spouse, or your kids. Under a Democrat president. In secret.
The Charge of the Gadarene Swine
America isn’t magic. It might be exceptional, but it’s not immune to principalities and powers, of the kind that plunged France into Hell in 1789, Germany in 1933, and Cambodia in 1975. The last time the Democrats and the religious left got together, they produced the Rev. Jim Jones’ colony in Guyana. Imagine that on a vast, continental scale, in 2021.
The most astonishing moments at the Barr hearing came when the members of Congress would pose him questions, then halt his answers with the rote phrase, “I am reclaiming my time.”
We must reclaim our time for Christ, for our ancestors who built an imperfect but deeply decent country, and our descendants who deserve somewhere better to live than a huge, nuclear-armed Venezuela.
Each of us must hold his neighbors back. Stop them from chasing the Gadarene swine all the way down the slippery slope.
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. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-07-31--Planned Parenthood’s Unexpected Move

Planned Parenthood’s Unexpected Move

I ’ m no fan of cancel culture , which seems to me to be shrill , suffocating and unforgiving .
At the same time , Planned Parenthood in New York is distancing itself from its co-founder , Margaret Sanger , removing her name from one of their health centers in lower Manhattan .
This is overdue — and , frankly , unexpected .
For as long as I can remember , protests about her pro-eugenics views were largely ignored .
But merely disavowing Sanger ’ s stance on eugenics is not enough .
For politicians on the left and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , until somewhat recently , was conventionally considered as American as apple pie .
But as Serrin Foster and Damian J. Geminder from Feminists for Life write for the Jesuit publication , America : “ While Sanger ’ s name may be removed from public spaces , her legacy of destruction and dehumanization remains .
Millions of children of color and poor children who were priceless are gone forever : nameless , unloved and buried in medical waste .
Scrubbing Sanger ’ s name from an abortion clinic does nothing to improve — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children who are maimed and killed or the women who have been sold the lie that they and their unplanned pregnancies are a problem to be solved.
” They continue : “ ( T ) he mission of … Planned Parenthood has been , in effect , to target , control and ultimately reduce vulnerable , ‘ undesirable ’ populations .
Without Sanger , there would be no Planned Parenthood , the largest provider of abortions in the United States today .
No amount of virtue-signaling from the abortion advocates who now run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact.
” My friend and Fordham University professor Charles Camosy recently quit the Democratic party , which had long ago left him .
He ’ s been sending around a petition to help the party confront its abortion extremism , to make room again for people who do not think that abortion is some kind of sacramental rite , an essential tenant of not only party membership , but respectful civil society .
This is the sort of meaningful action that results from a commitment to principle .
I hope more people follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
In the case of Planned Parenthood and its political party ( which extends beyond the Democrats ) , making this Sanger reconsideration a healthy exercise would require taking a look at abortion itself and who it most affects , what it does to women and children and families .
We cloak abortion and other life-and-death issues in all kinds of euphemisms .
But how about talking to women about what abortion has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watched a nun friend , a member of the Sisters of Life order , encounter a woman in a grocery store who asked about her life .
The sister , a nurse , talked about how her order gives support to expectant mothers , helping them realize their potential for love both spiritually and physically , and offers post-abortion healing to women in need of it .
Things ended cordially .
I don ’ t know if the woman ’ s mind was changed , but that sister enthusiastically engaged in the kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having .
Cancel culture , at its worst , is about cutting conversations short and taking sides instead of listening and sharing information .
And as we see with Sanger , unless the examination of conscience about abortion itself and the dehumanization it mandates happens , death and hurting some of our most vulnerable will remain the work of the ideology behind Planned Parenthood .
Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute , editor-at-large of National Review magazine and author of the new book A Year With the Mystics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She is also chair of Cardinal Dolan ’ s pro-life commission in New York .
She can be contacted at klopez @ nationalreview.com .

I’m no fan of cancel culture, which seems to me to be shrill, suffocating and unforgiving. At the same time, Planned Parenthood in New York is distancing itself from its co-founder, Margaret Sanger, removing her name from one of their health centers in lower Manhattan. This is overdue — and, frankly, unexpected. For as long as I can remember, protests about her pro-eugenics views were largely ignored.
Scrubbing Sanger’s Name
But merely disavowing Sanger’s stance on eugenics is not enough. For politicians on the left and right over the decades, Planned Parenthood, until somewhat recently, was conventionally considered as American as apple pie. But as Serrin Foster and Damian J. Geminder from Feminists for Life write for the Jesuit publication, America: “While Sanger’s name may be removed from public spaces, her legacy of destruction and dehumanization remains. Millions of children of color and poor children who were priceless are gone forever: nameless, unloved and buried in medical waste. Scrubbing Sanger’s name from an abortion clinic does nothing to improve — much less save — the lives of children who are maimed and killed or the women who have been sold the lie that they and their unplanned pregnancies are a problem to be solved.”
They continue: “(T)he mission of … Planned Parenthood has been, in effect, to target, control and ultimately reduce vulnerable, ‘undesirable’ populations. Without Sanger, there would be no Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortions in the United States today. No amount of virtue-signaling from the abortion advocates who now run the organization allows them to escape this fact.”
Camosy’s Sterling Example
My friend and Fordham University professor Charles Camosy recently quit the Democratic party, which had long ago left him. He’s been sending around a petition to help the party confront its abortion extremism, to make room again for people who do not think that abortion is some kind of sacramental rite, an essential tenant of not only party membership, but respectful civil society. This is the sort of meaningful action that results from a commitment to principle. I hope more people follow Camosy’s sterling example.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In the case of Planned Parenthood and its political party (which extends beyond the Democrats), making this Sanger reconsideration a healthy exercise would require taking a look at abortion itself and who it most affects, what it does to women and children and families. We cloak abortion and other life-and-death issues in all kinds of euphemisms. But how about talking to women about what abortion has done to them?
An Examination of Conscience
Recently, I watched a nun friend, a member of the Sisters of Life order, encounter a woman in a grocery store who asked about her life.
The sister, a nurse, talked about how her order gives support to expectant mothers, helping them realize their potential for love both spiritually and physically, and offers post-abortion healing to women in need of it. Things ended cordially. I don’t know if the woman’s mind was changed, but that sister enthusiastically engaged in the kind of uncomfortable conversations we need to be having.
Cancel culture, at its worst, is about cutting conversations short and taking sides instead of listening and sharing information. And as we see with Sanger, unless the examination of conscience about abortion itself and the dehumanization it mandates happens, death and hurting some of our most vulnerable will remain the work of the ideology behind Planned Parenthood.
Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute, editor-at-large of National Review magazine and author of the new book A Year With the Mystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living. She is also chair of Cardinal Dolan’s pro-life commission in New York. She can be contacted at [email protected].


thestream--2020-07-31--How Not to Be Fooled by the Media’s COVID Claims

Did you know that Thursday , July 23rd , saw the highest number of regular season major league baseball games played in a single day in this country in over nine months ?
Two days later that number skyrocketed by an alarming 650 percent !
Have we suddenly gone baseball mad ?
Math is a difficult subject for many people , and statistics even harder .
Politicians and the media know this .
What do they do with this knowledge ?
Manipulate .
Their coverage of the current pandemic is a case in point .
Have we gone baseball made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The numbers I reported were presented without context .
Let ’ s see what happens when I provide context .
First thing to notice is the one definition I did provide : “ regular season MLB games.
” Not all baseball games .
Not even preseason MLB games .
We are only talking about regular season MLB games .
Second thing to know , no regular season MLB games are ever played from mid-October to early April .
That accounts for five and a half of the nine months right there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ delayed because of the pandemic .
The official season didn ’ t get started until July 23rd .
That accounts for the other three and a half months .
On July 23rd the regular season finally got under way .
Only two games were played that day , but that ’ s still the highest number of regular season MLB games played in a single day in nine months .
By July 25th , the MLB was back in full swing with a normal fifteen-game roster .
So even though only thirteen more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times greater than two , hence a 650 % increase .
The truth is , nothing strange is happening in the world of professional baseball .
The media is guilty of reporting Covid-19 stats in this same way .
They do not provide the context for the numbers they report .
Thus , manipulating the American public into interpreting them in the worst way possible .
This is one of the ways the media spreads fear and panic across the nation .
Case in point : several media outlets reported that Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths from Covid-19 , nationwide .
It is the single highest daily death total since May 29th .
A rising death toll ?
Oh , my gosh !
How high will it rise ?
How many more people will die ?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
It sounds pretty scary — out of context .
What they are not telling you , and what can be easily seen on a graph from Worldometers.info is that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steadily since early May .
There has been a slight uptick of deaths in the last couple of weeks but , the numbers are still well below the record highs from April .
The daily high on April 21st was 2,748 .
That ’ s almost 2.75 times as high as July 23rd ’ s total .
What else aren ’ t they telling you ?
Another crucial part of the context .
The number of new cases is rising at a faster rate than the number of deaths .
So , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit , the percentage of people with the disease dying is actually going down .
Unlike the media , I will be fair with you and explain that this is a preliminary assessment as most people don ’ t die the same day they are diagnosed .
So , we will have to wait a couple of weeks to be sure this trend continues .
What to do Bottom line : When a media outlet starts spitting out alarming numbers at you , make sure they are telling you the whole story .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do this .
First , ask yourself , “ Is this story designed to inform or frighten ?
” Let ’ s use this headline from USA Today : “ Updates : Coronavirus is killing a Texan every 6 minutes and 16 seconds.
” Informative or frightening ?
Second , try to do the math for yourself .
60 minutes in an hour times 24 hours in a day equals 1440 minutes .
Divide 1440 by 6.16 minutes and you get roughly 234 deaths per day .
Third , confirm and check with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news graph , Texas had 1063 deaths in the last seven days .
If we take the 1063 weekly deaths and divide by 7 , we get roughly 152 deaths per day .
Someone is wrong , or lying .
Fourth , make sure the other sources are truly different .
If you listen to CNN , also listen to Fox News .
If you listen to NPR , also listen to Rush Limbaugh .
Read the Washington Times if you read the Washington Post , and so on .
I know this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you keep seeking out alternative viewpoints , you will eventually find reasonable people on both sides .
Then you can synthesize the two viewpoints into your own well-informed opinion .
Remember , numbers need references to explain their relationship to the real world .
When politicians and reporters don ’ t provide context for the stats they are providing , they are just trying to influence and control you .
Numbers devoid of context are just numbers .

Did you know that Thursday, July 23rd, saw the highest number of regular season major league baseball games played in a single day in this country in over nine months? Two days later that number skyrocketed by an alarming 650 percent! Have we suddenly gone baseball mad?
No.
Math is a difficult subject for many people, and statistics even harder. Politicians and the media know this. What do they do with this knowledge? Manipulate. Their coverage of the current pandemic is a case in point.
Numbers Out of Context
Have we gone baseball mad, as the numbers indicate? No. The numbers I reported were presented without context. Let’s see what happens when I provide context. First thing to notice is the one definition I did provide: “regular season MLB games.” Not all baseball games. Not even preseason MLB games. We are only talking about regular season MLB games.
Second thing to know, no regular season MLB games are ever played from mid-October to early April. That accounts for five and a half of the nine months right there. This year the professional baseball season was delayed because of the pandemic. The official season didn’t get started until July 23rd. That accounts for the other three and a half months.
On July 23rd the regular season finally got under way. Only two games were played that day, but that’s still the highest number of regular season MLB games played in a single day in nine months. By July 25th, the MLB was back in full swing with a normal fifteen-game roster. So even though only thirteen more games were played, that is 6.5 times greater than two, hence a 650% increase.
The truth is, nothing strange is happening in the world of professional baseball.
Guilty Media
The media is guilty of reporting Covid-19 stats in this same way. They do not provide the context for the numbers they report. Thus, manipulating the American public into interpreting them in the worst way possible. This is one of the ways the media spreads fear and panic across the nation.
Case in point: several media outlets reported that Tuesday, July 23rd, saw just over 1000 deaths from Covid-19, nationwide. It is the single highest daily death total since May 29th. A rising death toll? Oh, my gosh! How high will it rise? How many more people will die?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
It sounds pretty scary — out of context. What they are not telling you, and what can be easily seen on a graph from Worldometers.info is that the overall death total has actually been falling steadily since early May. There has been a slight uptick of deaths in the last couple of weeks but, the numbers are still well below the record highs from April. The daily high on April 21st was 2,748. That’s almost 2.75 times as high as July 23rd’s total.
What else aren’t they telling you? Another crucial part of the context. The number of new cases is rising at a faster rate than the number of deaths. So, while the death toll has ticked up a bit, the percentage of people with the disease dying is actually going down. Unlike the media, I will be fair with you and explain that this is a preliminary assessment as most people don’t die the same day they are diagnosed. So, we will have to wait a couple of weeks to be sure this trend continues.
What to do
Bottom line: When a media outlet starts spitting out alarming numbers at you, make sure they are telling you the whole story. There are a couple of ways to do this.
First, ask yourself, “Is this story designed to inform or frighten?” Let’s use this headline from USA Today: “Updates: Coronavirus is killing a Texan every 6 minutes and 16 seconds.” Informative or frightening?
Second, try to do the math for yourself. 60 minutes in an hour times 24 hours in a day equals 1440 minutes. Divide 1440 by 6.16 minutes and you get roughly 234 deaths per day.
Third, confirm and check with other sources. According to an NBC news graph, Texas had 1063 deaths in the last seven days. If we take the 1063 weekly deaths and divide by 7, we get roughly 152 deaths per day. Someone is wrong, or lying.
Fourth, make sure the other sources are truly different. If you listen to CNN, also listen to Fox News. If you listen to NPR, also listen to Rush Limbaugh. Read the Washington Times if you read the Washington Post, and so on. I know this sounds abhorrent to some people. But if you keep seeking out alternative viewpoints, you will eventually find reasonable people on both sides. Then you can synthesize the two viewpoints into your own well-informed opinion.
Remember, numbers need references to explain their relationship to the real world. When politicians and reporters don’t provide context for the stats they are providing, they are just trying to influence and control you. Numbers devoid of context are just numbers.
Or weapons.
George Janek is a conservative thinker encamped in Northern California.


thestream--2020-07-31--This Week at War: Through the Darkness

This Week at War: Through the Darkness

An American warrior who made the ultimate sacrifice during the ongoing war on terrorism has returned to the country he fought for .
Last week , The Stream told you about U.S. Army Sgt .
Bryan “ Cooper ” Mount , who died in a July 22 vehicle accident while on patrol in Syria .
The married Utah paratrooper was just 25 years old and is being remembered for his “ easy smile and contagious personality.
” On Sunday night , a military plane carrying Sgt .
Mount ’ s remains emerged through the darkness of Dover , Delaware .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ casket of their brother in arms back onto American soil .
Please pray for the wife , loved ones , fellow soldiers and friends of Sgt .
Bryan “ Cooper ” Mount .
Brave American troops are still fighting a war in Afghanistan as well .
Stars and Stripes reporter J.P. Lawrence , a U.S. Army veteran , wrote this fascinating story about Afghanistan ’ s remote eastern Nangarhar province , which has experienced increased attacks since American troops were pulled out of the area in June .
“ Now , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ ISIS ] , ” a local Afghan resident told Stars and Stripes .
“ Our lives are the same as before.
” Please join The Stream in praying for the Afghan people along with the approximately 8,600 U.S. troops still fighting America ’ s longest war .
The Trump administration has decided to bring home 6,400 American service members stationed in Germany while shifting 5,600 to other countries across Europe , according to Fox News .
The report said some U.S. troops will head to Belgium and others to Italy .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel in Germany .
The article quotes Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe as saying the troop level adjustments will take “ months to plan and years to execute.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Thousands of American heroes continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic while also staying ready to defend our country from other threats , as Defense Secretary Mark Esper pointed out on Thursday .
A perfect example comes from Minnesota , where a National Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic has now shifted back to combat training .
This doesn ’ t mean the Pentagon ’ s coronavirus response is anywhere close to wrapping up , of course .
In Connecticut , the talented men and women of the National Guard have been busy producing over 100,000 COVID-19 test kits .
National Guard soldiers and airmen are still running test sites all over the nation , including “ pop up ” locations like the one pictured below .
Thank you to the selfless , valiant men and women of our military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus crisis .
A Naval Mobile Construction Battalion is back home in California after an “ extended deployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic , ” according to the U.S. Navy .
That means the sailor pictured below finally got to meet his newborn baby .
Welcome home , hero , and congratulations to you and your family !
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream .
He is co-author of 8 Seconds of Courage , Brothers Forever , Fire in My Eyes and the forthcoming Three Wise Men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

Middle East
An American warrior who made the ultimate sacrifice during the ongoing war on terrorism has returned to the country he fought for.
Last week, The Stream told you about U.S. Army Sgt. Bryan “Cooper” Mount, who died in a July 22 vehicle accident while on patrol in Syria. The married Utah paratrooper was just 25 years old and is being remembered for his “easy smile and contagious personality.”
On Sunday night, a military plane carrying Sgt. Mount’s remains emerged through the darkness of Dover, Delaware. U.S. Army soldiers then marched the flag-draped casket of their brother in arms back onto American soil.
Please pray for the wife, loved ones, fellow soldiers and friends of Sgt. Bryan “Cooper” Mount.
Last night, we welcomed home our fallen Hero Paratrooper. Sgt. Bryan “Cooper” Mount. Gone but NEVER forgotten. @2BCT_FALCONS pic.twitter.com/IhH4haFFho — All American Division (@82ndABNDiv) July 27, 2020
Brave American troops are still fighting a war in Afghanistan as well.
Stars and Stripes reporter J.P. Lawrence, a U.S. Army veteran, wrote this fascinating story about Afghanistan’s remote eastern Nangarhar province, which has experienced increased attacks since American troops were pulled out of the area in June.
“Now, it’s Taliban. Before, it was [ISIS],” a local Afghan resident told Stars and Stripes. “Our lives are the same as before.”
(5/9) An Afghan militia fighter stands next to two vehicles locals said were destroyed by U.S. airstrikes during the campaign against Islamic State. The cars are in a marketplace that is still abandoned after fierce bombardment. pic.twitter.com/VDItSaBNXy — J.p. Lawrence (@JpLawrence3) July 30, 2020
Please join The Stream in praying for the Afghan people along with the approximately 8,600 U.S. troops still fighting America’s longest war.
Europe
The Trump administration has decided to bring home 6,400 American service members stationed in Germany while shifting 5,600 to other countries across Europe, according to Fox News.
The report said some U.S. troops will head to Belgium and others to Italy. The move will leave about 24,000 American military personnel in Germany. The article quotes Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe as saying the troop level adjustments will take “months to plan and years to execute.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
COVID-19
Thousands of American heroes continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic while also staying ready to defend our country from other threats, as Defense Secretary Mark Esper pointed out on Thursday.
At the ready. Despite COVID, your @DeptofDefense is continually preparing to defend the American people and their interests. pic.twitter.com/UrV1LgvXTE — Dr. Mark T. Esper (@EsperDoD) July 30, 2020
A perfect example comes from Minnesota, where a National Guard unit that had been busy responding to the pandemic has now shifted back to combat training.
After months of responding to COVID-19, floods and other missions, these @MINationalGuard Soldiers are back to artillery training. "We've had a lot of experiences throughout the year. Finally, getting back on the gun line, it's a really good experience." https://t.co/FHU79pX7hd — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) July 29, 2020
This doesn’t mean the Pentagon’s coronavirus response is anywhere close to wrapping up, of course. In Connecticut, the talented men and women of the National Guard have been busy producing over 100,000 COVID-19 test kits.
.@CTNationalGuard members have spearheaded efforts to expand the state’s COVID-19 testing stockpile, assembling 107,000 test kits last week. https://t.co/Yhk0GJaBTS #InThisTogether — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) July 28, 2020
National Guard soldiers and airmen are still running test sites all over the nation, including “pop up” locations like the one pictured below.
The Cal Guard is conducting COVID-19 tests in Galt tomorrow. The testing will start at 8 a.m. Thursday at Walker Community Park on Orr Road. First come, first serve. There is a 100-test limit.https://t.co/IIP5Q5HX2y#YourActionsSaveLives #SlowtheSpread #KeepingCaliforniaSafe — The California National Guard (@CalGuard) July 29, 2020
Thank you to the selfless, valiant men and women of our military for leading our nation’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
Coming Home
A Naval Mobile Construction Battalion is back home in California after an “extended deployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the U.S. Navy. That means the sailor pictured below finally got to meet his newborn baby.
Welcome home, hero, and congratulations to you and your family!
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of 8 Seconds of Courage, Brothers Forever, Fire in My Eyes and the forthcoming Three Wise Men. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-07-31--Military Photo of the Day: Lightning at Sunset

An F-35A Lightning II flies at sunset on July 13 , 2020 , over Luke Air Force Base in Arizona @ @ @ @ @ safe weekend , everyone !
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly @ @ @ @ @ and Moral Issues of Our Day .

An F-35A Lightning II flies at sunset on July 13, 2020, over Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
Have a happy and safe weekend, everyone!
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thestream--2020-08-01--The Ferguson Lie That Will Not Die

The Ferguson Lie That Will Not Die

To this day , in protests across America , crowds will taunt policemen with the words , “ Hands up , don ’ t shoot !
” These words were allegedly uttered by my namesake Michael Brown before he was gunned down in Ferguson , Missouri by white police officer Darren Wilson in 2014 .
The fact that witnesses attest that Brown never uttered such words is immaterial .
The myth has been enshrined .
Brown ’ s death , which sparked weeks of rioting and helped spawn the BLM movement , is something I am reminded of virtually every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literally .
That ’ s because , a few years ago , a colleague of mine suggested that I sign up for Google Alerts , letting me know when my name was mentioned somewhere in the news .
Out of curiosity , but with full knowledge that there are many different Michael Brown ’ s in the news , I signed up for this free service .
And for years now , virtually without break , there are at least 4-5 articles a day mentioning the death of Michael Brown .
He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name is mentioned side by side with Eric Garner and George Floyd and other blacks who have died at the hands of the police .
He died as the innocent victim of white police brutality .
His last words were , “ Hands up , don ’ t shoot !
” The stories are always the same .
It doesn ’ t matter that local authorities did not find sufficient evidence to convict Officer Wilson of manslaughter , let alone murder .
It doesn ’ t matter that a lengthy , expensive investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Eric Holder also did not find evidence to convict Wilson .
( Bear in mind that this investigation did find evidence of racism in the local police department .
Yet it did not find evidence that Wilson used excessive force in his encounter with Brown . )
And it won ’ t matter now that St. Louis County ’ s top prosecutor , Prosecuting Attorney William Bell , himself black , has not found sufficient evidence to convict Wilson after a 5-month investigation .
The myth will live on .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s No Evidence on Which to Convict Wilson In Bell ’ s own words , “ ‘ My heart breaks ’ for Michael ’ s parents .
‘ I know this is not the result they were looking for and that their pain will continue forever.
’ ” Yet it was the result of his investigation , just as it has been the result of every investigation conducted to date .
There is no clear evidence to convict Wilson .
As explained by Larry Elder in a PragerU video : Federal investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credible evidence that Brown ever raised his hands in a “ don ’ t shoot ” gesture — or in any way heeded the officer ’ s commands for him to surrender .
The federal report concluded that “ witnesses who originally stated Brown had his hands up in surrender recanted their original accounts , admitting that they did not witness the shooting or parts of it.
” Investigators also concluded Brown never uttered the now iconic phrase .
Again , from the report : “ The media has widely reported that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t shoot ’ as he held his hands above his head .
In fact , our investigation did not reveal any eyewitness who stated that Brown said ‘ don ’ t shoot . '
” As stated on the United States Department of Justice website on March 4 , 2015 , “ The Justice Department announced the findings of its two civil rights investigations related to Ferguson , Missouri , today .
The Justice Department found that the Ferguson Police Department ( FPD ) engaged in a pattern or practice of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and 14th Amendments of the Constitution .
The Justice Department also announced that the evidence examined in its independent , federal investigation into the fatal shooting of Michael Brown does not support federal civil rights charges against Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.
” If any report would have found evidence against Wilson , it was this one , and yet it did not .
And now , another lengthy investigation has come to similar conclusions .
But what ’ s my purpose in bringing this up ?
Well , truth does matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s something wrong with building a movement on a lie ( although , sadly , many a movement has been built on a lie ) .
Still , it ’ s only fair to ask if drawing attention to the mythological aspects of Brown ’ s death won ’ t diminish the real suffering of men like George Floyd .
Actually , in many cases , the reverse is true .
There are people who have become hardened to the charge of police brutality because of the Ferguson lie .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and real because of the false and mythological .
And without compelling video evidence , as in the case of George Floyd , they are prone to say , “ Right .
Just like Michael Brown .
Just like ‘ Hands up , don ’ t shoot.
’ I don ’ t believe it.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
This is similar to the lie about Matthew Shepard , who has become the icon of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of the narrative of gay suffering because Shepard ’ s brutal death was drug-related , not gay-related , even though laws have been enacted in his name .
Plus , the false narrative distracts from the deeper issue of drugs and crime .
As stated by gay activist John Stoltenberg , “ Keeping Matthew as the poster boy of gay-hate crime and ignoring the full tragedy of his story has been the agenda of many gay-movement leaders .
Ignoring the tragedies of Matthew ’ s life prior to his murder will do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our community who are sold for sex , ravaged by drugs , and generally exploited .
They will remain invisible and lost.
” So , the myth about Shepard ’ s tragic death distracts from the deeper tragedies that surrounded his life — and the lives of other young , gay men .
Do I have hope that these lies will actually die ?
To sound a rare note of pessimism , no , I do not .
But now that yet another investigation does not find sufficient evidence to convict Darren Wilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By rejecting the false narratives , we can focus on the truthful ones .
And those do deserve our attention .
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 .

To this day, in protests across America, crowds will taunt policemen with the words, “Hands up, don’t shoot!” These words were allegedly uttered by my namesake Michael Brown before he was gunned down in Ferguson, Missouri by white police officer Darren Wilson in 2014. The fact that witnesses attest that Brown never uttered such words is immaterial. The myth has been enshrined.
Brown’s death, which sparked weeks of rioting and helped spawn the BLM movement, is something I am reminded of virtually every single day. And I mean that literally.
That’s because, a few years ago, a colleague of mine suggested that I sign up for Google Alerts, letting me know when my name was mentioned somewhere in the news.
Out of curiosity, but with full knowledge that there are many different Michael Brown’s in the news, I signed up for this free service. And for years now, virtually without break, there are at least 4-5 articles a day mentioning the death of Michael Brown.
He has been codified as a martyr. His name is mentioned side by side with Eric Garner and George Floyd and other blacks who have died at the hands of the police. He died as the innocent victim of white police brutality. His last words were, “Hands up, don’t shoot!” The stories are always the same.
It doesn’t matter that local authorities did not find sufficient evidence to convict Officer Wilson of manslaughter, let alone murder.
It doesn’t matter that a lengthy, expensive investigation led by President Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder also did not find evidence to convict Wilson. (Bear in mind that this investigation did find evidence of racism in the local police department. Yet it did not find evidence that Wilson used excessive force in his encounter with Brown.)
And it won’t matter now that St. Louis County’s top prosecutor, Prosecuting Attorney William Bell, himself black, has not found sufficient evidence to convict Wilson after a 5-month investigation.
The myth will live on. It has been codified.
Yet Again, There’s No Evidence on Which to Convict Wilson
In Bell’s own words, “‘My heart breaks’ for Michael’s parents. ‘I know this is not the result they were looking for and that their pain will continue forever.’”
Yet it was the result of his investigation, just as it has been the result of every investigation conducted to date. There is no clear evidence to convict Wilson.
As explained by Larry Elder in a PragerU video:
Federal investigators from the Department of Justice found no credible evidence that Brown ever raised his hands in a “don’t shoot” gesture — or in any way heeded the officer’s commands for him to surrender. The federal report concluded that “witnesses who originally stated Brown had his hands up in surrender recanted their original accounts, admitting that they did not witness the shooting or parts of it.” Investigators also concluded Brown never uttered the now iconic phrase. Again, from the report: “The media has widely reported that there is witness testimony that Brown said ‘don’t shoot’ as he held his hands above his head. In fact, our investigation did not reveal any eyewitness who stated that Brown said ‘don’t shoot.'”
As stated on the United States Department of Justice website on March 4, 2015, “The Justice Department announced the findings of its two civil rights investigations related to Ferguson, Missouri, today. The Justice Department found that the Ferguson Police Department (FPD) engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the First, Fourth, and 14th Amendments of the Constitution. The Justice Department also announced that the evidence examined in its independent, federal investigation into the fatal shooting of Michael Brown does not support federal civil rights charges against Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.”
If any report would have found evidence against Wilson, it was this one, and yet it did not. And now, another lengthy investigation has come to similar conclusions.
But what’s my purpose in bringing this up?
False Narratives Distract From the Truth
Well, truth does matter, doesn’t it? And there’s something wrong with building a movement on a lie (although, sadly, many a movement has been built on a lie).
Still, it’s only fair to ask if drawing attention to the mythological aspects of Brown’s death won’t diminish the real suffering of men like George Floyd.
Actually, in many cases, the reverse is true. There are people who have become hardened to the charge of police brutality because of the Ferguson lie. They are more inclined to dismiss the true and real because of the false and mythological. And without compelling video evidence, as in the case of George Floyd, they are prone to say, “Right. Just like Michael Brown. Just like ‘Hands up, don’t shoot.’ I don’t believe it.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
This is similar to the lie about Matthew Shepard, who has become the icon of anti-gay brutality. Some conservatives write off much of the narrative of gay suffering because Shepard’s brutal death was drug-related, not gay-related, even though laws have been enacted in his name. Plus, the false narrative distracts from the deeper issue of drugs and crime.
As stated by gay activist John Stoltenberg, “Keeping Matthew as the poster boy of gay-hate crime and ignoring the full tragedy of his story has been the agenda of many gay-movement leaders. Ignoring the tragedies of Matthew’s life prior to his murder will do nothing to help other young men in our community who are sold for sex, ravaged by drugs, and generally exploited. They will remain invisible and lost.”
So, the myth about Shepard’s tragic death distracts from the deeper tragedies that surrounded his life — and the lives of other young, gay men.
Do I have hope that these lies will actually die? To sound a rare note of pessimism, no, I do not.
But now that yet another investigation does not find sufficient evidence to convict Darren Wilson, it’s worth a try.
By rejecting the false narratives, we can focus on the truthful ones. And those do deserve our attention.
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--2020-07-31--Progressive ‘Squad’ Members are Pushing a Bailout for the Privileged in the Middle of a Pandemic

Both Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Rep. Ilhan Omar made their names as self-avowed “ democratic socialists ” and members of the “ Squad , ” a group of far-left Democratic lawmakers seeking to overhaul the US economic system in the name of justice and equality .
So , it might surprise you to hear that in the middle of a pandemic decimating minority communities and the working class , Pressley and Omar are demanding a big government bailout for a well-off segment of society .
Just this week Pressley took to her Twitter account to demand , among other things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” This echoes her colleague Omar ’ s recent call to “ cancel it all right now.
” It ’ s important to put these statements from two of the Squad ’ s most prominent members in context .
Both have long supported “ canceling ” the nation ’ s $ 1.6 trillion in student loan debt , which really means forcing taxpayers to pay it off .
As the Wall Street Journal explains , this proposal “ wouldn ’ t make [ student loan ] debt disappear .
It would merely transfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxpayers with the tab.
” Support for this redistributive policy is not a new position for Omar or Pressley by any stretch .
However , to focus on this issue during the COVID-19 pandemic is quite revealing of the progressive pair ’ s priorities .
We ’ re already set to run a nearly $ 4 trillion deficit this year , millions of working-class Americans are trapped on unemployment rolls , mental health crises are mounting , and domestic violence is on the rise — and yet the nation ’ s most prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privileged .
And make no mistake , the Squad ’ s push for “ canceling ” student loan debt is indeed proposing a massive handout to the upper class .
Why ?
Well , student debt is , by definition , only held by individuals who attended college .
It ’ s easy to forget it in today ’ s culture , but most Americans do not hold college degrees .
According to the Census Bureau , just roughly 1 in 3 American adults over age 25 have a four-year college degree .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ group helped by mass student loan cancellation .
But adults with college degrees also have much higher average lifetime earnings and salaries .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Consider the below graph from the left-leaning think tank the Urban Institute .
Student debt is disproportionately held by those at the upper ends of the income spectrum .
As the Urban Institute surmises , “ debt forgiveness plans would be regressive — providing the largest monetary benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So in canceling student debt , progressives legislators would be helping a disproportionately well-off segment of society at the average taxpayer ’ s expense .
The injustice here lies not just in the fact that this policy provides relief to the well-off and not the working class .
It ’ s also wildly unfair — and not at all “ progressive ” — that even lower and middle-class taxpayers who didn ’ t go to college would have to pay for the bailout via increased taxation or the long-term consequences of more government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lena the hairdresser would have to pay more taxes so Jake the corporate lawyer doesn ’ t have to pay off his undergraduate loans .
How does that promote “ social justice ” or the interests of the working class ?
It ’ s particularly perplexing that these self-described socialists are pushing this bailout for the affluent in the middle of a pandemic that , as the pair regularly points out , is overwhelmingly hurting society ’ s most disadvantaged .
Think about it : Layoffs and job losses due to COVID-19 lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and other forms of blue-collar work .
Meanwhile , many college graduates — aka student debt holders — work in white-collar jobs that don ’ t just pay more , but also lend themselves more easily to remote work during a pandemic .
This isn ’ t to suggest that the ramifications of COVID-19 and economic lockdowns aren ’ t hurting college graduates .
They are hurting everyone .
But it ’ s important to point out that in the middle of this pandemic , white-collar college graduates are not the ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even close .
Surprised to see America ’ s most prominent socialists fighting for the interests of the elite even amid a national crisis ?
That ’ s understandable , but you really shouldn ’ t be .
It Fools the Leftists , Too As the renowned free-market economist and thinker Thomas Sowell once wrote , “ The greatest moral claim of the political left is that they are for the masses in general and the poor in particular .
That is also their greatest fraud .
It even fools many leftists themselves.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ start with noble intentions of ostensibly helping the poor .
But they end up instead reflecting the interests of the elite , who have the power and resources to sway government officials .
“ The most harm of all is done when power is in the hands of people who are absolutely persuaded of the purity of their instincts — and the purity of their intentions , ” Nobel laureate and economist Milton Friedman once said .
“ The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom , and the force , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in the hands of people who use it to promote their own interests.
” “ There is no such thing as a just and fair method of exercising the tremendous power that interventionism puts into the hands of the legislature and the executive , ” Mises wrote .
“ In many fields of the administration of interventionist measures , favoritism simply can not be avoided.
” One doesn ’ t have to doubt the benevolence of Omar and Pressley ’ s intentions to observe that the same phenomenon is corrupting the socialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many of the socialists that have come before them , the Squad ’ s rhetoric claims solidarity with the working class while their actual plan would only aid the elite .

Both Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Rep. Ilhan Omar made their names as self-avowed “democratic socialists” and members of the “Squad,” a group of far-left Democratic lawmakers seeking to overhaul the US economic system in the name of justice and equality.
So, it might surprise you to hear that in the middle of a pandemic decimating minority communities and the working class, Pressley and Omar are demanding a big government bailout for a well-off segment of society.
Cancel Student Debt
Just this week Pressley took to her Twitter account to demand, among other things, that we “cancel student debt.” This echoes her colleague Omar’s recent call to “cancel it all right now.”
Cancel rent.
Cancel mortgage.
Cancel student debt. — Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) July 21, 2020
Cancel it all right now. https://t.co/oPHnbznYcz — Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 6, 2020
It’s important to put these statements from two of the Squad’s most prominent members in context. Both have long supported “canceling” the nation’s $1.6 trillion in student loan debt, which really means forcing taxpayers to pay it off. As the Wall Street Journal explains, this proposal “wouldn’t make [student loan] debt disappear. It would merely transfer it to the federal debt… and stick taxpayers with the tab.” Support for this redistributive policy is not a new position for Omar or Pressley by any stretch.
A Bailout for the Privileged
However, to focus on this issue during the COVID-19 pandemic is quite revealing of the progressive pair’s priorities. We’re already set to run a nearly $4 trillion deficit this year, millions of working-class Americans are trapped on unemployment rolls, mental health crises are mounting, and domestic violence is on the rise — and yet the nation’s most prominent socialists are hawking a bailout for the privileged.
And make no mistake, the Squad’s push for “canceling” student loan debt is indeed proposing a massive handout to the upper class. Why? Well, student debt is, by definition, only held by individuals who attended college. It’s easy to forget it in today’s culture, but most Americans do not hold college degrees.
According to the Census Bureau, just roughly 1 in 3 American adults over age 25 have a four-year college degree. This segment of society is the only group helped by mass student loan cancellation. But adults with college degrees also have much higher average lifetime earnings and salaries.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Consider the below graph from the left-leaning think tank the Urban Institute.
Student debt is disproportionately held by those at the upper ends of the income spectrum. As the Urban Institute surmises, “debt forgiveness plans would be regressive — providing the largest monetary benefits to those with the highest incomes.”
So in canceling student debt, progressives legislators would be helping a disproportionately well-off segment of society at the average taxpayer’s expense. The injustice here lies not just in the fact that this policy provides relief to the well-off and not the working class. It’s also wildly unfair — and not at all “progressive” — that even lower and middle-class taxpayers who didn’t go to college would have to pay for the bailout via increased taxation or the long-term consequences of more government debt.
That’s right: Lena the hairdresser would have to pay more taxes so Jake the corporate lawyer doesn’t have to pay off his undergraduate loans. How does that promote “social justice” or the interests of the working class?
Hurting Society’s Most Disadvantaged
It’s particularly perplexing that these self-described socialists are pushing this bailout for the affluent in the middle of a pandemic that, as the pair regularly points out, is overwhelmingly hurting society’s most disadvantaged. Think about it: Layoffs and job losses due to COVID-19 lockdowns are largely hitting service industries, retail, and other forms of blue-collar work. Meanwhile, many college graduates — aka student debt holders — work in white-collar jobs that don’t just pay more, but also lend themselves more easily to remote work during a pandemic.
This isn’t to suggest that the ramifications of COVID-19 and economic lockdowns aren’t hurting college graduates. They are hurting everyone. But it’s important to point out that in the middle of this pandemic, white-collar college graduates are not the ones most in need of help. Not even close.
Elizabeth Warren's student loan forgiveness plan is surprisingly regressive–the bottom 60% of households receive only 34% of the debt relief. Learn more: https://t.co/vYGCz2QCyb pic.twitter.com/xbBInV6Q82 — Brookings Econ (@BrookingsEcon) April 25, 2019
Surprised to see America’s most prominent socialists fighting for the interests of the elite even amid a national crisis? That’s understandable, but you really shouldn’t be.
It Fools the Leftists, Too
As the renowned free-market economist and thinker Thomas Sowell once wrote, “The greatest moral claim of the political left is that they are for the masses in general and the poor in particular. That is also their greatest fraud. It even fools many leftists themselves.”
Indeed, leftist economic interventions often start with noble intentions of ostensibly helping the poor. But they end up instead reflecting the interests of the elite, who have the power and resources to sway government officials.
“The most harm of all is done when power is in the hands of people who are absolutely persuaded of the purity of their instincts — and the purity of their intentions,” Nobel laureate and economist Milton Friedman once said. “The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom, and the force, introduced for good purposes, will end up in the hands of people who use it to promote their own interests.”
Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises made a similar point in his work Human Action.
“There is no such thing as a just and fair method of exercising the tremendous power that interventionism puts into the hands of the legislature and the executive,” Mises wrote. “In many fields of the administration of interventionist measures, favoritism simply cannot be avoided.”
One doesn’t have to doubt the benevolence of Omar and Pressley’s intentions to observe that the same phenomenon is corrupting the socialist legislators’ COVID-19 policy response. Like so many of the socialists that have come before them, the Squad’s rhetoric claims solidarity with the working class while their actual plan would only aid the elite.
Copyright 2020 Fee.org. Republished with permission.


thestream--2020-07-31--Leftist Rioters, Like Their Marxist Muses, are Literal Revolutionaries

How do we make sense of the nonstop craziness going on in our society ?
Is there a common denominator , or is it all happening randomly ?
Well , it ’ s unlikely that multiple sectors of society just happen to be imploding at the same time without some causal forces behind them .
And you don ’ t have to be a garden-variety conspiracy theorist to realize that some kind of intelligent design is at work here .
I personally think we ’ re in the throes of spiritual warfare .
But instead of expanding on that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency that might be facilitating this chaos , because human beings are advancing it regardless of whether unseen forces are ultimately behind it .
I know of no one who disputes that George Floyd ’ s murder was outrageous and inexcusable .
I know of no one who disputed it after seeing the horrible video of the event .
President Donald Trump himself condemned it within hours .
I also know of no one who objects to peaceful protests about this horrid incident and others like it .
All fair-minded people abhor such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not fair to condemn all cops for the actions of a statistically small minority .
And it is lunacy to dismantle law and order because of them .
I would hope , however , that we would have more widespread condemnation of the rioters , looters and anarchists who , have leveraged racial tension to justify violence in American cities .
There is no justification for these violent riots and the explosion of murders and other violence beyond the protest venues .
The rioters , by their own admission , are implacable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ met , short of overthrowing our entire societal framework and constitutional system .
They ’ re not rioting over slavery , which was ended years ago .
They ’ re not demanding equal opportunity under the law or the advancement of civil rights laws , which were enacted decades ago .
They don ’ t seek dialogue .
How can you reason with young white leftists who abuse and assault cops , and call African American cops racist ?
How do you reason with spoiled , self-indulgent and sanctimonious malcontents ?
Think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privilege and white racism against blacks , they lecture , malign and bully blacks .
It is tragically surreal .
How can you satisfy those who claim that people are guilty of racism by virtue of their race , irrespective of any individual acts of racism ?
Those accused are given no chance to make their case ; there is nothing they can do to acquit themselves , because they are convicted as a matter of who they are , not what they ’ ve done .
It ’ s no surprise that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those Vladimir Lenin called “ useful idiots ” — those who unwittingly advance the cause of Marxism .
They think and act like Marxists .
Marx divided people into different groups , and condemned one group and everyone in it for oppressing another group and everyone in it .
Just like Marx , today ’ s rioters define the terms so as to condemn the accused class irredeemably .
For Marx , it was systemic class oppression ; for today ’ s rioters and their puppet masters , it ’ s systemic racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view of the historical class struggle permitted no dissent , just as today ’ s rioters brook no dissent from their dogmatic view of systemic racism .
Like today ’ s rioters , Marx ’ s solution was the wholesale upheaval of the existing economic and societal system .
Today ’ s leftists , predictably , share Marx ’ s totalitarian mindset .
We see it in their revolutionary unrest , their political advocacy and the values they disseminate in the culture , academia and Hollywood .
It ’ s their way or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandated .
Dissenters are shunned and canceled , and their freedoms denied .
And these leftists don ’ t even recognize their own incoherence .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Leftist rioters are not the only ones who think this way .
A leftist oligarchy suppresses conservative speech throughout its social media platforms .
What is worse than their censorship is what it reveals about their mindset .
They see nothing wrong with what they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who disagree with them are so vile they are not entitled to freedom of speech , and that their views are so objectionable they must be censored — in the name of tolerance and free speech , no less .
Leftists always insist they are censoring not opinion but falsehoods , as part of their alarming propensity to reframe opposing opinions as objectively false .
The First Amendment was written to prevent the very despotism these Orwellian menaces employ .
For such leftists , the end justifies the means .
When we read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imagined this type of thing would happen in America .
When it happened in Nazi Germany ( among tons of other terrible things ) , the Soviet Union , communist China and other places , we used to sigh in relief , grateful for how different we were .
Not That Different But we aren ’ t that different anymore .
Leftists here regularly justify their totalitarian views and increasingly heinous acts by vilifying groups and classes of people .
While implementing their revolutionary horror , they engage in the exact kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they demonize .
It ’ s obvious that the rioters don ’ t seek racial justice or harmony .
They aim to overturn the American system — just listen to them .
We must get about the business of healing , but we ’ ll make no progress as long as those whose goal is unrest , upheaval and disharmony are in the driver ’ s seat .
Pray for discernment , that Americans will awaken to the disruptive motives of those burning our cities .
And pray for reconciliation , peace and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , author and attorney .
His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity : Why the Democrats Must Not Win .
Follow him on Twitter @ davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com .

How do we make sense of the nonstop craziness going on in our society? Is there a common denominator, or is it all happening randomly?
Well, it’s unlikely that multiple sectors of society just happen to be imploding at the same time without some causal forces behind them. And you don’t have to be a garden-variety conspiracy theorist to realize that some kind of intelligent design is at work here.
Human Agency
I personally think we’re in the throes of spiritual warfare. But instead of expanding on that, I’ll just address the human agency that might be facilitating this chaos, because human beings are advancing it regardless of whether unseen forces are ultimately behind it.
I know of no one who disputes that George Floyd’s murder was outrageous and inexcusable. I know of no one who disputed it after seeing the horrible video of the event. President Donald Trump himself condemned it within hours.
I also know of no one who objects to peaceful protests about this horrid incident and others like it. All fair-minded people abhor such misconduct toward anyone. But it is not fair to condemn all cops for the actions of a statistically small minority. And it is lunacy to dismantle law and order because of them.
Justifying Violence
I would hope, however, that we would have more widespread condemnation of the rioters, looters and anarchists who, have leveraged racial tension to justify violence in American cities. There is no justification for these violent riots and the explosion of murders and other violence beyond the protest venues.
The rioters, by their own admission, are implacable. They have no demands that can be met, short of overthrowing our entire societal framework and constitutional system. They’re not rioting over slavery, which was ended years ago. They’re not demanding equal opportunity under the law or the advancement of civil rights laws, which were enacted decades ago.
They don’t seek dialogue. How can you reason with young white leftists who abuse and assault cops, and call African American cops racist? How do you reason with spoiled, self-indulgent and sanctimonious malcontents? Think about it: While rioting over alleged white privilege and white racism against blacks, they lecture, malign and bully blacks. It is tragically surreal.
How can you satisfy those who claim that people are guilty of racism by virtue of their race, irrespective of any individual acts of racism? Those accused are given no chance to make their case; there is nothing they can do to acquit themselves, because they are convicted as a matter of who they are, not what they’ve done.
It’s no surprise that these rioters are either outright Marxists or those Vladimir Lenin called “useful idiots” — those who unwittingly advance the cause of Marxism. They think and act like Marxists.
Acting Like Marxists
Marx divided people into different groups, and condemned one group and everyone in it for oppressing another group and everyone in it. Just like Marx, today’s rioters define the terms so as to condemn the accused class irredeemably. For Marx, it was systemic class oppression; for today’s rioters and their puppet masters, it’s systemic racism and economic disparities. Marx’s view of the historical class struggle permitted no dissent, just as today’s rioters brook no dissent from their dogmatic view of systemic racism. Like today’s rioters, Marx’s solution was the wholesale upheaval of the existing economic and societal system.
Today’s leftists, predictably, share Marx’s totalitarian mindset. We see it in their revolutionary unrest, their political advocacy and the values they disseminate in the culture, academia and Hollywood. It’s their way or the highway. Their views are absolutely mandated. Dissenters are shunned and canceled, and their freedoms denied. And these leftists don’t even recognize their own incoherence.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Leftist rioters are not the only ones who think this way. A leftist oligarchy suppresses conservative speech throughout its social media platforms. What is worse than their censorship is what it reveals about their mindset. They see nothing wrong with what they’re doing. They believe that those who disagree with them are so vile they are not entitled to freedom of speech, and that their views are so objectionable they must be censored — in the name of tolerance and free speech, no less. Leftists always insist they are censoring not opinion but falsehoods, as part of their alarming propensity to reframe opposing opinions as objectively false. The First Amendment was written to prevent the very despotism these Orwellian menaces employ.
For such leftists, the end justifies the means. When we read 1984 in high school, we never imagined this type of thing would happen in America. When it happened in Nazi Germany (among tons of other terrible things), the Soviet Union, communist China and other places, we used to sigh in relief, grateful for how different we were.
Not That Different
But we aren’t that different anymore. Leftists here regularly justify their totalitarian views and increasingly heinous acts by vilifying groups and classes of people. While implementing their revolutionary horror, they engage in the exact kind of behavior for which they condemn the classes they demonize.
It’s obvious that the rioters don’t seek racial justice or harmony. They aim to overturn the American system — just listen to them. We must get about the business of healing, but we’ll make no progress as long as those whose goal is unrest, upheaval and disharmony are in the driver’s seat.
Pray for discernment, that Americans will awaken to the disruptive motives of those burning our cities. And pray for reconciliation, peace and healing.
David Limbaugh is a writer, author and attorney. His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity: Why the Democrats Must Not Win. Follow him on Twitter @davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


thestream--2020-07-31--For God and Country: My Interview With Ralph Reed

Ralph Reed has been a mover and shaker in the world of faith and politics since Reagan ’ s early @ @ @ @ @ latest book For God and Country : The Christian Case for Trump is a defense @ @ @ @ @ by this “ unlikely champion ” and why they should continue to do so .
@ @ @ @ @ videos in this interview series here .
James Robison is The Stream ’ s founder @ @ @ @ @ co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today .
He ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ including Indivisible ( with Jay Richards ) and Living Amazed .

Ralph Reed has been a mover and shaker in the world of faith and politics since Reagan’s early days as president. His latest book For God and Country: The Christian Case for Trump is a defense of Christians who have stood by this “unlikely champion” and why they should continue to do so.
You can view all the videos in this interview series here.
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.


thestream--2020-07-31--House Democrat: Forget the Rules, Just Treat Me as Ruler

It ’ s a mashup of “ Reclaiming my time ” demands from Democrats at AG Barr ’ s hearing the other day .
It ’ s almost funny .
At least that ’ s how Barr seems to have taken it at the end .
Kudos to him and to Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan for handling the outrage with such class .
There ’ s one especially chilling moment in here , though .
It ’ s easy to miss , but you ’ d better not .
Starting at about 3:10 , Rep. Madeleine Dean ( D-PA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finger-raising sign cautioning him for his naughty behavior .
Then at 3:25 , she looks at him with deepest concern and says , “ I ’ m surprised at your lack of respect for a member of Congress.
” Her teacher-ly condescension toward a Cabinet member is disgusting enough .
If you think that ’ s the worst of it , though , you ’ re missing something .
See what she ’ s complaining about : He doesn ’ t respect her .
That ’ s her , as in , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Look at what he ( and Rep. Jordan ) were showing respect to , though : Process .
Procedure .
Protocol .
Willingness to listen and to hear .
The whole Democratic side of the hearing , in contrast , was an open display of authoritarian control .
Rep. Dean lectured him for disrespecting her , while she was disrespecting the rules of the Committee .
The message : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must respect me as your ruler.
” This isn ’ t quite signaling the establishment of authoritarian rule on Democrats ’ side .
Not yet .
But it ’ s close , though .
Too close , for my taste .
As John Zmirak has also asked , if they ’ ll do that to the Attorney General , what will they do to the rest of us ?
Something to think about as you re-watch the video , maddeningly entertained by , “ I ’ m reclaiming my time.
” Yes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sketch .
But it ’ s much more akin to the Spanish Inquisition .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the forthcoming Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

It’s a mashup of “Reclaiming my time” demands from Democrats at AG Barr’s hearing the other day. It’s almost funny. At least that’s how Barr seems to have taken it at the end. Kudos to him and to Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan for handling the outrage with such class.
An Especially Chilling Moment
There’s one especially chilling moment in here, though. It’s easy to miss, but you’d better not.
Starting at about 3:10, Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) begins giving the Attorney General the schoolmarm finger-raising sign cautioning him for his naughty behavior. Then at 3:25, she looks at him with deepest concern and says, “I’m surprised at your lack of respect for a member of Congress.”
Her teacher-ly condescension toward a Cabinet member is disgusting enough. If you think that’s the worst of it, though, you’re missing something. See what she’s complaining about: He doesn’t respect her. That’s her, as in, he doesn’t respect Madeleine Dean.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Look at what he (and Rep. Jordan) were showing respect to, though: Process. Procedure. Protocol. Willingness to listen and to hear.
Authoritarian Disregard for Procedure
The whole Democratic side of the hearing, in contrast, was an open display of authoritarian control.
Rep. Dean lectured him for disrespecting her, while she was disrespecting the rules of the Committee. The message: “I can ignore the rules, but you must respect me as your ruler.”
This isn’t quite signaling the establishment of authoritarian rule on Democrats’ side. Not yet. But it’s close, though. Too close.
This isn’t quite signaling the establishment of authoritarian rule on Democrats’ side. Not yet. But it’s close, though. Too close, for my taste. As John Zmirak has also asked, if they’ll do that to the Attorney General, what will they do to the rest of us?
Something to think about as you re-watch the video, maddeningly entertained by, “I’m reclaiming my time.” Yes, it plays like a Saturday Night Live sketch. But it’s much more akin to the Spanish Inquisition.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the forthcoming Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-07-31--Kanye Says He’s ‘Concerned for the World That Feels You Shouldn’t Cry’ About Abortion

Rapper Kanye West took another swing at abortion Friday morning , tweeting that he “ cried at the thought of aborting ” his first born child .
“ I cried at the thought of aborting my first born and everyone was so concerned about me… ” he tweeted .
“ I ’ m concerned for the world that feels you shouldn ’ t cry about this subject.
” West , who announced a presidential bid on the Fourth of July , has frequently spoken out against abortion as a tool of the Democratic Party to oppress blacks and tearfully shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My Mom saved my life .
My Dad wanted to abort me , ” he told a crowd in South Carolina .
“ My mom saved my life .
There would have been no Kanye West because my dad was too busy.
” He then went on to explain how he had pressured his wife , Kim Kardashian , to abort their daughter North when he first learned Kardashian was pregnant .
Apparently overcome with emotion , West wiped his eyes several times before shouting : “ I almost killed my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” “ [ Kim Kardashian ] called me screaming and crying … she said , ‘ I ’ m pregnant , ’ ” West said .
“ She said she was pregnant and for one month , and two months , and three months we talked about her not having this child.
” “ She had the pills in her hand , ” West said .
“ The screen went black and white and God said , ‘ If you f**k with my vision , I ’ m gon na f**k with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and she said , ‘ We ’ re gon na have this baby.
’ I said , ‘ We ’ re gon na have this child.
’ ” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The rapper later publicly apologized to his wife “ for going public with something that was a private matter ” and visited a hospital to seek help with his anxiety .
Kardashian has defended her husband and said he is suffering from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man , who experienced the painful loss of his mother , and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder , ” she said , according to Page Six .
“ Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words do not align with his intentions.
” In a recent Forbes interview , West also suggested Planned Parenthood abortion clinics target black inner city women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside cities by white supremacists to do the Devil ’ s work , ” he said in an interview with Forbes published July 8 where he discussed his disillusionment with President Donald Trump , his political beliefs , and his hopes for a West presidency .
West referenced Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger , who had a history of pro-eugenics comments and spoke of targeting black communities with birth control through “ The Negro Project.
” “ I am pro-life because I ’ m following the word of the Bible , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

Rapper Kanye West took another swing at abortion Friday morning, tweeting that he “cried at the thought of aborting” his first born child.
“I cried at the thought of aborting my first born and everyone was so concerned about me…” he tweeted. “I’m concerned for the world that feels you shouldn’t cry about this subject.”
I cried at the thought of aborting my first born and everyone was so concerned about me… I’m concerned for the world that feels you shouldn’t cry about this subject. — ye (@kanyewest) July 31, 2020
West, who announced a presidential bid on the Fourth of July, has frequently spoken out against abortion as a tool of the Democratic Party to oppress blacks and tearfully shared his own experiences with abortion July 19.
“My Mom saved my life. My Dad wanted to abort me,” he told a crowd in South Carolina. “My mom saved my life. There would have been no Kanye West because my dad was too busy.”
He then went on to explain how he had pressured his wife, Kim Kardashian, to abort their daughter North when he first learned Kardashian was pregnant.
Apparently overcome with emotion, West wiped his eyes several times before shouting: “I almost killed my daughter! I almost killed my daughter!”
Kanye West gets emotional while speaking about abortion in South Carolina: "My Mom saved my life. My Dad wanted to abort me… There would have been no Kanye West." "I almost killed my daughter." pic.twitter.com/jiGuODxAno — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 19, 2020
“[Kim Kardashian] called me screaming and crying … she said, ‘I’m pregnant,’” West said. “She said she was pregnant and for one month, and two months, and three months we talked about her not having this child.”
“She had the pills in her hand,” West said. “The screen went black and white and God said, ‘If you f**k with my vision, I’m gonna f**k with yours.’ And I called my wife, and she said, ‘We’re gonna have this baby.’ I said, ‘We’re gonna have this child.’”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The rapper later publicly apologized to his wife “for going public with something that was a private matter” and visited a hospital to seek help with his anxiety. Kardashian has defended her husband and said he is suffering from bipolar disorder.
For more on this topic, see Jason Scott Jones’ column, Kanye West: The Baby Planned Parenthood Forgot to Kill.
“He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder,” she said, according to Page Six. “Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words do not align with his intentions.”
In a recent Forbes interview, West also suggested Planned Parenthood abortion clinics target black inner city women.
“Planned Parenthoods have been placed inside cities by white supremacists to do the Devil’s work,” he said in an interview with Forbes published July 8 where he discussed his disillusionment with President Donald Trump, his political beliefs, and his hopes for a West presidency.
West referenced Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, who had a history of pro-eugenics comments and spoke of targeting black communities with birth control through “The Negro Project.”
“I am pro-life because I’m following the word of the Bible,” he told Forbes.
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].