thestream--2020-10-23--Debate Wrap: Trump Keeps Cool, Biden Kills Oil Industry, Moderator Shoves Chinese Elephant Out of Ro

Debate Wrap: Trump Keeps Cool, Biden Kills Oil Industry, Moderator Shoves Chinese Elephant Out of Room

When Joe Biden does anything less than drool , lose his dentures or forget what he ’ s running for or where he is , the first reaction is to say , “ Joe did all right.
” But when you piece together what Joe Biden actually said tonight , Joe did not do all right .
No , Joe did not do all right by any stretch of the imagination .
• Joe Biden finished his night by declaring he will end the oil industry .
( Killing ten million jobs . )
• Joe angrily denied ever saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump to put the tape on his website .
Well , let ’ s go to the tape .
• Joe Biden declared , “ We had a good relationship with Hitler before he invaded the rest of Europe.
” Huh ?
• Joe Biden said that within his first 100 days he was going to legalize the nation ’ s illegal immigrants .
• Joe Biden said he and Obama had never separated children or built cages .
See for yourself .
• Joe Biden confirmed he ’ s still in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared that no one lost their insurance under Obamacare .
That is a huge lie .
Millions lost their coverage and millions of others saw their premiums skyrocket .
• He denied ever referring to young black men as “ super-predators.
” That ’ s a lie .
• He denied ever calling Trump xenophobic for shutting off travel to China to thwart COVID-19 .
That ’ s a lie .
• He again blamed President Trump for every single COVID death .
That ’ s absurd .
And when asked his plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already doing , mumbled some business about social distancing and again called for mask mandates .
• When challenged why he couldn ’ t get anything done as VP he said , there was a “ Republican congress.
” Then went awkwardly silent .
As it happens , he had a Democratic congress until 2010 .
• He also suffered Biden-speak : “ I don ’ t look at it in terms of blue states and red states , it ’ s the United States.
” Five seconds later : “ The red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” • He also got completely lost trying to say the name Rudy Giuliani .
And confused the Proud Boys with the “ poor boys.
” • And overall , Joe Biden was pale , frail , tired , slurring , and apparently had somewhere else he wanted to be .
George W. Bush was hammered in 1992 for looking at his watch during a debate with Bill Clinton .
Will Biden ?
After all , where does Joe have to go , but to sleep and back into the basement .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the night went on .
Where ’ s nice Uncle Joe ?
He ’ s gone .
When Donald Trump is the calmest person on stage , you have got a problem .
Joe also talked about character , on a night when his former business partner exposed him as a liar and on the take from China .
Moderator Keeps Moving Away from Elephant in the Room : Biden Family Corruption Moderator Kristen Welker interrupted President Trump 41 times .
Joe Biden only 8 .
She seemed particularly keen on keeping Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the room .
Namely , the shocking revelations made Thursday by the Biden Family ’ s former business partner Tony Bobulinski .
Bobulinski said , and provided documentary evidence , that Joe Biden was neck deep in his son ’ s business dealings .
That he was warned to never mention Joe ’ s involvement , unless “ face-to-face.
” Bobulinski also revealed the Chinese gave the “ Biden Family ” a $ 5 million no-interest forgivable loan , which Biden soon moved ( $ 4.8 million ) to a Delaware company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with the Bidens solely for political influence .
Joe ’ s answer was “ I have not taken a single penny from any foreign source whatsoever.
” Remember , his previous story is that he ’ s never talked about or had anything to do with the business activities of his son or brother .
That ’ s now out the window .
But will he be called out on it by the media ?
( Besides , did Biden benefit from the $ 4.8 million in the Delaware account ?
Does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Biden said , vaguely , the allegations are “ not true , ” and blamed Russia for the whole scandal .
The DNI , the FBI , DOJ … to say nothing of his own business partner in a China deal … say that is nonsense .
Shockingly , he denied that his son made money from the Chinese .
He denied that his brother made money in Iraq .
Both are demonstrably false .
On his son ’ s Burisma dealings , Biden claimed that “ nobody ’ s ever said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countless Democratic witnesses during the impeachment said Hunter ’ s gig was improper or gave the appearance of impropriety .
Notice Joe Biden did not say that the emails on Hunter Biden ’ s laptop are fake .
Or the other emails and texts that have been released , including ones specifically mentioning him , are fake .
His answer was to talk about Donald Trump ’ s taxes .
Trump responded , stating how he has paid millions in advance taxes for the years Joe was talking about .
Then he spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haters .
“ They spent $ 48 million investigating President Trump and found nothing .
I guarantee you I could spend $ 1 million and find plenty wrong with you , Joe.
” While Donald Trump was his typical upbeat self , celebrating our economic recovery and our advances on COVID , and dropping death rates , Joe was gloom and doom .
“ We are about to go into a dark winter , ” he warned .
“ We can ’ t lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re learning to live with this.
” Joe Gloom responded , “ He says we ’ re learning to live with it ?
Come on .
People are learning to die with it !
” With that kind of depressing outlook , you didn ’ t need the “ Come on ” debate watching drinking game to want to chug a flask .
America , even if we were to have a “ dark winter , ” God forbid , whom would you want to lead us through it ?
The one standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make it to Spring , or the fearful one curled in his basement preaching despair ?
Who Won the Debate ?
Donald Trump .
Clearly .
For most of the 96 minute debate , Donald Trump was cool , in control and in command .
Despite being interrupted 48 times by Welker , Trump shrugged it off .
As aggressive as Joe Biden was , Trump was laid back and relaxed .
Given that the categories and the questions were slanted to Biden ’ s advantage … big surprise … Trump still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the night was “ You were in Washington 47 years , 8 years as Vice President , ‘ why didn ’ t you get any of this stuff done ?
” As he said at one point , “ All talk and no action , just like a politician.
” When Biden started talking about family separations at the border , Trump reminded voters how many children are smuggled across the border by non-parents , in fact often by sex traffickers .
He defended ending “ catch and release.
” And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cages Joe Biden ?
You built them .
We took them down.
” Trump was eloquent about how lockdowns have destroyed his beloved New York .
Passionate about all he has done for the black community .
Proud of our reduction in carbon emissions .
And he was quick-witted .
“ I don ’ t know where he comes from , ” snapped Biden .
“ Queens , ” replied Trump .
Did the Debate Impact the Race ?
Two days ago , I offered the possibility the stars were aligning against Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tonight ’ s debate could end his candidacy .
And that would have happened , had we had a moderator that acted like a journalist rather than the left guard for an aging quarterback .
Joe would have cracked if forced to explain the allegations levied by Bobulinski and the contents of Hunter ’ s laptop .
“ Are you saying the emails are false ?
That Bobulinski is lying ?
You did not have meetings with him ?
Just how did the Russians create the contents on Hunter ’ s laptop ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ let Biden blame Russia , Russia , Russia and turn to Trump ’ s taxes .
And whenever Trump tried to return to the issue — an issue of national security and potential criminality — Welker cut him off .
As a result , Joe Biden ’ s campaign was not ended tonight .
However , the scandal is not going to go away .
By insisting he ’ s “ never earned a penny ” from a foreign source , when a former business partner is saying the exact opposite , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble .
One that ’ ll only get worse , once the evidence spreads .
Nobody , nobody can listen to Bobulinski , look at the emails and texts that are emerging and believe that Joe Biden wasn ’ t “ the chairman ” of Biden , Inc. And Biden , Inc. , was doing business with Communist China while he was VP .
Even Putting the Scandals Aside Scandals aside , Biden did very serious damage to himself tonight .
His pledge to end the oil industry will wreck him in oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ dark winter ” compared to Trump ’ s sunny “ we ’ ve got this ” will turn off those wearying of lockdowns and Democratic and media scare tactics .
Clips demonstrating his easily disproven lies will be passed around Twitter .
And Trump ’ s right .
Why didn ’ t Joe do any of his glorious proposals when he had the power ?
As for Donald Trump , he did the one thing that a large swath of Americans has long begged him to do : Put away the bite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinder , calmer , thoughtful side .
Tonight , Trump was the builder , not the brawler .
Donald Trump ’ s positive numbers will rise .
Joe Biden ’ s going to be watching his negatives climb like a party balloon he didn ’ t quite remember to hold on to .
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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

When Joe Biden does anything less than drool, lose his dentures or forget what he’s running for or where he is, the first reaction is to say, “Joe did all right.” But when you piece together what Joe Biden actually said tonight, Joe did not do all right. No, Joe did not do all right by any stretch of the imagination.
12 Bad Moments for Joe
Here’s a quick list of a dozen bad moments for Joe.
Joe Biden finished his night by declaring he will end the oil industry. (Killing ten million jobs.)
Joe angrily denied ever saying he’d end fracking, challenging Donald Trump to put the tape on his website. Well, let’s go to the tape.
Joe Biden declared, “We had a good relationship with Hitler before he invaded the rest of Europe.” Huh?
Joe Biden said that within his first 100 days he was going to legalize the nation’s illegal immigrants.
Joe Biden said he and Obama had never separated children or built cages. See for yourself.
#FACT: The Obama/Biden Administration built the “cages” at the southern border. Here’s a picture of Jeh Johnson, President Obama's Homeland Security secretary, touring the “cages” they built! pic.twitter.com/WuZ84kOByN — House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden confirmed he’s still in favor of lockdowns.
Joe Biden declared that no one lost their insurance under Obamacare. That is a huge lie. Millions lost their coverage and millions of others saw their premiums skyrocket.
He denied ever referring to young black men as “super-predators.” That’s a lie.
He denied ever calling Trump xenophobic for shutting off travel to China to thwart COVID-19. That’s a lie.
He again blamed President Trump for every single COVID death. That’s absurd. And when asked his plan, he again repeated what Trump is already doing, mumbled some business about social distancing and again called for mask mandates.
When challenged why he couldn’t get anything done as VP he said, there was a “Republican congress.” Then went awkwardly silent. As it happens, he had a Democratic congress until 2010.
He also suffered Biden-speak: “I don’t look at it in terms of blue states and red states, it’s the United States.” Five seconds later: “The red states have the highest spike in cases.”
He also got completely lost trying to say the name Rudy Giuliani. And confused the Proud Boys with the “poor boys.”
And overall, Joe Biden was pale, frail, tired, slurring, and apparently had somewhere else he wanted to be.
George W. Bush was hammered in 1992 for looking at his watch during a debate with Bill Clinton. Will Biden? After all, where does Joe have to go, but to sleep and back into the basement.
Biden was also angry and grew angrier as the night went on. Where’s nice Uncle Joe? He’s gone. When Donald Trump is the calmest person on stage, you have got a problem.
Joe also talked about character, on a night when his former business partner exposed him as a liar and on the take from China.
Moderator Keeps Moving Away from Elephant in the Room: Biden Family Corruption
Moderator Kristen Welker interrupted President Trump 41 times. Joe Biden only 8. She seemed particularly keen on keeping Trump from pushing Biden on the Chinese elephant in the room. Namely, the shocking revelations made Thursday by the Biden Family’s former business partner Tony Bobulinski.
Bobulinski said, and provided documentary evidence, that Joe Biden was neck deep in his son’s business dealings. That he was warned to never mention Joe’s involvement, unless “face-to-face.”
Bobulinski also revealed the Chinese gave the “Biden Family” a $5 million no-interest forgivable loan, which Biden soon moved ($4.8 million) to a Delaware company. Bobulinski is convinced the Chinese were dealing with the Bidens solely for political influence.
Joe’s answer was “I have not taken a single penny from any foreign source whatsoever.”
Remember, his previous story is that he’s never talked about or had anything to do with the business activities of his son or brother. That’s now out the window. But will he be called out on it by the media? (Besides, did Biden benefit from the $4.8 million in the Delaware account? Does that count as a foreign source?)
Biden said, vaguely, the allegations are “not true,” and blamed Russia for the whole scandal. The DNI, the FBI, DOJ … to say nothing of his own business partner in a China deal … say that is nonsense.
Shockingly, he denied that his son made money from the Chinese. He denied that his brother made money in Iraq. Both are demonstrably false.
On his son’s Burisma dealings, Biden claimed that “nobody’s ever said he did anything wrong.” Uh, countless Democratic witnesses during the impeachment said Hunter’s gig was improper or gave the appearance of impropriety.
Notice Joe Biden did not say that the emails on Hunter Biden’s laptop are fake. Or the other emails and texts that have been released, including ones specifically mentioning him, are fake.
His answer was to talk about Donald Trump’s taxes.
Trump responded, stating how he has paid millions in advance taxes for the years Joe was talking about. Then he spoke of Mueller and his team of Trump haters. “They spent $48 million investigating President Trump and found nothing. I guarantee you I could spend $1 million and find plenty wrong with you, Joe.”
Joe Biden’s Dark Winter
While Donald Trump was his typical upbeat self, celebrating our economic recovery and our advances on COVID, and dropping death rates, Joe was gloom and doom. “We are about to go into a dark winter,” he warned.
“We can’t lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does,” said Trump. “We’re learning to live with this.” Joe Gloom responded, “He says we’re learning to live with it? Come on. People are learning to die with it!”
With that kind of depressing outlook, you didn’t need the “Come on” debate watching drinking game to want to chug a flask.
America, even if we were to have a “dark winter,” God forbid, whom would you want to lead us through it? The one standing up, insisting we’re going to make it to Spring, or the fearful one curled in his basement preaching despair?
Who Won the Debate? Donald Trump. Clearly.
For most of the 96 minute debate, Donald Trump was cool, in control and in command. Despite being interrupted 48 times by Welker, Trump shrugged it off. As aggressive as Joe Biden was, Trump was laid back and relaxed.
Given that the categories and the questions were slanted to Biden’s advantage … big surprise … Trump still scored at will.
His big theme of the night was “You were in Washington 47 years, 8 years as Vice President, ‘why didn’t you get any of this stuff done?” As he said at one point, “All talk and no action, just like a politician.”
When Biden started talking about family separations at the border, Trump reminded voters how many children are smuggled across the border by non-parents, in fact often by sex traffickers. He defended ending “catch and release.”
And he hit Biden, “Who built the cages Joe Biden? You built them. We took them down.”
Trump was eloquent about how lockdowns have destroyed his beloved New York. Passionate about all he has done for the black community. Proud of our reduction in carbon emissions.
And he was quick-witted. “I don’t know where he comes from,” snapped Biden. “Queens,” replied Trump.
Did the Debate Impact the Race?
Two days ago, I offered the possibility the stars were aligning against Joe Biden in a such a way that tonight’s debate could end his candidacy. And that would have happened, had we had a moderator that acted like a journalist rather than the left guard for an aging quarterback.
Joe would have cracked if forced to explain the allegations levied by Bobulinski and the contents of Hunter’s laptop. “Are you saying the emails are false? That Bobulinski is lying? You did not have meetings with him? Just how did the Russians create the contents on Hunter’s laptop?”
Unfortunately, Welker was happy to let Biden blame Russia, Russia, Russia and turn to Trump’s taxes. And whenever Trump tried to return to the issue — an issue of national security and potential criminality — Welker cut him off.
As a result, Joe Biden’s campaign was not ended tonight.
However, the scandal is not going to go away. By insisting he’s “never earned a penny” from a foreign source, when a former business partner is saying the exact opposite, Biden’s opened a wide door of trouble. One that’ll only get worse, once the evidence spreads. Nobody, nobody can listen to Bobulinski, look at the emails and texts that are emerging and believe that Joe Biden wasn’t “the chairman” of Biden, Inc. And Biden, Inc., was doing business with Communist China while he was VP.
Even Putting the Scandals Aside
Scandals aside, Biden did very serious damage to himself tonight. His pledge to end the oil industry will wreck him in oil producing states. His prediction of a “dark winter” compared to Trump’s sunny “we’ve got this” will turn off those wearying of lockdowns and Democratic and media scare tactics. Clips demonstrating his easily disproven lies will be passed around Twitter. And Trump’s right. Why didn’t Joe do any of his glorious proposals when he had the power?
As for Donald Trump, he did the one thing that a large swath of Americans has long begged him to do: Put away the bite. Ditch the nasty. Show his kinder, calmer, thoughtful side. Tonight, Trump was the builder, not the brawler.
Donald Trump’s positive numbers will rise. Joe Biden’s going to be watching his negatives climb like a party balloon he didn’t quite remember to hold on to.
(See also my follow up article on the debate: “Foreign Policy? What Foreign Policy? Debate Commission Props Up Biden, Fails Americans by Steering Clear of His Vulnerabilities“)
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--2020-10-23--This Week at War: Sacred Trust

This Week at War: Sacred Trust

Brave U.S. troops are still at war with ISIS and other terrorist groups in Syria .
As the above image shows , American convoys are traveling through northeastern Syria to not only hunt for terrorists , but connect with the local population .
U.S. forces are also busy meeting with local leaders and oil field workers .
On Wednesday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the approximately 600 U.S. troops serving in Syria will not be pulled out as any part of deal to secure the release of American hostages , including journalist Austin Tice and psychotherapist Majd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly we don ’ t pay for the return of hostages , ” Secretary Pompeo said in a State Department news conference on Wednesday , as transcribed by Yahoo News .
“ We work to make the case that they need to get these people returned.
” Attacks by the Taliban continue to increase in Afghanistan , according to a report this week by Fox News .
“ National Defense Secretary Robert O ’ Brien affirmed this week that the Pentagon was working to carry out President Trump ’ s vow to further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slashing numbers to just 2,500 by early next year , ” Hollie McKay wrote .
“ However , Trump has pushed the envelope even further in recent days – advocating that all troops be brought home by Christmas.
” As The Stream reported last week , it is unknown whether the U.S. military will be able to fully withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of the year .
What is known , however , is that the country is still a very violent place .
“ Afghanistan is probably at its most fragile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regime , ” Kamran Bokhari , director of analytical development at the Center for Global Policy , told Fox News .
“ The Afghan jihadist movement not only has the upper hand in the battlespace , it is also emboldened by the deal with the United States.
” Please continue to pray for the thousands of brave men and women in uniform still serving in Syria and what is now America ’ s longest war in Afghanistan .
May God protect them and comfort their families .
At home , courageous military warriors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Across the nation , tens of thousands of troops are mobilized to help their fellow Americans cope with the ongoing pandemic .
In New York alone , more than 1,300 members of the National Guard are administering tests , running warehouses , protect nursing homes , screen travelers and perform other essential duties .
“ These last few months have been an adventure for every state dealing with COVID-19 , and our Soldiers and Airmen of the New York National Guard have done a tremendous job in being flexible and responsive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever missions come our way , ” Maj. Gen. Ray Shields said .
“ Along with all our leaders , I am especially proud of what our service members have accomplished.
” In Georgia , soldiers are handing out food to needy residents across the state .
Another aspect of the coronavirus pandemic that should not be overlooked is its impact on the huge issue of military suicide , as The Stream reported in July .
This week , The Hill reported that Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville believes COVID-19 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some of the scientists have said they ’ ve not been able to show causation between COVID and suicide , but I would argue , at least my sense is , it is having an effect because it disconnects people , ” said Gen. McConville , as quoted by The Hill .
Please join me in praying for all active duty troops and veterans being affected by this pandemic .
You are not alone and your country loves you .
If you are a service member or veteran contemplating suicide , please call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ text 838255 .
If you want to be put in touch with a fellow veteran who has experienced depression or despair or just want to talk , please e-mail me anytime at tom.sileo @ stream.org .
With the presidential election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden less than two weeks away , hundreds of veterans are stepping forward to volunteer at polling sites across the country amid the pandemic .
“ I think that veterans can sort of stand up and lend some legitimacy , some cover to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jenkins told McClatchyDC ’ s Tara Copp .
“ That ’ s just one trusted institution , one sacred institution protecting another one.
” May God bless all of our nation ’ s selfless veterans .
A group of Ohio National Guard soldiers recently returned to Cleveland after spending the last year at war in the Middle East .
Welcome home , warriors !
Thank you for defending our freedom overseas .
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream .
He is co-author of Three Wise Men , Brothers Forever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in My Eyes .
Follow Tom on Twitter @ TSileo and The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

Middle East
Brave U.S. troops are still at war with ISIS and other terrorist groups in Syria.
As the above image shows, American convoys are traveling through northeastern Syria to not only hunt for terrorists, but connect with the local population. U.S. forces are also busy meeting with local leaders and oil field workers.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the approximately 600 U.S. troops serving in Syria will not be pulled out as any part of deal to secure the release of American hostages, including journalist Austin Tice and psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz.
“The president has said clearly we don’t pay for the return of hostages,” Secretary Pompeo said in a State Department news conference on Wednesday, as transcribed by Yahoo News. “We work to make the case that they need to get these people returned.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Attacks by the Taliban continue to increase in Afghanistan, according to a report this week by Fox News.
“National Defense Secretary Robert O’Brien affirmed this week that the Pentagon was working to carry out President Trump’s vow to further diminish U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan, slashing numbers to just 2,500 by early next year,” Hollie McKay wrote. “However, Trump has pushed the envelope even further in recent days – advocating that all troops be brought home by Christmas.”
As The Stream reported last week, it is unknown whether the U.S. military will be able to fully withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of the year. What is known, however, is that the country is still a very violent place.
“Afghanistan is probably at its most fragile point since the U.S. toppled the Taliban regime,” Kamran Bokhari, director of analytical development at the Center for Global Policy, told Fox News. “The Afghan jihadist movement not only has the upper hand in the battlespace, it is also emboldened by the deal with the United States.”
Please continue to pray for the thousands of brave men and women in uniform still serving in Syria and what is now America’s longest war in Afghanistan. May God protect them and comfort their families.
COVID-19
At home, courageous military warriors are still fighting a war on COVID-19. Across the nation, tens of thousands of troops are mobilized to help their fellow Americans cope with the ongoing pandemic.
In New York alone, more than 1,300 members of the National Guard are administering tests, running warehouses, protect nursing homes, screen travelers and perform other essential duties.
“These last few months have been an adventure for every state dealing with COVID-19, and our Soldiers and Airmen of the New York National Guard have done a tremendous job in being flexible and responsive and being there for their fellow citizens for whatever missions come our way,” Maj. Gen. Ray Shields said. “Along with all our leaders, I am especially proud of what our service members have accomplished.”
Soldiers and Airmen with the @NationalGuardNY continue to help staff 15 COVID-19 drive-in test sites across the state from Long Island to Buffalo. As of Oct. 15, members helped administer 661,683 tests at those locations. https://t.co/eQLjY0T8Tn #InThisTogether — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) October 20, 2020
In Georgia, soldiers are handing out food to needy residents across the state.
#ICYMI: U.S. Army Soldiers from the 78th Troop Command Guardian Task Force assisted Second Harvest of South Georgia food bank in Tifton, Georgia on Oct. 17, 2020 to provide food to the community. pic.twitter.com/3WwpJqDfZ3 — GA National Guard (@GeorgiaGuard) October 22, 2020
Another aspect of the coronavirus pandemic that should not be overlooked is its impact on the huge issue of military suicide, as The Stream reported in July.
This week, The Hill reported that Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville believes COVID-19 is worsening an already major problem.
“Some of the scientists have said they’ve not been able to show causation between COVID and suicide, but I would argue, at least my sense is, it is having an effect because it disconnects people,” said Gen. McConville, as quoted by The Hill.
Please join me in praying for all active duty troops and veterans being affected by this pandemic. You are not alone and your country loves you.
If you are a service member or veteran contemplating suicide, please call the veterans suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text 838255. If you want to be put in touch with a fellow veteran who has experienced depression or despair or just want to talk, please e-mail me anytime at [email protected].
2020 Election
With the presidential election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden less than two weeks away, hundreds of veterans are stepping forward to volunteer at polling sites across the country amid the pandemic.
“I think that veterans can sort of stand up and lend some legitimacy, some cover to that process,” Iraq war veteran Joseph Jenkins told McClatchyDC’s Tara Copp. “That’s just one trusted institution, one sacred institution protecting another one.”
May God bless all of our nation’s selfless veterans.
Coming Home
A group of Ohio National Guard soldiers recently returned to Cleveland after spending the last year at war in the Middle East.
Welcome home, warriors! Thank you for defending our freedom overseas.
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of Three Wise Men, Brothers Forever, 8 Seconds of Courage and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-10-23--Donald Trump Will Ride a Coyote to Victory

I ’ ll admit it .
I ’ ve been scared about the election .
Partly it ’ s just my inherited temperament and upbringing .
My genes come from Croatia and Ireland , two of Europe ’ s more battered , beaten-down countries over the centuries .
Each was a backwater province of a much larger empire .
Neither , given independence , really knew what to do with it .
My parents ’ families came from the lovely ( if poor ) fields of Cork and the Renaissance jewel of Dubrovnik to … the teeming tenements of Hell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And they stopped there for some reason , as if they didn ’ t realize the Hudson River could be forded .
( I ’ m the first member of my family to venture from atolls like Manhattan and Long Island to the vast mainland United States . )
We stayed in New York City while liberal Republicans like John Lindsay and clueless Democrats like Abe Beame ground the place into powder , turned the city of Breakfast at Tiffany ’ s into the hellscape of Taxi Driver .
As I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot like that of the anti-hero in Joker .
It ’ s the first DC-Comics movie that ever really seemed like a documentary .
So when events align such that the world looks like it ’ s finally sliding down the conveyor belt to the Inferno , I ’ m constituted to answer , “ Yup , I knew it !
” Also , I think I ’ ve been subject to spiritual warfare , and I ’ ve been losing .
It Seemed that the Fix Was In Watching President Trump stumble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemingly put up with the FBI ’ s partisan hackery in defense of the Biden Crime Family really troubled me .
It didn ’ t help that every week or so , the pope of my church came out with some new outrageous statement or action .
Last week , Francis denounced capital punishment , private property and national borders , just in time to help Joe Biden ’ s quest for the Catholic vote .
This week , Francis nodded and winked and endorsed “ civil unions ” based in sodomy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if in Francis ’ translation of the Gospel , Christ tells the apostles , “ Eat my sheep.
” I ’ ve found myself saying things on Twitter about “ outliving any recognizable form of either my church or my country.
” Then stumbling off to watch World ’ s Dumbest Daredevils through the bottom of a whiskey glass .
Not a good month , my friends .
But with the help of some prayers from pals , I ’ m doing better now .
I ’ m learning to watch the farce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain detachment .
The grand claims of papal authority made in 1870 are simply being put to a laboratory test .
If the poor mouse somehow survives , all the better .
If not , then not .
It ’ s all in God ’ s hands , not mine .
Meanwhile , on a purely human level , the spectacle of a talentless , nasty ex-chemistry teacher like Jorge Bergoglio trying to gaslight a billion people is objectively … funny .
I can read his documents for laughs , as I once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gaddafi , or The Ruhnama — the vast pseudo-Q ’ uran the dictator of Turkmenistan forced his entire country to memorize .
The last world leader to match Francis ’ vaunted “ humility ” really was Saparmurat Niyazov .
And he renamed months of the year after members of his family .
But for now , I will leave Pope Borat in peace .
What ’ s helping as well is that the Trump campaign seems to have found its feet , and caught some lucky breaks .
And proven me wrong again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and only at 10 p.m. on election night did my despair turn to sodden shock and awe . )
I really thought that after the crummy first debate with Biden , and painful NBC town hall , that Trump should have skipped last night ’ s debate .
Switched topics ?
Stunningly biased moderators ?
A mute button for the President ?
( Why not a shock collar ? )
I wanted him to walk away , maybe do an hour-long interview with Jeffrey Toobin instead — by Zoom , of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again by turning in a first-rate performance — calm , funny , commanding , and truthful on the issues .
God sends us divine surprises sometimes , perhaps because of all those out there praying and fasting .
Keep Praying .
Here ’ s What We Might Face So we should all be , for protection from the madness Democrats promise , and won ’ t disavow : • A Supreme Court packed to 15 or 21 members .
They ’ ve got to find jobs for Michael Avenatti and Jussie Smollett , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter Biden .
• SCOTUS decisions that will overturn most of the First and Second amendments ( i.e.
, Citizens United and Heller ) .
• New frivolous states in the Union , like Washington , D.C. ( Why not offer statehood to CHAZ ? )
• A senate without a filibuster cramming leftist giveaways and seizures down the throat of half the country .
• A Green New Deal socialist overhaul of our economy , shutting down fossil fuels and leaving us back in the 70s again to freeze in the dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mob gets frustrated at the slowness of our surrender .
No federal agents to help , and prosecutors cherry-picked by George Soros to hunt down every Kyle Rittenhouse , Jake Gardner , or McCloskey family that dares to push back .
The Tip of the Bidenberg ?
And those are just the monstrosities the Democrats have copped to .
Think about the hundreds of ways in which the Biden Family ( now to be uppercased , like the Gambino Family ) are compromised by bribes , blackmail , and secrets .
Corrupt Ukrainian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and foreign intel agents have had the dirt on Hunter Biden ’ s crooked deals , underage girl pics and potentially illegal acts for years .
They can read the words “ Big Guy ” and know who that means ( Joe Biden ) , even if our MSM pretends that it might refer to Vladimir Putin or Nicholas Sandmann .
According to Chinese whistleblowers the Chinese Communist party has been sitting on all that compromising Biden material for even longer than the FBI , in fact .
Both agencies sat there while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single phone call to Ukraine , just asking about this corruption .
You might have expected Trump ’ s own FBI director to mention it to him , of course .
But our Deep State seems to be working in concert with China ’ s interests , not ours .
All the filth that ’ s trickling in through the laptop might be just the tip of the iceberg .
What could foreign governments do with all the corrupt deals that Biden Family consiglieri engaged in which didn ’ t get dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mac shop ?
By the highly qualified young drug addict with zero expertise who magically qualified to earn tens of millions on corporate boards , because his dad was — wouldn ’ t you know ?
— vice president of the U.S .
Thanks to relentless work by The New York Post , Fox News , and many smaller “ rogue ” media operators ( One America News , Pandemic War Room , Judicial Watch , there ’ s an honor roll ) , America ’ s learning about all that squalor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite the debate moderator doing everything but physically tackling him to change the subject .
But that ’ s not why he ’ ll win .
The reason I now think President Trump will win handily on election night , despite Democratic cheating , can be summed up in one word : “ Coyote.
” Trump Wants to Save Kids from Trafficking .
Dems Want to Sneer .
Let me explain .
Donald Trump has actually studied the deadly situation on our southern border .
In the debate he explained why the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their so-called “ parents.
” That ’ s because human traffickers ( called in the region “ coyotes , ” Spanish pronunciation ) smuggle children .
Thousands and thousands of children .
It ’ s a huge business , conducted on the hides of the helpless and innocent .
( See The Stream ’ s Chris Manion on this horror . )
The Stream ran a plea by Mexican TV star and pro-life activist Eduardo Verástegui on this subject .
He begged the U.S. to build a border wall .
Why ?
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latino kids into the sex and child pornography industries , and slave labor on U.S. farms .
All that is real .
Coyotes are real , and a present danger to thousands of helpless women and children .
By some estimates , they rape up to 80 % of Central American women and girls who enter the U.S. illegally .
We don ’ t control our southern border .
The coyote rape gangs do .
And that ’ s a national scandal .
We Must Separate Kids from Kidnappers Any real Christian or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a civilized country stop it , as Trump has tried hard to do — despite the demagoguery about “ putting children in cages.
” ( Yes , Obama and Biden built the cages , and Trump got rid of them , but never mind . )
So how did America ’ s Twitter-certified “ blue-check ” cognoscenti respond to this gross abuse of human rights by thuggish cartels against women and children ?
With the same sneering , superior ignorance these people exhibit on every other subject .
And that is what lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will lose it again this year .
Matt Margolis wrote about the Coyote Moment scathingly at PJ Media .
Go read him .
Let me quote just a few choice passages and damning Tweets .
When Trump mentioned the real , heart-rending problem of coyote rape gangs , the blue-checks started gibbering : There were hundreds more sophomoric “ wise-fools ” piping up just like them : Our nation is run , top to bottom , by ignorant , smug elitists like these .
They have jumped through the right hoops , made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right set of virtues .
Millions of people have been rewarded with high salaries , cultural and political power for engaging in these rituals .
They ’ ve earned journalism degrees without reading any history , education degrees without logic classes , multicultural diplomas having mastered no foreign languages .
They know almost … nothing , in fact .
Their status as “ intellectuals ” is an honorary degree they earned by showing up and bleating in unison , “ Four legs GOOD , two legs B-A-A-A-A-A-D. ” And they hold the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not just ruthless , they ’ re shameless .
How do we know that for sure ?
Because any human being with a sense of shame who made this kind of outrageous blunder would have taken down his Tweet .
Maybe deleted his account , gone and hid under a desk , and started doing some research .
Decent people would doubt themselves after a moment like this .
Not these people .
They ’ re actually still sneering at us for being right when they were wrong .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s why they will lose .
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 .
”

I’ll admit it. I’ve been scared about the election. Partly it’s just my inherited temperament and upbringing. My genes come from Croatia and Ireland, two of Europe’s more battered, beaten-down countries over the centuries. Each was a backwater province of a much larger empire. Neither, given independence, really knew what to do with it. My parents’ families came from the lovely (if poor) fields of Cork and the Renaissance jewel of Dubrovnik to … the teeming tenements of Hell’s Kitchen, New York.
And they stopped there for some reason, as if they didn’t realize the Hudson River could be forded. (I’m the first member of my family to venture from atolls like Manhattan and Long Island to the vast mainland United States.) We stayed in New York City while liberal Republicans like John Lindsay and clueless Democrats like Abe Beame ground the place into powder, turned the city of Breakfast at Tiffany’s into the hellscape of Taxi Driver. As I’ve written here, my childhood was a lot like that of the anti-hero in Joker. It’s the first DC-Comics movie that ever really seemed like a documentary.
So when events align such that the world looks like it’s finally sliding down the conveyor belt to the Inferno, I’m constituted to answer, “Yup, I knew it!” Also, I think I’ve been subject to spiritual warfare, and I’ve been losing.
It Seemed that the Fix Was In
Watching President Trump stumble a bit in recent weeks, and seemingly put up with the FBI’s partisan hackery in defense of the Biden Crime Family really troubled me. It didn’t help that every week or so, the pope of my church came out with some new outrageous statement or action. Last week, Francis denounced capital punishment, private property and national borders, just in time to help Joe Biden’s quest for the Catholic vote. This week, Francis nodded and winked and endorsed “civil unions” based in sodomy.
I’m wondering at this point if in Francis’ translation of the Gospel, Christ tells the apostles, “Eat my sheep.” I’ve found myself saying things on Twitter about “outliving any recognizable form of either my church or my country.” Then stumbling off to watch World’s Dumbest Daredevils through the bottom of a whiskey glass. Not a good month, my friends.
Prayers Have Helped
But with the help of some prayers from pals, I’m doing better now. I’m learning to watch the farce in Pope Francis’ Rome with a certain detachment. The grand claims of papal authority made in 1870 are simply being put to a laboratory test. If the poor mouse somehow survives, all the better. If not, then not. It’s all in God’s hands, not mine.
Meanwhile, on a purely human level, the spectacle of a talentless, nasty ex-chemistry teacher like Jorge Bergoglio trying to gaslight a billion people is objectively … funny. I can read his documents for laughs, as I once did the loopy Green Book of Muamar Gaddafi, or The Ruhnama — the vast pseudo-Q’uran the dictator of Turkmenistan forced his entire country to memorize. The last world leader to match Francis’ vaunted “humility” really was Saparmurat Niyazov. And he renamed months of the year after members of his family. But for now, I will leave Pope Borat in peace.
Trump Tap-Danced on Biden’s Political Grave
What’s helping as well is that the Trump campaign seems to have found its feet, and caught some lucky breaks. And proven me wrong again. (I despaired back in 2016, and only at 10 p.m. on election night did my despair turn to sodden shock and awe.) I really thought that after the crummy first debate with Biden, and painful NBC town hall, that Trump should have skipped last night’s debate. Switched topics? Stunningly biased moderators? A mute button for the President? (Why not a shock collar?) I wanted him to walk away, maybe do an hour-long interview with Jeffrey Toobin instead — by Zoom, of course.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
And Trump proved me dead wrong again by turning in a first-rate performance — calm, funny, commanding, and truthful on the issues. God sends us divine surprises sometimes, perhaps because of all those out there praying and fasting.
Keep Praying. Here’s What We Might Face
So we should all be, for protection from the madness Democrats promise, and won’t disavow:
A Supreme Court packed to 15 or 21 members. They’ve got to find jobs for Michael Avenatti and Jussie Smollett, and (why not?) … Hunter Biden.
SCOTUS decisions that will overturn most of the First and Second amendments (i.e., Citizens United and Heller).
New frivolous states in the Union, like Washington, D.C. (Why not offer statehood to CHAZ?)
A senate without a filibuster cramming leftist giveaways and seizures down the throat of half the country.
A Green New Deal socialist overhaul of our economy, shutting down fossil fuels and leaving us back in the 70s again to freeze in the dark.
Ten or twenty million amnestied illegal aliens as newly minted Democrats.
Fresh riots whenever the leftist mob gets frustrated at the slowness of our surrender. No federal agents to help, and prosecutors cherry-picked by George Soros to hunt down every Kyle Rittenhouse, Jake Gardner, or McCloskey family that dares to push back.
The Tip of the Bidenberg?
And those are just the monstrosities the Democrats have copped to. Think about the hundreds of ways in which the Biden Family (now to be uppercased, like the Gambino Family) are compromised by bribes, blackmail, and secrets. Corrupt Ukrainian oligarchs, Chinese Communist party hacks, and foreign intel agents have had the dirt on Hunter Biden’s crooked deals, underage girl pics and potentially illegal acts for years. They can read the words “Big Guy” and know who that means (Joe Biden), even if our MSM pretends that it might refer to Vladimir Putin or Nicholas Sandmann.
According to Chinese whistleblowers the Chinese Communist party has been sitting on all that compromising Biden material for even longer than the FBI, in fact. Both agencies sat there while the House impeached a U.S. president for a single phone call to Ukraine, just asking about this corruption. You might have expected Trump’s own FBI director to mention it to him, of course. But our Deep State seems to be working in concert with China’s interests, not ours.
All the filth that’s trickling in through the laptop might be just the tip of the iceberg. What could foreign governments do with all the corrupt deals that Biden Family consiglieri engaged in which didn’t get dropped off in a drunken stupor at a Mac shop? By the highly qualified young drug addict with zero expertise who magically qualified to earn tens of millions on corporate boards, because his dad was — wouldn’t you know? — vice president of the U.S.
God Bless Our Dissident Press
Thanks to relentless work by The New York Post, Fox News, and many smaller “rogue” media operators (One America News, Pandemic War Room, Judicial Watch, there’s an honor roll), America’s learning about all that squalor. President Trump wisely mentioned it several times, despite the debate moderator doing everything but physically tackling him to change the subject.
Any human being with a sense of shame who made this kind of outrageous blunder would have taken down his Tweets, maybe deleted his account.
But that’s not why he’ll win. The reason I now think President Trump will win handily on election night, despite Democratic cheating, can be summed up in one word: “Coyote.”
Trump Wants to Save Kids from Trafficking. Dems Want to Sneer.
Let me explain. Donald Trump has actually studied the deadly situation on our southern border. In the debate he explained why the U.S. had to separate immigrant kids from their so-called “parents.” That’s because human traffickers (called in the region “coyotes,” Spanish pronunciation) smuggle children. Thousands and thousands of children. It’s a huge business, conducted on the hides of the helpless and innocent. (See The Stream’s Chris Manion on this horror.)
The Stream ran a plea by Mexican TV star and pro-life activist Eduardo Verástegui on this subject. He begged the U.S. to build a border wall. Why? To stop this hemorrhage of kidnapped and trafficked Latino kids into the sex and child pornography industries, and slave labor on U.S. farms. All that is real.
Coyotes are real, and a present danger to thousands of helpless women and children. By some estimates, they rape up to 80% of Central American women and girls who enter the U.S. illegally. We don’t control our southern border. The coyote rape gangs do. And that’s a national scandal.
We Must Separate Kids from Kidnappers
Any real Christian or decent human being ought to demand that a civilized country stop it, as Trump has tried hard to do — despite the demagoguery about “putting children in cages.” (Yes, Obama and Biden built the cages, and Trump got rid of them, but never mind.)
So how did America’s Twitter-certified “blue-check” cognoscenti respond to this gross abuse of human rights by thuggish cartels against women and children? With the same sneering, superior ignorance these people exhibit on every other subject. And that is what lost them the election in 2016, and will lose it again this year.
Blunder, Sneer, and Repeat
Matt Margolis wrote about the Coyote Moment scathingly at PJ Media. Go read him. Let me quote just a few choice passages and damning Tweets. When Trump mentioned the real, heart-rending problem of coyote rape gangs, the blue-checks started gibbering:
Did @realDonaldTrump just say 545 kids they can’t find their parents for came over through “cartels and coyotes”?! How the hell does a coyote bring a whole human across the border?! Lord—–stop talking. #FinalDebate — Dar’shun Kendrick (@DarshunKendrick) October 23, 2020
Let’s not miss America’s favorite mass-shooting profiteer, David Hogg of Harvard:
Imagine calling the immigrant parents that bring their children to the United States for a better life “Coyotes” The level of xenophobia is sickening. — David Hogg (@davidhogg111) October 23, 2020
There were hundreds more sophomoric “wise-fools” piping up just like them:
Tonight on blue checkmark twitter, they don’t know what coyotes are. (This isn’t even half of all I found 🥴) pic.twitter.com/Jsh57jSBb1 — Sophia Narwitz (@SophNar0747) October 23, 2020
Ruthless, Clueless, and Shameless
Our nation is run, top to bottom, by ignorant, smug elitists like these. They have jumped through the right hoops, made the right connections, and signaled the right set of virtues. Millions of people have been rewarded with high salaries, cultural and political power for engaging in these rituals.
They’ve earned journalism degrees without reading any history, education degrees without logic classes, multicultural diplomas having mastered no foreign languages. They know almost … nothing, in fact. Their status as “intellectuals” is an honorary degree they earned by showing up and bleating in unison, “Four legs GOOD, two legs B-A-A-A-A-A-D.” And they hold the rest of us in contempt. They’re not just ruthless, they’re shameless.
How do we know that for sure? Because any human being with a sense of shame who made this kind of outrageous blunder would have taken down his Tweet. Maybe deleted his account, gone and hid under a desk, and started doing some research. Decent people would doubt themselves after a moment like this.
Not these people. They’re actually still sneering at us for being right when they were wrong. That’s just who they are. And that’s why they will lose.
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--2020-10-23--President Trump Mentioned the ‘Coyotes.’ Who Are They?

On Thursday night , President Trump mentioned the “ Coyotes , ” and all hell broke loose .
Let me tell you about the Coyotes .
First of all , the name .
They earned it .
They are ravenous wolves and they don ’ t bother with sheep ’ s clothing .
The Coyotes are the product of generations of Mexican corruption that has thrived for well over a century .
Corruption always brings gangs in its wake .
That ’ s true in every time zone in every hemisphere .
In this case , corrupt officials in Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Aztec pyramids .
Remember , that ’ s where thousands of captives were carved up and sacrificed on pagan feast days in the centuries before the conquistadors arrived .
As a result of that tradition , a Mexican public official ’ s salary is manifestly inadequate to sustain a decent standard of living .
Thus that official — governor , mayor , police chief , or cop on the beat — has to make up the difference with bribes .
When I lived in Mexico in the 60 ’ s , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
— “ Let ’ s make a deal !
” — was often the only way to get anything done .
So the Coyotes have been around for a long time , smuggling drugs , goods , and people .
When it comes to the U.S. border , that means anything that can ’ t legally get across .
Let ’ s use Richard Dreyfuss ’ hilarious ( and fictional ) country , Parador , to illustrate the typical Central American country .
In Parador , 40 % of the population lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ remissions ” ) sent back home by their family members in the United States .
Entire towns and broad swaths of cities have been built all over Parador with this inflow of American dollars .
But how did those family members get to the U.S. ?
Enter the Coyote .
Where corruption reigns , smuggling thrives .
Parador ’ s gangs specialize in robbery , drug smuggling , and shakedowns .
They target businesses , neighborhoods , even street vendors .
If you don ’ t pay up , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent bus driver is killed every single day for refusing to pay the gangs .
Virtually every Paradoran town , however remote , has a family or a neighborhood that depends on money coming from family members in the United States .
That cash not only support communities in their home country , but it is also used to pay Mexican Coyotes to bring new prospective workers , or family members of workers already in the U.S. Parador ’ s gangs know that .
And they ’ re entrepreneurs .
So they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinate the trafficking thousands of Paradorans to the U.S. border every year .
$ 5,000 , the Price of Admission to America Parador ’ s gangs solicit new customers for the Coyotes , prepare them for the dangerous trip , and collect the money — a lot of it .
Cost for transit to the U.S. border averages some $ 5,000 per head — yes , like cattle .
The illegals are herded north and handed over to the Coyotes , along with their share of the cash .
The trip can last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangers include robbery , assault , rape , and often violent confrontations with the Mexican military or well-armed rival gangs .
The prospective illegal alien either pays his $ 5000 when his trip commences , or borrows it , with his family or another go-between who stays in Parador as his security .
You might think that $ 5000 per head is a stunning amount for Paradoran peasants , and it is .
But once in America , the breadwinner can earn that much in less than a year , with enough left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what about those expenses ?
A Paradoran in the U.S. lives as cheaply as possible , so he can send remesas back home as soon as possible .
A serious downside of that fact , rarely mentioned in debates about immigration , is telling : money earned by illegal aliens working in the United States does not stay in the communities in which they live and work .
Those millions are spent building communities in Parador , not contributing to the American communities where they were paid .
Paradorans in the U.S. often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to them .
Meanwhile , they send their excess back home .
That cash , in turn , is used not only to support their families in Parador , but also to pay the Coyotes they hire to bring other family members north to the border .
There ’ s a tragic twist to all this that most Americans especially U.S. bishops , don ’ t understand .
If the illegal alien is refused entry at the border and is forced to return home , he does not get his money back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when he gets there , he has two options : if he saved the $ 5000 in advance to pay his passage , he ’ ll have to earn it all over again — which might take years for a Paradoran peasant .
If he borrowed it on credit from the gangs , he ’ s in trouble .
As a last resort , he might have to provide his wife and daughters to the Coyotes for sex trafficking .
If he doesn ’ t pay , he is killed , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Coyotes are also sex traffickers .
And Donald Trump ’ s battle against sex trafficking poses a grave danger to the Coyote international business model .
Because with Trump ’ s aggressive anti-trafficking dragnet , it is not the innocent client illegal who is arrested , but the Coyote himself .
Ironically , the program also threatens the U.S. Bishops ’ business model , since they rely on those illegals who make it across for indispensable taxpayer funding for their NGO ’ s that care for refugees and illegal immigrants .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s business model as the Paradoran gangs are .
This might explain why , when America ’ s Catholic bishops commemorate the International Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking every February 8 , they never seem to mention the Coyotes .
Could it be because they ’ re business partners ?
President Trump ’ s successful effort has rounded up some 5,000 traffickers , and this fact highlights an issue that arose during the debates last Thursday .
There , the President was asked about the fate of “ children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Yes , it started with Obama , but consider : politics aside , Both Trump and Obama have daughters .
Does any sane father think that U.S. policy should require that ICE house teen-age girls in crowded facilities alongside adults who have not even been screened ?
Even if her “ parent ” is an impostor who used her to enter as a “ family ” ?
Even if those adults might include abusers , sex traffickers , and other criminals who were caught pretending to be simple clients of the Coyotes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to thousands of illegals , they bring drugs , guns , sex slaves , and other contraband into our country .
President Trump was right to condemn them .
Democrats and Catholic bishops should too .
Christopher Manion earned a Ph.D. in government from Notre Dame .
For many years he was the staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere , chaired by the late Sen. Jesse Helms , R-N.C. Editor ’ s Note : The Stream ’ s parent company , LIFE Outreach International is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RescueLIFE ministry .
RescueLIFE goes into villages , reaching , educating and preventing children from becoming victims , rescuing those who have been victimized and restoring them by providing an environment where their hearts , minds and bodies can be restored to the beauty God designed for them .
Please consider giving today to RescueLIFE to combat human trafficking worldwide .

On Thursday night, President Trump mentioned the “Coyotes,” and all hell broke loose.
Let me tell you about the Coyotes.
First of all, the name. They earned it. They are ravenous wolves and they don’t bother with sheep’s clothing. The Coyotes are the product of generations of Mexican corruption that has thrived for well over a century.
Corruption Targets the Weak
Corruption always brings gangs in its wake. That’s true in every time zone in every hemisphere. In this case, corrupt officials in Mexico are as traditional as that land’s Aztec pyramids. Remember, that’s where thousands of captives were carved up and sacrificed on pagan feast days in the centuries before the conquistadors arrived.
As a result of that tradition, a Mexican public official’s salary is manifestly inadequate to sustain a decent standard of living. Thus that official — governor, mayor, police chief, or cop on the beat — has to make up the difference with bribes. When I lived in Mexico in the 60’s, I learned that first-hand. ¡Hagamos una cosa! — “Let’s make a deal!” — was often the only way to get anything done.
The illegals are herded north and handed over to the Coyotes, along with their share of the cash. The trip can last for weeks through rugged terrain. The dangers include robbery, assault, rape, and often violent confrontations with the Mexican military or well-armed rival gangs.
So the Coyotes have been around for a long time, smuggling drugs, goods, and people. When it comes to the U.S. border, that means anything that can’t legally get across.
How the Nightmare Continues
Let’s use Richard Dreyfuss’ hilarious (and fictional) country, Parador, to illustrate the typical Central American country.
In Parador, 40% of the population lives off of the money (called remesas, “remissions”) sent back home by their family members in the United States. Entire towns and broad swaths of cities have been built all over Parador with this inflow of American dollars.
But how did those family members get to the U.S.? Enter the Coyote.
Massive, Powerful Gangs
Where corruption reigns, smuggling thrives. Parador’s gangs specialize in robbery, drug smuggling, and shakedowns. They target businesses, neighborhoods, even street vendors. If you don’t pay up, you’re dead — in Parador, one independent bus driver is killed every single day for refusing to pay the gangs.
Virtually every Paradoran town, however remote, has a family or a neighborhood that depends on money coming from family members in the United States. That cash not only support communities in their home country, but it is also used to pay Mexican Coyotes to bring new prospective workers, or family members of workers already in the U.S.
Parador’s gangs know that. And they’re entrepreneurs. So they have allied with Mexico’s Coyotes to coordinate the trafficking thousands of Paradorans to the U.S. border every year.
$5,000, the Price of Admission to America
Parador’s gangs solicit new customers for the Coyotes, prepare them for the dangerous trip, and collect the money — a lot of it. Cost for transit to the U.S. border averages some $5,000 per head — yes, like cattle. The illegals are herded north and handed over to the Coyotes, along with their share of the cash. The trip can last for weeks through rugged terrain. The dangers include robbery, assault, rape, and often violent confrontations with the Mexican military or well-armed rival gangs.
The prospective illegal alien either pays his $5000 when his trip commences, or borrows it, with his family or another go-between who stays in Parador as his security. You might think that $5000 per head is a stunning amount for Paradoran peasants, and it is. But once in America, the breadwinner can earn that much in less than a year, with enough left over for his living expenses.
Sending Money Back Home
And what about those expenses? A Paradoran in the U.S. lives as cheaply as possible, so he can send remesas back home as soon as possible. A serious downside of that fact, rarely mentioned in debates about immigration, is telling: money earned by illegal aliens working in the United States does not stay in the communities in which they live and work. Those millions are spent building communities in Parador, not contributing to the American communities where they were paid.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Paradorans in the U.S. often depend on the dozens of welfare programs available to them. Meanwhile, they send their excess back home. That cash, in turn, is used not only to support their families in Parador, but also to pay the Coyotes they hire to bring other family members north to the border.
There’s a tragic twist to all this that most Americans especially U.S. bishops, don’t understand.
Forever Obliged to the Cartels
If the illegal alien is refused entry at the border and is forced to return home, he does not get his money back. He goes home to Parador, and when he gets there, he has two options: if he saved the $5000 in advance to pay his passage, he’ll have to earn it all over again — which might take years for a Paradoran peasant. If he borrowed it on credit from the gangs, he’s in trouble. As a last resort, he might have to provide his wife and daughters to the Coyotes for sex trafficking.
If he doesn’t pay, he is killed, it’s that simple.
Trump’s Fighting for Women and Girls
Yes, the Coyotes are also sex traffickers. And Donald Trump’s battle against sex trafficking poses a grave danger to the Coyote international business model. Because with Trump’s aggressive anti-trafficking dragnet, it is not the innocent client illegal who is arrested, but the Coyote himself. Ironically, the program also threatens the U.S. Bishops’ business model, since they rely on those illegals who make it across for indispensable taxpayer funding for their NGO’s that care for refugees and illegal immigrants. These programs are as essential to the Coyote’s business model as the Paradoran gangs are.
This might explain why, when America’s Catholic bishops commemorate the International Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking every February 8, they never seem to mention the Coyotes. Could it be because they’re business partners?
President Trump’s successful effort has rounded up some 5,000 traffickers, and this fact highlights an issue that arose during the debates last Thursday. There, the President was asked about the fate of “children separated from their parents at the border.”
Taking Kids from their Kidnappers
Yes, it started with Obama, but consider: politics aside, Both Trump and Obama have daughters. Does any sane father think that U.S. policy should require that ICE house teen-age girls in crowded facilities alongside adults who have not even been screened? Even if her “parent” is an impostor who used her to enter as a “family”? Even if those adults might include abusers, sex traffickers, and other criminals who were caught pretending to be simple clients of the Coyotes?
Remember, Coyotes kill. In addition to thousands of illegals, they bring drugs, guns, sex slaves, and other contraband into our country. President Trump was right to condemn them. Democrats and Catholic bishops should too.
Christopher Manion earned a Ph.D. in government from Notre Dame. For many years he was the staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, chaired by the late Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C.
Editor’s Note: The Stream’s parent company, LIFE Outreach International is also involved in combating human trafficking through its RescueLIFE ministry. RescueLIFE goes into villages, reaching, educating and preventing children from becoming victims, rescuing those who have been victimized and restoring them by providing an environment where their hearts, minds and bodies can be restored to the beauty God designed for them. Please consider giving today to RescueLIFE to combat human trafficking worldwide.


thestream--2020-10-23--A Sordid Conspiracy to Deceive the American Electorate

Have we ever witnessed a stranger anomaly in modern presidential politics than the craven contempt the Biden campaign , the media and social media have shown for the American electorate in their disgraceful conspiracy to hide Joe Biden ?
What bona fide presidential candidate would arrogantly hide in his basement during the heat of a campaign , especially in the last few weeks of an ever-tightening one ?
If the liberal media weren ’ t providing Biden cover , he couldn ’ t get away with this .
If they were even raising questions about his intentional invisibility , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far less surreal .
Opting Out of the Campaign As President Donald Trump has hopscotched the country , traveling thousands of miles to appear at vigorous , humongous campaign rallies , Biden and his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , are nowhere to be found .
We ’ ve never had a presidential candidate virtually opt out of the campaign .
Please don ’ t use the virus as an excuse , unless you ’ re willing to point out that Trump has been fearlessly campaigning for reelection with a rigorous schedule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Biden is acting like an old man with no interest in engaging with the public or the media .
And he seeks to be leader of the free world ?
Then again , when Biden has surfaced , he ’ s failed to draw a Sunday school-sized crowd .
Never has a presidential candidate taken the voters for granted like this .
Hillary Clinton declined to visit the swing state of Wisconsin after April 2016 , but that is nothing compared with Biden ’ s ghosting of the entire electorate throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were comfortably ahead have never hidden from view like this to run out the clock .
They all believed enough in the superiority of their agenda that they wanted to make their case to the people .
Refusing to Reveal His Position on Key Issues Moreover , what other presidential candidate has refused to provide his position on key issues , including whether he would pack the Supreme Court ?
When has any other candidate haughtily waved off questions of debate moderators and reporters with the sophomoric dodge that , “ Trump just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( instead of what an SOB he is ) ” ?
Adding insult to injury , when has the media ever let any candidate off the hook like this , which is a scandal of unprecedented proportions ?
Obviously , the media disrespects the electorate as much as the Biden campaign does .
If anything is indisputably the media ’ s job , it is to bring out the candidates ’ positions on important issues , and packing the Supreme Court and the Biden scandals are exceedingly important — and relevant — issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaction be if Trump refused to answer such questions ?
The media dutifully promoted the canard that the Russians — yes , the Russians again — were behind the emails found on Hunter Biden ’ s laptop .
But how will these crooked conspirators explain away the bombshell revelation of Hunter ’ s former business partner , Tony Bobulinski , that the “ big guy ” referred to in Hunter ’ s email is Joe Biden himself ?
How will they handle Bobulinski ’ s assertion that Joe Biden was offered 10 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But for my money , even these cover-ups don ’ t hold a candle to the media ’ s scandalous concealment of Joe Biden ’ s declining mental acuity .
In his current state , Biden clearly is not fit for office , yet the media ignores it while raising bogus questions about the uncannily vibrant Trump ’ s capacity .
Reality has finally trumped George Orwell ’ s imagination .
Where is the perennial finger-wagger Bob Woodward when you need him ?
The American public knows everything there is to know about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every molecule of his being and business dealings and dug up every conceivably negative morsel about him during the last four years .
To complete the trifecta , we ’ ve watched the leftist social media giants conspire with the Biden campaign and the media to stack the deck in Biden ’ s favor .
When the New York Post first reported on the Hunter Biden emails that implicated Joe Biden , Facebook and Twitter actively buried the story — preventing users from sharing it with other users , invoking the specious excuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was unsubstantiated .
Nice try .
Voters Have Been Shielded from Democrats ’ Agenda So , here we are , less than two weeks from the most important election of our lifetimes — and millions of voters have been shielded from the agenda of this Democratic duo to radically transform America into a socialist hellhole with 70 genders , major tax increases on most taxpayers , a federally engineered war on law enforcement and law and order , open borders , increased regulations , the horrors of the Green New Deal ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and scores of other policies the majority of Americans would reject if the Democrats ’ positions were made known to them .
Don ’ t fool yourselves .
This liberal trio knows the American electorate is still basically conservative and would never knowingly elect someone with such a radical agenda , which is why it will continue trying to deceive voters until Nov. 3 .
David Limbaugh is a writer , author and attorney .
His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity : Why the Democrats Must Not Win .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com .

Have we ever witnessed a stranger anomaly in modern presidential politics than the craven contempt the Biden campaign, the media and social media have shown for the American electorate in their disgraceful conspiracy to hide Joe Biden?
What bona fide presidential candidate would arrogantly hide in his basement during the heat of a campaign, especially in the last few weeks of an ever-tightening one?
If the liberal media weren’t providing Biden cover, he couldn’t get away with this. If they were even raising questions about his intentional invisibility, this campaign would look far different, and far less surreal.
Opting Out of the Campaign
As President Donald Trump has hopscotched the country, traveling thousands of miles to appear at vigorous, humongous campaign rallies, Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, are nowhere to be found. We’ve never had a presidential candidate virtually opt out of the campaign.
Please don’t use the virus as an excuse, unless you’re willing to point out that Trump has been fearlessly campaigning for reelection with a rigorous schedule that would exhaust most 30-year olds, while Biden is acting like an old man with no interest in engaging with the public or the media. And he seeks to be leader of the free world? Then again, when Biden has surfaced, he’s failed to draw a Sunday school-sized crowd.
Taking the Voters for Granted
Never has a presidential candidate taken the voters for granted like this. Hillary Clinton declined to visit the swing state of Wisconsin after April 2016, but that is nothing compared with Biden’s ghosting of the entire electorate throughout the campaign.
Even candidates who believed they were comfortably ahead have never hidden from view like this to run out the clock. They all believed enough in the superiority of their agenda that they wanted to make their case to the people.
Refusing to Reveal His Position on Key Issues
Moreover, what other presidential candidate has refused to provide his position on key issues, including whether he would pack the Supreme Court? When has any other candidate haughtily waved off questions of debate moderators and reporters with the sophomoric dodge that, “Trump just wants you to focus on this issue (instead of what an SOB he is)”?
Adding insult to injury, when has the media ever let any candidate off the hook like this, which is a scandal of unprecedented proportions? Obviously, the media disrespects the electorate as much as the Biden campaign does.
The Media’s Job
If anything is indisputably the media’s job, it is to bring out the candidates’ positions on important issues, and packing the Supreme Court and the Biden scandals are exceedingly important — and relevant — issues. What would the media’s reaction be if Trump refused to answer such questions?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The media dutifully promoted the canard that the Russians — yes, the Russians again — were behind the emails found on Hunter Biden’s laptop. But how will these crooked conspirators explain away the bombshell revelation of Hunter’s former business partner, Tony Bobulinski, that the “big guy” referred to in Hunter’s email is Joe Biden himself? How will they handle Bobulinski’s assertion that Joe Biden was offered 10% interest in a Chinese business deal?
Joe’s Declining Mental Acuity
But for my money, even these cover-ups don’t hold a candle to the media’s scandalous concealment of Joe Biden’s declining mental acuity. In his current state, Biden clearly is not fit for office, yet the media ignores it while raising bogus questions about the uncannily vibrant Trump’s capacity. Reality has finally trumped George Orwell’s imagination.
Where is the perennial finger-wagger Bob Woodward when you need him?
Social Media Cover-Ups
The American public knows everything there is to know about Trump, as they’ve scrutinized every molecule of his being and business dealings and dug up every conceivably negative morsel about him during the last four years.
To complete the trifecta, we’ve watched the leftist social media giants conspire with the Biden campaign and the media to stack the deck in Biden’s favor. When the New York Post first reported on the Hunter Biden emails that implicated Joe Biden, Facebook and Twitter actively buried the story — preventing users from sharing it with other users, invoking the specious excuses that the story violated a hacked-materials policy and was unsubstantiated. Nice try.
Voters Have Been Shielded from Democrats’ Agenda
So, here we are, less than two weeks from the most important election of our lifetimes — and millions of voters have been shielded from the agenda of this Democratic duo to radically transform America into a socialist hellhole with 70 genders, major tax increases on most taxpayers, a federally engineered war on law enforcement and law and order, open borders, increased regulations, the horrors of the Green New Deal (including a gutted domestic energy industry), and scores of other policies the majority of Americans would reject if the Democrats’ positions were made known to them.
Don’t fool yourselves. This liberal trio knows the American electorate is still basically conservative and would never knowingly elect someone with such a radical agenda, which is why it will continue trying to deceive voters until Nov. 3.
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--2020-10-23--The Threat of Court Packing

The Threat of Court Packing

One of the most substantial issues of Election 2020 is the Left ’ s pledge to pack the Supreme Court if they win , a scheme neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris will disavow .
Most people don ’ t realize how seriously this could undermine our entire democratic republic .
In one fell swoop , they could undermine the United States , which President Lincoln labeled the “ the last best hope of mankind.
” The founders gave us checks and balances in the government so that no one group would have too much power .
But we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last century an abuse of power by one branch of government , the Supreme Court — until ( for the most part ) William Rehnquist became Chief Justice in 1986 , thanks to Ronald Reagan .
Rehnquist was able to at least slow the tyranny to some degree .
Running Contrary to the Will of the People Beginning in the 1950s , the court of Earl Warren ( appointed by Eisenhower ) and the court of Warren Burger ( appointed by Nixon ) , often trumped the will of the people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school prayer and Bible-reading as devotions ( which has had the effect of outlawing the Bible in the schools — thus , banning the very book that historically gave birth to schools in America ) .
• They removed the Ten Commandments from the schools and , later , were shocked when kids without any values violated the “ Thou shalt not kill ” command that they never were exposed to .
• The runaway Supreme Court unleashed pornography on society and ordered by judicial fiat abortion on demand .
To this day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because we the people did not make this ruling .
• Another whopping example of judicial tyranny ( post-Burger Court ) was the 2015 same-sex marriage ruling .
The Supreme Court has made many key decisions impacting our lives in ways that ran contrary to the will of the people .
Now that the Senate is presumably poised to confirm , as the next Supreme Court Justice , the brilliant , unflappable , role-model-of-a-human-being named Amy Coney Barrett , the Left threatens that if they win the election , they will pull out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Supreme Court , commonly known as court packing .
This would buck a trend from the last 152 years of the court consisting of nine members , and ensure that they have an overwhelming majority on the Left that could do the Left ’ s bidding for years to come .
Even the liberal icon , FDR , tried to pack the court — turning a fawning electorate against him on that point .
A colleague of mine , speaking of the U.S. Supreme Court ( SCOTUS ) , told me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people.
” A Warning Against the Accumulation of All the Powers James Madison — a key architect of the Constitution — was taught well by the Presbyterian minister , Rev .
John Witherspoon , the Scottish president of Princeton , on the sinfulness of man .
Madison said , “ All men having power ought not to be trusted.
” He and the other founders carefully worked to separate power into separate branches — not allowing any one of them to lord it over the others .
Of course , the three branches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House and Senate ) , the executive , and the judicial — as opposed to what AOC ( Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ) said : the three branches are the president and the House and the Senate .
The court packing scheme would ensure that the SCOTUS becomes a super-legislative body of the Left .
Madison warned us , “ The accumulation of all powers , legislative , executive , and judiciary , in the same hands , whether of one , a few , or many , and whether hereditary , self-appointed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very definition of tyranny.
” Packing the court would have that effect .
We Can Stop This The idea that the courts would rule our lives in the first place was anathema to early generations of Americans .
Even four score years into the republic , President Lincoln said in his First Inaugural Address ( 1861 ) , that if we accept the premise that the Supreme Court would make “ irrevocably fixed ” decisions contrary to the will of the people , then “ the people will have ceased to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous to the health of the republic and undermines our system of self-government .
If enough Christians and people of good will vote in a way that reflects Biblical and traditional American values , we can stop this unhealthy scheme of the Left .
Editor ’ s Note : For more info on court packing , see our Foundations piece , “ What is ‘ Court Packing ’ and Why is it a Significant Issue ?
“ Jerry Newcombe , D.Min.
, is a senior producer and an on-air host for D. James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-written 32 books , such as The Unstoppable Jesus Christ , American Amnesia : Is American Paying the Price for Forgetting God ?
, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born ?
( with D. James Kennedy ) and the bestseller , George Washington ’ s Sacred Fire ( with Peter Lillback ) .
Learn more at www.jerrynewcombe.com and follow him on Twitter @ newcombejerry .

One of the most substantial issues of Election 2020 is the Left’s pledge to pack the Supreme Court if they win, a scheme neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris will disavow. Most people don’t realize how seriously this could undermine our entire democratic republic.
In one fell swoop, they could undermine the United States, which President Lincoln labeled the “the last best hope of mankind.”
The founders gave us checks and balances in the government so that no one group would have too much power.
But we have already seen in the last half of the last century an abuse of power by one branch of government, the Supreme Court — until (for the most part) William Rehnquist became Chief Justice in 1986, thanks to Ronald Reagan. Rehnquist was able to at least slow the tyranny to some degree.
Running Contrary to the Will of the People
Beginning in the 1950s, the court of Earl Warren (appointed by Eisenhower) and the court of Warren Burger (appointed by Nixon), often trumped the will of the people in many significant cases.
They outlawed school prayer and Bible-reading as devotions (which has had the effect of outlawing the Bible in the schools — thus, banning the very book that historically gave birth to schools in America).
They removed the Ten Commandments from the schools and, later, were shocked when kids without any values violated the “Thou shalt not kill” command that they never were exposed to.
The runaway Supreme Court unleashed pornography on society and ordered by judicial fiat abortion on demand. To this day, abortion is still a controversial issue because we the people did not make this ruling.
Another whopping example of judicial tyranny (post-Burger Court) was the 2015 same-sex marriage ruling.
The Supreme Court has made many key decisions impacting our lives in ways that ran contrary to the will of the people.
‘Court Packing’
Now that the Senate is presumably poised to confirm, as the next Supreme Court Justice, the brilliant, unflappable, role-model-of-a-human-being named Amy Coney Barrett, the Left threatens that if they win the election, they will pull out all the stops to add more members to the Supreme Court, commonly known as court packing.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
This would buck a trend from the last 152 years of the court consisting of nine members, and ensure that they have an overwhelming majority on the Left that could do the Left’s bidding for years to come. Even the liberal icon, FDR, tried to pack the court — turning a fawning electorate against him on that point.
A colleague of mine, speaking of the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS), told me:
The SCOTUS already wields outsized power because it has become a lawmaking body rather than an umpire. Packing the court would simply ensure that this lawmaking power remains in liberal hands. Originalists like Amy Coney Barrett (and Justice Antonin Scalia before her) want to return the SCOTUS to a proper position of interpreting law rather than making it.
And he added,
It’s two fundamentally different approaches. Packing the Court wasn’t necessary for judicial activism on steroids when the Left held the majority. The Left wants to pack the court because they see the court as a way of accomplishing political ends without having to actually do the work of convincing the electorate.
So much for “we the people.”
A Warning Against the Accumulation of All the Powers
James Madison — a key architect of the Constitution — was taught well by the Presbyterian minister, Rev. John Witherspoon, the Scottish president of Princeton, on the sinfulness of man. Madison said, “All men having power ought not to be trusted.” He and the other founders carefully worked to separate power into separate branches — not allowing any one of them to lord it over the others.
The idea that the courts would rule our lives in the first place was anathema to early generations of Americans.
Of course, the three branches are the legislative (comprised of the House and Senate), the executive, and the judicial — as opposed to what AOC (Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) said: the three branches are the president and the House and the Senate. The court packing scheme would ensure that the SCOTUS becomes a super-legislative body of the Left.
Madison warned us, “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” Packing the court would have that effect.
We Can Stop This
The idea that the courts would rule our lives in the first place was anathema to early generations of Americans. Even four score years into the republic, President Lincoln said in his First Inaugural Address (1861), that if we accept the premise that the Supreme Court would make “irrevocably fixed” decisions contrary to the will of the people, then “the people will have ceased to be their own rulers.”
Court packing is dangerous to the health of the republic and undermines our system of self-government.
If enough Christians and people of good will vote in a way that reflects Biblical and traditional American values, we can stop this unhealthy scheme of the Left.
Editor’s Note: For more info on court packing, see our Foundations piece, “What is ‘Court Packing’ and Why is it a Significant Issue?“
Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is a senior producer and an on-air host for D. James Kennedy Ministries. He has written or co-written 32 books, such as The Unstoppable Jesus Christ, American Amnesia: Is American Paying the Price for Forgetting God?, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (with D. James Kennedy) and the bestseller, George Washington’s Sacred Fire (with Peter Lillback). Learn more at www.jerrynewcombe.com and follow him on Twitter @newcombejerry.