thestream--2020-07-13--Want Us to Wear Masks? Stop Using Bad Science

Just watched a video in which an actor screamed at me for three minutes and twenty-nine seconds about wearing a mask .
Before you click on this link be forewarned : Michael Rapaport uses the f-word like Eddie Murphy suffering from Tourette ’ s syndrome .
Apparently , he ’ s angry because we are in the fourth month of a pandemic and we are still debating whether we should wear masks .
He chastises his audience for having the hubris to think that they are “ infectious disease experts , ” simply because they have “ watched a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pamphlets.
” And yet , Rapaport readily admits he isn ’ t a scientist .
Where does he get his “ Pulitzer Prize thinking ” credibility ?
What a hypocrite .
Evidently , what entitles him to yell at us is that he gets his information from Tony Fauci .
Or , as he likes to call him , “ the good doctor.
” Good , I assume , because he likes to defy President Trump .
“ Tony Fauci is telling you to put the masks on , ” he delivers menacingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end all and be all of argument .
You ’ re right Michael , he is saying that now .
But as late as mid-March , he was saying that masks were unnecessary for the general public and are not 100 % effective anyway .
At some point Fauci changed his mind about the whole mask-wearing thing .
If you listen to the interview at this link , he explains the apparent contradiction .
Amazingly , though , he maintains that masks are not 100 % effective and stresses what ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci ’ s message comes across as a little muddled .
Still , despite what you may think , Michael , most of us want to be socially responsible human beings .
Many of us , therefore , seek out other sources of information .
What we encounter are experts telling us how different masks are used in different ways , that professional medical masks are fitted to the healthcare worker while generic masks are not , and that most of us don ’ t wear our masks properly anyway .
On top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same mask for far too long , rendering it ineffective .
With all this dizzying information floating around , what are we poor plebs , who “ couldn ’ t pass ( our ) science class ( es ) ” supposed to think ?
Even more confusing is watching our politicians flaunt the mask rules with impunity .
See here and here .
Or when these same politicians grant immunity from mask wearing to BLM crowds protesting the killing of George Floyd .
What about Lincoln County , Oregon , declaring only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of color are exempt ?
I ’ m no doctor , but most of the stats I ’ ve read indicate that African Americans are actually more susceptible to COVID-19 , not less .
The problem , Rapaport , is not that we are stupid , or selfish .
It ’ s that the science in this case has become politicized .
Politicized science is bad science .
This explains why we are constantly getting mixed messages about what works and what doesn ’ t .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
At the beginning of this whole thing , everyone agreed that the elderly are the most vulnerable .
So how does one explain Governor Cuomo sending thousands of patients testing positive for the virus to nursing homes ?
The one place even the most unscientific of us knows would be bad .
Even though you think “ the President doesn ’ t give an ‘ f ’ about ” us , Michael , it ’ s still a far cry from Cuomo ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wouldn ’ t you say ?
And when the President said hydroxychloroquine showed promise in fighting the disease , he was immediately chastised and ridiculed .
The experts all said it didn ’ t work and the press said he was just trying to make a profit because he owned part of a company that makes it .
And yet , two months later studies are now coming out saying that Hydroxychloroquine does help prevent deaths .
Trump was actually correct about something .
Something that could have saved countless lives were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irrational hatred of the president .
Again , what are we to think ?
Illogical policies like those of Andrew Cuomo and Lincoln County , Oregon , are waking the American public up to a bigger picture .
And so , we are rebelling , Michael Rapaport .
We are beginning to question the motives of certain leaders , instead of just blindly following them wherever they wish to lead us .
The type of leaders we know are trained to “ never let a good crisis go to waste.
” We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and severely damage our economy was prudent .
Especially when the death toll is not significantly higher than the average flu and lower than some other pandemics that have swept through in the past .
We are starting to wonder , “ could this be happening because it ’ s an election year ?
” After all , Russian collusion didn ’ t work , the impeachment didn ’ t work , and prior to the lockdown the economy was humming along strong with unemployment at its lowest rate since 1969 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yelled less , you might have picked up on these inconsistencies , Mr. Rapaport .
Most of us know hypocrisy when we see it .
Do you ?

Just watched a video in which an actor screamed at me for three minutes and twenty-nine seconds about wearing a mask. Before you click on this link be forewarned: Michael Rapaport uses the f-word like Eddie Murphy suffering from Tourette’s syndrome.
Apparently, he’s angry because we are in the fourth month of a pandemic and we are still debating whether we should wear masks. He chastises his audience for having the hubris to think that they are “infectious disease experts,” simply because they have “watched a few YouTube videos and read a couple of pamphlets.”
And yet, Rapaport readily admits he isn’t a scientist. Where does he get his “Pulitzer Prize thinking” credibility? What a hypocrite.
The “Good Doctor”
Evidently, what entitles him to yell at us is that he gets his information from Tony Fauci. Or, as he likes to call him, “the good doctor.” Good, I assume, because he likes to defy President Trump. “Tony Fauci is telling you to put the masks on,” he delivers menacingly. Yet, this is practically the end all and be all of argument.
You’re right Michael, he is saying that now. But as late as mid-March, he was saying that masks were unnecessary for the general public and are not 100% effective anyway.
At some point Fauci changed his mind about the whole mask-wearing thing. If you listen to the interview at this link, he explains the apparent contradiction. Amazingly, though, he maintains that masks are not 100% effective and stresses what’s most important is social distancing. So, Fauci’s message comes across as a little muddled.
Socially Responsible
Still, despite what you may think, Michael, most of us want to be socially responsible human beings. Many of us, therefore, seek out other sources of information.
What we encounter are experts telling us how different masks are used in different ways, that professional medical masks are fitted to the healthcare worker while generic masks are not, and that most of us don’t wear our masks properly anyway. On top of which, most of us wear the same mask for far too long, rendering it ineffective.
With all this dizzying information floating around, what are we poor plebs, who “couldn’t pass (our) science class(es)” supposed to think?
Political Leaders Confuse
Even more confusing is watching our politicians flaunt the mask rules with impunity. See here and here. Or when these same politicians grant immunity from mask wearing to BLM crowds protesting the killing of George Floyd.
What about Lincoln County, Oregon, declaring only white people must wear masks, while people of color are exempt? I’m no doctor, but most of the stats I’ve read indicate that African Americans are actually more susceptible to COVID-19, not less.
The problem, Rapaport, is not that we are stupid, or selfish. It’s that the science in this case has become politicized. Politicized science is bad science. This explains why we are constantly getting mixed messages about what works and what doesn’t.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
At the beginning of this whole thing, everyone agreed that the elderly are the most vulnerable. So how does one explain Governor Cuomo sending thousands of patients testing positive for the virus to nursing homes? The one place even the most unscientific of us knows would be bad. Even though you think “the President doesn’t give an ‘f’ about” us, Michael, it’s still a far cry from Cuomo’s action, which is akin to murder, wouldn’t you say?
And when the President said hydroxychloroquine showed promise in fighting the disease, he was immediately chastised and ridiculed. The experts all said it didn’t work and the press said he was just trying to make a profit because he owned part of a company that makes it. And yet, two months later studies are now coming out saying that Hydroxychloroquine does help prevent deaths.
Trump was actually correct about something. Something that could have saved countless lives were it not for the media’s irrational hatred of the president. Again, what are we to think?
We Rebel
Illogical policies like those of Andrew Cuomo and Lincoln County, Oregon, are waking the American public up to a bigger picture. And so, we are rebelling, Michael Rapaport. We are beginning to question the motives of certain leaders, instead of just blindly following them wherever they wish to lead us. The type of leaders we know are trained to “never let a good crisis go to waste.”
We are wondering whether the decision to shut down the country and severely damage our economy was prudent. Especially when the death toll is not significantly higher than the average flu and lower than some other pandemics that have swept through in the past.
We are starting to wonder, “could this be happening because it’s an election year?” After all, Russian collusion didn’t work, the impeachment didn’t work, and prior to the lockdown the economy was humming along strong with unemployment at its lowest rate since 1969.
Perhaps if you listened more and yelled less, you might have picked up on these inconsistencies, Mr. Rapaport. Most of us know hypocrisy when we see it. Do you?
George Janek is a conservative thinker encamped in Northern California.


thestream--2020-07-13--Florida Hits 15,299 Positive COVID Cases, Most in One Day Since Pandemic Reached the US

Florida smashed a record for coronavirus cases in one day Sunday , making it the first time the state has recorded more than 12,000 daily cases .
Total cases in Florida sit at nearly 270,000 after the state notched 15,299 cases Saturday , The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday , citing state health officials .
California , Arizona and other states have seen a renewed surge in coronavirus cases as well , according to the report .
The virus originated in China before spreading around the world and to the United States , where it has killed more than 134,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeSantis lashed out at critics in May for suggesting at the time that the state would see massive increases in deaths linked to coronavirus , or COVID-19 , after the Florida Republican moved ahead with reopening his state .
“ You got a lot of people in your profession who waxed poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York : ‘ wait two weeks Florida ’ s going to be next , just like Italy , wait two weeks , ’ ” DeSantis told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have reportedly died from the virus in New York ; Florida has a death toll of about 4,200 , data show .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The number of new cases has also outpaced the increase in coronavirus testing , WSJ reported .
California , for instance , conducted 5.2 million tests , with New York and Florida following close behind , according to the WSJ , which cited Johns Hopkins University data .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ related death tolls have only recently begun to increase .
John Hopkins ’ s database shows that more than 800 Americans died on Wednesday , Thursday and Friday .
That ’ s 60 % higher than the death total from a week prior , The New York Times reported Friday .
The pandemic prompted state and city officials to institute economic lockdowns and stay-at-home orders , which resulted in economic chaos .
More than 40 million people filed for unemployment during the first three months of the pandemic , while retail stores and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also saw a steep decline as people avoided travel .
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 .

Florida smashed a record for coronavirus cases in one day Sunday, making it the first time the state has recorded more than 12,000 daily cases.
Total cases in Florida sit at nearly 270,000 after the state notched 15,299 cases Saturday, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing state health officials. California, Arizona and other states have seen a renewed surge in coronavirus cases as well, according to the report.
The virus originated in China before spreading around the world and to the United States, where it has killed more than 134,000 people since March.
Gov. Ron DeSantis lashed out at critics in May for suggesting at the time that the state would see massive increases in deaths linked to coronavirus, or COVID-19, after the Florida Republican moved ahead with reopening his state.
“You got a lot of people in your profession who waxed poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York: ‘wait two weeks Florida’s going to be next, just like Italy, wait two weeks,’” DeSantis told reporters on May 20.
More than 32,000 people have reportedly died from the virus in New York; Florida has a death toll of about 4,200, data show.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The number of new cases has also outpaced the increase in coronavirus testing, WSJ reported. California, for instance, conducted 5.2 million tests, with New York and Florida following close behind, according to the WSJ, which cited Johns Hopkins University data.
Despite an increase in positive cases, related death tolls have only recently begun to increase.
John Hopkins’s database shows that more than 800 Americans died on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. That’s 60% higher than the death total from a week prior, The New York Times reported Friday.
The pandemic prompted state and city officials to institute economic lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, which resulted in economic chaos. More than 40 million people filed for unemployment during the first three months of the pandemic, while retail stores and restaurants filed for bankruptcy.
Oil prices also saw a steep decline as people avoided travel.
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--2020-07-13--Why In-Person Schooling Would Be One of the Safest Activities to Reopen

Most students around the country haven ’ t been to school since March , when large parts of the country began to lock down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Now , the data increasingly suggests that reopening schools entails the least risks and should be a goal of every level of government .
The early hope was that the closures would be temporary , such as Michigan ’ s school-closure order that was originally meant to end in April — but that was extended for the rest of the school year .
Now , with the 2020-2021 school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do about schools ?
> > > What ’ s the best way for America to reopen and return to business ?
The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission , a project of The Heritage Foundation , assembled America ’ s top thinkers to figure that out .
So far , it has made more than 260 recommendations .
Learn more here .
School closures have been a particular burden on families during the pandemic , but new information increasingly shows that school-age children are at the lowest risk of mortality , of severe disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Reopening the schools may be one of the safest activities the nation can restart with tremendous benefit for Americans , and governments should make it their goal to do so .
What Does the Science Show ?
There are several studies that suggest children are less likely to be infected by the virus .
A pediatric organization , Don ’ t Forget the Bubbles , compiled some of those and found that children were consistently less likely than adults to contract the virus .
For instance , a study from Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those younger than 20 — that is to say , the rate at which those exposed become infected — was 5.5 % .
Compare that to the attack rate among adults ages 50 to 59 , which was 22.1 % .
The relative risk of children contracting the disease after an exposure was about one-fourth that of adults ages 50 to 59 .
A study in Australia looked at the behavior of COVID-19 directly in the school environment .
The study included 15 schools , both primary schools and high schools , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including nine students and nine staffers , resulted in two possible transmissions of the virus .
Notably , those two possible additional cases were found by antibody tests , and the two students never exhibited symptoms .
The risk to school-aged children is low enough that several health and medical organizations around the world have endorsed a resumption of in-person schooling for children , such as the American Academy of Pediatrics , the es the nation can restart with tremendous benefit for Americans , and governments should make it their goal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment of the Netherlands .
But What About Teachers ?
But what of teachers and other staff ?
Most of the mortality due to COVID-19 has been in the 65 and over age group .
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report , mortality among persons under 19 years of age was statistically zero .
Furthermore , more than half of intensive care unit admissions were in that oldest age group , compared with those between 45 and 64 , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those under 45 years old represented only 12 % of ICU admissions .
The average age of schoolteachers in America is about 42 years old , with 81 % of them below 55 years of age .
That means that most of America ’ s teachers are outside of the high-risk group for both mortality and for ICU admission .
Those figures should be at least somewhat reassuring to teachers , but regardless , it ’ s reasonable to implement precautions to prevent the spread of disease .
After all , teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students are resistant — but not impervious — to the virus .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Most medical organizations endorsing school reopenings also recommend masking and social distancing where possible .
Schools should also designate foot-traffic flow to minimize congestion and reduce contacts .
Outdoor activities or outdoor use should be maximized , as COVID-19 seems to be less transmissible in open air .
The American Academy of Pediatrics has more in-depth guidelines .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Good As state and local governments try to resume classroom learning in the fall , it ’ s important not to let the “ perfect ” be the enemy of the “ good.
” If a school has difficulty meeting all of the guidelines , it should not be forced to reopen , but also should not be prevented from resuming classes .
Children are notoriously uncompliant with following procedural rules , and ultimately , it may be futile asking adolescents , much less kindergarteners , to walk in certain directions or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours a day .
Children are at low risk themselves and present low risk to others , even if they have trouble following all the mitigation rules .
At the same time , keeping children at home might expose them to considerable risks to their educational progress , their mental health , their nutrition , and alarmingly , even their safety and welfare .
One of the most important goals of reopening the country is resuming some degree of regular school life for the nation ’ s children .
Considering the low risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fall may be one of the safest activities we can restart .
Considering the risks of isolating children at home , it may be negligent of us not to .
Kevin Pham , a medical doctor , is a contributor to The Daily Signal and a former graduate fellow in health policy at The Heritage Foundation .

Most students around the country haven’t been to school since March, when large parts of the country began to lock down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the data increasingly suggests that reopening schools entails the least risks and should be a goal of every level of government.
The early hope was that the closures would be temporary, such as Michigan’s school-closure order that was originally meant to end in April — but that was extended for the rest of the school year.
Now, with the 2020-2021 school year fast approaching, what do we do about schools?
>>> What’s the best way for America to reopen and return to business? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, assembled America’s top thinkers to figure that out. So far, it has made more than 260 recommendations. Learn more here.
School closures have been a particular burden on families during the pandemic, but new information increasingly shows that school-age children are at the lowest risk of mortality, of severe disease, and possibly of even contracting the virus.
Reopening the schools may be one of the safest activities the nation can restart with tremendous benefit for Americans, and governments should make it their goal to do so.
What Does the Science Show?
There are several studies that suggest children are less likely to be infected by the virus. A pediatric organization, Don’t Forget the Bubbles, compiled some of those and found that children were consistently less likely than adults to contract the virus.
For instance, a study from Japan found that the COVID-19 attack rate among those younger than 20 — that is to say, the rate at which those exposed become infected — was 5.5%.
Compare that to the attack rate among adults ages 50 to 59, which was 22.1%. The relative risk of children contracting the disease after an exposure was about one-fourth that of adults ages 50 to 59.
A study in Australia looked at the behavior of COVID-19 directly in the school environment. The study included 15 schools, both primary schools and high schools, and found that 863 exposures to confirmed cases, including nine students and nine staffers, resulted in two possible transmissions of the virus.
Notably, those two possible additional cases were found by antibody tests, and the two students never exhibited symptoms.
The risk to school-aged children is low enough that several health and medical organizations around the world have endorsed a resumption of in-person schooling for children, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the es the nation can restart with tremendous benefit for Americans, and governments should make it their goal to do so. of the U.K., and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment of the Netherlands.
But What About Teachers?
But what of teachers and other staff?
Most of the mortality due to COVID-19 has been in the 65 and over age group. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, mortality among persons under 19 years of age was statistically zero.
Furthermore, more than half of intensive care unit admissions were in that oldest age group, compared with those between 45 and 64, who made up 36% of ICU admissions. Those under 45 years old represented only 12% of ICU admissions.
The average age of schoolteachers in America is about 42 years old, with 81% of them below 55 years of age. That means that most of America’s teachers are outside of the high-risk group for both mortality and for ICU admission.
Those figures should be at least somewhat reassuring to teachers, but regardless, it’s reasonable to implement precautions to prevent the spread of disease. After all, teachers still interact with other adults, and students are resistant — but not impervious — to the virus.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Most medical organizations endorsing school reopenings also recommend masking and social distancing where possible. Schools should also designate foot-traffic flow to minimize congestion and reduce contacts. Outdoor activities or outdoor use should be maximized, as COVID-19 seems to be less transmissible in open air.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has more in-depth guidelines.
Not Letting the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good
As state and local governments try to resume classroom learning in the fall, it’s important not to let the “perfect” be the enemy of the “good.”
If a school has difficulty meeting all of the guidelines, it should not be forced to reopen, but also should not be prevented from resuming classes. Children are notoriously uncompliant with following procedural rules, and ultimately, it may be futile asking adolescents, much less kindergarteners, to walk in certain directions or to keep masks on their faces for hours a day.
Children are at low risk themselves and present low risk to others, even if they have trouble following all the mitigation rules. At the same time, keeping children at home might expose them to considerable risks to their educational progress, their mental health, their nutrition, and alarmingly, even their safety and welfare.
One of the most important goals of reopening the country is resuming some degree of regular school life for the nation’s children.
Considering the low risks of COVID-19 for schoolchildren, in-person schooling this fall may be one of the safest activities we can restart. Considering the risks of isolating children at home, it may be negligent of us not to.
Kevin Pham, a medical doctor, is a contributor to The Daily Signal and a former graduate fellow in health policy at The Heritage Foundation.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-07-14--Who Can Blame Erdoğan for Going Back to the Future?

Turkish President Recep Erdoğan finally pulled the trigger last Friday .
He went back to the future , declaring Hagia Sophia a mosque .
Turkey ’ s top administrative court had already ruled in his favor .
Hagia Sophia , “ Holy Wisdom , ” was ordered built by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I ( 532-537 AD ) .
It served as the main church for the Byzantine Empire .
It was also the center of Orthodox Christianity for almost a millennium .
But in 1453 the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople .
Sultan Mehmet II made the church into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslims worshipped at Aya Sofya .
But the Empire collapsed not long after World War I , replaced by the Turkish Republic .
Its secularist leader , Mustafa Kemal Atatürk , ordered Aya Sofya made into a museum in 1935 .
So it remained for 85 years .
Why Did He Do It ?
Speculation Why did Erdoğan undo that ?
Clearly it ’ s part of the Turkish leader ’ s plan to erase the legacy of Atatürk .
This will make Turkey more Sunni than secular .
But wait .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erdoğan wants to resurrect the caliphate .
With himself as caliph .
He might even be prepping for the coming of the Mahdi , Islam ’ s main eschatological figure .
More sober analysts debate whether Turkey ’ s President is a “ neo-Ottoman.
” Some say no .
Others say he is , and especially in foreign policy .
Pope Francis was “ deeply pained ” by the decision .
The US State Department issued a milquetoast statement of “ disappointment ” at Erdoğan ’ s move .
Well , to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooks Brothers .
First things first .
And at least State ’ s statement did make Pope Francis look good .
For a more robust condemnation , look to Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill .
He deemed it “ a threat to the entire Christian civilization.
” But is it ?
Why Erdoğan Did It : Analysis I too decry the Turkish President ’ s decision .
As a historian of the Middle East .
And more importantly as a Christian .
But I am not at all surprised that Erdoğan made this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he took so long to do so .
Erdoğan may be a swaggering , overbearing , tin-plated dictator with delusions of sultanhood .
But he ’ s not stupid .
Even if he ’ s not trying to resurrect the Ottoman Empire , he ’ s certainly been working hard at making Turkey more Islamic .
Turning the most famous church in Christian history ( sorry , St. Peter ’ s ) back into a mosque certainly bolsters his Muslim bona fides .
It also may get him back into the top spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim .
( Erdoğan headed the list in 2019 , but has dropped to # 6 so far this year . )
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
About 50 % of the Turkish electorate supports Erdoğan and his re-Islamizing AK Party at any given time .
The newly-rebranded Aya Sofya Mosque will be popular with that half of the electorate .
So this move shores up his base .
Abroad , it can ’ t help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundamentalists , especially Sunni ones .
It probably won ’ t win any terrorist hearts and minds ( even if they have the former ) , however .
The change will also be a wash vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran .
While Ankara and Tehran have been papering over their differences in recent years , they are in a competition for top dog in the Islamic world — every bit as serious as that between Iran and Saudi Arabia .
And the ayatollahs are not about to give Turkey ’ s Sunni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his reputation .
But , overall , Erdoğan ’ s repurposing of Aya Sofya burnishes his Islamic credentials and so constitutes a net gain for him in the Dar al-Islam .
What about in the ostensibly-Christian world ?
Vladimir Putin ’ s response was remarkably low-key , considering the Russian Orthodox Patriarch ’ s fulmination .
He is reported , in a phone call with Erdoğan , simply to have warned him of “ significant public outcry ” in Russia .
Unsurprisingly , no leader in post-Christian Europe has yet issued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones of support from dhimmis such as Germany ’ s Angela Merkel .
The Turks would probably have to march on Vienna again before NATO would oust them — if then .
And what of the US ?
As noted , our State Department could only muster tepid disapproval .
Where ’ s President Trump on this issue ?
Silent , so far .
He ’ s probably not willing to risk the recent , much-ballyhooed thaw in icy US-Turkey relations .
And why should he ?
The bottom line is that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and square — albeit brutally — in 1453 .
If I were their descendants , I ’ d feel few qualms about turning it back into a functioning mosque .
If the Christian world is too spineless to resist , why not ?
Will This Wake Up Christians ?
Perhaps this repossession will inflame some zeal among Christians , and awaken them to the clash of not just civilizations , but religions , going on .
But most American Evangelicals are too busy surrendering to the culture .
Far too many Catholics have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Pope ) Franciscan well of ecumenism .
Only the Orthodox show any legitimate signs of awareness , but they , for the most part , remain scattered , divided and leaderless .
At least the Turks have promised not to get rid of the mosaics of Christ .
Timothy Furnish holds a Ph.D. in Islamic , World and African history .
He is a former U.S. Army Arabic linguist and , later , civilian consultant to U.S. Special Operations Command .
He ’ s the author of books on the Middle East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sometime media opiner ( as , for example , on Fox News Channel ’ s War Stories : Fighting ISIS ) .

Turkish President Recep Erdoğan finally pulled the trigger last Friday. He went back to the future, declaring Hagia Sophia a mosque. Turkey’s top administrative court had already ruled in his favor. Hagia Sophia, “Holy Wisdom,” was ordered built by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I (532-537 AD). It served as the main church for the Byzantine Empire. It was also the center of Orthodox Christianity for almost a millennium. But in 1453 the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople. Sultan Mehmet II made the church into a mosque.
For almost five centuries Ottoman Muslims worshipped at Aya Sofya. But the Empire collapsed not long after World War I, replaced by the Turkish Republic. Its secularist leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, ordered Aya Sofya made into a museum in 1935. So it remained for 85 years.
Why Did He Do It? Speculation
Why did Erdoğan undo that? Clearly it’s part of the Turkish leader’s plan to erase the legacy of Atatürk. This will make Turkey more Sunni than secular. But wait. It’s more nefarious than that. Erdoğan wants to resurrect the caliphate. With himself as caliph. He might even be prepping for the coming of the Mahdi, Islam’s main eschatological figure. More sober analysts debate whether Turkey’s President is a “neo-Ottoman.” Some say no. Others say he is, and especially in foreign policy.
Christian Leaders React
Pope Francis was “deeply pained” by the decision. The US State Department issued a milquetoast statement of “disappointment” at Erdoğan’s move. Well, to be fair there is a close-out sale at Brooks Brothers. First things first. And at least State’s statement did make Pope Francis look good. For a more robust condemnation, look to Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill. He deemed it “a threat to the entire Christian civilization.”
But is it?
Why Erdoğan Did It: Analysis
I too decry the Turkish President’s decision. As a historian of the Middle East. And more importantly as a Christian. But I am not at all surprised that Erdoğan made this decision. Rather, I wonder why he took so long to do so. Erdoğan may be a swaggering, overbearing, tin-plated dictator with delusions of sultanhood. But he’s not stupid. Even if he’s not trying to resurrect the Ottoman Empire, he’s certainly been working hard at making Turkey more Islamic. Turning the most famous church in Christian history (sorry, St. Peter’s) back into a mosque certainly bolsters his Muslim bona fides. It also may get him back into the top spot as the world’s most influential Muslim. (Erdoğan headed the list in 2019, but has dropped to #6 so far this year.)
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
About 50% of the Turkish electorate supports Erdoğan and his re-Islamizing AK Party at any given time. The newly-rebranded Aya Sofya Mosque will be popular with that half of the electorate. So this move shores up his base. Abroad, it can’t help but win him more support among Islamic fundamentalists, especially Sunni ones.
It probably won’t win any terrorist hearts and minds (even if they have the former), however. The change will also be a wash vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran. While Ankara and Tehran have been papering over their differences in recent years, they are in a competition for top dog in the Islamic world — every bit as serious as that between Iran and Saudi Arabia. And the ayatollahs are not about to give Turkey’s Sunni leader even so much as a fillip to his reputation. But, overall, Erdoğan’s repurposing of Aya Sofya burnishes his Islamic credentials and so constitutes a net gain for him in the Dar al-Islam.
Western Political Leaders’ Reactions
What about in the ostensibly-Christian world? Vladimir Putin’s response was remarkably low-key, considering the Russian Orthodox Patriarch’s fulmination. He is reported, in a phone call with Erdoğan, simply to have warned him of “significant public outcry” in Russia. Unsurprisingly, no leader in post-Christian Europe has yet issued a statement — although one might well expect ones of support from dhimmis such as Germany’s Angela Merkel. The Turks would probably have to march on Vienna again before NATO would oust them — if then. And what of the US? As noted, our State Department could only muster tepid disapproval. Where’s President Trump on this issue? Silent, so far. He’s probably not willing to risk the recent, much-ballyhooed thaw in icy US-Turkey relations.
Why Blame the Turks?
And why should he? The bottom line is that the Ottoman Turks won Hagia Sophia, fair and square — albeit brutally — in 1453. If I were their descendants, I’d feel few qualms about turning it back into a functioning mosque. If the Christian world is too spineless to resist, why not?
Will This Wake Up Christians?
Perhaps this repossession will inflame some zeal among Christians, and awaken them to the clash of not just civilizations, but religions, going on. But most American Evangelicals are too busy surrendering to the culture. Far too many Catholics have gotten drunk at the post-Vatican II, (Pope) Franciscan well of ecumenism. Only the Orthodox show any legitimate signs of awareness, but they, for the most part, remain scattered, divided and leaderless.
At least the Turks have promised not to get rid of the mosaics of Christ.
Yet.
Timothy Furnish holds a Ph.D. in Islamic, World and African history. He is a former U.S. Army Arabic linguist and, later, civilian consultant to U.S. Special Operations Command. He’s the author of books on the Middle East and Middle-earth; a history professor; and sometime media opiner (as, for example, on Fox News Channel’s War Stories: Fighting ISIS).


thestream--2020-07-14--Today the McCloskeys, Tomorrow Your Church or Home

There ’ s an old expression we need to remember : “ the canary in the coal mine.
” Like many clichés or maxims , it loses force from repetition .
I ’ ve used it myself in regard to anti-Semitism : any society that ’ s getting deeply sick seems to first go after its Jews .
They ’ re always the first group to suffer from spasms of intolerant stupidity .
But they ’ re never the last .
You might be next .
That ’ s a practical reason to stand in solidarity with them , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough for you .
The concrete realities that inspire such “ old sayings ” get painted over again and again , like a New York City apartment .
Soon thick layers of goop obscure and blunt its initial power .
So let ’ s uncover the cage and face the canary .
If the Bird Dies , You ’ re Next From 1911 till 1986 , British miners carried little cages with canaries in them when they went down into the mines .
This practice , suggested by a scientist , had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These men were working in dark and dangerous conditions .
They frequently ventured into tunnels where carbon monoxide overcame them .
As you might remember , that killer gas is odorless , tasteless , colorless .
The first sign that you ’ re breathing it is that you become very … sleepy .
And by that point , you don ’ t have the breath or the energy to escape .
As Smithsonian reports , canaries need more oxygen than humans .
So a canary in a cage will pass out or die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kill off miners .
They ’ d see him fall over , and know enough to flee .
While it ’ s sad that sweet little birds died , this practice saved the lives of countless thousands of hard-working blue collar miners , first in Britain then round the world .
That makes things more vivid , doesn ’ t it ?
Imagine that you ’ re schlepping downward , downward , downward into the very bowels of the earth .
Ten thousand pounds of rock and dirt stand between you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment to test the very air that you ’ re breathing .
Only this fragile little bird , chirping and singing , stands sentinel for your life .
And he falls over , dead .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
If you were thousand feet underground in labyrinthine tunnels , how would you feel ?
Rioters : “ We ’ re Going to Kill You and Your Dog !
” That ’ s exactly how we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , watching what ’ s happening to Mark and Patricia McCloskey .
I wrote about these fellow citizens of ours before .
They ’ re the St. Louis residents who defended their home against a mob of invading pro-Marxist “ protesters.
” Supporters of the leftist cult Black Lives Matter , these trespassers ripped off the iron gate on the McCloskey ’ s private street .
They were marching on the mayor ’ s house , they claimed ( which previous mobs had vandalized ) .
So the McCloskeys showed the weapons which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their right to own .
And now the local district attorney , Kim Gardner — elected with the help of George Soros ’ nationwide campaign to seize our justice system — is trying to put the McCloskeys in jail .
Even worse , she has seized their weapons and publicly announced that .
In effect , she declared open season on these citizens— whom leftist media have vilified for weeks .
The Blaze reports on this , and the response from Missouri ’ s state attorney general , Eric Schmitt .
Speaking on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner , the prosecutor handling the case , has a history of making politically motivated decisions .
“ Under Missouri law , under the Castle Doctrine , an individual has really expansive authority to protect their own lives , their home , and their property .
I think the story here to watch here is the local prosecutor , Kim Gardner , ” Schmitt said .
“ Kim Gardner has an abysmal record in prosecuting violent crime , has recently released and been complicit in the release of dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged with violent crimes , and has a record of making politically motivated decisions not based on the law , ” he explained .
“ So , this is certainly something to watch.
” Here ’ s Dana Loesch interviewing Attorney General Schmitt on the McCloskey case : Watch this case very closely , my friends .
If you don ’ t live in the reddest county in the reddest state , you might be next .
No , you don ’ t own a historic , beautiful home , like the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But maybe your church is beautiful , fragile , and old — which seem to be the qualities that attract looters and vandals .
What if rioters attack your place of worship as they ’ re attacking Catholic statues and churches nationwide ?
What if you and your family are praying inside when that happens ?
The Mob Will Replace the Police What if the Democrats dissolve or cripple the police in your city , and a mob forms to loot your neighborhood ?
That mob won ’ t be random or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Marxist cadres who cooperate nationwide , targeting statues and shrines .
But your mayor and governor have given it free rein , as they did in Minneapolis and Seattle .
Do you have the right to defend your life and limb ?
The home you built or restored , the church you support and hold sacred ?
If the Democrats win in November and take the Senate and gut the Second Amendment , packing our courts , what happens then ?
These are the fundamental , literally life or death , freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And President Trump needs to run on them .
He needs to make a stand not just for law and order , but citizens ’ basic rights going back centuries in the Anglo-American world .
To do that , President Trump should send federal marshals or FBI agents to protect the McCloskeys from harm .
They have targets on their backs , and tens of thousands of strangers who violently hate them .
As Americans , they deserve to have their civil rights defended .
Trump should make this election about the choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Marxist gangs of looters on the other .
If Trump won ’ t do that , their neighbors should , forming citizens militias to patrol their property , exercising their Second Amendment rights .
That ’ s how our country was founded , and it might be how it gets saved .
The McCloskeys are trapped right now in a cage they didn ’ t make .
Without protection , will they live till the November election ?
I really don ’ t know .
Pray for them , and for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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 .

There’s an old expression we need to remember: “the canary in the coal mine.” Like many clichés or maxims, it loses force from repetition. I’ve used it myself in regard to anti-Semitism: any society that’s getting deeply sick seems to first go after its Jews. They’re always the first group to suffer from spasms of intolerant stupidity.
But they’re never the last. You might be next. That’s a practical reason to stand in solidarity with them, in case the moral reasons aren’t enough for you.
The concrete realities that inspire such “old sayings” get painted over again and again, like a New York City apartment. Soon thick layers of goop obscure and blunt its initial power. So let’s uncover the cage and face the canary.
If the Bird Dies, You’re Next
From 1911 till 1986, British miners carried little cages with canaries in them when they went down into the mines. This practice, suggested by a scientist, had a crucial, life or death purpose. These men were working in dark and dangerous conditions. They frequently ventured into tunnels where carbon monoxide overcame them. As you might remember, that killer gas is odorless, tasteless, colorless. The first sign that you’re breathing it is that you become very … sleepy. And by that point, you don’t have the breath or the energy to escape.
As Smithsonian reports, canaries need more oxygen than humans. So a canary in a cage will pass out or die before toxic gas has hit the level to kill off miners. They’d see him fall over, and know enough to flee. While it’s sad that sweet little birds died, this practice saved the lives of countless thousands of hard-working blue collar miners, first in Britain then round the world.
The Canary’s Looking Queasy
That makes things more vivid, doesn’t it? Imagine that you’re schlepping downward, downward, downward into the very bowels of the earth. Ten thousand pounds of rock and dirt stand between you and the open air. You have no equipment to test the very air that you’re breathing. Only this fragile little bird, chirping and singing, stands sentinel for your life.
And he falls over, dead.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
If you were a thousand feet underground in labyrinthine tunnels, how would you feel?
Rioters: “We’re Going to Kill You and Your Dog!”
That’s exactly how we as Americans ought to feel right now, watching what’s happening to Mark and Patricia McCloskey. I wrote about these fellow citizens of ours before. They’re the St. Louis residents who defended their home against a mob of invading pro-Marxist “protesters.” Supporters of the leftist cult Black Lives Matter, these trespassers ripped off the iron gate on the McCloskey’s private street. They were marching on the mayor’s house, they claimed (which previous mobs had vandalized). So the McCloskeys showed the weapons which the Second Amendment and Missouri law guarantee their right to own.
George Soros’ Prosecutor
And now the local district attorney, Kim Gardner — elected with the help of George Soros’ nationwide campaign to seize our justice system — is trying to put the McCloskeys in jail. Even worse, she has seized their weapons and publicly announced that. In effect, she declared open season on these citizens— whom leftist media have vilified for weeks. The Blaze reports on this, and the response from Missouri’s state attorney general, Eric Schmitt.
Speaking on Fox News, Schmitt alleged that St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, the prosecutor handling the case, has a history of making politically motivated decisions. “Under Missouri law, under the Castle Doctrine, an individual has really expansive authority to protect their own lives, their home, and their property. I think the story here to watch here is the local prosecutor, Kim Gardner,” Schmitt said. “Kim Gardner has an abysmal record in prosecuting violent crime, has recently released and been complicit in the release of dozens and dozens of inmates who have been charged with violent crimes, and has a record of making politically motivated decisions not based on the law,” he explained. “So, this is certainly something to watch.”
Here’s Dana Loesch interviewing Attorney General Schmitt on the McCloskey case:
Watch this case very closely, my friends. If you don’t live in the reddest county in the reddest state, you might be next. No, you don’t own a historic, beautiful home, like the one the McCloskeys lovingly restored over 30 years. But maybe your church is beautiful, fragile, and old — which seem to be the qualities that attract looters and vandals. What if rioters attack your place of worship as they’re attacking Catholic statues and churches nationwide? What if you and your family are praying inside when that happens?
The Mob Will Replace the Police
What if the Democrats dissolve or cripple the police in your city, and a mob forms to loot your neighborhood? That mob won’t be random or leaderless. It will follow orders from the Marxist cadres who cooperate nationwide, targeting statues and shrines. But your mayor and governor have given it free rein, as they did in Minneapolis and Seattle.
Local D.A. Kim Gardner disarmed the McCloskeys and declared open season for rioters to attack these citizens again.
Do you have the right to defend your life and limb? The home you built or restored, the church you support and hold sacred?
If the Democrats win in November and take the Senate and gut the Second Amendment, packing our courts, what happens then?
These are the fundamental, literally life or death, freedom or slavery issues we face today. And President Trump needs to run on them.
Trump Must Act
He needs to make a stand not just for law and order, but citizens’ basic rights going back centuries in the Anglo-American world. To do that, President Trump should send federal marshals or FBI agents to protect the McCloskeys from harm. They have targets on their backs, and tens of thousands of strangers who violently hate them. As Americans, they deserve to have their civil rights defended. Trump should make this election about the choice between ordered liberty on the one hand, and Marxist gangs of looters on the other.
If Trump won’t do that, their neighbors should, forming citizens militias to patrol their property, exercising their Second Amendment rights. That’s how our country was founded, and it might be how it gets saved.
The McCloskeys are trapped right now in a cage they didn’t make. Without protection, will they live till the November election? I really don’t know. Pray for them, and for our country’s survival after it.
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.


thestream--2020-07-14--Woke Capital and Revelation

Woke Capital and Revelation

Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy wants white Christians to shine the shoes of black people as a sign of repentance for racism .
In November , the chain announced it would discontinue supporting the Salvation Army .
They won ’ t support the Fellowship of Christian Athletes either .
Why ?
Because they oppose same-sex marriage .
For 74 years , Chick-fil-A dedicated itself to promoting Christian principles .
But , in recent months , the company joined the mass surrender to “ woke ” capitalism .
“ Woke ” capitalism might seem to be a recent trend .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as ancient as the human race itself .
A worldview mentioned in the Book of Revelation .
Revelation 18 discusses the fall of Babylon .
Babylon is the city that signifies the culmination of humanity ’ s rejection of God .
That rejection involves embracing luxury , vanity and decadence .
In that light , the following verses make perfect sense : The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her , for there is no one left to buy their goods .
She bought great quantities of gold , silver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linen , purple , silk , and scarlet cloth ; things made of fragrant … wood , ivory goods , and objects made of expensive wood ; and bronze , iron , and marble .
She also bought cinnamon , spice , incense , myrrh , frankincense , wine , olive oil , fine flour , wheat , cattle , sheep , horses , wagons , and bodies — that is , human slaves .
The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance , terrified by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance .
… And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief .
The second half of verse 23 applies to our own day all too well : So what are those “ sorceries ” ?
One is the LGBTQ agenda .
Every June , Western corporations promote “ Pride Month ” by participating in LGBTQ parades .
They decorate their products with rainbow motifs .
They express public support for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blind acceptance contradicts the divine design for sex .
That is , sex is reserved for one man and one woman in marriage .
For this reason , states Genesis 2:12 , does a man leave his parents and cleave to his wife , so they may become one .
Focus on the Family described the sanctity of sex in marriage like this : That ’ s why Biblical injunctions against non-marital sex are so severe .
The Apostle Paul even wrote about the promiscuous who contracted sexually transmitted diseases .
They “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ richly deserved.
” Embracing LGBTQ sexuality involves espousing another “ sorcery , ” the all-encompassing doctrine of identity politics .
Since George Floyd ’ s death , corporations immersed themselves in the cascade of supporting Black Lives Matter .
Only a racist would deny that black lives matter .
But the racists at Black Lives Matter deny that anyone else ’ s life matters .
In biblical worldview , all are equal before God — regardless of race , gender or class .
Everyone is created in God ’ s image , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sin .
For the Christian , Jesus provided the ultimate reparation for sin throughout the ages .
Those who repent and embrace that reparation become supernaturally adopted sons and daughters of God .
That is regardless of race , gender or class .
Yet neither Babylon nor her merchants have any interest in the divine plan .
All that matters is the here and now .
“ The fool says in his heart that there is no God.
” That rejection is the ultimate “ sorcery.
” It also provides the ultimate rationale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corporate behavior evinces the dominant beliefs of society , ” wrote Matthew Continetti of the American Enterprise Institute .
“ America ’ s corporations , forever in search of yield , can not afford to ignore the reality that young consumers are drifting left.
” By serving “ Babylon , ” the merchants participate in a protection racket .
Continetti called it a “ form of insurance.
” “ ( Corporations ) must be relatively unmolested by the heavy hand of government.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Issues of Our Day .
New York Times ’ Ross Douthat , in one of his columns , described what he called the “ Peace of Palo Alto.
” It ’ s a reference to Silicon Valley .
In that arrangement , Douthat wrote , “ a certain kind of virtue signaling … is offered to liberalism and the activist left preemptively in the hopes that having corporate America take their side in the culture wars will blunt effort to tax or regulate our new monopolies too heavily.
” In the process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a whole , reinforce “ woke ” totalitarianism .
“ These companies also are imperialistic in pushing their social and political views elsewhere , and not being afraid to use threats when challenged , ” wrote William L. Anderson .
Anderson is a fellow at the Mises Institute .
Perhaps nothing defines the fundamental enmity between “ woke ” capitalism and biblical values better than the following irony : Nike pays Colin Kaepernick millions to endorse its footwear while celebrating his views , yet pays its Asian workers a pittance for making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has written commentaries for such outlets as the Jerusalem Post , the American Thinker and Front Page Magazine .
He works as a free-lance writer .

Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy wants white Christians to shine the shoes of black people as a sign of repentance for racism. In November, the chain announced it would discontinue supporting the Salvation Army. They won’t support the Fellowship of Christian Athletes either. Why? Because they oppose same-sex marriage.
For 74 years, Chick-fil-A dedicated itself to promoting Christian principles. But, in recent months, the company joined the mass surrender to “woke” capitalism.
“Woke” capitalism might seem to be a recent trend. It’s not. It reflects a worldview as ancient as the human race itself. A worldview mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
The More Things Change…
Revelation 18 discusses the fall of Babylon. Babylon is the city that signifies the culmination of humanity’s rejection of God. That rejection involves embracing luxury, vanity and decadence. In that light, the following verses make perfect sense:
The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods. She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant … wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, and bodies — that is, human slaves. The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. …And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. … And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief.
The second half of verse 23 applies to our own day all too well:
For your merchants were the greatest in the world, and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.
The Merchants’ Manifest
So what are those “sorceries”? One is the LGBTQ agenda. Every June, Western corporations promote “Pride Month” by participating in LGBTQ parades. They decorate their products with rainbow motifs. They express public support for the cause.
But the LGBTQ demand for blind acceptance contradicts the divine design for sex. That is, sex is reserved for one man and one woman in marriage. For this reason, states Genesis 2:12, does a man leave his parents and cleave to his wife, so they may become one.
Focus on the Family described the sanctity of sex in marriage like this:
Sex is a holy mystery. It’s a powerful bonding agent that shapes and affects the relationship between a man and a woman as nothing else can.
That’s why Biblical injunctions against non-marital sex are so severe. The Apostle Paul even wrote about the promiscuous who contracted sexually transmitted diseases. They “suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.”
Embracing LGBTQ sexuality involves espousing another “sorcery,” the all-encompassing doctrine of identity politics. Since George Floyd’s death, corporations immersed themselves in the cascade of supporting Black Lives Matter. Only a racist would deny that black lives matter. But the racists at Black Lives Matter deny that anyone else’s life matters.
In biblical worldview, all are equal before God — regardless of race, gender or class. Everyone is created in God’s image, and everyone is subject to divine condemnation for sin. For the Christian, Jesus provided the ultimate reparation for sin throughout the ages. Those who repent and embrace that reparation become supernaturally adopted sons and daughters of God. That is regardless of race, gender or class.
The Ultimate “Sorcery”
Yet neither Babylon nor her merchants have any interest in the divine plan. All that matters is the here and now. “The fool says in his heart that there is no God.” That rejection is the ultimate “sorcery.” It also provides the ultimate rationale for “woke” capitalism.
“Corporate behavior evinces the dominant beliefs of society,” wrote Matthew Continetti of the American Enterprise Institute. “America’s corporations, forever in search of yield, cannot afford to ignore the reality that young consumers are drifting left.”
By serving “Babylon,” the merchants participate in a protection racket.
Continetti called it a “form of insurance.” “(Corporations) must be relatively unmolested by the heavy hand of government.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
New York Times’ Ross Douthat, in one of his columns, described what he called the “Peace of Palo Alto.” It’s a reference to Silicon Valley. In that arrangement, Douthat wrote, “a certain kind of virtue signaling … is offered to liberalism and the activist left preemptively in the hopes that having corporate America take their side in the culture wars will blunt effort to tax or regulate our new monopolies too heavily.”
In the process, those tech monopolies, like multinational corporations as a whole, reinforce “woke” totalitarianism.
“These companies also are imperialistic in pushing their social and political views elsewhere, and not being afraid to use threats when challenged,” wrote William L. Anderson. Anderson is a fellow at the Mises Institute.
Perhaps nothing defines the fundamental enmity between “woke” capitalism and biblical values better than the following irony:
Nike pays Colin Kaepernick millions to endorse its footwear while celebrating his views, yet pays its Asian workers a pittance for making that footwear.
Joseph D’Hippolito has written commentaries for such outlets as the Jerusalem Post, the American Thinker and Front Page Magazine. He works as a free-lance writer.


thestream--2020-07-14--Back to School? ‘No Thanks’ Say Millions of New Homeschooling Parents

Next month marks the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year in several US states , and pressure is mounting to reopen schools even as the COVID-19 pandemic persists .
Florida , for example , is now considered the nation ’ s No .
1 hot spot for the virus ; yet on Monday , the state ’ s education commissioner issued an executive order mandating that all Florida schools open in August with in-person learning and their full suite of student services .
Many parents are balking at back-to-school , choosing instead to homeschool their children this fall .
Gratefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most children , and prominent medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have urged schools to reopen this fall with in-person learning .
For some parents , fear of the virus itself is a primary consideration in delaying a child ’ s return to school , especially if the child has direct contact with individuals who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 ’ s worst effects .
But for many parents , it ’ s not the virus they are avoiding by keeping their children home — it ’ s the response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) issued school reopening guidelines that called for : • All-day mask wearing for most students and teachers • No gym or cafeteria use School districts across the country quickly adopted the CDC ’ s guidelines , devising their reopening plans accordingly .
Once parents got wind of what the upcoming school year would look like , including the real possibility that at any time schools could be shut down again due to virus spikes , they started exploring other options .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these social distancing expectations and pandemic response measures prompted her to commit to homeschooling her three children , ages 13 , 8 , and 5 , this fall .
“ Mandated masks , as well as rigid and arbitrary rules and requirements regarding the use and location of their bodies , will serve to dehumanize , disconnect , and intimidate students , ” Cohen told me in a recent interview .
She is endeavoring to expand schooling alternatives in her area and is currently working to create a self-directed learning community for local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There is quite a lot of interest , ” she says .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
According to a recent USA Today/Ipsos poll , 60 percent of parents surveyed said they will likely choose at-home learning this fall rather than send their children to school even if the schools reopen for in-person learning .
Thirty percent of parents surveyed said they were “ very likely ” to keep their children home .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an online version of school-at-home tied to their district , many states are seeing a surge in the number of parents withdrawing their children from school in favor of independent homeschooling .
From coast to coast , and everywhere in between , more parents are opting out of conventional schooling this year , citing onerous social distancing requirements as a primary reason .
Indeed , so many parents submitted notices of intent to homeschool in North Carolina last week that it crashed the state ’ s nonpublic education website .
Other parents are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school enrollment , with school districts across the country reporting lower than average kindergarten registration numbers this summer .
School officials are cracking down in response .
Forced Compliance and What Parents Should Do Concerned about declining enrollments and parents reassuming control over their children ’ s education , some school districts are reportedly trying to block parents from removing their children from school for homeschooling .
In England , it ’ s even worse .
Government officials there are so worried about parents refusing to send their children back to school this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fines for all families who keep their children home in violation of compulsory schooling laws .
“ We do have to get back into compulsory education and obviously fines sit alongside as part of that , ” English secretary Gavin Williamson announced .
When school officials resort to force in order to ensure compliance , it should prompt parents to look more closely at their child ’ s overall learning environment .
Parents have the utmost interest in ensuring their children ’ s well-being , both physically and emotionally , and their concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After several months of learning at home with their children , parents may not be so willing to comply with district directives and may prefer other , more individualized education options .
Pushed into homeschooling this spring by the pandemic , many parents are now going willingly , and eagerly , down this increasingly popular educational path .

Next month marks the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year in several US states, and pressure is mounting to reopen schools even as the COVID-19 pandemic persists. Florida, for example, is now considered the nation’s No. 1 hot spot for the virus; yet on Monday, the state’s education commissioner issued an executive order mandating that all Florida schools open in August with in-person learning and their full suite of student services.
Many parents are balking at back-to-school, choosing instead to homeschool their children this fall.
Gratefully, this virus seems to be sparing most children, and prominent medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have urged schools to reopen this fall with in-person learning. For some parents, fear of the virus itself is a primary consideration in delaying a child’s return to school, especially if the child has direct contact with individuals who are most vulnerable to COVID-19’s worst effects.
But for many parents, it’s not the virus they are avoiding by keeping their children home — it’s the response to the virus.
The CDC’s School Reopening Guidelines
In May, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued school reopening guidelines that called for:
Strict social distancing tactics
All-day mask wearing for most students and teachers
Staggered attendance
Daily health checks
No gym or cafeteria use
Restricted playground access and limited toy-sharing, and
Tight controls on visitors to school buildings, including parents.
School districts across the country quickly adopted the CDC’s guidelines, devising their reopening plans accordingly. Once parents got wind of what the upcoming school year would look like, including the real possibility that at any time schools could be shut down again due to virus spikes, they started exploring other options.
Exploring Other Options
For a Florida mother, Rachael Cohen, these social distancing expectations and pandemic response measures prompted her to commit to homeschooling her three children, ages 13, 8, and 5, this fall.
“Mandated masks, as well as rigid and arbitrary rules and requirements regarding the use and location of their bodies, will serve to dehumanize, disconnect, and intimidate students,” Cohen told me in a recent interview.
She is endeavoring to expand schooling alternatives in her area and is currently working to create a self-directed learning community for local homeschoolers that emphasizes nature-based, experiential education. “There is quite a lot of interest,” she says.
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According to a recent USA Today/Ipsos poll, 60 percent of parents surveyed said they will likely choose at-home learning this fall rather than send their children to school even if the schools reopen for in-person learning. Thirty percent of parents surveyed said they were “very likely” to keep their children home.
While some of these parents may opt for an online version of school-at-home tied to their district, many states are seeing a surge in the number of parents withdrawing their children from school in favor of independent homeschooling. From coast to coast, and everywhere in between, more parents are opting out of conventional schooling this year, citing onerous social distancing requirements as a primary reason.
Indeed, so many parents submitted notices of intent to homeschool in North Carolina last week that it crashed the state’s nonpublic education website.
Other parents are choosing to delay their children’s school enrollment, with school districts across the country reporting lower than average kindergarten registration numbers this summer.
School officials are cracking down in response.
Forced Compliance and What Parents Should Do
Concerned about declining enrollments and parents reassuming control over their children’s education, some school districts are reportedly trying to block parents from removing their children from school for homeschooling.
In England, it’s even worse. Government officials there are so worried about parents refusing to send their children back to school this fall that the education secretary just announced fines for all families who keep their children home in violation of compulsory schooling laws. “We do have to get back into compulsory education and obviously fines sit alongside as part of that,” English secretary Gavin Williamson announced.
When school officials resort to force in order to ensure compliance, it should prompt parents to look more closely at their child’s overall learning environment. Parents have the utmost interest in ensuring their children’s well-being, both physically and emotionally, and their concerns and choices should be respected and honored.
After several months of learning at home with their children, parents may not be so willing to comply with district directives and may prefer other, more individualized education options. Pushed into homeschooling this spring by the pandemic, many parents are now going willingly, and eagerly, down this increasingly popular educational path.
Copyright 2020 Fee.org. Republished with permission.


thestream--2020-07-14--Military Photo of the Day: Mine Clearing

U.S. Army soldiers with conduct mine clearing line charge denotations on June 17 , 2020 .
Wow !
Thank you @ @ @ @ @ for shooting the video from which this screenshot was captured .
Please Support The Stream @ @ @ @ @ Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .

U.S. Army soldiers with conduct mine clearing line charge denotations on June 17, 2020.
Wow! Thank you to Sgt. Andrew Valenza for shooting the video from which this screenshot was captured.
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thestream--2020-07-14--‘Not Willing to Lie’: Roger Stone Says He Rejected Government’s Offer of Leniency if He Would ‘Come

‘Not Willing to Lie’: Roger Stone Says He Rejected Government’s Offer of Leniency if He Would ‘Come Clean’ About Trump

Roger Stone on Monday said that a prosecutor with the special counsel ’ s team offered him leniency in his criminal case if he would “ come clean ” about conversations he had with Donald Trump in 2016 .
But Stone said he rejected the offer because he had nothing incriminating on Trump to offer prosecutors .
The longtime political operative revealed the detail of the offer in an interview with Fox News ’ s Sean Hannity , his first since Trump commuted his 40-month prison sentence last Friday .
Stone said that Jeannie Rhee , a prosecutor on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his lawyers that he might receive leniency in his case if he provided damning information about Trump .
“ She made it very clear to one of my lawyers after a hearing , she asked to see them privately , that if I would really remember certain phone conversations I had with candidate Trump , if I would come clean , if I would confess , that they might be willing to , you know , recommend leniency to the judge perhaps I wouldn ’ t even serve any jail time , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
“ I didn ’ t have to think about it very long , ” he continued .
“ I said absolutely not .
There was no circumstance under which I would bear false witness against the president .
I was just not willing to lie.
” Trump commuted Stone ’ s sentence on Friday just days before he was set to report to prison in Georgia to begin a 40-month sentence .
A federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges that he made false statements to Congress regarding his discussions with the Trump campaign and other associates about WikiLeaks .
Prosecutors alleged that Stone lied to Congress when he denied speaking with Trump and other campaign advisers about WikiLeaks .
Former Trump campaign adviser Rick Gates and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen told the special counsel that they were present when Trump and Stone spoke by phone regarding WikiLeaks .
Stone has denied speaking with Trump about WikiLeaks , which released emails that were hacked from the Democratic National Committee and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I would re-characterize my phone calls , ” Stone said of the special counsel ’ s team .
“ These phone calls that were plea-bargain-induced claims by Michael Cohen and Rick Gates for which they could never find any corroboration , and I simply refused to do it.
” 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 .

Roger Stone on Monday said that a prosecutor with the special counsel’s team offered him leniency in his criminal case if he would “come clean” about conversations he had with Donald Trump in 2016.
But Stone said he rejected the offer because he had nothing incriminating on Trump to offer prosecutors.
The longtime political operative revealed the detail of the offer in an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity, his first since Trump commuted his 40-month prison sentence last Friday.
Stone said that Jeannie Rhee, a prosecutor on the special counsel’s team, told his lawyers that he might receive leniency in his case if he provided damning information about Trump.
“She made it very clear to one of my lawyers after a hearing, she asked to see them privately, that if I would really remember certain phone conversations I had with candidate Trump, if I would come clean, if I would confess, that they might be willing to, you know, recommend leniency to the judge perhaps I wouldn’t even serve any jail time,” Stone told Hannity.
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“I didn’t have to think about it very long,” he continued. “I said absolutely not. There was no circumstance under which I would bear false witness against the president. I was just not willing to lie.”
Trump commuted Stone’s sentence on Friday just days before he was set to report to prison in Georgia to begin a 40-month sentence. A federal jury convicted Stone on Nov. 15 on charges that he made false statements to Congress regarding his discussions with the Trump campaign and other associates about WikiLeaks.
Prosecutors alleged that Stone lied to Congress when he denied speaking with Trump and other campaign advisers about WikiLeaks. Former Trump campaign adviser Rick Gates and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen told the special counsel that they were present when Trump and Stone spoke by phone regarding WikiLeaks.
Stone has denied speaking with Trump about WikiLeaks, which released emails that were hacked from the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign.
“They were hoping that I would re-characterize my phone calls,” Stone said of the special counsel’s team. “These phone calls that were plea-bargain-induced claims by Michael Cohen and Rick Gates for which they could never find any corroboration, and I simply refused to do it.”
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--2020-07-14--Roger Stone’s Faith and How He Made It Through

Late last week , President Trump commuted the three-year sentence for Roger Stone .
Stone was convicted ( by a biased jury pool ) of lying to Congress and other charges brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller .
He was to report to prison this week .
Fox ’ s Sean Hannity of Hannity spoke with Stone Monday about how Stone dealt with the charges and conviction .
Stone thanked Rev .
Franklin Graham and pastors Mark Burns and Darrell Scott .
He also thanked Dan Coggins , of Northside Bible Church in Florida .
Those pastors helped his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process you can imagine.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
But more than the pastors , Stone credited God for making it through .
“ I really want to thank God because I was literally hours away from being sent to a COVID-infested prison , ” he told Hannity .
The 67 year old has had a lifetime of respiratory problems and faced what he called , “ a near-death sentence.
” “ More than anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God , ” Stone said .
“ Because , as you told me , if I would rededicate my life to Christ , if I would be reborn , He would — I can remember it like it was yesterday .
Your advice was as solid as can be , you said , ‘ God would never desert you , He will never abandon you , He will protect you , if you confess your sins and you walk in His way.
’ And I have done my very best to do that.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure if he will appeal the sentence in hopes of clearing his name , but he will review options with his attorneys .
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

Late last week, President Trump commuted the three-year sentence for Roger Stone. Stone was convicted (by a biased jury pool) of lying to Congress and other charges brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. He was to report to prison this week.
Fox’s Sean Hannity of Hannity spoke with Stone Monday about how Stone dealt with the charges and conviction. Stone thanked Rev. Franklin Graham and pastors Mark Burns and Darrell Scott. He also thanked Dan Coggins, of Northside Bible Church in Florida. Those pastors helped his family “through the scariest, most difficult process you can imagine.”
But more than the pastors, Stone credited God for making it through. “I really want to thank God because I was literally hours away from being sent to a COVID-infested prison,” he told Hannity. The 67 year old has had a lifetime of respiratory problems and faced what he called, “a near-death sentence.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“More than anything else, I’m grateful for God,” Stone said. “Because, as you told me, if I would rededicate my life to Christ, if I would be reborn, He would — I can remember it like it was yesterday. Your advice was as solid as can be, you said, ‘God would never desert you, He will never abandon you, He will protect you, if you confess your sins and you walk in His way.’ And I have done my very best to do that.”
Stone said he’s not sure if he will appeal the sentence in hopes of clearing his name, but he will review options with his attorneys.
Watch:
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-07-14--Joe Biden’s Economic Plan and Type 2 Socialism

Joe Biden revealed on Thursday the first part of “ Build Back Better , ” his plan for economic recovery from the COVID crisis .
• $ 300 billion on “ R & D for advanced tech industries such as batteries , electric vehicles , AI , and 5G , ” and • $ 400 billion “ on U.S. goods and services .
Biden wants to reduce dependence on foreign economies , particularly in America ’ s medical supply chain .
Those ‘ procurement investments ’ would also focus on supporting small businesses , particularly minority- and women-owned ones.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to raise $ 4 trillion by raising taxes “ on corporations and the wealthy.
” “ This will be a mobilization of R & D and procurement investments in ways not seen since World War II , ” Biden said .
To call such a policy “ socialist ” might seem like hyperbolic , partisan scaremongering .
How can “ investments ” in private enterprises , including small businesses , be socialism ?
After all , when we think of a country transitioning to socialism , we picture revolutionaries seizing factories ( like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationalizing industries ( like in 2000s Venezuela ) .
Socialism is supposed to arise through confrontational acts of seizure and overthrow : by smashing private enterprise , not “ investing ” in it .
But how a policy “ feels ” can mask the reality , which in this case is that “ investing ” in private enterprise is one of the most efficient ways of destroying it .
Two Patterns for the Realization of Socialism “ There are two patterns for the realization of socialism , ” the important economist Ludwig von @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Action .
Mises dubbed this “ the Lenin or the Russian pattern , ” since that is how Vladimir Lenin installed socialism in Russia following the October Revolution .
“ The second pattern , ” Mises continued , “ nominally and seemingly preserves private ownership of the means of production and keeps the appearance of ordinary markets , prices , wages , and interest rates.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
But this “ market economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Through mounting interventions ( mandates , “ investments , ” etc . )
in the economy , the government ’ s sway over business grows and grows , to the point where it is the state that ultimately steers production , and thus becomes the de facto owner of the means of production .
Mises called this “ the Hindenburg or German pattern ” of realizing socialism , because that is how Paul von Hindenburg , the leader of the German Imperial Army , imposed “ wartime socialism ” on Germany during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socialism later re-emerged under the Nazis .
This form of socialism can seem like capitalism , even to those operating within it .
Former business owners may think they are still at the helm of their enterprises .
But , as Mises explained , it ’ s an illusion : There are , however , no longer entrepreneurs , but only shop managers ( Betriebsführer in the terminology of the Nazi legislation ) .
These shop managers are seemingly instrumental in the conduct of the enterprises entrusted to them ; they buy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remunerate their services , contract debts and pay interest and amortization .
But in all their activities they are bound to obey unconditionally the orders issued by the government ’ s supreme office of production management .
This office ( The Reichswirtschaftsministerium in Nazi Germany ) tells the shop managers what and how to produce , at what prices and from whom to buy , at what prices and to whom to sell .
It assigns every worker to his job and fixes his wages .
It decrees to whom and on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The “ managers ” Mises speaks of are no longer entrepreneurs , but have become essentially bureaucrats going through the motions of entrepreneurship .
Similarly , workers no longer participate in a true labor market , but are “ mobilized ” and essentially assigned jobs by the state .
As Mises concluded : Market exchange is merely a sham .
All the wages , prices , and interest rates are fixed by the government ; they are wages , prices , and interest rates in appearance only ; in fact they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s orders determining each citizen ’ s job , income , consumption , and standard of living .
The government directs all production activities .
The shop managers are subject to the government , not the consumers ’ demand and the market ’ s price structure .
This is socialism under the outward guise of the terminology of capitalism .
Some labels of the capitalistic market economy are retained , but they signify something entirely different from what they mean in the market economy .
These “ market ” labels don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Therefore , socialism with a capitalist veneer will be plagued with the same chaos that always afflicts plain-faced socialism .
Cataclysmically Lethal — No Matter What Name You Call It Socialism has been cataclysmically lethal wherever it has been tried , and will always be so : it will make no difference whether it emerges through nationalization or intervention .
It is absolutely vital that we come to grips with that now , because implementing a plan like Biden ’ s would be a great leap toward the second pattern of socialism described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socialism ” as we might call it , since it is as lethal as diabetes or any other disease .
The more “ public investment ” the tech industry gets , the more government bureaucrats will hold sway over tech “ entrepreneurs , ” until eventually the tech industry is effectively nationalized .
The more that small businesses are “ supported ” by the government , the more they will be subjugated to the state .
He who pays the piper calls the tune .
And the more that actual market profits are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investment ” and “ support , ” the more that entrepreneurs will devolve into subservient apparatchiks dependent on the government for their income .
What makes Type 2 socialism especially pernicious is not only its deceptive appearance , but how smoothly it can emerge .
Instead of being menaced with seizure , captains of industry are seduced with “ investment.
” Instead of being marched into labor camps , workers are lulled into docility with “ support.
” And in case any reader still thinks this is mere partisanship talking , I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us quite a distance down this road .
The CARES Act stimulus checks to individuals , the PPP loans to small businesses , the bailouts of big businesses , the Federal Reserve ’ s purchases of corporate bonds , and the Fed bailing out the banks and stock market by pumping into them trillions of new dollars : these have all been great leaps forward down the back-alley road to Type 2 socialism .
Socialism has destroyed far more lives than any single pandemic ever could .
We must not let panic over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a much greater one .
Dan Sanchez is the Director of Content at the Foundation for Economic Education ( FEE ) and the editor of FEE.org .

Joe Biden revealed on Thursday the first part of “Build Back Better,” his plan for economic recovery from the COVID crisis.
Build Back Better?
As Morning Brew reports, Biden plans to spend:
$300 billion on “R&D for advanced tech industries such as batteries, electric vehicles, AI, and 5G,” and
$400 billion “on U.S. goods and services. Biden wants to reduce dependence on foreign economies, particularly in America’s medical supply chain. Those ‘procurement investments’ would also focus on supporting small businesses, particularly minority- and women-owned ones.”
To pay for this, Biden plans to raise $4 trillion by raising taxes “on corporations and the wealthy.”
“This will be a mobilization of R&D and procurement investments in ways not seen since World War II,” Biden said.
Socialism in Disguise
To call such a policy “socialist” might seem like hyperbolic, partisan scaremongering. How can “investments” in private enterprises, including small businesses, be socialism?
After all, when we think of a country transitioning to socialism, we picture revolutionaries seizing factories (like in 1917 Russia) or revolutionary governments nationalizing industries (like in 2000s Venezuela).
Socialism is supposed to arise through confrontational acts of seizure and overthrow: by smashing private enterprise, not “investing” in it.
But how a policy “feels” can mask the reality, which in this case is that “investing” in private enterprise is one of the most efficient ways of destroying it.
Two Patterns for the Realization of Socialism
“There are two patterns for the realization of socialism,” the important economist Ludwig von Mises wrote in his great treatise Human Action.
The first pattern … is purely bureaucratic. All plants, shops, and farms are formally nationalized … they are departments of the government operated by civil servants. Every unit of the apparatus of production stands in the same relation to the superior central organization as does a local post office to the office of the postmaster general.
Mises dubbed this “the Lenin or the Russian pattern,” since that is how Vladimir Lenin installed socialism in Russia following the October Revolution.
“The second pattern,” Mises continued, “nominally and seemingly preserves private ownership of the means of production and keeps the appearance of ordinary markets, prices, wages, and interest rates.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
But this “market economy” is a facade, Mises explained. Through mounting interventions (mandates, “investments,” etc.) in the economy, the government’s sway over business grows and grows, to the point where it is the state that ultimately steers production, and thus becomes the de facto owner of the means of production.
Mises called this “the Hindenburg or German pattern” of realizing socialism, because that is how Paul von Hindenburg, the leader of the German Imperial Army, imposed “wartime socialism” on Germany during World War I, and also how socialism later re-emerged under the Nazis.
It’s an Illusion — Socialism With a Capitalist Veneer
This form of socialism can seem like capitalism, even to those operating within it. Former business owners may think they are still at the helm of their enterprises.
But, as Mises explained, it’s an illusion:
There are, however, no longer entrepreneurs, but only shop managers (Betriebsführer in the terminology of the Nazi legislation). These shop managers are seemingly instrumental in the conduct of the enterprises entrusted to them; they buy and sell, hire and discharge workers and remunerate their services, contract debts and pay interest and amortization. But in all their activities they are bound to obey unconditionally the orders issued by the government’s supreme office of production management. This office (The Reichswirtschaftsministerium in Nazi Germany) tells the shop managers what and how to produce, at what prices and from whom to buy, at what prices and to whom to sell. It assigns every worker to his job and fixes his wages. It decrees to whom and on what terms the capitalists must entrust their funds.
The “managers” Mises speaks of are no longer entrepreneurs, but have become essentially bureaucrats going through the motions of entrepreneurship. Similarly, workers no longer participate in a true labor market, but are “mobilized” and essentially assigned jobs by the state. As Mises concluded:
Market exchange is merely a sham. All the wages, prices, and interest rates are fixed by the government; they are wages, prices, and interest rates in appearance only; in fact they are merely quantitative terms in the government’s orders determining each citizen’s job, income, consumption, and standard of living. The government directs all production activities. The shop managers are subject to the government, not the consumers’ demand and the market’s price structure. This is socialism under the outward guise of the terminology of capitalism. Some labels of the capitalistic market economy are retained, but they signify something entirely different from what they mean in the market economy.
These “market” labels don’t actually do anything to coordinate production. Therefore, socialism with a capitalist veneer will be plagued with the same chaos that always afflicts plain-faced socialism.
Cataclysmically Lethal — No Matter What Name You Call It
Socialism has been cataclysmically lethal wherever it has been tried, and will always be so: it will make no difference whether it emerges through nationalization or intervention. It is absolutely vital that we come to grips with that now, because implementing a plan like Biden’s would be a great leap toward the second pattern of socialism described by Mises, or “Type 2 socialism” as we might call it, since it is as lethal as diabetes or any other disease.
Socialism has destroyed far more lives than any single pandemic ever could. We must not let panic over one threat drive us into the maw of a much greater one.
The more “public investment” the tech industry gets, the more government bureaucrats will hold sway over tech “entrepreneurs,” until eventually the tech industry is effectively nationalized.
The more that small businesses are “supported” by the government, the more they will be subjugated to the state.
He who pays the piper calls the tune.
And the more that actual market profits are taxed away to finance all this “investment” and “support,” the more that entrepreneurs will devolve into subservient apparatchiks dependent on the government for their income.
A Deceptively Smooth Emergence
What makes Type 2 socialism especially pernicious is not only its deceptive appearance, but how smoothly it can emerge. Instead of being menaced with seizure, captains of industry are seduced with “investment.” Instead of being marched into labor camps, workers are lulled into docility with “support.”
And in case any reader still thinks this is mere partisanship talking, I will note that President Trump has already led us quite a distance down this road. The CARES Act stimulus checks to individuals, the PPP loans to small businesses, the bailouts of big businesses, the Federal Reserve’s purchases of corporate bonds, and the Fed bailing out the banks and stock market by pumping into them trillions of new dollars: these have all been great leaps forward down the back-alley road to Type 2 socialism.
Socialism has destroyed far more lives than any single pandemic ever could. We must not let panic over one threat drive us into the maw of a much greater one.
Dan Sanchez is the Director of Content at the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) and the editor of FEE.org.
Originally published at FEE.org. Reprinted with permission.