thestream--2020-04-30--What to Expect as 12 States Begin to Reopen After COVID-19 Shutdown

Come Friday in Texas , the nation ’ s second-largest economy , businesses such as restaurants and retail stores will be open again , but at a 25 % occupancy rate .
After that , public health officials will reevaluate the data and decide whether to allow a 50 % occupancy rate .
The Lone Star State is among nine states where governors ’ stay-at-home orders expire at the end of Thursday , allowing for a gradual reopening of their economies , according to Pew Research Center ’ s Stateline , which monitors state governments .
“ If we go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase [ in COVID-19 cases ] , people could become complacent about social distancing and think it ’ s not dangerous , ” Amy Anderson , a registered nurse in Texas , told The Daily Signal .
“ It ’ s important to maintain our vigilance.
” Anderson noted that business owners likely will continue to be responsible , since they face a fine of up to $ 1,000 and even jail time for not complying with government restrictions .
Plus , most businesses are licensed by state and local governments .
Various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but most are in line with the guidance by the White House coronavirus task force , said Anderson , co-founder of the Global Nurse Consultants Alliance and an assistant professor at the School of Nursing and School of Medicine at Texas Christian University .
There ’ s no real economic alternative but to reopen soon , contends Alfredo Ortiz , president of the Job Creators Network , a business group .
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“ I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice but to open the doors up .
My concern is demand won ’ t be high enough , ” Ortiz told The Daily Signal in a phone interview .
“ If we wait for the unattainable goal of zero cases of COVID-19 , the economy would be closed for months and you would see an increase in depressions and suicides.
” The other states besides Texas where stay-at-home orders were set to expire Thursday are Alabama , Arizona , Idaho , Maine , Nevada , Tennessee , West Virginia , and Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , stay-at-home orders in Indiana , Ohio , and Utah are set to expire , meaning some businesses will reopen Saturday .
“ In Florida , it hit the Miami-Dade County area worst , ” Dr. Lee Gross , who practices family medicine in North Port , Florida , said of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
“ In general , in population centers now , we are seeing a decline , while in rural areas , we are seeing a steady increase , ” Gross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Docs 4 Patient Care , said .
“ Here in Charlotte County , the beaches are opened and people are still standing 6 feet apart , but they seem packed , ” Gross added during a phone interview with The Daily Signal .
Meanwhile , in Georgia and Colorado , Govs .
Brian Kemp and Jared Polis , respectively , moved last week to reopen their economies , including allowing hair salons and tattoo parlors to resume business , a controversial move .
“ Salons could be safe if there is a determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to be responsible , ” Gross said .
“ Outdoor venues are generally safer than indoor venues .
But , you don ’ t want kids climbing around on monkey bars.
” Colorado has had 122.6 deaths per million from COVID-19 , while Georgia has had 93.6 deaths per million , according to the RealClearPolitics coronavirus tracker .
In raw numbers , the larger Georgia had 994 deaths , while Colorado had 770 .
President Donald Trump criticized Kemp , a fellow Republican , for his decision to reopen without following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not criticize Polis , a Democrat .
“ Government guidance is just that , guidance .
It ’ s not a proclamation or law , ” Gross said .
“ States should take guidance into consideration.
” Governors generally are leaving discretion to local communities , said Dr. Kevin Pham , a medical doctor and contributor to The Daily Signal .
“ If states are less draconian and trust people , they will likely get better cooperation longer , rather than revolt in protest , ” Pham said .
“ It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you don ’ t reopen , there are other risks .
Life and livelihood are connected to one another.
” Pham also looked at the realistic outcomes from reopening , positive and negative .
“ The worst-case scenario is a huge spike in [ COVID-19 ] cases and hospitalizations and all the gains that were made from the mitigation efforts will be wiped out , the need for personal protective equipment will skyrocket again , and we ’ ll have crisis care that will require more ventilators , ” Pham said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a gradual and deliberate reopening with continued social distancing , and we ’ ll see a lower spread rate , ” Pham added .
Other states that are ready to drop their stay-at-home orders logged varying rates of death from COVID-19 .
Alabama had 49.4 deaths per million ; Arizona had 37.8 deaths per million ; Florida , 54.5 ; Idaho , 42.4 ; Maine , 37.9 ; Tennessee , 26.9 ; and West Virginia , 20.7 .
Of the states slated to begin reopening gradually after Friday , Indiana had 138.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and Utah , 14 , according to the RealClearPolitics tracker .
Next week , the states of Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , and Rhode Island will begin to reopen , according to Pew ’ s Stateline .
The state with the largest number of deaths and highest death rate was New York , where 22,806 have died , a rate of 1,175.4 per million .
The Empire State ’ s stay-at-home order is set to expire May 15 .
That ’ s the same day as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico , Vermont , and the District of Columbia are set to drop their stay-at-home orders .
In Connecticut , with the third-highest death rate in the nation at 564.3 per million , the stay-at-home order is set to expire May 20 .
Illinois and Hawaii are slated to open May 30 and 31 , respectively .
As of now , Virginia will reopen June 10 .
In seven other states , according to Pew , no dates are set for stay-at-home orders to expire .
Another eight states had no stay-at-home orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Dakota , South Dakota , Oklahoma , Utah , and Wyoming .
In most of these cases , the states issued guidance and local governments and businesses were free to take action .

Come Friday in Texas, the nation’s second-largest economy, businesses such as restaurants and retail stores will be open again, but at a 25% occupancy rate. After that, public health officials will reevaluate the data and decide whether to allow a 50% occupancy rate.
The Lone Star State is among nine states where governors’ stay-at-home orders expire at the end of Thursday, allowing for a gradual reopening of their economies, according to Pew Research Center’s Stateline, which monitors state governments.
“If we go back to work and there is no increase [in COVID-19 cases], people could become complacent about social distancing and think it’s not dangerous,” Amy Anderson, a registered nurse in Texas, told The Daily Signal. “It’s important to maintain our vigilance.”
Anderson noted that business owners likely will continue to be responsible, since they face a fine of up to $1,000 and even jail time for not complying with government restrictions. Plus, most businesses are licensed by state and local governments.
Various states have different rules for reentry, but most are in line with the guidance by the White House coronavirus task force, said Anderson, co-founder of the Global Nurse Consultants Alliance and an assistant professor at the School of Nursing and School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.
There’s no real economic alternative but to reopen soon, contends Alfredo Ortiz, president of the Job Creators Network, a business group.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“I don’t think we have a real choice but to open the doors up. My concern is demand won’t be high enough,” Ortiz told The Daily Signal in a phone interview. “If we wait for the unattainable goal of zero cases of COVID-19, the economy would be closed for months and you would see an increase in depressions and suicides.”
The other states besides Texas where stay-at-home orders were set to expire Thursday are Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Nevada, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Florida, where some beaches already have reopened.
On Friday, stay-at-home orders in Indiana, Ohio, and Utah are set to expire, meaning some businesses will reopen Saturday.
“In Florida, it hit the Miami-Dade County area worst,” Dr. Lee Gross, who practices family medicine in North Port, Florida, said of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
“In general, in population centers now, we are seeing a decline, while in rural areas, we are seeing a steady increase,” Gross, also president of the advocacy group Docs 4 Patient Care, said.
“Here in Charlotte County, the beaches are opened and people are still standing 6 feet apart, but they seem packed,” Gross added during a phone interview with The Daily Signal.
Meanwhile, in Georgia and Colorado, Govs. Brian Kemp and Jared Polis, respectively, moved last week to reopen their economies, including allowing hair salons and tattoo parlors to resume business, a controversial move.
“Salons could be safe if there is a determined amount of people allowed in and a way to be responsible,” Gross said. “Outdoor venues are generally safer than indoor venues. But, you don’t want kids climbing around on monkey bars.”
Colorado has had 122.6 deaths per million from COVID-19, while Georgia has had 93.6 deaths per million, according to the RealClearPolitics coronavirus tracker. In raw numbers, the larger Georgia had 994 deaths, while Colorado had 770.
President Donald Trump criticized Kemp, a fellow Republican, for his decision to reopen without following the White House guidelines. However, Trump did not criticize Polis, a Democrat.
“Government guidance is just that, guidance. It’s not a proclamation or law,” Gross said. “States should take guidance into consideration.”
Governors generally are leaving discretion to local communities, said Dr. Kevin Pham, a medical doctor and contributor to The Daily Signal.
“If states are less draconian and trust people, they will likely get better cooperation longer, rather than revolt in protest,” Pham said. “It is a risk to reopen, but if you don’t reopen, there are other risks. Life and livelihood are connected to one another.”
Pham also looked at the realistic outcomes from reopening, positive and negative.
“The worst-case scenario is a huge spike in [COVID-19] cases and hospitalizations and all the gains that were made from the mitigation efforts will be wiped out, the need for personal protective equipment will skyrocket again, and we’ll have crisis care that will require more ventilators,” Pham said.
“The best-case scenario is that we will have a gradual and deliberate reopening with continued social distancing, and we’ll see a lower spread rate,” Pham added.
Other states that are ready to drop their stay-at-home orders logged varying rates of death from COVID-19.
Alabama had 49.4 deaths per million; Arizona had 37.8 deaths per million; Florida, 54.5; Idaho, 42.4; Maine, 37.9; Tennessee, 26.9; and West Virginia, 20.7.
Of the states slated to begin reopening gradually after Friday, Indiana had 138.4 deaths per million; Ohio had 68.4; and Utah, 14, according to the RealClearPolitics tracker.
Next week, the states of Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island will begin to reopen, according to Pew’s Stateline.
The state with the largest number of deaths and highest death rate was New York, where 22,806 have died, a rate of 1,175.4 per million.
The Empire State’s stay-at-home order is set to expire May 15. That’s the same day as Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Vermont, and the District of Columbia are set to drop their stay-at-home orders.
In Connecticut, with the third-highest death rate in the nation at 564.3 per million, the stay-at-home order is set to expire May 20. Illinois and Hawaii are slated to open May 30 and 31, respectively.
As of now, Virginia will reopen June 10. In seven other states, according to Pew, no dates are set for stay-at-home orders to expire.
Another eight states had no stay-at-home orders: Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming. In most of these cases, the states issued guidance and local governments and businesses were free to take action.
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-04-30--FBI Official Questioned Whether Goal Of Michael Flynn Interview Was ‘To Get Him To Lie’

FBI notes unsealed on Wednesday show that bureau officials discussed whether the goal of an interview with Michael Flynn just days into the Trump administration was “ to get him to lie ” in order to get him fired or in legal jeopardy , Flynn ’ s lawyers say .
“ What is our goal ?
Truth/Admission or to get him to lie so we can prosecute him or get him fired ?
” an FBI official wrote in the notes , according to a transcription from Flynn ’ s attorneys .
Sidney Powell , Flynn ’ s lead attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI documents show that the FBI “ pre-planned a deliberate attack ” against Flynn .
She said the records also show that FBI officials intentionally avoided warning Flynn that making false statements to the FBI is a crime .
U.S. Attorney Timothy Shea produced the documents to Flynn ’ s lawyers on Wednesday .
They were discovered last month by the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri , who has been directed to review the Justice Department ’ s handling of Flynn ’ s prosecution .
Flynn pleaded guilty in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 , 2017 to making false statements during that interview regarding his conversation with Kislyak regarding U.S. sanctions against Russia .
He has since sought to withdraw from the guilty plea , saying he did not lie to the FBI .
Flynn and his lawyers have accused federal prosecutors of withholding evidence that would show both that Flynn did not lie to investigators , and that he was set up in a perjury trap .
Two FBI agents , including Peter Strzok , interviewed Flynn on Jan. 24 , 2017 regarding his contacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Russian ambassador .
Andrew McCabe , who then served as deputy director of the FBI , arranged the interview .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
The new batch of documents includes email exchanges between Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page discussing whether FBI investigators are required to admonish interview witnesses about penalties for lying to the FBI at the beginning of an interview .
The notes do not identify the note taker .
Another email turned over to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then-FBI general counsel James Baker a list of questions for McCabe to prepare for ahead of his phone call to Flynn .
“ I ’ m sure he ’ s through through these , but for DD ’ s consideration about how to answer in advance of his call with Flynn , ” Strzok wrote .
He encouraged McCabe to prepare for Flynn to ask questions regarding whether he was the target of an investigation , whether he needed an attorney , and whether he should inform the White House .
Flynn was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 , 2017 after the White House said he provided misleading answers to Vice President Mike Pence about his phone calls with Kislyak .
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 licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org.The Daily Signal

FBI notes unsealed on Wednesday show that bureau officials discussed whether the goal of an interview with Michael Flynn just days into the Trump administration was “to get him to lie” in order to get him fired or in legal jeopardy, Flynn’s lawyers say.
“What is our goal? Truth/Admission or to get him to lie so we can prosecute him or get him fired?” an FBI official wrote in the notes, according to a transcription from Flynn’s attorneys.
Sidney Powell, Flynn’s lead attorney, said Wednesday that the newly unsealed FBI documents show that the FBI “pre-planned a deliberate attack” against Flynn.
She said the records also show that FBI officials intentionally avoided warning Flynn that making false statements to the FBI is a crime.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Shea produced the documents to Flynn’s lawyers on Wednesday. They were discovered last month by the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri, who has been directed to review the Justice Department’s handling of Flynn’s prosecution.
Flynn pleaded guilty in the special counsel’s investigation on Dec. 1, 2017 to making false statements during that interview regarding his conversation with Kislyak regarding U.S. sanctions against Russia. He has since sought to withdraw from the guilty plea, saying he did not lie to the FBI.
Flynn and his lawyers have accused federal prosecutors of withholding evidence that would show both that Flynn did not lie to investigators, and that he was set up in a perjury trap.
Two FBI agents, including Peter Strzok, interviewed Flynn on Jan. 24, 2017 regarding his contacts a month earlier with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador.
Andrew McCabe, who then served as deputy director of the FBI, arranged the interview.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The new batch of documents includes email exchanges between Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page discussing whether FBI investigators are required to admonish interview witnesses about penalties for lying to the FBI at the beginning of an interview.
The notes do not identify the note taker.
Another email turned over to Flynn’s team shows Strzok emailed then-FBI general counsel James Baker a list of questions for McCabe to prepare for ahead of his phone call to Flynn.
“I’m sure he’s through through these, but for DD’s consideration about how to answer in advance of his call with Flynn,” Strzok wrote.
He encouraged McCabe to prepare for Flynn to ask questions regarding whether he was the target of an investigation, whether he needed an attorney, and whether he should inform the White House.
Flynn was fired as national security adviser on Feb. 14, 2017 after the White House said he provided misleading answers to Vice President Mike Pence about his phone calls with Kislyak.
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] Daily Signal


thestream--2020-04-30--Joy Break: Tiny Tots Preach and Praise

Joy Break: Tiny Tots Preach and Praise

When we turn on our televisions or smart phones we are bombarded with news that brings us down .
Where are all the good stories ?
They ’ re still there .
Here ’ s one that we hope will bless you .
Amazin , 6 , Grace , 4 , and Mercy , 2 , have been singing and praising God since they were little babies .
In a now-viral video , Grace is preaching and her sisters are praising God and providing background vocals .
“ God is a superhero !
” Grace preaches .
“ I love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I love God .
A superhero , because God is everything in my life .
Amen !
” Her sisters clap their hands .
“ God is a good God !
” Grace continues .
Then the girls break into singing with “ I Came to Tell You.
” The video has been shared 50,000 times and has 6,000 comments .
Their mom , Harmony Love told The Stream that the preaching and singing is a constant in her home .
Grace in particular wakes up and goes to bed singing or preaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it and post it on Facebook .
“ She just kept talking about the blood of Jesus and how Jesus is able to do all things because He ’ s her hero , her superhero .
He ’ s got all power .
‘ I don ’ t care what it is , He can do it for you .
… you just got ta believe , you just got to have faith . '
” Harmony wanted to share the girls ’ singing and preaching with others who couldn ’ t attend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those of you who can ’ t make it to drive in church … the girls are bringing drive in church to you , ” she posted on Facebook .
Without the girls ’ grandparents , none of this would have been possible , Harmony explains .
Harmony ’ s parents , Mary and Willie Evans , are strong Christians who constantly prayed for their daughter when she stepped away from the faith several years ago .
“ I was out of control .
… But they kept the faith and they never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped believing that God would change me.
” It ’ s because of their prayers that Harmony has a renewed relationship with Christ and is able to pass that faith down to her children .
“ My kids wouldn ’ t know the information they know without me , ” Harmony said .
“ And I wouldn ’ t know that without my mom and my dad.
” The response to the girls ’ video amazes Harmony .
“ When I ’ m reading through [ the comments ] it makes me cry.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ church.
” “ We don ’ t have a church .
… They ’ re asking these questions , like ‘ When ’ s the next service and what time does it start ? '
” Harmony thought , “ Okay , so this is really a thing now.
” Harmony says she doesn ’ t know what the girls will do next .
“ To be honest , I ’ m just going to let them be them , let them continue to be kids and do what they do and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing and see where it goes.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

When we turn on our televisions or smart phones we are bombarded with news that brings us down. Where are all the good stories? They’re still there. Here’s one that we hope will bless you.
Amazin, 6, Grace, 4, and Mercy, 2, have been singing and praising God since they were little babies.
In a now-viral video, Grace is preaching and her sisters are praising God and providing background vocals. “God is a superhero!” Grace preaches. “I love God! He is my angel. I love God. A superhero, because God is everything in my life. Amen!” Her sisters clap their hands. “God is a good God!” Grace continues. Then the girls break into singing with “I Came to Tell You.” The video has been shared 50,000 times and has 6,000 comments.
Their mom, Harmony Love told The Stream that the preaching and singing is a constant in her home. Grace in particular wakes up and goes to bed singing or preaching. Harmony decided one day to record it and post it on Facebook. “She just kept talking about the blood of Jesus and how Jesus is able to do all things because He’s her hero, her superhero. He’s got all power. ‘I don’t care what it is, He can do it for you. … you just gotta believe, you just got to have faith.'”
Harmony wanted to share the girls’ singing and preaching with others who couldn’t attend a drive-in church service. “For those of you who can’t make it to drive in church … the girls are bringing drive in church to you,” she posted on Facebook.
A Heritage of Faith
Without the girls’ grandparents, none of this would have been possible, Harmony explains. Harmony’s parents, Mary and Willie Evans, are strong Christians who constantly prayed for their daughter when she stepped away from the faith several years ago. “I was out of control. … But they kept the faith and they never stopped praying for me and they never stopped believing that God would change me.” It’s because of their prayers that Harmony has a renewed relationship with Christ and is able to pass that faith down to her children. “My kids wouldn’t know the information they know without me,” Harmony said. “And I wouldn’t know that without my mom and my dad.”
The response to the girls’ video amazes Harmony. “When I’m reading through [the comments] it makes me cry.” People have asked to join their “church.” “We don’t have a church. … They’re asking these questions, like ‘When’s the next service and what time does it start?'” Harmony thought, “Okay, so this is really a thing now.”
Harmony says she doesn’t know what the girls will do next. “To be honest, I’m just going to let them be them, let them continue to be kids and do what they do and record them as I’ve been doing and see where it goes.”
Watch:
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-04-30--Exonerated: At Last, A Breakthrough in the Case of Lt. General Michael Flynn

Wouldn ’ t you know .
When the evidence finally came out showing Michael Flynn was set up by the FBI , it would be at a time when the news was “ all coronavirus , all the time.
” My , how conveeeenient this is for media “ news ” outlets who want to ignore it until it goes away .
But it won ’ t go away .
And there will be more .
What has come out so far is less than half of what we ’ re going to see later on in the week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have another Friday document dump , but it might come today .
We ’ ve been covering the latest news on Flynn for the past several days , so you can refer to those commentaries if you need a refresher on how the records came to be delivered to attorney Sidney Powell , who has been trying to get them for many months .
This is exculpatory ( “ Brady ” ) material that is automatically supposed to be turned over to the defense .
She finally got much of what she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s anticipating 11 more pages that are “ damning ” — in the form of texts , emails and handwritten notes .
The Note That Indicts the FBI It ’ s one of the handwritten notes that has shown beyond doubt that Flynn was personally targeted , just to get rid of him .
The barely legible scrawl reads : “ What ’ s our goal ?
Truth/Admission or to get him to lie , so we can prosecute or get him fired ?
” Let that sink in .
“ Get him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired ” ?
Since when does the FBI concern itself with getting someone fired ?
As reported on Tucker Carlson ’ s Wednesday show , “ two knowledgeable sources ” have told Carlson that the chicken-scratch handwriting belongs to Bill Priestap , then the assistant director of the FBI ’ s Counterintelligence Division .
Multiple sources have told John Solomon the same thing .
According to the notes , they were trying to get Flynn “ …to admit to breaking the Logan Act.
” For reasons we ’ ve already discussed ( and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s highly recommended book The Plot Against the President , ) Obama and his people wanted Flynn out .
To them , it was bad enough that Trump was going to be President , which we know shocked the tar out of them .
But , worse , Michael Flynn , the man who had wanted to pare down the intelligence bureaucracy , audit the Pentagon and — perhaps worst of all — discourage Obama ’ s precious Iran nuclear deal , was going to be in the White House with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They were beside themselves .
What to do ?
They had been targeting him since 2014-2015 , trying to make him look compromised with Russians .
( All this is also in The Plot Against the President . )
But Flynn had done nothing wrong for them to exploit .
At this point , they needed , figuratively speaking , a “ kill shot.
” ( As John Brennan put it . )
It was going to take a major set-up , and Comey — on his own admission — ordered it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had had with the Russian ambassador , which were actually quite appropriate , even expected , given his new post of national security adviser .
The idea of prosecuting him for violating the centuries-old Logan Act , which prohibits private citizens from negotiating foreign policy and has never even been successfully prosecuted , was ludicrous .
It was just a pretense for the perjury trap , I mean interview .
Flynn knew perfectly well that phone calls with any foreign official would have been listened to — as memory serves , he even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it would have been ridiculous for him to lie or even to be less than completely forthcoming .
In answering a question about whether or not he and the Russian ambassador discussed sanctions , he said ( I ’ m paraphrasing ) he couldn ’ t remember exactly but that he didn ’ t think so .
An innocent mistake , but that ’ s all they needed , whether they really thought he had lied or not .
( And the agents didn ’ t think he lied . )
Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as they had lied to him about the purpose of the visit .
Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe , at Director James Comey ’ s bidding , had called him and pseudo-casually said something like , “ Hey , congrats on the new job ; we ’ d just like to send a couple of guys over and clear up a few things about recent conversations with foreign leaders .
No big deal .
Nah , you won ’ t need a lawyer or anything like that… ” We ’ ve learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lisa Page emailed Peter Strzok on how to conduct the interview so they ’ d be technically covered on giving Flynn the “ 1001 ” warning against misleading investigators — without tipping him off that they were , well , investigating .
They probably had a great laugh over fooling Flynn later , in bed , but we ’ ll leave that aspect of it alone .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
The Washington Post got a big scoop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s name was unmasked in the transcript of those phone calls — we need to know who requested the unmasking — and illegally leaked it to them .
They media piled on , with MSNBC calling Flynn “ literally a foreign agent.
” On CNN , they said the assertion that Flynn was entrapped was “ a made-up claim.
” What are these worthless jackals still doing on the air ?
Some of them got Pulitzer Prizes for their stories on what turned out to be a complete hoax .
A Pulitzer Prize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the Academy Award for Best Song going to “ It ’ s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.
” Sort of devalues the whole idea .
Anyway , that note reportedly from Priestap includes a couple of bullet points : 1 ) “ If we ’ re seen as playing games , WH [ the White House ] will be furious , ” and 2 ) “ Protect our institution by not playing games.
” If Priestap did write this , maybe it means he was having second thoughts about what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , somehow I ’ m reminded of that odd “ note to self ” Susan Rice texted to herself the day Obama left office .
The one that said Obama had told them in their January 5 meeting to do everything “ by the book.
” For most of them — with the possible exception of Priestap ; we ’ ll see — this wasn ’ t about “ not playing games , ” because they obviously were .
It was about the appearance of not playing games .
Devin Nunes , appearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , said Flynn would “ clearly ” have a civil rights case and thought it would end up costing the government millions of dollars .
He ’ s also hoping for some prosecutions ( there better be ! )
and for Judge Emmet Sullivan to sanction the Special Counsel lawyers for Flynn ’ s prosecution ( not enough — they should be disbarred ) .
Nunes also reminded Ingraham ’ s audience that the House Republicans had brought a lot of this information forward in 2018 and for their trouble had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a joke .
The joke is now on Democrats and the media ( I repeat myself ) who refused to take it seriously .
Sen. Chuck Grassley has reportedly asked Judge Sullivan to unseal the entire case at this point .
That order might have to come down from Attorney General Barr , or perhaps from the U.S. attorney who has been reviewing the case at his request , Jeffrey Jensen .
Editor ’ s Note : Documents released Thursday indicate the FBI actually closed its investigation of Flynn on January 5 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviewed .
They ’ d found zero evidence he had colluded with Russian .
However , Strzok ordered the investigation be kept open .
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events .
A New York Times best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

Wouldn’t you know. When the evidence finally came out showing Michael Flynn was set up by the FBI, it would be at a time when the news was “all coronavirus, all the time.” My, how conveeeenient this is for media “news” outlets who want to ignore it until it goes away.
But it won’t go away. And there will be more. What has come out so far is less than half of what we’re going to see later on in the week. I’m guessing we’ll have another Friday document dump, but it might come today.
We’ve been covering the latest news on Flynn for the past several days, so you can refer to those commentaries if you need a refresher on how the records came to be delivered to attorney Sidney Powell, who has been trying to get them for many months. This is exculpatory (“Brady”) material that is automatically supposed to be turned over to the defense. She finally got much of what she’s been asking for — she’s anticipating 11 more pages that are “damning” — in the form of texts, emails and handwritten notes.
The Note That Indicts the FBI
It’s one of the handwritten notes that has shown beyond doubt that Flynn was personally targeted, just to get rid of him.
The barely legible scrawl reads: “What’s our goal? Truth/Admission or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute or get him fired?”
Let that sink in. “Get him to lie”? “…get him fired”? Since when does the FBI concern itself with getting someone fired?
As reported on Tucker Carlson’s Wednesday show, “two knowledgeable sources” have told Carlson that the chicken-scratch handwriting belongs to Bill Priestap, then the assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. Multiple sources have told John Solomon the same thing. According to the notes, they were trying to get Flynn “…to admit to breaking the Logan Act.”
For reasons we’ve already discussed (and that also are detailed in Lee Smith’s highly recommended book The Plot Against the President,) Obama and his people wanted Flynn out. To them, it was bad enough that Trump was going to be President, which we know shocked the tar out of them. But, worse, Michael Flynn, the man who had wanted to pare down the intelligence bureaucracy, audit the Pentagon and — perhaps worst of all — discourage Obama’s precious Iran nuclear deal, was going to be in the White House with Trump, as his national security adviser. They were beside themselves. What to do?
They had been targeting him since 2014-2015, trying to make him look compromised with Russians. (All this is also in The Plot Against the President.) But Flynn had done nothing wrong for them to exploit. At this point, they needed, figuratively speaking, a “kill shot.” (As John Brennan put it.) It was going to take a major set-up, and Comey — on his own admission — ordered it.
Watch it yourself:
#DrainTheSwamp– @Comey: I sent them something I probably wouldn't have done and maybe gotten away with in a more organized investigation… if the FBI wanted to send agents into the White House itself to interview a senior official you would work through the White House counsel. pic.twitter.com/mrZcNMpVy4 — Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) December 15, 2018
The Framing of a War Hero
They used transcripts from phone conversations Flynn had had with the Russian ambassador, which were actually quite appropriate, even expected, given his new post of national security adviser. The idea of prosecuting him for violating the centuries-old Logan Act, which prohibits private citizens from negotiating foreign policy and has never even been successfully prosecuted, was ludicrous. It was just a pretense for the perjury trap, I mean interview.
Flynn knew perfectly well that phone calls with any foreign official would have been listened to — as memory serves, he even joked about that during the interview — so it would have been ridiculous for him to lie or even to be less than completely forthcoming. In answering a question about whether or not he and the Russian ambassador discussed sanctions, he said (I’m paraphrasing) he couldn’t remember exactly but that he didn’t think so. An innocent mistake, but that’s all they needed, whether they really thought he had lied or not. (And the agents didn’t think he lied.)
Flynn had no idea they were investigating him, as they had lied to him about the purpose of the visit. Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, at Director James Comey’s bidding, had called him and pseudo-casually said something like, “Hey, congrats on the new job; we’d just like to send a couple of guys over and clear up a few things about recent conversations with foreign leaders. No big deal. Nah, you won’t need a lawyer or anything like that…”
We’ve learned that McCabe’s top legal assistant Lisa Page emailed Peter Strzok on how to conduct the interview so they’d be technically covered on giving Flynn the “1001” warning against misleading investigators — without tipping him off that they were, well, investigating. They probably had a great laugh over fooling Flynn later, in bed, but we’ll leave that aspect of it alone.
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The Washington Post got a big scoop out of this, as Flynn’s name was unmasked in the transcript of those phone calls — we need to know who requested the unmasking — and illegally leaked it to them. They media piled on, with MSNBC calling Flynn “literally a foreign agent.” On CNN, they said the assertion that Flynn was entrapped was “a made-up claim.” What are these worthless jackals still doing on the air? Some of them got Pulitzer Prizes for their stories on what turned out to be a complete hoax.
A Pulitzer Prize going to this sort of garbage is like the Academy Award for Best Song going to “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” Sort of devalues the whole idea.
“Not Playing Games”
Anyway, that note reportedly from Priestap includes a couple of bullet points: 1) “If we’re seen as playing games, WH [the White House] will be furious,” and 2) “Protect our institution by not playing games.” If Priestap did write this, maybe it means he was having second thoughts about what they were doing.
At the same time, somehow I’m reminded of that odd “note to self” Susan Rice texted to herself the day Obama left office. The one that said Obama had told them in their January 5 meeting to do everything “by the book.” For most of them — with the possible exception of Priestap; we’ll see — this wasn’t about “not playing games,” because they obviously were. It was about the appearance of not playing games.
Devin Nunes, appearing with Laura Ingraham on FOX NEWS Wednesday night, said Flynn would “clearly” have a civil rights case and thought it would end up costing the government millions of dollars. He’s also hoping for some prosecutions (there better be!) and for Judge Emmet Sullivan to sanction the Special Counsel lawyers for Flynn’s prosecution (not enough — they should be disbarred). Nunes also reminded Ingraham’s audience that the House Republicans had brought a lot of this information forward in 2018 and for their trouble had been ruthlessly mocked and their accusations treated like a joke.
The joke is now on Democrats and the media (I repeat myself) who refused to take it seriously. Sen. Chuck Grassley has reportedly asked Judge Sullivan to unseal the entire case at this point. That order might have to come down from Attorney General Barr, or perhaps from the U.S. attorney who has been reviewing the case at his request, Jeffrey Jensen.
Here’s John Solomon’s take.
Editor’s Note: Documents released Thursday indicate the FBI actually closed its investigation of Flynn on January 5, 2017 or 20 days before he was interviewed. They’d found zero evidence he had colluded with Russian. However, Strzok ordered the investigation be kept open.
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN.
Originally published at MikeHuckabee.com. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-04-30--The Danish Translation That Removes Israel From the New Testament

By now you may have heard about the shocking , new Danish “ translation ” of the Bible that virtually wipes out “ Israel ” from the New Testament .
Well , the truth is actually worse than the headlines , since the Danish Bible Society is downplaying the seriousness of its actions .
First , the simple facts : whereas in the Greek New Testament , the word “ Israel ” occurs more than 60 times , it is found only once in the new Danish version called Bibelen 2020 .
That ’ s right , just once .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quote from an Old Testament verse .
Otherwise , “ Israel ” is gone .
In some cases , “ Israel ” is changed to “ land of the Jews.
” In other cases , it disappears entirely .
In Matthew 2:21 , “ the land of Israel ” ( to which Joseph , Mary , and Jesus are returning ) simply becomes “ home.
” Yes , Joseph , “ Go back home ” versus “ Go back to the land of Israel.
” What kind of “ translation ” is this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ From This New Testament Translation ?
Not surprisingly , the new translation has sparked a firestorm of international criticism , especially in the Jewish world .
And how did the Secretary-General of the Bible Society , Birgitte Stoklund , respond ?
She wrote , according to a translation , “ Basically , I think they find it hard to understand that the average Dane does not understand that reference is made to a people , and not geography when it says ‘ Israel ’ in the New Testament .
Messianic Jews see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s promises .
“ However , in Denmark , few people want to formulate themselves like this , and that is also why the criticism of our practice comes from a very small minority in the church.
” Ah yes , that very small minority , probably quite fundamentalist and largely uneducated .
At least that ’ s the impression you get from her disdainful comments .
And , she is saying , few Danish Christians see any connection between modern Israel and the Israel of the Bible .
How very sad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple .
Christian readers must not connect “ Israel ” in the New Testament with the nation of Israel today .
How , then , does the Danish Bible Society state that it is “ false information ” to claim that “ Israel ” has been removed from their new translation ?
’ Their website states , “ False information about the new Danish Bible Translation .
The Contemporary Danish Bible 2020 has been going around .
Some news media states that the word Israel and the words Jew and Jewish have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the reason for this would be political and anti-Semitic .
Nothing could be further from the truth .
The words Israel and Israelites occur in the translation more than 2000 times and the words Jew and Jewish occur more than 500 times.
” Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
But this is outright deception , since the charge was not that “ Israel ” had been removed from the entire Bible .
Rather , the charge was that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And there certainly is something political and antisemitic in this decision .
How , then , does the Bible Society justify doing this ?
They explain , “ In the New Testament the word ‘ Israel ’ has been translated into ‘ the Jewish people ’ , ‘ the Jews ’ or ‘ the people ’ because when the Greek text uses the word ‘ Israel ’ it is referring to a people with whom God has a special relationship – Jacob ’ s descendants .
However , for the secular reader , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Israel ’ could be referring only to a country .
Therefore the word ‘ Israel ’ in the Greek text has been translated in other ways , so that the reader understands it is referring to the Jewish people.
” Fake News About the True News About the New Danish Bible Why , then , are other countries , like Egypt , still called Egypt in the New Testament ?
As pointed out by Jan Frost in his Danish video ( which can be watched with English captions ) , Egypt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biblical times .
Yet the translators had no problem with calling it Egypt .
Why not the same with Israel , especially when it applied to the geographical territory ?
And so , Egypt is mentioned repeatedly in Matthew 2:13-20 , where Joseph and his family go down to Egypt , yet when Israel is mentioned , they just go home ( see Matthew 2:21 ) .
This is beyond inconsistent .
This is hypocritical .
And this smacks of a political agenda .
So much for “ translating ” the Bible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these translators have no problem translating Israel with Israel in the Old Testament ?
Won ’ t the Danish readers be just as confused ?
Won ’ t they equate Israel in the Old Testament with the land and people of Israel today ?
Why , then , is this okay for Old Testament texts but not New Testament texts ?
Can you see how terribly wrong this is ?
Strikingly , the article on the Danish Bible Society website is titled , “ Fake news about new Danish Bible.
” It should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the True News About the New Danish Bible.
” Why Break the Continuity From the Old to the New Testaments ?
Yet there ’ s something else that has not been sufficiently emphasized about this egregious new “ translation ” decision .
It breaks the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament .
The very term that occurs more than 2,000 times in the Old Testament ( speaking of the land and/or the people of Israel ) now disappears from the New .
Remember that the Bible Society told us that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occur in the translation more than 2000 times ” ( meaning , in the Old Testament ) , which would then connect with the 60+ times the words Israel or Israelite are found in the New Testament .
Except now they are not there .
The promises to Israel and about Israel now end in the Old Testament .
And , when the New Testament speaks only of “ the Jews , ” the people are now disconnected from their land .
There are other significant problems with this translation , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which becomes watered down to a mere “ mistake.
” As the Bible Society explained , “ it does not use the usual Danish words for sin , grace , mercy , covenant and many other typically biblical words , which an average Danish reader would not be familiar with the meaning of.
” But was there no better way to communicate the aspects of rebellion , disobedience , and defilement involved in human sin ?
Is committing a sin simply making a mistake ?
The positive news is that the uproar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Society .
Consequently , in their “ Fake news ” article they state , “ The New Testament in Contemporary Danish was first published in 2007 .
It has been slightly revised up to the publication of The Contemporary Danish Bible 2020 .
In this revision the question of Israel has not been discussed .
In light of the critique raised The Danish Bible Society will carefully consider if specific verses in The New Testament need a revision.
” I would urge the translators to be very careful .
They are treading on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is When the World Stops : Words of Faith , Hope , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis .
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

By now you may have heard about the shocking, new Danish “translation” of the Bible that virtually wipes out “Israel” from the New Testament. Well, the truth is actually worse than the headlines, since the Danish Bible Society is downplaying the seriousness of its actions.
First, the simple facts: whereas in the Greek New Testament, the word “Israel” occurs more than 60 times, it is found only once in the new Danish version called Bibelen 2020. That’s right, just once. And that one occurrence is a direct quote from an Old Testament verse. Otherwise, “Israel” is gone.
In some cases, “Israel” is changed to “land of the Jews.” In other cases, it disappears entirely. In Matthew 2:21, “the land of Israel” (to which Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are returning) simply becomes “home.” Yes, Joseph, “Go back home” versus “Go back to the land of Israel.” What kind of “translation” is this?
Why Is “Israel” Gone From This New Testament Translation?
Not surprisingly, the new translation has sparked a firestorm of international criticism, especially in the Jewish world. And how did the Secretary-General of the Bible Society, Birgitte Stoklund, respond?
She wrote, according to a translation, “Basically, I think they find it hard to understand that the average Dane does not understand that reference is made to a people, and not geography when it says ‘Israel’ in the New Testament. Messianic Jews see the state of Israel as fulfilling God’s promises.
“However, in Denmark, few people want to formulate themselves like this, and that is also why the criticism of our practice comes from a very small minority in the church.”
The bottom line for these translators is simple. Christian readers must not connect “Israel” in the New Testament with the nation of Israel today.
Ah yes, that very small minority, probably quite fundamentalist and largely uneducated. At least that’s the impression you get from her disdainful comments. And, she is saying, few Danish Christians see any connection between modern Israel and the Israel of the Bible. How very sad.
The bottom line for these translators is simple. Christian readers must not connect “Israel” in the New Testament with the nation of Israel today.
Danish Bible Society Defends Itself
How, then, does the Danish Bible Society state that it is “false information” to claim that “Israel” has been removed from their new translation?’
Their website states, “False information about the new Danish Bible Translation. The Contemporary Danish Bible 2020 has been going around. Some news media states that the word Israel and the words Jew and Jewish have been omitted from the translation and also claim that the reason for this would be political and anti-Semitic. Nothing could be further from the truth. The words Israel and Israelites occur in the translation more than 2000 times and the words Jew and Jewish occur more than 500 times.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
But this is outright deception, since the charge was not that “Israel” had been removed from the entire Bible. Rather, the charge was that it was removed from the New Testament. And there certainly is something political and antisemitic in this decision.
How, then, does the Bible Society justify doing this?
They explain, “In the New Testament the word ‘Israel’ has been translated into ‘the Jewish people’, ‘the Jews’ or ‘the people’ because when the Greek text uses the word ‘Israel’ it is referring to a people with whom God has a special relationship – Jacob’s descendants. However, for the secular reader, who does not know the Bible well, ‘Israel’ could be referring only to a country. Therefore the word ‘Israel’ in the Greek text has been translated in other ways, so that the reader understands it is referring to the Jewish people.”
Fake News About the True News About the New Danish Bible
Why, then, are other countries, like Egypt, still called Egypt in the New Testament? As pointed out by Jan Frost in his Danish video (which can be watched with English captions), Egypt today is hardly identical to Egypt in biblical times. Yet the translators had no problem with calling it Egypt. Why not the same with Israel, especially when it applied to the geographical territory?
And so, Egypt is mentioned repeatedly in Matthew 2:13-20, where Joseph and his family go down to Egypt, yet when Israel is mentioned, they just go home (see Matthew 2:21). This is beyond inconsistent. This is hypocritical. And this smacks of a political agenda. So much for “translating” the Bible.
Not only so, but why do these translators have no problem translating Israel with Israel in the Old Testament? Won’t the Danish readers be just as confused? Won’t they equate Israel in the Old Testament with the land and people of Israel today? Why, then, is this okay for Old Testament texts but not New Testament texts? Can you see how terribly wrong this is?
Strikingly, the article on the Danish Bible Society website is titled, “Fake news about new Danish Bible.” It should have read, “Fake News About the True News About the New Danish Bible.”
Why Break the Continuity From the Old to the New Testaments?
Yet there’s something else that has not been sufficiently emphasized about this egregious new “translation” decision. It breaks the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The very term that occurs more than 2,000 times in the Old Testament (speaking of the land and/or the people of Israel) now disappears from the New.
Remember that the Bible Society told us that, “The words Israel and Israelites occur in the translation more than 2000 times” (meaning, in the Old Testament), which would then connect with the 60+ times the words Israel or Israelite are found in the New Testament.
Except now they are not there. The promises to Israel and about Israel now end in the Old Testament. And, when the New Testament speaks only of “the Jews,” the people are now disconnected from their land.
Treading on Sacred Ground
There are other significant problems with this translation, including the removal of words like “sin,” which becomes watered down to a mere “mistake.” As the Bible Society explained, “it does not use the usual Danish words for sin, grace, mercy, covenant and many other typically biblical words, which an average Danish reader would not be familiar with the meaning of.”
But was there no better way to communicate the aspects of rebellion, disobedience, and defilement involved in human sin? Is committing a sin simply making a mistake?
The positive news is that the uproar is causing significant embarrassment for the Bible Society. Consequently, in their “Fake news” article they state, “The New Testament in Contemporary Danish was first published in 2007. It has been slightly revised up to the publication of The Contemporary Danish Bible 2020. In this revision the question of Israel has not been discussed. In light of the critique raised The Danish Bible Society will carefully consider if specific verses in The New Testament need a revision.”
I would urge the translators to be very careful. They are treading on dangerous (and sacred) ground.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-04-30--Bill de Blasio: Not Literally Hitler. More Like Creon, Hunting Antigone.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is having a rough spring .
First , he spent all of February and most of March minimizing the Wuhan Virus threat .
Visiting Chinatown for Lunar New Year , and telling New Yorkers they had nothing to worry about .
Visiting his gym a week after most were avoiding it , and hours before the city locked them all down .
Then de Blasio turned on a dime into the biggest quarantine hawk in the country .
Infamously , he singled out churches and synagogues ( not mosques ) to threaten them with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they opened against his will .
To help contain the virus , he said .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Then De Blasio offered a moveable feast for Muslims ( and no one else ) .
As Stream contributor Tim Furnish wrote : De Blasio set up a city “ snitch ” line so people could report their neighbors for not obeying his rules .
One Youtube headline sums up how New Yorkers responded : “ De Blasio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with penis photos , Hitler memes.
” Now De Blasio ’ s catching all kinds of flak for singling out Jews for criticism and threats .
( Some orthodox and Hasidic Jews have been slow to social distance . )
He tweeted recently : The response was swift and savage .
It started with witty Tweets : Outrage quickly escalated , culminating in a hilarious Hitler-in-the-bunker parody ( don ’ t miss it ) .
De Blasio issued a statement framed as an apology , but in fact he doubled down .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not quite sure it ’ s fair to compare Mayor de Blasio to Hitler .
Yes , he ’ s a petty dictator who ’ s quick to attack the Jews .
But he also targets Christians , and spent part of his 20s volunteering for the Marxist Sandinistas who persecuted churches .
His lefty Islamophilia aside , de Blasio seems more like an equal opportunity irreligious authoritarian .
And that sort of tyrant has been with us since long before the Third Reich .
In fact , since before Christ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a figure in Creon , the antagonist in one of the greatest Greek tragedies , We included a section on that play in our book , The Race to Save Our Century .
It was recently excerpted by apologetics writer Denise McCallister in her terrific new Christian resource site Romans One .
In case you forgot Antigone , its central conflict turns on the same issue as de Blasio ’ s rant against Jews .
That is , a religious funeral , which the government wants to prevent .
[ T ] he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( or bow to ) the laws of heaven goes all the way back to the roots of Western culture — to Classical Greece .
Sophocles put this awareness of a transcendent law in the mouth of Antigone , who sacrifices her life to disobey King Creon ’ s unjust edict .
In the play , her brother , Polyneices , committed treason by attacking the city of Thebes , and died in battle .
Creon decides to impose on Polyneices the ultimate punishment — to deny his soul rest in the underworld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body is left to the dogs and crows , and the death penalty is promised for anyone who dares to inter him .
Antigone confronts the king , whose power is theoretically absolute , and insists that his laws are subject to an extralegal arbiter , the laws of the gods .
… She tells Creon that she defied his decree because it ’ s “ not a law decreed by Zeus , nor by Zeus ’ daughter , Justice , who rules with the gods of the Underworld .
Nor do I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to override those unwritten and immutable laws decreed by the gods.
” “ These are laws which were decreed neither yesterday nor today but from a time when no man saw their birth ; they are eternal !
How could I be afraid to disobey laws decreed by any man when I know that I ’ d have to answer to the gods below if I had disobeyed the laws written by the gods , after I died ?
” Faith in the Next World Means Freedom in This One That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secular tyrannies .
For the most part , the only people who ’ ll face down retribution in this world endured for the sake of justice , are those who believe in eternal rewards .
And punishments .
Again , from our book : [ A ] government that sought to override the precepts of the moral law [ today ] would cite not the will of the monarch but of the majority , claiming that “ the American public demands ” and that “ only extremists and fundamentalists oppose ” a proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from expediency , from the necessity for the safety of the city to set an appalling example of a traitor ’ s ultimate fate .
In other words , Creon defends his actions in terms that would recur throughout history whenever legal regimes attempt to override the fundamental precepts of the timeless moral order .
Antigone does not enter the dispute on Creon ’ s terms .
She asserts that he simply lacks the jurisdiction to make decisions that affect a man ’ s eternal destiny .
Such choices are supra-political , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man who ruled an ancient polis .
The dead have an absolute right to burial , which no human ruler can revoke .
Nor can they revoke the right to life .
Nor to make a living , work , or pray .
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream .
He is a film producer , author , activist and human rights worker .
You can follow him @ TGCWithJason .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
Together , Jones and Zmirak wrote The Race to Save Our Century .

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is having a rough spring. First, he spent all of February and most of March minimizing the Wuhan Virus threat. Visiting Chinatown for Lunar New Year, and telling New Yorkers they had nothing to worry about. Visiting his gym a week after most were avoiding it, and hours before the city locked them all down.
Seizing Churches & Synagogues?
Then de Blasio turned on a dime into the biggest quarantine hawk in the country. Infamously, he singled out churches and synagogues (not mosques) to threaten them with seizure of their property by the city if they opened against his will. To help contain the virus, he said.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Then De Blasio offered a moveable feast for Muslims (and no one else). As Stream contributor Tim Furnish wrote:
De Blasio “announced that the city will provide free halal meals to Muslims in need during the celebration of Ramadan.” That might be as many as 500,000 meals. Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting from dawn to dusk, began April 23. That’s the same day the Mayor announced his Muhammadan meals-on-wheels policy. Halal food is that acceptable to Islamic law and dietary preferences.
De Blasio set up a city “snitch” line so people could report their neighbors for not obeying his rules. One Youtube headline sums up how New Yorkers responded: “De Blasio’s social distancing tip line flooded with penis photos, Hitler memes.”
Denouncing Jewish Funerals
Now De Blasio’s catching all kinds of flak for singling out Jews for criticism and threats. (Some orthodox and Hasidic Jews have been slow to social distance.) He tweeted recently:
My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period. — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
The response was swift and savage. It started with witty Tweets:
I’m only a little Jewish, but I’m Jewish enough to tell you you that this little goyishe shmendrik can stick his fakakta mishugas up his fat tukhus. https://t.co/zAzVjoNbE5 — Spencer A. Klavan (@SpencerKlavan) April 29, 2020
Outrage quickly escalated, culminating in a hilarious Hitler-in-the-bunker parody (don’t miss it). De Blasio issued a statement framed as an apology, but in fact he doubled down. As the Jewish News Syndicate reports:
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio apologized on Wednesday for his response to a large gathering for a Jewish funeral that took place the night before in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., where a large Satmar community resides. He did, however, defend his “tough love” stance on enforcing social-distancing orders during the coronavirus pandemic.
A Petty Tyrant in a Great City
We’re not quite sure it’s fair to compare Mayor de Blasio to Hitler. Yes, he’s a petty dictator who’s quick to attack the Jews. But he also targets Christians, and spent part of his 20s volunteering for the Marxist Sandinistas who persecuted churches. His lefty Islamophilia aside, de Blasio seems more like an equal opportunity irreligious authoritarian. And that sort of tyrant has been with us since long before the Third Reich. In fact, since before Christ walked the earth. We see such a figure in Creon, the antagonist in one of the greatest Greek tragedies, Antigone.
We included a section on that play in our book, The Race to Save Our Century. It was recently excerpted by apologetics writer Denise McCallister in her terrific new Christian resource site Romans One. In case you forgot Antigone, its central conflict turns on the same issue as de Blasio’s rant against Jews. That is, a religious funeral, which the government wants to prevent.
The Higher Law
As we wrote:
[T]he realization that positive laws must accord with (or bow to) the laws of heaven goes all the way back to the roots of Western culture — to Classical Greece. Sophocles put this awareness of a transcendent law in the mouth of Antigone, who sacrifices her life to disobey King Creon’s unjust edict. In the play, her brother, Polyneices, committed treason by attacking the city of Thebes, and died in battle. Creon decides to impose on Polyneices the ultimate punishment — to deny his soul rest in the underworld by refusing him proper burial. His body is left to the dogs and crows, and the death penalty is promised for anyone who dares to inter him. Antigone confronts the king, whose power is theoretically absolute, and insists that his laws are subject to an extralegal arbiter, the laws of the gods. … She tells Creon that she defied his decree because it’s “not a law decreed by Zeus, nor by Zeus’ daughter, Justice, who rules with the gods of the Underworld. Nor do I believe that your decrees have the power to override those unwritten and immutable laws decreed by the gods.” “These are laws which were decreed neither yesterday nor today but from a time when no man saw their birth; they are eternal! How could I be afraid to disobey laws decreed by any man when I know that I’d have to answer to the gods below if I had disobeyed the laws written by the gods, after I died?”
Faith in the Next World Means Freedom in This One
That’s the only answer, finally, to secular tyrannies. For the most part, the only people who’ll face down retribution in this world endured for the sake of justice, are those who believe in eternal rewards. And punishments. Again, from our book:
[A] government that sought to override the precepts of the moral law [today] would cite not the will of the monarch but of the majority, claiming that “the American public demands” and that “only extremists and fundamentalists oppose” a proposed course of action. Creon also argues from expediency, from the necessity for the safety of the city to set an appalling example of a traitor’s ultimate fate. In other words, Creon defends his actions in terms that would recur throughout history whenever legal regimes attempt to override the fundamental precepts of the timeless moral order. Antigone does not enter the dispute on Creon’s terms. She asserts that he simply lacks the jurisdiction to make decisions that affect a man’s eternal destiny. Such choices are supra-political, and immune to even the absolute power of the man who ruled an ancient polis. The dead have an absolute right to burial, which no human ruler can revoke.
Nor can they revoke the right to life. Nor to make a living, work, or pray.
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream. He is a film producer, author, activist and human rights worker. You can follow him @TGCWithJason.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.
Together, Jones and Zmirak wrote The Race to Save Our Century.


thestream--2020-04-30--America is Suffering Thousands of Excess Deaths. Could Fear of Hospitals Explain It?

The trouble in accurately tracking COVID-19 deaths is well-reported .
Testing shortages and lags in reporting make it hard to know what the death toll really is .
Now another mystery is revealing itself as more data becomes available : the number of excess deaths across the United States .
New analysis of federal data shows a spike in U.S. deaths throughout March and early April .
Not all are clearly related to COVID-19 .
Some postulate that we have been severely undercounting the number of COVID-19 deaths .
Others believe the excess deaths are indirect outcomes of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergencies may be avoiding ERs because they ’ re afraid of contracting the virus .
Excess deaths refer to the number of deaths above what is typical for a particular season , based on previous data .
Analysis published by the Yale School of Public Health shows that the U.S. recorded an estimated 15,400 excess deaths between the beginning of March and April 4 .
This time frame covered the early weeks of the pandemic .
At the time , the U.S. was still grappling with the initial onslaught of the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enact .
The paper , which has not been peer-reviewed , suggests uncounted COVID deaths account for some of that spike .
“ In many countries , insufficient testing is a major obstacle to understanding the scale of the pandemic , ” The Washington Post notes .
That ’ s certainly been the case here .
Testing shortages in the beginning meant that around the nation , only people displaying clear symptoms of COVID-19 , or those in the most vulnerable demographics , were being tested .
Now , testing capacity is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Dr. Anthony Fauci .
But some states are still having trouble getting the tests they need .
The excess deaths could be related to the pandemic , but not directly caused by COVID-19 .
According to news reports , health care workers have noticed decrease in the number of patients with non-virus-related illnesses .
An April 19 report in The Washington Post acknowledged a “ silent sub-epidemic of people who need care at hospitals but dare not come in.
” That includes people with dire conditions , like heart attacks .
Support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
A recent report from The Oregonian reveals a similar trend in the state .
The state ’ s data show excess deaths through mid-March and early April .
“ Fewer than half the excess deaths were officially connected to coronavirus , ” the article notes .
State data also revealed that the majority of excess deaths took place in homes .
Dr. Jennifer Vines , a public health officer in the Portland area , told the paper there was “ no reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of deaths due to COVID-19 , ” at least not in Oregon .
“ To what extent are people suffering from lack of ability to access the healthcare system ?
” wondered Dr. John Townes of Oregon Health and Science University .
A Gallup poll conducted between March 28-April 2 found 42 percent of Americans “ very concerned ” about contracting COVID-19 in a doctor ’ s office or hospital .
Contrary to experts who estimate an undercount in COVID-19 deaths , some people argue that we ’ re actually over-counting .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as COVID deaths people who died from other causes while infected with the virus .
That ’ s been a point of confusion and controversy , especially for those who fear government and public health officials are overstating the severity of the disease .
It ’ s unlikely we ’ ll know for sure the full effects of this pandemic on American health for some time .
As data collection continues , we ’ ll get a better picture of how many people died because of COVID-19 — by direct infection or domino @ @

The trouble in accurately tracking COVID-19 deaths is well-reported. Testing shortages and lags in reporting make it hard to know what the death toll really is. Now another mystery is revealing itself as more data becomes available: the number of excess deaths across the United States.
New analysis of federal data shows a spike in U.S. deaths throughout March and early April. Not all are clearly related to COVID-19. Some postulate that we have been severely undercounting the number of COVID-19 deaths. Others believe the excess deaths are indirect outcomes of the pandemic. For instance, people with health emergencies may be avoiding ERs because they’re afraid of contracting the virus.
Are We Undercounting?
Excess deaths refer to the number of deaths above what is typical for a particular season, based on previous data.
Analysis published by the Yale School of Public Health shows that the U.S. recorded an estimated 15,400 excess deaths between the beginning of March and April 4. This time frame covered the early weeks of the pandemic. At the time, the U.S. was still grappling with the initial onslaught of the virus, and states were deciding what restrictions to enact. The paper, which has not been peer-reviewed, suggests uncounted COVID deaths account for some of that spike.
“In many countries, insufficient testing is a major obstacle to understanding the scale of the pandemic,” The Washington Post notes. That’s certainly been the case here. Testing shortages in the beginning meant that around the nation, only people displaying clear symptoms of COVID-19, or those in the most vulnerable demographics, were being tested. Now, testing capacity is “headed in the right direction,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci. But some states are still having trouble getting the tests they need.
Fear a Barrier to Treatment
The excess deaths could be related to the pandemic, but not directly caused by COVID-19. According to news reports, health care workers have noticed decrease in the number of patients with non-virus-related illnesses.
An April 19 report in The Washington Post acknowledged a “silent sub-epidemic of people who need care at hospitals but dare not come in.” That includes people with dire conditions, like heart attacks.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
A recent report from The Oregonian reveals a similar trend in the state. The state’s data show excess deaths through mid-March and early April. “Fewer than half the excess deaths were officially connected to coronavirus,” the article notes. State data also revealed that the majority of excess deaths took place in homes. Dr. Jennifer Vines, a public health officer in the Portland area, told the paper there was “no reason to think we are missing large numbers of deaths due to COVID-19,” at least not in Oregon.
“To what extent are people suffering from lack of ability to access the healthcare system?” wondered Dr. John Townes of Oregon Health and Science University.
A Gallup poll conducted between March 28-April 2 found 42 percent of Americans “very concerned” about contracting COVID-19 in a doctor’s office or hospital.
A Lot is Still Unknown
Contrary to experts who estimate an undercount in COVID-19 deaths, some people argue that we’re actually over-counting. There’s evidence that hospitals are counting as COVID deaths people who died from other causes while infected with the virus. That’s been a point of confusion and controversy, especially for those who fear government and public health officials are overstating the severity of the disease.
It’s unlikely we’ll know for sure the full effects of this pandemic on American health for some time. As data collection continues, we’ll get a better picture of how many people died because of COVID-19 — by direct infection or domino effect.
Liberty McArtor, former staff writer for The Stream, is a freelance writer in the great state of Texas, where she lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with her husband and son. Follow Liberty on Twitter @LibertyMcArtor, or learn more about her at LibertyMcArtor.com.


Protecting Joe

Andrew Thomas was the fourth pick in the NFL draft .
He ’ s an offensive tackle .
Weighs in at 6 ’ 5″ , 315 pounds .
He ’ s so massive , gravity bends around him .
He pushes defensive linemen around like they were made of straw .
Yet , even Andrew Thomas won ’ t be able to protect the New York Giants quarterback nearly as well as Democratic women are protecting Joe Biden .
It is one thing when the party rallied around to prop up a man who is shell of what he once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Jill Biden to work to be this century ’ s Edith Wilson .
That ’ s cruel .
It ’ s elder abuse .
It ’ s sad .
However , it ’ s another thing when Hillary Clinton , Nancy Pelosi , and the gaggle of female politicians vying to be his VP , form a protective pocket for Biden .
This in the wake of an increasingly credible allegation of sexual assault .
When The Daily Beast can contact 10 so-called women ’ s rights groups to respond to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news outlets can repeatedly interview Biden and not even bother to ask him once about Tara Reade .
Maybe they ’ re afraid he ’ s so out of it he ’ ll think Tara Reade was a plantation in Gone With the Wind .
Or maybe they ’ re afraid he ’ ll slip up and tell the truth .
So who ’ s Tara Reade ?
Since most of the media is “ scandal distancing , ” we ’ ll tell you .
Tara Reade worked for then-Senator Joe Biden in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says she was asked to bring Biden a gym bag .
Then in a hallway Biden pinned her against a wall .
He separated her legs with his knee and violated her with his hand .
When she protested , Biden told her “ C ’ mon , man … I thought you liked me.
” She says she filed a complaint with a Senate office .
It went nowhere , and she soon found herself booted from her job .
This is a terribly serious allegation .
And for Democrats this should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so themselves .
Remember Trump ’ s Access Hollywood tape ?
It was old b-roll footage of Donald Trump in his Apprentice days talking with the show ’ s Billy Bush .
Trump crudely remarked that he was so famous he could grab a woman by her private parts and get away with it .
A vulgar remark , sure .
But he never said he did it .
Just boasted that as a famous , successful man he could get away with it .
Still the clip caused weeks outrage and calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race .
It ’ s still brought up whenever someone wants to peg Trump as a horrible , sexist ogre .
Joe Biden is credibly accused of walking Donald Trump ’ s talk .
And he ’ s getting away with it .
( For nearly 30 years . )
The same people who condemned Trump have proven Trump ’ s point .
Now does this mean Biden is guilty ?
No .
He ’ s presumed innocent .
However , Reade has corroboration .
In just the past few days , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom calling into CNN ’ s Larry King Live show in 1993 .
She spoke in vague terms about her daughter ’ s experience .
Of something happening with a prominent Senator and nothing being done about it .
The only option the daughter had left would have been to go to the media , but she had too much respect for the Senator to ruin him publicly .
When Reade did come forward 27 years later , she mentioned her mom calling Larry King .
However , CNN couldn ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I mean , it ’ s just a sexual assault allegation against the presumed Democratic nominee .
Right ?
CNN is not a news organization .
They just play one on TV .
“ Sure , ” you say , “ But that ’ s her mom .
And she ’ s not specific.
” But what if a former neighbor says Reade told her the exact story she ’ s telling now soon after the alleged assault ?
What if that neighbor is a Never Trumper who will be voting for Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reade ’ s allegation ?
Her name is Lynda LaCasse .
You can read her account here .
All told , Tara Reade should be taken very seriously , right ?
Well … If you ’ re Brett Kavanaugh , you ’ ve got to be downing a beer and wondering what planet you ’ re on .
Each day , he ’ s seeing on TV the exact same women who loudly — and obnoxiously — proclaimed him guilty of attempted rape now rushing to defend Biden or ignoring Tara Reade entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Kavanaugh hearing : All were running for president at the time .
Each is angling for the V.P .
spot now .
Add to that Stacey Abrams , Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton .
They ordered us to “ believe all women , ” despite zero evidence Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford even met .
When Ford had a political and financial interest in seeing Kavanaugh defeated .
And all the witnesses named by Ford denied ever being at such a party .
When Ford could not even remember the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there or how she got home .
And hadn ’ t told anyone about any attack for decades .
Then accused a man who had zero history of inappropriate behavior toward women .
Yet , here is a fellow Democratic female telling them the specifics of where and when she was attacked by her boss .
Who has no vested interest in Biden losing .
What she does have is proof she told people at the time what happened .
She is accusing a man with a well-documented habit of squeezing women and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pillows .
Who reportedly was such a groper , that Navy personnel stopped bringing their women to parties at the Vice Presidential Mansion .
When You ’ ve Lost The New York Times… But for Tara Reade , nothing .
The most you get from some of these women is a Biden-campaign crafted mantra : The New York Times investigated the allegations , and cleared him .
Klobuchar used the line .
So did Stacey Abrams .
Except , The New York Times never cleared Biden .
In fact , the Times just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article as exoneration .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Why have these women — and so-called women ’ s groups — left Tara Reade twisting in the wind ?
Personal Power .
Many of these women are fighting to become Biden ’ s VP nominee , knowing full well that if Biden wins , they ’ ll effectively be President by Valentine ’ s Day .
( Easter at the latest . )
They ’ ll knee Reade in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the good side of whoever is choosing Biden ’ s VP nominee .
Nine potential VP picks were asked about Reade by the Huffington Post .
Only Abrams responded , defending Biden .
“ I know Joe Biden and I think that he ’ s telling the truth , and that this did not happen.
” ( Except Biden personally hasn ’ t said a thing about it . )
Party Power .
Biden is the broken-down horse the Democratic Party decided to drag across the finish line .
If preserving or getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Sorry , lady , you ’ ve got to take one for the team .
Ask Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson .
Two accomplished , Democratic women , who accused Virginia Lt. Gov .
Justin Fairfax of sexual assault … even rape .
Why ’ s Fairfax still in office ?
Because removing him , when there were calls at the time for Virginia ’ s Klan-hood wearing governor to resign , would have put a Republican in the governor ’ s mansion .
And if two African-American women had to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political reins of Old Dominion in the hands of Democrats , so be it .
Fortunately for Tara Reade , and the American voter , the pressure is mounting .
As mentioned , the liberal Daily Beast is asking “ Why Have Women ’ s Groups Gone Dead Silent on Biden Sex-Assault Accusation ” ?
Yesterday , actress Alyssa Milano of Kavanaugh hearing evil-eye fame reversed her position on Reade .
After dismissing the allegation , Milano reached out to apologize to Reade after Reade called out her hypocrisy .
“ I hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she tweeted .
Today , CNN ’ s Chris Cillizza concluded the Biden campaign is , indeed , misrepresenting what The New York Times found .
Also today , Trump-loathing S.E .
Cupp wrote that Joe Biden needs to face the music .
“ This story likely isn ’ t going away , and pretending it isn ’ t real is just ignoring a ticking time bomb.
” When you ’ ve lost Alyssa Milano , The Daily Beast and CNN , the rush is on .
And the pocket is collapsing around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t already , please follow The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

Andrew Thomas was the fourth pick in the NFL draft. He’s an offensive tackle. Weighs in at 6’5″, 315 pounds. He’s so massive, gravity bends around him. He pushes defensive linemen around like they were made of straw. Yet, even Andrew Thomas won’t be able to protect the New York Giants quarterback nearly as well as Democratic women are protecting Joe Biden.
It is one thing when the party rallied around to prop up a man who is shell of what he once was. It’s one thing for Jill Biden to work to be this century’s Edith Wilson. That’s cruel. It’s elder abuse. It’s sad.
However, it’s another thing when Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and the gaggle of female politicians vying to be his VP, form a protective pocket for Biden. This in the wake of an increasingly credible allegation of sexual assault. When The Daily Beast can contact 10 so-called women’s rights groups to respond to the allegation and hear only crickets. When news outlets can repeatedly interview Biden and not even bother to ask him once about Tara Reade.
Maybe they’re afraid he’s so out of it he’ll think Tara Reade was a plantation in Gone With the Wind.
Or maybe they’re afraid he’ll slip up and tell the truth.
The Allegation from Tara Reade
So who’s Tara Reade? Since most of the media is “scandal distancing,” we’ll tell you.
Tara Reade worked for then-Senator Joe Biden in 1993 as a congressional aide. She says she was asked to bring Biden a gym bag. Then in a hallway Biden pinned her against a wall. He separated her legs with his knee and violated her with his hand. When she protested, Biden told her “C’mon, man … I thought you liked me.” She says she filed a complaint with a Senate office. It went nowhere, and she soon found herself booted from her job.
This is a terribly serious allegation. And for Democrats this should be exceptionally serious. They told us so themselves. Remember Trump’s Access Hollywood tape? It was old b-roll footage of Donald Trump in his Apprentice days talking with the show’s Billy Bush. Trump crudely remarked that he was so famous he could grab a woman by her private parts and get away with it. A vulgar remark, sure. But he never said he did it. Just boasted that as a famous, successful man he could get away with it. Still the clip caused weeks outrage and calls for Trump to get out of the race. It’s still brought up whenever someone wants to peg Trump as a horrible, sexist ogre.
Did Joe Walk Donald’s Talk?
Joe Biden is credibly accused of walking Donald Trump’s talk. And he’s getting away with it. (For nearly 30 years.) The same people who condemned Trump have proven Trump’s point.
Now does this mean Biden is guilty? No. He’s presumed innocent. However, Reade has corroboration.
In just the past few days, a clip was uncovered of Reade’s mom calling into CNN’s Larry King Live show in 1993. She spoke in vague terms about her daughter’s experience. Of something happening with a prominent Senator and nothing being done about it. The only option the daughter had left would have been to go to the media, but she had too much respect for the Senator to ruin him publicly.
When Reade did come forward 27 years later, she mentioned her mom calling Larry King. However, CNN couldn’t be bothered to locate their own clip. I mean, it’s just a sexual assault allegation against the presumed Democratic nominee. Right? CNN is not a news organization. They just play one on TV.
“Sure,” you say, “But that’s her mom. And she’s not specific.” But what if a former neighbor says Reade told her the exact story she’s telling now soon after the alleged assault? What if that neighbor is a Never Trumper who will be voting for Biden even though she believes every bit of Reade’s allegation? Her name is Lynda LaCasse. You can read her account here.
All told, Tara Reade should be taken very seriously, right? Well …
The Desperate Democratic Women
If you’re Brett Kavanaugh, you’ve got to be downing a beer and wondering what planet you’re on. Each day, he’s seeing on TV the exact same women who loudly — and obnoxiously — proclaimed him guilty of attempted rape now rushing to defend Biden or ignoring Tara Reade entirely. We’re talking the fixtures of the Kavanaugh hearing:
Sen. Kamela Harris.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
All were running for president at the time. Each is angling for the V.P. spot now. Add to that Stacey Abrams, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton.
Believe Some Women
They ordered us to “believe all women,” despite zero evidence Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford even met. When Ford had a political and financial interest in seeing Kavanaugh defeated. And all the witnesses named by Ford denied ever being at such a party. When Ford could not even remember the year, the location, how she got there or how she got home. And hadn’t told anyone about any attack for decades. Then accused a man who had zero history of inappropriate behavior toward women.
Yet, here is a fellow Democratic female telling them the specifics of where and when she was attacked by her boss. Who has no vested interest in Biden losing. What she does have is proof she told people at the time what happened. She is accusing a man with a well-documented habit of squeezing women and little girls like Mike Lindell does his pillows. Who reportedly was such a groper, that Navy personnel stopped bringing their women to parties at the Vice Presidential Mansion.
When You’ve Lost The New York Times…
But for Tara Reade, nothing. The most you get from some of these women is a Biden-campaign crafted mantra: The New York Times investigated the allegations, and cleared him. Klobuchar used the line. So did Stacey Abrams. Except, The New York Times never cleared Biden. In fact, the Times just scolded the Biden campaign for using its article as exoneration.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Why have these women — and so-called women’s groups — left Tara Reade twisting in the wind?
Personal Power. Many of these women are fighting to become Biden’s VP nominee, knowing full well that if Biden wins, they’ll effectively be President by Valentine’s Day. (Easter at the latest.) They’ll knee Reade in the kidneys if it means getting on the good side of whoever is choosing Biden’s VP nominee. Nine potential VP picks were asked about Reade by the Huffington Post. Only Abrams responded, defending Biden. “I know Joe Biden and I think that he’s telling the truth, and that this did not happen.” (Except Biden personally hasn’t said a thing about it.)
Party Power. Biden is the broken-down horse the Democratic Party decided to drag across the finish line. If preserving or getting power means victimizing sex assault victims again? Sorry, lady, you’ve got to take one for the team. Ask Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson. Two accomplished, Democratic women, who accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault … even rape. Why’s Fairfax still in office? Because removing him, when there were calls at the time for Virginia’s Klan-hood wearing governor to resign, would have put a Republican in the governor’s mansion. And if two African-American women had to be shoved into the mud to keep the political reins of Old Dominion in the hands of Democrats, so be it.
Is the Defense Crumbling?
Fortunately for Tara Reade, and the American voter, the pressure is mounting.
As mentioned, the liberal Daily Beast is asking “Why Have Women’s Groups Gone Dead Silent on Biden Sex-Assault Accusation”?
Yesterday, actress Alyssa Milano of Kavanaugh hearing evil-eye fame reversed her position on Reade. After dismissing the allegation, Milano reached out to apologize to Reade after Reade called out her hypocrisy. “I hear and see you, Tara,” she tweeted.
Today, CNN’s Chris Cillizza concluded the Biden campaign is, indeed, misrepresenting what The New York Times found.
Also today, Trump-loathing S.E. Cupp wrote that Joe Biden needs to face the music. “This story likely isn’t going away, and pretending it isn’t real is just ignoring a ticking time bomb.”
When you’ve lost Alyssa Milano, The Daily Beast and CNN, the rush is on. And the pocket is collapsing around Joe Biden.
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-05-01--Military Photo of the Day: Collecting a Food Donation in Italy

U.S. Navy sailors , including one of the base chaplains , pose for a photo with representatives from the Lentini @ @ @ @ @ at Naval Air Station Sigonella to collect a food donation on April 20 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ a safe and healthy weekend , everyone .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body @ @ @ @ @ .
Faith .
And No Fear .

U.S. Navy sailors, including one of the base chaplains, pose for a photo with representatives from the Lentini civil protection agency after arriving at Naval Air Station Sigonella to collect a food donation on April 20, 2020, in Italy.
Have a safe and healthy weekend, everyone.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.