thestream--2020-11-16--Democrats Are Done With Democracy, Determined to Destroy

It ’ s slick .
It ’ s savvy .
It ’ s wrong ; in fact it ’ s evil .
They ’ re doing it anyway , and it ’ ll work , if good people don ’ t stand up and stop them .
The Democrats and the media ( but I repeat myself , as Mike Huckabee says ) have gone all the way left .
They ’ re done with democracy , and bent on revolution .
Doubt me ?
The evidence is in .
I don ’ t see how anyone can deny it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Democrats insist Joe Biden won , and they ’ re resisting any review .
That says a lot already : They ’ re worried .
If they were confident of their position they ’ d be the quickest to call for proof .
I had a scam phone call once where the caller ended with , “ We ’ re going to send a lawyer over there.
” I laughed and said , “ Okay , bring it on !
” That was easy enough , because I had no doubt I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t laughing , and they ’ re not saying , “ Fine .
Bring it on.
” The message is clear enough : Either they ’ re not sure they won it fair and square , or they ’ re sure they didn ’ t .
Whichever it is , they don ’ t want it out in the open .
Biden could still lose , and they know it .
So they ’ re not at all sure Biden belongs in the White House , yet they ’ re virtually moving him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , repeating and repeating ( and repeating and repeating ) that questions about the election are “ baseless ” and “ without evidence.
” All this is precisely the opposite of what they ought to be doing and saying if they cared about democratic processes .
“ Let ’ s do this together .
Let ’ s see who really got the most legitimate votes.
” Hard to imagine them saying that , right ?
That ’ s how far the left is from caring about real votes .
They don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want election computers inspected .
They don ’ t want a democratically elected president , they want a Democrat president .
Maybe that last line was too cute .
Look again at the first half of it : They don ’ t want a democratically-elected president .
Let that sink in .
They ’ re done with democracy .
It ’ s quite an interesting study in strengths .
Trump is calling on facts , evidence , the courts , the law , and open information , to assess the reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats are depending on the power of the media , the media , and the media , along with the media ’ s agreement that Biden was really elected .
Media , media , media ; it ’ s pretty much all they ’ ve got .
No one would be so foolish as to deny its power , though .
So it ’ s strength against strength .
On the one side it ’ s the strength of facts and due process ; on the other side it ’ s the strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetoric .
Pause a moment and ask which principle you ’ d rather have governing us all .
It gets worse , though .
I suspect Democrats are hoping for a peaceful revolution , the kind where everyone just caves in .
They ’ re preparing for violence , though , if they lose ; in fact , they ’ re stoking it .
This is nothing new , of course .
They ’ ve given tacit approval to every politically-motivated riot since Trump won four years ago .
There are even rumors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuel the violence .
Who needs rumors , though ?
There ’ s plenty of open information to work with , and again , it ’ s in their messaging .
They ’ re trumpeting Biden ’ s victory , dismissing every question raised against it , and censoring information to support the reasons behind those questions .
It doesn ’ t take a bug planted in their conference rooms to know what ’ s going on here .
If and when Trump proves Biden stole the election , they ’ ve got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is stealing it instead .
So when Trump takes his oath of office again on January 20 , it won ’ t be just “ Not my president !
” as it was four years ago .
It ’ ll be , “ Not anyone ’ s president !
” And then all hell will break loose .
( I use that word soberly and advisedly . )
Remember when “ mostly peaceful protests ” was way too light a description for riots this summer ?
If Trump gets the victory , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a word for what will erupt .
I ’ m seeing real potential for revolution .
Street fighting .
Angry , violent crowds insisting that Trump be removed , even by force — because he “ stole the election.
” How ?
By legally preventing Biden from stealing it .
The fix is in , so they won ’ t see the truth .
The rebellion will arise .
These , then , are our choices : Either Biden wins “ peacefully ” while caring absolutely nothing about a legitimate election , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as the country hasn ’ t seen since 1865 .
One way democracy dies , the other way cities get destroyed , and people die .
You ’ ve got to hand it to them , in a way : They ’ ve done a great job of engineering this thing .
It ’ s slick , yes , and it ’ s savvy , too .
But it ’ s also evil beyond anything seen in America since we freed the slaves .
( And I haven ’ t even mentioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats ’ platform . )
Count on it though : It will work , at least to the extent that either Biden will be president , or there will be revolution in the streets .
This is Serious .
Gear Up .
Please !
So we must get ready .
This is going to get harder before it gets easier .
We must unite around Donald Trump .
If you think it hard to do that because of his character , think of it as uniting around democracy instead .
For all his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most qualified to lead this battle .
He ’ s taken years of cheap shots , and he ’ s kept on smiling , kept on going ; and he ’ s still at it , driving for democratic due process .
That persistent endurance of his must drive the Dems nuts .
I ’ m sure it ’ s one reason they hate him with such intense loathing .
We must unite in prayer .
Nothing but God ’ s intervention now can protect us from this full-on assault on democracy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian witness ” to support Donald Trump , think again .
He ’ s got his serious problems , but he ’ s not trying to destroy democracy , and he ’ s not stoking revolution in the streets .
Maybe you think him a bad man , but consider how much more evil the alternative is .
So stand with him .
They ’ ll hate you for it , too , of course .
Gear up for it .
I never imagined myself writing this , but this is no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a fight for American democracy .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the recently released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality , and A Christian Mind : Thoughts on Life and Truth in Jesus Christ .

It’s slick. It’s savvy. It’s wrong; in fact it’s evil. They’re doing it anyway, and it’ll work, if good people don’t stand up and stop them. The Democrats and the media (but I repeat myself, as Mike Huckabee says) have gone all the way left. They’re done with democracy, and bent on revolution.
Doubt me? The evidence is in. I don’t see how anyone can deny it.
Showing Their Vulnerability
Let’s start with this: Democrats insist Joe Biden won, and they’re resisting any review. That says a lot already: They’re worried. If they were confident of their position they’d be the quickest to call for proof.
I had a scam phone call once where the caller ended with, “We’re going to send a lawyer over there.” I laughed and said, “Okay, bring it on!” That was easy enough, because I had no doubt I was right. The Democrats aren’t laughing, and they’re not saying, “Fine. Bring it on.”
The message is clear enough: Either they’re not sure they won it fair and square, or they’re sure they didn’t. Whichever it is, they don’t want it out in the open. Biden could still lose, and they know it.
Done With Democracy
So they’re not at all sure Biden belongs in the White House, yet they’re virtually moving him anyway. The media stands fully behind them, repeating and repeating (and repeating and repeating) that questions about the election are “baseless” and “without evidence.” All this is precisely the opposite of what they ought to be doing and saying if they cared about democratic processes. “Let’s do this together. Let’s see who really got the most legitimate votes.”
They don’t want a democratically elected president, they want a Democrat president.
Hard to imagine them saying that, right? That’s how far the left is from caring about real votes. They don’t want recounts, and they don’t want election computers inspected. They don’t want a democratically elected president, they want a Democrat president.
Maybe that last line was too cute. Look again at the first half of it: They don’t want a democratically-elected president. Let that sink in. They’re done with democracy.
Due Process vs. Repeated Rhetoric
It’s quite an interesting study in strengths. Trump is calling on facts, evidence, the courts, the law, and open information, to assess the reality of Biden’s apparent election. Democrats are depending on the power of the media, the media, and the media, along with the media’s agreement that Biden was really elected. Media, media, media; it’s pretty much all they’ve got. No one would be so foolish as to deny its power, though.
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So it’s strength against strength. On the one side it’s the strength of facts and due process; on the other side it’s the strength of repetition, bias, and one-sided rhetoric. Pause a moment and ask which principle you’d rather have governing us all.
It gets worse, though. I suspect Democrats are hoping for a peaceful revolution, the kind where everyone just caves in. They’re preparing for violence, though, if they lose; in fact, they’re stoking it.
Determined to Destroy
This is nothing new, of course. They’ve given tacit approval to every politically-motivated riot since Trump won four years ago. There are even rumors that the Left is funding agitators to fuel the violence. Who needs rumors, though? There’s plenty of open information to work with, and again, it’s in their messaging. They’re trumpeting Biden’s victory, dismissing every question raised against it, and censoring information to support the reasons behind those questions.
If and when Trump proves Biden stole the election, they’ve got the whole country prepared to believe Trump is stealing it instead. So when Trump takes his oath of office again on January 20, it won’t be just “Not my president!” as it was four years ago. It’ll be, “Not anyone’s president!”
It doesn’t take a bug planted in their conference rooms to know what’s going on here. If and when Trump proves Biden stole the election, they’ve got the whole country prepared to believe Trump is stealing it instead. So when Trump takes his oath of office again on January 20, it won’t be just “Not my president!” as it was four years ago. It’ll be, “Not anyone’s president!”
And then all hell will break loose. (I use that word soberly and advisedly.) Remember when “mostly peaceful protests” was way too light a description for riots this summer? If Trump gets the victory, even “riots” may be too light a word for what will erupt. I’m seeing real potential for revolution. Street fighting. Angry, violent crowds insisting that Trump be removed, even by force — because he “stole the election.” How? By legally preventing Biden from stealing it. The fix is in, so they won’t see the truth. The rebellion will arise.
Savvy, Slick, Wrong, and Evil
These, then, are our choices: Either Biden wins “peacefully” while caring absolutely nothing about a legitimate election, or Trump wins and gets blamed for violence such as the country hasn’t seen since 1865. One way democracy dies, the other way cities get destroyed, and people die.
You’ve got to hand it to them, in a way: They’ve done a great job of engineering this thing. It’s slick, yes, and it’s savvy, too. But it’s also evil beyond anything seen in America since we freed the slaves. (And I haven’t even mentioned the many deep moral problems with the Democrats’ platform.)
Count on it though: It will work, at least to the extent that either Biden will be president, or there will be revolution in the streets.
This is Serious. Gear Up. Please!
So we must get ready. This is going to get harder before it gets easier.
We must unite around Donald Trump. If you think it hard to do that because of his character, think of it as uniting around democracy instead. For all his faults, Trump is the one person most qualified to lead this battle. He’s taken years of cheap shots, and he’s kept on smiling, kept on going; and he’s still at it, driving for democratic due process. That persistent endurance of his must drive the Dems nuts. I’m sure it’s one reason they hate him with such intense loathing.
We must unite in prayer. Nothing but God’s intervention now can protect us from this full-on assault on democracy. If you think it “harms our Christian witness” to support Donald Trump, think again. He’s got his serious problems, but he’s not trying to destroy democracy, and he’s not stoking revolution in the streets. Maybe you think him a bad man, but consider how much more evil the alternative is.
So stand with him. They’ll hate you for it, too, of course. Gear up for it. I never imagined myself writing this, but this is no longer a fight for a president. It’s a fight for American democracy.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the recently released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality, and A Christian Mind: Thoughts on Life and Truth in Jesus Christ.


thestream--2020-11-16--Moderna Announces Coronavirus Vaccine That is 94.5% Effective

The pharmaceutical company Moderna announced Monday that its coronavirus vaccine is 94.5 % effective based on preliminary results from ongoing human trials .
Though the company ’ s announcement is big step in the effort to develop effective vaccines against the virus , Moderna said that its vaccine would not be widely available until spring 2021 .
Moderna is the second pharmaceutical to report promising news regarding vaccine development , joining Pfizer , which announced Nov. 9 that its vaccine was over 90 % effective .
Ten other vaccine candidates are in their Phase III trials , and over 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a New York Times database .
The Food and Drug Administration had previously said that vaccines for COVID-19 only needed to be 50 % effective to be approved .
In the Moderna trial , only five of the 95 people who contracted the virus had received the vaccine , while the rest received placebo salt water injections .
Of the 95 infections 11 became severe , but all of those patients had received the placebo , the company said .
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use synthetic genetic coronavirus material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the harmless mRNA enters a human , the person ’ s immune system fights it , simulating what it would normally do if infected with the actual virus and developing antibodies as a result .
“ The fact that two different vaccines made by two different companies with two different kinds of structures , in a new messenger RNA concept , both worked so effectively confirms the concept once and for all that this is a viable strategy not only for Covid but for future infectious disease threats , ” said Harvard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to The New York Times .
While Moderna ’ s announcement is a promising step to ending the pandemic , distributing vaccines across the country and the world poses additional challenges .
Moderna ’ s vaccine must be stored at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit , which could pose difficult when vaccinating low-income areas in warmer climates .
The Pfizer vaccine faces similar challenges , and must be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit .
Moderna said that it would have 20 million doses ready to ship by the end of 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given the vaccine , like Pfizer ’ s , comes in two separate doses .
Both companies have partnered with Operation Warp Speed , the federal government ’ s effort to develop and distribute a vaccine nationwide free of charge , though Pfizer developed its vaccine without federal aid .
The announcement comes as virus cases continue to surge across the country .
The U.S. passed 11 million confirmed cases this weekend , and approaches 250,000 deaths from the virus , according to a Johns Hopkins University database .

The pharmaceutical company Moderna announced Monday that its coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective based on preliminary results from ongoing human trials.
Though the company’s announcement is big step in the effort to develop effective vaccines against the virus, Moderna said that its vaccine would not be widely available until spring 2021.
Moderna is the second pharmaceutical to report promising news regarding vaccine development, joining Pfizer, which announced Nov. 9 that its vaccine was over 90% effective. Ten other vaccine candidates are in their Phase III trials, and over 50 different vaccines are being developed worldwide, according to a New York Times database.
The Food and Drug Administration had previously said that vaccines for COVID-19 only needed to be 50% effective to be approved.
We just announced that mRNA-1273, our COVID-19 vaccine candidate, has met its primary efficacy endpoint in the first interim analysis of the Phase 3 COVE study.
Read more: https://t.co/vYWEy8CKCv pic.twitter.com/YuLubU1tlx — Moderna (@moderna_tx) November 16, 2020
In the Moderna trial, only five of the 95 people who contracted the virus had received the vaccine, while the rest received placebo salt water injections. Of the 95 infections 11 became severe, but all of those patients had received the placebo, the company said.
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use synthetic genetic coronavirus material, called messenger RNA or mRNA. When the harmless mRNA enters a human, the person’s immune system fights it, simulating what it would normally do if infected with the actual virus and developing antibodies as a result.
“The fact that two different vaccines made by two different companies with two different kinds of structures, in a new messenger RNA concept, both worked so effectively confirms the concept once and for all that this is a viable strategy not only for Covid but for future infectious disease threats,” said Harvard Public Health Professor Dr. Larry Bloom, according to The New York Times.
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While Moderna’s announcement is a promising step to ending the pandemic, distributing vaccines across the country and the world poses additional challenges. Moderna’s vaccine must be stored at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit, which could pose difficult when vaccinating low-income areas in warmer climates. The Pfizer vaccine faces similar challenges, and must be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit.
Moderna said that it would have 20 million doses ready to ship by the end of 2020, enough to fully vaccinate 10 million people, given the vaccine, like Pfizer’s, comes in two separate doses.
Both companies have partnered with Operation Warp Speed, the federal government’s effort to develop and distribute a vaccine nationwide free of charge, though Pfizer developed its vaccine without federal aid.
The announcement comes as virus cases continue to surge across the country. The U.S. passed 11 million confirmed cases this weekend, and approaches 250,000 deaths from the virus, according to a Johns Hopkins University database.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-11-16--Does Supporting President Trump Hurt the Gospel? Andy Stanley Says Yes. Here Is Why I Disagree.

The divide in our nation among Christians seems to be fueled primarily by misinformation and false narratives .
I believe that God is allowing these differences so we can practice Scripture and love those we disagree with , but some are taking it too far .
Andy Stanley , for example , commented that leaders who align with Trump actually hurt the Church ’ s ability to reach people outside the Church .
I ’ m assuming that Andy ’ s thought process goes something like this : “ When you support someone like Trump , you alienate people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In order to gain insight into this point of view , I recently spent time with Christians who take this position .
Though I left that meeting with a better understanding of how people feel , I was more convinced than ever of the dangers of allowing our feelings to outweigh objective truth .
We can ’ t make decisions based on the fear that something will offend ; we must make decisions based on what is right .
Is It Really Our Goal to Avoid Offending Others ?
The view that says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flawed in three ways : 1 ) When people who can support President Trump don ’ t , by default they support the opposing views .
You can ’ t have your cake and eat it too .
2 ) How can we protect the unborn , bring back God ’ s Word in many areas of society , and not legalize perversion if we remain neutral ?
We can ’ t .
3 ) The view that you can ’ t support Trump attempts to scrutinize character rather than policy .
Obviously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if a man who has decent character ( according to some ) is taking America in a very dangerous direction , do we look at his character over his policies ?
Of course not .
Ideally they should match , but in this case policy speaks louder than character .
Suppose we take this line of thinking about hurting the gospel to its logical end .
Would that also mean we shouldn ’ t speak out against abortion , because it might hurt our witness to physicians who perform them ?
Or what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — should we not mention any pro-life positions because it might offend them ?
No , it ’ s okay to speak the truth in love , and then offer hope as I did here in “ The Day I Told My Daughter about My Abortion Decision.
” Offering hope elevates the gospel .
If you ’ re walking on eggshells and gauging every word carefully so as not to offend , your speech will be spiritually impotent .
We have too many cowards , too few Spirit-filled leaders .
As Leonard Ravenhill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ puppets in our pulpits and not enough prophets.
” Would ‘ Woke ’ Christians Rebuke Jesus ?
Would these Christians tell Jesus not to call the religious leaders “ whitewashed tombs ” and “ vipers ” because it could hurt His witness to them ( Matthew 23:23 , 27 ) ?
Would they tell Jesus not to say , “ A worse thing will come upon you unless you repent , ” ( John 5:14 ) because it would turn His hearers off ?
Or would they caution Him against offending His audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t fear them who can kill the body ; fear Him who can cast both body and soul in hell ” ( Matthew 10:28 ) ?
I think we all know the answer .
In 1 Corinthians 9:22 , when Paul said , “ I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some , ” he was being culturally relevant , not truth deficient .
Our attitude shouldn ’ t offend others , but truth will .
We should be more concerned about God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I truly believe that a lack of boldness in the pulpit ( and the pew ) is the result of failing to spend sufficient time alone with God while allowing His Word to empower us .
Instead of having our spiritual guns of boldness being loaded in the prayer closet , we are turning into passive cowards , covering our lack of boldness with political spins and worldly excuses .
We must preach the difficult truths to set people free .
The church can not neglect , water down , or avoid preaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oswald Chambers reminds us that “ the words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to hurt and offend.
” The gospel hurts before it helps ; it condemns before it releases .
To remove everything that offends is to remove the very foundation of the gospel .
The goal of preaching is to faithfully proclaim the Word of God , and not worry about “ crowd appeal.
” The church as a whole may have forgotten this vital truth , but it doesn ’ t follow that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ woke ” to the things of God and “ cancel ” cowardliness .
For more , watch a short clip here on not remaining silent , and watch last week ’ s sermon , I Pour Out My Soul To You , here .
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network .
His program , Regaining Lost Ground , points us back to God and reminds us that although times change , truth does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com .
Follow Shane on these platforms : Personal YouTube , Sermons on YouTube , Instagram , Twitter , Parler , Facebook , and MeWe .

The divide in our nation among Christians seems to be fueled primarily by misinformation and false narratives. I believe that God is allowing these differences so we can practice Scripture and love those we disagree with, but some are taking it too far. Andy Stanley, for example, commented that leaders who align with Trump actually hurt the Church’s ability to reach people outside the Church.
Decisions Based on Fear
I’m assuming that Andy’s thought process goes something like this: “When you support someone like Trump, you alienate people and turn them off to the gospel.” In order to gain insight into this point of view, I recently spent time with Christians who take this position. Though I left that meeting with a better understanding of how people feel, I was more convinced than ever of the dangers of allowing our feelings to outweigh objective truth. We can’t make decisions based on the fear that something will offend; we must make decisions based on what is right.
Is It Really Our Goal to Avoid Offending Others?
The view that says supporting the President hurts our witness is flawed in three ways: 1) When people who can support President Trump don’t, by default they support the opposing views. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. 2) How can we protect the unborn, bring back God’s Word in many areas of society, and not legalize perversion if we remain neutral? We can’t. 3) The view that you can’t support Trump attempts to scrutinize character rather than policy. Obviously, character is important, but, if a man who has decent character (according to some) is taking America in a very dangerous direction, do we look at his character over his policies? Of course not. Ideally they should match, but in this case policy speaks louder than character.
Suppose we take this line of thinking about hurting the gospel to its logical end. Would that also mean we shouldn’t speak out against abortion, because it might hurt our witness to physicians who perform them? Or what about the parent who had an abortion — should we not mention any pro-life positions because it might offend them? No, it’s okay to speak the truth in love, and then offer hope as I did here in “The Day I Told My Daughter about My Abortion Decision.” Offering hope elevates the gospel.
If you’re walking on eggshells and gauging every word carefully so as not to offend, your speech will be spiritually impotent. We have too many cowards, too few Spirit-filled leaders. As Leonard Ravenhill said, “We have too many puppets in our pulpits and not enough prophets.” Would ‘Woke’ Christians Rebuke Jesus?
Follow the Biblical Example
Would these Christians tell Jesus not to call the religious leaders “whitewashed tombs”and “vipers” because it could hurt His witness to them (Matthew 23:23, 27)? Would they tell Jesus not to say, “A worse thing will come upon you unless you repent,” (John 5:14) because it would turn His hearers off? Or would they caution Him against offending His audience when He said, “Don’t fear them who can kill the body; fear Him who can cast both body and soul in hell” (Matthew 10:28)? I think we all know the answer.
In 1 Corinthians 9:22, when Paul said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some,” he was being culturally relevant, not truth deficient. Our attitude shouldn’t offend others, but truth will. We should be more concerned about God’s opinion than popular opinion. I truly believe that a lack of boldness in the pulpit (and the pew) is the result of failing to spend sufficient time alone with God while allowing His Word to empower us. Instead of having our spiritual guns of boldness being loaded in the prayer closet, we are turning into passive cowards, covering our lack of boldness with political spins and worldly excuses.
Proclaim the Word of God
We must preach the difficult truths to set people free. The church cannot neglect, water down, or avoid preaching hard things because it might offend. Oswald Chambers reminds us that “the words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to hurt and offend.” The gospel hurts before it helps; it condemns before it releases. To remove everything that offends is to remove the very foundation of the gospel.
The goal of preaching is to faithfully proclaim the Word of God, and not worry about “crowd appeal.” The church as a whole may have forgotten this vital truth, but it doesn’t follow that you and I should. We need to be “woke” to the things of God and “cancel” cowardliness.
For more, watch a short clip here on not remaining silent, and watch last week’s sermon, I Pour Out My Soul To You, here.
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network. His program, Regaining Lost Ground, points us back to God and reminds us that although times change, truth does not. His books, blogs, and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com. Follow Shane on these platforms: Personal YouTube, Sermons on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Parler, Facebook, and MeWe.


thestream--2020-11-16--Dreading Thanksgiving Discussions? Keep These Three Points in Mind for a Civil Conversation

It ’ s that time of year again .
Many of us soon will travel to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family .
As we eat our Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie , it ’ s almost unavoidable that politics will come up at the dinner table .
Someone says something controversial , another fires back , and 10 minutes later mother is removing the knives from the table so no one gets hurt .
If this story sounds familiar to you , you are not alone .
Many Americans today are apprehensive about having political conversations , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more valuable — civil dialogue .
If such dialogue is feared or even discouraged , it makes it harder for us to find helpful solutions .
As a teenager and debate coach , I ’ ve seen firsthand how quickly a civil debate can lead to a shouting match .
Here are my three reasons for why so many people seem unable to have civil discussions about some of the most important issues : 1 .
We Put Our Identity in Politics With religion steadily declining in America , people are finding new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are or what you believe , you put your faith in something .
If you don ’ t know what you put your faith in , ask yourself these questions : • What do you do in your free time ?
• What brings you the most satisfaction ?
• What is your purpose in life ?
What you put your faith in becomes your purpose , your meaning .
Many today have placed faith in their politics , their preferred policies , and their version of a utopia .
Political leanings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identity that stems from the belief that politics is the best way available to make the world a better place .
This can lead to people thinking that if everyone just listened to them , then the world ’ s problems would be solved .
People with opposing opinions are enemies to be attacked personally .
Our responses can lack empathy or compassion .
As a debate coach , I teach my students that debate is not a matter of being right but of understanding and refuting the opponent .
To persuade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persuade .
Any beneficial political debate must start with both sides admitting they don ’ t know everything and they can be wrong .
Without this , the conversation will begin with statements of belief but end with a competition to see who can throw out the most insults .
For people who place their faith in political ideologies , to admit they are wrong is to fundamentally destroy who they are .
So they resist hearing different beliefs that might threaten their identity .
All others must be “ canceled.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which if a person or business expresses an unapproved opinion , others feel a moral obligation to destroy the person or business .
This in turn has led to the coining of two other closely related terms—microaggressions and hate speech .
Microaggressions are words and phrases that aren ’ t violent but are deemed offensive .
Offensive speech is viewed as “ verbal violence , ” a concept that originated from identity politics .
It leads to attacks on First Amendment rights by those who seek to punish speech that hurts the identity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was hurt and how much .
Hate speech is when the cancel culture declares certain words and phrases so offensive that they should not be protected by the First Amendment .
“ Hate speech is not free speech , ” they say , although no court has so held .
But colleges have made rules against certain phrases and punished violators by excluding them from campus .
3 .
We Fail to Think Deeply About Our Own Beliefs In the past , philosophers and political leaders could explain their logic and worldviews in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is sorely lacking in modern America .
Americans who place their identity in politics fear thinking deeply because they might be wrong .
And if they are wrong , they are destroyed .
They respond by following news sources that confirm or at least avoid offending their beliefs .
Often , two people discussing from different perspectives often don ’ t even acknowledge the same sets of facts .
Without the ability to agree on some truths and look deeply for others , they struggle to have productive discussions .
They become so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear that they don ’ t respond well when someone counters their beliefs .
Failure to have fruitful dialogues often can be traced to the statement “ I know best.
” When Americans put their faith in politics , they can become entitled and think they know best .
To make your political discussions more beneficial , start with a recognition that you don ’ t know everything .
Be ready to listen and ask questions .
A more civil political climate doesn ’ t start with the politicians or the other party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When we put our faith in politics , it causes us to shut down opponents rather than hear them out .
It substitutes feeling for thinking .
The change for this must come from within all of us .
If we can focus on listening , asking questions , and being civil , we no longer have to fear Thanksgiving dinner .
Seth Griffin is a high school student and debate coach from Indiana and a Heritage Foundation Academy Fellow .

It’s that time of year again.
Many of us soon will travel to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family. As we eat our Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie, it’s almost unavoidable that politics will come up at the dinner table. Someone says something controversial, another fires back, and 10 minutes later mother is removing the knives from the table so no one gets hurt.
If this story sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. Many Americans today are apprehensive about having political conversations, which has led to the loss of something far more valuable — civil dialogue.
If such dialogue is feared or even discouraged, it makes it harder for us to find helpful solutions. As a teenager and debate coach, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly a civil debate can lead to a shouting match.
Here are my three reasons for why so many people seem unable to have civil discussions about some of the most important issues:
1. We Put Our Identity in Politics
With religion steadily declining in America, people are finding new things to trust. No matter who you are or what you believe, you put your faith in something.
If you don’t know what you put your faith in, ask yourself these questions:
• What do you do in your free time?
• What brings you the most satisfaction?
• What is your purpose in life?
What you put your faith in becomes your purpose, your meaning. Many today have placed faith in their politics, their preferred policies, and their version of a utopia. Political leanings are no longer opinions, but an identity that stems from the belief that politics is the best way available to make the world a better place.
This can lead to people thinking that if everyone just listened to them, then the world’s problems would be solved. People with opposing opinions are enemies to be attacked personally. Our responses can lack empathy or compassion. As a debate coach, I teach my students that debate is not a matter of being right but of understanding and refuting the opponent. To persuade, you must understand those you seek to persuade.
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Any beneficial political debate must start with both sides admitting they don’t know everything and they can be wrong. Without this, the conversation will begin with statements of belief but end with a competition to see who can throw out the most insults.
2. Cancel Culture Cancels Productive Conversations
For people who place their faith in political ideologies, to admit they are wrong is to fundamentally destroy who they are. So they resist hearing different beliefs that might threaten their identity. All others must be “canceled.”
This has led to cancel culture, in which if a person or business expresses an unapproved opinion, others feel a moral obligation to destroy the person or business.
This in turn has led to the coining of two other closely related terms—microaggressions and hate speech.
Microaggressions are words and phrases that aren’t violent but are deemed offensive. Offensive speech is viewed as “verbal violence,” a concept that originated from identity politics. It leads to attacks on First Amendment rights by those who seek to punish speech that hurts the identity of others. And they decide who was hurt and how much.
Hate speech is when the cancel culture declares certain words and phrases so offensive that they should not be protected by the First Amendment. “Hate speech is not free speech,” they say, although no court has so held. But colleges have made rules against certain phrases and punished violators by excluding them from campus.
3. We Fail to Think Deeply About Our Own Beliefs
In the past, philosophers and political leaders could explain their logic and worldviews in ways commoners could understand. This skill is sorely lacking in modern America.
Americans who place their identity in politics fear thinking deeply because they might be wrong. And if they are wrong, they are destroyed. They respond by following news sources that confirm or at least avoid offending their beliefs.
Often, two people discussing from different perspectives often don’t even acknowledge the same sets of facts. Without the ability to agree on some truths and look deeply for others, they struggle to have productive discussions. They become so used to hearing what they want to hear that they don’t respond well when someone counters their beliefs.
Failure to have fruitful dialogues often can be traced to the statement “I know best.” When Americans put their faith in politics, they can become entitled and think they know best.
To make your political discussions more beneficial, start with a recognition that you don’t know everything. Be ready to listen and ask questions. A more civil political climate doesn’t start with the politicians or the other party. It starts with all of us.
When we put our faith in politics, it causes us to shut down opponents rather than hear them out. It substitutes feeling for thinking. The change for this must come from within all of us. If we can focus on listening, asking questions, and being civil, we no longer have to fear Thanksgiving dinner.
Seth Griffin is a high school student and debate coach from Indiana and a Heritage Foundation Academy Fellow.


thestream--2020-11-16--Military Photo of the Day: Raptor Over the Sunshine State

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor flies during the Lockheed Martin Space and Air Show in Sanford , Florida , @ @ @ @ @ .

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor flies during the Lockheed Martin Space and Air Show in Sanford, Florida, on November 1, 2020.
Have a safe week, everyone!
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thestream--2020-11-17--‘Targeting Orthodox Practices’: Orthodox Jews Ask SCOTUS to Block Cuomo’s COVID Restrictions

A group of Orthodox Jewish organizations filed an emergency request Monday asking the United States Supreme Court to block Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s coronavirus restrictions .
The Jewish organizations asked the court for relief from Cuomo ’ s executive order by Friday at 3 p.m. , according to the Monday injunction request , which accuses Cuomo of having a “ ‘ discriminatory object ’ of targeting Orthodox practices.
” Represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty , the Jewish organizations ask the Supreme Court to consider whether Cuomo ’ s executive order violates the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worship ” and “ when the official who issued it made clear through unambiguous statements that the order was targeted at a religious minority ’ s practices and traditions.
” “ The Governor made overwhelmingly clear that his Cluster Initiative was designed to target a particular religious minority that he falsely blames for the spread of COVID-19 — Orthodox Jews , ” the request said , referring to Cuomo ’ s early October statement to the Orthodox community : “ If you ’ re not willing to live with these rules , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ synagogues.
” “ The Governor did not attack religious belief generally , but singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution for an uptick in a society-wide pandemic , ” the injunction request said .
“ He threatened ‘ members of the ultra-Orthodox community ’ and referred to them as a ‘ problem , ’ due to his own perceptions of the community.
” New York ’ s current coronavirus restrictions are particularly severe in Brooklyn , according to the New York Times .
The restrictions prohibit more than 10 persons gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regions where the state has identified coronavirus risk to be the highest .
The restrictions also mandate that only 25 people or less may congregate in houses of worship in orange zones — even if the church is large enough to seat over 1,000 people .
“ Governor Cuomo says that his Cluster Initiative is designed to lessen fears of COVID in New York by targeting Orthodox Jews , ” said Eric Rassbach , VP and senior counsel at Becket , in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our Constitution does not allow .
The Supreme Court should step in right away and stop the scapegoating of Jews.
” The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn also filed an emergency application against this same executive order Thursday , writing that Cuomo ’ s order “ expressly singles out ‘ houses of worship ’ by that name for adverse treatment relative to secular businesses , and does so in a way that is not narrowly tailored to any compelling government interest , in direct violation of the First Amendment ’ s Free Exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the steps we ’ ve taken be ignored , and to face the prospect of indefinite unreasonable restrictions placed upon our churches is just not fair !
” Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan wrote in early October blog post .
“ Why are churches being singled out ?
Why especially are those houses of worship that have been exemplary , strict and successful in heeding all warnings , being shut down again ?
”

A group of Orthodox Jewish organizations filed an emergency request Monday asking the United States Supreme Court to block Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus restrictions.
The Jewish organizations asked the court for relief from Cuomo’s executive order by Friday at 3 p.m., according to the Monday injunction request, which accuses Cuomo of having a “‘discriminatory object’ of targeting Orthodox practices.”
Represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the Jewish organizations ask the Supreme Court to consider whether Cuomo’s executive order violates the Free Exercise Clause when it “disfavors worship” and “when the official who issued it made clear through unambiguous statements that the order was targeted at a religious minority’s practices and traditions.”
“The Governor made overwhelmingly clear that his Cluster Initiative was designed to target a particular religious minority that he falsely blames for the spread of COVID-19 — Orthodox Jews,” the request said, referring to Cuomo’s early October statement to the Orthodox community: “If you’re not willing to live with these rules, then I’m going to close the synagogues.”
“The Governor did not attack religious belief generally, but singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution for an uptick in a society-wide pandemic,” the injunction request said. “He threatened ‘members of the ultra-Orthodox community’ and referred to them as a ‘problem,’ due to his own perceptions of the community.”
New York’s current coronavirus restrictions are particularly severe in Brooklyn, according to the New York Times. The restrictions prohibit more than 10 persons gathering in houses of worship in red zones, regions where the state has identified coronavirus risk to be the highest.
The restrictions also mandate that only 25 people or less may congregate in houses of worship in orange zones — even if the church is large enough to seat over 1,000 people.
“Governor Cuomo says that his Cluster Initiative is designed to lessen fears of COVID in New York by targeting Orthodox Jews,” said Eric Rassbach, VP and senior counsel at Becket, in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “But ‘targeting’ minorities is something our Constitution does not allow. The Supreme Court should step in right away and stop the scapegoating of Jews.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn also filed an emergency application against this same executive order Thursday, writing that Cuomo’s order “expressly singles out ‘houses of worship’ by that name for adverse treatment relative to secular businesses, and does so in a way that is not narrowly tailored to any compelling government interest, in direct violation of the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause.”
“To have all of the steps we’ve taken be ignored, and to face the prospect of indefinite unreasonable restrictions placed upon our churches is just not fair!” Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan wrote in early October blog post. “Why are churches being singled out? Why especially are those houses of worship that have been exemplary, strict and successful in heeding all warnings, being shut down again?”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-11-17--Durham, Release Your Findings — Trump is President

Question : Since when is Biden the President ?
Trump has not conceded , and with the serious legal challenges to the highly suspicious vote in Philadelphia and Detroit — to name just two cities — and the questions surrounding the voting software used in those cities , plus the odd counting shutdown on election night , we don ’ t even know that Biden will be President-elect , regardless of what the media ( and Biden ) assume .
It may take weeks , perhaps even a decision by the Supreme Court about late ballots in Pennsylvania , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t meet until December 14 .
After listening to Democrats call Trump “ illegitimate ” for four years , with no evidence ever found of Russian “ collusion , ” he ’ s right to take steps to ensure the 2020 vote was on the up-and-up .
Also , recall that Biden pledged not to claim victory until the vote was certified .
Still , Sean Davis of The Federalist tweeted Sunday : “ A source familiar with Durham ’ s ongoing investigation of the bogus Russian collusion operation tells [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t doing anything .
Dropping his investigations .
He ’ s worried about blowback from Biden .
What an absolute disgrace.
” And it is indeed a disgrace , if it ’ s true .
We all assumed that if Biden became President , the various investigations into how the FBI and others in the Obama administration lied and violated people ’ s rights to tie Trump with Russia would be shut down .
Because , of course they would be .
But as of now , the vote count isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officially declared the winner — let alone inaugurated .
Durham is already “ worried about blowback ” ?
No matter what happens , Trump is still the President ( sorry , Facebook ! )
until January 20 .
If Davis ’ source is correct , Durham might also want to think about the “ blowback ” if it turns out that Trump wins a second term .
It could still happen .
It Appears The Swamp Has Won As Victoria Taft reports for PJ MEDIA , even The New York Times a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fizzled .
Her attitude about this development very much mirrors mine .
I just don ’ t know what ’ s going to happen on the right if this turns out to be true and no one is held accountable .
For a long time , we assumed Durham would be the one to get to the bottom of Crossfire Hurricane .
We ’ ve been reporting on the “ Russia ” travesty for Trump ’ s entire time in office .
With so much evidence , how could it turn out otherwise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed .
We finally realized that nothing would be released before the election .
( Gosh , we wouldn ’ t want to “ politicize ” the investigation by giving voters the truth , would we ? )
Still , we thought Durham was close to wrapping things up and would issue indictments , or at least a report , soon .
Comey , McCabe , Brennan and others might actually pay a price for weaponizing the FBI and CIA against Trump .
Importantly , Davis said Durham has enough evidence to file @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on it .
He also tweeted this : “ A separate source who has seen the evidence compiled during the course of Durham ’ s investigation told [ The Federalist ] this afternoon that ‘ there ’ s more than enough evidence to indict multiple ’ involved in the Russian collusion hoax operation to take down Trump.
” Right now , it appears the swamp has won .
“ A possible Joe Biden administration is just a green light to return to the way things always were , ” writes Bonchie at RedState.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst aspects of Trump losing this election , if he does indeed lose it after the electors vote in December.
” To make it even more perplexing , we ’ re seeing this at the same time Trump attorney Sidney Powell is insisting that they ’ re “ getting ready to overturn election results in multiple states.
” She said this quite confidently on Sunday Morning Futures , to host Maria Bartiromo .
Most of what Powell said involved Dominion Voting Systems , makers of the voting machines used in Philadelphia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the software from Smartmatic .
If she ’ s correct — and she has a reputation for saying things she can prove — it ’ s simple to change the tally .
“ We ’ ve identified mathematically the exact algorithm they ’ ve used , ” she said , “ and planned to use from the beginning.
” “ They can stick a thumb drive in the machine , they can upload software into it even from the internet … from Germany or Venezuela even , ” she said .
Operators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time ” and “ can shift votes in real time , ” or alleged bad actors can “ remote-access anything.
” We ’ ve previously reported on Dominion Voting Systems , their fishy background and problems with security that are built right in .
Texas found numerous problems with them and turned them down for elections in their state — three times .
The voting pattern for the country is extremely strange .
How would the House flip 11 seats from Democrat to Republican , and Republicans be positioned to keep the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did Biden really receive more votes than any other presidential candidate in American history , including Barack Obama in 2008 ?
Really ?
Dominion denies its machines were compromised , dismissing those allegations as — here ’ s that word — “ misinformation.
” But Powell says you can look in the operating manual and see how this set-up can be made to do anything you want .
No matter how suspicious this looks , the problem is proving it .
But Powell says she can .
When asked for the specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that it would be foolish to come out and say on national TV what it is .
Finally , we love this from legal expert Jonathan Turley : his comment on the lightning speed with which President Trump is being told to set aside his legal challenges .
And this insistence is coming from … other lawyers .
“ The media and legal analysts have declared no evidence of voter fraud to change the outcome , ” he says .
“ The problem was that we had not even seen the evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post columnist Randall Eliason , who came up with strategies for impeaching Trump that were so outlandish , they weren ’ t even used by the House Judiciary Committee .
Eliason wrote that going after other attorneys who were defending Trump is “ fair game.
” Anti-Trump groups such as the Lincoln Project targeted those firms and tried to force lawyers to abandon Trump as their client .
It got so bad , Twitter even blocked one of their tweets , not for targeting Trump ( they ’ re fine with that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Turley tried to talk to colleagues about just the possibility that voting software or systems might be vulnerable to human error — even allowing he ’ d seen no evidence of systemic problems — he was rejected outright .
Heretic !
Turley hadn ’ t even alleged fraud , he says , but law professor Paul Campos likened him to a Holocaust denier ( ! )
and called for him to be fired .
“ The courts are supposed to be where reason transcends the rage outside , ” Turley says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in the courts , with lawyers and judges , and it needs to be decided by reason , not rage .
It ’ s the same with investigations .
If Durham has the goods , he needs to present them , with no concern about “ blowback.
” If he won ’ t , Trump should declassify everything that doesn ’ t damage national security .
Win or lose , let the blowback begin .
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

Question: Since when is Biden the President?
Donald Trump is President
Trump has not conceded, and with the serious legal challenges to the highly suspicious vote in Philadelphia and Detroit — to name just two cities — and the questions surrounding the voting software used in those cities, plus the odd counting shutdown on election night, we don’t even know that Biden will be President-elect, regardless of what the media (and Biden) assume.
It may take weeks, perhaps even a decision by the Supreme Court about late ballots in Pennsylvania, if they’ll hear it.
Electors don’t meet until December 14. After listening to Democrats call Trump “illegitimate” for four years, with no evidence ever found of Russian “collusion,” he’s right to take steps to ensure the 2020 vote was on the up-and-up.
Also, recall that Biden pledged not to claim victory until the vote was certified.
Durham “Worried About Blowback”?
Still, Sean Davis of The Federalist tweeted Sunday: “A source familiar with Durham’s ongoing investigation of the bogus Russian collusion operation tells [The Federalist]: Durham isn’t doing anything. Dropping his investigations. He’s worried about blowback from Biden. What an absolute disgrace.”
And it is indeed a disgrace, if it’s true. We all assumed that if Biden became President, the various investigations into how the FBI and others in the Obama administration lied and violated people’s rights to tie Trump with Russia would be shut down. Because, of course they would be.
If Durham has the goods, he needs to present them, with no concern about “blowback.”
But as of now, the vote count isn’t even certified and Biden has not been officially declared the winner — let alone inaugurated. Durham is already “worried about blowback”? No matter what happens, Trump is still the President (sorry, Facebook!) until January 20.
If Davis’ source is correct, Durham might also want to think about the “blowback” if it turns out that Trump wins a second term. It could still happen.
It Appears The Swamp Has Won
As Victoria Taft reports for PJ MEDIA, even The New York Times a month ago reported that “Spygate” had fizzled. Her attitude about this development very much mirrors mine.
I just don’t know what’s going to happen on the right if this turns out to be true and no one is held accountable. For a long time, we assumed Durham would be the one to get to the bottom of Crossfire Hurricane. We’ve been reporting on the “Russia” travesty for Trump’s entire time in office. With so much evidence, how could it turn out otherwise?
But then time passed … and passed. We finally realized that nothing would be released before the election. (Gosh, we wouldn’t want to “politicize” the investigation by giving voters the truth, would we?) Still, we thought Durham was close to wrapping things up and would issue indictments, or at least a report, soon. Comey, McCabe, Brennan and others might actually pay a price for weaponizing the FBI and CIA against Trump.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Importantly, Davis said Durham has enough evidence to file charges but has apparently just been sitting on it. He also tweeted this: “A separate source who has seen the evidence compiled during the course of Durham’s investigation told [The Federalist] this afternoon that ‘there’s more than enough evidence to indict multiple’ involved in the Russian collusion hoax operation to take down Trump.”
Right now, it appears the swamp has won. “A possible Joe Biden administration is just a green light to return to the way things always were,” writes Bonchie at RedState.com. “It’s one of the worst aspects of Trump losing this election, if he does indeed lose it after the electors vote in December.”
Investigation of Voting System Vulnerabilities
To make it even more perplexing, we’re seeing this at the same time Trump attorney Sidney Powell is insisting that they’re “getting ready to overturn election results in multiple states.” She said this quite confidently on Sunday Morning Futures, to host Maria Bartiromo.
Most of what Powell said involved Dominion Voting Systems, makers of the voting machines used in Philadelphia, Detroit, and other at-issue cities, and the software from Smartmatic. If she’s correct — and she has a reputation for saying things she can prove — it’s simple to change the tally. “We’ve identified mathematically the exact algorithm they’ve used,” she said, “and planned to use from the beginning.”
“They can stick a thumb drive in the machine, they can upload software into it even from the internet … from Germany or Venezuela even,” she said. Operators, “can watch votes in real time” and “can shift votes in real time,” or alleged bad actors can “remote-access anything.”
We’ve previously reported on Dominion Voting Systems, their fishy background and problems with security that are built right in. Texas found numerous problems with them and turned them down for elections in their state — three times.
The voting pattern for the country is extremely strange. How would the House flip 11 seats from Democrat to Republican, and Republicans be positioned to keep the Senate, when Trump seemingly lagged? Also, did Biden really receive more votes than any other presidential candidate in American history, including Barack Obama in 2008? Really?
Dominion denies its machines were compromised, dismissing those allegations as — here’s that word — “misinformation.” But Powell says you can look in the operating manual and see how this set-up can be made to do anything you want.
No matter how suspicious this looks, the problem is proving it. But Powell says she can. When asked for the specific proof, she said she has it but that it would be foolish to come out and say on national TV what it is.
Will Reason Transcend Rage?
Finally, we love this from legal expert Jonathan Turley: his comment on the lightning speed with which President Trump is being told to set aside his legal challenges. And this insistence is coming from … other lawyers.
“The media and legal analysts have declared no evidence of voter fraud to change the outcome,” he says. “The problem was that we had not even seen the evidence from the Trump campaign.”
He cites Washington Post columnist Randall Eliason, who came up with strategies for impeaching Trump that were so outlandish, they weren’t even used by the House Judiciary Committee. Eliason wrote that going after other attorneys who were defending Trump is “fair game.” Anti-Trump groups such as the Lincoln Project targeted those firms and tried to force lawyers to abandon Trump as their client. It got so bad, Twitter even blocked one of their tweets, not for targeting Trump (they’re fine with that) but for targeting other attorneys.
When Turley tried to talk to colleagues about just the possibility that voting software or systems might be vulnerable to human error — even allowing he’d seen no evidence of systemic problems — he was rejected outright. Heretic! Turley hadn’t even alleged fraud, he says, but law professor Paul Campos likened him to a Holocaust denier (!) and called for him to be fired.
“The courts are supposed to be where reason transcends the rage outside,” Turley says. Trump’s case will likely wind up in the courts, with lawyers and judges, and it needs to be decided by reason, not rage. It’s the same with investigations. If Durham has the goods, he needs to present them, with no concern about “blowback.”
If he won’t, Trump should declassify everything that doesn’t damage national security. Win or lose, let the blowback begin.
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--2020-11-17--Contesting Election Results in Court Isn’t the End of Democracy. Quite the Opposite.

Is a disputed presidential election the end of democracy as we know it ?
That ’ s what many pundits and members of the legacy media are claiming as President Donald Trump has challenged election results in a number of states — both legally and rhetorically .
It seems that much of the media hivemind now insists that voter fraud never happens , that it ’ s equally impossible for an election to be stolen or tainted in any way , and that going a few weeks with two rival candidates both declaring victory ( including one they really don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnessing the end of America as a free country .
It ’ s amazing that this is the case after countless Democrats , including Hillary Clinton , insisted that Trump colluded with Russians to steal the 2016 election , a story that most major media outlets ran with for years without providing any hard evidence .
It ’ s also amusing to see so many in the media praising former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams for her work to flip the Peach State into the Democrat column in 2020 .
Abrams lost the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brian Kemp , a Republican , in a race Kemp won by almost 55,000 votes .
Abrams insists that voter suppression is the only reason Republicans came out ahead and never conceded defeat .
Yet she has received , literally , glowing profiles in The Washington Post and countless other media outlets .
Whatever the results of Trump ’ s legal challenges , the situation hardly portends a slip into dictatorship .
Truth be told , these sorts of electoral disputes aren ’ t even uncommon in our history .
Americans have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stood the test of time .
And it has been tested .
Not every election has been entirely free and fair , and they certainly haven ’ t all gone smoothly .
As my colleague , Fred Lucas , the author of Tainted by Suspicion : The Secret Deals and Electoral Chaos of Disputed Presidential Elections , wrote for The Daily Signal , there have been at least five highly contested presidential elections .
The 1876 election between Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was perhaps the most dramatic example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election was incredibly high , a U.S. record of 82 % of eligible voters .
But there was widespread , often violent suppression of black voters — who then were largely Republicans — in the South , and ballot stuffing was common throughout the country .
Tilden ’ s supporters literally called for blood if their candidate was not installed in the White House .
Neither candidate conceded defeat until just before Inauguration Day , which at the time was in early March .
So , the country spent over four months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The mess was only “ resolved ” by a last-minute , so-called “ corrupt bargain ” between Democrats and Republicans that handed Hayes the presidency in exchange for ending Reconstruction in the South .
That may seem like ancient news , from a far-off and alien time , but one doesn ’ t really have to dig that deep into political history to find examples of contested elections and candidates refusing to concede .
The 1960 election was a narrow race between Sen. John F. Kennedy , D-Mass.
, and Vice President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with accusations that Democratic political machines — in Chicago , in particular — manufactured votes for Kennedy .
Hundreds of election officials in Illinois were indicted , but only a handful were convicted in 1962 , after admitting to witness tampering in Chicago ’ s 28th Ward .
Nixon did in fact organize to challenge the election results in Illinois and a number of other states , but ultimately decided to concede for the sake of the country and his political career .
Nixon was a young man and had every intention of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did in 1968 , winning a three-way race .
It took then-Vice President Al Gore more than five weeks to acknowledge defeat in the 2000 election to then-Texas Gov .
George W. Bush , decided by just 537 votes in Florida .
That was after more than a month of legal battles , recounts , and the famed Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case that ultimately delivered the election to Bush .
Gore hardly went away without a fight , calling for selective recounts in heavily Democratic Florida counties while attempting to block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When all avenues for victory had been closed , Gore finally called it quits on Dec. 13 , 2000 — over a month after the Nov. 7 election .
Many Democrats around the country refused to accept that Bush had been legitimately elected — or re-elected in 2004 .
What we are seeing here in 2020 is hardly unique , nor does it signal the end of democracy .
To the contrary , this is democracy in action , in all its messiness .
The way to quell electoral disputes is not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hotly contested races , but to ensure that our voting system is safe and secure , and that it ’ s designed to minimize impropriety , fraud , and unintentional errors that could throw elections into dispute .
Maybe elected officials should take that more seriously in 2022 and beyond .
Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The Right Side of History podcast .
Send an email to Jarrett .
He is also the author of the new book , The War on History : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Is a disputed presidential election the end of democracy as we know it?
That’s what many pundits and members of the legacy media are claiming as President Donald Trump has challenged election results in a number of states — both legally and rhetorically.
It seems that much of the media hivemind now insists that voter fraud never happens, that it’s equally impossible for an election to be stolen or tainted in any way, and that going a few weeks with two rival candidates both declaring victory (including one they really don’t like) means we are witnessing the end of America as a free country.
It’s amazing that this is the case after countless Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, insisted that Trump colluded with Russians to steal the 2016 election, a story that most major media outlets ran with for years without providing any hard evidence.
It’s also amusing to see so many in the media praising former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams for her work to flip the Peach State into the Democrat column in 2020.
Abrams lost the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election to Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, in a race Kemp won by almost 55,000 votes.
Abrams insists that voter suppression is the only reason Republicans came out ahead and never conceded defeat. Yet she has received, literally, glowing profiles in The Washington Post and countless other media outlets.
Whatever the results of Trump’s legal challenges, the situation hardly portends a slip into dictatorship.
Truth be told, these sorts of electoral disputes aren’t even uncommon in our history.
Americans have been blessed with a marvelous political system that has stood the test of time. And it has been tested. Not every election has been entirely free and fair, and they certainly haven’t all gone smoothly.
As my colleague, Fred Lucas, the author of Tainted by Suspicion: The Secret Deals and Electoral Chaos of Disputed Presidential Elections, wrote for The Daily Signal, there have been at least five highly contested presidential elections.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The 1876 election between Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was perhaps the most dramatic example.
Much like 2020, turnout for the election was incredibly high, a U.S. record of 82% of eligible voters. But there was widespread, often violent suppression of black voters — who then were largely Republicans — in the South, and ballot stuffing was common throughout the country.
Tilden’s supporters literally called for blood if their candidate was not installed in the White House.
Neither candidate conceded defeat until just before Inauguration Day, which at the time was in early March. So, the country spent over four months without knowing who the president would be.
The mess was only “resolved” by a last-minute, so-called “corrupt bargain” between Democrats and Republicans that handed Hayes the presidency in exchange for ending Reconstruction in the South.
That may seem like ancient news, from a far-off and alien time, but one doesn’t really have to dig that deep into political history to find examples of contested elections and candidates refusing to concede.
The 1960 election was a narrow race between Sen. John F. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Vice President Richard Nixon, and it was rife with accusations that Democratic political machines — in Chicago, in particular — manufactured votes for Kennedy.
Hundreds of election officials in Illinois were indicted, but only a handful were convicted in 1962, after admitting to witness tampering in Chicago’s 28th Ward.
Nixon did in fact organize to challenge the election results in Illinois and a number of other states, but ultimately decided to concede for the sake of the country and his political career. Nixon was a young man and had every intention of running for president again — which he did in 1968, winning a three-way race.
It took then-Vice President Al Gore more than five weeks to acknowledge defeat in the 2000 election to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, decided by just 537 votes in Florida. That was after more than a month of legal battles, recounts, and the famed Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case that ultimately delivered the election to Bush.
Gore hardly went away without a fight, calling for selective recounts in heavily Democratic Florida counties while attempting to block the inclusion of military absentee ballots.
When all avenues for victory had been closed, Gore finally called it quits on Dec. 13, 2000 — over a month after the Nov. 7 election.
Many Democrats around the country refused to accept that Bush had been legitimately elected — or re-elected in 2004.
What we are seeing here in 2020 is hardly unique, nor does it signal the end of democracy. To the contrary, this is democracy in action, in all its messiness.
The way to quell electoral disputes is not to simply expect politicians to immediately concede close and hotly contested races, but to ensure that our voting system is safe and secure, and that it’s designed to minimize impropriety, fraud, and unintentional errors that could throw elections into dispute.
Maybe elected officials should take that more seriously in 2022 and beyond.
Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The Right Side of History podcast. Send an email to Jarrett. He is also the author of the new book, The War on History: The Conspiracy to Rewrite America’s Past.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-11-17--Military Photo of the Day: Boom!

Military Photo of the Day: Boom!

U.S. National Guardsmen detonate a demolition charge as part of a training exercise in the nation of Georgia on September @ @ @ @ @ you to Sgt .
1st Class R.J. Lannom for capturing this remarkable image .

U.S. National Guardsmen detonate a demolition charge as part of a training exercise in the nation of Georgia on September 14, 2020.
Thank you to Sgt. 1st Class R.J. Lannom for capturing this remarkable image.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-11-17--Chris Nikic (Who Has Down Syndrome) Completes Ironman

This past weekend in Florida , 21-year-old Chris Nikic completed one of the most challenging feats in all of sports .
The Ironman triathlon is a 2.4 mile swim , followed by a 112-mile bicycle ride , topped off by a full marathon , a 26.2 mile run .
At one point , Nikic fell off his bike .
During a nutrition stop , he was attacked by ants .
Still , he completed the race in 16 hours 46 minutes and 9 seconds , 14 minutes under cutoff time .
Oh , and Chris is the first athlete with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nikic now joins the annals of others with intellectual disabilities doing the improbable .
In 2006 , Jason McElwain sank six three-pointers in the last four minutes of a New York district basketball championship game .
McElwain has autism .
Then there is Tim Harris , who with his parents help , opened a restaurant in New Mexico named “ Tim ’ s Place , ” known for its “ breakfast , lunch , and hugs.
” My family visited Tim ’ s place in 2013 , where we got lunch and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hug counter in the restaurant already topped 1 million .
The restaurant closed a few years ago when Tim and his family moved , but he still has an impressive social media following and has written articles for CNN and other national news outlets .
And I shouldn ’ t forget to mention Max , Chuck Colson ’ s grandson .
Max has autism , but during the COVID-19 quarantine , Max has blessed an awful lot of people by drawing hearts and starting his own stationery business .
How Do We Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like these are much-needed reminders that people , especially those with disabilities , are often capable of far more than we can imagine .
At the same time , if we ’ re not careful , while we rightly celebrate stories like Nikic , McElwain , Harris and Max , in no way should we imply that a person ’ s worth is dependent on their accomplishments and abilities .
That very bad idea has created countless victims , especially for people with Down Syndrome .
For example , a recent Christian Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the time , are immediately offered an abortion when their child is diagnosed with Down Syndrome in utero .
If they decline , they are asked again .
And often , again .
One woman reported being asked fifteen times !
Government policies in countries like Iceland and Denmark have resulted in only a handful of children with Down Syndrome born each year .
In fact , about 90 percent of children diagnosed with Down Syndrome in Europe are aborted .
In the U.S. , the best estimates are about 65 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who have already exhibited love and moral fortitude in resisting the social pressures to abort , have chosen a path that is not only difficult , but profoundly counter-cultural .
Increasingly , having and raising children is evaluated in terms of personal fulfillment and validation , with a minimal amount of inconvenience and never suffering .
In that context , in any context , to judge an individual ’ s worth by what they can achieve or contribute is fundamentally inhumane , and to put it bluntly , children just don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end .
There ’ s no legitimate method of doing a cost-benefit analysis of kids based on their success or our self-fulfillment .
The Dignity of Human Life Is Inherent , Not Acquired Completing an Ironman contest , running a restaurant , and sinking three-pointers is amazing for anyone , especially those with a disability .
We celebrate their accomplishments especially because they ’ ve proved the cynics and skeptics wrong .
Still , we must be clear : the dignity of any human life is inherent , not acquired .
The value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not increased one cent by an amazing accomplishment .
It ’ s a wonderful thing when the talents of people like Chris Nikic are celebrated , or when a baby with Down Syndrome is named the official Gerber baby , or when an actor like Zack Gottsagen in the movie Peanut Butter Falcon is recognized for delivering an incredible performance .
At these times , Christians should be cheering more loudly than anyone else .
But remember , and Christians should be saying this more loudly than anyone else , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matters .
It ’ s Whose image we bear .
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview .
He ’ s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture , theology , worldview , education and apologetics .
Roberto Rivera is a Fellow and Senior Writer at the Colson Center .
Originally published on Breakpoint.org : BreakPoint Commentaries .
Republished with permission of The Colson Center for Christian Worldview .

This past weekend in Florida, 21-year-old Chris Nikic completed one of the most challenging feats in all of sports. The Ironman triathlon is a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bicycle ride, topped off by a full marathon, a 26.2 mile run. At one point, Nikic fell off his bike. During a nutrition stop, he was attacked by ants. Still, he completed the race in 16 hours 46 minutes and 9 seconds, 14 minutes under cutoff time. Oh, and Chris is the first athlete with Down Syndrome to finish an Ironman competition.
Nikic now joins the annals of others with intellectual disabilities doing the improbable. In 2006, Jason McElwain sank six three-pointers in the last four minutes of a New York district basketball championship game. McElwain has autism. Then there is Tim Harris, who with his parents help, opened a restaurant in New Mexico named “Tim’s Place,” known for its “breakfast, lunch, and hugs.” My family visited Tim’s place in 2013, where we got lunch and hugs. At the time, the hug counter in the restaurant already topped 1 million. The restaurant closed a few years ago when Tim and his family moved, but he still has an impressive social media following and has written articles for CNN and other national news outlets.
And I shouldn’t forget to mention Max, Chuck Colson’s grandson. Max has autism, but during the COVID-19 quarantine, Max has blessed an awful lot of people by drawing hearts and starting his own stationery business.
How Do We Judge an Individual’s Worth?
Stories like these are much-needed reminders that people, especially those with disabilities, are often capable of far more than we can imagine. At the same time, if we’re not careful, while we rightly celebrate stories like Nikic, McElwain, Harris and Max, in no way should we imply that a person’s worth is dependent on their accomplishments and abilities. That very bad idea has created countless victims, especially for people with Down Syndrome.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
For example, a recent Christian Post article described how women, 69% of the time, are immediately offered an abortion when their child is diagnosed with Down Syndrome in utero. If they decline, they are asked again. And often, again. One woman reported being asked fifteen times! Government policies in countries like Iceland and Denmark have resulted in only a handful of children with Down Syndrome born each year. In fact, about 90 percent of children diagnosed with Down Syndrome in Europe are aborted. In the U.S., the best estimates are about 65 percent.
Parents of children with intellectual disabilities, who have already exhibited love and moral fortitude in resisting the social pressures to abort, have chosen a path that is not only difficult, but profoundly counter-cultural. Increasingly, having and raising children is evaluated in terms of personal fulfillment and validation, with a minimal amount of inconvenience and never suffering.
In that context, in any context, to judge an individual’s worth by what they can achieve or contribute is fundamentally inhumane, and to put it bluntly, children just don’t “pay off” in the end. There’s no legitimate method of doing a cost-benefit analysis of kids based on their success or our self-fulfillment.
The Dignity of Human Life Is Inherent, Not Acquired
Completing an Ironman contest, running a restaurant, and sinking three-pointers is amazing for anyone, especially those with a disability. We celebrate their accomplishments especially because they’ve proved the cynics and skeptics wrong. Still, we must be clear: the dignity of any human life is inherent, not acquired. The value of every life is priceless already, and not increased one cent by an amazing accomplishment.
It’s a wonderful thing when the talents of people like Chris Nikic are celebrated, or when a baby with Down Syndrome is named the official Gerber baby, or when an actor like Zack Gottsagen in the movie Peanut Butter Falcon is recognized for delivering an incredible performance. At these times, Christians should be cheering more loudly than anyone else.
But remember, and Christians should be saying this more loudly than anyone else, it’s not what we can do that matters. It’s Whose image we bear.
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He’s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics.
Roberto Rivera is a Fellow and Senior Writer at the Colson Center.
Originally published on Breakpoint.org: BreakPoint Commentaries. Republished with permission of The Colson Center for Christian Worldview.


thestream--2020-11-17--Even in the Midst of This

Even in the Midst of This

I would have pulled Joseph out .
Out of that pit .
Out of that prison .
Out of that pain .
And I would have cheated nations out of the one God would use to deliver them from famine .
I would have pulled David out .
Out of Saul ’ s spear-throwing presence .
Out of the caves he hid away in .
Out of the pain of rejection .
And I would have cheated Israel out of a God-hearted king .
I would have pulled Esther out .
Out of being snatched from her only family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she never asked for .
Out of the path of a vicious , power-hungry foe .
And I would have cheated a people out of the woman God would use to save their very lives .
And I would have pulled Jesus off .
Off of the cross .
Off of the road that led to suffering and pain .
Off of the path that would mean nakedness and beatings , nails and thorns .
And I would have cheated the entire world out of a Savior .
Out of salvation .
Out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffering and no more pain .
And oh friend .
I want to pull you out .
I want to change your path .
I want to stop your pain .
But right now I know I would be wrong .
I would be out of line .
I would be cheating you and cheating the world out of so much good .
Because God knows .
He knows the good this pain will produce .
He knows the beauty this hard season will grow .
He ’ s watching over you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
And He ’ s promising you that you can trust Him .
Even when it all feels like more than you can bear .
So instead of trying to pull you out , I ’ m lifting you up .
I ’ m kneeling before the Father and I ’ m asking Him to give you strength .
To give you hope .
I ’ m asking Him to protect you and to move you when the time is right .
I ’ m asking Him to help you stay prayerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Him how I can best love you and be a help to you .
And I ’ m believing He ’ s going to use your life in powerful and beautiful ways .
Ways that will leave your heart grateful and humbly thankful for this road you ’ ve been on .

I would have pulled Joseph out. Out of that pit. Out of that prison. Out of that pain. And I would have cheated nations out of the one God would use to deliver them from famine.
I would have pulled David out. Out of Saul’s spear-throwing presence. Out of the caves he hid away in. Out of the pain of rejection. And I would have cheated Israel out of a God-hearted king.
I would have pulled Esther out. Out of being snatched from her only family. Out of being placed in a position she never asked for. Out of the path of a vicious, power-hungry foe. And I would have cheated a people out of the woman God would use to save their very lives.
And I would have pulled Jesus off. Off of the cross. Off of the road that led to suffering and pain. Off of the path that would mean nakedness and beatings, nails and thorns. And I would have cheated the entire world out of a Savior. Out of salvation. Out of an eternity filled with no more suffering and no more pain.
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And oh friend. I want to pull you out. I want to change your path. I want to stop your pain. But right now I know I would be wrong. I would be out of line. I would be cheating you and cheating the world out of so much good. Because God knows. He knows the good this pain will produce.
He knows the beauty this hard season will grow. He’s watching over you and keeping you even in the midst of this. And He’s promising you that you can trust Him. Even when it all feels like more than you can bear.
So instead of trying to pull you out, I’m lifting you up. I’m kneeling before the Father and I’m asking Him to give you strength. To give you hope. I’m asking Him to protect you and to move you when the time is right. I’m asking Him to help you stay prayerful and discerning. I’m asking Him how I can best love you and be a help to you. And I’m believing He’s going to use your life in powerful and beautiful ways. Ways that will leave your heart grateful and humbly thankful for this road you’ve been on.
Kimberly Henderson is a content coordinator with Proverbs 31 Ministries.


thestream--2020-11-17--James Robison on the Election: Pray for Truth to Prevail

I believe that the assault on true freedom and the blessings it provides is greater than at any time in history .
I ’ m talking about freedom , not only here , but around the world .
I believe the stage was set this time , the door was open for fraudulent acts and deception to prevail .
All I want us to do is to find the truth .
How can any freedom-loving American not want to know that every vote that is a legitimate vote is counted ?
And every dishonest , fraudulent , deceptive vote is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want your will to be done .
However long it takes , we want to know the truth.
” Those who believe in truth and freedom must be just as determined not to waver as those who follow the father of lies .
Please WATCH my brief message on the ongoing election dispute : James Robison is The Stream ’ s founder and publisher .
He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today .
He ’ s the author of many books , including Indivisible ( with Jay Richards @ @ @ @ @

I believe that the assault on true freedom and the blessings it provides is greater than at any time in history. I’m talking about freedom, not only here, but around the world.
I believe the stage was set this time, the door was open for fraudulent acts and deception to prevail.
All I want us to do is to find the truth. How can any freedom-loving American not want to know that every vote that is a legitimate vote is counted? And every dishonest, fraudulent, deceptive vote is not counted?
Pray “God we want your will to be done. However long it takes, we want to know the truth.”
Those who believe in truth and freedom must be just as determined not to waver as those who follow the father of lies.
Please WATCH my brief message on the ongoing election dispute:
James Robison is The Stream’s founder and publisher. He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed.


thestream--2020-11-17--New York Sheriffs Refuse to Enforce Cuomo’s Thanksgiving Gathering Restrictions

Two New York sheriffs on Monday joined the list of police who have vowed not to enforce Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s Thanksgiving coronavirus restrictions .
The governor announced Wednesday a new prohibition on indoor gatherings of more than 10 people two weeks prior to the family holiday , according to Business Insider .
Sheriffs from Fulton County , Washington County , Saratoga County and Erie County have publicly refused to enforce the recent order , the New York Post reported .
Washington County Sheriff Jeff Murphy wrote that he won ’ t be partaking in a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to The Post Star .
“ Who and how many people you have at your house for Thanksgiving is your business , ” Murphy wrote , according to the local outlet .
“ I think we ’ ve all had quite a 2020 and can use our own best judgment without government oversight of a sacred and special holiday.
” Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo also vowed not to enforce the regulations on the same day as Murphy , WRGB Albany reported .
“ I can ’ t see how devoting our resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or investigating how much turkey and dressing they ’ ve purchased is for the public good , ” the law enforcement authority told the local outlet .
Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino said Thanksgiving plans are “ your business ” and he added that his office “ would NOT be enforcing ” the restrictions in a Saturday Facebook post .
“ With regard to the Thanksgiving Executive Order , the Fulton County Sheriff ’ s Office will NOT be enforcing it against our County residents , ” Giardino wrote .
“ Frankly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Constitutional challenge in Court for several reasons including your house is your castle .
And as a Sheriff with a law degree I couldn ’ t in good faith attempt to defend it Court , so I won ’ t. ” “ Who and how many people you invite in to your home is your business , unlike outdoor gatherings which may receive a police response if disorderly or other violations of public nuisance laws occur , ” he continued .
Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard , the first law enforcement figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said he had “ no plans ” to command his deputies “ to break up the great tradition of Thanksgiving dinner , ” according to the Post .
“ I have no plans to utilize my office ’ s resources or deputies to break up the great tradition of Thanksgiving dinner , ” he wrote .
“ This national holiday has created longstanding family traditions that are at the heart of America , and these traditions should not be stopped or interrupted by Governor Cuomo ’ s mandates.
” Content created by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

Two New York sheriffs on Monday joined the list of police who have vowed not to enforce Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Thanksgiving coronavirus restrictions.
The governor announced Wednesday a new prohibition on indoor gatherings of more than 10 people two weeks prior to the family holiday, according to Business Insider. Sheriffs from Fulton County, Washington County, Saratoga County and Erie County have publicly refused to enforce the recent order, the New York Post reported.
Washington County Sheriff Jeff Murphy wrote that he won’t be partaking in a “Thanksgiving Crackdown” on Monday, according to The Post Star.
“Who and how many people you have at your house for Thanksgiving is your business,” Murphy wrote, according to the local outlet. “I think we’ve all had quite a 2020 and can use our own best judgment without government oversight of a sacred and special holiday.”
Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo also vowed not to enforce the regulations on the same day as Murphy, WRGB Albany reported.
“I can’t see how devoting our resources to counting cars in citizens’ driveways or investigating how much turkey and dressing they’ve purchased is for the public good,” the law enforcement authority told the local outlet.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino said Thanksgiving plans are “your business” and he added that his office “would NOT be enforcing” the restrictions in a Saturday Facebook post.
“With regard to the Thanksgiving Executive Order, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office will NOT be enforcing it against our County residents,” Giardino wrote. “Frankly, I am not sure it could sustain a Constitutional challenge in Court for several reasons including your house is your castle. And as a Sheriff with a law degree I couldn’t in good faith attempt to defend it Court, so I won’t.”
“Who and how many people you invite in to your home is your business, unlike outdoor gatherings which may receive a police response if disorderly or other violations of public nuisance laws occur,” he continued.

Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard, the first law enforcement figure to resist the order in New York, said he had “no plans” to command his deputies “to break up the great tradition of Thanksgiving dinner,” according to the Post.
“I have no plans to utilize my office’s resources or deputies to break up the great tradition of Thanksgiving dinner,” he wrote. “This national holiday has created longstanding family traditions that are at the heart of America, and these traditions should not be stopped or interrupted by Governor Cuomo’s mandates.”
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].