Tag Archives: Biden

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, January 31, 2022

Eyes are seriously shifting toward Ukraine and Taiwan, the poster boys of Europe and Asia. Maybe that’s why Biden’s Transportation department is proposing “Big Brother” speed cameras across the country on a hated level only rivaled by the UK. Unpopular policing only expands; it never shrinks. This crosses the line of “diktat”, socially scorned laws whether unpopular or foreign. While the US and UK decry Russia and China for diktat against the poster boys of Europe and Asia, they continue their own diktat at home.

Trump floated an idea that made sense, while the news commentary sees it as living in another world. For the January 6 Insurrection, responsibility should fall on either Trump or rioters—or any police who let rioters in. Trump suggested they be pardoned, which makes sense since the media and left want to roast him for starting it all. The free-speech touting media wants to go after both the rioters said to be under Trump’s mind control and Trump who couldn’t control anyone’s mind, but they don’t want even discussion on reports of police who didn’t hold the line.

Free speech itself has come under attack by an evermore obvious machine. Spotify will now identify “misinformation” in podcasts, but not censor. It’s admirable that Spotify allows dissent for healthy discussion. However, if information can be proven to be false, then some kind of legal action should be warranted. Web users are already bombarded with messages on COVID—any social media post, photo, or video that could be remotely construed to talk about vaccines or a pandemic get a notice linking to the absolute source of unchallenged truth from the relevant website of the all-accepted and ever-trusted government.

Curbs against false information are good. But, who decides whether something is “misinformation”? It seems we have a culture that accepts misinformation as a scientifically and objectively determined fact. If we had Facebook in the fifteenth century, Columbus would have been flagged as giving misinformation because science agreed the earth was flat.

Misinformation flagging is good for mass social platforms, but only if it is vetted through a transparent process open to any and all scrutiny and dissent from the public. Flag notices should then point to the online forums that led to the decision.

The political mice have invaded the cereal cupboard and think they own the house. But, they’re just one chewed mess away from triggering the expected response from any society irked by diktat, whether foreign or domestic.

Trump

Trump rally Texas: Former president teases presidential run, dangles January 6 pardons // CNN

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

Spotify’s Daniel Ek Panics Over Rock Star Defections: ‘Personally, there are plenty of individuals and views on Spotify that I disagree with strongly’ // Showbiz411

Rights, Liberties, Police & Privacy

The speed camera nightmare that’s coming to America // Daily Mail

NATO Focus

Biden Will Send U.S. Troops To Eastern Europe Soon—But ‘Not A Lot’ // Forbes

A Ukrainian mother vows to take up gun if Russia invades // France 24

Exclusive-Russia moves blood supplies near Ukraine, adding to U.S. concern, officials say // Yahoo News

UK to offer major NATO deployment amid Ukraine crisis // Aljazeera

PM considers major military offer to NATO // GOV.UK

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Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, January 10, 2022

At 65, actor Bob Saget is dead. He was known for is role the sitcom Full House and will be dearly missed.

America is on edge and no one seems able to figure out why. Experts say that Trump was divisive, but the nation was already divided. Biden hosting a speech in the Capitol—with partisan attendance—will not help unify a divided America. Unity is no more Biden’s goal than it was Trump’s. Everyone pushes forward with what they view is best for the country. And, “what is best” is something over which the country itself disagrees.

With the pandemic’s quarantine rules, homeschooling rises. This runs contrary to the political ideals of those pushing quarantine rules for the pandemic. Democrats want everyone to stay at home, but children to attend school. More importantly, Democrats believe that school curriculum shouldn’t be decided democratically.

Let’s look past the obvious contradictions in our political ideologies. And, let’s not start on ideologies that are “Pro-Life” while being in favor of the death penalty, or “Pro-Choice” opposing school of choice. Just look at the stark contrast in the mindset of Americans.

The Pilgrims founded the North based on the idea that parents know that everyone can learn and read and write. Families controlled what their children were taught. That built a powerful nation and a free-thinking, slave-free North. Relegating control to supposed “experts” can be debated as good or bad, but it is certainly a digression from the good path that brought us here.

Some want our path to continue; others want our path to change. That difference is why people voted for Trump or Biden. Trump had time and we saw many things happen. Now, history will put the popularity of the Biden ideal to the test.

Divided

Watch President Biden’s entire January 6th speech // YouTube @ CNN

We Are In a New Civil War … About What Exactly? // Politico

Is the US really heading for a second civil war? // Guardian

Violence, Radicalism & Terrorism

Judge Timothy Walmsley held a minute of silence before sentencing Ahmaud Arbery’s killers // CNN

Education & Placement

Homeschooling Rising, Public Schooling Down during COVID-19, BU-Aided Research Finds // Boston University

Homeschooling meets a need // Boston Globe

Homeschooling numbers in Illinois way up // Axios

“I don’t [understand] that parents should decide what’s being taught.”
Meghan McCain Just Gave DRAMATIC Warning to All Democrat Parents // YouTube @ The Next News Network

Pandemic

Florida’s COVID cases and hospitalizations are surging, but the state has the second-lowest death rate in the nation. What’s going on? // MSN News

Some Angelenos say it’s time to learn to live with COVID // Yahoo News

Music & Entertainment

Comedian Bob Saget Dead at 65, Found in Orlando Hotel Room // TMZ

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Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, January 3, 2022

For years, the Left tried to treat its opinions and political stances as some kind of consensus—Earth was warming, no one disagrees, and if you disagree then you are the only person in the universe. The same was true of masks, vaccines, and Mchigan Governor Whitmer’s mail-in ballots that anyone could dupe. Anyone who disagrees with the Left is idiosyncratic. That was their story. But, it’s not holding water like it did even a few months ago.

If quarantine, lockdown, mask, and vax is the consensus, why are the Dutch demonstrating? Then, we have the Biden-bus issue. He was so much better than Trump, until Trump was gone, now he’s just, plain terrible. Even since last week, when the Times pointed this out, challenging Biden went all a buzz on the Left. They change their minds faster than a teenager. But, the adults anticipate which antics are next.

As the myth of consensus passes, the warring electorate is re-shifting its own loyalties. On both sides of the political divide, people are choosing between two, newly-seen core values: those who want to author their own morals to raise up institutional messiahs and those who are learning that we are facing the final showdown of humanity vs global domination. Those in the second group are also divided between fighting with human tools and responding miraculously with peace of mind from the only world king, Jesus Christ. Those who respond to evil with human tools are on the right side, but they’ll have to learn the hard way. It’s a good thing the Believers are there to defend them.

Election

The left is already looking to 2024. Some want to see a Biden primary challenge. // Politico

Divided

34 percent of Americans say violence against government justified // NY Post

Pandemic

Thousands gather to oppose Dutch virus measures despite ban // AP

Fake Vaccine Card Sales a Booming Business as Omicron Surges // TMZ

US Coronavirus: Americans may be faced with a different reality in January as Covid-19 sweeps through the nation, experts warn // CNN

Major staffing shortages at NYPD, FDNY due to COVID surge // fox5ny.com

Southeast U.S. poised for a firestorm of omicron cases, with few safeguards in place // MSN News

NATO Focus

Biden and Putin exchange warnings during phone call amid rising Ukraine tensions // Guardian

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Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, December 27, 2021

The press is attacking Biden over COVID more than they did Trump. It’s so funny, how much they lauded the savior who honored mask and social distancing rules, but now they toss him under the bus. Even funnier is how CDC big wigs survived two attacked presidencies while they were the supposed professionals actually making the decisions.

Trump supporters will easily blame Fauci since he was the man in charge all this time. Trump fans do that, especially since The Apprentice and Trump’s famous line, “You’re fired.” Trump supporters know who and how to fire. At least, they think they do.

Anti-Trumpists, however, now have an inescapable contradiction to face. Biden was the savior because he followed the mask rules, and the media heads even said so—until he wasn’t and they didn’t. Anti-Trump sentiment was based largely on the notion that COVID proved who was right and wrong as a president. That idea can’t hold water anymore, for either purpose or any other purpose.

Whether right or wrong, Trumpists can maintain their story; Anti-Trumpists can’t because to oppose Biden is to support Trump. Trumpists who prophesied Trump’s continued presidency in the name of God already faced that contradiction. Now it’s time for Anti-Trumpists. Sometimes we need our own contradictions to get bad enough before we see the light. But, that’s going for all, regardless of which political candidate they support.

Trump

Donald Trump could face charges for trying to obstruct certification of election, legal experts say // Guardian

Michael Flynn sues Capitol attack committee in bid to block subpoena // Guardian

Pandemic

Inside the administration’s failure to avert a covid testing shortfall // MSN News

Tests popular on Christmas as Florida hits new virus record // AP

Opinion: President Biden is failing on covid-19 // WA Post

Flight cancellations drag on as airlines short-staffed // AP

Pope Francis, in Christmas Message, Laments Pandemic of Loneliness // WSJ

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Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, November 15, 2021

America’s divide is staggering. Neither Trump nor Biden divided America; our difference in values did. We were divided since the Pilgrims arrived and signed a Compact where Christians and non-Christians would work together. But, both overreached and tried to boss the other—both tried to force their values on everyone—whether classic Bible-wielding Christians, those who believe in no god, those who believe in every god, those who believe in one kind of marriage, and those who believe in any kind of marriage.

For many years, we worked in peace to make it through our differences together. But having grown up, we now see our true colors. Many of us grew up in families and circles that go against our true values. People switch loyalties. After the last two presidential elections, fewer people think of themselves as independents, and many Democrats and Republicans hopped to the other side of the fence.

We can’t blame leaders for our division. Instead, we must look to lines of thought that promote peace. America does not need to help Taiwan as much as America must absolutely learn from Taiwan. That island nearly half the size of Lake Michigan with a population larger than Florida hosts the most peaceful and yet resilient people in the world. COVID theatrics—either way—never worked on the Taiwanese, who calmly stood together through it all. Now, safety restrictions are lifting and life is nearly back to normal without a problem.

As America unites against the self-made enemy known as China, Taiwan is plopped in the limelight. While some Americans will see another poster boy on whom to lavish messiah complex -driven “compassion”, some may see the peaceful people whom America can still become like.

Trump

Jan. 6 probe threatens fragile Trump-Pence peace // The Hill

Trump White House records can be given to Capitol attack panel, judge rules // Guardian

Washington as Usual

Violence, Radicalism & Terrorism

‘Unfortunately, the correct answer here may very well be that it is not terribly unlikely.’
Would America survive a civil war? // UnHerd

GOP silence deafening as post-Jan. 6 threats of violence escalate // The Hill

Markets, Economy & GDP

Legendary investor Jeremy Grantham warns Tesla stock is in a bubble, rings the inflation alarm, and predicts an epic market crash // Markets Insider

Elon Musk sold about $6.9 billion in Tesla stock this week // CNBC

Pandemic

Oklahoma Guard goes rogue, rejects COVID vaccine mandate after sudden change of command // Air Force Times

Federal appeals court halts Biden administration’s vaccine requirement, delivering policy a major blow // MSN News

NATO Focus

Ukraine says Russia has nearly 100,000 troops near its border // Yahoo News

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Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, November 8, 2021

America is losing trust in Washington. 38% is actually not that low for a sitting president; they all take a dip at times, especially between elections. And, it’s November of an off-election year. But, the recent USA Today poll shows a greater dissatisfaction. Democrats don’t want Biden to run again, and he hasn’t even been in office one year. The only other option is Trump. When a sitting president can run for re-election, but doesn’t, that is very bad for the whole party. But, that’s how upset Democratic voters are with their own people.

Republican voters aren’t too happy with their own party. They never really have been. A large portion of the Trump base is still angry with State Republicans for approving the election against their warnings. Nonetheless, that same, blamed Republican party is looking toward progress in the two approaching elections. That means we will switch from control by one distrusted party to control by another distrusted party.

In many ways, that would be a dream come true for the American founders—that government is best when distrusted by its own people. As bad as things are, there is a silver lining.

Election

Biden approval falls to 38% as midterms loom: USA TODAY/Suffolk poll // USA Today

Joe Biden’s best hope of retaining power is Trump, the ogre under the bed // Guardian

Republican contender in Virginia avoids Trump’s campaign event // Guardian

Virginia GOP sees Youngkin as chance to reverse party course // AP

Foreigners & International Relations

Biden administration rescinds Trump-era policy limiting migrants at legal ports of entry // CNN

Soc Media, Cybersecurity & Tech

Mark Zuckerberg downloaded and used a photo app that Facebook later cloned and crushed, antitrust lawsuit claims // Yahoo News

Experts warn Facebook’s metaverse poses ‘terrifying dangers’ // NY Post

UK’s Online Safety Bill could spell jail time for trolls // Protocol

Markets, Economy & GDP

Big rebound in jobs: America adds 531,000 jobs to the economy in October // CNN

Analysis: Joe Biden and the American economy just got a double dose of good news // CNN

Monopoly, Corptocracy & Big Greed

Bill Gates and other ultra-rich depend on ‘millions of poor people’: billionaire Tom Steyer // Yahoo Finance

Pandemic

Judge suspends deadline for Chicago cops to get vaccinated // AP

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Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, November 1, 2021

Revelations and research into the election continue from both Republican State Legislatures and from Democratic Federal Congress. But, as the story unfolds trying to indict Trump or his allies for the January 6 overrun of the Capitol, the same to-indict testimony cites evidence or arguments as to why the election may have been illegitimate and should have been reversed back in January. This doesn’t compel us to unseat Biden. Congress chose him under its privileges and powers granted by the Constitution. But with the past in the past, the only reason for Democrats to pursue Trump is that they fear his re-election because they know he would have won were it not for certain factors they don’t want the public to know about—more.

The issue at hand is not even about who should be president now, but rather what Congressional Democrats’ actions show that they know which they are not telling us. Most of all, they seem oblivious to how obvious it is to everyone but themselves.

Trump

Trump lawyer John Eastman said ‘courage and the spine’ would help Pence send election to the House in comments before January 6 // CNN

Capitol attack panel faces pivotal moment as Trump allies stonewall // Guardian

Pandemic

Taipei’s Ko Wen-je touts vaccine passport plan // Taipei Times

NATO Focus

Biden and European leaders say they’re ‘convinced’ Iran deal can be quickly restored // CNN

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Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, September 6, 2021

The culture war in America rages. Biden is a disheartened president, distraught over the loss of his son. This affects his ability to console the family of a lost soldier. The public dissents and supports along political lines because Biden hasn’t dealt with his grief of the past six years. In that context, he oversaw an exodus from Afghanistan.

Any political strategist would have known that Biden was overladen. American voters also thought so. Biden is not the enemy, but whoever put him in office with an apparent intention that things would happen as accordingly as they did. With McCarthy on the move against an evermore unpopular social media empire, it looks more and more like Biden was meant to play the fool in a Trump comeback.

The Supreme Court handed down a ruling that people can be sued, nothing new, except that it was about abortion. More and more, the Court is not as evenly divided as it once was. Recent decisions have split by wider margins than just one justice. Here, each of the four dissenters wrote their own opinion: Roberts had his usual love for bureaucracy, Breyer found his point of order to support his political ideology, while Kagan and Sotomayor loudly think abortion is constitutional anyway. Being no longer simple black-and-white in its rulings, the Court is operating closer to the healthy way it should.

Law

What the Texas Law Really Means for Abortion in America // Politico

White House

Abortion:
‘A Private Matter’: Joe Biden’s Very Public Clash With His Own Church // Politico

Biden, Still Grieving His Son, Finds That Not Everyone Wants to Hear About It // DNyuz

Republicans

Analysis: McCarthy threat offers dark preview of possible Republican House // CNN

Soc Media, Cybersecurity & Tech

Facebook mistakenly labels black men ‘primates’ // France 24

Pandemic

US to be removed from EU travel ‘safe list’: report // The Hill

Israel

Global Jewish population numbers 15.2 million // Jerusalem Post

NATO Focus

Biden will place U.S. support for Ukraine front and center during Zelenskyy visit // CNBC

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Encore of Revival: America, August 23, 2021

Afghanistan is an epic mess. ISIS is back on the scene. China and Taliban take every chance to make their own public statements while the main Biden doctrine is to valiantly run away.

More deeply disconcerting is President Biden’s response to journalists to deny claims. NATO has egg on its face, but Biden puts on a performance during his press appearance that NATO allies are exuberant about how great everything is going. He specifically says that he hasn’t heard any bad opinions from any NATO member. He had the same response that he hadn’t heard about the poll indicating lack of voter confidence.

When confronted with a dissenting opinion, Biden’s defense is that he hasn’t heard about it, even though he was just informed. We’ll see if the pattern continues.

Joe Biden knows how government functions in the mechanical sense, and he is very good at standing confident with egg on his face—acting like there isn’t any egg on his face. He’s good at that. So, America’s government will continue to function on some level. Perhaps this was the “Neo-Con” plan in looking the other way when voters complained last November. But, Biden doesn’t have the mojo to keep the engine running—and the American public sees that more and more.

Trump

Trump joins Dan Bongino on Fox News // YouTube @ Fox News

White House

Biden denies
Reporter confronts Biden on poll showing Americans don’t find him competent // YouTube @ Fox News

Live: Biden Delivers Remarks on Afghanistan // YouTube @ NBC News

Violence, Radicalism & Terrorism

US most wanted Al Qaeda terrorist Khalil Haqqani reappears in Kabul alongside Taliban with $5million bounty on head // The Sun

Monopoly & Big Greed

Scientists Say Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates-Backed Mining Venture Could Threaten Arctic Ecosystem // Daily Beast

Natural Disaster

22 dead, many missing after 17 inches of rain in Tennessee // AP

Culture & People

Italian student, 22, who tattooed Covid certificate barcode on ARM becomes TikTok star after scanning into McDonald’s // The Sun

Royal Family

Queen orders senior Palace aides to plan legal fightback after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s hurtful attacks // The Sun

NATO Focus

Afghanistan’s crisis underscores the U.S.’s shifting place in the world // Greenwich Time

ISIS terror threat forces US military to establish alternate routes to Kabul airport // CNN

After Afghanistan, the Pax Americana is over – as is Nato. About time too // Guardian

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Encore of Revival: America, August 16, 2021

Competence and tolerance! The Taliban has taken over Afghanistan. The former president, hated from both Taliban and a third party in Afghanistan, fled to Tajikistan. At press time, the 36-acre American embassy was near fully-evacuated if not completely. Taliban leaders pledge tolerance, cooperation, and no retribution against allies of the former government. They say they want a relationship with the United States. The American ambassador requested to stay.

Will we see peace and promises kept? That has yet to be seen, but the promise is a first step and will be remembered by God. Muslims claim to worship the God of Abraham. We’ll see the Taliban’s part in that too, and the Times will help everyone remember.

From America’s perspective, look at Biden’s leadership. Such turns of events did not happen under Trump.  Biden blames his predecessor. Trump supporters may argue sowing and reaping—that coup begets coup. Biden’s election hinged on anomalous results in precincts with proven rule-breaking. That doubt was never cleared-up in the minds Trump supporters, though they have been smeared. That doesn’t seem like tolerance from the party of tolerance and choice. Nor does pressure—social, legal, or commercial—for vaccines seem like “choice” from the party of choice.

So, in the minds of Trump supporters, who may believe that coup begot coup, the Taliban’s “tolerance and cooperation” in Afghanistan may not pan out. But, we’ll have to wait and see. A promise kept from the Taliban would be welcome.

Did Trump stir the pot with his rhetoric? Maybe. But, the Capitol revolt in lieu of unresolved election irregularities and table pounding from Trump was as bad as it got. In the minds of Biden supporters—according to their votes and what followed—, the situation in Afghanistan is preferable to the Tweets of Trump. Some might reconsider their votes on both sides.

The big issue is leadership and results. Taliban strategy to take over Afghanistan did not consider the response from the former US president as much as it considered the response from the current US president. During the tenure of the current US president, the Taliban won and the US ran. Voters can see things for what they are.

Scandal, Graft & White Collar Crime

Cuomo resigns: What we know, what we don’t and what’s next // AP

Markets, Economy & GDP

Consumer sentiment measure falls to pandemic-era low, sees one of largest drops on record // CNBC

Monopoly & Big Greed

Elon Musk mocks Blue Origin’s moon lander after the company argued against SpaceX winning a $2.9 billion NASA contract // Business Insider

How the U.S. military plans to replace the iconic Humvee on future frontlines // CNBC

Bill Gates pledges $1.5 billion for climate change projects if Congress passes infrastructure bill // CNBC

Some Amazon customers are cutting Prime after Jeff Bezos’ trip to space: ‘I am over paying’ for ‘a zillionaire’s rocket ride’ // Business Insider

Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are among the billionaires paying a total of $15 million to fund a search for metals used in electric vehicles // Yahoo News

Natural Disaster

As of Sunday evening:
Death toll of powerful earthquake in Haiti soars to 1,297 // AP

Pandemic

Man is stabbed in LA when fight breaks out at a protest over pushing back against vaccine mandates // Daily Mail

Mid East

Taliban claims cooperation, tolerance
Afghan president flees country for Tajikistan: official // Taipei Times

‘They are coming’: US diplomats await flights out of Kabul as the Taliban advance and fear spreads in the capital // Stars and Stripes

Taliban sweep into Afghan capital after government collapses // AP

The day before…
Biden braces for brutal defeat in Afghanistan // Axios

Afghan president flees country as U.S. rushes to exit with Taliban on brink of power // NBC News

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, May 3, 2021

Navies from across the globe are holding a slumber party in the East Pacific, namely the South Sea. British and other Europeans join the US, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and of course China. Everyone says they want things to be calm and normal. But, the elephant in the slumber party living room is Taiwan. China maintains a policy of planning to take control either by hostile takeover or hostile invasion.

North Koreans aren’t happy with Biden. He says he will use the American-despised method called ‘diplomacy’. But, what diplomacy compares to the first president to meet with the Great Successor—twice? Biden and his team of wonderfuls are thrilled to be rid of divisive riff-raff like the first president to achieve diplomacy talks with North Korea head-to-head. Now that things are improving in America, we can get back to hostility as usual with the Korean peninsula.

If the other members of the East Pacific navy slumber party were serious about peace, they would freeze all Chinese assets until China renounced its Taiwan invasion policy and gave half of its navy to Taiwan as evidence. That won’t happen, but it just goes to prove that no one wants peace in the Pacific—they just want a navy slumber party. And, that’s what they’ve got. And, weapons manufacturers are thrilled.

Taiwan

Chinese man crosses Strait on raft // Taipei Times

Korean Peninsula

N Korea warns of response to Biden’s ‘hostile policy’ // Taipei Times

Myanmar

Seven dead in Myanmar as Amnesty accuses army of ‘killing spree’ // Aljazeera

Military Faceoff

China’s carrier group conducts exercises in South China Sea // Aljazeera

China’s new amphibious assault ship to carry multi-type helicopters, ‘enters world-class’ ranks // Global Times (China Govt)

British name enormous carrier strike group heading for the Indo-Pacific // Defense News

UK to send Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to Japan, S Korea // Aljazeera

China simultaneously commissions three warships on Navy anniversary // Defense News

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Encore of Revival: America, April 12, 2021

The Supreme Court is proving its worth. The bench ruled in favor of itself many times this past week, even through silence. Justice Breyer doesn’t sound like he wants to resign. He doesn’t want the Court packed either. That throws a wrench in the gears of any attempt to subject the Court to politics. Courts are supposed to be independent of party politics so that routine wheeling and dealing does not disrupt society’s need for stable justice.

That need hasn’t been so strong for a long time. Congress and the White House are putting Washington theatrics on full display. Biden’s infrastructure plan is headed to the Senate where it’s sure to get a hair cut big enough to make it lose a few pounds.

But, the big question on the table is: Why—with all the Democrats rearranging the furniture—does Biden keep Trump’s same policies toward China? Something’s up.

Law

Supreme Court Rules For Worshippers And Against California COVID Restrictions // NPR

‘Think long and hard’: Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer pushes back on ‘court-packing’ // USA Today

Supreme Court rules in Google’s favor in copyright dispute with Oracle over Android software // CNBC

US Supreme court dismisses case on Trump blocking Twitter critics // Aljazeera

White House

Economist Stephen Roach questions Biden’s decision to keep Trump’s China policies // CNBC

Washington as Usual

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Encore of Revival: America, March 29, 2021

America faces big changes, but not the changes our conventional political grid might assume. Public trust in cloud platforms like Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter failed with the massive censorship surrounding the 2020 election. This week, a new cloud provider, Digital Ocean, went public. The Times has used Digital Ocean for nearly seven years.

Digital commerce shifts while the global supply chain faces more disruptions. Not only do we still lack supplies that were made in factories that are closed. Not only is the cruise ship industry floundering. The Suez Canal is blocked.

What is Democrat-controlled Washington doing?—Business as usual. Binden wants to focus on infrastructure—a digression from the Obama years. Republicans have always been good at spending money while appearing not to, while Democrats appear to spend money when they tighten the purse strings. Marketing is one of the best-kept secret ingredients in American politics.

The one thing unusual about this Democratic Washington is its dedication to a strong military. Russia surfaced three subs in the Arctic this week and, now all of a sudden, Democrats want to do military the same way Trump did. Just how the Bush-Obama years held a contiguous policy progression, the Trump-Biden years seem to reflect the competence, military, and infrastructure of FDR. In many ways, it is as if Trump is still in office. We did get Trump’s $2,000 checks, after all.

Trump

The Unlikely Team of Prosecutors Hunting Donald Trump in Georgia // Daily Beast

Obama Biden Harris

Biden is betting on bigger government. The pandemic may be helping him. // MSN News

Path from Clinton to Biden takes U-turn on debt, trade, more // ABC News America

White House

Trump let OANN in the White House. Now it’s Biden’s problem. // Politico

Washington as Usual

Soc Media, Cybersecurity & Tech

Independent cloud provider DigitalOcean drops in Wall Street debut // CNBC

Markets, Economy & GDP

CDC Rejects Cruise Industry Push To Resume Sailing, Sending Stocks Tumbling // Forbes

Mid East

Syria forced to ration fuel as stricken ship keeps Suez Canal blocked // CNN

The Suez Canal Has Been Blocked and Closed Several Times Since Opening // Business Insider

NATO Focus

Three Russian Ballistic Missile Submarines Just Surfaced Through The Arctic Ice Together // The Drive

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, January 25, 2021

China thinks they own the American president they helped install. Reportedly, a factory was set up in China to create fake ballots, likely as part of the election fraud network Biden boasted about on TV. But, politicians who steal elections stand against the will of the people by definition. Usually, the public doesn’t find out, which allows those politicians to govern to a limited degree. But, when the public knows a politician willfully stands against the people, that leader can only remain in power with an iron fist.

Iron fists don’t gel with America. That’s something China will eventually figure out the hard way. Biden will figure it out the hard way sooner. China believes chaos in America will work to China’s military advantage. It won’t. When the people turn on Biden, he will turn on China like the forked-tongue politician he is. That will be his attempt to gain unity in the American public against a common enemy. He will pound and shame China harder than Trump would have.

So, in a sense, when the Chinese were set up for disappointment, they not only took the bait; they made it even worse for themselves. They don’t like other countries meddling in their goals, yet they reportedly melded in America’s election. Good old-fashioned honesty and respect would have served them well. Instead, the Chinese gambled on trusting an experienced American politician.

Indo-Pacific

Chinese Survey Ship Caught ‘Running Dark’ Give Clues to Underwater Drone Operations // USNI News

Trade & Tech

Huawei smartphones will lose another Google service soon // GizChina (China)

Trump Halts Huawei Supply in Final China Blow, Reuters Says // Bloomberg

China

Companies are giving up on the United States and betting big on China // CNN

China authorises coast guard to fire on foreign vessels // Aljazeera

PLA troops in South China Sea learn ‘essential’ battlefield English // SCMP

China’s first deep-water oil platform ready to set off for South China Sea // CGTN (China Govt)

Taiwan

U.S. carrier group enters South China Sea amid Taiwan tensions // NBC News

Military Faceoff

US Navy halts deliveries of Freedom-class littoral combat ship // Defense News

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