Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, October 26, 2020

Media and analysts miss the greatest takeaways from the debate. Arguments were based on who did what while already in office: All of the problems Trump solved and Biden didn’t, but says he will. And, their positions were radically different: Biden appealed to need for help while Trump appeared in-control at the helm.

The only times incumbents lose reelections are in the wake of gross incompetence (not seen since Carter) or gross broken campaign promises (not seen since HW Bush). If anything, Biden appears to already have broken the promises he is now making. That will not be enough to eject a promise-keeping incumbent.

In our last week before the election, polls have gone on record for predicting Biden as voices in media shifted their tone to a non-answer over who will win. Trump already won 2020 in 2015 when he announced. Many people don’t understand that. Many in media believe they decide election outcomes, not voters, so they don’t understand it either.

The greatest danger Trump always posed was that he would do too good of a job. He is the leader the Republican Party doesn’t deserve. They denounced him. He delivered the promised results they wouldn’t. Now, they will have respect they didn’t earn, plus a near supermajority in the Senate, control of the house, and overwhelming control of the Supreme Court. Power unchecked corrupts. Trump’s awesome work will get him reelected where he will continue more awesome work, but awesomeness can destroy us where it is unearned. And, that shadow is where the RNC stands.

The country will likely destabilize over the coming weeks. Americans will fight from anger on all sides. War with China could be seen as a convenient distraction from domestic dysfunction at a time when the US needs an excuse to put an unchecked Asian bully in its place. But, China doesn’t need to be embarrassed; it needs to be discipled. But, the US won’t be ready to disciple anyone until the US recovers its lost neighborly conscience. The US will find its conscience again, but it appears that we will only learn through trouble.

Encore of Revival: America, September 21, 2020

Justice Ginsburg is dead at 87, God rest her soul. Her life’s work is well documented in the litany of eulogies from this past weekend. This article will not attempt to add to them.

Whenever a seat opens on the Supreme Court, the nation enters the same debate with the same platitudes. Depending on who is and is not in control of the White House and the Senate, different people argue different platitudes. In 1992, then Senator Joe Biden argued what is today called the “Biden Rule”, that supreme justices should not be appointed during an election season. Republicans didn’t agree. Then President George HW Bush appointed a justice anyway, along with many other federal judges. The Democrat-controlled Senate, and the Judiciary Committee chaired by Biden, refused to even hold hearings on HW Bush appointees. But, their refusal was not limited to the 1992 election year; Biden applied his “Biden Rule” in 1991.

Then, in 2016, Biden opposed Republicans following the “Biden Rule”. He wanted Obama to appoint a justice for the Republican Senate to approve. Suddenly, Republicans agreed with the “Biden Rule” and Biden did not.

Now, a Republican president can appoint a justice for a Republican Senate to approve; but some Republican Senators think they should follow Biden’s rule. Democrats would never follow Biden’s rule if they had the White House and the Senate; we only expect this from Republicans.

Let’s cut with the platitudes and pretentious precedents already. Politicians choose judges because they can. Just how the court always rules in favor of the court—on every case, making whichever ruling reasserts the power of the court—the Senate always votes in favor of the Senate and the White House always acts in favor of the White House.

As with HW Bush and Obama, President Trump will appoint a new justice. The Senate will drag its feet, pretend to serve the will of the people, and play other games to remind Washington that the Senate has power to approve court nominees.

While branches of government put their power on exhibition, the Far Left is resorting to chaos and lawlessness as its display of power. That will only embolden the Right to vote in more Republicans, who will be all too glad to give Trump and his successors the very power he hasn’t used, which the Left nonetheless fears he will. Having been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as the first president in 39 years not to involve America in the very new wars the Left criticizes the Right for, their case against Trump no longer holds water.

If, by some miracle, Republicans lose the election, they will approve Trump’s nominee anyway. They’ll have to. Notwithstanding that nominee vetting often takes 70 days, the Senate will likely find an excuse to wait until after the election. It’s not so much about politics and election strategy as it is about asserting power by delaying power to expand power. Expect a Republican-appointed justice by December, no matter what political smoke blows in the meanwhile. God rest her soul, Ginsburg is dead; so is Roe v Wade.

Trump

America’s Top Science Journal Has Had It With Trump // Wired

Latest rouse…
Pro-Trump group pays teens to post online // Houston Chronicle

Election

And this proves he will win?
Biden shows the qualities Trump lacks at CNN town hall // CNN

Law

Flashback to 1992…
How Biden killed John Roberts’s nomination in 1992 – The Washington Post // WA Post

1992: Sen. Biden says President Bush should not name nominee until after election (C-SPAN) // YouTube @ C-SPAN

Trump pledges woman for court, pushes Senate to move on pick // Detroit News

Alaska Senator Murkowski said Friday she would not vote for a justice ahead of Inauguration Day // Alaska Public Media

A court fight for the ages // Axios

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Republicans vow to vote on Trump pick // BBC News

Ginsburg dead at 87!
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Obituary of the Supreme Court justice // BBC News

Republicans

Romney says Biden probe ‘not legitimate role of government’ // Yahoo News

Peace & War

End the Nobel Peace Prize — if Trump doesn’t win it // The Hill

Activism, Unrest & Protests

SCOTUS battle prompts threats, calls for arson: ‘Burn Congress down’ // Fox News

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

This is what headlines have come to?
Opinion | Tucker Carlson gives up // WA Post

Soc Media, Cybersecurity & Tech

‘I Have Blood On My Hands’: A Whistleblower Says Facebook Ignored Global Political Manipulation // BuzzFeed News

Natural Disaster

Magnitude 4.5 earthquake rattles Southern California, but no major damage reported // Yahoo News

Major fire threatens historic observatory near LA // Yahoo News

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, July 27, 2020

It takes two to fight. There are two Americas and half of each are choosing to fight.

As early as 2015, more than a few Obama supporters claimed that Trump spoke as did Hitler. He did not, neither in 2015 nor through 2019. But now, Trump does speak so—with the gentle, understanding, compassionate appeal to sense and patience before the bold and courageous grab. That was Hitler and FDR. And, that doesn’t prove anything. Perhaps we should say Hitler spoke as Trump, or both as FDR, because this way of speaking is necessary in troubled times, whether a leader be bad or good. Just because Hitler did a good thing to look good does not mean the good thing is not good.

But, if there were any alarm, it is ignored because of the fake alarms set off by loud radicals on the far Left, possibly about half.

Those radicals do not consider consequence. “Solving” a problem the wrong way will only make the problem worse, then deter others from attempting to solve that problem in the future. They don’t know. Ignoring laws to get a kind of so-called lawless “justice” will only breed more injustices. They don’t notice. Voting ourselves money from the taxpayer treasury bankrupts government, and government bankruptcy always leads to tyranny. They forget. Congressman Louie Gohmert cites history and notes that banning all overt racist monuments and institutions would mean banning the Democratic Party itself. They were never told. A false alarm will cause people to ignore real alarms. They never cared. If there ever were a time for alarm, it is now every bit as much as abuse has drowned out the alarms.

Qualified immunity of the police has been abused and must be reformed—it will be, there is no question of whether, only how. Either it will be abandoned, reformed, or riots will excuse martial law. But, police will not enjoy the protections they abused—and so-called “good” police will not enjoy the protections they allowed other police to abuse. Even the good cops let the corruption linger and fester. Change in police is inevitable, one way or another. The preferred solution to our police problem is the State-trained militia, but that requires people to think on their own.

Still, many defend police qualified immunity. If federal, state, and county governments were to increase accountability for police to qualify for immunity, there would be fewer riots and most police wouldn’t want to quit their jobs. But, if there is no qualified immunity reform through the legislative process, we will go down the road of riots and martial law.

As bad as martial law is, and as much as Trump made the final decision, no one supported martial law as much as those who justified it by creating the need—lawless, policeless idealists on the Left, possibly about half. As much as dissent against police threatens the peace, no one supported anti-police movements as much as good police who didn’t rise up to confront corruption among their coworkers. Each side of America’s divide creates excuses for the other. It seems like conspiracy, but we can’t be sure yet.

We will know whether there is a Trump conspiracy by whether Trump loses the general election. If he does, he can dispute it, thus enraging the lawless on the far Left to rationalize even more martial law. A simple, straight election victory would not be so inflammatory and would indicate Trump has no takeover conspiracy. Having kept campaign promises and being the incumbent, Trump must win; it is historical gravity. If he lost, it would have been on purpose.

No one helped Trump get elected as much as Obama. No one helped Obama get elected much as Bush Jr.—and Bush Jr., Clinton—and Clinton, Bush Sr. On it goes as America divides and fights with itself. Both sides are responsible, fars on Right and Left—those who don’t think for themselves, possibly about half each. Some are learning to think, whether Left or Right; they are not the problem, possibly about half each.

Election

Donald Trump ‘up to 13 points behind in battleground states’ // Daily Mail

Law

Flashback…
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Announces She Is Cancer-Free: What to Know // Healthline

Justice Ginsburg reveals she suffered recurrence of cancer // Politico

Congress

GOP’s Gohmert introduces resolution that would ban the Democratic Party // YouTube @ The Hill

Washington as Usual

The towering hypocrisy of Senate Republicans on a SCOTUS vacancy // CNN

Past D.C. Bar Association chiefs call for probe of William Barr // Politico

Federal System

Trump-appointed USPS Postmaster General plans to slow mail delivery // Fortune

Activism, Unrest & Protests

Portland protests: All you need to know about Trump’s crackdown // BBC News

Seattle protest: Police and anti-racism demonstrators clash at march // BBC News

Police and protesters clash in downtown Seattle on Saturday // YouTube @ KING 5

‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus Statue Decapitated Inside Florida Church // Breitbart

Scandal, Graft & White Collar Crime

Matt Gaetz appears to run afoul of House ethics rules // Politico

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

Washington Post settles Nicholas Sandmann defamation lawsuit in Covington Catholic High School controversy // Fox News

Foreigners & International Relations

Trump signs order targeting undocumented immigrants in the US census // CNN

Security & Public Safety

Do Americans Get That Trump is Instituting Martial Law? // Eudaimonia & Co

Trump sends ‘surge’ of feds to Chicago and other US cities // YouTube @ DW News

Trump Announces ‘Surge’ of Hundreds of Federal Agents Being Sent to Chicago // NBC Chicago

Trump administration to be investigated over use of force against protesters in Portland // Independent

Europe

EU calls on US to lift tariffs ‘immediately’ in Airbus dispute // Aljazeera

EU threatens escalation in tariff fight over Boeing and Airbus subsidies // BBC News

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, July 20, 2020

America is facing a crisis. Powerful forces with big money pull the strings. Had they pulled the strings differently, the world might not be in the situation it is in. Look at the Gates Foundation funding of the World Health Organization. What kind of sway was squandered in that influence?

While an epidemic that seemed to be passing resurges, Democratic voters turn to government guidelines while Republican voters turn to the Republican party. People are distracted with solving the current crisis, in a strong struggle over how.

Meanwhile in Washington, Senator Biden toys with the idea of removing the Senate rule allowing the filibuster—that would require only 51 Senate votes for most laws to pass instead of 60. With Americans—from both sides of the political schism—turning to government to solve today’s problems, a powerful Senate could become the most dangerous tool in the world.

As for Trump’s re-election, we see a massive push from Left-leaning media to paint the election as a Republican failure. Their arguments are based on what is right and reasonable from a Left wing view. But, whether correct or a matter of opinion, elections aren’t determined by what is right or wrong or reasonable; elections are determined by the popular vote. Right now, right or wrong, reported or ignored, Trump supporters are the majority.

We can’t trust surveys to say otherwise because those surveys always forecast Republican failure around this time in every election year. No Republican victory was ever reported as anything other than a surprise by the media, not even Fox News in 2016. So, if a Republican victory looks like it would be a surprise, historically speaking, that only makes it all the more likely.

Biden’s campaign is based on encouragement through difficult times and incompetence of the current president. His ads are long. Without difficult times or incompetence of the incumbent, Biden has no message. His appeals are akin to Jimmy Carter’s in the election he lost.

Trump’s campaign is built on his own competence, campaign promises he kept through laws, orders, and appointments, and resolve to continue pushing. His ads are short and sometimes censored on the internet.

The difference in the two campaigns, by itself, is enough to determine the outcome. As for the Democratic view that Trump was incompetent with the pneumoniavirus outbreak, Trump supporters blame Democratic politicians, Bill Gates, and China. They fear as much as Democratic voters, and they have their reason to keep their Republican vote unchanged. The epidemic doesn’t change votes, it only increases how adamant voters are on not changing their votes.

Unlike Republican voters, Democrat voters know the issues to address, but they don’t know how things happen in the world. So, the inevitable Trump victory in November will surprise them. Then, they will go into rage and possible riots. The Senate could grab for power as could China.

In tough times, people awaken. These are tough times. We will get through them. But, it won’t be smooth sailing.

Election

Even Donald Trump knows he is in deep, deep trouble in the 2020 race // CNN

Congress

Joe Biden signals possible support for ending filibuster that could completely change how US laws are made // Independent

Scandal, Graft & White Collar Crime

Coronavirus update: Florida labs not reporting negative test results, report says // Fox News

Spin control… truth 10%, not 98% …so the Tweet was false?
Florida’s recent record day for COVID-19 might not have been quite that high // wtsp.com

Pandemic

Target, CVS join Walmart in requiring face masks at all U.S. stores // WA Post

A Simple Step to Help Keep You Safe: Walmart and Sam’s Club Require Shoppers to Wear Face Coverings // corporate.walmart.com

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, July 13, 2020

In the Supreme Court ruling on Congress’ subpoena of the president, everyone claims the ruling was in their favor. Democratic members of Congress point out the court’s statement that one branch is not above the law. Trump points out the court’s decision to return the pro-subpoena decision of a lower court decision as unfinished homework. The subpoena will not go into effect before the end of the session of Congress that ordered it. Trump is accused by the media of a meltdown for saying so and Democrats call their defunct subpoena a victory.

What in the Hill is going on? In the court’s decision to return the incomplete ruling, Chief Justice Roberts briefly quoted Hamilton from Federalist No. 71. Consider a fuller quote:

The representatives of the people, in a popular assembly, seem sometimes to fancy that they are the people themselves, and betray strong symptoms of impatience and disgust at the least sign of opposition from any other quarter; as if the exercise of its rights, by either the executive or judiciary, were a breach of their privilege and an outrage to their dignity. They often appear disposed to exert an imperious control over the other departments; and as they commonly have the people on their side, they always act with such momentum as to make it very difficult for the other members of the government to maintain the balance of the Constitution.

This is a problem as ancient as legislatures themselves. Congress can’t skip process when giving a subpoena, even to a president, anymore than one can be immune from a subpoena, even the president. Both tried, both failed, but only Congress lost something of substance. This Congress will end before a decision is reached and there will be no tax records shown before the election. Still, Congressional Democrats delusionally declared victory. What Hamilton described in Congress may be called “narcissistic rage” by psychologists today.

As seen in response to the pneumoniavirus, Democrats think that crippling the economy and forcing dependace on the State will boost their popularity. But, such measures wouldn’t be needed if Democrats were as popular—and Trump were as unpopular—as the media touts them to be. Given their apparent view of the world, this makes perfect sense.

Neither party in Congress speaks for the worldview of any large portion of the people. Republicans in Congress are largely elitist; the vast majority of their voters are not. Democrats in Congress speak for a small segment of their own votership as well—those few who are anti-life, who fear everything, whose action unchecked would kill everything, who nonetheless fear that anything could kill them, and who believe that everyone else thinks the same.

This is interesting because the psychological behavior of “projecting” one’s own view onto others is a trait of Narcissistic Disorder. Thankfully, they are not the majority they think themselves to be, not even within their own party. It is ironic timing that psychology journals are reporting a condition being called “PTBO”, where people who are easily offended are clinically proven less effective in the workplace. We don’t need to say which political ideology the affected group of that study would likely fall into. Week by week, an ever greater majority of America wakes up to the insanity of Capitol Hill.

Trump

3 Key Takeaways from US Supreme Court Rulings on Trump’s Tax Returns // VOA

Supreme Court splits on Trump tax cases, potentially shielding returns until after election // Politico

Spin, spin, spin
Trump Reacts To Supreme Court Rulings On Financial Records // YouTube @ NBC News

Election

A Timeline of Kanye West Getting Political // Billboard

Biden-founded law firm, as well as a company tied to Pelosi, received PPP funds, docs show // Fox News

State & Local

Trump says he will pressure governors over school reopenings even as virus surges // CNN

Activism, Unrest & Protests

Frederick Douglass: Historic US black activist’s statue toppled // BBC News

Foreigners & International Relations

ICE tells students on visas they must leave US if schools go online-only // The Hill

Culture & People

The article: “PTBO”
You’re offended, I’m offended! An empirical study of the proclivity to be offended and what it says about employees’ attitudes and behaviors // ScienceDirect

Signaling virtuous victimhood as indicators of Dark Triad personalities. // PsycNET (APA)

Study Reveals That Easily Offended People Are Less Productive, Bad Employees : SocialJusticeInAction // reddit

Study Reveals That Easily Offended People Are Less Productive, Bad Employees // Summit News

The Isles

China ‘trying to influence elite figures in British politics’, dossier claims // Sky News

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, June 22, 2020

The Left is desperate and the Right is getting even moreso. With Chief Justice Roberts casting the deciding vote with Liberal justices, kicking back Trump’s move against DACA, Trumpists will lean in more than ever to fill upcoming Clinton-appointed vacancies with Conservatives.

Why would a million people reserve seats for a rally, then not show? Tump’s Tulsa rally seemed small, but there was more going on. Democrat-voting “influencers” are reported to have mocked the event—an act of desperation. How did they know? One doesn’t need to chide a president who is losing on his own. The social media platform TikTok was also reported involved—another act of desperation, and they are owned by the Chinese.

Surprisingly low turnouts are rare for Trump events. Mischief from the Left is suspect, squatter reservations and virus lock down policies among them. Low-turnout Tulsa won’t be overlooked in the Trump chronicles. And, it will rouse Republican voters while setting Democratic voters at ease to think the election is stacked in Biden’s favor.

While state and city police deal with protests, Trump steps back to allow local governments to work, yet he introduced some of the most sweeping police reform policy ever. Congress also is pushing for police reform.

As the looming election casts its normal shadow of question and concern, we are finally forced to deal with old problems which never should have been, just as much as no one found a way to escape them, let alone end them—until now.

Trump

President Trump holds rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, amid coronavirus spread concerns // YouTube @ Yahoo Finance

TikTok users troll the Trump campaign over Tulsa rally // CNN

Face a Black reporter, Lincoln: The interview with Harris Faulkner
Exclusive: Trump answers tough questions on state of US law enforcement // YouTube @ Fox News

Trump administration sues Bolton over book dispute // CNN

‘We’re thinking landslide’: Beyond D.C., GOP officials see Trump on glide path to reelection // Politico

Election

US election 2020: A ‘panic button’ moment for Senate Republicans // CNN

Law

DACA ‘unlawful’ despite Supreme Court ruling, acting Homeland Security chief says // Politico

DACA, LGBTQ decisions leave some conservatives with Supreme Court buyers’ remorse // Fox News

State & Local

Green cops protect predators
How DNR caught Michigan’s worst suspected wolf poacher // Detroit News

Activism, Unrest & Protests

Violent George Floyd protests at CNN Center unfold live on TV // YouTube @ CNN

Death & Taxes

Push the tax filing deadline to Oct. 15 // WA Examiner

Foreigners & International Relations

Roberts: lacks ‘a reasoned explanation for its action’
Supreme Court Upholds DACA, Ruling Against Trump Administration // NPR

Security & Public Safety

Full Text Of Senate Republicans’ Justice Act On Policing // NPR

Trump Signs Executive Order on Police Reform at the White House // YouTube @ Bloomberg QuickTake News

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, June 8, 2020

As if shutting down for a virus weren’t enough, the police just had to keep up old, bad, dirty habits. Few people question the reasoning behind vandalizing buildings when needed change hasn’t happened. Floyd was killed in a Democratic district. Los Angeles and New York are Democratic districts. Republican and Democratic voters are equally irked; both believe not changing their vote this November is the way to make the needed change, except that Minneapolis seems bound to get a different mayor, which doesn’t leave many party options. Through the partisan divide, other shady things have happened.

Reports of vandals being from out of town smell like rent-a-mob mischief. A construction site just happened to have an unattended pile of bricks, which just happened to be used to destroy the building across the street? Protests must be heard, just as fake protests must be investigated to find out whatever truth tells. At the end of it all, we are likely to find mischief both real and fake.

Dirty cops should be blamed for buildings destroyed. Dirty cops should be blamed for giving rent-a-mobs an excuse. And, dirty cops must be shut down, people are fed up and have been for a long time.

The country will carry on. Peaceful and fair people who look after their neighbors will shine during these times. Those who harbor blame and rage won’t be able to contain it, they won’t even be able to function. The election will most likely continue on schedule. Rioting will only make it harder for Democratic districts to vote and injustice will only make it harder for Democrats to win re-election. We all face a choice.

Trump

Twitter accuses President Trump of making ‘false claims’ // BBC News

Gen. Mattis says he’s ‘angry and appalled’ at Trump’s response to protests // Yahoo News

Washington as Usual

GOP senator blocks Trump nominations until admin explains why it fired watchdogs // CNBC

State & Local

Michigan Gov. Whitmer Violates Her Own Social Distancing Order during Civil Rights March // Yahoo News

Activism, Unrest & Protests

Protesters pull down Confederate statue in Richmond’s Monroe Park // Richmond Times-Dispatch

America convulses amid a week of protests, but can it change? // Laredo Morning Times

Protesters pour into DC for city’s largest demonstration yet // AP

Security & Public Safety

National Guard in Washington D.C. are told NOT to carry guns or ammunition // Daily Mail

Minneapolis Mayor Greg Frey Booed Out of BLM Protest // Mediaite

From 2016: Police shoot pinned man in chest! // Instagram

Is this a joke?
American policing in a nutshell. Black folk flag LAPD down for help! // Instagram

So-called “conservative media” breaking down, “police state” news narrative exposed for what it is
‘Criminal mobs’: US conservatives and Fox News hosts weigh in on George Floyd protests // Independent

Balme game viz Posse Comitatus
Insurrection Act: Can Trump legally deploy US troops to US cities? // CNN

Amash from Michigan
U.S. lawmaker prepares bill aiming to end court protection for police // Yahoo News

Secret Service agents wounded outside White House, car bombs feared; official says Trump was taken to bunker // Fox News

Antifa: Trump says group will be designated ‘terrorist organisation’ // BBC News

Science, Weather & Health

Coronavirus: CDC is worried Americans aren’t following its advice as U.S. cases continue to rise // CNBC

NATO Focus

Donald Trump orders 9,500 US troops to leave Germany // Guardian

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, April 13, 2020

In America, many WWII measures are being reenacted and reutilized—fireside chats, not from the president, but from governors, massive government spending packages, unemployment, sporadic activity in the stock market, groceries in short supply, and, not least of all, hatred for an Asian country. This time, it’s not “the Japs” (as the news called them), but “the Chinese”.

While Democrats act like Democrats, Republicans act like Republicans. The president wants everyone to go back to work, Republicans talk about civil rights and freedom of gathering for religion, Democrats want money, big government, and fewer Christian gatherings in particular.

Then, we have citizen reports from around the world of empty hospitals reported on the news as overflowing “war zones”. While conspiracy kooks claim the end of the world, this activity indicates more of a “virus drill”, much like a “fire drill”. Governments should run a kind of drill to see how to respond to a real pandemic. Of course, being semi-secret and all, Democrats and Republicans won’t tell on each other, but they’ll still try to push their partisan agendas. Leave it to a politician to capitalize on a fire drill.

But, that’s what everyone does, right? Salesmen send free medical masks to prospective customers to break the ice. Companies offer their reinvented services, supposedly to “help with the situation”. And, not least of all, while the world wakes up to need of domestic manufacturing, many countries are opening and reopening factories to make stuff at home once again. That’s yet another WWII measure being reenacted.

Trump

Trump discusses bold plan to reopen the economy in ‘Hannity’ exclusive // YouTube @ Fox News

Biggest anti-Trump piece yet
‘Trump is killing his own supporters’ – even White House insiders know it // Guardian

Law

Wisconsin primary: Supreme Court sides with GOP on absentee ballot deadline // CNBC

Congress

Nancy Pelosi says the US ‘could have a depression’ // CNBC

Coronavirus: Senate will vote to pass more small business aid Thursday, McConnell says // CNBC

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

How the media changes their advice every week! // YouTube @ Didi Vanh

Reporter from Chinese propaganda outlet attends White House presser and pushes Chinese aid to US // Daily Mail

China propaganda speech at press conference: uncut
Trump, Coronavirus Task Force hold White House press briefing | 4/6/20 // YouTube @ Fox News

Owned by China:
Trump Grills Reporter, Asks If She Works For China. She Said ‘No.’ Here’s The Rest Of The Story. // YouTube @ The Daily Wire

Human Rights, Civil Liberties & Privacy

Kansas governor wins court battle over order limiting church gatherings to 10 people // Fox News

CNN advocating censorship
What Fox News’ silence about ‘Diamond & Silk’ says about the network // CNN

Civil liberty discussion: ‘balanced’
Barr talks China’s global impact in exclusive ‘Ingraham Angle’ interview // YouTube @ Fox News

Prices, Rates, Oil & Food

3M sues over marked-up offer to New York City of N95 masks // CNN

Science, Weather & Health

Fake deaths?
Montana physician Dr Annie Bukacek discusses how COVID 19 death certificates are being manipulated // YouTube @ Didi Vanh

North America

Tucker Carlson: Dr. Fauci Is Suggesting ‘National Suicide’ | Video // RCP

US blocks millions of N95 face masks headed for Canada // Guardian

The Isles

But, reportedly ignored £8,000 stolen…
Man filming parking warden giving fines and than he gets 5 police officers at the door! // YouTube @ Didi Vanh

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, February 17, 2020

https://youtu.be/Bo68fqsQHh4

Democrats and Republicans are working in evil tandem. In a sense, Republicans have no choice. The attacks against Conservatives in America are so extreme and unfair that our laws might not be suited to defend us from them. Going easy on Roger Stone in his punishment for something that wasn't wrong seems like playing favorites, from more than one angle. It's okay when Democrats do it, but when Democratic Washington attacks men for less than John Brennan has done wrong it seems like those men must be unfair in order to receive justice.

We are in a spiral of decay.

Pure democracy is sheer tyranny of the masses, allowing the 51% to gang up on the 49%. But, a Democratic Republic, like the USA, doesn't—or shouldn't—allow the 99% to gang up on the 1% because every single person has rights that no one else can take away. But, in attempts to punish famous people for supporting a candidate in the "other political party", and in LGBTQ trying to change the rules of restrooms and use prison to punish people for grammar rules without classic literature, we are seeing the 1% try to gang up on the 99%. Some, not all, of the Left want an aristocracy that they steer.

But, it doesn't stop there. While a few in the Left try to gang up on the ever-less-so-silent majority, huge backlash is coming even against more moderate Liberals. The public-funding-driven Liberals, different from the social-driven Liberals, are getting a bad wrap from the Right. People are being hated for believing things they don't believe on both sides of the political spectrum. While the Right is rising up against the Far Left, another backlash is coming back against the Right in the more distant future. That will be when the nation's institutions are shaken, in the days when we all are forced to listen to each other—in the days when the nation's inner turmoil sees daylight and we find our hearts.

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, February 10, 2020

https://youtu.be/TfNq7TwobhI

Trump's acquittal did not come because of party politics or friends in Washington. It came because he stood fast—he held his ground in a party that tried to denounce him early on. He had many good friends helping, but it was Trump himself that empowered their efforts and directed the flow.

The Republican Party is not what it seems. They hated Trump when he didn't do things in their failing manner, but now they acquit him and act like they have always been BFF from the beginning. Any disagreements in Trump's early days don't matter anymore, even though that's not the tone they used at the time, though a number of those Republicans are out of office.

It's typical. The Republicans held their noses while Reagan gave them success. They passed Democratic-oriented, anti-Conservative laws during the W. Bush years viz the Patriot Act. They objected to Conservative voices in media during the 2005 "Build a Fence" movement viz Senator Lott. Thanks to Trump's inability to be railroaded, they are being gifted more success and clout than they ever didn't earn before.

Senator McConnell stayed true to the colors he flew, which is more than can be said for the late Senator McCain or Senator Romney, who took his unofficial place as "Republican Senate maverick". Senator Romney's departure from the fold could make him a one-term Senator—and not from lack of RNC backing. Senator Graham and many others took their stand for law, order, facts, evidence, process, and truth. The Republican Party stood behind their president, this time. Had former House Republicans not been card-carrying members of the metaphorical "never Trumper" movement, Republicans might still hold the House and none of this ugly impeachment would have happened.

Justice came from Republicans this time; don't get used to it. While Democrats are the party of hate and failed "we wanna' help you" platitudes, the Republicans are the party of treachery. Democrats stand together while Republicans usually don't. It was a strange week in Washington. Things will be fine through the Trump years because they will depend on him. But after that, buckle up.

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, December 30, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jha-dJDcul8

The Trump trials are exposing what is broken about our political culture. Politicians don't know how to talk to people. They can schmooze and beat around the bush. They can use a thousand hours and a hundred thousand words to do nothing in a way that appears like hard work. But, they don't know how to talk to people so that something actually happens.

To a business man, the phrase "I need your help" is a polite way of making a request easier to turn down. In politics, asking for "help" is code for bribery. The two aren't at all related. When Trump told the Ukrainian president he wanted "help", he was being polite. But, the swamp in Washington mistook Trump for speaking their evil language of bribery. In psychosemantics, the term is "projection".

Trump's impeachment is purely along party lines. Statistics and figures agree. If you're a Democrat, you think his call to Ukraine was wrong. If you're a Republican, you think his call to Ukraine was somewhere between necessary and excusable. Any exceptions are marginal. This is pure party politics, which means that we can't debate the ethics of Trump's phone call among fellow Americans with any more success than we can debate guns, abortion, and redistribution of wealth. Now, impeaching the incumbent president for whatever lame reason we can contrive has been added as one more topic in a party-politics worldview.

Most rules that Democratic politicians object to are rules that the same Democrats created to use against Republicans just a few years prior. This new precedent won't be any exception. It might even come in handy one day, one way or another.

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, December 23, 2019

Trump's popularity is soaring. The impeachment this week helped the popular president even more—well, if an "impeachment" that the House speaker chooses not to transfer to the Senate is an actual impeachment. In the words of Sen. Mitch McConnell, the House doesn't demonstrate much leverage by not, "sending us something we do not want." Not sending the Senate something the Senate does not want has made Trump even more "popularer".

Whether Democratic or Republican, everyone should think the House is an embarrassment to the country. Even Putin thinks the House is laughable. Smart Democratic voters won't want their politicians barking up trees, starting fights that help the other team. But, there is a danger—power corrupts and supermajority corrupts "superly". Democrats are handing the nation a supermajority Republican party by 2022, when the third round of Senate elections for Trump's tenure take place. That is when our freedom will be at more risk than it has ever been; when good people no longer have accountability they are no longer good.

Fortunately, while many Democratic voters don't value the Constitution that started the trend of ending slavery for the first time in human history, at least they know the power of gridlock. Democrats like checks and balances when they don't have power. That might be enough to save freedom.

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, October 14, 2019

Who does Pat Roberson think he is? Who gets to say whether or what America's "mandate from Heaven" is? We can talk about Kurds and allies and defending the defenseless. But, once we start using grandiose terms like "Heaven's mandate", that opens a whole new discussion.

If we're going to go all Bible-thumping Bible-happy about America and Heaven, we need to look at what John saw in Heaven in Revelation 12, where a woman and her newborn baby are given eagle's wings and saved from a dragon. The woman giving birth is Israel. The eagle's wings could only be America. If anyone is going to argue that America even has a mandate from Heaven—which may or may not be true—it would be to protect 1. Israel and 2. the unborn. But, that's assuming that America even has such a mandate. Syria, as much as we all should love all people, is not part of Revelation 12 and should be left out of this melodramatic "mandate from Heaven" freak talk.

Yes, America—and every other country—should all look after human rights and the good of all people—not only Christians, but non-Christians as well. Pat Robertson presumes the old, classic, "us four and no more" thinking we have come to sadly expect from Sunday morning culture. As for Syria, Russia is there and should be able to police wild stuff. America is spread too thin. And, the world would be safer if more nations hunkered down and stayed home. Scary and unpopular as it sounds, America needs to pull out of Syria because we don't have the unlimited resources of God and because we are indeed needed elsewhere.

Who should look after the Christians in Syria? The Christians should. Rather than playing on old superstitions, such as that America exists to favor Christians or that "good Christians" squabble over petty differences, Christians should act like the family they are. Jesus told Peter, "Those who live by the sword die by the sword." Military might is not how God works with Christians. He uses military to direct global politics, but shooting enemies of the Sunday crowd is not God's mode of operation, no matter how much Mr. Robertson thinks so. Heaven cares about Christians, but its strategy for Christians is to love each other and spread love—that is Heaven's mandate for how Christians should be looked after.

When we face our challenges, some leaders cower in fear, too scared to give an answer that should seem obvious. When asked the trap-question, "Should the president ask a foreign government to investigate a political rival?" the obvious answer is, "If the rival broke the laws of that government, of course! Otherwise no Republican or Democrat would be able to enforce laws against the other." Why can't Republicans say that? When one finds oneself with power one didn't earn, one won't know how to beat the toughest problems, no matter how obvious things may seem to everyone else. Congressional Republicans will either level-up their game or pack up and go home. This isn't pee-wee politics anymore.

Democrats in Congress seem to have forgotten all about looking after Americans, though. The House is trying to impeach a president who won't be removed by the Senate—it's pointless. But, to understand Democrats, one must understand the Democratic voters. They might not know that impeachment is pointless, just how Mr. Robertson doesn't know that a "mandate from Heaven" comes from Heaven, not sensationalist TV. But, sensationalism is the trend, for now.

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, January 28, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCdSTuVq2Z8

American deadlock trudges on. Trump promised a wall and he won't back down. Democrats won't back down either. Both show solidarity with their respective platforms. The only group that seems to favor backing down is Congressional Republicans, who want Trump to get this over with any way possible. For the compromising Republicans on Capitol Hill, Trump's refusal to sign a "wallless budget" isn't a "wall" strategy as much as it is a "shut down" strategy. Trump and Congressional Democrats see it differently.

Keep watch; it just might be Jared Kushner who saves the day.

The term "free speech" has taken a new meaning. While speech has kept less and less freedom from the tech bosses, the monetary cost of speaking out has essentially become free. With speech becoming more and more "financially free", the media industry can't find a way to stay solvent.

Newspapers and local news broadcasters seek collective ways to work against the tech giants, but they only rearrange their immediate problems with no long-term solutions in sight. The dwindling news industry is attacking "free" platforms of semi-free speech: social media. That's the clue of where news & information will head in the future.

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