Psalm 46:8 is translated in The Message, “Attention, all! See the marvels of God….step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at Me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”
This sets the scenario of our loving heavenly Father being “above politics” while simultaneously acknowledging there is indeed “traffic” on this earthly level that we — His kids and disciples — need to consciously step out of. We need to purposely take that long, loving look at Him as we weigh the choices we hear culturally promoted all around us with the truth and guidance of His Word.
“Juggernaut” is defined as “Something, such as a belief or institution, that elicits blind and destructive devotion or to which people are ruthlessly sacrificed.” A second American Heritage Dictionary (online) definition states “An overwhelming, advancing force that crushes or seems to crush everything in its path.” And this is what we face in America right now. Cultural and political wars rage all around us on numerous fronts, far beyond the concept of mere “traffic.” There are both victories and defeats, and I believe the fight for the soul of America is current and ongoing. Ephesians 6:12 enlightens us: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (NASB) We have a role to play. Timothy 2:8 (The Message) states, “Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray — not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want the women to get in there with the men in humility before God…”
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God…” (2 Cor. 10:3-5a, NASB)
ARTICLES OF NOTE AND INTEREST
(Links to go, 11/1/20 through 1/20/21 are a recap of significant Election 2020 headlines. Click here to access these links.
Also take note of our ongoing section called “The Continuing Fight”, featuring newer post-election posts of relevance)
10-5-21: Regarding Biden’s Executive Order Mandating Vaccination for Businesses Over 100 People…Never Logged in the E/O Registry!
To quote Captain Barbosa in one of the Pirates movies, “t’would strain credulity” to consider this possibility. What the heck is going on, here? After all the fuss and appropriate-fury of Fraudster Joe and his “100+ Employee Vaccine Mandate” for small businesses, it seems noteworthy to me that the legally-required recorded Executive Order simply isn’t recorded. Maybe it will happen “tomorrow.” And, maybe, as Jon Rappoport hypothesizes, his pronouncement of “I’m doing an Executive Order” is a verbal shadow pounced on by media and supportive government agencies to make it appear as a condition that is legally binding.
As published on blog.nomorefakenews.com, author Jon Rappoport states, “I can’t find the EO. I don’t see it in the Federal Register, where it’s supposed to be published. (note: the following two Biden EOs only cover Federal employees and Federal contractors.)”
Rappoport’s conclusion? “If it hasn’t been published, then there is no mandate. If there is no mandate, yet, then obviously, none of the companies are under any obligation to enforce it…if I’m correct, and no EO has been published, we have an odd situation, to say the least.”
The original announcement was carried on multiple media outlets on September 9, also saying it would be under the umbrella of OSHA oversight and OSHA parameters. On 9-23-21, townhall.com describes OSHA as attempting to craft “rules that are meant to withstand challenges like the one Job Creators Network, a small business advocacy group, told Townhall they would file the minute the rules are released.” On 9-28-21, forbes.com published an online article asking, “Biden’s Vax Mandate to be Enforced by Fining Companies $70,000 to $700,000?” Apparently, on page 168 of Nancy Pelosi’s $3.5-trillion megabill, there is a “tenfold increase in fines for employers who ‘willfully’, ‘repeatedly,’ “or even seriously violate a section of labor law that deals with hazards, death, or serious physical harm to their employees.”
And just what legislation or Executive Order number will all this skullduggery be based on?
Keep your eyes open!
8-9-21: A Primer on “Devolution”, in Ongoing Segments, from Praying Medic
I keep hearing or reading the word “devolution” and haven’t really understood what it meant. The basic concept is pretty understandable, but how it works out can be rather confusing. If you have joined Telegram, I recommend the Praying Medic channel, but you can also check out Prayingmedic.com.
https://prayingmedic.com/2021/08/04/a-summary-of-patel-patriots-articles-on-devolution/
“The word ‘devolution’ as it is used in the context of government refers to the delegation of powers from a central government to regional or local authorities…the premise that Trump could do this is based on the idea that America has been in an undeclared war with China since at least January 2020……”
7-31-21: from CJTRUTH, forwarded on Telegram from realx22report
“I said I would not post but this is too important. Doctors are not prescribing certain drugs that work for Covid 19 because it is off label. This is just plain EVIL!
I have to send everyone this protocol from Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance for Covid 19 that includes Ivermectin. Please pass this one far and wide. Covid is real. I don’t care what you say.
FLCCC Alliance
All Protocols
https://covid19criticalcare.com/covid-19-protocols/
Hospital Protocol
https://covid19criticalcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/FLCCC-Alliance-MATHplus-Protocol-ENGLISH.pdf
Prevention and Early Outpatient Protocol
https://covid19criticalcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/FLCCC-Alliance-I-MASKplus-Protocol-ENGLISH.pdf
At Home Treatment
https://covid19criticalcare.com/covid-19-protocols/i-mass-protocol/
How to get Ivermectin
https://covid19criticalcare.com/ivermectin-in-covid-19/how-to-get-ivermectin/
Ivermectin Studies
https://covid19criticalcare.com/ivermectin-in-covid-19/
Doctor to get prescription from after being seen online.
https://myfreedoctor.comFLCCC | Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care AllianceCOVID-19 Protocols | FLCCC | Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care AllianceThe MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocol for Covid-19 is a physiologic-based combination treatment regimen created by leaders in critical care medicine.
July 31, 2021: Downloadable Documents Regarding Issues of Conscience and Medical Mandates
At the moment, my printer is out of ink so I can’t test-print the actual form, but I was able to bring the documents up in preparation of printing and they seemed OK. You can also check out the website AAPSonline.org, which stands for “Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.
July 31, 2021: One person’s opinion on “how this works.” From “Resist the Mainstream” on Telegram. If you have the Telegram app, I recommend their channel.
July 23, 2021: Author/Political Commentator/Constitutionalist Mark Levin States ‘A Massive Movement’ is On the Edge
To this I say — it can’t be soon enough!
As Chris Pandolfo wrote for theblaze.com, “New York Times bestselling author and Blaze TV host Mark Levin said there is a ‘massive movement’ of the American people waking up to the challenge the progressive Left.”
Included in the article is a lengthy quote from Levin, including his statement, “The American people are furious with what’s happened to their country — and by American people I mean all American people who love this country regardless of their color, their religion, their background…..”
Mark Levin’s newest book, American Marxism, can be ordered here.
July 14, 2021: Emmanuel Macron and Kathleen Sebelius Broadcasting the Same Spiel?
Same day, same message, two continents: keep your eyes open!
As reported by theconservativetreehouse.com, “Yesterday, President Emmanual Macron ruled that all French citizens must be vaccinated in order to shop, eat at restaurants, drink in bars, travel (use buses, vans, etc.), attend worship services or otherwise engage in life.” On July 11, CNN Medical Analyst Leanna Wen stated “Life needs to be hard for unvaccinated Americans.”
On July 14, beckernews.com quoted former Obama Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as stating in a CNN interview, “We have folks who are just saying, we won’t do it (take the vaccine). I think it’s time to say to those folks, it’s fine if you don’t choose to get vaccinated. You may not come to work. You may not have access to a situation where you put my grandchildren in jeopardy….I want them to maybe have a limitation on where they can go and who they can possibly infect.”
Keep tuned and get involved in this discussion!
July 9, 2021: Play Performance Praised When White Patrons Asked to Leave
Unbelievable. Don Trump Jr. calls it “liberal privilege.” Can you imagine what would happen if the racial groups were reversed and blacks were told to leave at a particular point in a play performance?
As covered by resisthemainstream.com, New York Times critic Maya Phillips enthusiastically lauded a play written by Aleshea Harris fort her play in which “during the last few minutes of it, all non-black people were asked to leave the show and go into the lobby.”
Phillips commented that at that juncture in the play, “she felt ‘the safest and most embraced by my Blackness in a theater…I am concerned only with how Harris’ play made me and the other Black people in the room feel.”
So much for art serving the purpose of being a great cultural unifier.
June 26, 2021: Wondering What Ole’ Vladimir Putin is Up To…..
I really think this is a “dot” that connects to something…..but I am not sure just what the picture will look like. It is eyebrow-raising for sure. Do I think it’s headed to create mischief for America? No. Do I think it might be paying an unofficial visit to Iran?…..well……hmmmmm…time will tell.…..
As reported by dailymail.co.uk, “A new Russian submarine packed with nuclear firepower and capable of taking out an aircraft carrier or even an entire city has sailed for the first time.” It is described as being “the largest built in the last 30 years” and is auspiciously being “operated on behalf of the nation’s secretive Main Directorate of Undersea Research, and is understood to be central to Russia’s intelligence gathering operation.”
Dr. Sidharth Kaushal, of the Royal United Services Institute, stated in an interview that the Belgorod “is large enough to act as a mother ship to a unique set of smaller vessels which have deep-diving capabilities and have the ability to tamper with undersea infrastructure.” Navalnews.com reported that the Belgorod’s launch “represents the start of sea trials which are critical to the delivery of the new boat to the Russian Navy.” The article also states that “She also carries a new strategic weapon, known as Poseidon.”
June 1, 2021: Fraudster Joe Goes Looking for…. Already Deported Illegals?
This is just insane — which has become one of my most frequent phrases over the last year.
As covered by resisttheainstream.org, the nonprofit National Immigrant Justice Center is requesting that “the administration to establish a new office in the Department of Homeland Security to review requests from deported immigrants and give them a chance to return to the U.S.”
So…..the United States is sufficiently short of illegal aliens that we are going to search out a few more from those already deported for breaking the law? Really? The article continues that the NIJC believes “that Biden can simply sign an executive order and create the office without the support from the current Congress.”
Great rationale.
May 12, 2021: EPIC VIDEO of Rand Paul Connecting the Dots with Dr. Fauci
I do believe this is a game-changer! If yiu have not seen this on “regular TV”, get a look here. My rediction — much that will be disclosed on this topic, moving forward, will revolve around or have its roots in this conversation.
As archived on Rumble, here is a segment of the conversation between Rand Paul and Dr. Anthony Fauci regarding American funding for the Wuhan Lab. https://rumble.com/vgwzqv-anthony-fauci-exposed-by-rand-paul.html
As covered in westernjournal.com, Dr. Rand Paul has made the assertion that “there is documented proof that Fauci’s division of the National Institute of Health– the National Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases — gave hefty grants to the Wuhan Institute, which used the funding to perform “gain-of-function” research into bat coronaviruses.” The article defines “gain-of-function” research as “transforming pathogens into mutant ‘superviruses’ by making them deadlier and more contagious.”
Yes, I do believe this is one chicken that has come home to roost — and the henhouse may be shortly cleaned out!
April 26, 2021: Australian TV Host Points Out ‘America Last’ Policy is Detrimental to the World
This is a pretty fascinating article presented through theblaze.com.
James Morrow, Australian TV host for Sky News, shared an editorial on “Anzac Day,” an Australian equivalent to America’s “Veteran’s Day”, sharing remarks which included the “commemoration” of “all those who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our freedoms, and fighting very often side by side with soldiers from the United States.” He then moved into his keynote topic — “Which is why it is so depressing to look at what is happening to the U.S. under Joe Biden, who seems, for whatever reason, determined to weaken America’s standing, her military, and emboldening her and our enemies, making a mockery of a century’s worth of shared sacrifice.”
The article additionally quotes Morrow as musing that Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping “must be quaking in their boots….or more likely laughing.” He cited America’s negating a leadership role in the world as “bad news for all of us.”
April 22, 2021: D.C. Statehood Discussion — Is It a Constitutionally-Set Aside Parcel or Enabled Voter Suppression?
It probably doesn’t take too much knowledge of political rhetoric to figure out which political bent is advocating for which angle on the “D.C. Statehood” argument. However, to be fair — as dailycaller.com understated in January, “It’s complicated.”
Actually, there is a strong argument for the “D.C. state is unconstitutional” interpretation. Dailycaller.com pointed out in a January, 2021 publication, that the Federal Enclave Clause “was included when the Constitution was first ratified in 1788, allowed Maryland and Virginia to cede land that eventually became Washington D.C. for the purpose of becoming the nation’s capital.” The specific Constitutional writing is found in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17.
When the issue was most recently raised in 2019 (HR 51 was written in, but languished since, 2019) Roger Pilon of the Cato Institute is quoted in the article as stating, “Their (the framers’) mention of ‘ten miles square,’ together with Congress’ nearly contemporaneous 1790 creation of the district from the land, ten miles square, ceded to the government by Maryland and Virginia, is strong evidence of what they intended.”
In addition, the 1961-ratified 23rd Amendment allows for “a number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the District would be entitled if it were a state; but in no event no more than the least populous state.” Reference.com points out that “Washington, D.C., has three electoral votes. However, until the 23rd Amendment was ratified in l961, Washington, D.C. residents did not have the right to vote in presidential elections, being governed, per the Constitution, solely by Congress.” In a March 5, 2021 article, pmedia.com asserted that “The case against D.C. statehood on the constitutional merits is an open-and-shut case: You can’t do it. It may be possible to annex parts of D.C. to Virginia and Maryland, but granting statehood to the city of D.C. would not pass constitutional muster.”
The pro-state organization “dcstatehoodyeswecan.com” (does “yes we can” sound familiar to anyone???) starts its arguments with the opinion, “you must favor statehood for the District of Columbia” and subsequently asserts, “There is no clause in the constitution that expressly prohibits Congress from erecting a state out of the nonfederal part of the District of Columbia. Under Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, Congress exercises ‘exclusive’ authority over the District. If the authority is exclusive, Congress can do with the District what it wishes, including creating out of it a state. If Congress can not create a state out of the District, the authority must be less than exclusive, an interpretation that runs against the plain meaning of the word “exclusive” power clause.”
The article does concede that “there are several constitutional and legal issues which have been raised in connection with granting statehood to the nonfederal part of the District of Columbia.”
The House of Representatives did, indeed, pass HR-51 today.
The website historypresent.com observes that the “core grievance” regarding the thrust to make D.C. a state is that “residents are subject to suppression because they are subject to all the obligations of citizenship but do not hold the same level of self-determination that citizens of the states enjoy.” The article points out the interesting contradiction in a “DC population” however — “The Federal District is designed to provide a permanent location for a largely impermanent population. Congress, its membership and its staffers, are not meant to be permanent positions.” The author lists the same impermanent situation for others — “Administrations and their staff….judicial clerks….Supreme Court does not stay in session”…..et cetera.
We will have to watch where prevailing politics tries to lead, with this one……
March 24, 2021: A 9-Point Analysis of “For the People Act”
In my opinion, this is just bad-bad-bad for America and for American voters. Yes, ALL legal American voters. I agree with Ted Cruz’ assessment, this is a politician-benefitting piece of legislation parting significantly from Constitutional election law.
As quoted in dailysignal.com, “‘The bill has been rightly called the Corrupt Politicians Act because it is designed to keep corrupt politicians in office,’ Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said as he denounced the legislation.”
On March 15, dailysignal.com offered a commentary by Hans von Spakovsky who stressed that “It is without a doubt the most dangerous and irresponsible election bill I have ever seen.” He then shares the eight “worst provisions” of the legislation, which has passed the House and is being debated in the Senate.
March 7, 2021: China’s Goals Continue: “Investments in Each and Every Congressional District in the U.S.”
This is beyond unsettling, and it seems to me that everyone who is aware of these facts should share them. China’s plans to influence and eventually dominate America are not simply “subtle hints” open to much speculation and interpretation — they are quite blatant, obvious, explicit, and ongoing!
Manylin Yi, in writing for nationalreview.com, shares the quote, “Our government hopes that eventually China will have investments in each and every congressional districts in the U.S., making it possible for China to control thousands of votes to influence congressional members’ stance towards China.” Yi emphasizes that “the English translations are mine; I am responsible for their accuracy.” The speeches analyzed by Yi are from different years, but all given by Jin Camrong, who is described as “the Chinese ‘state master,’ a professor at the Chinese People’s University in Beijing, a U.S. expert, and an adviser to the Communist Chinese Party’s Organization Department and United Front Department.”
Yi states that he first became acquainted with the speeches in 2018, and the speeches he discovered were from 2016, two years earlier. “I was greatly alarmed” was his immediate response, for the content he read, “contradicted all the beautiful public utterances of CCP leaders.” In addition to alarm, Yi notes that “It was the first time I was truly impressed by the degree of China’s power and ambition.” Under President Trump, “the U.S. State Department suspended the ten-year visa” for Camrong and nine others also designated as “state masters.” Yi also references speeches from 2012, combining the speeches into what he describes as “rhapsody” of six different parts/subject matter/goals.
Now, tying together a few threads……on June 3, 2015, washingtonpost.com released an article entitled “Why China is Buying Up Oklahoma and Texas,” which released several land-acquisition statistics. A map of the US is provided, with this explanation: “The lightest yellow/green spots on the map, including all of Nevada, Idaho, and Alaska, and much of New Mexico, Oregon and Florida, received between $0 and $10 million dollars of investment between 2000 and 2014. The darkest green spots on the map, including North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham triangle, southwestern Texas, northwestern Oklahoma, eastern Virginia, and metro areas like Chicago, Houston, and New York City, each received more than $1.5 billion in Chinese investment in the 15-year period. Those investments went to a variety of targets, including oil fields in Texas, auto parts in Michigan and video games in Silicon Valley.”
On April 31, 2015, nbcnews.com included a small statement in an article regarding Californian farmers purchasing farmland in Washington state: “Other buyers in Washington are from China. Those individuals are said to be looking primarily for investment property that they can lease out. Some, however, are looking to move their families to the United States…we just did an offer for some Chinese investors for about 200,000 acres of timber ground in the Northwest…you’re seeing people with serious money wanting to move it out of China.”
On July 7, 2017, moneymorning.com ran an article discussing the potential impact on food production for Americans, in light of increased foreign ownership of land and resources. Then-Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa stated, “As we think about the future and the growing global population, it’s important to consider who will own the food supply. Today, there may not be a food shortage, only distribution problems that are more the result of politics and not logistics, but in the decades to come, it may be a different story.”
On May 5, 2020, americanthinker.com pointed out, “Smithfield Foods was started in 1936 by a family in Virginia…in 2013, Smithfield Foods was bought by the Shanghui Group, later rebranded as the WH Group, for $4.7 billion. It remains the largest total acquisition of a U.S. company by the Chinese. With that acquisition, the Chinese owned one in four pigs raised in the U.S. and, by adding 146,000 acres, continued to be the world’s largest buyer of American farmland.”
As a result of business and land acquisition, how many congressional districts have been impacted so far? Maybe worth looking into…..
February 23, 2021: Individual State Counties Choose to Become “Second Amendment Sanctuary” Counties
This is an action I have vaguely heard about since the 11/3/20 election date, and apparently it is continuing to grow advocates. Back on 11/21/20, reason.com posted an article stating “Counties in Wisconsin, Florida, Virginia, Arizona, and Texas became part of a growing ‘second amendment sanctuary’ movement this month. The phrase ‘Second Amendment sanctuary’ is an umbrella term used to describe a jurisdiction that passes a resolution declaring that restrictive gun control laws another legislative body passes are unconstitutional and will not be enforced there…generally, Second Amendment sanctuaries refuse to dedicate resources to enforcing things like ‘red flag laws’ and bans on certain weapons.” Counties in the state of Colorado have also contributed to the movement.
Americandefensenews.com has just posted an article detailing Missouri’s Newton County “criminalizing any federal enforcement of unconstitutional efforts to violate gun rights.” In quoting an article published by dailywire.com, the Second Amendment Preservation Act of Newton County Missouri, provides that “Any and all federal agents trying to enforce the regulations listed in Section (1) shall be subject to arrest by the Sheriff’s department.”
The article quotes Daniel Horowitz of The Blaze as saying, “Newton County might have adopted the strongest language in the entire country.”
February 20, 2021: Australian Media Runs Headlines Discussing “Biden’s Dementia”
As covered by cloudhedges.com, reporter Cori Bernardi of Sky News shared his perception that “Never before has the leader of the free world been so cognitively compromised. It’s clear to me, at least, that US president Joe Biden is struggling with dementia and is clearly not up to the task he’s been sworn in to do.”
Now, hold the phone. There were — are still are — PLENTY of people fully aware of Joe Biden’s cognitive difficulties. It is on that basis that there is considerable public and private speculation regarding “who’s really calling the shots” as he ambles his way through the days.
So my question is…are these genuinely perplexed statements being made, or observations thrown into the public arena for a purpose? Perhaps the purpose of hurrying Kamala on her way up the ladder? It was, after all, an Australian ambassador who first contacted the FBI regarding a conversation with George Papadapoulos….which led to an initial FISA warrant for Carter Page….which enabled the Trump campaign to be surveilled.
I guess time will tell all.
February 16, 2021: Former Iranian Crown Prince Gives Warning to Joe Biden
This is actually quite interesting. Will those with ears to hear actually heed his words? Website thejeffreylord.com states that, “In a telling interview, the former crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, gave the Biden administration a crucial message: rejoining the Iran nuclear deal is a mistake.”
Pahlavi is also quoted as stating “The Iranians know that the country is not led by its national interests, but by its corrupt and criminal interests.”
It seems to me that Americans have more in common with Iranian citizens than ever before!
February 15, 2021: Puerto Rico Starts Potential Statehood with “Equal Treatment” Argument
According to newsmax.com, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi stated in a recent interview that “Congress is morally obligated to respond” to Puerto Rico’s November 2020 vote approving the desire for American statehood.
Does anyone else find that attitude both annoying and rather arrogant? And is it really good form to promote your inclusion by basing it on the fact the country is “a truly, Hispanic state,” rather than suggesting positive contributions to culture, technology or education, or other cultural uniqueness.
As bald-faced as it is, at least Governor Pierluisi is honest in his assessment regarding the country’s goals — “We need a game changer in Puerto Rico. And one game-changer would be that we get equal treatment in key federal programs.”
According to washingtimes.com, “Statehood for Puerto Rico has been part of the Republican Party platform.” The article adds that adding Puerto Rico as the 51st state “would require 60 votes in the Senate.”
February 9, 2021: Redvoicemedia Poses an Interesting Scenario About Remaining Unaware in These Days
From radio host and journalist Stew Peters: “How does silencing an estimated 100 million people become effective, rather than causing an uprise? Well, if you take away responsible journalism, courageous reporting of facts and truth, and then, in turn, overwhelming the remaining populous with the narrative you wish to form, you’ve completed step one. Then, buy off the unions and educators responsible for carrying out the remaining indoctrination on their most unsuspecting and innocent targets…our children…..what’s really happening in the cancel culture is so astonishing and widespread, I’m convinced it would absolutely rock the core of the 200 million people that have no idea it’s even going on….
The commentator continues, “Here’s where the danger comes. What if these people are raising teenagers, or still have young adults living with them, and those young and impressionable minds and ears have been infiltrated with social justice warriors at school are now hearing that anyone who supported Donald J. Trump and was present at the events at the Capitol on January 6 should be labeled as ‘domestic terrorists’…These people should be investigated and jailed!”
I recommend the reading of this relatively short piece. Life is always busy, especially for those raising kids, working one or more jobs, trying to balance everyone’s life needs and priorities as realistically as possible. But for this season, seriously consider the nature of the information you receive….and from whom you receive it. Check out what might have previously been “little guys” for media broadcasting. Realize that awareness and analysis is one of the greatest skills we currently possess.
January 30, 2021: 1776 Commission Says Principles Will Endure
According to theepochtimes.com, Executive Director Matthew Spalding shared with the publication his insight that “you can’t erase history, you can’t get rid of these principles.” He added that because Joe Biden removed their information from the White House website, “I think by abolishing the commission and removing the report, they actually drew more attention to it.”
He also pointed out that “current popular educational trends are unfair to students because they don’t give a true picture of the founding of America.” Spalding also is quoted as stating, “In America, to be a citizen means you actually need to know something about American history, the debates about what the Declaration means…those kinds of things. And we think a recovery would be a large step in the right direction.”
January 21, 2021: Transgender “Faith Leaders” Direct Inaugural Prayer Service
Is this a prophetic introduction of a season in which “the blind” are leading the blindest? Or “the confused” leading the even more confused?
According to christianheadlines.com, even the “mostly virtual” inaugural prayer service is being praised by the LBGTQ community as “trailblazing” and “most LGBTQ inclusive” ever held. And I have to ask…..really? How do they know? Or, like discussions about Pete Buttigieg in his new White House role, is there simply a preponderance of publicity about a single non-job-related life characteristic?
The president of pro-gay-rights organization Human Rights Campaign, Alphonso David, is quoted as stating, “Elevating the voices of LGBTQ faith leaders sends a strong message to the LGBTQ community — that we are integral parts of faith communities and that our continued advocacy for equity is crucial for the work of healing the soul of America.”
Equity. A highly valued word in Unofficial Resident Biden’s current agenda.
November 12, 2020: Wall Street Moving to Texas? Noooooooo….
I was shocked to read this article, though it only outlines “the thinking stage” of such a move. Just the same, I think I would give “Just Say No” advice to Governor Abbott…
As reported by legalinsurrection.com, “Texas Governor Greg Abbott will welcome representatives from major stock exchanges, including Nasdaq, to Austin on Nov. 20 as the state makes a bid to be the top choice if the exchanges make good on threats to move their trading platforms out of New Jersey.”
The article also points out, “Of course, the change could have some intriguing cultural consequences.”
Wow. I cannot imagine anything other than the complete disruption of current Texan culture by such an integration…in a state that is not “hurting for money,” I hope they give the concept a big pass!
November 6, 2020: Software Used in Michigan County Swapped 6,000 Trump Votes
The news during this who-is-really-President interim period just can’t seem to get any weirder! And here comes software corruption…or is it software programming…there seems to be some difference of opinion as to which word correctly describes the software “glitch” that is flipping votes…
According to the conservative website thegatewaypundit.com, “A so-called computer ‘glitch’ in one of Michigan’s counties has led to 6,000 votes switching from Joe Biden to President Trump. The Head of the Republican Party has asked for an additional 47 counties be recounted after the fix since these 47 counties also use the same Dominion software.” One apparent result of “the fix”? The article states that “revised totals now show that Trump won by an estimated 2,500 votes.” Results in Michigan are anticipated to reflect changes as this software anomaly is addressed throughout the state…and throughout the other states also using it — Nevada, Arizona, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Hmm, that sounds like a familiar list of states currently in the news…
Strange as that is, I have an article or two along these lines that make me grit my teeth, so here is my disclaimer: these article titles popped up on Parler as quoted from a site named cloverchronicle.com. I am not familiar with the site and have not seen it before; I don’t know if it’s run by crazy-people or is mostly legitimate with some flamboyance. So — the article on “The Hammer and Scorecard” infers pretty strongly that the computer/software combination has been used to skew other U.S. elections. I have not verified the truth/untruth of that inference; my interest is only is presenting the possibility of this software use in present election application.
The cloverchronicle.com article begins by stating, “The Intelligence community is largely staffed with Technocrats who have no ethical boundaries when operating outside of the law. Hacking into computers to flip votes is a previously established fact, but is not being discussed during the 2020 election debacle…the big question to ask now: is The Hammer and Scorecard or its modern derivative in in operation today?”
The initiator of The Hammer (described as “a powerful supercomputer system”) and Scorecard (described as an “exploit application” whose capability is “hacking into elections and stealing the vote”) is allegedly then-President Barack Obama back in 2009. The techno-wizard to make President Obama’s wish come true is, according to the article, a “CIA contractor-turned-whistleblower” by the name of Dennis Montgomery. At the time, its use was designated for foreign surveillance of suspected terrorist or other potentially dangerous individuals.
Dennis Montgomery has a website. His (presumably) self-written description of past accomplishments includes “Over 30 years as a computer scientist, developed software programs, computer hardware, and medical devices…the last 18 years have been devoted to developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in cybersecurity space for the U.S. Intelligence Agencies.” He states he holds many patents and copyrights, including property in the areas of “surveillance, anomaly detection, encryption, cyber security, cyber warfare.” A Wikipedia profile appears to attempt discredit ing Montgomery, specifically listing a government-purchased computer program designed to assist in exposing Al-qaeda operatives as being labeled “a hoax.”
The Hammer, however, already has a history of impacting individuals. As reported in a March 22, 2017 article of the website, themillenniumreport.com, “President Obama’s Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper and his Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director John Brennan oversaw a secret supercomputer system known as “The Hammer” according to former NSA/CIA contractor-turned-whistleblower Dennis Montgomery. Clapper and Brennan were using the supercomputer system to conduct illegal and unconstitutional government data harvesting and wiretapping.”
Back to the cloverchronicle.com article: “Scorecard steals elections by tampering with the computers at the transfer points of state election computer systems and outside third party election data vaults as votes are being transferred. SCORECARD uses a prismatic scoring algorithm that Montgomery created, to achieve the desired results by those that control the Hammer and Scorecard.”
And if this doesn’t end on a gut-churning-enough note of possibility, here is a piece also published on cloverchronicle.com labeled under their “conspiracy” category: “On Thursday evening, a Democrat whistleblower posted on a popular image board claiming Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are both behind this election rigging that is plaguing the ongoing 2020 election.” When asked to provide “evidence” the response was allegedly, “The problem with posting anything would be admitting we knew about it…We became aware of all of this on election night but waited because we thought it wasn’t going to be on this grand of a scale.”
Huh. I think that’s about all I can say. Huh.
UPDATE 11-9-20: Interestingly enough, an article in thegatewaypundit.com includes a clip from Sidney Powell interviewing with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo and pointing out that Nancy Pelosi’s “long-time chief of staff is a key executive” in Dominion (Voting Systems), while fellow California Senator Dianne Feinstein is linked to the company through her husband, Richard Blum, who is reportedly a 60% owner of Dominion. Although the website metabunk.org denies his ownership, investmentwatchdogblog.com confirms it. Gurufocus.com stated on 10-2-20 that “Richard Blum…reduced his position in Avid Technology, Inc. by nearly 4% on Monday.” Avid Technology reportedly holds the patent on the software.
Hmmmm. I think I have updated my thoughts from a Huh, to a hmmm. The threads of this are indeed interestingly woven…though I have yet to see Kamala Harris’ name….
November 5, 2020: Did You Know State Legislature Can Step In and Count Votes?
My learning on our American civics has been considerable, this election! And here’s another one I don’t recall from eighth grade: As reported by newmax.com, veteran political analyst Dick Morris is urgently advising that “members of Republican-controlled legislatures in four states must ‘step up‘ and take charge of the ballot-counting process from their governors.”
Morris’ advice includes, “What they should do is step in and say the evidence of missing votes, suddenly discovered votes, unexplained delays, not granting access to poll watchers shows the corruption of this process, and we the state legislature are taking it over. We’re going to set up a joint committee to run this process, and we the state legislature are taking it over.”
October 31, 2020: Sanders — Laying “The Groundwork for the Future of Our Political Revolution”
According to dailywire.com, in an endorsement for Portland Mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarrone challenging Ted Wheeler, part of Sanders’ speech included this phrase: “We need to continue building and strengthening our movement from the ground up by electing more progressives to state and local positions. Because the truth is that the victories we accomplish in this election will lay the groundwork for the future of our political revolution.”
The article later stated that “Iannarone has described herself as ‘Antifa’ in tweets” while simultaneously making the claim that she “condemns violence.”
Whether she wins or not, it is important to think about Sanders’ perspective when you think about the Biden-Sanders alliance as Joe Biden runs for President.
October 30, 2020: Blockchain Technology in Use This Election
On August 29, on this page, I presented a piece suggesting that Blockchain software could-or-would be utilized in this year’s election. Imagine my interest at seeing this article, which I initially overlooked on its 10-16 publication date.
As stated in thecurrencyanalytics.com, “Blockchains are no longer limited to cryptocurrencies and are fast making headway into the mainstream world of late…but recently this cutting-edge technology has made a glorious entry into the arena of politics too. And here comes the big news — the 2020 American Presidential election results have been announced to be published on blockchain. The news has been confirmed by leading news organization Associated Press.”
In mid-October, foxnews.com published the information that “revolutionary blockchain technology is being piloted in small pockets of the country. And Tuesday marked the first time a vote has ever been cast for a U.S. president in the general election using such an app on a personal mobile phone.”
A personal mobile phone? Aaaah, here comes the trick: as warned in nextgov.com, “U.S. elections rely almost entirely on in-person voting, with mail-in ballots accepted…transitioning to a blockchain-based solution would only be feasible in the context of remote voting.”
Nevertheless, Utah County Clerk Amelia Powers Gardner is quoted as saying, “We are proud to lead our state and the nation on this innovative and cutting edge technology.” Utah’s platform of choice is Voatz, described as cutting costs and increasing security since its inception 20 months ago.
Thecurrencyanalytics.com explains that in the case of Blockchain hosting American election results, a “middleware” which takes “on-chain (blockchain) platforms with the off-chain (external world) data” that will “source off-chain data from various external-world data sources and then feed them into the blockchain.”
Despite all the technological gobblegook needed to describe the technicalities, results from using Voatz in Utah have been summarized as having “enabled voting for almost 4,000 delegates in 40 races,” while also being utilized in “the Arizona GOP Convention, South Dakota GOP Convention, and Michigan Democratic Party Convention.”
October 27, 2020: Shut Down DC Explains Plans to “Create Serious Disruption” if Trump “Tries to Steal the Election“
Not just law enforcement expressing concern for post-election violence… especially with groups such as Shut Down DC proclaiming that people should join together at Black Lives Matter Plaza after voting and “make this uprising happen.” Amid the cries to “organize your community,” christiannewswire.com reports that the group is also promising to “come out to the streets every day” following election day, including meeting with Congress members Nov. 8-11 and beyond.
On Oct. 30, dailysignal.com published the Shut Down DC plan to “target conservative organizations as ‘Trump Boosters.'” According to the article, “targeted” organizations include The Heritage Foundation, “Americans for Prosperity, Competitive Enterprise Institute, FreedomWorks, Leadership Institute, National Taxpayers Union, Republican Jewish Coalition, UrbanCURE,” and others, totaling 27 organizations. On a detailed location map, phone numbers, website info and addresses are included. The group also warns that its organized actions will be taken “regardless of what is playing out with the vote count.”
Breitbart.com acknowledged on Oct. 29 that cities across the nation, “particularly in California and Washington, D.C.” are “bracing for what is expected to be a chaotic Election Day full of protests” with storefronts being boarded up and streets closed.
October 21, 2020: Police Around the Country Prepare for “Unrest” Before and After Election
Peaceful transfer of power from one presidential winner to another? Since America’s founding, that has been the American miracle observed by the rest of the world every four or eight years...please be in prayer that 2020 will not be record-breaking in yet another instance.
According to foxnews.com, police in populous cities across the nation are “hoping for the best but are also preparing for the worst in the days before and after.” In Chicago, Police Superintendent David Brown recently gave an interview in which he said both “police and emergency officials” were in the process of preparation and training to face “whatever scenario happens on Election Day.” Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina touted “a bigger, more robust uniformed presence,” while the NYPD has told its officers to “be ready for deployment” as early as October 26.
Other cities sharing similar concerns include Portland, Seattle, Orlando, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Philadelphia. With many populations in the Denver area displaced by wildfires, current focus is on sharing the different options available to Colorado voters to both acquire and return their ballot.
October 13, 2020: Saturday “Blexit” March Reaches Over 2,000
As covered by theblaze.com, “An estimated 2,000-plus Blexit — “black exit,” a movement Owens created in 2018 to encourage black Americans to leave the Democratic Party — demonstrators marched over the weekend.” In her personal tweet, Owens stated, “Black Lives Matter protests end with rioting, looting, and the destruction of minority communities. BLEXIT protests end with 2,000-plus Latinos and blacks singing the national anthem.”
Dailywire.com included Owens’ quote that she anticipated that “the moment would be ignored by the mainstream media.” Participants in the march predominantly wore blue shirts that said “We the free” while participants at the front of the march carried a “Back the Blue” banner.
September 25, 2020: House Democrats Revive Legislation to Limit Supreme Court Justice Terms
This is a genuinely thought-provoking topic, but it really made me laugh to read the headline one day before President Trump announces his Supreme Court nomination to fill the Supreme Court seat currently vacated by Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing...particularly since the ultra-liberal Judge Ginsburg’s views would be switched to a notably conservative voice.
Cnn.com reported that under legislation entitled “Supreme Court Term Limits Act,” “after a justice serves 18 years on the Supreme Court, they would be allowed to continue serving on a lower court.” In addition to limiting Justice terms, the article states it would allow “every President to appoint only two justices during their four years in office.” Although the concept is described as having bilateral support, this particular legislation was authored by three Democrats — Representative Ro Khanna, Joe Kennedy III, and Don Beyer.
Constitutioncenter.org quotes the Constitution, Article III, Section 1: The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.” The article also gives a brief history regarding changes in Justice numbers over the decades.
The first of many pro/con opinion pieces has been published in The Philadelphia Inquirer, inquirer.com.
September 24, 2020: Investigation of 2018 Texas Primary Results in 134 Felony Charges
As reported on foxnews.com, The Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, “announced four arrests Thursday on dozens of felony charges in connection with an alleged vote harvesting scheme during the 2018 primary elections in Gregg County.”
Paxton was quoted in the article as stating, “It is an unfortunate political reality that elections can be stolen outright by mail ballot fraud. Election fraud, particularly an organized mail ballot fraud scheme orchestrated by political operatives, is an affront to democracy and results in voter disenfranchisement and corruption at the highest level.”
September 16, 2020: 350,000 Dead Registrants Remain on Voter Rolls in 41 States
Theepochtimes.com reported that a voter-roll audit conducted by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) has resulted in “nearly 350,000 dead registrants remain on voter rolls across 41 states.” However — the “good news” is that the number is considered a considerable improvement since the last audit, performed in 2012 by Pew Research, in which “2 million deceased voters” remained on the rolls.
According to the article, in 2018 there were 37,889 duplicate votes cast, and “tens of thousands of the apparent duplicate votes were cast by mail.”
September 16, 2020: Don’t Forget to Factor in Human Error on Those Mail-In Ballots…
According to westernjournal.com, “The office of Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a vocal proponent of mass mail-in voting who has rejected claims that it can lead to large-scale fraud, was caught this week making an error on absentee ballots that impacted the ballot line of President Donald Trump.”
Oops!! Is this a practical example of a “Freudian slip”? It is believed that 400 ballots were sent to overseas or military voters, and instructions have been given in The Detroit News as how to request an accurate ballot prior to voting in November.
September 12, 2020: Those $346-Million in Political Donations Came From….the Unemployed?
I think you will find that your eyebrows raise at this article, too! The Take Back Action Fund describes itself as an organization that is “the conservative leader in reforming the rules of political campaigns to stop pay-for-play efforts to distort the will of the people.”
Foxnews.com reports that in reviewing 2019 ActBlue donations, Action Fund President John Pudner stated, “We were shocked to see that almost half of the donations to ActBlue in 2019 claimed to be unemployed individuals. The name of employers must be disclosed when making political donations, but more than 4.7 million donations came from people who claimed they did not have an employer. Those 4.7 donations amounted to $346-million ActBlue raised and sent to liberal causes.”
According to the article, “An Action Fund examination of 2020 data from January through August showed an uptick in ‘unemployed’ donations through ActBlue, to 50.1% this year.” ActBlue was created in 2004, and Pudner is quoted as stating “the large number is a red flag that some of the donations may be illicit contributions from foreign interests.”
September 8, 2020: Mailbags Dumped in An Alley Won’t Deliver the Votes
This is an unimportant little article…until you think about mailed-in ballots receiving the same handling.…
Theblaze.com writes that “An investigation was launched last week after massive bags of unopened mail and packages were discovered at two separate locations in Southern California.” In each case, the bags of unopened and undelivered mail were dropped in alleyways.
An eyewitness to the second drop of large bags described a “large rental truck” totally unrelated to the Postal Service pulling behind a beauty salon and dropping out “a huge pile” of undelivered mail. The USPS is launching an investigation.
September 6, 2020: Will be More Like “Election Week” Than “Election Day” in Knowing Results, Warn Secretaries of States
According to foxnews.com, “a number of secretaries of state” are spreading the word that “voters may not see finalized results until weeks after election day.” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is quoted by foxnews.com as saying, “We should be prepared for this to be closer to an Election Week, as opposed to an Election Day.”
Among anticipated issues are lack of poll workers and need for additional vote drop boxes (Ohio), unresolved voting-related lawsuits across the country, and the date on which mailed-in votes can begin to be counted. As reported in the article, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have laws that “bar officials from processing mail ballots before Election Day.”
September 3, 2020: Mark Zuckerberg: “This Election Will Not Be Business as Usual”
Outside the obvious truth of Zuckerberg’s statement, the actions that Facebook will be taking should be of concern to all. Where will the line be drawn regarding the publication/non-publication of “political advertisements” the last week before the election? Is that only paid advertisements? Will it include individual endorsements, as well? Given that both FB’s “oversight board” and “fact-checking board” are overwhelmingly liberal in viewpoint, it could well be that only THEIR version of “truth” will be the one that hits their site.
Thenationalpulse.com has stated “In another example of social media companies putting their fingers on the scales in the upcoming president election, Facebook has announced it will suppress what it calls ‘premature claims of victory by candidates,’ while failing to identify what that means.” The article also referenced a Wall Street Journal piece in which it wrote, “Facebook Inc. will prohibit new political advertisements in the week before the U.S. Presidential election in November, and seek to flag premature claims of victory by candidates.”
A few days later breitbart.com reported on an interview between Zuckerberg and Axios during which he stated, “One of the things that I think we and other media need to start doing is preparing the American people that there’s nothing illegitimate about this election taking additional days, or even weeks to make sure that all the votes are counted.” (italics added)
I don’t like that phrase, “preparing the American people.” At one time, I might have considered it a positive call to action of some type; now, I tend to think of it as a set-up, a media/sting operation of some sort being enacted. If you have a legitimate goal in mind, is it really necessary to “prepare the American people” beyond referring them to the Constitution for the already-created procedure?
Zuckerberg is further quoted in breitbart.com as stating that Facebook is going to do “a bunch of different messaging around that, just to make sure that people know that’s normal.” The site’s goal, he states, is to help reduce “a heightened risk of civil unrest” in the time frame between November 3 and the voting outcome.
In a 9-3-20 interview with “CBS this Morning with Gayle King,” however, Zuckerberg is quoted on cbsnews.com as having stated, “So one of the things that we’re going to be doing is, at the top of Facebook and Instagram, we’re going to be putting accurate information about how to vote by mail, and how to do it accurately… but we’re also gonna be acting on content that people try to put out there, that says it is fraudulent…if people post content that broadly is trying to delegitimize the outcome of the election, either by saying things, like, ‘Voting by mail will definitely lead to fraud,’ or you know, other things that basically undermine those democratic principles of voting that we know are safe, then we’re just gonna add some context to those posts.'” (italics added)
Right. Just add some context.
September 1, 2020: Dem-based Analytics Company Sets Narrative, then Offers Startling Advice Regarding Voting Protocol
The first part of this article has received a fair amount of publicity as a we-are-going-to-win statement from the liberal ranks, but I have heard very little about the conclusions drawn by the Dem-paid, Dem-backed, Dem-focused organization.
Axios.com has pointed out, “Way more Democrats will vote by mail than Republicans, due to fears of coronavirus, and it will take days if not weeks to tally these. That means Trump, thanks to Republicans doing almost all their voting in person, could hold big electoral college and popular vote leads on election night.” The result they anticipate? “President Trump will appear to have won…on election night, even if he ultimately loses when all the votes are counted.”
The scenario is being provided by the Michael Bloomberg-funded, DNC-employed, and “pro-Biden super PAC”- oriented analytics firm named Hawkfish. Its remarks were given to emphasize two main concerns:
First: “The possibility of Trump and his team applying challenges and political pressure to reject a high share of mailed-in ballots after election day”; Second: a higher rejection rate among mailed-in votes — presumably liberal — due to inaccuracies in filling out the ballot correctly.
Their solution? “To avoid having their votes thrown out, Hawkfish is advising voters to be extra careful about voting early enough and following all the instructions to the letter.” And if worst-comes-to-worst….put on “those masks and gloves and going early either to safely vote in person or return the mail ballot in person.”
What a revolutionary concept!
August 29, 2020: Insider’s Explanation on How to Poison the Mail-In Vote; and Is Blockchain the Antidote?
A word of caution, here — I have heard/read of many incidents throughout this year in which the New York Post has published unverified/inaccurate information. Sometimes there are retractions and sometimes there are not. It reports events through a consistently liberal-colored lens, which gives me pause as to the “why” they would publish this piece. However:
In a fascinating article published by nypost.com, an unnamed “Democratic operative” is attributed with stating, “Voter fraud, especially with mail-in ballots, is no myth. And he knows this because he’s been doing it, on a grand scale, for decades.”
Reportedly self-describing as a “Bernie Sanders die-hard with no horse in the presidential race,” this individual felt compelled to share information “in the hope that states would act now to fix the glaring security problems present in mail-in ballots.”
The insider stated he began with creating his own blank ballots via photocopy because “it has no security features — like a stamp or watermark.” The “trick” is to acquire signed return envelopes, which he said could not be imitated or copied. He then coordinated dozens of “volunteers” to offer the “public service” of mailing ballots on behalf of people who found getting their ballot to the voting box to be difficult for various reasons. He then opened the envelopes with steam, removed the actual-voter ballots, and inserted his own, followed by a process of resealing. Then, of course, submitting the “ballots” for official count.
As I think about it, that seems like an AWFULLY lot of envelopes to collect and process...however, this person is quoted as pointing out that elections can be “swayed” with only 500-1,000 votes. One of his points was “If you know how they make the sausage, you can fix it.” This article is really worth reading, as it also discusses additional strategies for “tipping an election.” These practices are worth thinking about and holding up in prayer in the pre-election weeks ahead.
And then there’s Blockchain. To my technology-unsavvy mind, the name sounds more like a video game. On the conservative website CaucusRoom.com, one person made a random assertion that President Trump and the US Postal Service had been working “behind the scenes” to get this software set up prior to the November 2020 election. As of this date, I have not read about evidence or testimony confirming that it is “that close” to being utilized, but what I have found is quite intriguing and a concept well worth sharing.
Nasdaq.com posted on August 24, “As a result…a USPS patent was filed on August 13, 2020 for a “Secure Voting System,” which included details about how to use blockchain technology to create an infrastructure for the timely and fraudulent-proof conduction of elections on the federal scale.” The patent brief states that the system “separates voter identification and votes to ensure voter anonymity, and stores votes on a distributed ledger in a blockchain.” The article explains that “QR codes could be digitally transmitted or physically mailed to voters, who could then confirm their identity against verifying documents that are also stored in the system, per one potential application proposed in the patent.”
Zdnet.com explains it in slightly simpler terms: once “a user is eligible to vote, the user would receive a key or a token.” Vipul Goyal of the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University is quoted as saying, “This token can then help the user to vote exactly once.”
A June, 2019 article on investopedia.com states, “In the decade since its inception (2008), blockchain was mostly tied to the success of the technology that created it, bitcoin. In recent years, however, it has quickly become a star on its own…many are finding that blockchain’s primary value lies in its ability to improve old systems…one of the biggest problems that blockchain’s decentralized muscle can solve is voter fraud.”
The article further reiterates that blockchain at its “most basic form,” is “a digital ledger. The technology draws its power from the peers — or nodes — on its network to verify, process, and record all transactions across the system. This ledger is never ‘stored,’ but rather exists on a ‘chain’ supported by millions of nodes simultaneously.”
Perhaps the ouch in all this is that the primary vision for blockchain revolves around an online voting system — not as a back-up or combination accountability factor while utilizing paper ballots. In 2018, bitcoinmagazine.com describes the role of “a mobile voting platform based on blockchain technology” for overseas military personnel from West Virginia to vote in the federal election. Theverge.com reported on November 10, 2018 that the program, created by Voatz, was used by approximately 150 people. Thewashingtonpost.com reported on November 6 that, in general, the app had worked “smoothly,” although concerns regarding security continued to be an issue with the phone app.
However, an August 19 post by security boulevard.com did mention that additional wording on the patent application included the phrase, “A voting system that can use the security of blockchain and the mail to provide a reliable voting system. A registered voter receives a computer readable code in the mail and confirms identity and confirms correct ballot information in an election.”
Is this potential partnership between blockchain security and paper ballots actually becoming a reality? Securityboulevard.com stated that “The Postal Service had no comment at the time of publication” (Aug. 19). It also shared that the Postal Service has been looking into utilizing blockchain technology since 2016.
August 28, 2020: Virginia Senate Gives OK to Downgrade Assault Charge Penalties
In what is apparently the first legal move of its kind among the states, foxnews.com reported that “The Virginia Senate this week approved a bill that would let the charge of assaulting a police officer be a misdemeanor instead of a felony, and eliminate the mandatory jail term for being convicted of such a crime. Democrat representatives are quoted as stating the bill would “help address inequities in the state’s criminal justice system.”
However, Democratic Senator Scott Surovell put the exact enactment of the pending legislation in question, according to westernjournal.com. Surovell is quoted as saying that “unnecessarily aggressive” arrests were the primary source of such charges. In addition, the legislation “gives a judge or jury discretion to reduce it to a misdemeanor if there is no bodily injury.” Republican Senator John Cosgrove Jr. countered that it was “the wrong legislation at the wrong time.”
August 26, 2020: Publisher Jimmy Lai Speaks Out on New Hong Kong Realities
Pbs.org offers a short but insightful interview on “new realities” in Hong Kong after China’s imposition of a “national security law.” When asked by PBS journalist Nick Schifrin, “What can the U.S. do in order to try and guarantee that Hong Kong at least maintains some of its freedoms,” Lai pointed out, “If I tell you what they should do, I will be in violation o the national security law, which I will avoid.”
Mr. Lai also pointed out, “The British did not give us democracy, but they gave us the rule of law, the private property, the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom of religion.” He also stated that “Or power is our oral authority. We have to stay in the nonviolent and peaceful resistance.”
August 16, 2020: Are Postal Boxes Being Removed in Political Maneuvering?
Multiple voices have accused President Trump of “sabotaging” November’s election by instigating the removal of post office boxes from high-use and convenient areas. In a tweet on 8/16, Nancy Pelosi accused the Postmaster General of acting as an “accomplice in the President’s effort to cheat the election and manipulate the Postal Service to deny eligible voters access to the ballot.” Less than one hour later, Chuck Schumer followed suit, decrying via tweet that “House and Senate Democrats continue to respond urgently to the sabotage of the Postal Service, but Senate and House Republicans have been missing in action.”
Perhaps the House and Senate Republicans did not consider routine mailbox rotation and removal an act of “sabotage.” According to theblaze.com and other sources, “USPS spokeswoman Kimberly Frum told The Hill that “the removal of mailboxes is common.”
Thehill.com quotes Frum as stating, “It is a fluid process and figures can vary from day to day. Historically, mailboxes have been removed for lack of use and installed in growth areas.” She balanced that statement by emphasizing that some “low-volume boxes are kept on the streets if they are the only means for sending mail in some neighborhoods, business centers or senior citizen complexes.”
On August 18, cbsnews.com characterized that the Postmaster General would be “halting the operational changes put in place to cut costs at the embattled U.S. Postal Service until after the November election.” Postermaster General Louis DeJoy is also quoted as vowing, “we will deliver the nation’s election mail on time and within our well-established service standards.”
August 12, 2020: Jimmy Lai and Others Released on Bail
As reported by asianews.it, “Business mogul Jimmy Lai, his two sons Ian and Timothy, and democracy activist Agnes Chow were released on bail over several hours last night.” As they exited custody, the three made no comment regarding either their arrest or the changing situation in Hong Kong. The article states that a small gathering of young people greeted Lai and his sons. It also points out that “violence against journalists has now become normalized for the Hong Kong police.”
August 11, 2020: Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Newspaper Raided by Police
Heartbreaking, but a logical ‘next step’. The people of Hong Kong are regularly in my prayers. Christianpost.com shares that “Media tycoon Jimmy Lai and other top executives of Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy daily newspaper, Apple Daily, were arrested during a police raid under the new national security law…over accusations of ‘collusion with foreign forces.'”
Ah, the new catch-all “gotcha” phrase. “Collusion with foreign forces.”
As stated in the article, the newspaper had “often been critical of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments.”
August 4, 2020: New York Blames Post Office for Poor Ballot Turnaround
According to theblaze.com, “A federal judge ruled Monday that approximately 1,000 absentee ballots that were not postmarked by the deadline — if they were even postmarked at all — must be counted in a New York congressional primary that still hasn’t been decided after six weeks.”
At the heart of the matter is Judge Analisa Torres’ argument that “1,000 of the disputed ballots must be counted after failures by the postal service have undermined the election and delayed the final result by nearly two months.” Postal office officials, for their part, “conceded that their system of identifying and postmarking ballots…was not foolproof, and some ballots had not been postmarked.”
July 26, 2020: New York Mail-in Primary Vote Still Unresolved
Oh, boy…yep the bigger megaphones are now ratcheting up their volume a few notches each week, as they scream and demand the alleged benefits and necessity of mail-in voting for November’s election.
As reported by newsmax.com, “New York’s quest to keep voters safe from COVID-19 by letting them vote by mail in the June primary has led to big delays in tabulating results, concerns about disenfranchisement — and questions about whether there will be an even bigger mess in the fall.
Well, for my money, that seems an absolute certainty!
The article additionally points out that approximately 1.8 million voters in New York had requested mail-in ballots for the New York primary. Although voting ended June 23, “election officials say it will take them until early August to finish counting” votes, with “the results of many races, including two closely watched congressional primaries, are still unknown.” Additionally, the election officials in New York City “have refused to release statistics on the number of votes invalidated,” although in the race between Suraj Patel and Carolyn Maloney, Patel asserts that “30% of mail-in ballots received in the Brooklyn part of the congressional district were being rejected.”
July 23, 2020: Renaming the Democratic Party Could Be an Interesting Task
OK, to be honest — when Nancy Pelosi first went on her rant about removing Confederate statues and portraits, my first thought was that the Democratic Party might have to remove itself, in order to fully comply! Therefore, when Rep. Louie Gohmert introduced this bill, I found myself chuckling.
According to dailywire.com, Gohmert’s bill “would ban the Democratic Party due to the party’s history of having supported slavery and the Confederacy, saying, ‘that is the standard to which they are holding everyone else, so the name change needs to occur.'” Gohmert further quotes, “Resolved that the Speaker of the House of Representatives…(states) that any political organization or party that has ever held a public position that supported slavery of the Confederacy shall either change its name or be barred from participation in the House of Representatives.”
Personally, I favor the action of being “barred from participation.”
However: Speaker Pelosi’s passion for removing Confederate statues is well-documented, and in 2017 she is quoted by foxnews.com as stating in letter to then-Speaker of the House Paul Ryan that “If Republicans are serious about rejecting white supremacy,” she encouraged Ryan to “join with Democrats” in having the statues removed.
Are this year’s Democrats “serious about rejecting white supremacy” to the point of falling on the sword they have created? Moral imperative, and all that?
According to a June 13, 2020, article from justthenews.com, of the eleven statues considered offensive, “nine…were members of the Democratic Party.” In the same article, Kevin McCarthy is quoted as saying “They (the statues) were voted upon in the legislature and brought here under Democratic majorities from Mississippi to the other states that she speaks about.”
Moreover, pacificpundit.com revealed in a June 12, 2020, article that “In Baltimore, Pelosi’s father Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. helped dedicate Confederate monument to honor Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.” On that day in 1948, the article further quotes D’Alesandro’s speech as stating, “Today, with our nation beset by subversive groups and propaganda which seeks to destroy our national unity, we can look for inspiration in the lives of Lee and Jackson to remind us to be resolute and determined in preserving our sacred institutions.”
The events of these days really do leave me a bit speechless, sometimes. Wow.
July 9, 2020: Student Trump Supporter Potentially Un-Enrolled Over Conservative Views
This is unbelievable! Yes, I know there are reports of campus “anti-conservatism” reported here and there. But as the incidences become more commonplace, ALL Americans should be very concerned over the potential un-enrolling students who don’t automatically conform to an non-negotiable pattern of political thinking.
According to townhall.com, incoming freshman Samantha Pfefferle posted a social media video that featured “the incoming freshman calling out Trump haters and showing the world she does not care what others think of her political beliefs.”
Her upcoming “world” happened to be Marquette University, which is described by its Google listing as “A Catholic, Jesuit university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.” The banner on Marquette U’s webpage touts, “A Marquette education prepares students to be The Difference.” Begun in 1881, their description under the “Catholic, Jesuit university” tab states, “Marquette’s focus on the four core university values of excellence, faith, leadership and service challenges students to integrate knowledge, faith, and real-life choices in ways that will shape their lives. Faith and spirituality affect the way teaching, learning, research and living take place on campus.”
Really? Not politics? A follow-up statement declares “Students, faculty and staff of every religious tradition are invited to engage in conversations about faith, God, social justice, the search for truth, the desire for peace, global issues, ethics, and the dignity of humanity.”
Apparently the invitation “to engage in conversations” is in danger of being revoked. In the student-authored online publication thecollegefix.com, Pfefferle was quoted as saying, “I was extremely disappointed by the incendiary comments,” of her fellow students as she referenced tweets that included someone’s hope “she got shot” and her own statement that “they try to hate on me.”
Thecollegefix.com also reported on July 10 that “The nearly two dozen Princeton University students who recently signed an open letter in defense of academic freedom and free speech now face cyberbullying and name-calling from peers at the Ivy League institution.” One example given was that “The 22 students who signed the letter had their names screenshot onto one residential college listserv,” stating that the names were made public “so we know our fellow racists.”
One signer of the letter, Peter Brown, was quoted in the publication as stating he found it “unfortunate that an effort to protect free speech and open discussion on campus has resulted in public harassment and even broken friendships. I have observed many students who agree with the letter but are unwilling to sign because of fear of harassment and humiliation.” Another signer stated he believed “an opportunity for a potential internship with a major business firm was derailed after his contact at the company learned he had signed the letter.”
Charlie Kirk of the conservative-teaching organization Turning Point USA frequently refers to contemporary conservative college students as “modern-day culture warriors.”
June 26, 2020: New Jersey Prosecutes Mail-In Voter Fraud
According to saracarter.com, “The investigation was opened when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service found hundreds of mail-in ballots stuffed in a single mailbox in Paterson and a number of additional ballots in a mailbox in Haledon.”
Attorney General Gurbir Grewal was quoted as saying, “Today’s charges send a clear message: if you try to tamper with an election in New Jersey, we will find you and we will hold you accountable.”
Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order early in March, requiring mail-in voting due to COVID-19 fears. Included in the four-person arrest was a city councilman and an elected city councilman. According to realclearpolitics.com, “Paterson is New Jersey’s third largest city and the election will decide the fate of $300 million, in addition to hundreds of millions more in education spending and state aid.”
June 26, 2020: House Passes District of Columbia to Be 51st State
What? The Left is really working overtime! I didn’t think this was actually an “issue,” but it is apparently not the first time such a vote has taken place regarding DC statehood.
According to bostonglobe.com, “The House of Representatives on Friday approved a bill that would make Washington, D.C., the nation’s 51st state. Though it’s likely to fail in the Senate, the legislation’s passage in the House represents a major step forward for the D.C. statehood movement.”
The last time the issue was voted on was 1993, when the bill had substantially fewer votes than needed, to be enacted. The bill would essentially divide the area into two separate entities — a shrinking of the District of Columbia “to a small area that includes most federal buildings and monuments, including the White House, the US Capitol building, the US Supreme Court building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the National Mall and and in the Capitol complex,” according to bostonglobe.com.
One entity would remain “District of Columbia” while the other section would be called “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth,” to maintain the “DC” initials while actually standing for the last name of black abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
As cited in thehill.com, “D.C. would be granted one voting representative in the House and two in the Senate.” The voting constituency of Washington, D.C., has long leaned liberal. Critics of the legislation also point out that “D.C. statehood is unconstitutional,” since the founding fathers desired the nation’s Capitol “as a neutral zone to govern outside the influence of state politics.” Maxine Waters characterizes the non-statehood status of D.C. as “a racial, democratic and economic injustice.”
According to mercurynews.com the partisan-line House vote count came in at 232-180 in support of statehood. President Trump was quoted as stating, “DC will never be a state.” Others point out that DC represents a large population currently without Congressional representation — “As of June, 2019, DC had more than 705,000 residents, according to estimates from the US Census Bureau.”
The site courthousenews.com states, “Vast income inequality plagues D.C.” and that “Even though black residents make up for less than half of the city’s overall population, they represented 80% of all COVID-19 deaths.” The article summarizes that nearly 46,000 residents of DC might not qualify for COVID assistance checks, as individual incomes were too low to file a tax return. forbes.com states that Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader, felt that D.C. “was treated as a territory in the CARES Act,” and also in the deployment of federal troops to bring order to the community.
Another option, as stated in different sources, is reflected in Representative Andy Harris’ (D-Md) suggestion. forbes.com quotes Harris as proposing, “Go to the Maryland General Assembly, fully controlled by Democrats, and say, Take it back…don’t steal this land from Maryland.”
June 23, 2020: “We are Trained Marxists” Say Black Lives Matter Co-Founder
According to westernjournal.com, BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors stated in a 2015 interview, “We actually do have an ideological frame…we are trained Marxists.”
The article also quotes former Assistant Deputy Director Terrie Turchie as summarizing, “BLM’s goals and origins share quite a few similarities with radical left-wing organizations from the 1960s and 1970s such as the Black Panther Party…and the Weather Underground, a terrorist organization with one former member who has direct ties to BLM.”
A June 17 article from westernjournal.com reveals that the “Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is funded through Thousand Currents, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization.” Currently connected to BLM via Thousand Currents’ is Susan Rosenberg, described in the article as “arrested in New York in 1984 for unloading 740 pounds of explosives and weapons, which she planned to use…”
The Thousand Currents connection is an interesting one. While summarized by westernjournal.com as “a fiscal sponsorship agreement,” the organization’s own website gives far more detail: “We support the lives of the Black queer and transgender communities, the disabled, those with records, women and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives.” Additionally, Thousand Currents describes its relationship to BLM as “administrative and back office support, including finance, accounting, grants management, insurance, human resources, legal and compliance.”
To see the original 2015 interview for The Real News Network with Patrisse Cullors, click here.
June 15, 2020: Supreme Court Refuses to Hear DOJ Challenge to California “Sanctuary State” Laws
Well, I admit that I have been waiting for the Supreme Court to give this particular case a go, and I am both disappointed and surprised the Court has chosen not to hear it. It seems to me that “in order to form a more perfect union,” and “insure domestic Tranquility,” part of what distinguishes America as being a single nation rather than a closely-knit cluster of mini-nations are consistent laws reflecting national unity on a specific subject affecting the entire populace.
According to theblaze.com, “In a 7-2 vote, the Supreme Court voted on Monday to refuse to hear the Trump Administration’s challenge to the legality of California’s ‘Sanctuary State’ laws. The ruling means that the 9th Circuit’s decision upholding the laws will stand.”
Nationalreview.com quoted Solicitor General Noel Francisco as stating in the appeal to the Supreme Court that “Aliens are present and may remain in the United States only as provided for under the auspices of federal immigration law. It therefore is the United States, not California, that ‘retains the right’ to set the conditions under which the aliens of this country may be detained, released, and removed.”
The latimes.com called the refusal to hear the case “a major victory for California in its long-running battle with President Trump.” In addition it quoted California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as stating the decision was “a huge step forward,” although he also expressed concern that the “anti-immigration, hostile agenda can still win because the message reverberates.”
News.yahoo.com shared that the Supreme Court’s decision appeared to have “relied in part on a 1997 opinion written by (Antonin) Scalia that held that federal authorities may not ‘commandeer’ state or local officials to carry out a federal law.” That situation involved whether or not local Sheriffs were required to “conduct background checks on buyers of handguns” if it were federally mandated. News.yahoo.com characterized Attorney General Becerra as believing “the same principle applies when enforcing federal immigration law.”
In 2017, California’s State Legislature voted in the California Values Act, which was designed to counteract “the Trump administration stepped up enforcement against immigrants living illegally in this country.”
In an ironic twist, the Administration’s lawyers based their argument against California’s Sanctuary State status on a 2012 case involving whether local law enforcement in Arizona was legally being able to arrest and detain illegal immigrants. According to scotusblog.com, “In the end, by a vote of 5-3, the court nullified three of the four provisions because they either operated in areas solely controlled by federal policy, or they interfered with federal enforcement efforts. Nullified were sections making it a crime to be in Arizona without legal papers, making it a crime to apply for or get a job in the state, or allowing police to arrest individuals who had committed crimes that could lead to their deportation.” The only provision allowed to stand was requiring Arizona law enforcement “to arrest and hold anyone they believe has committed a crime and whom they think is in the law illegally, and holding them until their immigration status could be checked with federal officials.”
“Solely controlled by federal policy.” Except, perhaps, when that becomes inconvenient. Perhaps the Supreme Court chose not to hear the case because it did not want to be in the awkward position of voting against itself….
June 11, 2020: Church of the Highlands Lease Cancelled at Two Locations Due to Un-Woke “Likes”
According to cbn.com, Church of the Highlands in Alabama “has been blocked from holding church services at two high school locations” due to Pastor Chris Hodges’ choosing to do a “like” on various conservative tweets that a community high school teacher deemed “culturally insensitive.” In addition, “City leaders also cancelled…the church’s volunteer work in the community which included a health clinic, mentoring, tutoring and more.”
Christianpost.com reported on June 1 that Pastor Hodges’ primary “likes” were focused on statements tweeted by Charlie Kirk of the conservative-values teaching organization, Turning Point USA. In addition, Hodges was quoted as giving a lengthy apology which included asking people to “look at the totality of 37 years of ministry and 19 years as a church,” rather than focusing on a “microscopic zoom-in.”
Church of the Highlands has a congregation near 60,000, and described as “multi-racial.”
June 5, 2020: Minneapolis Gets the Ball Rolling on Defunding Its Police Department
I admit it…any other year, any other combination of events other than the ones America has experienced since January…and this idea would be so laughable it would be the stuff of comedy’s return. But this is not any other year, and I would suspect this will be a situation worth following as other states weigh in on supporting the idea…
In rapidly moving from concept-to-execution, theblaze.com reports that “Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender confirmed news Thursday night of the council’s intentions to ‘dismantle’ the city’s police department in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.” townhall.com informed its readers that the Minneapolis City Council has a “veto-proof majority” of nine members out of thirteen already committed to the defunding vote.
How quickly will it happen? The Minneapolis City Council is quoted in the same article as saying, “We’ll be taking intermediate steps…through the budget process and other policy and budget decisions over the coming weeks and months.”
This suggests to me the urban proverb, “There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip.” Loudly proclaiming a veto-proof majority in carrying out a radical policy amid much national controversy may or may not guarantee the defunding will come to fruition–but a prolonged time sequence will certainly allow for “plausible deniability” regarding any gap between philosophical intent and actual action as time rolls by. We’ll have to see.
Multiple media outlets have shared President Trump’s response as he initiated and attended a discussion meeting with law enforcement officials. Washingtontimes.com quotes the President as stating, “We won’t be defunding our police. We won’t be dismantling our police.” Present at the same meeting, Attorney General William Barr is quoted in the same article as saying that “the rule of law and order and the need for law and order” was “The foundation of civilization. It’s our responsibility to make sure that our country is ruled by law and not by violence.”
According to theguardian.com on June 4, cities proposing “budget debates” regarding the defunding of police departments include: Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia. Axios.com quoted Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza that, “Growing calls to ‘Defund the Police’ are not about eliminating police departments, but about reinvesting funds ‘toward the resources that our communities need.'”
There’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip…and many a double-meaning to the phrases being bandied around, right now…
May 25, 2020: Senate Bill Requires Company Ownership Oversight for Foreign Stocks on U.S. Stock Exchange
As reported by westernjournal.com, the Senate has passed a bipartisan bill entitled the “Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act,” designed to “require companies on the U.S. Exchanges to certify that they are not under the control of a foreign government.”
Originally submitted over a year ago, the bill has “gained steam amid the coronavirus pandemic that originated in China.” Although the bill would apply to every stock originating in a foreign country, foxbusiness.com stated that, “the legislation’s focus on Chinese stocks stems from pre-virus concerns that Chinese firms listed on America’s exchanges are currently not subject to the same investor protection rules and accounting standards as U.S companies.”
As one example of fraudulent reporting, westernjournal.com mentioned that the China-based Luckin Coffee “was given notice that it will be delisted from Nasdaq soon after it announced its chief operating officer had inflated last year’s sales by hundreds of millions of dollars.” In a May 19 interview with Maria Bartiroma, Director of the National Economic Council, Larry Kudlow, is quoted by foxbusiness.com as saying, “We have learned that Chinese companies are not transparent. A lot of these companies, by the way, have already had scandals and cost investors a lot of money.”
The legislation now moves on to the House of Representatives to pass the bill.
May 21, 2020: Election Judge Admits to Participating in On-Site Voter Fraud
According to dailysignal.com, election judge Domenick J. DeMuro for the South Philadelphia area admitted that he “fraudulently stuffed the ballot box by literally standing in front of a voting booth and voting over and over, as fast as he could, while he thought the coast was clear,” according to U.S. Attorney William McSwain from Pennsylvania’s East District.
The article points out that this occurred in the 2014, 2015, and 2016 primary elections, as well as “casting illegal votes for other candidates for federal, state, and local offices.” dailysignal.com further points out that DeMuro received payments ranging “from $300 to $5,000” by “an unnamed political consultant…to add votes for certain Democrats.”
Inquirer.com from Philadelphia reports that in the 2014 election, DeMuro “inflated vote totals by adding 27 fraudulent ballots in the primary election, 40 votes in May 2015, and 46 in 2016, according to court documents.” Those may seem like very tiny numbers, but in the precinct they represented 22% of total votes cast in 2014, “over 15%” in 2015, and “over 17%” in 2016. Reminder: Virginia’s vote was swayed by a mere 2% of the vote, last November.
J. Christian Adams of the Public Interest Legal Foundation is quoted as describing this case as “a positive step forward in prosecuting voter fraud.” breitbart.com quotes Adams as saying, “The Trump Administration’s prosecution of election fraud stands in stark contrast to the total failure of the Obama Justice Department to enforce these laws.”
And to this I say GREAT! However, there was clearly a time lapse, as the articles are discussing fraudulent activity from four-to-six years ago. Remember, this is fraud that was performed live, in person, visible to everyone, and possibly noted by many. Far easier to notice and document, I suspect, than the fraud possible through mail-in-only ballots being proposed for this November’s election.
May 20, 2020: Staunton, Virginia, Starts the Pendulum Swinging Right–Will It Last?
When the 11/7/19 Virginia Election was taken by the Democrats due to a 2% Libertarian candidate vote, I started following some of the main headlines from that state for the purpose of instruction and potential warning. I was glad to have noticed this article while researching another.
According to dailycaller.com, “Three Democratic members of the Staunton, Virginia, city council were ousted by Republicans on Tuesday despite receiving more votes than they did four years ago.” In addition, the article also reported that the city of Wayesboro also added two conservatives to their city council. Chris Graham of the Augusta Free Press is quoted as describing the Staunton results as “stunning almost beyond words.” Both the COVID-19 lockdowns and legislation regarding gun control were considered high motivators for conservative voter turnout.
May 15, 2020: PBS Affiliates Air “Propa-mentary” in Conjunction with Chinese Owned CGTN
Ah, truth. Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” and the question reverberates today across our nation on multiple fronts. The description “propa-mentary” is my own word, designating a propaganda piece whose highlighted perspective is dressed up as an unbiased documentary for the purpose of forming a point of view within those who see it. I read this article published on wnd.com and started searching my thoughts on “what PBS meant to me.”
As a young person I always connected a “PBS special” with bringing cultural arts to people who would not otherwise see them — symphonies, concerts, museum displays, special events, Fourth of July tributes across America, biographies and famous speeches, that sort of thing. Perhaps I am not the only person whose naivete regarding PBS’ politics is still intact. So I asked myself, just when did PBS get so doggone political?
As I looked into the question, the short answer is — it’s been awhile! Still, this article caught me by surprise. The main focus of the article is a propa-mentary titled “Voices from the Frontline: China’s War on Poverty,” which is described by wnd.com as promoting the concept that “To President Xi Jingping, ending poverty (in China) is his most important task.”
Internal pause. Well, I must admit, as I have linked to articles on religious persecution, “disappearing” persons, and the privacy-crackdown on Chinese citizenry over the last few years, I would have inserted a variety of other words or phrases in place of “ending poverty” as being the focus of President Xi’s “most important task.”
As of now, PBS continues to receive taxpayer dollars as part of its funding, but this film was produced “in conjunction with” CTGN, described as “a Chinese government-controlled media outlet.” According to wnd.com, the film “Did not disclose CGTN’s links to the Chinese government. Nor did it detail the ties that the film’s producer, Robert Lawrence Kuhn, has to Chinese officials and the government’s State Council Information Office, which specializes in foreign propaganda.” One of many examples offered in the article state that Kuhn often appeared “on Beijing-controlled news outlets like CGTN, CCTV, and China Daily.” wnd.com also offers the Kuhn quote that his purpose in making the film “was to undermine the stereotype of China as a ruthless giant out to dominate the world.”
I came across a 2014 blog by Gaius Publius which asked the question, “Did PBS go to sleep in the 1980s and wake up next to a pod?” The topic of his article referred to an incident in which PBS had accepted a donation “from a Texas billionaire” wanting to direct the content of specific documentaries PBS was willing to air. After an article from pando.com exposed a PBS conflict of interest in accepting the money, PBS returned the $3.5-million grant. Publius’ observation was that the return of funds was good, however, “The bad news was that PBS had accepted the funding from a self-interested billionaire in the first place. The worst news is that accepting this sort of fundraising…undermined what originally set PBS apart — its independence from vested interests.”
In 2017, the Knight Foundation — via knightfoundation.org — shared that in 1971, “a 35-year-old lawyer in the Nixon White House warned that conservatives were being ‘confronted with a long-range problem of significant social consequences – that is, the development of a government-funded broadcast system similar to the BBC.’ That lawyer was Antonin Scalia, future Supreme Court justice…” According to the article, Lyndon B. Johnson in his 1967 State of the Union address declared that a pubic broadcast system would be “a vital public resource to enrich our homes, educate our families, and to provide assistance to our classrooms.” He also warned that such an entity could “mislead as well as teach,” were it not to remain carefully unbiased.
A prophetic warning, to be sure — viewer, beware and be-wise!
May 12, 2020: Faith Leaders Sign Letter to Request Legal Protection as Churches Plan to Reopen
According to newsmax.com, First Liberty Institute is championing a move to petition Congress for “legal immunity for religious organizations.” In a nutshell, “As religious services begin to take place throughout the country, faith leaders want assurance they won’t be sued if a congregant contracts the coronavirus.”
The reason such protections are being sought revolve largely around the widely differing standards being held from state to state and county to county regarding COVID reopenings. The letter reportedly stated “there has been a proliferation of complex and often contradictory orders and guidelines…each purporting to govern when and how to open.” As reported by foxnews.com, Rep. Mike Johnson R-La. is quoted as saying, “It is imperative that 501(c)(3) non-profits such as food banks, churches, and homeless shelters, which have made good faith-efforts to follow health and safety guidelines, be protected from the looming threat of COVID-19 liability lawsuits.”
The letter being sent is endorsed by over 300 religious leaders, including evangelist Franklin Graham. One hitch I see, unfortunately, is that this legislation is proposed as being a part of “the next coronavirus relief package”…which is currently Nancy Pelosi’s three-trillion wish list of nation-transforming progressive reforms…not likely to ever pass the Senate…
May 6, 2020: FAA To Implement Remote ID Requirement to Fly Drones in America
Oh-ho! A very interesting development, indeed. And who is protesting the most vigorously? Why, JIA of China! According to geekwire.com, eight companies have been chosen to “help the Federal Aviation Administration establish technical requirements for Remote ID, a protocol that drones will be required to follow for broadcasting identification and location data while in flight.”
According to faa.gov, “The FAA is committed to working to fully integrate drones or UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) into the National Airspace System (NAS).” The site defines a “Remote ID” as “The ability of a UAS in flight to provide identification information that can be received by other parties.” geekwire.com points out the new rules would apply to any drone weighing over 8.8 ounces, and drones lacking a Remote ID would only be allowed to fly in zones usually reserved for hobbyists.
Of the eight companies which will be involved, T-Mobile has been involved in “providing the connectivity” in at least three ongoing drone programs. JIA is quoted as complaining that the new requirements are “complex, intrusive, intrusive,” which would “make it harder to use drones in America.”
Yep, I’m thinking that’s part of the plan….
May 5, 2020: Newsweek Publishes Opinion on “Vote by Mail is Essential to Protect Voters”
My guess is that the wording “essential to protect voters” will be the buzzword phrase for the next several months regarding the pitch to vote by mail…and if the Wisconsin primary is chosen to represent a potential outcome in every state, watch out.…Authored by Jena Griswold (D-Colorado Secretary of State, Kim Wyman (R-Washington State Secretary of State) and Joshua Silver (pro-mail-in-voting spokesman of RepresentUs), this piece seeks to assure all who read it that “voting by mail is a safe, secure, and efficient method of conducting elections.”
Using the April 7 Wisconsin election as its example, the three pen that “Wisconsin voters, many of them wearing masks, waited in long lines at a limited number of polling stations. Many polling places were closed, even more were short-staffed, creating confusion for voters. Many voters stayed home, unwilling or unable to risk their health to exercise their right to vote, contributing to low voter turnout and even less representation of the people’s will in this presidential election.”
According to npr.org in its April 15, 2020 summary, “Despite the extremely challenging conditions, which included shuttered polling places, a statewide stay-at-home order and social distancing guidelines, voter turnout was surprisingly robust.” A graph published in the article showed that the 34% turnout rate put it on par with elections held in 2008 and 2011, with all other elections except for the 2016 election demonstrating voting numbers in the 20’s-percent or lower arena. The article also states that this election “Essentially turned the pattern of voting in Wisconsin upside down, from being mostly in-person to being mostly by mail.” Data suggests that around 71% of votes cast were absentee ballot requests.
Enter a report from thefederalist.com, suggesting, “The Democrat-driven timeline shows how the left swung the door wide open for liberal voters to cast their ballots early, while slamming it shut on conservative voters in the 11th hour.” The thorough telling-of-the-tale lists numerous issues including election date confusion, lack of timely planning from the Governor’s office, and opening urban and usually-liberal voting centers earlier than rural, often-conservative areas.
April 27, 2020: The Big Push for Mail-In Voting Has Begun….
I would expect this relatively low-key theme to now become one of the blaring melodies over the next six months…indeed, on May 3, our Presidential election will be a mere six months out. I do not doubt this upcoming six months will be an unending cycle of controversy and nail biting. Against the background of many COVID-19 issues continue to wrestle out, expect Nancy Pelosi’s primary argument for mail-in voting — “We are trying to protect the lives of people and our democracy” — to be repeated…and repeated…and repeated, exclusive to what the actual facts might reveal.
According to westernjournal.com, “Nancy Pelosi is looking at a future round of coronavirus response legislation to fund Democrats’ plan to force Americans to accept mail-it-in elections.” Another phrase that will continue to be repeated is “everyone who’s registered to vote should receive a ballot” and a call for “same-day registration for those who have not registered to vote.” Notice: “everyone who’s registered to vote” is NOT the same phrase as “every legal voter.”
washingtonexaminer.com points out on April 27 that Pelosi stated November voting presented “a health danger in going to the polls.” theepochtimes.com offers several quotes from Nancy Pelosi regarding the high priority Democrats will be giving to push mail-in voting for the upcoming election. The article describes it as “the centerpiece of a growing political fight.”
You can be sure the boxing gloves will be coming off before it’s over!
April 19, 2020: Drones, Snitches, and Big Rewards — Wow!
I guess my first reaction to hearing about “snitches” was to shake my head and rejoice that I don’t live in New York or the snitch-encouraging section of Los Angeles! Joking aside, I am JUST WAITING to see if invasion-of-privacy lawsuits start to roll in… If not, we are all in danger from these precedents remaining legally unchallenged. Even more troublesome is the accepted donation – yes, DONATION — of Chinese drones to “help” certain law enforcement agencies “keep an eye” on social-distancing truants who dare to break the guidelines. WHAT???
First, to the snitch-rewarders: According to toddstarnes.com, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio has “doubled down on his demand that New Yorkers snitch on citizens who refuse to follow social distancing guidelines.” Declaring that since this is “war time,” DeBlasio is taking the approach that reporting a fellow citizen’s non-compliance is “saving lives,” and encourages taking photographs of the “offenders”, then sending those photographs to “the authorities” so that they may “enforce right away.”
On April 3, foxnews.com reported that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti “said this week that ‘snitches’ in his city ‘will get rewards‘ if they tattle on neighbors who could be violating the stay-at-home order put in place.” According to laist.com, however, Mayor Garcetti was specifically concerned about “the issue of non-essential businesses that remain open despite emergency orders.” laist.com also reported that 540 businesses had received personal visits from the Mayor’s representatives to “ask them to comply.”
Now, on to the drones: according to dailywire.com on April 19, a recent MSNBC news segment discussed “a program that some localities across the U.S. are participating in that uses Chinese-made drones to monitor U.S. citizens in an effort to enforce social distancing.” The program reportedly described the drones as “making it easier” to discover people who might be hiding in alleyways, back yards, or other “tight spaces.” Well I just be they do! Nothing will give you a bird’s-eye view of your own backyard like an overhead drone.
In 2017, nytimes.com ran an article with the headline, “Drone maker D.J.I. May be Sending Data to China, U.S. Officials Say.” Yes, DJI (Da Jian Innovations) represents the compassionate souls who are handing out donated drones to American police localities, currently. According to theblaze.com, “State and local entities in at least 22 states are using drones manufactured and donated by DJI.” Also according to theblaze.com, “The drones are reportedly being used by 43 agencies in the following states: Oregon, Washington, California, Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois,Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York.”
Shockingly, a lot of people with widely varying views on any number of subjects obviousy find drone usage in this manner to be an acceptable practice. DJI was started in 2006 by a Hong Kong college student named Frank Wang. According to thenewamerican.com, “In less than a decade, the firm rose to the top of its field, growing to workforce of 14,000 and making nearly $2 billion in 2017 alone.” The company is based out of Shenzhen, China.
However, thenewamerican.com also reports that, while there is apparently little outrage or concern among police communities, “U.S. intelligence officials were concerned enough about DJI to order the entire fleet in its possession grounded.” While the drones were taken out of the sky in February, 2020, by the Interior Department, an earlier alarm had been sounded in late 2019 by the Department of Homeland Security.
The issue at hand with drone surveillance is two-pronged: are Chinese-built drones transmitting their collected information of America’s highways-and-byways to a foreign nation and potentially hostile government? And even if drone usage were to turn to American-built units of similar technology…is that really a symbol or practice that best exemplifies the Constitutional concept of “American freedom”?
April 14, 2020: Trump Admin Officials Wade into Rough Waters of Religious Freedom
According to lifenews.com, Attorney General William Barr has written to Mississippi officials, “Even in times of emergency, when temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers…today, the Department filed a Statement of Interest in support of a church in Mississippi…religion and worship continue to be central to the lives of millions of Americans. This is true more so than ever during this difficult time…”
Kudos!
April 11, 2020: “Good” Friday for Dems as Gov. Northam Slams Through Numerous Progressive Bills
As pointed out in theguardian.com, “Virginia previously had some of the most restrictive abortion laws and loosest gun freedoms, in the country.” Yes, prior to the November, 2019 election in which 28,475 Libertarian votes granted governorship to Democrat Ralph Northam (see entry below dated Nov. 7, 2019). And the changes have continued to roll, from there.
Theguardian.com also points out that the multiple pieces of legislation signed on Good Friday established “a progressive new direction for a traditionally conservative state.” Lifenews.com reported on April 10 that Northam’s signed legislation repealed “laws designed to protect unborn children,” in addition to allowing “non-doctors” to perform abortions. Also removed were “informed consent requirements,” removing the option for abortionists to show a woman an ultrasound or heartbeat of her in-womb baby, and “repeals basic health and safety requirements for abortion facilities.”
According to news outlet wjhl.com, Northam signed legislation he stated would “advance environmental justice.” wjhl.com describes the legislation as requiring “new measures to promote energy efficiency, sets a schedule for closing old fossil fuel power plants, and requires 100% renewable resources such as solar or wind. Energy companies must pay penalties for not meeting their targets…”
Do the changes stop there? No, indeed! According to 13newsnow.com, Governor Northam’s legislation will also “repeal Virginia voter ID laws, make Election Day a state holiday, and expand access to early voting.” foxnews.com reported that five new gun measures also became law. In quoting The Roanoke Times, subjects addressed include “expanding background checks to all firearm sales, reinstating the cap on handgun sales to one a month, and a ‘red flag’ bill to allow authorities to temporarily take guns away from people deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others.”
Decriminalization of cannabis is also on the horizon for Virginians. While lamenting that COVID-19 “appears to have slowed legalization momentum in the state,” cannabiswire.com states that “Support for adult use legalization in Virginia is at 61%,” citing a September 2019 poll conducted by the University of Mary Washington. The reason given, why legislation has been so-slow in gaining ground? “A Republican majority in the legislature remained, generally, opposed to reform.”
I don’t live in Virginia. But these are instructional results to think about and consider as election time rolls around.
April 11, 2020: Drive-in Churches Bring Controversy to Numerous States
I was fascinated to hear that this creative solution has become so controversial and involved many states, not just Mississippi. I read of the controversy in Kentucky, in which Rand Paul stood up and recommended the Governor “take a step back”…but this phenomena is quite interesting and continues to suggest the question: is this plan a violation regarding health concerns…or is it about controlling a population?
As christianpost.com explains, “As many churches plan to host drive-in services, which do not violate social distancing rules, on Easter Sunday some states appear to be in a conundrum over whether such gatherings could spread the new coronavirus and should be banned.
April 9, 2020: Drive-in Church Services Shut Down by Police in Mississippi–Again
I have thought drive-in services were a pretty creative way to be able to wave at your fellow congregants while remaining in 100% compliance with social distancing. It does not comply with the “at home” part of the state’s Stay-at-Home Order, but in no way allows contact to spread the COVID19 germs. So it DOES beg the question…why in the world would police even bother?
According to faithwire.com, “At least 20 police officers reportedly showed up outside a small church in Greenville, Mississippi…threatening the pastor for hosting drive-in services.” Religious freedom group First Liberty Counsel has “demanded” that Mississippi Mayor Errick Simmons “stop targeting” drive-in churches, as it violates their religious liberty to assemble together.
Mississippi radio host Todd Starnes invited Pastor Charles Hamilton to share the situation on his radio show, as this is the second time police have “stormed” a church service, also slapping those in attendance with $500 fines.
This will be interesting to follow….
April 3, 2020: Bishop Jackson Accuses Virginia Governor of “Playing Politics” With Lockdown Order
To be fair, Bishop E.W. Jackson is quoted in this article as saying all governors and mayors across America “are taking upon themselves powers they do not have” in enacting Stay-at-Home orders during COVID-19. It is the officials’ role, he states, “to count on the decency of the American people to cooperate.”
However, according to christiannewswire.com, Bishop Jackson states that Gov. Northam “has gone beyond what any other governor has done” in keeping the Stay-at-home order in place until June 10…conveniently, just one day after the statewide Republican Primary is scheduled. Jackson states that Northam is “playing politics while Virginia is hemorrhaging jobs,” as the Stay-at-Home order will silence the state’s economy for nearly three months.
March 31, 2020: Does Anyone Think Church Gatherings are ‘Essential’? Who’s Speaking Up?
Opinion Writer Matt Walsh declares in this article, “As far as I know, no government at any level, anywhere in the nation, has deigned to label churches essential. Our Founding Fathers…seemed to have disagreed.”
This is actually a discussion that SHOULD have been broached at the start of “shelter at home” orders, in my opinion. I am guessing that the original “two-week” duration of time to Shelter-at-home during March was considered “short,” and clearly temporary, therefore becoming a significant factor in the deafening silence regarding this issue. However, that length of time has now been extended for an additional 30 days. And there is no clear statement that it will not, in some fashion, continue to be enforced for an additional and unspecified amount of time.
In a society which considers physical food an essential for physical and mental well being — appropriately so — it is nonetheless truly unfortunate that ‘spiritual food’ is not given equal consideration as to how churches and fellowships might continue to reach out and offer comfort, support and stability to frightened and insecure people in this time of crisis. Actually, I think it is beyond “unfortunate.” I think it is a serious gap through which millions of people are falling with limited or no safety net, below.
Yes, online connection options are definitely “better than nothing.” I give kudos, appreciation, and accolades to those church leaders who have worked diligently to create and maintain contact/support with their people through social media and online opportunities. Yes, Romans 13:1 states, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God , and those which exist are established by God.” (NASB)
Authority established by God: consider that phrase, for just a moment. I propose that our houses of worship — FAR more than any government agency — have been ordained for this very purpose of bearing His authority in the lives of people, and for times just like these. If I may say so, it is each one of us AND our houses of worship who have been bestowed with the mantle of spiritual governorship to address the necessary task at hand with the power, compassion, and efficiency needed.
We all — loudly, as Americans, whether personally involved in spiritual gatherings or not — really should be discussing if stay-at-home orders from state/federal officials should supersede a Constitutional guarantee of freedom in religious assembly (especially since such orders are currently apart from any specific guidelines as to whether or not a stay-at-home order is justified). We should be discussing if this is contrary to the Scriptural admonition for us to “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together.” (Heb. 10:24-25, NASB)
There is a purpose and a point in our “assembling together”…and it is not necessarily for US. We are NOT called to live for ourselves. WE have been tasked to be bringers of Light in dark situations; WE have been tasked to share Living Water with those whom the world has wrung dry.
Matt Walsh states in this article, “This is not ‘health and safety.’ This is tyranny.” Walsh subsequently asks the question, “Can the government simply declare all churches non-essential, close them indefinitely, and thus circumvent the First Amendment with so much ease as to render it effectively nullified from here on out?”
THIS is the discussion that we-the-people and we-the-children-of-God need to decide within our congregations and bring to the doors of our local, county, state and federal levels of government.
4-2-20 UPDATE: After Hillsborough County arrested Pastor Howard-Browne of Revival International Ministries, the local government has done a 180-turnaround. According to lc.com (site of Liberty Council), “The council voted to recognizechurches as ‘essential,'” reversing an earlier decision which resulted in Pastor Howard-Browne’s arrest. In addition, “Any future guidance the county may issue will be recommendations and not enforceable.” The site also reports that Florida Ron DeSantis amended his April 1 executive order for shelter-in-place to recognize that “‘religious services conducted in churches, synagogues, and houses of worship” are “Essential activities.” Liberty Council was in the process of filing a federal lawsuit against Hillsborough County.
March 21, 2020: ‘Political Correctness’ Allowed Sound Judgment to be Squelched in Italy
This is a fascinating little article that I bet doesn’t get much play in the media. I share it here as a reminder that political correctness is more a campaign of think-control, than of being cautious not to offend people. According to theblaze.com, Italian Professor of Virology Dr. Georgio Palu is quoted as stating, “There was a proposal to isolate people coming from the epicenter, coming from China.” Unfortunately, his assessment continued, “the Italian government balked” over the “concern it could be construed as racist.”
March 20, 2020: Warning Over Zero-New-COVID-Cases Report Out of China
Well, a report like this isn’t at all surprising, and it is reminiscent of the old caveat “Buyer Beware.” This is more like, “Presidents and Listeners, beware.” Right now China simply has too significant an investment in NOT sharing accurate information. According to theblaze.com, “Those reports (of normalcy) are being disputed by local Chinese officials who say the the government is using deceptive measures to create the appearance of normal business operations and productivity.”
March 10, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom Praises Trump’s Coronavirus Response…Did You See Any Headlines About That?
I was fascinated by this short article. According to a 3-9-20 article published by newsweek.com, “California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom praised President Donald Trump on Monday for supporting his state as it assisted with the repatriation of passengers from the coronavirus-infected Grand Princess cruise ship…we had a very long conversation and every single thing he said, they followed through on…”
March 10, 2020: The Woodson Center Launches 1776Unites in Response to 1619 Project
In August, 2019, this column posted concerns and links regarding “The 1619 Project,” initiated by The New York Times and designed to essentially rewrite American history from the lens of America being founded on slavery, not religious liberty.
As posted on The Woodson Center Facebook page, founder Bob Woodson wrote in January to commemorate this year’s Martin Luther King Day, “Today the progressive Left wants to ignore the achievements and pretend that blacks are perpetual victims of white racism. The New York Times‘ ‘1619 Project‘ essay series is the latest salvo on America’s history and founding…its frequent perversion of blacks’ story will have grave consequences not only for blacks but for the nation as a whole.”
Mr. Woodson spoke on the Sunday night Life, Liberty and Levin, March 8, for which a link was provided on the Woodson Center FB page; however, today (3/10), YouTube has blocked the video with the words, “Video unavailable. This video is no longer available because the YouTube account associated with this video has been terminated.” The good news is that a similar interview with The Epoch Times can (at least for now) be seen here.
Insidesources.com published an article by Carrie Sheffield describing 1776 as “a coalition of scholars, grassroots leaders and advocates that challenges attempts to rewrite the founding of our nation as defined by slavery.” Check out the 1776Unites website and stay tuned!
March 4, 2020: Chuck Schumer Threatens Supreme Court Justices at Pro-abortion Rally?
I must be amazingly naive…but there are public statements made, and incidents that occur, daily, which leave me shaking my head in disbelief. This is one of them. Pro-Abortion supporters have expressed concern that Roe vs. Wade could be “overturned” since Donald Trump’s election. This fear dates back to a 2016 interview in which then-President Elect Trump reportedly stated during a cnn.com interview that he would appoint pro-life judges to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is currently hearing oral arguments regarding a Louisiana law “requiring doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital no farther than 30 miles from the women’s clinic.”
Abortion supporters are concerned that this ruling will create additional restrictions on abortion providers that will extend throughout the country. Newsmax.com quotes Senate leader Schumer as shouting, “I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh — you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions…” Chief Justice John Roberts issued a public response to Schumer’s statement.
February 25, 2020: Liberal PAC American Bridge spending $400-Million in Anti-Trump Ads in Swing States
This fascinating article lists multiple big-ticket ads being taken out in swing states to defeat President Trump’s re-election bid. But…they also want to make sure Bernie isn’t at the top of the ticket. You know, money just doesn’t go as far as it used to….
February 18, 2020: Will Iowa Lead the Way in Re-instituting Parent Notification Legislation?
I remember the requirement to sign a permission form for my now-grown daughters to attend “sex ed” classes, twenty, twenty-five years ago. Since then, I have watched the erosion of those parental permission requirements as my grandchildren have made their ways through the public school system. Last year (2019), the Illinois legislature passed a bill requiring “LGBT content” to be included in state-funded textbooks. Also last year, dailycaller.com reported that the Murrieta School District in California would allow students to opt-out of “comprehensive sexual health,” but would not be allowed “to opt their children out of LGBTQ content when taught in other subjects.” Two years earlier, nationalreview.com warned that “some state laws are written to prevent parents from opting their children out of indoctrination.”
According to dailysignal.com, “An Iowa bill that would require schools to notify parents before teaching LGBTQ content to children” is now controversial and labeled “Draconian” by its opponents. Co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Jeff Shipley, stated the legislation was intended to “bridge a gap between the parent and the school about the type of instruction the students receive,” according to foxcarolina.com.
This is one of 13 bills introduced to the Iowa legislature, which opponents are calling “anti-LGBTQ”. Another significant bill is HF2022, which “would require high school students to participate in sports based on their biological sex.”
I will be watching these two fights unfold!
February 17, 2020: Virginia Legislature Rejects Ban on Assault Weapons
Four Democrats in Virginia stepped forward to vote with Republicans to “Put the bill on hold for a year so that the state’s crime commission could study the issue,” as reported by theblaze.com, quoting Associated Press. Democrats hold a slim majority in the state’s Senate, 21-19, and the “governor’s spokeswoman” is quoted as stating, “We will be back next year.”
January 30, 2020: West Virginia Governor Suggests Possibility of Virginia Counties Seceding to His State
Breakingchristiannews.com reported that West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has proposed the intriguing suggestion that Virginians unhappy with the governmental changes in their state should have their counties start the process to secede from Virginia. Although, reportedly, “Lawmakers in West Virginia already have introduced formal resolutions inviting parts of Virginia to join their state,” the option is considered a highly complicated one and would “require the consent of Congress of both states.”
January 27, 2020: March of Progressivism Continues to Change Virginia’s Laws, Disregard Populace
Contributor Jarrett Stepman wrote an excellent piece for The Daily Signal on the numerous and far-reaching legislative changes ongoing in Virginia. The now all-Democrat Governor-and-legislature continue to enact their political agenda on the people in this state. As Stepman wrote, “It’s telling that the new powers that be in Richmond aren’t concerned with the opinions of a huge swath of the commonwealth and are willing to push ahead with their ideas whether the people like them or not.” Stepman further describes the process as the “Californization of Virginia,” by pointing out, “That all of these laws and initiatives have happened in such a short time frame should be a warning for the rest of the country.”
January 10, 2020: AOC Maneuvering Within Democrat Party Demonstrates How Sweeping Change Takes Place
I read a recap on this topic from several different sources, but the best “bottom line” came from foxnews.com, pointing out, “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has already topped the fundraising charts in her short time in Congress, but the liberal darling won’t donate a cent of her millions to Democrats’ House campaign organization…instead, Ocasio-Cortez is building her own fundraising operation for fellow progressives candidates to bypass the official Democratic Party infrastructure…she’s actively funding primary challengers to oust certain Democratic colleagues.”
Those italics are mine, not part of Marisa Schultz’ original article. But a great ah-ha went off as I read the article. This is how you broker power, build yourself into a political icon, and change the course of nations. I recommend reading this article for the “political insight” workings it reveals.
December 20, 2019: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Tr-ouble…Nearly 90% of Virginia Counties Declare Themselves Second Amendment Sanctuary Counties
While the Virginia National Guard gave an official statement on 12/13 stating they “would not speculate about the possible use of the National Guard” regarding its use to enforce pending gun laws, the Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has shared the opinion that “localities and local constitutional officers cannot nullify state laws,” according to reporter Ryan Saavedra of dailywire.com. House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert immediately pointed out this position as contradictory to a previous stance taken in 2014,l regarding prosecution of marijuana possession.
December 13, 2019: Virginia Update…As Virginia Counties Pass “Second Amendment Sanctuary” Laws, Attorney General Threatens National Guard to Enforce Cooperation
I wonder who’s crying those tears now (see post below)…actually, that’s being a little mean, so I apologize. I was, however, taken aback at the dailywire.com report that “Democratic congressmen from Virginia are threatening sheriffs in their state who have warned they will not enforce harsh state-level fun laws that violate Second Amendment rights, suggesting they could be prosecuted if they’re unwilling to resign, that their sheriff’s office could lose funding, or most stridently, that the National Guard be called in to enforce the gun-control measures.”
I did not think action would be so swift, in light of a November election and the “Christmas season” starting three weeks later. I am actually quite shocked at the quick heavy-handedness being displayed.
So I wonder to myself: is this an issue headed to the Supreme Court? If the state-level officials can violate the decisions of an individual county vote…where does that lead Sanctuary Cities who choose to violate state-level agreements to actually support illegal deportation, such as you find in Texas?
We will stay tuned….
November 7, 2019: Yes, Elections Indeed Have Consequences. Watch Virginia.
As we have often heard in the last few years, elections indeed have consequences. Virginia elections are normally of very little interest to me, but the earlier-in-the-year publicity regarding Gov. Ralph Northam’s stand on allowing infanticide as part of “normal abortion procedure” has it on my radar a little more. The 2% (28,475) of the state’s population who voted for Libertarian candidate John Hicks may have lost more than they bargained for. According to local reporting wkyt.com, “Libertarian Party says it’s happy to cause ‘delicious tears from Bevin supporters.'”
I have an issue with that viewpoint. Do I have an issue with the Libertarian Party? No, absolutely not. In fact, for those old enough to recall the name Ross Perot, I was so admiring of his fiscal policies that if I had actually believed he had a “good” chance of winning the presidency, I would likely have voted for him. And there is the crux of the issue: in the immediate months before a state election, if your numbers are running at only 2%, you do not have any chance of winning the position you are running for. You are clearly remaining in the election for a different purpose.
So I wonder: among those 28,475, are there any pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-conservative-fiscal-policy? My prediction — the tears they shed will be their own as time moves forward. According to theblaze.com, Gov. Northam has already announced he and the legislature are “working on” gun confiscation of certain types, plus implementing other gun control measures voted down by Republicans in the past. He stated in the Spring that he had no problem with infanticide. I’m keeping my eye on what else sprouts from this newly-replanted field.
November 2, 2019: Genderless Description “Latinx” Not Appealing to Hispanics of Any Gender
This is just plain humorous, so I am including it here. Apparently the woke Progressives who habitually rename/reclassify/de-gender nearly everything these days has bumped into a group more resilient against having their identities tweaked by an outsider: Hispanics. According to theblaze.com, the California-based ThinkNow survey company discovered “98%” of those identifying with an Hispanic ancestry “do not identify with the term.” theblaze.com also referenced a UCLA study that concluded, “Most transgender individuals identify as either male or female.” Soooooooo….it does make you wonder just what group of Hispanic individuals “Latinx” is designed to define….
October 18, 2019: Study Reveals What Should be Obvious — Assisted Suicide Reduces, not Increases, Health Care Options
There has been so much political “juggernauting” going on for the last several months, reporting the details of situations that have caught my eye (and often my ire) would have filled pages and taken hours of time I did not have. During this same time frame, however, I have often felt the urgency of, “I need to pass this on!” So I am pressing onward with information on one of the trends I always find particularly disturbing: the lack of respect for life. Yes, unborn life, newborn life, middle aged life, old-aged life — LIFE, as in Psalm 139:16, “And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”
Currently, there are nine states allowing some form of “physician-assisted suicide”: Oregon started the cycle in 1994, with legislation that “allowed terminally ill patients to obtain prescriptions for lethal drugs.” The other states joining Oregon’s lead include: Washington state, Vermont, Montana, Hawaii, California, Maine, New Jersey, District of Columbia, and our own state of Colorado, voting approval in 2016. The National Council on Disability has concluded Part One of an ongoing study regarding “health care choice” and began its report with this statement: “Assisted suicide laws are premised on the notion of additional choice for people at the end of their lives, however in practice, they often remove choices when the low-cost option is ending one’s life versus providing treatments to lengthen it or services and supports to improve it.” (Neil Romano, NCD Chairman)
That’s a pretty scary summation tgo ponder. I added those italics, for many decisions in today’s healthcare market are a dollars-and-cents decision, not a “what’s best for the patient” decision. A second statement in the report collaborates my statement, as it reads, “Assisted suicide laws contain provisions intended to safeguard patients from problems or abuse. However, research for this report showed that these provisions are ineffective, and often fail to protect patients in a variety of ways.” Example number one? “Insurers have denied expensive, life-sustaining medical treatment but offered to subsidize lethal drugs…”
There have been several articles over the summer regarding patients who have protested decisions regarding the timing of their own euthanasia…at least they protested until the deed was done. As a point of definition, according to the 2015 article 5 Facts About PhysicianAssisted Suicide in America, “The difference between PAS and euthanasia is that in the latter, the lethal dose is administered by someone other than the patient. So if a physician directly administered a lethal drug it would be euthanasia, either voluntary or non-voluntary (i.e. against the will of the patient).” In the same article, the American Medical Association opposed PAS, reportedly declaring it was “fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer.”
I believe our Divine Healer has made the same point.
August 19, 2019: Alert: “1619 Project” Perspective Intends to Infiltrate Historical Interpretation at Every Level
This self-proclaimed/self-admitted goal as stated by the New York Times on its own website should be very concerning to all of us in its ramifications and application. As the NYT exerts significant media influence regarding the tone and focus of how news and events are described or explained, however, this is a worrisome endeavor — and one of which to be consciously aware.
This platform goes by the name “The 1619 Project” and is self-described as “a major initiative from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history, understanding 1619 as our true founding, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are.”
Of interest to me are the freedictionary.com definitions of “reframe” — “To change the plans or details of (a policy, idea, etc.)”; or “to look at, present, or think (beliefs, ideas, relationships, etc.) in a new or different way”. Thus, the phrase “to reframe the country’s history” is, to me, a polite but clearly ominous warning. I suspect that commonly accepted historical documents and events taught as historical Amerian milestones may be significantly modified under this “new” interpretation of history as it is promoted through various venues. I am also wary of their phrase, “the story we tell ourselves about who we are,” for it moves our focus from being a nation centered around historical documentation to a nation whose history hinges on relativistic viewpoints…one that changes from person to person, based on ideologically shifting sand.
A quick cornucopia of additional research: The “1619 narrative” is not entirely new, though the NYT public statement regarding its active involvement in promoting the “initiative,” is. In 2017, smithsonianmag.com ran a significant article entitled “The Misguided Focus on 1619 as the Beginning of Slavery in the U.S. Damages Our Understanding of American History.” Please, take the time to click and link and read it. There is also a website entitled Project 1619.org, which states as part of its ongoing mission, to be “teaching and educating people on the true history of Virginia’s first Africans since as early as 1973. There is ongoing discussion in Virginia as to whether the first Africans brought here in 1619 were slaves or indentured.”
An interesting passage from a 2013 website entitled todayifoundout.com states, “The first Africans to be imported to the Americas were brought over in the 1560s, primarily in areas controlled by Spain. The English colonies didn’t start importing Africans until much later, until 1619…the first group to the British colonies were imported to Jamestown and comprised of 20 Africans who had been aboard a Spanish ship that was attacked by a Dutch vessel. After the Dutch crew successfully took over the Spanish ship, they were left with 20 Africans who they took to Jamestown and declared they were indentured servants, trading them for supplies.” Another 2013 website, electricscotland.com, states, “There were hundreds of thousands of Scots sold into slavery during Colonial America. White slavery to the American colonies occurred as early as 1630 in Scotland.”
One of the most interesting articles I discovered was published in 2012 by theroot.com, which states, “We even know the identity of the first documented African to arrive. His name was Juan Garrido, and more astonishing, he wasn’t even a slave…Juan Garrido was born in West Africa in 1480. According to the historians…Garrido’s notarized ‘probanza,’ (his curriculum vitae, more or less), dated 1538, says he moved from Africa to Lisbon, Portugal, of his own volition, as a free man, stayed in Spain for seven years and then…joined the earliest conquistadors to the New World.”
Point: yes, slavery enacted in all its forms and involving all affected ethnic groups, is reprehensible. However, in any age it is a dangerous practice to potentially reinterpret centuries of established historical documentation through a lens of partial-truth, ignoring significant other factors that were woven into the overall narrative.
August 14, 2019: George Washington University Trolled by Campus Reform, Results Reveal Student Lack of Intellectual Analysis
OK, my above title is a summation of the article, which actually focused on the results of a phony petition being circulated by an undercover Campus Reform member. The topic? The color “white” of the stick figures portrayed in LED crosswalk signs. According to theblaze.com, Campus Reform member Ethan Cai used petition wording, “As we students cross the street, we are told by the symbol of a white man when it is OK to cross. Many students from diverse backgrounds, including individuals of color, gender fluid individuals, and LGBTQA+ individuals, feel oppressed by this.” First, and most obvious, apparently there were no observations regarding the reality of “white” gender fluid/LGBTQA+ persons, eliminating those two categories from those who objected. The LED signs have a black background, also eliminating a wide range of stick figure color options. In a sense, it doesn’t matter–it was a “fake” petition being circulated. In another sense, it is concerning to me that many comments could be summed up in the one person stating, “It’s definitely a representation issue.” “Definitely”? Really? The indoctrination factories are working overtime and leaving no issue unformulated.
August 9, 2019: Pennsylvania County Seal Allowed to Retain Image of Cross
Apparently this lawsuit was brought against Pennsylvania County by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in 2016/2017, and a first ruling sided with the atheist organization. As reported by christianheadlines.com: Becket Law, a practice specializing in religious liberty cases, argued that the seal had been “in use for over 70 years without any complaints,” and that its inclusion among the five-graphic seal represented “the county’s early German settlers who fled persecution in their homeland seeking religious freedom in America.” It was, therefore, considered an historical rather than “religious” symbol. Other graphics on the County seal include a factory, farm, bell and a heart. Does anyone else really find themselves wearied by unending, frivolous lawsuits of harassment? I am reminded of Daniel 7:23-25, in which the fourth beast will “speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One…” My key takeaway there is “wear down the saints” — we are indeed in a wear-’em-down tug of war with the enemy’s agents.
June 16, 2019: New Denver City Council Member Vows to “Usher in Communism”
It’s my opinion that much of the political scene in Denver is whacko…but this report actually caught me by surprise…and is very concerning. As reported by dailywire.com, newly elected District 9 Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca has stated, “I don’t believe our current economic system actually works,” preferring “community ownership of land, labor, resources, and distribution of those resources.”
June 13, 2019: Editorial Comparing Medicare-for-All with European Socialized Medicine
Kevin Pham writes an article for dailysignal.com I found quite interesting. Although the statistics he quotes are small, they are currently rising and presenting a case for private medical care plans growing in the countries of Canada, United Kingdom, and the Scandinavian countries. In a political culture where one-payer medical coverage is greatly touted, Pham points out “They (the governments of these countries) provide nearly everything a proponent of socialized health care could ask for — and yet each of these countries host a growing private health insurance sector…it behooves us to ask why this is….”
May 24, 2019: Pastor’s Commencement Speech at Christian College Includes Insults, Political Agenda
I’ll admit it up front — I don’t know anything about Baylor College except it is designated a “Christian college.” I include this short article from theblaze.com because it typifies the confused, contradictory, and outrageous age through which we all are navigating. Consider: Christian college. Pastoral commencement speaker. from an historical, self-described Baptist church. Prayer includes asking God to give graduates “the moral imagination” to reject “old keys” to their future, states the planet has been poisoned due to fossil fuels and that there are “too many straight white men” like himself in positions of authority. Christian college commencement address. Unbelievable. I am drawn to Matthew 6:22-23: “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness.”
May 22, 2019: Colorado Part of 18-State Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Conscience Opt-Out Clause
Although the focus of the lawsuit primarily focuses on abortion, my interest was caught by the inclusion of euthanasia/mercy-killing as we see the rise of medical protocol versus comfort protocol in dealing with the aged and hospitalized. According to theblaze.com, “A group of 22 states, counties, and cities has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, to try and get rid of a rule that would allow employers, insurers, and health care providers to opt out of procedures, including abortion, that conflicted with their beliefs.” The rule is also described as protecting “personal beliefs” that would prevent them “from assisting in an abortion, contraception, assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy-killing.” Originally announced by the Dept. of Health and Human Services on May 2, and set to take effect on July 22, 2019, President Trump is quoted as applauding the rule: “Together, we are building a culture that cherishes the dignity and worth of human life.” Colorado is one of 18 states to participate in the lawsuit to block its implementation.
May 15, 2019: Double-Voting in California Reinforces Need for Electoral College
Well, at least that’s my take on it. This relatively unpublicized practice in California apparently occurs in several counties…which brings me back to the concern that yes, there is definitely voter fraud and those who claim otherwise simply don’t know or choose to ignore the facts when they surface. westernjournal.com explains how the double-voting “system” has worked over multiple elections.
May 10, 2019: Fighting Disruption with Disruption. Bad Idea
OK, just throwing this little article out here. According to christiannewswire.com, The Society for Truth and Justice is actively recruiting “men and women to disrupt Buttigieg and Biden events throughout the Democratic primary season.” Bad idea! Adopting the tactics of the enemy and slapping God’s name on them will not reveal an accurate picture of the workings of His Kingdom or create an accurate witness of a God-honoring lifestyle. We need to be pro-truth, not anti-deception. I feel like Paul would say, “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?” (Gal. 3:1)
May 9, 2019: Satanic Temple Receives Tax-Exempt Status
churchleaders.com posted an interesting article pointing out that the IRS “officially acknowledges the group as a religion.” Why is this significant? In the words of a Satanic Temple organizational Instagram account, “This acknowledgement will help make sure the Satanic Temple has the same access to public spaces as other religious organizations, affirm our standing in court when battling religious discrimination, and enable us to apply for faith-based government grants.” I am hoping there will be legal challenges to this new designation and praying that deception will be peeled away.
May 9, 2019: Pastor Claims Pete Buttigieg Attempting to Re-Define Christianity
Pastor Stephen Broden of Fair Park Bible Fellowship and creator of the website Gone2Far states that Mayor Pete’s now-famous statement, “God made me this way” regarding his homosexuality, is “far more dangerous and sinister than it appears. Mayor Pete’s claim challenges the integrity of scriptures. It poses the question: how can the Bible condemn homosexuality when God created the homosexual?” christiannewswire.com shares Pastor Broden’s concerns.
April 18, 2019: Franklin Graham ‘Draws the Line in the Sand’ Regarding Buttigieg
christianpost.com shares the April 14 encounter between Pete Buttigieg and protesters while the presidential candidate visited Iowa. Walking the balance between “I don’t agree with heckling anyone” and sharing Bible verses on homosexuality, Rev. Franklin Graham, took a stance that stated, “In reality, being a Christian isn’t just a title we select or a church membership. It is a faith in God and His Word that transforms our lives to be more like the One we follow — Jesus Christ.” I found this short article to be a thought-provoking and interesting read.
April 10, 2019: One Conservative’s Historical and Practical View of the Electoral College
At dailysignal.com, contributor Jarrett Stepman wrote, “A full-blown war is waging against the Electoral College. But as activist groups become more desperate to overturn our way of electing presidents before voters go to the polls in November 2020, their arguments become more absurd and hyperbolic.” This is an article well-worth reading. For additional example, click here and read what I published in February, regarding Colorado “considering” giving its electoral votes to the popular-vote candidate, which it since has done.
debfrostblogandphotos 