Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Thursday January 23, 2020

THE DAILY SIGNAL

Jan 23, 2020

Good morning from Washington the day after House Democrats employed video clips and text messages to dramatize their opening arguments in the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump. Fred Lucas captures the big moments. Veteran newsman Marvin Olasky prescribes a cure for poor journalism, Rachel del Guidice reports. Plus: a religious school appeals to the Supreme Court, a teen magazine promotes abortion, and a congressman targets socialism. On this date in 1849, British-born Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to receive a medical degree from a U.S. college.

	NEWS5 Flash Points From Impeachment Trial’s Opening Arguments By Fred Lucas House prosecutors claim that President Trump is trying to “cheat” to win the 2020 election, as opening arguments from each side commence in the Senate impeachment trial of the president.MoreCOMMENTARYWhy We Must Defeat Socialism By Rep. Andy Barr American capitalism delivered the most free, prosperous, and successful country in the history of the world. Today, however, these principles are under attack.MoreANALYSISThe Great American Story of Clarence Thomas By Jarrett Stepman “It’s a great story because it’s … not only a Horatio Alger story of going from dire poverty and segregation … to the highest court of the land, but of these political, emotional, spiritual changes,” says “Created Equal” director Michael Pack.MoreCOMMENTARY5 Key Exchanges From the Supreme Court in Religious School Case By Elizabeth Slattery Justice Sonia Sotomayor asks if parents believe the Constitution requires states to give money to secular and religious private schools.MoreANALYSISProblematic Women: Teen Vogue Shouts the Merits of Abortion By Lauren Evans We break down the theme of the March for Life, the story of the original pro-life feminists, and some of the big news stories surrounding the abortion debate.MoreNEWSReforming Journalism Requires ‘Street Reporting,’ Not ‘Suite Reporting,’ World Editor Olasky Says By Rachel del Guidice “There’s so much opinion journalism. There’s very little reporting of people actually listening, paying attention, watching, describing,” says Marvin Olasky, editor-in-chief of World magazine.More

The Daily Signal is brought to you by more than half a million members of The Heritage Foundation.
Donate to The Daily Signal Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

How are we doing?
We welcome your comments, suggestions, and story tips. Please reply to this email or send us a note at comments@dailysignal.com.The Daily Signal
214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(800) 546-2843

Add morningbell@heritage.org to your address book to ensure that you receive emails from us.You are subscribed to this newsletter as rickbulow1974@gmail.com. If you want to receive other Heritage Foundation newsletters, or opt out of this newsletter, please click here to update your subscription.

THE EPOCH TIMES

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

ROBERT FROSTGood morning,

A deadly strain of coronavirus that has been spreading rapidly in China now has been found in at least five other countries, including the United States.

In China, the official number of reported cases is over 500, but the real number is expected to be much higher.

On Wednesday, all public transport into and out of Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the virus, was blocked off.

Read the full story here.

Graham: Democrats Didn’t Wait for Courts Because They Wanted to Impeach Trump Before Election

Justice Department Defends Ohio Law Banning Down Syndrome Abortions

Democrats Won’t Trade Witnesses in Senate Impeachment Trial

Education Department Opens New Civil Rights Center to Help Schools, Students

Americans from across the country traveled to Virginia on Jan. 20, with some coming in packed buses, others driving from hours away, and a smaller number flying to the state to send a unified message to the Democratic-controlled state legislature—no to gun control. Read moreThe U.S. Census Bureau will publicize the upcoming 2020 Census to the Asian community mostly through media outlets under the influence of the Chinese regime, including one that is a registered foreign agent. Read morePresident Donald Trump said on Jan. 22 that China’s human rights record and the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong are part of phase two trade discussions with China, in response to a question from The Epoch Times. Read moreConcerns over misuse of disaster aid resurfaced in Puerto Rico with the recent discovery of a warehouse where the island’s government kept supplies originally intended for the victims of 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Read moreA tax-credit program for needy students in Montana shouldn’t be shut down merely because some of the money may end up in the coffers of private religious schools, the Supreme Court heard Jan. 22. Read more
See More Top Stories Is Capitalism Really Bad for the World?
By James Gorrie

According to Harvard political scientist Francis Fukuyama, the fall of the Soviet Union meant the end of history. Modern history, Fukuyama contended back in the 1990s, was defined as the struggle between two fundamentally opposed systems… Read moreTrump’s Latest Manufacturing Jobs Achievements Should Terrify 2020 Democrats
By Justin Haskins

As Democrats frantically and feverishly work to convince the public Donald Trump deserves to be impeached, America’s economy continues to make remarkable progress. Read more
See More Opinions Hong Kong’s Future Bleak Under CCP Rule
By Valentin Schmid
(March 4, 2015)

When you fight for freedom, sacrifices have to be made. Even well-to-do hedge fund managers like Edward Chin of 2047 HK Monitor are not exempt. Since he and other Hong Kong finance figures threw their weight… Read moreJust what is the significance of the recent Taiwan elections, with incumbent president Tsai Ing-Wen winning by a landslide? Why is Taiwan critical to the power balance in Asia? In what ways has the Chinese Communist Party engaged in information warfare against Taiwan? How is the Chinese regime using similar tactics across the globe?
The Taiwan Election, the Communist China Threat, & the Future of US-Taiwan Relations—Ian Easton Copyright © 2020 The Epoch Times, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive newsletter communications from The Epoch Times.

Our mailing address is:
The Epoch Times229 W. 28 St.Fl. 5New York, NY 10001
Add us to your address book

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can unsubscribe from this list or remove my account.

DAYBREAK

Your First Look at Today’s Top Stories – Daybreak InsiderHaving trouble viewing this email? View the web version.SPONSORED BYDaybreakInsider.com @DaybreakInsiderTHURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 20201.Schiff: Can’t Trust the Voting System, We Must Impeach
The absolutely unglued Adam Schiff said “the president’s misconduct cannot be decided at the ballot box. For we cannot be assured that the vote will be fairly won” (Twitter). In Schiff dramatic fashion, he also said witnesses risked everything and “I know what you are asked to decide may risk yours, too. But if they can show the courage, so can we” (ABC News). From Ted Cruz: “Adam Schiff’s arguments to open the day today directly drew into question Hunter Biden and made not only his testimony relevant which it already was but it is now critical” (Daily Caller). From Rich Lowry: it’s time to conclude that this is a failed model of impeachment. It constitutes a censure with bells and whistle, yet depends on a process that diverts the time and energy of the nation’s political institutions as if the survival of a presidency is at stake, even when everyone knows it really isn’t (Politico). The Wall Street Journal explains this major problem with the Democrats’ argument: The House managers don’t assert that any specific action by President Trump was an abuse of power or a violation of law. They don’t deny he can delay aid to a foreign country or ask a foreign leader to investigate corruption. Presidents do that all the time. Instead they assert in their first impeachment article that Mr. Trump is guilty of “abuse of power” because he committed those acts for “corrupt purposes” (WSJ).

2.Multiple Polls Show Sanders Ahead of Biden
CNN has Sanders at 27 percent, Biden at 20, a nine-point change from just a month ago – see page 9. According to this same poll, voters say BIDEN has the best chance of uniting the country, BIDEN has the best chance of uniting Democrats, BIDEN has the best chance of beating Trump. But Sanders now leads the pack as Democrats, somehow, agree more with him on “issues that matter most” (CNN). From Allahpundit: …we find liberals tilting towards Sanders in the wake of the sexism dispute between them. And that trend among black voters is devastating potentially for Biden if it’s borne out in other polling. Black Democrats are supposed to be his firewall against Bernie, just as they were for Hillary in the 2016 primary. If Sanders is making a dent in that bloc then South Carolina might not be as sure a thing for Grandpa Joe as he thinks, especially if Bernie wins Iowa and New Hampshire first (Hot Air). From the New York Times: … as the Iowa caucuses approach, with his advisers urging him to be more aggressive, a resurgent Mr. Sanders has been more assertive against Mr. Biden, infusing his campaign with a harder edge (NY Times). From Rich Lowry: It’s kind of crazy that two weeks before the IA caucuses that will do much to shape national politics over the next year (and perhaps beyond), 3 serious candidates are trapped at an impeachment trial everyone knows the outcome of (Twitter).

Advertisement3.China City of Wuhan on Lockdown to Stop Spread of Coronavirus
With nearly 600 now infected. The story also notes “The previously unknown coronavirus strain is believed to have emerged late last year from illegally traded wildlife at an animal market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Cases have been detected as far away as the United States, stoking fears the virus is already spreading worldwide” (NY Times). From Rod Dreher: Here’s the thing about China: there are 2-3 million more people in Wuhan than in either NYC or London. If this were happening in either of those places, we would be losing our minds with fear. In fact, most of us didn’t know Wuhan even existed until the coronavirus story (Twitter).

4.Most Small Business Owners are Men Over 45From the story: The study of more than 3,000 small business owners found that 87 percent of them are over the age of 39 and 43 percent of them are over the age of 55. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. The data dovetails with other reports from researchers at both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Small Business Administration, which found that the average age of entrepreneurs starting a business is 45 years old and that the share of existing business owners over the age of 50 has recently increased from 46 to 51 percent of all small businesses. Yeah, small business owners are old, and according to the Guidant study, 73 percent of them are also men. Not only that, but they also lean to the right. According to the study, 41 percent of the respondents identified themselves as Republicans as compared to 29 percent who say they’re Democrats.

Washington Times

5.Gabbard Sues Hillary for Defamation
From Ed Morrissey: With access to the next debate stage still within reach, Tulsi Gabbard announced that she has filed a defamation suit against Hillary Clinton in a New York federal court for calling her a “Russian asset” last October.

Hot Air

Advertisement6.Trump to Become First President to Speak at March for Life
Taking place Friday in Washington.

Fox News

7.Joaquin Phoenix Comforts Pigs at Slaughterhouse After SAG Win for Best Actor
He says killing pigs is “murder.”

Fox News

8.Hollywood Actor Refuses to Take Lord’s Name in Vain, Won’t Kiss Anyone but His Wife
A rarity these days, especially for someone like Neil McDonough who is in a series currently. He’s a devout catholic with five children.

Fox News

AdvertisementCopyright © 2020 DaybreakInsider.comSUBSCRIPTION INFO

This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It is only sent to people who signed up from one of the Salem Media Group network of websites OR a friend might have forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy.

Unsubscribe from The Daybreak Insider

OR Send postal mail to:
The Daybreak Insider Unsubscribe
6400 N. Belt Line Rd., Suite 200, Irving, TX 75063

Were you forwarded this edition of The Daybreak Insider?
Get your own free subscription

Copyright © 2020 Salem Media Group and its Content Providers.
All rights reserved.

LARRY J. SABATO’S CRYSTAL BALL

Larry J. Sabato via icontactmail4.com	6:03 AM (59 minutes ago)
to me

IN THIS ISSUE:

– UVA Center for Politics, Decision Desk HQ Partner on 2020 Democratic Primary Delegate Count, Analysis – Trump Not Immune to the Usual Down-Ballot Presidential Penalty – In the South, Congressional Black Caucus Members Win Uncommon Crossover UVA Center for Politics, Decision Desk HQ Partner on 2020 Democratic Primary Delegate Count, Analysis
By UVA Center for Politics

Decision Desk HQ and Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics are pleased to announce they will be working together to produce presidential delegate estimates over the course of the upcoming Democratic presidential primary season.The updated delegate counts will be featured on the presidential election page of the Crystal Ball website, centerforpolitics.org/crystalball, and at decisiondeskhq.com. Analysts at Decision Desk HQ and the Crystal Ball will work together to provide delegate estimates throughout the primary season, which stretches from the start of February to early June.As part of this project, Decision Desk HQ and Sabato’s Crystal Ball also will be calculating and publishing congressional district-level primary results where available, both to track delegate allocations and to show the kinds of districts where candidates are or are not performing well.Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a nonpartisan elections forecasting newsletter and website produced by the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Decision Desk HQ is a leading provider of election results and data.“With the first actual votes being cast and delegates awarded we’re thrilled to enter into this partnership with the UVA Center for Politics. Decision Desk HQ’s ability to be the fastest results collection organization and our unique focus on precinct results means we’ll be able to break down the votes at the congressional district level in order to provide the most up to date estimates in the all-important race to 1991 delegates and the Democratic nomination,” said Drew McCoy, president of Decision Desk HQ.“The Crystal Ball has long admired the work of Decision Desk in compiling results and telling the story of American elections. This partnership will not only allow us to provide our own independent delegate count, but the precinct-level results and voter data that Decision Desk HQ brings to the table will allow us to better study trends in the Democratic primary electorate and provide deeper analysis to our readers,” said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball.The combination of Decision Desk HQ’s proven election data collection system and data science editorial teams along with the UVA Center for Politics’ reputation as one of the leading election analysis organizations ensures the public will have access to the most accurate delegate counts and horse race results as well as a deeper understanding about what is driving the results across the platforms of both outlets.About Decision Desk HQ:Founded on a commitment of “accurate, fast and first,” Decision Desk HQ is a U.S. and international election night results reporting and data science and editorial service.Decision Desk HQ provides a wide variety of election night results and election data to media outlets, political organizations, and academics.For more information about Decision Desk HQ election results and data services visit www.DDHQ.ioAbout Sabato’s Crystal Ball and the University of Virginia Center for Politics:Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a comprehensive, nonpartisan political analysis and handicapping newsletter run by the University of Virginia Center for Politics. The Crystal Ball keeps tabs on presidential elections, along with every race for the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and state governor.Founded by political analyst and Professor Larry J. Sabato, the UVA Center for Politics (www.centerforpolitics.org) is a non-partisan institute that seeks to promote the value of politics, improve civics education, and increase civic participation through comprehensive research, pragmatic analysis, and innovative educational programs.

Trump Not Immune to the Usual Down-Ballot Presidential Penalty
But the Senate remains a bright spot for Republicans amidst decline elsewhere

By Louis Jacobson
Senior Columnist, Sabato’s Crystal Ball

KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE– After just three years in the White House, Donald Trump is seeing a significant erosion of down-ballot seats held by his party.– This erosion puts Trump in good company — at least since World War II, presidents typically experience at least some erosion across his party’s numbers of U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial, and state legislative seats.– The best news for Trump and Republicans is that they have held their own in the category of races that is arguably most politically important: the Senate.The down-ballot White House bluesOn Monday, President Donald Trump began his fourth year in office. His presidency has been unique in many ways, but he’s been like other presidents in at least one respect: His party has generally lost ground down the ballot since he took office.In recent decades, presidents have typically seen an erosion of their party’s seats in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, the governorships, and the state legislatures. In fact, to one degree or another, every post-World War II two-term president has bled seats in these categories, and so have the two-term, same-party combinations of John F. Kennedy-Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon-Gerald Ford. One-term president Jimmy Carter also presided over steep losses, while fellow one-termer George H.W. Bush saw only small gains in the House and in state legislatures.“The surest price the winning party will pay is defeat of hundreds of their most promising candidates and officeholders for Senate, House, governorships, and state legislative posts,” this newsletter’s editor, Larry J. Sabato, wrote in 2014. “Every eight-year presidency has emptied the benches for the triumphant party, and recently it has gotten even worse.”The Crystal Ball last looked at this phenomenon after the 2016 election, when we noted the massive scale of down-ballot losses under President Barack Obama. Here, we update the figures to reflect Trump, using the same methodology.The pattern under Trump is clear: In just three years, Trump is presiding over down-ballot seat erosion for Republicans that, in some categories, is approaching the scale of what his recent predecessors experienced over a full eight years.Let’s take a look at the numbers.Table 1: Down-ballot partisan change for postwar presidents’ partiesNote: *This includes current vacancies.In the Senate, Trump was fortunate in 2018 to have a highly favorable map for Republicans — this enabled him to survive his first midterm election with a net gain of one Senate seat.Beyond that, though, Trump’s down-ballot losses have mirrored those of his predecessors, especially his most recent ones. Here’s a comparison of Trump’s down-ballot losses to those under President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, and President Barack Obama:Table 2: Down-ballot change under most recent presidentsNote: *First three years only.Beyond the unusual results in the Senate — where Trump’s party is actually up a seat so far — Trump’s three-year losses for the other offices are quite close to those experienced over eight years by the younger Bush, the only other Republican in this chart.Losses under the recent Democrats — Clinton, and especially Obama — have mostly been larger than those under Bush.One explanation could be that the Democrats experienced a wholesale loss of seats in an entire region — the South — that is unlikely to swing back any time soon. By contrast, suburban losses for Republicans, a comparable seismic event for the GOP, only really accelerated beginning in 2016, meaning they could snowball the same way in the years ahead.Another explanation could be that voters in midterm elections tend to be older, whiter, and more conservative, which would give Republicans some protection from midterm headwinds.Why do presidents suffer down-ballot losses so consistently? The biggest factor is likely the public’s fatigue with the president’s party and the policy decisions it has made. With only a small number of exceptions, voters have regularly punished the president’s party in midterm elections, seemingly registering their displeasure with the status quo. Indeed, staying comfortably in power is hard: Only once since World War II has one party won three consecutive presidential elections — the Republicans from 1980 to 1988, when Ronald Reagan won twice and his vice president, George H.W. Bush, succeeded him.As I speculated in Governing in 2014, “Presidents try to accomplish things, but not everyone likes what they do. Even if they have support from the majority of voters, it’s always easier for critics — even if they’re in the minority — to block major initiatives than it is for supporters to pass them. Once a president’s agenda has been blocked, their supporters grow disappointed, joining critics in their unhappiness. The president’s overall approval ratings sag, and voters take out their anger on whichever party that controls the White House.”Exacerbating this is the tendency for presidents to accumulate popularity-sapping scandals the longer they stay in office, from Nixon’s Watergate to Reagan’s Iran-Contra to Clinton’s Monica Lewinsky. Not only do such scandals sour voters on the president’s party, but presidents who are fighting for their own political standing don’t have a lot of political capital to share with those from their party who serve at lower levels. By becoming the first postwar president to face impeachment in his first term, Trump has reached this stage at hyper speed.It’s important to note that it’s premature to say how punishing Trump’s down-ballot losses will be by the time he leaves office. For starters, Trump may not win reelection, which would keep him from reaching the two-term threshold, and the usual presidential down-ballot penalty would transfer to the Democrats. In addition, it’s unclear how much of a positive coattail effect Trump will have on fellow Republican candidates in 2020; a president’s party typically fares better in down-ballot races when the president is on the ballot themselves.Still, it’s fair to say that while Trump took an unconventional path to the White House, he’s looking very much like his predecessors in presiding over difficulties down the ballot. The White House is very much worth winning, but generally speaking, there are consequences for holding it.Louis Jacobson is a Senior Columnist for Sabato’s Crystal Ball. He is also the senior correspondent at the fact-checking website PolitiFact and was senior author of the 2016, 2018, and 2020 editions of the Almanac of American Politics and a contributing writer for the 2000 and 2004 editions.

In the South, Congressional Black Caucus Members Win Uncommon Crossover

By Drew Savicki
Guest Columnist, Sabato’s Crystal Ball

KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE– Across the South, some members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) overperform the presidential lean of their districts.– Incumbents like G.K. Butterfield (D, NC-1), Sanford Bishop (D, GA-2), and Jim Clyburn (D, SC-6) show that incumbents who fit their districts can build durable local brands.– Looking to November, to turn out black voters in the South — and beyond — national Democrats can learn from CBC members.The subtle overperformance of some black southern DemocratsIn 2008, a key ingredient to then-Sen. Barack Obama’s historic victory was his unprecedented support from African Americans. Though the African-American community has long been a cornerstone of the Democratic Party’s coalition, Obama inspired an unseen level of enthusiasm among minority voters. That enthusiasm, combined with the national political environment of that year, allowed him to carry previously Republican states like North Carolina and Virginia while cutting the Republican margin in other states like Georgia, which was last contested in 1996.President Obama faced a closer race in 2012. While he lost ground across much of the country, he maintained his steadfast support among black voters. Despite his reduced margin nationwide, Obama improved his showing in heavily black counties, especially in the South (Map 1). This region, known as the “Black Belt” — which refers to the region’s soil, not its population — spans a wide swath of counties in every state across the Old Confederacy. Obama’s strength across this region was also because of his opponent. Mitt Romney — a patrician former governor of Massachusetts and Mormon — inspired little enthusiasm among evangelical whites, an essential part of the Republican coalition.Map 1: 2008-2012 change in the Old ConfederacyWhen Obama was off the ballot in 2016, black turnout fell. Hillary Clinton simply couldn’t match Obama’s level of enthusiasm among this crucial group of voters. Clinton made gains in the more traditionally Republican suburbs in the South such as suburban Atlanta, Charleston, and North Carolina’s Research Triangle, but slumped elsewhere in the South.Looking ahead to November, Democrats are eyeing two big electoral prizes: Georgia and North Carolina. Motivating black voters is essential to victory in these states, and the Democratic nominee would be wise to look to members of these states’ congressional delegations and learn from their successes.Across the South, there are a handful of Democratic congressmen with unique appeal among both black voters and rural whites. Members such as G.K. Butterfield (D, NC-1), Sanford Bishop (D, GA-2), and Jim Clyburn (D, SC-6) outperformed Hillary Clinton in large part because they were able to win over rural white voters that backed Trump.Together, the members of that trio represent districts that have common demographic factors. CityLab classifies each of these districts as “Rural-Suburban mix” — meaning they have large suburban and rural components but almost no dense urban areas. More importantly, given the diverse nature of the districts, their representatives must appeal to a broad array of constituencies.North Carolina’s 1st DistrictThough its contours were altered for the 2020 cycle, NC-1 is located in northeastern North Carolina. Its western edge encroaches on the Raleigh metro area, and its eastern portion is anchored by several smaller cities: Rocky Mount, Greenville, Wilson, and Roanoke Rapids. Rep. G.K. Butterfield has represented this district in some form since 2004. Butterfield, a former judge, served on the North Carolina Supreme Court for two years. Gov. Mike Easley (D-NC) appointed Butterfield to the state Supreme Court in 2001 — the next year, he unsuccessfully ran for a full term on the court. Elected to the House in a 2004 special election, Butterfield quickly rose through the ranks of House Democratic Leadership, becoming Chief Deputy Whip in 2007.When asked about Butterfield’s unique appeal, veteran North Carolina reporter Andy Specht suggested that “[Butterfield’s] success is probably due to name recognition in an area that’s socially conservative but so poor that it’s willing to support a candidate who says he’ll bring home government aid.” Indeed, on North Carolina’s new congressional map, NC-1 is the only Democratic-leaning district that voted in favor of the state’s 2012 referendum banning gay marriage. According to the Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey, 19% of the population in the 1st District lives below the poverty line.Map 2: NC-1 in 2016In 2016, Butterfield outran Clinton by about 4% districtwide. His most acute overperformances came in the most rural counties — ancestrally Democratic Gates and Martin counties, on NC-1’s eastern border, stand out. Gates County, which voted Democratic for president from 1976 until 2016, is 33% black by registration; despite Trump’s comfortable 53%-44% advantage there, Butterfield held it 50%-48%. Throughout the district, there was little correlation between the racial composition of a county and where Butterfield most outperformed Clinton.In November, Butterfield’s crossover will be tested, as he’ll be running in a redrawn seat that would have favored Hillary Clinton by a 54%-43% margin in 2016, instead of the overwhelming 37 percentage point spread that she would have carried his current seat by. Still, the Crystal Ball keeps NC-1 as Safe Democratic. Congressional Republicans currently do not hold any districts that gave Clinton a majority of the vote, and Butterfield has clearly built a strong brand in the area.Georgia’s 2nd DistrictLocated in southwestern Georgia, the 2nd Congressional District has been represented by Democrat Sanford Bishop since 1993. Political junkies will also note that President Jimmy Carter’s hometown, Plains, is located here.Bishop, a Blue Dog, ranks as one of the House Democrats’ more conservative members. Bishop was one of 13 House Democrats to back the Bush Tax Cuts in 2001, and he has a mixed record on abortion rights. Bishop’s moderate views and attention to local issues has allowed him to cultivate a base of support that extends beyond the traditional Democratic coalition.Hillary Clinton won the 2nd District 55%-43% in 2016 — which was down from Obama’s 59%-41% margin four years earlier — while Rep. Bishop won reelection 61%-39%. Bishop carried a number of small rural counties, such as Mitchell and Quitman, that went for Trump at the same time. Although earmarks are long since gone, Bishop’s position on the Appropriations Committee has allowed him to deliver for his district. A lifelong Baptist, Bishop regularly talks up his religious views and touts his A rating from the NRA. Bishop has successfully carved out a niche over several decades in politics by cultivating a moderate image and making the case to voters that he is one of them.Map 3: GA-2 in 2016Bishop outran Clinton throughout the district, winning eight Trump counties. Rural Quitman County went for Trump by 11% and Bishop by 17%, a 28% difference. Quitman saw a 20 percentage point swing between the last two presidential elections: it supported Obama by 9% then Trump by 11%. In 2018, Bishop went on to hold Quitman County by a much narrower 51%-49%, but it was a stark difference from the 12% loss that Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams took there.South Carolina’s 6th DistrictComprising much of south-central South Carolina is the Palmetto State’s 6th Congressional District. Home to Majority Whip Jim Clyburn since 1993, this was the sole district in the state to be represented by a Democrat from 2011 to 2019. A majority-black seat since the 1990 census, the district starts in the state capital, Columbia, spans to the Charleston metro area, and then takes in rural counties on the Georgia border. During his tenure in the House, Clyburn has championed rural and economic development for a district where 24% of the population is below the poverty level. Like Butterfield and Bishop, Clyburn regularly talks up his religious beliefs.Map 4: SC-6 in 2016Hillary Clinton carried this district 67%-30% in 2016 while Clyburn was reelected 70%-28%. Despite Clyburn’s status as one of the Democratic Party’s national leaders, he still maintains some crossover appeal. In 2016, three counties that are entirely or partially located in this district went for both Trump and Clyburn. As the Majority Whip, Clyburn is the third highest-ranking Democrat in the House — his lengthy tenure in House Democratic leadership doesn’t appear to have hampered his crossover support with the Republicans in his district.G.K. Butterfield, Sanford Bishop, and Jim Clyburn are unique members of the House. Their years in politics have allowed them to build district political brands that distinguish themselves from other Democrats up and down the ballot. Why does this matter? All three of these men show that the Democratic nominee for president, hypothetically, can do better. These three know how to win white voters while also retaining an outsized share of the black vote.With their credibility among Republican-leaning voters, the Congressional Black Caucus members campaigned heavily for Democratic candidates in the 2014 midterm elections. Despite the red wave that year, some U.S. Senate candidates in the South — such as the late Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Michelle Nunn (D-GA) — posted better margins in rural areas than what Hillary Clinton would go on to get two years later. As those states are likely to be closely contested this year, that difference could be crucial, although political change is occurring so rapidly that even the performances of Hagan and Nunn may be hard to replicate in some rural areas.However, energizing black voters could pay dividends for Democrats in battlegrounds outside of the South. As Crystal Ball Associate Editor J. Miles Coleman, discussed in a recent article, the black vote will be a factor in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, where the Democratic nominee could feasibly pick up an electoral vote.Drew Savicki is a freelance political cartographer based in the Raleigh, North Carolina region. On his Twitter page, @senhorraposa, he focuses on analyzing down-ballot races and electoral trends.Read the fine printLearn more about the Crystal Ball and find out how to contact us here.Sign up to receive Crystal Ball e-mails like this one delivered straight to your inbox.Use caution with Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and remember: “He who lives by the Crystal Ball ends up eating ground glass!”

Manage Your SubscriptionThis message was sent to rickbulow1974@gmail.com from goodpolitics@virginia.edu

Larry J. Sabato
UVA Center for Politics
PO Box 400806
Charlottesville, VA 22904

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

BRIGHT

Share with a friend you think would love this!Thursday, January 23, 2020

Wuhan Goes on Lockdown
After least 17 people died and the first U.S. case of the Wuhan coronavirus was confirmed in Washington State, the Chinese government took the unprecedented step of suspending all outbound travel from Wuhan, the city where the outbreak began.

The attempt to contain the virus, which has now infected some 500 people, takes effect at 10am this morning. The U.S. has also expanded the number of airports health officials will be screening for the virus, which is now moving from human to human. Here’s a chart from Business Insider showing how fast the virus is spreading:

#Impeachmentgate Update: Day 2
In what would have been perhaps the only part of the impeachment trial Americans would have actually tuned in for, the Biden-for-Bolton “witness swap” fell through, with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., saying, “that’s off the table.” Some conservatives supported the idea, arguing there should be “witness reciprocity,” but Democrats shot it down, accusing Republicans of “trying to distract Americans from the truth.”

What we got instead were hours and hours of arguments against President Trump from House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff. While making his case for impeachment, Schiff, the lead House prosecutor, claimed “the case against the President is simple, and evidence is overwhelming.”

But then, he and his colleagues accused Republicans of running an unfair impeachment trial for blocking attempts for more witnesses and evidence. (Note: in court proceedings, evidence is usually gathered beforegoing to trial. Minor detail.) The situation begs the question: If the evidence against the president is so simple and overwhelming, why do Democrats need more?

Speaking of evidence, Schiff appears to have made a major mistake in handling it, mischaracterizing documents referencing a “Mr. Z” as referring to Ukrainian President Zelensky, rather than the man they actually referred to, Mykola Zlochevsky, founder of Burisma. It’s pretty insider baseball at this point, but reflective of the slop that is this entire impeachment process. POLITICO with more on that one.

President Trump to Speak at the March for Life
In a historic move, President Trump announced that he will be speaking at this year’s annual March for Life. His announcement came via a short and sweet tweet about the “Big Crowd!” that’s expected, of course .

“We are deeply honored to welcome President Trump to the 47th annual March for Life,” said Jeanne Mancini, President of March for Life. “He will be the first president in history to attend and we are so excited for him to experience in person how passionate our marchers are about life and protecting the unborn.”

This year’s theme of the march is “Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Woman.” Check out the latest edition of Problematic Women for more on the theme and story of the originalpro-life feminists.

What Does the Creepy Porn Lawyer Have in Common With El Chapo?
The same prison cell! According to The New York Post, Michael Avenatti was jailed in an isolation unit that once housed infamous drug lord El Chapo ahead of his trial on extortion charges. A warden said it’s “for his own safety” due to his “notoriety.”

Avenatti has three separate federal cases pending against him, including allegedly trying to blackmail Nike out of more than $20 million. Thoughts and prayers for El Chapo’s bedfellow.

Thursday LinksThe Taylor Swift, “Miss Americana” trailer is here. Laugh: “The Dangerous Rise Of Men Who Won’t Date ‘Woke’ Women” (Refinery 29)If you live in Florida, watch out for those falling iguanas. Mayor Pete: You can clap now.And finally, this baby eating ice cream for the first time is all of us.BRIGHT is brought to you by The Federalist.Today’s BRIGHT Editor
Kelsey Bolar is a wife, a mom, and a senior news reporter/producer at The Daily Signal, the multimedia news organization at The Heritage Foundation. She is also a Visiting Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum, a contributor to The Federalist, and the 2017-2018 Tony Blankley Fellow at The Steamboat Institute. She previously worked at Fox News in New York City, and now lives in Washington, D.C., where she balances her passion for politics with her affinity for yoga and her Australian Shepherd, Utah. Follow her on Twitter @kelseybolar and on Instagram @kelseybolar. Opinions expressed on this website are her own and not those of any other person or entity.Copyright © BRIGHT, All rights reserved.

www.GetBRIGHTemail.com

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list
Note: By using some of the links above, Bright may be compensated through the Amazon Affiliate program and Magic Links. However, none of this content is sponsored and all opinions are our own.

CAFFEINATED THOUGHTS

Connect: Facebook Twitter YouTube View this email in your browser “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you,” (Matthew‬ ‭7:7‬, ESV‬‬).Tulsi Gabbard Sues Hillary Clinton Over Russia CommentsBy Shane Vander Hart on Jan 22, 2020 03:29 pm
Tulsi Gabbard filed a defamation lawsuit against Hillary Clinton asking for damages for Clinton claiming Gabbard is a Russian asset.
Read in browser »

Trump Signs 2020 National Sanctity of Human Life Day DeclarationBy Caffeinated Thoughts on Jan 22, 2020 11:33 am
President Donald Trump signed a presidential declaration proclaiming Wednesday, January 22, 2020 to be National Sanctity of Human Life Day.
Read in browser »

President Trump is Not Building a Culture of LifeBy Adam Graham on Jan 22, 2020 09:10 am
Adam Graham: To solve the abortion issue means better laws that require a change of heart as a culture to one that respects the dignity of every human life.
Read in browser »

2020: A Legislative Year for Smaller Government and Smarter SolutionsBy Walt Rogers on Jan 22, 2020 08:48 am
Walt Rogers: Lowering income tax rates and unshackling excessive occupational licensing regulations are two policy examples of smaller government and smarter solutions.
Read in browser »

Recent Articles:
Biden Rises, Buttigieg Declines in Iowa
The Chicken or the Egg—and the Rooster
Getting Right Back to Work for Iowa: Passing USMCA and Securing a Trade Deal with China
Virginia Pro-Second Amendment Rally Draws Thousands
Fully Funding K-12 Education In IowaLaunched in 2006, Caffeinated Thoughts reports news and shares commentary about culture, current events, faith and state and national politics from a Christian and conservative point of view. Caffeinated Thoughts
P.O. Box 57184
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 321-5077
Editor, Shane Vander Hart
Connect: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.Share Tweet Share ForwardCopyright © 2020 Caffeinated Thoughts, All rights reserved.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

CONSERVATIVE DAILY NEWS

THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Morning Headlines

View from the gallery: Senators seek comfort and novelty during Trump trial

Senators have complained about being deprived of coffee, tea and other beverage pleasures during the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history. The only two drinks allowed in the Senate chamber are water and milk. Read More…

House managers stick to script on first day of Trump trial arguments

House impeachment managers on Wednesday dutifully stayed on message throughout the second full day of the Senate impeachment trial, arguing that the findings of the House’s impeachment inquiry provide ample evidence to warrant the removal of President Donald Trump from office. Read More…

Trump undercuts military messages on brain injuries

President Donald Trump’s comment Wednesday that U.S. troops suffering concussion-like symptoms had “not very serious” injuries clashed with a yearslong military campaign to spread the message that a brain injury is not something to be minimized. Read More…Click here to subscribe to Fintech Beat for the latest market and regulatory developments in finance and financial technology.

Impeachment cellphone ban gives Senate pages a workout

President Trump’s impeachment trial may be requiring senators to stay seated hour after agonizing hour, but there’s one group getting lots of exercise: Senate pages. The teens have been running all over the Senate floor, relaying messages between senators and staff, fetching water and even pouring the occasional glass of milk. Read More…

Hakeem Jeffries responds to protester disrupting Senate impeachment trial

A protester interrupted Rep. Hakeem Jeffries shortly before the Senate Court of Impeachment’s dinner break at 6:30 p.m., by yelling comments at the senators seated a floor below. Watch the video here…

Schiff, Nadler impeachment tension spills out during trial

The rhetorical and stylistic differences, and at times tension, between impeachment managers Adam B. Schiff and Jerrold Nadler have been on display since September. The first sign of the chairmen’s different approaches to the impeachment trial emerged at the House team’s news conference Tuesday, minutes before the trial started. Read More…

Report: Speed up drug development with artificial intelligence

More and improved use of artificial intelligence, and an overhaul of medical education to include advances in machine learning, could cut down significantly the time it takes to develop and bring new drugs to market, according to a new joint report by the National Academy of Medicine and the Government Accountability Office. Read More…

Big business, tech, health care lead K Street spending in 2019

Big business, big tech and medical interests were K Street’s top players last year, as those industries spent millions of dollars on federal lobbying in the final months of 2019 while lawmakers and the administration wrapped up spending and trade measures. Read More…

Impeachment an ‘erosion of rule of law,’ state attorneys general claim

Five state attorneys general addressed the media Wednesday to issue a “friend of the Senate brief,” asking the Senate to reject the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Watch the video here…

Emotional support animals could be banned from planes under DOT rule

Snakes on a plane? Probably not — at least in the cabin. The Department of Transportation on Wednesday released a proposed rule that would let airlines ban most “emotional support” animals in airplane cabins and board only specially trained service dogs to assist people with disabilities. Read More…

Advertise with Us

CQ Roll Call is a part of FiscalNote, the leading technology innovator at the intersection of global business and government. Copyright 2020 CQ Roll Call. All rights reserved Privacy | Safely unsubscribe now.

1201 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20004

THE DISPATCH

The Morning Dispatch: The Fight Over Impeachment Witnesses Goes On

Plus, some hateful fringe figures are turning up in places they shouldn’t.

The Dispatch Staff

15 min

Happy Thursday! We thought our introduction to the political journalism scene was going pretty well, but then we watched Zion Williamson’s NBA debut for the Pelicans last night: 22 points, seven rebounds, 4-for-4 from three? Good Lord. (Editor’s note: You’re not going to mention that 17 of those points came in a crazy three-minute run in the fourth quarter?)

Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories

With the death toll of the mysterious coronavirus rising to at least 17, Wuhan—the city in China at the center of the outbreak (population: 11 million)—is being locked down. All outbound planes and trains have been halted, and the city’s public transportation system shuttered.
President Trump announced he will be speaking at the annual March for Life on Friday, the first president ever to do so in person.
Joe Biden remains the favorite, but Bernie Sanders’ odds to win the Democratic nomination are inching upward after a series of polls showed the Vermont senator steadily climbing.
A University of Minnesota student was arrested in China and sentenced to six months in prison for posting tweets while in the United States critical of Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.
Longtime New York Giants quarterback and two-time Super Bowl winner Eli Manning is retiring from the NFL after 16 seasons.

Impeachment Trial Day 2: 2 Fast 2 Furious

One of our main goals here at The Dispatch is to respect our readers’ time: We are consciously trying to sift through the clutter and focus on things that actually matter. The Morning Dispatch is not going to be that dentist that recommends a root canal and quadrant scaling treatment when a simple filling will suffice.

Which leads us to impeachment. Wednesday belonged to the House impeachment managers as they made their case for why Trump should be removed from office. The day brought with it a fair share of political squabbling, verbal tit for tats, and bad faith arguments. Almost none of it mattered.

Instead, here are a few broader themes that seem to be crystallizing two days into the trial.

The fight over witnesses isn’t going anywhere.

Because President Trump was in Davos, Wednesday’s impeachment news started trickling in around 5 a.m. ET. Trump was asked at a press conference to weigh in on whether or not former National Security Adviser John Bolton should testify.

“I would rather go the long way. I would rather interview Bolton. I would rather interview a lot of people,” Trump began, before explaining that, actually, he wouldn’t rather interview a lot of people. “The problem with John is that it’s a national security problem.”

“I’d love to have Mike Pompeo testify. But again, that’s a national security problem.”

“Rick Perry has asked me, ‘I’d love to testify. Please, let me testify.’ … But we’re dealing with national security.”

We’ll refer you back to Jonah’s piece on executive privilege for a deeper look at what Trump can and can’t do to prevent his top aides from testifying, but it’s clear from that exchange he’d rather they not.

That won’t stop Democrats from attempting to subpoena them. Sen. Chuck Schumer and friends will face an uphill battle, but they might be able to pry off the four Republican votes necessary to make it happen later on in the trial process.

“While I need to hear the case argued and the questions answered,” Sen. Susan Collins said, “I anticipate that I would conclude that having additional information would be helpful. It is likely that I would support a motion to subpoena witnesses at that point in the trial.”

Sen. Mitt Romney told CNN, “I’ve already indicated I’m interested to hear from John Bolton, perhaps among others.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee—retiring in 2020—are other names to watch on that front.

If a witness like John Bolton is subpoenaed, you can bet there will be clamoring from Trump’s biggest supporters to call Joe and Hunter Biden as well. Sen. Ted Cruz told reporters Wednesday evening that Democratic statements earlier in the day “directly drew into question Hunter Biden, and made not only his testimony relevant, which it already was, but it is now critical.”

Although there have been some rumors floated of a Bolton-for-(Hunter) Biden witness swap that would give both sides plenty of fodder to bring back to their cable network of choice, it appears the trade deadline has passed. “Off the table,” Schumer told reporters when presented with the idea.

Good luck changing anyone’s mind—about anything.

“So far what [head impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff] has said we’ve heard before,” Sen. Mike Braun told Axios.

“Six hours of testimony so far today since I didn’t hear anything new, at all,” Sen. John Barrasso argued.

“So far we haven’t learned anything new,” Sen. John Cornyn said.

Of course, if these Republican senators are so disappointed by the lack of fresh material being brought to bear by the House impeachment managers, have we got news for them: They can vote to obtain more!

“I understand the president’s desire to get all this information out in the public,” Sen. Ron Johnson told Politico when asked about Trump’s feigned interest in calling witnesses. “But at the same time we have to look at what’s best for the country.”

Reasonable people can disagree on process grounds over the evidence-gathering role the Senate should play vis-a-vis the House in an impeachment trial.

But it’s not just the witness fight that has demonstrated many in the GOP’s lack of intellectual curiosity here. “I’m not an impartial juror … I’m not impartial about this at all,” Sen. Mitch McConnell told reporters weeks before taking an oath that he “will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.” At one point in the trial a reporter counted 21 empty chairs on the Republican side compared to two on the Democratic. Sen. Dianne Feinstein left the Capitol an hour before the Senate adjourned. A GOP senator from Idaho fell asleep during the proceedings.

This trend can be extrapolated to the cable networks as well. While CNN and MSNBC pushed back prime time shows to continue airing a live feed of the trial, Fox News forged ahead with its regularly scheduled programming, hosting members of Trump’s defense and impeachment teams to bash the Democrats’ case, while, for much of the night, relegating the Democrats’ actual case to a muted box in the bottom corner of the screen.

There are plenty of Republicans in the Senate taking this process as seriously as they should. And again, reasonable people can disagree over whether or not President Trump’s Ukrainian adventure rises to the level of an impeachable offense. We can tell you now: well shy of the 67 needed to convict Trump will vote to do so.

But even in a political environment where statements are only true if they’re uttered by someone on the same team, the least the “greatest deliberative body in the world” can do is listen.

Because we’re still getting new information!

As Adam Schiff’s argument drew to a close late last night, Chief Justice John Roberts, presiding over the trial, announced that supplemental testimony from Jennifer Williams, an aide to Vice President Mike Pence who testified in the impeachment inquiry last November, could be entered the Senate record. The testimony remains classified, so the public won’t be able to see it—but senators will be.

We won’t get ahead of the facts, but it seems unlikely that Schiff would ask to introduce—and ask senators to look at—a nothingburger. Even if the document doesn’t live up to the inevitable hype it receives over the next 24 to 48 hours, you can be sure its contents will fuel a thousand cable news food fights.

A Few Bad Apples

One problem the Republican Party has struggled with for decades has been its inability to distance itself from the bad actors in its midst. For many conservatives, a general conviction that the mainstream media and the left tend to operate in bad faith leads them to embrace any figure deemed a pariah by the media on “enemy of my enemy” grounds. In recent years, the problem has been less the party’s inability to distance itself from bad actors as it has been the eager willingness of some in the GOP to embrace grifters, conspiracy theorists and bigots.

This week, we saw two striking examples of this phenomenon. The first took place at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the White House issued a press credential for the trip to Rick Wiles of TruNews. The problem: TruNews is a ludicrously anti-Semitic blog that peddles the absurd notion of a Jewish conspiracy to seize political power to carry out mass murder against American Christians. In recent months, Wiles has repeatedly insisted that Democrats’ impeachment effort against the president was part of this “Jew Coup”—because “that’s the way the Jews work, they are deceivers, they plot, they lie, they do whatever they have to do to accomplish their political agenda.”

That’s not an isolated example. It’s typical of the aggressive anti-Semitism that characterizes the views of Wiles and the bigots who appear with him.(((Yair Rosenberg)))@Yair_RosenbergOther highlights from TruNews include: – Jews killed JFK to cover up Israel’s nuclear program – “Both political parties wink & look the other way b/c of five words: For fear of the Jews.” – Zionism is “the evil force that takes over the world…and persecutes the body of Christ” (((Yair Rosenberg)))@Yair_RosenbergThis is obscene. The unhinged far-right (and pro-Trump) outlet that claims Jews are the “synagogue of Satan” who want to destroy America is broadcasting from Davos. How? The Trump administration GAVE THEM PRESS CREDENTIALS to be there, even though everyone knows who they are. https://t.co/2Tq8aoX9qGJanuary 22nd 202085 Retweets200 Likes (((Yair Rosenberg)))@Yair_RosenbergHere’s the thing: We already had a whole news cycle about these anti-Semites when they called impeachment a “Jew coup.” It was noted then that Trump called on them at a press conference & Don Jr gave them an interview. Apologists claimed they didn’t know. Can’t pretend that now. (((Yair Rosenberg)))@Yair_RosenbergThis is obscene. The unhinged far-right (and pro-Trump) outlet that claims Jews are the “synagogue of Satan” who want to destroy America is broadcasting from Davos. How? The Trump administration GAVE THEM PRESS CREDENTIALS to be there, even though everyone knows who they are. https://t.co/2Tq8aoX9qGJanuary 22nd 202070 Retweets178 Likes

“This is by far, I think, the most prestigious event in the world,” Wiles bragged in his broadcast from Davos. “It’s an honor to be here, and we just want to thank President Trump and the White House for extending the invitation to be here. … There’s a lot of people in the news media that are very upset that TruNews is showing up at these places, but it’s God’s favor on us. Almighty God’s favor is on TruNews.”

The White House has not yet offered an explanation for its decision to credential TruNews in Davos.

Then there was the event that took place at the Florida Capitol on Tuesday, at which state Sen. Joe Gruters, who also serves as chairman of the Florida Republican Party, plugged a bill designed to stop big social media companies from allegedly silencing conservative voices.

The bill itself, which would expose companies like Facebook and Twitter to civil liability if they censor religious or political speech on their platforms, isn’t particularly noteworthy in itself—it’s the sort of thing that’s trendy among a certain sort of market-skeptical conservatives right now, structurally similar to a federal bill Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley introduced last year. What was particularly noteworthy was who Gruters had there to introduce the bill with him: Laura Loomer, the loony internet conspiracy theorist and self-styled “proud Islamophobe” who has called for a permanent ban on Muslims entering the country, a prohibition of Muslims serving in elected office, and was kicked off most social media platforms last year over her constant inflammatory remarks. Loomer is currently running for Congress in Florida’s (safely Democratic) 21st Congressional District, running on a platform that if she were in Congress Twitter would have to give her account back.

“I am proud to have Laura Loomer stand with me here today, because what we are here discussing is social media censorship, and we are trying to stop the bias,” Gruters said at his press conference.

Asked by The Dispatch whether he is comfortable supporting a figure like Loomer given her past statements, Gruters demurred: “The event I held with Ms. Loomer is not an endorsement and has nothing to do with her congressional bid. Again, this discussion is about protecting the public’s rights under the First Amendment and why it is not okay to censor those that you don’t agree with.”

Of course, even if you buy that argument, and there are many reasons to be skeptical, it’s not necessary to announce that you’re “proud” to appear with well-known bigot.

These are not fringe GOP figures embracing and amplifying this ugly bigotry. It’s the leader of a major state Republican Party and the White House press office. And it ought to be embarrassing for sane members of the GOP.

Worth Your Time

Last year, the New York Times’s “1619 Project” attempted to recast the history of America—rather than a story of a nation founded as an experiment in self-government and dedicated to human rights and liberty, a story of a nation founded and perpetuated primarily for the sake of the institution of chattel slavery. But that project quickly ran afoul of a number of historians who took issue with many of its factual claims. This Atlantic piece, written by Princeton history professor Sean Wilentz, is an important contribution to the subject.
This meditation on the humble words “mere” and “able,” which comes your way courtesy of Wilfred McClay and The Hedgehog Review, is a simple and edifying delight: “Would it not be a vast improvement if we learned to calibrate our language so that it described merely the way things are, and appreciated them for that?”
The latest National Review editorial scolds Senate Republicans for clinging to the legally dubious and intellectually hollow argument that the president cannot be removed from office unless he has committed a crime. “Republicans would be better off arguing that in this case the president’s behavior, while objectionable, should be left, as scheduled, to the judgment of the voters directly—an argument that already has the support of most voters in polls and accords with Senate Republicans’ actual beliefs.”

Presented Without Comment

Hunter Schwarz@hunterschwarzJon McNaughton just released his newest painting, depicting Sean Hannity as Paul Revere January 21st 2020210 Retweets1,420 Likes

A Glimmer of Hope

Bleacher Nation Bears@BN_BearsBroncos Star Von Miller Says Mitch Trubisky is “Definitely Not Bad” Broncos Star Von Miller Says Mitch Trubisky is “Definitely Not Bad”Who knew the president of the Mitch Trubisky fan club would be Von Miller?bleachernation.com

January 22nd 20208 Retweets96 Likes

Something Fun

We are somehow both cheered and unsettled to see that Sen. Cory Booker’s ornate and generally regrettable dad jokes didn’t end when his presidential campaign did.Haley Byrd@byrdinatorCory Booker is taking the dad jokes to another level January 22nd 2020125 Retweets785 Likes

Toeing the Company Line

The second edition of Tom Joscelyn’s Vital Interests newsletter is out and it’s a must read, focusing on the implications of the Trump administration’s new trade deal with China, changes in ISIS leadership, and American military presence in Africa.
Two new podcasts for your listening pleasure! The latest Advisory Opinions features Jennie Bradley Lichter—the deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council—for a conversation on religious liberty. On the flagship Dispatch Podcast, the Sarah hosts David, Jonah and Steve in a discussion of impeachment, executive privilege, our nuclear modernization efforts, and Monday’s gun rights rally in Virginia.
On the home page today: David French takes a look at Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, an important religious liberty case. And also on the legal front, Timothy Sandefur looks at a case that was argued before the 5th Circuit yesterday, challenging the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Let Us Know

Eli Manning is retiring from the NFL as a player of dramatic contradictions. He spent his whole career in his older brother’s shadow, then went out as the highest-paid player in NFL history. He slogged through mediocre season after mediocre season seemingly most of his career, but twice triumphed over the greatest NFL dynasty of all time on the biggest stage in sports. Who are some other athletes who leave behind as impressively erratic a legacy?

Reporting by Declan Garvey (@declanpgarvey), Andrew Egger (@EggerDC), and Steve Hayes (@stephenfhayes).

Photograph of John Bolton by Mark Wilson/Getty Images.

Join ← Previous

Ready for more?

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

MORNING EDITION

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Like Us. Follow Us.

‘Very big’: Defiant Trump eyes tax cuts, travel ban, trade deals in second-term agendaPresident Trump is crafting a second-term agenda that is a defiantly bigger version of his first term, outlining in the … more

1 big thing: Facebook’s rising Democrat problem

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Facebook, once the darling of Dems, is now their demon.

One of Facebook’s biggest 2020 headaches isn’t election interference or fake news — it’s worrying about what a Democrat in the White House could mean for the business, Axios’ Sara Fischer and Scott Rosenberg write.

Why it matters: Big Tech got a warm embrace from Democrats during the Obama years. No longer.

Many of them hold Facebook responsible for President Trump’s 2016 victory, blame it for misinformation, and vow to regulate or break it up.

Democratic contenders responded with visceral dislike to mentions of Facebook during the N.Y. Times’ recent on-camera endorsement interviews:

Joe Biden: “I’ve never been a fan of Facebook, as you probably know. I’ve never been a big Zuckerberg fan. I think he’s a real problem.”
Bernie Sanders: “You have Facebook and Twitter, Google, enormous amount of the advertising that is done online. These are very, very serious problems.”
Pete Buttigieg: “[T]hat’s the problem with Facebook. No one company and no one person should have the kind of power that they’ve accumulated.”

P.S. President Trump praised Mark Zuckerberg during an interview in Davos with CNBC’s Joe “Squawk Box” Kernen:

“[H]e’s done a hell of a job, when you think of it. … I heard he was going to run for president. That wouldn’t be too frightening, I don’t think. But he does have that monster behind him.”

Share this story.

2. Bloomberg copies Trump to beat Trump

Bloomberg’s campaign HQ. Photo: Mike Allen/Axios

To beat President Trump, Mike Bloomberg wants to be candidate Trump.

I visited Bloomberg’s new campaign HQ in Times Square yesterday, and was struck by how much his 1,000+-person team is learning from — while trying to surpass — the Trump campaigns of 2016 and 2020.

Bloomberg is no Trump, but is trying to beat the president at his own game:

Social creature: Trump’s re-election campaign has deployed Facebook in a bigger way than any campaign in history, outspending all the Democrats combined. Bloomberg’s team openly admires the digital prowess of Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, and has built a “content factory” of constantly updating and iterating videos and messages that are narrowly targeted at — and constantly fed to — promising prospects.
Ubiquity: Trump forced himself into our lives with Twitter taunts and endless TV appearances. Bloomberg is buying his way into the minute-by-minute of our lives with TV ads. Bloomberg’s team believes one of the key lessons of Trump campaign is that if voters see you on TV all the time, they’ll take you seriously. At Bloomberg HQ, his TV ads play on a constant loop. It takes a while to realize it’s not cable news, where his ads seem nearly as persistent.
Success sells: Like Trump, Bloomberg promises ad nauseam to replicate his professional success in governance. Many of Bloomberg’s ads follow the rough arc of: 1) Hit Trump … 2) Why the problem matters … 3) What Mike did as New York mayor … 4) What Mike would do as president. It’s a key part of Bloomberg’s effort to signal, both overtly and subliminally, that he’s running against Trump — not the other Dems.
Slogan power: Bloomberg’s massive data operation found that Bloomberg’s record as mayor was one of his big selling points. And Bloomberg’s inner circle thought “Make America Great Again” was an effective slogan. Voilà, the Bloomberg slogan: “Mike Will Get It Done.” The twist: “It” can mean beating Trump, enacting gun control as president, or whatever the voter imagines.
It’s all about brand, baby: Bloomberg, like Trump, has set up his campaign so his personal brand shines, win or lose. The former mayor is making plain he will spend up to $2 billion to win himself — or, if he loses, allocate some of that to the Democratic nominee and Bloomberg’s pet causes. As a down payment, he’s showering money on state and local parties to help them, up and down their tickets, regardless of who wins the primary.

Share this story.

3. Trump’s selective court urgency

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

The Trump administration has consistently tried to get controversial cases in front of the Supreme Court as quickly as possible. But that stopped abruptly when it came to the possibility that the entire Affordable Care Act could be struck down before the 2020 election, Axios’ Sam Baker writes.

Why it matters: President Trump’s Justice Department has tried to leapfrog the traditional process far more than its predecessors did, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggested that it’s affecting the court’s work.
“It appears the Government has treated this exceptional mechanism as a new normal,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion last fall. “Not long ago, the Court resisted the shortcut the Government now invites. I regret that my colleagues have not exercised the same restraint here.”

How it works … Legal challenges to federal law typically go through three steps: a district court, then an appeals court, and finally an appeal to the Supreme Court.

But the Justice Department under Trump has routinely asked the high court to step in before appeals courts have had a chance to rule.
But in the latest ACA challenge, the Justice Department urged the Supreme Court not to expedite a hearing.

The bottom line: The potential dismantling of the ACA would be a political meteor strike that Trump officials would rather punt past the election.

Share this story.

⚖️ 4. Trial diary, Day 2

Rep. Adam Schiff holds redacted documents as he makes opening arguments yesterday. Photo: Senate TV via AP

After Tuesday’s opening-day battle over process, yesterday the impeachment trial dove into the substance of Democrats’ case against President Trump, Axios’ Alayna Treene writes from the Senate chamber:

The lead House impeachment manager, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), said during opening arguments that “three days in July” — the 24th, 25th and 26th — tell “so much of the story” about soliciting foreign election interference.

Schiff made four distinct points:

Impeachment is the ultimate check on the president, designed by the framers of the Constitution to address a president who abuses power.
The evidence, which continues to pour in even after the conclusion of the House investigation, is “overwhelming, compelling, and incriminating.” Schiff said the evidence “paints a damning picture” of how Trump tried to get a foreign government to meddle in U.S. elections for his own political benefit.
If the Senate doesn’t convict, a dangerous precedent would be set.
Contrary to the Trump defense team’s argument that impeachable conduct must be criminal, Alexander Hamilton described impeachable offenses as “the misconduct of public men” and “violation of a public trust,” not a crime.

In the halls: Not one Republican Axios spoke with said they were swayed by House managers’ arguments.

Color: Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) started her day with a large Monster Energy drink.

What’s next: The Senate will reconvene today at 1 p.m. to continue to hear from House managers, who have used roughly eight of their 24 hours.

Go deeper: Day 2 recap.

5. Pics du jour: Dems make a multimedia case

Some of the exhibits Democrats projected in the Senate chamber yesterday during opening arguments:

Photos: Senate TV via AP

6. Saudis implicated in phone hack

Bezos in Riyadh in 2016. Photo: Bandar Algaloud/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

UN investigators conclude, the WashPost reports, that a WhatsApp account belonging to the Saudi crown prince sent an infected video to Jeff Bezos, “triggering a gigantic extraction of data and fueling a concerted campaign against the billionaire, Amazon and The Post.”

Why it matters: “Human rights investigators … said that a forensic probe of Bezos’s phone ‘suggests the possible involvement of the Crown Prince in surveillance of Mr. Bezos, in an effort to influence, if not silence, The Washington Post’s reporting on Saudi Arabia.'”

7. “Progressive youthquake is coming”

Cover: TIME

In a TIME cover package on how millennial leaders will change America, editor in chief Edward Felsenthal writes that youth the world over are forcing us “to confront the perils of inaction”:

“The global under-30 population has been rising … and today accounts for more than half of the 7.5 billion people on the planet.”

Smart brevity from TIME’s Charlotte Alter, whose book,”The Ones We’ve Been Waiting For,” is out Feb. 18: “None of this looks good for the GOP.”

8. 🐦 Stat du jour

Helped by European time and the flight back from Davos, President Trump broke his daily record for tweets: 141 — mostly retweets, and mostly trolling Dems on impeachment.

Previous high: 123 on Dec. 12, as House Dems debated impeachment.

9. Dating panic button

Tinder is investing in technology to allow users to hit a panic button, summoning authorities to their locations, if a date turns ugly, the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription):

“Tinder plans to debut the feature free for U.S. users at the end of January.”

10. 1 🏈 thing: Eli Manning retiring

Eli Manning in 2004 (with former Giants coach Tom Coughlin), and in December, as he left MetLife Stadium after his last game. Photos: AP

The N.Y. Giants’ Eli Manning, 39, will announce his retirement Friday after 16 seasons and two Super Bowls:

Manning set almost every Giants passing record during a career solely based in New Jersey’s Meadowlands, and there’s little doubt the team will retire his No. 10 jersey, AP reports.
The Ole Miss graduate leaves the NFL with as many Super Bowl titles as his brother, Peyton, who retired from the Denver Broncos after the 2015 season.

Many think Eli is the Giants’ greatest quarterback, although others pick Y.A. Tittle or Charlie Conerly.

Stat pack: Manning is one of just five players in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards — along with Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr.

📬 Thanks for starting your day with us. Please tell a friend about AM/PM.

THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING MIX

Sign up for this newsletter Read online Stories from all over. A memorial is pictured in Portland, Ore., on May 30, 2017, after 23-year-old Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, and 53-year-old Ricky Best were fatally stabbed on a MAX trainTwo dead heroes and a stabbing on a train: Hate-crime trial forces Portland to reckon with its dark sideNo one disputes that Jeremy Christian stabbed three men on May 26, 2017, killing two of them. But the hate crime trial pits prosecutors’ theory of bias-motivated violence against the defense team’s story of undiagnosed mental health conditions.By Katie Shepherd ● Read more » ‘Gritty did nothing wrong’: Fans defend Philadelphia Flyers mascot amid assault claimsPolice have confirmed that they’re investigating the allegations, which team officials have vehemently denied.By Antonia Farzan ● Read more » ‘No one should face such violence’: Gunfire in downtown Seattle kills one and injures seven, including a childThe suspect or suspects fled and have not been identified, police said.By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » Mount Vesuvius eruption was so hot it turned one victim’s brain into glass, researchers sayIt’s the first time that brain tissue from any human or animal has been found preserved as glass.By Teo Armus ● Read more » ‘American Dirt’ is a novel about Mexicans by a writer who isn’t. For some, that’s a problem.“I wished someone slightly browner than me would write it,” said Jeanine Cummins, the author of the highly anticipated book.By Teo Armus ● Read more » We think you’ll like this newsletter Check out The Trailer for news and insight on political campaigns around the country, from David Weigel. 435 districts. 50 states. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. Sign up »

Manage my email newsletters and alerts | Privacy Policy | HelpYou received this email because you signed up for Morning Mix or because it is included in your subscription.©2020 The Washington Post | 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071

How one top Democrat’s impeachment fears came true

By ANNA PALMER and JAKE SHERMAN

01/23/2020 05:57 AM EST

Presented by

DRIVING THE DAY

WE ARE NOW ON DAY THREE of the impeachment trial of President DONALD J. TRUMP. The House managers have presented the same detailed case that they laid out in their report and in their marathon hearings. Little of it is new, of course, because these events have been laid out for months and months, in hearings, in the press and in a nearly 300-page committee report.

YET THE MAIN OBSERVATION REPUBLICANS seem to haveis that none of this is new.“Two-and-a-half hours and nothing new,” said Sen. JOHN BARRASSO (R-Wyo.), after Rep. ADAM SCHIFF’S (D-Calif.) stem-winder of an opening. Sen. JOHN CORNYN (R-Texas) said: “So far we haven’t learned anything new.” Our to-be-sure clause: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said he’s learned a lot, per NYT’s Nick Fandos … John Bresnahan on the “nothing new” thing

CORNYN — who spoke to us just outside the chamber in the mid-afternoon — was asked by CNN’S TED BARRETT, a Hill vet, if he was troubled by the president’s behavior. CORNYN responded: “That’s really not the question, Ted. I mean, the question is whether this is treason, bribery, or another high crime and misdemeanor. I mean, this is the nuclear option under our Constitution: to remove a duly elected president by the vote of the House and the Senate. This is something we should not do unless that constitutional standard is met, and I’m struggling to see how that is even close.”

THIS WAS, INDEED, the fear of many Democrats who slow-walked toward impeachment.

ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, a top Democrat who was resisting the growing calls to impeach TRUMP laid out his thinking. As special counsel ROBERT MUELLER’S findings reverberated in Washington, he said he was “wrestling” with two competing arguments.

“THE MOST ATTRACTIVE THING to me about impeaching this president is it’s the strongest form of censure we have,” this Democrat said. “Even if he’s acquitted, it puts a stain on his name in history. But as I mentioned, the flipside is terribly, tragically true, which is: An acquittal will be trumpeted as a vindication, and that sends its own message to history.”

HALF A YEAR LATER, that top Democrat, SCHIFF –a man who now has left his mark on a Capitol he once wandered without discernible impact — now confronts the exact scenario he once feared: The Senate is likely to put its stamp of approval on Trump’s solicitation of dirt on a campaign rival from a foreign government.

AS FAR AS WE KNOW, there are no plans to allow those Republicans who are troubled by Trump’s actions in Ukraine to express their disapproval in some formal way — be it a resolution or another official action. All they can do is go on the record with their concerns.

WHAT THIS MEANS is that unless the dynamics in the Senate change in the coming days, or something jolts the proceedings — JOHN BOLTON coming forward with shocking new information, for example — the U.S. Congress will soon say it’s OK to use the power of the presidency to conduct opposition research on an opponent.

PRECEDENT MATTERS in Washington. Just look at how BILL CLINTON’S Senate trial became the blueprint for TRUMP’S. The next president will now be able to argue that it’s no problem to lean on a foreign government for political help. After all, Congress said so.

AND SCHIFF saw it coming.

Good Thursday morning.

MIKE SHEAR called SCHIFF’S case “meticulous and scathing” on A1 of the NYT this morning. … KYLE CHENEY and ANDREW DESIDERIO said Democrats “unleashed the flood.”

BURGESS EVERETT and JOHN BRESNAHAN: “Trump disrupts Republican trial strategy: But GOP senators rebuffed the president’s suggestion to bring in new witnesses”: “Senate Republicans have been publicly and privately maneuvering to give Trump as quick an acquittal as possible while still keeping 51 GOP senators on board. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has largely thrown cold water on the idea of hearing from new witnesses and many of his members are eager to end the trial, not extend it.”

NYT’S CHARLIE SAVAGE on the contrasting legal strategies: “In its opening days, the House managers have focused on the facts. They are trying to build a clear and coherent story around their theme that the president abused his power — delving into the details, putting up slides to summarize major points, and playing a well-organized selection of video clips of statements by Mr. Trump and by House witnesses.

“Eschewing props, the defense team has focused instead on the process. They have used their time to reinforce the House Republican theme that impeachment is a sham and unfair to Mr. Trump — urging the Senate to swiftly dispose of the case without subpoenaing any additional documents or testimony.” NYT

A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association:

Today, 90 percent of Americans have health insurance. Let’s close the gap that leaves 10 percent vulnerable, without disrupting coverage and care for millions who already are covered. Our proposals would lower premiums and expand access to millions more.

WHAT GORDON SONDLAND’S UP TO, via WaPo’s Michael Birnbaum, John Hudson, Josh Dawsey and Aaron Davis: “Trump’s ambassador to the European Union held meetings with the E.U. official in charge of emergency management. He hosted the Korean ambassador at the U.S. mission. And, he sat with the E.U.’s Brexit negotiator. Sondland had hoped that by staying quiet and going about his business that he could stay ‘out of the spotlight’ of the impeachment drama unfolding at the U.S. Capitol, according to a close associate. …

“Trump has not spoken with Sondland in the two months since the explosive testimony, according to two senior U.S. officials. The two last saw each other at the White House on Oct. 2 for the Finnish president’s visit.” WaPo

OUCH! — “‘Where Is Kevin?’ McCarthy Finds His Voice as Trump’s Mouthpiece,” by NYT’s Elizabeth Williamson: “‘Congress no longer operates as an independent branch of government, but as an appendage of the executive branch,’ said Tom Davis, a former Republican House member from Virginia. ‘He is made for that role.’”

… AND GAETZ GETS FROZEN OUT … MELANIE ZANONA and MARIANNE LEVINE: “Rep. Matt Gaetz, one of President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies on Capitol Hill, suspects a senior White House aide pushed to keep him off the president’s impeachment defense team — weeks after the Florida Republican voted to rein in Trump’s war powers.

“Gaetz (R-Fla.) was in the mix to become one of Trump’s impeachment advisers, a group of House Republicans who are expected to assist the White House with messaging and strategy throughout the Senate impeachment trial. But Gaetz — a conservative firebrand who caught Trump’s eye through his feisty appearances and memorable soundbites on cable news — did not make the final list, which ultimately included eight other House Republicans.

“Gaetz said he wasn’t sure why he didn’t make the cut. But Gaetz said he heard from someone in the White House that legislative affairs director Eric Ueland was ‘responsible for the brush back.’ ‘I don’t know why it would serve someone in the White House to manufacture a divide between the president and one of his best communicators during impeachment,’ Gaetz said in an interview. …

“‘While the Trump administration was disappointed in Mr. Gaetz’s vote, the president’s successful policy to reduce Iranian terror and misbehavior proves the path laid out by the president is working,’ Ueland said in a statement. ‘We look forward to working with Mr. Gaetz in the future.’” POLITICO

PERFECT TIMING! … CNBC’S KAYLA TAUSCHE: “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit Ukraine next week, sources say”: “Ukrainian officials are preparing for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit next week, according to two sources informed by Kyiv about the trip, which is now scheduled for Jan. 30-31.”

WSJ’S JOHN MCCORMICK in Cresco, Iowa: “What the Biggest Swing County in Iowa Says About 2020: Both Trump and Obama won big in Howard County. While the president is likely to win such small, rural places again, the size of his margins could be crucial”: “The rural county, located in northeast Iowa near the Minnesota border, is the only one of America’s more than 3,000 counties that voted by more than 20 percentage points for Mr. Obama in 2012 and by more than 20 percentage points for Mr. Trump in 2016. It swung 41 points, the second-biggest flip in the nation.

“Recent interviews with dozens of voters here suggest that most of Mr. Trump’s 2016 supporters … plan to stick with him, even though some said they have grown weary of his personal behavior and trade fights. Among those who previously voted for Mr. Obama and Mr. Trump, many said they are reserving judgment until they see who wins the Democratic nomination.” WSJ

ALEX ISENSTADT: “Club for Growth works to defeat House GOP incumbent”: “The prominent conservative group Club for Growth is throwing its weight behind a primary challenge to veteran Rep. Kay Granger of Texas — a move that is likely to anger Republican leaders who’ve rushed to her aid.

“The anti-tax organization is expected this week to launch a seven-figure advertising offensive targeting Granger, a 12-term congresswoman who serves as the ranking Republican member of the influential Appropriations committee. The Club for Growth, which has long warred with senior Republicans, is preparing a TV, digital and mail assault going after the congresswoman’s record on spending issues ahead of the March 3 contest.

“‘We anticipate some people not liking what we’re doing but we think it’s the right thing to do,’ said former GOP Rep. David McIntosh, the Club’s president.” POLITICO

LINE OF THE DAY, via NYT’s Simon Romero in Santa Fe, N.M.: “When Valerie Plame declared her run for Congress by boasting of her past as a C.I.A. agent, money poured into her campaign from donors around the country charmed by her vow to take on President Trump. But now, the view that Ms. Plame is a shoo-in to win the coveted seat in northern New Mexico seems based on faulty intelligence.” NYT

LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ in Greenville, S.C.: “Why Biden’s rivals can’t break his lock on black voters”: “Julius Stephens is 74, black, and calls himself a liberal. Standing outside Big Rod’s Barber Shop in North Augusta after watching Joe Biden surrogates rally on behalf of the vice president last week, Stephens gushed about a different candidate: Elizabeth Warren. The Army veteran cited her health care plan and said he ‘like(s) a lot of the things Warren is saying.’ He also praised Bernie Sanders’ policies.

“But then Stephens added that the country ‘would never vote for a woman and a liberal that’s been branded a socialist.’ So he’s planning to vote for Biden.

“Voters like Stephens will determine the Feb. 29 contest in South Carolina, the first primary with a large population of black voters. He also represents the dilemma of the three Democrats trailing Biden nationally: After rolling out endorsements from black activists and elected officials, and releasing policies that explicitly address systemic inequality among African Americans, Sanders, Warren and Pete Buttigieg have little to show for it in South Carolina.” POLITICO

TRUMP’S THURSDAY — THE PRESIDENT will leave the White House at 2:45 p.m. for Andrews, where he will fly to Miami to speak at the RNC Winter Meeting at the Trump National Doral. At 7:15 p.m., he’ll leave for the airport, where he’ll fly back to D.C. He’s expected at Andrews at 9:40 p.m., and at the White House by 10 p.m.

PLAYBOOK READS

Hill staffers are pictured. | AP Photo — **PHOTO DU JOUR:** Staffers bring pizza during the impeachment trial in the Capitol on Wednesday. | Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo

HMM … “Kushner’s FBI interviews to be held for review, Justice Department says,” by CNN’s Katelyn Polantz: “The Justice Department did not hand over the FBI’s summary of Jared Kushner’s interviews with special counsel Robert Mueller last week — despite a judge’s order to do so — because ‘a member of the intelligence community’ needs to ensure the material has been properly redacted, a department attorney said Wednesday.

“DOJ lawyer Courtney Enlow informed CNN as part of an ongoing lawsuit that Kushner’s memo, also known as a 302, ‘will be released with the appropriate redactions’ after the intelligence agency has finished its review. Enlow did not say which intelligence agency is working on the document’s release or how long that review would take.” CNN

POSTCARD FROM DAVOS — BLOOMBERG’S @SalehaMohsin: “Mnuchin in response to a question on the economics of climate change that @GretaThunberg has spoken about: ‘After she goes and studies growth and economics in college she can come back and explain that to us.’”

VALLEY TALK … WITH A ROBBY MOOK CAMEO! — “Tech Companies Volunteer to Beef Up Presidential Campaigns’ Cybersecurity,” by WSJ’s Alexa Corse: “Nearly a dozen technology companies said they will provide free or reduced-cost cybersecurity services to presidential campaigns, which experts and intelligence officials have warned are ripe targets for intrusion and disinformation.

“They join a growing number of firms offering protection on a nonpartisan basis, a trend that has gained steam in the past 18 months or so, since federal regulators eased rules to make such offers permissible under campaign-finance laws. The Federal Election Commission made policy changes after urging from nonprofits and technology companies, including Microsoft Corp. …

“The partnerships between campaigns and cybersecurity companies, which include Microsoft and Cloudflare Inc., are being encouraged by a months-old nonprofit called Defending Digital Campaigns, which is helping the firms comply with campaign-finance regulations. The nonprofit is led in part by [former Mitt Romney campaign manager Matt] Rhoades and Robby Mook, campaign manager for Hillary Clinton in 2016.” WSJ … Defending Digital Campaigns

— “‘Apple has to help us’ — Trump, Barr turn up heat on encryption fight,” by Eric Geller

NOTABLE … NATIONAL REVIEW EDITORIAL: “Impeachment Doesn’t Require a Crime”: “Senate Republicans, by and large, have reached an unspoken consensus about President Trump and Ukraine. He should not have put a temporary freeze on congressionally authorized aid to Ukraine, should not have dabbled with using the aid to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden or a nutty theory about Ukrainian hacking during the 2016 election, and should not have kept defending his ‘perfect call’ as such. At the same time, his conduct does not merit his removal from office — especially since voters will get to pass judgment on that conduct in a few months.

“It’s a reasonable position, and it’s the case that Republicans ought to make in public. They are inhibited from doing so by the president’s obstinacy. Instead of sticking to the most defensible case for a Senate acquittal of Trump, Republicans from the president on down are making arguments that range from the implausible to the embarrassing.” National Review

THE TALK OF EUROPE — “The man at the center of Brussels spy probe,” by POLITICO Europe’s Matthew Karnitschnig

QUOTE DU JOUR, from WHO official Gauden Galea on the Beijing government’s draconian efforts to shut down a virus outbreak in Wuhan, China: “To my knowledge, trying to contain a city of 11 million people is new to science.” AP … The latest on the coronavirus outbreak

BOOK CLUB — NYTMiddle East correspondent Ben Hubbard has a well-timed hardback coming out March 10 entitled “MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman.” … @NYTBen: “Among its revelations: It wasn’t just @JeffBezos. One month after his reported hack, operators linked to Saudi Arabia tried to hack my phone too.” Pre-order for $28 on Amazon

MEDIAWATCH — THE TIMES BUYING SERIAL? … WSJ’S BENJAMIN MULLIN: “The company behind the hit true-crime podcast ‘Serial’ is exploring a sale, according to a person familiar with the matter, putting one of digital audio’s biggest brands on the market as the medium becomes increasingly popular. Serial Productions is best known for producing ‘Serial,’ a podcast that tells a new multipart series every season. Its first season garnered more than 300 million downloads.

“Among the potential buyers for Serial Productions is New York Times Co., the person said.” WSJ

— WAPO’S MARGARET SULLIVAN: “Senate press restrictions have an ugly goal: Putting distance between the public and Trump’s impeachment trial”

— The AP announced a series of changes in its Washington bureau this week. Ken Guggenheim is now national security editor. Ben Fox is now a senior writer covering DHS. Colleen Long is now acting news editor for the Supreme Court and federal law enforcement.

PLAYBOOKERS

Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com.

SPOTTED: Kellyanne Conway on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to DCA on Wednesday evening. Pic

TRANSITIONS — Reggie McCrimmon and Trenton Kennedy are joining Twitter’s D.C. office. McCrimmon is now a senior public policy associate and previously was a managing director and senior adviser at Impact Strategies. Kennedy is on the policy communications team and previously was deputy press secretary for Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). … Kenneth Mendelson is now a senior managing director at Guidepost Solutions. He previously operated his own consulting firm.

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) is 73. A fun fact about him: “I have a 2001 Chrysler Town and Country minivan that I bought the year I stepped down as governor. We just hit over 522,000 miles this week. My wife thinks I need a new minivan, but I tell her this one is almost paid for, so why would I do that!” Playbook Q&A

BIRTHDAYS: POLITICO is 13 … Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) is 56 … Norah O’Donnell … Christina LoNigro (h/ts Ben Chang)… John Heilemann is 54 … POLITICO’s Scott Mahaskey, Annie Snider and Joe Anuta … Mercury co-chairman Antonio Villaraigosa is 67 … Rolling Stone’s Patrick Reis … Annie Shuppy … Brian Cooke, a DOD program officer at the Institute of International Education … OMB’s Bryn Woollacott … Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is 37 … HUD’s Barbara Gruson … Isabella Ulloa of Urban Alliance … former Rep. Bud Shuster (R-Pa.) is 88 … former Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) is 73 … Eric Koch, managing principal at Precision Strategies … Mike Gallagher,CEO of Intrepidity… Adweek’s Kelsey Sutton … Vox’s Alex Ward is 3-0 … Heidi Zhou-Castro … Jordyn Pair … Mark Boal … Erika Gudmundson, deputy communications director for Mike Bloomberg’s campaign … Matt Simeon, principal at Locust Street Group … Sarah West …

… Scott Pace, executive secretary of the National Space Council (h/t Will Boyington) … Bruce Ratner is 75 … Missy Foxman, senior director of federal government affairs at the Entertainment Software Association … Aaron Pellish, CNN political futures editor (h/t Kevin Bohn) … Gavin Barwell is 48 … Aretae Wyler … Erik Olson … Laura Keiter, communications director for Media Matters for America … Matthew Hoppler is 3-0 … Mark Tullis … Harvard Institute of Politics’ Amy Howell … Jessica Vandenberg … Lily Johnson (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Alexander Castellanos … Aliyah Frumin … Seth Wickersham, senior writer at ESPN … Lesa Dietrick of Ice Miller … Michelle Cangelosi … Aida Cipriani … Katherine Grainger … Marygrace Galston … Suzanne Kennedy … Adam Parker … Peter Rosenstein … Edelman’s Daniel Workman … Common Cause’s Jay Riestenberg … Jessica Binzoni … Hayden Pruett Wilson … Marty Russo is 76

A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association:

Health cost transparency isn’t something we talk about. It’s what we already deliver. We’re connecting patients to the information they need to make the best choices for their health care – with information on out-of-pocket costs, and the quality of care that doctors and hospitals provide.

Anna Palmer @apalmerdc
Jake Sherman @JakeSherman

THE FLIP SIDE

View this email in your browser
Thursday, January 23, 2020Impeachment Trial Begins“Democrats accused President Donald Trump at his impeachment trial on Wednesday of a corrupt scheme to pressure Ukraine to help him get re-elected.” ReutersFrom the LeftThe left criticizes Trump’s defense and argues that the Senate should call new witnesses.“Members of President Donald Trump’s legal team wasted no time telling a number of lies… Cipollone at one point complained that ‘not even [House Intelligence Committee chair and impeachment manager Adam] Schiff’s Republican colleagues were allowed into the SCIF,’ or Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility…. However, Republicans who are members of one of the three committees involved in the process had the same access as Democrats…

“Sekulow’s opening statement, which served as an extended complaint about process, also managed to mangle the facts (he claimed House Democrats delayed transmitting the articles of impeachment to the Senate for a longer period of time than was actually the case) and mischaracterize the impeachment process (he said Trump ‘was denied the right to cross-examine witnesses’ during the House inquiry when, in fact, the White House declined to do so).”
Aaron Rupar, Vox

“The affair thus far is markedly different from the Clinton trial two decades ago, when procedural rules were passed unanimously after Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Louisiana and his Democratic counterpart, Tom Daschle of South Dakota, had resolved to work together despite the rancorous partisanship…

“Under the Senate’s usual rules, the minority party—and even a single senator—has significant power to delay or alter the proceedings. But under [these] impeachment-trial rules, McConnell can resolve any dispute by simple majority vote—and, for the moment anyway, he has the votes to do so. That’s why Schumer and the Democrats were so determined to force votes on each amendment, in an attempt to hammer home their contention that the trial, in its present incarnation, is inherently unfair. It’s the only leverage they have, and the only real remaining suspense is whether at least four GOP senators might join Democrats next week in agreeing to seek witness testimony or subpoena more documents.”
Todd S. Purdum, The Atlantic

“Republicans have successfully maneuvered around the evidence that already exists for removing Donald Trump from office. Their ability to do so probably wouldn’t change even if damning new information came out, but it’s nevertheless in their interest to keep anything new from coming out. That’s why 13 hours were spent on Tuesday rejecting Democratic amendments to subpoena new witnesses and documents at the outset of the trial…

“The strategy was to block Democrats from obtaining new material, and then to mock their presentation for failing to present any new material. In judging it that way, they elide the crucial question: Whether Donald Trump had admirably discharged his duties as president in the Ukraine affair.”
Jim Newell, Slate

“Every impeachment trial in American history has heard from fact witnesses. And at least every impeachment trial in the last hundred years has heard fact testimony from new witnesses — those who have not previously provided evidence to the House of Representatives… The president’s allies in the Senate must ask themselves whether they would brush aside such serious allegations if someone else was occupying the White House. One suspects that they would react very differently if, for instance, President Barack Obama had been accused of asking a foreign government to investigate Mitt Romney.”
Noah Bookbinder, New York Times

“Yes, the Constitution states that public officials may only be impeached for ‘high crimes and misdemeanors,’ but that phrase had an expansive meaning when it was written into the Constitution… The impeachment power, Alexander Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers, extends to ‘those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men, or, in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust.’… As a member of Congress, James Madison argued that a president could be impeached for ‘wanton removal of meritorious officers.’… Trump’s claim that he was improperly impeached is simply wrong.”
Ian Millhiser, Vox

“What happens in the trial will also affect the course of the presidency. Will future presidents take the threat of impeachment seriously? Or will they think of it as a small annoyance that isn’t worth avoiding? Will they feel secure in resisting what has been up to now routine congressional oversight, or will they accept that bargaining with Congress is part of the rules of the game? Will they feel emboldened to ignore the law when it comes to appropriations, or will they accept that spending law is binding? All presidents take domestic politics into account in foreign affairs, and rightly so, but will future presidents remember this episode and feel licensed to conduct foreign affairs for their own narrow personal interest — or will they remember this episode and exercise caution?”
Jonathan Bernstein, BloombergFrom the RightThe right is skeptical of the case against Trump and accuses Democrats of bad faith.“The House managers don’t assert that any specific action by President Trump was an abuse of power or a violation of law. They don’t deny he can delay aid to a foreign country or ask a foreign leader to investigate corruption. Presidents do that all the time. Instead they assert in their first impeachment article that Mr. Trump is guilty of ‘abuse of power’ because he committed those acts for ‘corrupt purposes.’… As 21 Republican state attorneys general explained… ‘It cannot be a legitimate basis to impeach a President for acting in a legal manner that may also be politically advantageous. Such a standard would be cause for the impeachment of virtually every President, past, present, and future’…

“Every President has made foreign-policy decisions that he thinks may help his re-election. That’s what President Obama did in 2012 when he asked Dmitry Medvedev to tell Vladimir Putin to ease up on missile defense until after the election. Mitt Romney was criticizing Mr. Obama for being soft on Mr. Putin, and Mr. Obama wanted a political favor from the dictator to help him win re-election. Was Mr. Obama’s motive also corrupt and thus impeachable? We can guess what Mr. Romney thought at the time, but he didn’t say Mr. Obama should be impeached. He tried to defeat him at the ballot box.”
Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal

“It is fair enough to tut-tut that a president should not conflate foreign policy and domestic politics (something all of them do to some degree). And it would certainly be prudent (even if not constitutionally required) for presidents to leave questions about who should be investigated to the Justice Department, especially when a president’s political fortunes may be implicated. All that said, though, it makes a difference whether this president is asking the foreign power to manufacture a case against a political opponent, or whether the president is instead asking for an investigation into something that truly appears suspicious…

“The president is entitled to an opportunity to show that there was reason for him to believe that a notoriously corrupt Ukrainian energy company had retained Hunter Biden and paid him a fortune despite his lack of qualifications.”
Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review

“Democrats insist that only witnesses who meet their standard of relevancy be called, contending that the Senate should only debate questions regarding what the president did and when he did it. But the presidents’ lawyers note that the question of why he did what he did is also a relevant question, as he cannot be removed from office for pursuing a proper public issue…

“Through his lawyers, the president argues that investigating Hunter Biden and Joe Biden’s behavior in Ukraine is a legitimate public purpose because of the appearance of public corruption. That makes both men’s activities and testimony highly relevant to the inquiry, regardless of what Democrats want to be true — unless the president should be prevented from presenting his defense on his own terms.”
Henry Olsen, Washington Post

Nevertheless, “Impeachment doesn’t require a crime… The Founding-era debates about impeachment are clear that Congress was to be able to remove a president from office if he had exercised his legal powers in an abusive way. One example that came up during those debates: What if the president tacitly encouraged a crime and then pardoned the perpetrator?…

“Attempts to impeach presidents have thus frequently combined charges of crimes with charges of non-criminal abuses. A categorical denial of the latter class of charge would do violence to the Constitution and one of its checks on presidential misconduct. Republicans would be better off arguing that in this case the president’s behavior, while objectionable, should be left, as scheduled, to the judgment of the voters directly — an argument that already has the support of most voters in polls and accords with Senate Republicans’ actual beliefs. There is no need for constitutional contortions.”
The Editors, National Review

“A political opposition can’t put a country through multiple congressional and media inquiries alleging Trump campaign collusion with Russia alongside Robert Mueller’s massive investigation into these charges, spend more months pushing obstruction-of-justice accusations, and now after three years of this political posse ask any serious person to believe the impeachment is only about Mr. Trump’s Biden-related conversations with the Ukrainian president or Mick Mulvaney’s refusal to testify… We read and hear constantly about Mr. Trump’s ‘violations.’ The real violation was winning Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.”
Daniel Henninger, Wall Street JournalOn the bright side…

A British artist has created a series of breathtaking snow ‘drawings’ by walking in circles for more than 50 miles.
Good News NetworkThe Flip Side team spends hours each night scanning the news, fact-checking, and debating one another, so your 5 minutes each morning can be well spent. If you’ve found value in our work, we welcome you to help sustain our efforts and expand our reach. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated!Were you forwarded this by a friend? Sign up here Our Archives Share Tweet ForwardCopyright © 2020 The Flip Side, All rights reserved.

You can unsubscribe from this list here.

THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING HEADLINES

Sign up for this newsletter Read online The morning’s most important stories, curated by Post editors. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Post)As Democrats unfold their case, Trump and GOP press ahead with attacksThe barrage provided a sharp contrast to the Democratic House managers, who struck a chastened tone in the Senate chamber Wednesday after a rare scolding from Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.IMPEACHMENT ● By Seung Min Kim, Elise Viebeck and Colby Itkowitz ● Read more » Wednesday’s Senate trial in 5 minutesFrom Adam Schiff’s opening statements to criticism of Jerry Nadler’s performance to senators blatantly breaking the rules and getting out of their seats.Impeachment | Analysis ● By Amber Phillips ● Read more » Gordon Sondland plugs away in Brussels while playing a central role in Trump’s impeachment trialHouse Democrats and White House lawyers both call the ambassador their key witness.By Michael Birnbaum, John Hudson, Josh Dawsey and Aaron Davis ● Read more » Travel ban goes into effect in Wuhan as Chinese authorities try to stop coronavirus spreadThe city has a population of 11 million and is at the center of key air and rail routes. The ban comes as the virus’s death toll increased to 17 and during the busiest travel period of the year in China.By Anna Fifield and Lena Sun ● Read more » GOP state lawmakers push bills to restrict medical treatments for transgender youthsMore than half a dozen statehouses are considering bills that would penalize medical professionals — and, in at least one case, parents — who give young people access to puberty-blocking medicines and other treatments.By Emily Wax-Thibodeaux and Samantha Schmidt ● Read more » Opinions‘S.O.S.! PLEASE HELP ME!’ The Senate falls to pettifoggery.By Dana Milbank ● Read more » The coronavirus has landed in the U.S. Here’s how we can reduce the risk.By Ronald Klain and Nicole Lurie ● Read more » Voters have concerns about the electoral college. One thing is being cleared up.By Editorial Board ● Read more » We need a political system that isn’t so sure of itselfBy P.J. O’Rourke ● Read more » Governments need people’s trust to stop an outbreak. Where does that leave us?By Leana S. Wen ● Read more » Mitch McConnell has failed the Republican PartyBy Joe Scarborough ● Read more » More NewsTop U.N. court orders Myanmar to halt violence and prevent genocide against RohingyaThe ruling by the International Court of Justice represented the first international reckoning against Myanmar over its alleged atrocities against the Rohingya.By Shibani Mahtani ● Read more » Firefighting plane crashes in Australia, killing three AmericansThe C-130 Hercules crashed while fighting fires in hazardous conditions near Cooma, in the southeastern part of the country.By Kate Shuttleworth ● Read more » World leaders convene in Jerusalem to remember Holocaust, counter anti-SemitismThe leaders gathered to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.By Steve Hendrix, Ruth Eglash and Ashley Parker ● Read more » Battle over Social Security spills into presidential race as Democrats spar and Trump weighs inIn 2016, President Trump vowed not to touch programs such as Social Security and Medicare.Campaign 2020 ● By Jeff Stein and Matt Viser ● Read more » Airlines would no longer be required to accommodate emotional support animals under proposalThe rules sought by the Department of Transportation narrow the definition of service animal to dogs that have received individualized training to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. The proliferation of animals has led to conflict and sometimes injury.By Lori Aratani ● Read more » New Trump administration rule could make it more difficult for some pregnant women to get U.S. visasState Department regulations, expected to be issued soon, aim to limit what the administration calls “birth tourism.”By Carol Morello, Abigail Hauslohner and Maria Sacchetti ● Read more » We think you’ll like this newsletter Check out By The Way for tips and guides that will help you travel better and make you feel like a local wherever you go. Delivered every Thursday. Sign up »

Manage my email newsletters and alerts | Privacy Policy | HelpYou received this email because you signed up for Today’s Headlines or because it is included in your subscription.©2020 The Washington Post | 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071

THE SUNBURN

Laura Loomer has a (slight) geography problem.In a fundraising email, with the subject line “My Speech in the Senate Chamber,” the Republican provocateur — and candidate for Florida’s 21st Congressional District — touted an appearance Tuesday at The Capitol.“Yesterday, something amazing happened!” she wrote. “I was invited to speak in the Florida Capitol on the floor of the Senate Chamber with Sen. Joe Gruters.”The invitation was to speak in support of Gruters’ bill (SB 1266) to help people talk freely in the “digital public square” by eliminating what some consider a “liberal political bias” in Twitter, Facebook, and other massive social media companies.Loomer spoke, claiming to be the “most banned, censored woman in the world.”She also blamed her situation on “telling the truth … posting facts.”That’s ironic because Loomer’s “Senate Chamber” speech didn’t take place on the Senate floor, or even in the Chamber itself. As a photo in the email clearly shows, she spoke at a news conference in the hall of the 4th-floor Rotunda.Laura, that’s not quite the same. Details matter, as she knows all too well.No, Laura Loomer, this is NOT speaking on the Senate floor.

Today’s Sunrise The Senate Rules Committee celebrates the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision by approving a bill forcing minor girls to get permission from their parents if they want an abortion.Also, on today’s Sunrise:— The House votes to terminate the Constitution Revision Commission.— A bill to overturn the ban on chemical sunscreens adopted by the City of Key West makes its first appearance on the Senate floor.— Hearing from a man who spent 43 years in prison … including death row … for a crime he did not commit.— The latest on Florida Man: A 57-year-old Pinellas Park man is accused of offering an undercover St. Petersburg cop a hamburger in exchange for oral sex.To listen, click on the image below:

Situational awareness —@LarrySabato: A powerful presentation of the facts by Adam Schiff. What’s at stake? Only the future of the Presidency & our democracy. Meanwhile, Mr. Peanut, Gritty the mascot, & a Michael Che feud were trending on Twitter. Where there is no vision, the people perish.—@SamanthaGross: Interesting fodder from today’s House Dems caucus meeting. Dem leader @kionnemcghee says they’ll wait to take a caucus position on the parental consent abortion bill, even though the Senate bill heads for a floor vote next week and the House bill has been fast-tracked.—@MDixon55: Filing a bunch of messaging amendments everyone knows won’t pass, but will ensure a late-night floor session is called “House Democrating” around these parts—@JLFL_SPAC: has helped women find their voice for decades, but @MostBoringGirl needed no help. She’s a fighter and advocating for change that’ll help future state employees that are faced w devastating circumstancesTweet, tweet:Tweet, tweet:—@TamaraLush: Cold winter makes Floridians unhinged and sickly. The people coughing in this coffee shop sound like the background noise in Plague, Inc. Had to switch seats because someone near me was coughing and wiping their nose on their sleeve. They were also studying medical textbooks—@ChrisSpencerFL: With all this hubbub on Twitter about frozen iguanas coming back to life as they warm up, I am deeply disappointed that no one has yet used the term #Zombiguana—@JohnNess: get rid of roman numerals and give Super Bowls names like winter storms getTweet, tweet:

Days until Annual Red Dog Blue Dog Celebrity Bartender Benefit — 5; New Brexit deadline — 8; Super Bowl LIV in Miami — 10; Great American Realtors Day — 11; Iowa Caucuses — 11; Eighth Democratic presidential debate in Manchester — 16; Capitol Press Corps press skits — 19; New Hampshire Primaries — 19; Pitchers and catchers begin reporting for MLB Spring Training — 19; South Beach Wine and Food Festival — 27; Ninth Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas — 27; Roger Stone’s sentencing — 28; Nevada caucuses — 30; “Better Call Saul” Season 5 premiers — 31; 10th Democratic presidential debate in Charleston — 33; South Carolina Primaries — 37; Super Tuesday — 40; Last day of 2020 Session (maybe) — 50; Florida’s presidential primary — 54; “No Time to Die” premiers — 74; Florida Chamber Summit on Prosperity and Economic Opportunity — 113; “Top Gun: Maverick” premiers — 155; Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee begins — 172; Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” premiers — 176; 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo start — 183; Florida primaries for 2020 state legislative/congressional races — 208; Republican National Convention begins in Charlotte — 214; First Vice Presidential debate at the University of Utah — 258; First Presidential Debate scheduled at the University of Michigan — 266; Second presidential debate at Belmont — 273; 2020 General Election — 285.

Top story “Randall Hunt resigns as Florida Lottery Secretary” via Florida Politics — Hunt is leaving his job as Secretary of the Florida Lottery, just two months after Gov. Ron DeSantis named him to the post. Hunt sent a letter to DeSantis informing him of his decision. “After much consideration, reflection and discussion with my wife, we’ve made the determination that it is in our best interest to focus on our growing family and pursue the business opportunities that are currently presenting themselves,” the letter reads. DeSantis informed Senate President Bill Galvano of Hunt’s resignation, spokesperson Katie Betta said in a statement to Florida Politics. Hunt was named Lottery Secretary on Nov. 15. Previously, DeSantis had appointed him to serve on the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.Randall Hunt is no longer with the Florida Lottery.

Dateline: Tally “Ron DeSantis defends Bill Galvano as Matt Gaetz and Donald Trump Jr. take aim” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO Florida — DeSantis publicly rebutted charges from Trump Jr. that the Senate president is a fake Republican because he took money in 2018 from groups affiliated with presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg — a Democrat. DeSantis gave a forceful and unsolicited defense of Galvano after a dust-up in which Galvano’s support of a gun control bill prompted waves of criticism from fellow Republicans, including Trump Jr. and Rep. Gaetz. DeSantis came to Galvano’s defense, calling him “100% supportive of the president.” “Bill’s been a very strong supporter of a lot of great conservative policies,” DeSantis said.Ron DeSantis comes to the defense of Bill Galvano.“DeSantis ‘wary’ of exempting information” via News Service of Florida — Gov. DeSantisexpressed some trepidation Wednesday about a Senate proposal that would create a public-records exemption for the home addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth of members of the House, Senate and Cabinet, as well as the names, employers and birth dates of lawmakers’ spouses and children. “You elect someone, you kind of need to know where they live if they’re going to represent your community,” DeSantis said after an appearance Wednesday in Tallahassee. But DeSantis didn’t express support or opposition to the proposal (SB 832), which was approved Tuesday in a 4-3 vote by the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee and must go before two more committees. “I’m pretty wary about trying to exempt a lot of things,” he said.Assignment editors — First Lady Casey DeSantis will make a major announcement, joined by Director of the Division of Emergency Management Jared Moskowitz and Department of Children & Families Secretary Chad Poppell, Bay County Emergency Operations Center, 700 Highway 2300, Southport.“Jeanette Núñez talks census, guns, immigration & glass ceilings” via Lynn Hatter of WFSU — What is her thing is state policy. Núñez is leading the state’s census efforts as well as a slew of other things. Florida is among the last states to form a committee for the once-a-decade count that determines both federal funding and congressional representation. “We hope to capitalize in the hundreds of millions of dollars the federal government has assigned for this important role,” she said, “and also work with our local governments. Many of our local governments have embarked on this mission for quite some time.” As for E-Verify: “DeSantis was clear on his position. We will just continue to monitor what’s coming out of the Senate and the House.”“Galvano confident in Senate’s ability to consider gun show loophole” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — On the eve of Session, the Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee took up SB 7028, one of Galvano’s priorities, at his behest. That committee unanimously passed the committee over the concerns of National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer, who called it “gun control on steroids.” “They did their job, they put it out, but I also have to have faith in the process, and I’ve told the Senators that they’re empowered, and I’m not going to micromanage from the fourth floor,” Galvano said. But the bill has yet been scheduled a hearing for its next committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee. Still, Galvano indicated his faith in Simmons’ committee to advance the bill.“’Tourism Day’ fails to sway House Speaker” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida — José Oliva appeared firm in his stance against VISIT FLORIDA as tourism officials, with the backing of DeSantis and Senate PresidentGalvano, tried to showcase the importance of the industry. Oliva maintained his opposition to funding VISIT FLORIDA as “Florida Tourism Day” events took place in Tallahassee. Oliva has pushed to eliminate the agency, arguing that state money isn’t needed for tourism marketing. “I think statistically the evidence is the evidence,” Oliva told reporters. “Whether at the end it continues or not, I don’t think that will ever change my understanding of what the full role of marketing is and the amount of dollars that are involved and the role they play in that.”For Tourism Day, José Oliva says ‘meh.’“Lawmakers may hand out last-minute tax breaks — again — to companies” via Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel — Avis Budget Group Inc. would save $10 million under one tax break Florida lawmakers are considering this Legislative Session. Video game manufacturer Electronic Arts Inc. could save more than $30 million under another. NextEra Energy Inc., the parent company of Florida Power & Light, is lobbying to pay less property tax. Allegiant Travel Co. is lobbying to get out of paying fuel tax entirely. There’s no way to tell yet whether any of the four companies, which earned a combined $7 billion in profits last year on $32 billion in revenues, will get a tax break from Tallahassee.Senate says THC cap is on the table — The Senate rejected House measures to cap THC in medical cannabis last Session. Still, Senate Budget Chief Rob Bradley said he was open to hearing more about the issue, Arek Sarkissian of POLITICO Florida reports. Bradley, who sponsored the 2017 medical cannabis implementing bill, said he was neutral on the subject. “I’d like to hear more of it, it’s just that I’ve never sat through a meeting where they discussed the issue,” he said. No bill instituting a THC cap has been filed for the 2020 Legislative Session, though Rep. Ray Rodrigues, who pushed for the cap last year, said the House and Senate are discussing it. “It’s something that will be possible for the next 60 days,” the Estero Republican said.“Uber enters auto insurance debate with 2020 legislative priorities” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — “Uber is one of the largest purchasers of auto insurance in the country,” said Uber Senior Public Policy Manager Stephanie Smith. “Florida is an outlier when it comes to high insurance costs and high rates of uninsured and underinsured drivers on the road.” Smith said there isn’t a single bill that directly relates to their top legislative priority this year, but there are three that address reform that the company is monitoring. Two bills come close. Sen. Tom Lee filed legislation (SB 378) that would set minimum coverage for bodily injury at $25,000. Rep. Erin Grall sponsored similar legislation (HB 771) in the House.“Nurses finally get legislative support for independence” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Nurses, physician assistants and their supporters vouched for an independent practice bill, even as House Speaker Oliva was a no-show. The Floridians Unite for Health Care coalition, with backing from the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) and the Florida Chamber, are supporting a longtime priority for nurses, HB 607. Rep. Cary Pigman, a medical doctor, has repeatedly filed the bill, and hopes this is the year it gets the green light. Now Oliva — expected to show at the rally before a last-minute change — has thrown his support behind it, too.

Legislation “Kelli Stargel’s parental consent for abortion bill cleared for Senate floor” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — The Senate Rules Committee approved SB 404 9-7. Florida already requires a parent to be notified before a minor obtains an abortion, which Stargel acknowledged has been working. But Stargel said consent would foster more discussion within the family. “I will say that the difference between what we have today … the subtle difference is consent involves the parent in the conversation of coming to a decision of what is the best thing to do and that they would agree upon that and consent upon that,” she said. Senate President Galvano praised Stargel for her “diligent” work in a statement. He added that the bill shows the importance of parental rights and combating infanticide.The next stop for Kelli Stargel’s controversial abortion bill is the Senate floor.“Bill targeting domestic violence nonprofit’s special status clears first hearing” via Samantha Gross of the Miami Herald — A day after former state Sen. Denise Grimsley stepped down from her two-month stint as the interim president and CEO of the state’s largest domestic violence nonprofit organization, a House committee voted to do away with the state’s required partnership with the organization. The bill, put forward by Miami Republican Juan Fernandez-Barquin, removes the statute ensuring the contract between the Department of Children and Families and the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The proposal passed unanimously in the House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee, the bill’s first stop. Fernandez-Barquin said he was told the bill is a “DCF priority” and that he hopes it allows the agency to have more freedom in providing domestic violence services.“House votes to nix controversial Constitution Revision Commission” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — The House passed two bills poised to eliminate the appointed commission, despite Democratic qualms that the moves were a bridge too far. HJR 301 and HB 303, filed by Rep. Brad Drake, respectively would repeal the CRC and remove statutory references. HJR 301 passed 93-25. HB 303, a technical bill, passed 96-23. “I promised that I would take that idea back to Tallahassee and work on it,” Drake said. That process took two Sessions.“New water pollution rules advance in Senate” via Zac Anderson of the USA TODAY Florida Capital Bureau — A wide-ranging water quality bill that was praised by both environmental activists and industry cleared a Florida Senate committee Wednesday. The bill would impose new regulations on polluters, a departure for a Legislature that has been averse to strict new environmental standards. It is a top priority for Gov. DeSantis, who mentioned the legislation in his State of the State speech last week. The measure received unanimous support from the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government. It also was backed by groups ranging from Audubon Florida to agriculture interests and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “It blows me away really to see that kind of support,” said Sen. Ben Albritton.“To get free tuition, graduates would agree to work in Florida under new bill” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A bill that would create a new “Sunshine Scholarship” for students from low- and moderate-income families passed through committees in both chambers. The scholarship would pay for any tuition and fees of community colleges or public career colleges that were not already covered by other forms of financial aid. “This would be a last-dollar scholarship,” said state Rep. Shervin Jones one of the bill’s sponsors. To qualify, a student would have to be a Florida resident with a high school diploma or equivalent and come from a family whose income is $50,000 or less. Students who accept the money would have to stay in Florida after graduation to work the same amount of time they received the aid.“Jamie Grant-backed ‘union-busting’ bill clears first committee” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — A controversial bill affecting union membership cleared the first of its two committee stops. The bill (HB 1), sponsored by Grant, would require public employees who wish to join a union to sign a membership authorization form and for employers to verify the employee’s intent before any union dues can be collected for membership purposes. It would also require employees to reauthorize membership annually. Grant’s bill would also require unions to terminate membership upon written request from the employee and bar them from asking questions about why the member chose to sever its relationship. The bill passed along party lines.James Grant’s ‘union-busting’ bill advances.“Senate condemns Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega” via The Associated Press — The vote comes after Democratic Sen. José Javier Rodriguez said Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, resorted to election fraud to consolidate power, and then turned to violence to repress anti-government protests starting in April 2018. “Ortega and Murillo responded with violence and brutal repression. Hundreds have been killed and thousands wounded as a result. They’ve exiled, jailed, or killed anyone considered to be opposing them,” Rodriguez said. The resolution itself says government forces beat detained protesters and, in some cases, tortured them through waterboarding, electric shock, acid burns, removal of fingernails and rape.

Today in Capitol The Senate Special Order Calendar Group meets to set a special-order calendar, listing bills for hearing on the Senate floor, 15 minutes after the Senate Appropriations Committee meets, Room 401, Senate Office Building.The Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining meets for a public discussion of issues with state workers., 2:30 p.m., Room 412, Knott Building.The House Commerce Committee, 9:30 a.m., Room 212 Knott Building.The House Public Integrity & Ethics Committee, 9:30 a.m., Room 404, House Office Building.The House State Affairs Committee, 9:30 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building.The Senate Appropriations Committee, 10 a.m., Room 412, Knott Building.The House Education Committee, noon, Reed Hall, House Office Building.The House Health & Human Services Committee, noon, Morris Hall, House Office Building.The House Judiciary Committee, noon, Room 404, House Office Building.The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, 2:30 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building.The House Government Operations & Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, 2:30 p.m., Room 306, House Office Building.The House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, 2:30 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building.The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, 2:30 p.m., Room 404, House Office Building.The House Rules Committee, 5 p.m., Room 404, House Office Building.Healthcare Risk Management to hold Advocacy Day — The Florida Society for Healthcare Risk Management and patient safety professionals from across the will be visiting The Capitol to advocate for Florida’s patients. One of the featured topics is a recently published report relating to Florida’s outcomes safety relative to comparable states and the importance of health care risk managers. According to their research, Florida’s health care risk managers have helped the state achieve fewer adverse events, lower hospital-associated infections, and developing more top-ranked hospitals than California, Texas, and New York.

Gov. Club buffet Split pea and ham soup; mixed garden salad with dressings; marinated vegetable salad; tropical fruit salad; deli board with lettuces, tomatoes, cheeses and breads; grilled breast of chicken with rosemary-honey mustard sauce; hearty beef stew; blackened red drum on Cajun cream with shrimp; roasted red bliss potatoes; Southern-style succotash; cauliflower polonaise; assorted hand pies for dessert.

Statewide “DeSantis, Defense Secretary meet on Pensacola attack” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida — Speaking to reporters after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper at Naval Air Station Pensacola, DeSantis called post-attack steps — from increased screening to the removal of 21 Saudi military students, including 12 at NAS Pensacola — “very, very significant.” “Look, there’s a great thing with relationships we’ve built throughout the world, with different countries,” DeSantis said. “You look at a country like Egypt, a lot of the people that came through and then trained in America are some of the people now in positions who are very pro-American. At the same time, though, you know, we cannot be bringing people over here who want to do things like this with our country.”Secretary of Defense Mark Esper meets with Ron DeSantis in Pensacola.“New security measures include continuous vetting of foreign military trainees after arrival” via Kevin Robinson of the Pensacola News Journal — The military is implementing new security measures for foreign trainees, including a key card access system, continuous vetting and other measures intended to enhance the safety of American military personnel and their families, the U.S. Secretary of Defense said during a visit to Naval Air Station Pensacola. On Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper updated NAS Pensacola’s leadership on a suite of new security protocols that will be going into effect nationwide in the coming weeks and months. The changes are in response to the Dec. 6 shooting by a Royal Saudi Air Force aviation trainee that claimed the lives of three service members.Assignment editors — DeSantis will participate in a roundtable discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, 9 a.m., Four Points Sheraton, 3570 NW 7th Avenue, Miami.“Florida residents hit with big tax penalties inspiring bill to change homestead exemption rules” via Zac Anderson of the USA TODAY Florida Capital Bureau — After three and a half years of trying to fight the government, Florida resident David Fitts gave up recently and wrote a check for more than $11,000 to pay off back taxes, penalties and fees stemming from an accusation that he improperly claimed permanent residency — and property tax breaks — in both Florida and Ohio. Fitts still maintains he did nothing wrong, and even Florida judges who have ruled against him say they’re sympathetic to his argument that he had no knowledge of the Ohio tax break, which was granted because of a title company’s error. Now a pair of state lawmakers are trying to rewrite Florida’s homestead tax exemption rules, so the law does not penalize homeowners who find themselves in similar situations going forward.“FHA launches webinar series focused on worker resilience” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — The Florida Hospital Association has launched a “Workforce Resilience Webinar Series” for hospital employees. The series is geared toward front-line caregivers, nurses, physicians, volunteers and affiliates. The curriculum is aimed at addressing burnout among health care providers, which is “alarmingly high.” FHA said many in the health care industry believe burnout, coupled with a lack of employee engagement, contribute to high turnover rates. Some workers may even exit the industry altogether. The 12-month series will be led by expert Bryan Sexton, Ph.D., an associate professor and director of the Duke Center for Healthcare Safety & Quality at Duke University Health System.“WellCare-Centene merger poised for completion” via the News Service of Florida — The multibillion-dollar merger between Tampa-based WellCare Health Plans and Centene Corp. is expected to close after meeting all regulatory requirements, the managed-care companies announced. The $17.3 billion merger, announced in March, will combine two of the most significant players in Florida’s Medicaid managed-care system. The St. Louis-based Centene’s purchase of WellCare was subject to approvals by numerous state and federal agencies. “We are pleased to achieve this milestone and look forward to closing our acquisition of WellCare and providing more members and communities access to high-quality health care,” Michael F. Neidorff, Centene’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement.

Peachy “‘These words will live in infamy’: Democrats make case against Donald Trump in impeachment trial” via Bart Jansen, Nicholas Wu and Christal Hayes of USA Today — The seven House Democrats who are prosecuting the Senate trial against Trump provided a broad overview of their case Wednesday and then took turns walking methodically through the evidence they gathered to accuse the president of abuse of power. The lead manager, Intelligence Chairman Schiff, spent about two hours delivering an overview of the case based on Trump pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rival while withholding crucial military aid. Schiff told senators that convicting Trump and removing him from office is urgent because, left unchecked, he could invite more foreign interference with the 2020 election. “For precisely this reason, the President’s misconduct cannot be decided at the ballot box — for we cannot be assured that the vote will be fairly won,” Schiff said.“Trump impeachment: Marco Rubio, Rick Scott on same side, with different approaches, styles” via Christine Stapleton of the Palm Beach Post — They have little in common when it comes to their style and message about Democrats’ efforts to remove Trump from office. Rubio shies away from smug lingo in his tweets. He does not defend the president on either his official U.S. Senate Twitter account or his personal account. Instead, he takes broad swipes Democrats’ relentless efforts to get rid of Trump and the media for focusing so much attention on it. However, Scott jumped on the opportunity to declare Trump innocent about an hour after the House impeached the president on Dec. 18. Since then, Scott has repeatedly decried impeachment proceedings as a “3-ring circus” and “joke” in more than 37 tweets and over 20 television and radio appearances.While on the same side, Rick Scott and Marco Rubio take different approaches to Donald Trump’s impeachment.“How a Russian disinfo op got Trump impeached” via Natasha Bertrand of POLITICO — “Ukraine seriously complicated the work of Trump’s election by planting information” aimed at damaging his campaign chairman Paul Manafort, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry told reporters on Nov. 30, 2016. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted in her briefing that a smattering of Ukrainian officials had criticized him during the campaign. “You probably remember that Ukrainian officials and diplomatic representatives abroad did not express their views or political assessments but openly insulted the person whom the American people elected their president. You may remember that they later tried to delete these statements from their social networks accounts and their sites, saying that they had been wrong and had rushed to conclusions,” she said.

D.C. matters “Trump roars, and Davos shrugs” via John Harris, Florian Eder and Ryan Heath of POLITICO — Trump came back this year and was greeted with a shrug. Make no mistake; all the standard elements of the Trump tornado were on display. There was his keynote address boasting about how well the U.S. economy is doing on his watch. There was a blizzard of meetings with foreign leaders and U.S. finance and tech CEOs, at which he reportedly said he wished he owned stock in their firms because of how much money he had made them. The big difference was the way most people at Davos, including Americans but especially the non-Americans, were responding to this flamboyant but familiar show. The consensus reaction: Whatever.Donald Trump blusters in Davos, while everyone else goes: ‘Whatever.’Assignment editors — As Trump delivers remarks at his Miami hotel for a meeting of the Republican National Committee, U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala joins state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere Dr. Frank Mora, and Latino Victory board member Leopoldo Martinez Nucete at the Freedom Tower to criticize the administration’s “broken promises to the Cuban and Venezuelan communities,” 12:30 p.m., Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd, Miami.“Scott warns CDC not to trust China, be on high alert for coronavirus” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Scott, a frequent and staunch critic of China, wrote in a letter to CDC Director Robert Redfield that China, the source of a coronavirus outbreak that has infected hundreds and killed some, “does not play straight with us.” “The United States cannot risk an outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus. We cannot put our citizens at risk, and we must do everything we can to contain any cases,” Scott wrote. One case has been reported in the United States is a man who returned home to Washington state after traveling in China. “We all must be on high alert,” he said.“U.S. to impose visas restrictions for pregnant women” via Matthew Lee and Colleen Long of The Associated Press — The Trump administration is coming out Thursday with new visa restrictions aimed at restricting “birth tourism,” in which women travel to the U.S. to give birth so their children can have a coveted U.S. passport. Visa applicants deemed by consular officers to be coming to the U.S. primarily to give birth will now be treated like other foreigners coming to the U.S. for medical treatment, according to State Department guidance sent Wednesday and viewed by The Associated Press. The applicants will have to prove they are coming for medical treatment, and they have the money to pay for it. The rules will take effect Friday.

2020 “Trump is attracting a new crop of big donors, including many who have never given before” via Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Anu Narayanswamy of The Washington Post — Trump’s vaunted political money machine is helping drive record sums to the Republican National Committee, and not just from the same donors who supported him in 2016. Enticed by exclusive gatherings and ecstatic about the president’s tax cuts, an eclectic new crop of donors is going all in, giving five and six figures to support his reelection. Their ranks include investors in a South Florida hot yoga studio, a Nigerian American real estate developer in Dallas, and the head of a trucking business in Los Angeles. They have been joined by veteran GOP donors who have returned to the fold after sitting out Trump’s 2016 campaign.“Bernie Sanders gains in poll as he pauses campaigning for impeachment” via Laura Davison of Bloomberg — Among registered Democrats, 27% said they are most likely to back the Vermont Senator, an increase from a month ago, according to the poll conducted Jan. 16-19. Former Vice President Joe Biden came in second with 24% of respondents, although the difference is within the poll’s margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.4 percentage points, meaning there is no clear leader. Sanders and Biden were followed by Elizabeth Warren, who like Sanders, left the campaign trail and returned to Washington for the Senate impeachment trial of Trump. Warren had 14%, followed by Pete Buttigieg with 11%. About 5% of the poll respondents said they were likely to support Bloomberg, a figure that is unchanged from the previous month.In a new poll, Bernie Sanders is taking a lead over Joe Biden.“Cindy Polo one of two dozen Florida women backing Elizabeth Warren for President” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — “As a proud daughter of Hialeah, I know far too well what it means to have elected officials who don’t work for their communities, but instead do the bidding of special interests,” Polo said in a statement. “This election year, we deserve more than a president who claims to understand the needs of the people of our country. We need someone who has lived them and stood up and fought to address them. As we face the most critical election of our lifetime, I am proud to endorse Sen. Elizabeth Warren for President of the United States. Sen. Warren’s campaign highlights the communities and issues that most need our attention.”“National Democratic Party boosting staff in Florida and five other battleground states” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The idea behind “Battleground Build-Up 2020” is to have an organization ready to go in critical states to turn over to the party’s eventual nominee, rather than wait to staff up and rent offices after the nominee is selected. Florida is the largest of the six states. The Sunshine State is significant because the winner will get 29 electoral votes, more than 10% of the 270 needed to win the presidency. In Florida, one area of emphasis is Democratic strongholds of South Florida, where a presidential candidate needs to run up large numbers to offset more Republican regions of the state. The other focus is the Interstate 4 corridor, the fast-growing region, including Tampa and Orlando.

The trail “Donna Shalala campaign celebrates $600K fundraising quarter to end 2019” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — The Shalala campaign says it leaves her with more than $1.2 million in cash on hand as she attempts to defend her seat. Shalala is the incumbent Democrat representing Florida’s 27th Congressional District. “We told the people of my district that I would be ready on day one to represent them in Congress, and our campaign’s strong fundraising performance is a testament to us delivering on that promise,” Shalala said in a statement on her fourth-quarter fundraising numbers.Save the date:“GOP candidates file in Alex Andrade, Mike La Rosa districts” via News Service of Florida — Two Republicans have opened campaign accounts to run this year in state House districts held by Republican Reps. Alex Andrade of Pensacola and Mike La Rosa of St. Cloud. Pensacola Republican Cristov Dosev opened an account Tuesday to run in House District 2, which is made up of parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, according to the state Division of Elections website. Meanwhile, St. Cloud Republican Gary Allen Scott became the sixth candidate to open a campaign account to run in House District 43, which is made up of parts of Osceola and Polk counties. La Rosa cannot seek reelection because of term limits.

Local “Even potential JEA buyers couldn’t make sense of utility’s talking points” via Nate Munroe of the Florida Times-Union — Recently released question-and-answer logs show potential JEA buyers were struggling to understand starkly different financial projections utility executives had given to regulators, the board of directors and the public, numbers which — depending on the audience — either predicted higher sales by the end of the next decade or a decline. Several buyers were also puzzled over JEA’s dire predictions that customer-led energy efficiency efforts would threaten the utility’s bottom line in a matter of just a few years. This was a crucial part of CEO Aaron Zahn’s public case for privatization. Still, his predictions don’t align with virtually any other utility in Florida — which are expecting higher sales over the next decade.“Parkland shooting trauma affects young witness” via Curt Anderson of The Associated Press — A young student who witnessed the 2018 massacre is still too traumatized by the experience to give a formal statement and possibly testify at trial, her lawyer said. Attorney Jay Cohen said the 17-year-old girl is still in mental health counseling and cannot yet talk about what she saw to prosecutors or attorneys for Nikolas Cruz. He is charged with killing 17 people and wounding 17 others in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. “Some of the victims are worse off than others,” Cohen said. “She is one of those.”“Hispanic police captain who told city leaders he was black, not Hispanic, suspended” via Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald — Miami’s most outspoken cop, who last week told a black city commissioner and others that he was not Hispanic, but was a black male, was suspended with pay by the city’s police chief. Javier Ortiz, a captain of Hispanic origin whose controversial and provocative social media posts over the years have drawn the ire of his bosses and the community and who rose to oversee the department’s SWAT operations, will be sidelined indefinitely, said Miami’s Deputy Police Chief Ronald Papier. The captain’s suspension is “pending an investigation,” Papier said. He refused to go into detail about why exactly Ortiz, a former president of the city’s Fraternal Order of Police, was being investigated.Miami cop Javier Ortiz says, ‘I’m a black male,’ gets suspended with pay.“Raising flood-prone roads has angered Miami Beach residents. Experts say they need to go higher” via Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — City-hired consultants told residents that under their new calculations, emergency roads would have to be elevated even higher than the city previously called for, but residential roads could stay lower than initially planned. The response from Miami Beach residents in attendance? A resounding, “no way.” The longer the city waits, the more expensive and difficult it will be. “Every day that you wait, sea-level rise is going to continue to go up,” said Laurens van der Tak, part of the team from Jacobs Engineering presenting the project. “The number of roads that are going to be flooded at a more frequent rate will go up.”“What’s a ‘lobbyist’? Tallahassee ethics board may recommend broader definition” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — The city of Tallahassee’s Independent Ethics Board is likely to make recommendations to ensure public officials are being transparent about who they are meeting with and what effect those meetings have on official action. Although the board doesn’t have the power to regulate lobbyists, it could ask city officials to expand who falls under the definition. That comes after recent reporting by the Tallahassee Democrat about the intersection of influence, politics, friendship and public business. At a meeting Wednesday, incoming Ethics Officer Keith Powell said determining who is a lobbyist in local government should be cut and dry. “A lot of people who are lobbyists don’t like to call themselves lobbyists,” Powell said. “You’re meeting with a public official, and you’re trying to influence a decision.”“Jane Castor featured in national publication as one of six Mayors making a difference” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — The article posted to The Hill highlights Castor’s commitment to increase student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, particularly among young girls. “To Jane Castor … today’s students are tomorrow’s engineers and scientists, the key to developing a workforce that can attract new businesses hungry for well-educated employees. The STEM programs beginning to scale in Tampa and surrounding Hillsborough County are an early investment in Tampa’s next generation,” the article said. They pointed to a lesson at Young Middle School in downtown Tampa where students are learning about the city’s water system including how it flows through the sewers, how it gets through a series of pipes to taps, and about the machines used to make it all work.

Top opinion “Greg Newburn, Chelsea Murphy and Sal Nuzzo: Sentencing reform for a fairer justice system” via Florida Politics — Nearly every expert who’s studied the issue agrees that mandatory minimum drug laws are a bad idea. They’re expensive, inefficient, ineffective, and ultimately counterproductive to public safety. Thanks to this consensus, a major federal sentencing reform bill called the First Step Act passed the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly last year and was signed into law by Trump. Over the last year, nearly 2,500 federal drug offenders — including more than 200 here in Florida — have had their sentences reduced thanks to the retroactive reforms in the First Step Act. But despite this consensus, and despite the success of similar reforms across the country, special interests continue to oppose sentencing reform in Florida. That’s not a surprise.

Opinions “Supreme Court’s Citizens United mistake just turned 10 years old. It’s time to reverse it.” via Ted Deutch for NBC News — Unlimited spending by corporations and billionaires doesn’t make elections fairer or protect free speech; it skews the playing field and diminishes the free speech rights of American voters. … The toxic influence of money in our elections touches every issue we face as a nation. And makes it harder to solve problems by empowering special interest groups. For example, over 90% of Americans want stronger background checks for gun purchases and 7 out of 10 want action to respond to climate change, but money in politics is a big reason why we can’t get it done.“On the Everglades and prepaid college tuition, DeSantis stands up for Florida” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — The Governor has put pro-environment appointees on the board of the South Florida Water Management District, created a task force on toxic algae and appointed the state’s first chief science officer. Florida’s Republican Governor also recently provided welcome news for families coping with the rising costs of a college education. He announced that the Florida Prepaid College Board would lower its plan prices by $1.3 billion, easing the cost of a college education for about 224,000 customers. Protecting our fragile environment and paying for a quality education — two essentials of life. While we certainly don’t agree with DeSantis on many issues, we appreciate these moves on education and the environment. Way to go, Governor.“Lake’s Senators are laughingstock of Legislature” via Lauren Ritchie of the Orlando Sentinel — It’s because the county’s legislative delegation is focused mostly on pandering to extreme right-wing causes they know will never be adopted — the more outrageous, the prouder. The worst is state Sen. Dennis Baxley, whose sole goal seems to be to push religion on his constituents. His religion, of course. Stargel, the Republican Senator who represents the south half of Lake County, is just the female version of the Senator to the north. Stargel is so terrified of the people who elected her that she wants to make sure they can’t get her home address, telephone numbers, date of birth, places where her husband and children work and the names and locations of the schools or daycares her children attend.“Consumers’ own interest at stake with genetic privacy bill” via Susan K. Neely for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Much more is at stake than advertised in a bill titled, “Genetic Information for Insurance Purposes,” sponsored by Florida House Speaker-designate Chris Sprowls and Sen. Stargel. It is not just about people being able to keep private genetic information gained an at-home genetic testing kit. It’s about denying the consideration of any and all genetic information in the life insurance policy application process. If adopted as written, this sweeping, most-intrusive-in-America measure would negatively disrupt Florida’s life insurance market and could harm consumers through higher prices and potentially limited product choices. For example, the bill would prohibit consumers from using their own data as they see fit, even if it could be used to improve their insurability or their rates.

Movements Spotted — At No. 7 of POLITICO Influence’s Lobbying Disclosure Act revenue rankings for 2019 — Ballard Partners: $19.1 million (versus $18.5 million in 2018) and $5 million in Q4 2019 (versus $4.9 million in Q4 2018).Share the Gulf Coalition names Josh Cooper as Florida co-chair — Political consultant and renowned competition chef Cooper plans to use his platform as The 2019 World Seafood Champion to raise awareness and support for the local fishing businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, and communities that depend on Gulf seafood for their survival as a Florida co-chair of the national Share the Gulf Coalition. “People don’t always think about the importance of fresh gulf seafood on Florida’s economy,” he said. “Tourism is our largest industry in Florida and fresh Gulf seafood is as critical to that industry as our beaches or any other major attraction.” Cooper said he plans to spend the coming months recruiting chefs, restaurant owners, seafood distributors, hospitality personnel, and others who depend on fresh seafood for their businesses to join the Share the Gulf Coalition and promote seafood sustainability for generations to come.Josh Cooper, political consultant and renowned chef, will now serve as Share the Gulf Coalition co-chair.

Aloe “Disney+ is coming to Europe earlier than expected” via Jordan Valinsky of CNN Business — It will now roll out in eight countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland on March 24. The streaming service cost in Europe will be slightly more expensive than the U.S. subscription of $6.99 per month when adjusted for exchange rates. It will cost £5.99 ($7.81) in the United Kingdom and €6.99 ($7.75) per month in European countries. Disney is also selling a yearly subscription for £59.99 ($78.28) or €69.99 ($77.64), respectively. Other countries, including Belgium, the Nordics and Portugal, will get access to Disney+ in summer 2020. Disney+ launched in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in November 2019.Disney+ day is coming a week earlier in Europe.What Michelle Todd is reading — “Hallmark media CEO leaves, month after same-sex ad backlash” via The Associated Press — The head of Hallmark’s media business is leaving the company after 11 years, just a month after its flagship Hallmark Channel faced an outcry over a decision to pull an ad with a lesbian couple kissing. No reason was given for Bill Abbott’s departure, and no replacement was immediately named. In a statement, Mike Perry, president and CEO of Hallmark Cards Inc., said that with immense competition from TV networks and streaming services, it is important for the company to find “relevant new ways to grow our business.” Abbott was CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, a company controlled by Hallmark Cards. Crown Media’s flagship cable channel is The Hallmark Channel, known for family-friendly programming, particularly made-for-TV Christmas-themed movies.“Iguanas and peacocks may not fly as emotional support animals anymore” via Dan Sweeney of the Orlando Sentinel — Most major airlines have already announced rules that ban most of the supposed emotional support animals that made headlines a couple of years ago as passengers attempted to use accommodation requirements to bring them on planes. By the end of 2018, the big four American airlines — American, Delta, Southwest and United — had all announced rules banning most animals from cabins, except for those that meet the requirements for service animals under the Americans With Disabilities Act. But these rules put in place by the airlines could run afoul of the Air Carrier Access Act, the law that allows emotional support animals on planes.

Super Bowl’ing “Taxpayers are spending millions to host Super Bowl 54. What are they getting in return?” via Rob Wile of the Miami Herald — For the next two weeks, South Florida will be an even more intense entertainment mecca than it usually is, and there would seem to be plenty of opportunities for businesses to take advantage of the Feb. 2 matchup. Although Miami’s Super Bowl host committee has not released an official economic-impact estimate, if last year’s game in Atlanta is any indication, the forecast could come in north of $500 million. But the game is coming at a cost, measuring at least eight figures, to taxpayers. Which may leave many of them asking: What’s in it for me? Many academics would side with the argument that the expected costs are larger, and the gains smaller, than are typically forecast.“Final touches being put on Hard Rock Stadium” via David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — For many fans, the championship game is the highlight of football season — regardless of whether their team made it. With so many viewers, the halftime show has become an elaborate entertainment spectacle that has taken on a life of its own. Millions tune in for the musical number, which has offered up some of the best artists in the world. Super Bowl halftime performances require significant planning for everything from stage design and placement, lighting, sound, costumes, and more. The best Super Bowl halftime performers spend months preparing for the big show. As a result, a great deal of unseen labor goes into what is arguably one of the most highly visible gigs in entertainment.Miami is putting the finishing touches on the Super Bowl.“Fort Lauderdale lifts alcohol ban at beach for Super Bowl weekend” via Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The ban on open containers at the beach will be null and void on Friday, Jan. 31, and go back into effect on Monday, Feb. 3. The tipsy zone extends from Sunrise Boulevard south to the city parking lot south of Las Olas Boulevard. Several free events sanctioned by the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee will be in play that weekend at Las Olas Oceanside Park, at 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd. “Friday night will be like this giant pep rally,” said Arianne Glassman, a Hollywood-based marketing professional who helped organize the weekend events. “Our Saturday events are all about families and children. We have events for all ages, but we’re really putting a focus on our youth.”

Happy birthday Best wishes to our friends Janee Murphy and Jacob Perry. Also celebrating today are former Sen. Andy Gardiner, former Tampa Tribune columnist Tom Jackson, Nick Matthews and Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera.And another non-birthday shoutout to Debbie Millner, who had shoulder surgery yesterday. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.

THE BLAZE

View this email in your browser January 23, 2020Trending now Co-workers of alleged whistleblower say they heard him plotting Trump’s removal in 2017: Report ‘Go get another job!’ — MSNBC hosts Maddow and Hayes are outraged that Democrats are bored by impeachment trial One meat you should never feed your dogSponsoredMore from TheBlaze British scientists accidentally discover immune cell that ‘may kill all cancer’ ‘I’m exposing your hatred’: Lindsey Graham slams Dems over impeachment demands Newest social media ‘challenge’ has fire officials alarmed, and one teen in Boston is facing charges over it Watch: Joe Biden’s sudden outburst after reporter asks about Bernie Sanders feudListen live to Blaze RadioTune in to the next generation of talk radio, featuring original content from hosts like Glenn Beck, Pat Gray, Stu Burguiere, Steve Deace and more!Start listeningOne last thing …Glenn Beck: Adam Schiff is a LIAR — and we have the proofOn the radio program Wednesday, Glenn Beck didn’t hold back when discussing the latest in a long list of lies issued by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) during the Democrats’ ongoing endeavor to remove President Donald Trump from office. “I’m going to just come out and say, Adam Schiff is a liar. And he intentionally … Read more You might like …Got friends?FORWARD THIS EMAIL © 2020 Blaze Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive emails from Blaze Media.Privacy Policy | Manage your preferences | Unsubscribe8275 S. Eastern Ave, Ste 200-245Las Vegas, Nevada, 89123, USA

DESERET NEWS

View this email in your browserThursday, Jan. 23, 2020The Supreme Court is again debating the separation of church and state ‘Corrupt scheme and cover-up’: House managers present case for impeachment A McDonald’s Monopoly scandal, a Sept. 11 drama and 9 other Sundance films that could have people talking Apple Watch identifies Utah man’s racing heartbeat that signals underlying problems (Sponsored)Utah Inland Port critics detail concerns in new report Utah Jazz dominate lowly Golden State Warriors for most lopsided win of season MORE NEWSMurder charges: Teen shooter waited hours between killing mother, siblings Life without parole ordered for Provo man who strangled neighbor with power cord Despite referendum, tax reform bill might still take effect briefly
Copyright © 2020 Deseret News, All rights reserved.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

VIEW IN BROWSERJANUARY 23, 2020CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COMDAYWATCH1New Trier grad stole almost $10 million from investor to bankroll Las Vegas sports gambling and lavish lifestyle, feds sayTHURSDAY, JAN 23New Trier High School graduate Robert Gorodetsky made a name for himself as a maverick in the Las Vegas sports betting scene, a brash 20-something with a seemingly bottomless bankroll and the guts to lay it all on the line. But federal charges brought in Chicago this week allege Gorodetsky’s story was just a mirage.2Victim tells of her harrowing escape from suspected serial killer in 1979THURSDAY, JAN 23In two interviews with the Aurora Beacon-News, Annette Lazar tells of her harrowing experience in 1979 with Bruce Lindahl, the man authorities said last week is responsible for as many as 12 murders and nine rapes in the west suburbs in the 1970s and early ‘80s.Lazar recounts what she said to Lindahl that helped her escape and how authorities discounted her story. It’s the first time she’s shared those details with anyone other than police or her immediate family, she said.Years of violence: A timeline of Bruce Lindahl in the west suburbs 3Chicago rapper Juice Wrld died from accidental overdose, autopsy findsTHURSDAY, JAN 23An autopsy performed on the body of 21-year-old Chicago rapper Juice Wrld determined he died accidentally from an overdose of oxycodone and codeine, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said Wednesday. The autopsy report could be made public as soon as today. The rapper, whose real name was Jarad A. Higgins, died Dec. 8 after he suffered convulsions and went into cardiac arrest as Chicago police and federal agents searched his and his entourage’s luggage for guns and drugs at a private hangar at Midway Airport.4It started snowing overnight — and it might not stop until SaturdayTHURSDAY, JAN 23Forecasters say the Chicago area is expected to see snow every day until at least Saturday, and the snowfall could be particularly heavy during Friday’s evening commute.Despite certainty about several days of snow, forecasters from the National Weather Service are less sure about how much snow will fall or how frequently it will be either on or off. As much as 3 inches could fall in the first part of the storm alone, with the potential for more than 3 inches west of the Chicago area.Visit the Tribune weather page for the latest forecast and updates. 5Chicago’s Pedway is a confusing underground labyrinth. But help is on the way.THURSDAY, JAN 23After years of talk and study, city officials and the nonprofit Environmental Law & Policy Center are poised to start making Chicago’s Pedway a vital piece of civic infrastructure, rather than a humdrum, confusing way for pedestrians to get from Point A to Point B, writes the Tribune’s Blair Kamin. Having secured $4 million in federal funds last fall for Pedway upgrades, the city could soon be working with the nonprofit to hire a design firm that will develop new signs and navigational tools for the network’s main branch.6Alcohol-related deaths are climbing. And getting sober comes with unique challenges for women.THURSDAY, JAN 23Women’s sobriety can look very different from men’s. And that’s why many are now rejecting the traditional 12-step meetings like AA and instead are seeking single-gender programs where they can deal with issues like depression, domestic violence and body image.The stakes are high: A report released earlier this month by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism shows alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. overall are climbing, especially among women. 7Emotional support animals would lose flying privileges under new proposed rules on service animalsTHURSDAY, JAN 23Airlines no longer would be required to accommodate emotional support animals under new federal rules proposed Wednesday to rein in passengers who try to bring their pets on board.The U.S. Department of Transportation said it “wants to ensure that individuals with disabilities can continue using their service animals while also reducing the likelihood that passengers wishing to travel with their pets on aircraft will be able to falsely claim their pets are service animals.”8The 11 best nachos in ChicagoTHURSDAY, JAN 23No one could stop the Tribune’s Nick Kindelsperger from looking for the best nachos in Chicago. He knew that there had to be chefs who cared about this dish as much as he did.If a chef cares deeply enough, nachos can achieve a wild, irresistible state, where crunch, spice and creaminess collide to create my favorite snack food, he writes.Satisfying and cheesy, especially with a cold beverage in hand. You do need to know where to look.He tried about 40 versions— and finding them turned out to be a lot harder than he imagined.Unlike burgers or fried chicken sandwiches, it’s really hard to stop eating nachos, especially when most come in such enormous portions.Here are his favorites, in alphabetical order.advertisement
UNSUBSCRIBE | NEWSLETTERS | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF SERVICECopyright © 2020 | Chicago Tribune | 160 N. Stetson Ave., Third Floor, Chicago, IL 60601ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this email because you are following the Daywatch newsletter.

AMERICAN THINKER

View this email in your browserRecent ArticlesAsleep at the WheelJan 23, 2020 01:00 am
There’s a perfect storm bearing down on the Democrats. Read More…
The Disturbing Dismissal of the Kiddies’ Climate LawsuitJan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Even when a court gets it right, as happened here, widespread allegations that apocalyptic climate theories are “settled science” have a cumulative effect across the Judicial Branch. Read More…
What is Putin Thinking?Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Why is Vladimir Putin changing Russia’s governmental system at this point?  Read More…
Medical Science Flips on Fetal Pain. What Else Will Doctors Change Their Minds About?Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Medical orthodoxy keeps changing, but they may not tell you that. The Big Media certainly won’t tell you. Read More…
The Rage of the DemocratsJan 23, 2020 01:00 am
What underlies the rage of the Democrat Party and of the leftist Democrat Establishment vis-à-vis President Donald Trump? Read More…
Suppose a Prepper…Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Climate change activists behave exactly like preppers do, forecasting the end of the Earth, at a specific date and time, no less, and looking for ways to save face when it doesn’t happen.. Read More…

Recent Blog Posts

Man confronts Elizabeth Warren about her plan to wipe out student loans
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Warren laughs when he points out that her plan punishes his being responsible by forcing him to cover irresponsible people’s debt.  Read more…
Highlights (or lowlights) of the impeachment so far
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
The Senate impeachment hearings ground on today, producing little useful information. This post sums up the more interesting impeachment news.  Read more…
The big Trump administration mistake that led to impeachment
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
It is disturbing to say the least that opponents of the Administration remained in high positions well into Trump’s tenure.  Read more…
Shifty Schiff to Senate: Please give us evidence to make our case
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
The premise of the Shifty argument is that President Trump must be guilty of something, so there must evidence somewhere to prove it.  Read more…
Six shades of fire-lighters in Australia
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
The good, the bad, and the one causing all the wildfires.  Read more…
Ghislaine Maxwell, who was Jeffrey Epstein close friend, had her emails hacked
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Concerns range from famous people being blackmailed to famous people being outed for committing heinous legal and moral crimes.  Read more…
President Trump will become the first president to attend the March for Life
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
By attending, the president will force the media to report on one of the largest annual marches in America, something it has tried ignore in the past.  Read more…
This UN judgment opens the door to permanent “climate refugee” status.
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
A UN court held that a specific island’s climate problems are remediable, but held out the promise that other climate change damage entitles refugees to permanent residence.  Read more…
Tulsi Gabbard files $50 million (and counting) defamation suit against Hillary
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Hillary thought she’d won the war of words she’d had with Tulsi, but Tulsi just upped the ante for Hillary’s having called her a “Russian asset.”  Read more…
Joe Biden: The great uniter of the liberal factions?
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Biden unites in himself the two wings that have defined the Democrats: the Obama wing and the Clinton wing.  Read more…
A fatal flaw in the liberal character
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Fear of the future is caused by ignorance of the past.  Read more…
Why English royals fall for American commoners
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
What is this strange power that American women wield over English aristocrats?  Read more…
Little Anthony — transphobe
Jan 23, 2020 01:00 am
Once upon a time, we thought that the world was made up of boys and girls.  Read more…
Biden Unbound: Three idiotic statements from Malarkey Joe just this week
Jan 22, 2020 01:00 am
Joe Biden says DACA recipients are more American than we are, China’s rulers are “good guys,” and ICE agents should be arrested for protecting Americans from illegal aliens who drive drunk.  Read more…
Adam Schiff made a fool of himself on Day One of the Senate impeachment trial
Jan 22, 2020 01:00 am
Schiff is willing to fabricate and twist the tale he tells even though there is no evidence for all of his wild accusations. He’s already been caught misrepresenting the evidence.  Read more…
View this email in your browserAmerican Thinker is a daily internet publication devoted to the thoughtful exploration of issues of importance to Americans.

This email was sent to rickbulow74@live.com
why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences
AmericanThinker · 3060 El Cerrito Plaza, #306 · El Cerrito, CA 94530 · USA

TOWNHALL

FACEBOOK TWITTER

Columnists Peaceful Insurgency Tips for Virginian Patriots
Kurt Schlichter Impeachment Diary Day 2: Quantity Does Not Equal Quality
Mark Davis The Israel-US Model Has Been a Resounding Success
Victor Davis Hanson Hollywood’s Biggest Problem Is Itself
Derek Hunter Gov. Northam and Liberal Media Seem Disappointed That Virginia Gun Rally Was Peaceful
Sheriff David Clarke, Ret.Order ‘A Time to Build’ — It’s time to revive the American Dream
Sponsored by: American Enterprise Institute Impeachment Week: It’s OK to Be Bored; Not OK to Be White
Ann Coulter Does a Minimum Wage Hike Lower the Suicide Rate?
Larry Elder Illegal Immigrant Caravans and Criminal Catholics
Michelle Malkin A Time to Build
Mona CharenADVERTISEMENT We Have Miseducated Boys and Girls Alike
Laura Hollis Trump’s Labor Department Provides Clarity on Joint Employment
Veronique de Rugy Trump Impeachment Theater a Farce to Protect the Federal Administrative State
John Kass Megxit, Trump and the Generational Divide
Armstrong Williams ‘America’s Expiration Date’
Cal Thomas Declining Abortion Numbers Are an Unheralded Public Policy Success Story. So Where’s the Media?
Michael New Hundreds Who Survived Abortion Represent Millions Who Didn’t
Jerry Newcombe Video Gov. Evers: Saying Abortionists ‘Execute Babies’ Is ‘Blasphemy’Trump blasts Schiff as ‘political hack’Pelosi’s condescension offers some laughs Pelosi open to border infrastructure INVESTING To See America’s Democrat Future, Look At California Now The Biblical Basis Of Nationalism Defending The Second Amendment In Virginia Using Business And The Bible: Understanding The Times Why Proverbs Is The Perfect Book For Our Time Finance Cartoons by Close to Home HEALTH Special Issue: My Professional Reaction to New Obesity Study Easy Ways to Get the Foods You Need (Even if You Hate Them!)Melatonin Keeps You Healthy

Tipsheet BREAKING: At Least 7 Injured and One Dead In Seattle Shooting
Beth Baumann VA Senate Passes a New Gun Control Bill That Tramples on 2A Rights
Beth Baumann Brazil to be Added to List of ‘Remain in Mexico’ Countries
Bronson Stocking ICYMI: Biden Says He’d Fire ICE Agents for Arresting Drunk Driving Illegal Aliens
Bronson Stocking The Democratic Media Complex’s Praise of Adam Schiff Is Nauseating
Beth Baumann House Dems Continually Recite Testimony That’s Based on Presumption
Beth Baumann Hunter to Appear in Court After Failing to Hand Over Financial Records
Bronson Stocking History: Trump to Be First President to Attend March For Life Rally
Julio Rosas Did President Trump Just Accept an Invitation to Show Up at His Impeachment Trial?
Katie Pavlich Jay Sekulow Noticed Adam Schiff Talked A Lot About One Thing That’s Not In the Articles of Impeachment
Julio RosasADVERTISEMENT Political Cartoons Bearing Arms VA Senate Passes Red Flag Law, Ignores Mental Health Crisis | Cam Edwards Two Arrested, Two Guns Recovered In Gun Controlled NJ | Tom Knighton Ammunition Sales Skyrocket In Virginia | Tom Knighton Do Gun Stocks Need Trump Loss In November? | Tom Knighton Meet The “Pew Pew Jew” Arming Folks With Facts | Cam Edwards

_______SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______

This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this newsletter on the Townhall.com network OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately.

Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions

You can unsubscribe by clicking here.

Or Send postal mail to:
Townhall Daily Unsubscribe
P.O. Box 9660, Arlington, VA 22219* Copyright Townhall and its Content Providers.
All rights reserved.

IJR

Factbox: ‘They Don’t Have the Material’ – Quotes on Trump’s Senate Impeachment TrialBy Reuters, Thursday, January 23, 2020 7:33 AM“I got to watch enough.” More Comments » Let Them Speak: Most Americans Want Witnesses in Trump Impeachment Trial – Reuters/Ipsos PollBy Reuters, Thursday, January 23, 2020 7:32 AMAbout 72% agreed that the trial “should allow witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the impeachment charges to testify.” More Comments » Successor to Slain Iran General Faces Same Fate If He Kills Americans: U.S. EnvoyBy Reuters, Thursday, January 23, 2020 7:30 AM“This isn’t a new threat.” More Comments » ‘Mexico Doesn’t Want Us’: Migrants Get Stuck at Mexico-Guatemala BorderBy Reuters, Thursday, January 23, 2020 7:25 AM“But now it’s changed because Mexicans don’t want (us) to enter.” More Comments » World Leaders Gather in Jerusalem for Auschwitz Liberation AnniversaryBy Reuters, Thursday, January 23, 2020 7:24 AMDozens of world leaders gathered in Jerusalem. More Comments » Democrats Dismiss the Possibility of Trading Witnesses in Senate Trial: This Isn’t ‘Fantasy Football Trade’By Bradley Cortright, Wednesday, January 22, 2020 2:53 PM“Witnesses should have something to do with and direct knowledge of the charges against the president.” More Comments »

You Might Like

THE FEDERALIST

Your daily update of new content from The Federalist
Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray
January 23, 2020
Why Jeff Bezos’s Claim That Saudi Arabia Hacked His Phone Is RidiculousBy Jordan Schachtel
Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s most powerful and richest men, is levelling severe allegations against the Saudis, and once again, he has nothing to show for them.
Full article6 Democratic Senators To Watch In Impeachment TrialBy Mollie Hemingway
The media keep suggesting it’s Republicans who might switch sides, but here are some Democrats who might not want to side with Adam Schiff’s weak impeachment effort.
Full articleDid Saving Sex For Marriage Help Propel Tim Tebow’s Success?By Justin McClinton
Tebow, famous athlete and virgin, understood he wouldn’t find fulfillment in casual sex. Funny Twitter memes aside, young men can learn from his example.
Full articleFrom Podcasts To Books To Music, 15 Ways To Dive Deeper Into The ‘Mister Rogers’ RenaissanceBy Josh Shepherd
As a songwriter and storyteller, theologian and educator, family man and public figure, Fred Rogers should be known for much more than wearing a red cardigan.
Full articleTrue-Life Drama With A-List Cast Honors Heroes Who Gave ‘The Last Full Measure’By Josh Shepherd
In “Last Full Measure,” top Marvel actors Sebastian Stan and Samuel L. Jackson lead a star-studded cast in a Vietnam War drama that spotlights how much military families give their nation.
Full articleWhy Conflict With Iran Over Iraq Can’t End Until America WithdrawsBy Willis L. Krumholz
Instead of playing politics, Washington must realize that risking the lives of American forces in a gamble to reduce Iranian influence in Iraq isn’t worth it and may be self-defeating.
Full articleA Closer Look At The Iraqi Immigrant Woman Challenging Rep. Ilhan OmarBy Erielle Davidson
Baghdad-born Dalia al-Aqidi says Rep. Illhan Omar ‘supports Islamists and enemies of America and Israel, and there are no exceptions.’
Full articleWhat Congress Can Learn From Wisconsin About How To Fix FISA CorruptionBy Tom Tiffany
When we learned about the vast abuses by state government officials, I worked with my legislative colleagues, including Democrats, to end it.
Full articleAmericans Need To Stop Hurrying Young People Into Student Debt SlaveryBy Neetu Arnold
Above all, we must give high schoolers personalized post-secondary educational recommendations before they get caught in the quagmire of student debt.
Full article‘Yes, Minister’ Shows The Foibles Of The Deep StateBy Christopher Jacobs
In illustrating examples of bureaucratic connivance and mismanagement, ‘Yes Minister’ provided generations of viewers much enjoyment and a subtle way of holding government to account.
Full articleDonald Trump Will Be The First President To Attend The March For LifeBy Tristan Justice
Last year, Vice President Mike Pence paid a surprise visit to the protest while Trump addressed the crowd by video.
Full articleAdam Schiff Is Already Claiming The Illegitimacy Of A Trump ReelectionBy David Marcus
The general election is still 9 months away but that didn’t stop Adam Schiff from saying it will be corrupt if Trump is acquitted.
Full articleJoy Behar Is Right: Sunny Hostin Is Not Actually Pro-LifeBy Chrissy Clark
Two days before the March for Life in Washington D.C., “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin reclaimed her status as a pro-life supporter.
Full articleCNN Makes Most Perfect CNN Hire In HistoryBy Tristan Justice
Less than a week after CNN complained about one of its reporters being called a “liberal hack,” CNN hired a liberal hack in John Harwood.
Full articleNearly 50 Years After Roe, 65% Of Americans Want A Candidate Who Supports Significant Abortion RestrictionsBy Kylee Zempel
While today’s left and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates endlessly strive to out-progressive each other on abortion policy, a new poll reveals bipartisan support for abortion restrictions.
Full articleWhy This Eagles Fan Is Rooting For Andy ReidBy David Marcus
Two years ago my beloved Eagles got the Super Bowl monkey off their back. Now I hope their long time coach Andy Reid can do it too.
Full articleBiden Campaign Features Ukrainian Activist Who Previously Accused Hunter Biden Of CorruptionBy Tristan Justice
Joe Biden’s campaign released a new video Tuesday night featuring a corruption activist who criticized Hunter Biden’s business in the country as “very bad.”
Full articleTulsi Gabbard Is Suing Hillary Clinton For Defamation Over ‘Russian Asset’ CommentsBy Tristan Justice
Hawaii congresswoman and Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Hillary Clinton over the former secretary of state calling Gabbard a Russian asset.
Full article

CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Given the ultimate outcome, the New York Times’s decision to make an unprecedented reality show out of their endorsement process this year seems all the more ridiculous. http://vlt.tc/3v1l Here we have the most powerful old media entity in the country, at the peak of heightened access to any of the candidates for 2020, and after all that, they couldn’t make up their minds? But if failure is a choice, it seems clear that this choice was motivated by being caught between a rock and a hard place – what the Democratic partisan traditionalists at the Times wanted to send as a message, and what they know their readers want to see from the Times after several years of increasing dissatisfaction with their handful of intransigent centrists.

Read more of The Transom by signing up for a free trial today.

follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend
Copyright © 2020 The Federalist, All rights reserved.

unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

REALCLEARPOLITICS

01/23/2020Share: Carl Cannon’s Morning NoteSidelined Sanders; Shielded Schiff? Poll Tax

Good morning. It’s Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020. Six years ago, President Obama received the findings of a special commission that examined how to improve voting practices and ballot access in this country. The panel’s report reminded Americans that democracy is not a finished product, but a work in progress — and that, to retain it, we must keep strengthening it.A half-century earlier — 56 years ago today — the people of the United States took a huge step in that direction by ratifying the 24^th Amendment to the Constitution, which outlawed the dreaded poll tax.“Today, the United States witnesses the triumph of liberty over restriction,” President Johnson proclaimed at a subsequent White House ceremony. “Today, the people of this land have … reaffirmed the simple but unbreakable theme of this republic: Nothing is so valuable as liberty, and nothing is so necessary to liberty as the freedom to vote without bans or barriers.”I’ll have more on the poll tax in a moment. First, I’d point you to RealClearPolitics’ front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion pieces spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters, columnists, and contributors, including the following:* * *Gagged in the Senate, Sanders Suffers Rivals’ Slings. Impeachment jury duty has sidelined the current runner-up in Democratic presidential polls, making him easy prey for competitors, writes Phil Wegmann. Media Keep Giving Adam Schiff the Benefit of a Doubt. Mark Hemingway lays out his own evidence.Suing California to Produce a State Checkbook. Andrew Andrzejewski explains why his group, Open the Books, is pressing Golden State officials to show how they’re spending $320 billion in taxpayer money.Soft-on-Crime Liberals Are Ruining America’s Greatest Cities. Bernard Kerik blames Democratic policymakers for allowing violent offenders back on the streets.New Terrorism in the Wake of Withdrawal. In RealClearDefense, Faith Stewart warns of dire consequences if the U.S. pulls out of Afghanistan.Exxon Isn’t the Oil User — You Are. In RealClearEnergy, Jude Clemente discusses an often ignored fact: CO2 isn’t emitted in a socioeconomic vacuum.Counting the Homeless, Searching for Solutions. In RealClearPolicy, David Lucas emphasizes the importance of the upcoming census tally.Stephen Schwarzman’s Spectacular “What It Takes.” John Tamny’s reviews the Blackstone Group founder’s new book.Why Does Tylenol Kill Snakes? RealClearScience editor Ross Pomeroy explores the solution to Guam’s problem with an overpopulation of brown tree snakes.* * *Today, the term “poll tax” is used as shorthand for barriers that blocked Southern blacks from voting. It’s true that this was its basic and nefarious purpose. But it was not its only one. The tax also prevented many poor whites from voting. This, too, was part of its original aim — the idea being that white sharecroppers and former slaves be prevented from finding common purpose at the ballot box.The poll taxes weren’t usually expensive, typically ranging from $1 to $3 per year, but this could be a significant sum for a tenant farmer, especially since they were often applied retroactively. For instance, if a 45-year-old citizen wanted to vote for the first time, authorities might tell him he was required to pay the tax for every year since he turned 21.“Do you know I’ve never voted in my life, never been able to exercise my right as a citizen because of the poll tax?” a white Georgian identified as “Mr. Trout” told a Works Progress Administration interviewer named Homer L. Pike.Voting participation in Florida dropped nearly 70% after the poll tax was enacted in 1889. In the 20^th century, a state legislator named Spessard Holland made it his mission to change the law. Holland spearheaded the herculean efforts required to abolish Florida’s poll tax, which was accomplished in 1936.An all-around athlete at Emory College who went to law school at the University of Florida, Holland was already a junior partner at a prestigious law firm before graduating from law school. He had also been accepted as a Rhodes scholar. Before he could accept that appointment, World War I intervened. Spessard Holland went to Europe, but as a combat soldier in the Army Air Corps, not as a student. After the war, he returned home and entered politics.He served in the state legislature in Tallahassee, was elected governor, and was then sent by Floridians — at least those who could vote — to the U.S. Senate. In Washington, he continued his crusade against the poll tax. Beginning in 1949, he offered a constitutional amendment to abolish it six times. He was so identified with this cause that on Capitol Hill and in the press that the measure to repeal the poll tax was simply known as “the Holland Amendment.”His seventh effort, in 1959, signaled a shift in the winds. That year, Holland’s amendment attracted 52 co-sponsors, including Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson, who predicted passage and ratification by the states. Almost alone among Southern Democrats, Johnson had declined to sign the so-called “Southern Manifesto” drafted in 1954 by Strom Thurmond and Richard Russell as a protest against Brown v. Board of Education. Holland had signed it, and yet he was the driving force against a pernicious practice that had been used to essentially disenfranchise Southern blacks.By the time the Holland Amendment became the 24^th Amendment, Lyndon Baines Johnson was president. Two weeks after ratification, Johnson discussed the poll tax repeal at the White House, delivering some words of caution that reverberate to our time.“There can be no one too poor to vote,” LBJ said on that winter’s day in 1964. “The only enemy to voting that we face today is indifference. Too many of our citizens treat casually what other people in other lands are ready to die for.” Carl M. Cannon
Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics
@CarlCannon (Twitter)
ccannon@realclearpolitics.com

Having trouble viewing this email? | [Unsubscribe] | Update Subscription Preferences

Copyright © 2020 RealClearHoldings, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email becuase you opted in at our website.

Our mailing address is:
RealClearHoldings666 Dundee RoadBldg. 600Northbrook, IL 60062
Add us to your address book

NOQ REPORT

NOQ Report Daily

Mainstream media isn’t covering impeachment. They’re participating in the Democrats’ endgame.Posted: 23 Jan 2020 04:35 AM PSTFact: There is zero chance the President will be removed from office by the Senate. Even if a handful of RINOs vote with the Democrats, it won’t be anywhere near the 2/3rd threshold for removal. Democrats know this. Mainstream media knows this. Most Americans know this. The only people who don’t know this are the same semi-political citizens who rant on Twitter after failing civics class.If this trial has a foregone conclusion, why is so much emphasis being put into it by Democrats? This is where the dishonesty of the left comes into play. The impeachment trial and the House impeachment hearings that preceded it aren’t a demonstration of the party’s unwillingness to face the facts. It’s a way to “do” something “productive” without having to do their actual job, and in “doing” something they’re being granted a large platform by the media to deliver their campaign pitch.That’s all this is. The impeachment trial is a campaign pitch against all Republicans in DC. They will paint the President as someone who believes he’s above the law and if he can’t be removed by impeachment, he must be removed by voters. They will paint Republicans in Congress as complicit in the latest impeachment buzzword: “Coverup.” And they will paint anyone who supports President Trump, the GOP, or both as misguided and unworthy of their voter registration.If you were mad that they’re trying to remove the President with falsely conceived Articles of Impeachment, you should be absolutely furious that they’re actually using this whole debacle as a campaign too. They are manipulating a willing mainstream media establishment and an unwilling electorate into pretending like impeachment is more than a Democratic sales pitch ahead of the general election. Their endgame isn’t an impossible Senate removal of the President. Their endgame is to indoctrinate enough voters into believing their impeachment narrative.As devious and immoral as their actions are, do we really blame them? Their candidates are terrible. All of them. The economy is soaring. Foreign affairs victories are coming in rapidly and in some cases inexplicably. One of President Trump’s favorite phrases on the 2016 campaign trail was that we’d be so successful with him in the Oval Office that “you may even get tired of winning.”Sadly, the Democrats are definitely tired of America winning so much in the last three years. It’s telling that they actually have to hope America is less successful so they have something other than bombastic Tweets and harmless calls with world leaders to complain about regarding the President.Impeachment is their only viable play. They have a tough road ahead if they hope to take control of the Senate as the map is not favorable. There are as many blue seats that could flip to red as there are red seats that could flip to blue. This is why it’s so important for them to play the “coverup” card. It’s also why vulnerable Republicans like Susan Collins and Cory Gardner need to disregard calls for them to oppose Senate leadership during the impeachment trial. If they lose Republican support, it will be much worse for them than having to contend with backlash over supporting the President during impeachment.Mainstream media has presupposed the outcome of this trial. They aren’t covering for the sake of anything newsworthy. They’re doing everything they can to spin this into a pro-Democrat campaign event. They will highlight everything negative they can find about the President. This is standard operating procedure for them whether there’s an impeachment trial or not. But they will also use their reach to ingrain the “coverup” narrative into as many people as possible so they can help Democrats win in Congress as well. This is why we’re dedicating all donations during the impeachment trial to pushing truthful stories forward to the masses. The American people need to know exactly what’s happening, here.This impeachment trial is a made-for-television drama with Senators as the live studio audience. It’s an extended anti-Trump and anti-GOP infomercial for Democrats to make their case for November’s election. The media is pretending it’s real for dramatic effect.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Mainstream media isn’t covering impeachment. They’re participating in the Democrats’ endgame. appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

‘Enhanced interrogation’ creator James Mitchell loses no sleepPosted: 23 Jan 2020 03:32 AM PSTAs the trial for suspected 9/11 masterminds prepares to get underway next year, testimony is already being collected to help determine whether people like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed are guilty of initiating the worst terrorist even in U.S. history. One witness at Guantanamo Bay right now is James Mitchell, a psychologist credited with developing the “enhanced interrogation” techniques used during the war on terror.Whether one agrees with Mitchell’s techniques or not, his testimony reveals that his motivations were sound. The people being tortured were actively engaged in attempting to kill Americans before they were captured and the techniques used to extract intelligence from them was warranted in Mitchell’s opinion.Love this guy:“I’d get up today and do it again. I thought my moral duty to protect American lives outweighed the feelings of discomfort of terrorists who voluntarily took up arms against us. To me it just seemed like it would be dereliction of my moral responsibilities.” https://t.co/RQZ6IbjUwS— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 23, 2020Congress found the techniques to go overboard. They questioned the efficacy of their use. Many in the military frown on tactics such as waterboarding. But those who believe in them, like James Mitchell, believe they helped save American lives.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post ‘Enhanced interrogation’ creator James Mitchell loses no sleep appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Paul Washer on renewing your mindPosted: 23 Jan 2020 03:12 AM PSTAs Christians, we often get caught up in the politics of the faith. No, I don’t mean American politics or anything that’s happening in Washington DC. I mean the ongoing battle against heretical teaching that’s continuing to mislead so many Americans into walking down a dark path they’re told is a path towards the light.Pastor Paul Washer is one who has been singled out for attacks. But here and now, any feelings we may have towards him, if any at all, should be dismissed for one hour as you listen to this exceptional sermon. It’s an important one that highlights one of American Christianity’s biggest problems: acceptance of the world.It disturbs me when I see on one hand someone condemning abortion or premarital sex, then on the other hand they criticize calls to end pornography. I had plenty of rebukes for that article, and none of them were from people who claimed to be progressives. It was self-proclaimed Christian conservatives who took the most umbrage from that article.We have learned to accept too much as a society, acknowledging rightfully that our sins are forgiven when we believe on our Lord and Savior and repent but then continuing on in our depraved ways. As true believers in Christ, we must not allow the world to take us away from our home in Him.This sermon delivers the wake-up call that many of us need. Is faith about going to church on Sunday? No. We are to be Christians seven days a week without exception. We cannot put down our faith to play in this world, for we will be corrupted invariably.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Paul Washer on renewing your mind appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Jailed for Tweets: UMN student Luo Daiqing is experiencing the totalitarian insanity of ChinaPosted: 23 Jan 2020 02:40 AM PSTIn the United States, we often lament the censorship that is committed by Big Tech companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Google. But our concerns are infinitesimal compared to the suppression of thought and Draconian policies the people of China face. University of Minnesota student Luo Daiqing is learning about this first-hand after being sentenced to six months in prison over unflattering Tweets about Chinese President Xi Jinping.While studying in the U.S., Luo created a Twitter account that has since been deleted. Was he Tweeting manifestos opposing communism or calls for revolution? No. He was Tweeting memes and cartoons that weren’t flattering to President. Here are a couple of the things he retweeted:有人把小米之家展示的手機桌面全換成這個，我快笑死 pic.twitter.com/M0bu1dmU32— 即物哀觀 (@lunkertw) April 16, 2019弄了幾張墻內也能安心使用的limburger圖 pic.twitter.com/WhRBw1vq9G— L’étranger1111 (@REQWWER111) October 18, 2018Lest we forget, Twitter is blocked in China. While it’s true that many circumvent the block, the number of Chinese citizens who may have seen Luo’s Tweets is tiny. He isn’t a public figure or a popular opposition personality. He’s a young adult who was studying in the United States and Tweeting nothing of major consequence. For that, he was incarcerated and will continue to serve a six-month term, forever labeled as a felon in his homeland. One of his biggest crimes, as noted in court documents, was the Tweet above that morphed Winnie the Pooh into a Xi version. Winnie the Pooh is not welcome in Communist China.Senator Ben Sasse called for his release:The Chinese Communist Party ought to release Luo Daiqing immediately, and the University of Minnesota ought to give him a full-ride scholarship. Don’t forget that the Chinese Communist Party has banned Twitter, so the only people who even saw these tweets were the goons charged with monitoring Chinese citizens while they’re enjoying freedom here in the United States. This is what ruthless and paranoid totalitarianism looks like.Outrageous. Arrested there for tweets here.
The USG must do a better job of explaining v explicitly the dangers the CCP poses to Americans. https://t.co/EKISuGDlAq— Rebeccah Heinrichs (@RLHeinrichs) January 23, 2020 #china escalates its efforts to shut down free speech in America https://t.co/LFMwbEPIeY— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) January 23, 2020China’s implementation of their social credit score, which is creeping its way around the world and into the United States, combined with the party’s renewed insistence on keeping the population submissive mean anything that is perceived by the party as critical will likely result in prosecution and prison time. As Axios noted, Luo’s case represents a broadening of their enforcement of their new totalitarian laws.A University of Minnesota student has been arrested in China and sentenced to six months in prison for tweets he posted while in the United States, according to a Chinese court document viewed by Axios. Some of the tweets contained images deemed to be unflattering portrayals of a “national leader.”Why it matters: The case represents a dramatic escalation of the Chinese government’s attempts to shut down free speech abroad, and a global expansion of a Chinese police campaign a year ago to track down Twitter users in China who posted content critical of the Chinese government.People like Mike Bloomberg, Lebron James, and other China apologists will remain silent about the Communist Party’s actions. Be wary of those who refuse to see that China’s policies oppose freedom of thought, as they may want to bring those policies here.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Jailed for Tweets: UMN student Luo Daiqing is experiencing the totalitarian insanity of China appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

CNN’s Joe Lockhart makes up Senate GOP ‘convo.’ Conservatives bring down the hammer.Posted: 22 Jan 2020 04:13 PM PSTCNN political analyst Joe Lockhart had a viral Tweet today. To many of the thousands who liked and retweeted him, the conversation he pretended to overhear from Senate Republicans at the impeachment trial represented their delusional hope. It was a scathing rebuke of the echo chamber the left often believes Republicans exist in to perpetuate their conservative worldview.Overheard convo between two Republican Senators who only watch Fox News. “is this stuff real? I haven’t heard any of this before. I thought it was all about a server. If half the stuff Schiff is saying is true, we’re up shit’s creek. Hope the White House has exculpatory evidence— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) January 22, 2020The Tweet immediately took off as those cheering on the House Democrats today in the Senate read his post and believed it. Never mind that it was as far-fetched as a Monty Python storyline. They believed it because they wanted to believe it. They suspended disbelief willfully in hopes that their ultimate goal – the removal of President Trump from office – could actually be happening.It was, of course, fake. Lockhart admitted it 9 minutes later, an eternity in Twitter time. At that point it had already triggered Twitter’s amplification algorithm and was being presented in tens of thousands of feeds. The original Tweet is currently at 5,000 retweets. The admission that it was fake is under 500.Conservatives on Twitter reacted harshly.Did I tell you the one about the CNN analyst who spread a false narrative, watched it go viral, then waited 10 minutes to admit he made it all up?This is the bullshit that discredits news organizations.— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) January 22, 2020Of course Jennifer Rubin retweeted this. She’s the Queen of Fake news.— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) January 22, 2020And then you tweeted you made this up.
Question: Why do you people get upset when we call you #FakeNews & you poll lower than Congress? It’s really weird when you question AMERICANS when we get upset about lies— SeldenGADawgs (@SeldenGADawgs) January 22, 2020If you gave a crap that people took it seriously and had an ounce of integrity you’d delete it— Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) January 22, 2020Here’s the biggest problem with fake news like this. People will take him seriously. It’s a common tactic used almost exclusively by the left to make false, outrageous statements to get maximum exposure, then retract or correct them later, at which point the correction gets next to zero exposure. Lockhart took the “just kidding” route. It’s this type of despicable move that reinforces our contention that most mainstream media outlets really are just fake news. In fact, his false satire was called out by the undisputed kings of conservative satire, the Babylon Bee.Leave the satire to us; we’ll leave the fake news to you.— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) January 22, 2020What Joe Lockhart did was a microcosm of how mainstream media operates today. Fake news is ugly in all of its forms, but Lockhart’s maneuver is exceptionally disgraceful. Nevertheless, he’ll feel no shame.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post CNN’s Joe Lockhart makes up Senate GOP ‘convo.’ Conservatives bring down the hammer. appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Will someone please take Lolo Jones on a date?Posted: 22 Jan 2020 03:18 PM PSTHurdler. Bobsledder. Christian. 37-year-old virgin. Olympian Lolo Jones is a very rare person in a society that promotes promiscuity and premarital sex. Now, she’s regretting her decision to go public with her chastity.Lolo Jones’ candid virginity talk has backfired on dates“That was a mistake,” Jones said. “That killed all my dates after that. Didn’t even have a chance, before I at least had a chance.”Jones, who has been candid about her decision to remain abstinent until marriage, also disclosed her previous plan of action when it came to sharing private information.“Before I’d tiptoe, like, ‘OK, when is a good time to tell him? Do I wait until he sees my personality a little bit, or do I just drop the bomb?’” she said.It may not be my place to say this, but I’m so proud of her. Even as she struggles with her love life, she’s doing so knowing the right person will come along. It’s impossible for him not to considering her beauty, faith, and renown. She just has to be patient.As a Christian, stories like Lolo Jones’ are inspiring. It gives us hope that the debauchery and false gods so prevalent in American society cannot latch onto us all. Our nation needs inspiring people like Jones as role models for our children.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Will someone please take Lolo Jones on a date? appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Impeachment analysis: Adam Schiff is still a liarPosted: 22 Jan 2020 02:06 PM PST“Bluster and showmanship.” That’s what a progressive pundit told me during the House impeachment inquiry to justify why House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff was playing hardball against both fellow Republicans in the House as well as the President’s counsel. “It’s his show for now, but he’ll switch to the facts alone once he’s a House Manager, and I assure you he will be.”My friend was correct. Schiff was chosen as one of the House Managers for the Senate trial. But where she was clearly mistaken – and possibly why she’s suddenly not answering any of my texts – was in her assertion that as a House Manager, Schiff would turn on “attorney mode,” as she put it, to deliver an evidential argument for President Trump to be removed from office.Schiff would stop quoting hearsay testimony as first-hand knowledge, she said. No, he hasn’t. Schiff would work under the Constitutional presumption of innocence while trying to prove President Trump guilty, she said. Again, no, he’s not. But the most significant inaccuracy in my progressive friend’s prognostications was that Schiff would stop lying. He absolutely, positively hasn’t stopped doing that. In fact, he seems to be doubling down in front of the Senate.Or, to be more explanatory of the actual situation, Schiff is doubling down in front of the wider television audience he’s currently enjoying on Day 2 of the impeachment trial.Whether he’s lying about Lev Parnas and the so-called “wrong Mr. Z,” the whistleblower who Schiff still claims he’s never even met, or Gordon Sondland’s testimony which unambiguously stated he never heard that the President made the Ukrainian aid conditional on a quid pro quo, Schiff is boldly lying directly to the American people. The Senate is just there as a live studio audience. That last lie is telling because in Schiff’s opening arguments today, he invoked Sondland repeatedly.Another important lie is that Schiff continues to pretend like the House impeachment process was fair while the Senate’s is not. This, folks, is projection. The President’s counsel wasn’t allowed to participate until the final seven days of a 78-day process. By the time they were even allowed to see evidence, the fact-finding process had concluded. The President’s team was only allowed to participate in the House Judiciary Committee’s portion in which legal scholars, not so-called fact-witnesses, were called to testify.None of this is about impeachment. Not really. Impeachment is the backdrop for Democrats to make a 2020 election case against the President. That’s it. Nothing more.There’s an old joke that goes, “How can you tell when Adam Schiff is lying? His lips are moving.” We can add an addendum to the joke after watching the impeachment debacle so far. How do you know a process is corrupt? Adam Schiff is involved.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Impeachment analysis: Adam Schiff is still a liar appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

The authoritarian left does not believe in human rights. They think government GRANTS and contains your rights.Posted: 22 Jan 2020 12:14 PM PSTThe video we are presenting is from someone who considers themselves to be a ‘moderate,’ who is looking at the actions of the left with a fair amount of alarm. The headline is a slight modification to the title of the video because the authoritarian left is no longer ‘democratic’. Similarly, they are no longer ‘progressive’ or ‘liberal’ by any sense of those words.Someone from this site could have easily written that title simply because we are all on the same page in the fight to conserve liberty. It should be noted that in the first of the #Expose2020 videos from Project Veritas, one of the Bernie Sanders campaign staffers made the statement that “Liberals Get the F***ing Wall First.”We on the pro-liberty right tend to repeat the same mistakes. Such as going along with the authoritarian left in obscuring the fight over freedom to as a debate over inanimate objects bereft of rights. Here, it’s an issue of lumping everyone with a label that begins with the letter ‘l’ in one group when this is hardly the case. The eminent commentator Dennis Prager has made this point a number of times – that leftists and liberals are two distinct groups and it is a severe mistake to treat them as the same.Proving the left doesn’t believe in liberty, democracy, progress or basic human rightsDespite the fact that tens of thousands peacefully rallied for the conservation of human rights in Richmond this week, to the great disappointment of the national socialist media, ‘democrats’ in the Old Dominion are going to ignore the wishes of the people and impose their liberty-free vision on the state anyway.This is more than an issue of ‘safety’ or guns, but of liberty itself such as the hideous example of gun confiscation swatting with so-called ‘red flag laws’. Their tyrannical desires are now expanding to free speech with newly proposed law that will criminalize criticism of the ruling class of Virginia.The authoritarian left is also ignoring the presumption of innocence with the impeachment trial. They’ve blithely decided to turn centuries of precedent on it’s head, demanding that president Trump prove his innocence as pointed out in the video.One could easily add concerns about the 2nd, 4th and 5th Amendments to the concerns about the authoritarian left in connection to the impeachment trial and the 1st Amendment. The false pretense of the left begins with the flattering words they use for themselves and ends in their actions that trample on the unalienable human rights of the people.Let us also not forget that leftists also want to impose their ancient precepts of collectivism on the country at gunpoint, whereby creating the need for their ‘services’ by ruining the economy in the process.That the authoritarian socialist left would want to do all of these things is no surprise to those of us on this site. We have been documenting their deprivations of democracy for years now. They are barely holding onto the mask obscuring their desire for a ruling elite that will run the lives of everyone else.Finally, we should note that the ancient ideas of their ideology are long past their prime, hardly something that is ‘progressive’. They want to impose – at gunpoint – an ideology that has been a failure for over 400 years.The bottom-line: The authoritarian left is doing evil because it thinks it’s doing goodWe prefaced this article with the quote from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn to make a point. Self-rationalization of any action or cause is a failing in everyone. We on the pro-liberty right are subject to this hazard as well. However, there is a key difference between our approaches to governance.We seek to limit the power of government – even if it limits our power in the process – because we know that our wisdom is lacking in scope. This is why we are called conservatives. It’s not just a matter of conserving liberty, but of keeping what works and discarding what doesn’t.In contrast, the authoritarian left seeks power because they are under the false impression that they are doing good. Whether its’ saving the planet or saving the children, they have convinced themselves that any means justifies our end.The authoritarian left never questions whether their ideas are functional. They don’t care that their ancient ideas of collectivism have never worked. Leftists just parrot an excuse or dodge the issue and move on to do the same thing over and over again.They don’t care that their restrictions on liberty never work. They just parrot an excuse or dodge the question and double down on the same thing. The founding fathers had an unequivocal reason to limit the power of the government. The ongoing insanity of the authoritarian left illustrates this perfectly.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post The authoritarian left does not believe in human rights. They think government GRANTS and contains your rights. appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Mike Lee isn’t impressed with the Democrats’ impeachment casePosted: 22 Jan 2020 11:41 AM PSTAs the House Managers deliver their opening arguments for impeachment in the Senate trial, Senators aren’t allowed to talk. They can’t use their mobile devices. All they can do is watch and take notes. Considering they’re hearing mostly from Adam Schiff, we should feel sorry for all of them.Senator Mike Lee had some thoughts on the case the Democrats have presented so far. He noted the unnecessary delay in the delivery of the Articles of Impeachment. He pointed out the requests by House Managers for more witnesses. But perhaps the most insulting part so far is listening to them berate the Senate, the President, and his team.After 33 days of delay managers argued this was urgent. After hearing from 17 witnesses managers said they need more. After hours of speeches managers insulted the President, his counsel, and the Senate itself. I am taking notes and am unimpressed. https://t.co/AdHRXkPJB0— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 22, 2020The entire impeachment debacle may be the pinnacle of three years of unhinged actions by Democrats on Capitol Hill. Considering the Kavanaugh confirmation and Mueller testimony happened in that time, it says a lot that impeachment may be worse.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Mike Lee isn’t impressed with the Democrats’ impeachment case appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

President Trump on Jerry Nadler: ‘He’s a sleazebag. Everyone knows that.’Posted: 22 Jan 2020 09:08 AM PSTWhen House Manager Jerry Nadler and Defense Counsel Pat Cipollone got into a dust up on the first day of the impeachment trial, everyone here at NOQ Report knew President Trump would be asked about it. We expected the President to tout the skills and passion of Cipollone and to lambaste Nadler.We didn’t expect his counter-attack to be so hilarious. While taking questions at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the President was asked about Nadler. Turning Point USA Chief Creative Officer Benny Johnson noted the quote-worthy part of President Trump’s answer on Twitter:TRUMP: “Nadler, I’ve known him a long time, he’s a sleazebag, everyone knows that” pic.twitter.com/jVmB7gYBMr— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 22, 2020There are many reasons to hate the impeachment debacle as it already seems to be dragging on after only one full day. But if there’s good news, it’s that we can expect the President to be on his A-game with counter-attacks against the Democrats.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post President Trump on Jerry Nadler: ‘He’s a sleazebag. Everyone knows that.’ appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

You are subscribed to email updates from NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

Attachments areaPreview YouTube video Lolo Jones Talks Virginity: Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (March 2013)Lolo Jones Talks Virginity: Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (March 2013)

REDSTATE

CNN Analyst Admits Inventing ‘Convo’ He Overheard Between Republican Senators

READ STORY

Greta Thunberg Told to Study Economics by U.S. Treasury Secretary Before Lecturing Anyone.

    READ STORY    About the Adam Schiff and Ed Buck Photo Rumor…

    READ STORY    People Are Zaprudering a Video That Appears to Show Chuck Schumer Gesture to … an Invisible Person (Watch)

    READ STORY    New: Colleagues Overheard Eric Ciaramella, Alleged Whistleblower, Sean Misko Discuss How to Remove Trump from Office

    READ STORY

Obama Administration v Human Nature – Oops, I Mean Oracle

    READ STORY    California Loses Two State-Sponsored Residents: a Pair of Child Molesters Get Murdered Behind Bars

    READ STORY    Opinion: Buttigieg — Trading on Military Service

    READ STORY    SCOTUS Takes a Blow Torch to Democrat Plans to Make Obamacare a Doomsday Issue in 2020

    READ STORY

This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this newsletter on the RedState.com network OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately.

Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions

You can unsubscribe by clicking here.

Or Send postal mail to:
RedState Unsubscribe
1735 N. Lynn St – Suite 510, Arlington, VA 22209

* Copyright RedState and its Content Providers.
All rights reserved.

NBC

From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Carrie Dann. FIRST READ: Dems hammer home impeachment case in an argument that’s (finally) uninterruptedThe evidence in the Ukraine scandal has been in plain sight for months, as we wrote when the impeachment inquiry first began in late September.

But what the House Democratic impeachment managers did on Wednesday – in their opening arguments of the Senate impeachment trial – was tell an uninterrupted story about the actions by President Trump and his administration.

And it sets a high bar for the defense, when the president’s lawyers begin their counterarguments on Saturday.Senate Television via APThe president of the United States asked a foreign leader to investigate a political rival. (“Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it … It sounds horrible to me,” Trump said to Ukraine’s Zelenskiy in that July 25 phone call.)

The president also asked the same leader to look into a conspiracy that Ukraine – not Russia – interfered in the 2016 presidential election. (“I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike.”)

The administration linked a White House visit by Zelenskiy to Ukraine undertaking those desired investigations. (“Was there a ‘quid pro quo?’ As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes,” E.U. Ambassador Gordon Sondland told Congress.)

It also held up security aid to Ukraine that Congress had already passed. (“I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,” Bill Taylor, the State Department’s top official in Ukraine, told Sondland on Sept. 9.)

The president’s acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, admitted the administration held up the aid in order for Ukraine to investigate what happened in 2016. (“The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that he was worried about in corruption with that nation. And that is absolutely appropriate,” Mulvaney told reporters on Oct. 17.)

And the aid to Ukraine was finally released on Sept. 11 – two days after three House committees launch an investigation into the Ukraine matter.

It’s a damning set of facts and statements.

Then again, it’s Republican votes to convict – and not the facts – that will ultimately decide President Trump’s fate.DATA DOWNLOAD: And the number of the day is… 51 percent 51 percent.

That’s the share of Americans who say that the Senate impeachment trial should end in President Trump’s removal from office, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Forty-six percent say the outcome of the trial should be Trump remaining in office.

The same poll also found that majorities of Americans believe that Trump has probably or definitely done things while campaigning or serving in office that are illegal (63 percent) and unethical (70 percent.)What’s in that Pence-Zelenskiy call?At the end of last night’s session, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts gave the U.S. senators a homework assignment.

“John Roberts noted that a ‘single one-page classified document’ identified by the House managers for filing with the Secretary of the Senate would not be made part of the public record or printed, ‘but shall be made available’ to senators to review in a classified setting,” the Wall Street Journal writes.

That classified document APPEARS to be connected to this, as Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., explained last night: “And September is the month where Mike Pence and Zelenskiy were on the phone, and [Pence aide] Jennifer Williams has classified information to share with you that I hope you’ll take a look at because it is relevant to these issues.”

What’s in that Pence-Zelenskiy call?Impeachment trial update: Day 2 for the prosecutionNBC’s Kasie Hunt and the NBC Capitol Hill team say that today’s focus by the Democratic House impeachment managers will be making the case that President Trump abused his power in the Ukraine matter – and how that’s a high crime and misdemeanor.

“We will go through the law, the Constitution, and how it pertains to the president’s abuse of power,” Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., previewed last night.

That begins at 1:00 pm ET.

Where are we?
This past Tuesday: procedural jousting over the organizing resolution; rules passed around 2:00 am ET
Yesterday: prosecution opening arguments, 8 hours
Today: prosecution, 8 hours
Friday: prosecution, 8 hours
Saturday: White House defense, 8 hours
Sunday: off
Monday: White House defense, 8 hours
Tuesday: White House defense, 8 hours
Wednesday: Senators’ questions
Thursday: Senators’ questions
Friday: Senators’ questions
Saturday: Vote on witnesses?
Sunday: off
Monday: Iowa caucuses
Tuesday: State of the UnionTWEET OF THE DAY: R-E-S-P-E-C-T2020 VISION: Making sense of the new pollsA national CNN poll has Bernie Sanders ahead!

No, Monmouth’s national survey still has Joe Biden in the lead!

What those polls tell us – in addition to the early-state polls we’ve seen – is that the Dem race is starting to consolidate around BOTH Biden and Sanders. (Folks, the separation between both men is within the margin of error of both polls.)

They also tell us that Elizabeth Warren has lost altitude, while Pete Buttigieg has flatlined.

And Amy Klobuchar looks like she’s going to have a hard time getting to 15 percent – the viability threshold in Iowa, as well as the minimum level to win delegates.On the campaign trail today: Pete Buttigieg addresses the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting in DC before heading to South Carolina… Julian Castro campaigns for Elizabeth Warren in Iowa… Michael Moore does the same for Bernie Sanders in the Hawkeye State… Andrew Yang holds multiple town halls in Iowa… Michael Bloomberg is in Minnesota… And Tulsi Gabbard and Deval Patrick stump in New Hampshire.
Dispatches from NBC’s campaign embeds: After over a week of failed attempts from the press corps to get Joe Biden to talk about potentially testifying at the Senate’s impeachment trial, NBC’s Marianna Sotomayor reports from Iowa that a man from Arizona did just that: “During the Osage town hall, Biden was asked whether he would consider testifying before the Senate in exchange for witnesses from the Trump administration. ‘Have you ever thought of just calling their bluff and maybe even you and your son [testifying]? And that might take the gas right out of them,’ Steve Delgado asked Biden.

‘I don’t think they got much gas in the tank to begin with,’ Biden said in a response that prompted the roughly 100 people present to laugh.

‘The reason why I would not make the deal, the bottom line is, this is a constitutional issue and we’re not gonna turn it into a farce, into some kind of political theater,’ Biden responded.”

And NBC’s Julia Jester reports that Tulsi Gabbard is still working out the details on her lawsuit against Hillary Clinton – namely, who’s paying for it. When Gabbard was asked “Is the lawsuit being paid for in funds from your campaign?” She answered, “I think that’s something that’s being worked out, and we’ll announce that once it’s finished.”Talking policy with BenjyJoe Biden defended his record on Social Security on Wednesday, an area where rivals Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have gone after him lately over his past interest in bipartisan deals to rein in entitlement spending, NBC’s Benjy Sarlin observes.

“No, no, no, no,” Biden said on Morning Joe when asked if he’d consider cutting Social Security. “We go back and look at statements, many of them, most of them taken out of context of 10, 20, 30, 35 years ago. It’s like my going back and pointing out how Bernie voted against the Brady bill five times while I was trying to get it passed,” he added.

Biden, like Warren and Sanders, has proposed expanding Social Security benefits in his 2020 run, but his history has made for one of the uglier intra-Democrat fights lately. The Sanders campaign, in a newsletter, started things off last week by misleadingly claiming a 2018 video of Biden showed him endorsing entitlement cuts in line with former Speaker Paul Ryan. (He appeared to be mocking Ryan instead).

But Sanders, whose campaign pressed ahead with Social Security attacks on Wednesday, has a point, too. Biden took pride in being a deficit hawk and called in the 1980s for a “freeze” on all spending, including Social Security. When he ran for president in 2007, he told then-“Meet The Press” host Tim Russert he’d consider changes like raising the retirement age for entitlement programs.

Biden wasn’t alone in this regard. For years, centrist Democrats and Republicans explored trading entitlement cuts for higher taxes, an idea that gained traction again while he was Vice President. As recently as 2013, President Obama offered to tie Social Security benefits to a less generous rate of inflation to woo Republicans into a grand bargain. (It didn’t work).

The backlash among Democrats — including Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren — to these and other bipartisan proposals helped push the party towards its current position, where cuts are largely off the table.THE LID: Margins for errorDon’t miss the pod from yesterday, when we tried to make sense of the latest dueling national polls.SHAMELESS PLUG: New ToddCastCheck out the latest Chuck ToddCast, when Iowa Democratic strategist Jeff Link joined Chuck to talk about the state of the Iowa race. Plus Washington Post White House Bureau Chief Phil Rucker and National Investigative Reporter Carol Leonnig spoke about their new book “A Very Stable Genius.”ICYMI: News clips you shouldn’t miss Jonathan Allen walks through exactly what Democrats are doing with their intricate impeachment arguments.

Joe Biden says he’s opposed to testifying in the impeachment trial because he doesn’t want to participate in “political theater.”

Trump will be the first sitting president to personally attend the March for Life.

Maura Barrett and Gary Grumbach report on how Bernie Sanders is addressing growing tensions with Joe Biden in the final campaign stretch.Thanks for reading.

If you’re a fan, please forward this to a friend. They can sign up here. We love hearing from our readers, so shoot us a line here with your comments and suggestions. Thanks, Chuck, Mark and Carrie.

ARRA NEWS SERVICE

ARRA News Service (in this message: 16 new items)

How Expansive is FBI Spying?Posted: 22 Jan 2020 08:15 PM PST by Dr. Ron Paul: Cato Institute Research Fellow Patrick Eddington recently filed several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to find out if the Federal Bureau of Investigation ever conducted surveillance of several organizations dealing with government policy, including my Campaign for Liberty. Based on the FBI’s response, Campaign for Liberty and other organizations, including the Cato institute and the Reason Foundation, may have been subjected to FBI surveillance or other data collection.

I say “may have been” because the FBI gave Mr. Eddington a “Glomar response” to his FOIA requests pertaining to these organizations. A Glomar response is where an agency says it can “neither confirm nor deny” involvement in a particular activity. Glomar was a salvage ship the Central Intelligence Agency used to recover a sunken Soviet submarine in the 1970s. In response to a FOIA request by Rolling Stone magazine, the CIA claimed that just confirming or denying the Glomar’s involvement in the salvage operation would somehow damage national security. A federal court agreed with the agency, giving federal bureaucrats, and even local police departments, a new way to avoid giving direct answers.

The Glomar response means these organizations may have been, and may still be, subjected to federal surveillance. As Mr. Eddington told Reason magazine, “We know for a fact that Glomar invocations have been used to conceal actual, ongoing activities, and we also know that they’re not passing out Glomars like candy.”

Protecting the right of individuals to join together in groups to influence government policy is at the very heart of the First Amendment. Therefore, the FBI subjecting such groups to surveillance can violate the constitutional rights of everyone involved with the groups.

The FBI has a long history of targeting Americans whose political beliefs and activities threaten the FBI’s power or the power of influential politicians. The then-named Bureau of Investigation participated in the crackdown on people suspected of being communists in the post-World War I “Red Scare.” The anti-communist crackdown was headed by a young agent named J. Edgar Hoover who went on to become FBI director, a position he held until his death. Hoover kept and expanded his power by using the FBI to collect blackmail material on people including politicians.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the FBI spied on supporters of the America First movement, including several Congress members. Two of the most famous examples of FBI targeting individuals based on their political activities are the harassment of Martin Luther King Jr. and the COINTELPRO program. COINTELPRO was an organized effort to spy on and actively disrupt “subversive” organizations, including antiwar groups

COINTELPRO officially ended in the 1970s. However, the FBI still targets individuals and organizations it considers “subversive,” including antiwar groups and citizen militias.

Congress must hold hearings to determine if the FBI is currently using unconstitutional methods to “monitor” any organizations based on their beliefs. Congress must then take whatever steps necessary to ensure that no Americans are ever again targeted for surveillance because of their political beliefs and activities.
——————–
Dr. Ron Paul (@ronpaul), Chairman of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, is a former U.S.Congressman (R-TX). He twice sought the Republican nomination for President. As a MD, he was an Air Force flight surgeon and has delivered over 4000 babies. Paul writes on numerous topics but focuses on monetary policies, the military-industrial complex,the Federal Reserve, and compliance with the U.S. Constitution.
Tags: Ron Paul, Ron Paul Institute, How Expansive is FBI Spying? To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

President Trump’s Davos TriumphPosted: 22 Jan 2020 07:58 PM PST by Newt Gingrich: President Trump’s visit to the World Economic Forum at Davos this week was a bigger triumph than anyone could possibly have imagined a year ago.

First, the counter staging of President Trump landing at Davos while the Senate began the trial over his phony impeachment was a Reagan-quality move. Television is 80 percent visual. People standing around in the Senate makes for boring television. (Even people paid to watch the proceedings have complained how boring they are.)

On the other hand, Air Force One landing in Switzerland – and then Marine One flying into Davos – makes for great visuals. Furthermore, the Senate dialogue of the Trump haters versus the Trump supporters shrinks in comparison to a picture of President Trump stalking across the snowy town to a major speech to the world’s economic leaders.

Second, the story the President brought to Davos was an extraordinary contrast to the problems of his colleagues around the world. The strength of the American economy, the remarkably low unemployment rate, and the job creating achievements among African American and Latino communities represent a dramatic challenge to the leaders of countries with massive unemployment and underemployment. The lessons of lower taxes and reduced regulations is hard for most of the countries around the world to learn. It just further separates the American economy from its competitors.

Third, once again President Trump gave an important, principled speech that was worthy of the leader of the biggest economy and most powerful military in the world. Critics will claim he’s simply bragging, but it is worth reading both Trump’s 2018 and 2020 Davos speeches to see how he is explaining the principles behind our economic strength to other leaders – so they might follow the same path to prosperity.

Trump started by reminding people of the Obama Administration’s economic failure, noting that almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs had been lost, wages had been flat, and more than 10 million more people were on the welfare rolls under Obama.

He also reminded the audience that the so-called experts had predicted a dire US economy for the foreseeable future.

Then, Trump explained his own optimism – and the results:

“Yet despite all of the cynics, I had never been more confident in America’s future. I knew we were on the verge of a profound economic resurgence, if we did things right — one that would generate a historic wave of investment, wage growth, and job creation.

“I knew that if we unleashed the potential of our people, if we cut taxes, slashed regulations — and we did that at a level that’s never been done before in the history of our country, in a short period of time — fixed broken trade deals and fully tapped American energy, that prosperity would come thundering back at a record speed. And that is exactly what we did, and that is exactly what happened.”

The list of achievements that President Trump then rattled off is significant. I’ll paraphrase briefly here.

Overall, during President Trump’s first term, America has added 7 million jobs (exceeding government projections by 5 million). The 3.5 percent unemployment rate is at a 50-year low.

Specifically, the unemployment rate for women is the lowest it’s been since 1953, and women now make up the majority of the workforce for the first time ever.

Further, the unemployment rates among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, disabled Americans, and those without high school diplomas are at the lowest points in US history – as is African American poverty. Veteran unemployment is also at a record low. As the President said, “We are lifting up Americans of every race, color, religion, and creed.”

At the same time, the wage gap is moving in the right direction, as President Trump said, “[w]orkers’ wages are now growing faster than management wages. Earnings growth for the bottom 10 percent is outpacing the top 10 percent — something that has not happened. Paychecks for high school graduates are rising faster than for college graduates.”

Finally, the President pointed out that more than 2 million millennials have joined the workforce (which supposed experts also said was unlikely).

President Trump brilliantly summarized the contrast between America before he arrived and America today:

“The eight years before I took office, over 300,000 working-age people left the workforce. In just three years of my administration, 3.5 million people have joined the workforce. 10 million people have been lifted off welfare in less than three years. Celebrating the dignity of work is a fundamental pillar of our agenda.”

Beyond jobs, the President also made the point that the stock market has jumped by 50 percent since he took office, “adding more than $19 trillion dollars to household wealth, and boosting 401ks, pensions, and college savings accounts for millions of hardworking families.”

Now, the media constantly tries to paint the Trump White House as disorganized or divisive. However, the numbers don’t lie. President Trump’s new model has been entirely intentional and applies to everyone. As he put it:

“America’s newfound prosperity is undeniable, unprecedented, and unmatched anywhere in the world.

“America achieved this stunning turnaround not by making minor changes to a handful of policies, but by adopting a whole new approach centered entirely on the wellbeing of the American worker.

“Every decision we make — on taxes, trade, regulation, energy, immigration, education, and more — is focused on improving the lives of everyday Americans. We are determined to create the highest standard of living that anyone can imagine, and right now, that’s what we’re doing for our workers. The highest in the world. And we’re determined to ensure that the working and middle class reap the largest gains.”

President Trump took this great record and turned it into a sales pitch for the CEOs at Davos to come and invest in America. Importantly, he made sure the TV cameras caught him advocating jobs for Americans while the Democrats attacked him in the Senate.

It was a remarkable tour de force and a triumph for the President, which further made the Democratic House look petty and out-of-touch with reality.
———————-
Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) is a former Georgia Congressman and Speaker of the U.S. House. He co-authored and was the chief architect of the “Contract with America” and a major leader in the Republican victory in the 1994 congressional elections. He is noted speaker and writer. This commentary was shared via Gingrich Productions.
Tags: Newt Gingrich, commentary, President Trump, Davos Triumph To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Government in the ShadowsPosted: 22 Jan 2020 07:45 PM PSTVictor Davis Hansonby Dr. Victor Davis Hanson: Goodbye to the peaceful transfer of power.

The frenetic opposition to Donald Trump by the Washington establishment, the new progressive, hard-left Democratic party, and in particular the veterans of the Obama administration has led to the ruination of a number of hallowed protocols and customs.

Impeachment has been redefined as a mere vote of no confidence and will become a rank political ploy for years to come once an opposition party gains a majority in the House. It is taking on the flavor of a peremptory device, a vaccination, rather than a medicine, as if to prevent future hypothetical crimes in the absence of current impeachable offenses.

Whistleblowers are now mere political operatives, who work with the opposition party to disseminate second- and third-hand rumor to prompt impeachment frenzies.

The FISA court has been disgraced. It was revealed to be either incompetent or actively partisan in its failure to question the Steele dossier’s legitimacy, in ignoring the warnings of Devin Nunes’s memo, and in the court’s selection of hard-core anti-Trump partisan David Kris to monitor FBI compliance with the recommendations of the Horowitz report. At this point, the existing FISA courts should probably be dismissed and the laws authorizing their creation rewritten.

In addition, the anti-Trump mob has now ended any idea that prior administrations should step aside, mostly stay quiet, and allow successors to fail or succeed on their merits.

During the Reagan years, a frustrated emeritus president Jimmy Carter more or less kept still. True, a sometimes-exasperating Carter chose to travel abroad and dabble publicly in foreign policy. But for the most part, he did not offer play-by-play, negative criticism of Ronald Reagan or his successors.

Reagan’s team kept a low profile during the presidency of George H. W. Bush, as is usually the case when a president is succeeded by his own vice president or a member of his own party.

In turn, a reticent elder Bush was especially magnanimous during the Clinton years — despite occasional nastiness directed at him from Clintonites.

Clinton himself was not vocal during George W. Bush’s first term, especially in the aftermath of 9/11. When Bush’s polls tanked and the Iraq War was at its most unpopular moment in 2006 and 2007, Clinton opportunistically began to attack Bush. Nonetheless, he was not an active Bush hater.

Bush himself was idealistically silent during the Obama years, despite the Obama administration’s turns to the hard left on immigration, health care, the Iran Deal, and foreign policy — and Obama’s constant negative references to Bush himself.

All those Marquess of Queensberry Rules of post-presidential decorum abruptly ended in 2017. What superseded them was, at best, a kind of British-style, European shadow government, in which mostly ex-Obama officials became nonstop activist critics of almost everything Trump has done.

At worst, the endless opposition turned into a slow-motion sort of coup in which progressive, life-tenured bureaucrats leaked, obstructed, and connived to stop the daily operations of the administration — as they often proudly admitted to the media. The subtext was that the Obama-progressive-media complex would create enough momentum to abort Trump’s first term. Or was it that Trump represented such an existential danger to the administrative-state way of doing business that any means necessary were justified to end his presidency?

The locus classicus was Ben Rhodes, the former deputy national-security adviser, and Jack Sullivan, who had been Obama’s White House deputy assistant. Together, they formed the National Security Action organization in early 2018. The two promised that they would offer an “effective, strategic, relentless, and national response to this administration’s dangerous approach to national security.” Translated, that meant that Rhodes and Sullivan would aggregate former Obama officials and progressive analysts to launch non-stop attacks on all of Trump’s foreign-policy efforts. And they have.

More ironic was Hillary Clinton’s announcement in May 2017 that she had officially joined the “Resistance” by forming Onward Together to “stand up” to Trump.

“Resistance” was not meant to denote principled and traditional opposition to the incumbent party. Instead, the noun was intended to invoke the guerrilla-warfare campaigns of the French Maquis who fought as rural bands against the Nazi occupation of France. The metaphor was clear: Trump administration = a fascist foreign military occupation; Trump = Hitler; Democrats = courageous anti-Nazi guerrillas.

Since her defeat in November 2016, Clinton has become a tedious bore in her frequent insistence that “the Russians” stole the election in cahoots with Donald Trump, despite the fact that neither the Mueller nor Horowitz investigations found any evidence for her conspiracies. The culpable incompetence of her campaign is a matter of record.

The irony, of course, is that Clinton herself hired foreign national Christopher Steele to find (or create) dirt on opponent Trump, hid her payments through three firewalls, and unleashed Steele to coax and cajole mostly lying Russian sources to slander her opponent. Those facts prompt the question: Did Russian “collusion” begin as an elaborate hoax to disguise the wrongdoing of the Obama administration, the FBI, the CIA, the DOJ, and the Clinton campaign in the face of the unexpected Trump victory?

Former Obama officials were sometimes even more active in their ongoing efforts to derail Trump’s foreign policy. Former CIA head John Brennan kept his security clearance, went to work for MSNBC, and, with a wink-and-nod smugness, relentlessly told his viewers that he knew really important but undisclosed things about Trump’s supposed crimes. Brennan reached a nadir when he began to exonerate his own behavior that was increasingly revealed to be central to a number of ongoing scandals, and when he predicted, based on his “sources,” that Mueller’s team would indict Trump and company for collusion — a prediction that proved spectacularly wrong.

James Clapper, Obama’s director of National Intelligence, xeroxed Brennan’s career on CNN to the tee: He too began analyzing scandals in which he himself had been knee-deep while accusing the president of being a virtual traitor in service to Vladimir Putin. Previously the emeritus heads of these agencies had not been considered overtly political. It was almost unheard-of for former CIA and NSA officials to wade into politics and issue on-air attacks on the current president.

The FBI soon followed suit. Little more need now be said of former and now disgraced FBI director James Comey, who still has a rendezvous with an accounting for his past behavior. He was the most political and least successful director in FBI history. He soon found himself, in passive-aggressive fashion, trying to run investigations of the Trump campaign, transition, and presidency that included everything from lying to the president, leaking confidential meetings of White House meetings to the press, and deluding a FISA court into granting writs to surveil an American citizen. The past three years of Comey’s life have been devoted to destroying Donald Trump as a way of dealing with his own self-ruination.

Obama himself, in contrast to George W. Bush, did not retire to his home. Instead, he stayed on in his principle residence in Washington — in a fashion that no ex-president had done since Woodrow Wilson. Obama’s chief lieutenants have unleashed nonstop invective against their successors, whether it’s Eric Holder attacking Attorney General Bill Barr, or Susan Rice going after the Trump national-security team.

The most egregious shadow official has been former secretary of state John Kerry. During the controversies over Trump’s cancellation of the Iran Deal, private citizen Kerry met with his former counterpart, the foreign minister of Iran, Javad Zarif, and he lobbied EU officials to oppose the cancellation and tried to line up congressional opposition to Trump. After the recent killing of Qasem Soleimani, Kerry hit the airwaves blasting U.S. policy; at times he bordered on offering lamentations for the loss of the terrorist Soleimani. Kerry often seemed bewildered that anyone would dare ask him whether his sponsorship of huge cash transfers to Iran, well aside from the windfalls that followed from lifting the sanctions, had fed Iranian-directed terrorist operations in Syria and Yemen.

The direct participation of former Obama officials of course is in addition to the so-called deep-state opposition, which has manifested itself in a variety of disturbing ways: leaking Trump private phone calls with foreign officials; seeding the Steele dossier among government agencies and cabinets; leaking confidential presidential memos to the press; bragging publicly about resistance efforts to impede the implementation of the Trump policy; warping the whistleblower statutes; and redefining impeachment as a partisan no-confidence vote, a peremptory check on future presidential behavior, and an election-year effort to unseat a first-term opposition president.

The parlance of the embittered Obama team is revealing. Eric Holder accused Attorney General Barr of being “unfit” for office. Clapper said Trump was a “Russian asset,” Brennan trumped that with “all roads with Trump lead to Putin.” Susan Rice said that America was “under attack” by the Trump team.

What is behind this radical departure from past practice? One factor is that Trump is a most un-McCain, un-Romney Republican who believes in don’t-tread-on-me, disproportionate retaliation. The result is that Trump answers with megatonnage to any insult to his person in a manner that the establishment believes does not befit a president — but which certainly frightens and enrages it. And one of the symptoms of the ensuing derangement syndrome is a 24/7 addiction to opposing Trump in any way possible, often to the ruination of all past custom, tradition, and practice, with the subtextual justification that “Trump did it first.”

Fear also explains a lot.

For all the various protestations from John Kerry, Joe Biden, and Barry Obama that the Obama administration was “scandal-free,” it most certainly was not. By the current standards of impeachment, once Obama lost the House in 2011, he would have been impeached for “Obstruction of Congress” and “Abuse of Power” for the Fast and Furious scandal and for invoking “executive privilege” to justify administration officials’ refusal to testify to Congress.

Also impeachable by the new standard:political corruption at the IRS that was sicced on conservative groups during the Obama reelection bid;

the lies and obstruction about the Benghazi disaster;

the hot-mic quid pro quo promise Obama made to the Russians that resulted in the dismantlement of Eastern Europe missile defense in exchange for Putin’s good behavior to the benefit of Obama’s reelection campaign;

the abuse of executive orders to nullify federal immigration law; the failure to consult Congress on the prisoner swap with the Taliban;

the lying under oath to Congress by both the CIA director and the director of national intelligence;

the secret monitoring of the communications of Associated Press reporters and Fox’s James Rosen, along with former CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson;

the deliberate nullification of the constitutional treaty-making prerogative of the Senate during the Iran deal, whose secrete accords were never disclosed to the American people;

and the warping of the CIA, DOJ, FBI, and National Security Council respectively, in their unethical and often illegal efforts to mislead the FISA courts, surveil the Trump campaign, unmask and leak the names of U.S. citizens whose communications were tapped, and disrupt a presidential transition.Before 2019, none of these offenses would have been impeachable; all now, and things like them, will be in the future.

One way of keeping all that quiet was for Obama-era officials to preemptively go on the offense, screaming of “collusion,” and then “obstruction,” and finally “quid pro quo” — all while supposedly impeachable statutes, people, and countries came and went, whether Russia, Ukraine, Stormy, the 25th Amendment, the Logan Act and the emoluments clause, and dozens more distractions from the Obama administration’s systematic constitutional violations and the trampling of the civil rights of American citizens.

The most baleful legacy of the current Trump hatred is a new model of out-of-power administrations that never quite leave. Instead, apparently from now on, the retired, the fired, the voted out, the emeriti, and the transitioned will become opposition activists who seek to destroy their successors whose record they cannot abide and whose agendas they deathly fear.
————————
Victor Davis Hanson (@VDHanson) is a senior fellow, classicist and historian and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution where many of his articles are found; his focus is classics and military history. He has been a visiting professor at Hillsdale College since 2004. Hanson was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007 by President George W. Bush. H/T National Review.
Tags: Victor Davis Hanson, Government in the Shadows To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Trump/Pence Stand For Life, Remember Kavanaugh, America The DespisedPosted: 22 Jan 2020 06:35 PM PST by Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Trump/Pence Stand For Life
Today is National Sanctity of Human Life Day. The day marks the somber anniversary 47 years ago of the Supreme Court’s notorious Roe v. Wade decision effectively legalizing abortion on demand in America.

Twice in our nation’s history the Supreme Court has ruled that a whole class of individuals were not “people” and thus were not covered by the promises of the American founding. The first occasion was the Dred Scott case.

In 1857, the Supreme Court ruled that Scott, a black slave who for many years resided in free states, was property, not a person, so he had to be returned to his “owner.” The poison released by that decision almost destroyed the nation.

In 1973, the court did it again. It ruled that unborn children were not “people” deserving of protection under the law. The poison of that decision is eating away at our souls too.

Sadly, the left refuses to recognize the gross injustice of abortion. It celebrates the destruction of innocent unborn children. Even supposed moderates, like Joe Biden, now demand that men and women of faith be forced to subsidize the annual slaughter of hundreds of thousands of children. That’s not “moderate.” That’s pro-abortion.

Thankfully, the Trump/Pence Administration is working to create a culture of life in America. President Trump issued a proclamation recognizing today as National Sanctity of Human Life Day.

He called on the country to “celebrate the wonderful gift of life,” and to defend “the profound truth that all life is a gift from God, who endows every person with immeasurable worth and potential.”

Remember Kavanaugh
The Senate was in session until the wee hours of the morning, dispensing with nearly a dozen Democrat amendments to the rules governing the impeachment trial. As this week unfolds and as the impeachment trial dominates the news, remember the Kavanaugh hearing. Every stunt the left pulled during Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing, you will likely see again.

Remember how the left came up with a “credible, bombshell witness” at the last minute, hoping to derail Kavanaugh?

Democrats are hoping to have better luck this time than they did with Christine Blasey Ford, but that’s why the left is so intent on calling witnesses during the impeachment trial. It is hoping to ambush the president’s defense team, creating a primetime spectacle for the cameras.

There will be the daily grind of new charges. Just like the Kavanaugh hearing when the left produced one accuser after another, the left will come up with new actions by the president it claims are impeachable offenses throughout these proceedings, hoping to wear down senators and the American people with a steady drip, drip, drip of new lies.

In fact, some House progressives are already plotting new impeachment proceedings.

I assume they will bring the leftist mob back to Washington, storming Senate offices and harassing senators in hallways as they did during the Kavanaugh hearing. The point then was to manufacture a sense of crisis — that there must be something seriously wrong with Kavanaugh if so many people were so upset.

Remember when Sen. Jeff Flake was cornered in an elevator and confronted by angry women? The intimidation worked. Flake broke ranks and delayed Kavanaugh’s confirmation by siding with Democrat demands for an additional FBI investigation.

Well, the left desperately needs just a couple of Republican senators to cave this time in order to drag out the trial with more witnesses and investigations.

While the left’s antics are aimed at pressuring weak-kneed senators, the left also wants to sow doubt in your mind. They want to make you question your beliefs and support for the president, in spite of everything he has done for the country and the conservative values we cherish.

Steel yourselves, my friends. The weeks and months ahead will be challenging, to say the least.

America The Despised
President Ronald Reagan prophetically warned that we’re only a generation away from losing our freedom; that freedom isn’t inherited but must be fought for, defended and taught to our children.

Well, if a recent poll is any indication, we’re clearly failing to pass on our values to the next generation, and at great risk of losing the freedom we have taken for granted.

According to the Pew Research Center, 21% of Americans believe other countries are “better than the United States.” (I’m seriously tempted to start a GoFundMe page for one-way tickets for these ingrates.)

But here’s the truly disturbing part of the poll: Among those between the ages of 18 and 29, the figure jumps to 36%. And among self-identified young Democrats, it’s nearly half – 47%.

It’s no coincidence that this same generation increasingly embraces socialism and various forms of authoritarianism too.

What is striking to me is that you can’t blame this on just “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” While it may be an easy explanation, it doesn’t explain why the percentage of all Democrats believing other countries are better than the United States more than doubled from eight percent in 2011 to 18% in 2015.

I can only assume that it is the result of eight years of a president who constantly apologized for America, and an increasingly radicalized educational establishment that is indoctrinating our children with anti-American history.

Again, my friends, we are locked in a battle for the heart and soul of our country. This is no longer a dispute between two parties that broadly share the same goals but merely disagree on certain issues. This is about diametrically opposed worldviews, including the very meaning of America itself.

If this moral rot is not arrested and reversed in short order, future generations may not be singing about “America The Beautiful,” but about “America The Despised.”

Help us defend freedom. Help us defeat the radical left!

Immigration Insanity
Here’s a good example of the diametrically opposed views I’m referring to. It wasn’t that long ago when most Americans instinctively understood that illegal immigrants, especially those with criminal records, should be deported. Well, now the left can’t even agree on that.

Earlier this week, Joe Biden said that illegal immigrants should not be deported for drunk driving. Not to be out done, Bernie Sanders said he would ban virtually all deportations. He “might” allow illegal aliens to be deported for a really “terrible, terrible crime.”

This is not a hypothetical issue. Both Biden and Sanders are all in on the left’s “sanctuary city” policies, shielding criminal illegal aliens from deportation. This insane policy has serious consequences. New York City is reeling from the news that a freed illegal immigrant recently murdered a 92 year-old woman.

In response, the Trump Administration is stepping up efforts to name and shame state and local officials who refuse to cooperate with ICE. For the record:
Last year ICE deported more than 267,000 illegal immigrants, the vast majority of whom had criminal records.ICE arrested more than 1,900 illegal immigrants who had convictions or charges for homicide.10,000 had weapons charges.12,000 had committed sex offenses.And more than 74,000 illegal immigrants were deported for drunk driving.If Biden, Sanders or any of their progressive allies had their way, these criminals would still be on our streets.
——————-
Gary Bauer (@GaryLBauer) is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families
Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families, Trump/Pence Stand For Life, Remember Kavanaugh, America The Despised To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Illegal Immigrant Caravans and Criminal CatholicsPosted: 22 Jan 2020 06:07 PM PSTMichelle Malkinby Michelle Malkin: The latest, lawless migrant caravan hurtling from Honduras to our southern border is as organic as AstroTurf.

The Central American trespassers now number between 2,500 and 4,000. Two weeks ago, slickly designed flyers disseminated on social media beckoned them to sign up for the latest journey and meet at a bus stop in San Pedro Sula. That village is caravan ground zero, where Honduras’s destabilizing Libre Party and its former top legislator-turned-agitator Bartolo Fuentes, have brazenly spearheaded past caravan organizing campaigns since President Donald Trump took office.

On Monday, the throngs reached the Mexico-Guatemala border, where mobs of mostly young men threw rocks and sticks at police — while sympathetic international “journalists” selectively captured and curated tired women and crying children on the trek with state-of-the-art cameras and livestreams.

Make no mistake: These are not desperate people suddenly seeking refuge from violence and harm. They are low-wage workers, pew-fillers and future ethnic-bloc voters being exploited by Big Business, the Vatican and the Democrat Party.

Pueblo Sin Fronteras may be the most recognizable name behind the caravans, but global Catholic elites play a central role in the coordination of this transnational human smuggling racket. Trump-bashing, American sovereignty-trashing Pope Francis donated $500,000 nine months ago from his Peter’s Pence fund to assist illegal immigrant caravan participants. The subsidies cover “27 projects in 16 dioceses and Mexican religious congregations” for “housing, food and basic necessities,” as well as “migrant” assistance programs “run by seven dioceses and three religious congregations: the Scalabrinians, the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and the Hermanas Josefinas,” according to the Catholic News Service.

As I have reported on my investigations in “Open Borders Inc.,” the Catholic “Underground Railroad” of migrant safe houses that extend across Central America, through Mexico, and up to and into the U.S. is a well-oiled machine. The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration in Mexico has guaranteed supplies of medicine, hygiene products, construction materials, as well as therapy services and legal training, for caravan marchers who are housed at the Hermanos en el Camino shelter, along with the Catholic-run Hogar de la Misericordia shelter and Jesus el Buen Pastor del Pobre y el Migrante shelter. Funding comes not just from Catholic parishioners, but also U.S. tax dollars. The La 72 shelter in Tenosique is run by Franciscans. The El Caminante shelter in Palenque is overseen by Catholic nuns. The Scalabrinians operate Casa del Migrante in Tijuana and have managed an entire shelter ministry network since 1999.

On the southern border of Mexico in Chiapas, the city of Tapachula is the first entry point for Central Americans headed to the U.S. There, the Fray Matias de Cordova Human Rights Center provides “comprehensive support” to illegal immigrant travelers including legal consultations, monitoring of detention centers and “online resources, art and social activities, job training, and basic social services.” The group has received nearly $200,000 from the liberal MacArthur Foundation.

Also in Tapachula, the Jesuit Refugee Service opens its churches and pastoral centers to provide shelter, monetary aid, voluntary aid and emergency assistance. Its team of lawyers, psychologists, social workers and Jesuit clergy spread from Tapachula to Comalapa and Mexico City. JRS staff served as sherpas for the 2018 caravan marchers and liaisons with the U.N. High Commission for Refugees.

Jaime Calderon Calderon, the Catholic bishop of Tapachula, Mexico, immediately pledged aid this month to the newest waves of border-jumpers and river-crossers, openly acknowledging that he received a heads-up from other bishops in the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador). But while Calderon and the bishops blame “violence” for the most recent invasion, homicide rates have either fluctuated or fallen significantly in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador since Barack Obama’s executive amnesty programs (DACA and DAPA) were announced in 2012.

Migrants themselves refute the “fleeing violence” narrative: An International Organization for Migration poll of more than 3,200 Guatemalan households in 2016, highlighted by the Center for Immigration Studies’ Kausha Luna, reported that 91% of migrants surveyed had moved to the U.S. for economic reasons (jobs, homes, income boosts) — while only 0.3% blamed violence, 0.2% cited extortion and 0.2% attributed their decision to gangs.

It’s all about the dinero. Central American workers, legal and illegal, sent back nearly $20 billion in remittances to their home countries in 2018, a tidy sum of which will end up back in Catholic collection plates. Remittances sent to El Salvador are now equal to 20% of its GDP; Guatemala, 11%; and Honduras, 18.8%. Meanwhile, the percentage of the population of Guatemala now living in the U.S. is close to 7%; for El Salvador, the percentage now stands at 22%; and for Honduras, we now have absorbed 9.2% of their people.

This is a deliberately orchestrated, relentlessly executed, slow-motion criminal invasion. If my fellow Catholics continue to aid and abet these illegal immigrant gravy trains without consequences, American sovereignty doesn’t have a prayer.
————————–
Michelle Malkin is mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, and author. She shares many of her articles and thoughts at MichelleMalkin.com.
Tags: Michelle Malkin, Illegal Immigrant Caravans, Criminal Catholics To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Everything on DemandPosted: 22 Jan 2020 05:54 PM PSTJohn Stosselby John Stossel: Reporters complain about business. We overlook the constant improvements in our lives made possible by greedy businesses competing for your money. Think about how our access to entertainment has improved.

“When I was a kid,” says Sean Malone in a new video for the Foundation for Economic Education, “my TV broadcast options were PBS, Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS. Depending on the weather, it was hit or miss whether or not they were even watchable.”

1977 brought the first video rental store. “We literally had to rent a VCR along with two or three movies we could get on VHS from Blockbuster,” Malone reminds us, pointing out how much changed. “Now just about anything I’ve ever wanted to watch is available at the click of a button.”

Here’s a short version I released this week of the FEE video. It wasn’t government or big movie studios that made the amazing array of new options available. They dragged their feet. Malone points out that “the astounding wealth of home entertainment options we have today are the result of entrepreneurial start-ups, like Blockbuster.”

Blockbuster letting people watch movies whenever we wanted was a big improvement. But people are ingrates about the things capitalism makes possible. In the 1990s, people complained that Blockbuster’s chokehold on video entertainment was so strong that the company would be able to censor anything it didn’t like.

Special sanitized versions of movies (SET ITAL)were(END ITAL) distributed through Blockbuster. How would we ever get to see the movies as they were originally intended? Clearly, Blockbuster was a monopoly. Government should regulate “Big Videotape” and break up the Blockbuster monopoly!

Government didn’t. Yet Blockbuster is now bankrupt. Its competitors offered so many better things.

That’s something to think about now when people call Facebook and Google monopolies. A few years ago, people claimed Netflix had a monopoly.

But without government suppressing competition, Netflix had no way to maintain its temporary hold on the streaming market. Other companies caught up fast. Customers decide which businesses succeed and which ones fail.

This is why centrally planning an economy doesn’t work. “Politicians and bureaucrats don’t know what people are going to value,” explains Malone. “They pick winners and losers based on what they want or what they think is going to earn them the most important allies.”

Blockbuster’s demise began when it charged a man named Reed Hastings $40 in late fees. That annoyed him so much, he started a subscription-based, mail-order movie rental company he called Netflix.

Then, Netflix made movies available online.

Now we have instant access to more entertainment than ever through Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc., all for a fraction of the cost of the original Netflix.

Still, we complain. That’s how it is with capitalism, and it’s a wonderful thing. While we complain, entrepreneurs like Hastings invent faster, easier ways to get us what we want. Many offer us options we never knew we wanted, putting old giants out of business.

There is an economics lesson in that. When entrepreneurs face competition, they often lose, but the fights make life better for us consumers.

This process of old things being replaced by new and better ones was dubbed “creative destruction” by economist Joseph Schumpeter. We see creative destruction in every industry.

The first flip phone cost $1,000 and couldn’t do the things we expect phones to do today. Competition drove further innovation. We got the Blackberry, and then the iPhone.

What amazing things will businesses come up with next?

Malone’s video points out that the best way to find out is to keep government and central planning out of the mix.

Once government wades in with regulations, it tends to freeze the current model in place, assuming it’s the best way to do things.

But the best way to do things is one that we haven’t even thought of yet, produced by the endless creative process called competition.
———————
John Stossel is author of “No They Can’t! Why Government Fails — But Individuals Succeed.” Article shared by Rasmussen Reports
Tags: John Stossel, Everything on Demand, commentary, Rasmussen Reports To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Impeachment Trial Kicks OffPosted: 22 Jan 2020 03:46 PM PST… The two sides fight over rules and witnesses and begin to make their respective cases.
by Nate Jackson: The Senate kicked off its impeachment trial yesterday with votes on rules for the proceedings and opening statements from President Donald Trump’s legal team and his Democrat accusers. Chief Justice John Roberts presided and had to rein in a few tempers. “Those addressing the Senate should remember where they are,” Roberts admonished. Though this is only the third time in our nation’s history that a president has stood for an impeachment trial, the proceedings were remarkably — and predictably — unserious. And yet, somehow, that’s quite fitting.

House Democrats failed to make a compelling case for impeachment in their rush to vote before Christmas. They claim to have “overwhelming” evidence for impeachment, while simultaneously hollering about a Republican “coverup” to obstruct the evidence they need. House Democrats want the Senate to aid them by extending the investigation, including calling more witnesses that they didn’t bother calling (John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney, for example. Anyone but Hunter Biden or the whistleblower!). That’s not the Senate’s job, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is playing it all about as well as he can.

“Democrats really don’t want to hear more witnesses,” surmises The Wall Street Journal editorial board. “They merely want to pretend they do, get Republicans to vote against witnesses, and use that as an issue in November. Perhaps Republicans should call them on it.”

While the question of calling witnesses didn’t receive a vote yesterday, McConnell conceded to one more day for each side to present its case and to allow all House evidence without a Senate vote to admit it. The rules were officially adopted in a 53-47 party-line vote at 1:40 a.m.

Those who portray McConnell as having “caved” to moderates on those rules are either unfamiliar with Trump’s Art of the Deal or are willing to attribute such strategic moves only to Trump himself. McConnell has a strategy that provides political cover for Republicans in tough reelection battles like Susan Collins, Martha McSally, and Cory Gardner. As a bonus, he can point to having compromised with Democrats in order to be as fair as possible. Of course, that won’t stop Democrats from caterwauling about a “rigged” trial all the way until Election Day.

But did we mention that Democrats like Chuck Schumer have taken the opposite position on rules they took in the 1999 impeachment trial of Bill Clinton? We can’t quite put our finger on what’s different now…

Some highlights of the cases made by each side:

“The president is on trial in the Senate, but the Senate is on trial in the eyes of the American people,” pronounced Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He slammed Republicans for balking at more witnesses because “only guilty people try to hide evidence.” Except Nadler insisted just last week that testimony from either Hunter or Joe Biden would not be “relevant” because he had a “mountain of evidence” that was perfectly sufficient to impeach and remove Trump.

“Let me be very blunt,” said House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff. “Right now a great many, perhaps even most, Americans do not believe there will be a fair trial. They don’t believe that the Senate will be impartial. They believe that the result is pre-cooked, the president will be acquitted.” Funny, but Schiff pre-cooked the impeachment inquiry in the House.

White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, on the other hand, was right on the mark. Democrats have “no case” against Trump. But never mind that, he said; “They’re not here to steal one election, they’re here to steal two elections.”
———————-
Nate Jackson is managing editor at The Patriot Post.
———————
Tags: Impeachment Trial, Kicks Off, Nate Jackson, The Patriot Post To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

In Defense of Michelle Malkin’s Right to Free SpeechPosted: 22 Jan 2020 03:31 PM PST. . . Will we stay silent while a public university assaults the First Amendment?
Michelle Malkinby Joseph Klein: Conservative commentator and author Michelle Malkin’s right to free speech has been under consistent vicious attack — most recently at the publicly funded University of Maine. The College Republicans student group at the university, which had invited Ms. Malkin to speak, was forced to scurry around at the last minute to find a suitable forum outside the university campus for her talk.

This was all set into motion when the University of Maine stripped the College Republicans of their status as an official student organization after their “faculty adviser,” political science professor Amy Fried, quit because she disapproved of Michelle Malkin’s conservative views. As a result, the College Republicans could no longer use the campus facilities to host the speech. No official recognition means no student government funding and no complimentary rooms or meeting spaces on campus, which the College Democrats continue to enjoy without interruption during this presidential election year.

Three off campus venues then proceeded to reverse their agreements to let the University of Maine College Republicans use their facilities for Michelle Malkin’s delivery of her speech. First, Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks in South Portland cancelled, after being informed by the university that the University of Maine College Republicans were not an official student group on campus. Then the Gendron Franco Center in Lewiston and Martindale Country Club in Auburn followed suit, succumbing to pressure from self-appointed censors of free speech. Ms. Malkin was finally able to speak last Friday night to a standing-room-only crowd at Sabattus Town Hall. “It’s flabbergasting,” Ms. Malkin said, “that it took four different venues to find a place for peace-loving patriots to gather.”

Jeremiah Childs, vice president of the University of Maine College Republicans, pointed out what was at stake in standing up to the Left and exercising the right of free speech in the face of their bullying. “The Left intended to shut down the State of Maine,” he said. “I think we all proved that they can’t do that. We will not be silenced.”

Michelle Malkin provided Breitbart News a statement prior to her Friday night appearance, which included the following: “It is especially important to support young people defying university bullies and political mafia bosses. They have the most at stake.”

It would do well to note that even the leftist ACLU has declared on its website thatRestrictions on speech by public colleges and universities amount to government censorship, in violation of the Constitution. Such restrictions deprive students of their right to invite speech they wish to hear, debate speech with which they disagree, and protest speech they find bigoted or offensive.These are nice words, but one can’t help from wondering: Where was the ACLU when the University of Maine took away the College Republicans’ official student club status at the university after their faculty adviser resigned her position because she did not like the views of the speaker the College Republicans group chose to invite?

Amy Fried, the faculty adviser-turned censor, is a leftist columnist as well as a professor. She tweeted recently that the indicted Lev Parnas’s interview with Rachel Maddow supplied a “smoking gun” against President Trump. Ms. Fried was not exactly objective when serving as the College Republicans’ faculty adviser. Her pretext for resigning was apparently Michelle Malkin’s refusal to explicitly disavow a group of America First nationalists led by the controversial far-right activist Nick Fuentes. Professor Fried tweeted: “Reality: I didn’t want to be associated with a group that invited a speaker who a conservative group took off their speakers bureau due to her praise of Holocaust denier.”

Nick Fuentes and his American First nationalist group have indeed engaged in despicable anti-Semitic tropes and Holocaust “revisionism” that deserve nothing but condemnation. Ms. Malkin has tried to walk a fine line, neither wholeheartedly embracing their views nor denouncing them in unambiguous terms as other conservative thinkers have done.

“I do not agree with every last thing they’ve said or written or published or tweeted or thought with their inside or outside voices,” Michelle Malkin told an audience at UCLA last November, referring to the America First nationalists. “But I will not disavow any of them and I will not join the de-platforming witch hunters who hypocritically call themselves free speech and culture warriors.”

Malkin’s ambiguous stance towards Nick Fuentes and his America First group has drawn criticism not only from the Left, but also from some of her admirers. For example, in “A Letter to Michelle Malkin,” published in the pages of this magazine last December, one such admirer, Vanessa Jones, urged Ms. Malkin to “stand up to Nick Fuentes” as much as she has stood up against Fuentes’ critics in mainstream conservative circles for being too soft on immigration.

Jones’ article was full of praise for Malkin and for all her great work. It simply asked her to distance herself from Fuentes, for whom it appears she has a serious blind spot. But the answer to such a blind spot must not be censorship.

Writing an open letter to Michelle Malkin for the purpose of trying to persuade her with well-reasoned arguments is one thing. Shutting down her right to free speech is quite another. And this Stalinist act affects not only Malkin, but all of us.

The University of Maine, a public university, violated Ms. Malkin’s First Amendment right of free speech and the students’ First Amendment right to hear her speak on campus. The university administration should have immediately appointed a replacement faculty adviser, which would have permitted the College Republicans to host Ms. Malkin on campus. If that was not possible to accomplish in time, the administration should have made up for the disruption that the politically biased faculty adviser’s sudden resignation caused by at least working with the College Republicans to find a suitable off-campus site for the event. Instead, it informed one facility that had originally agreed to host the event, the Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks, that the University of Maine College Republicans were not an officially recognized student group at the university, causing the hotel to cancel.

“As a Nation we have chosen a different course—to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a decision involving the protection of speech of an extremely offensive and hateful nature (Snyder V. Phelps, 131 S. Ct. 1207 (2011)). The Supreme Court has also made it clear that the First Amendment precludes adoption of content-based regulations or viewpoint-based restrictions.

The publicly-funded University of Maine blatantly violated the Supreme Court’s most fundamental edicts protecting First Amendment rights. There should be consequences so that this does not happen again. And all Americans who care about the right to free speech must stand up for Michelle Malkin in this narrative, confront the totalitarians who are shutting her down, and call out the weak-kneed conservatives who are cowardly standing on the sidelines in silence.
——————-
Joseph Klein is a Harvard-trained lawyer and the author of Global Deception: The UN’s Stealth Assault on America’s Freedom and Lethal Engagement: Barack Hussein Obama, the United Nations & Radical Islam. His article was in FrontPage.Mag, a project of the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
Tags: Joseph Klein, FrontPage Mag, Defense of, Michele Malkin, Right to Free Speech To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

State In Emergency . . .Posted: 22 Jan 2020 03:07 PM PST. . . Governor Northam of Virginia sparked a pro-gun rights rally in Richmond after trying to push his gun control bill. Political
Editorial Cartoon by AF “Tony” BrancoTags: Tony Branco, editorial cartoon, State of Emergency, Governor Northam, Virginia, sparked a pro-gun rights rally, Richmond, after trying to push, his gun control bill To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Without Any Crimes Cited, Impeachment of President Trump Is DoomedPosted: 22 Jan 2020 02:43 PM PST by Robert Romano: “House Democrats settled on two flimsy Articles of Impeachment that allege no crime or violation of law whatsoever—much less ‘high Crimes and Misdemeanors,’ as required by the Constitution… [T]he terminology of “high Crimes and Misdemeanors” makes clear that an impeachable offense must be a violation of established law.

The Impeachment Clause did not confer upon Congress a roving license to make up new standards of conduct for government officials and to permit removal from office merely on a conclusion that conduct was ‘bad’ if there was not an existing law that it violated.”

That is part of the defendant’s brief for President Donald Trump for his impeachment trial in the Senate, noting the fact that the two articles of impeachment against the President — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — are not criminal violations under either federal or state criminal codes, nor are they bribery or treason.

Yet, Article II, Section 4 of the Federal Constitution says that the President can only be removed for a crime: “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

In fact, the Framers anticipated that a President, upon removal, would then be subject to prosecution for the crimes that he was removed from office for, under Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, “the convicted party shall… be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment, according to the law.”

This is further underscored in the Federalist No. 69 by Alexander Hamilton noting that Presidents can only be removed for crimes, “The President of the United States would be liable to be impeached, tried, and, upon conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors, removed from office; and would afterwards be liable to prosecution and punishment in the ordinary course of law.”

Having failed that most basic obligation to charge the President with a crime in order to have him removed, House Democrats should not be surprised that they face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Senate, which is already skeptical of the charges that allege President Trump abused his power when he temporarily paused military assistance to Ukraine while he considered requesting a rescission of the funding from Congress, namely because the President has the power to consider and request such a rescission, and that otherwise, under Article II, the President is in charge of foreign policy.

Under 2 U.S.C. Section 684 or 2 U.S.C. Section 683, the Impoundment Control Act, the President has the power to propose deferring funds on a temporary basis or rescinding them altogether, subject to Congressional approval.

There is also the Office of Management and Budget’s authority under 31 U.S.C. 1512 to conduct apportionments, which the White House cited as authority for the three-day spending freeze of foreign aid in August in its letter to the Department of State and USAID. The letter stated, “All previously apportioned unobligated resources in the [Treasury Appropriation Fund Symbols] shall be unavailable for obligation until three business days after the Office of Management and Budget receives an accounting from your agencies of the current outstanding unobligated resources…”

By Sept. 11, the reviews were completed by State and Defense, and the funds were released.

On the broad constitutional question of administering foreign policy, if the President believed that the military assistance to Ukraine risked a wider regional war or a global one involving the U.S. and Russia he did not wish to provoke — a real possibility as Moscow backs Ukrainian separatists in Crimea and other eastern provinces — he would be wise to consult with his Cabinet, Ukrainian and even Russian leaders first to ensure that such funding does not serve as a spark for a larger powder keg.

Or, in the case of the new administration in Ukraine — one of the most corrupt governments in the world — under President Volodymyr Zelensky, to ascertain if leaders in Ukraine are simply too corrupt to give funds to.

Not only are these considerations not crimes, they are things the President expressly has the power to do under Article II of the Constitution’s sole vesting of executive power in the President. Whether they were good ideas or not, or why they were being considered, is not relevant to the constitutional discharge of the President’s duties.

Which is why a crime is needed in order for a President to be removed from office. Without one, an impeachment cannot be held to be valid, and therefore, once the House and the President’s legal teams have had the opportunity to present their cases, the Senate should move for a swift dismissal of the charges and acquittal.
—————-
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government.
Tags: Robert Romano, Americans for Limited Government, Without Any Crimes Cited, Impeachment of President Trump, Is Doomed To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Nixed Ski Trek App FlapPosted: 22 Jan 2020 02:09 PM PST by Paul Jacob, Contributing Author: In Colorado, like other states, the people’s ingenuity often surprises. And in the Rocky Mountain State, like elsewhere, governments are known to worry about what free people do — and, unsurprisingly, often get in the way.

A popular new ride-sharing app, called TreadShare, hit the market last month, designed to alleviate traffic on I-70, the route from Denver to popular skiing destinations. The app makes the trip to the mountain slopes far cheaper than Uber of Lyft — not to mention easier on the environment.

So, of course, the State of Colorado has superciliously suppressed this innovation. Over safety worries, allegedly.

“The idea behind the app is for carpoolers to share the cost of gas and mileage, incentivizing the drivers to bring additional passengers and the passengers to get a cheap ride up to the mountains,” writes Taylor Sienkiewicz in Summit Daily. “Shortly following the launch, TreadShare received a ‘cease and desist’ letter from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. This caused TreadShare to shut down operations and another similar app, Gondola, not to launch.”

Not receiving an apparently required $111,250 annual license, nor proof the company performs background checks on all drivers, the state government has “helpfully” squelched these two ride-sharing services.

What about safety? The Colorado State Patrol, whose job is ostensibly to maximize highway traffic safety, might wish to work with the app-makers to provide any useful security features.

But preventing organized carpooling through pricey up-front licensing requirements and ridiculous red tape doesn’t seem like promoting safety, but more like typical high-handed government regulatory overreach.

Thankfully, citizen activists have formed a group and are petitioning the legislature to join the rest of the Centennial State in the modern world.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
——————
Paul Jacob (@Common_Sense_PJ) is author of Common Sense which provides daily commentary about the issues impacting America and about the citizens who are doing something about them. He is also President of the Liberty Initiative Fund (LIFe) as well as Citizens in Charge Foundation. Jacob is a contributing author on the ARRA News Service.
Tags: Paul Jacob, Common Sense, Nixed, Ski Trek App Flap To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

What You Need to Know About Religious School Case at the Supreme CourtPosted: 22 Jan 2020 01:44 PM PST by Daniel Davis: Should families be able to use school choice tax credits on religious schools? That’s the question that’s at the heart of Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which the Supreme Court is hearing Wednesday.

Heritage Foundation legal scholar and host of the podcast “SCOTUS 101” Elizabeth Slattery breaks down the case for us. Read a lightly edited transcript of her interview, or listen on the podcast:

We also cover the following stories:
A columnist claims his belief in only two sexes got him fired.President Donald Trump and Greta Thunberg deliver dueling speeches on climate and environment.Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., targets the wealthy in new remarks.Daniel Davis: Well, it’s a big day at the Supreme Court, where the justices are hearing arguments in a case involving religious schools. The case is Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. Joining me to break it down is Elizabeth Slattery, a legal fellow here at The Heritage Foundation. Elizabeth, thanks for coming in.

Elizabeth Slattery: Thanks for having me.

Davis: So this case is out of Montana. What exactly is the dispute over?

Slattery: Back in 2015, the Montana Legislature set up this tax-credit scholarship program that would provide scholarships for income-eligible children to use at qualified schools, private schools.

Initially, recipients could use the scholarship funds at any qualified school, including religious ones. But then the Montana Department of Revenue implemented a rule to exclude religious schools, citing a provision in the Montana Constitution that bars state funds from aiding religious organizations.

Parents were relying on these funds to send their children to religious schools and they sued in state court. And that is the case that’s up at the Supreme Court.

Davis: So, the state Supreme Court ruled according to the state Constitution, but I’m assuming the Supreme Court is going to have something to say about the U.S. Constitution. Do you think the two might be in conflict here?

Slattery: Yeah. So, the parents raised federal constitutional claims in addition to some state law issues. And what the Montana Supreme Court ended up ruling was, it struck down the tax-credit program in its entirety.

It said that, “Look, when the Legislature set this up, they were allowing funds to go to religious schools and our Constitution says that you can’t do that.” And so they struck down the program in its entirety. So no children can use the scholarship program right now.

Davis: You’ve written that the Supreme court’s recent ruling in the Trinity Lutheran case from 2017 might be relevant here as a precedent to maybe correct this ruling or overturn it. Can you explain that?

Slattery: Sure. Trinity Lutheran was a case out of Missouri from back in 2017. And that case involved a day care center that was run by a church. And they wanted to apply for this state-funded grant to help them resurface the playground at the day care center. But they were denied the grant solely because it was brought by a religious institution.

Missouri, likewise, has what’s called a no-aid [amendment] or a Blaine Amendment. Some people call them that in their state constitution. And this case went all the way to the Supreme Court. And the court held that Missouri had violated the federal Constitution by discriminating against an organization solely on the basis of religion.

Davis: So the parents in this Montana case, they’re going to argue the same thing. They’re going to say that this tax credit is a generally available public benefit and that, therefore, they should be able to use it to go toward religious schools?

Slattery: Yeah. And there’s an additional wrinkle here, particularly with regard to the no-aid provision because what we’re talking about here is a tax credit. So it isn’t actually state money that’s flowing to the schools. It’s people giving money to a scholarship-granting organization and then the money goes into the hands of a private actor or the parents to decide where to use that money.

And the Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court has long held that there’s a distinction between direct government funding of religion and indirect funding such as a tax credit, in this case.

Davis: Zooming out, big picture, what’s really at stake in this case for other Americans who aren’t involved in this particular case?

Slattery: Between 37 and 38 states have similar no-aid provisions in their constitutions. And many of these states enacted these no-aid provisions.

They’re also called Blaine Amendments … named for Sen. James Blaine, who tried to get the federal Constitution amended to prevent funds from going to what he called “sectarian” schools. And this was a code word for Catholic schools because he didn’t want funding of Catholic institutions or Catholic schools.

A number of states have these amendments. So you can see … in the Montana case how they can conflict with school choice efforts. And really this case is about just trying to allow parents to decide what the best educational opportunity is for their children and using programs like this tax-credit program to give their kids the best education that they can.

Davis: Right now the court is considered conservative by a 5-4 majority. What outcome should we expect from this case?

Slattery: Well, if we look at the Trinity Lutheran case from a couple of terms ago, that’s when Justice [Neil] Gorsuch had just joined the Supreme Court. Justice [Anthony] Kennedy was still on the bench. So we have switched Kennedy for [Justice Brett] Kavanaugh. But that was a 7-2 ruling.

So Justices [Elena] Kagan and [Justice Stephen] Breyer joined with the so-called conservative members of the court to uphold the First Amendment and to find that what the state of Missouri had been doing was religious discrimination. So we could see a similar breakdown in this case.

Justice [Sonia] Sotomayor wrote a dissent back in Trinity Lutheran and Justice [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg joined her saying that they thought that the Trinity Lutheran case weaken the separation of church and state. But we’ll see what happens in this one.

Davis: And then with Kavanaugh, I would assume he’s even more likely to go conservative in this case?

Slattery: Based on his jurisprudence from the D.C. Circuit and the limited jurisprudence we have from the Supreme Court, he has been strongly in line with the conservatives when it comes to establishment clause and other First Amendment cases. So it’s hard to predict how cases are going to turn out because you never know what might happen. But I think that there is affirm majority that will rule to side with the parents in this case.

Davis: If that happens, does that automatically amend the other state constitutions that currently ban this practice?

Slattery: Not necessarily. So, the parents in the Montana case have argued that as the state court applied the constitutional provision, it violates the federal Constitution. But they can see that there could be other applications of this provision that are in line with the federal Constitution.

Now, interestingly enough, the Trump administration filed a “friend of the court” brief supporting the parents in the Montana case. And they say that these no-aid provisions should be struck entirely, but the parents who are the litigants in the case didn’t go quite that far in what they were asking the Supreme Court to do.

Davis: When should we expect the ruling?

Slattery: It’ll be by the end of June most likely. That’s when the court will wrap up for this term. And they have been issuing opinions, some of the ones from the fall setting.

I think since this is going to be argued in January, we may not see an opinion until maybe April at the earliest. But it may not be until the very end, which is the last week of June.

Davis: All right. Well, we’ll wait to see how the arguments go. If you want to listen to more of Elizabeth’s analysis of cases like this, check out her podcast “SCOTUS 101.” Elizabeth, thanks for your time today.

Slattery: Great to be here.
—————–
Daniel Davis is the commentary editor of The Daily Signal and co-host of The Daily Signal podcast.
Tags: Daniel Davis, Elizabeth Slattery, What You Need to Know, Religious School Case, Supreme Court To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

The Real Reason We Can’t Talk to Gun-Control ActivistsPosted: 22 Jan 2020 01:16 PM PST by Frank Miniter: When Vince Vaughn, a Hollywood actor mostly known for his roles in romantic comedies, publicly shook President Donald J. Trump’s (R) hand, a media-frenzy erupted. Many on the left thought that what would have been a normal, no-news sort of thing a few years ago, was so atrocious that Vaughn should be “cancelled” (today’s woke language for: shunned out of the public light).

Vaughn and Trump had been in the same skybox at the College Football Playoff National Championship game between LSU and Clemson. A video shows Vaughn and Trump chatting amiably as the audience sings along with “Sweet Caroline.” Based on their expressions, it looks like they had a classy exchange. Classy behavior, when it comes to interactions with Trump anyway, aren’t permitted, according to many on the left.

A social-media frenzy quickly ensued. Some condemned Vaughn for being respectful to the president of the United States. Others pushed back by pointing out that something is wrong if we’re not even allowed to be respectful to a U.S. president.

Suddenly, we’re in a moment when George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) feels more and more prescient, the left seems to be in favor of bringing the novel’s “Two Minute Hate” to modern America. In the novel, citizens were forced to publicly exhibit hate for two minutes every day as they looked at pictures of people the state deemed to be enemies. It’s not hard to imagine, given the level of “Trump-derangement syndrome,” many on the left doing this anytime they happen to see an image of President Trump on TV or the internet.

Vaughn has described himself in the past as a libertarian. He has even supported Republicans. He is even a gun owner; in fact, there is a scene in his comedy “Couples Retreat” (2009) where Vaughn thinks he hears someone breaking into his home. He grabs his pistol from a self-defense safe and investigates. The prowler turns out to be his friend (Jason Bateman). During this scene Vaughn handles the pistol deftly and without any anti-gun-flavored mishaps. He simply makes having a self-defense gun seem like the normal thing it is. This wasn’t an accident. Vaughn actually helped write the script.

When Playboy asked him, in its March 2015 issue, “Do you own a gun?” Vaughn said, “I do, yeah. I believe in the right to defend yourself if need be. Hopefully you’re never in that situation, but I think you’re fairly naïve to believe there will never be a cause for self-defense. But again, I believe it’s up to the individual. I don’t believe rights come in groups. You shouldn’t get more or fewer rights because of what you believe in or what nationality you were born into.”

So Vaughn is for individual rights, including our right to keep and bear arms.

The left’s reaction to Vaughn’s behavior exhibits a sudden and scary unwillingness to even be civil to those who hold different views. This fixation is so rabid that they want to shut down or “cancel” anyone not in step with their politically correct wokeness. This mindset makes it difficult, even impossible, to have reasonable, fact-based discussions with them about what can be done to make our society even safer.

This tendency is so toxic, in fact, that in October 2019, when talk-show host Elle DeGeneres was seen laughing with former President George W. Bush at a Dallas Cowboys’ game, a lot of people on the left attacked her for being friendly with the “enemy.”

DeGeneres decided to respond. She said “people were upset,” as “they thought, why is a gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president?” DeGeneres said the moral of the story is: “We’re all different. And I think that we’ve forgotten that it’s okay that we’re all different.”

That’s a fitting answer to her critics.

Vaughn, meanwhile, has declined to respond, which is also a classy thing to do.
—————-
Frank Minter (@frankminter) writes for numerous publications and is editor of America’s 1st Freedom. He is the author of The Ultimate Man’s Survival Guide to the Workplace, a New York Times Bestseller, and This Will Make a Man of You.
Tags: Frank Minter, The Real Reason, We Can’t Talk to, Gun-Control Activists To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Self-Defense Is for EverybodyPosted: 22 Jan 2020 01:04 PM PST by Paul Jacob, Contributing Author: Last week, Virginia’s infamous black-face governor claimed to possess “credible intelligence . . . of threats of violence surrounding” Monday’s “Lobby Day” gun rights rally in Richmond, including “extremist rhetoric similar to . . . Charlottesville in 2017.”

Major media outlets went on a rampage, repeating his linkage between gun rights supporters and “white nationalists” faster than semi-automatic fire.

“Big media and mainstream media be damned,” announced a Virginia man recorded at yesterday’s event, and tweeted by social media entrepreneur Michael Coudrey.

The unidentified but obviously black demonstrator jested, at first, that he was “out here because I got roped into it by the group of guys you see standing to my right.” But then he explained his opposition to “Governor Northam and the Democrats’ gun control” as well as “every news piece you’ve seen on this this weekend. . . .”

He objected especially to the incessant race angle — “as if it’s nothing but white rednecks and hillbillies out here who care for the Second Amendment. I work at a gun store part-time and I can’t tell you the number of customers I see of all races, all colors, all creeds who care about the Second Amendment.”

His account was corroborated by Julio Rosas, a senior writer at Townhall.com, who tweeted “pictures of people carrying rifles at the #VirginiaRally and more evidence that debunks the narrative that the rally is filled with racists and white supremacists.”

More than 22,000 pro-gun people of all races have descended on the capitol in a completely peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights in defense of Second Amendment rights . . . making Richmond the safest city in America.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

NOTE: There was only one arrest at the rally, a woman charged with violating a 1950-era law against wearing face masks (like Hong Kong’s law). Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) voiced her displeasure that there weren’t more arrests.
—————–
Paul Jacob (@Common_Sense_PJ) is author of Common Sense which provides daily commentary about the issues impacting America and about the citizens who are doing something about them. He is also President of the Liberty Initiative Fund (LIFe) as well as Citizens in Charge Foundation. Jacob is a contributing author on the ARRA News Service.
Tags: Paul Jacob, Common Sense, Self-Defense, Is for Everybody To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

The Urgent Need for a United States Space ForcePosted: 22 Jan 2020 12:43 PM PSTSteven L. Kwast, Lt. General, USAF-Ret.by Steven L. Kwast, Lt General: In June 2018, President Trump directed the Department of Defense to “begin the process necessary to establish a space force as the sixth branch of the armed forces.” The reason for a space force is simple: space is the strategic high ground from which all future wars will be fought. If we do not master space, our nation will become indefensible.

Since that time, entrenched bureaucrats and military leaders across the Department of Defense, especially in the Air Force, have been resisting the President’s directive in every way they can. And this December, although Congress voted to approve a Space Force, it did so while placing restrictions on it—such as that the Space Force be built with existing forces—that will render it largely useless in any future conflicts.

At the heart of the problem is a disagreement about the mission of a Space Force. The Department of Defense envisions a Space Force that continues to perform the task that current space assets perform—supporting wars on the surface of the Earth. The Air Force especially is mired in an outmoded industrial-age mindset. It sees the Space Force as projecting power through air, space, and cyberspace, understood in a way that precludes space beyond our geocentric orbit.

Correspondingly, the Defense Department and Congress think that the Air Force should build the Space Force. So far, this has amounted to the Air Force planning to improve the current Satellite Command incrementally and call it a Space Force. It is not planning to accelerate the new space economy with dual-use technologies. It is not planning to protect the Moon or travel corridors in space to and from resource locations—raw materials worth trillions of dollars are available within a few days’ travel from Earth—and other strategic high grounds. It is not planning to place human beings in space to build and protect innovative solutions to the challenges posed by the physical environment. It is not developing means to rescue Americans who may get stranded or lost in space.

In short, the Air Force does not plan to build a Space Force of the kind America needs. In its lack of farsightedness, the Air Force fails to envision landmasses or cities in space to be monitored and defended. Nor does it envision Americans in space whose rights need defending—despite the fact that in the coming years, the number of Americans in space will grow exponentially.

This lack of forward thinking can be put down to human nature and organizational behavior: people in bureaucratic settings tend to build what they have built in the past and defend what they have defended in the past.

We have seen this kind of shortsightedness before. In the 1920s, the airplane and the tank were developed by the Army. Even the most respected military leaders at the time, Generals John J. Pershing and Douglas MacArthur, opposed independent development of the airplane and the tank because they saw them as subservient to the infantry. Infantry had always been the key to military success, and the generals’ reputations were built on that fact. For them, slow and cautious steps were prudent, and revolutionary steps were reckless.

These generals defended the status quo even to the point of court-martialing General Billy Mitchell, who had the audacity to say that the airplane was going to change the character of war and needed to be developed independently in order to achieve its full potential.

This type of status quo thinking in the 1920s resulted in needless loss of life during World War II. More airmen were lost in the European theater alone than were marines in the entire war. And countless soldiers died in America’s Sherman tanks, whose shells would bounce off Germany’s Panzer and Tiger tanks. Frontal infantry attacks were launched in order to get Sherman tanks behind the German tanks to fire at close range—the only range at which they could be effective. Many more of our fighting men would have come home and the war would have been shorter if American generals had taken a revolutionary approach to tanks and planes from the beginning.

On the other side, consider that a major reason we won World War II when we did was the revolutionary—not slow and cautious—approach we took to developing nuclear weapons with the Manhattan Project. Likewise today, instead of blindly following the bureaucrats and generals in the Defense Department, we need a Manhattan-type project in order to develop the kind of Space Force needed to meet future military challenges.

***

America’s greatest competitor for the high ground of space is Communist China, which is already fully engaged in building effective space capabilities. America is not, and unless it gets off the mark soon, China will dominate the economy and domain of space.

Our Air Force today can be compared to a race car that has been winning every race for the last 70 years by averaging 100 miles an hour. We are still in the lead, but China is gaining and averaging 150 miles an hour. The Chinese will quickly surpass us if we do nothing—and when they do, they will set up roadblocks that will make catching up difficult if not impossible.

Today, while America is building lighthouses and listening stations that can see and hear what is happening in space, China is building battleships and destroyers that can move fast and strike hard—the equivalent of a Navy in space. China is winning the space race not because it makes better equipment, but because it has a superior strategy. The Chinese are open about their plan to become the dominant power in space by 2049, the centennial of the end of the Communist Chinese Revolution and of the founding of the People’s Republic of China under Mao Zedong.

If China stays on its current path, it will deploy nuclear propulsion technology and solar power stations in space within ten years. This will give it the ability to beam clean energy to anyone on Earth—and the power to disable any portion of the American power grid and paralyze our military anywhere on the planet. America is developing no tools to defeat such a strategy, despite the fact that we are spending billions of dollars on exquisite 20th century military equipment.

Over the past two centuries, we have seen that technology drives economic prosperity and that economic prosperity is essential to sustaining national security. China’s plan is to profit from the multi-trillion dollar space marketplace while simultaneously acquiring global domination. We are capable of forestalling China’s plan, but only if we begin to build a Space Force soon and on the right plan. To do this, we must first understand China’s strategic goal, which is to dominate the sectors of economic growth that historically have held the key to world power: transportation, energy, information, and manufacturing.

Space presents unique economic opportunities because space technology operates on network principles. A network can deliver power, information, or goods from one node to many nodes at a fraction of the increase in cost per customer, as compared to the linear system on which most of our land-based economies are modeled. Compare the cost of sending 100 letters to the cost of sending 100 emails. A space infrastructure, by its nature, is a network system—and these types of systems will always translate to economic advantage. The first nation to build such an infrastructure will dominate the global economy of the 21st century and beyond.

China is developing the kind of technologies required to do so: hypersonic missiles and aircraft, 5G telecommunications, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, quantum computing, and robotics. Last January, China landed the Chang’e 4 spacecraft on the far side of the Moon. The mission provided valuable knowledge in terms of commercial and military applications. At one time this sort of mission was not beyond U.S. capabilities, but it is today, and it shows a commitment to space that we lack. To be sure, China has yet to achieve the ability to launch a manned spacecraft, but this is also a capability that we no longer possess—the U.S. relies on Russian rocketry to man and resupply the International Space Station.

China’s goal is to have the capability to shut down America’s computer systems and electrical grids at any time or place of its choosing, using directed energy and 5G technologies from space. Space is the strategic high ground from which China will seek to gain control of our media, businesses, land, debt, and markets. Although American companies are working on these new technologies, they are doing so in separate silos. Real power lies in tethering or combining the technologies together in space to achieve a dominant economic advantage.

If we choose to compete with China in space, we have a cultural advantage. We are more creative and innovative than China, because we have an open society and a free market. But we must be ambitious and act soon.

With the right vision and strategy for space, America can develop the means to:
Deliver unlimited, clean, affordable energy to every human on the planet without power lines or terrestrial power plants.Provide fresh water for every human without the need for aquifers or pipes.Build a new low-cost internet that is designed to be secure so that every human can connect, share, and learn with assured privacy and data safety.Defend Earth against small asteroids like the one that hit Russia in 2013.Develop a deterrence capability that will render ICBMs and nuclear weapons useless relics of the past.Revolutionize manufacturing by acquiring and deploying resources from space and in space.Provide a shelter in space where we can protect and preserve people, seeds, and life-saving medicines, so humanity can recover from any unexpected contamination, illness, or disaster.Design defense capabilities to preserve our economy, our people, and our sovereignty, and to allow our allies to defend themselves instead of sacrificing American lives.Reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters by managing the eyes of hurricanes and the funnels of tornados with energy from space.Some of this may sound like science fiction, but technologies exist to achieve these goals if we can summon the will to act. Status quo thinkers in the Defense Department say that these goals are futuristic and unaffordable. But recall that The New York Times, relying on the opinions of leading scientists and engineers, predicted that airplanes were “one million to ten million years” off—a prediction made less than three months before the Wright Brothers made history at Kitty Hawk.

Engineers at countless private companies outside the military-industrial complex will assure you that we can achieve these goals, and soon. As for those who say it’s unaffordable, look to the automotive, aerospace, and tech industries, all of whose capabilities were built from profits earned in markets that valued their usefulness. The same will hold true with the marketplace of space.

***

Why the urgency? Because being first in space is imperative. Space will be a multi-trillion dollar market that will disproportionately benefit the first nation to build a vibrant space infrastructure and define the principles and rules of the marketplace of space. If America is first, its principles—the rule of law and the protection of liberty—will be in a position to prevail. If Communist China is first, the marketplace will look much different.

Americans must not allow themselves to be lulled into a false sense of security by reassurance from the military-industrial complex that we have the best military in the world, with the finest equipment ever made. At present this is accurate, but a superior strategy in space will render our fine equipment obsolete in short order.

To develop a proper and winning Space Force, the President and Congress should immediately enact four simple measures:
Congress should assign the Space Force the mission to defend commerce in space and define Cis-Lunar space (Earth to Moon) as an area of responsibility in the Unified Command Plan.Congress should give the Space Force complete independence from the U.S. Air Force so that funds are not diverted from the former to the latter, and so that the Space Force isn’t developed as a mere support function for air power.The President should issue an executive order protecting the space industry from China’s predatory practices.The President should promote policies and strategies to maximize the contribution of the private sector, such as directing the Space Development Agency to partner with private companies to develop new space capabilities.If development of the Space Force continues along the lines of what is currently planned, America will lose the strategic space race to China. This must not be allowed to happen. Our elected leaders must take action now.
———————
Steven L. Kwast is a retired Air Force Lt. General and former commander of the Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. He is a past president of the Air Force’s Air University and a former fighter pilot with extensive combat and command experience. He authored: “Fast Space: Leveraging Ultra Low-Cost Space Access for 21st Century Challenges.” Adapted from a speech delivered on November 20, 2019, at Hillsdale College and shared in Imprimis.
Tags: Steven L. Kwast, Lt General, USAF, The Urgent Need, United States Space Force, speech, Hillsdale College To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

Gun Advocates Rock RichmondPosted: 22 Jan 2020 12:22 PM PST by John & Andy Schlafly: As liberal politicians take control of the Commonwealth of Virginia, they are getting a healthy dose of grassroots resistance by legally armed citizens. A massive crowd of 22,000 descended on its state capitol in Richmond, and the Democratic governor overreacted by declaring an inappropriate state of emergency.

Unlike the women’s march which left trash all over D.C. after Trump’s inauguration three years ago, this peaceful protest by Second Amendment advocates even picked up the garbage afterwards. The gun groups are motivated, in contrast with media-created protests that quickly fade as the women’s rights march has.

Many armed participants at yesterday’s rally said they are just getting started. And they have President Trump enthusiastically on their side.

Trump tweeted on Monday that “The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia are working hard to take away your 2nd Amendment rights. This is just the beginning. Don’t let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020!”

This issue separates Republicans and Democrats more clearly than almost any other issue. Two recent votes in the Virginia Senate for gun control were along party lines, with all Democrats voting in favor of sweeping new restrictions on guns while all Republicans voted against them.

Virginia Gov. Ralph “Blackface” Northam has vowed to sign into law strict gun control legislation. This would include senseless rationing by limiting handgun purchases to only one per month.

Rationing the number of gun purchases by law-abiding citizens would seem to be a violation of the Second Amendment, just as limiting the amount that someone can say or hear would violate the First Amendment. How about limiting the number of bills that a legislature can pass?

Ignoring the Constitution, last week the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate approved this one-handgun-per-month limit on gun purchases on an entirely party-line vote. The Democrats also pushed through additional gun control that requires new background checks for private exchanges of firearms.

The gun control legislation encourages and authorizes outright bans on firearms at public events. Guns can be most helpful at those events to protect against a mass shooting, as recently occurred in Texas when an alert worshipper stopped a massacre by shooting the killer during a church service.

The type of tyranny imposed by Gov. Northam against the peaceful protesters is a sign of what is to come if there is no push-back on gun control legislation. He panicked against the peaceful grassroots gathering by banning the carrying of weapons on the grounds of the state capitol.

Liberals in the media had hysterically predicted violence, which never occurred. The liberal marches after President Trump’s inauguration resulted in vandalism of stores, but nothing similar was caused by the Second Amendment supporters.

The gun control agenda supported by Virginia Democrats includes broad “red flag” provisions which would authorize law enforcement to seize guns lawfully owned by citizens based on a mere suspicion of a possible safety threat. The right to bear arms would not mean much if it can be arbitrarily taken away under the guise of suspicion.

Some Virginia sheriffs announced that they will not enforce the gun control legislation if it becomes law. Towns throughout Virginia could become a new type of sanctuary where the Second Amendment is respected.

How did gun control zealots get elected in a commonwealth which voted Republican in every presidential election from 1952 through 2004 (except 1964)? Virginia was home to four of our first five presidents, and once held the largest percentage of Electoral College votes ever: 15.9% in 1792.

A combination of election spending by an out-of-state billionaire, a flood of immigration, and liberal federal employees have turned Virginia from red to blue politically. In this backyard of the NRA, pro-gun control Democrats took control of the statehouse for the first time in a quarter century in the last election.

Billionaire Mike Bloomberg vastly outspent the NRA in Virginia, which was able to contribute only $350,000 to the Second Amendment side. Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety spent $2.5 million, including efforts by Moms Demand Action.
Gun control zealots have set their sights on other Republican states too. They plan to take control of Texas within a few election cycles, and gained ground in the elections there in 2018.Texas has a whopping 38 Electoral College votes in presidential elections, and will pick up more in the new census. Two of those Electors were “faithless” in 2016 by refusing to vote for Trump despite how he carried the state.

The Supreme Court just accepted a case to decide if Electors can vote contrary to the vote of the people in presidential elections. With the vast sums of money in politics pushing gun control, it is frightening to imagine what might happen in a close presidential election if switching sides were allowed in the Electoral College.
———————
John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) and lead the continuing Phyllis Schlafly Eagles organizations with writing and policy work.
Tags: John Schlafly, Andy Schlafly, Phyllis Schlafly Eagles, Gun Advocates, Rock Richmond To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!

You are subscribed to email updates from ARRA News Service. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

MANHATTAN INSTITUTE

January 23, 2020Featuring the latest analysis, commentary, and research from Manhattan Institute scholarsURBAN POLICYPhoto: Sean Pavone/iStockSuperstar Cities Need to Bring Back a “Growth Mindset”Growth rates are slowing in America’s marquee cities—like Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Los Angeles—and they have begun to suffer problems not of failure but of success. A new report by Aaron Renn diagnoses the reasons for this dwindling growth, explains why the trend is problematic, and offers solutions for its reversal.
NEW YORK CITY & STATEPhoto: Joyce-Grace/iStockA Neighborhood Grows in BrooklynGreenpoint and Williamsburg serve as models for adding more people, housing, and jobs in New York.
By Michael Hendrix
City Journal Online
January 22, 2020
CULTURE & SOCIETYPhoto: Tintoretto’s The Holy Family and the Doge Ranieri (PHOTO © CHRISTIE’S IMAGES/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES)A Catholic Debate over LiberalismIs it a guarantor of religious liberty or an imperial ideology incompatible with the Church?
By Park MacDougald
City Journal
Winter 2020 Issue
Photo: Dawid S Swierczek/iStockMusic to Our Ears“When the fourteen-year-old British composer Alma Deutscher made her sold-out Carnegie Hall debut in December 2019, soloing in her violin and piano concerti with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and presenting her more recent works, the New York classical music press stayed away.”
By Heather Mac Donald
The New Criterion
February 2020 Issue
PODCASTPhoto: adrian825/iStockHow Risk Fuels a Healthy EconomyAllison Schrager joins Brian Anderson to discuss how risk propels economic growth and why government efforts that go too far to mitigate risk undermine America’s economic vitality.
Photo: David NolesAllison Schrager Joins Manhattan Institute as Senior FellowThe Manhattan Institute is proud to announce that economist and author Allison Schrager has joined the Manhattan Institute as a senior fellow, focusing on economic policy. Her work will expand the Institute’s portfolio of work in the areas of public finance, pensions, tax policy, labor markets, and monetary policy. Read her first piece for City Journal.
CIVIL SOCIETY AWARDSNominations are open for the Manhattan Institute’s 2020 Civil Society Awards. This fall, four winners will each receive a $25,000 award for their efforts to keep our social fabric from fraying, assist those who need it most, and help people change the course of their lives. Nominate an outstanding nonprofit by March 20, 2020. Learn more at civilsocietyawards.com.SUBMIT A NOMINATIONCITY JOURNALCity Journal
Winter 2020

Our new issue explores the needless panic over disposable plastic, Los Angeles’s epidemic of drug addiction, how the incarceration of fathers affects children, the promise of next-generation nuclear power, ideological purity tests for artists, and more.

Get your print copy today!
FEATURED BOOKPhoto: Manhattan InstituteDigital CathedralsToday’s global Cloud is society’s first foundationally new infrastructure in nearly a century. It is comprised of thousands of warehouse-scale computers and history’s biggest network of “information superhighways.” Powering this data behemoth consumes more energy than all global aviation. Yet, as disruptive as the Cloud has already become, we are only at the end of the beginning of what digital masons are building for the 21st century.

In Digital Cathedrals, Mark Mills explores this new infrastructure through the lens of energy demand, and the implications for policymakers and regulators, who will be increasingly tempted—or enjoined—to engage issues of competition, fairness, and even social disruptions, along with the challenges of abuse of market power, both valid and trumped up.Buy Now Manhattan Institute is a think tank whose mission is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.
52 Vanderbilt Ave. New York, NY 10017
(212) 599-7000SUPPORT MI Copyright © 2020 Manhattan Institute, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Manhattan Institute52 Vanderbilt Ave.New York, NY 10017
Add us to your address book

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

View this email in your browser

CENTER FOR SECURITY POLICY

Highlighted Articles/InterviewsWurmser to head new Center program on global anti-Semitism Trump defense team should file 3 preliminary impeachment trial motions Putin picks the man to build Russia’s high-tech police state Fleitz on Fox: Trump clearly named the radical Islam enemy that Obama denied Trump was ‘resolute’ in striking Iran terror chief – but the regime won’t stop Poland and Israel’s loss of diplomatic wisdomNext Thursday is supposed to mark another diplomatic triumph for Israeli diplomacy. On January 23, the Fifth World Holocaust Forum will convene at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 75^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz death camp. According to Yad Vashem and the World Holocaust Forum, 45 heads of state will travel to Jerusalem for the conference as President Reuven Rivlin’s guests.

Read the article by Center Senior Fellow, Caroline Glick.CINC applicants need to be clear about the China threatThe next Commander-in-Chief’s top national security challenge is going to be Communist China. Therefore, as we consider applicants for the job, it is imperative that we establish what they think about the myriad threats posed by the PRC and what they propose to do about it.The necessity for such clarity was underscored earlier this week by former Vice President Joe Biden. In remarks during an Iowa campaign stop, that leading Democratic candidate ridiculed the idea that the Chinese are going to “eat our lunch,” saying we should instead be helping them. This statement tracks with a pro-China stance Biden struck last May before he professed in June, in the face of considerable criticism, that “You bet I’m worried about China.” China should worry us – and our leaders must be prepared to counter it effectively.This is Frank Gaffney. Learn more at www.PresentDangerChina.org With Joe BoscoJOE BOSCO, Former China Country Director, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Member of the U.S.-China task force at the Center for National Interest:An overview of Xi Jinping’s ‘China dream’What is the purpose of the Belt and Road initiative?How China sees itself as extending its imperial domain(PART TWO):China’s territorial dominance in the Pacific OceanWhat ceding control of the seas to China would mean for American national securityIs the US underwriting the Belt and Road initiative?(PART THREE):Conflicting reports of the Phase One trade dealWill China honor the provisions of the deal?(PART FOUR):Beijing’s interference in Taiwanese electionsHow will Xi Jinping respond to Tsai Ing-wen winning the election?LIVE STREAM Thursday, January 30: Socialism and American National SecurityTWEET OF THE DAYRetweet, like, and comment!DONATE View this email in your browser Copyright © 2020 Center for Security Policy, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
2020 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 189
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 835-9077

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

CBS

Email Not Displaying? Click Here

Eye OpenerThe coronavirus that’s killed at least 17 people may have reached a second U.S. airport as China locks down two major cities in the province where the outbreak began. Also, three U.S. firefighters have been killed in an air tanker crash in Australia. All that and all that matters in today’s Eye Opener. Your world in 90 seconds.Watch Video +

China locks down another city as the coronavirus spreadsWatch Video +

Residents paint a picture of Epstein’s life on “Pedophile Island”Read Story + Suspended Grammys CEO on alleged corruption: “A blatant conflict of interest”Watch Video +

Billie Eilish is a source of support for fans who are strugglingRead Story + Nebraska doctor lets patients pay for surgery by volunteeringRead Story +

Get More Headlines +

Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The email address for this newsletter is rickbulow74@live.com.
Unsubscribe from this email | Manage your preferences | Newsletter help | Privacy policy

FRONTPAGE MAG

FRONTPAGE MAG DAILYJANUARY 23, 2020 Cops: Muslim Sex Grooming Gangs “Didn’t Understand That It Was Wrong”Daniel Greenfield The Death Spiral of the Islamic Republic Michael Ledeen Bernie’s Billionaires Paul Kengor Schiff Admits Impeachment is a Coup Daniel Greenfield Video: Fighting Anti-Semitism on Canadian Campuses Frontpagemag.com ‘I’m Saddened by the White Man’s Emasculation’Raymond Ibrahim Trump’s Domestic Opponents Support the Iranian Regime Caroline Glick FACT CHECK: Forensic Report Found No Proof Jeff Bezos Was Hacked Daniel Greenfield In Defense of Michelle Malkin’s Right to Free Speech Joseph Klein
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support FrontPageMag’s efforts to continue publishing articles such as this!A PROJECT OF THE DAVID HOROWITZ FREEDOM CENTERContact FPM Support Copyright 2016, frontpagemag.com Unsubscribe from FPM Daily

NATIONAL REVIEW

WITH JIM GERAGHTYJanuary 23 2020 The Editors Make a Compelling PointOn the menu today: The editors of National Review reject one of the arguments put forth defending the president; a preview of this year’s winter meeting of the powerful political network that would prefer to not be called “the Koch network” any longer; and a pair of book recommendations.Once Again, It’s Time to Make Almost Everybody Mad by Telling the TruthPart of life at National Review is being denounced as a spineless lickspittle toady to President Trump and being denounced as an unhinged RINO globalist elitist NeverTrump Hillary-lover, often in the same day and sometimes, it feels, from the same people depending upon their particular mood that day. (I’m fairly certain Joe Walsh passed us during his transition.) The most recent conclusion of the editors, disputing and dispelling the argument that presidents cannot be impeached for any abuse of power unless that abuse took the form of a criminal violation of a statute … READ MORE

ADVERTISEMENT TRENDING ON NATIONAL REVIEW1. On the Bidens, Schiff Opened the Door2. In Defense of Glenn Greenwald3. Alarmists Were Wrong about the Soleimani StrikeTOP STORIESKATIE YODERMarching for Life: Abortion Is Anti-Woman…NR PLUS SETH J. FRANTZMANConfused, Iran Scrambles to Figure Out TrumpLesson learned in recent tensions: Unpredictability is Washington’s best response. VICTOR DAVIS HANSONThe Israel–U.S. Model Has Been a Resounding SuccessWhether by accident or by deliberate osmosis, Israel and the U.S. have adopted similar solutions to their …NEWSTechnical Error Registers Hundreds of Non-Citizens as Voters in IllinoisSince 2017, Illinois has required the state’s citizens to be automatically registered to vote upon applying for or …ROBERT VERBRUGGENWhy Pay Off Your Student Loans if the Government Will Do It for You?Income-based repayment is a giveaway to people who choose to spend abnormally large sums on higher education, …JAY NORDLINGERPutin’s tribute to democracy, &c.Dictators, the Olympics, Jack Nicklaus, dinner times, and …NEWSCruz Claims Schiff’s Opening Argument Makes Hunter Biden’s Testimony ‘Critical’In an interview Tuesday with CBS News, Schiff said that Biden’s testimony would be immaterial to the case and …WHAT NR IS READINGThe Case for Nationalism: How It Made Us Powerful, United, and FreeBY RICHARD LOWRY“Makes an original and compelling case for nationalism . . . A fascinating, erudite—and much-needed—defense of a hallowed idea unfairly under current attack.” — Victor Davis HansonLEARN MOREPODCASTSEpisode 104: The Unfettered State Episode 187: Hillary against… PHOTOSTop Shots Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey VIDEOBiden Rules Out… Psychologist Says He’d… NRPLUS ARTICLESOn the Dangers of Democracy A Heartbreaking Endorsement of… Ready for Election Season?National Review subscribers get the most out of National Review. Don’t miss out.SEE MY OPTIONSADVERTISEMENTFollow Us & Share 19 West 44th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY, 10036, USA
Your Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy
View this e-mail in your browser.

TWITCHY

‘SHADY as Hell’: Matt Wolking’s must-read thread exposes HUGE scandal at heart of #Spygate involving DOD and Stefan Halper Read Story WaPo columnist warned that donations to Tulsi Gabbard will fund ‘frivolous lawsuits against Hillary Clinton’ (guess what happened next)Read Story ‘Happily married, thanks!’ Sean Spicier’s takes on #ImpeachmentTrial and #VirginiaRally leave Lefties hilariously SEETHING
Read Story DERP! Hot mic catches Mike Pence calling Trump ‘unstoppable’ on the same day the Bulwark people launch ‘President Pence’ website
Read Story RELAX, EVERYONE: Prince Charles did not snub Mike Pence at the World Holocaust Forum
Read Story Paging Brian Stelter: Scott Dworkin parrots Joe Lockhart’s ‘satire’ tweet, amasses almost 10,000 RTs and COUNTING
Read Story TWO-FER! Brit Hume uses Jerry Nadler’s own words to slam both him AND ‘truth-challenged Adam Schiff’ and it’s PERFECT Read Story OH NO: 3 U.S. firefighters dead after Coulson Aviation’s Tanker 134 crashes in Australia Read Story Annnd we JUST threw up in our mouths a little: WaPo’s Greg Miller’s bromance-tweet about Adam Schiff earns ALL the cringe Read Story BOMBSHELL: Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow call on Sen. Feinstein to ‘resign tomorrow’Read Story Lindsey Graham praises Adam Schiff’s bladder on Day 2 of the Senate impeachment trial Read Story Dude, you voted PRESENT: Justin Amash tries the ol’ ‘History will not be kind to Republicans’ thing and it does NOT go well Read Story Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez comes out in favor of ~SPINS WHEEL~ birth tourism Read Story Feminist author continues excavating in the hole she created by stating those who are pro-life oppose pleasurable sex for women Read Story ‘Can I have my money back?’ Father confronts Elizabeth Warren over student loan forgiveness Read Story

________SUBSCRIPTION INFO________

This email is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this email on the Twitchy.com network OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately.

Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions

You can unsubscribe by clicking here.

Or Send postal mail to:
Twitchy Unsubscribe
P.O. Box 9660, Arlington, VA 22219* Copyright Twitchy and its Content Providers.
All rights reserved.

HOT AIR

Awkward: Mayor Pete has his “please clap” moment in IowaKaren TownsendSay goodbye to your emotional support peacock Jazz ShawSekulow: Dismissal? We don’t need a stinkin’ dismissalEd MorrisseyOrder ‘A Time to Build’ — It’s time to revive the American DreamSponsor: American Enterprise InstituteMillions under quarantine: China locks down more cities to stop spread of deadly coronavirus Ed MorrisseyADVERTISEMENT Here come the birth tourism restrictionsJazz ShawThe GOP challengers for Donald Trump expose the impotence of Never Trumpers Brad SlagerThe day the peanut diedAllahpunditTalia Lavin: That VA gun rally wasn’t exactly peaceful John SextonSchiff: We can’t let voters decide this at the ballot box because now we can’t be sure the election will be fair AllahpunditMarist poll: Majority rejects Democrats’ radical pro-abortion agenda, but … Ed MorrisseyBiden: A witness trade involving Hunter for John Bolton would turn the process into a “farce”AllahpunditAmerican corporations are inadvertently funding Russian propagandaJohn SextonDid we learn nothing from the Ebola virus? Jazz ShawDems must end this sham impeachment, says … former Clinton adviser?Ed MorrisseyScarborough: These Republicans in their Fox News bubble have no idea what’s coming in NovemberAllahpunditBiden: People make money “clipping coupons on the street”Karen TownsendDenver Post columnist allegedly canned over more transgender madnessJazz ShawSchumer: McConnell did Trump’s bidding in forcing votes late last night rather than this morningEd MorrisseySchiff on calling Hunter Biden in exchange for John Bolton: “This isn’t like some fantasy football trade”; Update: “Off the table,” says SchumerAllahpunditGreta Thunberg: ‘Immediately halt all investments in fossil fuel exploration and extraction’John SextonBroke: Cocaine Mitch. Woke: Midnight MitchJazz ShawToday’s hot topics on Relevant Radio®: March for Life, the Afghanistan Papers, impeachment, Virginia 2A uprising, and more!Ed MorrisseyWaPo: Dems may trade Hunter — or Joe — Biden for John Bolton after allEd MorrisseyBananas: Saudi crown prince’s account taunted Bezos by texting him pictures resembling his mistress before the scandal was known, UN claims AllahpunditPrinceton historian: The 1619 Project is ‘built on partial truths and misstatements of the facts’ (Update)John SextonHillary Clinton: “How could we have known” that Weinstein was a monster?Jazz ShawIt begins, and probably ends: Gabbard sues Hillary for defamation over “Russian asset” accusationEd MorrisseyThree new national polls: The Democratic primary is a two-man raceAllahpunditRouhani: Who, us? We don’t want any nuclear weaponsJazz Shaw

LATEST HEADLINESThe Hill “You feel like looking Hillary square in the eye and asking, ‘What the hell are you doing?’”WSJ Veterans differ with Trump over injuries from Iran missile attackPolitico Matt Gaetz sees “brush back” in being kept off Trump’s impeachment teamNBC “Good job, you’re very well spoken”CNBC “After she goes and studies economics in college she can come back and explain that to us”CNN Susan Collins sent note to dais before John Roberts admonished legal teams, source saysFox News Majority of Democratic voters support single-day national primaryDominic Green If Bolton testifies, so should Hunter Biden, says DershowitzPhilip Klein Let John Bolton testifyWBUR New Hampshire: Sanders 29, Buttigieg 17, Biden 14, Warren 13NYT Trump opens door to cutting Medicare and other entitlementsScientific American Pop culture’s rate of change may mirror organic evolutionDamon Linker The only thing we don’t know about the outcome of Trump’s impeachment trialKatherine Miller What’s new about Andrew YangRobby Soave The media mangled the Covington Catholic story. What happened next was even worse.Kathi Aultman I was an abortionist. The industry isn’t willing to prioritize patient safety.Ylonda Gault I’ll never be ashamed of my abortionGallup Poll: Dissatisfaction with U.S. abortion laws at new highJohn Judis I was a 60s socialist. Today’s left is risking a repeat of our mistakes.Peter Beinart Defending Trump is a has-been’s best hopeADVERTISEMENT

__________________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO__________________________

WERE YOU FORWARDED THIS EDITION OF THE HOT AIR DAILY?
You can get your own free subscription to the #1 blog delivered to your email inbox early each morning by visiting: http://www.hotair.com

This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this newsletter on Hot Air OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately.

Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions

You can unsubscribe by clicking here..

Or Send postal mail to:
Hot Air Daily Unsubscribe
P.O Box 9660, Arlington, VA 22219* Copyright Hot Air and its Content Providers.
All rights reserved.

Rick Bulow, New Media

"The New Media is picking up where the Old Media has failed" - Andrew Breitbart

MORNING NEWS BRIEFING – JANUARY 23, 2020