A couple of weeks ago, after facing intense pressure, the President finally released the names of all the recipients of the PPP aid included in the $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package. This was in response to all of the claims that the Trump administration mishandled the money which was meant to help small businesses, and of course we found out that members of the Congress on both sides of the aisle reaped the benefits of the PPP program.
One of the people who was most vocal over the handling of the money was non other than good ole creepy Uncle Joe Biden, who had this to say:
“It is unacceptable to have a small-business program that is leaving minority business owners out in the cold, or that firms with fewer than 20 employees received only about 20% of the money — even though they make up about one third of payroll,” Biden wrote.
However it turns out–and I know this is going to shock you, but do not let it ruin your faith in the aristocracy–Joe Biden’s son-in-law was the beneficiary of hundreds of thousands of dollars despite being a $31 million firm.
Howard Krein, who is married to Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, and also serves as an informal advisor to the Biden campaign, is the chief medical officer of StartUp Health, which as of September 2018 had built up an investment portfolio valued at over $31 million. The firm received a PPP loan valued between $150,000 and $350,000 on April 12 to retain the jobs of 18 people, according to The Wall Street Journal.
When I read this story a bell went off in my head, I was sure I had heard these names before and yep, I did. Joe Biden used his position as Vice-President to help launch this same healthcare company from the White House right around the time Obamacare was passed.
It is just one thing after another with the Biden clan, if there is a way to profit off a position in the government you can rest assured Joe Biden has thought of it.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Supreme Court rules border wall construction can continue
Back and forth we go in the court battle over Donald Trump’s plan to reallocate Defense money to build a wall at the Southern border. When last we left this story the 9th Circuit Court put a halt to the project after ruling Donald Trump illegally sidestepped the Congress to reallocate money the Congress already allocated.
The Department of Justice is appealing the decision and, much like it did before, the Supreme Court has ruled that the border wall construction can continue while the case makes its way through the court system. Here is more:
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the Trump administration can proceed with plans to build a portion of the border wall while lawsuits over the use of Pentagon funds to do so plays out in court.
The court voted 5-4 against a challenge by a group of environmental organizations represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The groups sued over the administration’s decision to divert $2.5 billion in military funds to carry out the construction of the border wall in Arizona, New Mexico and California.
A federal appeals court ruled last month that the movement of funds violated the Appropriations Clause of the Constitution because Congress originally designated the funds for defense spending, not the Department of Homeland Security. The Justice Department plans to appeal the case to the Supreme Court in August.
The high court said construction can continue in the meantime.
And so the battle rages on, the wall continues to slowly be built, and we await the next ruling. At this rate the money is going to be spent before the case is resolved.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Way back when this whole COVID-19 pandemic first started I remember hearing reports about how the virus could be contracted through the eyes. Because of this face coverings were not recommended, but then something changed and the talk of the possibility of contracting COVID-19 through the eyes disappeared and face coverings became all the rage.
But suddenly now the talk of contacting COVID-19 through the eyes is making a comeback and Doctor Fauci was asked about the possibility of mandating Americans to wear goggles when in public. Here is more:
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, said Wednesday that the U.S. could eventually reach a point where it recommends the use of eye goggles to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
During an interview with ABC News medical correspondent Jennifer Ashton, Fauci was asked whether the U.S. would one day recommend eye protection due to the pandemic.
“You know, it might,” Fauci said, noting that it would offer an added layer of protection.
“You have mucosa in the nose, mucosa in the mouth, but you also have mucosa in the eye,” he added. “Theoretically, you should protect all the mucosal surfaces.”
Fauci went on to say that if you have “goggles or an eye shield, you should use it.” While it’s not universally recommended, both goggles and a face covering would provide “complete” protection from the coronavirus, he said.
Four months into a pandemic and now the good doctor is finally admitting what we heard in the beginning was true? An ineffectual cloth face covering is made even more ineffectual because it does not cover the eyes! Doctor Fauci, all the other doctors speaking out about wearing face coverings, the CDC, and the WHO had to have known this from the beginning and yet they pretended, and continue to pretend, that we are protecting ourselves.
However, that is not even what I wanted to focus on in this post because Doctor Fauci went on to say something I found even more interesting which seems to have been missed by everybody.
“It’s just that it’s so easy for people to make a cloth mask,” Fauci said, referencing the public health guidance for Americans to wear face coverings in public settings to slow the spread of the virus.
That statement is stunning to me! He just admitted that the reason why public health guidelines recommend wearing a face covering is because it was so easy for people to make them, not that they are effective! In other words you are not protecting yourself or others but you will feel, and look, like you are. Plus it gave you a little project to do while you were under house arrest.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Joe Biden says the 2020 census was “two censuses ago”
How about a little comic relief tonight from good ole Uncle Joe’s bunker? He is talking about the 2020 census but seems to get a little confused about which year it is. Here you go:
Although we all get a kick out of Joe Biden’s constant gaffes it really is not all that funny any more. Sure his handlers will claim this was just a simple slip of the tongue, and I would give just about anybody else the benefit of the doubt, but from things like this to forgetting where he is both in location and in mid-sentence we are seeing the former Vice President’s mental cognizance slip away in front of our eyes.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Here we go again, now that we are four months into a lock down which was supposed to last two weeks the government has figured out that Americans are still hurting because nothing is allowed to fully open. People cannot make money and people can not spend money, as shocking as it sounds, this has put a major dent in the once thriving economy.
So as a result of the totalitarian measures put in place by America’s version of the reign of 30 tyrants the Republicans have decided another trillion dollar stimulus bill is needed. Here is more:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unveiled a $1 trillion coronavirus aid plan Monday that includes a second round of direct payments to Americans.
McConnell introduced the HEALS (Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools) Act during a speech on the Senate floor on Monday.
“We have one foot in the pandemic and one foot in the recovery. The American people need more help,” McConnell said.
Despite issues that remain over some items in the aid package, direct payments are expected to easily make it through bipartisan negotiations. President Donald Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and McConnell were all in agreement that there should be another round of $1,200 in money for most Americans.
Enough of this nonsense, I have a radical idea which will stimulate the economy and actually put Americans back to work. Open up the economy! Stop playing games with people’s lives for the sake of an election! Allow people to go back to work, allow businesses in the service and entertainment industries to fully open. In other words, allow people to earn and spend money, it will do wonders for the economy.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Sunday, July 26th open thread: ‘Ruled by Secrecy’
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24 KJV)
Here is this week’s open thread. Please feel free to post links to interesting articles and to discuss whatever issues arise during the course of the day. Nothing is off-topic here.
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Here is Muse performing “Ruled by Secrecy” live in 2004:
Change in the air
And they’ll hide everywhere
And no one knows who’s in control
You’re working so hard
And you’re never in charge
Your death creates success
And you’ll build and suppress
The State of Nevada has limited church gatherings to 50 people or less due to the COVID-19 pandemic–allegedly–and at least one church in the State was fighting against the restrictions because at the same time Nevada is allowing larger crowds to gather at casinos and restaurants. It seems hypocritical and agenda-driven to allow casinos and restaurants to operate without the same restrictions in place simply because they bring money into the State, but unfortunately the Supreme Court does not feel the same way.
Here is more:
The high court announced the 5-4 decision against Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley, with Chief Justice John Roberts once again joining the liberal judges.
The church had argued the cap was an unfair attack on its First Amendment rights to free exercise of religion. It pointed out that the state allowed higher caps for restaurants and casinos — 50 percent capacity — but would not let its 90-person congregation assemble, even with social distancing protocols. A federal court upheld the state’s policy, and the church sought an appeal last month at the 9th Circuit.
The Supreme Court’s decision was issued without comment.
This is not unexpected because back in May the Supreme Court ruled in favor of California’s draconian clampdown against the freedom of religion. In both of these cases the churches just wanted to be able to follow the same social conditioning guidelines put in place by their respective States which govern other businesses, and in both cases they were denied by a Supreme Court which currently holds a 5-4 liberal majority.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
ACLU sues Donald Trump over census Executive Order
Earlier this week Donald Trump signed an Executive Order which prohibited the counting of illegal aliens on the census for the purpose of apportioning House representation. The ACLU has now filed a lawsuit against the Executive Order, seeking to have illegal immigrants counted when apportioning House seats. Here is more:
On Friday, the ACLU dropped a lawsuit against the Trump administration on behalf of a number of open borders lobbying groups — including New York Immigration Coalition, Make the Road New York, CASA, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, ADC Research Institute, and FIEL Houston — demanding that illegal aliens be counted in congressional apportionment.
The ACLU lawsuit claims not counting illegal aliens in congressional apportionment is unconstitutional.
“The new policy of excluding undocumented immigrants from the Census conveys a xenophobic message aimed at suppressing Census participation from households containing immigrants and noncitizens,” the lawsuit states.
“Unless enjoined, the policy undoubtedly will undermine the effectiveness of the Census Bureau’s operations and deter members of immigrant communities — including undocumented immigrants, noncitizen immigrants with legal status, and United States citizens — from participating in the Census,” the lawsuit continues.
With one Supreme Court loss on the books already over the issue of illegal immigrants and the census I believe Donald Trump is fighting a losing battle. The 14th amendment to the Constitution says “the whole number of persons in each State” shall be counted when apportioning representation, and while we know the intent of this amendment was to ensure former slaves were counted the language only makes one exception and that is to Indians who pay no taxes. I see no way the President can win this one in the end.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Andrew Cuomo blames political opponents and the media for his COVID-19 nursing home policy
Andrew Cuomo may have investigated himself and found that he was not responsible for the results of his nursing home policy which to date has left over 6,000 dead, but he is having a hard time convincing others.
If you are not familiar with this story, Andrew Cuomo forced nursing homes (which have the population most susceptible to COVID-19) take in 4,500 COVID patients which has led to 6,000 deaths and counting. This man then had the audacity to blame the nursing homes for these deaths for not refusing his order, even though at the time he issued the order he stated emphatically that the nursing homes did not have that option.
Nobody bought the findings of Andrew Cuomo’s self-investigation and nobody bought the lame blame-the-nurses excuse either so Andrew Cuomo, rather than taking responsibility for his own deadly actions, has had to come up with another excuse and this time he is blaming his political opponents and the media.
Here is more:
Cuomo responded to a question on the New York Department of Health’s nursing home report and whether he would have an independent investigator do a report by saying, “I don’t believe your characterization is correct. I believe it is a political issue. I think it’s the New York Post. I think it’s Michael Goodwin. I think it’s Bob McManus. I think it’s Fox TV. I think it is all politically motivated. If anybody looked at the facts, they would know that it was wholly absurd on its face. People died in nursing homes. That’s very unfortunate. Just on the top line, we have — we are number 35th in the nation in percentage of deaths in nursing homes. Go talk to 34 other states first. Go talk to the Republican states now, Florida, Texas, Arizona, ask them what is happening in nursing homes. It’s all politics.”
This coming from the man who has done nothing but play politics from the beginning, from crying for ventilators he never needed at the expense of sending them to other states which did need them, to refusing to use the military hospital ships that the Federal government sent him he has used this as a political tool in the hopes it will carry him in to the White House someday.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Governor Newsom bans home Bible studies
We have seen different States issue varying degrees of totalitarian measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I would argue that most, if not all, of the measures are unconstitutional but even if we grant extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures some of these Governor are still pushing the envelope. A couple of quick examples come to mind such as Governor Cuomo deploying enforcement teams to check the papers of out-of-state travelers to New York, the couple under house arrest in Kentucky, but in California Governor Newsom might have taken the cake.
In addition to banning worship services this man has taken it to the next level by banning in home Bible studies. The State is now being sued over this outrageous order, here is more:
A California church is suing Gov. Gavin Newsom for banning all indoor worship services, including Bible studies, and singing, saying the restrictions violate their religious freedom.
Pasadena-based Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry filed the lawsuit in an attempt to block enforcement of Newsom’s orders which target churches.
The church has many “Life Groups” which are home Bible studies and fellowship groups where people come together to share and learn about the Word of God. These are now forbidden under Gov. Newsom’s recent orders.
“Governor Gavin Newsom cannot disregard the First Amendment and ban all in-person worship in private homes and churches,” said Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver. “Nor can the state micromanage the form of worship by banning singing or chanting. The governor is not the High Priest over all religions.”
“There is not two First Amendments – one for protests and one for houses of worship. Gov. Newsom encourages thousands of protesters to gather in the streets but bans in-person worship and home Bible studies and fellowship. This discriminatory treatment is unconstitutional,” Staver added.
I am glad to see he is calling out the hypocrisy of encouraging large crowds of protesters while banning worship services, it is clear Governor Newsom has an agenda here. Allowing the protesters while banning worship is a deliberate attempt at dividing the people in order to control them. Some of these Governors are drunk with power and they do not like anybody pushing back against the unconstitutionality of any of this and so they take more and more in an effort to condition the plebeians not to talk back.
But banning singing and chanting as well as the Bible studies? That is something that really caught my attention in this article, how can the Governor of a State stop people from singing? This is getting way out of hand, first you lock people up in their homes and then you tell them what they are allowed to do in those homes until you free them again. This is all about eliminating anything that can even be associated with worship.
In a communist State the authority has to be the highest power if the people are to be controlled, any belief in God is forbidden because God would be a higher power than the State and man would be answerable to God first. So God must be eliminated from the minds and hearts of the people, and what better way to do that than stop the people from even talking about the Word of God? Governor Newsom is trying his hardest to accomplish that goal.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
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