Sunday, May 3rd open thread: ‘Clampdown’
“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.
You can subscribe to America’s Watchtower to receive email updates and you can also follow America’s Watchtower on Facebook and Twitter by clicking the links on the right.
This song is dedicated to the 35 or so wannabe tyrants out there who have their states in lockdown. Here is The Clash performing “Clampdown” live in 1980:
Hundreds of COVID-19 lawsuits headed to courts
It has taken quite a bit longer than I had thought it would be we are finally starting to see some blow back against the various State leaders and their stay at home orders. We have seen the protests slowly ramp up in different States but we know this really could start to boil over because even people in the liberal bastions of New York and California are starting to fight back.
When Governor Sununu of New Hampshire issued a stay at home order his authority was quickly challenged in the courts and just as quickly dismissed but now a month or so later there are hundreds of lawsuits set to hit the dockets. Here is more:
Hundreds of lawsuits stemming from the coronavirus pandemic are rapidly amassing in state and federal courts, the first wave of litigation challenging decisions made early during the crisis by corporations, insurance companies and governments.
Claims have been filed against hospitals and senior-living facilities, airlines and cruise lines, fitness chains and the entertainment industry – 771 as of Friday, according to a database compiled by Hunton Andrews Kurth, an international law firm tracking cases that emerge from the pandemic. The volume and variety make painfully clear that, throughout the United States, the virus has caused widespread devastation and hardship, and that the full scope of its economic toll remains to be seen.
Complaints reach across industries and state lines. Some seek significant monetary damages. Others ask for a judge to correct actions alleged to be harmful or in violation of contractual agreements.
There is only so much people can take and we could be reaching a breaking point. Some people have had everything taken from them in the blink of an eye. They did not lose their jobs, their livelihoods, their means of survival, they had it taken from them and they are right to be upset, and yet people call them selfish for finally starting to fight back against a situation which was not of their doing? Against something that has been perpetrated against them? Against something they might never recover from? Tell me again who the selfish ones are?
It will be interesting to see how these lawsuits play out, I am sure many of them will be thrown out, but it is good to see people are not as complacent as I thought they were.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
It has been a very good week for Michael Flynn, a very bad week for the FBI, and maybe even a worse week for Peter Strzok: in the last few days we learned the FBI discussed trying to trick Michel Flynn into lying or trying to get him fired–notice the agency did not talk about getting to the truth–and then we learned the FBI was set to drop its investigation into Michael Flynn because the agency could find nothing on him but Peter Strzok talked the agency into continuing the investigation.
Now we are learning in this story that Peter Strzok altered the notes taken of the FBI’s interview with Michael Flynn, here is more:
Yet another bombshell development emerged Thursday in the case of former National Security Adviser Gen. Michael Flynn: the release of additional exculpatory evidence FBI officials had withheld from the courts and the defense for three years.
Crucially, this includes evidence that the Bureau’s official “302 report” filed by the lead agent who interviewed Flynn was edited multiple times, including by an official who never participated in the interview.
Thursday’s revelations come on top of yesterday’s disclosures indicating an apparent attempt by FBI officials to trap Flynn into committing a criminal offense during an interview.
The new revelation could prove even more significant: In addition to the apparently calculated effort to get Flynn to commit perjury or obstruction, top FBI figures, including FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page, repeatedly altered the “302 report” that was filed after the Flynn interview.
So Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and somebody WHO DID NOT EVEN ATTEND THE MEETING changed the notes of the meeting several times until they got it to their liking. I think this gives us an answer to why Peter Strzok wanted more time before the FBI closed the case against Michael Flynn. If this is true, the FBI had no evidence against Michael Flynn so Peter Strzok created some by changing the notes to make it appear as if he lied to the FBI.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Bill de Blasio threatens to arrest funeral goers
The COVID-19 scare has been used by various State governors and city mayors as an excuse to implement draconian restrictions on our rights, liberties, and freedoms. Some States and cities are worse than others but one of the worst offenders is Bill de Blasio of New York, who I think it can be said has done a terrible job at keeping his people safe.
But what he did yesterday is indefensible. According to this story the New York City mayor was upset because people had the audacity to actually attend the funeral of a revered religious leader, so he decided to personally break up the funeral and threatened to arrest anybody who was attending or who might attend a funeral in the future.
Here is what he Tweeted:
Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonite: a large funeral gathering in the middle of this pandemic. When I heard, I went there myself to ensure the crowd was dispersed. And what I saw WILL NOT be tolerated so long as we are fighting the Coronavirus
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
Attending the funeral of a religious leader or of a loved one is now “something absolutely unacceptable” and “will not be tolerated” by the totalitarian leader of the city. To think of the audacity it takes to actually break up a funeral and threaten the mourners with arrest is beyond belief.
Somebody is enjoying his newly found power just a little too much and at some point the people have to stand up and Say enough is enough because the more they get away with the more they are going to try to get away with.
I guess when you get right down to it I am more disappointed than anything else with this whole situation. As frustrated as I am with the government’s response to the virus it is sheepishness of the American people that has me most concerned about the future.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Did New York cost Joe Biden the Democratic nomination?
Earlier this week New York cancelled its Democratic primary due to concerns over COVID-19. Other States have postponed primaries but if I am not mistaken New York is the first State to actually cancel it outright.
New York is claiming it is okay to take away the voice of her people because Joe Biden basically has the nomination locked up anyway, but is it possible this could backfire on the presumptive nominee because he has not yet secured the necessary delegates needed to lock up the nomination before the convention?
On Monday, officials in New York announced the cancellation of the state’s Democratic presidential primary, calling the event “essentially a beauty contest,” and a risk to public health in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
While New York Democrats cited the inevitability of Joe Biden’s nomination for the party’s candidacy as justification for calling off the primary, it could actually make the former VP’s spot on the ticket anything but a forgone conclusion.
Biden is the prohibitive favorite for the nomination to face Donald Trump in November. But New York could be the first step in an unlikely path to a contested Democratic convention
Although Bernie Sanders is officially out of the race, Biden does not yet have an overall majority of convention delegates. As of April 27, the former vice president has 1,305 of the 1,991 delegates needed to clinch a first-round coronation at the party’s convention. New York offered 320 delegates up for grabs, 274 pledged to the primary winner; a prize that would have brought Biden closer to the nomination.
If New York’s decision triggers other states to cancel their own primaries, it is entirely possible that Biden could arrive at the Democratic convention without a guarantee of the nomination.
Assuming the convention begins without a majority of delegates pledged to Biden, the nomination process, during which delegates conduct floor votes, would become a live-fire exercise, rather than a pro forma step in Biden’s coronation as nominee.
If Biden does not secure a majority on the first ballot, delegates could offer another candidate from the floor.
Hmmm, that is an interesting scenario and it makes me wonder if New York’s cancelling of its primary was part of a plan by the Democratic party to take the nomination away from the former Vice-President. Maybe this is the end game.
It is no secret that Joe Biden has problems, and I am not just talking about the early signs of dementia he is showing and I am not even talking about his fondness for touching young people. These sexual assault allegations might be being mostly ignored by the media during the COVID-19 crisis but they are not going away and the calls within the party for Joe Biden to step out of the race are growing.
If Joe Biden is not going to go away willingly, and at this point I do not think he can, maybe this is how the party intends to rid themselves of somebody who is accused of being a sexual predator.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Michael Flynn to be exonerated this week?
When Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI back in 2017 he stated he had no choice because he could no longer afford to fight for his freedom so he agreed to a plea bargain. Since that time his sentencing has been delayed several times, which anybody could see was a bit odd. Why would you delay the sentencing of a man who already “admitted” we was guilty?
Then came news that the Department of Justice had actually exonerated Michael Flynn before his plea bargain but did not bother to tell him, now it is being reported here that a full exoneration of Michael Flynn is coming this week. Here is more:
This reporting is based on AG Barr asking a Missouri US Attorney to look into Flynn’s case back in February. On Friday night, new documents were submitted to the court that they had not previously seen and Bartiromo says these documents are considered exculpatory evidence, meaning that they will clear Flynn of all wrongdoing. She reports that the new evidence is notes from the FBI proving that Flynn’s meeting with the FBI at the White House was all a setup and that Flynn never lied.
This whole deal has looked shady from the beginning and if this story is true a small measure of justice will be served to Michael Flynn, although this does not make up for his name being dragged through the mud for three years.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Despite the mainstream media’s attempt at suppressing the sexual assault allegations against the presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee, and despite most Democrats treating these allegations much differently than they did the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, hoping they will go away, it does appear as if people are starting to see the problem with nominating a candidate who apparently has trouble keeping his hands to himself in the #MeToo age.
After all, these same Democrats told us all allegations must be taken seriously and all women must be believed, and they also told us Donald Trump was disqualified for the Presidency for a decades-old comment, so you can see where it could be a problem.
There is talk, albeit it mostly seems to be coming from Bernie Sanders’s corner, that Joe Biden will be replaced at the convention due to these allegations and now according to this story a former advisor to Hillary Clinton is calling for good ole Uncle Joe to drop out of the race. Here is more:
Peter Daou called Saturday for former vice president and presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden to drop out of the race.
Citing new evidence of possible sexual misconduct, Daou — who had previously advised both former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry — argued that the party could not afford for Biden to not take the accusations of former aide Tara Reade seriously.
Daou began by saying that “BIDEN SHOULD WITHDRAW,” noting that, while he respected the will of the American people, “Credible rape accusations are disqualifying or we have NO moral standards.”
Calling a Biden withdrawal both “the ethical position AND the smarter strategy to beat Trump,” Daou went on to say that Democrats would “lose ALL moral authority if we embrace ‘the lesser of two accused rapists.’”
Coming from a former Clinton advisor this opinion should carry some weight and he is right about the Democrats losing any moral authority they think they might have after the way they have attacked Donald Trump on the same issue. If the Democratic voters are honest with themselves there would be no way they could vote for Joe Biden. But of course we know a little hypocrisy will not stop them if they think Joe Biden gives them the best chance to oust Donald Trump, and that would show us they never really cared about Donald Trump’s alleged victims in the first place.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Sunday, April 26th open thread: ‘Bleach Boys’
“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.
You can subscribe to America’s Watchtower to receive email updates and you can also follow America’s Watchtower on Facebook and Twitter by clicking the links on the right.
I guess there was a bit of a kerfuffle over the last few days because apparently the President told everybody to go out and drink a case of bleach so here is The Dead Milkmen’s “Bleach Boys.” This song was written over 30 years ago, enjoy:
The COVID-19 heroes on the flanks
One thing that we have all learned during this COVID-19 outbreak is who the real heroes are. Or should I say, one thing that we have been reminded of is who the real heroes are because I think while we often times get distracted we know who they are. They are the doctors, nurses, first responders, truckers and railroaders, farmers and more.
There are others as well who have been largely forgotten in the memes on Facebook and in the advertisements on television so I thought I would take a moment to give a shout out to those people as well.
These people are still going to work every day but they wear a different uniform.Their uniforms usually consist of jeans, work boots, safety glasses, a flannel shirt, and maybe a hard hat. Their tee-shirt might have a company name on it and many of them also wear gloves, masks, and face shields. But these pieces of protective equipment are worn not to protect themselves from the virus but to protect themselves from metal dust and for keeping other agitators out of their lungs. (They knew what “PPE” stood for before it was cool…)
Their hands are calloused, their flannels are ripped, their jeans are dirty and might also be ripped, sometimes they have foul mouths, sometimes their faces are unshaven, and their hair might be unkempt. All signs of long hours and many years doing what they do without fanfare. They do not look this way because they do not care, they look this way because they do care. These people are some of the best at what they do.
These people build things. Important things. They are in a line of work which is considered “critical manufacturing” and many of them are in the biopharm/ life sciences field. These people are welders, pipe fitters, electricians, metal finishers, machinists, mechanics, and general all-around do whatever it takes kind of people.
They might not be on the front lines in this battle but they are still going to work every day and they are still risking exposure to the virus to make sure the product is built. Their work environment has changed and they have to adapt sometimes on a day to day basis as they work together while staying apart. Sometimes they laugh and sometimes tempers flare because of the uncertainty, but in the end they come together and make the best of the situation.
So what is the product that is so important? These people are building systems which one day soon might manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine, or possibly the cure or even protect people from the next virus, and when COVID-19 ends its frontal assault on the American people these products will be there protecting the flanks because of these people. And when the next battle begins in the Autumn hopefully their hard work will come to fruition and they will be the vanguard. These people build things. Important things. Thank you.
The greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel–Florence Nightingale
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