Home Blog Page 3587

Satanists sue for religious right to ritual abortions

The Satanic Temple of Texas files suit to defend its religious right to child sacrifice

The Washington Times reports:

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

This past week while the nation was distracted by Joe Biden’s dementia-ridden incompetence and Andrew Cuomo’s predatory misogyny, The Satanic Temple of Texas filed suit to defend its religious right to engage in child sacrifice as a spiritual ritual.

The Dallas Observer reports as follows.

“[On Feb. 23, 2021] The Satanic Temple [of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston] filed a lawsuit against the State of Texas alleging certain state-mandated abortion regulations violate the religious liberty of its members … [and] violate the temple’s religious teachings. The Satanic Temple … wants its followers to be exempt from such regulations. The temple has members across the country, including in Texas.” 

“It’s legal to get an abortion in Texas,” clarifies the Observer, “but the procedure is banned after 20 weeks unless a life-threatening medical condition is involved or the fetus has a severe abnormality. If a person is eligible, the state requires them to get a sonogram and receive paperwork about medical risks, adoption alternatives, and developmental stages of the fetus … The state then requires a woman to wait 24 hours after receiving the sonogram and paperwork before she can go through with the abortion …”

The Observer continues, “But the temple’s members consider abortion a ritualistic practice according to co-founder and spokesperson Lucien Greaves … [who maintains the] state regulations disrupt this ritual.”

“We have a distinct kind of procedure for this,” said Mr. Greaves, “and in no part of this do we include getting sonograms or any other medically unnecessary acts as are required in Texas. Therefore, the imposition of those things, we feel, is a violation of our religious liberty.”

Mr. Greaves goes further: “The ritual goes like this: Before the abortion takes place … a member of The Satanic Temple will look at her reflection, be reminded of her personhood and responsibility to herself, take deep breaths, focus on her intent and make herself comfortable. When ready, she will say the third and fifth tenet of the temple aloud.”

The Satanic third tenet reads, “One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone,” and the fifth reads, “Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.”

“[After the abortion],” says Mr. Greaves, “the woman would return to her reflection and cite her personal affirmation: ‘By my body, my blood. By my will, it is done.’”

The Observer offers this context for the Satanic suit: “In the Texas suit, an anonymous pregnant temple member has claimed that state regulations interfere with her religious ceremony and raise constitutional suspicions. The member lives 100 miles away from the nearest abortion clinic, the suit claims. It asks the state to reconsider four abortion regulations through the lens of religious liberty … The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division against the Texas Department of State Health Services and John Hellerstedt, the commissioner of the agency.”

Referring to the suit in question, Mr. Greaves concluded, “At this point, it’s still unclear how the lawsuit will play out. We feel that we have such a clearly strong case when we’re looking at legal precedent, and we’re looking at how robust religious liberty laws are now. I’m particularly interested to see how your [expletive] Attorney General Ken Paxton replies … He’s often releasing press releases about the state of religious liberty in other states and what he feels should be done. He likes to use the language of religious liberty, where it seems to me quite obvious he means religious privilege for a specific viewpoint.”

So, there you have it. Abortion as a religious ritual. Calling those who disagree with you vulgar names. An infantile focus on one’s own body at the expense of everyone else’s. Denying the science of biology, genetics, DNA, and even sonograms, under the banner of science. Killing your own child while chanting “by my body, my blood, by my will, it is done.” Infanticide as merely another religious viewpoint. All of these positions as well as the third and fifth tenets of The Satanic Temple. Sounds stunningly similar to the Democratic Party platform, doesn’t it?  

Ted Cruz once said, “If you find yourself litigating against nuns, you’re probably doing something wrong.” One might add, “If you find yourself aligning with Satanists, you might be wrong too.”

• Everett Piper (dreverettpiper.com, @dreverettpiper), a columnist for The Washington Times, is a former university president and radio host. He is the author of “Not a Daycare: The Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth” (Regnery).

Steve Bannon Sounds The Alarm, Says To Prepare for a Transition to Kamala Harris (video)

Trending Politics reports:

While speaking with Author Mike McCormick, and National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam on The War Room, host of the show Steve Bannon said it is time to get ready for the transition from President Joe Biden to Kamala Harris.

Bannon pointed to Biden’s current well-being, saying that his “eyes are now dead,” also noting that Harris has had a relatively large role compared to previous vice presidents.

“Kamala Harris is printed up in playbooks, always there for these meetings,” Bannon said as he explained how Harris is involved with a large number of meetings. “Pence was never that. That’s not the role of the vice president.”

Steve Bannon isn’t the only one who is sounding the alarm about Biden’s health.

During a recent interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, conservative podcast host and former Secret Service member Dan Bongino dropped a bomb when discussed conversations he has had with Secret Service members working closer with President Joe Biden.

Bongino explained that Biden’s health is worse than we thought as he “is in real significant trouble.”

“It was something I was getting from my sources,” Bongino said. “Sean, it gives me absolutely no joy in saying this. And I mean that. He is in real significant trouble, Joe Biden. And listen to me. everyone around him. Everyone knows it. Everyone knows it. This is the scandal that they’re not telling you – how bad his condition really is… I’m telling you from what I’m hearing from people in my network, everyone knows how bad it is. Everyone. It’s not a mystery, it is the worst kept secret in the White House.”

“That would be a cover-up,” Hannity said.

WATCH:

The comments from Bongino come after House Democrats are requesting to limit Biden’s sole access to the nuclear codes.

In a letter written by Democratic California Rep. Jimmy Panetta, the representative requested that the nuclear codes be shared with members of Biden’s administration.

Adverse Incident Reports Show 966 Deaths Following Vaccination for COVID-19

According to adverse incident reports collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 966 individuals have died after having received an mRNA vaccine for COVID-19.

Between Dec. 14 and Feb. 19, 19,769 reports were made to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) following immunizations with either the Moderna or Pfizer BioNTech mRNA vaccines (the only two vaccines given during the time period assessed). At this time, VAERS data is not available after Feb. 19.

The 966 deaths represent 5 percent of the total number of adverse events reports. Of those who died, 86, (8.9 percent) died on the same day they got the shot. An additional 129, (13.4 percent) died within one day. An additional 97 died within 2 days, and 61 within 3 days.

A total of 514 (53.2 percent) died within a week. 173 died within 7-13 days. 106 within 14-20 days.

85 percent of deaths occurred in individuals over 60; below 60 there were five deaths among those aged 20-29; 8 aged 30-39; 20 aged 40-49; and 57 aged 50-59.

For detailed information drawn from the VAERS reports, see charts provided at the link at the end of this article.

Information drawn from VAERS reports on mRNA vaccinations for COVID-19. (source: CDC)

Comparison With Influenza Vaccines

Neither of the mRNA vaccines  are FDA approved, rather, they have Emergency Use Approval (EUA). They represent a departure from traditional vaccines in that they do not use any part of the suspected pathogen to stimulate the immune system, but rather, nucleoside messenger RNA.

Dr. Christian Perrone, head of Infectious Disease at Hopital de Garches in France, stated in a complaint filed in Europe:

“The first vaccines they are offering us are not vaccines. They are gene therapy products. They…inject nucleic acids that will cause our own cells to produce elements of the virus.”

The death rate following COVID mRNA vaccination is much higher than that following influenza vaccination.

The CDC’s data allows only a ballpark estimation of the rate of deaths following flu vaccination.

In the 2019-2020 influenza season the CDC reports that 51.8 percent of the U.S. population received a vaccine, which is approximately 170 million people.

VAERS reports that in the calendar year 2019 (not the 2019-2020 influenza season) there were 45 deaths following vaccination. To provide context, in 2018 VAERS reports 46 deaths, and in 2017 it reports 20 deaths.

The 45 deaths in 2019 are occurring at a rate of 0.0000265 percent, when calculated using the number of vaccines given in the 2019-2020 influenza season.

As of Feb. 19, 41,977,401 COVID vaccinations had been given with 966 deaths reported following vaccination, which is approximately a rate of .0023 percent.

The VAERS System

VAERS was put in place in 1990, to capture unforeseen reactions from vaccines.

VAERS is criticized both for the fact that anybody can submit a report, and for the fact that it catches only a fraction of the adverse incidents.

The VAERS website describes the system in this way:

“Established in 1990, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national early warning system to detect possible safety problems in U.S.-licensed vaccines. VAERS is co-managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). VAERS accepts and analyzes reports of adverse events (possible side effects) after a person has received a vaccination. Anyone can report an adverse event to VAERS. Healthcare professionals are required to report certain adverse events and vaccine manufacturers are required to report all adverse events that come to their attention.

“VAERS is a passive reporting system, meaning it relies on individuals to send in reports of their experiences to CDC and FDA. VAERS is not designed to determine if a vaccine caused a health problem, but is especially useful for detecting unusual or unexpected patterns of adverse event reporting that might indicate a possible safety problem with a vaccine. This way, VAERS can provide CDC and FDA with valuable information that additional work and evaluation is necessary to further assess a possible safety concern.”

Without a medical diagnosis or autopsy, the report of an adverse incident following a vaccination is not proof that the vaccination caused any particular symptoms.

In a reply to The Epoch Times, about the VAERS death report, Steven Danehy, Director of Global Media Relations for Pfizer, wrote:

“To date, millions of people have been vaccinated with our vaccine. Serious adverse events, including deaths that are unrelated to the vaccine, are unfortunately likely to occur at a similar rate as they would in the general population.”

Moderna has not responded to requests for comment.

The VAERS database is dense with information and can be difficult for some users to follow. The Epoch Times has extracted its data as clearly as possible in charts provided in the link below.

At the link below are charts containing: on the tab “All Deaths Readable” descriptions of what happened to the patients—effects they experienced as reported by health care workers and/or relatives, or other witnesses; VAERS ID numbers (used to look up a complete file on the VAERS database); vaccination type; manufacturer; vaccination name; date received; age, gender and state of each recipient; as well as medical history; and other medications patients were taking.

Summary_of_VAERS_deaths_through_Feb_19th

More Than 3,000 Unaccompanied Alien Children Being Held In DHS Custody

One America News reports:

According to data released on Friday, the Department of Homeland Security is hosting nearly 4,000 unaccompanied migrant children. Reports showed more than 3,300 unaccompanied children and young adults were being held at the U.S.-Mexico border and more than 70 percent of them are expected to be released into the U.S.

Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials predicted a 20-year surge in illegal immigrants under the Biden administration. They expect 2021’s numbers to be 290 percent higher than those of 2020.

Illegal southern border crossings continue to surge under Joe Biden in the wake of his pledge to reverse many of the policies put in place by the Trump administration. According to an advanced copy of a Customs and Border Protection report obtained by Reuters, the Biden administration has apprehended roughly 100,000 illegal migrants who tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border during the month of February.

Miami, UNITED STATES: An agent from the US Customs and Border Protection section of the US Homeland Security Department watches trailer trucks waiting to leave the Port of Miami at a check point serviced by a Mobile Radiation Portal Monitor (MRPM) 06 December 2006. The check-point is one many measures implemented by local and federal authorities throughout various ports in the US in an effort to maintain vigilance against possible terrorist threats to the US. AFP PHOTO/Roberto SCHMIDT (Photo credit should read ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

The preliminary figures showed that February had the highest monthly total of illegal migrants detained, which is a record that hasn’t been broken since a major border surge occurred back in February of 2006.  The Department of Health and Human Services said as of Friday, the growing number of unaccompanied children puts pressure on the department-run shelters and that more space is needed.

In order to combat the growing number of migrants, the Biden administration has reportedly considered housing migrant children at Fort Lee, an army base in Virginia. Meanwhile, House Democrats have tried to push two amnesty bills, which would provide millions of illegal immigrants pathways to citizenship.

On Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell condemned the Democrats’ amnesty agenda and warned the legislation poses a threat to American lives.

“We’re not just talking about the fine details of border policy,” McConnell said. “The big backdrop behind this whole discussion is the sweeping left-wing amnesty plan that the Biden administration unveiled before they were even sworn in. They want to fast-track 11 million illegal immigrants into temporary legal status, give them green cards and then full citizenship.”

He also criticized the Biden administration for dismantling President Trump’s strong border policies, stating the border crisis will only continue to grow.

“Republicans just spent four years making major headway on the security and humanitarian crises on our border,” McConnell added. “The American people would be better served if the Biden administration had chosen to build on this progress, instead of rapidly trying to tear it down.”

Democrats are hoping their majority in the House will usher the bills through to a vote, but they are likely to be under heavy scrutiny if they reach the Senate.

Families Burn Masks Outside Idaho State Capitol To Protest Lockdowns

Families in Idaho rallied outside the State Capitol on Saturday to protest the nationwide lockdowns still in effect in many parts of the country.

Over a hundred fifty people gathered at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise to rally against Gov. Brad Little’s emergency powers and the lockdowns in general, with some families seen burning masks en masse.

Darr Moon of Free Idaho told the New York times that the statewide event has been all local. Over thirty sites have organized mask burning rallies across the Gem State.

Tom Munds of the John Birch Society told sources, “The informed electorate has had enough.” He said there was about 200-300 people at the rally in total. You can see in the Twitter video below that this rally was a family event.

This is not the first time that Gem State residents have burned masks to protest the government’s Covid restrictions. Several hundred Idahoans burned their masks in front of Boise City Hall last summer.

The Idaho Legislative session is about halfway completed. Idahoans will continue to monitor their progress and influence on the next election cycle. 

The lieutenant governor told sources that she would be attending to burn a mask as this event. 

Fox News reports:

Parents in Idaho headed to the state’s Capitol building with their children Saturday to burn their masks, contesting continued mask mandates and violating local orders. 

Idaho Republican Gov. Brad Little never enforced a state-wide mask mandate, but several of the state’s districts enforced county-wide regulations to slow the spread of the deadly virus.

Eastern Idaho Public Health Director Geri Rackow announced earlier this week, that due to the dip in cases and hospitalizations, the state’s seventh district was lifting thier mask mandate.

“I feel that continuing to issue public health orders is no longer justified,” Rackow said during a Thursday board meeting, reported East Idaho News.

Though she added, “I make a plea for personal accountability for everyone to make the choice for yourself to help in slowing the spread of the disease.”

Videos posted to twitter Saturday by an Oregon Public Broadcasting reporter, show parents surrounding an old bin on fire as kids chucked masks into the flames.  Photos of Democrat lawmakers were also reportedly burned in the protest deemed “burn the mask.”

While counties around the state have seen mask mandates repealed, cities have continued to enforce the safety precautions – including Boise.

Fox News could not immediately reach the Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s office for comment on Saturday’s events.

McLean issued a mask order in late February after the Central District Health board voted to roll back mask regulations, prompting Republican lawmakers to introduce legislation that would bar government officials from enforcing mask mandates.

Republican state Rep. Karey Hanks claimed that she had done research “on the physical and emotional and even mental injuries to our bodies, and possibly even our souls,” that mask mandates have allegedly caused.

“When people wear face masks, they tend to not social distance as much, not tend to wash their hands, take other safety precautions because they feel that they’re just taken care of because of the mask,” she said.

Idaho has confirmed over 172,000 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic started, with more than 1,800 deaths.

President Biden has called on everyone to wear a mask for the first 100 days of his presidency, and said that by May the U.S. should have 300 million vaccines – nearly enough to vaccinate the entire country.

But states like Texas and Mississippi have rejected the president’s calls for safety and lifted all coronavirus related restrictions, including mask mandates.

Biden has been frustrated by the decision of Republican officials not to heed advice given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and take continued precautions, calling the Republican governors “Neanderthals” earlier this week.

Sources: InfoWars, KIDO Talk Radio, The New Yorker, Fox News

Chilling bodycam video of cops being ambushed shows how a calm situation can turn deadly in an instant for police (video)

It is a miracle that these NYPD officers survived this shootout

One second, two NYPD officers were assisting a domestic violence victim, the next second, a hail of gunfire was sprayed at them as the alleged abusive husband ambushed them. The New York Police Department released graphic bodycam video of the deadly shootout at 12:45 p.m. on Nov. 24 between cops and Rondell Goppy in Queens, New York.

“Authorities say a 41-year-old woman had walked into the 105th Precinct to report the domestic violence case, and the officers then accompanied her back to the residence to collect her belongings,” KABC-TV reported.

NYPD officers Joseph Murphy and Christopher Wells were attempting to provide solutions to Goppy’s wife, who feared that her husband would harm her. The officers suggested getting a locksmith to change the locks in the home. Officer Murphy proposes leaving the house, and asks the woman, “Where does your sister live?”

All of a sudden, the terrified woman announces, “Oh, he’s coming. That’s him. He’s here.” She shakily shrieks, “Ooh. Ooh!”

Goppy opens the front door, and in the blink of an eye, gunshots ring out towards the police officers. Goppy, reportedly armed with a licensed Glock Model 22 .40 caliber firearm and a Smith & Wesson Model MP Shield 9 mm handgun, fired 11 shots in a few seconds.

Bullets struck Officer Wells in the thigh and Officer Murphy in both of his hands. The officers retaliated in self-defense by firing 24 shots, hitting Goppy several times. Goppy died from his injuries. The woman was not injured in the shooting.

(Content Warning: Graphic video):

Law enforcement officials say it’s a miracle they survived the horrifying shootout.

“This video is chilling and difficult to watch, but it makes one thing clear: Police Officers Wells and Murphy saved lives,” PBA president Patrick Lynch said. “They saved the lives of that domestic violence victim and her children, and they saved each other’s lives – all because they had the training, skill and courage of New York City police officers. For anyone questioning whether we need police officers responding to these types of situations, this video is the answer.”

Wells suffered a fractured femur, and both officers needed surgery. They were discharged within a few days and received a hero’s welcome as they were discharged from the hospital in November.

Pinkerton: Labor Unions Are the Bulwark Against AOC’s Socialism

The Moderate Left vs. the Extreme Left

“Big Labor May Save New York From AOC’s Socialism: Even public-sector unions favor old-style incumbent Democrats to radical insurgents like her.” That was the headline atop an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal on February 19,referring, of course, to the extreme leftism of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 

In the piece, Steven Malanga argues that New York City’s labor unions are opposing AOC because she’s too left-wing for them.  And this issue matters most immediately because the nation’s largest and most influential city will elect a new mayor this year.  AOC herself is not a candidate, but she will seek to help elect a like-minded comrade.   

In addition, New York state, dominated by the city, will hold gubernatorial and senatorial elections next year, and AOC is considered to be a potential primary challenger to Sen. Chuck Schumer.  

According to Malanga, the unions know that AOC is aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), an outfit that routinely attacks unions for being insufficiently left-wing; Malanga quotes the DSA’s declared strategy for “militant . . . classwide struggles.”  However, most unionized workers are interested in bigger paychecks and greater benefits, not the revolutionary stuff of, say, Cuba or Venezuela.  

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 27: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) leaves the U.S. Capitol after passage of the stimulus bill known as the CARES Act on March 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. The stimulus bill is intended to combat the economic effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Indeed, unions blame AOC for blocking Amazon’s expansion into New York City, which would have brought in 25,000 jobs, as well as billions in wages and revenues. As one construction union chief said of her influence, “Politics and pandering have won out over a once-in-a-generation investment in New York City’s economy.”

We might note that when Malanga talks about unions as a bulwark against socialism, he’s not just talking about construction unions, which are traditionally somewhat conservative; he’s also talking public employee unions, including the teachers’ union.  Needless to say, nobody thinks of the teachers’ unions as conservative—unless, of course, one is comparing them to AOC and the DSA.  

At the same time, nobody thinks of the Wall Street Journal as a pro-labor union publication. So when the Journal lauds unions as a bulwark against hard-leftism, the relationship is entirely tactical: If and when the threat from AOC goes away, the Journal’s affection for unions will also go away. 

Yet almost certainly, AOC is not going away. Indeed, at age 31, she rates now as one of the brightest stars in the Democratic Party, and she could continue to shine for decades to come.  

So AOC’s likely long-term presence—and threat—might cause Republicans to think about their traditional, mostly hostile stance toward labor unions. The GOP might need the unions, just as Malanga says, as an additional bulwark against socialism.  

o that raises a tantalizing possibility: Perhaps the Republican Party will wish to actively court the labor vote. 

The Democrats have a firm grip on the urban left, and they also have been doing well in affluent suburbs. Today, virtually all the suburban House seats around big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia are represented by Democrats, and the Dems have even gained seats in suburban Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas. In fact, Democrats hold the seats representing the ten wealthiest Congressional districts in America, as well as 41 of the top 50. 

Yes, of course, Republicans should look to win back as many of those seats as possible, and yet at the same time, we should realize that the two parties are in the midst of an historic realignment—as Democrats become the party of the rich (and the poor), while Republicans become the party of the middle.   

As it happens, just last year, this author wrote a piece for Breitbart News headlined, “‘Essential Workers’ Point the Way to a Republican Workers Party,” and then a few weeks later followed it up with a similarly themed piece, “The Republican Party of Cops, Nurses, and Other Workers—All Together.”

Since then, leading Republican figures such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Sen. Rick Scott have declared that the GOP is now the “workers party.” Moreover, a new NBC News poll bears McCarthy out: Support for Republicans is rising among the White working class, as well as among the Hispanic and Black working class.   

To be sure, the Democrats won’t easily give up their claim to the working class. President Joe Biden has a decades-long connection to labor leadership, and just last week he brought labor chieftains to the White House, declaring, “I want to make it clear I’m a labor guy.”  

Yet on the other hand, Biden supported the free-trade deals that are anathema to unions, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. 

More recently, the Biden administration had been curiously quiet about the attempt of Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, to unionize; that unionization vote, of course, pits workers against the mighty Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post. Finally, on February 28, just as the voting was starting, Biden released a video urging the workers to vote but conspicuously not telling them which way to vote, yea or nay on the union. So we can see: Biden seems to need the good will of Bezos and the Post just as much as he needs the workers.  

In other words, “Middle Class Joe,” the fella born in blue-collar Scranton, PA, must contend with “Globalist Joe,” who takes his cues from Wall Street, Hollywood, and Big Tech. These neoliberal nodes support not only free trade, but also a slew of social and cultural issues that fall into the category of “woke.”  

Yet perhaps the greatest flashpoint is another cause connected to wokeism, namely, environmentalism. 

The Greens Defeat the Blue Collars

For a half-century or more, one piercing critique of the green movement is that it has pursued exotic environmental goals at the expense of jobs and economic growth.  That is, the mostly affluent greens have been besting the non-affluent blues (blue collars).

Indeed, one can look at the brief track record of the new Biden administration and see already that the greens are winning—perhaps because the 46th president owes more to green donors than to ordinary voters. Thus Biden hired John Kerry, the ultimate environmental elitist, to be his “climate czar,” and on his first day in the Oval Office, he killed the Keystone Pipeline, taking away thousands of blue-collar jobs.  

Yet of course, greens want still more, and they even want it to be Greta Thunberg-friendly. As the trendy-left New Republic magazine argued, “Canceling the Keystone XL pipeline was a solid start. But the Biden administration needs to do more than reward the youth climate movement with opening-month executive orders.” [emphasis added] 

Yes, that’s what avant-garde greens want now: a specific Biden pander to the “youth climate movement,” which consists, of course, mostly of the children of rich green liberals; the magazine suggested “establishing a youth council to advise the Biden administration on climate and other policy matters.” Ah yes, just what the nation needs: a White House office to host trust-fund kids.  

In the meantime, the young adults of blue-collar Middle America are more likely to be looking for jobs or perhaps attending a state college.  

Out of this obvious class cleavage, green vs. blue, we can see political peril for Democrats—and opportunity for Republicans.  

Read the full article here.

Vaccine Passports Begin at Rangers Game in New York + More

The Defender’s Big Brother NewsWatch brings you the latest headlines related to governments’ abuse of power, including attacks on democracy, civil liberties and use of mass surveillance.

Vaccine Passports Begin at Rangers Game in New York

Mercola reported:

A vaccine passport system in New York City was introduced to attendees at a New York Rangers game March 2, 2021, at Madison Square Garden. The same passport was tested at The Barclays Center in February 2021.

The “Excelsior Pass” system, which shows a QR barcode on a phone app or printed out on paper, was endorsed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said that it should be used for admission to all sports arenas, theaters and other businesses.

Only a short time earlier, Cuomo had given the OK for certain venues to open to just 10% capacity. With the introduction of the pass, which presumably would allow more spectators inside an arena, MSG Entertainment embraced the passport program, telling the New York Post, “We applaud Governor Cuomo’s leadership in reopening New York. The Excelsior Pass program, along with his decision to allow venues to begin welcoming fans, will play important roles in helping to get our City back on its feet.”

The Excelsior system was developed by IBM and is expected to be widely adopted by other cities and states.

California Doubles Down on Mask Mandates

Mercola reported:

Just after Texas and Mississippi declared their states are now free from mask mandates, California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by doubling down on mandates in his state. And, by doubling down, he means business: Instead of just one mask, everyone in California must now wear two.

Newsom said he was doing this in light of what he called “bad information coming from at least four states” that have loosened or ended their mask mandates. “We will not be walking down their path; we’re mindful of your health and your future,” ZeroHedge reported Newsom as saying.

In response, the California health department updated its guidelines to coincide with the governor’s call for two masks, or a filtered mask if just one is used.

In Apparent New Aim at Web Freedoms, Putin Wants ‘Moral Laws’ for the Internet

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for the Internet in Russia to be bound by “moral laws” that he says will stop society from “collapsing” — suggesting that Russian children are being exploited by his political opponents at anti-Kremlin demonstrations.

Putin’s televised remarks on March 4 come amid mounting efforts by Moscow to exert greater influence over U.S. social media giants and frustration from Russian authorities over what they say is the failure of U.S. social media firms to follow Russian laws.

As tens of thousands of Russians demonstrated across Russia to protest the jailing of Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny, Moscow accused U.S. social networks of failing to take down what it says are fake posts about anti-Kremlin demonstrations.

In December, the State Duma, the parliament’s lower house, backed substantial new fines on platforms that fail to delete banned content and a separate bill that would allow U.S. social media giants to be restricted if they “discriminate” against Russian media.

Health Ministry Revokes License of Doctor Who Warns Against Using COVID Vaccine

Worthy News reported:

Israel’s Health Ministry revoked the medical license Tuesday of (now former) Dr. Aryeh Avni, an anti-vaccination doctor and current political candidate running as head of the Rapeh Party, according to Health Ministry statement.

The decision was made by retired judge Amnon Strashnov following a review of a report submitted to the medical community’s disciplinary committee, which listed complaints and gave the recommendation to revoke Avni’s license.

Explaining the decision to revoke Avni’s license, Strashnov said that his articles published on websites, YouTube, Facebook, and elsewhere against the public immunization of the coronavirus pose a danger to public health.

YouTube Cancels Myanmar Military-Run Channels, Pulls Videos

AP News reported:

YouTube has removed five channels run by Myanmar’s military for violating its community guidelines and terms of service.

The company said Friday that it terminated channels of broadcasters Myawaddy Media, MRTV, WD Online Broadcasting, MWD Variety and MWD Myanmar. The decision follows a Feb. 1 military coup that ousted the country’s elected government, provoking massive public protests.

“We have terminated a number of channels and removed several videos from YouTube in accordance with our community guidelines and applicable laws,” YouTube said in an emailed statement.

The company said it was monitoring the situation for any content that might violate its rules.

YouTube said it had terminated around 20 channels and removed over 160 videos in the past couple months for violating its policies regarding hate speech and harassment, spam and deceptive practices, violent or graphic content policy and violations of its terms of service.

Read the full list here.

Conservative United Methodists Plan Breakaway Denomination

Christianity Today reports:

The new Global Methodist Church will leave the UMC regardless of the General Conference decision, which has been delayed until 2022.

Conservative United Methodists have chosen a name for the denomination they plan to form if a proposal to split the United Methodist Church is successful: The Global Methodist Church.

The Global Methodist Church unveiled its new name, logo, and website on Monday, days after the United Methodist Church announced it was once again postponing the May 2020 meeting that was set to consider the proposal to split.

That puts the likely launch of the planned denomination at least a year and a half away.

“Over the past year the council members, and hundreds of people who have informed their work, have faithfully and thoughtfully arrived at this point,” the Rev. Keith Boyette, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and chair of the Transitional Leadership Council that is guiding the creation of the Global Methodist Church, said in a post on the WCA website.

“They are happy to share with others a wealth of information about a church they believe will be steeped in the lifegiving confessions of the Christian faith.”

The United Methodist Church’s General Conference, its global decision-making body, is now scheduled to meet August 29 to September 6, 2022, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis.

Delegates are expected to take up a proposal to split the denomination called the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation.

The proposal, negotiated by 16 United Methodist bishops and advocacy group leaders from across theological divides, would create a new conservative “traditionalist” Methodist denomination—that’s the Global Methodist Church—that would receive $25 million over the next four years. Individual churches and annual conferences could choose to join the new entity; otherwise, they’ll remain in the existing denomination by default.

Calls to split one of the largest denominations in the United States have grown since a 2019 special session of the General Conference approved the so-called Traditional Plan strengthening its bans on the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ United Methodists.

At the time of the 2019 special session, Boyette’s WCA made clear it planned to split from the United Methodist Church if delegates to the special session had not approved Traditional Plan.

On its website, the Global Methodist Church says it similarly would move forward with a split if delegates to the General Conference meeting in 2022 do not approve the proposed protocol — or if support for the protocol wanes in the intervening year and a half.

The website describes the planned denomination as a “new church rooted in Scripture and the historic and life giving teachings of the Christian faith” and emphasizes its desire to be a global church.The logo for the new denomination was unveiled this week.

It also includes downloadable versions of a proposed Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline in multiple languages.

“True to our roots, we’re a patient and methodical people,” Boyette said on the WCA website.

“We want to do our very best to help theologically conservative local churches, laity, and pastors navigate the transitional period as smoothly as possible. And then we look forward to the Global Methodist Church’s convening General Conference where we hope the duly elected delegates will find what we have done to be helpful. It will be their great task and responsibility to discern God’s will and so help all its local churches and people live fully into the body of Christ.”

Already, one group of progressive United Methodists has announced it isn’t waiting for a vote to form its own denomination.

The Liberation Methodist Connexion launched last November with a virtual worship service and introductory presentation. The LMX—which doesn’t expect members to leave their current denominations or faiths to join—stresses action over doctrine and emphasizes the full inclusion of people of all gender expressions and sexual identities, races and ethnicities, mental and physical abilities, sizes and ages.

Read the full article here.

Biden Says $1,400 Payments Can Start to Go Out This Month

President Joe Biden said on Saturday that Senate passage of his $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill means that $1,400 payments to most Americans will start to go out this month and the bill’s provisions will speed up manufacturing and distribution of vaccines.

Biden, speaking at the White House after the American Rescue Plan bill passed the Senate on a party-line 50-49 vote, said that over 85% of American households will receive payments, with a couple with two children making $100,000 annually receiving about $5,600.

USA Today reports:

WASHINGTON – The Democratic-controlled Senate Saturday overcame Republican roadblocks and a debate that lasted beyond 24 hours to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package which would provide millions of Americans with $1,400 direct payments, billions of dollars for vaccine distribution, and funds to help reopen schools and colleges.

The chamber passed the bill following a session that began around 9 a.m. Friday and ended at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, aft a “vote-a-rama” of proposed changes from both parties. The final vote was 50-49 with all Republicans voting against the measure and all members of the Senate Democratic caucus supporting it. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, was not present for the vote.

“It’s been a long day, a long night, a long year, But a new day has come,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “We tell the American people ‘help is on the way.'”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., countered that “the Senate has never spent $2 trillion in a more haphazard way or through a less rigorous process.”

The bill has been Biden’s chief legislative priority as he begins his presidency. He’s stressed the aid is sorely needed for Americans battling the economic impacts of a pandemic that’s killed more than 522,000 Americans and has pushed for Congress to pass the bill quickly.

In brief remarks Saturday morning, the president told reporters the package was “one more giant step forward” on delivering on his pledge to deliver aid to millions of Americans suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“The bottom line is this: this plan puts us on a path to beating this virus,” he said.

Democrats did not get everything they wanted. The bill does not include a $15 federal hourly minimum wage that progressives had sought. And weekly unemployment benefits were pared back from $400 to $300. But it includes $350 billion for states and localities, provides economic assistance to renters and expands the child tax credit.

Republicans have decried the measure as bloated legislation that disproportionately benefits blue states and large cities with assistance that has nothing to do with the pandemic.

The Democratic-controlled House, which approved a version of the bill last week, must pass the bill one last time before Biden can sign it because of the changes the Senate made.

But those tweaks – notably the lack of a $15 minimum wage and a reduction in unemployment benefits – could make it more difficult for some House Democrats to support the measure and imperil passage in the chamber.

Two Democrats from the party’s conservative wing had voted against the bill the first time it passed the House. Progressives had united around the bill at the time, but some seemed to waver in their support for the revised bill.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., said she was wondering whether she could still support the bill with the Senate’s changes.

“What are we doing here? I’m frankly disgusted with some of my colleagues and question whether I can support this bill,” she wrote in a tweet.

But Democrats are under a time crunch. They want the bill to become law by mid-March, when a federal boost to unemployment benefits expires. House Democrats have signaled they could vote soon after the Senate finished with the bill. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the House would likely vote on the bill on Monday.

The bill’s partisan vote is different from other COVID stimulus plans passed since the pandemic took hold about a year ago. Five other packages passed with support from both parties last year when control of Congress was split between the two parties.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., acknowledged the lack of Republican support, saying Friday “It would be so much better if we could in a bipartisan way, but we need to get it done.”

Republicans objected to the size of the legislation and derided it as full of provisions not related to COVID relief, but they ultimately did not have the votes to block the legislation. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell denounced it as an “ideological spending spree with non-related COVID policies.” 

Other Republicans questioned the need for more aid as vaccines rolled out and the economy showed signs of improvement. 

“Things are looking better,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who asked if there were ways to “slow down” before spending so much money. Graham argued the $350 billion in state and local funding would go to “blue states” because of the funding formula used in the latest round of relief. 

Among the bill’s provisions: 

  • Provides most Americans earning up to $75,000 a $1,400 stimulus check.  
  • Extends a $300 weekly federal boost to unemployment benefits through August 
  • Sends $350 billion to state and local governments whose revenue has declined because of COVID-19’s impact on the economy.
  • Allocates $130 billion to help fully reopen schools and colleges.
  • Allots $30 billion to help renters and landlords weather economic losses. 
  • Devotes $50 billion for small-business assistance. 
  • Dedicates $160 billion for vaccine development, distribution and related needs. 
  • Expands the child tax credit up to $3,600 per child.

More:Republican Sen. Ron Johnson forces Senate to read all 628 pages of Biden’s COVID bill aloud

The Senate went through a lengthy process known as a “vote-a-rama” prior to the final vote to propose changes to the bill.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., tried to introduce an amendment increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, but it failed after a group of Democrats joined Republicans in quashing it. House Democrats had included the wage hike in their version of the bill, but a key Senate official ruled the increase could not stay in the final Senate bill. 

Sanders, in a statement, said this was not the last time he would try to bring up the wage hike for a vote.

“If any senator believes this is the last time they will cast a vote on whether or not to give a raise to 32 million Americans, they are sorely mistaken. We’re going to keep bringing it up, and we’re going to get it done because it is what the American people demand and need,” he said.

The Senate’s final passage of the bill came after Senate Republicans threw up procedural roadblocks to try to delay it. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., had forced the Senate to read the over 600-page bill out loud on Thursday, a process which ultimately took nearly 11 hours and did not finish until early in the morning. 

A further delay occurred Friday afternoon as senators were gridlocked over changes to the bill’s unemployment provisions. A compromise agreed to after hours of deliberation among Democratic senators extended unemployment benefits through the end of August at $300 per week, with the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits non-taxable for households with incomes under $150,000. 

“This bill that we are completing now is the most significant piece of legislation to benefit working people in the modern history of this country,” Sen Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said before the Senate passed the bill. “The people are hurting and today, we respond.”

Schumer brushed aside concerns about delaying aid over the impasse on unemployment benefits. The 8-hour debate over unemployment was “meaningless compared to the relief American people get,” he said Saturday morning following the bill’s passage. 

1...3,5863,5873,588...3,603Page 3,587 of 3,603
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2023 American Faith News Media. All rights reserved.