Peter Doocy asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki a great question: in regard to Gov. DeSantis defending parents’ rights to decide for their own children whether to have them in masks or not, does Joe Biden think that parents should have that kind of power, to opt out of mask policies?

Psaki didn’t actually answer the question. She said she thought public health experts should be making the decision instead of politicians. //

Her non-answer was basically an answer in itself. While she says public health experts should be making the decision, she refuses to say that parents should have that right for their own children. So in her mind that public health experts hold more weight than the parents, on the matter. //

The choice isn’t between masks or no school. That’s a false dichotomy. The choice is between a sane approach, giving the parents power over their own children vs. operating under unnecessary and/or even unwise state dictates. //

emptypockets
an hour ago edited
"That’s a false dichotomy."

That is one of their first go-to tactics, the false dichotomy or as Gutfeld terms it, "the prison of two ideas". Set it up as though there is ONLY this--what they say--or an extreme evil with nothing between the two, no other choices. That's when they don't just insult and try delegitimizing you with "racist" or whatever. That and setting up of false dichotomies and strawmen is their only effort at "persuasion" and yeah, they really suck at that, too. //

Robal
an hour ago
When democrats claim they care about the health and safety of our children, remember: its the same democrats who prefer we abort our children instead of giving birth to them.

the Democrats are following the Cloward-Piven strategy to bankrupt the country and usher in a “socialist Utopia.” And why wouldn’t they since the modern Democrat Party is nothing but a collection of “democratic socialists” and Communists-by-other names (e.g., the 100-plus members of the “Congressional Progressive Caucus”)? They couldn’t care less about fiscal responsibility and living within one’s means.

The Democrats’ goal is to pass this giveaway to Democrat constituencies and then force a follow-on gigantic tax increase to pay for it (or at least some of it). Everyone – even the RINOs in Congress – know that is the standard Democrat tax-and-spend play, except this time the order is reversed: spend first then tax to pay for it. The Hologram’s tax plan announced in April totaled $1.8 trillion in new taxes. The remaining $1.7 trillion would be deficit spending, with a big spike added to the federal debt.

https://tricentennial.us/2020/04/03/is-the-cloward-piven-strategy-being-used-to-destroy-america/

In August 2019, former President Trump signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 that suspended the debt ceiling through July 31, 2021. //

Republicans need to use the debt ceiling to halt the Democrats’ spend-and-tax plans in order to prevent an economic tailspin in the country. That and the filibuster are just about the only tools left to congressional Republicans (besides enhancing election integrity laws in various states and electing fiscally conservative Republicans in 2022). //

The bill is going to come due at some point; there will have to be tax increases to pay for the deficits planned by the Democrats to finance their schemes. Those taxes will be the biggest negative impact on businesses and the economy in general moving into the future. The scale and scope of the federal government is so gargantuan that there will never be a return to fiscal discipline and a balanced budget unless action is taken now. A general economic slowdown is inevitable unless the out-of-control spending stops.

And it will require grassroots pressure to provide the Republicans with the spine and staying power needed to fight off the inevitable Democrat-media onslaught. //

Skeptical Techie
12 hours ago
One respectful correction. While Democrats were once the "tax and spend" party, that is no longer the case.

Now, the Party is the "spend and tax" party.

What came before was almost, ALMOST, at least a tip of the hat to fiscal responsibility or maybe a sort of fiscal acknowledgement. Now, blowing up anything resembling fiscal acknowledgement is THE POINT. Blow up the budget so as to FORCE draconian taxation and the attendant draconian control to collect such weighty taxes.

This was my actual experience attempting to opt out of the monthly welfare payments that have the potential to wreak havoc with our family’s year-end tax bill. //

We hold these truths to be contradictorily evident: Requiring proof of identification for the sake of voting privilege is an overwhelming burden. Requiring proof of identification to log onto the IRS website for the sake of opting out from the expanded child tax credit is a mere necessity.

By “proof of identification,” the IRS has some hefty standards in mind. What follows is, I do solemnly aver, not made up. This was my actual experience attempting to opt out of the monthly welfare payments that have the potential to wreak havoc with our family’s year-end tax bill.

Tom Elliott
@tomselliott
HHS’ @XavierBecerra on Biden's controversial door-to-door vaccination program: “The federal government has spent trillions of dollars to keep Americans alive during this pandemic. So it is absolutely the government’s business” to know if you’ve been vaccinated.

7:58 AM · Jul 8, 2021

Nan Hayworth, M.D.
@NanHayworth
Sec. Becerra's attitude is dangerously authoritarian.

COVID risk doesn't justify this level of aggression by the federal government, and this is a precedent we should vehemently oppose setting.

It's brilliant to create vaccines and great to OFFER vaccines. Not to COMPEL them. //

Jason B. Whitman, OD
@JasonBWhitman
Yeah no, it’s none of the government’s damn business, and that was our money, not theirs.

When host Maria Bartiromo asked if there was no way anyone else could have seen the emails, Carlson said the only other person was his executive producer.

He added that just before his show aired on Tuesday, he got a call from a reporter who read the email back to him.

“There is no possibility that anyone else could have known. And then again yesterday I get a call right before air, like 7:15, from a journalist I know and like, not many left, but I do like this person. He repeated back to me what’s in my email, he got it because the NSA leaked it, so, yes, entirely real,” Carlson said.

The NSA declined to comment. //

Jonathan Swan
@jonathanvswan
New: Tucker Carlson was talking to U.S.-based Kremlin intermediaries about setting up an interview with Putin shortly before he accused the NSA of spying on him. U.S. gov't officials learned of this outreach ... but that's where details get cloudy.

Tucker Carlson sought interview with Putin at time of NSA spying claim
axios.com //

None of these scenarios mesh with what Carlson has alleged. A legit unmasking would not result in his emails being offered to another reporter.

So, back to the vast majority of January 6th protestors who didn’t sit in Pelosi’s chair or try to walk off with her podium. You know, those folks who were invited in by the Capitol Police and took selfies with those same police officers as they leisurely strolled through Statuary Hall—making sure to remain within the velvet guide ropes? Those folks? Even if they walk away with only a misdemeanor conviction—or no conviction at all, the left will have won that round. By dragging them through the Federal justice system, draining their net worth, browbeating them, and scaring the hell out of them, the left will have ensured that for the most part, very few of these folks will ever show overt, albeit peaceful resistance to even the most obvious corruption by leftist DC elites.

Bottom line? No conviction is necessary. The process has indeed become the punishment.

In the absence of the divine, humanity has always looked to somewhat more tangible (but no less complex and just beyond our grasp) targets for our faith. In the case of an increasingly secular United States, the Democrats (and, to a lesser extent depending on the circumstances, Republicans) put all of their faith in the government, expect its power to flow to them in a more grotesque and symbiotic way than the woman who sought healing from Christ. And, while Jesus was given the power to help and heal the people of God, government is given power and uses it to feed and grow itself.

The result is a behemoth that constantly requires feeding and that no one in office seems to have the bravery to deny. The legislative branch surrenders its power to the executive, and the executive branch surrenders its power to bureaucracies, which exist solely to give themselves purpose and become accountable to no one. //

Rather than putting their faith in the divine and seeking a greater, eternal reward, they wish to put all their faith in government and hope that its power will save everyone. That, however, is an insane proposition that ignores all the times giving all the power to government not only didn’t work but actually made things worse. The very idea that government can solve all of our problems is anathema to the foundations of the country, drafted by men who saw exactly what a government with all the power and no accountability could do.

Now, this can’t be all on the Democrats, as there are Republicans who really and truly think that if we just grow government their way instead of the Democrats’ way, we actually can make the country a better place. But growing government is still feeding a beast. Unlike God and Jesus, government does not reward the power your put into it by rewarding you with its own. Government takes the power you give it and only uses it to feed itself and grow bigger. //

Jmied01
3 hours ago edited
I think this explains the rift in America; half the country believes in God as their salvation and authority and half of the country doesn’t. So they have to replace him with another higher being, and they look to government, and I can’t think of any outlook on life more depressing.

I often struggle to think what makes people look at Joe Biden or Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton the way that a Maddow or a Stelter or any other dem sycophant does, but it’s pretty simple when you understand that humans crave leadership and a power higher than them, and without a god there is no higher power than their pathetic government.

jelgator The Original John Doe
15 hours ago
"if this country remains a democracy or not."

Not to be mean or anything but we're a republic, not a democracy. But I know what you meant. :) //

The Original John Doe jelgator
14 hours ago edited
Yes I read the article on RedState a few days or weeks back pointing out that difference and making the same point you did. The thing is I believe that while the USA was formed as a republic but when FDR was elected in 1932 the DNC began slowly changing this country from a republic to a democracy and although we can stand and scream this country was founded as a republic and we want it to be a republic the facts on the ground state otherwise. I will use a chart I found on keydifferences dot com to illustrate.

In a republic a minorities rights are inalienable (ignoring slavery for a minute which blows up everything and is the exception) and in a democracy they can be overridden by a majority. The DNC has time and time again taken away minority rights by claiming they are passing the law protecting minority rights.

In a republic revenue is generated through legitimate taxes and fees. A democracy is funded through illegitimate taxes, fees, fines and licenses. Since 1933 we have our share of fines and licenses and most of the additional taxes I would argue are illegitimate and in place only to fund the large government that was created since 1933 and has not been stopped by anyone. (The large gov't that is)

In a republic mobocracy (rule by a mob) does not prevail. In a democracy it prevails. Only only needs to look at Twitter, cancel culture and riots of BLM and Antifa to realize that in democrat states mobocracy prevails.

And the last one is the clincher. In a republic we are ruled by laws. In a democracy we are ruled by the "majority". Since 1933, blue states, liberal judges and even the supreme court have decided that because the "majority" feels a certain way certain laws should be given brand new definiens out of thin air or ignored.

The USA is no longer the country that our founding fathers had envisioned. Democrats controlled both chambers of congress nearly uninterrupted since 1933 until Regan was elected. Then Clinton, Obama and now Biden are continuing. This country has been perverted beyond our founding fathers dreams. The only saving grace was that each state was established as its own entity within the larger country which has allowed 23 states currently to remain free while the remaining 27 are not due to democrat control of all or part of the government.

The first step towards recovery is conservatives need to realize this is the case in order to take it back. We are sliding to the point where we will not even be able to fairly elect who we want and we will be right back where the colonies started with rulers who don't care what we think, are not accountable to us and can do what they want. We need governors of red states to realize this and organize. But our governors are not going to do that unless the people rise up and demand the red states use the second amendment to protect what original shreds are left of this country.

If Biden and his party truly believe the government is so all-powerful that any possible rebellion would be put down with ease, then how does that square with their claims that our “democracy” was on the brink of destruction on January 6th because some unarmed people took selfies in Pelosi’s office? Either our system of government is so fragile that a dude in horns and facepaint can threaten its existence, or it’s so untouchable that the government would just nuke anyone who got within a mile of doing any harm to it. Which is it? Because it can’t be both.

Here is how Tucker Carlson describes that memo and their intentions:

“Because of January 6, says the chief law enforcement officer in the United States of America and many other members of Joe Biden’s cabinet, we must now use law enforcement and military force to arrest, imprison, and otherwise crush anyone who leads opposition to Joe Biden’s government. That’s their position. They say that out loud. They did today.”

Sorry, Democrats. I stand firm with the Trump supporters who attended the 6 Jan. rally and did not enter the Capitol and were simply exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right to political speech, as well as their support for President Trump. That the Democrats are doing their utmost to paint them/us all with the broad brush of being “domestic terrorists” is analogous to the Stasi condemning East Germans trying to escape to the freedoms and liberty in the West in the 1950s and 1960s as being “criminals” and “enemies of the Communist state.” I will gladly characterize myself as an “enemy of the Democrat/Communist state” that the Hologram and his minions are implementing, as well as a celebrator of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights that they hate!

And by their perverted definition of the phrase “domestic terrorist,” and in memory of JFK’s memorable speech 58 years ago this month, I will gladly state that “Ich bin ein inländischer terroristischen”!

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely and while there are varying degrees of corruption, at some level, power affects someone for the worst. Perhaps long ago, before the age of the internet or even handheld cameras, this was less obvious, but in the information age when everyone is a walking-talking recording device, pictures are taken and distributed around the world in a matter of seconds, and these pictures show you just how corrupted these powerful people are.

A conversation on Twitter this week resurfaced a Wall Street Journal report from April about big investors getting into real estate, overbidding normal people to do so. “If You Sell a House These Days, the Buyer Might Be a Pension Fund,” the title says. “Yield-chasing investors are snapping up single-family homes, competing with ordinary Americans and driving up prices.”

The resulting social media traffic made the article No. 1 on the WSJ website on June 10.

“You now have permanent capital competing with a young couple trying to buy a house,” real estate consultant John Burns told the Wall Street Journal. “That’s going to make U.S. housing permanently more expensive.” His firm estimates “that in many of the nation’s top markets, roughly one in every five houses sold is bought by someone who never moves in.”

This is a direct consequence of the Fed printing so much money and long encouraging debt by keeping interest rates so low for so long that investors are looking for better assets. Our government has long privileged debt over savings in large part because that makes it easier for the government to deficit spend, making debt less costly to Congress. So normal people essentially get punished for saving because Congress won’t stop spending.

Since the government quietly taxes away your savings through inflation, people and institutions who want to put money away for future use, or just grow their assets, are forced into riskier and more distortive behavior. Thus mega-dollar money asset managers and private equity firms are snapping up millions of homes at inflated prices because government profligacy has made it harder for them to secure a yield. //

CulturalHusbandry
@APhilosophae

Jun 8, 2021
Replying to @APhilosophae
So where does this position the average American in 30 years when its a given that every new neighborhood is to be bought up whole so they can be utilized as SFR's? It positions them as peasants. Being poor can be temporary condition bettered by upward mobility.

CulturalHusbandry
@APhilosophae
In the US and other nations home ownership is often the 1st and most vital step. This can provide for generational wealth and success. But as permanent, guaranteed renters youre pissing away a lifetime of equity and the chance for mobility. You just become a peasant. //

Blackrock is well known for its use of its massive financial power to elevate leftist social causes, including, as the tweeter noted, the World Economic Forum’s “Great Reset” strategy. WEF also predicted in an infamous 2016 video, based on “input” from their Davos crowd, that by 2030 “You’ll own nothing, and you’ll be happy.”

But when people “own nothing,” they are not happy. Refusing to take ownership is a refusal to take responsibility. In the beginning, that may seem carefree and glamorous, but in the long run, a refusal to take responsibility — whether that be refusing to commit to marriage, children, faith, a community, or to all of the above — actually makes people deeply unhappy.

In responsibility is where people find happiness. Our government should stop making financial decisions that steal from all of us the ability to take responsibility for our own families, homes, and happiness. And, regardless of what our corrupt and feckless governments do, each of us must continue to pursue ownership of our own lives through every avenue possible.

Fox News Channel’s Steve Hilton aired a video from December 17, 2012, showing Dr. Anthony Fauci explaining what types of research experiments constitute “gain-of-function” — and that, surprise, surprise, those very types of experiments were funded by NIH at that time and continued through 2020, despite government moratoriums on such research.

So, what does that mean? It means that Fauci lied to Congress on May 11 (and probably on other dates) and that NIH Director Francis Collins repeatedly blatantly lied to the public in interviews. //

Hawkwood markvol
14 hours ago
My theory is that "bureaucrats" are gain-of-function enhanced democrats.

This series of articles thus far could be summed up with two very simple questions:

• What research has Dr. Fauci Funded?
• Where was that research conducted?

It is indisputable that Dr. Fauci’s NIAID has funded gain-of-function research at the University of Wisconsin, The University of Tokyo, Erasmus University in the Netherlands, as well as other universities and labs across the country and around the world. As I have previously covered, there are two statements made by Dr. Fauci that either make him woefully misinformed about his own organization or a bald-faced liar.

• That the Dr. Ralph Baric did not conduct gain-of-function research.
• That if he did, that the research was within the bounds established by the HHS.

As covered in Part II, Baric and UNC were requested to cease gain-of-function research on the SARS virus as well as other Influenza and Ebola research, and the NIAID was ordered to cease funding gain-of-function research after the end of the “[then] current active budget period,” or, the annual period in which the funding was authorized. In the case of Dr. Baric’s research, that was May 31st, 2015, or just over seven months after the ordered gain-of-function research pause. When May 31st, 2015 rolled around, Baric’s research was reauthorized by the NIAID, the same in 2016. In 2017, the project was again reauthorized this time, including over $835,000 in funding. The HHS did not lift the NIAID ban on funding until December 2017. For Dr. Fauci to state that Baric didn’t perform gain-of-function research (he does) and that if he did it was within the bounds established by the HHS (it wasn’t), is flat-out untrue. The HHS would not have oversight of research conducted without their authorization or (presumably) their knowledge.

RedState has been driving the news cycle surrounding Dr. Anthony Fauci’s connections to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and funding that went there for gain-of-function testing. The obvious indication here is that Fauci, via grants he did not exercise proper oversight of, actually played a role in COVID-19 being developed and released into the world.

Scott Hounsell has covered that topic extensively, recently noting that Fauci’s denials to Sen. Rand Paul appeared to be a lie (see Dr. Fauci’s Testimony to Rand Paul on ‘Gain-of-Function’ Research Certainly Seems Like It Was Untrue). His article is extremely thorough so make sure and go read it.

It looks like Scott’s painstaking research and highlighting of the issue has paid off because Fauci is now suddenly changing his tune. While speaking to Sen. John Kennedy, the supposed “top doctor” in regards to COVID began to hedge, now claiming that there’s “no way of guaranteeing” that the funding in question didn’t go toward gain-of-function research to produce COVID-19.

During Monday’s press conference, Psaki was asked about the mass shootings that have occurred over the past year with 4,000 people shot and killed by a gun. The journalist asked if there was a “crime problem” in the U.S., setting up an almost too perfect alley-oop for Psaki to talk about Biden’s continued action on gun control.

“Well, I would say certainly there is a gun problem,” said Psaki. //

Psaki continued to discuss the “hundreds, thousands of people who lose their lives” via gun violence, and that Biden is working with the Senate to push universal background checks and working with states with the “greatest level of activism.” //

Dana Loesch
@DLoesch
We have record gun sales and new gun owners but not the crime to match. What we have is a judicial problem, lowered deterrents for repeat offenders via her party's policies, reduced police morale, and criminals emboldened by "defund cops" talk from her party. //

the presence of a gun doesn’t result in the elevation of violence either. An armed community is oftentimes a safer one as various studies have found time and again. For instance, 98 percent of mass shootings that occurred since the 1950s happened in gun-free zones? Did you know that over a million people in Texas are licensed to carry a firearm and that 0.4 per 100,000 have committed a homicide? Compare that to the .99 per 100,000 homicide rate in jolly ol’ Britain where guns are banned. //

Biden’s pandering to those shouting “defund the police” and his party’s subsequent obedience to these radicals is also a massive contributor to the rise in crime. As Fox News pointed out, major cities that leaned into the narrative that funds should be allocated away from their respective police departments are experiencing crime surges.

The police officers that do remain no longer feel safe doing their jobs and become less likely to do the necessary proactive policing that stops so many crimes before they happen. A study by Harvard Professor Roland Fryer found that proactive policing is necessary for the safety of any community, but that when the public turns on the police, crime goes up. //

"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from all who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government."

• George Washington //

edintexas
9 hours ago
The Socialist/Communists can't explain why they are so adamant that semi-automatic rifles which may look somewhat like military weapons are high on their list of firearms they want to eliminate from public possession. They aren't challenged on this by the MSM (no surprise) and yet the Bureau's annual Homicide statistics by type of weapon consistently show the number of homicides in the category "Personal Weapons (hands, feet, elbows, etc.) exceed the number of homicides by rifle (any type of rifle, not just those they claim would reduce crime if banned). For that matter most, if not all, years both rifles and shotguns total fewer homicides than Personal Weapons.

Ever since Kentucky Senator Rand Paul grilled NIH head, Dr. Anthony Fauci, on his department granting the CCP funds to perform gain-of-function research on coronaviruses (or, in other words, genetically engineer coronaviruses) at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the entire political world has begun focusing on what could be one of the biggest scandals the world has ever seen.

If it’s true, then then it proves two things. Firstly, that the virus was engineered by the Chinese in a lab and, either through neglect or intent, released the virus into the world – which is something that even Fauci now admits could have been the case. Secondly, it proves that U.S. bureaucrats helped them do it by providing research funding.

Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton also has Fauci in his figurative crosshairs, but he’s hinting that he’s not stopping at Fauci. Cotton seems to be suspicious of the entire network of public health bureaucrats. //

“So, the money that the NIH gave went to an American organization, which turned around and gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to these Wuhan labs to investigate coronaviruses and, yes, to find ways to make them more contagious and more dangerous,” Cotton added. “And we asked Francis Collins, who’s Dr. Fauci’s boss, to come clean, to tell us exactly what was happening, why this research was being funded, as you point out, Maria, during a time in which the Obama administration had explicitly banned this kind of gain-of-function research, research into making some of the world’s deadliest pathogens even more dangerous.”

The results are in from last night’s referendum on Gov. Tom Wolf’s tyrannical COVID orders. In both cases on the ballot the votes to limit the power of future “emergency orders” passed, putting a constitutional barrier between petty Democrats who seek to weaponize “the science” instead of doing what’s legal and logical.

CHICAGO (CBS) — Getting Hosed was going to be a single story about a couple billed $58,000 for water they didn’t use. Now, it’s more than two years of chronicling unfair and potentially unlawful water billing practices in Chicago.

The CBS 2 Investigators have found the City department whose taxpayer-funded responsibility it is to provide safe, affordable drinking water has utterly failed consumers and undermined our investigative efforts at every turn. //

But what brought us to Ms. Ritchie wasn’t her impressive teaching background or her failing memory — it was her water bill, which she’s of course forgotten.

The bill for her Southside six-flat is now nearly $60,000 — for water that was never used. In fact, the building has been boarded up and vacant since her last tenant moved out in 2018. //

”I figured there was some kind of error, and we’d reason with the City of Chicago and they’d correct the error,” Russell said.

Figure again. Our series, Getting Hosed, proves bills only get fixed when the CBS 2 Investigators get involved. //

Despite our nearly two years of exposing the City’s bad billing practices, the City told Russell its system is “infallible.”

We’ve heard otherwise. //

When a metered account receives an abnormally high bill, the City chalks this water usage up to a leak and typically refuses to explore alternative causes.

In cases like Ms. Ritchie’s, even when the property owner has a plumber verify no leaks occurred, the City won’t budge on its stance.

Placing The Burden On Consumers

The real leaker, however, is the City. Data we obtained from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources shows its ancient infrastructure has leaked more than 67 billion gallons since 2016, which amounts to nearly $265.9 million according to Chicago water rates. //

Despite promising to end the threat of water shut offs back in October 2019, since she’s been in office, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s sent out 509,513 notices threatening to end consumers’ water service if they don’t pay.

We asked Lightfoot’s office why they would send out these notices — her office’s statement answered no questions. //

In addition to this lack of transparency, public record requests we’ve submitted are oftentimes delayed for months, and when we do receive them, critical information is almost entirely redacted.

Tom Elliott
@tomselliott
.@RandPaul evicerates Dr. Fauci over the “theater” of requiring Americans already immune from Covid to continue wearing masks.

Fauci’s ultimate rebuttal: “I totally disagree with you”

11:19 AM · Mar 18, 2021

Tom Elliott
@tomselliott
Dr. Fauci admits his wearing masks indoors despite being vaccinated was based on imagery, not science:

"I didn’t want to look like I was giving mixed signals but being a fully vaccinated person, the chances of my getting infected in an indoor setting is extremely low."

7:23 AM · May 18, 2021

Now, what do you call someone performing for purposes of imager instead of objective data? You might call that “theater,” right? In other words, Paul was right all along and Fauci was not only wrong, but he was maliciously misleading at the same time.

This is yet another example of the federal government, including Fauci, lying to the American public for what they deem as “their own good.” That’s not how any of this is supposed to work. How can there be any expectation that people trust “the science” when bureaucrats citing said science continue to mislead for political purposes? Further, it should scare everyone that the government is willing to lie about what’s real and what’s not without even a hint of remorse. If they will lie to you about masks, what else will they lie to you about?