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ERIC SWALWELL -- A DISPLAY OF DOUCHEBAGGERY

In a display of despicable democrat douchebaggery, California Representative Eric Swalwell attempted to play the race card in Virginia's razor-thin governor’s race between Democrat Terry McAuliffe, Clinton’s bag man, and Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin…

It appears Swalwell is not only ignorant when it comes to critical race theory but stupid as well. Critical Race Theory originated with Marxists and Communists to destroy prevailing institutions by dividing individuals into oppressors and the oppressed. It is undeniably racist as it uses circular logic to use more racism to solve the problems of racism. It is a poison being introduced into the body politic, hoping that the host will die and leave the remains for the parasites to rebuild. As if that were even possible in a symbiotic relationship.

You will note that the actual source of the embedded video is The Lincoln Project, a group of washed-up disaffected GOP consultants who extended their grift by selling their newly-created anti-GOP propaganda to well-heeled but gullible Democrats. The co-founder of the group, John Weaver, appears to be a homosexual pedophile predator. As a GOP operative, Weaver was barely a Republican as he advised John McCain and John Kasich – both aisle-hopping squishy RINOs (Republicans In Name Only).

Who is this Democrat douchebag, Eric Swalwell?

For those of you who are not familiar with Swalwell, he is the white-bread member of the House Intelligence Committee who got caught sleeping with Chinese Spy Fang Fang. While Fang Fang returned to China after her mission, Swalwell was promoted by the Democrats.

SWALWELL APPOINTED TO SERVE ON INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE

January 14, 2015 -- U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today announced he was appointed to serve on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This committee oversees the activities of the U.S. intelligence community.

“I’m honored to be appointed by Leader Pelosi to serve on the Intelligence Committee, which is tasked with the vital mission of keeping Americans at home and abroad safe through vigorous oversight of the intelligence community,” said Swalwell. “As we face escalating threats to our security, I will work to make sure our government is vigilantly protecting Americans, while being true to our values around privacy and civil liberties. With the rise of data breaches, a top priority of mine will be to increase our cybersecurity capabilities. National security should know no party, and I vow to carry out this work in a collaborative, bipartisan manner." <Source>

Of course, there was nothing bipartisan about the majority Democrat House Intelligence Committee. They locked out the minority GOP members in their attempt to impeach President Trump and validate the bogus Trump/Russia hoax. An effort led by Swalwell’s mentor, the liar and leaker Adam Schiff (D-CA).

WHILE ERIC SWALWELL WAS SLEEPING WITH A CHINESE SPY ADAM SCHIFF PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF CIA OVERSIGHT

When newly elected California representative Eric Swalwell arrived in Washington, DC, in January 2013, he brought three things with him: a reputation as someone to watch, having bumped off ossified 20-term Democrat incumbent Pete Stark in the primary; a crap ton of ambition; and a Chinese spy he was banging.

According to media reports, the spy, Fang “Christine” Fang, latched onto Swalwell around 2011 when he was a new city councilor for Dublin, California. She became a bundler for his campaign in addition to other services performed. Swalwell let her place at least one intern in his congressional office; as a freshman, he was slotted onto the Science, Space, and Technology subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee where Democrat Bennie Thompson was ranking member at the time.

In 2014, Swalwell was reelected. Now part of the new anti-American majority in the House, he moved over to serve under the sociopathic buddy of sexual predator and major Democrat donor Ed Buck, Adam Schiff. Schiff put him in charge of the oversight committee for the CIA.

Sometime in 2015, Christine Fang decamped for China. Swalwell claims the FBI gave him a protective briefing on their suspicions that she was a Chinese agent and that he either cut ties with her or he continued to help the FBI in its inquiries. Swalwell seems a little confused. Strangely, both his father and brother continued to “friend” Fang on Facebook. <Source>

Bottom line…

It is almost a self-evident truth that progressive communist democrats like Eric Swalwell are driven by hate. They hate their country. They hate accomplished people. They hate their neighbors. But most of all, they hate themselves. Hence, a significant portion of their time is devoted to anything that makes them feel better and hides their inadequacies.

They hide this hatred behind false words like peace, justice, equality, and equity. Anyone who can observe the truth can plainly see that those who demand tolerance from others are often the most intolerant among us. The same goes for those who claim to support free speech but attempt to cancel or censor any divergent opinions.

Swalwell is proof positive that the Democrats cannot be trusted with the safety and security of the United States or the fundamental nature of American exceptionalism.

Notice Swalwell and his corrupt pals can’t run on their record or even their moral clarity – so their only hope of gaining and retaining political power is to attack the opposition.

If you are in Virginia – crush the Democrats who believe they own your children – parental rights be damned. Vote for Glenn Youngkin.

We are so screwed when asswipes like Eric Swalwell have access to the levers of power.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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IT IS TIME TO JAIL ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW

UNCONSTITUTIONAL, UN-AMERICAN, AND ILLEGAL…

There is indisputable proof that elected officials on the local, state, and federal levels have violated federal immigration laws in ways that imperil national security and drain the nation of its citizen-funded resources.

In what appears to be a most egregious slap in the face to citizens of the United States, we find the Biden Administration considering rewarding illegal aliens and the immigration activists with nearly $450,000 per individual who were separated from their children. Of course, the proposal ignores that these individuals voluntarily broke the law and should be prosecuted for child abuse. Government entities have always separated families when a family member is incarcerated.

U.S. in Talks to Pay Hundreds of Millions to Families Separated at Border

Government is considering payments of $450,000 per person affected by Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy in 2018

The Biden administration is in talks to offer immigrant families that were separated during the Trump administration around $450,000 a person in compensation, according to people familiar with the matter, as several agencies work to resolve lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who say the government subjected them to lasting psychological trauma.

[OCS: Let us remember, that one of the favored tactics of the progressive communist democrats is to bring a lawsuit against a friendly government agency which then “wink-wink” settles the case without going to trial and further funds the poverty pimps offering the immigration services which are implementing Marxism by migration.]

The U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services are considering payments that could amount to close to $1 million a family, though the final numbers could shift, the people familiar with the matter said. Most of the families that crossed the border illegally from Mexico to seek asylum in the U.S. included one parent and one child, the people said. Many families would likely get smaller payouts, depending on their circumstances, the people said.

[OCS: All of the above agencies are headed by Obama-approved progressive communist democrats with more empathy for non-citizens than the American citizens they are sworn to protect.]

The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents families in one of the lawsuits, has identified about 5,500 children separated at the border over the course of the Trump administration, citing figures provided to it by the government. The number of families eligible under the potential settlement is expected to be smaller, the people said, as government officials aren’t sure how many will come forward. Around 940 claims have so far been filed by the families, the people said.

[OCS: Of course, the ACLU would protect the rights of non-citizens who entered the country illegally rather than parents fighting to maintain parental rights and their constitutional rights to free speech, assembly, religion, etc.

What legal grounds entitles a non-citizen to file a claim over child abuse they perpetrated on their children? And why would not similarly situated American children who were separated from their parents and placed into government-controlled foster care have a preferential claim?]

The total potential payout could be $1 billion or more.

As part of a so-called zero-tolerance enforcement policy, immigration agents separated thousands of children, ranging from infants to teenagers, from their parents at the southern border in 2018 after they had crossed illegally from Mexico to seek asylum in the U.S. In some cases families were forcefully broken up with no provisions to track and later reunite them, government investigations found. The lawsuits allege some of the children suffered from a range of ailments, including heat exhaustion and malnutrition, and were kept in freezing cold rooms and provided little medical attention.

[OCS: The medical conditions were pre-existing and attributable to parental neglect. Many of these children were unaccompanied minors or were in the company of adult exploiters that were not prosecuted.

And, the last thing the government wanted to do is track illegal aliens, preferring to seed them around the United States to grow into progressive communist democrats with little or no loyalty to the United States.]

META: ZUCKERBERG PUTS LIPSTICK ON HIS FACEBOOK PIG...

According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook has officially changed its parent’s company name to Meta, which will "reflect who we are and what we hope to build."

"We are a company that builds technology to connect. Together, we can finally put people at the center of our technology. And together, we can unlock a massively bigger creator economy." ~ Mark Zuckerberg

Translation…

We are a non-government surveillance company that builds personal dossier technology to connect your identity to your behavior. Together, we can finally put people at the center of our crosshairs. And together, we can unlock a massively bigger one-world government ruled by oligarchs and their puppet politicians.

Bottom line…

There’s an old Polish proverb that says, a truly wise man never plays leapfrog with a Unicorn; and another that says, you can put lipstick on a pig, but that doesn’t change the Leopard's spots. ~ Thomas Banacek

We are so screwed and by our own hands.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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WAS JANUARY 6TH CAPITOL INCURSION AN FBI FALSE FLAG OPERATION?

The case for the January 6th incursion into the Capitol Complex looks more and more like a government-initiated false flag operation led by the FBI to discredit President Donald Trump and to provide justification for an increase in authoritarian government actions.

(1) From documentary evidence and sworn testimony, it appears that the FBI was engaged in a criminal conspiracy against candidate and then President Donald J. Trump. There is little or no doubt that the leadership of the FBI committed criminal acts and then tried to cover up their misdeeds. It also appears that the cover-up is proceeding under current FBI Director Christopher Wray.

(2) It is more than curious that FBI agents and confidential informants made up the majority of individuals who were allegedly plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Including those who led the effort and motivated the group. It should come as no surprise that the FBI routinely employed agents provocateur in previous national security cases.

FBI informants had bigger role in Whitmer kidnap plot than thought: report

The case has been heralded as a high-profile example of how the FBI's infiltration of the innermost circle of extremist groups can thwart domestic terrorism. But others believe it's an example of gross government overreach that could backfire.

Prosecutors recently revealed that there were a dozen confidential informants working on the case. The evidence they helped gather provided a glimpse into American extremism and how some self-proclaimed militia groups collaborate with one another, including pooling resources and building on violent ideas.

But a closer look into the foiled kidnapping by BuzzFeed revealed that some of the informants the government used appeared to play a far greater role in the plot than had been previously reported. In fact, the informants had a hand in nearly every aspect of the twisted machination, including its inception.

New information on the extent of the FBI's involvement has raised questions as to whether there would have even been a conspiracy to take down the Democratic governor without their help.

One Wisconsin-based government informant, for example, helped organize a series of cross-country meetings with extremists. Those meetings allegedly laid the groundwork for the multi-part plot. That same informant also paid for hotel rooms and food as an incentive to get people to come, Buzzfeed reported.

Another informant, an Iraq War veteran, was so deeply involved in the militant group that he rose in the ranks to become the second in command. He also encouraged members to work with other suspects and even offered to foot the bill to get people to and from meetings. He is also accused of urging the alleged mastermind of the kidnapping plot to carry it out before laying the trap for him to be arrested.

All but one of the 14 original defendants have pleaded not guilty and deny they were ever involved in the scheme. They contend that they were targeted by the government because of their political views. They also claim the government orchestrated a campaign against them to undermine the Patriot movement, a far-right ideology that pledges allegiance to the Second Amendment and believes the government violated the U.S. Constitution and is therefore illegitimate. They also argue that the government is guilty of criminal conspiracy and possible entrapment. <Source>

(3) Representative Louis Gohmert (R-TX), a former JAG officer and District Judge, questions Attorney General Merrick Garland …

“Regarding the men who broke the glass and the two doors there at the speaker’s lobby when the two Capitol Police then standing there moved to the side to allow them access,” Gohmert described, “Were any of those people who broke glass and did damage to those doors working for the FBI or other federal law enforcement entities?”

For those of you who watched the video of the shooting of protestor Ashli Babbitt in the Speaker’s Lobby, she was standing close to armed Capitol Police officers who stepped aside to allow protesters to break the glass windows that Babbitt climbed through before she was shot and killed. There was an armed SWAT team only yards away when she was shot. Nancy Pelosi has classified the details of the shooting.

(4) Not one of the Capitol protesters has been charged with insurrection, and it seems the FBI went to extraordinary lengths to track down protesters nationwide for arrest and prosecution. However, one of the most prominent agitators who openly called for entry into the capital, Ray Epps, remains free and is under media scrutiny as a possible federal agent or contractor.

Meet Ray Epps: The Fed-Protected Provocateur Who Appears To Have Led The Very First 1/6 Attack On The U.S. Capitol

Ray Epps story could 'shatter the entire official narrative of the Capitol Breach'

After months of research, Revolver’s investigative reporting team can now reveal that Ray Epps appears to be among the primary orchestrators of the very first breach of the Capitol’s police barricades at 12:50pm on January 6. Epps appears to have led the “breach team” that committed the very first illegal acts on that fateful day. What’s more, Epps and his “breach team” did all their dirty work with 10 minutes still remaining in President Trump’s National Mall speech, and with the vast majority of Trump supporters still 30 minutes away from the Capitol.

Secondly, Revolver also determined, and will prove below, that the the FBI stealthily removed Ray Epps from its Capitol Violence Most Wanted List on July 1, just one day after Revolver exposed the inexplicable and puzzlesome FBI protection of known Epps associate and Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes. July 1 was also just one day after separate New York Times report amplified a glaring, falsifiable lie about Epps’s role in the events of January 6.

Lastly, Ray Epps appears to have worked alongside several individuals — many of them suspiciously unindicted — to carry out a breach of the police barricades that induced a subsequent flood of unsuspecting MAGA protesters to unwittingly trespass on Capitol restricted grounds and place themselves in legal jeopardy. <Source>

(5) Who were the men in black” seen piling into a broken Capitol window while the Capitol police stood back and took no action?

(6) And now we find the FBI stonewalling a legitimate Congressional committee investigating, among other things, the FBI’s alleged involvement in planning and executing the Capitol Complex incursion, falsely labeled as an insurrection.

Biden FBI Joins Pelosi In Blocking GOP From Investigating January 6

The FBI told Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks it would not provide Republicans the same information provided to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s hand-picked committee consisting only of Democrat-appointed members.l

September 16, 2021 Letter…

Dear Director Wray,

You are receiving this letter because the House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the events of January 6 may have sent you a request for information. The House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy appointed me to serve as the Ranking Member of the Select Committee. Yet, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to allow me to fulfill my duties as Ranking Member.

Pursuant to the rules of the House of Representatives, the minority party in Congress retains rights to the same information that is provided to the majority party. For those reasons, I ask that you provide me any information that is submitted to the Select Committee. Additionally, please include me on any update or briefing that you provide. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact my staff at (202) 225-4436.

Sincerely,

October 8, 2021 Response…

Dear Representative Banks:

This responds to your letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), dated September 16, 2021, seeking information provided by the FBI to the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol (Select Committee).

We understand that on October 6, 2021, the Department of Justice responded to your separate letter, dated September 16, 2021, to the Attorney General.

The FBI is working with the Select Committee on an ongoing basis, consistent with House Resolution 503. We respectfully refer you to the Select Committee regarding issues of access to records and information.

Thank you for supporting the FBI, our mission, and our people.

Bottom line…

It appears that Attorney General Merrick Garlands, who heads up the Department of Justice, and FBI Director Christopher Wray are partisans and are furthering a pattern and practice of top-level, Democrat-directed political corruption within their specific agencies.

We are so screwed and will never discover the truth as long as Democrats control Congress, and the GOP lacks the balls to hold them accountable.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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ALEX BALDWIN SHOOTING: THE RETURN OF MEDIA-WHORE GLORIA ALLRED

Does one wonder why an individual who allegedly was the first person to call 911 to report a shooting on Alec Baldwin’s Rust movie set would require attorney representation? Or why that attorney would feel compelled to conduct an independent investigation of the shooting?

Of course, my first thought is that the individual seeking representation is involved in the shooting in an, as yet, unknown manner? Or, that the individual, as a “whistleblower,” has a critical piece of knowledge that will be hotly disputed and result in some form of a threatening environment. Or, someone smells money – with media appearances, possibly a fast book deal, or a part in a documentary or feature film? Someone, to negotiate “hush money” and a non-disclosure agreement?

And then there is Occam’s Razor, that the simplest answer is likely to be the right one. That media-whore Gloria Allred has found another way to insinuate herself in what is going to be a case with mega worldwide publicity.

Or, maybe all of the above. I guess we will have to wait and see.

The Fox News’ announcement…

Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' shooting being independently investigated by Gloria Allred: 'Many unanswered questions'

Allred is representing Mamie Mitchell, the 'Rust' script supervisor who called 911 after the shooting

The famed lawyer confirmed to Fox News via email that she is representing Mamie Mitchell, a script supervisor for the film who placed the 911 call after a firearm was discharged.

"My law firm, Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, and I represent Mamie Mitchell. Mamie was the Script Supervisor for the "Rust" production," wrote Allred. "She was standing very close to Halyna Hutchins and the director, Joel Souza, when both Halyna and Joel were shot."

The attorney said that she and her colleagues "have reason to believe" Mitchell was the first person to call 911 and noted that Hutchins was "a friend and close colleague" of Mitchell's.

"She is devastated by the loss of her friend who was an extraordinary woman," wrote Allred. "Mamie recently attended the vigil for Halyna and her heart goes out to Halyna’s husband and son to whom she has spoken."

The lawyer then explained that her firm would be conducting an investigation of their own.

"We are conducting our own investigation of what happened because there are many unanswered questions," she said. "Mamie has been interviewed by the Sheriff’s Department. She has information and evidence which she believes will be helpful in this investigation."

Allred continued: "She will continue to answer any additional questions that law enforcement may have and to provide them with evidence that she believes is relevant to their investigation."

The attorney concluded by explaining that Mitchell has been "traumatized" and will not be giving interviews to anyone outside of law enforcement before asking "anyone on the crew" with relevant information to contact the Santa Fe Sheriff's Department as well as herself. <Source>

Bottom line…

I guess Attorney Michael Avenatti is indisposed, incarcerated, or otherwise unavailable? Attorney Benjamin Crump took a pass because Baldwin isn’t a white police officer and the victim isn’t black? Or maybe it was Allred’s turn at bat on the national stage?

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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ANTI-ISRAEL BIDEN, BLINKEN, AND TLAIB -- ANTI-SEMITISM ON DISPLAY

It is hard to imagine any Secretary of State more feckless and incompetent than John Kerry. Yet, here we have Secretary of State Antony Blinken actively surpassing Kerry in the sheer idiocy of his actions. Like Kerry, Blinken has a significant association with France – perhaps why he is more comfortable being a cheese-eating surrender monkey than an exceptional American. There is no doubt Blinken is a hyper-partisan progressive democrat and has deep and dodgy connections with the deep state swamp.

Curiously, Blinken, a Jew, intends to open a Palestinian Consulate in Jerusalem over the objects of Israel’s government. One wonders what the purpose of such a State Department outpost might be other than to provide financial support and aid and comfort to terrorists who see nothing morally objectionable of sending thousands of unguided rockets haphazardly into Israel’s civilian population.

Let us not forget that presidents preceding former President Trump only paid “lip service” – ironically one of “ABlinken’s” tunes on YouTube – to moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. Trump was warned by Kerry that this would spark a war in the Middle East and that peace agreements were not possible until Israel reached a settlement with the Palestinians – both majorly wrong.

Opening a separate consulate is not only duplicative of the Embassy’s department that provides services to Palestinians but requires Israel’s permission to locate any diplomatic mission within its territory.

Perhaps as a sop to the anti-Semitic progressive communist democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a Palestinian-American, the Biden Administration promises to defy Israel with Blinken leading the initiative.

Let us also not forget that former President Obama, an anti-Semite, used taxpayer funds to interfere with Israeli politics, notably the defeat of Benjamin Netanyahu, one of Israel’s most accomplished, most dedicated, and strongest defenders. Since Biden appears to be Non compos mentis, not of a sound mind, it seems that the political activities are being run by Obamacons like Susan Rice and other anti-Semites in the Department of State. The purpose of such a move is to cast shade on Trump’s magnificent political achievement without totally enraging those who favored the relocation of our Embassy to Jerusalem. The long-term goal is to reverse America’s bipartisan recognition of Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel.

Blinken was quoted as saying, “We’ll be moving forward with the process of opening a consulate as part of deepening of those ties with the Palestinians.”

Formalizing opposition to Biden and Blinken with legislation…

GOP Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) today led 35 Republican senators to introduce the “Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Law Act of 2021,” a bill to protect the full and faithful implementation of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and block the Biden Administration’s efforts to subvert the law.

Under the Trump Administration, the United States fully implemented the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 by formally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel on December 6, 2017, by moving the U.S. Embassy to Israel’s capital city of Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, and by closing the U.S. Consulate General for the Palestinians and merging its functions into U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem’s new Palestinian Affairs Unit (PAU) under the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s Chief of Mission authority. Prior to the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995’s full and faithful implementation, the U.S. consulate for the Palestinians had previously operated completely outside of the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s Chief of Mission authority.

“The Jewish State of Israel is one of our greatest allies. The Biden administration must not threaten this relationship with a plan that is in clear conflict with U.S. law, which states Jerusalem should not be divided,” said Dr. Cassidy.

“President Biden continues to push forward his inflammatory plan to establish a second mission in Israel’s capital city of Jerusalem—one for the Israelis and a second one for the Palestinians—despite the fact that this plan violates the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and is completely opposed by the Government of Israel,” said Senator Hagerty. “It is regrettable that the Biden Administration insists on making moves that divide the United States and Israel when our two nations should be laser-focused on stopping Iran’s terror-sponsoring regime from going nuclear, on countering growing threats from Hizballah, Hamas, and other Iran-backed terrorist groups, and on strengthening and expanding the historic Abraham Accords that truly have increased peace in the Middle East. The Trump Administration kept its promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, the eternal and indivisible capital of the Jewish State, and Congress must do everything in our power to strengthen our posture.” <Source>

Bottom line…

After Blinken’s State Department botched the military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan – leaving Americans behind enemy lines to be hunted, captured, tortured, ransomed, or killed – he should have been forced to resign or be impeached. That Blinken, a Jew, would serve the interests of the anti-Semites in Congress and the Biden Administration is unconscionable.

I stand with Israel.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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PROGRESSIVE GUN VIOLENCE RESEARCH IS REGRESSIVE CLAPTRAP

Once again, we find worthless gun violence research that appears to align with the progressive communist democrat agenda.

The research is being promoted by Penn State, the home of the Jerry Sandusky pedophilia scandal, and the Michael Mann climate scandal.

The “researchers” suggest that stress, domestic violence, lack of social interaction, and greater access to firearms might have contributed to the 30% increase in gun violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. My beef is that I did not see truly causal factors such as lax governance policies, increasing civil unrest, a reduction in policing, and the release of thousands of criminals back into our communities where they were statistically likely to re-offend included in the research.

The press release…

U.S. gun violence increased 30% during COVID-19 pandemic

Gun violence increased by more than 30% in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study by Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The researchers said that stress, domestic violence, lack of social interactions and greater access to firearms might have contributed to the increase.

[OCS: How much money was wasted on research that produces a wishy-washy “might have contributed to” finding?

According to the researchers, these findings come at a time when many hospitals remain inundated with COVID-19 cases and face challenges related to limited resources, such as blood products, intensive care beds, personal protective equipment and staffing. They said gun violence increases the burden on health care systems that are already in high demand. The researchers also warn that if gun-related incidents continue to rise, hospitals may experience additional strain.

[OCS: DUH! It seems that the researchers have a remarkable capacity for stating the obvious – self-evident truths that require only commonsense and absolutely no research. One might also posit that vehicles returning to the roads after widespread pandemic travel restrictions would result in a rise in automobile accidents, ergo, a further strain on hospital resources and emergency rooms.]

The researchers obtained data on shooting deaths, suicides and gun-related injuries from the Gun Violence Archive. They analyzed daily incidents in each state, as well as the District of Columbia, from February 2019 through March 2021. They compared incidents reported before the pandemic (February 2019 through February 2020) to gun violence reported during the first year of the pandemic (March 2020 through March 2021).

[OCS: This is the type of study which is meaningless. One, because many variables are not included, stratified, or analyzed. And two, because correlation does not always imply causation.]

Twenty-eight states, including Pennsylvania, experienced a significantly higher number of shootings during the first year of the pandemic, the study found. In some states such as Minnesota, Michigan and New York, the rate of gun violence rose by more than 100%. Meanwhile, Alaska was the only state to see significantly lower rates of gun violence during the pandemic.

[OCS: Does anyone else see that Minnesota, Michigan, and New York have significant issues in governance, policing, a growing tolerance for left-wing domestic terrorism, and a concentration of criminal activity in dense minority-populated areas awash with drugs and drug-related crime? Or the correlations related to lock-down conditions.

As for the State of Alaska, there is a great difference in population density, mindset, the resilience of individuals, and the necessity and the legitimate use of firearms for protection and survival.]

According to the researchers, added stress and worry, along with fear and uncertainty may have fueled an increase in gun sales. Based on data from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, there was a 41% increase in handguns sold in March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. According to the researchers, all of these factors may have led to the increase in gun-related injuries and deaths during the pandemic.

[OCS: Another specious “may have” finding. Yes, there is no doubt that there was a significant increase in gun sales. But I posit that the great majority of these individuals were law-abiding citizens as most criminals, crazies, and terrorists do not obtain their weapons legitimately – and if they do, they lie on their 4473-Firearms Transaction Record form.

I also posit that fear was a legitimate motivating factor as they saw an increase in civil unrest unchecked by police activity, announcements that police would no longer respond to certain crimes, and the genuine possibility of their stockpiled emergency supplies being stolen by roving bands of marauders much in the way cosmetics, shoes, clothing, and other goods were looted during civil unrest while the police looked on and took no action.]

“The pandemic has yielded harmful ripple effects that need to be addressed,” said co-lead investigator Dr. Paddy Ssentongo, assistant professor at the Penn State Center for Neural Engineering. “The spike in gun violence in the era of COVID-19 comes as a stark reminder that we can’t afford to ignore it any longer. Now is the time to focus on this public health crisis.”

[OCS: Here, we see the progressive bias of the researchers and why the findings are meaningless.

I would suggest that the “spike in gun violence” is more a result of the failure of governance, including but not limited to pandering to a black population necessary to maintain a political coalition to gain or maintain political power, than the numerical increase in gun sales.

This includes disparaging, defunding, and harshly prosecuting police activities. This includes allowing an invasion of illegal aliens into the country without criminal background checks. This includes releasing thousands of criminals from jails and prisons back into the community, where the recidivism rate is staggering. This includes no-bail and lax catch and release programs. How many gun purchasers were merchants, property owners, or simply gun owners seeking upgrades to match the firepower of potential assailants?

This is not a public health crisis, even though the politicians want to use public health emergency powers to override the Constitution’s Second Amendment and disarm law-abiding gun owners. I would also suggest that the study’s authors consider the resultant emergency room impact of knives and bludgeons when firearms are not available.]

“Our data reinforces the need to promote multiple interventions — vaccinations, testing, contact tracing, masking and ventilation — to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, and in doing so, hopefully we can mitigate the downstream effects,” said co-investigator Dr. Jennifer McCall-Hosenfeld, associate professor, Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences.

[OCS: More progressive talking points – most of which have nothing to do with weapons and everything to do with the assumption of emergency powers using science and public health as a rationale. Of course, there is great and growing distrust in doctors associated with public health who have perverted science to advance a progressive political agenda.]

Penn State researchers Anna Ssentongo, Emily Heilbrunn, Dr. Joshua Hazelton, Dr. John Oh and Vernon Chinchilli contributed to this research. Claudio Fronterre from Lancaster University and Dr. Shailesh Advani from Georgetown University School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health also contributed to this research.

The researchers declare no conflicts of interest or specific funding for this research.

[OCS: Perhaps, they should disclose their political affiliations so that readers can detect implicit bias.]

<Source> Read the full study in Scientific Reports.

From the paper…

Gun violence incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic is higher than before the pandemic in the United States

Abstract

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, gun violence (GV) in the United States (U.S.) was postulated to increase strain on already taxed healthcare resources, such as blood products, intensive care beds, personal protective equipment, and even hospital staff.

This report aims to estimate the relative risk of GV in the U.S. during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Daily police reports corresponding to gun-related injuries and deaths in the 50 states and the District of Columbia from February 1st, 2019, to March 31st, 2021 were obtained from the GV Archive. Generalized linear mixed-effects models in the form of Poisson regression analysis were utilized to estimate the state-specific rates of GV. Nationally, GV rates were 30% higher between March 01, 2020, and March 31, 2021 (during the pandemic), compared to the same period in 2019 (before the pandemic) [intensity ratio (IR) = 1.30; 95% CI 1.29, 1.32; p < 0.0001]. The risk of GV was significantly higher in 28 states and significantly lower in only one state. National and state-specific rates of GV were higher during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same timeframe 1 year prior. State-specific steps to mitigate violence, or at a minimum adequately prepare for its toll during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be taken.

Conclusion

Overall, U.S. and state-specific rates of gun violence are higher during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same period pre-pandemic.

[OCS: Yada. Yada. Yada.]

Strengths and limitations

Our study included several strengths and limitations. It is the first study to report the rate of gun-related incidents in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare them to the pre-pandemic period. Including data on all incidents reported to police across all 50 states is another strength of the study. Due to the interdependence between events, auto-regressive covariance structure, non-linear effects, and non-Gaussian distributions, the Poisson GLMM model with cubic polynomial spline we used for the data analysis was appropriate and advantageous in estimating time and space events, including removing the confounding effect of both time and space and non-linearity The geospatial analysis method we fitted is granular. We did not map the state-specific counts of events to avoid aggregation of data, thereby preventing ecological fallacy and modifiable areal unit problems. One limitation of using police reports is that the homicide/suicide investigation is often still pending at the time of the report. Therefore, it was not possible to determine whether these recent incidents were due to suicide or homicide. In addition, although we adjusted for other major confounders in the models (state’s median age, race composition of the state), it is possible that residual confounding remained and could bias the estimates observed. Lastly, the high-order polynomial models we used to estimate the risk of GV have the disadvantages of model overfitting. Despite this, our study remains strong. It is the first of its kind to identify a substantial change in fire-arm-related incidents during the pandemic and estimate the relative spatial risk using GPS location of the events. <Source>

[OCS: Another worthless model that overlooks significant causal issues to pump out progressive propaganda that can be used to drive or justify public policy prescriptions.]

Original Study DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98813-z

Bottom line…

Research studies likely to agree with the prevailing political views of the funders are likely to be funded as they can be used to advance a political agenda or public policy prescriptions. Unfortunately, the elite experts fall short of the mark by concentrating their research on broad areas which they statistically examine and draw conclusions that overlook elementary causal themes.

This type of statistically-modeled research is an example of garbage in – garbage out thinking.

We are so screwed when we allow the use of crap research to negate our constitutional rights or convey more power to politicians.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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ALEX BALDWIN: NO DOUBT IT WAS NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE AND THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROSECUTIONS

So many things went wrong on the Rust set that I couldn’t help but remember one of my closest friends who is no longer with us -- Nick Horvatich, and the hundreds and hundreds of training, testing, and rehearsal hours he spent in mastering mechanical special effects, rigging, fire and pyrotechnics, and rescue maneuvers as a special effects technician.

As the one responsible for the safety of cast, crew, and property, Nick took his duty seriously and clashed numerous times with directors and producers whose directives were: I want it fast, and I want it cheap.

I remember one set where the principal actor brushed off a safety meeting, and Nick sat on the floor after telling him that he would wait until the actor took safety seriously. Nick was not beyond checking the toolboxes and personal tools of the craftsmen on the set if they were associated with special effects.

Another incident comes to mind -- when a producer accused Nick of spending unnecessary time and money over-engineering a staircase that was supposed to support about ten cast members. The same producer requested a publicity shot with over thirty people on the enhanced staircase. If something went wrong, Nick’s name and career were on the line – not to mention any fines, penalties, or worse.

While I usually despise union politics, you must admit they are sticklers for the safety of their members.

Nick was a member of IATSE Local 44.

In remembrance of Nick…

Even though this was a low-budget, mostly non-union production, I hope Alec Baldwin, the co-producer, and the other responsible parties are held accountable for their negligent actions.

It appears that the authorities may know how a live round got on the set ... The gun may have been used off-set for target practice by crew members. This would make it the prop master's or armorer's liability for allowing the weapon to be used in this manner and not checking and double-checking the weapon. Along with the assistant director for not double checking. And, the on-set co-producer who could observe problems firsthand.

Anyone who touches a gun is personally responsible for the use and consequences of using that weapon.

Rest in Peace, Nick.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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MANY A TRUTH IS TOLD IN JEST

Thanks to editorial cartoonists who tell an uncomfortable truth…

REPUBLICANS DO NOT ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME OR PROTECT THE NATION FULLY – BUT THE DEMOCRATS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE FAILURES AND TROUBLES IN THE NATION AS THEY PURSUE THEIR PROGRESSIVE COMMUNIST AGENDA.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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BEND OVER, HERE COMES LINDSEY GRAHAM AGAIN

Once again, and I do mean once again, we find Senator Lindsey Graham channeling his switch-hitting mentor, Senator John McCain, and hopping the aisle to help the progressive communist democrats to place another radical communist in a high-ranking position of authority.

Lindsey Graham furthered the controversial and contentious Biden nomination of far-left radical, Myrna Perez, the director of the George Soros-funded left-wing Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which covers the states of New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

In a rare opportunity, with Senator Dianne Feinstein absent and not voting, the Senate Republicans had the majority vote to defeat the cloture motion (50 nays – 49 yeas) to keep the nomination from being voted on by the full Senate to confirm Perez. That is if the Republicans voted together. Unfortunately, Lindsey Graham joined that other turncoat, Lisa Murkowski (D-AK), to flip the vote (51 yeas - 48 nays ).

This nomination is important because Perez is a far-left radical who believes the United States Constitution is a mutable, living Constitution that can and should be modified to meet the politics of the moment. Hence the destruction of our Republic as it descends into majority mob rule.

In the third virtual installment of Bowdoin College’s “After The Insurrection: Conversations on Democracy” series, Myrna Pérez, director of the Brennan Center’s Voting Rights and Elections Program, declared…

“We spend a lot of time [in] what I would call the ‘court of public opinion,’ and it is really exciting to be able to do this work because it’s founded in Justice Brennan’s ideas,” Pérez said. “He made famous the idea of a ‘Living Constitution,’ the idea of a constitution that was not static or frozen in time but one that had to be evolving and dynamic in order to actualize its principles. That is the way the Brennan Center thinks about the world; it’s changing and dynamic, and we need to be ready to meet whatever moment is with us.” <Source>

For those unfamiliar with the Brennan Center…

The organization is named for William Brennan, the Supreme Court justice who championed judicial activism and lambasted originalism and textualism.

The Brennan Center is not required to disclose its donors. It has extensive ties to other liberal dark-money groups, in addition to being one itself. Its largest source of funding has been George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, with millions more coming from the Tides Foundation. It claims to be nonpartisan while embracing a distinctly left-wing agenda.

The Brennan Center is guided less by Justice Brennan’s specific positions than by whatever happen to be the current fashions on the left. For instance, the Brennan Center took the position that the campaign-finance decision joined by Brennan in Buckley v. Valeo (1976) was too protective of political speech and should be overturned.

A major focus of the organization has been advocating for less freedom of speech in connection with elections while simultaneously attacking the most basic measures to ensure the integrity of elections. That includes any and all voter-ID measures, as well as efforts to update voter rolls. As director of the center’s Voting Rights and Election Program, Pérez has been at the forefront of the Brennan Center’s efforts in this regard. <Source>

Bottom line…

As a Republican, one might assume that Lindsey Graham, as a lawyer, would honor his Oath of Office to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Favoring originalism and textualism over interpretations which create rights and rulings out of whole cloth where none exist—flipping the purpose of the Constitution from preserving the rights of the We the People and the States while limiting the power of the federal government to empowering the government.

And, as a Senator on the Judiciary Committee, demand that the Biden Administration adhere to federal laws, curtail the use of unconstitutional or broadly misconstrued Executive Orders, and introduce clarifying legislation to provide a check and balance to Supreme Court rulings.

However, Graham is a compromised chameleon who, unfortunately, will serve until January 3, 2027. There is no doubt in my mind that Graham is an untrustworthy RINO (Republican In Name Only) that should be stripped of all committee positions since he is useless in protecting our Republic. Another feckless Republican who lacks the cojones to fight to preserve this exceptional nation.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba.”-- take nobody's word for it!

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

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