It’s Always Political
When Republican Party of Florida Chairman Joe Gruters isn’t dishing out dirt on Democrats or praising Praising President Trump, he’s out supporting and endorsing Republican candidates.
In his capacity as State Senator, Sen. Gruters has endorsed Conservative Journalist Laura Loomer in her Republican primary race in Florida’s 21st congressional district.
Loomer made the announcement in at this month’s Palm Beach Republican Executive Committee meeting.
Oh Does Rascally Democrats
The Democratic Party is trying to pick up the pieces after they have decided to return up to $1 million in PPP funding they received.
The group has been criticizing Trump and Republicans over the handling of the money, and for allowing big corporations to also benefit from the taxpayer-funded bailout.
What’s worse for Florida Democrats is that their own base of support, elected officials are calling out their hypocrisy.
You can’t make this up!
State Senator Annette Taddeo: “As a proud small business owner, I am appalled that anyone thought this was in any way morally or ethically correct let alone politically astute.”
State Senator Jason Pizzo: A political org. has avenues to fundraise that small-biz doesn’t. While legal&/ ethical concerns should give pause to seek/accept PPP, they should promptly return the $$, and refrain from partisan slights which only serve to impugn the integrity of one’s party. “
Oh, and there will be big news posting around 10 am this am. Check back HERE
Turning the Lights Out
Presser
The Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists is proud to announce that two of its members, Dr. Jampierre Mato, DNP, CRNA, APRN, and Dr. Karla Maldonado, DrAP, CRNA, APRN have been recognized by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) and have received two distinguished national awards for their service as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).
Dr. Mato was named as the 2020 Annual Clinical Instructor of the Year and Dr. Maldonado received the 2020 Janice Drake CRNA Humanitarian Award.
Dr. Mato has made immeasurable contributions to the education of over 500 nurse anesthetists during his tenure in his position. He is a generalist CRNA, but he excels in the specialties of orthopedic and neurosurgical anesthesia. Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists assigned to work with him know right away that the “very bare minimum” will not suffice.
Dr. Mato, a CRNA for over 13 years, serves as Executive CRNA Director of Miami Beach Anesthesiology Associates in Miami Beach, Florida. In addition, Dr. Mato is the nurse anesthesia student coordinator at Mount Sinai Medical Center of Greater Miami, responsible for oversight of SRNAs rotating from Barry University, Florida International University, and the University of Miami.
Dr. Maldonado, DrAP, CRNA, APRN, is the assistant director of the University of South Florida’s Nurse Anesthesia Program. For the past nine years, she has traveled to San Lucas, Guatemala, to provide life-changing humanitarian surgery and anesthesia care to local residents. Through the San Lucas Foundation, she has transformed the lives of hundreds of patients in the rural town where the local clinic lacks surgical or anesthesia care.
“It’s an amazing and incredibly humbling experience to be recognized by my peers,” she said. “All the other award winners are very well-known for their humanitarian efforts, so I’m quite honored.”
Visit The Floridian
Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez @MayorGimenez -I signed Amendment 2 to Emergency Order 26-20, prohibiting indoor dining at restaurants in Miami-Dade County, effective this Thursday. On-site dining can only take place outdoors. Only take-out & delivery service may be offered during nightly curfew hours of 10 pm & 6 am. It also shuts down entertainment venues, including theaters, concert halls, casinos and arcades. The order mandates clients to wear masks inside gyms/fitness centers at all times as well. Amendment 2 restricts short-term vacation rentals.
Marco Rubio @marcorubio -Which setting presents a higher risk of spreading #COVID19?
A. A football team having practice outdoors; or
B. Kids from various households playing Madden for hours in a bedroom?
Does the science match which one of these is banned & which one is allowed?
Rick Scott @SenRickScott -The #PPP program has helped many small businesses in FL & across the US during this tough time, but for months, I’ve called for reforms to the program to ensure taxpayer $$ goes to those who truly need it. Now, we can clearly see the abuse. We have to step up & fight for reform.
Rep. Ted Deutch @RepTedDeutch -44 Florida hospitals at ICU capacity. Many are smaller facilities. Some are not. We’ve known this was possible for months. Governor DeSantis continues to minimize the severity of the outbreak.
Rep. Lois Frankel @RepLoisFrankel -I'm proud to support the LHHS FY 2021 Appropriations Bill that makes a robust investment in every American & includes critical funding for those impacted by #COVID19. It will help fix our broken unemployment system, support seniors, & fully fund #TitleX.
RepRossSpano @RepRossSpano-China lied, Americans died— while the World Health Organization looked the other way. This is the right call by @realDonaldTrump! No taxpayer dollars should continue going to the WHO until they are held accountable. #FL15
Rep. Donna E. Shalala @RepShalala -Miami-Dade County alone now has more than 51,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. That is greater than the total number of infections in more than 30 different states. This is the greatest failure of leadership from a Governor of Florida in generations.
“Biden-Sanders ‘Unity Task Force’ Release Policy Platform Recommendations” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Joe Biden campaign released the policy recommendations crafted by the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Forces ahead of next month Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee. The “Unity Task Force” document which spans over 100 pages lays out policy recommendations on six key issues including climate change, criminal justice, education, immigration, health care, and the economy. The task force was formed in April after the Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) endorsed Biden, with the progressive senator announcing that the two campaigns were joining forces to develop a unified set of recommendations ahead of the Democratic National Convention. According to Biden’s campaign, the recommendations after weeks of negotiations between members of Biden and Sanders allies, experts, and politicians appointed to the group were submitted to the former vice president and the Democratic National Committee’s platform committee, which will draft the party’s platform. “I commend the Task Forces for their service and helping build a bold, transformative platform for our party and for our country. And I am deeply grateful to Senator Sanders for working together to unite our party, and deliver real, lasting change for generations to come,” Biden said in a statement announcing the recommendations.
“‘Squad’ Members Unveil Legislation To Defund Police And Dismantle ICE” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Two progressive “squad” members unveiled a far-reaching radical proposal on Tuesday that calls for defunding police departments, dismantle ICE and DEA, establishing a reparations programs for victims of police violence, along with a “time-bound” plan to close down all federal prisons and immigration detention centers. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), two lawmakers part of the “squad” House members announced the BREATHE Act, a “visionary bill” proposal created by activists of the Movement for Black Lives. “In this historic moment, it is critical that we listen too and trust the leadership of black activists around the country. They have been on the front lines in defense of black lives for decades,” Tlaib said in a virtual conference call in announcing the bill. “And it is our responsibility as legislators to hear them, respect them, and follow their example.” “We must invest in a new vision of public safety. Today, I am proud to join the calls coming out of one of the largest movements for justice that my district and our country have ever seen to say unapologetically: I support the #BREATHEAct,” she added.
“Cruz Endorses Dr. Leo Valentín” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Dr. Leo Valentín, a Republican vying for Florida’s 7th congressional district seat, has received support from constituents in the sunshine state, but now it seems that his campaign is also reaching outside the state as well. Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) announced today that he was formally endorsing the Dr. in his congressional bid, saying that “we need Dr. Leo Valentín in Congress!” while also calling for Floridians to support him as well. In response, the Dr. thanked for Texas lawmaker, adding that “he’s a proven conservative leader who understands the work we have to do to fight for the principles this country was founded on.” He also expressed that he is looking “forward to joining Senator Cruz in Washington to stand up for the issues we both care so much about – promoting local economies, strengthening our communities, making quality health care affordable, and protecting hard-working families from an overbearing government.”
“OPINION: Oil Drilling Off Florida Will Begin this Year…And Trump Had Nothing to Do With It” by Barney Bishop – Yup, that’s right, oil drilling will begin this year off of Florida’s coast. Surprised? I’d imagine so. How could something like this happen? Haven’t we seen years of elected officials introducing and passing bills and resolutions to stop this travesty? How will Florida’s military training and tourism industries survive? How could this happen? What if I told you that this whole scenario was being advanced by leaders of a state whose economy is more dependent than Florida’s on pristine beaches and tourism. For years, anti-energy activists have warned about the unacceptable risks of oil drilling off of our coasts. The risks to tourism, the risks to the military, the risks to the climate, the risks to civilization as we know it…all while globetrotting on private aircraft that use fossil fuels. And before this starts up, let’s be clear, President Trump has nothing to do with this. That’s because it is not a state or the federal government that is doing this; it is a country: the Bahamas. And the drilling? It is actually off of Florida’s East Coast.
“Cruz Endorses Dr. Leo Valentín” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Dr. Leo Valentín, a Republican vying for Florida’s 7th congressional district seat, has received support from constituents in the sunshine state, but now it seems that his campaign is also reaching outside the state as well. Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) announced today that he was formally endorsing the Dr. in his congressional bid, saying that “we need Dr. Leo Valentín in Congress!” while also calling for Floridians to support him as well. In response, the Dr. thanked for Texas lawmaker, adding that “he’s a proven conservative leader who understands the work we have to do to fight for the principles this country was founded on.” He also expressed that he is looking “forward to joining Senator Cruz in Washington to stand up for the issues we both care so much about – promoting local economies, strengthening our communities, making quality health care affordable, and protecting hard-working families from an overbearing government.”
“Fried Slams DeSantis Over Restricting Reproductive Rights” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) has directed words at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), arguing that “DeSantis won’t miss an opportunity to restrict reproductive rights when it’s presented.” In a donation letter sent to supporters, Fried slammed the Florida Governor, saying that “while the state was distracted with an outrageous spike in COVID-19 cases, the Governor signed a bill that requires parental consent before minors can have abortions.” She added that “this was just oen day after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana law that could have left the state with just a single abortion clinic.” Fried expressed that “this unconstitutional law is dangerous for already at-risk young people and is clearly a strategic move toward overruling Roe v. Wade,” noting that the state of Florida needs “to keep fighting these extreme GOP attacks on our ability to control our bodies.” The Agriculture Commissioner and Florida Governor have butted heads since they were elected to their respective offices, and the criticism comes at a time when the sunshine state has experienced record-breaking spikes in coronavirus cases. As well, nationally, abortion rights have been prominent in the political discussion as both Democrats and Republicans have contended the issue.
“South Florida Colleges Staying Flexible With Fall Reopening Plans” by NBC 6’s Ari Odzer – Administrators at South Florida’s colleges and universities are trying to plan for the fall semester even as the COVID-19 pandemic grips the area. “Of course we’re concerned and we’re paying very close attention to it and we’re having daily conversations with the Department of Health,” said Dr. Harry Moon, the chief operating officer of Nova Southeastern University. He could be speaking for every administrator. NBC 6 spoke to officials at FIU, the University of Miami, Barry University, NSU, Miami-Dade College, and Broward College. All of them said their institutions would be offering students the three options of face-to-face classroom instruction, online learning from home, or a hybrid of both models. “We are looking at three scenarios this fall and it all depends on the current COVID situation at that point,” said Juan Mendieta, director of communications at Miami-Dade College. Flexibility is the key to their plans, being able to react to whatever the pandemic throws at them. “We really believe we can adapt to any variety of circumstances that present because we have to,” said Mike Allen, president of Barry University. All of these institutions are using physical distancing measures in classrooms and on campus, masks are required for everyone, plexiglas panels are being installed to put transmission barriers between people, hand sanitizer is everywhere, and at some colleges, checkpoints are being set up at which people must have their temperature checked to enter buildings.
“Supreme Court ruling could help Florida crackdown on robocalls” by WCAX’s Jake Stofan – There’s some good news for the many Floridians sick and tired of constant robocalls. The US Supreme Court has upheld a decades-old federal law banning robocalls. There were more than 350,000 robocalls complaints in Florida in 2019 alone. We even got a few while putting this story together. But thanks to a new US Supreme Court ruling, the law banning robocalls has been upheld, and even beefed up, removing an exemption for debt collectors. “Part of what the law does is allows new technology to be invented [and] allow us an opportunity to actually go after some of those companies,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. Fried heads Florida’s Division of Consumer Services. Her agency fined 16 companies nearly $1 million for violating Florida’s ‘Do Not Call’ list last year. “For consumers, this is a huge win. This is a real opportunity to get those robocalls off of our phone lines,” said Fried. Not everyone is happy with the ruling. Pollsters and political consultants had hoped the court would grant them an exemption from the ban. But PR-wiz Ron Sachs told us those who were suing have plenty of other less intrusive options to reach voters.
“Florida businesses secured $32B in federal PPP loans to pay bills, 3.2 million workers” by The Center Square’s John Haughey – More than 393,000 small businesses and organizations in Florida have received $32 billion in emergency federal loans, saving an estimated 3.2 million jobs, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Treasury. SBA and Treasury revealed this week 4.88 million businesses nationwide have secured $521.48 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans since the program was launched in April. Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who leads the Senate Small Business Committee, called the PPP “a historic lifeline for more than 4.8 million small businesses. It is clear that financial damage from the (COVID-19) pandemic will continue to impact small businesses even as the economy re-opens.” SBA also released a report that lists 660,000 organizations across the country that received PPP loans between $150,000 and $10 million, including more than 40,000 in Florida. SBA does not provide the names of businesses that secured loans under $150,000, which constitute 86.5 percent of the nearly 5 million businesses participating in the program. The average loan was $107,000, according to SBA. However, 14 percent of the loans over $150,000 represent nearly 75 percent of the PPP money loaned through June 30. Congress approved PPP to assist businesses in paying workers instead of laying them off during the COVID-19 emergency. The program has been extended through August, so businesses still can apply.
“Florida Democrats return PPP money amid scandal” by Politico’s Marc Caputo and Matt Dixon – The Florida Democratic Party announced late Wednesday that it was returning at least $780,000 in small-business loans after its own lawmakers criticized the acceptance of the money as highly questionable if not illegal and unethical. The party immediately applied for the loan after Congress first passed the $670 billion Paycheck Protection Program, known as PPP, even though there was discussion at the time that the money should go to neither lobbyists nor political causes. In May, the chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, Terrie Rizzo, blasted PPP as a “disaster” that “funneled” money to large corporations. She failed to disclose that her own party had applied for a loan of $350,000 to $1 million — an arrangement that came to light this week after all recipients were disclosed, prompting a round of national hand-wringing over a system that left too many small businesses with empty hats in hand. As Republicans lobbed bombs at the party, Florida Democratic lawmakers were outraged as well, stung by the decision and their own potential political exposure. The party is currently underwriting the salaries of campaign staff throughout Florida, including those working to elect Joe Biden, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, in the nation’s biggest battleground state.
“Florida men busted for selling bleach as ‘miracle’ coronavirus cure” by NY Post’s Kenneth Garger – A Florida family has been hit with federal charges for allegedly peddling a so-called coronavirus miracle cure that is actually a concoction used as an industrial bleach. Mark Grenon, 62, and three of his sons, are accused of marketing and selling the product named Miracle Mineral Solution through an entity called the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing in Bradenton, according to a criminal complaint. The toxic solution pushed by the Grenon family, also known as MMS, is typically used to treat textiles, industrial water, pulp and paper, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has not approved the solution for any health-related use and has said ingesting it can cause vomiting and dehydration. The Grenon’s also marketed the bleaching agent as a cure for other serious health conditions, including cancer, autism and AIDS, according to the complaint. A Miami federal judge in April had ordered Genesis II Church of Health and Healing to stop selling MMS, but the Grenon’s ignored the ruling. “We will NOT be participating in any of your UNCONSTITUTIONAL Orders, Summons, etc,” read one email from Mark Grenon to US District Judge Kathleen Williams. “Again and again I have written you all that . . . you have NO authority over our Church.” The father and his sons –Jonathan Grenon, 34, Jordan Grenon, 26, and Joseph Grenon, 32 — are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and criminal contempt.
“Police in this Florida city will start fining protesters who block traffic” by Fox News’ Michael Ruiz – Police in St. Petersburg, Fla., said they will start fining protesters who block traffic during demonstrations this week following tense and dangerous standoffs between activists and drivers around the country. Officers will be enforcing laws already on the books – and the St. Petersburg Police Department said Wednesday it would first begin a public awareness campaign by issuing warnings and handing out flyers. After a few days, the department will begin issuing fines of $62.50, according to a news release. The relevant state laws require pedestrians to use the sidewalk when possible and to obey traffic signals. They also prohibit the obstruction or hindrance of traffic. The department cited incidents around the country in which vehicles have struck protesters in the middle of the road as well as complaints about blocked streets making residents late for work and first responders being delayed on their way to answer emergency calls. A wave of protests against police misconduct have taken place around the country since the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Many of them have been peaceful. Some resulted in violence. In Provo, Utah, last week, a protester allegedly shot a 60-year-old man as he was driving through the city. Police said a mob surrounded the victim’s vehicle before someone shot a handgun through the window, striking the driver – who then hit the gas. That protester, identified as 33-year-old Salt Lake City resident Jesse Taggart, also allegedly broke the window of another vehicle before police took him into custody.
“Kanye West's Planned Parenthood fight revives rift between pro-choice movement, Black evangelicals” by Fox News’ Michael Ruiz and Edmund DeMarche – Kanye West's recent bombshell interview with Forbes magazine, in which he announced a presidential bid, turned his back on President Trump and criticized Joe Biden also reignited an old debate about the abortion industry's controversial roots in the Black community. West seemed to hold nothing back in the interview and, at one point, singled out Planned Parenthood, which he said has "been placed inside cities by White supremacists to do the Devil’s work.” The comment was a clear reference to Planned Parenthood's founder Margaret Sanger, whose support for eugenics and racially charged statements in a 1939 letter remain a source of pain for many in the Black community. “How are we to breed a race of human thoroughbreds unless we follow the same plan?" Sanger wrote in 1924. "We must make this country into a garden of children instead of a disorderly back lot overrun with human weeds.” Eugenics is a long-discredited belief that humans can be bred for superiority by excluding those deemed inferior. Nazi Germany used the theory to justify its treatment of Jews, the disabled and other minority groups. Rebecca Tuhus Dubrow, an author, wrote in the Nation back in 2007, "Harder to dismiss are the critiques of Black feminists like Angela Davis, who points out that minority women’s longstanding alienation from mainstream White feminism has roots in Sanger’s association with eugenics."
“Trump granted another 45-day extension to file annual financial disclosure” by CNN’s Maegan Vazquez – President Donald Trump has been granted a second 45-day extension to submit his annual financial disclosure form, a White House official told CNN on Wednesday. "The President has a complicated report and he's been focused on addressing the coronavirus crisis and other matters. As a result, he's been given an additional 45 days, but the President intends to file as soon as possible," the official said. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and White House staff were initially granted a 45-day extension to submit their financial disclosure forms due to the coronavirus pandemic this spring. The extension deadline cutoff was on June 30, and shortly afterward, Pence's latest financial disclosure was made public by the Office of Government Ethics. Trump's disclosure, however, was not published. The New York Times first reported Trump's additional deadline extension. The disclosure document, which is self-reported, provides a veiled view of the President's finances. These new disclosures will cover calendar year 2019, so they will not show the impact the pandemic has had on Trump's investments and properties.
“Vaccine Stock Soars, Rewarding Investor’s Big Bet” by WSJ’s Gregory Zuckerman – Vaccine company Novavax Inc. NVAX -5.99% traded at just 36 cents a share last May. Hoping to revive its shares and remain on the Nasdaq market, the Maryland company did a 1-for-20 reverse stock split but still finished 2019 down another 39%. The three-decade-old company had failed to develop a single vaccine, cash was dwindling, and it had to fire over 100 employees, about a quarter of its workforce. The December holiday party was held in a conference room and featured pizza slices and bottles of Coke. The new coronavirus changed Novavax’s financial future while delivering a windfall for an investor who made a recent big bet on the company. On Tuesday Novavax’s stock price closed at $104.56, up 32% on the day and 2,527% so far this calendar year, after the company said it would receive $1.6 billion from the federal government to develop and manufacture a potential coronavirus vaccine. Novavax’s climb is a sign of how the coronavirus is upending the pharmaceutical world, sparking newfound investor enthusiasm for companies that spent years fruitlessly chasing vaccines. The stock surge generated $255 million in paper profits in less than four weeks for RA Capital Management LP, an 81-person Boston-based biotech investment firm. On June 12, RA Capital spent $200 million to purchase convertible preferred stock, giving the firm the ability to own nearly 4.4 million shares, or about 7.5% of Novavax total shares. The value of RA Capital’s holdings is up about 120% in less than a month, a lightning-fast move even for biotech investing, which is known for its home runs and strikeouts.
“Father of CHOP shooting victim describes 'very overwhelming' response to emotional 'Hannity' interview” by Fox News’ Victor Garcia – Horace Lorenzo Anderson Sr., whose 19-year-old son was shot and killed in Seattle's Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone last month, joined "Hannity" Wednesday to discuss what has happened since he appeared on the program last week to discuss his son's death. "A lot of things has happened just because of your show. I believe that," Anderson told host Sean Hannity. "I want to just say, first of all, I want to give my heart out to everyone. Because of your show, people have been reaching out to me... [from] around the world. I've got cards from around the world, people I don't even know, just reaching out to me saying 'You're a great dad' and just different things. 'I wish I had a dad like you,' things like this. You know, it has been very overwhelming." "A lot of things has happened just because of your show. I believe that," Anderson told host Sean Hannity. "I want to just say, first of all, I want to give my heart out to everyone. Because of your show, people have been reaching out to me... [from] around the world. I've got cards from around the world, people I don't even know, just reaching out to me saying 'You're a great dad' and just different things. 'I wish I had a dad like you,' things like this. You know, it has been very overwhelming."
“Jacksonville attorneys file lawsuit to block city from hosting Republican National Convention amid pandemic” by CNN’s Pierre Meilhan and Devan Cole – Several attorneys in Jacksonville, Florida, filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city in an attempt to block the Republican National Convention from occurring there amid the coronavirus pandemic. The complaint, filed in Duval County, lists many reasons against Jacksonville hosting the event, including that it would be "a nuisance injurious to the health (and) welfare" of the city's community. The complaint has yet to be recorded by the court clerk in Duval County's Circuit Court, according to attorney Jim Blecke. The lawsuit comes days after Florida, now the nation's No. 1 hot spot for the virus, set a record last Saturday for the most new coronavirus cases in a single day for any state during the pandemic, with a total of 11,458, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The state currently has more than 223,000 confirmed cases, according to the university. The complaint mentioned that, following a loosening of restrictions in the state, the number of coronavirus cases has spiked and that "to avoid community spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health and welfare of Plaintiffs and the community, it is necessary and essential that all super spreader events where large numbers of people congregate in close proximity indoors not occur."
“FBI Probes Chinese Exile, Including Work With Former Trump Aide Steve Bannon” by WSJ’s Aruna Viswanatha, Brian Spegele and Rebecca Davis O’Brien – The FBI is examining exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui and the money used to fund his media efforts in the U.S., including his work with Steve Bannon, a former senior adviser to President Trump, according to people familiar with the matter. Federal Bureau of Investigation national security agents in recent months have asked people who know both men for information on Mr. Guo’s activities, including the source of funds of a media company linked to him that hired Mr. Bannon in 2018 as a consultant, the people said. As recently as last week, the FBI met with one person familiar with the companies tied to Mr. Guo, the people said. The probe has been under way for more than six months, and prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s offices in Manhattan and Brooklyn have been involved, some of the people said. The purpose of the FBI’s interests couldn’t be determined. A lawyer for Mr. Guo said his client hadn’t been contacted by the FBI. “The FBI has never reached out to Mr. Guo or his colleagues about any of these matters,” the lawyer said. “Mr. Guo is honored to have the freedom in the United States working alongside others to eliminate the Chinese Communist Party and free his fellow countrymen in China.”
“Professor doubles down on prediction model of Trump's chances in 2020” by Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn – Despite recent polls that identify Joe Biden as the heavy favorite in 2020, a political science professor is still standing by his prediction model that shows President Trump having a "91 percent" chance of winning in November. Mediaite reported on Wednesday that Stony Brook Professor Helmut Norpoth is doubling down on his "Primary Model,” which has correctly predicted five out of the past six elections since 1996 and every single election but two in the past 108 years. “The Primary Model gives Trump a 91 percent chance of winning in November,” Norpoth said. "This model gets it right for 25 of the 27 elections since 1912, when primaries were introduced." As Mediaite noted, the two elections the model failed to predict was the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy and the 2000 election of George W. Bush. Norpoth's model examines the results of presidential primaries as the strongest indicator as to the outcome in the general election, not the polls that dominate the political discussion. According to Norpoth, Biden is in a much weaker position than Trump because of his poor showing in the first two primary races. Before making the stunning comeback in the South Carolina primary and carrying the following races, Biden came in fourth place in Iowa with just 15.8 percent of the vote and came in fifth place in New Hampshire with just 8.4 percent. Norpoth stressed that enthusiasm is key.
“The last 4 months have brought an unprecedented crackdown on legal US immigration” by CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez and Catherine E. Shoichet – As the coronavirus spreads around the world, the Trump administration has steadily choked off most avenues for legal immigration to the United States -- effectively shutting down the system that brings in hundreds of thousands of immigrants annually. In a span of four months, people who legally migrated to the United States -- or are trying to -- have had their lives uprooted amid a litany of changes attributed to the pandemic. The abrupt changes have left immigrants and their families in limbo -- confused, frustrated and scrambling to sort out their next steps. The reasons provided by the Trump administration vary, from protecting American workers at a time when the unemployment rate is high to putting public health first. This week, the futures of more than 1 million international students attending universities in the US became uncertain. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on Monday that foreign students taking online-only courses -- which are becoming more common as universities move away from in-person classes amid the pandemic -- may need to transfer schools or leave the US. Among them was Shreeya Thussu.
“Trump Criticizes CDC Guidelines for Reopening Schools” by WSJ’s Alex Leary and Catherine Lucey – President Trump pushed federal health officials to ease coronavirus guidelines for schools and threatened to withhold federal funding from districts that don’t reopen, stepping up his effort to get children back in classrooms. Mr. Trump said on Twitter Wednesday that he disagreed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on “their very tough & expensive guidelines for opening schools,” which he said are “asking schools to do very impractical things.” Administration officials said the CDC would provide new guidance next week that should allay some of the president’s concerns. Decisions about how and whether to reopen schools are largely up to state and local governments, and many districts have said they plan to offer learning in-person and remotely. On Wednesday, New York City—the nation’s largest school system—announced preliminary plans to have schools reopen this fall with a mix of in-person and remote learning. Mr. Trump’s comments on Wednesday marked his second charge into the debate in as many days, as districts roll out plans intended to balance the hopes of parents, teachers and students to return to normal school with the potential health risks arising from children learning in close quarters. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump said he would pressure governors and other officials to open schools.
President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump- Economy and Jobs are growing MUCH faster than anyone (except me!) expected. Job growth is biggest in history. China Virus Mortality Rate is among the LOWEST of any country. Shaping up for a good third quarter, and a great next year! NASDAQ at new record high, 401k’s way up!!!!
Adam Schiff @RepAdamSchiff -Trump welcomed Russia’s election help in 2016. He tried to coerce Ukraine’s help in 2019. And he begged China for it this year.
Requiring campaigns to disclose foreign offers of campaign assistance is common sense, even if not in the Senate.
Americans decide American elections.
