. . .The White House and members of Congress are banking on vaccine development to get the United States through this pandemic. Even if a successful vaccine is developed, succeeds in trials, and makes its way to market, just how many Americans are willing to vaccinate?
According to a new poll conducted by Yahoo News and NewGov, 42 percent of Americans say they would get the vaccination. That number is a record low for willingness to get a vaccine, and it could be a problem for the nation. Scientists say at least 60 percent of the population – although 75 to 80 percent would be ideal – need to get the vaccine in order for the vaccine to be effective.
The reason people are reluctant to receive the vaccination varies considerably.
“The outlook for universal vaccination is clouded by political considerations from both sides: skepticism about medical authority and expertise (more common among Trump supporters), and suspicions (mostly among Democrats) that the administration is cutting corners on safety to rush a vaccine into production before the election,” the poll concluded. (Read more from “How Many Americans Are Saying ‘Hard Pass’ to a Coronavirus Vaccine?” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/medicine-disease-vaccine-18876-6.jpg533800Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-05 23:31:012020-08-05 23:29:31How Many Americans Are Saying ‘Hard Pass’ to a Coronavirus Vaccine?
Portland, Ore., police Chief Chuck Lovell on Wednesday morning decried violent instigators who he said are marring the message of mostly peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters.
“Portlanders need to send a strong message that enough is enough,” Lovell told reporters at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, according to KGW-TV in Portland. “This is not forwarding the goals that are going to lead to better outcomes for people of color. This movement is really powerful, but the violence has taken away from it. … This is not what Portland is about. This is not what we need in our city.”
The protests, which have sometimes turned into late-night riots focused on the Multnomah County Justice Center and the federal courthouse, have continued unabated for more than two months since the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
Lovell said there have been many large peaceful protests that required no police presence but the smaller offshoot actions — setting fires, breaking windows and throwing objects at police — are taking away from the larger message. . .
“A lot of those stops end with handshakes and conversation,” he said. “And there’s a real familiarity and people miss it. We hear from a lot of people in the community saying hey we need the Gun Violence Reduction Team back. We need these officers that know our community, that know this issue of gun violence that we really relied on to help stay safe.” (Read more from “Police Chief Speaks Out About Portland Riots: ‘Enough Is Enough’ (VIDEO)” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/800px-Des_Moines_Protests_George_Floyd_Murder_49950236178.jpg534800Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-05 23:28:222020-08-05 23:26:26Police Chief Speaks Out About Portland Riots: ‘Enough Is Enough’ (VIDEO)
A New Jersey gym owner who reopened his business in defiance of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s stay-at-home order told “Tucker Carlson Tonight” that he and his partner were arrested Monday after they were held in contempt of court.
Ian Smith vowed in May to reopen Atilis Gym in Bellmawr with social distancing measures in place. Their plans drew a crowd of supporters who gathered outside the facility to protest Murphy’s stay-at-home mandates. Since then, Smith said he has been served “citation after citation … ” was shut down by the local health department, and was held in contempt of court. . .
“My partner [Frank Trumbetti] and I have had the doors removed since Thursday and we had not left the building since,” Smith said. ” We had two weeks worth of clothing and we [were] prepared to stay inside at all cost but we did agree we would go peacefully if law enforcement came.
“That time came this morning at about 5:10 … when the county sheriff walked in the building and said that we were under arrest. Frank and I at that point went peacefully and when we arrived back after being booked, we had boarded up doors.”
“I’m not afraid of tyrants. No American should be,” Smith said. “We outnumber them greatly and the only thing that they run off of is fear, which is why you see what you see in the media where they are pumping fear … They don’t ever offer any solutions. It is, ‘Wear a mask, shut up, and wait for a vaccine.’ (Read more from “Gym Owner Arrested After Violating Stay-at-Home Order: ‘I’m Not Afraid Of Tyrants’ (VIDEO)” HERE)
By Fox News. President Trump tweeted Tuesday afternoon that Florida voters should vote by mail this November, claiming that there is nothing to worry about in terms of security.
The president has generally railed against mail-in voting, claiming that Democrats are going to take advantage of the system to commit fraud and rig the election against him. At this point, however, he appears confident that this will not be the case in the Sunshine State. . .
Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail! #MAGA
Some states, like Maryland, are mailing absentee ballot applications to voters rather than the ballots themselves. A common practice, this process requires voters to provide personal information in order to get a ballot. What is new is states mailing ballots to voters unprompted, which has caused concerns over how states decide who to send them to. Trump on Monday threatened legal action against a universal mail-in voting plan in Nevada.
Trump and other Republicans have warned that mail-in voting could lead to ballot harvesting, ballots for dead people or ballots for people who no longer live at the residence where they are sent being fraudulently filled out. Additional concerns include ballots being lost in the mail and disenfranchising voters. (Read more from “President Trump Is Encouraging This State to Vote by Mail” HERE)
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Trump, Democrats Both Hold Fears About U.S. Postal Service, Mail-In Ballots
By The Hill. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is under intense partisan scrutiny from both President Trump and Democratic lawmakers, who are warning the agency is ill-equipped to handle the tens of millions of mailed-in ballots expected to be sent for the November election.
Many states have moved to expand access to mail balloting in an effort to reduce in-person voting amid the coronavirus pandemic, leading to growing concerns that Postal Service delays could draw the vote count out for days or weeks past Election Day.
There are fears that ballots that are late, missing or disqualified for small irregularities will lead to lawsuits and questions about the integrity of the elections.
The coronavirus pandemic has hampered post office operations and led to delays in mail delivery. The Postal Service faces serious financial pressures, and Congress is at odds over whether to provide additional assistance, even as it handles more shipments. (Read more from “Trump, Democrats Both Hold Fears About U.S. Postal Service, Mail-In Ballots” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/President_Trump_Holds_a_News_Conference_on_the_Coronavirus-2-scaled.jpg17072560Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-04 14:53:272020-08-08 23:13:48President Trump Is Encouraging This State to Vote by Mail; Trump, Democrats Both Hold Fears About U.S. Postal Service, Mail-In Ballots
By Washington Examiner. A leaked internal report from the Department of Homeland Security revealed that the federal government is investigating a half-dozen Americans who support antifa for possible connections to a terrorist group in Syria.
DHS’s Intelligence & Analysis Office, criticized by acting Secretary Chad Wolf last week for compiling information on two journalists, released an internal report in mid-July titled The Syrian Conflict and its Nexus to the U.S.-based Antifascist Movement. The investigation began in June, two weeks after President Trump promised to designate antifa a terrorist organization and just as attacks on federal property and federal agents in Portland, Oregon, were escalating.
The government report was not to be shared publicly, in part because it names those investigated, and concludes that “there appears to be a clear connection” between the antifa ideology and what the report described as “Kurdish democratic federalism teachings,” according to a copy obtained by The Nation’s Ken Klippenstein.
More than half a dozen people left the United States to fight alongside Kurdish factions, including the People’s Protection Units, according to DHS’s Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center Counter Network Division, who compiled information in the report. (Read more from “Portland Riots: DHS Investigates Link Between Antifa and Syrian Fighters” HERE)
Trump-Loving Grandma Outs Portland ‘Bomber’ to Feds — and It’s Her Own Grandson
By New York Post. Shortly after midnight on Tuesday morning, videos captured the moment a makeshift bomb was thrown at the Portland federal courthouse during another night of violent protest. A Trump-loving, 69-year-old woman soon stepped forward to out the suspect publicly — as her own grandson.
Karla Fox says she recognized the alleged bomber as her daughter’s son, 18-year-old Gabriel “Rico” Agard-Berryhill.
In the hours after the IED attack, social-media users analyzed videos showing a slim male, wearing a distinctive olive vest with the word “ICONS” printed on it, throwing something over the fence at the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse. Seconds later, a large explosion erupts, covering the front door in flames. The man picks up something off the ground and sprints off-camera. Police said the concussion could be “heard and felt more than a block away.”
Fox instantly identified her grandson because she gave him the vest.
“I bought the vest for him after he found one online after getting hit with rubber bullets the night before at the protest,” Fox told The Post. (She even left a positive review on clothing site Hibbett: “I got this for my grandson who’s a protester downtown, he uses it every night and says it does the job.”) She posted a photo of him posing in the $26 non-bulletproof apparel. (Read more from “Trump-Loving Grandma Outs Portland ‘Bomber’ to Feds — and It’s Her Own Grandson” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/25095096398_34057f923a_b.jpg9881024Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-04 14:52:582020-08-04 14:51:03Portland Riots: DHS Investigates Link Between Antifa and Syrian Fighters; Trump-Loving Grandma Outs Portland ‘Bomber’ to Feds — and It’s Her Own Grandson
The Trump administration will issue more than $35 million in grants to provide safe housing to survivors of human trafficking.
The Justice Department was set to announce Tuesday that its Office for Victims of Crime will award the funds to 73 organizations across the nation to provide six to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims, a White House official said. . .
Attorney General William Barr and White House adviser Ivanka Trump, the president’s elder daughter, were to announce the grants at a 2 p.m. event Tuesday.
“In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, combating human trafficking in the U.S. and abroad is critical work,” Trump said in a public statement, adding:
DOJ’s grant recipients are on the front lines of this fight, ensuring that survivors across our country are afforded safe and stable housing and empowered with the support and resources they need to rebuild their lives. I am incredibly honored to join Attorney General Barr to highlight these organizations and their tireless and vital work.
(Read more from “Trump Administration Slates $35m to Help Survivors of Human Trafficking” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/35183984770_b4762bd48f_b-1.jpg6831024Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-04 14:51:572020-08-04 14:50:01Trump Administration Slates $35m to Help Survivors of Human Trafficking
Netflix has released an “original” series based on a popular book series from my childhood, “The Baby-Sitters Club.”
Like most stories targeted at “tween” girls, the topics in the books revolved around boys, family, illness, and more. Much to my chagrin, though, Episode 4 of the Netflix series sneaks in issues surrounding a transgender child.
The novels, written by Ann M. Martin and published from 1986 to 2000, were wildly popular and sold 176 million copies. The Netflix show also is about a group of preteens and teenagers who operate their own babysitting service.
But I don’t appreciate Netflix using the sweet, nostalgic “Baby-Sitters Club” series as a Trojan horse to discuss a controversial and potentially harmful subject that young children often aren’t equipped to understand.
Netflix writer Rose Dommu posted a thread via the Netflix Twitter account to explain why, as a trans woman, the transgender episode of “Baby-Sitters Club” meant so much to her. The Twitter thread is worth reading, providing insight into exactly why I think this was a bad idea for the writers of the Netflix series to adapt the books into something more progressive.
Dommu writes: “This generation’s BSC handle[s] the same dramas as their original incarnations, with the circumstances updated for 2020.”
This is convenient and important: Parents who might give the OK for their children to watch Netflix’s “Baby-Sitter’s Club” because it’s just like the familiar book series might not appreciate this particular episode. Indeed, most of the series likely does stick more closely to the books, just not Episode 4, which definitely updates “circumstances” to reflect the very progressive era we now inhabit. Dommu calls this episode a “timely and poignant modernization.”
Mary Anne, one of the babysitters, ends up watching Bailey, a boy who has decided to be a girl. The scene the writers used to demonstrate this is related to clothing. Dommu describes the scene well:
Ready for an outfit change, Bailey explains that the closet is full of her “old clothes,” while her new clothes are much more sparkly—taste! Mary Anne understands immediately that Bailey knows who she is & has supportive parents who trust their daughter and want her to be happy.
Later in the episode, Mary Anne confides in her friend Dawn about babysitting a transgender child, Dawn, who prides herself on hailing from California, explains: “The same way that you know you’re right-handed, Bailey knows she’s a girl. And we all want our outsides to match our insides right? And it’s rad to have parents and a babysitter who get it. She’s really lucky.”
Mary Anne’s friend Dawn gives a thoughtful, educational, and compassionate explanation of trans identity — duh, she’s “from California.” This simple breakdown gives the show’s young viewers a powerful tool to shape their worldview. Maybe the children really are our future pic.twitter.com/zb0pJ4JJsP
Later, Bailey comes down with a fever and Mary Anne takes the child to the hospital. This is clearly a ploy to allow the child to experience what transgender people call being “misgendered.” The doctors refer to Bailey as “he” and suggest that he change into a blue gown for examination.
Mary Anne pulls the doctors aside and explains that even though he might look like a boy, and his chart might say he is a boy, and indeed he was born an actual boy, he feels like a girl. And therefore the doctors must refer to Bailey as a girl or they are “ignoring who she is” and making “her feel insignificant or humiliated.” The doctors, of course, apologize.
Dommu, writing the Twitter thread about the importance of the episode, explains: “What this episode ultimately gives me is hope. It illustrates what was articulated so perfectly in @Disclosure_Doc: You can’t be what you can’t see. Imagine the young trans children who are going to watch this & see a version of themselves who is actualized, supported, and HAPPY.”
I’m disappointed to see the writers adapting this great book series use it as an opportunity to sneak in such a complicated issue, which most audience members, likely between 7 and 15 years old, are unable to truly grasp—especially the younger ones.
That the creators of the show not only sneak in this subplot but later highlight it on the Netflix Twitter account as a point of pride shows how important it is to them to showcase progressive ideology, even to small children.
Research shows that simply encouraging children to transition socially is one of the more harmful ways to respond to gender dysphoria, which is clearly what Bailey is experiencing in the show. Many health care professionals encourage therapy first rather than a transition to the other sex. It’s too bad that option wasn’t shown here at all.
Of course, parents can use their own discretion when it comes to allowing their kids to watch this show. I have two daughters; I decided they could watch this episode and we would discuss it together. I then explained what I believed to be more accurate, honest, and helpful to young children about transgender ideology.
Other parents may choose not to allow their children to see it. That’s up to them.
“The Baby-Sitters Club” so far is a charming series that discusses topics that tweens already are thinking about, such as babysitting, school, friends, and boys.
Why introduce to them a topic that’s not only rare but actually harmful for kids? It’s disappointing to say the least. (For more from the author of “Netflix Sneaks Transgender Ideology Into New Tween Series” please click HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/6718320547_4e2269836e_z.jpg612612Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-04 14:49:142020-08-04 14:47:32Netflix Sneaks Transgender Ideology Into New Tween Series (VIDEO)
Two mask-wearing zealots apparently were on patrol Friday in Manhattan Beach, California, and were caught on video telling a pair of maskless rebels that they were breaking a commandment. . .
The two men without masks were chatting with each other on a bench and apparently minding their own business when the woman and her male companion began scolding them.
The maskless man recording video of the exchange explained that he and his friend are “locals here” and are “on the other side of the fence” when it comes to wearing masks: “We don’t believe in this stuff.” . . .
Soon a drink splashed all over the maskless man wearing the dark shirt as he sat on the bench — and then it was on. . .
[Warning: video contains explicit language.]
The maskless victim apparently got a few good shots in, as the woman’s male companion was soon seen with blood spattered all over his white shirt and on his face. The woman apparently managed to slap the maskless man upside the head. (Read more from “WATCH: Woman Throws Hot Coffee at Man Who Isn’t Wearing Mask — and Then Things Get Bloody” HERE)
(Editor’s note: even though the altercation started after hot coffee was thrown on the man sitting down, TMZ reports that no arrests were made, and the parties were required to apologize to each other)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/Coffee.jpg6351128Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-04 14:45:462020-08-08 23:29:40WATCH: Woman Throws Hot Coffee at Man Who Isn’t Wearing Mask — and Then Things Get Bloody
By Breitbart. Communist Party leader Bob Avakian has announced his support for former Vice President Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election.
Avakian, the founder and leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party USA, told his followers in a statement on Saturday that they should vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
“At this critical hour, every appropriate means of non-violent action must be utilized to remove this regime from power,” said Avakian in his statement. “And if, in spite of mass protest demanding the removal of the Trump/Pence regime, this regime remains in power when it is time for voting, then — using all appropriate means to work for the removal of this regime must include voting against Trump.”
Avakian went on to clarify that he does not want his followers to vote for a third party candidate, and that their vote must be for Biden.
“To be clear, this means not a ‘protest vote’ for some candidate who has no chance of winning, but actually voting for the Democratic Party candidate, Biden, in order to effectively vote against Trump,” wrote the communist leader. (Read more from “Communist Party Leader Endorses Joe Biden” HERE)
Facebook Removes Pro-Trump Ad Aimed at Joe Biden, Claiming False Information
By Fox News. A pro-Trump ad was removed from Facebook after claims that it contained false information, Fox News has learned.
America First Action PAC on Tuesday told Fox News that Facebook removed one of its ads, titled “On Hold,” which was placed in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin on July 24. The ad was flagged by Politifact on July 29, according to the PAC.
“Facebook’s decision to take down this ad shows its anti-conservative bias,” America First Communications Director Kelly Sadler told Fox News. “America First Action has logged an appeal, but the threat of anti-conservative bias, targeting, and censorship remains ahead of Election Day in November and we must be vigilant in holding big tech, like Facebook accountable.” . . .
The ad in question was titled “On Hold,” and shows a woman calling 9-1-1 and being put on hold. The ad moves to show Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden saying “yes,” with a “defund the police?” banner.
The ad is currently marked on Facebook with a label saying: “False Information. Checked by independent fact-checkers.” (Read more from “Facebook Removes Pro-Trump Ad Aimed at Joe Biden, Claiming False Information” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/48651180272_5a8af1ab3b_b.jpg6821024Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-04 14:36:142020-08-04 14:33:28Communist Party Leader Endorses Joe Biden; Facebook Removes Pro-Trump Ad Aimed at Biden
By National Review. President Trump argued that the number of COVID deaths per capita is irrelevant and pointed to the number of deaths in proportion to cases as a sign that the U.S. is doing well in its battle against the virus during an interview with “Axios on HBO” Monday.
“I’m talking about death as a proportion of population,” Axios’ Jonathan Swan told the president. “That’s where the U.S. is really bad. Much worse than South Korea, Germany, etc.”
“You can’t do that,” Trump responded, adding that the data should “go by the cases.”
.@jonathanvswan: "How do you think history will remember John Lewis?"
“It’s surely a relevant statistic to say if the U.S. has X population and X percentage of death of that population vs. South Korea,” Swan pushed back, citing reporting from Seoul showing 300 deaths out of the country’s population of 51 million. . .
“You don’t know that,” Trump said in response to South Korea’s numbers, leading Swan to ask the president if he believes the country is faking its statistics. (Read more from “Trump Argues Irrelevant COVID Stat: ‘You Can’t Do That'” HERE)
(Editor’s note: Trump got it right. The more COVID testing that is done, the more known COVID deaths a nation will have. If you don’t test, you don’t have reported COVID deaths. So comparing the U.S. per capita COVID death rate to countries that test far less is an absolutely unfair comparison)
Trump Weighs Executive Action as Negotiations Progress on Next Coronavirus Stimulus Package
By USA Today. The president on Monday said he was weighing executive action as Congress and the White House struggle to break the impasse over another emergency relief package to counter the coronavirus’ impact on U.S. families and the economy.
Negotiators on Monday signaled they’d made progress hashing out differences between Republican and Democratic proposals for the next stimulus package, though a deal remains far out out of reach and millions of unemployed Americans remain in financial limbo after a $600 weekly unemployment benefit expired on Friday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Congress’ top Democrats, met again Monday with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for several hours, where they examined the competing proposals and went through specific dollar amounts in various areas in the two bills. . .
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump on Monday floated the possibility of taking unilateral action if a deal could not be made with Democrats, claiming he has the power to step in and curtail Congress should there be a need. The president specifically noted the moratorium on housing evictions that recently expired.
“A lot of people are going to be evicted but I’m going to stop it because I’ll do it myself if I have to,” Trump said at the White House. “I have a lot of powers with respect to executive orders and we’re looking at that very seriously right now.” (Read more from “Trump Weighs Executive Action as Negotiations Progress on Next Coronavirus Stimulus Package” HERE)
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/191009-F-QD164-1005.jpg486780Joe Millerhttps://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.pngJoe Miller2020-08-04 13:33:172020-08-05 08:33:45Trump Appropriately Argues COVID Stat Pushed by Axios is Irrelevant: ‘You Can’t Do That’ (VIDEO)
