By Casey Harper (The Center Square)
A slew of city-wide vaccine mandates announced in 2021 across parts of the U.S. made virtually no difference in stopping the spread of COVID-19, newly released research found.
“These mandates imposed severe restrictions on the lives of many citizens and business owners,” the study, conducted through George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, says. “Yet, we find no evidence that the mandates were effective in their intended goals of reducing COVID-19 cases and deaths.”
The researchers evaluated Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.
“We find no evidence that the announcement or implementation of indoor vaccine mandates in the cities listed had any significant effect on vaccine uptake, COVID-19 cases, or COVID-19 deaths, and this is largely consistent for all US cities that implemented the mandate,” the report said.
Many local leaders in these cities demanded the vaccine mandates, arguing at the time that the science was irrefutable.
For example, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney plainly said its mask and vaccine mandates would slow the spread of COVID in a news release announcing the policy.
“The updated policies we announced today are critical to slowing the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is more dangerous and transmissible than earlier forms of the virus,” Kenney said. “The science is clear: these measures will protect Philadelphians and save lives.”
But this latest research says there is no evidence the vaccine mandates made a noteworthy difference, meaning the large economic toll on businesses may have been all for naught.
Related: DeSantis Calls For Grand Jury Probe Into COVID Vaccines: Says CDC Info ‘Not Worth the Paper It’s Printed On’
From the report:
Our findings put into question the efficacy of city-level vaccine mandates. Indoor vaccine man-dates caused large disruptions for many individuals and businesses. New York City, for example, fired 1,430 city workers for failing to comply with its vaccine mandate (Fitzsimmons, 2022). A survey found that over 90% of NYC restaurants reported having customer-related challenges, such as losing customers who objected to the mandate, and 75% having staff-related challenges (New York State Restaurant Association, 2021). Those are just a small fraction of the disruptions caused by the mandates.
Most supporters of the mandates claim that the associated increase in vaccination rates, and its implied reduction in the spread of COVID-19, outweigh the cost of the disruptions. However, we find that the effects of the mandates on their intended outcomes are not statistically noticeable in any of the cities they were implemented in all empirical strategies used.
The researchers propose that a key reason for the failure of these mandates is that it was easy for unvaccinated residents to simply cross city lines to visit the bars, restaurants and more that were unavailable to them within city limits. The paper argued nationwide mandates were more effective since crossing national borders is much more difficult.
Vitor Melo, one of the researchers behind the report, said he began the research in part because the success of nationwide vaccine mandates in Europe was being touted as proof of the need for those mandates in U.S. cities.
Melo said he expected to find that the vaccine mandates helped slow the spread of COVID-19, albeit on a smaller scale than what was seen in European countries, but was surprised to find in his research that that was not the case.
“There is definitely reason to be skeptical that if something worked in France, it would work in D.C.,” Melo told The Center Square.
Related: Fauci Takes Heat After Casting Doubt On Efficacy Of COVID Vaccines
Melo said his paper did not address the efficacy of vaccines, another hot topic, but showed moreso that those Americans who were unwilling to get vaccinated would not buckle, regardless of a municipal mandate.
All the cities reviewed in the study announced their indoor vaccine mandates in 2021 and repealed them in 2022.
“Many firms lost businesses because of this,” Melo said. “They lost customers. They weren’t allowed to let customers in if they were not vaccinated, and also they lost staff. The idea at the time was that the benefits would outweigh the cost…but then what I find in the research is that there is not much of a benefit at all.”
The efficacy of the vaccines also are being questioned after Dr. Anthony Fauci co-authored a paper shortly after he left his position as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that said he know they would provide only limited protection against infection because “candidate vaccines for most other respiratory viruses have to date been insufficiently protective.”
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
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Author: adler
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Researchers: City-Wide Vaccine Mandates Did Nothing To Stop The Spread Of COVID-19
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Why This Teenage Ukrainian Refugee Prefers a War Zone to American Public Schools
Even though I graduated from high school over 20 years ago, I still have a few vivid memories from my school years. I was bullied like I think most people experienced at some point for various reasons; being too smart, not being smart enough, being poor, being fat, being a nerd.
While school years have never been easy as it’s your first social experiment learning to interact with others different than yourself and navigate emotional landmines, it is undoubtedly more challenging to be a kid in school these days than 20 years ago. This new generation has to contend with the poison of social media, and competing ideologies, all while some were rocked by the obvious damaging policies put in place during the COVID pandemic.
However, the experience of a Ukrainian refugee should put a shock into our system as parents, lawmakers, and citizens. Our schools are literally turning into war zones, and nobody seems to care.U.S. Teen Girls Experiencing Increased Sadness and Violence | CDC #mentalhealth#Youth#SuicidePreventionhttps://t.co/BLYrQCIIjr
— NousTalk (@noustalk) February 16, 2023RELATED: Virginia State Senate Rejects Updated Communism Curriculum Because it is Apparently Racist to Asians
Our New Normal
Like many young Ukrainians, Yana fled last year and settled with her Aunt and mother in San Francisco. This 13-year-old girl began 8th grade this year, and her experience was less than ideal, to put it lightly.
Within the first week, Yana realized that American schools could be just as dangerous as the war zone she fled. As she told a local newspaper, “I thought it was going to be better because it’s San Francisco. But after two days, I saw everything going on at the school.”
What did young Yana witness? She saw students repeatedly interrupt classes, cause massive disturbances, and blatantly disrespect teachers.
As Yana put it, she realized that this was all “normal” for the school as “nothing happened” to the students who would act out. But, as if that wasn’t enough to burst this poor girl’s bubble on her thoughts of America and San Francisco, she had her cell phone stolen, was viciously bullied for being a refugee, and threatened.
When the school district refused to transfer her to another school where she may feel safer, her Aunt and mother pulled her from the school entirely. In her own words, she’d rather return to Ukraine than go back to an American public school.If you’re sending your children to public school make sure they know how to defend themselves. Coming to a school near you in #Maine. We are white, so we are automatically racist. That’s their justification for violence. #ItsOkToBeWhite https://t.co/3qxamUG69x
— Maine American Girl (@MaineGirl1717) February 12, 2023RELATED: NY Middle School Apologizes for ‘Culturally Insensitive’ Chicken & Waffles Meal
Trending Violence
The middle school that Yana was attending has had issues with violence among its student population since before her arrival. Students have recorded videos of themselves beating up other students, and three female students assaulted a special-education student, all without suspensions or disciplinary actions taken by the school.
There has been incredible teacher and counselor turnover at the school due to this sort of activity, with many reporting that, on average, anywhere from five to 15 students at a time loiter in the hallways during classes. I hate to be the old fuddy-duddy here, but I will go ahead and drop this oldie but goodie… back in my day, you couldn’t be in the school hallway during class without a pass.
In addition, teachers have reported getting screamed at by students and food fights happening regularly. But this sort of activity isn’t unique to this one school or even to the state of California.
On the other side of the country, my home state of Virginia has had some disturbing violent events in public schools. Recently a video emerged of a 7th-grade boy getting choked on a school bus in Virginia.
We can’t forget the Newport News, Virginia school where a six-year-old shot his teacher. In addition, it’s been revealed that a 5th grader recently texted his classmates that he plans to “pop some bullets” into his peers and teachers in that same school.
Finally, the recent suicide of 14-year-old Adriana Kuch shocked the country for about a day. She killed herself days after a video emerged of her being horrendously beaten in the hallways of her school.Maybe, spit balling here, the fact that NONE of the Chicago public school kids are proficient in reading or math may have something to do with the violence.?
— Randy Aleshire (@RandyAleshire) February 15, 2023RELATED: Indian Immigrant Mother is Accused of Being Aligned With ‘White Supremacists,’ Then Booted From Education Board by Virginia Democrats
The Blame Game
The rise in juvenile violence in our country is blamed mainly on one of this country’s favorite scapegoats, the COVID-19 pandemic. The argument is that the two-year shutdown of the nation’s schools stunted the emotional development of an entire generation of American children.
Indeed, the shutdown of public schools and society, in general, didn’t do anybody any favors, including America’s youth. Still, you can’t put the blame solely on the pandemic and the poor public health policies that ensued.
A fair amount of blame needs to be placed on the legal system in many of these states. For example, in New York, a policy has made it so that you can’t charge youth with major crimes if they are under 18.
So what has this told youth in that state? That you can get away with everything just shy of murder, and in some cases, more than likely, you can get away with that too.
Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington D.C. are all working to adopt this same policy because adopting failed policies is what our legislators do best.
Speaking of terrible policies, many also blame the schools themselves. After all, aren’t they supposed to be in charge of our children when they are in their care?Public school teachers molest children at a rate 2x that of Catholic priests; test scores in reading & math peaked a decade ago & are declining; public schools are the only place where most people experience personal violence in their lives. They’re indefensible jails for kids.
— Charles ‘Corded Ware’ Wing-Uexküll (@CWingUexkull) February 16, 2023RELATED: Vanderbilt University Prof Claims Math is Racist White Supremacy and Anti-Gay
Flimsy Justice
In the past decade, a new trend has been pushed into the education world vernacular called “restorative justice.” This concept is based on mediation and agreement rather than punishing students who act out.
Like most terrible ideas, this one is born out of a desire to make schools more ‘equitable,’ stating that statistically, more black students are suspended or expelled than white students.
Professor Thalia Gonzalez explains, “That’s the problem with punitive discipline such as suspension and expulsion. You get removed and then you just come back.” Gonzalez says, “There’s nothing done to reintegrate into the community and rebuild the climate, the connectedness, the sense of safety…”
Interesting argument, I would counter with that is the nature of consequences. When you act out and damage the class climate, destroy the ‘connectedness,’ whatever that means, and are the cause of the lack of safety, you must suffer the consequences and own your part.
But you still can’t pin the blame for our children acting like hooligans solely on the shoulders of school administrators. While policies, legislators, and schools indeed share in their culpability – the blame rests squarely on those ultimately responsible for these kids.This is the state of the our govt. schools. Girl beats another student unconscious. We must get our kids out of these schools. Please sign petition for tax money to follow the students NOT the institution. #SchoolChoice Sign https://t.co/lkORzvJqDppic.twitter.com/AT0n0UuMJr
— Melissa Tate (@TheRightMelissa) February 10, 2023RELATED: DeSantis’ College Board Victory Merely Scratches the Surface of Higher Education Rot
Look in the Mirror
The truth is our children’s behavior is primarily our responsibility as parents. Unfortunately, for too long, public school has been viewed as a substitute for parenting versus a place where children are meant to learn.
For too long, we’ve expected the government to help us parent. But, even scarier, there is a strong push for the government to do even more as if the government has ever made anything better.
The statistic that black children are suspended and expelled more than white children is notable, but the analysis is off. The idea that this is due to some form of systemic racism misses perhaps another glaring statistic.
In 2021 the percentage of black children in America living in a single-parent household was a staggering 64%. Compare that to Asian children (16%), white children (24%), and Hispanic children (42%). Could it be that children do better with both parents in the home?
Technology also plays a part and our allowance of it into our children’s lives. In 2017 two in five kids under eight had their own tablets. A Stanford study done last year found that the age at which most American kids receive their first cell phone is between ten and 12.
Go to any family restaurant in America. I guarantee most kids, from toddlers to teenagers, are on their phones or tablets. Look at the parents; I bet they are also on their phones.
We have opted for easy outs such as phones and tablets to ‘parent’ for us versus, you know, parenting. God forbid our kids color with their crayons on their kid’s menus or just be bored.
Learning to live in a state of boredom is an important life skill because most adult life is filled with boredom. So, our kids are violent, ill-prepared for society, uneducated, and rotten because of us.
Perhaps we should be learning parenting skills from our Ukrainian friends instead of listening to pie-in-the-sky experts who preach nonsense such as ‘gentle parenting.’This is the state of the our govt. schools. Girl beats another student unconscious. We must get our kids out of these schools. Please sign petition for tax money to follow the students NOT the institution. #SchoolChoice Sign https://t.co/lkORzvJqDppic.twitter.com/AT0n0UuMJr
— Melissa Tate (@TheRightMelissa) February 10, 2023Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
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FBI Has Until March 1 To Turn Over Information Of Probe Targeting Parents
By Bethany Blankley (The Center Square)
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona have until March 1 to turn over documents to the House Judiciary Committee about alleged FBI investigations into parents attending school board meetings in response to a memo Garland issued 17 months ago.
Since October 2021, Republican members of the committee have sent over 100 letters to Biden administration officials “requesting answers about how the Administration used federal counterterrorism resources against American parents,” the committee said in a news release earlier this month.
“Whistleblowers have disclosed how, shortly after Attorney General Garland formally directed the FBI to take action, the FBI’s Counterterrorism and Criminal Divisions created a specific threat tag for school board-related threats and even opened investigations into parents simply for speaking out on behalf of their children,” the committee said.
Garland’s directive was issued after the National School Boards Association sent a letter to President Joe Biden “urging him to weaponize the Patriot Act against parents. Emails later showed how the Biden White House had advance knowledge of this letter and its contents and raised no objection,” the committee said.
His memo referred to a “disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff,” and directed FBI and other federal law enforcement agents to monitor activities of parents and school boards nationwide.
Related: Virginia State Senate Rejects Updated Communism Curriculum Because it is Apparently Racist to Asians
Soon after Garland issued it, he was called to testify before the committee and said he issued the memo because there were “reports of violence and threats of violence.” In a news release at the time, he also said, “Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to our nation’s core values. Those who dedicate their time and energy to ensuring that our children receive a proper education in a safe environment deserve to be able to do their work without fear for their safety.”
He testified before the committee, “I can’t imagine any circumstance in which the Patriot Act would be used in the circumstances of parents complaining about their children, nor can I imagine a circumstance where they would be labeled as domestic terrorism,” saying the DOJ wasn’t targeting parents. The DOJ continues to maintain this claim.
Shortly thereafter, a coalition of attorneys general called on Garland to produce evidence to support his claims. They argued the DOJ targeting parents is unconstitutional and an abuse of power and said Garland must revoke his directive, which he has yet to do. The AGs received no response to their requests and sued last March.
Meanwhile, an FBI whistleblower came forward and by May 2022, Republican U.S. Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Mike Johnson of Louisiana sent a letter to Garland stating the whistleblower provided evidence that contradicted his testimony. The FBI was in fact investigating parents, according to an Oct. 20, 2021, email made available to the committee. The FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and Criminal Division announced it created a new threat tag for its internal system to label parents, called “EDUOFFICIALS,” and directed FBI personnel to apply the tag to all “school board-related threats,” according to their letter.
The FBI maintains it hasn’t and isn’t targeting parents or investigating speech at school board meetings.
After the whistleblower information was made public, Florida-based Moms for Liberty founders Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich said, “We now have proof of what many of us suspected and some of us knew: that the Department of Justice was using counter-terrorism authority under the PATRIOT Act to investigate parents of schoolchildren who were exercising their first amendment right to petition their local government for a redress of grievances.”
Justice and Descovich the group already was aware of one of the examples Jordan cited, because she was one of their members.
“The mother was terrified,” they said. “She had been contacted by the FBI. She had been told by the FBI not to say anything about that call. She had also been told that there were many other mothers being investigated.
“Once the federal government uses our own taxpayer money to harness federal resources and federal officials to investigate law-abiding parents who attend public meetings and speak their minds, everyone’s free speech is at risk. We have the right to ask questions of public officials and demand accountability from those in public office.”
Related: “Satanic Gender Affirmation Ritual” Held at State Capitol to Protest Bill Banning Child Sex Changes
In response to public backlash over its letter to Biden, the National School Board Aassociaten issued an apology, which wasn’t enough for some states. According to a Parents Defending Education analysis, 26 states withdrew membership, participation, or dues from NSBA as a result of the letter.
PDE also said, “Since DOJ’s memo was released, a number of parents have confirmed that they were, indeed, contacted by the FBI after speaking up at school board meetings – confirming the American public’s worst fears about the memo’s repercussions.” It also demanded the DOJ issue an apology to “American citizens who advocate on behalf of students, and redirect their finite time and resources to catching real criminals – not parents.”
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
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Eric Swalwell Signs On To Bill That Would Ban Trump From the Capitol
California lawmaker Eric Swalwell is co-sponsoring a bill that would ban Donald Trump and several allies of the former President from entering the United States Capitol.
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on February 17th by Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA). The sole co-sponsor of the legislation is Swalwell (D-CA).
The resolution seeks to prohibit “President Donald Trump and certain other individuals who attempted to undermine and overturn the 2020 presidential election from entering the United States Capitol.”
It reads as if it were written by a CNN intern, and includes the requisite lie that the January 6th riot at the Capitol “claimed the lives of five law enforcement officers.”
It didn’t. No police officers died that day, nor did any die as a direct cause of the actions that took place that day. Democrats, however, want you to think they did. It’s all part of making January 6th the newest National Myth.
The bill seeks to enlist the House and Senate Sergeant at Arms and the U.S. Capitol Police in preventing Trump and his colleagues from ever setting foot in the Capitol.Swalwell’s next attack on Trump: Kicking him out of the US Capitol https://t.co/j0zf4IypiZ
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) February 22, 2023Related: McCarthy Officially Rejects Schiff and Swalwell For Intel Committee: ‘Integrity Matters’
Swalwell Wants to Ban Trump From the Capitol
Swalwell got his little insurrection underoos in a bunch when the media focused on him instead of Williams when reporting on the new bill.
“How far will Fox go to attack me? This isn’t even my bill — it’s a brilliant bill written by @RepNikema,” he tweeted.
Of course, reality suggests Swalwell is thrilled by the coverage, having been a perpetual media whore the last several weeks, crying to anybody who will listen about being kicked off the House Intelligence Committee and airing alleged death threats on his voicemail.
Don’t let him kid you – he loves the attention.
Plus, Williams doesn’t quite draw the interest that a Russia collusion conspiracy theorist who sleeps with Chinese spies would get.
Despite lamenting the coverage, Swalwell eagerly voiced his support for the bill which would ban Trump, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, among others, from the Capitol.
“Of course I support (the bill)!” he declared. “And by the way, when the village nearly burns down, we don’t invite the arsonist back to visit. Duh.”
The village didn’t burn down, drama queen. Democracy was never in peril. AOC wasn’t nearly murdered.How far will Fox go to attack me? This isn’t even my bill — it’s a brilliant bill written by @RepNikema. Which, of course I support! And by the way, when the village nearly burns down, we don’t invite the arsonist back to visit. Duh. https://t.co/4aEKW3ebYF
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) February 22, 2023RELATED: Democrats Just Introduced A Bill That Would Ban Trump From Being Buried At Arlington National Cemetery
Democrats Wanted to Ban Trump From Being Buried in Arlington National Cemetery
The legislative attempt to ban former President Trump from entering the Capitol is the latest in a long line of time and taxpayer money-wasting efforts by Democrats to ban him from things because their feelings were hurt by the big bad orange man.
In July of 2021, Representative Brendan Boyle (D-PA) introduced a bill that would only allow sitting House members to serve as Speaker after Trump said the post would be “interesting.”Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle has introduced a bill to block non-House members from becoming speaker of the House in response to speculation that Trump may launch a bid for the speaker’s gavel if Republicans win the chamber in 2022.https://t.co/WfucTUOh8I
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 20, 2021Democrats that same year introduced a bill that would ban the former President from being buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
This past December, Representative David Cicilline (D-RI), backed by 40 other House Democrats, introduced legislation citing a Civil War-era provision in the 14th Amendment to bar Trump from ever holding public office.
The man has and continues to live rent-free in the vapid minds of Democrat lawmakers.
Oddly enough, the latest bill does not seek to bar any Democrats who attempted to overturn or denied election results in 2000, 2004, and 2016.
The post Eric Swalwell Signs On To Bill That Would Ban Trump From the Capitol appeared first on The Political Insider. -
East Palestine Mayor Eviscerates Biden Over Ukraine Visit: “He Doesn’t Care About us”
Trent Conaway, mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, site of a disastrous train derailment earlier this month that released toxic chemicals into the air, onto the ground, and into the water of that community, slammed President Biden over his surprise visit to Ukraine.
Conaway made an appearance on a broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Jesse Watters Primetime” earlier this week.
Despite the ongoing environmental crisis in East Palestine, Biden chose to spend his President’s Day visiting the war-torn Eastern European country of Ukraine.
“That was the biggest slap in the face that tells you right now, he doesn’t care about us,” Conaway told Waters, noting that news of Biden’s overseas visit made him “furious.”East Palestine, Ohio Mayor Trent Conaway: “I found out today through one of the briefings that [Biden] was in the Ukraine giving millions to people over there and doing nothing for us. I’m furious.”pic.twitter.com/8jn32aI4kc
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) February 21, 2023RELATED: DeSantis Slams Biden’s ‘Blank Check’ Policy For Ukraine After President’s Surprise Visit to Kyiv
East Palestine Mayor Lays Into Biden’s Misplaced Priorities
East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway blasted President Biden for promising more aid to Ukraine even as his community struggles to secure federal aid for their emergency situation.
“So … he can send every agency he wants to but I found that out this morning and one of the briefings that he was in the Ukraine giving millions of dollars away to people over there, not to us, and I’m furious,” he seethed.
Conaway’s criticism comes as Biden announced yet another roughly $500 million in aid for Ukraine’s war effort, on top of the over $100 billion already sent or promised by the United States.
By Tuesday, the East Palestine mayor refused to apologize for his comments about Biden.
“I was very frustrated, but I stand by those comments … if he wants to come, he is welcome,” Conaway said.East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway defends saying it was “the biggest slap in the face” for President Biden to visit Ukraine while Ohio deals with chemical fallout from the train derailment:
“I was very frustrated, and I stand by those comments.” pic.twitter.com/iTEnaiwlNw
— The Recount (@therecount) February 21, 2023RELATED: Rosie O’Donnell Slams Government Response to Ohio Train Derailment, Drops 9/11 Comparison
Trump Visiting East Palestine
The East Palestine train derailment has seen such a disastrous federal response that even normally friendly leftists have been going after President Biden.
Former talk show host Rosie O’Donnell blasted the government response to the disaster and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) subsequent blasé reaction to public concerns.
“I don’t trust the EPA. I don’t trust them. After 9/11, I don’t know how anyone could,” O’Donnell said.You know the left is screwed when you lose Rosie.
H/t @Yolo304741 pic.twitter.com/CaNWO7I2EL
— Merissa Hansen (@merissahansen17) February 18, 2023Podcast host Joe Rogan described the Biden administration’s response to the disaster as a “colossal failure” and pointed to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s concerns about white construction workers and diversity hiring as leading to “fucking disasters.”
Joe Rogan on Pete Buttigieg’s comments on White construction workers: “Shows a profound lack of understanding” pic.twitter.com/ZEieL3i4bN
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 17, 2023Despite his criticism, Conaway is still extending an open invitation to President Biden.
“I would never turn anybody away,” he insisted. “If he wants to come visit, he can come visit.”
“We don’t want to be political pawns,” added Conaway. “We don’t want to be a sound bite or a news bite, we just want to go back to living our lives.”Former President Donald Trump, meanwhile, will be making a visit to East Palestine on Wednesday.
He will reportedly donate thousands of gallons of cleaning supplies and more than a dozen pallets of water to the community, with each pallet holding a couple of thousand bottles of water.
“President Trump is meeting with the citizens of East Palestine and will never forget them and what they are going through,” an adviser to Trump told Fox News. “Contrast that with Biden and the federal government who has failed them from the beginning.”JD Vance at Leslie Run near East Palestine, Ohio:
“There’s dead worms and dead fish all through this water. If you scrape the creek bed it’s like chemicals coming out of the ground. This is disgusting!”pic.twitter.com/F6sTeeLJ73
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 16, 2023The Biden administration on Friday – more than two weeks after the train derailment and subsequent controlled burn to mitigate the release of toxins into the air and water – announced it would send DHS and CDC medical personnel and toxicologists to the area.
They made that decision only after Trump’s scheduled visit had been publicly announced.
Residents have claimed severe health issues following the derailment, while videos of dead fish in the water have gone viral.Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
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Congress Spends Over $100 Billion In Ukraine Aid In First Year Of Invasion
By Casey Harper (The Center Square)
Friday marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which resulted in well over $100 billion in American taxpayer dollars being set aside to help the Eastern European country fend off its aggressor.
The U.S. Congress committed more than $113 billion dollars in support for Ukraine across four major spending packages in 2022 alone, with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget saying more is likely to come.
“Of the $113 billion approved in 2022, about three-fifths ($67 billion) has been allocated toward defense needs and the remaining two-fifths ($46 billion) to nondefense concerns such as general Ukrainian government aid, economic support, and aid for refugee resettlement,” the CRFB said in a statement.
While these funds have already been set aside, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the money won’t be fully spent for years.
CBO estimates that three-quarters of the funding will be spent by the end of fiscal year 2026.
The Biden administration has handed weapons, not just cash, directly to Ukraine. For example, the Department of Defense in January announced about $3 billion worth of “security assistance” with $225 million from the State Department for “Foreign Military Financing to contribute to the long-term capacity and modernization of Ukraine’s military.”
To accomplish this, DOD emptied out part of its weapons reserves for Ukraine.
“The Presidential Drawdown is the twenty-ninth such drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine that the Biden Administration has authorized since August 2021,” the DOD said.
Here are some of the military assets handed over in the January package, according to the DOD:50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles with 500 TOW anti-tank missiles and 250,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition;
100 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
55 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs);
138 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
18 155mm self-propelled Howitzers and 18 ammunition support vehicles;
70,000 155mm artillery rounds;
500 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;
1,200 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems;
36 105mm towed Howitzers and 95,000 105mm artillery rounds;
10,000 120mm mortar rounds;
Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
RIM-7 missiles for air defense;
4,000 Zuni aircraft rockets;
Approximately 2,000 anti-armor rockets;
Sniper rifles, machine guns, and ammunition for grenade launchers and small arms;
Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
Night vision devices and optics;
Spare parts and other field equipment.Related: NATO Secretary General Warns Ukraine is Blowing Through More Ammo Than the West Can Supply
But the U.S. isn’t alone in this support. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German group tracking aid to Ukraine, European Union nations and groups have allocated nearly $60 billion dollars to Ukraine.
“Overall, pledges of humanitarian assistance remained relatively constant over the course of the year, while the share of financial and military support pledges grew,” the group said.
Some experts say the funds help keep Russia at bay and send a message to discourage China from similar aggression.
“There is a clear strategic advantage for the United States in the defeat of Vladimir Putin’s barbaric war on Ukraine, both in terms of preventing future Russian aggression in Europe and deterring Chinese expansionism by demonstrating Western resolve and lethality,” Victoria Coates, an expert at the Heritage Foundation, told The Center Square.
Some Republicans have hesitated to support the large aid packages to Ukraine, saying that money could be better spent at home and raising questions about how the funds are being spent.
“We must halt Ukraine war funding,” said Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. “The Biden Administration is dragging us into major war rather than seeking diplomatic solutions.”
Coates criticized Biden for “politicizing” Ukraine funding.
“If President Biden continues to politicize support for Ukraine [and] refuses to work closely with conservatives on Capitol Hill, he risks undermining a year of concerted U.S. support for Ukraine, allowing Putin to regroup for potential future aggression, failing to exploit the opportunity to deter China, and repeating the experience of previous Presidents who have been unable to effectively make the case for war support to the American people,” she said. “All of which would be a waste of the $100 billion already committed to Ukraine.”
The invasion anniversary comes just after President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Related: Why Russia Will Ultimately Win in Ukraine
As The Center Square previously reported, Biden held a joint press conference with Zelenskyy to “reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
“That dark night one year ago the world was literally at the time bracing for the fall of Kyiv,” Biden said at a news conference with the Ukrainian leader.
It doesn’t appear that aid to Ukraine will dry up anytime soon.
“I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments,” Biden said in a statement Monday morning. “And I will share that later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.”
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
The post Congress Spends Over $100 Billion In Ukraine Aid In First Year Of Invasion appeared first on The Political Insider. -
Trump Announces Plan to Combat Crime – Record Investment in Police Officers, Return of Stop-and-Frisk Policies
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced a seven-point plan to combat rising crime in America, including a “record” investment in police officers and a return to stop-and-frisk preventative measures.
Trump made the announcement via a campaign video in which he accused President Biden and the ‘Defund the Police’ Democrats of turning American cities “into cesspools of bloodshed and crime.”
The former President’s plan has been dubbed ‘Agenda 47.’
“In his first term, President Trump reduced violent crime and stood strongly with America’s law enforcement,” a statement reads.
“On Joe Biden’s watch, violent crime has skyrocketed and communities have become less safe as he defunded, defamed, and dismantled police forces.”
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RELATED: Report: Trump Looking To Expand Death Penalty – Even Firing Squads – For Violent Criminals, Drug Dealers
Trump Will Combat Crime by Investing in Law Enforcement
Trump’s number one plan to combat rising crime in America will involve a substantial investment in police officers.
“Because police forces have been gutted by Democrats’ war on police, I will sign a record investment in hiring, retention, and training for police officers nationwide,” Trump announced.
Further, he pointed to “protections” necessary for law enforcement to properly do their jobs without fear of constant repercussions.
“This bill will also increase vital liability protections for officers because the Democrats want to take those protections away from our police, because we want them to do their jobs, and we want them to do their jobs right,” he said.This is strong. https://t.co/H04hU2y0KH
— Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) February 22, 2023In his plan to combat rising crime, Trump adds that the police funding will be tied to practices that show the department is serious about implementing strict enforcement of laws.
“I will insist that local jurisdictions return to proven common sense policing measures, such as stop and frisk … strictly enforcing existing gun laws against convicted felons, cracking down on the open use of illegal drugs, and cooperating with ICE to get criminal aliens off our streets and get them out of our country.”
His plan also calls for DOJ investigations against “radical Marxist prosecutors” who are failing to enforce laws based on race.
“We will go after the radical Marxist prosecutors who are abolishing cash bail, refusing to charge crimes, and surrendering our cities to violent criminals,” said Trump. “They have surrendered like never before.”ABC POLL: Biden’s “leadership [is] underwater on a range of issues around the economy, inflation, crime — far more than that even.” pic.twitter.com/facShbM3kD
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 22, 2023RELATED: WATCH: Author Matt Palumbo Reveals Why George Soros is the Most Dangerous Man in America
Biden Failing on Crime
Recent polling suggests a solid plan to combat crime is a winning issue with voters – especially black voters.
As crime rates surge across the nation, Democrat officials have astonishingly still pushed their ‘defund the police’ platform.Joe Biden pretends Democrats don’t support defunding the police.
Here’s 9 minutes of Democrats saying, “DEFUND THE POLICE!” pic.twitter.com/Pv2NCGh4EB
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 20, 2023However, only 28 percent of Black Americans support the Democrats’ ‘defund the police’ policies.
Instead, Black Americans want police to retain a local presence and believe that defunding the police is a “contributing factor to violent crime.”
Overall, 58% oppose the movement to defund the police while just 18% support it.Three quarters of Americans believe ‘Defund the Police’ caused violent crime wave, poll finds | Just The News https://t.co/YXd4K1f0zS
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) February 9, 2022President Biden has consistently received low marks from the American people for his handling of crime in this nation, an issue voters rank second among their top concerns behind the flailing economy.
A poll just prior to the midterms put Biden’s approval rating on crime at a meager 32%.Voters add violent crime to top concerns as murder, car thefts surge
50% rate Biden’s efforts to fight violent crime as “poor,” and a total of 62% rate his war on crime as fair to poor.
83% say it’s a driving issue in their vote says @Rasmussen_Poll https://t.co/xjKpIx1R4t pic.twitter.com/xOpcQv7OqV
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) October 5, 2022A report surfaced last week claiming Trump would also like to deter crime in America by expanding the use of the death penalty for violent criminals and drug dealers, even so far as to suggest airing live executions on television.
That report was disputed by his campaign.Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”The post Trump Announces Plan to Combat Crime – Record Investment in Police Officers, Return of Stop-and-Frisk Policies appeared first on The Political Insider.
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Former Fox News Host Kimberly Guilfoyle Announces New Show Exclusively on Free Speech Platform Rumble
Former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle and video platform Rumble have announced a brand new show launching in March called “The Kimberly Guilfoyle Show.”
A press release from Rumble describes Guilfoyle, the fiancée of former President Donald Trump’s son, Don Jr., as a “media star,” “former top prosecutor,” and a “political power player.”
They reveal that the show will air twice weekly and will tackle a wide range of topics including politics, law, entertainment, and pop culture.
“Known for her candor and tough, no-nonsense analysis,” the statement reads, Guilfoyle “will deliver the context to the issues people care most about that only her experience can offer.”BREAKING: Media Star @kimguilfoyle Launches New Show “The Kimberly Guilfoyle Show” Exclusively on Rumblehttps://t.co/i37nQNdBkP
— Rumble – $RUM (@rumblevideo) February 21, 2023RELATED: Donald Trump Jr. Just Lit Up the Ladies of ‘The View’ – Crowd Cheers HIM!
Kimberly Guilfoyle Gets Her Own Show on Rumble
Kimberly Guilfoyle was a staple on Fox News from 2006 to 2018 and was a co-host of the popular evening talk show The Five.
She abruptly left the network in the summer of 2018 and began working for a pro-Donald Trump super PAC. Guilfoyle currently has her own channel on Rumble but seems eager to step up with her new show.The Radical Left’s worst nightmare. #Trump2024 pic.twitter.com/9YySdABvFY
— Kimberly Guilfoyle (@kimguilfoyle) February 17, 2023“I am excited to launch ‘The Kimberly Guilfoyle Show’ on Rumble,” she said.
“In a world where most Big Tech and media platforms routinely censor views that challenge establishment orthodoxy, it’s a breath of fresh air to work with a company like Rumble that values free and uncensored speech.”
Guilfoyle vowed that the show will leave “nothing … off limits” and that she “will always speak [her] mind without fear.”In a world where most Big Tech and media platforms routinely censor views that challenge establishment orthodoxy, it’s a breath of fresh air to work with a company like @rumblevideo that values free speech.
Looking forward to launching my new show https://t.co/zMlNwu6dt5
— Kimberly Guilfoyle (@kimguilfoyle) February 21, 2023RELATED: Adam Kinzinger’s New Book ‘Renegade’ Will Be Released in October
Rumble CEO Says It’s a Big Win
Rumble CEO and Chairman Chris Pavlovski seems equally as enamored with having Kimberly Guilfoyle hosting her very own show on the platform.
“Signing someone with as much talent, knowledge, and experience as Kimberly Guilfoyle exclusively to Rumble is a big win,” Pavlovsji said.
“We are thrilled Kimberly is with us and will grow her already huge audience on Rumble – a platform that cannot be canceled or censored,” he added.Kimberly Guilfoyle Starting Her Own Show On Rumble Kimberly Is A Steadfast Patriot Who Loves Her Country! I Can Hardly Wait https://t.co/9vMEEyoTiV
— Doll Arntzen (@DollArntzen) February 21, 2023The news comes a little over a month after Kimberly Guilfoyle’s fiancée Donald Trump Jr. also launched his own show on the Rumble platform titled, “Triggered With Don Jr.”
Breaking: @DonaldJTrumpJr had his first amazing rumble podcast last night.
Go check it out
Don Jr’s Inauguration | TRIGGERED Ep. 1 https://t.co/8eSCvIGsqo
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 24, 2023Trump Jr.’s show also airs twice weekly. In the first week of the ‘Triggered’ launch, the show featured new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and MAGA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
If you’d like a taste of what you might see on the couple’s respective shows, here is a clip of Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle on ‘The View’ in 2019 where they absolutely torched the hosts in hilarious fashion.WOW@DonaldJTrumpJr:
“Joy. You have worn Blackface.”
“Whoopi, you said that Roman Polanski.. It wasn’t rape, rape, when he raped a child.”pic.twitter.com/rvHBXE9bER
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 7, 2019Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”The post Former Fox News Host Kimberly Guilfoyle Announces New Show Exclusively on Free Speech Platform Rumble appeared first on The Political Insider.
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Mike Pence Ex-Spox on ‘The View’ Claims Allowing Tucker Carlson to Have J6 Tapes Could Enable Another 9/11 (VIDEO)
Alyssa Farah Griffin of ‘The View’ suggested on Wednesday that allowing Tucker Carlson to have access to the J6 video footage could enable another 9/11.
Griffin is the supposedly ‘Republican’ member of the panel. She once served as the spokesperson for Mike Pence.
That’s weird, huh?
The amount of fear in the liberal media over Tucker having access to these tapes is amazing. They are absolutely terrified about what might come out as a result.
The Daily Wire reported:
The hosts of ABC’s midday talk show “The View” — including new Republican co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin — were all in agreement on Wednesday when they attacked House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for giving thousands of hours of January 6 footage to Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
The women on the panel voiced their concerns — ranging from complaints about the fact that Carlson works for Fox News to worries that anyone releasing the footage could give potential terrorists access to information about Capitol security…
“This raises huge safety and security concerns for the Capitol,” Griffin agreed, saying that showing that footage to the general public gave everyone access to the locations of security cameras throughout the Capitol building and could also reveal information about escape routes and safe rooms that are located throughout the facility.
“As a Republican, we always say we ‘back the blue,’” she said, adding, “Well, you just exposed the entire Capitol and undermined the Capitol Police and their safety precautions for something like a January 6, were it to ever happen again, or something like 9/11 where the Capitol was targeted.”
Watch the video below:Alyssa Farah Griffin claims Tucker having the videos is a security risk for the Capitol.
“This raises huge safety and security concerns for the Capitol!”
She suggests Tucker will reveal evacuation points, saferooms, and security camera locations and will enable another 9/11. pic.twitter.com/cC6uqXqMqR
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 22, 2023Here’s more of the insanity:
Sara Haines asserts Tucker “only has bad intentions … nefarious intentions” and will use the video to help terrorists scout the “White House.”
She pushed the debunked conspiracy theory that Republican members of Congress helped rioters scout the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/nhH6TqKq2K
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 22, 2023Joy Behar is OUTRAGED that Tucker Carlson was given video of January 6.
“[He goes] on the air and tell[s] people all these lies that they don’t even believe themselves. And now he’s handed all this footage from January 6.” pic.twitter.com/Z6IkEVtBGn
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 22, 2023The View is the most toxic, garbage show in American media, and that’s saying something.
The post Mike Pence Ex-Spox on ‘The View’ Claims Allowing Tucker Carlson to Have J6 Tapes Could Enable Another 9/11 (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit. -
Irish Police Tell Family of Victim of Vicious Assault to Remove “Foreign Nationals” Reference From Social Media
The United States is not the only county that seems to protect migrants over its own citizens.
In recent years, Ireland has faced challenges as the nation’s population of migrants continues to grow.
The family of a woman who was sexually assaulted in Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland, has been told by Gardai (the state police force of the Irish Republic) to remove a social media post that identified the perpetrators as foreign men.
The family contents that, since the suspects have not been arrested, they were sharing information to help protect other women in the community. But apparently that is not as important as protecting the image of migrants.
The U.K. has faced problems with migrant grooming gangs for years. Activist Tommy Robinson’s documentary, “The Rape of Britain,” exposed those involved with the gangs of migrants raping young British girls in Telford and other towns.
Gript reports:
Speaking to Gript today, one family member said that concerns about identifying the attackers as non-Irish seemed to be more important than ensuring that other girls and women were aware that they may be in danger.
The woman became momentarily separated from her partner while on the way home from a night out and was approached by a men who asked her for a light. Two men then seized her by the arms and dragged her into an alleyway where another man were waiting.
However, her screams alerted an older woman in a nearby house, who came out and interrupted the assault. The four men reportedly hit the older woman before running away when told the Gardai had been called.
Describing the assault as a “vicious attack” by a “gang”, the family member said that they had found the response of the Gardai to be “very upsetting”.
“We can’t understand it,” he said. “We were asked to take down a social media post where we had identified the attackers as foreign nationals, because no one has been arrested and women need to know this information.”
“We were asked by the Gardai why we said it was foreign men, and then asked to take the post down. Then we were asked not to talk about what had happened to anyone.”
“It seems all wrong, who is being protected here? [The victim] can’t sleep or eat, she is totally traumatised. Normally if there’s a serious crime anywhere it’s on the radio and descriptions are given and there’s an appeal for witnesses. But we’re being told to say nothing.”
Another family member told Gript: “People need to know, it’ll happen to another girl if women don’t know who to look out for, everyone understands that. It’s why descriptions are given.”
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