Month: July 2020

Lately, pollsters and pundits have been nervously pondering the following question: “If Trump is behind in the polls, why do most voters say, in the same surveys, that he will win the upcoming election?” As Harry Enten recently noted at CNN, “An average of recent polls finds that a majority of voters (about 55%) believe that Trump will defeat Biden in the election. Trump’s edge on this question has remained fairly consistent over time.” This is far more than mere statistical curiosity by number nerds. Several peer-reviewed studies have shown that surveys of voter expectations are far more predictive of election outcomes than polls of voter intentions.

Critics: Changing Information about Coronavirus Transmission, Impact Leads to Backlash over Policy Decisions

Since March, when U.S. policy makers implemented restrictive policies to limit the spread of the coronavirus, government agencies have collected data and reported their findings, which have significantly varied over time. As the data comes in, agencies have amended their guidelines, often to the frustration of policy makers and media critics.

Initially, the Centers for Disease Control argued that the coronavirus could be spread via surface-based transmission. It has since changed its position on this after scientific studies have shown the opposite. It recently stated that doorknobs and other commonly touched surfaces are not consistent with transmission. Rather, spread of the virus is believed to be mostly through droplets from respiratory exchanges, it states in its revised guidelines.

POLL: Three-Quarters of All Battleground Voters Say ‘No’ to Men Competing in Women’s Sports

American Principles Project and SPRY Strategies released polling results this week from 10 presidential election battleground states. In the July 2020 survey, on average 74.8 percent of voters said, “No” and only 25.2 percent said, “Yes” when asked: “Should boys and men who say they identify as transgender be allowed to compete in girls’ and women’s athletics?”

Commentary: The Anarchists and Their Enablers in Government Should Understand that This Does Not End Well for Them

Recapping Thursday’s madness, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany noted that “A federal agent’s hand was impaled by planted nails, another federal agent was shot with a pellet gun, leaving a wound deep to the bone, and tragically, three federal officers were likely left permanently blinded by the rioters using lasers pointed directly into their eyes.”

No wonder Brooks Brothers, Nike, Uber, and practically every other wretched business you have ever dealt with are falling all over themselves to proclaim their solidarity with Black Lives Matter and committing to end “systemic racism” in the United States.

Austin Tong Refuses to Apologize for Gun-Toting Tiananmen Square Protest Photo, Says He Plans to Sue Fordham University

Austin Tong, a Chinese immigrant, has been barred from the university campus and is required to do mandatory “implicit bias” training, the Washington Free Beacon reported. Administrators also demanded the student write a letter of apology as a consequence of his June 4 Instagram post, according to a disciplinary letter.

Oscar Winning Actress Olivia de Havilland Dies at 104

July 27, 2020July 27, 2020 Michigan Star Staff

Olivia de Havilland, the doe-eyed actress beloved to millions as the sainted Melanie Wilkes of “Gone With the Wind,” but also a two-time Oscar winner and an off-screen fighter who challenged and unchained Hollywood’s contract system, died Sunday at her home in Paris. She was 104.

Havilland, the sister of fellow Oscar winner Joan Fontaine, died peacefully of natural causes, said New York-based publicist Lisa Goldberg.

Austin: Roadway Confrontation Between Antifa/BLM Protester and Driver Ends in Gunfire

A protester allegedly armed with a rifle at a demonstration against police violence in the Texas capital was shot and killed by a driver after a witness says he confronted a vehicle that attempted to drive through a crowd blocking a downtown Austin intersection.

U.S. House Passes Bipartisan Conservation Funding Legislation

The U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation that will provide billions in funding for public lands across the country.

The Great American Outdoors Act, which passed the U.S. Senate in mid-June, was approved Wednesday in the House by a 310-107 vote.

Commentary: Don’t Let Liberal Billionaires Buy Arkansas

As they have in the past, liberal billionaires John and Laura Arnold are once again scheming to throw their money around in other people’s states and cities to produce the far left results that they want. For years, the power couple has been on a mission “to change the country” and make things happen “by whatever means necessary.” This time, their target is Arkansas, and their goal is the passage of a state constitutional amendment to radically transform the state’s primaries and voting system.

Senator Lindsey Graham Teases: The FBI ‘Lied Their Ass Off’ to Congress About the Steele Dossier

Sen. Lindsey Graham on Sunday teased the release of evidence showing that the FBI “lied their ass off” to Congress regarding the reliability of the Steele dossier, which the bureau used as part of its investigation of the Trump campaign.

“I will tell you next week what I found,” the South Carolina Republican said in an interview on “Fox Sunday Futures” with Maria Bartiromo.

RNC Outraises DNC by Nearly Three-to-One

The Republican National Committee (RNC) outraised the Democratic National Committee (DNC) by nearly three-to-one last month, according to July 2020 campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission Monday. This was the third month in a row in which the RNC outraised the DNC.

White House Backs Tailored Measure for Coronavirus Relief as Pelosi Blasts Republicans

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi assailed Republican “disarray” Sunday over a new pandemic relief package as the White House suggested a narrower effort might be necessary, at least for now.

The California Democrat panned the Trump administration’s desire to trim an expiring temporary federal unemployment benefit from $600 weekly to about 70% of pre-pandemic wages. “The reason we had $600 was its simplicity,” she said from the Capitol.

Former West Virginia University Professor Qingyun Sun Admits to Wire and Tax Fraud Following Official Travel to China

Chinese national and former West Virginia University professor admitted to two counts of fraud, both of which arose from an official visit to China.

U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced Thursday that Qingyun Sun pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. According to the statement released by the Department of Justice, Sun, age 58, worked as an associate professor and the associate director of the United States-China Energy Center at West Virginia University. He additionally served as the governor’s assistant for China affairs and worked for Synfuels Americas Corporation — an energy conversion technology provider operating out of Sterling, Virginia, but based in Beijing, China.

A&E Network’s Viewership Decimated After Police Show Canceled

A&E Network’s cancellation of its popular police show “Live PD” has backfired, big time.

Average prime-time viewership for the channel has declined by 49 percent year over year since the show’s cancellation, according to the Wall Street Journal. Prior to the show’s cancellation June 10, viewership for the channel in 2020 had been up 4 percent over 2019.

Actress Spencer Grammer Slashed Outside Manhattan Restaurant

Actress Spencer Grammer says she was trying to calm an agitated man when he slashed her in the arm and stabbed her friend in the back Friday outside a New York City restaurant.

Grammer, 36, told US Weekly that she and her friend “did what anyone else would do in the same situation” and were “attempting to prevent the altercation from escalating” when they were attacked.

Actor John Saxon Dies

Actor John Saxon, a versatile actor with a lengthy and prolific career who starred with Bruce Lee in “Enter the Dragon” and appeared in several “Nightmare on Elm Street” movies, has died at his home in Tennessee, according to the Hollywood Reporter. He was 83.

The entertainment news outlet quotes Saxon’s wife, Gloria, as confirming that the actor died of pneumonia on Saturday in Murfreesboro.

Michigan Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Resident Seeking FOIA Records

July 26, 2020July 26, 2020 Michigan Star Staff

The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday ruled 6-1 in favor of a Michigan resident attempting to acquire public records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Susan Bisio had sued the city of the Village of Clarkston in the Oakland Circuit Court claiming it is violating FOIA requirements in 2015.

Two Christopher Columbus Statues Removed in Chicago After Violent Clashes Between Protesters and Police

Two Christopher Columbus statues were removed at the direction of Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Friday morning after protesters and police sparred outside the monuments last week.

Crews dismantled the statues in Grant Park and Arrigo Park under the cover of darkness, and the monuments had been removed from their pedestals by 6 a.m., according to NBC 5.

Commentary: ‘Pandemic Pods’ Make Homeschooling Easier for Parents and Profitable for Teachers

This tumultuous back-to-school season has parents and teachers alike scrambling to make sense of the madness: from ever-changing district directives to COVID-19 response protocols. Some school systems have announced that the academic year will start with remote-learning-only. Others are pursuing partial reopening options with both online and in-person instruction. Still others are planning to fully reopen for in-person learning.

Indictment of Former Democrat Congressman Widens Voter Fraud Case in Philadelphia

A voter fraud scandal in Philadelphia appears to be expanding with the indictment this week of a former Democratic congressman and more charges expected.

U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced Thursday that former Rep. Michael “Ozzie” Myers, 77, had been indicted on multiple counts, including conspiracy to violate voting rights by fraudulently stuffing ballot boxes.

Worldwide Pediatric Experts Argue Schools Should Reopen

Several reports published in western countries worldwide argue that children should be returning to in-person classrooms in the fall.

Reports by the top pediatric hospital in Canada and by a leading expert in the British government argue that schools should reopen with relatively few restrictions because of growing evidence that indicates that children appear to be at little risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.

Not a Single Minneapolis Police Recruit Dropped Out of Training Amid Riots, Unrest and Defunding

Not one of the most recent Minneapolis Police Academy recruits dropped out of the training process, despite massive riots in the Minnesota city and calls to defund their department.

Every individual enrolled and set to graduate on June 29 finished the process, Minneapolis Police director of public information John Elder told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an email. Elder said he’d noticed a decrease in the number of people looking to become police officers since the 1980’s, but reported that “no one dropped out” in the most recent class.

Commentary: Long Live the Office in a Post-Pandemic World

Although we’ve seen numerous office epitaphs in recent weeks, we believe the pre-pandemic workspace isn’t going away anytime soon. Why?

Sierra Club Will Address History of Racism, White Supremacy, Restructure Leadership

July 26, 2020July 25, 2020 The Associated Press

Environmental group. The Sierra Club, pledged to examine its “substantial role in perpetuating white supremacy” and to remove or rename monuments of founder John Muir, Fox News reports.

According to the organization’s website they plan future blog posts to talk more about the struggles Indigenous people, people of color, and their white allies went through to get this organization to evolve on issues like immigration and environmental justice. The posts will also include the viewpoints of its founder, famed conservationist John Muir. In an open letter entitled “Pulling Down Our Monuments,” Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said it was time for the Sierra Club to reckon with the words of Muir and other early members.

Regis Philbin, Television Personality and Host, Dies at 88

Regis Philbin, the genial host who shared his life with television viewers over morning coffee for decades and helped himself and some fans strike it rich with the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” has died at 88.

Philbin died of natural causes Friday night, just over a month before his 89th birthday, according to a statement from his family provided by manager Lewis Kay.

Ex-Police Officer in Floyd’s Death Faces Nine Tax Evasion Counts

July 26, 2020November 9, 2020 The Associated Press

The former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd was charged Wednesday with multiple felony counts of tax evasion, according to criminal complaints that allege he and his wife didn’t report income from various jobs, including more than $95,000 for his off-duty security work.

Derek Chauvin and his wife, Kellie May Chauvin, were each charged in Washington County with six counts of aiding and abetting filing false or fraudulent tax returns in the state of Minnesota and three counts of aiding and abetting failing to file state tax returns.

Former Police Officer in Floyd’s Death Faces Nine Tax Evasion Counts

July 26, 2020July 26, 2020 The Associated Press

Federal Judge Rejects Motion to Allow Full-Sized Ottowa County Wedding

A federal judge has denied a couple’s request for a temporary restraining order. The couple pursued the legal avenue in order to allow their wedding celebration to proceed in violation of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s rules barring gatherings that exceed 10 people inside or 100 people outside.

AG: Indiana Governor Doesn’t Have the Authority to Issue Mask Mandate

The state legislature, not the governor of Indiana, has the authority to require residents to wear a face covering in public, Attorney General Curtis Hill said in a new opinion.

Gov. Eric Holcomb is requiring that all state residents wear a mask or other face covering in public places effective Monday, July 27.

Newt Gingrich Commentary: Cheating the Children or Empowering the Parents

The United States is gradually grinding to an educational collapse as the giant bureaucracies and extraordinarily powerful teachers’ unions ignore children and education in pursuit of power.

Many of the wealthiest school systems have decided that they simply will not go back to school this fall. They will offer virtual classes even though the evidence is overwhelming that for younger children virtual classes are dramatically less effective than in person instruction.

Bipartisan Vote in the House Rules to Remove Confederate Statues from the Capitol

July 25, 2020July 24, 2020 The Associated Press

A bill to remove statues of Confederate leaders and figures who advocated for white supremacy from the Capitol passed the House on a bipartisan vote Wednesday, the New York Times reported.

The House voted 305 to 113 to remove the statues as part of a broad effort to take symbols of racism out of public spaces, the Times reported. The legislation was introduced by House Majority Leader and Democratic Maryland Rep. Steny H. Hoyer.

US Supreme Court Denies Nevada Church’s Appeal of Virus Rule

A sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court denied a rural Nevada church’s request late Friday to strike down as unconstitutional a 50-person cap on worship services as part of the state’s ongoing response to the coronavirus.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court refused to grant the request from the Christian church east of Reno to be subjected to the same COVID-19 restrictions in Nevada that allow casinos, restaurants and other businesses to operate at 50% of capacity with proper social distancing.

Virginia Evicts Confederate Monuments from Its State Capitol

July 25, 2020July 24, 2020 The Associated Press

Virginia has removed from its iconic state capitol the busts and a statue honoring Confederate generals and officials. That includes a bronze statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee positioned in the same spot where he stood to assume command of the state’s armed forces in the Civil War nearly 160 years ago.

They are the latest Confederate symbols to be removed or retired in the weeks since the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked a nationwide protest movement.

Washington Nationals, New York Yankees Kneel Prior to the National Anthem

Prior to the start of the 2020 MLB season opener in Washington, DC, all members of both teams took a knee prior to the start of the national anthem. According to the Yankees, it was done “together in unity.”

The park was particularly silent for the moment with no fans in the stands because of the risks and worries of COVID-19, a pre-recorded rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner was played and every player and coach “took a knee” on the grass, for about 20 seconds.

Steve Bannon Presents ‘War Room: Pandemic’

July 25, 2020July 24, 2020 JCarr

An all new LIVE STREAM of War Room: Pandemic starts at 9 a.m. Central Time on Saturday.

Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon began the daily War Room: Pandemic radio show and podcast on January 25, when news of the virus was just beginning to leak out of China around the Lunar New Year. Bannon and co-hosts bring listeners exclusive analysis and breaking updates from top medical, public health, economic, national security, supply chain and geopolitical experts weekdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ET.

Swain Joins the Ingraham Angle to Discuss the Lowering of Grammar Standards for College Students of Color

Dr. Carol M. Swain appeared on Fox News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle with Laura Ingraham on Friday to discuss the lowering of traditional grammar standards for college students of color.

China Tells US to Close Chengdu Consulate in Growing Spat

July 25, 2020July 24, 2020 The Associated Press

China ordered the United States on Friday to close its consulate in the western city of Chengdu, ratcheting up a diplomatic conflict at a time when relations have sunk to their lowest level in decades.

The move was a response to the Trump administration’s order this week for Beijing to close its consulate in Houston after Washington accused Chinese agents of trying to steal medical and other research in Texas.

The Five Burning Questions of This Election Season

The presidential election result is now down to five questions.

Michigan House Passes Bill Prohibiting Sending COVID-19 Patients to Nursing Homes

July 24, 2020July 24, 2020 Michigan Star Staff

The Michigan House approved a bill with the stated purpose of better protecting Michigan’s nursing home population from COVID-19.

Senate Bill 956 seeks to prohibit the admission of COVID-19 patients into nursing homes.

Conservative Professor Mike Adams Found Dead, Police Investigate Cause

Police in North Carolina found conservative University of North Carolina-Wilmington criminology professor Mike Adams dead in his home.

According to a local news outlet, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office visited Adams’ home to conduct a wellness check. There, they found Adams’ body, but did not confirm a cause of death or publicize any other details. Adams was 55 years old.

New Claims Drop but Michigan Unemployment Still Above 500,000

Michigan was in the top 5 U.S. states reporting the largest decreases in initial unemployment claims for the week ending July 11.

The state reported a 6,882 week-over-week decline in new claims for that week. New claims in Michigan dropped by another 5,884 claims the week ending July 18.

Commentary: The GOP Can Make Inroads with Hispanics by Doing These Two Things

In expected 13 percent of the electorate in the 2020 elections, American Hispanics are likely to play a crucial role in deciding contests in Arizona, Florida, and Texas. As the country’s Hispanic population grows larger, many wonder how Republicans can bring this demographic into their fold. Given that the Republican Party has dedicated a good portion of its resources to addressing this question, it’s impossible to say they’ve been ignoring Hispanics. But have they been effective?

Portland Mayor Tear Gassed During Wednesday Protests

July 24, 2020July 23, 2020 The Associated Press

Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland, Oregon was tear gassed Wednesday night while he was at the federal courthouse speaking with protesters, according to a video shared on Twitter.

“I’m not gonna lie, it stings, it’s hard to breathe. Man, uh, I can tell you with 100% honesty, I saw nothing that provoked this response. It’s absolutely stunning. I’m not afraid, but I am pissed off,” Wheeler said in a video tweeted by reporter Mike Baker of The New York Times.

White House Drops Payroll Tax Cut After GOP Allies Object

The White House reluctantly dropped its bid to cut Social Security payroll taxes Thursday as Republicans prepared to unveil a $1 trillion COVID-19 rescue package, yielding to opposition to the idea among top Senate allies.

“It won’t be in the base bill,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking on CNBC about the payroll tax cut, killing the idea for now. The cut in the tax that finances Social Security and Medicare has been a major demand of President Donald Trump.

Movie Theater Owners to Studios: Release the Blockbusters!

by Jack Coyle NEW YORK, New York (AP) — A long time ago in a pre-COVID universe far, far away, blockbusters opened around the globe simultaneously or nearly so. In 1975, “Jaws” set the blueprint. Concentrate marketing. Open wide. Pack them in. Since then, Hollywood has turned opening weekends into…

Commentary: Basement Joe