February 2021 - Page 2 of 7 - The Michigan Star

Commentary: 60 Years After Eisenhower’s Warning, Distinct Signs of a ‘Digital-Intelligence Complex’

February 24, 2021February 23, 2021 RealClearWire

In June 2019, Susan Gordon stood on a stage at the Washington Convention Center. Behind her loomed three giant letters, “AWS,” the abbreviation for Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing division of the giant Internet retailer. After three decades at the Central Intelligence Agency, Gordon had risen to one of the top jobs in the cloak-and-dagger world: principal deputy director of national intelligence. From that perch she publicly extolled the virtues of Amazon Web Services and the cloud services the tech giant provides the CIA.

Biden Administration Weighing How to Prevent a Humanitarian Crisis with Increasing Numbers of Unaccompanied Children Arriving at the Border

February 24, 2021February 23, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The Biden administration aims to avoid a humanitarian crisis at the southern border as the number of migrant children seeking asylum increases.

Over 5,700 unaccompanied minors reached the border in January and government shelters are quickly reaching capacity, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shelters for migrant children are operating at 60% capacity to maintain COVID-19 guidelines and were 93% full as of Friday.

Commentary: When the Free Market Freezes over

February 24, 2021February 23, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Thucydides recalls a scene from the Peloponnesian War when the Athenians, fleeing before their enemies, come to the Assinarus River. They stop to drink from its flowing waters even as their foes bear down on them.

The Syracusans, Thucydides writes, “showered missiles down upon the Athenians, most of them drinking greedily and heaped together in disorder in the hollow of the river.” Then the Peloponnesians “came down and butchered them, especially those in the water which was thus immediately spoiled, but which they went on drinking just the same, mud and all, bloody as it was, most even fighting to have it.”

Michigan Public School Forced to Change Mascot over Racism Concerns

February 24, 2021February 23, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Saugatuck Public Schools will no longer use the nickname “Indians,” after an 11-year saga culminated into the changing of the school system’s mascot over concerns of racial insensitivity.

According to Tuesday reports, the school will now use the nickname “Trailblazers,” following the trend of professional and other sports teams changing their nicknames from anything related to Native American culture.

Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch Blast Supreme Court’s ‘Inexplicable’ Refusal to Hear Pennsylvania Election Lawsuit

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

by Debra Heine The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Republican challenge over absentee ballots received up to three days after Election Day in Pennsylvania. Republicans in the Keystone State had sought to block a state court ruling that allowed the Nov. 6 deadline extension in the 2020…

Commentary: Taking Federalism Seriously

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The Framers left us a Constitution that gives powers and authority both to the national government and to the states. But the Constitution does not systematically expound on the nature and extent of those powers, nor does it offer a clear-cut rationale for what the states are supposed to do beyond checking national power – a theoretical deficiency rooted in political reality.

Statues of Four U.S. Presidents and Benjamin Franklin Among Those Under Review by Chicago Committee

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a Democrat, is vowing to confront the “hard truths of Chicago’s racial history,” which will include public input about the future of 41 statues in the city.

Four of the statues honor former U.S presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley and George Washington.

Nation’s Top Small Business Group Doubles Down in Minimum Wage Fight

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The leading advocacy organization for small businesses in the U.S. is focusing its legislative efforts on defeating a proposal to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.

The minimum wage is the biggest issue the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) has lobbied on recently, the group told the Daily Caller News Foundation. After a series of pandemic-related victories on Capitol Hill, capped off by the December stimulus package that included $284.5 billion for small businesses, NFIB decided to lobby Congress to “do no harm.”

U.S. to Pay $4 Billion for Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution in Poor Countries

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Joe Biden is set to announce today that the United States will be spending $4 billion on an effort to increase distribution of the coronavirus vaccine in poor and third-world countries, as reported by ABC.

Congress had approved spending the funds on an international vaccine distribution effort back in December; half of the money will go to an organization called Gavi, an international group that focuses specifically on vaccine distribution and is backed by the United Nations. The funding will cover Gavi’s operations throughout 2021 and 2022.

Over $14 Million Worth of Drugs, Firearms and a Man Wanted for Murder Detained by Border Officials in February

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Around $14.3 million worth of narcotics and several weapons have been seized since the start of February at an Arizona port where officials also arrested a man wanted for murder, Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday.

Officials seized 440 pounds of methamphetamine, 385,000 tablets of fentanyl, 84 pounds of heroin and almost 13 pounds of cocaine in around 25 instances since Feb. 1, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A 28-year-old man wanted for murder in Las Vegas was arrested while in possession of an AR-15 assault rifle, a handgun and over 300 rounds of ammunition.

Florida Official Will Direct Offices to Ignore Governor’s Plan to Lower Flags to Honor Rush Limbaugh

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried issued a press release on Monday stating that she will direct offices within her purview not to lower flags to half-staff in honor of the recently deceased conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh.

The announcement from the Democrat comes after Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had previously indicated that flags would be lowered to half-staff to honor the late conservative icon.

House Democrats Pressure TV Broadcasters to Deplatform Conservative Networks

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Two House Democrats sent letters Monday to a dozen television broadcasters suggesting that they stop airing Fox News, Newsmax, and One America News Network, a move which a Republican commissioner on the FCC called a “chilling transgression” aimed at deplatforming the conservative networks.

“Are you planning to continue carrying Fox News, OANN, and Newsmax on your platform both now and beyond the renewal date?” California Reps. Anna G. Eshoo and Jerry McNerney wrote in a letter to the companies.

Biden Pick for Interior Secretary Likely to Face Rocky Confirmation Hearing

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

U.S. Senate Republicans may use next week’s Interior confirmation hearing for Rep. Debra Haaland to air their grievances about the Biden administration’s energy policies, running the risk of alienating Native Americans in Western states.

GOP Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming and Steve Daines of Montana sit on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which will hold the Tuesday hearing, and both have already raised objections that Haaland holds “radical” views. Daines vowed to block her progress in the Senate unless she addresses several issues that concern him.

‘The Muppets,’ ‘Peter Pan,’ ‘Dumbo,’ and Other Disney Products Receive ‘Offensive Content’ Disclaimer

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, has begun attaching formal disclaimers to many of its products at the start of each movie or TV show declaring that the content may be “offensive,” as reported by the New York Post.

Among these products is “The Muppets Show,” which begins with a disclaimer that the show features “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now.” The disclaimer continues to say that “rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it, and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.”

McDonald’s Ties Executive Pay to Diversity Targets

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

McDonald’s will tie executives’ pay to diversity goals and aims to hit gender parity in management by the end of 2030 as the company tries to overhaul its workplace culture. Fifteen percent of the company’s annual bonuses will be used to reach these targets, McDonald’s said in the statement.

The world’s biggest restaurant chain on Thursday said the company aims to increase the number of women in leadership roles to 45 percent from 37 percent by 2025. It also wants to boost “historically underrepresented groups” in leadership positions to 35 percent from 29 percent over the same time frame, CNN reported.

Vaccinations Slow After Storms Delay Shipments of 6 Million COVID-19 Doses

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The extreme cold weather across much of the country has delayed 6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, slowing a vaccination rate that has been steadily rising since the Biden administration took office last month.

The backlogged doses account for roughly three days’ of delayed shipments affecting all 50 states, due to road closures, snowed-in workers and power outages, said Andy Slavitt, senior adviser on the White House’s COVID-19 response, during a news conference Friday.

Commentary: The Origin and True Agenda of ‘Anti-Racist’ Politics

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

With President Biden and Kamala Harris steering the American ship of state, there isn’t much left at the federal level to stop “woke” politics from encroaching even further into all aspects of American society. In every federal agency including the military, in corporate America including sports and entertainment, throughout the colleges and universities, and even down into the K-12 public schools, “woke” ideology now permeates the culture. It is a seductive, divisive philosophy that emphasizes group conflict over individual competition and achievement. If it isn’t stopped, it will destroy everything that has made America great.

Former Michigan House Speaker Resigns from New Job After Pressure from LGBT Community

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

The Republican former Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Monday resigned from his new post as Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit Southwest Michigan First (SWMF) after the organization faced backlash from the LGBT community for hiring him.

“For the betterment of the Kalamazoo community, the businesses that the board of directors represent, the staff at SWMF and for the sake of my conscience, please see the letter of resignation I offered this morning. I remain grateful for having had this incredible opportunity,” Lee Chatfield said on Twitter.

Analysis: Six Key Aspects of Biden’s Amnesty Bill

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

President Joe Biden is promoting an immigration bill that could grant amnesty to up to 20 million illegal immigrants.

“The Biden administration, in coordination with Democrats on the Hill, introduced legislation that would give citizenship to 10-20 million illegal immigrants,” Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action for America, said in a public statement.

Commentary: The Libertarian Party Delivers Wins to Anti-Liberty Democrats and There Is No Principle in That

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

If you want to find a Libertarian Party organization that has achieved relevance, look no further than Georgia. That’s where Shane Hazel, running for the U.S. Senate as a Libertarian, garnered 2.3 percent of the vote in November. Hazel’s showing may have been insignificant, but the Republican candidate, David Perdue, only needed 0.3 percent more votes to have avoided a runoff, where he lost.

America’s political system today, with rare exceptions, is a two party system. All that Perdue needed was for one in seven of Hazel’s voters to choose him instead, and the GOP would still control the U.S. Senate. In a two party system, it doesn’t take much to be relevant. Hazel now intends to run as a Libertarian for governor in Georgia in 2022.

War Room: Steve Bannon Gab CEO Andrew Torba Discuss Building a Christian-Centric Economy and Silicon Valley’s ‘Transhumanism Agenda’

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 JCarr

Stephen K. Bannon talks to Gab CEO Andrew Torba on War Room: Pandemic radio show about the enslavement agenda of Silicon Valley, transhumanism, and de-coupling with companies that don’t share Judeo Christian values.

Gov. DeSantis Says Flags in Florida Will be Lowered to Half-Staff to Honor Rush Limbaugh

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

During a press conference Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that flags in Florida will be lowered to half-staff for conservative talk radio legend Rush Limbaugh once his funeral arrangements are made.

“I know they’re still figuring out the arrangements but what we do when there’s things of this magnitude, once the date of internment for Rush is announced, we’re going to be lowering the flags to half-staff,” the governor said. Limbaugh, who resided at his “Southern Command” oasis in Palm Beach Florida for the past ten years, died on Ash Wednesday after a year-long bout with stage IV lung cancer. He was 70.

NASA Releases Perseverance Rover’s First Photos of Mars

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration released the first photos taken by its Perseverance rover on Mars after it became just the fifth rover to ever successfully complete the landing.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) photos released Saturday showed Mars’s vast landscape and rocky terrain. On Thursday, Perseverance successfully completed its landing on the Red Planet after a nearly seven-month flight from Earth.

Trump National Security Official Says Evidence for Wuhan Lab Error ‘Far Outweighs’ Other Theories

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Matt Pottinger, who served as deputy national security adviser under former President Donald Trump, said Sunday that the evidence that the coronavirus resulted from human error in a Chinese lab “far outweighs” other theories about the origins of the pandemic.

“If you weigh the circumstantial evidence, the ledger on the side of an explanation that says that this resulted from some kind of human error, it far outweighs the side of the scale that says this was some natural outbreak,” Pottinger said in an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”

New York Legislature ‘Inching Toward’ Impeachment Probe of Cuomo, Democratic Assemblyman Says

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

A Democratic state assemblyman in New York says that lawmakers are “inching toward” opening an impeachment probe of Gov. Andrew Cuomo over his handling of coronavirus deaths in nursing homes.

In an interview on the “Skullduggery” podcast, Ronald Kim, a Queens assemblyman, also said he is willing to cooperate with federal investigators in an ongoing probe of the Cuomo administration.

Cartoon Network Urges Kids to View Each Other by Skin Color

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Cartoon Network has released a new Public Service Announcement telling children they must “see color” and view individuals through a skin-color based lens in order to be “anti-racist.”

The new two-minute-long public service announcement, from “Steven Universe” creator Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey, was posted to YouTube earlier this week.

‘Comprehensive’ Methane Rule in Sight Under Biden Administration, Experts Say

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 The Center Square

Environmental experts said Thursday momentum behind the new presidential administration brings the promise of a comprehensive methane rule in sight – a move that would have a significant impact on Pennsylvania, one of the top natural gas-producing states.

Dan Grossman, senior director of advocacy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said controlling methane emissions from the oil and gas sector remains an important component of lowering greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which contribute to one quarter of the climate effects witnessed across the globe over the last decade, he said.

Commentary: The Corruption of ‘Politically Correct’ Language Puts Us All Under the Curse of Babel

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

In C.S. Lewis’s novel about totalitarianism, That Hideous Strength, we find this line, “Qui verbum Dei contempserunt, eis auferetur etiam verbum hominis,” which translates, “They that have despised the word of God, from them shall the word of man also be taken away.”

This line occurs in a passage during which an elite who dreamed of making themselves masters of mankind find themselves under the “curse of Babel,” unable to speak anything other than gibberish.

Michigan Voting Roll Lawsuit Dismissed, 177,000 Voter Registrations to be Canceled

February 22, 2021February 21, 2021 The Center Square

On Tuesday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the voluntary dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the integrity of Michigan’s 2020 general election.
Both sides are claiming victory.

Planned Parenthood Abortion Numbers Hit 15-Year-High, Pro-Life Group Says

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Data from Planned Parenthood’s annual report shows that the organization’s abortion numbers hit a 15-year-high, according to the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List.

Between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019, Planned Parenthood performed 354,871 abortions among other services, such as STI testing and treatment, contraceptive services, cancer screenings and prevention, and other services, according to the organization’s recently-released annual report.

Newt Gingrich Commentary: Can a ‘Woke’ American Military Protect the United States?

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The recent revelation that a senior Navy task force is proposing an oath to be taken by every member of the Navy was a warning of how deep woke-think has penetrated American institutions – even the Defense Department.

Commentary: TV Shows Push Gun Control Myths – in Sync with Biden

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 RealClearWire

Last week, the Biden administration promised gun control groups that it will soon roll out a massive push for limits on firearm purchases and other measures. President Biden reiterated that promise on Sunday. And the television networks aren’t waiting to lay the groundwork for this effort.

Retired General Honoré, Chosen by Pelosi to Head ‘Independent Review’ of Capitol Hill Riots, Under Fire for Bigoted, Partisan and Profane Remarks

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to be trying to rig an “independent security review” of the January 6th Capitol riots by appointing an extreme left-wing partisan to lead the investigation, and Republicans are starting to cry foul.

Retired Lt. General Russel Honoré, hand-picked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month to oversee the “9/11-style” commission, is under increased scrutiny after numerous crude, extreme, and profoundly partisan tweets and comments have come to light.

January Border Arrests Reach Highest Level in a Decade as Some Migrants Expect Softer Treatment Under Biden

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Over 75,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended for crossing the border into the U.S. last month, breaking record numbers for the highest number of January apprehensions in over a decade, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The majority of illegal immigrants who were apprehended in January 2021 were single adults, though Border Patrol agents detained 7,260 migrants traveling as family units, nearly 3,000 more than in December 2020, the WSJ reported. Some of the migrants said they are illegally crossing the border with the hope that the Biden administration will be more forgiving than the Trump administration.

Political Donor Who Cozied up to Biden Is Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Imaad Zuberi, a Pakistani-American venture capitalist who cultivated connections with Joe Biden when he served as vice president, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday on foreign lobbying and campaign finance charges.

Zuberi peddled influence at the highest levels of the U.S. government, meeting with both President Barack Obama and Biden during their administration. He also developed connections to prominent senators and House members of both political parties, which he leveraged to drum up overseas business deals.

30 Capitol Police Officers Under Investigation, and Six Suspended, for Roles in the Capitol Protests

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The United States Capitol Police (USCP) announced on Thursday that the department is currently investigating 29 officers, and has suspended six, for their actions during the protests at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, according to CNN.

A department spokesman said that “Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman has directed that any member of her department whose behavior is not keeping in line with the Department’s Rules of Conduct will face appropriate discipline.” The six who were suspended will still be receiving pay, and the 29 total officers under investigation is nearly three times the amount of officers who were previously announced as being under investigation back in January.

Judge Temporarily Blocks South Carolina Abortion Ban

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

A federal judge temporarily blocked South Carolina’s near total abortion ban Friday barely a day after the governor signed it into law.

Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed the South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act into law Thursday after it overwhelmingly passed the state’s house Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis put a 14-day temporary restraining order on the law Friday, the Associated Press reported.

Commentary: Biden’s Economy Will Be a Train Wreck

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 RealClearWire

Warning lights should be flashing. Less than a month in, it’s becoming evident that President Joe Biden’s economic policies are likely to end in disaster. The wrong economic diagnosis and the politics of not letting any crisis go to waste is leading to the most damaging mix of economic policy in decades.

Trump Turns Down Nikki Haley Meeting Request

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Donald Trump this week refused to meet his former ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

Politico’s Playbook reported details of the meeting requested by the prospective 2024 presidential candidate, citing a “source familiar” with the incident, according to Breitbart.

Embattled Whitmer Declares State of Emergency During Michigan Cold Snap

February 21, 2021February 20, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Embattled Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), known for her strict and sometimes unconstitutional COVID-19 lockdown measures, signed an emergency order Saturday reducing commercial trucking regulations while the state faces severe winter weather.

“As many states have been experiencing consistent extreme cold temperatures, the demand for energy has increased significantly, which has put a strain on the nation’s energy infrastructure,” a press release from Whitmer’s office said. “Michigan has experienced an abnormally high demand for propane from in-state and regional consumers, causing longer lines at propane distribution centers. In an effort to reduce this strain and ensure a consistent flow of energy, the executive order temporarily suspends restrictions on commercial driver hours to allow the immediate delivery of energy to homes and businesses.”

Nearly 5,000 National Guard Troops to Stay in DC Until Mid-March Amid Concerns That QAnon Will Storm Capitol Again

February 20, 2021February 20, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The Biden Department of Defense will be keeping National Guard Troops in Washington, D.C. until at least mid-March in part because of a little known QAnon conspiracy theory that could spur another storming of the Capitol, a House Democrat suggested on Wednesday.

“Some of these people have figured out that apparently 75 years ago, the president used to be inaugurated on March 4. OK, now why that’s relevant, God knows, at any rate, now they are thinking maybe we should gather again and storm the Capitol on March 4. … That is circulating online,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said during a committee hearing.

Commentary: The Uniparty’s Wishful Thinking

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) committed a mortal political error on Saturday when, after voting to acquit President Trump on constitutional grounds, he accused the former president of the crime of being “practically and morally” responsible for the invasion and vandalization of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and the deaths of five people.

U.S. Retail Sales Jump in January in Positive Sign for Economy

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The U.S. retail sales were much higher than economists projected in January, ending a multi-month streak of underperformance, according to the Commerce Department.

Retail sales increased 5.3% and totaled $568.2 billion in January, according to the Department of Commerce report released Wednesday. Economists had predicted retail sales to increase by 1.2%, The New York Times reported.

War Room: Steve Bannon Examines the Breaking of America’s Sovereignty Through the Southern Border

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 JCarr

Stephen K. Bannon discusses the radical Democrats’ plan on War Room: Pandemic radio show to break the sovereignty of the United States of America through piecemealing an unpassable immigration bill that dismantles the southern border.

U.S. Oil Production Crashes 40 Percent

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

The crash in U.S. oil production is growing worse as freezing temperatures and power outages in Texas prevent pumping the fossil fuels from the ground.

Bloomberg reported that oil production has plunged by close to 40% — the most ever, according to traders and industry executives with direct knowledge of the operations.

Analysis: Biden’s New Dawn of Net-Zero Is Looking Like a Dark Day for Labor

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 RealClearWire

Last Labor Day, candidate Joe Biden made an impassioned pitch to leaders and members of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest labor federation. Stressing that “the great American middle class was built by unions,” he jabbed his finger in the air for emphasis as he promised, “I’m going to be the strongest labor president you have ever had,” drawing a smile from his longtime ally and friend, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

Pfizer, Moderna Vaccines May Offer Less Protection Against South African Coronavirus Variant

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Recent studies indicate that the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines may have reduced protection against the South African coronavirus strain, according to reports in the New England Journal of Medicine, raising concerns that they could be less effective against future mutations.

Though both vaccines appeared to generate enough antibodies to neutralize the mutant strain, they both produced fewer antibodies when compared to the original virus. But experts warned that it was unclear just how much protection was needed to neutralize the variant, which scientists believe is more contagious than the original strain.

Steve Bannon Presents ‘War Room: Pandemic’

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

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.

Commentary: Dems Close Ranks Around Newsom as GOP Recall Unity Frays

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 RealClearWire

California Democrats are standing with Gov. Gavin Newsom as Republican unity around the effort to remove him from office is splintering over how to limit the GOP candidate field and thus pose the strongest recall challenge.

But proponents of the recall, considered a long shot most of last year, over the weekend celebrated a milestone: They reached the 1.5 million signatures needed by mid-March to qualify for a special election to remove the first-term governor. Yet with Democratic election officials expected to invalidate roughly 20% of all signatures gathered, recall organizers will continue working toward a goal of 1.8 to 2 million signatures by the deadline to allow for a buffer, a threshold they’re confident of reaching.

Lincoln Project Co-Founder Rick Wilson Paid off $200K Mortgage After Weaver Allegations Surfaced

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 Michigan Star Staff

Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson paid off the massive mortgage on his Florida home only days after the New York Times reported on sexual misconduct allegations against co-founder John Weaver, public records show.

Wilson’s $200,000, 30-year-mortgage originated in 2007 and JPMorgan Chase Bank recently issued a certificate of satisfaction on the mortgage, the Washington Free Beacon reported.