Thursday, October 8, 2020

And another day of questions, refusals, stupidity, commissions, thwarting domestic terrorism, a “monster,” total reversals, NDAs, antifa invasions, pissed off Notre Dame students and faculty, and abortion comes to a close:

“There are lots of horrid people on this planet, that I would love to give a lashing to.” -- Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Phineas and Ferb

Deaths

US: 217,738 (+954)

World: 1,066,838 (+6395)

Cases

US: 7,833,763 (+57,539)

World: 36,745,774 (+354,717)

Countdown: 26 days.

What if Donald Trump wins again? First-term Trump was lazy, gullible, ignorant, vain and crooked. Second-term Trump would be worse. Yet as absent as he is, Trump still commands the loyalty of a ferocious minority who regard him as their champion against a threatening world...The Republicans under Trump have become a post-democratic party. They have ceased to compete for votes. They instead compete to prevent voting. If they lose in 2020, they may accept that this project has failed. But if Trump wins the Electoral College again in 2020, Republicans will collect the rewards of power without earning them the democratic way. A sinister new project will have delivered proof of concept. When something works, it survives. It spreads.

Science Is Needed to Rescue the Nation From COVID-19, but Not Just Traditional Biomedical Science. With a contagious disease that has many asymptomatic and unknowing spreaders, it is necessary to rely on a scientific phenomenon called empathy, including empathy toward people we do not know, who may have a different skin color, and who may live in a different community.

2nd presidential debate moves virtual, Trump says he won't 'waste my time'. In light of the president's refusal to debate virtually, Biden will instead participate in an ABC News town hall moderated by ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos in Philadelphia on Oct. 15, during which he will take questions directly from voters. -- Perfect.

Next Trump-Biden debate now uncertain as rival camps argue.

For the first time in its history, the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine is urging Americans to vote President Trump out of office, saying the Trump administration has "taken a crisis and turned it into a tragedy" with its pandemic response. "When it comes to the response to the largest public health crisis of our time, our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent.” -- The journal was founded in 1812. This is the first time in 208 years it has endorsed someone for president.

Biden says he won't divulge position on court packing until after election. -- Whatever his position is, it will piss many people off. This is a good decision.

Trump says he doesn't believe he's contagious and wants to resume rallies. — Science? Who needs that shit!

Trump Has Now Moved $2.3 Million Of Campaign-Donor Money Into His Private Business. -- They are looting everything they can while it’s still possible.

House Democrats to unveil bill that would create commission to determine whether a president is fit for office. -- He’s not.

13 men charged in alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The men discussed attacking a Michigan State Police facility and suggested shooting up the governor’s vacation home, authorities allege. — Domestic terrorism. 

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: "When our leaders meet with, encourage, or fraternize with domestic terrorists, they legitimize their actions, and they are complicit. When they stoke and contribute to hate speech, they are complicit."

Whitmer conspiracy allegations tied to boogaloo movement.

Trump calls Harris a 'monster,' downplays his Covid-19 illness in freewheeling interview. -- He has shown you what he thinks of strong women.

Trump, in total reversal, is telling allies he is, in fact, interested in a broad stimulus deal. -- He is unhinged.

Some Walter Reed staff were asked to sign NDAs during Trump's November visit. -- NDAs are pure bullshit the way Trump uses them.

McConnell says he's avoided the White House for months because of Covid concerns. -- Speaks volumes.

Wisconsin breaks single-day record of new coronavirus cases.

The True Story of the Antifa Invasion of Forks, Washington. A false report on Twitter exploded into a call to arms. Then a bus, carrying a family and two dogs, rolled into a remote Northwestern town.

The families of Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King Jr. are blasting the Trump campaign for using pictures of the civil rights icons in a new campaign ad.

The US debt is now projected to be larger than the US economy.

University of Notre Dame President the Rev. John I. Jenkins is facing a student petition pushing for him to resign and a possible "no confidence" vote by the faculty following his Covid-19 diagnosis. -- For some, there are consequences to one’s actions. Still waiting for Trump to suffer his.

Yale University sued by the U.S. for alleged bias against Asian and white applicants.

Spanish government seeks to change law to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to seek abortions without parental permission.

Women in Kenya Are Using Knitting Needles to End Their Pregnancies. Blame Donald Trump. The same cause and effect is at work today. A July study in the Lancet found that abortion rates have increased by 12 percent in countries where access to the procedure is restricted, while in countries where it is broadly legal, the rate has declined slightly...The Trump administration is aware of the consequences, the former State Department official says. “They not only have access to this research, there are groups that proactively write them letters and tell them, ‘This is what the research shows.’ They don’t care,” the official says, because they are ultimately more interested in appealing to their base. “It’s not their ultimate goal to improve maternal health or to cut out abortions…because if that were their goal, they would look at the research and do the reasonable thing. It’s all about political power and promoting this socially conservative agenda so that they’ll be able to keep the voters for whom this is a one issue.”

Texas grand jury indicts Netflix for allegedly promoting lewd material over the film 'Cuties'. "Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children," a spokesperson for Netflix said in a statement to CNN. "This charge is without merit and we stand by the film."

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.