Month: February 2020

Commentary: Ninety Three Vermont Towns Have No Public Schools, But Great Education

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In just a couple of weeks, 50 boys with learning disabilities will take to a stage in Vermont, one after the other, to recite the Gettysburg Address from memory. It’s a daring experiment undertaken each February at the Greenwood School and its population of boys who’ve struggled in public schools. Diagnosed with ADD, dyslexia, and executive function impairments, Greenwood’s boys stand before an auditorium full of people (and once even a Ken Burns documentary crew) to recite powerful words many adults would struggle to retain.

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Analysis: Associated Press Twists the Facts About Democrats’ Impeachment of Trump

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During the throes of the Senate impeachment trial, the Associated Press has published a fact check that claims President Trump is giving a “false account” and making “distorted statements” about “the circumstances that got him impeached.” This AP article is riddled with unsubstantiated assertions, gross mischaracterizations, and blatant falsehoods. Furthermore, dozens of news outlets are carrying the AP story, thus multiplying the reach of its misinformation.

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Trump Impeachment Trial: Forceful Closing Arguments for Conviction and Acquittal

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House Democrats prosecuting the impeachment case against President Donald Trump and his defense team offered forceful closing arguments Monday at his Senate trial, even as his acquittal remains all but certain.

Congressman Adam Schiff, the lead House manager prosecuting Trump on two articles of impeachment, passionately implored the 100 members of the Senate acting as jurors, “We have proven Donald Trump guilty. Now, do impartial justice and convict him.”

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Swedish Lawmakers Nominate Teen Climate Activist Greta Thunberg for a Nobel Peace Prize

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by Chris White   Swedish lawmakers nominated activist Greta Thunberg for a Nobel Peace Prize Monday in the belief that the teenager will help save the Paris climate agreement. Thunberg “worked hard to make politicians open their eyes to the climate crisis,” Jens Holm and Hakan Svenneling, both members of Sweden’s Left Party, told the Associated Press. They believe the 17-year-old activist’s work prodding officials to take the deal seriously is worth the prize. “Action for reducing our emissions and complying with the Paris Agreement is therefore also an act of making peace,” Holm and Svenneling said.  Thunberg is receiving heaps of praise after she appeared at the United Nations’ climate summit in 2019. She won Time’s “Person of the Year” in December 2019, making her the young person to receive the honor since Time Magazine started naming people of the year in 1927. She traveled to the U.S. from her home in Sweden in August on a racing yacht to avoid taking jets, which activists argue are responsible for spewing tons of carbon emissions. Her visit was designed to galvanize support for action on global warming ahead of September’s United Nations climate summit. Thunberg’s emotional speech at the summit appeared to be the catalyst for much of the praise. “You…

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Commentary: Billionaire Know-It-Alls Side with Insurance Companies on Surprise Medical Billing

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You may have never heard of them, but there is a new, young billionaire couple determined to leave their mark on society. John and Laura Arnold are not interested in the type of philanthropy that builds libraries and college buildings or feeds, clothes, shelters, and educates the poor. No, like George Soros, the Arnolds are on a mission to “change the country,” whether we like it or not. When these arrogant elitists are not busy trying to erode our gun rights, promoting abortion, funding spying on citizens, or trying to upend our electoral system, they are busy trying to cut medical professionals pay. Specifically, the liberal power couple wants to address the issue of surprise medical billing by reducing the amount of money that medical professionals are paid for providing out-of-network care to patients.

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Mayor Cooper Stands Firm Against Major League Soccer Commissioner’s Stadium Demands at Fairgrounds

Julie Carr

Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcasting live from WHO studios in Des Moines, Iowa – host Leahy joined Metro councilman, Steve Glover, and all-star panelist Crom Carmichael on the line in Nashville to discuss current attacks on Mayor Cooper’s decision to keep his campaign promise of remaining fiscally responsible.

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DHS Chief Rips Nancy Pelosi’s Claims on Travel Ban Expansion as ‘Grossly Inaccurate’

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Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, accused Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of “grossly inaccurate and irresponsible” rhetoric for claiming that the administration’s updated travel ban affects 350 million people.

“Facts are stubborn. The new travel restrictions do not apply to 350 million people — as some of our critics would lead you to believe. Such statements are grossly inaccurate and irresponsible,” Wolf tweeted out on Sunday, linking to an official statement from Pelosi regarding the administration’s new travel ban rules.

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Wall Street Exec. Jamie Dimon Launches an Anti-Socialist Crusade as Students Increasingly Gravitate Toward It

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Young Americans, including college students, are increasingly gravitating toward socialism, but one Wall Street executive is pushing back, warning of the system’s potentially irreversible effects. 

A recently published analysis by the top finance school in the United States, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Finance, has found that Sen. Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” plan would shrink the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 24 percent by 2060. Meanwhile, the majority of Democrat and Democrat-leaning college students nationwide overwhelmingly favor Sanders as the Democrat presidential nominee over any of the other candidates.

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Commentary: The Democrats Should Nominate Amy Klobuchar, So They Probably Won’t

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Looking at the polling going into the Iowa Caucuses, with some combination of Joe Biden, Bernia Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Buttigieg listed among the top four candidates, I am puzzled. Each of those candidates is so deeply flawed as to be a nonstarter in the general election. The idea of handing the race to autocratic, elitist Mike Bloomberg, when those four fail . . . well, when the base riots, they will have my sympathies.

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Gov. Whitmer Will Deliver Dem Response to State of the Union from Daughters’ Public School

Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address from East Lansing High School, where her two daughters attend school.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in January that Whitmer would deliver the Democratic response to the annual address, which is scheduled for Tuesday night.

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Ohio Lawmakers Vote to Delay Start of EdChoice Enrollment

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Ohio Democrats seized on an opportunity to blame Republicans for what they call an inability to fix the EdChoice school voucher program and for delaying the start of enrollment for two months.

Last week, state lawmakers signed off on a plan to move the start of the enrollment period for the Educational Choice Scholarship Program – colloquially known as EdChoice – from Feb. 1 to April 1. The program “provides students from designated public schools the opportunity to attend participating private schools.”

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Ohio Grants Police Drug Task Forces More Than $2M to Combat Trafficking

Jason M. Reynolds

  The State of Ohio on Monday awarded 27 law enforcement task forces more than $2 million in grants to disrupt the drug trade and promote awareness, prevention and recovery. Gov. Mike DeWine held a presentation at the Ohio Statehouse for the announcement of the RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund, according to a press release. DeWine tweeted, “Ohio’s drug task forces work day & night to investigate drug traffickers who are fueling addiction. Today I announced that $2M in extra funding will be going to 27 #Ohio drug task forces thanks to the new #RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund that was part of the #OHBudget.” Ohio’s drug task forces work day & night to investigate drug traffickers who are fueling addiction. Today I announced that $2M in extra funding will be going to 27 #Ohio drug task forces thanks to the new #RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund that was part of the #OHBudget. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/TbUZa5GnSF — Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) February 3, 2020 DeWine in March 2019 released the RecoveryOhio Advisory Council’s Initial Report that makes recommendations on how to address the public health crisis – mental health and substance use. The RecoveryOhio Council issued more than 70 recommendations in the areas of…

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Governor Bill Lee’s Second State of the State Continues His Priorities in a $40.8 Billion Budget

Laura Baigert
Bill Lee on the State House floor

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee – At his second annual State of the State Address, Governor Bill Lee continued to prioritize education, criminal justice reform, care for the most vulnerable, and rural Tennessee in his $40.8 billion budget for the upcoming 2020-2021 fiscal year. The next fiscal year’s budget reflects a 3.7 percent increase over last year’s $39.3 billion budget and is the first time that the state’s budget has exceeded $40 billion. Providing the General Assembly information on the state of the government is an Article III requirement of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee for the state’s chief executive and was set for Monday, February 3 at 6 p.m. in the chambers of the State’s House of Representatives in the State Capitol. Prior to delivering the State of the State Address, Governor Lee gave a preview in a 5 a.m. release of excerpts from the Address to the governor’s office webpage. Monday evening, legislators, Governor Lee, guests, and other attendees were met – starting at 5:30 p.m. – by a regular protester standing in front of the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest located between the Senate and House chambers shouting, “Remove the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest,” and “Remove…

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Kansas’ GOP Candidates Vie for Trump Endorsement at Senate Debate

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The Kansas City Chiefs are locked in to win the Super Bowl if they battle as aggressively on Sunday as a trio of Senate candidates did for President Donald Trump’s support at the GOP debate in this Kansas City suburb Saturday.

Rep. Roger Marshall, former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and, to a lesser extent, Kansas Senate Leader Susan Wagle, touted their support for Trump on a host of issues during the hour-long debate.

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