Commentary: This Is What It Looks Like When You Shoot the Economy in the Head

25.4 million Americans have lost their jobs since February through mid-April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports — 17.3 million who are unemployed, and another 8.1 million who have left the labor force completely — in response to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic as Americans sit home and wait it out.

Although the Bureau tabulates a reported unemployment rate of 14.7 percent, if you count the 8.1 million who left the labor force, too, plus the 5.8 million who were already unemployed, and the number looks more like 18.9 percent.

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Crom Carmichael Explains Why Joe Biden Is a Bimbo

Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast live from Music Row on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined in the studio by the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael.

During the third hour, Leahy and Carmichael discussed the three definitions of the word “bimbo” and realized that they could apply the first and second to Joe Biden. The duo joked that other members of Congress could have not one but all three definitions of the word bimbo applied to them.

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Tara Reade Told Her Ex-Husband About Alleged Harassment in Biden’s Senate Office, 1996 Court Document Shows

A 1996 court document shows that Tara Reade told her ex-husband that she experienced sexual harassment at work in Joe Biden’s Senate office.

The March 1996 court declaration, written by Reade’s ex-husband Theodore Dronen and obtained by The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, California, shows that Reade told Dronen about “a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment, in U.S. Senator Joe Biden’s office.”

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Blackburn Sponsors Bill to Name Street Outside Chinese Embassy in Honor of Late Doctor the Communist Government Punished For Blowing Whistle on Coronavirus

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) co-sponsored a bill Thursday to rename the street outside the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. “Li Wenliang Plaza” to honor the late Dr. Li Wenliang, the Wuhan doctor who warned the world about the coronavirus before the Chinese Communist Party silenced him.

Blackburn is joined in the effort by U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Y), according to a press release from the Tennessee senator’s office.

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The Tennessee Star Report: Crom Carmichael Gives Two Reasons Why Contact Tracing Just Won’t Work

Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast live from Music Row on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined in the studio by the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael.

At the top of the third hour, Carmichael outlined his thoughts on contact tracing and cited reasons why it wouldn’t work. He added that there were two reasons why the government would want to do it which included a stupid government that wants to look like its doing something and a more sinister reason which would resemble the tracking that China is doing of its own citizens.

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Star Tribune Accepts $150,000 Grant from Facebook

The Star Tribune accepted $150,000 in grant money from Facebook, the tech giant revealed Thursday.

According to a press release from Facebook, the company awarded $10.3 million to 144 local U.S. newsrooms as part of a “COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program.” Another $5.4 million was awarded to 59 North American newsrooms that participated in Facebook’s “Local News Accelerator” program, including The Star Tribune.

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Gov. DeWine Announces Bars, Restaurants and Personal Care Services Can Open on May 15 in Some Capacity

Ohioans waiting to go to bars, eat at restaurants, get their hair cut, or nails done will not have to wait much longer, as Gov. Mike DeWine announced that next Friday these businesses will open in some capacity.

“Reopening Ohio is a risk, but it’s also a risk if you don’t move forward. We’re on a dangerous road that has never been traveled before in Ohio and the danger is that we relax and stop taking precautions,” DeWine said. “All of us collectively control this. I ask you to take calculated risks and make good judgments. Continue social distancing, washing your hands, and wearing face coverings. If you aren’t concerned with what happens to you, do it for others.”

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Republicans Move to Suspend Walz’s Six-Figure Salary Until Shutdown Ends

A Republican lawmaker put forward an amendment Thursday that would suspend Gov. Tim Walz’s salary during the course of his peacetime emergency declaration.

The move is the latest escalation in a battle between Republican and Democratic lawmakers over the best course of action in addressing the coronavirus pandemic. House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) announced last weekend that he would block a public works bill from being passed until Walz agreed to relinquish his emergency powers.

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Tennessee Providing Names And Addresses of COVID-19 Patients to Law Enforcement, Report Reveals

The Tennessee government is providing the names and addresses of COVID-19 patients to law enforcement agencies and other first responders, documents obtained by the Associated Press reveal.

According to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) obtained by the outlet, the Tennessee Department of Health is “disclosing” the information to the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, which in turn passes the information along to first responders.

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Mayor John Cooper’s Five Percent Budget Increase Will Come on the Backs of Nashville Property Owners

Mayor John Cooper’s budget for the 2021 Fiscal Year (FY) includes a five percent increase in spending, which will come at the expense of Nashville property owners by way of a 32 percent property tax increase.

The record-high budget of $2.45 billion is Cooper’s first, and comes on the heels of a devastating tornado on March 3 and during a worldwide coronavirus pandemic which resulted in major losses of personal property and income for Nashvillians.

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KT McFarland: ‘If the FBI, Mueller Investigation, and Intelligence Communities Can Do That to People Like Us, They Can Do it to Anybody’

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed former Deputy National Security Advisor and author of “Revolution: Trump, Washington and We the People” KT McFarland to the newsmakers line.

During the third hour, McFarland talked about her new book and her contentment with positive reviews from both President Trump and his administration. She also weighed in on the new findings of the exoneration of Michael Flynn and gave testimony to the abuse of power she witnessed herself by the FBI and Department of Justice.

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New York Gov. Cuomo Tells Hero Healthcare Workers Who Traveled There to Save Coronavirus Patients Now Must Pay State Income Taxes

Gov. Andrew Cuomo

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who once pled for an influx of healthcare workers to treat COVID-19, now says they have to pay up for the privilege of having worked there to treat the coronavirus.

Cuomo said out-of-state medical professionals who volunteered to help his state owe income taxes, Fox News said. That applies even if they stayed on the payroll in their home states. However, only workers who stayed in New York for more than 14 days are on the hook.

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Carol Swain: ‘We Are Getting a Taste of What It’s Like to Live Under Democratic Party Rules’

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined on the newsmakers line by all-star panelist Dr. Carol Swain.

During the second hour, Swain weighed in on Mayor Cooper’s handling of the shutdown and how he is not making good on his promises that he ran on. She believes that it is a poor time to increase property taxes and that this is a perfect example of what it would be like to live under a Democratic Party rule.

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The European Union Let China Censor Ambassador’s Op-Ed by Removing Reference to Coronavirus Originating in China

The European Union allowed the Chinese government to censor part of an op-ed by the EU ambassador to China that was published in a state newspaper, China Daily.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) insisted on censoring an op-ed by the EU ambassador to China to remove a reference to COVID-19 originating in China, an EU spokesman said Wednesday, adding that the EU acquiesced to the censorship rather than withdrawing the op-ed.

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Trump Vetoes Resolution Curbing His Ability to Attack Iran Without Congressional Approval

President Donald Trump vetoed a bipartisan congressional resolution Wednesday that would have curbed his ability to direct military action against Iran.

“This was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party,” Trump said Wednesday as he signed the veto. “The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands. Congress should not have passed this resolution.”

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Thales Academy-Franklin’s High Quality Education Using Direct Instruction Methodology Will Hold an Open House on May 12

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcasting live from Music Row on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined on the newsmakers line by all-star panelist and Thales Academy in Franklin’s Principal Rachael Bradley.

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23,000 Tennesseans Have Received Free COVID-19 Tests, State Has Completed Twice as Many Tests as Kentucky

Gov. Bill Lee said more than 23,000 Tennesseans have received a free COVID-19 test at one of 67 drive-through testing sites over the past three weekends.

“Testing remains one of the most important tools for gaining more information in our fight against COVID-19, and the 23,000 tests we’ve completed over the last three weekends have provided incredibly valuable data,” Lee said in a statement. “We’re grateful to the thousands who came out to receive a test this weekend and we continue to remind Tennesseans: when in doubt, get a test.”

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First Person in ICE Detention Dies of Coronavirus Complications

CBP detainee

A 57-year-old man from El Salvador became the first individual in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody to die from COVID-19 complications.

Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia passed away early Wednesday morning after being hospitalized and on a ventilator for roughly a week, The San Diego Union-Tribune first reported. Escobar Mejia, a detainee at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, was one of hundreds of individuals in ICE custody who have contracted the novel coronavirus.

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Stacey Abrams Claims She Hasn’t Been Pitching Herself as VP

Stacey Abrams said she hasn’t been pitching herself to be the vice presidential nominee, despite repeatedly touting her bona fides to media outlets and reports that she has pressured Joe Biden’s inner circle to choose her.

Abrams walked back the notion that she has been “pitching” herself to be Biden’s vice presidential running-mate in an interview with CNN on Wednesday. The former Georgia state representative and failed gubernatorial candidate described the idea as a “mischaracterization.”

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Commentary: Liberal Billionaire John Arnold Has More Dollars Than Sense

Liberal billionaire John Arnold makes no sense. He is worried that the country’s population will decline, but he generously supports the abortion lobby. He is concerned about global warming, but he tore down a historic, old mansion to build a new 20,000 square-foot home, which cannot possibly have a tiny “carbon footprint.” He wants to help catch criminals while he works to get them released quickly before trial – and then after sentencing if a pandemic occurs. Concern for the rights and wellbeing of prisoners is commendable, but the safety of the public should take precedence.

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Whitmer Extends Stay-at-Home Order until May 28

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order on Thursday to May 28, while initiating her MI Safe Start Plan.

The plan allows manufacturing workers, such as those at automotive companies, to resume work on May 11. Companies must conduct daily entry screening protocol for those entering the facility, including a questionnaire about symptoms and a temperature screening. Facilities must also create dedicated entry points and suspend the entry of nonessential people.

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Minnesota County With Highest Unemployment Rate Has Zero COVID-19 Cases

More than 600,000 Minnesotans have filed for unemployment since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), the state has had 633,405 applications for unemployment insurance since March 16. That number represents a little more than 20 percent of the state’s workforce, Fox 9 reported Wednesday.

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Minnesota Churches, Business Owners File Second Lawsuit Against Walz’s ‘Draconian’ Shutdown Orders

A second lawsuit was filed Wednesday against Gov. Tim Walz on behalf of multiple Minnesota churches and small business owners.

The complaint asks the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota to strike down Walz’s emergency executive orders issued during the coronavirus pandemic as unconstitutional under the First, Fifth, and 14th Amendments.

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State Rep. Grendell Drafts Bill to Force More Data Transparency from Dr. Amy Acton on COVID-19

State Rep. Diane Grendell (R- Geauga County) wants Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Amy Acton to be more forthcoming about COVID-19 statistics.

Grendell drafted the “Truth in COVID-19 Statistics” bill, the Record-Courier reported. She said the bill will be introduced in the House later this week, and she expects it to gain bipartisan support.

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DOJ Drops Case Against Michael Flynn

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion on Thursday to dismiss its case against Michael Flynn.

“The United States of America hereby moves to dismiss with prejudice the criminal information filed against Michael T. Flynn pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 48(a), the motion reads. “The Government has determined, pursuant to the Principles of Federal Prosecution and based on extensive review and careful consideration of the circumstances, that continued prosecution of this case would not serve the interests of justice.”

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Texas Supreme Court Orders Release of Shelley Luther After She Was Jailed for Trying to Reopen Her Salon

The Texas Supreme Court has ordered the release of Shelly Luther, the Dallas salon owner who was sent to jail for violating the state’s coronavirus stay-at-home order.

State District Judge Eric Moyé on Tuesday sentenced the owner of the Salon A La Mode to seven days behind bars for “disobeying a judge’s temporary restraining order prohibiting her from operating her salon,” according to CBS-DFW.

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Nearly 3.2 Million New Jobless Claims Across U.S. Drives Tally During Outbreak to 33.5 Million

Even as a handful of states have made tentative steps back to normalcy in recent days, new jobless claims continue to flood in across all 50 states, driving the number of unemployment claims to 33.5 million over the past seven weeks.

According to data released Thursday morning by the U.S. Department of Labor, 3.17 million Americans filed for new unemployment benefits for the week ending May 2. That was down 677,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 3.85 million but still well above the numbers seen before the coronavirus outbreak led to the shutdown of most of the national economy.

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Commentary: If Michael Flynn Can’t Withdraw His Guilty Plea, Then President Trump Should Pardon Him

New documents appear to show that the FBI was intent on setting up former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn in a perjury trap to help keep the Justice Department’s then-ongoing investigation into President Donald Trump going in Jan. 2017 on false allegations he was a bought and paid for Russian agent that themselves were bought and paid for by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Has Been Released from the Hospital

  Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been discharged from the hospital following a brief stay for a non-surgical gallbladder treatment, according to CNN. “She is doing well and glad to be home,” a short statement from the Supreme Court read. “The Justice will return to The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, for follow-up outpatient visits over the next few weeks to eventually remove the gallstone non-surgically.” On Tuesday Ginsburg was hospitalized on Tuesday, according to a Supreme Court press release. “Following oral arguments on Monday, the Justice underwent outpatient tests at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., that confirmed she was suffering from a gallstone that had migrated to her cystic duct, blocking it and causing an infection,” the press release said. Ginsburg, who is 87 years old and the oldest member of America’s highest court, has fought numerous ailments over the last couple of years. In 2019, the Democratic Supreme Court Justice underwent successful treatment for a malignant tumor on her pancreas. Ginsburg told CNN in January that she was cancer-free. In 2018, the justice fractured three ribs after falling in her office. Then a month later, she underwent surgery for a left-lung lobectomy. President Bill Clinton appointed…

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War for Eternity: Inside Bannon’s Far-Right Circle of Global Power Brokers Author Ben Teitelbaum Joins The Tennessee Star Report

In a special interview on Wednesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Leahy interviewed Ben Teitelman who wrote the book called “War for Eternity: Inside Bannon’s Far-Right Circle of Global Power Brokers.”

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Chinese State Media Attacks Steve Bannon After Calling CCP ‘Enemies of All Mankind’

The propaganda arms of the Chinese Communist Party have set their sights on Steve Bannon, a former White House chief strategist and vocal critic of China’s Communist regime.

Bannon now hosts a popular radio show called “War Room: Pandemic” and has dedicated numerous segments and even whole shows to exposing the evils of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

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