Month: February 2021

Gun Control Bills Quick to Pop up in Congress

The Center Square

Democratic congresswomen from New York and Texas each introduced several pieces of legislation that they say are aimed at curbing gun violence.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who represents New York’s 12th Congressional District, introduced a package of five bills, three of which she also tried to get passed two years ago, shortly before the third anniversary of the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida where 17 people were killed and another 17 injured by a former student.

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Wuhan Lab in China Is Eligible to Receive American Taxpayer Funding

Admin

The Wuhan Institute of Virology, the controversial laboratory in China that many have pointed to as the origin of the Chinese coronavirus, has been authorized to receive American taxpayer funding for the next three years, according to the Daily Caller.

A spokesperson for the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed this to the Caller, and said that the funding for which the lab is eligible would be focused on “animal research” through at least January of 2024.

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Maury County Superintendent Proposes $448 Bonus for All Educational Staff Instead of 2 Percent Raise for Only BEP Staff

Corinne Murdock

Maury County educators not qualified to receive the statewide pay raise, may still receive a bonus of their own. Maury County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Michael Hickman proposed an additional local expenditure of $353,750 to supplement a one-time bonus for those left out of Governor Bill Lee’s special session teacher pay raise. 

Hickman’s proposal was presented during the MCPS Board of Education work session on Tuesday, in a discussion item referred to as a “salary funding bonus.” All board members expressed their support of the idea. Vice Chair Bettye Kinser called it an “equitable” solution.

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Commentary: Will Senate Democrats Eliminate the Filibuster Just to Nationalize Election Laws Under H.R. 1?

Admin

After sweeping the trifecta of the House, Senate and White House in 2020 with the slimmest of majorities, Democrats have a diminishing window of opportunity to enact their agenda and keep their political base happy.

After all, majorities do not last forever, and in midterm elections from 1906 to 2018, the party that occupies the White House usually loses on average 31 seats in the House, and about three seats in the Senate. And with just a 10-seat majority in the House and a zero-seat majority in the Senate with it all tied, 50-50, the odds Democrats lose at least one legislative chamber in 2022 is exceptionally high.

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New York Sues Amazon over Allegedly Jeopardizing Workers’ Safety

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New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Amazon on Tuesday night alleging that the online behemoth bypassed regulations meant to protect its workers from COVID-19.

The lawsuit claims that since the pandemic began in March the company refused to adopt legally required safety measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus in its two New York City facilities. It also alleges that Amazon did not adequately sanitize and close its facilities, adopt necessary social distancing measures or notify its employees of possible coronavirus exposures.

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CNN and NBC Both Paid $35,000 to Left-Wing Activist for Footage of Fatal Capitol Shooting

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A left-wing activist facing criminal charges for his involvement in the Capitol riots received $35,000 from both CNN and NBC for footage he recorded of a Trump supporter being fatally shot inside the Capitol building, according to records he filed in federal court on Tuesday.

Lawyers for John Sullivan, a 26-year-old Utah native, disclosed the payments as part of the activist’s argument that he was acting as a journalist in the Capitol rather than a rioter.

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Bill Proposes Easing Licensing Burden on Tennessee Professionals

Corinne Murdock

One legislator wants to alleviate the burdens for individuals to obtain any licenses required by their profession or occupation. The bill, called the “Licensing Independence for Future Tennesseans Act,” or “LIFT Act,” would allow licensing authorities to issue licenses to those licensed previously. The act would create addendums within Title 62 and Title 63 of the Tennessee Code. 

Specifically, the LIFT Act would require licensing authorities to issue licenses to an individual if they already have a similar license in another state for at least one year, haven’t had their license revoked or surrendered, don’t have unresolved disciplinary issues or pending investigations with other licensing authorities, and don’t have any disqualifying criminal history.  
Specifically, the act would require licensing authorities to issue licenses to an individual if they already have a similar license in another state for at least one year, haven’t had their license revoked or surrendered, don’t have unresolved disciplinary issues or pending investigations with other licensing authorities, and don’t have any disqualifying criminal history.  
Specifically, the act would require licensing authorities to issue licenses to an individual if they already have a similar license in another state for at least one year, haven’t had their license revoked or surrendered, don’t have unresolved disciplinary issues or pending investigations with other licensing authorities, and don’t have any disqualifying criminal history.  

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Democrats in Congress Renew Push for D.C. Statehood, but It Faces Uphill Climb in Senate

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Democrats in Congress are renewing their push for Washington D.C. statehood with their party in the majority in the House and Senate.

Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the non-voting House member representing the District, has reintroduced the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, which has picked up 210 Democratic co-sponsors so far. Delaware Democratic Sen. Tom Carper introduced the Senate version of the bill, which has 39 Democratic co-sponsors to date.

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Virginia Senate and House Disagree over How to Restore Felon Voting Rights

Eric Burk

The Senate and the House of Delegates face a disagreement over constitutional amendments to end felon disenfranchisement. SJ 272, introduced by Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) and HJ 555, introduced by House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria) both effectively restore felon voting rights after the term of imprisonment is completed. However, the two bills feature different language, and on Wednesday, the Senate shot down an attempt by the House to change SJ 272 to match HJ 555. Now, the two chambers will attempt to draft a compromise bill in conference.

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Minnesota Gov. Walz Pushes for Subsidized Biofuels but Economists Warn of Climate Damage, Higher Food Prices

The Center Square

Gov. Tim Walz asked for President Joe Biden’s continued support for the biofuels program last week, despite economists’ concerns over concerns about biofuels’ inefficiency and costs. 

Biofuels — bioethanol and biodiesel derived from plants — since 2005 have been pitched as a solution to climate change because they decrease dependency on fossil fuels.

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Ohio Business Group Says Proposals to Raise State, National Minimum Wage Would be Harmful

The Center Square

While President Joe Biden’s administration continues a push to increase the national minimum wage and an Ohio proposal does the same, a statewide business group says an increase would mean higher prices, reduced hours and job cuts.

Biden’s plan for a $15 national minimum wage continues to be one of the sticking points in negotiations over another COVID-19 relief package. In Ohio, House Bill 69 would increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027.

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Two Election Integrity Bills Headed Towards Georgia Senate Floor

Peter D'Abrosca
Woman voting at booth

Two bills to help ensure election integrity in Georgia are one step closer to the Republican-controlled Senate floor, according to Tuesday reports. 

“Senate subcommittee votes 3-2 to end at-will absentee voting in Georgia, making it only available to those over 75, a doctor’s note or out of town. SB71 advances to full committee,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mark Niesse said on Twitter. 

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Tennessee Legislators Introduce Second Amendment Sanctuary Act to Oppose Potential Biden Executive Orders on Gun Rights

Corinne Murdock

In response to President Joe Biden’s promises to further limit gun ownership, Tennessee legislators introduced the Second Amendment Sanctuary Act.

The bill summarizes its premise in just under a page – prohibiting enforcement of any federal government laws, treaties, executive orders, rules, or regulations that violate the Second Amendment. The summary explained that passage would render pressures on Second Amendment rights as “null, void, and unenforceable.” Additionally, the bill would limit state or local governments from using public funds, personnel, or property to enforce them.

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Tennessee Department of Health Launches COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Website

Corinne Murdock

In order to register for the COVID-19 vaccine, personal information such as full name, date of birth, address, email, phone number, gender, race, and ethnicity will be required. These details are requested via the questionnaire on an updated COVID-19 vaccine registration website recently launched by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH).

Users are also asked to confirm if they work or volunteer in certain environments, live with certain high-risk conditions, suffered past allergic reactions to any substance, received passive antibody therapy for COVID-19 in the last 90 days or any vaccinations in the previous two weeks, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or were currently or previously sick with COVID-19.

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Commentary: Republicans Acquit Trump, but Leave His Supporters Defenseless

Admin

For years we have heard from Democrats about the obligation of Republicans to “stand up to Trump.” These lamentations have taken on new ferver since the GOP denied Democrats their latest wish, by voting to acquit Donald Trump of inciting “insurrection.” 

Democrats tell us this acquittal was merely the latest attack on democracy by the Republican Party which, we are to believe, has totally devolved into QAnon-inspired “domestic extremism.” 

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Fauci Says Not All Teachers Need to Be Vaccinated to Open Schools

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Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday said not all teachers need to be vaccinated in order for schools to reopen, The New York Post reports.

“It’s not [the case] that you can’t open a school unless all the teachers are vaccinated. That would be optimal, if you could do that,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC’s anchor George Stephanopoulos on “This Week”.

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Twice Acquitted, Trump Possesses Many Options to Reinvigorate MAGA After White House

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Two days removed from his second impeachment acquittal, former President Donald Trump was returning from a day of golf when he was greeted by a throng of flag-waving fans as he neared his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The President’s Day scene in West Palm Beach, Fla., which included jubilant supporters with signs that declared “Trump won,” even impressed Dan Scavino, a veteran of many of his boss’ sold-out rallies. “This is unbelievable,” the longtime aide tweeted Monday.

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‘Team Biden’ Sought to Cultivate Ties to Businessman Who’s Now Awaiting Sentencing on Federal Charges

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After the presidential election in 2012, a longtime adviser to Joe Biden urged the then-vice president’s sons, Hunter and Beau, to cultivate relationships with a group of wealthy political donors in order to “pull them in a little closer to Team Biden,” according to an email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

One of the sought-after donors was Imaad Zuberi, a politically-connected Pakistani-American businessman now awaiting sentencing on charges of tax evasion, obstruction, campaign finance violations and foreign agent violations.

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Trump Remains the Overwhelming GOP Favorite for 2024, Poll Shows

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Former President Donald Trump remains the overwhelming favorite among Republican voters to be their party’s nominee in 2024, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll released on Monday.

Fifty-three percent of GOP voters said that they would vote for Trump if the 2024 primary were held today, the poll showed, more than the rest of the field combined. Former Vice President Mike Pence was second with 12%, and Donald Trump Jr. and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley were tied for third with 6%.

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Congressional Budget Office Projects Record Deficits over the Next Decade

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Federal deficits are projected to skyrocket over the next decade, resulting in a national debt that could be 107% of U.S. GDP, according to a recent Congressional Budget Office report.

The United States’ debt reached 100% of GDP during the past fiscal year largely due to the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic and the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed in March 2020. While the CBO’s February report projects unprecedented deficits, they are smaller than the office’s projections from last summer due to the country’s promising economic outlook.

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China Will Control Appointment of Chinese Catholic Clergy Without Input from Vatican

Admin

New rules from the Chinese government indicate that China will exercise control over the appointment of Catholic clergy without any input from the Vatican.

The “Administrative Measures for Religious Clergy,” which will go into effect May 1, clarified that the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) will select candidates for clergy who will then be “approved and  consecrated by the Chinese Catholic Bishops’ Conference.”

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Judge Concerned by ‘Unbridled Discretion’ of University Officials to Favor Left-Wing Student Groups

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One University of Minnesota official has “unbridled discretion” to grant preferential treatment to favored student groups, and it’s causing big problems for conservative students.

A federal judge cited this red flag in refusing to dismiss a lawsuit by students Evan and Isaac Smith, along with the unregistered student group Viewpoint Neutrality Now!

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Commentary: How Mail-In Voting Affected the 2020 Election

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What factors propelled Joe Biden to victory in the November 2020 election? Did voters abandon Donald Trump in droves? Are liberals, socialists, and statists gaining ground in the United States of America?

I don’t think so, but I don’t have a definitive answer for you. Neither, so far as I know, does anyone else. After diligently examining the numbers and reviewing news reports from each state east of the Mississippi River, all I can say with confidence is that mail-in voting had something to do with why Biden prevailed. If some pundit or politician claims it was due to this or that cohort of “swing voter,” or to some malfeasance on the part of Donald Trump, or because voters wanted a return to “decency” under “nice guy” Joe, well … be skeptical.

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Trump Unleashes Scathing Statement Blasting Sen. Mitch McConnell

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Former President Donald Trump issued a scathing statement on Tuesday in which he excoriated Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

“The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political ‘leaders’ like Sen. Mitch McConnell at its helm,” Trump said in the fiery statement. “McConnell’s dedication to business as usual, status quo policies, together with his lack of political insight, wisdom, skill, and personality, has rapidly driven him from Majority Leader to Minority Leader, and it will only get worse. The Democrats and Chuck Schumer play McConnell like a fiddle—they’ve never had it so good—and they want to keep it that way! We know our America First agenda is a winner, not McConnell’s Beltway First agenda or Biden’s America Last.”

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Democrats to Introduce Bill That Would Give Citizenship to 11 Million Illegal Aliens

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In one of the most radical legislative proposals ever introduced, the Democratic Party plans to introduce a bill later this week that would guarantee a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal aliens in the country, as reported by Daily Caller.

The bill will be called the “U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021.” It is set to include expansions to the nation’s refugee resettlement program, increased benefits for illegals who are being considered for amnesty under the failed DREAM Act, and expanding government assistance for illegal aliens.

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Biden Suggests Masks Will Be Worn Through Next Year

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President Joe Biden indicated that Americans may need to wear masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus for the remainder of 2021.

Speaking during a visit to the National Institutes of Health complex on Thursday, Biden also spoke about the U.S. vaccine supply and his goals for the rollout, and suggested that mask-wearing will likely be a reality for the next year, Fox News reports.

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Fulton County Election Board Votes to Fire Its Elections Director over 2020 Elections

Corinne Murdock

The Fulton County Registration and Elections Board fired its elections director, Richard Barron, during a special meeting on Tuesday. Barron had served the role since 2013. 

Members of the public and the board in favor of firing Barron cited a variety of issues concerning the events at State Farm Arena, chain of custody, rejected ballots, record-keeping, security of ballot transportation, and the dismissal of whistleblowers such as Bridget Thorne. In December, The Georgia Star News interviewed Thorne about her affidavit and subsequent dismissal by the elections officials.

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Gubernatorial Candidate Youngkin Announces Plan for an Election Integrity Task Force

Eric Burk

Citing a need to restore trust in elections, gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin announced an Election Integrity Task Force on Monday.

“This is not a Democrat issue or a Republican issue, it’s a democracy issue,” Youngkin said in a press release. “Both parties have long raised concerns, and we must restore Americans’ faith in the integrity of our elections.”

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Georgia Bill Would Restrict Local Government’s Power to Defund the Police

Chris Butler

Six members of the Georgia House of Representatives have responded to the “Defund the Police” movement and filed a bill that would prohibit local governments in the state from cutting more than 5 percent of their police budgets. State Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens), the bill’s primary sponsor, said Tuesday that his legislation would, if enacted into law, exempt local governments that lose more than 5 percent of their budget revenues.

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Georgia Driver’s Ed Students Would Learn Proper Ways to Interact with Law Enforcement, Under New Bill

Chris Butler

Georgia State Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula) has filed legislation that would provide an instructional course and educate drivers on how best to interact with law enforcement officers, especially during traffic stops. According to the language of the bill, members of the Georgia Department of Public Safety would offer the lesson.

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Virginia GOP State Central Committee Bypasses Chairman Anderson, Calls for Saturday Meeting to Vote on a Nomination Canvass

Eric Burk

On Saturday more shots were fired in the ongoing battle between the pro-primary minority and pro-convention majority factions of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC). Over one-third of the 72 SCC members called for a meeting to vote on a party canvass this Saturday, February 20. By banding together to issue the call, the minority bypasses Chairman Rich Anderson, who had called for a meeting February 27, four days after a deadline to call for a state-run primary to nominate the party’s candidates for 2021.

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