Results from golf league play around Polk County through Feb. 15 with format, date, event and winners by flight or class in alphabetical order.

Big Cypress Men's Thursday, Stableford, Feb. 11: First Flight - Gary Bryant, Tom McDonald and Doc Piper all at 37, Dave Turner and Bob Seidel tied at 36; Second - Bill Kauth 36, Bob Milley and Harm Oldenkamp both at 34, Eddie Lane, Gary Letourneau and Terry Deuell all at 32; Third - Mike Klein 37, Wayne Letourneau and Bart Tokas tied at 36, Bill Woloszyn and Harry Hostutler tied at 35; Fourth - Gary Lind 40, Tom Toczak and C.V. Woodring tied at 38, Bob Chapman 35. Closest to pin: No. 5 - Bill Kauth, Arnie Howard, Earn Hawn; No. 8 - John Sterling, Eddie Lane, Ken Short; No. 13 - Bob Seidel, Mike Klein, Bart Tokas; No. 15 - Gary Bryant, Eddie Lane, Rusty Doutt.

Cleveland Heights Men's Wednesday, Feb. 10: Green Tee - Rick Bertrand plus 8, George Lees plus 7, Gil Besse and Paul Boeh tied at plus 3; Yellow - Frank Shinn plus 11, Ted Thrasher plus 1, Woody Blades, Pat Jackson and Bob Shearer all at minus 1. Closest to pin: Green - Paul Boeh; Yellow - Frank Shinn.

Cleveland Heights Tuesday Men's, Draw and Quota Points, Feb. 9: Steve Criss/Gary Cornell/Lorne Matthews plus 12, Wayne College/Herb Koffler/Greg Spooner plus 9, Paul Pelchat/Chuck Smith/Dick Gebo plus 3. Closest to pin: No. A2 - Herb Koffler; No. A9 - Keith Wightman; No. C8 - Chuck Smith. Best Over Quota: A - Wayne College plus 8; B - Gary Cornell plus 5; C - Steve Criss plus 9.

Cleveland Heights Tuesday Women's, Tens and Putts, Feb. 9: First Flight - Barbara Schucht 135, Shirley Kalck 93, Gloria Leveillee 70; Second - Diane Oneil 133, Chris Westlund 104, Debra Funkhouser 46. December Putts: Barb Schucht 35, Chris Westlund 36.

Cleveland Heights Weekend Women's, Revert Three Holes to Par-Handicap, Feb. 14: First Flight - Vicki England 67, Penny Stephens 74, Mettie Withers 75; Second Jennifer Keser 63, Chris Westlund 65, Monica Hodge 72.

Eaglebrooke Men's Early Morning Group, Individual vs Average Points, Feb. 14: Larry Dunn plus 10, Jeff Lang plus 8, Mark Grey plus 6.

Grasslands Women's, Invitational, Gross/Net, Feb. 11: First Flight Overall Gross Juanita Nielson/Lynn Turner, Gross - Sisi Hedges/Jo Ahearn both at 76, Danette Hensel/Linda Inslee 77, Net - Jane Renninger/Kim Bohnenkamp 64, Becky Miles/Donna Dayton 68; Second Overall Net - Patty Hughes/Lindsay Barkhorst 62, Gross - Niki Bryan/Marci Kline 87, Diane Bertrand/Ann Zavitz 88, Net - Nan Habjan/Cornelia Corbett 71, Vicki England/Penny Stephens 71; Third Gross - Jennifer Wedlock/Mary Crowe 90, Rosalie DeLeo/Pam Johnson 98, Net - Claire Hennessey/Mary Ellen Krakowski 70, Joyce Sheppard/Milena Ilic 72.

Hamptons Ladies 18-Hole, Stableford, Feb. 11: Sally Fiske plus 10, Yvonne Zadonia plus 7, Faye Mountain plus 6. Closest to pin: No. 2 - Terese Utting; No. 13 - Judy Orioli.

Hamptons Men's, Net Stroke Play, Feb. 9: A Flight - Don Verhey 57 on a match of cards over Terry Foster and Rich Regan; B - Earl Kotsonis 46, Joe Schultz 49, Dave Trombley 55. Closest to pin: No. 3 - Bill Colclaser; No. 7 - Bill Stalilonis; No. 11 - Dave Trombley.

Hamptons Wednesday Stableford, Feb. 10: Front plus 6 - Terry Foster/Dan Emmeloth/Rob Brooks; Back plus 9 and Overall plus 7 - Earl Kotsonis/Jim Kermis/Bill Colclaser/Dick Turner. Closest to pin: Front No. 2 - Tim Clark; No. 6 - Bob Vollwerth; Back No. 12 - Joe DeBonis; No. 15 - Dave Nagle. Best Score: Greg Stephens 64.

Hamptons Valentine's Golf Scramble, Feb. 14: Bill Spivey/Joe DeBonis/Jeff Staber/Larry Baker minus 8 on a match of cards over Rob Brooks/Greg Stephens/Terry Foster/Tim Clark, Bill Colclaser/George Bradley/Ron Davis/Rich Regan minus 7 on a match of cards over Dan Koster/Dick Hansen/Jeff Wiesnewski/Dick Turner. Closest to pin: No. 12 - Denise Turmell; No. 13 - Bill Spivey.

Highland Fairways Thursday Scrambles, Feb. 11: Judy Maur/Joyce Cruise/Don Smitz/Jim Knutson minus 5, Caroline Low/Linda Bassett/Frank Bessett/Dick Hegeman and Donna Schnatzka/Grace Williams/Cee Lawrey/Howard Willis tied at minus 4, Vickie Fioravanti/Al Kula/Ray Berard/Bernie Bardeau minus 3. Closest to pin: Vickie Fioravanti and Phil Zelazny.

Lake Ashton Blue Man Group, Four-Golfer Game, Best Net on Par 4s, Best Two Nets on Pars 3 and 5, Feb. 10: Front 9 - Steve Beck/Larry Eason/Larry Seiter/Vince Adamo 32, Larry Griffin/John Ziebel/Gerry Getters/Ghost 33, Doug Stanforth/Bob Yeager/Jim Smith/Ron McKie and Jim Blackwell/Tom Anderson/Charles Lindberg/Jim Wagner tied at 35. Back 9 - Doug Stanforth/Bob Yeager/Jim Smith/Ron McKie 33, Steve Beck/Larry Eason/Larry Seiter/Vince Adamo and Steve Burrell/Larry Erd/Ken Favreau/Pete Riedy tied at 35, Gator Patrick/Leo McCafferty/Ed Costello/Ghost and Stephen Haynes/Art Luke/Bill Testa/Mike Costello tied at 37.

Lake Ashton Ladies 18-Holers, Best Net A/B Plus Best Net C/D, Feb. 9: First Flight - Cathy Powers/Margaret Volpe/Alex Latuk/Carole Ferrieri 121, Margie Dersham/Patti Panone/Barb Farmer/Maiji Baynes 124, Jan Baun/Pat Hodges/Carol Davis/Blind Draw 132; Second - Janice Smith/Mary Ann Stadfeld/Patty Wallner/Judy Mulhearn 120, Deb Foulke/Janice Kipp/Nancy Bishop/Diane Dupuis 122, Mafie Walker/Kim Kutsch/Jane Fuller/Bunny Radcliff 127.

Lake Ashton Ladies Niners, Individual Drop Two Worst Holes, Net, Feb. 9: Combo First Flight - Fran Kramer 20, Marilyn Lancaster and Linda Ford tied at 21; Second - Cyndy Berry 16, Carol Gillespie 20, Joan Senecal 23; Green First Flight - Colleen Smith 19, Fran Salb and Mary Cooper tied at 20, Second - Brenda Arant, Diane Struble and Connie Medlin all at 21; Third - Mary Lopez 17, Denise Lacaprucia 20, Donna Butch 21.

Lake Ashton Men's, Front 9 - Scramble/Back 9 - Modified Alternate Shot, Net, Feb. 10: First Flight - Tim Wayt/Dave Wallner 66.3, Bob Plummer/Don Connors 68.8, Jim Williams/Lee VanHorn 69.4; Second - Ron McDonnell/Rolly Geyer 67, Gary Pagel/Mike Gerard 68.5, Les Jacobson/Denis Lussier and Frank Vasquenza/Jim Kutsch tied at 69; Third - Bob Alfano/Harry Krumrie 65.9, Alan Gasner/Paul Fichtman 67.4, Norm Wilderson/Jay Ramalho 70.4; Fourth - Rick Simonetta/Steve Kettells 66, Jim Capra/Mike Lavigna and Paul Guay/Chuck Staines tied at 67; Fifth - Jim Ford/Mark Kennedy 69.3, Fred Smith/Tom Williams 71.1, Jim Simpson/Paul Panone 71.8.

Lake Bess Friday 3 p.m. Men's Scramble, Random Team Draw, Feb. 12: Doug Wilson/Jadon Lansat/Ed Bauer/Gary Shroyer minus 8. Closest to pin: No. 3 - Ed Bauer; No. 7 - Tom Houston.

Lake Bess Tuesday 3 p.m. Men's Scramble, Random Team Draw, Feb. 2:Doug Wilson/Pat Ferrio/Bob Shelton/Steve Saurers minus 8. Closest to pin: No. 3 - Larry Lee; No. 7 - Steve Saurers.

Lakeland Elks Lodge 1291 Monday League, Wedgewood, Feb. 15: A Flight - Ed Carley plus 5 on a match of cards over Dave Norwine and Jerry Bellin, Jack Meister plus 4; B - Carl Hatfield plus 7 on a match of cards over Jerry Giddens, Mark Dillon plus 6, Bob Haskins plus 5. Closest to pin: No. 8 - Fred Ellis (50/50); No. 15 - Jack Meister.

Lakeland Men's Senior, Sandpiper, Feb. 15: A Flight - Greg Holmberg plus 9, Wayne Clark plus 2, Dean Fleming plus 1; B - Terry Richardson plus 9, Bob Capilla plus 8, Pete Casella plus 5; C - Dennis Kann plus 5, Al Hughes plus 4, Frank Casella plus 3. Closest to pin: No. 6 - Mike Wyatt; No. 18 - Greg Holmberg. Low Gross: Greg Holmberg 73.

Ridge Men's, Bartow, Feb. 11: Ric Moots plus 5, Blake Tyler and Elio Hernandez tied at plus 2. Closest to pin: No. 7 and 15 - Dennis Johnston; No. 13 - Raleigh Worsham.

Sandpiper Women's, Feb. 9: A Flight - G. Emigh plus 5 on a match of cards over S. Herring, L. Fox plus 2; B - J. Norfleet plus 10, M. Jenkins plus 5, D. Marks plus 3 on a match of cards; C - S. Nubaum plus 6 on a match of cards over M. Crankshaw, L. Halfpap plus 4. Closest to pin: A - K. Cline; B - M. Jenkins; C - B. Schuetze.

Schalamar Creek Ladies', Quota Points, Feb. 9: First Flight - Linda Liljequist minus 2, Sandra Lancaster and Linda Wolfgang tied at minus 3, Karen Lloyd minus 4; Second - Pam Bartley plus 1, Cathy Sheridan even, Carol Sutton minus 2. Nine-Hole Flight - Dianne Lang, Coby Holowacz and Cynde Johnson all at plus 1.

THE INDIAN LAKE ESTATES GOLF COURSE ANNUAL "ANCHORS AWEIGH" fundraising golf tournament will be held March 20 and is open to the public. The format is a four-person "scratch scramble with a men's division and a mixed division. Registration and putting contest begin at 7:45 a.m. with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. A luncheon will follow the tournament. Entry fee is $35 per player for prizes and lunch plus $25 per player for green fees. Register as a team or a single. Deadline for registration is March 15. Call 863-692-1514 for additional information. CDC COVID-19 guidelines must be followed to participate.

INAUGURAL CROSSED PAWS PET RESCUE BENEFIT SCRAMBLE TOURNAMENT will be held March 27 with a 9 a.m. shotgun start at Schalamar Creek Golf Course, 4500 U.S. 92 East, Lakeland. Proceeds benefit Crossed Paws Pet Rescue building fund. Prizes, 50/50 raffle, long drive and closest to pin contests. $35 members, $45 nonmembers, registration deadline March 20. Box lunch $10; must let pro shop know when you sign up. Sign up as foursome or single. For more information or to register, call Sherry Hand, 925-766-4103.

BARTOW INDIVIDUAL POINTS, Wednesdays, nine holes, make up your own foursome, $17 ($12 green fee and cart), pays all plus scores, night specials in the lounge. Call 863-533-9183.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS MENS, tee times available 7:30-8:30 a.m. Wednesday through Monday and Friday, groups or individuals welcome, quota points with skins optional, eight to 10 groups now play. Call Paul Boeh at 863-738-4129.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS TUESDAY WOMENS, every Tuesday, tee times start at 8:30 a.m. Call Shirley Kalck at 863-853-9566.

HAMPTONS TUESDAY MEN'S LEAGUE, accepting new players. Call 844-882-8157 for more information.

HUNTINGTON HILLS TWO-ASIDE, Saturdays, 18-Hole Points Quota. Check in by 8:15 a.m. Contact Terri White at 863-5594082 or eagle-2par@aol.com.

HUNTINGTON HILLS WHY WORRY WEDNESDAYS, Nine-Hole Quota Points, 5:15 p.m. shotgun start. Contact Terri White at 863-559-4082 or eagle-2par@aol.com.

LAKELAND MENS SENIOR GOLF, 7:30 a.m. shotgun starts, Mondays, play against golfers within your handicap. Call Dave Brown at 419-656-5747.

LPGA AMATEUR GOLF ASSOCIATION is looking for women and men to play in weekly Wednesday league and every other Saturday at various courses in the Winter Haven/Lakeland/Orlando and other areas. For more information, email Kathy Mannahan at pjacobs21@tampabay.rr.com.

POLO PARK MENS TUESDAY SCRAMBLE, 7:30 a.m. sign in. Random team draw. 18-Hole. For more information, call Polo Park Pro Shop at 863-424-3341.

POLO PARK MENS SATURDAY SCRAMBLE, 7:30 a.m. sign in. Random team draw. 18-Hole. For more information, call Polo Park Pro Shop at 863-424-3341.

WEDGEWOOD THREE-MAN SCRAMBLE, nine holes; Tuesdays at 5 p.m.; call Marcus at 863-858-4451 by 2:30 p.m. to play.

WEDGEWOOD TWO-ASIDE GAME, 9 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays; 18-hole points game with skins and blind draw; call Marcus at 863-858-4451.

WEDGEWOOD MIXED CO-ED SCRAMBLE, 2 p.m. Thursdays. Call Marcus at 863-858-4451 by 1 p.m. to play.

E-mail results of local golf tournaments, aces and upcoming tournaments to mquinn@theledger.com; or mail to Golf News, Ledger Sports Department, P.O. Box 408, Lakeland, Fla., 33802. Include complete scores and league names. Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.

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Local golf league results, aces and upcoming events - The Ledger

At his inauguration, President Joe Biden pledged to restore democracy and declared that the will of the people had been heard. But his detractors are now pointing to an allegedly missing page from the White House website as evidence against these proclamations.

"We the People," an online petitioning system launched by President Barack Obama's administration, is said to have been removed without explanation.

On Tuesday, the Ron Paul Institute, responding to an article published by the anti-imperialist website antiwar.com, decried the Biden administration for allegedly taking down a White House petitioning system that allowed citizens to start campaigns. Once the campaigns reached at least 100,000, the White House was required to respond.

"It appears that the 'We the People' petition system has been taken off the White House website," the Ron Paul Institute posted to its blog. "This is a terrible event, and it must be publicized, and Biden must be made to reverse this decision."

In 2011, the Obama White House debuted a new section of whitehouse.gov where users could create, browse and sign online petitions that, under most circumstances, would require a government response once they reached 100,000 signatures.

Criminal proceedings and many federal processes were exempt from this, and the platform functioned mainly as a public relations tool for citizens to express themselves and communicate their concerns to the White House. Many petitions were created tongue-in-cheek, and some might remember a playful 2012 petition for the federal government to create a Death Star as an economy-driving enterprise.

When President Donald Trump took office in 2017, his administration removed the "We the People" page, sparking outrage and media response. The Washington Post reported that several petitions demanding Trump release his tax returns and resign reached well over 100,000 signatures before the page was removed with a note saying it was undergoing maintenance.

Eventually, the petitioning system returned, but the page disappeared the day of Biden's inauguration. Previous links redirect to the White House homepage.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday regarding the reason for the page's removal or whether the petitioning system would return. Archives of the page from previous administrations still are accessible.

True.

The "We the People" system is nowhere to be found on the White House website. The reason behind its removal has not been released.

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Fact Check: Did the Biden Administration Remove the White House Petitioning System? - Newsweek

MIAMI (CBSMiami) A mother is appealing for the publics help nearly 19 years after her son was found murdered inside his Kendall condominium, and she says she has never given up hope this case can be solved.

Barbara Brewer tells CBS4s Peter DOench that her son, 34-year-old Paul Duane Young, just meant everything to all of us.

It was a horrible day when his life ended. Now I want to know who did this and why they did it. You can only feel the hurt that his family and friends feel and if you have any information at all, please call somebody or police and tell them, she said.I would like to see this case solved I doubt it will change how I feel because I have lost a son. Hes gone. I will never see him again until I am gone.

Brewer shared a montage of photos with CBS4 that show Youngs passion for sports.

He was an avid mountain biker and other photos show him snowboarding in Breckenridge, Colorado, and surfing at Sebastian Inlet.

He was also a vice president of finance at a Bank of America branch in the Hammocks.

If you wanted to have a child who was almost perfect, he was it. He grew up with a smile on his face and believed in sharing everything. Ive heard people say he would give you the best shirt off of his back if you needed it, said Brewer.

She is also joined by Miami-Dade Police veteran Det. David Denmark, who said, We would like to ask the public to reach back to the year 2002 and recall how they remember Paul Duane Young and see if they remember anything that was out of place or suspicious and if they do to please Miami-Dade police homicide. No detail is too small.

Denmark told DOench that the body of Young was discovered at 10:40 a.m. on Monday, April 1, 2002, and he was last seen by his girlfriend, who he was dating at the time, at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 31 of 2002.

Paul Duane Young was found brutally murdered while inside his residence, said Denmark, at Kings Creek Condominiums. We have persons of interest and they have all been previously identified.

They all said they have no reason why Paul Duane Young was murdered. He was a very good guy and a model employee and liked by many so it gives us a big challenge and there is no clear motive. I would like to solve this because it would bring closure to his family and Paul Duane Young could Rest In Peace.

Anyone with information that can help Miami-Dade Police should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).

There is a reward of $5,000.

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Mother Pleas For Publics Help In Hopes It Can Help Police Solve Nearly 19-Year-Old Cold Case Of Sons Murder - CBS Miami

It is undeniable that libertarianism is a growing movement, especially amongst the younger generations in America. During his campaign for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 2008 and 2012, Congressman Ron Paul brought a great deal of attention to libertarianism, especially amongst the youth.

This inspired the formation of Young Americans for Liberty, a student activism organization which supports liberty candidates. Many of those youth who were inspired by Ron Paul became registered Libertarians.

In 2016, Gary Johnson once again inspired many Americans, especially amongst the youth, to become Libertarians during his presidential campaign. In 2020, Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen continued to draw younger Americans towards the movement and to the Libertarian Party.

Congressman Justin Amash, the first Libertarian United States congressman, also has inspired and continues to inspire many young adults towards the Libertarian Party. Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, likewise draws many of the youth on the left towards libertarianism and despite her having no association with the Libertarian Party, towards the party.

One of the efforts that some members of the Libertarian Party are working on is building a college club for young Libertarians on campuses nationwide. This effort is gaining momentum especially right now as Young Americans for Liberty have been going through some internal strife. Also, with many Republicans leaving the Republican Party and many of them joining the Libertarian Party, there is a lot of momentum building at all levels in the party right now.

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Kenneth Brent Olsen: Libertarianism and the vision of youth - Lompoc Record

S ince March 2020, billionaires have gained over $1 trillion since the start of the pandemic. On the other hand, millions of Americans have been financially struggling this last year. The coronavirus pandemic didnt create income inequality but surely stretched it further.

As a result, many are advocating for an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, which would create a $15 rate nationally. Richard Vedder, the author of Out of Work: Unemployment and Government in Twentieth-Century America and an economics professor at Ohio University, explained the origin of the law.

At the time when the minimum wage went into effect, nationally, the unemployment rate was nearly 20% and had been very high for the last eight or nine years, Vedder said. So that was the impetus for the minimum wage.

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 prohibited child labor and limited the work week to 44 hours. The first minimum wage law was set at 25 cents an hour and was passed as a part of Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal.

The laws were advocated on the basis that if we can raise the wages of workers from what they currently are to a higher wage, we will move some workers out of poverty or make them better off. Theyll ease the suffering, Vedder said.

States can set their own minimum wage laws to be higher, lower, equal to or nonexistent compared to the federal rate. So while the federal minimum wage hasn't increased since 2009, the Ohio minimum wage has increased five times in the last five years.

Vedder disagrees on the effectiveness of raising the minimum wage to curb income inequality.

You can argue its not a very good way to target the poor, Vedder said. Its a crude way and an inefficient way.

Other possible ways to reduce wealth inequality are programs like universal basic income, or UBI which was popularized by 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang or a negative income tax rate which was popularized by 20th century economist Milton Friedman.

For some, these programs are preferential because theres skepticism on how raising the minimum wage could impact unemployment. Bradley Kennedy, a junior studying political science who serves as the political director of OU College Republicans, expressed concerns that an increase would have on businesses.

I would say their hearts are in the right place, but raising the minimum wage to $15 isnt exactly the best way to do it, Kennedy said.

Mary Berger | Art Director

Kennedy, a self-described Ron Paul Republican, believes that an increase to $15 could cause an increase in unemployment, could raise the price of goods and eventually create a situation where the economics balance out so that the increase isnt felt. Instead, he prefers a different approach.

I would say the best way is to get rid of unnecessary government spending, Kennedy said. That way, taxes could be lower for everyone else around because theres a lot of things that you could argue the government spends millions on each year that they dont need to spend that much on.

Kennedy specified TSA as an example of a program that Americans spend too much on. Kennedy said independent studies have shown that people sneak contraband through the security system anyway, so its an expense that needs to be reconsidered.

Nationally, 57% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents oppose raising the minimum wage to $15.

Eli Kalil, the Democratic chair of Ashtabula, currently serves as the youngest Democratic chair in the state. He is a self-described conservative Democrat and supports a minimum wage increase.

I definitely support a minimum wage increase, Kalil said.I havent wrapped my head about what that number would look like, as far as, you know, is it $12 an hour? Is it $15 an hour like folks have kicked around?

Kalil has never worked a minimum wage job and has always lived in a higher income household in Ashtabula. Nonetheless, his reading on the minimum wage causes him to believe that pros outweigh the cons of an increase.

Even if Im paying 10 more cents for a hamburger at McDonalds, to see someone else have a three, four or five, maybe $6 increase in their minimum wage, Im OK with that, Kalil said.

Kalil expressed support for further policies like UBI and negative income tax credit. He believed UBI could be a success depending on its implementation and also believes that poorer individuals shouldnt be paying as much as wealthy individuals in taxes.

Nationally, 87% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents favor raising the minimum wage.

Some people who do not politically identify as a Democrat believe the minimum wage should be increased.

Betty Miller, a senior majoring in political science and minoring in Black studies, who also serves as the president of the Black Student Cultural Programming Board and co-founder of the Black Student Organization Coalition, doesnt fully embrace either party but supports raising the minimum wage.

The Democrats and the Republicans have shown that they do not really take the minorities or marginalized groups as a concern, Miller said. It's more so a political strategy on who they think they can get out. And that's really shown throughout history.

While she dreams of being a lawyer one day, a job that would pay far more than minimum wage, she has loads of experience with less glamorous jobs. Shes worked at Nelson Dining Court in Athens and at Steelcraft, at Amazon Fulfilment Center and Delivery, as a lifeguard and at Taco Bell in her hometown of Cincinnati.

I am (in favor of raising it to $15) and honestly, I think it should be raised more, Miller said.

Miller cited the racial wealth gap and the cost of living as reasons to increase the minimum wage above $15. She said a $15 minimum wage would be great for students and dependents but wouldnt be a living wage for individuals who have more things to worry about than books.

Lets say you have a car note; lets say you have your phone bill; lets say if your job doesnt cover your medical: youre not going to be left with a lot after that, Miller said.

George Ofori-Atta, a graduate student at OU who is majoring in African studies and is specifically researching the legacy of British imperialism in Ghana, is also in favor of raising the federal minimum wage to $15.

Mary Berger | Art Director

Ofori-Atta got his undergraduate degree in political studies from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

If there is an opportunity that we are going to increase this minimum wage to 15, I think it's a great idea, especially looking at how even the economy's run in a moment, where we are afraid that it might collapse, Ofori-Atta said.

Ofori-Atta believed that increasing the minimum wage would motivate people to work harder due to higher pay, stimulate consumer spending and also believed an increase could help International students on campus.

So I mean, it has had a huge impact on us. And I sometimes imagine how international students are able to support themselves in a foreign law school. You have been able to put together some programs that have been very supportive, Ofori-Atta said.

Ofori-Atta also believed that businesses may lay off people in the short term, but the long-term and racial impacts would outweigh possible problems.

There was much conversation around whether or not businesses would cut workers if there was a minimum wage increase, but Alicia Cordell, the human resources manager at Casa Nueva, believes that it shouldnt be a concern.

Businesses should take care of their workers and try to retain their workers anyway (regardless of a minimum wage increase), Cordell said.

Casa Nueva already pays its workers higher than minimum wage at $11 per hour. The company gives raises to employees after 1,000 hours and is a union-owned restaurant, meaning theres not one central manager.

Maybe there will be a short-term impact, but the ripple effects would be positive, Cordell said. It would be a net gain if workers could afford where theyre living.

Cordell believes businesses would be impacted differently depending on the region. For example, it would affect Athens and Columbus differently.

Los Angeles County is one place in America that already has a $15 minimum wage. Athens County and Los Angeles County are in two different states, have different climates and are known for radically different things, but one thing they have in common is a resident named Nathan Bouie, a 2019 graduate of Ohio University and Ohio-in-LA alumni.

Bouie used Ohio-in-LA to get out west and believes that his job at Nelson, which paid $9.55 an hour, is actually harder than his current gig at HBO. Bouie believes that a minimum wage increase would be useful, despite detractors.

I feel its like when people always mentioned raising the minimum wage, I always say like, well, like what if you raise the minimum wage, but then theyll be like but wont companies raise the prices of things? but thats not how it works, Bouie said.

Bouie believes that a UBI or negative income tax rate could also be helpful. Bouie ultimately pointed to the cost of living being too high around the country and believes the income tax rate has failed to keep up with the cost of living.

Putting more money in people's pockets can't get hurt, unless theyre doing illegal things, Bouie said. Obviously not but as far as people struggling, check the check. I personally see no issue associated with more money in their pockets.

Bouie said that a UBI could possibly pay his rent and would help people in Appalachia support their families better. Ultimately, he believes Americans need to do a better job of supporting policies that will help one another.

I think as a country, we kind of need to look more toward each other and care more about how we all live, Bouie said. I think once you can kind of get together and be more unified and focus on things, that (will) kind of help us all grow together.

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Discussing Income Inequality - The Post

Ronald Henry Hoevener

ELIZABETHTOWN

Ronald H. Hoevener, 82, of Elizabethtown, IN died at 5:20 p.m. Monday, February 1, 2021 at Columbus Regional Hospital. Ron was born in Seymour on September 10, 1938 to Henry F. Hoevener and Doris Otting Hoevener. He married Linda Lee Scheidt on August 3, 1958.

Ron graduated from Columbus High School. He was a farmer and retired from Cummins Engine Company after 33 years of service. He served in the Indiana National Guard and was a member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Township Advisory Board, Soil and Water Board, NRA and ATA. Ron enjoyed trapshooting, volunteering his time at Orphan Grain Train and spending time with his grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, February 6, 2021 at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, 6045 East State Street, Columbus, IN with Pastor Doug Bauman officiating. Calling hours will be from 1 p.m. Saturday at the church until service time. Burial will be at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church or Orphan Grain Train, 209 Jackson St. Jonesville, IN 47247.

Survivors include sons; David Hoevener of Goshen, IN, Andrew (Regan) Hoevener of Edinburgh, IN and Todd (Sonya) Hoevener of Novi, MI, daughters; Rhonda (Don) Klein of Hamilton, MI, Sarah (Steve) Watkins of Scipio, IN and Kristy (Adam) Hall of Columbus, IN , a brother, Stephen (Janice) Hoevener; sisters, Ruth (Paul) Newkirk and Dena (Bob) Schafstall; 14 grandchildren; Nicholas Hoevener, Jackson Hoevener, Katelin Hoevener, Kelcey Hoevener, Kristin Hoevener, Nichole Klein, Devin Klein, Courtney Watkins, Leslie Watkins, Joseph Hoevener, Thomas Hoevener, Henry Hall, Grant Hall and Tabitha Hall and 3 great grandchildren, Amelia Hoevener, Rosalie Hoevener and Remington Hoevener.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Doris; his wife, Linda Lee Hoevener on November 13, 2020; a grandchild, Ashley Watkins.

Due to the new mandate limiting gatherings to 50 people, visitors are required to wear face masks and maintain social distancing. We encourage you to share your support with the family, being cognizant that others wish to do the same. You may be asked to wait outside the building as we comply with this mandate. Friends and family are encouraged to visit the church website: stpaulcolumbus.org at 3 p.m. Saturday, February 6, 2021 to view a live stream of Rons funeral service.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home.

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Ronald Henry Hoevener - The Republic

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Ron Liebers new book, The Price You Pay for College, aims at helping families with, as the books subtitle puts it, the biggest financial decision they will ever make. Lieber, a personal finance columnist for The Times, visits the podcast this week to discuss it. Among other subjects, he addresses all the ways in which the price to attend a particular college can vary from student to student, similar to how the cost of seats on one airplane flight can vary.

It can be different for everyone, Lieber says. If you ask a bunch of students in Bio 101 what they paid, theres a pretty good chance that youll find in a class of 100 50, 60, 70 different answers; and then a whole bunch of people who just paid the full price. On the airline, theres probably slightly fewer prices in the airplane cabin, but its not that far apart. The difference here the problem, the challenge, the extremely frustrating thing about college is that you do not know what the price will be until after you run the gantlet and get your offer of admission.

Michael J. Stephen visits the podcast to discuss his new book, Breath Taking: The Power, Fragility, and Future of Our Extraordinary Lungs. Stephen, a pulmonary expert at Thomas Jefferson University, talks about what weve learned about the lungs during the coronavirus crisis, and more generally about the wonders and perplexities of this organ.

Our lungs are the last organ to kick in as babies, Stephen says. When were in utero, the lungs are completely not functioning; Mom is giving us all of our oxygen needs. And at birth, they spring open and spring to life.

Also on this weeks episode, Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; and The Timess critics talk about books theyve recently reviewed. Pamela Paul is the host.

Here are the books discussed by the critics this week:

We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Reviews podcast in general. You can send them to books@nytimes.com.

Read more from the original source:

Navigating the Maze of Paying for College - The New York Times

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) invites Vermonters to attend an online presentation on February 11, 2021 to review a collaborative watershed action plan for the Upper Connecticut River Basin. The plan encompasses Upper Connecticut River and streams that flow to it from the Canadian border down to the Passumpsic River. It includes the Nulhegan River, Willard Stream, and Paul Stream along with several smaller streams that flow directly into the Connecticut River.

Developed in partnership with members of local communities, state and federal agencies, watershed groups, regional planners, and agricultural partners, the basin plan covers four key areas:

The Upper Connecticut Tactical Basin Plan is crucial to meeting landowners needs for water quality improvements, said Heather Johnson with the Essex County Natural Resources Conservation District. Recently, the Conservation District worked with the Northwoods Stewardship Center, Nectar Landscape Design Studio, Landowners Ron and Kathy Reed and DEC to install a shoreline stabilization project at Maidstone Lake. This project was identified in the previous Upper Connecticut Tactical Basin Plan to minimize erosive conditions that lead to polluted stormwater entering the lake. This updated plan targets necessary funding to expand efforts to implement priority water quality projects to protect and restore our natural resources that are so important in Essex County."

DEC will host a virtual public forum to gather feedback on the plan in partnership with the Northeastern Vermont Development Association and the Essex County Natural Resources Conservation District. The event is scheduled for February 11, 2021 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A link to the online public meeting, the Draft 2021 Upper Connecticut River Tactical Basin Plan, and an interactive Story Map providing a summary of the plan is available on the Upper Connecticut River Tactical Planning websitehttps://dec.vermont.gov/water-investment/watershed-planning/tactical-basin-planning/basin16. A recording will be available on the website the following day.

The public can also provide comments on the plan. Public comments can be submitted by email:Ben.Copans@vermont.govor by mail to Ben Copans, Basin 16 Comments, 374 Emerson Falls Road, Suite 4, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819. DEC will respond to comments postmarked or submitted via email by March 5, 2021. Requests for a hard copy of the plan should be directed to Ben Copans at the above email or mailing address.

Source:February 3, 2021Department of Environmental Conservation

Excerpt from:

Public invited to discuss watershed action plan for the Upper Connecticut River - Vermont Biz

The Undefeated and ESPN+ are partnering to deliver a year-round home on the industry-leading sports streaming service for stories at the intersection of sports, race and culture. Why Not Us: North Carolina Central University Mens Basketball, a new all-access docuseries executive produced by NBA All-StarChris Pauland ESPNs Stephen A. Smith is the first project to debut under The Undefeated on ESPN+.

Premiering February 12 exclusively on ESPN+, Why Not Us takes viewers behind the scenes of the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) mens basketball team. The eight-episode documentary series will examine the distinct culture, experiences and challenges of a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) athletic program, its coaches, staff and student-athletes. Presented by The Undefeated, Why Not Us is produced by Roadside Entertainment,Pauls Ohh Dip!!! Productions, Smiths Mr. SAS Inc., and ESPN+.

Why Not Us will spotlight the importance and uniqueness of HBCUs by chronicling the NCCU mens basketball team and the challenges they encounter throughout a season in my home state of North Carolina, said Paul. HBCUs face challenges to compete at the same level as PWIs due to lack of funding, resources and awareness. Despite the obstacles they face, Why Not Us shines a light on these amazing Black student athletes who attend HBCUs, and how these historically significant schools continue to enrich not only the Black community but our nation as a whole. It was important to tell this story with Roadside Entertainment as we have successfully partnered with them to tell a great story through Crossroads, another important documentary about inspirational Black athletes in North Carolina.

As a graduate of an HBCU Winston-Salem State University any issue that allows us to illuminate the great challenges that HBCUs perpetually face, yet overcome day-after-day, is something that is going to garner my interest, said Smith. After asking my coach, the late, great Clarence Big House Gaines, what I could do for him in return for all hes done for me, his answer was very simple: Do all you can for this university, for any HBCU. Dont let the world try and forget about it. This project is a step in that direction. Its not just a project or a piece of work. Its a mission. And Im incredibly delighted and grateful that Chris Paul and ESPN asked me to come on board to make this happen.

Why Not Us is exactly the right show for our audience and this cultural moment, and Chris and Stephen A. are the ideal duo to deliver it, said Brian Lockhart, vice president, ESPN Original Content and ESPN Films. It combines their sports passion with the incredible impact of HBCUs on Black life in America. Its authenticity is the new benchmark for the type of content were creating for ESPN+.

We are proud to bring our distinct brand of storytelling to ESPN+, and will continue to experiment and challenge convention, said Kevin Merida, Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief, The Undefeated. We are excited about the premiere of Why Not Us, and the attention this series gives to the vibrancy of HBCUs and the promise of their future.

The Undefeated on ESPN+, available now on the streaming platform,offers fans a dynamic platform for year-round premium Black storytelling with The Undefeated sensibilities. A dedicated new section for the collaboration launches today as home to new original content, curated collections and more, throughout the year on the sports streaming service. This represents The Undefeateds latest expansion across the Walt Disney Company.

Why Not Us: North Carolina Central University Mens Basketball

Why Not Us follows the NCCU mens basketball team during the 2020-21 season, exploring the stories of pioneering head coachLeVelle Moton (himself an HBCU graduate and former star basketball player at NCCU) and his staff, as they navigate a season unlike any other and help their players achieve greatness on and off the court. Moton overcame challenges along the way to becoming one of the most accomplished, though not widely-known, coaches in college basketball. He has raised the profile of NCCU since he took over in 2009, helping it transition from Division II to Division I, and along the way become a benchmark for success in basketball at HBCUs.

Video Trailer: Why Not Us: North Carolina Central University Mens Basketball

The series also highlights the ethos of being a student and student-athlete at an HBCU. Over the course of eight episodes, the viewer learns why HBCUs are much more than just repositories for colorful homecomings and the best marching bands in the world.Why Not Usspotlights the importance of these remarkable institutions, who have done more with less. HBCUs are a place that produces many of the very best and brightest among us, such asSpike Lee(Morehouse College),Oprah Winfrey(Tennessee State University),Thurgood Marshall(Lincoln University/Howard University Law School),Stacey Abrams(Spelman College), and the first African-American, Asian-American and female Vice-President,Kamala Harris(Howard University), to name a few.

Augmenting the eight-episode series, Paul will host intimate conversations with notable HBCU graduates, such as Academy Award-winning filmmakerSpike Lee(Morehouse, 79), actressTaraji P. Henson(Howard, 95), fashion designer and Fear of God founderJerry Lorenzo(Florida A&M, 00), Moton (NC Central, 96), and more. Rolling out over the course of the series, the conversations will also be available as part of The Undefeated on ESPN+.

Why Not Us co-executive producers Paul and Smith are both strong advocates for HBCUs across America.

Paul, who left Wake Forest University early before being selected No. 4 overall in the 2005 NBA Draft, is working toward a degree at Winston-Salem State University. He has actively supported HBCUs for years, most recently assisting HBCU voting initiatives and raising awareness through his HBCU Sneaker Tour when he wore shoes representing different HBCUs at each of his games in the NBA Bubble last summer. The HBCU sneakers were auctioned off with all of the proceeds donated to the mens and womens basketball programs of each school represented.

Paul partnered with Harvard Business School last year to bring its Entertainment, Media and Sports program to North Carolina A&T, creating the Special Topics in Management course to develop a pipeline for students pursuing careers in those industries. The course will expand to more HBCUs this year, helping to address emerging issues in business management related to sports, media and entertainment.

Smith played basketball on scholarship at Winston-Salem State University (under Hall of Fame coach Clarence Gaines) before embarking on a career that has made him one of the most recognized and hard-working commentators in sports. He is the co-host of ESPNs First Take, hosts weekly NBA pre-game editions of SportsCenter with Stephen A. Smith, and is the host and executive producer of the daily original program Stephen As World on ESPN+.

In 2019, Smith was named the ambassador of HBCU Week by the City of Wilmington, Del., and was instrumental in bringing First Take to the 76ers Fieldhouse as part of the week-long celebration of HBCUs. First Take recorded its largest in-person audience ever, which led to a college fair that offered on-the-spot acceptance and more for prospective students.In 2019 and 2020, Stephen A. Smiths participation has enabled the HBCU Week foundation to generate 2,003 on-the-spot acceptances to attend HBCUs, and 11.2 million dollars in awarded scholarships.

The Undefeated on ESPN+

The launch of The Undefeated on ESPN+ enhances ESPN and Disneys ongoing commitment to telling Black Stories and establishes a year-round collaboration between the two brands that creates and curates content that is Powered by The Undefeated including a mixture of premium storytelling, relevant collections from The Undefeated and ESPN+ libraries and additional special projects. It will serve as a home throughout the year that tells Black stories, elevates Black voices in sports, highlights specific communities within sports (e.g. less-known Black sports trailblazers, Black female athletes, etc.), and explores the off-field/off-court work of athletes within their communities.

The Undefeated has a long-established commitment to telling the stories of HBCUs, as one of the core content verticals onwww.TheUndefeated.com. Since its launch in May 2016, The Undefeated has been a leading platform for the comprehensive coverage of HBCU sports, campus life and culture, general news, personality profiles and conversations with newsmakers. Highlights include: convening the first forum at an HBCU with a U.S. President in October 2016 aconversationwith President Barack Obama at North Carolina A&T State University; launching the annual ESPN/The Undefeated HBCUBand Rankingsin 2018; Makur Makers first-person account in July 2020 about becoming the first blue-chip basketball recruit to play at an HBCU (Howard University) since 1980; the all-day celebration of the HBCU class of 2020 during #UndefeatedHBCUDay on May 23; and more.

Beyond storytelling, The Undefeated annually recruits and trains six emerging journalists from HBCUs for the Rhoden Fellowship, a one-year, fully paid sports journalism internship program where the fellows serve as correspondents covering their respective schools and surrounding communities for the platform.

Other critically-acclaimed content in The Undefeated on ESPN+ includes a collection of nearly 70 hours of stories including the recently-released Tiger Woods: Americas Son, and thematic collections focused on Black excellence, courage, community, passion, perseverance, reexamination, unity, classic events and more. Curated content comes from the unmatched ESPN library of storytelling, including The Undefeated Presents, ESPN Films and 30 For 30, E:60, SportsCenter and SC Featured, Nine for IX, College Football 150 and classic performances from Wimbledon, The Masters, US Open, the Top Rank and ESPN Big Fights library.

The Undefeated is the premier platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture. It enlightens and entertains with innovative storytelling, original reporting and provocative commentary. The digital hub, TheUndefeated.com, which launched in May 2016, combines innovative long-form and short-form storytelling, investigation, original reporting, and provocative commentary to enlighten and entertain African Americans, as well as sports fans seeking a deeper understanding of black athletes, culture and related issues.

In addition to its cutting-edge content, The Undefeated seeks to be a thought-leader on race, sports and culture in the country convening insightful forums to discuss and debate topical issues affecting sports and race in America.

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Media Contacts

ESPN / ESPN+:Kevin Ota [emailprotected]Jay Jay Nesheim [emailprotected]Isabelle Lopez [emailprotected]

The Undefeated:Mac Nwulu [emailprotected]Kimberly Jarvis [emailprotected]

Chris Paul:Amy Jacobs [emailprotected]Alexis Reynolds [emailprotected]

About Ohh Dip!!! ProductionsFounded by NBA All-Star Chris Paul, Ohh Dip!!! is focused on developing a wide range of projects across the spectrum of sports and entertainment for all platforms, including unscripted, scripted, digital, premium, documentaries, short-form content and more. Ohh Dip!!! is passionate about storytelling and bringing audiences together through entertaining, inspiring and unique programming.

Ohh Dip!!! Productions previously collaborated with ESPN Films on Pauls three-part docuseriesChris Pauls Chapter 3, which chronicles his offseason move to the Houston Rockets in 2017, and the 2018 filmCrossroads, which was produced by Roadside Entertainment and follows a group of Black American boys in North Carolina who discover a love for lacrosse and their teams journey in overcoming adversity.

Additional projects include The Game Changers, an award-winning 2018 documentary about plant-based eating, and Quibis 2020 Blackballed, the inside story of Donald Sterling and the L.A. Clippers. Upcoming projects include The Day Sports Stood Still, a documentary from director Antoine Fuqua and Imagine Documentaries about sports shutting down due to Covid-19 for HBO and to stream on HBO Max, and American Sole, executive produced alongside Kevin Hart, which follows two characters played by Pete Davidson and OShea Jackson Jr. in the sneaker reselling industry.

About Roadside EntertainmentFounded in 2004 by Emmy Award-winning producer/directors John Hirsch and Ron Yassen, Roadside Entertainment has a simple goal: Find great stories and bring them to life, seeking out characters who through force of will or the dynamics of circumstance rise up and inspire us in extraordinary ways. As filmmakers, Hirsch and Yassen take nothing for granted and strive to bring creative storytelling, honesty and integrity to everything they do. Hirsch co-produces the ESPY Awards on ABC and is an Executive Producer and Showrunner on Marvels Hero Project, on Disney+. Yassens credits include more than 30 documentary films, including Roger Maris: Reluctant Hero, Glory in Black and White, Kareem: Minority of One, and 50 Cent: Origin of Me. In addition to the ESPYs, Roadside previously collaborated with ESPN on the Emmy-nominated documentaryCrossroads, which premiered at the Tribeca film festival in 2018

Chris Paul, Ohh Dip!!! Productions and Roadside Entertainment are represented by CAA.

About Mr. SAS Inc.Mr. SAS Inc. was founded by Stephen A. Smith. Mr. SAS Inc is focused on developing game shows, talk shows, sitcoms, unscripted, scripted movies, and documentaries. Mr. SAS Inc. produces shows like ESPN+s Stephen As World. A show that resonates with strong storytelling, celebrity guests, and original content to bring audiences entertaining, inspiring, and unique programming. Mr. SAS Inc. is co-producing HBCU=Black Excellence, a multi-part series using archival footage, photographs, news clips, and interviews about the most significant figures in the history of HBCUs. From Athletes to Historians, Celebrities to Politicians, Entertainers, and other prominent influencers, theyll all come together to tell the true HBCU story. HBCUs significant impact on American Society and Culture, and how its relevance continues to grow today.

About North Carolina Central UniversityNorth Carolina Central University (NCCU) prepares students to succeed in the global marketplace. Consistently ranked as a top Historically Black College or University, NCCU offers flagship programs in the sciences, education, law,business, nursing and the arts. Founded in 1910 and located in the Research Triangle Region,NCCU remains committed to diversityin and accesstohigher education. The university, which offers bachelors degrees in more than 100 disciplines, masters degrees in more than 40 areas, and a Ph.D. in Integrated Biosciences, has an expanding academic portfolio that meets current and future workforce demands in industries from clinical research to information technology. NCCUs signature graduate and undergraduate degrees are housed in seven colleges and schools. NCCU is a leader in the scientific study of health disparities and provides students with the opportunity to gain laboratory skills and experience working with faculty researchers and pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry professionals in two, state-of-the-art research institutes that are housed on campus.

About ESPN+ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPNs linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 11.5 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) all for just $12.99/month.

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Why Not Us: North Carolina Central University Men's Basketball, from Executive Producers Chris Paul & Stephen A. Smith, to Debut as Part of New...

The federal agency charged with safeguarding Americas elections said it needs to reevaluate its approach to disinformation so that agency leaders dont jeopardize bipartisan congressional support, its acting leader said Wednesday.

Brandon Wales, acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told state election officials that his agency is taking stock of its roles and authorities as the Biden administration seeks to combat disinformation.

We need to look at the the appropriate role that CISA plays when it comes to countering disinformation, how we can focus on the security aspects where we have the broadest authorities, responsibilities, and ultimately expertise, he said during a National Association of Secretaries of State event.

Christopher Krebs, who led the agency throughout the 2020 election cycle and in the weeks after the election, was fired by former President Donald Trump after penning a joint statement with U.S. secretaries of state and other election officials calling the 2020 election the most secure in American history. CISA under Krebs also ran the Rumor Control website that frequently took on false claims about voter fraud or election technology security from Trump and people in his orbit.

Krebs, a Republican and a Trump appointee, faced sharp questioning from Senate Republicans, including Ron Johnson (Wis.) and Rand Paul (Ky.), who both wondered how Krebs could call an election secure given instances of mail or voter fraud.

This agency has long benefited from broad bipartisan support in this country and with our colleagues on the Hill, and I think that future political leadership will not want to jeopardize that, Wales, the top career official at CISA, said.

Photo: Al Drago/Getty Images

A chalk message about Fake News is written on the street at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House on Nov. 5, 2020, in Washington, DC., while the presidential election was still too close to call.

CISAs future role in responding to disinformation, especially around election security, is a top priority for the agency as it moves on from 2020, Wales said.

Thats an area that were looking at now, particularly in the area of the agencys role when it comes to countering disinformation and misinformation in the election context, but more broadly, he said.

Agency staff are working on thought papers on successes and failures from the 2020 election to help future leaders decide how to approach disinformation, Wales said.

The Biden team is eager to engage on disinformation, so Wales expects more updates will be coming about CISAs role in countering disinformation and misinformation, he said.

CISAs primary focus in the cybersecurity realm is its investigation with other federal partners into the supply chain compromise associated with SolarWinds Corp. software, Wales said.

We have no evidence election systems were compromised as part of this campaign, Wales assured the state election officials.

The agency continues its long-standing role in protecting more traditional forms of critical infrastructure, but also soft targets such as religious institutions or shopping areas, from terrorism, both international and domestic, Wales said. The Biden administrations shift to refocus on domestic terrorism in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol doesnt mark a change for CISA, Wales said.

We were doing a lot of this work since the early days of the department, all through the through the Trump administration and we will continue to do so, he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Shaun Courtney in Washington at scourtney@bgov.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sarah Babbage at sbabbage@bgov.com; Robin Meszoly at rmeszoly@bgov.com

Read more here:

Cyber Agency Checks Itself on Fighting Disinformation Post-2020 - Bloomberg Government

Elite 2021 defensive back Terrion Arnold (John Paul Catholic II - Tallahassee, Fla.) has committed to and signed with Alabama over Florida and Georgia, he announced on ESPN today.

Arnold, a two-sport athlete, will join Nick Saban's football team while also holding an offer to play basketball for the Crimson Tide.

The 6-2, 187 lbs. defensive back is one of the top safeties in the 2021 class, a position in which Florida looked to reload with talent during the cycle. UF signed safetiesCorey Collier Jr. (Miami Palmetto, Fla.) andDonovan McMillon (Peters Township - Canonsburg, Pa.) during the early signing period, aswell as nickel cornerback/safetyDakota Mitchell (Winter Park, Fla.).

Arnold is considered theNo. 2 safety and No. 44 overall prospect in the class of 2021, according to Sports Illustrated All-American.A thumper, Arnold posted 152 tackles and five interceptions over the final two seasons of his high school career, also adding1,475 total yards from scrimmage and 11 receiving touchdowns offensively.

On the court, Arnold averaged 8.8 points, 3.3 assists, four rebounds, 2.2 steals, and half a block per game at point guard during his junior season, across 24 contests.

Florida's safety room will look a bit different moving forward as the team parted ways with safeties coach Ron English (and cornerbacks coach Torrian Gray) this offseason, hiring Auburn's Wesley McGriff and USF's Jules Montinar as secondary coaching replacements. Arnold, whom UF offered in Oct. 2019, certainly would have been a welcome addition to the room as it is being redeveloped.

Below, you can find a snippet of Arnold's Sports Illustrated All-American footballscouting report.

Bottom Line: Arnold deserves to be considered among the nations best safety prospects because he proves to be instinctive, powerful and dynamic athletically. He takes the proper angles, is relentless in pursuit of the ball-carrier, a big hitter and great at tracking the football once its in the air.

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2021 DB Terrion Arnold Signs With Alabama Over Florida and Georgia - Sports Illustrated

Dustin Diamond, who spent 13 seasons as the goofy nerd Screech on the Saturday morning sitcom Saved by the Bell and its various iterations before his life and career took a turn for the worse, died Monday. He was 44.

The cause of death was carcinoma, his rep, Roger Paul, told The Hollywood Reporter. The actorwas diagnosed with stage 4 cancer three weeks ago and was receiving treatments at a Florida hospital.

"In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution," Paul said in a statement. "Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful."

When he was 11 and in the fifth grade, Diamond beat out 5,000 other hopefuls in 1988 to land the role of Samuel "Screech" Powers on the Disney Channel comedy Good Morning, Miss Bliss, the forerunner to Saved by the Bell.

Viewers watched Diamond grow up before their eyes as he continued as the chess-loving Screech on Saved by the Bell, which lasted four seasons (1989-93), Saved by the Bell: The College Years (one primetime season, 1993-94) and Saved by the Bell: The New Class (seven seasons, 1994-2000), all on NBC. When the last episode aired, Diamond was 23.

"The hardest thing about being a child star is giving up your childhood. You don't get a childhood, really," he said in a Where Are They Now? interview for OWN in 2013. "You're a performer, you have to know your lines and rehearse and practice, making sure you are the funniest and the best you can be. Because if you weren't funny, you could be replaced."

In the ensuing years, Diamond began a new career as a stand-up comic (he said he had been favorably compared to George Carlin); beat up a much older Ron Palillo (Arnold Horshack of Welcome Back, Kotter) on Celebrity Boxing 2; shed some pounds on Celebrity Fit Club; entered the ring with Dennis Rodman and Frank Stallone on Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling; and appeared on World's Dumbest and Celebrity Big Brother.

In 2006, Diamond was behind Screeched Saved by the Smell, a 52-minute sex tape that involved him and two women. Later, he said that a "stunt person" stood in for him, with his face added during editing.

"It's the thing I'm most embarrassed about," he said. "The rumor that I think had been put on TV was that Paris Hilton had made $14 million off [her] sex tape. My buddy said, 'Fourteen million? Holy smokes! Where's the Screech sex tape? You've got to be worth at least a million.' I thought, 'Yeah, maybe.' I got some money off of it, but it wasn't worth the fallout."

Three years later, Diamond shared salacious behind-the-scenes tales about his TV show in the book Behind the Bell. After it came out, he said it was ghostwritten and he wasn't given a chance to remove some of the stories that were created from some "offhand" comments that he had made to the real author.

In 2015, Diamond was convicted of disorderly conduct after he stabbed another bar patron in the armpit with a switchblade on Christmas Day 2014 in an incident involving his then-fiancee. He served three months in jail before being released in April 2016.

When the Peacock streaming service unveiled a follow-up Saved by the Bell series in November, original stars including Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen were back, but Diamond was not. Screech, it was explained, was living on the International Space Station with Kevin, the robot pal that he built.

"We are aware that Dustin is not considered reputable by most. He's had a history of mishaps, of unfortunate events," Paul said. "We want the public to understand that he was not intentionally malevolent. He much like the rest of those who act out and behave poorly had undergone a great deal of turmoil and heartache. His actions, though rebukable, stemmed from loss and the lack of knowledge on how to process that pain properly. In actuality, Dustin was a humorous and high-spirited individual whose greatest passion was to make others laugh. He was able to sense and feel other peoples' emotions to such a length that he was able to feel them too a strength and a flaw, all in one."

Born on Jan. 7, 1977, in San Jose, California, Dustin Neil Diamond attended Zion Lutheran School in Anaheim. His folks worked in the computer industry.

After Gosselaar was hired to star as Zack Morris on Good Morning, Miss Bliss, he pushed for the blue-eyed Diamond to get the part of his best friend in junior high, Screech. (Diamond had appeared in 1987 on the syndicated TV comedy It's a Living and in 1988 in the film Big Top Pee-wee.)

"The thing is, I was 11 when we started, and [his castmates] were 14, 15 years old," he said. "I was kind of like the tag-along brother; when they were going into college, I was just going into high school. And at that age, it's a huge difference. I was wacky and I was wild and real hyper."

As he longed for Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies) and shared his first onscreen kiss with Violet Bickerstaff (Tori Spelling), Screech remained at the center of Saved by the Bell and its offshoots as the franchise moved to the fictional schools of Bayside High and California University and then back to Bayside, where Screech was now the assistant to bumbling Principal Belding (Dennis Haskins).

In 2006, it was reported that Diamond was selling T-shirts at $15 a pop in an attempt to stave off a foreclosure of his home in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He said he had filed for bankruptcy protection in California in 2001 and had gotten into a financial hole because his parents had spent money he had earned fromSaved by the Bell.

Diamond also showed up on the big screen in Made (2001), Pauly Shore Is Dead (2003), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), Tetherball: The Movie (2010), All Wifed Out (2012) and College Fright Night(2014) and executive produced a 2014 Lifetime telefilm, The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story.

"I'm proud of the work that I've done when I've done it. It's just, how to you come off such a phenom role of this Screech character and break out of that mold and do something different?" he asked Lopez in a 2016 interview on Extra. "I'd audition, and every single time they'd say, 'Hey, we loved it, but we saw too much Screech in it.' Well, I can't change my bone structure, what do you want me to do?"

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Dustin Diamond, Screech on 'Saved by the Bell,' Dies at 44 - Hollywood Reporter

Editor's note: Dr. Payne has taught political science at Yale, Wesleyan, Johns Hopkins, and Texas A&M University, and is a research fellow at the Independent Institute. His book on libertarianism, The Big Government We Love to Hate, was released this month.

In the accounts about the Trump supporters who attacked the US Capitol, the media have sometimes alluded to supposed libertarian connections. The Wall St. Journal calls Parler, the social-media network which, it says, served as a hub for people who organized, participated in or celebrated the storming of the Capitol a libertarian-leaning social-media site.

In the same story it reported that one of the participants (Rosanne Boyland) joined at least two libertarian-leaning Facebook groups. A New York Times story reported that some people arrested in the riots have been linked to the Oath Keepers. This organization was founded by a man who, the Times noted, once worked as an aide to the former Representative Ron Paul, the Texas libertarianas if this fact helped explain his riot-inspiring role.

Of course, terms referring to political beliefs are rather broad, incorporating a range of views, but this connection is implausible. To call an ardent, violent Trump supporter a libertarian departs substantially from the traditional meaning of the term.

The confusion stems from two very different conceptions of what it means to be against government. In the typical partisan battle, the agitators are against the particular people in charge of the current government: they are challenging King George, Tsar Nicolas II, Nancy Pelosi. They do not question the idea of government itself. They believe that when controlled by people with good intentionsnamely themselvesthe government solves problems and improves the human condition. Once they displace the incumbents, the dissenters will set up their own government, giving it large, and growing, responsibilities.

The other conception of being against government is the position that government itself is not a moral, rational, and responsible problem-solving agency, no matter who tries to run it. Therefore, we shouldprudently and thoughtfullymove away from our dependence on it. This is the libertarian perspective.

Libertarian philosophers arrived at their skepticism from an examination of governments basis of power. This is its use of physical force, its use of policemen, jails and gallows to (try to) fix social problems. They asked, is force a healthy foundation for reform? Is the initiation of force a healthy way to deal with problems like economic inequality, substance abuse, or the lack of education?

Almost as soon as these early thinkers raised this point, they realized that a negative answer was indicated. As William Godwin, one of the first libertarians, put it in 1793, the calling in of force as the corrective of error is invidious. This led him to the observation that government, even in its best state, is an evil. This theme was echoed by a number of 19th-century libertarians including the English philosopher Auberon Herbert. Do you not see, said Herbert, that of all weapons that men can take into their hands force is the vainest, the weakest? In the long dark history of the world, what real, what permanent good has ever come from the force which men have never hesitated to use against each other?

Another 19th-century libertarian was Henry David Thoreau. The State, he said, is not armed with superior wit or honesty, but with superior physical strength. I was not born to be forced.

Over the past two centuries, the number of activists questioning government because of its basis in force has grown, leading, in recent times, to the formation of dozens of libertarian think tanks, and a Libertarian party in 1971. The partys Statement of Principles, adopted in 1974, incorporates this concern about force: We support the prohibition of the initiation of physical force against others.

In a two-century tradition, then, libertarians have established themselves as singularly opposed to the initiation of force as a method of achieving social or political aims. Of all people, they would be the last to participate in, or approve of, any kind of violent attack for political purposes.

At bottom, libertarians are a patient community, all too aware of the myths and excitements that swirl the masses into each new wave of big government involvement. And aware, too, of the vast complexity of human society, a complexity that tends to make centralized, coercive approaches to social problems dysfunctional.

Quietly, thoughtfullyand of course, peacefullylibertarians are trying to persuade their friends and neighbors that the path to healthy social relationships cannot lie in any kind of march on the US Congress.

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Were the Capitol Rioters Really Libertarians? - Foundation for Economic Education

The American Right looks primed to splinter. In the next election cycle, progressives and leftists should run candidates in red districts to exploit the divisions on the right.

Early into Obamas first term, the Tea Party gained prominence in Republican politics, while liberals sat back and watched the American right fight amongst itself. The winners of that infighting consolidated power and brought us President Trump.

Over the course of my own lifetime, the Republican Party has changed dramatically. The first time I realized that there was a thing called a President, the man in the oval office was George W. Bush.

The Republican Party of my early childhood was that of neo-conservatism and the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 2008 was the first presidential election I followed, and its what sparked my interest in politics. After 2008, neo-conservatism was more or less dead and buried, but a new movement began to grow.

In the wake of the election of our first black president and the financial crash of 2008, the Occupy movement took America by storm. It is important to note that Occupy was not specifically ideological; for many on both the left and the right Occupy was a catalyst for political action and development.

In the latter half of Obamas first term, a new faction within the Republican Party began to pick up steam. The Tea Party was, on its face, a populist, fiscal libertarian movement against the perceived socialism of the Obama administration. In point of fact, however, the activism of the Tea Party was less populist and more of a corporate front for lower taxes and fewer regulations on the oil industry.

This movement culminated in Ron Pauls failed 2012 bid for the presidency. It is important to note that while the goals of the movement were largely a corporate sham, the anger of the movements marchers was real. That anger was something that would come to be molded into a weapon of hatred by Donald Trump in 2015 and 2016.

This is where we need to backtrack and take a look at the American far right. In his audiobook The War on Everyone, Robert Evans outlines the evolution of the American far right from George Lincoln Rockwell to Donald Trump. Prior to 2016, the high point for American fascists was in the early to mid 1990s, when American conservatism was gripped with an intense anxiety and loss of direction after the Cold War.

Following Ruby Ridge and the siege of Waco, Texas, Timothy McVeigh bombed the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring more than 680. This act of terror, meant to inspire a right wing uprising against the federal government, largely ended what mainstream appeal the far right had.

In the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, the threat posed by the fascism of our current day could hardly be clearer. Ever since the Unite the Right rally in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, I have dedicated a sizable chunk of my free time to studying fascisms past and present and analyzing the best ways to defeat it.

A common through line in the study of fascism is the part that liberals and conservatives play in its rise. The part conservatism plays in the rise of fascism is plain enough the concept of socialism or even modest social democratic reforms scares them and their wealthy backers, and they fool themselves into believing that the fascists are the lesser evil.

The part played by liberals and liberalism is a bit more obscure, partially because American political terminology is so vastly different from the rest of the world. Liberals are, for the most part, socially permissive if not progressive and believe in free market capitalism with moderate restraints.

One of the core principles of liberalism is that of free speech, and in many cases, a near absolutist approach to freedom of speech. While in theory freedom of speech is great, when confronted with the challenge of fascism, that very virtue is used as a bludgeon by the fascist. By tolerating intolerance one perpetuates it.

Another key component to the rise of fascism is a growing leftist movement which causes the middle class to feel threatened. The majority of people who stormed the Capitol were undoubtedly middle class. We know this because they were there, from all over the country, on a Wednesday, in the middle of an economic crisis. These people were by and large economically comfortable. The middle class in America is made up of two primary groups: the small business owner and the educated professional. In the language of Marxists, these are the petty bourgeoisie and the labor aristocracy, respectively.

This is not to say that fascism does not find support amongst the white working class, simply that the core of fascist support is drawn from the middle class. The Nazi Party billed itself as the party of the middle class, staunch opponents of the left and big business. While big business was at first hesitant to support Hitler and the Nazi Party, preferring less radical nationalist parties, they eventually saw which way the wind was blowing and sided with the Nazis.

If American fascism is to outlive the Trump presidency, then it will adopt what is known as the Third Position. The Third Position blends the bigotry of fascism with the economic populism of socialism to form a grotesque chimera of an ideology that poses a serious danger to us all.

The fascist gang of Proud Boys has already begun to call for an embrace of the Third Position. As the caustic effects of neoliberalism further degrade our society, economic populism will only grow increasingly appealing to those left behind in an ever globalizing economy. Some will find socialism, but the results will be biased in favor of the Third Position.

Decades of anti-communist propaganda has brainwashed generations of Americans into believing that anyone left of liberal is an agent of the devil working to destroy the country. Most people born before the 90s have been culturally conditioned to outright reject socialism, and of that group, a number of them will simply accept the bigotry of the Third Position as the price of admission.

In order to defeat fascism, we must all work together to build a culture of anti-fascism. From a very young age, all Americans learn that the Nazis are the bad guys, and this simple fact is perhaps the greatest advantage that anti-fascists have in the struggle.

When David Duke ran for Senate and Governor in Louisiana in the early 90s, one of the most damaging things to his campaign was not that he had been the leader of the KKK the Klan was seen as a part of the Southern political tradition. Instead, the piece of Dukes past that harmed him the most was a photo of him wearing an SS uniform in college.

Likewise at Charlottesville, the flying of Nazi flags and chanting of Nazi slogans shattered any mainstream support the fascists had. Since 2017, the fascists seem to have somewhat learned to keep the swastikas at home. The attack on the capitol featured a noticeable absence of Swastika flags, although plenty of other Neo-Nazi imagery was proudly displayed. This adaptation to the broadly anti-Nazi cluture that already exists in America poses a challenge for anti-fascists as new symbols take the place of the swastika.

Fascism draws its name from the fasces, a bundle of sticks with an axe head. Alone, fascists are weak and pathetic, relying on race or ethnicity to define themselves rather than actual personality traits. When put together, they pose a grave danger to any who do not conform to their hateful ideology.

The American Left must go on the offensive. Allowing the right to fight amongst themselves may provide some smug sense of satisfaction, but the winner of this conflict will consolidate the party and be stronger for it if left to their own devices. When liberals and progressives fight amongst themselves, much of that fighting is encouraged and stoked by the right wing media, thus dividing the Democratic Party.

This divide and conquer strategy is crucial to Republican success. There are 12 million more registered Democrats than registered Republicans. When coupled with nearly half of all independents leaning towards the Democrats. The balance of power is roughly 48% Democrats or Democrat leaning, with only 39% Republican or Republican leaning. As the smaller of the two parties, the only way that the Republican Party can achieve power is through a divided Democratic Party.

I acknowledge that the term antifa is optically poisoned. Part of that is because it obfuscates the fa, fascism, this is why I much prefer the term Anti-Fascist, or Anti-Fascist activist. The opposition to Antifa'' comes out of the destruction of property that can happen during black bloc actions. The combination of being in a crowd of people, the majority of whom would describe themselves as anti-capitalist as well as anti-fascist, and the anonimity black bloc tactics provide can lead to participants becoming excited and damaging property.

While protecting ones identity is important, I believe that black bloc tactics ultimately do more harm to the cause of anti-fascism than good. When a group of leftists get into a street fight with a group of fascists, if the leftists are dressed in all black then the corporate media has a far easier time labeling the story as a simple partisan street brawl without analyzing the nuance of the anti-fascist position. If, however, you have a bunch of normal people defending themselves against a group of fascists, the narrative practically writes itself.

With Trump reportedly considering the formation of a third party, Leftists and Democrats should seize the opportunity to widen the gulf between the main-line Republicans and the more fascistic elements of the party. With a Patriot party splitting the vote the Democrats could seize a commanding majority in the House and the Senate to push forward an agenda that works for the many and not the few.

When campaigning, Democratic candidates should highlight the ideological distance between main-line Republicans and the Patriots. Anything that can be done to stoke resentment between these two factions will help splinter the American right and allow Democrats to gain a healthier majority in both houses of Congress.

Nick Finan is a junior political science major. Reach him at nickfinan@dailynebraskan.com

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FINAN: Democrats must work together to break right wing factions apart - Daily Nebraskan

Anti-vaccine groups are exploiting the suffering and death of people who happen to fall ill after receiving a COVID-19 shot, threatening to undermine the largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history.

In some cases, anti-vaccine activists are fabricating stories of deaths that never occurred.

This is exactly what anti-vaccine groups do, said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious diseases specialist and author of Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-Science.

Anti-vaccine groups have falsely claimed for decades that childhood vaccines cause autism, weaving fantastic conspiracy theories involving government, Big Business and the media.

Now, the same groups are blaming patients coincidental medical problems on COVID-19 shots, even when its clear that age or underlying health conditions are to blame, Hotez said. They will sensationalize anything that happens after someone gets a vaccine and attribute it to the vaccine, Hotez said.

As more seniors receive their first COVID-19 shots, many will inevitably suffer from unrelated heart attacks, strokes and other serious medical problems not because of the vaccine but, rather, their age and declining health, said epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

For example, in a group of 10 million people about the number of Americans who have been vaccinated so far nearly 800 people ages 55 to 64 typically die of heart attacks or coronary disease in one week, Osterholm said. Public health officials are not ready for the onslaught of news and social media stories to come, he cautioned.

The media will write a story that John Doe got his vaccine at 8 a.m. and at 4 p.m. he had a heart attack, Osterholm said on his weekly podcast. They will make assumptions that its cause and effect.

Public health officials need to do a better job communicating the risks real and imagined from vaccines, said Osterholm, who has been advising President Joe Biden on the pandemic since his election.

You get one chance to make a first impression, Osterholm said. Even if we come back later and say, No, [the deaths] had nothing to do with vaccination, it was coronary artery disease, the damage has already been done.

Anti-vaccine groups such as the National Vaccine Information Center and Childrens Health Defense, founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are already inflaming fears about a handful of deaths mostly in Europe that have followed the worldwide rollout of immunizations.

In a blog post, Kennedy scoffed at autopsy results that concluded a Portuguese womans death was unrelated to a vaccine. He cast doubt on statements by medical authorities in Denmark who said the deaths of two people there after vaccination were due to old age and chronic lung disease. In an interview, Kennedy said the post-vaccination deaths of some very frail and terminally ill nursing home patients in Norway are a danger sign. Norwegian officials have said the elderly patients died of their underlying illnesses, not from the vaccine.

Coincidence is turning out to be quite lethal to COVID vaccine recipients, Kennedy wrote. Kennedy described the deaths as suspicious, accusing medical officials of following an all-too-familiar vaccine propaganda playbook and strategic chicanery.

Here in the U.S., vaccine opponents have pounced on the tragedy of Dr. Gregory Michael, a 56-year-old Florida obstetrician-gynecologist, to sow doubts about vaccine safety and government oversight. Michael died Jan. 5 after suffering a catastrophic drop in platelets elements in the blood that control bleeding suggesting he may have developed immune thrombocytopenia..

According to a Facebook post by his wife, Heidi Neckelmann, doctors tried a variety of treatments to save her husband, but none worked.

A spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the agency is investigating Michaels death, as it does for all suspected vaccine-related health problems. California authorities have recommended pausing vaccinations with a particular batch of COVID-19 vaccines made by Moderna because of a high rate of allergic reactions.

Were going to see these events happen, and we have to follow up on every one of these cases, Osterholm said. I dont want people to think that were sweeping them under the rug.

Many Americans were already nervous about COVID-19 vaccines, with 27% saying they probably or definitely would not get a shot, even if the shots were free and deemed safe by scientists, according to a December survey by KFF. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.)

These people may be particularly susceptible to vaccine misinformation, said Rory Smith, an investigator at First Draft News, a nonprofit that reports on misinformation online.

Seven experts in blood disorders interviewed by KHN said theres not enough information available to blame Michaels decline on a vaccine and that the demonstrated benefits of COVID-19 vaccinations vastly outweigh any potential risk of bleeding. Even if investigators conclude that Michaels vaccine caused his death, it would still be an incredibly rare event, given that more than 21.8 million doses have been administered.

It shouldnt give anyone pause about whether the vaccine is safe or not, said Dr. James Zehnder, a hematologist and director of clinical pathology at Stanford Medicine.

Michaels bleeding disorder could have been developing silently for some time, said Dr. Adam Cuker, director of the Penn Blood Disorders Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. It could be a coincidence that Michael started showing symptoms shortly after vaccination, he said. About 30 Americans are diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia every day.

The timing of Michaels illness suggests it had another cause, doctors said. According to his wifes Facebook post, his bleeding problems began three days after his first COVID-19 shot. It takes the body 10 to 14 days after vaccination to generate antibodies, which would be needed to cause immune thrombocytopenia, said Dr. Cindy Neunert, a pediatric hematologist at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.

In most cases, the cause of thrombocytopenia is never known, said Dr. Deepak Bhatt, executive director of interventional cardiovascular programs at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.

Immune thrombocytopenia is linked, rarely, to certain vaccines, with about 26 cases for every 1 million doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.

But it can also be caused by viruses themselves, including measles and the novel coronavirus, said Dr. Sven Olson, an assistant professor of hematology-medical oncology at Oregon Health & Science Universitys school of medicine.

Many patients with immune thrombocytopenia are now wondering if they should be vaccinated against COVID-19, Cuker said. Cuker said he urges nervous patients to be vaccinated, noting that any problems could be managed by closely monitoring their platelet levels and adjusting medication if needed.

Even in patients with underlying bleeding conditions, its still safer to get vaccinated than to get COVID-19, Zehnder said.

If you give a vaccine to a large enough number of people, there are going to be rare adverse events but there are also going to be coincidental events unrelated to the vaccine, Cuker said. If an anti-vaccine group uses a single case, where no link has been proven, to discourage people from vaccination, thats terrible.

Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, said her site provides balanced information from reputable news sources, including CNN, CBS and the Miami Herald, as well as Pfizer and the CDC.

In an interview with KHN, Kennedy said he questions why government officials have been so quick to dismiss connections between vaccinations and deaths. How in the world do they know if its a vaccine injury or not? he asked.

We dont discourage anybody from getting vaccinated, Kennedy said. All were doing is conveying the data, which is what the government should be doing. We print the truth, which is what the medical agencies ought to do.

Opponents of vaccination have belittled concerns about the novel coronavirus for months, opposing masks and fighting stay-at-home orders and contact tracing, said Richard Carpiano, a professor of public policy and sociology at the University of California-Riverside.

They have come out against every public health measure to control the pandemic, Carpiano said. They have said public health is public enemy No. 1.

Recently, anti-vaccine activists have been so eager to discredit immunizations that they have blamed COVID-19 for the deaths of people who are very much alive.

Social media users selectively edited a video of a Tennessee nurse, Tiffany Dover to make it appear as if she dropped dead after being vaccinated, when in fact she simply fainted, said Dorit Reiss, a professor at the UC Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. Although Dover quickly recovered, social media users posted a fake death certificate and obituary. Anti-vaccine activists also harassed Dover and her family online, said Reiss, who chronicled Dovers ordeal in a blog post.

Anti-vaccine activists are adept at manipulating video, Smith said.

They are notorious for using videos and images purportedly showing the adverse effects of vaccines, such as autism in children and seizures in other vaccine recipients, Smith said. The more emotive and graphic the videos and images irrespective of whether its actually linked at all to vaccines or not the better.

In December, multiple Facebook posts falsely claimed that an Alabama nurse died after receiving one of the states first COVID-19 vaccines. One Twitter user went so far as to identify the nurse as Jennifer McClung, who worked at Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama. In fact, McClung died of COVID-19. Social media posts spread so widely that Alabama health department officials contacted every hospital in the state to confirm that no vaccinated staff member had died.

Anti-vaccine groups often build fables around a tiny, tiny grain of truth, Smith said. This is why misinformation, specifically vaccine misinformation, can be so convincing. But this information is almost always taken completely out of context, creating claims that are either misleading or outright false.

The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity twisted a news story about the deaths of 24 people at an upstate New York nursing home, incorrectly blaming their deaths on COVID-19 vaccinations. The original article noted, however, that a COVID-19 outbreak at the nursing home began in late December, before residents received any vaccines. Covid vaccines, which require two doses for full protection, did not arrive in time to save the residents lives.

Kennedy repeated the misinformation again incorrectly blaming the residents deaths on vaccines in his blog, although he linked to a local news station that reported the information correctly.

Distorting facts to discourage vaccination, Cuker said, is very irresponsible and damaging to public health.

(Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)

2021 Kaiser Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Anti-vaccine activists peddle theories that COVID-19 shots are deadly, undermining vaccination - The Bakersfield Californian

The competition has been fierce, and the competitors have spent months running neck and neck. But in the end, either Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) or Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Ky.) will do the most damage to their reputation in 2020.

To be sure, the Kentucky Republican took the early lead in the race. In early March, as the nation started coming to grips with the coronavirus crisis, Congress approved a modest $8.3 billion emergency bill to respond to the public-health emergency. The bipartisan measure passed the Senate 96 to 1 -- and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the lone opponent.

But like any true competitor, the Wisconsin Republican fought back, making clear that Paul wasn't the only one who could look foolish. Indeed, later in March, Johnson blasted pandemic mitigation efforts as an "overreaction."

Back and forth they went. In May, Rand Paul publicly clashed with Dr. Anthony Fauci for no reason while insisting that New York is in New England. The same month, Ron Johnson suggested independent inspectors general should be subservient to Donald Trump.

Over the summer, after Rand Paul held up a bipartisan anti-lynching bill, Ron Johnson went after Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a decorated American war hero. The Kentuckian used his office to question epidemiological expertise, while the Wisconsinite used his office to chase anti-Biden conspiracy theories before Election Day.

But once the fall arrived, the self-defeating competition to destroy their reputation reached an entirely new level.

Rand Paul pretended Joe Biden didn't really win the 2020 presidential win, as Ron Johnson held a Senate hearing to blast "bureaucrats" for not making hydroxychloroquine more available. When Johnson held a separate hearing to undermine public confidence in the election results, Paul went further than most, telling the public that the 2020 election "in many ways was stolen."

Ron Johnson appeared to be inching ahead with a second hearing indulging his anti-science impulses, but Rand Paul fought back, taking a stand against a bill to protect judges from attackers. Johnson tried to take the lead by blocking a bipartisan measure on increased direct aid during the pandemic, but Paul stayed in the fight, denouncing increased voting in Georgia.

Last night, only six senators rejected a bipartisan compromise on economic relief and government funding, but since Johnson and Paul were both part of the sextet, neither could claim an advantage.

But shortly before the vote, the Kentucky Republican shared a few thoughts with a CNN reporter about the COVID-19 crisis.

"It's this political correctness of submission, submission, submission. Everybody's got to submit, going to walk around like a drone and wear a mask, and yet there's no real evidence of this working."

In reality, of course, the CDC has pointed to plenty of evidence that masks reduce the spread of the virus. What's more, mitigation efforts during a pandemic are not "political correctness," and it's profoundly foolish -- and potentially dangerous -- to argue otherwise.

There are only nine days remaining in the year. The ball's in your court, Ron Johnson.

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Rand Paul, Ron Johnson, and the race to the 2020 bottom - MSNBC

Of all the strange bedfellows this political season has wrought, there are perhaps none so strange as Representative Ilhan Omar of The Squad and Senator Rand Paul, son of libertarian godfather Ron Paul. The two were united for one brief, bizarre moment this week in their criticism of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other lawmakers for jumping the vaccine line to get the inoculation on camera.

The criticism came directly after a chorus of outcry following Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, Vice President Mike Pence, and other Republican leaders choice to also get vaccinated publicly ahead of the line a choice that seemed especially galling considering their months of Trumpian Covid denialism.

The argument that lawmakers should not be able to put themselves ahead of healthcare workers, nursing home residents, the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, and other essential workers is indeed compelling. But I would argue that these politicians using their influence to bolster trust in the vaccine does more to save lives than if they had waited until it was their turn with the rest of their cohort. And this goes for Republicans as well as Democrats.

Even while the pandemic continues to ravage through communities, public trust in the Covid-19 vaccine is low, especially among certain demographics. Overall, only 60 percent of Americans said they would definitely or probably get the vaccine, according to a recent Pew Research study, while the other 40 percent said they would probably or definitely not get the vaccine. But these statistics are not evenly represented among the populace.

Fewer than half of Black Americans said they would definitely or probably get the vaccine, even though Black people have been hospitalized or died due to the pandemic at greatly disproportionate rates. But Black communities have good reason to distrust the medical establishment, which has a long history of racism and dehumanization which continues to this day. Ocasio-Cortez, who represents a diverse district in New York City and wields tremendous influence with Democrats across the country, has the power to strengthen faith in the vaccine by volunteering to go first. When Ocasio-Cortez livestreamed her vaccination on her Instagram she said, Just like wearing a mask, I'd never advise you to do something I wasn't willing to do myself.

On Twitter, Rep. Omar stated, We are not more important than frontline workers, teachers etc. who are making sacrifices everyday. Which is why I wont take it. People who need it most should get it. Senator Paul took a direct shot at Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in his own tweet, in which he stated it would be inappropriate for him to receive the vaccine ahead of frontline healthcare workers or others who needed it, since he had already had the virus. Same goes for AOC or any young healthy person. They should be among last, not first, he added.

The Congresswoman replied: Gee, maybe if the GOP hadnt spent so much time undermining public faith in science, masks, and COVID itself, I wouldnt have to weigh the potential misinformation consequences of what would happen if leaders urged people to take a new vaccine that we werent taking ourselves!

Frankly, this is where I am in this debate.

According to the aforementioned Pew survey, over 60 percent of people who say they are likely to get the vaccine still do not want to get the vaccine first. This sentiment is part of the reason public inoculations are so powerful. For the skeptical, watching their legislator get the shot first may not Im more important than you as much as it says I volunteer to be the guinea pig.

It should also not be forgotten that among the vaccine-skeptical are those who should be first in line, including older Americans and even healthcare workers. Its possible that by putting themselves ahead, Ocasio-Cortez and Ernst will encourage more of these people to get the vaccine than otherwise would be comfortable doing so.

Another demographic disproportionately likely to mistrust the coronavirus vaccine is conservatives, who have been taught to minimize and dismiss the dangers of the pandemic by a Republican establishment that, yes, includes Ernst herself. Compounding this, an alarming number of conservatives believe at least in part in the many conspiracy theories swirling around the internet, among them a belief that the vaccine will implant a microchip in their bodies masterminded by Bill Gates. These communities are unlikely to be swayed by Ocasio-Cortez, but they could be moved by Ernst and other Republican leaders they respect.

Ernst got immediate backlash when she tweeted that she received the first dose of the vaccine in Iowa. Considering how much she has done over the past year to undermine faith in science and medicine, such a tweet feels to many like a punch in the jaw. But she also tweeted: I encourage all Iowans and Americans to do the same when their time comes. Thanks to Operation Warp Speed and the tireless work of Americans across the country, we are one step closer to defeating this virus.

Including the word first in her tweet was certainly not an accident. Ernst was clearly saying what Ocasio-Cortez did, in her own way. At the very least she demonstrated that she would not encourage her constituents to take an action that she was not willing to take herself. The anti-authoritarian, anti-science, anti-medicine sentiment runs deep in todays GOP, so it is useful for prominent members of the right wing to set an example. Indeed, if it were only lawmakers on the left getting the vaccine and not those on the right, it would only fortify belief in some vast conspiracy on the part of the Democratic establishment. What would it say to the MAGA faithful, who earnestly believes the Democrats are out to control them by nefarious means, if Joe Biden got the vaccine but Mike Pence did not? If AOC, in seeking to reassure her constituents, got the vaccine but Ernst, continuing her dangerously anti-science line, did not?

We need everyone, on both sides of the aisle, to get vaccinated if it is medically possible for them to do so in order to live in a world safe from Covid. If Ernst is willing to take steps to encourage faith in the vaccine, to undo some of the damage she herself has caused, then I heartily approve.

Perhaps this is too kind a reading of Ernsts tweet, and maybe she was acting out of self-interest and self-importance. But her motivations matter less at this point than her influence does.

Either way, this is a net good.

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Why Im glad AOC and Mike Pence skipped ahead in the vaccine line - The Independent

Former US presidential candidate and libertarian icon Ron Paul was censored by YouTube on Tuesday and threatened with even more sanctions on his account in the case of further violations.

Paul announced on Twitter that the Big Tech company had pulled an episode of the Ron Paul Liberty Report and issued a warning that any more violations will result in a temporary ban to put up more programs.

The episode was a news report on a Trump rally, Paul explained, calling the move very disturbing and blatant censorship.

The removed episode, which was published in November, was titled, Fire Fauci! Trump Rally Explodes Over Coronavirus Doom and Gloomer, a reference to White House Coronavirus Task Force member Dr. Anthony Fauci, and was accused by YouTube of spreading medical misinformation.

Your content was removed due to a violation of our Community Guidelines, YouTube declared, before informing Paul, You're only warned once and this warning will remain on your channel. The platform added that further sanctions against Paul could include a ban on him being able to upload new videos.

Though the full episode is now removed from YouTube, a teaser remains on Twitter.

YouTube which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet Inc. revealed earlier that it was banning videos which contain misinformation about Covid-19 spread, treatment and vaccines, as well as content that disputes health authorities' guidance on self-isolation or social distancing.

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You're only warned once: Ron Paul gets YouTube caution as an episode of his show censored for misinformation - RT

Disgrace

President Trump is a disgrace to himself and to our country.

When someone demands allegiance to himself, it sounds like he wants to be a dictator, or emperor.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands.. President Trump demands allegiance to himself from all Republicans.

It seems our president would like to be like his two Bromance Buddies Putin and Un, who he has stated they love each other. What a bunch of bull. If anything, they may have advised him in how to take over total control of our country.

I respect the office of the President, but I do not believe Trump has any respect for himself or for our country. He is fully self-serving, in my opinion. Why else would he state he has the right to pardon himself? Obviously, he has done something that needs a pardon.

He has derided anyone who will not blindly follow him. He called our military veterans, many who have given their lives for this country and its citizens, LOSERS, SUCKERS!.

Completely disgraceful.

The Republican party is his now his lap dog, doing what he tells them to do, and if not, he threatens them with a TWEET. How truly weak and self-absorbed. Way more than we can comprehend, I am afraid.

Thank goodness his reign is almost over. He is pulling our country and the Republican party down to depths we may not be able to overcome.

Hugh Massie, Boise

Our Governor, and elected representatives, made an egregious mistake by filing in the U.S. Supreme Court, a Brief supporting the State of Texas to attack other States election processes, despite the vehement strong objection of their own Attorney, Lawrence Wasden the Idaho Attorney General. As the Idaho Attorney notified the Governor and the representatives, the State of Idaho is a sovereign state within the conglomeration named the United States of America. As a sovereign state, we as Idahoans have preserved and protected our States rights, such as our water in the State of Idaho. For many decades, California and Arizona and Las Vegas have set their sights on diverting Snake River water to supplement the Colorado River, which has been drying up for many years. If the U.S. Supreme Court had agreed with our elected officials in permitting the Trump lawsuit to proceed attacking other States, I would estimate that within months or years the States of California, Arizona and Nevada would have filed a counter lawsuit against the State of Idaho to divert Snake River water to the southwestern states to quench their never ending thirst. Basically, the southwestern states would have argued: Idaho, if the U.S. Supreme Court now says that you can meddle into the sovereign state affairs of Pennsylvania and other states, then we are going to meddle into your state affairs with Snake River water. Thank God the U.S. Supreme Court told the State of Texas and Idahos Governor and Idahos elected officials that they were flat wrong, because if the U.S. Supreme Court decided otherwise, get ready for the draining of the water from the Snake River with a viaduct headed to the Colorado River reservoirs near Las Vegas.

John Schroeder, Boise

Recent articles about Covid-19 suggest contacting the CDC for further information. Why?

President Kennedys nephew, Robert Kennedy, Jr., of Childrens Health Defense, calls the CDC a cesspool of corruption, and a snake pit of Big Pharma lies.

After CDC whistleblower Dr. William Thompson gave Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL) mountains of documentation about vaccine research fraud at the CDC, Posey pleaded, unsuccessfully, with Congress to open an investigation into CDC corruption.

Kennedy says Congress--as well as state legislatures--is bought by Big Pharma.

He is warning about todays coup detat by...this global public health cartel. See childrenshealthdefense.org.

In an open letter to Pres. Trump (available online), Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano warns of the pandering by religious leaders and heads of nations to this suicide of the West, to this health dictatorship: (T)he fundamental rights of citizens and believers are denied in the name of a health emergency that is revealing itself...as instrumental to the establishment of an inhuman faceless tyranny.

Some Covid-19 vaccines being developed are, like many other diabolical vaccines, produced with aborted fetal cell lines, exposing vaccination recipients to aborted fetal DNA. See Children of God for Life, cogforlife.org.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alitos recent comments before the Federalist Society warned that pandemic restrictions are threatening individual liberty, including religious liberty.

In a weekly update last month from Ron Paul Liberty Report, On Coronavirus, We Must Not Allow Politics to Dictate Science, former Congressman Ron Paul--a physician--mentioned the recent publication of two studies which challenge what the media has established as conventional wisdom about (Covid-19).

The first study found that wearing masks did little if anything to control the spread of the virus. The second found asymptomatic persons who have tested positive for Covid-19 do not pass on the infection to others.

Violet Fuller, Mackay

Im confused by Wayne Hoffmans justification for taking a PPP loan for the Idaho Freedom Foundation. The SBA website states, The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.

Wayne stated that Taking out a loan was the only course of action to protect my organization and its employees in uncertain times. What he did not tell us is how IFF is impacted by COVID-19 to justify the loan. I am on the board of a non-profit that relies heavily on admission revenue for its budget. Obviously, it is very much impacted by lockdown restrictions, so it clearly needed a PPP loan. I cannot see how IFF has a similar situation. Without more information it looks like the IFF saw an opportunity for a handout and took it knowing full well that even though it is a loan the IFF will almost certainly not have to pay it back.

This episode got me to thinking why should I listen to what Wayne Hoffman is saying anyway? I figured he must be former elected official or a high-level manager of government agency or successful businessperson or something like that. So, to find out I went to LinkedIn to check out his resume. I was surprised to find that there is no evidence that he has ever been in a position where he led a team during tough times or had to make tough decisions. He looks more like the guy sitting in the bleachers throwing bombs on the field. Hardly worth paying any attention to.

Steven Simpson, Boise

Two millennia and some years ago, a babe was borne in Bethlehem, and laid in a manger. The Almighty gave unto us a great gift of hope and love. In due time, those gifts laid a path before us that allowed curiosity and dreams to enlighten the world. Ideas of every persuasion, scientific and social, brought us out of the darkness. None have been more blessed than we Americans.

The genesis of the world saving bottled brilliance, vaccines from Pfizer and others, harkens to that birth. And it will soon be delivered to each corner of this Union and far beyond. Its possibility rests upon the genius of a few, the dreams and hard work of many, and the shared curiosity of generations. This Christmas season all humanity once again has received a great and wonderful gift. Let us rejoice and be glad. Soon, the light will shine again and bells will ring from sea to shining sea. And as we rejoice, for the sake of future generations, let us rededicate ourselves to the founding principles of this Nation. The ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness equally shared and respected by every man, woman, and child remains an idea and beacon like no other. It can be our gift to one and all.

Dan Bridges, Boise

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Why is Governor Little requiring the Idaho education department to decrease their budget by $99 million when we have $600 million in the rainy- day fund? The result of this decision burdens Idaho teachers by not providing them with an increase in salary that they deserve. Our teacher heroes- working despite unprecedented stress- go to class every day risking their health and work extra hours to ensure the virtual portion of our childrens education is valuable. Once again -through the actions of our elected officials- our teachers are made to feel as though their careers and their families are less important than maintaining a huge state savings account.

Idaho is dead last in the country for student spending. Why are we not investing in Idahos future? This treatment of teachers discourages students from entering the teaching profession and creates an even greater shortage of teachers in the future. Governor Little wants to keep Idaho kids in Idaho after school. Well, this is not a winning strategy for that goal. Education funding is a high return investment: future higher tax dollars are the result of better educated Idaho kids who stay in Idaho.

Shelley Cooper, Boise

During the last governors election I cast my vote for Gov Little as I thought his experience and desire to help Idahos education system rise from the lowest ranks and his promise for fiscal responsibility would appeal to this voter. And while you have done well in some areas, after reading todays article in how you support the Texas lawsuit to overturn the vote in swing states, you Governor Little have lost my support. You have now joined others in chipping away at democracy and your non belief in the fairness of an election without evidence. Was it peer pressure? Did Donald threaten to withhold funds from your state? You have embarrassed yourself in the eyes of many. But maybe its the minority who refuse to wear masks, and your inability to get tough from a state level (for fear of repercussions) on the virus that are the constituents you truly are serving as they are sure to go along with your support of this frivolous lawsuit. So next time your flying over our state in your helicopter, know that below, you have let down and lost support of this Idahoan.

Bryan Gerecke, Eagle

Its encouraging to see at least one of our elected officials honoring their pledge to our constitution. Thank you A.G. Wasden for choosing integrity over expediency.

Bill Killen, Boise

I am a customer. Michael Forsberg and his addled notion of liberty do not speak for me. Wearing a mask is no more burdensome than wearing a shirt and shoes in the store. Keep up the good work.

Louisa Evers, Nampa

The 2020 presidential election is over. Donald Trump was defeated and Joe Biden is Americas president-elect.

Given this outcome, instead of calling for unity and a peaceful transition of power Trump and his rabid followers continue to dispute the results with little credible evidence to support their beliefs. Melissa Carone....really? While all Americans have the right of freedom of speech the manner many have chosen to express this right has been both divisive and hateful. This is the real threat to America, as no good can come on a foundation supported in this manner. We have to be better.

Unfortunately too, we are seeing similar displays of unrest and civil disobedience on the local front in Idaho. Given the right to air grievances in peaceful protest, many Idahoans instead have chosen to do otherwise. We have recently witnessed where numerous public gatherings seeking open testimony and civil discourse instead were met with aggressive confrontations and disruptions of public proceedings. Often groups with the names of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, Stop the Steal (Peoples Rights) and followers of Ammon Bundy were responsible for the abhorrent behavior displayed. Idahos own Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin has irresponsibly followed suite. Instead of working alongside Governor Little in one united front on issues she has chosen instead buck him at almost every turn. In obvious early campaigning to unseat Little as Governor in a few years her tactics are both reprehensible and in disdain. After finally ridding Idaho of its reputation as the home of Richard Butler and the Aryan Nations, we are now looking at being the state with an equally unfortunate legacy. Come on Idaho, we are better.

Dave Pisarski, Eagle

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Letters to the editor, Dec. 18, 2020 - Idaho Press-Tribune

By James Ketler*

Far from being a unitive force, powerful, centralized government only serves to pit blocs of the electorate against each other. Division grows in lockstep with the ceaseless expansion of federal power, and the 2020 presidential election was a mere symptom of how heated that division has become. How much worse can it get? That remains to be seen. After Joe Bidens contested presidential win, the country may have to break apart into multiple independent political units if it is to avert further social disintegration.

To win elections, candidates must pander to the lowest common political denominator; i.e., they must promise to expand wide-reaching projects like social security, public healthcare, economic stimulus, and the military. In fact, candidates are incentivized tooutpromiseone anotherand when in powerto follow through on carrying out at least some of those promises in the interest of reelection. The mass-democratic structure lubricates this process, as costs are distributed across the entire population and thus become more or less hidden.Thats led to a constant, creeping growth in government power, behind which Republicans and Democrats almost always form a united front. As Tom Woodssays: No matter whoyou vote for, you always wind up getting John McCain.Within that statist unity, however, exist the seeds of electoral division.

Old, widely accepted government programs are used by politicians as a springboard for new, more expansive powers. Consider, for instance, the Green New Deal; it could only have been seriously proposed because of the broad-based support the New Deal programs have today. Each new law, regulation, bureau, and program is like a brickon top of which many others can be laid. Government seldom abrogates any of its power, tending instead towards constantly expanding it. That raises the stakes higher and higher with each successive election, with the winning party taking office with more power than ever before.

Centrally, as vote seekers, candidates must always work to demonize the opposition and distance themselves from them. To safeguard their own interests, voters must factionalize behind one candidate or the other, often coming to develop a deep, politico-cultural affinity with their choice, though they may only be the lesser of two evils.This drives a sharp wedge down the center of the political spectrum, pushing both sides further and further apart. As competing ideologies vie for control of the system, smaller and more amicable politico-cultural disputes thus become the faultlines of national fractionation. Many nuanced opinions are pounded into the ground and replaced, instead, by the Republican-Democrat binary. These two sides look at politics with irreconcilable politico-cultural presuppositions, driving each sideas both fight for control of the same systemto hate the other.

Once one party seizes control of the federal apparatus, it tries to solidify support from independents and moderates, while also working to punish its political rivals. From the enlightened, liberal principles that originally drove its adoption in the West, democracy has melted and deformedas it was always inevitably bound tointo an arena of open-faced realpolitik. Both parties seek to win by any means necessary, and the losers must always accept the results of the electionthat is, have the will of the majority imposed upon them. Its a system that neither side can consistently accept and that bothfor the good of the peoplemust agree to reject.

Nearly eight in tenRepublican voters agree that this years presidential election was rigged against President Trump through the perpetration of widespread voter fraud. Bidens win was, as they see it, afait accomplipredetermined before the first vote was cast. The legitimacy of the past few elections have been widely contested, moreover, as with, for instance, the Democrats accusations of Russian interference in 2016. After years of investigations and hearings, at least, those accusations were proven false, but this time around, further inquiry into the Republicans claims of voter fraud have been blocked by the mainstream media and the Washington establishment. With just cause, therefore, Trump loyalists have grasped at every legal recourse they can find in hopes that something will stick. But the bid to overturn the election was, from its inception, a long shot. On January 20, the 74 million Americans who voted for Trump will be forced under the yoke of a Biden presidency, which will only serve to turn up the heat in the country even more.

Nevertheless, Joe Biden has continuously tried to position himself as a moral leader who will unite the nation. In his November 7victory address, he said, I will govern as an American president. Ill work as hard for those who didnt vote for me as those who did. Does anyone, though, actually believe that? Bidens politics have differed over the years, but its clear that his 2020 agenda is by far further to the left than that of any other president in American history. At his side is Kamala Harris, who was rated themost progressive senatorin all of Congress last year. How can anyone pretend to imagine that the next administration will be at all unifying? Better yet, how can anyone thinkanymodern presidency will bring America together? Since 2016, the Democratic Party has freely embraced the tenets of socialism and radical progressive politics, while the rise of Trump helped fuel the growth of a new America First nationalist populism in the Republican Party. In just the past four years, the two parties have aggressively shifted away from each other and towardtheir ideological fringes. Moving forward, that split will likely only widen further.

On the campaign trail, Biden identified himself as a transition candidate for a deeper, more radical leftism coming down the line. First, the likes of Kamala Harris will take the reins of the country; then, AOC and the Squad.The Constitution-bashing, history-flipping platform of these soon-to-be party leaders will only exacerbate left-right tensions even furtheras they deal thecoup de grceto Americas founding principles. On the conservative side,Trump insidershave already pointed to the possibility of the outgoing president staging acomeback campaignin2024. And if he doesnt run himself, itll be one of his children, or his closest allies in Congressperhaps Tom Cotton or Matt Gaetz. The Trump brand looks like its here to stay in the Republican Party, and, if it is, it will continue to focus on carrying out the MAGA agenda. In fact, after four years of Biden, the Trump camp may be more energized than ever before. As the national consciousness continues to fork apart all the more diametrically, friends and neighbors will becomein the affairs of state, at leastever more bitter enemies, and the dream of a united US will fall further out of reach.

With that in mind, we must ask: Why should America be a single country at all? The states have for years already been working tonullifyfederal legislation on guns, drugs, healthcare, immigration, the environment, and police militarization. Why hold the states together in a union whose diktats they each want to escape? That steady resistance is unlikely to do anything but grow. Last month, after one of Bidenstop covid policy advisorscalled for a national lockdown, more than a dozenRepublican governorsexpressed their refusal to comply. How much more will it take before states decide to just walk away entirely?

Secession would give states full sovereignty over their own affairs, so that voters could live under policies more friendly and suitable to their own local and regional interests. There would no longer be a system of national politics, through which voters control and domineer others hundreds of miles away. From the very earliest years of the republic, secession was considered a viablepossibility. The United States was not considered a single, monolithic blob, as it often is today, but rather a voluntary confederation of free and independent statesassociated for the preservation of the common good. If the political tides turned and the Union ceased to be beneficial to its constituent parts, each was free to leave it. In 1816, Thomas Jeffersonmade this clear: [I]f any state in the union will declare that it prefers separation.I have no hesitation in saying let us separate. I would rather the states should withdraw, which are for unlimited commerce & war, and confederate with those alone which are for peace & agriculture.

Though the public perception of secession has been radically altered since the Civil War, Americas founding principles respect the right of every state to leave the Union. At this point, thestatesreassertion of that right has been long overdue. Secession isnowthe only way for the millions of tired and fed-up Americans to protect their interests against federal tyranny. Without it, nothing else can prevent the eventual breakdown of the social order, which is looming in the countrys future.

Just this past summer, far-left looters clashed violently with right-wing groups and police in city streets across the nation from Portland to Kenosha. Some of the postelection Stop the Steal rallies have themselves led todangerous confrontations, including stabbings in Washington, DC, and a shooting in Washington State. Indeed, apoll from Septemberrevealed that around 20 percentof voters in general would eagerly support the use of violence against their political opponents. Although the pivotal spark may have not yet arrived, the scaffolding for potential civil disaster is already in place. When the last straw breaks, will America spiral into chaos and insurrection, or will cooler heads agree to peaceful separation?

The idea of secession is, thankfully, neither alien nor farfetched to voters. In fact, widespread calls for secession have already been made in response to recent presidential elections. After Obamas reelection, the White Houses We the People initiative wasinundatedby petitions from all fifty states to be granted the right of unilateral secession. When Trump was elected, Democrats inOregonandCaliforniaorganized seriousmass secessionist movements that almost led to both states holding referenda on the topic. With each new election, the politico-cultural divide in America grows deeper and a national breakup looks all the more alluring. The impending Biden presidency may be the drop that spills the bucket.

Apollfrom Hofstra University this past September found that 44 percentof Republican respondents were open to the possibility of seceding if Joe Biden was elected. For millions of Trump voters, self-determination is an essential component to preserving their families, finances, and ways of life. Even Rush Limbaughthe king of conservative talk radiorecentlyponderedwhether, without secession, right-wing ideals can ever truly win again. If some Republican-majority states managed to leave the Union, that might mean lower taxes, fewer regulations, the repeal of gun laws, a new gold standard, school choice, abortion bans, and a more free healthcare market across the board. As independent states, they may discover that Trumpian politics doesnt actually represent them after all and instead forge paths more in line with their own local traditions. At last, political diversity would be allowed to emerge and flourish in these smaller, decentralized states, keeping the government more homegrown and orienting politics more towardthe interests of the people.

Whats most promising is that a few recent murmurings of secession have actually come from GOP lawmakers. After the election, Price Wallace, a state congressman from Mississippi,expressed his interestin secession,followed byCongressman Randy Weber, who succeeded Ron Paul for Texass fourteenth congressional district seat. Webers secessionist endorsement helped generate attention for the Texas Nationalist Movement (or Texit), including a sudden spike in the groups membership registrations. Weeks later, Texas state congressman Kyle Biedermannannouncedthat when the Texas House resumes session in January, hell introduce a bill to allow a popular referendum on the question of secession. Seemingly in support of Biedermanns proposal, the chairman of the Texas Republican Party, Allen West, thencommented, Perhaps law-abiding states should bond together and form a union of states that will abide by the constitution.Evidently, state legislators are entertaining the notion, many with considerable interest.

America may be on the brink of a secessionist moment,and if it is, the time to dismount the surly tiger of big government is now. Like dominoes, the process need only begin with one single state and many more will surely follow. After everything, thats the only real solution left for Americashaking hands, splitting up, and staying friends from afar, for clearly the country has already split apart in heart, mind, and soul, and at lastthis internal reality must be reflected in the legal reality.

*About the author: James Ketler is a high school student living in Massachusetts with his brother, sister, and parents. He became interested in libertarianism in 2015after hearing about Rand Pauls presidential campaign and followed the rabbit hole straight down to Mises and Rothbard. When hes able to find the time, James loves to study and write about liberty, ethics, history, and economics.

Source: This article was published by the MISES Institute

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Red And Blue States: It's Time For A Multistate Solution - OpEd - Eurasia Review