Friday, September 30, 2022

Liberal Media Scream: Stephanopoulos slips, says Trump would beat Biden

 Liberal Media Scream: Stephanopoulos slips, says Trump would beat Biden

This week’s Liberal Media Scream shows just how reluctant the press are to tell the truth about how bad President Joe Biden’s polling is.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll was released on Sunday, and ABC’s George Stephanopoulos led This Week with some findings from it: Biden’s approval at 39%, most Democrats want a different candidate for 2024, Democrats “even” with Republicans in the midterm preference.

But it wasn’t until 44 minutes into his show that Stephanopoulos slipped that former President Donald Trump would beat Biden in a head-to-head election. It came as he picked up on panelist Chris Christie’s claim that Trump is losing support among Republicans. Stephanopoulos countered that “the polling right now is not really showing that. It’s showing, among Republican voters, he’s holding firm. Our poll shows him defeating Joe Biden in 2024.”

In fact, the poll put Trump at 48% to 46% for Biden, a finding that appeared in the 34th paragraph of a 35-paragraph story in the Washington Post.

George Stephanopoulos from Sunday’s This Week on ABC:

“Chris Christie says this is slowly moving away from Donald Trump. And I think I actually agree with him. But the polling right now is not really showing that. It’s showing, among Republican voters, he’s holding firm. Our poll shows him defeating Joe Biden in 2024.”

Brent Baker, vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center, explains our weekly pick: “After all the legal onslaughts and renewed media hostility against Donald Trump over the past few months, the fact his own poll found Trump would still beat President Biden must really gall Stephanopoulos. That could have been the lead item to highlight from the poll, not one to bury as an aside deep in the show without even citing the specific numbers.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/liberal-media-scream-stephanopoulos-slips-says-trump-would-beat-biden

CNN Slammed Into A Brick Wall Named Joe Rogan And Promptly Imploded

CNN Slammed Into A Brick Wall Named Joe Rogan And Promptly Imploded

The network has been in disarray since it waged war on the popular podcaster. In my opinion, the hit job on Rogan's use of ivermectin to treat his Covid diagnosis marked the last straw for CNN.

I started out 2022 by predicting that the mainstream media was in the midst of losing the fight of its life at the hands of popular podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan. I then discussed the topic and my reasoning for an hour on a podcast with independent journalist Ivory Hecker.

No media outlet has proven me right this year quite like CNN has.

Through honest and open dialogue, often in good faith and jest, Rogan has earned himself innumerably more viewers than almost all outlets in mainstream media on both sides of the aisle. He officially started putting the screws to the mainstream media, in my opinion, when he refused to settle for the “company line” on Covid, dutifully peddled by Dr. Anthony Fauci and various government regulators, and welcomed alternative points of view on treatments, lockdowns and how the world was handling the pandemic.

I wrote back in January that I thought it was the invitations Rogan extended to iconoclastic guests, like Dr. Robert Malone, M.D., that officially marked the beginning of the end the “official” Covid narratives going unquestioned. I predicted that Rogan’s willingness to have an alternative dialogue would force the mainstream media to eventually fall in line, and would throw a wet blanket over the “journalism” of parroting whatever “the science” dictated was objective truth that week.

Chicago won't cancel Halloween as Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveils rules for  the holiday
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot adhering to “the science” last Halloween.

“For 2022, I’m gonna make a bold prediction. The media, and maybe even politicians, are going to start to realize that the narratives that they have been pushing with regard to Covid, lockdowns, vaccinations and our economy are no longer being accepted at face value by their viewers,” I wrote in January.

I predicted:

The same capitalistic engine keeping Joe Rogan on the air is going to force the change in legacy media. While they may not correct themselves totally or do a full 180°turn, they will fall in line behind those breaking new ground in the space - content creators like Rogan - and they will start to commit more to reason and less to political narratives.”


Nine months later, CNN stands as a shell of its former self, with several personnel including Jeff Zucker, John Harwood and Brian Stelter either resigning or being cancelled, other anchors like Don Lemon being demoted, the company’s CNN+ streaming platform discarded as an abject $300 million failure, and the network desperately trying to adopt a business model that can cauterize the open wound of defecting viewers.

Or, as Sean Hannity put it:

Sean Hannity addresses CNN's Brian Stelter leaving the network | Fox News  Video

Lo and behold, The New York Post summed up the pivot (or as I called it, the ‘falling in line’), as follows:

“[Chris] Licht, who has been at the helm of CNN for a few months, has been given a mandate by his corporate bosses at Warner Bros. Discovery to steer the cable network away from opinion-based programming and more toward hard news.”

 https://quoththeraven.substack.com/p/cnn-slammed-into-a-brick-wall-named

DEMOCRATS MOVE TO CRIMINALIZE OPPOSITION

DEMOCRATS MOVE TO CRIMINALIZE OPPOSITION

BY JOHN HINDERAKER IN CRIMEDEMOCRATS

A hallmark of banana republics is that those who lose power are apt to wind up in prison, or on the wrong end of a firing squad. Even more advanced countries, like Israel, sometimes have a regrettable tendency to prosecute former political leaders.

It is hard to think of anything more destructive to a democracy, and yet the Democrats are going down that path. It seems clear that they intend to bring criminal charges against President Trump over his keeping some White House documents at Mar-a-Lago–a trivial offense, as far as anyone knows.

And that’s not all. The Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to a large number of people who were associated in some way with the Trump campaign or administration. They generally seek information about efforts to challenge the reported election results in several states. A copy of one of the subpoenas, with the name of the person who was served redacted, is linked below. Take a look at the scope of the documents the subject of the subpoena is required to produce:

594129794-Redacted-Subpoena

Nearly all of the documents relate to activities that are plainly lawful. Alleging or denying the existence of fraud in the 2020 election, offering evidence of such fraud or the absence of such fraud, planning to have someone serve as a Trump elector, arguing that the vice president has important constitutional powers in the context of certifying a presidential election, discussing strategies whereby Donald Trump might be found, legally, to have won the 2020 election–these are all legal activities that have long been engaged in by members of both parties.

There are also requests relating to the funding of efforts to contest the 2020 election and for the rally that occurred on January 6, 2021. These, too, were perfectly legal activities.

On top of those subject matter categories, there are requests for copies of all communications with around 100 persons, a few of whom are my friends. Others are current or recently retired Republican politicians. In addition to these documents, the subpoena’s recipients may be called for testimony.

The documents are to be presented to a D.C. grand jury that “is conducting an investigation of possible violations of federal criminal laws.” What violations are those? Almost all of the evidence called for by the subpoena relates to plainly legal post-elections activities. Are the Democrats trying to criminalize criticism of loose voting practices, or questioning the accuracy of official voting results (as long as a Democrat was declared the winner)? It certainly looks that way.

Then we have the case of Gavin Newsom, who has called for a Department of Justice investigation into Governor DeSantis’s shipment of 50 illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, which Newsom deems “illegal” for no particular reason. The real offense, no doubt, is punking the Democratic Party. Ironically, there unquestionably is illegality here: the illegality of 50 aliens crossing the border in violation of our immigration laws. But that actual illegality is not what Newsom is concerned with.

And then there is Texas Sheriff Javier Salazar, who announced that he is opening a criminal investigation into the transport of illegals to Martha’s Vineyard. The alleged crime? Who knows?

Salazar said it was not clear whether any laws had been broken, but he said that 48 migrants appeared to have been “lured under false pretenses” into staying at a hotel for a couple of days before they were flown to Florida and Martha’s Vineyard.
***
Salazar said his office’s organized crime investigators would handle the investigation.

So far, of course, no criminal investigations have been launched into Joe Biden’s shipping of illegal aliens to many points across the country, often in the dead of night, for the last year and a half.

More examples could be multiplied. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon likely will go to jail for contempt of Congress, the same offense that former Attorney General Eric Holder was held to have committed by a bipartisan 255–67 vote of the House of Representatives. But unlike Bannon, Holder was not prosecuted. He now makes millions as a partner in a prominent Washington, D.C. law firm.

Given the thorough corruption of the Department of Justice under Merrick Garland, there is a reasonable possibility that the Democrats will move to imprison both Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans. I suppose they think they are secure, because Republicans would never follow such a third-world precedent when they regain power. I don’t know about that. In any event, there is a more fundamental question: are the Democrats trying to trigger a civil war, as they did in 1861? Judging from their actions, I think the question must be taken seriously.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/09/democrats-move-to-criminalize-opposition.php

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Misery Index: Bidenflation Remains Sky-High, And Americans Aren't Fooled

Misery Index: Bidenflation Remains Sky-High, And Americans Aren't Fooled

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

In spite of Joe Biden’s continued delusional pronouncements that “the economy is just fine, man,” most Americans are feeling the detrimental effects of his economic policies with every purchase from the gas pump to the grocery store and beyond.

Each month since the 1970s, economists have used the newly released and updated Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) data to quantify the economic health of the country. To do so, they add the current U.S. unemployment rate, which is a semi-stagnant 3.7%, to August’s worse-than-expected rate of U.S. inflation, which is a harsh 8.26%. Originally coined by intellectual powerhouse and policy economist Arthur M. Okun in the 1970s as the “discomfort index,” the sum of these two rates is now known simply as the U.S. Misery Index.

The current U.S. Misery Index stands at a crippling 11.96%. 

So what exactly does the Misery Index tell us? First, we know that the higher the inflation rate is, the higher the cost of living is as well. Second, as the unemployment numbers rise, more and more people fall into poverty. The Misery Index acts as a kind of snapshot in time that measures the health of the economy as a whole.

Both unemployment and inflation significantly impact the average American wage earner’s spending power, so the Misery Index also gauges the negative impact Bidenflation has on the quality of American life. With inflation at still-record-high levels, it follows that as the Misery Index climbs, the quality of American life declines.

For Our VIP Members: Could the Red Wave Actually Be a Tsunami?

According to the most recent news release from the BLS, however, inflation hasn’t hit just one or two price sectors of the economy: “Increases in the shelter, food, and medical care indexes were the largest of many contributors to the broad-based monthly all items increase…[while] the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.6 percent in August, a larger increase than in July.”

In fact, “shelter, medical care, household furnishings and operations, new vehicles, motor vehicle insurance, and education”  increased across the board.

That’s the thing about inflation that Biden & Co. are either unwilling or incapable of admitting: because inflation is spread throughout the economy, it makes virtually everything more expensive. Americans living on the edge of poverty are now being flung head first into the abyss while the White House crassly gaslights a decrease in the cost of gasoline. Meanwhile, the administration conveniently fails to admit that its policies raised the price to begin with and that gasoline is still more than a dollar per gallon higher today than when Biden took office, meaning many Americans can’t afford to fill up at the pump in order to get to work, let alone the grocery store. Yes, the White House really thinks Americans are this stupid.

Maybe AAA didn’t get the memo when it reported Thursday that after 98 straight days of so-called Biden-induced decline, “the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline increased by a penny to $3.68” due to “fluctuating oil prices and tight supply due to planned and unplanned maintenance work at refineries on the West Coast and Midwest contribute to rising pump prices.”

Ruh Roh, there goes The Narrative™ of the Biden-induced gas decreases. Surely the stock market has to be faring better under Biden, right? Not so much.

The reality in America consists of rising gas prices, a tanking stock market, climbing mortgage rates, and a much weaker dollar. Whether they admit it or not, we’re already in a recession and are barreling headlong towards a depression that’s fueled by the failed economic policies of the Democratic Party. If this is what Build Back Better actually means, count me out, Jack.

Remember the good ol’ days of just a few short years ago? The economy was humming even as the pandemic took hold. Now Bideninflation remains in the stratosphere, and the feds are considering raising interest rates yet again. Americans are tightening their belts in uncomfortable ways while our borders are wide open, crime is rising, and our kids are suffering from countless draconian Democratic policies.

It seems pretty clear that both Biden and Bidenflation are disasters for the American family, no matter how they try to distract, gaslight, or deflect blame. November is coming, dear readers. Vote accordingly, and make sure your friends and family do as well.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/gwendolynsims/2022/09/23/misery-index-bidenflation-remains-sky-high-and-americans-arent-fooled-n1629309

Turbines in One Part of Norway Are Falling Apart Because of…the Wind

Turbines in One Part of Norway Are Falling Apart Because of…the Wind

(AP GRAPHIC)

As Wile E. Coyote used to say, “Well, back to the old drawing board.”

Norway is awash in oil and gas. But the Norwegian government prefers renewables, including wind power. However, for turbines to work, two things need to happen. One, the wind needs to blow. And two, the turbines need to work. At the Ånstadblåheia wind farm near Sortland, Norway, these two factors have combined to create a unique headache for the environmentally-minded.

The wind is blowing, so there’s that problem solved. But the farm’s turbines cannot handle it. Since 2020, at least seven parts of the turbines have fallen off during high winds. Life In Norway reports that the Norwegian Water Resources and Directive has given the farm until October 10 to fix the problem or shutter operations.

The site notes that there is a standard for turbine construction in Norway and that they must be able to handle harsh weather and, well, high wind. A power plant spokesman said that the wind and weather in the area create some of the toughest conditions to subject machinery to.

One of the favorite criticisms of wind power has been that the wind does not always blow. Well, that does not seem to be a problem in Sortland. Life in Norway notes that wind and ice have caused panels and covers to fall to the ground. If the wind is so strong that it’s blowing pieces off these things, exactly where is all this junk landing? Is it hitting cars? Hikers? Wildlife? Technicians are on the job as you read this, hoping to have the turbines operational and safe before the drop-dead date.

Related: Eagles vs. Greens: Golden Eagles Becoming Endangered Because of Wind Farms

In the United States, before a company can drill for resources, there are at least feasibility studies, environmental impact studies, and countless reviews. I would think that Norway would have something like that in place. Didn’t anyone at least do a study of the conditions in the area or the quality of the equipment before putting the things up? Or did they just say, “Green is good! Get those turbines up right now!”

Ironically, CNS News reported back in July that a wind turbine in Sweden collapsed, and people were urged to avoid it because it was leaking — wait for it — oil. Turns out, much to the surprise of environmentally conscious Swedes, oil is pretty darn important for making sure that the gearboxes of wind turbines function as they should. The article quoted Patricia Pitsel, Ph.D., Principal at Pitsel & Associates Ltd., who said the average wind farm needs around 12,000 gallons of oil.

Someone better call Wile E. Coyote to see if he has any old ACME parts lying around. Or maybe get some duct tape.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/lincolnbrown/2022/09/26/turbines-in-one-part-of-norway-are-falling-apart-because-ofthe-wind-n1632399