Michigan Appeals Court Backs Gov. Whitmer Over Actual Law On Emergency Powers

By William Teach August 23, 2020 – 8:35 am

How do you get authoritarian government? This is how

Michigan appeals court backs Whitmer’s use of emergency powers amid coronavirus pandemic

A Michigan appeals court on Friday ruled in favor of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, finding that her emergency declarations and orders in response to the coronavirus were legal.

Whitmer implemented strict lockdown measures during the crisis, and has since extended the state of emergency to keep gyms and movie theaters closed. Masks are required in many parts of the state.

Republicans in the state’s Legislature argued that she had overstepped her authority, and can unilaterally extend emergencies only if they are local, not statewide, under the 1945 Emergency Powers of the Governor Act (EPGA). They said a separate 1976 law means statewide emergencies need the Legislature’s approval after 28 days.

The appeals court, in a 2-1 decision, however, upheld a lower court’s ruling that the moves were within her power.

“A declared statewide emergency only ends upon the governor’s declaration that the emergency no longer exists. That has yet to occur in the instant case,” the ruling said.

The ruling stands squarely in opposition to the actual laws, and simply gives Whitmer the ability to just continue her repressive, semi-authoritarian decrees. When is the so-called emergency over? What terms and/or conditions end it? She hasn’t really said. Remember, initially the lockdowns were all about keeping the emergency rooms and hospitals from being overrun. Now it’s….what? Open ended till she unilaterally decides that the peasants can go back to their lives?

Republicans have promised to appeal, arguing the court got it wrong.

“The Court of Appeals ruled today that as long as it’s the opinion of a sitting governor that there’s an emergency, they can take over complete, unilateral control of the state for as long as he or she decides. No checks on power. No separation of power,” Speaker Lee Chatfield said. “This is unconstitutional.”

The legislature passes laws. The executive implements/enforces those laws. The judiciary rules whether those laws are constitutional. Now the judiciary is deciding to ignore the laws passed. Whitmer has signed 170 executive orders this year, after just 19 in 2019. Not all of them are about Coronavirus, but most are. Now, imagine this was Donald Trump ignoring the law and just issuing restrictive EOs. How would Democrats and their pet media respond? Heck, do you think freedom loving Republicans would be listening to him, or blasting him, similar to the way Republicans blasted George W. Bush when he attempted that “pathway to citizenship”, ie, amnesty, for illegal aliens? He’d lost my potential vote.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey also said this week that a group was trying to gather 340,000 signatures to repeal the 1945 law.

If they get the signatures, the Legislature can pass a bill to repeal it, and Whitmer is unable to veto. Shirkey said they currently have more than 200,000.

If Michigan can’t produce 300k signatures, they’re lost as a state.

Read: Michigan Appeals Court Backs Gov. Whitmer Over Actual Law On Emergency Powers »

Posted in Bat Soup Virus, Constitution, Democrats | 7 Comments | Trackback URL

Excitable AOC Uses Double Tropical System To Push Her Green New Deal

By William Teach August 22, 2020 – 6:37 pm

You remember the Green New Deal, right? It was the one which AOC’s chief of staff said wasn’t even about climate change

This would be the same GND that has been around since February 2019, and has not been voted on in the House. I can’t even find any discussion on it in committee. Nor has AOC demanded a vote on it. And, remember, she pitched a fit when it was voted on in the GOP controlled Senate, where every Democrat voted present, including the Senate sponsor, Ed Markey. Heck, she even forgot that Markey sponsored it, wondering why they were voting on HER bill introduced in the House. She also can’t explain how her GND would stop tropical systems. Unless forcing Everyone Else to take the train (you don’t think she takes the train, right? Nothing so plebeian for her, she surely flies first class).

Meanwhile, the Earth will soon be above 130F all the time

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Read: Excitable AOC Uses Double Tropical System To Push Her Green New Deal »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Democrats, Global Warming, Unhinged Tools | 11 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach August 22, 2020 – 1:00 pm

…is an evil fossil fueled vehicle, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Don Surber, with a post on why Democrats won’t discuss policy.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 11 Comments | Trackback URL

Hot Take: Putin Will Be On The Ballot This Fall

By William Teach August 22, 2020 – 10:30 am

Not only can Democrats not let the bad meme go, they are attempting to set the terms to Blamestorm if Trump wins, so they can caterwaul about Trump cheating for 4 more years

When you mark your ballot this year, Vladimir Putin will be on it

Vladimir Putin is on the ballot this November.

You won’t see his name or watch his ads. But make no mistake, Putin has a lot riding on this election and he’s counting on your vote.

What will a vote for Putin mean?

First, Putin is looking to reshape the world order in a way that benefits Moscow, builds his personal power and establishes him as the world’s toughest leader capable of outrageous cunning, manipulation and disruption.

A successful outcome — meaning President Donald Trump is reelected — means his Russia will be able to wantonly throw its weight around globally. He will assertively create unseen but ever-present fear and dependence in neighboring nations including Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic states and Georgia. Russia’s renewed and enhanced influence also will be felt in countries farther away and immediately affected by America’s acquiescence to Putin’s newfound power. Countries such as Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.

It was horrible how Trump allowed Putin to just walk into Crimea and take it over, eh? And how about when he ceded the Syrian conflict to be controlled by Russia by blowing off the red lines Trump set? Then there was that whole thing where the State Department sold U.S. ownership of uranium to Russia

Not so with Russia or Putin. The two parties diverge dramatically. Somehow, a party that was once the most vocal, moral and aggressively determined to counter Moscow has now embraced Putin and his posse. What happened?

Putin is on this year’s ballot, so think twice before marking mail-in ballots or donning masks to go pull a lever. The vote you cast counts in both Moscow and the world.

See, if you vote Trump, you vote Putin! Can someone explain what, exactly, Obama/Biden did to push back at Putin in their 8 years? Not much. Lots of words, little action. A guy like Putin respects strength, not cutesy speeches. Consider

Trump has placed more sanctions on Russia in 18 months than Obama did in eight years.

And 

Finally, Trump has taken decisive action to unleash an instrument of American power that Putin fears the most: U.S. energy. I’ll never forget a meeting I attended with Sen. John McCain and a prominent Russian dissident, who told us that the No. 1 thing the United States could do to undermine Putin was to “produce more American energy.”

There’s quite a bit more in that opinion piece by Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, worth the read. Let’s consider that while Obama was dithering, EU nations, especially eastern ones, were looking more and more towards Russia for fossil fuels, especially natural gas. Poland in particular, since Obama pissed them off early by refusing to help with missile defense. Dan ends his piece with “Facts are stubborn things, and when it comes to Russia and Vladimir Putin, actions speak louder than words.” But, don’t expect the Credentialed Media to let you know the facts.

Read: Hot Take: Putin Will Be On The Ballot This Fall »

Posted in Barking Moonbats, Elections | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

Handsy Joe Calls ‘Climate Change’ (scam) One Of America’s Four Major Crisis

By William Teach August 22, 2020 – 7:28 am

Joe is willing to force a shutdown of the economy if the “scientists” tell him to. Perhaps he could tell all his supporters to stop using fossil fuels and practice what they preach

Biden calls climate change one of America’s four major crises

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden listed climate change among the major crises facing America as he seeks to rally Democrats heading toward the November election.

“History has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America has ever faced. Four historic crises. All at the same time. A perfect storm,” Biden said when accepting the Democratic nomination late Thursday.

“The worst pandemic in over 100 years. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The most compelling call for racial justice since the ’60s. And the undeniable realities and accelerating threats of climate change.”

Biden’s comments at the Democratic National Convention come after environmental groups complained frequently throughout the primary that climate change was getting short shrift from campaigns. Many called for a standalone climate debate as the topic was overshadowed by discussion of health care and the economy.

But, most only care about anthropogenic climate change in theory, not practice. Notice that the Democrats who flamed out quickly from the primaries where those whose campaigns focused mostly on ‘climate change’, most namely Jay Inslee (a governor of a state with executive experience and not losing his mental faculties) and Tom Steyer. Mike Bloomberg was also big on this subject, as was John Hickenlooper (also a governor). Jay, much like Kamala Harris, didn’t even make it too the primaries, withdrawing prior due to such low ratings.

If ‘climate change’ was so important, why did Democrats not care enough to go with the people most “qualified” on the subject? Fortunately, Joe may actually practice what he preaches, namely, not using fossil fuels!

No campaigning, no using fossil fuels!

BTW, this sure seems to be more than just an offhand comment, and could be a continuation of Basement Joe till election day.

Read: Handsy Joe Calls ‘Climate Change’ (scam) One Of America’s Four Major Crisis »

Posted in Democrats, Global Warming, Joe Biden | 34 Comments | Trackback URL

All Hail Olympia, Washington, Which Stopped Sending Police To Every 911 Call

By William Teach August 22, 2020 – 7:13 am

You know, if you ask a lot of police officers, there are many situations in which they would rather not have to respond, because these situations wouldn’t normally be a good use of their time and training. But, they still go, because history has shown that things can go pear shaped quickly, hence why they respond in force for things such as a simple domestic dispute. This article, a collaboration between The Marshall Project and the Daily Beast, leaves out some rather significant, important information

From the link

On a rainy June day, the manager of a Motel 6 outside Olympia decided one guest had to leave. The woman had been smoking indoors and had an unauthorized visitor. She appeared to be on drugs and was acting erratically.

Normally, that manager might call 911, which would bring police officers to the scene. If the guest refused to leave, the cops might handcuff and arrest her for trespassing. They could find an open warrant on her record or drugs in her room. The interaction could easily escalate into violence, especially if the woman grew angry over facing jail time or another night on the streets. It’s the kind of low-level, “quality of life” call that takes up much of an officer’s day.

But over a year ago, Olympia started taking a different approach to nonviolent incidents caused by someone experiencing mental illness, addiction, or homelessness. Instead of sending armed officers to respond, the city dispatches “crisis responders” to diffuse the situation and connect the individual with services—a model now being considered by a growing number of cities across the U.S.

That day, instead of a police officer, the woman had two “crisis responders” knocking on her door, carrying only a radio and a backpack of clean clothes.

And, perhaps that works 9 out of 10 times. What happens on the 10th when they show up and the person is drugged out and goes on a rampage and stabs the social workers?

As protestors call for abolishing or vastly reducing police presence in communities, sparked by the killing of George Floyd, creating an alternative crisis team like Olympia’s seems like a straightforward place to start. Police respond to a wide range of problems, many of them relatively minor or involving someone having a psychotic episode or sleeping on the streets. Using civilian first responders instead, advocates of this approach say, keeps interactions from escalating into violence, and diverts people from jail and toward social services. It also frees up police resources to focus on more serious crime.

It sounds good in theory, right up till the person goes violent, or continues being a danger to others. Police show up to these calls for Reasons, based on past encounters. It would be great if they could be freed up for more serious crime, and apparently, they have been in Olympia. Let’s take a look at how that’s working out

With a crime rate of 44 per one thousand residents, Olympia has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes – from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One’s chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 23. Within Washington, more than 89% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Olympia.

Separately, it is always interesting and important to compare a city’s crime rate with those of similarly sized communities – a fair comparison as larger cities tend to have more crime. NeighborhoodScout has done just that. With a population of 52,555, Olympia has a combined rate of violent and property crime that is very high compared to other places of similar population size. Regardless of whether Olympia does well or poorly compared to all other cities and towns in the US of all sizes, compared to places with a similar population, it fares badly. Few other communities of this size have a crime rate as high as Olympia.

Huh.

From our analysis, we discovered that violent crime in Olympia occurs at a rate higher than in most communities of all population sizes in America. The chance that a person will become a victim of a violent crime in Olympia; such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder; is 1 in 211. This equates to a rate of 5 per one thousand inhabitants.

In addition, NeighborhoodScout found that a lot of the crime that takes place in Olympia is property crime. Property crimes that are tracked for this analysis are burglary, larceny over fifty dollars, motor vehicle theft, and arson. In Olympia, your chance of becoming a victim of a property crime is one in 26, which is a rate of 39 per one thousand population.

There’s also a much higher chance of having your car stolen, too. Olympia is a “6”, meaning that it is safer than just 6 percent of U.S. cities. Think about this: you think of Los Angeles as having a lot of crime, right? It’s actually a 12. How about Chicago? It’s a 7 (though that will probably go to a 4 or 5 for next year’s ratings).

Perhaps someone can come up with a plan to reduce the need for police officers to respond to all calls, freeing their time up. This isn’t the plan.

Read: All Hail Olympia, Washington, Which Stopped Sending Police To Every 911 Call »

Posted in Current Affairs, Liberal World | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach August 21, 2020 – 7:47 pm

…is a wonderful field that would be perfect for solar panels, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is The Lid, with a post on what Texas gov Abbott said to cities that want to defund the police.

Forgot to save to autopost. My bad!

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

Say, Will President Kamala Harris Act Boldly On Climate Crisis (scam)?

By William Teach August 21, 2020 – 5:04 pm

Does Super Warmist and Grand High Poobah in the Cult of Climastrology Bill McKibben know that Kamala is Handsy Joe’s VP pick?

Will Kamala Harris Act Boldly on Climate Change?

We’re in the Kamala Harris era now, and so far, so good. Of the four people on the major-party Presidential tickets, she appears to be the most energetic and normal. I’ve never met Harris, but I did spend a number of days sitting next to her sister Maya when we both served on the 2016 Democratic platform-drafting committee. Maya Harris was tack-smart and tightly focussed, which appears to run in the family. Listening to Joe Biden speak, I feel a constant mild apprehension about what may emerge; Harris relaxes me.

Given the very real possibility that she’ll be at or near the pinnacle of our politics for somewhere between four and sixteen years, it’s worth asking how she will handle the gravest crisis that looms over our planet. That’s not the same as asking if she should be elected, because, on climate issues, a shrink-wrapped pallet of frozen Ore-Ida French fries would be a vast improvement on the incumbent. But it’s going to take an unflinching, unrelenting effort to transform America’s energy system and lead a similar process globally. Is she committed to that?

Her defenders point to a number of powerful statements that she made over the course of her Presidential primary campaign. She’d eliminate the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal. She’d tell the Department of Justice to investigate oil and gas companies. “When you take away that money because you take them to court and sue them, as I have done, it’s extraordinary how they will change behaviors,” Harris said. “Maybe this is the prosecutor in me. They have to be held accountable.” Harris has been particularly outspoken about environmental injustice: just six days before she got the V.P. nod, she joined Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to introduce the Climate Equity Act, which, as the Times explained, “would create a dedicated Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Accountability within the White House and require the federal government to rate the effect that every environmental legislation or regulation would have on low-income communities.”

Anyhow, Bill finds that she has been just so-so. And he really doesn’t delve deep into whether Kamala would be good or bad for climate, or just “meh.” But, of course, she has to win in November, first. And, then, care enough to push Joe to Do Something.

Read: Say, Will President Kamala Harris Act Boldly On Climate Crisis (scam)? »

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Steve Levy: Why Suburbanites Should Be Wary Of DNC Platform

By William Teach August 21, 2020 – 10:30 am

Steve Levy writes about how, according to polls, Trump is losing support in the suburbs, and why they should be wary of voting Democrat

DNC platform should wake up Trump-wary suburbanites – here are 7 reasons why

(poll stuff)

But, first, let’s dissect why suburban women are rejecting a second Trump term. It’s not his policies; it’s his demeanor. (snip)

1. Taxes – Get ready to pay more

Not much attention is being given to Biden‘s efforts to restore taxes to the Obama administration levels. But why would any of us want to revert to a time when the GDP was a mere 1.6%, wages were stagnant. and income inequality was actually on the rise?

It was the Trump tax cuts and deregulation that accelerated unemployment down to record low levels. These policies boosted confidence within the corporate world, leading to enormous investment (and the market soaring) and wages piercing the 3% level for the first time in over a decade.

Demeanor and stuff is nice, but, it comes down to policies. Seriously, all politicians are, well, politicians. So many are power hungry, and, really, would you really trust any of them personally? Whose policies are better, Trump’s or Biden’s? Which one is going to do more for empowering citizens, keeping the government off their backs and “out of their bedrooms”, and power the economy?

Then we have

  • 2. Doubling capital gains taxes (think this can’t hit the middle class? You could have a million dollars in sales in your business, but your actual take home will be less, and you’ll be hit)
  • 3. Estate taxes (yes, middle class folks pass this on to their kids)
  • 4. Raising business taxes (will hit middle class small businesses, and cause job loss in bigger companies, which will hurt the middle and lower classes)
  • 5. Ending the Business Income deduction (small businesses will see their taxes go way up)

Then

6. Overruling Local Zoning

Suburbanites need to know that Biden will reinstate an Obama decree that gives far more powers to the federal government to supersede local zoning powers in the name of social justice.

It’s a clear violation of the 10th Amendment, and a typical over-reach of Modern Socialists who want that authoritarian control.

7. Violent Crimes Coming Your Way

Once the coronavirus subsides, suburbanites commuting each morning to their city offices or seeking an evening of culture in the urban center will now potentially have to contend with violent crime sprees. And while Biden claims he’s against defunding police out of one side of his mouth, he thoroughly embraces the notion of “redirecting” funds away from the police. Translation: more social workers, fewer cops.

Funny thing is, Democrats are good with this as long it is Over There, in That Neighborhood. The minute it happens in their own they complain.

And here’s Handsy Joe

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Read: Steve Levy: Why Suburbanites Should Be Wary Of DNC Platform »

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UK Guardian Advises To Use Coronavirus To Seize The Chance On ‘Climate Change’ (scam)

By William Teach August 21, 2020 – 7:15 am

It really is fantastic that the leading Big Media outlet wants to use the suffering of people around the world, and the deaths of millions, to push their climate cult beliefs

The Guardian view on coronavirus and the climate crisis: seize this chance

In the early days of the pandemic, many people urged that societies could not and should not return to business as usual afterwards. Coronavirus not only confronted us with danger, but showed what was possible. By forcing massive overnight change, it demonstrated that dramatic action could be taken when a crisis was urgent enough; that many people could agree to make sacrifices when truly necessary; and that governments could invest trillions when the future of their countries demanded it. But as the great pause has turned into a gradual reopening, there is little sign that these lessons have been learned.

Greta Thunberg’s call for climate action should be seen in this context. The campaigner, writing for the Guardian to mark the second anniversary of her first school strike, says the world has wasted that time. While millions have been inspired to follow her in protest, and the European parliament has declared a climate and environmental emergency, little action has resulted.

Over the last six months or so, the pandemic has not only demonstrated that change can be quicker than anyone anticipated, it has also offered a practical opportunity to reconfigure economies. Governments are spending money as they have never done in peacetime. Germany and South Korea have seized this chance for big green investments. Others, including the UK, have not. Shockingly, G20 countries are spending much more in support of fossil fuels than on low-carbon energy in their rescue packages; few even imposed green targets when they bailed out the airlines, as France did.

(blah blah blah)

There is still time to act. Economic rescue packages are still being shaped; Berlin’s has shown what is possible. In the UK, coal’s role in power generation has slumped from almost 25% to 2% in just a few years, and the offshore wind industry is thriving. The ban on petrol and diesel cars slated for 2035 should be accelerated, and the installation of gas boilers outlawed. But above all, pandemic response spending must be directed to those parts of the economy that can reduce global heating, not worsen it.

The Coronavirus pandemic is real. And showed that so many Modern Socialist leaders were more than willing to implement draconian, authoritarian, Progressive (nice Fascism) “solutions”, controlling and limiting the lives of people, many of them very arbitrary. You can’t go to the gym in most states, but you can go out and riot. You can’t go to an indoor church, but, you can march in the streets. This business can open, but that one can’t. You couldn’t go to your second home, you couldn’t travel. Economic activity crashed, and Democrats and Modern Socialists around the world tried to keep it there. Has everyone enjoyed their test drive of Modern Socialism? And they want to make it so the average person cannot move around except on Government run mass transit, and get rid of reliable, inexpensive natural gas for your home. Easier to control you.

Read: UK Guardian Advises To Use Coronavirus To Seize The Chance On ‘Climate Change’ (scam) »

Posted in AGW Socialism, Global Warming | 12 Comments | Trackback URL
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