Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
October 29, 2021
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
Biden puts presidency on the line with House . . . President Biden put everything on the table in his fight for his domestic agenda in the final hours before he left Washington for Rome on Thursday. He delayed his departure to trek to Capitol Hill at the last minute in hopes of pleading with Democrats to rally around a new, scaled-down climate and social spending package. He raced back to the White House to deliver a speech on his new
plan. He even had his old partner former President Obama — who rarely speaks out on an issue unless it’s dire — weigh in on the framework proposal. The all-out effort is coming for a reason: Biden is facing a critical juncture of his presidency.
Sinking in the polls, Biden has faced a difficult summer and fall shaped by a pandemic that won’t go away, an ugly and embarrassing exit from Afghanistan and crippling fights within his party that has left Republicans confident they’ll win back the House majority next year. The worse yet could come next week if Democrat Terry McAuliffe falls in the Virginia governor’s race. The Hill
Fox News Poll: Youngkin pulls ahead of McAuliffe among Virginia likely voters . . . Republican Glenn Youngkin has moved ahead of Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the Virginia governor’s race, less than a week before the election. McAuliffe receives 45 percent to Youngkin’s 53 percent in a new Fox News survey of Virginia likely voters. Youngkin’s eight-point advantage is outside the poll’s margin of sampling error. That’s a big shift
from two weeks ago, when McAuliffe was ahead by five, 51-46 percent. Fox News
That would be incredible to get Virginia back.
Biden releases details of $1.75 trillion social spending package . . . President Biden Thursday unveiled a $1.75 trillion social spending bill he believes can pass the Senate — that is, gain approval from Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona while keeping the left onboard. It’s half the $3.5 trillion originally proposed. But it still involves massive tax hikes and expanded socialism, and it is made possible
by shortening the periods of time programs last — under the probably correct assumption they will be renewed. Here’s what’s in it and what’s not:
-- Paid family leave and efforts to lower prescription drug pricing are now gone entirely from the package . . .
-- Still in the mix: Free prekindergarten for all youngsters, expanded health care programs — including the launch of a $35 billion new hearing aid benefit for people with Medicare — and $555 billion to tackle climate change.
-- There’s also a one-year extension of a child care tax credit that was put in place during the COVID-19 rescue, new child care subsidies and $100 billion to bolster the immigration and border processing system. White House Dossier
White House considering payments of $450K — per person — to immigrant families separated at border . . . The Biden administration is discussing paying out hundreds of millions of dollars to illegal immigrant families who were separated at the US-Mexico border under the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy in 2018, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. According to the Journal, the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security,
and Health and Human Services are considering the payments in order to settle lawsuits filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and others on behalf of families who crossed into the US from Mexico illegally to seek asylum.
The paper reports that the average demand in each lawsuit adds up to approximately $3.4 million per family, while the settlement offer being mooted by the Biden administration amounts to around $450,000 per person and close to $1 million per family. New York Post
Cheney calls out Fox over new Tucker Carlson promo . . . Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) is one of several Republicans blasting Fox News Media for a promotional video teasing an upcoming episode of leading host Tucker Carlson's mini-series "Tucker Carlson originals." The episode, which will only be broadcast on Fox Nation, the company's paid streaming service, is set to be published in three parts next month and examines the Jan. 6 attack on the
U.S. Capitol and purports to tell "the true story behind 1/6." "The helicopters have left Afghanistan and now they've landed here at home," Carlson is seen saying on the promotional video. "They've begun to fight a new enemy in a new war on terror." Another woman apparently interviewed for the piece says on the video "false flags have happened in this country, one of which could have been Jan. 6." The Hill
Well, there's a reason to double down on watching Tucker. :-) Fox Nation is an amazing channel. This is what all TV should be like, but isn't. It has a well-rounded programing, not just news. Try a free subscription to check it out.
Where’s the #MeToo Movement in Loudoun County? . . . New information is revealed in the Loudoun County Public Schools recent case. The horrible rape of a young girl in a Stone Bridge High School bathroom keeps getting more doleful but where is #MeToo? We have heard not a peep vis-à-vis Loudoun County? The school board won’t touch this case with a nine-foot pole because it might hurt the LGBTQ+ agenda. In fact, the feminist
activist group Women’s Liberation Front called out #MeToo for the imbalance of only choosing “which rape victims to believe based on what supports their gender narrative.” Patriot Post
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‘Hundreds’ Of China Hypersonic Tests Vs. 9 US; Hyten Says US Moves Too Slowly . . . Vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. John Hyten recently revealed that China has performed “hundreds” of tests of hypersonic weapons in the last five years, compared to nine the United States has performed. “We launched one through 13 and they failed in like 18 months because our approach at the time was to test and instrument the heck out of
it, fail, learn what failed, build another one, fire, learn what failed. Build another one, fire it, learn what failed. If you want to go fast,” he said. “That’s what you do.” That fear of failure that now dominates the US military is not holding back competitors like China — or, in what may be a surprising example, North Korea. Gen. Hyten said he's "probably" going to approve "today or tomorrow a new requirement for Integrated Air and Missile Defense," which is a pillar of the Joint
Warfighting Concept (JWC). Breaking Defense
Rebekah's Commentary:
Point #1: If NORTHCOM and STRATCOM cannot protect us from a North Korean missile strike, they should pack up and go home. We might as well surrender to China and Russia now.
Point #2: Hyten will "probably" approve the new requirement for Integrated Air and Missile Defense. Really? The Russians did that like 5 or more years ago. They also stood up their Space Forces 20 years ago, while we waited for someone like former President Trump to push this through the Pentagon's bureaucracy.
Point #3: I am just so sick of all the incompetence and complacency within the Pentagon and our spy agencies. I remember flagging it to my "chain-of-command" at DIA -- that would've been during Obama's first term -- that the Russians were maneuvering one of their missile warning satellites, let's just say, in an anomalous way and position. I was told "don't worry about it, it's just "strategic targeting" (as though strategic targeting is not targeting at all!) and how Russia's
space order of battle was so inferior to the U.S. one that it's not a problem. I tried again, saying that Russia doesn't rely on its space order of battle to do targeting (there other things at play) but again was promptly "dismissed." For further details on my run-ins with the "chain-of-command" and the Deep State, please read my book Putin's Playbook: Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America.
Sorry for the rant, folks!
China and US allies agree: 'Risk of gunfire' over Taiwan is on the rise . . . Chinese strategists and officials across the Indo-Pacific see a heightened risk of an accident that triggers a conflict between the communist regime and the United States, due in part to Beijing’s intensifying military pressure on Taiwan.
The shadow of a conflict has grown of late, as Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping has affirmed his intention to bring the island democracy under Beijing’s control and sent an unprecedented number of warplanes in sorties near the island. U.S. forces have surged toward the Indo-Pacific to fortify U.S. allies against Chinese pressure in territorial disputes across the region. At the same time, U.S. and some European officials have expanded their outreach to Taipei — a diplomatic overture
that might diminish Beijing’s appetite for a conflict, if it doesn’t induce Chinese officials to take a desperate lunge for the island.
“We consider the risk of miscalculation higher than it was,” Justin Hayhurst, a top official for Indo-Pacific security issues at the Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade Department, told Australian senators this week. "There's more activity, more pressure — so we are concerned.” Washington Examiner
US, China, Russia Test New Space War Tactics: Sats Buzzing, Spoofing, Spying . . . China has demonstrated the ability to track and maneuver a satellite with a remarkably high degree of precision, allowing the Chinese military to spot a US satellite moving close and then to redirect its own satellite away from the US bird in little more than 24 hours, according to never-before-seen video recreations. In a July 2021 incident, USA 271, a
space surveillance satellite developed covertly by the Air Force and Orbital Sciences, approaches Chinese satellite SJ-20, the PRC’s heaviest and one of its most advanced satellites. The US satellite, part of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSAPP), shadows the Chinese bird in parallel. But then the Chinese clearly detect the US satellite and rapidly move theirs away. (Pro tip: If you look closely, you can see how close the two satellites are by looking under “Ranges” in
the video below.) Breaking Defense
DOJ - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Russian National Extradited to United States to Face Charges for Alleged Role in Cybercriminal Organization . . . A Russian national, residing in the Yakutsk region of Russia and in Southeast Asia, had his initial appearance in federal court today after his extradition from the Republic of Korea to the Northern District of Ohio to face charges for his alleged role in a transnational, cybercriminal
organization. Vladimir Dunaev, 38, was a member of a transnational, cybercriminal organization that deployed a computer banking trojan and ransomware suite of malware known as “Trickbot.”
“Trickbot attacked businesses and victims across the globe and infected millions of computers for theft and ransom, including networks of schools, banks, municipal governments, and companies in the health care, energy, and agriculture sectors,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “This is the second overseas Trickbot defendant arrested in recent months. Department of Justice
Hope Senile Joe will not gift Dunaev to Putin, in exchange -- for nothing, as he did it with Alexei Burkov, another highly dangerous Russia cyber criminal.
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Xi, Putin snub high-stakes U.N. climate summit, momentum lags among world’s major polluters . . . The president of China, by far the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, isn’t going. Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose economy would collapse if the world stops buying and burning Russia’s fossil fuels, also won’t be there. Their absence, coupled with weak or vague climate action plans put forward by other major
polluters such as India, Brazil and Mexico, is already hanging like smog over COP26, the United Nations-led climate summit that begins Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland.
President Biden says he’ll be in attendance “with bells on.” Washington Times
Moldova presses EU for more help to avert crisis over Russia gas deal . . . Moldova’s prime minister has warned that the country is on the brink of an economic and social crisis as she called on the EU to offer more support to help the country weather pressure from Russian gas producer Gazprom. The former Soviet state has declared a state of emergency after Kremlin-controlled Gazprom cut gas deliveries by a third and threatened that supplies could be shut off if Moldova did not
agree to a more expensive contract. Gazprom has also said Moldova can get a better deal on gas if the country gives up some pro-EU policies, people briefed on negotiations told the FT this week. Gavrilita declined to comment on Gazprom’s offer, citing the negotiations with the Russian company. Financial Times
This is just the beginning. Thank Joe for gifting Putin "green light" on Nordstream 2. Watch Putin take over Transnistria (or even entire Moldova) on Biden's watch.
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The country needs a dose of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to battle COVID-19 . . . Florida has the lowest COVID-19 case rate in the country. They did it without vaccine mandates, without mask mandates in school and with no restrictions on businesses. Life simply went on. Over the summer, when Florida was experiencing a spike in cases, the media was wall-to-wall news about the numbers. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was a
frequent target for the blame. His sensible moves, such as not forcing low-risk kids to wear masks, was treated as akin to murder by the media. In August, President Biden criticized DeSantis, although not by name, saying: “Some state officials are passing laws that forbid people from doing the right thing. I say to the governors, please help. If you’re not going to help, get out of the way of the people that are trying to do the right thing.” New York Post
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Biden economy hits the brakes with 2% growth in the third quarter . . . The economy is tanking as inflation picks up and the job market remains tight. Not a good look. According to the Wall Street Journal: The U.S. economy grew by 2.0% in the third quarter, with the Delta variant of Covid-19 and supply issues dampening gains. Such a pace marked a sharp slowdown from robust gains earlier this year. Gross domestic product grew at
a historically fast annual rate of 6.3% in the first quarter and 6.7% in the second quarter as an infusion of government stimulus, widespread business reopenings and rising vaccination rates fueled spending. White House Dossier
Apple supply shortages bite into revenues and cost iPhone maker $6bn . . . Apple shares fell after the world’s largest company missed earnings estimates owing to the global chip crisis, which it said would linger into the holiday period.
Tim Cook, chief executive, said “larger than expected supply constraints” cost the company $6bn in the three months to September, adding that the shortages would cost it even more in the holiday period — its most lucrative time of the year.
Supply constraints “affected the iPhone, the iPad and the Mac”, Cook told investors, citing chip shortages and “Covid-related manufacturing disruptions” in south-east Asia.
The company reported $83.4bn of revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter, up 29 per cent from a year ago but below expectations of $84.3bn. Financial Times
Shipping Companies Fear ‘Catastrophic’ Supply Chain Fallout Over New California Port Fees . . . Top shipping officials this week said that a Biden administration-backed plan to issue emergency fees for containers lingering too long won’t work and will lead to chaos. Earlier this week, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California announced they would fine ocean carriers for containers that stay too long at port terminals. They
said the move is designed to alleviate supply-chain bottlenecks, coming after President Joe Biden pressed the heads of the California ports to move to 24/7 operation. “We must expedite the movement of cargo through the ports to work down the number of ships at anchor,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a news release about the fine. Starting next month, port officials will charge $100 per container that lingers after nine days by truck and six days by rail,
increasing $100 every day. Epoch Times
‘Smaller’ Biden spending bill still shells out half a trillion dollars for climate change . . . In case you were worried AOC and John Kerry didn’t get their climate spending . . . Although Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) forced Democrats to drop a key provision targeting the electric power sector, the final bill includes an array of tax credits for companies and consumers that will make it easier to buy electric vehicles, install solar
panels, retrofit buildings and manufacture wind turbines and other clean-energy equipment in the United States. The climate package comes at a time when President Biden is hoping to demonstrate at a high-profile United Nations summit next week that the United States can meet its international climate commitments. White House Dossier
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Black Lawyers Group Says New York Concealed Carry Restrictions Are Racist . . . A coalition of black lawyers says New York state’s concealed carry restrictions are racist, and they are backing a historic challenge to the restrictions the Supreme Court will hear on Nov. 3. The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association is pressing the High Court to strike down the rules, which require residents prove "a special need for
self-protection" in order to obtain a concealed carry permit. Black Attorneys of Legal Aid filed an amicus brief on behalf of 10 New York public defender offices and 3 legal assistance groups complementing that effort, arguing the rule has racist origins and continuing discriminatory effects.
"We represent hundreds of indigent people whom New York criminally charges for exercising their right to keep and bear arms," the brief reads. "Virtually all our clients … are Black or Hispanic. And that is no accident. New York enacted its firearm licensing requirements to criminalize gun ownership by racial and ethnic minorities. That remains the effect of its enforcement by police and prosecutors today." Free Beacon
There you go. Let's see how they spin this one.
Loudoun County sheriff investigating alleged incidents of inappropriate touching at middle school . . . Law enforcement officials in Loudoun County, Virginia, are investigating reports of sexual assault at a local middle school. "The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is investigating multiple incidents that occurred at Harmony Middle School this week involving a male student touching other students inappropriately over their clothing," read
a statement from the office issued Thursday afternoon. "At the end of the school day on October 27, the LCSO School Resource Office learned from school added that earlier in the day a male student was inappropriately touched over his clothing by another male student in a hallway," the statement continued. Washington Examiner
Loudoun County is putting children in harm's way . . . Opinion. I fought to protect my children’s safety. The Left tried to silence and cancel me — but couldn’t. Five years ago, I stood in front of both the Fairfax and Loudoun County school boards advocating for the protection of my children and others by warning against the adoption of radical new gender identity policies that are now in effect across Virginia and many parts of
the United States. I uncomfortably spoke up as a sexual assault survivor, speaking on behalf of those who have no voice or are silenced. Looking back, who would have thought that freedom of speech at a public school board meeting would be such a divisive issue threatening our country today. Washington Examiner
Take note, AOC — Kyrsten Sinema’s bad style actually makes a statement . . . By now we all know the tale of socialist Cinderella, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez hitting the Met Gala red carpet to hobnob with the wealthy and powerful in a pricey couture gown emblazoned with the phrase, “Tax the Rich.“ If it was a sartorial effort to show solidarity with her working-class constituents, it only seemed to get “yas kween” snaps from the fancy people
inside the fancy museum.
Enter Kyrsten Sinema who basically said, “hold my Keystone Light… and Marlboro Reds.” This week, the 45-year-old presided over the Senate in a denim vest, looking like Ponyboy’s long lost sister who made manager at JC Penney. It was neither sophisticated nor particularly stylish. But it showed what the producers of “Roseanne” knew years ago: people like a little working-class grease. And believe it or not, that vest was a lot more relatable to a larger swathe of the country than
the elitist gatekeepers would let on. New York Post
Ain't that da truuf!? (I am channeling my husband's black nanny "Tiny" who was the sweetest person. She raised Keith and his two siblings. She made the best fried chicken and green beans, when Keith introduced me for the first time! Sometimes, when puttering around the house, Keith yells out "tinyisms," in her accent, imitating when she was nagging the kids for messing up. It's hysterical and adorable at the same time.
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Trump campaign sells 'Let's Go Brandon' T-shirts . . . The Trump campaign team sent out an email Thursday offering "Let's Go Brandon" T-shirts in return for any campaign donation of $45 or more. The email reads in part: "You’ve probably heard it being chanted anywhere patriotic Americans get together. Well now, President Trump has put America’s favorite new phrase on a custom shirt. That’s right. President Trump has just authorized the
release of his brand-new, limited-edition 'LET’S GO BRANDON' shirts." The email goes on to say that the T-shirt is in "high demand," and is stated in the email as being "low stock." The email advertises it by stating, "Whether you’re at a concert, football game, or just out for a walk in the park, you’re probably going to hear someone say 'LET’S GO BRANDON.' Now you can have a shirt to match." The Hill
I am totally getting one!! This sounds like fun.
Ivanka Trump parties in Miami with friends for 40th birthday . . . Ivanka Trump got wet and wild as she hit Miami hot spots for a weekend of champagne and caviar to celebrate her 40th birthday, we’re told. The former first daughter turns 40 this upcoming Saturday — and a bunch of her girlfriends flew down to South Beach to party with her earlier this week. We’re told they hit the Surf Club at the Four Seasons, and they were also
spotted dancing the night away at private club ZZ’s in Miami’s trendy Design District after enjoying dinner on their outdoor patio, in true Florida fashion. A source said: “It was two days of boating, beaches and bubbly … There were champagne toasts, cake and caviar.” The source added, “it was an all-girls affair — with girlfriends from New York and Miami — but Jared made a cameo at the Surf Club dinner.” Page Six
I loooove Ivanka's style! Hers and Melania's. Such beautifully put together ladies. And beautiful too, of course.
Sorry for getting tabloid-y today. I read so much serious stuff, all the time, so needed something mindless today. It's Friday, after all. Who has some exciting plans?! :-)
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DIA and CIA wanted Americans to be in the dark about the true Russian threat, so they could continue spinning science fiction stories, like the Trump-Russia "collusion."
Spread the word. Thank you for doing it!
Rebekah Koffler
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