More than 90% of coronavirus fatalities involved a pre-existing condition . . . Nearly every American who has died of coronavirus also suffered from other underlying diseases, recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reveal. According to the CDC's latest update on COVID-19 fatalities, 94 percent of people who have died of the infection in the US had at least one pre-existing condition, such as obesity, high blood pressure or heart disease. Coronavirus was the sole cause of death for just six percent of fatalities as of data published August 26. Daily Mail

 

 

"Anti-Fauci" White House task force member urges herd immunity . . . A recent addition to the White House's coronavirus task force is urging officials to adopt the controversial theory of 'herd immunity', according to reports. Scott Atlas was announced as the newest member of the White House coronavirus task force on August 12, and has been dubbed by White House officials the 'anti Fauci' because his opinions are frequently at odds with veteran infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci. Daily Mail
 

Trump demands "patriotic education" . . . President Donald Trump said Monday that the nation must restore “patriotic education” in schools as a way to calm unrest in cities and counter “lies” about racism in the United States. Trump blamed violent protests in Portland, Ore., and other cities in recent months on “left-wing indoctrination” in schools and universities, while accusing his Democratic presidential challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, of giving “moral aid and comfort” to vandals. “Many young Americans have been fed lies about America being a wicked nation plagued by racism,” Trump said during a news conference. Politico

 

 

Harris: Radicals welcome in our coalition because we embrace diversity . . . What? So because you favor “diversity,” you welcome people into the party who want to overturn the republic? This is where the Democrats are. Kamala Harris especially. And once Joe Biden can no longer count backward from ten, she takes over. Harris was asked during an MSNBC interview about Democrats being radical.

Her answer: "The most important point I think that can be made about the diversity of who we are is an embrace for the diversity of who we are." White House Dossier 

 

What does that even mean? Does that mean Republicans should bring white supremacists into the party for the sake of “diversity”?

 

Book: Pence put on standby to take over during Trump visit to hospital last November . . . Vice President Mike Pence was put on standby to temporarily assume the powers of the presidency during President Donald Trump's unannounced visit to Walter Reed hospital in November 2019, according to a copy of New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt's forthcoming book. Trump had undergone a "quick exam and labs" as part of his annual physical out of anticipation of a "very busy 2020," the White House had said of the trip at the time. Schmidt writes, however, that he learned "in the hours leading up to Trump's trip to the hospital, word went out in the West Wing for the vice president to be on standby to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized." CNN

 

 

Trump alleges people in "dark shadows" are pulling Biden's strings . . . President Donald Trump alleged unnamed people in “dark shadows” are controlling Democratic nominee Joe Biden in an interview with Fox News. In discussing what he characterized as anarchists and thugs terrorizing American cities, Trump said, “People that you've never heard of, people that are in the dark shadows” are pulling the strings of the Democratic nominee. “There are people that are on the streets, there are people that are controlling the streets,” he said. “We had somebody get on a plane from a certain city this weekend. And in the plane, it was almost completely loaded with thugs, wearing these dark uniforms, black uniforms, with gear and this and that." Politico

 

 

Trump to deliver law and order message in Kenosha . . . President Trump will travel to Kenosha, Wis., on Tuesday as he seeks to elevate the issue of social unrest, and at times violent demonstrations in American cities, on the campaign trail amid broader protests against racial injustice. The president’s visit comes after the Aug. 23 police shooting of Jacob Blake, though his focus in recent days has been squarely on the resulting turmoil that has included deadly shootings in Kenosha and Portland, Ore. Trump is expected to meet with law enforcement and survey the damage from the violent protests, according to White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. He is not slated to meet with Blake’s family. The Hill

 

Federal appeals court denies Flynn's bid to dismiss case . . . A federal appeals court on Monday rejected the Justice Department’s bid to end the criminal case against Michael Flynn, giving the judge who wouldn’t let the case go another crack at President Trump’s former national security adviser. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit voted 8-2 to return the politically charged case to Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, who will decide whether the Justice Department can abandon its nearly three-year prosecution of Flynn. The Washington Times
 

 

Abe departure throws a wrench into US-Japan ties . . . Shinzo Abe worked relentlessly at building close ties with American leaders, at Trump Tower and on the golf course with President Trump, and before then at Hiroshima and Pearl Harbor with President Obama. The loss of Mr. Abe, who is stepping down because of poor health after driving U.S.-Japan relations for nearly eight years, will be one of the biggest risks as the allies tackle China’s military expansion and negotiate a renewal of the agreement under which Tokyo shares the costs for basing U.S. troops in Japan. A close aide to Mr. Abe, Yoshihide Suga, emerged Tuesday as the front-runner in the race to succeed him after winning support from major factions in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Wall Street Journal

 

Ethnic Mongolians rally in China against curbs on their language . . . Ethnic Mongolians in northern China have staged rare rallies against measures to reduce teaching in the Mongolian language in favour of Chinese. As schools began a new term on Tuesday some parents held children back in protest at the policy. Under the rules, three core subjects in Inner Mongolia will gradually be taught in Mandarin, China's official language. Many ethnic Mongolians view the move as a threat to their cultural identity. BBC

 

Small business failures loom as federal aid dries up . . . The United States faces a wave of small-business failures this fall if the federal government does not provide a new round of financial assistance — a prospect that economists warn would prolong the recession, slow the recovery and perhaps enduringly reshape the American business landscape. As the pandemic drags on, it is threatening even well-established businesses that were financially healthy before the crisis. If they shut down or are severely weakened, it could accelerate corporate consolidation and the dominance of the biggest companies. New York Times

 

Walmart creates answer to Amazon Prime . . . Walmart is trying again to build a membership program that can rival Amazon Prime, the Amazon service with more than 150 million members. On Sept. 15, the retail giant will launch Walmart+, a $98-a-year membership that includes free grocery delivery, a discount on gas from Walmart parking lots and the ability to check out via a mobile phone in stores. Wall Street Journal

Portland mob marches on mayor's home . . . Portland Police declared a riot on Monday after roughly hundreds of protesters marched on Mayor Ted Wheeler's residence at a condominium tower to demand his resignation, according to reports. The crowd of about 200 were there to mockingly celebrate the mayor's birthday before the demonstration quickly turned destructive and an "arson fire" was reported, police said. Protesters lit a fire in the street, as some danced to the "Macarena." Fox News

 

 

California tries to save ban on more than ten rounds . . . California Democrats are launching a longshot legal maneuver to protect a gun-control law that a federal appeals court declared unconstitutional. Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D.) requested an "en banc" review of a three-judge panel that ruled the state's ban on the possession of any magazine holding more than 10 rounds, even those Californians previously bought legally, ran afoul of the Second Amendment. Washington Free Beacon

 

The French love to complain . . . Many a conversation in France begins with a sigh and a lament: the weather is bad; the grape harvest is worse; politicians are inept and stupid to boot. When I first moved to France more than a decade ago as a starry-eyed 19-year-old American, I was disquieted by this constant barrage of complaints. Why, I wondered, were the French always in such a bad mood? But when I finally got up the courage to ask a French friend, he baulked: they weren’t complainers, he said. They were râleurs. In France, there are several words for “to complain”: there’s “se plaindre”, used for regular old complaining; there’s “porter plainte”, for complaining more officially. And then there’s “râler”: complaining just for the fun of it. BBC