Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
February 4, 2021
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
Biden defies economists, boosts Dems with $1,400 checks demand . . . President Biden held firm Wednesday on his demand for direct payments of up to $1,400 to millions of Americans in any coronavirus package, bolstering Democrats’ negotiating hand on Capitol Hill but defying economists who said the cash isn’t the best way to stimulate the economy. The payments, with a $15-an-hour federal minimum wage and a $350 billion bailout fund for
states and localities facing their own budget squeezes, have become the top flashpoints as Democrats rush to approve the president’s $1.9 trillion relief package. Washington Times
World faces around 4,000 COVID variants as Britain explores mixed vaccine shots . . . The world faces around 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, prompting a race to improve vaccines, Britain said on Thursday, as researchers began to explore mixing doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots in a world first. Thousands of variants have been documented as the virus mutates, including the so-called British, South African and
Brazilian variants which appear to spread more swiftly than others. Reuters
Teachers Don’t Need CCP Virus Vaccine For Schools to Safely Reopen: CDC . . . Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters on Wednesday that teachers don’t have to be vaccinated against the CCP virus in order for schools to safely reopen. “I also want to be clear that there is increasing data to suggest that schools can safely reopen and that safe reopening does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated in order to reopen safely,” Walensky
said during a briefing by top health officials from the Biden administration on efforts to speed up vaccinations for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The Epoch Times
Cutting, bribing, stealing: Some people are getting COVID-19 vaccines before it's their turn . . . Bribing doctors. Circulating vaccination appointment codes. Chartering planes and impersonating essential workers. More than a month since the U.S. first began administering COVID-19 vaccines, many people who were not supposed to be first in line have received vaccinations. Anecdotal reports suggest some people have deliberately leveraged
widespread vulnerabilities in the distribution process to acquire vaccine. Others were just in the right place at the right time.
Shortages bring out the worst in people. Expect more of such behavior if we allow socialism to take root in America.
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Biden Asia Czar’s Holdings May Present Conflict of Interest . . . President Biden's Asia czar owns part of a "shadow lobbying firm" that gives strategic advice to corporations doing business in Asia, a position that ethics experts say could create conflicts of interest.
Kurt Campbell is the founder and former CEO of the Asia Group, a strategic consultancy firm based in Washington, D.C., and Hong Kong. He spent the past eight years running the group and is still listed as the owner of the Asia Group's investment bank arm. The Asia Group provides businesses with advice on government policy and business, including advice on investment opportunities in China's Belt & Road Initiative, a global infrastructure project by the Chinese government that has
been deemed a security threat by U.S. officials. Washington Free Beacon
Biden's Pentagon makes effects of climate change central to military planning . . . Rising sea levels on both coasts threaten key U.S. military installations. Famines, droughts and wildfires abroad disrupt volatile societies and could spark wars that draw in U.S. forces and put American lives in danger. In the Arctic, melting sea ice could open a theater for conflict between the U.S. and Russia, and military planners say the targeting of
an enemy’s energy or water supply will be an increasingly effective battle tactic. Across the armed forces, climate change and its ripple effects are taking center stage in the Biden administration’s Pentagon. Washington Times
Pentagon chief orders militarywide 'stand-down' to tackle elusive issue of extremism . . . Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday ordered a U.S. militarywide “stand-down” to address extremism in the ranks, an issue that has long stumped Pentagon leaders but came to the forefront after the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. The Defense Department is still scant on details on Austin’s decision, which came after he met with Joint Chiefs of
Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and the service secretaries and chiefs on Wednesday morning. Leaders are expected to hold “needed discussions” with subordinates about extremism in the next 60 days, top department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon. The Hill
Republicans rally to keep Cheney in power . . . The establishment wing of the GOP won a rare and dramatic victory Wednesday night when Rep. Liz Cheney beat back an attempt by Donald Trump’s staunchest allies to knock her from power as retribution for voting to impeach the former president just three weeks earlier. The 145-61 vote in favor of keeping Cheney in leadership, conducted by secret ballot, followed a marathon closed-door “family
discussion” in the basement of the Capitol Visitor Center, where dozens of House Republicans lined up to voice their frustrations with the Wyoming representative, the most powerful GOP woman in Congress, and called for her removal as conference chair, a role that entails leading the party’s messaging efforts. The Hill
Taylor Greene apologizes to GOP colleagues — and gets standing ovation . . . Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) apologized for her past controversial remarks and embrace of the QAnon conspiracy theory during a heated closed-door House GOP conference meeting — and received a standing ovation at one point from a number of her colleagues. Greene told her colleagues that she made a mistake by being curious about “Q” and said she told her
children she learned a lesson about what to put on social media, according to two sources in the room. The Hill
Biden DOJ drops Trump suit against Yale over bias against Asian-Americans . . . The Biden Justice Department told a federal judge Wednesday it is dropping a lawsuit against Yale University that was brought by the Trump administration alleging the school discriminates against Asian-American and White students in admissions. The filing in U.S. District Court in Connecticut said the Biden administration has moved for a “voluntary dismissal
of this action.” NBC News first reported the action. White House Dossier
So much for students who sacrifice their social life and work their butts off to get into college. President Biden thinks you have the wrong skin color.
Mike Pence opens 'Office of the Former Vice President' in Virginia . . . Former Vice President Mike Pence opened a transition office in northern Virginia, his team announced on Wednesday.
The "Office of the Former Vice President," located in Arlington, will handle statements, scheduling requests, and other official business for both Pence and his wife, Karen. Washington Examiner
Ben Carson Launches Conservative Think Tank . . . Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson announced Wednesday that he has launched a nonprofit think tank named the American Cornerstone Institute (ACI). The institute, according to its website, pursues “commonsense solutions to America’s most pressing issues, while ensuring our country stands firm in support of our founding principles.” “The ACI is dedicated to
promoting and preserving individual and religious liberty . . . and developing methods to decrease the federal government’s role in society and to improve efficiency to best serve ALL our nation’s citizens,” the institute’s mission statement reads, pledging to be “a voice for reason and civility” in a nation that is “increasingly devoid of common sense.” The Epoch Times
Well said. The government could definitely benefit from some common sense.
Nikki Haley expands political operation with hiring of experienced operative . . . Nikki Haley hired a heavy-hitter political operative to run her new political action committee, another signal the former ambassador is eyeing a potential 2024 presidential bid. Betsy Ankney, political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2020 election cycle, was tapped for the post of executive director at Stand For America
PAC, where she will lead Haley's efforts to help the GOP win back majorities in the House and Senate in 2022. Bringing on a strategist with Ankney's expertise and campaign know-how suggests Haley has bigger plans for her PAC over the next two years than simply cutting checks to endorsed candidates. Washington Examiner
Climate Czar Kerry flew a private jet to receive an environmental award in Iceland . . . President Biden’s recently appointed climate czar, John Kerry, took a private jet to Iceland in 2019 to receive the Arctic Circle award for climate leadership. Kerry defended his high-pollution ride at the time, calling it “the only choice for somebody like me who is traveling the world to win this battle” in an interview obtained by Fox News. White House Dossier
Cannot make this stuff up. The limousine liberal has become the private jet progressive.
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ODNI warns China's spying on Americans' health, DNA pose 'serious risks' . . . The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is warning of China’s collection of health care data and DNA of Americans, warning that the efforts pose "serious risks" to the privacy of Americans and to U.S. economic and national security.
The National Counterintelligence and Security Center within ODNI this week warned that the People’s Republic of China has collected large health care data, including genomic data (DNA) sets from the U.S. and nations around the globe "through both legal and illegal means." Fox News
The CCP already has our social security numbers and other vital information from the OPM hack. Adding health/DNA info to the stolen OPM data-set will help Chicoms to do some serious damage to Americans.
'New Start': Biden moves ahead with U.S.-Russia nuclear treaty extension despite GOP complaints . . . The Biden administration formally moved ahead Wednesday with a five-year extension of the fast-expiring nuclear arms control treaty with Russia by five years, despite outcry from critics who say the move ignores China’s emergence as a major nuclear power and cedes leverage to Moscow over future negotiations. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken brushed aside such criticism Wednesday, defending the decision to extend the New START Treaty ahead of Friday’s expiration date. New START is one of the last major military pacts still standing between the U.S. and Russia, after the Trump administration pulled out of two other accords dealing with shorter-range nuclear weapons and surveillance overflight rights. Washington Times
This is maddening. The reason why Trump nixed the INF and the Open Skies Treaties with his 'secret spy handler' Putin is because the Russians have been cheating on these treaties and using some collected secrets to augment their war fighting doctrine and targeting capabilities against it's 'main adversary,' the United States. Here we are again, gazing into Putin's eyes.
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Canada designates Proud Boys a terrorist group . . . Canada labeled the Proud Boys a terrorist group Wednesday, increasing international pressure on the self-proclaimed “Western chauvinist” organization. The far-right group has gained a broader platform in recent years with its vocal backing of former President Trump, engagement in street fights and Trump telling the group to “stand back and stand by” when he was asked to condemn
white supremacy, a remark the group interpreted as a sign of support. The group's notoriety skyrocketed following the alleged involvement of some of its members in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The Hill
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Pfizer expects $15 billion in COVID vaccine sales in 2021 . . . The coronavirus pandemic is really paying off for Pfizer, which expects to rake in about $15 billion from its coronavirus vaccine this year — about a quarter of its entire projected 2021 revenue. The drugmaker said its groundbreaking COVID-19 vaccine is already on track to be its top product this year after it became the first to be cleared for
emergency use in the US in December. The staggering number was revealed Tuesday in a financial forecast from the Manhattan-based drugmaker, which said its revenue for the year would range between $59 billion and $61 billion. New York Post
Google parent Alphabet’s stock spikes thanks to record ad revenue . . . Alphabet’s stock price surged Wednesday after the Google parent said it ended 2020 with a bang. Shares in the Silicon Valley titan rose as much as 8.7 percent to $2,086.99 in early trading following a fourth-quarter earnings report that showed a strong comeback in Alphabet’s advertising business — even as it faces severe antitrust scrutiny. The tech
conglomerate’s revenues climbed about 23 percent to nearly $57 billion from October through December, driven by a roughly 22 percent jump in ad sales, which totaled about $46 billion for the quarter. New York Post
In the meantime, Google demonetizes and de-platforms scores of small businesses and individuals whose political views and free expression it doesn't like.
Elizabeth Warren's wealth tax will weaken the economy and 'kill jobs,' Larry Kudlow warns . . . Larry Kudlow, former top economic adviser to Donald Trump, warned on Wednesday that Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren's proposed wealth tax will weaken the economy and “kill jobs.” “It’s going to mean higher taxes for everybody and it’s going to weaken the economy and going to kill jobs, no question about it,” Kudlow told “Mornings with
Maria.” Warren, D-Mass., plans to reignite calls for a wealth tax targeting the nation’s richest individuals and families. Fox Business
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Parler CEO John Matze says he’s been fired by board . . . Parler has terminated CEO John Matze, according to a memo Matze sent to staffers that has been obtained by Fox News. "On January 29, 2021, the Parler board controlled by Rebekah Mercer decided to immediately terminate my position as CEO of Parler. I did not participate in this decision," Matze wrote. "I understand that those who now control the company have made
some communications to employees and other third parties that have unfortunately created confusion and prompted me to make this public statement. Fox News
North Carolina’s First Black Lt. Gov. Leads Fight Against Radical Curriculum . . . North Carolina's newly elected Republican lieutenant governor is leading the fight against a statewide social studies curriculum that would weave critical race theory into history lessons beginning in kindergarten. Mark Robinson, the first African American to hold his position, has been an outspoken critic of the new curriculum standards, which he says were
created because of the board of education's political agenda rather than to educate students. The curriculum would require second graders to learn "how various indigenous, religious, gender, and racial groups advocate for freedom and equality," while fourth graders would learn how "revolution, reform, and resistance" shaped North Carolina. Washington Free Beacon
Report: Campus Anti-Semitism Skyrockets Even During Remote Learning . . . Anti-Semitic incidents on American college campuses are rising at "alarming rates" and have migrated to online spaces as students have moved to remote learning due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. At least 2,000 anti-Semitic incidents in total have been recorded since 2017—and include swastikas
being spray painted on a Jewish professor's office, a campus performer inviting students to sing a song endorsing anti-Semitism, and scores of students being harassed for being Jewish and having pro-Israel views. Washington Free Beacon
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Forget Myanmar: Here Are 12 Other Countries Biden Must Invade NOW . . . With an establishment Democrat now in office, the American war machine is booting up for 4 years of doing what it does best: invading random countries, baby! Already, the media is trying to drum up support for military action in Myanmar because of some coup or something. Lame. Here are 12 other countries that would be much more worth our time to invade:
Greenland: Time to finish what Trump started.
Afghanistan again: We have a ton of experience invading Afghanistan so we'd probably be really good at it.
Australia: They have the best licorice there, and we need it. Seriously--have you ever had it? INVADE!
Canada: They gave us Seth Rogen. Time to MAKE THEM PAY.
California: Obvious reasons.
How Can I Cut My Own Hair—and Make It Look Good? . . . Trimming hair at home—be it yours, your partner’s or your squirming child’s—can easily result in disaster. Here, expert advice on how to masterfully shear the whole family. Wall Street Journal
I thought some of you may appreciate this how-to article. My 15 year-old daughter has been cutting Keith's hair during the Wuhan pandemic and I wish we had read this article earlier. ;-)
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Rebekah
Rebekah Koffler
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