Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Trump, Missiles, COVID, and Youngkin

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by

James A. Bacon
in ,

by Kerry Dougherty

Yes, I heard. The whole country heard.

Donald Trump announced last night that he was running for president in 2024. The worst-kept secret in American history.

If I were a Democrat I’d be delighted.

While Trump always sucks the air out of the room and dominates the news cycle, other events were more important.

For instance, Poland reported yesterday that a Russian-made missile fell inside its border killing two, bringing the world ever closer to all-out war. Almost immediately #Article5 began trending on Twitter.

Russia denied that it fired one of its missiles into NATO territory, but the incident is a reminder that Europe is a very volatile place.

Oh, and apparently Joe Biden is feeling under the weather. Lucky us to have a feeble 80-year-old leading the Free World.

In an overlooked moment, the U.S. Senate voted 62-36 yesterday to terminate Biden’s COVID National Emergency declaration.

The emergency was first implemented by Trump in 2020, and renewed several times by Biden.

It needs to end.

Some of us tried to warn you that when free people hand the government unlimited powers they create a monster. Clawing power away from government is never easy. It needs to happen, though.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the vote:

The issue was put before Senate lawmakers on Tuesday by Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall who called for a vote to end the declaration in September shortly after Mr. Biden said on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that “the pandemic is over.”

On the Senate floor on Tuesday, Mr. Marshall said the declaration should end because of lower coronavirus cases, fewer hospitalizations and lower mortality rates. He said that the emergency declaration was giving the Biden administration a way “to supersize government powers.”

Here’s some encouraging news: Both Virginia Senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, voted with the common-sense majority.

Only the most insanely leftist Democrats in the Senate voted to keep the emergency declaration in place.

Here’s a statement from Warner explaining his vote:

When COVID-19 hit, Congress acted with urgency under a number of emergency declarations to provide the flexibilities and funding needed to save lives, roll out a vaccine, and keep our economy afloat. We’ve come a long way since then, and while it might be easier to kick the can down the road, I think it’s time to have a bipartisan conversation about how we unwind from these emergency actions and move forward with the valuable lessons we’ve learned. Today’s resolution won’t affect critical flexibilities, such as the ones facilitating access to telehealth. Rather, this vote should serve as the beginning of a productive and bipartisan effort to examine which mitigation efforts and flexibilities are worth embedding permanently into our lives, and which are no longer relevant or necessary.

Kudos to both Virginians.

Question is, will the House take up the measure or will we have to wait until the Republican majority is installed in January?

The triple slaying at UVA is still in the hearts and on the minds of Virginia. Well, most of Virginia. Some in self-absorbed Northern Virginia are too excited over a shiny new train to worry about a grief-stricken university.

Governor Glenn Youngkin visited the University of Virginia grounds yesterday and laid flowers by Scott Stadium where the three slain football players and their two wounded teammates played the sport they loved with joy and athleticism.

The Washington Post, which has declared war on the governor, actually sniped at Youngkin for his pilgrimage to Charlottesville.

Columnist Robert McCartney believes the governor should have been at the ceremonial grip ‘n grin at the opening of the Silver Line Extension to Dulles rather than comforting sad people in Charlottesville.

Just how tone-deaf can one journalist be?

This column has been republished with permission from Kerry: Unemployed & Unedited.

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Comments

42 responses to “Trump, Missiles, COVID, and Youngkin”

  1. VaNavVet Avatar
    VaNavVet

    Brave new world is Kerry actually endorsing bi-partisanship? We will have to see how see responds if Kiggans were to vote in such a manner.

  2. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    Wait! Wait! I know this!

    What are four subjects about which Kerry knows absolutely nothing, Alex?

  3. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    For my BR fiends, if you receive a notice or correspondence from the IRS that says, “the easiest and fastest way to resolve this issue is by calling 1-829-1040,” this is a gross mischaracterization of reality and the IRS ability to transfer calls.

    Do it in writing via USPS sent Certified, Return Receipt Requested.

    1. how_it_works Avatar
      how_it_works

      Doesn’t the recording from the IRS go something like “We cannot take your call at this time. Please call back later or on the next business day”?

      EDIT: And they’ll happily ignore mail, too.

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        Yes, that’s it. That’s the recording you hear after 75 minutes on hold.

        1. how_it_works Avatar
          how_it_works

          Oh, a word of advice to anyone of advancing age:

          If you should croak, try to make sure that happens AFTER you file your taxes for the year.

          Your next-of-kin will greatly appreciate it.

          1. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            They’re still going to have to file the year you die taxes, but all you need to do is print “Deceased” on the signature line. Funny thing, ANYONE can file them.

        2. how_it_works Avatar
          how_it_works

          Lately they’ve been playing that recording without even putting you on hold first.

          I guess that’s an improvement?

          1. Lefty665 Avatar
            Lefty665

            With 87,000 new employees coming on surely some of them will be answering phones. Oh, that’s right, about 5k in customer service, the other 80k+ will be doing audits.

            Don’t worry, you won’t have to call the IRS, they’ll be calling you, or showing up on your doorstep to offer up close and personal service. The odds are they’ll be packing too. What a thoughty Service.

            It’s just to reduce Putin’s inflation don’t ‘ya know so it’s all good.

          2. how_it_works Avatar
            how_it_works

            Bulls service cows.

            The IRS services us.

  4. James McCarthy Avatar
    James McCarthy

    When you are hot to hype the news, trouble ensues. The missile striking Poland was a Ukraine missile. Never mind!!!

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      It’s easy to have made that mistake. Did you see the size of the crater? That threw a lot of people off the right track.

      This is supposed to have been an anti-aircraft missile. Awful lot of bang, but then it is also supposed to be a Russian-made AA missile — what you lack in guidance, you can make up with more TNT.

      1. Lefty665 Avatar
        Lefty665

        It was a Soviet made missile left over from the cold war, an S300, the same type the Ukrainians used to shoot down MH17. Ironically it was very possibly provided to the Ukraine by Poland.

        The Ukrainians committed an act of war against Poland. Time to invoke Article 5 and for NATO to go to war on Ukraine to protect Polish farmers and farm equipment from more Ukrainian aggression.

        Arch Duke, we don’t need no steenkin’ Arch Duke to start a world war. We’ve got 2 dead farmers and a tractor.

        1. Matt Adams Avatar
          Matt Adams

          We likely aren’t going to know, I read the Polish Presidents statement as one of, “I don’t want to invoke Article 5 and I don’t want to go to war with Russia”.

          Outside of weapons and cash, most nations don’t want to insert their troops into this conflict.

          1. Lefty665 Avatar
            Lefty665

            The picture I saw was identified as an S300 but I can’t prove that was from this strike or in Poland. The other analysis was that the S300 has about a 75km range and the strike was about 70km straight north of Lviv at a time the city was under attack. That increases the likelihood of it being a stray air defense munition. Even Old Joe says so, although that doesn’t mean much.

          2. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            Probably a fairly reasonable assessment, but we will never really know anything for fact.

          3. WayneS Avatar
            WayneS

            And I was ready to believe it until Joe Biden said it was so.

            Now I have my doubts…

            😉

          4. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            POTUS Biden only repeats what his handlers tell him to. At this point, I think someone needs to Ron Burgundy him, to see if it does it.

          5. Lefty665 Avatar
            Lefty665

            Zelensky keeps insisting it was a Russian missile and that we need to go to war over it. That makes me wonder if it was really another Ukrainian false flag like the rail station missile several months ago.

            The timing of the request for Congress to appropriate another $37.7B for Ukraine immediately after the report of the missile is curious too.

          6. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            What people fail to see is that Ukraine is just as corrupt as Russia. This is another my enemy’s, enemy is my friend, however we know that’s not the case and never will be. A significant portion of the Ukraine aid hasn’t even left our shores and is just tied up in the MIC (hey they needed a money maker since their 20 year conflict ended).

            Outside of that, it’s not our business. This will be an unpopular opinion, but as someone who wore the uniform there are no NS concerns for the United States in this conflict. It’s just a continuation of the US/USSR proxy wars that have raged since 1947. This is also just a continued pattern by Russia, 2008 Georgia, 2014 Crimea and now this. They don’t want the land, they want the resources.

    2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
      Eric the half a troll

      Tomato tomato…

    3. Matt Adams Avatar
      Matt Adams

      “James McCarthy • 39 minutes ago
      When you are hot to hype the news, trouble ensues. The missile striking Poland was a Ukraine missile. Never mind!!!”

      That’s not a proven fact, but hey go with your BS as usual.

      1. WayneS Avatar
        WayneS

        You have to admit “When you are hot to hype the news, trouble ensues” is a pretty clever turn of phrase though, right?

        1. Matt Adams Avatar
          Matt Adams

          It’s good rhyme, but not quite iambic.

  5. Deckplates Avatar
    Deckplates

    The Ukraine war is a travesty that the European countries, the U.S. and the rest of the world has not put a stop to. – no international court would condone the reasons for starting that war. Also, many of the externalities are really fishy. To include a lot of money being washed & moved…

    Another important question is what did our 80 – year – old “leader” really say or promise to Xi while in Indonesia? Was it something like Barack O said Putin at their meeting in Beijing, (words like), “…wait until I am reelected and then I can do something…” I have never seen a pic of Xi smiling like he was when he was shaking hands with President Biden. He is almost always depicted with a look of disdain.

    Covid is over, now let’s have an accounting for the money spent and any which may be left over.

    Perhaps after the January 2023 new congress, Trump can figure out an exit strategy and who to support for 2024. Lest we forget, D.J. Trump is a superior strategist, and is accomplished. Most importantly we should never forget the magnitude of made-up media which can easily mold the weak minds, and even unprepared “thinkers.”

    Sending our kids to college should never result in death. That should be investigated and prosecuted as required by law. And every effort should be made to keep our kids safe in school. I thought VT was such a horror, so as to keep it from a repeat.

    1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
      Eric the half a troll

      The 2000+ people dying on a weekly basis in the US say Covid is not over…

      1. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        But nothing the government can do will now change that. The dying remain the most vulnerable or the unvaccinated (usually both.) For everybody else, it’s over. My recent positive home test followed by a runny nose tells me its over.

        1. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          This time…

        2. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          Went to get Covid shot the other day along with flu and pneumonia. There’s a line.

          Is there nothing the govt can do about the flu, pneumonia, shingles, and about half dozen others that it has been doing all long, long before COVID and continuing now for the folks who know it?

        3. VaNavVet Avatar
          VaNavVet

          Lets hope that you are right as now we are dealing with RSV and full pediatric IC units. Lowered immunity and lack of mask wearing all contributing. Seems like that a while back JAB was investigating the impact of mask wearing in school on the spread of the flu virus.

          1. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            “Lowered immunity and lack of mask wearing all contributing.”

            Mask wearing has nothing to do with it, it’s the fact that people were sheltered inside for 2 years. That’s why RSV and all other hosts of viruses are doing what they do, being viruses.

            The assertion that masks are anything but virtue signaling at this point, is not medically nor scientifically bounded.

            https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/swine-flu/expert-answers/flu-mask/faq-20057878

          2. Randy Huffman Avatar
            Randy Huffman

            Had a physical and my doc said since I had COVID last June I could wait up to 12 months to get a booster, as I already had antibodies in my system. Having said that, it would not hurt after 6 months if COVID is seriously an issue this winter. I recall how such talk would have been considered misinformation not to long ago. Everyone’s personal situation is unique of course.

          3. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            As Steve said on another article, his doc advised getting an antibody test before taking the booster. Otherwise you’re going to be getting a large collection of shots when they roll out a booster every 3 months. I imagine it’ll trend the way of the flu shot and become a yearly event.

          4. VaNavVet Avatar
            VaNavVet

            I am still seeing a great deal of people wearing masks while indoors as is their right. They do not appear to be the virtue signalling types to me.

          5. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            Perhaps you should learn what virtue signaling is and if you’re seeing a great deal of people wear them indoors, you’re lying.

          6. VaNavVet Avatar
            VaNavVet

            It would appear that the term a “great” deal is relative and I would not attempt to assign a motive to regular hard working folks.

          7. Matt Adams Avatar
            Matt Adams

            Well given you made a nebulous statement that isn’t really reality, anything else is without evidence.

            Let’s start with wear you claim you saw all these “masks”.

        4. Eric the half a troll Avatar
          Eric the half a troll

          “For everybody else, it’s over”

          Well, except the immuno-compromised, those with chronic kidney, lung, liver, etc diseases, those with diabetes, the overweight or obese, those with certain congenital defects, those with heart disease… but “everybody else” sure…

  6. DJRippert Avatar
    DJRippert

    As a graduate of the University of Virginia, I am deeply saddened by the multiple murders which occurred on Sunday night.

    One upset young man with a gun killed three young men he knew, presumably over some perceived slight.

    Unfortunately, this happens all the time with little to no notice. Usually, there is no news report. The governor doesn’t know about the victim. No flowers are laid. Flags continue to fly at full mast.

    Just three more murders in a housing project in Richmond, Newport News or DC rather than among the football players at UVa.

    The violence has to stop.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      We are more and more like 3rd world countries than developed countries and we characterize it as “freedom” and “rights”

  7. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    I retract my statement on Russian-made missiles. I got a better look at the crater. That “tractor” was probably acquired by onboard radar/IR. Big bright shiny object parked on a pad.

    1. Lefty665 Avatar
      Lefty665

      … and a nice fat diesel heat signature if it was running.

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