Quantum Vibe, 04/22/24
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser
Cartoon. (04/22/24)
Biden regime tightens rules for obtaining medical records related to abortion
Source: Associated Press
“The medical records of women will be shielded from criminal investigations if they cross state lines to seek an abortion where it is legal, under a new rule that the Biden administration finalized Monday. The regulation, which is intended to protect women who live in states where abortion is illegal from prosecution, is almost certain to face legal challenges from anti-abortion advocates and criticism from abortion-rights advocates that it does not go far enough. ‘No one should have their medical records used against them, their doctor or their loved one just because they sought or received lawful reproductive health care,’ Jennifer Klein, the director of the White House Gender Policy Council, told reporters on Monday. The new regulation is an update to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which prohibits medical providers and health insurers from divulging medical information about patients.” (04/22/24)
The Generals’ Trump Brief Actually Makes a Compelling Case
Source: The American Conservative
by Peter Van Buren
“Fourteen retired four-star generals, admirals, and other military leaders (including the former NSA head Michael Hayden, who certainly knows a thing or two about illegal orders) filed an amici brief with the Supreme Court, arguing against former President Trump’s claims of immunity in his criminal cases, particularly those dealing with J6. … They argue Trump should not be granted immunity by the Court for three reasons: The claimed immunity would undermine the national commitment to civilian control of the military; Trump’s immunity would undermine the military’s adherence to the rule of law, its orderly functioning, and public trust; and Trump’s claimed immunity, by implicating the peaceful transition of power in particular, threatens national security.” (04/22/24)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-generals-trump-brief-actually-makes-a-compelling-case/
Turkey’s Erdogan in Iraq to Push for Reset of Ties, Cooperation Against PKK
Source: US News & World Report
“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan began a rare visit to Iraq on Monday aiming to reset ties between the Middle East neighbours by inking a raft of deals covering security cooperation against Kurdish PKK militants, energy and trade. His long-awaited visit is the first by a Turkish leader since 2011 and follows years of rocky relations as Ankara ramped up cross-border operations against PKK militants based in mainly Kurdish, mountainous northern Iraq. Iraq has said such operations violate its sovereignty and have killed civilians, but Turkey says it must protect itself against the PKK, which it, the U.S. and others have designated as a terrorist group.” (04/22/24)
Conflicts of Interest, episode 580
Source: Libertarian Institute
“The House Approves $95 Billion Foreign Military Aid Bills.” (04/22/24)
Competition Can’t Be Perfect
Source: American Institute for Economic Research
by Michael Munger
“If you’ve ever taken an intro economics class, you’ve heard of the idiotic concept of ‘perfect competition.’ The idea is that no firm has any market power, and is forced to accept the ‘competitive’ price. One sign that competition is ‘perfect’ in this way is zero profits. Since if something is perfect, it must be desirable, a new generation of attorneys is attempting a wholesale takeover of antitrust enforcement. They are being led by advocates such as Lina Khan of the FTC, and Timothy Wu of Columbia Law School, who is hailed by some as the ‘architect’ of the Biden administration’s competition policy. The problem is that competition in commerce, just as in elections, courtrooms, and sports, requires considerable resources and organization.” (04/22/24)
Five Ways Democrats Are Trying To Turn America Into Venezuela
Source: Association of Mature American Citizens
by Aaron Flanigan
“President Donald Trump has bluntly stated repeatedly since his ascension to the White House in 2016 that ‘Democrats want to turn America into Venezuela.’ As we approach the November presidential election, this maxim, which many dismissed as hyperbole, is proving more true than most conservatives realized. Here are five ways the American left’s current rhetoric and policies are eerily reminiscent of Venezuela’s collapse into communist oppression. 1.) Fomenting A Class War To Pass A Wealth Tax … Among the most jarring instances of Biden’s descent into third-world socialist antics is his flagrant tax rate dishonesty. In social media posts, speeches, and even official White House reports, the Biden administration has claimed that the wealthiest Americans pay a mere 8 percent average tax rate. ‘You know what [billionaires’] average tax rate is?’ Biden posted on X in 2022. ‘About 8%.'” (04/22/24)
https://amac.us/newsline/society/five-ways-democrats-are-trying-to-turn-america-into-venezuela/
CT: Dozens arrested during US Gaza campus protests at Yale
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Dozens of protesters have been arrested at Yale University as demonstrations against the war in Gaza rock US campuses. Protesters occupying a square ignored multiple requests to leave, the Ivy League institution told the BBC. Meanwhile, Columbia University students were told to attend classes virtually Monday after over 100 arrests were made during protests there last week. The White House has condemned alleged incidents of antisemitism at Columbia. The ongoing protests have raised concerns about the safety of Jewish students at schools across the country. Since the 7 October attack on southern Israel by Hamas gunmen, debates and fights about the Middle East and free speech have erupted on college campuses across the country, and tensions are now rising at major universities.” (04/22/24)
For Tom Cotton and the Right, Violence and Cruelty Are Common Sense
Source: Liberal Currents
by Alan Elrod
“In 2020, Senator Tom Cotton sparked outrage with a New York Times guest essay calling for the use of the military to curb rioting and enforce order during the George Floyd protests. This past week, he called on everyday Americans to ‘take matters into your own hands’ in dealing with pro-Palestinian protestors like the ones who blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday. … his comments speak to a wider phenomenon on the American right, one where a kind of unreasonable, even anti-social, thinking has become commonplace but is presented as common sense and normal. It is a mode wherein the usual conservative appeals to common sense and self-evident facts remain rhetorically but are used to uphold a deeply disordered set of assumptions.” (04/22/24)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/for-tom-cotton-and-the-right-violence-and-cruelty-are-common-sense/
Mexico: Masked men stop vehicle carrying leading presidential candidate
Source: CBS News
“Masked men stopped a vehicle carrying Mexico’s leading presidential candidate while she was traveling between campaign stops Sunday to ask that she address the violence in the southern state of Chiapas if she wins the June 2 election. Former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, the governing Morena party’s candidate, remained in the front passenger seat of the vehicle listening calmly with her window down. Masked men filmed the interaction on their cell phones and one shook her hand before letting her move on. The men, who identified themselves as local residents, said they felt ‘powerless’ because the government hasn’t done enough to provide security.” (04/22/24)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/claudia-scheinbaum-mexico-masked-men-vehicle-presidential-candidate/