November 2020 - Page 2 of 10 - The Virginia Star

Commentary: Will the Future of the GOP Be Corporatism or America First?

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Regardless of how this election finally turns out—and we’re still weeks away from knowing the answer with certainty—it should be noted what President Trump was able to do in the last four years regarding the conservative narrative of the past several decades.

From what really was nothing more than an appendage of corporatism and vulture capitalists, Trump took the Republican Party and helped shape it into a broad coalition of workers and patriots that really does transcend race and ethnicities; call it America First Republican Populism.

Commentary: Fraud, Evidence, Proof, Power

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The Trump campaign alleges that massive voter fraud, especially perpetrated by computer software, is responsible for the widely published figures indicating Joe Biden won the presidential election. Consensus has spread from the Left, through the Republican establishment (e.g. the Wall Street Journal) to honest Tucker Carlson, that the Trump team has presented no proof and, absent that, must concede. But even the few who adhere to that consensus honestly do so based on neglect of law, facts, and even of the English language.

For Trump’s highly paid lawyers, there is no excuse whatsoever to submit to that expectation.

New Unemployment Claims Increase to 778,000, Missing Expectations

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The number of Americans filing new unemployment claims increased to 778,000 last week as the economy continued to suffer the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to the Department of Labor.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) figure released Wednesday represented an increase of new jobless claims compared to the week ending Nov. 14, in which there were 742,000 new jobless claims reported. New jobless claims have stayed below 800,000 for more than a month.

Georgia’s Senate Runoffs Have Seen $272 Million in Ad Spending in Just 22 Days

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Campaigns in Georgia’s two Senate runoff races have spent over $272 million advertising since Election Day, according to an AdAge analysis.

Incumbent GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have reserved $168.5 million worth of ads up to the Jan. 5 runoff, while their respective Democratic challengers, Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock, have collectively reserved $102.5 million, the analysis shows. The sums do not include outside spending that has flooded the two races, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Rural Oregon Counties Want to Secede From State to Join ‘Greater Idaho’

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Conservative Oregonians are trying to leave the increasingly left-leaning state all together to preserve their values – but not by moving elsewhere. A group called Move Oregon’s Border is leading an initiative to have Oregon’s rural counties secede from the rest of the state and join Idaho, Fox News reports.

Mike McCarter, 72, a lifelong Oregonian, retired plant nursery worker and firearms instructor, has been leading the separatist movement for almost two years. He said he and many others are eager to “get out from underneath the chokehold of Northwestern Oregon.”

Amistad Project’s Georgia Lawsuit Targets 200K Ballot Deficit Caused by Improper Counting of Ballots

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

The Amistad Project of the Thomas More Society filed a lawsuit contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, saying fraudulent votes cast were 15 times greater than the margin separating Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

The organization said in a press release that it filed the lawsuit Tuesday, because well over 100,000 illegal votes were improperly counted, while tens of thousands of legal votes were not counted.

Analysis: USA Today & Facebook Use Slanderous ‘Fact Check’ to Suppress Facts About Illegal Voting by Non-Citizens

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A “fact check” by USA Today is defaming a Ph.D.-vetted study by Just Facts that found non-citizens may have cast enough illegal votes for Joe Biden to overturn the lawful election results in some key battleground states. The article, written by USA Today’s Chelsey Cox, contains 10 misrepresentations, unsupported claims, half-truths, and outright falsehoods.

Commentary: Marxism Nearly Killed the Pilgrims: The Real Story of the First Thanksgiving

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

November of 1621 marked one-year in the New World for a band of what began as 35 English religious separatists and 67 entrepreneurs who had landed on the shores of New England. In their first winter, harsh conditions and diseases like pneumonia and scurvy led to the death of forty-five of the original 102.

Judge Michael Warren Commentary: Thanksgiving’s Historical Relationship with Religion

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Turkey and stuffing. Detroit Lions Football. Turkey Trots. Parades and the arrival of Santa. Followed by frenzied shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Maybe a bit of charity on Giving Tuesday. The ultimate American holiday. What more could you need?

Gratitude. Blessings. Humility. Although historical debate surrounds the origins of Thanksgiving in colonial America, it has a deeply rooted core that today is overshadowed by consumerism and entertainment culture.

COVID Death Rates Are Falling as Treatment Improves, Experts Say

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Death rates from the coronavirus are falling in the United States showing that treatments for the coronavirus are advancing, infectious-disease experts told the Wall Street Journal.

Data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington (IHME) shows that the virus is only killing about 0.6% of those infected, the WSJ reported. This death rate has improved since April when the COVID death rate was at about 0.9%, the publication reported.

Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes by State

November 26, 2020November 25, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Thanksgiving is all about spending quality time with family and friends away from the everyday responsibilities such as work and school, but the holiday really centers around the large afternoon feast where so much food is consumed that a nap is usually required immediately afterward.

And everybody knows that Turkey is the mainstay of traditionally Thanksgiving meals, hence the nickname Turkey Day, but what about the side dishes? Which classic sides are more popular than others?

Politics at the Thanksgiving Table: Legislators on Holiday

November 26, 2020November 26, 2020 Eric Burk

Virginia’s legislators recently completed a long special session, and are preparing for the regular session in January. Additionally, Virginia’s state elections are just a year away, so many of them are launching campaigns for office. The Virginia Star asked several legislators how they’re escaping the stress this Thanksgiving.

Trump Grants Michael Flynn a ‘Full Pardon’

November 25, 2020December 26, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

by Chuck Ross President Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn, bringing to an end a nearly three-year legal battle that began with the retired general’s guilty plea as part of the special counsel’s probe. “It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael…

Tim Anderson Announces Run for Virginia House of Delegates

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Prominent Virginia Beach lawyer Tim Anderson is running for the House of Delegates 83rd District as a Republican candidate.

Anderson, who is already involved with GOP state politics, officially announced his campaign on Tuesday through a press release posted to his Twitter and Facebook profiles.

Commentary: By Every Legal Means Necessary

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The rising chorus of those demanding the finalization of Joe Biden’s election victory or merely deluging the president with sanctimonious claptrap about “affirming the system” and being a gentleman and practitioner of fair play and good sportsmanship, ignores both the law and the underlying significance of the arguments.

Biden Selects Former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen for Treasury Secretary, Would Be First Woman to Hold Position: Report

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President-elect Joe Biden is expected to name former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen for secretary of the Department of the Treasury, The Wall Street Journal first reported Monday.

Yellen, 74, who was the first woman to serve as Federal Reserve chair after she was confirmed by the Senate in 2014, would be the first woman to head the Treasury Department, according to CNBC. Yellen is widely considered to be a “safe” pick with a high likelihood of confirmation by a closely divided Senate.

Trump Scores Two Wins as Michigan Legislature, Federal Appeals Court Agree to Election Reviews

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President Trump’s campaign said it scored two victories Monday in its effort to contest results in several key battleground states, as Michigan state legislators agreed to hold a hearing into election irregularities while a federal appeals court expedited proceedings to consider Trump’s legal challenge in Pennsylvania.

Biden’s Pick for Homeland Security Chief ‘Exerted Improper Influence’ in Visa Program for Rich Foreign Investors

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security was accused in a government watchdog report during the Obama administration of exerting improper influence to help high-profile Democrats navigate a government visa program to help their wealthy foreign investors.

Biden’s transition team announced on Monday that he will pick Alejandro Mayorkas, the former deputy secretary of homeland security, to lead the agency.

Ty Herndon and Kristen Chenoweth Release ‘Orphans of God’

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Bethany Bowman

When country crooner, Ty Herndon announced he was releasing a duet with the talented Tony Award Winner, Kristen Chenoweth, I wanted to find out how this came to be.

With Herndon, he grew up singing from a young age and never really had a choice. He comes from a musical family and they traveled the south singing at camp meetings and tent revivals. He even considered being an evangelist at one point. His family listened to the Grand Ole’ Opry and singers like Tammy Wynette.

Kentucky AG Files Restraining Order to Block Religious School Closures

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

“Kentucky’s attorney general is suing his own governor in an attempt to keep private religious schools open, despite the state ordering virtual classes during the coronavirus pandemic, “according to Fox News.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron and the First Liberty Institute on Friday asked a federal court to issue a temporary restraining order that would block Beshear’s order from being implemented. An emergency hearing took place on Monday. In the petition, Cameron argued that Beshear’s latest executive order infringed on Danville Christian Academy’s and other religious schools’ constitutional freedoms.

Two Moves Trump HHS Is Taking to Make Government More Accountable

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

In another Trump administration move to boost transparency and roll back regulations, the Department of Health and Human Services issued two statements of policy on Tuesday that will affect any future imposition of regulations going forward.

The first policy requires the department and its agencies to demonstrate to the public how they reached a conclusion on the economic cost of a regulation.

College Basketball Games to Watch Over Thanksgiving Holiday

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Jacob Taylor

It has been exactly 258 days since conference tournaments around the country were cancelled thanks to the coronavirus, but now fans can rejoice because college basketball is officially back.

After what feels like an eternal break from the sport, Wednesday marks the start of the season and features a slate of games from morning to night for what will essentially be non-stop action all day long.

Things to Do in Richmond This Thanksgiving Weekend

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Eric Burk

COVID-19 and Governor Ralph Northam’s executive orders make it more difficult to enjoy the holidays, but Richmond still has plenty of activities to offer this weekend. Enjoy historical experiences, tour the city by bike, or volunteer to help feed others this Thanksgiving.

83 Percent Increase in Middle and High School Students Earning ‘F’ Grades in at Least Two Classes in Fairfax

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Eric Burk

A Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) study found an 83 percent increase in middle and high school students earning ‘F’ grades in two or more classes. The study compared Quarter One 2020-2021 results to Quarter One 2019-2020, and coincided with COVID-19 virtual learning. Last school year, six percent of the students earned ‘F’ grades in two or more classes; that increased to 11 percent in the latest results.

Follow the Money: CARES Act Update

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Eric Burk

Congress passed the CARES Act last March, sending many taxpayers $1,200, giving $100 billion to health providers, and boosting unemployment benefits by $600 a week, according to Govtrack. The $2 trillion stimulus bill also sent $150 billion to states and localities across the country. Virginia received about $3.1 billion dollars, with a separate $200 million sent directly to Fairfax County.

Victor Davis Hanson Commentary: A Time of Chaos Upon Chaos Atop Chaos

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

America will weather its current hysterias.

But the tensions and furor are reminiscent of the last generations of the Roman Republic. In its last century, Romans began to adjudicate politics by obsequious partisan town criers (their version of our media), mass demonstrations, and freelance street gangs. Looters, arsonists, and demonstrators did pretty much as they pleased in the streets of Rome without fear of legal consequences.

In our time, the media has now vanished – kaput, no more, ended.

UVA Student Newspaper Opinion Writer: ‘Stand Up’ to ‘Racist Family’ at Thanksgiving

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

An opinion columnist at the University of Virginia’s student newspaper encouraged her readers to “stand up” to “racist family” at Thanksgiving.

Emma Camp, who writes a regular opinion column for the Cavalier Daily, asserted that “white progressives must privilege their principles over personal comfort” in conversations with family during the holiday season. In order to fulfill this mandate, they “need to stand up to their racist loved ones.”

Harvard Creating New ‘Antiracism’ Librarian Job That Pays up to $240,300 Per Year

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Harvard University is creating a new position for its Ivy League campus: an “Associate University Librarian for Antiracism.”

The salary grade (061) for the position is listed between $133,300 to $240,300 per year.

The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience and demonstrate strong data analysis, leadership and administrative skills, according to Harvard officials.

Nevada Governor Orders Indoor Mask Mandate, Limits Private Gatherings Ahead of Thanksgiving

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Democratic Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak on Sunday strengthened the state’s mask mandate and limited attendees in private gatherings ahead of Thanksgiving.

Residents must wear face coverings whether gathering indoors or outside if any member that’s not in their household is present, according to a press release from the governor’s office. Private gatherings are limited to 10 people from a maximum of two separate households and public events will be capped at 50 people or 25% capacity, whichever is less, the order, which will last a total of three weeks, read.

NCAA Relocating Preliminary Round Sites for 2021 Championship Tournament, Discussing Single Host City

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Many die-hard college basketball fans remember the disappointment they felt last spring when the 2020 NCAA Tournament was cancelled because the coronavirus that was, at the time, starting to emerge in the United States.

For 2021, all signs are pointing to March Madness taking place even while the country continues to live through the pandemic, but the annual spring tradition for college basketball fans will look much different from years past.

Biden’s Pick for National Security Adviser Sent Classified Emails on Clinton’s Server, Hyped Fake Trump-Russia Collusion Story

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Joe Biden’s likely choice for national security adviser sent more than 200 classified emails found on Hillary Clinton’s private email network, and touted a now-debunked allegation before the 2016 election which fueled the conspiracy theory that Donald Trump was in cahoots with Russian leaders.

Biden will select Jake Sullivan to serve in the White House role, The New York Times and Bloomberg reported.

COVID-19 Vaccine Temperature Requirements Could Create Logistics Challenge

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 The Center Square

Many states in the U.S. are hinging their COVID-19 mitigation strategies on the availability of a widely available vaccine. An issue bound to arise is the extremely cold temperatures the most promising experimental vaccines need to be kept at and the logistics of delivering them across the country.

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is estimated to remain stable at standard refrigerator temperatures of 36° to 46°F for 30 days. Longer storage means a required temperature of mRNA-1273 needs -4°F for up to six months.

Sidney Powell Makes Explosive Allegations About Dominion; Firm Won $107 Million Contract with State of Georgia Months After Former Staffer for Gov. Kemp Signed on as Lobbyist

November 24, 2020December 26, 2020 Corinne Murdock

At the center of the pending lawsuits surrounding this general election is the integrity of electronic voting systems and the companies that own them. One company of particular interest is Dominion Voting Systems (Dominion), referenced by attorney Sidney Powell in multiple press conferences and interviews.

Powell has claimed that Dominion is responsible for switching, losing, and assigning different weights to votes. The attorney has also claimed that those who awarded contracts to Dominion did so for sweetened deals: guaranteed increased power and massive payouts. Powell further alleged that Dominion’s software and executives have ties to Venezuela and the late Hugo Chavez.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Silent on Demands He Audit Absentee Ballots

November 24, 2020 Chris Butler

Members of the State Executive Committee of the Georgia Republican Party have asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to order an immediate audit of the absentee ballots cast in the 2020 general election.

This audit, members of the Georgia GOP said in an open letter, must verify that signatures match.

Senator Amanda Chase says the Democratic Party of Virginia is Racist

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Jacob Taylor

State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield), a Republican gubernatorial candidate for 2021, called the Democratic Party of Virginia racist and said that the group hates white people.

On Friday night, Chase posted the statement to her Facebook page in response to an article about Virginia Democrats calling for Richmond General Registrar J. Kirk Showalter to either be removed from the position or to resign on her own.

Michigan Board of Canvassers Certify Statewide Election Results

November 24, 2020 The Center Square

The Michigan State Board of Canvassers on Monday voted to certify the Nov. 3 election results on a 3-0 vote with one member abstaining.

Republican board member Aaron Van Langevelde voted with Democrats.

“I’ve reviewed every section. I haven’t found anything about an audit,” Van Langevelde said. “I found nothing about authority for us to delay certification because we’re waiting for more accurate results. I found nothing about making certification contingent on an audit. I found nothing that gives us the authority to review complaints for fraud.”

Lynchburg-Area Counties Considering ‘No Shutdown’ Resolution

November 24, 2020November 23, 2020 Eric Burk

A resolution to block Governor Ralph Northam’s COVID-19 shutdown executive orders is circulating in the counties around Lynchburg. According to reporting by WSET, Boards of Supervisors in Campbell, Bedford, and Appomattox Counties are considering drafting a resolution repudiating Northam’s interference in local business.

Glenn Davis is Determined to Make Second Run at Virginia Lieutenant Governor a Success

November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Virginia State Delegate Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach) says he wants to restore the Commonwealth as a bastion of business and help bring increased equity to education throughout the state if elected as lieutenant governor in 2021.

Davis, 47, announced his second run for the position back in September and was the first Republican candidate to enter the 2021 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, which will take place next November.

Commentary: The Pressure to Make Allegations of a Mass Fraud During the 2020 Presidential Election Disappear is Enormous

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

So what is the state of play regarding the 2020 presidential election? There seem to be two main positions.

One is that Joe Biden won the election, narrowly but with sufficient latitude that any challenge is bootless. A corollary of that contention is that the adults in the room, be they Republicans or Democrats, should get with the program and accede to the Narrative.

Republicans on Verge of Flipping 14 U.S. House Seats

November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Joe Biden’s decision to tap Kamala Harris as his running mate did not help Democrats down-ballot in California three weeks ago. We already know Harris is unpopular, even within her own party, as evidenced by her epic 2019 primary failure. We now know she lacks coattails.

While Republicans had a great election night in U.S. House races across the country, surprisingly their most successful state was the one Harris represents.

Attorneys General Lash Out at DHS Student Visa Rules Letter Limiting Foreign Students’ Stay

November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

In late October, 23 U.S. states’ Attorneys General submitted a letter to the Department of Homeland Security expressing opposition to a proposed rule change that would place new limits on the time an international student can spend in the U.S.

The new rule would limit the validity of an international student visa to generally four years, the same amount of time it typically takes for a student to complete an undergraduate program. The current stipulation, characterized as “Duration of Stay,” allows a student to stay in the United States as long as they are pursuing a full course of studying or training.

The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post Among Newspapers Paid Millions by Beijing-Controlled News Outlet to Publish Propaganda this Year

November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

An English-language newspaper controlled by the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda department paid U.S. media companies nearly $2 million for printing and advertising expenses over the past six months, even amid heightened scrutiny over Beijing’s disinformation efforts in the West.

China Daily paid The Wall Street Journal more than $85,000 and the Los Angeles Times $340,000 for advertising campaigns between May and October 2020, according to a disclosure that the propaganda mill filed this week with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

China Daily also paid Foreign Policy magazine $100,000, The Financial Times, a U.K.-based newspaper, $223,710, and $132,046 to the Canadian outlet Globe & Mail for advertising campaigns, according to the filing.

Trump Pulls Out of Military Transparency Treaty with Russia, Europe

November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The Trump administration officially withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty, a 2002 agreement to promote military transparency signed by more than 30 countries including Russia.

The Department of State said Sunday that the U.S. had officially withdrawn from the Open Skies Treaty, which went into effect nearly two decades ago. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo both announced on May 21 that the U.S. intended to exit the agreement, according to The Associated Press.

Joe Morrissey Commentary: Electoral Incompetence in Richmond Should Alarm Both Parties

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Election Day 2020 has come and gone. Voters in the United States found out last week that President Donald Trump was defeated by former Vice President Joe Biden. Counts in numerous states took longer than what many expected, but results were eventually provided nonetheless. Overall, the election occurred without a hitch. The same cannot be said for the City of Richmond. Issues that arose included precincts reporting the wrong vote counts, City Council candidates allocated the wrong vote totals, individual voters receiving numerous ballots – the list goes on!

Commentary: A Retired Professor’s Retrospective on How Academia and Society Have Gone Separate Ways

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

I landed in Washington, D.C., in 1965 as a graduate student. For a conservative, the landscape was barren.

There was no conservative administration, no national newspaper that competed with the liberal New York Times and Washington Post, no conservative think tanks that rivaled the Brookings Institution or Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and no conservative majority in Congress.

Over the previous 32 years, the Democrats occupied the White House for 24 years, and both houses of Congress for 28 years. For all practical purposes, Washington and national politics were a Democratic Party monopoly.

President Trump Asks for Georgia Recount That Would Match Absentee Ballot Envelope Signatures

November 23, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

President Donald Trump’s legal team on Saturday said they had filed a petition for a recount in Georgia, one that would match signatures on absentee ballot envelopes, which the state did not do in the previous effort.

The team made the announcement in a statement.

Former Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene Tells Her Story

November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 Eric Burk

Angela Greene says she was fired for upholding the law. The former Portsmouth Police Chief was placed on administrative leave after her department announced felony charges against Senator Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) and others alleged to have been involved in damaging the city’s Confederate monument in June. The charges were dropped on November 16, the same day Greene was fired.

Mass Protest at CNN: Your Fake News Gig Is Up

November 22, 2020November 21, 2020 Chris Butler

Americans who once belonged to the political left, whether White, Black, straight or gay, assembled in front of CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta Saturday and explained why no one should ever again trust mainstream news outlets.

Those same people, who now support U.S. President Donald Trump, explained during a mass protest that those same legacy outlets need to disappear.