January 23, 2021 - The Virginia Star

John Fredericks Commentary: The Great RPV Hostage Caper

January 23, 2021January 23, 2021 John Fredericks

Susan Swecker, Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia is having the time of her life.

She cannot wait until Saturday’s Republican Party of Virginia’s weekly State Central Committee clown car Zoom show to hit the Facebook live pages. In fact, rumor has it the VA Dems actually plan watch parties around it, with champagne and locally brewed beer to boot! They say the comments section is the best comedy show since Seinfeld.

For 10 years, I have railed against the folly of Virginia Republicans holding conventions over primaries to nominate state-wide candidates. In fact, I’ve maintained that conventions have ripped the heart and soul out of the Party, relegating it to the New York Jets style dumpster fire it is today. The RPV is broke, decrepit and rudderless.

Virginia House Public Safety Subcommittee Killing Bills Limiting Executive Order Power

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Eric Burk

Delegate Kirk Cox’s House bill limiting the length of executive orders will likely die in committee after a Public Safety subcommittee recommended tabling the bill. HB 2087, if passed, would limit the length of Governor Ralph Northam’s executive orders to just 45 days unless the General Assembly passes an…

Commentary: Nobody Should be Surprised by Biden’s Executive Actions—That’s the System Congress and the Courts Created

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

President Joe Biden’s first day in office began with a flurry of executive orders and other actions, taking out former President Donald Trump’s travel restrictions from countries with known Islamist terrorist activity, stopping further construction of the border wall on an emergency basis, rejoining the World Health Organization, reentering the Paris Climate Accords, and halting the Remain in Mexico policy that had asylum seekers wait out their cases in Mexico before being allowed to enter in the U.S.

Georgia Rep. Taylor Greene Files Articles of Impeachment Against Biden

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

A freshman U.S. House member from Georgia Thursday filed articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden, on Biden’s first full day in office.

“I’m filing articles of impeachment against Joe Biden for abuse of power, and he used the office of the Vice Presidency – he abused the power by threatening to withhold money – withhold foreign aid to Ukraine in order help his son, Hunter Biden in his business scams in a Ukrainian energy company,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14) told Real America’s News.

Guard Troops Forced to Leave Capitol Building, Rest in Parking Garage Sparks Bipartisan Outrage

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Thousands of National Guard troops protecting the Capitol Hill complex during inauguration week were temporarily forced Thursday night to leave the buildings, sparking outrage among the troops and Congress.

“Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer – why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot? They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, in a tweet, asked the two leaders of the Democrat-controlled Congress.

Commentary: America Needs to Break the Chinese Slave Labor Supply Chain

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The Biden administration has begun ramping up another “Buy American” campaign. Promoters of international commerce will respond that privileging the purchase of domestic products is inefficient and thus immoral: If manufacturing is cheaper in China, Chinese laborers and American consumers both benefit. Others find American economic self-sufficiency, producing the things that we need at home, to be politically appealing — especially for strategic goods and essential defense articles. But will Biden’s “Buy American” campaign be effective more broadly, especially when it comes to concerns like fighting the use of slave labor in autocratic countries?

Texas Governor, Attorney General to Sue Biden over Immigration

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 The Center Square

Texas plans to sue the Biden administration over several executive orders recently issued, and immigration policy is front and center.

“A new crop of Texas-led lawsuits awaits Joe Biden’s White House,” Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted. “Texas will take action whenever the federal government encroaches on state’s rights, or interferes with constitutional rights, or private property rights or the right to earn a living.”

Some Deportations Will Be Put on Hold for Biden’s First 100 Days, New Acting DHS Secretary Says

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

A pause in deporting certain noncitizens from the U.S. will be in effect for 100 days starting Friday, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.

The pause will be in effect while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reviews immigration enforcement policies and practices, according to Acting DHS Secretary David Pekoske. The pause will allow officials to “review and reset” policies to focus on public safety, border and national security.

Steve Bannon Presents ‘War Room: Pandemic’

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

An all new LIVE STREAM of War Room: Pandemic starts at 9 a.m. Central Time on Saturday.

Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon began the daily War Room: Pandemic radio show and podcast on January 25, when news of the virus was just beginning to leak out of China around the Lunar New Year. Bannon and co-hosts bring listeners exclusive analysis and breaking updates from top medical, public health, economic, national security, supply chain and geopolitical experts weekdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ET.

Senate Confirms Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

The Senate voted to confirm retired Gen. Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense, making him President Joe Biden’s second Cabinet nominee to be confirmed.

Austin was confirmed by a bipartisan 93-2 vote and will be the first black person to serve in the role. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and Utah Sen. Mike Lee were the only senators to vote against his confirmation.

Commentary: John Fredericks NFL Playoff Picks – Championship Weekend

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

Batting .500 is great if you’re a baseball hitter. Not so much if you are picking football games against the spread. After 10 picks, we are an unimpressive 5-5, and our best bets are 1-1. So we still have our stake available, minus the vig, which is typically 10 percent. So if you bet $100 on each of the ten playoffs games we touted, you would now be down $50. Easy to make up. Now get ready to go 2-0 this weekend.

Six Gun Bills Move Through Virginia House Committee

January 23, 2021January 22, 2021 Eric Burk

The House Committee on Public Safety (CPS) approved several firearms bills on Friday morning. The bills include HB 1909, which allows school boards to declare non-school zone property owned by the board as a gun free zone; HB 1992, which prohibits people convicted of assault from owning or possessing a firearm; HB 2128, which increases the firearm sale background check delay from three days to five days, HB2276 which bans plastic firearms and 80 percent receivers; and HB 2295, which bans carrying firearms or stun weapons on Capitol grounds in Richmond. HB2081, which bans carrying firearms at a polling place, passed out of the Privileges and Elections Committee on Wednesday.