They Needed An Investigation?

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Everything that comes out of DC is a fraud.

Congress and the Trump administration designed the PPP to give small businesses fast and easy access to taxpayer funds, and it worked: About $525 billion in loans were distributed to 5.2 million companies between April 3 and Aug. 8. Many business owners say it was a lifeline in turbulent times.

But evidence is growing that many others took advantage of the program’s open-door design. Banks and the government allowed companies to self-certify that they needed the funds, with little vetting.

The Small Business Administration’s inspector general, an arm of the agency that administers the PPP, said last month there were “strong indicators of widespread potential abuse and fraud in the PPP.”

No kidding! A fraudulent program based on a fraudulent hoax based on a fraudulent economy just might result in more cookie jar looting. I could have told them that. in fact, I think I did. I’ll have something to say about this, this week sometime, at the FP news.

And on an unrelated note, I’m not sure where all the traffic is coming from lately, but thank you! This week has seen more visitors than the monthly average for much of the year. Carry on, good readers, carry on.

Where’s John Roberts?

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“President-Elect” Harris Biden plans to undo Trumps Executive Orders:

President-elect Joe Biden is planning to quickly sign a series of executive orders after being sworn into office on Jan. 20, immediately forecasting that the country’s politics have shifted and that his presidency will be guided by radically different priorities.

He will rejoin the Paris climate accords, according to those close to his campaign and commitments he has made in recent months, and he will reverse President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization. He will repeal the ban on immigration from many Muslim-majority countries, and he will reinstate the program allowing “dreamers,” who were brought to the United States illegally as children, to remain in the country, according to people familiar with his plans.

Woah! Wait. Stop. Didn’t the wise Roberts court rule that one president cannot undo the orders of a previous president? Or, does that only apply to illegal orders? Or, does any of this matter anymore?

The Press Has Spoken!

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President Joseph Biden has already taken office!

Trump’s refusal to concede has no legal implications. But it could add to the incoming administration’s challenge of bringing the country together after a bitter election.

Throughout the campaign, Trump repeatedly refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, arguing without evidence that the election could be marred by fraud. The nation has a long history of presidential candidates peacefully accepting the outcome of elections, dating back to 1800, when John Adams conceded to his rival Thomas Jefferson.

It was Biden’s native Pennsylvania that put him over the top, the state he invoked throughout the campaign to connect with working class voters. He also won Nevada on Sunday pushing his total to 290 Electoral College votes.

These people know how it works, they’re just trying to convince everyone of the narrative. It’s not over until it’s over – they don’t decide. (However, won’t it be grand when it is over???)

I Can’t Make This Stuff Up

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Oklahoma isn’t just a musical anymore.

More than a year later, Turner — a queer, Black Muslim who wears a hijab and identifies as nonbinary — won a seat Tuesday in the Oklahoma state legislature‚ becoming the first openly nonbinary state lawmaker in the country.

Turner’s decisive victory Tuesday night came as no surprise in the solidly blue 88th state House district, which covers a diverse, growing part of Oklahoma City. But in a night of historic firsts set by LGBTQ candidates across the nation, the win arguably stands out for the number of barriers it broke — and for where it all happened.

Wonders never cease. Had I independently written “a queer, Black Muslim who wears a hijab and identifies as nonbinary,” then somebody might have left another bad book review or something. Let it make the “real” news and it’s a cause for celebration. For my part, on behalf of this highly respected web log, I’d just like to congratulate the forward-feeling xersons of Oklahoma (not sure how to Sovietize the state name, sorry) and the newly-elected … criminal justice advocate.

I wasn’t sure what “nonbinary” meant, outside of the statistical sense, so I checked with the set-in-stone, unbiased experts at Wiki. Now I know. Moje podanie o pobyt w nagłych wypadkach przyjdzie dziś po południu. Na pobyt lub jako uchodźca. Proszę pomóż! Mój kraj niebezpiecznie oszalał! Sorry, private message, there.

And, in kind of related news, I’d like to congratulate the people of Georgia for front-running the 2020 Census report. Fade to… Poważnie! Będę bardzo cicho. Po prostu przesiaduję na „plaży” w Zakopanem i chwalę wszystkie urocze panie i takie tam.

Election Dope

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Good news for Libertarians! From coast to glassy-eyed coast, it’s the norm now – even the hard stuff. Our future is secure! The real news came out of the People’s Republic of Kalifornia where Prop 16 failed to bring racial discrimination into state hiring.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, and Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, argued Proposition 16 would create equal footing among Latinos and Blacks and increase racial and gender representation in higher education and in the public workforce.

“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t have a chance to explain it to more voters but we’re hopeful that justice works out,” Gonzalez said on Tuesday night.

It’s not unfortunate, it’s amazing that the voters chose to protect the interests of the shrinking 36% minority of citizens in the state. Miracles never cease. Now, back to your “green.”

Nuclear Disarmament? – What Passes for a Weekly Column…

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Nuclear Disarmament?

Move over, Jack Handey. Today, we have some deep thoughts here of all places. Let’s take a break from the exciting election lawsuits of 2020 and discuss world peace!

The following was motivated by something I said in one of my new video podcasts for Freedom Prepper. It was also, roundabout, the subject of a comment left on that or another video. But first, as this kicks off with FP, I have something better than international harmony to share with you!

Freedom Roasters Coffee

It’s coming soon!

Crass commercial solicitation out of the way, let’s get serious for once in this even crazier-than-normal electoral week. As I noted above, one of our beloved commenters left these thoughts: “We were the first ones to drop a nuclear bomb. I sure hope we aren’t the last.” I assume he meant that he hopes no more bombs are ever dropped, such being my inclination.

Concerning the coming dissolution of the United States, as a forced internal collection of nations and as an international empire, I asked: “Who gets the nukes?” To my knowledge, no one else has broached that potentially pressing issue. In fact, most might be stumped at the notion of the US following the path of all other empires. Be that as it may, the question is still valid.

For some time, there will likely exist a rump state centered in Washington. I imagine its main purpose will be to harass and make war on those other emerging independent polities. If given the time, and if blessed with someone with a modicum of forethought (what an if!), then that government would be the most probable answer. It is also possible that the arsenal could be divided up, by agreement or otherwise. How that works out, I do not know. However, given all that has happened, all that is unfolding, and the terrible potential of the subject matter, it might be wise to start, sooner than later, to decrease the volume of the weapons at issue.

In world history, only one nation, South Africa, has ever built and then completely scrapped nuclear weaponry. Their underlying reasons in the 1980s mirror those plausible for the current US more than most would like to admit. If the US goes down the same peaceful path, even as to a percentage of the current stock, then I advise that the other atomic countries join in!

Here’s my grand idea to rid the world of nuclear war. The current nuclear powers would have to work together on this project. Any new member of the club (Iran, etc.) should be invited in. By crossed-examined processes, of some kind, the nations should systematically reduce the total number of weapons down to a small, manageable figure. We’ll say, “fifty,” for convenience sake. Why keep any? Deterrence, both against a treacherous project member, a new player, or some rogue actor in the future.

The fifty final warheads could be loaded into submarines jointly owned and operated by the navies of the participating countries, with a rotating command and control system to ensure that no one country has total possession or usage. The subs, whatever their number, should be kept as secret as possible, along with their bases, tritium resupply facilities, etc. Under this cautious approach, it would be very difficult for, say, France to initiate a nuclear exchange with India, if the only available weapons were, at the time, in Russian and Pakistani stewardship. The use of at least two subs, with alternating international commands, would quash the urge of a participating nation or faction to abuse the system. Also, no rogue state would want to step out of line, knowing that somewhere the world community held means of substantial retaliation. Rogue asteroids might also pay similar respectful attention (assuming much, there).

This whole scheme assumes much, and I realize its chances of implementation or even serious consideration are essentially zero. This entry was a substitution and about the best that I could come up with during this most unusual week in the most unusual year. For what it’s worth! Still, there it is – I have done my small part for peace. Should you have a different or a better idea, then we’re all waiting. Back to the sales angle, I have a better coffee, samples of which we are all waiting on.