Tuesday, August 18, 2020

It’s time for the Harvey Weinstein scandal to refocus attention on Donald Trump

 https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/16/is-it-time-for-the-harvey-weinstein-sexual-assault-scandal-to-refocus-attention-donald-trump/

 As Donald Jr. asserts that Weinstein must clearly be guilty, given the number of accusers, and that Hollywood and Democrats are somehow complicit, he of course is engaging in President Trump’s habit of projecting his own questionable behavior on other people.

After all, Donald Jr.’s arguments could just as easily apply to his father’s own multiple sexual harassment allegations and the way that Republicans have stood by him, Blake and Helderman said.

 Weinstein has become a pariah in Hollywood and pretty much everywhere else.

Meanwhile, Trump is president of the United States, and leading Republicans rarely say anything negative about him. It is true that many in the Republican establishment haven’t actually jumped to use the Weinstein scandal against liberals, not like Donald Jr.

But in the end, liberals have taken action over their alleged predator — however belated and imperfect. And they aren’t done with the soul searching. But leading Republicans have done what with Trump over this issue?

 

Did Michelle Obama Praise Harvey Weinstein as a ‘Wonderful Human Being’ in 2013?

 https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/michelle-obama-harvey-weinstein/

 The former first lady thanked Weinstein for his role in a White House student film event — four years before dozens of women first publicly accused him of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

 

Michelle Obama delivers keynote speech from first night of the Democratic National Convention

Fox News Says Michelle Obama 'Flayed' Trump As Hosts Praise DNC Speech

 https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-praises-michelle-obama-dnc-speech-1525752

"When you talk about authenticity, she has it in spades. She has that voice, she has clarity, and she knows what she is out there wanting to do. She was trying to get everybody to really focus and then she had a call to action—ask for your ballot tonight. I think that the DNC, if they look over the course of the night, the first virtual convention of our history, they would say that Michelle Obama stuck the landing."

 Wallace agreed. "Michelle Obama, as she said, doesn't like politics and she said that this speech was her main contribution to the Biden campaign," he said.

 "It was a heck of a contribution. She really flayed, sliced and diced Donald Trump, talking about the chaos and confusion and lack of empathy, especially, coming from this president and from this White House."

Trump warns of 'rigged election' as he uses conspiracy and fear to counter Biden's convention week

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/17/politics/donald-trump-campaign-swing/index.html 

Elsewhere in his speech, Trump said he should be granted a "redo" on his first term, alleging falsely that his first campaign was spied upon by the previous administration. And at another point, he joked that he may remain in office for "16, 20" years.
Though made in jest, those remarks only fuel the impression that Trump is preparing, at a minimum, to challenge November's results if they do not show him winning. Taken together, the remarks suggest Trump is actively working to undermine the results of an election that polls currently show him losing.

Trump: If I Lose It Means The Election Is 'Rigged' | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Kushner On 170,000+ Deaths: COVID-19 Response Is A Success | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Wolf presses Kushner: 1,000 deaths a day isn't success, right?

Ukraine bans pilgrimage to Uman over COVID-19 fears

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/israelis-will-not-be-let-into-uman-this-year-639032

 The Ukraianian interior minister said the annual mass pilgrimage of hassidim and others to the grave site of Rabbi Nachman of Uman would have caused the mass spread of COVID-19.

 

 

לקיים בנו חכמי ישראל - אנא עוררו רחמי שמים לכ"ק אדמו"ר מפיטסבורג שליט"א‎

 

לקיים בנו חכמי ישראל - אנא עוררו רחמי שמים לכ"ק אדמו"ר מפיטסבורג שליט"א‎

 

Dear Jared…Never…Okay?...Never!

 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/285429

 That’s all I needed to read from this dispatch to feel utterly betrayed.

The passage runs like this: Addressing Israeli reporters, Kushner said that "Israel has made a very generous proposal for the establishment of a Palestinian state, including an exchange of territories. The understanding that this is the situation has enabled the breakthrough that led to the current agreement."

If it was Benjamin Netanyahu, then we’ve been misled…misled to believe in the prime minister’s own words.

Yesterday he said that the UAE peace arrangement “signals the end to land for peace.”

Sounds good.

But something must have happened between yesterday and today. Today, Jared, you tell us something quite the opposite.

I quote: “The understanding that this is the situation has enabled the breakthrough that led to the current agreement.”

In other words, to achieve peace with the UAE, Israel first had to agree to “an exchange of territories” for “the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

Sounds like “land for peace” to me.

Trump says he moved US embassy to Jerusalem ‘for the evangelicals’

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-says-he-moved-us-embassy-to-jerusalem-for-the-evangelicals/

 “And we moved the capital of Israel to Jerusalem,” Trump said speaking at a rally held at an airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, apparently referring to his decision move the embassy from Tel Aviv. “That’s for the evangelicals.”

“You know, it’s amazing with that, the evangelicals are more excited by that than Jewish people,” he said to cheers from the crowd. “That’s right, it’s incredible.”

Major child sexual abuse trial begins in Germany

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53813249

Police say tens of thousands of people in paedophile networks viewed the pictures that Jörg L, 43, posted on the Swiss secure messaging service Threema.

A raid on his home last October in Bergisch Gladbach, near Cologne, led police to investigate dozens more alleged paedophiles.

His wife will testify against him.

Eighty-seven suspected paedophiles have been identified in all 16 German states as a result of this case, and 50 children, aged from three months to 15 years, have been removed from abusive parents.

Three investigators traumatised by the images have taken sick leave.

 

 

CNN Poll of Polls: Biden holds a nine-point lead over Trump ahead of the party conventions

 https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/17/politics/biden-trump-poll-of-polls-august-election/index.html

 Former Vice President Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by a nine-point margin nationally, according to a CNN Poll of Polls on the general election matchup released Monday.

The polls conducted after Biden's historic selection of Harris as his running mate largely find the pick to be received positively by the public: 52% of registered voters in CNN's poll called it an excellent or pretty good pick, including 82% of Democrats.
In the Washington Post/ABC News poll, 54% of Americans said they approved of Biden's choice of Harris, with 86% of Democrats approving of the pick.

 

Trump 'enthusiastic' over unproven coronavirus therapeutic, MyPillow creator says

 https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/17/politics/trump-oleandrin-mike-lindell-coronavirus/index.html

 President Donald Trump and Mike Lindell, the creator of MyPillow and an avowed supporter, participated in a July meeting at the White House regarding the use of oleandrin as a potential therapeutic for coronavirus, Lindell confirmed to CNN.

Oleandrin is an extract from the plant Nerium oleander. The raw oleander plant is highly toxic, and consumption of it can be fatal.
He described the President's response toward the extract as "enthusiastic."

 

 

Former senior Trump administration official endorses Joe Biden

 https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/17/politics/miles-taylor-trump-joe-biden-endorse/index.html

"What we saw week in and week out, for me, after two and a half years in that administration, was terrifying. We would go in to try to talk to him about a pressing national security issue -- cyberattack, terrorism threat -- he wasn't interested in those things. To him, they weren't priorities," Taylor says in the video.
"Given what I have experienced in the administration, I have to support Joe Biden for president and even though I am not a Democrat, even though I disagree on key issues, I'm confident that Joe Biden will protect the country and I'm confident that he won't make the same mistakes as this President."

 

Former Chief of Staff of Trump's DHS is the newest Republican Voter Against Trump

Monday, August 17, 2020

Rep. Kinzinger: ‘It’s time’ for leaders to disavow QAnon

 https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/16/adam-kinzinger-trump-qanon-396414

 Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Sunday emphasized the importance of President Donald Trump and other leaders calling out QAnon — a set of far-right conspiracy theories that allege the existence of a “deep state” against Trump.

 

 

QAnon: What is it and where did it come from?

 https://www.bbc.com/news/53498434

 Studies indicate that most Americans haven't heard of QAnon. But for many believers, it forms the foundation of their support for President Trump.

The president has, unwittingly or not, retweeted QAnon supporters, and last month his son Eric Trump posted a QAnon meme on Instagram.

Dozens of QAnon supporters are running for Congress in November. Many have little hope but some, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia - appear to have a good chance of winning a seat.

It's quite likely that a QAnon supporter - or someone sympathetic to the conspiracy theory - will sit in the next US Congress.

 

 

 

Kinzinger Addresses Threats by the QAnon Network

The UAE-Israel Agreement Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be

 https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/15/the-uae-israel-agreement-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/

 

The deal defers the idea of annexation rather than burying it, and could exacerbate tensions between Iran and the Gulf States.

Jared Kushner: The first time Israel has agreed to a map of a Palestinian state

 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/285415

Jared Kushner, adviser and son-in-law to US President Donald Trump addressed the peace agreement he helped broker between Israel and the United Arab Emirates Monday.

Addressing Israeli reporters, Kushner said that "Israel has made a very generous proposal for the establishment of a Palestinian state, including an exchange of territories. The understanding that this is the situation has enabled the breakthrough that led to the current agreement."

When asked how the US would make certain that Israel does not unilaterally annex any territory, Kushner said, “We built a very trusting relationship with Israel. President Trump is committed to holding them accountable to it, and Israel has agreed with us that they will not move forward without our consent. We do not plan to give our consent for some time, as right now the focus has to be on getting this new peace agreement implemented. We really want to get as much interchange between Israel and the United Arab Emirates as possible, and we really want Israel to focus on creating new relationships and new alliances."

Israel and the UAE: A reality check

 https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/israel-and-the-uae-a-reality-check/

 The Israeli agreement with the United Arab Emirates is being touted as everything from “huge,” “stunning,” and “historical” to a “betrayal,” “diversion,” or “sellout.” In truth, it is not any one of these, but contains something of all of the above. Given the plethora of reports, commentaries, analyses, and reactions, it is especially important to put the Israel-UAE rapprochement in perspective — to try to understand how it contributes to Israel’s integration into the region through the achievement of a comprehensive peace with its neighbors. In order to do so, it is necessary to specify what it is, what it is not, and where it could lead. 

 A normalization agreement, not a peace treaty. The impending formalization of the more than two-decade informal relationship between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is an important breakthrough in Israel’s ties with the Arab world. Motives aside, it constitutes a major achievement for Mohammed bin Zayed, Benjamin Netanyahu and for its broker, Donald Trump. It is yet another step in Israel’s continual quest for workable accords with Arab countries, following its successful treaties with Egypt and Jordan. It follows the same logic as its predecessors, forging long-term understandings with surrounding states — often on its periphery — but studiously bypassing the much knottier Palestinian core of the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Does Louis DeJoy Want To Be 'That Guy' Blocking The Vote? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

What is Avoda Zara?

 

I think there are two concepts of avoda zara the view of misnagdim as expressed by Maharal is that any attribution of power outside of G-d e.g. a tzadik or angel is avoda zara while chasidim are fine with it as long as there is an association with G-d


דרך חיים על אבות פרק ג משנה ג
וכמו שהתבאר סיפא דמתניתין שלשה שאכלו על שלחן ואמרו עליו דברי תורה, כך יתבאר גם כן רישא דמתניתין שלשה שאכלו על שלחן ולא אמרו עליו דברי תורה, ומן הסברא היה לו לשנות קודם הסיפא שלשה שאכלו ויש ביניהם דברי תורה, רק מפני ששנה לפני זה שנים שיושבים ואין ביניהם דברי תורה, קבע אחריו שלשה שיושבים ואוכלים ואין ביניהם דברי תורה כאלו אכלו מזבחי מתים. וזה כי מפני שראוי שיהיו מדברים על השלחן דברי תורה כאשר הם שלשה כמו שאמרנו כי ראוי שיהיה הכל אל הש"י, וכאשר אין מדברים עליו דברי תורה הרי השלחן הזה יש לו הסרה מן הש"י, אשר היה ראוי להעלות השלחן זה עד שיהיה לפני הש"י, וכל הסרה מן הש"י הרי הוא נוטה אל הע"ז כי הע"ז הוא סלוק והסרה מן הש"י. ולפיכך אמר שאם אין מדברים עליו דברי תורה כאלו אכלו מזבחי מתים, שהרי מסלקים השלחן שלפני הש"י לצד אחר. ומביא ראיה מן הכתוב שאמר כי כל שלחנות וגו' וראיה זאת שנקרא מה שמקריבין עליו שלחן כמו שנקרא שלחן הקדוש ברוך הוא שלחן גבוה, כי אלהים אחרים הם, ולפיכך השלחן הזה שאין עליו דברי תורה והוא מוסר מן הש"י הוא השלחן אשר הוא שייך לע"ז הוא מזבח לע"ז, שהרי קרא הכתוב המזבח לע"ז שלחן א"כ המזבח והשלחן הוא דבר אחד דלא בחנם נקרא מזבח ע"ז שלחן, אלא להכי הוא דאתי כי שלחנו של אדם שאין עליו תורה זבחי מתים הוא, ומאחר ששלחן זה הוא לע"ז נחשב כמו מזבח לע"ז בודאי. והכתוב אמר כי כל שלחנות מלאו קיא צואה ולא אמר כי כל שלחנות מלאו זבחי מתים, ובשביל זה מפרשים פירושים רחוקים מאוד, ולא ידעו פירוש הכתוב מה שאמר בלי מקום אבל הכתוב קרא קרבנות שלהם שהם זבחי מתים קיא צואה בלי מקום, וזה כי קרבנות שלהם הם כמו קיא צואה, שקיא צואה שהוא יוצא מן האדם אין ספק שהוא יוצא מן האצטומכא בשביל שהוא זר ונכרי אליו, שאם לא היה זר ונכרי אל האדם היה נשאר באצטומכא, אבל בשביל שהוא זר יוצא מן האצטומכא, וכך הקרבנות שהם מקריבים לאל זר שאינם אלהות שנקראת עבודה זרה הוא קיא צואה שהיא זרה לאדם, ולא שתהיה נקראת צואה שהצואה שהוא בדרך הטבע ומנהגו של עולם אינו זר ונכרי שכך הוא מנהגו של עולם, אבל קיא צואה שהיא זרה ונכרי' מן הטבע היא זרה לגמרי. וזה שאמר בלי מקום, כלומר שכל דבר בעולם אשר ברא הש"י יש לו מקום אשר הוא נברא עליו שהוא מדריגתו ומקומו וכמו שאמרו אין לך אדם שאין לו שעה ואין לך דבר שאין לו מקום וכמו שיתבאר עוד בעז"ה, אבל לדבר זה אין מקום לו שכ"כ הוא זר, לפיכך קראו קיא צואה שהוא בלי מקום, ר"ל כמוציא קיא צואה בעבור שהוא נכרי וזר ואינו בסדר העולם אין לו מקום בעולם כלל ואין האצטומכא מקבל אותו ואינו מקום לו ולכך יוצא ממנה שאינה סובל אותו, וכך קרבנות שלהם שהם זבחי מתים הם בלי מקום שהם זרים ונכרים שכך נקראו קרבנות עבודה זרה ולכך אין מקום להם. ומה שאמר כי כל שלחנות מלאו קיא צואה יש לפרש על הפלגות המאוס והתעוב של שלחנם כמו שדרך הכתוב בכל מקום להפליג, אבל עיקר הפירוש כמו שאמר אחר כך בלי מקום שהדבר שיש לו מקום הוא מוגבל, שזה ענין המקום אשר הוא מקיף ומגביל אשר הוא מקום לו, אבל הדבר אשר הוא בלי מקום כמו ענין הע"ז שאין לו מקום כלל בעולם שהוא יוצא חוץ מסדר העולם ומאחר שאין לו מקום אינו מוגבל, ולפיכך כל השלחנות שלהם מלאו קיא צואה כלומר שאין כאן דבר מגביל. אבל מזבח הש"י הקרבנות שעליו אין לומר עליהם כי הוא מלא, אחר שהקרבנות של הש"י יש להם מקום, וכל אשר יש לו מקום הוא מוגבל מצד שהמקום יגביל את אשר בתוכו ולא יאמר על זה כי השלחן מלא בלי מקום. אבל שלחנות ע"ז מלאים קיא צואה בלי מקום ופירשנו בלי מקום כלומר שאין מקום לקרבן שלהם ולפיכך לא יוגבל. וכל הדברים האלו יש להבין ממה שהש"י נקרא מקום ופירושו שהוא יתברך מקומו של עולם בכלל, ודבר זה שהוא תקרובת של ע"ז והוא יוצא מן הש"י שהוא מקומו של עולם הוא בלא מקום בודאי. ומפני זה תבין מה שאמר כאלו אכלו משלחנו של מקום ולא אמר משלחנו של הקדוש ברוך הוא, וכל זה כדי ללמוד לך על הרישא שלשה שאכלו על שלחן אחד ולא אמרו עליו דברי תורה וכו' כי אלו יוצאים מרשותו של הש"י שהוא מקומו של עולם, וכל המקומות תחת המקום הוא הש"י אשר הוא כולל כל המקומות, ואין לקרבן שלהם שהוא לע"ז מקום ולכך נחשב שלחנות שלהם מלא קיא צואה אף על גב שאין השלחן מלא, כיון שאין לקרבן של ע"ז מקום בעצמו אשר המקום מקיף ומגביל את הדבר אשר בתוכו ופירוש ברור הוא ואין ספק כלל

IL 9+ 2:13 / 2:44 Scott Atlas Is Dangerous

Trump elevates Scott Atlas, a doctor with a rosier coronavirus outlook

 https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/17/trump-scott-atlas-coronavirus-doctor-396741

 Dr. Scott Atlas warns against coronavirus overreaction and hysteria, pushes for the reopening of schools and sports leagues and downplays the need for broader testing to root out the virus.

Unlike bigger-name, more circumspect public health officials, who’ve watched their luster dim at the White House, Atlas has become a star adviser in President Donald Trump’s inner circle at a crucial moment during the pandemic.

 Atlas, upbeat and relentlessly on message that Americans should resume life as much as they can, is the live embodiment of the president’s Covid-is-not-that-big-of-a-deal approach. Where school superintendents and football conference officials see a risk of the virus’s spread this fall, he cautions against too-strict measures. During Fox News appearances, he has downplayed the need for students to wear face coverings or practice social distancing if schools do reopen.

“It is proven children have no significant risk,” he said during a July 15 TV appearance. It’s a line that Trump has parroted but that hasn’t been borne out in districts where in-person learning has resumed: Schools in Georgia, North Carolina and Indiana have had to shut down shortly after starting the year because of positive cases.

 Atlas first came to the attention of the Trump administration the way it finds so many top officials: through his appearances on Fox News. His comments on the coronavirus lockdown and the need to reopen the economy and schools caught the attention of the president and several top aides, including Jared Kushner, according to a second senior administration official.