“Major Measles Outbreak” Reported In US As Migrant Shelters Become Infectious Disease Breeding Grounds
The radical progressives in the Biden administration are responsible for the greatest migrant invasion this nation has ever seen but also an emerging public health crisis, as millions of unvaccinated and undocumented illegals (some with infectious diseases) are being piled into migrant shelters nationwide like cattle.
Daily Mail reports the US is on the verge of a “major measles outbreak,” with cases in the first two months of the year nearly eclipsing those in the previous year.
” … as doctors warn many young physicians have never even seen a patient infected with the virus. Hundreds of people are already feared to be infected in California and Arizona after cases were confirmed in people in the states who visited local hospitals,” the media outlet said.
It’s important to recognize that migrant shelters are becoming breeding grounds for the spread of infectious diseases. Notably, it’s the Democrats, often referred to as the ‘party of science,’ who are enabling this public health crisis to materialize while the pharma-industrial complex secretly cheers as the next crisis will need more vaccines.
Earlier on Tuesday, Elon Musk responded to Fox News’ Bill Melugin’s post on X. The billionaire said “!” in response to a CNN report that a measles outbreak in a Chicago migrant shelter is quickly worsening.
New data from the CDC shows 45 measles cases were recorded in the first two months across 17 states, nearly surpassing the 58 cases recorded in the full year of 2023.
Besides corporate media blaming a low vaccination rate, maybe – just maybe – overcrowded shelters with migrants from third-world countries are the most likely root cause of the public health crisis. None of these migrants were screened at the border for contagious diseases – and were able to walk right over – some were even flown in on airplanes, and others were bussed into sanctuary cities by a shadowy network of taxpayer-funded governmental organizations. Besides future Democrat voters, you’ll never guess the reason why migrants were shipped in by the millions (that answer is found here: “Shadowy Network Of NGOs Supplies …”).
The open southern border is a major national security crisis that is quite literally a ticking time bomb about to go off. It’s also quickly morphing into a public health crisis.
Just wait until Democrats start pushing measles vaccines.
Or Stephen Colbert gets another advertising deal from big pharma.
Japanese Stocks Would Collapse If Yen Gains More Than 5%
By Ven Ram, Bloomberg markets live reporter and strategist
Japanese stocks can withstand a quick bounce in the yen, but will start to feel the pinch if the currency’s advance goes deeper and becomes more entrenched.
Gains in the Nikkei 225 Index will start slowing if the yen begins to advance sustainably against its major trading partners and in particular the dollar. That could turn into losses should the currency strengthen more than 5% this year.
The following chart shows how a strengthening of the yen against the dollar may affect the Nikkei’s fortunes, based on data going back almost a quarter of a century. The results are similar when the dollar is substituted with a trade-weighted basket of Japan’s major trading partners.
The Nikkei almost doubled in value over the past five years as Deutsche Bank’s trade-weighted yen slumped more than 20% over that period. A weaker yen is a tailwind for Japanese exporters, in particular automobile makers, whose overseas earnings morph into bigger gains after the currency translation.
The yen and the Nikkei have generally moved in inverse directions, with the correlation significantly negative.
The analysis suggests that a short-lived gain in the yen would be less punitive for stocks than a currency that stays stronger — meaning a one-off bounce that is quickly reversed will have less of an overall impact.
A key reason for that is that major exporters typically assume a stronger yen level than we have been accustomed to in the past couple of years, shielding them from reporting poorer earnings stemming from fleeting gains in the currency.
The potential for a sustained appreciation in the yen can’t be overstated. Japan’s real effective exchange rate is more than two standard deviations below its historical average, a circumstance so rare as to occur less than 2% of the time.
That suggests the yen has considerable scope to appreciate in the months to come, especially if the Bank of Japan continues to raise interest rates beyond the zero-bound, and inflation in the US mellows sufficiently to allow the US to loosen policy as priced by the markets.
As of Monday, traders were pricing some 25 basis points of tightening from the BOJ this year and about 90 basis points of rate cuts from the Fed.
The median street forecast is for the yen to end the year at 139 per dollar, implying an appreciation of about 6% from current levels.
The Nikkei’s valuations also make the index vulnerable to a correction, independent of the yen. Japanese stocks rank among the worst in global markets given a low return on equity and demanding price-to-cash-flow metrics.
All told, the Nikkei’s stellar run-up over the past two years faces an acid test should the BOJ exit negative rates and spur gains in the yen.
With the world still shocked at the whirlwind events taking place in the formerly quaint Caribbean island, on Tuesday Department of Defense officials testifying in Congress discussed the possibility of a “mass migration” into Florida as conditions in Haiti continue to deteriorate. Call it a… Hannibal Run?
Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz said during the House Armed Services Committee hearing that he was “deeply concerned” about the possibility of a large number of Haitian migrants amid the chaos in the Caribbean, coming to the Sunshine State “as a Florida man.”
At Tuesday’s hearing, Gaetz asked what President Joe Biden’s administration was doing to prepare for a “wave” of migrants fleeing Haiti, prompting DoD official Rebecca Zimmerman to say that preparations were being made for a potential increase in refugees.
“Congressman, we’re doing a number of things to ensure that we’re keeping track of the situation and we’re prepared,” said Zimmerman. “At the moment, we have not yet seen large numbers—what we would characterize as a maritime mass migration.”
Gaetz then interjected: “Do you anticipate a mass migration, though?”
“We are alert to that possibility,” Zimmerman responded. “I think you’re right that the driving conditions in Haiti could very well press more people. So, we’ve recently approved some additional assistance that we can provide to the Coast Guard.”
BREAKING: Biden admin. officials testify they’re preparing for a massive surge of Haitian migrants after thousands of inmates escaped the country’s prisons
Gaetz then asked Army General Laura Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command, whether the government should “activate the authorities, anticipating a mass migration.”
“I think that we need to be postured appropriately for that,” Richardson said. “I have put in a request for increase capability to do exactly that. And we are ready if we need to deal with a mass migration.”
Conditions in Haiti have been becoming increasingly dire in recent months due to widespread gang violence and civil unrest. Armed gangs now reportedly control around 80% of Port-au-Prince, with Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announcing his resignation on Tuesday.
While the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince remains open, some personnel have recently been evacuated from the facility due to the ongoing violence in the Haitian capital.
The embassy said in a release on Monday that “the U.S. military conducted an operation” to bolster security, allow “operations to continue,” and help “non-essential personnel to depart.”
Last week, the embassy warned U.S. citizens to “depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges.”
While the resignation of Henry had been demanded by the gangs occupying Port-au-Prince, it is unclear whether the situation will soon improve in Haiti as a result of the resignation being announced.
Henry said that he would leave office following the formation of a transitional council, although concerns remain that the gang leaders may reject a new interim leader chosen by the council and demand they control the government instead.
As for anyone expecting the Biden admin to actually do something – for once – about the next migration flood of cannibals undocumented carnivores, don’t hold your breath for the following simple reason…
Medicinal mushrooms have captured the attention of researchers, health enthusiasts, and medical practitioners because of their taste and remarkable therapeutic potential.
As consumer demand grows, so do the variety of products incorporating medicinal mushrooms. You can now find teas, coffee replacements, supplements, and other food products featuring three of the most popular medicinal mushrooms: cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane.
Each mushroom has a unique list of bioactive compounds, many with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant, immunomodulatory properties, and other potential health benefits.
When choosing a mushroom-based product as a supplement for a specific health benefit—whether to relieve stress, boost immunity, or improve energy—it’s important to consider what part of the mushroom to use, its bioactive compounds, and their therapeutic properties.
Therapeutic Properties
Mushrooms are a part of the fungal kingdom, which includes simple single-celled yeasts, complex fruiting bodies, and mold—all of which play crucial roles in our ecosystem. Fungi are a source of several major drugs, including antibiotics and statins. A mushroom has several parts, including the fruiting body, mycelium, and spores—each with different properties.
The fruiting body is the top of the mushroom, or what most people call the mushroom cap, and is typically above ground.
Mushroom mycelium is the underground colony of branching structures similar to a plant’s roots. It consists of microscopic formations called hyphae that absorb nutrients from the soil and transport them to other parts of the mushroom. Mycelium enables the mushrooms to connect, send, and receive nutrients from one another to enhance environmental survival. Some fungi species have extensive mycelium, such as the Armillaria species, which has hyphae that can cover more than 1,000 acres in the right conditions.
The spores are the equivalent of seeds and are the mushroom’s reproductive organs. A single mushroom can generate microscopic spores in the billions. These initiate the mushroom life cycle.
The therapeutic properties vary for different mushroom parts, so checking whether the fruiting body, mycelium, or both are listed on the label is important.
In a College of Naturopathic Medicine podcast, Hania Opienski, a naturopathic nutritionist, acupuncturist, and energy medicine specialist, was asked which part of the mushroom is the most therapeutic. “Ideally, you would use a fruiting body product, and that’s the thing that takes the longest to grow; it’s going to have the highest concentration of active compounds,” she said.
According to Ms. Opienski, although the fruiting body typically contains higher levels of therapeutic bioactive compounds, many commercial mushroom products are made from mycelium because it is quicker to get to an end product rather than waiting for the fruiting body to reach maturity and harvest to make a supplement.
The structural complexity and bioactive compounds packed inside each type of mushroom play an integral role in its mechanisms of action within the body to produce its therapeutic benefits.
Mechanisms of Action
According to Martin Powell’s “Medicinal Mushrooms: A Clinical Guide,” there are about 14,000 species of mushrooms. About 5 percent are known to produce compounds with widespread physiological activity and therapeutic benefits.
The medicinal properties and mechanisms of action come from these bioactive compounds that vary in content from one mushroom to another.
Beta-Glucans
The most significant bioactive compounds in mushrooms are beta-glucans, polysaccharides characterized by their ability to modulate the immune system. Beta-glucans have anti-inflammatory, metabolic, and gastrointestinal effects.
The molecular structure of beta-glucans can vary widely in shape and size, depending on the species and what part of the mushroom they come from. Different beta-glucans found across the fungal kingdom can have a variety of effects on the human body.
Triterpenes
Triterpenes are a class of compounds that are alcohol soluble and responsible for mushrooms’ antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and even hypnotic properties.
There are unique triterpenes, most notably the ganoderic acids in reishi mushrooms and the betulinic acid in chaga mushrooms. Research has uncovered more than 300 triterpenoids in reishi alone, many of which are not found in other mushroom species.
Sterols
Mushrooms also produce sterols—principally ergosterol—that have been shown to act against several different types of tumors in animal studies. Sterols work and act like cholesterol, but can lower cholesterol levels in the body. Additionally, ergosterol derivatives are reported to have anti-aging activity similar to resveratrol.
Ergosterol is also a precursor to vitamin D, so when a mushroom is exposed to the sun for long periods, it increases the vitamin D content, which is why some vitamin D supplements are made from mushrooms.
Statins
Researchers have discovered that some mushrooms can lower cholesterol because they possess statins such as lovastatin, which is used in cholesterol-reducing drugs. However, it’s important to note that high amounts of mushroom powder would be necessary to affect an impact.
3 Remarkable Medicinal Mushrooms
Three mushrooms are in high demand because of their remarkable medicinal properties: cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane. These mushrooms have medicinal effects and possible side effects for people on various medications. You should discuss any supplements, including medicinal herbs and mushrooms, with your health care provider.
1. Cordyceps
Cordyceps may be the most famous type of mushroom of all. It’s the fungus responsible for infecting civilization in the HBO series “The Last of Us” and was also the subject of discussion on Joe Rogan’s podcast, where he claimed to take cordyceps before workout sessions.
“It gives you an extra gear,” Mr. Rogan said in the podcast.
About 750 species of cordyceps originate from China’s high-altitude regions.
Cordyceps are unique because they begins as a spore, infecting and growing inside various insects, depending on the specific type of cordycep. Eventually, these mushrooms kill their hosts and start sprouting through the remains.
Cordyceps Sinensis
Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis), also known as caterpillar fungus, parasitizes the ground-dwelling ghost moth larva to begin its life cycle, technically making it a parasitic fungus rather than a mushroom.
Historically, C. sinensis has been used to treat several ailments, including lung, kidney, liver, and cardiovascular diseases. It was also a known treatment for male sexual dysfunction and has been used to boost the immune system. Interestingly, in 1993, the Chinese market for C. sinensis exploded when China’s female track team had a series of world-record-breaking times attributed to a tonic made from caterpillar fungus.
The cost of C. sinensis has also exploded, and a 2020 study reported a cost of $20,000 per kilogram, making it “the most expensive mushroom in the world.”
Genuine C. sinensis, cultivated by parasitizing ghost moth larvae, is found exclusively on the Tibetan Plateau. It isn’t found in supplements but can be purchased in its whole form in some Asian countries.
Cordyceps Militaris
Cordyceps militaris can be cultivated with or without insects. The non-insect, grain-based cultivation leads to improved quality control and affordability, and the chemical profiles of C. sinensis and C. militaris are clinically interchangeable, as they have several of the same bioactive compounds. However, studies show that C. militaris has a much higher content of cordycepin and adenosine than C. sinensis, possibly making C. militaris the better choice.
Because C. sinensis is not readily available, the following references to Cordyceps pertain to Cordyceps militaris.
Cordyceps have been gaining attention in the scientific community because of their cordycepin content. Cordycepin is a potent bioactive metabolite created in Cordyceps. Research indicates that cordycepin has anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has potential pharmacological actions in the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular systems.
Researchers believe that cordyceps and cordycepin may eventually be used commercially in the pharmaceutical industry.
Cordyceps are probably best known for their energy-producing qualities and ability to increase the body’s ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy source at the cellular level. Cordycepin is chemically similar to adenosine.
A study of 28 adults who consumed a mushroom blend containing cordyceps while participating in high-intensity exercise over three weeks showed a significant improvement in VO2 max, the oxygen that the body absorbs during vigorous exercise, which indicates cardiovascular fitness.
If you’re healthy and want to take something that will increase your cellular energy and oxygenation, cordyceps are great for people who wish to improve athletic performance, Ms. Opienski said.
Cordyceps Risks and Side Effects
Cordyceps are well-tolerated by most people but can cause gastrointestinal upset, such as nausea, diarrhea, and dry mouth. This fungus has hypoglycemic and antiviral effects, so it’s essential to use caution when taking antiviral or anti-diabetic medications.
2. Reishi
Global annual sales of reishi were about $4.3 billion in 2023, and the market is expected to grow to about $6.4 billion by 2028, making it one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms in the world today. Reishi is known as the “mushroom of immortality” in Japanese culture. In China, it goes by the name lingzhi instead of reishi and is known as the “herb of spiritual potency.” For thousands of years, people have used it to increase vitality, support immune function, promote cardiovascular health, and improve longevity.
Reishi’s scientific name, Ganoderma lucidum, describes its shiny, fruiting body—“gano,” meaning shiny, and “derma,” referring to skin.
It usually grows on the side of dead or decaying trees in a shelf-like manner. Reishi produced for supplementation is cultiva
Reishi Health Benefits
Reishi’s health benefits result from the high beta-glucans, triterpenes, and sterols packed into its cell walls. Extracting these three compounds from the mushroom isn’t easy, and eating them isn’t beneficial because they are locked inside the cell walls and must be extracted with either hot water or alcohol.
The reported health benefits of reishi are impressive, making it one of the world’s most commonly used medicinal mushrooms. Scientists continue to research the actual mechanisms of action that make it so powerful. Although it has many potential benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, blood glucose, and high blood pressure, reishi is best known for its other properties.
According to Ms. Opienski, reishi is one of the most potent immunomodulating mushrooms. It’s also known as a nervous system balancer and has been used for millennia in traditional medicine for sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression. “It’s one that is kind of known for calming the nervous system and helping to slow down or reduce the stress response,” she explained on the podcast.
Ms. Opienski also said that reishi is considered the mushroom of eternal youth because of its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
“Oxidation and inflammation are two of the things that cause cellular aging,” she said, noting that reishi could help to prevent these.
Although all mushrooms possess adaptogenic effects, reishi is one of the best-known adaptogens that can help the body adapt to stress. An adaptogen helps to calm the body and lets it adapt to stress. If someone is anxious or overstimulated, taking reishi may help to calm down their nervous system.
Reishi’s fruiting bodies have high levels of triterpenes that contribute to their anti-cancer properties, reducing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase, an enzyme that facilitates the spread of cancer cells. Reishi mushrooms also limit the attachment of cancer cells to the lining of blood vessels to stop their spread throughout the bloodstream.
The anti-tumor effects of reishi can help to treat lung, soft tissue, liver, white blood cell, breast, ovarian, colon, and bladder cancers.
Ms. Opienski said that because of its anti-inflammatory effect, reishi can be used in treating either benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer.
A systematic review found that patients on anti-cancer regimens containing reishi were 1.27 times more likely to respond to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. One study found that 65 percent of patients with advanced lung cancer reported an increased quality of life after taking reishi.
Reishi Risks and Side Effects
Mild side effects of reishi include nausea and insomnia. More severe side effects, while rare, include liver toxicity, chronic diarrhea, pseudo-parasitosis (the delusion that one is infested with parasites), and increased eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.
People taking anticoagulants should use caution when using reishi mushroom products because of the increased risk of bleeding. Reishi can also increase the immune response and is contraindicated for people taking immunosuppressants.
Because reishi can lower blood pressure, taking it with medication for hypertension may cause blood pressure to go too low.
Taking reishi with anti-diabetic medications may also cause blood glucose levels to go too low.
3. Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) isn’t the typical mushroom with a cap and stem. Instead, it has “teeth” instead of gills, where it releases its spores. It is a saprophytic mushroom, which grows on dead trees or fallen logs and is relatively common to find when walking around in the woods during the late summer and fall.
Research shows that lion’s mane has unique bioactive compounds with several health benefits.
Two bioactive compounds exclusive to lion’s mane, hericenones and erinacines, help to support brain health, the immune system, and the digestive tract. Traditionally, lion’s mane was known for improving digestive health by preventing the bacteria that cause gastric ulcers, but recently, it has become better known for its potential benefits to support brain health.
1. Potential Brain Benefits
Bioactive components hericenones and erinacines set lion’s mane apart from all other mushrooms because they can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) production. NGF has a critical role in developing neurons and can protect parts of the brain from damaging inflammation responsible for neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Lion’s mane may also help to improve symptoms of dementia. One study showed that adults ages 50 to 80 who took 250 milligrams of lion’s mane three times daily for 16 weeks scored higher on cognitive tests than the placebo group and had overall better cognitive ability during supplementation. However, their test scores decreased four weeks after the study group discontinued lion’s mane.
There is also evidence that lion’s mane may help to relieve the symptoms of depression and help to reduce anxiety and stress. In a 2010 study, participants who ate cookies with 0.5 gram of a lion’s mane fruiting body supplement for four weeks reported less anxiety than those who consumed the placebo cookies. Researchers believed that the increase in NGF contributed to the anti-anxiety effects.
2. NGF and the Gut–Brain Axis
NGF isn’t limited to neurological health. It plays a significant role in regulating several actions within the body, and when it’s lacking, it can be associated with heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other inflammatory diseases.
Lion’s mane was traditionally used to treat gastrointestinal problems such as gastric ulcers and chronic gastritis. New evidence suggests that lion’s mane’s association with NGF is critical in rebalancing and improving the gut microbiota. Stimulating NGF can balance gut bacteria, which helps to heal the gut lining. Increased NGF can also heal the enteric (intestinal) and nervous systems, promoting the “gut–brain axis,” the two-way communication between the central nervous system (brain) and the gastrointestinal tract’s enteric nervous system (gut). When the gut–brain axis is disrupted, it can result in physical and mental health conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and anxiety.
Lion’s Mane Risks and Side Effects
Lion’s mane has a few side effects, including stomach upset and skin rash in higher doses. It can also slow clotting times and should be taken with caution by anyone taking a blood thinner. Lion’s mane may also lower blood sugar and shouldn’t be taken with hypoglycemic medications.
The Bottom Line
There are many types of medicinal mushrooms growing in the fungal kingdom. Cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane are among the most popular but are definitely not the only ones with potential therapeutic benefits.
Mushrooms are unique. Neither plant nor animal, they produce unique compounds and metabolites that will continue to spark consumer enthusiasm and interest in the scientific community. As more studies emerge, we’ll learn even more about how to use these medicinal mushrooms as potent allies in our quest for well-being and vitality.
According to SIPRI data, China has increased its military expenditure by almost 900 percent since 1992.
As Statista’s Katharina Buchholz notes, at around $300 billion in 2022, the Chinese spent significantly more than the Russians (around $72 billion), but their spending was still well below that of the U.S. (around $812 billion).
China is the second-biggest spender in total military budget after the United States.
Still, the Chinese spending spree has raised eyebrows worldwide.
It came back into the spotlight last week when the reference to a “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan was dropped from a government report presented at the Chinese National People’s Congress. At the same event, it was announced that the Chinese defense budget was to grow another 7.2 percent in 2024.
The South China Morning Post out of Hong Kong reports that the Chinese military budget has pivoted towards combat readiness and preparation for war.
Part of the increased Chinese military investment is going towards more “advanced technology, science, logistics and key weaponry and equipment”, the newspaper reports.
South Carolina is now the 29th state to allow any resident who is legally able to carry a firearm to do so without a permit—so-called constitutional carry.
On March 7, Gov. Henry McMaster signed H 3594 into law, which eliminates the requirement for a concealed weapons permit, sets the minimum age to receive a license to 18, and sets a comprehensive list of “sensitive areas” where guns are prohibited.
The list includes schools, government buildings, health care facilities, places of worship, law enforcement centers, and any place where guns are prohibited by federal law.
It leaves the current permitting process in place for those who wish to get a permit to carry in states that recognize South Carolina’s license. South Carolina’s concealed carry permit requires eight hours of training.
The new law also sets steeper penalties for those convicted of carrying a gun in a sensitive area without a permit as an incentive to get licensed.
Mr. McMaster released a statement celebrating the new law.
“This bill expands the Second Amendment rights of our law-abiding citizens and will keep violent criminals behind bars with increased penalties for illegal gun use and possession,” Mr. McMaster’s statement reads.
Supporters of the measure say the proposed law enables South Carolinians to finally exercise their Second Amendment right.
Gun rights advocates hailed the new law as another step toward fully restoring Americans’ Constitutional rights.
“We’re excited that South Carolina Finally did the right thing. We’re grateful to see the expansion of Second Amendment rights,” Chris Stone, state and local affairs director for Gun Owners of America, told The Epoch Times.
The National Rifle Association also weighed in on the development.
“The NRA celebrates another significant milestone as South Carolina becomes the 29th state to enact the landmark NRA-backed Constitutional Carry legislation. This pivotal move ensures South Carolinians are no longer required to obtain permission to defend themselves and their families, reinforcing the fundamental right to self-defense,” Randy Kozuch, the executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said in an email to The Epoch Times.
Everytown for Gun Safety, which the South Carolina Chapter of Moms Demand Action is affiliated with, didn’t respond to an email seeking comment. The group has opposed this and similar legislation in the past.
Dan Roberts, outreach director and media liaison for South Carolina Carry, said he has been working with other South Carolinians to institute constitutional carry in the state for 10 years.
“It’s been quite a slog,” he told The Epoch Times.
Mr. Roberts said that while he’s pleased with the bill overall, there are some parts he would change if he could. He said he doesn’t see why a person who carries a gun into a sensitive area without a license should face a stiffer penalty than someone who has a permit.
Although the law does away with the training requirement, the permitting process still mandates eight hours of training. Mr. Roberts said that both provisions should be changed to provide incentives for training. He said it would be more effective to offer tax breaks for the purchase of gun safes or to allow carry in certain sensitive areas for those who receive training.
“If you incentivize it, that’s the way you motivate people to get the training,” Mr. Roberts said.
Focus On the Good
Still, he said that in his political career, he has learned one valuable lesson.
“Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” he said.
Republican state Sen. Rex Rice was an early proponent of the legislation. He said he also favors the training element of the law. He strongly encourages even those who choose not to get a license to get some training if they are going to carry a gun.
“You need to be proficient with the weapon you’re carrying, and you need to know what the law says,” Mr. Rice said.
Mr. Rice said that many of his constituents supported constitutional carry because they don’t trust the government. He said they are concerned their personal information would be used to compile a registry of gun owners.
“People don’t want to give the government their information,” he told The Epoch Times.
Mr. Roberts said the new law is more than just an expansion of gun rights. He pointed out that a majority of states have expanded gun rights. He said that in an election year, it would do federal incumbents well to pay attention to the message he said is being sent by state legislatures: Gun control as crime prevention is not working.
“People are tired of being demonized, villainized, and scapegoated for the criminal acts of people that they had nothing to do with.”
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to release individuals imprisoned over the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol if he wins the 2024 election in November.
President Trump made the comments in a statement on Truth Social on March 11, noting that it would be among one of his first acts upon taking office in the White House.
The Republican said shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border and increasing oil drilling as part of efforts to make America more energy independent would also be among his first actions as president.
“My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!” President Trump said.
President Trump said during a rally in Texas in 2022 that he would consider pardoning those convicted of their involvement in the Jan. 6 breach, noting that his administration would treat them “fairly.”
“If it requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly,” he said at the time.
Last year, President Trump told a town hall hosted by CNN at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire that he was inclined to pardon a “large portion” of those charged with crimes relating to the breach.
However, the Republican stressed he would not pardon all of those imprisoned, telling the audience that “a couple of them, probably they got out of control.”
Jan. 6 ‘Hostages’
At a rally in Iowa on the third anniversary of the breach at the start of this year, President Trump referred to the individuals arrested in the wake of the Jan. 6 breach as “hostages” who had suffered enough.” He then urged President Joe Biden to release them adding: “You can do it real easy, Joe.”
President Trump’s latest comments mark the first time he has suggested that releasing those imprisoned over the Jan. 6 breach would be a top priority and that he will take immediate action to do so if he wins the November election.
According to the most recent statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ), more than 1,358 individuals from nearly all 50 states have been charged with crimes linked to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.
This includes more than 486 individuals who were handed felony charges for assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
Most recently, a 43-year-old Maryland man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges—including offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers—in relation to the events of Jan. 6.
President Trump himself has been indicted over allegations related to his actions on Jan. 6 and alleged attempts to challenge the results of the 2020 election, including conspiring to defraud the country and obstructing an official proceeding.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Demonstrators entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress debated the 2020 presidential election. (Brent Stirton/Getty Images)
Trump Claim ‘False’
President Trump’s comments came on the same day that a Republican-led House committee released a report on its investigation into work done by a Democrat-dominated select committee that probed Jan. 6.
According to the GOP committee report, four individuals who served in the Trump administration did not corroborate testimony made by former aide Cassidy Hutchinson before the Jan. 6 committee in 2022.
Ms. Hutchinson, a former White House official, testified that she was told by Secret Service agent Anthony Ornato that he was informed by a fellow agent that, on the day the U.S. Capitol was breached, President Trump tried to grab the steering wheel of the SUV he was in after being told he could not go to the Capitol.
However, according to the Republican-led House committee, the Secret Service agent who was driving President Trump at the time of the breach denied the claim. However, this testimony was allegedly concealed by the Democrat-led committee.
“Despite the driver of the president’s SUV testifying under oath that the Hutchinson story was false, the select committee chose to validate and promote Hutchinson’s version of the story as fact,” House Republicans said in the new report.
“The select committee hid the driver’s full testimony and only favorably mentioned his testimony in its final report, it did not release the full transcript,” the report added.
We’ve added 60% to national debt since 2018. Germany – a country with major economic woes – added ‘just’ 32%.
Maybe it will never matter. Maybe MMT is real. Maybe we just cancel or inflate it out. Maybe career real estate borrowers or career politicians aren’t the answer.
I have no idea. Only time will tell. But it’s going to be fascinating to watch it play out.
He is right: it will be fascinating, and the latest budget deficit data simply confirmed that the day of reckoning will come very soon, certainly sooner than the two years that One River’s Eric Peters predicted this weekend for the coming “US debt sustainability crisis.”
According to the US Treasury, in February, the US collected $271 billion in various tax receipts, and spent $567 billion, more than double what it collected.
The two charts below show the divergence in US tax receipts which have flatlined (on a trailing 6M basis) since the covid pandemic in 2020 (with occasional stimmy-driven surges)…
… and spending which is about 50% higher compared to where it was in 2020.
The end result is that in February, the budget deficit rose to $296.3 billion, up 12.9% from a year prior, and the second highest February deficit on record.
And the punchline: on a cumulative basis, the budget deficit in fiscal 2024 which began on October 1, 2023 is now $828 billion, the second largest cumulative deficit through February on record, surpassed only by the peak covid year of 2021.
But wait there’s more: because in a world where the US is spending more than twice what it is collecting, the endgame is clear: debt collapse, and while it won’t be tomorrow, or the week after, it is coming… and it’s also why the US is now selling $1 trillion in debt every 100 days just to keep operating (and absorbing all those millions of illegal immigrants who will keep voting democrat to preserve the socialist system of the US, so beloved by the Soros clan).
… having already surpassed total US defense spending and soon to surpass total health spending and, finally all social security spending, the largest spending category of all, which means that US debt will now rise exponentially higher until the inevitable moment when the US dollar loses its reserve status and it all comes crashing down.
We conclude with another observation by CNBC’s Brian Sullivan, who quotes an email by a DC strategist…
.. which lays out the proposed Biden budget as follows:
The budget deficit will growth another $16 TRILLION over next 10 years. Thats *with* the proposed massive tax hikes.
Without them the deficit will grow $19 trillion.
That’s why you will hear the “deficit is being reduced by $3 trillion” over the decade.
No family budget or business could exist with this kind of math.
Of course, in the long run, neither can the US… and since neither party will ever cut the spending which everyone by now is so addicted to, the best anyone can do is start planning for the endgame.
A federal judge in Washington state rejected a gun rights group’s challenge of a new regulation that opens firearm manufacturers to lawsuits for crimes committed with their products.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary Dimke on March 8 dismissed a lawsuit against Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson brought by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which sought to prevent Senate Bill 5078 from taking effect.
The bill, known as the Firearm Industry Responsibility & Gun Violence Victims’ Access to Justice Act, imposes state-level legal liability on Washington’s firearms industry, allowing lawsuits to be brought on behalf of people who are killed or injured with the industry’s products.
The measure also opens firearms makers and sellers to legal liability if they fail to establish, implement, and enforce “reasonable controls” in the manufacture, sale, and distribution of firearms.
SB 5078 was signed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on April 25, 2023, with the NSSF filing its lawsuit on the same day.
The measure faced opposition from the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), which argued that the legislation would subject licensed firearm manufacturers and sellers to frivolous lawsuits and kill thousands of jobs in the state.
The Lawsuit
The NSSF’s lawsuit against Mr. Ferguson challenged the constitutionality of SB 5078, arguing that it imposed “sweeping liability” on gun makers and distributors, opening them up to lawsuits that amount to “unconstitutional efforts to stamp out lawful and constitutionally protected activity.”
The group also argued that the law would allow the bypassing of the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which gives gun-makers and dealers immunity from civil suits for crimes committed with firearms that they manufacture or sell.
“Washington is now trying to resurrect the very kinds of lawsuits that the PLCAA was enacted to eliminate,” the group stated in its complaint.
Congress invited states to regulate firearm sales and marketing practices by creating state-level laws that establish exceptions to the PLCAA, with SB 5078 being such a law.
Seeks to Sue Gun Industry ‘Out of Existence’
In expressing its opposition to the law, the NRA-ILA said in a statement that the bill “simply seeks to sue the firearms industry out of existence in the state of Washington.”
“Without the firearms industry, Washingtonians will not have access to firearms and ammunition and the fundamental right to keep and bear arms,” the NRA-ILA stated.
In its lawsuit, the NSSF requested a ruling that would declare SB 5078 unconstitutional and sought an injunction preventing it from being enforced.
The judge disagreed, stating in her order that the group “failed to bring a live case or controversy” before the court, while dismissing the case without prejudice, meaning that the issue can be tried again.
Mr. Ferguson, who is considering running for Washington state governor, hailed the decision, saying in a statement that the new law imposes “real accountability” on the gun industry.
“My legal team remains undefeated against the gun lobby in court,” he said in the statement.
“This law protects Washingtonians from gun violence by ensuring that gun industry members face real accountability when their irresponsible conduct harms our communities.”
NSSF did not respond to a request for comment on the judge’s decision.
Four other states—Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and California—have adopted similar legislation to SB 5078, with the New York law already having survived a challenge in federal court.
The NSSF, which challenged the New York law, has appealed that decision, with the case pending.
The New York law, which was signed into law in July 2021 by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, allows gun makers to be sued if they “knowingly or recklessly create, maintain or contribute” to a dangerous condition in the state with their products.
Bull Market Materializes In Chinese Stocks After National Team Buying Spree
Several Chinese stock indices have been in rally mode since the start of February, fueling market bottom calls by some Wall Street analysts. This comes as Beijing ramps up its commitment to end the market rout.
On Tuesday, the Hang Seng Tech Index became the latest Chinese index to enter a technical bull market, joining tech-heavy ChiNext, materials index, and renewables.
Market sentiment was improving from a month ago when Chinese shares were among the world’s worst performers.
M&G Investment Management now believes a bottom in Chinese equities has formed, mainly influenced by Beijing’s market interventions, signs of improving economy and earnings, and a return of foreign flows into the equity market.
“It’s rare to see China’s markets sustain a rally for weeks since the second half of last year,” said Fanwei Zeng, investment analyst at GAM Investment Management.
Zeng continued: “Most Chinese tech and renewables companies have been focusing on cost-cutting and improving efficiency; we’ve seen improvements in margins and decent topline growth.”
Despite the ongoing deflation and property crisis concerns, investors are coming to terms with Beijing’s attempts to restructure its economy. Some are betting on President Xi Jinping’s attempt to drive high-tech growth and end the real estate crisis.
Even with the lack of massive stimulus, some investors see a reduction in the mortgage reference rate and more liquidity, and a crackdown on quants is sufficient to make bottom calls (for now).
“We expect high single-digit or low-teen earnings growth overall this year,” said Nicholas Yeo, head of China equities at abrdn plc, adding, “We expect deflationary pressure to reduce this year which would provide companies with more pricing power. We are around the range of the bottoming.”
Earlier this month, Goldman’s Si Fu and Kinger Lau asked clients: “When will flows come back to China?”
Responding to their own question, the analysts stated:
“Recent “National Team” buying has put a near-term floor on the market and boosted investor confidence.”
Early Tuesday, US-listed Chinese stocks traded higher, with KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF up nearly 3%. If premarket gains hold, this would be the highest level since Dec. 29.
Fu outlined his strategy for buying Chinese stocks:
“We believe 1) companies with low PB(<1x), solid fundamentals and strong cash returns; and 2) technology-oriented SOEs with high R&D investment and aligned management incentives may benefit the most from the reform.”
The question remains whether this is the start of a crazy new V-shaped bull market recovery or if it is similar to Japan’s L-shaped three-decade bottom.
