Rand Paul opposes using military for deportations

Senator Rand Paul is strongly opposed to using the U.S. military to enforce deportation measures.

Sen. Paul to Newsmax: Military Should Not Be Used for Deportations | Newsmax | Jim Thomas:

November 19, 2024 - "Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has voiced strong opposition to using the U.S. military to enforce deportation measures, emphasizing that immigration enforcement should remain the responsibility of domestic law enforcement agencies on Newsmax Tuesday. Paul, a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, criticized the idea of deploying the military to enforce immigration policies, calling it a 'terrible image' for the United States.

"In an interview on Rob Schmitt Tonight, Paul addressed reports that President-elect Donald Trump or his spokesman suggested declaring an emergency to involve the military in deportation efforts.... 'I'm not in favor of sending the Army in uniforms into our cities to collect people, Paul said. 'That's not what we use our military for; we never have. And it's actually been illegal for over 100 years to bring the Army into our cities.'

"Paul underscored that the military's purpose is distinct from domestic law enforcement. 'Our Army and our military are trained to shoot the enemy. They're not trained to get a warrant to do what they're doing,' he said, adding that 'the police have a difficult job, but the people removing people from our country need to be a police enforcement domestic agency, not the military'....

"The senator advocated for prioritizing the deportation of undocumented individuals who have committed violent crimes. Citing statistics, Paul noted that the U.S. is harboring approximately 15,000 individuals who have committed murder and 13,000 who have committed violent sexual crimes.... 

"Paul further criticized the broader use of presidential emergencies, describing them as undermining congressional authority and checks and balances. 'They smack of martial rule. They smack of no congressional approval,' he warned.

"While supporting strong immigration enforcement, Paul urged caution in implementing extreme measures. 'The American people will be behind him 100% if he goes immediately after the people that have committed crimes,' he said, advocating ... focusing first on individuals who pose clear risks to public safety. 

He also expressed reservations about targeting long-term undocumented residents who have integrated into American society. 'The housekeeper who's been here 30 years — I don't see the military putting her in handcuffs and marching her down the street to an encampment,' Paul said. Instead, he proposed expanding work permits for certain individuals while denying them voting rights.

"Paul concluded by advising conservatives to temper their support for drastic actions involving the military. 'We, as conservatives who are supportive of Trump, need to caution him about sending the army into our cities,' he said. 'It's a terrible image to send the world, and it's a terrible image for us as citizens.'"

Read more: https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/rand-paul-deportation-donald-trump/2024/11/19/id/1188730/

Rand Paul explains where Trump should 'think twice' on deportation operation | Rob Schmitt Tonight | Newsmax | November 19, 2024:

Alberta joins U.S. states' energy pact

Alberta premier Danielle Smith has signed on to the 12-state Governors' Coalition for Energy Security.

Alberta joins U.S. energy coalition to secure North America’s energy future | True North Wire | Isaac Lamoureux:

November 17, 2024 - "Alberta has become the first non-U.S. [political entity] to join a United States energy pact featuring 12 states that had already signed onto the coalition. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith made the announcement Thursday, personally thanking Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu for inviting her, along with President-elect Donald Trump. Smith also thanked the other ten governors involved.

"Smith said that Alberta’s role in North American energy security is vital as the largest crude oil and natural gas supplier to the United States. 

With 200 billion barrels of recoverable oil, 200 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas, significant natural gas liquids and ample pore space for carbon capture, Alberta’s contribution is set to grow even further as we look to work with the Trump Administration and other U.S. partners to increase our pipeline capacity to our greatest friend and ally, the United States.... We are proud to collaborate with this coalition of allied states in advancing energy security, reliability and affordability for Americans and Canadians....

"Alberta currently accounts for 56% of oil imports into the United States, double Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq combined.

"Landry said that the pact’s members share the goal of enhancing and protecting energy security, which he said will lead to lower energy costs, increased reliability, sustainable economic development, and wise management of energy resources and the environment. '

“I welcome Premier Smith and the insights she will bring as the leader from a fellow energy-producing province that, like my state, is under a federal system of government where national imperatives are not always aligned with state or provincial interests,' said Landry.

"The United States is the largest trading partner with Alberta, having $188 billion in bilateral trade in 2023. Energy products accounted for more than 80%, approximately $133.6 billion, of Alberta’s exports to the United States in 2023....

Alberta is a global leader in emissions reduction technologies and clean energy solutions. 'The province has captured about 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide through carbon capture, utilization and storage technology, and has the ability to support the U.S. in developing new infrastructure and supply chains for future energy markets in the areas of hydrogen, renewables, small modular reactors and others,” reads Alberta’s press release. 

"The newly renamed Governors’ Coalition for Energy Security listed its goals in the press release issued by the Governor of Louisiana[:] ... 'to ensure families and businesses have the right to choose the energy they need, to minimize permitting and other regulatory barriers, limit expensive energy mandates, focus on affordability and reliability of energy infrastructure, and to coordinate to positively manage energy resources and the environment,' reads the press release....

"Smith issued an additional statement on Friday, saying she won’t wait for the [Canadian federal] Liberals to strengthen energy trade.... \

Alberta’s energy sector is a cornerstone of North America’s prosperity and we’re ready to work with our partners in the United States, especially @realDonaldTrump, to ensure that remains true.... Alberta’s resources are critical to energy security, economic growth, and the strong ties between our countries. Together, we can build a future that benefits both sides of the border — because when Alberta succeeds, the United States thrives. Let’s power that future, hand in hand.

"The 12 signatory states included in the energy pact are Louisiana, New Hampshire, Indiana, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Dakota, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Virginia."

Read more: https://tnc.news/2024/11/17/alberta-energy-coalition-us/

We can’t sacrifice U.S. friendship if Mexico is a trade irritant: Alberta premier | Power & Politics | CBC News | November 15, 2024:

Covid vaccines may have fuelled excess deaths

For the first time that I am aware of, a scientific journal has published an article suggesting that Covid vaccines have contributed to the spike in excess deaths since 2020.

Source; BBC.

Covid vaccines may have helped fuel rise in excess deaths | The Telegraph | Sarah Knapton:

June 5, 2024 - "Covid vaccines could be partly to blame for the rise in excess deaths since the pandemic, scientists have suggested. Researchers from The Netherlands analysed data from 47 Western countries and discovered there had been more than three million excess deaths since 2020, with the trend continuing despite the rollout of vaccines and containment measures....

"Writing in the BMJ Public Health, the authors from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, said: 'Although Covid-19 vaccines were provided to guard civilians from suffering morbidity and mortality by the Covid-19 virus, suspected adverse events have been documented as well. Both medical professionals and citizens have reported serious injuries and deaths following vaccination to various official databases in the Western World.' 

"They added: 'During the pandemic, it was emphasised by politicians and the media on a daily basis that every Covid-19 death mattered and every life deserved protection through containment measures and Covid-19 vaccines. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the same moral[ity] should apply.'

"The study found that across Europe, the US and Australia there had been more than one million excess deaths in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, but also 1.2 million in 2021 and 800,000 and 2022 after measures were implemented. Researchers said the figure included deaths from Covid-19, but also the 'indirect effects of the health strategies to address the virus spread and infection'.

"They warned that side effects linked to the Covid vaccine had included ischaemic stroke, acute coronary syndrome and brain haemorrhage, cardiovascular diseases, coagulation, haemorrhages, gastrointestinal events and blood clotting.

"German researchers have pointed out that the onset of excess mortality in early 2021 in the country coincided with the rollout of vaccines.... However, more recent data regarding side-effects has not been made available to the public, with countries keeping their own individual databases of harms, which rely on self-reporting by the public and doctors, the experts warned....

"Researchers said that it was 'likely' that the impact of containment measures, restricted healthcare and socioeconomic upheaval during the pandemic had contributed to deaths.... Gordon Wishart, chief medical officer at Check4Cancer, and visiting professor of cancer surgery at Anglia Ruskin University, warned repeatedly that delaying cancer diagnosis would lead to deaths. 'It was predicted early in the lockdown period that limited access to healthcare for non-Covid conditions would lead to delays in the diagnosis and treatment of time-critical conditions such as cancer, cardiac disease, diabetes and dementia and that this would lead to excess deaths from these conditions,' he said....

"Speaking about the potential for vaccine harm, Mr Wishart added: 'The authors are correct to point out that many vaccine-related serious adverse events may have been unreported, and point to the fact that the simultaneous onset of excess mortality and Covid vaccination in Germany is worthy of further investigation on its own. The paper provides more questions than answers but, it is hard to disagree with their conclusion that further analysis is required to understand the underlying causes of excess mortality to better prepare for the future management of pandemic crises'"

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/04/covid-vaccines-may-have-helped-fuel-rise-in-excess-deaths/

Read study: https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000282

Poilievre seen as better choice to deal with Trump

Two-in-five (38%) of Canadians polled say Poilievre is better suited to deal with a second Donald Trump presidency, while 23% say Trudeau would be, and 25% say neither are up to the job.

Canadians prefer Trudeau to deal with Harris, Poilievre to work with Trump | Angus Reid Institute (news release):

November 4, 2024 – Canadians will join their American neighbours in watching results pour in  tomorrow night for the U.S. election.... Regardless of who wins, the result will have a significant impact on Canada, as the United States remains this country’s closest ally and trading partner. Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and opposition leader Pierre Poilievre will make the case that they’re better suited to manage this relationship.... 

"Given the importance, economically, culturally and from a security standpoint, of the Canada-U.S. relationship, the Angus Reid Institute asked Canadians which of the two federal party leaders in Canada most likely to form government they feel is more suited to handle the relationship with each potential president....

"Trump had a rocky relationship with Trudeau during his first term. Though the two started on good terms, relations soured. Trump called the Canadian PM 'two-faced' after video surfaced of Trudeau and other world leaders reportedly joking about Trump. Since leaving office he has called Trudeau 'weak' and a 'far left lunatic'. The Liberal government has also made an effort to tie Poilievre to Trump and his divisive politics. Current polling suggests that correlation hasn’t borne much fruit....

"Canadians prefer Poilievre to have a go at the Trump relationship, rather than have Trudeau take it on a second time. Two-in-five (38%) say Poilievre is better suited, while 23 per cent say Trudeau would be. That said, one-quarter say neither (25%) are up to the job. Notably, Poilievre is the top choice in every province, other than in Quebec, where 'neither' wins:

"Poilievre receives more confidence among Liberal and NDP voters in this scenario but remains relatively uninspiring for these groups. The larger factor at play here is that every group is more likely to say that neither individual is up to the job with the unpredictable Trump at the helm....

"For detailed results by age, gender, region, education, and other demographics, click here. For full release including methodology, click here."

Read more: https://angusreid.org/harris-trump-trudeau-poilievre/

Abortion-rights activists score wins at state level

In the 2024 U.S. election. abortion-rights ballot measures passed in seven of ten states, including five won by Trump/Vance.

Abortion protest, New York, May 2022. Photo by Legoktm. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.

Pro-Choice Abortion Initiatives Pass in Seven Out of Ten States | Reason | Elizabeth Nolan Brown:

November 6, 2024 - "Measures meant to protect abortion access were approved by voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and New York.... Until yesterday, the pro-choice position [has] prevailed in every state where abortion-related measures were on the ballot, including in red states such as Kansas, Kentucky, and Ohio. That ... pattern is broken somewhat by results in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota.... 

• In Florida, 57 percent of voters supported Amendment 4, an Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion ... but it falls short of the 60 percent approval threshold required for constitutional amendments in Florida.
• In Nebraska, 48.7 percent of voters approved the state's Right to Abortion measure, (Initiative 439), which would have amended the constitution to declare that 'all persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability'.... [A] competing measure — Initiative 434 — passed 55.3 percent to 44.7 percent.... Initiative 434 ... allows for first trimester abortions but prohibits second and third trimester abortion unless 'necessitated by a medical emergency or when the pregnancy results from sexual assault or incest'....
• [I]n South Dakota — where it's currently criminal to perform an abortion or prescribe abortion medication unless a pregnant woman's life is at risk ... [v]oters rejected Amendment G — a citizen-led initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution— by almost 20 percentage points (with 87 percent of votes counted)..... 
• In Arizona, voters approved Proposition 139, a measure that enshrines a 'fundamental right' to abortion until fetal viability in the state's constitution. Abortion is currently legal in Arizona only until 15 weeks pregnancy. Voters rejected this status quo, with about 62 percent voting for Proposition 139 with 60 percent of votes tallied.
• In Missouri, where abortion is currently illegal except in medical emergencies, voters approved Amendment 3, a constitutional amendment declaring that 'the Government shall not deny or infringe upon a person's fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions'.... 
• In Maryland, where abortion is currently legal until fetal viability, voters overwhelmingly approved Question 1, also known as the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment. The tally was about 74 percent for and just 26 percent with three-quarters of votes counted. Initiated by state lawmakers, ... the amendment says 'the State may not, directly or indirectly, deny, burden, or abridge the right [to an abortion] unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means.'
• In Montana, where abortion is currently legal until fetal viability, voters approved The Right to Abortion Initiative, also known as CI-128. The measure will amend the state constitution to say 'there is a right to make and carry out decisions about one's own pregnancy, including the right to abortion,' and 'this right shall not be denied or burdened unless justified by a compelling government interest achieved by the least restrictive means'....
• In Nevada, where abortion is now legal until 24 weeks pregnancy, voters approved Question 6.... The measure states that the right to an abortion 'shall not be denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest that is achieved by the least restrictive means.' With 84 percent of Nevada votes counted, it was up 63.3 percent to 36.7 percent. However, it must pass again in 2026 to be enacted.
• In Colorado, where abortion is currently legal throughout pregnancy, voters passed Amendment 79.... The measure repeals a 1984 amendment prohibiting the use of public funds for abortion and creates a new constitutional amendment stating that 'the right to abortion is hereby recognized. Government shall not deny, impede, or discriminate against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortion'....

"Trump won Florida, Missouri, and Montana and ... Arizona and Nevada ... yet a majority of voters in these states, too, opted to support legal abortion."

Read more: https://reason.com/2024/11/06/pro-choice-abortion-initiatives-pass-in-seven-out-of-ten-states/

Trust in medical profession plummets in USA

In the past four years in the United States, public opinion of doctors and hospitals has changed from majority trust to majority mistrust.

Trust in Doctors and Hospitals Plummets | Brownstone Institute | Josh Stevenson:   

September 5, 2024 - "A new paper in JAMA analyzes survey respondents in the US over the period of time right after the Covid pandemic started in April 2020 and through early 2024. It reveals a significant decline in trust in physicians and hospitals, dropping from 71.5% in April 2020, to 40.1% in January 2024. Lower trust levels were strongly associated with reduced likelihood of receiving Covid-19 vaccinations and boosters.... 

"One incredibly interesting part of this study was the revealing of the open-text responses that survey respondents gave for their lack of trust. From the supplement, here are the top 4 themes why patients have lost trust. 

1. Financial Motives Over Patient Care: This theme includes perceptions of healthcare as primarily profit-driven, where financial incentives outweigh patient welfare. Respondents believe that decisions are made based on profitability rather than the best interests of patients.
2. Poor Quality of Care and Negligence: Responses that mention experiences of neglect, inadequate care, misdiagnosis, or dismissive attitudes from healthcare providers fall under this category. This also includes perceptions of healthcare professionals not listening or taking patient concerns seriously. 
3. Influence of External Entities and Agendas: Here, the focus is on the belief that decisions in healthcare are unduly influenced by pharmaceutical companies, government entities, or other external powers. This includes suspicions of dishonesty or withholding information for nonmedical reasons. 
4. Discrimination and Bias: Responses indicating experiences or beliefs that healthcare providers exhibit bias, discrimination, or lack of cultural competency. This can include racial discrimination, gender bias, or insensitivity to patient backgrounds.

"Another interesting analysis in the supplement was the inclusion of political affiliation. The tendency for Republicans and Independents to have lower trust overall than Democrats should not surprise anyone, as the polarization of vaccines, masks, and lockdowns made it clear that the left was in favor of doing anything at all in the name of combating Covid, no matter the cost.

"As we witnessed firsthand in 2020 and 2021, and even today, the condescension, overt political motivations, and outright derision directed at those who were rationally skeptical of a brand-new vaccine, masks, and the extreme and harmful lockdown policies by medical practitioners and hospital systems have finally led to an inevitable consequence: the public simply does not trust them anymore. And not by a small margin — there has been a massive swing from majority trust to majority distrust. For anyone who was paying attention, this is not shocking....

"I hope that the practitioners we truly need to rely on when we require medical care see this as a wake-up call and understand just how much damage they have done to their long-term doctor-patient relationships. Now, instead of starting from a place of trust, they are starting from a deficit. This is not just bad for their careers; it’s bad for the patients."

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Read study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821693

Chase Oliver has no regrets about campaign

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Chase Oliver says he has no regrets about his campaign, and that being the party's standard bearer was "the true honor of my life." 

Chase Oliver Calls Libertarian Party Presidential Run 'Honor of My Lifetime' | Reason | Joe Lancaster:

November 6, 2024 - "While battleground states continue counting votes ... the Libertarian Party (L.P.) will fall short of its relative recent successes.... L.P. candidate Chase Oliver looks likely to underperform 2020's numbers, when candidate Jo Jorgensen won more than 1.8 million votes and 1.2 percent of the national total. Speaking from his election night watch party in Dallas, Texas, Oliver tells Reason he isn't surprised that he fell short of other recent L.P. presidential tickets, but he has no regrets.... 

"'I think we did the best we could, considering there's been a lot of headwinds in this campaign,' he says. 'First and foremost, the two-party system is always trying to relegate alternative parties' voice[s],' and 'internal disputes within the party…led to less than full-throated support from our national leadership'....

"This was the first presidential election since the L.P.'s takeover by the Mises Caucus, an internal party faction more conservative than the previous rank and file. Michael Heise, the Mises Caucus founder who helped engineer the party takeover, endorsed former President Donald Trump last week in a post on X. Over the weekend, L.P. Chair Angela McArdle shared a pro-Trump video and added, 'You know you wanna be a part of this. It is irresistible.'

Chase Oliver at FreedomFest, July 2024 Photo by

 Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

"Oliver sees his campaign as indicative of the party's struggles, and he hopes it can turn around in the future: 'Our campaign is not the low-water mark. In fact, we've been seeing a downward trend … because leadership has just not been able to retain membership. And I think that's due to the internal conflict. That's due to focusing more on shooting inward at each other than actually doing the professional party building. And I'm going to be looking forward, as an activist, as a lifetime party member, as a former candidate for president, to be looking to find members of the Libertarian Party who want to professionalize our operations and put us into a growth mode.'

"That said, Oliver says he does not have regrets about his experience. 'Running as the presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party, the party that I love, for the principles that I stand by, has been the true honor of my life,' he says. 'Even with any headwinds that I faced, I know that I've done everything I can to try to spread the message of liberty in a positive way. I'm so thankful that I have a staff and volunteers across the country who have put in the work.'"

"Would he run again in the future? 'I think so,' he says. 'But what I need to do first is focus on building our party [so it] can properly support a presidential campaign the way we have in the past. And I think that's my work over the next four years … trying to identify people across the libertarian spectrum, in states across the country, who want to organize and really build our party up going forward, and not being the [junior varsity] league for the Republican Party, and not thinking that Donald Trump is what we have to settle [for] in this country.'"

Read more: https://reason.com/2024/11/06/chase-oliver-calls-libertarian-party-presidential-run-honor-of-my-lifetime/