"The U.S. Capitol Police says that it is aware of a threat by an unidentified militia group to breach the Capitol complex on Thursday… March 4 is a significant date for far-right conspiracy theorists who believe former President Donald Trump will return to power then. That was the original date for presidential inaugurations until 1937, after the adoption of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution." Next it'll be the 15th, the Ides of March.
"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday criticized President Joe Biden for calling his decisions to lift Covid-19 restrictions and mask mandates earlier this week 'Neanderthal thinking' and blamed the state’s ongoing outbreak on undocumented immigrants." Totally not a racist party, except for all the racism.
"Some of Texas’ top doctors warned Wednesday that Gov. Greg Abbott’s sudden decision to ditch the mask mandate and lift coronavirus restrictions could result in a new surge of Covid-19 infections and deaths… And while they now have enough masks, ventilators and emergency room space to treat a new wave of patients, they say there is an acute shortage of staffers who aren’t already stressed out and exhausted from battling the pandemic for more than a year."
"The U.S. has a long way to go with its coronavirus vaccine distribution, but it's way ahead of most other countries. That includes Germany, where many have chosen to wait for one vaccine over another, instead of just getting the shot that is most available."
"Many residents of Jackson, Miss., remain without running water three weeks after a winter storm hit the city… The water outages in Jackson began Feb. 15 as a winter storm swept across the state. The storm brought devastating, bitter cold to the South and hit the region's critical infrastructure hard--highlighting major vulnerabilities in the area's power grid and water system." Our systems aren't ready for what's coming.
"General Motors is looking at building a second plant in the U.S. to produce battery cells for electric vehicles through a joint venture with LG Chem… The automaker confirmed the plans Thursday morning after The Wall Street Journal reported the companies were close to a decision to locate the plant in Tennessee, but a final selection hadn’t been made. GM said it hopes 'to have a decision on the potential project' by June." Stares into the camera from just north of Lordstown.
"Unexpectedly strong demand for furniture, appliances and other manufactured goods is providing a windfall to many of the country's industries… But as factory gears spin faster to meet the surging demand, a big headache is emerging: Supply chains are getting stretched more than ever, and critical components are proving a lot harder to procure."
"Weekly jobless claims edged higher last week but rose less than expected for an economy struggling to shake off impacts from a pandemic that has been around now for nearly a year… The Labor Department on Thursday reported that first-time filings for unemployment insurance in the week ended Feb. 27 totaled a seasonally adjusted 745,000, a touch below the Dow Jones estimate of 750,000. The total was a slight uptick from the previous week’s upwardly revised 736,000."
"The year of the pandemic was also the year of the gun. Shootings took off in almost every city, large and small. New York saw shootings double, and nationally, non-suicide gun deaths jumped about 25%, according to the independent Gun Violence Archive… At the same time, gun sales were up, too. In fact, 2020 marked the best year for gun sales — ever."
Kids are going back to school… "A 15-year-old boy who was shot Monday morning at Watson Chapel Junior High School in Arkansas has died, Pulaski County Coroner's Office said, according to CBS affiliate KTHV-TV. The Watson Chapel School District also announced the death of the student, citing his mother's Facebook page."
"In her time as former President Donald Trump's transportation secretary, Elaine Chao repeatedly used her position and agency staff to help family members who run a shipping business with ties to China, in potential violation of federal ethics laws, according to an Office of Inspector General report… The findings were uncovered in the Transportation Department's inspector general report released Wednesday that detailed the office's investigation into Chao's dealings as secretary." And now you know one of the things Trump had on McConnell.
"House Democrats late Wednesday approved a momentous overhaul of American policing, responding to decades of frustration over racial injustice in law enforcement. But their plan is headed for a roadblock: the U.S. Senate."
"The power struggle that led to conservative social media site Parler abruptly firing its founder and CEO John Matze last month became so acrimonious that when Matze was sacked, he was also involuntarily stripped of his entire stake in the company, according to people familiar with Matze's exit." Eating their own and playing the victim.
"New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that he won't resign from office amid growing calls for him to step down over sexual harassment allegations. After a third woman came forward to allege inappropriate conduct, the governor said during a press conference he felt 'embarrassed' for the 'pain I've caused' and pledged to cooperate with an investigation led by the state attorney general." I give him two to four weeks. However there is a complication, there are rumors that people friendly to Trump are going to run for governor, mostly to pardon Trump and protect him from state level charges and that this is a part of their strategy. Doesn't mean he's not guilty as hell.
"In the nearly two months since the attack, cross party tensions in Congress have intensified in floor debate, in committee hearings, and in personal relationships. At an Oversight Committee hearing last week on the postal service, Rep. Gerry Connolly. D-Va., snapped at Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, one of former President Donald Trump's most vocal allies in the House, after Jordan accused Democrats of politicizing the postal service to hurt Trump in the election. 'I didn't vote to overturn an election. And I will not be lectured by people who did about partisanship,' Connolly responded." The article is written in a way that "blames" Democrats for the final breakdowns. However, at least IMHO, they have cause not to trust their Republican colleagues.
"The commanding general of the Washington, DC, National Guard testified Wednesday that he did not need authorization from Pentagon leaders before deploying troops in response to protests at the nation's capital last summer but that changed in the days before the January 6 insurrection… The shift in guidance, according to DC National Guard Commanding Maj. Gen. William Walker, was communicated in a January 5 memo that stated he was required to seek approval from the Secretary of the Army and Defense before preparing troops to respond to a civil disturbance." Why it's almost like the Trump Administration was in on the whole thing.
"New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith has asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to investigate after at least 30 New Jersey National Guard members allegedly got sick over the last month from eating the food they were provided while deployed to protect the U.S. Capitol."
"Germany's domestic intelligence agency has put the country's largest opposition party under surveillance as a potential threat to the country's constitution, according to public broadcaster ARD and other media outlets. The move affects dozens of lawmakers who are in the right-wing Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party." Looks meaningfully into the camera.
"A document filed in federal court on Monday sheds new light on the Proud Boys' tactical preparation for and movements during the Jan. 6 insurrection… It alleges that a Washington state-based member of the far-right group was internally nominated to have "war powers" and assume "ultimate leadership" of the group's activities that day. Thirty-year-old Ethan Nordean allegedly helped coordinate members' storming of the Capitol in an effort to interrupt the Electoral College certification of President Biden's victory."
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