Saturday, June 6, 2020

OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SEEMS MORE INTERESTED. . .



In casting blame on Trump, for the riots in our big cities,  than showing true leadership.


FRONT PAGE COMMENTARY, by Peter Ripley
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While spewing out that is all Trumps fault!
Our delegation to D.C offered no words to end the rioting in the streets of our cities. Read the statements below does the words of Sen. Murray and Cantwell offer true leadership of ending the violence, or more like stoking  the fires of the riots?

  

From the following remarks from Sen. Patty Murray's press release with the headline: Senator Murray on Nationwide Protests for George Floyd: 
“This is…About the Systemic Racism that has Plagued Our Country Since Our Founding and Is Not Changing Nearly Fast Enough”
Jun 03 2020


(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, emphasized her grief, sorrow, and support for Black families and communities of color in Washington state and across the country following the tragic murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and subsequent nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism. In her remarks during a HELP Committee hearing this morning, Senator Murray reiterated her anger and frustration with the slow pace of progress to address deep-seated institutional racism in America, and her commitment moving forward to prioritize anti-racism in the Senate’s legislative efforts.

“Even as we know justice is urgently needed for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, we know these protest aren’t only about them,” said Senator Murray. “This is also about the systemic racism that has plagued our country since our founding and is not changing nearly fast enough.”

On Friday, May 29th, Senator Murray issued a statement calling for federal investigations into the recent killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery—all unarmed Black people. Senator Murray is also exploring what options may be possible at the federal level to help address the challenge of police brutality, as well as the country’s underlying racial issues.




Full statement:

Before we start, I do want to say, to people in my home state of Washington and across the nation who are hurting right now—I see your pain and share with all of you the grief and sorrow and anger and frustration that is so clearly a product of our country’s long history of racial injustice against the Black community.

“Even as we know justice is urgently needed for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, we know these protest aren’t only about them.

“This is also about the systemic racism that has plagued our country since our founding and is not changing nearly fast enough.

“Our country owes grieving Black families and communities of color change that is as long overdue as our country is old.



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Editorial Note: It's words like that that encourages members of Antifa, and BLM to demand white people they encounter that they should bow to them, or be called a racist, or bullied into doing it.
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“The reforms our country needs are not easy, or quick work, but I am committed to this fight for the long-haul, and I know I’m not the only elected leader who feels this way. 

“I’m going to keep listening to and supporting those who have been at the forefront of this work.

“I’ll keep speaking out against the President’s shameful abuses of power and efforts to distract from the true goal each of us must work toward, which is ending racial injustice in our country, and I’ll keep learning and acting on what I can do to help combat racism in our policies, laws, systems, and institutions.”

Consider this story from the Federalist:
The left’s multi-decade project to teach everyone that America is irredeemably racist has led to the emergence of a new regime in American life.
  

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Readers, sometimes you have to give credit when it's dew. Here is the statement which 

Sen. Cantwell posted on her webpage: " Cantwell Statement on the Killing of George Floyd."
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement regarding the killing of George Floyd:

“No one should be treated or suffer like George Floyd. Mr. Floyd’s family deserves justice. We all should speak out against injustice. Police officers have to be accountable and act within the law.”

“The US Department of Justice must provide the strong oversight required to make sure civil rights laws are followed and provide the federal assistance and support for reforms to make sure cities and local police departments are upholding civil liberties and constitutional rights.”
Editorial Note: It's true that the cops who were responsible of George Floyd's death should be held accountable, but not a blanket condemnation of the entire police forces of the United States. 
She offered no response over the looting that's going on in Seattle. She didn't tell those who are looting to stop! No, not one word!


But later in the week she posted this statement on her site: 



**********IN OTHER HEADLINES*************





WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:








Voices calling for an end to “the endemic and structural racism that blights US society” must be heard and understood, for the country to move past its “tragic history of racism and violence”, the UN Human Rights chief said on Wednesday.



Nearly 50 staff from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners arrived in Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Wednesday, location of the country’s latest Ebola outbreak.




UN chief António Guterres is calling for greater unity and solidarity to defeat COVID-19 and build a better world in the wake of the global pandemic.



World Bicycle Day highlights the potential for transforming the way the world moves around, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, helping create a healthier, more sustainable future, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.



Nearly 30 independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council are calling for the United States to reform its criminal justice system in the wake of a recent spate of killings of African Americans, including at the hands of the police.



Demonstrators who want to go into the street to make their voices heard, should take every precaution against catching or passing on the coronavirus, as the global pandemic is far from over, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.



From the US Mission to the UN:

The United States welcomes the opportunity to express our views and positions on the Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS) resolution put forward for consideration by the Chair.



Thank you, Nicolas. And thank you to the Force Commanders for your briefings and for your service. I would like to offer my condolences to the families of the two MINUSMA peacekeepers who died of COVID-19 last week. The United States greatly appreciates the sacrifice of all UN peacekeeping personnel continuing to maintain peace and security amidst COVID-19, and we commend all the force commanders for their leadership during this crisis.



The G5 Sahel Joint Force remains the long-term solution to reestablishing security in the Sahel. The United States is committed to supporting the Joint Force by providing equipment, training, and advisory support to fill critical capability gaps on a bilateral basis and continue to call on other countries to do the same. We commend the steady progress we have seen over the past few months in Joint Force operations.





NATIONAL HEADLINES:
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The U.S. Department of Justice announced today an agreement with the Government of Guam, as well as the Chamorro Land Trust Commission (CLTC) and its Administrative Director, to resolve claims that Guam’s Chamorro Land Trust Act (CLTA) discriminated against non-Chamorros on the basis of race and national origin in the allocation of Government of Guam land. 







(Washington, D.C., June 4, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already approved more than $545 million in payments to producers who have applied for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. FSA began taking applications May 26, and the agency has received over 86,000 applications for this important relief program.









Survey Finds Nearly Half of Rental Units are in Rental Properties with Four or Fewer Units.









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BUSINESS & FINANCE
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WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today provided guidance for Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOFs) and their investors in response to the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.









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STATE NEWS HEADLINES
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Gov. Jay Inslee responded to President's Trump's threat to deploy the military in response to protesters tonight. 

"This president has repeatedly proven he is incapable of governing. He has shown nothing but false bravado throughout the chaos that has accompanied his time in office. His admiration of authoritarians around the world should not allow him to violate 200 years of American tradition of local law enforcement. We have activated the National Guard in our state and made them available to any community who requests it.

"Our country is defined by our collective character and democratic ideals, not by reactionary calls for division and not by threatening Americans with their own military."
















OLYMPIA – Most beaches in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca are scheduled to open for recreational clam, mussel, and oyster harvest on June 8, while other areas will open later in the summer as previously planned by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).


OLYMPIA – Washington is once again selling fishing licenses to out-of-state residents, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.


The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in cooperation with partnering agencies, is implementing the following changes in burn restrictions on DNR-protected lands. Check with local jurisdictions for additional restrictions and use of residential fire pits.






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Editorials & MEETING AGENDAS
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MICHAEL GOLDBERG   JUNE 3, 2020
On Wednesday afternoon, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes issued the following statement regarding George Floyd, recent demonstrations in Seattle, and the federal consent decree with the Seattle Police Department.











Editorial Note: Suddenly protesting is more important, then the stay at home orders from the Governor!?



JUST WHAT WE NEEDED IN THE NORTH OLYMPIC PENINSULA!
Bully behavior, thankfully some offered help

The Clallam County Sheriff Dept. released the following news release, which was reported in the PND, and Seattle Times:
**NEWS RELEASE - FAMILY OF FOUR CONFRONTED IN FORKS, WA REGARDING THEIR AFFILIATION TO "ANTIFA"
On Wednesday June 3rd at about 6:39 p.m. Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the Sitkum Sol Duc Road (locally known as the A Road) in Forks following a request for assistance from four stranded campers. The campers were stranded up the A Road after someone had fallen Alder trees across the roadway, preventing their exit from the area.
The campers were driving a full size school bus and had prepared to camp off of a logging road spur on the A Road approximately five miles east of Highway 101.
Law enforcement officers from the Sheriff’s Office, La Push Police and Quinault Fish and Wildlife responded to help the stranded campers. Upon arrival, Deputies interviewed the four campers and learned they were a multi-racial family of four who had driven to the Olympic Peninsula from Spokane. The family, consisting of a husband and wife, their sixteen year old daughter and the husband’s mother, had gone to Forks Outfitters earlier in the evening to buy some camping supplies. There, the family was confronted by seven or eight car loads of people in the grocery store parking lot. The people in the parking lot repeatedly asked them if they were “ANTIFA” protesters. The family told the people they weren’t associated with any such group and were just camping. The family had to drive their bus around vehicles in the parking lot in order to get back onto Highway 101. The family then drove northbound out of Forks while at least four vehicles followed them. Two of the vehicles had people in them and carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic rifles.
The family drove their bus up the A Road and onto a logging spur road where they pitched a tent in order to camp for the night. They became concerned for their safety after hearing gun shots in the distance and power saws down the road from where they were camping.
The family, concerned for their safety, decided to pack up their camp and leave. As they drove back down the spur road they discovered someone had fell trees across the road, preventing their exit.
It is important to note that responding Deputies were contacted by four Forks High School students while they drove up the A Road towards the campers. The students used their chainsaw to clear the roadway for the family.
Deputies and responding officers escorted the family to the Sheriff’s Forks Detachment and interviewed them regarding the incident.
Shortly after leaving the Sheriff’s Detachment under police escort, the family’s bus broke down and officers helped them get the bus running again so they could continue their travels.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is actively conducting a criminal investigation into the incident and is seeking any and all information regarding those persons involved.

News reports:





LOCAL MEETINGS & AGENDAS
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CLALLAM COUNTY MEETINGS:







JEFFERSON COUNTY MEETINGS:



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He became the ultimate sacrifice 
 
Weekly Bible Verse: that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19 NKJV
 








 

The Port Angeles Globe is a weekly publication, published every Saturday by, Peter Ripley, Publisher. Your donation is appreciated.




ONE BRIGHT SPOT DURING THE WEEK.








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Saturday, May 30, 2020

LAST FRIDAY THE PRESIDNT GAVE THE OKAY TO REOPEN CHURCHES. BUT INSLEE WANTS TO CONTINUE HIS SLUG PACE of Phasing!

 

The FOX news broadcast on Friday May 22. 

SUNDAY: Hoping to hear church bells ringing on Sunday was instead was cold silence. It turns out churches remain close due to fears of the covid-19. Churches on their own accord remain closed, even though the President ordered the state governor including our Governor Jay Inslee, who issued no response to the Present Trump, ignored the order, and issued the follow guidlines on how he intends to reopen Churches, you guess it. By continued Social distancing, limiting people inside, and out side services. To me if you dictate the number people inside the church you are telling the churches how to conduct thier business. That is now how churches are run! This Governor wants to keep his grasp on how we live in Washington state. 




The following was issued on Thursday 5/28/29


Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the state’s plan for restarting religious and faith-based services for Phases 1 and 2 of Washington’s “Safe Start” reopening plan.
Beginning today, religious and faith-based organizations in Phase 1 counties may host up to 100 people for outdoor services. In Phase 2, they can host up to 25% of their capacity or 50 individuals, whichever is less, as well as conduct in-home services of five people.
As I have said before, this crisis may affect our ability to physically connect but it should not affect our power to strengthen our emotional connections,” Inslee said during a press conference Wednesday. “I have been heartened to see the ways religious groups found to not only continue to connect, but to give back and to support their communities in this time of suffering and uncertainty.”
The religious services covered include all worship services, religious study classes, religious ceremonies, religious holiday celebrations, weddings, and funerals. Choirs are not allowed, but singing may be done with face coverings. This is because the virus is transmitted through breathing: The louder voices are projected, the farther germs travel.
Organizations will be expected to meet requirements to protect employees, members, visitors and volunteers. These requirements include protections such as social distancing and face coverings, environmental cleaning, providing PPE, and educating employees about COVID-19 and how to prevent transmission.
“We appreciate the governor and his team being thoughtful, prudent and measured as we figure out how to best exit from this pandemic and the lock down. Saving lives, community safety and the well-being of the most vulnerable among us are of paramount importance for Muslims, given the teachings of Islam. Working with the governor’s office and public health officials, we have to collaboratively determine how to best move forward preserving human life and health while also finding a path to safely return to our places of worship, our places of business and our places of enjoyment,” said Aneelah Afzali, executive director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound.
“Faith communities have adapted to stay connected in creative and extraordinary ways during the height of this pandemic. We welcome the governor’s measured and gradual approach to reconvening in person that puts community health first and reminds us that we are all each other’s neighbors,” said Michael Ramos, executive director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle.
“As the three Lutheran bishops in the State of Washington serving in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we wish to thank and affirm the governor for the thoughtful and cautious way in which he is guiding our State during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rev. Shelley Bryan Wee, bishop of the Northwest Washington Synod.
“We, the Catholic Bishops of the State of Washington, are encouraged by the governor’s directives today allowing people of faith to resume public worship. These directives are evidence of the good fruits which are born from patient dialogue and commitment to the public health and the common good,” said the Catholic Bishops of the State of Washington in a joint statement.
All organizations are strongly encouraged, but not required, to keep a voluntary log of attendees from services or counseling sessions and retain the information for at least two weeks to assist in contact tracing if an outbreak were to occur.
“We have made tremendous progress, and with Washingtonians united, I know we will continue moving out of this crisis in a safe and healthy way,” Inslee said.
During the press conference, the governor also announced that three new counties have been approved by the secretary of health for variance to move to Phase 2. This brings the total of counties approved to 24.

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(Washington, D.C.) –U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate health committee sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar demanding the Trump Administration update and resubmit the “report” it provided regarding COVID-19 demographic data. Senator Murray made clear the Administration’s submission fails to meet the requirements of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act and pressed for an updated version with comprehensive demographic data.

“The Report was woefully inadequate and we urge you to rewrite and resubmit the Report in order to meet your statutory obligation. As written, the Report provides no new insight into the devastating health disparities that communities across America are experiencing as a result of COVID-19. In fact, it simply repackages what was already readily available on the internet. Congress included this reporting requirement in the Payment Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act because a comprehensive report is necessary to fully understand and address the disproportionate impact this crisis is having on communities of color and other underserved communities,” wrote Senator Murray.

The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act required the Trump Administration to submit to Congress a report on COVID-19 testing that includes available “data on demographic characteristics, including, in a de-identified and disaggregated manner, race, ethnicity, age, sex, geographic region and other relevant factors of individuals tested for or diagnosed with COVID–19,” and “information on the number and rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths as a result of COVID–19.”

In response to this requirement, the Trump Administration submitted a four-page document that merely provided a list of links to existing, already public, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web pages that include limited data on testing and demographic characteristics.

Senator Murray continued, “The Trump Administration must stop ignoring the disproportionate impact this crisis is having on communities of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, and other underserved communities and make some effort to expand the evidence base, as called for by the law. We are disappointed this Congressional mandate has been so carelessly flouted and strongly urge you to resubmit a report that not only includes comprehensive demographic data, but also meets the basic requirements of the law.”

Senator Murray has been focused on ensuring that traditionally marginalized groups that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic get the relief and assistance they need: last week, Senator Murray pressed Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia on how the Department Labor planned to support communities of color experiencing magnified economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.



WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:


Unless countries across the world act together now, the COVID-19 pandemic will cause “unimaginable devastation and suffering around the world”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday at a virtual high-level meeting on financing for development.

UN agencies and their global partners are seeking $2.41 billion to fight COVID-19 spread in Yemen while continuing to support millions affected by the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

In observance of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, on Friday, Secretary-General António Guterres will lay a wreath to pay tribute to all the UN blue helmets who have lost their lives since 1948.

Innocent civilians trapped in violence now face “a new and deadly threat” from COVID-19, the UN chief told the Security Council on Wednesday, warning that the pandemic is “amplifying and exploiting the fragilities of our world”.

Further evidence of the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on the global job market has emerged in a new study by the UN labour agency, which on Wednesday said that more than one in six young people have stopped working since the onset of the pandemic.

Despite efforts to stop the harmful promotion of breast-milk substitutes, countries are still falling short in protecting parents from misleading information, according to a new UN report released Wednesday. 

A new foundation launched on Wednesday will generate funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners by tapping non-traditional sources, including the public.




Page 7 Commentary: LONG WAY FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.



Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, May 23, 2020

GOOD FOR CLALLAM...THEY GOTTEN THEIR WISH FROM KING INSLEE!

****Front page Commendatory, By Peter Ripley***********

Clallam now on short list for Phase 2 application. 
Health official: County doesn’t meet all criteria yet.----PDN Story
Quote:" Phase 2 allows outdoor recreation and gatherings of up to five people.

 Businesses allowed to reopen under the second phase of Inslee’s plan are remaining manufacturing, additional construction phases, in-home/domestic services, retail with restrictions, real estate, professional services and office-based businesses, hair and nail salons and barbers, pet grooming and restaurants or taverns with less than 50 percent capacity."


 Editorial note: 
With all these changing of the rules regarding "phasing to reopening". One may this he's just continuing to hold on to power, and kicking the can down the road to fully reopening."
People are demanding to fully restore our civil liberties, yet this governor refuses to listen to we Washingtonians!

 The following article from the Federalist with the headline: It’s Time To Let America Back To Work For The Sake Of Its Sanity

 Quote: Lifting the lock downs to allow Americans reclaim their dignity through meaningful work is the first step in saving the nation's rapidly deteriorating psyche.
Is exactly how I feel about our circumstances here in Washington State. I can probably say the same thing about other Democrat run states. Who has been holding their people hostage because they what to trash state's economy for the DNC to blame Trump!

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Kilmer, Brooks, Sewell, Thompson Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Help Unemployed American Workers Access Skills Training Programs During Coronavirus Pandemic.
Press release issued 5/20/20

The Skills Renewal Act creates a flexible $4,000 skills training credit for newly unemployed Americans, will allow workers to access their choice of training programs and gain skills expected to be in high demand in coming years
Tacoma, WA – Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06), along with Representatives Susan W. Brooks (IN-05), Terri Sewell (AL-07), and Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), introduced legislation to help American workers attain the skills they need to compete as we confront the coronavirus pandemic. The Skills Renewal Act will create a flexible skills training credit in the amount of $4,000 per person that may be applied to cover the cost of a wide range of training programs that build skills expected to be in high demand by employers in the coming months. The credit will be made available to any worker who has lost their job as a result of the pandemic in 2020 and the credit may be applied to cover training expenses incurred through the end of 2021.

 The tax credit is fully refundable—which means it will be available to all workers, including low-income workers with no federal income tax liability. The credit may be applied to offset the cost, on a dollar-by-dollar basis, of training programs located anywhere along the post secondary pipeline—including apprenticeships, stackable credentials, certificate programs, and traditional two- and four-year programs. To maximize participation, distance learning programs will also be included.

 U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ben Sasse (R-NE), along with Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tim Scott (R-SC), are introducing a companion bill in the Senate.

 “In addition to being the largest public health crisis of our lifetime, the COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be the most significant economic challenge since the Great Depression. As the economy reopens, American workers need to be empowered to navigate the substantial economic changes ahead,” said Rep. Kilmer. “The bipartisan Skills Renewal Act will help anyone who has lost their job as a result of the COVID-19 enroll in apprenticeships, college classes, or retraining programs so they can learn new skills, land new jobs, and earn a good living.”

 “We know as a result of this devastating pandemic many in our workforce who lost their jobs are facing incredibly difficult financial burdens,” said Rep. Brooks. "The key to their future is giving them the necessary tools to find a new job. This bipartisan legislation will incentivize Americans to improve their skills through apprenticeships, stackable credentials, and college courses so they can help to restart our nation’s economic engine and thrive in the post pandemic economy."

 “As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, nearly 450,000 Alabamians have filed for unemployment in the last two months alone. It is critical that these Alabamians have access to the tools they need to get back to work quickly in good, high-paying jobs,” said Rep. Sewell. "The Skills Renewal Act invests in our workers and in our economy by making available a $4,000 tax credit for those who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus, and enroll in training programs and college courses now that will prepare them with skills to help them succeed in the future.”

 “COVID-19 has shown us just how much the country depends upon a skilled and trained workforce," said Rep. Thompson. “The Skills Renewal Act will support individuals who have become unemployed as a result of the pandemic and will support career and technical education opportunities such as apprenticeships and certificate programs. I pleased to support this bipartisan legislation that invests in the country's number one resource, our people.”

 In 2018, Reps. Kilmer and Thompson introduced the Skills Investment Act to expand Coverdell Education Savings Accounts to cover skills training, career-related learning, and professional development.

 The legislation is endorsed by the following groups: Third Way; Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative; and National Skills Coalition.

 "Unemployment Insurance provides important short-term financial relief to people who have lost work through no fault of their own. The Skills Renewal Act offers a crucial next step, providing financial support for unemployed and furloughed workers to access high-quality training opportunities to upgrade their existing skills and transition to sectors of the labor market where opportunities are expanding," said Alastair Fitzpayne, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative.

 “In the midst of a global pandemic and looming economic recession, we desperately need big and bold thinking to rescue American workers. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ben Sasse (R-NE) have answered that call with the Skills Renewal Act. The Skills Training Credit this legislation creates is an essential tool to help tens of millions of unemployed Americans afford postsecondary credential programs that will help them advance their careers and re-enter the workforce,” said Gabe Horwitz, Senior Vice President, Economic Program, Third Way.

 "Bold action is required to help newly unemployed Americans find their footing and begin preparing for life after the pandemic,” Klobuchar said. “This new legislation will help Americans gain skills that will be in demand for years to come and position them to rapidly reenter the workforce with increased earning potential as soon as businesses begin hiring again.”

 “Our economy was changing rapidly before this nasty virus and the current economic crisis is going to speed things up,” Sasse said. “We have to make sure that Americans have the skills we need to compete. Workers who are using this bumpy time to update their skills and retrain for new jobs are going to be a big part of that comeback, and we ought to reward them for their perseverance and grit. We’re going to come out of this stronger.”

 “As we continue dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, we must come together to develop and implement innovative strategies to get people back to work,” Booker said. “This bipartisan bill will enable laid-off workers to access rigorous, evidence-based training programs, helping ease the barriers to re-entering the workforce. In doing so, we can train and build a workforce that is stronger and more dynamic than ever before.” 

 “The COVID-19 epidemic has significantly altered our economy, and we should take smart, impactful steps to ensure American workers have access to the tools and training they need to succeed as the recovery process begins,” Scott said. “We know the longer people are unemployed, the harder it is for them to rejoin the workforce. The SKILLS Renewal Act will provide workers with the resources they need to keep their skills sharp while they are out of work, either through distance learning or more traditional methods such as apprenticeships.”





IN WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:


 UN agencies join forces to protect forcibly displaced during pandemic.
To strengthen and advance public health services for millions of forcibly displaced people globally, two United Nations signed an agreement on Thursday to better protect some 70 million from COVID-19.

UN launches new initiative to fight COVID-19 misinformation through ‘digital first responders’

Nature ‘strongest ally’ to building sustainable planet.
Nature is humankind’s ‘strongest ally’ to help build a sustainable planet, according to a Malaysian biodiversity expert, whose organization is supported by the UN Development Programme, (UNDP).

Only Venezuelans can resolve Venezuela’s deepening crisis, DiCarlo tells Security Council.
Negotiations remain the only way to overcome the ongoing political deadlock in Venezuela, especially given the potentially far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday.

Tedros hails WHO ‘landmark resolution’ to accelerate COVID-19 response
With  “unprecedented solidarity”, the World Health Assembly adopted a “landmark resolution” on Tuesday, which sets out a “clear roadmap” of the actions needed to sustain and accelerate the COVID-19 response at both national and international levels, the UN health agency chief told a press briefing on Wednesday, the day after the meeting concluded. 

Human development backslides, education at global levels ‘not seen since the 1980s’
School closures, to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, have left some 60 per cent of the world’s children without an education, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in its new report, launched on Wednesday.

Stand in solidarity to preserve Africa’s hard-won progress, urges UN chief.
The coronavirus pandemic threatens the hard-earned gains Africans have made throughout the continent, the UN chief said on Wednesday, urging the world to stand in solidarity with the people, “now, and for recovering better”.



COMMENTARY:

IT TOOK TRUMP TO REOPEN CHURCHES BY PRESIDENTIAL ORDER..
OUR GOVERNOR GAVE NO REMARKS ON THE ORDER. (page 7)

Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, May 16, 2020

THE MESSAGE TO INSLEE, STOP TREATING WASHINGTONIANS AS CHILDREN!


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FRONT PAGE COMMENTARY, BY Peter Ripley---

 Many people in Washington, are fed up with Daddy Worbucks Jay Inlee, and the following letter from state Braun reflects Washington attitude against Governor Inslee's edicts, on social distancing and his stay at home rules.

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  Sen. John Braun: An Open Letter to Governor Inslee
A commentary posted on the Washington State News wire post on May 11th 2020

 Dear Governor,

 Trust Washingtonians. Please.

 Washingtonians are a generous, compassionate, well-intentioned people who care about the safety and well-being of those around them.

 They have earned the right to be trusted to act in a way that is in the best interest of their families, neighbors, communities, and state. They care deeply about protecting the safety of themselves and those they love. They’ve never needed the government to tell them how to do so.

 Businesses, particularly local small businesses, rely on word of mouth and reputation. It is in their own interest to ensure that customers and employees feel safe as possible. That’s just what businesses do, and anyone who’s ever run a business knows this.

 While I have no doubt your intentions are in the right place, a system of government that dictates to 7.6 million Washingtonians what to do and how to do it – every waking moment of the day – will never work. What’s desperately needed is a government that informs people what the objective is and gives people discretion and room to navigate to accomplish that aim.

 Tell Washingtonians the objective: control and limit the spread of COVID-19, so as to protect the lives of your fellow citizens. Continue to arm and inform them of best practices, such as wearing a mask, so as to protect others if you’re an asymptomatic carrier; engaging in social distancing, self-quarantining if you’re feeling ill, and utilizing good hygiene.

 Do that, Governor, and then trust Washingtonians. Gone will be the illusory and emotionally cruel distinction between “essential” and “non-essential” businesses and workers. People will make their own choices about what is appropriate for them and their families. Some will choose to stay at home, rarely venturing out. Others will get back to doing what they love and serving those around them in a manner that protects their community. And our economy can begin to recover.

 Not so long ago you told the Legislature how you “really believe in the state of Washington.” If you meant those words, then believe in our state now. Washingtonians will rise to the challenge.

 While I would love to end my plea there, and that was my original intent, you said something during your May 8 press conference that is unbecoming of your office. It merits a response.

 You characterized Republicans’ approach to this virus as “abject surrender.” Shame on you, Governor. We all want what is best for the citizens of this state. We are all operating in completely uncharted waters here. The fact that we legitimately have different perspectives on how to achieve that aim doesn’t make one “good” and the other “evil”.

 Let me be clear: there is no Republican or Democrat plan to solve this virus. Science dictates how this virus gets solved, and every bit of science out there right now tells us it’s done in one of three ways: (1) individual immunity, when a person catches COVID19 and recovers; (2) community immunity, commonly known as “herd” immunity; or (3) vaccine immunity, when either a vaccine or treatment methods are developed that no longer makes this virus fatal.

 That’s it. Those are the options. While we wait and work for any or all combinations of those options to become a reality, we of course continue to believe people should wear masks in public as a way to protect others, practice social distancing and avoid large congregate gatherings.

 But we also believe the following:

 Higher priority should be placed on those at highest risk, meaning elderly, fragile individuals in long-term care settings. Government’s response to-date has been nothing short of tragic – a fact hidden until recently because the state is failing to report certain data.

 Issuing 22-point requirements on what a car-wash business must follow in order to be allowed to operate, including “Requirement #4: Arrange furniture in a manner that promotes social distancing” is beyond the pale and symptomatic of a government-knows-best mentality that is wholly detached from reality and historically replete with error.

 Most importantly, we believe individual Washingtonians are the ones best
equipped to make decisions about their health, their communities, their
businesses, and those around them. Our job as their elected leaders is to support them in doing that.

 Nothing but harm is caused by hyperbole and aspersions. We are all in this together, and we must be able to engage in an honest and forthright dialogue with each other. Let this crisis bring out the best in us, not the worst.

 In conclusion, I ask you to permit Washingtonians the opportunity to be rational decision makers. They won’t disappoint you, Governor. They will rise to the challenge and help ensure this virus does not get the better of us as a state.

 The people of Washington have been trusting you. It’s time for you to trust them.
Sincerely,
John Braun



Senator Murray Introduces New Legislation to Help Renters During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Press release issued 5/ 13/ 20

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), announced new legislation to assist renters during the on-going COVID-19 crisis. The bill, the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020, would establish a program to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families and individuals pay their rent and remain housed during and after the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA, 10th) and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA, 43rd) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives, and provisions from the bill are included in House Democrats’ recently released coronavirus aid package, the HEROES Act.

 “Families in Washington state and across the country are struggling to keep a roof over their heads during this pandemic, and as Congress begins negotiating the next round of federal relief funding, I’m going to keep fighting to make sure it includes vital rental assistance to help protect public health and keep our families and communities safe and healthy,” Senator Murray said.

 Specifically, the bill would authorize $100 billion for an Emergency Rental Assistance program to help families and individuals pay their rent and utility bills and remain housed during and after the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, the program would provide funds to communities, states, and tribes through an existing federal temporary rental assistance program to facilitate the rapid distribution of funds through an already-available administrative and reporting system.

 Stabilizing renters and the rental market through this crisis will help the economy recover from the economic aftershocks of the current emergency, and Senator Murray has consistently fought to secure vital housing assistance for Washington state families during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, And Economic Security (CARES) Act, Senator Murray successfully fought to include $7 billion in total assistance for affordable housing and homelessness assistance programs, including more than $50 million for Washington state through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and $6.25 million for Washington state Tenant-Based Rental Assistance. This past March, Senator Murray also pushed Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson to provide Public Housing Authorities with the resources and information that they need to safely and effectively do their jobs during this pandemic. 


WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:

 From the UN News Center.

 UN leads call to protect most vulnerable from mental health crisis during and after COVID-19.
Decades of neglect and underinvestment in addressing people’s mental health needs have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN said on Thursday, in a call for ambitious commitments from countries in the way they treat psychological illness, amid a potential global spike in suicides and drug abuse.

Coronavirus ‘grim reality’: World economy to shrink by 3.2 per cent, new UN report projects.
Against the backdrop of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the world economy in 2020 is projected to shrink by 3.2 per cent, racking up some $8.5 trillion in overall losses – wiping out nearly four years of output gains, according to a mid-year economic analysis by the United Nations.

Take ‘all appropriate public health measures’ to protect detainees from coronavirus, UN urges.
UN agency chiefs on Wednesday highlighted the heightened vulnerability to COVID-19 of detainees, and others in confinement, urging Governments to take “all appropriate public health measures” to keep them safe from the deadly disease. 

South Sudan: Coronavirus cases confirmed inside UN civilian protection site.
The South Sudanese Government has confirmed that two cases of COVID-19 have been identified inside a Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in the capital, Juba, although the world’s youngest nation has been relatively unscathed by the pandemic, with 74 cases recorded so far.

 COVID-19 could help turn the tide on ocean health in Asia-Pacific.
The COVID-19 pandemic could help turn the tide on the well-being of oceans in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a UN report published on Wednesday.

Hong Kong urged to drop prosecutions of leading activists, not to silence peaceful protest.
Independent UN human rights experts urged Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday to immediately drop the criminal prosecution of 15 pro-democracy activists who participated in peaceful protests across the Special Administrative Region of China last year.

COVID-19 pandemic ‘quickly becoming a child rights crisis': Daily death rate could spike by 6,000 for under-fives





COMMENTARY

Will Inslee kick the can down the road again to fully reopen the State? ( page 7)
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