Three Things You Need to Know - October 31, 2017

October 31, 2017

WRITER

Company "A" and Company "B"

Who is George Papadopoulos? Not since Carter Page, has such an obscure “foreign policy advisor” for the Trump campaign garnered such hype. The media is in full-on AHA! mode this morning. These are some of the headlines: from the New York Times, “Why George Papadopoulos is More Dangerous Than Paul Manafort.” From the Washington Post, “Russia’s Outreach to George Papadopoulos Went Just How Spies Would Have Done It. I could read them all but this is only a three hour show.

According to court records unsealed yesterday, Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI. The FBI said he quote: "falsely described his interactions with a certain foreign contact who discussed 'dirt' related to emails" concerning Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.”

The interactions with Russians included a woman claiming to be related to Vladimir Putin. Spoiler alert, she wasn’t. All of this, allegedly, was to gain damaging information on Hillary. You know, they actually have a name for that. It’s the term that is sweeping the nation. It’s called “opposition research.” Oh yeah, note to the Trump Campaign: if you want to engage in opposition research, do it like the DNC and Clinton Campaign do. Have your lawyer contract a former British spy. You’ll get an extra layer of deniability that way.

So why is every single media outlet fully on board the Papadopoulos hype train? What could they possibly be doing? Perhaps it’s just irony or maybe it’s fate, but - in addition to Halloween - today is National Magic Day. The mainstream media, in reverence to this most hallowed day, is pulling a little sleight of hand. So, the question is, what’s in the other hand that we’re being distracted from?

If you read the 30 plus page Manafort indictment you might have noticed a reference to “Company A” and “Company B.” Apparently most of the media missed it. NBC News was one of the only sources to take notice. Sources told NBC that “Company A” is the Podesta Group. They were working hand in hand with Manafort lobbying for the Ukrainian Government. Tony Podesta, founder of the Podesta Group and brother to former Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, announced he was resigning from the firm that HE FOUNDED in order to fight the Muller investigation.

Wait, what?! There’s more people involved in the Russia investigation besides Manafort and Papa-what’s his name? And someone with heavy connections to the Clintons? Surely not!

Well, now I’m in trouble. I broke the cardinal rule of magicians on National Magic Day. The mainstream media will NEVER let me in their club now. Oh well. Don’t be fooled by the hand they’re showing you. The truth is there is something else they don’t want you to see.

How Harvey Changed the World

A martyr for social change.

That’s apparently how Harvey Weinstein sees himself.

Not as an alleged rapist and serial molester, but as some sort of warrior for change all of a sudden.

According to a Hollywood Insider, Weinstein is trying to spin his disgrace into a teachable moment.

He’s been allegedly telling people “that he was born to take the fall for his behavior in order to ‘change the world.’

Despite how sociopathic and ridiculous that sounds, Harvey is right. He did change the world.

Every day since his scandals came to light, it seems like another Hollywood figure is outed for their inappropriate behavior.

This week, Kevin Spacey was accused of making sexual advances on a 14-year-old in the 1980’s.

The fall-out from this accusation could destroy Spacey’s career.

Netflix quickly announced that the next season of House of Cards would be its last saying they are “deeply troubled by last night’s news concerning Kevin Spacey.” Although the decision to cancel House of Cards after the sixth season was already made months ago, it didn’t stop Netflix from taking this opportunity to create the image that they made this announcement based on Spacey’s behavior.

Look, no one wants to be associated with someone who sexually assaults another person. Spacey’s behavior is unacceptable. Weinstein’s behavior is REALLY unacceptable. And hopefully Hollywood has learned a hard, painful lesson. But, due process exists for a reason. And on Halloween, I’m afraid if we’re not careful, this might turn into a witch hunt.

Cross-ing Out Memorials

Here we go again. Another cross is under siege for the crime of being visible on land owned and maintained by the state.

This time it is the Peace Cross in Bladensburg, Maryland. Why is this cross in the news? Because the battle over it may end up in the Supreme Court and the decision could affect similar memorials all over America.

Earlier this month, a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled 2-1 that the Peace Cross is unconstitutional. They said it violates the First Amendment by having, “a primary effect of endorsing religion and excessively entangles the government and religion.”

The Peace Cross is a 40-foot-tall World War I memorial that commemorates 49 soldiers killed from Prince George’s County in Maryland. The monument was built in 1925, funded by local families and the American Legion.

For 92 years, this cross has entangled government and religion in ways that have wreaked untold havoc on the minds and hearts of Maryland’s citizens! Whenever someone even looks at it, they feel enslaved by the American theocracy rays shooting out of the cross, zapping their minds, and making them head to the nearest church to worship!

That kind of manipulation must be shut down.

But opponents of the Peace Cross are not actually worried about protecting the First Amendment. This is simply a case of anti-Christian bigotry.

The female manager of a pawn shop near the Peace Cross said, “We heard they may be taking it down, and I disagree with that. It just doesn’t bother anybody around here. I worry nobody is going to remember them [meaning the 49 fallen WWI soldiers]. You can’t remember something you cannot see.”

Which is exactly the outcome opponents of the Peace Cross are hoping for. Forget Christianity—and forget our soldiers in the process.

MORE 3 THINGS

VP debate recap: A Vance victory

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

This might have been the most consequential VP debate in recent memory.

For those of you who missed the debate, it was a decisive victory for J.D. Vance and the Trump-Vance team as a whole. Vance presented a calm, collected, and considerate side of the Republican party that compliments Trump and helps to make their platform more palatable. Meanwhile, Tim Walz had a lackluster, though certainly not catastrophic, night. He had a few embarrassing gaffes and came across as overly nervous, but like Vance, kept it civil.

Both VP candidates entered the stage as relative unknowns to most Americans, and by the end, both men had given an accurate representation of their characters. Here is a brief recap just in case you missed the debate:

J.D. Vance looked great

ANGELA WEISS / Contributor | Getty Images

Vance came out of the gate swinging, with a stellar opening statement that helped set the stage for the rest of the debate. He delivered a concise yet compelling recap of his life, which framed him as everything Walz claims to be: a relatable veteran from humble beginnings who earned his position through hard work and service. He then went on to deliver a clear and palatable defense of Trump's platform and mission while cooly drawing attention to the failures of the Biden-Harris administration.

Overall, J.D. Vance looked incredibly presidential. He presented himself not just as a capable vice president, but as a strong successor to Trump and as a valid replacement if anything should happen to the former president between now and the end of his hypothetical second term. Vance also successfully dispelled the notion that he is "weird" as Walz called him, and if anyone looked strange during the debate, it certainly wasnot Vance.

Tim Walz's gaffes

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

While Tim Walz certainly didn't have an awful night, he did not stack up well against Vance. Walz had a major gaffe around halfway through the debate when asked to explain the change in his position on assault weapon bans. Walz then claimed that he had befriended school shooters during his time in office. While that was clearly not the intention of what he was saying, it was embarrassing nonetheless.

Another weak moment was when the moderators asked Walz to explain a claim he had made regarding being in Hong Kong during the infamous Tiananmen Square protest in 1989, which has since been proven false. Walz gave a long-winded, rambling answer about taking students to visit China and how Trump should have joined in on those trips, before being called out by the moderator for dodging the question.

Vance fact-checked the fact-checkers

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

One of the conditions of the CBS debate was that the moderators would not fact-check the debaters live, but instead rely on after-the-matter fact-checking. But, CBS couldn't keep to its own rules. While Vance was describing the migrant crisis that has swelled during the Biden-Harris administration, one of the CBS moderators, Margaret Brennan, chimed in with a "fact check." She claimed that the Haitian migrants in Ohio have legal status, to which Vance clapped back by calling Brennan out for breaking the rules of the debate, then proceeded to correct her, explaining that they only had legal status due to overreach by the Biden-Harris administration.

Dockworker strike: Everything you need to know

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

At midnight on September 30th, dockworkers across the East Coast went on strike, effectively cutting the country's import and export capabilities in half.

Don't go out and panic buy a pallet of toilet paper and instant ramen just yet. It's going to take some time for the full effects of the strike to be felt and hopefully, the strike will be good and over by then. But there are no guarantees, and this election cycle could get significantly more insane as we draw near to the election. And even if the strike is settled quickly, it shows growing cracks in our infrastructure and industrial capacity that needs to be addressed if America wants to maintain its global dominance.

Here is everything you need to know about the dockworker strike:

What do the dockworkers want?

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

As with most strikes, pay is the driving factor behind this situation the country now finds itself in. The longshoremen want more pay, and with rising inflation who can blame them? After all, working the docks is hard and dangerous business, and fair compensation only seems... fair. But when you compare the wage of a dockworker, which is around $100,000 to $200,00 a year to the average income in America of $56,000, suddenly they seem significantly less sympathetic.

How much money are they asking for? For most Americans, a three percent raise is considered high, but the unions are asking up to 15 percent, depending on location. On top of that, they are asking for a 77 percent raise over the next six years. The West Coast dock workers recently made off with a 36 percent raise and were considered lucky. These increases in costs are just going to be transferred to the end consumer, and we'll likely see a jump in prices if these terms are accepted.

The other major ticket item is protection against automation. Autonomous ports are quickly becoming a reality, with major ports in China that are capable of handling vast amounts of cargo being run by a single office, not an army of dock workers. Naturally, the longshoremen are concerned that their jobs are at risk of being replaced by machines that can work harder, longer, for cheaper, and without risk of injury.

How will it affect Americans?

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

Don't panic yet!

It is going to take some time for consumers to feel the effects of the strike and it is possible that a resolution could happen at any time.

Week one should be pretty much business as usual. It might be a good idea to stock up on fruit and other perishables, but there is no need to go COVID-lockdown-crazy yet.

Week two is when you'll first start feeling the pinch. Fresh fruits and veggies will become scarce, along with other imported goods like shoes, toys, and TVs. Prices will start to creep up as the shelves will start to look a little sparse. The supply of tools, lumber, and other hardware materials will also begin to dry up.

By week three, the cracks in the system will really start to show. Entire industries will begin to slow down, or even stop. Factory workers will get furloughed and sent home without pay. Stores will have to ration items, prices will be sky-high, and online orders will come to a standstill. At this point, the strike will have escalated into a full-blown crisis, and even if it was resolved immediately, it would still take weeks to restore everything to working order.

At the four-week mark, the situation will have developed into a national security crisis, and as Glenn describes, a poly-crisis. Small business will be closing their doors, entire brands will be out of stock, and everything that remains will be so expensive it is unaffordable. By this point, the holiday season will be drawing near and there will be a rush on any sort of gift or decor items left. At this point, irreparable damage to our economy will have occurred and it will be months if not years before it can be mended.

While that sounds bleak, with the election just around the corner, it seems unlikely that the Biden-Harris administration will let it get that bad. That being said, their administration has not been characterized by good decision-making and reasonable policy, so there are no guarantees.

What can be done?

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The big question is "Why hasn't Biden already done something?"

President Biden, who ran on the image of a blue-collar, union-worker, has been uncharacteristically absent from the issue. Despite his earlier involvement in a train strike, Biden has declared that involvement in union fights is not a presidential issue unless it getsreally bad.

So where's the line? At what point will he step in? He has to understand that an economic crisis right before the election will reflect poorly on Kamala.

Join Glenn TONIGHT for BlazeTV's exclusive VP debate coverage!

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Join Glenntonight for Vice Presidential debate coverage you do not want to miss!

Tonight is the first (and only) Vice Presidential debate, and it will be hosted by CBS News. But don't be reliant on CBS News or any other mainstream media channel for their biased coverage. Join the BlazeTV live stream tonight to get the uncensored truth alongside top-quality commentary from Glenn and the rest of the world-class panel.

Glenn is joined by Megyn Kelly, Liz Wheeler, Allie Beth Stuckey, Steve Deace, Jill Savage, Dave Landau, and more to cover the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate. Blaze Media subscribers gain access to live chat with the fantastic panel of hosts! If you subscribe today by visiting BlazeTV.com/debate you will get $40 off of your annual subscription with code DEBATE. This is the largest discount ever offered, so take advantage NOW!

See you TONIGHT at 8 PM ET for an event you do NOT want to miss it!

POLL: Can the VP debate affect the election?

DOMINIC GWINN / Contributor, Dia Dipasupil / Staff | Getty Images

The first (and likely only) Vice President debate will be held on CBS News on Tuesday, October 1st.

The debate takes place at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will be the first time we see J.D. Vance and Tim Walz face off in person. Typically, the VP debate is little more than a formality, and rarely does it affect the election in any significant way. But this is no ordinary election. The stakes are higher than they have been in years, and Trump and Harris are still in a razor-thin race, according to the polls. Both Vance and Walz are relative newcomers to the national stage and still have room to make an impression on the American people, and with the race as tight as it is, that might make all the difference.

So what do you think? Can this VP debate make an impact on the election? Are you going to tune in? And what sort of questions and issues need to be brought up? Let us know in the poll below:

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