Category U. S. DC Uni-party

Aug 7 2022

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) does NOT justify (at all!) their vaccination against SARS-CoV-2


Geert Vanden Bossche, DVM, PhD General Manager at Voice for Science and Solidarity | The biggest challenge in vaccinology: Countering immune evasion originally published on TS News on Aug. 5, 2022

MIS-C is a disease that may occur in school-age children two to six weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2 (SC-2) virus. MIS-C is a post-infectious inflammatory condition which typically occurs after asymptomatic/mild SC-2 infection. Some children may need hospitalization because of inflammatory reactions in different organs. While the syndrome can be serious, the absolute risk for MIS-C is very low (about 6.5 per 100 000 person-years) and known to be increased in boys aged 5-11 years with foreign-born parents, asthma, obesity, and life-limiting condition (https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-7762%2822%2900137-5). 
MIS-C mostly resolves within a few days after timely and adequate (immunosuppressive) treatment. As the pandemic evolves and more infectious Omicron (sub)variants are now dominating the scene, MIS-C is occurring less frequently and with diminished severity of disease (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2792718). This evolution cannot be entirely explained by C-19 vaccination of young children as vaccine coverage rates in this age group are still very low (15% and 3% as recently reported in studies from Israel and the US, respectively; https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2792718; https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciac471/6605071).
It is therefore tempting to speculate that enhanced viral infectiousness and transmission significantly contribute to dampening the incidence rate and severity of MIS-C in young children. This suspicion is supported by a previous study in which the authors speculated that some of the risk factors they identified for MIS-C could be associated with enhanced disease transmission (e.g., in children with foreign-born parents or explaining the shift in age from 12-15 years down to 5-11 years amongst children with MIS-C throughout the pandemic (https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-7762%2822%2900137-5). 

To better understand the origin of the disease, and why children in particular are susceptible to contracting MIS-C, it is important to understand how the child’s innate immune system is educated and trained to combat infections with glycosylated viruses causing acute self-limiting viral infection (ASLVI; e.g., SC-2) or acute self-limiting viral disease (ASLVD).

The child’s innate immune system first learns to discern relevant pathogen-derived molecular patterns and discriminate them from self-derived motifs. Once the child’s natural killer (NK) cells have been  ‘educated[1]’ (pre-primed) to adequately sense and distinguish pathogen-derived self-mimicking peptides (PSMPs) from  self-derived self-mimicking peptides, presentation thereof in high density patterns may trigger epigenetic changes that imprint these NK cells with memory (so-called ‘training’ of NK cells). 

In young children who have cleared their maternal antibodies (around the age of 6 months), abundantly produced innate (sometimes called ‘natural’) antibodies (Abs) play a critical role in initiating active use of their own immune system. In these children, innate Abs are tasked with recognizing and binding free-circulating self-derived glycan motifs (e.g., decorating foreign-derived  [including pathogen-derived] or self-derived proteins) to potentiate[2] the presentation of repetitive patterns of foreign- or self-derived self-mimicking peptides on the surface of autologous somatic cells or antigen (Ag-)presenting cells (APCs). Glycosylation of self-proteins is an important mechanism for inducing T cell-mediated peripheral tolerance[3] and, not surprisingly, mimicked by several pathogens (e.g., glycosylated viruses) as a strategy to subvert the host immune system. As they decorate themselves with self-mimicking patterns of self-glycans, glycosylated viruses (e.g., corona virus [CoV], influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], measles, mumps, rubella, varicella virus,…) can be recognized and captured by innate Abs and thereby contribute to educating the child’s innate immune effector cells (i.e., NK cells).

As the child grows up, the functional capacity of their innate Abs gradually declines so that their immune system can progressively replace the ‘self’-sensing innate Ab capacity by a pool of pre-primed NK cells that can recognize pathogen-derived self-mimicking (i.e., ‘altered self’) motifs on virus-infected or otherwise pathologically altered host cells such as to kill those cells.
For as long as a child possesses an abundant functional capacity of innate Abs, glycosylated pathogens and self-ligands will be complexed by innate Abs to educate NK cells on how to distinguish ‘self’ from ‘non-self’.  This is how the innate immune system of the young child is thought to ‘adapt’ to the early-life extra-maternal environment where it must learn to rapidly sense peptide motifs that differ from self-peptides. This would enable NK cells to target and kill autologous host cells that are decorated with such ‘altered self’ peptides (e.g., infected, or otherwise pathologically altered host cells). 

Once NK cells are educated, the NK cell training process dictates their functional re-programming (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01869/full). Training is thought to result from epigenetic alterations that are triggered by changes in the SC-2 infectious landscape and generate ‘adaptive’ or ‘memory-like’ NK cells. Adequate training of its first line of immune defense enables the child to mount protective natural immunity against SC-2 (and other glycosylated viruses/ pathogenic agents sharing the same PSMPs[4]) upon future exposure. This can already explain why prophylactic childhood vaccinations using live attenuated virus are very efficient at inducing natural immunity against measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and generating herd immunity−it’s only when they become infected with an antigenically ‘shifted’ (i.e., very different) variant that individuals who acquired natural immunity can still contract disease due to ADEI.  

However, depending on viral infectious pressure, it is perfectly possible, even for a young and healthy child, to become susceptible to productive infection upon exposure to glycosylated, ASLVI-enabling viruses that do not normally cause symptomatic infection in young children.

When young and healthy children become infected during an outbreak of a virus with a relatively low reproduction number (R0; e.g., infection with common cold coronavirus [CoV] or seasonal Flu; R0 < 2.5), they almost always develop asymptomatic or very mild infection. However, dominant circulation of more infectious CoV or Influenza virus variants can occasionally provoke cases of severe disease in children. It is reasonable to postulate that enhanced viral infectiousness raises the chance for a person to become re-infected shortly after a previous course of asymptomatic infection. This will increase the likelihood that immature, short-lived Ag-specific Abs[5] of relatively low affinity, which typically develop after asymptomatic/ mild infection, will still be present when that person becomes re-exposed to the virus. Because of their Ag-specificity, these Abs may outcompete the child’s innate polyspecific IgM Abs, which have an even lower affinity for the protein Ag that is responsible for initiation of infection (i.e., spike [S] protein in the case of CoV). Depending on their titer, these non-neutralizing, Ag-specific Abs can therefore prevent or at least diminish binding of innate Abs to the virus. Although these short-lived Abs cannot neutralize the virus, they can bind to it and enhance its infectiousness.

This is particularly problematic in young children as insufficient training of their NK cells prevents effective immune targeting of SC-2-infected cells expressing virus-derived self-mimicking peptides on their surface. NK cells that are largely ‘pathogen-inexperienced’ together with enhanced SC-2 infectiousness would entail enhanced susceptibility of young children to SC-2 infection (i.e., so called ‘Ab-dependent enhancement of viral infectiousness’; ADEI). Hence,  re-infection shortly after previous asymptomatic exposure will likely allow the virus to break through the cell-based innate immune system of young children and could potentially cause (severe) disease (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33391280/).
However, as these post-infectious Abs wane rapidly (they are no longer detectable at about 8 weeks), only a limited number of children will become re-exposed to the circulating virus shortly after their previous productive exposure. This already explains why most cases of MIS-C occur between 2 and 6 weeks (on average 4 weeks) after the previous asymptomatic/ mild infection, presumably depending on the titer of the infection-enhancing Abs at the timepoint of re-exposure. It is therefore not surprising to also observe high variability in the severity of MIS-C disease. 

More infectious SC-2 variants may enable stronger stimulation of NK cells and thereby readily prime NK cell effector responses in young children; alternatively, more infectious SC-2 variants could increase the likelihood for viral re-exposure to occur in the presence of a relatively higher titer of infection-enhancing anti-S Abs. Both phenomena are likely to reduce the risk of MIS-C in young children. 

After many years of NK cell vaccine research (which I was unable to publish for intellectual property  reasons), I determined that the recruitment on MHC class I molecules of PSMPs into ‘non-self’ high-density arrays (situated outside of the MHC class I peptide-binding groove!) is what allows for activation and epigenetic imprinting (i.e., training) of cytotoxic NK cells that are capable of killing host cells that present such PSMPs on their surface (for example as a result of viral infection).
I postulate that strong stimulation by enhanced viral infectiousness could even obviate the need for cumulative triggering of NK cells (so-called ‘training’) in order for NK effector cells to become imprinted with memory. NK cells that have acquired a memory-like phenotype could readily eliminate host cells that are infected with relevant glycosylated pathogens. Enhanced viral infectiousness in the young child could allow productive SC-2 infection even in the presence of innate Abs and thereby enable ‘power training’ of pre-primed NK cells. Even though symptoms could still be mild, productive infection would have the capacity to substitute a single ‘power training’ event for regular, incremental training of functional NK cell responsiveness to pathogen-derived ligands. 
As full-fledged NK cell ‘priming’ towards PSMPs would therefore improve with enhanced viral infectiousness, C-19 unvaccinated children (and even some adolescents) who recently contracted mild disease would be equipped with innate immune memory while no longer developing infection-enhancing anti-S Abs (as shown in fig. 1). Alternatively, enhanced viral infectiousness leads to higher viral infection rates and thereby shortens the average time window for a person to become re-exposed after a previous asymptomatic SC-2 infection. A shortened window for re-exposure makes it more likely that the latter occurs in the presence of a relatively high titer of infection-enhancing Abs. It is not unreasonable to assume that the mechanism of naturally induced infection-enhancing Abs is similar to the one previous described for vaccine-induced anti-S Abs−a high enough concentration of these Abs would allow a subset of these Abs to bind to SC-2 virions tethered to dendritic cells and thereby exert a disease-mitigating effect (https://www.voiceforscienceandsolidarity.org/scientific-blog/predictions-gvb-on-evolution-c-19-pandemic + fig. 2).  

Based on the rationale explained above, one could easily understand how the prolonged C-19 pandemic and the enhanced frequency of repetitive waves of more infectious variants (e.g., Omicron) is likely to have a ‘power training’ effect on relevant NK cells of young C-19 unvaccinated children developing mild primary infection (i.e., overlapping with abundant functional capacity of innate Abs) or to provide a strong disease-mitigating adaptive immune response in those who recently contracted asymptomatic SC-2 infection. The latter would be protected from severe and even moderate disease by virtue of infection-enhancing Abs and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, respectively (as illustrated in fig. 2). A further increase in viral infectiousness would not make young, previously asymptomatically infected children more susceptible to disease but rather increase their likelihood to develop productive SC-2 infection and generate effector memory NK cells or further expand those (as shown by the arrows in green in fig. 1).
With this understanding, it is not surprising that the advent of Omicron (sub)variants has led to a rapidly regressing incidence rate and severity of MIS-C (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2792718).

How does mass vaccination affect the child’s susceptibility to SC-2 infection?

As the mass vaccination program during this pandemic has led to the dominant circulation of more infectious SC-2 variants, it is not surprising to find that a few, young (C-19 unvaccinated) children contracted MIS-C and even needed hospitalization—this was an extremely rare event at the beginning of the pandemic. However, the mass vaccination program has provided immune escape variants characterized by a higher level of intrinsic viral infectiousness (e.g., of the delta variant) with a competitive advantage. The ensuing higher infection rate in the population (and in households!) therefore came with an additional likelihood for young children to become re-infected shortly after their previous asymptomatic infection. As previously described, the incidence rate of MIS-C is now waning as a result of enhanced innate immune training and mitigation of (severe) disease by more and more infectious SC-2 variants that have now become dominant. 

Vaccinating children against SC-2 is a colossal scientific blunder with potentially disastrous health consequences 

Parents should be adequately briefed about early signs and symptoms of MIS-C (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/misc-and-covid19-rare-inflammatory-syndrome-in-kids-and-teens) as the prognosis is very favorable upon timely and adequate treatment. However, the consequences of vaccinating young children with these replication-incompetent C-19 vaccines will be an unforgivable sin that will only lead to hospitalization and mortality rates that dwarf those highest observed for MIS-C (https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/intra-pandemic-vaccination-of-toddlers-with-non-replicating-antibody-based-vaccines-targeted-at-aslvi1-or-aslvd2-enabling-glycosylated-viruses-pr-66e8b959; https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/epidemiologic-ramifications-and-global-health-consequences-of-the-c-19-mass-vaccination-experiment-a212bb47).

Notwithstanding the fact that these vaccines may–FOR NOW (!)–still protect against (severe) disease from SC-2 as well as from other ASLVI- or ASLVD-enabling glycosylated pathogens (https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/vaccination-of-vulnerable-groups-against-monkeypox-virus-mpv-in-a-highly-c-19-vaccinated-population-will-drive-adaptive-evolution-of-mpv-and-ignite-2db3eac6), enhanced adsorption or internalization of more infectious Omicron (sub) variants (e.g., BA.4, BA.5 and BA.2.12.1) onto or into tissue-resident dendritic cells dampens presentation of other, pathogen-derived antigens by these professional APCs while exhausting CD8+ T cells (as illustrated in fig. 2). This is highly likely to diminish the child’s immune defense against a multitude of microbial glycosylated pathogens and prevent peripheral tolerance, thereby putting them at higher risk  of contracting immunopathologies (https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/epidemiologic-ramifications-and-global-health-consequences-of-the-c-19-mass-vaccination-experiment-a212bb47).

More importantly, the currently circulating Omicron (sub)variants are already endowed with higher intrinsic virulence that–for now–is still kept in check by the virulence-inhibiting activity of infection-enhancing anti-S Abs (as reviewed in: https://www.voiceforscienceandsolidarity.org/scientific-blog/predictions-gvb-on-evolution-c-19-pandemic). We have already witnessed how more infectious variants developed resistance to potentially infection-neutralizing Abs induced by C-19 vaccines and there is little doubt that more virulent SC-2 lineages will manage a similar ‘trick’ to develop resistance to potentially virulence-‘neutralizing’ Abs (especially since repeated exposure to more infectious circulating Omicron (sub)variants will recall these vaccinal S-specific Abs and thereby ensure sustained immune pressure). When this happens, vaccinated infants and toddlers will be left with an adaptive immune system that does no longer protect them from severe C-19 disease and with NK cells that have not been trained due to prolonged suspension of their education (https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/intra-pandemic-vaccination-of-toddlers-with-non-replicating-antibody-based-vaccines-targeted-at-aslvi1-or-aslvd2-enabling-glycosylated-viruses-pr-66e8b959). Prolonged sidelining of the child’s innate Abs is thought to hamper the functional capability of cytotoxic NK effector cells to sense and target virus-derived, molecular self-mimicking peptides that are expressed on virus-infected host cells. As already reported, lack of innate immune education could dramatically impede the child’s capacity to generate natural immunity to SC-2 in particular as well as other ASLVI- or ASLVD-enabling glycosylated viruses in general (https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/epidemiologic-ramifications-and-global-health-consequences-of-the-c-19-mass-vaccination-experiment-a212bb47).

On the other hand, diminished complexation of foreign glycosylated ligands by innate Abs could render NK cells that lack self-MHC-I inhibitory receptors hyporesponsive to stimulatory receptor activation as a result of their chronic low-level stimulation by self-derived peptides. Because of the resulting diminished threshold of NK cell activation in the periphery, young C-19 vaccinated children would be prone to developing immunopathologies.
However, in the likely event that resistance to potentially virulence-‘neutralizing’ Abs develops, it can be expected that−given the high SC-2 infection rate− C-19 vaccinated infants and toddlers will primarily succumb to Ab-dependent enhancement of severe C-19 disease rather than to severe disease from any other circulating ASLVI or ASLVD or from immunopathology.   

Conclusion

Increased SARS-CoV-2 exposure results from dominant expansion of more infectious SC-2 variants, a phenomenon undeniably caused by the C-19 mass vaccination program. As suggested by the results from earlier studies, increased exposure to SC-2 together with a number of predisposing factors renders very few young children susceptible to developing MIS-C following a recent asymptomatic infection (https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-7762%2822%2900137-5).
There is no doubt that vaccinating children against SC-2 is a colossal blunder and merely places the child at high risk of severe health damage. MIS-C has not only a low incidence (which is further declining) but can also be successfully treated using conventional drug therapy. This contrasts with the protective effect of C-19 vaccination against MIS-C, which is temporary and leaves the young child at high risk of contracting Ab-dependent enhancement of severe disease upon future exposure to new SC-2 variants (which will dominantly emerge as a result of the current population-level immune pressure on viral virulence).
It is critical to understand that the high viral infection rate in highly C-19 vaccinated populations due to mass vaccination, rather than a lack of C-19 vaccination, is responsible for this phenomenon. There is therefore no single scientific rationale for vaccinating children against SC-2−exactly the contrary is true: C-19 vaccination of young children is highly likely to not only provoke a soaring incidence of severe disease and mortality due to immunopathology and other microbial diseases but ultimately also due to SC-2. 
Public health authorities are creating the illusion for parents that C-19 vaccines will protect their children, instead of educating them how to recognize early signs and symptoms of MIS-C in order to seek highly effective treatment for their child in due time. In addition, they seem to ignore that preserving natural immunity in young children is critical as it is the key pillar of herd immunity to ASLVIs, including SC-2.

Figures

Fig. 1: Upon exposure to more infectious SC-2 variants, young children may develop MIS-C as a result of re-exposure shortly after previous asymptomatic infection. However, as their infectiousness increases, new SC-2 variants may break through the child’s innate Ab-mediated protection and thereby cause mild infection that imprints its NK cells with memory and therefore dramatically boosts the child’s first line of immune defense. Alternatively, more infectious variants enable re-exposure in the presence of higher titers of short-lived infection-enhancing anti-S Abs. In the latter case, young children are protected from severe disease presumably because a subset of anti-S Abs can bind to SC-2 virions tethered to dendritic cells (see fig. 2), thereby inhibiting severe/systemic disease whereas sustained activation of CTLs (as a result of the infection-enhancing capacity of these Abs upon their binding to free virions) further mitigates C-19 disease. Both scenarios may be responsible for the observed reduction in the incidence rate and severity of MIS-C as the pandemic continues to evolve (indicated by “–“ and arrows in blue). Since the pandemic has now evolved highly infectious SC-2 variants (i.e., the new Omicron [sub]variants), viral exposure of young children is more and more likely to readily cause mild infection resulting in NK cell ‘power training’ and further expansion of effector memory NK cells upon a further increase in viral infection rates (indicated by “+” and arrows in green). This may ultimately prevent young children from developing MIS-C all together.  

Fig. 2 (from https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/epidemiologic-ramifications-and-global-health-consequences-of-the-c-19-mass-vaccination-experiment-a212bb47):
Acute, self-limiting viral infections that don’t lead to systemic/severe disease (and possibly death) are terminated by M(ajor) H(istocompatibility) C(omplex)-unrestricted, cytotoxic CD8+ T cells that have no memory and the activation of which is triggered by a universal, pathogen-nonspecific Tc epitope comprised within the spike (S) protein. Unless an infected person progresses to developing severe disease, this is what allows a fairly rapid recovery from disease after primary productive infection (and certainly before fully functional virus-neutralizing Abs peak) [according to 2a-2b-2c-2d pathway]. However, rather than stimulating de novo generation of new neutralizing Abs towards variants that escaped the neutralizing activity of vaccine-induced Abs, exposure of vaccinees to these immune escape variants will rapidly boost their declining titers of non-neutralizing, infection-enhancing Abs (those are directed against an antigenic site that is conserved within the N-STD of all SC-2 variants and has therefore a license to commit ‘antigenic sin’ once it has primed the host’s immune system).

In vaccinees with poor experience in fighting productive infection (and hence, poor training of their innate immune defense according to pathway 1a-1b-1c) prior to C-19 vaccination, infection-enhancing Abs[6] that are responsible for preventing severe disease by binding to DC-tethered virus (according to 3a-3b-3c-3d pathway) can synergize with strongly activated cytotoxic CD8+ Tc-mediated killing (3c’) to even prevent C-19 disease all together and hence, render vaccinees asymptomatic despite their high susceptibility to re-infection (B + C ?  D). As prevention of disease is not due to prevention of productive infection but to accelerated abrogation of infection, these vaccinees will continue to shed and transmit SC-2 upon re-infection.  Whereas innate immune effector cells are MHC-unrestricted and polyspecific (i.e., NK cells) and, therefore, don’t drive immune escape, the infection-enhancing-Abs are Ag-specific (i.e., S-specific) and – if produced at high enough titers and with high enough affinity by a large part of the population – will promote natural selection of immune escape variants that can resist  the virulence-inhibiting capacity of these Abs. This is because vaccinees cannot prevent productive viral infection; consequently, the immune pressure they exert on viral virulence is suboptimal in that it cannot prevent the expansion in prevalence of immune escape SC-2 variants that have the capacity to overcome this immune pressure. Resistance of viral variants to the virulence-inhibiting activity of infection-enhancing Abs will inevitably cause Ab-dependent enhancement of severe disease (ADESD).  




1.  Education of NK cells that lack self-MHC-I inhibitory receptors but are endowed with germline-encoded NK cell activation receptors dictates their functional capability to recognize self- or pathogen-derived self-mimicking ligands and mediate innate effector functions; https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01869/full

2.  Besides their neutralizing activity, natural/innate Abs can, indeed, serve as immune potentiators (‘natural
adjuvants’) to upregulate the presentation of antigens on cell surface-expressed MHC class I molecules
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14502281/)

3.  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/icb.2008.48;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966069/

4.  Enveloped glycosylated viruses are critical to educate the child’s innate immune system in ways that allow
recognition and elimination of somatic cells expressing PSMPs (as a result of viral infection or other pathologic
alteration) which may otherwise induce tolerance (e.g., cancer cells) or provoke autoreactive or immune
inflammatory responses (i.e., causing autoimmune or hyperinflammatory disease, respectively).

5.  i.e., ‘spike protein-specific’ in case of SC-2

6.  As previously explained, the non-neutralizing, infection-enhancing Abs are currently hampering trans infection at the level of distant organs such as the lower respiratory tract; this is what’s currently exerting population-level immune pressure on viral virulence: https://www.voiceforscienceandsolidarity.org/scientific-blog/predictions-gvb-on-evolution-c-19-pandemic).

Aug 7 2022

Why Do You Trust Us? – News Update!


Awaken With JP originally Published on Rumble on July 23, 2022

This week’s news includes everything from Biden shaking hands with the air again, Pelosi’s insider trading, and how they are trying to turn the US into a third world country! Here’s Lies You Can Trust…

Aug 7 2022

Report, Joe Biden Likely to Extend National COVID Emergency Declaration – To Facilitate Mail-in Ballots and Harvesting?


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 6, 2022 | sundance

Politico is reporting on the likelihood that Joe Biden is preparing to extend the national COVID-19 state of emergency through the 2022 midterm elections.

The debate, as outlined in just about every media narrative surrounding renewals of a national COVID emergency, is obtusely presented as if the primary political concern is public health.

Again, everyone must pretend not to know the true motive of the “emergency” is extending unilateral executive power and all of the control mechanisms therein. One mechanism would include the use of ‘Mail-in election ballots‘, which has absolutely nothing to do with public health.

The article appears to be somewhat testing the proverbial public winds.

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration is expected to extend the Covid-19 public health emergency once again, ensuring that federal measures expanding access to health coverage, vaccines and treatments remain in place beyond the midterm elections, three people with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO.

The planned renewal follows extensive deliberations among Biden officials over the future of the emergency declaration, including some who questioned whether it was time to let the designation lapse.

Under the proposed extension, the Department of Health and Human Services would continue the declaration beyond the November elections and potentially into early 2023 — pushing the U.S. into its fourth calendar year under a Covid public health emergency.

[…] Some health officials also feared that formally ending the public health emergency would dampen any remaining sense of urgency in Congress to allocate additional money toward the Covid response. The administration’s request for billions more dollars to bolster its stockpiles of vaccines, tests and treatments has stalled for months in the Senate, even as officials warn the funding shortage risks hampering their ability to continue the pandemic fight. (read more)

Aug 6 2022

A Cycle Has Changed Inside Russia


Armstrong Economics Blog/Opinion Re-Posted Aug 6, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

To my total shock, I know a family that fled Poland to flee from Russia and went to Canada. They then fled Canada because of all the insanity of Trudeau and refused to return. Since their visa for America is expiring, they said to me that they may now go to Russia. I was completely stunned. They said Western culture is pushing them to return from pronouns to canceling anyone who has ever said anything, even 25 years ago, and the total craziness in politics. What they once fled from is still far better than what is taking place here.

Every person I know here in America who fled from Russia when the USSR collapsed says the same thing. What they fled from is now here. Putin has come out and warned that wokeness is what destroyed Russia. His popularity in Russia is double that of Biden because he has turned Russia back to traditional values. Using the wrong pronoun is now offensive. I remember going to the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and seeing Don Rickels live in the ’70s. There was not a single race or ethnic group he did not make a joke about. There was a time when we once could laugh at ourselves. Those days are gone.

There is a cycle to everything. The culture shift in Russia is actually hopeful that we too will shed these restrictions of wokeness, and I will not be offended if you say, “Hey, you!” Civilization is when everyone comes together for mutual benefit. Wokeness is all about division. When you ask an American what are you, they will typically respond half-German and half-Irish or whatever their mix. That illustrates that America was the melting pot where everyone merged into one, whereas you do not see that in Europe except on rare occasions. This is what is being torn apart by wokeness, and we will see oppression and civil unrest that could lead even to civil war because of it.

When I was growing up there was just straight, gay, and bi-sexual. Today, I am told there are 70 distinctions. I have absolutely no idea anymore but it no longer makes one look upon everyone as equal. You suddenly have to stay to yourself and be afraid to address someone for being accused of racism or sexism or whatever new term they manufacture. We once were all Americans. I hired Robert Howe who was probably the first black analyst because he was qualified. Today, you get inquires from the state demanding to know how many minorities and women you have on your staff. We have every race and gender on our staff, as well as religion. Perhaps I am old fashion, but I never hire people because of quotas.

It’s not a question of patriotism, and it is not wrong for that family to suddenly say they are moving back to Russia all because of the political propaganda. The traditional values that once kept American culture as the beacon of light in a dark world have been overthrown. The public forum, where the people once discussed differences and enacted their laws as well as elected their representatives, has been enclosed by fences at times to protect it from the people, and the chamber that shined for the world as an example of freedom has been reduced to one of hatred and has been exploited by foreign agendas seeing a Great Reset. The public and private institutions that were founded for eternity lie naked and broken by partisan politics indistinguishable from the ruins of ancient Greece. Those stupendous relics of the past are all that has survived the injuries of time and the folly of men.

Today is a sad statement of our times. Our leaders not only preach war, but they also seek to divide our nation by turning brother against brother until our civilization exists no more. The Democrats have exploited every distinction to separate and divide us while seeking 5 years imprisonment for those who only entered the capitol and took a selfie all to paint their opposition with hatred.

The possession of wealth today only stimulates the hatred of others and any traditional rigid virtue of centuries now offends and warrants censure. The irregularities of voting are swept aside and those who seek to investigate are targeted as conspiracy theorists. Anyone who objects is always insured the aversion of those in power who search for any excuse to imprison them until death for their part.

Suspicion has merely become the equivalent of proof and any trial is mere pretense to condemnation. They seek the execution of Donald Trump and paint 50% of the people are worthless scum unworthy of a seat in their hallow hall of dictatorial wokeness power. Once they have tasted supreme power, they have become incapable of pity or remorse no less respect for human rights of liberty, and justice for all. Those words have become just propaganda as their meaning has crumbled to dust on the foundation that was once the bedrock of the American dream. Our highest standard of living has been pushed aside as racist or some other terminology crafted with an endless redefinition of the English language.

As I have been stating at conferences, Schwab will fail in his quest to seize control of the world with his unoriginal theories. The very cornerstone of civilization of bringing people together because it is mutually beneficial to all has been broken. The temple of freedom and dignity has fallen. These power-hungry people are separating and dividing us as they turn even families against one another. They vary from the above but can see no differently than Karl Marx who thought he could redesign society. The rise and fall of political states, Schwab believes, can be prevented if the people surrender everything that makes life worthwhile. Schwab and his co-conspiractor at the World Economic Forum seek to turn our corporations into fascist limbs of the state all preaching Schwab’s stakeholder economics and suppressing human rights for at the heart of all of this, there is no divine right because there is nothing divine about them. The future is only theirs to shape – no one else’s.

The world so many rebuilt post-WWII is collapsing — deliberately. It must always appear darkest before a storm and the new light of day that will arrive. We cannot save the institutions of today. We must plan for what comes after this house-cleaning we must go through. Academics such as Klaus Schwab have always presented the greatest threat to societies. Just as Putin said Lenin was just a Bolshevik and not a statesman, someone in the future will remember Klaus Schwab with the same dismissive comments. Posterity will remember his name as it remembers Marx, Hitler, and Stalin. Napoleon sought to conquer Europe, but he had no designs to change human nature.

Aug 6 2022

Candidate Joe Kent Pulls to Within 257 Votes in Washington State, With 30,000 Ballots Remaining to Be Counted


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 5, 2022 | Sundance

As each batch of ballots is counted in Washington State’s 3rd congressional district, MAGA candidate Joe Kent has gained significant ground.

Republican Joe Kent is now within striking distance of primarying Jaime Herrera Beutler, with approximately 30,000 ballots remaining to be counted.

[New York Times Link]

Jamie Herrera Beutler, who voted to impeach President Trump and is one of the MAGA targets for 2022, now has 41,603 votes.  Trump-endorsed Joe Kent has moved from a several thousand vote deficit, into the latest result of 41,346 votes.  The difference is now down to 257 votes.

Washington State has that jungle primary voting system where the top two candidate’s face-off in the general election. According to Kent on Twitter, there are 30,000 ballots left to be counted.  Prayers up!!  Joe Kent might just pull off this victory.

If the next batch of 30,000 ballots, carries the same ratio as today’s batch of 22,000 ballots, Joe Kent will take the lead.

Aug 6 2022

President Trump MAGA Rally, Waukesha, Wisconsin, 8pm ET Livestream


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 5, 2022 | Sundance

President Trump travels to Waukesha, Wisconsin tonight for a MAGA rally to support Tim Michels for Governor and all of the down ballot republican candidates.  With the overwhelming MAGA victories in Michigan, Arizona and Missouri this week, there is a lot for President Trump to celebrate.

The scheduled start time is 7:00pm CT / 8:00pm ET.  Rumble Livestream Links Below:

RSBN Rumble Livestream – Trump Campaign Rumble Livestream – Alternate Rumble Livestream

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Aug 6 2022

McDonalds Dumps Trial of Plant Meat Because Customers Would Not Purchase – Next up, Bug Meat


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 5, 2022 | Sundance

McDonalds has announced they are dropping their program testing plant-based meats because people didn’t like it.

As noted by the Washington Times, “other trials at Panda Express and Yum! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut) have also ended without a subsequent product launch. Beyond Meat products at Dunkin’, Hardee’s, and A&W have been discontinued after launching.”

Apparently, American consumers do not want to eat fake meat; at least not fake meat made from plants.

Next up….  Bug meat.

…”The menus will feature items such as cricket tacos or a Thai larb salad and recipes that use an innovative cricket meat-alternative which packs about 30 per cent protein – and requires around 1800x less Greenhouse gas to produce than beef.”  (LINK)

Aug 5 2022

COVID Vaccine Lawsuits Begin


Armstrong Economics Blog/Disease Re-Posted Aug 5, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

NorthShore University HealthSystem in Chicago was sued by a nonprofit religious organization called Liberty Counsel. The group claims that NorthShore violated workers’ religious autonomy by dismissing religious exemptions and forcing all workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. NorthShore was in the wrong and decided to settle for $10,337,500.

Over 500 current and past employees will receive a payout, and the group will notify others of the lawsuits and give them the option to submit a claim. “NorthShore will also change its unlawful ‘no religious accommodations’ policy to make it consistent with the law, and to provide religious accommodations in every position across its numerous facilities,” Liberty Counsel stated.

Other groups will follow suit. They may have granted the pharmaceutical companies immunity, but there was a grey area for employers. Countless people lost their jobs due to the vaccine mandate, which likely was a violation of the Constitution.

Lawsuits may begin with large corporations, but if the Republicans regain control, health agencies and government officials may be investigated as well. This lawsuit is a major win for medical autonomy as companies will be less likely to comply with government mandates as they now know they could risk legal retaliation.

Aug 5 2022

Tucker Carlson Interviews Ron DeSantis After the Florida Governor Suspends Activist Prosecutor


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 4, 2022 | Sundance

August 4, 2022 | Sundance | 112 Comments

Tucker Carlson used his opening monologue tonight to discuss George Soros and the efforts of the Soros foundation to fund activist state prosecutors who will not enforce laws. The Soros agenda is an end-run around the U.S. constitution that empowers We The People to enact laws and rules of society through legislative representation.

By selecting prosecutors who will not enforce laws against criminal behavior, the Soros initiative subverts the voice of the people.  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is the first governor to use his state constitutional authority to remove an activist prosecutor.  Tucker Carlson interviewed him immediately after the monologue. {Direct Rumble Link} WATCH:

The monologue that preceded the interview is below.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3wg7CYDPKbo%3Ffeature%3Doembed

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Aug 5 2022

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Suspends Activist Tampa Area State Prosecutor Who Refused to Enforce State Laws


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on August 4, 2022 | Sundance 

Under the Florida constitution the Governor has the authority to suspend state officials for reasons of misfeasance, malfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony. The Governor has further authority to fill that office by appointing a replacement for the duration of the suspension.  Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Hillsborough County state prosecutor Andrew Warren for failing to enforce the laws of Florida.

Specifically, Andrew Warren had announced he would not enforce laws created by the Florida legislature that were as against his personal political outlooks. Warren publicly stated he would not enforce laws restricting abortion, anti-riot laws, and any law that sought to protect children from adult predators.  “We don’t elect people in one part of the state to have veto power over what the entire state decides on these important issues,” Governor DeSantis said.

Governor Ron DeSantis made the announcement of the suspension and replacement in Tampa, with a group of law enforcement and sheriffs from across the state. WATCH:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=1GLncwDF8Gg%3Ffeature%3Doembed

This was/is a bold move and Ron DeSantis is well supported in Florida for doing it.

TAMPA, Fla.— Today, Governor Ron DeSantis suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren of the 13th Judicial Circuit due to neglect of duty. The Governor has the authority to suspend a state officer under Article IV, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Florida.

The Governor has appointed Susan Lopez to serve as State Attorney for the period of suspension. She has most recently been serving as a Judge on the Hillsborough County Court. To view the order suspending Andrew Warren and appointing Susan Lopez, click here.

“State Attorneys have a duty to prosecute crimes as defined in Florida law, not to pick and choose which laws to enforce based on his personal agenda,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “It is my duty to hold Florida’s elected officials to the highest standards for the people of Florida. I have the utmost trust that Judge Susan Lopez will lead the office through this transition and faithfully uphold the rule of law.”

“I have the utmost respect for our state laws and I understand the important role that the State Attorney plays in ensuring the safety of our community and the enforcement of our laws,” said Susan Lopez, State Attorney of the 13th Judicial Circuit. “I want to thank the Governor for placing his trust in me, and I promise that I will faithfully execute the duties of this office.”

The Governor has the authority under the Florida Constitution to suspend state officials for reasons of misfeasance, malfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony. The Governor has further authority to fill that office by appointment for the duration of the suspension.

Susan Lopez was appointed by Governor DeSantis to serve as a judge on the Hillsborough County Court in 2021. She previously served as Assistant State Attorney of the 13th Judicial Circuit for more than 15 years and as Staff Attorney of the Second District Court of Appeal. She received her bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and her law degree from Suffolk University. She is a long-time resident of Tampa and has been involved in the Hillsborough community through a variety of organizations for many years. (read more)