| What we can learn from the Amish about coronavirus Posted: 12 Nov 2020 10:00 AM PST  The outbreak is indicative of what happens when people gather in small social situations — something millions of lockdown-weary Americans are eager to do, regardless of whether they are Amish or not.
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| Mother of college student who died following pancake eating competition drops lawsuit Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:49 AM PST  Caitlin Nelson's family blamed Sacred Heart university for allowing 2017 event
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| Michigan police officer on leave, probe launched after violent arrest Posted: 11 Nov 2020 08:21 PM PST  Video shows several police officers appearing to strike the 25-year-old during a combative arrest.
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| Beijing furious over Pompeo's Taiwan comments, warns of action Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:29 AM PST  China will strike back against any moves that undermine its core interests, its foreign ministry said on Friday, after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Taiwan "has not been a part of China."
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| Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who could become Biden's attorney general, said breaking up Google should be 'on the table' Posted: 13 Nov 2020 03:57 AM PST  "In a serious monopolization action like this one, it's important that a breakup remedy be on the table," Sen. Amy Klobuchar said.
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| AOC’s Twitter explodes after posting single photo in response to Senator’s rejection of ‘crazy socialist agenda’ Posted: 12 Nov 2020 03:15 PM PST  'Defund the police? Defund, my butt,' Joe Manchin tweeted
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| It just got harder for immigrants: the U.S. naturalization test is about to change Posted: 13 Nov 2020 12:59 PM PST  U.S. legal permanent residents who apply for citizenship through naturalization on or after Dec. 1, 2020, will face a more challenging test — in which immigrants must prove they can read, write and speak basic English, and have essential knowledge of U.S. history and government.
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| Trump trade adviser says White House is 'moving forward under the assumption there will be a 2nd Trump term' Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:36 AM PST  White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro sees no reality in the very real election of President-elect Joe Biden.In a Friday interview with Fox Business, Navarro once again relayed President Trump and his supporters' refusal to accept the results of last week's election. "We're moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term," Navarro said. He then outlined how the Trump campaign and the White House "seek verifiable ballots" and "an investigation into what are growing numbers of allegations of fraud" in the election, and declared anyone who believes Biden won to be operating under "an immaculate deception."> White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro: "We're moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term ... We have, what appears in some sense to be, an immaculate deception." > > (FWIW, there will not be a second Trump term.) pic.twitter.com/qiVfAyZ5G9> > — The Recount (@therecount) November 13, 2020Biden has secured the electoral votes — and then some — he needed to win the 2020 election. His win margin in critical swing states Trump hopes to overturn is far wider than recounts have overturned in the past, and not a single election official across the U.S. found evidence of widespread voter fraud the Trump campaign is alleging.More stories from theweek.com 7 scathingly funny cartoons about Trump's refusal to concede Trump is reportedly 'very aware' he lost the election but is putting up a fight as 'theater' Texas senator suggests it's too soon to declare Biden the winner because Puerto Rico is still counting votes
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| China says removal of Hong Kong lawmakers was 'right medicine' Posted: 12 Nov 2020 08:02 PM PST  The ousting of four pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong's legislature was "the right medicine" for the city, China said, telling foreign governments the issue was none of their business.
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| Rand Paul says coronavirus survivors should ‘throw away their masks’ while falsely claiming they’re immune Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:01 AM PST  There is no evidence to indicate coronavirus survivors are immune to the disease caused by the novel virus
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| Bond denied for father, son charged in Ahmaud Arbery slaying Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:21 AM PST  A Georgia judge denied bond Friday for the father and son charged with murder in the slaying of Ahmaud Arbery, saying he's concerned the white men took the law into their own hands and endangered neighbors when they pursued and shot the Black man on a residential street. Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory McMichael, have been jailed since their arrests in May, more than two months after Arbery was slain. The McMichaels armed themselves and chased 25-year-old Arbery in a truck after they spotted him running in their neighborhood.
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| Sweden has admitted its coronavirus immunity predictions were wrong as cases soar across the country Posted: 13 Nov 2020 06:00 AM PST  Sweden's chief epidemiologist has admitted that the country is experiencing a second wave of coronavirus as cases and deaths from the disease surge.
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| Three MSNBC contributors leaving network to join Biden administration Posted: 11 Nov 2020 06:35 PM PST  Jon Meacham, one of the contributors failed to mention that he was already working with Biden. Biden was able to snag four MSNBC contributors. On Wednesday, the network confirmed to The Hill that health expert Ezekiel Emanuel, legal analyst Barbara McQuade, political analyst Richard Stengel and historian Jon Meacham will no longer be paid by the network.
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| Iron Dome batteries activated to fill cruise missile defense gap Posted: 13 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST  The units that will operate the Army's interim cruise missile defense capability — Israel's Iron Dome system — are activated.
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| Disgruntled Mississippi lawmaker wants his state to secede. Fine with me. Bye! | Opinion Posted: 13 Nov 2020 01:40 PM PST  Dear Price Wallace:
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| Donald Trump suggests for first time he might have lost election, saying 'who knows which administration it will be' in 2021 Posted: 13 Nov 2020 11:20 AM PST  Donald Trump yesterday publicly acknowledged for the first time since the presidential election was called for his rival Joe Biden that he may not form the next US administration. In telling comments in the White House's Rose Garden, the US president let slip his uncertainty about remaining as president while discussing policy to tackle Covid-19. Since Mr Biden was declared the election winner on Saturday Mr Trump has refused to concede, insisting he was the real victor and launching legal challenges to fight his case. However on Friday afternoon in a press address on the pandemic that avoided discussion of the election Mr Trump nonetheless let his doubt show. "Ideally we won't go to a lockdown. I will not go, this administration will not be going to a lockdown," Mr Trump said. "Hopefully the, the, er, whatever happens in the future, who knows which administration it will be. I guess time will tell. But I can tell you this administration will not go to a lockdown." The "who knows" comment about the election winner was markedly less tub-thumping than the president's tone on his Twitter feed, where he has claimed without evidence that the election was "stolen" from him.
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| Map: State-by-state breakdown of coronavirus travel restrictions Posted: 13 Nov 2020 01:37 PM PST  U.S. states and territories are making new rules for travelers. Find which ones across the United States have implemented travel restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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| Police, county attorney's office hide 738,000 records in Kentucky sex abuse case Posted: 12 Nov 2020 09:24 AM PST  Louisville police and the county attorney's office claimed sexual abuse records were turned over to the FBI. But an email indicates that's not true.
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| The Wolverine Watchmen plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer also included a plan to burn down the state Capitol building, officials say Posted: 13 Nov 2020 09:22 AM PST  According to the Michigan Attorney General's Office, the group had also considered storming the Capitol to "take hostages" and "execute tyrants."
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| Republican Martha McSally finally concedes Arizona Senate race a week after election Posted: 13 Nov 2020 03:13 PM PST  Mark Kelly had already claimed victory and travelled to Washington DC
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| Airbus hopes its $6.5 billion German Eurofighter sale will shine for Switzerland, Finland Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:48 AM PST  The European defense giant inked a deal with the German Air Force this week after the country's parliament, the Bundestag, approved the budget earlier this month.
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| Letters to the Editor: Joe Biden should read the L.A. Times before appointing Eric Garcetti to his Cabinet Posted: 13 Nov 2020 03:00 AM PST  Eric Garcetti has been an ineffectual mayor of Los Angeles, readers say, making him a poor pick for Joe Biden's Cabinet.
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| Passengers on First Cruise to Return to Caribbean Want Out After 7 People Get COVID Posted: 12 Nov 2020 03:01 PM PST  At least seven passengers aboard the first cruise ship to set sail in the Caribbean since the coronavirus pandemic began have tested positive, according to two passengers on the ship.Ben and David Hewitt-McDonald, who operate a YouTube channel and cruise blog about their sea travels, confirmed to The Daily Beast on Thursday that a ship-wide announcement went out saying five members of a family from the U.S. had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after being tested twice. A few hours later, they said a sixth person had tested positive and at least one person was taken to the hospital.On Friday morning, the ship's captain told passengers that the wife of a person who tested positive the night before had also been tested positive."The original passenger who tested positive had another two tests along with all family members," the British couple said. "We are anxious to get off to be honest, we would like to be somewhere with more fresh air and space, to stop any spread of the virus."The SeaDream Yacht Club's cruise ship received their first positive test result on Wednesday, prompting the captain to make an announcement for all guests to return to their rooms to quarantine. The vessel immediately headed back to Barbados from the Grenadines.> We've just received an announcement from the Captain that one person is feeling unwell and has tested positive for COVID. We have been asked to stay in our cabins and we are returning to Barbados. Hopefully it's a false positive but we are impressed with SeaDreams swift actions.. pic.twitter.com/wbOUlKsMsY> > — Cruise with Ben & David (@CruiseWithBD) November 11, 2020The news came just four days into the ship's seven-day trip. It departed from Barbados on Saturday before making several stops—including Saint Vincent, Canouan Island, Tobago Cays, and Union Island—before it was set to end on Saturday.Instead, all passengers are now stuck in their rooms as the crew and local authorities in Barbados figure out the best strategy to contain the virus."We are really upset because we really felt like the passengers, crew, and cruise line took COVID very seriously yet it still managed to get on board. SeaDream requires double the amount of the tests as the CDC will require going forward," said the couple, who have been aboard the ship for almost three weeks. "So we ask ourselves is testing the way forward if it can still get onboard such a small ship?"The trip was the first time SeaDream had resumed its West Indies route since the start of the pandemic, which has killed almost 240,000 Americans. It came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new cruise ship guidance to help an industry paralyzed by the pandemic to resume operations in a phased approach.In March, cruise ships were banned from sailing in U.S. waters after the CDC issued a no-sail order due to several outbreaks, including on the Diamond Princess and the Grand Princess, where 10 people died and more than 800 tested positive.The SeaDream had relaunched with extensive testing requirements. Every passenger had to test negative before boarding the ship—and again after boarding. The goal, SeaDream stated in September when announcing their upcoming 22 roundtrip sails from Barbados, was "to create a COVID-19 negative bubble, where guests can relax and enjoy the safety of the ship."But, in a Thursday statement issued when the first passenger tested positive, SeaDream Yacht Club stated the ship had paused its voyage "after a guests' tests for Covid-19 returned assumptive positive results.""The ship's medical staff has tested all crew members and all tests have come back negative. SeaDream is currently retesting all guests," the statement said.> Just as we posted the captain has updated us. We are still waiting for test results from Barbadian authorities, all remaining passengers will be tested at some point - when and how is not known yet, the company is actively working with the local authorities. Cruise Covid pic.twitter.com/KXF8hLT2iD> > — Cruise with Ben & David (@CruiseWithBD) November 12, 2020It's not the first time the SeaDream, which was one of the first cruise liners to resume service in Europe, has had a COVID-positive passenger. In August, the company said an asymptomatic passenger tested positive after disembarking from SeaDream I in Denmark.Despite the latest drama, three passengers who spoke to The Daily Beast on Thursday said the quarantine process had been surprisingly rigorous. Gene Sloan, a cruise writer for The Points Guy, stressed that the ship's crew had kept passengers informed of developments and had an "extensive" virus plan before the quarantine began.> Good morning from the port of @Barbados, where we have been docked since late yesterday evening. I am, unfortunately, on the side of the ship facing away from the dock, so I don't have a view of what's going on pierside. We have been told ... pic.twitter.com/6qrivrsVty> > — Gene Sloan (@CruiseLog) November 12, 2020"The first few days of the trip were pretty normal," Sloan said. "There were changes on the ship, like social distancing and discouraging passengers from mixing with one another, but overall everything was always sanitized and people were taking it seriously. The passengers on board were really excited to be back cruising."He said that everyone was tested multiple times during the trip, and the Hewitt-McDonalds said that there were three PCR rapid testing machines on board that could test nine people per hour. At each location stop, Sloan said passengers were instructed not to interact with locals and were shuttled to empty beaches and resorts.The Hewitt-McDonalds, who boarded the ship in Portsmouth and have been traveling with the ship on its various voyages, said that 40 new passengers, mostly from the U.S. and Canada, boarded on Saturday."We were very shocked with a positive test, after the rigorous pre-cruise actions we had to take we would have thought it almost impossible for COVID to get on the ship," the couple said."Before boarding, we were required to take a full COVID antigen test no longer than 72 hours before boarding. On boarding day in Portsmouth, U.K., the ship's doctor gave us another rapid PCR test. We also had our oxygen levels and temperature taken. There is hourly cleaning of the ship as well as daily temperature checks."Sloan did admit, however, that there was a controversy at the start of the voyage because the ship didn't require passengers to wear face masks on board. By Monday, after complaints from worried passengers, the policy was changed to include a mask-mandate."The ship assumed they could block COVID-19 at the door, you could say," Sloan added. "But people wanted to be extra careful."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Law firm Porter Wright withdraws from Trump campaign lawsuit in Pennsylvania Posted: 13 Nov 2020 07:09 AM PST  Democrat Joe Biden captured the presidency on Saturday, thanks in part to a win in Pennsylvania. Trump has refused to concede and has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that there was widespread voter fraud. In a court filing on Thursday, lawyers at Porter Wright Morris & Arthur said it had agreed that its clients - the campaign and two registered voters - "will be best served if Porter Wright withdraws."
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| Korean girl group's panda stunt prompts anger in China Posted: 13 Nov 2020 01:29 AM PST  A publicity stunt involving South Korean girl group Blackpink and a cuddly baby panda has prompted outraged comments and calls for an apology from some in China. The endangered animals are native only to China, which claims ownership over all pandas loaned to foreign zoos, including those born abroad. The outrage over a video of group members cuddling the baby panda in Everland Zoo near Seoul may also reflect a growing awareness of animal welfare, with the China Wildlife Conservation Association among those raising their voices.
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| Tropical Storm Iota forms, continuing record-breaking season. Forecast to become hurricane Posted: 13 Nov 2020 05:09 AM PST  Tropical Storm Iota has formed in the central Caribbean Sea Friday afternoon, marking the 30th named storm in a record-breaking hurricane season. Iota is forecast to turn into a hurricane before approaching Central America next week. Central America is already reeling from Eta hitting Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane last week.
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| Prince Harry is accused of 'trying to steal headlines' after his visit to US troop cemetery Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:00 AM PST  But despite the angry comments, Prince Harry has a deep connection with military forces, including American troops.
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| Pro-Trump senator says Covid survivors should throw away their masks and ‘celebrate’ as he falsely claims they are immune Posted: 12 Nov 2020 09:07 PM PST  US has recorded more than 100,000 Covid-19 cases every day for the last week
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| Another man charged in 'Sweetie Pie's' murder-for-hire case Posted: 12 Nov 2020 07:51 PM PST  James Timothy Norman, who has already been charged, is the uncle of the person killed and both appeared on the show "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's."
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| The odds of a stimulus package before January hit rock bottom with Congress deadlocked on coronavirus relief priorities Posted: 12 Nov 2020 01:22 PM PST  Pelosi and Schumer say the $2.4 trillion stimulus plan is their starting point while McConnell calls for a slimmer $500 billion measure.
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| Melissa McCarthy Apologizes for Backing Anti-Abortion Group in Charity Drive: ‘We Blew It’ Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:41 AM PST  Melissa McCarthy and HBO Max have announced that they're pulling their support for the evangelical nonprofit Exodus Cry as part of their "20 Days of Kindness" fundraising campaign."There's no other way to say it: We blew it," McCarthy said in a video posted to Instagram Thursday night. "We made a mistake and we backed a charity that upon further vetting stands for everything that we do not.""I want to thank everyone on social media who said, 'What are you doing? Are you sure you want to back this?'" McCarthy continued. "Because the answer is, 'No, we do not.'"> View this post on Instagram> > A post shared by Melissa McCarthy (@melissamccarthy)HBO Max launched "20 Days of Kindness" on Tuesday, tying it to World Kindness Day on Friday and the upcoming Thanksgiving release of McCarthy's new movie Superintelligence. But Exodus Cry stuck out from the other charities. The Daily Beast's Tarpley Hitt exclusively reported on Thursday that Exodus Cry frames itself as an anti-sex-trafficking group but in reality works to abolish sex work entirely. Its founder, Benjamin Nolot, has called abortion a "holocaust" and homosexuality "an unspeakable offense to God," Hitt noted. The group has spent years lobbying to criminalize the purchase of sex and recently launched a campaign to shutter Pornhub.Why Are HBO and Melissa McCarthy Raising Money for an Anti-Abortion Group?In its own statement, HBO Max said they'd axed Exodus Cry from the fundraiser's roster: "We were made aware of the issues surrounding Exodus Cry and have removed them from the list of partners associated with the 20 Days of Kindness campaign," a rep for the streamer told Entertainment Tonight. Exodus Cry, meanwhile, now has an extensive "Myths vs. Truths" page on its website. It includes a statement from Nolot, who claims that his outlook on queer people has evolved. "In the past I did not adequately recognize the impact of anti-marriage legislation on sexual minorities and I deeply regret the pain and offense that has caused," he wrote, in part. "I love, respect and advocate for the right of all people to be free from all forms of oppression... I want to make clear that I fully embrace the LGBTQ community as a group that deserves all of the rights that protect their dignity, safety and equality."As she concluded her video, McCarthy said she hopes that "20 Days of Kindness"' previous affiliation with Exodus Cry will not affect the other charities involved in the campaign."We are so incredibly grateful for you ringing the bell and helping us be better," McCarthy said. "We're sorry for our mistake. Oh boy, are we sorry for it—can't believe that we missed it. And that's it... Let the kindness continue, and thank you. Thanks for your help. We really needed it."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| U.S. judge dismisses Trump campaign libel lawsuit against CNN Posted: 12 Nov 2020 12:24 PM PST  A U.S. judge on Thursday dismissed a libel lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump's re-election campaign against CNN over a 2019 opinion piece which it said suggested the campaign would be open to Russian interference, according to a court document. The campaign sued CNN, which is owned by AT&T Inc, in March over the June 13, 2019, piece by Larry Noble, a CNN contributor and former general counsel of the Federal Election Commission. U.S. District Judge Michael Brown said the campaign had failed to prove the piece was maliciously published.
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| Ex-Wells Fargo chief hit with fine for misleading authorities Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:28 AM PST  US regulators on Friday charged former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf with allegedly misleading investors, hitting him with a $2.5 million penalty.
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| Amy Coney Barrett sizes up 30-year-old precedent balancing religious freedom with rule of law Posted: 13 Nov 2020 05:40 AM PST  Justice Amy Coney Barrett's first week as an active Supreme Court justice began on Nov. 2 and almost immediately included a case that could test her credentials as a religious conservative. On the surface, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, which was argued in front of the court on Nov. 4, concerns whether the state can require organizations it partners with to accept same-sex couples as foster parents.But underneath are questions about how Barrett and her fellow justices will deal with a decades-old Supreme Court ruling that could have wider implications for religious liberty cases. Foster careThe case in front of the justices concerns how Philadelphia partners with private organizations – both religious and secular – to find homes for children in foster care. In 2018, Philadelphia learned that two organizations, Catholic Social Services and Bethany Christian Services, had religiously motivated policies against placing children with same-sex couples in violation of Philadelphia's Fair Practices Ordinance.Philadelphia stopped sending foster care placement requests to these organizations as a result, prompting Catholic Social Services to sue.Lawyers for Catholic Social Services argue that Philadelphia's response violates First Amendment protections of religion and speech. Two lower federal courts ruled in Philadelphia's favor. It is now up to the Supreme Court to decide whether the lower courts got it right.Based on the questions asked during oral arguments, Fulton could well be decided on technical grounds over whether Catholic Social Services is a contractor or licensee of Philadelphia. But from my perspective as an attorney and First Amendment scholar, Barrett's questions during oral arguments are of significant interest in considering the future of First Amendment law as it pertains to religious freedom.Specifically, they suggest that Barrett is examining a key piece of First Amendment precedent: Employment Division v. Smith. Neutral and generalIn Employment Division v. Smith, decided in 1990, the Supreme Court held that Oregon was not required to create an exception to its drug laws to permit the use of the hallucinogenic peyote in religious rituals. Central to the case was how to balance religious freedom with the rule of law. In writing the court's opinion in favor of the state, Justice Antonin Scalia recognized that without some kind of limit on the Constitution's religious free exercise clause, laws could become meaningless. He held that the Constitution does not allow religious adherents to violate a "neutral law of general applicability," by which he meant a law that applies to everyone and does not favor or disfavor people based on their religion or lack thereof. Because Oregon's law was neutral and generally applicable, the state's refusal to exempt religious peyote use from its drug laws was deemed constitutional.The Smith ruling has always been controversial, and many conservatives have long wanted the decision overturned.But the Smith ruling has never been simply a left-versus-right issue. After all, its author was conservative stalwart Scalia, whom Barrett worked for as a law clerk. And even before her appointment, the Supreme Court's conservative wing had the numbers to overturn Smith – if they so chose.In addition, now that Smith has been precedent for over 30 years, justices who disagree with its reasoning face the issue of "stare decisis" – the well-established legal principle advocating against overruling past decisions whenever possible.Notably, limitations on stare decisis were a reoccurring topic in Barrett's scholarly writing during her time as a law professor. Replacing Smith?The lawyers for Catholic Social Services have argued that the Smith ruling should be overruled. In Nov. 4's proceedings, Barrett gave substantial attention to this line of argument in her questions.In questioning one of Catholic Social Services' lawyers, Barrett asked, "What would you replace Smith with?" This question might suggest that Barrett views the arguments for overturning Smith as worth taking seriously.Barrett also made the following remarks while questioning Catholic Social Services' lawyer:"You argue in your brief that Smith should be overruled. But you also say that you win even under Smith because this policy is neither generally applicable nor neutral. So, if you're right about that, why should we even entertain the question whether to overrule Smith?"These comments are important. Judges generally prefer to avoid overruling past decisions when a case can be decided for other reasons. Thus, even if Barrett were to think Smith is bad law, she might not advocate overruling it in Fulton if she thinks that Catholic Social Services can win on other grounds.Barrett wasn't alone in picking up on the Smith argument. Justice Stephen Breyer spoke in favor of Smith at the Nov. 4 hearing, saying it was "a solution to a problem that nobody could figure out how to answer." This indicates that Breyer sees Smith as striking the right balance between religious freedom and the rule of law and that he is unlikely to support overruling it. Thinking aheadIt is unlikely that Smith would need to be overruled in order for the court to overturn the lower court decisions and side with Catholic Social Services. Still, some think that Barrett and her conservative colleagues may be willing to overrule Smith at some point.[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]After all, Justice Barrett herself has written that "stare decisis must be flexible in fact, not just in theory."If Smith is someday overruled, it would likely increase the ability of courts to provide religious organizations with exemptions that allow them to discriminate against LGBTQ people. But as I believe oral arguments in the Fulton case suggest, that may be the outcome even with Smith left in place.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Mark Satta, Wayne State University.Read more: * The Supreme Court just expanded the 'ministerial exception' shielding religious employers from anti-bias laws * Religious identity and Supreme Court justices – a brief historyMark Satta does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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| Kentucky couple receives racist letters, bullets in mail months after neighbor allegedly painted swastika on their driveway Posted: 13 Nov 2020 11:34 AM PST  A couple with five children in Louisville has had their property vandalized with racist slurs repeatedly over the past several months.
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| Mike Pence secretly attended his daughter’s wedding two days before election Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:33 PM PST  The vice president and Second Lady Karen Pence were on hand to see youngest child Audrey Pence Tomanelli tie the knot. The bride posted a black and white picture to Instagram of her parents watching her kiss husband Daniel Tomanelli outside the steps of a courthouse. There is no sign of anyone in the wedding pictures wearing a mask but they are all socially distancing.
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| Louisiana doctor arrested for racist attack against Southern University student Posted: 12 Nov 2020 02:06 PM PST |
| How Betsy DeVos ensured that it won't be easy for Biden to change her new Title IX rules Posted: 12 Nov 2020 02:04 AM PST  The Trump administration's Title IX regulations prioritize students accused of sexual misconduct instead of their accusers, victims' advocates say.
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| Moderna coronavirus vaccine trial volunteer shares experience Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:06 AM PST  Moderna COVID-19 vaccine volunteer, Jack Morningstar, shares trial experience, urges others to take on 'Fox & Friends.'
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| The Late Show succinctly captures the GOP's confused messaging on Georgia's special Senate elections Posted: 12 Nov 2020 05:26 AM PST  A major reasons congressional Republicans give for backing President Trump's quixotic legal campaign to reverse the 2020 election is that they need his supporters to turn out for the two special Senate elections on Jan. 5, with control of the Senate at stake. "We need his voters," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). "Right now, he's trying to get through the final stages of his election and determine the outcome there. But when that's all said and done, however it comes out, we want him helping in Georgia." But Trump's rationale for contesting the election is that massive — and, so far, illusory — voter fraud stole the election from him.The two GOP senators hoping for Trump's active support, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, have embraced Trump's evidence-free fraud claims, earning a stern front-page rebuke from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But how do you persuade Trump's base that they need to vote to keep President-elect Joe Biden from enacting his policies, and that Biden only won because the elections are rigged, and that their votes will definitely count this time around? The Late Show wrapped that incoherent argument into a short ad Wednesday.The unspecified "campaign-speak attack message" from Perdue and Loeffler on Georgia's election should be "unacceptable to fair-minded Georgians," the Journal-Constitution said. "Specific, actionable allegations based even somewhat loosely in facts can be assessed and investigated. Which is appropriate. Hyperbole and sly accusations cannot. Reckless barely begins to touch on what Perdue and Loeffler have done. Without presenting reasons, they have assaulted Georgia's election system. That is dangerous behavior in this tense moment, both for this state and for the nation that is watching this risky sideshow." More stories from theweek.com 7 scathingly funny cartoons about Trump's refusal to concede Trump is reportedly 'very aware' he lost the election but is putting up a fight as 'theater' Texas senator suggests it's too soon to declare Biden the winner because Puerto Rico is still counting votes
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| Fellow Governor Blasts Kristi Noem for Letting COVID Run Rampant Posted: 11 Nov 2020 11:09 PM PST  In the wake of a superspreader motorcycle rally and other nearly maskless mass gatherings such as a buffalo roundup, South Dakota has itself become a superspreader.And at a press conference this week, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz held South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem partly responsible for a COVID-19 surge in his state that is now forcing him to impose new restrictions. He pointedly cited this summer's Sturgis motorcycle rally."Absolutely unnecessary," Walz said of the rally.Walz added that the largely maskless 200,000 who attended the rally in August had then spread the virus to Minnesota and across the nation. He observed that Noem continues to dismiss even the idea of a mask mandate. (He imposed one in July.)Walz may not have known about another big South Dakota event. After Sturgis, Noem had proceeded to host the Governor's Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park on Sept. 25. That largely maskless crowd of 20,000—up 1,000 from last year—began lining up hours before the event, standing less than the recommended 6 feet apart. They continued to largely ignore social distancing after they were admitted to a roped-off area. They crowded shoulder to shoulder at the perimeter's edge to watch horseback riders herd 1,450 buffalo into a fenced-in section of Custer State Park. They looked on as the buffalo were examined and vaccinated, since herd immunity does not work even for herds.Noem once again proved to be a model of what not to do as she stepped before the crowd without a mask. She hugged a number of maskless officials before taking to the podium to say a few words.Also maskless, Walter Panzirer of the Helmsley Charitable Trust spoke of the interpretive visitor center his non-profit is building near the buffalo corral. The foundation was founded by Leona Helmsley, the hotelier and felon known as "the Queen of Mean." She was famous for having evicted her son's widow from a family-owned house the day after the funeral. She once remarked to a maid that "taxes are for the little people." The IRS took a different position and she spent 16 months in federal prison.But there is no denying that the foundation bearing her name has done considerable good, especially in outlying areas with inadequate medical care. Panzirer nonetheless should have perceived some irony in what he said to a crowd that was largely ignoring the recommended precautions in a pandemic."We believe in rural health care," he said.The statement became no less jarring as he went on to say that the interpretive center would contribute to public health by encouraging people to get out and enjoy nature. He gestured to the surrounding hills, a vast, deserted expanse that made it only more nonsensically reckless for so many people to gather so close together. He could have made an immediate and cost-free contribution to public health simply by putting on a mask and telling everyone else to do the same while establishing social distancing.Noem could have done so that very day for the whole state, thereby preventing thousands of infections. She instead let the virus spike in South Dakota to where it is becoming a spreader state. She has repeated baseless doubts about the efficacy of masks and continued to demonstrate the destructive power of a bad example.RNC Speaker Kristi Noem Is a Master of COVID DelusionOn Saturday, Noem demonstrated that her nonfeasance in the face of a pandemic was not the result of an inability to take decisive action. She and her family joined the bidding at the buffalo auction that follows the round-up. The Noems are said by a person involved in the auction to have acquired five. One or two were females, a mix that would allow the Noems to start their very own herd.As the virus continued to spike, Noem was perpetually out of state, assisting the Trump campaign in herding his followers. She described her state as an example for the whole nation, even the world, to follow in addressing the pandemic."I appreciate that President Trump gave me the flexibility to do the right thing in our state," she told ABC News. "He let me do my job."She began an online campaign to raise funds to support Trump's effort to contest the election. Never remind that the money went directly into her own election coffers. She no longer immediately said she was not interested when people asked if she is contemplating a presidential run in 2024.The virus spiked ever higher in South Dakota, trading off with North Dakota over which had the nation's highest per capita rate of new cases and deaths. Both states border Minnesota, but Walz placed particular blame on Noem when he announced on Monday that the rising number of new cases in his state was forcing him to impose a variety of new measures, including a reduction in the capacity of restaurants and in size of gatherings of whatever kind, to 50, and then down to 25.He made it known he was offended by the political roadshow Noem undertook while her state's COVID-19 cases spiked."And this one's a little bit personal because the governor of South Dakota has taken to traveling to other states and criticizing others—now at a time when that state's hospital capacity is overwhelmed," Walz said.A Noem spokesman insisted that Walz had it wrong, that South Dakota hospitals are only 66 percent full. The spokesman also offered an interpretation of remarks U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams made on Tuesday while visiting a mass testing site at the National Guard Armory in Pierre, South Dakota."I'd also point you to the surgeon general's comments yesterday that South Dakota shouldn't have a mask mandate," the spokesman said.That is not quite what Adams said. He devoted almost the entirety of his remarks to the necessity of wearing a mask, stating states should do "whatever it takes," noting that studies show mandates work.And here is what Adams did say about South Dakota and masks:"You don't have a mask mandate here. But what I would say to people of South Dakota is you really shouldn't need a mandate to do the right thing for your community, your family, and your friends."He was not saying South Dakota should not have a mask mandate, only that it should not need one. He could not have been clearer when he described the COVID-19 situation in South Dakota without a mandate."Out of control," he said.No wonder Noem did not meet with Adams. Her spokesman said she was busy with the budget. That was in keeping with her unwillingness to sacrifice business for lives. On Wednesday, she continued to make her priorities clear with a tweet in all caps."GREAT NEWS!She then solved the mystery of what it could possibly be in a state reporting 1,202 new COVID-19 cases that day."South Dakota's Sales & Use tax receipts are 8% higher than a year ago."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| An unlikely bond: Miami cop becomes mentor to teen who attacked him during BLM protest Posted: 13 Nov 2020 04:00 AM PST  The moment seemed to capture the super-heated emotions of a summer of national protest: A young Black teenager whacked a Miami police officer over the head with a skateboard during a chaotic demonstration.
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| Officials expect up to 250,000 day-trippers for Saturday's SpaceX launch in Florida Posted: 12 Nov 2020 12:21 PM PST  Thousands of spectators are expected as four astronauts are set for liftoff on Saturday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center.
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| Here's which airlines are blocking middle seats for Thanksgiving travel Posted: 13 Nov 2020 10:16 AM PST  Airlines are slowly starting to ditch blocking the middle seat as new scientific studies show it's not as effective asmasks and air filters on airplanes.
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