In this, our summer of discontent, no one knows what will transpire this Fourth of July. Celebrations may be muted and perhaps ugly incidents will erupt in some cities. The tragedy of our times is that history is being rewritten by those with grievances, the outraged and too often the uninformed.
Many Americans have been intimidated and silenced by the violence, the anarchy, the seemingly total rejection of the values that made this country the envy of the world. No, this is not a nation without current or past blemishes. But name a more perfect country? There is no such place on Earth.
Perhaps, now more than ever, all Americans could use a July 4th history lesson.
The founding fathers faced an enemy, Great Britain, on American soil. They were determined to break free of the English yoke even at the cost of their death. Nevertheless, many colonists branded those courageous men "radicals" for daring to declare their independence from the crown.
In this perilous environment, delegates from the 13 colonies to the first Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Congress had already voted in favor of freedom from English tyranny two days earlier on July 2 as the war with Britain raged nearby.
The document was written chiefly by Thomas Jefferson, who was part of a five-man committee appointed by the Congress. The other committee members included John Adams, Massachusetts; Roger Sherman, Connecticut; Benjamin Franklin; Pennsylvania; and Roger Livingston, New York.
Those history-makers and other notables who defined and defended America today are under attack for their association with past wrongs, adjudicated by today's disgruntled, angry and bitter conspirators.
Insurrectionists are already tearing down statues of ancient figures they consider offensive. Christopher Columbus, who never set foot on U.S. soil, has been a convenient target. But these malcontents also defaced the statue of Andrew Jackson, but were thwarted from ripping it down.
The mob is resolved to remove historical statues, especially those from the Civil War era because of the slavery issue. But dunces in Wisconsin tragically destroyed a statue of Union Colonel Hans Christian Heg, an abolitionist who died trying to end slavery during the Civil War.
Every American has been taught slavery did exist in America. However, it certainly did not originate here, nor did any other country engage in a brutal war that ended the practice. Men such as Colonel Heg saved the nation from being wedded to the idea of slavery.
New estimates from historians have raised the Civil War death toll to 618,222 men, making it by far the bloodiest war in American history. Truth demands we recognize many were fighting to preserve slavery. But they failed because President Lincoln, other leaders and the military prevailed.
Even that war cannot erase 11,000 years of human slavery. Every continent has experienced slavery of human beings. It appears only in this country do extremists believe that acts of vandalism will change the past. History cannot be obliterated by a few desperate, unlawful, despicable acts.
As the philosopher and novelist George Satayana once said, "Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it." By preserving history, its lessons provide direction and vision for a different future. Based on current events, present day protesters have much to learn about history.
That's why it is so grotesque to now hear the cries from anarchists to remove statues of Abraham Lincoln, even though he led the effort to free slaves. These aggrieved nihilists also have vowed to target George Washington,Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin, who were all slave owners.
Measuring historical figures of any era by today's social or ethical standards will render most icons deficient in character or morals. While acknowledging our founders' flaws, there is no denying they are responsible for fashioning a country where individuals are free to lawfully protest.
In fact, these men and their compatriots kindled the protests against British rule. They risked everything, including their wealth, to sculpt a nation that would recognize the dignity of every individual. That principle remains inviolate today, even if it has been overlooked at times in the past.
In the current reigning bedlam, the country needs a Fourth of July outpouring of patriotism now more than ever. It would remind all Americans, including those who find nothing redeemable about the country, that our liberties were gained in the American Revolution and Declaration of Independence.
Americans have the right to criticize their politicians, their nation, their country's values because leaders such as Washington, Jefferson and Franklin had the fortitude to challenge the world's greatest power that had enslaved its colony. Their sacrifices paved the way for freedom from oppression.
Fly your flag this Fourth of July. Wear patriotic garb. Stick an American flag pin in your lapel. Plant a patriotic sign in your yard. Post a patriotic message on social media. Let those who bellyaching about the rot they see in America not dominate the national narrative with their views.
Do not be afraid of offending your neighbor or someone else. Do not be deceived by those who label patriotism as ultra right wing or jingoistic. Do not be cowed into hiding your patriotism because the news media, politicians, activists and race baiters promote American guilt.
Raise your voice against those who are fixated on expunging our history. Silence is compliance with the lawless. In these times, there should be no Silent Majority. The majority needs to be heard so Americans don't regret they remained silent, like many in Germany during Hitler's rise to power.
There is much to celebrate in America. The most obvious aspect is that we are a country that has faced many trials of conflict in our history including wars, economic depressions, racial strife and epic pandemics. Each time America has emerged stronger, better, more united.
As an optimist I find reason to believe the country will once again surmount today's unrest to reclaim its place as the world's symbol of freedom, liberty and unity. I for one will not be hushed as our history is shredded by the few. Stand up for preserving history, both the admirable and the dreadful.
Monday, June 29, 2020
Monday, June 22, 2020
The COVID "Spike" Raises Alarm
A resurgence in the COVID 19 cases in the country has spooked health officials, the stock markets, restarted businesses and hospitals, triggering a knee-jerk reaction to put the struggling economy on a ventilator. However, no one should be unsurprised by the the uptick with the ramp up in testing.
On March 25, the U.S. had conducted a cumulative total of 492,918 tests since the first test on February 28. According to the latest data from The COVID Tracking Project the number of tests have soared to 23,984,592. The average daily tests administered during the period rose 4,889%.
At the current daily run rate of 286,483 the country would test an additional 56.7 million Americans during the remainder of the year, raising the cumulative total to 80.6 million out of a total population of 326.7 million people. No doubt the number of cases will climb right along with the tests.
The same politicians who were braying for more testing surely knew it was inevitable there would be a spike in cases. This is particularly evident because the majority of testing has been done in vulnerable communities, such as prisons, nursing homes and businesses with large workforces.
Of the millions of tests, 9.6% of people are testing positive, which means the vast majority, 90.4%, have negative results. And not all states are created equal when it comes testing results. New York, the epicenter of the pandemic, and Texas represent dramatic extremes.
In New York state, 13% of those tested have positive results. That means 1.9% of the state's population has tested positive. The state's fatality rate, based on the number of reported cases, is 6.4%. A large portion of those deaths were patients in nursing homes and extended care facilities.
By comparison, less than one percent (0.67%) of Texans have tested positive for COVID. Texas' death rate is 2.23% of reported cases. New York, with 10 million fewer residents, has recorded more than 20% of the nation's fatalities, while Texas represents 1.7% of the national death total of 116,140.
Considerations for reopening businesses in the two states are undeniably different based on the data. That is why it is best for the country that each state weigh the risks and set its own guidelines for reviving the economy and allowing people to return to their jobs. There should no single standard.
While acknowledging the surge in testing has spawned a hike in cases, it is illuminating to point out how the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports confirmed cases. There are two methods of testing used. One is what's known as a viral test, which measures for a current COVID infection.
The second method is an antibody test, which evaluates if you have had a previous COVID infection. The CDC scientists admit being flummoxed about what it means for immunity. They don't know if having the antibodies will prevent someone from contracting the disease again.
The issue to consider is that those with previous infections are counted in the confirmed cases total, even though they have no symptoms and are disease free. This inflates the number of cases but obfuscates the actual number of people with current infections who may require hospitalization.
On that point, despite the rise in confirmed cases, the CDC reported on June 16 that the overall visits to hospitals and urgent care facilities have remained stable "a low levels" for eight weeks in a row. The current hospitalization rate is 89.3 patients per 100,000 infected people.
Of course, this is national data and the hospitalization rate varies by state. But the highest rates are for people 65 years and older: 273.8 per 100,000. This means the virus has not changed its profile since the outbreak began, impacting mostly those 65-years and older.
The CDC data exposes another fact about the expanded testing: there has been a jump in the number of healthy 18-49 year olds testing positive. In the earliest stages, this age group accounted for less than 5% of the cases weekly. Now these Americans account for nearly half of all new cases.
Updated figures from the CDC confirm those aged 18-44 now account for 41% of the total confirmed cases. (Editor's Note: Different age brackets are used by the CDC in reporting data. It is confusing, but nonetheless, accounts for this reference {18-44} being different than one cited above {18-49}.)
This represents a dramatic shift. In the earliest stages before widespread testing, most people visiting hospitals and emergency rooms were experiencing symptoms. They were overwhelmingly the elderly, aged 55 and above, many with underlying health issues. It taxed hospital facilities.
Now that has changed. There is no reliable data on how many people tested are asymptomatic, meaning they show no signs of COVID symptoms. If you can believe China's epidemiologists, testing in their country finds 80% of positive cases are asymptomatic.
Assuming those figures are accurate, that would mean of the 2,103,549 confirmed U.S. cases, the overwhelming majority of people, 1,682,839 were tested and found having an infection, despite showing no signs of the influenza like illness.
While no data exists, there is anecdotal evidence this phenomenon may be playing out in the U.S. Recently, 22 young, healthy Clemson (S.C.) football players showed up on campus for the start of workouts. As with all returning athletes, they were tested and found to have COVID.
What we may surmise is that while the number of cases are climbing, the least vulnerable group, younger people, account for the sharpest increase. This does not mean there is no concern because the young can infect those at most risk. But it decreases the likelihood of upward trend in deaths.
Health officials concerned about the surge in COVID cases should be directing their public education at younger people, aged 18-49. Instead one official wrote the "public a large" was "letting their guard down." Most Americans are following the guidelines and deserve applause not a reprimand.
Even as cases grow, the CDC reports seven weeks of a declining percentage of deaths from COVID. On June 15, there were 402 deaths attributed to COVID. That data point may not be cause for celebration, but it is a far cry from he 16,153 fatalities recorded on April 18, the deadliest day.
One fact remains constant as the weekly deaths continue to fall. Those 55 and older make up the majority. On April 18, 93% of those who died were in that age bracket. Months later on June 15, nearly the same number (91%) were counted among the fatalities. The median fatality age is 80.
By comparison, those aged under 45 years make up less than 5% of the country's COVID deaths. A recent study by Stanford medical professor John Ioannidis discovered that for "most" people under the age of 65, the risk of dying from COVID isn't much higher than "driving in a car to work".
To add more perspective, researchers at the think-tank Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity uncovered data that 42% of all COVID deaths in the U.S. have occurred in nursing and residential care facilities. An estimated 2.1 million Americans are housed in these institutions.
Researchers based their finding on data from 39 states. In at least 22 states, more than half the reported COVID fatalities were patients in nursing homes and other long term care facilities. Only recently, the CDC has begun requiring states to report nursing home deaths. Before it was voluntary.
Extrapolating the data to the country, it would mean that of the 116,140 deaths 46,456 were patients who were infected in nursing home and long term care facilities. And many health experts believe those figures are likely understated because of inconsistent state reporting protocols.
In particular, older adults with underlying respiratory and cardiovascular conditions are at the greatest risk. Data from the United Kingdom found 95% of the people who died had at least one underlying condition. Public health officials in Italy reported 96% of deaths involved one chronic condition.
The data is unambiguous. The elderly are the population that needs priority protection. Younger patients, particularly those with no symptoms, will surely not require urgent care or swamp hospitals. The biggest threat is these young people will unwittingly infect the most vulnerable.
Scientists are still at odds over whether we are seeing a "second waves" of COVID cases or whether this is more likely part of the "original or first wave." Influenza pandemics have historically struck in distinctive wave patterns with a second wave coming six months after the infections subside.
However, there are no guarantees this current pandemic virus will behave in the same manner.
That argues for no relaxing of vigilance and safety measures for the general public. At the same time, states and local governments need to continue to allocate more protective equipment to nursing homes and long term care facilities, while frequently testing the workers who serve the patients.
Protecting the elderly will assure America can safely reopen. But young people also need to heed the guidelines. Even as cases rise, America cannot afford to remain in lockdown mode for any longer without harming the lives and livelihoods of millions of its citizens.
On March 25, the U.S. had conducted a cumulative total of 492,918 tests since the first test on February 28. According to the latest data from The COVID Tracking Project the number of tests have soared to 23,984,592. The average daily tests administered during the period rose 4,889%.
At the current daily run rate of 286,483 the country would test an additional 56.7 million Americans during the remainder of the year, raising the cumulative total to 80.6 million out of a total population of 326.7 million people. No doubt the number of cases will climb right along with the tests.
The same politicians who were braying for more testing surely knew it was inevitable there would be a spike in cases. This is particularly evident because the majority of testing has been done in vulnerable communities, such as prisons, nursing homes and businesses with large workforces.
Of the millions of tests, 9.6% of people are testing positive, which means the vast majority, 90.4%, have negative results. And not all states are created equal when it comes testing results. New York, the epicenter of the pandemic, and Texas represent dramatic extremes.
In New York state, 13% of those tested have positive results. That means 1.9% of the state's population has tested positive. The state's fatality rate, based on the number of reported cases, is 6.4%. A large portion of those deaths were patients in nursing homes and extended care facilities.
By comparison, less than one percent (0.67%) of Texans have tested positive for COVID. Texas' death rate is 2.23% of reported cases. New York, with 10 million fewer residents, has recorded more than 20% of the nation's fatalities, while Texas represents 1.7% of the national death total of 116,140.
Considerations for reopening businesses in the two states are undeniably different based on the data. That is why it is best for the country that each state weigh the risks and set its own guidelines for reviving the economy and allowing people to return to their jobs. There should no single standard.
While acknowledging the surge in testing has spawned a hike in cases, it is illuminating to point out how the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports confirmed cases. There are two methods of testing used. One is what's known as a viral test, which measures for a current COVID infection.
The second method is an antibody test, which evaluates if you have had a previous COVID infection. The CDC scientists admit being flummoxed about what it means for immunity. They don't know if having the antibodies will prevent someone from contracting the disease again.
The issue to consider is that those with previous infections are counted in the confirmed cases total, even though they have no symptoms and are disease free. This inflates the number of cases but obfuscates the actual number of people with current infections who may require hospitalization.
On that point, despite the rise in confirmed cases, the CDC reported on June 16 that the overall visits to hospitals and urgent care facilities have remained stable "a low levels" for eight weeks in a row. The current hospitalization rate is 89.3 patients per 100,000 infected people.
Of course, this is national data and the hospitalization rate varies by state. But the highest rates are for people 65 years and older: 273.8 per 100,000. This means the virus has not changed its profile since the outbreak began, impacting mostly those 65-years and older.
The CDC data exposes another fact about the expanded testing: there has been a jump in the number of healthy 18-49 year olds testing positive. In the earliest stages, this age group accounted for less than 5% of the cases weekly. Now these Americans account for nearly half of all new cases.
Updated figures from the CDC confirm those aged 18-44 now account for 41% of the total confirmed cases. (Editor's Note: Different age brackets are used by the CDC in reporting data. It is confusing, but nonetheless, accounts for this reference {18-44} being different than one cited above {18-49}.)
This represents a dramatic shift. In the earliest stages before widespread testing, most people visiting hospitals and emergency rooms were experiencing symptoms. They were overwhelmingly the elderly, aged 55 and above, many with underlying health issues. It taxed hospital facilities.
Now that has changed. There is no reliable data on how many people tested are asymptomatic, meaning they show no signs of COVID symptoms. If you can believe China's epidemiologists, testing in their country finds 80% of positive cases are asymptomatic.
Assuming those figures are accurate, that would mean of the 2,103,549 confirmed U.S. cases, the overwhelming majority of people, 1,682,839 were tested and found having an infection, despite showing no signs of the influenza like illness.
While no data exists, there is anecdotal evidence this phenomenon may be playing out in the U.S. Recently, 22 young, healthy Clemson (S.C.) football players showed up on campus for the start of workouts. As with all returning athletes, they were tested and found to have COVID.
What we may surmise is that while the number of cases are climbing, the least vulnerable group, younger people, account for the sharpest increase. This does not mean there is no concern because the young can infect those at most risk. But it decreases the likelihood of upward trend in deaths.
Health officials concerned about the surge in COVID cases should be directing their public education at younger people, aged 18-49. Instead one official wrote the "public a large" was "letting their guard down." Most Americans are following the guidelines and deserve applause not a reprimand.
Even as cases grow, the CDC reports seven weeks of a declining percentage of deaths from COVID. On June 15, there were 402 deaths attributed to COVID. That data point may not be cause for celebration, but it is a far cry from he 16,153 fatalities recorded on April 18, the deadliest day.
One fact remains constant as the weekly deaths continue to fall. Those 55 and older make up the majority. On April 18, 93% of those who died were in that age bracket. Months later on June 15, nearly the same number (91%) were counted among the fatalities. The median fatality age is 80.
By comparison, those aged under 45 years make up less than 5% of the country's COVID deaths. A recent study by Stanford medical professor John Ioannidis discovered that for "most" people under the age of 65, the risk of dying from COVID isn't much higher than "driving in a car to work".
To add more perspective, researchers at the think-tank Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity uncovered data that 42% of all COVID deaths in the U.S. have occurred in nursing and residential care facilities. An estimated 2.1 million Americans are housed in these institutions.
Researchers based their finding on data from 39 states. In at least 22 states, more than half the reported COVID fatalities were patients in nursing homes and other long term care facilities. Only recently, the CDC has begun requiring states to report nursing home deaths. Before it was voluntary.
Extrapolating the data to the country, it would mean that of the 116,140 deaths 46,456 were patients who were infected in nursing home and long term care facilities. And many health experts believe those figures are likely understated because of inconsistent state reporting protocols.
In particular, older adults with underlying respiratory and cardiovascular conditions are at the greatest risk. Data from the United Kingdom found 95% of the people who died had at least one underlying condition. Public health officials in Italy reported 96% of deaths involved one chronic condition.
The data is unambiguous. The elderly are the population that needs priority protection. Younger patients, particularly those with no symptoms, will surely not require urgent care or swamp hospitals. The biggest threat is these young people will unwittingly infect the most vulnerable.
Scientists are still at odds over whether we are seeing a "second waves" of COVID cases or whether this is more likely part of the "original or first wave." Influenza pandemics have historically struck in distinctive wave patterns with a second wave coming six months after the infections subside.
However, there are no guarantees this current pandemic virus will behave in the same manner.
That argues for no relaxing of vigilance and safety measures for the general public. At the same time, states and local governments need to continue to allocate more protective equipment to nursing homes and long term care facilities, while frequently testing the workers who serve the patients.
Protecting the elderly will assure America can safely reopen. But young people also need to heed the guidelines. Even as cases rise, America cannot afford to remain in lockdown mode for any longer without harming the lives and livelihoods of millions of its citizens.
Monday, June 15, 2020
Education: Key To African-American Success
A tug of war over moral virtue is clouding the national conversation about how to improve the plight of African-Americans in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing and protests. Instead of solutions, corporations, cities, politicians and black organizations are focused on symbolism over substance.
Statues are being hauled down in the name of racial injustice. Cities are renaming streets Black Lives Matter. Reporters at newspapers at walking out over disagreements over free speech about the riots. Police forces across the country have become the targets for vitriolic outrage and calls for defunding.
Not to be out done, Silicon Valley, one of the last bastions of white corporate America, is spending millions of dollars to fund Black Lives Matter and their causes to signal its support for conformity to the narrative of systemic racism. Hollywood's glitterati has pledged to bail out looters and rioters.
This virtue signaling will not solve a single issue facing African Americans. It may salve the egos of those who are staking a claim to the moral high ground, but these are empty gestures. Those who want to do more than charm black activists need to do some research to understand the issues.
What ails the African American community is a cycle of failing inner city schools and high dropout rates, which lead to poverty and an increase in crime. Most large majority black American cities lead the nation in crime, poverty, single-parent households and underperforming schools.
Those facts do not sit well with black activists who are quick to assign blame to systemic racism, a protest sign phrase that most cannot define. Let's concede there are racial hurdles but most are created by the the learning gap between white and black students that no one wants to talk about.
Politicians who want to help lift African Americans out of poverty need to start by reforming inner city schools. Those schools are in cities with mostly African-American mayors, police chiefs and school superintendents. You never hear that fact talked about because it doesn't fit the narrative.
A list of America's most dangerous big cities, those with the highest violent crime rates, include Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington D.C., St. Louis and Los Angeles. Those same cities have some of the highest unemployment and poverty rates.
The poverty rates in the cities range between 18 to 29%. The national average is 12.3%. The unemployment rates (pre-pandemic) averaged 4.4 to 9.3%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. These cities lead the nation in murder, manslaughter, robbery and aggravated assault.
This depressing data is the product of failure factories, an appropriate moniker for many inner city schools. The National Center for Education documented that 79% of African-American students graduate from high school, compared to 89% of white and 92% of Asian students.
But those are national statistics, not those for inner city schools. Take New York City as an example. At 32 city elementary and middle schools, the average English-math proficiency rates on state exams has not exceeded 10 percent of students for four years in a row.
For those who believe money is the problem, consider that Mayor Bill DeBlasio's signature Renewal Program, which pumped $582 million into teacher training and social service, has proven such a failure than four of 17 schools in the experiment were closed by the state Department of Education.
The graduation rate for 2017 in New York City schools was 72%, meaning 28% dropped out or did not graduate. Nothing to brag about but that was actually a two-percentage point improvement over the previous year.
As bad as New York City's performance is, it still is better than Chicago. Only 25% of students in Chicago's lowest-performing elementary schools meet state standards in the most recent survey. Even worse, only five percent of high school students in these schools achieved the state standard.
Thirty-eight percent of students in Chicago's worst schools are considered chronically truant. In other words, they never show up for school. Not surprisingly, students in Chicago's failing schools drop out at nearly 12 times the rate of the average Illinois high school student.
Chicago schools had one of the worst dropout rates in the country: 51%.
In Baltimore, the same trend can be observed. Despite the city spending $1.4 billion annually on education, high school graduates finish their education with a reading proficiency of 11 percent and math proficiency of 12 percent. Baltimore's dropout rate was 24.9% in 2017.
At Frederick Douglas High School, the administration bragged about the 87 percent graduation rate. However, out of a student graduating class of 185, just one student tested in the proficiency range in math. In some inner city schools, no student achieved the state proficiency test.
So where does all that money for education go? In city of fewer than 600,000 residents and declining school enrollment, thousands of individuals in the school system receive salaries in excess of $100,000 per year. Most are not teachers, but consultants, contractors and administrators.
Research has shown a direct connection between level of education and incarceration for criminal activity. According to Bureau of Justice data, 68% of all state prison inmates did not receive a high school diploma or a GED equivalent. Education, crime and poverty are inextricably linked.
Numerous social studies over the years also have uncovered a direct relationship between the number of parents in a household and educational achievement. Census Data shows that 74.3% of white students under age 18 live in a two-parent household. The figure for black children is only 38.7%.
In the period from 1960 to 2016, the number of single parent female black households nearly tripled. The trend, well known and documented in many studies, has escaped any of the blame for what has happened with the education and incarceration of African-Americans.
No one wants to discuss the issue for fear of being labelled a racist. But unless it is confronted, there is little hope for a turnaround in metropolitan cities. Research shows that young people raised in one-parent homes complete fewer years of schooling and are less likely to receive a B.A. college degree.
Research by a Department of Labor Panel Study of Income Dynamics found that the education gap for minors living in two parent households has widened over the last few decades. The study discovered children of single parents receive two-thirds the schooling of those with two parents.
These inconvenient truths are ignored because it shines a light on failures in the black community. Instead of confronting the issues, do-gooders such as NFL players are vowing to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem at pro games this season. And that will help, how?
Seventy percent of NFL players are African-American. They could play an important role in urging cities, states and local politicians to tackle improving inner city schools. Many know first hand the sorry state of education for blacks and are the product of single mothers as head of households.
That is not what black activists want from their African-American icons. Symbolism is easier and attracts media attention. Working in the communities is a long-term solution that requires more than just money. If black lives matter, it is imperative that the real issues receive the priority they deserve.
Statues are being hauled down in the name of racial injustice. Cities are renaming streets Black Lives Matter. Reporters at newspapers at walking out over disagreements over free speech about the riots. Police forces across the country have become the targets for vitriolic outrage and calls for defunding.
Not to be out done, Silicon Valley, one of the last bastions of white corporate America, is spending millions of dollars to fund Black Lives Matter and their causes to signal its support for conformity to the narrative of systemic racism. Hollywood's glitterati has pledged to bail out looters and rioters.
This virtue signaling will not solve a single issue facing African Americans. It may salve the egos of those who are staking a claim to the moral high ground, but these are empty gestures. Those who want to do more than charm black activists need to do some research to understand the issues.
What ails the African American community is a cycle of failing inner city schools and high dropout rates, which lead to poverty and an increase in crime. Most large majority black American cities lead the nation in crime, poverty, single-parent households and underperforming schools.
Those facts do not sit well with black activists who are quick to assign blame to systemic racism, a protest sign phrase that most cannot define. Let's concede there are racial hurdles but most are created by the the learning gap between white and black students that no one wants to talk about.
Politicians who want to help lift African Americans out of poverty need to start by reforming inner city schools. Those schools are in cities with mostly African-American mayors, police chiefs and school superintendents. You never hear that fact talked about because it doesn't fit the narrative.
A list of America's most dangerous big cities, those with the highest violent crime rates, include Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington D.C., St. Louis and Los Angeles. Those same cities have some of the highest unemployment and poverty rates.
The poverty rates in the cities range between 18 to 29%. The national average is 12.3%. The unemployment rates (pre-pandemic) averaged 4.4 to 9.3%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. These cities lead the nation in murder, manslaughter, robbery and aggravated assault.
This depressing data is the product of failure factories, an appropriate moniker for many inner city schools. The National Center for Education documented that 79% of African-American students graduate from high school, compared to 89% of white and 92% of Asian students.
But those are national statistics, not those for inner city schools. Take New York City as an example. At 32 city elementary and middle schools, the average English-math proficiency rates on state exams has not exceeded 10 percent of students for four years in a row.
For those who believe money is the problem, consider that Mayor Bill DeBlasio's signature Renewal Program, which pumped $582 million into teacher training and social service, has proven such a failure than four of 17 schools in the experiment were closed by the state Department of Education.
The graduation rate for 2017 in New York City schools was 72%, meaning 28% dropped out or did not graduate. Nothing to brag about but that was actually a two-percentage point improvement over the previous year.
As bad as New York City's performance is, it still is better than Chicago. Only 25% of students in Chicago's lowest-performing elementary schools meet state standards in the most recent survey. Even worse, only five percent of high school students in these schools achieved the state standard.
Thirty-eight percent of students in Chicago's worst schools are considered chronically truant. In other words, they never show up for school. Not surprisingly, students in Chicago's failing schools drop out at nearly 12 times the rate of the average Illinois high school student.
Chicago schools had one of the worst dropout rates in the country: 51%.
In Baltimore, the same trend can be observed. Despite the city spending $1.4 billion annually on education, high school graduates finish their education with a reading proficiency of 11 percent and math proficiency of 12 percent. Baltimore's dropout rate was 24.9% in 2017.
At Frederick Douglas High School, the administration bragged about the 87 percent graduation rate. However, out of a student graduating class of 185, just one student tested in the proficiency range in math. In some inner city schools, no student achieved the state proficiency test.
So where does all that money for education go? In city of fewer than 600,000 residents and declining school enrollment, thousands of individuals in the school system receive salaries in excess of $100,000 per year. Most are not teachers, but consultants, contractors and administrators.
Research has shown a direct connection between level of education and incarceration for criminal activity. According to Bureau of Justice data, 68% of all state prison inmates did not receive a high school diploma or a GED equivalent. Education, crime and poverty are inextricably linked.
Numerous social studies over the years also have uncovered a direct relationship between the number of parents in a household and educational achievement. Census Data shows that 74.3% of white students under age 18 live in a two-parent household. The figure for black children is only 38.7%.
In the period from 1960 to 2016, the number of single parent female black households nearly tripled. The trend, well known and documented in many studies, has escaped any of the blame for what has happened with the education and incarceration of African-Americans.
No one wants to discuss the issue for fear of being labelled a racist. But unless it is confronted, there is little hope for a turnaround in metropolitan cities. Research shows that young people raised in one-parent homes complete fewer years of schooling and are less likely to receive a B.A. college degree.
Research by a Department of Labor Panel Study of Income Dynamics found that the education gap for minors living in two parent households has widened over the last few decades. The study discovered children of single parents receive two-thirds the schooling of those with two parents.
These inconvenient truths are ignored because it shines a light on failures in the black community. Instead of confronting the issues, do-gooders such as NFL players are vowing to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem at pro games this season. And that will help, how?
Seventy percent of NFL players are African-American. They could play an important role in urging cities, states and local politicians to tackle improving inner city schools. Many know first hand the sorry state of education for blacks and are the product of single mothers as head of households.
That is not what black activists want from their African-American icons. Symbolism is easier and attracts media attention. Working in the communities is a long-term solution that requires more than just money. If black lives matter, it is imperative that the real issues receive the priority they deserve.
Monday, June 8, 2020
ANTIFA: Unmasking The Anarchist Movement
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
What began as peaceful protests over the death of an African-American in Minneapolis, quickly turned violent as rioting, looting and arson spread to dozens of cities. The storm of rage ignited a contentious national conversation about policing, racial justice and property destruction.
Police arrested more than 1,000 rioters and looters nationwide during the wave of violence. It is difficult if not imprecise to calculate the number of deaths because of lax reporting in many cities. However, using a search of public news reports, at least 15 deaths have been linked to the riots.
During the melee, at least two police officers were killed, including a retired African-American policeman and a security officer for the Federal Protection Services. More than 60 Secret Service members and at least 200 New York City policemen have been injured.
The incident that sparked the torrent of protests was the death of George Floyd, a 46-year who died on Memorial Day after police arrested him over a suspected counterfeit $20 bill. A Minneapolis policeman is charged with kneeling on Floyd's neck, causing the man's death.
While the events surrounding Floyd's death have justifiably received pervasive attention, little has been written about what appears to be a coordinated attempt to hijack the peaceful protests with the intention of promoting widespread mayhem against businesses, police and citizens.
The shadowy, loose-knit, organization Antifa has been under suspicion because of its past involvement in ugly racial confrontations over the last four years. The anarchist miltia-style movement has made no secret of its aspiration to engage in political street warfare.
However, Antifa is just one of a burgeoning evolution of anarchist groups which have sprung up in the past decade. While there is little formal affiliation between the organizations, they all embrace an agenda of insurrection, physical confrontation and are virulently anti-law enforcement.
Anarchist Origins
Antifa, the acronym is a truncation of anti-fascist, traces its roots to the 1960's in Europe when a collection of groups and individuals organized to oppose far right-wing movements. Their original aim was to counter what it perceived as the German people's failure to oppose Nazism in the 1930's.
By the end of the 1970's, the movement migrated to the U.S. but it remained largely an underground organization with no public presence. The Rose City Antifa, located in Portland, is the oldest and best known group. It is no coincidence that Portland has been the scene of some of the worst rioting.
On its Facebook page, Rose City clearly advocates for aggression. "We are unapologetic about the reality that fighting fascism at points requires physical militancy. Anti-facism is, by nature, a form of self-defense: the goal of fascism is to exterminate the vast majority of human beings."
Antifa has a website ItsGoingDown.org which promotes its brand of activism. In previous posts, the website identifies as one of its goals to "build a culture of non-cooperation with law enforcement." The group urges disciples to make the country "ungovernable" through "mass insurrection."
Antifa has left a trail of tumultuous, provocative incidents in is activist wake. An Antifa mob prevented a Manhattan Institute scholar from entering the Claremont McKenna College auditorium for a speech to students, calling her a "fascist, white supremacist and a warhawk."
Her crime? She had penned books defending police as not racist.
The group was active in cities across the U.S. after protests over the killing of unarmed African-American Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri in 2014. After a grand jury declined to idict the white police officer who shot Brown, violence erupted in cities from Los Angeles to New York.
Tracking Antifa's activism is difficult because it is loosely allied with many splinter groups. Local groups with titles that include the words, "Against Police Brutality", may not be directly linked to Antifa, but embrace its tactics for ongoing confrontation with law enforcement.
Other wannabe organizations that are in the Antifa orbit include Refuse Fascism, created weeks after President Trump's election in 2016. In Chicago, the Haymaker Anti-Fascist Gym admits it has "passion for insurrection in our fists." Their mission is to stamp out far-right violence.
Of course, the best known of these anarchist groups is Black Lives Matter, formed in 2013 in response to the killing of Trayvon Martin. The group, which once met with President Obama, has been at the epicenter of racial incidents around the country, including in Ferguson and Baltimore.
The faction claims its mission is to "eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes." In their credo, they state the are working for a world "where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise."
Another anarchist agitator is the New Black Panther Party, which has advocated violence against whites and Jews in particular. They call themselves revolutionaries and usually show up in force whenever there are large protests over police conduct or racial episodes that attract national attention.
Although no evidence was found directly linking the group to the man who gunned down five Dallas police officers in 2016, police discovered his Facebook page was supportive of the New Black Panther Party. Detectives found bomb-making materials, rifles and ammunition at the killer's home.
There is even a group, known as Tilted Scales Collective, which offers legal assistance to anarchists who are arrested in "social struggles to assist them in navigating their criminal legal charges." It fights "for political prisoners...and politicized prisoners in the so-called United States."
Not all anarchist groups are on the left. Three men with ties to a loosely organized group of right wing extremists, who advocate the overthrow of the U.S. government, were arrested on terrorism-related charges in Las Vegas. They were charged with conspiracy to incite violence.
Federal prosecutors stated the three had military experience and were planning to capitalize on protests over the Floyd death. Once in custody, the men self-identified as members of the "boobaloo" movement, a term used by extremists who are preparing for a coming civil war in the country.
As this analysis demonstrates, there is a large and growing network of so-called anti-fascist groups embedded in the country. This loose collection of organizations poses a threat to the safety and security of the country, according to Attorney General William Barr.
Barr blamed a "witches brew" of extremist groups, such as Antifa and other anarchists, for exploiting the George Floyd protests. He has instructed the FBI to open an extensive investigation of this notorious cabal which has as its objective the inciting of violence.
Defunding Police
Out of the flames of fires in major cities wracked by violence, Black Lives Matter has begun petitioning governors, mayors and other anarchist groups to seize the momentum of the national attention on the Floyd murder to defund police departments, a long-standing aim.
"Black communities are living in persistent fear of being killed by state authorities, like the police," an organization spokesperson told reporters. Money saved on policing could be diverted to social programs, the group pointed out.
In it's petition BLM makes clear its intention. "We call for a national defunding of police. We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive but thrive..."
BLM already has lined up signatures of many Hollywood elites and big name athletes to bolster its campaign. The effort is beginning to attract champions, including legislators in New York state and the mayor of Los Angeles. In total, 14 lawmakers in states and cities have signaled support.
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, who just weeks ago was pushing for raises and bonuses for police officers, is backtracking. The mayor now supports cuts of up to $150 million in the budget for the LA police. New York legislators are calling on New York City, in particular, to shave police funding.
The issue already has gained the attention of Congress. Today House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled far reaching legislation to overhaul policing in the U.S. The speaker said the bill, dubbed the "Justice in Policing Act" was in reaction to the "martyrdom of George Floyd" and "police brutality."
In this rush toward symbolism, politicians have ignored the facts about policing and race. Although the final 2019 data from the FBI is not available, The Washington Post has maintained a generally recognized accurate account of people shot by police, dating back to 2015.
According to the Post, the data shows the fewest number of people were shot and killed by police in 2018 since it began collecting the numbers. There were 995 people killed, which is about 0.01% of the contacts and arrests police had with Americans of all colors.
The figures show 403 white people were shot and killed; 210 African-Americans; 148 Hispanics,; 38 were classified as "other;" and, 199 were listed as "unknown." Of the 995, some 47 victims were unarmed: 23 were white; 17 were black; 5 were Hispanic; and, two were "unknown."
The 2018 FBI data recounted there were 10.2 million police arrests. That means that the 47 unarmed victims police killed equated to 0.00047% of those arrested. These does not excuse any unjustified shooting, but offers perspective on how frequently killings occur.
While police shootings trigger headlines, less attention is accorded by the national media to the number of police officers killed in the line of duty. A total of 56 policemen were killed in 2018, according to FBI data.
Not one American I know or have read about in news reports has tried to justify the actions of the policemen involved in Floyd's arrest and murder. What they did is evil and a blight on police forces across the country. But dismantling police departments is an emotional response not based on facts.
What began as peaceful protests over the death of an African-American in Minneapolis, quickly turned violent as rioting, looting and arson spread to dozens of cities. The storm of rage ignited a contentious national conversation about policing, racial justice and property destruction.
Police arrested more than 1,000 rioters and looters nationwide during the wave of violence. It is difficult if not imprecise to calculate the number of deaths because of lax reporting in many cities. However, using a search of public news reports, at least 15 deaths have been linked to the riots.
During the melee, at least two police officers were killed, including a retired African-American policeman and a security officer for the Federal Protection Services. More than 60 Secret Service members and at least 200 New York City policemen have been injured.
The incident that sparked the torrent of protests was the death of George Floyd, a 46-year who died on Memorial Day after police arrested him over a suspected counterfeit $20 bill. A Minneapolis policeman is charged with kneeling on Floyd's neck, causing the man's death.
While the events surrounding Floyd's death have justifiably received pervasive attention, little has been written about what appears to be a coordinated attempt to hijack the peaceful protests with the intention of promoting widespread mayhem against businesses, police and citizens.
The shadowy, loose-knit, organization Antifa has been under suspicion because of its past involvement in ugly racial confrontations over the last four years. The anarchist miltia-style movement has made no secret of its aspiration to engage in political street warfare.
However, Antifa is just one of a burgeoning evolution of anarchist groups which have sprung up in the past decade. While there is little formal affiliation between the organizations, they all embrace an agenda of insurrection, physical confrontation and are virulently anti-law enforcement.
Anarchist Origins
Antifa, the acronym is a truncation of anti-fascist, traces its roots to the 1960's in Europe when a collection of groups and individuals organized to oppose far right-wing movements. Their original aim was to counter what it perceived as the German people's failure to oppose Nazism in the 1930's.
By the end of the 1970's, the movement migrated to the U.S. but it remained largely an underground organization with no public presence. The Rose City Antifa, located in Portland, is the oldest and best known group. It is no coincidence that Portland has been the scene of some of the worst rioting.
On its Facebook page, Rose City clearly advocates for aggression. "We are unapologetic about the reality that fighting fascism at points requires physical militancy. Anti-facism is, by nature, a form of self-defense: the goal of fascism is to exterminate the vast majority of human beings."
Antifa has a website ItsGoingDown.org which promotes its brand of activism. In previous posts, the website identifies as one of its goals to "build a culture of non-cooperation with law enforcement." The group urges disciples to make the country "ungovernable" through "mass insurrection."
Antifa has left a trail of tumultuous, provocative incidents in is activist wake. An Antifa mob prevented a Manhattan Institute scholar from entering the Claremont McKenna College auditorium for a speech to students, calling her a "fascist, white supremacist and a warhawk."
Her crime? She had penned books defending police as not racist.
The group was active in cities across the U.S. after protests over the killing of unarmed African-American Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri in 2014. After a grand jury declined to idict the white police officer who shot Brown, violence erupted in cities from Los Angeles to New York.
Tracking Antifa's activism is difficult because it is loosely allied with many splinter groups. Local groups with titles that include the words, "Against Police Brutality", may not be directly linked to Antifa, but embrace its tactics for ongoing confrontation with law enforcement.
Other wannabe organizations that are in the Antifa orbit include Refuse Fascism, created weeks after President Trump's election in 2016. In Chicago, the Haymaker Anti-Fascist Gym admits it has "passion for insurrection in our fists." Their mission is to stamp out far-right violence.
Of course, the best known of these anarchist groups is Black Lives Matter, formed in 2013 in response to the killing of Trayvon Martin. The group, which once met with President Obama, has been at the epicenter of racial incidents around the country, including in Ferguson and Baltimore.
The faction claims its mission is to "eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes." In their credo, they state the are working for a world "where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise."
Another anarchist agitator is the New Black Panther Party, which has advocated violence against whites and Jews in particular. They call themselves revolutionaries and usually show up in force whenever there are large protests over police conduct or racial episodes that attract national attention.
Although no evidence was found directly linking the group to the man who gunned down five Dallas police officers in 2016, police discovered his Facebook page was supportive of the New Black Panther Party. Detectives found bomb-making materials, rifles and ammunition at the killer's home.
There is even a group, known as Tilted Scales Collective, which offers legal assistance to anarchists who are arrested in "social struggles to assist them in navigating their criminal legal charges." It fights "for political prisoners...and politicized prisoners in the so-called United States."
Not all anarchist groups are on the left. Three men with ties to a loosely organized group of right wing extremists, who advocate the overthrow of the U.S. government, were arrested on terrorism-related charges in Las Vegas. They were charged with conspiracy to incite violence.
Federal prosecutors stated the three had military experience and were planning to capitalize on protests over the Floyd death. Once in custody, the men self-identified as members of the "boobaloo" movement, a term used by extremists who are preparing for a coming civil war in the country.
As this analysis demonstrates, there is a large and growing network of so-called anti-fascist groups embedded in the country. This loose collection of organizations poses a threat to the safety and security of the country, according to Attorney General William Barr.
Barr blamed a "witches brew" of extremist groups, such as Antifa and other anarchists, for exploiting the George Floyd protests. He has instructed the FBI to open an extensive investigation of this notorious cabal which has as its objective the inciting of violence.
Defunding Police
Out of the flames of fires in major cities wracked by violence, Black Lives Matter has begun petitioning governors, mayors and other anarchist groups to seize the momentum of the national attention on the Floyd murder to defund police departments, a long-standing aim.
"Black communities are living in persistent fear of being killed by state authorities, like the police," an organization spokesperson told reporters. Money saved on policing could be diverted to social programs, the group pointed out.
In it's petition BLM makes clear its intention. "We call for a national defunding of police. We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive but thrive..."
BLM already has lined up signatures of many Hollywood elites and big name athletes to bolster its campaign. The effort is beginning to attract champions, including legislators in New York state and the mayor of Los Angeles. In total, 14 lawmakers in states and cities have signaled support.
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, who just weeks ago was pushing for raises and bonuses for police officers, is backtracking. The mayor now supports cuts of up to $150 million in the budget for the LA police. New York legislators are calling on New York City, in particular, to shave police funding.
The issue already has gained the attention of Congress. Today House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled far reaching legislation to overhaul policing in the U.S. The speaker said the bill, dubbed the "Justice in Policing Act" was in reaction to the "martyrdom of George Floyd" and "police brutality."
In this rush toward symbolism, politicians have ignored the facts about policing and race. Although the final 2019 data from the FBI is not available, The Washington Post has maintained a generally recognized accurate account of people shot by police, dating back to 2015.
According to the Post, the data shows the fewest number of people were shot and killed by police in 2018 since it began collecting the numbers. There were 995 people killed, which is about 0.01% of the contacts and arrests police had with Americans of all colors.
The figures show 403 white people were shot and killed; 210 African-Americans; 148 Hispanics,; 38 were classified as "other;" and, 199 were listed as "unknown." Of the 995, some 47 victims were unarmed: 23 were white; 17 were black; 5 were Hispanic; and, two were "unknown."
The 2018 FBI data recounted there were 10.2 million police arrests. That means that the 47 unarmed victims police killed equated to 0.00047% of those arrested. These does not excuse any unjustified shooting, but offers perspective on how frequently killings occur.
While police shootings trigger headlines, less attention is accorded by the national media to the number of police officers killed in the line of duty. A total of 56 policemen were killed in 2018, according to FBI data.
Not one American I know or have read about in news reports has tried to justify the actions of the policemen involved in Floyd's arrest and murder. What they did is evil and a blight on police forces across the country. But dismantling police departments is an emotional response not based on facts.
Monday, June 1, 2020
Mail Ballots: Facts About Potential Fraud
Congressional lawmakers and governors in many states are striving to force voting by mail in the November presidential election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been one of the most vocal proponents calling for eliminating in person voting during the pandemic for safety reasons.
Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ron Wyden have taken up the banner in the Senate by introducing the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020, a 57-page bill designed to promote online absentee ballot requests by any voter, not just those physically unable to go to polls.
Under the legislation, states would be required to allow individuals to use downloadable and printable absentee ballots which could be returned by mail or placed in designated drop box locations. States are prevented from placing any security restrictions, such as a notarization or a witness signature.
Republicans have raised issues over voter fraud and vote harvesting, which have been dismissed by Democrats like a cow's tail swatting flies. Mail-in or absentee ballots are susceptible to tampering, theft and shady schemes to dupe the elderly and the poor into voting against their interests.
Democrats like to point to the fact mail-in voting is already used in some states, including Oregon which became the first to adopt mail-in voting exclusively in 1998. The voters of Oregon however, not politicians in Washington, made the decision in a statewide ballot initiative.
Despite protections, Oregon's mail-in voting has shown how easy it is to exploit this system. The Secretary of State in Oregon raised alarms after it found evidence 46 violations of election laws in the 2016 presidential election.
States without mandatory mail-in balloting, have their own problems with mail-in absentee voting. Cases have been uncovered where political advocates visit the homes of people and vote the ballots for them. Victims rarely report the coercion because the perpetrators are politically connected.
In 2018, the North Carolina Board of Elections decertified the outcome of the 9th Congressional District race after charges of absentee ballot fraud. In a closely contested race, the GOP candidate received 61% of all mailed votes, although only 16% of Republicans requested an absentee ballot
A year earlier a Florida mayor was convicted of a felony charge of voting fraud and misdemeanor absentee voting violations. Prosecutors alleged the mayoral candidate coerced absentee voters to cast ballots for him. He personally solicited a absentee vote from a nonresident, prosecutors charged.
In 2016, in the 78th House District race in Missouri the incumbent won the Democratic Party primary by just 90 voters. The race was contested over a lopsided absentee vote tally for the incumbent. A new election was ordered and the challenger won by 1,533 votes.
Absentee ballots are the "tool of choice" for those engaging in election fraud, concluded the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after investigations of a series of voter irregularities over a decade. Absentee and mail-in vote systems also have been plagued by yawning discrepancies.
Between 2012-2018, the federal Election Assistance Commision found more than 28.3 million mail-in ballots went missing. The ballots amounted to nearly one in five of all absentee ballots and mail-in ballots cast in states that vote exclusively by mail: Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah and Hawaii.
The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), a nonprofit headquartered in Indianapolis, compiled the data from reports provided by the Election Assistance Commission. Although there was no evidence of voter fraud, the PILF noted the sheer volume raises serious doubts about election security.
PILF found that in Texas mail-in ballots have spawned a "mini-industry" of consultants who get out the absentee votes using questionable techniques. The poor, elderly and minority communities are the most likely be be preyed upon by these ballot harvesters, according to the PILF.
Mail-in voting has another dark side. The voter registration rolls include 1.8 million dead people and more than 24 million voters whose registrations are either invalid or inaccurate, according to research by the Pew Center on the States. In some states, each voter on those rolls receives a ballot.
That inherent problem is magnified by the fact the use of mail-in ballots has more than doubled from 24.9 million in 2004 to 57.2 million in 2016. The data suggest about 40% of the votes now cast in U.S. elections are transacted by mail. Despite the increase, there have been no new safeguards.
Proponents of mail-in voting like to cast voter fraud as a rarity that should not taint the process. According to data compiled by The Heritage Foundation, there have been 1,200 cases of voter fraud in all forms, resulting in 1,100 criminal convictions in the last 20 years.
Supporters of mail-in voting contend that data is not sufficient evidence to reject the idea. But mail-in fraud is not the only threat to elections. There is growing scrutiny of elections at the local level, where election judges have wide discretion in the reporting and counting of votes.
In a filing last week by the Department of Justice, the complaint alleges the Judge of Elections for Philadelphia's 39th Ward 36th Division, took cash and checks to tamper with election results. The department contends the judge would add fraudulent votes to the totals of preferred candidates.
In one count, the DOJ alleges the defendant and others certified results for 118 ballots cast during a primary election when only 91 voters physically appeared to cast ballots. On another occasion, the defendant is charged with certifying fraudulent voting receipts after polls closed.
Election fraud is real not some urban myth. However, under some previous administrations, voter fraud has not been a priority, resulting in the underreporting of cases or ignoring calls for investigations. Even if it is not widespread, it should not be shrugged off.
Fortunately, there appears to be little appetite in the Republican-controlled Senate to adopt the mail-in ballot bill, but that hasn't stopped Democrats from waging a campaign to mandate mail-in voting in the presidential election. It is part of the political doctrine, "Never let a good crisis go to waste."
Some states, such as California, have already mandated that mail-in balloting will be used. The decision was made by the governor, not the citizens. In Texas, the state Supreme Court has already ruled that the risk of contracting the virus does not meet the state's qualifications for voting by mail.
The battle over mail-in voting may ultimately land on the doorstep of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Constitution grants states wide power to hold elections for the U.S. House and Senate. However, the Congress has authority to supplement states laws with its own rules in federal elections.
In the case of presidential elections, both states and Congress are delegated authority over times, places and manner of vote. This could be the first time for the Supreme Court to weigh in on this important issue, establishing a precedent on the power to change voting methods.
Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ron Wyden have taken up the banner in the Senate by introducing the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020, a 57-page bill designed to promote online absentee ballot requests by any voter, not just those physically unable to go to polls.
Under the legislation, states would be required to allow individuals to use downloadable and printable absentee ballots which could be returned by mail or placed in designated drop box locations. States are prevented from placing any security restrictions, such as a notarization or a witness signature.
Republicans have raised issues over voter fraud and vote harvesting, which have been dismissed by Democrats like a cow's tail swatting flies. Mail-in or absentee ballots are susceptible to tampering, theft and shady schemes to dupe the elderly and the poor into voting against their interests.
Democrats like to point to the fact mail-in voting is already used in some states, including Oregon which became the first to adopt mail-in voting exclusively in 1998. The voters of Oregon however, not politicians in Washington, made the decision in a statewide ballot initiative.
Despite protections, Oregon's mail-in voting has shown how easy it is to exploit this system. The Secretary of State in Oregon raised alarms after it found evidence 46 violations of election laws in the 2016 presidential election.
States without mandatory mail-in balloting, have their own problems with mail-in absentee voting. Cases have been uncovered where political advocates visit the homes of people and vote the ballots for them. Victims rarely report the coercion because the perpetrators are politically connected.
In 2018, the North Carolina Board of Elections decertified the outcome of the 9th Congressional District race after charges of absentee ballot fraud. In a closely contested race, the GOP candidate received 61% of all mailed votes, although only 16% of Republicans requested an absentee ballot
A year earlier a Florida mayor was convicted of a felony charge of voting fraud and misdemeanor absentee voting violations. Prosecutors alleged the mayoral candidate coerced absentee voters to cast ballots for him. He personally solicited a absentee vote from a nonresident, prosecutors charged.
In 2016, in the 78th House District race in Missouri the incumbent won the Democratic Party primary by just 90 voters. The race was contested over a lopsided absentee vote tally for the incumbent. A new election was ordered and the challenger won by 1,533 votes.
Absentee ballots are the "tool of choice" for those engaging in election fraud, concluded the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after investigations of a series of voter irregularities over a decade. Absentee and mail-in vote systems also have been plagued by yawning discrepancies.
Between 2012-2018, the federal Election Assistance Commision found more than 28.3 million mail-in ballots went missing. The ballots amounted to nearly one in five of all absentee ballots and mail-in ballots cast in states that vote exclusively by mail: Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah and Hawaii.
The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), a nonprofit headquartered in Indianapolis, compiled the data from reports provided by the Election Assistance Commission. Although there was no evidence of voter fraud, the PILF noted the sheer volume raises serious doubts about election security.
PILF found that in Texas mail-in ballots have spawned a "mini-industry" of consultants who get out the absentee votes using questionable techniques. The poor, elderly and minority communities are the most likely be be preyed upon by these ballot harvesters, according to the PILF.
Mail-in voting has another dark side. The voter registration rolls include 1.8 million dead people and more than 24 million voters whose registrations are either invalid or inaccurate, according to research by the Pew Center on the States. In some states, each voter on those rolls receives a ballot.
That inherent problem is magnified by the fact the use of mail-in ballots has more than doubled from 24.9 million in 2004 to 57.2 million in 2016. The data suggest about 40% of the votes now cast in U.S. elections are transacted by mail. Despite the increase, there have been no new safeguards.
Proponents of mail-in voting like to cast voter fraud as a rarity that should not taint the process. According to data compiled by The Heritage Foundation, there have been 1,200 cases of voter fraud in all forms, resulting in 1,100 criminal convictions in the last 20 years.
Supporters of mail-in voting contend that data is not sufficient evidence to reject the idea. But mail-in fraud is not the only threat to elections. There is growing scrutiny of elections at the local level, where election judges have wide discretion in the reporting and counting of votes.
In a filing last week by the Department of Justice, the complaint alleges the Judge of Elections for Philadelphia's 39th Ward 36th Division, took cash and checks to tamper with election results. The department contends the judge would add fraudulent votes to the totals of preferred candidates.
In one count, the DOJ alleges the defendant and others certified results for 118 ballots cast during a primary election when only 91 voters physically appeared to cast ballots. On another occasion, the defendant is charged with certifying fraudulent voting receipts after polls closed.
Election fraud is real not some urban myth. However, under some previous administrations, voter fraud has not been a priority, resulting in the underreporting of cases or ignoring calls for investigations. Even if it is not widespread, it should not be shrugged off.
Fortunately, there appears to be little appetite in the Republican-controlled Senate to adopt the mail-in ballot bill, but that hasn't stopped Democrats from waging a campaign to mandate mail-in voting in the presidential election. It is part of the political doctrine, "Never let a good crisis go to waste."
Some states, such as California, have already mandated that mail-in balloting will be used. The decision was made by the governor, not the citizens. In Texas, the state Supreme Court has already ruled that the risk of contracting the virus does not meet the state's qualifications for voting by mail.
The battle over mail-in voting may ultimately land on the doorstep of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Constitution grants states wide power to hold elections for the U.S. House and Senate. However, the Congress has authority to supplement states laws with its own rules in federal elections.
In the case of presidential elections, both states and Congress are delegated authority over times, places and manner of vote. This could be the first time for the Supreme Court to weigh in on this important issue, establishing a precedent on the power to change voting methods.
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