No Spin News Summary – September 20, 2018
Celebrities Rally Behind Kavanaugh Accuser in Video: 'We believe you'
A number of Hollywood stars have come to the defense of Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a high school party in the 1980s.
The video, produced by the progressive group MoveOn, features “women from all walks of life,” including actresses America Ferrera, Julianne Moore and Gabrielle Union.
They call Ford’s accusation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in high school “critical context” for his Supreme Court confirmation.
The MoveOn video ends with the women telling Ford directly that they believe her allegation.
Trump's approval rating little changed at 46 percent
President Trump's approval was little changed at 46 percent, according to a new American Barometer survey, conducted by Hill.TV and the HarrisX polling company.
46% of Americans polled said they approved of Trump's job as president, 24 percent saying they "strongly approved," 22 percent saying they "somewhat approved."
This is a 1-point change, within the margin of error, from the previous American Barometer survey released earlier this month.
54% of Americans in this most recent poll said they disapproved of Trump's job. 41 percent saying they "strongly disapproved,"13 percent saying they "somewhat approved."
An overall polling average from Real Clear Politics on Wednesday had Trump's approval rating at 40 percent, with his disapproval at 53 percent.
Jobless Claims Fall Again to Reach New 49-Year Low Of 201,000
In the week ending September 15, the figure for jobless claims was 201,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's claims of 204,000. That’s below the 208,000 MarketWatch forecast. This is the lowest level for initial claims since November 15, 1969 when it was 197,000.
The monthly average of new claims slipped by 2,250 to 205,750, the government said Thursday. That’s also a 49-year low. This is the lowest level for this average since December 6, 1969 when it was 204,500.
The number of people already collecting unemployment benefits declined by 55,000 to 1.65 million. They have fallen to the lowest level since 1973.
The Marijuana Industry Pushes to Eliminate the Word 'Stoner,' Drawing Applause, Anger, Confusion
MedMen Enterprises that operates legal Southern California marijuana dispensaries is running billboards to shame the public into not referring to users as “stoners,” according to the LA Times. MedMen operates 19 licensed cannabis facilities in 4 states, including 8 in Southern California.
Recently, an effort by MedMen Enterprises of Culver City, CA has created a $2 million “Forget Stoner” ad campaign to remind people that marijuana users come from all walks of life. The ads created by MedMen say marijuana users can be cops, nurses, teachers, scientists, construction foremen, and grandmothers. All of these people appear in MedMen ads that also feature the word “stoner” with a line drawn through it. As in, let’s get rid of this.
MedMen’s $2 million “Forget Stoner” advertising campaign is part of a larger, ongoing push by the cannabis industry to normalize the use of marijuana. The “Forget Stoner” billboard campaign is hoping to shame the public to stop using divisive terms, such as ‘stoner’ for users and start accepting that legal marijuana users now include responsible mainstream society members.
“That word [stoner] can be used to negatively stereotype people,” said Daniel Yi, senior vice president of communications at MedMen, which operates 14 retail pot stores. “We want to take that stigma away. We want to make marijuana mainstream.”
The billboards are now placed in highly visible locations including Beverly Hills, Culver City and trendy wallscapes are up in rapidly gentrifying downtown Los Angeles along the Santa Monica Freeway. The serious images feature entrepreneurs, police officers, designers, teachers, nurses, scientists, and even grandmothers, according to AdWeek.
The effort is an update to MedMen’s earlier campaign, “Faces” to convince the public that marijuana users are responsible citizens by featuring a series of billboards with warm red backgrounds and simple portraits of a former NFL player, a triathlete, a physicist, a nurse, a cop and others.
Mail Time!
• Bill, I consider this to be your best show in my fifteen months of premium membership. You were well informed, articulate, and had that O'Reilly fire which was your trademark on Fox.
• I am thankful that you have continued to keep the public up to date in such troubling times and in an unbiased fashion. I am very concerned that if as a country we allow what is happening to Judge Kavanaugh to stand, are we not moving toward the Salem witch hunts where there was no due-process for the accused? This begs the question of what we as individuals can do to Take our country back?
• Do you think that Kavanaugh should purse a claim against her for defamation of character? she has certainly damaged his reputation and wouldn't the burden of proof be on her to proof her case? Love the show!
• Bill, wow great show tonight. I have been very angry as well at this process and the lack of any evidence against Judge Kavanaugh. Please let me share my story - I had to fire a young lady for productivity the next day her boyfriend came into my office and assaulted me, 2 sucker punches thankfully some quick acting employees kept it to that. She told him I had made sexual advances and that was the reason she was fired. I immediately pressed charges. During court, she admitted the allegations were not true. The judge gave me the option of going through with the charges, I declined because the boyfriend was truly sorry when he heard the truth. We cannot allow a man's life to be ruined by such a weak accusation. P.S. love my premium membership, it's refreshing hearing the truth.
Word of the Day: Jackanapes |
