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** 1. We will never forget — reflections on the fourth anniversary of school closures ([link removed])
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By Beth Ann Rosica

“On March 13, 2020, changed my life forever.

It was the last normal day when I woke up, sent my kids to school, and started working. By the end of the day, everything had changed. Schools were closed for two weeks to ‘flatten the curve.’ All my kids’ activities were canceled and then restaurants and ‘non-essential’ businesses closed.
I was skeptical immediately, and it took me three weeks to start writing to Governor Wolf about his misguided policies. That is when I became an ‘accidental activist,’ and my life has never been the same.”

Why It Matters. “Any parent who lived through virtual schooling witnessed first hand the rapid increase in screen time. School was 100 percent virtual and did not typically provide the requisite number of hours of instruction. Teachers were zoom-fatigued and often ended classes early or allowed students to work when they felt like it. This left more hours in the day for recreational online activities since after school sports and activities were not happening.”

Quotable. “We owe it to our children to never allow something like this to happen again. For those of us who stood up against this tyranny, we knew there would be dire consequences. To those who did not speak out and to those who continue to perpetuate this narrative, I implore you to look at what has happened to our children.”

C ([link removed]) ontinue Reading ([link removed])


** 2. Lies, damn lies, and two weeks to flatten the curve ([link removed])
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By Guy Ciarrocchi

“March 13: the fourth anniversary of Pennsylvania’s “two weeks to flatten the curve.”
Governor Tom Wolf issued his first executive order, closing all schools. He would ultimately issue countless executive orders in 2020 and 2021 — including telling us all to stay home and inside without legislative or voter approval.

You may recall that the last of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties was not allowed to go ‘green’ and ‘re-open’ until July 3. That was the ‘thriving metropolis’ of Lebanon County. Why? Because their commissioners had voted not to enforce lockdown punishments in their county. Wolf’s decision underscored his approach: Arrogance. Abuse of Power. Shamelessness.

Ultimately, in the primary of 2021, Pennsylvanians voted for the extraordinary step of amending Pennsylvania’s Constitution to bring his dictatorial madness to an end — and to save our liberties, lives, and livelihoods.”

Why It Matters. “Because of our children. Because so much wrong was done to our children — not only in March and April of 2020, but into 2021 and even 2022 — to keep them out of school or masked-up in schools. So much wrong was done to cancel their sports or force them to wear masks while playing softball and basketball, to keep them away from their friends, to keep them away from their grandparents. And it was done with total disregard to their mental and overall physical health. It’s imperative that we remember.

Because those in power stood in judgment and told us that some jobs were ‘essential,’ but others weren’t, forcing millions to stay home and wait for government aid or unemployment checks — sometimes waiting a year. Because even today, there are empty storefronts where small businesses once thrived, it’s imperative that we remember.”

Quotable. “Now, the after-the-fact ‘studies.’ Various ‘experts’ and ‘esteemed’ institutions spent millions of dollars and hundreds of hours to produce reports concluding what those of us with commonsense and a sense of liberty and decency knew: the experts blew it. The lockdowns weren’t needed or lasted too long. Millions of people are still suffering the effects of being away from people. Millions of children are way behind academically and emotionally; some may never reach their pre-Covid potential.”

Continue Reading ([link removed])


** 3. Lightning Round
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* Rep. Cartwright takes donations from lobbyist for Saudi Arabia, in contrast to his 2022 attack ads against his Republican opponent ([link removed])
* Estate of man strangled in Delco prison files federal lawsuit against the county ([link removed])
* Andy Bloom: What becomes of the Haley voters? ([link removed])
* Rachel Langan: How I became an advocate for school choice ([link removed])
* Michael Thomas Leibrandt: When it comes to the center of the Eagles, Kelce will always be our favorite ([link removed])

What We’re Reading...
The Supreme Court decision to restore Donald Trump to the ballot in Colorado reveals an unpleasant truth: the Supreme Court is the last functioning institution in America ([link removed]) . So writes David Harsanyi of The Federalist, and convincingly. “No, SCOTUS doesn’t get every case right. Sometimes, led by the chief justice, it is perplexingly Solomonic. But it is wrong within the contours of normal. Congress, on the other hand, has handed its responsibilities on war, spending, and governing to the executive branch. At this point, we are far more likely to see a congressman dunking on someone on social media than acting to defend the document he swore to uphold.”

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With gratitude,

— The Editors at Broad + Liberty
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