Out d'Coup | Elections Have Consequences - WI Edition; Fauci Speaks; Axing Higher Ed; Shanna Danielson in PA31; Make the Road Greets Trump; ReOpen PA Rally; Space News; Free Will Brewing

In the never-ending evidence that elections have consequences, Wednesday evening the right-wing dominated Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Governor Tony Evers’s stay-at-home order unconstitutional. Following the ruling, the Tavern League of Wisconsin told all its members to open their pubs asap. Soon social media was filled with pictures of packed bars with zero social distancing. The grand experiment has begun. Governor Evers could only say, “We’re in the Wild West now.” 

 Dr. Anthony Fauci - one of the few trusted voices on the White House’s coronavirus task force, testified remotely before the Senate this week. Fauci told Senators that a spike in deaths should be expected if states begin to reopen without the proper protocols and protections in place.  

Public higher education is on the chopping block across the U.S. as disaster capitalist politicians use the cover of the COVID-19 pandemic to institute mass layoffs and budget cuts. The deepest cuts so far may be those at Missouri Western State University, which may make it easier for other state university systems to do the same. 

Shanna Danielson, who is running for State Senate in the 31st district, got a big endorsement this week from Auditor General Eugene DePasquale. In his endorsement, DePasquale “Shanna is smart, hard-working and brings the highest level of integrity. She will be a state senator we can depend on to lead, for our families and our community.” Danielson is taking on corporate shill, Mike Regan, and is running strong on her support for working families and a state government that focuses on people first. 

Pennsylvania is not immune from the deep cuts in higher education. Local faculty union presidents at Kutztown University and Cheyney University were notified that their administrations are considering eliminating adjunct, tenure-track, and tenured faculty. Of course, Raging Chicken has been covering PASSHE’s deceptive budget and accounting practices for years. As the state budget battles prepare to heat up, it does not look so good for Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities. 

Trump visited a medical equipment supplier in the Lehigh Valley on Thursday. His landing at the Lehigh Valley International Airport was greeted with a huge caravan of cars protesting Trump’s visit. The action was organized by Make the Road. One of the signs from the caravan summed up the message: “Trump Failed 3,943 Pennsylvanians dead from COVID.” Of course, there were also dozens of Trumpistas lining Industrial Boulevard in Upper Macungie Township. Most were not wearing masks. 

And, of course, today is the big ReOpen PA rally in Harrisburg, underway as I record this. Early images look like every other Trump rally. My favorite sign so far is “Fear is a Liar.” 

A 24-year-old man in Perkasie, PA - yes, my neck of the woods - punched a female store clerk in the face several times after she insisted he wears a mask in the store. 

NASA researchers have identified a string of lava tubes in the Hellas Planitia area of Mars that may prove promising for a future Martian base. Lava tubes would help protect astronauts from the relentless solar radiation. 

One of the largest pieces of space junk landed back on Earth on Monday. The 18-ton empty core stage from a Chinese rocket launched on May 5, passed directly over Los Angeles and Central Park in NYC before landing in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Free Will Brewing rolled out its new online store and began to ship to all PA addresses. Sun Servants - that tasty Helles Lager - is back in stock and ready for shipping. I’ll have a report back on their Sweet Cherry Vanilla Mash. You can check out their story at FreeWillBrewing.store. You can order online and pick up at the main brewery in Perkasie, or have them ship it to you. Get together with some friends and order $125 or more and you’ll get free shipping too.