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<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11910362" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="florida" source="Orion">Florida</keyword> Department of Education voted in early October to penalize 8 <keyword id="11900653" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="school" source="Orion">school</keyword> districts that have <keyword id="6438835" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mask" source="Orion">mask</keyword> mandates in place.</li><li><keyword id="11997074" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="school-board" source="Orion">School board</keyword> chairs in some of those districts told Insider they're constantly harassed by opponents of the mask mandates.</li></ul>Since the Brevard County, Florida, school board issued a <keyword id="11906064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mask-mandate" source="Orion">mask mandate</keyword> earlier this year, its chair, Misty Belford, said she's been harassed at board meetings and over the phone. "I was standing at our front door and asked a gentleman to put a mask on prior to entry and he called me a c-u-n-t," Belford told Insider. "So, you know, it's been fun."Across the country, school boards are becoming fierce battlegrounds in a culture war over <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/illinois-school-board-member-resigns-dead-rodents-at-home-2021-10">mask mandates</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/colorado-school-board-candidates-anti-critical-race-theory-sweep-races-2021-11">critical race theory</a>, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/florida-school-board-member-death-threats-lgbtq-restaurant-field-trip-2021-11">other social issues</a>. <a href="https://www.insider.com/school-board-controversy-3-states-leave-national-organization-2021-10">Three states recently left</a> the National School Boards Association after the organization requested federal assistance with maintaining order in school board meetings.In Florida, the state board of education unanimously <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/10/07/florida-mask-mandate-schools-battle/">voted in October to withhold funds</a> from eight school districts that imposed mask mandates. Insider reached out to the chairs of the eight districts facing penalties; three didn't respond to requests for an interview, and the chair of the Duval County school board said they couldn't speak due to pending litigation over the district's mask mandate.Three district leaders that spoke with Insider in recent weeks said they've been inundated with "threatening and vulgar" messages, and are seeing <keyword id="12109374" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="parents" source="Orion">parents</keyword>' "bad behavior" escalate at board meetings, to the point where one of them has a <keyword id="11894211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="police" source="Orion">police</keyword> escort for her own protection.<h2>Bad behavior at board meetings and threatening phone calls</h2>Every school board leader that spoke with Insider said protests and unruly behavior from parents have become commonplace at their meetings.Belford said the majority of people who come to meetings in Brevard County speak against the district's mask mandate. The meetings often get heated and escalate due to "really bad behavior" from local parents, she said.Belford said she witnessed several protests outside board meetings with "people yelling and screaming obscenities at each other" - one of which <a href="https://bit.ly/3BZWDzZ">resulted in two people being arrested</a>. According to WKMG, police arrested a man for disorderly intoxication and trespassing and also arrested a woman for trespassing after they refused to leave a September meeting because they weren't wearing masks."We've had to really tighten the expectations for decorum in our boardroom," Belford said.Alachua County Superintendent Carlee Simon told Insider she has "been asked to resign or be fired every board meeting for quite some time."Frank Barbieri, chair of the Palm Beach County School Board, said in an email to Insider that "rude and vicious behavior" at his board's meetings had become "common and acceptable" to parents who say they're exercising their free speech.He cited the example of a recent board meeting where "an 8-year old girl stood next to her mother and proudly pronounced that the superintendent 'sucks.'" "Children live what they learn," Barbieri wrote in the email.The board chairs Insider spoke with also said they've received nasty messages from disgruntled parents at their workplaces. Simon said that her office is inundated with "threatening and vulgar" phone calls and emails, demanding that she resign over her district's mask mandate.Simon even has a police escort in and out of school board meetings because people "wait" for her after the events, she told Insider."No one has shown up at my home, which I am appreciative of, but, I have had those types of interactions," she said.<h2>The board chairs don't believe outbursts at meetings are representative of their communities</h2>While they say their board meetings are becoming increasingly ruly, the district leaders who spoke with Insider don't believe the people protesting mask mandates are representative of the communities they serve.Belford said that while the majority of people who come to Brevard County school board meetings rant about their opposition to masking, "I think we have to take that information with caution."She told Insider she believes most people who favor the mask mandate don't feel comfortable coming to the meetings because other attendees are often unmasked, and the environment can become raucous."They don't want to deal with having to walk through people screaming at them with microphones to get to our board meetings," Belford said. "So I think there's a misperception by the public in general that the board meetings are representative of the entire community."She said her email inbox "quickly transitioned to about four emails of appreciation for every one email of people being upset" once the school board decided to impose its mask mandate.Simon, who described the state education board's penalties as "a political maneuver," told Insider the majority of families in Alachua County - especially those with children too young to be vaccinated - were happy to have the district's mask mandate in place."It seems counter to the foundational principle of the Republican Party - to have local control - because it actually is removing local control," Simon said of the penalties, which the state's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/desantis-threatens-withhold-paychecks-school-board-defy-his-mask-ban-2021-8">has championed</a>."We do have a group of people who believe we never should have masked and are very upset about that, but they're a smaller group, a considerably smaller group," she added.As Barbieri sees it, any outbursts at his board's meetings are a "microcosm" of larger social forces pitting people against each other over masking in schools."One of my friends characterized the state of the community today as a 'reverse' 9-11," Barbieri wrote. "The country is being torn apart."

Florida school board chairs say they're inundated with 'threatening and vulgar' messages, need police escorts at meetings

<ul class="summary-list"><li>At least 36 QAnon-supporting candidates intend to run for <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> in 2022, Media Matters said.</li><li>Some of the candidates are diehard <keyword id="9152811" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="qanon">QAnon</keyword> fans, while others signal their support subtly.</li><li>Experts told Insider that this shows how QAnon has evolved into a major political force.</li></ul>In July 2020, JR Majewski made national headlines after transforming his 19,000-square-foot lawn into a massive Trump re-election banner. When the Air Force veteran from Ohio appeared in a <a href="https://video.foxnews.com/v/6171039977001#sp=show-clips">television interview with Fox News</a>, he was wearing a <a href="https://www.insider.com/qanon-history-who-is-q-conspiracy-theory-what-does-believe-2021-2">QAnon</a> T-shirt.Several months later, as Congress met to certify President Joe Biden's election win, Majewski was among the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/congregant-gives-up-father-son-pastor-duo-in-connection-to-capitol-riot">thousands of Trump supporters</a> who attended the "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington DC, <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/qanon-conspiracy-theory/meet-qanon-affiliated-insurrectionist-running-congress-ohio">later admitting to</a> breaching police barricades and walking up to the base of the Capitol building.Majewski is now trying to return to the Capitol, but this time as a congressman representing the 9th district of Ohio, a seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Marcy Kapur.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-mcafee-death-suicide-qanon-jeffrey-epstein-conspiracy-theories-2021-6">QAnon followers are already spreading Epstein-like conspiracy theories about John McAfee's reported suicide</a>Since he was first spotted wearing the "Q" T-shirt, Majewski has made <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/media/3944616">several more references</a> to the conspiracy theory, posting QAnon <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/media/3936266">images</a> and <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/media/3936271">hashtags</a> on his social media channel, and live streaming videos with the well-known QAnon influencer RedPill79.Majewski is one of many congressional candidates running in the 2022 midterm elections who have given credence to QAnon, which the FBI described as a far-right group with "anti-government, identity-based and fringe political <keyword id="1379614" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="conspiracy-theories">conspiracy theories</keyword>," <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-candidates-florida-21st-congressional-district-trump/2020/08/16/a8d710b8-de2d-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html">The Washington Post</a> reported. <div type="image" title="Ohio man JR Majewski stands on his Trump-themed lawn" height="716" width="1433" msid="83892630" hostid="261"></div>A <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/qanon-conspiracy-theory/here-are-qanon-supporters-running-congress-2022">Media Matters investigation</a> published earlier this month revealed that 36 candidates in 17 states have either openly endorsed QAnon, made subtle references to, or distanced themselves from the conspiracy theory despite repeatedly displaying their support on social media or in video interviews. Thirty-three of the candidates are running as Republicans while two are independents and one is still deciding whether to run as a Republican or an independent, the investigation found. The state with the most QAnon-believing candidates is Florida with nine candidates, followed by California which has six candidates, although these numbers are still subject to change.On the list are a handful of incumbents in Congress, including the gun-loving <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lauren-boebert-says-democrats-are-obsessed-with-conspiracy-theories-2021-3">Rep. Lauren Boebert </a>and Rep. <a href="https://www.insider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-jewish-lasers-space-conspiracy-theories-theory-history-2021-2">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>, who helped bring the conspiracy theory into the mainstream. <h2>The diehard QAnon supporters</h2>Around a dozen congressional candidates have openly affiliated with the QAnon conspiracy theory, including <a href="https://twitter.com/DWood4Congress/status/1277333760514482177?s=20">Daniel Wood of Arizona</a>,<a href="https://twitter.com/alkapdc/status/1289957265609388039?lang=en"> Darlene Schwaffar of Florida</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_x0BlolZei/?igshid=1df4txm0cnfjs">Mayra Flores of Texas</a>.In this cohort is also <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Reba_Sherrill">Reba Sherill</a>, a health and wellness advocate who in 2020 unsuccessfully ran in Florida's 21st congressional district - home to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. She is running again as a Republican candidate for the US Senate in the midterms.As a big Trump fan, Sherrill used to gather with other supporters on a bridge near Mar-A-Lago to wave in homage at the former president's motorcade whenever he was in town, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-candidates-florida-21st-congressional-district-trump/2020/08/16/a8d710b8-de2d-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html">The Washington Post</a> reported. She is an ardent QAnon believer and has made the conspiracy theory central to her largely self-funded campaign. The self-described "Q patriot" focuses her campaign on child trafficking, matching with QAnon's false belief that Trump is fighting a "deep state" cabal of human traffickers in the United States, <a href="https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/how-the-q-anon-factor-is-playing-out-in-floridas-gop-primaries-151258934.html">Yahoo News</a> reported.Sherrill has also referred to the more extreme adrenochrome theory - the belief that Democratic elites harvest the drug from children by torturing them and drinking their blood - in a now-deleted post on her <a href="https://www.rebaforcongress.com/">website.</a>The Flordia native told Yahoo <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword> that the "mainstream media tries to paint people who talk about human trafficking and child sex trafficking as being some kind of crazy lunatics." "This is not a conspiracy, this is reality," she insisted. "It's not some fictitious thing."Another congressional candidate who believes in the human trafficking theory is Omar Navarro, a convicted stalker running for California's 43rd congressional district.Navarro, who also featured in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/qanon-trump-capitol-attack-belief-precursor-the-storm-2021-1">HBO's "Q: Into the Storm" documentary series</a>, is one of the more recognizable faces of the QAnon world.The California native, who last year spent <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200803161010/https://www.thedailybeast.com/california-rep-maxine-waters-foe-omar-navarro-gets-out-of-jail-and-attempts-to-destroy-fellow-republican?source=articles&amp;via=rss=rss">six months in jail</a> after pleading guilty to a stalking charge, told Insider in an interview that he believes in "some things" that "Q" says, including the human trafficking trope. "I do believe that there's human trafficking going on right now. I do believe that Hollywood has participated in some of this with pedophilia on and it's something obviously we can't ignore," he said.Navarro, who has gone viral multiple times on Twitter for his far-right and <a href="https://twitter.com/realomarnavarro/status/1399204839247147017?lang=en">homophobic views</a>, has previously pushed the debunked Pizzagate theory. He told Insider: "I feel like there are certain things going on. There's something shady in that pizza shop."The Californian also defended using the popular QAnon slogan WWG1WGA ("Where we go one, we go all") in a tweet posted on October 3, 2020, saying he ended up deleting it because he didn't want Twitter to ban him."I always have to worry about my free speech and what I say on Twitter," he said.The fear of being removed from social media platforms is not holding back QAnon fan Jo Rae Perkins, who is running for the Senate in Oregon, where she unsuccessfully ran in 2020.Perkins, who discovered QAnon messaging boards in 2017 and describes them as a "source of information." She has also <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/media/3845201">posted</a> a video of herself taking a "digital soldier oath" in front of a WWG1WGA sticker, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/22/politics/jo-rae-perkins-qanon-oregon-senate-race/index.html">CNN reported.</a>In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JoRaePerkins/videos/10212656828176113/">video interview with Right Wing Watch</a> last year, Perkins compared the "Q" posts to secret codes used during World War II and said believing in Q is like believing in Jesus Christ, <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/3aqkjv/qanon-already-has-19-followers-running-for-congress">VICE reported</a>. <h2>The camouflage candidates</h2>Around eight candidates have consistently and blatantly pushed elements of the QAnon conspiracy theory in the past but have, in some way, tried to distance themselves from it. These include <a href="https://twitter.com/BarnettforAZ/status/1294797667910918144">Josh Barnett</a>, <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/last-ditch-plot-to-sabotage-bidens-presidential-election-goes-full-qanon">Bobby Piton</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Johnheretohelp/status/1380577727292575744">Jon McGreevey</a>, and <a href="https://eu.northjersey.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/15/bill-pascrell-and-billy-prempeh-vying-control-njs-9th-district/3655043001/">Billy Prempeh</a>.Most famously, firebrand Rep. <keyword id="9740457" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="marjorie-taylor-greene">Marjorie Taylor Greene</keyword>, the freshman Congressperson who <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-wins-house-gop-runoff-georgia/story?id=72316326">received the support of Former President Donald Trump</a> after her primary runoff victory in Georgia's 14th Congressional District, is one of these candidates.In the past, Greene has proliferated bizarre fantasies that are on-brand with the QAnon conspiracy theory.She has <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/facebook/marjorie-taylor-greene-endorsed-deranged-conspiracy-theory-about-democrats-and-satanic">accused Hillary Clinton of sexually assaulting a child before slicing off her face and wearing it as a mask.</a> She once suggested that the late Supreme Court Justice <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/supreme-court/marjorie-taylor-greene-2019-suggested-ruth-bader-ginsburg-was-replaced-body-double">Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been replaced by a body </a>double years ago, and has said that <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2021/01/30/did-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-blame-a-space-laser-for-wildfires-heres-the-response/?sh=65910c3ce44a">California wildfires might have been started by space lasers</a>.<div type="image" title="marjorie taylor greene" height="2682" width="3576" msid="83892631" hostid="261"></div>Greene pushed these ideas so fervently that she became a "correspondent" for a conspiracy news website between 2017 and 2018, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/georgia-congressional-candidate-s-writings-highlight-qanon-support-n1236724">NBC News</a> reported. In <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180419234735/http://americantruthseekers.com/qanon-what-is-the-storm-and-is-there-about-to-be-an-awakening/">one of her posts</a> for the now-defunct "American Truth Seekers" website, the controversial lawmaker called Q a "patriot."She also told her social media followers that Q "is worth listening to" in a now-deleted video from 2017.But while Greene once proudly broadcast some of QAnon's wildest ideas, she has since tried to publicly distance herself from the conspiracy theory.In August 2020, Greene said that QAnon no longer represented her current position. "No, I don't [consider myself a QAnon candidate]. I think that's been the media's characterization of me," she told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/marjorie-greene-georgia-gop-says-shes-not-a-qanon-candidate">Fox News</a>.But that didn't stop Twitter from<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-suspended-from-twitter-for-12-hours-2021-1"> temporarily locking her account in January 2021</a> when it culled QAnon accounts after the deadly Capitol riot.Rep. <keyword id="10543170" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lauren-boebert">Lauren Boebert</keyword>, a contemporary of Greene and a rising star in the GOP, has also tried to walk back her support of the conspiracy theory she had formerly championed.Known to some as the "<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/qanon-lauren-boebert-nancy-pelosi-capitol-riot-b1785663.html">QAnon Congresswoman,"</a> Boebert has said that she is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/01/who-is-lauren-boebert-republican-primary-qanon-trump">"very familiar" with QAnon</a> and has praised the conspiracy theory. "Everything that I've heard of Q, I hope that this is real because it only means that America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values," she said during <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/07/01/885991730/gop-candidates-open-to-qanon-conspiracy-theory-advance-in-congressional-races">an appearance on QAnon web show SteelTruth</a> in May 2020.But after winning the Republican nomination for Colorado's 3rd District, she told <a href="https://kdvr.com/news/politics/colorado-primary-winner-lauren-boebert-meets-president-trump-distances-herself-from-qanon/">Fox 31 News</a> that she's "not a follower." She did not, however, disavow a central tenet of the QAnon ideology - that the "deep state" is actively working against Trump. "I believe there are people working in the administration that at least appear to be actively undermining President Trump," she said in 2020.<div type="image" title="AP lauren boebert" height="2670" width="3560" msid="83892632" hostid="261"></div>Publicly disavowing QAnon whilst continuing to advocate for some of the conspiracy theory's nonsensical beliefs is an oft-used "camouflage" tactic by the far-right, Media Matters president Angela Carusone told Insider.Some candidates might be doing so to appear more palatable to a wider audience and to avoid "political blowback" while maintaining their base of QAnon donors, he said."When candidates walk back their QAnon commitment, I think you have to view that with real skepticism," Carusone advised. "They do things in a careful and concerted way."<h2>QAnon is a political tool to raise money and attract voters</h2>While some candidates publicly disavow QAnon in a bid to appeal to a more mainstream audience, others subtly signal their support for it as a means to bring conspiracy theorists into the fold, to donate and vote for them."Many don't even mention Q directly," Jack Bratich, an associate professor of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University, told Insider. "It's become a kind of background story for adherents, who can signal to each other that they are part of this shadowy movement."Insider identified around a dozen candidates who have expressed their support for QAnon in less than explicit ways, via retweets, subtle nods to slogans, and the use of specific hashtags. These include Steve Von Loor, Tricia Flanagan, Sam Peters, and Anthony Sabatini.<div type="image" title="qanon sign dc" height="1000" width="1333" msid="83892633" hostid="261"></div>Several candidates included the hashtag #WWG1WGA in their tweets. Others included the letter "Q" in response to posts from QAnon-affiliated accounts.Tricia Flanagan, for example, <a href="https://twitter.com/NewDayForNJ/status/1246463861059919872">wrote "ThanQ"</a> in response to a QAnon account. Sam Peters used the <a href="https://twitter.com/SamPetersNevada/status/1290044418636935169">#QArmy hashtag</a> in August 2020."I'm certain that there are some of these individuals that don't actually care or believe in it, but they see it as an opportunity," Carusone said."I think there are some candidates who are certainly just being political," Carusone went on. "They're crassly seeing a potential political donor base or power base."<h2>QAnon is 'on the rise' in congressional <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword></h2>It's clear that the influence of QAnon in congressional politics is "on the rise," Carusone said. "And they're aggressively moving to take over parts of the Republican party, local committees, school boards, local races too."Bratich said it shows how deeply QAnon has "settled" into the Republican party. "As a movement, it has expanded to try and take over the party," he said. "It's not central to the GOP but it's no longer a marginal component either."QAnon is now a major force in American politics, Carusone agreed. "And, basically, I think we're kind of screwed."Here is a full list of all 36 QAnon supporters who are running for Congress in 2022. <ul><li>Josh Barnett, Arizona </li><li>Daniel Wood, Arizona</li><li>Jamie Byers, California</li><li>Mike Cargile, California</li><li>Ignacio Cruz, California</li><li>Peter Liu, California</li><li>Omar Navarro, California</li><li>Buzz Patterson, California</li><li>Lauren Boebert, Colorado</li><li>Darren Aquino, Florida</li><li>Vic DeGrammont, Florida</li><li>Luis Miguel, Florida</li><li>Christine Quinn, Florida</li><li>Anthony Sabatini, Florida</li><li>Christine Scott, Florida</li><li>Reba Sherrill, Florida</li><li>Lavern Spicer, Florida</li><li>Darlene Swaffar, Florida</li><li>Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia</li><li>Bobby Piton, Illinois</li><li>Philanise White, Illinois</li><li>Jon McGreevey, Maryland</li><li>Danielle Stella, Minnesota</li><li>Sam Peters, Nevada</li><li>Mindy Robinson, Nevada</li><li>Tricia Flanagan, New Jersey</li><li>Billy Prempeh, New Jersey</li><li>Antoine Tucker, New York</li><li>Steve Von Loor, North Carolina</li><li>JR Majewski, Ohio</li><li>Mark Pukita, Ohio</li><li>Joe Rae Perkins, Oregon</li><li>Bobby Jeffries, Pennsylvania</li><li>Robert Lancia, Rhode Island</li><li>Mayra Flores, Texas</li><li>Jonny Teague, Texas</li></ul>

A Trump-loving insurrectionist and a convicted stalker are among 36 QAnon supporters running for Congress in 2022

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="118728" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="hawaii">Hawaii</keyword>'s Republican Party drew criticism for posting a series of <keyword id="6406419" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tweets">tweets</keyword> about the <keyword id="9152811" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="qanon">QAnon</keyword> Conspiracy.</li><li>The tweets suggested that QAnon followers should not be mocked because their beliefs were driven by patriotism.</li><li>Followers of QAnon were involved with the insurrection at the US Capitol building.</li></ul>Hawaii's Republican Party posted a series of tweets that appeared to defend followers of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/30-of-republicans-have-favorable-view-of-qanon-conspiracy-theory-poll-2021-1">QAnon conspiracy theory</a>.The eight-part Twitter thread on Friday night, concluded with a call not to ridicule QAnon supporters.The tweet read: "We should make it abundantly clear - the people who subscribed to the Q fiction, were largely motivated by a sincere and deep love for America. Patriotism and love of County should never be ridiculed."In earlier tweets, Hawaii's GOP described the origins of the conspiracy theory that is thought to have <a href="https://www.insider.com/capitol-riots-qanon-protest-conspiracy-theory-washington-dc-protests-2021-1">fueled the deadly siege of the US Capitol building</a>.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/right-wing-conspiracy-theories-qanon-fueled-capitol-siege-instigate-violence-2021-1">The right-wing conspiracy theories that fueled the Capitol siege are going to instigate more violence.</a>One tweet focused on the conspiracy theory's central belief that a 'deep state' engage in coordinated plots to undermine former President Donald Trump.It read: "What is the truth? There are highly networked groups of people with specific agendas. Factions and individuals within Government do abuse power - Peter Strozk, Steele Dossier, James Comey, FISA courts, and on."It continued: "Powerful people do engage in abusive or predatory behavior."Another tweet said: "People who followed Q don't deserve mockery, the world is a complex place, there are bad actors, injustice, corruption."The tweets drew criticism from people who felt the Hawaii Republican Party's were attempting to rationalize the disproven QAnon conspiracy theory.Adherents of the conspiracy were on the front line of the insurrection on January 6.A QAnon influencer - the 'Q Shaman' - played a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/q-shaman-qanon-influencer-capitol-siege-washington-dc-protest-riot-2021-1">highly visible role in the Capitol siege</a>. He has since been arrested and charged with federal crimes.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ashli-babbitt-tweeted-qanon-and-trump-conspiracies-before-capitol-death-2021-1">Ashli Babbitt,</a> who was fatally shot during the attempted coup, also appeared to be a supporter of QAnon.Some of the conspiracy theory's adherents believed that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/qanon-trump-capitol-attack-belief-precursor-the-storm-2021-1">storming the Capitol could trigger an event</a> that would result in Trump overthrowing and executing anti-Trump elites.

Angry response to Hawaii Republican Party's defence of QAnon supporters from ridicule and its claims they are motivated by a 'deep love for America'

Facing growing demand for his resignation, Nepal's embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has said that the ruling communist party is facing a grave crisis, indicating that it may split soon, according to a media report on Sunday. Oli, at an emergency meeting of the Cabinet at his official residence, told the Cabinet ministers that "some of our party members are also trying to remove President Bidya Devi Bhandari from the power," My Republica newspaper quoted a senior leader as saying. "Now, conspiracies are being hatched to remove me from the post of prime minister and party chairman," the prime minister said on Saturday, adding that he will not let it happen. The ruling party is facing a grave crisis, Oli said. After Oli's remarks about the conspiracy to impeach the president, three former prime ministers -- Pushpa Kamal Dahal '<keyword id="12695" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prachanda">Prachanda</keyword>', Madhav Nepal and Jhanalanth Khanal -- met Bhandari and clarified that the rumour about <keyword id="9401461" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-nepal-communist-party">the Nepal Communist Party</keyword> (NCP) leaders trying to remove her from office were untrue, The Kathmandu Post reported. On Saturday, a crucial meeting of the NCP's 45-member powerful Standing Committee to decide the political future of Oli was postponed until Monday to allow more time for the top leadership to iron out their differences over his style of functioning and anti-India statements. During the Cabinet meeting, a defiant Oli said that he will not be forced to accept the party's Standing Committee decision. He also urged the ministers to make their position clear whether they support him or not. "I had to make a quick decision to prorogue the budget session of Parliament last week after coming to know that some of our party members were hatching conspiracy to register an impeachment motion against the President at Parliament," Oli told the ministers. Surya Thapa, the prime minister's press aide, said that the prime minister invited the ministers to share the latest political developments in the country. Prior to the meeting, Oli held a one-on-one meeting with President Bhandari at her office in Maharajgunj. Oli's statement comes at a time when the intra-party rift in the NCP is at its peak after majority of the party's Standing Committee members and Central Secretariat members demanded his immediate resignation from the post of Prime Minister and party chairman, accusing the government of failing to live up to the people's expectations. He has accused NCP executive chairman Prachanda of non-cooperation in running the government while Prachanda is accusing Oli of imposing hegemony in the party. Prime Minister Oli, 68, last week claimed that there have been various kinds of activities in the "embassies and hotels" to remove him from power. He said some Nepalese leaders were also involved in the plot after his government redrew the country's political map by incorporating three strategically key Indian territories -- Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura. Raising baseless accusations against India and leaders of his own party by the Prime Minister was not appropriate, a senior leader of the party quoted Prachanda as saying during the Standing Committee meeting last week. Prachanda has time and again spoken about the lack of coordination between the government and the party and he was pressing for a one-man one position system to be followed by the NCP. The differences between the two factions of the NCP -- one led by Oli and the other led by Prachanda -- intensified after the prime minister unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament last week. In May 2018, when Oli and Dahal announced formation of the Nepal Communist Party, they had reached a gentleman's agreement to lead the government in turn, two-and-a-half years each. But according to the November 2019 agreement, Oli would lead the government for the full five-year term and Dahal would run the party as "executive chairman". Dahal has maintained that Oli failed to uphold the spirit of the November 2019 agreement, hence he should abide by the May 2018 gentleman's agreement, making way for him to lead the government. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/go-air-has-filed-for-a-3600-crore-ipo-at-a-very-desperate-time/articleshow/82626097.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Go Air has filed for a ₹3,600 crore IPO at a very desperate time</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/heres-why-the-spike-in-inflation-in-the-us-may-worry-markets-in-india/articleshow/82597218.cms">Here's why the spike in inflation in the US may worry markets in India ⁠— but experts say don’t panic yet</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-responds-to-privacy-criticism-by-alleging-other-apps-like-zomato-ola-aarogya-setu-zoom-google-and-other-apps/articleshow/82570897.cms">WhatsApp responds to privacy criticism by alleging that other apps and tech companies also show disdain for user privacy</a>

Oli smells a conspiracy against the communist party ahead of being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal again

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Reuters/Adrees LatifA four-year-old boy weeps in the arms of a family member as he and others were apprehended by border patrol agents after illegally crossing into the U.S. border from Mexico near McAllen, Texas, U.S., May 2, 2018.</div></div></div><ul><li>Immigration is a political issue. Taking children from parents is a human one.</li><li>The Republican Party has lost its mind when it comes to immigration.</li></ul> Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California has <a href="https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/6/feinstein-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-halt-separation-of-immigrant-families" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sponsored</a> a bill that would forbid the separation of parents and children at the border.The Keep Families Together Act has been cosponsored by many of her Democratic counterparts and Thursday, on Twitter, Feinstein wrote that she and her partners are "continuing to ask Republica senators to join our bill."I cringed.For those of us who were proud to identify as conservatives before the most recent presidential election, and who now find ourselves in some strange limbo where we still believe in many of the core beliefs that the conservative movement use to espouse but can no longer support the majority of this current iteration of the Republican Party's policies, there is no issue that provokes more frustration and shame than <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/migrant-kids-detention-center-pictures-details-us-mexico-border-casa-padre-2018-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what is currently going on at the border</a>.It's no secret that Democrats and Republicans tend to have vastly diverging views on immigration. I was always out of sync with my party on this issue, even before the reign of Donald Trump. As the grandchild of four people who were not born in this country - one of whom was a survivor of the Holocaust, and two of whom fled from Vienna and Berlin and were blessed to find refuge in this country - I take seriously the words "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."It's OK, though, that much of the Republican Party has a less inviting stance on immigration. Reasonable people can disagree about political policy, even when that policy affects the lives of real, breathing people. We have to be tolerant of such disagreement, and its implementation. But there are limits. And what we are seeing on the border right now is not a partisan issue. It's not a political issue. It is an issue of basic humanity.This administration should hear from the left, and the right, and anyone in between, just how reprehensible this policy is. Republicans who are silent - or worse, support this abhorrent practice - are only serving to illustrate to the rest of the country, and the world, how the party of religiously inspired morality has totally, utterly lost its way. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-having-problems-bugs-2018-5">Why Apple is having so many problems right now</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

The Republican Party has lost its mind on immigration

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/John VizcainoA Colombian antinarcotics policeman stands guard after burning a cocaine lab, which police said belongs to criminal gangs, in a rural area of Calamar in Guaviare state, Colombia, August 2, 2016.</div></div></div>After 52 years of conflict, Colombia's government and the left-wing rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colombia-and-farc-rebels-reach-ceasefire-deal-2016-6" target="_blank">signed a ceasefire deal</a> earlier this year, bringing to a close one of the world's longest-running wars.But while the FARC rebels have agreed to lay down their arms, keeping that peace deal alive economically has gotten more difficult."I would say ... the whole peace process has become substantially more complicated because of the economic environment that Colombia finds itself in," Anna Szterenfeld, the Economist Intelligence Unit's senior analyst for Colombia, told Business Insider.In 2012, when current Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos entered office and began trying to set up negotiations with FARC rebels, "it looked as if there was a lot more resources that could be put behind an eventual peace agreement," Szterenfeld said."And what you have now is that you've got the good news about the near conclusion of the peace talks ... but this is happening against the backdrop of all kinds of other economic constraints."<h2>'Intelligent austerity'</h2>Colombia's recent economic struggles have been largely driven by the enduring slump in oil prices.Oil exports financed <a href="http://colombiareports.com/santos-cuts-3-of-colombias-2016-budget-amid-economic-slowdown/" target="_blank">about one-fifth</a> of government expenditures prior to the protracted price decline that started in early 2014.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Jose Miguel GomezEmployees of the Canadian Pacific Rubiales Petroleum Company stand next to oil excavation pipes at Campo Rubiales field in Meta, eastern Colombia.</div></div></div>In February of this year, Santos announced a 3% cut to the federal budget in response to the prolonged slump - a cut he said was part of "<a href="http://colombiareports.com/santos-cuts-3-of-colombias-2016-budget-amid-economic-slowdown/" target="_blank">intelligent austerity</a>" measures that were already included in the budget.That was followed in June by an announcement that the country's fiscal deficit for 2016 <a href="http://colombiareports.com/colombias-2016-fiscal-gap-widens-rebound-oil-prices-stays-away/" target="_blank">would be 3.9%</a> of gross domestic product, rather than the 3.6% previously reported.The oil slump has also negatively affected the value of the Colombian peso and <a href="http://colombiareports.com/inflation-rate-reaches-highest-levels-since-2001/" target="_blank">driven up inflation</a> (and food prices), which in turn has prompted interest-rate increases for 11 consecutive months, with the <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/colombian-central-bank-raises-benchmark-interest-rate-by-quarter-point-1469831779" target="_blank">latest increase</a> pushing the key lending rate up to 7.75% in July.Economic weakness has also affected Colombia's credit. In July, Fitch and Moody's lowered the country's outlook, with the latter <a href="http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/economia/otro-cambio-negativo-de-perspectivas-crediticias-colomb-articulo-645641" target="_blank">saying</a> the move from a stable to negative outlook "reflects the expectation of deceleration of business volumes and an increase in asset risks while the low prices of oil continue affecting the economy.""So you have this circle of ... economic conditions that are reinforcing a slowdown in the economy just at a time when the government's going to need to cough up quite a bit of financial resources to put behind the peace accords," Szterenfeld told Business Insider.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/Desmond BoylanCuba's President Raul Castro, center, encourages Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, left, and Commander the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, Timoleon Jimenez to shake hands, in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, September 23, 2015.</div></div></div>In light of these economic doldrums and the quickly approaching implementation of the peace deal, Colombian officials have been underscoring the need for <keyword id="6356001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> assistance."We'll need to mobilise resources, domestically and internationally. We need grants, we need donor countries to help Colombia succeed in ending the conflict," Finance Minister Mauricio Cárdenas <a href="https://next.ft.com/content/9c693c14-ca75-11e5-be0b-b7ece4e953a0" target="_blank">told</a> the Financial Times earlier this year.<h2>Rebuilding a country</h2>The priciest parts of ending that conflict are likely to be the most important. A half-century of conflict has left much of the country - particularly the rural regions where the FARC has been the most active - underdeveloped and without modern infrastructure, especially in the farming sector."The peace will permit many places in the country that have been abandoned or that have been difficult to access because of the war to receive investment, but it will depend on a very clear and really effective policy from the government, since for that to be effective there must be investments in" a number of sectors, such as health and transportation, <a href="https://twitter.com/camilosilvaj" target="_blank">Camilo Silva</a>, a founding partner of Colombian financial-advisory firm <a href="http://www.valorainversiones.com/sitio/" target="_blank">Valora Inversiones</a>, told Business Insider.Those investments will also have to flow to people. There must be "funding to the population so they can change those illegal businesses into ones permitted by the <keyword id="6355470" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Law">law</keyword>," Silva said.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/Rodrigo AbdIn this January 7, 2016, photo, a farmer stirs a mix of mulched coca leaves and cement with gasoline, as part of the initial process to make coca paste, at a small makeshift lab in the mountain region of Antioquia, Colombia. Apart from gasoline and cement, ammonia, sulphuric acid, sodium permanganate, and caustic soda are some of the chemicals used to produce the paste.</div></div></div>Production of coca, the base ingredient in cocaine, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colombia-farc-ceasefire-and-cocaine-production-2016-7" target="_blank">has risen over the last two years</a>, causing concern that the Santos' administration's push for peace has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colombia-farc-ceasefire-and-cocaine-production-2016-7" target="_blank">created opportunities for drug traffickers</a>. The Colombian government will have to work to keep people in rural areas - civilians and former FARC members alike - from entering the drug industry after a peace accord goes into effect.This will require investment in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/farc-cocaine-production-in-colombia-coca-paste-2016-7" target="_blank">crop-substitution programs</a> (which may be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/farc-cocaine-production-in-colombia-coca-paste-2016-7" target="_blank">limited in their applicability</a>) as well as other job-training and education initiatives.Another demand on the government's finances will be the costs of demobilization. As part of its deal with the government, the FARC has agreed to house its roughly 7,000 remaining soldiers in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/colombia-announces-cease-fire-deal-to-end-52-year-conflict-with-farc/2016/06/23/3b85e53a-37ff-11e6-af02-1df55f0c77ff_story.html" target="_blank">23 protected zones and eight camps</a> stationed around the country. The rebels in those zones will be disarmed, meaning it will be on the Santos government to protect them from the violence that other demobilized rebels have suffered.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/Fernando VergaraMarchers carry photos of slain members of the Patriotic Union, a political party launched by rebels of the FARC in the 1980s, during a march in honor of victims of Colombia's violence in Bogota, March 6, 2008.</div></div></div>"There is going to be a cost associated with providing security for the demobilized guerrillas," Szterenfeld told Business Insider, and not just the costs of their subsistence and ultimate reintegration into society.Those FARC members with political aspirations likely carry memories of the <a href="http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-09-02/colombias-farc-rebels-face-dangers-possible-return-politics" target="_blank">Patriotic Union</a>, the political party formed by FARC members in the 1980s, many <a href="http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-09-02/colombias-farc-rebels-face-dangers-possible-return-politics" target="_blank">members of which were killed</a> by right-wing paramilitary groups."If they're being asked to give up their arms, the government is going to have to ensure that they're safe, because there are paramilitaries, or demobilized paramilitary groups ... that would go after them," Szterenfeld told Business Insider.Former rebels are not going to be the only people with security needs in a post-peace Colombia.The South American country is home to the largest number of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colombia-farc-and-peace-2015-7" target="_blank">displaced people in the world</a> - some 7 million - many of whom will need to return to their homes in rural areas if Colombia is expected to reap all of the hoped-for benefits of a peace deal."People are not going to return to their homes without guarantees that ... the threat of violence has gone away and they can begin to rebuild their lives," James Bosworth, CEO of regional advisory firm Southern Pulse, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colombia-farc-and-peace-2015-7" target="_blank">told Business Insider in May 2015</a>. Demobilizing rebels is one part of reducing that threat, but keeping the peace and ensuring development will come with a price.Cárdenas, the finance minister, <a href="https://next.ft.com/content/9c693c14-ca75-11e5-be0b-b7ece4e953a0" target="_blank">said</a> Colombia is spending some $4 billion on implementing the peace deal, including reparations to victims. Over 10 years, the costs of post-conflict programs is <a href="http://www.as-coa.org/articles/weekly-chart-colombias-peace-process-numbers" target="_blank">expected to reach $16.8 billion</a>, or about 1% of Colombia's gross domestic product.<h2>Paying for everything</h2>Colombia is also angling for $450 million in aid from the US to support post-conflict programs. But, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/farc-cocaine-production-in-colombia-coca-paste-2016-7" target="_blank">in light of recent events</a>, aid from the US is likely to come with strings attached.Many in the US Congress will say "OK, but if we're going to give Colombia more money, we want to see some more efforts on their part to combat this increase in coca crops," Szterenfeld said. Colombia will have to approach stipulations like this diplomatically, as efforts to arrest coca production may push many FARC rebels who are wary of the peace process back into their criminal activities.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Reuters" title_caption="FARC factions exist throughout Colombia, but clashes between rebel groups and the government have decreased in recent years." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5798f9f388e4a7f4328baf7d-960/colombia rebel groups ceasefire farc june 2016.jpg"></a>ReutersFARC factions exist throughout Colombia, but clashes between rebel groups and the government have decreased in recent years.</div></div></div>The Colombian government has touted the benefits of peace, with Santos saying that an end to the conflict will add a full percentage point to GDP growth. "The ceasefire agreement frees up a potential that has been repressed by war," <a href="http://colombiareports.com/end-armed-conflict-boost-colombias-gdp-growth-1-santos/" target="_blank">Santos said</a> earlier this year. "This will allow the private sector to reach the markets and areas they never were able to reach."But getting the programs needed to implement that peace deal off the ground will require upfront investment. Wall Street <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/colombian-central-bank-raises-benchmark-interest-rate-by-quarter-point-1469831779" target="_blank">analysts have said</a> the government will need to pursue tax reform later this year, a point that Silva echoed."Peace must also have an economic effort on the part of Colombians, as we will have to finance it" with new taxes, possibly brought about by tax reforms later this year, said Silva, who is also a columnist for <a href="http://www.portafolio.co/noticias-economicas/camilo-silva" target="_blank">Portafolio</a> and La Republica."It's important to clear the way for tax reform, whether or not the peace agreement is approved," Silva added, saying it was an issue that credit-ratings agencies were paying attention to. Bank of America said earlier this year that tax revenues would need to increase by 1% to 1.5% of GDP to <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/colombian-central-bank-raises-benchmark-interest-rate-by-quarter-point-1469831779" target="_blank">stave off a credit downgrade</a>.Peace is undoubtedly a positive step for Colombia, economically, politically, and socially. But getting there will require more work, and the benefits aren't likely to be apparent in the near future."There's going to be a productive boost to the economy in the medium to long-term," Szterenfeld told Business Insider, "but in the very early stage there's not going to be a dramatic difference in the economy." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colombia-finds-sunken-treasure-ship-2015-12">Colombia found a sunken ship with $17 billion in treasure</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5rdW1keTqK5PiDzDCMEe6UEBMleriCgf" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Colombia has finally ended a 52-year war, but the price of peace will be high

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">ReutersVisitors of the "re:publica" conference, about digital culture in the world, try out virtual reality headsets at the booth of German ZDF public TV broadcaster in Berlin, Germany, May 2, 2016</div></div></div>It turns out the US consumer is still doing fine.This was thrown into doubt last week as the peak season for big-box retail earnings started on a sour note. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/macys-earnings-and-guidance-2016-5">Macy's lowered its earnings guidance</a> for the year with some bleak commentary, while <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jc-penney-tanking-after-terrible-outlook-2016-5">JC Penney whiffed on sales</a> and slashed full-year projections. Their <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/retail-stocks-getting-annihilated-2016-5">shares fell</a> with Gap, Nordstrom, and others that missed expectations.But the Census Bureau's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/retail-sales-april-2016-2016-5">retail sales</a> data Friday brought some relief when it showed a 1.3% jump in April - the most in a year.If it's so bad for big-box retailers, how come retail sales were so strong? "That juxtaposition is a useful reminder that publicly-traded corporations account for a minority of economic activity in the US, and only the Census data are structured to get a read-through of sales irrespective of legal organizational form," said JPMorgan's Michael Feroli in a client note.So, brace for more ugly retail earnings this week, but don't get carried away.<h2>Top stories</h2><ul><li>Fears about the consumer were overblown: After an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-gdp-q1-2016-advance-estimate-2016-4">economic slowdown</a> in the first quarter followed by some of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/retail-stocks-getting-annihilated-2016-5">bleakest commentary</a> we've heard from retailers in a while, Friday's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/retail-sales-april-2016-2016-5">retail sales</a> report became an all-important reading on consumer spending. And it did not disappoint. "The rebound in growth in the second quarter looks solid," <a href="http://dianeswonk.com/consumers-motor-ahead/">wrote</a> Diane Swonk at DS Economics. "This, coupled with a warming trend in inflation, will allow Fed officials to feel more comfortable with another rate hike ... I think the Fed should move in June, but probably cannot, given the shock that would be to markets." If weak retail earnings were the source of consumer concern, then that would be ignoring non-store (mostly online) retailers, who accounted for over 40% of last month's increase per the Census Bureau. But the reality check is that wages are still largely going nowhere, even though average hourly earnings crept up in recent months. For Mark Heppenstall, chief investment officer of Penn Mutual Asset Management, that's the one catalyst that would lift consumer spending even higher. </li><li>Negative rates are still on the table: However, they'll only be used in the US in an extreme scenario. Federal Reserve chair <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/janet-yellen-doesnt-rule-out-negative-interest-rates-2016-5">Janet Yellen repeated this</a> in a written response to a question from US Rep. Brad Sherman (D-California.) She said (emphasis ours), "By some accounts, these policies appear to have provided additional policy accommodation. As I have noted previously, we certainly are trying to learn as much as we can from the experience of other countries. That said, while I would not completely rule out the use of negative interest rates in some future very adverse scenario, policymakers would need to consider a wide range of issues before employing this tool in the United States, including the potential for unintended consequences." It's still unclear whether the Fed has the legal authority to use negative rates like its counterparts in Europe and Japan, as a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/janet-yellen-on-negative-interest-rates-2016-2">2010 Fed-staff memo</a> indicated.</li></ul><h2>Economic calendar</h2><ul><li>Empire State Manufacturing (Mon.): The latest index of manufacturing activity in New York is expected to slow to 6.50 in May from 9.56 in the prior month. That would be a decline from the highest level in 15 months. Here's RBC: "Empire should remain firmly in positive terrain as underlying detail (namely orders relative to inventories) continues to suggest good momentum for activity."</li><li>NAHB Housing Market Index (Mon.): The index of sentiment from the National Association of Homebuilders is expected at 59. RBC said, "We think NAHB is poised for some upside as well, given firm housing demand suggested by mortgage app activity." </li><li>Housing Starts and Building Permits: (Tues.): Housing starts are expected to rise 3.3% month-on-month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.125 million. Building Permits are forecast to increase 5.4% at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.134 million. Here's Bank of America Merrill Lynch: "Housing data can be very choppy and the large decline in March single family starts appears to be mostly payback from a robust February. As a result, we anticipate only modest recovery."</li><li>Consumer Price Index (Tues.): The gauge of inflation is expected to show a 0.4% rise in April from March. Compared to the prior year, CPI is forecast at 1.1%. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, core CPI is expected at 0.2% month-on-month and 2.1% year-on-year. BNP Paribas lists three things supporting their core CPI forecast of 0.15% month-on-month: "(1) improvements in apparel, lodging away from home, and household furnishings &amp; operations prices; (2) slightly better Owners' Equivalent Rent after softer-than-expected March gain; and (3) limited improvement in medical services prices after soft reading in March."</li><li>Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization (Tues.): Economists forecast that industrial production rose 0.3% month-on-month in April, following a 0.6% drop reported in the previous month. Capacity utilization is forecast at 75%, and manufacturing production is estimated at 0.3%. "We look for industrial production to advance in April, but for near-term gains to remain modest amid slow growth at home and abroad," Wells Fargo said.</li><li>FOMC Meeting Minutes (Wed.): Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee's April meeting will be released at 2 p.m. ET. RBC thinks they "should continue to show a committee worried more about global developments than constructive US domestic realities. Given recent comments, these are likely to prove quite stale. Even some doves, like Rosengren, have taken a much more balanced approach of late."</li><li>Initial Jobless Claims (Thur.): Economists estimate that weekly initial jobless claims fell to 275,000. Last week, claims spiked to 294,000, the highest level since late last February. </li><li>Philly Fed Business Outlook (Thur.): Economists forecast that the regional index of business activity jumped to 3 in May after printing at -1.6 in April. Here's BAML: "While the guts of the survey did confirm that April was a weak month for the Philly Fed district, every expectations component saw a nice improvement suggesting that businesses were optimistic and viewed the deterioration as transitory. Indeed, the stabilization and upturn in oil prices, pullback in USD, and fading global uncertainty are ample enough reasons to be more positive about the near-term outlook for manufacturing."</li><li>Existing Home Sales (Fri.): Economists project that existing home sales rose 1% at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.38 million. "Limited inventory on the market continues to hamper the pace of home sales activity," noted Wells Fargo.</li></ul><h2>Market Commentary</h2>Brace for one more sell-off before the end of the year, Goldman Sachs' David Kostin advised clients. In a recent note, Kostin wrote that markets are calmer than they were in the first quarter, demonstrated by the drops in various volatility gauges. After a 12% plunge in January and February, stocks are right about where they were at the start of the year. The S&amp;P 500 is likely to end the year at 2,100, or 3% above its current level. But in the next few months, we could be looking at another drop of between 5% to 10%. Kostin wrote:Not all is bleak, with possible upside arising from the recent trend of positive earnings revisions, as discussed last week, along with the possibilities of investors adding more length and a dovish Fed surprise in June. However, upside/downside risks are not evenly distributed. S&amp;P 500 will likely experience at least one drawdown between now and year-end. We recommend selling upside calls to fund downside protection given the options market prices a below-average probability of a 5%-10% drawdown during the next three months.He noted the following six risks that are currently dormant, but could easily become tangible scares if investor sentiment suddenly changes:<ul><li>The forward P/E multiple of the S&amp;P 500 shows that stock valuations are high, and the most likely future path of equities involves them being lower. The multiple of the index, at 16.7x, ranks in the 86th percentile compared to the last 40 years. </li><li>Supply and demand trends suggest downside risk. Investors have bought $23 billion worth of futures positions since the end of March. When there was less investor positioning at the beginning of the year, that served as a bullish argument. But now, Goldman's sentiment indicator is higher, which is a less bullish sign for the market.</li><li>Corporate buybacks have been a big source of demand, but they may wane in the coming months. </li><li>The Fed may shock with more rate hikes this year than markets are pricing in. </li><li>Slowing growth in China would cause investors to re-focus on the prospect of a US recession.</li><li>The upcoming party conventions in July could raise political uncertainty and weigh on the stock market. </li></ul> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/global-economy-biggest-threat-2016-4">FORMER GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: The single largest threat to the global economy</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="4wNWo1MzE6mCXkk1XHZUEjn1PYYwkNot" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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