five hours to reel in a record fish. the massive catch was a few pounds short of the u.s. record for the largest swordfish ever landed. a huge barbecue later, more than 100 people came. arthel: will be back in an hour. please join us. ♪♪ paul: welcome to the journal editorial report. the centers for disease control and prevention making the case for in person learning this week with a new report says there's little evidence that schools contribute to the spread of covid within larger communities. that transmission within schools has been very rare. new guidance comes as teachers unions across the country continues to insist it's unsafe

to return to the classroom. thomas carol is superintendent of schools for the catholic archdiocese of boston, more than 30,000 students in 100 schools have been attending in person classes since full. welcome. appreciate you coming on. tell us about your experience in boston. new students have been in classes since the fall, is a full week in class or a hybrid system where there's student trade-off? >> the elementary schools are in full week and high schools, some are doing a hybrid scenario. all the children are expected every week to be in person instruction. we do allow parents who have medically optimized people in their household to watch classes live streamed but we give in person option to everyone. when we started, as soon as the governor announced we could open schools, we never made the decision to provide in person, we just try to figure out how.

one of the public school districts were focused on meeting with the union to figure out whether they would open. in our market, most did not open right away. a delayed and that went remote. i think it's a tragic mistake will find consequences that will be long-lasting. paul: you have gained something like 4000 students, the catholic schools since the fall, tell us about that. how do you find the capacity? that's a big search for school system with 30,000 kids. >> before july, we dropped 5700 kids, mostly because we shut down the economy a lot of people couldn't afford to attend private school anymore but then july 15, the three major teachers union announced they were going remote. it's funny because they are technically not in charge of the

schools but it showed that they were. when it hit the 6:00 news, bones at all 100 of our schools started ringing off the hook and that's the moment in which we gained 4000 children attending our schools from july 15 to middle october. paul: what do do to keep the students and teachers safe? are you putting in special protocols or equipment? what are you doing? >> we closely with the governor on the initial protocols put in. without the ones we came up with were pretty reasonable. the kids are safe, which they normally are in catholic schools. you minimize face-to-face contact, children wear masks and sanitized like crazy. what we find in massachusetts, is probably true around the country, the cdc has caught up with the evidence, in the immunity where people are not following the rules very well,

many flat out ignoring them. you have high levels of transmission within schools. even without the nuns we used to have, kids follow instructions. kids are in a supervised setting, following protocols in all cases we get our what we call outside cases. we have very few cases. right now, three cases out of 35500 kids and adults in our schools that are in school transmission cases all because somebody was not detected quick enough but virtually all cases are coming from outside. my conclusion from having done this since september, some schools opened in august, the safest place for a child is in catholic school or any school

following health protocols. it's not in the broader community. the rates are dramatically higher. for us to have three cases of transmission with 35500 people in our schools, that tells you is a call subsequently opened and that's not been true. the schools extremely safe and it's important, kids need to be with other children. teachers want to be with them their parents want them in schools. walking down so kids can't go to school doesn't make sense it is the case where the catholic church in this case is following the signs. the teachers unions have become the flat earth people. they are ignoring the signs and health data which has been consistent since the fall. it's very safe for a kid to be in school following health protocols. it's not safe them to be at home where protocols are not followed in their mental health issues developing and you will have a generation of kids that have lost a year end half of education for quality education

and these kids are disadvantaged and have trouble staying on grade level and now they make up a year, year end a half and that will have an impact on them through their education. paul: a couple of quick questions, you have special distance education for older teachers who may be more at risk? to they give them the option of teaching remotely? >> no. all of our teachers teach in person. we have had some teachers that have chosen not to teach, it's a free country, they can do that but we think it's important for the teachers to be in the classroom with the children and that's what we require in the archdiocese. as it turned out, the older teachers haven't had any problem at all given that everyone is following, given that everyone is following the protocols. paul: thank you.

fascinating story. when we come back, the debate over reopening schools, president bidens chief of staff said it all comes down to money. more cash, what's needed to get teachers back into the classroom. ♪♪

why do you think so many public schools across the country are still closed in places private schools are open? >> i'll give you a word, many. even before taking office, to make the investment you need to make the schools safe. >> the debate over reopening schools region on, ron ames says it's all about the money arguing public schools should get more

federal aid before teachers return to the classroom. he defends teachers unions that are objecting to in person learning think some schools haven't made the investment to keep students safe. let's bring in our panel. deputy editorial page editor, dan henninger. kyle peterson and alicia finley. you heard mr. carol, how do you believe? >> schools don't have enough money, that is a dubious claim at this time to reopen. august gave another $50 billion in the last relief package in order to reopen. it doesn't matter, we see some schools without the aid have been able to reopen safely and there have not been links to covid. many schools, the teachers union simply refuses to and basically are extorting to get more money from the government. paul: is a, even if congress passes the president proposed 130 billion, there's no

guarantee the schools, public schools will open in the spring semester at all, is that what you are saying? >> no, the biden administration is seeking to require that as a condition. during the negotiations, they didn't eventually get that to the package but there's no requirement for the biden administration not seeking to oppose that to receive more federal aid. paul: kyle, how do you explain the white house physician here? if you ask strictly from an educational view, we need students, they can't lose a full year. that's terrible. so many parents are staying at home, some would like to work if they can get their children in school. is this a test of joe biden willing to take on the unions? >> the teachers union, he's long

been a teachers union supporter. his wife has long been a teachers union member but i do think could be eye-opening for a lot of people. there is a liberal commentator who was saying this past week if the teachers union behavior here has surprise you, maybe people ought to consider the terrible things they've been saying also about charter schools and whether or not that's true or not. doesn't office going by a frustrated parent in virginia saying my schools are not opening so why are weakening these teachers priority in the vaccines line? maybe the vaccines should go to grocery clerks for the mailman. paul: dan, this is joe biden's history but it seems this is a test for biden politically. he can say it's about the money. i think more people understand it's not about the money, it's the political will for these school districts backed by the president of the united states to say, it time to start

teaching in class again. >> joe biden, it's not just joe biden but a test for the democratic party as well. you're right, joe biden said in one of the executive orders they would create a plan of the department of education to reopen the schools. a lot of the unions are not going to do it. the prices, the challenge for him and the democratic party, a law of teachers in these big cities, a lot of parents in these big cities are getting extraordinarily frustrated with the public school system. in new york city where we had just been back and forth over opening and reopening the schools, they just released data indicating public school enrollment dropped by 43000 students, that's the most combined in the past 14 years. one in four last 10% of the

students and there's a lot of evidence that suggests the public school students are going to charter schools and catholic schools. so it's a good question, how long the democratic establishment starting with joe biden is willing to allow the teachers unions to cause this erosion of support of their nominal voting base. paul: allysia, let's turn to the vaccine front, we've got johnson & johnson vaccine now saying the vaccine is 66% effective against moderate or severe covid, not as good as the moderna advisor results but johnson & johnson, only one shot, not two. could this nonetheless be a big help in getting the country vaccinated? >> i think the good news is that it's one 100% effective in

venting hospitalizations and deaths so that hospitalization rates, if you can get out sooner, faster. i think it will be a test for the at d.a. because is less effective than the other vaccines. they could aid in reducing, we don't know how much but it will ease the load on our healthcare system and if it is approved, definitely update the pandemic sooner rather than later. if the fda approves it. i think there will be some resistance because it is less effective than the moderna advisor vaccines but anyone who wants it should be able to get. paul: allysia, okay. "to younger people as well, for the disease is not as dangerous for them. democrats say it's full speed ahead with former president trump's impeachment trial despite growing evidence it will

and in his acquittal. ♪♪

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and get a new samsung galaxy starting at $17 a month. learn more at xfinitymobile.com or visit your local xfinity store today. i would simply say to all my colleagues, make no mistake. there will be a trial and the evidence against the former president will be presented in living color. paul: chuck schumer say full speed ahead with the impeachment trial of donald trump despite an oath this week that suggests it will and in his acquittal. i've republicans sign with democrats tuesday to defeat the motion rand paul challenging the constitutionality of opposed presidential impeachment, far short of the gop senators needed to convict the former president in a trial. we are back with dan henninger, kyle peterson and mary o'grady.

dan, does the boat on the resolution mean that acquittal is the conclusion? >> i think it does. we wondered for a while whether there might be a sufficient number of republicans to support conviction in the senate but that no longer looks to be the case. nonetheless, chuck schumer said they are going to go ahead with the trial. it really looks as though they just want the spectacle presentation by the house managers of the bill of particulars against donald trump with the intention of putting republicans on the spot, trying to divide them and force them to answer questions about whether they would convict or not. creating problems with them with the american public. i'll have a slightest doubt the managers will make the worst case possible against president trump. he's going to have to have a

couple of defense lawyers standing there defending him. at this time, there's very little chance of conviction in the senate. paul: if that's the case, kyle, and it ends in his acquittal and donald trump could potentially emerge politically stronger at the end of this being able to hold up the headline that says acquitted. if he didn't hold the trial. >> right, that's an argument even people who are not fans of the president's conduct are making. take mitch mcconnell, he's a guy who was appalled at the rides, he thinks the president there's response ability. he wants to, according to the reporting, divorce trump from the gop but the question is, how do you do that? is this the way? he said he was open to vote to convict potentially but he voted with rand paul here to say the

whole exercise is probably unconstitutional. paul: mary, there was little effort this week to center donald trump alternative, senator tim kaine, susan collins of maine and they were working on a motion to center the president for his january 6 post election behavior but that seems to have fizzled. republicans thought it was too tough. does this mean the president has no sanction at all for his behavior? >> yes, it is perfect for the democrat. i agree with dan that step one is to embarrass the publicans who don't vote for impeachment. step two, and equally or maybe even more important to divide the republican party so those who vote for impeachment are

going to be captains in the desert, told to wear hair shirts for they are going to take with them a lot of voters in this is a real problem for the republicans. no matter how trump goes away saying he was acquitted, but the republican party is badly damaged and divided. paul: kyle, speaking of dividing the republican party this week, gates, the republican congressman flew out to wyoming cheyenne in a protest, the number three in the house leadership who voted for impeachment. now they are trying to, i think donald trump junior : so is this what we will have for the next couple of years in an attempt to purge anyone who voted for impeachment from the gop? >> it depends on what your goal is. the resulting leader has said

let's quit attacking each other, move past this. what he wants to do is block the biden agenda and he says we have a great shot in 2022 of taking back the house. that's what he wants but there seems to be some elements within the party that are meeting on the division and it looks like they are more interested in getting headlines than a unified republican party. paul: dan, the dilemma for the republicans is that they need the trump voters to be able to win, clearly. on the other hand, they've shown in the presidential race that donald trump, if he dominates the republican party, they can't win. that is the dilemma somehow the republicans will have to solve. >> somehow. who is going to help them? the think that matt gaetz did with chaney is extraordinary. he flies all away from florida to cheyenne, wyoming to hold a rally, denouncing chaney.

donald trump junior who mocked former vice president chaney, the house majority leader kevin mccarthy visited with trump in palm beach and came out with a statement that they would unify behind electing house members in the midterm election. looks like somebody has not got the message here in the question is whether matt gaetz is donald trump or whether he's acting as a solo provocateur. it creates the same confusion inside the roho can party about what the path ahead actually is for them. paul: nancy pelosi is overjoyed. still ahead, the biden climate agenda cheers from the left that the president is pause on the oil and gas development. what the move means for blue-collar jobs in the american economy. next.

giving order my job. good thing union jobs is about workers, building our economy back better than before. the whole approach, climate change at the center of our domestic national security and foreign policy. paul: president biden unveiling what he calls a whole of government approach to combat, change. the president holding new leases for oil and gas development on federal land wednesday, the

latest in a series of private focused executive orders including rejoining the paris climate accord, blocking the keystone exhale pipeline and restoring 100 environmental regulations to roll back during the trump administration. what does this mean for the future of u.s. energy production as well as the economy and job market? vice chairman of ihs market and alter of the book, new energy, and clash of nations. dan, nice to see you. thanks for coming in. you've looked at executive orders, what are the implications for u.s. energy production, which hit a record during the trump years? >> obviously all kinds on climate policy but the question is, how far will they go in terms of restricting u.s. oil production which is a big industry which has a lot of jobs? paul: i mean, what do you think

for example, joe biden didn't need to block the pipeline, that's on its way to be developed. you can let that go and focus on the future. he's put a person in charge of permitting for these leases is hostile to oil and gas so the implications to me suggest there's going to be a gradual attempt to restrict u.s. oil and gas production. you see it that way? >> i think that is correct, going out of the way saying they are not going to ban fracking because it's important to the economy and policy of the u.s. but in terms of its using regulatory approach and paul, it's important to remember why eight presidents from the early 70s through barack obama talked about energy and dependence, it could have been beneficial to the u.s. it continues to be very beneficial, it's kind of being

ignored. 80 million cars in the u.s., if we don't produce it here, we will import more oil basically, restricting oil development in this country ends up being an important oil policy. paul: it's interesting. it also has implications for oil prices. if the u.s. is left, let's say, what is it going to do to oil prices worldwide and we see a level step jump aboard? >> i don't think we will see that soon. i do think we will see oil price recover we get out of this virus situation but it could, over a period of time, let me give you one example of what that means. we spent almost $400 billion important oil in 2008. now we don't spend anything basically, importing oil. talk about stimulus, the money in the u.s., not exploiting out

of sees. paul: what are the implications for strategic if the u.s. goes back toward the 2008 level? i know it's not going to be media but if there is a slow restriction, who are the winners here? saudi arabia, russia, potentially iran? >> yes, in the new map, i have a section where i mentioned shale and putin shouted at me. [laughter] not pleasant in front of 3000 people, let me assure you but he knows it makes the u.s. competitive with russian gas in europe and also knows it bolsters u.s. foreign policy and you can look around the world and see japan, korea and china, it's an important element in our new relationship with india and

it brings this energy security that you have turmoil in the middle east and the price doesn't spike. it's been a big contribution in the foreign policy you as well. one country, china imports 70% of its oil. paul: for this, it climate, which has become the centerpiece of biden policy and democratic policy. the president says, i think they understand their negative applications for jobs for restricting oil and gas. that's why they talk about green gas and solar panels, former secretary of state gary said oil and gas workers, they will be the people who need solar panels instead. is it realistic -- >> there is a little problem, solar panels are made in china.

[laughter] 80% of the solar panel so it's good for jobs in china. their jobs in the u.s. installing solar and those will grow but you have over 10 million jobs in the u.s. directly and indirectly from the oil and gas industry. not only tomorrow standing on people's lives putting solar panels in. paul: briefly, can solar wind come close to replacing energy resources here in the next decade or so? >> not in the next decade. often the discussion confuses oil which goes in two cars with wind and solar which are competitive and solar has become very competitive, wind has become competitive in generating electricity that not in cars until every america car is electric and that will take a long time. paul: thanks so much for sharing

your expertise. still ahead, president biden continue to push his priority with a record number of executive orders. what they tell us about the direction of the administration, next.

11000 jobs with one stroke of the pen from president biden. looks like president biden is working on a make america unemployed again gandhiji, thinking more about latino workers had u.s. workers. paul: how can senator steve in montana this week taking aim at the bidens use of executive orders including is moved to revoke the permit for the keystone xl pipeline. a record number of executive orders and actions taken action focusing on climate, racial equity and healthcare. what do the orders say about the priorities of the new administration and how present biden likely to govern.

we are back with our panel. kyle, what are you learning after a week of these executive orders? barack obama we did two years until he took open and phone. joe biden does it at the starting gate. >> right. it shows he's not afraid to use those powers. the legislature he's talked about unity, a lot about how he can work with congress and republicans to get things done. what we have right out the gate unilateral use of executive power and we make it a lot more. chuck schumer is calling for biden to declare acclimate emergency to unlock more presidential power he can use on his own without congress. paul: mary, what would you focus on here in terms of the executive orders?

what's the most significant in your few? >> the thing that shocked me is where he seems to contradict the rule of law. the keystone pipeline when canada applies for those permits, they went through all the legal processes and jumped over every single regulatory hurdle. donald trump recognized that when he came in and allowed them to go ahead. there is a real question to me here about why there aren't more challenges to this. the founders were very clear that they didn't want just an american version of king george the third period over time, that has eroded presidents have taken more power but now you have a left-wing periodical saying hey, joe, slow down. he is overstepping his bounds. i am hoping a lot of challenge.

paul: dan, we only had one federal judge put a temporary restraining or on president biden's deportation pause for undocumented aliens. i don't know if that will hold up in court or not but it's been pretty extraordinary to watch them act so fast because you have control of the house and now they control the senate. paul: >> in retrospect, why should we be surprised with what's going on? i keep going back to the south carolina primary, democratic primary and congressman jim leiber stepped in and gave his blessing to joe biden over bernie sanders. the idea at the time, was the democratic party would show a more moderate base but that wasn't what was about at all.

what he was worried about was bernie sanders was simply unelectable. these 24, 25 executive orders were not written in the past week, they been in the work for several months. i think what we are seeing joe biden is something like the emoji happy in front of a hard-core progressive agenda. this is what they intended all along. i don't think we should be shocked by that at all. bernie sanders is now the head of the senate budget committee and he's talking about using reconciliation process to pass the 15-dollar federal minimum wage. it's full speed ahead and it was their intention. paul: kyle, this is the process that allows budget bills to be passed with 50 plus one in the senate as opposed to the 60 votes you need under normal senate order for that supposedly

limited to taxing and spending issues. not all taxing and spending issues. yet, the democrats are saying we are going to ask that $1.9 trillion covid relief bill we have even if we have not a single republican vote in the senate. they are saying basically come on board with us, jam it through. what you make of that? >> right, you're talking about a minimum wage increase of $15 an hour nationwide. in my mind, it wouldn't count as a budget reconciliation. a way to break the filibuster without actually having to say you broke the filibuster take response body for that. paul: thank you all. when we come back economic coverage continues despite the winter covid search plus mayhem on wall street, the power of social media. ♪♪

u.s. economy growing by 4% in the fourth quarter of 2020. a slowdown from the previous three months of blockbuster rope. remarkable resiliency in the winter covid search. retail investors take on billion a hedge fund speaking havoc on wall street this week will calls in washington for financial regulators to investigate. we are back with dan henninger, mary o'grady allysia finley. what you make of the 4% gdp growth? most times that would be considered terrific. this year, saying not so great. >> i think some of the financial press was disappointed because as you mentioned, third quarter was so good but when you take into account december there were

major lockdowns in the biggest state in the country including new york, we were told to stay in there were scare tactics going on, people backed off a lot. you saw in the fourth quarter a good number for business investment but you saw personal consumption and i think it's because people are taking more money now, not feeling certain what 2021 will look like. overall, i would say you have to look at the number and say it could have been a lot worse and shows the u.s. economy is resilient. paul: is going into 2021 with some momentum and you're getting the numbers in the fourth quarter came without that $900 billion spending that congress passed. doesn't need another 1.9 trillion? >> i've said before that free

money, it will load up on the government debt and it will have to be repaid or serviced when it goes up. potentially a drag on the economy going forward and that's why i think it would be better for the government to hold off see how we do. i do think there's a lot of fear going around about the variance coming up with the virus and whether we are going to actually have a good second half of the year with the vaccines. people are a little afraid of that and that might hold some people back. paul: let's turn to the entertainment on wall street this week with a red social media investors taking on companies, pushing them up to astronomical values like game stop and amc. how worried should we be about

this for the state of the markets? is this just something we've seen before? >> this has been going on throughout the century. this has drawn a little more attention because it is entertaining. people are at home, day traders more now because of the online platforms, free commission and more time on their hands than money so they are basically betting on these stocks, they are fairly cheap to buy. there's probably hedge fund they are trying to squeeze because there for sallyann now the politicians from both parties are cheering them on but i don't think it's like any necessarily any problems in the stock market although the federal reserve with its own policies driving to the yield, it is driving some of

it. paul: what about the demand from some including elizabeth warren and others at the sec for market manipulation? >> sure, i think it's going to be very difficult to prove. someone is coordinating behind social media. you have to prove they intentionally tried to mislead people by making false statements and intended to gain from that. i think it would be difficult to bring charges under the law. my concern is sec, under joe biden will try to regulate robin hood or the fiduciary standard massachusetts has already sought to do against robin hood. paul: against the platform the traders have done.

what you make of these? may be the populace right to attempt to try to gang up on wall street and equity markets? >> it always is and good luck with that. we all have, everyone knows a friend or aunt or uncle is pretty good at the stocks and that's great. more power to them the founder of vanguard securities made it pretty clear it's difficult to be the market. at the end of the day, let's not bail out people trying to play with the money. paul: popular delusions and the clouds. that does happen on wall street. one for break. when we come back, hits and misses of the week. ♪♪

i've been taking prevagen on a regular basis for at least eight years. for me, the greatest benefit over the years has been that prevagen seems to help me recall things and also think more clearly. and i enthusiastically recommend prevagen. it has helped me an awful lot. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. >> time now for our hits and misses of the week kyle start us off. >> i'll give a hit to mount pleasant south carolina hit a

innovative public private pop to speed pits covid-19 vaccine rollout. they had a vaccine distribution has been a problem all across the country, and they had a drive through site but the registration system crashed, the cars backed up for a hour and mayor called in experts specifically the chick-fil-a, manager of the chick-fil-a across the street, he quickly brought the wait time down to 15 minutes. and i think we can all use that kind of service. [laughter] >> all right alicia. >> this is in california unemployment system, audit released this week found that 11 billion dollars in unemployment benefits brought up from about $2 billion k. months ago they say there could be $17 billion more. money went to those inmates in florida, in california, cybercriminals in nigeria and lead sr. now in line to get a promotion with biden administration. [laughter]

>> all right oh man mary. >> a hit for henry lewis aaron who died last week at the age of 86. hank aaron was born in the segregated south but became and died a symbol of the american dream. races tried to target him and they could not stop him from becoming beloved hero baseball fangs everywhere who enjoyed his talent, his drive, and his race on and off the field. >> all right thank you here mary, dan. >> a miss to the infamous san francisco school board which voted 6-1 this week to remove names of 44 americans or californians from their schools. washington, jefferson, lincoln, john muir, paul revere and dianne feinstein she did as mayor 34 years ago and why stop there and simply get rid of the name of san francisco itself? and in the future let's call

this city the town with no name. >> all right that's it for this week show. thanks to my panel and thanks to all of you for watching. i'm paul paul gigot we hope to see you right here next week. >> well there's been a major reversal at the pentagon. that after there was outrage over a physician to offer covid vaccinations to the detainees held at bay and those protected when so many americans are not allege mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist khalid sheikh muhammad and d.o.d. saying to get detainees eligible for shots next week to protect the health of federal prosecutors who were trying the terrorism cases against those inmates. well pentagon spokesman says defense department is putting a pause on that plan.