Back in November 2016 a suspect named Edward Strother attacked a Lee County (Florida) Sheriff’s officer, Dean Barnes, after a high speed car chase. (back story news video here).

During the fight, Strother gained the upper hand and was on top of Officer Barnes when another motorist stopped to assist. The Good Samaritan was a licensed concealed carry permit holder, and he used his firearm to stop the attack.
Today, the Lee County State Attorney released eye-witness video footage of the event showing officer Barnes being attacked and the Good Samaritan warning the attacker (Strother) to stop his assault or he would shoot. Strother refused to comply with instructions to stop the assault and the Good Samaritan shot him 3 times, saving the officer from further injury.
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Everyone should try to skip the shiny things embedded within the story of a laptop theft from a Secret Service Agent Marie Argentieri.   The theft appears to have nothing to do with Trump Tower or Trump Tower floor plans.  The theft appears to have everything to do with Argentieri as a supportive investigator for Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
Evidence of the specific targeting is transparent within the eye witness stories that a car pulled up, a passenger exited the vehicle – went directly to Agent Argentieri’s vehicle, broke in, took the back pack and walked away quickly.
The thief knew exactly what they were looking for, this wasn’t a random heist of convenience.

(New York) […]  The thief stepped out of a dark-colored car, possibly an Uber, and stole the laptop from Argentieri’s vehicle, a 2015 Bajaj, which was parked in the driveway of her Bath Beach home, sources said. Neighbors said the thief struck about 3 a.m.
The crook, a man dressed in black, didn’t get back in the car. He was seen on surveillance video walking away from the scene with a backpack holding the laptop, sources said.

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President Trump and German Chancellor Merkel hold a joint press conference Friday March 17th 2017.
Chancellor Merkel again presented her view that globalization was the future of the world economy, and continued advocating for a failing multi-culturalist approach toward blended societies and reductions in national identity.  Merkel, like most of the far-left EU ideologues view Russia as an existential threat to their political objectives.

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President Trump has initiated a new administration protocol of greeting each foreign dignitary personally at the entrance to the White House upon each visit.

Today German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the White House and attended a cabinet room roundtable discussion with U.S. and German business leaders on the topic of vocational training.  Anticipating a future trade negotiation President Trump also brought Commerce Secretary Wilburne (Ross) to engage:

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12:58 P.M. EDT [Transcript] PRESIDENT TRUMP: Chancellor, thank you very much. Such a great honor to get to know you, to be with you. I want to thank all of the business leaders who have joined us to discuss a subject that’s very important to me — training our workforce for the 21st century, especially with respect to manufacturing jobs.
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Yesterday Japan, today South Korea, tomorrow China. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived at Osan Air Base in South Korea to begin his day of official discussions and meetings with South Korean leaders, diplomats and policy makers.
The topic of North Korean aggression was the central topic of discussion and T-Rex pulled no diplomatic punches when he stated the U.S. policy of strategic patience with North Korea has come to an end.

That remark stands as a direct announcement of a change in policy position toward North Korea. “Strategic Patience” was the policy of Secretary Clinton and President Obama that yielded no benefit as North Korea continued testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles throughout president Obama’s terms in office.
President Trump and Secretary Tillerson are taking a different path to shut down the hostilities and aggressions of the North Korean regime. We can anticipate Tillerson to forcefully deliver a message of expectation to China tomorrow. Expectation that China will step in and become more forceful in controlling the N. Korean provocations.
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President Donald Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence and VA Secretary David Shulkin meet today with veterans to discuss ongoing VA programs including healthcare and veterans support initiatives.
The purpose of today’s meeting was to listen to the ongoing concerns, understand the proposals being implemented, and further recommit to institutional reform and improved standards of care for veterans.

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The White House has been in 24/7 negotiations with Republican leadership and committee members in the House of Representatives over the healthcare bill.  Those negotiations continued throughout the night with members and key staff.
Modifications to the Price/Ryan Healthcare bill have been made with the input from multiple concerned House Republicans.  Earlier today they held a brief presser in the oval office to discuss their support.  Previous opposition now supporting the modified bill.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sean Spicer Twitter @PressSec

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

OMB Director Mick Mulvaney attends the daily White House press briefing and fields questions about the President Trump ‘America-First’ budget.
Director Mulvaney does an exceptional job explaining the larger budgetary issues, priorities and squashing some of the more ridiculous media narratives du jour.

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Regarding the non-discretionary side.  I would remind all:

Trump Economics – […] As the wage rate increases, and as the economy expands, the governmental dependency model is reshaped and simultaneously receipts to the U.S. treasury improve.
More money into the U.S Treasury and less dependence on welfare programs has a combined exponential impact. You gain a dollar, and have no need to spend a dollar. That is how the SSI and safety net programs are saved under President Trump.
When you elevate your economic thinking you begin to see that all of the “entitlements” or expenditures become more affordable with an economy that is fully functional.
As the GDP of the U.S. expands, so too does our ability to meet the growing need of the retiring U.S. worker. We stop thinking about how to best divide a limited economic pie, and begin thinking about how many more economic pies we can create. (link)

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