A massive defeat for the left-wing loons in Alberta Canada now means half the Canadian provinces are aligned against Justin’s rainbow-socks coalition and disastrous climate agenda.  Apparently having a common sense approach now means ‘right-of-center‘.

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – A right-of-center party swept to power in Canada’s main oil-producing province of Alberta on Tuesday and attacked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s efforts to fight climate change, raising tension just months ahead of a federal election.

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White House Council of Economic Advisors Chairman Kevin Hassett gives an interview to discuss the current state of the U.S. economy.  After discussing President Trump’s Fed pick Herman Cain, Hassett outlines how inflation is non-existent; and also discussions around ongoing U.S-China trade discussions.

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Earlier today President Trump delivered remarks during an energy and infrastructure event in Crosby, Texas. [Video and Transcript]

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[Transcript] – 4:07 P.M. CDT – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) And one of my all-time favorite governors is right here. Greg, thank you very much. Greg Abbott. (Applause.) Great, great job.
I’m thrilled to be here in Crosby, Texas, with the incredible members of the International Union of Operating Engineers. (Applause.) I know you well. I know you well and I also know who most of you voted for, and I appreciate it. (Laughter.)
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President Trump’s MAGAnomic policies are tailored to raise the income levels of all Americans; however, to the anxiety of his political opposition, the focus for greatest economic benefit is the middle-class, blue-collar and white-collar workers.
In essence, the demographic hardest hit by 30 years of bad policy is the demographic receiving the largest gains from a return to Main Street, ‘America-First’ policy.

It is not really a complex dynamic to understand. Abandon the flawed multinational policy that led to outsourcing and overseas investment, and what you get is domestic growth and investment in the United States.  That’s the heart of America-First.

(Pennsylvania) Bell-bottoms were the height of style the last time the Pittsburgh region saw unemployment dip as low as it was in February.

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Today on the Senate floor, United States Senator Mike Lee received his first star for conspicuous pageantry, meritorious valor, and ridicule with specific consequence during the great meme battle of 2019 against the Green New Deal. WATCH:

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Earlier today House Judiciary Committee ranking member Doug Collins, released the 239-page transcript (full pdf below) from testimony delivered by George Papadopoulos.  This latest transcript release happens on the same day that Papadopoulos released his book, “Deep State Target.”
George Papadopoulos is the low-level Trump campaign advisor targeted by the CIA and FBI in early 2016.  Papadopoulos was the excuse behind the FBI conducting Operation Crossfire Hurricane that began on July 31st, 2016.

It is widely suspected, almost certain, that CIA Director John Brennan enlisted the help of U.S. and foreign intelligence assets to run operations against the Trump campaign. The objective was to give the false and manufactured appearance of compromise.  Once the CIA established the possibility of compromise that opened the door for FBI investigation.
It’s likely the operation run by Brennan targeting Papadopoulos is at the center of the two-page “EC” (electronic communication); an origination document given to FBI Director James Comey to start the counterintelligence operation (Crossfire Hurricane) against the Trump campaign.  Two of the intelligence assets Brennan organized were Joseph Misfud and Stefan Halper.
Despite his position as a central target of the FBI investigation, Papadopoulos was never questioned until January 2017; highlighting the point he was indeed simply a manufactured tool to assist the larger scheme in monitoring candidate Trump.  George Papadopoulos was never charged with any illicit criminal or spying activity.
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Toyota made a huge announcement today [SEE HERE] that’s a direct outcome of the NAFTA replacement USMCA trade deal; and the new 75% rule of origin within the Auto sector.

The Toyota announcement is a total of $13 billion investment and includes expanded component part production in: Alabama ($288 million), Kentucky ($238 million), Missouri ($62 million), Tennessee ($50 million) and West Virginia ($111 million).   Additionally, Toyota will open a new assembly plant in Huntsville, Alabama ($1.5 billion) and serious investments in several other areas. [Details Here]
The guiding decision here relates specifically to the construct of the USMCA (NAFTA replacement).   Toyota was previously focused on multi-billion-dollar investments in Canada as they exploited the NAFTA loophole and procured component parts from Asia for North American assembly and shipment into the U.S. Market.  However, when they renegotiated NAFTA and created the USMCA President Trump and USTR Lighthizer closed closed the loophole.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released some important data today surrounding the state of the U.S. economy. The first release shows the current CPI (consumer price index) or rate of inflation:

(BLS Release) […] The all items index increased 1.5 percent for the 12 months ending February, a smaller increase than the 1.6-percent rise for the 12-months ending January. The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.1 percent over the last 12 months, a slightly smaller figure than the 2.2-percent increase for the period ending January. The food index rose 2.0 percent over the past year, its largest 12-month increase since the period ending April 2015. In contrast, the energy index declined 5.0 percent over the last 12 months. (read more)

As noted above, energy prices are 5.0% lower year-over-year; this is a significant reason for the current low inflationary rate.  Also energy prices (fuel, gas, oil) disproportionately impact the middle-class as an unavoidable cost.  Lower gas prices (currently down 9.1%) help middle-America, and also have a downstream impact of lowering product transportation costs.
An overall annual rate of inflation at 1.5 percent is exactly on target.  CTH has been predicting this energy-based outcome for more than three years:
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Economic analysis can get weedy…. so a simple way to look at productivity is to think about baking bread in your kitchen.
If you were going to bake 4 loaves of bread it might take you 2 hrs start to finish. However, if you were going to bake 8 loaves of bread it would not take you twice as long because most of the tasks can be accomplished with simple increases in batch size, and only minor increases in labor time. Your productivity measured in the last four loaves is higher.
Economic Productivity is measured much the same way, within what’s called a production probability equation. Additionally, if two hours of your time are worth $40, each of four loaves of bread costs $10; but if you make 8 loaves in the same amount of time the labor cost is only $5/per loaf.
From 2007 through 2017 the average rate of productivity increase was 1.3%. In the fourth quarter of 2018 productivity was 1.9%.  That means total business output increased as more product was demanded from within the business operation. Throughout the economy people just wanted more stuff.  However, the most important numbers for MAGAnomics (Main Street USA) center around manufacturing and durable goods.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest consumer price information today which shows overall low inflation at 1.6 percent (with energy price deflation, and flat food prices).
Excluding food and energy costs the total CPI remains low at 2.2%.   This low inflation is the exact opposite of what financial media were predicting when President Trump began the series of import tariffs in 2017, which continued throughout last year.

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When President Trump began the tariffs against global Steel and Aluminum imports; and when President Trump began the first set of tariffs against Chinese imports; almost all financial media went into fits of apoplexy claiming we would see massive increases in prices.   Reality shows their doomsday predictions were completely over-hyped.
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