Earlier today President Trump and trade advisor Peter Navarro traveled to Bangor, Maine to participate in a roundtable discussion on supporting America’s commercial fishermen. During the visit the president signed a proclamation modifying the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

Participating in the roundtable were: Paul LePage, Former Governor of Maine; Terry Alexander, Owner, Jordan Lynn Inc.; Jim Odlin, Member of Board of Directors, Blue Harvest Fisheries; Frank O’Hara Jr., President, O’Hara Corporation; Kristan Porter, President, Maine Lobstermen’s Association; Maggie Raymond, Executive Director, Associated Fisheries of Maine; Mary Beth Tooley, Former Council Member, New England Fishery Management Council and Jon Williams, Owner, Atlantic Red Crab Company

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Background – On September 15, 2016, the Obama Administration designated the first and only national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, using authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906.

This action abruptly ended commercial fishing within its boundaries, limiting economic prosperity for this crucial industry in the northeast. President Trump’s proclamation amends that economic restriction, reauthorizes commercial fishing, but will not alter the boundaries of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

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Earlier today President Trump and First Lady Melania participated in a tree planting ceremony in recognition of Arbor Day (ie. Earth Day). [Video & Transcript below]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Mike. Hi. David, hi. Please, thank you. Everyone is very far away from each other. That’s good. We’re learning, right? Hi, Kevin. That’s really nice. Well, this is great to be here. And we’re doing something I love doing: planting trees. I’ve always loved it. And we get great trees.

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There are many people, many voters, simply stunned at how the Democrats are trying to use the COVID-19 economic emergency to add unrelated ideological elements to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Senator Tom Cotton walks through some of the items the Democrats are demanding before they will allow economic relief to U.S. companies and workers. MUST WATCH:

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The White House provides some background material on the purposes of the working dinner tonight between President Trump and President Bolsonaro of Brazil.
[White House Transcript] – […] SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you so much. So let me put this working dinner, which is what it’s going to be tonight, in context. Obviously, President Trump will welcome President Jair Bolsonaro to Mar-a-Lago for a working dinner, along with a group of advisors in this dinner.

To put it in kind of a greater context, you know, last year, we welcomed — President Trump welcomed President Bolsonaro to the White House for a working lunch at that time. And there’s a historic list of deliverables that was announced at that time, many of which have now been followed up upon in this new historic relationship that the United States has with Brazil and the historic relationship, frankly, that President Trump and President Bolsonaro have.

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CTH often describes the background DC motives with the phrase: “There are Trillions at Stake.”  Here we take a look at what that really means, and how DC politics is not quite based on the ideas that frame many reference points.
With people taking notice of DC politics for the first time; and with people not as familiar with the purpose of DC politics; we end up within two different references. Perhaps it is valuable to reset the larger frames of reference and provide clarity.
Most people think when they vote for a federal politician -a House or Senate representative- they are voting for a person who will go to Washington DC and write or enact legislation. This is the old-fashioned “schoolhouse rock” perspective based on decades past.  There is not a single person in congress writing legislation or laws.
In modern politics not a single member of the House of Representatives or Senator writes a law, or puts pen to paper to write out a legislative construct. This simply doesn’t happen.
Over the past several decades a system of constructing legislation has taken over Washington DC that more resembles a business operation than a legislative body. Here’s how it works right now.
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Today President Trump will deliver remarks on water access in Bakersfield, California. The president was in the valley earlier today for a fundraiser hosted by Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and will deliver remarks from Bakersfield at approximately 5:30pm ET.
White House Livestream – Fox Business Livestream – Alternate Livestream

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Earlier today Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared on CNBC for an extensive interview from the Davos, Switzerland, World Economic Forum.
Good grief.  What is so hard to understand about the statement: “economic security is national security”?

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Ivanka Trump and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty discuss new U.S. jobs, the U.S. workforce, tech-training, innovation, paid family leave, IBM’s growth in cloud computing and global economic outlooks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

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Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the coolest cat in the crew, appeared tonight for a discussion on economics and trade with Lou Dobbs.  Secretary Ross discusses the current status of the economy and how the two trade agreements have established the foundation for a completely restructured U.S. trade relationship for years to come.
Wilburine notes the Europeans are nervous thinking about the wolverine teeth that will soon be heading in their direction.  Good Stuff.  WATCH:

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What makes the Trump economic team so effective is their independence from any influence outside of the America-First agenda.  President Trump, Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Secretary Steven Mnuchin were already independent billionaires -with wealth gained from private industry- before they entered office.  There is no financial influence upon them except to see Main Street USA thrive….
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Today, President Donald J. Trump delivered remarks on the latest step his Administration is taking to reverse burdensome regulations.   The executive is modernizing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations to promote more efficient, effective, and timely NEPA reviews of infrastructure projects that will increase our Nation’s economic competitiveness and improve the quality of life of our citizens.
NEPA regulations have not been comprehensively updated in over 40 years. Today’s action will establish time limits of 2 years for completion of environmental impact statements and one year for completion of environmental assessments.
[Video Below – Transcript ADDED]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everyone.

PARTICIPANTS: Good morning.

THE PRESIDENT: Today, we’re taking another historic step in our campaign to slash job-killing regulations and improve the quality of life for all of our citizens.

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