In 1995, Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act, requiring the movement of the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The act said that Jerusalem should be undivided and be recognized as the capital of Israel. The legislation passed 93-5 in the Senate, and 374-37 in the House of Representatives. (link)
In a historic moment for United States foreign policy in the Middle East, President Donald Trump is set to announce the U.S. will officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and initiate the process of relocating the U.S. embassy to the city from Tel Aviv, according to senior administration officials.  Anticipated Start Time 1:00pm EST
UPDATE: Video Added

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Earlier today President Trump hosted American families for a discussion about taxes, small business growth and challenges.

[Transcript] – 2:12 P.M. EST – THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. We have four great families — middle class. I guess at a certain point, you’re going to be making so much money you don’t really — not going to know what to do with it, perhaps — I hope — Brian.
But we have four terrific families. Some of them have had difficulty. Taxes are too high. Frankly, their healthcare is terrible. The healthcare plan is terrible — Obamacare. And that will be next. We’re a long way toward getting rid of that and getting something very good and very much more affordable — very big problem.
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You hired a man who developed a life of very specific skills.  A man who knows how to use those unorthodox skills to generate intensely competent results.  Relax, enjoy them…

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Two thoughts:  Oh, POTUS is enjoying this; and the pine-cone-on-his-chair-look on Flake’s face is, well, priceless.  Also, remember that NAFTA prediction about timing, strategic patience, etc.? Well…
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate everybody coming in.
We had some very late nights getting the tax-cut bill to conference. Last was very smooth, and I think we’re going to make it so that it comes out very beautifully. I call it “the mixer.” It’s a conference where everyone gets together and they pick all the good things and get rid of the things they don’t like.
But it’s a fantastic bill for the middle class. It’s a fantastic bill for jobs and for companies wanting to bring back massive amounts of money into our country. It’s really — I view it more than anything else, is it’s a tremendous bill for jobs and for the middle class.
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Not too long ago, 2010 through 2015 to be precise, CTH and Senator Orrin Hatch were on oppositional sides of almost every ‘conservative‘ argument.  The issues -amid the most widely discussed conflicts- stemmed around the future of the Republican party; and were born of frustration with the elitist nature of the Corinthian clan, the DeceptiCons.
As a matter of advocacy and political network, Senator Orrin Hatch was aligned with the DeceptiCon caucus, the entrenched GOPe.
The ‘battered conservative’ scars remain visible and serve our CTH community as a continual reminder that the larger ideological battle within our republic is multidimensional.  We oppose a UniParty, an ideology that permeates within and connects together both Democrats and Republicans.
However, that said, it would appear that Senator Hatch is perhaps the first example of how President Trump has personally leveraged common sense MAGA policy, which is entirely conservative, to coax members of the Corinthian clan toward a new and empowered future. Breaking one representative at a time away from the comforts of the UniParty.

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Looking at the upcoming week on the tax reform legislation, Maria Bartiromo interviews Senator David Perdue. Mrs. Bartiromo cuts through the generally irrelevant talking points and gets directly to the heart of the important issues.
Senator Perdue expresses confidence the committee will be able to move quickly to reconcile differences between the House and Senate bill, and optimistically says the bill could reach the president’s desk in 10 days.

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UPDATE: 1:49am EST The final Senate Tax Reform Bill Passes 51-49.  Senator Bob Corker was the lone republican voting against the bill.

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Director Mick Mulvaney appears on Fox Business News to discuss the ongoing tax reform efforts along with ongoing revelations within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

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I don’t often do this, but there’s two really insightful articles, written by Ronald Rubin -who was there at the start of the bureau-  about the CFPB, that deserve to be read by anyone looking to understand the organization and the left-wing constructs within it.
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There’s a big con job just over the horizon.  All of the elements are there.  The timing, the platform, the personalities, the discussion topics, etc., it’s a familiar script.  CTH would like to direct attention to this interview which took place last night on Laura Ingraham’s new Fox News show.  Listen carefully to three elements:
♦On Tax Reform – on one side of Rubio’s ‘full-throated‘ mouth he wants higher taxes on corporations 22% -vs- 20%. In the almost the same breath, inside the same argument, he says “it’s not their (the government’s) money”.   Try to reconcile that.
♦On DACA – [Remember, three months ago President Trump gave congress six months to fix DACA]  Rubio says the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) program is not the “Dreamers”.  What? Yes it is. The childhood arrivals ARE the so-called ‘dreamers’.
♦However, much more importantly, listen to what is said on “chain migration“.  Ingraham asks if Rubio supports “chain migration”.   Rubio says no, then immediately says: “I’ve always agreed to limiting chain migration to immediate family members”. WHAT? That is chain migration.

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Resist we much.  Anticipating intransigence President Trump tweeted ahead of a meeting today with Minority Leaders Nancy Pelosi (House) and Chuck Schumer (Senate).

In response to the brutal truth, and attempting to save face against a backdrop of needed legislative positioning, Pelosi and Schumer announce their delicate sensibilities are hurt.

WASHINGTON – “Given that the President doesn’t see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement.

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Representative Louis Gutierrez (D-IL) is a long-time Marxist in congress who is an open-border activist.  Representative Gutierrez has previously requested illegal aliens to cross the Southern U.S. border and target any border patrol official possible.
As a militant immigration activist Mr. Gutierrez has also supported MS-13 gang strikes in the U.S. and advocated for illegal aliens to register to vote to influence U.S. elections.  He generally keeps his most visible vitriol reserved for Spanish-speaking audiences.

Gutierrez surprised many people today with a report he will not seek reelection this year for his Chicago district. Gutierrez owns a home in Puerto Rico so there’s a possibility the opportunity for unaccountable federal recovery money flowing into PR might be too enticing to pass up. An opportunity exists to make millions from the inherent political corruption in the island.  Regardless, there’s also a financial lobbying angle available.

CHICAGO – Signaling the end to a quarter century career in Congress, Rep. Luis Gutierrez will announce Tuesday that he will not seek re-election, Democratic sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times.

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