Yikes,….. lead the heart mind and the body will follow…
The National Security Council is a large intelligence bureaucracy, within the Washington DC intelligence apparatus, consisting of dozens of principles and hundreds of staff. Many of those staffers are career officials, holdovers from prior administrations.
According to Foreign Policy, incoming National Security Adviser to the President, John Bolton, is planning a significant ‘clean house’ removing a significant number of people within the system.
(Via FP) Incoming National Security Advisor John Bolton and people close to him are expected to launch a massive shake-up at the National Security Council, aiming to remove dozens of current White House officials, starting with holdovers from President Barack Obama’s administration, according to multiple sources.
Those targeted for removal include officials believed to have been disloyal to President Donald Trump, those who have leaked about the president to the media, his predecessor’s team, and those who came in under Obama.
“After we come back from Spring Break, they’re requiring us all to have clear backpacks… it’s unnecessary. It’s embarrassing for a lot of the students.”
~ David Hogg
Strip away the second amendment for millions of Americans – No problem.
Require clear backpacks – OMG they’re destroying our rights… or something.
Author of “The Coming Collapse of China”, Gordon Chang, discusses the effect of President Trump’s tariffs on China and the epic battle ahead. Last night China announced their feeble retaliatory actions – SEE HERE. A professionally nervous Maria Bartiromo, frames a series of questions from the perspective of Wall Street.
Fortunately Gordon Chang understands the Red Dragon, and more importantly understands Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping’s geopolitical goals through economic conquest. Mr. Chang is one of the few people who appear regularly in media and know the truth behind the Panda Mask.
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People often talk about the ‘strength’ of China’s economic model; and indeed within a specific part of their economy -manufacturing- they do have economic strength.
However, the underlying critical architecture of the Chinese economic model is structurally flawed and President Trump with his current economic team understand the weakness better than all international adversaries.
China is a central planning economy. Meaning it never was an outcropping of natural economic conditions. China was/is controlled as a communist style central-planning government; As such, it is important to reference the basic structural reality that China’s economy was created from the top down.
This construct of government creation is a key big picture distinction that sets the backdrop to understand how weak the economy really is.
Without apology CTH continues to state all opposition to President Trump finds the epicenter of motive behind the economic policy. There are trillions at stake.
Yes, there are ideological differences, but do not doubt for a moment the existential threat is the core principle behind America-First economics.
Multinational corporations and global financial interests have more than a generation of effort invested within the modern trade and economic constructs that President Trump is challenging head-on.
Politicians do not construct legislation, K-Street lobbyists do. Hundreds of millions have been spent purchasing politicians as a sales force to protect those financial interests. Challenge their financial trade schemes and you are threatening the livelihood and financial systems that generate massive wealth for very powerful people. Additionally, the downstream effect threatens the affluence of the professional political class.
That said, there are American interests who will benefit, it’s just not popular within the cocktail party circuit to admit it:
(Bloomberg) China’s plan to counter U.S. import tariffs may throw global aluminum and steel traders into a tizzy, but the net result could be a boon for American primary-metal producers.
The retaliatory plan to slap tariffs on U.S. aluminum scrap and some steel products may boost American supplies, lowering raw-material prices, says Zaner Group LLC’s Peter Thomas. That could coax some metal producers to restart unused capacity in Rust Belt states if infrastructure spending picks up.
In 2008 the American taxpayer was a “client without a voice” when Citi-Group demanded a financial bailout. TARP followed as the largest bailout in history, and Citibank got the biggest bailout of all:
The final report from the Congressional Oversight Panel found that between TARP, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve, Citigroup received the most federal funding during the financial crisis for a total of $476.2 billion in cash and guarantees. (link)
Fast forward ten years and now Citibank announces their intent to restrict business enterprise engaged in the Second Amendment, firearm sales. The motive is transparent; leadership within Citi-group are opponents to gun ownership and they have now made a decision to use their financial business as a weapon to enforce their political beliefs:
[…] Today, our CEO announced Citi is instituting a new U.S. Commercial Firearms Policy. […] Under this new policy, we will require new retail sector clients or partners to adhere to these best practices: (1) they don’t sell firearms to someone who hasn’t passed a background check, (2) they restrict the sale of firearms for individuals under 21 years of age, and (3) they don’t sell bump stocks or high-capacity magazines. This policy will apply across the firm, including to small business, commercial and institutional clients, as well as credit card partners, whether co-brand or private label. (more)
It is important to keep in mind that all three issues outlined by Citibank are not unlawful; these are social policies around firearm sales that Citibank is initiating on their own. If you follow the underlying policy to a reasonable outcome, the same approach could be taken toward barring auto dealers (who use Citi-financial products) from selling gasoline powered automobiles, because the people running Citibank are environmentalists.
There’s no escaping the reality that today’s Omnibus spending bill is a significant slap in the face to Trump voters and supporters. The $1.3 trillion UniParty spending scheme is a bitter rebuke from the legislative branch. A twitter comment outlines an understandable, albeit emotionally charged, reaction:
“You did have a choice. There’s always a choice. You betrayed us with what you did. We have fought for you. We have lost friends/family for you. We have become targets for you. Yes, you did have a choice. Fix this.”
Despite the valid and understandable reaction, ‘betrayal’ is harsh. From POTUS Trump perspective the lack of “choice” stems from a cornerstone that Making America Great Again is dependent on a strong U.S. military. Protecting Americans writ large is contingent upon ensuring our military is solid. Unfortunately, the only way to ensure the #1 objective was to acquiesce/concede to the blackmail of the UniParty in DC. – FUBAR.
~ “Leadership is often painful” ~
There ain’t a single part of this that seems ok, regardless of necessity. Worse still, is having to accept the republican side of the UniParty would enjoy nothing more than losing their majority position so they can go back to being comfortable enablers of the unholy DC alliance, and expel the annoying disruption known as President Trump.
Yes, this self-preserving UniParty approach is by design; it is a feature of the swamp – not an anomaly. Our only current solace is a historic reference; generally speaking when President Trump retreats from a fight, he tends to re-advance his force with greater severity. But on this singular day, if there’s a larger push-back yet to unfold, the commander-in-chief is conceding to the opposition a great deal of valuable ground.
FUBAR….. Cue the Wolfmoon:
President Trump conducts a press availability for Friday March 23rd, 2018. We are expecting additional briefing from the White House on the omnibus spending bill coming from congress. Anticipated start time 1:00pm EST.
UPDATE: Video Added
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross appears on Lou Dobbs show to discuss the ongoing trade initiatives against China and the issues of intellectual property theft.
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Additionally, CNBC is reporting on possible retaliatory trade action by China in response:
CNBC – China’s commerce ministry proposed a list of 128 U.S. products as potential retaliation targets, according to a statement on its website posted Friday morning.
Today chairman Bob Goodlatte sends a formal subpoena to the DOJ (Inspector General Michael Horowitz) for documents regarding the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server, potential abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility recommendation to fire former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is one of the top three people throughout the entirety of congress with a comprehensive knowledge of the events surrounding the investigations of the FBI and DOJ. Chairman Goodlatte is one of only four people outside the DOJ who have read the full DOJ FISA application used for a Title-1 Surveillance warrant of Carter Page.
The House Judiciary Committee holds the primary statutory oversight over the U.S. Department of Justice. Additionally, Chairman Goodlatte is the congressional office working closest with DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. In short, Goodlatte is the center of all ‘oversight’ information circling the investigations into the DOJ and FBI.
However, all of that said, even Chairman Bob Goodlatte doesn’t, and shouldn’t, know what criminal investigations are underway. We’ve explained this dynamic of disconnect numerous times. We really began emphasizing this when AG Jeff Sessions admitted he brought in a prosecutor from outside Washington DC to work with Inspector General Horowitz.