Weasels gotta weasel.  Jeff Flake, John McCain and now House Speaker Paul Ryan all stand in opposition to President Trump pardoning Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
More fuel for the Big Ugly:
Washington (CNN) – House Speaker Paul Ryan disagrees with President Donald Trump’s decision Friday to pardon Sheriff Joe Arpaio, his spokesman said Saturday.
“The Speaker does not agree with this decision,” spokesman Doug Andres said in a statement. “Law enforcement officials have a special responsibility to respect the rights of everyone in the United States. We should not allow anyone to believe that responsibility is diminished by this pardon.” (read more)
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An interesting press release from Ford Motor Co. operations in the U.K. as they announce financial incentives (additional $2,500) to trade in old vehicles for newer “cleaner” emission vehicles in the U.K.

(Via Fox Business) Ford (F) is offering car buyers in Britain a 2,000-pound ($2,570) incentive to trade in older vehicles for newer, less polluting models.
The offer announced Tuesday is available to new car buyers who trade in vehicles registered before Dec. 31, 2009. The cars will then be taken off the road and scrapped. (read more)

Pay attention to these types of stories within the auto sector.  Watch for these types of “incentives” to cross the Atlantic.  The incentives described here are wrapped around a point of cleaner emissions, ie. “climate friendly” etc.  However, as we have shared the financial branch of the auto sector is in trouble; these incentives appear to be a marketing ploy.
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Recently there has been a great deal of opinion on Chief Economic Advisor to President Trump and his recent critique of President Trump’s comments surrounding the events in Charlottesville, Virginia.  For many people the latest Cohn -vs- Trump scenario is just more proof that President Trump is succumbing to influence/pressure from the wrong side of the ideological spectrum.
This outline is intended to directly speak toward those concerns.  However, to understand the dynamics of Gary Cohn -vs- Donald Trump it is first necessary to understand the perspective of Gary Cohn and President Trump.

Few people have an appropriate understanding of the scale, scope and seismic shift President Trump is delivering to the world of geopolitical financial influence.  A recent comment by someone who appears to understand the dynamic reads thus:

Enjoy this because we will never see this again. You’ll never see your president shift the pendulum the way Donald Trump is. The international market of high-pressure real estate development and financing incorporates every facet of business activity known to humanity and no President we have ever had has been more prepared to do what needs to be done then President Donald J Trump. In addition to trying to right the ship he has to navigate waters filled with landmines and torpedoes and those firing the torpedoes claim to be Americans. God bless this man.  ~ FromSeaToShiningSea

That’s a good a place as any to elevate the discussion, review the historic nature of the participants, and comprehend the dynamics behind: Manhattan -vs- Queens; Global finance -vs- National interests; Wall Street -vs- Main Street; and ultimately Gary Cohn -vs- Donald Trump.
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United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, recently visited the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) to review the ongoing JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) as they continue to monitor Iran’s nuclear program.
Ambassador Haley outlined a summary of the IAEA meeting and fielded additional questions about North Korea and Venezuela.  She will be traveling to Washington DC on Monday to brief President Trump and Secretary Tillerson.

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As you might note from her remarks (see below), Ambassador Haley is keenly aware of the uniqueness, and effectiveness, of President Trump’s economic approach toward regional national security issues – specifically as it pertains to the recently announced Venezuela sanctions. Strong concise statements. Strong, short, effective and deliberate answers.
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Hurricane Harvey made landfall upon Rockport Texas with 130+ MPH winds. Massive and widespread catastrophic damage is now being reported in the areas around Rockport. Large buildings, including hotels, have partially or fully collapsed.   Roofs are missing, and people are feared trapped within the buildings. NHS Website HERE

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It is being reported by multiple media outlets and their sources that Dr. Sebastian Gorka has parted ways with the White House.  Some reports say ‘forced out‘, others say ‘resigned’; it matters not.  Gorka was staff; simply staff, nothing more than staff; he and Bannon can go make cucumber sandwiches now.
Dr. Gorka was essentially a Steve Bannon employee in the administration; Gorka reported to Bannon, and Gorka took instructions from Bannon.  With General Kelly creating a formal chain of contact and message discipline within the White House; and with Gorka’s boss having resigned a week ago; it was entirely predictable that Gorka would leave.

Dr. Sebastian Gorka had been on a semi-hiatus since a week prior to Bannon’s departure when Gorka appeared on national television and did a big stupid.  Gorka asserting he held influence over Defense Secretary General Mattis and claiming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was “nonsensical” and did not know the Administration’s military agenda toward North Korea.

“The idea that Secretary Tillerson is going to discuss military matters is simply nonsensical,” Gorka said at the time. “It is the job of [Defense] Secretary [Jim] Mattis, the secretary of defense, to talk about the military options, and he has done so unequivocally.” (link)

Anyone noticing a pattern here?
Yup, just like Steve Bannon claiming only he was skilled enough to direct U.S. foreign policy engagement from the State Department, Sebastian Gorka was way out of line with is “nonsensical” Tillerson statement. It’s not accidental that Bannon’s statements and Gorka’s statements were similarly framed.
To the extent you can know anyone from watching them, I like Bannon and Gorka. But, c’mon, I mean seriously… what level of stupid arrogance is needed for Bannon and Gorka to think they held free reign to undermine Cabinet Officers?  Have neither of these guys worked in a large corporate and/or institutional system where you understand your role and the number one rule: “never compromise your leadership.”
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Communist Beijing China controls North Korea.  The DPRK is used by China, specifically the Old Communist Guard in Beijing, as a sword and shield against U.S. economic allies, interests and relationships in SE Asia.
The U.S. launches Section 301 trade investigations into China. The U.S. gives ownership of Afghanistan extremism to Pakistan, a Chinese strategic partner. The U.S. sanctions Venezuela, another strategic partner for China. Outcome = China is under pressure.

North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un does what Beijing tells him to do; that truth is how we can predict events like this missile launch.

SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) — North Korea launched what seems to be short-range missiles into the East Sea on Saturday morning, according to South Korea’s military.
The North fired several “unidentified projectiles” from the vicinity Gitdaeryong in Gangwon Province at around 6:49 a.m., said the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). (link)

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It must be pointed out; it is up to us to do so.  The corporate media are hopelessly deficient in their coverage and explanations of how strategic objectives for national security are being delivered through a Trump Doctrine via economic leverage.  The results are stunningly effective, yet few have noticed, and even fewer seem willing to articulate.

The latest example of the geopolitical Trump Doctrine in action comes via Venezuela, and in the wake of a fraudulent Maduro election – the Trump administration’s economic and financial policy delivering sanctions against the rogue Maduro regime:

(Via LA Times) The Trump administration on Friday slapped sweeping financial sanctions on Venezuela, barring banks from any new financial deals with the government or state-run oil giant PDVSA.
The sanctions Trump signed by executive order are bound to dramatically escalate tensions between Venezuela and the U.S. and exacerbate the country’s economic crisis.

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White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, National Security Adviser HR McMaster, Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin and Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bosser hold an extensive press briefing to cover: Current events, Venezuela, Afghanistan, the debt ceiling and Hurricane Harvey.

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On Venezuela it is important to note the brilliance of the U.S. strategy and leverage.  The U.S. is the only remaining cash purchaser of Venezuelan oil for refinement. Both China and Russia purchase Venezuela oil, however their purchases are made via pay-downs to previous loans from China and Russia to the Maduro regime. Since the corrupt election the U.S. has not refined oil shipments from Venezuela putting massive financial strain on the regime.  (ie. economic leverage)

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – A tanker carrying a cargo of about 1 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude has been stranded for more than a month off the coast of Louisiana for lack of a bank letter of credit to discharge, three sources have told Reuters.
[…] Major banks are cutting exposure to Venezuela as a result of political upheaval in the South American country. Some have closed accounts linked to officials of the OPEC member who have had sanctions leveled against them by the U.S. government and have refused to provide correspondent bank services or trade in government bonds.

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In January Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted support for massive increases in migration into Canada:

However, policy has consequences. Eight months later, the same Justin Trudeau is now overseeing the largest mass deportation increase in the history of Canada:

TORONTO (Reuters) – As an influx of asylum seekers crossing from the United States strains Canada’s immigration system, the country is ramping up its deportation of migrants, government data shows.
Deportations of Mexicans, who have flocked to Canada in growing numbers after a visa requirement was lifted in December, was already 66 percent higher in the first eight months of 2017 than the total from the previous year.

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