Everyone should try to skip the shiny things embedded within the story of a laptop theft from a Secret Service Agent Marie Argentieri.   The theft appears to have nothing to do with Trump Tower or Trump Tower floor plans.  The theft appears to have everything to do with Argentieri as a supportive investigator for Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
Evidence of the specific targeting is transparent within the eye witness stories that a car pulled up, a passenger exited the vehicle – went directly to Agent Argentieri’s vehicle, broke in, took the back pack and walked away quickly.
The thief knew exactly what they were looking for, this wasn’t a random heist of convenience.

(New York) […]  The thief stepped out of a dark-colored car, possibly an Uber, and stole the laptop from Argentieri’s vehicle, a 2015 Bajaj, which was parked in the driveway of her Bath Beach home, sources said. Neighbors said the thief struck about 3 a.m.
The crook, a man dressed in black, didn’t get back in the car. He was seen on surveillance video walking away from the scene with a backpack holding the laptop, sources said.

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President Trump and German Chancellor Merkel hold a joint press conference Friday March 17th 2017.
Chancellor Merkel again presented her view that globalization was the future of the world economy, and continued advocating for a failing multi-culturalist approach toward blended societies and reductions in national identity.  Merkel, like most of the far-left EU ideologues view Russia as an existential threat to their political objectives.

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President Trump has initiated a new administration protocol of greeting each foreign dignitary personally at the entrance to the White House upon each visit.

Today German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the White House and attended a cabinet room roundtable discussion with U.S. and German business leaders on the topic of vocational training.  Anticipating a future trade negotiation President Trump also brought Commerce Secretary Wilburne (Ross) to engage:

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12:58 P.M. EDT [Transcript] PRESIDENT TRUMP: Chancellor, thank you very much. Such a great honor to get to know you, to be with you. I want to thank all of the business leaders who have joined us to discuss a subject that’s very important to me — training our workforce for the 21st century, especially with respect to manufacturing jobs.
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President Donald Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence and VA Secretary David Shulkin meet today with veterans to discuss ongoing VA programs including healthcare and veterans support initiatives.
The purpose of today’s meeting was to listen to the ongoing concerns, understand the proposals being implemented, and further recommit to institutional reform and improved standards of care for veterans.

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The White House has been in 24/7 negotiations with Republican leadership and committee members in the House of Representatives over the healthcare bill.  Those negotiations continued throughout the night with members and key staff.
Modifications to the Price/Ryan Healthcare bill have been made with the input from multiple concerned House Republicans.  Earlier today they held a brief presser in the oval office to discuss their support.  Previous opposition now supporting the modified bill.

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OMB Director Mick Mulvaney attends the daily White House press briefing and fields questions about the President Trump ‘America-First’ budget.
Director Mulvaney does an exceptional job explaining the larger budgetary issues, priorities and squashing some of the more ridiculous media narratives du jour.

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Regarding the non-discretionary side.  I would remind all:

Trump Economics – […] As the wage rate increases, and as the economy expands, the governmental dependency model is reshaped and simultaneously receipts to the U.S. treasury improve.
More money into the U.S Treasury and less dependence on welfare programs has a combined exponential impact. You gain a dollar, and have no need to spend a dollar. That is how the SSI and safety net programs are saved under President Trump.
When you elevate your economic thinking you begin to see that all of the “entitlements” or expenditures become more affordable with an economy that is fully functional.
As the GDP of the U.S. expands, so too does our ability to meet the growing need of the retiring U.S. worker. We stop thinking about how to best divide a limited economic pie, and begin thinking about how many more economic pies we can create. (link)

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The modern fight for fiscal responsibility has been going on for over two decades.  However, after George W. Bush began spending us into oblivion the urgency increased rapidly; culminating in the uprising in 2008/2009 known as the Tea Party.
The past decade brought us: Bank-Bailouts(TARP,) Auto-Bailouts, Stimulus (ARRA) spending, Omnibus spending, Porkulous bills, Debt Ceiling increases, Continuing Resolutions, the FED buying debt (QE1, QE2), and beyond.

Finally, frustratingly, exhaustively… we arrive in 2017 and for the first time in modern presidential history we have a president proposing to curb the size, scope, scale and cost of government.
The Washington DC UniParty will fight back hard against any curtailment, so here’s some perspective for the upcoming battle:

• The last federal budget was signed into law in September 2007, for fiscal year 2008, by George W. Bush.
• It has been over a decade since the Federal Government operated with a budgetary law guiding spending.
• Because of the two previous points – Over two-thirds of Republican representatives, and over 50% of all reps in the House and Senate, have never held office during a year with a federal budget.
• Let that sink in.

Here’s the top-line overview of President Trump’s budget proposal by department: (more…)

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) was created as an outcome of the 911 Commission Report to work as a hub of intelligence sharing amid all of the intelligence agencies.  The primary function of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is to ensure all agencies are working with the same information.
After a senate confirmation vote yesterday (85-12), today Senator Dan Coats accepted his commission; and with the swearing in by Vice-President Mike Pence, becomes President Trump’s Director of National Intelligence.

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AMERICA FIRST

Beginning a New Chapter of American Greatness

A MESSAGE TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: The American people elected me to fight for their priorities in Washington, D.C. and deliver on my promise to protect our Nation.
I fully intend to keep that promise.
One of the most important ways the Federal Government sets priorities is through the Budget of the United States. Accordingly, I submit to the Congress this Budget Blueprint to reprioritize Federal spending so that it advances the safety and security of the American people.
Our aim is to meet the simple, but crucial demand of our citizens—a Government that puts the needs of its own people first.
When we do that, we will set free the dreams of every American, and we will begin a new chapter of American greatness. A budget that puts America first must make the safety of our people its number one priority— because without safety, there can be no prosperity.
That is why I have instructed my Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney, to craft a budget that emphasizes national security and public safety. That work is reflected in this Budget Blueprint. (more…)

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Japan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fumio Kishida, at the Ikura Guest House in Tokyo, Japan. The visit included a joint press conference. The first video below is edited down to present Secretary Tillerson’s statement as well as his answers to a few questions.
With all the challenges facing Asia: North Korea missile tests, China expansion into the S-China Sea etc., the ugly American press corps never fails to deliver the reality of their self-absorption. [04:35] The extremely predictable journalists within the State Department Correspondents Association (SDCA) ask Tillerson about State Department budget cuts; that’s what they are worried about.

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