[Originally posted in 2017] To understand the China ‘One-Belt / ‘One-World‘ economic trade strategy it becomes necessary to understand how structurally weak the Chinese economy was when created.
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.
Lets take a stroll and lightly discuss.
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.
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Steve Bannon appears on CNBC to discuss the economic objectives of China and how President Trump and USTR Lighthizer are confronting three very important convergences.
Bannon does a good job outlining the three Chinese priorities: ¹One-belt, one road; ²Made in China 2025; and ³Huawei 5G rollout; and how those efforts conflict with U.S. interests.

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White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow made some news yesterday when he said he would like to see the Fed cut interest rates by half a point (.50%).  Director Kudlow then appeared on CNBC for a discussion of the economy and the United States’ ongoing trade discussions with China and Mexico.
The larger story is actually about the current state of the U.S. economy as Trump’s policies influence direct investment and re-establish a middle-class durable goods manufacturing sector. WATCH:

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In essence we are in that economic space where Trump has de-emphasized the Wall Street economy (multinational corps, investments and financials) and re-emphasized the Main Street economy (manufacturing, blue collar jobs).  The new trade deals represent an unusual economic paradox for Wall St.  National corporations thrive; however multinational corporations and their investment instruments can simultaneously suffer.
We can tell we are in the space between both of these economies, because actions by the Fed are having no impact on inflation.  Consumer prices are returning back to their natural dynamic.  I’m reposting an article below from December 2016, right after the 2016 election, because this odd economic landscape -while new- was entirely predictable.  I called it the “Third Dimension in American Economics“.
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First things first.  We cannot approach the analysis of Robert Mueller or any of the officials within the closed-circle of the DC fiefdom from a reference drawn from our own personal experiences.  The people we are discussing are not connected to a frame of reference carried by 99% of the American population.
The DC elites are people born to live in a hierarchy of power and position disconnected from any external tribe.  Their sense of importance is affirmed by perceived status and expressed through their daily conduct. A world of think-tanks, superiority training, traditions and policy-making enhances their sanctimonious self-importance at a pathological level. The common reference here is James Comey.

These cloistered communities generate people who find themselves in line during a vacation and cannot reconcile their wait-time amid those who do not recognize them.  Their frame of reference is to stand aghast saying: “don’t you know who I am?”
Back in their tribal DC community their restaurant seating is determined by their status; an unspoken social structure where simple indulgences are afforded in relation to their inherent power and social position within the community.
If we attempt to reconcile corrupt behaviors and motives from our own social reference points, nothing they do makes sense. However, if we accept that inside their bubble their norms, customs and structures are exclusive to a particular sect of life amid those who make the rules everyone else must abide by; then their corrupt behavior -and more specifically their underlying motive- becomes more understandable.
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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

President Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani appears on Fox News with Sean Hannity to discuss today’s revelations from AG Barr about the pending Mueller report release.  Giuliani discusses how Andrew Weissmann created the Obstruction legal theory.

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It certainly did seem suspicious that Weissmann and Ahmad departed the Mueller team as soon as Mark Meadows and Jim Jordan requested an explanation from AG Bill Barr about their conflicts of interest…. Additionally suspicious that Chairman Jerry Nadler and Chairman Adam Schiff are not currently demanding testimony from Robert Mueller.
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Last night (Thursday) Rush Limbaugh appeared on Fox News to discuss the Mueller report and the much bigger backstory of why Mueller’s entire investigation existed.
This is an excellent monologue presentation from Limbaugh:  Hi, Mr. Limbaugh!

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President Trump holds a mini press conference with Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon to announce her departure.  During the presser President Trump also answers questions on a variety of current events. [Video and Transcript Below]

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[Transcript] Mar-a-Lago – Palm Beach, Florida, – 4:17 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. Linda McMahon has done an incredible job as the head of the Small Business Administration. She has been a superstar. The fact is that I’ve known her for a long time. I knew she was good, but I didn’t know she was that good. She has been one of our all-time favorites. It was just so smooth. She’s helped so many people in the world of small business.
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Oh boy, if you’ve been following the Justin Trudeau scandal surrounding the SNC-Lavalin bribery and corruption case, well, things just got more interesting.  Former Justice Minister, Canadian Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould, has stated, repeatedly, she felt pressured by Justin Trudeau to interfere in a criminal prosecution to help a business based on politics.  [Backstory Here – and Here – and Here]
Obviously Ms. Wilson-Raybould knew Trudeau was putting her in a legally precarious position because she took the unprecedented step of recording a conversation with Trudeau’s aide, Michael Wernick, while he was applying the pressure.  LISTEN:

CANADA – […] The recording shows Trudeau aide Michael Wernick telling the Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould that Trudeau “is determined, quite firm,” in finding a way to avoid a prosecution that could put 9,000 jobs at risk.
It also shows Wilson-Raybould, who was also attorney general, saying she regards the pressure as “inappropriate.”

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