Perhaps the best soundbite of the day comes from Steve Bannon answering a question about whether the administration perceives the future having a better or worse relationship with the Mostly Swamp Media.  WATCH:

As CTH has stated since the fall of 2015 – because the MSM is structurally built to synergize with a globally progressive worldview, they will never accept a nationalist perspective from any U.S. President.
Nationalism is simply antithetical to their interests.
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The Mexican government is strongly controlling the optics of a visit today by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and DHS Secretary General John Kelly.  [An upcoming press conference live stream is embedded below ]  Mexico fears the projection of U.S. strength will undermine their position.
President Trump is taking a hard-line approach with Mexico’s central policies that have allowed, and in many cases facilitated, vast numbers of economic migrants to travel into the U.S.  Trump’s pending policies are going to be weighted heavily on the feedback he receives from T-Rex and General Kelly’s visit.
Added video from joint press conference:

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Y’all know how I feel about CPAC.

ConPAC is the annual three day meeting for those suffering with severe Battered Conservative Syndrome.  In other words, the attendees are co-dependents to their own legislative and political abuse.

That said, the Trump administration has to deliver the donuts to the BCS therapy session, or everyone there will be triggered by the snub.   Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon are scheduled to appear today (1:00pm), and President Trump will attend tomorrow.
ADD: Here’s the video replay:

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Here’s the ongoing CPAC Live Stream Below: (more…)

President Donald Trump met with twenty-four CEO’s from the largest manufacturing organizations today for a listening session.   The CEO’s represent over $1 trillion in annual product sales and employ approximately 2 million people.
The objective was to listen to their feedback on what policy initiatives are most important to their growth and stability, and to understand their perspectives on current regulatory hurdles that are negatively impacting current and future growth.
Prior to the closed door session, President Trump made some brief remarks with the press.

@06:30: …”we’re going to have a good relationship with Mexico – I hope – and if we don’t, we don’t… but we can’t let that [trade deficits] happen”….

List of attendees below.
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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

Sean Spicer Twitter @PressSec

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 †

Yeah, there’s a lot of political stuff swirling the various news feeds.  However, it’s worth watching the CNN debate tonight between Tom Perez and Keith Ellison for DNC Chairmanship.  The actual DNC voting will take place on Saturday February 25th.
The long term future of the Democrat party is being fought amid two distinct constituencies.  The establishment wing of the Democrat Party, represented by Perez; and the more insurgent wing of the party apparatus represented by Ellison.
UPDATE: Video Added
https://youtu.be/LqC9OFNkK5A?t=10m

While there is a considerable amount of cross-over between the two ideological camps, essentially the direction the Democrat party will take in the 2018 mid-term election is the most visible issue.  Political junkies will be able to identify what direction is chosen by seeing which candidate the DNC selects for Chair. (more…)

Today, as CPAC begins, there is an auspicious breaking of ‘I-told-ya-so’ sunlight…

On February 17th (five days ago) we posted a research and discussion outline surrounding an interview between Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Fox News Sean Hannity.   Within the outline I emphatically stated:

Firstly, no-one who has deep understanding of political constructs trusts Paul Ryan.  PERIOD.  This interview doesn’t change that valid and central truism one iota.  There are Trillions of dollars at stake.
Paul Ryan is setting up the groundwork in his preparation to orchestrate the financial legislative priorities of Tom Donohue, Wall Street and the U.S. CoC.   It’s a con. If you don’t grasp that basic foundation, you’ll be entirely lost for the remainder of the year. -link-

I went on to outline how Sean Hannity was accepting a construct of legislative lies from House Speaker Paul Ryan.
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Oh man, the winning is getting almost too exponential today.  Mexico’s Foreign Minister Videgaray states his government will not allow President Trump to deport illegal Mexican aliens back into Mexico.  He’s setting himself up for a big problem, here’s why.

What no one noticed yet was Trump administration immediately postponed the release of the new immigration policy executive order (until next week).  Remember, part of President Trump’s expressed policy outline was an immigration rule that explicitly invalidates any reciprocity Visa process from any nation that does not accept repatriation of it’s own citizens.
The ‘repatriation-tied-to-visa-program’ principle, was generally directed toward nations like Yemen, Somalia (or any others) etc. who are part of the larger immigration policy, and who have refused to accept the return of their own criminal citizens.
However, if Mexico also takes themselves into this tenuous position then Mexico could also lose non-restrictive travel authority into the United States; and simultaneously blow up the former NAFTA agreement which is their only lifeline toward any semblance of economic leverage.
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We’ll look for expanded video of the visits today by Secretary Kelly and Secretary Tillerson to Mexico and South America.  In the interim thanks to DaveNYviii for this segment of a press conference in Guatemala.
Woo doggies,…. DHS Secretary General John Kelly drops an absolute truth bomb in a joint press conference earlier today.  Speaking with Interior Minister Francisco Rivas the severity of Secretary Kelly’s words are a stunning reflection of the change in approach.
Minister Rivas’s jaw was visibly quivering as every frightened synapse went simultaneously into apoplectic shock mode.  [Pinch me, I’m in heaven.]
Must watch. No, really… MUST WATCH:

John Kelly’s message to Guatemalans (and others)
Your journey north is going to be brutal.
IF you make it you’re going to be returned fast. pic.twitter.com/AN2XSpq4cH

— TrumpTracker (@DaveNYviii) February 22, 2017

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Guatemala City (AFP) – US plans to deport millions of Central American migrants and regional security issues dominated US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly’s visit to Guatemala on Wednesday, his Guatemalan counterpart said.
Interior Minister Francisco Rivas said he and Kelly discussed those issues after the US official, who arrived late Tuesday, held private talks with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.
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