This hearing might be a little too wonky for some, but not too many other policy issues touch 100% of American lives. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will be delivering testimony today outlining the 2020 trade policy agenda.
The testimony is before the House Ways and Means Committee, and will be livestreamed on the committee website [SEE HERE] and below at 10:00am ET from the Longworth House Office Building. USTR Lighthizer is the sole witness.
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Lighthizer will also be testifying to the Senate Finance Committee at 3:00pm. [LINK]
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is testifying tomorrow at 10:00am to the House Ways and Means committee; later in the afternoon Ambassador Lighthizer will testify before the Senate Finance Committee.
The New York Times has received an advance copy of USTR Lighthizer’s opening statement, and the liberal publication is apoplectic the Trump administration plans to outline an even more aggressive stance toward the World Trade Organization (WTO).
According to the pearl-clutching Wall St. class, Lighthizer is going to inform congress of Trump/USTR plans to demand tariff reciprocity; and Lighthizer will indeed raise tariffs against any nation that continues to attempt one-sided benefit. [EU will go bananas]
One method to approach tariff inequality would be for the U.S. to lower the import value threshold for non-tariff exemptions. Currently the U.S. does not apply import duties to any product valued under $800. This is a great benefit to China, southeast Asia, and U.S. on-line retailers such as ebay and Amazon; however, the zero tariff threshold hurts U.S. manufacturers because China and other nations do not reciprocate.
It is anticipated that USTR Lighthizer will inform congress the U.S. will lower that import threshold to match the same value level applied by other nations. Obviously the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Wall Street multinationals will not like this approach.
The U.S. media are in ideological alignment with blue state governors and congressional democrats to hype COVID-19 panic as a method to keep the economy from reopening. To advance this narrative the crowds during mass protects they approve of are ignored; but any crowd at an event they do not align with is used to push panic. Everyone can see this.
The New York manufacturing index shocked everyone earlier today showing a strong rebound. The index “unexpectedly” surged 48 points in June surprising all economic forecasters. Meanwhile, National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow appears on Fox News to discuss the dynamics.
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As Kudlow notes, President Trump is looking to use any potential phase-4 legislative package to inject a massive ‘America First’ boost, via tax incentives for manufacturing business interests to return to the U.S. The administration does not see a need for additional direct spending, bailouts, or continued payments; however, this is an opportunity to provide tax incentives to boost U.S-centric economic activity.
It’s important to remember the dynamic of U.S. multinationals (Wall St), and how many of them align with Democrat and media efforts to hold down the U.S. economy. There are trillions at stake.
White House trade and manufacturing policy advisor Peter Navarro appears for an interview with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the strong data for jobs amid the effort to reopen all facets of the U.S. economy. Navarro highlights the recent visit to Maine where he accompanied President Trump to celebrate U.S. critical manufacturing.
Within the interview Navarro reminds the audience of the larger strategic confrontation against China that involves multiple geopolitical aspects to the U.S. economy.
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The media apoplexy over positive economic news is directly related to how much damage a positive economy does to the Antifa/BLM strategy to divide our nation through class warfare. A thriving Main Street economy is antithetical to the objective.
Earlier today President Trump and trade advisor Peter Navarro traveled to Bangor, Maine to participate in a roundtable discussion on supporting America’s commercial fishermen. During the visit the president signed a proclamation modifying the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.
Participating in the roundtable were: Paul LePage, Former Governor of Maine; Terry Alexander, Owner, Jordan Lynn Inc.; Jim Odlin, Member of Board of Directors, Blue Harvest Fisheries; Frank O’Hara Jr., President, O’Hara Corporation; Kristan Porter, President, Maine Lobstermen’s Association; Maggie Raymond, Executive Director, Associated Fisheries of Maine; Mary Beth Tooley, Former Council Member, New England Fishery Management Council and Jon Williams, Owner, Atlantic Red Crab Company
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Background – On September 15, 2016, the Obama Administration designated the first and only national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, using authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906.
This action abruptly ended commercial fishing within its boundaries, limiting economic prosperity for this crucial industry in the northeast. President Trump’s proclamation amends that economic restriction, reauthorizes commercial fishing, but will not alter the boundaries of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.
Economic analysts had forecast another month of job losses around 9 million; however, the ADP payroll report shows a much better result with 2.76 million jobs lost in May. The surprising difference between expectations and results is giving increased hope a quicker rebound may be possible.
The ADP results were so much better than expected that White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said he has to check the data twice. The data was released while Hassett was in the middle of an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business.
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The key is getting rid of these nonsensical shut-down rules. As the lack of social distancing concern amid the protests has shown, the shut-down fears, rules and regulations are over-hyped and baseless. However, the blue state governors continue to fight economic re-engagement as they look to maximize negative economic impact for political gains.
White House Trade and Manufacturing Advisor Peter Navarro has a good discussion with Martha MacCallum about the economy, White House economic policy and the focus in the aftermath of the COVID crisis to reemphasize an industrial resurgence in the U.S.
As Navarro outlines the focus of the administration policy is on Main Street and driving the main street economy that overwhelmingly benefits middle-class workers.
That said, when questioned about President Trump’s recent tone toward China, Navarro hints toward what many expect… President Trump is going to deliver a very deliberate, very strategic, very focused and very painful economic blow to Beijing. WATCH:
On April, 17, 2020, President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to expedite assistance to America’s farmers, ranchers and consumers. The President directed USDA to use all funds and authorities at its disposal. In addition to the $16 billion in direct payments, the details of which are expected to be announced shortly, USDA has begun to purchase & distribute up to $3 billion of ag products to those in need through the Food Box Distribution Program.
On Friday, May 15, 2020, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump and Secretary Perdue toured Coastal Sunbelt Producers in Laurel, MD, which has begun the packing and distribution of these boxes to families in need. Contracts to distributors have been awarded by USDA.
Earlier today President Trump delivered remarks on supporting our Nation’s farmers, ranchers, and food supply chain in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
A visibly angered President Trump told Maria Bartiromo he “doesn’t want to talk to China right now” and expresses a more open opinion that we should just decouple from all economic attachment to China. This is a seismic shift in tone toward Beijing.
All administration policy and economic influence is now targeted to remove Chinese manufacturing from the U.S. supply chain. President Trump and white house officials openly discussing a U.S. effort to decouple from China is a significant shift.
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President Trump has been creating a dual position for several years; this is very unique because it is the same strategy used by China. By expressing a panda face, yet concealing the underlying dragon, President Trump’s policy to China is a mirror of themselves.
White House trade and manufacturing policy advisor Peter Navarro appears on Fox News to discuss the administration’s outlook toward China and the intense focus to bring critical manufacturing back to the U.S.
Earlier in the day a visibly angered President Trump told Maria Bartiromo he “doesn’t want to talk to China right now”, and Navarro highlights exactly why. All administration policy and economic influence is targeted to remove Chinese manufacturing from the U.S. supply chain. President Trump officials openly discussing an intentional U.S. effort to decouple from China is a significant shift…. WATCH: