A predictable assignment for a Decepticon tool placed to protect the interests of the multinationals.
A committee position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ensures that Mittens can prosper from the indulgences of foreign lobbying efforts.

WASHINGTON DC – Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) is getting a high-profile perch as he joins the Senate during his latest clash with President Trump.
Romney was named on Thursday to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, giving him an opening to wade into several looming foreign policy battles between Congress and the White House.

(more…)

Senator Sinema:

(link)

As many may reference, when CTH notes an opposition member with exceptional agitprop skills -regardless of opinion toward them as an opponent- CTH gives them credit.  This is very well played.  Ms. Sinema has intelligent political skills.
It is a skill few have mastered:  Take every aspersion cast against you; embrace them with humor; amplify them in your own way; and then turn the outcome to your advantage.  President Donald Trump also has this political skillset.

Oh dear.  U.S. President Donald J Trump just posted a graphic on his Instagram account that will likely make his political opposition go bananas.  Epic:

(Link)

From all appearances President Trump is not backing down from his demand for border security that includes a border wall physical barrier.  And while Democrats thought they had him painted into a zero-sum corner, well, there’s every indication the White House is prepared to let the partial government shutdown go on for months if needed.
This position now puts all the pressure on Nancy Pelosi.
(more…)

Tomorrow, Friday January 4th, the U.S. Labor Department will release the December jobs report which will offer an in-depth look at the labor market including: job additions, the unemployment rate, the labor participation rate and actual wage growth.
In the interim, the ADP National Employment Report provides a monthly snapshot of U.S. nonfarm private sector employment based on actual transactional payroll data. Their review of national payroll ledgers shows a stunning; 271,000 jobs added in December.

(link to ADP data – link to pdf)

(more…)

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivers a press briefing on the day the new 116th congressional session begins.  There is somewhat of a scramble as the press briefing was only recently announced.  Anticipated start time around 4:30pm EST.
UPDATE:   SURPRISE !!!  President Trump delivered the briefing:

(more…)

Today the official first day of the 116th congressional session begins with Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi taking control over the House of Representatives. Speaker Pelosi delivers the first of many speeches to her audience.

(more…)

Former British Prime Minister Winston S Churchill famously said: “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”  Perhaps, in an ironic way, that is exactly what the British Army are doing as they reveal an ad campaign to recruit the finest young men and women the U.K. has for military service:

This is not a parody; these recruitment posters are very real. The stereotypical traits of British Millennials are accepted as the standard and re-branded as strengths.
The indulgent trait of self-centeredness becomes “self-belief;” the generational obsession with phones and gadgets becomes “focus”; and those with a propensity for compulsive selfie-taking are now cast with internal “confidence.”
Yes, the British Army have officially accepted that a generation where everyone deserves a trophy is now the first line of national defense; and thus recruitment efforts need to be modified accordingly.
(more…)

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 †

Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Dick Durbin discuss their democrat plan to re-open government while simultaneously keeping the open-border priorities in place.
The basic political position of the professional Democrats is to use the framework supported by their House and Senate UniParty colleagues to undermine the resolve of President Trump. In essence Pelosi and Schumer are weaponizing their alliance with McConnell and Ryan against the U.S. President:

.
A leak from inside the White House stated Pelosi, Hoyer, Schumer and Durbin refused to enter the WH situation room for a classified briefing -by DHS Secretary Nielsen- on the current border security status. The Democrats refused to accept any information that was adverse to their current political interests. Media?…. crickets.
(more…)