The baseline when reviewing economic data from China is to remember the entire economy is controlled by the communist central government.  If they say the economy is “less strong” than previously expected, generally we can anticipate the truth is much worse.
The second aspect to remember is that many U.S. manufacturers made anticipatory advanced purchases, building up inventory ahead of possible tariffs, in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2018.  Those advance purchases can amplify any manufacturing slow down.

BEIJING (Reuters) – China is expected to report on Monday that economic growth cooled to its slowest in 28 years in 2018 amid weakening domestic demand and bruising U.S. tariffs, adding pressure on Beijing to roll out more support measures to avert a sharper slowdown.
Growing signs of weakness in China — which has generated nearly a third of global growth in the past decade — are stoking worries about risks to the world economy and are weighing on profits for firms ranging from Apple to big carmakers.

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An important interview between Judiciary Committee member John Ratcliffe (R – TX) as he discusses the likely motive behind why Mueller decided to talk out against the Buzzfeed report.  Representative Ratcliffe points to the testimony of AG nominee William Barr as the annoying pebble that made Mueller’s team stop to shake out their shoe.
Additionally, in an outline to highlight the corrupt abuse of the Rosenstein/Mueller probe, Ratcliffe outlines Bruce Ohr’s testimony and exposes a larger issue: if Mueller was honorable, when he became aware of the scheme he would have dropped his inquiry.

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Fox News did not post the second part of that interview. However, we located a secondary source below:
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Understanding that Michael Cohen is the first pre-planned Democrat House interview, first step, within a longer ‘impeachment’ strategy, it becomes easier to see why MSM are all-in to help build the false basis for the initial obstruction snowball.
In 2015/2016 Michael Cohen working for the Trump organization and exploring a business deal within Russia is nothing.  Democrats did not kick-off the public “Muh Russia” conspiracy narrative until October 2016.   In the aftermath of two years of creating the ‘Muh Russia’ planetary election conspiracy theory, a nothing-burger contact within Russia becomes a focus-point. [Ah-ha!, you were talking to Russians… ‘IMPEACH’! ]
However, for the impeachment cornerstone to take footing, Cummings, Schiff and Nadler need to present the optics of obstruction. House investigations need a plausible premise to justify the work. Media are working overtime to frame/support the ‘plausible premise’.

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It’s annoying as heck because the baseline (Russian Conspiracy) is nonsense; but creating the plausible premise is the goal of the media. This is how media help the resistance effort.
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There are two distinct narrative angles that are intersecting in the current weekend talk venues.  One is the government shutdown and how the resistance is attempting to gain maximum political benefit against the White House.  The second is how the larger ‘shutdown narrative‘ is being deployed as cover for revelations within prior testimony showing how the Obama DOJ and FBI weaponized against their political opposition.
In this regard, the shutdown (as planned by Speaker Nancy Pelosi) serves a dual purpose; it is helping to construct a larger oppositional narrative while burying a story the MSM are desperate not to cover.  The two narratives are intertwined and it would be against the interests of Pelosi, Cummings, Schiff and Nadler, to reach a shutdown agreement.
HPSCI Chairman Adam Schiff appears after VP Mike Pence on FtN and highlights this intended dual purpose. Schiff immediately transfers from the shutdown into a discussion of using Michael Cohen: the two narratives are intertwined.

*Note*:  It’s important to remember the democrat strategy is planned out.  Oversight Committee (Cummings), builds to HPSCI Committee (Schiff) who ultimately leads to Judicary Committee (Nadler).   Jerry Nadler is where they hope to initiate the ‘impeachment‘ angle.
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After President Trump put an offer on the table that was rejected by democrat leaders, Vice President Mike Pence appears on CBS Face the Nation to debate the stalemate with resistance advocate Margaret Brennan.

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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 †

White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley appears on Fox News with Jeanine Pirro to discuss the current partial government shutdown and the impasse between the White House and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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30 Minutes before President Trump began to outline his compromise proposal (4:00pm, from the White House), Speaker Nancy Pelosi auto-published the response position of Democrats, NO DEAL:

(From The Speaker) “Democrats were hopeful that the President was finally willing to re-open government and proceed with a much-needed discussion to protect the border.
“Unfortunately, initial reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people’s lives. It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports. (read more)

President Trump outlined a common-sense bipartisan solution to reopen government.  Nancy Pelosi took a zero-sum position and rejected the proposal.  Without pressure from ‘moderate’ democrats (if any exist), the impasse continues.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Leader Steny Hoyer and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are on pre-scheduled vacation until January 25th.
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President Donald Trump will be making a widely anticipated announcement on the government shutdown and border crisis from the White House today.  The speech will likely outline a proposal to end the partial government shutdown.
The president is anticipated to outline a proposal for $5.7 billion for physical border security in exchange for “The Bridge Act” which would extend protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and legislation to extend the legal status of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders.  Anticipated start time 4:00pm EST.
UPDATE: Video Added

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