A new poll of economic sentiment provided by YouGov shows that almost twice as many people have a favorable view of the current economic climate amid the U.S. general population.  [Full pdf Available Here]
As noted in the chart below when comparing July 2016 to August 2017 the number of people with a favorable view of their own personal and national economic outlook has almost doubled.

(click to enlarge)

Question: Overall do you think the economy is getting better or worse?

• The Democrats who said things were “Getting Better” decreased from 28% to 14%.
• The number of Republicans who said “Getting Better” jumped from 5% to 53%.
• The total of the general public saying “Getting Better” jumped from 17% to 30%.

Appearing in Miami-Dade, earlier today U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivered remarks about sanctuary cities and the Department of Justice intentions to hold them to account for violations of immigration law.

[Transcript] Thank you Tom, for that introduction. I have great respect for the work you are doing. We have many members of your team here and I want to thank each and every one of you. Thank you. And thank you to all the law enforcement personnel I see out here.
Mayor Carlos Giménez, thank you for your tremendous hospitality and thank you for your commitment to the rule of law and tireless work to keep the people of Miami-Dade safe.
I also want to recognize our acting United States Attorney Ben Greenberg. Your team here has done a fabulous job.
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I find it interesting that Chinese TV is more interested in NAFTA renegotiation than most U.S., Canada or Mexico media.  Against the backdrop of China exploiting NAFTA as a backdoor into the U.S. market we accept this disparate level of interest is not accidental. China is specifically the “third party dumper” mentioned by Robert Lighthizer.
The negotiations can have as many as six rounds; each round lasting 5 days; two rounds in each nation, over the course of three months, with each round tackling a different economic sector.
It is also entirely possible they could also end sooner, much sooner.
The introductory remarks by Trade representatives from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. can be considerably enlightening for those who review the transparent political agendas behind the trade discussions.  I have a spidey sense these first round negotiations might not even make it to Sunday.
In the video below it is interesting to watch Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, outline her priorities (also here in more detail).  Ms. Freeland gives her remarks in English, Spanish and French.  If you can watch Freeland without A.) Laughing hysterically, or B.) punching your TV/Computer screen, well, you’re Job.
Through Ms. Freedlan’s leadership – Canada is focused on ensuring a “progressive trade agenda”.  She is demanding a focus on LGBTQ, and specifically transgender rights in the trade deal, in addition to cultural sensitivity aspects, and climate change. Go figure.
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President Donald Trump has cancelled the Manufacturers Council and the Strategic Economic Advisory Board.  There are trillions of dollars at stake.  The members of the boards, and their representative companies, were being targeted by left-wing groups like Move-On.Org with boycotts and opposition.

There are massive international corporate and financial interests who are inherently at risk from President Trump’s “America-First” economic and trade platform.  Believe it or not, President Trump is up against an entire world economic establishment.
I will outline how it works below; and when you understand how it works in the modern era you will understand why the agents within the system are so adamantly opposed to U.S. President Trump.
The biggest lie in modern economics, willingly spread and maintained by corporate media, is that a system of global markets still exists.
It doesn’t.
Every element of global economic trade is controlled and exploited by massive institutions, multinational banks and multinational corporations.  Institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Bank control trillions of dollars in economic activity.  Underneath that economic activity there are people who hold the reigns of power over the outcomes.  These individuals and groups are the stakeholders in direct opposition to principles of national economics.
The modern financial constructs of these entities have been established over the course of the past three decades.  When you understand how they manipulate the economic system of individual nations you begin to understand understand why they are so fundamentally opposed to President Trump.
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The first round of new NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) negotiations begins today in Washington DC.  The U.S., Canada and Mexico begin the task of renegotiating a trade deal originally established in 1995. There are trillions of dollars in trade being discussed, and more substantively the basic principles behind a tri-lateral trade deal that has compromised U.S. economic growth are being reformatted and reestablished.
Most of the media presentations on the substantive issues are framed in falsehoods, deception and many outright lies.  The advancement of multinational corporations, and multinational financial constructs has eliminated the historic reference points still being used by the media to mislead the average consumer – EXPLAINED HERE –
NAFTA was/is a highly political trade deal that has severely compromised U.S. workers and U.S. manufacturers.  There may be as many as six rounds of negotiations as each economic sector is addressed.  However, the first round is essentially to establish the principles of priority for each trade nation.  Against the backdrop of America as the worlds largest economy and market, the entire globe is watching to see the outcome.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer delivers his opening remarks (video and transcript below).

This morning, @USTradeRep Ambassador Robert Lighthizer delivered an opening statement at the first round of #NAFTA renegotiations. pic.twitter.com/8h21Ednskf

— Department of State (@StateDept) August 16, 2017

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AMBASSADOR ROBERT LIGHTHIZER – This is an historic day for the United States. Today, for the first time, we will start negotiating to revise a major free trade agreement. American politicians have been promising to renegotiate NAFTA for years, but today President Trump is going to fulfill those promises.
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The Daily Caller is reporting that Hope Hicks will be named as Communications Director.  Most people familiar with the 2015 campaign origin will remember Hope Hicks as one of the very original members of the small campaign team.
(Via Daily Caller) Hope Hicks will be named the new White House communications director, The Daily Caller News Foundation has learned.
President Trump has offered the job to Hicks and she has accepted the position, according to a White House insider. Hicks has been close by Trump’s side since the early days of the campaign and is one of his most trusted staffers. She has been serving on the press team in more of a behind-the-scenes role as the director of strategic communications.
The communications director position has been open since President Trump fired Anthony Scaramucci in July, just ten days after the Mooch took over the position from former press secretary Sean Spicer. Trump ditched Scaramucci shortly after he decided to bring on Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly as his new chief of staff.  (link)
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Thanks to Stella for posting this again. This is something we all need to be aware of, something we need to work at. Please take a moment to check out the post and educate yourself about protecting our children. If you have knowledge to add, we appreciate your contribution.

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 †

UPDATE:  10:05pm With 68% of precincts reporting it looks like ♦Roy Moore (40.6%) and ♦Luther Strange (32%) will be headed into a runoff.
The Alabama Polls closed at 8:00pm Eastern.  The top three republican candidates are Luther Strange, Mo Brooks and Roy Moore.  If no candidate can get over 50% there will be a runoff.

[left to right] Mo Brooks (19.7%) – ♦Judge Roy Moore (40.2%) – ♦Luther Strange (32%)

♦Roy Moore and Luther Strange head to a runoff.
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