US Politics Mega-thread - Page 8299

On August 04 2017 09:01 KwarK wrote:
Thing is, even if 25% gets chopped off the markets overnight they'll still be significantly above where they were when people started saying they were overvalued and in need of a correction. If you'd stayed out of the market because it was overvalued you'd be below where the nadir of the next crash will be.

On August 04 2017 08:24 FueledUpAndReadyToGo wrote:
The full transcripts of the calls with Mexico and Australia are amazing. As leaks go, I think this really goes too far and we shouldn't be able to get these. But it's very juicy to read.

Turnbull pretty much gives Trump an out to the consequences of the refugee deal on a silver platter, he can vet and deny any of the refugees but he just has to accept the process as agreed upon between the countries before. But Trump just loses it and thinks he's getting fucked, ragequits the call before discussing Syria and NK.

Trump has increased our military budget because we don't want to use our military, but want to be prepared to use it

Campaign Promise 21: Trump could be the president that takes us to Mars!

      -Trump signed a Bill allowing NASA funding, including an exploration to Mars

On August 04 2017 10:07 Leporello wrote:
https://twitter.com/thehill/status/893262754412347392

The day keeps on giving.

On August 04 2017 10:12 Yurie wrote:


From the article it is standard procedure. Used by Democrats when Obama was president as well.

On August 04 2017 10:15 Leporello wrote:


Yeah, and it is the day before recess. So it does make sense that today would be an influx of news.
Still worth noting, though. It isn't always used, and with the number of vacancies in this White House, and personnel changes...
Then again, Trump is going golfing for 17 days. Things are going to get nicely boring again.

In the latest delay of a White House trade move, a planned Friday announcement of President Donald Trump's trade action against China has been postponed, two people familiar with the matter said.

Sources previously told POLITICO Trump was slated to hold an event at the White House on Friday in which he would direct U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to open an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 over what the administration views as Chinese violations of U.S. intellectual property rights and forced technology transfer.

The sources did not give an explanation for why the announcement was postponed, nor did they provide a date for when it would be rescheduled. A White House spokeswoman did not immediately comment.

The move would immediately ramp up tensions between Washington and Beijing — and could lead to steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump has expressed frustration in recent months over what he sees as China's unfair trade policies, and he's come up empty in his efforts to pressure Beijing to use its leverage over North Korea — as its main trading partner — to get Pyongyang to rein in its nuclear missile program.

Although Trump is still expected to instruct Lighthizer to carry out the investigation as early as next week, his administration has been marked by several delays on the trade front.

Two Commerce Department reports examining whether to restrict steel and aluminum imports on national security grounds were expected by the end of June but have been bottled up in an internal review. Trading partners raised threats of retaliation and domestic steel users complained of being hurt by price increases and restricted supply.

There also has been no sign of a third pending report, examining the causes of significant bilateral trade deficits, which was also due by the end of June.

Democrats, who are eager to prove to voters that they are tougher on trade than the tough-talking Trump, have accused the president of being all mouth and no action.

“There is a real cost to all the overhyped rhetoric, when the follow-through isn’t there,” Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said Thursday.

One result of the White House's delayed action has been a spike in steel imports over the last few months by foreign suppliers looking to avoid tariff increases that could result if Trump follows through on his threatened action.

“This episode demonstrates how tough talk without a real strategy hurts American workers,” Wyden said.

Any so-called Section 301 action by the administration against China would produce a lengthy investigation that could extend into all aspects of Chinese industrial policies. Unilateral U.S. trade sanctions could be the ultimate result.

Section 301 allows the U.S. to take unilateral action against countries that impose barriers to U.S. exports. That could take the form of increased import duties, but that would likely violate WTO rules. So the administration could look for some other form of retaliation, like restricting Chinese investment in the United States.

U.S. companies have complained they are often forced to share valuable technology with Chinese counterparts as a condition of doing business in the country.

McMaster Fires Controversial Staffer From National Security Council Post

Ezra Cohen-Watnick’s ouster continues National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster’s purge of nationalistic viewpoints from the NSC.

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster has removed an ally of his predecessor from the National Security Council, the White House said Wednesday.

Ezra Cohen-Watnick, 31, senior director for intelligence programs at the NSC, was hired by Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser. Flynn was fired in February after it was revealed he discussed Russia sanctions with that country’s ambassador to the U.S. prior to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, then lied about it.

On August 04 2017 10:15 Leporello wrote:


Yeah, and it is the day before recess. So it does make sense that today would be an influx of news.
Still worth noting, though. It isn't always used, and with the number of vacancies in this White House, and personnel changes...
Then again, Trump is going golfing for 17 days. Things are going to get nicely boring again.

On August 04 2017 12:07 LegalLord wrote:
So once again I wonder which FP official is currently the dominant one for leading policy. Tillerson is starting to come into his own, Mattis is being himself. Kushner has a track record of decision making no better than Clinton. McMaster looks like he has his hands full with internal stupid.

Guess it depends how tolerant Trump is of failure.

On August 04 2017 12:45 Wulfey_LA wrote:


The Generals are winning decisively. Gen Kelly tossed Mooch and is screening info that goes to DJT for factual content. Gen Mattis ignores Trump's tweets (see NK snafu and transgender stuff). Gen McMaster is purging Trumpkins and running intel without having to talk to DJT (DJT can't read a whole piece of paper so he can't participate). Whatever the Generals want, will be happening in a few months.

On August 04 2017 12:51 Sermokala wrote:

Should we be happy or scared that Generals are now basically controlling anything important in the executive?

On August 04 2017 08:24 FueledUpAndReadyToGo wrote:
The full transcripts of the calls with Mexico and Australia are amazing. As leaks go, I think this really goes too far and we shouldn't be able to get these. But it's very juicy to read.

On August 04 2017 12:07 LegalLord wrote:
So once again I wonder which FP official is currently the dominant one for leading policy. Tillerson is starting to come into his own, Mattis is being himself. Kushner has a track record of decision making no better than Clinton. McMaster looks like he has his hands full with internal stupid.

Guess it depends how tolerant Trump is of failure.