Sunday Talks, Goldman Sachs CEO LLoyd Blankfein Still Sees Demand Side Inflation


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 15, 2022 | Sundance 

Appearing on Face the Nation (FtN) Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein discussed his views and perspectives on the economy overall and U.S. inflation specifically.  Undoubtedly Blankfein has access to resources and analysis far beyond CTH scope; however, despite a statistically factual contracting GDP, Blankfein is claiming to see overall demand side inflation remaining in the macro economy.

Perhaps that view might still be true domestically on the service side (it certainly isn’t on the trade side), but demand driven inflation does not appear visible on the goods side of the economic ledger.  What is clearly present as the price driver is “production side inflation,” the costs to create goods and bring them to market.   If you look at economic activity in units instead of dollars, the units are contracting.

The demand for goods is now focused almost entirely on priority or essential purchases like housing, energy, fuel and food.  The price for those essential products is driven by production costs, which are a direct outcome of the energy policy, environmental policy, regulatory policy, and to a lesser extent trade policy, of the Biden administration.  Blankfein is pretending not to know things… WATCH:

Putting housing aside due to investment purchasing of real estate, if Blankfein was correct, and demand was still driving inflation, then a massive deflationary cycle would be coming as a result of lowered consumer purchasing of goods.   There isn’t any chance we are going to see “deflation” in the next several years.  [We will likely see housing prices collapse, but not consumer goods.]

Inflation is being driven by production costs, and there is no end in sight to the production cost increases as long as the crew behind Joe Biden keeps strangling the U.S. energy sector…. and then compounding the domestic price issue by creating incentives for energy exports (vis-a-vis EU sanctions).  The production inflation is a purposefully inflicted wound on our economy.  Production inflation is avoidable.

That interview is Wall Street gaslighting to a Main Street audience.  I don’t like it one bit.

The Pentagon Testified Assessing Ukraine and No One Noticed


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 14, 2022 | Sundance

As we contemplate the massive $40 billion transfer of U.S. taxpayer funds to Ukraine, a few things need to be emphasized.

First, congress has decided to pay the salaries, benefits and pensions of Ukraine political officials and citizens.  As U.S. citizens try and figure out how to afford housing, gasoline, food and basic goods, congress has decided to subsidize another country.  That’s the first point.

Second, as to the pragmatic question of “to what end?” There was a critical point made last week by Defense Intel Agency (DIA) Director Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, that not a single media outlet or politician discussed.  During his briefing to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Berrier was asked “can Ukraine win” the conflict against Russia?

Lt. General Berrier replied: “That is a difficult predication to make. I think where the assessment is at, is a prolonged stalemate should no factor change on either side. In other words, the Russians continue to do what they’re doing, and we continue to do what we are doing for the Ukranians.”  WATCH:

The Pentagon assessment is the best that can be achieved is a stalemate.  Billions of billions of dollars being poured into Ukraine, and the most likely outcome is a stalemate.  More people killed, an endless need for continued money to be poured into the ‘war’, and the best possible outcome is a stalemate.

So, riddle me this, why isn’t the U.S. policy position advocating for Zelenskyy and Putin to enter negotiations for a resolution?

What possible U.S. interest can be advanced, knowing the only outcome is a stalemate, where people are killed on either side and money spent on a proxy conflict that ends in loggerheads at some distant point months from now?

Also, why has no U.S. media outlet or pundit played the remarks and assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency, so that the American people can understand the intent of U.S. policy?

Republican Senate Leadership Travel to Kyiv, Ukraine to Inspect the Treasury


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 14, 2022

Comrade taxpayers, as the glorious and esteemed senate move through the procedural hurdles to pass a massive $40 billion spending bill for the U.S. altruistic Ukraine money laundering operation, a fabulous diplomatic envoy consisting of Mitch McConnell, John Barrasso, John Cornyn and Susan Collins travel to Kyiv to meet the magnanimous defender of the international treasury and wealth transfer operation, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The magnificent republican leaders went to visit the nicest war zone their bipartisan efforts have created in the past four decades.  As the angels of abundance parted the clouds, many congratulations were shared from the delegation toward their generous host and the expressions of appreciation and respect for the generosity were reciprocated.  WATCH:

No U.S. border security, no gas money, no grocery money, no infant formula, no voting integrity…. Meh, no problem comrades.  We’ve got Ukrainians to support.  We are paying the pensions and benefits of Ukraine government officials and Ukraine citizens.

Keep in mind, the politicians are not tone deaf, out of touch or disconnected; they simply do not care.  We The People are irrelevant to them.

We are in an abusive relationship with our own government.

Tucker Carlson Explains the Govt Created Subsidized Baby Formula Monopoly and Current Shortages


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 13, 2022 | Sundance 

Tucker Carlson did a pretty decent job tonight outlining the current issues with shortages of baby formula and why it is specifically galling for the Joe Biden administration to claim they don’t know anything about the problem they helped create.  WATCH:

REMINDER: Judge in Sussmann Trial is Married to Lisa Page’s Lawyer


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 13, 2022 | Sundance 

Just a brief reminder as you review the decisions in the pre-trial motions for the case against Clinton Lawyer Michael Sussman.

It is worth remembering that Judge Christopher Cooper is married to Amy Jeffries, Lisa Page’s lawyer.

(Foreground left) Lisa Page, FBI Lawyer, (Foreground right) Amy Jeffries (Judge Cooper’s wife)

Additionally, Judge Cooper and Michael Sussmann both worked in the DOJ together.  When he was selected as judge in the Sussmann trial, Cooper revealed the potential conflict of interest in the event the Durham prosecution wanted him to recuse himself from the case.  Special Prosecutor John Durham did not ask Judge Cooper to recuse himself.

September 2021 – The judge in the case of recently indicted Democratic lawyer Michael Sussmann is married to the lawyer who represented a disgraced former FBI official that worked on the Donald Trump Russia probe that Sussmann played some role in advancing. 

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper of the District of Columbia, who is presiding over the Sussmann case, is married to lawyer Amy Jeffress, who represented FBI lawyer Lisa Page in a civil case. 

Cooper, an Obama-appointee, and Jeffress, a former top aide to Attorney General Eric Holder, are well connected in the Democratic party. Current Attorney General Merrick Garland even presided over their 1999 wedding. (read more)

Techno Fog has more on the latest pre-trial details…

…. SEE HERE 

Baby Formula Crisis is a Major Issue for Democrats and the Dependency Coalition, Half of all U.S. Baby Formula Sales are Made with WIC Subsidy


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 13, 2022 | Sundance

If you’ve noticed the democrats being a bit more worried about the baby formula shortage crisis, there’s a good reason for that.  Baby formula is very expensive for the working family.  Subsidizing low-income parents with free infant formula has been dependency initiative for the democrats for a long time.

It’s not just the regular store-bought formula that is in extremely short supply, the government groups and NGO’s that provide the free formula are also out of stock.   The free formula dependency crowd is far madder than the paying purchaser, that spells trouble for democrats.

Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, noting the extreme political damage her House members could feel from an angry dependency base, said today the baby formula shortage is the worst possible crisis in decades.  She called it “unconscionable and tragic,” and in her statement outlined the scale of the problem for Democrats in office:

…”The shortage has taken an especially dangerous toll on women and children from underserved communities: about half of infant formula sold nationwide is purchased with WIC (Women, Infant and Children) benefits.”  (LETTER)

Half of the infant formula sold nationwide is purchased with WIC subsidy?  That’s why the issue is getting urgent attention from Democrats.

Biden Effort to Turn Ultra MAGA into a Disparaging Epithet Came from Six Month Study Headed by Anita Dunn


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 13, 2022 | Sundance 

The Washington Post is reporting the shift from the White House to disparage their political opposition with the terms “MAGA”, “Ultra-MAGA” and President Trump as the “Great MAGA King,” came from a six-month poll study led by Anita Dunn, the latest senior advisor in the White House.

Keep in mind, a few days ago White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said the terminology “ultra-MAGA” was an “organic utterance” from Joe Biden.  Whoops.

WASHINGTON DC – […] Biden’s attempt to appropriate the “MAGA” brand as a political attack was hardly accidental. It arose from a six-month research project to find the best way to target Republicans, helmed by Biden adviser Anita Dunn and by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a liberal group.

The polling and focus group research by Hart Research and the Global Strategy Group found that “MAGA” was already viewed negatively by voters — more negatively than other phrases like “Trump Republicans.”

In battleground areas, more than twice as many voters said they would be less likely to vote for someone called a “MAGA Republican” than would be more likely. The research also found that the description tapped into the broad agreement among voters that the Republican Party had become more extreme and power-hungry in recent years. (read more)

On May 5th the White House announced Anita Dunn would return to the JoeBama administration as senior advisor.  Dunn’s specific expertise is using pressure, blackmail and political leverage to control information distribution by media organizations.  Apparently “ultra-MAGA” was Dunn’s first branding effort for the White House.

The reappearance of Anita Dunn aligns with the expressed intent of the DHS ‘disinformation’ board.  Dunn’s professional political skillset surrounds being a paid media fixer.   She has done this for multiple democrat politicians including Obama.  It was Anita Dunn who used her position in the Biden campaign to demand that media stop allowing Rudy Guiliani to explain the Biden family ‘pay to play’ financial system of selling influence.

Anita Dunn also advised Harvey Weinstein how to remove media stories of his Hollywood rape issues.  Dunn reappearing makes sense, as the U.S. government objective to control information is now in full swing.

Last point.  The group that spearheaded the six month study, Hart Research, is the same outfit who does all the polling for NBC and CNBC.  Partisan much?  lol

Ultra-MAGA

Mike Pence (“Et Tu Brute?”)Will Rally in Georgia to Support Brian Kemp


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 13, 2022 | Sundance

May 13, 2022 | Sundance | 373 Comments

The good news is more and more people are waking up to the dark arts of Republican politics.  If the awakening continues things will change.  The bad news is we’ve got to plow through a few more losses to get more lions awake.

Mike Pence is going to rally in Georgia on behalf of Brian Kemp’s reelection bid, because of course he is, Club rules.

The GOP club has outplayed the MAGA voters in the state of Georgia by using their private club rules along with the assist from an open primary.

Brian Kemp will win the GA republican (open ballot) primary with the help of democrats and GOP club endorsements.

The defeat of David Perdue will provide the Pence/Bush tenured club officials, ie. ‘the old guard‘, with the opportunity to disparage Donald Trump, claim MAGA is dead and Trump’s endorsements worthless.   The media are all waiting anticipatory glee for the opportunity.

Sometimes you just have to swallow the bitter pill and move along.  Both clubs in Georgia have made a deal, everything now is just watching the illusion of choice unfold.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence will campaign with Georgia’s incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp the day before this month’s GOP primary in his most significant political break with former President Donald Trump to date.

Kemp’s campaign announced Friday morning that Pence will headline a get-out-the-vote rally for Kemp on Monday, May 23rd, the day before the vote. That puts Pence in direct conflict with Trump-endorsed candidate David Perdue, who has been trailing in the polls. Kemp is one of Trump’s top targets this election cycle because of his refusal to cooperate with Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

“Brian Kemp is my friend, a man dedicated to faith, family and the people of Georgia,” Pence said in a statement. “I am proud to offer my full support for four more years of Brian Kemp as governor of the great state of Georgia!”

The news comes as Pence has taken steps to distance himself from Trump as the former congressman and Indiana governor considers a 2024 presidential run that could put him into direct competition with his former boss. (read more)

Get rid of Ronna McDaniel.  Start there.

It’s time to stop trying to wake up the sheep, and start waking up more lions.

P

Pennsylvania GOP Primary Brings Out All The Club Moves


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 12, 2022 | Sundance

Perhaps you’ve noticed. For the past two nights Fox News and a host of corporate allies have been doing a full-frontal attack against Pennsylvania Senate Candidate Kathy Barnette.

The club reaction appears to have been triggered by a GOP Trafalgar poll showing Kathy Barnette in a close second place (23.2%), surging ahead of David McCormick (21.6%) and right on the heels of Mehmet Oz (24.5%).  [Bartos 7.2%, Sands 6.5%]

In this outline I will explain the easily visible GOPe club moves without trying to support any particular candidate, that’s for Pennsylvania voters to decide.  However, once you understand the background play, it might help clarify what the Keystone state voters are witnessing.

BACKGROUND.  President Trump has endorsed Mehmet Oz.  However, many people in the MAGA base are stuggling with that endorsement because they just don’t like the guy and question the bonafides of his sudden, seemingly convenient, MAGA-mindedness.

Meanwhile, David McCormick is the GOPe candidate from the mold of the typically Wall Street Mitch McConnell tribe.

McCormick is the quintessential corporate republican, or what might be described as the ‘establishment’ party choice.  I would call McCormick the club candidate.

Kathy Barnette is the alternative favorite in the race for the MAGA base who just cannot bring themselves to support Oz.  Barnette is the outsider and carries a fierce independent streak that appeals to frustrated voters who have had enough of the nonsense.

As a result, the top three in the race break down into McCormick as the Club candidate, while Barnette and Oz are splitting the MAGA vote.  By my estimation the MAGA support looks like 60%(ish) Barnette and 40%(ish) Oz.  What is happening now in this race is very Karl Rove-ian.

The Club for Growth (CfG) is seemingly more aligned with David McCormick and needs to split the MAGA base, so they funnel money toward Barnette in order to disrupt and diminish the professional MAGA endorsements of Team Trump.

Seeing Mehmet Oz struggling to get support, and seeing a rise in the polling for Kathy Barnette, Fox News Sean Hannity started to attack Barnette on Wednesday with a full-throated ridiculing of her campaign.

Hannity labels Barnette as an ‘unelectable extremist’ with a history of controversial statements, positions and tweets.  After a 10-minute nasty attack segment, Sean Hannity then invites the previously scheduled Mehmet Oz to pile on.  The total Wednesday attack program lasted almost 30-minutes on prime-time television.

Then Thursday (6pm), corporate Fox News Shannon Bream announces David McCormick will appear tomorrow (Friday) on Special Reports segment for a promotional interview.   This makes sense because McCormick would be the corporate Fox News favorite republican in the mold of Marco Rubio.

During the 8pm hour (Tucker Carlson show) Fox News Corp then runs a promotional segment for Sean Hannity who says, “tune in at 9pm when we will go deeper into the controversial past of Kathy Barnette and expose her radical positions.”

As promoted at 9pm Hannity leads with another 15-minute attack against Barnette and then opens the floor to two other PA candidates, Jeff Bartos and Carla Sands, to continue the onslaught.

Destroying Barnette works for the agenda of Hannity (promoting Oz) and for the agenda of Corporate Fox News (promoting McCormick).

As a result, Kathy Barnette is taking fire from the GOPe Club, Corporate Fox News and the entirety of the Trump endorsement team which includes Sean Hannity and Ric Grennell.  Trump Inc supporting Oz, while Fox Inc is supporting McCormick.  This forms the gauntlet of the attack.

The beneficiary of this Rovian strategy is David McCormick.

Team McCormick is likely hopeful this onslaught will bring the destabilized Barnette wing of the MAGA base into his team; because the Barnette wing of the MAGA base will not support Mehmet Oz.

Both Oz and McCormick are sketchy to the ultra-MAGA base, but with McCormick the club alignment is what Mitch McConnell would call a “more approved” fit.

For the ultra-MAGA voter, with McCormick you get the openly Jeb Bush republican (Decepticon).

For the ultra-MAGA voter, with Mehmet Oz you get the closeted Mitt Romney democrat (RINO).

That’s why the majority of the ultra-MAGA voters were supporting Kathy Barnette in the first place, as an alternative to Oz.  That’s why Donald Trump endorsing Mehmet Oz was received with such disdain by the base.

The Republican Club (McCormick) and the Trump Club (Dr. Oz) are both trying to bring down Kathy Barnette and saying she can never win the general election in Pennsylvania.

Are they correct?  Well, that’s up to Pennsylvania voters to decide.  The pundits will all tell you the suburban women’s vote is the deciding factor in Pennsylvania politics.  Supposedly Dr Oz is more liked by that group of voters.  I have no idea.

This type of battle is what primary voting contests are all about.

My only purpose in this outline is to explain why McCormick wants to split MAGA (the move by Rove), and why Trump is trying to avoid a split MAGA vote (to avoid McCormick).

For those still torn over what to do, my own advice is:

♦ Vote your heart in the primary contest.

♦ Vote pragmatically in the general election contest.

Bottom line, VOTE!

Marjorie Taylor Greene, Food Security is National Security


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on May 12, 2022 | Sundance 

Earlier today ultra-MAGA representative Marjorie Taylor Greene delivered remarks about the failures of the Biden administration as they are reflected in the continual food security and pricing crisis.   I strongly recommend watching these brief remarks, very impressive.

MTG accurately identifies the origin of the current baby formula crisis, as an outcome of stress within the supply chain caused by government intervention into the overall system.  MTG then notes that FDA rules and regulations make supply interruptions worse.

Additionally, in the background of the federal DHS and HHS contracts for food products, including baby food/formula, most of those federal contracts contain a ‘first right‘ or ‘prioritized continuity‘ provision, creating a distribution outcome (via contractual mandate) where illegal aliens end up with preferential allocation.  WATCH (2:55 mins):