Iran says new US sanctions end chances of diplomacy


Fox Business

Fox News senior strategic analyst Gen. Jack Keane (Ret.) on the fallout from President Trump imposing new tariffs on Iran targeting the Supreme Leader and other top Iranian leaders and reports global telecom carriers were attacked by suspected Chinese hackers. FOX Business Network (FBN) is a financial news channel delivering real-time information across all platforms that impact both Main Street and Wall Street. Headquartered in New York — the business capital of the world — FBN launched in October 2007 and is the leading business network on television, topping CNBC in Business Day viewers for the second consecutive year. The network is available in more than 80 million homes in all markets across the United States. Owned by FOX, FBN has bureaus in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and London.

Portugal’s Miracle?


The Portuguese economy was bailed out by the European Union eight years ago. It is now booming, also in part for its aggressive attraction of courting foreign investors. If you want to live in Portugal long-term or permanently, you will need to apply for Portuguese citizenship or Portuguese permanent residency. Portuguese permanent residency is available after five years of residence, while Portuguese citizenship is available after six years, or three years if claiming Portuguese citizenship by marriage. Both Portuguese citizenship and permanent residency allows you to remain in Portugal indefinitely and access similar benefits, although there are some differences between the two. While residents can stay in Portugal indefinitely by continually renewing their permanent residency, there are certain added Portuguese citizenship benefits to entice foreigners to take on the Portuguese citizenship application process.

This movement has been a major factor behind Portugal enjoying its highest economic growth in nearly two decades, with the major trend fueled by record tourism, an upswing in the housing market from foreign investors, a growing tech sector, and strong exports. Private investment has returned to 2009 levels, helped by foreign investors including Chinese companies who have focused on Portugal.

But for every glitzy new hotel and fancy restaurant in Lisbon, there is growing concern that the infrastructure is aging. This was illustrated by the locomotive that fell apart in late February, which was rented from Spain as a stopgap measure. There has been a lack of public investment which is beginning to become obvious. Its total debt is close to 120% GDP, which is one of Europe’s highest. The ruling socialists have limited room to finance their dreams under the EU rules and at the current artificially low interest rates maintained by the ECB. The budget deficit of the 2010 era of 11% of GDP has been reduced by attracting foreign capital and cutting spending on public infrastructure. The problem that Portugal faces is that its success of late has been constructed on the immediate results, not long-term.

How the World Economy Works without Government


Round One of First Democrat Debates – 9:00pm Tonight on NBC – Open Discussion Thread


Due to the size of the field, the first Democrat presidential primary debate takes place over two nights: tonight Wednesday, June 26, and Thursday, June 27, in Miami.

NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo are hosting the debate and hold exclusive rights to broadcast from 9pm EST to 11 p.m EST on both nights.

The moderators for the debate are: NBC News’ Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie and Chuck Todd; MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, and Telemundo’s José Diaz-Balart.

The candidates for the first night are: Former Housing Secretary Julián Castro; Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas; Former Rep. John Delaney of Maryland; Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City; Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio; Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii; Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey; Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; and Washington Governor Jay Inslee.

If you are a communist, socialist, communal activist; or if your hobbies include sitting around a campfire picking parasites off your friends; then grab your sustainable algae cakes and consider this an open discussion thread.

Or if you are just looking for a laugh by watching Moonbats howl, well, that’s OK too.

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

President Trump Impromptu Presser Departing White House…


Chopper pressers are the best pressers.  As President Trump departs the White House en route to Osaka Japan for the G20 summit, the president delivers answers questions from the press pool on current events.  [Video and Partial Rough Transcript]

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[partial rough transcript] President Trump – “I spoke with Nancy Pelosi and we had some conversations having to do with the bill for humanitarian aide at the border for the children. We’re moving along very well with the bipartisan bill in the senate, spoke to a lot of people and we’re doing very well, we’re very far along. The House is getting it together with the Senate to get something done. It’s humanitarian aide it’s very important, and I think a lot of people are starting to realize I was right when I said there was a the crisis at the border, it wasn’t a manufactured crisis.”

“I’m heading to Japan, Osaka, and were going to be meeting with a lot of people from different countries many of whom have been taking advantage of the United States, but not so much anymore, in fact not at all anymore.”

[In response to inaud. Q]: “The Mueller things never stops, there was no collusion … it never ends it goes on and on … the criminal activity was on the other side …. With the insurance policy by Strzok and his lover Page … At what point does it end? It’s a disgrace. No obstruction! No collusion! Now the democrats want a do over. They had a do over in the House, that didn’t work, we had a do over in the Senate, that didn’t work.”

Q: Who will you be meeting with at G20?

A: “I’m meeting with Russia, I’m meeting with China, I’m meeting with many countries … We’re meeting with China, just so you know China has been paying us billion sand billions of dollars, before I got here they never paid us 10 cents.

Q on Iran

A: Iran can do whatever they want, it’s fine, I have plenty of time. Iran is in economic distress, they’re in an economic disaster right now. Whatever they want is fine with me, I have all the time in the world. They could solve it quickly or they could solve it 10 years right now .. In the meantime they have very strong sanctions and they deserve those sanctions, they have to do what’s right for their people, but I don’t think they care for their people. They’re selfish and they’re stupid.

Q: Will you be meeting with Kim Jong Un?

A: I’ll be meeting with, uh, a lot of other people, not quite him, but I may be speaking to him in a different form. I’ll be going to South Korea after G20 and I’ll be there for about a day, we have a lot of meetings planned with a lot of different countries.

[A full transcript will follow]

Secretary Ross Discusses China Issues Ahead of G20 Summit…


In the dynamic of President Trump confronting Chairman Xi over Chinese trade and manufacturing practices there are critical members of the U.S. team, each with a role to play.  Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are the most important members.

Secretary Ross explains the position of the U.S. team as they head to the G20. WATCH:

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As we discussed yesterday, Chinese anxiety is off-the-charts.  When China gets into this high-anxiety disposition, they immediately -predictably- drop the Panda mask, and lash-out with Red Dragon antagonisms.  This is happening right now.

“There are some inappropriate activities underway by the Chinese. They must cease. If they do, if we make some redressing of the trade imbalance, then that’s a reasonable deal for both parties.”  ~ Secretary Wilbur Ross

In previous administrations the economic/trade teams were filled with think-tank wonks and esoteric public officials.   Their response to the Red Dragon was always from a position of inherent fear combined with political evaluations.  This is the historic frame-of-reference for Beijing, a view of inherent weakness.  This history also contributes to why China is perplexed by the Trump administration.

In the Trump administration the economic/trade teams are directed by dragon-slayers from the private sector.  Business giants, billionaires, who are familiar with the granular details of negotiation and comfortable with adversarial battles where billions of dollars can make or break a deal.  There is no position of structural fear or political ramification at the apex level of business dealing.  The fights are on the merits of the position(s).

As President Trump has moved from negotiation to confrontation, Beijing’s leadership is starting to realize their opponent isn’t their typical weak U.S. government negotiators; nor is it the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who will cut the ‘deal’ for their Wall Street clients and DC lobbyists regardless of Main Street’s best interests.

As a direct consequence, the team around Chairman Xi have a much more difficult time trying to outwit the U.S. delegation.   President Trump has brought “killers” from the U.S. corporate and business community, into the battle – to fight on behalf of America.

Brilliant Play – President Trump Invites U.S. Women’s Soccer Team to White House “Win or Lose”…


Megan Rapinoe is the co-captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team and a rabid hater of President Trump.  Ms. Rapinoe refuses to sing the U.S. national anthem; kneels during ceremonies to make her hatred for America visible; and grabs every microphone to tell the media about her politics in an effort to increase her resistance credentials.

The age-old axiom is: ‘be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it”. Today, President Trump brilliantly responded to Ms. Rapinoe.  First, by calling out her arrogance in declaring victory before she even played the World Cup matches; and secondly, by inviting the entire team to the White House “win or lose”.

The pressure is now upon Ms. Rapinoe. That pressure overlays a preexisting, unstable and tenuous psychological condition related to her tribal self-identification and commercial aspirations. This dynamic is a recipe for implosion. It will not end well for her.

(Tweet Link)

President Trump Interview With Maria Bartiromo…


President Trump calls in to Maria Bartiromo for an extensive interview on multiple subjects.  The president discusses his perspective on Mueller testifying; the state of the economy; the upcoming G20 talks with Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping and the status of the trade negotiations; the status of tariffs; and the U.S-Mexico border issues.

On China, President Trump doesn’t sound like he’s willing to make any concessions or retreat on any tariffs.  “They want to make a deal more than I do”, he said.

TrumpCare Revolution: President Orders Doctors to Reveal Secret Pricing Up Front


Published on Jun 25, 2019

President Trump signs an executive order designed to let patients see pricing information up front — before receiving health care services. Doctors, hospitals, and other providers would not only reveal their pricing in advance, but the now-secret amounts insurance companies pay them for those services. Could this TrumpCare transparency revolution trigger the reform that Republicans have been promising for years, or will it — as critics claim — create a “race to the top” sparking higher prices to consumers? Bill Whittle Now comes to you 20 times each month thanks to the Members who believe in free markets, rule of law, and individual liberty as the secret recipe for a happy society. They do their part by funding these messages, and they enjoy a private, Members-only forum where reasoned thought, civil dialogue and lots of laughter rule. Join us today at https://BillWhittle.com/register/