It’s War – France & Britain Face Off at Sea


Armstrong Economics Blog/BRITAIN Re-Posted May 7, 2021 by Martin Armstrong

The French and British are at it again, as always. The British Royal Navy and French police boats patrolled offshore from the Isle of Jersey’s port of Saint Helier. French fishermen are angry about losing access to waters off the Jersey coast, thanks to Brexit, and have some 70 ships gathered for a protest calling for a blockade of Saint Helier.

Two Royal Navy ships, equipped with machine guns and helicopter landing pads, were sent to track the French demonstration. Macron sent gunships armed with a cannon. So here we have the old traditional hatred between the French and English that extends back to the 13th century. There was an English invasion of France in 1230, which was a military campaign undertaken by Henry III of England in an attempt to reclaim the English throne’s rights and inheritance to the territories of France held prior to 1224.

The House of Plantagenet was a royal house that originated from the lands of Anjou in France. Plantagenets’ two cadet branches, the houses of Lancaster and York, held the English throne from 1154, with the accession of Henry II at the end of the chaos until 1485, when Richard III died in battle. It was the Plantagenets that transformed England. The Plantagenet kings were forced to negotiate compromises, which led to the establishment of the Magna Carta. During the 15th century, the Plantagenets were defeated in the Hundred Years’ War which led to political, economic, and social problems which included English nobles raising private armies.

Eventually, a rivalry between the House of Plantagenet’s two cadet branches of York and Lancaster led to the famous Wars of the Roses, which lasted for decades. English succession culminated in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 when the reign of the Plantagenets and the English Middle Ages both met their end with the death of King Richard III.

So the rivalry between France and England has remained in the blood. During the negotiations over Brexit, the French always presented the greatest opposition

Major Ramifications – Judicial Watch FOIA Request Uncovers Direct Evidence of California Government and Biden Campaign Instructing Social Media Firms to Remove Content


Posted originally on the conservative tree house April 27, 2021 | Sundance | 219 Comments

Judicial Watch has done an excellent job discovering direct evidence of collusion between government officials, the Biden campaign and social media companies Facebook, Twitter, Google (YouTube) to censor speech and remove content.  California officials were using a list generated by a firm called SKDK  (working for Biden campaign) to inform the social media companies of content for removal.

[…] The Office of Election Cybersecurity in the California Secretary of State’s office monitored and tracked social media posts, decided if they were misinformation, stored the posts in an internal database coded by threat level, and on 31 different occasions requested posts be removed.

This is an explosive new element to an ongoing story of big tech censorship because the documents directly highlight California government officials and tech companies working together to remove political content adverse to the interests of the Biden campaign; and later the Biden administration.

One of the California government officials, Deputy Secretary of State and Chief Communications Officer Paula Valle, even begins to question the legality of their coordinated conduct after journalists and people who had their content removed started asking for specific answers why.

[…] “the reporter at Cal Matters who PRA’d us is doing a follow-up story. We asked him to send us his questions. I am not necessarily comfortable with his line of questions and the additional doors that this will open. I want to get your feedback I would simply like to give him a statement about what our goal is and leave it at that. Thoughts?” (read more)

READ JUDICIAL WATCH STORY HERE

Those who support censorship of content have hidden their ideology behind the issue that it was/is a private company making these content decisions.  However, these documents clearly show government officials coordinating the censorship itself…. A clear violation of the first amendment.  Let the lawsuits begin.

This is additionally important because it has been reported the Federal Department of Homeland Security is also working with Big Tech to monitor the social media posting of American citizens in order to identify “domestic extremists.”

REMEMBER….  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is now getting ready to hire public companies, individual contractors outside government, to scour public data and social media in order to provide information for the new “domestic terror watch lists.”  From the description it appears DHS is going to pay “big tech” (Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter, etc.), via contracts, to hire and organize internal monitoring teams to assist the government by sending information on citizens they deem “dangerous.”

NBC News Aricle

Collapse of Entertainment – Including Sports


Armstrong Economics Blog/ECM Re-Posted Apr 27, 2021 by Martin Armstrong

Oscar viewing fell below 10 million, a crash mode from last year’s historic low of 23.6 million viewers compared to nearly 30 million in 2019 pre-COVID. The entire entertainment industry, from movies and Oscars to football and sports, indicates that the future is not so bright and sunny.

I warned back in 2016 that football was entering a bear market. Indeed, 2015 was the peak that lined up with our Economic Confidence Model. It appears we are heading into a major low by 2023. However, the final low may not appear until 2027/2028.  I have also warned that politics does NOT belong in entertainment, be it Hollywood or on the football field. People turn to entertainment to be entertained — not indoctrinated by their political views.

Interestingly, 2015.75 was the start of the Big Bang, the sovereign debt crisis that will lead to the total collapse of governmental debt on a global scale 17.2 years from that turning point — 2032. The fact that entertainment also peaked with 2015.75 is indicative of the collapse in the public confidence in the government, which is becoming escalated by this COVID manipulation where these morons think they can destroy the economy and build it back better when in fact, they are only fulfilling the forecast of our model.

New York & California losing Seats as the Mass Exodus continues


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics Re-Posted Apr 27, 2021 by Martin Armstrong

The two states that are dictating what goes down in Washington are California with Pelosi in the House and New York with Schumer. Now they will reap what they have sown. The 2020 Census report is out and despite the Democrat’s desperate attempt to count illegal aliens, both New York and California are losing seats. Indeed, the seven states where people are fleeing from are the Democratic states that have imposed the Nazi tactics of lockdowns and curfews. Each of the Democratic states will lose a seat in the House – New York, California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Indeed, perhaps the most disgusting governor of the lot is really the billionaire James Conley Justice II of West Virginia. He is the richest man in West Virginia but inherited his wealth from his father who had a coal mining business. He is characterized as a deadbeat in business. He is the 36th governor of West Virginia since 2017.  In 2015, he announced his candidacy for governor in the 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election. Despite being a registered Republican before running for governor, he ran as a Democrat and defeated the Republican nominee, Bill Cole.

The seats lost to California and New York are going to Florida and Texas with the former gaining one seat and Texas gains two seats. New York lost around 1.4 million residents to other states between 2010 to 2019, according to a report by the Empire Center released in January 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic arrived in the U.S. This Census does not really take into account the massive exodus from both states thanks to COVID which has picked up steam in 2021. Indications are that over 3 million people have left New york. Even rents in New York City are in crash mode as so many people have just left the high taxes and the extremist lockdowns. Meanwhile, violence in New York City is reaching new records with 46 shootings in a single week. The likelihood of the police ever regaining control is not very promising. Teenage suicides are rising sharply in the Democratic states. The lockdowns have been causing suicides among the youth on a global scale.

The population of California stopped peaking several years before the coronavirus pandemic thanks to taxes. Newsom’s insane lockdown saw 2020 mark California losing more residents to outmigration than it gained. Residents have migrated to Texas primarily as well as to neighboring states such as Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon. The northern Democratic states have a net migration to Florida. The Republican states gained and the Democratic states lost. The more extreme the state response to COVID, the higher the probability of their seat loss. Based upon the new Census, the House can easily flip as the Democrats, who really have only a 2 seat voting majority, can find themselves out the door.

In our Election Report last year, we warned that in addition to the likelihood of New York losing a seat, there would be a consolidation in New York City and that may result in losing our best Congressional entertainment – AOC who has singled handily terminated jokes about dumb blonds providing hair color has no real significance.

Telling Lies to Influence the Election


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics Re-Posted Apr 26, 2021 by Martin Armstrong

Michigan State Rep Threatens Police During DUI Stop – Police Release Dashcam Footage


Posted originally on the conservative tree house April 25, 2021 | Sundance | 184 Comments

According to witnesses who called 911, State Representative Jewell Jones was speeding down I-95 in his black Chevy Tahoe before he ran off the road in a ditch.  A woman traveling with Jones was transported via ambulance to the hospital.  However, Jones became combative with police officers who arrived at the scene.  Mr. Jones had a blood alcohol level of .19, twice the legal limit.

Mr. Jones refused to present his drivers license and then began physically struggling with officers who were attempting to handcuff him.

[The full dashcam is HERE]

The state representative then claimed Governor Gretchen Whitmer would get involved and began threatening the police.

[…] Jones said, “when I call Gretchen,” he’d need badge numbers for all the state troopers and Fowlerville police officers on the scene, according to the state police report. (NBC Report)

Prosecutors say Jones has been charged with resisting arrest, operating a motor vehicle with high blood alcohol content (.19), operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, possession of a weapon under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving.

Sunday Talks, Rand Paul Discusses Big Picture Ramifications From Current JoeBama Policy


Posted originally on the conservative tree house April 25, 2021 | Sundance | 137 Comments

Senator Rand Paul appears on Maria Bartiromo to discuss the ongoing ramification from current leftist policy as being produced on Capitol Hill.  The interview begins with Senator Paul discussing the leftist definitions of ‘infrastructure’ and how left-wing groups are beneficiaries of trillions of taxpayer funds.

On the economic ramifications Senator Paul notes the impact of massive capital gains increases and how increasing corporate income taxes only provides incentives for national companies to establish themselves overseas to avoid tax liability.  The multinational corps, those already positioned overseas, do not have the same risk exposure to corporate tax increases, thus they do not oppose legislation that hurts national business and small U.S. corporations.

Overall the points made by Rand Paul are all valid; however, those in DC still hold back from pointing out the intent of the JoeBama group – that’s frustrating.  This game where incompetence is claimed under the guise of ‘benefit of doubt’ is a severe weakness within the GOP.  The refusal to aggressively confront Obama 3.0 is beyond frustrating.

Anyone who believes Democrats own exclusive opposition to the America First principles are completely ignoring the deliberate construct of the republican party.  There are just as many -if not more- natural enemies within the Republican apparatus as there are within the Democrat group. “America-First” is antithetical to the UniParty.

The frustration amid the MAGA community is valid.  Everything about it is righteous.  The mechanisms that run the system in DC must be deconstructed if we are to win the battles and the war against this massive enemy.  We have the largest coalition of American patriots on our side; however, there are only a handful of representatives willing to confront with the needed ferocity.

Multinationals want control; some call that corporatism…. but the names are moot. Multinationals want control, and capitalism does not allow them control; that is why multinationals do not want capitalism. Multinationals use lobbyists to generate regulations that stall competition.

Multinationals do not want competition; they are, by nature of their interest, anti-capitalists.

This misunderstanding is everywhere.

Most people think when they vote for a federal politician -a House or Senate representative- they are voting for a person who will go to Washington DC and write or enact legislation. This is the old-fashioned “schoolhouse rock” perspective based on decades past.

There is not a single person in congress writing legislation or laws. In modern politics not a single member of the House of Representatives or Senator writes a law, or puts pen to paper to write out a legislative construct. This simply doesn’t happen.

Over the past several decades a system of constructing legislation has taken over Washington DC that more resembles a business operation than a legislative body.

The for-profit groups (mostly multinational corporations) have a purpose in Washington DC to shape policy, legislation and laws favorable to their interests. They have fully staffed offices just like any business would – only their ‘business‘ is getting legislation for their unique interests.

These groups are filled with highly-paid lawyers who represent the interests of the entity and actually write laws and legislation briefs.

In the modern era this is actually the origination of the laws that we eventually see passed by congress. Within the walls of these buildings within Washington DC is where the ‘sausage’ is actually made.  Again, no elected official is usually part of this law origination process.

Almost all legislation created is not ‘high profile’, they are obscure changes to current laws, regulations or policies that no-one pays attention to.  The passage of the general bills within legislation is not covered in media.  Ninety-nine percent of legislative activity happens without anyone outside the system even paying any attention to it.

Once the corporation (multinational) or representative organizational entity has written the law they want to see passed – they hand it off to the lobbyists.

The lobbyists are people who have deep contacts within the political bodies of the legislative branch, usually former House/Senate staff or former House/Senate politicians themselves.

The lobbyist takes the written brief, the legislative construct, and it’s their job to go to congress and sell it.  “Selling it” means finding politicians who will accept the brief, sponsor their bill and eventually get it to a vote and passage.

Corporations (special interest group) write the legislation. Lobbyists take the law and go find politician(s) to support it. Politicians get support from their peers using tenure and status etc. Eventually, if things go according to norm, the legislation gets a vote.

Within every step of the process there are expense account lunches, dinners, trips, venue tickets and a host of other customary financial way-points to generate/leverage a successful outcome. The amount of money spent is proportional to the benefit derived from the outcome.

The important part to remember is that the origination of the entire process is EXTERNAL to congress.

Congress does not write laws or legislation, special interest groups do. Lobbyists are paid, some very well paid, to get politicians to go along with the need of the legislative group. When a House or Senate member becomes educated on the intent of the legislation, they have attended the sales pitch; and when they find out the likelihood of support for that legislation; they can then position their own (or their families) financial interests to benefit from the consequence of passage. It is a process similar to insider trading on Wall Street, except the trading is based on knowing who will benefit from a legislative passage.

When we understand the business of DC, we understand the difference between legislation with a traditional purpose and modern legislation with a financial and political agenda.

If you know a better solution to this mess than repeal of the 17th amendment, I am all ears.

If, as the constitution outlined, the Senate were still a place where all legislation required a 2/3 majority for passage; and if, as the constitution outlined, the Senate were a body filled with representatives selected by State Houses instead of popular election – then perhaps Senators could not be purchased by multinational interests.  Alas it is not.

Passage of the 17th amendment took away the very intentional roadblock of the Republican framework that Jefferson spoke of when he called it a saucer to cool the hot emotional tea of short-sighted legislation.  The constitution outlined consent as “two-thirds” (66), which was progressively watered down to become “three-fifths” (60) as the majority rule; and substantively, as it now stands according to democrats objectives, one-half plus one (51).

We are on the precipice and the GOP operate as if the constitution burning can be restored if they just reach across the aisle more.

.

Weekly Reminder, She’s Running


Posted originally on the conservative tree house April 22, 2021 | Sundance | 246 Comments

In the annals of modern political history the one constant in an ever-changing universe is the entrenched tone-deafness of the establishment republican class.  Actually, it is not so much they are tone-deaf, as it is they just don’t care.  The reminder this week is that Nikki Haley intends to run for President in 2024. {Go Deep}

(Via The Hill) Nikki Haley will headline the Iowa Republican Party’s most prominent gathering of the year, a move that’s likely to fuel speculation about a potential 2024 presidential bid.

The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations will head to the first-in-the-nation caucus state in June to host the Iowa GOP’s annual Lincoln Dinner, the party announced on Thursday. The dinner is a major fundraising event for the state party and one with a history of drawing Republican presidential hopefuls. (Read More)

…”“I don’t think [Trump’s] going to be in the picture,” she said, matter-of-factly. “I don’t think he can. He’s fallen so far.” […] “We need to acknowledge he let us down,” she said. “He went down a path he shouldn’t have, and we shouldn’t have followed him, and we shouldn’t have listened to him. And we can’t let that ever happen again.”  (link)

I would drive railroad spikes through my kneecaps before I would vote for Nikki Haley, the Mitt Romney of John McCains’.  However, that said, the professional political class don’t give a tinker’s hoot what the base voter wants.  They will pull every trick out of their DeceptiCon hat to help her.  Watch, you’ll see.

If we don’t fight her off now, she will scheme and connive her way into position for the republican primary.  You can see the library of information we have about all her moves HERE.

Right now the most likely top four candidates appear to be: President Trump (if he runs), Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (will be #1 without Trump and will likely get the Trump endorsement), South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (Maga-lite with twist of Koch and open border Wall Street support), and Nikki Haley (full throated establishment class with zero authenticity for MAGA policy)…..

The strategic primary splitter(s) will likely be lyin’ Ted Cruz and Kristi Noem if Trump doesn’t get rid of RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.