It’s often thought that a vice-presidential candidate has little bearing on the election, but many factors make Joe Biden’s choice a consequential one, including his pledge to pick a woman. As for voters, a new poll shows they have a clear favorite for the VP slot. And the process is playing out amid the Tara Reade allegations, which have put a burden on many women to defend Biden exactly opposite of the #MeToo movement that the Democrats had supported.
Welcome to the new world where there are so many contradictions or every possible front, that all appearance is out the door. Worst still, Biden has actually shown that this is no longer about even selecting someone qualified to be president given his questionable age. It just has to be a woman. Perhaps with all the body bags around Hillary, he just does not feel comfortable with her being just one, OOPS sorry about that, away from power.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.K. Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss announced today [joint statement] the beginning of a series of fast-tracked trade negotiations toward a new free trade agreement. [USTR Release]
In the foreground is a trade agreement between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. However, in the more strategic background context these negotiations create leverage for the U.K. in their post-Brexit negotiations with the European Union. First from today:
LIGHTHIZER – […] The US negotiating team will be led by Dan Mullaney, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East; and the UK negotiating team will be led by Oliver Griffiths, Director for US Negotiations at the Department for International Trade. Over 200 staff from U.S. and UK government agencies and departments are expected to take part in the negotiations.
An opening plenary today will kick off the detailed discussions, followed by multiple virtual meetings from Wednesday 6 May to Friday 15 May. The negotiations build on the work conducted through the U.S.-UK Trade and Investment Working Group, which was established in July 2017, partly to lay the ground work for these negotiations.
A comprehensive U.S-U.K trade agreement will further deepen the already very strong trade and investment ties between the United States and UK by creating new opportunities for American and UK families, workers, businesses and farmers through increased access to the other’s market.
The United States and the United Kingdom are the first and fifth largest economies in the world, respectively. Total two-way trade between the two countries is already worth about $269 billion a year. Each country is the other’s largest source of foreign direct investment, with about $1 trillion invested in each other’s economies. Every day, around one million Americans go to work for UK firms, while around one million Britons go to work for American firms. (more)
An important geopolitical overlay helps to better understand the specifics of this dynamic.
The United States is essentially a self-sustaining economy. Meaning, if you think about a nation as an independent construct able to sustain itself; our imports are enhancements not priorities. Our domestic resources, energy development, food production and essential internal needs are capable of sustaining our population. The import of products is valuable, but in the bigger picture not fundamentally necessary for survival.
The United Kingdom is very similar in this regard. The U.K. has abundant energy resources, food and agricultural development, and is positioned as an independent economy absent the dynamic of internal politics regulating those functions. Domestic politics surrounding left-wing climate change (energy development etc), to restrict internal development, are a function of ability, not necessity. The U.K. has abundant coal, oil and natural gas; it also has abundant agriculture. [The U.K weakness is military defense.]
Because both nations are similar in their ability to be non-dependent on trade, a free trade agreement is essentially a second-tier negotiation on products and services that enhance the independence. This is a unique dynamic not found in all trade discussions. Two independent economic systems negotiating on trade enhancements to each-other.
This is a much different dynamic than negotiation with a dependent country like China. China cannot feed itself, it needs to import raw materials to sustain itself; thus the importance of the One-Belt/One-Road Beijing initiative. China is a massive economy, but China is also a dependent economy; subject to damage from external dynamics.
Similarly, due to advanced political ideology, Canada cannot sustain itself economically; however, they are dependent by choice. Currently Mexico is not self-sustaining; they too are dependent on both access to the U.S. market and the import of industrial goods. However, unlike Canada our southern trade partner is working toward self-sustenance.
♦ Dependence or Independence is the ultimate context for all trade negotiations.
Dependent countries do not inherently carry negotiation leverage, and must create leverage through access to their economy (China again). The more independent the internal economy is within any nation, the less dependency they have. Less dependency means more leverage… more leverage means better terms (with nationalist negotiators).
A U.S-U.K trade agreement would not be based on “essential” trade products or “vital” trade services. The trade is not essential, but it is complimentary.
A U.S. and U.K. trade agreement is based on mutual enhancements or mutual benefits. This is an important distinction to keep in mind because it plays into the larger geopolitical dynamic.
The U.K. is currently in a post-Brexit negotiation phase after they spit away from the European Union. Strategically, it is smart for the U.K. to enter into trade discussions with the U.S. for needed products and services they might currently be gaining from the EU.
The timing of trade discussion with the U.S. gives Prime Minister Boris Johnson leverage toward the EU. President Trump and Boris Johnson have previously discussed this.
Additionally, the U.S. and E.U will eventually have to work out a new trade agreement because President trump is realigning all existing U.S. trade terms.
The U.S. already carries all of the leverage in any discussion with the EU; both in terms of market size, need for EU to retain access to the U.S. market, and the generous one-way tariff benefit currently maintained by the EU (which Trump is about to confront). Enhancing the U.S. leverage by providing a super-highway for transatlantic trade between the U.S. and U.K. puts the EU at an even further strategic disadvantage with the U.S.
If President Trump told the EU to drop their market restrictions (protectionist tariffs and non tariff barriers); and the EU refused to negotiate…. well, Trump could just shut the EU trade door completely (think German autos) and collapse their economy. The EU needs us more than we need the EU.
Remember the important dynamic: The EU hitched their wagon to China… China cannot purchase from the EU without the dollars from their U.S. trade imbalance…. If Trump shrinks U.S. purchasing from China; Beijing has less money to spend on EU industrial goods…. When we punch China on the nose, the EU gets the nosebleed.
Again, all of this is leverage for the U.S. and vulnerability for the EU.
Thus, the Trump benefit in a complimentary trade discussion with Boris Johnson is really the pending benefit of leverage over the EU.
Not accidentally, a Johnson benefit in a complimentary trade discussion with Trump is really the current benefit of leverage in their post-Brexit negotiations with the EU.
Because most of the trade sectors will be lower tier; and because the bigger goal for President Trump would be the building of leverage to confront the EU; I would expect the biggest trade gain for the U.S. will be helping the U.K. with military purchases.
There will be a lot of small-ball stuff. However, the bigger headline within a fast deal will likely be Boris Johnson purchasing advanced military hardware from us, and in return the U.K. will have preferential access to sell into the United States market based on reciprocal value.
That preferential access will form the basis for a trade hub inside the U.K. which will be the gateway to a transatlantic super-highway. The UK will then negotiate with EU companies based on access to their trade hub. Boris Johnson control the hub.
Once an alternative trade route is established Trump will start negotiating with the EU for new terms based on reciprocity. If the EU balks, Trump reminds them he can just close direct EU trade access while reminding them EU companies can use the hub.
The EU will have no choice except to acquiesce to Trump’s terms, drop their protectionist unilateral tariffs and drop their non-tariff barriers. We finally dissolve the Marshal Plan and enter a new trade era based on actual reciprocity.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is the presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee. He has received the endorsements of every major figure in the party, including former President Barack Obama, and 2016 Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Biden was also endorsed by all his opponents in this year’s nomination battle, including U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Biden is facing a serious sexual assault allegation from a former staffer, Tara Reade
Despite this unified support and his consistent lead in the polls over President Donald Trump, Biden is in serious trouble. His media appearances in the past few weeks have been embarrassing. Biden continues to make serious gaffes, looks confused and does not inspire any confidence that he can handle the most important position in the world.
Now, Biden is facing a serious sexual assault allegation from a former staffer, Tara Reade. Last year, Reade came forward to claim that Biden engaged in inappropriate behavior, such as unwanted touching. In March, she gave more information about the alleged assault by Biden. She asserted that Biden groped and penetrated her against her will in 1993, while she was working in his U.S. Senate office. Not only did Reade make the accusation in an interview, but she also filed a criminal complaint against Biden with the Washington D.C. police.
Reade said that after she made a complaint about Biden’s behavior, she was fired from her Senate position. There is corroboration for this allegation from four people, including her brother, a neighbor and several people who knew Reade. They claim she told them about the attack.
In fact, her mother called into the Larry King Live show on CNN in 1993 to discuss a “problem” that her daughter had with a U.S. Senator. She asked for help on the show since her daughter “could not get through” with any type of relief. The caller did not identify herself, her daughter, or the Senator, but Tara Reade has confirmed it was her mother, Jeanette Altimus, who lived in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Unlike the flimsy allegations of Christine Blasey Ford against Judge Brett Kavanaugh
Unlike the flimsy allegations of Christine Blasey Ford against Judge Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, Reade seems to have a very credible accusation. While Ford was given great coverage by the media and allowed to testify before the United States Senate, Reade has been practically ignored. Ford became a household name after her more than 30-year-old allegations against Kavanaugh almost derailed his Supreme Court nomination. Until recently, Reade has been practically ignored by the mainstream news media and received few, if any invitations for interviews.
It is outrageous that Reade’s serious accusations of criminal sexual assault were not addressed by the former Vice President for one month. Finally, in an interview on MSNBC Friday morning, Biden was asked about Reade’s allegations. He vigorously denied the charge, claiming that it “never, never happened.”
Democrats will now have to determine whether these allegations are enough to derail his nomination. Biden is also facing claims from seven other woman that he engaged in unwanted touching, kissing, messaging, hair sniffing and hugging, although none of them alleged assault.
Biden was able to overcome the inappropriate non-sexual accusations by confessing he was too friendly and just wanted to warmly greet people at public events. Of course, he did not explain how it was proper to grab women and children without their consent.
Pelosi: Biden “a man of great integrity”
Despite the inappropriateness of such behavior, Reade’s charges are more damaging as she is alleging criminal conduct that cannot be explained away. If Biden is so confident that the allegations are untrue, he should authorize the University of Delaware to allow access to his personal archives.
In the MSNBC interview, Biden refused to grant permission for his archives to be researched, claiming that it would be political “fodder” for his opponents. Even worse, Biden has refused to allow Reade’s name to be searched among his University of Delaware records.
While Biden has serious problems, prominent Democrats, and leaders of the #MeToo movement are sticking with him. For example, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) discounted Reade’s allegations and called Biden “a man of great integrity.”
Fortunately for Biden, his supporters are not abandoning him at this point. However, in the days ahead, the challenges for Biden will multiply. He will eventually have to leave his basement and conduct real interviews. This will give him more opportunities for embarrassing mistakes. He will also have to continue to address Reade’s accusations, which are not going to disappear.
While Biden faces plenty of difficulties, Trump will continue to dominate the recovery spotlight. If the nation can move forward toward an economic reopening, Trump will receive the credit. He must walk a fine line between health and economic concerns, but if anyone can navigate a political minefield, it is Donald Trump, who won the presidency in 2016 despite the political world being arrayed against him.
Although he is currently behind in the polls, President Trump is in good shape to repeat his 2016 victory and earn four more years in the White House.
One of the unfortunate impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic is the elimination of most ceremonial gatherings for the 2020 graduating class. Despite the inability to celebrate with gatherings of families and friends, President Trump and First Lady Melania send their congratulations to the graduates:
WHITE HOUSE – Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! The First Lady and I are very proud of you.
Over the past weeks and months, you, your classmates, teachers and administrators, and our Nation have experienced times of uncertainty and adversity. Much like our country, you have risen to the challenge with remarkable poise and determination, demonstrating the character traits that define the American spirit—resiliency, responsibility, and a stalwart drive to succeed.
Though this season of celebration has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, our country and communities need you now more than ever. Your leadership will be essential in the days and weeks to come in helping your fellow Americans recover from this hardship. I remain confident that the future of our Nation will be brighter than ever before.
As you arrive at this important milestone in your life, your heart should be filled with tremendous pride. Your resolve during this unprecedented time will serve you well as you embark on your next chapter. We hope you will continue to use your unique, God-given abilities to strengthen our great Nation.
We wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.
Democrats will keep the coronavirus scare up and running straight through Election day, enabling them to maintain the former VP’s “invisibility” while they prepare for a total vote-by-mail election
May 1, 2020 and while the world is focused on COVID and getting back to work, Hillary Clinton is ready—ready to replace Man Who Would Be President Joe Biden as the slam-dunk DNC presidential nominee.
This is a call to make May 1st A Day of Prayer to all God Almighty’s Angels and Saints to foil Clinton’s premeditated return to the power she and the Democrats woefully lost in 2016.
Biden’s big fall
This small corner dares to disagree with The Hill’s contributor Liz Peek, who writes that “Hillary Clinton continues to hover in the wings, ready to step forward should Joe Biden fail.”
That’s because Hillary Clinton is not just hovering vulture-like in the wings for Biden’s big fall, she’s the main part of a major plan put in place The Night The Media Cried on Nov. 8, 2016.
Clinton was then—and really still is—Barack Obama’s only chance for a third term in office and has been working her way back ever since.
“Don’t look now, but Joe is failing. Not only has his campaign been rocked by sexual assault allegations from one-time staffer Tara Reade, but the public is beginning to give up on the former vice president. A new Emerson College poll showed 57 percent of likely voters think President Trump will win reelection in November.” (The Hill, April 30, 2020)
We all know how poll predictions failed so miserably back in 2016. But the gang-up of Clinton, both Obamas and Joe Biden is far more predictable.
“Remember, Establishment Democrats put forward Uncle Joe because he was the “safe” candidate, bound to defeat Trump. Oops.” (The Hill)
Establishment Democrats didn’t put forward Uncle Joe because he was the “safe” candidate bound to defeat Trump. Uncle Joe was sent to keep the presidential seat warm for Hillary.
Whoever is choses as his vice president, whether it’s Hillary, Michelle or even Jill Biden, is destined to be the “real” president.
“That’s not the only problem that crops up in the Emerson Poll. It also shows Trump supporters 19 points more enthusiastic about their candidate than Biden supporters. (The Hill)
“That “enthusiasm gap” will drive turnout this fall. With Democrats dependent on young people and minorities, both typically less reliable voters, that lack of excitement for the candidate could be a big problem.”
It should come as no surprise that the poll shows Trump supporters “19 points more enthusiastic” about their candidate than Biden supporters.
That “everyone hates President Trump” is a hoax
The 63 million who voted Donald Trump in as president are adding to their numbers as evidenced by the tens of thousands who waited outside venues in long lineups for his enthusiastic rallies.
That “everyone hates President Trump” is a hoax sustained by the power-crazed Democrats, Hollywood/Entertainment supporters and a complicit running dog media.
“Also less than gung-ho about Biden is, predictably, Bernie Sanders’s army. Though the Vermont socialist has endorsed Biden, 51 percent of Bernie supporters are, according to Emerson, open to voting for a third-party candidate. (The Hill)
Good luck with that.
“Another red flag is Biden’s tepid fund-raising; according to the New York Times, Trump has a monster cash advantage of $187 million. Further, in swing-state polling, the presumptive Democratic nominee is running behind where Hillary Clinton stood at this point in the race, and we know how that turned out.” (The Hill)
“As all of those issues cast doubt on Biden’s prospects, the presumptive nominee must now fend off Tara Reade’s allegations, which put #MeToo-supporting Democrats into an incredibly awkward spot.”
Rice: Pandemic an ‘Opportunity’ to Make Sure Every American Has ‘Access’ to the Ballot by Mail
#MeToo-supporting Democrats have long been in an incredible awkward spot.
Sexual predator, Poster Boy, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein contributed big-time to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, but they’re still out there—running again.
“None of this augurs well for the Biden campaign, which will likely confront further obstacles in the months ahead. Eventually, the coronavirus will no longer excuse the former VP’s invisibility; he will have to engage in the kind of give-and-take that often shows him getting befuddled, including real – not scripted – town halls and interviews. (The Hill)
Missing from that strategy is that the Democrats will keep the coronavirus scare up and running straight through Election day, enabling them to maintain the former VP’s “invisibility” while they prepare for a total vote-by-mail election.
Proof of that comes from Obama stalwart Susan Rice:
Rice: Pandemic an ‘Opportunity’ to Make Sure Every American Has ‘Access’ to the Ballot by Mail (Breitbart)
Pray, brothers and sisters, pray that the vulture called Hillary Clinton doesn’t land kerplunk into the 2020 presidential election race.
Notice how President Trump always says: “you’d have been at war with North Korea”. Notice how President Trump doesn’t say: “you’d have been at war with Kim Jong-un”.
Again, this has always looked like one of the most complex geopolitical hostage rescue operations in history. China controls the DPRK, which includes the entire military apparatus in/around control over the North Korean people.
The world presents North Korea as a rogue regime without noticing/admitting that in reality North Korea is a proxy province of China.
Chairman Xi is the captor.
Chairman Kim is the captive.
President Trump is the hostage rescuer…. and so they dance.
POTUS knows the status of Kim; both Kim and Trump have discussed the dynamic. Chairman Xi doesn’t like the Kim and Trump relationship; because it has disrupted the entire purpose of the DPRK as a proxy province providing Beijing plausible deniability.
Ms. Tara Reade worked as a Senate staffer for Joe Biden in 1993. After making a recent allegation accusing the former Vice-President and then-senator, about his forcibly kissing her, touching her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent, the media went into full defense mode to protect their candidate.
Current Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden suffers from dementia. The Biden campaign has denied the assault and said it “absolutely did not happen.” Ms. Reade said she reported the assault to people in the Senate at the time, but no-one took any action against Senator Biden. As a result Ms. Reade left her position and returned home.
Ms. Reade told a few people about the assault at the time it happened, including her mom. Ms. Reade’s mother passed away in 2016; however, a recent video/audio from Tara Reade’s mother calling-in to the Larry King television show in 1993 seems to corroborate the background of the original claim. WATCH:
During the coronavirus task force briefing President Trump was asked about his tweet earlier in the day regarding Iranian gunboats harassing U.S. Navy Ships. The President was unambiguous in his response: “We’ll shoot them out of the water”.
Straight from SmugsVille, D.C. comes ‘Resistance’ Leader Barack Obama’s “formal” endorsement of former vice president Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election run.
SmugsVille, D.C., incidentally, is within easy walking distance of the White House, where the ever elusive Obama, his wife, Michelle and their consigliere Valerie Jarrett have been running the Democrat Resistance ever since savvy upstart Donald Trump toppled Hillary Clinton on Election Night 2016.
This is the Game Plan they hope to pull off for the completion of the Fundamental Transformation of America, which will include blaming President Trump for the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic; prevent him from sending America back to work via a defiant Congressional stall, while all the while trying to manipulate the outcome of Election 2020 via Michelle Obama throwing her ‘non-partisan’; ‘When We All Vote’ initiative behind Democrat legislation seeking to expand access to mail-in voting.
Crowned Democrat election frontrunner Joe Biden will only be seen digitally throughout the campaign, working from the basement of his Delaware home, where he most conveniently won’t be out and about groping women and smelling their hair.
The fix is in, or so the operatives from SmugsVille seem to think.
“Barack Obama released a video endorsing Joe Biden on Tuesday, which is more or less the final piece needed to solidify the entire party’s decision to crown the former Vice President as Donald Trump’s 2016 opponent. (RedState, April 15, 2020)
“Biden didn’t really need Obama’s endorsement. Given what we’ve seen in terms of support and coalescing around him, it appears that this was pretty much baked into everyone’s calculations already. Further, when you see what Obama had to say, it didn’t really come across as an endorsement but rather seemed forced, like it was something he had to do.”
“Obama’s past reluctance to back Biden even as the former vice president came closer to the nomination had raised awkward questions about their relationship, but those close to the former president had suggested he was keeping his distance so as not to meddle in the primary process.” (Fox News, April 14, 2020)
“A Democratic strategist close to Obama’s inner circle told Fox News last week that “at the beginning of the primary process, “President Obama made clear that in order for the Democratic Party to be successful in November, Democratic voters would have to select their nominee.”
“But now that Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee, Obama is entering the political ring anew.”
“Fox News confirmed recently that Obama and Biden have held several conversations in the past couple of weeks. And Biden gave details on one of those conversations – telling donors at a virtual fundraiser earlier this month that he had recently asked his old boss for advice on choosing a running mate.
“So I called President Obama, not as to who but how soon you have to start,” the former vice president shared.”
We can only imagine Obama loudly advising him: HILLARY CLINTON—NOW!
Will Biden, who can’t seem to remember what day it is, remember that Obama’s endorsement of Clinton in 2016 didn’t work?
In Obama’s Clinton endorsement video, he declared: “I want to congratulate Hillary Clinton on making history.” “I know how hard this job can be. That’s why I know Hillary will be so good at it. I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office.”
Until Joe Biden, that is.
Folk shouldn’t forget that Obama had eight long years to complete the unwanted Fundamental Transformation of America.
But people from SmugsVille, confident that the public has a short memory, don’t seem to get that patriots, NEVER forget.
White House Manufacturing Trade Advisor Peter Navarro is also leading the execution of the Defense Production Act to rally American resources in combating the Wuhan Virus. In this interview Navarro discusses the scale of Beijing’s influence over the World Health Organization as a propaganda operation.
Interestingly Navarro notes the Chinese delegation visit in January 2020 and the issues of human-to-human virus spread. CTH has long suspected U.S. intelligence on the Wuhan virus was behind Trump’s proactive health measures in November 2019. It would make sense for POTUS to have a heart-health evaluation prior to beginning a prophylactic regimen [hint hydroxychloriquine] and that might explain a particular advocacy emphasis later on. Just sayin’.
Additionally, Navarro again outlines the importance of returning our critical U.S. manufacturing back to the United States. Honeywell now making masks and GM making ventilators. Peter Navarro is a patriot; in the right place for this moment in history.
I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America
Centinel2012 