Trump Is A Regular Surrender Monkey-- First To Turkey, Now To Lois Frankel

Our art director, Andrei Rublev (Wmxdesign), rarely writes about his creative process. He surprised me by doing so today, when he sent over the above piece: What would Warhol do with this current iteration of Trump? A broken man since childhood, trying to find self-esteem among stolen and borrowed dollar bills-- an insecure man surrounded by purchased women and a thin facade of success. Would Warhol find that Trump is a media icon to be dissected and splayed to see what went wrong? Unknowable at this point-- but he would most likely target the most apparent quality of the Trump psychogenic personality. That distillation would probably be Self Pity. The complete collapse of the Trump myth is unfolding across all media; it repeats endlessly. Donald John Trump is an Andy Warhol installation that has unravelled through the decades. Trump is a raw id, ego, superego catastrophe in plain sight. We all look. We can’t look away whether we watch in disgust or blind adulation. For Trump, the full embodiment of Self-pity amplified across all media repeats ad infinitum. Warhol would retch and then make art from the sputum. I believe he's calling it Self-pity Amplified Across All Media Repeats Ad Infinitum.

On Friday, Lois Frankel (D-FL), Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Steve Cohen (TN) in the House and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in the Senate introduced the very timely THUG Act (Trump’s Heist Undermines the G-7). The bill was meant to prohibit funding for the G-7 Summit at the Trump National Doral and would require Trump to submit to all documents to Congress that are related to his decision to host the G-7 Summit at his property. There was no question the bill would have passed-- and with the support of some Republicans. Homeland Security Chair Bennie Thompson explained that "The prospect that Trump Administration would set aside the Constitution to line the President’s pockets by choosing to host the upcoming G-7 Conference to prop up one the President’s failing properties is enormously troubling... We need to get to the bottom of how the decision to host this National Security Special Event at one of the President’s resorts was made and whether President’s financial interests may have outweighed homeland security concerns." As Frankel explained, "Trump is unashamed of his corruption. He is abusing the office of the Presidency and violating law by directing millions of dollars of American and foreign money to his family enterprises by holding an important meeting of world leaders at his Doral resort."

Rep. Cohen went even further: "I am deeply concerned about President Trump’s priorities. Rather than focus on the American people, he seems to be busy padding his wallet with taxpayer and foreign money. The federal government isn’t his personal piggy bank nor should it be the promotional arm of the Trump Organization. The announcement that the next G7 Summit will be held at his Doral Miami resort is a brazen example of the corruption and self-dealing that has characterized this administration. I believe this is a direct abuse of the president’s power and an emoluments clause violation. Beyond that, no public official should take any action suggesting an improper motive, and this has impropriety written all over it. The THUG Act would force the Administration to turn over documents on how a Trump property was chosen and prevent federal funds from being spent at the President’s Doral Miami resort to host the G7 Summit."

A few hours later this whiny-bitch tweet appeared, surrounding while defending his bed-bug infested cash-starved resort:

So what happened? Miami Tribune reporters Michael Wilner, Francesca Chambers and Devoun Cetoute were on the case last last. Drowning in criticism from all sides, Trump reversed himself, objected surrounding to public opinion less than three days after the plans were first announced. Democrats, they wrote "vowed to add the case to a sweeping federal lawsuit accusing the president of repeatedly violating the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution."


Trump initially previewed his plan to pick Trump National Doral at this year’s G-7 summit in France over the summer, citing the golf resort’s proximity to Miami International Airport and its isolation from pedestrians.

But the announcement itself was rolled out hastily.

Originally scheduled for earlier in the week, the decision to name the location was delayed until Thursday, when Mulvaney hosted a media briefing.

Mulvaney acknowledged he was initially “skeptical” of the selection, but ultimately came to believe it was the “perfect physical location,” he told reporters. And he insisted there would be “no issue here on him profiting from this in any way, shape, or form” from the selection of Doral.

“I would suggest that he probably doesn’t need much help promoting his brand, so we’ll put the profit one aside and deal with a perfect place,” he said.

The summit was scheduled to take place on June 9-13, 2020, and would have marked Miami’s debut on the international stage. Heads of state from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom would have converged on the site for for their yearly meeting.

The nations rotate hosting duties, and Trump said he was interested in the United States inviting the nations to his golf resort, but Miami Herald records requests to the City of Doral, the office of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and local police found no evidence of communication from Washington about potentially hosting the summit.

Gimenez told The Herald that he spoke to Trump during by phone when Hurricane Dorian threatened Miami in August, in which the president told him that he was thinking about hosting the summit in Miami-Dade.

After two calls to the Secret Service’s Miami office and strong hints from Trump, the City of Doral had assigned an extra $270,000 to the city’s police budget to cover security costs tied to the summit, Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez said.

Sometimes I Cry When I Write-- This Was One Of Those Times... But Not Because John Bolton Was Fired

Early this morning, Señor T tweeted that he had fired Bolton. Can you think of another good thing he's done this year? Don't worry, less than 40% of voting age American can either. According to the new Washington Post/ABC News poll, Trump's job approval is down to 38%. 56% disapprove. "His average rating since taking office," wrote pollster Gary Langer, "remains the lowest on record for any modern president at a comparable point in his term, and he is the first never to have achieved majority approval." The Post noted that "Trump is ending a tumultuous summer with his approval rating slipping back from a July high as Americans express widespread concern about the trade war with China and a majority of voters now expect a recession within the next year."

Wondering why Trump finally did fire Bolton? Is he actually seeing the light on the evil that he's surrounded himself with? Don't be ridiculous. Secretary of State Pompeo told hinted, gently, that if he didn't fire Bolton, he (Pompeo) would quit and run for the open Kansas U.S. Senate seat. After Trump's rally in North Carolina last night, Bolton called him to whine about Iran and either Trump fired him (Trump's version) or Bolton quit (Bolton's version). Bolton was Trump's 4th National Security Adviser since Putin put him in the White House. Trump, as you know, hires all the best people.

CNN published an alarmingly essay by Zach Wolf this morning about how Trump is stressing out the constitution. Wolf wrote that by his simultaneous existence as a real estate tycoon and "president," Trump "continues to test the U.S. Constitution in ways that the founding fathers didn't anticipate and for which the current legal and political systems are completely unprepared. The founders didn't specifically anticipate a hotelier President pushing his golf resort as the ideal location for an international meeting of heads of state. They didn't specifically say an Air Force crew couldn't use taxpayer dollars to stay at a resort owned by the President in a foreign country, which may or may not be suffering as a result of his presidency. They didn't anticipate the Air Force more generally starting to send more flights in need of refueling to the financially troubled airport closest to that resort, eschewing military bases that might provide cheaper fuel. They didn't anticipate the President's subordinates would begin serially staying at his properties or planning parties at them, potentially currying favor with their boss. And they didn't anticipate a President who would be so willing to push every rule to the breaking point-- or be so cavalier about the appearance of self-dealing. But the real problem is that Congress hasn't, either. There's nothing on the books curtailing any of this-- which means that the President could be in violation of the Constitution without breaking the law."





John Pavlovitz published a different type-- but not unrelated-- essay on his website today: . It's incredibly powerful... like the song. I suggest you read the whole thing but, basically, this is what those 38% of Trump supporters are teaching their children:

• People don’t matter. Human beings are things, wielded in battles you manufacture in order to win.
• Never apologize. When you are found to be wrong or speak in error-- never admit it.
• Diversity is dangerous. The more differences around you, the more there is to fear.
• It’s all about you. Forget the advice of your teachers and pastors and story books, and discard that all nonsense about loving your neighbor as yourself or doing unto others and you’d have done to you. Other people’s experiences unimportant.
• Compassion is a flaw. To feel empathy is to show weakness
• America is the world.
• Women are less valuable than men.
• Whiteness is better.
• Your convictions are for sale.
• Laws don’t apply to you.
• Religion is a prop. Faith is simply a costume to put on when it profits you; a shiny veneer to cover yourself in,  in order to ingratiate yourself into community with genuinely spiritual people who will think the best of you, and thus be easily fooled.
• When in doubt, lie.

"A generation of children is learning these things from the people most entrusted to show them how to be human," concluded Pavlovitz. "They are forming the lenses they see the world through from birth. It will be almost impossible for them to discern reality."

Is Netanyahu's Stunt On The Golan Heights Another Case Of A Foreign National Giving Señor Trumpanzee A Thing Of Value?

No matter what Netanyahu's motivation, Trump was quick to use his gesture as a valuable resource. But could you imagine building a home in a town in a contested war zone named for the most hated man on the planet? I travel to some pretty dangerous places... but I'll be taking a hard pass when it comes to Trump Heights. So far, though, it's just a plaque, not a town. Netanyahu's cabinet and Trump's crackpot ambassador all trekked up to the pile of dirt to inaugurate or commemorate or something-- basically the re-naming of a 30 year old nearly abandoned town, Bruchim (population: 10). It will now be called Ramat Trump, Hebrew for Trumpanzee Heights. At the ceremony, Netanyahu said "The Golan Heights was and will always be an inseparable part of our country and homeland," which sounds an awful like Orwell writing that "The past was alterable. The past never had been altered. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia."

Ambassador David Friedman: "It’s absolutely beautiful. I can’t think of a more appropriate and a more beautiful birthday present." (Trump had recognized Israeli sovereignty over Syria's Golan Heights, making the U.S. the only country in the world to do so.

One of Bruchim's 10 residents, Rosa Zhernakov, who's lived there since 1991 is excited.

“We hope it will benefit the Golan Heights,” she said, standing outside her bungalow on one of Bruchim’s few streets.

She said the revitalisation of the settlement would mean “more security” for residents from any possible return of the Golan Heights to Syria as part of a future peace treaty.

Syria has demanded a return of the strategic territory, which overlooks northern Israel, as part of any peace deal.

After the devastating civil war in Syria, the prospects of peace talks with Israel anytime soon seem extremely low.

Ramat Trump joins a handful of Israeli places named after American presidents, including a village for Harry S Truman, who first recognised the Jewish state, and George W Bush Plaza, a square the size of a modest living room in central Jerusalem.

Several bureaucratic obstacles will need to be overcome to develop the settlement. With Mr Netanyahu running for re-election in the second national election this year, it remains unclear whether he will be able to complete the task.

Zvi Hauser, an opposition lawmaker who formerly served as Mr Netanyahu’s Cabinet secretary, called Sunday’s ceremony a cheap PR stunt.

“There’s no funding, no planning, no location, and there’s no real binding decision,” he said.

Hauser's statement also included "Anyone who reads the fine print in this 'historic' decision will understand that this is nothing more than a nonbinding, fake policy... Let’s hope President Trump does not know that his name is being used for this public relations exercise... The prime minister must decide whether he really wants to establish a new settlement and deepen our roots in the Golan Heights or whether he is content with creating a virtual reality for the purposes of a photo op."

Trump Has Virtually No Leadership Skills And No One Thinks He's Doing A Good Job But White, Home-Schooled Evangelicals

Donald Trump by Nancy Ohanian

Yesterday, reporting for the Washington Post, Jonathan O'Connell, Ann Marimow and Carol Leonnig wrote that U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan gave the House Democrats the OK to move forward with their emoluments law suit against Trump. The suit is very clear: Trump's private business violates the Constitution’s ban on gifts or payments from foreign governments. Trump is sure to have Barr appeal, since it would allow Democrats to examine incriminating records from the Trump Organization that have been kept hidden. The Post's team reported that the judge's 48 page decision refused Trump's request to dismiss the case and rejected Trump’s narrow definition of emoluments, finding it "unpersuasive and inconsistent." The judge noted that without seeking permission from Congress, Trump "has received payments for hotel rooms and events from foreign governments, as well as licensing fees paid by foreign governments for his show The Apprentice and intellectual property rights from China." This is headed to the Supreme Court, which Trump feels will protect him regardless of the law.

Meanwhile CNN reported last night that Trump's "all-out refusal to cooperate with the House Democratic investigations have some Democrats questioning whether Trump's blatant disregard for congressional oversight is yet another kind of obstruction of justice that could rise to the level of 'high crimes and misdemeanors.'" Is impeachment back on the table?

In the midst of all that-- and the daily turmoil and chaos that is the Trump Regime-- Frances Bridges sought to answer the questions-- what makes a good leader and why is Trump such a bad one? "One can not help but notice any time a leadership expert or scholar discusses the characteristics and habits of a good leader in any capacity," she wrote, "it brings the shortcomings of the current president into stark relief. Leadership experts in business and academia have discussed and debated the tenets, values and character of great leaders throughout history, and agree that the best among them possess a handful values and qualities that are imperative to outstanding leadership-- and that the current president does not have any of them. Below are a list of integral leadership qualities Trump does not embody:"

He Refuses To Accept Criticism

Numerous leadership experts find that one of the most important aspects of good leadership is accepting criticism. Leaders who surround themselves with honest brokers who give candid feedback they listen to make better decisions and are better leaders than the ones who do not.

...In contrast, one does not need to look farther than Trump's twitter account to see how poorly he handles criticism. Back in February he unleashed a twitter tirade against Cliff Sims, a former aide whose book, Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days In The White House, is a critical account of his time in the administration. The President claims he was inconsequential and that he barely knew him, but he still warranted a response from the President of the United States.

He unleashed a twitter rant against the FBI and CIA, because the intelligence they gathered did not support his positions on Iran and North Korea. It is by far the first time Trump has attacked the U.S. intelligence community and members of his own administration on twitter. Instead of gathering and contemplating more information, and considering the substance of the criticism, he is defensive, bombastic, quick to blame others and punch down with his rash,  jeering tweets, and crude, witless insults. He does not exhibit the humility, self-awareness or the sense of humor to accept criticism and better himself.

He Refuses To Evaluate Errors And Changes Course When Presented With New Information

...Trump does not thoroughly evaluate any of his policy decisions outside of what he believes is in his political interest. The foremost example of this is when he pulled out of the Paris Agreement, which endangers not only the country but the world as the impact of climate change continues to escalate in the U.S., with increased wildfires, floods and hurricanes. In October of last year, the U.N. scientific panel released a report that found a strong risk of crisis, it "describes a world of worsening food shortages and wildfires, and a mass die-off of coral reefs as soon as 2040." In the face of overwhelming scientific evidence that climate change is real, and carbon emissions caused by man are partially responsible, that he would reward the financial interests of his political base at the expense of the country and the rest of the world is unconscionable, and just one example of how he serves his political interests above all else, and doesn't change or reconsider his opinions or objectives when all evidence states the contrary.

He Does Not Do What Is Right In The Long Term, He Succumbs To Short Term Pressures

...From the early days of his administration, Trump has made incredibly unpopular decisions: the Muslim travel ban, pulling out of the Paris Agreement, unraveling DACA, pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal, campaigning to build a wall at the southern border, banning transgender individuals from the military, pulling out of Syria, etc. Trump's decisions and often racist, misogynistic, xenophobic rhetoric have deepened an already stark political divide in the country- not only is he not a molder of consensus, he creates and fuels division. His actions are politically motivated, and are dictated by election cycles and not by a long-term vision or strategy, or the best interest of the country.

He Doesn't Take Care Of His People

...It would be logical to conclude by reading the news around the chaos and record-setting turnover in this administration that Trump does not care about the people who work for him. Trump is quick to yell, upbraid and hold his staff accountable for his own mistakes. One example was Trump's treatment of his former attorney general, Jeff Sessions. After Sessions recused himself from overseeing the independent counsel's investigation into Russian interference during the election, Trump disparaged him publicly time and time again hoping he would resign because he was incensed Sessions recused himself. He did not have the nerve to fire him, so he kept embarrassing him hoping he would resign. Trump finally asked for Sessions' resignation in November 2018, nearly two years after the special counsel's investigation started. Former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis resigned in response to Trump's plan to pull troops out of Syria and his treatment of U.S. allies, and Trump initially thanked him for his service, tweeting he had "retired with distinction," but he did not read the resignation letter. When Mattis' resignation letter was released and the media interpreted it as a rebuke of Trump, the president forced him out two months before his stated day of departure. There are countless examples of Trump abusing his staff, and Maggie Haberman of the New York Times reported that his family is not excluded from that.

He Has No Empathy

Doris Kearns Goodwin also discusses empathy in Leadership In Turbulent Times and how Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Lyndon Johnson, Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt all had it, and needed it to face the significant challenges they all faced during their respective presidencies. Kearns Goodwin writes that Lincoln and Johnson were born with is because they grew up poor, but that the Roosevelts had to acquire it in adulthood as they formed friendships outside their social class, and learn it through their life experiences.

Trump's lack of empathy is on full display, most especially after the death of Senator John McCain, who he taunted for being a POW during the Vietnam War during the presidential campaign and  continues to taunt, jeer and disparage months after his death from a malignant brain tumor. Trump lashes out at McCain randomly, for everything from his class placement at the Naval Academy to voting against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act though he has passed. Trump has also championed the family separation policy at the border (though he now denies that, and insists it was an existing policy) and only rescinded it under enormous pressure from both political parties. His inability to understand other perspectives and appreciate the experiences and expertise of others made him a poor businessman and it makes him a bad leader and president.

The most recent Morning Consult poll, done for Politico, asks registered voters of they approve or disapprove of the job Trump is doing. Just 39% approval, while a staggering 57% disapprove (45% strongly). Trump is underwater in every age demographic, but especially among voters between 18 and 29, where his approval is 23% and his disapproval 66%. Among Independent voters his approval is 32% and his disapproval is 58%. Even among the only people he caters to-- white people-- he is underwater. 44% of whites approve, while 51% disapprove. His only real support is from the single most ignorant, backward demographic group in America: evangelicals-- 53% approve and 43% disapprove.

Midnight Meme Of The Day!

by Noah

I'm fair. I pride myself on being fair. A little snarky perhaps, but, I call it how I see it. I call it how it is. That's my definition of fair. So, here I am, posting a meme that gives credit to FOX "News" of all entities for actually calling out their dear leader, a bit, just a little bit. But, perspective and context matter. So, the question is: Is FOX "News" just fact checking their goon of a white nationalist icon in an effort to convince us that they're fair and balanced or something? Is this just a bit of illusion creation? Yeah, probably both of those. The context matters bigly, though. Here's the context: Trump's lies are so many in number and so beyond the fringe of reality that they can make FOX "News" appear credible by comparison, if only for a nanosecond.

Yes, Trump has financial interests in Saudi Arabia. In fact, in addition to the things listed in the meme, Trump registered 8 of his companies in Saudi Arabia during his campaign for president. All of them are tied to his Saudi hotel operations. No doubt, there is more.

Who knows how much more we will find out before all is said and done? Trump didn't send son-in-law Jared Kushner to become besties with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman for no reason. And, that leads to more questions. In May of this year, Kushner was trying to put together a $100,000,000 deal involving his interests in a real estate tech firm and the Saudi government. That deal deal fell through but there are always others to be made. It has been well known for some time that Kushner and the prince have formed a strong bond. Suddenly, though, after the Khashoggi murder, his father-in-law would have us believe otherwise. Here's Donnie Bullshit in a Washington Post interview last Friday:

They're two young guys. Jared doesn't know him well or anything.

Sound familiar? Reminds me of when Trump said he hadn't met Putin. It's just another variation of the old "He's a coffee boy" theme. You could show Trump and his cult followers a film of Prince Mohammed bin Salam wielding a bloody bone saw himself with Kushner in the background and the response would be the same. With the Trump clan, it's all about protecting and growing the family bank accounts first. America is way down on the list, if it's on the list at all.

Ivanka's Retail Empire Grows Every Time Trump Grants China Another Concession

They can't send Kushner-in-law out to campaign for their candidates. His job approval is 18%-- almost as bad as Cocaine Mitch's 16% approval. So, as we saw on Sunday, the little-known Kevin McCarthy and Ivanka Trumpanzee are headed outside the Beltway, not to do rallies but to meet with fat cats and persuade them to waste their money on doomed Republican congressional candidates. Her approval rating is spectacular for a Republican-- 38% and only 41% disapprove. But that poll was taken before the Associated Press reported that China has given her 13 new trademarks in the last 3 months in return for sweet deals from Señor T. Conflicts of interest? Emoluments?

On Sunday, China granted the first daughter’s company final approval for its 13th trademark in the last three months, trademark office records show. Over the same period, the Chinese government has granted Ivanka Trump’s company provisional approval for another eight trademarks, which can be finalized if no objections are raised during a three-month comment period.

Taken together, the trademarks could allow her brand to market a lifetime’s worth of products in China, from baby blankets to coffins, and a host of things in between, including perfume, make-up, bowls, mirrors, furniture, books, coffee, chocolate and honey. Ivanka Trump stepped back from management of her brand and placed its assets in a family-run trust, but she continues to profit from the business.

“Ivanka Trump’s refusal to divest from her business is especially troubling as the Ivanka brand continues to expand its business in foreign countries,” Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said in an email Monday. “It raises significant questions about corruption, as it invites the possibility that she could be benefiting financially from her position and her father’s presidency or that she could be influenced in her policy work by countries’ treatment of her business.”

As Ivanka Trump and her father have built their global brands, largely through licensing deals, they have pursued trademarks in dozens of countries. Those global trademarks have drawn the attention of ethics lawyers because they are granted by foreign governments and can confer enormous value. Concerns about political influence have been especially sharp in China, where the courts and bureaucracy are designed to reflect the will of the ruling Communist Party.

Chinese officials have emphasized that all trademark applications are handled in accordance with the law.

More approvals are likely to come. Online records from China’s trademark office indicate that Ivanka Trump’s company last applied for trademarks-- 17 of them-- on March 28, 2017, the day before she took on a formal role at the White House. Those records on Monday showed at least 25 Ivanka Trump trademarks pending review, 36 active marks and eight with provisional approval.

The World Intellectual Property Organization’s global brand database also shows that her company, Ivanka Trump Marks LLC, won three trademarks in the Philippines after her father took office. Two of them that cover clothing, including lingerie and baby clothes, were filed on Feb. 8, 2017 and registered in June and November. The third, filed on March 1, 2017, covers clothing and footwear and was registered in July.

Companies register for trademarks for a variety of reasons. They can be a sign of corporate ambition, but in many countries, like China, where trademark squatting is rampant, companies also file defensively, to block copycats from grabbing legal rights to a brand’s name. Trademarks are classified by category and may include items that a company does not intend to market. Some trademark lawyers also advise clients to register trademarks for merchandise that is manufactured in China, even if it’s not sold there.

Ivanka Trump does not have a large retail presence in China, but customs records show that the bulk of her company’s U.S. imports are shipped from China.

On June 18 Ivanka will be in Fresno and Los Angeles fundraising for Kevin McCarthy's and Mike Pence's SuperPAC, Protect the House. I hope demonstrators will be sure to include protests about the bribery her family is taking from every government willing to pay them off in return for another piece of the American pie.

A week ago Jim VandeHei asserted that China is working-- for the long term-- to "displace the United States as the dominant global economic and national security superpower... pouring time, money, infrastructure and trade into every continent, after promising to fill the global void created by Trump’s America First... The plan is to dominate all futuristic advanced technologies such as robotics, AI, aviation and space, driverless or new energy vehicles. In other words, to dominate the world by crushing the United States, Germany and all others in most important industries of the future." 

• China also has the authoritarian ability to experiment at scale, steal our tech secrets and mobilize capital that no democracy can match.
• China often forces U.S. companies to create joint ventures to do business there. American business do just that, handing half their company to often-state-controlled Chinese partners.
• China is spending nearly 9% of GDP on infrastructure-- three times what America spends.
• China has so much capacity to build that it's exporting its materials and labor to other countries to build their infrastructure.
• China is building the largest global infrastructure project in history, the Belt and Road Initiative, as antiquated U.S. airports, bridges, roads and electricity systems crumble.
• China is growing 3x as fast as the U.S. economy. At current projections, China's GDP will be larger than America's by 2028.

The U.S. could not have a worse president to deal with this than the one we have now. VanderHei was back a few days ago, with Mike Allen, to emphasize that politicians on both sides of the aisle are alarmed, even as Trump and his family are selling out the country. They use 3 examples, Tim Ryan, a Democrat, Marco Rubio, a Republican and Steve Bannon, an insane fascist:

• Ryan, a Democrat who represents the classic Rust Belt town of Youngstown, Ohio: "I’m getting more and more worried every day ... China has a grand strategy that includes all of government-- economy, military, education and politics-- with the goal of elevating China to the number one military and economic power in the world."
• Rubio, Republican of Florida: "The Chinese know our pressure points... Americans benefit every day from the fact that America is the most powerful nation on earth. If that's erased, this won't be the same country. If economic and military power move to China, an authoritarian state, that affects things we take for granted like free speech, equal opportunity and human rights."
• Bannon, President Trump's former chief strategist: "China has survived intact for 4,000 years because they have perfected 'barbarian management.' They view us as a 'tributary state,' a natural resource and agriculture provider-- Jamestown to their Great Britain... Trump must keep the hammer down."

"Both Ryan and Rubio," they continue, "say the issue is getting increasing resonance with constituents, but they remain frustrated with the lack of urgency among their colleagues, and the mixed signals from Trump... Experts say the U.S. is falling further behind, and that the nation needs a massive strategic and investment plan similar to the post-World War II mobilization that included the Marshall Plan, the G.I. Bill and the space race. While America dawdles and bickers, China is thinking long-term-- and acting now, everywhere". But at least Ivanka has the 13 trademarks for her garbage. And which country is bailing out Kushner's building in Manhattan again?

Trump Saving Chinese Jobs While Harley Davidson Ships Kansas City Jobs To Thailand

Several congressional Republicans bitch and moan when Señor Trumpanzee does something outrageous or dangerous-- but never work it up enough to actually vote against him. Rand Paul R-KY), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Mike Lee (R-UT) and Little Marco (R-FL) are the first to come to mind. The question is often related to national security-- as is Rubio's tweet above. What a woos! Does anyone think he'll actually stand up to Trump? Over the weekend it was all over the news that Trump had ordered the Commerce Department to help create jobs (between 70 and 80,000)-- at ZTE, a Chinese telecom company which has been sanctioned for several reasons... including espionage. Trumpanzee, who persuaded millions of simple-minded voters (and racists) that he is the world's greatest negotiator, has ordered Wilbur Ross to get ZTE "back into business."

Since Rubio identified Trump's reversal on ZTE as a national security threat and followed the above tweet with a question: kvetch: "I hope this isn't the beginning of backing down to China." Can Rubio back down after that? Of course he can-- and will; he has no spine.

At issue is that department's move last month to block the ZTE Corp., a major supplier of telecoms networks and smartphones based in southern China, from importing American components for seven years. The U.S. accused ZTE of misleading American regulators after it settled charges of violating sanctions against North Korea and Iran.

ZTE, which has more than 70,000 employees and has supplied networks or equipment to some of the world's biggest telecoms companies, said in early May that it had halted its main operations as a result of the department's "denial order."

Trump, who has taken a hard line on trade and technology issues with Beijing, tweeted on Sunday that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping "are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!"

ZTE has asked the department to suspend the seven-year ban on doing business with U.S. technology exporters. By cutting off access to U.S. suppliers of essential components such as microchips, the ban threatens ZTE's existence, the company has said.

During recent trade meetings in Beijing, Chinese officials said they raised their objections to ZTE's punishment with the American delegation, which they said agreed to report them to Trump.

The U.S. imposed the penalty after discovering that Shenzhen-based ZTE, which had paid a $1.2 billion fine in the case, had failed to discipline employees involved and paid them bonuses instead.

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, criticized Trump's decision in a reply to his tweet late Sunday.

"Our intelligence agencies have warned that ZTE technology and phones pose a major cyber security threat," Schiff said in the tweet. "You should care more about our national security than Chinese jobs."

Trump later tweeted that while the two countries were working together, past trade negotiations "have been so one sided in favor of China."

"China and the United States are working well together on trade, but past negotiations have been so one sided in favor of China, for so many years, that it is hard for them to make a deal that benefits both countries," he said in the tweet. "But be cool, it will all work out!"

The BBC headline wouldn't go over well at Trump voters in the Midwest: Trump seeks to save Chinese jobs at ZTE ahead of trade talks. Trump is backing down from having banned American companies from selling ZTE components after ZTE admitted to making illegal shipments to Iran and North Korea. I bet Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Missouri works would like those 70-80,000 jobs. It was just announced the Harley Davidson is shutting down an American factory and moving the operation-- and jobs-- to Thailand. That's on top of the Harley factory already opened in India.

[T]hat case is tough to accept in Kansas City, where the company has assembled some of its most popular motorcycles since 1997.

“I am being directly affected by a corporate decision that I had no say in,” said Pence, who has worked at the plant for 21 years and has the highest seniority ranking in the facility.

Pence, who works in machine maintenance, said engineers from the plant are going to Thailand to help set up that operation, with trial production runs expected this summer.

He believes that some of the Kansas City plant’s equipment, too, will be shipped to Thailand.

“They are going over everything now, getting ready to crate it up,” he said.

About 35% of the bikes assembled in Kansas City are destined for sale outside of the U.S., according to Pence, although Harley would not confirm that.

Asia has been one of the company’s fastest-growing markets, but over the years it’s also been a market with steep tariffs on U.S.-made motorcycles.

“We have been fighting tariffs for the 21 years I have been employed with the company. But tariffs are just a fact of life,” Pence said.

The union is critical of Harley for investing in Thailand while also receiving tax cuts under President Donald Trump’s new corporate tax plan.

“These companies are taking tax breaks with one hand and handing out pink slips with the other,” said International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers President Bob Martinez Jr. “I’m going to call it like I see it ... this is a corporate ambush on working people."

“They should be reinvesting in America,” Pence, the Kansas City employee, said.

I suspect-- strongly-- that Paul Scott, the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, would agree with the displaced Harley Davidson workers. His comments, though, were about Trump's cock-up over ZTE. "Trump’s weekend comments regarding ZTE," he said, "the Chinese telecom firm barred from doing business in our nation for breaking U.S. law, are alarming. In the middle of a trade dispute, the president is publicly offering a major concession to China that could potentially harm national security. This is a company that has broken trade embargoes with Iran and North Korea, and generated legitimate security concerns. As recently as February the entire national security establishment has advised American consumers to avoid products made by this company because it considers them beholden to the Chinese government. Meanwhile, Beijing has yet to agree to end any unfair trade practice or make any meaningful reform. And Trump’s very capable trade team hasn’t made any discernible progress on the myriad trade irritants that are costing America jobs. Trump’s tweet on ZTE is indefensible."

Ready for another-- even bigger and uglier-- ZTE shock? This one is horrifying even for Trump and it came from Public Citizen, which referred to it-- correctly-- as "breathtaking venality."

It’s hard to capture in words how shocking and outrageous is the confluence of events around President Donald Trump’s ZTE tweet and the Chinese government's expected loan to an Indonesian resort with Trump-branded hotels and a golf course.

Trump’s Twitter pledge to intervene to rescue a Chinese company from law enforcement measures was startling enough. The tweet saying that he will aid Chinese telecom company ZTE contradicts his tough-on-China posture and is especially surprising given the national security issues raised about the firm.

But the most disturbing element is Trump’s readiness to interject himself into a corporate law enforcement measure as part of a deal with a foreign government – a move that threatens the integrity of all corporate law enforcement against foreign-based companies, and really against all companies, period.

It is no longer easy to be surprised by this administration. But the revelation that the ZTE tweet comes just days after the Chinese government reportedly committed to funnel $500 million in loans to an Indonesian resort development that includes Trump-branded hotels and a Trump-branded golf course is absolutely jaw-dropping.

Here are some questions the president and his administration must answer:

• How is this possibly not a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clause?
• When did Trump become aware of the anticipated Chinese loan to the Indonesian resort project?
• What are the terms of the expected loan?
• Have Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the loan to the Indonesian resort project? Has it been discussed at any other governmental level?

There is no doubt that geopolitical considerations are informing Trump’s ZTE intervention. But is there anyone in America who believes that benefiting indirectly from a Chinese loan would NOT influence Trump’s decision to intercede?

Brent Welder is the progressive Democrat running for Congress in the Kansas City district. "For far too long," he told us, "our economy has been rigged against those who work for a living in favor of those that ship jobs overseas. It’s outrageous that we are giving huge tax breaks to companies that are closing down American factories, while we cut assistance to workers who are getting hurt most. Unfortunately, nothing will change until we change the people we send to Washington. It’s time to kick out the corporate bootlickers and replace them with leaders who represent working people."

My neighbor keeps asking me if Trump is building a resort in North Korea. Maybe that question should be added to the above four. Has Little Marco commented yet?