Data released by the Commerce Dept [pdf here] shows U.S. shoppers increased spending by a record 17.7% from April to May. The jump in spending was double the amount most economists and forecasters were predicting.

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(Reuters) Retail sales jumped 17.7% last month, the biggest advance since the government started tracking the series in 1992. Sales dropped a record 14.7% in April. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales would rise 8% in May. (link)

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According to the New York Police, three police officers were “intentionally poisoned by one or more workers at the Shake Shack at 200 Broadway in Manhattan. After tasting the milk shakes they purchased they became ill, making it necessary for them to go to an area hospital. Fortunately, our fellow officers were not seriously harmed.”  (LINK)

The Shake Shack corporation previously aligned themselves with the Black Lives Matter movement.  Specifically the corporation said they were we’re taking action “to become better allies, not only for our Black colleagues, but for the entire Black community.”

Thus current Shake Shack employees can argue their attacks against police was their collective expression of social justice in carrying out the interests of the organization.

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Comrade Lightfoot explains why the Chicago Ministry of COVID Compliance needed to cancel the days-off for all police officers, and extend all shifts to 12 hrs per day.

According to the Chicago Mayor, the city will be deploying “Social Distancing Ambassadors” to help citizens accept their social responsibility.  The monitors will assist the public remaining disengaged from human contact as the Ministry begins permitting citizens to exit the confines of their homes.  Drone enforcement could likely assist.

No word on the specifics, but Chicago scientists have apparently identified a hybrid form of the virus that will attack outdoor residents who enter a six foot danger-zone in proximity to another person.  The ministry has determined Blue state residents are safe at distances exceeding 6 feet.  However, inside that zone, at 4 or 5 feet or less, the virus creates a rapid death spiral and attacks with increased ferocity.  It is currently unknown why the proximity strain of the virus responds differently in Red states.

Blue State proximity infection is dangerous. Unless, of course, the proximity variable is influenced by the third factor of vegetables or groceries; which have been identified as generating a safe zone as outlined in local supermarkets.  As a consequence, jogging without groceries requires the proximity police, aka “Social Distancing Ambassadors.”

According to city officials, these new exterior compliance officers should help reduce the influx of residents currently jogging in grocery stores.  Remember, we are all in this together; and to prove how critical this is to the fabric of our society, we must all stay apart.

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According to people on the Twitter this young black woman is Bevelyn Beatty, and the conversation is in/around the occupied territory known as CHAZ.   That said, Ms. Beatty delivers a remarkably effective two minute elevator speech; to an urban white liberal.

What the video shows is an empowered delivery of Red Pill truth. WATCH:

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There are many more people like Ms. Bevelyn Beatty than Democrats would ever admit. These empowered, articulate voices for conservative freedom -regardless of race- are antithetical to the political interests of the DNC.  Strong in the truth is this young lady.  Well done.

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The U.S. media are in ideological alignment with blue state governors and congressional democrats to hype COVID-19 panic as a method to keep the economy from reopening.  To advance this narrative the crowds during mass protects they approve of are ignored; but any crowd at an event they do not align with is used to push panic. Everyone can see this.

The New York manufacturing index shocked everyone earlier today showing a strong rebound.  The index “unexpectedly” surged 48 points in June surprising all economic forecasters.   Meanwhile, National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow appears on Fox News to discuss the dynamics.

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As Kudlow notes, President Trump is looking to use any potential phase-4 legislative package to inject a massive ‘America First’ boost, via tax incentives for manufacturing business interests to return to the U.S.  The administration does not see a need for additional direct spending, bailouts, or continued payments; however, this is an opportunity to provide tax incentives to boost U.S-centric economic activity.

It’s important to remember the dynamic of U.S. multinationals (Wall St), and how many of them align with Democrat and media efforts to hold down the U.S. economy. There are trillions at stake.

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has previously down-played the violence, looting and riots in the city; while simultaneously telling city aldermen they were over-hyping the problems and issues within the city.  Oddly enough Mayor Lightfoot said this while begging the looted merchants not to abandon the city… so that was always an odd juxtaposition.

Today, the contradiction gets even more weird as the entire Chicago police department; you know, those horrid people Lightfoot previously disparaged and said were unneeded; are now required to work their day’s-off and extend to 12 hour shifts.

CHICAGO – Chicago police officers on Sunday were once again ordered to work 12-hour shifts and have their days off canceled amid some protesting that has persisted in parts of the city following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police nearly three weeks ago.

[…] Until further notice, Chicago officers who are on active duty and not on vacation will have to work the 12-hour shifts — a normal shift is about 8½ hours — and come in on their days off, the Chicago police spokesman, Luis Agostini, said Sunday morning. (read more)

Isn’t the purpose of ‘defunding‘ the police, essentially to have less policing? Apparently Chicago is doing the ‘defunding‘ thing backwards.

Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson appears on Fox News with Maria Bartiromo to discuss his committee investigation into what the U.S. intelligence apparatus was doing during the 2016 election, transition, and first two years of President Trump’s tenure in office.

It’s a good interview, and chairman Johnson outlines additional subpoenas that his committee is submitting to compel testimony and gain documents.  However, it’s now mid-June 2020.

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Comrade Cuomo is threatening to take enforcement action on behalf of the New York state Ministry of Coronavirus Compliance.

Today, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is threatening “state enforcement action” against the citizens of New York for engaging in economic activity, violating his social distancing rules, not wearing masks and having “parties” against his COVID compliance dictates….

“Enforce the law or there will be state action”

Which is more than a little ironic considering the same Andrew Cuomo previously ruled out “state enforcement action” against riots, violence, looters and arsonists.

Rioting and looting don’t warrant state enforcement, but forget to wear a mask or stand too close to your cousin and there will be hell to pay.   Good luck trying to square that circle of stupidity.

Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell discusses his prior approach toward declassifying documents behind the Obama administration’s efforts to disrupt the incoming Trump administration.

As Grenell notes the prior administration was politically focused on targeting Donald Trump and weaponizing the intelligence apparatus to disrupt the Trump administration. Grenell discusses the over-classification of documents as a tool to hide intentional wrongdoing and corrupt intent.

It’s worth noting the interview is heavily edited; which, given Ms. Bartiromo’s granular insight on the issues, may indicate some of the conversation extended beyond what would be comfortable for the current investigation to be seen in public. (Just a hunch).

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This is a little lengthy of a discussion, but it touches upon something very relevant to this election cycle.  Author Diana West discusses a network and pattern of ideology within the modern pentagon leadership, and how a worldview is threatened by President Trump. The interview and discussion is below.

The conversation necessarily gets in the weeds and is filled with unique insight into a very complex alignment. However, in the big picture it’s not difficult to figure out why the Pentagon would be opposed to Trump.  During the campaign and early administration President Trump’s expressed foreign policy was viewed by NATO alliance members as a threat.  The same type of perspective applies internally to the U.S. military.

President Trump’s preferred use of economic warfare makes the Pentagon’s role diminished. Instead of punching North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, President Trump hits the checkbook of Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping.  The primary has become the contingency. The value of James Mattis replaced by the effectiveness of Robert Lighthizer.  JC Milley isn’t in the planning room; Milley’s been replaced by Wilbur Ross (until he’s needed).

In the Trump era the President is telling the Pentagon where and when to position; and asks them for ‘contingency’ preparation.  Decades of Pentagon-centric foreign policy is lessened by an entirely new geopolitical approach based on economic strategy.

Take away power, or worse yet, stop using military power, and the leaders within the system start to sense their institution becoming functionally obsolescent.  Overlay this military view upon pre-existing ideological differences and the situation gets worse.

CTH touched on this last year when we noted how the Pentagon, specifically the joint chiefs, never took any action when Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman positioned himself as an opponent to President Trump’s policy perspective.  The pentagon left Vindman on assignment to the NSC even after Vindman attempted to take-down President Trump.

Another example was Joint Chief Chairman Milley, and the visit Pompeo and Milley took to Mar-a-Lago in December, where they were informing President Trump of military strikes in Syria and Iraq *after* they took place. [Background Here] [Background Here].

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