There are many new commentators at CTH, and even more new people taking notice of politics for perhaps the first time in their lives. There is also some confusion noticed between two distinct groups who appear to be talking above and around each other. Two groups trying to communicate from two entirely divergent sets of understanding.
Perhaps it is valuable to reset the larger frames of reference and provide clarity.
Many, heck, most people think when they vote for a federal politician -a 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 congress person who writes legislation or laws.
In 2017 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. Here’s how it works.
Having spent over 30 years deep in the weeds on the actuarial side of trade and economics, I can guarantee you there’s a generational need to completely reset all frames of reference when it comes to imports, exports, and U.S. trade principles in general.
It is no longer worthwhile even beginning a conversation around the arcane concept of “free trade”, especially when discussing commodities and agricultural trade. The “free market” was structurally disassembled years ago when multinational corporations began using the business end of agriculture to create investment and global profit via Wall Street.
The BIG AGRICULTURE legislative lobbying groups are funded -much like the U.S. CoC- with multinational corporations and multinational investment banks. Agricultural prices, formerly referenced on basic supply and demand principles have been bastardized through global purchases, and contracts therein, of U.S. farm products.
Simple question to understand the dynamic: “If there is such a U.S. glut of raw milk, then why has the 10-year price of milk skyrocketed”? Within the answer to that question you realize the product is not domestic. It is controlled by multinationals, exported under controlled contract, and the domestic price (you pay) driven by global trade not domestic production/consumption (supply and demand).
The inverse (import pricing) is also true. We’ve been getting screwed by the multinational interests of global trade for decades. This is NOT ‘free trade’. The BIG CLUB owns the process (inputs and outcomes) and manipulates the market in their interests, not yours. There simply is no “free market”.
[TRANSCRIPT] – 3:14 P.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: Busy day. They had a very busy day — had a good day. We’re doing well, very well. Things are turning around. I know they’re turning around for you folks, so I just want to welcome you very much to the White House — special place — America’s farmers and ranchers.
I especially want to congratulate Secretary — now I can say, Secretary Sonny Perdue, who was just sworn in as the Secretary of Agriculture — (applause) — sworn in by Justice Thomas. And it was a beautiful ceremony, and we’re going to celebrate a little bit later, and that’s great. We’re very happy. And you had a good vote too.
Earlier today President Trump lead a discussion forum at the State Department library with cabinet members and corporate CEO’s to discuss ongoing economic policy and hear about the challenges.
One of the main challenges communicated by the business group was… wait for it.., yep, ObamaCare. This concern is directly connected to any tax reform plans, and cuts to the heart of President Trump’s earlier economic strategy.
ObamaCare is, at the core, a massive tax program; and it becomes more difficult to navigate tax reform, with the anchor of ObamaCare dragging down opportunity for economic growth and the revenue growth that accompanies expansion.
[Transcript] 10:55 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for being here. Very much appreciate it. I want to thank Steve Schwarzman for putting together this very incredible group of world-class business leaders. That’s what you are.
Also, joining us are Secretary Betsy DeVos, Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary Elaine Chao, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, and my budget director, Mick Mulvaney. That’s an easy job. Where’s Mick? (Laughter.) Such an easy job. It’s the easiest job of anybody in the government — right, Mick?
Today President Trump and President Xi JinPing of China conducted bi-lateral meetings to discuss ongoing concerns surrounding trade, finance, military engagement, and the need for China to assist in leverage over North Korea’s hostilities.
[Transcript] 11:22 A.M. EDT – PRESIDENT TRUMP: I just want to say that President Xi and all of his representatives have been really interesting to be with. I think we have made tremendous progress in our relationship with China. My representatives have been meeting one-on-one with their counterparts from China. And I think, truly, progress has been made. We’ll be making a lot of additional progress.
The relationship developed by President Xi and myself I think is outstanding. We look forward to being together many times in the future. And I believe lots of very potentially bad problems will be going away.
This morning President Trump and Vice-President Pence hosted a town hall on American Business. The town hall consisted of CEOs and business leaders gathered to discuss infrastructure and the need to reduce regulations in order to help alleviate the restrictions that have plagued businesses.
[TRANSCRIPT] 10:41 A.M. EDT – THE VICE PRESIDENT: It’s a great privilege to be able to welcome you to the White House. Thank you so much. I want to thank everyone involved in the Partnership for New York City — Michael Corbat, Stephen Schwarzman.
It’s an honor to have the leaders that are gathered in the room here with us today. I know the President is on his way over, and it’s my great privilege this morning to share a few thoughts, in the midst of this important conversation on the topics that you’re covering before I introduce my friend and the 45th President of the United States.
As an outcome of a 1970’s era court decision regarding the racial constructs of the student population, if there are too many non-minority students the school budget is reduced. The Los Angeles Unified School District provides more funding for schools where the white population is below 30 percent. NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Outrage has grown at Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, as the school faces layoffs and increased class sizes due to a law limiting funds for schools with a higher white student body.
The Los Angeles Unified School District provides more funding for schools where the white population is below 30 percent. In a letter to parents, the district noted the highly regarded middle school had been above the percentage for the past couple years.
The racial formula was a condition imposed by court decisions dealing with desegregation in the 1970s. Parents, however, remain frustrated with what the cuts might mean for their children. (read more)
The Montgomery County Public School superintendent, Jack R. Smith, held a press conference last night to discuss the rape of a 14-year-old ninth grade student by two illegal alien students, also enrolled in the ninth grade, aged 17 and 18.
Mr. Smith begins the press conference by stating anyone who opposes undocumented adult illegal aliens being allowed to enroll in Montgomery County Public Schools with young students is a bigot and a racist.
The far-left political advocacy of this progressive School Superintendent is stunning. This school district is so far over the ideological deep end, it seems hopeless for the residents and parents. (more…)
President Trump has initiated a new administration protocol of greeting each foreign dignitary personally at the entrance to the White House upon each visit.
Today German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the White House and attended a cabinet room roundtable discussion with U.S. and German business leaders on the topic of vocational training. Anticipating a future trade negotiation President Trump also brought Commerce Secretary Wilburne (Ross) to engage:
. 12:58 P.M. EDT [Transcript] PRESIDENT TRUMP: Chancellor, thank you very much. Such a great honor to get to know you, to be with you. I want to thank all of the business leaders who have joined us to discuss a subject that’s very important to me — training our workforce for the 21st century, especially with respect to manufacturing jobs. (more…)
Earlier today President Trump met with his cabinet members and outlined the administrations’ expectation they immediately conduct a wholesale review of each department in order to lower costs, shrink the size of their departments and utilize their leadership and executive skills to remove cost redundancy with extreme urgency.
To accomplish this goal, President Trump signed an Executive Order initiating an immediate reorganization of the executive branch –SEE HERE– Including the elimination of “unnecessary agencies” as identified in the review.
Section 1. Purpose. This order is intended to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of the executive branch by directing the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Director) to propose a plan to reorganize governmental functions and eliminate unnecessary agencies (as defined in section 551(1) of title 5, United States Code), components of agencies, and agency programs.
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[Transcript] 3:07 P.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. I’m proud to welcome everyone to our first official Cabinet meeting. (more…)
Our President Trump met with the CEO’s of various small and community banks earlier today as part of the financial reform that underpins much of the overall Trump economic agenda.
Previously President Trump issued an executive order which modified, actually tiered, the choking rules, regulations and compliance reporting within Dodd-Frank banking rules which buried smaller locally operated banks with the same regulatory framework as massive financial institutions.
The next aspect of Trump’s financial reform will most likely come in some form of reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act. President Trump personally put the reinstatement of Glass-Steagall into the GOP platform as part of uncoupling Wall Street financial policy from Main Street financial needs. [More explanation on that below]
[Transcript] 11:17 A.M. EST – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody, very much. Good morning and I greatly appreciate you being here. We have some real experts with us and we have some great bankers with us. (more…)
Many, heck, most people think when they vote for a federal politician -a 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.
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC)
