Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †
It is being reported by multiple media outlets and their sources that Dr. Sebastian Gorka has parted ways with the White House. Some reports say ‘forced out‘, others say ‘resigned’; it matters not. Gorka was staff; simply staff, nothing more than staff; he and Bannon can go make cucumber sandwiches now.
Dr. Gorka was essentially a Steve Bannon employee in the administration; Gorka reported to Bannon, and Gorka took instructions from Bannon. With General Kelly creating a formal chain of contact and message discipline within the White House; and with Gorka’s boss having resigned a week ago; it was entirely predictable that Gorka would leave.

Dr. Sebastian Gorka had been on a semi-hiatus since a week prior to Bannon’s departure when Gorka appeared on national television and did a big stupid. Gorka asserting he held influence over Defense Secretary General Mattis and claiming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was “nonsensical” and did not know the Administration’s military agenda toward North Korea.
“The idea that Secretary Tillerson is going to discuss military matters is simply nonsensical,” Gorka said at the time. “It is the job of [Defense] Secretary [Jim] Mattis, the secretary of defense, to talk about the military options, and he has done so unequivocally.” (link)
Anyone noticing a pattern here?
Yup, just like Steve Bannon claiming only he was skilled enough to direct U.S. foreign policy engagement from the State Department, Sebastian Gorka was way out of line with is “nonsensical” Tillerson statement. It’s not accidental that Bannon’s statements and Gorka’s statements were similarly framed.
To the extent you can know anyone from watching them, I like Bannon and Gorka. But, c’mon, I mean seriously… what level of stupid arrogance is needed for Bannon and Gorka to think they held free reign to undermine Cabinet Officers? Have neither of these guys worked in a large corporate and/or institutional system where you understand your role and the number one rule: “never compromise your leadership.”
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At the request of the Governor of Texas, I have signed the Disaster Proclamation, which unleashes the full force of government help!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017
Hurricane Harvey now has sustained winds exceeding 130mph and is a Category 4 storm just prior to anticipated landfall north of Corpus Christi. Harvey was located about 45 miles (70 km) east of Corpus Christi, Texas, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour (215 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center.

National Hurricane Center HERE
- A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…
* Port Mansfield to High Island Texas - A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* Port Mansfield to Sargent Texas - A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* North of Sargent to High Island Texas
It must be pointed out; it is up to us to do so. The corporate media are hopelessly deficient in their coverage and explanations of how strategic objectives for national security are being delivered through a Trump Doctrine via economic leverage. The results are stunningly effective, yet few have noticed, and even fewer seem willing to articulate.

The latest example of the geopolitical Trump Doctrine in action comes via Venezuela, and in the wake of a fraudulent Maduro election – the Trump administration’s economic and financial policy delivering sanctions against the rogue Maduro regime:
(Via LA Times) The Trump administration on Friday slapped sweeping financial sanctions on Venezuela, barring banks from any new financial deals with the government or state-run oil giant PDVSA.
The sanctions Trump signed by executive order are bound to dramatically escalate tensions between Venezuela and the U.S. and exacerbate the country’s economic crisis.

President Donald J Trump delivers the weekly address for W/E August 25th from the White House.
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White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, National Security Adviser HR McMaster, Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin and Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bosser hold an extensive press briefing to cover: Current events, Venezuela, Afghanistan, the debt ceiling and Hurricane Harvey.
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On Venezuela it is important to note the brilliance of the U.S. strategy and leverage. The U.S. is the only remaining cash purchaser of Venezuelan oil for refinement. Both China and Russia purchase Venezuela oil, however their purchases are made via pay-downs to previous loans from China and Russia to the Maduro regime. Since the corrupt election the U.S. has not refined oil shipments from Venezuela putting massive financial strain on the regime. (ie. economic leverage)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – A tanker carrying a cargo of about 1 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude has been stranded for more than a month off the coast of Louisiana for lack of a bank letter of credit to discharge, three sources have told Reuters.
[…] Major banks are cutting exposure to Venezuela as a result of political upheaval in the South American country. Some have closed accounts linked to officials of the OPEC member who have had sanctions leveled against them by the U.S. government and have refused to provide correspondent bank services or trade in government bonds.
In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.
This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.
President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP
Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †
The Alabama Senate Republican run-off to fill the vacant seat from AG Jeff Sessions has become a referendum on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. This is a very valuable situation for voters who understand how individual races, at specific moments, can create inflection points and change political history.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s defeat in 2014 was an example of one such moment. Cantor’s defeat by challenger Dave Brat actually killed comprehensive immigration legislation, which included amnesty, 48 hours before the vote was scheduled to take place.

Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell is actively working to undermine the Make America Great Again legislative priorities of Republican President Donald Trump. There is a grand list of McConnell’s activity showing direct and specific evidence in that regard:
•President Trump already gave congress a budget that reduces a trillion in spending; the Senate republicans balked and said reducing spending is not an acceptable goal. •Those same republicans and Democrats are suing President Trump trying to force the State Department to spend money on USAID and NGO’s. •Those same Senate republicans supported Omnibus spending bills. •Those same Senate republicans will not support removing ObamaCare. •Those same Senate republicans are fighting renegotiated trade deals including NAFTA. •Those same Senate republicans supported TPP. • Those same Senate republicans supported launching ridiculous Russian conspiracy investigations; and the list goes on, including •those same senate republicans using a strategic maneuver to block their own Republican President from recess appointments.
Well, you get the picture. There’s ample evidence of Senate Republicans opposing the President, and most of that opposition is fueled by Leader Mitch McConnell.
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In January Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted support for massive increases in migration into Canada:

However, policy has consequences. Eight months later, the same Justin Trudeau is now overseeing the largest mass deportation increase in the history of Canada:
TORONTO (Reuters) – As an influx of asylum seekers crossing from the United States strains Canada’s immigration system, the country is ramping up its deportation of migrants, government data shows.
Deportations of Mexicans, who have flocked to Canada in growing numbers after a visa requirement was lifted in December, was already 66 percent higher in the first eight months of 2017 than the total from the previous year.
