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  JC Milley isn’t in the planning room; Milley’s been replaced by Wilbur Ross (until he’s needed).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].

(more…)

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett appears on Fox News to discuss how the U.S. has been able to turn around the economy faster than expected.  FED Chair Powell has a negative outlook on the economy (Powell supports Blue states), while President Trump has a positive outlook on the economy (Trump supports Red states).

Hassett admits the unusual internal dynamic around the Red States having strong economic growth but Blue States having negative results.  Clearly this distinction is by design. Democrats are so blinded to their ideology they are willing to put their citizens through intentional economic hardship just so they can try to hurt the president.

(more…)

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has willingly ceded six city blocks of downtown Seattle to an armed group of occupying elements within Antifa who have taken control. However, to retain her woke credentials she defines the occupying movement as a “peaceful expression of the communities collective grief”…

“not a lawless wasteland of anarchist insurrection”? Apparently the Mayor wants everyone to ignore the trash, graffiti, aggressive and violent behavior of the occupying elements who have armed themselves and refuse to accept any laws.  The reality of the situation is exactly opposite of what Mayor Jenny Durkan pretends.

Videos from inside the occupied territory, the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), show a considerable difference from the pretense of the mayor.

(more…)

The official business part of the RNC convention will still take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, presumably still August 24-27, with a limit of only six delegates per state permitted.  The RNC already said the 2020 RNC platform will remain unchanged from the 2016 version.  However, the fun events typically associated with conventions, such as Mr. Trump’s acceptance of the nomination, will now be held in Jacksonville, Florida.

According to the New York Times the acceptance speech and event will take place August 27th at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, which holds 15,000 people.  However, a note of caution… there is no official announcement of the Jacksonville date(s) from the RNC.

(more…)

Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard “Ric” Grenell appears for a discussion with Lou Dobbs about the echo-chamber within Washington DC and the internecine relationship to the intelligence apparatus.

Ric Grenell makes a really good point when he connects how the DC political resistance would not attend the Trump inauguration, and how that same attitude just continued throughout.  President Trump’s outsider status made him a risk to the interests of the administrative state.  The DC system will not accept a ‘people’s president’, they demand approval authority permitting only one of their UniParty tribe.

.

• When Democrats won the White House in ’92 Republicans helped the transition.
• When Democrats lost the White House in ’00 they created chaos. They destroyed the telephones and computers, punched holes in the walls, spray painted and cut the furniture, and the Clinton’s even stole the furnishings down to the dishes.
• When Democrats won the White House in ’08 Republicans helped the transition.
• When Democrats lost the White House in ’16 they weaponized the intelligence apparatus to destroy the incoming administration. Leaked intelligence to the media; and unmasked incoming officials to create chaos and fabricate lies.

Notice a pattern?

(more…)

Earlier this afternoon President Trump held a roundtable discussion on the topic of race relations with black leadership. Participating administration members included Ja’Ron Smith, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of American Innovation and Secretary Ben Carson, Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Joining the administration team was: Wayne Dupree, Host, The Wayne Dupree Show; Raynard Jackson, President and CEO, Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC; Sonnie Johnson, Host, Sirius XM’s Sonnies Corner; Lawrence Jones, Host and Contributor, Fox News; Pastor Darrell Scott, Chairman, Urban Revitalization Coalition, Inc; and Kareem Lanier, Co-Chairman, Urban Revitalization Coalition, Inc.  [Video Below]

.

It’s an excellent conversation.

[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. We’re with friends of mine and members of the African American community, and we’re going to be talking about law enforcement, education, business, health, and various other things.

As you know, tomorrow, we’re going to Dallas. We’re going to start our rallies back up now. We’ve had a tremendous run at rallies. I don’t think there’s been an empty seat in — since we came down in the escalator with the First Lady. That was with the future First Lady, at that point. It’s been an amazing thing to behold.

(more…)

The COVID shutdown was an exceptional event. The consequences from the shutdown do have ripple effects; however, the strength of the underlying economic foundation is now coming back into focus as the rebound starts taking shape.

Last week most economic analysts were stunned by the 2.5 million jobs added to the economy in May. As we shared earlier, the result wasn’t so surprising when you consider the framework of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) worked exactly like President Trump and Treasury Secretary Mnuching planned. The incentives within the PPP program did what they were intended to do; small and mid-sized businesses retained or rehired their employees.

Inside the foundation of the Trump Main Street economy, the cement that binds the America-First policy, are a series of pre-established economic policies that specifically targets middle-class workers. The foundation is made strong by net wage gains and earnings amid mid-tier workers; those wage gains are made more important by policies that keep inflation in check.

Blue-collar workers, on average, were fortunately positioned to ride-out the COVID shutdown. With the shutdown over; Main Street now quickly fires back into action.

The demand for mortgage applications rose five percent last week, resulting in year-over-year growth over 13 percent. Again, this result stuns the experts. Demand for home purchases remains high and people are confident in their income security to make big decisions on home financing. The visible strength of Main Street cuts against the naysayers and doomsayers who thought the COVID shutdown would collapse the economy. It didn’t.

It did not, because (a) the shutdown was an exceptional event; and (b) the underlying foundation is stronger than the blow it took from the COVID sledgehammer.

(Via CNBC) “The recovery in the purchase market continues to gain steam, with the seasonally adjusted index rising to its highest level since January,” said Joel Kan, an MBA economist. “Purchase activity increased for the eighth straight week.”

(more…)

Fox News with Bret Baier broadcasts the second segment of their interview with U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr.  The interview begins with a discussion of recent rioting and the activist groups who participated in looting, arson and attacks against police.

AG Barr notes the ‘spygate’ investigation into DOJ and FBI conduct so far indicates that for the first time in American history, the police and national security apparatus was used to spy on the Trump campaign.  Additionally, the AG cautions people not to read into the lack of indictments as the investigation remains ongoing.

(more…)

Joe Biden’s Campaign Director James Clyburn takes denial of truth to never-before-seen levels of avoidance and lying. During an interview earlier today the Biden campaign architect claimed there was no evidence of violence in Washington DC last week.

According to Clyburn there was no violence, rioting, looting, arson or attacks against police. The burned out cars, buildings and churches, the videos of rampant looting, and the 150 police officers taken to the hospital were apparently staged and made up. According to his claims, none of what you saw actually happened.

Clyburn seems confident media will protect him and not call him out on his false claims. Judging by the non-response of Neil Cavuto, his confidence is accurate. WATCH:

(more…)

This is one of those transparently predictable outcomes from allowing “space to destroy” via chaos, riots, looting and arson happening without law enforcement empowered to stop it. Few of the looted and destroyed businesses in Baltimore ever reopened, creating a worse situation for those who now have to travel to find a grocery store or pharmacy.

The same Chicago mayor who blocked police and law enforcement from curtailing the chaos, is now pleading with the looted businesses not to leave the city. Madness…. ideological madness.

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Mayor Lightfoot said she’s hopeful major retailers will reopen the Chicago stores that were looted or otherwise damaged during protests surrounding George Floyd’s killing by police in Minnesota. But, she’s unsure of one of the biggest.

Mayor Lightfoot said she was on a conference call with Walmart and other major retailers that had stores looted or heavily damaged during the unrest in Chicago. She said she pleaded with them to not abandon Chicago. (read more)

These latest remarks from Mayor Lori Lightfoot come after distraught Chicago officials have been begging for help and warning that many vulnerable precincts have completely lost access to food stores and medicine.

(more…)