National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow appears for a Sunday interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on the topic of the economy, recovery and re-opening.  Tapper has to pretend not to know things, like how an extra $600/week (COVID unemployment) is a real disincentive for people to return to work.

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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

Kayleigh McEnany Twitter @PressSec

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 †

Atlanta police were called to a local Wendy’s restaurant Friday night on University Avenue where a man was passed-out in his vehicle in the drive-thru. After police arrived Rayshard Brooks, 27, was given a field sobriety test which he reportedly failed. Two officers then told Mr. Brooks he was under arrest.

Mr. Brooks then struggled with police officers as they attempted to handcuff him.

The struggle escalated and Mr. Brooks is seen on video fighting with the two officers and gaining a taser in the fight.

Mr. Brooks ran from the two officers who pursued him.

During the chase Mr. Brooks turned and fired the taser at the police. One of the officers fired his handgun at Mr. Brooks who later died in the hospital. Both officers were put on leave while the shooting is investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said the shooting was unjustified and called for the Officer who fired the fatal shot to be fired. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields quit immediately after the Mayor’s remarks.

Protests began tonight and things escalated quickly. As a group of protestors blocked traffic on the interstate, another group descended the Wendy’s restaurant and set it ablaze.

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White House Chief Economic Advisor to President Trump, Kevin Hassett, discusses the status of the U.S. economy and the difference between Red State and Blue State economic growth.  As Hassett notes the Blue states have an intention to hold down the economy.

Always the happy warrior, Hassett walks through the data of tracking COVID-19 cases and notes there is no correlation between the level of economic activity in an area, region or state and the scale of positive test results for the virus.  This is a key point.

On the potential for a phase-4 economic relief package, Mr. Hassett notes any legislative action requested by the White House would be very detailed and targeted down to specific tax policy for specific industry. There is no spending package being considered by the White House; instead they are looking at targeted tax relief to assist.  WATCH:

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On a completely unrelated note Kevin Hassett is the kind of common sense advisor that all presidents’ would be fortunate to work with.  He approaches the issues from a very pragmatic and reasonable direction, and is not prideful about saying a policy impact is unknown and should be monitored and adjusted in real time.  We’re lucky to have him.

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Things are slowly devolving into violent confrontation in the nation of CHAZ Seattle. However, the violence is not with law enforcement; the violence is internal as Antifa factions within the occupy movement begin doing what they are famous for, being violent.

An openly christian man walks into the occupied zone within Seattle, the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone or CHAZ, to share the message of Jesus Christ.  The Antifa elements immediately confronted the man, threw him to the ground and began choking him.

The Christian Preacher professed his own humanity and proclaimed he was a “free man”, but the rulers within the CHAZ community would not accept his cries for freedom.

The Chazukstan mob surround the preacher, shouting at him, berating him, and eventually trying to beat him into submission.  At one point they sat atop the preacher in the same choking position that killed George Floyd. No-one noticed the irony.

In the videos below the occupying CHAZ mob can be heard cheering for blood shortly before they stole the preachers possessions.  The preacher said “stealing is not right” but the crowd did not care.  This is the anarchist nation of CHAZ, where the mob rules.

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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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The U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (ROK) is Harry Harris.  The U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, has posted a banner on the building in support of Black Lives Matter.  [Source]

At first blush it might seem a little disconcerting for the U.S. Department of State to be advocating on issues of political divisiveness around the BLM agenda; however, the BLM banner has simply replaced the rainbow banner (support of the LGBTQ community).  In essence, the U.S. embassy in Korea is always advocating for social justice causes.

Ambassador Harry Harris likes to draw attention to himself and insert himself in the conversation whenever possible.  Well known as an effeminate ambassador, Harry Harris enjoys parading around while politically twerking his social justice bona-fides to the global community as a way to engage in his own brand of U.S. diplomacy.

The diplomatic cocktail corps; unique ASEAN members who enjoy white wine spritzers & luncheons of crust-less triangle sandwiches; like Harry Harris very much.  Moon Jae-In is the South Korean version of President Obama.  President Moon Jae-in loves Harry Harris.

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Earlier today President Trump delivered remarks at the 2020 United States Military Academy at West Point Graduation Ceremony. [Video and Transcript Below]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, General, and hello cadets. On behalf of our entire nation, let me say congratulations to the incredible West Point Class of 2020. Congratulations. Everyone have a good time, enjoy yourselves, because we are here to celebrate your achievements, and great achievements they are. Let us also recognize your remarkable Superintendent, General Darryl Williams, for his outstanding stewardship. General, thank you very much. Great job. Thank you. (Applause.)

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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

Kayleigh McEnany Twitter @PressSec