The Patriot Post Digest 5-21-2019

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The Patriot Post Digest 5-21-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
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The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest
May 21, 2019
https://patriotpost.us/digests/63145-mid-day-digest

THE FOUNDATION

“Industry is increased, commodities are multiplied, agriculture and manufacturers flourish: and herein consists the true wealth and prosperity of a state.” —Alexander Hamilton (1790)

https://patriotpost.us/fqd/63144-founders-quote-daily

IN TODAY’S EDITION

The president’s art of the trade deal helps workers.1
Obama judge backs Democrat witch hunt.2
Daily Features: More Analysis3, Columnists4, Headlines5, Opinion in Brief6, Short Cuts7, Memes8, and Cartoons9.

IN BRIEF

Trump’s USMCA Boosts American Wages10

Patriot Post readers are well-versed in the true history of President Donald Trump’s extraordinary record11, particularly when it comes to the economy. One focal point for the president is foreign trade. For two and a half years, Trump has been working to rectify what he argues are major trade imbalances with not only China but also with Canada and Mexico. Recent days brought news that Trump is scrapping tariffs on steel and aluminum from our North American trade partners, to which both nations responded Monday by lifting reciprocal tariffs on not just steel and aluminum but mattresses, boats, and various food items.

Reducing tariffs helps American consumers and farmers, but it was Trump’s primary negotiating chip to secure a better deal. And as we’ve previously noted12, the USMCA — the trade agreement Trump negotiated to replace NAFTA — has some good provisions that will benefit Americans and create jobs.

One provision that we find to be particularly Trumpian is that, while Democrats are demanding a $15 minimum wage, a USMCA provision favors workers earning at least $16 an hour. The treaty stipulates that 40%-45% of auto parts sold in North America must be manufactured in factories whose workers earn $16 per hour. That is both “America First” and a bone for labor unions — the very blue-collar workers Trump may rely on to deliver wins in Rust Belt states again in 2020. No wonder union bosses are running to Leftmedia outlets to downplay its benefits.

Meanwhile, Trump worked to close a back door China was using to export cars to the U.S. Various American carmakers produce cars in China — cars then shipped to Canada, modified slightly, and imported into the U.S. sans tariffs. Again aimed at protecting American jobs, this move should please blue-collar workers if they can bypass the misinformation of Democrat Party poobahs who run the unions.

The deal will soon face Congress, so stay tuned.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/63142-trumps-usmca-boosts-american-wages


Obama Judge Backs Democrat Subpoena Showdown13

House Democrats have made no secret of their obsession with seeing President Donald Trump removed from office. Even after Robert Mueller’s two-year investigation came up empty14, Democrat cries for impeachment have only gotten louder. Rejecting Mueller’s findings, Democrats led by House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jerry Nadler have only upped their partisan zeal against Trump’s presidency, issuing subpoenas for a slew of Trump’s personal financial documents dating back to 2011. Trump has refused to comply, calling the move what it is — a politically motivated witch hunt and not legitimate oversight.

Indeed, what actual crime or criminal behavior are the Democrats seeking to investigate? It would seem the only real answer is the “crime” of defeating Hillary Clinton. But the Democrats bloviate about Congress’s oversight authority, as if this grants them carte blanche authority over the executive branch.

However, the Democrats’ vacuous justifications for targeting Trump have been rewarded by Judge Amit Mehta, appointed by Barack Obama, to whom Mehta also donated. The Obama judge15 ruled against Trump’s refusal to submit to the Democrats’ subpoena, writing, “Congress plainly views itself as having sweeping authority to investigate illegal conduct of a President, before and after taking office. This court is not prepared to roll back the tide of history.”

Mehta further argued, “It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct — past or present — even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry.” But the question remains, what criminal behavior or unlawful conduct is alleged? There needs to be the existence of an actual crime before one can be accused of being a criminal.

But House Democrats, who have labeled Trump a criminal, lack any evidence to support their fallacious narrative, and so they point to his refusal to go along with their fishing expedition as proof of his guilt. Rep. Jim Jordan observed that the subpoenas are “an unprecedented abuse of the Committee’s subpoena authority to target and expose the private financial information of the President of the United States.” Indeed, it could not be more clear what the Democrats’ motives are.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/63141-obama-judge-backs-democrat-subpoena-showdown


ON OUR WEBSITE TODAY

Featured Analysis: No, the GOP Tax Cuts Are Not Increasing the Deficit16 — Not surprisingly, yet another Democrat claim about tax revenue proves to be false.
Averting a War With Iran17 — Despite Leftmedia hyperventilating, the Trump administration is making some good moves.
American Spirit: Former Sen. Dole, a Decorated WWII Veteran, Promoted to Colonel18 — “Dole is the only living recipient of such an Army promotion.”
Video: Fear and Justice19 — Bill Whittle talks about the whiff of fear he detects among the Obama deep state.
Video: Discipline = Freedom20 — Navy Seal (Ret.) Jocko Willink offers some hard-learned, practical advice.


TOP NEWS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EX-WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL SIDELINED: “President Donald Trump has directed former White House counsel Donald McGahn to not testify on Tuesday before Congress about events relating to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.” (ABC News22)
POLITICAL GAMESMANSHIP: “Democrats are growing skeptical about working with President Trump on an infrastructure deal, fearing it would help him score political points as he campaigns for reelection.” (The Hill23)
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN REBUKED: “The conservative House Freedom Caucus condemned Rep. Justin Amash, one of its founding members, on Monday for saying President Trump committed impeachable offenses.” (Washington Examiner24)

[nChrist]

________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 5-21-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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ESPN FINALLY GETS THE MEMO: “The Los Angeles Times released an extensive profile of new ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro over the weekend, cataloging Pitaro’s rise to the top of the sports-focused network and his plans to make big changes to ESPN’s coverage. … Pitaro says he recognizes that ESPN viewers want sports coverage, not political commentary.” (The Daily Wire25)
CENSUS IN THE CROSSHAIRS: “The U.S. Census Bureau is concerned the Russian government could hack into data collected in the 2020 Census, in a similar way to how it interfered in the 2016 presidential election, a top bureau official said.” (Bloomberg26)
DEEP-STATE COLLUSION: “Judicial Watch released three emails exchanged between Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kathleen Kavalec, a Hillary Clinton donor, and Bruce Ohr. … They are all dated November 21, 2016, just 13 days after the presidential election. But it is significant that the emails post-date the election. These Democratic Party bureaucrats were no longer trying to help Hillary Clinton win the election; rather, they were trying to undermine the President-Elect.” (Power Line27)
IRAN ENRICHES ITS NUKE INITIATIVE: “Iran quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity amid tensions with the U.S. over Tehran’s atomic program. … Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to set new terms for the [nuclear] deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge.” (Associated Press28)
AMERICAN TALIBAN’S PECULIAR RELEASE: “A bipartisan team of senators is asking the Trump administration why the convicted terrorist who became known as the ‘American Taliban’ is about to get early release from federal prison.” (Roll Call29)
VILLAGE ACADEMIC CURRICULUM: “A new report has revealed that support of the First Amendment among college students seems to be decreasing, as nearly half of students believe that hate speech should not be protected. Conducted by the Knight Foundation, the survey reveals that 41 percent of college students believe hate speech should not be protected under the First Amendment, while 58 percent believe that it should be protected.” (Campus Reform30)
POLICY: How charter schools empower inner-city children to escape failing public schools (The Daily Signal31)
POLICY: Blueprint for balance: A federal budget for fiscal year 2020 (The Heritage Foundation32)
HUMOR: Bernie Sanders criticizes billionaire for giving money to students instead of the needy federal government (The Babylon Bee33)
For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit In Our Sights34.

The Patriot Post is certified ad-free, unlike third-party commercial news sites linked on this page, which may also be pay-walled.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/63140-tuesday-top-news-executive-summary


OPINION IN BRIEF

Cal Thomas: “An increasingly secular society in which its fastest growing demographic ascribes to no religious belief, is now of a mindset to tolerate virtually everything. In the Old Testament book of Judges, one line is repeated that characterizes modern America: ‘In those days Israel (insert America) had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.’ While America is strong economically and militarily, we are weak where it really counts. No one can predict how the courts — especially the Supreme Court — will handle cases formulated to get their attention, but history proves the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln’s observation: ‘America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.’ That should include the freedom to be born.”


SHORT CUTS

Food for thought: “Why do we let people drive a car at an earlier age than own a handgun? Cars kill more people than guns — probably partly because of letting young people drive.” —Frank J. Fleming

Say that again. Slowly. “[Republicans] do not believe that women should have the right to make the most intimate, personal, life-and-death decisions.” —Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

Busted: “Trump has taken a series of steps to deliberately escalate tensions with Iran. … Trump must stop this dangerous game, and rein in advisors who seem hell bent on starting a war.” —Rep. Adam Schiff, who had this to say in 2015: “We should make it clear that if Iran cheats, the repercussions will be severe. … It will never be permitted to produce highly enriched uranium, and if it attempts to do so, it will be stopped with force.”

The BIG Lie: “In some important ways, my generation has failed you. We spent too much time debating, too focused on the fight and not enough on progress.” —Apple CEO Tim Cook to Tulane University graduates (Only insofar as too many parents from the previous generation raised a bunch of indoctrinated snowflakes.)

Non-starter: “As president of the United States, I wouldn’t use the [immigrant] detention system at all.” —Kirsten Gillibrand

Wait — aren’t we two years past the end of our democracy? “The big gamble is to go all the way to November 2020 … and lose. It’s the end of democracy.” —actor Jeff “Dumb and Dumber” Daniels

Non compos mentis: “When someone says that it’s too hard to do a green space that grows yucca instead of, I don’t know, cauliflower or something, what you’re doing is that you’re taking a colonial approach to environmentalism, and that is why a lot of communities of color get resistant to certain environmentalist movements, because they come with the colonial lens on them.” —Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

And last… “Carly Fiorina said something on Shapiro’s podcast that’s devastatingly true: unsolved problems win elections. So in a political environment obsessed only w/ winning rather than solving problems, for Rs this means Planned Parenthood stays funded & illegal immigration stays rampant.” —Allie Beth Stuckey

https://patriotpost.us/articles/63143-tuesday-short-cuts


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Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis

Nate Jackson, Managing Editor
Mark Alexander, Publisher