American Politics Thread: Orange is the new POTUS

[_Q_]

I doubt this 20% tax does anything more than increase construction costs in the United States. I'm fairly sure, the lumber producers in Canada can manage just fine with this.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Aren't free trade agreements supposed to eliminate tariffs like this?

[photon]

Originally Posted by New Era

Would certainly be a statement. The North Koreans have a fleet of submarines so could they conducted their next nuclear test in the waters beneath the American carrier group? Then if the US twitches the North Koreans obliterate Seoul in a blaze of glory right before Pyongyang becomes a smoldering radioactive dead zone.

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

but then what? Then China's pissed. I still don't think the US pulls the trigger as an aggressor. Sabre-rattling be damned.

But I will saw it sure seems like Trump's determined to make a "legacy" (aka go to war with someone). Which could be good for oil prices. Sorry that sounds bad (it is bad), but you gotta think the probability of a Trump started war is >60% over his tenure here.

The NK regime in the end is about self preservation. It's fun to call the crazy, but I don't think they are, they're rational actors, just their priorities don't take reality into account.

They feel that they need nuclear to protect themselves, not to be an aggressor. So I don't think they'll instigate anything unless they feel that the demise of the regime is imminent and striking out is the only hope.

But they won't stop their nuclear program, so it'll be someone else that eventually takes the step of stopping (or trying to stop) them.

My biggest worry is that that path will be littered with innocent South Korean and Japanese lives.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Aren't free trade agreements supposed to eliminate tariffs like this?

I think softwood was excluded from NAFTA and has been on separate agreements. This one expired last year, I think.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Aren't free trade agreements supposed to eliminate tariffs like this?

They are, but in order to enforce it the Canadian industry now has to launch an appeal with the NAFTA resolution panel (I'm not sure their official name) and probably with the WTO. I've lost count on how many times this has happened since NAFTA started, but everytime the appeal has always overturned the US tariffs. This is just another round.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

He's just desperate for any kind of "win" after suffering loss after loss in his first 100 days. Truly one of the most sadly pathetic individuals ever to become a public figure. Though I must admit I do like Canada's proposed response.

And we're going to make them trim it!

[KootenayFlamesFan]

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Donald J. Trump‏@realDonaldTrump
Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Donald J. Trump‏@realDonaldTrump
Don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking etc.

LOL.

[DuffMan]

I like how Macleans articles describe how Trump came up with this plan...

Because of Trump’s penchant for echoing the last thing said to him, it was not totally surprising that he would visit Wisconsin and repeat what a few dairy farmers there spun him about Canada’s policy on ultra-filtered milk, calling it a “unfair” and a “disgrace.” Trump reiterated the bluster later at the White House, then lumping in Canada’s policies on softwood lumber and energy.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/otta...easy-pickings/

I’m told that at 1:46 p.m. on Monday, Fox News carried an interview with a Wisconsin dairy farmer who has hit hard times and blames Canada. The President was watching, and was greatly displeased. Coming as it did on the heels of Trump’s visit last week to the Snap-On Tools plant in Kenosha, the Fox News story egged the President on in his growing suspicion that Canada, far from being cuddly and Ivanka-friendly, is actually a marauding border-squatting trade succubus.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/otta...lated-quickly/

[troutman]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Donald J. Trump‏@realDonaldTrump
Don't let the fake media tell you that I have changed my position on the WALL. It will get built and help stop drugs, human trafficking etc.

LOL.

Most drugs enter the US through legal entry points. Wall will do nothing to stop that.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Jim Sciutto‏@jimsciutto
Just in: WH declines Oversight Cmte request to provide documents related #MichaelFlynn - letter obtained by CNN

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Alex Moe‏@AlexNBCNews
Oversight Chairman Chaffetz says he sees no docs to support General Flynn complied with the law

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

He's just desperate for any kind of "win" after suffering loss after loss in his first 100 days. Truly one of the most sadly pathetic individuals ever to become a public figure. Though I must admit I do like Canada's proposed response.

The question I have is do we need a horticulturalist or a hedge fund manager for this project?

[PepsiFree]

The comma between polite and privacy is driving me crazy.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Alex Moe‏@AlexNBCNews
Oversight Chairman Chaffetz says he sees no docs to support General Flynn complied with the law

Flynn committed a felony on his security clearance application by not disclosing he took huge payments for speechs to Russia and can be punished by up to 5 years in jail.

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn did not disclose payments for a 2015 speech in Moscow in his application to renew his security clearance in 2016, the leaders of the House Oversight Committee told reporters Tuesday.

“As a former military officer, you simply cannot take money from Russia, Turkey or anybody else,” Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said. “And it appears as if he did take that money. It was inappropriate. And there are repercussions for the violation of law.”

Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the panel’s top Democrat, noted that knowingly falsifying or concealing information on a security clearance application form, called an SF-86, is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/0...ication-237576

We now know why Chaffetz is seeking an exit, his announcement that he is not seeking the re-election was made the same day the letter requesting documents of proof regarding Flynn from the White House.

https://twitter.com/AmandaWills/stat...79541620527105

The White House is now denying all requests for information from the House Oversight Committee as per CNN.

The news comes after the White House declined to provide documents related to Flynn that the panel investigating him had requested, according to a letter obtained by CNN.

White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short outlined in a letter to the House oversight committee how it would not complete the request from the panel, referring some requests to the Department of Defense, saying the office doesn't have custody of some of the other documents or simply stating "we are unable to accommodate" others.

A White House aide disputed that the White House was withholding anything from the committee, saying they could not provide documents they do not have access to. The aide said that they directed oversight investigators to the appropriate agencies.

The announcement about Flynn comes a week after CNN reported that Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a senior adviser to the President, has yet to detail to the federal government all of his foreign contacts, a condition of receiving his top secret security clearance, CNN has learned.

White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short outlined in a letter to the House oversight committee how it would not complete the request from the panel, referring some requests to the Department of Defense, saying the office doesn't have custody of some of the other documents or simply stating "we are unable to accommodate" others.

Sounds like to me they are busy shredding documents

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/25/politi...tee/index.html

[KootenayFlamesFan]

If a bipartisan committee is being told to take a hike, where does this stop? Does it? Or is it just the beginning?

[HotHotHeat]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

We now know why Chaffetz is seeking an exit, his announcement that he is not seeking the re-election was made the same day the letter requesting documents of proof regarding Flynn from the White House.

So should we read this as Chaffetz finally putting country over party? Cause that would be bigly incredible.

[photon]

Might increase the demand for a special counsel who would have greater power to get info, issue subpoenas, etc.

[peter12]

With regards to Canada, there is very little Trump is saying that hasn't been said in America since the 1950s. Maybe it is high time, we silly Canadians actually get with the times and eliminate supply management, and increase military spending to levels acceptable to our most valued, and generous ally.