[Breitbart] President Donald Trump is responding to a trade war ‐ not starting one ‐ he inherited by pursuing a "level playing field" via tariffs, wrote former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday.
Palin pointed to comments made by Breitbart News’s Senior Editor-at-Large Rebecca Mansour last Thursday about Trump’s proposals to combat "economic warfare" waged by China to destroy America’s steel and aluminum manufacturers.
China’s predatory pricing of steel and aluminum exports is designed to destroy the financial viability of America’s domestic manufacturers of the metals, said Mansour:
What China is doing, they are willing to take a loss on steel and dump steel below the price of what it costs them to make it simply because they want to destroy our industry for a strategic reason. They want the world to be dependent on them. They want to take the market; that’s why they’re dumping steel. This is an act of war. This is economic warfare.
"POTUS isn’t starting any trade war... it’s been raging for decades and we keep losing," wrote Palin. "People MUST understand our nation’s solvency and sovereignty are at stake here."
#3
Sarah upended 'business as usual' with the oil companies in Alaska. She better than a lot understand the push back in dealing with intrenched interests and Deep State.
#5
She was a victim of the Deep State.......including the proclivities of her running mate. Posted by AlanC
Perhaps I'm reading too much Donald Trump into this, but in hindsight, makes me wonder if she was the target all along and "her running mate" simply the tool used to destroy her.
#7
Well, like Donald Trump, she certainly was a populist who had no membership in the beltway UniParty. Interestingly, it now appears Maverick had a hand in the dissemination of the dossier aimed at Trump.
#10
As I posted before, Mr.B.Arnold did great service. Captured in the Canadian expedition. Exchanged. Probably was the key player in the victory at Saratoga which itself was key in bringing in French aid. Very trusted aide to Washington. When Congress refused him honors, Washington gave him the post at West Point. Then, of course, the turning which can be attributed to ego, a big ego. Traded it all for a commission in the King's army.
#11
China ha has trashed economy. They are trying to prop it up by dumping the items they have a strategic reserve of, Steel. Trump is again playing the long game. He recognizes this and the tariff will not hurt US production, he will eventually give other nations exemptions. But the base of this is not to make it fair for US steel, even thought he is press releasing this. It is an attack on China's economy. Well though out and if place will be well played.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
03/06/2018 9:50 Comments ||
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#13
Interesting thoughts on Palin. When I consider my Trump hating co-workers and friends they hate Palin equally as much and their reasons why are just as thin (accent/twitter, etc).
#14
Perhaps I'm reading too much Donald Trump into this, but in hindsight, makes me wonder if she was the target all along and "her running mate" simply the tool used to destroy her.
It's easy to think of McCain as a tool and quite obvious that the MSM hates her.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
03/06/2018 11:18 Comments ||
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#15
There were a lot of comments floating around in '08 about how, in terms of effectiveness, the ticket would have been better reversed.
I was in agreement as I never really forgave the Keating 5.
#18
Mr.B.Arnold did great service.
I agree. The USA might not have come into existence without his victory at Saratoga. He was a big failure as a turncoat, though.
#19
One of the most ridiculous concepts of trade is that trade is (or needs to be) "fair". It isn't. You deal with that fact and just do better.
Ask your local bookstore whether competition with Amazon is fair. And yet, some manage better than others.
Tariffs don't solve that problem. Produce better steel.
Actually the U.S. already charges substantial tariffs on Chinese steel. Raise those tariffs, and prices for everything using steel will go up. From beer cans to skyscrapers.
You'll lose more jobs than you might gain in the steel industry.
Tariffs may also encourage the sanctioned nation to do better. This is what Japan did with automobiles.
Imposing tariffs is a sure indication that you're losing the "war".
And YOU pay for it.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/06/2018 19:29 Comments ||
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#20
"She threatens our figurehead pharaoh,
This eagle too quick for an arrow!
Fly, help her to rise,
Mighty scourge of the skies,
O seductive Red maverick sparrow!"
#21
Isn't it funny that the one piece of the free market they'll let us keep is the part that in concert with all the bits they've taken away is instrumental in d3eindustrializing us and taking away our ability to support ourselves?
#22
European Conservative, you are correct but if one nation decides to suffer just long enough until the competition goes under it's a different matter. That is what China has been doing.
#23
Actually China's steel exports have been decreasing in the last year. They need most of their steel in China now. If you see the construction frenzy in China, you easily understand why.
China is in no position to threaten U.S. steel production by using dumping methods. There isn't really much Chinese steel going to the U.S.
Most of it goes to South Korea and South East Asia. U.S. tariffs aren't going to do anything about it.
Btw I think it's legitimate to fight back against dumping. But if you do, it should hurt the guy who does it.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/06/2018 23:45 Comments ||
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#24
If possible I'd like to continue that conversation. Maybe a new article tomorrow?
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/06/2018 23:51 Comments ||
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#25
European Conservative you ignorant slut.
China has invested massive amounts of government capital into steel production for the purpose of creating a global monopoly, and then exploiting monopoly rents once everyone else is driven out of business.
This is not what you learned in econ 101. This is straight up warfare by other means. The Chinese have done exactly the same thing with rare-earth metals. This is a strategy that they pursue in selected strategic industries to capture key economic terrain and hold it for as long as possible.
Is it an economically good investment for them, no it is not in the classical econ 101 analysis. But strategically, it gives them 6-12 months of advantage in the case of a crisis. Which is what they are buying.
Tariffs and sanctions are exactly the right response to deprive them of that opportunity and deter them from doing something to cause a conflict.
[Breitbart] Relations between Poland and Israel are in their deepest crisis in memory in the wake of Poland’s move to criminalize criticism of Polish collaboration with the Nazis during the Holocaust.
To understand why this state of affairs is dangerous, regrettable and difficult to resolve, it is important to consider it against the backdrop of wider European-Israel and European-Jewish relations.
Poland is a very antisemitic country. According to a 2008 Pew survey of European sentiments towards Jews, Poland is the second most anti-Jewish country in Europe (Spain is first). 36 percent of Poles express hostility towards Jews.
Poland’s anti-Semitism is a problem. But even with its extensive bigotry against Jews, Poland isn’t the worst country in Europe from a Jewish or an Israeli perspective, which just goes to show how hostile Europe is to Israel and to Jews. Read the rest at the link
[TheLocal.se] In December 2017 Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven admitted that "we have a problem in Swedish society with anti-Semitism," following an arson attack on a synagogue in Gothenburg and anti-Semitic chants at a demonstration in Malmö earlier that month.
"We need to be really clear that such anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews has no place in our society. This shouldn't have any place," the prime minister reiterated. The concession marked a turning point – the clearest acknowledgment from a Swedish leader that anti-Semitism is a problem in the country.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has extensively consolidated his power through massive purges and a constitutional referendum that granted him sweeping dominance and authority over state institutions since the coup attempt on July 15, 2016. While restructuring formal institutions, Erdogan instigated an irregular and Iranian-like militia structure that helps him control streets, inflict oppression and carry out covert operations against dissident political groups.
Erdogan’s paramilitary structure has three distinct layers. The first layer includes pseudo-military groups that function formally as security contractors (e.g., SADAT A.S. International Defense Consulting) and informally as secretive armed forces that carry out clandestine operations that formal state institutions legally cannot implement.
The second layer includes gang and mafia groups and their leaders (e.g., the Ottoman Germania, a Turkish nationalist boxing gang in Germany, and convicted mafia leader Sedat Peker).[i] Erdogan aims to use such criminal groups as a deterrent against his opponents and perceived enemies both within Turkey and among the large number of Turkish descendants living abroad to gain leverage over the host countries.
The third layer includes youth clubs and hearths (e.g., Ottoman Hearths, a pro-Erdogan youth organization, and the People’s Special Operations Squad, an association founded by a former special-forces soldier)[ii] from which Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) recruits adolescents and young adults with the goal of ensuring their loyalty to Erdogan and his regime.
To consolidate his power, Erdogan has supported the emergence and growth of these groups and emboldened them to inflict fear among the Turkish people and to oppress political dissidents by granting immunity for the youths’ criminal offenses against Erdogan’s political “enemies.” Erdogan’s strategy to empower pro-government paramilitaries, however, poses grave risks for Turkish democracy and institutions.
In depth at the title link.
Posted by: 3dc ||
03/06/2018 01:51 ||
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#1
Anyone want to debate the usefulness of the 2nd?
h/t Instapundit
They tell us that our uppity refusal to quietly submit to abuse and subjugation, both figurative and literal, makes us bad people. Not only can we live with that, but we should celebrate it.
When the liberals and their squishy-soft allies in Conservative, Inc., start moaning about your dreadful incivility, that’s a clear indicator that you are doing something right and that you need to double down. Civility, once properly understood as a means to an end rather than an end in and of itself, has morphed from an aspiration into a political/cultural gimp suit designed to prevent you from effectively asserting your interests and your point of view.
...Civility is a component of a system of reasoned debate, not its end product. Civility is necessary in a system where people reason in good faith in order to come to the best solution to the policy challenges facing them. Civility lubricates that process, and allows people of good faith to disagree without engendering unnecessary and destructive discord.
[Wash Times] The White House on Thursday shot down a report that H.R. McMaster was being forced out as national security adviser.
President Trump dismissed the NBC News report as "fake news," said National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton.
"I was just with President Trump and H.R. McMaster in the Oval Office. President Trump said that the NBC News story is ’fake news,’ and told McMaster that he is doing a great job," Mr. Anton said.
"We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials," said White House principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah. "There are no personnel announcements at this time."
NBC News reported that the administration was moving to oust Mr. McMaster this month.
Citing "five people familiar with the discussions," the report claimed that the move is being orchestrated by Chief of Staff John Kelly and Defense Secretary James Mattis. The ultimate showman continues to 'game' the media and control the narrative.
Head to the link. A long and very good analysis of the players in Syria and the games in play.
[StrategyPage] Iran, Russia, Turkey, the United States and Israel are all present in Syria along with the Assad government and a considerable number of Syrian rebels. Everyone has different goals and a different (often constantly shifting) set of allies.
Israel wants to keep Iran out of Syria and Lebanon and avoid a war with Iran.
Russia wants to get Turkey out of NATO, keep the Iranians from starting a war with Israel and make the Americans look bad. At the same time Russia needs to do this on the cheap and make Russia look good, especially to Russians back home.
Turkey wants to create a security zone on the Syrian side of the border that has no Kurds or Islamic terrorists in it. Turkey also wants to show the Sunni Moslem world that it can handle Iranian aggression (without going to war with Iran) and keep the Israelis out of Lebanon and Syria. Turkey is willing to play diplomatic games with Russia and Iran to achieve these goals.
The U.S. wants to ensure that ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) does not reestablish itself in Syria. To help with that the American are doing what they can to help the local Kurds maintain autonomy in northwest Syria (east of the Euphrates) where the Kurds have always been dominant. Secondary objectives are keeping Iran, Turley and Russia out of Syria. The U.S. and Israel are allies and any attack on Israel will trigger American intervention on the Israeli side.
Syria in general wants all the fighting to stop but the minority Assad dictatorship wants to resume ruling all of Syria and the Syrian rebels want Assad gone.
Iraq would like less violence in Syria and less Iranian interference in Iraq.
Israel has persuaded Russia to do what it can to prevent Iran from assembling, arming and positioning a large force of non-Iranian forces to attack Israel. Russia has limited ability to block Iranian efforts but does what it can. Iran is building bases to support a large force of Lebanese (Hezbollah), Syrians (whichever Shia Syrians it can recruit) and lots of foreign Shia mercenaries (mainly Afghans, Iraqis other non-Iranian Shia) in parts of Syria where Russia does not have much military power on the ground and Russian air power cannot occupy ground or otherwise interfere with what Iran is doing. Russia does not want Iran starting a war with Israel but as a practical matter Iran is pretty irrational when it comes to Israel. Russia has publicly criticized Iran for regularly calling for the destruction of Israel. Russia has also sided with Turkey in disagreements with Iran over strategy and tactics in Syria. Russia still considers Iran an ally, but a flawed one that really should work on their bad habits.
Meanwhile Turkey is becoming troublesome with its offensive into northwest Syria. Then there are the Kurds and their American allies in the northeast. That has become particularly nasty and embarrassing especially when American troops repulsed a Russian effort (using Russian military contractors and some Syrians) to occupy oil fields east of the Euphrates. The Russian force suffered about 50 percent casualties and that was a great embarrassment for the Russians.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
