Category: Politics

Dictators Do as They Wish!

–President Donald Trump on Friday removed the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures after a report showed hiring slowed in July and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported.

When Trump does not like government reporting he fires the people involved even if the reports are accurate.

–The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced on Friday that it will wind down its operations due to the successful Republican effort to defund local PBS and NPR stations across the country.

-In March, the president issued an executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” that it said was meant to address “a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.”

He singled out the Smithsonian Institution and said the administration would seek “to remove improper ideology from such properties.”

In an email to NPR, White House Spokesperson Davis Ingle wrote: “Unfortunately for far too long the Smithsonian museums have highlighted divisive, DEI exhibits which are out of touch with mainstream America.”

“We are fully supportive of updating displays to highlight American greatness. The Trump administration will continue working to ensure that the Smithsonian removes all improper ideology and once again unites and instills pride in all Americans regarding our great history,” he said.

Is Freedom of the Press in Jeopardy?

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is an American late-night news talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. CBS announced the show will end when the host’s contract runs out in 10 months. Colbert’s political commentary was a continuing criticism of Donald Trump.

Coincidentally, or not, Paramount Global, which owns CBS, is seeking regulatory approval from the Trump administration to sell itself to the Hollywood studio Skydance Media. (I’d never heard of it either.) An official statement, claiming that the “Late Show” cancellation represents “a purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night … not related in any way to the show’s performance, content.

Trump’s war on the media has been non-stop on every network accept Fox.

Newspapers and television outlets are under attack like never before. Yes as far back as Richard Nixon presidents have attacked the media. ABC News settled a defamation suit brought by Trump on Dec. 14, agreeing to donate $15 million to his presidential library and issue a statement. Trump’s lawsuit against CBS, filed in Texas in October, accuses the broadcaster of deceptively editing a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has sued CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. The president has prevented The Associated Press from entering the Oval Office press events.

To stay on the good side of Trump both Jeff Bezos owner of the Washington Post and Patrick Soon-Shiong owner of the Los Angeles Times both stopped the endorsement of Kamala Harris. NPR and PBS rely on government subsidies and are likely limiting their criticism of the Trump administration.

You could have asked the question ‘Is freedom of the press in jeopardy?’ Sadly dictators do not allow opposing opinions.

The TACO

The TACO meme is so perfect. Because Trump, as all bullies do, does chicken out. A lot! And not just to China and the tariffs.

The latest news on tariffs is Trump’s threat on Russia. Trump announced Russia will face 100% “secondary” tariffs if there isn’t a ceasefire deal between the country and Ukraine in 50 days. “We want to see it end, and I’m disappointed in President Putin because I thought we would’ve had a deal two months ago but it doesn’t seem to get there.” 

Other recent threats include a 50% tariff on Brazil for the trial against its former president. Mr. Trump’s pledge to place tariffs on imports from Brazil is partly in retaliation for what he considers a “witch hunt” against his political ally, the former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing trial for attempting a coup.

It should be obvious that Trump sees tariffs as his best way to influence world order. He doesn’t see his method as chickening out. He sees his threats of getting his way as success.