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Mainecat

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  1. TRUMP’S SPLASHY NEW NAFTA DEAL DOESN’T ACTUALLY EXIST Despite the president’s threats to be ditching Canada, lawmakers say the move is likely illegal, if not impossible. BY TINA NGUYEN AUGUST 27, 2018 6:20 PM In the midst of a political firestorm over his response to John McCain’s death, Donald Trump attempted to get Americans to pay attention to something else: the wonderful, great trade deal—or rather, “understanding”—he recently struck with his former adversaries in Mexico. In terms of sheer optics, the announcement wasn’t particularly smooth: after inviting members of the press to join him in the Oval Office, Trump struggled to get Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on speakerphone, staring awkwardly out at reporters as he fiddled with the buttons on his desk. “It’s a big thing. A lot of people waiting,” he groused, before waving an aide over to assist. After finally connecting with Nieto, Trump announced that he and Mexico had reached a bilateral deal that would apparently cut out Canada, achieving Trump’s long-promised goal to disassemble the North American Free Trade Agreement. Or, he at least gave the impression that he had done so. “They used to call it NAFTA,” Trump said, though the new, preliminary agreement does nothing to change companies’ ability to operate in Canada. NAFTA, the president explained, had a “bad connotation.” Instead, he said the deal would be called the “U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement.” The Canadians “have tariffs of almost 300 percent on some of our dairy products, and we can’t have that. We’re not going to stand for that,” he continued, suggesting that he would “tariff [Canada’s] cars coming in” in retribution. “It’s a tremendous amount of money and it’s a very simple negotiation. It could end in one day and we take in a lot of money the following day. But I think we’ll give them a chance to probably have a separate deal. We can have a separate deal or we can put it into this deal.” Of course, Trump’s understanding of the “understanding”—as well as his blustery, nebulous threat against Canada—was about as artful as his attempt to stage a dramatic conference call. Nieto repeatedly insisted, both on Twitter and to Trump himself, that any renegotiation of NAFTA, regardless of its name, must be a three-party deal. Indeed, lawmakers toldThe New York Times that Trump’s willingness to ditch Canada “may not be legally permissible, let alone smart.” White House official Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s trade representative, offered a somewhat different view, telling reporters that “ideally, Canada will be in it,” and if not, “we will notify that we have a bilateral agreement that Canada is welcome to join.” Even that seems to misstate reality, however. As the Toronto Star’s Daniel Dale points out, Canada has already been involved in negotiations all along: It’s an open question whether Trump can actually terminate NAFTA anyway—at least not without a bruising political and legal fight. He could try, Cato Institute scholar Simon Lester told the Star, since the rules governing the procedures are so vague. But Congress would be unlikely to accede to a deal that excludes Canada. “More likely,” he said, “the administration is not really expecting a U.S.-Mexico bilateral, and this is just to put pressure on Canada, who I suspect will see through this strategy.” https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/08/trumps-splashy-new-nafta-deal
  2. NAFTA won’t happen without Canada.
  3. Trump Resisted Lowering Flag Because He Thought McCain Coverage Was Excessive Source: TPM While he eventually agreed to lower the White House flag in honor of Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) passing — after receiving criticism from veterans — President Donald Trump was resistant to the gesture because he thought McCain’s death was getting too much news coverage. According to people familiar with the situation who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, Trump thought the reporting on McCain’s passing, just one day after his family announced he would stop seeking medical treatment for his brain cancer, was “over-the-top and more befitting a president,” in WSJ’s words. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reportedly played a leading role in convincing the President to agree to lower the flags again and issue a proclamation on McCain’s death. “It was 99 percent Sarah,” and partially Chief of Staff John Kelly’s influence that got Trump to change his mind, a senior White House official told WSJ. Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-thought-mccain-coverage-excessive
  4. And Canada?
  5. Trump what a fuckin baby....... White House flag no longer at half-staff days after death of John McCain Source: WCTL-TV WASHINGTON (ABC7) — The American flag at the White House is no longer flying at half-staff Monday after the death of Sen. John McCain on Saturday. Flags at the U.S. Capitol Building remain at half-staff.Read more: https://wcti12.com/news/nation-world/white-house-flag-no-longer-at-half-staff-days-after-death-of-john-mccain
  6. Trump is the pied piper for imbeciles.
  7. Looks like Trump raised the flag over the White House this morning.
  8. 6’ 5” 255-260
  9. This involves Canada as well if I recall.
  10. Is this trumps plan as usual without any countries even seeing it? Sorta like the North Korean deal.
  11. Or the media will expose his secret child with a hotel maid.
  12. No wall required..... https://www.thedailybeast.com/melanias-dad-a-new-american-citizen-with-a-record-in-yugoslavias-secret-police-files
  13. Fuck Trump.... https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-mccain-funeral-obama-george-w-bush-requested-eulogies/
  14. Just as I figured you would spit on a Vietnam vet.
  15. Clinton was correct the Trumpers are deplorables. not one person here veteran or not can compare to McCain. He served his country honarably in Vietnam with big balls. He also was bigger than any here to run for office because he wanted to make his country better. The lack of respect shown here for McCain makes me sick as an American. Fuck all the haters here.
  16. Yeah the next president and it will be a dem.
  17. What’s wrong with France? Seems the pussy right wing Trump tards are afraid of traveling there.
  18. Pence is going too. He was hand picked by Mannifort for a reason.