Phil1111

General Benedict Arnold was a hero first also. To suggest that John McCain is a Benedict Arnold is outrageous. you should be ashamed of yourself.

The story below is from Australian Financial Review. A financial and equities publication. Chinese telco ZTE bribed its way to greatness, now focuses on Australia May 14 2018 An investigation by Fairfax Media has found ZTE not only paid $US12.8 million ($17 million) in bribes to secure one contract in West Africa, but had a designated internal department and multiple layers of management to approve these payments, according to a former insider. Documents show the bribes were meticulously recorded and ran to more than 20 per cent of one contract's value, helping to explain how ZTE rapidly became the world's third largest supplier of telecommunications equipment by 2012.... ZTE and its compatriot, Huawei, are also banned from bidding on government contracts in the US, over fears their products could contain backdoors allowing an element of surveillance and even control from agencies in China.... Systematic in its approval and documentation of bribery The internal documents cited by Fairfax Media show ZTE was systematic in its approval and documentation of bribery, as it sought to expand outside its home market of China in the early 2000s... it paid $US6 million in bribes to secure a $US36 million CDMA contract for the telco. This suggests about 22 per cent of the value of each contract was paid out in inducements. Appear to breach tough US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act The revelations could create further problems for ZTE as they appear to breach the tough US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and could be used by regulators in Washington to further sanction the company.... The issue of Huawei or ZTE building Australia's 5G networks was raised by national security agencies in Washington during Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's visit in February. http://www.afr.com/business/telecommunications/chinese-telco-zte-bribed-its-way-to-greatness-now-focuses-on-australia-20180513-h0zztm

China Contributing $500 Million to Trump-Linked Project in Indonesia https://www.nationalreview.com/news/china-contributing-500-million-trump-linked-project-indonesia/ "The Chinese government is extending a $500 million loan to a state-owned construction company to build an Indonesian theme park that will feature a Trump-branded golf course and hotels.... The Trump properties are considered flagship elements of the theme park, according to MNC marketing materials, and internal documents obtained by Agency France-Presse show Trump’s sons have been directly involved in its planning." The result. VVVVVVVV "ZTE Corp. is a Chinese company that makes telecoms equipment and mobile phones. It previously broke a U.S. embargo on Iran by using American chips in equipment it sold to the Middle Eastern country. The Commerce Department found out. ZTE agreed to pay a fine and punish employees in return for the U.S. allowing it to keep buying American chips. ZTE paid the fine, but didn’t follow through on the punishment. The Commerce Department found out. ZTE was banned from buying U.S. chips for seven years. Unable to make its equipment without American technology, ZTE halted operations last week... trump tweets: "Trump announced his support for ZTE and foreshadowed a way to get the firm back on track. Note this part: "Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-05-14/trump-zte-tweet-points-to-pyongyang-singapore-oslo So a cheating Chinese firm sold US technology computer chips to Iran. Was caught, tried to cover it up. Trump gets a $1/2 billion from another Chinese firm for his golf/ hotels development. Now Iran gets new chips for its ICBM development. ...Oh! the National Review(first link) is a very conservative news service. "U.S. intelligence officials on Sunday evening and Monday said they were caught off guard by Trump’s reversal and remained concerned about security threats they said the Chinese company poses to the United States and its allies. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, three officials said the Chinese government, which has close ties to ZTE, could use its mobile phones and other technology to spy on U.S. citizens, companies and government activities. By handing the decision to the Commerce Department, Trump appeared to prioritize commercial issues over security concerns, and cut national security officials out of the process, they said. Republican senators Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton have backed legislation that would prevent the U.S. government from buying or leasing equipment from ZTE or Huawei, the largest Chinese telecom maker. "I hope this isn't the beginning of backing down to China," Rubio said on Twitter. "We are crazy to allow them to operate in U.S. without tighter restrictions." https://www.todayonline.com/world/trumps-comments-chinas-zte-draw-security-concerns

Deficit nears $600 billion in first half of 2018 I will make it easy for you thats $1,341 trillion on an annual basis with interest at 2% http://thehill.com/policy/finance/382033-deficit-nears-600-billion-in-first-half-of-2018 Korea...are you attending his Nobel Peace prize event? Record government intake of cash does not cover the bullshit trump spends money on! Thats why there are deficits! Every once in a while you are right. kinda like a quarter landing and standing on its edge upright.

Deficit nears $600 billion in first half of 2018 I will make it easy for you thats $1,341 trillion on an annual basis with interest at 2% http://thehill.com/policy/finance/382033-deficit-nears-600-billion-in-first-half-of-2018 Korea...are you attending his Nobel Peace prize event?

A good story on how and where trump's ideas are formulated. Donald Trump and Sean Hannity Like to Talk Before Bedtime https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/sean-hannity-donald-trump-late-night-calls.html

Juan Williams: Trump's dangerous lies on Iran http://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/387468-juan-williams-trumps-dangerous-lies-on-iran "Martin Luther King Jr. once said there is nothing in the world more dangerous than sincere ignorance.... A CNN/ORC poll taken shortly before Trump’s decision found that a majority of Americans — 63 percent — wanted the U.S. to stay in the deal. But get this: 62 percent of Americans believed Iran had violated its terms. ... That poll is proof of sincere ignorance of the deal on the part of nearly two-thirds of Americans. They are under the spell of Trump’s distortions.... Trump’s own State Department has repeatedly certified — as recently as last month — that Iran was living up to its end of the deal. In April, Defense Secretary James Mattis described the pact’s verification provisions as “pretty robust.”" As did the EU, Germany,UK, France and the other signatories. Voting, decisions have consequences. Mr. Netanyahu and trump better be right because the missiles have started to fly. Twenty five Palestinians were killed overnight.

Almost every aspect of advertising is driven by psychological studies and science. Advertising is a 220 billion dollar industry in the US alone. A person thinks an ad is ineffective, when in fact its targeted at your whole psychology, your mindset. This may help: https://hbr.org/2016/04/targeted-ads-dont-just-make-you-more-likely-to-buy-they-can-change-how-you-think-about-yourself And a longer version: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1904/01/the-psychology-of-advertising/303465/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/272314/advertising-spending-in-the-us/ There is a certain hubris to suggest that an individual is not subject to the same psychological process that anyone else is. But this is a skydiving forum!

No one will ever be able to answer that question conclusively. But it is beside the point. The real question is two fold. One, did Russia try to influence the election. And two, did any Americans try to help them. Most likely the answers are yes and no. It is a known fact that the Clinton campaign did work with the Russians as she paid for it. The pee pee doc. And the Russians did try and spread chaos to make the people question the election. With the media, deep state and Democrat help, for some, they succeeded. Politicians have been running bullshit campaign ads forever. If you're going to be swayed one way or the other by a crappy Facebook post OR a legit 'Paid for by Imma Screwya Hard campaign' TV spot you should probably turn in your voter card. Just my opinion. You're right. Advertising is completely ineffective. The trillions of dollars spent selling beer on sports programs. A waste. All the hundreds of millions that those stupid Koch brothers donate. All wasted. Google ads, more waste. The legislation limiting donations, prohibiting foreigners from donating. Should all be tossed out. in fact the doors should be thrown open for any foreigner to donate to political campaigns. It will spur jobs!

You presume that the training of President Putin via the KGB and GRU is to specialize in stupidity. That the money spent on this campaign was without targets, motives and goals. How Russia ‘Pushed Our Buttons’ With Fake Online Ads "Many Americans this week got their first looks at fake Facebook ads placed by Russian propagandists during the 2016 election campaign to sow discord in the US.... Psychologists and students of advertising say the ads were cleverly designed to look like other internet memes, and to appeal to readers’ emotions. Jay Van Bavel, an associate professor of psychology at NYU, says he was surprised at the sophistication of the campaign. “It wasn’t transparent lies. It was just pushing our buttons,” says Van Bavel. “To me, this is more pernicious. It’s not a matter of fiction that we can root out with fact-checking. It’s more about turning Americans against each other.” The ads took issues that voters care about and then “fed them to us as aggressively as possible,” he says. Facebook estimates that 10 million people saw the paid ads and up to 150 million people saw other content from the fake accounts, which Facebook has traced to the Internet Research Agency, a Kremlin-backed troll farm.... “The IRA are not amateurs, they're clearly familiarizing themselves with the kind of content that resonates with the target audiences,” says Renee DiResta, researcher with Data for Democracy, a nonprofit group that has been digging into the data on Russian-linked accounts.... The ads did not look like the products of Madison Avenue. Rather, they camouflaged themselves in the vernacular of the Internet. Jennifer Grygiel, a communications professor at Syracuse University who teaches about memes, thinks the low-budget look is an engagement strategy. They want to make it appear as though the ads “could have been created by your average American.... Van Bavel, the NYU professor, has studied a phenomenon he calls “moral contagion,” referring to the use of moral emotional language to help content go viral on social networks. He says tugging at those emotions tends to drive people deeper into ideological echo chambers, dynamics he saw at play in the Russian ads. “What you’re more likely to click on is stuff that triggers this part of the brain that is so primal,” he says. “Russians knows as much. They know how to pull us apart and agitate us.” There’s nothing new about campaigns to manipulate voters, but Van Bavel believes says it can be more polarizing in the internet age because access to media is more fragmented and curated... Bruce McClintock, an adjunct policy analyst at the Rand Corporation and a retired brigadier general who served as the senior defense official at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, says the ads resonate with Russian and Soviet tactics of other eras. “It’s about spreading disinformation, propaganda, counterfeit official documents to increase confusion,” he says. McClintock says the goal of the campaign likely was broader than just the election and includes the long-term objective of weakening the US and undermining America’s reputation in the eyes of the world." https://www.wired.com/story/how-russia-pushed-our-buttons-with-fake-online-ads/ Enhance divisions in a target population when one party has a clear advantage. Results in fragmentation of the vote. Reduced inclination to vote. The expansion of parameters of thinking is necessary when something dosn't seem right on the face of it. It appears as if the retired brigadier general and president Putin were both exactly right. How Putin's oligarchs funneled millions into GOP campaigns https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/05/08/putins-proxies-helped-funnel-millions-gop-campaigns Editor's note May 8, 2018: This column originally published December 15, 2017. New allegations about $500k in payments from a Russian oligarch made to Trump attorney Michael Cohen have placed it back in the news.... Buried in the campaign finance reports available to the public are some troubling connections between a group of wealthy donors with ties to Russia and their political contributions to President Donald Trump and a number of top Republican leaders. And thanks to changes in campaign finance laws, the political contributions are legal. We have allowed our campaign finance laws to become a strategic threat to our country.... Like Bossie, Dan Backer helped to open the floodgates to millions of dollars of influence brought to bear on incumbents and their political challengers who are now pressured to kowtow to their donors with the biggest bank accounts, even if their billions are earned in Russian rubles.... The changes to our campaign finance laws created an avenue for Russia to try to influence our elections. There are holes in our firewall and they aren't on the internet."

So the last lawyer is the subject of investigation. His lead replacement is fired from his law firm. Anything that touches trump is corrupted. Then Pence, Rushmc, Fox, et al, are all calling for the republican led investigations to end. There are still honest republicans who stand up for the USA.

I wonder if they didn't get value. High US pharma costs was brought up by trump several times prior to election and after. Price fixing and the reasons why US drug costs paid by consumers and US insurers have been discussed here extensively. Nothing has been done by trump or republicans. 60 minutes story on price fixing last Sunday. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-problem-with-prescription-drug-prices/ How big pharma's money – and its politicians – feed the US opioid crisis https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/19/big-pharma-money-lobbying-us-opioid-crisis "Groups representing drug companies heavily increased their federal lobbying in President Trump's first year, according to a review of lobbying records. No health care lobbying group splurged more than the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which spent $25.4 million in 2017 — a 30% jump from 2016." https://www.axios.com/big-pharma-lobbying-trump-1516808456-b88d9314-293a-4b6d-a5c6-af9cf7ec4c0b.html

Bullshit, you did it for 8 years under the Obama administration. At least have the balls to stand for something, after all these years you'd think you would have found a way to grow a backbone. Don't they teach that in your military? IMO Ron's ideological stance is fairly established although it may seem confusing. Think a Swiss model of limited international engagement and set of interests. A Christian set of ideals towards others he has direct interactions with. For others, its up to them to look after themselves. A personal choice of residence allows an almost complete restriction on outsiders intrusive ideals. Or interference with his life choices. Feel free to correct me If I'm mistaken.

+1 Its easy enough to ignore (some)posters with little conscious effort IMO.

And you have reliable sources of secret Israeli intelligence I am sure to back up your claim.... https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/world/middleeast/israel-iran-nuclear-netanyahu.html proclaiming there is no evidence at all. and from the Israeli pro right wing media.... https://www.timesofisrael.com/mossad-chief-100-percent-certain-iran-still-seeks-nuclear-bomb/ proclaiming a gut feeling neither of which actually offer any form of proof, or reports from other govts. Other than stating that Britain, France and Germany all think this is a bad idea. I will put my ante in the same pile as those three over Israel, thanks Israeli has been playing the USA for decades.... they enjoy the support and the attention, and they know that the rapture is not actually going to happen but they get billions every year from the USA by perpetuating the rumor that Jebus is coming back. "Asked about the agreement in an interview with Haaretz to mark Israel’s 70th anniversary, current IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot refrained from bashing the deal. Instead, he was judiciously positive about it – saying that, to the best of his knowledge, it is “working.” True, Eisenkot tempered his assessment by noting that while no Iranian violations of the agreement have been proven, this doesn’t mean they don’t exist. “We assume that Iran can operate secretly. Therefore, keeping watch on developments there is the No. 1 mission for both the Israel Defense Forces and intelligence agencies. We are investing vast resources in obtaining the best intelligence about Iran and its operational ability. If its intentions change, we will know,” he said. ... However, he pointed out that, “Right now, the agreement, with all its faults, is working and is putting off realization of the Iranian nuclear vision by 10 to 15 years.” With the deal in place, he said, “the window of strategic opportunity is still open in our favor. " https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-where-israel-s-leaders-stand-on-the-iran-nuclear-deal-1.6070237

Stormy Daniels' lawyer: Cohen was paid $500K by Putin-tied company after election Stormy Daniels’s attorney Michael Avenatti said Tuesday that President Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen received $500,000 in the months after the 2016 election from a company run by a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/386802-stormy-daniels-lawyer-cohen-may-have-used-money-from-putin-tied Avenatti released a report with preliminary findings about the bank account he says Cohen used to make the payment to Daniels. That account was made in the name of the company Cohen created to transfer the money to Daniels, Essential Consultants, LLC. The report states that Cohen’s account received roughly $500,000 in payments from Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Those payments were made from January to August 2017. “Mr. Cohen inexplicably accepted these payments while he was the personal attorney to the President and holding himself out at times as employed by the Trump Organization (with few other clients),” the report reads. “This was occurring at the same time significant questions were being raised relating to (a) the involvement of Russia and Vladimir Putin in the 2016 Presidential Election and (b) the extent of the relationship between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump." The report also claims that the bank account received payments totally nearly $400,000 from global pharmaceutical company Novartis, and noted that Trump reportedly had a dinner meeting in Switzerland with the Novartis CEO shortly afterward the transactions were made. This is the Cohen allegations according to Avenatti: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pskgpwr15r48tx5/Executive%20Summary.pdf?dl=0 Now, there has been a recent push by trump and republicans including their spokespeople at Fox News. To shut down the Mueller investigation. Mueller is of course on top of this development already: Who Is Viktor Vekselberg? Russian Oligarch Reportedly Questioned in Mueller Probe http://www.newsweek.com/who-viktor-vekselberg-russian-oligarch-reportedly-questioned-mueller-probe-911931 Another nothing burger sizzling on the stove, presidential tweets soon to follow.

Is that how the liberals think? That Kim Jong Un is a better person than Donald Trump? I wouldn't know I'm a McCain conservative. But the attributes aforementioned regarding trump are all well documented.

Well done. I look forward to reading about your second year of success. And no doubt that you will make it. +1, Drugs, alcohol, gambling and other addictions destroy everything great about life.

Not really replying to your post, more the thread in general. Lets all focus on the two negotiators here. One is a jingoistic, nationalist, liar, well known for breaking agreements and treaties,etc. The other is Kim. Lets all not get ahead of ourselves.

Simmer down... It's the way these liberals are. It's like arguing with flat earthers. They don't ever stop until you do. Just have to wait until things happen or blow up in their faces. It is starting to blow up in their faces! But they can't see it. And you ever notice that the closer we get the things being finalized and Truth being there that they want to ban somebody because they can't afford to continue the conversation. As long as we maintain civilized, they won't ban us. However, you know, this site ain't no democracy. But, at least its better moderated than Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, who like to suppress conservative views but let libtard views run rampant. Stop the drama. Nobody is banning you two. Oh let them be!. Its all part of the pseudo-christian, Battle of Thermopylae, Valley of Death, Alamo, etc. mentality whereby the last true conservatives are holding backs the hoards of west coast liberals.

Juan has done it again. Quick Marc. Get ahold of Juan, here is your chance of 10 minutes of fame!! Juan Williams: Trump's useful idiots http://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/386458-juan-williams-trumps-useful-idiots "With Trump in the White House, Kanye West is now more popular among Republicans than Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)." Yes our Marc could become more famous than Marco Rubio, er "Little Marco".

Its time to give exposure to large companies and industries. Who have been given favors by trump. Politically-connected companies shouldn't get special treatment http://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/386477-politically-connected-companies-shouldnt-get-special-treatment The Republican tax bill benefits the establishment and corporate allies http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/360290-the-republican-tax-bill-benefits-the-establishment-and-corporate-allies Some companies have been driven to political action by shareholders, employees, smart business management: In the Trump era, big business is becoming more political https://www.economist.com/news/business/21731855-left-leaning-employees-leave-many-bosses-little-choice-mount-barricades

Abandoning Iranian Nuclear Deal Could Lead to New Wave of Cyberattacks http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/10/02/abandoning-iranian-nuclear-deal-could-lead-to-new-wave-of-cyberattacks/ What could Iran do if Trump pulls out of nuclear deal? https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-scenarios/what-could-iran-do-if-trump-pulls-out-of-nuclear-deal-idUSKBN1I427E "Iranian leaders have consistently threatened that U.S. reimposition of sanctions or withdrawal from the deal would result in rapid development of the nuclear program.... Driving a wedge between Washington and Europe. In August, nuclear official Salehi promised that "if the Americans cast the deal aside, it is highly likely that Europe won't follow suit, [and] America will remain alone." By this logic, Iran will probably continue its talks with the EU3 (Britain, France, and Germany) and cast itself as the aggrieved party, hoping to bring the Europeans to its side and prevent a unified Western front if sanctions are reimposed in May.... Coordinating with Russia and China. ..echoed this line of thinking last month when he claimed that expanding relations with Beijing and Moscow would help "neutralize and reduce the impact of U.S. pressure."... http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/how-will-iran-prepare-for-potential-u.s.-withdrawal-from-the-jcpoa EU: US has no right to terminate Iran accord https://www.politico.eu/article/federica-mogherini-donald-trump-iran-eu-us-has-no-right-to-terminate-iran-accord/

Top 15 Democratic presidential candidates in 2020 http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/311436-top-15-democratic-presidential-candidates-in-2020 Trump in 2018: The year of the mobilized Democrat https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2017/12/27/trump-in-2018-the-year-of-the-mobilized-democrat/ Record numbers of people are running for office, donations are soaring, political action committees are training volunteers and would-be candidates. And while there was a schism in the Democratic Party, still raw from the presidential primary battle, one man has risen and shown that his leadership alone is powerful enough to unite the Democratic Party. That is President Donald trump. Republicans John Kasich

A quick Google search yielded: 1. https://www.bls.gov/ 2. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/year-one-list-81-major-trump-achievements-11-obama-legacy-items-repealed America is going back to work again. America is seeing that national security can be a reality. Israel is experiencing a greater sense of partnership as our ally. On a personal note, in my community, we have ceased complaining about the president. Now we laugh at the insane stupidity of the MSM. And, we pray that they do not win out. We understand the evil spirits at work in America. In many aspects, primarily abortion, we recognize our suffering for sin. But, for now, at this time, President Trump is the leader this nation needs. We thank God for him. Trump Deficit up 1 trillion (YoY) Unemployment down .9% But the wages created are all low paying jobs with wages increases of only 2.6%(annual) https://qz.com/1225580/unemployment-us-jobs-report-shows-big-growth-in-jobs-not-wages/ While tax breaks have and massive deficits have put inflation on the Fed's agenda: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/higher-inflation-trump-tax-and-spend-boom-leave-investors-looking-for-fed-clues-2018-02-17 Trump's net coal jobs created !,000 https://www.npr.org/2018/02/23/586236738/coal-jobs-have-gone-up-under-trump-but-not-because-of-his-policies Obama’s Final Numbers https://www.factcheck.org/2017/09/obamas-final-numbers/ Unemployment rate down 1.3%