China Trade: We are calling it Phase One and the Chinese media are calling it a pause in the trade war. Both of those work for me. We will see if the 2nd phase yields fruit like, a halt to enforced technology transfer in joint ventures, but the present deal has a couple of important things in it. 1. The 40 billion dollar commitment to agricultural purchases in the US will bolster Trump's political support in flyover country and the red parts of blue states. 2. After 1 January, 2020 there will not be a requirement for US companies setting up subsidiaries in China to have a Chinese partner who holds 51% of the stock in the company. I used to work for a company that had parts of the group in a variety of Persian Gulf states. In all these we were required to have 51% local ownership (mostly princes) and it was a royal pain in the ass as these fellows sometimes wanted to interfere in the business. They were no more knowledgeable of the business than was Biden fils in his business adventures. Not to have that problem would be a great blessing.
Trials in the US Senate We should remember that quite a lot of people have been tried in the senate after impeachment in the House of Representatives. Judges, etc. are subject to this process from time to time. Conviction requires 66% of those senators present. Presumably, senators will be dragged or carried in to make this vote if necessary. The Chief Justice of SCOTUS presides at the trial. Four Democratic senators are running for president in primaries for the purpose of opposing Trump in the general election. As an interested citizen, I think that the majority (McConnell) could appeal to SCOTUS for a ruling as to whether or not these four senators are so compromised by their stated desire for the ejection of the president from office that they are disqualified from voting on the issue of his removal from office. We are on new ground in this matter and my opinion is probably as good as anyone's. If Trump were somehow convicted in the senate, he would immediately be removed from office. There is no appeal possible. A second vote would then be possible but not required as to whether or not Trump should be forever barred from holding any federal government office. Conviction on that issue would require a simple majority of those senators present. Is that important? Yes. If he were not barred from office, he could be nominated at the Republican Convention and run for president in 2020.
California Burning In addition to its transformation into a refuge for illegal immigrants and a camp ground for free defecating vagrants camped on its city streets, California is once again burning in its wooded and brushy parts. Perennial drought brings this on in a largely semi-desert part of the US, BUT, pilgrims, there has also been the effect of decades of effective eco-freak opposition to cutting combustibles back from power line right of ways in order to protect Bambi's habitat. So, when Governor Gavin Newsom says that the electric company (PG&E) CAUSED this through greed and negligence, I call that trash talk.
Shephard Smith got fired So what! This guy has been an unrelenting opponent of Trump forever. The Left has a stranglehold on what is laughably called the Main Stream Media; CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, The Washington Post, NY Times, etc., ad nauseam. In that context the existence of Fox News as a standard bearer for conservative, i.e., Deplorable values does not seem excessive to me. There are a few more liberal/lefties who are tolerated in Fox News/Fox Business News to provide opposing views for contemplation. Chris Wallace, Juan Williams, Arthel Neville are all names that come to mind as the resident "resistance." Do these people go over the line into unproductive argument? Maybe so. pl
In California the level of criminal incompetence boggles the mind unless one remebmers The phrase "worse is better". The left has set the stage for "Do Something!" changes that could never be enacted by popular will. The electric utility company shut off half the grid? So much for those solar powered homes, they won't power your house without the grid; Electric cars? Not to worry Tesla is deploynig lots of deisel generators so you can have full climate change emission charging rather than a zero charge clunker.
The regulatory climate in California that created this mess predates the Enron enhanced energy debable of 2000. That broght Grey Davis down and started the lurch to the left. Good job guys, gals and special pronoun people.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-10/californians-learning-that-solar-panels-don-t-work-in-blackouts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_electricity_crisis
Regarding China, the EU just imposted tariffs on steel wheel imports. Looks like they are learning from Trump.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-10/china-hit-by-european-union-tariffs-on-steel-road-wheels
Posted by: Fred | 12 October 2019 at 12:47 PM
A Syrian Christian perspective on Trump pulling troops out of Syria:
Posted by: Bob L | 12 October 2019 at 01:06 PM
Posted by: Seamus Padraig | 12 October 2019 at 01:49 PM
Great comments. Totally agree.
Two people who I've known well and who've done business in China have had very bad experiences. One CEO built a plant over there and it wasn't long before embezzlement by the Chinese partners became egregious - to the tune of millions and millions of dollars.
The second person was actually a Fortune 500 employee whose Mandarin language skills landed him the job of trying to root out Chinese counterfeiting of American products. As one may imagine, this was an endless, and dangerous, endeavor.
California's beauty is alluring and my husband and I have hiked all over the state. But as you suggest, if left to nature much of it would be arid. The hypocrisy of the reliance on dams for water diversion, thus radically altering landscapes in not only California but other parts of the West, is of course lost on most "environmentalists" who've resisted effective forest management. PG&E is apparently driving a hard bargain in order to be exempted from liability for wild fires. The home generator business must be booming there these days.
Posted by: akaPatience | 12 October 2019 at 01:55 PM
Just heard on the radio John Solomon says Ukraine IC reopened the investigation into Burisma and Biden kid in February, long before Trump asked Ukrainian president to do so. This means the whistle blower's timeline is inaccurate. I predict msm will ignore this info.
Posted by: optimax | 12 October 2019 at 02:14 PM
I'll applaud that Trump allegedly got something that will ameliorate the theft of U.S. property rights. Nevertheless it is important to point out that their behavior (the Chinese) isn't unique. We had a notorious thief of our own. His name was Samuel Slater. https://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-11/biggest-data-thefts-history/
As for the broader issue of property rights and patents, it should be noted that these are antithetical to free trade. Even if one views that as being too 'theoretical', patents go pretty far to explain the high cost of our pharmaceuticals.
Posted by: D. Mathews | 12 October 2019 at 02:19 PM
Seamus Padraig
Is it not in the "deal?"
Posted by: turcopolier | 12 October 2019 at 02:33 PM
China has another tactic besides the 51% ownership requirement that is far more insidious. Cisco factories in China were duplicated in every detail by the Chinese. In this way Chinese Cisco network devices were made in the exact likeness and function to Cisco's devices... except for whatever implants the Chinese incorporated. This same tactic is practiced with other foreign factories in China.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 12 October 2019 at 02:58 PM
TTG,
Just make products for Cisco on the day shift then run the same product on the swing shift for other customers changing only the branding. Cisco gets to pay for all the capital and maintenance. My employer settled a major commercial branding issue with Valeo for doing just that a number of years ago. There are plenty of off brand product made just the same way. The EU has, or had, legislation requiring only a tooling depreciate payment for a supplier to use your tools on their product. Even with strict contractual obligations you'll be losing a lot of money that way - but usually get stuck with the liablity if there were any defects.
Posted by: Fred | 12 October 2019 at 03:59 PM
I beg to differ. The NAWAPA project of the 50' and 60's would have addressed the West's water needs for generations. Shot down by the Enviromentalist movement, natch.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Water_and_Power_Alliance
Posted by: Rick Merlotti | 12 October 2019 at 05:14 PM
The ending of 51% ownership rule applies to ONLY insurance & finacial services companies ..
the 51% ownership by Chinese partner STILL applies to all other sectors including technolgoy & manufacturing, even after 2020
reprint from AP/Associated Press:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/u-s-suspends-china-tariff-hike-in-trade-war-cease-fire
&
https://time.com/5698932/trump-suspends-tariff-hike-chinese-imports/
"Earlier Friday, China announced a timetable for carrying out a promise to allow full foreign ownership of some finance businesses, starting with futures traders on Jan. 1,
as
Beijing tries to make its slowing economy more competitive and efficient.
Ownership limits will be ended for mutual fund companies on April 1 and for securities firm on Dec. 1, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said.
Until now, foreign investors have been limited to owning 51% of such businesses."
Posted by: EconomicsExpert | 12 October 2019 at 05:19 PM
I find it curious that scientists, scholars, journalists and economists are spending their days deceiving everyone, but a tv reality personality with decades of documented fraud and lies somehow has become a beacon of truth telling.
Maybe something is not adding up.
Posted by: Lars | 12 October 2019 at 05:45 PM
TTG
Yes, Huawei began by stealing Cisco technology. Cisco settled the IP infringement lawsuit out of court for some promises that apparently were never fulfilled. The CCP needs hard currency capital now, so they’ve relaxed the rules for FDI including the 51% ownership for financial entities that can bring in capital. They announced all this sometime back. Note however they have made more stringent capital repatriation rules. They are happy if you send them dollars but you can’t take any of it back!
China also needs to buy pork and other ag products as they have lost half their hog herd to swine flu. IMO, there’s no concession on the CCPs part in this phase and neither is there much of a concession on Trump’s part other than to postpone a 5% increase in tariffs.
OTOH, we see how Apple and the NBA kowtow to the Chinese Communists for a few dollars. Steve Kerr always has commentary critical of US society but is left “speechless” when his hypocrisy is highlighted with respect to the totalitarian CCP.
Posted by: Jack | 12 October 2019 at 06:09 PM
lars
"with decades of documented fraud and lies" Unless you provide a detailed list of his "documented fraud and lies" for our disputation you are just another Schiff or Pelosi.
Posted by: turcopolier | 12 October 2019 at 06:31 PM
Sir,
Another issue with California wildfires is that development has pushed into areas more prone to fires.
This is the 2 year anniversary of the Napa/Sonoma wildfires that came through our ranch and burned to the ground the ranch house that my grandpa built. We were fortunate that many of the firebreaks held despite the high winds and spared the barns, stables, vineyards and orchards. It has been reported recently that investigation has shown the failure of poles and other electrical infrastructure due to high winds along with a lot of brush from the good winter rains the previous year proved to be a highly combustible mix. Fires have been recorded at our ranch at 20-30 year intervals for a century but it seems that the frequency of fires in the nearby areas have increased lately.
The quality of California infrastructure has clearly deteriorated over the past 30 years and I believe they have contributed to the increased incidents.
Posted by: Jack | 12 October 2019 at 06:44 PM
Trump is contemplating the U.S. leaving the Open Skies Treaty. Rep. Engel (D-NY) and other Democrats of the Congress are expressing 'alarm' and are opposing exiting of the Open Skies Treaty. Is this the 'Brexit' for our U.S. (pun intended). The Open Skies Treaty has been used by various Nation's Intelligence Agencies to gain a peak-see on perceived opponents current topography and items of Intelligence interests.
So what say yea?
Posted by: j | 12 October 2019 at 07:11 PM
I've thought well of Shep Smith since his coverage of post-hurricane Haiti, now a number of years ago. But I'm more interested in Fox News contributor Judge Napolitano, who flipped into the NeverTrump camp earlier this year along with fellow Libertarian Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan. Something odd is going on among Libertarians.
Posted by: Jim S | 12 October 2019 at 07:11 PM
About Southern California Burning.
Reason why the fires have been more and more frequent each year: The raining seasons have been longer and longer each time with heavy rains. The droughts have been also longer each time. And the Santa Ana wind (for Southern Cal) is too much a force of nature.
It has nothing to do with illegal immigration or camp grounds.
Posted by: TonyL | 12 October 2019 at 07:26 PM
Jack, it's true that American businesses, actually all businesses, will kiss any number of asses and endure any amount of humiliation for a crack at the Chinese market. Despite Trump's rhetoric, China is driving this train.
Certain companies seem to have the right idea. VW is making a huge push for the Chinese EV market by building factories in China. Their aiming at the US EV market by building EVs for our market in their US factory rather than in Mexico. Let's face it. VW is an international company, not a German company.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 12 October 2019 at 09:26 PM
WSJ editorial two days ago reported PG&E ( Calif electric utillity) in the past decades has spent billions on green power and electric car subsidies and skimped on routine maintenance. Also reported 90% of fires are not caused by electric lines. Eco-terrorists in this state prevent access roads which eliminated an early response once the Paradise fire was first spotted.
The irony is all this eco-stuff is just window dressing to cover up the real agenda in this state - grow government jobs, salaries, benefits and pensions for public sector unions, who in turn make sure revolving door Democrats keep winning our term-limited elections. Term limits created a power vacuum and the public sector unions swooped in and made themselves bulletproof. In just 20 years - that is why this state has gone so far off the rails.
Case in point, the California Teachers Association is the very most powerful and well funded government employee union of them all. They consume 50% of the entire state budget. Yet our K-12 schools rank #45 nationwide and are now over 65% "english learners" - substitute any ethnic identification you want for that term.
Term limits led to a public employee union take over of this state - from top to bottom. They can't admit their own greed, so they dress up other issues as their cause celebre - green agenda, social justice, criminal reform, open borders...etc.
All of which, you notice, simply feed more government jobs and more demands on our tax dollars to hire the relatives and raid the treasury - the guaranteed recipe for a third world nation.
Walked downtown today in one of their "affluent and attractive coastal cities" and it was a GD freak show - on a Saturday in a town that depends on tourism and retail sales. A GD freak show - hustlers, con-artists, grifters, on the sidewalks, blaring music, camped in entry ways of now vacant businesses.
SF and LA pushing their vagrants out means they get a bus ticket to come here. Yet the Democrats keep winning and managing the political dialogue - freezing any complaints as "cruel, heartless and privileged. So people leave rather than fight. With 50% of the state budget paid by the top 1%,
it will take only a few of the woke Silicon Valley billionaires to stop this Ponzi scheme of a state in its tracks. But they rest secure behind their walled estates and private jets. Private industry and private property ownerships who still can protect those rights are the only thing holding together the veneer of the California dream. But daily they get kicked in the teeth.
Demographics in this state have reached a tipping point. Let this be a lesson for the rest of the country. Lesson one - term limits are not the answer - lazy voters are the problem.
Posted by: Factotum | 12 October 2019 at 09:36 PM
State water was planned for 20 million people in this state. We now are staggering under 40 million - mainly recent undocumented arrivals who brought their very high birth rates with them.
Teachers unions in this state (CTA) need them to keep their classrooms filled, and teacher union dues flowing into Democrat candidates who can out-spend and out-destroy anyone who dares to run against them.
Posted by: Factotum | 12 October 2019 at 09:39 PM
Lars, your assessment of Trump is not adding up. Trump was a long time property developer, self made man well beyond any family seed money and a force of nature for years.
His reality TV show was only frosting on the cake that he had long ago baked. Trump is a showman. He sells sizzle. We know this and accept this. Much better than Barry selling the soul of this country down the river for the prior 8 years. Relax and enjoy the fun.
Posted by: Factotum | 12 October 2019 at 09:43 PM
Recent rash of small fires are very much due to vagrants camps along the RR tracks and freeways.
Don't forget the cartels illegal pot grows in our federal forest land too. They use a lot of heat and spark producing equipment miles out of reach and sight.
Vagrants will soon be declared health and safety threats, just like any communicable disease vector, which will finally take them out of the "progressive" social justice" down on their luck victim free pass.
Posted by: Factotum | 12 October 2019 at 09:47 PM
Factotum,
Of course PG&E did not conduct proper line maintenance. They were hindered by environmental regulations. Similarly the rural areas are not properly cleared of undergrowth that is highly flammable. Both contributed to the spread of the fires and their intensity. As to the unions and others relying on tax revenue for their future, they will soon run out of other people's money.
Posted by: Fred | 13 October 2019 at 12:03 AM
Of note - (1) California - (2) public pension CalPERS (the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world) and (3)China:
......."A troubling article published in Epoch Times in July 2019 exposed allegedly deep ties between the Chinese regime and the Chief Investment Officer at CalPERS, Yu Ben Meng. The article states that Meng’s position as deputy CIO at China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), which he occupied from 2015-2018, “have provoked controversy about the operations of the largest public retirement fund in the United States.”..............
Is this part of Hunter Biden's dealings with China since CalPERS is essentially an arm of the Democrat Party in this state?
The same CalPERS who turns down US gun manufacturer investments as being woke, but have no problem investing in support for the Chinese military.
Posted by: Factotum | 13 October 2019 at 02:07 AM