U.S. Jobless Claims Decline to Lowest Level Since January 1973 By Sho Chandra, Bloomberg News - March 29, 2018
U.S. filings for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to the lowest level since January 1973, further evidence that the labor market remains tight, Labor Department figures showed Thursday.
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Claims at the lowest level in 45 years underscore a persistent shortage of qualified workers that has made employers reluctant to fire staff. Applications for jobless benefits below the 300,000 tally are typically considered consistent with a healthy labor market.
Other aspects of the job market remain robust, with payrolls continuing to exceed expectations and an unemployment rate near the lowest since late 2000. Steady employment will help to sustain consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy.
Donald J. Trump, Omnibus, and the WALL By Jacque Guinan 3-28-18
Has [President] Donald J Trump “Betrayed his Base” with the signing of the Omnibus Spending Bill?
The answer to that question depends on who you listen to. If you listen to Ann Coulter, Rand Paul and many of the freedom caucus members; the apocalypse has struck and we better find a new candidate to run for 2020; because POTUS has just funded abortion, built an egregiously over-priced tunnel between NY and NJ, funded border walls in several different countries while abandoning our own, and agreed to spend our country into oblivion as he has completely capitulated to both the Democrats and the greedy neocon Republicans!
If you really look closely however at what has just happened with the signing of this bill; you will see that it is an absolutely beyond brilliant maneuver on the part of our President! Please take note that what was signed was not a budget; it was an omnibus spending bill.
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With the Executive Order passed in December of 2017; the President has declared a national human rights and corruption emergency; giving him a broad brush of authority as outlined within the EO. I believe he passed this EO in anticipation of just such a situation as this, as well as a few others.
After the passage of the Omnibus bill; POTUS initiated 2 separate letters to congress notifying them that he is invoking the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. These letters can be viewed Here and Here.
By making these declarations President Trump has just communicated that he has the authority to NOT spend any funds he doesn’t deem necessary and will return them to the US Treasury. Planned Parenthood funds? He can either slow walk them for 6 months (Omnibus expiration), or choose to simply not allocate them at all.
These declarations also make some of the funds fungible; meaning interchangeable. This means that if he determines that building the wall on the Southern border is a defense against Human Trafficking, then he can move funds from anywhere else in the DOD allocation and use them to build the wall. Congress is powerless to stop monetary reallocations on an Omnibus bill and cannot intervene or stop the DOD from taking measures under a declared emergency.
President Trump has already indicated that this may be exactly what he will do in his tweet posted days after the signing of the Omnibus bill.
By using the Army Corp of Engineers to build the wall, the labor and materials can be designated as military spending, therefore immune from any congressional or legal interference. Although we all know they will try; and with a few corrupt judges, it may ultimately end up in the Supreme Court. Once there, the case will be decided in his favor as SCOTUS will validate the presidents constitutional authority. Remember, this bill is only valid until September 30, 2018. This means that any money designated in areas of waste can simply be slow-walked for 6 months until the bill expires. In this way; the wall will be built, Planned Parenthood and all of the other wasteful appropriations in the bill get nothing and any unspent dollars go back to the US treasury.
Great article, Blake; well-written, well-researched and well-cited. Thanks for posting.
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Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2018 - 08:38 am
Interesting tweet from President Trump first thing this morning:
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Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich. Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!
-- President Donald J. Trump, 6:33 AM - Mar 25, 2018
AG Sessions Letter to House and Senate Highlights a Lengthy Review by Prosecutor John W. Huber CTH, March 29, 2018
It is important [that] anyone interested in the FBI and DOJ investigation take the time to digest the details within Attorney General Jeff Sessions notification letter to Congress outlining his previous appointment of U.S Attorney John Huber to parallel Inspector General Michael Horowitz as a prosecutor.
Do not trust the pundit filtration of content, take the time to read it yourself:
Absorbing [that] the DOJ has a long-standing criminal investigation will likely create anxiety for those committed to an irrational intolerance of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, but the substance remains evident regardless of sentiment.
The funny thing in the article about omnibus is the comments. People are still calling "bullshit" and "betrayal", even though - as the article states - P45 has proven over and over again that he is the smartest, most cunning, guy in the room.
It's like watching a pro Chess player beat amateurs.
Also, for perspective, let's keep in mind - he's a businessman first, and a President second. He'll be at 1600 PA Ave for a max of another 6.5 years or so, then back to business. Let's look at what he's doing - admittedly for our country - that will play out and help him and his empire when he's back out. He has spent a life thriving on the American Way and is in a position to help everyone else experience some of the same benefits...but in the end, he's going to benefit from all this when he's back in private sector life. He's not going to shoot "us" in the foot.
Just spoke with 8-year old Fore Putnam. He wrote a letter to President Trump asking for help for his father who needs a kidney. Coming up tonight on Eyewitness News the President’s response.
North Carolina 3-Grader asks White House for help getting sick dad a kidney. President Trump responds Mark Price, Charlotte Observer - March 29, 2018
An 8-year-old North Carolina boy who asked President Donald Trump for helped getting a donated kidney has gotten an unexpected response back from the White House, according to his family.
Fore Putnam of Burke County wants the kidney for his dad, Trae Putnam, who has been on dialysis for three years because of a rare blood disease, according to a Facebook post.
The boy asked his grandmother, Shelia Sherrill, who could help and she suggested Santa or the President. He wrote both and to the family's surprise, [President] Trump wrote back saying the White House staff is "working to see what help they can provide" his dad.
"It is clear that you care so much for him," states the letter, dated March 16. "I can tell you are a brave young man with a big heart. I admire your determination to make sure your dad has the support and resources he needs to feel better. I hope you know how much joy and encouragement you already bring him."
A family friend, Amy Elliott, posted the letter on Facebook Tuesday and Sherrill said the response has been overwhelming. Ten people have called with offers to donate a kidney, she says, including a Connecticut man who called her at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Others have donated cash for medical bills, she said.
"We were surprised the President wrote back. He's a busy man," she said, noting the boy wrote the letters at Christmas. "Fore was kind of in awe. None of us knew it would get this big."
A family friend, Amy Elliott, posted the letter on Facebook Tuesday and Sherrill said the response has been overwhelming. Ten people have called with offers to donate a kidney, she says, including a Connecticut man who called her at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Others have donated cash for medical bills, she said.
"Both of these sacred celebrations remind us that God's love redeems the world... Happy Passover, happy Easter, thank you, God bless you, and God bless America."
NEVER apologize to the left. EVER! They view that as a sign of weakness/capitulation and go for the jugular. They NEVER stop advancing. When will we learn that? And 4 Easter? Left doesn't believe in GOD or that Jesus rose from the dead for our sins. #MAGA.
Assuming that the conversations were reported accurately, the progs in this article don't have much substance to their Trump-hate. They just don't like that he won't conform to their point of view. The closest bitch to having substance is about rolling back EPA regs, without bothering to give a thought to their reasonableness.
As an aside, last night on NBC, they were pointing out that Trump wasn't tweeting about the Russkie diplomats being expelled, as if he had to meet their expectations. I just hope that more folks are realizing that not conforming to the coastal bubble expectations is the point. Meanwhile, not a syllable about the unemployment claims being the lowest since 1973 or so. Mustn't harsh the Trump-hate narrative. MAGA!!
Building Up American Infrastructure and American Workers Infrastructure & Technology Issued on: March 29, 2018
REBUILDING AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE: President Donald J. Trump is in Ohio to discuss his proposal for rebuilding infrastructure in America.
Today, President Trump is speaking with Ohio workers about how his infrastructure proposal will help rebuild and modernize America’s infrastructure and build a stronger American workforce for the future.
The President’s proposal includes $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investments across America.
- $100 billion will be directed to an Incentives Program to generate additional investment from States, localities, and the private sector.
- $50 billion will be devoted to rebuilding and modernizing rural infrastructure.
- $20 billion will go to promoting bold, transformative infrastructure projects.
- $20 billion will go to expanding infrastructure financing programs.
- $10 billion will go to a capital revolving fund to help reduce inefficient Federal property leasing that would be more cost-effective to purchase.
President Trump’s proposal will return infrastructure decision-making to States and localities, allowing them to invest in the specific needs of their communities.
The proposal will get Washington out of the way of needed infrastructure improvements by eliminating regulatory barriers and streamlining permitting processes.
- A “one agency, one decision” structure will be established for environmental reviews and the process will be shortened to two years.
- More flexibility will be given to projects that have minimal Federal funding but currently must seek Federal review and approval.
Fb - thanks for that. Just watched the whole thing and I've got to say, this is the FIRST time in my 63 years I've been proud of who I voted for... a year later.
Pity she seems unwilling to engage in dialogue. Cowardice or incapacity? I console myself with the thought that our kindness may offer a relief that avoids her slaughter of innocents.
Governor Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown pardoned 5 criminal illegal aliens whose crimes include (1) Kidnapping and Robbery (2) Badly beating wife and threatening a crime with intent to terrorize (3) Dealing drugs. Is this really what the great people of California want? @FoxNews
-- President Donald J. Trump, 8:53 AM - Mar 31, 2018