coorslite21

Like it or not, it is fair to say that Trump outworked HRC to win the Office. He was also smarter. The people who elected him also had a greater passion and commitment in working for his election These "Swamp Drainer Advocates" today still stand taller than the opponents.... Obama was at a fundraiser this week.....it is an interesting read.........but those he was addressing won't do anything but give money.........they just don't have enough passion or commitment.... Mike Moore is thinking much like Obama....encouraging the left to get off their asses.... https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/29/politics/obama-democrats-fundraiser/index.html Back to Trump....and the passion those who believe in him have....... The night before the election Trump was flying here, there, and everywhere.......he wanted a last stop in Grand Rapids Michigan........but wasn't sure when he would get there....... A call was made to one of his passionate "Swamp Draining Believers"........ Ted........I have a favor........I'll be stopping in GR sometime tonight.........could you drive over and keep the crowd there until I get there.....?? Glad to do it Donald.......I'll take care of it until you get there........ I just don't see people on the left with the kind of passion and commitment that those backing Trump have.........if you know of some that have that passion for the left.......please share... And this is how it went down...........

Never heard of him.....I also saw where a goat herder in Iowa said much the same thing.....this is only news for those who try to make it news..JMO......CL

???.....think you need to wait till after the 30th....

Iraq completely confuses me........for a country that is always late........now this states they are a day early......Really?? Zana Said, Wednesday, that the quorum of the session of parliament on Thursday and on the vote on the fourth amendment to the law of the House of Representatives, has been completed, So they held the election.....supposedly Sadr got the largest block........then they talk recount and the courts agree.......then where the paper ballots are held burns down........bye bye recount........but wait.....didn't we hear, and see, in the articles that Iraq was electronic in the voting process??.........well ahead of many countries in procedure to help prevent corruption?? Does anyone really think they will meet the July 1 deadline for a new Govt....?? It still seems very unclear to me that Abadi will remain in his position.........I recall 4 years ago when Abadi replaced Malaki that many thought there would be a change in IQD value within a week of that event........guess not.... So much to sort out.........don't get your hopes up too much.........it is Iraq after all.......CL

Still thinking 10 cents?

Just imagine how it would be to live in the district that elected her...........messed up!!!

This whole thread outlines your thoughts well..............the financial aspects of the world are well on their way to shifting from the west to the east.....PetroYuan........Yuan being added to the SDR basket.....AIIB, BRICS.........the process is well underway...........CL This is one of the most informative threads on DV.......thanks to those who have added.......and kept it going.....

Thanks for your post and thoughts..........always worth the read.....!!!! CL

I enjoy looking at other "like events".........current, or in past history.......to help me understand what might happen in the future....... Since 2010 Brasil has been draining their swamp........so much corruption..... And it all started when some simple investigations led it down the rabbit hole......... Coming soon to the US?.........we can only hope........ Research this if you want......here are a couple of articles..... http://harvardpolitics.com/world/cleaning-up-the-brazilian-judiciary-roots-out-corruption/ Cleaning Up: The Brazilian Judiciary Roots Out Corruption By Vanessa Ruales | March 24, 2018 In 2002, there was an air of excitement in Brazil as the Workers’ Party (PT) came into power. The new party, led by its exceptionally charismatic leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, promised unparalleled change to the political establishment, among them reforms aimed at stamping out the country’s age-old problem of corruption. Now, the Workers’ Party—and Lula himself—is ironically decimated by its own graft: the Odebrecht scandal. Odebrecht, Latin America’s largest construction firm, was one of various companies that paid millions of dollars in bribes to Brazilian officials in exchange for contracts with Petrobras, Brazil’s state-controlled oil firm. The investigation in response to the scandal, Operation Lava Jato, uncovered the systemic graft of the country’s most powerful executives and politicians. The investigation marks a momentous change in Latin America: governments have finally been forced to answer to corruption allegations at the highest levels of government and business, breaking a long tradition of the public’s tacit acceptance of corruption as simply the way the government works. What led to this avalanche of governmental accountability in Brazil? What accounts for the sudden successful prosecution of so many figures in government and business? The answer lies within the unexpected but powerful force of the judicial reforms the PT made during its 13-year rule. These anti-corruption reforms have not only made corrupt leaders suffer the consequence of their actions, but have also begun the process of creating a culture among the populace of an intolerance towards corruption. Brazil’s Jeitinho Culture Brazilians have long been accustomed to a government riddled by corruption. In fact, Brazil’s judiciary has been plagued by a tacit cultural acceptance of corruption as a necessary evil. This belief is so deeply entrenched in Brazilian society that there is even a term for it: the jeitinho brasileiro, or the Brazilian way. The justification for this acceptance? A common expression among Brazilians regarding their public officials explains it simply—Rouba mas faz—The Brazilian politician steals, but gets things done. Consequently, instead of serving as a check on the power of Congress and the Executive, the judiciary was nothing more than a tool for Brazilian politicians. Lula da Silva during his first presidential term, December 2002. Prior to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration, the legal process was known for its misconduct and lack of political independence. The government deliberately overwhelmed courts with time-consuming, inconsequential cases. Because the 1988 Constitution granted citizens a seemingly endless right to appeal decisions, small cases languished in the system for years. The government often took advantage of this fact to avoid paying its debts. Similarly, instances of corruption by judges were also common; some judges were known to have sold more lenient sentences to convicted criminals. Therefore, Lava Jato took the world by surprise when the investigation exposed a legal system tremendously effective at rooting out corruption. The Story of Lava Jato While the Lava Jato investigation originally began as a simple money laundering operation, the investigation soon uncovered evidence of corruption in the Brazilian government. In February 2014, investigators were led to Posto da Torre, a popular gas station in the heart of Brasilia during an operation inspecting doleiros, or money launderers. There, the police unexpectedly found a currency exchange and money wiring machine in the gas station that allowed executives from Petrobras, Brazil’s state oil company, to steal company money and move it to overseas accounts. These doleirosworked for Paulo Roberto Costa, a Petrobras executive who became the principal link to exposing dishonest public officials. He revealed to investigators that he and other Petrobras executives had routinely overpaid and provided extremely profitable terms to companies they hired for various contracts, such as the building of oil refineries. These companies would, in return, pay one to five percent of each deal back to Petrobras executives, amounting to about $3 billion in bribes. Ultimately, the Lava Jato investigation not only implicated minor local officials, but even prominent figures in the national government. When whistleblower Delcídio do Amaral, leader of the Workers’ Party in the Senate, was jailed on corruption charges, , do Amaral immediately turned on other politicians, providing to the police a testimony that implicated 74 minor officials. . Within his testimony, do Amaral provided evidence that implicated corrupt politicians from all parties, flagrantly demonstrating to the Brazilian public and the world the extent of graft in the government. Most surprisingly of all, he contributed the accusations that placed scrutiny upon former President Lula da Silva and his hand-picked successor, then-President Dilma Rousseff. The National Congress of Brazil This corruption investigation entangled not only Brazil’s leading domestic politicians, but also powerful officials abroad with the discovery of Odebrecht’s involvement. Probes into these cases revealed that, in the same way, the company paid bribes to officials all over Latin America to secure lucrative construction contracts. Consequently, the Odebrecht scandal rocked the world with a staggering $800 million in payoffs, and $7 billion in settlements. Reforms Under Lula Begin Fight Against Jeitinho Although Lula ran on a campaign of anti-corruption, numerous instances of graft in his administration prompted widespread protests; in response, Lula enacted a set of anti-corruption measures that later proved to be crucial in the Lava Jato investigation. The most important of these changes was to provide more power and more resources to federal police and prosecutors, according to Jonathan Watts, Latin American correspondent from The Guardian. In a recent interview, Watts told the HPR that “The key step was in allowing public prosecutors to vote for the attorney general.” Consequently, the ability for prosecutors to choose their own attorney general led to the appointment of Rodrigo Janot, who was ruthless in his prosecution of corruption. Not only did Janot keep the Lava Jato investigation running despite major backlash from politicians left and right, but he also maintained the rule of law when he charged Lula and Rousseff with corruption, even though Rousseff had appointed him four years prior. In addition to this change in electing the attorney general, Lula also enacted a set of laws fighting anti-corruption that profoundly improved courts’ efficiency, enabling them to process more corruption cases. Among these statutes were Law 11417, which allowed the Supreme Court to judge cases based on stare decisis, the legal principle which allows previous decisions made in similar cases to stand. This in turn allowed for the reduction of the Supreme Court’s massive caseload. The Court’s more than 11,000 judges were thus able to focus more resources on trying anti-corruption cases. Thee changes symbolized a crucial step in strengthening the judiciary and eventually weakening jeitinho culture. Lawmakers Unintentionally Root Out Corruption When Brazilians saw that the Workers’ Party government had enacted legislation in response to their original demands, the public took to the streets again in 2013. More than a million protested the government’s corruption as well as excess spending and an increasing scarcity of government services, which was caused by a deep economic downturn and made worse by preparations for the impending World Cup and Olympics. After witnessing the satiating effect of anti-corruption legislation in Lula’s administration and whilst feeling the pressures of economic malaise, Rousseff enacted four anti-corruption laws: the 2011 procurement reforms, 2011 freedom of information law, 2013 Clean Company Act, and, most importantly, the 2013 organized crime bill. Andrew Spalding, professor of law at the University of Richmond (UR) School of Law and head of U.R.’s Olympic Anti-Corruption Research Team, discussed Lula’s legal reforms with the HPR. “The organized crime bill is by far the most important of the four major legal reforms in blowing open the Odebrecht bribery scandal. This is underappreciated, even among Brazilian lawyers.” What lawyers and lawmakers did not appreciate, Spalding explained, was the twoprincipal provisions of the bill: obstruction of justice charges and extended leniency agreements. The former referred to the stipulation that those who were charged with obstruction of justice were subject to the same punishment as if they had been accomplice to the crime or had committed the crime themselves. The latter referred to the greater ability of judges to grant plea bargains, or a reduction in a criminal’s sentence in exchange for providing information to the police that could aid them in arresting a more heinous criminal. Prior to the bill, judges could only reduce a sentence by two-thirds, but now had the authority of going as far as dropping charges. Without the combination of these laws, the organized crime bill, and the reforms made under the Lula administration, Lava Jato could not have occurred. Freed up from trivial cases and an independent Attorney General, judges like Judge Sergio Moro took harsh stands on corruption, refusing bail from the arrested elite. This measure was enough to convince Nestor Cerveró, the Petrobras executive, to talk to the police about a plea deal and to provide the further evidence necessary to untangle the web of corruption. By spring of 2017, plea bargains implemented by the organized crime bill implicated 77 involved individuals. Furthermore, the obstruction of justice charge allowed for an added pressure on defendants, as they not only faced their own charges of obstruction of justice, bribery, and other crimes, but also implicated their families in the process. Brazilian federal judge Sergio Moro. Consequently, what started as a routine money laundering investigation led to billions of dollars in settlements for companies involved, brought executives like Marcelo Odebrecht to justice, investigated graft in more than 100 powerful politicians, and scrutinized even the makers of the reforms, Lula and Rousseff. The sentencing and impeachment of these two figures, although controversial, signals that Brazil’s judiciary has made great strides in effectively fighting corruption. The Future of Corruption in Brazil Although these reforms appear to have reduced corruption in Brazil, the current presidency of Michel Temer, an outspoken advocate of dismantling Lava Jato and the leader of Brazil’s most corrupt party, the PMDB, has led to concerns about the efficacy of these reforms. Temer has been charged with racketeering and obstruction of justice, funneling federal money to key officials that could help him avoid a conviction. However, Brazil’s judiciary may still prove to be resilient in the face of such challenges. Latin America expert and professor of government at Harvard University, Steven Levitsky, explained, “for a long time, Brazil’s judiciary has grown more independent, more sophisticated for decades.” Given this fact, and Brazil’s increasing economic development (thus creating a society more demanding of democracy), it is likely that this slow change will continue regardless of Temer’s presidency. The idea of the resilient strength of Brazil’s judiciary is especially pertinent considering the upcoming presidential elections. As of January 2018, recently convicted ex-president Lula da Silva is the lead candidate at 35 percent, according to Reuters, while the Trump-like right-wing dark horse candidate Jair Bolsonaro is in second place. In a country where the two leading presidential candidates have either been convicted of corruption or criticized for charges of racism and sexism, Brazil’s political future appears to be bleak. However, Levitsky’s analysis of the Brazilian people’s predicament provides hope: the judiciary system has strengthened for so long that it has changed Brazilians’ expectations of their leaders. Their probable choice of Lula as their next president is not a reflection of the continued approval of the jeitinho, but a reflection of the fact that the system is so corrupt that it is difficult to find a clean and capable candidate. Consequently, it will take time for the system to change along with this judicial and cultural shift. While Bolsonaro’s candidacy is worrisome and likely indicates growing political and economic discontent, the results of Lava Jato are clear. The people have changed their expectations and will continue to demand a clean government, thus slowly continuing to strengthen Brazil’s jewel: its judiciary. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Cayambe // Wikimedia Commons/ Agência Brasil// Wikimedia Commons/ Dpc01// Wikimedia Commons/ JardelW ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ for more......click link below https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/14/world/americas/brazil-lula-da-silva.html

Things in life are ever evolving.......it's not a matter of if things change.........just when.......... http://listverse.com/2018/06/18/10-ways-life-will-change-if-china-becomes-the-worlds-superpower/ OUR WORLD 10 Ways Life Will Change If China Becomes The World’s Superpower MARK OLIVER JUNE 18, 2018 China is determined to become the world’s next superpower. They already have plans in motion to make it happen, and Chinese president Xi Jinping has publicly declared that he wants China to be leading the world by 2050. If China gets their way, we’re going to see our world completely change—possibly even within our lifetimes. America’s influence will wane, and for the first time in history, the world’s greatest power will be the People’s Republic of China. We don’t have to speculate about what that world’s going to be like. Chinahas made it clear how they want to reshape the world in their image and what a world would look like with the People’s Republic of China in charge. 10Africa Will Become A Greater World Power Photo credit: The Brookings Institution China’s rise won’t just be good for China. The whole balance of power is going to change—and one of the biggest differences is going to be a whole lot more power in Africa. Not many people realize just how big of a role China is already playing in Africa. China is currently the biggest source of African aid in the world. They’ve invested billions of dollars into the continent, and they’re only planning on spending more. By 2025, they’re projected to have sent Africa $1 trillion.[1] Western countries have too many moral qualms to invest that much money in a land where so many countries are led by dictators. American money tends to come with demands for political reform or the ends of atrocities—or, depending on who the president is, just gets cut altogether. But China doesn’t care what Africa does. They’ve happily given money to the worst African tyrants, so long as it’s profitable for them, which it usually is. China says they get a sixfold return on every dollar they invest in Africa. Africa has already set itself up as one of China’s closest trade partners, and, in exchange, China has lobbied to get more African states in the UN, which means that as China rises, Africa’s going to climb up with it. And since they’ll be allowed to do things their own way, we won’t just see a world under Chinese influence. We’ll start to see a world under African influence, as well. 9The United States Will Slump Into A Depression The United States is going to be hit hard when they lose their place as the world’s superpower. They won’t just quietly slip down into second place—they’re going plummet down into a massive economic depression. Right now, America is in a great place because its currency is used for almost all international trade. The US dollar is treated like the new gold standard, and that’s keeping the American economy relatively stable. But China is fully intent on putting an end to America’s cushy position. They have publicly declared their plan to have the Chinese yuan to replace the US dollar as the standard for international trade, and if they pull it off, America’s going to get hit hard.[2] The second that the dollar loses its spot as the currency of international trade, the United States will plummet into a depression. The US will, almost overnight, lose two percent of its economic output. Import prices will skyrocket, export prices will plummet, and countless people will lose their jobs. After all that, the US just might be begging Africa for aid. 8World Policing Will Come To An End Photo credit: Technical Sergeant John L. Houghton, Jr., US Air Force Despite some people’s paranoia, China probably won’t use its newfound power to take over the world and force everyone to be communist. If their deals with Africa are any indication, China’s going to work with a very gentle hand.[3] China has an official policy of noninterference with African governments. While the US has a history of sweeping into undeveloped countries and taking out dictators, China, as a rule, leaves them alone. They even invested money in countries like Sudan and Zimbabwe at the height of their human rights crimes, working off the principle that isn’t their job to police other governments. That’s going to be a pretty major difference from the US. The US military is no longer meant to just protect America—it’s considered the main defense of all of Europe as well, not to mention almost every democratic nation in the world. But China doesn’t care about democracy. And if their military starts to outpower America’s, we might just see an end to the era of soldiers swarming into underdeveloped countries. 7University Teachers Will Have To Teach State-Approved Lessons China might not bomb less developed countries into submission, but that doesn’t mean they won’t try to influence how the world thinks. They just prefer to do it through what they like to call “soft power.” Part of that is done through schools. China is already trying to lure as many students as they can into their universities. They’ve already drawn in more African students than the US and UK combined, and they specifically target aspiring politicians. In Chinese schools, teachers are specifically instructed to teach state-approved ideas, especially pushing Chinese and communist ideals.[4] As China becomes the world’s superpower, there’s every reason to believe that they’ll keep that up—but that now they’ll have the influence to lure in the politicians of the future from every part of the world. But it doesn’t stop there. China has already started influencing schools in other countries, too. They’ve set up their state-controlled Confucius Institutes in 1,500 different schools across 140 countries. These schools have Chinese teachers who are specifically instructed to support the “China model of development” and “correct” Western misconceptions in their classes. This means that, when they have enough power, college isn’t just going to change in China. You’ll be learning Chinese state-approved lessons in every university around the world. 6History Will Be Forcibly Rewritten The Communist Party of China has very publicly declared its intention to rewrite history. In a speech, President Xi Jinping told his country that he was working to improve “international communication” so that they could “present a true, multi-dimensional, and panoramic view of China.”[5] That might sound like a lot of fluff, but other documents from the People’s Republic show exactly what that means. China is determined to rewrite what they consider “Western misconceptions” of history—or, in other words, to replace the world’s perception of history with theirs. One of the bullet points on their agenda is to change our concept of Chairman Mao and to get the world to accept him as a wise, influential leader. They want to break down the perception that the rise of communism in China brought problems and make it seem gentler. And they want to get rid of the idea that the Tiananmen Square Massacre was an injustice. 5Europe Will Slump After thousands of years with Europe on top of the world, we’re finally starting to see their power plummet. Since 2000, the power of European countries has waned like never before, all while Asia has been on a steady rise. Meanwhile, China has been cementing their partnerships with the countries of Asia and Africa—which could mean that the whole center of the world’s power might just be about to shift over to the Eastern Hemisphere. It’s already changing Europe. A lot of European countries have responded to their declining influence by trying to reimagine the continent as a united power in an effort to get their strengths up.[6] But if China takes over as the world’s superpower, we can expect North America and Europe to become a lot less important than their allies in the East. Europeans are going to see their wages plummet and their luxuries vanish as Asia and Africa boom forward. 4Mainstream Movies Will All Be State-Approved Propaganda A night at the movies, when China is in power, is going to be like a night at the Chinese propaganda ministry. China has been blunt about their goals. They want the movies in theaters to—as Xi Jinping put it—“extol our Party, our country, our people, and our heroes” and to make sure China is portrayed “as a civilized place featuring a rich history, with good government and a developed economy.”[7] The Chinese state has started their own film production company to try to get those movies out there. They’re already working on making their own movies—they recently got Matt Damon, for example, to star in their film The Great Wall. And they’ve already managed to get other countries to rewrite their moviesto appease them. The villain in Red Dawn (the 2012 version) was changed from China to North Korea, while Looper was set in a futuristic China. China flatly rejects the idea that art shouldn’t be controlled by the state—and if they keep growing in power, they’re going to get their way. Every mainstream movie you see, no matter where it was made, will have been run by the propaganda department and tweaked until it got the state’s seal of approval. 3Japan Will Be Cut Out Of International Society “No country feels China’s rise more deeply than Japan,” according to Sheila A. Smith of the Council on Foreign Relations. China’s pathway to power means more to Japan than any other country. When China rises to the top, Japan is either going to have to submit to their will or get cut out. China still hasn’t forgiven Japan for the atrocities they committed during World War II, partly because Japan has never fully apologized for them. Japanese atrocities still play a major role in Chinese propaganda, with the state making sure that their citizens never forget that the Japanese are their enemies.[8] So far, Japan hasn’t shown any signs of backing down in their many disputes with China. But if they don’t give China what they want, they’re going to have a hard time when China takes over. China has already tried to get Japan’s role in the UN weakened, with their state-controlled news agency, Xinhua, once writing that the country will need to change “its attitude towards history [ . . . ] if Japan wants to play a bigger role in the UN.” Once China is in power, they won’t have to make threats. They’ll just be able to cut Japan out altogether. 2Taiwan Will Be Invaded There’s no possible way that China’s rise to power is going to end with an independent Taiwan. China has been unequivocal in their demands that Taiwan return to their control, with Xi Jinping once saying that he would never allow “any individual, any organization, any political party, at any time or by any means, to split any single piece of the Chinese territory.” If Taiwan doesn’t come willingly, China has made it obvious that they’re willing to take the country by force as soon as they get an excuse. A minister at the Chinese embassy in Washington made this clear, saying: “The day a US Navy vessel arrives in Kaohsiung is the day that our People’s Liberation Army unifies Taiwan with military force.”[9] China has strongly hinted that they’ll go to war if Taiwan tries to declare independence, as well, regardless of whether or anyone takes their side. The only thing stopping them from doing it now is that they wouldn’t be able to survive the seemingly inevitable fight against the US. But if China becomes the world’s superpower, the only hope Taiwan will have will be to give up peacefully. 1China And The United States May Go To War China has boasted that it’s enjoying what it calls a “peaceful rise”—but it’s unlikely it’ll stay that way. Few global powers have ever passed on the torch without a violent conflict, and there’s little reason to think that the US and China will break the mold. China’s getting ready for it. One of Xi Jinping’s goals for 2050 is to build a world-class military that, in his words, “can fight and win”—even against the United States of America. So far, though, it doesn’t seem like the US is just going to take China’s rise lying down. The two countries have been locked in an aggressive back-and-forth of political spats, tariffs, and struggles to keep each other in check.[10] There’s every reason to think that this will all build to a new Cold War—or, if things really go sour, a brutal, violent conflict that will only leave one superpower standing.

Perhaps B/A is attempting to be the "Juan" of DV..........wonder is he/she has a blue couch???

Iraq was a mess before the US got involved........so what has changed?? They now have a more dysfunctional Govt.........guess they learned some of that from the US......... and.......the Media is all over the place.........all that fake news.......again, they have learned from the best....... Who knows what's really true..... JMO.........CL

The simple question here is...........the meeting that Trump just had..........is it a positive or a negative? Certainly this potential path is better than the alternative........don't you agree?? None of us know where it will lead in the future..............but for me I am cautiously optimistic......just my nature..... Sure would be an awesome thing if they actually de-nuke Korea..........JMO........CL

I agree.....if true Iraq just can't seem to get out of their own way.......The Baghdad Post, posted on this 2 weeks ago and I posted questioning if they were a legit media source.......or like the US NYTimes and WAPO.........if this pans out.....guess they are legit..... I know some of the poo-roo's are saying Abadi is in office and can push the button right up till July 1st..........to help cement his legacy.......... So does anyone really think the PTB would allow this to happen if Iran is involved in this process at all ? Any thoughts??........................CL

Yep....the red ruby bandit....ya can't fix stupid.....just someone looking to be banned soon....only their loss....CL

Yes this is a FOX summary........but the MSM only puts bits and pieces out there........this is a pretty complete summary........Swamp creatures left and right......beware....!! http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/06/13/attacking-trump-is-now-losing-strategy-in-both-parties-thats-real-takeaway-from-tuesdays-primaries.html Attacking Trump is now a losing strategy in BOTH parties -- That's the real takeaway from Tuesday's primaries By Douglas E. Schoen | Fox News Facebook (FNC) Tuesday’s primaries in Virginia, North Dakota, Nevada, South Carolina, and Maine indicated that in many congressional races, vehemently attacking President Trump will not be a winning strategy for either Democrats or Republicans in the Nov. 6 general election. As we’ve seen in earlier primaries this year, it was clear Tuesday that while strongly resisting President Trump is certainly damaging to Democrats, doing so is nothing short of catastrophic for Republicans. GOP voters in several races showed once again that they are rejecting lawmakers who decisively break with the president. Instead of building their campaigns on being anti-Trump, candidates in both parties would be wise to develop compelling moderate policy alternatives and a unifying message that can appeal to centrist and independent voters. The most prominent Trump critic to go down to defeat in the Tuesday primaries was Republican Rep. Mark Sanford in South Carolina’s 1st District. Sanford lost his GOP primary for another term in the House to state Rep. Katie Arrington, a strong supporter and defender of the president. President Trump endorsed Arrington in a tweet just three hours before the polls closed, while at the same time offering harsh criticism of Sanford, a former governor who resigned after admitting an extramarital affair with a woman in Argentina. The president’s tweet attacking Sanford said that “He is better off in Argentina.” It is worth noting that though backing President Trump helped a number of Republican candidates in Tuesday’s primaries, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s past endorsement of President Trump was not enough to help him break the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff later this month. Tuesday’s results were arguably encouraging for Democrats in several races, especially in Virginia, where a number of promising Democratic candidates secured their party’s nominations. In Virginia's 10th Congressional District in the northern point of the commonwealth, moderate Democrat Jennifer Wexton coasted to victory in her primary race and will now face Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock in November. Given that Comstock’s seat is one of the more vulnerable Republican-held seats nationwide, Wexton’s victory is a particular bright spot for Democrats looking ahead to the general election. Wexton is a moderate, anti-resistance Democrat who certainly has broad appeal and a strong opportunity to defeat Comstock in November, despite the district’s historically Republican voting record. In Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the Tidewater region along the Atlantic Coast, Democrat Elaine Luria, a former Navy commander and small business owner, won the Democratic primary. Luria will face incumbent Republican Rep. Scott Taylor, who is also a veteran, in the general election. Luria has received support from Democrats nationwide as the party has focused on this particular district as a top target in its effort to regain control of the House. Luria’s credentials as an accomplished veteran and her moderate policy views underpin her strong positioning heading toward November. Additionally, former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger won the Democratic primary for Virginia's 7th Congressional District, which is another key district Democrats are targeting to flip. It is certainly notable that the winners of these three congressional races in Virginia – Wexton, Luria, and Spanberger – are all women. This is especially significant for Democrats heading into November, as the presence of strong, moderate female candidates – all positioned differently than the insurgent resistance movement – may serve to revitalize the blue wave that Democrats hope comes to fruition. If Democrats stand any chance at taking back congressional seats in November while likewise holding onto vulnerable congressional seats currently held by their own party, it is necessary that the party’s message emphasizes centrism and unity. This will be especially important as Democrats attempt to flip Republican Sen. Dean Heller’s seat in Nevada and retain Democratic incumbent Sen. Heidi Heitkamp’s seat in North Dakota. Democrat Jacky Rosen will take on Heller in what will certainly be one of the most closely analyzed Senate elections in November. Democrats know that defeating Heller, in a state Hillarious Clinton won in 2016, is essential if they stand any chance at taking back the Senate or stemming potential Republican gains. In North Dakota, a state that Donald Trump carried by nearly 36 points in 2016, Rep. Kevin Cramer won the Republican nomination for Senate to challenge Heitkamp. Candidates in both parties on the ballot in November need to remember that voters want to know not just what the candidates oppose, but what they are for. Simply complaining about President Trump without giving voters a compelling reason to support them will be a losing strategy.

I ran across these items while reading thru a thread started on the VND by MIT....... You may agree.......or not.....just another OKIE.........or a creation of Rekraps to keep people following the carrot....... And then they go away in a huff........indignant...........Happy Trails Ash-Hole........ Dr. Clarke Tuesday Update 8/9/2016 DR. CLARKE: Vietnam is busy and the government is giving a subtle time frame, as to when they plan to start moving the rates. Read this article, but especially the comments we posted here below, directly from the article, regarding Forex: "Central Bank of Vietnam Sets Key Monetary Policies by Year End" From the article as quoted, read SPECIFICALLY THE FOREX COMMENTS: "The SBV (State Bank of Vietnam) affirmed to keep maintaining stable interest rate, liquidity, and forex market. Regarding the forex market, the SBV will continue to keep foreign exchange reserves at a high level and flexibly adjust the exchange rate in line with the market movements; stand ready to respond to rapid and sudden situations, keep a close watch on the forex market, and strive for fulfillment of macro-economic norms." Folks, they're going to start moving the rate upwards soon. They MAY begin a significant move upward, as early as Aug. 26-28th. We feel though, that some further movements will occur in September, but even greater movement through last week of Oct. 24th, and the highest peak rates, by the last week of November. Vietnam has a completely different agenda, plan and time schedule than Iraq - and it's tied to the movement of the Chinese Yuan. No matter how you slice it, or when you exchange, Everyone Wins! They're waiting for the official last "Go" from the bosses......but, it's already been decided - as indicated by this article. Complete Article from The Voice of Vietnam (8-8-16): http://english.vov.vn/economy/central-bank-of-vietnam-sets-key-monetary-policies-by-year-end-327504.vov  and....... 11-10-2017 Intel Guru Dr. Clarke ...we knew that the hammer was coming down on Kurdistan & Barzani...and this was BIG BIG BIG! ...WHY? It was EVERYTHING! Because...YOUR INVESTMENT IN IRAQ, IS AN INVESTMENT IN O - I - L. Without OIL, you have NO INVESTMENT, folks! NO MONEY! This is where your MONEY is coming from. ALL OF IT! PERIOD! Folks, KURDISTAN = OIL = BIG MONEY...It’s Iraq’s BIG JACKPOT...IRAQ is now Complete...so to Speak...we believe that Iraq and Vietnam, are further along, and closer to, substantially increasing the value of their currency, than ever before. So close, in fact, that we Believe and Expect Iraq, to Substantially increase the value of their Dinar, Publicly & Officially, sometime between November 17th and December 1, 2017. We particularly like the dates of Nov. 18, 19, 20, 21, 25th, 29th. We also believe and expect, that the most beneficial dates of Exchange, will be within the First 21 days of December. 11-10-2017 Intel Guru Dr. Clarke ...but we will say, that over the past 22 months and 10 days that we’ve been here, that exact “Time”, has changed at the last minute...just 3 different times...and you see, the Dong is just riding along on the coat-tails of the Iraqi Dinar, meaning that at some point AFTER the Dinar moves, the Dong will move. What’s kept these 2 currencies from substantially increasing over the past, nearly 2 years? REGIONAL SAFETY & STABILITY…But ONE significant fact that you should know, is that OIL prices were dropped in 2014-15 so low, to intentionally bankrupt ISIS, for it was their #1 source of Income...and all MAJOR NATIONS agreed to it - to take the hit for as long as it took, to choke them off financially, thus allowing a collapse. Now, that’s why you see OIL coming back, and it will continue to raise...this is a BIG FACTOR...NOW, they see the opportunity to finally begin making that money back, which they lost over the past 3 years...in Many different ways. 11-10-2017 Intel Guru Dr. Clarke Over the years, there has been more than 1 Plan, to substantially increase the value of Iraq’s currency, as well as Vietnam’s currency. We only talk about the Dinar & the Dong, because these are the only 2 currencies, we have interest in. We believe that all other currencies for now, are simply “Not a good investment”, too speculative, not timed right, and fraught with too many disqualifying factors, for substantial increase, anytime soon, if EVER. We have NO strong evidence to the contrary. However, the Iraq Dinar and the Vietnam Dong is different. We believe that BOTH of these, are a VERY GOOD Gamble, and we don’t see that changing. All of you that say, “Nobody knows the timing”, would be Wrong. There ARE those that know EXACTLY when these 2 currencies will increase substantially. They know the Day and the Rates. Make No Mistake... 

I have to say ths NOKO event sure has been interesting. The MSM and the left have missed it all completely once again.... My favorite quote from Trump was......"this proves that things don't have to be the way they have always been..........change is possible".......... The talking heads were saying he was unprepared......that you had to have at least a year of high level meetings to put something together......BS You need the will and the desire to do so from 2 countries, and 2 leaders, willing to take a chance..... Trump learned of that desire NOKO and KIM had from Dennis Rodman........ yes....he played a role in getting this started......... This all has been in the works since Trump took office.......and prior to The "Summit".....Trump and Kim had talked on the phone numerous times.......Trump knew the outcome before he arrived... And I'll state again........a good first step...........let's see where it goes..... But why wouldn't Kim want to switch things up....he is Swiss educated and has seen the life style difference in the west.....with the US as an ally, SK has prospered....NOKO with the only ally being China is dismaul.......why follow that path.....why not become the next SK......or Japan, or Germany.......all former waring nations to the US, that lost.....and the US help build up...... Trump seems to be one step ahead of the Press and the left most of the time. With his crazy tweeting and terse comments they are never sure where he's going.......perhaps its all by design.....after all..... ......"this proves that things don't have to be the way they have always been"......and that's how Trump got elected...... CL

I haven't read all 9 pages of the thread..........MIT initially asked about a return on her purchase of 1 million VND at $54 USD... If there was a revaluation to .02 cents USD that 1 million VND would be valued at $20,000 USD...... Of course there would be taxes and a spread on the exchange..... There are differences in VN and Iraq...........VN has an internationally recognized currency and they are a sovereign nation......Iraq does not, is not. Both countries, prior to the US getting involved in their lives had much higher exchange rates to the USD........VN was $2.00 plus.......Iraq $3.00 plus.........theoretically both counties could qualify for an RI......Reinstatement of those previous rates. Iraq has oil........VN has become a vibrant manufacturing country.......the info I have says the 6th largest in the world today. Iraq is trying to follow the old Saudi blue print.....to get rolling anyhow....oil, oil, oil...........VN follows the Chinese Manufacturing blueprint......manufacturing while keeping exchange rates low......giving them, like China an advantage in trade. Might the VND be a good bet in your currency speculation investing equation??..........that's for you to decide.......CL

Seems there has been a good start to the process.......it wasn't the disaster that the MSM was predicting.....perhaps even hoping for......... Just waiting for the MSM spin on how all this was a bad thing..........we'll see????

A good start...........

Trumps thoughts on Italy.......... 6:25 p.m. President Donald Trump says Italy’s new premier is a “really great guy” who will do a “great job” for his country. Trump tweeted Saturday that he’ll soon honor Giuseppe Conte at the White House. Conte made his international debut at the Group of Seven summit of leading industrialized nations that wrapped up Saturday in Canada. Trump met Conte for the first time at the gathering in Quebec. The president tweeted as he flew from Canada to Singapore for the next big meeting on his schedule, a summit Tuesday with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Trump added that “the people of Italy got it right!” and I'm sure Trump understands the immigration stance Conte is taking......... Perhaps Italy has the next Trump........."Make Italy Great Again"..........time will tell.........great country, great people........Italy deserves to be in a better place than they are today.........JMO CL

Depends how far they have to ride their Camels to get to the counting sites......

It is a real shame that Soros has been allowed to do all he has done....and to have had the Influence he has enjoyed. His day is near....problem is. There will just be another jackwagon that steps up......JMO.......CL