Trade in goods deficit with China down 10 percent first half of 2019, or $18.8 billion:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/08/trade-in-goods-deficit-with-china-down-10-percent-first-half-of-2019-or-18-8-billion/

The U.S. trade in goods deficit with China is down 10 percent in the first six months of 2019, or $18.8 billion, compared to 2018, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. And that’s with the first tranche of tariffs by President Donald Trump that was in place until May. Then, Trump raised the tariff to 25 percent for the $250 billion of goods and in July he added another 10 percent tariff on the remaining $300 billion of goods. If it hurts bad enough, it might be able to force China to the table, but with China’s devaluation of the yuan, the Fed has to get the dollar right and not let it get too strong or it could undermine everything the administration is hoping to achieve. What do you think?

Want to stop China from manipulating the yuan and the dollar? Bar it from buying treasuries, Mr. President:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/08/want-to-stop-china-from-manipulating-the-yuan-and-the-dollar-bar-it-from-buying-treasuries-mr-president/

Now that the U.S. Treasury has labeled China a currency manipulator, President Donald Trump should consider barring it from purchasing any more treasuries as a penalty. After all, China needs to keep buying treasuries to exert its trade advantage and keep the yuan weak to boost its exports. Without treasuries to fall back on, the yuan could appreciate vis a vis the dollar, even with the fixed exchange rate. That would give the tariffs, now 25 percent on $250 billion of Chinese goods, and 10 percent on the rest of the $300 billion of them, some real teeth. It would also create a very real penalty for currency manipulation, and serve as a deterrent to other countries that want to play games with the dollar. What do you think?

China proves it manipulates currency with immediate yuan devaluation upon new 10 percent tariff on $300 billion of goods, rate cuts, Treasury acts with official designation:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/08/china-proves-it-manipulates-currency-with-immediate-yuan-devaluation-upon-new-10-percent-tariff-on-300-billion-of-goods-rate-cuts-treasury-acts-with-official-designation/

Immediately upon President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new 10 percent tariff on $300 billion of goods shipped to the U.S. that came atop the 25 percent on $250 billion of goods, coupled with the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates, China has responded in kind with another devaluation of the yuan by another 2.6 percent. This comes atop the devaluation in May in response to the initial imposition by Trump of 25 percent tariffs on the first tranche of $250 billion of goods shipped to the U.S. Now, with the most recent move, the total devaluation rises to 4.8 percent since May. That is absolutely currency manipulation. Trump was right about Beijing. What do you think?

Massacres in El Paso, Dayton underscore that political violence right or left is never the answer:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/08/massacres-in-el-paso-dayton-underscore-that-political-violence-right-or-left-is-never-the-answer/

After a bloody weekend that saw 29 killed in mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, the nation must once again face and confront the scourge of political violence and terrorism that is becoming increasingly prevalent in our society on the extreme ends of the political spectrum, right and left. An anti-immigrant manifesto that has been linked to the shooter in El Paso who supported President Donald Trump and praised the Christchurch mosque shooting in New Zealand and the racist manifesto the shooter left behind there. The Dayton shooter on the other hand was a self-proclaimed leftist and Satanist who supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren who had previously spoke against mass shootings such as Parkland, and who on the anniversary of violence in Charlottlesville, Va. wrote, “Kill every fascist” and called the ICE firebomber a “martyr.” The violence and the varied motivations for it demonstrate that violence is never the answer, and whether it comes from the right or left, we must stand united against it as a nation — before it is too late. Will you stand with us against these despicable acts?

The Trump economy remains strong enough as 2020 fast approaches:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/07/the-trump-economy-remains-strong-enough-as-2020-fast-approaches/

The Trump economy grew at 2.93 percent in 2018, the best year since 2005, according to the most recent data. Unemployment remains at a 50-year low of 3.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage growth since 2017 is the best seen since the financial crisis, most recently at 2.8 percent growth in the first quarter of 2019. 4.9 million jobs have been created since 2017. For 16-to-64-year-old working age adults, the economy is definitely improving, the civilian labor force grew by 2.1 million, outpacing population that increased by about 1 million between 2016 and 2018. Those are good numbers. Former President Barack Obama got reelected with numbers that were much, much worse. What do you think?

Another brick in the wall as Supreme Court upholds Trump reprogramming funds for southern border wall. Democrats whine after they voted for it.
http://dailytorch.com/2019/07/another-brick-in-the-wall-as-supreme-court-upholds-trump-reprogramming-funds-for-southern-border-wall-democrats-whine-after-they-voted-for-it/

Brick by brick, figuratively, with a serious assist from the Supreme Court ruling that reprogramming $2.5 billion of counter-narcotics monies may be used towards the southern border wall, Donald Trump is fulfilling his promise to get the wall built. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi complained on Twitter, “This evening’s Supreme Court ruling allowing @realDonaldTrump to steal military funds…” Here’s the best part: Democrats voted for all of it. Specifically, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, the bill which allowed the $2.5 billion for counter-narcotics barriers to be built, passed with 185 Democrats voting in the affirmative in the House. Every Democrat except for Sen. Bernie Sanders voted for it in the Senate. Similar overwhelming Democratic majorities voted for another $6.1 billion for the wall and another $4.5 billion to address the humanitarian crisis on the border the Trump administration requested. How will Dems in 2020 say they want to tear down the wall they voted for?

Trump, Barr set sights on Big Tech over antitrust concerns:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/07/trump-barr-set-sights-on-big-tech-over-antitrust-concerns/

The Antitrust Division of the Justice Department is setting its sights on big tech firms like Google, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon in announcing a review of potentially anticompetitive activities that could be limiting consumer choices. The push comes on the heels of the White House Social Media Summit where President Donald Trump citied censorship on social media as a major concern of his administration. To follow up the summit, Trump promised that there would be a meeting with “representatives of the major social media platforms” to have “a real conversation”about the issue. Now, given the Antitrust Division’s statement that “If violations of law are identified, the Department will proceed appropriately to seek redress,” those meetings may have become a whole lot more interesting. Perhaps a deal can be struck that avoids a confrontation. What do you think?

Is the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development about to double down on the 2015 federal takeover of local zoning regulations?
http://dailytorch.com/2019/07/is-the-dept-of-housing-and-urban-development-about-to-double-down-on-the-2015-federal-takeover-of-local-zoning-regulations/

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is getting set to finalize a regulation modifying the 2015 rule from the Obama administration, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, that conditioned $3.3 billion of annual community development block grants on rezoning local municipalities along income and racial guidelines. More than 1,200 cities and counties accept those block grants nationwide affecting populations of tens of millions of people. Now sources familiar with the final regulation currently being considered by the White House Office of Management and Budget suggest that it will still condition funds on making changes to local zoning, just with a different rationale, to reduce regulatory burdens that contribute to higher housing costs particularly in urban areas such as San Francisco. There’s only one problem. Congress prohibited anything to do with zoning and this rule. Is there any way to stop it?

To end border crisis, Trump administration restricts asylum claims from Central America:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/07/to-end-border-crisis-trump-administration-restricts-asylum-claims-from-central-america/

Under current immigration and asylum regulations, it was impossible to enforce the law on the southern border. The hundreds of thousands of Central Americans flooding the border the past several months gamed the system, betting that a compassionate America would let them in. Afterward, the families were released into the U.S. pending hearings, but those that showed up did so only to the extent they might be granted asylum, and upon rejection were never heard from again. It’s mandatory catch-and-release. Because of the way the regulations were written. Now, to get a handle on the problem and to deter future waves, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice are using their powers under the law to provide for additional restrictions and have issued a new rule telling asylum seekers they must first apply for asylum in the country they first transit through and be denied before they may qualify. Can this stem the tide and deter future migrant waves?

President Trump’s tweets were not racist and anti-American, but the U.S. Reps’ statements he was responding to may have been:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/07/president-trumps-tweets-were-not-racist-and-anti-american-but-the-u-s-reps-statements-he-was-responding-to-may-have-been/

Do we have a country anymore? I think the State of the Union is poor. And I don’t think it’s Trump’s doing. Here is where I agree with Trump the most in his more recent statement that “Go wherever they want them, or they can stay. But they should love our country. They shouldn’t hate our country. You look at what they’ve said.” Trump is right. We shouldn’t hate America. We should be working to make it a better place. Tearing it down, comparing it to Nazi Germany — a monstrous lie — saying that we should represent our race before our country, suggesting that Jewish money controls Congress, is destructive. It fuels division. And I, for one, am glad President Trump called it out. It’s about time someone did. What do you think?