Through The Smog: December 4, 2016
The Weekly Windshield Wiper Clearing Through Media B.S.
Trump’s Calls to Taiwan and Pakistan
On Friday, President-elect Donald Trump broke with decades of U.S. diplomatic protocol and had a phone conversation with Taiwanese Leader Tsai Ing-wen. This was the first official contact between the U.S. and Taiwan since 1979. It was a move that was sure to complicate relations with China. Foreign policy experts were shocked, and as expected, China was not happy.
In 1979, the Carter Administration recognized and officially established diplomatic relations with Beijing, in the process cutting official relations with Taiwan and considering it as part of China (“one china” policy).
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang lodged a complaint with the U.S. over the call and in a statement asserted:
“ I must point out that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory … The ‘one China’ principle is the political foundation of China-US relations. We urge the relevant side in the US to adhere to the ‘one China’ policy, abide by the pledges in the three joint China-US communiques, and handle issues related to Taiwan carefully and properly to avoid causing unnecessary interference to the overall China-U.S. relationship.”
The motives behind Trump’s phone conversation are unclear. Some say it is related to his inquiry into to developing a string of luxury hotels in Taiwan. Some say it was a calculated move engineered by folks on Trump’s transition team, in an effort to display a more aggressive approach towards China. Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that Trump’s foreign policy will be unpredictable.
Trump also had quite the conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. On the call, Trump said Sharif was a “terrific guy” and went on to say, “I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play.” This raised eyebrows, seeing how U.S. and Pakistani relations have been tense. It also raised concerns in India. The two nuclear armed nations have been locked in an unresolved conflict for decades.
And in typical Trump fashion, his latest words contradict his past assertions:
“Get it straight: Pakistan is not our friend. We’ve given them billions and billions of dollars, and what did we get? Betrayal and disrespect — and much worse. #TimeToGetTough”
Trump Opts Out of Intelligence Briefings
Since he became President-elect, The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump had only attended two intelligence briefings while Mike Pence has attended them almost daily. Some have interpreted Trump’s apparent lack of interest in these briefings as a sign of indifference or that he isn’t taking his upcoming role as President seriously.
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta broached his concerns :
“He’s taken a few of them, but he’s not getting them every day…Every president I know, and I worked under nine presidents, every one has taken their intelligence daily brief because that sets the agenda for what you have to focus on as president of the United States.”
Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama all partook in intelligence briefings daily during their respective transitions as President-elect.
The reason as to why he is opting out of these briefings has not been confirmed, but we think it’s safe to say that it’s not for a lack of time.
Unemployment Rate Hits 9 Year Low
The Labor Department announced on Friday that the U.S. added 178,000 jobs in November. This brings the unemployment rate down to 4.6 percent, which is the lowest it’s been in nine years. In fact, a 4.6 percent unemployment rate is what some economists regard as full-employment. Now, while this is good news for the country, and for future President Donald Trump (because he’ll be inheriting an economy that has experienced 80 months straight of private sector job growth), there were a few points that were overlooked in media headlines:
- The Fed will most likely approve a rate-hike — Because of the consumers’ confidence in the economy, and the unemployment rate being lower than expected, many believe that the Federal Reserve will raise the benchmark interest rate for investors. Here is a good primer for why that matters.
- Donald Trump is either going to take undue credit for the strong economy when he takes office; continue to push the same false rhetoric that the numbers the government are putting out are phony; or give credit to Obama’s economic success as POTUS — Which one do you think he will do?
Click Here to read the full jobs-report
Trump May Have Been Under Investigation When Comey Released His Ambiguous Letter
Eleven days before the election, when FBI director James Comey personally communicated information about the steps the bureau was taking regarding material that “may” have been “significant” with respect to Hillary Clinton’s personal email server, President-elect Donald Trump may have also been under investigation.
Responding to a FOIA request filed by VICE News, the FBI stated it could neither “confirm or deny the existence of any such records” pertaining to an investigation into Donald Trump’s incendiary comments — calling for Russian’s to hack and “Second Amendment people” to do something about his political opponent — on the campaign trail.
And while the FBI found it appropriate to release a jolting, ambiguous letter that propelled uninformed and speculative media hysteria targeting Hillary Clinton, the bureau refused to respond to VICE News’ request before the election, instead sending it on November 18.
As VICE reports, the FBI responded with a rare, and according to VICE a “highly suspicious,” Glomar response that noted any records must be withheld as to not interfere with enforcement proceedings.
For one, it is extremely rare for the FBI to issue a Glomar. I’ve filed thousands of requests with the bureau and I cannot recall ever receiving a Glomar. Typically, when a FOIA requester seeks information from the FBI on anything the bureau might be investigating, the FBI has explicit authority to deny the request, citing a pending investigation. However, because using that exemption would itself confirm to a requester that there’s an ongoing probe, the FBI has the authority under the FOIA to essentially lie and say it doesn’t have any documents — even when it does.
Two pertinent questions remain and should not go unanswered: 1. Was and is Donald Trump under investigation? And 2. Why did the FBI use two different standards for the two presidential candidates?
Read VICE’s full report here
Trump’s Business Ties To Carrier
Lost in the coverage around Trump’s deal with Carrier this week was the fact Trump profited from a investment in Carrier’s parent company, United Technologies Corp. According to filings with federal election officials, Trump made $2,501-$5,000 in interest income from the investment. It’s unlikely that this investment influenced the outcome of the deal, as most of it was due to Mike Pence’s ability to offer $7 million in state tax credits, but it’s still worth noting.
Victory At Standing Rock
The Army Corps of Engineers announced this afternoon that they will look into alternative routes for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) rather than under Lake Oahe. Lake Oahe was built by the USACE, so they have jurisdiction to grant or reject projects involving the lake. Situated just half a mile upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux reservation, the planned crossing point for the pipeline has raised serious environmental concerns from the local tribes about the potential impact on water resources and burial sites. Since 1992 Native American tribes have had the “right to be consulted” when construction occurs at potential sacred sites regardless if those sites are on current native land or not. Standing Rock’s claims rest in part on the fact that no consultation ever happened. At Standing Rock reservation the mood is jubilant. Standing Rock Sioux Tribal chairman proclaimed:
“I’m just thankful that there were some leaders in the federal government who have realized that something is not right even though it’s legal…I would say that it’s over.”
The DAPL protests began on April 1, 2016. Native Americans from the Standing Rock Lakota Sioux Nation and other tribes in the area arrived on horseback to protest the construction. A spiritual camp was set up the next day at the proposed crossing point for the pipeline and the area has been occupied since.
What began as a small group from local tribes has coalesced into a movement for native people across the U.S. “Water is Life” became the cry of the local protests as the #NODAPL hashtag rallied the digital community. The camp now houses close to 3,000 people from as far away as Hawaii, with millions more around the world taking part in the protest’s digital aspects. Fed up with several hundred years of broken treaties and marginalization; Standing Rock is where the native people of the U.S. have chosen to draw their line in the sand. Here they demand fair treatment for tribal and broader environmental concerns.
The months of protests have been anything but peaceful. Local law enforcement have been augmented with additional manpower and material including humvees and helicopters. Tensions rose over the months long protest, with every clash between protesters and police seeming more violent than the last. Dogs, pepper spray and rubber bullets are just a few of the methods used by law enforcement. U.N. officials have criticized the treatment of those arrested, calling it “inhuman and degrading.” The worst violence caused by escalating tensions erupted late on the frigid night of November 21st. Law enforcement deployed water cannons against an estimated crowd of 400 protesters, a standard riot response that may not have been so appropriate in 20 degree weather.
The Standing Rock protests have gained increasing attention and support in the recent months. Money, solidarity, and people have begun pouring in from other parts of the country and the world. Arriving December 4th, a group of veterans has deployed themselves to Standing Rock to protect the protesters and help prepare for the coming winter. More than 2,000 are expected to arrive, and would have doubled the size of the current protests. Justifying their presence, one veteran explained:
“ I think it’s very natural for veterans and soldiers in general, this idea of defending something good and pure. I think the idea makes sense here.”
The veterans and their planned #NODAPL press conference for Monday will no longer be necessary. Construction will be halted as a new environmental impact study is done and alternative routes for the pipeline are sought out. The environmental outcomes of the protect are unclear, Lake Oahe has probably been saved, but the pipeline will still be built somewhere. Regardless, Standing Rock has catalyzed Native Americans across the U.S, energizing a movement and adding a voice, long forgotten, back into public discourse in the United States.
