The Morning Briefing: Harvey, Fascists, Militarized Police and Much, Much More

Good Monday Morning.

Here is what’s on the President’s agenda today:

In the morning, President Donald J. Trump will receive his daily intelligence briefing and a national security briefing.
In the afternoon, the President will have lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
The President will then meet with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Later in the afternoon, the President will welcome President Sauli Niinistö of Finland, meet with him, and then the two leaders will hold a joint press conference.

Harvey

If you donate to help the victims of Harvey, make sure you are giving to a reputable outfit. I suggest giving to local or state-based charities. Don’t forget to help the animals and pet victims too!

Hurricane Harvey is decimating Texas. The coast was devastated and now Houston is drowning with yet more rainfall to come. Dallas is preparing the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center to take in evacuees.

“We have been advised by the state to be prepared for up to 5,000 evacuees, and we are committed to doing whatever it takes to accommodate our fellow Texans who may need assistance,” Rocky Vaz, the director of the Dallas Office of Emergency Management, said in a statement.

The mayor of Houston is under fire for not evacuating the city ahead of the hurricane. But he may have a point: “If you think the situation right now is bad, you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare. Especially when it’s not planned,” Mayor Sylvester Turner told ABC. “You cannot put in the city of Houston 2.3 million people on the road — that is dangerous,” Turner said. “When you combine Houston and Harris county, you literally cannot put 6.5 million people on the road.” Perhaps some sort of zone-based evacuation would have worked?

The media, never one to miss an opportunity to turn a disaster into a political spectacle, tried to play a game with Texas Governor Greg Abbott. On Friday, MSNBC political operative Stephanie Ruhle questioned the governor about illegal immigrant hurricane victims.

“How about the risk of deportation for those who are undocumented immigrants that could be in the way of the storm’s path?” Ruhle asked. “Are they in the clear to go to some of these evacuation centers? Do they have to show ID?”

Responded Abbott: “It’s my understanding from what I saw from the border patrol instructions yesterday that it will not be an issue. What everyone is focused on right now is ensuring that we do all we can to protect life. We all have a high regard for life. We want to ensure the safety of all lives and we’re prepared to take all measures to do so.”

President Trump will visit the Texas damage on Tuesday.

I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017

According to a pool report, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced, “The President will travel to Texas on Tuesday. We are coordinating logistics with state and local officials, and once details are finalized, we will let you know. We continue to keep all of those affected in our thoughts and prayers.”

Fascist “anti-fascists” went on the attack at Berkeley, again

Here is a great round-up of the Berkeley riots by PJ Media’s Deb Heine.

I would like to call out the Washington Post for accurately titling this story: Black-clad antifa attack peaceful right wing demonstrators in Berkeley.

This is notable because the media bears some responsibility for the out-of-control violent mobs showing up at political events to beat people up and accost the police. The media regularly sanitize the violent behavior at these incidents and I’m certain that if some Trumpsters or Tea Partiers tried to pull this kind of crap, there would be unrelenting news coverage. Instead the media has chosen to hide or downplay these riots which only empowers the thugs to continue their violent crusade of beating people into submission.

The event this weekend was centered around a rally (which was cancelled) called “No to Marxism in America.” Controversial? Apparently.

Their faces hidden behind black bandannas and hoodies, about a 100 anarchists and antifa — “anti-fascist” — barreled into a protest Sunday afternoon in Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park.

Jumping over plastic and concrete barriers, the group melted into a larger crowd of around 2,000 that had marched peacefully throughout the sunny afternoon for a “Rally Against Hate” gathering.

Shortly after, violence began to flare. A pepper-spray wielding Trump supporter was smacked to the ground with homemade shields. Another was attacked by five black-clad antifas, each windmilling kicks and punches into a man desperately trying to protect himself. A conservative group leader retreated for safety behind a line of riot police as marchers chucked water bottles, shot off pepper spray, and screamed “fascist go home!”

All told, the Associated Press reported at least five individuals were attacked. An AP reporter witnessed the assaults. Berkeley Police’s Lt. Joe Okies told The Washington Post the rally resulted in “13 arrests on a range of charges including assault with a deadly weapon, obstructing a police officer, and various Berkeley municipal code violations.”

The mayor of Berkeley (I can’t be bothered to look up his name so I’ll just call him “Dick”) dished out a lukewarm condemnation of the violent vigilantes. “I applaud the more than 7,000 people who came out today to peacefully oppose bigotry, hatred and racism that we saw on display in Charlottesville,” Berkeley Mayor “Dick” said in a statement. “… However, the violence that small group of protesters engaged in against residents and the police, including throwing smoke bombs, is unacceptable. Fighting hate with hate does not work and only makes each side more entrenched in their ideological camps.”

So where were the police when these marauders engaged?

But antifa protesters — armed with sticks and shields, and clad in shin pads and gloves — largely routed the security checks and by 1:30 p.m. police reportedly left the security line at the Center Street and Milvaia Street entrance to the park. Berkeley police chief Andrew Greenwood told the AP the decision was strategic — a confrontation was sure to spark more violence between the protesters and police.

“No need for a confrontation over a grass patch,” Greenwood said.

Oh.

The WaPo writes: “But, as with other planned right-wing events in the wake of Charlottesville, Saturday’s rally drew controversy in the San Francisco area, with one group stockpiling dog feces to lay at the scene on Saturday.”

“Right-wing events” are also known as FREE SPEECH. And citizens are being intimidated so they do not exercise it. “I stress I DO NOT WANT ANYONE COMING and if they do you will be turned away, I’m sorry for this but I want this event to happen peacefully and I do not want to risk anyone getting harmed by terrorists,” said Amber Cummings the organizer of the “No Marxism in America” cancelled event.

Time to call out the National Guard.

Meet the new militarized police

According to Fox News, Trump will sign an executive order lifting the Obama era ban on selling military equipment to the police. Trump’s executive order will restore “the full scope of a longstanding program for recycling surplus, lifesaving gear from the Department of Defense.'”

The document continues, “The gear recycled through the Department of Defense’s 1033 program includes everything from ammunition and vehicles to office supplies… Under that program, assets that would otherwise be scrapped can be repurposed to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement better protect public safety and reduce crime.”

The policy change will be announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions during a speech to the national conference of the Fraternal Order of Police in Nashville, according to a source familiar with the plan.

National police groups had been pushing for Trump to rescind the previous executive ban, to ensure that local and state police departments aren’t put in danger when responding to active shooter calls or terrorist attacks.

If you are comfortable having this equipment turned on you, then, by all means, sell military equipment to the police. The police in Berkeley and Charlottesville didn’t use the means they did have to stop or subdue mob violence by lefties. You can bet their equipment and new military toys will be used against you. The next Democrat president will make sure of that.

Bring me the TARIFFS

Axios reports about a small meeting in the Oval Office.

This account — confirmed by sources with knowledge of the meeting and undisputed by the White House — hints at where Trump may be heading with his trade agenda. And it shows he believes some of his top economic advisors are resisting his agenda because they are “globalists.”

The meeting was about how to handle China’s alleged theft of our intellectual property. Here’s the purported conversation:

“John, you haven’t been in a trade discussion before, so I want to share with you my views. For the last six months, this same group of geniuses comes in here all the time and I tell them, ‘Tariffs. I want tariffs.’ And what do they do? They bring me IP. I can’t put a tariff on IP.” (Most in the room understood that the president can, in fact, use tariffs to combat Chinese IP theft.)

“China is laughing at us,” Trump added. “Laughing.”

Kelly responded: “Yes sir, I understand, you want tariffs.”

Gary Cohn, who opposes tariffs and the protectionist trade measures pushed by the Bannonites, had his shoulders slumped and was clearly appalled by the situation.

Staff secretary Rob Porter, who is a key mediator in such meetings, said to the president: “Sir, do you not want to sign this?” He was referring to Trump’s memo prodding Lighthizer to investigate China — which may lead to tariffs against Beijing.

Trump replied: “No, I’ll sign it, but it’s not what I’ve asked for the last six months.” He turned to Kelly: “So, John, I want you to know, this is my view. I want tariffs. And I want someone to bring me some tariffs.”

Kelly replied: “Yes sir, understood sir, I have it.”

At one point in the meeting, Navarro pulled out a foam board chart. Trump didn’t pay attention to it, saying “I don’t even know what I’m looking at here.”

Trump made sure the meeting ended with no confusion as to what he wanted.

“John, let me tell you why they didn’t bring me any tariffs,” he said. “I know there are some people in the room right now that are upset. I know there are some globalists in the room right now. And they don’t want them, John, they don’t want the tariffs. But I’m telling you, I want tariffs.”

Kelly broke up the meeting and said the group would work things out and reconvene at the appropriate time.

Now that the Globalists control the White House, Axios implies, watch for this battle to take place outside the administration.

Picture of the Day:

A car is submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, near downtown Houston, Texas. The remnants of Hurricane Harvey sent devastating floods pouring into Houston on Sunday as rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Democrat’s Bill Would Eliminate Confederate Holidays

Fight against injustice, racism take center stage at 2017 MTV Video Music Awards

Mock terrorists took 5 minutes to storm UK parliament in simulated attack

A new study suggests it rains solid diamonds on Neptune and Uranus

Mom launches social justice foundation for Charlottesville victim

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