The Post It Note 7/7/18

News from the note…

A round up of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.

Consider this an OPEN THREAD,  folks. Chat about any of the stories listed, share links to stories that caught your eye today, and generally have a good time discussing whatever you want.

 

House Freedom Caucus members are urged to stand by Rep. Jim Jordan

From CNN

House Freedom Caucus members are being urged to stand by Rep. Jim Jordan amid allegations that he knew about, but did not report, the alleged sexual abuse of wrestlers he coached at Ohio State University in the early 1990s.

Rep. Mark Meadows, who chairs the House Freedom Caucus, called on members to support Jordan, an Ohio Republican who’s one of the founders of the conservative voting bloc.

“I have always known Jim Jordan to be a man of the utmost character, honor and integrity. As the independent investigation is concluded, I’m confident people will learn the truth and it will confirm all he has said about the situation,” the North Carolina Republican told CNN on Friday. “I’m proud to stand by Jim Jordan and support him 100% and call on all of my colleagues to do the same.”

 


What we know and don’t know about the U.S. Army discharging immigrants

From Axios

At least 40 immigrants who had enlisted in the U.S. Army have been booted from the military, losing their chance at qualifying for citizenship, the AP reports.

Why it matters: The number of immigrant reservists and recruits being discharged from the Army appears to be a trend, but there is no clear indication that there has been
any policy change under the Trump administration. Immigrants who serve in the military still receive citizenship.

There are still some unanswered questions, but this is what we know:

Immigrants with legal status in the U.S. can earn expedited paths to citizenship by serving in the military, and in 2009 the Obama administration launched a special program for immigrant recruits.

But recently, some immigrant recruits were told that they were a security risk for having relatives out of the country, others were told that the Department of Defense were not able to finish their background checks, and some were given no explanation at all for their discharge, according to the AP.

 


McMaster complained that Trump ‘thinks he can be friends with Putin’: report

From The Hill

Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster reportedly complained during his time in the White House about President Trump’s stance toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The president thinks he can be friends with Putin,” McMaster said, according to a report published in The Washington Post on Friday that cited U.S. officials.

“I don’t know why, or why he would want to be,” McMaster was quoted as saying.

The comments came in a report looking ahead to Trump’s trip to Europe next week, where he will meet with NATO allies before holding a summit with Putin in Helsinki on July 16.

 


Shhhh… Don’t Tell the Media but the Bizarre Broidy-Playmate-Trump Saga Is In the Process of Exploding

From Mediaite

This week, a giant political volcano has been showing signs that it is about to erupt, though most of the news media, and almost all of the public, are blissfully unaware of it.

Having previously written a couple of times about the bizarre saga of former GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy and former Playboy playmate Shera Bechard, this whole story sure seems based either in the most amazing series of coincidences most people could possibly imagine, or it is by far the biggest presidential scandal of our time. Because it is either or, and because most of the news media is both dumb and extremely risk adverse, the latter possibility has been, this this date, almost completely ignored.

But just because the news media is pretending that it is not very possible that President Donald Trump was actually the man who impregnated Bechard, while president, and paid her, through Broidy, to have an abortion and keep quiet about it, doesn’t mean that the story isn’t still developing in rather significant ways. This week, numerous things happened, under the media’s radar, which deserve some legitimate analysis.

 


By the numbers: Here’s how “badly” the WTO treats the U.S.

From Axios

President Trump said Monday that the World Trade Organization (WTO) has treated the U.S. “very badly” and if nothing changes “we will be doing something.”

Why it matters: The WTO regulates 98% of global trade, and is largely seen as beneficial to the United States. Exiting the organization would likely raise prices on imported goods and make it more difficult for exporters.

By the numbers:

  • The United States wins 87%of the cases it brings to the WTO against other countries.
  • The U.S. files more cases with the WTO than any other nation, ahead of the EU and Canada.
  • Other countries file morecases against the U.S. than any other nation, ahead of the EU and China.
  • The U.S. loses 75% of the cases filed against them in the WTO. These winning and losing records are both better than average for members.

 


A Saturday Bonus Note From The “It Doesn’t Take A Crystal Ball But Go Read The Article Anyway” File

 


A Saturday Bonus Bonus Note From The “Much Needed Good News” File

 

 

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*Principle above party * Politically Homeless * Ex GOP * Tribalism is stupid* NeverTrump ≠ Pro Hillary. Anti-GOP ≠ Pro Dem. Disagreeing with you ≠ Liberal. https://universeodon.com/@NoMorePlatosCave https://post.news/nomoreplatoscav Counter Social: @NoMorePlatosCave