Trump's Card

[Tubby Isaacs]

Thanks.

And good luck.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

He's really worried about Cohen, largely because Cohen almost certainly knows stuff for which 45 could be prosecuted after he leaves office (recall that all of the smart money is on Mueller respecting the current DOJ guidance on a sitting President being effectively immune to prosecution outside of impeachment).

He's also purged the building of those who were trying to constrain him (Kelly is only focused on avoiding nuclear catastrophe at the moment, and has long been on board with the racism and Kulturkampf).

His big worry about cohen has to be that the moment that he steps down as president, the southern district of New York are going to have enough on him to put him unpardonably in jail for the rest of his life, and are going to enjoy doing it.

[adams house cat]

Hyundai has a large plant in Alabama as well,near Montgomery.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

This is problematic for the EU on one front, but Trump turning up like a baddy, to remind everyone why they set up the EU in the first place has to be a great relief to Brussels. This is going to cost everyone, but two things stand out. Trump has no fucking idea how these things work, and he's out on a limb here with no clear plan, other than to put his hand out looking for a bung. It's pretty clearly in the EU's interests to use this opportunity to remind the US why it doesn't normally engage in this sort of behaviour, before resetting the relationship with the next regime.

[Tubby Isaacs]

It's also pretty awkward for our buccaneering "trade dealers", like Liam Foxy.

[anton pulisov]

His big worry about cohen has to be that the moment that he steps down as president, the southern district of New York are going to have enough on him to put him unpardonably in jail for the rest of his life, and are going to enjoy doing it.

But it's Murica. The next president, whoever they are and from whichever party, will pardon DJT to heal wounds and unite the country.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

yes, but can they protect him from state level prosecution? They are after all, going to know..... Everything.

[ursus arctos]

No, he or she cannot.

And any possible NY governor would kill for the opportunity to deny his clemency position.

[WOM]

Hyundai has a large plant in Alabama as well,near Montgomery.

And Kia are cranking 'em out in Georgia.

[Tubby Isaacs]

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1002279837925601281

[Amor de Cosmos]

Canadian government retaliates.

"Absurd... specious" Foreign Minister on Trump's claim that tariffs ensure US "National security."

“That Canada could be considered a national security threat to the United States is inconceivable,” PM


It's been some time since government ministers used similar language about it's biggest trading partner and ally. Not even during the height of the Vietnam war I think.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Well it's way more important than international trade agreements isn't it?

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

No, he or she cannot.

And any possible NY governor would kill for the opportunity to deny his clemency position.

Is this likely to be a problem?

[ursus arctos]

People who know NY state criminal law better than I do think that it won't be.

[Tactical Genius]

His big worry about cohen has to be that the moment that he steps down as president, the southern district of New York are going to have enough on him to put him unpardonably in jail for the rest of his life, and are going to enjoy doing it.

I just have an image of that guy from Billions with his colourful metaphors and passive aggressive whisper putting the squeeze on 45.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

People who know NY state criminal law better than I do think that it won't be.

So pleased to hear that. Though also worried that Trump is going to know that he's backed into a corner.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

I just have an image of that guy from Billions with his colourful metaphors and passive aggressive whisper putting the squeeze on 45.

I couldn't get into that show. Real life had already become far too weird.

[Satchmo Distel]

Trump just needs to pardon Bill Cosby for the full set.

[Ginger Yellow]

Re German cars, Politico's piece on the Navarro/Mnuchin rift (where's Ross in all this?) has an unsourced claim that "the White House" is contemplating a 25% tariff on all cars.

[ursus arctos]

Ross appears to be a largely empty vessel with zero actual influence.

Reportedly, 45 has been triggered by the volume of “German” motors on Fifth Avenue and wants them all gone. Of course, he’s barely been here since the election.

[WOM]

Fiat should seriously think about packing up its (brand) tent and going home. Ain't nobody buying that shit.

And from today's article...

"In the presentations so far, the Fiat brand was not even mentioned. Fiat and its range of urban runabouts, especially the Fiat 500, and inexpensive family compacts are still strong in Italy and parts of Europe but have as a waning presence elsewhere in the world; it may be axed from the North American market."


https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...-as-he-enters/

[blameless]

That's a pretty good article, apart from one glaring error: "still strong in Italy and some parts of Europe".

Some of Europe? You see Fiats absolutely everywhere in Europe, even in France (which has three automotive brands of its own) and Germany (which has five).

[ursus arctos]

North American automotive reporters have always been rather amazingly clueless about market trends away from these shores. The same used to be true of motor sports reporters, though that has gotten a bit better, at least as far as IndyCar goes.

[Ginger Yellow]

Trump is frontrunning economic statistics releases now.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Funny that it took him so long.