Category Archives: President Trump

06/21/18

China, Tariffs, Trade War

China, tariffs, trade war – hello, America!

Big Red Car here on a gloriously sunny Thursday contemplating recent developments in regard to China, tariffs, and a trade war.

China is a bad actor and has been for years. They have been stealing American technology – both from an espionage perspective and an industrial/commercial perspective – for half a century.

But, it is not just the “big stuff” like software, hardware and military gear.

If you are going to be the King of the Jungle, you have to act like a lion.

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05/16/18

Sanctions Work – ZTE

Sanctions, Big Red Car? How dreary for such a sunny, lovely day in the ATX, yawn! OK, Big Red Car tell me about how sanctions work. Maybe a real world example?

Dear reader, let us take up the case of Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment, known as ZTE. They are a maker of inexpensive smartphones and other telecom equipment in more than 160 countries and employ 75,000 workers.

ZTE is no small fry on the international scene. When the Chinese government wants to wiggle into bed with a country, they often provide loans as an economic development tool.  Those loans? What are they used for? To set up a nationwide cellular network built by … wait for it … ZTE!

ZTE is an important element of Chinese international policy.

The Chinese also see that a large company like ZTE can break the stranglehold that American tech companies have on China. It is a nationalistic undertaking.

But, ZTE ran afoul of American sanctions. How?

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04/30/18

North Korea – the Libya Solution

The Libya Solution? Really, Big Red Car?

Big Red Car here going North Korea on y’all. You know I served in the Republic of Korea in the Army back in the 1970s, so I have always been interested in all things Korea.

I used to spend time on the DMZ on my belly studying the goings on in North Korea. Plus, I used to build artillery positions and GSR (ground surveillance radar) sites on the top of mountains to shoot or spook into NK.

The Boss back in the day, freezing while overseeing the building of a road to the top of a mountain to build an artillery firing position. That’s North Korea in the background. My favorite thing about the Army — a constant supply of Jeeps. The radio on that Jeep could reach to Saturn.

So, when it began to appear like we were headed to war in Korea, I followed it closely.

Now, it looks like Kim Jung Ping Pong is going to come to President Trump’s table with some peace offerings in hand.

I give President Trump the credit for his bellicose approach to the nuclearization of the Hermit Kingdom because he scrapped “strategic patience” and substituted “fire and fury” in its place.

Who dreamed up “strategic patience” and how does it differ from not doing anything while Kim and his buddies figured out to make nukes and rockets capable of reaching Dallas?

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04/29/18

Brilliant Political Messaging

Today we talk brilliant political messaging, y’all.

Big Red Car here on a brilliant, sunny Sunday morning. Ahh, on Earth as it is in Texas — Austin By God Texas, y’all.

So, the President gave a cold shoulder to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last night, electing instead to fly out to Washington County, Michigan and give a campaign style speech about the accomplishments of his administration and the upcoming mid-term elections.

For those keeping score at home, President Obama carried Washington County twice, while President Trump won it by 11%. One might say that that transformation was symptomatic of President Trump’s victory. He flipped a county which twice elected Barack Obama.

For a few minutes, jettison your own “NeverTrump or “TrumpisGod sentiments and step back. Abandon your biases. Let’s discuss messaging, political messaging, in particular.

OK, it’s a long speech and I don’t expect you to listen to the whole damn thing. Just get the flavor of it. It’s a red meat speech.

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04/20/18

Trump on Oil

Trump on oil, Big Red Car?

We woke this morning to a Tweet from our Tweeter-in-Chief picking a long overdue fight with OPEC. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was formed in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Currently, it is composed of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emerates, and Venezuela. Sudan has applied to join. Indonesia was once a member.

[See what odd bedfellows a bit of oil and money creates?]

There is an “observer” class consisting of Egypt, Mexico, Norway, Oman, and Russia.

OPEC produces about 44% of the world’s oil while holding 73% of the world’s proven oil reserves.

OPEC exists to manipulate the price of oil by controlling the level of production thereby driving prices up through artificial scarcity.

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04/18/18

McDonalds & President Trump

McDonalds? Yes. There is nothing like hearty Scottish food, eh?

So, it is a cloudy, but brilliantly sunny day in the ATX wherein we consider the eating habits of our President to which the Big Red Car protests: “Fake news!”

The Big Red Car does not believe that President Trump actually eats what he is reputed to eat. You be the judge.

The MAGA President Trump reported diet: two Big Macs, two Filet-o-Fish, and a chocolate shake. But is it true or a myth?

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04/15/18

Robert Swan Mueller III – Prediction

Big Red Car here on a sunny Sunday morning. Ahhh, what a day. I have had an opportunity to think about and do some research on Special Counsel Mueller. I am predicting a very hard time for President Trump.

I took the trouble to read about the man, review his education, research his military service including his entire file, read his NFL report, watch some hearings at which he testified, and reviewed some things he had written other than the NFL report.

He is an interesting and complex man. One I would normally admire. In fact, I do admire him.

From that work, I conclude that President Trump is in a world of trouble.

Bottom line: SC Mueller is going to issue a report that will be short of a criminal indictment, but which will serve as grounds to explore impeachment. It is going to be a scathing report.

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04/14/18

James Comey Exclusive Interview

So, the Big Red Car has been out and about and inattentive to his reportage duties, but do not fret, dear reader, your Big Red Car has snagged an exclusive interview with James Comey, former Director of the FBI, 2016 election decider, and all around bad boy about town. He has a new book called: A Higher Loyalty. It is further subtitled: Truth, Lies, and Leadership.

James Comey was kind enough to come to the ATX for his interview and sat down with the Big Red Car.

Look at the crazy shit I have to do to sell a damn book — I’m being interviewed by a freakin’ car. Worse, I had to beg the Big Red Car for the damn interview. I wanna be Director of the FBI again, please.

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