It was a weekend day. I know this because I wasn't traveling down a road during the early cold hours of a winter morning. As a matter of fact, I was calmly pacing back and forth in my living room and carefully weighing the latest earnings gyrations I've heard from various conference calls. I was wearing my favorite pajamas. Yesterday's denim and no top or socks. I was sipping a fresh cup of French Vanilla flavored Maxwell House Dark roast from my favorite, "I Love Dad," mug. Investing in a saturated consumer market has little volatility but sparse-volatility is easily seen, if we are mindful of competitive growth and retraction. It's the coveted, "End of Year," Earning Season. You are a foolish Investor, if you're not listening and mindful of what's happening. It's the most important Earning Release of the year!
I thought to break the silence of my quiet home and turned on my television. I knew the morning News was airing. Although I find their persuasive broadcasts to be far from informative, it still offers information I like to absorb. Gracing my screen was a clip of Donald Trump speaking to two Democratic Senators. It was Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. The clip offered little dialog from their conversation. It focused exclusively on President Trump saying, "I will shut the Government Down". Chuck Schumer's face lit up with a smirk as he leaned forward then postured back in his seat. He knew at that point, they had the President where they wanted him, it seemed to me. With that statement, Trump seemingly took the blame and the News that demonizes the President wouldn't let this air-out quietly. Trump later exclaimed, "I will own this," when speaking about the possibility of a shutdown. The Media could weaken his standing with the people of the United States by easily outlining Trump as the cause of a Government Shutdown! It's crazy how he backed himself in that corner. The lack of experience as a politician was evident at this moment, like many others.
There are a couple aspects of Trump's Presidency that I favor. I wholeheartedly believe he is determined to bring this country back to the times of manufacturing dominance. During my lifetime I witnessed a lot of manufacturing retraction. More vivid is our transformation towards a, "Consumer and Service Based Economy".
Trump has re-negotiated past Trade Deals that shoved us in that direction. Putting the nation back in-line with an improved opportunity to redevelop our sovereign Industrial needs. We have to recognize that manufacturing products abroad then shipping them to the United States Consumer might reduce the costs of goods but it surely takes a greater toll on the environment and creates jobs abroad. Those factors also affect the circulation of money, taxes, and the people's mental sense of being needed. The previous trade deals were likely part of the G8-Agenda. They were to bring economic balance throughout the world. Not to improve America.
Politicians are fake people dependent on their position and authority. They stand at a podium and try to influence the majority of the people to vote for them. They use dirty tactics and rhetoric to garner their position by the majority. When they retreat to the privacy of their confines I imagine many of them degrade the people and think of them as morons.
I've seen video footage of President Bush, thinking the camera wasn't recording, giving the Camera his middle finger and saying, "F*@K YOU," I've seen an open mic-slip with Obama telling the Russian President, "My hands are tied, but if I'm re-elected"... Trump is not a seasoned Politician. Trump is not a seasoned liar. Trump's strength is likely his greatest weakness, when exposed and twisted by the media. It is his blunt openness and leveraging his ability to speak to the World!
So there sat Schumer smirking with Pelosi and President Trump. He had his ammo. Now they were off to Draft a Budget Bill. At this point I doubt there was any discussion about giving the President money for Border Security. The discussion, I assume, was about how the people will think Trump Shut-it-down.
The greatest irony in this debacle is that Schumer, Pelosi, and most of their party have pushed for a Wall or Border for MANY years. Always promising but never delivering. I remember Schumer stating that not only did we need a Wall, but those that came here for asylum illegally should rightfully be considered after those that followed the proper channels of entry. Essentially kicking them to the back of the line, rather than offering them a Sanctuary. I agree, fully.
Things change often and opinions are not excluded from those things. But they took Federal Workers on a ride. Surely they drafted a Bill that purposely neglected to allocate any money towards a border wall. They drafted a Bill they knew would be rejected.
Our Political process is brilliant. However, it's not without flaw. To my understanding Congress is made up of individuals representing a district based upon the States' Population. The other part of the House, The Senate, has two Congressmen for each State. Essentially they are devoted to their State. In solidarity they compromise with the Senators of other States and... hopefully they all find a balance in Governance that helps us live in harmony.
After the Senate drafts and approves a Bill, it is sent to the President for either Veto or Acceptance. The President's stance on matters is not on a micro level. The POTUS has a fiduciary duty to the entire Nation. The logic is that the President will insure the needs of the Nation are met.
Now if the President already conveyed to them that he wouldn't sign any Bill without funds allocated towards developing the Wall, why would they pass a Senate Bill that excluded those funds? The funds are there. As a matter of fact, I've read that Billions of dollars are allocated toward Abortion in foreign Countries. Fifty Billion Dollars in foreign aid! They did it because Trump openly stated he will own the shutdown.
Construction of the Wall stimulates the economy. It creates jobs in many fields ranging from Construction to Transportation. It aids in protecting our Citizens along the Southern Border. The Wall has many pluses. Arguments against the wall are often illogical. A wall doesn't work? Come-on now!
Is this going to happen again? Trump gave them three weeks to draft a new Bill. In the meantime, Federal Employees remain as pawns in this debacle. After reading online and listening to their banter, I've come to the understanding that the Senate shut the Government down. They didn't do it because they disagree with the need and value of a Wall. They did it because We The People would believe that Trump shutdown the Government. He backed himself in a corner and the Media was a tool in garnering the National Sentiment that Trump shut it down.
The Democrats took a Vacation in Mexico, during the shutdown. They partied and enjoyed warm weather while the, "Trump Shutdown," digested deep into History Books. The longest Shutdown EVER. The Democrats did this. They did it to villainize Trump and take back the Presidency in 2020! They borrowed from the Republican Playbook on Obamacare. But they made it sting a little deeper.
