Cont: The Trump Presidency: Part 19

[Darat]

Depends on which 'foreign' they are. USA and Scandinavia v China?



Also multiple vendors reduces the risk of the only model of widget box you are using bringing everything down because of a previously unknown flaw.

I disagree I would rather no foreign government could threaten our infrastructure.

 

[Armitage72]

We’ve long ago reached the point that when I try to read most President Trump tweets, all I can can see is “Evidence? We don’ need no evidence. I don’ got to show you no stinkin’ evidence.”

XKCD

 

[Segnosaur]

I rather suspect that any sort of communication of secure information will probably require some sort of end-to-end encryption.

After all, even if they went with non-Huawei technology, there would still be risks of having messages intercepted without proper security protocols.

If a "national security" organization can't determine if a device is making unauthorized communications of some kind...

The problem isn't just having a device making unauthorized communications... there is also a risk is that a message could be intercepted and read somewhere between the sender and receiver.

For example, with cell phones you could have a receiver that can 'eavesdrop' on any phones that are in the area. Or you could have a router (which relays phone conversations from when the cell tower picks up the call to the time it is sent to the destination) that is compromised.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

The problem isn't just having a device making unauthorized communications... there is also a risk is that a message could be intercepted and read somewhere between the sender and receiver.

For example, with cell phones you could have a receiver that can 'eavesdrop' on any phones that are in the area. Or you could have a router (which relays phone conversations from when the cell tower picks up the call to the time it is sent to the destination) that is compromised.

I had understood criticism of Huwawei to be a matter of trust, not technical standards.

Risk of interception is dependent on strength of encryption, routing protocol and such. The issue with Huwawei components doesn't seem to be discussed in those terms but rather their relationship to the Chinese state.

So I'm not sure how that materializes into compromising secure channels other than the components themselves snooping and "sharing" data with other parties or containing some kind of "backdoor."

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

The farmers are really happy with the new China Trade Deal and the soon to be signed deal with Mexico and Canada, but I hope the thing they will most remember is the fact that I was able to take massive incoming Tariff money and use it to help them get through the tough times!

This is a total disgrace, but just another reason that I’m going to win Michigan again!
Daily Caller
@DailyCaller
Four Years After Flint Got $650M, People Are Being Paid To Sign Up For Free Services https://dailycaller.com/2020/01/15/flint-water-crisis-money-spending/

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Retweeted
Sen. Marsha Blackburn
@MarshaBlackburn
This is a solid win for our farmers and manufactures – China will be purchasing $200 billion in American goods and services over the next two years.
From day one, our farmers have stood behind @realDonaldTrump as he fought to secure a better deal.

@SenSanders, @SenWarren, @SenAmyKlobuchar, and @SenatorBennet are spending millions of dollars to defeat @realDonaldTrump, and we’re supposed to believe they will be impartial during the trial?
They should recuse themselves.

 

[Upchurch]

Trump Tweets

The farmers are really happy with the new China Trade Deal and the soon to be signed deal with Mexico and Canada, but I hope the thing they will most remember is the fact that I was able to take massive incoming Tariff money and use it to help them get through the tough times!

What farmers?
'
'Also, there were tough times because of those massive tariffs you implemented, you dumb***.

 

[Armitage72]

Trump Retweeted

@SenSanders, @SenWarren, @SenAmyKlobuchar, and @SenatorBennet are spending millions of dollars to defeat @realDonaldTrump, and we’re supposed to believe they will be impartial during the trial?
They should recuse themselves.

He's worried about Senators not being impartial? Is he going to ask McConnell to recuse himself too?

 

[Trebuchet]

What farmers?

Corporate ones, like ADM.

 

[Minoosh]

Capitol Police and Senate to sharply limit press access during Trump impeachment trial. The restrictions are much, much worse than during the Clinton impeachment trial and seem to serve effectively no actual purpose beyond limiting press access and seriously hampering the ability of the press to, well, actually report on the proceedings.

While the rules are a bunch of BS I'm not sure they will be that big of a deal. Coverage of such events can easily devolve into useless exercises in pack journalism. You only need a few reporters to make sure everything said by people who are speaking into microphones is covered and I'm not sure a bunch of reporters shouting questions in a hallway is all that productive. Just watching C-SPAN and aggressively fact-checking behind the scenes might be a better use of manpower anyway.

Not saying the rules are good, just that sometimes there are better tactics for covering events than focusing all your attention on recording words that are going to be in the public record regardless.

ETA: The media should vigorously protest in any event. That's part of their job.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

While the rules are a bunch of BS I'm not sure they will be that big of a deal. Coverage of such events can easily devolve into useless exercises in pack journalism. You only need a few reporters to make sure everything said by people who are speaking into microphones is covered and I'm not sure a bunch of reporters shouting questions in a hallway is all that productive. Just watching C-SPAN and aggressively fact-checking behind the scenes might be a better use of manpower anyway.

Not saying the rules are good, just that sometimes there are better tactics for covering events than focusing all your attention on recording words that are going to be in the public record regardless.

ETA: The media should vigorously protest in any event. That's part of their job.

The government needs to articulate what valid public benefit is forwarded or protected by denying journalists access to a public proceeding and that their plan is the least restrictive on this Constitutionally protected activity that achieves the stated goal.

Given that I don't see a lot of outbursts from the press in Congressional hearings, this seems like a solution searching for a problem.

Given that Republican officials and staffers themselves have been the cause of raucous demonstrations, potential witness intimidation, and other shenanigans, it also reeks of desperate hypocrisy.

 

[The Don]

What farmers?
'
'Also, there were tough times because of those massive tariffs you implemented, you dumb***.

And that "massive incoming tariff money" is coming from US businesses and consumers.

 

[TragicMonkey]

The government needs to articulate what valid public benefit is forwarded or protected by denying journalists access to a public proceeding and that their plan is the least restrictive on this Constitutionally protected activity that achieves the stated goal.

Given that I don't see a lot of outbursts from the press in Congressional hearings, this seems like a solution searching for a problem.

Given that Republican officials and staffers themselves have been the cause of raucous demonstrations, potential witness intimidation, and other shenanigans, it also reeks of desperate hypocrisy.

The Streisand Effect will ensure every word gets widely reported and eagerly consumed. The top Republicans are very old and haven't grasped this yet.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

I wonder if this gives Trump woobie face: Putin and Assad caught on camera mocking Trump

Isn't that old?

 

[Delphic Oracle]

Isn't that old?

Lots of 1 and 2 day old stories about it, plus other coverage of Putin visiting Syria.

Seems to pass the smell test.

 

[Segnosaur]

Just in case we didn't have enough scandal in the Trump administration:

From: https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/16/poli...ral-opportunity-zone-investigation/index.html
The Treasury Department's inspector general has opened an inquiry into a controversial tax break used by close allies of President Donald Trump...The program, created by the 2017 GOP tax bill, allows investors to defer taxes on capital gains if they're reinvested in a real estate project or business located in one of nearly 9,000 qualified census tracts... Among those who have moved to take advantage of the program are the investment firm Cadre, part-backed by Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, which solicits investments for "opportunity zones."

To be fair, this is only an investigation, and there is no evidence (yet) that Trump, Kushner or anyone else involved in the Trump administration had a part in setting up the "opportunity zones". Although recall at the time of the tax cuts Trump tried to downplay the benefits to the wealthy, and here is someone related to him getting significant befits.

 

[Darat]

He's worried about Senators not being impartial? Is he going to ask McConnell to recuse himself too?

No McConnell is impartial on the right side!

 

[a_unique_person]

What farmers?

'

'Also, there were tough times because of those massive tariffs you implemented, you dumb***.

The tariff money wasn't incoming, just going around in circles.

 

[newyorkguy]

Trump Tweets
...I hope the thing they will most remember is the fact that I was able to take massive incoming Tariff money and use it...

I referred to Trump's ongoing 'claim' about the tariff money in a post in the impeachment thread.

Of course the problem Trump faces is, neither of these two guys [two of my co-workers who happily voted for Trump in 2016] will vote for him again in 2020. They say they just won't bother to vote. Why?...

It's been pointed out here that Trump refers to how much the tariffs are costing China when in reality the charges are paid by the importer (US businesses) not the exporter (Chinese businesses). Bill is in management, understands that all too well and it drives him crazy that Trump keeps saying it.

And Trump KEEPS saying it yet none of his supporters will question it publicly much less admit it's an example of really dishonest spin. An action Trump took which has cost American businesses and consumers billions of dollars and Trump not only doesn't care he lies about it to boot. And his patsies supporters swallow it hook-line-and-sinker. It really is hard to believe at times.

 

[KDLarsen]

Trump Retweeted
Sen. Marsha Blackburn
@MarshaBlackburn
This is a solid win for our farmers and manufactures – China will be purchasing $200 billion in American goods and services over the next two years.
From day one, our farmers have stood behind @realDonaldTrump as he fought to secure a better deal.

Hardly surprising they were supporting trump, when the USDA were doling out more cash than the auto industry recieved during the much-discussed 2008 bailout. All completely without any regulatory oversight, owing to the USDA interpreting an old rule to allow them to do so.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesal...-taxpayers-in-2019-and-hardly-anyone-objected