Daily Archives: 12 April 2019

Cable News Strikes Again

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MSNBC has illustrated why so much of the Left’s news outlets on cable have so little credibility.

This time, the outlet is complaining about President Donald Trump’s alleged interference in Israeli politics by supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection—openly, rather than secretly and with illegal means as Russian President Vladimir Putin has done in our elections.

Here’s Chris Matthews:

American presidents from both of our parties have abstained from getting involved in Israeli politics, opting instead of playing two roles; friend of Israel but also a regional honest broker. But not this time. President Trump broke with his predecessors, taking a number of steps to help insure that his friend Bibi Netanyahu was victorious today.

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Always, our president from Eisenhower—from all the way up to W, although some lean towards Israel, some leaned against them a little bit…they’ve always played this other role as honest broker in the region so they can bring peace and play a bigger global role than just being buddies with Israel.

It’s certainly true that Trump supports his friend Netanyahu.  It’s certainly true, though, that not always have our Presidents abstained from getting involved in Israeli politics—by supporting a friend in word and encouragement.

Ex-President Barack Obama (D) had his State Department transfer taxpayer money to OneVoice, to oppose Netanyahu in an earlier election.  This goes far beyond mere words of encouragement.

Matthews knows this full well; he’s illustrated why the NLMSM can’t have nice things.

EU-PRC Trade Relations

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There’s a new tone in the relationship between the People’s Republic of China and the European Union. The two have agreed the following:

  • A commitment toward “broader” and “non-discriminatory” market access
  • On surrendering intellectual property to gain access to China’s market, both sides agreed “there should not be a forced transfer of technology”
  • Increase efforts to strengthen international rules against state subsidies for industries

A commitment. We’ve seen in US-PRC trade discussions over the years, in the PRC’s responses to WTO rulings—indeed its own commitments made as conditions to its accession to the WTO—in its treatment of those with whom it deals along its Belt and Road efforts, in its treatment of South China Sea rim nations the value of PRC commitments.

No forced transfer of technology.  But perhaps some encouragement.  “Nice company you got there. Be too bad if something was to happen to it.”  And not a word about required backdoors into a company’s proprietary or operating software so the PRC’s government men can come and go on the claim that those men need to ensure the company is…behaving.

Increase efforts regarding state subsidies.  The PRC will try very hard.

We’ll see if there’s more than just a change in tone.  I’m not holding my breath.  The EU, and the US, has a venerable history of credulity regarding the PRC’s rhetoric.