2 faced Trump in 3 faced China

This week in Beijing, President Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping stressed good relations, insisting they want to work together…

"I look forward to many years of success and friendship, working together to solve not only our problems but world problems, and problems of great danger and security," Trump told Xi during meetings Thursday in the Chinese capital.

Trump himself said the current trade relationship is "a very unfair and one-sided one" that winds up stealing jobs from Americans.

Yet there is no evidence that China will open up its markets in a substantial way or refrain from what Americans call cyber espionage and intellectual property theft from U.S. companies.

Then there's the nature of the modern Chinese government.

Xi Jinping has consolidated his power over the Chinese government in ways not seen since the days of Chairman Mao.

The U.S.-China relationship is a complex one, and has to be managed carefully – and the current American president prides himself on being a maverick.

Trump sang the praises of Xi and China during his visit to Beijing, but in the past he has criticized them over trade. During his presidential campaign, Trump said Chinese trade policies "rape our country."

China, meanwhile, has criticized Trump for bellicose comments…

"Trump's style is erratic," "…his style is not exactly what you would choose for complex international bargaining."

STEAMING HEAP o PUMPKINS

Depending on who you’re talking to in Ken-tuck, D.C., New York, or the marginalized lunatic fringe conspiracy nuts on the internet, “facts” range from mundane to the nefarious with a junior senator from Ken-tuck getting five of his ribs busted.

Rand Paul’s injuries were sustained in a gated community in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he’s lived since the mid-1990s.

The junior senator, of slight build (wimpy) and deaf (WHAT?) in one ear, was a wearin' noise-cancelin' earmuffs and a mowin' his grass. _(Say "Ramen!")_

His neighbor of 13 years, a retired anesthesiologist named Rene Boucher, tackled him to the ground, accidently breaking his frail ribs.

Police arrested Boucher and charged him with class A fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor.

(1) A person is guilty of assault in the fourth degree when: (a) He intentionally or wantonly causes physical injury to another person; or (b) With recklessness he causes physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument. (2) Assault in the fourth degree is a Class A misdemeanor.
508.030 Assault in the fourth degree.

Boucher was released on $7,500 cash, but he's due back in court on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Paul, an eye doctor, is a keepin' out of sight in Bowling Green. (Was it a strike or a spare?)

Doug Stafford, Paul’s senior adviser said: “It is a pending, serious criminal matter involving state and federal authorities.”

Matthew J. Baker, an attorney for Boucher, said: “The unfortunate occurrence of November 3rd has absolutely nothing to do with either’s politics or political agendas.”

Instead, Baker called it, “a very regrettable dispute between two neighbors over a matter that most (common) people would regard as trivial.”

Initially, reports said macho-man libertarian Paul sustained minor injuries.

Meanwhile, CNN reported that a different neighbor claimed Boucher “has a long-running dispute over grass clippings and compost smells blown onto his property.”

According to the rulebook for homeowners in Rivergreen, certain types of swimming pools (e.g. Oakie above-ground), “gravel driveways, (Oakie) clotheslines, and (Oakie) piles of firewood visible to neighbors,” are strictly verboten.

The Times reported that Paul “grows pumpkins on his property, composts and has shown disdain for neighborhood (local, state, and federal) regulations.”

Rivergreen’s developer, a local named Jim Skaggs, told the Times that Paul and Boucher “both had strong opinions --and different ones-- about what ‘property rights’ mean.” He added, “They just couldn’t get along. I think it had very little to do with… politics.”

From Tax to "Stupid-Looking!"

Ryan presented Trump with the "cut, cut, cut" Tax plan.

Trump grabbed it by the bottom and kissed it.

The current proposal for changing the tax code would reduce the existing seven individual income-tax rates to just three: 12%, 25% and 35%.

“When reducing the number of brackets, you don’t want to have too much of a tax cut, but you also want to try to approximate something like the original curve,” Cole said. “The result of that means sometimes if you’re not super generous all the way across, you’re going to end up with a tax increase for some. It’s a little causality of simplification.”

Based on the outline, it will be a tax cut for most Americans, but experts say it’s far from the “biggest ever.”

And for one group of moderate-income earners (and left-leaning voters), their taxes will actually rise. Single filers earning between $191,650 and $416,700 will see their marginal tax rate rise from 33% to 35%.

Married-joint filers earning between $233,350 and $416,700 will experience the same marginal tax rate increase. Those people tend to live in Blue states or Blue regions.

A senior adviser for Rand Paul says the U.S. senator is recovering from five broken ribs following an assault at his home.

Doug Stafford said it is unclear when Paul will return to work since he is in considerable pain and has difficulty getting around, including flying. The severe pain can last for weeks or months.

Police arrested 59-year-old Rene Boucher on Saturday and charged him with misdemeanor fourth-degree assault with a minor injury. Boucher lives next door to Paul and his wife, according to Warren County property records. The dispute may have its roots in the senator's yard. Neighbors and local Republicans says that Paul "has long stood out in the well-to-do gated neighborhood," handling his yard according to his own ideas — pumpkins and compost — rather than following neighborhood rules (HOA).

Neighbors!

In the meantime, the embarrassment-in-chief Donald Trump was " Baka Mitai" (馬鹿みたい) in Japan!

You feed the koi to attract them so you can appreciate their colors. Not Trump! The Trump Dump is a reminder to "Dump Trump!"



Trump is the L. Ron Hubbard of politics!

A Celebrity Yankee in Diplomat Abe's Court

The Kasumigaseki Country Club, founded in 1929, is the birthplace of Japan's golf craze.

Trump is the Novice Amateur and Abe is the Seasoned Pro. Abe is calling all the shots!

Notice in the photo above, it is Trump (the sinister, or weaker) approaching Abe standing firm (the dexter, or stronger). (Protocol!)

Every move has been painstakingly arranged to the most minute detail long before Trump set foot on Japanese soil.

The club’s guiding principle is “good fellowship, as expressed in the spirit of fair play, familiarity and trust in the members.”

The Kasumigaseki club has been at the center of controversy for a long time.

Facing criticism over the club’s policies toward women, 2020 Olympics organizers threatened to move to a different venue unless the rules were changed. The club ultimately ceded to pressure in March and now allows women to be full members (and not just ‘regular members’).

There are no “single round” green fees. It is available for dues paying members only! ($1,000 a month, anyone?)

Women are better at golf in Japan! A lot better!

To join Kasumigaseki, an applicant needs to obtain a reference from a current member and pay 8 million yen ($70,800) to become a regular member. Then, if approved by members after one year, pay an additional 4 million yen ($35,400) to be a full member. (That’s $100,000 for a membership card and then you pay steep dues!)

Only full members can play on weekends.

"Kasumi is an exclusive club that no ordinary people can join and play." said Eiko Oya, a journalist who heads the Japan Golf Council.

After decades of stagnation and decline, Japan is trying to break the traditional male-dominated elitism of the bubble days and usher in a new era of growth. We’re talking about golf.