Tale of Two Summits

Thursday, June 14, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the next meeting, we will cover Trump's doubleheader summits, the G7 and Singapore. Trump seemed to play along while in Canada for the G7, but blew-up the meeting while on route to Singapore to meet with Kim of North Korea. Today Trump declared his meeting with Kim a success even while a trade war with our allies loomed.

I will wait for tomorrow to pick the videos for Singapore. Here are the videos for G7:

• Trump tells G7 leaders to invite Russia back into the group
• Trump withdraws support for G7’s final communique
• The significance of the G-7 acrimony
• Trump's G7 tweet storm prompts support for Trudeau
• Trump targets Trudeau and Canada's auto sector
• Trump cherry-picking tariff fights

------------------------------------ Updated 6/14/18 ------------------------------------

Here are the Singapore videos shown at the meeting:

• Trump Will Use His 'Touch' And 'Feel' With Kim Jong Un
• Why Kim leaves Singapore with real achievements
• What does “denuclearization” mean

Trade War

Thursday, June 7, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Trump finally did it. He ended steel and aluminum tariff exemptions for Europe, Canada and Mexico. Now we are looking at a trade war with our closest allies. For our next meeting, we will examine the outrage Trump's tariffs has caused.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• US hits EU, Mexico and Canada with steel, aluminium tariffs
• Canada, EU, Mexico react to Trump tariffs
• Trump slaps tariffs on EU metal imports
• China opens EU charm offensive amid US tariffs
• US tariffs on steel and aluminum could backfire

----------------------------------- Updated 6/8/18 -------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Tariffs overshadow G7 summit Can a trade war be averted
• TPP trade agreement signed countering US protectionism
• Canada and U.S. slap each other with tariffs
• AP Explains What is NAFTA
• Did Mexicans benefit from NAFTA

ZTE is Made in China

Thursday, May 31, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Trump's hard line on China's cheating on trade has bipartisan support, so it was a surprise when Trump seemed to reverse his position to save jobs in for ZTE, a Chinese telecom company considered to be one of the worse offenders. Trump claimed that he will remain tough on ZTE, but the the terms of the settlement has been sharply criticized by Trump's supporters, especially Senator Marco Rubio. Rubio fears that China's plan to dominate the important technologies of the future, called Made in China 2025, will succeed at the expense of the US.

Here are the video for the next meeting:

• Trump vows to help Chinese tech giant ZTE
• Trump administration reaches ZTE deal with China
• Rubio: China's threat to U.S. national security is not a game
• American chipmaker Qualcomm caught up in US-China trade disputes
• Why China is a bigger problem for U.S. than Russia

-------------------------------- Updated 5/31/18 ----------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• What’s the beef with the ‘Made in China 2025’ strategy
• Why Xi Jinping May Be The World's Most Powerful Leader

The 2018 Farm Bill

Thursday, May 24, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The farm bill should be about healthy food, but it about the supporting agribusiness. The food assistance program, SNAP, is the largest part of the farm bill and its renewal is tied to agriculture subsidies. This year, the passage of the farm bill has been tied to immigration policy, not for farm workers, but just as a Congressional maneuver to force a vote.

Here are the videos for the next meeting:

• 2018 Farm Bill is for Everyone
• Farm bill ‘dead on arrival’ 
• Hunger a persistent problem for poor Americans as Republicans mull SNAP cuts
• House to vote on draft farm bill with food stamp changes
• 30 House Republicans join Democrats to defeat farm bill
• What does farm bill failure mean for Speaker Ryan's future
• Michael Pollan: The Farm Bill
• Its time to change the food system

A New Embassy in Jerusalem

Thursday, May 17, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The new US embassy opened in Jerusalem on Monday, just days after Trump pulled out of the Iran deal. Both events cemented the US to Israeli interest, which may further isolate the US from the rest of the world.

Here are the videos for the meting:

• US envoy met with protests, praise ahead of embassy opening in Jerusalem
• Over 50 dead as US opens embassy in Jerusalem
• Why Are Palestinians Protesting In Gaza
• This Is Why Evangelical Christians Love Israel
• Donald Trump nuking Iran deal has huge implications
• Iran's foreign minister starts tour of world powers to save nuclear deal
• Iran-Israel tensions Iranian scholar threatens destruction

-------------------------------------- Updated 5/17/18 ----------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Haley to UN Israel acted 'with restraint' in deadly Gaza clashes
• Iran-Israel conflict escalates
• Turkish PM Erdogan's UK visit met with protests

Fire and Rain in Hawaii

Thursday, May 10, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the next meeting we will cover the two natural disasters that occurred in Hawaii in the past three weeks, the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the Big Island, and the record setting flood on Kauai.

Here are the videos:

• Hawaii residents flee after Kilauea volcano eruptions
• Hawaii's volcano emergency is far from over
• How a Hawaii crater collapse led to latest volcanic eruption
• Landslides, floods, air rescues ongoing on Kauai
• Pro surfer saves lives amid torrential Hawaii rain
• Kauai Record Rain

-------------------------------- Updated 5/11/18 ---------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Homes Destroyed, Toxic Gas Concerns Amid Hawaii Volcano Emergency
• Lava continues to swallow up homes in Hawaii
• Hawaii's volcano emergency "not over" as more evacuate
• Kilauea Hawaii volcano forces thousands to flee their homes
• Multiple Kauai homes completely destroyed
• First-hand look at extensive flood damage, rescue efforts on Kauai
• Kauai businesses struggling to attract visitors after floods
• Lawmakers reach tentative rail funding agreement, hotel tax increase

No Nukes for You

Thursday, May 3, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The issue of nuclear weapons in both North Korea and Iran has reached a turning point at the same time. In North Korea, Kim Jong Un has surprised the world with his willingness to give up his nuclear program. In Iran, Hassan Rouhani has threatened to restart their nuclear program if Trump pulls out of Obama's deal.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• North Korea, South Korea agree to end war
• Will Korean talks be different this time
• North Korea 'vows to shut down nuclear test site'
• S. Korea president Trump should win Nobel Prize
• Macron takes pitch for Iran nuclear deal to Congress
• Behind Macron's pitch for new Iran nuclear deal
• Rouhani and Macron in talks to save the Iran Nuclear Deal
• Israel's Netanyahu Iran pursued 'secret nuclear programme'

---------------------------------- Updated 5/3/18 ---------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• How Kim Jong-un Went From International Pariah to Smiling Diplomat
• Russia's Far East could help solve North Korea nuclear issue
• France, Germany propose 'Iran deal plus'