Trump, Duterte to hold first formal sit-down as uncertainty over Philippines' human rights lingers

President Donald Trump is set to meet Monday with the so-called “Trump of the East,” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, another controversial world leader known for his ultra-tough approach.

However, the first formal sit-down between the two leaders may not trigger substantial changes in the Philippines' human-rights record. In fact, Duterte said last week that he would tell Trump to “lay off” if he raised the issue of human rights, according to Reuters.

Breaking with his presidential predecessors, Trump largely has abandoned publicly pressing foreign leaders on human rights, instead showing a willingness to embrace international strongmen for strategic gain.
This week, Duterte boasted that he murdered a man with his own hands.
Duterte previously called former President Barack Obama a “son of a wh---.”
Above all, Duterte has sanctioned a bloody drug war that features extrajudicial killing.
Duterte’s war on drugs has alarmed human rights advocates around the world who say it has allowed police officers and vigilantes to ignore due process and to take justice into their own hands. Government officials estimate that well over 3,000 people, mostly drug users and dealers, have died in the ongoing crackdown. Human rights groups believe the victim total is far higher, perhaps closer to 9,000.
Duterte has defended the violence strenuously and boasted of participating himself.
Late last year, he bragged that he personally pulled the trigger and killed three people years ago while serving as mayor of Davao City. And last week, while in Vietnam for an international summit, he said he took his first life years earlier.
“When I was a teenager, I had been in and out of jail, rumble here and there,” Duterte said during a speech in Danang. “At the age of 16, I already killed someone.”
He claimed he fatally stabbed the person “just over a look.”
His spokesman later tried to downplay the comment, saying, “I think it was in jest.”
Trump has shown little interest in pressuring Duterte to rein in the violence, instead saluting him during a May phone call.
“I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” Trump told Duterte, according to a transcript of the conversation that later leaked. “Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.”
White House officials have suggested there is a strategy behind Trump’s flattery of Duterte.
Advisers have said that while Trump is unlikely to publicly chastise the Philippine president, he may offer criticisms during private meetings. Trump would plan to hold his tongue in public in order not to embarrass Duterte, whom he is urging to help pressure North Korea and fight terrorism, and to avoid pushing him into the arms of China.
Trump met Duterte for the first time at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam on Saturday.
The meeting was “short but was warm and cordial,” Duterte’s spokesman, Harry Roque, told Reuters.
“The leaders were generally pleased to finally meet each other in person,” Roque added.
Trump dismissed the notion that he buddied up to dictators.
He said Saturday he has great relationships with all sorts of leaders, “every person in that room today,” after leaving a summit in Vietnam attended by Duterte and Putin, among others.
In addition to meeting with Duterte, Trump is expected to attend the Association for Southeast Asian Nations conference on Monday to urge allies to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.
Trump’s trip to Asia was meant to be centered on trade, as well, where he held meetings with other Asian leaders to push his agenda for bilateral, rather than multinational, trade agreements.

NFL Kneeling Cartoons

Senate tax bill throws swamp water on successful Trump economy

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Leave it to the Senate to take a flaming hot Trump economy and throw swamp water on it! The booming stock market speaks for itself. President Trump has our economy rolling and now the Senate comes along with "business as usual" tactics to mess things up. Free-market lovers will never stand for this! 

The version of tax reform legislation unveiled by Senate Republicans on Thursday is another indication that the swamp is alive and well. This is a repeat performance of the failure of Congress to get health care done.The Senate GOP has proposed a version of the tax bill that delays the corporate tax rate reduction from 35 percent to 20 percent until 2019 – contrary to the version supported by House Republicans that would create that desperately needed economic stimulus tax rate cut in 2018.
Effectively, the Senate tax bill calls for a slightly lower top tax rate for individuals of 38.5 percent, versus the 39.6 percent in the House bill. The Senate measure also would double the estate tax exemption, but not repeal the tax, as House Republicans proposed.
The Senate version keeps the deduction for medical expenses, while the House bill eliminates it.
The duration of real estate depreciation will be reduced from 39 years to 25 years. This initiative alone will create another real estate asset bubble like the 1980s, where the rush to invest in real estate was not matched with economic demand. This in turn created a supply-side bubble – not enough tenants to fill the buildings and a subsequent mortgage default, followed by the savings and loan crisis.
The scoring of the proposed Senate tax bill shows this will cost the federal government $5.8 trillion in reduced revenue over 10 years, adding to the national debt.
The controversy surrounding the blue states state and local tax deduction is also eliminated entirely in the Senate bill. This is contrary to the deal the House put forth after bending to pressure from Republicans from New York, New Jersey, Illinois and California, who raised concerns about losing that deduction for their constituents.
Once again, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., capitulated to the needs of a few American taxpayers. Once again, the special interests win, not the American voter.
The inability of Republicans in Congress to come to a consensus on a tax bill is reflective of their “repeal and replace” fail during the healthcare bill negotiations.
The increasing pressure to deliver a bill the President Trump can sign illustrates just how purposeful Congress is at enabling gridlock. Congress fails to understand that the voter is engaged and is already mobilizing and supporting candidates for the 2018 election cycle who support the president’s agenda.
Another failure to deliver a bill that President Trump campaigned for will only result in support for Steve Bannon’s rallying cry for a war on the GOP establishment.
President Trump has done an amazing job of growing our economy. Americans were promised cuts that will stimulate economy, tax simplification (the Senate bill is seven layers high!), and equality (the bracketed differences are socialist, not free market!).
My guess is that those who fought so hard to elect President Trump will NOT let the swamp get away with this! 
Dr. Gina Loudon is a frequent commentator on the interplay of psychology and politics on FOX News properties. She is a member of the President's Media Advisory Board, and was a delegate to the National Republican Convention for Donald J. Trump. Her book, Mad Politics, is set to release before the Midterm elections. She offers frequent psychological, political, and social commentary.

Trump arrives in Philippines amid protests

Protesters shout slogans holding portraits of U.S. President Donald Trump and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte during a rally near the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Nov. 10, 2017. The sign translates to "Fascist."

But before the Democrats start throwing rocks, below is what happened when Obama was to go to the Philippines.

Philippine President Keeps Insulting The U.S. And Obama October 5, 2016

The U.S. and the Philippines are long-standing allies, but you would never know it from the way President Rodrigo Duterte is talking these days.
Since his election in June, Duterte has been unleashing anti-American rhetoric, which has included demands that the U.S. withdraw special operations forces helping to fight Islamists in the southern Philippines. He has also threatened to cancel joint naval patrols and warns this will be the last year the two countries will hold joint military exercises, saying they haven't benefited the Philippines.
"Instead of helping us, the first to criticize is this State Department, so you can go to hell, Mr. Obama, you can go to hell," Duterte said Tuesday.
And in separate remarks the same day, Duterte made a separate threat: "Eventually I might, in my time, I will break up with America." Then he added: "I would rather go to Russia and to China."
This was not the first time but only the most recent time that he has publicly insulted the U.S. president.

"We knew he was brash. We knew he was bold and spoke off the cuff, but I don't think anyone expected him to call the president of the United States a 'son of a bitch,' " says Jeff Smith, the director of Asian Security Programs at the American Foreign Policy Council.

 Now back to the present day Story

Nov. 10, 2017:

President Donald Trump’s tour of Asia continued Sunday with his arrival in the Philippines, the last of five nations on his itinerary before he returns to the United States.

The president is scheduled to attend a pair of international summits and meet several times with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

The leader of the Philippines has come under intense criticism from human rights advocates for overseeing a violent drug crackdown that includes extrajudicial killings. Trump has previously praised Duterte's handling of his nation's drug problems.
Trump arrived in Manila late Sunday afternoon local time after a brief stop in Vietnam.
Just hours before his arrival, riot police worked to prevent hundreds of protesters from reaching the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Reuters reported.
The demonstrators carried placards reading “Dump Trump” and “Down with U.S. Imperialism,” the report said.
In Manila, Trump was scheduled to meet with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other East Asian nations.
In meetings with Duterte, Trump will reportedly try to win over a leader who has expressed a strong anti-U.S. sentiment.

 

Pence helps give Vietnam Veterans Memorial a holiday washing

Vice President Mike Pence cleans a portion of the wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017 in Washington.

WASHINGTON –  Vice President Mike and his wife, Karen, joined several dozen volunteers to give the Vietnam Veterans Memorial a holiday cleaning.
Carrying orange buckets with the message "Let's Do This," the Pences spent about 40 minutes Saturday wiping down the face of the famous wall on the National Mall engraved with the names of fallen soldiers.
The vice president shook hands and posed for photos with the volunteers in subfreezing temperatures just after dawn, declaring: "This is a great way to start Veterans Day!"
The cleanup was sponsored by the New Day USA, a mortgage companies specializing in loans to veterans.
The group was joined by James Pierce, a National Park Service ranger who lost a leg while serving with the North Carolina Army National Guard in Afghanistan.

Veterans, not NFL, to be focus for many fans this Sunday

U.S. Army Sgt. Zach Ames, center, who served in Afghanistan, surprises his wife, Bri Ames, left, and their daughter Emersyn, right, prior to an NFL game in Seattle on Veterans Day in 2012.

Veterans Day weekend seems to have inspired a new round of fan activism against the National Football League in response to player protests during the national anthem.

A Facebook page called “Boycott the NFL,” boasting more than 227,000 followers, is asking football fans to skip watching Sunday’s games “in solidarity with veterans around the country,” the Washington Times reported.

In New Jersey, a bar in Farmingdale called Woody’s Roadside Tavern plans to hold a fundraiser for veterans and their families, instead of showing NFL games on the bar’s 20 television screens, NJ.com reported.
In Colorado, a decorated local veteran recently turned down an invitation from the Denver Broncos to be honored during Sunday night’s game against the New England Patriots, Fox 31 reported.
And a conservative watchdog group called 2ndVote is asking fans to “stiff-arm the NFL,” according to the Washington Times.
“We’re sending the National Football League, its corporate sponsors, and the television networks a message this Veterans Day weekend!” 2ndVote told the newspaper. “Americans are sick of the disrespectful National Anthem protests that the NFL has not only allowed to continue, but has institutionalized in pregame ceremonies.”
The league and its players union announced Saturday there would be “no change” in league policy regarding the on-field protests, which began last season with a one-man effort by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who said he wanted to draw attention to police mistreatment of African-Americans across the U.S.
The protests broadened across the league in September, after President Donald Trump told an Alabama crowd that any player protesting during the anthem should be removed from the field.
The president and other critics argued that the playing of the national anthem was the wrong time for protests, regardless of the reason, because the song represents U.S. national unity and respect for those who serve in the military.
Rob Johnson, a co-owner of the New Jersey bar, told NJ.com that their anti-NFL event was inspired by a regular customer who served in Vietnam and felt disrespected by NFL players taking a knee during the anthem. 
"While it'll probably cost us some money, we thought it was more important to stand with our veterans," Johnson told NJ.com.

"While it'll probably cost us some money, we thought it was more important to stand with our veterans."

- Rob Johnson, co-owner, Woody’s Roadside Tavern in New Jersey

About 22,000 people have pledged on Facebook that they plan to turn off the television during Sunday’s games, the Washington Times reported.
But the newspaper speculated that NFL players may forgo their protests this weekend because of Veterans Day. It noted that Seattle Seahawks players who previously protested opted not to do so during Thursday night’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The NFL players union said its members planned to observe a moment of silence for veterans at Sunday’s games, while various teams planned other Veterans Day tributes, the Times reported.

Saturday , November 11 Veterans Day 2017 in United States of America

Marine Corps Celebrates 242nd Birthday

Members of the U.S. Marine Corp honor guard salute during the singing of the National Anthem.

The United States Marine Corps is celebrating its 242nd birthday.
The Marines formed on November 10, 1775 in Philadelphia during the American Revolution to lead the fight “on land and on sea” against the British.
Since then the marines have been an integral part of battles, especially in World War II and most recently in the Middle East in the War on Terror.
After laying a wreath at the World War II memorial in Washington Friday morning, General Robert B. Neller, the 37th Commandant of the Marine Corps. addressed the crowd.
“The world we have is the world we have,” said the general. “It’s probably not the world we want, but it can become the world that we want if we are willing to sacrifice and dedicate and work hard to make it what we believe it should be.”
Currently, there are more than 180,000 active duty marines, and more than 30,000 in the Marine Reserves.
The motto of the Marine Corps — “semper fi” — was adopted around 1883, and is Latin for “always faithful.”

NYC MTA cuts 'ladies and gentlemen' from announcements for more gender-neutral phrasing

New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority announced it will no longer use the phrase "ladies and gentlemen" effective immediately.  (AP)

Riders of New York City’s subways will no longer hear the phrase “ladies and gentlemen” ringing across the PA system before the doors close, reported PIX11.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is opting for a more gender-neutral approach. Bus drivers and subway conductors are reportedly told to use words such as "passengers," "riders" and "everyone."

The change is effective immediately, reported the news outlet.
Transit staff was notified of the new policy in a bulletin earlier this week, which is part of the NYC Subway Action Plan to improve communication with its customers.
"We're fundamentally changing the way we talk with riders to give them better and clearer information," MTA spokesman Jon Weinstein told PIX11.
Pre-recorded messages that include the former language will also be changed, and more emphasis will be placed on real time live updates.
Conductors will also have more freedom in terms of announcements, making them more personable and even shouting out local landmarks, reported PIX11.
This is just one of several upcoming changes within the MTA, including a new app, improved communication of track updates and additional representatives to help with customer questions, the news outlet reported.

US citizen fighting for ISIS surrenders to US-backed forces in Syria

Mohamad Jamal Khweis 

Jan. 14, 2014: ISIS marching in Raqqa, Syria.  (AP) 

A U.S. citizen fighting for ISIS surrendered to U.S.-backed fighters in Syria, two U.S. military officials confirmed to Fox News on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear where or when the surrender took place, but one official said it occurred in northern Syria in an area controlled by a U.S.-backed militia called the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF is a Kurdish and Arab army that has been fighting ISIS.

The man was not immediately identified and it was not clear where he was being held.
Col. Ryan Dillon, a U.S. military spokesman for the coalition against ISIS, would not comment on the surrender. Dillon deferred to the State Department on the issue. 
The U.S. military command told the Daily Beast they were aware of the report.
“We are aware of the report that a U.S. citizen believed to be fighting for ISIS surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces on or about Sept. 12," the command said in a statement. "As a precondition for Coalition support, SDF and Iraqi forces have pledged to observe international laws and the laws of armed conflict. Foreign fighters who are captured or surrender to SDF partners in Syria will be safeguarded and transported humanely, and their home nations will be contacted regarding the next steps."
The statement added: “The Coalition defers questions pertaining to captured ISIS fighters to their relative nations' Departments of State or equivalent agencies. The Coalition's mission is to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and we will pursue ISIS fighters regardless of nationality.”
The unidentified man is not the first American to be seized for participating in combat for ISIS. In March 2016, Mohamad Jamal Khweis, of Virginia, joined ISIS and then surrendered to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. Khweis later expressed regret for joining the terror group.