The President Takes On China, Alone

Years of multinational efforts have failed to get China to play by the international rules of trade. Now, President Trump has launched an all-out trade war in which the United States is confronting China on its own. Guests: Natalie Kitroeff, a business reporter for The New York Times, spoke with Peter S. Goodman, an economics correspondent. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. 

Background reading:The intensifying trade war between the United States and China, the two largest economies on earth, has become the biggest threat to the global economy.Both countries seem to be hardening their positions in ways that will be difficult to resolve with the mutual face-saving that typically facilitates trade deals.

To listen to this podcast, click here.

Mother’s Day

“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie

On this Mother’s Day, I am thankful for my own mother, Roberta Kelley, who along with her twin brother Robert, are the 8th and 9th born from a large family of 10 children in Chester, PA.  She along with my father Essex, raised my siblings and I with discipline, independence, caring and respect with the proper balance of love. But the special gift that I received from my mother was courage and strength. My mother taught me that when facing adversity, to push forward despite my fears. She made me brave and that influenced the manner in which I reared my two children.

Despite the strength from my Mom, I oftentimes felt apprehension while caring for my own children. I believe all mothers have a sense of this. But whether you’re a mother or one who has helped raise, influence or loved a child, you hopefully have cherished memories – even an inner peace – of knowing that you did your best.

On this Mother’s Day, I have many mixed feelings. Our country is suffering through the inhumane policies of the current administration, and the most egregious one has been separating families along our southern border. There, families have been traumatized and literally ripped apart from each other.

We’ve seen the terrified faces of young children as they have been placed in cages while parents were either prosecuted, held in federal jails or sometimes deported without their children. News reports indicate that some children may likely never be reunited with their parents. Unfortunately, the negative impact to the children will be lifelong.

As Fayette Democrats we are unable to stretch our arms long enough to embrace those children and families at the border, but we can work to improve our local community.

This month, FCDC will be supporting the mission of a local charity called ‘Promise Place’. Promise Place seeks to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault among women, teenage girls and their families.

While you’re honoring your mother this Mother’s Day as I will, let’s take a moment to honor the mothers supported by Promise Place. By doing this, we strengthen our community.

We have placed the list of needed items on our website: www.gafayettedems.org where you can click on the ‘Promise Place Wish List’ link. All items will be collected at the next Pancakes & Politics meeting on May 11th or can be dropped off at FCDC Headquarters no later than Saturday, May 18th. Thank you so much in advance for your donation and have a wonderful and Happy Mother’s Day!

Carolyn

Chair, Fayette Democratic Committee

How They Voted 2018

The Chamber ranks members of Congress for key business votes set out in its annual publication, How They Voted. Votes included in the rankings are Chamber-designated “key votes”: recorded floor votes on issues established as priorities by the Chamber’s board of directors, on which the Chamber communicates its position prior to the vote. To learn more click here.