Welcome to the Deep State Daily
Welcome to the Deep State Daily. Our intention with this newsletter is to highlight the top news stories that you need to be paying attention to. We pull stories from major news outlets, but we also try to call attention to niche websites, think-tanks and media outlets that we think you’ll enjoy whenever possible. If you enjoy our newsletter, please forward to a friend by clicking the forward link above. If you’re not already a member please consider supporting us by becoming a member.
From Deep State Radio
Haley Out at the UN: What’s Next?
Today, US UN Ambassador sat side by side smiling at the WH as she announced her resignation. They tried to put a good face on her departure. She even went so far as to speak the magic words that mattered most to him saying that she would not be running against Trump in 2020. She even said she would support him.
Well, two years is a long time. And her resigning a month before the mid-term elections could not have been what the White House wanted—especially when she could easily have departed afterwards as is more traditionally done and when her exit would be less of a story given the likely simultaneous departures of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and quite possibly Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. She’s been very canny about trying to appear supportive of Trump when necessary and then distancing herself from him more deftly than any of her other cabinet colleagues. So, no one should take too seriously what was said in the hastily scheduled press op. And if Trump can’t run or is severely damaged by developments from the Mueller probe or on other fronts…well, eep an eye on Haley. Read More
Max Boot: The Corrosion of Conservatism
Acclaimed author Max Boot has undergone a crisis of conscience since the arrival of Donald Trump. A life-long conservative who grew up revering Ronald Reagan, Boot has become one of Trump’s staunchest critics and someone who now fears for the future and the soul of the Republican Party of which he has always been a member…until recently. In his new book, “The Corrosion of Conservatism,” Boot discusses his journey and where he is today as well as what may be necessary to recover from what he sees as a singularly bleak moment in the life of the Grand Old Party. Join us for a great one on one Listen
Podcast: The Invasion of the Blog People
How much are foreign policy elites responsible for the rise of nationalist, anti-globalist views worldwide? How much is the retreat of American leadership responsible for the willingness of dictators and authoritarians worldwide to be their worst selves? How much has the rise of Donald Trump contributed to both problems and an identity crisis within the American right?
Our panel, including Max Boot, author of “The Corrosion of Conservatism”, Kelly Magsamen of the Center for American Progress and Kori Schake of IISS, discuss the global political crisis that could make our own era as dangerous as the pre-World War II years. Tune in. Listen
Stories We’re Watching
Haley Resigns UN Post: Trump Loses Longest Serving Appointee
Et tu, Haley?—Today President Trump announced that US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had tendered her resignation. Given Trump’s uncharacteristically positive acceptance of her resignation, Twitter is speculating that Ambassador Haley’s resignation may be filled by Ivanka. President Trump has said that Ambassador Haley will serve until January and that he will announce her successor in the next few weeks.
- Haaretz: U.S. Envoy to UN Nikki Haley, Staunch Israel Ally, Resigns
- Independent: Trump-Haley announcement: President praises his ‘friend’ as UN Ambassador says ‘US is strong again’ after shock resignation
- Axios: Scoop: Trump has accepted Nikki Haley’s resignation
#Him Too: Kavanaugh Confirmation
Protests erupted around the country last week as the US confirmed Brett Kavanaugh, the 114th justice & 110th white male justice. As soon as the 72hr FBI investigation into sexual misconduct concluded, Kavanaugh announced his plans to hire an all female team of clerks. Today President Trump has indicated that he is interested in the alleged withholding of payment from the paid protestors.
- Mashable: What’s next after Kavanaugh for survivors of sexual assault
- Buzzfeed News: This Mom Said Her Son Was “Afraid To Date” Because Of Feminists And Now Everyone’s Trolling Her
- The New York Times: Kavanaugh Is One of Only 114 to Join the Exclusive Club of Justices. Here’s How He Fits In
- Bloomberg Opinion: GOP’s Toasts to Kavanaugh Are Unspeakably Cruel
- Politico: Trump claims ‘paid protesters’ during Kavanaugh confirmation ‘haven’t gotten their checks’
- The Irish Times: Brett Kavanaugh shows White Irish Catholic is now core of US reactionary politics
Google Breach: 500K Google+ Account Hacked
Google+ might be the new MySpace, but check out the new Pixel3—On Monday Google unveiled the new Pixel 3 & also announced that Google+ has been canceled. Their decision came in the wake of a Wall Street Journal report which detailed a massive data breach of 500K Google+ accounts. [Who knew there were 500K Google employees?] This follows the recent Facebook hack which exposed 50M users. Since then, many have been calling for greater accountability of the tech giants that serve half the world’s population. European regulators have already moved to investigate Google.
- Wired: Google’s Privacy Whiplash Shows Big Tech’s Inherent Contradictions
- PCWorld: Google is shutting down Google+ after it exposed user data and neglected to tell anyone
- The Wall Street Journal: Google Exposed User Data, Feared Repercussions of Disclosing to Public
- The Verge: Google is facing German regulatory investigation over Google+ security flaw
UN Climate Report: Bad News Is Always True
It’s worse than we thought—The UN Climate report calls for tougher action against climate change. Citing 6,000 scientific references, the IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC recommends limiting global temperature increase to 1.5ºC instead of 2.ºC. The authors have conceded that this aggressive target would require sustained global effort and “rapid, far- reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”. President Trump rejected the Paris Climate Agreement, which sought a limit of 2ºC.
- Nature: Collection: Targeting 1.5 °C
- Science Daily: Rapid response needed to limit global warming
- Science News: Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees versus 2 has big benefits, the IPCC says
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (official): Global Warming of 1.5 °C, an IPCC special report
US-China Trade War: Uncle Xi and Trump Spar Over Tarrifs
War is policy by other means–It looks like Trump is taking Clausewitz’s maxim literally in the case of trade policy. The world’s two largest economies accuse each other of trade warfare. Trump’s latest round of tariffs primarily affects consumer goods headed to the US. Trump is likely to worsen the war (or at least his rhetoric) as midterm elections draw near. In waging economic war with China, Trump has left allies unsettled & has called into question the US commitment to free trade.
- South China Morning Post: How the US-China trade war affects Hong Kong
- The Guardian: Trump’s trade war with China and Europe will hit global growth – IMF
- BBC: US-China trade row: What has happened so far?
- Brookings: Why it’s time to end the tit-for-tat tariffs in the U.S.-China trade war
- Inside Trade: U.S. accepts China’s request for consultations at WTO over 301 tariffs
Jamal Khashoggi Disappearance
Erdogan’s latest foreign policy operation—Last week Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based, Saudi-born journalist, walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for routine marriage paperwork and he never came out. Khashoggi is known for his harsh stance on KSA’s domestic policies. And Turkey is known as the world’s largest jailer of journalists. Both Saudi and Turkey accuse each other for the disappearance. Trump hasn’t said much, but any comment is likely to be in favor of the Saudi position.
- NPR: The View From Istanbul On Missing Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi
- Middle East Eye: Saudis to allow Turkey to search consulate for Khashoggi evidence
- Politico: Pompeo calls on Saudi Arabia to investigate journalist’s disappearance
- Al Jazeera: Jamal Khashoggi: A red line has been crossed
Brazil Election: Brazil Gets Kavanaugh-ed by Bolsonaro
Brazil’s leading presidential candidate is in jail—Brazil’s 2nd most popular candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, is a hard-right former general of the Social Liberal Party (PSL). He is known for telling Brazilian congresswoman Maria do Rosario “I wouldn’t rape you because you don’t deserve it.” More popular than Bolsonaro is the former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite not being listed on the ballot, da Silva had a double-digit lead over all other candidates but isn’t eligible until he serves his 12 year prison sentence.
- Americas Society / Council of the Americas: Poll Tracker: Brazil’s 2018 Presidential Election
- The Rio Times: Opinion: Brazil’s Election Surprises – Part I
- Irish Times: Brazil election: Protesters claim fraud as Bolsonaro wins first round
- Independent: Jair Bolsonaro: The worst quotes from Brazil’s far-right presidential frontrunner
