On Wednesday, the second night of round two in the Democratic presidential debates saw 10 candidates going at each other — hard. Former Vice President Joe Biden was a popular target, as was California Senator Kamala Harris. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker criticized the front-runner for playing up his role in former President Barack Obama's administration on some issues and downplaying it on others. Harris took heat for her years as a tough-on-crime district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general of California. Biden hit Harris over the cost of her version of Medicare For All while calling for refinement and expansion of Obamacare.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday criticized China's actions in Asia after meeting his Chinese counterpart for the first time this year amid political tension between the two countries. Pompeo spoke out against Chinese "coercion" of its Southeast Asian neighbors in disputes over the South China Sea and its dam-building on the Mekong River. After meeting China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, Pompeo said both countries wanted to improve ties that have soured on issues ranging from trade, US sanctions on Chinese telecom giant Huawei, Taiwan, and the busy South China Sea waterway. What does this have to do with negotiating trade deals? Is the US trying to fight too many battles on too many fronts?
Iran accused the United States on Thursday of “childish behavior” driven by fear after Washington imposed sanctions on its foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, escalating tensions between two foes at loggerheads over Persian Gulf shipping and Iran’s nuclear program. What is to be gained by such a move?
The United States is ready to support pro-market reforms and privatizations in Venezuela with investment and credit to reverse socialism and rebuild a ruined economy, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Thursday. This, I believe, speaks volumes about America’s initial intentions.
GUESTS:
Bob Schlehuber — Producer for By Any Means Necessary and Sputnik news analyst.
Dr. Jack Rasmus — Professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California and author of "Central Bankers at the End of Their Ropes: Monetary Policy and the Coming Depression."
Daniel Lazare — Journalist and author of three books: "The Frozen Republic," "The Velvet Coup" and "America's Undeclared War."
Teri Mattson — Activist with the Campaign to End US and Canadian Sanctions Against Venezuela.
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