02 Apr
2018
It Could Be a Quiet Week in DC, Except At One Local Park
- Good morning! Congress is out of town this week, and the Supreme Court is relatively quiet, which leaves much of the attention in Washington focused just where a certain person likes it – on President Trump. The president came out swinging over the weekend, in fact, warning of “caravans” of immigrants flowing over Mexico’s southern border and headed for the U.S. That means no more DACA for immigrants brought here illegally as children, the president tweeted, and possibly no more NAFTAfor Mexico. China, meanwhile escalated a trade war, imposing tariffs on pork, fruit and other U.S. exports.
- With members of Congress out of town, there could be plenty of seats to be had for the week’s biggest event: Thursday’s home opener for the Washington Nationals, who face the New York Metropolitans at Nationals Park with the first pitch scheduled for 1:05 pm. Don’t expect to walk up and get a ticket, but there are plenty of options available on Stubhub and other resellers.
- The president also said last week that the U.S. would end its military presence in Syria “very soon” – surprising both American officials and allies. And he put on hold $200 million that was slated for rebuilding in war-torn Syria, where the U.S. and its allies recently ousted ISIS. As it happens, think tanks are looking at the issues this week: On Monday, the Wilson Center hosts “Syria and the Outside Powers: What They Want and Can They Have It?” And on Tuesday, the U.S. Institute of Peace looks at “Iraq and Syria: Views from the U.S. Administration, Military Leaders and the Region.”
- One thing the White House might have overlooked in its ritual housecleaning of recent weeks: those potential new Cabinet members still must be confirmed by the Senate. Dr. Ronny Jackson, nominee for Veteran Affairs chief, could face a battle after former Secretary David Shulkin said over the weekend that he didn’t resign but was fired. Mike Pompeo will face tough questions as the nominee for Secretary of State, as will Gina Haspel, the Cabinet-level nominee for CIA director who formerly oversaw a CIA “black site” in Thailand.
- It seems that always there will be more questions about Russia. This week brings “Russia After the Presidential Election: Challenges and Chances,” on Monday at GW’s Elliott School; “Putin 4.0: Perspectives on the Russian Election and Beyond,” Tuesday at SAIS; “Putin’s Next Act,” Wednesday at Brookings; and “Six More Years in the Driver’s Seat: Putin and Russia’s Bumpy Road Ahead,” Friday at the Elliott School.
- Everybody is talking about Blockchain, but can anyone really explain it? Yes, we say – and we know who. On Tuesday, the American Council for Technology – Industry Advisory Council hosts the “2018 Blockchain Forum.” And for information about Sphere Consulting’s Blockchain advisory offerings, contact Greg Lowman at [email protected].
- Is the United States ready for a cyber conflict? John Bolton, the administration’s incoming national security advisor, apparently thinks so, “arguing that America should deploy its ‘muscular cyber capabilities’ to strike back against digital adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea,” according to Politico. That stance will certainly come under scrutiny on Wednesday when the Institute of World Politics looks at “Trump and Cyber Conflict: An Evidence-Based Discussion.”
- When computer systems span the world, is there a way to keep technology within borders? In other words, should there be limits on what American companies can be allowed to sell abroad? The Brookings Institution on Thursday probes those questions and more with “The Economic, Political and Security Implications of Technology Transfer.”
- With Mark Zuckerberg expected to be hauled before Congress next week, the tech world can’t stop prognosticating about how he will fare in his first-ever testimony on the Hill. So far, the #deleteFacebook movement hasn’t really caught on, but there’s still time. On Thursday, the New American Foundation will examine “Facebook After Cambridge Analytica: What Should We Do Now?”
- Nice work if you can get it: We doubt many of our loyal readers will make it to the lone congressional hearing slated for this week, as the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet conducts a field hearing in Honolulu examining the “Hawaii False Missile Alert: What Happened and What Should We Do Next?”