16 Apr
2018
War of the Words, Online Shopping and Techapalooza
- It’s debatable who fired the first shot, but there’s no doubt that President Trump and former FBI Director James Comey are at war. In a Sunday-morning tweetstorm, the president again called Comey a “slimeball” and propagated a list of things he said Comey left out of the book. Comey returned the favor Sunday night, calling Trump“morally unfit to be president” and a serial liar. When you drain a swamp, all that’s left is mud.
- Note to politicians: Try to avoid the phrase “Mission Accomplished” whenever possible. Twenty-four hours after President Trump declared the U.S. attack on Syrian chemical weapons facilities a success, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military resumed strikes on rebel-held and civilian areas as he met with Russian advisers. The Syrian conflict is certain to be a topic of a Wednesday hearing by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on “U.S. Policy Toward a Turbulent Middle East.” And the U.S. Institute of Peace on Monday hosts “Hidden Wounds: Trauma and Civilians in the Syrian Conflict.”
- United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley warned that more sanctions against Russia were due to be put into place on Monday, aimed at companies dealing in equipment related to Assad’s chemical weapons program. Russian topics are all over town this week: On Monday, the National Press Club hosts “The Kalb Report — Putin’s Trump Card,” while on Tuesday the Hudson Institute examines “Countering Russian Kleptocracy” and the National Endowment for Democracy looks at “Russia As A Global Challenge.” GWU’s Elliott School of International Affairs sees Russia as less of a challenge; on Thursday it mulls “A Declining Power’s Quest for Status.”
- President Trump will be in Florida for much of the week, where on Tuesday and Wednesday he will host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a sort-of summit and, of course, a round of golf. The subjects to be discussed include North Korea, the recently announced tariffs that failed to exclude Japan and Trump’s recent trial balloon about rejoining TPP. Both leaders will try to avoid being captured on tape throwing shade after their visit.
- The Supreme Court will hear an important case this week on an issue that is dear to the President’s heart – the online shopping sales tax. On Tuesday morning, the court will entertain arguments in South Dakota v. Wayfair, to decide the issue of whether states can require Internet retailers to collect sales tax on transactions even if the seller doesn’t have a physical presence in the state where the buyer lives. Currently Amazon collects sales tax on the sale of its own products, but not for the larger volume in its Amazon Marketplace, where third-party vendors sell their wares. President Trump last month accused Amazon of avoiding paying taxes. The Heritage Foundation previews the case on Monday.
- The Federal Reserve will be on the Hill this week delivering its Semiannual Report to Congress on the Fed’s supervision and regulation of the financial system. Randal Quarles, vice chairman of the Fed, will deliver remarks to and face questions from the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday and, on Thursday, the Senate Banking Committee. Also Tuesday, Brookings peers at “How to reform the global monetary system.”
- A week after Mark Zuckerberg explained to a member of Congress how Facebook makes money – “Senator, we run ads” – technology is all over town. On Tuesday, a House Energy and Commerce panel looks at Internet prioritization, while a House Judiciary subcommittee looks at “Safeguarding Trade Secrets in the U.S.” Also, the Family Research Council asks “Who Owns Free Speech on the Internet?” while New America ponders “Will Secure Multiparty Computation Reshape Data Privacy?” (Say what?)
- More on tech: The Aspen Institute on Wednesday looks at “Counterintelligence in the Digital Age” while on Friday the Federalist Society ponders the issue: “What to do about Facebook and the Future of Tech Regulation.” Two congressional panels also probe an issue that’s close to everyone’s heart: “Abusive Robocalls and How To Stop Them” is the topic of a Senate Commerce hearing on Wednesday, while on Thursday a House subcommittee tries “Combating Robocalls and Caller ID Spoofing.”
- President Trump is his own topic, virtually every week. He wouldn’t have it any other way. On Wednesday the Institute of World Politics examines “The Trump Phenomenon” and the American Constitution Society discusses “Trump and the Emoluments Clause.”
- Finally, China. No fewer than seven China events cram the calendar this week, looking at Industrial Espionage (Institute of World Politics), Trade and Investment(Heritage), Influence in the Indian Ocean (Hudson Institute) and the Region (Elliott @ GWU), Economic Development (Brookings), an Africa Agenda (John Hopkins) and Foreign Direct Investment (AU College of Law).