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US tax policy chief Kevin Brady vows to push on with import levy The Financial Times / January 24, 2017 The Republican shaping plans for US tax reform has vowed to push ahead with a controversial levy on imports, saying it is vital to fixing the current “backward” system despite the opposition of foreign countries and American importers. Kevin Brady, the chief tax policymaker on Capitol Hill, launched a robust defence of his proposal to tax imports and sought to tie it to President Donald Trump’s “America first” economic agenda just as the new president appears to waver on the idea. The plan to penalise importers and incentivise American exports has emerged as the most contentious part of the biggest proposed overhaul of the tax code in 30 years, a process that begins in Mr Brady’s Ways and Means committee in the House of Representatives. “I do expect China and Europe and Mexico to yell about this,” Mr Brady said. “They have a tax advantage built in because America voluntarily gives them and their products a significant tax advantage over ours here in the United States and gives them a tax advantage in their own country as well. That unbalanced approach will not continue.” Today foreign competitors “adjust” their taxes at their borders by adding taxes to American-made products and taking taxes off their own, he said, but the US did not. By killing that “completely backwards” feature — which he would do by not letting US companies deduct import costs from their taxable income — Mr Brady said he would eliminate the price advantages of Chinese steel, Mexican cars and foreign oil. But he faces a fierce battle over his plans. Big importers including retailers, apparel makers and the billionaire Koch brothers have united against the proposal, arguing it would cripple businesses that cannot source their products in the US and force them to raise prices for consumers. The proposal will need Mr Trump’s backing to prevail, but the new president has created considerable uncertainty over his position at a time when his administration’s key policymakers on tax have not yet taken the reins. This month Mr Trump called Mr Brady’s idea “too complicated”, telling the Wall Street Journal: “Anytime I hear border adjustment, I don’t love it.” But he backtracked soon afterwards, telling the Axios news service that the report did not accurately reflect his views and that the border tax adjustment was “certainly something that is going to be discussed” in White House negotiations with congressional Republicans. Then last week, following the ensuing storm over his comments, Mr Trump revealed that Paul Ryan, the House speaker and close ally of Mr Brady, had called him to say: “Do me a favour . . . let’s not talk about the taxes publicly.” Mr Brady said: “We’re having very constructive discussions with the Trump administration. They do want to go bold on tax reform. They do want to level the playing field so our American companies and workers can compete anywhere in the world and especially here at home. “Their economic team is active on a lot of these issues right now. I’ve been incredibly impressed with how deep a dive the current team did and [how deep] the president has gone on taxes”. The border adjustment plan would be good news for US exporters because export revenues would be excluded from company tax bases, handing them an effective subsidy. For importers worried about its impact, Mr Brady said he expected the economy and currency rates to adjust in a “very efficient” way, but added: “We’re also looking at the design of [a] transition to accommodate concerns. We know we are throwing bold changes at the business community. We don’t expect those [business] models to change on a dime.” The proposal is likely to be challenged under World Trade Organisation rules, but Mr Brady said: “I’m convinced this is WTO consistent.”

The American Mack brand people in Greensboro are not "truck people". Most came from unrelated backgrounds. But they are "yes men" who don't make waves, as that is how you survive in Volvo's culture. Meanwhile, Volvo's Swedish heads in the U.S. don't understand the United States market. They'll keep beating on the square peg until it finally breaks around the edges and passes thru the round hole, as it's been ingrained in them to do.

I still firmly believe that all geographically large, high-consumption countries should dictate that medium and high volume light vehicles be produced there. One can call it protectionist, but I call it a very reasonable request. China has such a policy, rightly so, and it has worked out reasonably well for all concerned. The US is a mature market, but the sales volume is extremely high. Small countries can't reasonably demand domestic production from every participating automaker, but the U.S. certainly can.

President Trump Signs Series of Memoranda Dealing with Trade and Other Issues The White House / January 23, 2017 Soon after taking the oath of office, President Donald J. Trump signed a series of Presidential Memoranda to fulfill his promise to make America Great Again on trade and other issues. Presidential Memorandum Regarding Withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement The first executive action the President took was to permanently withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade agreement that is not in the best interest of American workers. This action ushers in a new era of U.S. trade policy in which the Trump Administration will pursue bilateral free trade opportunities with allies around the world, wherever possible, to promote American industry, protect American workers, and raise American wages. It is the policy of the Trump Administration to represent the American people and their financial well-being in all negotiations, particularly the American worker, and to create fair and economically beneficial trade deals that serve their interests. Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze President Trump issued a memorandum which imposes a hiring freeze on the executive branch to counter the dramatic expansion of the federal workforce in recent years and the costs attendant to that expansion. The Federal workforce has expanded significantly during the last two Administrations, from approximately 1.8 million Federal civilian employees during the Clinton Administration to approximately 2.1 million as of 2016 (an approximately 17 percent increase). Meanwhile, Federal employee health and retirement benefits continue to be based on antiquated assumptions and require a level of generosity long since abandoned by most of the private sector. Those costs are unsustainable for the Federal government, just as they are proving to be unsustainable for state and local governments with similar health and retirement packages. Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy President Trump issued a memorandum reestablishing the Mexico City Policy. Under this initiative, the United States will end the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund abortions overseas, along with coercive abortion and sterilization practices. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Hiring Freeze The White House / January 23, 2017 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order a freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees to be applied across the board in the executive branch. As part of this freeze, no vacant positions existing at noon on January 22, 2017, may be filled and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances. This order does not include or apply to military personnel. The head of any executive department or agency may exempt from the hiring freeze any positions that it deems necessary to meet national security or public safety responsibilities. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary. Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM, shall recommend a long-term plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government's workforce through attrition. This order shall expire upon implementation of the OMB plan. Contracting outside the Government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum shall not be permitted. This hiring freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of the sources of their operational and programmatic funding, excepting military personnel. In carrying out this memorandum, I ask that you seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs and to ensure that essential services are not interrupted and national security is not affected. This memorandum does not limit the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation, the appointment of officials to non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service or to Schedule C positions in the Excepted Service, or the appointment of any other officials who serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Moreover, it does not limit the hiring of personnel where such a limit would conflict with applicable law. This memorandum does not revoke any appointment to Federal service made prior to January 22, 2017. This memorandum does not abrogate any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the date of this memorandum. DONALD J. TRUMP -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT: The Mexico City Policy The White House / January 23, 2017 I hereby revoke the Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2009, for the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning), and reinstate the Presidential Memorandum of January 22, 2001, for the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Restoration of the Mexico City Policy). I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies. I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. DONALD J. TRUMP

Built to last, she was sunk off North Carolina in target practice in 2003, a sad end for a ship commissioned 60 years earlier in 1943.

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/48491-volvo-cancels-d16-mack-cancels-titan-tractor/

Trump meets with Detroit 3 CEOs as he demands more U.S.-built vehicles Bloomberg/Reuters / January 24, 2017 President Donald Trump met Tuesday with the CEOs of the Detroit 3 automakers as he looks to persuade car manufacturers to keep production within the country. "We have a very big push on to have auto plants and other plants -- many other plants," Trump said. "It's happening." Before the meeting, he tweeted: “I want new plants to be built here for cars sold here!” The heads of Ford, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and General Motors attended the meeting at the White House. The meeting presents Detroit’s automakers with a key opportunity to weigh in on major issues the administration plans to tackle in its earliest days, including trade, regulatory and tax reforms. “He looks forward to hearing their ideas, on how we can work together to bring more jobs back to this industry in particular,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said. Trump told the CEOs that environmental regulations are "out of control" and promised he would remove obstacles for manufacturers and oil companies. The president reiterated his desire to reduce regulations, which may indicate a willingness to scale back federal fuel-economy demands. “I am, to a large extent, an environmentalist,” Trump told the auto executives. “I believe in it. But, it’s out of control.” Automakers in recent weeks have urged the Trump administration to rethink aggressive fuel efficiency mandates. Tuesday's gathering was the first time the CEOs of the big three automakers have met jointly with a U.S. president since a 2011 session with Barack Obama to tout a deal to nearly double fuel efficiency standards by 2025. Ford CEO Mark Fields discussed corporate tax reform, the need for “data-driven regulations” and trade policy initiatives that address foreign currency manipulation. GM CEO Mary Barra and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne also attended. Marchionne told reporters after the meeting that Trump did not give them specifics on what regulations he would cut. GM, Ford and FCA have all announced recent new jobs and investments in the U.S., but are still investing in Mexico. Fields said automakers wanted to work with Trump to create a "renaissance in American manufacturing." "We're very encouraged by the president and the economic policies that he's forwarding," Fields told reporters, praising Trump's decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which Fields said did not address intervention in currency valuations by trading partners. "As an industry we're excited about working together with the president," he said. Barra said there was a "huge opportunity" to work together with the government to "improve the environment, improve safety and improve the jobs creation." Trump met Monday with prominent American manufacturers including Fields and Elon Musk, the head of Tesla Motors, and said he would dramatically cut regulations and corporate taxes. But Trump said manufacturers would face tough penalties if they move production outside the country. Cutting regulations “We think we can cut regulations by 75 percent. Maybe more,” Trump said. “When you want to expand your plant, or when Mark wants to come in and build a big massive plant, or when Dell wants to come in and do something monstrous and special -- you’re going to have your approvals really fast.” After the meeting, Fields said he was confident Trump was “very serious on making sure the United States economy is going to be strong and have policies -- on tax, regulatory or trade -- to drive that.” Trump has openly agitated for U.S. automakers to keep jobs in the U.S. and cancel plans to build plants abroad. “Car companies and others, if they want to do business in our country, have to start making things here again. WIN!” Trump tweeted on Sunday. Executive reactions Barra said it was a "very constructive and wide-ranging discussion about how we can work together on policies that support a strong and competitive economy and auto industry, one that supports the environment and safety. "The U.S. is our home market and we are eager to come together to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing. We all want a vibrant U.S. manufacturing base that is competitive globally and that grows jobs. It's good for our employees, our dealers, our suppliers and our customers." Marchionne said: "I appreciate the President's focus on making the U.S. a great place to do business. We look forward to working with President Trump and members of Congress to strengthen American manufacturing." He said, in total, FCA has committed investments of more than $9.6 billion in its U.S. manufacturing facilities and created 25,000 new jobs to date since 2009. Flattening sales With flattening U.S. auto sales and some excess capacity, U.S. automakers may be reluctant to agree to open new plants, which likely would not come online for several years. Tuesday's meeting included the former Republican governor of Missouri, Matt Blunt, who heads a U.S. automaker trade association. Vice President Mike Pence, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and other senior administration officials also attended the meeting. Barclays auto analyst Brian Johnson said he thinks "automakers will be willing to make a deal that would bring back jobs to the U.S. (whether by voluntary commitments or tariffs or border taxes is less clear) in return for a slower ramp of (fuel efficiency) targets and related state-level mandates. While automakers are adding U.S. jobs they are also cutting U.S. small car production. On Monday, GM ended two shifts of production of small cars in Ohio and Michigan, cutting about 2,000 jobs.

Your truck was ordered with the optional air-actuated inter-axle power divider lockout. However, it was not ordered with the optional inter-wheel (differential) power divider (available on S38 and S44 bogies). The Mack inter-wheel power divider, like the standard fully automatic command “wedge type” Mack inter-axle power divider, contains no gears and provides a 3-to-1 torque biasing capability to the left or right wheel with the best traction. .

From my research (please correct me if I’m wrong), Trump promised to take 31 actions on "Day One" in office. Though his first day literally was Friday Jan 20, but I waited for Monday Jan 23 to conclude before checking the outcome. It appears that he has only fulfilled 2 of his 31 "day one" promises. ---------------------------------------------------- Fulfilled promises: Promise — Impose a hiring freeze on federal employees, excluding military, public safety, and public health staff. Outcome - Trump signed a memorandum Monday freezing most federal government hiring, with an exception for the military. Promise - Formally withdraw from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership. Outcome - Trump signed a memorandum Monday that moves to pull the United States out of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. ---------------------------------------------------- Unfulfilled promises: Immigration — Stop all federal funding to "sanctuary cities" — places where local officials don't arrest or detain immigrants living in the country illegally for federal authorities. — Begin deporting what Trump estimates to be more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants living in the country. (Trump has promised to do this in his "first hour" in office, "day one, before the wall, before anything.") — "Notify all countries that refuse to take back dangerous illegal immigrants who have committed crimes in this country that they will lose access to our visa programs if they continue to do so." — Immediately terminate former President Obama's "two illegal executive amnesties." (That presumably includes DACA, which protects people who were brought into the country illegally as children.) — Begin working on an "impenetrable physical wall" along the southern border. — "Ask Congress to pass 'Kate's Law'—named for Kate Steinle—to ensure that criminal aliens convicted of illegal reentry receive strong mandatory minimum sentences." Security & Defense — Immediately suspend the Syrian refugee resettlement program. — Convene his generals and inform them that they have 30 days to submit a new plan for defeating ISIS. — Suspend immigration from "terror-prone regions" where he says vetting is too difficult. — Implement new "extreme" immigration vetting techniques. — Meet with Homeland Security officials and generals to begin securing the southern border. — "Contact countries and say…'Folks, we love protecting you, we want to continue to protect you but you're not living up to the bargain'…They're not paying what they're supposed to be paying—which is very little, by the way." — "Start taking care of our…military." Trade — Direct his treasury secretary to label China a currency manipulator. Business — Call the heads of major companies who are moving operations oversea to inform them that they'll face 35 percent tariffs. Draining the “swamp” and government reform — Propose a Constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress. — Ban White House and congressional officials from becoming lobbyists for five years after they leave the government. — Ban former White House officials from lobbying on behalf of foreign governments for the rest of their lives. — Ban foreign lobbyists from raising money for U.S. elections. — Impose a requirement that for every new federal regulation imposed, two existing regulations be eliminated. — Fix the Department of Veterans Affairs. Energy and the environment — Remove any Obama-era roadblocks to energy projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline. — Lift restrictions on mining coal and drilling for oil and natural gas. — Cancel payments to the U.N.'s climate change programs and use the money to fix America's water and environmental infrastructure. Health care, gun control and other — Cancel "every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama." — Ask Congress to send him a bill to repeal and replace "Obamacare". — Begin the process of selecting a new Supreme Court justice. — Get rid of gun-free zones in schools and on military bases.

Matt Wood, Owner/Driver / January 23, 2017 After 60 years on the road, Maurie Stewart is about to hang up the keys for good. Just a couple of days after his 80th birthday, Maurie and I were homeward bound to Melbourne. Maurie shares his memories of earning 35 pounds per week, which he says was big money in those days, and talks about a time when fatigue management hadn't even been thought of. Above all else, Maurie still has a love for truck driving, which comes across with how fondly he speaks of his co-workers and the industry as a whole. Video - https://www.ownerdriver.com.au/industry-news/1701/maurie-celebrates-60-years-behind-wheel

When you called Watts Mack (provider of the BMT website) at 1-888-304-6225 with your truck's model and serial number located on the vehicle identification plate, what did they say ?

ForConstrucionPros / January 23, 2017 Steve Howard from Terex tells how the FD4000 helps Florida operators get a legal 10-yard payload of 70,000 gross on four axles. With the increased weight of the new SCR systems, Telex implemented lighter weight ZF mixer drum drive transmission and pedestal mounting reduces tare weight to increase payload capacity. .

Volvo halts production of heavy-haul VNX tractor, nixes D16 engine Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / January 23, 2017 Volvo Trucks has discontinued its 16-liter engine and has halted production of its VNX tractor, the company has confirmed with CCJ. Market conditions dictated both decisions, the company says. The changes are effective immediately, says Volvo spokesperson Brandon Borgna. The company’s dealer network received notice Friday, Borgna says. The 16-liter D16 has seen “limited market demand,” he says, as more and more customers opt for the smaller D13. “We continue to see a general shift among our highway customers toward the lighter, more fuel-efficient Volvo D13 engine, which comprises the most popular engine displacement in North America,” Borgna says. Volvo will continue to service existing D16 engines. Despite the production stop, Volvo intends to keep the VNX in its product lineup, Borgna says, following further market analysis. “In the interim, we intend to offer an X-package for the VNL model, providing the ride height and heavy-haul attributes of the VNX with either the Volvo D13 or Cummins X15 engine. The package will include a 20,000-lb front axle, dual steering gears, heavy-duty bumper, chrome grille, high ride height for improved ground clearance, and 500 horsepower versions of the Volvo D13 and Cummins X15 engines.”

Volvo, Mack, to Discontinue 16-liter Diesel Immediately Heavy Duty Trucking / January 23, 2017 Volvo Trucks North America announced to its dealers on Jan. 20 that effective immediately, the OEM would cease production and distribution of its 16.1-liter D16 diesel engine. Aftermarket service and support for all D16s currently in the field will continue unimpeded. The decision to cease 16-liter engine production will also affect Mack Trucks, a sister company under the Volvo Group. Therefore, Mack will stop offering its MP10 16.1-liter diesel, which shares major design and production attributes with the D16. According to a company spokesperson, Volvo made the decision based on limited demand for the large-displacement diesel and the long-term investment that would be required to keep it in the market. Additionally, Volvo noted that general trends in the North American trucking industry toward smaller-displacement diesels, which are lighter and more fuel efficient, also bolstered the determination to cease D16 production. Production of Volvo’s 12.8-liter D13 diesel will not be affected. The D16 engine was an option on Volvo VNL and VNX models. The VNL will continue to be available with the Volvo D11, Volvo D13 and Cummins X15 engines. Volvo said the heavy-duty VNX model will remain in its product lineup. The company is currently evaluating engine solutions that will allow it to keep offering it in the future. However, Mack's heavy-haul Class 8 tractor, the Titan, will be discontinued. A company spokesperson said that decision was made because many of the applications that the Titan serves can be handled by Mack Pinnacle and Granite models equipped with the newer higher horsepower and torque outputs of the Mack MP8 12.8-liter engine. Mack will continue to provide full aftermarket service and support to Titan customers. Volvo also said it intends, for the interim, to offer an “X-package” for the VNL model, which will provide the ride height and heavy-haul attributes of the VNX with 500-hp versions of either the Volvo D13 or Cummins X15 engine. The Volvo package will include a 20,000-lb front axle, dual steering gears, heavy-duty bumper, chrome grille, and high ride height for improved ground clearance. The Volvo I-Shift AMT is standard on trucks equipped with a D11 or D13 engine and manual transmissions are available as an option. The X15 engine is available with a manual transmission or with the Eaton Ultrashift transmission.

Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / January 23, 2017 Diminishing demand reason why Volvo cancelled its D16 engine and Mack stopped Titan production for North America. In a mid-day memo to its dealer network last Friday, Volvo Trucks announced that it will no longer be selling its 16-liter D16 engine in the North American market anymore, citing “diminishing demand” as the reason for the cancellation. Introduced into the U.S. back in 2005, the D16 offered displacement of 550 to 625 hp – mainly at heavy haul applications. By extension, this also means Volvo’s brother company, Mack Trucks will no longer be offering its large displacement MP10 engine, which is based on the D16. Mack is also discontinuing sales of its Titan heavy haul tractor as well. “The decision is the result of limited market demand for this engine displacement and the long-term investment that would be required to maintain the D16 for the unique operating requirements of the North American market,” Brandon Borgna, spokesman for Volvo Trucks, told Fleet Owner. “We also continue to see a general shift among our highway customers toward the lighter, more fuel-efficient Volvo D13 engine, which comprises the most popular engine displacement in North America,” he added. The company noted that its D16 engine was available in Volvo’s VNL and VNX models. The VNL will continue to be available with the Volvo D11, D13 and Cummins X15 engines, while production of the VNX – introduced in 2013 – will be placed “on hold” though it will remain in Volvo’s product lineup for now. “We’re evaluating solutions that will allow us to offer it in the future. In the interim, we intend to offer an ‘X-package’ for the VNL model, providing the ride height and heavy-haul attributes of the VNX with either the Volvo D13 or Cummins X15 engine,” Borgna said. “But aftermarket service and support will continue for customers who currently have a D16 engine.” Volvo added that its new “X-package” for the VNL model will include a 20,000-lb front axle, dual steering gears, heavy-duty bumper, chrome grille, high ride height for improved ground clearance, and 500 hp versions of the Volvo D13 and Cummins X15 engines. The Volvo I-Shift automated mechanical transmission (AMT) will remain the standing offering on Volvo trucks equipped with a D11 or D13 engine, though manual transmissions will remain available as an option. The X15 engine will also be made available with a manual transmission or the Eaton Ultrashift AMT when ordered with Volvo models, the company said. Mack spokesman Christopher Heffner told Fleet Owner that the company’s Titan tractor model and – as noted above – its engine, the Mack MP10, are being discontinued in North America as well. He said in an email that's because many of the applications that the Titan served can be handled by Mack Pinnacle and Granite models equipped with the newer higher horsepower and torque outputs of Mack's MP8 13-liter engine. “Mack will continue to provide full aftermarket service and support for customers who currently own a Titan model,” Heffner added. He also noted that Mack will continue to produce its proprietary Maxitorque manual transmission, contrary to other information seen at press time.

"Indiana at one time rivaled Detroit as being the automotive capital of the world" .

I believe, with the United States being one of the world's largest countries in size, it is inherently appropriate for us to have a self-sustainable economy. China is successfully moving towards that now, much to our disadvantage. While they'll be relatively independent, the US will still depend on China for a great deal of manufacturing and financing. Not good. Having a great industrial base will indeed require some major cultural reform. There would be adjustments. Lower wages in some cases, and more expensive cars in some cases.

The Beacon added that American Bridge also plans to get involved in 16-20 of the most competitive senate races for the 2018 midterms. C'mon Paul, the Washington Free Beacon is legendary for its inaccurate reporting. As for the conflict of interest matter relating to the emoluments clause, many entities are bringing up this matter and they have a valid point. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reuters / January 23, 2017 President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed allegations in a new lawsuit by prominent constitutional and ethics lawyers that he is violating the U.S. Constitution by letting his hotels and other businesses accept payments from foreign governments. Trump says the lawsuit by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington was "without merit." The nonprofit contended that Trump is "submerged in conflicts of interest" from his ties to countries such as China, India and potentially Russia, potentially posing a "creeping, insidious threat" to the country. Its lawsuit seeks to stop Trump from accepting any improper payments, saying a constitutional provision known as the "emoluments" clause bans them. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. On Jan. 11, Trump said he would retain ownership of his global business empire while president, but hand off day-to-day control to his oldest sons, Eric and Donald Jr.. Trump adviser Sheri Dillon said at the time that profit generated at Trump's hotels from foreign governments would be “donated” to the U.S. Treasury. But the lawsuit said Trump's refusal to cede ownership or set up a blind trust has resulted in conflicts of interest that leave him "poised" to violate the Constitution repeatedly while in the White House. The emoluments clause forbids Trump and other U.S. officeholders from accepting various gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval, making payments by foreign governments for various services by Trump's companies illegal. These include sums for the state-owned Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's lease at Trump Tower in New York, stays at Trump's hotels, rounds at Trump's golf courses, and the rights to rebroadcast or create new versions of Trump's reality TV show "The Apprentice." The Constitution's framers intended to ban such payments, believing that "private financial interests can subtly sway even the most virtuous leaders, and entanglements between American officials and foreign powers could pose a creeping, insidious threat to the Republic," the complaint said. China, India, Indonesia, Turkey and the United Kingdom are among the countries with which Trump's companies do or plan to do business, and Trump had been trying to do business with Russia for at least three decades, the complaint said. Meanwhile, payments for a Washington hotel booking next month by the Embassy of Kuwait for its "National Day" celebration are expected to "go directly to defendant while he is president," the complaint added. .

No, when big business and Wall Street engineers an environment for them to do well, do give their shareholders profits year-after-year, the American worker has not been doing well at all. In their pursuit of happiness, our once vast manufacturing industry has, aside from car assembly and Boeing, been shipped overseas. In pursuit of greater corporate profits, big business and Wall Street pushed your government to adopt NAFTA so they produce items at far greater margins for the United States market. American industry, which at one time formed the backbone of our country's global might, has been decimated. Now, it is a mere shell of its former self.

Let's call a spade a spade. Donald Trump is a spoiled rich kid from New York City. All his jet set life, he has been accustomed to getting his own way. He loves accolades, and is tormented by criticism. But as president, both come with the territory. I'm shocked that he isn't so busy ramping up his month's long conceived "first 30 days in office" plan that he would waste time mocking the media. Imagine if you were elected president. At this moment, wouldn't you be completely preoccupied with "work". Now, he only wants the press to report the news with a positive spin. This is what the government-pressured news media has to do in Beijing and Moscow. I find the message conveyed in Sean Spicer's debut troubling. And I'll go ahead and say it..........Kellyanne Conway is trouble. I avoid people like her. That she is Trump's senior counselor is beyond scary.

At any moment in our lifetimes, I doubt we've ever heard more than 15 percent of the truth.

We used to have some knowledgeable Mack salesmen up there who could steer you in the right direction. Have you spoken to one at your local dealer?

The Guardian / January 23, 2017 Donald Trump will not release his tax returns even after repeated promises to do so following a supposed audit, senior presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway said on Sunday. The president will break a 40-year tradition and not show Americans the extent of his financial interests and obligations. Conway said the Trump administration would do nothing about calls to release the information. “The White House response is that he’s not going to release his tax returns,” she said. “We litigated this all through the election.” Conway contradicted polls that show most Americans want to see the returns when she said: “People didn’t care. [I’m a American, and I do care to see my elected employee’s tax returns] “They voted for him, and let me make this very clear: most Americans … are very focused on what their tax returns will look like while President Trump is in office, not what his look like.” Last week, a Washington Post-ABC poll showed that 74% of Americans, including 53% of Republicans, want to see Trump’s returns. In October, a CNN poll found that 73% of registered voters, including 49% of Republicans, wanted to see the tax returns. A petition on the White House website that calls for the immediate release of the returns and “all information needed to verify emoluments clause compliance” had 218,465 signatures as of Sunday afternoon. The returns could show the breadth of Trump’s financial interests around the world, including where he does business, who his partners are and to whom he owes money. Ethics experts fear Trump’s business liabilities could affect White House policy and how the president spends taxpayer dollars: for instance, how he may deal with banks that own hundreds of millions of his debt, treat foreign nations that curry favor or become real estate partners, or reshape domestic policy to accommodate his interests. Earlier this month, Trump repeated his campaign contention that he would not release the returns because “they’re under audit”. No law prohibits the release of tax returns during an audit; Trump’s lawyers have said he is under audit, but they have not provided any proof that he is actually under audit. During the campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to release his tax returns after the supposed audit. In May, for instance, he said: “As soon as the audit ends I’ll release my returns.” He also tweeted: “I would release my tax returns when audit is complete, not after election!” In October, Trump’s 1995 tax returns were published by the New York Times, which acquired the records through an anonymous source and verified them with the businessman’s former accountant. The returns showed that Trump lost $916m in a single year and could have avoided paying federal taxes for 18 years, a charge he did not deny. Conway insisted that Trump and his family “are complying with all the ethical rules, everything they need to do to step away from his businesses and be a full-time president”. There is no record that Trump has stepped away from any of his businesses, which owe hundreds of millions in debts to large banks, span across the US, Europe and Asia, and which may have already put him in violation of the constitution’s prohibition against payments from foreign governments. In a press conference earlier this month, aides refused to let reporters see documents that allegedly catalogued his efforts to separate himself from his businesses. Trump has refused to divest or set up a blind trust, instead saying without evidence that he has handed control of his companies to his two adult sons. Ethics attorneys have repeatedly said Trump has not taken effective steps to prevent conflicts of interest.

Best-ever Kenworth on show New Zealand Truck & Driver / January 2017 Kenworth’s new T610 conventional model will have its New Zealand launch (and its first public showing worldwide) at next month’s Transport & Heavy Equipment (THE) Expo at Mystery Creek. The T610 is reckoned by Kenworth Australia to be its “best truck yet” – AND the North American make’s biggest single investment ever in an Australian truck. The T610 (and its T610SAR variant) has also been subjected to three times more testing than any previous Aussie Kenworth, the company says. In almost a decade of development it’s been the subject of more than 100,000 hours of design work….and over 10 million kilometres of testing and validation. The result, it says, is Kenworth’s “most innovative, durable and productive truck yet.” New Zealand distributor Southpac Trucks will have three T610s as the centrepiece of its stand at the THE Expo – daycab 6x4 and 8x4 T610s and a T610SAR 6x4 sleeper. Southpac general sales manager Richard Smart says the T610 is an important new model for the NZ market – replacing the current on-highway T409s and T609s. The first customer trucks are scheduled to arrive here within a few weeks of the show. The T610 is powered by Cummins’ new X15 Euro 5 engine, with ratings up to 600-horsepower (447kW) and 2050 lb ft (2779Nm) of peak torque. The X15 has Cummins’ advanced dynamic efficient powertrain (ADEPT) technology – an electronics suite designed to interact with Eaton AMTs, “dynamically adapting to conditions for fuel-efficient operation, with no impact on productivity,” says Kenworth. .

The traditional way of reporting on a president is dead. And Trump’s press secretary killed it. The Washington Post / January 22, 2017 The presidency is not a reality show, but President Trump on his first full day in office made clear that he’s still obsessed with being what he once proudly called “a ratings machine.” He cares enough about it to send his press secretary, Sean Spicer, out to brazenly lie to the media in his first official briefing. “This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration — period — both in person and around the globe,” Spicer said. And he added a scolding about widespread reports that differ from his evidence-free assessment: “These attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration are shameful and wrong.” Crowd size experts estimate Trump’s audience at far fewer than the million or more that Trump is claiming, and at far less than the size of the following day’s women’s march, which the new president has said little about. And side-by-side photographs showed the contrast between the comparatively thin gathering for Trump’s inauguration and the record-setting one in 2009 for former president Barack Obama’s first. Ari Fleischer, a former George W. Bush press secretary, saw Saturday’s bizarre session for what it was. “This is called a statement you’re told to make by the President. And you know the President is watching,” Fleischer wrote. (MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski pegged it as “Sean Spicer’s first hostage video.”) The mainstream media, including The Washington Post, appropriately made clear note of the falsehoods about crowd size. The New York Times called out “false claims” in a prominent headline, and many broadcast journalists challenged Spicer immediately — although they didn’t get a chance to do so to his face, since he took no questions. CNN wisely chose not to air the briefing in full, but to report on it and to show parts, providing context. Fox News showed it in its full glory, infomercial style. Some journalists, afterward, sounded stunned at what had transpired. “Astonishing,” said Jim Acosta of CNN. “Jaw meet floor” was the reaction of Glenn Thrush of the New York Times. The reaction is understandable. Some semblance of truth from the White House ought to be reasonable enough, especially on Day Two. But nothing about this should shock. Anyone — citizen or journalist — who is surprised by false claims from the new inhabitant of the Oval Office hasn’t been paying attention. That was reinforced when Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway told “Meet the Press” Sunday that Spicer had been providing “alternative facts” to what the media had reported, making it clear we’ve gone full Orwell. Official words do matter, but they shouldn’t be what news organizations pay most attention to, as they try to present the truth about a new administration. White House press briefings are “access journalism,” in which official statements — achieved by closeness to the source — are taken at face value and breathlessly reported as news. And that is over. Dead. Spicer’s statement should be seen for what it is: Remarks made over the casket at the funeral of access journalism. As Jessica Huseman of ProPublica put it: “Journalists aren’t going to get answers from Spicer. We are going to get answers by digging. By getting our hands dirty. So let’s all do that.” She’s right. So was Tim O’Brien, executive editor of Bloomberg View and a Trump biographer, who urged journalists to remember that the White House briefing room is “spoon-feeding and Trump is a habitual fabulist.” There’s a deeper story here, beyond a single briefing, no matter how memorable. Saturday made clearer than ever that President Trump intends to make the American media his foremost enemy. During his first official visit to the CIA, Trump once again attacked the media, as he did throughout the campaign as he blacklisted news organizations and called reporters “scum.” Journalists shouldn’t rise to the bait and decide to treat Trump as an enemy. Recalling at all times that their mission is truth-telling and holding public officials accountable, they should dig in, paying far more attention to actions than to sensational tweets or briefing-room lies — while still being willing to call out falsehoods clearly when they happen. They also should quickly acknowledge and correct their own inevitable errors, as Time’s Zeke Miller did — multiple times and with an apology — after erroneously reporting that a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. had been removed from the Oval Office. That didn’t keep the president from making Miller’s reporting error a major issue as he raged during his CIA visit: “This is how dishonest the media is.” Trump wants a flat-out war with the nation’s media for one well-calculated reason: Because he believes it will continue to serve his political purposes, as it has for months. Journalists should respond by doing their jobs responsibly, fairly and fearlessly, in service of the public good. Somebody has to be the grown-up in the room. We’ve just been reminded of who it won’t be. .