From his expression he must have read the book. Peter Schweizer, author of the 2016 blockbuster, "Clinton Cash," has now come out with his latest political investigative expose and its another knock-out. This time a key recipient of his investigative reporting on influence peddling is Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader. Schweizer's new book, "Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends" takes on McConnell and his wife, Elaine Chao, for enriching themselves through special deals with China.
Chao is the key to the situation, but Old Mitch has been easily persuaded to take part actively. He is probably the biggest booster of giving China favored nation trading status and also pushed hard for the Trans Pacific Partnership which had huge flaws in terms of its impact on opening access to America with few strings attached. Like the North American Free Trade Agreement, it offered America little unless you were a big business wanting to save money on labor, another "Giant Sucking Sound," using the words of Ross Perot.
Why would the powerful Republican Senate Majority Leader take such strong positions with China at a time when the trade imbalance has not only grown, it has become astronomical? Well, it's the usual reason: Money. Old Mitch was instrumental in getting his wife the position of Secretary of Transportation, convenient for their financial fortunes since his wife's father, James Chao, and the family own New York-based Foremost Shipping, a company with principal business being the transportation of trade between the United States and China using modern ships built in China. These interests are under the control of the Communist Chinese military through select politically-connected Chinese enterprise.
McConnell has also frequently spoken against concerns about the related Chinese build up of the Chinese military world-wide and the stealing of American technology, saying that China and America need to be friends. That doesn't answer the question, does it, Mitch?
What is really scary about the situation is that Madame Secretary Chao's father and former Chinese President Jiang Zemin were good friends and classmates at Jiao Tong University in Shanghai in their student days and have maintained close ties ever since. Jiang Zemin was the man who became a ruthless leader of China after the Tainenmen Square bloodbath and both Chao and her husband, Mitch, have visited with him both in China and in Washington.
So, I think this is the basis for answering my question: How does a United States Senator grow his wealth from about $3 million in 2004 to as much as $36 million ten years later as a government employee. There's only one possible answer and it was really mentioned earlier. It's influence peddling. In this case it appears to be peddling that influence to a nation that has shown clear evidence of not really being a good friend. At the very least, leaders of America should be skeptical of what China is up to around the world, not just roll over and pretend that things they are doing worldwide aren't taking place.
What do you say, Mitch? How about following the old Reagan "trust but verify" angle, "not a trust and get paid for it" one. Better yet, how about allowing a younger person, someone who is articulate and supports the President of the United States instead of backstabbing him in the Senate cloakroom to replace you in the Senate? It's time to retire and go back to your old Old Kentucky home with Elaine in tow and spend time with your family. That would be something you could do for the good of your country as well.
Chao is the key to the situation, but Old Mitch has been easily persuaded to take part actively. He is probably the biggest booster of giving China favored nation trading status and also pushed hard for the Trans Pacific Partnership which had huge flaws in terms of its impact on opening access to America with few strings attached. Like the North American Free Trade Agreement, it offered America little unless you were a big business wanting to save money on labor, another "Giant Sucking Sound," using the words of Ross Perot.
Why would the powerful Republican Senate Majority Leader take such strong positions with China at a time when the trade imbalance has not only grown, it has become astronomical? Well, it's the usual reason: Money. Old Mitch was instrumental in getting his wife the position of Secretary of Transportation, convenient for their financial fortunes since his wife's father, James Chao, and the family own New York-based Foremost Shipping, a company with principal business being the transportation of trade between the United States and China using modern ships built in China. These interests are under the control of the Communist Chinese military through select politically-connected Chinese enterprise.
McConnell has also frequently spoken against concerns about the related Chinese build up of the Chinese military world-wide and the stealing of American technology, saying that China and America need to be friends. That doesn't answer the question, does it, Mitch?
What is really scary about the situation is that Madame Secretary Chao's father and former Chinese President Jiang Zemin were good friends and classmates at Jiao Tong University in Shanghai in their student days and have maintained close ties ever since. Jiang Zemin was the man who became a ruthless leader of China after the Tainenmen Square bloodbath and both Chao and her husband, Mitch, have visited with him both in China and in Washington.
So, I think this is the basis for answering my question: How does a United States Senator grow his wealth from about $3 million in 2004 to as much as $36 million ten years later as a government employee. There's only one possible answer and it was really mentioned earlier. It's influence peddling. In this case it appears to be peddling that influence to a nation that has shown clear evidence of not really being a good friend. At the very least, leaders of America should be skeptical of what China is up to around the world, not just roll over and pretend that things they are doing worldwide aren't taking place.
What do you say, Mitch? How about following the old Reagan "trust but verify" angle, "not a trust and get paid for it" one. Better yet, how about allowing a younger person, someone who is articulate and supports the President of the United States instead of backstabbing him in the Senate cloakroom to replace you in the Senate? It's time to retire and go back to your old Old Kentucky home with Elaine in tow and spend time with your family. That would be something you could do for the good of your country as well.
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