U.S.A.'s latest

National Review: ‘The Perjury Farce’ “The case against Kavanaugh is constantly changing, but one thing has stayed the same: Democrats will make any argument, no matter how implausible or over-the-top, to try to sink him,” the National Review editorial board writes. Click here to read more. “National wage growth is at the highest it’s been in nearly 17 months — and, according to a new study released by Glassdoor, it’s not expected to slow down anytime soon,” Megan Henney reports for Fox Business. “Wages grew 2.6 percent year-over-year from 2017 to $52,664, making it the fastest wage growth seen since April 2017.”Glassdoor economist Daniel Zhao added in a statement that “we expect wages to continue to rise as demand remains for workers throughout a number of industries.” The New York Post editorial board writes that President Trump came through on another big promise by securing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. “It’s hard to argue with the result,” the editors write. “Trump has once again delivered on a campaign promise that his rivals called a fantasy. A politician who does what he says he’ll do: Imagine that.” “The Trump administration’s new three-way trade deal to replace NAFTA got a thumbs-up from American farmers,” S.A. Miller writes in The Washington Times. “Americans for Farmers & Families spokesman Casey Guernsey, a seventh-generation farmer, said the three-way deal showed Mr. Trump remembered his promise ‘to stand up for rural America.’” In the Washington Examiner, Justin Haskins reminds readers that “just one day after Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, famed New York Times writer Paul Krugman wrote, ‘It really does now look like President Donald J. Trump, and markets are plunging. When might we expect them to recover? A first-pass answer is never … So we are very probably looking at a global recession, with no end in sight.’” Haskins adds that “nearly two years later, Krugman couldn’t possibly look more foolish.” Another Key Barometer of U.S. Economy Hits Postrecession High: ISM Service Index Soars “A survey of business executives pointed to the strongest U.S. growth in September in more than two decades, suggesting the economy is primed for a strong finish in 2018,” Jeffrey Bartash reports for MarketWatch. “The economy is going strong and appeared primed for a strong holiday season to finish out the year.” Click here to read more. “White House press secretary Sarah Sanders lambasted Senate Democrats for their handling of allegations of sexual misconduct lodged against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, calling it a ‘complete and total disgrace,’” Melissa Quinn writes in the Washington Examiner. “This is about politics and this is about power, pure and simple. And they have destroyed Judge Kavanaugh's reputation, undermined Dr. Ford's privacy, and tried to upend our tradition of innocence until proven guilty in the process,” Sanders said yesterday. “When Lisa Cummings of Parkton pulled up at Hyde Park Baptist Church on Wednesday, she was shocked to see the president’s daughter giving out food to victims of Hurricane Florence. After Cummings recognized Ivanka Trump, she got out of her sports utility vehicle and hugged the first daughter,” Steve DeVane writes for The Fayetteville Observer. Ms. Trump “spent about 40 minutes meeting relief workers and handing out meals in flood-ravaged Robeson County. She arrived just after 4 p.m. at the church, which is serving as a relief site where N.C. Baptists on Mission, the Red Cross and others are helping hundreds of victims.” Adviser to the President Ivanka Trump “visited the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville Wednesday morning to learn about the facility, which prepares students for careers in automotive-related fields,” Steve Harrison reports for WFAE. “The reality is that we have to rethink fundamentally human potential,” Ms. Trump said during a vocational training panel. “We can no longer have kids graduating from third grade not knowing how to read. We also can’t have kids who are leaving university without skills, but loaded with student debt.” First Lady Melania Trump said yesterday “that she ‘will never forget’ her visit to a former slave holding facility on Ghana's coast. She called it ‘very emotional’ and ‘really something that people should see and experience,’” The Associated Press reports. “The U.S. first lady spent nearly an hour on a guided tour of the 17th-century castle, which originally was built by the Swedes for the trading of timber and gold but eventually became a warehouse for slaves shipped to the New World.” “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Wednesday that the U.S. is terminating a 1955 treaty with Iran, after the United Nations' top court used that treaty to order the U.S. to ease some of its sanctions on the regime,” Adam Shaw reports for Fox News. “In his press conference, Pompeo said Iran's case was ‘meritless’ and accused the country of ‘attempting to interfere with the sovereign rights of the United States to take lawful actions necessary to protect our national security and abusing the [International Court of Justice] for political and propaganda purposes.’” The White House • October 3, 2018 Ivanka Trump: NASCAR students on the fast track From the small town of Tallapoosa, Georgia—just 45 minutes from the legendary Talladega track—Brandall Brown was born with “racing in his blood.” His childhood hero was Jeff Gordon, and Brown vividly remembers annual visits to the Daytona USA museum, beginning at age five. Just five days after he graduated from high school this May, Brown moved to North Carolina to start classes at NASCAR Technical Institute. “I’m pursing my dream,” he says. Today, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump traveled to Mooresville, North Carolina, visiting that same NASCAR Technical Institute alongside Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon. She met with students like Brown and spoke about an issue close to her heart: job training to help American workers and American families get ahead. She also visited parts of the region affected by Hurricane Florence last month. Ms. Trump has been a key advocate for workforce development in the White House, helping shepherd the bipartisan Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act through Congress earlier this year. Perkins CTE is the primary Federal funding source to help prepare students and workers for jobs in a 21st-century economy.  America’s skills gap is driven by a myth that there is a single pathway to economic success: four-year college. “The reality is that we have to rethink fundamentally human potential,” Ms. Trump said today. “We can’t have kids that are leaving university without skills that are loaded up with student debt.” In response to this challenge, President Trump created the Pledge to America’s Workers, which has resulted in more than 4 million new opportunities since July. Ivanka Trump: Training Americans for the jobs of tomorrow President Trump presents the Medal of Honor Yesterday, President Trump awarded our nation’s highest honor to then-Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Shurer for his heroic actions while serving in the U.S. Army. On April 6, 2008, Shurer and members of his team were pinned down on a mountainside under heavy enemy fire. Shurer fought his way across a barrage of bullets to treat and rescue wounded soldiers, using his body to shield others from ongoing fire and debris. He carried the wounded down the mountainside, and after loading the soldiers into an evacuation helicopter, retook control of his commando squad and rejoined the fight. Shurer’s heroic actions saved the lives of many that day. Ron “is an inspiration to everyone in this room and to every citizen all across our great land,” President Trump said at yesterday’s ceremony. “Ron, our hearts are filled with gratitude and joy as we prepare to engrave your name alongside of America’s greatest heroes.” A year and a half ago, Shurer was diagnosed with cancer—but that hasn’t dampened his resolve one bit. “He’s been fighting it every single day with courage and with strength,” the President said. “He’s a warrior. He’s a warrior.” Watch President Trump present the Congressional Medal of Honor. Read more: Ronald Shurer’s heroic story Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks First Lady Melania Trump and Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, meet with mothers and children at Greater Accra Regional Hospital | October 2, 2018 What Republicans and Democrats say about America’s new trade deal From the White House Rose Garden yesterday, President Donald J. Trump announced America’s newest trade agreement with Mexico and Canada. The deal, which turns the page on the 24-year-old NAFTA, modernizes and rebalances the relationship with two of America’s biggest trade partners. The wave of support that followed yesterday’s announcement was broad—and revealing, including Republicans, Democrats, business leaders, and labor unions: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY): “As someone who voted against NAFTA and opposed it for many years, I knew it needed fixing. The president deserves praise for taking large steps to improve it.” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA): “President Trump has proved his critics wrong again by delivering on his promise to renegotiate NAFTA in America’s favor.” Vox’s Alexia Fernández Campbell: “Trump’s new trade deal is better for workers than NAFTA was.” United Steelworkers International President Leo Gerard on new worker’s rights provisions: “Stronger than the rejected Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). It goes farther than any prior trade agreement.” One big problem with NAFTA is that it left American manufacturers in the dust. The new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) incentivizes billions of dollars in additional U.S. vehicle and auto parts production, among other wins for American exporters. “Manufacturers are extremely encouraged that our call for a trilateral agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico has been answered,” National Association of Manufacturers President Jay Timmons says. Protection for American farmers was also notably absent from NAFTA. No longer, as new provisions—including one that eliminates Canada’s “Class 7” program used to undersell American dairy products—will provide new market access for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness. “This was a hard-fought win,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said of the USMCA. USMCA wins bipartisan praise as a victory for American workers In case you missed it: Newly negotiated USMCA puts American interests first Good news for Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck “National wage growth is at the highest it’s been in nearly 17 months — and, according to a new study released by Glassdoor, it’s not expected to slow down anytime soon,” Megan Henney reports for Fox News today. The booming American comeback is good news for all workers, but this latest headline is especially positive for Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck, as those paychecks are getting a little bigger on average.  “We expect wages to continue to rise as demand remains for workers throughout a number of industries,” Glassdoor economist Daniel Zhao said. Henney reports that wages grew 2.6 percent year-over-year from 2017, rising to $52,664. Some industries, such as certain health care roles, saw annual pay grow by as much as nearly 7 percent. Fox Business: “US Wage Growth Hits 17-Month High” Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead A line of law enforcement officers salute as President Donald J. Trump’s motorcade arrives at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia | October 2, 2018