Trump chooses to help perpetuate cyberwarfare

One has to wonder whether President Trump is more interested in a media blitz about himself rather than the national security of our country.  I am referring to his recent decision concerning the Chinese telecommunications company ZTE.  ZTE is one of the largest telecommunications companies in China.  Like almost all companies in China they are owned by the Chinese government and operate with the blessings of that government.

ZTE has become one of the largest producers of ‘phones to go’ products that are sold in this country.  The Chinese government and the People’s Liberation Army along with the Russians are notably the largest perpetrators of cyberwarfare in the world.  This is a major concern of the United States.  So much so that a national security report penned by the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in 2012 stated the following, “China has the means, opportunity, and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes.”  This committee’s concerns were authenticated when it was discovered that phones made by ZTE contained a hidden ‘backdoor’ which could be used to gain access to not only that particular phone’s data but also data from the network on which that phone operated.  Propriety information could not only be spied upon but also altered and in some case sabotaged.

Currently ZTE along with another Chinese telecommunications company provide equipment to about 145 countries around the world and in 45 of the top 50 telecom centers worldwide.

The Chinese cyberwarfare concern is so perverse in this country that Verizon and AT&T, two of the largest providers of telecommunications, have refused to sell ZTE manufactured phones for use on their networks.  You can no longer buy a ZTE phone from either provider.  The U.S. military has also banned the use of ZTE products for years.

To further illustrate our government’s concern over cyber security, in March FCC chairman, Ajit Pai circulated a proposal for consideration at the Commission’s April 17th meeting to ban certain companies from receiving government funds that subsidize low-income Americans’ access to phone and internet service.  Guess which company was one of the ones proposed in that ban?  ZTE

However, all this national security concern seems of no importance to President Trump.  Last month the US stopped American firms from providing components or software to ZTE. This was enacted as punishment for ZTE violating a 2016 Obama era agreement which forbid the sale of goods to five major embargoed countries — Iran, Sudan, North Korea, Syria and Cuba.  ZTE admitted its guilt and the U.S slapped them with sanctions.  China is upset because this could seriously impede the very survival of the company because all phones produced, even in China, need U.S. software to function.

Trump, despite being warned by U.S Intelligence officials and cyberwarfare experts, has taken it upon himself to work with Chinese President Xi Jinping to keep ZTE Corp. in business.   Why President Trump would put our national and worldwide security at such a risk remains a mystery.  Perhaps it’s his desire to capture some more headlines by demonstrating his skills as a great negotiator by using this as leverage in getting other concessions from China.

But then again maybe it’s just another example of his “shoot from the hip” decision paradigm lacking in a deep understanding of the consequences of such a move, as is so often the case.

If left alone ZTE would probably die a peaceful death due to the U.S. sanctions and remove one major source of cyberwarfare worldwide.  However, President Trump is determined not to let that happen.

Spineless legislators cry foul

I’m sure most folks are aware of the old proverb, “You reap what you sow.”   Apparently our esteemed legislators in the state House of Representatives need a refresher course on its full meaning.  When given many opportunities in special sessions to deal with the ludicrous tax break incentives offered to industries and corporations in this state, coupled with an inadequate individual income tax system, they chose to do nothing.

Republican House representatives further choose to continue to absolve themselves of all fiscal responsibility by producing a budget during this session that they admit is seriously flawed, but passed anyway.  Their cry was “Let the Senate fix it.”  The only problem is the budget is so flawed it can’t be fixed by the Senate.

  

The House passed budget plan would nearly defund the state's safety-net hospitals; a move that the Louisiana Department of Health predicts would shutter hospitals in New Orleans, Shreveport, Monroe, Lafayette and Bogalusa.

The budget only funds 80 percent of the money needed for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, which would lead to cuts to scholarships for college students.  It would also drastically reduce funding for medical education programs in the state, potentially leaving Louisiana with no functioning medical schools. Additionally, it would eliminate funding for thousands of nursing home residents.

As a defense for passing such a ludicrous budget House Republican Caucus Chair, Lance Harris, of Alexandria, stated, "This is what a responsible budget looks like – dealing with the actual figures, the actual money that's available to the state today. The state cannot spend money that it doesn't have." Certainly no one can argue against this statement, but what Rep. Harris conveniently omits is the fact that House GOPs had three special session opportunities to develop a plan to generate more revenue without putting these consequences on the backs of individual tax payers.  They lacked the spines to do it.  Instead, they once again allowed the LABI, headed by the former chief of staff for Bobby Jindal, Stephen Waguespack, and other powerful corporation lobbyists to call the shots in the legislature.  Yes, Jindal’s influence lives on in many of our illustrious legislative proceedings.

Ironically, now our esteemed Baton Rouge leaders are upset with Governor Edwards over the budget because he has shown the public the real world impact their budget would have.  Letters have gone out to the elderly and disabled telling them to be prepared for loss of their state funded care.

House GOPs can’t stand this move because it created the worst case scenario for them, a negative ground swell from their constituents. If there’s one thing a Louisiana representative hates, it’s to hear from those they represent. Over the years I have written many times to our representatives and only received an acknowledgement of my correspondence from four individuals, one being our present governor.  Joyfully, their offices are now flooded with constituents’ feedback about their ludicrous budget and they literally can’t stand the heat.

House Republicans “Reaped what they sowed.”  This couldn’t happen to a more deserving group of individuals.