In other news, the House Judiciary Committee has voted to advance two articles of impeachment against Trump, including abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, to the full House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin has pardoned a man who was convicted for beheading a woman and stuffing her body in a barrel. Bevin also pardoned a man convicted of possessing child pornography and another man convicted of murder.
Finally, Chinese officials detailed their side of the trade story today and, once again, they did not commit to buying a specific dollar amount of American farm goods.
Chinese officials offered no specific details on the amount of U.S. agricultural goods Beijing had agreed to buy, a key sticking point in recent deal negotiations to end the 17-month trade war between the world’s two largest economies. [...]
China will import more U.S. wheat, corn, and rice after the deal, China’s vice agricultural minister said Friday, but did not elaborate.
The United States has been pushing for Beijing to commit to buy $50 billion in agricultural products in 2020, after Trump said during an October 11 press conference that the two countries had agreed to a “Phase one” trade deal that included a “purchase of from $40 (billion) to $50 billion worth of agricultural products.”
Beijing has since balked at committing to buy a specific amount of agricultural goods during a certain time frame, however. Chinese officials said they would like the discretion to buy based on market conditions.
China is not going to buy $50 billion in goods. The only question is how long it will take Trump to notice. Or, you know, maybe he'll claim they bought that much even if it isn't true. That's better than admitting he was hoodwinked, right?
Programming note... I don't feel so good and I also have to get ready for an early dinner with family, so I'll see you all on Monday. Have a good weekend.