Forcing TikTok to cut ties with China is a big deal and people have legitimate questions as to why and how.  Below 11 part thread short addressing some of the misunderstandings being floated around 1/11 2/11 First, because every company in China must do whatever the govt of China tells them we have banned such companies from our markets before. For example Grindr’s Chinese owner had to sell in 2020. Huawei refused to sell and is now banned.

#Ukraine update:
1. #Russia’s invasion has already taken longer & been costlier than #Putin expected. Almost certain his military & intel leaders knew this ahead of time but no one dared tell him his expectations were unrealistic (1of5) 2. #Russia has launched several attacks on Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia & Lutsk, cities very close to #Ukraine’s borders with NATO countries Romania,Poland & Slovakia. Just one mistake,miscalculation or misunderstanding could set off a broader & catastrophic conflict (2of5)

5 part thread on context of Covid spike:

1. Goal of lockdown wasn’t to stop virus,it was to “flatten the curve”& buy time to improve testing & treatment & to increase hospital capacity

2. Couldn’t lockdown forever & always knew reopening would lead to case increase (cont) 1/5 3. The real issue isn’t the big spike in cases,it’s whether the spike is higher than we expected & whether this subsequently results in a big spike in the death rate

4. So far the growth rate of new cases is up 17% but the daily death rate is down over 60%,BUT.....(cont)2/5

1/4 (see thread,don’t quote selectively)

-We have clear reasons to believe Antifa is responsible for violence at protests

-And we should be concerned about anti-govt extremists who are online calling for attacks on police

Because both aim to destroy America 2/4: Yes, ANTIFA is a real collection of autonomous & violent radical groups & at multiple protests the violence comes from organized groups dressed & equipped like ANTIFA & using the same tactics as ANTIFA

Those being arrested often post bond with help of celebrities

1/7: Despite challenges that come from being a massive new program less than 3 weeks old #PPP has:
-1.6 million #PPPloans averaging $206000
-74% for less than $150000
-Has helped save approximately 30 MILLION jobs

On thread below just a few examples:

lancasteronline.com/business/local… 2/7:
#PPP helping hundreds of Texoma small businesses kxii.com/content/news/P…

#PPP UPDATE 1/7:
I continue to see lots of misinformation reported & repeated on PPP.
This program is new to everyone,so not claiming its intentional.

But we can’t address the problems if we don’t understand how to distinguish between what WAS a problem & what IS a problem. #PPP UPDATE 2/7:
1st: Yes lots of confusion early on . Because no one on earth had ever done a #PPPloan until 11 days ago.

But lenders received clear guidance on the most important open questions last Thursday from Treasury & last Friday from Federal Reserve.

#PPP UPDATE 1/7:
As of 2:30pm yesterday we had:
=Over 480000 #PPPloans made
=Over $124 billion approved
=Covers an estimated 12 million jobs

Despite early challenges over 35% of funds have been committed in first 5 days.

Why we need more 💴 for PPP ASAP #PPP UPDATE 2/7:
Status of issues still being reported in the media.

Banks Only Lending To Existing Customers:Treasury released non-bank lender application to approve new non-bank lenders into PPP. Will allow businesses without existing customer relationships to access PPP

UPDATE on #PPP in thread below:
1/7: Several large FinTech companies are ready to join as lenders as soon as @USTreasury releases their nonbank lender form. This is very important as it will expand lending capacity dramatically especially for #SmallBusinesses locked out by bank #PPP UPDATE 2/7: Still waiting for @SBAgov & @USTreasury to release a program guide for #PPPloans which would provide clarity on a number of questions still holding back some lenders. We need this NOW.

ATTENTION Lenders, #SmallBusiness & media interested in #Ppploans. The following 13 part thread outlines many of the impediments we saw on day one of the program & how they can/will be fixed.

I apologize for the length of the thread but important details below. 1/13 Day one saw complications you would expect with unprecedented $349 BILLION emergency plan passed just 7 days ago

Despite this as of 6:06 pm Friday 13,669 #SmallBusiness owners received #Ppploans valued at more than $4.3B

However a number of outstanding issues to address 2/13

The thread below is for banks & lenders here in the United States.

Now that the #CARESAct is law, our country needs your help to win the #WarAgainstVirus

The survival of millions of jobs & small businesses depends on your participation in the #PaycheckProtectionPlan 1/7 The #CARESAct provides $349 billion for small business forgivable loans processed by banks & other lenders.

It was drafted to provide lenders complete certainty. 2/7

The shiny object in the press is plans to give $ to big name corporations & govt checks to people.

But the most important & urgent need to is keep the small/mid-size employers most Americans work for from going under.

The plan is detailed on 5 part threat 1/5 Our plan uses any preferred 7(a) lender or any bank,credit union or lender approved by @USTreasury
to get 💰 to small/mid size employers in a matter of days (not weeks). If they use it to keep their workers on payroll they DO NOT have to pay it back. 2/5

Many employers deciding RIGHT NOW whether to do layoffs &/or close down.

So it is REALLY important we clearly communicate what is being worked on to help small business.

If you are a member of the media reporting on impact of #Covid_19 on small biz PLEASE read this thread 1/7 1. What we are discussing are FORGIVEABLE Loans. Whatever they take out from this assistance program & use for payroll & business and rent/lease/mortgage will NOT have to be repaid. Limit on what they get will be some multiple of their payroll/expenses before the crisis hit. 2/7

Small businesses want to help their employees take the leave necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus. 1/4 The House bill creates tax credits to offset the cost of providing paid leave. What businesses need, though, is cash flow today. A tax credit that comes later means nothing to a small business that needs to make payroll tonight 2/4i

#SenateTrial Day 10:
Final arguments 11am Monday. Final vote Wednesday at 4pm.

Last March Rep. Schiff said there was “little to be gained by putting the country through” the “wrenching experience” of a partisan impeachment.

But then they decided to do it anyway. The House admitted they didn’t try to enforce testimony of witnesses in court because it would tie them up in litigation for a year. But then spent weeks demanding the Senate do it now. We were never going to play this stupid game with them

.@washingtonpost op-ed is wrong on many fronts

1. When @potus took over the threat from #Iran was not “manageable”. They continued work on
-long range missiles
-rockets to threaten shipping
-Quds Force support for terrorist proxy forces
1/4
washingtonpost.com/opinions/globa… 2. @realDonaldTrump didn’t take sides between an intolerant Sunni regime in Saudi Arabia & an intolerant Shiite regime in #Iran. He took sides between an intolerant regime trying to kill Americans & destroy #Israel & an intolerant regime that isn’t. 2/4

Facing repeated #IRGC attacks the U.S. & @potus exercised admirable restraint while setting clear red lines & the consequences for crossing them

#Iran’s Quds Force chose the path of escalation

They are entirely to blame for bringing about the dangerous moment now before us. The defensive actions the U.S. has taken against #Iran & its proxies are consistent with clear warnings they have received

They chose to ignore these warnings because they believed @POTUS was constrained from acting by our domestic political divisions

They badly miscalculated

The U.S. House has passed two Articles of Impeachment & the U.S. Senate must & will fulfill its duty to receive them & conduct a trial.

A few thoughts by way of this thread:
1/6 Playing games with the transmission of the Articles to the Senate will not impede or influence the Senate,but it will be the kind of partisan political stunt that further undermines the credibility of the process carried out by House Democrats.

2/6

“Almost overnight, we have awakened to the reality that ‘while America slept’ the Chinese Communist Party has emerged as an immediate and growing threat to our prosperity, our freedoms, and our security. “Our aim should not be to halt China’s rise. The task before us is to prevent America’s fall.

China is & will continue to be a great global power,but we must not continue to allow its progress to come at the expense of our country,our citizens,our values...”

Impossible to use twitter to outline all the negative repercussions of what’s happening in #Syria

But improvisation is disastrous on matters of natl security

And foreign policy can’t be conducted primarily as a function of the interpersonal relationship between two leaders Mid-East power balance built on fragile alliances & complex unspoken agreements. Administrations decision to step aside & allow Erdogan to go after the Kurds threatens to destabilize this And if it collapses the result will be a regional war with unimaginable consequences.

.@MiamiDolphins have been historically awful the first 2 weeks of season.

But which team is better off of the future?

An uncompetitive 0-16 team with $160 mil in cap space & 6 of the top 65 picks in next years draft or a semi-competitive 3-13 team with limited cap space? Miami’s front office has correctly determined that in todays @NFL if you don’t have exceptional QB play you aren’t getting a ring.

Entire seasons imploding right now because QB went down (ie. Pittsburgh).

2 of best rosters (Minnesota & Chicago) are being held back by QB play.

#Iran has spent 10 years building capacity to do exactly what they did on Saturday in #SaudiArabia. Inflict damage on adversary but have a 3rd party proxy group either conduct attack or claim credit for it. Goal is to punish rivals while avoiding international condemnation 1/5 #Iran must face consequences. But our response must not be cavalier. The threat of a broader regional conflict involving #Israel #Lebanon #Iraq #Syria #SaudiArabia & potentially #Turkey & #Russia has never been higher. Such a conflict would be difficult to deescalate. 2/5