Beltway Insider: Biden/Big Pharma, ISIS/Russia Terror Attack, Menendez Bows, Royal Health Battles, Trump Court Drama

Details: Category: Beltway Insider; Published on Sunday, 24 March 2024 10:20; Written by Janet Walker

For Americans depending on insulin, the Biden Administration devoted a whole of government effort to negotiating with Medicare and Big Pharma to cap the cost; now they are battling to lower the cost of fifty additional prescription drugs.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending March 24, 2024 increased by 1.06% to 40.4% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased by 1.07% to 54.6% of those polled who disapprove of his effectiveness. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.

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Biden Administration Battles Big Pharma

With the 2024 Presidential election eight months away, pivotal issues will become the battleground for American voters. For many Medicare and the high cost of prescription drugs are key issues as they chose a candidate.

The Biden Administration has consistently fought to ensure lower prescription drug costs. He has battled a wall of Republican senators who refused to support any legislation that would lower costs of insulin, and prescription drugs, or cap the out of pocket spend. Without any Republican support he and his administration made insulin available to 8.4million Americans at $35 per bottle.

Through the Affordable Care Act, more Americans at any time in history have access to healthcare, and deeply discounted rates, making medical coverage available to all. Despite all of this, Republican officials are still working to end the Affordable Care Act, repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, and gut Medicaid. In fact, congressional Republicans have attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act over 50 times, including during the last administration with the support of the President's predecessor.

ISIS Attack Kills 130 at Russia Nightclub

The Islamic State, in a scene reminiscent of the November 13, 2015, Bataclan Concert Hall massacre, burst into the Crocus City Hall concert venue opened fire and slaughtered 133, leaving at least 120 wounded.

"President Vladimir Putin condemned it as a "bloody, barbaric terrorist attack" and said in a recorded video address released by the Kremlin that "the main thing now is to prevent those who are behind this bloodbath from committing a new crime," reported Radio Free Europe.

In the same address Putin, attempted to use the heinous attack to persuade the world that the Ukraine government acted in concert with the terrorists, by suggesting the perpetrators had been provided safe passage but were apprehended before they could exit the country. Ukrainian officials have denied involvement.

The Islamic State is a common enemy to all. Even in this time of war and the harsh sanctions against Russia for the violation of Ukraine territorial sovereignty, condolences over the loss of innocent lives by an evil and treacherous regime, loyal only to themselves, with a desire to usher in a global reign of terror against all nations were posted on social media.

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Putin and Planned Sympathy

Intelligence does not suggest that the ISIS planned terror attack was orchestrated or allowed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to gain global sympathy and turn public opinion. Perhaps with the recent major hits to his reputation, the murder of Alexei Navalny and the ongoing war in Ukraine, the despot leader felt a need to move the needle.

Russia has rarely been the target of ISIS or any other terror group, who mainly focuses on the west and western allies, the fact that it was Russia suggests either a shift in the strategy of the newly resurrected Islamic State or that Putin played some part in the massacre of his own people, which is believable, if the Islamic state is not factored into the equation.

U.S. Intel Confirms ISIS

U.S. Intelligence provided information to Moscow of an impending terror attack believed to be directed at Russia's largest city over a month ago.

"The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Friday night attack, already one of the deadliest in modern Russian history, which left about 140,000 square feet of the venue in Krasnogorsk in flames, according to Russia's emergency services. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information, told The Washington Post that the United States had "no reason to doubt" the claim from the Islamic State," reported The Washington Post.

Another clear signal sent by the attack on Russia is the Islamic States declaration of loyalty. The statement which can be gleaned from the attack, which has killed more than 130, and more than the November 13, 2015, Paris attacks, is that we have no allies, we are only aligned with ourselves.

Additionally, the brazen attack also indicates the Islamic State, which was dismantled by a 60-nation coalition under the Obama Administration, has regroup, retrained, and rededicated themselves to a global campaign of terror and what better place to proclaim their global intention than in an attack on the nation that is the antithesis of western influence, and western alliance.

The Islamic State Timeline

Across a decade, from 2011 through 2019, the Islamic State grew into a strong terrorist organization with affiliates throughout the world. A year before the final blow to the organization, then President Donald Trump announced ISIS had been defeated, and would withdraw all U.S. troops supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF); while the declaration was premature, one year the SDF did kill one of the last remaining ISIS leaders and effectively dismantled the organizations hierarchy.

Several U.S. Presidents inherited the Islamic State problem, which began during the Obama Administration, and at one time held one-third of Syria and 40% of Iraq captive terrorizing men, women, and children, through starvation, beheadings, bombings, and finally growing in strength to launch a global terror network.

Concert venues, or other large events, are a key targets for the Islamic State and a new regrouped Islamic State has not deviated from the original tactics of striking terror and fear into the heart of the people.

"In 2015, ISIS expanded into a network of affiliates in at least eight other countries. Its branches, supporters, and affiliates increasingly carried out attacks beyond the borders of its so-called caliphate. In October, ISIS's Egypt affiliate bombed a Russian airplane, killing 224 people. On November 13, 130 people were killed and more than 300 injured in a series of coordinated attacks in Paris. And in June 2016, a gunman who pledged support to ISIS killed at least four dozen people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida," reported The Wilson Center.

The Islamic State, which has taken advantage of geopolitical unrest in the region, to gain support and hijack aid and military weapons coming into the region, which had aided the regime. As the nations of the world have a clear pattern of what to expect from a newly determined Islamic State, they have essentially exposed themselves as their tactics have not changed and through the same dedicated coalition of nations, they can be stopped.

Although it is doubtful that U.S. ground troops will return to the region, before the 2024 presidential election, the war book that dismantle the organization initially will be resurrected and clandestine efforts to stop any high optic attacks against Americans will be initiated.

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New Jersey Senator Bows to Pressure

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, currently under indictment for corruption, has announced he will not file to run in New Jersey's democratic primary but expects to be exonerated of all charges and run, as an independent democrat, in November.

'"I will not file for the Democratic primary this June," Menendez said in a video posted to social media. "I am hopeful that my exoneration will take place this summer and allow me to pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat in a general election,"' reported The Washington Post.

Coronavirus Totals

According to the World Health Organization the increase in cases resulting from the variant JN.1 have migrated in a similar pattern as the original Covid-19 virus. The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens, should receive at least one shot of an updated covid vaccine. Vaccines and boosters are still considered the most effective agents against contracting the Coronavirus.

For the 7-day period ending March 24, 2024, the total of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by The World Health Organization remained at 774,834,251 confirmed cases, with no increase. The total worldwide death toll remained at 7,037,007 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated February 25, 2024, from The World Health Organization).

COVID U.S. Totals

As hospitalizations and infection rates continue to rise in the United States, some jurisdictions are suggesting new mask mandates. For the 7-day period ending March 24, 2024, new Covid hospitalizations in the U.S. increased by 11,020 to 6,891,605. The coronavirus has claimed 1,185,413 total U.S. deaths, adding 1,037 deaths, over the past 7 days. (Data updated March 16, 2024, posted March 22, 2024, from the CDC).

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Announces Cancer Diagnosis

Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced this week that she had been diagnosed with cancer, after tests performed after her planned abdominal surgery had come back, indicating cancer cells were present.

The princess, wife of Britian's Prince William, and heir to the throne, also said, "The news came as a "huge shock," Catherine said in a prerecorded message posted on X and broadcast on the BBC. "William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she said," reported The Washington Post.

The Royals have been confronted with several health issues over the past months as King Charles III, announced in February he was suffering from cancer, after being treated for an enlarged prostrate.

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Road to the White House 2024 – Trump Continues Campaign Despite Criminal Court Drama

Even as former president Donald Trump has been unable to secure the $454million dollar bond to stave off the courts from selling his assets to collect the judgement, he admitted on Truth Social he has about $500million in cash readily available.

"If he cannot produce the bond in time, Mr. Trump faces the possibility of financial disaster and humiliation. New York's attorney general, Letitia James, who brought the fraud case, would be entitled to collect the $454 million and could move to freeze some of Mr. Trump's bank accounts," reported The New York Times.

Trump must produce the bond by Monday, March 25, 2024, and has been turned down by more than 30 bond agencies. The shareholders at his Truth Social company voted to take the company public, which could generate the needed monies to stave off the sale of his real estate holdings. Trump will retain about 60% of the extreme right message platform, valued at $2.9 billon.

Trump continues to face criminal proceedings in New York state, over money paid to a porn star during his 2016 campaign. Trump is seeking a dismissal of all charges, and expected ruling is scheduled for Monday, March 25, 2024.

Former president Donald Trump remains the presumptive 2024 republican presidential nominee, despite the swelling numbers of local, state, and federal, past and present, politicians and leaders who oppose his nomination and representation of the party.

For more information on President Joe Biden w ww.whitehouse.gov.