Beltway Insider: Obama's G20 Self-Assessment; Assad War Crimes; Hillary Faints; 9/11 Services; Alexis Arquette

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President Obama remembered the fallen from September 11, 2001 as the day etched forever in our hearts, memories and minds, turned fifteen and a nation reflected on the recovery and hope birthed from one of the nation's darkest days.

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week, decreased by two percentage points to 50% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased one percentage point to 45%. 

President Obama Presents His End of Term G20 Assessments

President Obama, during the first half of 2016 made joking references to his final year in office as the year has progressed, his legacy has become more narrowed and focused as he presents his remarks often returning to the dismal days of his first inauguration.

During a recent press conference, President Obama spoke on his end of term accomplishments as he reflected on the strength of the G20 nations as a governing body.

"This has also been my tenth and final G20 meeting let me put into context what we've done over the course of our G20 meetings. I think back to April 2009, when hundreds of thousands of Americans were losing their jobs, their homes and their savings each month. Unemployment was nearing 10%.  Around the world, for the first time in a generation, the global economy was contracting, trade was shrinking, and the international financial system was nearly frozen.  By several key measures, the global economy was on a worse trajectory than it was at the outset of the Great Depression," the President said.

President Obama inherited a dismal economy. It became apparent fast that the people would not tolerate government as usual. Long term legislators were being terminated from their positions by the American public.

Globally, world economies were failing also. Every member of the G20 nations were facing the same economic collapses, unemployment, and interconnected trade and financial systems were nearing failing.

Although the G20, one step down from the G7, which brings together the top 20 richest nations or leading economies in the world, who meet after the top seven economies, for leadership and collaboration to stabilize nations, could not individually stop the economic freefall by elevating the G20 to become the world's premier forum for international economic cooperation which allowed the world's nations to pass legislation to quickly utilize global recovery.

"We've had long debates over the years about the best ways to promote sustained growth.  But America's voice in the G20 has always been one of bold action, and that stance has been backed up by our economic performance.  Since job growth turned positive in early 2010, America's businesses have created more than 15 million new jobs.  We've cut the unemployment rate in half.  And so far this year, wages have risen by almost 3 percent, which is much faster than the pace of inflation," the president said as he remembered his early challenges.

The recent G20 Summit has been an across the board success. The President, and world leaders of the leading 20 Economies have continued to build on the strength of those early decisions and moved strength to strength addressing the issues as they arise.

The unfortunate eyesore, again as Syria remains steadfast on its self-directed path of implosion remains the ineffectiveness of the President's implementation of foreign policy issues.

 Also Beltway Insider: Obama/G20/China/Brexit; Election 2016: FP Fells Both; Mother Teresa; OK Quake; Jacob Wetterling

Syrian Peace Accord

In the days since the latest Syrian Peace Accord has been announced, airstrikes have rained down on rebel forces killing 90 and nearly one-third, 28, have been children.

"We've had grave discussion about how we can institute meaningful, serious, verifiable Cessation of Hostilities in Syria, and to provide humanitarian relief to families, children, women who are suffering enormously. We had initiated a Cessation of Hostilities before.  Initially, it lessened some of the violence, and then slowly unwound.  We're back into a situation in which Assad's regime is bombing with impunity.  That, in turn, is actually strengthening the capacity of Nusra to recruit people who might not have initially been sympathetic to terrorism but now view anyone who's fighting against Assad as legitimized which is a very dangerous dynamic," President Obama said.

Negotiations for the ceasefire have been led by Secretary of State John Kerry, and his Russian counterpart. The cease fire, of which the world welcomes, has been met with the usual disregard from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Hours after the ceasefire went into effect the Syrian Military went into strike mode. Onlookers and survivors have reported "the jets arrived at 12:20pm" with rockets targeting the local markets filled with mid-day shopper and shop keepers.

Officially known as a "Cessation of Hostilities" Assad's government is targeting rebel held sections of Aleppo, Idlib, and Northwestern Syrian which have always remained rebel strongholds.

First responders were photographed searching through the rubble hoping to find someone, anyone alive.

"US Secretary of State John Kerry said the accord, announced after hours of talks in Geneva, would prevent Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's air force from flying combat missions anywhere the opposition is present, calling this provision the "bedrock of the agreement." He labeled the Syrian air force the "main driver of civilian casualties" and migrant flows," as reported by CNN.

Survivors are pleading for restraint by the Syrian military.

Election 2016: The Slugfest Continues as Health and Age Suddenly Become Factors

Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic Presidential nominee, was helped to her vehicle today after the former Secretary made an abrupt exit from a September 11 commemorative service, in New York City, and was unable to walk without support.

The frontrunner had been challenged of late on her health by Republican challenger Donald J. Trump, who has yet to make any comments on the former secretary's health scare which was videotaped by the New York Times which clearing showed Ms. Clinton balancing on a cement pillar and supported by security as her feet gave way under her.

She emerged less than two hours later, walking on her own, commented on the weather and ended the media engagement without mentioning the very real health scare.

Mrs. Clinton's doctor has since made a statement that the Democratic Presidential candidate had a classic case of walking Pneumonia and was dehydrated.    

Her refusal to mention the medical issue and attempt to gloss over the issue which was videotaped and shows her legs buckling under her and feet dragging as she is assisted into the motorcade is a concern as it is potentially the least likely situation to cause her any concern.

Her refusal to talk candidly about a simple dehydration and armed with walking Pneumonia diagnosis the former secretary made the medical issue glaring and her handling a serious misstep.

To date neither candidate has disclosed Medical history and should not be required to release detailed medical history at this point. Once elected both candidate will be required to have physicals at Walter Reed with full media scrutiny of each statement.

September 11, 2001: Fifteen Years Later

September 11, 2001, has been etched in the American fabric, cross-stitched with other great tragedies, by perpetrators who believe the injury will destroy us, render us incapacitated, unable to find the wherewithal to rise from the ashes, to hold onto these ingrained truths, especially in disaster, that are self-evident.

"We remember, and we will never forget, the nearly 3,000 beautiful lives taken from us so cruelly -- including 184 men, women and children here, the youngest just three years old.  We honor the courage of those who put themselves in harm's way to save people they never knew.  We come together in prayer and in gratitude for the strength that has fortified us across these 15 years.  And we renew the love and the faith that binds us together as one American family," said President Obama.

We never spoke of these truth so ingrained in our psyche, which blends the fabric of America, that we don't push them to the forefront, these truths that are self-evident, "that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

We live by these truths each day. On September 11, 2001 as our nation was ripped apart by two separate terrorist attacks designed to render the people of America, to render Americans mute, helpless, fearful, incapacitated, we held fast to truths never spoken and innately lived.  

"Fifteen years ago, a September day that began like any other became one of the darkest in our nation's history. The Twin Towers were reduced to rubble. The Pentagon was in flames. A Pennsylvania field burned with the wreckage of an airplane. And nearly 3,000 innocent lives were lost. Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, neighbors and colleagues and friends. They were from all walks of life, all races and religions, all colors and creeds, from across America and around the world," the president during his weekly address.

A makeshift military armed with plastic knifes, ready, determined and without fear fought for their lives and ours as they stopped the fourth missile in Shanksville, PA, a 747 by all accounts headed for the White House or Capitol building.

Those monuments we hold dear and still are only buildings. Our strength isn't in bricks and mortar, in pristine buildings that glisten reflecting the afternoon sun, that strike awe in our hearts. Our strength is in our people, the patchwork, the fabric of America. Had the terrorists succeeded we would have rebuilt those buildings also.  We would have remained resolved. We would have remained free.

Dating as far back as Pearl Harbor, and more recent the bombing of the Murrow Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the Boston Marathon Bombing, Newtown Elementary School and each of the mass shootings since Columbine High School that has stretched the stars and stripes, our battle worn flag, to something unrecognizable has and will remain the symbol of our nation, our freedom, hard fought, hard won victories, both on the ground and in the mind, a strength that comes from the symbol and remains constant.

It has remained symbolic throughout history of freedom, in Iwo Jima lifted by Marines reclaiming that island nation and risen over ash and rubble by three New York Firemen thinking only of the signal it sent. From the rubble we rise.

September 11, 2001, for those who lost a loved one, a friend, brother, sister, who felt robbed everyday of a life just beginning, fulfilling hopes, dreams and plans, for those Manhattanites or Washingtonians who lost the innocence, we mourn, still, with you.

It is a day etched in my memory.   

General Election Voter Registration Deadlines Loom

Over the next month, the opportunity for citizen in every state to participate in the general election and help choose the next president will expire.

Rock The Vote at http://www.rockthevote.com/ details the voter registration deadlines for all fifty states.  

Never before has an election been so pivotal exercise your right as a citizen and vote.

Alexis Arquette

Alexis Arquette, a member of Hollywood's Arquette Family and a transgender actress, has died today from unknown causes. She was 47.

A statement released by her family read "Her career was cut short, not by her passing, but by her decision to live her truth and her life as a transgender woman," her family said. "Despite the fact that there are few parts for trans actors, she refused to play roles that were demeaning or stereotypical. She was a vanguard in the fight for understanding and acceptance for all trans people."

According to her IMDb page Arquette, who was born Robert on July 28, 1969, had more than 70 acting credits including two upcoming roles in The Pretender slated for 2017 and Citizens which opened in August 2016.

Arquette starred in such iconic films as Pulp Fiction (1994), The Wedding Singer (1998) and Blended (2014).

Arquette, survived by sisters Patricia and Rosanna and brothers David and Richmond, passed away quietly surrounded by friends and family. No cause of death had been made public. Final arrangements have not been disclosed.

For more information on President Barack Obama: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com, ballotpedia.com,