Beltway Insider: Navy Base Terror, Impeachment, Shootings, Pearl Harbor, 2020: Student Loan Crisis

The deadly shooting this week at the Pensacola Naval Base, one of six separate shootings across the nation, is under investigation as a terror attack as the recently radicalized Saudi national has been identified as the sole shooter.

President Trump's job approval rating, which was tracked for the two-week time period ending November 15, 2019, increased two percentage points to 43% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased one percentage points to 54%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated bi-monthly.

Impeachment Hearings Escalate

As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced this week the House will draft articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump moving ahead on what many have called an accelerated time frame and all expect a vote by the house before the holiday break.


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Ms. Pelosi, who throughout the first three years of the President's tenure, has been slow to respond to the idea of impeachment allowing for other branches of government to act, diligently pushing the agenda of corruption, personal agenda, and criminal wrongdoing. "Invoking the words of the Constitution and the nation's founders, Ms. Pelosi said it had become clear over two months of investigation that Mr. Trump had violated his oath of office by pressing a foreign power for help in the 2020 election. Allowing Mr. Trump to continue in office without remedy, she said, would come at "the peril of our republic," reported The New York Times.

While freshman legislators were quick to express their opinions over an alleged unity with a foreign government to influence the 2016 election which resulted in a republican landslide and has since been proven to some degree, without expressly implicating the president, members of his inner circle, members of his family, and other close associates have been investigated, many charged and several already sentenced and in prison.

"His wrongdoing strikes at the very heart of our Constitution," Ms. Pelosi said in a formal address delivered against a backdrop of American flags in the Capitol. "Our democracy is what is at stake. The president leaves us no choice but to act because he is trying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit," The New York Times reported.

President Trump was asked about the current state of the impeachment process and would he be participating or testifying in the Senate as the Article of Impeachment as the Democratic controlled House is expected to vote in an overwhelming majority to impeach.

President Trump said when asked about the current state of the impeachment process, "Well, I don't know.  I know this: That the impeachment thing is a total hoax.  The numbers have totally swung our way.  They don't want to see impeachment, especially in the swing states; they've swung our way.  I've never seen a swing like this.  Because people realize it's a total hoax.  We had a perfect conversation.  It was only a conversation.  Nothing came out of the conversation except a good relationship with Ukraine.  And the people see that it's just a continuation of this three-year witch hunt."

The Republican controlled senate will follow through on the process and unless a smoking gun appears or some irrefutable evidence that can not be ignored is presented, the Senate will vote to acquit the president which should happen sometime early 2020.

Terror Attack: Pensacola Navy Base

Over the course of last week from December 1, 2019 through December 8, America was hit with a wave of violence, probably no more than usual, except this week's news made headlines.

Two military Installations, Pearl Harbor, which was preparing to welcome dignitaries to celebrate the 78th Anniversary came under attack as a lone gunman opened fire killing two and wounding a third. The shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"The sailor who opened fire at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Wednesday, killing two Department of Defense workers and wounding a third, before taking his own life was Machinist's Mate Auxiliary Fireman Gabriel Antonio Romero. In a prepared statement emailed to Navy Times on Friday, Pentagon officials indicated that Romero, 22, was assigned to the Los Angeles-class attack submarine Columbia, which is homeported in Hawaii and is undergoing dry dock repairs there. His deceased victims are Metals Inspector Apprentice Vincent J. Kapoi, 30, and Shop Planner (Nondestructive Testing) Roldan A. Agustin, 49. A third victim is recovering at a nearby hospital," The Navy Times reported.


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Pensacola Gunman Kills Three

A Saudi National, a second Lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force, has been identified as the lone gunman on a rampage at the Pensacola Naval base that left three dead. "The Navy identified the dead late Saturday as three aviation students: Ensign Joshua Kaleb Watson, 23, of Coffee, Alabama; Airman Mohammed Sameh Haitham, 19, of St. Petersburg, Florida; and Airman Apprentice Cameron Scott Walters, 21, of Richmond Hill, Georgia," NBC.com reported.

The shooting, while not qualifying as a mass shooting, has been deemed an act of terror as facts surrounding his recent behaviors, apparent radicalizations, and attempts to convert five other Saudi's also studying at the base, though brainwashing playing videos of terror attacks while he hosted the others at his home.

"The main goal of the investigation is to find out whether Alshamrani acted alone or whether he was part of a "larger network," but authorities stressed Sunday that the community is safe and they do not suspect any other immediate or direct threats," NBC.com reported.

Wisconsin Resource Guards Deescalate Possible Deadly Violence

Two Wisconsin Schools, 80 miles apart, also made the news. The two students each exhibited behavior that was threatening and a potential major incident. Parents, politicians and students all praised the efforts of the resources officers who used their services revolvers to deescalate and neutralize the situation. Parents where weeping as they understood the gravity and how in one second the phone call could have been life altering.

Armed resources guards have been ordered to control and neutralize active shooters or any form of violence that has the potential to escalate into a violent outburst which could cause irreparable harm or death. "Last year armed guards at three high-profile school shootings – Marshall county high school in Benton, Kentucky; Majory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida; and Santa Fe high school in Texas – were unable to stop those shootings. In Parkland, the school's resource officer remained outside rather than enter the building to engage the shooter and try to stop it," reported The Guardian.com.

The Guardian has a dedicated page to the monthly US School Shootings. It can be accessed here.

Sandy Hook Massacre

The seven-year anniversary of the Newtown Mass Shooting, December 14, is also this week. On December 14, 2012, a local mentally disturbed resident shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary school targeting children and educators. The five minutes assault claimed the lives of 20 six-year-old and seven-year-old children and six dedicated educators where gunned down in their classrooms.

After Sandy Hook we said, "never again" since that day, seven years ago there have been 2,316 mass shootings which claimed the lives of 2,621 victims and injured 9,650, as reported by Vox media.

Maybe we need stronger language since we refuse to enact stronger laws.


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Pearl Harbor

The 78th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, "A day that will live in Infamy" as President Franklin D. Roosevelt said during his address to the nation after a surprise morning attack by the Japanese military destroyed the entire United State Navy Fleet, was held at precisely the moment the attack began.

Only one survivor was able to attend the services, this year, held at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, where 1,102 soldiers remain entombed after the ship was sunk at dock on December 7, 1941.

For many non-historians, this year was marked by a renewed interest as virtuoso filmmaker Roland Emmerich, the master of the epic disaster film, released his impressive Midway allowing a new generation of citizens to witness history and understand the sacrifices men and women made to stop tyranny and ensure democracy survived.

Election 2020: Harris Bows Out, Issues: Student Loan Crisis

California Senator Kamala Harris, once considered a very real possibility in a crowded field of candidates, has officially exited the race for the Democratic nomination, after her message of inclusion didn't gather the momentum with democratic voters.

Even as she has continued to reach the benchmarks set by the Democratic National Committee for candidates to participate in the monthly televised debates, and quite possibly will appear in December, her polling numbers and funding weren't enough to sustain the costs of running a presidential campaign.

As the other candidates lauded her for her efforts, as a tough and experienced competitor, factually, she is only suspending operations. Her website remains active, she has earned the right to participate in December's debate and bring her message to the voter's and remains on the ballot in the early decision states. Should she pull out a win or solid numbers in South Carolina, essentially resonating with the African America demographic, she may still be in the race on some level.

2020 ISSUES: Student Loan Crisis

Moving into December the narrowing field of Democratic Presidential contenders are sharpening their presentation of promises to the American People. With each candidate presenting a plan to alleviate stresses and aid citizens in living a fuller, more productive and financially sound life and lifestyle, its somewhat like shopping for the perfect fruit in a store of polished, perfect, nutritious fruit.

After watching the DNC set benchmarks, essentially squeezing the candidates, the choices are dwindling and now center on specific issues. A major issue for many voters remains the trillion-dollar student loan crisis which is somewhat reminiscent of the Wall Street bail out. The importance of a financially solvent banking system was considered necessary to a healthy economy.

The issues with all the bail out system remains the failure of the government and stakeholders understanding the common man, the loan holder, are the last on the list to receive the assistance.

In the housing bubble millions lost their homes, few on Wall Street lost their jobs.

Navient or Sallie Mae aren't experiencing financial issues. These two student loan providers are quite happy with the system as it is. The strangle hold they have on borrows is a lot like terrorism, a very broad definition and very narrow defense. The student loan program has the very narrow window of forgiveness opportunities, with a very strict, and nearly impossible to secure. More so even modifications such as a suspended interest accruement period for medical related injury of disability.

Injury, Illness, Disability, Student Loan Providers Make No Allowance for the Unexpected

I have seen the documentation for a student loan borrow who managed to graduate from an Ivy League University with only $53,000 in student loan debt. A major medical issue left the student unable to work due to medically documented Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The student now owes $135,000 with an expected annual amortization of $150,000 by March 2020. Even with my assistance in searching areas of forgiveness for PSTD the program is strict narrowed to only veterans. Her degree doesn't place her in any of the opportunities for student loan forgiveness.

This is not a unique story. I've heard others with similar circumstance medical approved disability and no forgiveness is available due to non-military status.


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The government doesn't necessarily understand the issues at stake and consider loan borrows a winy group of over extended slackers who weren't able to achieve the ROI expected.

The Student loan Crisis has been a major issue in the party with candidates presenting plans from a partial reduction to a full bail out, which has gained momentum enough so that major media have presented both the pros and cons of a total bail out and the effects it would have on the economy.

The US economy is deceptively healthy. With the lowest unemployment rate in nearly half a century, the indicators appear to point to stability, the bubble of course is the more than one trillion in student loan debt.

Dissecting this debt, one would understand while the economy appears healthy, workers many who invested heavily in their future and found the investment did not produce the long-term ROI that was expected.

Meaning simply the supply is present, the pool of skilled 21st century applicants across the broad spectrum of employment opportunities is present jobs and salaries to offset the financial needs are not.

Bail Out Momentum and an Economic Bump

The bail out which has gained momentum, an oddity, has it would assist the borrower, and not simply the corporate financial giant would reduce the loans to zero balance.

So, what would that do to the economy. The pundits, depending on the political leanings offering the slight bump theory to all out across all sectors multi-year boost.

Taking the man on the street approach dissecting the financial effects of a student loan forgiveness program the first economic boom would be in large ticket purchases.

The housing market, especially for first time home buyers would increase 100%. Additional major purchases, automobiles and even though it can't be considered a purchase, more of the population would increase their family size, either traditionally or adoptions which is certainly a long-term investment.

The trickle-down effect of a bail out would include reducing personal credit card debt. Streamlining financial futures, including boosting 401K and 529 College Saving Funds which allows less long-term debt, preparing the next generation of college attendees to increase the ROI. And finally, and this is simply a cursory look at the possibilities, the release of those in or nearing retirement who co-signed and are now burdened in retirement with repayment.

Of course, the next step is how to pay for the bail out. I'm of the belief the government should reach into the fund which assisted the Wall Street financial institutions and didn't bat an eye over the millions who lost their homes to foreclosure and tap into that fund. Not a wealthy tax although if they chose to donate, it would be accepted. Moreover, the government needs to understand "of the people and by the people." They serve at our discretion. So, let's be prudent, and remember the candidates are shopping for our votes.

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For more information on President Donald Trump www.whitehouse.gov.

Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection.

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