Beltway Insider: Trump Visits France, Skips Cemetery; Brits Honor WWI Dead; G20; Mid-Terms; CA Wildfires; Thousand Oaks

President Donald Trump joined French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders in marking the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I with remembrances, parades and a rare showing of allied solidarity.

According to Gallup, President Trump job approval, over the past week, remianed constant at 40% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President remained constant at 54%.

Trump Visits France To Commemorate Centennial WWI Anniversary

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron attended along with other world leaders events to honor those who died and to commemorate the marking the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I.

The two leaders, who seemed to have a strong bond from the beginning, held a bi-lateral meeting while the President visited. With the G20 upcoming a unified Europe, as flare ups and issues remain throughout the world, remains the goal.

President Macron welcomed President Trump and indicated with the range of topics on the agenda the single most important is a united Europe, a solidarity between France and the United States. The President introduced the idea of burden sharing, which is very important to both, and includes separate national defenses, along with a European defense, a first responder defense in any breech of territorial sovereignty.

"I appreciate what you're saying about burden sharing.  You know we want a strong Europe. We'll be discussing many things, not only military and aid, and NATO, but we'll also be discussing trade.  We've been discussing that for a while.  I think we've made a lot of progress.  We'll see if we can get it over the line. And we're also very much focused, the President and I, on terrorism. Terrorism is a very big subject for both of us and a big part of our discussion today," President Trump said.

Burden Sharing – The Coalition

With President Trump attempting to dismantle every aspect of the Obama Presidency the idea that he would announced the need for a burden sharing coalition of nations. The 60 nation coalition united in the fight against the Islamic State was an effective military against the encroaching Islamic State insidious terror organization.

The coalition has not been dismantled only silenced by the obstinance of a president who refuses to acknowledge his predecessor understood the United States could not go it alone in the global fight against terrorism. Quite possibly this president needs to pass on pride just once and reactivate the coalition.


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Rain Blamed As Trump Skips Cemetery Visits Honoring American Soldiers

President Trump passed on cemetery ceremonies honoring American soldiers who were killed in battle during World War I as the weather, a mild rain at 59 degrees, was the cause as the secret service indicated Marine One his transportation would have logistical problems.

His absence caused many to criticize him as other foreign leaders including Macron and German Chancellor Merkel, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were able to make the journey to Aisne-Marne American cemetery.

"They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate Donald Trump couldn't even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen," said Nicholas Soames, Churchill's grandson and a member of British Parliament," reported USA Today.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Joint Chief of Staff, Marine General Joseph Dunford did attend the ceremony. Although all photos released show wet pavement, rain is not seen in any photos.

Other President before him stood in a chilly downpour including President John F. Kennedy, in 1961, stood alongside his French President Charles de Gaulle, on V-E Day, honoring those who died during World War II. President Obama also attended the ceremonies at Aisne-Marne American cemetery.

Brits Honor WWI Dead

The British Monarchy marked armistice day with tradition as Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Cornwell and the Duchess of Cambridge watched while Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, along with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, placed the first Poppy wreath at the Cenotaph, a war memorial on Whitehall in London, England.

A nation deeply held to tradition, the remembrances marking the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I began with the Festival of Remembrance attended by the Royal Family.

The ceremonies continued throughout the United Kingdom with the Poppy, which has been used to commemorate those lost in battle over the last 97 years. From the countryside to cities the nation honored its dead, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that all may live free, with poppies in cascades, in wreaths, raining from the towers, lighting up the night sky, symbolically for those who will never forget and for future generations to always remember.

G20 Summit - Argentina 2018

The G20 Leadership Summit will begin November 30 in host nation Argentina with the leaders of the world's top twenties economies present. The agenda has been released and includes The Future of Work, Infrastructure For Development, A Sustainable Food Future, and Gender Mainstreaming.

"Policy responses need to ensure that embracing technological change will not engender exclusion, social disintegration, or backlash. Providing these responses in a coordinated manner will also help prevent excessive gaps in technology adoption across countries and surging inequality among them. We will seek to pin down the impact that technological change is having on productivity, growth, jobs, and inequality. Education is at the crux of this debate. Education empowers people to shape their own futures. It enables them to create their own endeavours and form an active citizenship able to contribute to the development of a world," said President of Argentina Mauricio Macri.

For a complete overview of Argentina G20 Presidency 2018 follow this link.

Mid-Terms – Elections Prove Nation Remains Polarized

The 2018 Mid-Term elections were historic for many reasons. It was the first Midterm in history to exceed 100million voters, with 49% of eligible voters participating. The grand total of 113million voters mark the beginning of a new participation in American Politics.

With midterm generating this amount of interest the 2020 election should become the largest voter turnout in history as the 2016 General presidential Election generated the largest voter turnout in history at 137.5million or 63.6% of eligible voters participating.

Age and issues dictated party affiliation. Younger adults between the ages of 18-29 voted democrat in a 2-to-1 ratio, 67% to 32%. Ages 30-44 remained nearly as dedicated to democrats with 58% voting democrat to 39% voting republican. Ages 45-64 saw nearly an even split with 49% of the population voting democrat and 50 % voting republican. Ages 65+ also saw nearly an equal split with 48% of the population voting democrat and 50% voting Republican.


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The more educated the voter the greater the chance he/she will cast a vote for democratic leadership with 59% of college educated voters voting blue as opposed to 39% on non-college educated voters who voted Republican.

CA Wildfires –  Fire Sweeps through California

For residents of Thousand Oaks, California, the news of Wednesday's Night mass shooting was still a gaping horrific wound, when news came of an out of control wild fire that would force thousands to evacuate their home.

Two Southern California fires, The Woolsey and Hill Fires, in less than one week have burned nearly 75,000 acres and destroyed 175 homes. The Woolsey Fire, which moved quickly on Thursday night as wind gusts of 50mph carried embers spreading the fire. Homes were immediately engulfed with flames. With each home that caught fire, the winds would carry the embers in every direction.

Pepperdine University, deeply effected by the Thousand Oaks mass shooting, were forced to close the school and all students evacuated to the encroaching fire.

By Friday morning Malibu, often thought of as the playground of the rich and famous, was under complete evacuation orders. The fire marched over the Santa Monica mountains. Large animals were evacuated with owners opting to return to defend their property.

The Los Angeles Zoo evacuated some of its animals as a brush fire ignited in Griffith Park, and burned dangerously close to the Zoo.

Fire burns indiscriminately. No one is immune, it doesn't see race, class, socio-economic statue, it only destroys.

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, and the entire Kardashian family, along with Lady Gaga, Melissa Etheridge were forced to evacuate.

Box Office action star actor Gerard Butler, Real Housewife of Beverly Hills star Camille Grammer, singer Robin Thicke, actress Shannon Dougherty and actress Tracey Bregman, all lost their homes as the inferno consumed everything in its path.

The actor Martin Sheen and his wife, Janet, was reported missing by his son, Charlie Sheen who was unable to reach them after they were ordered to evacuate. A news crew found the West Wing actor in the parking lot at Zuma Beach, an evacuation zone. The two planned on sleeping in the car while they waited for news on their home.

Thousand Oaks - Mass Shooting Victims

Wednesday Night was College Country Night at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a popular country & western dance hall, on the border of Los Angeles and Ventura County. The type where traditional line dancing, men and women, in rows in what appears to be choreographed, hidden language of moves.

On this night they were sitting ducks in a shooting gallery. A former Marine, with PTSD, minor "interactions" with Sherriff's decided he would shoot up the place. At 11:19pm Wednesday, the first call came in; the 911 tapes have not been released and the public has heard so many others, we can recite the unknown call.

"Long, 28, first posted on Instagram at 11:24 p.m: "It's too bad I won't get to see all the illogical and pathetic reasons people will put in my mouth as to why I did it," the military veteran said in the post. "Fact is I had no reason to do it, and I just thought....(exploitive), life is boring so why not?" Long posted, according to ABC News and Buzzfeed. Three minutes later Long posted, "I hope people call me insane (two smiley face emojiis) would that just be a big ball of irony? Yeah... I'm insane, but the only thing you people do after these shootings is 'hopes and prayers'...or 'keep you in my thoughts'." He added, "Every time...and wonder why these keep happening... --(two smiley face emojis),"' reported USA Today.

At the end of the violence twelve promising men and women died. Some had given their life in self-sacrifice as a first responder, others survived the Las Vegas shooting, some had yet to make their own mark on the world and enjoyed the opportunities of others fame.

Beautiful, spirited, talented, dedicated, the victims families now in shock explain with semi-quiet rational tones, why the prayers are hollow clanging empty symbols, the thoughts carry as much personalization as a pat on the arm, and what they want, and what we all need, is effective gun control. Common sense gun control.


Thousand Oaks Mass Shooting Leaves 12 Dead and at Least 15 Injured


For the man who believes he is the best at everything, the reason nations gather, the leader of the free world, where is his genius now?

In reality he is just one more empty voice, an actor void of emotion, preforming according to the playbook written by F.B.I. profilers, psychologists or both, that provide a step-by-step directive on how to lead the nation in a time of grief.


It was only a matter of time before Hollywood felt the severe, crushing blow of a child, loved one, relative dying in a senseless mass shooting. This time, a niece has died. What does it take to enact common sense gun control? How many more have to die? What family has to feel the numbing, incapacitating, loss before the bill is signed?

Khashoggi Murder Update

A unsubstantiated audio recording has been released indicating the voice of the murder Washington Post journalist was suffocated with aplastic bag over his head and said, "Get this bag off me. I'm claustrophobic." The tape which is not in wide circulation fails to depict the frantic final minutes of someone attempting to escape death.

From President Trump Twitter: The Trump Administration's new rule on immigration is simple, straightforward, and fair: To be eligible for asylum in the United States , you must present yourself lawfully at a port of entry. More on what this important decision means: Immigration Fact Sheet

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

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com

*Demographics from Pew Research.

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