Beltway Insider: Trump’s Free Spending WH; Monarchy Frenzy; Macron Wins; Boko Girls; Always Dreaming

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President Donald Trump has made his position clear on Global Warming and Climate Change, the preservation of lands and designations of federal protection of land mass over the past two decades are now under consideration for reversal.

According to Gallup, President Trump's job approval, over the past week, increased two percentage points to 40% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President decreased three percentage points to 54%. 

Repeal and Replace - The House Republicans Move on Healthcare System

President Trump has made the destruction of the Obama Legacy his primary agenda and with that the Affordable Care Act which has survived one attempt by this administration to overthrown the core principals, which call for individuals to be medically insured.

The idea, if anyone can remember the Healthcare debate prior to the ObamaCare debate, was two-fold and both sides of the aisle. Initially the uninsured were creating a strain on the system, and rightly so as many millions of American were without any type of healthcare and depended on the system to handle care.

The second phase of this debate rested in the fact that as advanced a nation as the United States is we, as a nation lack in providing a universal healthcare system for our people. Armed with those two goals the Affordable Care Act was created. It was flawed and when it was launched the site it was flawed.  

Eventually, the site began to work smoothly and states came on board expanding Medicare and Medicaid and providing the necessities of the ACA. The system began to work for the people and more importantly it survived 42 challenges by the Republican leadership to be overthrown, to essentially leave those who have been insured, without insurance again.

Those challenges were definitively met with the 2012 Supreme Court decision that effectively declared the Affordable Care Act legal.

House Republicans Vote on the ACA

This week the House Republicans in a show of solidarity for their beleaguered and unprepared leader agreed to assist him and voted to repeal and replace large portions of the Affordable Care Act. The House Republicans claim a major victory, the fact is the measure barely passed, with a few votes to spare.

The measure advances to the senate which has already shot down one attempt to overturn the ACA in the last ten weeks. It is doubtful the ACA will be overturned.

President Trump has the uncanny ability to create a diversion. The repeated and unsuccessful attempt to dismantle the only healthcare system some have known is one of those diversions.

In 1973 Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Courts case that challenge a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy which has morphed over the years to a Pro-Life/Pro-Choice argument, over the past forty years the supreme court has been challenged numerous times on the legality of Roe Verses Wade to which, the federal law has remained.

States have taken it upon themselves to create boundaries and limitations on the federal law which creates limits the Supreme Court did not.

The Affordable Care Act will survive the challenges of the Trump Administration. Perhaps, he should send his secret weapon, Vice President Mike Pence, to the Republican states to begin adapting new boundaries or crafting law that each state, as they remain free to govern themselves, can adopt.

The Dark Shadow of Michael Flynn Continues to Hover 

Former Defense Secretary Michael Flynn was again in the news this week as the official report shows that the retired Army Lieutenant General, was warned by Pentagon officials back in 2014 over accepting payments from foreign entities.

While it isn’t a bombshell, then candidate Trump was also warned during the vetting process the acceptance of foreign payments could become a problem. Trump also failed to consider this an issue

An investigation was opened earlier in April by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense.

"These documents raise grave questions about why General Flynn concealed the payments he received from foreign sources after he was warned explicitly by the Pentagon," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, in a statement. "Our next step is to get the documents we are seeking from the White House so we can complete our investigation. I thank the Department of Defense for providing us with unclassified versions of these documents." [CNN]

Beltway Insider: Trump Delusions of Success; Climate March; AR Executions; French Elections; Jonathan Demme

National Parks and Protected Lands Under Review

The Department of the Interior has, in response to the Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump put together a list of 26 monuments, parks. and designated protected lands to be reviewed as Trump determines the necessity.

President Trump has made his position clear on Global Warming and Climate Change, the preservation of lands and designations of federal protection of land mass over the past two decades are now under consideration for reversal.

The Global Warming denialist is taking no prisoners as he plows through the National Parks and Protected Lands created over the last two decades to ensure the ideals his predecessors determined necessary to the development of a nation remained intact.  

As with the Dakota Pipeline, any land that holds an abundance of Natural Resource that would, in President Trump’s belief benefit the American people, whether the mining or removal of this resource such as rare earth elements from Mountain Pass, California, would create increased pollution and catastrophic contamination of water, land and animal habitat and vegetation, can be removed from protection.

According to the Presidential Executive Order on the Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act:

“Review of National Monument Designations.  (a)  The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) shall conduct a review of all Presidential designations or expansions of designations under the Antiquities Act made since January 1, 1996, where the designation covers more than 100,000 acres, where the designation after expansion covers more than 100,000 acres, or where the Secretary determines that the designation or expansion was made without adequate public outreach and coordination with relevant stakeholders, to determine whether each designation or expansion conforms to the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.”  

The complete Executive Order can be read here.

Trump’s Trickle Down Free Spending

The Trump family has stepped up to show the rest of the world how to pillage the federal treasury and to so legally without the chance of repercussion.

First daughter Ivanka, and her husband, Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, recently observed Shabbat on the ski slopes in Aspen handing the tax payers a price tag of $12,208.25 for recreational equipment secured by the Secret Service. The hotel and official overtime cost has not yet been announced.  

The vocally observant Jewish family also went on a ski trip over Passover, considered one of the most holy of the Jewish Holidays, to Whistler British Columbia billing the American people for the cost of secret service protection to the tune of $65,000 in hotels and recreational good rental/ski equipment leases.

Trump Kids Play Sleight of Hand With American People

The Kushner family is not the only member of the Trump Family to participate in a sleight of hand magic trick, hoodwinking the American public, as they deny the paycheck and create a media opportunity for the donation of President Trump’s first ten-week paycheck of $73,000 to the National Parks, and rack up outrageous costs covering trips, air and ground transportation, hotels, recreational equipment, protection details, car and equipment rentals.

The rest of the Trump family is also participating in the pillage of the federal treasury.

Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump participated in a business trip to Vancouver in late February for the total cost of $53,155.25.

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump's business trip to Dubai in mid-February costs the taxpayers $16,738.36.

Eric Trump's business trip to Uruguay in early January costs the taxpayers $97,830. Additionally, records show the Secret Service spent $4,0162.02 on rental vehicles in the Dominican Republic on Jan. 29, just ahead of Eric Trump's business visit to Cap Cana.

If that wasn’t enough Jared Kushner's sister and his family are luring in big money investors in China with a Visa for money scam which will allow the Golden investor to make a considerable investment of $500,000. and receive favorable Visa consideration.

The Monarchy Creates a Media Frenzy as The World Paused

A brief announcement noted an emergency meeting, for all of Queen Elizabeth’s employees had been called and the entirety of her staff was to report the following morning to Buckingham Palace.

With that announcement, the media machine went into overdrive with speculation throughout the globe that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the husband to Queen Elizabeth II, had died.

With the husband of the longest reigning monarch reaching 95, and celebrating a birthday on June10, speculation of his passing wasn’t without genuine possibility. Several newspapers ran headlines announcing his demise.

And as no other information circulated, the world paused, over the next six hours, waiting setting in motion strategic plans for funeral coverage. By morning London time, a sizable crowd had gathered, media had jostled through the chilly evening to secure the best possible positioning to captured the announcement.

By 3:00am PST, media stations broke from programming already in progress to go live to Buckingham Palace.

Without further delay it was announced, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II and would curtail his activities this August. He was effectively retiring.

For the world who felt relieved, the anti-climactic statement left us wondering if all the secrecy was necessary for a man who is happily retiring from public eye?

What was duly and sadly noted is that the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who has served his adopted nation, been called the “strength and stay” by his wife the Queen, agreed and possibly grew accustomed to the traditions and formalities of life in the ruling class, provided a rehearsal to the inevitable announcement.

As the two approached 70 years of marriage, those who seem to have the finger on the royal pulse believe that should Prince Philip pass away first, the Queen would abdicate. It remains doubtful she would allow herself to act on any feelings that would dictate any other ending. If she did it would be the first self-focused action in her reign.

With many people making end of life arrangements in our modern society, both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have participated in the preparations of their funerals it has been reported. The Prince has stated he prefers a “No fuss” funeral with limited traditions. The Queen however, is expected to have quite possibility the largest and most elegant funerals befitting her role, duty, and service.

In the event of either death, the official mourning period will range anywhere from eight official days for the Duke of Edinburgh with the Queen taking an additional 30 days leave from official duties. After which she will return to full service. Should she pass first, the nation will collectively mourn for a dozen or more days with all institutions remain closed for a three-day period.

Long live the Queen, as they say, and her husband, the rest of us add.  

Emmanuel Macron Scores a Decisive Victory as French Reject Fascism

President Elect Emmanuel Macron has won a decisive victory over the fascism rhetoric of Marine Le Pen with nearly all the votes counted the leader of the En Marche party secured nearly 65% to Ms. Le Pen 35%.

The victory was not a surprise as all major polls expected Macron to win handily. At 39, Macron becomes the youngest President ever elected.

His dossier includes appointed positions under outgoing President François Hollande, in both the first and second terms. Appointed as Minister of Economy and Finance he, during the height of the Great Global Recession, pushed business friendly reforms through creating jobs.

French Citizens Vote Globally

The election in France may be one for the history books; the voter turnout, just as in the recent November Presidential elections have shown an increased number of citizens exercising their civic duty and casting a ballot.

French Embassy’s around the world were open Saturday, allowing expats, tourists, or international employees the opportunity to participate. Long lines could be seen in Japan, Washington, D.C and even Cuba.

The shortest line, with only one French citizen also made the most interesting list as Thomas Pesquet, an ESA Astronaut, cast his ballot from the International Space Station some 400KM above the earth.

President Donald Trump telephoned newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron to congratulate him on his decisive victory.

In recent days as the national campaign in the event of a run off is only two weeks both President Trump and Russian President Putin endorsed Marine Le Pen with former President Barack Obama endorsing Macron.  

Over the next week President Francois Hollande, whom has governed and led his nation through one of the most tumultuous times in modern history and rallied the world to stand with him and the nation against the rising tide of terrorism, will resign over the next two days.

Hollande and Macron will appear together at the annual ceremony held at the Paris’ Arc de Triomphe commemorating Victory in Europe Day and the surrender of the Nazi’s on May 8, 1945. Macron will be sworn in and begin the appointment process.

Boko Haran Release Kidnapped School Girls

Nearly one-third of the Chibok School girls kidnapped three years ago were released in a brokered exchange that called for five Boko Haran terrorists to be returned in exchange for 82 of the girls.

In April 2014, 276 girls were kidnapped from the government secondary school in Chiok Nigeria. The terrorist organization Boko Haran claimed responsibility. An international campaign to "bring our girls home" was initiated and led by world leaders including former President Barack and Michelle Obama.

The campaign, as effective as it was in raising awareness, was not successful in securing the release of the girls. As the United States and other governments do not negotiate with terrorists and short of a military operation which the Nigerian government lead by then President Goodluck Jonathan who graciously turned down the United States military services.

Hopefully the release of the remainder of the girls is imminent.

Always Dreaming Wins Kentucky Derby

Always Dreaming, a three-year-old colt, burst from the starting gate and galloped through a muddy, sloppy mess, in record to win the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby, the first of the Triple Crown in horse racing.

Always Dreaming was in second place as he rounded the back stretch and moved into first by a neck and in the last seconds burst ahead winning by two furlongs. Lookin at Lee (33-1) finished second and Battle of Midway (40-1) finished third.

Next in the Triple Crown Horse Racing series are the Preakness Stakes on May 20, 2017, followed by the Belmont Stakes in June.

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

Sources: Whiteouse.gov, Wikipedia.com,