Beltway Insider: Biden/G7 Summit, China, SCOTUS, Abortion, Bump Stocks, South African Gov, Royal Update, Trump Vows Clemency

Details: Category: Beltway Insider; Published on Sunday, 16 June 2024 09:55; Written by Janet Walker

President Biden joined leaders of the G7 in Italy to reaffirm their unified commitment to key issues common to all the seven leading economies, and present global direction and guidance on topics and concerns confronting all nations.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending June 16, 2024, increased by 0.5% to 38.0% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness increased by 0.2% to 56.5% 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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G7 Summit

The annual G7 Summit met this week in Italy ending with unified commitments on the most critical issues effecting every nation including Ukraine's fight for freedom against Russian aggression and tyranny, food scarcity, climate change and emerging technologies.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is not a member of the G7 was in attendance addressing the leaders on the needs of his nation to fight against the Russian President Vladimir Putin's war machine and have vowed to increase aid to Ukraine and sanction against Russia, driving up the cost of Putin's war.

"Foreign banks now face increased sanctions risk when they deal with Russia's war economy. New sanctions on more than 300 individuals and entities in Russia, the People's Republic of China (PRC), and globally target Russia's financial infrastructure; over a dozen international evasion and procurement networks," the G7 members affirmed in a released statement.

As the G7 guidelines and charter is based on the United Nations charter, other issues including international peace and security for all nations, including the most pressing current war between Gaza and Israel, and the expectation, as Israel has hunted and dismantled Hamas, crippling the terror organization, and rescued four of the Hamas held hostages, that an end to this current bombardment may be approaching.

The G7 affirmed, unanimously to support the cease-fire presented by President Biden which calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, the return of all hostages, an increase in humanitarian assistance, and security for Israel and peace and rebuilding for Gaza.

China's Stranglehold on Global Economies

The leaders also agreed that the policies of the People's Republic of China, where severely undercutting fair business practices within the G7 economies and lead to supply chain dependencies in sectors such as solar, wind, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, medical devices, semiconductors, steel, aluminum, and others. And that creates a stranglehold on all economy's dependent on these products.

And with the growth and need of Rare Earth Elements, (REE), of which China is the major exporter, and are used in anything with a screen, including smartphones, laptops, computers, televisions, defense, laser missiles, radars, hybrid and electric automobiles, medical devices, and in all alternative forms of energy development including wind turbines, solar panels, even energy efficient lightbulbs, the United States and other members of the G7 should be considering further development of the Mountain Pass, California RRE deposit, other global RRE deposit sites, or the development of synthetic Rare Earth Elements, which are critical to the reducing the dependency on China.

"At present China produces 60 percent of the world's rare earths but processes nearly 90 percent, which means that it is importing rare earths from other countries and processing them. This has given China a near monopoly," reported The Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Chin has also announced a ban on exporting all aspect of the extraction process including extraction, separation, refining, and manufacturing technologies. The United States, and other G7 nations, in fact all nations, where any device is used, will be at the mercy of the PRC. Unless other global RRE deposits, located in Vietnam, Brazil, India and Australia, all allies of the United States, are mined. The economic value of exporting RRE would dramatically increase the economies of these nations.

The summit, which is precursor to the G20, the annual meeting of the twenty leading global economies, an expanded version of the G7, which is the precursor to the annual General Assembly meeting, which hosts all member nations of the United Nations in New York City. Each of these summits are held to provide guidance and leadership to nation states and emerging nations that fall below the economic threshold and help find solutions to issues that are slowly encroaching or stifling economic growth.

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Unified South African Gov Formed

In an unprecedented show of unity, South Africa's two major parties, the African National Congress (ANC) and the white Democratic Alliance agreed to form a unified government. The surprise development ended nearly thirty years of ANC rule, which began with the election of Nelson Mandela, who had been imprisoned for 27 years, and became South Africa's first black elected president in 1994.

"Long seen as unbeatable in national elections, the ANC lost support in recent years as voters wearied of persistently high levels of poverty, inequality and crime, rolling power cuts and corruption in party ranks," Reuters reported. The unified government marks a new beginning in South Africa's future.

SCOTUS June Rulings - Abortion Drug, Bump Stocks

Abortion

In a surprise decision, SCOTUS ruled against a lower court's decision to ban on the abortion drug mifepristone. After the court overturned the landmarked Roe v. Wade ruling, which immediately set the stage for states to enact total or partial bans on abortions and force women seeking to end pregnancies to possibly face criminal prosecution for leaving the state for medical care.

"In a unanimous ruling, the court sided with the Biden administration and the manufacturer of mifepristone and reversed a lower court decision that would have made it more difficult to obtain the drug used in more than 60 percent of U.S. abortions. The justices found that the plaintiffs did not have legal grounds to bring the challenge," The Washington Post reported.

Women should have the autonomous right to seek the medical care of their choosing. Women should not be denied medical care based on gender. Women have the mental capacity to determine their own medical care. To ban abortion is gender discrimination unless the court rules that vasectomies are also illegal.

Bump Stocks

The conservative leaning Supreme Court struck down a ban on Bump Stocks, enacted by the Justice Department during the Trump Administration, in response to the October 1, 2017, Las Vegas massacre. The shooter at the Harvest 91 music concert fired more than 1,000 rounds in 11 minutes, murdering 60 concert goers and injuring 700 others.

The Trump-era ban on bump stocks, a rapid-fire accessory that allows a rate of fire comparable to that of machine guns, was nixed in a 6-3 majority opinion. "Justice Clarence Thomas, who authored the opinion, wrote that the Justice Department was wrong in declaring that bump stocks transformed semiautomatic rifles into illegal machines guns because they don't "alter the basic mechanics of firing,"' The Associated Press reported.

A bump stock reduces the thought process associated with firing the weapon, as the "bump stock" after firing a single shot bump back to the shooter's finger reducing recoil time and firing time. It creates an easy trigger, without decompression on the trigger system, and allows altered weapons to fire up to 800 rounds per minute.

President Biden, who as Vice-President created 23 Executive Actions following the massacre at Sandy Hook, which killed 20 first and second graders and six educators on December 14, 2012, that were signed into law by then President Obama, has continued in his fight for common sense gun reform. During his nearly 12-year tenure as President and Vice-President, Biden has been affected by more mass shootings than any sitting president or vice-president.

"We know thoughts and prayers are not enough. I call on Congress to ban bump stocks, pass an assault weapon ban, and take additional action to save lives – send me a bill and I will sign it immediately," President Biden said.

Coronavirus Totals

According to the World Health Organization the death toll from Covid-19 has dramatically decreased, as has transmission of the virus. Even as confirmed new cases arise, fewer are dying from the newer variants. The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens, should receive at least one shot of an updated covid vaccine.

For the 7-day period ending June 16, 2024, the total of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by The World Health Organization remained at 775,583,309 confirmed cases, increasing by 31,104 confirmed cases. The total worldwide death toll increased by 490 to 7,050,691 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated June 2, 2024, from The World Health Organization).

COVID U.S. Totals

Hospitals across the United States are no longer required to update the CDC on Covid-19 admissions, increases or deaths. Total coronavirus cases in the United States have remained constant at 111,820,082 and total deaths have increased by 29,365 to 1,219,487 total U.S. deaths. (Data posted April 13, 2024, from World Meters).

Princess of Wales Joins Royal Family

Catherine, Princess of Wales, joined the Royal Family, for the annual Trooping of the Colors festivities, her first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis. The Princess along with her family, William, Prince of Wales, and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, appeared well.

"In her statement, Catherine said her treatment would continue for a "few more months." She spoke of the joy of engaging with her children about their schools and has become involved in some philanthropic work," The New York Times reported.

Although tabloids, and British press, which have been known for extreme measures to satisfy the public's appetite for Royal news, has honored the request to allow the Princess, and future Queen Consort, her privacy.

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WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich to Stand Trial

The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been ordered to stand trial in Russia on the grounds of spying for the CIA. Gershkovich has been in Russian custody since his arrest in March 2023.

"Russian prosecutors, announcing that they had finalized an indictment, said in a statement that they had "established and documented" that Gershkovich "collected secret information" about the Uralvagonzavod military factory in the Sverdlovsk region while "on assignment from the CIA,"' reported The Washington Post.

The charges, which the U.S. government and the Wall Street Journal have denied, are likely to result in a conviction, in which Gershkovich will face up to 20 years in a Russian prison. It is likely the U.S., or an ally, is holding a Russian political prisoner that Putin wants released and are using Gershkovich for leverage in a prisoner swap. There is no evidence that supports the Russian assertation that Gershkovich was spying for the CIA or any government.

Road to the White House – Trump Vows to Pardon January 6 Insurrectionists

Former President and convicted felon, Donald J. Trump, has vowed if he is reelected he will pursue clemency for January 6 insurrectionists that stormed the capital, caused the deaths of Capitol Police officers, forced members of Congress into secure rooms, ransacked and looted congressional offices, in an effort to stop the 2020 presidential election confirmation results.

Former President Donald J. Trump Found Guilty on All Counts

His words, which come after his conviction in a hush money scandal, which unpacked his illegal activities and determined effort to win the 2016 election, using a dirty tricks and hostile takeover strategy, are inciteful rhetoric designed to enflame voters, and those disenfranchised right-wing radicals, who believe he is akin to the second coming.

"His vow to exercise the clemency powers of the presidency has raised alarms about his support for political violence and touched off private conversations among supporters about how to deliver on his pledge," The Washington Post reported.

For more information on President Joe Biden www.whitehouse.gov.

Janet Walker is the publisher and founder of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade. A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays, "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, Online Writer's Association, and International Federation of Journalists.