Beltway Insider: Biden/Covid, Kansas, NATO, China, COVID/Vaccine Totals, Breonna Taylor, Uvalde, Vin Scully

President Biden, who was initially diagnosed with Covid on July 21, 2022, has tested negative for two consecutive days and has been cleared by the White House Physician, Dr. Kevin O'Conner to resume public engagements and travel.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending August 7, 2022 increased by 0.1% to 39.3% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased by 0.3% to 55.6% of those polled who disapprove of his effectiveness. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.


Beltway Insider: Biden/Covid, Recession, Prisoner Swap, COVID/Vaccine Totals, KY Floods, Uvalde, Paul Sorvino


Biden Covid Update/BA.5 Spread

The White House physician, Dr. Kevin O'Conner, provided an update to the White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, stating "This morning, the President's SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing was negative for a second day. He will safely return to public engagement and presidential travel."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director at the National Institute Allergy and Infectious Diseases presented a stark warning, one day ago, as the newest variant, BA.5, which has been called the worst version of the virus, becomes the most common, urging those who are not vaccinated, with underlying medical conditions, or in need of boosters, to get vaccinated.

His ominous warning of the potential risk of greater infection, reinfections, and community spread, in part, is due to pandemic exhaustion and a relaxation in mandates and other protective measures, "If they don't get vaccinated or they don't get boosted, they're going to get into trouble," he said.

U.S. Votes on Sweden, Finland NATO App

The United States Senate voted overwhelmingly to endorse the application of Sweden and Finland, in their effort to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, (NATO), and further strengthen the transatlantic partnerships of the United States with European allies.

President Biden released a statement personally thanking, "members of the Senate – especially Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Senator Menendez and Senator Risch — for their leadership and for quickly advancing the ratification process, the fastest Senate process for a NATO protocol since 1981."

The leaders of Sweden and Finland, each had never believed a need existed for the protections afforded them through membership in NATO. It wasn't until Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and the shared borders that each have with Russia, Finland and Swedish leaders decided for the future security of their nations joining NATO would be in the best interest of presented a more formidable front should Putin, decide to move on other nations who share borders with Russia.

Al-Qaeda Terrorist Killer

Ayman al- Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorist, an associate of Osama bin Laden, and led operation logistics on the September 11, terrorist attacks, was killed by U.S. forces in a drone strike in Kabul.

President Biden said, in a televised speech, "Now justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more. People around the world no longer need to fear the vicious and determined killer.  The United States continues to demonstrate our resolve and our capacity to defend the American people against those who seek to do us harm."

China Escalates U.S. Tensions over Taiwan

China has escalated both its military and verbal retaliation against the United States and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for her recent visit to Taiwan in support of its position as an independent nation, stating they would cancel dialogue on several issues.

Pelosi's visit resulted in the initiation of military saber-rattling by fire missiles in the waters off the Island of Taiwan, which sits in the Taiwan strait, which is considered international waters. Beijing has long held that Taiwan is a part of the People's Republic of China, while Taiwan, retains its independence.

With Beijing's support of Russia, the concept of moving against the island nation, which is the world's largest producer of semi-conductors, is similar to Russia moving against Ukraine to control the world's third largest producer wheat.

"The fast-moving events have forced President Biden to manage potentially volatile confrontations between the United States and two other world powers. Even as tensions bubble between the United States and China over Pelosi's trip, Biden is striving to keep Beijing from aiding Russia in its scorched-earth war against Ukraine," reported The Washington Post.

As of Friday, China has announced it will cancel all dialogue with the United States on climate issues, military issues, and anti-drug efforts and will bring sanctions against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her family. No specifics on the sanctions were provided.

Tensions between the United States and Beijing has continued to escalate since President Xi-Jinping's support of Russian President Putin and supplier of necessary military equipment needed to replenish the losses brought on through the war in Ukraine.


NASA Unveils Deep Space Images from James Webb Telescope (Pics)


Kansas Voters Shock the Nation

Over the last 12 Presidential elections Kansas voters have wholeheartedly endorsed Republican candidates, for president, on issues surrounding faith, principles, and the Republican party agenda. So how, in the middle of Red Alley, did Kansas voters veto the first national referendum on ending abortion protections?

It is difficult to believe that a grass roots campaign, including door-to-door canvassing, inclusive messaging, and a determination to back the state constitution even when those who allegedly know and understand the federal constitution have fundamentally made a miscalculation error, setting up expected red state voters to follow.

"We definitely used messaging strategies that would work regardless of party affiliation," said Gray, a field organizer for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom. "We believe every Kansan has a right to make personal health-care decisions without government overreach — that's obviously a conservative-friendly talking point. We were not just talking to Democrats," reported The Washington Post.

The issue brought voters to the polls, understanding that fundamental rights to reproductive care and decisions would no longer be in the control of every individual but in the hands of the government, and persuaded voters, of all ages, to shoulder the responsibility, once again, of ensuring self-determination in medical decisions remain the decision of the individual.

Indiana Representative Killed in Auto Accident

Indiana Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Wolarski was killed this week when the vehicle she was riding in, crossed the median and collided head-on with another vehicle. She, along with two staffers, Emma Thomson, 28, and the driver Zachery Potts, 27, the driver, were deceased at the scene. Edith Schumacher, 56, the driver of the oncoming vehicle, was also instantly killed.

"Former Vice President and Governor of Indiana Mike Pence said he was heartbroken after hearing the news. "She served Indiana in the Statehouse and the Congress with integrity and principle for nearly two decades and will be deeply missed," Mr. Pence said in his statement," reported The Wall Street Journal.

Eulogized by many colleagues, including Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who ordered flags be flown at half-staff at the state house.

Vaccine Totals

Bloomberg.com has built a vaccine tracker which can be seen here. "In the US, 599 million doses have been given so far. During the last week, shots were administered at an average rate of 96,733 doses a day," Bloomberg.com reported.

Coronavirus Totals

Mandates have been altered or lifted in most urban areas with limited exceptions, and the population is encouraged to maintain personal protective practices. Masks are optional and tolerated. Vaccines and boosters are still considered the most effective agents against contracting the Coronavirus.

For the one-week period ending August 7, 2022, coronavirus cases globally increased by 7,318,892 new confirmed cases, bringing the total of confirmed cases worldwide to 583,883,993 people with a total worldwide death toll of 6,413,309 deaths, and a 7-day death rate increase of 17,555. (Data from The New York Times).

COVID U.S. Totals

Infections rates in the United States are also on the rise. For the seven-day period ending August 7, 2022, the total confirmed cases rose to 91,929,347 people with new confirmed cases increasing by 820,815 with a 7-day average of 117,259 cases per day. The coronavirus has claimed 1,029,797 total deaths, adding 3,475 more deaths over the 7-day period. (Data from The New York Times).

Pentagon's Diary Gets Personal

Protecting for gain of function knowledge only aides those who initiated the constitutional violations. It does nothing to combat the homegrown terrorism or the narcissistic above the law belief. The best obtainable version of the truth.


Investing Intel: AI-Powered Alternative Data Driving Luxury Market Research Disruption


Louisville Cops Charged in Breonna Taylor Murder

Four Louisville, Kentucky, Police Officers were arrested Friday on federal civil rights violations in the murder of Breonna Taylor, 26, an African American Louisville EMT, killed when the officers executed a no-knock warrant on March 13, 2020, discharging more than 32 rounds in her apartment.

Former Louisville Police Officer Joshua Jaynes and "Current LMPD Sgt. Kyle Meany, Detective Kelly Goodlett and former Detective Brett Hankison were also charged with civil rights violations, conspiracy and falsifying records and statements to federal investigators, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Wednesday," Foxnews.com reported.

Her death, at the hands of the police, sparked protests, and an investigation. Only one officer was charged, although only for discharging his weapon. It was later found that there was a conspiracy to falsify documents and provide misleading accounts of the evening in question. The officers were not charged in her murder.

Uvalde School Shooting: School Board Postpones Decision on Arredondo . . . Again

Robb Elementary school principal Mandy Gutierrez, who had served as the school's principal on May 24, 2022, the day a gunman walked into the school and massacred 19 fourth graders and two educators while 376 police officers waited outside for direction, will be reassigned to the position of assistant director of special education, within the CISD school district.

Gutierrez, had been briefly placed on Administrative Leave and then reinstated, had been set to return as principal in another complex within the school district, which will be the permanent home to many of Uvalde's elementary school students, until a new elementary school can be built.

Robb Elementary School will be demolished.

The Uvalde school board has postponed the decision on Police Chief Pete Arredondo future for a second time. The school board is schedule to meet in late August.

Arredondo was the first officer on the scene on May 24, 2022, and failed to make the appropriate decisions to subdue the shooter. After which he attempted to control the narrative by providing media and law enforcement with false and misleading information. Continued exposure of 9-1-1 conversations and video of police and other state law enforcement seemingly without direction hanging out in the hallway outside the classroom where children were bleeding to death, has presented the school board with limited options.

Ensuring that any decision is not countered with a wrongful termination lawsuit, the school board will need to provide evidentiary proof of his incompetency, which he will be given ample time to refute. As shocking as this sounds, that is the law.

He was placed on unpaid leave since June 22, 2022.


Medical Science: Is Monkeypox Replacing COVID-19


Vin Scully, Voice of Dodger Blue, Dies

Vin Scully, the lead announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers and possibly the most decorated sports announcer in the history of Baseball, died this week. He was 94.

Scully, who was considered the preeminent sports announcer in sports history began his illustrious career at the age of 25, with the then Brooklyn Dodgers. Finding himself the lead announcer in the 1957 World Series, when his supervisor had a salary dispute, his mannerism and ability to connect with audiences landed him the gig.

"Mr. Scully spun a fresh tale of wonder each time the Dodgers played a ballgame, filling his broadcast not just with descriptions of the action on the field but with light and learned asides, drawing on his knowledge of history and literature, while creating a sense of chatting with friends," reported The Washington Post.

Scully has called baseballs games for 67 years, and some of the pinnacle moments in Baseball history from no-hitters to fateful flawed world series errors, from record breaking moments to unimagined victories.

In a pre-game ceremony, The Los Angeles Dodgers, paid tribute to Scully unveiling a banner under the sports announcer booth, "Vin – We'll Miss You – Dodger Fans," to which the fans, in typically Scully style wildly cheered with appreciation.

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

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