Beltway Insider: UK Elections, Cameron Remains; ISIS Migrates to US; VE Day; Job Numbers; Ebola

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 10 May 2015 18:24

Written by Janet Walker

President Obama, in response to tensions in Saudi Arabia, will meet this week at a Camp David Summit with Gulf Corporation Council partners for intense consultations on a wide range of issues including coalition support, security, and regional assistance.

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week, decreased two percentage points to 46% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased one percentage point to 49%.

UK Elections: Conservative Party Secure Majority, David Cameron Reelected

British Prime Minister David Cameron and his Conservative Party have retained control over the Parliament and Cameron will return to 10 Downing Street holding on to the Prime Minister Position securing 51% of the vote.

President Obama called the Prime Minister with congratulations following the outcome of general election.

"I congratulate Prime Minister Cameron on his impressive electoral victory.  The special and essential relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is rooted in deep and abiding shared interests and values.  I have enjoyed working closely with Prime Minister Cameron on a range of shared interests these last several years, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds between our countries, as we work together on behalf of global peace, security and prosperity," the President said.

The United Kingdom, comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, held general elections this week as each nation and party sought to gain representation to ensure the party worked for their best interest.

Of the 14 political parties on the ballot, 12 received some level of representation in Westminster with the Conservative and Labour Party receiving the majority of the 650 seats available.

Election Break Down

Led by David Cameron, the United Kingdom's current Prime Minister, the conservative party holds the majority with 331 seats or 51% of the votes. The Labour Party led by Ed Miliband, secured 36% of the vote for 232 seats. Miliband resigned as the Labour Party leader after the election.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) surprised everyone coming in third with 56 seats for 9% of the vote and an astonishing upset as 20 year-old Mhairi Black handily won against incumbent and career politician, Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander.

Liberal Democrats led by Nick Clegg, secured 8 seats and 1%, Clegg resigned after the election. Democratic Unionist Party, led by Peter Robinson, also secured 8 seats and 1%.

Sinn Fein, the Irish Republican party seeking to end British Rule in Northern Ireland, once known as a terror organization in the 1990's, led by Gerry Adams, secured 4 seats and 1%. The loss of the seat once held by Bobby Sands, Irish Republican Army (IRA), known for a hunger striker is a huge loss to the reformed freedom fighters.

Plaid Cymru (The Party of Wales) lead by Leanne Wood secured three seats; Ulster Union Party, 2 seats, UK Independence Party, led by Nigel Farage, 1 seat. Farage also resigned after the election.

Green Party led by Natalie Bennett, 1 seat; and a single seat secured by an unknown Independent party. Alliance Part of Northern Ireland led by David Ford, failed to secure as did Respect Party lead by George Galloway.

Cameron's Fall Out

With the elections producing stunning victories and agonizing defeats David Cameron faced the wrath of the people who staged a protest near the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street in order to voice the growing dissatisfaction of the people over his authoritarian rule.

Scheduled for May 9, the crowd was reportedly nearing 5000 and grew unruly with escalating violence. No arrests were made.

Stunning Upsets

The Scottish National Party, galvanized from the recent secession attempt and set on victory, stunned the rest of the British Kingdom by taking 56 of 59 seats and electing the youngest Member of Parliament in more than 350 years.

Mhairi Black, a University of Glasgow political major at 20, is less than half the age of the majority of her colleagues in Westminster.

Scotts stung over the recent loss for independence proved in the general election they were a force and want autonomous governance. Black defeated Alexander by nearly 23,000 votes.

Revolution On The Way

The biggest challenges expected in the upcoming parliamentary session isn't terrorism, economic issues, unemployment, global recession or even the challenges of climate change.

Parliament, like governments everywhere, is facing the ever growing acceptance of the usage of medical marijuana, dispensaries and the potential taxation windfall of complete legalization.

Twenty-three American states and the District of Columbia allow some form of medical marijuana usage. Voters of four states, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington State have legalized cannabis for personal use as well as medicinal.

The medical marijuana industry is said to generate $2.34 billion dollars annually or about £1.45 billion.

Continued relaxation of laws within the United States will only whet the appetite for creative legalization measures to lighten the tax burden on the United Kingdom's over taxed middle class.

ISIS Migrates to United States

Islamic State of Iran and Syria has migrated to the United States claiming responsibility for a shooting at the Garland, Texas Prophet Muhammad Cartoon drawing contest that wounded a security guard before the two were killed by police.

These types of barbaric attacks deemed religious defense are becoming more frequent and condoned and encouraged by ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other extremist organizations.

The two, Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, were recognized by ISIS, and considered soldiers for the cause. Utilizing social media to galvanize the masses, the two were encouraged by propagandists who use the common "Allahu Akbar" to motivate which translated is "God is the Greatest."

Much debate over the credibility of the lone wolf attack ended with the shooter's killed and left a community stunned. A quick thinking security guard and response time from local police stopped another mass shooting. 

The sensitivities of those who follow the religious doctrines associated with the Prophet Muhammad threaten the constitutional freedoms that our nation is founded on. Community awareness and local law enforcement must be prepared to disarm potentially dangerous religious retaliation.  

Freedom of the Press and Free Speech remain a bedrock of our society, citizens need to ensure our rights to remain free without fear of retaliation or repercussion.

The editorial team from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which often mercilessly mocked every political and religious leader, including the Prophet Muhammad, Jesus Christ, the Pope, foreign leaders, and dignitaries as well as customs, cultures and societies were gunned down in a brazen early morning attack in January.

The world galvanized and stood with the French as we the people of the world spoke, declaring in a unified voice we will not be subject to tyranny and terrorism or religious retaliation by fringe extremists.

The dark clouds of hatred again have taken formation as ISIS migrates to America and touches every nation and all people with their brand of hate, violence and evil.

V-E Day Remembered - World War II

As we celebrate the 70^th Anniversary of V-E Day, official day recognized for the Allied Victory in Europe, we stop and remember the cost of allowing cancerous terror and hatred to grow without a swift permanent and effective response.

"Let's stand united with our allies," the President said. "In Europe and beyond, on behalf of our common values freedom, security, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law around the world and against bigotry and hatred in all their forms so that we give meaning to that pledge: "Never forget.  Never again."' 

The cost of war, the vicious war waged by the Third Reich enveloped Europe, reached into Russia and the Pacific, and for five years our European allies suffered bombing raids, refusing to surrender, standing with bold audacity in the face of tyranny and evil and defiantly refusing to bow. This bravery cost men, women, children and families their lives.

Five years later, more than 40million people would die as Hitler's Hate machine rolled across Europe in what seemed like minutes. The cost of war is deep, generations later, those who survived still suffer from those dark moments.

To remember this day, when a simple sentence announced an end to the Second World War, when fighting officially ended, impromptu celebrations across Europe, and even Queen Elizabeth then Crown Princess, and her sister managed to sneak out of the Buckingham Palace with body guards to rejoice with the people as London, under Winston Churchill the severe bombing raids that nearly destroyed them.

American military joined allies at every operation, in Europe, in the Pacific, the Normandy Landings, Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword Beach, and Iwo Jima.

"The Mission of the Allied Fighters is completed, "said General Dwight D. Eisenhower and for one moment we paused, prayed, cried and celebrated.

April Job Numbers

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics released April Job numbers announcing the economy had added 223,000 jobs over the past month with little change to the overall unemployment numbers.

A deceptive collective, averaged, federal unemployment rate of 5.4 percent remained unchanged. Individual states recorded both higher and lower unemployment numbers.

Nevada had the highest rate among the states, 7.1 percent. The District of Columbia had a rate of 7.7 percent. In total, 20 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the overall federal number of 5.4 percent, 11 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 19 states had rates that were very similar to that of the nation.

The economy is slowly progressing with even stubborn economic conditions across more densely populated states such as California, Florida, New York, Texas and Ohio reflecting small albeit significant gains.

The employment gains across sectors include strong gains in healthcare adding 45,000 jobs divided between the three major components, Ambulatory Health Care, 25,000; hospitals, 12,000; and Nursing and residential care facilities, 8,000. Health care opportunities have remained strong with steady employment gains throughout the dark economic season and over the past year performed consistently.

Professional and Business Services assed 62,000 jobs in April bring a three month average to 35,000 professional services employment opportunities per month. This sector is trending up with sustained gains expected through the remainder of the year.

Employment also continued to rise in Construction creating 45,000 jobs which reflects a general upswing in the economy as construction is a carryover sector as it is multilayered with a trickle down element from the developer to the builder to the employee to the projected retail.

The next report for May employment numbers will be released June 5, 2015.

Liberia Marks Crucial Ebola Time Frame

The Ebola epidemic in ravaged Liberia may be nearing an end as the World Health Organization announced the state had reached the crucial 42nd day mark since any new cases were reported and declared an end to the current outbreak.

The time line is critical in epidemic procedures as it is considered the turning point in any pandemic. Past medical experts state the end of an epidemic is marked when no new cases, for a specified time, have not been reported. In the case of Ebola the time frame increased from 21 days to 42, double the standard time line.

"We're proud to partner with you and we intend to see this through until the job is done" the President, said when Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf visited the White House last month.

The Ebola outbreak still threatens the people of neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Liberian milestone is important and with news cases reported in neighboring countries it remains imperative that precautions are continually followed until this current outbreak had ceased and stay at zero new cases in all affected countries to strengthen capacity around the world to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to outbreaks before they become epidemics.

GCC Camp David Meeting

President Obama plans to meet this week with members of the GCC nations at Camp David for what should be exhaustive discussions on ISIS, Iran, regional tensions, issues, coalition support and other prominent concerns.

For more information on President Barack Obama: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.org, Wikipedia.com