Beltway Insider: Trump/GOP Derail, Boost Benefits, COVID-19 Surge, Totals, Boston Bomber, Election

President Trump shocked the world this week by suggesting the U.S. election date should be altered, and quickly backtracked stating "I want the date more than anyone. I don't want to delay. I want to have the election."

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, which tracked polls of likely or registered voters for the period ending August 2, 2020, increased by 1.0 percentage points to 41.2% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased by 1.0 percentage points to 54.8%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.


Beltway Insider: Trump/GOP Stall on Stimulus, COVID-19 Surge, Totals, BLM, Election: 100 Days


Election 2020, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, which tracks the latest Presidential Poll averages have President Donald Trump trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden by 9.1% percentage points. With 41.9% of the sample audience indicating they will be casting their vote for Trump, and 50.2% of the voters sampled indicate they will be casting their vote for Biden.

Benefits Lapse, Protections Expire, Stop Gap Not Enacted

The CARES Act legislation that passed both the senate and congress unanimously in March 2020, has expired and with it the cohesive and unified federal approach to handling the coronavirus pandemic.

The HEROES Act, which passed the house three months ago and was labeled a "liberal wish list" has essentially been tossed aside and the only counteroffer by the Republican led senate has fallen apart. The party line approach that the GOP had expected to carry the bill was not available.

Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said in a press conference, "I'm disappointed. What we've experienced over the last three days and I want to stress that the Democrats have made zero offers over the last three days. Zero. And so, in a spirit of compromise, the President has sent us back not once, not twice, but three different times to try to find some common ground. And what we found from our Democrat negotiators is that they are bumping the price higher than the very bill that they passed out of the House several weeks ago."


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Top negotiators for both sides have indicated they have made "progress," and finally agreeing on the 1,200 total for the second round of stimulus checks. New legislation to address the nearly 35+million unemployed Americans has yet to be agreed upon. The price tag of supporting one's citizens through an economic depression must be addressed and it will be in either supplemental unemployment benefits or social service benefits or both.

"The Democrats believe that they have all the cards on their side, and they're willing to play those cards at the expense of those that are hurting. And we'll continue on with additional discussions today with Senator Schumer and Senator — and Speaker Pelosi, perhaps an in-person meeting tomorrow on Capitol Hill, as we — we stay engaged, " said Chief of Staff Meadows.

The Republican led senate has indicated they expect the next stimulus package to be completed by August 5, 2020. The first roll out is expected this week, and as many have said it is simply the first counter package. Both sides have said a Stop Gap measure is not possible. If over the next week, both sides can not reach a decision, an estimated 36.5 Americans will lose the economic boost.

Americans Lose Supplemental Benefits (From the White House Press Conference 7/31/2020) Answered by White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

Q Kayleigh, what do you say to those that are going to lose $600 a week in unemployment payments that need that money? And also, why didn't you start negotiating earlier? And why only the offer of an extension of one week?

MS. MCENANY: Well, what I would say to them is that this is unacceptable; that the Democrats have been fundamentally unserious. And the — you just heard the Chief of Staff say a great example of that is they had this massive $3 trillion bill that called for $100 billion in school funding. We then gave $105 billion, which then was deemed insufficient.

So if Democrats were interested in extending unemployment insurance and helping the American people, they would have endorsed the Martha McSally bill and extended this by a week to give us time as we try to extend this in perpetuity while we also focus on evictions as well.

Q So what do you say to those Americans that are about to lose $600 a week?

MS. MCENANY: That they need to be calling the offices of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and say, "Get to work and stop engaging in politics on the backs of hardworking Americans who deserve these checks, who lost their jobs through no fault of their own."

Q Are you willing to pass on the liability protection?

MS. MCENANY: That's a — that's a question for Mitch McConnell. He said that that's going to be a part of any bill. But that's Mitch McConnell's. That's his priority. This President is very keenly focused on unemployment insurance, and the Martha McSally bill is a great example of what Democrats are focused on.

Coronavirus Totals

The infection rates of the coronavirus have continued to rise around the world. For the week ending August 2, 2020, coronavirus cases increased globally by 1,872,600 confirmed cases, brings the total of confirmed cases worldwide to 17,938,300, with 687,195 deaths, an increase of 41,980.

Infections rates in the United States are also on the rise. For the week ending August 2, 2020 the total confirmed cases rose to 4,675,978 with new confirmed cases rising sharply totaling 454,078. The coronavirus has claimed 155,300 total deaths, a weekly increase for 8,701 deaths. (Data from The New York Times).

Corona Virus Spike Across Americas

New hot spots have appeared across the globe as the surge in coronavirus cases has been linked to failure to adhere to the preventative information. The America's, The Middle East, Asia and even North Korea have reported a surge in cases.

The citizens of Berlin took to the streets over the weekend in a mass demonstration. Labeled "The Killing Machine" by media, the protests and the potential for coronavirus infections have put 83million of fellow citizens at risk. Protests are permitted in the German constitution.

"German artist Oliver Wnuk posted on his Facebook today. "It makes me sad: What and against whom was demonstrated in Berlin today leaves me stunned, empty and helpless. Fellow citizens from all political camps unite to follow a common stance on Covid-19: For me personally completely incomprehensible, radical, political ideologies; irresponsible behavior based on misinformation and an amazingly narrow, selective perception," reported eturbonews.com.

Ten states across America's South and Southwest including Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Idaho, Tennessee, have seen record spikes in reported cases.

California's Governor Gavin Newsom has continued to hold briefing and is forced to dim the reopening even further to attempt to lower the spread. The recent rise in cases across many of California's counties forced the governor to once again order the closing of activities where crowds gather, including gyms, bars, wineries, tasting rooms, family entertainment, zoos, museums, and must suspend indoor activities.

Los Angeles has issued Safer at Home orders once again which mandates all persons are to stay at home and only go out as necessary. The possibility of returning to mandated stay at home orders, which were in effect beginning March 15, 2020, have also been discussed.


Justice Watch: The Perfect Crime (The Victim X Story Pt. 2)


Boston Bomber Death Penalty Tossed

The death penalty sentence of the Boston Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 27, has been vacated due to prejudicial bias citing the judge did not adequately screen potential jurors during the penalty phase.

Appealing the death penalty to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, lawyers for Tsarnaev pushed for a change of venue due to the intense media scrutiny, which was denied. During jury selection U.S. District Judge George O'Toole failed to adequately question those member's of the jury who indicated they had some opinions about the case.

"But make no mistake: Dzhokhar will spend his remaining days locked up in prison, with the only matter remaining being whether he will die by execution," Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson wrote in the ruling, more than six months after arguments were heard in the case," the Associated Press reported.

Tsarnaev, and his brother Tamerlan, each planned and carried out the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013, which killed two and injured 260. Tamerlan was killed in a gun battle with Watertown Police, and Tsarnaev was taken into custody days later. He was found hiding in a boat.

Tsarnaev is currently serving his term in Colorado's Supermax prison, along with other infamous killers. His conviction was upheld on nearly all the thirty counts, including conspiracy and use of a weapon of mass destruction.

Election: Biden VP's Shortlist; Obama, Clinton, Bush Speak at Lewis Funeral

Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden is facing the first major decision of his presidency and he has announced he is taking an additional week to vet his narrowed list of candidates the media is playing up every breadcrumb as a divining rod.

Biden was seen with talking points to California Senator Kamala Harris, the media jumped on this as a smoke from the chimney sign of the chosen one. It is quite possible Biden permitted the notes to be seen, thrown by the presidential nominee to ward off the scent of the hounds.

His choice is crucial as it will ultimately present him to the American people. Many will vote straight party ticket, on both sides, others disillusioned with the current state of the nation will also vote for either party. The win is not as guaranteed, on either side, as many expect.


President of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness Explains COVID Concerns on Reopening Schools


Biden is not the first president to choose a female vice president. Former Queens Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro broke the glass ceiling when she received word that she would be the Democratic vice-presidential candidate with Presidential nominee Walter Mondale in 1984.

Nearly forty years later, it is expected that Biden will also choose a female and it is expected that it will be an African American. Shattering a double-pane glass ceiling. Will the Biden ticket suffer the same fate as those forerunners before him?

The role is essentially a thankless one. The ultimate company man, the Vice-President partners with the President on all fronts. The vice-president can't be the firebrand, lightening rod politician, nor can the public see her as overly opinionated. 

In essence the vice president must at all times, stand three feet behind the president, walk softly, speak when spoken to and will go from leading to following. Strong, voiced opinions are not the role of the vice-president.

Former President Obama, Clinton, Bush Speak at Rep. John Lewis Funeral

The funeral of Representative John Lewis, who passed away recently, was held this week. The former president did more than speak to those who attended and the televised audience, they reminded the voting public of what presidential, regardless of party, means.

The eulogies, well prepared, thought out and delivered with singular thought, no malice or double meanings, not using the solemn occasion to project an agenda and more so allowing the moment to reflect on the other, not stealing each moment to reflect on oneself.

In his death, he continued to break barriers. His body would lie in state, the first for an African American politician. Even in the time of national crisis, his death brought former presidents of both parties to speak.

Rep. John Lewis was a standard bearer in the Civil Rights movement and the scars, both physical and psychological, would remain with him, and carry over into the next generation of those who would pursue equality.

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

Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection

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