Beltway Insider: Trump Takes Over, Tours LA, Pardons/Executive Orders, Insulin, Hegseth Confirmed
- Details
- Category: Beltway Insider
- Published on Sunday, 26 January 2025 08:07
- Written by Janet Walker
President Donald J. Trump was sworn in this week as the 47th President of the United States, in a smaller, indoor ceremony as dangerous cold surrounded the city forcing the inauguration to move to the Capitol rotunda.
The President's job approval rating, according to the website Fivethirtyeight.com for the period ending January 25, 2025, indicate 46.7% of those polled approve of Donald Trump's effectiveness as President and 48.1% disapprove of his effectiveness. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.
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Trump Takes Office
As President Trump took center stage for his inaugural address he stated emphatically and without hesitation that "From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will, very simply, put America first. Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end. And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous, and free."
While the speech is for the people, and serves as a guide, many will believe that his words can be accomplished. It cannot. The determination of the president to "put America first" is honorable, and yet the citizen, all citizens must be dedicated to the same ideals, which they are not.
America has many problems, and not simply with the Southern Border. America's larger problems are Chinese President Xi-Jinping, an equally great force to put his nation first as he intends to dominate the world.
Former Director of National Intelligence and incoming CIA Director John Ratcliffe said, in a December 2020 Wall Street Journal article the clearest intent of Xi-Jinping, "The intelligence is clear: Beijing intends to dominate the U.S. and the rest of the planet economically, militarily and technologically. Many of China's major public initiatives and prominent companies offer only a layer of camouflage to the activities of the Chinese Communist Party."
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For Trump to hold true to his determination to "Put America first," those loyalists to other nations need to be exposed, arrested, and incarcerated, and law for the citizens who chose to violate American sovereignty need to be enforced with greater severity.
Terrorism, treason, espionage for those non-citizens, those who were given a special pass to prosper in the United States, all the while undermining the nation's ideals through criminality, and willing to commit any crime as they believe they have a exit strategy that allows them to return to their home country, as they believe the judicial system fails miserably in the communication department, and like a bad marriage there is no communication between jurisdiction and so the chance for capture is nearly zero percent.
The increase is China's effort to infiltrate America, on all levels, not simply in the Defense, Medical and Technology, sectors, China is determined to overtake America globally, in every area where ideation is paramount to development.
Over the last eight years, including the first Trump Administration, there have been more attempts by China to gain information about on the United States, and not the traditional areas of espionage, where a concentrated effort has been placed to monitor possible spying efforts, but more so through the common citizen, utilizing divide and conquer strategy.
Xi-Jinping is confident in his effort to divide U.S. society and conquer through small bits and pieces, using the same rob, replicate, and replace strategy highlighted by former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, to entice the citizen to participate. Few citizens would not be persuaded by the opportunity to earn more money, and the traditional, cloak and dagger, trench coat, black-rimmed, pocket protector spy guy, will not sway them. However, modernizing this method through a socially acceptable, wildly, accepted social media platform, and data from every corner of the United States, becomes the property of a foreign government, whose owner has befriended the president.
While TikTok, which is an influence campaign, obviously, isn't the last of Xi-Jinping's efforts to roll across the U.S., the fact that Mr. Trump, defied his Supreme Court order that the Chinese owned app must be shut down in the United States, presents Xi-Jinping with a unique opportunity. The President of the country he is determined to conquer has defined the laws he has sworn to uphold for profit. Money is always the carrot. President Trump is no different.
Former National Intelligence Director Ratcliffe finished his opinion piece by stating, "This is our once-in-a-generation challenge. Americans have always risen to the moment, from defeating the scourge of fascism to bringing down the Iron Curtain. This generation will be judged by its response to China's effort to reshape the world in its own image and replace America as the dominant superpower. The intelligence is clear. Our response must be as well."
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Record Number of Executive Orders
Within the first 100 hours of his second administration, President Trump has taken hundreds of executive actions to secure the border, deport criminal illegal immigrants, unleash American prosperity, lower costs, increase government transparency, define biological realities, and reinstitute merit-based hiring in the federal government.
The realities of a Trump government have created a polarized feeling across the nation as his base applauded his decisions, which they read as spite against the liberal democratic ideals, that promised equality for all, without distinction.
Biological Realities
However, a growing number of both liberal and conservatives have voiced concerns over the fairness that stops their daughters from excelling in girls sports, Trumps has stated in an Executive Oder, "Invalidating the true and biological category of "woman" improperly transforms laws and policies designed to protect sex-based opportunities into laws and policies that undermine them, replacing longstanding, cherished legal rights and values with an identity-based, inchoate social concept. Accordingly, my Administration will defend women's rights and protect freedom of conscience by using clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male."
Many of the 155 Executive Orders revoking the previous administration legislation centered on Covid-19 era protections and restoring merit-based opportunities within the federal government, which for many levels the employment opportunity field, theoretically. While the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion legislation has been revoked, government workers and contractors will be the first to feel the effects of these laws. Affirmative Action, which allegedly served underrepresented groups, failed to serve all underrepresented groups and became a program that serviced the few failing to provide equality and inclusion across the spectrum.
Insulin Costs
Another major concern circulating this week on social media included the provisions for Medicaid and the $35 monthly cap on insulin. "One Biden effort overturned by Trump, for example, had directed Medicare to look at ways to lower drug costs, including whether to impose a $2 monthly out-of-pocket cap on certain generic drugs. [. . .] Biden's bigger health care initiatives, such as a $35 monthly cap on insulin, a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs and Medicare's negotiating drug pricing provision weren't affected by Trump's executive actions Monday," reported NBCnews.com.
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Cabinet Confirmation
Joined by three Republicans, Senator Mitch McConnell (KY), Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Senator Susan Collins (ME), Democrats tried to stop the confirmation vote for Pete Hegseth, an admitted alcoholic and domestic abuser. The tie-breaking vote was cast by the Vice-President.
As Hegseth, a former Fox News pundit, admitted he is a recovering alcoholic, and now in charge of the Defense Department, Trump's choice could not even be supported by his stalwart backers. It is doubtful Hegseth will last the term, as his repeated public displays of drunkenness and abuse will cause extreme embarrassment for the Trump administration.
The promotion could be the promotion for demotion play, as was used with Representative Matt Gaetz, whom Trump had originally chosen as U.S. Attorney General, and who was already under Ethics Investigation. He resigned from his Representative position believing the AG offer would hold. Hegseth will be no different, one bender and he will be removed, which is astonishing that Trump allowed someone with such an easy enticement in his inner circle.
Pardons January 6 Insurrections
Trump also made good on his campaign promise to pardon the 1500 supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, with the motive to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.
As the hordes of supporters, many from fringe militia groups such as the Proud Boys, and other right-wing radical organizations, attempted to gain entry, using violence, and chemical weapons including bear repellant spray to disable law enforcement, ended with several deaths, destruction of property and both members of the house and senate whisked away to safe locations.
President Trump has issued blanket pardons, a direct contradiction of his inauguration speech calling for "safety first," and "the scales of Justice will be rebalanced."
"Roughly 140 police officers were assaulted during the attack, with some sprayed with chemical irritants and others struck with pipes, poles and other weapons. Four people died during the chaos, including a Trump supporter who was shot dead by police. Trump ordered 14 leaders of the far-right Oath Keepers and Proud Boys militant groups, who were serving long prison sentences, released from prison early, but left their convictions intact," Reuters reported.
Coronavirus Total
The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens should receive at least one shot of an updated COVID-19 vaccine, annually. The death toll from Covid-19 has dramatically decreased, as has transmission of the virus. Even as confirmed new cases continue each week, fewer are dying from the newer variants.
For the seven days ending January 26, 2025, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by The World Health Organization increased by 5,346 confirmed cases totaling 777,315,739. The total worldwide death toll increased by 590 to 7,083,836 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated January 5, 2025, from The World Health Organization).
Breaking: Los Angeles Wildfire Resource List
Trump Tours Los Angeles, Pledges Support, Meets Newsom
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump met with California Governor Gavin Newsom, as Trump toured the devasted region, and in a surprise move pledged support to help rebuild.
President Trump surveyed the devastated Pacific Palisades neighborhood incinerated by the January 7, 2025 inferno that swept across the region and ignited several other equally devastating fires, including the Eaton fire, in Altadena, near the foothills of San Gabriel mountains.
"President Donald Trump on Friday told a gathering of local L.A. elected officials that "I'm going to give you everything you want. I'm going to give you more than any president ever would have ever given to you," Trump said, concluding a 45-minute roundtable session that included Democrats Mayor Karen Bass, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA). It came after he toured devastated areas of the Pacific Palisades, where a 23,000-acre fire destroyed 6,800 homes and structures, killing 11,"' reported Deadline.
For those needing immediate assistance FEMA has activated it Critical Needs Assistance program which provides a one-time payment of $750 to survivors so they can quickly purchase critical items, like water, formula, gasoline, and prescription drugs. All survivors should go to DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.
The LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH) is providing 24/7 support and resources through its help line at (800) 854-7771 or via the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Resources on the LA County website include a variety of wildfire disaster mental health resources and downloadable tip sheets for the City of Los Angeles and Ready LA County.
The California Lawyers for the Arts have posted an extensive resource list. It can be found here.
For more information on President Donald Trump: Whitehouse.gov.
Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection.
Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner 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 and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. 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 completing the non-fiction narrative, "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," which is expected to be released in early 2025. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a former member of the International Federation of Journalists.
