Beltway Insider: Obama Showdown, Alaska, China, Iran, Election; Austria; Gun Violence; Ukraine

President Obama begins a three day trip to Alaska stumping for his climate initiatives in a recession scarred Republican controlled state, a flat-lined economy, holding an olive branch to constituents and renaming Mt. McKinley to its original "Denali."

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week, increased four percentage points to 46% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President decreased three percentage points to 50%.

Alaska Campaign

President Obama in tandem with a coalition of nations, from ally to enemy, have recognized the damaging effects of global warming.

As foreign nations begin to take initiatives to address specific areas central to local economies and issues, President Obama has also stepped up and proposed a Clean Power Bill, the most comprehensive reform of any past administration.

Alaskans and indigenous natives to the region are first hand witnesses to the damaging effects of global warming.

Being on the brink of devastation and irreversible damage which will result in the ends of life for some, both man and animals, as we know it. Explaining to children and grandchildren stories of the deep winters, glaciers, and an abundance of Polar bears and other local mammals should not be met with disbelief and shook off as a cultural myth.

Working now, in power plants in the lower 48, will help ease the carbon dioxide emissions that eventually destroy the ice caps and glaciers and threaten polar bears with extinction.

Global warming brings with it a hefty price tag that all taxpaying citizens absorb. Everyone absorbs the cost on some level, at the grocery store, when extreme weather destroys crops, and farms are obliterated.

Additionally, President Obama, conservative and noted historians have explained the history behind Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in the North America. Named after assassinated President William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, and former Governor of Ohio, Mt. McKinley was originally called Denali which means "The Great One."

September Rumble

For President Obama September is shaping up to be a challenging time as both houses return to full sessions, Election 2016 heats up, the Iranian Nuclear Deal faces scrutiny and vote bringing the potential for failure, the Federal Budget, and the full state visit of President XI of China.

Election 2016

President Obama may not be in the distinctive position he has faced over the last two election seasons and still he is gearing up as the possibility of his Vice President running and his former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, considered the presumptive candidate.

On Vice President Biden - "The President has described selecting Vice President Biden as his running mate as the smartest political decision that he's made in his career in public service.  And I think you can reasonably conclude one of the reasons that you choose a running mate is because you can -- that you would expect them to step in an emergency situation to run the country," Earnest said.

On Hillary Clinton - "The President has certainly spoken quite warmly of Secretary Clinton, her leadership, her performance as Secretary of State.  And I think it would be fair for you to assume from those public comments that he believes that she would be an excellent President.  But he certainly has not made any sort of public endorsement in the Democratic primary at this point.

The only two sureties from President Obama is the fact that he will vote in the Illinois Primary and he will cast his ballot for the candidate that emerges from the primary process.

Iranian Nuclear Deal Vote Nears

The Iranian Nuclear vote is nearing and President Obama has been utilizing his vast network to lobby for passage of this historic deal. For the President there are no issues, for the rest of the population as well as Congress and the world, there seems to be some sticking points that need clarification.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been extremely vocal against the pact that pairs the United States with what once was a determined and longtime enemy. While times do change, tactics remain constant throughout history. It is not uncommon from Biblical account of Sampson, the strongest man in the known world, and Dalilah, the seductress working for the enemy to gain the necessary information needed to destroy him and his people.

The Iranian Deal has the potential of both the best for both worlds, and the worst. It is necessary for Congress to determine what is best not for Iran and not even for our ally Israel, but for the American people.

With only 26 Senators of 100 and nearly 150 House members of 435 representative possible, supporting the deal, the White House has indicated the next level in its strategy is to elevate the decision.

"The view of his team that the more that we elevate this discussion and the more that the American people have the opportunity to hear the arguments in favor of this agreement, the more likely they are to support it.  And that's the reason that the President will do those interviews today.  It is part of our ongoing effort to build as much support for the agreement in Congress as possible," Earnest said.

The Federal Budget

For the seventh year of the Obama Administration, members of congress, who enjoyed five full weeks of vacation, are holding the completion of the budget hostage using the alternative, shutting down the federal government, to leverage passage and commitments of alliance in the future.

"Congress failed to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank, which enjoys bipartisan support and is tasked solely with creating American jobs by growing exports. And most pressingly, the Republican Congress failed to uphold their most basic responsibility to fund the government, leaving them only a few weeks once they return to pass a budget, or shut down the government for the second time in two years, the President said.

State Visit with President Xi Jinping of China

As Election 2016 politics are heating up Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has called on President Obama to cancel the state sponsored visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest answered questions regarding the Presidents interest in China amidst allegation of cyber espionage, human rights and other concerns.

"The President has found engagement with China to be an effective way for the United States to advance our interests around the world.  The President traveled to China last fall and announced a historic climate change agreement with China in which China for the first time made a public commitment standing alongside the United States President to cap their carbon emissions," said Josh Earnest.

Austrian Human Pipeline

In a shocking discovery, highlighting the plight of the international refugee, 71 bodies were found abandoned in a cargo truck that was left presumably after the driver discovered the refugees that suffered the hardships of sea migration prior to the attempt to smuggle them into Germany, had suffocated.

President Obama spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkell and "expressed his appreciation of the Chancellor's leadership in working to address the migration crisis in Europe, in particular her recent decision to ease the burden on border countries by providing haven to Syrian refugees," as the President said in a released statement.

The second discovery, in as many days, of refugees including children under five were discovered along the same route. According to officials the children barely escaped death and had limited time, 60 to 120 minutes, before death.

Gun Violence Epidemic Claims Three as Virginia Reporters, Texas Sheriff Executed

Gun violence scored another high profile victory this week, as complacent politicians from President Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden to Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and Senator Mark Warner to local politicians reacted to the two different executions expressing appropriate sorrow, mourned the loss, spoke proper words, consoled, cried and hugged the survivors and walked away . . .again.

Virginia Reporters Murder on Live Television

News reporter Alison Parker, 24, and photojournalist Adam Ward, 27, on assignment for WDBJ 7 the local CBS affiliate, in Roanoke, VA, were interviewing Vicki Gardner, Executive Director of Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, on Wednesday Morning, a local field interview when out of the shadows appeared a former disgruntled employee, Vester Lee Flanagan II armed with a Glock 9mm handgun.

The murders, captured on Live TV, showed Parker, as thousands of reporters do every day, conducting an on air interview with a local personality. Today was no different. Seconds before and even after the first shots were fired, the interview continued, with the camera still operating at least eight shots were heard followed by screams before the feed was cut.

Ward and Parker were hit by the initial shots and then executed at point blank range. A total of 15 shots were fired at the scene. Gardner survived. She suffered a direct hit in the spinal area, and was fortunate to walk to the ambulance despite her injuries. She was rushed to surgery. She has allowed her husband to speak on her behalf and has been listed in stable condition.

The gunman, described as a disgruntled employee with a history of performance difficulties, sent a 23 page manifesto to ABC news and taunted police with live feed video of the murders posted to social media.

Ward, the cameraman, in his last moments, was able to capture a picture of the gunman.

Police have released information from the Flanagan's home and vehicle. Flanagan, who died of a self-inflicted wound after a high speed police chase, appeared to be preparing to evade capture. He had on his person three different license plates, several disguises, additional weapons and ammunition. His home was littered with gay porn and used sex toys. The sparseness of the furnishings also suggested he was transient, at least in his mind, as he prepared.

At a previous employer, Flanagan filed a racial discrimination lawsuit which he eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. He had filed complaints against Parker earlier this year. Former employers and colleagues indicated he harbored deep racial sensitivities and his interpretations of what constituted a derogatory, inflammatory or intentionally racist remark was so profoundly skewed that his was deemed a high risk hire and his employment placed the team in jeopardy.

It is unclear how Flanagan knew the location where Parker and Ward would be reporting.

Harris County Sheriff Ambushed, Executed Gangland Style

Harris County Sheriff Deputy Darren H Goforth, 47, stopped Friday night at a local gas station outside Houston, Texas, still in uniform to fill the tank on his cruiser, when a man walked up behind him and executed him. 

Surveillance cameras captured an African American male, armed with a handgun, approaching the on-duty officer. Goforth did not see the man and had no time to react.

The investigation into the depraved and senseless murder was aided by the clarity of the images and less than 24 hours later, Shannon Miles, 30, has been arrested and now faces capital murder charges in the execution.

Goforth, a devoted family man, leaves behind a wife and two children, 5 and 12. He was assassinated, apparently, because of his employment choice.

This is the second high profile murder, in as many weeks, for Harris County Texas, a community still reeling from the recent massacre of six children and two adults.

David Conley, 49, the disgruntled former lover has been charged with six counts of Capital murder. Conley gained entry, through an unlocked window, and systematically restrained and assassinated each member of his former girlfriend's family including his own child, Nathaniel, 13.

The others murdered were Valerie Jackson, 40, and her husband Dwayne Jackson, 50. The children Dwayne Jackson, Jr., 10, Honesty Jackson, 11, Caleb Jackson, 9, Trinity Jackson, 7, and Jonah Jackson, 6 were found in various rooms in the house.

White House Response on Gun Violence

"You've heard me say in the past, this is another example of gun violence that is becoming all too common in communities large and small, all across the United States.  And while there is no piece of legislation that will end all violence in this country, there are some common-sense things that only Congress can do that we know would have a tangible impact in reducing gun violence in this country.  And Congress could take those steps in a way that would not infringe on the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans.  And the President has long advocated Congress taking those steps, and the President continues to believe that they should do so," said Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary.

Ukraine

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has managed, even while Russian Separatists have maintained territorial sovereignty violations and continue to menace inhabitants with renewed effort along the eastern border, to bring about political and economic reforms and implementation of the Minsk agreement.

Vice President Biden, who has remained the permanent White House designate and Presidential liaison to Poroshenko, appeared positive with the advances the Ukrainian government had continued to fulfill.

"The United States continues to strongly support constitutional amendments proposed by President Poroshenko and Ukraine's Constitutional Commission that will allow for meaningful decentralization of power," the Vice-President said in a released statement.

He also strongly criticized statements by separatist leaders indicating their intention to take additional territory and hold local elections outside of the Ukrainian legal framework in direct contravention of the Minsk agreements of September 2014 and February 2015.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has yet to return the seaside state of Crimea to the Ukraine. Located on the Black Sea, the Crimean Peninsula a 10,000 square mile territory connecting Sochi, Russia and the Ukraine, Putin marched on its neighbor immediately following the Winter Olympics in February 2014.

The attempt at increasing its boundaries cost the Russian people through crippling sectorial sanctions as well as ostracizing its leadership from the remainder of the world as leaders who in unanimity have agreed only when Putin returns the territory to the Ukraine is he allowed to return as a member of the G7 leaders.

Russian leader's recent assistance with the Iranian Nuclear Deal negotiations and stated agreements with the ISIS/ISIL coalition mission, although the United States remains steadfast, have brought the possibility of resolution and reunification back to the forefront of negotiations.

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

To Listen to President Obama's Spotify Playlists: https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/08/14/white-house-just-joined-spotify-listen-presidents-summer-playlist

Sources: Whitehouse.org, Wikipedia.com

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