Beltway Insider: Obama Welcomes Pope, Chinese President; EU Crisis; Boehner Resigns; WH Staffer Dies

President Obama initiated a move against Syrian President Basher Al-Assad with a global directive within the members of his ISIS/ISIL coalition to bring about the deposition of dictatorial leader transferring power through political transition to an unannounced democratic team.

 

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week, increased two percentage points to 47% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased two percentage points to 53%.

Obama Welcomes Pope Francis; New York, Philadelphia

President Obama welcomed Pope Francis to the White House and America this week as the Pontiff embarked on his first visit to the United States beginning with Washington where he addressed a joint session of Congress.

His words to a deeply divided political leadership addressed issues including funding for Planned Parenthood to which the Pontiff said, "The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development."

His Excellency Pope Francis proceeded to New York City, where the unusually jaded New Yorkers became enamored with His Holiness, lining the streets 50 to 75 people deep against the metal barriers in Central Park where he preached the word to a record 80,000 – 85,000 people who received tickets dispensed by the city and surprisingly all who received tickets showed up and then some.

The Pope also conducted Mass at Madison Square Garden to another 20,000. Record crowds lined the streets in astonishing fashion. He is the People's Pope.

Jaded New Yorkers gave way to hopeful, as the Pope fresh off his Washington success, brought a message of love, generosity, genuineness to a city built on the façade of bright lights, glamour and hidden agendas.

The Pope, a man who through accession has received the wealth of the church at his disposal, has remained humble and walks the walk he asks of all to attempt. Not passing judgement on wealth or begrudging those whom wealth has been earned or given indicating a life based on the principals of Christ he would say to whom much is given.

His expectation of all whom much by way of finance, health, intelligence is to give back to the less fortunate through donation, time,

Ground Zero - I feel many different emotions standing here at ground zero, where thousands of lives were taken in a senseless act of destruction. Here, grief is palpable." National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York

 

Global Conflict - Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade." Joint meeting of Congress in Washington.

 

Equal Opportunity - To enable these real men and women to escape from extreme poverty, we must allow them to be dignified agents of their own destiny." United Nations General Assembly in New York.

 

Homelessness - We can find no social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing." St. Patrick's Church in Washington.

 

Social Media - Running after the latest fad, accumulating 'friends' on one of the social networks, we get caught up in what contemporary society has to offer. Loneliness with fear of commitment in a limitless effort to feel recognized." St. Charles Borromeo Seminary near Philadelphia.

 

Fundamentalism - We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners." Joint meeting of Congress in Washington D.C.

Quotes from Pope Francis as reported in The New York Times

Chinese President Arrives

President Obama welcomed Chinese President Xi-Jinping to the White House where the two presented two global agreements bridging the nations with an economic initiative and a global climate agreement to be ratified in December 2015.

"As I have said many times, the United States welcomes the rise of a China that is stable, prosperous and peaceful -- because that benefits us all.  Our work together -- to increase our trade, boost the global economy, fight climate change and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon -- shows that when the United States and China work together, it makes our nations and the world more prosperous and more secure," the President said.

The visit by the highest ranking official in the People's Republic of China was intentionally low key, even scaled back by White House standards, following on the heels of the historic visit of Pope Francis.

In an effort to build greater cooperation between the two growing economics both Presidents are dedicated to furthering greater collaboration between the two nations. Win-Win economic growth that allows both nations to prosper within the boundaries of a free nation and one communist.

"President Obama raises concerns about the Chinese government's respect for basic human rights. That is a central value of this country, and therefore, a national security priority of the United States and of this President.  And I think that he would use the occasion of this series of meetings to underscore once again what a priority that is for the United States," said Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary.

Global Climate Agreement – United Nations Climate Change Conference December 2015

On the impact of climate change, the two leaders agreed on three elements of a package to strengthen the ambition of the Paris outcome which will be finalized in Paris.

"First, they recognized that the emissions targets and policies that nations have put forward are crucial steps in a longer-range effort to transition to low-carbon economies and agreed that those policies should ramp up over time in the direction of greater ambition. Second, they underscored the importance of countries developing and making available mid-century strategies for the transition to low-carbon economies, mindful of the below 2 degrees Celsius global temperature goal. Third, they emphasized the need for the low-carbon transformation of the global economy this century," as stated in a released Fact Sheet.

Additional areas include Power Sector and Industry

The U.S. is taking the steps to implement by 2016 the clean power plans. China is launching a national emissions trading system in 2017 and is also implementing a new green dispatch approach to its power sector.

Both Nations are committed to finding next stage fuel efficiency stands for heavy duty vehicles implementing the changes by 2019. Both Nations agree on finalizing efficiency standards for appliances and equipment by end of year 2016.

No longer an issue for our children or grandchildren or the next generation. The two nations are committed to deepening bi-lateral cooperation on Climate Change, now. Including policy information exchange and technical exchanges. The two nations welcomed cooperation by sub-national governments to assist in promoting climate actions. Both nations have agreed on the exchange and cooperation on Clean Energy Research.

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21 will be held in Paris from November 30 to December 11, 2015.

European Union Refugee Crisis Continues

President Obama remained alerted of the continuing European refugee crisis during this very active week in Washington with calls to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister David Cameron, both of whom remained committed to the President's proposed  coalition plan.

President Obama and German Chancellor Merkel"agreed on the need for a Europe-wide solution in which all European Member States accept their fair share of refugees.  They also discussed how to alleviate the root causes of the refugee flow, in particular by facilitating a political transition that can unite Syrians," the notes of the President's call read.

Prime Minister Cameron spoke with the President on arrange of issues including those which he spoke with Chancellor Merkel and also including the global refugee crisis and the situation in Syria. 

President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron reaffirmed their shared commitment to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS/ISIL and to reach a negotiated political transition to end the conflict in Syria. 

Boehner Resigns

U.S. Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R.OH) announced this week his intention to resign effective October 30, 2015. After 24 years in elected office, Boehner, who hold the third highest position in government indicated he had intended to resign for some time and circumstances lead to a prolonging of change.

After hearing the Pope address the joint session Boehner, who is Catholic, indicated he prayed and stood on a decision that today was the day he would make the announcement. The following is an excerpt from the Press statement issued by the outgoing Speaker of the House.

"My mission every day is to fight for a smaller, less costly, and more accountable government.  Over the last five years, our majority has advanced conservative reforms that will help our children and their children.  I am proud of what we have accomplished.

"The first job of any Speaker is to protect this institution that we all love.  It was my plan to only serve as Speaker until the end of last year, but I stayed on to provide continuity to the Republican Conference and the House.  It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution.  To that end, I will resign the Speakership and my seat in Congress on October 30.

"Today, my heart is full with gratitude for my family, my colleagues, and the people of Ohio's Eighth District.  God bless this great country that has given me - the son of a bar owner from Cincinnati - the chance to serve."

White House Tech Staffer Dies in Tragic Accident

Jake Brewer, 34,  technology advisor to the President, and husband of Mary Katherine Ham, a FOX News Anchor, died last Sunday while participating in a two day charity biking event for Cancer Research in Maryland.

President Obama eulogized Brewer stating, "Armed with a brilliant mind, a big heart, and an insatiable desire to give back, Jake devoted his life to empowering people and making government work better for them. He worked to give citizens a louder voice in our society. He engaged our striving immigrants. He pushed for more transparency in our democracy. And he sought to expand opportunity for all."

A Senior Policy Advisor to Chief Technology officer Megan Smith, Jake lived an exemplary life, dedicated to public service. Recruited for the Obama Administration position as he was considered the best. He advised the Smith on matters of policy associated with the gathering of data and technology.

He careened into oncoming traffic, after taking a corner wide on the outside, on the afternoon of the second day of the charity event. Riders had been warned that traffic would not be detoured or roads closed.

He is survived by his wife Mary Katherine Hamm, on a maternity leave, his unborn child, a daughter, Georgia, 2. He is also survived by his mother, Lori Collins and a sister, Brittany Reynolds.

Volkswagen Names Porsche CEO to Lead

Matthias Mueller, 62, former CEO of Porsche has been tapped to lead Volkswagen, as the emission scandal widens totaling approximately 500,000 Passat, Jetta, Golf and Beetle models which included specifically designed emission detection software.

The software detected when the vehicles, labeled "clean diesel" were undergoing mandatory EPA testing would emit less polluting exhaust and after the testing would increase to regular amounts, in some cases nearly 40 times the amount of pollutants.

The Environmental Protection agency says "the "defeat devices" allowed those models to belch up to 40 times the allowed amounts of harmful fumes in order to improve driving performance," as reported in Yahoo.

Although it is doubtful duped car owners will have any legitimate legal ground for a class action or other litigation against the German automaker. Massive fines could end up the only penalty assessed. The company has already set aside 7Billion to deal with any potential lawsuits stemming from the scandal. Criminal charges may be a real possibility although no U.S. government official has gone on the limb with scenarios.

The standard senatorial questions asked in the 1974 Watergate Hearings by then Senator Fred Thompson will end up be the litmus test for determining prosecutorial possibility in the case. Those questions "What did you know and when?" along with electronic correspondence could become the foundation for further action.

Mueller was appointed in October 2010 CEO of Porsche AG. In February 2014, he became Chief Information Officer of Porsche Automobil Holding for five years. In response to the emission scandal and the resignation of Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, his one-time mentor, colleague, friend and associate, Mueller was appointed CEO of Volkswagen AG.

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

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com

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