Beltway Insider: Biden’s Rescue Plan, Trump, Texas, COVID, Vaccine, Immigration, Khashoggi, MARS

President Biden moved quickly to secure FEMA disaster funding for all Texans suffering from Winter Storm Uri in what is expected to be the costliest storm in the state's history surpassing Hurricane Ike's $125 billion dollar devastation.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending February 21, 2021, increased by .1% to 54.5% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness increased by 1.5% percentage points to 38.1%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.


Beltway Insider: Trump Acquitted, Biden's Budget, Senate Fails, COVID, Vaccine, Ducklo, Emmett Till, Kobe Bryant


Biden Continues Push for $1.9T Rescue Plan

President Biden also used his trip to Pfizer to pitch his budget calling for Congress to aggressively move forward with passage of his American Rescue Plan, a 1.9Trillion dollar aid package which he unveiled before his inauguration.

In early February, "By a party line vote of 219-209, the House of Representatives passed the budget plan, after the Senate approved it in a pre-dawn vote. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate for the first time. The budget resolution enables Democrats to pass Biden's plan by a simple majority in the 100-member Senate instead of the 60 votes required for most legislation. That means Democrats, who control 50 seats in the 100-seat chamber, might not need Republican votes. Democrats have a 10-seat majority in the House." Reuters reported.

The president has also addressed the critics who say his budget plan is too big. He responded during his recent tour of Pfizer."

"Well, let me ask them: What would they have me cut?  What would they have me leave out?  Should we not invest $20 billion to vaccinate the nation?  Should we not invest $290 million [billion] to extend unemployment insurance for the 11 million Americans who are unemployed so they can get by while they get back to work," Biden said.

Iran Nuke Deal

The Iranian Nuclear Deal which had been signed in 2015, after tense negotiations during the last year of President Obama's administration, and subsequently withdrawn from by the Trump Administration, will once again be a priority of the Biden Administration.

Essentially the United States, along with the P5+1 United Nation security council member nations, which include the five permanent member nations, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and The United States, the plus one refers to Germany, have agreed to engage in a diplomatic conversation geared toward reconsidering the former Iranian Nuclear deal.

"The Europeans, who are hosts of that, have offered to host that, and we have accepted.  But that is about having a conversation at the table.  We don't anticipate taking additional steps, as in snapback — snapping back of sanctions in advance of that.  This is about having a conversation about the path forward.  And, yes, part of that, as we look ahead, would be a desire to have a conversation about their role in the region, their use of ballistic missiles, and that certainly is the administration's objective, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a Press Gaggle.

No direct talks with Iran are scheduled.

Immigration

President Biden, like his democratic predecessors held Immigration as a top administration priority. Immigration is not a new issue, which this administration will move to develop precedent, Illegal immigration has plagued every administration with the southern border states experiencing the greatest influx of illegals.

President Biden ran on the promise of addressing the issue. "The legislation I sent to Congress will bring about much needed change to an immigration system where reform is long overdue. It will responsibly manage the border with smart investments. It will address the root causes of irregular migration from Central America. It will modernize our legal immigration pathways and create an earned path to citizenship for so many – including Dreamers, farmworkers and TPS holders," Biden said.

Immigration is not a quick fix issue. And now, as America is teetering precariously on management of the pandemic to provide a pathway for Latin American illegals to enter the United States creates more challenges, increases the risk of super spreader type gatherings, coupled with the known facts that immigrant communities are already facing predominately higher infection rates and deaths due to language barriers and the unknown variable which directly contribute to black and brown communities facing a higher susceptibility to infection.

Critical Infrastructure Undocumented Workers

For those undocumented workers, who have assisted with back-breaking work throughout this pandemic to ensure the critical supply chain is not broken, should be rewarded. They should be given green card status.

As it is migrant workers have been given a letter from the Department of Homeland Security indicating the work they do, back-breaking harvesting of fruits and vegetables, is essential to maintain the nation's critical infrastructure. This letter does not protect any migrant workers from deportation in fact just the opposite these workers who have received this DHS letter are now on the government's radar and can be removed immediately. They receive no benefits.

"It is an open secret that the vast majority of people who harvest America's food are undocumented immigrants, mainly from Mexico, many of them decades-long residents of the United States. Often the parents of American-born children, they have lived for years with the cloud of deportation hanging over their households. The "essential work" letters that many now carry are not a free pass from immigration authorities, who could still deport Ms. Silva and other undocumented field workers at any time," The New York Times reported.

Biden Texas Disaster

Texans have felt the bite of Winter Storm Uri, which has crippled the southern half of the United States and has been especially harsh with unprecedented temperatures, ice and snow conditions, leaving millions without power, heat, or electricity.

The blast of Artic Air plunged Texas as far south as Houston into subfreezing temps, which caused an exceptionally high demand, much life blackouts in the east during the high heat days of August, knocking out the power grids, which just were not prepared for the extreme demands.

"Wind turbines in the state's northern Panhandle locked up. Natural gas plants shut down when frozen pipes and components shut off fuel flow. A South Texas nuclear reactor went dark after a five-foot section of uninsulated pipe seized up. Power outages quickly spread statewide - leaving millions shivering in their homes for days, with deadly consequences," Reuters reported.

With extreme winter conditions rare in Texas, management of an event is the general procedure instead of long-term preparation. Global Warming, which many disregard as the possible root, could in fact cause these extreme cold snaps to occur more frequently.

Of course, this information does nothing to comfort the millions without power. Those who used home furnishings to build warming fires, or those who initially had to melt snow to obtain drinking water as those unaccustomed to the cold snaps were unprepared for the frozen pipes and the subsequent thaw which caused the pipes to burst sending gallons of water throughout homes, apartment complexes and businesses.

The human toll, on top of the pandemic, is staggering with damage estimates upwards of $100billion dollars and is expected to the costliest of any storm the states has experienced. It's unimaginable that it could have been worse. Unfortunately, while it was catastrophic it was minutes from cataclysmic.

"It could have been far worse: Before dawn on Monday, the state's grid operator was "seconds and minutes" away from an uncontrolled blackout for its 26 million customers, its CEO has said. Such a collapse occurs when operators lose the ability to manage the crisis through rolling blackouts; in such cases, it can take weeks or months to fully restore power to customers," Reuters reported.

President Biden has remained in contact with acting FEMA Director Bob Fenton and agreed to "mobilize other federal agencies to bring additional support to the people of Texas and ensure that any critical needs are met," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in an released statement.


Former Nazi Guard Found in Tennessee Deported


Carpetbagging Trump's Target GOP Senate States

North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, (R-NC), one of the seven Republican senators who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, had already decided not to seek reelection in 2022, when the events of January 6, 2021 unfolded.

North Carolina, like most southern states has supported both Democrats and Republicans in recent elections, with the expansion of the larger urban centers, and the influx of business who see the advantages of life in the "Tar Heel" state.

With Burr's Senate seat open, a former North Carolina resident and member of the Trump Family, Lara Trump, has been touted as a possible candidate. Former U.S. Representative Mark Walker and Lee Brian have each filed their intent to run for Burr's seat in the 2022 election.

After the impeachment vote in which Burr stated, "The President promoted unfounded conspiracy theories to cast doubt on the integrity of a free and fair election because he did not like the results."

"My friend Richard Burr just made Lara Trump almost the certain nominee for the Senate seat in North Carolina to replace him if she runs," Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.

Trump to Address CPAC

Former President Donald Trump will address the upcoming Conservative Political Action Committee at the upcoming annual conference on February 28, 2021.

"A senior aide to Mr. Trump confirmed that he would attend the Conservative Public Action Conference, which is being held in Orlando, Fla., this year, and that he planned to talk about the future of the Republican Party as well as President Biden's immigration policies, which have been aimed at undoing Mr. Trump's," The New York Times reported.

Coronavirus Totals

The infection rates of the coronavirus have continued to decline around the world. The weekly account confirms that a while infection rates have slowed early accounts of deaths may have resulted in additional coronavirus deaths which were never attributed.

A new strain, a mutation, has created global concern for leaders around the world are determining the best direction for the protection of the population. The importance of maintaining personal protective practices is imperative to controlling the spread.

For the week ending February 21, 2021, coronavirus cases globally increased by 2,537,900 confirmed cases, bringing the total of confirmed cases worldwide to 111,068,900 people with a total worldwide death toll of 2,460,000 deaths, an increase of 67,400 over the past week.

COVID US Totals

Infections rates in the United States are also on the rise. For the week ending February 21, 2021, the total confirmed cases rose to 28,092,600 people with new confirmed cases increasing by 473,400 this week alone with an average of 94,600 cases daily. The coronavirus has claimed 497,400 total deaths, a weekly increase of 24,000 deaths. (Data from The New York Times).


Medical Science: COVID-19 - Will the National Mask Mandate Save Us


Biden Admin on Track for Target Vaccination Goals

With Covid-19 Vaccination distribution utilizing ground and air transportation the entire process took a hit this week, as inclement weather stopped over the road travel, closed many sites which resulted in cancelled appointments.

"The president said there would soon be massive sites set up offering vaccinations 24 hours a day, seven days a week — a challenge, he said, that will be "the most difficult logistical effort the United States has ever taken in peacetime," reported The Washington Post.

A year into this global pandemic, many pharmaceutical companies have developed a vaccine and the United States now has two from Moderna and Pfizer, on the market to meet the challenges of vaccinating more than 328million citizens with two doses.

"You may remember when I said, "In my first 100 days," just before I was inaugurated — which seemed like 100 days.  But anyway, "The first 100 days," before I was inaugurated, "that we'd administer 100 million shots in my first 100 days."  But we're on the path to do that.  We're averaging 1.7 million a day. Soon we'll be at 50 million, and I'm confident we'll exceed the number.  But that's just the floor.  We have to keep going," President Biden said.

The pandemic is still very much upon us and all precautions, those which we're taken in the beginning of the pandemic, must still be an active part of every citizens lifestyle. Social distancing, personal protective care, double masks, frequent hand washing, all must be maintained.

"New strains are emerging.  In a few days, we'll cross 500,000 Americans who will have died from COVID-19.  Five hundred thousand.  That is almost 70,000 more than all the Americans who died in World War Two, over a four-year period," Biden said

Intel Report on Jamal Khashoggi Murder

The Office of the Director of National intelligence is expected to make public this week a detailed report on the investigation into the murder of Washington Post Journalist and Saudi National, Jamal Khashoggi.

Even as the report states Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the 2018 murder.

"The administration has said it will continue to supply Saudi Arabia — the world's biggest customer for U.S. weaponry — with the means to defend itself against regional adversaries, including Iran and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen, and has indicated it wants to continue a robust counterterrorism partnership," The Washington Post reported.


Perseverance Lands Safely on Mars


Perseverance Lands

After seven months and nearly 300million miles, a ten-year odyssey began when NASA's Perseverance landed on MARS. The triumph of this moment, a bright spot in a year of unprecedented hardship, brought a renewed sense of hope that life is continuing to normalize.

Televised live from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the Rover landed safely and sent back its first colorized picture of the Red Planet.

To know more and understand the MARS 2020 MISSION NOVA, from PBS, defines the MARS mission this week here.

On this Day in History: Malcom X Assassinated

Malcom X, the controversial leader of the Organization of Afro-American Unity, a rival of the Nation of Islam, was assassinated by other black Muslims, today, February 21, 1965, in Harlem.

For more information on President Joe Biden www.whitehouse.gov.

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