Beltway Insider: Trump/Putin Vaca; Mueller’s Grand Jury; North Korea; Minnesota Extremism; Solar Eclipse; Sam Shepard

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President Donald Trump has left the building and relocated for a working vacation over the next seventeen days to his Southern Jersey Golf Course, while the White House West Wing undergoes much needed and previously approved renovations.

According to Gallup, President Trump's job approval, over the past week, remained consistent at 38% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President remained consistent at 56%. 

Trump/Putin Vaca: August Welcomes a Relief from Politics as Usual

President Donald Trump is on a two week working holiday in Bedminster, New Jersey while the West Wing undergoes pre-planned renovations, including the HVAC system and the South Portico step, on the South Lawn, haven't been replaced in 64 years.

Russian President Vladimir is also on holiday, taking his annual vacation to Siberia. His team has released photos of the former KGB director, reeling in a nice size Russian Lake Trout, during his vacation to Lake Baikal, the world's largest freshwater and deepest lake.

Putin took the opportunity to reassess his nations position on the Paris Accord adding the Lake Baikal, which dates back 25,000 years, is facing high levels of pollution from household sewage and other chemicals and is pressing his administration to do more.

Putin also went spear fishing, donning scuba gear and staying underwater for nearly an hour before he reappeared with a trophy from the deep. As always, his team also released photo of the Russian leader reclining shirtless in the Siberian sun.

Chilly Days For Trump and Putin

The relationship between President Trump and President Putin has chilled recently as the Russians have initiated a word war with the white house.

"The President signed the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The President favors tough measures to punish and deter the bad behavior of the rogue regimes in Iran and North Korea. And he also sent a clear signal that we won't tolerate interference in our democratic process by Russia.  

The bill was improved, but Congress has encroached on the power of the presidency, and he signed it in the interest of national unity," said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.


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As with any bill, there are certain obscure, hidden or buried statements that are either overlooked or simply accepted, in spending bills this is referred to as "pork" in the recent bill signed by the President the billed contained a statement that Russian, did in fact try to interfere in the U.S. Election.

President Donald Trump also admitted the likelihood of Russian influence and involvement in the 2016 Election.

North Korea

Kim Jong Un, the dictatorial despot ruler of North Korea has remained committed with threatening the global order and world population with the announcements the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, ICBM, now successfully tested a second time.

Disarming both its closer targets, China, and the Pan-Pacific region and the longer and still within range targets including Hawaii, Kim Jong Un, has refused to back down or compromise on his plan for dominance and respect.

Statements this week, either off the cuff or a hot mic from Senator Lindsay Graham have paved the way for additional discussion on North Korean and its nuclear arsenal.

During the August 1, 2017 press conference a white house press corps reporter repeated the statement, "Lindsay Graham said that the only military option against North Korea is to destroy North Korea's program and North Korea itself? And followed up with "So destroying the country like Lindsay Graham says is an option?"

Ms. Sanders, the White House Press Secretary replied, "The President has been very outspoken about the need to stop North Korea.  We've been very focused on stopping the nuclear program, stopping the missiles, stopping the aggression.  That still continues to be the focus, and we're keeping those -- all options on the table in order to do that. "

Zero Days

This scenario, of a renegade nation, led by out of control dictators threatening the closest allies of the united States has happened in the not too distant past when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the then leader of Iran was building his nuclear arsenal and nearing completion.

The White House, and Israel fully aware of the possibilities continued tactical responses to their successes with the usual car bombings and killing of the scientist and others to destabilize the program.

When that finally didn't stop them, under the director of George W. Bush, the National Security Agency working with the NSA, Mossad and various other clandestine government anti-terrorism agencies used a computer program sent from the comfort of the NSA offices in Washington DC which successfully destroyed the centrifuge of Iran Nuclear program.

The mission aptly named Olympic Games was a joint anti-terrorism program utilizing the vast network of computers and computer virus' to disable and ultimately destroy the nuclear program.

The entire cloak and dagger program, which wouldn't have been revealed except a programmer in Israel added one to many "Zero Days" code which destroyed the centrifuge in testing at the White House and was given the go ahead by then President Bush and performed as expected in Iran.

So for all the talk of North Korean the problem and solution remain the same.

Muller's Grand Jury: White House Special Counsel Impanels Grand Jury

White House Special Counsel Robert Muller has impaneled a Grand Jury to hear testimony to determine if the President or any number of the president's men participated in collusion between Russia and the Trump Campaign.

At this point Muller's biggest obstacle is the President who is have proven quick turnover is his specialty. Outside of crossing the Presidential boundary that would result in his firing, Muller is looking into all members of the Trump Campaign and inner circle including Donald J. Trump Jr who may be subpoenaed to testify.

The first born son of the President, will have a difficult time of giving a truthful account as each account thus far has been retracted and re-released.  Presently Muller is seeking the release of documents from the White House from Michael Flynn, the former National Security Adviser.

Trump Supervises Donald Trump, Jr.'s, Statement

The President of the United States, who has remained embroiled in controversy since before his Inauguration has continued to place himself in the middle of each crisis and scandal.

President Trump has admitted to crafting his son, Donald J. Trump, Jr's, statement to authorities describing his meet with Russian's and the purpose of the meeting.

"Look, the statement that Don Jr. issued is true.  There's no inaccuracy in the statement.  The President weighed in as any father would, based on the limited information that he had.  This is all discussion, frankly, of no consequence.  There was no follow-up.  It was disclosed to the proper parties, which is how the New York Times found out about it to begin with. He certainly didn't dictate, but he -- like I said, he weighed in, offered suggestion like any father would do," Sanders said,

The meeting, as has been widely disseminated, was to receive damaging information on the Presidential Candidate Hillary R. Clinton, allegedly information that would knock her out or at minimum allow Mr. Trump to secure a commanding lead.

The push back from the Sanders, the White House Press Secretary, during the press conference was surprising to even the most seasoned reporters as she moved from the facts at hand to the Clintons as the root cause of the alliance with the Russians.

The White House Statement on Anthony Scaramucci

Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House Communications Director. Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best.

The recent appointment of General John Kelly as White House Chief of Staff has White House Staffers, who have also been moved out of the West Wing during the repairs, expecting less revolving door policy and more stability as the first six months of the President's tenure as been shaky at best.


Minneapolis Cop Who Shot Civilian Has Two Open Cases; Known For Violence


Minnesota Extremism: The New US Violence Hotbed

Minnesota, the Land of 1000 Lakes, is facing a conversion, from expansive prairies, grasslands that extend to the horizon, Lake Superior, and the 1000 Lakes that give way to endless activities to a hotbed of extremism and violence.

Over the past 24 hours, a Mosque was bombed in Bloomington, a suburb out of Minneapolis, during morning prayers. Called an Act of Terrorism by Governor Mark Dayton, he like others is wondering why President Trump or his representative have not telephoned to relay his determination to alleviate terrorism beginning at home.

The Department of Homeland Security released the following statement, "Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke is aware of the explosion today at a mosque in Bloomington, Minn. We are in close contact with federal, state and local authorities and local community leaders as the investigation into this matter continues. The Department of Homeland Security fully supports the rights of all to freely and safely worship the faith of their choosing and we vigorously condemn such attacks on any religious institution. We are thankful that there were no injuries, but that does not diminish the serious nature of this act."

Increasing Extremism

The bombing, follow closely on the heels of the police involved shooting of Justine Damond, an unarmed Australian female in Minneapolis preparing for her impending wedding, by a Somalian born American police officer, who has yet to make a statement.

The crime was labeled a homicide. As police piece to gather the evidence, the city continues to reel from the shooting.

Ms. Damond's murder was the second police involved shooting of an unarmed citizen. The first, in recent memory was one year before in 2016 when the traffic stop killing of African American Philando Castile, who stood trial and was acquitted.

Crime Down     

Minnesota is currently boosting a lower crime rate across the standard reported crimes. What the reports aren't explaining that an overall trend indicating lower crime rates doesn't report the extremism or track the illegals or others who are making the 32nd state, that sits directly on the Canadian border, home.

Presently, Minnesota has about 95,000 persons living illegally in its state or about 1.8% of its total population.

Solar Eclipse To Tease North Americans With Prelude

August is set to give budding astronomers and stargazers something to talk about as beginning Monday, August 7, and Tuesday August 8, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible to every nation except the Americans and Greenland.

Lunar eclipse and solar eclipses are tandem occurrences and the next solar eclipse will be August 21, 2017. An interesting turn as the entire Northern Hemisphere will see a partial or total solar eclipse as the sun travels across the United States.

NASA warns those who plan to view the upcoming solar eclipse to find special viewing glasses prior to viewing and never look directly into the partial or total eclipse.

If you are unsure if your glasses meet the requirements check the NASA safe viewing page. Regular sunglasses even those with extra UVA protections are not safe.

It may be easier to just view the phenomena after the fact when NASA has photographed the images and posted them for viewing.

Remembering Sam Shepard

One week ago, Monday, a news prompt appeared in my Facebook feed, Sam Shepard had died. The initial reports read the American actor and Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright has passed away Thursday, July 27, due to complication from ALS.

Over the past week, I've read heartfelt and colorful remembrances from friends and those who were close to the Oscar nominated actor.

As a working member of the media, like everyone I have a bucket list of hopeful interviews. Talent that one day I hope to interview for some reason or another, either the current film publicity junket or longer features, Sam was on my bucket list.

I wish I could say here that I had been able to secure the interview and we talked from his porch in Kentucky on a variety of subjects from Tennessee Williams to current politics and watched the sunset on the bluegrass hills or from a hotel room during the junket. Unfortunately, that day didn't come.

Sam Shepard, lauded globally, honored in his profession, a creative genius, died, Thursday July 27, 2017. He was 73.  He will be missed.

To donate to the London Community Foundation: https://artistsforgrenfell.com/

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

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com