Beltway Insider: Biden/Abortion, Shinzo Abe, COVID/Vaccine Totals, Uvalde Funds Stalled, James Caan

President Biden signed an executive order this week which compels the Secretary of Health and Human Services within thirty days to identify a series of potential actions which will support and promote critical reproductive services, including abortion.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending July 10, 2022 decreased by 0.8% to 38.4% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness increased by 0.6% to 56.4% of those polled who disapprove of his effectiveness. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.


Beltway Insider: Biden/Roe, SCOTUS Agenda, Havana Syndrome, COVID/Vaccine Totals, Maxwell, Uvalde


Biden Secure Abortion Medication Rights

After the Supreme Court announced its decision to strike down the landmark Row vs. Wade, which was deemed fundamentally flawed, the President, along with democratic governors have moved quickly to secure the rights of all women to access safe, reproductive services, including abortion.

"In the face of this health crisis, the Federal Government is taking action to protect healthcare service delivery and promote access to critical reproductive healthcare services, including abortion.  It remains the policy of my Administration to support women's right to choose and to protect and defend reproductive rights.  Doing so is essential to justice, equality, and our health, safety, and progress as a Nation," President Biden wrote in the Executive Order.

The Executive Action dictates that within thirty days of its signing resolutions to the outlined actions must be presented to the president. From that point, the actions will move through the various stages of government with some moving toward law and others, not.

The right to medical care, especially reproductive care, is threatened across the nation, especially in states that are governed by republican legislation.

Additionally, the Executive Order encourages pro bono representation for individuals who have been denied medical care. Roe vs. Wade can only be reinstated if legal challenges are presented and make their way to the Supreme Court.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Assassinated

Japan's longest serving Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe was assassinated this week, while campaigning at a political rally supporting the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in Nara, Japan, on Friday, July 8, 2022. He was 67.

"Abe, who served two stints as prime minister from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020, was shot twice on Friday morning while giving a speech in the city of Nara in western Japan, where he was campaigning for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ahead of Sunday's legislative elections. He died in the early evening hours," Time Magazine reported.

The perennial news magazine also previewed a commemorative cover, marking the late Abe's fourth magazine cover.

World Leader React

A voice of political change for Japan, Abe followed in the steps of his family as both grandfather and father served the people of Japan to modernize and democratize the nation after the devastation of World War II.

Abe's political party was nearly assured a victory, in Saturday's election, after the news reverberated throughout the world of his assassination. The outpouring of condolences from political leaders around the world, matched the sorrow of the Japanese people who showed support for their fallen leader by casting their vote for the party he dedicated his life to serving.

President Biden said, "I am stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened by the news that my friend Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan, was shot and killed while campaigning. This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him. The United States stands with Japan in this moment of grief. I send my deepest condolences to his family."

Former President's Trump and Obama each tweeted out their memories of working with Abe. Former President Obama said, via Twitter, "I am shocked and saddened by the assassination of my friend and longtime partner Shinzo Abe in Japan. Former Prime Minister Abe was devoted to both the country he served and the extraordinary alliance between the United States and Japan."

"Former president Donald Trump, who developed close ties with Abe while in office, put out a message on his social media platform hailing Abe as a "unifier" and a man who "loved and cherished" his nation. Trump also called for swift and harsh punishment for Abe's killer," The Washington Post reported.

Condolences and condemnation over the cowardly action became a united theme across the world with mortal enemies Russian President Vladimir Putin, EU President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy all expressing outrage and condemnation over Abe's assassination.

Chinese President Xi-Jinping also condemned the brutal assassination, as did leaders through the Asia-Pacific region.

From Russia to Beijing, leaders remember Abe's determination to negotiate fairly and for the betterment of the Japanese people.


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Suspect Immediately Captured

Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, a former sailor in Japan's Maritime armed forces, was tackled and arrested at the scene. A crude homemade double barrel stub nosed shotgun was recovered at the scene. Yamagami has been detained in the city of Nara and is expected to be held for the maximum allotted time, which is 23 days, before he will be given an attorney.

"Yamagami told investigators he had plotted to kill him because he believed rumours about the former leader's connection to a certain organisation that police did not identify — according to Kazuhisa Yamamura, the Head of First Investigation Division, Nara Prefecture Police," Euronews.com reported.

He was not considered someone who would be considered someone who would be willing to face the repercussion of this type of action, however, when police raided his apartment they found additional homemade weapons.

"Yamagami was described as a "totally normal" and seemingly "earnest" person by at least two people who had interacted with him, Kyodo News also reported. He was hired through a dispatch agency in October 2020 to work at the freight department of a factory in Kyoto prefecture, the agency reported, citing an unnamed "former senior colleague," CNN reported.

Funeral Planned

The funeral for Abe will begin with a wake on Monday followed by a funeral service on Tuesday. It is unclear if any heads of state will be traveling to the region to attend the service. It has been reported the funeral will be closed with only family and close associates.

"Tomohiko Taniguchi, a former special adviser to Abe, said the former prime minister was "one of the most transformative leaders" of Japan and described his killing as the equivalent to the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy," CNN reported.

Gun Violence in Japan

While shockwaves of Abe's assassination reverberated around the world, Japan's gun laws are among in the strictest in the world with less than 1% of the population issued gun permits. Of the 125million resident less than 200,000 have been issued gun permits.

Individuals who apply for gun permits must submit to a rigorous background check, which is only the beginning. Also included are strict mental health assessments, classes on gun safety, training courses, and a home inspection of the gun storage locker.

"Anyone wanting to own a gun in Japan must apply for a permit, which starts with attending a class on gun safety and passing a written test. In addition, an applicant must take a full-day training course on safe shooting and practicing techniques before a permit is granted," reported The Washington Post.

In the past five years, Japan has had a total of 70 shootings, with 14 deaths and 23 injuries and 49 of those shootings were linked to the Yukusa crime syndicate.

Vaccine Totals

Bloomberg.com has built a vaccine tracker which can be seen here. "In the US, 596 million doses have been given so far. During the last week, shots were administered at an average rate of 150,428 doses a day," Bloomberg.com reported.


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Coronavirus Totals

Mandates have been altered or lifted in most urban areas with limited exceptions, and the population is encouraged to maintain personal protective practices. Masks are optional and tolerated. Vaccines and boosters are still considered the most effective agents against contracting the Coronavirus.

For the one-week period ending July 10, 2022, coronavirus cases globally increased by 6,144,241 new confirmed cases, bringing the total of confirmed cases worldwide to 554,751,934 people with a total worldwide death toll of 6,346,913 deaths, and a 7-day death rate increase of 11,265. (Data from The New York Times).

COVID U.S. Totals

Infections rates in the United States are also on the rise. For the seven-day period ending July 10, 2022, the total confirmed cases rose to 88,419,526 people with new confirmed cases increasing by 781,331with a 7-day average of 111,618 cases per day. The coronavirus has claimed 1,017,278 total deaths, adding 2,283 more deaths over the 7-day period. (Data from The New York Times).

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Protecting for gain of function knowledge only aides those who initiated the constitutional violations. It does nothing to combat the homegrown terrorism or the narcissistic above the law belief. The best obtainable version of the truth.

Uvalde Funding Held Up by DA

Uvalde, Texas, is facing anther deeply wounding tragedy as District Attorney Christina Busbee is illegally and unlawfully holding up disbursement of victim compensation funds jeopardizing survivors who are now facing mounting medical debt and are faced with utility shut-offs and evictions.

"Two local Uvalde officials are asking Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to remove District Attorney Christina Busbee from oversight of the Uvalde Together Resiliency Center, which was opened to provide support for families impacted by the Robb Elementary School shooting," reported Foxnews.com

As time moves away from the shock and sickening reality of May 24, 2022, the intent of people hearts become evident. Financially the funding from multiple agencies as well as charitable donations will create the opportunity for a second assault, as victims will be denied access to funding, access to services, and once again be regulated to pre-tragedy status.

The charitable donations and financial support shifts the balance of power, and those who hold positions of power through the political structure, are now faced with the possibility that once sure future is swiftly changing, and everyone will, in some way, be held accountable for the massacre at Robb Elementary School.

Mayor Disputes Report

The blame for the tragic shooting which claimed the lives of 19 students and two educators, has become contentious between Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw, who has remained vocal and clear in his assessment of "abject failure" by local Uvalde police chief Pete Arredondo, who placed the lives of his officers over the lives of the children, and Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, who stated, the "director will "lie, leak, mislead, or misstate information in order to distance his own troopers and rangers from the response," reported Foxnews.com.


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James Caan

James Caan, who was best known as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, but who also had a storied career, died this week. He was 82.

Caan, who has forever become identified as the quick tempered, oldest son, of Vito Corleone, in a part that changed the trajectory of his career. Caan, who grew up in the boroughs of New York City, the son of a butcher who fled Nazi Germany, his New York roots never left him despite his six-decade career and stand out performances that earned him both critical and commercial success.

It was in the 1970s that Caan's acting life began to pivot. He was cast as Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer at 26, in Brian's Song. The tough but tender role, made into a television movie was seen by more than 55million viewers, something unheard of at the time, as earned Caan an Emmy nomination.

This was followed by his career defining role as Sonny Corleone, and the infamous toll booth scene where Caan is massacred after his brother-in-law, played by Gianni Russo, makes a deal. Another well-known and often repeated phrase coined by Caan, who adlibbed came when he was counseling Michael, played by an unknown Al Pacino, "on how to kill a rival mobster and a corrupt police captain, he declares that "you gotta get up close, like this, and bada bing! You blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit." The phrase "bada bing" was improvised by Mr. Caan and "became a mantra for mobsters and aspiring mobsters," The Washington Post reported.

Caan went on to play many memorable roles, including his 1990 role as novelist Paul Sheldon in the adaptation of Stephen King's Misery opposite Kathy Bates as his most devoted fan. He also played corrupt U.S. Marshall Robert Deguerin in the 1996 film Eraser, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Having both the high highs of a storied career, Caan also had extreme lows. It was at this time, in the 1980s, that he spiraled into a downfall that could have eliminated the remainder of his career. In addition to cocaine addiction, poor business management resulted in a loss of his income and other financial burdens. He was able, at least in the public eye, get beyond these obstacles and return to the screen to deliver some of his most iconic performances.

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

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