Beltway Insider: Obama Snubs Paris Unity March; Charlie Hebdo; GOP Takes the Hill; December Jobs

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President Obama refused to stand alongside the global coalition as world leaders gathered in Paris to lead more than one million marchers in solidarity against terrorism and honor those men and women murdered, choosing instead to remain in Washington.

 

According to Gallup, President Obama's job approval, over the past week, decreased two percentage points to 44% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased two percentage point to 50%. 

Obama Snubs Parisian Unity March

French President François Hollande, along with nearly fifty world leaders, including the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban-Ki-Moon, lead more than one million marchers in silent solidarity  defying  those who would attempt to silence freedom through violence.

President Obama reached out to the French leader earlier in the week, as the news of the worst terrorist attack in more than two decades, broke.

"I think that all of us recognize that France is one of our oldest allies, our strongest allies.  They have been with us at every moment when we've -- from 9/11 on, in dealing with some of the terrorist organizations around the world that threaten us.  For us to see the kind of cowardly evil attacks that took place today I think reinforces once again why it's so important for us to stand in solidarity with them, just as they stand in solidarity with us," the president said.

As French President Hollande declared a National Day of Mourning, the first in 54 years, and the global community responded to support, as allies do in times of national tragedy or mourning, agreeing to meet the violence, unified, together, a coalition of peace.

No representative from the United States government arrived in Paris, in a show of unity and support. The leader of the free world who obviously felt he was above the proceedings and chose to side with his Muslim roots and brotherhood refrained from travel.

"The fact that this was an attack on journalists, attack on our free press, also underscores the degree to which these terrorists fear freedom -- of speech and freedom of the press.  But the one thing that I'm very confident about is that the values that we share with the French people, a belief -- a universal belief in the freedom of expression, is something that can't be silenced because of the senseless violence of the few," Obama said.

The man who has built a legacy for championing democracy through coalitions let the world down as all eyes were focused on Paris and the gathering which began with a single message sent on the micro-messaging platform Twitter, "Je Suis Charlie," by the end of the week, the phrase became the foundation of a movement that exploded throughout the world as all people, of all races, colors, religions, creeds, stood in one voice and became one behind the cause of freedom.

If the political satirist were to pen Obama today it would be arm locked with the terror organization as his absence threw a chilling blanket over the million plus people who chose to attend.

With the links to ISIS and al-Qaeda and the celebratory messaging released after the bloodbath at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, Obama's absence is clearly open for interpretation.

The months he and other members of the Senior Cabinet have placed in building a global unified anti-terror campaign with nations around the world, agreeing ISIS must be stopped, and the first terror attack that unifies the people as well and the Presidents, the master of the coalition is mysteriously absent.

The people of the world need to know the President of the United States is as unified in purging the world of ISIS and al-Qaeda, as the coalition and people who suffer under the strengthening ISIS and resurgence of al-Qaeda.

President Obama's absence was noticeable as more than fifty of the world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attended and marched together.

Top representatives from Russian and Ukraine as well as members of the European Commission stood in Solidarity with the leaders and people of France.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a strong ally of the United States, her nation reeling from the residual effects of support as the Hamburg Morganpost newspaper known as MOPO, was fire bombed after running Charlie Hebdo cartoons, remained committed and refused to cower to terrorism. U.S. allies Great Britain sent Prime Minister David Cameron to the march and Jordan was represented by its King.  

 The absence of the president or any United States representative, especially as outgoing U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris, lends itself to a conclusion that no one wants to suggest that of a double agenda.

Charlie Hebdo Attack Kills 12; Wounds 11; 5 Others Die In Other Assaults

Two Islamic terrorists, with ties to Yemen al-Qaeda affiliates, stormed the offices of Paris based Charlie Hebdo, the French weekly known for satirizing the world's leaders, killing the determined Editor Stephane Charbonnier and four of the nation's most revered cartoonists.

The Charlie Hebdo team had gathered for the usual weekly editorial meeting when the two hooded militants, later identified as Said and Cherif Kouachi, burst into the offices heavily armed with Russian made Kalashnikovs, and a rocket launcher and shouting Islamic religious references "We have avenged the prophet" and "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest).

News accounts, from the survivors who were interviewed, indicate the two had a hit list and called the names of those they intended to assassinate:  Charbonnier and his bodyguard, Franck Brinsolaro, 49, were first.

Women were segregated and others hid, some managed to escape to the roof, as the conference room became a death trap for those dedicated to freedom of expression.

When the siege was over the nation's best cartoonists, Jean 'Cabu' Cabut, Bernard "Tignous' Verlhac, Philippe Honore, Georges Wolinski and six others including Mustapha Ourrad, Michel Renaud, Elsa Cayat, 54, police officer, Ahmed Merabet, who happened on the scene, and economist Bernard Maris, the magazines Deputy Editor, and a building maintenance worker, Frederic Boisseau, 42, would be systemically murdered in the attack.

Gaining Entry

Unsure of the exact whereabouts of the offices, as they were not publicized, the two, aware they were in 11th arrondissement, initially stormed the archive office.  Arriving at the right address, a female employee was ordered at gunpoint to enter the security code.

The Warning Signs

Charlie Hebdo is still a hot spot as the thirst for freedom of expression to honor those who were murdered is a collective and resounding theme.

Last week's attack is not the first assault on the magazine, although it is the most deadly.

Charlie Hebdo offices were firebombed in November 2011. After the firebombing incident Charlie Habdo suffered malicious cyber violence which resulted in the web site sustaining hacks.

Stephane Charbonnier had a security detail with a police officer at the offices. The lampooning of religious leaders, in particular, the Prophet Muhammad, did not rest well with the militant extremists, the fringe, who subscribed to his teachings.

The barbaric assault kicked off a three day unprecedented rise in fringe terrorist assault which led to five additional murders.

The Escape

The merciless murder of French police officer, Ahmed Merabet, in response to shots fired was initially wounded and was lying on the sidewalk. The scene caught on video by a neighbor who heard the scene play out and thought it as the French elite terror squad until he said he saw, the calloused and cold blooded execution of the wounded police officer.

The two, apparently with no plan drove toward to French border.  With a massive manhunt underway, they were eventually found in a printing facility some 80km from Paris, near Charles de Gaulle airport.

Taking a women hostage, the two spoke over the phone to police and said they wanted to die martyrs.

The three day siege ended Friday with the Charlie Hebdo suspects killed in a police shoot out. Videos have surfaced that show one of the brother's allegiance to ISIS. The third, related although not coordinated, terror suspect Amedy Coulibaly was also killed Friday.

Coulibaly, 32, was responsible for the murder of a female police officer in Montrouge and the taking of a Parisian Kosher Market in Porte de Vincennes were four Jewish citizens were murdered.

Hayat Boumeddiene, 26, an accomplice and girlfriend of Amedy Coulibaly, apparently was able to elude police and is currently being sought in a global manhunt.

The Pen is Mightier

The world stood, physically or in spirit, with the people of France and the freedom of expression, and the press.

Richard Malka, attorney for Charlie Hebdo magazine has stated emphatically the magazine will print this upcoming week increasing copies to 1million. Three French media companies have offered both services and employees to assist the magazine.

Editor-in-Chief, Gerard Biard who did survive the shooting as well as a handful of others who will move to a different location and have indicated the issue will be smaller. The world will understand.

Charlie Hebdo website is blacked with the global rallying cry "Je Suis Charlie," a fist holding a pencil and the words, "Because the Pen is always above Barbarism; Because Freedom is a Universal Right; Because you support us, We Charlie [will] Get out your next Wednesday newspaper."

Charlie we wait, ready to support, to purchase, to read, to shout, to stare down aggression, to denounce terrorism, to remember." Like you we will not forget.

GOP Takes the Hill; Boehner Retains Gavel; Boxer Retire

Following the historic mid-term elections last November, that stunned pundits, political strategists, politicians and die hard democrats, the Republicans arrived in Washington this week, as the reins of power were handed over in both the House and Senate.

The past Congress, who had earned the reputation as the most ineffective in history, is now united to dismantle what they deem as the damage Obama has done.

As the House of Representatives has had a Republican majority for some time, Congress is now also a Republican majority.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-OH, has retained the gavel in an historic election for  Speaker of the United State House of Representatives.

His nearest challenger Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who held the post during the 110th and 111th Sessions was close with 164 votes or 40.2%. Republicans did not vote along party lines. Boehner won with 216 votes or 52.9%. He has held the position for a total of four years, from January 2011 through January 2015, covering the 112th and 113th Sessions. He will now continue for the 114th Session of Congress.

Speaker of the House is second in line for the Presidency after the Vice-President a should the president become incapacitated or needed to pass any law.

Boxer Announces Retirement Plans

Senator Barbara Boxer, (D-CA), has announced her intention to retire from the Senate after her most current ends.

"It's been a pleasure to work with Barbara.  She works as hard as anyone to get things done for the people of California.  When she leaves the Senate at the end of this term, she will be missed greatly.  But for now, I'm looking forward to working with her for the next two years, on behalf of Californians and all Americans," President Obama said.

A number of well known Californians have been rumored to be considering the vacancy. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has made the possibility of a run for the vacating senator's seat, public with social media already echoing the intention.

The former two-term Mayor of the second largest U.S. city, garnered a grass roots campaign to capitalize on his heritage which brought many first time voters to the pools during the 2005 campaign.

December Jobs Report

The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the December Job report capping the 2014 employment resurgence by adding 252,000 jobs to the economy for a twelve month total of 1.7million new jobs.

The economy uniformly performed throughout 2014 adding on average 249,000 jobs each month.

The unemployment rate declaimed to 5.6% a 0.2% drop over November. The, slow and steady, consistent movement resulted in an annual drop of 1.1 percentage points. Annually December's totals resulted in a 1.1% overall drop in unemployment.

With December usually the month for seasonal and retail services, job growth occurred outside those areas in professional and business services, construction, food services and drinking places health care and manufacturing.

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

Sources: Whitehouse.org, Wikipedia.com,

***We, at Haute-Lifestyle.com, stand with the people of France and the world even if our president did not. Please accept our apology for his failure.  We are ashamed of his behavior.***