Beltway Insider: Biden/Midterms, Ukraine/Russia, UK PM, Korean Stampede, COVID/Vaccine Totals, Twitter, Leslie Jordan

President Biden stumped in key swing states over the past week, appearing in Pennsylvania on behalf of Democratic senatorial challenger John Fetterman, the state's current Lieutenant governor, and denounced the rise in attacks on public figures.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending October 30, 2022 decreased by 0.7% to 42.2% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness remained consistent at 52.9% 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/Nat'l Security, Midterms, Jan 6/Trump, Florida, Social Security, COVID/Vaccine Totals, Raleigh, Parkland, Angela Lansbury


Mid-Term Mad Dash

With Americans taking advantage of early voting, record show more than 17million voters have already cast their ballots in this critical mid-term election. At stake, of course, is the Biden Administration agenda, and the trifecta government with democrats controlling the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, as has been the case over the past two years, paving the way for the Biden-Harris White House to advance key pieces of legislation.

Midterm madness is driving key races into the mud-slinging swamp as elections often do with revelations driving the narrative and furthering the agenda. However, a key factor voters are considering, beyond the din of the rhetoric, as they approach the mid-term elections November 8, 2020, is consumer inflation as it is impossible to miss the sticker shock throughout the entire consumer cycle. While gasoline prices have fallen in some locations, consumers are begin pummeled across the board by key consumer goods and services purchased by households.

"When Jack Hunt walked out of the Forsyth County, Ga., elections office after casting his ballot, he had one primary concern on his mind — the economy. "It's ridiculous. The grocery stores, you go and some items are twice what they were before Biden's administration took office," the retired 71-year-old pilot said. "We need to get the inflation under control," NPR reported.

As of July 2022, the consumer price index has risen over the last 12 months by a whopping 9.1% and was the largest 12-month CPI increase since 1981.

"Prices for food increased 10.4 percent for the 12 months ending June 2022, the largest increase since February 1981. Energy prices rose 41.6 percent over the last year, the largest 12-month increase since April 1980. Motor fuel prices (which includes all types of gasoline) increased 60.2 percent over the year, the largest 12-month increase since March 1980," the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

January 6 Insurrectionist Sentence to Seven Years

Albuquerque C. Head, who grabbed Washington D.C. Police Officer, Michael Fanone, during the January 6 Insurrection and dragged him into the crowd, calling to the others "Hey I got one," and proceeded to beat and taser the officer repeatedly, was sentenced this week to 90 months in prison.

"These were some of the darkest acts committed on one of our nation's darkest days," U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said after watching the video from Fanone's camera. Then she sentenced Head to 7 ½ years in prison, just short of the eight-year maximum for assault on a police officer," reported The Washington Post.

Fanone, who suffered head trauma and a heart attack, survived the attack. The sentence was the second longest given to any of the Capitol insurrections and the longest to any of those who have pleaded guilty.

UK Instability

Over the course of the last seven week, the United Kingdom has experienced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II, the transition to a new monarchy, the election of a new Prime Minster Liz Truss, her resignation, the appointment of Rushi Sunak to the position, the nation's first person of color to assume the role and the nation's youngest leader.

Sunak has pledged to make the nation's economic crisis his top priority, although with a combined wealth, by marriage, of $830million, he won't likely feel the pinch of the economic recession the majority of the UK has been experiencing.

"However, as a former finance minister who steered Britain through the Covid-19 pandemic, recovering the U.K.'s embattled economy and the country's status among the investment community is likely to be a top priority. In his inaugural speech as prime minister Tuesday, Sunak said the challenges facing the country were "profound" and pledged to place "economic stability" at the center of his agenda," CNBC reported.


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South Korean Halloween Celebration Deaths Reach 153

The annual Halloween celebration in Seoul, South Korea, which drew more than 100,000 partygoers, turned into a mass casualty stampede event with at least 153, 56 men and 97 women, were killed, 19 still hospitalized in serious condition and 135 treated and released.

"Kim Geun-jin, a division commander for the Seoul police, said that little could be reported about the cause of the incident as of 4 a.m. on Sunday because "identifying the victims is our top priority." He added: "Our forensic teams are focused on identifying victims and collecting evidence from the site," reported The New York Times.

The alleyway, a very small side street approximately 10foot wide, large enough for small delivery trucks to pass through, was packed wall-to-wall with estimates of nearly 20,000 people, mostly in their 20s and 30s. The street, a flat entryway with a small hill, was not blocked off. Panic and fear at the inability to move, to escape the crush ignited a stronger determination to exit. It proved impossible.

No crowd control had been in place prior to the evening's festivities which began in the nightlife district, a row of bars and cafes, which were originally built to cater to American GI's and are now the center of Seoul's nightlife. Local officials offer no explanation for the deadly crowd surge as survivors explain the sheer volume of people clogging the very narrow streets around the Itaewon district of Seoul.

"Yoon-sung Park, a 24-year-old tech worker from Texas, started to carry people to clearer ground, where they could be sprawled out for medical treatment. "'It was almost post-apocalyptic. It was almost all civilians, no medical personnel, trying to save these people,'" reported The Washington Post.

Park also describes the horror of seeing bodies laid out for nearly one-half mile on the street, waiting for medical treatment. Media organizations and local citizens captured the terrifying moments on cell phone video and the horrific aftermath of the stampede. Images of rows of bodies awaiting transportation to the morgue, scores of ambulances, rows of gurneys lined the streets, groups of random revelers, side by side, could be seen performing CPR on the dead hoping.

Two Americans has been identified among those killed. Governments from Japan, China, Norway, and Australia have also confirmed at least one of their citizens were killed in the stampede, Korean has confirmed that 20 foreign nationals are among the dead.

Ukraine Drones Strikes Hit Key Targets; Russia Ramps Up Missile Attacks

The recent escalation in the 245-day Ukraine war, initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February 2022, have caused additional repercussion for the world's food supply as Putin has indicated Russia would no longer guarantee the safety of cargo ships carrying Ukrainian grain, a key point in the Black Sea Grain deal.

Ukraine precision during the recent drone strikes have resulted in Russian officials to suggest the UK has provide intelligence and assisted them in carrying out the attacks which pummeled a city in the illegally annexed Crimea and sink, at least two, of Russia's warships. Putin's message, of course, is to belittle the strength of the Ukrainians. The Brits have denied any knowledge, information, or assistance.

The recent drone strike by the Ukraine which damaged the Russian flotilla, came on the heels of the destruction of the Crimean Kirsch Strait Bridge, which began a symbol of the Ukrainians finally reaching targets which will cause disruption in the view of Russian superiority.

"The blast, on the sole bridge linking the Crimean Peninsula with Russia, disrupted an important supply line for Russian troops and was an embarrassing blow to the Kremlin. Crimea's Kerch Strait Bridge holds deep strategic, and symbolic, value. The damage to the bridge in Crimea hinders Russia's military logistics," reported The New York Times.

Grain Embargo Redux

Russia's war on Ukraine is not progressing as Putin envisioned. Not only did the world rally, but Ukraine has also become a formidable foe and worse they have become armed with weaponry from the world's most sophisticated militaries.

With limited tactics remaining in the Russian arsenal, as they have confronted global scrutiny and analysis over the brutal war crimes committed by out-of-control Russian troops, reminiscent of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević, Putin is returning to his effort to control the world's food supply by suspending civilian protections of dry grain cargo ships leaving the ports of Odessa.

"The agreement facilitates the safe shipment of grains and fertilizer from Ukraine. Many countries, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, rely on Ukrainian grain and fertilizer to feed their populations. The initiative can be automatically renewed if no party objects," reported The Washington Post.

Putin understands the power of the grain and it has armed him with the power to end the Black Sea Grain deal, once again bringing the world into the Ukrainian war, driving up global grain prices. With repercussions of interruption felt globally, it is Putin's most effective strategic move. Failure to renew this initiative could cause far-reaching consumer, governmental and trade disruption and create the possibility of a global food crisis.

The United Nation Secretary General issued a statement petitioning both parties to honor the commitments of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The Initiative, brokered by Turkey, is set to expire November 9, 2022.

Vaccine Totals

In the United States, 890,758,935 vaccines have been distributed, with a 14-day increase of 18,906,800 and 636,871,557 have been administered with a 14-day increase weekly increase of 9,016,594 doses. More than 90% of the population have received the two-dose vaccine. (Date from the CDC).

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 two-week period ending October 30, 2022, the total of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide reached 626,337,158 people, with a 14-day increase of 5,458,753 with a total worldwide death toll of 6,566,610 deaths, and a 14-day death rate increase of 23,472. (Data from The World Health Organization).

COVID U.S. Totals

Infections rates in the United States are also on the rise. For the seven-day period ending October 30, 2022, the total confirmed cases rose to 97,329,787 people with new confirmed cases increasing by 616,129 with a 14-day average of 44,009 cases per day. The coronavirus has claimed 1,066,351 total deaths, adding 6,961 more deaths over the 14-day period. (Data from the CDC).

Pentagon's Diary Gets Personal

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.


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Elon Musk Takes Control of Twitter

Elon Musk finalized the $44billion take-over of the world's largest micro messaging platform promising to appoint a content moderation council committee to review closed account and harmful content. The path to ownership has seen its share of difficulties. With many right-wing radicals celebrating the Musk deal, the liberal left has begun to criticize the possibility of increase usage of hate rhetoric and radical speech that can incite. To date, Musk has cleaned the birdcage terminating all of Twitter's top executives.

Paul Pelosi Attack

Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), was brutally attacked in his home by a hammer wielding assailant Friday morning and in front of police grabbed the hammer Pelosi had and struck the 82-year-old.

"San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said at a news conference that police responded at 2:27 a.m. Friday to a break-in at the Pelosi home. They found the assailant, who grabbed a hammer from Pelosi and attacked him in front of police," reported The Washington Post.

The assailant, David Depape, 42, allegedly entered the home screaming "Where's Nancy" referring to House Speaker Pelosi and reminiscent of the January 6 Insurrectionist who looted and destroyed the Capitol Building looking for Pelosi.

As of Saturday, Mr. Pelosi's condition has improved, and he remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition.


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Leslie Jordan Dies

Actor Leslie Jordan, 67, a much beloved recognizable character actor who overcame many Hollywood stereotypes on his way to success, died this week after a medical emergency initiated a car accident.

A star of theater, films and television, Jordan had a reoccurring guest starring role in the television show "Will & Grace," which earned him a primetime Emmy award. He also guest starred in "American Horror Story," and was currently filming "Call me Kat."

During the height of the pandemic Jordan was encouraged to begin Instagram posts and his humor combined with a natural comfort skyrocketed his followers and he became an internet sensation to an audience who may never have known him. He also starred in films, in the Dreamworks film "The Help" Jordan played a southern publisher of a newspaper, memorable for his scene stealing cartwheel. He was praised and memorialized by many when the news of his passing was publicized.

"The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan," his agent, David Shaul, shared in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times," Foxnews.com reported.

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

Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection.

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