Friday, July 21, 2017

Notations From the Grid (Special Friday Edition): On #Oman

Image result for Oman
Oman's Capital: Muscat 

Many in our World may not have heard of Oman--but it has played a pivotal role in the Middle East.  Our team released this late on Thursday in our Twitter Channel courtesy of the team at Sky News:


 What is critical to note is that Sultan Qabos--on the throne since 1970 and battling Cancer--has no heir and if he is no more, it will present a profound challenge to further complicate an already profound challenge in the Middle East.    This is as The Trump Administration v is taking an increasingly harsh tone towards Iran to eventually build up a case to withdraw from the Iran Deal or provoke Iran into doing So.     The Iranian President underscored how Iran needed to maintain its' cool in the midst of the increased harsh rhetoric from Washington.  Furthermore,  the diplomatic row between Qatar and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council continues to escalate--with Qatar directly accusing the United Arab Emirates of hacking Qatari websites.   What was also of note was the decision by Kuwait to downgrade relations with Iran by expelling Iran's Military Attache and Cultural Attache.



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Thursday, July 20, 2017

Notations On Our World (Weekly Edition): On @POTUS Watch

We just received this from the White House distribution which we wanted to report on :

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Yesterday, I met with Republican Senators at the White House and told them that now is the time for action. Obamacare was a big lie. “You can keep your doctor”—lie. “You can keep your plan”—lie. Now, people are hurting, and inaction is not an option. We must repeal and replace this disaster. The Senate should not leave for summer recess until it has passed a plan to give our people great healthcare. I’m ready to act; I have pen in hand. I’ll sign the legislation into law, and then we can celebrate for the American people.
- President Donald J. Trump
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President Trump Hosts Made in America Roundtable with American Companies
Yesterday, President Trump hosted a Made in America Roundtable with 20 American companies and 4 members of Congress. The discussions were focused on the importance of manufacturing products in American factories with American workers.
Read More
President Trump Discusses Healthcare Plan with Members of Congress
President Trump hosted a lunch with members of Congress to discuss the problems with healthcare and to urge not only the repeal, but also the replacement of the disaster known as Obamacare. President Trump's new plan for healthcare will substantially lower premiums, repeal burdensome taxes, expand coverage options, protect preexisting condition coverage, improve medical outcomes for low income Americans, and redirect authority from Washington D.C. to the states so they can innovate and develop the best practices for the American people.
Watch the Discussion
Vice President Pence Leads First Meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Yesterday, Vice President Pence was joined by several elected officials at the first meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which is designed to explore and fix vulnerabilities in the voting process to ensure the integrity of our system.
Watch the Video

PHOTO OF THE DAY


President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence | July 19, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)

POTUS AND VP TODAY

Today, President Trump and Vice President Pence will be making an announcement at the White House regarding a Pharmaceutical Glass Packaging Initiative. 

COMING UP THIS WEEK

Tomorrow, President Trump will welcome the survivors of the USS Arizona to the White House. On Saturday, President Trump will travel to Norfolk, Virginia, to attend the commissioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford.

This is also as the Former Director of Government Ethics appeared on MSNBC Last Night with profound concerns on the Trump Administration :
Fmr ethics director: Trump setting wrong tone
Walter Shaub, former director of the Office of Government Ethics, talks with Rachel Maddow about the appropriateness of A.G. Jeff Sessions' recusal from campaign-related investigations, and Donald Trump's inappropriateness in addressing his myriad conflicts.

 (Update:  This from the Time Magazine's Zeke Miller captures the true state of the Trump Presidency Today--these words are harsh on the true state of affairs:
JULY 20, 2017By Zeke J. Miller
zeke-miller
Noon marks six months of President Trump's time in office, and with one-eighth of his term down, it's hard to overstate just how besieged he is. A taste of the headlines just today: his agenda is stalled, he's turning on his Cabinet members, he's ensnared in a growing Russia probe, top aides are expressing doubts about his strategy on domestic and international affairs, and members of his own party are losing patience with his antics. So many of these problems are self-inflicted, as he's never failed to choose the path of greatest resistance. On Russia, for instance, he denied that country's election hacking efforts for months, fired his FBI director over his oversight of the probe and then watched as his aides and family members failed to disclose their meetings with Russia officials during the campaign—all that before the president himself discussed classified matters with senior Russian officials and held a solo meeting with Vladimir Putin without telling anyone about it. Now, senior aides, including National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster are reportedly complaining about his judgement on these matters. On healthcare, he's thrown members of his own party under the bus time and again, and only appeared to engage in selling legislation that most of America is against Wednesday, when it appeared to already be dead.
The confounding choices by the president is epitomized by his Wednesdayinterview with the New York Times in which he drew a "red line" for special counsel Robert Mueller, said he regretted selecting Jeff Sessions as his Attorney General and once again waded into the Russia scandal news. First off, this is "Made in America" message week at the White House, and Trump had already tried to drive headlines with a forceful defense of the Senate healthcare bill—he effectively wiped both off the news with his comments. Beyond that, the president demonstrated that not only is he intent on being his own strategist and spokesman, he wants to be his own attorney too—as he ignored the advice of counsel that he refrain from commenting publicly on the investigation and refocus on the task of governing. What is also clear is that despite winning the highest office in the land, the president is deeply frustrated with just about everyone and everything—after just six months.
TIME reveals the Obama administration's secret plan to stop Russian hacking in 2016. Massimo Calabresi's report details the former White House's efforts to protect the U.S. voting system and the challenges in preventing the next hack.
Trump's China honeymoon is over. Congressional Republicans' lament. And Trump's election commission has some preconceived notions about voting.
Here are your must reads:
 
 
MUST READS
Inside the Secret Plan to Stop Vladimir Putin’s U.S. Election PlotTIME's Massimo Calabresi explores the efforts to protect the U.S. voting system and the challenges for the next hack attack
Exclusive: Read the Previously Undisclosed Plan to Counter Russian Hacking on Election DayIn the case of a “significant incident” the White House had several “enhanced procedures” it was prepared to take [TIME]
Citing Recusal, Trump Says He Wouldn’t Have Hired SessionsAttacks Comey and fires warning shots at Rosenstein, Mueller in interview [New York Times]
The GOP Faces a New CrossroadsThe party's precarious healthcare position [TIME]
Trump Ends Covert CIA Program to Arm Ati-Assad Rebels in Syria, a Move Sought by MoscowProgram had faced questions about its efficacy [Washington Post]
Trump's Honeymoon With China Ends as Dialogue Turns FrostyEconomic talks end with no joint statement from two countries [Bloomberg]
Trump’s Embrace of Russia Making Top Advisers WaryMcMaster expressed his disapproval of Trump’s course to foreign officials [Associated Press]
Republicans Lament an Agenda in 'Quicksand'GOP lawmakers’ mood is darkening as the August recess approaches and they’ve made little progress on their priorities [Politico]
 
SOUND OFF
“Sessions should have never recused himself, and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job and I would have picked somebody else." — President Trump to the New York Times Wednesday
"You know, we may never know the answer to that question." — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the vice chairman of Trump's election integrity commission, on whether Hillary Clinton truly won the popular vote—and whether Trump really won the electoral college vote
 
BITS AND BITES
President Trump Repeats Unfounded Voter Fraud Claims at Election Integrity Meeting [TIME]
McCain's cancer, glioblastoma, described as 'very aggressive tumor' [Arizona Republic]
'Cancer Doesn't Know What It's Up Against': Leaders React to John McCain's Diagnosis [TIME]
Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort Will Testify Before the Senate Judiciary Committee [TIME]
Excerpts From The Times’s Interview With Trump [New York Times]
Election commission's Kris Kobach: 'We may never know' who won 2016 popular vote [USA Today]
Budget Office: GOP Obamacare Repeal Plan Would Increase Uninsured by 32 Million by 2026[Associated Press]
Al Gore's climate movie sequel ignores political reality [Axios]
Spring Regulatory Agenda Marks Start of Agency Deregulation [BNA]
Trump nominees lose patience with lengthy vetting process [Politico]
Supreme Court Allows Grandparents to Enter U.S. Under Travel Ban [Associated Press]

Watch Now
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Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Notations On Our World (Special Mid-Week Edition): On @POTUS Watch (With Our Brief Thoughts on Senator #JohnMcCain)


The effort to repeal and replace has failed.   There is an effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and have a two-year stay to come up with an alternative plan.   In the meantime, this is the latest out of the Congressional Budget Office:  

H.R. 1628, Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act of 2017

CBO and JCT estimate that enacting this legislation would reduce federal deficits by $473 billion over the coming decade and increase the number of people who are uninsured by 32 million in 2026 relative to current law. 
It will be continue to be dramatic especially as we just got updates that Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort are scheduled to testify before Congress next week.  This is in addition to the following :
Pence tries his best to keep unsaid what Trump then says about election integrity
The president says what he wants. The vice president reads the stuff that goes on the teleprompter.



Sessions greenlights police to seize cash, property from people suspected of crimes but not charged
The new policy from the attorney general reverses the Obama-era prohibition of seizures without warrants or criminal charges.
(Update:  As there were a number of further late breaking political developments with the latest comments from President Trump and his interview with the New York Times about the Attorney General, we wanted to take a moment to note our sorrow at the news of Senator McCain's brain tumor.  We have joined The President, Former President Obama:
 and many others leading lights of the political space by  noting that our thoughts and prayers are with him and the McCain family tonight as we are privileged to feature Meghan McCain, his daughter, heartfelt and beautiful Statement she released earlier today as we also salute his service to America:

 It is also of note one of the classiest things he did during the 2008 Presidential Campaign that must be noted: 




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