Saturday, December 17, 2016
President Obama 2013 Inaugural Ceremony
Click on the image to increase its size.
President Obama addressed the nation following his swearing-in during
the public inauguration ceremony for his second term on the West Front
of the U.S. Capitol. In his remarks he stressed national unity and
called on lawmakers to cooperate with one another to confront issues
such as climate change, job creation, civil rights, and budget issues,
saying “We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute
spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate.” The
ceremony also included the musical performances, a poetry reading, the
oaths of office for president and vice president.
Because the
official inaugural day of January 20 was on a Sunday, the president was
officially sworn into office in a private ceremony at the White House
the previous day.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Note: From The G-Man posted this video as a special tribute to the President and First Lady Michelle Obama for their service to the country over the last eight years.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Statement by the President on the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act
Today
I am signing the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation
(WIIN) Act into law. It authorizes vital water projects across the
country to restore watersheds,
improve waterways and flood control, and improve drinking water
infrastructure. The law also authorizes $170 million for communities
facing drinking water emergencies, including funding for Flint,
Michigan, to recover from the lead contamination in its drinking
water system. That help for Flint is a priority of this Administration.
WINN also includes four Indian water rights settlements that resolve
long-standing claims to water and the conflicts surrounding those
claims, address the needs of Native Communities,
fulfill the Federal trust responsibility to American Indians, and
provide a sound base for greater economic development for both the
affected tribes and their non-Indian neighbors.
Title
III, Subtitle J, of the law has both short-term and long-term
provisions related to addressing the continuing drought in California.
In the long-term, it invests in
a number of water projects to promote water storage and supply, flood
control, desalination, and water recycling. These projects will help
assure that California is more resilient in the face of growing water
demands and drought-based uncertainty.
Title
III, Subtitle J, also includes short term provisions governing
operations of the federal and state water projects under the Endangered
Species Act for up to five years,
regardless of drought condition. Building on the work of previous
Administrations, my Administration has worked closely with the State of
California and other affected parties to address the critical elements
of California's complex water challenges by accommodating
the needs and concerns of California water users and the important
species that depend on that same water. This important partnership has
helped us achieve a careful balance based on existing state and federal
law. It is essential that it not be undermined
by anyone who seeks to override that balance by misstating or
incorrectly reading the provisions of Subtitle J. Consistent with the
legislative history supporting these provisions, I interpret and
understand Subtitle J to require continued application and
implementation of the Endangered Species Act, consistent with the close
and cooperative work of federal agencies with the State of California
to assure that state water quality standards are met. This reading of
the short-term operational provisions carries
out the letter and spirit of the law and is essential for continuing
the cooperation and commitment to accommodating the full range of
complex and important interests in matters related to California water.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Statement by the President on the 80th Birthday of His Holiness Pope Francis
As he marks his 80th birthday tomorrow,
I join the American people in extending our best wishes to His Holiness
Pope Francis. In both word and deed,
Pope Francis has inspired people around the world with his message of
compassion, hope, and peace. He has called on us to see ourselves in
one another, reach out to those who are at the margins of society,
extend mercy, and care for the planet we all share.
It was my great honor to welcome His Holiness to the White House last
year and to work together on common causes. I remain especially
grateful for his invaluable support for our work to normalize relations
between the United States and Cuba, which I announced
on December 17
two years ago. Guided by his humble example, may the people of the
world move forward together toward true justice and peace for all God’s
children.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Veep Talk: Stefan Löfven, Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci
Vice President Joe Biden spoke by phone today with Prime Minister of Sweden
Stefan Löfven. The leaders reaffirmed the importance of the robust U.S.-Sweden partnership and followed up on a
number of issues from their discussions during the Vice President's trip to Stockholm in August.
The
Vice President also spoke today by phone with President of Cyprus Nicos
Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci. The Vice
President commended the leaders
on the agreement they reached to resume talks in Geneva on January 9 and praised the courage and vision of the leaders that has made possible the progress
thus far. The Vice President reiterated unwavering U.S. support for the
leaders' efforts to reach a settlement that would reunify Cyprus as a
bizonal, bicommunal federation.
Source: The White House, Office of the Vice President
Statement By the Vice President on the Signing of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act
Violence
against women is straight and simply a crime. We must hold abusers
accountable and provide services and closure to survivors. That's why
I'm so pleased that the
Justice for All Reauthorization Act – signed today – will provide $56
million in funds to further reduce the national backlog of untested rape
kits, provide housing protections for victims of domestic violence,
expand forensic testing capabilities to convict
the guilty and exonerate the innocent, and address the training and
equipment needs of our Nation's crime labs. As the author of the
Violence Against Women Act, I applaud this bipartisan effort – which is
supported by victim advocates, cops, prosecutors,
and scientists all over the country – to improve the safety and
security of all our citizens.
Source: The White House, Office of the Vice President
'Putin Has Tacitly Supported Racist Groups Throughout His 16 Years in Power'
The
following commentary is in response to the From The G-Man exclusive Murder and Racism in Russia: Will
Anti-Muslim Sentiment Place the U.S. on the Same Path?
By
Askold Krushelnycky
Murderous
racist attacks have been happening in Russia for many years. Anyone that
doesn’t have slavic features like people from the Caucuses or Central Asia is
contemptuously called “chernej” - black - by these violent thugs.
Although
a few of these guys have ended up in jail because they’ve carried out their
attacks so openly, most get away with, literally, murder, because they have
been tacitly supported by Putin throughout his 16 years in power. His method to
cultivate support & distract attention from his own massive kleptocracy
(and the theft and corruption of his cronies) and which keeps Russia as “the
shithole” that Chestyakov calls it has been the classic tactic of blaming
everything on foreign enemies - the US, the EU, Ukraine. He has mocked or
whipped up hatred for foreign values - respect for other peoples &
their cultures, democracy, human rights, independent & truthful
journalism.
Putin
- although he regularly extols the Soviet Union’s fight against Hitler - has
always exploited deep-rooted neo-fascist/Russian nationalist sentiments that
they are a master race in the region with a sacred mission. When you live in a
system where your leaders steal billions (Putin’s wealth estimated at $40-120
BILLION) while you live in relative poverty and you can be killed,
imprisoned or otherwise persecuted for political opposition, it’s perhaps
comforting to delude yourself that you are not helpless & insignificant
but part of a great Russian “mission” to cure a sick world of its liberal
& democratic ills.
Like
the Soviet leaders before him, Putin tries to avoid the awkward historic fact
that it was a treaty between Hitler and Stalin in 1939, where they agreed
to invade Poland & carve up other parts of eastern & central
Europe between them, that led to World War Two. Soviet and German armies held a
joint victory parade after dismembering Poland. As Britain fought against
Hitler, Stalin for nearly two years was sending essential wartime supplies to
the Nazis until the minute they invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941.
In
1988/9, even before the USSR fell apart, western publications (including there
UK Sunday Times, where I worked) were reporting in amazement about neo-fascist
groups operating under the guise of sports and bodybuilding clubs.
Putin latched onto those sinister groups & encouraged them
because he recognized that he could nurture and control their nastiness.
They grew into a huge, government-supported youth movement called “Nashi”
which means “Ours” (as in Our folk, Our kind). I don’t know if the name “Nashi”
was intended to resemble “Nazi” but the organization has taken a lot from the
style book of the Nazi-era youth organization, the “Hitlerjugend”. Its
members are proud ultra-nationalists who have frequently been involved in
racist attacks.
Putin
has also, more generally, but diligently applied Hitler’s methods to how
he rules Russia and conducts aggression. For anyone who has read any serious
history books about WW2, the similarities between Hitler and Putin are
breathtaking. At the same time he accuses anyone who opposes him of being
fascist.
Askold Krushelnycky is a British citizen and freelance journalist whose parents were refugees from Ukraine. He is the author of “An Orange Revolution – A Personal Journey Through
Ukrainian History”, which was published in 2006 by Random House/Harvill
Secker. He is working on a second book that will focus on the
turbulent events in Ukraine since the fall of 2013, when mass
demonstrations turned into revolution and, ultimately, the present
conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
President Obama's Use of Executive Orders
USA Today's Gregory Korte looks back at President Obama’s use of
executive orders, including how his record compares to previous
presidents, particularly controversial orders, and what orders
President-elect Donald Trump could reverse.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Donald Trump Rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence spoke
to supporters at a rally celebrating their 2016 electoral victory.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
U.N. End-of-Year News Conference
Outgoing U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held his final year-end news conference.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Generational Experiences of Asian Americans
The program highlighted the generational experiences of Asian
Americans, including Japanese-Americans placed in internment camps
during World War II, as well as modern day challenges facing the Asian
American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South
Asian (MASSA) communities today.
White House 'Hidden Figures' Event
The White House invites you to tune in for an event highlighting Hidden
Figures in the history of space exploration. The event will feature the
stories of individuals who have made significant contributions to human
space flight, space science, and innovation but who have not often had
their stories told. The event will also include a Q&A with the cast
and crew of the movie Hidden Figures and remarks from Administration
officials.
Report: Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the White House Council on Women and Girls released
a report and will host a forum on the Administration’s work to advance
equity for women and girls of color and highlight the innovative
solutions and exciting place-based work that is happening throughout the
country. The forum will bring together a range of stakeholders from
the academic, private, government and philanthropic sectors to discuss
ways that we can break down barriers to success and create more ladders
of opportunity for all Americans, including women and girls of color.
The event will be livestreamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live and the full report is available here.
The
Council on Women and Girls, since its inception, has focused on the
needs and challenges of all women and girls. In 2014, as part of the
effort to take into account the distinctive concerns of women and girls,
the Council on Women and Girls launched a specific work stream called “Advancing Equity”
to ensure that policies and programs across the federal government take
into account the unique obstacles faced by women and girls, including
women and girls of color and women and girls from marginalized
communities.
In November 2014, the Council on Women and Girls released a report titled “Women and Girls of Color: Addressing Challenges and Expanding Opportunities” to
identify barriers and disparities facing women and girls of color. This
report addressed work done over the first six years of the
Administration to improve the lives of women and girls of color. It
discussed important issues, such as educational attainment, economic
security, health and safety, violence against women, and criminal and
juvenile justice. It also included a call to action for the
establishment of a federal interagency working group to develop
opportunities for advancement, which commenced in March of 2015.
One year later, in November 2015, the Council released a new report “Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color”
to highlight some of the additional steps taken by the Administration
on issues faced by women and girls of color from 2014 through 2015.[i] In that report, the Council on Women and Girls identified five data-driven issue areas where interventions can promote opportunities for success at school, work, and in the community for women and girls of color.
This
updated report serves as a follow-up to the 2014 and 2015 reports, and
as the culmination of the Advancing Equity work stream of this
Administration. The
Obama Administration has taken important steps forward in elevating,
and addressing, key issues that cause disparities for women and girls of
color, and women and girls from marginalized and underserved
populations. Moreover, the call to action around this work has inspired
philanthropic leaders, academic institutions, and non-profit
organizations to continue efforts that sustain and build upon the
successes achieved in improved life outcomes for women and girls of
color and their peers.
Source; The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
'Flashback Friday': Donald Trump 1989 Interview on the 'Central Park Five'
Note: This video was posted on From The G-Man on December 16 at 2:14 p.m. It was removed from YouTube less than 24 hours later.
Trailblazers in Black History: Angela Bassett
Born on August 16, 1958, in New York City, Angela Bassett attended the
Yale School of Drama and went on to star in the Tina Turner biopic What's Love Got to Do With It, for which the actress received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award. Other films have included Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Strange Days, Supernova and Mr. 3000. She wed fellow actor Courtney Vance in 1997.
Additional information is available here.
Source: Biography.com
U.S. Army Returns Tanks to Europe as NATO Eyes Assertive Russia
Three years after the last American tank left Europe, they are being
brought back "as part of our commitment to deterrence," Gen. Frederick
"Ben" Hodges told NBC News.
Hodges, who is commander of the U.S. Army in
Europe, welcomed a batch of tracked and wheeled support vehicles to a
depot in the Netherlands on Thursday.
Click here for the full article.
Pentagon: Chinese Navy Stole U.S. Underwater Drone
Two U.S. Navy Ocean Glider Unmanned Underwater Vehicle were
collecting data during what the Pentagon called a routine survey
approximately 50 nautical miles NW of Subic Bay, in the Philippines.
The gliders "stopped dead in the water" as they
awaited recovery by the USS Bowditch, an oceanographic research vessel. A
Chinese ship that was already shadowing the Bowditch swooped in and
"unlawfully retrieved" one of the gliders.
"They stole it," an official with knowledge of the incident told NBC News.
Click here for the full article.
Why It Matters That Trump Isn't Taking the Russia Hack Seriously
Trump isn't taking Russia's hack seriously. And that's the biggest story of all
Out of all of the recent developments in the
news about Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential race — the
CIA's conclusion that it was done to help Donald Trump, the NBC report that Vladimir Putin was personally involved — the biggest has been Trump's reaction.
First, he criticized the CIA. "These are the
same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction,"
his transition team said in a statement after the Washington Post's scoop last week.
Second, Trump questioned — falsely — why it took the Obama
administration so long to act on the claims of Russian interference. "If
Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait
so long to act?" he tweeted.
"Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?" (In fact, the Obama
administration on Oct. 7 named Russia as being behind the hacks.)
Click here for the full article.
Hillary Clinton Singles Out Putin, Comey in Election Loss
Hillary Clinton told donors on Thursday night that her loss was
partly due to U.S. election hacks directed by Russian President Vladimir
Putin and FBI director James Comey's election-eve letter to Congress
related to her use of a private email server.
"Putin publicly blamed me for the outpouring of
outrage by his own people…that is the direct line between what he said
back then and what he did in this Election," Clinton is heard saying in
an audio recording first obtained by the New York Times and verified as
authentic by several sources present at the event to NBC News.
Click here for the full article.
Obama Administration Extends Deadline for Healthcare.gov
The Obama administration is giving consumers a few extra days to
sign up on HealthCare.gov in time for health insurance coverage to take
effect Jan. 1.
The new deadline is 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on
Monday, Dec. 19, says Kevin Counihan, CEO of the federal health
insurance markets.
The unexpected extension was announced after close of business Thursday. Counihan said it's due to strong interest.
Click here for summary.
Toy Giveaway in the Bronx on December 20
Contact Leila Martinez or Samariz Gross at (718) 991-3161 for additional information.
Source: The Office of State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz
Governor Cuomo Calling A Special Session to Kill New York City’s Taxi Industry
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York
You should know that Governor
Andrew Cuomo is planning to call us legislators back to Albany for a Special
Session next week.
You should also know that in my
opinion, it is ridiculous to call us to Albany at the very end of the year
just to vote to remove any responsibility from Uber to get approval from
local authorities, and do whatever they want. This will kill all of New
York City’s livery bases, destroy our local taxi industry, and effectively
cut the throats of our taxi drivers.
On the other hand, these State regulations
they would like to ram through would not apply in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Ladies and gentlemen, you should
also know that I am only one vote, and my vote may not really count because
I am sure that Governor Andrew Cuomo has already made a deal with the Assembly
Speaker and the Senate Leader to have enough votes for him to do whatever
he wants to do.
But for right now, this Black guy
from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, with the kinky hair and the broken English is
not planning to go back to Albany until January 4, 2017.
So, for all of those Uber followers
and supporters who want to kill New York City’s local taxi industry, I
am afraid you will have to do it without my vote and in my absence.
I am not planning to go to negotiate
my salary increase so that Uber and the Governor can get away with killing
New York City’s taxi industry.
Winners & Losers 12/16/16
Another week, another stream of contestants on the
reality show playing out at Trump Tower. The biggest winner seemed to be
Kanye West, who got an unexpected meeting with the president-elect. The
loser though? Trump Grill, which Vanity Fair said “could be the worst restaurant in America.” At least our losers can breathe a sigh of relief that they weren't caught up in that circus.
Winners
Louis Ciminelli -
Buffalo’s biggest developer may still have a whole heap of trouble to
deal with, but at least one legal battle is going his way. A judge ruled
this week that a case brought by the Buffalo School Board - the effort
led by Ciminelli’s longtime rival in the ego-driven Western New York
real estate world, school board member Carl Paladino - alleging that his
company had withheld information in an effort to inflate profits on a
$1.3 billion reconstruction contract would be dismissed. With that out of the way, now all he has to worry about are those pesky federal bid-rigging charges.
Joseph Emminger - The town of Tonawanda supervisor breathed a sigh of relief this week, as investments from GM and a Japanese tire maker
will retain more than 2,000 jobs and add new employment in his Western
New York burg. While Gov. Andrew Cuomo came to town to shake hands and
plenty of state legislators showed up to laud the new investment - the
companies plan to spend more than $370 million - Emminger was the one
with the most to lose, as the future of the GM plant was uncertain, and
so is the real winner here.
Click here for the full article.
Source: City & State (via The Empire Report)
What Could Trump Do About North Korea?
Drawing
on her experience in North Korea, Christiane Amanpour examines the
issues, and realities, facing Donald Trump in that country.
Source: CNN
Ukraine to US: We Warned You About Russia
Officials from Ukraine and other countries say they warned the US about Russian cyberattacks.
Source: CNN
Young French Voters on National Front's Appeal
Jim Bittermann reports on the rise of France's National Front
Party and finds out why Marine Le Pen's populist ideas are resonating
with young voters.
Source: CNN
Young Girl Blamed for Police Station Bombing
Syrian state run television reports that a young girl is responsible for
an explosion at a police station.
Source: CNN
Aleppo's Emotional Evacuations
Some civilians and rebels have escaped the war-torn city, but conflicting reports suggest evacuation efforts may not last.
Source: CNN
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Donna Rice Hughes on Melania Trump Cyberbullying Platform
Melania Trump
Enough is Enough CEO Donna Rice Hughes discusses cyberbullying, which
incoming first lady Melania Trump has said will be her platform issue
after her husband takes the oath of office.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
The 2017 Economic Report of the President
WASHINGTON, DC – The Council
of Economic Advisers today issued the Economic Report of the President.
You can view the report here.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Statement on H.R. 6297 - Iran Sanctions Extension Act
The following statement was provided by White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.
This
Administration has made clear that an extension of the Iran Sanctions
Act, while unnecessary, is entirely consistent with our commitments in
the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Consistent with this
longstanding position, the extension of the Iran Sanctions Act is
becoming law without the President's signature. Extension of the Iran
Sanctions Act, which was in place at the time the
JCPOA was negotiated and remains so today, does not affect in any way
our ability to fulfil our commitments in the JCPOA. The Administration
has, and continues to use, all of the necessary authorities to waive the
relevant sanctions, to enforce those that
are outside the scope of the JCPOA, and to reimpose sanctions if
necessary in the event that Iran should fail to perform its commitments
under the JCPOA. Ensuring the continued implementation of the JCPOA is a
top strategic objective for the United States
and for our allies and partners around the world. The JCPOA makes our
nation, and the entire world, safer by verifiably ensuring Iran cannot
develop a nuclear weapon. As long as Iran adheres to its commitments
under the JCPOA, we remain steadfastly committed
to maintaining ours as well.
Kremlin Calls NBC Report Putin Directed Hack 'Laughable Nonsense'
The Kremlin on Thursday disputed an exclusive NBC News report that
U.S. intelligence has documented Vladimir Putin's personal involvement
in a Russian intelligence operation to interfere in the U.S.
presidential election.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the AP the report was "laughable nonsense."
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian
Foreign Ministry, accused "Western media" of being a "shill" and a
"mouthpiece of various power groups."
NBC News reported Thursday night that the U.S.
has information that Putin personally directed how material hacked by
Russian intelligence agencies was used during the campaign.
Click here for the full article.