Tag: Speech

Tonight Is The Night

The big news for today, Tuesday, is that Biden will strut into the joint session of Congress and give his speech, State of the Union….I will watch and write my review tomorrow but for those that have better things to do then here is what is expected tonight…..

President Biden delivers his second State of the Union address Tuesday night, but don’t expect a raft of specific new policy proposals given the near impossibility of making them reality in a divided Congress, reports the AP. Instead, expect a speech offering Americans general reassurances that the nation is on the right track, particularly with the economy in regard to inflation and unemployment. Presidential historian Luke Nichter of Chapman University sees Biden’s No. 1 goal as being a “calming presence” for the country. Another crucial task will be making the case that he should run for re-election, even as many Democratic voters are skeptical about that.

“I think this is an impossible speech to give because it’s a speech that requires him to speak both about the state of the union as it is and the direction he hopes to lead it, which is about playing the role of statesman,” political scientist William Howell of the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy tells the Hill. “But it also is going to lay the groundwork for most likely his own run for office in 2024, which will call for him to be decidedly political and to cover all kinds of ground.” The war in Ukraine and China’s spy balloon are likely to surface as topics on the world front.

“(W)e’re told not to expect a red-meat, campaign-style speech,” per the Politico Playbook. “Instead, expect a traditional presidential call for unity—and a subtler pitch for steady leadership over partisan chaos as Washington heads into a high-stakes standoff over the debt limit and long-term fiscal planning.” The speech starts at 9pm Eastern, and notable guests include the mother of Tyre Nichols, the man who stopped a gunman at a California dance hall, and Bono.

This speech will probably be a yawn because there is very little Biden can say or promise that will be at all doable.

Stay tuned for the speech review tomorrow here on IST.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

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MLK: From Vietnam To Ukraine

Yesterday was MLK, Jr Day, a Federal holiday, and I did not post this on his special day because I wanted people to remember him for his stellar work with civil rights and my post is about his antiwar stance.

As an antiwar activist his speeches on the cruelty of war were something I held dear.

In April 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered an eloquent and stirring denunciation of the Vietnam war and US militarism. The speech titled “Beyond Vietnam” is relevant to today’s war in Ukraine.

In the speech at Riverside Church, King talked about how the US had supported France in trying to re-colonize Vietnam. He noted, “Before the end of the war we were meeting 80% of the French war costs.”

When France began to despair in the war, “We encouraged them with our huge financial and military supplies to continue the war.”

King went on to recall that after the French finally left Vietnam, the United States prevented implementation of the Geneva Accord which would have allowed Ho Chi Minh to unite the divided country. Instead, the US supported its preferred South Vietnamese dictator.

The U.S. has played a similar role in blocking compromise solutions and international agreements to the Ukraine conflict. Following Ukraine protests in February 2014, the European Union negotiated an agreement between President Yanukovich and the opposition to have early new elections. The attitude of lead US official Victoria Nuland was crystallized in her secretly recorded comment, “F*** the EU!.” Despite the agreement, a violent bloody coup led by ultra-nationalist Ukrainians was “midwifed”.

The ultra-nationalist coup government immediately started implementing policies hostile to the Russian speaking citizens of Ukraine. The coup and the new policies provoked the conflicts and resistance which have led to the situation today. The coup and policies were abhorred by a majority of Ukrainians, especially in eastern Ukraine. The Russian speaking Ukrainian citizens of Crimea voted overwhelmingly to secede from Ukraine and re-unify with Russia.

The Minsk Accords of 2014 and 2015 were intended to resolve the conflict by granting some autonomy to the the Russian speaking sections in the eastern Donbass but keeping them within Ukraine. Thanks to the admissions of two prominent former European leaders, Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande, we know that the West and their Ukrainian government puppet never intended to implement the Minsk Agreement.

Like the 1954 Geneva Accords regarding Vietnam, the 2014 and 2015 Minsk Agreements on Ukraine were never implemented because Washington did not want a compromise.

MLK: Beyond Vietnam to Ukraine

His words were not heeded in the 60s and they

are still falling on deaf ears.

History does have a way of repeating itself.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Biden’s UN Speech

AS per usual the president of the United States has made his mandatory speech to the UN General Assembly….and as usual the speech is full of hypocrisy…..

Of course Ukraine had to be a prominent part of the speech…..

At the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, President Biden focused most of his speech on Ukraine and accused Russia of violating the UN Charter by launching the war.

“Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the United Nations Charter — no more important than the clear prohibition against countries taking the territory of their neighbor by force,” he said.

Biden’s comments highlight US hypocrisy on the issue as Washington currently occupies a major portion of eastern Syria despite the Syrian government’s opposition. The US also supports Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its blockade of Gaza, and Saudi Arabia’s war and blockade on its neighbor Yemen.

Biden said that the US will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia based on the principle that “you cannot seize a nation’s territory by force.”

The president also accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of making “reckless” nuclear threats. Earlier in the day, Putin ordered a partial mobilization and warned Russia could use nuclear weapons if its “territorial integrity” was “threatened.”

“President Putin has made overt nuclear threats against Europe and a reckless disregard for the responsibilities of the non-proliferation regime,” Biden said.

US support for Ukraine in its war against Russia has escalated tensions to a point where many experts and officials believe there is a greater risk of nuclear war today than there was during the Cold War. But the US shows no sign of backing down on its policy of supporting Ukraine, and Putin’s moves on Wednesday signaled a Russian escalation in Ukraine.

An interesting speech…..and as usual it was full of contradictory statements…..

The US condemns others for the same things they do…..take for instance the invasion and occupation of Iraq….or US is currently occupies a major portion of eastern Syria despite the government’s objection.

I understand the support for Ukraine but we should stop trying to claim the moral high ground….it is as if “Do as I say not as I do” sort of thing.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

SOTU–2022

Last night the president trotted his butt out and addressed a joint session of Congress to give his State of the Union speech…..here is my take for those that had rather watch paint dry.

Ukraine was front and center of this speech…..

Here is a short list of the proverbial promises…..

President Biden began his first State of the Union address Tuesday night with a focus on Ukraine, and he got a bipartisan standing ovation with his condemnation of Vladimir Putin’s invasion. That big line early: “Freedom will always triumph over tyranny,” he said, per CNN. Members of both parties were holding Ukrainian flags.

  • Putin: “Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways,” Biden said. “But he badly miscalculated.”
  • US airspace: Biden also delivered a tangible piece of news, announcing that Russian airlines are banned from flying in US airspace. The US follows Canada, Britain, and the European Union in making the move. The main effect is that the Russian airline Aeroflot can no longer travel to or from the US, or even travel over the country en route to somewhere else, reports the New York Times. The Washington Post notes the ban also is expected to affect Volga-Dnepr Airlines, a Russian cargo carrier used by Boeing to move aircraft parts in the US.
  • Inflation: Biden pledged to get inflation under control. “We have a choice,” Biden said, per the AP. “One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages.” Among other things, he urged investment in US manufacturing so the US would be less dependent on foreign supply chains. “Economists call it ‘increasing the productive capacity of our economy,'” said Biden. “I call it building a better America.”
  • Tax reform: “I may be wrong, but my guess is if we took a secret ballot on this floor, that we would all agree that the present tax system ain’t fair,” said Biden. He called for reform, adding that his policies would not raise taxes on those who make less than $400,000 a year. “I’m not looking to punish anybody. But let’s make corporations and wealthy Americans start paying their fair share.”
  • More on Ukraine: “Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he will never gain the hearts and souls of the Ukrainian people,” Biden said. “He will never extinguish their love of freedom. He will never weaken the resolve of the free world.” He said Russia would emerge from all this a weaker nation.

All in all a pretty standard and boring speech.

Now aren’t you glad you had better things to do than watch this worthless waste of time?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Biden Speaks

The ‘leaders’ of the ‘Free World” all walked to the cameras and spoke to the unwashed masses about the situation in Ukraine….

Biden Spoke…..

President Biden imposed more sanctions on Russia Thursday, including on major banks and individuals with ties to the Kremlin, reports the Hill. Vladimir Putin “chose this war, and now he and his country will bear the consequences,” said Biden at an afternoon news conference about the Ukraine invasion, per the New York Times. Some other key lines and points, from outlets including the Washington Post, the AP, and Axios.

  • The aim: Putin “has much larger ambitions than Ukraine,” said Biden. “He wants to, in fact, re-establish the former Soviet Union. That what this is about.”
  • US troops: Biden said he was authorizing more US troops to deploy to Europe but reiterated a key point: “Let me say it again: Our forces are not and will not be engaged in a conflict with Russia in Ukraine. Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine, but to defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the east. As I made crystal clear, the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of American power.”
  • Sanctions’ pain: The new sanctions “are going to impose severe costs on the Russian economy both immediately and over time,” said the president. “We have purposely designed these sanctions to maximize a long-term impact on Russia and to minimize the impact on the United States and our allies.” In response to a question, he said the impact on Americans would be short-lived “as long as we continue to stay resolved.” He also pledged the sanctions would not disrupt the oil markets, though oil prices were surging.
  • From the AP: “Biden, for now, held off imposing some of the most severe sanctions, including cutting Russia out of the SWIFT payment system, which allows for the transfers of money from bank to bank around the globe, or Russia’s energy sector.”
  • No bullies: “This aggression cannot go unanswered and if it did the consequences for America would be much worse,” said Biden. “America stands up to bullies. We stand up to freedom.”
  • China: Is he urging China to rein in Putin? Biden said he was “not prepared to comment” on that for now.

My question is if the US saw this coming months ago then why was Ukraine caught flat footed after all the aid sent their way just 650 million just recently?  90 tons of military aid was sent just this year and yet that made little difference.

Just wondering.

I see Biden and the Boyz are watching the polls…..most Americans do not want a major role for the US in this conflict….

Just 26% say the U.S. should have a major role in the conflict, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Fifty-two percent say a minor role; 20% say none at all.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to think the U.S. should have a major role in the conflict, 32% to 22%. Overall, the poll shows 43% of Americans now approve of Biden’s handling of the U.S. relationship with Russia, a downtick from 49% in June of last year.

These stats show very well what I have been saying for years….that the Dems are just as pro-war as the GOP…..money well spent by the M-IC.

I listened earlier to Boris Johnson’s speech…..basically the same speech…..so everyone is on the same page here.

Sanctions?

If these new sanctions will be effective then why not impose them earlier and avoid the loss of life?

I think Putin will giggle at these attempts…..if they do not work….what then?

Finally the ex-prez made a statement on the Ukraine situation…..

“[Putin] was going to be satisfied with the peace and now he sees the weakness and the incompetence and the stupidity of this administration. And as an American, I’m angry about it and I’m saddened by it, and it all happened because of a rigged election. This would have never happened, and that includes inflation, and that includes millions of people pouring in on a monthly basis. Far more than 3 million people, and they’re coming from 129 different countries. We have no idea what’s happening, and they’re destroying our country.”

Of course that statement was made on the Trump cheer leading media outlet….which seems to be saying that the destruction of a nation is okay with them.

A word to the wise…..since Russia and China have signed a few agreements it would behoove the US to keep an eye on the actions of China in the next few days or weeks.

I am sure there is much more to be said by all players…..

I will be watching and listening so you do not have to…..

Watch This Blog!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Biden At The UN

Uncle Joe did what most presidents have done…..he went to the UN and gave a speech outlining his agenda…..and the prospects for the planet.

In the past some of these speeches have been memorable and those were just damn laughable…..Joe’s was….well you decide…..

President Biden used his first address before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to declare that the world stands at an “inflection point in history” and must move quickly to address the issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and human rights abuses. Some highlights, via the AP and the Wall Street Journal:

  • Cold War: Without mentioning China directly, Biden acknowledged increasing concerns about rising tensions between the two nations. But he said, “We are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs.”

(And we have done just that with all the mash-up and war or words with China)

  • Afghanistan: “We’ve ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan,” Biden said. “And as we close this period of relentless war, we’re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of lifting people up around the world.”

(And yet we are doing nothing to change the attitude to war)

  • Cooperation: Biden urged global unity on “ending this pandemic; addressing the climate crisis; managing the shifts in global power dynamics; shaping the roles of the world on vital issues like trade, cyber, and emerging technologies; and facing the threat of terrorism as it stands today.”

(And yet corporations still control the response to the climate problems they help to create)

  • Pandemic’s lesson: “Our shared grief is a poignant reminder that our collective future will hinge on our ability to recognize our common humanity and to act together,” said Biden, adding that the next decade “will quite literally determine our futures.”
  • A duty: “All the major powers of the world have a duty, in my view, to carefully manage their relationships so they do not tip from responsible competition to conflict,” he said.

(Okay this part is just damn laughable….nothing Biden is doing shows such a duty)

All in all it was a typical UN speech to the world…..generated some news tags but all in all showed nothing that will make the world a safer place for us mere mortals to live upon.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

New Biden Covid Response

Yet another press conference and speech about Covid from the president…..

The details of an aggressive new push by the White House on COVID are emerging, with new rules affecting federal employees, larger businesses, and health care workers.

  • Federal workers: Biden will sign an executive order requiring all of the estimated 2.1 million federal employees to get their shots, reports CNN. The rule also applies to the millions of contractors who work with the government. The only exceptions will be for those with disabilities or who decline for religious reasons.
  • Health workers: The White House also will require that all staff at health facilities that receive federal funding be vaccinated, reports Politico. That would include hospitals that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding. In all, the White House estimates this rule will affect 50,000 facilities.
  • Larger businesses: All businesses with more than 100 employees will have to require vaccinations or weekly tests of their workers, reports the Washington Post. This policy would affect an estimated 80 million workers, or two-thirds of the nation’s workforce.
  • Big change: No longer will federal employees be able to skip the shot by agreeing to get tested regularly. Over the summer, the White House required vaccinations or testing. That substitute is no longer an option, at least for federal employees, notes the Wall Street Journal.
  • A deadline: Federal workers will have about 75 days to get vaccinated. If they don’t, disciplinary procedures get rolling that could result in the employee being fired.
  • A model: “The expectation is if you want to work in the federal government or want to be a contractor, you need to be vaccinated,” said press secretary Jen Psaki. “We would like to be a model to what we think other businesses and organizations should do around the country.”

Like I said….yet another plan…..but will it start a new rush to be vaccinated?

I do not believe so…if anything it may make the divisions in society even more pronounced….

I give Biden an “A” for effort….but that is the best I can do right now.

I hope the American prove me wrong….but I am not holding my breath.

To those unvaccinated people out there I want to say…..’can’t fix stupid’!

Watch This Blog!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Closing Thought–09August21

Biden has asked permission of the people of the 9/11 Memorial to visit…..it will be a typical speech and photo op that could well make it into some re-election video…..now the people have responded…..

President Biden has been informed that he won’t be welcome at events marking the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks unless he declassifies documents that could tie Saudi Arabian leaders to the terrorism. More than 1,800 relatives of victims, first responders, and attack survivors have signed onto the demand, NBC reports. “We cannot in good faith, and with veneration to those lost, sick, and injured, welcome the president to our hallowed grounds until he fulfills his commitment,” their statement says. The group maintains that Biden promised as a presidential candidate to release information but has since fallen silent on the issue and been unresponsive to its requests. The White House said Friday that staffers have met with members of the group. “Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones on 9/11,” a spokesperson said.

The 9/11 Commission did not find evidence that Saudi leaders were involved in the attack, though its report called Saudi Arabia a “problematic ally.” But since the commission ended its work in 2004, the statement says, “much investigative evidence has been uncovered implicating Saudi government officials in supporting the attacks.” The commission did find that Saudi nationals funded al-Qaeda, per NBC. The Saudi government has denied involvement; 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 terrorists were Saudis. Some members of the group believe that Saudi leaders knew the attack, which killed about 2,500 people, was planned but didn’t try to stop it. Saudi Arabia, which did not issue a comment immediately Friday, faces lawsuits for billions of dollars from victims’ families, per the Guardian. Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump also would not declassify the records.

Bully for them!

It is high time the the US STOP caudling the murderous regimes like Saudi Arabia and Israel.

I say screw Biden until he releases those documents regardless what they say.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The “Orange” Return

Saturday that other guy that was president return to the rally circuit….and as usual he rambled and babbled for an hour and a half….and the peasants rejoiced.

Donald Trump on Saturday pushed Republicans to support candidates who are loyal to him in next year’s midterm elections as the former president launched a new more active phase of his post presidency. Trump, 74, teased the prospect of another presidential bid of his own in 2024, but vowed first to be an active presence on the campaign trail for those who share his values in next year’s fight for control of Congress. “The survival of America depends on our ability to elect Republicans at every level starting with the midterms next year,” Trump charged early in what the AP describes as a rambling speech that spanned nearly an hour and a half. Standout details:

  • Trump’s speech to an estimated 1,200 Republican officials, activists, and supporters gathered for the North Carolina GOP convention in Greenville was the opening appearance in what is expected to be a new phase of rallies and public events. His advisers are already eyeing subsequent appearances in Ohio, Florida, Alabama, and Georgia to help bolster midterm candidates and energize voters.
  • Invited to the stage briefly during his remarks, Trump daughter-in-law and North Carolina native Lara Trump announced she would not run for the Senate because of family obligations. “I am saying no for now, not no forever,” Lara Trump said.
  • Minutes later, Trump announced his endorsement of loyalist Rep. Ted Budd in the crowded Republican primary, adding a slap at former Gov. Pat McCrory, who has been critical of Trump’s falsehoods about the 2020 election. “You can’t pick people who have already lost two races and do not stand for our values,” Trump said. McCrory served as the North Carolina governor from 2013 to 2017, but lost elections before and after his term.
  • Trump focused his early remarks on President Biden, referring to “the most radical left-wing administration in history. … As we gather tonight our country is being destroyed before our very eyes.” The former president waited more than an hour to reference the 2020 election, which he described as “the crime of the century.”
  • The Guardian reports he also went after Anthony Fauci, whom he called “not a great doctor but a great promoter. … He’s been wrong on almost every issue and he was wrong on Wuhan and the lab also,” Trump said.
  • The Hill reports Trump zeroed in on China, its pandemic role, and what he believes it owes us. “The time has come for America and the world to demand reparations and accountability,” he said. “China must pay, they must pay.” More specifically, he believes the world should give China a bill for a minimum of $10 trillion. “The damage is far, far greater than that,” Trump said. “As a first step, all countries should collectively cancel any debt they owe to China as a down payment on reparations.”

The lies and bullsh*t has begun again.

All in all it was an hour and a half of hate and lies…..and the peasants rejoiced.

A pathetic display by a master of pathetic displays.

Watch This Blog!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Progressive Response.

Biden made his speech to the joint session and then we had the GOP’s response given by Sen. Scott of South Carolina…and now there is a “progressive’ response to the Biden speech given by Jamaal Bowman of New York…..

And his response went something like this…..

Democratic Congressman Jamaal Bowman of New York responded to President Joe Biden’s address Wednesday night with a rousing call for transformational change, arguing that the path the president charted during his speech and first 100 days in office is not sufficiently bold to tackle the immediate and long-term emergencies of climate change, soaring wealth inequality, and racial injustice.

“The crises we’re facing go well beyond the Covid-19 pandemic,” Bowman said in an address delivered on behalf of the Working Families Party. “While the richest billionaires got one trillion dollars richer during the pandemic, more than ten million families are behind on rent today, and there are eight million fewer jobs than a year ago. The climate crisis continues to ravage our communities, and scientists tell us we’re running out of time to act.”

“Every week,” Bowman continued, “we see an unconscionable new video of police violence against Black and brown men, women, and even children.”

While applauding Biden’s recent infrastructure, green jobs, and safety-net proposals as “important steps,” Bowman argued the president’s plans “don’t go as big as we’d truly need in order to solve the crises of jobs, climate and care. We need to think bigger.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/04/29/we-need-think-bigger-jamaal-bowman-delivers-progressive-response-biden

I do not go as far as to call Bowman a progressive but he does have the ear of a massive population….and the DNC was afraid to use a true progressive because of the blow back they fear would bite them min the ass at election time.

I like some of the ideas…but I feel they are not big enough….and as I keep saying to ALL Dems….”Go Big Or Go Home”

Turn The Page!

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“lego ergo scribo”