Thread: President Joe Biden

Old Joe's getting good at this

Biden again says US would defend Taiwan if China attacks

US President Joe Biden has again said the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an "unprecedented attack" by China.

Speaking in a CBS interview, Mr Biden replied "Yes" when asked if that meant US forces would defend Taiwan.

The interview aired on Sunday, prompting the White House to reiterate that US policy had not changed.

Washington's policy has always been one of "strategic ambiguity" - it does not commit to defending Taiwan, but also does not rule out the option.

Taiwan is a self-ruled island off the coast of eastern China that Beijing claims as part of its territory. Washington has long walked a diplomatic tightrope over the issue. On the one hand it adheres to the One China policy, a cornerstone of its relationship with Beijing.

Under this policy, Taiwan is a part of China and the position is not challenged. So the US does not recognise it as a separate state and has no diplomatic ties with the island. But it maintains close relations and sells arms to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US must provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Mr Biden reiterated this in the CBS 60 Minutes interview on Sunday.

"There's a One-China policy and Taiwan makes their own judgements on their independence. We are not moving, not encouraging their being independent - that's their decision," he said.

Mr Biden had made similar comments in May, vowing to intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if it was attacked. The White House had quickly followed up by saying there was no departure from America's long-standing policy.

This time too the White House has issued a statement that appears to contradict Mr Biden: "The President has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made clear then that our Taiwan policy hasn't changed. That remains true."

But this is the third time in a year that President Biden has gone further than the official stance in indicating a promise of military action - in October 2021 and then again in May this year.

more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62951347

^
That ole fool needs to shut the fu*k up.

Originally Posted by HermantheGerman

^
That ole fool needs to shut the fu*k up.

Why? Joe is simply stating what the US position has been for decades. Nothing new here. Note not just a US position on nations agreeing to the one China agreement.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

Under this policy, Taiwan is a part of China and the position is not challenged. So the US does not recognise it as a separate state and has no diplomatic ties with the island. But it maintains close relations and sells arms to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US must provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Mr Biden reiterated this in the CBS 60 Minutes interview on Sunday.

He needs to keep the chinkies on their toes. It's a nice little "will he won't he" so all they'll do is their usual bluster.

• Biden says Russia 'shamelessly violated' U.N. principles in its invasion of Ukraine after Putin escalates conflict

President Joe Biden slammed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as having “shamelessly violated” United Nations principles during a speech to the world body Wednesday, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to threaten to use nuclear weapons against Kyiv.

“Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the U.N. charter — no more important than the clear prohibition against countries taking the territory of their neighbors by force,” Biden told the U.N. General Assembly. “If nations can pursue their imperial ambitions without consequences, then we put at risk everything this very institution stands for.”

In a roughly 30-minute speech, he said that the war in Ukraine was about “extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist as a state … and Ukraine’s right to exist as a people,” calling out Putin for making “irresponsible nuclear threats.”

“A nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought,” Biden said in his speech.

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• Biden approves major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico

President Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico and ordered federal aid to assist with recovery efforts in the areas affected by the deadly Hurricane Fiona, the White House announced Wednesday evening.

Driving the news: Local officials told AP Wednesday they were having difficulty trying to reach stranded residents days after Fiona swept through, cutting off areas in "at least six municipalities" after triggering heavy rains, mudslides and flooding that destroyed bridges, roads and property.

The big picture: President Biden declared a federal disaster for Puerto Rico after Fiona struck, knocking out power to the entire island.

• Gov. Pedro Pierluisi requested the major disaster declaration on Tuesday. He tweeted his thanks to Biden and Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell for the declaration, which he said would ensure towns had additional FEMA help to assist in storm damage recovery.

What they're saying: Criswell said at a briefing in Puerto Rico Wednesday after visiting affected areas that initial recovery efforts were about "stabilizing the incident and bringing the communities to a level that they can function," before moving into rebuilding infrastructure to be more resilient "so that they can withstand future impacts."


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• House passes Jan. 6 election reform bill

House lawmakers on Wednesday voted to approve legislation crafted by two members of the Jan. 6 committee that seeks to protect elections from interference by lawmakers.

The Presidential Election Reform Act (PERA) reaffirms that the vice president’s role in certifying the election is purely ceremonial, and drastically increases the number of lawmakers in each chamber needed to object to the certification of electors from one member to one-third of the body.

It also targets other actions taken by former President Trump in the lead up to Jan. 6, making explicit the role governors play in the electoral process. The bill takes aim at the faux election certificates crafted by Trump’s team and the pressure campaign in various states to replace their electors with those who would vote for then-President Trump.

The bill passed in a 229-203 vote, with nine Republicans joining all Democrats present in supporting the measure: Reps. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), Fred Upton (Mich.), Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.), Peter Meijer (Mich.), Tom Rice (S.C.), John Katko (N.Y.), Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio) and Chris Jacobs (N.Y.).

During debate on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) — a sponsor of the bill and a member of the Jan. 6 select committee — said the legislation “will make it harder to convince people that they have the right to overthrow the election.”

“Ultimately, this bill is about protecting the will of the American voters, which is a principle that is beyond partisanship. The bottom line is this — if you want to object to the vote, you better have your colleagues and the constitution on your side. Don’t try to overturn our democracy,” she added.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the second sponsor of the bill and one of two Republicans on the Jan. 6 panel, argued that the measure would “prevent Congress from illegally choosing the president itself.”

The bill drafted by Lofgren and Cheney may be the only formal legislation to come out of the committee.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...n-reform-bill/

Originally Posted by S Landreth

President Biden said it's his intention to run for re-election, but it's "much too early" to make a "firm decision" on 2024.

if he wins will he be able to find the white house, he was having trouble finding his way off stage at the UN

Originally Posted by malmomike77

if he wins

If?

• President Biden Surprises Teary Elton John With National Humanities Medal at White House Concert

Sir Elton John was moved to tears as President Joe Biden surprised the enduring music icon with a National Humanities Medal.

John, at the White House on Friday to perform at A+E and History’s “A Night When Hope and History Rhyme,” looked visibly shocked and humbled as the president addressed the thousands in the audience. “Tonight is my great honor, and I mean this sincerely, to present the National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John,” Biden said.

A White House officer elaborated on John’s contributions, saying, “The President of the United States awards this National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John for moving our souls with his powerful voice, one of the defining songbooks of all time. An enduring icon and advocate with absolute courage, who found purpose to challenge convention, shatter stigma and advance a simple truth: that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”

It was a bipartisan night on the South Lawn of the White House, which was packed with teachers, first responders, and veterans, as well as Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, former First Lady Laura Bush and her daughter Jenna Bush Hager, Anna Kendrick, activist Malala Yousafzai and tennis legend Billie Jean King. Paul Buccieri, president and chairman of A+E Networks Group, opened the evening by welcoming the guests to the White House.

Over the course of the brisk evening, John received a total of seven standing ovations as he delighted the crowd with some of his biggest hits, including “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Your Song” and “I’m Still Standing.”

John spoke throughout the night about the advocacy and work he’s done since creating the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1991, adding that he wants to eradicate the disease by 2030. “We can do it, and we will,” he said defiantly.

He also thanked George W. Bush, who was not in attendance, for his “astonishing” work to expedite the fight against HIV and AIDS. He addressed the former president’s wife, saying, “President Bush accelerated the whole thing with his PEPFAR bill. We would have never gotten as far without President Bush — please tell him for me, give him a big hug. I just wish America could be more bipartisan on everything.”

“The AIDS epidemic,” he mentioned earlier in the night, “has always been bipartisan in America. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rang [United States Senator] Lindsey Graham. And to his credit, he’s always come through.”

Past recipients of the National Humanities Medal, a recognition that’s given to people whose work as “deepens the nation’s understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens’ engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to important resources in the humanities,” include National Public Radio host Terry Gross, chef José Andrés and Elie Wiesel.

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Joe Biden Hits Another Year-High Approval Rating In New Poll, Thanks To Women

Originally Posted by S Landreth

• Biden admin to cover Hurricane Fiona recovery costs for next month

President Biden announced Thursday that the federal government will cover 100% of costs for the next month as Puerto Rico recovers from Hurricane Fiona.

You mean he's not just going to go there and throw kitchen towels at them?

Imagine...

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

You mean he's not just going to go there and throw kitchen towels at them?

Imagine...

In his defense, Donny douche-bag was just practicing is jumpshot.

Stephen Colbert’s newest nickname for Trump:

“ The Count of Mostly Crisco.”

• Biden administration to propose new rules for airline fees requiring more transparency

President Joe Biden plans to announce new rules on Monday that would require airlines and online travel agencies to disclose fees for seat selection, checked baggage and other add-ons along with fares, the administration’s latest effort to bolster passenger protections after a rocky summer travel season.

Airlines charge travelers for a number of additional perks, which used to come with the cost of a ticket, including a fee for advanced selection for many seats on board, even those without extra legroom.

“Airline passengers deserve to know the full, true cost of their flights before they buy a ticket,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a news release. “This new proposed rule would require airlines to be transparent with customers about the fees they charge, which will help travelers make informed decisions and save money.”

Carriers and online travel agencies have updated their websites in recent years to call out basic economy tickets, airlines’ most restrictive but cheaper fares. Airline executives have said they want passengers to avoid those tickets in favor of more flexible standard economy tickets.

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• Biden quips he knows ‘something about being counted out’ to World Series champs Atlanta Braves

President Biden hosted the Atlanta Braves, who won the 2021 World Series, at the White House on Monday, quipping that he also knows “about being counted out.”

Biden called Atlanta’s World Series win “one of history’s greatest turnarounds.”

“I know a little something about being counted out, and I know in Georgia, you show up when it counts,” the president said.

The team gifted Biden a Braves jersey with the number 46, which the president held up and showed around the room before taking a photograph with the team.

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Just for fun.

• Biden vows to save Social Security, Medicare but gives few details

President Joe Biden on Tuesday put the spotlight on Medicare and Social Security, hot button issues that could pack a political punch six weeks before the midterm elections.

His remarks at the White House were delivered days after the popular programs got little attention in House Republicans’ rollout of the agenda they promise to pursue if voters give them control in November.

Both Medicare and Social Security face long-run financing problems.

Democrats’ proposed solutions have generally focused on increasing taxes on higher income earners while also promising to expand benefits.

Republicans accuse Democrats of further straining Medicare through recent efforts to lower prescription drug costs. Many Republicans have backed raising the eligibility age for Medicare and the retirement age for Social Security as part of a plan to keep the programs solvent without hiking taxes.

The latest

• Because the government is paying out more in monthly Social Security benefits than it’s collecting in taxes, it’s projected to run out of reserves to fully fund benefits in 2035. At that point, it would have enough money to cover 80% of benefits.
• The Medicare trust fund, which covers inpatient hospital services, will only be able to pay 90% of scheduled benefits after 2028.
• Biden initially planned to travel to the retirement haven of Florida to talk about Social Security and Medicare. With a hurricane heading toward Florida, Biden instead spoke at the White House.
• Biden accused Republicans of wanting to cut the programs without detailing his own past promise to fix the funding shortfalls. Instead, he focused on recent steps to reduce prescription drug costs for Medicare patients.
• Social Security and Medicare are consistently top issues for senior citizens who vote at higher rates than younger Americans.

Remarks by President Biden on Medicare and the Inflation Reduction Act - The White House

^"she was on his mind"

• White House hosts first conference on hunger in decades: ‘No child should go to bed hungry’

The Biden administration on Wednesday hosted a conference on hunger, nutrition and health, the first such conference the White House has hosted in more than 50 years.

Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, President Biden called for the U.S. to build on the measures passed under his administration meant to improve financial security for families, such as the expanded child tax credit and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Biden also proclaimed his aim of ending hunger in the U.S. by 2030.

“This goal’s within our reach. Let’s look at how far we’ve come on child poverty. Thirty years ago, as was referenced, 1 in 4 children lived below the poverty line. Today, 1 in 20 live below the poverty line. So I know we can tackle hunger as well,” said Biden.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the conference will seek to identify nutrition problems within the U.S. and map out immediate recommendations to address these issues. He stated that the food insecurity issues that former President Franklin D. Roosevelt once noted at a nutrition conference in 1941 are still relevant today.

“The first White House conference on food and nutrition more than 50 years ago made significant progress towards reducing food insecurity. Today, USDA runs nutrition assistance programs that serve 1 in 4 Americans every year. However, food and nutrition insecurity still remains unacceptably high,” Vilsack said.

Biden noted the efforts made during his term so far to improve the economy, such as the more than $1 trillion COVID-19 recovery package, which he said have helped to address food insecurity issues.

“Soon after I came to office, I signed what’s called the American Rescue Plan into law. It helped put food on the table and keep a roof over the heads of millions of American families. It helped our economy create nearly 10 million new jobs. Most jobs created in that time frame in American history,” Biden said.

“Overwhelmingly, working families use the child tax credit to buy food and other basic needs for their families. And has helped cut child poverty by nearly 50 percent in the United States. 50 percent. And it cut food insecurity for families by 26 percent.”

The White House’s anti-hunger strategy released on Tuesday laid out numerous goals, including expanding free school meals for children by 9 million by the year 2032. The administration also announced the creation of a pilot program to test medically tailored meals for Medicare.

Biden called for a bipartisan effort to address hunger, saying, “In every country in the world, every state in this country, no matter what else divides us — if a parent cannot feed a child, there’s nothing else that matters to that parent. If you look at your child and you can’t feed your child, what the hell else matters?

Recent data has suggested that rates of food insecurity rose recently in response to economic stressors and the end of some safety net programs.

A report from the Urban Institute this month found that 1 out of 5 U.S. adults said their households experienced food insecurity during this past summer. Almost 1 out of 4 parents or guardians in the same study reported that their households were food insecure.

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• More Democrats want Biden to run in 2024; Harris top choice if he doesn’t: poll

Next up in the new poll was Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has recently drawn more 2024 rumors, with 13 percent.

Lower down on the list was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) with 8 percent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) with 7 percent, California Gov. Gavin Newsom with 6 percent and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) with 4 percent.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

^"she was on his mind"

• Biden: FEMA's response to Hurricane Ian is ‘reinforcing’ faith in government

President Joe Biden on Thursday praised the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its response to Hurricane Ian, telling the room full of FEMA workers that they’re restoring Americans’ faith in their government.

Biden stopped to speak to the workers after attending a FEMA briefing on the hurricane’s devastation in Florida. He said over the past six to 10 years, faith in government institutions has been eroding.

“You are reinforcing people’s faith in institutions,” Biden said at the FEMA headquarters. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Restoring trust in government and its institutions has long been a pillar of the Biden’s agenda, and was a focal point of his campaign for president as he challenged Donald Trump in 2020. During Biden’s first year in office, he signed an executive order aimed at this priority, making it easier for Americans to renew passports, apply for Social Security and receive aid after facing natural disasters — the idea being to put public interest and customer service at the center of government operations.

The public’s trust in government has remained low through much of the 21st Century. But the data is approaching a new all-time low, according to the latest research from Pew Research Center that found that just 20 percent of Americans feel that “they trust the government in Washington to do the right thing just about always or most of the time.”

During Thursday’s speech, Biden thanked FEMA again and other federal employees for their emergency response.

“I’ve seen you in action all across the country from the West coast of the Northwest and the Northeast, down in Louisiana, all across this country,” Biden said. “And just in the last two weeks, you’ve been working 24/7. No matter what, when emergencies happen, FEMA is always there. You deserve the nation’s gratitude and full support.”

Asked Thursday about his calls with GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Biden brushed off the divergent politics and rhetorical sparring between the two men that have escalated in recent weeks ahead of November’s midterm elections. Already Biden has issued a disaster declaration in the state, which will provide Florida with federal aid to supplement state, local and tribal recovery efforts in impacted areas. The president also said he will travel to Florida when conditions allow.

“This is not about anything having to do with our disagreements politically. This is about saving people’s lives, homes and businesses,” he said. “That’s what this is about.”

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Just for fun.

• Big lawsuit against Biden's student debt cancellation gets shot down in less than a week

United States District Court Judge Richard L. Young on Thursday declined to block the Biden administration's student debt forgiveness plan.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday by Frank Garrison, an Indiana attorney who works for the Pacific Legal Foundation. Garrison said he did not want $20,000 worth of forgiven debt because he would have to pay more than $1,000 in Indiana state taxes.

One day later, on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education responded, saying Garrison would not suffer irreparable harm.

"Upon receiving this lawsuit and reviewing Plaintiff’s filings, the Department has already taken steps to effectuate Plaintiff’s clearly stated desire to opt out of the program and not receive $20,000 in automatic cancellation of his federal student loan debt, and so notified Plaintiff’s counsel today," the Department of Education responded.

On Thursday, Judge Young agreed in an order denying a temporary restraining order, writing, "The court, in view of the fact the Department of Education exempted Plaintiff from receiving debt relief, finds Plaintiff cannot be irreparably harmed as is required for preliminary relief."

https://storage.courtlistener.com/re...03163.16.0.pdf

"Upon receiving this lawsuit and reviewing Plaintiff’s filings, the Department has already taken steps to effectuate Plaintiff’s clearly stated desire to opt out of the program and not receive $20,000 in automatic cancellation of his federal student loan debt, and so notified Plaintiff’s counsel today," the Department of Education responded.

Well haven't they made him look the dumb shit.

• Biden signs bill to honor Jackie Walorski

President Biden on Friday signed a bill to honor the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), days after the president asked if the congresswoman, who died in an August vehicular accident, was in the room during an event this week.

The bill designates the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Mishawaka, Ind., as the Jackie Walorski VA Clinic. Biden signed it in a private ceremony with members of Walorski’s family and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), according to the White House.

“The president has been looking forward to hosting the late representative’s family and other lawmakers to honor her legacy,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday. “Clearly this is an important moment for her, for her family.”

Walorski’s husband, mother, brother and staff attended, as well as other lawmakers, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

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• Biden watches Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson swearing in

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was welcomed there Friday with a traditional investiture ceremony attended by President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses.

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• Biden denounces Kremlin’s ‘phony’ move to annex Ukrainian territory

President Joe Biden on Friday strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration that four provinces of Ukraine will become Russian territory based on referendums that took place this week.

“The United States condemns Russia’s fraudulent attempt today to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory,” Biden said in a statement. “Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere.”

Biden described Russia’s claims of annexation as “phony” and having “no legitimacy.” He also announced new sanctions that the U.S. and its allies will impose on Russia, including costs on individuals and entities both inside and outside of Russia that provide political or economic support to the annexation attempt.

“We will rally the international community to both denounce these moves and to hold Russia accountable,” Biden said. “We will continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment it needs to defend itself, undeterred by Russia’s brazen effort to redraw the borders of its neighbor.”

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• Biden marks fifth anniversary of Las Vegas shooting: ‘May we resolve to turn our heartbreak into action’

President Biden called for additional gun control legislation on Saturday, as he marked the fifth anniversary of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

“Jill and I mourn with all those who lost a piece of their soul on October 1st, 2017,” Biden said in a press release. “May God bless those taken from us and comfort the loved ones of the fallen. And may we resolve to turn our heartbreak into action.”

The shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas remains the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, with 60 people killed and hundreds more injured.

“From the Nevada desert, we heard the same cry that we’ve heard in the aftermath of Sandy Hook, Charleston, Parkland, Uvalde, Buffalo, and too many neighborhoods to count: Do something,” Biden added. “And, my Administration has been working tirelessly to heed that call.”

Sunday shows preview: Florida, Carolinas begin recovery after Hurricane Ian; Putin annexes 4 Ukraine regions
United Airlines cutting 12 routes from several major air hubs
In June, Biden signed into law the country’s first major gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. The law came just weeks after a spate of deadly mass shootings, including a shooting at a Uvalde elementary school that left 19 children dead.

Biden said on Saturday that he is “determined” to push for more gun control legislation, including bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

“We’ve done it before, and we can do it again,” he said. “The memories of the victims demand nothing less.”

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Just for fun

• Most registered voters say Trump shouldn’t be allowed to serve a second term

With several investigations into Trump’s conduct ramping up, 51 percent of registered voters say that the allegations of wrongdoing are enough to preclude the former president from launching another campaign.

In comparison, just 35 percent of respondents believe that he should be able to run again.

The poll was conducted immediately after New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed a sweeping $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his family business and three of his children, alleging that they used false financial statements to mislead investors.

The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.

Originally Posted by Cujo

The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.

Why don't you just stop whining and block him?

Your regular bleating is more annoying than any of his posts.

The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.