U.S. Politics

[Rick Plant]

State of the Union: Joe Biden pledges to make Putin pay for Ukraine invasion
President condemns attack and seeks to reassure Americans exhausted by pandemic and its economic fallout



Joe Biden vowed in his first State of the Union address to defend democracy threatened by war in Europe, pledging to punish Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine, while also promising to tame rising inflation and return the nation to a “more normal” state as the coronavirus pandemic appears to wane.

Speaking before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, at a perilous moment for his presidency and the world, Biden accused the Russian president of trying to “shake the foundations of the free world” with a “premeditated and unprovoked” invasion of its Democratic neighbor.

But he said the Russian leader had “badly miscalculated”, underestimating the response of the US and its allies, including ordinary Ukrainians.

“He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over,” Biden said. “Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined … Putin was wrong. We were ready.”

The president’s hour-long address was divided between the two biggest challenges confronting Biden’s presidency: the war in eastern Europe threatening an international order he spent much of his political career promoting and domestic travails threatening Democrats’ control of Congress in this year’s midterm elections.

From the wood-paneled House chamber, now a reminder of the fragility of democracy at home following the 6 January 2021 insurrection by supporters of Donald Trump, Biden declared that in “the battle between democracy and autocracy, democracies are rising to the moment”.

Speaking to an anxious nation, Biden detailed the administration’s efforts to prevent an invasion of Ukraine by declassifying intelligence and making Moscow’s plans public while claiming credit for rallying a global response, to impose crippling sanctions on Russian banks, industries, companies, elite oligarchs and Putin himself.

Biden again affirmed that the US would not send troops to fight Russia in Ukraine, but he made clear he would “defend every inch of territory of Nato countries with the full force of our collective power”.

As part of the White House’s efforts to isolate Putin, Biden announced on Tuesday night that the US would shut its airspace to Russian aircraft, following similar decisions by European Union nations and Canada, and would seek to mitigate the consequences of isolating oil-rich Russia by agreeing with other world powers to release 60m barrels of oil from their strategic reserves.

“When dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos,” Biden warned.

The war in Ukraine brought rare bipartisanship to the House chamber, where members of both parties rose to applaud Biden when he disparaged Putin. Hailing the “fearlessness” and the “iron will” of the Ukrainian people, Biden introduced the visibly emotional Ukrainian ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova. He asked the chamber to stand with him and send “unmistakable signal”, a message of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

“Light will win over darkness,” he told her.

In his address, traditionally one of the most widely viewed speeches a president makes, Biden sought to assure Americans demoralized after two years of a global pandemic that transformed American life, and, now, rattled by a land war in Europe.

“I want you to know that we are going to be OK,” the president said.

Biden spoke before daybreak in Ukraine, where Russia’s missiles rained down on cities across the country, killing civilians as an armored Russian military convoy advanced toward the capital, Kyiv. Between rehearsals of his address on Tuesday, Biden spoke by phone to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

“Last year Covid-19 kept us apart,” Biden said, surveying the chamber filled with lawmakers, cabinet officials and the justices of the supreme court as he opened his prime-time address. “This year we are finally together again.”

In a hopeful sign of the virus’s retreat, Biden arrived without a mask and hugged and clasped hands with attendees as he made his way to the rostrum. The chamber was nearly full for the first time since the pandemic began, with all 535 members invited to attend. Mask and vaccine requirements were dropped, but lawmakers had to test negative for the virus before entering the chamber.

Even as the crisis abroad overshadowed many of the political debates at home that have hurt his standing, Biden spent considerable time addressing concerns over inflation and the prolonged pandemic. Expressing empathy with Americans who were “tired, frustrated, and exhausted”, he highlighted the improving public health and economic outlook and declared that the country had reached a “new moment” in the fight against Covid-19.

“Let’s use this moment to reset,” Biden said. “Let’s stop looking at Covid-19 as a partisan dividing line and see it for what it is: A God-awful disease.”

In his remarks, Biden highlighted passage of his coronavirus relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, and the bipartisan infrastructure law, which he plans to tout at an event in Wisconsin on Wednesday.

He also emphasized his nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman to serve on the US supreme court, while praising the service of retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, whom she would replace on the bench.

Refusing to abandon his hopes of bipartisanship, even in the face of a Republican party that had broadly refused to accept his legitimacy as president, Biden outlined a “unity agenda” that he said could find bipartisan support. The list included combatting the opioid epidemic, expanding mental health resources, supporting the nation’s veterans and supercharging the “moonshot” effort to fight cancer, which is deeply personal for Biden, whose son Beau, died of brain cancer in 2015.

In rat-a-tat fashion, Biden unveiled several policy proposals and initiatives on a host of issues, including to invest in clean energy, improve supply chains, protect nursing home residents, and address mental health. Speaking to the members of Congress present, he asked for a long list of legislation, much of it unlikely to pass.

And pushing back on progressive activists in his party, he denounced calls to defund the police, stating loudly that the answer was to “fund the police” – a declaration that brought Republicans to their feet in agreement.

In closing, Biden offered a positive assessment of the strength of democracies around the world.

“We are stronger today than we were a year ago. And we will be stronger a year from now than we are today. Now is our moment to meet and overcome the challenges of our time – and we will,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/01/joe-biden-ukraine-state-of-the-union

[Rick Plant]

While democracy is under attack in Europe, GOP plots to destroy democracy in America



While Russia was invading Ukraine, prominent Republicans instead were condemning another “invasion” — which isn’t an invasion at all.

Promoting the white supremacist conspiracy of replacement theory, Donald Trump and other GOP politicians and leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando discussed the “invasion” on the border with Mexico — and actually made comparisons between besieged immigrants seeking asylum and Putin’s armed troops storming Ukraine.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado said that the U.S. and Canada — where anti-vax truckers obstructed the streets of Ottawa protesting vaccine mandates — need to be liberated like Ukraine.

And many discussed a convoy of trucks headed to a capitol — but it wasn’t the Russian convoy headed to Ukraine intent on seizing the city of Kiev. Instead is was a pathetic, dwindling copy-cat convoy of the Canada anti-vaxers, which had been on its way from California to Washington to protest Covid restrictions — even though mask mandates have been lifted everywhere and the federal government isn’t mandating truckers get vaccinated.

While democracy is under attack in Europe against America’s allies, the GOP in the U.S. is plotting to destroy democracy in the U.S. They held panel discussions at CPAC that promoted banning books and passing laws to stop the teaching of history regarding slavery and race in schools. They planned out how they would further attack transgender teens and censor discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

And they continued the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen, while promoting ways to steal it in the mid-terms via voter suppression laws, gerrymandering and propaganda campaigns to demonize Democrats.

Trump, in his speech at CPAC, doubled down on his statements heralding Putin as “genius” and “smart” (even as he perfunctorily, and passionlessly, called the invasion an “atrocity,” helping give the GOP cover as Republicans suddenly scramble to look like they’re not pro-Putin as the American public is outraged by the images it is seeing from Ukraine.)

Trump also came close to announcing he’s running in 2024. “We did it twice, and we’ll do it again,” Trump said, falsely claiming again that he won the 2020 election. “We’re going to be doing it again a third time.” The crowd thundered, heralding the idea of having an authoritarian back in the White House, one who bowed to Putin, a dictator who’s currently engaged in war crimes.

CPAC was a white supremacist conference in and of itself. But to some MAGA, it’s not extreme enough. So they organized a whiter supremacist conference at the same time a few miles away, the America First Political Action Committee, organized by Nick Fuentes, who’s been kicked off social media for promoting white supremacist hate and was involved in the infamous Charlottesville Unite the Right rally.

At AFPAC Fuentes, in discussing Putin, defended both Putin and Adolf Hitler. And Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, the QAnon cultist from Georgia, spoke at the conference, getting applause while she viciously attacked transgender youth. Later, after criticism, she feigned ignorance that it was a white supremacist conference — though it received enormous attention last year when GOP Congressman Paul Gosar of Arizona (who sent a video message this year to the conference) attended and spoke. Greene went back to CPAC, where she wasn’t barred but was instead welcomed, because, as one of the CPAC organizers said, we don’t “cancel” people.

Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy made weak statements this week about how “wrong” it was for Greene to attend and how white supremacy supposedly doesn’t have “a place” in the GOP.

But when asked again about it by reporters today, McCarthy refused to discuss it. There is no plan by him and GOP leaders in the House to censure or expel Greene, so obviously there is a “place” for white supremacists in the GOP — as well as anti-vaxers, QAnon supporters and anti-LGBTQ extremists.

As we watch democracy under attack abroad, Republicans are making it even easier for Democrats to make a clear connection back to the GOP and the insurrection heading into the mid-term elections. And they must hit on it every day.

https://signorile.substack.com/p/while-democracy-is-under-attack-in

[Rick Plant]

Our economy created over 6.5 million new jobs just last year. More jobs created in one year than ever before." - President Joe Biden

[Rick Plant]

Well, the greatest jobs President in history, President Joe Biden keeps on creating record numbers of jobs and lowering unemployment with another spectacular jobs report. Not only that, 92,000 more jobs were revised for December and January.

Economy added 678,000 jobs in February as omicron faded, dining, travel picked up, unemployment fell to 3.8%

Employers added a roaring 678,000 jobs in February as COVID-19’s omicron variant faded, spurring idled employees to return to work and reviving dining, travel and other activities.

The unemployment rate fell from 4% to 3.8%, the Labor Department said Friday.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had estimated that 400,000 jobs were added last month.

The 678,000 gains marks the strongest showing since July.

The drop in unemployment came even as the number of people working or looking for jobs grew by 304,000, pushing the labor force participation rate to 62.3% from 62.2%. That means more people caring for children and others on the sidelines are returning to a favorable labor market with rising wages.

Also encouraging: Job additions for December and January were revised up by a total 92,000.

Meanwhile, COVID cases have fallen more than 90% since peaking in mid-January as omicron eased, according to Oxford Economics. That has led to a pickup in dining, travel and hotel occupancy, along with beefed-up hiring in those sectors, says Diane Swonk, chief economist of Grant Thornton.

The number of businesses open, employees working and hours worked all increased sharply in February, according to Homebase, which supplies payroll software to small businesses.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2022/03/04/jobs-report-february-unemployment-rate/9368885002/

[Rick Plant]

‘Longest streak on record’: Economists praise ‘very strong’ jobs report



The economy continues to explode. The February jobs report released Friday morning is being called "very very strong" and "very solid" by economists.

The economy added 678,000 new jobs, greatly beating expectations (one Harvard economist admits he projected 150,000.) Unemployment dropped to nearly pre-pandemic levels.

The AP calls it "another gain that underscored the economy’s solid health as the omicron wave fades and more Americans venture out to spend at restaurants, shops and hotels."

"The Labor Department’s report Friday also showed that the unemployment rate dropped from 4% to 3.8%, extending a sharp drop in joblessness as the economy has rebounded from the pandemic recession."

Dean Baker, senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research:

@DeanBaker13 "as expected, another very strong report 678k jobs, unemployment down to 3.8 percent."

@DavMicRot "US has gained 506,000 more jobs in Biden's first 13 months, than it did in Trump's first 37 months (i.e., our peak month before the COVID crash)."



Calling it "longest streak on record," New York Times economics, business, and data reporter Ben Casselman notes: "We've added at least 400k jobs every month since May."

@bencasselman "Time for charts! (Will update as I get time.)
First off, the 678k gain in February was another in a streak of strong growth. We've added at least 400k jobs every month since May. That's the longest streak on record."



"This was an unambiguously strong jobs report," writes economist and public policy scholar Justin Wolfers, a professor the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

"Strong payrolls growth. Similar strength in the household survey. Broad-based gains. People getting back to work. Robust revisions. And signs that wage growth may not be the constraint some had feared."

https://twitter.com/bencasselman/status/1499740035737952258

[Rick Plant]

We're finally getting it done': President Joe Biden talks infrastructure in Wisconsin

On Wednesday on the heels of his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden traveled to Superior, Wisconsin. The purpose of the visit was to talk up the president’s bipartisan infrastructure law.

"When I signed that infrastructure law 100 days ago, we hit the ground running announcing $100 billion in new investments to create jobs for millions of Americans, modernizing our roads, our airports, our ports, our waterways," he said.

Biden touted some keys points in his speech at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

He said the legislation will replace all the lead pipes in the country, so people have access to clean water. And he saif the funding will provide affordable high-speed internet access to every American whether in urban, rural, suburban or tribal areas.

Biden also referenced Tuesday’s State of the Union address. In it, he talked about plans this year to improve 65,000 miles of highways and repair 1500 bridges.

Superior borders Duluth, Minnesota, and the Blatnik Bridge crosses both cities. Biden said folks know its value because many used the bridge to get their families to safety when the Husky Oil Refinery exploded in 2018.

"What you may not know, the bridge is 61 years old at the end of its useful life. The corrosion over the years has lowered the weight it can sustain to safely handle. This bridge also has outdated design — tight curves led to higher-than-average crash rates on this bridge," he said.

Biden added that there are 971 bridges in Wisconsin and 661 bridges in Minnesota in poor condition. And, he said there are nearly 7,000 miles of highway between the states that need repair.

"And now after years of talking about infrastructure, we’re finally getting it done," Biden said.

Ahead of the visit by the Democratic president, Wisconsin Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany said he supports an improvement project on the Blatnik Bridge. But he also wanted Biden to mention rebuilding the refinery in Superior and getting pipeline projects done.

"Like Line 5 — there is a permit that’s being held by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources right now for Ashland County. It is critical to get that done," he said.

Tiffany said that is some of the infrastructure that fuels America.

https://www.wuwm.com/2022-03-03/were-finally-getting-it-done-president-joe-biden-talks-infrastructure-in-wisconsin

[Rick Plant]

Jen Psaki - White House Press Secretary 

When it comes to U.S. energy production – and how we achieve energy security – it’s important to look at the facts. So here are 9 specifics:

1. Production is up, rising, and approaching records, yet Russia’s actions still leave our consumers vulnerable. It’s a reminder that real energy security comes from reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

2. U.S. production of natural gas and oil is rising and approaching record levels: More natural gas than ever this year, more oil than ever next year, and, even with a global pandemic, more oil production this past year than during the previous administration’s first year.

3. The trendlines also point up. Oil production is up more than 700K b/d from Jan to Dec of last year, and is projected to be up more than 700K b/d from Jan to Dec this year, and to rise nearly 500K b/d to new record over the course of next year.

4. In fact, the U.S. was a net exporter of petroleum + petroleum products in each of the last two years, and will be a net exporter of natural gas for years to come.

5. We also know that producers have no shortage of opportunity, nor – after the high profits experienced last year – do they have any shortage of capital.

6. And on public lands and waters (and let’s not forget that nearly 90% of onshore oil production in the U.S. takes place on non-federal land): The industry holds more than 9,000 unused, approved permits to drill onshore.

7. Despite all this, even at this scale, domestic production has not insulated us from the price volatility of fossil fuels or the whims of those who control them, such as President Putin. Americans know that.

8. The only way to protect US over the long term is to become energy independent. That is why the President is so focused on deploying clean energy technologies that don’t require fossil fuels bought and sold on the global market, which will always be vulnerable to bad actors.

9. So as we navigate how to protect Americans and the global community from Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, let’s remember to move past the talking points and ground this discussion in facts.

https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1500587988610424838