Joe Biden

[Red Phoenix]

This is good but it has to be better. Hopefully Biden uses his brain on this because there's going to be a whole lot of death and suffering if he doesn't do it properly. This will be one of the worst things about Biden's entire time in office if he messes this up, there's no other outcome.

 

It's one of the worst things about the Obama admin, it's one of the worst things about the Trump admin, it doesn't have to be one of the worst things about the Biden admin.

 

Quote

The Biden administration has taken two small steps toward ending the horrific US-backed mass atrocities in Yemen, with temporary holds placed on both a murderous sanctions measure and on arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE pending review. Both items being reviewed are unconscionable decisions made by the previous administration.

"The Biden administration has imposed a temporary freeze on U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as it reviews billions of dollars in weapons transactions approved by former President Donald Trump," The Wall Street Journal reported today, adding that "U.S. officials said it isn’t unusual for a new administration to review arms sales approved by a predecessor, and that despite the pause, many of the transactions are likely to ultimately go forward."

This follows an earlier announcement of a one-month pause on the Trump administration's designation of Yemen's Houthis (Ansar Allah) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, an unforgivably brutal measure which would cut off badly needed aid to an already starving populace and potentially kill millions. Like the arms sale hiatus, this measure could easily still move forward, and its temporary nature has provided insufficient assurance to companies that are backing away from trade with Yemen for fear of future US sanctions.

So it isn't much; a brief pause on an arms sale which appears to be standard procedure between administrations, and a brief pause on a sanctions measure that is still effectively starving people anyway.

But it's also not nothing.

"Wow. I've been organizing to end US arms sales to the Saudi/Emirati-led coalition in Yemen since their disastrous intervention began and we've never been this close to potentially permanently banning these sales," tweeted activist Kate Kizer in response to the latest news. "Let's pocket this victory and keep organizing!"

Wins are few and far between for those who support peace and justice in this world, but it does look like we might-maybe-possibly be approaching a tipping point in the general consensus on Yemen in America. Which is encouraging, because it's one of the easiest ways the US government could make the world a lot less horrible very quickly.

 

 

More here : https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/biden-takes-two-small-steps-toward

[Section_31]

Mate he's only been there a week. 

 

I see the Republicans are shitting out of the impeachment stuff already, they're an existential threat to the United States. 

[Red Phoenix]

1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

Mate he's only been there a week.

 

I know but he's done a fair amount of executive orders and could've made one or two for this as well. Hopefully the good steps they've taken so far become more permanent once the review processes are done with though.

[Strontium]

I watched the video last night from when Obama surprised Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom shortly before he left office. Firstly, it was nice to see a President who could give someone an honour without making it all about himself rather than the recipient. Secondly, if Biden doesn't genuinely care about his nation and his people, then he's one of the best actors in the world. He comes across as a thoroughly decent man, which is exactly what America needs after four years under one of the most indecent people who ever existed.

[M_B]

7 minutes ago, Strontium Dog™ said:

I watched the video last night from when Obama surprised Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom shortly before he left office.

Just watched it now. Thanks for that.

 

https://www.npr.org/2017/01/12/509545778/in-surprise-send-off-president-obama-awards-biden-presidential-medal-of-freedom

[littletedwest]

Weird hearing a man speak who doesn't suddenly go off on a tangent about how great he is.

[TheDrowningMan]

On 28/01/2021 at 12:56, Strontium Dog™ said:

I watched the video last night from when Obama surprised Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom shortly before he left office. Firstly, it was nice to see a President who could give someone an honour without making it all about himself rather than the recipient. Secondly, if Biden doesn't genuinely care about his nation and his people, then he's one of the best actors in the world. He comes across as a thoroughly decent man, which is exactly what America needs after four years under one of the most indecent people who ever existed.

I’m considerably to the left of Biden on probably 90% of things, but I have a lot of time for him. Trump and his ilk love these ridiculously gaudy displays of strength, despite of course being anything but strong; the contrast with someone who kept going after losing his wife and daughter weeks after being elected to the senate, two brain aneurysms followed by a pulmonary embolism in the late 80s and then the loss of a son in 2015 is stark. To sustain that and not be either a quivering wreck or long since having taken a comfortable retirement isn’t to be sniffed at. 

 

Yes, having a mainstream political career now entering its sixth decade means that there have been plenty of votes and positions that don’t look good in 2021, but ultimately I think he’s been a fundamentally decent consensus Democrat willing to adapt and evolve, something that his first week or so in office suggests will continue to be the case.

[Section_31]

Twats

 

Hope next time he's over here the lifts are broke.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-northamptonshire-55849608

 

The new Biden administration has said the US government's decision to refuse an extradition request for Harry Dunn's alleged killer was "final".

 

[TheHowieLama]

34 minutes ago, TheDrowningMan said:

I think he’s been a fundamentally decent

Not being a complete asshole is at least a start.

[Kevin D]

It's obviously good that a far-right lunatic is no longer in a position of power, but I don't think that's cause to venerate a different right wing politician who has been a devoted servant to American business and overwhelming supporter of every murderous invasion the country has undertaken.

[Scooby Dudek]

2 hours ago, Kevin D said:

It's obviously good that a far-right lunatic is no longer in a position of power, but I don't think that's cause to venerate a different right wing politician who has been a devoted servant to American business and overwhelming supporter of every murderous invasion the country has undertaken.

That is my take on it, the fact he is already back tracking on the Covid cheques immediately is not a good start, same with the 15 dollars minimum wage. 

 

Let us not forget the inactivity at the start of Obama/Biden presidency lead to the Democrats losing the Senate, then nothing happening and this lead directly to Trump. My concern is the net right wing loon will be a lot smoother than Trump.  

[TheHowieLama]

 

[J-V]

Got it right on the fourth attempt the gimp.

[Captain Howdy]

There should be an age limit on running for office.

[TheHowieLama]

2 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

There should be an age limit on running for office.

He should just be able to walk. Running is overachieving.

[Kevin D]

On 29/01/2021 at 17:17, Scooby Dudek said:

That is my take on it, the fact he is already back tracking on the Covid cheques immediately is not a good start, same with the 15 dollars minimum wage. 

 

Let us not forget the inactivity at the start of Obama/Biden presidency lead to the Democrats losing the Senate, then nothing happening and this lead directly to Trump. My concern is the net right wing loon will be a lot smoother than Trump.  

 

That's the big question. Whether Trump's overt sleazeness was actually a big part of the pitch that nobody will be able to replicate - there is no doubt his fans knew he was genuinely disgusting and they revelled in it - or if there is someone who has the competence to carry out the things Trump claimed to be trying to do. 

 

I saw a study last week that said if 45,000 votes had changed across 3 states, Trump would still be in office.

[TheHowieLama]

20 minutes ago, Kevin D said:

 

I saw a study last week that said if 45,000 votes had changed across 3 states, Trump would still be in office.

"nods slowly - makes note"

[Geoff Woade]

Say what you want but what a state of affairs (and in full acknowledgment of our own shitty state of affairs) it was when the choice fell between the orange man and a journeyman with a life expectancy shorter than a tin of soup. 

[Anubis]

Lauren Bobert did a town hall last week in which she was banging on about how there will soon be mass arrests of Democrats (as per QAnon bollocks) and that the GOP will be back in the driving seat.
 

There seem to be a worrying number of these chancers in the GOP. 

[Skidfingers McGonical]

12 hours ago, Captain Howdy said:

There should be an age limit on running for office.

I have never understood how people think its a a good idea for a 70 odd year old man to run the free world. Nothing is going to move forward until its younger people regularly run for and enter in to office. 

 

Harris will be in the job by the Summer. Said it when Biden got in, he was just a face to win. It's just a bit shit that they have chosen this route as the best way to get the first female president in to office.

[Scooby Dudek]

Shocked the way he totally failed to fight for the 15 dollar minimum wage, despite campaigning on it. Yet when the GOP win in 2 years we can blame the progressives for wanting healthcare for everyone.

[Vincent Vega]

5 minutes ago, Skidfingers McGonical said:

I have never understood how people think its a a good idea for a 70 odd year old man to run the free world. Nothing is going to move forward until its younger people regularly run for and enter in to office. 

 

Harris will be in the job by the Summer. Said it when Biden got in, he was just a face to win. It's just a bit shit that they have chosen this route as the best way to get the first female president in to office.

Macron is young, as was Cameron, and both are complete fuckwits, so it’s not just age related.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

4 minutes ago, Vincent Vega said:

Macron is young, as was Cameron, and both are complete fuckwits, so it’s not just age related.

True, and I appreciate that you can't rule those types out of ever getting again. 

 

However, younger minds and a different approach to how the US run things will only come from younger minds and teams. Michael Yang was a good candidate for me and I liked elements of Tulsi Gabbard's ideas. 

 

Fuck these deep rooted and institutionilsed politicians and the back handers they rode in on. 

[Section_31]

I don't like Harris, she reminds me of an HR or marketing manager with a drinking problem and an "I love my job" mug. She split up with her web designer husband, he's happy now, she says she is too but she often wishes him dead, then cries. And drinks.

[Scott_M]

Him falling up the stairs of Air Force One this week was funny. Surprised he didn't break his hip.