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Post by Webster on Nov 17, 2023 16:21:27 GMT -5
(The Guardian) 'Unacceptable': White House responds to Elon Musk's endorsement of antisemitic tweetThe White House has condemned a tweet from Elon Musk that endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory that Jewish communities “push hatred against whites.” Responding to Musk’s tweet in which he replied to the conspiracy theory and said, “You have said the actual truth,” the White House said: It is unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of antisemitism in American history at any time, let alone one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Like president Biden said weeks ago memorializing the victims of the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting, the October 7 ‘devastating atrocity has brought to the surface painful memories left by millennia of antisemitism;’ and under his presidency ‘we will continue to condemn antisemitism at every turn.’
We condemn this abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate in the strongest terms, which runs against our core values as Americans.
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Post by Webster on Nov 17, 2023 16:27:50 GMT -5
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Post by Webster on Nov 20, 2023 16:36:11 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Joe Biden turned 81 on Monday, as concerns around his age grow ahead of the 2024 US presidential election, the Hill reports. Biden is the oldest US president in history, ABC News reports. If re-elected in 2024, Biden will be 82 and finish out his second term at the age of 86. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the front runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is 77. Biden has increasingly caught flack for his age after several gaffes on the campaign trail and at other public speaking events. Recent polling has shown that a majority of voters have concerns about Biden’s age. A New York Times/Siena College poll of battleground voters showed that 71% of respondents believed that Biden was “too old” to be president. 54% of Democrats also believed Biden was too old.
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Post by Webster on Nov 27, 2023 16:08:02 GMT -5
(The Guardian) As he campaigns for a second term in the White House, Donald Trump has made clear he will use the powers of the presidency to retaliate against his enemies, the Guardian’s Peter Stone reports: Donald Trump’s talk of punishing his critics and seeking to “weaponize” the US justice department against his political opponents has experts and former DoJ officials warning he poses a direct threat to the rule of law and democracy in the US.
Trump’s talk of seeking “retribution” against foes, including some he has branded “vermin”, has coincided with plans that Maga loyalists at rightwing thinktanks are assembling to expand the president’s power and curb the DoJ, the FBI and other federal agencies. All of it has fueled critics’ fears that in a second term Trump would govern as an unprecedentedly authoritarian American leader.
Trump is currently the overwhelming favorite to win the Republican nomination for 2024 and has long maintained hefty polling leads over his party rivals. At the same time a slew of recent polls has also shown him ahead of Joe Biden, including in key battleground states.
But scholars and ex-justice officials see increasing evidence that if they achieved power again, Trump and his Maga allies plan to tighten his control at key agencies and install trusted loyalists in top posts at the DoJ and the FBI, permitting Trump more leeway to exact revenge on foes, and shrinking agencies Trump sees as harboring “deep state” critics.
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Post by Webster on Nov 28, 2023 14:50:37 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity endorses Nikki Haley for presidentFormer United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley’s campaign for the Republican presidential nomination has received a boost from the Koch-affiliated Americans for Prosperity Action, which announced today it would endorse her campaign. The decision by the Super Pac, which was founded by conservative billionaire Charles Koch and his late brother David Koch, means millions of dollars will go towards Haley’s campaign to beat out GOP frontrunner Donald Trump for the party’s nomination and triumph over Joe Biden in next year’s election. “As many of you know, AFP Action has never engaged in a presidential election before, but … to write a new chapter for our country, we need to turn the page on the past. Donald Trump and Joe Biden will only further perpetuate the country’s downward spiral in politics. Furthermore, a significant majority of voters want somebody new. The American people have shown they’re ready to move on from the current political era, so AFP Action will help them do that,” the Super Pac said as it announced its endorsement. “At the outset of our strategy, we made clear that we would be business-like in our decision. We would support a candidate capable of turning the page on Washington’s toxic culture – and a candidate who can win. And last night, we concluded that analysis. That candidate is Nikki Haley.”
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Post by Webster on Nov 28, 2023 15:10:12 GMT -5
(The Guardian) While Super Pac AFP Action’s endorsement of Nikki Haley may represent a boost to her presidential campaign, all signs point to the former United Nations ambassador facing a steep hill to climb to catch up to Donald Trump’s lead among Republican voters. Polls consistently show him as the far-and-away favorite for the GOP’s nomination, with Haley and Florida governor Ron DeSantis vying for a distant second place. Nonetheless, Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for Trump-supporting Super Pac Make America Great Again Inc, released a statement slamming AFP Action’s endorsement: The Ron DeSantis campaign finally got it right when they bitterly attacked Americans for Prosperity for being a vessel of globalist shills. That’s exactly why AFP backed Ron Desantis in his 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial races.
Everything old is new again. The Republican primary is split between career politicians who are tools of the billionaire class and the one man who delivers for the American people. Americans for Prosperity has already lit millions of dollars on fire this primary only to watch President Donald Trump’s lead grow. No amount of money can break the bond President Trump has with voters. He kept his promises.
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Post by Webster on Dec 2, 2023 17:01:57 GMT -5
(Axios) Muslim Americans in swing states launch anti-Biden campaignMuslim Americans in several swing states are scheduled to gather in Michigan on Saturday to start a campaign they're calling #AbandonBiden, a reflection of their outrage over President Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Why it matters: Arab American and Muslim American anger could hurt Biden's re-election prospects in most of the 2024 swing states he won in 2020, as those groups have been heavily Democratic. Zoom in: Muslim American leaders from Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania are expected to meet in Dearborn, Mich., to start the new campaign. - "This #AbandonBiden 2024 conference is set against the backdrop of the upcoming 2024 presidential election and the decision to withdraw support for President Biden due to his unwillingness to call for a ceasefire and protect innocents in Palestine and Israel," the group said in a statement. "Leaders from swing states will work together to guarantee Biden's loss in the 2024 election."The campaign primarily will focus on social media for now, organizer Jaylani Hussein of Minneapolis tells Axios. - Hussein said Muslim leaders acknowledge that not supporting Biden could result in the re-election of former President Trump, who is disliked by many Muslim Americans because of his racist retweets about them and his efforts to ban Muslims from migrating to the U.S. "We recognize that, in the next four years, our decision may cause us to have an even more difficult time. But we believe that this will give us a chance to recalibrate, and the Democrats will have to consider whether they want our votes or not."
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Post by Webster on Dec 2, 2023 23:52:23 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Kamala Harris, vice-president of the US who is attending in place of Joe Biden, has told the conference that the country is investing heavily in adaptation, with a particular focus on marginalised communities. Harris announced a significant $3bn pledge to the Green Climate Fund, but does not mention that this is subject to approval by Congress, which is divided. “This is a pivotal moment. Our action, or worse, our inaction today … will impact the lives of billions of people for decades to come. So, for as much as we have accomplished … there is more work to do, and continued progress will not be without a fight,” Harris said. “Around the world, there are those who seek to slow or stop our progress. Leaders who deny climate science, delay climate action, and spread misinformation. Large corporations that greenwash their climate inaction and lobby for billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies. It is clear: we must do more.” The US, which is the world’s richest country and biggest polluter, has been widely criticised for the relative paltriness of its climate finance offerings so far.
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Post by Webster on Dec 4, 2023 15:28:07 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Warning 'we are out of money', White House urges Congress to approve new support for UkraineIn a new letter to Republican House speaker Mike Johnson, the Biden administration issued a stark warning about its ability to continue supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia. “We are out of money – and nearly out of time,” top White House budget official Shalanda Young wrote. “Cutting off the flow of U.S. weapons and equipment will kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield, not only putting at risk the gains Ukraine has made, but increasing the likelihood of Russian military victories.” While Joe Biden has long been a proponent of continued aid to Ukraine, in October, he proposed approving new funding alongside aid to Israel and funds to improve US border security. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been holding talks on passing that package for weeks, and it’s unclear if an agreement is near. One obstacle the request faces is that a growing number of Republican lawmakers oppose new aid to Ukraine, even though many of their leaders, including Johnson and Mitch McConnell, the top GOP lawmaker in the Senate, say they’re in favor. We’ll see if the White House’s letter moves the needle at all.
US industries would benefit from sending military aid to Israel, Ukraine, White House argues In her pitch to Congress to approve new military aid infusions to both Ukraine and Israel, White House office of management and budget director Shalanda Young argues American factories would be among the biggest beneficiaries of the new spending. “The President’s most recent national security supplemental request will build on our successful efforts to date and will direct over $50 billion into our nation’s (defense industrial base), which builds on the funding that has already been invested in manufacturing lines across 35 states,” writes Young. She then alludes to the opposition among some Republicans to providing new funding to Ukraine by naming both swing and GOP-led states whose businesses could benefit from the new funding: While we cannot predict exactly which U.S companies will be awarded new contracts, we do know the funding will be used to acquire advanced capabilities to defend against attacks on civilians in Israel and Ukraine — for example, air defense systems built in Alabama, Texas, and Georgia and vital subcomponents sourced from nearly all 50 states. We will modernize vital munitions and equipment like Javelins made in Alabama; Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) made in West Virginia, Arkansas and Texas; tactical vehicles made in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana; and 155mm artillery shells made in Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Iowa and many other states.
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Post by Webster on Dec 4, 2023 15:34:44 GMT -5
(The Guardian) While some Republicans are resisting Joe Biden’s efforts to continue arming Ukraine, his proposal to send Israel new military assistance is alienating Muslim voters, many of whom live in swing states that will be crucial to the president’s re-election campaign, the Guardian’s Edward Helmore reports: Muslim community leaders gathered on Saturday in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the US, to protest President Biden’s refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, reiterating that the president’s stance could affect his support in crucial swing states next year.
Jaylani Hussein, director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that Biden’s unwillingness to call for a ceasefire had damaged his relationship with the American-Muslim community beyond repair. (Cair-Minnesota is not involved in his work on the Abandon Biden effort, which the organization said Hussein is doing in his personal capacity.)
“We are not powerless as American Muslims. We are powerful. We don’t only have the money, but we have the actual votes. And we will use that vote to save this nation from itself,” Hussein said. “Families and children are being wiped out with our tax dollars,” he added. “What we are witnessing today is the tragedy upon tragedy.”
After Israel resumed its bombing offensive on the territory after a five-day pause, the health ministry said 15,200 Palestinians, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, have been killed thus far. Israel’s air and ground strikes began after Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took around 240 hostage in a cross-border attack on 7 October.
From behind a lectern that read “Abandon Biden, ceasefire now”, leaders from Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania issued similar warnings that the president could not afford to lose the support of the Arab-American community in states critical to his chances for re-election.
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Post by Webster on Dec 4, 2023 15:50:01 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Republican North Dakota governor Doug Burgum quits presidential raceDoug Burgum, the North Dakota governor who staged a long-shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination, is suspending his campaign, the Associated Press reports. With his departure, the field of major GOP presidential candidates has narrowed to five: Donald Trump, the former president who polls show has a sizable lead for the nomination, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The latter four will this Wednesday debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, an event that Trump plans to skip, as he has with the previous three debates. Burgum, who as governor signed North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban, sought to cast himself as having the experience necessary to serve as president in the two debates when he appeared. There were few signs voters were convinced – polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight shows him with less than 1% support.
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Post by Webster on Dec 7, 2023 16:40:00 GMT -5
(The Guardian) CNN to host two Republican presidential primary debates in Iowa and New HampshireCNN has announced that it will host two Republican presidential primary debates next month in Iowa and New Hampshire. The first debate will take place on 10 January at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The second debate is scheduled for 21 January at St Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.
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Post by Webster on Dec 8, 2023 18:38:32 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Biden cheers another month of better-than-expected job growthJoe Biden has released a statement taking credit for the labor market’s continued strength, which was illustrated earlier this morning when new government data showed robust hiring in November and the unemployment rate ticking down slightly. “The economy created 199,000 jobs in November, for a total of over 14 million jobs since I took office. That’s more than 14 million additional Americans who know the dignity and peace of mind that comes with a paycheck,” Biden said. “On my watch we have achieved better growth and lower inflation than any other advanced country. A year ago, forecasters said it couldn’t be done,” he continued, while acknowledging the political toll taken by the wave of price increases felt by Americans since he took office in 2021. Economists view that inflation as driven by a number of factors, including rebounding demand as Covid-19 ebbed, supply chain problems and the disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “I know prices are still too high for too many Americans. So my top economic priority is to lower costs for hardworking Americans. I’m doing everything in my power to bring down prescription drug costs, health insurance premiums, and utility bills,” the president said. Biden’s polls have been underwater for nearly two years, which many analysts view as a consequence of the price hikes. In his statement, the president argued that Republicans would make the economy worse: “Instead of fighting to lower costs for middle-class families, Republicans in Congress are fighting to raise prescription drug costs and increase profits for Big Pharma. They’re fighting to lower taxes for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations that have earned record profits in recent years. Congressional Republicans are fighting to cut Medicare and Social Security. That’s just wrong.”
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Post by Webster on Dec 8, 2023 18:41:38 GMT -5
(The Guardian) While the November employment data released by the labor department today was surprisingly positive, the Guardian’s Callum Jones reports that it still represents something of a slowdown in job growth: The US workforce added 199,000 jobs last month, a robust reading as the world’s largest economy continues to grapple with higher interest rates.
Employment growth has been fading this year after the Federal Reserve launched an aggressive campaign to pull back inflation from its highest levels in a generation. Official data has bolstered hopes that the central bank will manage to guide the US economy to a so-called “soft landing”, where price growth normalises and recession is avoided.
Economists had expected non-farm payrolls to increase by about 180,000 jobs in November, up from a reading of 150,000 in October. Friday’s report still amounts to a deceleration from earlier in the year, and is short of the average reading for 2023.
The headline unemployment rate stood at 3.7%, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, down from 3.9% the previous month. It comes as policymakers plot the next steps of their campaign, with inflation slipping back towards the Fed’s 2% target. Some investors have expressed hope that the central bank will start cutting rates as soon as next year.[/i\
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Post by Webster on Dec 8, 2023 18:53:01 GMT -5
(The Guardian) As Joe Biden centers his presidential campaign around major pieces of legislation enacted on his watch, like the bipartisan infrastructure act, Reuters reports Donald Trump and the GOP are expected to make channeling public funds to private and religious schools a key part of their pitch to voters: Beyond the tumult surrounding Donald Trump’s presidential bid and his threats to seek revenge against his political enemies should he win, the Republican frontrunner has seized on an issue that even some Democrats say could attract new voters in 2024.
Trump is backing “school choice” programs that use taxpayer dollars to send students to private and religious schools. It is a stance with wide appeal as parents have become increasingly fed up with the state of US public education.
Polls show that about 70% of parents favor greater education options. The issue resonates strongly enough with some voters that Trump’s support could make a difference in the presidential election as well as help Republicans in state and congressional races. “It’s popular among the Republican base, it’s popular among independents and even popular among the Democratic base – in particular African Americans and Hispanics,” said Jason Bedrick, a research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation.-Read more: www.theguardian.com/education/2023/dec/08/republicans-school-choice-2024-elections
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