Biden’s First 100 Day’s; Wednesday’s Open Thread

Pardon Our Mess. Photo by Marty Mankins.

It’s Wednesday.

This Wednesday, April 14th, 2021, marks President Biden’s 84th day in office.

For day 84–President Biden will receive his daily brief. This afternoon he will deliver remarks “on the way forward in Afghanistan.” After his remarks President Biden will visit Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery.

The White House has said this morning the President will accompany First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to an appointment where she will have “a common medical procedure,” at an outpatient center.

Senior White House reporter for Bloomberg, Jennifer Jacobs, reported that the First Lady’s appointment lasted just under two hours. The White House has said that “the First Lady tolerated the procedure well,” and is expected to resume her normal schedule.

I’ve made the executive decision to cover the remarks on the removal of U.S. and collation forces in Afghanistan in a separate thread.

When last we met on Tuesday, President Biden had not tweeted or retweeted. He ended Tuesday with 6 tweets and 0 retweets.

3:59 p.m. D.C., time he shares a Proclamation on Black Maternal Health Week for 2021.

In the United States of America, a person’s race should never determine their health outcomes, and pregnancy and childbirth should be safe for all.  However, for far too many Black women, safety and equity have been tragically denied.  America’s maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the developed world, and they are especially high among Black mothers, who die from complications related to pregnancy at roughly two to three times the rate of white, Hispanic, Asian American, and Pacific Islander women — regardless of their income or education levels.  This week, I call on all Americans to recognize the importance of addressing the crisis of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in this country. 

Ensuring that all women have equitable access to health care before, during, and after pregnancy is essential.  The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to addressing these unacceptable disparities, and to building a health care system that delivers equity and dignity to Black, Indigenous, and other women and girls of color.

Health care is a right, not a privilege, and our country needs a health care system that works for all of us.  That is something both Vice President Harris and I have fought for throughout our careers.  As a Senator, Vice President Harris was a champion of Black maternal health, introducing legislation to close gaps in access to quality maternal care and educate providers about implicit bias.  And during my time as Vice President, I fought for the Affordable Care Act and to strengthen Medicaid, both of which ensure access to critical services to support maternal health.  Within just a few years of the Affordable Care Act’s passage, Black uninsured rates dramatically declined — a key factor in ensuring better maternal health outcomes — as did the persistent health insurance coverage gap between Black and white Americans, which fell by more than 40 percent in the wake of the law’s implementation.

As we fight to bring an end to the COVID-19 crisis, we will continue to make quality health care more accessible and affordable for all Americans, as we did through the passage of the landmark American Rescue Plan.  We will also work to ensure that everyone — including hospitals, insurance plans, and health care providers — do their part to provide every American with quality, affordable, and equitable care.

Vice President Harris and I are committed to pursuing systemic policies that provide comprehensive, holistic maternal health care that is free from bias and discrimination.  The morbidity and mortality disparities that Black mothers face are not the results of isolated incidents.  Our Nation must root out systemic racism everywhere it exists, including by addressing unequal social determinants of health that often contribute to racial disparities such as adequate nutrition and housing, toxin-free environments, high-paying job sectors that provide paid leave, and workplaces free of harassment and discrimination.

Addressing systemic barriers across the board will improve outcomes for Black mothers and their families, and make our entire country stronger, healthier, and more prosperous.  At the same time, the United States must also grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, improve how we collect data to better understand the causes of maternal death and complications from birth, and invest in community-based organizations to help reduce the glaring racial and ethnic disparities that persist in our health care system. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 11 through April 17, 2021, as Black Maternal Health Week.  I call upon all Americans to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States by understanding the consequences of systemic discrimination, recognizing the scope of this problem and the need for urgent solutions, amplifying the voices and experiences of Black women, families, and communities, and committing to building a world in which Black women do not have to fear for their safety, their wellbeing, their dignity, and their lives before, during, and after pregnancy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.

White House.gov. 04/13/2021.

4:55 p.m. D.C., time he shares an image from U.S. Capitol Police Officer William Evan’s memorial tribute.

As mentioned in Tuesday’s Open Thread President Biden paid his respects for U.S. Capitol Officer Evan’s who was killed in the line of duty on April 2nd, 2021.

The streamed video is 54 minutes and 14 seconds long President Biden’s remarks start at the 21 minute and 40 second mark. His full remarks can be found at White House.gov.

President Biden (30:20): There’s a great quote by R.G. Ingersoll.  It was read when my son, who was the chief law enforcement officer in the state of Delaware — the attorney general — came back from Iraq after a year and he — and he died.  And they read this poem from R.G. Ingersoll, who said, “When will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns compromise with death, this is heroism.” Your son, your husband, your brother, your dad was a hero.  And he’s part of you.  It’s in your blood. My prayer for you is that moment when a smile comes before the tear, quicker than longer.  Thank you.  

6:26 p.m. D.C., time he shares a video about the American Jobs Plan.

The video is 3 minutes and 03 seconds long, it features cheesy music, images of America and American’s, and remarks from President Biden.

President Biden: We built America by doing big things–by thinking big, doing it together. We built the Interstate Highway system. We went to the moon. And then we stopped. Since the 1980’s, public domestic investment has fallen substantially. And what do we have to show for it? Crumbling bridges, and roads millions of Americans without safe drinking water, and an internet barely available to the huge swath of the country.

President Biden con’t: Last week [March 31st, 2021] I released the American Jobs Plan, and I want to talk about it for a few minutes with you. But first, I want to talk to you about why investing in our country matters.

President Biden con’t: When we’ve invested in America–in innovation, we’ve been rewarded beyond imagination. Take the space race. Now, everybody knows we went to the moon. It was an achievement not just for our country, but for the world. Our investment yielded a return far greater than a landing on the moon. *Baby food. Digital camera sensors. Airplane wing designs. Satellites. All of these things came out of the money spent on space research.

President Biden con’t: When we invested in the Interstate Highway system, we changed the way people traveled and how we lived. Suddenly, a family could visit anyone across the country in a station-wagon. A business in Pittsburgh could ship things more efficiently across the country to Portland.

President Biden con’t: Since then, research from the federal government has led to innovations like; GPS, lithium batteries, the technology behind the very phone you might be watching this on. I raise these things not to have the government take credit–lots of brilliant people in the public and private sectors have contributed to our country’s progress.

President Biden con’t: But that’s the point. The worst thing you can do is bet against the ingenuity of the American people. When we stop investing in research, infrastructure, and the jobs of the future, you can bet someone else will do that investment we’re not doing. For too long America has been falling back. The rest of the world is closing in, and closing in on us fast.

President Biden con’t: I’m asking you not just to support the bill in Congress or a government program. I’m asking you to imagine. Imagine a world where you and your family could travel coast-to-coast without a single tank of gas, or on board a high-speed train. Imagine being able to connect to high-speed, affordable, reliable internet, wherever you live. Imagine a future where we lead the world and tackle the looming threat of climate crisis and with American jobs and ingenuity.

President Biden con’t: This isn’t a hypothetical proposition. This is a plan. It can happen. It’s my American Jobs Plan, and you can check it out on my website. This moment in the economy calls for America–not just the private sector, but the public sector–all of us to do our part. This can be the moment that America wins the future. But it’s going to take every American to get there. So let’s do big things–think big. There’s nothing beyond our capacity.

Authors note: I do believe this is President Biden’s longest propaganda video to date. I do hope this does not start a trend.

*I Googled the baby food thing, cause I had not heard, that it was NASA that discovered a new type of baby formula that’s been in use since 2002 according to Sience.howstuffworks.com.*

7:56 p.m. D.C., time he send his and his wife’s warmest wishes to the South Asian and Southeast Asian communities.

Inews.co.uk tells me Vaisakhi is Sikh and Hindu festival.

Vaiskahi, also known as Baisakhi, is celebrated by Sikhs around the world and is also a festival in Hinduism

For Hindus, Vaisakhi marks an ancient harvest festival and the solar new year.

It also marks when Sikhism was born as a collective faith in 1699, when the Khalsa was founded. The Khalsa means initiated Sikhs, but also those who consider Sikhism a faith.

inews.co.uk. 04/13/2021.

The Indian Express tells me that Chaitra Navratri is “Considered to be an important nine-night-celebration for the Hindu community around the world, Chaitra Navratri, much like Sharad or Maha Navratri, is dedicated to the nine different forms of Goddess Durga, collectively known as ‘Navdurga’. Each of these nine forms or avatars are worshipped every day: Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri.”

They go on to explain:

Undeniably, Navratri is one the longest Hindu festivals celebrated across the country, with a lot of enthusiasm. But, not a lot of people know that it is celebrated five times a year, in different seasons. So, while there is Chaitra Navratri, there are also Ashadha Navratri, Sharada Navratri, and the Paush/Magha Navratri. Of these, it is the Sharada Navratri celebrated at the onset of autumn, and the Chaitra Navratri in spring, which are most important.

The Indian Express. 04/12/2021.

This year the celebration started on April 13th, and concludes on April 22nd, 2021.

The U.S. State Department offered the following statement regarding Songkran, the Thai New Year.

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I wish the people of the Kingdom of Thailand good health and happiness on the occasion of Songkran, the Thai New Year.

As we have faced unprecedented global challenges over the past year, both our friendship and our commitment to expanding trade and investment, countering transnational crime, and addressing regional challenges in the Indo-Pacific region has continued to grow.  Our increased cooperation on health, particularly in response to COVID-19, is a testament to our collaboration for the well-being of our nations.  For more than 60 years, U.S. agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, and the U.S. Agency for International Development have partnered with their Thai counterparts to safeguard the health of American, Thai, and international communities.  This collaboration has never been more important.

The United States of America is proud to recognize Thailand as one of our strongest and most enduring allies.  Building on our alliance, our nations have achieved notable progress on shared goals including the advancement of regional security, the expansion of trade and investment, and the maintenance of our robust people-to-people ties.  We look forward to deepening our friendship with the Kingdom of Thailand even further.

Please accept our best wishes for the people of the Kingdom of Thailand in the coming year.

U.S. State Department. 04/12/2021.

The Hindustan Times explains that Bengali New Year is also called “Pohela Boishakh.”

Pohela Boisakh or Shubho Nobo Borsho is the Bengali New Year which is celebrated with a lot of gusto every year. It is the first day of the first month of Boishakh according to the lunisolar Bengali calendar and usually falls on April 14 or 15. This year, it is being celebrated on April 15. Pohela Boisakh is enjoyed all around the country but in West Bengal, Tripura and Assam the celebrations and the fervour are on an altogether different level.

Hindustantimes.com. 04/14/2021.

Seattlepi.com explains that the Cambodian New Year is called the Khmer New Year.

The Cambodian holiday, which celebrates the beginning of the year of the ox, kicks off on April 14 and is normally a three-day event, but the CCAW – likely sensing we all need a lot more festivity in our lives – will be hosting the virtual event all month long, culminating in the online performances on April 24.

The Khmer food tour and raffle, one of the elements of the event, offers an opportunity to sample Seattle’s excellent – and rapidly growing – Cambodian food scene featuring Phnom Penh Noodle HouseOliver’s Twist, and Voracious Market.

Seattlepi.com. 04/12/2021.

I did attempt to search for more, but have run up against a time issue…I’m very sorry about that. I really had no idea there would be so much information needed, if I had, I’ve have started my research way sooner. *hangs head in shame*.

8:30 p.m. D.C., time he posts a 2 minute video featuring Dr. Anthony Fauci answering questions about the pause in the U.S., use of the Johnson & Johnson single dose coronavirus vaccine.

As the News Blender reported here, and here, on Tuesday morning the FDA/CDC recommended a pause in the use of the J&J vaccine our of an abundance of caution following 6 reported cases of rare blood clots. One of the 6 women died. The rare condition presents 6-13 days after the vaccine is administered.

I will not be posting all of Fauci’s answers, but the gist: this pause is simply so more investigation into the 6 cases can occur as well as to give guidance to medical personal. He says, if you’ve already had the J&J vaccine you should not be worried as the events have been rare. He goes on to explain that if you have an appointment for the J&J vaccine keep it as they are working with both the government and the vaccines makers to ensure one of the other two shot doses are available. Asked if we should still get vaccinated he says “absolutely.”

9:30 p.m. D.C., time he shares a photo from a meeting he had with his Vice President and the Black Congressional Caucus.

The White House published a readout of the meeting:

Today, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hosted the executive leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in the Oval Office to discuss topics of critical importance, including economic empowerment, voting rights, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and how the American Jobs Plan will advance racial equity and redress historic inequities.

The President and the Vice President shared their vision in the American Jobs Plan to make a generational investment in racial justice by expanding job opportunities for people of color; investing in climate justice to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of pollution on Black and brown Americans; eliminating lead pipes to safeguard clean drinking water; building more equitable transportation; delivering affordable housing and mitigating exclusionary zoning policies; and investing in our care economy to ensure caregivers, who are predominantly women of color, receive the benefits and protections they deserve.

The President, the Vice President, and CBC members also discussed the ongoing events in Minneapolis.

The President highlighted his commitment to diversity throughout the appointments and nominations process, including judicial candidates.

This meeting underscores the long-term partnership between President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the CBC on crucial issues, and the Administration’s continued attention to their legislative goals and priorities.

White House.gov. 04/13/2021.

So far for Wednesday President Biden has retweeted 1 time. It was the White House sharing the 3 minute propaganda video posted above.

The daily press briefing was scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. D.C., time. We now join the program already in progress.

Live Feed: The White House.

This is an Open Thread.

About the opinions in this article…

Any opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this website or of the other authors/contributors who write for it.

About Tiff 2521 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.