It’s Monday.
For Monday, May 10th, 2021, President Joe Biden will have received his daily brief. He will have spoken with NATO’s eastern flank Allies. This afternoon the President will deliver remarks on the economy.
For Friday, President Biden had no tweets and 1 retweet by the time Friday’s Open Thread was posted. He added 7 tweets, kept the 1 retweet giving him a Friday total of 7 tweets and 1 retweet.
11:59 a.m. D.C., time he shared a live feed to his remarks regarding April’s Jobs Report.
The experts allegedly had predicted April’s economy would add 1 million jobs. Why? I don’t know we’d have to ask them, but there was shock and awe that instead of the 1 million jobs predicted the economy only rose by 266,000 jobs with March’s 916,000 jobs number being revised downward by 146,000 jobs to equal 770,000 jobs for March. February was revised up from 468,000 to 536,000.
The video is 15 minutes and 38 seconds long. The President begins speaking at the 1 minute and 13 second mark. His full remarks can be found here. The White House timestamp has the President speaking from 12:00 p.m. to 12:13 p.m. D.C., time.
12:14 p.m. D.C., time he say “we’re still digging our way out of a very deep hole.”
3:42 p.m. D.C., time he shares a 1 minute and 4 second video clip from his remarks.
President Biden (11:07): This month’s jobs numbers show we’re on the right track. We still have a long way to go. As I said, my laser focus is on growing the nation’s economy and creating jobs. My laser focus is on vaccinating our nation. And we’re making continued progress. My laser focus is on one more thing: making sure working people in this country — hardworking people — are no longer left out in the cold. They’re going to get a share in the benefits of a rising economy. It’s been a long time since that happened. I’ve called my plan the “blue-collar blueprint for America,” and that’s exactly what it is. So, let’s not let up. *We’re still digging our way out of a very deep hole we were put in. No one should underestimate how tough this battle is. We still have a job to do here in Washington. The American people are counting on us. So, let’s get it done.
*text taken directly from his first tweet is in bold*
4:25 p.m. D.C., time he shares a photo from his Jobs Cabinet meeting where they discussed the American Jobs Plan.
The tweet is not related to his remarks.
5:03 p.m. D.C., time he shares a video snip from his earlier remarks on the April Jobs Report. The video clip is 19 seconds long.
President Biden (12:02): The American people are counting on us. So, let’s get it done. Let’s build an economy that delivers dignity and gives everybody a chance. I’m confident we can do this because there is nothing beyond the capacity of the American people.
7:02 p.m. D.C., time he shares a 1 minute and 44 second video clip from remarks he made on May 5th, 2021.
This video clip is weird, so, just bare with me. The first part of the video clip is text taken from his answer to a reporters question. The last bit is also from a response to a question asked only this time by a different reporter. I will share the full context, with the shared clips texted in bold. The video below is cured to the 11 minute and 4 second mark where the exchanges begin. His full remarks can be found @ White House.gov.
Q: Mr. President, Mitch McConnell said that he is 100 percent focused on stopping this administration. You’ve spoken about your relationship with him in the past. Do you still think you can work with him when he says things like that?
President Biden: Look, he said that in our last administration with Barack — he was going to stop everything — and I was able to get a lot done with him. Again — look, everything I’m proposing that be done to generate economic growth, employment, and put us in a position where we can outcompete any other country in the world with research and development and moving ahead, I pay for. We talk about “I love…” We talk about how, “This is going to cost so much money; I’m not paying for it.” The bottom line is this: My Republican friends had no problem voting to pass a tax proposal that expires in 2025, that cost $2 trillion — none of it paid for — increased the deficit by $2 trillion; gave the overwhelming percentage of those tax breaks to people who didn’t need it: the top one tenth of 1 percent. They didn’t need it. And it was argued that what it would do is generate this great economic surge and growth. It would increase productivity. It would pay for itself. It would generate a sense of growth in America we hadn’t seen ever before. Well, everyone from the Heritage Foundation on has pointed out it hadn’t done that — hadn’t done that. Now, I come along and the proposals that I’m suggesting are tried-and-true things — like when you rebuild bridges, things get better; and you rebuild highways when you don’t have to — you know, you — airports, ports — it all matters. It increases productivity. And the programs that relate to people are programs that are the things that also generate economic growth. And I view them as, for example, tax cuts for middle-class — upper-middle class, middle-class, and working-class people. And so you eliminate a few of the — just have the super wealthy begin to pay their fair share. For example, you have — you know, you have — I think it’s 35 or 30 corporations didn’t pay a single solitary penny last year, and they’re Fortune 500 companies. They made $400 billion. They paid no taxes. How can that make any sense? Especially since these corporations — and I come from the corporate capital of the world; more corporations are incorporated in my state than all the rest of the country combined. If you notice, corporations aren’t investing any money in research and development. Somewhere — what’s most of it going to? Buying back their own stock; stock dividends, which makes sense — leaving, by some studies, less than 10 percent for research, development, pay raises, et cetera. Used to be that, not too long ago — for example, during the Bush administration, the tax rate for the very wealthy — making well over millions of dollars — was 39.6 percent. It’s now 37 percent. Just raise it back to what it was before. It raises enough money from that savings to put every single person in community college who wants to go. Now, what’s going to grow America more? What’s going to help you and your security more: the super wealthy having to pay 3.- — yeah, 3.9 percent less tax or have an entire generation of Americans having associate degrees? That’s why all the economists, even on Wall Street, are pointing it out. Guess what? It grows the economy. Benefits everybody. Hurts nobody.
Q: Mr. President, on the corporate tax rate, have you talked to CEOs about that? And have you —— have you — are you open to, say, 25 percent?
President Biden: I’m open to compromising, yes. It doesn’t have to be exactly what I say, but to suggest that, which some of the folks are suggesting — and I’m going to meet with Republicans next week when they come back, and seriously meet with them. I’m willing to compromise. But I’m not willing to not pay for what we’re talking about. I’m not willing to deficit spend. They already have us $2 trillion in the hole. So — and, by the way, you saw — you know, the — the last five leaders of the Fed coming out and saying — what’d they say? They said, “Biden’s plan is going to grow the economy.” You have Moody’s talking about increasing it up to — I don’t know what the most recent one is — 16 million new jobs. It’s about growth, not stunting growth. Like I said, not too long ago — I guess it was back in the 2000 range, there about — don’t hold me to the exact year; I’ll get — I’ll have my staff come back with the exact date — the average CEO of the Fortune 500 companies makes like 36 times what the average employee of that corporation made. It’s over 450 times as much now. And, as my mother would say, “Who died and left them boss?” No, seriously. What rationale? Tell me what benefit flows from that. We’re not going to deprive any of these executives their — that second or third home; travel privately by jet. Th- — it’s not going to affect their standard of living at all, not a little tiny bit. But I can affect the standard of living of the people I grew up with — if they have a job, I can expect to make (inaudible) standard of living of people I grew up with — if they have childcare and can afford it so 20 million women can be back in the workforce. This is just not — makes no sense to me. But it’s going to — I’m going to have to be able to explain this, and I’m going to keep banging at it. I think — I’m not being solicitous and I’m not trying to ruin your reputation. I think most of you understand what I’m sa- — whether you agree with me or not, I think you understand what I’m saying. It’s fair to say this is about making the average multimillionaire pay just a fair share. It’s not going to affect their standard of living a little bit.
For easier reading the full video text is as follows:
President Biden: The bottom line is this: My Republican friends had no problem voting to pass a tax proposal that expires in 2025, that cost $2 trillion — none of it paid for — increased the deficit by $2 trillion; gave the overwhelming percentage of those tax breaks to people who didn’t need it: the top one tenth of 1 percent. They didn’t need it. Now, what’s going to grow America more? What’s going to help you and your security more: the super wealthy having to pay 3.9 percent less tax or have an entire generation of Americans having associate degrees? That’s why all the economists, even on Wall Street, are pointing it out. Guess what? It grows the economy. Benefits everybody. Hurts nobody. It’s fair to say this is about making the average multimillionaire pay just a fair share. It’s not going to affect their standard of living a little bit, not a little tiny bit. But I can affect the standard of living of the people I grew up with — if they have a job.
8:20 p.m. D.C., time he shares a 28 second video clip montage featuring the Transportation Secretary, the HUD Secretary, the Commerce Secretary, the Energy Secretary, and the Labor Secretary.
I will not be transcribing the video. The gist of the video is to promote the American Jobs Plan.
Given that he really throw us aka me for a loop with his second to last Friday tweet, we are going to speed right through Saturday and Sunday’s tweets.
Saturday he tweeted 4 times.
10:00 a.m. D.C., time he shares a video clip of people that work for him saying Happy Mother’s day.
1:52 p.m. D.C., time he says that he will pick “working families every time.”
The above tweet is reference to both his Made in America Tax Plan and his American Families Plan.
6:49 p.m. D.C., time he says “we have to build back better with the American Jobs Plan.”
See the above linked American Jobs Plan…
9:04 p.m. D.C., time he shares a 1 minute and 39 second clip of himself and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden speaking from the Global Citizen Concert.
From the YouTube description of the event: Get back to what you love with the official Global Citizen VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World! The special will be hosted by multi-platinum recording artist, actress and producer Selena Gomez, with appearances by Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, Nomzamo Mbatha, Olivia Munn and Sean Penn, and will include musical performances by Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin, H.E.R., and Saweetie. YouTube is exclusively streaming the extended show that includes additional performances and creator content and appearances by NCT 127 and Picture This and YouTube creators Daniel El Travieso, Kati Morton, ShootforLove, Thembe Mahlaba and The Try Guys. So celebrate the reunions and freedom that COVID vaccinations are bringing us and help ensure they’re made available worldwide, ending the pandemic for everyone. #VaxLive #VaxBecause
Sunday he tweeted 4 times all tweets relate to Mother’s Day. Happy Mom’s day everyone, I hope you had a great day.
12:51 p.m. D.C., time he shares a video of himself talking about his mom.
The video is 1 minute and 14 seconds long.
3:52 p.m. D.C., time he says Happy Mother’s day to our frontline workers.
6:26 p.m. D.C., time he says Happy Mother’s Day to his wife, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
7:37 p.m. D.C., time he shares a video clip of himself and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh calling Walsh’s mom.
She does not answer the phone, instead President Biden leaves a message.
Lucky for us aka me, he has not tweeted so far for Monday.
Monday’s daily press briefing is schedule to begin at 12:00 p.m. D.C., time. We might join the program already in progress.
President Biden’s remarks at set to begin at 1:15 p.m. D.C., time.
This is an Open Thread.
