It’s Monday.
When Biden Bits was posted for Friday, President Biden had tweeted 1 time. He added 3 tweets giving him a Friday Tweeting Total of 4 tweets and 0 retweets.
Saturday he tweeted 3 times.
Sunday he tweeted 4 times.
Friday’s Tweets:
The White House posted the following statement:
Today, some of Florida’s most vulnerable students and families are more fearful and less free. As the state’s shameful “Don’t Say Gay” law takes effect, state officials who claim to champion liberty are limiting the freedom of their fellow Americans simply to be themselves. Already, there have been reports that “Safe Space” stickers are being taken down from classrooms. Teachers are being instructed not to wear rainbow clothing. LGBTQI+ teachers are being told to take down family photos of their husbands and wives—cherished family photos like the ones on my own desk.
White House.gov. 07/01/2022.
This is not an issue of “parents’ rights.” This is discrimination, plain and simple. It’s part of a disturbing and dangerous nationwide trend of right-wing politicians cynically targeting LGBTQI+ students, educators, and individuals to score political points. It encourages bullying and threatens students’ mental health, physical safety, and well-being. It censors dedicated teachers and educators who want to do the right thing and support their students. And it must stop.
President Biden has been very clear that every student deserves to feel safe and welcome in the classroom. The Department of Education will be monitoring this law, and any student or parent who believes they are experiencing discrimination is encouraged to file a complaint with the Department’s Office for Civil Rights. Our Administration will continue to fight for dignity and opportunity for every student and family—in Florida and around the country.
The YouTube is 22 minutes and 3 seconds long. Full remarks can be found here.
The White House posted a readout of the meeting with Governors:
Today, President Biden convened nine Democratic Governors from across the country to discuss efforts to defend reproductive rights. These Governors collectively represent tens of millions of women. They are each taking action to protect access to abortion care, including by: announcing funding for reproductive health care services; educating the public; supporting the codification of the right to access an abortion into state law and state constitutions; issuing executive actions to defend patients, including out-of-state patients, providers, and third parties; and even taking action together to support abortion access. These steps by Democratic Governors are critical as states enact and enforce laws to ban abortion and criminalize their citizens in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
In the meeting, the President highlighted the impact the decision will continue to have on the health and safety of millions of women. He reiterated his Administration’s commitment to defend women’s freedom to travel for lawful abortion care, as well as access to critical, FDA-approved medications for reproductive health care, including medication abortion and contraception. The President made clear that the filibuster should not stand in the way of restoring Roe into federal law. And he warned of Congressional Republican efforts to pass a nationwide ban on abortion.
The President thanked the Governors for their work on this issue, and told them his Administration looks forward to continued partnership to protect access to reproductive health care.
The conversation was moderated by Jennifer Klein, Director of the White House Gender Policy Council. Governors from today’s meeting included:
White House.gov. 07/01/2022.
- Governor Kate Brown, Oregon
- Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina
- Governor Kathy Hochul, New York
- Governor Jay Inslee, Washington
- Governor Ned Lamont, Connecticut
- Governor Dan McKee, Rhode Island
- Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico
- Governor Jared Polis, Colorado
- Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois
Saturday’s Tweets:
The video is 1 minute and 56 seconds long. It features snips from virtual meeting with Governors.
President Biden: I’m joined by a group of Democratic governors as we work closely to protect women’s rights after this tragic reversal of Roe v. Wade — a terrible, extreme decision, in my view, upending the lives and impacting on the health and safety of millions of women.
President Biden: But ultimately, Congress is going to have to act to codify Roe into federal law. And as I said yesterday, the filibuster should not stand in the way of us being able to do that.
President Biden: And so, there’s a lot at stake here. But I’m sure glad you’re leading New York. For real.
President Biden: In the meantime, I want to hear what the governors are doing, talk about my plans, and discuss what we can do as — until Congress acts. This is not over. This is not over.
Governor Kathy Hochul, New York: All insurance companies doing business in the state of New York now have to cover abortion. And I signed six bills related to protecting our providers after the decision came down. We’ll stop the extradition of any — any search for — when our providers or a woman who’s in our state who are wanted under criminal charges. That’s not happening in New York. And we’re also defending our abortion providers from malpractice and other lawsuits.
Governor Kathy Hochul, New York: This is, you know, chaos. It’s frightening. But also, we’re doing what we can to make sure that, you know, we are protected.
Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina: It has really been devastating for so many, as reproductive care really has been halted in its tracks in many places across the country. That constitutional right that women have relied on for five decades has been ripped away. And for now, at least, where you live will determine your rights. So, for now, it’s up to the states to determine whether can — women can get reproductive healthcare. And in North Carolina, they still can. And I’m determined to keep it that way.
Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina: Your ZIP code should not determine your rights. North Carolina has a law that’s going to prevent obstructing access to these clinics. And we’re working with law enforcement to make sure that that law is enforced.
Governor Roy Cooper, North Carolina: Women and doctors should not have these politicians in the exam room with them looking over their shoulders. And I’m going to continue to trust women to make their own medical decisions.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico: We will not cooperate as a state in any of those efforts or investigations. We will not extradite. We will provide coverage and protection for all our providers and any individual seeking abortion care and abortion services in the state of New Mexico. Like my colleagues, we are seeing an increase, and we are working diligently to make sure that when we say and we mean that abortion is “legal, safe, and accessible,” that, in fact, it is.
President Biden: [this last sentence is not in the transcript]: We got a way to go, but I’m confident we can get there if we just keep punching and make sure people understand what we’re doing, trying to protect people’s rights.
Gas Prices.AAA.com says that currently the national average for gas is $4.80.
Speaking of gas prices…
California is always used as an example of “OMG gas prices are too damn high,” shitposts on Twitter or talk radio peeps. Well, the other day, I learned things about one gas station that topped a whopping $9.99 for their premium gas.
This gas station is located in the tiny hamlet of Gorda near Big Sur and has become sort of a tourist destination where people snap photos of the gas pump.
But why are gas prices there so high?
San Luis Obispo.com [The Tribune] explains:
So why is Gorda’s gas almost $2 more per gallon than its nearest counterparts?
It’s to keep the lights on.
John Maragos, a wiry man who at first politely declined to be interviewed until he wandered into the minimart and realized there were no TV cameras, has worked at the station for almost three decades. In that time, he’s become used to trying to explain to bewildered customers why the station charges more for gas than even a few miles down the road.
“The expense is to run the town on diesel fuel,” Maragos said.
Because PG&E doesn’t provide electricity to the area, the entirety of Gorda has to run on a generator 24/7, Maragos said. And like all gas right now, diesel isn’t cheap.
“It’s astronomical,” he said. “I think it figures into $45 per hour we have to pay.”
Some quick math shows that would come out to more than $30,000 per month to keep the town powered. That includes the station, minimart, restaurant and hotel.
Maragos said an additional reason for the high prices is to pay for liability insurance for the trucks that transport gas to the remote spot.
San Luis Obispo.com [The Tribune]. 07/04/2022.
Politico reported that “The National Security Council’s John Kirby on Sunday defended President Joe Biden’s weekend tweet urging gas companies to lower their prices.”
Kirby went on Fox News Sunday and is quoted as saying; I think anybody that knows President Biden knows he’s plain-spoken and he tells exactly what he’s thinking in terms that everybody can understand.
His full statement:
Today, on the first annual National Wildland Firefighter Day, I join Americans across the country in expressing deep gratitude for our wildland firefighters who heroically protect our communities and natural resources from wildfires.
Recognizing their service and sacrifice on this day is especially important because we continue to ask more of them year after year. In the past year and a half, I’ve met firefighters in Idaho, California, Colorado, and New Mexico who work night and day to keep people safe, all while fires are getting larger, more intense, and more difficult to control because of climate change, the accumulation of hazardous fuels in our forests, and evolving land development patterns.
Firefighters can spend months away from their loved ones, courageously working to save lives, homes, schools, businesses, natural resources, and wilderness areas. Beyond fighting fires, these dedicated women and men also work year-round to protect us from wildfires before they start by doing the important fuels management work needed to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic fire. This work is tough and extremely dangerous.That’s why my Administration continues to make supporting this workforce a top priority. Building on what I initiated last year, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized historic new initiatives and resources for wildland firefighters that we are implementing now. This includes a substantial pay increase, new programs to support wildland firefighter mental and physical health, and the creation of a wildland firefighter job series that will improve recruitment, retention, and opportunities for professional growth.
We are also building our firefighting workforce, including converting more temporary firefighting positions to permanent jobs. And we’re further supporting our brave firefighters by doing everything we can to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fires, including proposing a nearly 60 percent increase in hazardous fuels management funds in my Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request, and investing another $2.5 billion in this work over the next five years through my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
White House.gov. 07/02/2022.
National Wildland Firefighter Day will occur annually during the previously established wildland firefighter Week of Remembrance. I’ve attended too many memorial services for the fallen, including almost nine years to the day, honoring 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters who died fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona. They were some of the strongest, most disciplined, tenacious, physically fit firefighters in the world. So, this week we will also reflect on those firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty and renew our commitment to wildland firefighter safety. We pause to remember them, commemorate their selfless service, and thank their loved ones for their service and many sacrifices.
May God bless firefighters and their families across our Nation.
Sunday’s Tweets:
The below chain of tweets is taken from remarks he gave on June 14th, 2022 at the 29th AFL-CIO Convention.
President Biden: Do you remember when our economy was like — what it looked like before we took office? Three thousand Americans were dying every day from COVID. Twenty million Americans had lost their jobs under the last guy. In fact, so many Americans lost their jobs that my predecessor became just the second President in history to leave office with fewer jobs in America than when he took office. But you stepped up. The other one, by the way, was Herbert Hoover.
Under my plan for the economy, we’ve made extraordinary progress. We’ve put America in a position to tackle the worldwide problem of inflation from a place of strength. The problem is Republicans in Congress are doing everything they can to stop my plans to bring down costs.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 3, 2022
That’s why my plan is not finished and it’s why the results aren’t finished, either. Jobs are back – but prices are still too high. COVID is down – but gas prices are up. Our work is not done.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 3, 2022
But here’s the deal: America still has a choice to make. A choice between a government by the few and for the few. Or a government for all of us. A democracy for all of us. An economy where all of us have a fair shot and a chance to earn our place.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 3, 2022
President Biden: Look, the point is this: Under my plan for the economy, we’ve made extraordinary progress. And we put America in a position to tackle the wor- — worldwide problem that’s worse everywhere but here: inflation. It’s sapping the strength of a lot of families.
President Biden: The problem is Republicans in Congress are doing everything they can to stop my plans to bring down costs on ordinary families. That’s why my plan is not finished and why the results aren’t finished either. Jobs are back, but prices are still too high. COVID is down, but gas prices are up. Our work isn’t done. But here’s the deal. America still has a choice to make: a choice between a government by the few, for the few, or a government for all of us, democracy for all of us, an economy where all of us have a fair shot and a chance to earn our place in the economy.
July 4th, 2022’s public schedule:
| 11:50 AM | In-Town Pool Call Time In-Town Pool |
| 1:30 PM | The President and The First Lady arrive in Washington, DC In-Town Travel Pool |
| 1:50 PM | The President and The First Lady arrive at the White House North PorticoIn-Town Travel Pool |
| 5:00 PM | The President and The First Lady host a Fourth of July BBQ with military families and deliver remarks to celebrate Independence Day by 9:00 am] South LawnOpen Press [RSVP here by 9:00 AM] |
| 9:09 PM | The President and The First Lady view the Independence Day fireworks display over the National Mall The White House |
President Biden has tweeted…
He’s tweeted two times so far for the 4th…
So far there are no live feeds posted for this evenings events.
I want to thank Halodoc for being her awesome self and giving me a week off. So, I could go to Disneyland for my 21st wedding anniversary.
Hope you all have a safe and wonderful 4th of July.
I’ll just leave you with this…
This is an Open Thread.
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