It’s Monday.
Halloween is in 14 days.
There are 21 days until the mid-term elections.
President Biden’s Public Schedule for Monday, October 17th 2022:
| 9:40 AM | Out-of-Town Pool Call Time Biden Residence, Wilmington, DEOut-of-Town Pool |
| 11:25 AM | The President departs New Castle, Delaware en route the White House New Castle National Guard BaseOut-of-Town Pool |
| 11:50 AM | In-Town Pool Call Time The White HouseIn-Town Pool |
| 12:20 PM | The President arrives at the White House South LawnOpen Press |
| 1:30 PM | Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre James S. Brady Press Briefing Room |
Press Briefing @1:30 p.m. D.C., time.
When the post was posted for Friday, President Biden had tweeted 3 times. He added 5 tweets giving him a Friday Tweeting Total of 8 tweets and 0 retweets.
His full statement:
Jill and I are grieving with the families in Raleigh, North Carolina, whose loved ones were killed and wounded in yet another mass shooting in America. We are thinking of yet another community shaken and shattered as they mourn the loss of friends and neighbors, including an off-duty police officer.
As we mourn with the people of Raleigh, we are grateful for the law enforcement and other first responders, including federal law enforcement who were on the scene last night and into this morning. My Administration is working closely with Governor Cooper to assist local authorities in this investigation to the fullest extent needed.
Enough. We’ve grieved and prayed with too many families who have had to bear the terrible burden of these mass shootings. Too many families have had spouses, parents, and children taken from them forever. This year, and even in just the five months since Buffalo and Uvalde, there are too many mass shootings across America, including ones that don’t even make the national news.
For the lives we’ve lost and the lives we can save, I took historic action to stop gun violence in our nation, including signing the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years. But we must do more. We must pass an assault weapons ban. The American people support this commonsense action to get weapons of war off our streets. House Democrats have already passed it. The Senate should do the same. Send it to my desk and I’ll sign it.
May God bless our fellow Americans we lost and their families and may He grant the wounded the strength to recover in Raleigh, North Carolina.
White House.gov. 10/14/2022.
NBC News says that 5 people were shoot and killed while two others were injured in a neighborhood northeast of central Raleigh, North Carolina.
The 15 year-old-suspect was taken into custody. He remains in critical condition. Officials say if the suspected shooter survives they plan to charge him as an adult.
“We continue to await word on the suspect’s condition. Juvenile petitions have been filed. It would be our intent to seek to transfer these matters to Superior Court and to proceed against the individual as an adult.”
NBC News. 10/13/2022. Updated 10/14/2022.
The victims range from age 16 to 52: They were identified as: Nicole Connors, 52; Susan Karnatz, 49; Mary Marshall, 35; off-duty Raleigh police Officer Gabriel Torres, 29, who was on his way to work; and a 16-year-old white male. The teenager’s high school identified him Friday as James Thompson.
The two injured were identified as: Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark, 33, who was treated and released from a hospital; and Marcille Gardner, 59, who was in critical condition.
WRAL News.com posted a time-line of events surrounding the shooting. Sources told them the suspected shooter, Austin Thompson, 15 has multiple injuries, including a gunshot wound to the head and was still listed in critical condition as of October 15th.
The YouTube is 27 minutes and 40 seconds long. President Biden begins his remarks at the 8 minute and 21 second mark. His full remarks can be found here.
This is just a campaign tweet and does not appear in Friday’s remarks.
The Washington Post reported on August 9th that the Senate passed a budge package in hopes it would bring financial relief to Americans. The passage came after Republicans voted to strip a proposal that would allow for a $35 per month cap on insulin. The $35 insulin cap was left in place for those on medicare.
The Senate passed a sweeping budget package Sunday intended to bring financial relief to Americans, but not before Republican senators voted to strip a proposal that would have capped the price of insulin at $35 per month for many patients.
A proposal that limits the monthly cost of insulin to $35 for Medicare patients was left untouched. But using a parliamentary rule, GOP lawmakers were able to jettison the part of the proposal that would apply to privately insured patients.
Washington Post. 08/09/2022.
The semi-related remark quote to tweet text tweet:
President Biden: That Inflation Reduction Act did a lot of things. It had, like, just a short amount of money — $368 billion — for the climate, which is — it did a whole range of things. But what it did was it took on special interests in a way that we haven’t in a long time. I know I don’t look it, but I’ve been around for a while. (Laughter.) And it’s one of the most significant laws in our history when it comes to helping families pay their bills at the end of the month.
Saturday’s Tweeting Total is 7 tweets and 0 retweets.
From Friday’s remarks:
President Biden: But this year, the American people won. We took on Big Pharma and we beat them finally. (Applause.) We beat them finally.
President Biden: Despite the opposition from some of the most powerful special interests in the nation, we’re lowering healthcare costs and strengthening Medicare. And we’re fighting for folks who need our help.
President Biden: For years, Big Pharma stood in the way. For years, there’s been no check on how high or fast Pharma could raise drug prices.
“Outrageous” only appears once in his remarks from Friday.
President Biden: Another drug used to treat autoimmune conditions increased just this year by $1,000 — by $1,000. This is outrageous.
On Thursday, President Biden offered remarks on the; Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments. The YouTube is 27 minutes and 19 seconds long. The tweeted video is 16 seconds long.
President Biden: And Speaker Pelosi says, “They vote no and then they take the dough.” (Laughter.) Can’t make this stuff up. I got to say, I’m surprised to see there are so many socialists in the Republican Caucus. (Laughter.) Well, even if they voted against it, I said, I promised during my campaign I’d be President for all of America, every American. *Whether you voted for me or not, I’m not leaving anyone behind. (Applause.) And we’re building a better America together for everyone, even in the districts of the congressmen who voted against it.
*Pink highlight =’s text taken out of order.*
The YouTube is 26 minutes and 8 seconds long. President Biden begins his remarks at the 2 minute and 35 second mark. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden: And we talked about — a little bit about prescription drugs today because today is an important day for those on Medicare. We pay more for our prescription drugs than any other nation in the world. And, by the way, it’s the same exact drug. Not just a drug, but the same manufacturer. We pay considerably more than they do in France, Canada, Spain, anywhere around the world. And there’s no sense to it. No sense to it.
President Biden: And, look, instead of that money going into the pockets of drug companies, it’ll go into your pockets in the form of lower drug prices.
“Outrageous” appears only once in his remarks from Saturday.
President Biden: Look, in 1922 [2022], the price for one blood pressure drug that millions of Medicare patients — beneficiaries rely on went up one — went up by 500 percent. Five hundred percent. Another drug used to treat autoimmune conditions increased by $1,000 this year. One thousand dollars. Those of you who are on it, you’ll know what I’m telling you to be true. It’s outrageous.
The 10 second clip comes from his remarks on Friday.
President Biden: But that’s not all. For years, the fee you pay for Medicare to cover your visits to your doctor’s office have gone up. Now, for the first time in more than a decade, the fees are going to go down. (Applause.)
Sunday’s Tweeting Total is 7 tweets and 0 retweets:
From his remarks on Thursday.
President Biden: If Republicans win, inflation is going to get worse. It’s that simple.
From his remarks on Friday.
President Biden: Last year, a family of four with a health coverage through the Affordable Care Act saved $2,400 from the American Rescue Plan that I signed into law. Now, Inflation Production [Reduction] Act is going to lock that in place for lower healthcare premiums for millions of families. (Applause.)
From his remarks on Saturday.
President Biden: Last year, a family of four with health coverage through the Affordable Care Act, they saved an average of $2,400 because of the American Rescue Plan that I signed into law. Now, the Inflation Reduction Act locks in place those lower premiums for millions of families. They’re not going to go away. (Applause.)
From Thursday’s remarks.
President Biden: Let me close with this: It’s been a rough four or five years for the country. For a lot — for a lot of your families, things are still pretty tough. Even though you got good-paying jobs and health insurance, it’s still pretty tough. But there’s — there are bright spots where America is reasserting itself — like here, where the best workers in the world are hard at work building a better future for all of us. They’re providing our best days to be available to us. And they’re ahead of us, they’re not behind us.
The tweet text is similar to text found in his statement on consumer price index report that released on Thursday.
His full statement:
Americans are squeezed by the cost of living: that’s been true for years, and they didn’t need today’s report to tell them that. It’s a key reason I ran for President. Working to give middle class families some breathing room in dealing with their costs is critical.
Today’s report shows some progress in the fight against higher prices, even as we have more work to do. Inflation over the last three months has averaged 2%, at an annualized rate. That’s down from 11% in the prior quarter.
But even with this progress, prices are still too high. Fighting the global inflation that is affecting countries around the world and working families here at home is my top priority.
Because of my economic plan, the United States is in a stronger position than any major economy to take on this challenge. And my policies—that Democrats delivered—directly tackles price pressures we saw in today’s report, like health care. The Inflation Reduction Act locks in lower health care premiums for 13 million people, lowers seniors’ prescription drug prices, and caps their out of pocket expenses for prescription drugs at the pharmacy at $2,000 per year. The Inflation Reduction Act will also lower families’ energy costs in the months ahead.
Republicans in Congress’ number one priority is repealing the Inflation Reduction Act. That’s the exact wrong thing to do in this moment. If Republicans take control of Congress, everyday costs will go up – not down.
White House.gov. 10/13/2022.
The 37 video snip was taken from his remarks on Thursday.
President Biden: Now, to today’s event. For too long, we’ve talked about building the best economy in the world. We’ve talked about asserting America’s leadership, with the best and safest roads, railroads, ports, airports, et cetera. Now we’re finally getting it done. We’re finally deciding that instead of being ranked — catch this: The last eight years or so, America infrastructure — your bridges, the rails, everything — you know what we were rated in the world — the most powerful nation in the world? Number 13. Thirteen in the world — the United States of America.
President Biden: Look, we should be ranked number one. (Applause.) Instead of Infrastructure Week being a punchline under my predecessor, Infrastructure Decade is a headline on my watch for the next 10 years. (Applause.)
From his Friday remarks:
President Biden: Folks, look, as I said, it costs $10 to make. The drug companies charge more than 30 times that. And as I said, imagine being that parent and not having the money. What do you do? What do you do? Just imagine. Well, you’re going to keep fighting for lower drug costs, saving insulin for children and families as well. Because if we keep the House and Senate this time, we are going to make sure it applies to everybody in the country. Guaranteed. (Applause.)
From his Saturday remarks:
President Biden: And, folks, like I said, it costs $10 to make that insulin and package it. Ten. But drug companies have been charging 30 times — I said 300; I misspoke. Thirty times. Might as well be 300 for these people who need it. Imagine, as I said, being that parent, being the — and I’m not going to ask you because I don’t want to embarrass anybody, but there’s a lot of people in there that use insulin, my guess is. Raising your hand, I see that.
See all the above tweets for context…
President Biden has tweeted…
President Biden has tweeted 4 times so far for Monday.
From his remarks on Saturday.
President Biden: If Republicans in Congress have their way, it means the power we just gave Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices goes away. Gone. The $2,000 cap on prescription drugs for seniors goes away. Gone. The $35-a-month cap on insulin goes away. Gone. Savings on healthcare premiums just got — we just got for millions of Americans. Gone.
From Friday’s remarks.
President Biden: Despite the opposition from some of the most powerful special interests in the nation, we’re lowering healthcare costs and strengthening Medicare. And we’re fighting for folks who need our help. It’s one of the reasons why I’m so optimistic about America’s future.
From Saturday’s remarks.
President Biden: And I’ve never been more optimistic in my life. I’ve been doing this a while, man. I tell you, I’ve never been more optimistic. We have a chance — we’re the only nation in the world that’s come out of a crisis better than we went into the crisis. So it’s not just building back to what things were, it’s building back better — much better. We have enormous opportunity.
The White House posted the following fact-sheet; Cheaper Hearing Aids Now in Stores Thanks to Biden-Harris Administration Competition Agenda
To lower the price of hearing aids and expand access, President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make hearing aids available over the counter, without a prescription. That is now reality. Starting today, hearings aids are now on store shelves across the country—for thousands of dollars less than they previously cost.
Specifically, today, under a final rule issued by the FDA, adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss can buy hearing aids at a store or online without a prescription, exam, or audiologist fitting. FDA estimates this could lower average costs by as much as $3,000 per pair—providing significant breathing room for the nearly 30 million Americans with hearing loss, including nearly 10 million adults under age 60.
Retailers across the country are now selling over-the-counter hearing aids. Options available today or coming soon include:
White House.gov. 10/17/2022.
- Starting today, Walgreens is selling hearings aids at stores nationwide and online for $799 per pair. According to Walgreens, comparable models sold by specialists range from $2,000 to $8,000 a pair.
- Starting today, CVS will start selling over-the-counter hearing aids on CVS.com, with varying options on model and price point. CVS will also offer hearing aids in select CVS Pharmacy locations beginning in November.
- Starting today, Walmart will offer an assortment of over-the-counter hearing aids on Walmart.com, SamsClub.com, and in over 1,000 Vision Centers in Walmart stores across Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as 474 Sam’s Club Hearing Aid Center locations. Available products will range in price from $199 to $999 per pair, while according to Walmart, comparable prescription hearing aids are priced at $4,400 to $5,500 per pair.
- Starting this week, Best Buy will offer nearly 20 different hearing devices online. By the end of October, it will offer hearing aids in nearly 300 stores across the country. Devices will range in price between $200 and $3,000.
- Starting this week, Hy-Vee will sell over-the-counter hearing aids online and in 34 locations across Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Hy-Vee plans to offer hearing aids in 100 locations by the end of the year. Hy-Vee will offer four models ranging in price from $499.99 to $999.99.
Americans are squeezed by the cost of living yet Republicans in Congress’ number one priority is repealing a historic investment in lowering costs – the Inflation Reduction Act.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 17, 2022
It’s the exact wrong thing to do in this moment.
This is an Open Thread.
1 Trackback / Pingback
Comments are closed.