Biden Bits: “American Democracy is Still a Beacon”…

January 8, 2024 12:37 pm EST Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “American Democracy is Still a Beacon”…
Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Monday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 01/08/2024:

8:00 AM
Presidential Daily Brief		The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Biden Residence, Wilmington, DE Closed Press
8:15 AMOut-of-Town Pool Call Time
Biden Residence, Wilmington, DE Out-of-Town Pool
9:40 AM
Left New Castle, Delaware		The President departs New Castle, Delaware en route to Charleston, South Carolina
New Castle National Guard Base Out-of-Town Pool
10:30 AM
Press Gaggle		Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to South Carolina
New Castle National Guard Base Out-of-Town Pool
11:15 AM
Arrived in Charleston, South Carolina		The President arrives in Charleston, South Carolina
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina Open Press
12:30 PM
Campaign Speech		The President delivers remarks at a political event in South Carolina
Mother Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC Open Press
4:30 PM
Leaves Charleston, South Carolina		The President departs Charleston, South Carolina en route to Dallas, Texas
Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina Out-of-Town Pool
7:15 PM
Arrives in Dallas, Texas		The President arrives in Dallas, Texas (6:15 PM Local)
Dallas Love Field Open Press
8:05 PM
Pays his respects		The President pays his respects to the late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (7:05 PM Local)
Concord Church, Dallas Closed Press
9:30 PM
Leaves Dallas, Texas		The President departs Dallas, Texas en route to Joint Base Andrews (8:30 PM Local)
Dallas Love Field Open Press
10:35 PMIn-Town Pool Call Time
The White House In-Town Pool

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby Gaggle Aboard Air Force One @10:30 a.m. D.C., time (Replay):

Campaign Remarks via Joe Biden’s official YouTube channel…

President Biden Delivers Remarks at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina @12:30 p.m. D.C., time:


Economy/American Workers Tweets

From Friday…

The photo was taken on 12/08/2023 during an Investing in America event held in Las Vegas, Nevada…

Friday was Jobs Report Friday…

Statement from President Joe Biden on the December Jobs Report:

This morning’s report confirms that 2023 was a great year for American workers. The economy created 2.7 million new jobs in 2023—a year when the unemployment rate was consistently below 4 percent—more jobs than during any year of the prior Administration.
 
The strong job creation continued even as inflation fell to the pre-pandemic level of 2 percent over the last six months, and key prices have fallen over the last year—for a gallon of gas, a gallon of milk, toys, appliances, car rentals, and airline fares. American workers’ wages and wealth are higher now than before the pandemic began, adjusting for inflation.
 
I won’t stop fighting for American workers and American families. I know that some prices are still too high for too many Americans, and I am doing everything in my power to lower everyday costs for hard-working Americans—from bringing down the price of insulin, prescription drugs, and energy, to addressing hidden junk fees companies use to rip you off, to calling on large corporations to pass on savings to consumers as their costs moderate. And I will continue opposing efforts by Congressional Republicans to shower massive giveaways on the wealthy and big corporations, cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and block us from lowering costs for American families.

White House.gov. 01/05/2024.

BLS.gov said Friday:

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 216,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment continued to trend up in government, health care, social assistance, and construction, while transportation and warehousing lost jobs.

[snip]

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for October was revised down by 45,000, from +150,000 to +105,000, and the change for November was revised down by 26,000, from +199,000 to +173,000. With these revisions, employment in October and November combined is 71,000 lower than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)

BLS.gov. 01/05/2024.

From Sunday…


Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Tweet

From Friday…

Statement from President Joe Biden on Stopping Over 500 Illegal Under-21 Gun Purchases Through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act:

Today is an important milestone in the fight to end the epidemic of gun violence tearing the fabric of our nation apart. Thanks to the enhanced background checks enacted by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Justice Department has now successfully denied more than 500 illegal gun purchases by people under 21 years old who presented a danger to our communities.
 
This historic legislation is working to keep guns out of the hands of young people who shouldn’t have them in the first place, for common sense reasons like criminal records or because they have been determined to be a danger to themselves or others. By interrupting these illegal gun purchases, we are taking action to stop suicides, deadly domestic violence, and mass shootings. Simply put: this legislation is saving lives. And it’s part of my broader plan to reduce crime and make our communities safer, including through my American Rescue Plan, which enabled cities and states to invest $15 billion to improve public safety. There’s more work to do, but we’re making real progress: there was a significant drop in crime in 2023 – including one of the largest-ever yearly declines in homicides in history.
 
I am proud to have taken more executive action than any president in history to combat gun violence in America, and I will never stop fighting to get even more done.  Congress must enact universal background checks, ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, end the gun industry’s immunity from liability, and pass a national red flag law. There are already too many empty seats around family tables. It is fully within our power to stop this epidemic.

White House.gov. 01/05/2024.

The Department of Justice released the following press release:

Justice Department Marks More Than 500 Illegal Firearm Purchases Stopped by New Enhanced Background Checks:

On June 25, 2022, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) into law. Among other provisions aimed at reducing gun violence, BSCA requires the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to conduct an enhanced background check before any sale or transfer of a firearm to a person under the age of 21 (U21). In addition to the traditional records databases reviewed during a standard background check, these U21 checks involve expanded outreach by the FBI’s NICS Section to state and local officials who may have access to additional disqualifying information.

Since implementing BSCA’s enhanced background checks in October 2022, the FBI NICS Section has conducted enhanced background checks on more than 200,000 transactions. Those checks have kept more than 1,900 firearms out of the hands of dangerous and prohibited persons, and over a quarter of those denials — 527 as of the first week of January — were based solely on information received through the additional BSCA-enabled outreach. Without the enhanced outreach required by BSCA, these 527 U21 transactions would likely have proceeded because the disqualifying information was otherwise unavailable to NICS.

“In the 19 months since the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the law’s expanded background checks have already kept 500 firearms out of the hands of young people who are prohibited from having them,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to bring to bear every tool we have to combat the gun violence that plagues our communities.”

The 500th BSCA-specific U21 denial — which was recorded on Dec. 18, 2023 — involved a prospective purchaser whose transaction was denied after a state police officer provided records, otherwise not available to NICS, that showed the prospective purchaser to be an unlawful user of, or addicted to, a controlled substance. Other exemplary U21 denials include:

Justice.gov. 01/05/2024.
  • A sheriff’s office responded to the NICS Section with an incident report implicating the U21 purchaser in a rape offense. The NICS Section obtained court documentation establishing that the purchaser was convicted of felony rape. The transaction was denied based on the federal prohibitor for persons convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year. 
  • A sheriff’s office responded to the NICS Section with an incident report indicating that the U21 purchaser had been arrested for attempted murder and other offenses. The NICS Section obtained court documentation showing that the U21 purchaser was released on bond with court-ordered firearm restrictions pending the resolution of those charges. The transaction was denied based on a state prohibitor for active court-ordered firearm restrictions.
  • During BSCA-mandated outreach, a juvenile court provided documentation establishing that a U21 purchaser was found to be mentally ill and involuntarily committed for mental-health treatment. The transaction was denied based on the federal firearm prohibitor relating to mental-health adjudications.
  • A police department informed the NICS Section that the U21 purchaser was under felony indictment for sexually exploiting a minor. The transaction was denied based on the federal firearm prohibitor for persons under active felony indictment.
  • During BSCA-mandated outreach, a county court provided the NICS Section with documentation that the U21 purchaser had sustained juvenile adjudications for sexual battery, possession of a knife at school, and intimidation. The transaction was denied based on a state prohibitor for disqualifying juvenile adjudications.
  • A sheriff’s office informed the NICS Section that a U21 purchaser was currently in jail on multiple pending charges, including domestic violence, robbery, and assault with a dangerous weapon. The transaction was denied based on the federal firearm prohibitor for persons under active felony indictment.
  • A police department provided the NICS Section with an incident report for a U21 purchaser who was making suicidal threats and transported for emergency detention at a local in-patient psychiatric center. The transaction was denied based on the federal firearm prohibitor relating to mental-health adjudications.

The FBI continues to engage in extensive education and outreach efforts to improve the state and local partnerships necessary to the success of these enhanced background checks, including by hosting trainings for over 500 law-enforcement agencies and more than 2,000 state criminal-justice officials.

Justice.gov. 01/05/2024.

From Congress.gov…

06/25/2022:

S.2938 – Bipartisan Safer Communities Act; Actions:

DateActions Overview
06/25/2022Became Public Law No: 117-159.
06/25/2022Signed by President.
06/24/2022Presented to President.
06/24/2022Resolving differences — House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments to the House amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 234 – 193 (Roll no. 299).(text: CR H5895-5903)
06/23/2022Resolving differences — Senate actions: Senate concurred in the House amendment to S. 2938 with an amendment SA (5099), and an amendment to the title by Yea-Nay Vote. 65 – 33. Record Vote Number: 242.(text: 06/21/2022 CR S3034-3042)
05/18/2022Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 230 – 190, 1 Present (Roll no. 212).(text: 05/17/2022 CR H5089)
03/30/2022Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 238 – 187, 1 Present (Roll no. 95).(text: CR H3992)
12/09/2021Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S9085; text: CR S9085)
12/01/2021Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Carper without amendment. Without written report.
10/05/2021Introduced in Senate

Third Anniversary of January 6th, 2021/American Democracy Tweets

From Friday

President Biden’s remarks to mark the 3rd anniversary of the attack on our Capitol where held as a campaign event. While the White House posted his remarks, the POTUS twitter account did not post a live feed tweet for those remarks…

The YouTube via Joe Biden’s official YouTube channel is 39 minutes and 40 seconds long. His full remarks via the White House can be found here.

You can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-American. 

White House.gov. 01/05/2023.

From Saturday…

The video clip is 1 minute and 29 seconds long.

Remarks by President Biden Honoring the Legacy of Senator John McCain and the Work We Must Do Together to Strengthen Our Democracy; the YouTube is 39 minutes and 51 seconds long (09/28/2023).

And they pose the most profound questions: Who are we? What do we stand for? What do we believe? What will we be?

[snip]

And now, history has brought us to a new time of testing. Very few of us will ever be asked to endure what John McCain endured. But all of us are being asked right now: What will we do to maintain our democracy? Will we, as John wrote, never quit? Will we not hide from history, but make history? Will we put partisanship aside and put country first?

I say we must and we will. We will. (Applause.)

White House.gov. 09/28/2023.

[0:22]

Remarks by President Biden at the Presentation of the 2021 National Humanities Medals and National Medals of Arts; the YouTube is 46 minutes and 54 seconds long (03/21/2023):

Democracy is a choice.  It’s a choice we make to choose union over disunion, progress over chaos, and literally truth over lies; a choice to remember history, not erase it, no matter how hard it is that people try to sometimes erase it. 

White House.gov. 03/21/2023.

[0:39]

Remarks by President Biden on the Continued Battle for the Soul of the Nation; the YouTube is 31 minutes and 2 seconds long (09/01/2022):

These two documents and the ideas they embody — equality and democracy — are the rock upon which this nation is built.  They are how we became the greatest nation on Earth.  They are why, for more than two centuries, America has been a beacon to the world.

[snip]

We are still an America that believes in honesty and decency and respect for others, patriotism, liberty, justice for all, hope, possibilities. 

We are still, at our core, a democracy.  (Applause.)

[snip]

For a long time, we’ve told ourselves that American democracy is guaranteed, but it’s not.

We have to defend it, protect it, stand up for it — each and every one of us.

That’s why tonight I’m asking our nation to come together, unite behind the single purpose of defending our democracy regardless of your ideology.  (Applause.)

White House.gov. 09/01/2022.

Trump won’t do what an American president must do.  He refuses to denounce political violence. 

So, hear me clearly.  I’ll say what Donald Trump won’t.  Political violence is never, ever acceptable in the United States political system — never, never, never.  It has no place in a democracy.  None.  (Applause.)

White House.gov. 01/05/2023.

From Sunday…

The video clip is 41 seconds long. Given I’m already behind and pressed for time. I will not be transcribing the video.


Abortion Ban Tweet

From Friday…

Statement from President Joe Biden on Supreme Court Order on Idaho’s Abortion Ban

Today’s Supreme Court order allows Idaho’s extreme abortion ban to go back into effect and denies women critical emergency abortion care required by federal law. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has enabled Republican elected officials to pursue dangerous abortion bans like this one that continue to jeopardize women’s health, force them to travel out of state for care, and make it harder for doctors to provide care, including in an emergency. These bans are also forcing doctors to leave Idaho and other states because of laws that interfere with their ability to care for their patients. This should never happen in America.

The Vice President and I believe that health care decisions should be made by women and their doctors, not politicians. We will continue to defend a woman’s ability to access emergency care under federal law. As this case continues, the stakes could not be higher for women across America. Congress must immediately restore the protections of Roe v. Wade so that women in every state can access the health care they need.

White House.gov. 01/05/2024.

Save the Date/Congressional Republicans Tweets

From Saturday…

The State of the Union is scheduled for 03/07/2024.

Statement from President Joe Biden on the Bipartisan Funding Framework

The bipartisan funding framework congressional leaders have reached moves us one step closer to preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities. It reflects the funding levels that I negotiated with both parties and signed into law last spring. It rejects deep cuts to programs hardworking families count on, and provides a path to passing full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies. I want to thank Leaders Schumer and Jeffries for their leadership in reaching this framework. Now, congressional Republicans must do their job, stop threatening to shut down the government, and fulfill their basic responsibility to fund critical domestic and national security priorities, including my supplemental request. It’s time for them to act.  

White House.gov. 01/07/2024.

“New” from the White House…

01/05/2024:

01/06/2024:

01/07/2024:


This is an Open Thread.


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About Tiff 2558 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.