Biden Bits: “Have a Different Vision”…

Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Thursday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 05/16/2024:

10:00 AMThe President receives the President’s Daily Brief
11:30 AM
Meeting is Closed Press
The President meets plaintiffs from the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision and their families at the White House
1:30 PM
Press Briefing
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Stephen Benjamin, Director of the Office of Public Engagement

From the White House…

05/16/2024:

A Proclamation on 70th Anniversary Brown V. Board of Education:

   Seventy years ago, the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education that outlawed racial segregation in our Nation’s public schools, finding that “separate but equal” is “inherently unequal.”  That landmark decision helped us move closer to realizing the idea that defines who we are as a Nation:  We are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.  While our society has never fully lived up to that idea, we have never fully walked away from it either — and on this milestone anniversary, we promise we will not walk away from it now.  

     As we commemorate 70 years since Brown v. Board of Education changed our Nation, we also commemorate the important foundation that was laid in Delaware.  A mother in Hockessin, joined by the parents of eight other students in Claymont, simply wanted their children to attend school and be treated with dignity and respect.  Through Bulah v. Gebhart and Belton v. Gebhart, courageous lawyers and judges in Delaware — like Louis Redding and Chancellor Collins Seitz — helped lay the legal groundwork for the Brown v. Board of Education decision to strike down the insidious doctrine of separate but equal.

     Brown v. Board of Education may have opened up schools to all our Nation’s students, but the fight to get these students into classrooms persisted.  There were still people in power who wanted to pull America back to the past, doing everything they could to keep school doors shut to Black students.  Our Nation will never forget the stories of the Little Rock Nine, the group of students who were refused entry to their local high school by the National Guard blocking the doors.  We will never forget the story of Ruby Bridges, who at only six-years-old had to be escorted by United States Marshals to her elementary school because an angry mob tried to prevent her from entering.  Across the country, Black students who entered newly desegregated schools endured discrimination, harassment, and racism from their peers, educators, and school administrators.  Yet, these students in the face of danger returned to class again and again, backed by community and civil rights leaders who were determined to take a stand for racial justice and equity that would benefit future generations of Americans.  They showed us that bravery exists in the youngest of hearts, possessing the guts and courage to stand up for the best of our country.  All the while, they kept faith in our Nation and in our North Star ‑- the sacred ideals at the heart of who we are. 

     Today, we know that the lessons learned from Brown v. Board of Education served as a catalyst for the most fundamental civil rights legislation of our time like the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act.  But while the decision in Brown v. Board of Education has allowed so many schools to develop diverse, inclusive learning communities that value empathy, kindness, and tolerance, the full potential of Brown v. Board of Education remains unfulfilled.  There is still so much work to do to ensure that every student has equal access to a quality education and that our school systems fully benefit from the diversity and talent of our students — because diversity has always been one of our Nation’s greatest strengths. 

     Since I came into office, we have prioritized making our schools more equitable.  My Administration secured nearly $2 billion in additional Title I funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to help provide a high-quality education to our most underserved students.  Additionally, my American Rescue Plan delivered historic funding to our Nation’s schools, supporting critical programs that help level the playing field like after-school and summer programs.  Further, after the Supreme Court effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions, I directed the Department of Education to analyze what practices help build more inclusive and diverse student bodies.  At the same time, we are making sure to tell the full truth of our Nation’s history, and I am proud to have signed a bill to expand the historic sites of Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park, preserving this essential history.

     On this milestone anniversary, may we honor the Brown v. Board of Education decision and all the people who have fought so hard to open classroom doors to every student.  It is a reminder that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed and that every generation of Americans has benefited by opening the doors of opportunity just a little bit wider to include those who have been left behind.  Today, may we recognize the inherent value in having diverse, thriving schools and continue working together to build a future worthy of the dreams and aspirations of our Nation’s students.  

     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 May 17, 2024, as the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.  I call upon Americans to honor all the civil rights leaders, activists, educators, and students who have fought for decades to make our schools more equitable and work together to realize the promise of America for every American.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

A Proclamation on 70th Anniversary Brown V. Board of Education. 05/16/2024.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Stephen Benjamin @1:30 p.m. D.C., time:


National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service Tweets

From Wednesday…

Remarks by President Biden at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service; the YouTube is 15 minutes and 2 seconds long.

This year, we honor ov- — over 200 heroic women and men from all across the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice.

[snip]

You represent the very best of America.  You’re the steel spine of this country.

Remarks by President Biden at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service. 05/15/2024.

From Thursday…

And all of you who serve and for your families left behind, you live a cho- — a simple truth: Every time you put on that shield and walk out of the house, your family wonders if that call will come or if they’ll get that terrible call somewhere during the day or night.  We owe you as a nation.

Remarks by President Biden at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service. 05/15/2024.

Tariffs on China Tweet

From Wednesday…

The video clip is 1 minute and 15 seconds long.

Remarks by President Biden on His Actions to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade Practices; the YouTube is 17 minutes and 40 seconds long. President Biden’s remarks begin at the 5 minute and 40 second mark.

To name one example, back in 2000, when cheap steel from China began to flood the market, U.S. steel towns across Pennsylvania and Ohio were hit hard.  And any of you from those areas know well.  More than 1,800 [18,000] ironworkers and steelworkers in Pennsylvania and Ohio lost their jobs.

I’m not going to let that happen again

That’s why today I’m announcing new tariffs in key sectors of the economy that are going to ensure that our workers are not held back by unfair trade practices.

[snip]

They include a thing I’m announcing today: 25 percent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum products.  And we’ll counter China’s overcapacity in these industries. 

[snip]

And finally, we’re putting tariffs on health equipment, like masks and gloves that nurses and doctors wear every single day.  If the pandemic caught us any- — tau- — taught us anything, we need a secure ply- — supply of essential supplies here at home.

[snip]

We’re putting a 50 percent tariff on semiconductors made in China.  These are those tiny computer — all of you know this, but for the public — those little, tiny computer chips, smaller than a fingertip, that power everyday lives — everything from smartphones to automobiles to dishwashers, satellites. 

[snip]

Next — (applause) — we’re going to raise tariffs on Chinese solar panels from 25 to 50 percent.  Here, again, because the Chinese government is subsidizing excess capacity, they’re flooding the market.  They’re driving manufacturing companies out of business in Europe.  But we won’t let that happen here in America.

[snip]

Folks, look, I’m determined that the future of the electric vehicles will be made in America by union workers.  Period.  (Applause.)  And we’ll do it by following international trade laws to do it. 

[snip]

Next, a 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles made in China.  And people say, “Wow.”  (Applause.)  Because we’re not going to let China flood our market, making it impossible for American automakers — automobile — auto manufacturers to compete fairly. 

We’re also implementing a 25 percent tariff on electric vehicle batteries from China and a 25 percent tariff on the critical minerals that make those batteries

[snip]

They include a thing I’m announcing today: 25 percent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum products.  And we’ll counter China’s overcapacity in these industries

[snip]

And we’re making major investments in clean American steel and aluminum — clean American steel and aluminum.  It’s a big deal.  Clean because of the way we manufacture it here — it emits half as much carbon as steel made in China.  

Remarks by President Biden on His Actions to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade Practices. 05/14/2024.

From the White House…

05/14/2024:

05/16/2024:

Core Inflation Tweets

From Wednesday…

Statement from President Joe Biden on the April Consumer Price Index

Fighting inflation and lowering costs is my top economic priority. I know many families are struggling, and that even though we’ve made progress we have a lot more to do. Inflation has fallen more than 60% from its peak, and core inflation fell to its lowest level in three years. Prices are still too high—so my agenda will give families breathing room by building two million new homes to lower housing costs, taking on Big Pharma to lower prescription drug prices, and calling on grocery chains making record profits to lower grocery prices for consumers.

Rather than bringing solutions, Congressional Republicans want to increase costs by going back to their same old trickle-down economics. Republicans want to slash taxes for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations, and raise taxes for middle class families. They would protect special interests and Big Pharma, and undermine workers and seniors by slashing Social Security and Medicare. All that would send inflation skyrocketing. I have a different vision for the future: one in which we take on special interests to lower costs and give the middle class a fair shot.

Statement from President Joe Biden on the April Consumer Price Index. 05/15/2024.

BLS.gov said:

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.4 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The index for shelter rose in April, as did the index for gasoline. Combined, these two indexes contributed over seventy percent of the monthly increase in the index for all items. The energy index rose 1.1 percent over the month. The food index was unchanged in April. The food at home index declined 0.2 percent, while the food away from home index rose 0.3 percent over the month.

The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3 percent in April, after rising 0.4 percent in each of the 3 preceding months. Indexes which increased in April include shelter, motor vehicle insurance, medical care, apparel, and personal care. The indexes for used cars and trucks, household furnishings and operations, and new vehicles were among those that decreased over the month.

The all items index rose 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending April, a smaller increase than the 3.5-percent increase for the 12 months ending March. The all items less food and energy index rose 3.6 percent over the last 12 months. The energy index increased 2.6 percent for the 12 months ending April. The food index increased 2.2 percent over the last year.

BLS.gov. 05/15/2024.

Justice40 Initiative Tweet

From Thursday…

From the White House…

04/21/2023:

Campaign Tweet

From Thursday…


“New” from the White House…

05/14/2024:

05/15/2024:

05/16/2024:

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About Tiff 3046 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.