Donald Trump’s vicious assault on the international criminal court is no surprise. His last administration slapped sanctions on it over its investigations into potential war crimes in Afghanistan, including by the US, and into the actions of Israeli forces. But his new executive order goes even further, attacking the fundamentals of the court and endangering its functioning.
The US never joined the ICC, fearing scrutiny of its own actions and those of its allies. Joe Biden damaged both the court and US claims of commitment to the “rules-based international order” when he justified the arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin while attacking as “outrageous” the one issued for Benjamin Netanyahu.
But for Mr Trump it is not just about expedience. His loathing for the court speaks to something fundamental about this president. Ultimately, the law he believes in is that of the jungle. Naked transactionalism and coercion replace diplomacy and alliances. The biggest beasts are hungry and the rest must flatter or flee.
This credo can be seen at work again in the destruction of USAID. The callous disregard for life is sickening. As Gordon Brown laid out powerfully in the Guardian, this decision will kill. It is also shortsighted and stupid. USAID has been a shrewd, low-cost foreign policy tool. It cost less than 1% of the federal budget in the 2023 fiscal year – and much of the money went back to the United States. US foreign aid spending as a percentage of gross national income is far below that of most advanced economies. USAID helped to stabilize countries, contain diseases, and foster goodwill in places which will now look to other patrons.
Mr Trump’s “might-is-right” doctrine can be seen most clearly in his reckless and immoral call to ethnically cleanse Gaza, so that the US could “own” a new “Riviera of the Middle East”. This is the most disturbing element of his unexpected and repeated proposals for American territorial expansion, in place of the anticipated isolationism. He has even declared his willingness to use military force in other places.
No one expects US troops to march into Canada. His Gaza proposal is not realizable. At least some of his suggestions are surely wielded as the crudest available threat to achieve concessions on other issues. Yet a worrying consistency in the theme suggests that observers may need to take him literally as well as seriously, however ludicrous these ideas sound. He does not need to enact them exactly for them to prove hugely damaging. And whether or not the US expands its borders, there seems every prospect that Mr Trump will approve of Israel and Russia annexing land, emboldening others to use force to remake borders.
In the past, some have wondered how effective the ICC can really be: the work of bringing war criminals to justice has been slow, painful and often unsuccessful at the best of times. Mr Trump’s attack is a perverse recognition of the importance of the court, and of international law more generally. It is alarming that influential voices within the British government appear inclined to lament the rigor of international law as an obstacle to domestic priorities, rather than celebrate its place in the architecture of a civilized world. Recoiling at Mr Trump’s excesses is not enough. The UK and others have rightly expressed their “unwavering” support for the ICC. They must now defend it, and the values for which it stands, by whatever means they can.
(The Guardian)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): President Joe Biden on January 17 announced that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is the “law of the land,” despite the U.S. archivist recently saying the president could not ratify the constitutional amendment.
“It is long past time to recognize the will of the American people,” Biden said in a statement. “In keeping with my oath and duty to Constitution and country, I affirm what I believe and what three-fourths of the states have ratified: the 28th Amendment is the law of the land, guaranteeing all Americans equal rights and protections under the law regardless of their sex.”
Biden pointed to how Virginia in 2020 became the 38th state to ratify the ERA, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender.
The U.S. archivist and U.S. deputy archivist said in late 2024 that the president could not ratify the amendment because the amendment did not receive the required support from three-fourths of the states by the deadline Congress imposed, which was June 30, 1982.
The Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel in 2020, while Donald Trump was president, and in 2022, after Biden took office, also said that ratification cannot occur unless Congress or the courts extend or remove the ratification deadline. However, the American Bar Association (ABA) is among the organizations that have offered a different view: that Virginia’s ratification was sufficient to meet the three-quarters requirement, and the deadline is not relevant.
“I agree with the ABA and with leading legal constitutional scholars that the Equal Rights Amendment has become part of our Constitution,” Biden said.
Democrat lawmakers had been urging Biden to ratify the amendment and expressed support after his announcement on Friday.
“The President is right: the Equal Rights Amendment is the law of the land. Today is one step closer to full dignity for women and every American,” Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) said in a post on social media platform X.
Republicans had called on Biden not to ratify the amendment.
“The ERA of 1972 failed to gain the necessary support from the states before its deadline, and no court has since held that the deadline can be retroactively disregarded,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall told Biden in a recent letter.
The U.S. Constitution states that an amendment can be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress or if two-thirds of states request one in a special convention. The proposed amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of states.
Some lawmakers have proposed waiving the deadline, but none of those proposals have passed. There is no precedent for waiving such a deadline after it has passed, according to New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice.
The courts could end up deciding the matter, Brennan Center experts said.
The last amendment to the Constitution was ratified by enough states in 1992 that the archivist at the time certified the ratification, and Congress then approved the amendment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US President Joe Biden on Saturday, January 11, conferred Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, recognizing the Pope’s significant influence and contributions, just days before leaving the White House.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), President Biden expressed his admiration for Pope Francis and called the leader of the Catholic Church the “People’s Pope.”
“Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled. As the People’s Pope, you are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world,” Biden said on X. Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled. As the People’s Pope, you are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.
Today, it was my honor to award His Holiness Pope Francis the Presidential… pic.twitter.com
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 11, 2025
In a statement from the White House, it was stated that President Biden spoke with the Pope and named him as a recipient of the medal, which is the highest civilian honor in the United States. The award is given to individuals who have made “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”
This was also the first time that Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction during his time at the White House, the statement added.
According to The Hill, President Biden, the second Catholic president in US history, had initially planned to visit Rome but cancelled the trip due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.
Biden had originally planned to travel to Italy on Thursday to meet the Pope and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for what would have been his final foreign trip as president, the Hill reported.
According to the Hill, the two leaders last met in June while Biden was in Italy for the G7 summit and also met in October 2021 when conservative Catholic bishops were considering whether Biden should be allowed to receive communion due to his pro-abortion rights position.
Washington (TIP)- President Joe Biden and his family were given tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, with Jill Biden receiving the single most expensive present: a USD 20,000 diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 7.5-carat diamond from Modi was easily the most costly gift presented to any member of the first family in 2023, although she also received a brooch valued at USD 14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photograph album worth USD 4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt, according to an annual accounting published by the State Department on Thursday, January 2.
The USD 20,000 diamond was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, according to a State Department document, while the other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives. The first lady’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the diamond’s use.
The US president himself received a number of expensive presents, including a commemorative photo album valued at USD 7,100 from South Korea’s recently impeached President Suk Yeol Yoon, a USD 3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the Mongolian prime minister, a USD 3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a USD 3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a collage worth USD 2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Federal law requires executive branch officials to declare gifts they receive from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value of more than USD 480. Many of the gifts that meet that threshold are relatively modest, and the more expensive ones are typically – but not always – transferred to the National Archives or put on official displays.
Recipients also have the option to purchase the gift from the US government at its market value, although that is rare, particularly with high-end items.
According to the State Department’s Office of Protocol, which compiles the list that will be published in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register, several employees of the CIA reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfume and jewellery, nearly all of which were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than USD 132,000 combined.
CIA Director William Burns received a USD 18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from a foreign source whose identity is classified. That is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an USD 11,000 Omega watch, while numerous others did the same with luxury timepieces.
Below the rank of director, the CIA employees who reported gifts are not identified, but one of them logged an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, earring bracelet, and a ring that were valued together at USD 65,100.
All of those were destroyed, according to the report, as was a USD 30,000 women’s jewellery set from the Libyan jeweller Al Grew consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings received by another CIA employee.
Another CIA employee reported receiving a men’s Yacht Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch worth USD 18,700, another reported getting a lady’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at USD 12,500, and one other got a USD 7,450 Rolex Air King watch. All three of the watches were destroyed, according to the list. Source: AP
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Joe Biden and Donald Trump have led tributes to former US President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter, who has died aged 100. Carter, who lived longer than any president in history, died on Sunday , December 29 afternoon at his home in Plains, Georgia.
Biden described him as “a man of principle, faith and humility,” while Trump said all Americans owe Carter a “debt of gratitude”.
Carter rose from a peanut farmer to become president in 1977, before being forced out of the White House after just one four-year term when Ronald Reagan stormed to victory in the next election.
After leaving the White House with low approval ratings, his reputation was restored through humanitarian work which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.
“Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement.
“To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” they added.
“He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.”
Biden announced that a national day of mourning would take place on 9 January, with Americans encouraged to visit places of worship to “pay homage” to the late president.
He also ordered flags to be flown at half-mast at all public and military buildings for 30 days, a period which includes the inauguration of president-elect Trump.
Watch: Joe Biden pays tribute to Jimmy Carter
Trump posted on Truth Social: “The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans.
“For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Trump previously mocked Carter’s single term on the campaign trail ahead of his victory in this year’s presidential election, and said in 2019: “He’s a nice man. He was a terrible president.”
This came after Carter called Trump an “illegitimate president”, claiming he was helped into the White House by Russian interference in the 2016 election, something Moscow and Trump deny.
Obituary: From peanut farmer to one-term president and Nobel winner
World leaders also paid tribute to Carter.
King Charles III said “his dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977”.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Carter was “motivated by his strong faith and values” and that he “redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Carter “was a leader who served during a time when Ukraine was not yet independent, yet his heart stood firmly with us in our ongoing fight for freedom”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he had been a “steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace”. Before becoming president in 1977, Democrat Carter was governor of Georgia, a lieutenant in the US navy and a farmer.
Carter’s presidency will be remembered for his struggles in dealing with acute economic problems and several foreign policy challenges, including the Iran hostage crisis, which ended with the deaths of eight Americans.
There was, however, a notable foreign policy triumph in the Middle East when he helped broker an accord between Egypt and Israel, signed at Camp David in the US in 1978.
But that seemed a distant memory two years later, when voters overwhelmingly chose Republican Ronald Reagan, who had portrayed the president as a weak leader unable to deal with inflation and interest rates at near record highs. Carter lost the 1980 election by a landslide, winning only six US states plus Washington DC.
After leaving the White House, he became the first and only president to return full-time to the house he lived in before politics – a humble, two-bedroom ranch-style home.
He chose not to pursue the lucrative after-dinner speeches and publishing deals awaiting most former presidents, telling the Washington Post in 2018, that he never really wanted to be rich.
Instead, he spent his remaining years trying to address global problems of inequality and disease.
He founded the Carter Center in 1982 to pursue his vision of world diplomacy, and received the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts with the foundation to promote human rights around the world.
He also teamed up with Nelson Mandela to found The Elders, a group of global leaders who committed themselves to work on peace and human rights. Getty Images Jimmy Carter holds up his Nobel Peace Prize Oslo, Norway, in 2002.Getty Images Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002
Carter is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. His wife, Rosalynn, who he was married to for 77 years, died in November 2023. Announcing his death, Carter’s son Chip said his father was “a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love”.
“My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together.”
Since 2018 and the death of George HW Bush, Carter was the oldest surviving US president.
Carter stopped medical treatment for an undisclosed illness last year and instead began receiving hospice care at his home. He had suffered from health issues including a melanoma that spread to his liver and brain.
Another leading tribute came from Barack Obama, who reflected on spending time with Carter, saying that “he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service”.
Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where Carter taught Sunday school well into his 90s, “will be a little quieter on Sundays”, Obama said. “But President Carter will never be far away – buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels.”
Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also spoke of Carter’s faith.
“President Carter lived to serve others – until the very end,” they said in a statement.
(Source: BBC)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Four Indian-Americans are among nearly 1,500 people granted clemency by President Joe Biden. These four Indian-Americans are Meera Sachdeva, Babubhai Patel, Krishna Mote and Vikram Dutta.
“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances. As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offences,” Biden said in a statement on Thursday.
“That is why, today, I am pardoning 39 people who have shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer. I am also commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who are serving long prison sentences – many of whom would receive lower sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies, and practices,” he said.
This was the largest single-day act of clemency in recent times.
In December 2012, Dr Meera Sachdeva was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to repay nearly USD 8.2 million for fraud at a former Mississippi cancer centre she ran. She is now 63.
Babubhai Patel was sentenced to 17 years on 26 convictions for a healthcare fraud conspiracy, a drug conspiracy, and related fraud and drug violations in 2013.
Also in 2013, Krishna Mote, 54, was sentenced to serve life in prison after he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine and more than 500 grams of cocaine, and distribution of crack cocaine as an aider and abettor.
Vikram Dutta, 63, was in January 2012 sentenced in a Manhattan federal court to 235 months in prison after he was found guilty of conspiracy charges stemming from his use of his perfume distribution business to launder millions of dollars for a Mexican narcotics organisation.
(Source: PTI)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Days after she lost the presidential election to Republican opponent Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris has said she will continue to fight for democracy, rule of law, equal justice and freedom.
There is so much to fight for to ensure a future where everyone can pursue their dreams and the fight did not end on November 5, Harris said while addressing her major supporters and fundraisers from across the nation who were part of her presidential campaign and had gathered over a call on Tuesday. The presidential election was held on November 5. While Trump will succeed President Joe Biden, Harris will be succeeded by J D Vance.
“We are going to stay in the fight. We have so much to fight for a future where everyone can pursue their dreams and their ambitions and their aspirations. We’re going to continue fighting for the right of women to make decisions about their own body,” Harris said.
“We’re going to continue fighting for our democracy, for rule of law, for equal justice. We’re going to fight for the idea that it is so fundamental to who we are and our strength that we focus not on who we beat down but who we lift up,” she said.
This is an “uncertain time”, the vice president said.
“I am looking at this moment with clear eyes as we all are clear about this. I am clear at the moment that we are in with uncertainty and everything else that gives us concern, if not fear about,” she said.
“We are not powerless and so it’s going to take, as we always say, hard work. You all heard me say this many times before we like hard work. Hard work is good work. Hard work can be joyful work and we must remain intentional,” she said. Harris said the light of America’s promise will burn bright as long as they never give up and as long as they keep fighting. “That fight that fueled our campaigns, that fight for freedom and opportunity for dignity, that fight did not end on November 5. It did not end, and it is an enduring point for the ideals that are at the heart of our nation.
“As I often talk about, it is the ideals that reflect the promise of America… We believe in the promise of America. We cannot give up on the promise of America. We cannot give up on our belief in what that means. Because after all the promise of America will only be achieved if we stay in the fight,” Harris said.
(Source: PTI)
Honest people standing up is precisely what resisting authoritarianism and protecting democracy require. Americans and the citizens of other countries must have access to the truth if we have any hope of standing up to tyranny.
By Robert Reich
Reliable and independent sources of news are now threatened by growing alliances of oligarchs and authoritarians. The mainstream media doesn’t use the term “oligarchy” to describe the billionaires who are using their wealth to enlarge their political power around the world, but that is what is happening.
During the US presidential campaign, legacy mainstream media – who mostly answer to corporate or billionaire ownership – refrained from reporting how incoherent and bizarre Donald Trump was becoming, normalizing and “sanewashing” his increasingly wild utterances even as it reported every minor slip by Joe Biden.
The New York Times headlined its report on the September 2024 presidential debate between the president-elect and Kamala Harris – in which Trump issued conspiracy theories about stolen elections, crowd sizes, and Haitian immigrants eating pet cats and dogs – as: Harris and Trump bet on their own sharply contrasting views of America.
Trump also used virulent rhetoric towards journalists. He has called the free press “scum” and the “enemy within”. During his campaign, he called for revoking the licenses of television networks and jailing journalists who won’t reveal their anonymous sources.
Come 20 January, Trump and his toadies – including billionaires such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy – will have total control over the executive branch of the United States government. Trump’s Maga Republicans will be in charge of both chambers of Congress as well.
Most members of the US supreme court, some of whom have been beneficiaries of billionaire gifts, have already signaled their willingness to consolidate even more power in Trump’s hands, immunize him from criminal liability for anything he does, and further open the floodgates of big money into US politics.
All of this is sending a message from the United States that liberalism’s core tenets, including the rule of law and freedom of the press, are up for grabs.
Elsewhere around the world, alliances of economic elites and authoritarians similarly threaten public access to the truth, without which democracy cannot thrive.
It’s a vicious cycle: citizens have grown cynical about democracy because decision-making has become dominated by economic elites, and that cynicism has ushered in authoritarians who are even more solicitous of such elites.
Trump and his lapdogs have lionized Victor Orbán and Hungary’s Fidesz party, which transformed a once-vibrant democracy into a one-party state, muzzling the media and rewarding the wealthy.
Trump’s success will likely encourage other authoritarians, such as Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party in France; Alternative in Germany, or AfD; Italy’s far-right Giorgia Meloni; and radical rightwing parties in the Netherlands and Austria. Trump’s triumph will embolden Russia’s Vladimir Putin – the world’s most dangerous authoritarian oligarch – not only in Ukraine and potentially eastern Europe but also in his worldwide campaign of disinformation seeking to undermine democracies.
Evidence is mounting that Russia and other foreign agents used Musk’s X platform to disrupt the US presidential campaign in favor of Trump. Musk did little to stop them.
During the campaign, Musk himself reposted to his 200 million followers a faked version of Harris’s first campaign video with an altered voice track sounding like the vice-president and saying she “does not know the first thing about running the country” and is the “ultimate diversity hire”. Musk tagged the video “amazing”. It received hundreds of millions of views.
According to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Musk posted at least 50 false election claims on X, which garnered a total of at least 1.2bn views. None had a “community note” from X’s supposed fact-checking system.
Rupert Murdoch, another oligarch who champions authoritarianism, has turned his Fox News, Wall Street Journal, and New York Post into outlets of rightwing propaganda, which have amplified Trump’s lies.
Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of the Washington Post, prohibited the newspaper from endorsing Kamala Harris. Evidently, he didn’t want to raise Trump’s ire because Bezos’s other businesses depend on government contracts and his largest – Amazon – is already the target of a federal antitrust suit.
Bezos’s decision demonstrated that even the possibility of a Trump presidency could force what had been one of the most courageous newspapers in the US to censor itself. Marty Baron, former editor of the Post, called the move “cowardice, with democracy as its casualty”.
Citizens concerned about democracy must monitor those in power, act as watchdogs against abuses of power, challenge those abuses, organize and litigate, and sound the alarm about wrongdoing and wrongful policies.
But not even the most responsible of citizens can do these things without reliable sources of information. The public doesn’t know what stories have been censored, muted, judged out of bounds, or preemptively not covered by journalists who’d rather not take the risk.
In the final weeks before the election, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Soon-Shiong, blocked his newspaper’s planned endorsement of Harris, prompting the head of the paper’s editorial board to resign. Mariel Garza said she was “not OK with us being silent”, adding: “In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up.”
Honest people standing up is precisely what resisting authoritarianism and protecting democracy require. Americans and the citizens of other countries must have access to the truth if we have any hope of standing up to tyranny.
(Robert Reich is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Outgoing US President Joe Biden will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Peru on Saturday, November 16, on the sidelines of an international summit, during which the two leaders expect to review the bilateral relations, the White House said Wednesday.
“We expect the president will use the opportunity to take stock of efforts to responsibly manage competition over the last four years, how the two countries have advanced areas of shared interest, and, even amidst deep differences and intense competition, have worked to do so,” a senior administration official said.
The two leaders are scheduled to meet on November 16 at Lima, the capital of Peru, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. The meeting would come just over two months before Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
This will be their third in-person meeting since Biden entered office. They previously met in Bali, in 2022, on the margins of the G20, and at Woodside, California in 2023, on the margins of APEC.
The two presidents have known each other for more than a decade, dating back to when they were both vice presidents, and have spent many hours in meetings together.
“We expect this will be their last meeting as presidents,” said the official.
Throughout his time in office, Biden has emphasized the importance of responsibly managing one of the world’s most consequential relationships.
“From the very beginning of this administration, four years ago, President Biden made it clear the United States would advance and protect our interests at home and abroad. And the framework of this administration’s China policy — invest, align, and compete — has remained constant over the last four years,” said the official.
Biden has prioritized investments and sources of US strength at home, strengthened alliances abroad, and taken several measures to protect US technology and national security, the official said.
“At the same time, the president has demonstrated that our two countries can and must manage our differences and prevent competition from veering into conflict or confrontation by maintaining open lines of communication and advancing cooperation in areas of shared interest,” the official added.
During the Saturday meeting with Xi, Biden will want to take stock of the progress the two countries have made in a number of areas since the Woodside Summit last year. Such cooperation can be an important stabilizing force in the relationship, the official said.
“For example, over the last year, the two sides have resumed military-to-military communications at all levels. At the senior level, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Brown, Secretary of Defense Austin, and the INDOPACOM commander have met or had telephone calls with their PRC counterparts over the last year,” said the official.
Noting that the US and China also restarted the Defense Policy Coordination Talks in January, 2024 and have carried out agreed-upon defense engagements since, to include the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement, MMCA, the official said these discussions are important to avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation.
“For the first time this year, I should add as well, both sides pre-notified their respective ICBM launches. Biden has made clear and will continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining military-to-military communications at all times and especially during times of heightened tension,” said the official.
In addition to discussing issues related to AI and climate change, President Biden will warn that cyber pre-positioning on civilian critical infrastructure and engaging in reckless attacks against critical networks of the US are “unacceptable”, the official said, adding that such actions could destabilize the current bilateral relationship and lead to an even broader de-risking away from PRC (People’s Republic of China) technology.
“I expect the President will also underscore the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and express his concerns that the PRC’s increased military activities around Taiwan are destabilizing and eroding the status quo,” the official said.
Biden is also likely to express concern over Chinese actions in the South China Sea, including China coast guard actions against lawful maritime operations by other South China Sea claimant countries. “And of course, the President will also underscore his longstanding concern with the PRC’s unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices, which have over time created an unlevel playing field for American workers,” said the official.
(Source: PTI)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US President Joe Biden on Thursday, November 7, vowed to ensure a peaceful and orderly transfer of power to President-elect Donald Trump in January and appealed to the people to accept the election results for the White House. Biden made the comments during an address to the nation, a day after Trump, 78, won the presidential elections. In his remarks, which lasted about six minutes, Biden affirmed his commitment to a peaceful transition of power, lauded the election as one that was free and fair, and praised poll workers for overseeing the voting process. Addressing his cabinet, as well as Harris’ supporters following her defeat, Biden insisted: “setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.”
“I assured President-elect Trump of a peaceful and orderly transition of power,” Biden said.
“You can’t love your neighbor only when you agree. Something I think you can do no matter who you voted for is see each other not as adversaries but as fellow Americans,” he said.
Biden’s remarks are seen as an attempt to heal a country that appeared divided into two groups after the results were out for the bitterly contested presidential election.
In the statement, Biden said selecting Harris as his running mate in 2020 “was the very best decision I made” and said “her story represents the best of America’s story.”
“Under extraordinary circumstances, she stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans,” Biden said. “She will continue the fight with purpose, determination, and joy.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US President Joe Biden on Monday, October 28, hosted a Diwali celebration at the White House that was attended by more than 600 eminent Indian Americans, including Congressmen, officials, and corporate executives, from across the country.
“As President, I’ve been honored to host the biggest Diwali receptions ever at the White House. To me, it means a great deal. As Senator, Vice President, and President; South Asian Americans have been key members of my staff. From Kamala to Dr. Murthy to so many of you here today, I’m proud that I kept my commitment to have an administration that looks like America,” Biden said in a standing-only packed East Room of the White House.
Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Dr Jill Biden could not attend the event as they are on the campaign trail. Biden’s remarks were preceded by Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, US Surgeon General; Sunita Williams, Retired Navy Officer and NASA Astronaut who sent a recorded video message from the International Space Station and Shrusti Amula, Indian-American Youth Activist who introduced the president.
“In late November 2016, a dark cloud formed from hate and hostility toward immigrants, including South Asian Americans. We hear once again in 2024. It was then that Jill and I hosted the first Diwali reception and it was at the Vice President’s residence. An Irish Catholic President, Vice President at the time, opened our home for holiday celebrations by Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, Sikhs, and more. How America reminds us all of our power to be the light, all of us,” he said.
Biden, who lit the formal diya in the Blue Room of the White House, said the South Asian American community has enriched every part of American life. “That’s the truth. That is among the fastest-growing, most engaged communities in the country you are now,” he said.
“On this day in America, we think about that journey of light. Early in our nation’s founding, A generation before diya, in the shadow of suspicion, now in a time Diwali is celebrated openly and proudly here in the White House. We also know today we face an inflection point,” he said.
One of those rare moments that only come once every several generations, where the decisions we make today will determine the future to come for decades, literally. Every generation has been called to move us forward, to be the nation we say we are. But only once in every few generations, we are reminded not to take the idea of America for granted, because it’s never guaranteed. That moment is now, Biden said.
Dancers from the Sa Dance Company perform at the White House Diwali reception on Monday, October 28, 2024
“American democracy has never been easy. In a country as diverse as ours, we debate, we dissent as we forge a path forward through compromise and consensus. But the key is we never lose sight of how we got here and why. For me, 50 years of public service comes with the clarity of confidence in America. We’re a nation with a heart, a soul that draws from old and new,” he said.
“In America, everything runs deep, especially the courage to serve and protect, to heal and to bear witness, to immigrate, to dare to dream. With my presidency, I’ve tried to channel that American spirit by bringing to bear all my experiences and wisdom gained from it, and to get us through one of the most difficult periods in our nation’s recent history, and to be a bridge between generations, like in memory and imagination,” Biden said.
Tagline: And it is very much a willing belligerent in a conflict of its own making
And while many an international observer has sounded the alarm that the US could now be “dragged” into a regional war – warnings that will only increase after the Iranian missile attack – in reality the US is not really being “dragged” anywhere. Rather, the US is in a position entirely of its own making. And the fact of the matter is that the US is already at war.
By Belén Fernández
Yesterday, (October 1) Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israel’s assassination in Beirut of Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah last week and its assassination in Tehran of Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh in July.
United States President Joe Biden instructed the US military to assist Israel in neutralizing the missiles – not that Israel is not already equipped with various layers of ultra-sophisticated protection against incoming projectiles, which permit it to go about slaughtering folks left and right while suffering minimal damage in return.
During a news briefing at the White House, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced that US naval destroyers had “joined Israeli air defense units in firing interceptors to shoot down in-bound missiles”. Praising the “professionalism” of the Israeli military, Sullivan also lauded the “skilled work of the US military and meticulous joint planning in anticipation of the attack”.
Of course, not once has it occurred to the Biden administration to meticulously thwart Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where officially more than 41,000 people have been killed in less than a year although the true death toll is without a doubt exorbitantly higher. Nor has the oh-so-skilled US military deemed it necessary to interfere in the wanton butchery currently going down in Lebanon, where Israel just killed more than 700 people in less than a week. And while many an international observer has sounded the alarm that the US could now be “dragged” into a regional war – warnings that will only increase after the Iranian missile attack – in reality the US is not really being “dragged” anywhere.
Rather, the US is in a position entirely of its own making. And the fact of the matter is that the US is already at war.
To be sure, even prior to the launch of the genocide, the US habit of flinging billions of dollars at the Israeli military on an annual basis long ago made it transparently complicit in Israeli efforts to disappear Palestine. Since October 7, the billions have only multiplied, despite Biden’s intermittent squawking about cutting off the supply of certain offensive weaponry to Israel. In August, the Biden administration approved a $20bn weapons package to its Israeli partner in crime. And on September 26, the Reuters news agency reported Israel’s announcement that “it had secured an $8.7 billion aid package from the United States to support its ongoing military efforts and to maintain a qualitative military edge in the region”.
The package was said to include “$3.5 billion for essential wartime procurement… and $5.2 billion designated for air defense systems including the Iron Dome anti-missile system, David’s Sling and an advanced laser system”.
In other words, Israel will be increasingly well-poised to “defend” itself against legitimate responses to its own actions – actions that quite literally qualify as terrorism.
In the end, it’s not rocket science: the financial and military support consistently extended to Israel by the US does not denote a country that is being “dragged” into a conflict. It denotes a country that is, for all intents and purposes, an active belligerent in the conflict.
The US also lent a helping military hand to Israel back in April when Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles in response to a lethal Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. On this occasion, too, Iran was widely cast in the role of terrorist aggressor – and never mind the retaliatory nature of its action.
It is meanwhile helpful to recall that the US has for decades done a fine job of “dragging” itself into regional war – the 2003 US pulverization of Iraq comes to mind – so it should come as no surprise to once again find the country front and center against a backdrop of mass slaughter. From American drone attacks on weddings in Yemen to rush shipments of bombs to the Israeli military in 2006 to aid in the ravaging of Lebanon, it seems the US has never met a Middle Eastern conflict it was not excited about. And although the Biden administration continues to claim ad nauseam that it desires a ceasefire in Gaza, the road to a ceasefire in a case of genocide does not go through billions upon billions of dollars in weaponry to the genocidal party.
At the briefing on Tuesday, Sullivan warned that: “There will be severe consequences for this attack and we will work with Israel to make that the case.””. Sullivan also stressed that this was a “fog of war” situation, and that he reserved the right to “amend and adjust as necessary” his initial assessment. But in the fog of the latest war one thing, at least, is clear: the US is already a primary belligerent.
(Belén Fernández is Al Jazeera columnist. the author of Inside Siglo XXI: Locked Up in Mexico’s Largest Immigration Detention Center (OR Books, 2022), Checkpoint Zipolite: Quarantine in a Small Place (OR Books, 2021), Exile: Rejecting America and Finding the World (OR Books, 2019), Martyrs Never Die: Travels through South Lebanon (Warscapes, 2016), and The Imperial Messenger: Thomas Friedman at Work (Verso, 2011). She is a contributing editor at Jacobin Magazine, and has written for the New York Times, the London Review of Books blog, Current Affairs, and Middle East Eye, among numerous other publications.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.)
(First published in Al Jazeera)
The Summit will focus on bolstering the strategic convergence among member nations
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US President Joe Biden will host the fourth in-person Quad Leaders summit at his Delaware home next week, in a rare gesture for his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan, a presidential spokesperson announced Thursday. India, which was scheduled to host QUAD this year, would host the summit next year. QUAD leadership summit is an initiative of Biden and is one of the key foreign policy legacies for the outgoing American president.
“President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will host the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday, September 21. The President looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
“This will be President Biden’s first time hosting foreign leaders in Wilmington as president — a reflection of his deep personal relationships with each of the Quad Leaders, and the importance of the Quad to all of our countries,” she said. QUAD is a diplomatic partnership between four countries–Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.
The Biden-Harris administration has elevated and institutionalized the Quad as a top priority, from the first-ever Quad Leaders Summit at the White House in 2021 to annual Summits since then.
In recent years, Quad Foreign Ministers have met eight times, and Quad governments continue to meet and coordinate at all levels, she said.
“The Quad Leaders Summit will focus on bolstering the strategic convergence among our countries, advancing our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and delivering concrete benefits for partners in the Indo-Pacific in key areas. These include health security, natural disaster response, maritime security, high-quality infrastructure, critical and emerging technology, climate and clean energy, and cybersecurity,” Jean-Pierre said.
(Source: PTI)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): U.S. President Joe Biden on July 24 delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country’s democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his 2024 presidential campaign and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Insisting that “the defense of democracy is more important than any title,” Mr. Biden used his first public address since his announcement Sunday that he was stepping aside to deliver an implicit repudiation of former President Donald Trump. He did not directly call out Trump, whom he has called an existential threat to democracy. The 10-minute address also gave Mr. Biden a chance to try to shape how history will remember his one and only term in office. “Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy,” Mr. Biden said. “And that includes personal ambition.” It was a moment for the history books — a U.S. President reflecting before the nation on why he was taking the rare step of voluntarily handing off power. It hasn’t been done since 1968, when Lyndon Johnson announced he would not seek reelection in the heat of the Vietnam War.
“I revere this office,” Mr. Biden said. “But I love my country more.” Trump, just an hour earlier at a campaign rally, revived his baseless claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Mr. Biden. His refusal to concede inspired the Capitol insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, which Mr. Biden called “the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.” Mr. Biden skirted the political reality that brought him to that point: His abysmal performance in a debate against Trump nearly a month ago, where he spoke haltingly, appeared ashen and failed to rebut his predecessor’s attacks, sparked a crisis of confidence from Democrats. Lawmakers and ordinary voters questioned not just whether he was capable of beating Trump in November, but also whether, at 81, he was still fit for the high-pressure job.
Mr. Biden tried to outlast the skepticism and quell the concerns with interviews and tepid rallies, but the pressure to step aside only mounted from the party’s political elites and from ordinary voters.
“I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” Mr. Biden said, saying he wanted to make room for “fresh voices, yes, younger voices.” He added, “That is the best way to unite our nation.” It was a belated fulfillment of his 2020 pledge to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders — and a bow to the drumbeat of calls from within his party to step aside.
Mr. Biden’s address was carried live by the major broadcast and cable news networks. He spooled out a weighty to-do list for his last six months in office, pledging to remain focused on being president until his term expires at noon on Jan. 20, 2025. He said he would work to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, fight to boost government support to cure cancer and push for Supreme Court reform, among other things.
The President sought to use the address to outline the stakes in the election, which both Biden and Harris have framed as a choice between freedom and chaos, but he tried to steer clear of overt campaigning from his official office. “The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule,” Mr. Biden said. “The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America — lies in your hands.” Mr. Biden was also making the case for his legacy of sweeping domestic legislation and the renewal of alliances abroad. But the way history will remember his time in office and his historic decision to step aside is intertwined with Harris’ electoral result in November, particularly as the vice president runs tightly on the achievements of the Biden administration. Mr. Biden said he’s grateful to have served as President — nowhere else would a kid with a stutter grow up to sit in the Oval Office.
“I’ve given my heart and my soul to our nation,” he said. “I’ve been blessed a million times in return.” Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that any question of Mr. Biden resigning his office before the election — which would allow Harris to run as an incumbent — was “ridiculous.” Jean-Pierre said Mr. Biden has “no regrets” about his decision to stay in the race as long as he did, or his decision to quit it over the weekend. She said Mr. Biden’s decision had nothing to do with his health.
(Agencies)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): There is a sharp 19-per cent decline in Indian Americans supporting incumbent President Joe Biden between the last election of 2020 and the 2024 election cycle, according to a bi-annual Asian American Voter Survey (AAVS), the longest-running survey of Asian-American voters released on Wednesday.
Conducted by Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), AAPI Data, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) and AARP, the survey reveals that 46 per cent of Indian Americans intend to vote for Biden this year as against 65 per cent in 2020.
The alarming drop of 19 per cent is the largest among all the Asian-American ethnic communities. According to the survey, which was conducted before the June 27 presidential debate between Biden and his Republican challenger Donald Trump, 46 per cent Asian Americans are likely to vote for Biden, down eight percentage points since 2020, while 31 per cent are likely to vote for Trump, gaining one point since 2020.
However, Trump has gained just 2 per cent in favorability rating (28 per cent in 2020 to 30 per cent in 2024), despite the record 19-per cent drop in Biden’s support from Indian Americans.
Asian-Americans have been a rapidly growing group of eligible voters in the United States over the past two decades, growing by 15 per cent in the last four years alone and turning out in record numbers in every federal election since 2016.
In 2020, a surge in the number of Asian American voters — especially those voting for the very first time — in battleground states was crucial to Biden’s victory.
The sharp decline in Indian American voters’ support for Biden might be crucial, given that the community has a sizable presence in many battleground states.
According to the survey, Biden has 55 per cent favorability rating among Indian Americans, while Trump has a favorability rating of 35 per cent. Interestingly, both Biden and Trump have the same 42 per cent unfavourability rating among Indian Americans.
Kamala Harris, who is the first Indian American and a woman to be elected as the vice-president, has a favorability rating of 54 per cent and an unfavourability rating of 38 per cent. Former South Carolina governor and US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has a favorability rating of just 33 per cent and an unfavourability rating of 46 per cent. Interestingly, 11 per cent said they have not heard of Haley.
“Asian Americans are rapidly diversifying the American electorate and it is critical for us to update our understanding of what motivates them and informs their voting choices,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, executive director of AAPI Data.
“We see ongoing evidence of dynamism within the Asian-American electorate, including on matters pertaining to presidential vote choice and party preferences on key issues ranging from inflation to healthcare and immigration,” Ramakrishnan said in a statement.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Following a disastrous performance at the debate stage in Atlanta, there is a growing clamor within the ruling Democratic party and the mainstream American media for President Joe Biden to step down from the presidential race. However, the 81-year-old President and his campaign have asserted that he is not giving up and is determined to successfully run for the November 5th presidential elections. “Mr. Biden is the nominee (of the Democratic party. No switching of the nominee,” campaign leadership has asserted.
Mr. Biden, the 46th President of the United States, has won the Democratic presidential primary.
As of June 29, he had 3,894 delegates as against 1,975 delegates required to win the nomination of the party. These delegates would meet in Chicago from August 19 to 22 to formally nominate the winner of the primaries to run for the November 5 presidential elections.
Mr. Biden, seeking a second term in the White House, stumbled and fumbled during the televised presidential debate with his predecessor Donald Trump on Thursday night in Atlanta, setting off alarm bells among top Democrats about whether he can stay atop the grueling months ahead of the elections on November 5.
The 78-year-old Mr. Trump, who is the presumptive Republican Party candidate for the presidential election, clashed right from the start with Biden and by the end of the 90 minutes debate, gave enough fodder for serious editorials and opinions as well as memes on social media.
Over the last 50 hours after the first presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday night, wherein his performance was seen far below par against his rival Mr. Trump, multiple media outlets, including The New York Times and his own party supporters and key decision makers, are calling him to step down from the race.
“Dropping out is Mr. Biden’s most patriotic option,” The Atlantic said Saturday.
“To serve his country, President Biden should leave the race,” The New York Times editorial board wrote Following the debate.
The New York Times wrote, “That is no longer a sufficient rationale for why Mr. Biden should be the Democratic nominee this year.” Similar messages are coming from inside the party as well.
However, his inner circle is standing by the side of Mr. Biden. A post-debate poll says that 10% of the independent voters have moved towards Mr. Biden after the debate, a point that is being made by his team.
“It wasn’t my best debate ever as Barack (Obama) pointed out. I understand the concern after the debate,” Mr. Biden told his fundraisers in New Jersey. “I get it. I didn’t have a great night, but I’m going to be fighting harder,” he said. “Research during the debate shows us converting more undecided voters than Trump did, in large part because of his conduct on January 6,” Mr. Biden said. He argued Mr. Trump’s lies were the biggest takeaway: “People remember the bad things during his presidency.”
“I didn’t have a great night but neither did he,” he said again of Mr. Trump.
Several prominent columnists — Paul Krugman, Tom Friedman, Nicholas Kristof, Jonathan Alter, and David Ignatius — argued that the chance of a diminished Mr. Biden losing to Mr. Trump is too high to risk.
(Source: PTI)
Joe Biden’s aides had hoped that the debate would help steady their campaign. But it may have undermined it completely
“One major advantage is that the debate happened in June, when four more months are left for the elections. In terms of the US presidential election cycle, it is early, and it offers an opportunity for Biden to turn things around. Other events can and will take place in the US and around the world until November, dulling the impact of Biden’s debate performance last week. Large numbers of Americans simply do not focus on elections until a week or two before polling. You can be sure, though, that Republicans will use videos of Biden’s performance to keep memories of the debate alive through attack ads.”
Biden versus Trump is all about the election. And despite poor polling numbers, Biden still has a fighting chance to beat Trump. But the debate performance has thrown a bright light on the issue of Biden’s age and raised doubts about whether he is capable of managing the presidency till 2029, when he will be 86.
By Manoj Joshi
There are wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine, and tensions are running high around Taiwan and the Philippines. You may not believe it, but perhaps the gravest crisis that the world may face could be in the US, which is looking like it could elect a narcissist, liar and convicted felon as its President this November.
Millions of Americans saw President Joe Biden on debate night on Thursday, delivering his answers in a hoarse, faltering voice, slack-jawed and struggling to string his thoughts together. The performance has set off alarm bells ringing across the world. Instead of focusing on his substantial achievements as the President, we have been forced to look at the issue of his age.
Biden’s aides had hoped that the debate would help steady their somewhat slow-moving campaign. Instead, it may have undermined it completely. Since then, there have been calls by prominent voices for Biden to step aside to enable a younger candidate to take his place.
Debate disasters are not new. But what makes this a first-class crisis is the fact that it could propel Donald Trump back into the White House. Almost all the commentary noted that Trump’s attacks on Biden were often false and mostly misleading. But all he had to do was be Donald Trump. The damage was done to Biden by himself.
Given his felony convictions, other looming cases and his history, Trump is unfit to be the President of the US. But he is what we will get, given the current circumstances. Biden supporters believe that the President has the opportunity to make up for the fiasco by improving his performance in the next debate in September. But given that things are going his way, why would Trump want any further debates?
Just 14 hours after the debate, Biden addressed a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he was forceful, confident and landing hard political punches on Trump and the Republicans. Unlike in the debate, he gave categorical and clear outlines of his positions on abortion, immigration, taxes and race. But does this suggest that Biden could still turn things around? It’s too early to say.
Over the years, the Biden team has carefully managed his sleeping hours, his walk to the Marine One helicopter and his climb aboard aircraft to mute concerns over his age. But the debate performance last week has shattered the efforts to show Biden at his best. Insiders say that Biden performs best between 10 am and 4 pm. But the debate began at 9 pm and went on till 10.30 pm.
Biden accepted at the Raleigh rally that his debate performance was poor. “I know I am not a young man. I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to,” he told the crowd. But that is precisely the point: age is a factor.
As of now, his allies are publicly supporting him. This includes his former boss, ex-President Barack Obama, and a clutch of potential candidates who could replace Biden were he to step aside —Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Governors JB Pritzker of Illinois, Gavin Newsom of California, Wes Moore of Maryland and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
One major advantage is that the debate happened in June, when four more months are left for the elections. In terms of the US presidential election cycle, it is early, and it offers an opportunity for Biden to turn things around. Other events can and will take place in the US and around the world until November, dulling the impact of Biden’s debate performance last week. Large numbers of Americans simply do not focus on elections until a week or two before polling. You can be sure, though, that Republicans will use videos of Biden’s performance to keep memories of the debate alive through attack ads.
Biden versus Trump is all about the election. And despite poor polling numbers, Biden still has a fighting chance to beat Trump. But the debate performance has thrown a bright light on the issue of Biden’s age and raised doubts about whether he is capable of managing the presidency till 2029, when he will be 86.
This central question, which is linked to the important decision on whether he should step aside for another candidate, demands answers, and soon. The Democratic National Convention will be held in August, and Biden could well show the electorate in the coming month that he is indeed fit to continue. But if he is unable to do so, the delay would make it difficult for the party to find another candidate to take over the campaign and win.
The Democratic Party rules make it almost impossible to replace Biden at the top of the ticket unless he voluntarily steps aside since most of the 4,000 estimated delegates are pledged to him already.
Biden could step aside, even while endorsing an alternative. But the issue would inevitably divide the Democrats at a crucial time when they need to be united not just for the presidential campaign but for the elections to the entire House of Representatives, one-third of the Senate, several governorships and state legislatures.
The Democrats are hoping they can retain their Senate majority and win the House of Representatives as well. Both Houses have slim majorities, and the races there are almost as important as winning the presidential poll. The problem they now face is that the presidential worries could also adversely affect these other important elections.
(The author is a Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): President Joe Biden has offered to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants married to US citizens and living in the United States for at least 10 years, a move the White House estimates is likely to benefit more than 5,00,000 people. In his address to the nation from the East Room of the White House on Tuesday, June 18, Biden also announced a plan to ease the process for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiaries (and potentially other Dreamers) to access high-skilled employment visas.
This will allow employers to keep their critical employees while providing DACA recipients an opportunity to continue to invest in their communities.
“It’s the right thing to do. I want those who’ve been educated at US colleges and universities to put their skills and knowledge to work here in America. I want to keep building the strongest economy in the world with the best workforce in the world. We’ve already created 15 million new jobs, a record,” Biden said.
Family, he said, is about the beginning, middle, and the end, about keeping married couples together where one spouse is a US citizen and the other is undocumented, and they’ve been living in the United States for at least 10 years.
“These couples have been raising families, sending their kids to church and school, paying taxes, contributing to our country for 10 years or more,” he added.
Biden further said, “Matter of fact, the average time they’ve spent here is 23 years, people who are affected today, but living in the United States all this time with fear and uncertainty. We can fix that. And that’s what I’m going to do today, fix it. It doesn’t require any fundamental change in our immigration law.”
Major national immigrant and Latino advocacy groups, including UnidosUS and The Immigration Hub, Democratic leaders, and others praised President Biden for working to keep families together after his predecessor Donald Trump “ripped them apart”.
“Through his actions, President Biden is helping half a million non-citizen spouses and step-children of Americans to remain with their families, including many from Asia and the Pacific Islands who have lived here for years.
“Easing visa processes for Dreamers will cut red tape and allow young people to secure a job of their choice and contribute to our communities and economy,” said Congresswoman Judy Chu.
UnidosUS president and CEO Janet Murguía said the announcement by Biden is a godsend for 5,00,000 American families and will provide a considerable boost to the US economy and community stability across the country.
“Today’s announcement will transform the lives of thousands of immigrants and families across the US who’ve lived in fear and uncertainty for far too long,” said Jorge Loweree, managing director of American Immigration Council.
“While much work remains to (be done to) address the needs of the thousands of other mixed-status families across the US, today’s announcement is historic, and one that benefits immigrant families, our communities, and our economy alike,” he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris said while these actions are a significant step forward, there is more work to be done to fix the broken immigration system.
“That includes the need for a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. President Biden and I continue to call on the United States Congress to join us in acting by passing permanent protections for Dreamers,” she said.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said the Department of Homeland Security is taking action to keep American families together and end the fear and uncertainty these families face when one spouse is a US citizen and the other is undocumented, he said.
“Our department will implement a process that will allow those qualified undocumented spouses who are married to a United States citizen and have lived in the United States for at least 10 years to pursue a path to become lawful permanent residents without first having to leave our country for an indefinite period of time.
“This process will achieve family unity, one of our immigration system’s fundamental goals. It will also boost our economy, advance our labor interests, strengthen our foreign relations with key partners in the region, further our public safety interests, and more,” he said.
“Further, we will work with our partners at the State Department in implementing changes to the inadmissibility waiver process that will enable certain noncitizens who were educated in the United States, including DACA recipients, to access high-skilled labor visas for which they are qualified,” Mayorkas said.
(Source: PTI)
President Joe Biden is set to announce new China tariffs as soon as next week targeting strategic sectors including electric vehicles, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The full announcement, which could take place as soon as Tuesday, is expected to largely maintain existing levies, according to one of the people. An announcement could also be pushed back, the person said. Specific sectors were also set to include semiconductors and solar equipment, according to one of the people.
Details on the precise value or categories of tariffs that would be imposed were sketchy, but the administration was said to have zeroed in on areas of interest within strategic competitive and national security areas, one of the people said.
The US Trade Representative’s office made their recommendations to the White House weeks ago but a final announcement was delayed as the package was debated internally, according to one of the sources and an additional person familiar with the matter.
Biden, a Democrat seeking re-election in November, is looking to contrast his approach with that of Republican candidate Donald Trump, who has proposed across-the-board tariffs that White House officials see as too blunt and prone to spark inflation.
The White House and the office of the US Trade Representative declined to comment. Bloomberg News first reported the story.
The measures could invite retaliation from China at a time of heightened tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.
Trump’s broader imposition of tariffs during his 2017-2021 presidency prompted China’s retaliation with its own levies.
Biden has said he does not want a trade war with China even as he has said the countries have entered a new paradigm of competition.
Both 2024 candidates have sharply departed from the free-trade consensus that once reigned in Washington, a period capped by China’s joining the World Trade Organization in 2001.
In 2022, Biden launched a review of the Trump-era policy under Section 301 of the US trade law. Last month, he called for sharply higher US tariffs on Chinese metal products but the targeted products were narrow in range, estimated at more than $1 billion of steel and aluminum products, a US official said.
Biden also announced launching an investigation into Chinese trade practices across the shipbuilding, maritime and logistics sectors, a process that could lead to more tariffs.
The Biden administration has also been pressuring neighboring Mexico to prohibit China from selling its metal products to the United States indirectly from there.
China has said the tariff measures are counter-productive and inflict harm on the US and global economy.
Source: Reuters
Netanyahu says Israel ‘will stand alone’ if it has to; ‘If we need to, we will fight with our fingernail”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): President Joe Biden said Wednesday, May 8, that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.
Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the US was still committed to Israel’s defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, “we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used.”
The US has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel. That has only accelerated in the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed some 1,200 in Israel and led to about 250 being taken captive by militants. Biden’s comments and his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel are the most striking manifestations of the growing daylight between his administration and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Biden said on Wednesday that Israel’s actions around Rafah had “not yet” crossed his red lines, but has repeated that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.
The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kilogram) bombs, according to a senior US administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The focus of US concern was the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban area.
“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” Biden told CNN. “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone in Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem.”
“We’re not walking away from Israel’s security,” Biden continued. “We’re walking away from Israel’s ability to wage war in those areas.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier Wednesday confirmed the weapons delay, telling the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense that the US paused “one shipment of high payload munitions.”
“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah.”
It also comes as the Biden administration is due to deliver a first-of-its-kind formal verdict this week on whether the airstrikes on Gaza and restrictions on delivery of aid have violated international and US laws designed to spare civilians from the worst horrors of war. A decision against Israel would further add to pressure on Biden to curb the flow of weapons and money to Israel’s military.
Biden signed off on the pause in an order conveyed last week to the Pentagon, according to US officials who were not authorized to comment on the matter. The White House National Security Council sought to keep the decision out of the public eye for several days until it had a better understanding of the scope of Israel’s intensified military operations in Rafah and until Biden could deliver a long-planned speech on Tuesday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Biden’s administration in April began reviewing future transfers of military assistance as Netanyahu’s government appeared to move closer toward an invasion of Rafah, despite months of opposition from the White House. The official said the decision to pause the shipment was made last week and no final decision had been made yet on whether to proceed with the shipment at a later date.
US officials had declined for days to comment on the halted transfer, word of which came as Biden on Tuesday described US support for Israel as “ironclad, even when we disagree.”
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news, said the decision to pause the shipment was “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating.” He suggested the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, the US campus protests and the upcoming election.
The decision also drew a sharp rebuke from House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said they only learned about the military aid holdup from press reports, despite assurances from the Biden administration that no such pauses were in the works. The Republicans called on Biden in a letter to swiftly end the blockage, saying it “risks emboldening Israel’s enemies,” and to brief lawmakers on the nature of the policy reviews.
Biden has faced pressure from some on the left — and condemnation from the critics on the right who say Biden has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally.
“If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of the state of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., his voice rising in anger during an exchange with Austin. “This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can’t afford to lose.”
Reacting to threatened US arms holdup, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel ‘will stand alone’ if it has to. ‘If we need to, we will fight with our fingernail”, he said.
His remarks in a statement issued Thursday, May 9, came after President Joe Biden said the United States would not provide offensive weapons for Israel’s long-promised assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
(With inputs from agencies)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian American Bhavini Patel lost the Democratic primary Congressional race from Pennsylvania on Tuesday, April 23 night, but not before giving a tough fight to the incumbent. Incumbent Congresswoman Summer Lee was projected to be the winner of the primary race for the 12th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. She received 59 per cent of the votes as against Patel’s 41 per cent.
As expected, both President Joe Biden and his Republican challenger Donald Trump won their respective presidential primaries. Biden got 94 per cent of the votes from the Democrats.
Trump received 80 per cent and Indian American Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the race in March, surprisingly received nearly 20 per cent of the votes from the Republicans in the Pennsylvania presidential primary.
Patel (30) is a Biden supporter while Lee, the first-time lawmaker, has been an open critic of the president and has supported Palestine in its war against Israel.
“Her (Patel’s) loss Tuesday shows that a progressive candidate like Ms Lee can still carry districts like Pittsburgh, despite Ms Patel and her supporters claiming that the incumbent’s progressive views and alignment with the ‘Squad’ in Congress did not accurately reflect the politics of the area,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said after the election results were out.
The Squad is an informal group of the most progressive members of Congress, most commonly associated with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayana Pressley.
Originally from Gujarat in India, Patel’s mother came to the United States as an immigrant. “She came to this country with very little, which I think is a story that resonates with many people in the Indian diaspora here in this country.
When she came here, she raised my brother and I as a single parent. We moved around quite a bit, to various different cities, and she worked various odd jobs, washing dishes in the restaurant industry, working in the motel industry,” Patel said in an earlier interview.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Joe Biden administration on Wednesday , April 24, issued new rules that require airlines to provide automatic cash refunds to passengers when owed and protect consumers from costly surprise fees. “Too often, airlines drag their feet on refunds or rip folks off with junk fees. It is time Americans got a better deal. Today, my administration is requiring that airlines provide automatic refunds to passengers when they are owed and protect them from surprise fees,” Biden said in a video statement.
“This is about airlines treating passengers better and it will save people more than half-a-billion dollars, avoiding unwanted, expensive, unnecessary surprise airline fees,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Biden said his administration is holding airlines accountable and bringing costs down for American families. “This is just one part of my administration’s plan to prevent companies from playing the American people for suckers. It matters,” he said.
The White House said these rules will significantly expand consumer protections in air travel, provide passengers an easier pathway to refunds when owed and save consumers more than half-a-billion dollars every year in hidden and surprise junk fees. The rules are part of the Biden-Harris administration’s work to lower costs for consumers and take on corporate rip-offs, it said.
The new rules require airlines to automatically issue refunds, without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops. Airlines and ticket agents must promptly issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.
Further, airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.
Finally, airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used.
The Department of Transportation is requiring airlines and ticket agents to tell consumers upfront what fees they charge for checked bags, a carry-on bag, for changing a reservation or cancelling a reservation. This ensures that consumers can avoid surprise fees when they purchase tickets from airlines or ticket agents, including both brick-and-mortar travel agencies or online travel agencies, the White House said.
Under the new rules, each fee must be disclosed the first time that fare and schedule information is provided on an airline’s online platform — and cannot be displayed through a hyperlink.
For each type of baggage, airlines and ticket agents must spell out the weight and dimension limitations that they impose. They must also describe any prohibitions or restrictions on changing or cancelling a flight, along with policies related to differences in fare when switching to a more or less expensive flight.
An airline must provide useable, current and accurate information regarding its baggage, change and cancellation fees and policies to any company that is required to disclose them to consumers and receives fare, schedule and availability information from that airline.
When offering an advance seat assignment for a fee, airlines and ticket agents must let consumers know that purchasing a seat is not necessary to travel, so consumers can avoid paying unwanted seat-selection fees.
Consumers can choose to view passenger-specific fee information based on their participation in an airline’s rewards programme, their military status or the credit card that they use — or they can decide to stay anonymous and get the standard fee information.
The final rule puts an end to the bait-and-switch tactics some airlines use to disguise the true cost of discounted flights. It prohibits airlines from advertising a promotional discount or a low base fare that does not include all mandatory carrier-imposed fees.
The Biden administration is also pursuing rulemakings that would propose to ban family-seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. It proposes to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations, the White House said.
On Saturday, April 6, 2024, over 100 ultra-rich individuals assembled for an exclusive fundraising dinner for Trump, billed as “Inaugural Leadership Dinner.” It was hosted by billionaire investor & hedge founder Paul Johnson. at his lavish Palm Beach estate in Florida. The purpose behind this event was to bolster the electoral campaign of former President Trump, aiming to facilitate his return to the presidency as the 47th President of the United States on November 5th, 2024.
Attendance at this event came with a significant financial commitment, ranging from $250,000 per person for those serving on the “host committee” to an extraordinary $824,600 per person for those designated as “chairmen.” There was a slot for “co-chair” also. Individuals contributing at the highest level were granted the privilege of being seated at Trump’s table during the dinner.
Few weeks before the event, billionaire host Paul Johnson discussed the upcoming fundraiser for Trump with CNN, stating, “I’m pleased to support President Trump in his re-election efforts.” He praised Trump’s policies on the economy, energy, immigration, and foreign policy as beneficial for the country. However, he didn’t mention Trump’s 2017 Billionaires Tax cuts that favored wealthy individuals like himself. Paul had previously supported Ron DeSantis’ campaign but switched to Trump when he became the presumptive nominee. Johnson had also funded Trump’s campaigns in 2016 and 2020. Another billionaire co-chair of the event supporting Ron DeSantis was Robert Bigelow, owner of Budget Suites of America and founder of Bigelow Aerospace.
After the event, Trump’s campaign announced it had raised $50.5 million in Palm Beach, Florida, setting a record for single-event fundraising. This amount nearly doubled the $26 million raised by Biden’s campaign at a Hollywood star-studded gathering, which also include former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, at Radio City Hall in New York.
It’s evident that the ultra-wealthy individuals who attended Trump’s fundraiser and donated substantial amounts of money cannot be equated with average Americans who have often been deceived by both Democrats and Republicans in every election cycle. These donors are aware of Trump’s legal issues, including the December 2023 ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that found Trump had been “engaged in an insurrection.” Although the US Supreme Court ultimately allowed Trump to remain on the 2024 ballot in Colorado, it did not overturn the state’s high court decision regarding Trump’s involvement in an “insurrection.”
Donald Trump at a court in Manhattan, New York (File / CNN Screenshot)
Let’s examine some prominent legal state and federal cases pending against former President Trump from the perspective of Trump’s ultra-rich donors. Unlike average Americans, these elites are well aware that in a civil case, damages are measured in dollars, while in a federal case, they can lead to jail time or house arrest.
Property over valuation Civil Fraud case:
NY AG Letitia James utilized a state law dating back to 1956, granting the attorney general’s office extensive authority to investigate and penalize corporations for wrongdoing. This law imposes a lower burden of proof than other fraud cases, crucially requiring prosecutors to not demonstrate the defendant’s intent to commit fraud or financial harm to anyone. Despite Mr. Trump’s repeated claims that the banks he dealt with profited, Judge Engoron found him liable for falsifying business records, issuing false financial statements, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and conspiracy to falsify business records.
In addition to the $355 million penalty, representing repayment of what the judge deemed “ill-gotten gains” from Trump’s fraudulent financial statements, Trump must pay interest on that amount at a rate of 9% per annum, as prescribed by New York law. James’ office calculates that, to date, Trump owes an additional $98.6 million in interest, bringing his total penalty to $453.5 million. The interest will continue to accrue until Trump settles the debt.
Initially, Ms. James may have anticipated Trump’s inability to furnish a bond while appealing the verdict, enabling her to seize his property. However, legal experts question the validity of her stance, considering it speculative and lacking evidential support. Her assertions regarding inflated figures rely on assumptions about potential bank actions, such as higher interest rates, which remain unsubstantiated. Moreover, it’s widely acknowledged that Trump organizations have historically secured favorable deals, casting doubt on the alleged misconduct.
The appeal in AG James’ Civil Fraud case against Trump concerning property value manipulation to get lower interest rates from the banks, is likely to encounter challenges, potentially even reaching the Supreme Court due to the substantial fine involved. The outcome of this case carries significant implications for banking institutions, putting considerable pressure on them. The exorbitant nature of the fine raises serious constitutional concerns, potentially exceeding reasonable bounds relative to the court’s findings. Such fines, if disproportionate, could potentially violate constitutional protections against excessive penalties, necessitating judicial scrutiny.
Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary While appearing on Fox News spoke about the $454 million bond amount Trump is required to pay following a lawsuit brought by James. He said, “it has absolutely nothing to do with Donald Trump at this point.” “This is an attack on America.” “And I don’t know how you can look at it any other way.”
This reminds me of Adani Groups CFO in Jan 2023 standing by Indian National Flag, accused a US investment firm Hindenburg of launching “a calculated attack on India, its economy and investors”, by publishing a report accusing the group of “brazen stock manipulation, group’s offshore entities interlinked corporate structure, and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades.” “IndiaStandsWithAdani” was among the top trending hashtags on Twitter in response to the exposure.
Manhattan DA, Stormy Daniels Hush Money Criminal Case:
Trump’s role in a hush-money payment to a porn star, Stormy Daniels who threatened during the 2016 presidential campaign to go public with her story of a sexual encounter with him. The payment was made by Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen, who was reimbursed by him after becoming President. While paying hush money is not inherently criminal, D.A. Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felonies for falsifying business records related to the payments and the reimbursement of Mr. Cohen. By covering up the potential scandal during the presidential campaign, thus Trump interfered in the 2016 election, DA Bragg has argued. In 2023, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He denies having a sexual encounter with Daniels. His lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses and were recorded correctly.
This is the only case out of 4 criminal cases against Trump that may have a verdict before Nov. 5, 2024. If convicted, Trump could face 4 years of jail time. This is the only case where he cannot pardon himself, even if he becomes US President in November 2024. It’s important to note that this is a state case, and he illegally paid Stormy Daniels. However, it’s unlikely that he will go to jail, as sitting Presidents are typically not incarcerated during their term. The Trial started on April 15, 2024.
E Jean Carrol Sexual Assault & Defamation:
In May 2023, columnist Ms. Carroll was awarded $5 million for sexual assault by Trump in 1996 and defamation. Even after that, Trump repeatedly denied knowing E. Jean Carroll, prompting her to sue him again in New York City. In January 2024, she obtained a jury verdict for an additional $83.3 million in damages. This is particularly embarrassing for former President Trump, as if he were to be elected President on November 5, 2024, he would be the only President in US history to have been indicted for sexual assault.
It’s worth noting that in Indian politics, having allegations or even convictions related to sexual offenses has unfortunately become somewhat normalized. Currently, PM Modi’s party BJP, is notorious for having the highest number of sexual abuse offenders, including rape cases. A bomb maker and a terrorist also represent BJP in the Indian Parliament.
Georgia Election Case:
The GA election case involves 18 co-conspirators facing 34 felony charges. At the core of this case is the alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. Charges filed under RICO, essentially used against corrupt organizations, were pioneered by a prominent young attorney, Rudy Giuliani, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, targeting mob activity. Giuliani is named in this case as a co-conspirator.
The racketeering law was initially designed to dismantle organized crime groups. In essence, prosecutors assert that Mr. Trump headed a criminal enterprise designed to maintain his hold on power. Trump is facing 13 counts, including racketeering and conspiracy to commit forgery.
Classified Documents Mishandling Charges:
The grand jury indictment brings 40 felony counts against Trump related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents after his presidency, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The case marks the first federal indictment of a former U.S. president. Trump is charged separately for each of 32 documents under the Espionage Act. The other eight charges against him include making false statements and engaging in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. The judge has set a pretrial hearing for May 14, 2024, and the trial for May 20, 2024.
Special Counsel Smith’s team acknowledged that though there are “superficial similarities” in the Trump case to similar such cases. But they stand apart in meaningful ways, including Trump’s “extensive and repeated efforts to obstruct justice and thwart the return of documents bearing classification markings.” They cite the Hur report as noting that Biden, by contrast, alerted authorities to the presence of classified documents, willingly returned them, consented to searches of his homes and otherwise cooperated with the investigation. Smith’s team rejected additional Trump arguments seeking to dismiss the case, including the former president’s claim that he is immune from prosecution for acts committed in office.
Federal Election Charges:
Trump has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges in the case before the Supreme Court − three for conspiracy and one for obstruction − for falsely claiming election fraud and tried to overturn the legitimate election results.
Trump wants the Supreme Court to dismiss his indictment on federal charges “he tried to steal the 2020 election”, arguing criminal prosecution presents a “mortal threat” to the independence of the presidency.
“The President cannot function, and the Presidency itself cannot retain its vital independence, if the President faces criminal prosecution for official acts once he leaves office,” Trump’s lawyers told the court last month in his major brief before the oral arguments. They’ll get a chance to respond to Smith’s arguments in their final legal filing before facing the nine Supreme Court justices on April 25, 2024.
Special Counsel Jack Smith in his brief has said, “No president before Donald Trump has suggested the Constitution grants him criminal immunity and the Supreme Court shouldn’t now find that it does.
“The effective functioning of the presidency does not require that a former president be immune from accountability for these alleged violations of federal criminal law,” Smith wrote. “To the contrary, a bedrock principle of our constitutional order is that no person is above the law including the president.”
Citing examples from history that brought the U.S. to the edge of a Constitutional crisis, Smith pointed out in his brief that President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon precisely because he otherwise faced prosecution.
Likewise, he argued, the special counsel that investigated the Iran-Contra affair considered whether President Ronald Reagan’s actions were criminal.
“The absence of any such absolute immunity claim throughout our history weighs heavily against its novel recognition now.” Smith also argued that any immunity former presidents enjoy for official acts would not apply to Trump because attempting to overturn an election and thwart the peaceful transfer of power is the “paradigmatic example of conduct that should not be immunized, even if other conduct should be.”
“Nothing in constitutional text, history, precedent, or policy considerations,” “supports the absolute immunity that petitioner seeks.”
The legal filings come ahead of the Supreme Court’s April 25 oral arguments in Trump’s appeal of a decision that he’s not immune from prosecution. It will hear oral arguments, on the question of whether a former president is shielded from prosecution for official acts, an argument Trump has raised in Classified Documents case & 2020 Election case brought by special Counsel Jack Smith.
Even if Trump loses his appeal, the Supreme Court may not reach a decision quickly enough for a trial to proceed in time for a verdict before the November election.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the charges are politically motivated. If he returns to the White House, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek to dismiss any pending federal charges. Trump could also simply pardon himself, although his power to do so is debated.
Billionaires supporting Biden
Joe Biden (File photo)
“An even larger group of billionaires, along with two former Presidents Obama and Clinton, supported Biden in 2020 and are continuing to support his re-election campaign for the US presidency in 2024.” Especially, Obama’s endorsement was not only a public show of support in 2020 and now in 2024, but also brought with it a network of donors, organizers, and volunteers who had been part of his successful campaigns of 2008 and 2012. Some people refer the Biden presidency as proxy 3RD term of Obama. These billionaires and 2 former presidents are fully aware of the disastrous 4 years of Biden Presidency.
Afghanistan Withdrawal
One of the most controversial decisions of Biden’s presidency was the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Critics argue that the withdrawal was poorly planned and executed, leading to a rapid takeover of the country by the Taliban and leaving many Afghans who assisted the U.S. at risk, later to be executed by Taliban.
Immigration
Biden administration has faced criticism for its handling of immigration issues, particularly at the southern border. Critics argue that the administration has not effectively managed the influx of over 10 million illegal migrants, leading to overcrowded detention facilities and humanitarian concerns. It also brought the influx of these migrants to several cities that led to financial crisis for these cities, for providing humanitarian aid to them.
Supply Chain Issues and Inflation
The Biden administration’s failure to address challenges related to supply chain disruptions and rising inflation. Critics argue that the administration has not taken sufficient action to address these issues, leading to increased costs for consumers and businesses. In the first quarter of Biden Presidency, the inflation dropped from 2.5% to 0.3%. After that the consumers experienced runaway inflation that peaked at 9.1% on June 1, 2022. On Jan 1, 2023, it was 6.1% and currently it is 3.1%.
COVID-19 Variants and Response
While the Biden administration managed to do reasonably well in vaccine distribution, critics argue that it has been slow to adapt its COVID-19 response to new variants of the virus. Some also believe that messaging around public health measures has been inconsistent.
Energy Policy
Biden’s approach to energy policy, including efforts to transition to renewable energy, has been a disastrous blow to the consumers with higher prices. It has potentially harmed the U.S. energy sector and leading to job losses in traditional energy industries.
Crime and Public Safety
Rising crime rates in some Democrats controlled cities have led to criticism of the administration’s approach to public safety and law enforcement. Some critics argue that calls to “defund the police” from parts of the Democratic Party have contributed to a perception of increased lawlessness.
Partisan Gridlock
Despite campaign promises to unify the country, the Biden administration has faced challenges in working with a deeply divided Congress. Many of its legislative priorities have faced opposition from Republicans, leading to gridlock on key issues like voting rights, infrastructure, and immigration reform.
Cackling VP Kamala Harris
The most scaring to death issue is, if for any reason, Biden’s Cackling VP Kamala Harris takes over as President of the United States of America. Poll after poll that include foreign media also, says that Kamala is the worst VP in US history. In an NBC poll, last year she literally ran -17% (Negative Seventeen percent) approval rating.
Mishandling of Ukraine & Israel-Palestine War
Biden has failed in his handling of the issues in Ukraine and the Israel-Palestine conflict during his presidency. Biden’s handling of Ukraine and the Israel-Palestine conflict has been criticized for being inadequate or ineffective. There are critics that feel that no one in Biden administration talk about 40,000 Palestinians mostly women & children killed by Israeli forces with American Military and cash aids.
Genocide in Gaza
Large number of young black voters raised as Democrats openly say that Biden has aided and abetted Genocide in Gaza, may vote for independent candidate, paving the way for a smooth victory for Trump, who is more Pro-Israel than Biden.
Biden involvement in cash for influence paddling as VP of Obama
Biden family’s Banks statements, emails & statement of associates shows that Biden as VP of Obama, was involved in the family influence paddling scheme, getting money from foreign govt. for unknown favors shown to them.
Biden’s Age
The billionaires and both former Presidents supporting Biden know it too well when it comes to Biden’s age; there are 3 things in play, 1. Age, 2. Age, & 3. Age. It is not like Trump’s legal issues that may go away after becoming President. All of them are discounting the Federal Special Counsel’s report that described the 81-year-old Biden’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” It noted that Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president. The report ruled out prosecution of Biden over his retention of highly classified materials as a private citizen. Special counsel Robert Hur suggested he (Biden) would seem too feeble to prosecute: “It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”
The rhetoric that “America stands for freedom” has been echoed by every U.S. president since 1947. However, none have shown the courage to address the issue of Palestine’s liberation from what many consider to be Israel’s illegal occupation. Israel is often cited as the only country in the world that is illegally occupying another country. Despite this, the United States has provided over $300 billion since 1948 to support Israel, contributing to the ongoing plight, casualties from bombings, and humanitarian suffering of Palestinians.
A particularly concerning aspect is the behavior of the U.S. Congress, which consists of 535 members—100 Senators and 435 Representatives. There appears to be a visible competition among them to demonstrate who is more loyal to Israel and who can more effectively suppress information about Israel’s alleged illegal occupation of Palestine.
US Capitol (File photo)
In the absence of term limits, the U.S. Congress, rather than being a noble place to serve the country, has become a lucrative career opportunity for politicians from both parties to serve themselves. There’s a competitive race among politicians to serve the longest, aiming to capitalize on the power, perks and influence-peddling that come with long tenures.
The longest-serving U.S. Senator in history was Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia. He served in the Senate for over 51 years, from January 3, 1959, until his death on June 28, 2010. On the House side, the longest-serving member was John Dingell Jr. of Michigan, who served for 59 years from December 13, 1955, to January 3, 2015. He succeeded his father, John Dingell Sr., who served in Congress for 22 years from March 4, 1933, until his death on September 19, 1955, establishing the Dingell family as one of the most enduring political dynasties in U.S. history.
Nancy Pelosi has served in the U.S. Congress for 35 years, from 1987 to 2022, representing California’s 12th Congressional District. Her net worth was estimated to be as high as $171.4 million in a 2021 report by The Washington Free Beacon. While her annual salary of $179,000, which alone would not make her a millionaire, it appears that the rest of her wealth comes from influence-peddling and stock investments, possibly based on inside information.
The other concerning aspect of the U.S. electoral system is that it allows leaders to choose their voters. Many congressional districts are non-competitive, meaning they heavily favor either Republicans or Democrats. This lack of competitiveness is often a result of gerrymandering, which is conducted by leaders of both parties to benefit themselves. Similarly, many states lean heavily towards one party or the other, further reducing political competition and choice for voters.
In conclusion, the influence of U.S. billionaires and Israel on the selection of presidential candidates and members of the Congress raises important questions about the democratic process and the representation of the American people’s interests. While financial support plays a significant role in modern political campaigns, voters must remain vigilant and informed to make choices that align with their values and priorities. It’s crucial for voters to look beyond the candidates endorsed by powerful interests and evaluate each candidate’s policies, integrity, and commitment to serving the public good. Voters must demand “Term Limits” in both houses of the Congress and more transparency in their financial dealings. By staying engaged, asking critical questions, and voting based on their convictions, voters can help ensure that their voices are heard and that their elected leaders truly represent them.
The spike in the deaths of Indian or Indian-origin students in the US this year indicates that the Joe Biden administration is not doing enough to halt the alarming attacks. Earlier this week, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student from Hyderabad, was found dead in Cleveland; he had been missing since last month. His family had received a ransom call on March 17. It is unfortunate that the student could not be rescued, even though the Indian consulate had claimed that it was working with local law enforcement agencies to find him. The death of an Indian student, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, was reported in Ohio last week, while a trained classical dancer, Amarnath Ghosh, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri, in March.
A succession of unnatural deaths in January-February had prompted White House communications officer John Kirby to assert that there was no excuse for violence based on race, gender, religion or any other factor. In a bid to reassure the Indian diaspora, he had said that the Biden administration was working ‘very, very hard’ to try to thwart the attacks. US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti had said that his government was ‘very committed’ to making Indians realize that America was a safe and wonderful place to study. However, the situation on the ground seems to be worsening.
The US-based Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies has identified the main causes of these incidents, which include violent crimes, suspicious accidents and mental issues triggering suicide. It has urged the authorities to raise awareness about various risks and provide mental health support. There is speculation that negative propaganda against the community is fueling hate crime. With Indians accounting for about 25 per cent of the foreign students in the US, it is imperative for America to prioritize their safety and crack down on the hate-mongers. The prevailing laxity can damage America’s reputation as a popular destination for Indian students.
(Tribune, India)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 4 that U.S. policy on Israel depends on the protection of civilians in Gaza, in his strongest hint yet of possible conditions on military aid after an Israeli strike killed seven aid workers.
In their first call since the deaths of the employees of the U.S.-based World Central Kitchen group on Monday, April 1, Mr. Biden also called for an “immediate ceasefire” after the “unacceptable” attack and wider humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Democrat Biden is facing growing pressure in an election year over his support for Israel’s Gaza war – with allies pressing him to consider making the billions of dollars in military aid sent by the United States to its key ally each year dependent on Mr. Netanyahu listening to calls for restraint.
Mr. Biden “made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers”, the White House said in a readout of the call.
“He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”
A key Biden confidant had earlier urged him to use the leverage afforded by the huge military aid that Washington gives Israel – something Biden has resisted for the past six months. “I think we’re at that point,” Chris Coons, a Democratic senator from the president’s home state of Delaware, told CNN.
If Israel began its long-threatened full-scale offensive in the southern city of Rafah, without plans for some 1.5 million people sheltering there, “I would vote to condition aid to Israel,” Mr. Coons said.
“I’ve never said that before, I’ve never been there before,” he added.
Mr. Biden also reportedly faces pressure from even closer to home — from First Lady Jill Biden.
“Stop it, stop it now,” she told the president about the growing toll of civilian casualties in Gaza, according to comments by Mr. Biden himself to a guest during a meeting with members of the Muslim community at the White House, and reported by The New York Times. Mr. Biden has supported Israel’s six-month-old war sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack but has increasingly voiced frustration with Israel’s right-wing premier over the soaring death toll and dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
In his strongest statement since the war began, he said that he was “outraged and heartbroken” by Israel’s killing of the seven aid workers, who included a U.S.-Canadian citizen.
Israel has said the deaths were “unintentional”.
But Mr. Biden’s words have not been matched by any concrete steps to limit the billions of dollars in military aid that Washington supplies to its bedrock regional ally.In a sign of business as usual, Biden’s administration approved the transfer of thousands more bombs to Israel on the same day as the Israeli strikes that killed the seven aid workers, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, April 4.
Many Democrats fear the controversy could hurt Biden’s chances of re-election in November against Republican Donald Trump, as Muslim and younger voters express their anger over Gaza.
A former senior aide to Barack Obama – the president under whom Biden served as vice president – called for Biden’s actions to back his words.
“The U.S. government is still supplying 2-thousand-pound bombs and ammunition to support Israel’s policy,” Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security advisor in Obama’s administration, wrote on X.
“Until there are substantive consequences, this outrage does nothing. Bibi (Netanyahu) obviously doesn’t care what the U.S. says, it’s about what the U.S. does.”
U.S. voters are also increasingly turning against Israel’s Gaza offensive.
A majority of 55% now disapprove of Israel’s actions, compared to 36% who approve, according to a Gallup poll released on March 27.
(Agencies)
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