Розділ: Політика
Biden, Sanders Staging Virtual Rallies Amid Coronavirus Fears
With fears of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the U.S., Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are staging virtual rallies Monday, a day ahead of presidential nominating primary elections in four states that Biden is expected to win handily. Gone are huge public rallies with thousands of people, a time-honored staple of the U.S. political scene. With federal officials advising against large gatherings for any type of event, Biden, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination to oppose Republican President Donald Trump in the November national election, is hosting a “tele-town hall” with voters in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio, the four states with primaries Tuesday. Biden’s campaign said he would listen “to voters’ concerns and ideas around restoring the soul of the nation, rebuilding the middle class, and unifying the country.” Meanwhile, Sanders is holding a “virtual campaign rally” that includes two celebrity guests — actress Daryl Hannah and musician Neil Young. FILE – Bottles of hand sanitizer are placed near reporters as Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks about coronavirus in Burlington, Vt., March 12, 2020.Biden already holds a sizable lead in pledged delegates to the Democratic national convention in July and forecasters are predicting he could win about 200 more delegates than Sanders in the four contests Tuesday. Thousands of voters have cast early ballots or voted by mail in the four states. But the extent of the Election Day turnout is uncertain because of the spread of the deadly coronavirus and the fears of many voters of getting caught in close proximity to other people in long lines while waiting to vote. In Florida, one election official reported that about 650 of the 3,500 people who had agreed to work at the polls have now backed out because of their fear of becoming infected with the deadly virus. Sunday’s debateBiden, vice president under former U.S. President Barack Obama, and Sanders, a senator from the northeastern state of Vermont, engaged in a lively, two-hour debate Sunday night. Both Biden and Sanders assailed Trump’s three-plus-year presidency, while quarreling with each other over what policies are best to push to voters to try to deny Trump a second four-year term in the White House. Biden announced that he would pick a woman as his vice-presidential running mate. No woman has ever been elected as the U.S. president or vice president, with Hillary Clinton losing to Trump in 2016 and two vice-presidential candidates falling short in 2008 and 1984. Sanders said that “in all likelihood” he also would pick a woman as his No.2, provided he finds someone who agrees with his progressive policies. Both Biden and Sanders attacked Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., with Sanders accusing him of “undermining scientists” and Biden faulting the administration for refusing in the early stages of the crisis to import test kits from other countries when the U.S. had the opportunity to do so. “This is like we are being attacked,” Biden said. “In a war, you do whatever is required to do to take care of your people. Everything you would need to take care of this crisis would be free. It would be paid for by the U.S. taxpayers.” Biden said he would call in the military to cope with the crisis while Sanders skirted the issue. Instead, Sanders complained about Trump undermining the government’s response by contradicting what government experts and scientists have recommended. “What we have to do is shut this president up,” he said. But the two Democrats quarreled with each other on how best to take on Trump, the New York real estate mogul and first-time politician who won an upset victory in 2016 to become the country’s 45th president.Health careBiden, who is making his third run for the presidency over three decades, and Sanders, a self-declared democratic socialist, often argued over the minutiae of legislation in the U.S. Congress when both were senators and later when Biden served two terms as vice president from 2009-2017. FILE – Former U.S. vice president Joe Biden, left, and Senator Bernie Sanders greet each other with an elbow bump before the start of the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate in a CNN Washington Bureau studio in Washington, March 15, 2020.Sanders called for a political revolution to take on special interests that control health care and energy production in the U.S. Biden promoted less dramatic changes, but ones that also would move American policies significantly to the left philosophically from the Trump administration. Sanders argued that his plan for a government takeover of health care in the U.S. – he calls it Medicare for All – was a moral imperative so that “everyone will get the care they need.” Biden said his plans for more measured improvements on top of the health care plan adopted under Obama – popularly known as Obamacare – would help more Americans at less cost. “People are looking for results, not a revolution,” Biden said. “What people want is hope and they need it now, not four years from now.” Biden at one point cut off Sanders, saying: “With all due respect to Medicare for All, you have a single-payer system in Italy. It doesn’t work there.” Biden was referring to the coronavirus crisis in Italy that is among the worst in Europe. “It has nothing to do with Medicare for All — that would not solve the problem at all. We can take care of that right now by making sure that no one has to pay for treatment period because of the crisis,” he said. Other issuesOn another issue, Sanders attacked Biden’s support for the 2008 bailout of floundering Wall Street financial giants as the recession worsened more than a decade ago. Biden retorted, “It kept us from going into a depression.” Sanders also criticized Biden’s support of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which Biden now admits was a mistake. Sanders claimed Biden supported cuts in the country’s cherished Social Security payments to older Americans. “No, I did not,” Biden responded sharply. Sunday’s debate had been scheduled before a live audience, just as with a string of previous Democratic encounters. But the spread of the deadly coronavirus forced the two longtime politicians into CNN’s Washington studio and there was no audience, in an effort to limit the possibility of exposing even more people to the virus. After a stumbling start in the first three presidential nominating contests in February, Biden has won 16 of the last 21 state elections and is heavily favored in the Tuesday voting. Biden needs a majority of at least 1,991 delegates at the convention and currently leads Sanders, 809-666. Projections at the fivethirtyeight.com political forecasting site say Biden is likely to add another 200 delegates to that margin in Tuesday’s voting.
…
By Polityk | 03/17/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Sanders, Biden Debate Coronavirus Response
Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders clashed over their records Sunday as they offered plans for combatting the new coronavirus, which is changing day-to-day life in the United States and much of the world. Mike O’Sullivan reports, the candidates debated without a live audience.
…
By Polityk | 03/16/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Tuesday’s Primaries Offer Chance for Biden to Reach Latinos
In Joe Biden’s pursuit of the Democratic presidential nomination, he’s run repeatedly into a wall in the West, where Bernie Sanders’ strength among Latinos propelled his campaign even as he struggled with other groups. Tuesday’s primaries in Arizona and Florida offer Biden a chance to show he can make up ground with Latinos, a crucial group of voters he’ll need in his corner to defeat President Donald Trump. Biden is playing catch-up when it comes to engaging Latino voters and is weighed down by anger over the high rate of deportations during the Obama administration, which left scars for many immigrants and their families. “We need more. And we need commitments as we move into the general,” said Regina Romero, a Democrat who recently took office as Tucson’s first Latina mayor. Biden can win over reluctant Latinos with a bold and progressive stance on immigration, she said. “I hope that he doesn’t eat up the lie that he has to be more conservative on the immigration issue,” said Romero, who hasn’t endorsed Biden or Sanders since her favored candidate, Elizabeth Warren, dropped out. “We shouldn’t be afraid of an issue that is so important for Latino voters, water it down and not have policies that Latinos can get excited about.” Arizona and Florida are both likely to be battlegrounds in November. In Arizona, 1 in 3 residents is Latino; in Florida, it’s 1 in 4. Adriana Romero chants during the Bernie 2020 March to Early Vote at Florida International University to on March 11, 2020, in Miami.Sanders’ strength with Latinos helped him to an overwhelming victory in the Nevada caucuses and contributed to his Super Tuesday wins in California and Colorado on a night when Biden built a formidable lead in delegates. But Biden’s success is a recent phenomenon. His slow start amid a crowded Democratic field left him with a shoestring budget and virtually no campaign infrastructure beyond the early states, which limited his ability to reach out to Latinos on the ground or air Spanish-language television ads. That’s changed now that his burst of success since South Carolina made him the overwhelming favorite for the nomination and helped his fundraising. “He definitely needs to work it, and he needs to up his game and engage with Latino voters,” said Janet Murguía, president and CEO of UnidosUS, the Latino advocacy group formerly known as National Council of La Raza. Tuesday could make for “a big reset” for Biden, she said. Biden has had to answer for the big spike in deportations during Barack Obama’s presidency, when Biden served as vice president. Early in his administration, Obama aggressively increased efforts to deport immigrants living in the country illegally. He’d hoped to convince members of Congress and the public that he was serious about border security in order to secure a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would extend legal status to millions of people living in the U.S. without authorization. The reform bill never passed, but the deportations disrupted families, drove fear in immigrant communities and left deep wounds. Any Democrat’s immigration policies would be superior to Trump’s, but that won’t be enough to excite Latinos, said Tomás Robles, co-director of Living United for Change in Arizona, or LUCHA, a Latino organizing group that has endorsed Sanders. “You cannot depend on people’s hatred or fear of Trump to inspire them to turn out in droves for Vice President Biden,” Robles said. “Bernie has worked hard to motivate Latinos as a base. But the entire establishment part has failed at doing the same.” Lucha’s other co-director, Alejandra Gomez, said Biden could make big strides by choosing a progressive running mate. The Obama administration deported more than 3 million people during his eight-year tenure, especially in the early years before Obama gave up on Congress and changed course, using executive orders to extend temporary legal protections to young immigrants and their parents through programs known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA. “We took far too long to get it right,” Biden said in an interview last month with Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, for the first time characterizing the administration’s actions as a misstep. The former vice president later added: “I think it was a big mistake. Took too long to get it right.” Biden and his allies focus on the later years of the Obama administration. U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, who represents largely Latino areas of Phoenix and endorsed Biden this month, predicted that Latino voters will come around. But he said Biden could help himself by talking up his own progressive proposals, such as a $15 minimum wage and a public option for health insurance. He should also talk about the Obama health care law that extended coverage to millions of Americans, including a disproportionate number of Latinos, Gallego said. While Arizona Latinos are frustrated with the Obama-era deportations, Gallego said, they also remember that the administration sued to block the state’s anti-illegal immigration bill known as SB1070, sued Sheriff Joe Arpaio for racial profiling and enacted DACA. “Even those voters who aren’t supporting Vice President Biden right now, I think they still have positive feelings toward him and at the end of the day will be very supportive in the general,” Gallego said. Biden’s defenders also point to Sanders’ work to help kill a 2007 immigration bill, which Sanders warned would drive down wages. “No one’s perfect, but let’s not forget that he made a fatal mistake by doing that,” Gallego said. Latinos in the West, where Sanders has done so well, are mainly of Mexican and Central American descent. It’s a different story in Florida, where Cubans and Puerto Ricans predominate, making the state a potential bright spot for Biden. Sanders’ self-identity as a democratic socialist and his recent defense of certain aspects of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s regime are a liability with Cuban voters. “Miami is a melting pot for people from all over,” said José Javier Rodríguez, a Democratic state senator from Miami who was an early Biden supporter. “Biden’s appeal hits a cross-section in ways that Sen. Sanders does not.” Biden’s campaign is upping its Latino organizing in Arizona through its “Todos con Biden” or “Everyone with Biden” program, including Spanish-language phone banks and door-to-door outreach. In Florida, Biden’s Spanish-language ads use a Cuban narrator in Miami, a Puerto Rican in Orlando and a Mexican in Fort Myers to reflect the backgrounds of Latinos in each area. Biden will need that outreach in a matchup against Trump. In Arizona, the growth of Latinos combined with Trump’s weaknesses in the suburbs have turned a solidly red state into a battleground. And for the president, there’s virtually no path to reelection without winning Florida and its trove of electoral votes. Sanders put to rest the old adage that Latinos don’t vote, said Chuck Rocha, a senior strategist for Sanders. The Latino vote, he said, “is no longer the sleeping giant. It just needed a little attention and a little love and it will show up.”
…
By Polityk | 03/16/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
In Feisty Debate, Biden, Sanders Clash on Best Way to Defeat Trump
The last two major U.S. Democratic presidential candidates – former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders – clashed Sunday night in a spirited debate on a range of issues as they made their best case to be the party’s nominee to face Republican President Donald Trump in November’s national election.The two candidates attacked Trump repeatedly, with Biden calling him “an existential threat to the country,” while Sanders declared that Trump is a “pathological liar” overseeing a “corrupt administration.”Both assailed Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., with Sanders accusing him of “undermining scientists” and Biden faulting the administration for refusing in the early stages of the crisis to import test kits from other countries when the U.S. had the opportunity to do so.President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Washington.“This is like we are being attacked,” Biden said. “In a war, you do whatever is required to do to take care of your people. Everything you would need to take care of this crisis would be free. It would be paid for by the U.S. taxpayers.”Biden said he would call in the military to cope with the crisis while Sanders skirted the issue. Instead, Sanders complained about Trump undermining the government’s response by contradicting what government experts and scientists have recommended.“What we have to do is shut this president up,” he said.The two also virtually agreed on naming a woman to be their vice presidential running mate. Biden said he definitely would pick a woman and Sanders said “in all likelihood” he would, provided he could find someone who agrees with his progressive policies.But the two Democrats quarreled with each other on how best to take on Trump, the New York real estate mogul and first-time politician who won an upset victory in 2016 to become the country’s 45th president.Biden and Sanders often argued over the minutiae of legislation in the U.S. Congress when both were senators and later when Biden served two terms as vice president under former President Barack Obama from 2009-2017.Sanders called for a political revolution to take on special interests that control health care and energy production in the U.S. Biden promoted less dramatic changes, but ones that also would move American policies significantly to the left philosophically from the Trump administration.Sanders argued that his plan for a government takeover of health care in the U.S. – he calls it Medicare for All – was a moral imperative so that “everyone will get the care they need.” Biden said his plans for more measured improvements on top of the health care plan adopted under Obama – popularly known as Obamacare – would help more Americans at less cost.“People are looking for results, not a revolution,” Biden said. “What people want is hope and they need it now, not four years from now.”Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020.Biden at one point cut off Sanders, saying: “With all due respect to Medicare for All, you have a single-payer system in Italy. It doesn’t work there.” Biden was referring to the coronavirus crisis in Italy that is among the worst in Europe. “It has nothing to do with Medicare for All — that would not solve the problem at all. We can take care of that right now by making sure that no one has to pay for treatment period because of the crisis,” he said.On another issue, Sanders attacked Biden’s support for the 2008 bailout of floundering Wall Street financial giants as the recession worsened more than a decade ago. Biden retorted, “It kept us from going into a depression.”Sanders also criticized Biden’s support of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which Biden now admits was a mistake.Sanders claimed Biden supported cuts in the country’s cherished Social Security payments to older Americans.“No, I did not,” Biden responded sharply.Sunday’s debate had been scheduled before a live audience, just as with a string of previous Democratic encounters. But the spread of the deadly coronavirus forced the two longtime politicians into CNN’s Washington studio for their two-hour debate and there was no audience, in an effort to limit the possibility of exposing even more people to the virus.Biden in the leadAt the moment, Biden holds a clear edge in the delegate count in the race for the Democratic nomination. The two squared off in what could turn out to be the last debate before the party’s national nominating convention in July.After a stumbling start in the first three presidential nominating contests in February, Biden has won 16 of the last 21 state elections and is heavily favored in the next four on Tuesday. They are scattered across the U.S., in Florida in the South, Ohio and Illinois in the Midwest, and Arizona in the Southwest. Biden needs a majority of at least 1,991 delegates at the convention and currently leads Sanders, 809-666. Projections at the fivethirtyeight.com political forecasting site say Biden is likely to add another 200 delegates to that margin in Tuesday’s voting.The earlier debates have had at least six candidates on stage, often leading to a verbal free-for-all with candidates talking over each other and leaving television viewers at a loss to understand any single individual.Even with the debate stage narrowed to two candidates, Biden and Sanders frequently interrupted each other.All of the other Democratic candidates who have dropped out of the presidential race have endorsed Biden as they exited, with the exception of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has yet to endorse either Biden or Sanders.But with Biden now projected to win the party nomination in his third run for the presidency over three decades, Sanders, a self-declared democratic socialist, has sought to make the case that he is best-suited to take on Trump, who at 73 is younger than either Biden, 77, or Sanders, 78.Biden, known widely for verbal gaffes, in recent campaign appearances mixed up what day the last primary elections were occurring and also was unable to recall key words from the country’s Declaration of Independence that many school-age children could recite.In recent campaign appearances, the normally verbose Biden has read his speeches off a teleprompter and the addresses have been noticeably shorter to minimize the chance for more verbal missteps.That, of course, wasn’t possible with Sunday night’s give-and-take with Sanders and Biden standing two meters apart behind podiums. Biden seemed self-assured throughout the debate and assertive in his exchanges with Sanders.But both said they would support and campaign for the other against Trump, no matter which of them wins the Democratic nomination.
…
By Polityk | 03/16/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden, Sanders Clash on Best Way to Defeat Trump
The last two major U.S. Democratic presidential candidates – former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders – clashed Sunday night in a spirited debate on a range of issues as they made their best case to be the party’s nominee to face Republican President Donald Trump in November’s national election.The two candidates attacked Trump repeatedly, with Biden calling him “an existential threat to the country,” while Sanders declared that Trump is a “pathological liar” overseeing a “corrupt administration.”Both assailed Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., with Sanders accusing him of “undermining scientists” and Biden faulting the administration for refusing in the early stages of the crisis to import test kits from other countries when the U.S. had the opportunity to do so.President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Washington.“This is like we are being attacked,” Biden said. “In a war, you do whatever is required to do to take care of your people. Everything you would need to take care of this crisis would be free. It would be paid for by the U.S. taxpayers.”Biden said he would call in the military to cope with the crisis while Sanders skirted the issue. Instead, Sanders complained about Trump undermining the government’s response by contradicting what government experts and scientists have recommended.“What we have to do is shut this president up,” he said.The two also virtually agreed on naming a woman to be their vice presidential running mate. Biden said he definitely would pick a woman and Sanders said “in all likelihood” he would, provided he could find someone who agrees with his progressive policies.But the two Democrats quarreled with each other on how best to take on Trump, the New York real estate mogul and first-time politician who won an upset victory in 2016 to become the country’s 45th president.Biden and Sanders often argued over the minutiae of legislation in the U.S. Congress when both were senators and later when Biden served two terms as vice president under former President Barack Obama from 2009-2017.Sanders called for a political revolution to take on special interests that control health care and energy production in the U.S. Biden promoted less dramatic changes, but ones that also would move American policies significantly to the left philosophically from the Trump administration.Sanders argued that his plan for a government takeover of health care in the U.S. – he calls it Medicare for All – was a moral imperative so that “everyone will get the care they need.” Biden said his plans for more measured improvements on top of the health care plan adopted under Obama – popularly known as Obamacare – would help more Americans at less cost.“People are looking for results, not a revolution,” Biden said. “What people want is hope and they need it now, not four years from now.”Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020.Biden at one point cut off Sanders, saying: “With all due respect to Medicare for All, you have a single-payer system in Italy. It doesn’t work there.” Biden was referring to the coronavirus crisis in Italy that is among the worst in Europe. “It has nothing to do with Medicare for All — that would not solve the problem at all. We can take care of that right now by making sure that no one has to pay for treatment period because of the crisis,” he said.On another issue, Sanders attacked Biden’s support for the 2008 bailout of floundering Wall Street financial giants as the recession worsened more than a decade ago. Biden retorted, “It kept us from going into a depression.”Sanders also criticized Biden’s support of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which Biden now admits was a mistake.Sanders claimed Biden supported cuts in the country’s cherished Social Security payments to older Americans.“No, I did not,” Biden responded sharply.Sunday’s debate had been scheduled before a live audience, just as with a string of previous Democratic encounters. But the spread of the deadly coronavirus forced the two longtime politicians into CNN’s Washington studio for their two-hour debate and there was no audience, in an effort to limit the possibility of exposing even more people to the virus.Biden in the leadAt the moment, Biden holds a clear edge in the delegate count in the race for the Democratic nomination. The two squared off in what could turn out to be the last debate before the party’s national nominating convention in July.After a stumbling start in the first three presidential nominating contests in February, Biden has won 16 of the last 21 state elections and is heavily favored in the next four on Tuesday. They are scattered across the U.S., in Florida in the South, Ohio and Illinois in the Midwest, and Arizona in the Southwest. Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020.Biden needs a majority of at least 1,991 delegates at the convention and currently leads Sanders, 809-666. Projections at the fivethirtyeight.com political forecasting site say Biden is likely to add another 200 delegates to that margin in Tuesday’s voting.The earlier debates have had at least six candidates on stage, often leading to a verbal free-for-all with candidates talking over each other and leaving television viewers at a loss to understand any single individual.Even with the debate stage narrowed to two candidates, Biden and Sanders frequently interrupted each other.All of the other Democratic candidates who have dropped out of the presidential race have endorsed Biden as they exited, with the exception of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has yet to endorse either Biden or Sanders.But with Biden now projected to win the party nomination in his third run for the presidency over three decades, Sanders, a self-declared democratic socialist, has sought to make the case that he is best-suited to take on Trump, who at 73 is younger than either Biden, 77, or Sanders, 78.Biden, known widely for verbal gaffes, in recent campaign appearances mixed up what day the last primary elections were occurring and also was unable to recall key words from the country’s Declaration of Independence that many school-age children could recite.In recent campaign appearances, the normally verbose Biden has read his speeches off a teleprompter and the addresses have been noticeably shorter to minimize the chance for more verbal missteps.That, of course, wasn’t possible with Sunday night’s give-and-take with Sanders and Biden standing two meters apart behind podiums. Biden seemed self-assured throughout the debate and assertive in his exchanges with Sanders.But both said they would support and campaign for the other against Trump, no matter which of them wins the Democratic nomination.
…
By Polityk | 03/16/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
‘Bigger Than any one of us’: Biden, Sanders Take on Pandemic
Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders sought in Sunday’s Democratic debate to cast themselves as best-positioned to lead the nation through a global pandemic, with Biden pledging to deploy the military to help with recovery efforts and Sanders using the crisis to pitch his long-sought overhaul of the country’s health care system.The fast-moving coronavirus dominated the first one-on-one faceoff of the 2020 campaign, reflecting the way the crisis has upended American life by closing schools, disrupting travel and raising questions about President Donald Trump’s ability to lead the nation through turbulent times.“This is bigger than any one of us — this calls for a national rallying for one another,” Biden said.Biden’s and Sanders’ prescriptions for addressing the public health and economic crisis highlighted the ideological divide between the two men vying for the Democratic nomination. Biden, a centrist who helped implement the 2009 bailout of the financial industry, warned that another government-backed economic rescue plan may be needed in the coming months, while the liberal Sanders suggested a tax on the wealthiest Americans.Sanders, Biden to Debate Without Studio Audience Biden has pulled to a sizable lead in the race for the party nomination to oppose Trump in NovemberThe stakes and the standings in the race for the Democratic nomination have shifted dramatically since Biden and Sanders last debated less than three weeks ago. After a sluggish start to the primary season, Biden has surged to the front of the field, drawing overwhelming support from black voters and consolidating the backing of several rivals who have dropped out of the race.Biden appeared determined to keep his focus on the general election, making direct overtures to Sanders’ supporters and committing for the first time to selecting a woman as his running mate if he becomes the Democratic nominee. After Biden’s announcement, Sanders said he would “in all likelihood” do the same.Sanders has struggled to broaden his coalition beyond young people and liberals, and his path to the nomination is rapidly shrinking. Still, he appeared determined to draw sharp contrasts with Biden throughout, challenging the former vice president to disavow a super PAC backing his candidacy and casting Biden as inconsistent during his career on his support for the financial industry and women’s health issues.The Vermont senator also repeatedly pushed questions regarding the coronavirus toward a now-familiar debate between him and Biden over health care. Sanders argued that the troublesome shortages in coronavirus tests and anxiety over the preparedness of the nation’s health care system to deal with an impending increase in patients highlight why the U.S. should move to the government-run, “Medicare For All” system he has long championed.“One of the reasons that we are unprepared, and have been unprepared, is we don’t have a system. We’ve got thousands of private insurance plans,” said Sanders, who backs a sweeping government-run health insurance program. “That is not a system that is prepared to provide health care to all people in a good year, without the epidemic.”Biden, who supports adding a public insurance option to the current system, argued that a pandemic was not a moment to attempt to push through an overhaul of the American health insurance system, a politically arduous endeavor.“This is a crisis,” Biden said. “We’re at war with a virus. It has nothing to do with copays or anything.”As the debate opened, Biden and Sanders skipped a handshake, greeting each other instead with an elbow bump. They took their positions at podiums spaced 6 feet apart in keeping with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus. They addressed the nation, and each other, from a television studio in Washington without an in-person audience.The pandemic has upended the campaign for days, prompting Biden and Sanders to cancel rallies and instead hold virtual events with voters around the country. Their campaign staffs are also working remotely, and the candidates — both in their late 70s — said they were taking personal precautions to guard against a virus that is a greater risk to the elderly.“I’m using a lot of soap and hand sanitizer,” Sanders said.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. There are more than 167,000 cases confirmed worldwide.
…
By Polityk | 03/16/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Mixed Messaging from Trump Administration on Severity of Coronavirus Pandemic
U.S. President Donald Trump and other members of his administration are seeking to quell a panicky nation after the shelves at many stores across the country went bare due to hoarding amid the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, after holding a conference call Sunday with 30 grocery executives, said: “You don’t have to buy so much. Take it easy. Just relax.” Vice President Mike Pence points to a question as he speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Washington.Some members of that group on the podium expressed greater caution about the course ahead. The head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, emphasized that “the worst is yet ahead for us” while the president’s health secretary, Alex Azar, warned that the pandemic has the potential to overwhelm the capacity of the American health care system. The briefing was held as more cities and states ordered restrictions for the sizes of public gatherings. Governor Gavin Newsom order the closure of all bars and wineries in California, which has the largest population of any state. He also declared that people aged 65 or older enter into home isolation as they are a high-risk group for complications from contracting COVID-19. The governor of the state of Ohio, Mike DeWine, ordered all restaurants to not seat any customers – take-out and delivery service only. Boston, the third most populous city in the northeastern United States, declared a public health emergency on Sunday, ordering all bars, restaurants, and nightclubs must reduce to 50% capacity with no lines and they will only be allowed to stay until 11 p.m. until further notice. The federal government is to issue revised guidance on closing of public places and businesses on Monday. Asked if there should be nationwide restrictions, as other countries have done, Fauci replied: “To protect the American people we’ll consider anything and everything on the table.” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, with Vice President Mike Pence behind him, speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus at the White House, March 15, 2020.About half of the 50 U.S. states have ordered schools temporarily closed. New York Governor Mario Cuomo on Sunday announced schools will close in New York City. Long wait times and panic were seen at airports across the United States as authorities work under new regulations imposed to deal with the spread of the coronavirus. Those long lines “are unacceptable,” the acting homeland security secretary, Chad Wolf, told White House reporters, explaining that processes have been adjusted at ports of entry and the wait times, as of Sunday, were down to about 30 minutes. U.S. nationals and permanent residents who are returning from countries that are part of a new travel ban will be required to undergo additional screening and questioning to determine if they can return to their communities, according to the Department of Homeland Security. If not required to seek medical help, they will be sent home and will spend two weeks in self-quarantine. Foreign nationals living in the U.S. who have traveled to countries on the ban, however, will not be allowed to return in the United States. A DHS official said they would have to travel to a third country, not included in the ban, and wait out the two-week period of self-quarantine before traveling to the United States. The United States has more than 3,621 confirmed coronavirus cases in all but one of the 50 states. There are 69 deaths reported from the disease in the country. The Senate, controlled by the president’s Republican party, on Monday is to consider an emergency aid package which the House, controlled by the Democratic Party, has approved. The legislation includes funds to support small- and medium-sized businesses faced with increased costs from sick leave, as well as individuals incurring loss of income from quarantines or reduced economic activity. Central to the president’s emergency measures is the expansion of testing for the coronavirus disease. The United States has been criticized for its slow roll out of coronavirus test kits, and Trump has pledged to accelerate the testing capacity, including setting up drive-through testing sites. The White House says 1.9 million testing kits will be available this week and a web site to pre-screen those who will be prioritized for such tests is to be online within days.
…
By Polityk | 03/16/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden, Sanders to Debate Against Backdrop of Global Pandemic
As the two remaining Democratic presidential candidates return to the debate stage, their party, the stakes, and the world look much different than in their last meeting less than three weeks ago.The fast-moving coronavirus was something of an afterthought in that debate; now the escalating crisis is likely to dominate Sunday’s contest. Rising infections in the United States and around the world have prompted a dramatic slowdown of global travel, upended financial markets, and raised questions about President Donald Trump’s ability to lead the nation through a prolonged period of uncertainty.Just two Democrats — former vice president Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — remain to make the case that they are best-positioned to challenge Trump in November. Five other candidates who joined them on stage in the Feb. 25 debate in South Carolina have dropped out, with many rallying behind Biden’s surging candidacy.For both Biden and Sanders, the debate is a moment to display their leadership skills in front of what could be one of the largest audiences of the primary. They’ll aim to draw a contrast with Trump, but also with each other, arguing that they have the right experience, temperament and policy prescriptions to lead the nation through a crisis.“Moments like these don’t come around often in campaigns and this is a perfect opportunity to show millions that you have what it takes,” said Robert Gibbs, former White House press secretary and campaign adviser to President Barack Obama. “They must show voters they are the answer to what is missing right now by being calm, honest, ready to lead and empathetic.”The coronavirus crisis rapidly upended plans for Sunday’s debate. First, the Democratic National Committee announced that it would hold the contest without a live audience. Then the debate was moved from a large venue in Arizona, one of the states holding a primary Tuesday, to a television studio in Washington because of concerns about cross-country travel. One of the moderators had to withdraw because of potential exposure to a person who tested positive for coronavirus.It is Biden who will step on stage as the front-runner, a distinction that seemed unlikely just a few weeks ago. After disappointing showings in the early contests, Biden roared back with a commanding victory in South Carolina and has continued to rack up wins across the country, winning broad and diverse coalitions of voters. Moderate Democratic leaders, including former rivals Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg, have rallied behind his candidacy and voters have done the same.Advisers say Biden will aim in Sunday’s debate to show voters who backed Sanders or other liberal candidates that they have a home in his campaign. In one overture to liberals, Biden announced his support for a bankruptcy plan championed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who ended her campaign earlier this month and has yet to endorse.In a virtual town hall on Friday, Biden said his support for Warren’s proposal, which aims to simplify the bankruptcy process, is “one of the things that I think Bernie and I will agree on.”Biden holds a solid lead over Sanders in the all-important delegate race, and a strong showing in Tuesday’s primary contests could effectively guarantee his nomination. Four big states will be up for grabs: Illinois, Ohio, Arizona and Florida, a perennial general election battleground where Biden appears to have an edge over Sanders.After a strong start, the race has moved rapidly away from Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist with a loyal following among young voters and liberals. But he’s failed to expand his appeal, particularly among black voters, and his calls for a sweeping political and economic revolution have also fallen flat with suburban voters.Sanders is facing some pressure from within the Democratic Party to step aside and allow Biden take Trump on one-on-one. Several Democratic groups that were waiting to endorse until after the primary have consolidated around Biden, including super PAC Priorities USA.Sanders’ advisers say he is a realist about his current standing and the difficulty of the path ahead. Yet the senator is pledging to grill Biden in Sunday’s debate on his plans for tackling college debt, for his past support of the Iraq war and for his backing of multilateral trade agreements.“I’m going to ask Joe Biden, I mean Joe is part of the establishment for a very long time, ‘Joe, what role have you played in trying to make sure that we end this massive level of income and wealth inequality where three people own more wealth than the bottom half of America?” Sanders said Saturday during an online “fireside chat” with supporters.Yet it’s unclear if the issues Sanders is aiming to highlight will resonate with voters at a time when much of the nation’s focus has shifted to the growing toll of the coronavirus and put a spotlight on the need for presidential leadership. Schools and businesses across the country are closed, and many hospitals and clinics are struggling to obtain tests for the coronavirus.For Biden, the outbreak of a global pandemic has been a moment to bolster the central argument of his candidacy: that his eight years as vice president give him the experience, as well as the relationships in Washington and around the world, that are needed in the Oval Office during turbulent times.With campaign rallies halted because of warnings against large gatherings, Biden delivered a speech in front of reporters and advisers on his proposal for combating coronavirus, including guaranteeing free testing. Sanders’ later announced his own speech, which focused largely on advocating for his call to overhaul the nation’s health insurance system and replace it with a Medicare for All program.After Sunday’s debate, it’s unclear where the candidates and the campaign go from here. Neither Biden or Sanders has announced any public rallies for next week or given any indication of when they may be able to appear in person for voters again.
…
By Polityk | 03/15/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Sanders, Biden to Debate Without Studio Audience
Democratic presidential hopefuls, Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden, are still slated to participate in a debate Sunday night, though the location and parameters have changed drastically in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.The debate was originally planned, as most presidential debates have been, to take place in front of a live audience. The debate was going to be held in Phoenix, Arizona ahead of Arizona’s presidential primary on Tuesday.Due to concerns of spreading the COVID-19 virus, organizers first cancelled the studio audience for the debate, and then decided to hold it in a TV studio in Washington, D.C. to limit travel for all those involved.Following months of debates with full stages, when the democratic field saw as many as twenty presidential hopefuls, Sunday’s debate will feature the only two remaining candidates – Biden and Sanders.The debate will be aired by CNN and moderated by two of its commentators. Univision’s Jorge Ramos was also scheduled to moderate, but has cancelled after revealing a potential secondary exposure to the coronavirus.Just ahead of Super Tuesday, a number of Democratic candidates dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden.Senator Sanders, who has fared poorer than expected in recent primaries, announced last week that he would continue his campaign. Sanders, a self-declared democratic socialist, said he looks forward to debating Biden, now in his third run for the presidency over three decades, one-on-one on Sunday night.
Sanders laid out a string of questions he plans to ask Biden about income inequality among Americans, climate change, free college tuition and why he opposes Sanders’s plan for a government-controlled health care system in the U.S., among other issues.
…
By Polityk | 03/15/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Georgia to Postpone Primaries Over Virus; 2nd State to Do So
Georgia election officials are postponing the state’s March 24 presidential primaries until May because of fears over the new coronavirus.Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement Saturday that in-person early voting, which began statewide March 2, will be halted and the election will be moved to May 19, when Georgia’s other 2020 primary elections are being held.Election officials said in addition to the safety of the public, one of the biggest considerations was the risk the virus posed to poll workers, who are often older.”Events are moving rapidly and my highest priority is protecting the health of our poll workers, and the community at large,” Raffensperger said.The action followed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature of an emergency declaration that unlocked sweeping powers to fight COVID-19. In a speech Saturday, the governor renewed a call for places of worship, schools and others to consider canceling large gatherings as cases in the state rise.On Friday, Louisiana became the first state to push back its presidential primaries.As of Saturday, the virus had infected more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed over 5,600. Georgia is reporting 66 confirmed cases, with most concentrated around metro Atlanta. One death in the state has been attributed to the virus.Only one candidate is on the Republican ballot in Georgia for the presidential primary: President Donald Trump. The Democratic race has been narrowed to a two-man matchup between former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Biden has been beating Sanders among key demographics at play in Georgia Democratic politics like African Americans and suburban voters and has been endorsed by a slew of state and local officials.Raffensperger’s office said that the decision to postpone the election was made in consultation with the state Democratic and Republican Parties.
…
By Polityk | 03/15/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Debate Questions: Biden, Sanders Are Finally to Meet 1-on-1
And then there were two. Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are set to meet Sunday night in their first one-to-one presidential primary debate after months of Democratic free-for-alls that presaged a dramatic culling of the field since the opening round of the 2020 race. Some key questions to look for about the debate, which takes place before the next round of primaries on Tuesday, when 577 delegates are at stake in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio. A new opening, but for which candidate?The coronavirus outbreak has overturned American life, but it is unclear whether the unfolding crisis changes a race that Biden controls with more than half the delegates already awarded.Both candidates have used the COVID-19 pandemic as a hook to try to justify their main themes, and can be expected to do so again Sunday. Sanders has been saying that the pandemic demonstrates the need for his “Medicare for All” universal health insurance plan, along with other expansion of a social safety net. He said the shortage of medical goods, from masks and rubber gloves to diagnostic testing kits, is a consequence of decades of establishment trade policy that sent U.S. manufacturing prowess overseas. (Biden, Sanders has noted repeatedly, voted for some of those international trade deals as a Delaware senator.) To Biden, it’s a moment to make the case against President Donald Trump’s competence. The former vice president has run against Trump from the beginning, so much so that it cost him embarrassing finishes in early-voting Iowa and New Hampshire. But Biden has rebounded in recent weeks.On Thursday he outlined his own government-wide coronavirus response during an address in front of American flags, and he introduced a group of blue chip advisers. The unmistakable subtext: a candidate who can already see himself sitting behind the Resolute Desk. How does a private studio change the dynamics?Coronavirus forced network host CNN to dispense with a live audience in Phoenix and move the debate to Washington.Sanders’ style is to speak before large audiences, feeding off their energy. Of course, he’s also mixed it up with debate audiences, most recently in South Carolina, jeering back when people grumbled at one of his answers. “Really? Really?” he retorted, gesturing out at the auditorium. Biden has drawn smaller crowds than Sanders throughout his campaign, but he also has shown more spirit and energy as crowds have gotten larger and friendlier. On Sunday night, the veteran politicians will meet without being able to process how their answers and interactions are playing with any voters listening to them. So far, the debates have highlighted the overall uneven nature of Biden’s campaign. His aides have said for months that he would do better if he got a shot on a smaller stage. Sunday is just that. How aggressive is Sanders?Sanders recently shut down a rally crowd that booed Biden. “Nope, nope, nope,” Sanders admonished, calling Biden a “friend of mind” who’s “wrong on the issues.” But will that hold with Sanders now needing 57% of the remaining delegates to win the nomination?He hasn’t been shy about highlighting Biden’s record. Sanders has cited Biden’s Senate votes for international trade deals, his participation in budget negotiations that would curtail some entitlement spending, his support for the war powers that allowed President George W. Bush to invade Iraq in 2003 and Biden’s fundraising from wealthy donors.But does Sanders only highlight differences and emphasize his own vision? Does he argue simply that Biden’s ideas such as tuition-free college for two years instead of four and adding a “public option” to existing health insurance markets rather than replacing private markets with a government system, amount to compromising before the legislative fight even begins?Or does Sanders risk dividing the party by attacking Biden as another “corporate Democrat” selling out the working class? Four years ago, when Sanders engaged Hillary Clinton in an extended, bitter battle well after the delegate math favored Clinton, the notion of a Trump presidency was only hypothetical. Now, Sanders and Biden have said repeatedly that neither wants to be viewed as responsible for the president’s reelection.How does Biden reach out?”Unifying the country” has been a pillar of Biden’s campaign. It’s mostly a play to independents, centrist Democrats and moderate Republicans worn out by Trump. But Biden has reached out to the left flank in recent weeks. It’s a balancing act given that he has harped on Sanders’ identity as a “democratic socialist” and suggested that if Democrats “want a nominee who’s a Democrat,” they should back Biden.So what’s Biden’s approach with Sanders standing nearby? Biden could promote his “progressive” and “bold” agenda to coax voters to his left. He could make the bottom-line appeal about the “common goal” of defeating Trump. Or he could skip the party unity talk altogether. Down to two older white menDemocrats took the stage last June with a historically diverse field in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, even sexual orientation.Now the race has come down to two white men each approaching 80. To be fair, Biden and Sanders are the remaining major candidates in no small part because they drew more support from nonwhite voters than any of their rivals.Yet it’s a stark image for a party that prides itself on diversity. Biden, in the South Carolina debate, casually tossed out that he would like to nominate the first black woman to the Supreme Court. Each candidate talks often about a wide coalition he wants to lead. But how might they acknowledge the juxtaposition of their own identities with the rest of the Democratic Party?
…
By Polityk | 03/15/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Democrat Biden Tacks Left, Backs Warren Bankruptcy Plan With Student Loan Relief
Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden has endorsed former rival Elizabeth Warren’s plan to reform consumer bankruptcy laws, including allowing relief of student loan debt, incorporating proposals by the party’s progressive wing into the moderate front-runner’s campaign.”I’ve endorsed Elizabeth Warren’s bankruptcy proposal, which … allows for student debt to be relieved in bankruptcy and provides for a whole range of other issues,” Biden said in a digital town hall in Illinois on Friday.Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, suspended her campaign March 5 after a poor showing in primaries that week. That left the more centrist Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist, in the contest for the Democratic nomination to run against Republican President Donald Trump in November.Biden’s decision to endorse Warren’s bankruptcy plan is significant, showing she and Sanders have moved the party’s policy discussions to the left. It also would reverse portions of a strict bankruptcy law that Biden himself championed when he was a senator.Yet to endorseWarren, who drew passionate supporters, has so far declined to endorse either Biden or Sanders. She and Sanders have been allies on the party’s left wing, and many of his supporters called on her to back Sanders as he fights to revive his campaign after moderates coalesced around Biden.Her bankruptcy proposal would also do away with restrictive rules that forced people earning more than the median in their state to file for a more onerous form of bankruptcy protection.It would waive fees for low-income people filing for bankruptcy and hasten the process for seeking protection from credit card debt.Many provisions her plan would eliminate were enacted in a 2005 bill that Biden backed, which tightened bankruptcy rules for consumers and made it much harder to discharge student debt.The former vice president was then a senator from Delaware, where several financial services and credit card companies are located.Allies of Sanders and Warren have been pressuring Biden’s team to adopt progressive proposals like a wealth tax, a stepped-up estate tax and an equal pay plan, according to several individuals familiar with talks between the campaigns.Biden and Sanders are set to participate in a televised debate on Sunday, and a key question will be whether Sanders comes out swinging or focuses on pressing Biden to adopt policies he champions, such as a government-paid health care plan.
…
By Polityk | 03/15/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Sanders Wins Northern Mariana Islands Caucuses, 4 Delegates
Senator Bernie Sanders won the Northern Mariana Islands Democratic presidential caucuses Saturday, grabbing four of the six delegates.Former Vice President Joe Biden won the other two. This trimmed Biden’s lead to 154 delegates in The Associated Press delegate count.Saturday was the first time Sanders had a bigger delegate day than Biden since Nevada’s caucuses on February 22. Since then, Biden swamped the Vermont senator in South Carolina, in the March 3 Super Tuesday contests and on this past Tuesday, when six states voted.Nola Hix, chair of the U.S. territory’s Democratic Party, said 134 people caucused Saturday on the Pacific island chain of about 53,000 people.
…
By Polityk | 03/15/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
In US, Coronavirus Prompts Calls for Voting Reform
Concerns are mounting that the coronavirus pandemic could disenfranchise large numbers of American voters in the U.S. presidential election. “This is a moment we have never experienced before with regards to elections in modern times,” said David Daley, a senior fellow with the FairVote advocacy group. Efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the United States have prompted government-mandated quarantines, and widespread advisories against public gathering have resulted in school closures and cancellation of performances, conferences, and sporting events across the country.Upcoming primariesThe U.S. state of Louisiana on Friday postponed its primary election contest to select the Democratic and Republican Party nominees to run in the November presidential election. Citing the public health threat posed by the coronavirus, Louisiana pushed back its primary from April 4 to June 20. The next state primaries are scheduled to be held on Tuesday in Ohio, Florida, Illinois and Arizona, and officials say they are taking precautions to protect public health. On Thursday, Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois encouraged local authorities to expand the hours for early voting prior to election day. “Voting early usually means avoiding any crowds,” Pritzker said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends increasing drive-up voting, arriving at polling stations at nonpeak hours and maintaining social distancing space while waiting in line to minimize direct contact with people who may have been exposed to the virus. FILE – A voter casts a ballot from an auto in a special election on June 6, 2006 in Williston, Vt.Bipartisan threatConcern about how fear of the coronavirus could depress voter turnout, especially among high-risk groups such as older Americans, has prompted calls for expanded mail-in voting so people can avoid large groups on Election Day.In Congress, Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from the state of Oregon, introduced a bill to expand early mail-in ballot options for voters in all 50 states. The bill also would provide $500 million to fund this effort.”This a nonpartisan, commonsense solution to the very real threat looming this November,” Wyden said in a statement Tuesday.The two major political parties have been at odds over past proposals to expand voting, with Republicans citing concerns over possible voter fraud, and Democrats criticizing opposition as a means to suppress the vote in Democratic-majority communities.The coronavirus threat to Republican and Democratic voters alike, advocates say, could unite both sides to support needed election reform.Colossal challengeThirty-four states and the District of Columbia now offer “no excuse” absentee voting by mail. Other states require voters to document their reasons for requesting an early ballot, such as conflicting travel or work schedules.Gearing up a mail-in voting system in all 50 states in time for the presidential election in November would be a colossal challenge but surmountable, advocates say.”We know how to do vote by mail and we know how to do it in a safe and secure way,” said Daley of FairVote, but it is essential that “everybody has equal access to voting by mail,” he added.To handle an increased number of mail-in ballots, states would need to acquire more optical scanners and develop procedures to quickly verify and count the ballots.Because mail-in ballots are time-consuming to count compared with voting machines that automatically tally results, mail-in ballots are often considered only in very close elections.
…
By Polityk | 03/14/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Appeals Court Orders New Hearing in McGahn Subpoena Case
The full federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., said Friday that it will take up the House of Representatives’ bid to force former White House counsel Don McGahn to appear before Congress.The decision gives new hope to House Democrats who want McGahn’s testimony before the November elections. Arguments will be held April 28.The order comes just two weeks after a three-judge panel of the appeals court ruled that judges have no role to play in the subpoena fight between the House and President Donald Trump over the testimony of high-ranking administration officials.Friday’s order throws out the earlier ruling.
…
By Polityk | 03/14/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Pelosi, White House Near Agreement on Coronavirus Aid Bill
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Trump administration hoped to announce agreement Friday on a coronavirus aid package to reassure anxious Americans by providing sick pay, free testing and other resources in an effort to calm teetering financial markets and the mounting crisis.
Final details were being worked out, but the top House Democrat, who held daylong talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, expected an announcement Friday. The House could then swiftly vote.
“We have – are near – to an agreement,” Pelosi said, emerging from her office at the Capitol shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday. She said a deal was “subject to an exchange of paper and we hope to have an announcement tomorrow.”
The potential deal between Congress and the White House would cap a tumultuous week in which Washington strained for a comprehensive response to the outbreak that is testing the nation’s political, financial and health care systems.
President Donald Trump has struggled to show he’s on top of the crisis, after delivering conflicting descriptions of what the U.S. is doing to combat the virus. Classes, sports events, concerts and conferences have been canceled across the nation and the financial markets are cratering.
Democrat Joe Biden, Trump’s chief 2020 presidential rival, criticized Trump for playing down the threat for weeks and promised if he becomes president to “always tell you the truth.”
The House aid package builds on an emergency $8.3 billion measure approved last week and is aimed at providing additional health and financial resources to arrest the sudden spread of the pandemic and the kind of economic fallout unseen in a generation. Pelosi promised in a letter to colleagues that a third package was yet to come.
The new sick leave benefit would require businesses to provide up to 14 days of paid leave to workers who are home quarantined with the virus, with the federal government reimbursing them through tax credits. The bill enhances unemployment benefits for the jobless and boosts food and nutrition programs for working families, students and seniors.
“We felt that putting together something that the American people can see cooperation on between the two parties in this difficult moment would be a confidence builder,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-N.J., the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, joining Pelosi at the Capitol, “and I think that we approached it that way.”
Meanwhile, disruptions from the virus spread throughout the Washington metropolitan area, as the Capitol, White House and Supreme Court all declared themselves off limits to the public for now, symbols of a nation hunkering down. And schools in the District of Columbia announced they would close, starting Monday, until April 1.
The storied Smithsonian said it was canceling all public events and will temporarily close its network of museums and the National Zoo, starting Saturday. And Trump proposed postponing this summer’s Olympics in Japan for a year, too.
Trump said he will halt his signature campaign rallies, telling reporters he needs a “little separation until such time as this goes away.” Biden and rival Sen. Bernie Sanders said they would no longer hold large political gatherings and their staffs would work from home as the race for the presidency moved online.
The coronavirus crisis also got personal for Trump and some members of Congress.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was in isolation at a hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus. He returned to Australia on Sunday from Washington, where he met Attorney General William Barr and Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, last week.
Just days after meeting Trump and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., the communications chief for Brazil’s president, Fabio Wajngarten, tested positive for coronavirus. A photo of the president, the senator and Wajngarten shows the trio shoulder-to-shoulder at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort last weekend.
It was the first time someone infected with the virus was known to have been so near the president.
Scott said he was isolating himself. Trump, 73, said he was unworried.
“We had dinner in Florida at Mar-a-Lago with the entire delegation,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “But we did nothing very unusual. We sat next to each other for a period of time.” Asked whether he should be tested, Trump replied, I am not concerned.'' said Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev.
White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said "the White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation`s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19'' though; confirmatory testing is pending. She said: "Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time.'' GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was also at Trump's club on the weekend, joined a growing list of lawmakers who have chosen to isolate themselves as a precaution.
Lawmakers from both parties expressed alarm at the U.S. response, and especially over the fact few patients have been tested.
"We're basically, in my opinion, flying blind,
Dr. Anthony Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, in several television interviews Friday, said more tests would be available over the next week, but that officials should not wait before trying to mitigate the virus’ effects.
“We will have considerably more testing in the future, but you don’t wait for testing,” Fauci said on ”CBS This Morning.” He said school closings and similar measures are “generally an appropriate approach.”
“We’re at a critical point now as we seek to blunt the rise in cases to make sure it’s a hill, not a mountain,” Fauci said.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to be over it.
Trump’s Wednesday announcement of travel restrictions prompted clarifications and criticisms. While Trump said all European travel except from Britain would be cut off, Homeland Security officials clarified that the new travel restrictions would apply only to most foreign nationals who have been in the Schengen Area at any point in the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States. The area encompasses most European countries, among them France, Italy, German, Greece, Austria and Belgium.
The restrictions don’t apply to legal permanent residents, immediate family of U.S. citizens or others identified in the proclamation signed by Trump. Vice President Mike Pence said the administration is also asking travelers returning to the U.S. from Europe to voluntarily quarantine for 14 days.
Trump claimed falsely Thursday that the U.S. is currently screening all Americans and foreigners who are entering the country, saying, “people coming in have to be tested.” And he claimed that those who return are being forced to isolate themselves, adding: “It’s going to be a pretty strong enforcement of quarantine.” No widespread quarantine orders have been announced.
…
By Polityk | 03/13/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Trump Feud with Lawmakers Over Coronavirus Response Rattles Americans
Congressional Democrats are at odds with the Trump administration over legislation that would provide a swift response to the catastrophic public health and economic impact of the coronavirus. The battle between the White House and Capitol Hill comes as many Democrats say Trump’s Wednesday night Oval Office speech was inadequate in addressing the growing U.S. crisis. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more on this historic political battle.
…
By Polityk | 03/13/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Florida Could be Knockout Punch for Sanders’ 2020 Campaign
Florida has never been known as a place of stability, especially in its politics.And yet stability is what has been on the minds of many Democrats in the state who say they’ll vote for former Vice President Joe Biden in Tuesday’s presidential primary election instead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.“I like some of Sanders’ ideas, but he’s a little too extreme for me,” said Jeanne Hilburn, a 76-year-old retired teacher who lives in the suburbs of Tampa. “A lot of Democrats are like me — we want stability.”As the race for the Democratic nomination enters a penultimate phase, with Sanders’ campaign on the brink of collapse and Biden’s ascendant, attention is turning to places like Florida, which is holding its primary Tuesday along with Ohio, Illinois and Arizona. Florida has 219 delegates, the biggest prize of next week’s election.Coveted swing stateFew places hold the electoral cachet of Florida, which has been among the most coveted swing states in the last three decades, including during the contentious, chaotic recount of 2000. It is a vital state for President Donald Trump, who would have almost no path to reelection without it.Biden’s advisers are banking on a decisive Florida victory that sends a clear message that he is much better positioned to win the state and deny Trump a second term.In 2016, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton here by 1.2 percentage points.“Florida, as always, is pivotal in the outcome,” said Nikki Fried, who is the state’s agriculture commissioner and top elected Democrat and who endorsed Biden. “We are the ultimate swing state.”Sanders’ support in Florida has always been tenuous. In the 2016 primary, he lost to Clinton by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. This year, Sanders angered a potentially large voting bloc, Cuban Americans, by praising Fidel Castro for implementing a literacy program in the communist nation.Working for NovemberThat leaves many Florida Democrats looking beyond the primary to November. Several groups have banded together to register people to vote and mobilize for the general election.One of the four groups, Organizing Together 2020, is led by Fried. It will hire employees, register voters, train volunteers and then turn everything over to the party after the July convention. Another of the groups is For Our Future, a super PAC that is made up largely of Mike Bloomberg’s campaign apparatus.A strong turnout in the Florida primary could give hope to Democrats, though it would be difficult to draw any conclusions for November given the state’s high number of independents. And, to be sure, the coronavirus outbreak could keep some voters away from the polls and muffle any message from the turnout.Democrats know it will be a challenge to sway voters here. About 3.6 million of the state’s 13.6 million voters are registered independents, which means they can’t vote in Tuesday’s primary but are eligible to cast ballots in the general election.“Florida is an interesting state. Depending on where you’re at, we can be very conservative, or we can be very progressive,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, a Democrat. “We also have a strong moderate and independent streak. Biden, I think he’ll do well here with Democrats and independents. And with Republicans who are looking for an alternative to President Trump.”Ashley Walker, of Organizing Together, said a priority is grassroots door-knocking in counties that were close in 2016, like Pinellas, home to St. Petersburg, which Trump won by 5,500 votes, and in Pasco, a suburban county just north of Tampa where voters moved to Republican candidates in the 2018 Senate and gubernatorial races.Walker says the aim is to siphon off votes there.“The margins matter. We’re probably not going to win Pasco County, but we’re going to need to close the margins so we lose less badly,” she said. “And in those counties that go back-and-forth between red and blue, like Pinellas, it’s especially important to get organized early. To build relationships early.”Biden ‘diaspora outreach’Similarly, Biden’s supporters have been paying visits to Spanish-language TV shows and broadening “diaspora outreach” efforts in South Florida. John Kerry, the former secretary of state and the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, spoke about Latin America policy on behalf of Biden’s campaign at a restaurant in Doral, the hub of Venezuelan exiles.“We feel good about where we are in the state, but we are not taking anything for granted,” said Carmen Torres, of Florida Hispanics for Biden.Democrats don’t have a lock on the Latino vote in Florida, particularly among the nearly 2 million residents who are originally from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, where authoritarian socialist regimes have soured many exiles toward any left-leaning politicians.A third of Cuban American midterm voters identify as Democrats, according to AP Vote Cast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate. But the survey said a majority, 56%, of Cuban American midterm voters expressed approval of the way Trump was handling his job as president.Daisy Baez, a former Democratic state lawmaker, is leading a group called “Dominicanos con Biden” to rally her fellow Dominican Americans to support the former vice president. A similar effort to rally Venezuelans will roll out on Sunday.“We wanted to address our message to a specific community,” Baez said. “We needed to piece it down in smaller parts.”Sanders faithfulAs Sanders’ chances diminish, Biden may also need to win over his challenger’s fervent supporters if an endorsement follows. Some may not follow suit.Nick Mora, 24, a Florida International University Student, marched alongside 20 students on a recent afternoon on campus to persuade others to vote early for Sanders. “Let’s just say Joe Biden does not have the same policy proposals as Bernie,” Mora said. “I feel like the progressive movement is being pushed down, and there’s not much we can do about it if we vote for Joe Biden, so we are still trying to fight till the end.”
…
By Polityk | 03/13/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
A Nation Rattled as Trump, Lawmakers Feud Over Coronavirus Response
Congressional Democrats are at odds with the Trump administration over legislation that would provide a swift response to the catastrophic public health and economic impact of the coronavirus. The battle between the White House and Capitol Hill comes as many Democrats say Trump’s Wednesday night Oval Office speech was inadequate in addressing the growing U.S. crisis. VOA’s congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more on this historic political battle.
…
By Polityk | 03/13/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Trump Threatens to Veto House-passed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Reforms
The U.S. House of Representatives voted this week to change the way the FBI and National Security Agency use the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to conduct electronic surveillance of foreign nationals and agents in the United States. But President Donald Trump indicated Thursday that he might veto the bipartisan bill, saying he and his allies wanted more information about how the FBI’s investigation of alleged ties between his 2016 presidential campaign and Russia was launched. “Many Republican Senators want me to Veto the FISA Bill until we find out what led to, and happened with, the illegal attempted ‘coup’ of the duly elected President of the United States, and others!” Trump wrote on Twitter.The FBI investigation, later taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller, has long been a lightning rod for criticism by Trump. The president frequently attacks it as an attempt to forestall his 2016 election and, later, to undo his presidency.FILE – U.S. Attorney General William Barr departs after speaking at a news conference to discuss special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential race, in Washington, April 18, 2019.Last year, Attorney General William Barr ordered an internal Justice Department probe into the origins of the Russia election investigation, saying intelligence agencies had conducted “spying” on the Trump campaign. That investigation, led by U.S. Attorney John Durham, is ongoing.House members voted 278-138 on Wednesday to reauthorize three key intelligence-gathering provisions in the law while strengthening surveillance standards and enhancing privacy protections.Proponents say the bill, known as the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act, introduces major reforms. Among the backers are Barr and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. But opponents such as Republican Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee say the reforms don’t go far enough to prevent abuse. Privacy advocates such as the American Civil Liberties Union have also come out against the legislation.Here is what you need to know about FISA and the changes in the law.What is FISA?Enacted in 1978, FISA governs all electronic surveillance of foreign agents and nationals in the United States. The law set up a secret 11-member court to approve or deny foreign surveillance applications. To obtain an order, the NSA and FBI present the court with probable cause that a target is “a foreign power” or “an agent of a foreign power” inside the United States, and that the planned surveillance is for the purpose of gathering “foreign intelligence information.” More than 99% of applications are approved. What led to the changes?The reforms follow controversy over the FBI’s surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page in 2016 and 2017. A damning December 2019 report by the Justice Department inspector general revealed 17 “significant errors or omissions” in the FBI’s four separate applications to surveil Page during its investigation of Russian election meddling. FBI Director Christopher Wray ordered more than 40 “corrective steps” in response. FILE – Carter Page speaks at a news conference at RIA Novosti news agency in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 12, 2016.The FISA court later barred FBI agents involved in the Page surveillance applications from appearing in front of the court. The revelations led to calls by Republicans as well as privacy advocates to overhaul FISA.What is in the new legislation?In addition to extending three intelligence-gathering authorities, the new legislation ends the NSA’s authority under a now-defunct program to collect phone records of Americans. Among key reforms:— It requires officials overseeing FISA applications to certify their accuracy prior to submitting them to the FISA court. Making a false declaration to the FISA court may result in a prison sentence of eight years, up from five years. The enhanced penalty also applies to unauthorized disclosures of FISA applications.— It prohibits the NSA from collecting cell site and GPS data.— It requires the attorney general to approve in writing an investigation if a target is an elected official or a candidate in a federal election.— It expands the authority of judges on the FISA court to appoint an amicus curiae, or an impartial friend of the court, in cases that raise “exceptional concerns” about the First Amendment rights of a U.S. national under investigation. What reforms weren’t approved?The legislation does not enact other key reforms urged by civil libertarians and privacy advocates. Among them:— A requirement that individuals receive notice and access to their FISA applications if they’re prosecuted on the basis of information gathered through electronic surveillance.— A requirement that FISA court advisers be allowed to “raise any issue with the court anytime” and have access to all secret court documents and records.— An explicit ban on collecting Americans’ web browsing history without a warrant.— A limit on the types of information the government can obtain under a provision of the law known as Section 215. The provision allows the government to collect “any tangible thing,” and privacy advocates say it could include tax returns, gun records, book sales and library records.
…
By Polityk | 03/13/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden, Sanders Press Contrast With Trump in Virus Speeches
Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are to deliver separate addresses on the coronavirus on Thursday, less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump spoke to the nation from the Oval Office about a public health crisis he’d previously downplayed.Biden aides pitch his speech, to be delivered from the former vice president’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, as a demonstration of how he might conduct himself as president in response to a severe challenge, while contrasting himself with a Republican president he has lambasted as erratic and incompetent.The event also allows Biden to juxtapose his style and approach with that of Sanders, his last remaining rival for the Democratic nomination. The Vermont senator will give his own speech two hours later in his hometown of Burlington, Vermont.Biden now leads Sanders by more than 150 delegates after winning four more state primaries Tuesday, with Washington state still being counted. And his advantage could expand considerably next Tuesday when the delegate-rich states of Florida, Illinois and Ohio hold primaries.For Biden, the ideal will be to give voters a practical example of one of his core arguments: that he’d be ready on Inauguration Day to handle whatever trials reach the Oval Office. In some ways, the dynamics recall the financial crisis that mushroomed late in the summer of 2008. The meltdown further damaged outgoing President George W. Bush and his Republican Party, dealing GOP nominee John McCain a new setback and granting a wider opening for Democratic nominee Barack Obama and his running mate, Biden. But that unfolded weeks before the election — Biden must keep making his case for nearly eight months.Biden and Sanders have both canceled public events ahead of next Tuesday’s primaries, yielding to public health officers and elected officials who are discouraging large campaign rallies. The pair will meet in a debate Sunday night on CNN, without a live audience.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.Sanders is 78. Biden is 77.The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.Regardless of how Biden handles the moment, the coronavirus outbreak comes at a political juncture for him.He’s solidified his position as the prohibitive favorite for his party’s nomination, but Sanders has made clear he’s not ready to abandon his campaign, and many of the senator’s supporters on the progressive left aren’t enthusiastic about embracing Biden as the Democratic standard-bearer. That slice of the Democratic coalition likely isn’t enough to derail Biden’s nomination, but it could complicate his efforts in a general election campaign, just as it did for Hillary Clinton in 2016 after she defeated Sanders but lost to Trump in November.Projecting leadership on a grave public health matter could be a boon with the middle of the electorate, especially independents and moderate Republicans wary of Trump. But it won’t necessarily corral Sanders supporters who also will play key roles in deciding battleground-state outcomes in November.For his part, Trump said Thursday he’s “very happy to run against” Biden.“One of the reasons I ran for president was because of Joe and the job they did,” Trump said, referring to Biden’s time as Obama’s vice president. “It’s maybe the way it should be.”
…
By Polityk | 03/13/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
House Democrats’ Virus Bill: Free Testing, Paid Sick Leave
House Democrats have unveiled an ambitious measure to provide free testing for the coronavirus, paid sick leave and strengthened unemployment insurance as a response to the worsening outbreak’s economic impact on people across the United States.
For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for some, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.
The House legislation related to the virus is slated for a vote in the Democratic-controlled House on Thursday. The legislation includes:FREE CORONAVIRUS TESTING
It requires private health insurance plans to provide free coronavirus testing and waives cost-sharing rules for testing provided to people covered by Medicare, Medicaid and federal retirement programs. It boosts federal matching funds to state Medicaid programs by 8%.PAID SICK LEAVE
It establishes an unprecedented — but temporary — federal sick leave benefit paid through the Social Security program. Workers with the coronavirus or caring for family members with it would receive two-thirds of their wages for up to three months. The benefit would expire in January 2021.
It also creates a federally mandated sick leave benefit for private businesses that would require all employers to allow their workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave, with an additional 14 days available immediately in the event of public health emergencies such as the current coronavirus crisis.FOOD AID
It provides $1.3 billion in emergency food aid for low-income pregnant women and their young children, senior citizens and food banks. It allows states to provide food stamps to make up for lost school lunch benefits if their children are kept home from school and directs $100 million of the funds to U.S. territories.UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Workers laid off because of the coronavirus outbreak are already eligible for unemployment benefits, but the legislation provides $1 billion for additional caseloads and administrative costs to encourage temporarily furloughed workers to obtain unemployment benefits.
…
By Polityk | 03/12/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
COVID National Emergency Explainer
With the World Health Organization classifying the global coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday a series of emergency measures, including an unprecedented 30-day suspension of all flights from Europe.But Trump, who spoke from the Oval Office, stopped short of resorting to an even more dramatic measure urged by some members of Congress: a national emergency proclamation under the 1976 National Emergencies Act. The administration already has declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency, giving local health officials greater flexibility to respond to the crisis. A national emergency declaration would put a vast reservoir of additional powers at the president’s disposal by triggering sweeping authorities contained in more than 100 statutes, according to Elizabeth Goitein, director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty & National Security Program. “When a president declares an emergency declaration, he at that moment has access to all of the laws that say in a national emergency the president can do X, whether or not those powers relate to the emergency at hand,” Goitein said. Some of the additional authorities allow for a “reasonable and very measured” response to an emergency, according to Goitein. For example, hospitals could receive regulatory waivers in order to set up off-site facilities. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about the U.S response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic during an address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, March 11, 2020.At the same time, a national emergency declaration also empowers a president to take draconian measures in the name of national security. For example, a president could invoke a 1941 law to shut down the internet and even freeze people’s bank accounts.Last year, Trump was criticized for declaring a national emergency in order to divert military funds to finance construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.A national emergency declaration can only be overturned by an act of Congress. More than 30 national emergency declarations made over the past four decades remain in effect. Although presidents often have a legitimate need to exercise emergency powers, they’ve also faced criticism for using emergencies to curtail civil liberties and civil authorities.History of national emergencies During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln famously suspended the writ of habeas corpus, a guarantee against unlawful detentions. During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt put more than 100,000 Japanese Americans in internment camps. And after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush expanded the government’s surveillance and other national security powers, some of which were later rolled back by Congress.“The question will be in this moment, how far does the president go or the Congress go, and what is the fallout in the pushback,” said Kimberly Wehle, a visiting law professor at the American University Washington College of Law. “These are areas where the law isn’t clear.”In addition to exercising emergency powers, the president has certain nonemergency powers he has used during the coronavirus crisis. For example, Trump invoked the Immigration and Nationality Act 1952 in suspending travel from Europe. Another non-emergency power Trump has exercised: the federal quarantine authority, which was last used in 1963. Health care workers test people at a drive-thru testing station run by the state health department, for people who suspect they have novel coronavirus, in Denver, Colorado, March 11, 2020. “The president doesn’t have to declare an emergency in order to avail himself of that, but we know the president has already done that,” Goitein said.Locking down communities or otherwise restricting the movements of large groups can conflict with constitutional rights of due process, according legal scholars. “The due process clause basically says the government can’t restrict your liberty, which would be your ability to move around without some kind of process,” Wehle said. “That’s the first constitutional provision that will come to mind if we’re talking about quarantining people in their homes.”As of Wednesday, 22 states representing 196 million Americans have declared some type of COVID-related emergency, according to James Hodge, director for public health law and policy, at Arizona State University.New York state on Tuesday created a “containment zone” around the town of New Rochelle, the epicenter of the outbreak in the state. Schools, places of worship and other large public spaces within 1.6 kilometers of the town of nearly 80,000 residents will shut down for next two weeks, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.An emergency declaration allows federal and state authorities to put in place a host of so-called “social distancing measures,” including restricting travel, imposing curfews, dismissing schools, restricting public gatherings and implementing quarantines.The emergency measures raise constitutional questions. While quarantining individuals or groups suspected of exposure to COVID-19 is constitutional, creating “cordon sanitaire” or lockdown of groups of communities within or outside “hot zones,” is not, according to Hodge.
…
By Polityk | 03/12/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
Trump Suspends Travel from Europe Amid Coronavirus Scare
U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday night announced a 30-day ban on travel from Europe and other measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus in an address to the nation. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this story.
…
By Polityk | 03/12/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Democratic Voters in Israel Worry About Decline in US Support
There are about 150,000 American citizens who have immigrated to Israel, and many are closely following the U.S. Presidential race. As Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem, Democrats living in the Jewish state are divided over whether to vote for Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders because of worries that American liberals want to reduce the Democratic Party’s traditionally strong support for Israel.
…
By Polityk | 03/12/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Lawmakers Push Trump on Iran, War Powers
More than two months after a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, increasing tensions between the United States and Iran and renewing discussion about presidential war powers, U.S. lawmakers are finally sending new ground rules to President Donald Trump.By a 227-186 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Iran War Powers Resolution that the U.S. Senate approved 55-45 last month. The resolution enforces the 1973 War Powers Act, requiring presidents to seek congressional approval for military engagements abroad that extend past an initial 60-day time frame.Trump is expected to veto the resolution, which did not garner the two-thirds support of the Senate needed to override his actions.Trump tweeted about his opposition to the measure last month:It is very important for our Country’s SECURITY that the United States Senate not vote for the Iran War Powers Resolution. We are doing very well with Iran and this is not the time to show weakness. Americans overwhelmingly support our attack on terrorist Soleimani….— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) FILE – Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, attends a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 23, 2019.“This political war powers resolution is based on a false premise,” Representative Michael McCaul, the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Wednesday. “It orders the president to terminate hostilities against Iran. The problem is, for the other side, we are not engaged in hostilities in Iran.”’Remarkable restraint’During testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on February 28, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told McCaul the U.S. was not engaged in hostilities with Iran. McCaul said he believed the president would be required by law to ask for congressional approval if he ordered airstrikes against Iran.“This text completely ignores the remarkable restraint that the president has shown over the past few months. He is using force only when necessary to protect American lives,” McCaul said.U.S. presidents of both parties have tested the limits of their war-making powers, particularly since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks increased conflicts with nonstate terror threats. Congress holds the power to declare war under the U.S. Constitution and has often tried and failed to reassert its authority in the two decades since those attacks.Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, one of the Senate co-sponsors of the resolution, argued in February that “war is the most solemn responsibility we have. We have a special obligation to make sure that we deliberate, and deliberate carefully, before we send troops into harm’s way.”FILE – Senate Armed Services Committee member Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks during a committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 29, 2019.Kaine added, “This president and every president always needs the ability to defend the United States against imminent attack without asking for anybody’s permission. I think the world knows we will do that. This body, though, is the body that needs to decide if we go on offense and engage in military action.”The House passed two additional pieces of legislation addressing the possibility of conflict with Iran earlier this year.If passed by the Senate, one bill would allow lawmakers to withdraw funds for military actions taken without congressional approval. The other bill would trigger a repeal of the 2002 Authorization of Military Force.
…
By Polityk | 03/12/2020 | Повідомлення, Політика
