Summaries
By Anne E. Kornblut
Washington Post Staff Writer
BEIJING — President Obama directly acknowledged for the first time Wednesday that the prison facility at Guantanamo Bay will not close by the January deadline he set, but he said he hoped to still achieve that goal sometime next year.
Obama refused, however, to set a new deadline.
In an interview in the Chinese capital with Major Garrett of Fox News , Obama claimed he was “not disappointed” that the Guantanamo deadline had slipped, saying he “knew this was going to be hard.”
Read the full story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/18/AR2009111800571.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR
By HELENE COOPER
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/world/asia/16prexy.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
President Obama and President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia expressed dissatisfaction Sunday with Iran’s response to a nuclear offer made by world powers, raising the prospect that sanctions may be the next step in the West’s ongoing efforts to rein in Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
President Obama met President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia on the sidelines of two Asian summits in Singapore on Sunday.
The two men, meeting during an Asia-Pacific summit conference in Singapore before Mr. Obama traveled to Shanghai, also made progress in efforts to negotiate a replacement for a key arms control treaty between the United States and Russia that is set to expire in December, American administration officials said.
Read the remarks by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan in Joint Press Conference.
Hours after President Obama exhorted Democratic lawmakers to “answer the call of history,” the House hit an unprecedented milestone on the path to health-care reform, approving a trillion-dollar package late Saturday that seeks to overhaul private insurance practices and guarantee comprehensive and affordable coverage to almost every American.
Attention will now shift back to the Senate. If the Senate acts, negotiations to iron out differences between the two chambers could be wrenching. Among the toughest issues: whether the public option should include an “opt out” clause for states, as Reid has proposed; whether to require employers to provide coverage to their workers or take the less punitive approach preferred by Senate moderates; and whether to tax the rich or tax high-cost health-care policies, as the Senate proposed — a provision economists call the most important provisions in either bill for reining in costs.
Music students from across the country visit the White House to participate in workshops and performances as part of the White House Music Series. This celebration of classical music included master classes and demonstrations featuring Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell, Grammy Award-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin, renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and acclaimed pianist Awadagin Pratt. The Classical Music Student Workshop Concert in the East Room also included child protégés Sujari Britt and Jason Yoder.
First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a workshop and concert with classical musicians, young and old, as part of the White House Music Series.
Photo: Gunnar Seijbold/Government Offices
Fredrik Reinfeldt to meet Barack Obama
On Tuesday 3 November, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the EU Presidency, will visit Washington to chair the EU-USA Summit together with US President Barack Obama. The agenda includes issues such as climate change and the road to Copenhagen, the global economic and financial crisis and follow-up of the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh as well as Afghanistan and Iran.
As we speak Obama is considering troop reinforcements to Afghanistan of approximately 40,000 raising the U.S. commitment to 100,000 strong. If U.S. Gen. If Stanley McChrystal’s urge is met without having thought through the political solution, operational strategy will be devoured by operational needs. Throughout history we have seen the corruption of strategy when military requests have escalated wars and caused missions to creep away from what they originally were intended to accomplish.
In Afghanistan this has already happened at least once when the original objectives to deny al-Qaida safe havens and to topple the Taliban regime were superseded by the very humanitarian notion of democracy and nation building. Western countries always confuse the art of war with the very problematic attempts to do good. The latter objectives are very difficult in any region that hasn’t seen the light and especially troublesome in Afghanistan, since there is no viable political alternative to the Taliban cause. Karzai has no legacy. Afghanistan is a deep mess. One wonders if the upcoming election will bring a new opening. In any case this is probably what Obama is considering.
Successfully conducted operations do not comprise the whole of warfare. Without a suitable strategy that takes into account the dynamics and abstractions of politics, military operations will be bereft of their legacy. Obama needs to bring change to the conflict he inherited.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Zurich, London, Dublin, Belfast, Moscow and Kazan from October 9 to 15, 2009.
In Zurich, Secretary Clinton attended the signing of two protocols between the governments of Turkey and Armenia. In London and Dublin, the Secretary engaged in a series of discussions on a wide range of bilateral, transatlantic, and global issues. In Belfast, the Secretary emphasized the U.S. commitment to the joint economic prosperity of Northern Ireland and the United States, as well as reaffirming unwavering U.S. support for Northern Ireland’s peace process.
In Moscow, the Secretary met with senior Russian officials to discuss progress on a successor agreement to START, cooperation on nonproliferation and counterterrorism, and next steps for the Clinton-Lavrov commission.
After Moscow, the Secretary traveled to Kazan, where she met with local officials and held discussions with religious leaders in Kazan to learn more about Kazan’s experience in fostering tolerance and promoting interfaith dialogue.
Source: State.gov
MINISTER COWEN:
We’re delighted to be here to welcome Secretary Clinton to (inaudible) of Ireland. And as recently as last March, we met together to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the White House with President Obama. And I’m delighted she’s taken time to visit us here today. I also would like to take this opportunity to recognize and congratulate President Obama on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Secretary Clinton has been fundamental, and has been fundamental at the new U.S. Administration’s commitment and massive efforts to build a better world to tackle global problems in a cooperative, multilateral framework. The award of the Nobel Peace Prize is an early and truly well deserved recognition of those efforts.
The fruits of Secretary Clinton’s efforts are already clear and progress on issues that are impacting the global economic crisis, on nuclear disarmament, on climate change, on poverty and disease in the developing world, and on relations between the United States and the European Union and major powers such as Russian and China. That international multilateral approach is, of course, a cornerstone of our own Irish foreign policy. The recent overwhelming verdict of the people and our relationship with the European Union and the Liston Treaty referendum serves to reaffirm that point. It sent a clear signal around the world about Ireland sees herself as a modern outward-looking partner, active in the international community.
Today, the minister of foreign affairs and I look forward to discussing a range of international issues, as well as the close bilateral relationship between Ireland and the United States with the Secretary of State. We will also take the opportunity to review progress in Northern Ireland, a place transformed in no small part due to the efforts of the Clinton Administration and with Secretary Clinton herself in a crucial period at the start of the peace process.
I’m optimistic that we will see definitive progress on the issue of devolution of (inaudible) and justice in the coming days. That will, in turn, lay the platform for a concentration of all of our efforts on the economic and social issues that matter most to the people, including our joint investment in building an all-island economy as an essential component of a common future and an economic recovery for our people both north and south.
I know that Hillary Clinton will continue to work closely with us in support of the peace process and indeed she has found great inspiration from her work here as she works for peace elsewhere in the world.
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Taoiseach, thank you so much. And it’s wonderful to be back here in Dublin. I wish to congratulate your government on the resounding vote in the Lisbon treaty referendum, and also to thank you for the kind words about President Obama. I know our commitment to working with like-minded friends, such as Ireland, means that we’ll be seeing a lot of each other and consulting often about what more we can do to provide the conditions for peace, security, and prosperity.
I just came, of course, from a day yesterday in Geneva where the hard work of diplomacy and multilateral engagement was on display to try to work on another difficult conflict, but I think that’s what diplomacy and international relations calls for today. But there is no greater joy than to come back to Ireland to be in Dublin today. I said to Brian, I wish we could just sort of take a day off, wander around this beautiful park and enjoy some of the hospitality that I have experienced before. Bill and I feel such a special connection to Ireland and, of course, we are not alone – millions of Americans feel the same.
But it’s not only ties of family and culture and history and heritage. It is because we have built a strong partnership. Our diplomats and our aid workers collaborate together to resolve conflicts, fight hunger, poverty and disease, our businesses invest in trade to create new jobs and wider prosperity, education, innovation, and productivity have made Ireland a great place to do business, and Americans have leapt at the opportunity. At the end of last year, U.S. foreign direct investment in Ireland ran into the tens of billions of dollars per year.
Now, we know that we’ve had some challenging economic times. That has been apparent, both here in Ireland, the United States, and really around the globe. As we grapple with this global economic downturn, we are aware of the difficulties that people are suffering, people who are losing jobs, people who are unable to pursue their dreams. But Ireland has moved aggressively to stabilize its financial markets, to jumpstart its economy. And we will continue to work with our Irish friends because they understand that we live in an interconnected and interdependent world. It has been a hallmark of Ireland’s history. The Irish may have gone into the world as exiles and immigrants, but they also (inaudible) poets and speechmakers as entrepreneurs and innovators, and we see that still today.
I want to thank the Government of Ireland for your pledge to commit 20 percent of your foreign assistance by 2012 to eradicating hunger around the world, with the aim of cutting that number of hungry in half by 2015. As a people whose history is scarred by famine, the Irish understand that this is an extraordinary global challenge that requires a commitment of that measure.
I was very pleased that Minister Power participated in our hunger summit at the UN during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Ireland, truly does, punch above its weight on the big issues of the day from climate change to nonproliferation. Irish peacekeepers have saved lives and provided crucial stability in troubled lands from Kosovo to Liberia to East Timor. And we are grateful for their service and their sacrifice.
Here in Phoenix Park, whose name symbolizes renewal, I am absolutely in accord with former President Kennedy, that Irish future is as promising as your past is proud. And it is a future that we will share together. I will leave here to go to Belfast to continue work that our countries have done together, that I have been very committed to for a number of years, in which the people of the north, as well as the entire island, have made so much progress on together.
So thank you again, for welcoming me here.
Read the questions and answers during the press conference.
(Yesterday) morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I’d been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who’ve been honored by this prize — men and women who’ve inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.
But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it’s also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.
That is why I’ve said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won’t all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it’s recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.
This award — and the call to action that comes with it — does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.
So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we’ve begun together. I’m grateful that you’ve stood with me thus far, and I’m honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
Obama Wins 2009 Peace Prize
by Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 9, 2009; 5:55 AM
President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Friday morning for what the committee called “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” especially his work to reach out to the Muslim world and to eliminate nuclear weapons around the globe.
The announcement, less than nine months after Obama took office, sparked immediate questions from reporters in Oslo about whether the Nobel committee was acting prematurely in rewarding a world leader who has outlined a lofty and ambitious agenda but has not yet made many concrete steps toward realizing it.
But Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the five-member Nobel committee, said “we have not given the prize for what may happen in the future. We are awarding Obama for what he has done in the past year. And we are hoping this may contribute a little bit for what he is trying to do.”
U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s urge last week for another 40,000 troops to Afghanistan was not until this morning met by new commitments by the President. McChrystal’s proposal is logical from a strict military point of view. But have we not experienced this before? William Westmoreland who commanded the U.S. Forces in Vietnam until the Têt offensive in 1968, demanded the same over and over again from Lyndon Johnson who committed forces in accordance. One of the lessons learned in Vietnam was that a conflict against insurgents is all about the population. The citizens’ support is so essential that it becomes the prime objective. In order to achieve that goal there has to be a political solution that is more attractive to the people than the insurgents’ ideology. McChrystal’s proposal went unanswered for a week and I had hoped that Obama’s reluctance to meet his general’s request was connected to the poor outlook for political solutions in Afghanistan. It is decisive that Obama has thought this through and has a better idea for a political alternative to Karzai, because the conflict will not be decided on the tactical or the operational level, but on the political.
As I have commented before on this blog, the isolated people in rural Afghanistan have formed a tribal culture that just won’t go away. The Afghan president Karzai and his government are weak and corrupt. Folks just don’t like him and many regard him as a traitor. The resent election was compromised by rigging. To that you have to add the weak national identity that also is a problem, mitigating what the U.S. and its allies are trying to achieve.
More troops will not decide the war in Afghanistan unless there are really strong political alternatives to the Taliban cause. Just as the people of South Vietnam did not see Nguyễn Văn Thiệu as trustworthy political leader, which contributed to the communist victory, Karzai is hardly one who will be able to unite the Afghani people. Afghanistan is already a severe headache for Obama. More troops without a political vision in sight will make it a quagmire.
Embedded video from CNN Video
1st Lady Mrs. Obama said:
We need all of our children to be exposed to the Olympic ideals that athletes from around the world represent, particularly this time in our nation’s history, where athletics is becoming more of a fleeting opportunity. Funds dry up so it becomes harder for kids to engage in sports, to learn how to swim, to even ride a bike. When we’re seeing rates of childhood obesity increase, it is so important for us to raise up the platform of fitness and competition and fair play; to teach kids to cheer on the victors and empathize with those in defeat, but most importantly, to recognize that all the hard work that is required to do something special.
I remember watching the Olympics when I was little. I remember it to the T, some of those memories. And Nadia Comaneci is here, who – (applause) – and so many incredible Olympic athletes. But I remember, I told this story, when you scored that perfect 10, you bounced off the balance beam, off the parallel bars. I thought I could do that. (Laughter.) I didn’t know then that I would be 5′11″. (Laughter.)
(First Lady Michelle Obama greets gymnast Nadia Comaneci, her husband gymnast Bart Connor, left, and other former Olympians before the Chicago 2016 Dinner in Copenhagen, Denmark, Wednesday, September 30, 2009. From left in the background, athletes Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Bob Berland, David Robinson, and Paralympic athlete Linda Mastandrea. Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
Read more about the 1st Lady’s first day in Copenhagen.
Excerpt from a member of Democrats Abroad’s editorial piece in the Huffington Post:
I won’t even get into what the health care debate looks like from here in Switzerland. In Switzerland (and the UK, France, Germany, Holland, Scandinavia, Spain, Italy, you name ‘em), even right wing, and the far right wing politician dare not question health care as a basic right. No one questions the idea that every citizen, every human being, is entitled to health care the way they are entitled to air, or water.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caitlin-kraft-buchman/switzerlands-health-insur_b_291944.html
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I have to say publicly how much I appreciate the excellent working relationship that President Medvedev and I have been able to develop during our meetings, not only bilaterally but also at the various summits that we’ve attended.
PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV: (As translated.) I agree that indeed recently we have witnessed very positive changes in our relations, with established, constructive, friendly working relations that allow us to tackle difficult issues that not only the two countries face, but also the entire world.
Read the full text.
On Monday September 7 the Israeli government approved new settlements on occupied territory. This happened in spite of the U.S. saying that putting an end to further settlements would be a condition for reassuming peace talks in the Middle East. It is likely that U.S. domestic issues, especially the resistance to the Obama proposal for a better health care system in the U.S., actually is undermining President Obama’s authority abroad.
Obama is experiencing a dilemma with the reform that is at the very top of his agenda. On the one hand he would like to create better health care for the 45 million Americans who are not insured today. On the other hand it is a costly endeavor: at least 1000 billion dollars over ten years. Together with the deficit that Obama inherited from the previous administration, it is unlikely that he will be able to finance the reform without raising taxes for a great number of citizens. This has provided the opposition with ammo for thwarting Obama. The economic crisis and a very intense campaign against the reform has affected the public support for Obama’s health care reform – and for himself, as the approval rate for Obama has fallen to 52%.
And by the looks of it, it has also his reduced his authority in the very important task of creating peace talks in the Middle East. The Muslim and Arab worlds still remember Obama’s Cairo speech. For Obama the Israeli decision must have been most unwelcome.
In 2005 the Swedish Television Award Foundation was founded by the broadcasters SVT, TV3, TV4 and Channel 5 in collaboration with the Swedish Television Producers´ Association. As a result the first Swedish Television Award, Kristallen (The Crystal), was successfully launched in September 2005. The success of the Live Award Gala inspired the foundation to take the collaboration further by launching the first Swedish annual conference, The Kristallen Seminar, exclusively for the TV industry.
This year’s Kristallen Seminarium takes place at the Hotel Rival at Mariatorget in Stockholm on Thursday 27 August from 08.30 – 17.00.
15.15
Keynote Joe Rospars
Joe Rospars, New Media Director för Barack Obamas presidentkampanj, kommer till Stockholm för att tala på Kristallen Seminarium. Kom och lyssna till mannen som alla refererar till när det gäller varumärkesbyggande, digital kommunikation, nya mediaplattformar och framgång.
Rospars är strategen som hjälpte den nya presidenten att vinna valet och det var just hans arbete med de nya medierna, som Joe och hans stab var först av alla med att utnyttja, som skapade en unik kommunikation och lojalitet med väljarna.
I det jobb som Rospars utvecklade för Obamas vinnande kampanj ingick design- och brandingarbete, utnyttjande av webben för både rörligt och textmaterial, mass-email och sms, samt online-reklam för att bland annat samla in pengar.
Visit the website for more information.
No nos podemos dar el lujo de ignorar la reforma del sistema de seguro de salud. Cada día, 14,000 personas pierden su cobertura de seguro de salud, y los costos del seguro de salud en los últimos nueve años se han doblado. Además, un reporte reciente encontró que en solo los últimos tres años las compañías de seguro le han negado cobertura a mas de 12 millones de personas simplemente por que alguien decidió que la persona tenía una condición preexistente.
WhiteHouse.gov/LaRealidad incluye los hechos sobre lo que verdaderamente haría la reforma del seguro de salud para enfrentar los retos del sistema actual, y por supuesto, lo que no haría. Ya tenemos también un video en español:
Y el sitio ofrece subtítulos en español para todos los excelentes videos que ya están destacados en el sitio Reality Check. Para dejar claro que la reforma del seguro de salud ofrece mayor seguridad para ustedes, hemos incluído respuestas a preguntas que nos han hecho con frecuencia, y las ocho protecciones que se establecerían para los consumidores de seguro de salud.
Esta página también le permite acceso a herramientas fáciles de usar para compartir esta información con sus colegas, sus amigos, y su familia, para que los estadounidenses puedan tener un debate completo y sustantivo, basado en los hechos. Esperamos que les sea útil, y les agradecemos el haber tomado el tiempo para visitar el sitio.
On July 29th, I watched a video of President Obama addressing the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) about his proposed healthcare reforms.
Click here to read more and watch the video.
Although his successful election relied to a great extent on his ability to mobilise young voters, yesterday he was speaking particularly to older Americans. However, many people from a wide range of ages will benefit from these reforms.
He spoke about the abuses of the system which currently go on. Many of the things he spoke about are very widespread practices whereby people pay for insurance but find it does not cover them when they need to claim. So if they cannot afford to pay for care – and most people can’t – they are out of luck.
What the President was speaking about were things that everybody knows but nobody talks about. That is to say, nobody in power has spoken about these problems or done anything about them.
He talked about changing the way we reward doctors. Rewarding them for the quality of healthcare they provide for ongoing and chronic conditions, rather than for the number of times they see the same patients.
He added that insurance needs to provide what you have paid for. We need to have a sensible system.
Here in the UK, because we have socialised medicine, we do not have many of these problems. We don’t find that when the time comes, the doctor is not paid for, or the hospital care is not paid for.
But it’s not a perfect situation, as the system is basically bankrupt.
The President also pointed out that in the U.S., healthcare costs are soaring far above the rate of inflation. But it is possible to reduce costs and improve the quality of healthcare provided. 14,000 more people currently lose their healthcare on a daily basis in the United States. And if we do nothing, the situation will only get worse.
I liked the fact that the President was talking dollars and cents, he was talking about doing what makes sense financially while improving the quality of care at the same time.
He reckons 60% of the costs of these reforms can be covered by money which is already in the system, and although there are upfront costs of about a trillion dollars, there will be major savings in the long term.
This is groundbreaking stuff and will clearly be unpopular in some circles. There are many people who will want to see the current system continue, and will resist any attempt to reform the system because they are having it sweet.
The President’s proposals are very courageous. He seems to be continuing in his groove of making history, breaking new ground to improve the situation for as wide a group of people as possible. I guess it’s true what they say about a new broom.
(President Barack Obama addresses the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, Ghana July 11, 2009. Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
Yesterday US President Obama gave a speech in Accra, Ghana entitled, “A New Moment of Promise.”
Listen to the full speech in audio, read it in English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, or Swahili.
(President Barack Obama meets with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in the Kremlin in Moscow,
Monday, July 6, 2009. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.)
Read the text from their joint press conference.
President Obama’s goal is to reset the United State’s relationship with Russia.
Here is an excerpt of Obama’s interview with the Russian media, Novaya Gazeta. Read the full interview.
Question: “Restarting” the relationship implies cooperating with Russia in those areas where it is possible. Does this mean weaker attention to Russia’s observation of civil rights and liberties, and to persecution against and murders of journalists? Specifically, to [the need to] apprehend and punish those who ordered and committed the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Of course not. I seek to reset relations with Russia because I believe that Americans and Russians have many common interests, interests that our governments recently have not pursued as actively as we could have. For instance, I believe that Americans and Russians both would benefit from fewer nuclear weapons in the world, greater control over nuclear materials around the world, a defeat of extremist elements in Afghanistan and Pakistan, an Iran that produces nuclear energy but not nuclear weapons, and a North Korea that refrains from launching missiles and exploding nuclear weapons and instead returns to the negotiating table. I also believe that Americans and Russians have a common interest in the development of rule of rule, the strengthening of democracy, and the protection of human rights. As I said in my inaugural address: “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” I then emphasized in my Cairo speech that “I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas; they are human rights.” These are ideas embraced by your president and your people. I agree with President Medvedev when he said that “Freedom is better than the absence of freedom.” So, I see no reason why we cannot aspire together to strengthen democracy, human rights, and the rule of law as part of our “reset.”
This past weekend, Organizing for America kicked off a massive public effort in support of health care reform. I had hoped to host an event in support of the Administration’s important work here, but I was unable because I was suffering from poor health. (”My name is Irony, king of kings. Look upon my works ye mighty and despair.”)
Of course, were I in the US right now I would not have access to medical insurance. And I don’t just mean that I would have to pay a lot for it (though I would) but that I could not get coverage at all – this isn’t the first time my back has gone out, so any US insurer would consider this a pre-existing condition and my coverage would be denied. Since I took voluntary redundancy from my full time job back in February and started working free lance, I’ve been counting my blessings that I at least will never go bankrupt due to a health crisis.
But I wouldn’t suggest that the US adopt a UK style National Health System – the NHS does provide universal coverage but hasn’t been able to match other countries in terms of quality of care (although, the UK system does consistently beat the US one on most measures of health outcomes – at half the price! Bargain!).
Instead, I’d like to see a system that focusses heavily on reducing costs and achieving virtually if not completely universal access to health COVERAGE – who does delivery of care doesn’t have to change at all.
Our for-profit health system has made care in the US more expensive than anywhere else in the world WITHOUT a compensating rise in quality (read this excellent Atul Gawande article in the New Yorker for a better perspective on how and why this is so).
And most Americans now agree that something fundamental has to change – this is a big change from the 1990’s and means this is the best chance we’ve had to solve the problem in many a year.
I think it’s pretty clear something is going to happen in this area. But in legislation, as in needlepoint, the devil is in the details.
The bulk of the shouting is likely to be around what is constantly referred to as “the public option.” You may have heard this phrase bandied about and perhaps, like me, you had a vague sense what this was all about but were unsure specifically what it meant or how important it might be.
Well, as best I can figure out, the short version is this – healthcare reform has two basic goals:
1) Reducing costs.
2) Ensuring full universal (or near-universal) coverage.
Both are essential, and doing the former will not only greatly reduce the burden on those who currently have care, but will also make it much easier to achieve the latter.
Although the government could simply regulate strict conditions for existing private insurers (setting prices, for instance) this is a pretty market-unfriendly practice and may in fact ultimately result in not achieving the full measure of cost savings that would potentially be achievable. A better solution is to create market conditions that put strong pressure on private sector firms to be very innovative in finding cost savings as well as providing low cost and appealing options for those who are shut out of the private system.
That’s what the inclusion of a public plan will do. Because a national public plan can negotiate lower prices with providers it has a big advantage in finding cost savings.
There are lots of different ways of delivering this, however. Check out this hugely helpful Marc Ambinder article for more info:
For most advocates, the purpose of a public option is to create an “ideal” health insurance plan that can experiment, can decide to pay doctors what it wants, can use what Rep. Henry Waxman has called “creative tension” to compete with private plans, and one that will ultimately serve as a mean toward which all the private plans move. A strong public plan would force private plans to negotiate lower rates with doctors and hospitals, which would reduce health care costs. A “weak” public plan would provide some competitive pressure, but would not be big enough to force the private plans to drastically change their models. Between these two ends, there are many options. Here are five:
President Obama was in Europe recently attending the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. He reported that they were notable for their “sheer improbability”.
The President went on to say, ”Long after our time on this Earth has passed, one word will still bring forth the pride and awe of men and women who will never meet the heroes who sit before us: D-Day”.
My father fought in the war. Although not at D-Day, he was part of the invasion force in Italy. It is because of those men that I am alive today. Those people are heroes to me.
Yesterday, the First Lady graced London with her presence when she brought her girls to spend the day here, ending with taking them to see a performance of Elton John’s musical The Lion King.
Another Elton John musical, Billy Elliott, has just won 10 Tony awards in New York, including Best Musical. The show depicts events of the 1980s in Britain, when 3 million British people were made unemployed, and includes scenes of the miners’ strike.
Now, here in Britain, the head of the BNP has been elected as a Member of the European Parliament. I don’t know whether that is why Sir Elton has stated he is “despondent” at the thought of returning to the UK. For more on this, see What Can We Learn from Elton John?
Sir Elton is said to have shed tears of joy when President Obama won the election.
When a BNP member of the London Assembly was invited to the Queen’s garden party recently, as I wrote about on my Ancestral Energies blog, he decided to bring as his guest the head of the BNP. Mr. BNP Head (forgive me, his name escapes me at the moment) eventually declined to attend, saying he did not want to embarrass the Queen.
I wonder if she would have embraced him as she did Michelle Obama.
Now the same Mr. BNP Head has been elected as a Member of the European Parliament. As I said in my blog, these are the same people we defeated in the war. These people are Nazis.
This is an insult to my father and all the veterans of the war. It is an insult to all of us.
The London Paper was full of letters yesterday stating that the BNP represents what British people want – an end to immigration.
This is so frightening. We need to learn from history. Surely this is the message of the D-Day commemoration.
Mr. BNP Head has been pelted with eggs. But this is not enough. We need to pelt him with votes.
In the UK, more and more people are voting for this far-right party. Meanwhile, in the States, we have the first-ever Black President. Draw your own conclusions.
Remarks of President Barack Obama
65th Anniversary of D-Day
Saturday, June 6th, 2009
Omaha Beach
Normandy, France
Good afternoon. Thank you President Sarkozy, Prime Minister Brown, Prime Minister Harper, and Prince Charles for being here today. Thank you to our Secretary of Veterans Affairs, General Eric Shinseki for making the trip out here to join us. Thanks also to Susan Eisenhower, whose grandfather began this mission sixty-five years ago with a simple charge: “Ok, let’s go.” And to a World War II veteran who returned home from this war to serve a proud and distinguished career as a United States Senator and national leader: Bob Dole.
Read President Obama’s full remarks.
For Immediate Release
June 5, 2009
Democrats Abroad International Chair Lauds President Obama’s Efforts Towards a New Beginning Through Unprecedented Outreach to Muslims Around the World
[Geneva, Switzerland] – Speaking in Cairo yesterday where members of Democrats Abroad were present, President Obama continued his efforts to strengthen our national security through unprecedented outreach to the Muslim community. In his speech, the President proposed a new beginning for the United States and Muslims around the world, based on mutual interest and mutual respect, including a sustained effort to listen, learn and respect one another.
Democrats Abroad International Chair Christine Schon Marques issued the following statement:
“Today President Obama took an important step towards increasing our national security and improving our relations with Muslims around the world. In his remarks in Cairo, the President recognized his respect for Islam and the many contributions Muslims have made to all of civilization. He spoke of how American Muslims – nearly seven million living in the U.S. today — have enriched our country’s story and called on us all to focus on the mutual interests we have with Muslims around the world so that we may confront our mutual problems together.
“The President reminds us once again that the surest way to solve our problems is through seeking common ground. Our shared goals look to a world that is made more secure by confronting violent extremism, preventing nuclear proliferation, and strengthening democracy and human rights. As Democrats, we continue to support the President’s efforts to strengthen our security by engaging with the Muslim community and creating a culture of mutual respect.”
###
www.democratsabroad.org
Democrats Abroad is the official overseas branch of the U.S. Democratic Party. With members in 164
countries around the globe, Democrats Abroad holds eight positions on the Democratic National Committee
and sends a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to select our presidential candidate.
–
Jody Hedeman Couser
Press Officer, Democrats Abroad
www.democratsabroad.org
What is the secret behind Barack Obama’s captivating rhetoric, and what kind of tools does he employ to persuade the world? These are some of the issues that actors and directors from leading theatres across the world will be exploring in the Obama Victory Speech Project, held in conjunction with Dramaten’s Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival.
June 6 at 2 pm – 6 pm. Main Stage, Dramaten
Admission: SEK 100
30 min intermission approx. 3.40 pm.
There is no doubt about the fact that his flair for rhetoric and great talent for public speaking have contributed to making Barack Obama the first black president of the United States. Much has been said about how much he owes to Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy and less about the way he chooses to use pauses, words and gestures to underscore his message and win his audience.
Staffan Valdemar Holm, director, artistic director of the Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival and previous head of Dramaten has invited some of the leading theatres in Europe to initiate an international network. Its purpose is to let directors and actors scrutinize and interpret Obama’s victory speech in Chicago.
“Obama’s speech was remarkable in a number of ways. Since it is the task and duty of theatrical institutions to follow-up phenomena we are likely to be influenced by — language use in particular — it goes without saying that any director or actor will be interested in dissecting this speech,” says Staffan Valdemar Holm.
Representatives from a number of theatres will participate in a two-day workshop and discuss the speech. The results will be presented to the public – in the form of a kind of current events drama – at the conclusion of the Ingmar Bergman Festival on June 6, 2009.
“Keeping in mind that the festival coincides with the Swedish elections for the EU parliament, we believe that the results will be of interest to an audience that goes far beyond regular theatre-goers. I would not be surprised to see one or two politicians present” says Staffan Valdemar Holm.
The performance will be documented and sent to the White House.
The following theatres will be participating in the Obama Victory Speech Project:
Det Kongelige Teater, Köpenhamn
Olaf Johannessen (actor)
Das Beckwerk (director)
Deutsches Theater, Berlin
Sabine Auf der Heyde (director)
Meike Droste (actress)
Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus
Christiane Roßbach (actress)
Winfried Küppers (actor)
Stephan Rottkamp (director)
National Theatre, London
Charlotte Westenra (director)
Mr Sacha Dhawan (actor)
Narodowy Stary Teatr, Krakow
Marta Ojrzynska (actress)
Ewelina Marciniak (director)
Thalia Theater, Hamburg
Max Claessen (director)
Asad Schwarz-Msesilamba (actor)
Teatro Nacional, Santiago de Chile
Nicolás Zárate (Actor)
Raúl Osorio (Director)
Habima, Tel Aviv
Hanan Snir (director)
Yigal Sadeh (actor)
Dramaten, Stockholm
Tanja Lorentzon (actor)
Staffan Roos (director)
INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE DE BARACK OBAMA PAR LAURENCE HAIM – LE GRAND JOURNAL DU 2 JUIN
A quelques jours de sa visite en France, Barack Obama accorde une interview-événement à LH à la Maison blanche. Cet entretien est la première interview du Président américain accordée à une TV française depuis son élection.
Click on the image above and scroll down to the June 2nd entry.
For Immediate Release
June 2, 2009
Democrats Abroad to Participate in President Obama’s Visit to Normandy
Paris – Democrats Abroad will be participating in a ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of D-Day at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer on June 6, 2009. Members of Democrats Abroad will be traveling across France and Europe to honor the memory of those who sacrificed their lives, joining U.S. President Barack Obama.
On June 5th at 4 pm, the day before the official ceremony, Democrats Abroad members including John Morris and Beresford Hayword will be placing a wreath in remembrance of the fallen. John Morris was just recently awarded the French Legion d’Honneur Medal. Morris was the photo editor in the London office of Life magazine and was responsible for getting Robert Capa’s pictures of the D-Day landing on Omaha Beach to print. Beresford Hayward trained radio operators in the Army Air Corps.
“President Obama’s visit to Normandy on this historic anniversary is symbolic of his intention to honor the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform, both in the past and today,” said Christine Schon Marques, International Chair of Democrats Abroad.
“The President has already come a long way in restoring the United State’s image abroad and sending the message that Americans are once again ready to work with the international community on heroic efforts required by our time and bring about lasting change,” said Meredith Gowan Le Goff, Chair of Democrats Abroad France.
After the official ceremony, Democrats Abroad will regroup in Bayeux and participate in the public picnic organized by the town at the Place Charles de Gaulle. Weather permitting, the group will gather for photos on some of the picturesque bridges found in the old city of Bayeux.
Democrats Abroad is the official overseas branch of the U.S. Democratic Party. With members in more than 160 countries around the globe, Democrats Abroad holds eight positions on the Democratic National Committee and sends a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to select our presidential candidate.
###
Media Contact:
Jody Couser, Press Officer
Democrats Abroad
pressofficer@democratsabroad.org
For Immediate Release
May 19, 2009
DEMOCRATS ABROAD ELECTS NEW OFFICERS
Washington, DC— Democrats Abroad announced the new officers elected at the organization’s spring meeting in Washington, DC at the end of April. The officers’ term is two years. Democrats Abroad is the official arm of the Democratic Party for Americans living outside of the United States.
“First, I’d like to thank the previous officers for their hard work and commitment to the goals of Democrats Abroad. Under their leadership, this organization accomplished many achievements, including the first Global Primary held online,” said Democrats Abroad International Chair Christine Marques. “I would also like to thank the membership for granting me the honor of a second term, and I look forward to working with the new officers as we head into a critical election year – 2010.”
The newly elected officers are International Chair Christine Schon Marques, International Vice Chair Robbie Checkoway, International Treasurer Wayne Weightman, International Secretary Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, International Counsel Anthony Sistilli, Regional Vice Chair for the Americas Patricia Ferrari, Regional Vice Chair for Asia/Pacific Carmelan Polce and Regional Vice Chair for Europe, Middle East and Africa Susan Haug.
Christine Schon Marques, International Chair (Reelected), Switzerland (New York, NY)
A member of Democrats Abroad since 1992, Ms. Marques has served the democratic community abroad both locally as country committee chair of Brazil and Switzerland, and internationally as Treasurer and a member of the Democratic National Committee. As Delegation Chair at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, she cast the Democrats Abroad votes after a ground-breaking Global Primary process which included in-person, online, mail, and fax voting from democrats in over 160 countries. A former Vice President and Department Head at CIC-Union Européenne, International et Cie., her banking background includes strategic planning, capital adequacy, and financial analysis for derivative products. Ms. Marques has also served as Treasurer of the America Center of Geneva Association, a public-private partnership created to maintain a consular presence in Geneva.
Ms. Marques holds a B.A. from Wellesley College in Political Science and French. She received an M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing with honors from Fordham University. A New York City voter, Ms. Marques lives in Geneva, Switzerland with her husband, also an NYC voter, and teenage daughter – a future NYC voter. Ms. Marques’ overseas experience dates from the age of six months, when she moved from Westport to Beirut, and lived in Madrid and Okinawa before returning to the United States for high school.
Robbie Checkoway, International Vice Chair, The Netherlands (Boston, MA)
Mr. Checkoway is International Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad and a member of the Democratic National Committee. He is a past Chair of Democrats Abroad Netherlands and served on the Rules Committee of the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. Checkoway is an advertising copywriter now based in Manchester, England. He is a board member of the Love Exiles Foundation, a founding member of The Queen’s English Theatre Company, and a past chair of the Penn Alumni Secondary School Committee in the Netherlands. Mr. Checkoway holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Pennsylvania.
Wayne Weightman, International Treasurer, Cambodia (Honolulu, HI)
Mr. Weightman has been working in Southeast Asia for almost nine years, beginning his career overseas with an Asia Pacific Externship in Phnom Penh during his third year of Law School. Mr. Weightman is currently practicing as an US immigration attorney specializing in consular practice. He is a respected Legal Advisor in his region and has worked with small and large law firms as well as as a solo-practitioner. Weightman obtained his law degree in 2001 from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii, and is admitted to the Hawaii State Bar and the District of Columbia Bar as well as the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He is an active volunteer in charitable causes and lives and works in South East Asia.
Weightman is a 1984 graduate of the Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles where he majored in Communication Arts. Prior to his entry into the legal field, Weightman worked in the film industry in Hollywood. He operated a small film studio and specialized in music videos and commercials before venturing into documentaries. He has been the recipient of various film awards. He is currently also Chair of the Cambodia Committee of Democrats Abroad.
Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, International Secretary, Belgium (Leverett, Massachusetts)
Ms. Klekowski von Koppenfels holds a PhD in Government from Georgetown University. A Leverett, Massachusetts voter currently living in Belgium, Dr. von Koppenfels is the Director of the MA in Migration Studies program at the University of Kent at Brussels (Brussels School of International Studies). A member of Democrats Abroad Belgium since 2003, she received her MA in German and European Studies from Georgetown and her undergraduate degree from Harvard College. Prior to coming to the University of Kent, she was a Research Officer at the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, where she focused on research in counter-trafficking. She has held Fellowships from the Robert Bosch Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Anthony Sistilli, International Counsel, Italy (Follansbee, WV)
Mr. Sistilli is an attorney with an international law practice in Italy where he specializes in cross-border corporate and commercial transactions. With a career spanning more than 17 years, he is currently the managing partner of the Rome based firm Sistilli Salvi & Saponara – Novastudia. From 2005-2009, Sistilli served as Chair of the Democrats Abroad committee in Italy, as interim International Legal Counsel since November 2008, has chaired the Democrats Abroad bylaws committee since 2007 and been a member of the Democrats Abroad IT committee. Active in local American service and community organizations, he is also as a board member and legal counsel to the American International Club of Rome.
Mr. Sistilli holds a bachelor’s and law degree from West Virginia University, a masters in Italian corporate law from LUISS University in Rome, and has studied for an LLM in cross-border business transactions at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law’s program in Salzburg, Austria.
Patricia Ferrari, Regional Vice Chair for the Americas, Brazil (New York, NY)
Ms. Ferrari was born and raised in southern Illinois and moved to New York City after graduating from Vanderbilt Law School. She practiced law for almost 22 years at firms in New York and Atlanta and moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2004. She is currently a career coach, working with partners, associates and practice groups at various law firms on a contract basis developing strategy, addressing client development and planning career growth.
Ms. Ferrari has been very active in politics, starting with the congressional campaign of Paul Simon in 1979. As current Chair of Democrats Abroad Brazil, she increased membership by 7.5 times in less than six months and attended the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Additionally, Ms. Ferrari served on the Voter Protection Legal Team in Florida for 2008 presidential election. Ms. Ferrari holds a J.D. from Vanderbilt University and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Southern Illinois University, with a B.A.
Carmelan Polce, Regional Vice Chair for Asia/Pacific, Australia (Allentown, PA)
Ms. Polce has more than 20 years experience in the property finance industry, most recently acting as Director, Structured Property Finance for Australia and New Zealand Banking Corporation in Sydney, Australia. Prior to that she consulted in property and corporate finance for PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to moving to Australia in 1992, she worked in the Property Finance area of PNC Bank in Philadelphia, where she started her career as a property finance analyst with what is now Pennsylvania REIT, Inc.
During graduate school she and a small team of Wharton students started the company that has become Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, which does home repairs and renovations for homeowners who are of low income, are elderly or have disabilities. After graduate school she and a small team of Wharton grads set up a sheltered workshop in La Paz, Bolivia that employs people with disabilities to manufacture small leather goods sold through catalogue companies. She was appointed to the Marketing Advisory Board of Australian rules football team the Richmond (Tigers) Football Club and worked with the team for 3 years. Ms. Polce was the founding chairperson of Democrats Abroad Australia which was formed in 2004. Most recently Carmelan has served on the board of the Task Force on Care Costs, an advocacy group which successfully lobbied the Australian federal government for reforms to its policy supporting careers of children, the elderly and dependents with disabilities. Ms. Polce was born in New York City and raised near Allentown, Pennsylvania. She attended university in Philadelphia, earning a Bachelor’s degree in finance from Temple University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Polce currently resides in Sydney with her partner Derek Kidley and nearly four-year-old daughter, Liesel.
Susan Haug, Regional Vice Chair for Europe, Middle East and Africa, United Kingdom (Charlottesville, VA)
Susan Haug has lived abroad for more than twenty years, having spent most of that time in Germany before moving to London in 2007. She has been a DA leader for the last 10 years, beginning with reactivating and chairing the Frankfurt Chapter of Democrats Abroad, Germany before serving as Vice Chair of DA-Germany from 2005-2007. Ms. Haug has been extensively involved with overseas voter outreach, local US Consulate relations and various international media and communications initiatives, last serving as Communications Coordinator for the EMEA region.
Ms. Haug is a native of Virginia and holds a Master of Architecture from Virginia Tech University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English. She has been practicing architecture in the US and in Germany. Ms. Haug’s volunteer service includes ‘Literacy Volunteers of America’ (Prison Program) in Charlottesville, Virginia and ‘Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation’ (Interviewer) in Berlin and Frankfurt, Germany.
The previous officers were:
Christine Schon Marques, International Chair
Toby Condliffe, International Vice Chair
Robert Checkoway, International Secretary
William Barnard, International Treasurer
Anthony Sistilli, (Interim) International Counsel
Meredith Gowan LeGoff, Vice Chair for the Europe, the Middle East and Africa Region
Gary Suwannarat, Vice Chair for the Asia-Pacific Region
Joe Green, Vice Chair for the Americas Region
###
www.democratsabroad.org
Democrats Abroad is the official overseas branch of the U.S. Democratic Party. With members in more than 160
countries around the globe, Democrats Abroad holds eight positions on the Democratic National Committee
and sends a voting delegation to the Democratic National Convention to select our presidential candidate.
–
Jody Hedeman Couser
Press Officer, Democrats Abroad
www.democratsabroad.org
Here in the UK at the moment, we are obsessed with the doings of our elected Members of Parliament, and of the members of the House of Lords.
Specifically, a huge row is raging about MPs’ expenses. MPs have been making outrageous claims for expenses which are, of course, being met by us – the taxpayers. This dominates all the papers and all the television news reports. My favourite claim was for a moat to be cleaned. I’m thinking my moat could do with a good clean, too.
Plus, two MPs claimed for payments on their mortgages which had already been paid off. And one claimed for payments on one house, which he listed as his family home, while his wife, who is also an MP, claimed for a different family home.
For the first time in hundreds of years, the Speaker of the House has had to resign.
New Labour, under first Tony Blair and now Gordon Brown, have striven to bring into force as many laws as possible. Every time they want to bring about a societal change, they reach for the statute books and introduce new legislation. Yesterday, I saw a TV commercial about the fact that it is illegal to bring foodstuffs into the country from outside the EU. Instead of educating people, the government prefers to legislate and then punish people for breaking any of the the ever-increasing body of laws.
This mentality has contributed to the current scandal. One of the drawbacks of using legislation as the primary method of societal change is that our politicians believe that, as long as they stay within the rules, they can do what they want. So their main defence when outed for their extraordinary expenses claims has been “I didn’t break the rules”.
Instead of examining whether they were truly serving their constitutents by claiming for cleaning and decoration of their homes, most of them focused on whether or not their claims were allowable by law.
They have been more concerned about sticking to the rules than about the real rules for living.
Amidst all this, America seems very distant. I do wonder sometimes what the President makes of all this. Is he worried about whether his administration is squeaky clean? He probably isn’t. Being the first African American President, he is under so much scrutiny that I’m sure he has had to go to extraordinary lengths to prove that his people were and are above board.
If someone in the Obama administration had behaved like the British politicians, the President would have been lynched, or at least tased, by the press and his detractors.
It’s great to see that he still has such a high approval rating after his first 100 days.
The President is still on message. He is not offering us an easy ride. It’s not within his power to do so. He keeps emphasising that we are all in this together. I respect him so much for this. Like FDR before him, he has come to office at a particularly difficult time in our nation’s history. And like FDR, he has come to serve. He has not come to wave a magic wans and make our problems go away. He has come with a new vision. In an age of selfishness, he is stressing the need for co-operation.
It is our self-serving attitudes that got us into this global financial mess in the first place. Only by working together collectively can we begin to find solutions.
To read more about this, see The Key to Financial Prosperity.
As the President stated in his recent address at Notre Dame, selfishness is a zero-sum game. I could not agree more. As a Buddhist, I believe that everyone is connected to everyone else. Yes, we all have these self-serving tendences. But when we give in to them, everyone suffers.
Click here too watch the video.
See also:
Video Budget Message from President Obama
It is said that we get the politicians we deserve. If this is true, America must be doing something right.
Good afternoon,
You are receiving this email because you signed up at WhiteHouse.gov. My staff and I plan to use these messages as a way to directly communicate about important issues and opportunities, and today I have some encouraging updates about health care reform.
The Vice President and I just met with leaders from the House of Representatives and received their commitment to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by July 31.
We also have an unprecedented commitment from health care industry leaders, many of whom opposed health reform in the past. Monday, I met with some of these health care stakeholders, and they pledged to do their part to reduce the health care spending growth rate, saving more than two trillion dollars over the next ten years — around $2,500 for each American family. Then on Tuesday, leaders from some of America’s top companies came to the White House to showcase innovative ways to reduce health care costs by improving the health of their workers.
Now the House and Senate are beginning a critical debate that will determine the health of our nation’s economy and its families. This process should be transparent and inclusive and its product must drive down costs, assure quality and affordable health care for everyone, and guarantee all of us a choice of doctors and plans.
Reforming health care should also involve you. Think of other people who may want to stay up to date on health care reform and other national issues and tell them to join us here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/EmailUpdates
Health care reform can’t come soon enough. We spend more on health care than any country, but families continue to struggle with skyrocketing premiums and nearly 46 million are without insurance entirely. It is a priority for the American people and a pillar of the new foundation we are seeking to build for our economy.
We’ll continue to keep you posted about this and other important issues.
Thank you,
Barack Obama
P.S. If you’d like to get more in-depth information about health reform and how you can participate, be sure to visit http://www.HealthReform.gov.
After 100 days Obama’s approval rate at 65 percent (Gallup) is way up there, second only to Ronald Reagan’s (67). Worth noticing is that the same poll also states that the American people have strengthened their optimism for the future in spite of the deep recession that has brought hard times upon us all. This indicates that the feeling of fresh start that was part of the people’s expectations in January is very much still alive.
Franklin D. Roosevelt met similar circumstances as he was inaugurated in the middle of the Great Depression in 1933 and managed like Obama to infuse a new spirit among Americans during his first 100 days. I don’t know who should be flattered by the comparison, FDR or Barack Obama, so far it is probably Obama. But let us hope Obama will become one of the truly great presidents. There are huge tasks for him ahead, so let us look at what Obama has achieved in terms of foreign relations during his first hundred days in office.
• One of his first decisions was to close Guatanamo. Later brutal interrogation methods have been prohibited. This brings about better attitudes towards the U.S. around the world.
• He is faithful to his promise to end the war in Iraq although the withdrawal of American troops will be slower than his campaign promises. His generals have already planned the withdrawal of the main body. Calculations are that the U.S. presence will be around 50,000 strong in 2010 and that number will perhaps stay also through 2011. However the sharp rise in suicide bombs in April brings up question on how stabile and secure Iraq has become.
• He has intensified the hunt of al-Qaida and the Talibans by strengthening the U.S. presence in Afghanistan by some 20,000 troops. At the same time Pakistan forces are struggling with successful Talibans in the Swat Valley. The U.S. has been wise to support Pakistan in different ways but there are concerns about the internal stability of Pakistan.
• The decision to send special envoys to the Middle East (Fmr Senator George Mitchell) and the Afghanistan-Pakistan Region (Fmr U.S. Ambassador to the UN Richard Holbroock) signal “We are prepared to listen in order to achieve a long-lasting solution”.
• More important perhaps is the reach out to several nations that previous may have been regarded as opponents to the U.S. – Venezuela, Russia, Cuba, Iran, Syria, and several Muslim nations. Critics say he is too soft and point to the fact that this approach have led to few concessions. This does not hide that Obama has brought about a change to the better in the U.S. approach to international relations.
France and Portugal have both indicated a willingness to accept some of the non-dangerous inmates set for release. For Germany to do the same, interior ministers from the country’s 16 states would have to grant their approval.
US President Barack Obama’s request that Germany accept up to 10 prisoners from the Guantanamo prison camp has triggered a political debate in Berlin. Chancellor Merkel’s party says it is America’s problem to solve.
“In my opinion, the responsibility still lies with the US,” Wolfgang Bosbach, the deputy floor leader of the CDU, told the newspaper Berliner Zeitung. “Germany didn’t set up Guantanamo and didn’t operate it either.” He also wondered why innocent prisoners weren’t released long ago.
Others take a different view.
Niels Annen, an SPD parliamentarian and foreign policy expert, responded to Bosbach by saying the sheer existance of Guantanamo was creating problems for Germany abroad. Taking Guantanamo prisoners, he told the paper, “is also in Germany’s interest because we too are being held responsible, in Afghanistan for example, for the failed policies of former US President George W. Bush. We all have a significant interest in the closure of Guantanamo.”
Read the full story on speigel.de
Luke Harding in Moscow guardian.co.uk
Russia and the US today held their first negotiations on a new treaty to reduce their nuclear weapon stockpiles, in a further sign of improved relations in the post-Bush era between Moscow and Washington.
American and Russian negotiators held preliminary talks today in Rome on replacing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start-1), signed in 1991, and which expires in December.
The US president Barack Obama and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev agreed last month to reduce their nuclear arsenals during a meeting at the G20 summit in London. But there are doubts as to whether any new deal can be concluded by the year’s end.
In particular, Moscow wants a new treaty to see a reduction not only in nuclear warheads but also in delivery systems such as strategic bombers with cruise missiles, and nuclear missiles fired from land or sea. It also wants to ban nuclear missiles from space.
The Kremlin is likely to link any agreement to a broader deal on other strategic concerns, such as Washington’s planned missile defence shield in central Europe. In a speech in Prague earlier this month, Obama said he wanted to go ahead with the project. Russia is vehemently opposed.
Moscow is also against further Nato expansion on its doorstep. It does not want Nato to grant membership to Georgia and Ukraine, both post-Soviet states within what Russia regards as its traditional zone of influence, or for the US to build up its military presence in the region.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Port of Spain, Trinidad)
___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
April 19, 2009
The United States and the 2009 Summit of the Americas: Securing Our Citizens’ Future
“As neighbors, we have a responsibility to each other and to our citizens. And by working together, we can take important steps forward to advance prosperity, security, and liberty.” President Barack Obama, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17, 2009
On April 17-19, President Barack Obama attended the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, along with the 33 other democratically elected Heads of State and Government of the Western Hemisphere. The President used his first meeting with many of his regional counterparts to start engaging in a new relationship with countries of the Americas and to forge partnerships and joint approaches to work on the common challenges facing the people of the Americas—the economic crisis, our energy and climate future, and public safety. The theme of the Summit was “Securing Our Citizens’ Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security, and Environmental Sustainability.”
Over the past three days, the Summit leaders demonstrated their commitment to promote human prosperity by agreeing to cooperate to address the current financial crisis, strengthening efforts to reduce inequality, improving food security, promoting health, and improving the quality of education. In the spirit of partnership, leaders committed to developing strategies to promote access for our people to reliable, efficient, affordable and clean energy, especially for the poorest sectors. Leaders also agreed to take actions to promote environmental sustainability. Recognizing the importance of addressing the threats to security in our hemisphere, leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen public security. Leaders also affirmed that the aspirations and goals for the Americas depend on strong democracies, good governance, the rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. President Obama announced measures of the past three days that reinforce the U.S. commitment to work jointly to advance the goals agreed to in Trinidad and Tobago.
Social Inclusion and Economic Development
In recent years, the Western Hemisphere has made significant progress in social inclusion, the reduction of poverty, and democratic governance. Still, much more needs to be done and President Obama committed to work jointly to protect these advances in a period of economic crisis.
· Economic Recovery: President Obama led efforts to triple the size of a reformed International Monetary Fund from $250 billion to $750 billion, which will have significant impact on emerging markets in the region. The United States also supported expanding the Inter-American Development Bank’s short term crisis response through changes in lending limits and capital ratios.
· Microfinance Growth Fund for the Western Hemisphere: The President announced a new partnership of the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) for the purpose of launching a fund that will provide stable sources of finance to microfinance institutions and microfinance investment vehicles to help rebuild their capacity to lend during this difficult period and to increase the supply of finance for micro and small businesses as recovery takes hold. The partners have identified $100 million in initial capital and will look for additional partners with the ultimate goal of $250 million.
· Social Protection Network: President Obama announced his support for the Inter-American Social Protection Network, which will share best practices, including the development of new conditional cash transfer programs. The President also announced that 1,500 students from marginalized groups would receive scholarships to learn English, and 1,300 students would receive scholarships over five years through the Scholarships for Education and Economic Development (SEED) program to study in the United States.
· Education Partnerships for At-Risk Youth. The President proposed a pilot program to form partnerships with countries that have the highest levels of inequality, significant numbers of unemployed and at-risk youth, and considerable potential for leveraging additional public and private sector resources. This program would add a focus on youth at risk such as out of school youth, under-employed youth, and ex-gang members.
Energy and Climate Change
Approximately 50 percent of U.S. oil imports come from the Western Hemisphere. By increasing green energy cooperation, we will set our economies on a clean energy growth path and curb global greenhouse gas emissions.
· Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas: President Obama invited countries of the region to participate in an Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas; a voluntary and flexible framework for advancing energy security and combating climate change. Countries will be encouraged to suggest tangible ideas for cooperation, including on energy efficiency, renewable energy, cleaner fossil fuels, and energy infrastructure. President Obama also asked Secretary of Energy Chu to advance further cooperation with his counterparts this June in Peru at the Americas Energy Symposium.
· Global Climate Change: President Obama expressed his commitment to working with his regional counterparts toward a strong international climate agreement at Copenhagen. He will also work closely with Brazil, Canada, and Mexico through the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.
Citizen Safety
Public safety and crime are among the top concerns of citizens throughout the region. President Obama emphasized the need for partnerships that address this issue, focusing on our co-responsibility to address threats to public safety.
· Firearms Trafficking: The United States must do more to reduce the number of illegal firearms which flow to Latin America and the Caribbean. President Obama announced his commitment to seek ratification of the Convention on Illicit Trafficking in Firearms Convention (CIFTA) in 2009, and offering technical assistance to trace illicit firearms and control, store, or destroy excess national stockpiles.
· Caribbean Basin Security Dialogue: President Obama announced that he would engage the Caribbean Community member states and the Dominican Republic in a strategic security dialogue with the intent of developing a joint security strategy, which may include future increased financial and technical assistance to address shared challenges such as transnational crime, illicit trafficking, and maritime and aviation security. The next meeting between the Caribbean Community and Common Market and the United States is scheduled to take place in May in Suriname.
· Enhance Public Security Cooperation: President Obama has asked the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to meet with all of their counterparts in the hemisphere to address violent crime in our communities.
###
Hat Tip: Jody Couser
In his first 100 days, President Obama has done much to restore America’s reputation around the world, including:
Dozens of meetings with his peers around the world, both in person and by telephone, exemplifying his willingness to communicate with other nations.
The closing of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The first formal interview since taking office was with the Dubai-based station Al Arabiya
Several presidential trips abroad, including Canada, UK, France, Germany, Turkey and Iraq and upcoming trips to Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.
Real progress in ending the War in Iraq.
A new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Reviewing the Army Field Manual to ensure that we are not in violation of the Geneva Convention.
President Obama’s consistent message that it is important to acknowledge that no single nation can solve global problems like a recession, international terrorism, climate change, or nuclear proliferation. But, working with other nations, the United States can lead the way in overcoming these challenges.
Remarks by Secretary Clinton and Javier Solana, Secretary General of the Council of the European Union and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy before their meeting.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, it’s delightful to have an old friend here, but in an official capacity. Javier Solana is well known here in this capital as he is in capitals around the world on behalf of Europe and the many issues that we care about and the values that we have in common. And I’m looking forward to our meeting today.
MR. SOLANA: Thank you. Thank you very much, Secretary of State Hillary. We have spent almost a week together in Europe, and today we have to separate for a longer period of time. (Laughter.) We will continue working and keep on putting into practice the important decision that we are taking in terms of our meetings that (inaudible) happening between the Europeans and bring us together (inaudible).
QUESTION: Has Iran accepted your invitation yet for a meeting? And then secondly, what do you think of Iran’s new offer of a package? For both of you.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, we’re going to be discussing that, so we’ll have more to say about that, perhaps, later. Thank you.
MR. SOLANA: For the moment, we haven’t got (inaudible).
MR. WOOD: Thank you.
