President-Elect Biden asks Fauci to Stay and Says he will Ask Americans to Wear Masks for 100 Days

 In a joint interview with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on CNN, President-Elect Biden announced that he had asked Dr. Anthony Fauci to stay on in his current capacity of overseeing infectious diseases and Chief Medical Advisor. He also revealed that he would request the American People to wear masks after he is sworn in on January 20, 2021, for 100 days.

The President-Elect and Vice President-Elect also said they would publicly take the Coronavirus Vaccine when made available to them and if Fauci states it is safe. They both emphasized that the first responders and most vulnerable communities should receive the medication first.

During the CNN Interview with Jake Tapper, Mr. Biden and Senator Harris also said:

• Their Administration would be the most diverse in history. Please click here, here, and here to see the selections already. They are off to a good start.
• Their partnership is strong and Vice President-Elect Harris reaffirmed that she will be the first one in the room and the last one there when decisions need to be made on vital issues.
• They support the current bipartisan compromise COVID 19 relief legislation proposal. Both said they would push for more relief after taking office in January.
• It would be good for the country and the United States' image around the world if Trump attends the inauguration.
• There should be coordination between educators and health care experts on safely reopening and keeping school doors open.
• Biden and Harris committed that, unlike the Trump Family, their relatives would not influence Administration policy for personal gain.

In his closing comments on the challenges ahead, President-Elect Biden stated:

"I'm determined. And I'm confident that what I've said from the outset -- and I've never changed my view this whole campaign for over going on 600 days -- exactly what had to be done. We have to restore the soul of this country, meaning honor and decency, honesty, basic, basic fundamental decency. The second thing, we have to rebuild the backbone in this country, the middle class, that -- and this time bring everybody along. And, thirdly, we have to unite the country. They're all going to be difficult to do, but I have never -- I've never veered from those three principles. And so I look at it as an opportunity to make an incredible contribution to the country. But I am not -- as I said to you on other interviews, I will take responsibility. When I fail, I will acknowledge it, and I will not deny that I made a mistake, and I move on. This is a little bit not unlike what happened in 1932. There was a fundamental change, not only taking place here in the United States, but around the world. We're in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution, where there's a real question of whether or not what -- all the changes in technology. Will there be a middle class? What will people be doing? How do they -- and there's genuine, genuine anxiety. That's why you're going to see me reaching out, continuing to reach out, not just to the communities that supported me. I'm going to reach out to those who didn't support me, I mean for real, because I think a lot of people are just scared and think they've been left behind and forgotten. We're not going to forget anybody in this effort."

Vice President-Elect Harris relayed:

"I believe that we are all very fortunate that Joe Biden is going to be the next president of the United States.

The American people deserve, in their president, to behave like someone who is truly patriotic, who loves our country, who puts the people of the country first, not themselves. That's Joe Biden. Joe Biden is truly a kind human being.

Joe Biden is someone who has endured real struggle and sacrifice and pain. He also is someone who knows love. He is someone who has dedicated his life to public service. And there couldn't be a more extreme exercise in stark contrast between the current occupant of the White House and the next occupant of the White House.

And I do believe our country is going to be the better for the outcome of this election and the election of Joe Biden as president."

One could just imagine the Chief Executive Demagogue in the White House fuming upon hearing Harris's closing comments if he was watching.

Other Biden Personnel Moves

The President-Elect also officially announced several personnel moves in addition to announcing during the CNN interview that Dr. Fauci would stay on. Mr. Biden:

• Appointed Brian Deese as his first head of the National Economic Security Council.
• According to reports will be nominating Dr. Vivek Murthy to resume his post as Surgeon General in an expanded role.
• Is expected to, if Donald Trump does not fire him first, to keep Chris Wray as the Director of the F.B.I.

To be fair to Doug Ducey, Biden's asking Americans to wear masks without a national mandate and relying on Governors to spread the word is fairly similar to the policy the Arizona Governor is incorporating in the Grand Canyon State with local mayors.

That said, at least the American People are going to get an American President in January who cares about them, believes in science and reality, and will endeavor to move the nation forward.

Please click here for more information on the Biden/Harris Transition.

UPDATE

President-Elect Biden held a press conference today where he discussed some of the same topics he and Vice President-Elect Harris entertained in their interview with CNN. He also discussed:

• The December Jobs Report and how it is vital Republicans and Democrats pass the latest phase of COVID 19 relief legislation.
• The Vaccine distribution schedule and getting it to all vulnerable populations (including Blacks and Latinos) as soon as possible.
• His inauguration ceremony.

Please click below to watch.

 

 

Vice President-Elect Harris adds more Team Members to her White House Staff

 While Donald Trump recorded a 46-minute rant decrying the results of the election he lost and fringe Trump Zone-Fox Island-Disinfowar cultists are organizing sham "hearings" and filing bogus court motions with no evidence of fraud, President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris continue to build a White House staff and cabinet.

Today, Vice President-Elect Harris announced the selection of three new appointments to her senior White House Staff. They are:

• Hartina (Tina) Flournoy: Vice President Harris's Chief of Staff.
• Rohini Kosoglu: Vice President Harris's Domestic Policy Advisor.
• Nancy McEldowney: Vice President Harris's National Security Advisor.

On these new appointments, the Vice President-Elect wrote:

“Leading my office as Chief of Staff will be Tina Flournoy, whose deep experience, public policy expertise, and accomplished career in public service make her uniquely qualified for this important position. Tina brings a strong commitment to serving the American people, and her leadership will be critical as we work to overcome the unprecedented challenges facing our nation. Serving as my National Security Advisor will be Ambassador Nancy McEldowney, whose distinguished Foreign Service career and leadership abroad will be invaluable as we keep the American people safe and advance our country’s interests around the world. And serving as my Domestic Policy Advisor will be Rohini Kosoglu, who is not only an expert on some of the most important issues facing the American people, but also one of my closest and most trusted aides from the Senate and presidential campaign. Together with the rest of my team, today’s appointees will work to get this virus under control, open our economy responsibly and make sure it lifts up all Americans, and restore and advance our country’s leadership around the world.”

Please click here to view the biographies of these new selections to the White House Staff and others who were previously chosen.

In their New Ad, the Lincoln Project Describes the Georgia Senate Runoff Elections as a Battle Against McConnell's Obstructionism

 The latest Lincoln Project Ad, "On the Ballot" tells the viewers that the Georgia Senate Runoff Elections are not only a race between Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock against Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.

It is about saving the Senate from the obstructionism of Mitch McConnell.

The narrator starts the ad, relaying that Ossoff and Warnock are running to serve the people of Georgia while Loeffler and Perdue are seeking office to benefit themselves (as evidenced by their stock transactions after receiving secret COVID briefings) and obstruct the Biden/Harris agenda to move the country forward.

The narrator then states that it is not really Loeffler and Perdue on the runoff ballot. It is McConnell. He continues, saying:

"Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnick are really running against Mitch McConnell. If Mitch elects his pet senators, it's four more years of what we just voted out. McConnell will block COVID relief for Georgians, stop Joe Biden from appointing qualified doctors and scientists to fight this pandemic. Loeffler and Perdue will vote with McConnell every time. No matter how much it hurts Georgia. No, you won't see McConnell's name on the ballot. But he's there."

For those who do not believe the ad, consider these points. Mitch McConnell:

• Was the leading agent of obstructionism during the Obama/Biden Presidency.
• Prevented disclosure of Russian interference in the 2016 Elections.
• Did not take up the Heroes COVID Relief Act when the House passed it in May. He did not take up the revised version or the Problem Solvers Version. Today, he balked at the Bipartisan Senate Compromise COVID 19 bill.
• Stole two Supreme Court seats that went to Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.
• Still has not publicly accepted his friend Joe Biden as the President-Elect.

Do the American People really need Enemy of the People-Political Prince of Darkness-Obstructionist in Chief- Traitor Moscow Mitch McConnell as the leader of the Senate.

This is not a trick question.

Please click here to see how you can help the Senate Candidates in Georgia.

 

Editorial Poster from Facebook

 

Give Us a Break: Hypocrite Republicans have a Problem with Neera Tanden's Tweets: Are You Kidding

 For years, Republicans have tried to brush off Donald Trump's tweets, saying either they have not read them, it is Trump being Trump, or they do not take them seriously.

Apparently, these same Republicans who thought Trump's tweets were taken too seriously by the media and the left, think those from Neera Tanden, the head of the Center for American Progress and President-Elect Joe Biden's nominee to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, show an unhinged partisan individual not worthy to serve in public office.

Talk about hypocrisy to the 100th power.

Texas Senator John Cornyn called Tanden's nomination, because of the tweets, "radioactive."

Donald Trump must have been a supernova to Cornyn if he is basing his judgment on tweets.

Ohio Senator Rob Portman, who may be, depending on the results of the Georgia Senate runoff elections, chair one of the committees considering Tanden's nominations, commented:

“The concern I have is both judgment, based on the tweets that I’ve been shown, just in the last 24 hours … and it’s the partisan nature. Of all the jobs, that’s one where I think you would need to be careful not to have someone who’s overtly partisan.”

Apparently, Mr. Portman does not think Trump was in a job that did not need to be overtly partisan.

Not to be outdone, backstabber and blow with the wind Senator Lindsey Graham, the person who may chair the other committee considering Tanden's nomination if Democrats do not take control of the Senate, called the nominee "a nutjob."

Graham has not been looking in the mirror lately. He also has not disavowed the nutjob in the White House he has been sucking up to for the last four years.

To be fair, some in the Bernie Sanders orbit are not happy with the nomination either because of Ms. Tanden's nonsupport for Medicare for All and her embrace of Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Other Democratic Progressives like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown have endorsed Ms. Tanden.

Conservative Bill Kristol has also said Republicans should support her.

To date, no one is questioning Neera Tanden's qualifications to become the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

To deny someone a hearing or vote because of what she tweets would be the height of hypocrisy among Republicans.

It would not be surprising considering their double standards with regards to the Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court Nomination or the reluctance of many of them to acknowledge Joe Biden as the President-Elect.

Neera Tanden is not Betsy DeVos who, in her confirmation committee talked about needing shotguns in schools to shoot grizzly bears.

She is not a person that could only be installed in an acting capacity like Mr. Trump's current Homeland Security or Defense Secretary.

She is a nominee who deserves a hearing, a vote, and the opportunity to serve.

[caption id="attachment_101463" align="alignnone" width="500"] Photo from Vanity Fair[/caption]

 

 

 

Problem Solving Senators Release Compromise Stimulus Plan

 In what may be a preview of how to accomplish forward legislation in the incoming Biden/Harris Administration, a bipartisan group of problem solving United States Senators have released the framework of a proposed $908 billion dollar COVID 19 relief measure.

The Senators directly involved in these bipartisan discussions are:

• Senator Susan Collins.
• Senator Maggie Hassan.
• Senator Lisa Murkowski.
• Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
• Senator Michael Bennet
• Senator Bill Cassidy.
• Senator Chris Coons.
• Senator Angus King.
• Senator Joe Manchin.
• Senator Rob Portman.
• Senator Mitt Romney.
• Senator Mark Warner.

Senator Dick Durbin has also taken part in these discussions but not as directly.

The proposed appropriations would include:

[caption id="attachment_101447" align="alignnone" width="500"] From Axios[/caption]

If passed, this legislation would provide an additional $300 in weekly unemployment insurance for people in need.

It also would have a temporary moratorium on COVID 19 liability lawsuits.

There would be no $1200.00 direct payments to taxpayers like those provided last spring.

Is this a perfect bill?

No.

People should get more unemployment assistance. Direct Payments should be included. More monies should be given to state and local governments. Bad Businesses should not be given liability protection for bad acts.

Is this a bill that contains all the items in the progressive holiday wish list?

No.

Is more money needed to provide relief to the people and small businesses?

Yes.

Will this move the country forward and help people until the Biden/Harris Administration comes in?

Yes.

Right now, with COVID 19 surging, unemployment rising, small businesses closing, and the country's economy on the brink, it may be better to take this legislation as an installment to get the nation through the winter than do nothing at all.

Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House had a $1.5 billion COVID 19 relief proposal that went nowhere mostly because Mitch McConnell did not want to consider it in the Senate.

If Democrats can be repeatedly mature enough to come down off their original price tag on the Heroes Act, then Republican leadership in the Senate can do so this one time for the good of the country.

This may be the model going forward to secure forward legislation for the country with House and Senate Problem Solving Caucus Members designing compromise legislation in the center of the political spectrum to gain passage.

With margins in both the House and Senate close, this may be the new political normal and that might not be bad for the country.

Pass the Bipartisan Senate Proposal now and come back for more when the new Biden/Harris Administration takes office and, hopefully, a new Democratically-controlled Senate is in charge.

Help the people and small businesses.

Save the country.

 

President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris Formally Announce Nominees for Their Economic Team

 Continuing to create an historic White House team that looks like America, President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris formally announced some of the names of Nominees to their Economic Team.

These names had mostly been reported yesterday.

The nominees are:

• Heather Boushey: Member of the Council of Economic Advisors.
• Cecilia Rouse: Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors.
• Neera Tanden: Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
• Janet Yellin: Secretary of Treasury.
• Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo: Deputy Treasury Secretary.
• Jared Bernstein: Member of the Council of Economic Advisors.

If confirmed:

• Dr. Yellin would be the first woman Secretary of Treasury.
• Ms. Tanden would be the first woman of South Asian descent to serve as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
• Dr. Rouse would be the first African American to lead the Council of Economic Advisors.
• Mr. Adeyemo would be the first African American to become the Deputy Treasury Secretary.

Commenting on the Nominees, President-Elect Biden stated:

“As we get to work to control the virus, this is the team that will deliver immediate economic relief for the American people during this economic crisis and help us build our economy back better than ever. This team is comprised of respected and tested groundbreaking public servants who will help the communities hardest hit by COVID-19 and address the structural inequities in our economy. They will work tirelessly to ensure every American enjoys a fair return for their work and an equal chance to get ahead, and that our businesses can thrive and outcompete the rest of the world. This team looks like America and brings the seriousness of purpose, the highest degree of competency, and unwavering belief in the promise of America. They will be ready on day one to get to work for all Americans.”

Vice President-Elect Harris relayed:

“President-elect Biden and I have said that our top priorities upon entering the White House are getting this virus under control and opening our economy responsibly. The outstanding economic team that President-elect Biden is bringing together will help us deliver on our commitment. They are not only some of America’s most brilliant economic minds, they are also proven leaders who reflect the very best of our country. And they share a fundamental commitment to ending this economic crisis and putting people back to work, while rebuilding our economy in a way that lifts up all Americans. With the selection of these crisis-tested public servants, the American people are getting the economic team they need — and deserve.”

Please click here to see the biographies of the nominees.

The Biden/Harris team still has several positions to announce. These include nominees for:

• Attorney General.
• Secretary of Defense.
• Secretary of Health and Human Services.
• Secretary of Education.
• Secretary of Energy.
• Environmental Protection Agency.
• Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
• Secretary of Labor.
• Secretary of Commerce.
• C.I.A. Director.
• F.B.I. Director (If Wray is not retained.)
• Head of the National Economic Security Council.
• Domestic Policy Advisor.
• Head of N.A.S.A.
• Department and Staff Deputies.

Hopefully, those nominees will be as qualified, diverse, historic, and ready to serve on January 20, 2021, as the first announced Biden/Harris cabinet and staff selections.