Washington Watch: Week 21 -- "Full Court Press"

Week 21 -- All eyes on the Supreme Court for landmark rulings; and progressive activists and bloggers gathered in San Jose for Netroots Nation. 

Full Court Press

Rulings were expected from the Supreme Court last week, however it looks as though the major decisions have been left to this week before their summer recess.

Much is at stake in the areas of civil rights, voting rights, worker rights, and gay rights.

We are reminded that ALL areas of our lives are touched by the judicial branch of our government. Not just at this top level. Equally important are the Circuit Courts, particularly the DC Court of Appeals that many times determines what gets passed to the Supreme. Perhaps this is why the President is having a hard time getting his nominations confirmed?

Today, the Supreme Court took action on the affirmative action case.  Well, maybe.

Washington Watch: Week 19 - "Let's Play Ball"

"Let's Play Ball"  The Administration played offense this week....the President, the Attorney General, and even the First Lady. 

Rice for National Security

This past week the President nominated his embattled UN Ambassador Susan Rice for the post of National Security Adviser. The highly capable Rice was the victim of much vitriol from Senate Republicans when she was mentioned as a possible Secretary of State.

By nominating Rice, the President signifies that his Administration is moving forward with or without GOP support (of which there has been NONE!).

The New York Times summarized the President's action in an article entitled: In Personnel Appointments, Obama Takes Assertive Tack, which says:

"Mr. Obama made no secret of how upset he was when he passed over Ms. Rice for secretary of state last winter amid a furor about the handling of the deadly attack on the American mission in Benghazi, Libya. But ever since, he has been choosing appointees and nominees he knew would provoke fights with Republicans, almost as if trying to redeem the moment.
The unapologetic selections reflect a conclusion in the West Wing that when it comes to choosing personnel, the president can never satisfy Republicans who will find almost anyone objectionable."

Read More

Three Judicial Nominees

Still battling to get his judicial nominees confirmed, the President nominated Patricia Millett, Cornelia Pillard, and Robert Wilkins to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This is expected to start a confirmation battle with Senate Republicans and just might lead to Senate leader Harry Reid taking the 'nuclear option' he threatened a few weeks ago.

The Economist reports:

"If Republicans filibuster Mr Obama’s nominees, a showdown over the filibuster itself will follow. Harry Reid, the Democrats’ leader in the Senate, has threatened to use his majority to end the filibuster for presidential nominees. (A filibuster needs 60 out of 100 votes to defeat it; an ordinary vote just 51.) This would probably cause the Republicans, in retaliation, to wreak havoc in all other areas of Senate business."

Read More

The importance of these confirmations cannot be understated considering The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington is described as the nation's second most important court, following the Supreme Court. Cases on their way to the Supreme Court often go through the DC Circuit court.

Speaking of the Supreme Court....the next few weeks will be MAJOR as they rule on SIGNIFICANT civil rights cases (voting rights, affirmative action, gay marriage), as stated in NPR's Court Prepares To Write New Chapters In Civil Rights History:

"By June's end, Americans will know if and how public colleges and universities may administer programs designed to enroll more minority students.
Whether a key 1965 Voting Rights Act provision will survive, and with it federal monitoring of places with histories of discriminatory voting practices.
And if congressional action barring federal recognition of same-sex marriage is constitutional, and similar state restrictions enforceable."

Read More

Holder Not Ready to Step Down

Another embattled Administration figure...Eric Holder, made clear he is not ready to step down as Attorney General. The GOP has made Holder the 'face' of the many 'scandals' they are spending MUCH time on.

Holder told NBC's Pete Williams he has "no intention of stepping down." As reported:

"When it comes to his future tenure Holder said, "There's some things that I want to do, some things I want to get done” before relinquishing the post he has held since February of 2009. “I've discussed that with the president. And once I have finished that, I'll sit down with him and we'll determine when it's time to make a transition to a new attorney general."
Asked, directly, if he would step down, he responded, "No, I have no intention of doing so now."

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Americans of all political stripes are 'concerned' over allegations of domestic spying with the NSA collecting phone and internet communications.  The Administration says all of this is part of the fight to keep America safe (and yes most of it was started during the Bush years.) The President said, during a speech in San Jose this week, that the data sweep is not targeting Americans and "nobody is listening to your phone calls."

I think we can assume that every phone call, email, text message, web search, online purchase,etc. can be part of the public record.  Privacy restrictions and access rules haven't kept up with the technology...AND it seems the government can override restrictions ANYWAY!!!

This CNN op-ed by Bruce Schneier, from a few months ago, sums it all up:

"The Internet is a surveillance state"

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President Obama's First Term

A Look Back at Week 19 - 2009:

(Excerpts from my blog National Scene -- Week 19)

6/2-6/9/2009:  During his 2008 campaign, candidate Obama described a speech he would one day present to the Muslim world if he became President. This week, in Cairo, Egypt, President Barack Obama delivered that speech. From Cairo University, the President used his outstanding communication skills—and his ability to bridge cultural divides—to speak of a ‘new beginning’ between Americans and Muslims. He addressed the world’s 1.5 billion followers of Islam and received positive responses from Muslims around the globe. Obama also got tough on the economy this week… instructing his Cabinet to move faster with Recovery Act funds, and signaling the urgency of health care reform legislation to Senate leaders.

• Obama Rolls-Up-His-Sleeves for Health Care Reform. On the other hand, maybe we should say—the President is putting on his boxing gloves for what is sure to be a battle to get health care reform passed this year. In a meeting with lawmakers, Obama expressed the importance of health care reform stating, “We can't afford to put this off, and the dedicated public servants who are gathered here today understand that and they are ready to get going, and this window between now and the August recess I think is going to be the make-or-break period. This is the time where we've got to get this running.” In a letter addressed to Senators Ted Kennedy and Max Baucus, the Chairmen of the key committees in the Senate handling health care reform, the President made clear that, “in 2009, health care reform is not a luxury.”


• Obama Visits Buchenwald Concentration Camp.The President visited German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Dresden Castle in Germany and toured the Church of Our Lady. This was followed by a trip to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, where Bertrand Herz, a survivor of the camp, and Nobel Laureate and fellow holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, joined them. During the emotional visit at the former camp, the President recounted his great uncle, who was part of the 89th Infantry Division, the first Americans to reach a concentration camp. They liberated Ohrdruf, one of Buchenwald's sub-camps.

....Read More on Week 19, 2009

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And Finally.....back to 2013:

"Michelle Don't Play That"

Speaking at a fundraising event Mrs. Obama was heckled by a protester. The first lady left the podium, addressing the heckler directly and reportedly telling her audience,“One of the things I don’t do well is this.” She walked toward the heckler telling the woman she could, “listen to me or you can take the mic, but I’m leaving. You all decide. You have one choice.” The heckler was escorted out of the room.

Here she is with high school students who know how to RESPECT the First Lady of the United States:

First Lady Michelle Obama talks with students from William R. Harper High School in Chicago, Ill., in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, June 5, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Washington Watch: Week 6

The Sequester Comes and Americans Yawn

Okay...so the sky did fall and the sequester is here. What happens next? Well... the Administration has decided to no longer host White House tours to save money (a minuscule amount and a HORRIBLE PR decision by someone -- Republicans pounced).

From the New York Times (3-5-13):
White House Tours Halted Over Cuts; Congress Says, ‘We’re Open’
Republican Congresswoman Louie Gohmert, from Texas (where else?) wants to stop the President from using federal funds for transportation to golf outings until he resumes the White House tours. Others took to Twitter to let the public know they can still tour the Capitol.

(And, while at the Capitol take a look at the new Rosa Parks statue...see below)

In all seriousness...budget cuts will be implemented, although as expected the GOP in Congress is putting together a bill to restore military cuts. It will be hard for the President not to sign it.  (Did they not foresee this?)

Now we hear there is a new budget crisis on the horizon on March 27th.  Another threat of a government shut-down...although there seems to be a bi-partisan effort to avert it by ....kicking it down the road to September.

And while all of this plays out in Washington...the rich get richer, and the poor (which includes the people formerly known as the middle class...well, they get nowhere.)  Take a look at this eye-opening video:

Delay in Processing Obama's Judicial Nominees
Republicans in the Senate are causing significant delays to the confirmation process for the President's judicial nominees. According to the President, "A minority of Senators has systematically and irresponsibly used procedural maneuvers to block or delay confirmation votes on judicial nominees."

Sometimes you just have to let the figures speak for themselves: (from data released by the White House)

• 78 % of President Obama’s circuit court judges have waited more than 100 days for a vote, (Compared to 15 % of President Bush’s nominees.)
• 42 % of President Obama's district court judges have waited more than 100 days for a vote, (Compared to 8 % of President Bush’s nominees.)
• The average wait time for President Obama's judicial nominees to get a vote on the floor of the Senate – both for the circuit court and the district court – is 3-4 times as long as those of President Bush.
• Judicial vacancies are growing, from 55 in 2009 (during President Obama's first term) to 89 now. (President Bush only had 40 when he began his second term).
• 1 out of every 10 Federal Judgeships is vacant causing significant delays in federal court cases for both businesses and individuals.  
• Of the 33 judicial nominees currently awaiting Senate confirmation - 15 are women; 6 are Hispanic; 6 are African-American; 3 are Asian-American; and 4 are openly gay. (Obviously some of the women are minority)

From the Washington Post: (3/3/13)

Obama pushing to diversify federal judiciary amid GOP delays

"“Diversity in and of itself is a thing that is strengthening the judicial system,” White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler said. “It enhances the bench and the performance of the bench and the quality of the discussion . . . to have different perspectives, different life experiences, different professional experiences, coming from a different station in life, if you will.”"

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President Obama's First Term -- A Look Back at Week Six - 2009:   (Excerpts from my National Scene blog, March 5, 2009)

• Bringing Everyone to the Table to Address Healthcare: In the East Room of the White House, President Obama addressed an assembled group consisting of medical personnel, members of Congress, health care lobbyists, business owners, insurers, and everyday Americans - all with a stake in the health reform effort. After joking, “This was the hottest ticket in town,” the President made the agenda clear to the invited guests, stressing, “Our goal will be to enact comprehensive health reform by the end of this year.” After the President’s remarks the attendees met in break-out sessions to plot their course.
• Reforming Government Spending: The President signed a memorandum that will reform government contracting, particularly by the Defense Department, by strengthening oversight and management of taxpayer dollars, stating “The American people's money must be spent to advance their priorities -- not to line the pockets of contractors or to maintain projects that don't work.” He was joined by a bipartisan group of legislators including Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Carl Levin (D-MI), and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo), and Representatives Edolphus Towns (D-NY) and Peter Welch.(D-VT).
• Entertaining at “The People’s House”: The President and First Lady continued their ‘hospitality initiative’ by hosting another gathering in what they call “The People’s House.”  This dinner was for Congressional leaders from both parties and the President welcomed them explaining, “Given how hard so many of you are working on both sides of the aisle, day in, day out, we thought it was important for us to be able to step back for a moment, remind ourselves that we have things in common—family, friends, laughter—and hopefully, we'll have a chance to appreciate each other a little bit, take a timeout before we dive back into the game,” he said. “So we hope you have a wonderful evening—not to mention the fact that this is a pretty big house, so we get lonely.”

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And Finally...  

Rosa Takes Her Seat.
On February 27, 2013, Rosa Parks became the first African-American woman to have her likeness in the United States Capitol, National Statuary Hall. The 2,700-pound Rosa Parks statue, sculpted by California artist Rob Firmin, was commissioned by Congress -- the first since 1873, and at nine feet tall, the first full-sized statue of an African-American in the Capitol complex.

The Rosa Parks Statue: "Strength from Stillness"

President Barack Obama touches the Rosa Parks statue after the unveiling during a ceremony in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Feb. 27, 2013. Helping with the unveiling, were, from left: Sheila Keys, niece of Rosa Parks; Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.; House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio; House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Assistant Democratic Leader Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.; and Elaine Eason Keys. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)