Obama's Proclamation on MLK Day

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 14, 2011

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., FEDERAL HOLIDAY, 2011

------------------------------------------

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Half a century ago, America was moved by a young preacher who called a generation to action and forever changed the course of history. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to the struggle for justice and equality, sowing seeds of hope for a day when all people might claim "the riches of freedom and the security of justice." On Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the holiday recognizing one of America's greatest visionary leaders, and we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King.

Dr. King guided us toward a mountaintop on which all Americans -- regardless of skin color -- could live together in mutual respect and brotherhood. His bold leadership and prophetic eloquence united people of all backgrounds in a noble quest for freedom and basic civil rights. Inspired by Dr. King's legacy, brave souls have marched fearlessly, organized relentlessly, and devoted their lives to the unending task of perfecting our Union. Their courage and dedication have carried us even closer to the promised land Dr. King envisioned, but we must recognize their achievements as milestones on the long path to true equal opportunity and equal rights.

We must face the challenges of today with the same strength, persistence, and determination exhibited by Dr. King, guided by the enduring values of hope and justice embodied by other civil rights leaders. As a country, we must expand access to opportunity and end structural inequalities for all people in employment and economic mobility. It is our collective responsibility as a great Nation to ensure a strong foundation that supports economic security for all and extends the founding promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to every American.

Dr. King devoted his life to serving others, reminding us that "human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle -- the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." Commemorating Dr. King's life is not only a tribute to his contributions to our Nation and the world, but also a reminder that every day, each of us can play a part in continuing this critical work.

For this reason, we honor Dr. King's legacy with a national day of service. I encourage all Americans to visit www.MLKDay.gov to learn more about service opportunities across our country. By dedicating this day to service, we move our Nation closer to Dr. King's vision of all Americans living and working together as one beloved community.

NOW, THEREFORE, I BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 17, 2011, as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service programs in honor of Dr. King's life and lasting legacy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

More Jobs In 1 Year Under Obama Than 8 With Bush

Following up on the recent jobs data, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi commented that more jobs were created under Obama in 2010 than were created during the entire 8-year Bush administration from 2001-2009.

Think Progress notes:

Indeed, from February 2001, Bush’s first full month in office, through January 2009, his last, the economy added just 1 million jobs. By contrast, in 2010 alone, the economy added at least 1.1 million jobs. This chart, produced by Pelosi’s office, demonstrates the difference between the Bush administration and the Obama administration on jobs.

As the Wall Street Journal noted in the last month of Bush’s term, the former president had the “worst track record for job creation since the government began keeping records.” And job creation under Bush was anemic long before the recession began. Bush’s supply-side economics “fostered the weakest jobs and income growth in more than six decades,” along with “sluggish business investment and weak gross domestic product growth,” the Center for American Progress’ Joshua Picker explained. “On every major measurement” of income and employment, “the country lost ground during Bush’s two terms,” the National Journal’s Ron Brownstein observed, parsing Census data.

Obama Has Lowest Judicial Confirmation Rate In 30 Years

When the 111th Congress ended with a bang by approving DADT repeal, the START treaty and the Obama-Republican tax-cut deal, the Senate's shameful inaction on confirming federal judges may have been overlooked by some, but not by yours truly.

Think Progress notes that roughly one-ninth of all Article III judgeships are now vacant. In fact, Obama has the lowest rate of judicial confirmation (60 judges) of any of the last 6 presidential administrations after the conclusion of their first Congress.

It should especially be noted that Republican obstructionism is disproportionately preventing judicial nominees who happen to not be white or male from joining the federal judiciary. I'm sure that's just a coincidence. NOT!

WATCH: Behind the Scenes of DADT Repeal Bill Signing

The White House has released this behind-the-scenes video of the President signing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Bill of 2010 into law on Wednesday December 22nd. Watch for yourself:

WATCH: Obama Signs DADT Repeal Into Law

Obama To Sign DADT Repeal Bill Wed 12/22

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of Media Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2010

President Obama to Sign Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into Law

Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, December 22, 2010, President Obama will sign the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into law in a signing ceremony at the Department of the Interior. 

WHAT:          Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 Signing Ceremony

WHERE:        U.S. Department of the Interior

Sidney R. Yates Auditorium

1849 C St, NW

WHEN:          Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 9:15 AM EST

U.S. Senate Passes DADT Repeal Bill 65-31!

Although passage was a foregone conclusion after the 63-33 cloture vote earlier today, the United States Senate completed its legislative work on a standalone DADT repeal bill, passing the measure 65-31, with 8 Republicans joining 55 Democrats and 2 Independents. No Democrats voted against repeal, although Joe Manchin of West Virginia (who was just elected in a special election and is up again in 2012 for a full term) did not vote and issued a statement saying he did not favor DADT repeal at this time.

ANALYSIS
Interestingly, recently outed Mark Kirk (R-IL) who had voted against repeal in the House, and voted against invoking cloture last Friday, voted for cloture and the bill this time. Other Republican surprises were recently re-elected Richard Burr of North Carolina voting in favor as well as retiring George Voinovich of Ohio. Moderate Republic Richard Lugar of Indiana surprised many observers by voting against repeal. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas was the only woman in the United States Senate to vote against DADT repeal.

100% of Democrats voting (55 of 55) voted in favor of LGBT equality. 21% of Republicans voting (6 of 37) voted against LGBT equality. 94% (16 of 17) female Senators voted in favor of LGBT equality.

Here's the roll call vote on DADT Repeal:

YEAs ---65
Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Brown (R-MA) Burr (R-NC) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Coons (D-DE) Dodd (D-CT) Dorgan (D-ND) Durbin (D-IL) Ensign (R-NV) Feingold (D-WI)	Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) Hagan (D-NC) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Kirk (R-IL) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lincoln (D-AR) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK)	Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (D-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (D-VA) Webb (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---31
Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID)	DeMint (R-SC) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) LeMieux (R-FL) Lugar (R-IN)	McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Wicker (R-MS)

Not Voting - 4
Bunning (R-KY) Gregg (R-NH)	Hatch (R-UT) Manchin (D-WV)

President's Statement on DREAM Act's Failure To Pass

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 18, 2010 

Statement by the President on the Senate Vote on the DREAM Act 

In an incredibly disappointing vote today, a minority of Senators prevented the Senate from doing what most Americans understand is best for the country. As I said last week, when the House passed the DREAM Act, it is not only the right thing to do for talented young people who seek to serve a country they know as their own, it is the right thing for the United States of America. Our nation is enriched by their talents and would benefit from the success of their efforts. The DREAM Act is important to our economic competitiveness, military readiness, and law enforcement efforts. And as the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office reported, the DREAM Act would cut the deficit by $2.2 billion over the next 10 years. There was simply no reason not to pass this important legislation.

It is disappointing that common sense did not prevail today.  But my administration will not give up on the DREAM Act, or on the important business of fixing our broken immigration system.   The American people deserve a serious debate on immigration, and it’s time to take the polarizing rhetoric off our national stage. 

I thank Senators Durbin, Reid, and Menendez for their tireless efforts. Moving forward, my administration will continue to do everything we can to fix our nation’s broken immigration system so that we can provide lasting and dedicated resources for our border security while at the same time restoring responsibility and accountability to the system at every level. 

###

DADT Passes 63-33, DREAM Act Fails 55-41!

It feels like election day 2008 again. Happiness that finally some action has occurred on the LGBT legislative agenda but I'm devastated that the DREAM Act will not become law anytime soon.

So this time LGBT people won, but people of color lost. In 2008, people of color won (with the election of President Obama) but LGBT people lost (with the passage of Proposition 8).

Hmmm, that is now TWO achievements Barack Obama has been able (in two years) to do that "Big Dog" Bill Clinton could not get done in (8 years): health care reform AND the repeal of the disgraceful military ban on open military service by lesbians and gay men.

Obama Applauds House Passage of DADT Repeal

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        December 15, 2010

Statement by the President on the House Passage of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010

I applaud the House for passing, with bipartisan support, the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.  Legislative repeal is supported by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  The process contained in this legislation allows for a smooth and responsible repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in a way that maintains good order and discipline in our military ranks.   Indeed, all of the Service Chiefs have said that when this law is changed , they will implement an orderly transition effectively and efficiently.  As the comprehensive study by the Department of Defense clearly shows, we can move to a new policy in a responsible manner that ensures our military strength and our national security.   

I particularly want to thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Congressman Patrick Murphy for their leadership on this issue.  I have consistently called for the repeal of this law.  Moving forward with the repeal is not only the right thing to do, it will also give our military the clarity and certainty it deserves.  We must ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally by their country.

White House Officially Supports House DADT Repeal Bill

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503

December 15, 2010
(House)

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2965 – Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
(Rep. Murphy, D-Pennsylvania, and Rep. Hoyer, D-Maryland)

The Administration strongly supports House passage of the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2965, which would repeal the statute underlying "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" after the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that implementation of the necessary policies and regulations related to the statutory repeal is consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces.  Congressional enactment of this legislation would allow a repeal to be implemented under terms and a timetable that would be informed by the advice of our military leadership.

The recently-released comprehensive study by the Department of Defense shows that overwhelming majorities of our Service members are prepared to serve with Americans who are openly gay or lesbian; it concludes that overall, and with thorough preparation, there would be low risk associated with the repeal.  The existing statute weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates fundamental American principles of fairness, integrity, and equality.

Polls Show Wide Support For Obama-Republican Tax Plan

Huffington Post is reporting on two new polls which show that President Obama's new tax cut deal with Congressional Republicans is widely popular with Americans.

The Pew poll has support at 60-22 and the ABC/Washington Post poll has support at 69-17, with various levels of support for the various policy items which make up the deal.

Today cloture was reached in the Senate on the tax cut measure, so it is very likely that the deal will be enacted by Congress before the end of the year (possibly the week).

Obama Answers DADT Question At Post-Election Press Conference

WATCH: Boxer's Last Ad Is All Obama

Obama Beats Clinton's Record Of Openly Gay Presidential Appointees

Amanda Simpson, first openly transgender
Presidential appointee in history

Less than two years into his first Presidential term, Barack Obama has broken Bill Clinton's record of the number of appointees to the federal government with over 150 openly LGBT people in his administration so far.

Back in the 1990s when Clinton was president he made history by appointing the first openly gay person to a position requiring United States Senate approval, Roberta Achtenberg, to be assistant to the secretary for Housing and Urban Development. Noted homphobic Senator, Jesse Helms (R-NC), opposed the nomination and called Achtenberg a "damned lesbian" and "militant extremist" while he tried to stall and kill the appointment.

Now Obama has reached a historic level of  more than 150 openly LGBT appointees in less than 2 years when it took Clinton 8 years to reach 140 openly gay and lesbian appointees.

From the Los Angeles Times report:

Gay activists, among Obama's strongest supporters, had hoped he would be the first to appoint an openly gay Cabinet secretary. While that hasn't happened — yet — Obama did appoint the highest-ranking gay official ever when he named John Berry as director of the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees the nation's 1.9 million federal workers.

Other prominent names include Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Fred Hochberg, chairman of the Export-Import Bank. Obama also named Amanda Simpson, the first openly transgender appointee, as a senior technical adviser in the Commerce Department. And David Huebner, ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, is the third openly gay ambassador in U.S. history.

White House spokesman Shin Inouye confirmed the record number, saying Obama has hired more gay officials than the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations combined. He said Obama "is proud that his appointments reflect the diversity of the American public."

"He is committed to appointing highly qualified individuals for each post," Inouye said. "We have made a record number of openly LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender) appointments and we are confident that this number will only continue to grow."

Progress takes time, and occurs in different areas (administrative instead of legislative) at different rates.

Obama Says "It Gets Better" Too

The viral nature of Dan Savage's It Gets Better project continues to amaze. President Barack Obama posted his official  video contribution to the anti-bullying project on the White House's official youtube channel at www.whitehouse.gov/itgetsbetter

Here's the video:



Here is the transcript:

  Like all of you, I was shocked and saddened by the deaths of several young people who were bullied and taunted for being gay, and who ultimately took their own lives.  As a parent of two daughters, it breaks my heart.  It’s something that just shouldn’t happen in this country. 

We’ve got to dispel the myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage – that it’s some inevitable part of growing up.  It’s not.  We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe forall of our kids.  And to every young person out there you need to know that if you’re in trouble, there are caring adults who can help. 

I don’t know what it’s like to be picked on for being gay.  But I do know what it’s like to grow up feeling that sometimes you don’t belong.  It’s tough.  And for a lot of kids, the sense of being alone or apart – I know can just wear on you.  And when you’re teased or bullied, it can seem like somehow you brought it on yourself – for being different, or for not fitting in with everybody else. 

But what I want to say is this.  You are not alone.  You didn’t do anything wrong.  You didn’t do anything to deserve being bullied.  And there is a whole world waiting for you, filled with possibilities. There are people out there who love you and care about you just the way you are. And so, if you ever feel like because of bullying, because of what people are saying, that you’re getting down on yourself, you’ve got to make sure to reach out to people you trust. Whether it’s your parents, teachers, folks that you know care about you just the way you are. You’ve got to reach out to them,  don’t feel like you’re in this by yourself.

The other thing you need to know is, things will get better.  And more than that, with time you’re going to see that your differences are a source of pride and a source of strength. You’ll look back on the struggles you’ve faced with compassion and wisdom. And that’s not just going to serve you, but it will help you get involved and make this country a better place. 

It will mean that you’ll be more likely to help fight discrimination – not just against LGBT Americans, but discrimination in all its forms. It means you’ll be more likely to understand personally and deeply why it’s so important that as adults we set an example in our own lives and that we treat everybody with respect. That we are able to see the world through other people’s eyes and stand in their shoes – that we never lose sight of what binds us together. 

As a nation we’re founded on the belief that all of us are equal and each of us deserves the freedom to pursue our own version of happiness; to make the most of our talents; to speak our minds; to not fit in; most of all, to be true to ourselves.  That’s the freedom that enriches all of us.  That’s what America is all about.  And every day, it gets better.

DNC Ad Featuring Obama To Boost Democratic Turnout

Outed Ill. Senate Candidate Kirk (R) Caught Discussing Voter Suppression

U.S. Representative Mark Kirk, who has recently been outed as a gay man by blogger Mike Rogers, and is currently in a very tight race with Alexi Giannoulias for the Illinois Senate seat once held by Barack Obama has been caught on tape discussing the long-running, illegal Republican practice of minority vote suppression.

Talking Points Memo reports:

Kirk's campaign confirmed the candidate was secretly taped last week as he was talking about his anti-voter fraud effort.

"These are lawyers and other people that will be deployed in key, vulnerable precincts, for example, South and West sides of Chicago, Rockford, Metro East, where the other side might be tempted to jigger the numbers somewhat," he said in the audio posted on YouTube.

As TPMMuckraker has reported, accusations from conservatives that ineligible voters are fraudulently stealing elections for Democrats have continued to fly in the 2010 campaign cycle, despite the lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud. "Voter fraud" has been the rally cry for conservative groups seeking to make it more difficult to cast ballots and suppress minority voter turnout.

Kirk is widely considered the most moderate of the potential Republican senators to take office in January 2011. What's interesting here is that despite being known as a closeted homosexual, he is still a Republican at  heart, with the opposition to minority voting that that entails. Another example of the surprises intersectionality can produce!

Happy ObamaCare Day!

Today is exactly 6 months to the day since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. ObamaCare) was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010.

Despite Republican lies and distortions to the contrary, health care reform is not a Government take-over of health care, instead it is a number of common sense reforms bundled together, several of which go into effect today, namely:

• Requiring that insurance companies cover people with pre-existing conditions.

• Making it illegal for insurance companies to drop coverage for people who get sick.

• Cracking down on unjustified premium hikes.

• Placing a cap on out-of-pocket health care costs. 

• Providing free preventive care

It should be noted repeatedly that not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for the final version of the measure, and when Republicans say they will repeal the law if they take over the Congress they are also lying. Obama still has the power to veto legislation, and if a bill was to pass which repealed parts of ObamaCare it would definitely not become law with his signature.

WATCH: Obama Supports The "Ground Zero Mosque"

I agree with him. Even if 68% of Americans oppose it. Constitutional rights (freedom of religion) is not subject to popular whim.