Biden's CNN town hall, your impressions

I found this article link to be enlightening as to why it takes so long to get Ambassadors approved.  Currently Biden has 67 vacancies that he hasn’t even put up a nominee for.

Got it. I am unfamiliar with Dixichick/Gia. Again, a lot of posters I scroll past their posts when they aren’t discussions.

The question raised in this post is a good one about what three issues Republicans have pushed.  I would settle for one that didn’t involved tax cuts.

The last notable piece of legislation to come out of Congress that addressed the needs of all Americans was the ACA.  Since then what has been passed by Congress is fluff stuff and what I call crisis legislation like what was passed for the Great Recession and  during the pandemic.

The Democrats have ideas and plans for just about everything.  Some I agree with, some I don’t.  But they all have one constant and that is to help all Americans.

The Republicans have nothing to offer the American People.  Their roll today is to act as obstructionist to whatever the Democrats have to offer.  Even if it hurts the very people who voted for them.

And apparently this is ok for some voters because they continue to vote for the party that offers them absolutely nothing.

And these are the quick comments from Sec Blinkin in August. From the article posted by mollycoddle

Foremost among those blocking nominees is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has held back as many as two dozen State Department appointees, on demands that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken penalize all international firms and individuals involved in the construction of a Russian pipeline to Europe.

Blinken complained last week that 65 nominations were still pending a confirmation vote.(me:in August) Some of those, including Smith’s nomination, this week squeaked through the Senate approval process on the eve of Congress’ August recess after languishing for months.

Keep in mine Cruz's complaint involves citizens in Europe who need gas. Too bad he didn't think about his own constituents, when he flew off the Cancun, while they were home with no power and freezing in a storm!

From your article…

“When the Americans say, ‘immediate family,’ that’s your spouse and your children. From an Afghan point of view, immediate family means spouse, children, sister, cousin, brothers; it’s a much larger definition,” said James Miervaldis, chairman of No One Left Behind, another group working to evacuate and resettle Afghan refugees. “This just shows you that 20 years later, we’re still talking past each other.”

These folks have to be vetted before they get the paperwork to leave & come to this country.  

From CNN… link

“Fact checking Jake Sullivan's claim Trump admin didn't process Afghan visas for a year”

From the article…

  “Facts First: This is incorrect. Between March 2020 and the end of December 2020, at least 523 Afghan Special Immigrant Visas were issued. That being said, the Biden administration did inherit a significant backlog of SIV applicants -- more than 17,000 -- due in part to policies enacted under the Trump administration which slowed down the SIV review process.

The White House told CNN that Sullivan was referring to the Trump administration stopping in-person interviews in Kabul, which is a mandated part of the SIV process. Even though State Department reports indicate there were no visa interviews conducted at the US Embassy in Kabul from March 2020 through the end of December 2020, visa applications of those who had already been interviewed were still processed during that time.”

According to the State Department, interviews were stopped due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The report on the status of the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program for the quarter ending in December 2020 noted, "There were relatively few interviews this quarter because U.S. Embassy Kabul was closed for in-person visa services due to the prevalence of COVID-19 in Afghanistan. In all nine cases, the applicants requested to have their interview conducted at an alternate post."

The report did not include whether those interviews took place elsewhere but as of December 31, 2020, "622 principal applicants and 2,438 derivative family members were pending scheduling for visa interviews."

While the pause in interviews contributed to the backlog, it was not the only factor. The Biden White House also pointed CNN to a viral Twitter thread from Olivia Troye, a former adviser to Vice President Pence, who said the Trump administration did take steps restrict refugee admissions and undermine the SIV program.

And Adam Bates, policy counsel for the International Refugee Assistance Project, which represents Special Immigrant Visa applicants and refugees, noted that the number of SIVs issued did decrease under the Trump administration.

Under the Obama administration, the number of Afghan SIVs issued increased, from 262 in fiscal year 2009 to 3,626 in FY 2016. But under Trump, the number dropped to 1,649 in FY 2018, increased to 2,347 in FY 2019 and culminated in 1,799 for FY 2020.

"President Trump also oversaw a substantial reduction in the issuance of those visas compared to President Obama," Bates told CNN. "I suppose that's not strictly relevant to an 'evacuation' but the program protects people who are under threat for their service to the U.S. mission and fewer visas issued means fewer U.S. allies and their families have a pathway to safety." However, the Biden administration is not entirely blameless, as experts say they could have addressed the delays sooner.

Faiza Sayed, director of the Safe Harbor Clinic, told CNN that the State Department and Department of Homeland Security, which oversee the SIV program, "could, but have failed to speed up the process."  Maybe they could and maybe they couldn’t.

Under the Biden administration, immigrant visa interviews resumed at the US Embassy in Kabul. But as of August 24, the State Department issued a statement that "all immigrant visa appointments, including Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), at the Embassy have been cancelled," but clarified that, in addition to U.S. citizens, their "efforts are devoted to evacuations at Hamid Karzai International Airport" particularly for "our locally employed staff; personnel from partner nations and international organizations with whom we have agreements; Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders and applicants; certain immigrant visa applicants; Afghans who would be eligible for P1/P2 refugee programs; and certain Afghans at risk."

People who assume they even *want* to leave (and have been left behind) have never been expatriots before. Being one means complex divided loyalties, that make decisions like this not easy at all. Especially during a pandemic.

Yes, it is possible for someone to dislike Trump and still see Biden's issues. But that is not what happens here. If the folks who actively criticize Biden for everything would have ALSO been pissed about Trump's antics, I would agree with you. But they don't. In my mind, if you constantly call out Biden when you never called out Trump for worse shit, then yes, you are a rabid Trump supporter.

Precisely.

Why is it so hard for republicans to admit/acknowledge that their reps in congress are only obstructing? Worried about their own pockets and not their constituents…

Speaking of plans..... Still waiting after ALL the two weeks' extensions former was presenting his healthcare replacement plan!!!!

Oh right! He and the GOP had no intentions of offering ANY healthcare plane after they shot down the ACA!

The border is clearly a complex issue and there’s plenty of blame to go around.  Let’s look at some of the reasons why Trump is partially responsible for some of the current mess.

www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/09/17/761266169/trump-froze-aid-to-guatemala-now-programs-are-shutting-down

www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-104366

Foreign assistance to Northern Triangle countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) is meant to promote prosperity, good governance, and security in the region. In March 2019, the Trump administration withheld that assistance until those countries took steps to reduce the number of migrants coming to the U.S. border—suspending new funds and reallocating prior year funds.

This adversely affected 65 of the State Department's 168 projects, and 92 of the U.S. Agency for International Development's 114 projects. Funding resumed in June 2020, but both agencies reported delays and fewer services to beneficiaries during the 14-month suspension.

And, immigration was a problem during Trump’s 4 years, it didn’t magically happen the day that President Biden take office.  

www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/04/05/border-crisis-donald-trump-226573/

Pixiechick is just like most of the typical trumpers. No facts, spin lies, deflect and push buttons for amusement.

I enjoy a good debate, but pixie is taking the good out of the debate. Ignore her. That's torturous for the emotionally immature trumpers.

And are we sure it's Gia and not Lauren? Or did Lauren return briefly and then vanish again? I can't keep up.

I've seen you post exactly ONE youtube compilation of various talking heads around the 2020 election about Biden and his age and gaffes - after I had to ask you twice to cite a source of Biden's mental decline.

People have made similar compilations of talking heads detailing the monstrosities of Trump.

ONE compilation video does not "lots of facts" make.

When you post your opinions, post them along with reputable sources from professors, scientists, doctors, etc. as back up.

How do you know those YouTube videos weren’t edited?  People are very good at editing videos to tell the story they want to tell instead of the real story..

You mean this guy when you talk about Obama Administration Dr?  Personally I think he is a raving lunatic.









The fact is no matter how many videos you produce as your proof the only people who know for sure about his mental state are his doctor and his wife and maybe close aids.  Maybe the VP.  Otherwise it’s pure conjecture by those who want it to be true.