Biden Administration misc. activities

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Mori Chu
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Biden Administration misc. activities

Post by Mori Chu »

I thought we should have a new thread to discuss various policies and actions performed by the new Biden administration. For example, they issued 17 executive orders on Day 1:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics ... index.html

They have also nominated various cabinet secretaries, hired and fired some executive branch officials, resumed daily WH Press briefings, and more.

Discuss!

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Indy
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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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It is nuts to me that daily press briefings feel unnatural. Especially ones with questions and answers that can be verified.

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

Post by Superbone »

Yeah, I was going to say that I listened to a little of the new White House press secretary's press conference at lunch today. What a nice change to have an adult in the room after Kelly Make-a-ninny.
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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Superbone wrote:
Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:48 pm
Yeah, I was going to say that I listened to a little of the new White House press secretary's press conference at lunch today. What a nice change to have an adult in the room after Kelly Make-a-ninny.
And Huckabee, and Spicer, and that one that actually never held a briefing.

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Indy wrote:
Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:31 pm
Superbone wrote:
Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:48 pm
Yeah, I was going to say that I listened to a little of the new White House press secretary's press conference at lunch today. What a nice change to have an adult in the room after Kelly Make-a-ninny.
And Huckabee, and Spicer, and that one that actually never held a briefing.
Yup.
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Mori Chu
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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Actual adults with actual accountability and media access running our government. What a concept.

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Too many Americans live for drama. Look at how many tune in to reality TV. This is a huge reason why so many folks voted for Trump. They want to see drama unfold regularly and live in a reality tv world. It's ridiculous. Thank God we have actual briefings now with adults, like Mori said.
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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Why did Biden do this in particular?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo ... te-crisis/

(c) Executive Order 13920 of May 1, 2020 (Securing the United States Bulk-Power System), is hereby suspended for 90 days. The Secretary of Energy and the Director of OMB shall jointly consider whether to recommend that a replacement order be issued.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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In2ition wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:00 am
Why did Biden do this in particular?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo ... te-crisis/

(c) Executive Order 13920 of May 1, 2020 (Securing the United States Bulk-Power System), is hereby suspended for 90 days. The Secretary of Energy and the Director of OMB shall jointly consider whether to recommend that a replacement order be issued.
Because the previous EO was drafted by the previous Energy Secretary and their people. The new one should decide how best to do this work. It just means that we don't expect to import any power grid systems in the next 90 days.

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Indy wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:01 am
In2ition wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:00 am
Why did Biden do this in particular?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo ... te-crisis/

(c) Executive Order 13920 of May 1, 2020 (Securing the United States Bulk-Power System), is hereby suspended for 90 days. The Secretary of Energy and the Director of OMB shall jointly consider whether to recommend that a replacement order be issued.
Because the previous EO was drafted by the previous Energy Secretary and their people. The new one should decide how best to do this work. It just means that we don't expect to import any power grid systems in the next 90 days.
That's definitely not how I read that.
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files ... lars_0.pdf

Executive Order 13920: Securing the United States Bulk-Power System
• Pillar 1 prohibits any acquisition, importation, transfer, or installation of BPS electric
equipment by any person or with respect to any property to which a foreign country or a
national thereof has any interest, that poses an undue risk to the BPS, the security or
resiliency of U.S. critical infrastructure or the U.S. economy, or U.S. national security or the
security and safety of U.S. persons.
• Pillar 2 authorizes the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with heads of other agencies, to
establish and publish criteria for recognizing particular equipment and vendors in the BPS
electric equipment market as "pre-qualified" for future transactions and to apply these criteria to establish and publish a list of pre-qualified equipment and vendors.
• Pillar 3 directs the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with heads of other agencies, to
identify existing BPS electric equipment in which a foreign country or national thereof has
an interest and that poses an undue risk to the BPS, the security or resiliency of U.S. critical
infrastructure or the U.S. economy, or U.S. national security or the security and safety of
U.S. persons and develop recommendations to identify, isolate, monitor, or replace this
equipment as appropriate.
• Pillar 4 establishes a Task Force on Federal Energy Infrastructure Procurement Policies
Related to National Security, which will focus on the coordination of Federal Government
procurement of energy infrastructure and the sharing of risk information and risk
management practices and development of recommendations for implementation to the
Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council).
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Right. Those all say, the Sec of Energy can "pre-approve" businesses for new work. So there are probably plenty of companies that were pre-approved, that might warrant a second look. Especially after the largest hack in the history of our country.

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Indy wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:47 pm
Right. Those all say, the Sec of Energy can "pre-approve" businesses for new work. So there are probably plenty of companies that were pre-approved, that might warrant a second look. Especially after the largest hack in the history of our country.
You don't need to suspend the order for 90 days to take a second look. Why would you need to suspend this to do that? This allows unapproved and possibly national security risk companies, equipment or entities to be allowed in on our Bulk energy grid and infrastructure for the next 90 days.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

Post by Indy »

In2ition wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:51 pm
Indy wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:47 pm
Right. Those all say, the Sec of Energy can "pre-approve" businesses for new work. So there are probably plenty of companies that were pre-approved, that might warrant a second look. Especially after the largest hack in the history of our country.
You don't need to suspend the order for 90 days to take a second look. Why would you need to suspend this to do that? This allows unapproved and possibly national security risk companies, equipment or entities to be allowed in on our Bulk energy grid and infrastructure for the next 90 days.
No it does not. That is like saying for the last hundred years we allowed those into our country without any oversight until Trump issued the executive order. That is silly. There are checks and balances in place. Were they enough the last 100 years? Most certainly not.

Trumps Exec Order just:

Pillar 1) Says we won't bring in equipment if we don't trust the country it came from... who defines that? Trump trusted Russia more than England or German or Canada. This is just words and doesn't have a process in place to define, evaluate, and judge the company.


Pillar 2) Gives Sec of Energy the sole power to define what is good/prudent and 'pre-qualify' vendors. So no congressional oversight here... hmmm. very swampy.

Pillar 3) This says good things. But again doesn't define anything beyond "Sec Energy said so" as a way to determine which foreign vendors/nationals are good vs bad.

Pillar 4) Again, says good things. But no teeth and doesn't say how any of it will work.

On its face the EO looks to address a real threat to our country. It just was half-assed and doesn't define how it will do it. That is why it wasn't rescinded, and just put on pause until they figure out what is the best approach. It would make zero sense to just follow what Rick Perry's replacement thought was good or bad without vetting it first.

For example, why are only foreign vendors in scope? Are there not any US based companies that place a higher priority on their profits than the security of the US?

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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What a mess T**** left for Coronavirus handling. It was way worse than they ever imagined. Talk about an incredible failing as the leader of our country in dire circumstances. Adds to his worst president ever label for the history books.
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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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They're freaking out about the EO because NoW BiDeN iS hAnDiNg OvEr OuR PoWeR GrId tO ChINa.

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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Superbone wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:00 pm
What a mess T**** left for Coronavirus handling. It was way worse than they ever imagined. Talk about an incredible failing as the leader of our country in dire circumstances. Adds to his worst president ever label for the history books.
Well since Nov 3rd all he was throw a temper tantrum about the election and obsess about turning over the results and while rallies. Nothing about a national rollout or vaccine distribution plan because he doesn't care about Americans, plain and simple. Most of his admin just slithered away after they blocked the transition for those 2 months. Biden's admin is essentially walking into this blind now.

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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ShelC wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:34 pm
Superbone wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:00 pm
What a mess T**** left for Coronavirus handling. It was way worse than they ever imagined. Talk about an incredible failing as the leader of our country in dire circumstances. Adds to his worst president ever label for the history books.
Well since Nov 3rd all he was throw a temper tantrum about the election and obsess about turning over the results and while rallies. Nothing about a national rollout or vaccine distribution plan because he doesn't care about Americans, plain and simple. Most of his admin just slithered away after they blocked the transition for those 2 months. Biden's admin is essentially walking into this blind now.
Funny, even Fauci says that's complete bunk. There has been a plan, it's being implemented and they have already been administering over 1 million + experimental vaccines per day. Biden's plan was essentially the same as it was from the prior administration. He'll get credit though, as expect a huge decline in number of positive cases per day and then number of deaths as new criteria for measuring them is implemented.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

Post by In2ition »

Indy wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 2:48 pm
In2ition wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:51 pm
Indy wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:47 pm
Right. Those all say, the Sec of Energy can "pre-approve" businesses for new work. So there are probably plenty of companies that were pre-approved, that might warrant a second look. Especially after the largest hack in the history of our country.
You don't need to suspend the order for 90 days to take a second look. Why would you need to suspend this to do that? This allows unapproved and possibly national security risk companies, equipment or entities to be allowed in on our Bulk energy grid and infrastructure for the next 90 days.
No it does not. That is like saying for the last hundred years we allowed those into our country without any oversight until Trump issued the executive order. That is silly. There are checks and balances in place. Were they enough the last 100 years? Most certainly not.

Trumps Exec Order just:

Pillar 1) Says we won't bring in equipment if we don't trust the country it came from... who defines that? Trump trusted Russia more than England or German or Canada. This is just words and doesn't have a process in place to define, evaluate, and judge the company.


Pillar 2) Gives Sec of Energy the sole power to define what is good/prudent and 'pre-qualify' vendors. So no congressional oversight here... hmmm. very swampy.

Pillar 3) This says good things. But again doesn't define anything beyond "Sec Energy said so" as a way to determine which foreign vendors/nationals are good vs bad.

Pillar 4) Again, says good things. But no teeth and doesn't say how any of it will work.

On its face the EO looks to address a real threat to our country. It just was half-assed and doesn't define how it will do it. That is why it wasn't rescinded, and just put on pause until they figure out what is the best approach. It would make zero sense to just follow what Rick Perry's replacement thought was good or bad without vetting it first.

For example, why are only foreign vendors in scope? Are there not any US based companies that place a higher priority on their profits than the security of the US?
You make some good points, Indy, but none of them answers my question on why you can't address every one of them without suspending it for 90 days?
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

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"The way in which people get vaccine is chaotic," Klain continued. "It's very limited. We've seen this factor all over the country where millions of doses have been distributed. About half of that has been given out. So the process of getting that vaccine into arms, that's the hard process. That's where we're behind as a country and that's where we're focused in the Biden administration on getting that ramped up...We're going to set up these federal vaccination centers to make sure that in states that don't have enough vaccination sites, we fill those gaps."

"I would say one of the biggest problems right now is I can't tell you how much vaccine we have, and if I can't tell it to you then I can't tell it to the governors and I can't tell it to the state health officials," Walensky said. "If they don't know how much vaccine they're getting, not just this week but next week and the week after, they can't plan. The fact that we don't know today, five days into this administration and weeks into planning, how much vaccine we have just gives you a sense with the challenges we've been left with," she continued.
Trump's admin all along left everything up to everyone else to figure out to shirk responsibility and shift blame when necessary. And you can bet if he were still in office and states like NY and NJ were saying they were running low and needed more vaccines, he'd be blaming them for their inefficiency rather than trying to work thru the problem.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden- ... trump-plan

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Re: Biden Administration misc. activities

Post by Indy »

In2ition wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 4:07 pm
ShelC wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:34 pm
Superbone wrote:
Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:00 pm
What a mess T**** left for Coronavirus handling. It was way worse than they ever imagined. Talk about an incredible failing as the leader of our country in dire circumstances. Adds to his worst president ever label for the history books.
Well since Nov 3rd all he was throw a temper tantrum about the election and obsess about turning over the results and while rallies. Nothing about a national rollout or vaccine distribution plan because he doesn't care about Americans, plain and simple. Most of his admin just slithered away after they blocked the transition for those 2 months. Biden's admin is essentially walking into this blind now.
Funny, even Fauci says that's complete bunk. There has been a plan, it's being implemented and they have already been administering over 1 million + experimental vaccines per day. Biden's plan was essentially the same as it was from the prior administration. He'll get credit though, as expect a huge decline in number of positive cases per day and then number of deaths as new criteria for measuring them is implemented.
This is a lie.

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