Trump's "Agreement" With Iran Is Not A Victory - It's A Terrible Failure

 Does Trump's agreement with Iran represent a victory? Robert Reich says it's more likely a failure. He writes:

Trump again claims victory in Iran. He’s claimed victory before, but now he has a so-called “agreement” with Iran.

That agreement, which appears to be no more than a memo of understanding — that is, a set of principles to which Iran and the United States have agreed — stops the fighting and reopens the Strait of Hormuz but it does not deal with the issue that caused Trump to initiate the conflict: Iran’s nuclear program.

 

Keep that in mind as you hear various renditions of what’s been decided. Recall that the Strait of Hormuz was open before Trump began bombing Iran. At best, the agreement Trump is touting restores the status quo to where it was when he commenced hostilities. Remember also that Iran had agreed to limit its development of nuclear-grade materials in its treaty with the Obama administration, which Trump revoked in 2018.

 

So what has been accomplished? Iran now is under the control of a more extremist regime than when Trump started this war. Oil prices are far higher, and will take some time to return to where they were before it began (if they ever do). Meanwhile, Trump has caused the United States to be more dependent on fossil fuels than we were prior to his inauguration for a second time, and the high oil prices brought on by his war has enriched Vladimir Putin’s regime.

 

The war with Iran has cost the United States an estimated $90 billion, and that’s a conservative estimate. It has caused widespread suffering throughout the Middle East. It has put Israel in a more precarious situation than it was before — and much of that is due to Benjamin Netanyahu, who is not a party to, and has not approved, the agreement. 

This doesn’t look like a victory. Compared to where the United States and the Middle East were on February 28, when Trump began this war, it’s a terrible failure.

Democrats Flip Seat Formally Held By Santos

A special election was held Tuesday night to fill the House seat vacated by the ouster of George Santos. Democrat Tom Suozzi won the seat by nearly 8 points over Republican Maze Pilip. That 8 point victory represents a huge swing in House District #3, and could portend a nice election for Democrats next November.

Ukrainians Are Convinced They Will Win The War

Ukrainians don’t talk about what will happen “after the war.” They talk about what will happen “after the victory.” That’s how confident they are. In the past, such talk may have contained a large element of bravado and wishful thinking, but now it is a product of hard-won experience. 

- Max Boot (The Washington Post)

Biden's Victory Was Huge And It Gives Him A Mandate

If you just listen to some talking heads on cable news, you might have the impression that Joe Biden won the presidency by a narrow margin. That is simply not true!

He received more votes than any other president ever received. He got the largest vote percentage against an opponent since 1932 (when Roosevelt defeated Hoover). He got a bigger percentage of the popular vote than any president since 1988. And he beat his opponent by over 7 million votes.

It was a historic win against an incumbent opponent!

Here is part of how Jennifer Rubin describes Biden's win in The Washington Post:

The refusal by Republicans to acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory is remarkable in its contempt for democracy and defiance of reality. But while much time has been spent trying to get Republicans to admit that Biden won, very little time has been spent impressing upon them the magnitude of the victory. That matters as we begin Biden’s presidency.

Biden not only received a majority of the popular vote, but also cleared 51 percent — the largest vote percentage obtained against an incumbent president since 1932 and a bigger percentage of the popular vote than any Republican president since George H.W. Bush in 1988, when Bush was essentially running for a third Ronald Reagan term. In the process, Biden amassed the largest total number of ballots in U.S. history. He pummeled Trump by more than 7 million votes (and exceeded Barack Obama’s 2008 vote total by more than 11 million). That margin is bigger than Massachusetts’ entire population; in fact, only 14 states have a population of more than 7 million. Biden’s popular vote margin by percentage (4.4 percent) far surpasses Obama’s 2012 victory over Mitt Romney.

Why is it important to emphasize the magnitude of Biden’s victory? Because, far from narrow, it represents the overwhelming verdict of the voters. If there is such a thing as a mandate, Biden has one. He has been explicit about the things he intends to do: preserve and expand Obamacare, pass child-care and sick-leave legislation, pursue police reform, push through a massive infrastructure bill and tackle climate change. . . .

Biden famously promised to reach across the aisle. If he does so effectively, more power to him. However, if the transition is any indication, he is going to be met with stonewalling, obstruction and bad faith. That is his cue to go out to the voters — both who voted for him and who did not. Perhaps the voters in turn can remind their representatives that they chose to end the Trump era and to give Biden a shot at righting the ship of state.

Transcript Of Joe Biden's Powerful Victory Speech

 Joe Biden wasn't able to give his victory speech on Election Night as most presidents have been able to do. He had to wait an agonizing four days as several states slowly finished counting their votes.

But on Saturday morning, he had been projected the winner of enough states to give him more than the 270 electoral college votes he needed. And on Saturday night, he finally gave that speech.

It was powerful, and may have been just what the country needed in these troubled times.

if you missed the speech, or just want to relive it, here is what he said:

My fellow Americans, the people of this nation have spoken.

They have delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory.

A victory for “We the People.”

We have won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of this nation — 74 million.

I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me.

I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify.

Who doesn’t see red and blue states, but a United States.

And who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people.

For that is what America is about: the people.

And that is what our administration will be about.

I sought this office to restore the soul of America.

To rebuild the backbone of the nation — the middle class.

To make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home.

It is the honor of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for this vision.

And now the work of making this vision real is the task of our time.

As I said many times before, I’m Jill’s husband.

I would not be here without the love and tireless support of Jill, Hunter, Ashley, all of our grandchildren and their spouses, and all our family.

They are my heart.

Jill’s a mom — a military mom — and an educator.

She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn’t just what she does — it’s who she is. For America’s educators, this is a great day: You’re going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great first lady.

And I will be honored to be serving with a fantastic vice president — Kamala Harris — who will make history as the first woman, first Black woman, first woman of South Asian descent, and first daughter of immigrants ever elected to national office in this country.

It’s long overdue, and we’re reminded tonight of all those who fought so hard for so many years to make this happen. But once again, America has bent the arc of the moral universe towards justice.

Kamala, Doug — like it or not — you’re family. You’ve become honorary Bidens and there’s no way out.

To all those who volunteered, worked the polls in the middle of this pandemic, local election officials — you deserve a special thanks from this nation.

To my campaign team, and all the volunteers, to all those who gave so much of themselves to make this moment possible, I owe you everything.

And to all those who supported us: I am proud of the campaign we built and ran. I am proud of the coalition we put together, the broadest and most diverse in history.

Democrats, Republicans and Independents.

Progressives, moderates and conservatives.

Young and old.

Urban, suburban and rural.

Gay, straight, transgender.

White. Latino. Asian. Native American.

And especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest — the African-American community stood up again for me. They always have my back, and I’ll have yours.

I said from the outset I wanted a campaign that represented America, and I think we did that. Now that’s what I want the administration to look like.

And to those who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight.

I’ve lost a couple of elections myself.

But now, let’s give each other a chance.

It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric.

To lower the temperature.

To see each other again.

To listen to each other again.

To make progress, we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy. We are not enemies. We are Americans.

The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season — a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow. And a time to heal.

This is the time to heal in America.

Now that the campaign is over — what is the people’s will? What is our mandate?

I believe it is this: Americans have called on us to marshal the forces of decency and the forces of fairness. To marshal the forces of science and the forces of hope in the great battles of our time.

The battle to control the virus.

The battle to build prosperity.

The battle to secure your family’s health care.

The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country.

The battle to save the climate.

The battle to restore decency, defend democracy, and give everybody in this country a fair shot.

Our work begins with getting Covid under control.

We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments — hugging a grandchild, birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us — until we get this virus under control.

On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisers to help take the Biden-Harris Covid plan and convert it into an action blueprint that starts on Jan. 20, 2021.

That plan will be built on a bedrock of science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy, and concern.

I will spare no effort — or commitment — to turn this pandemic around.

I ran as a proud Democrat. I will now be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me — as those who did.

Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end — here and now.

The refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not due to some mysterious force beyond our control.

It’s a decision. It’s a choice we make.

And if we can decide not to cooperate, then we can decide to cooperate. And I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people. They want us to cooperate.

That's the choice I'll make. And I call on the Congress — Democrats and Republicans alike — to make that choice with me.

The American story is about the slow, yet steady widening of opportunity.

Make no mistake: Too many dreams have been deferred for too long.

We must make the promise of the country real for everybody — no matter their race, their ethnicity, their faith, their identity, or their disability.

America has always been shaped by inflection points — by moments in time where we’ve made hard decisions about who we are and what we want to be.

Lincoln in 1860 — coming to save the Union.

F.D.R. in 1932 — promising a beleaguered country a New Deal.

J.F.K. in 1960 — pledging a New Frontier.

And 12 years ago — when Barack Obama made history — and told us, “Yes, we can.”

We stand again at an inflection point.

We have the opportunity to defeat despair and to build a nation of prosperity and purpose.

We can do it. I know we can.

I’ve long talked about the battle for the soul of America.

We must restore the soul of America.

Our nation is shaped by the constant battle between our better angels and our darkest impulses.

It is time for our better angels to prevail.

Tonight, the whole world is watching America. I believe at our best America is a beacon for the globe.

And we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.

I’ve always believed we can define America in one word: possibilities.

That in America everyone should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them.

You see, I believe in the possibility of this country.

We’re always looking ahead.

Ahead to an America that’s freer and more just.

Ahead to an America that creates jobs with dignity and respect.

Ahead to an America that cures disease — like cancer and Alzheimers.

Ahead to an America that never leaves anyone behind.

Ahead to an America that never gives up, never gives in.

This is a great nation.

And we are a good people.

This is the United States of America.

And there has never been anything we haven’t been able to do when we’ve done it together.

In the last days of the campaign, I’ve been thinking about a hymn that means a lot to me and to my family, particularly my deceased son, Beau. It captures the faith that sustains me and which I believe sustains America.

And I hope it can provide some comfort and solace to the more than 230,000 families who have lost a loved one to this terrible virus this year. My heart goes out to each and every one of you. Hopefully this hymn gives you solace as well.

“And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,

Bear you on the breath of dawn,

Make you to shine like the sun,

And hold you in the palm of His Hand.”

And now, together — on eagle’s wings — we embark on the work that God and history have called upon us to do.

With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and in each other, with a love of country — and a thirst for justice — let us be the nation that we know we can be.

A nation united.

A nation strengthened.

A nation healed.

The United States of America.

God bless you.

And may God protect our troops.

Clinton's Speech After Becoming The Democratic Nominee

(Photo of Clinton giving her "victory" speech is from patch.com.)

After Tuesday's primaries, which insured her victory in the Democratic presidential race, Hillary Clinton gave a gracious and moving speech to the country. Here is what she said:

It's wonderful to be back in Brooklyn here in this beautiful building. It may be hard to see tonight, but we're all standing under a glass ceiling right now.

But don't worry. We're not smashing this one. Thanks to you, we've reached a milestone. The first time in our nation's history that a woman will be a major party's nominee.

Tonight's victory is not about one person.

It belongs to generations of women and men who struggled and sacrificed and made this moment possible. In our country, it started right here in New York, a place called Seneca Falls in 1848 where a small but determined group of women and men came together with the idea that women deserved equal rights and they set it forth in something called the declaration of sent and it was first time in human history that that kind of declaration occurred. So we all owe so much to those who came before and tonight belongs to all of you.

I want to thank all the volunteers, community leaders, the activists and organizers who supported our campaign in every state and territory. And thanks especially to our friends in New Jersey for such a resounding victory tonight. Thanks for talking to your neighbors, for making contributions. You're efforts have produced a strong majority of the popular vote. Victories in a majority of the contests and after tonight a majority of pledged delegates. I want to thank all the people across our country who have taken the time to talk with me. I learned a lot about you.

And I learned about those persistent problems and the unfinished promise of America that you're living with. So many of you feel like you're out there on your own, that no one has your back. Well, I do. I hear you. I see you. And as your president, I will always have your back.

I want to congratulate Senator Sanders for the extraordinary campaign he has run. He has spent his long career in public service fighting for Progressive causes and principles and he's excited millions of voters, especially young people. And let there be no mistake.

Senator Sanders, his campaign, and the vigorous debate that we've had about how to raise incomes, reduce inequality, increase upward mobility, have been very good for the democratic party and for America. This has been a hard fought, deeply felt campaign. But whether you supported me or senator Sanders or one of the Republicans, we all need to keep working toward a better, stronger America. Now I know it never feels good to put your heart into a cause or a candidate you believe in and to come up short. I know that feeling well.

But as we look ahead, let's remember all that United States is. We all want an economy with more opportunity and less inquality, where Wall Street can never remembering main street again. We want a government that listens to the people, not the powerbrokers which means getting unaccountable money out of politics. And we all want a society that is toll ranlt, inclusive and fair.

We all believe that America succeeds when more people share in our prosperity. Whether more people have a voice in our political system. Whether more people can contribute to their communities. We believe that cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better division, empowerment is better than resentment and bridges are better than walls.

[Make America Great Again is code for] let's take America backwards. Back to a time when opportunity and dignity we reserved for some not all. Promising his supporters an economy he cannot re-create. We have a prosperity that lifts everyone who has been left out and left behind including those who may not vote for us but who deserve their chance to make a new beginning.

When Donald Trump says a distinguished judge born in Indiana can't do his job because of his Mexican heritage or he mocks a reporter with disabilities or calls womenmen pigs, it goes against everything we stand for. Because we want an America where everyone is treated with respect and where their work is valued. Donald Trump attacked the press for asking tough questions, denigrated muslims and immigrants. He wants to win by stoking fear and rubbing salt in wounds. And reminding us daily just how great he is.

We believe we should lift each other up, not tear each other down. We believe we need to give Americans a raise, not complain that hard-working people's wages are too high. We believe we need to help young people struggling with student debt, not pile more on our national debt with give aways to the super wealthy. We believe we fled to make America the clean energy superpower of the 21st century not insist that climate change is a hoax.

To be great, we can't be small. We have to be as big as the values that define America. And we are a big hearted, fair minded country. We teach our children that is one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Not just for people who look a certain way or worship a certain way or love a certain way. For all, indivisible. This election is not, however, about about the same old fights between Republicans and Democrats. This election is different.

It really is about who we are as a nation. It's about millions of Americans coming together so take we are better than this. We won't let this happen in America. And if you agree, whether you're a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, I hope you will join us in just a few weeks, we will meet in Philadelphia which gave birth to our nation back in that hot summer of 1776. Those early patriots knew they would all rise or fall together. Well, to day that is more true than ever. Our campaign will take the message to every corner of our country. We're stronger when our economy works for everyone, not just those at the top.

With good paying jobs and good schools in every zip code and a real commitment to all families and all regions of our nation. We are stronger when we work with our allies and we're stronger when we respect each other, listen to each other and act with a sense of common purpose. We're stronger when every family and every community knows they're not on their own. Because we are in this together. It really does take a village to raise a child. And to build a stronger future for us all.

I learned this a long time ago from the biggest influence in my life, my mother. She was the rock until the day I was born until she left us. She overcame a childhood marked by abandonment and mistreatment and somehow managed not to become bitter or broken. My mother believed that life is about serving others. And she taught me never to back down from a bully which it turns out was pretty good advice.

This past Saturday would have been her 97th birthday. She was born on June 4th, 1919 and some of you may know the significance of that date. On the the very day my mother was born in Chicago, Congress was passing the 19th amendment to the constitution. That amendment finally gave women the right to vote. And I really wish my mother could be here tonight.

I wish she could see what a wonderful mother Chelsea has become and could meet our beautiful granddaughter Charlotte and, of course, I wish she could see her daughter become the Democratic party's nominee.

So yes. Yes, there are still ceilings to break for women and men for all of us. But don't let anyone tell you that great things can't happen in America. Barriers can come down. Justice and equality can win. Our history has moved in that direction. Thanks to generations of Americans who refuse to give up or back down.

Now you are writing a new chapter of that story. This campaign is about making sure there are no ceilings, no limits on any of us and this is our moment to come together. Join our campaign. Contribute what you can. Text join to 47246. Help us organize in all 50 states! Every phone call you make, every door you knock on will move us forward.

Now I'm going to take a moment later tonight and the days ahead to fully absorb the history we've made here. But what I think about is the choice that's we're about to make, the goals we will strive for, the principles we will live by. And we need to make sure that they can be proud of us. The end of the primaries is only the beginning of the work we're called to do. But if we stand together, we will rise together.

Because we are stronger together. Let's go out and make that case to America. Thank you! God bless you and bless America!

GOP Turns Victory Into Humiliating Defeat

(The cartoon above is by John Cole in the Scranton Times-Tribune.)

A few days ago, it looked like the congressional Democrats had once again come near a deadline and folded (like they have too many times in the past). They had wanted to do away with the sequester cuts to the federal budget, because that austerity program was hurting the economy and stifling recovery. Once again the Democrats called for bipartisanship and begged the Republicans to negotiate a fair compromise. And once again, as they have so many times in the past five years, the Republicans refused to even consider compromise.

So, as the deadline for passing a continuing resolution to keep the government funded neared, the Democrats folded. They agreed to continue that funding at the sequestration level. The Republicans had won again. They could have taken that victory back to their teabagger base and bragged about it, but they got greedy. The victory was so easy that they became convinced they could squeeze even more out of the Democrats.

But then the Republicans overreached. They got too bold in their naked greed, and demanded the one thing the Democrats could not give them -- the destruction of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). They wanted to destroy the signature accomplishment of the Obama administration. So the House Republicans sent the Senate a continuing resolution that completely defunded Obamacare.

But with their backs to the wall, the Democrats found their backbone. They stripped the defunding of Obamacare out of the resolution and sent it back to the House. That was the only thing the Senate Democrats could do, since agreeing to destroy Obamacare was unthinkable. The Republicans should have known that's what would happen, but they were drunk with power and deluded by past victories -- and the Democratic action shocked them. Now the Republicans' blunder put them on the defensive. They could not retreat without angering their own party base, but found themselves in a fight they could not win.

They tried again. Instead of defunding Obamacare completely, they added an amendment to the continuing resolution that would just delay the implementation of Obamacare for a year. But the Democrats were having none of it. Senate Democrats realized that the Republican blunder had given them the edge in power, and they once again stripped the amendment out of the resolution and sent it back to the House.

Now the Republicans got desperate. They realized they had thrown away their victory, but couldn't retreat. So they sent a third continuing resolution to the Senate -- this time asking that only Obamacare's individual mandate be delayed for a year. It took Senate Democrats less than an hour to deal with that -- stripping the offending amendment out and returning the resolution back to the House. Then, as a last ditch effort to save face, the House Republicans asked for a conference committee to negotiate a "solution".

But the Senate Democrats quickly rejected that. They had already compromised as much as they could by agreeing to the sequestration level of funding, and they weren't about to "negotiate" any kind of damage to Obamacare. So the government was shut down, and the entire nation could see it was Republican intransigence that caused it.

Now the Republicans are left with trying to save face by passing small pieces of government funding. But that won't work either. The GOP finds itself being rightly blamed by the public for shutting down the government. They have put themselves between a rock and a hard place -- because they will have to give in sooner or later or risk damaging their party further next year in the general election. But when they do they will anger the teabaggers and might not survive a party primary. As the old saying goes, the GOP has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Now the Democrats are in the position of power. And if they're smart, they will demand the Republicans fold not only on the funding of government, but also on raising the debt ceiling. It would make no sense to get the government funded only to let the Republicans repeat this hideous exercise in a couple of weeks by trying again to hold the nation hostage on the debt ceiling issue.

I have read some articles saying the Republicans got outsmarted by Majority Leader Reid. That's just not true. The Republicans did this to themselves. They took a victory and turned it into a humiliating defeat.

Janitors Win In Houston

As you may have known, the janitors in Houston have been on strike for a livable wage. The employers, with the aid of the Houston Police Department (who arrested strikers and supporters, and ticketed drivers who honked their horns in support), tried every trick in the book to defeat the strike, but it looks like they failed. There has now been an agreement and the strike is over. The union janitors held a rally at the CWA Hall yesterday afternoon to thank their supporters. Here is the announcement sent out by the Houston Chapter of the Service Employees International Union:

Dear friends,

On Wednesday, Houston janitors reached a tentative agreement with cleaning contractors that raises wages 12 percent over four years and beat back a key demand of the contractors that would have significantly weakened the union in Houston.

“Today we proved that when workers join together, we have strength. This is a huge victory for janitors and so many workers,” said Adriana Vasquez, a bargaining committee member and janitor who works for ISS at Chase Tower. “With this new contract, our families can live a little better.”

Houston area janitors had been on strike since July 10th. Janitors had been making only $8.35 an hour, and cleaning contractors had initially offered only a 50 cent raise over 5 years. According to the agreement, janitors’ wages will increase 12 percent to $9.35 an hour over four years—double the contractors’ initial proposal. The agreement was reached with Houston’s largest cleaning contractors. Janitors are continuing to bargain with Pritchard.

Cleaning contractors had been insisting on a provision that would have allowed them to underbid union standards in any building covered by the contract—a move that would have effectively reduced wages and benefits for thousands of janitors.  However, we reached a compromise that protects wages and benefit gains that janitors have won since 2006. The changes will not adversely affect union janitors.

It’s thanks to supporters like you that we won this fight. Every phone call made to business leaders and every step marched with the janitors brought us closer to this victory.

Thank you again for all you have done.

A Hide Tanning In House District 23

Congratulations must go out to Ciro Rodriguez in House District 23 this morning, because he is now Texas' newest member of the U.S. House of Representatives. And he did it convincingly.

I have to admit that I thought this one would be a squeaker, and the Democrats would be lucky to win by a point or two. But Rodriguez had other plans -- like getting over 54% of the total vote! He took Bonilla to the woodshed and gave him an old-fashioned whuppin'. District 23 is no longer red, or even a shade of purple -- it's now a very nice shade of blue.

Thank you South Texas, and congratulations to U.S. Representative Ciro Rodriguez. It was a wonderful night. Let's hope it was a harbinger of many future Democratic victories.