Biden: Iraqis Ready To Take Charge

Vice President Joe Biden applauded the success of the United States military in Iraq and said the people of Iraq are ready to step up to the plate and “take charge” of their country.

At a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Indianapolis Monday, the Vice-President expressed his confidence in the Iraqi people and said that political leaders must rise up and match the commitment made by the people.

“It’s time for them to match the courage of their citizens,” Biden said. “I’m absolutely confident that Iraq will form a national unity government that will be able to sustain that country.”

Despite U.S. success in Iraq, the omnipresent statement seems to echo from the mouths of all political leaders addressing the issue; the war is not over.

“Drawing down our troops does not mean disengaging from Iraq,” Biden said. “In fact, quite the opposite is true.”

Biden’s address comes just eight days before President Barack Obama plans to address the military’s official transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn on the last day of the month.

Biden Takes Jab At Bunning

By Sofia Sanchez- University of New Mexico/ Talk Radio News Service

Vice President Joe Biden managed to take a jab Friday at Republican Senator Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), who recently acted to block a Democratic move to extend unemployment insurance.

“One of the things I am really disappointed in is that right now a single Republican Senator is standing up in the chamber that I worked in for a long, long time filibustering ... the extension of unemployment insurance," said Biden. "If he succeeds, one million people next month will be thrown off the unemployment rolls and into despair.”

Bunning has stated that he is not opposed to the extension in principle, but would like it to be covered through Recovery Act funds. He has come under fire for using profanity while voicing his displeasure on the Senate floor.

The unemployment package was set up to extend unemployment insurance and health benefits for those out of work until April 5th. The Senate adjourned Thursday without passing the legislation. Benefits for many are due to expire Sunday.

“I wish that Senator [Bunning] would think about how that man or woman is going to explain to their kids, how they are going to get by the next three, four, five, seven months,” said Biden.

Biden's remarks came during an appearance with White House Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag marking the close of first year of the “Middle Class Task Force," which the Vice President has steered.

“The irony here is while we are making progress in the task force, because of a single senator in the United States Senate, ... there is going to be an immediate hurt on a lot of people."

Obama Wants You to Go Back to School

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

President Barack Obama
Photo by Michael Ruhl

Today President Barack Obama announced a new effort to stimulate tomorrow’s economy by reviving higher education through expanding Pell Grants and removing barriers to success. The public face for his new initiative is to be Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice-President Joe Biden and Community College Professor.

Obama’s plan, detailed at opportunity.gov, would help the unemployed go back to school to build new skill sets, with the goal of helping them gain future employment through specialized technical training.

“The idea here is to fundamentally change our approach to unemployment in this country, so that it’s no longer just a time to look for a new job, but is also a time to prepare yourself for a better job,” Obama said. “Our unemployment system should be not just a safety net, but a stepping stone to a new future.”

Among the barriers to success that the President wants to break down are state programs in which a worker might lose temporary financial support if they were to enroll in an education program. Obama said that in some places a worker may be unemployed, but may not qualify for federal assistance to get an education because of the salary they had a year ago but no longer make. The President said that he is committed to working with states to change these laws.

The President said that knowledge is the most valuable skill that one can sell. He encouraged all Americans to aim for getting at least 1 year of higher education, whether it is a community college, a four year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship.

“By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world,” Obama said optimistically.

This announcement came on the same day as the release of April’s unemployment statistics, which saw the loss of more than half a million jobs. The unemployment rate for April was 8.9 percent, up from 8.5 percent in March and 8.1 percent in February. April's numbers have already surpassed both the White House's and the Federal Reserve's projections for all of 2009, which were 8.1 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively.

Acknowledging that unemployment is as its highest rate in 25 years, the President urged patience, reminding us that the economic problems didn’t happen overnight, and couldn’t be fixed immediately.

“We’re still in the midst of a recession that was years in the making and will be months or even years in the unmaking,” Obama said. He continued, “We should expect further job losses in the months to come.”

Obama said that the Economic Stimulus Package is yielding real results, manifest in higher consumer spending and home sales, and an increase in construction spending. He praised the Recovery Act, and said, “Because of this plan, cops are still on the beat and teachers are still in the classroom; shovels are breaking ground and cranes dot the sky; and new life has been breathed into private companies.”

Fixing the economy and reforming education are two goals Obama has set for his administration. He said that in the weeks to come he would start working towards more education initiatives.