Obama Announces New Sanctions Against Iran

President Obama released the following statement on Monday:

“Today, my Administration has taken yet another step to further isolate and penalize Iran for its refusal to live up to its international obligations regarding its nuclear program.  For years, the Iranian government has failed to abide by its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It has violated repeated UN Security Council resolutions, as well as its commitments to the International Atomic Energy Agency.  In the face of this intransigence, the world has spoken with one voice —at the IAEA, at the UN, and in capitals - making it clear that Iranian actions jeopardize international peace and stability, and will only further isolate the Iranian regime.”

“Today, my Administration has taken action to impose an additional cost on Iran for its actions.  New sanctions target for the first time Iran’s petrochemical sector, prohibiting the provision of goods, services, and technology to this sector and authorizing penalties against any person or entity that engages in such activity. They expand energy sanctions, making it more difficult for Iran to operate, maintain, and modernize its oil and gas sector. They also designate 11 individuals and entities for their role in assisting Iran’s prohibited nuclear programs, including its enrichment and heavy water programs.  And today we have taken the next significant step to escalate the pressure by acting under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, identifying for the first time, the entire Iranian banking sector – including the Central Bank of Iran – as a threat to governments or financial institutions that do business with Iranian banks.  We are joined in this action by the United Kingdom and Canada, who have also acted to cut off Iran from their financial systems today.  I welcome these steps and encourage all of our partners to do the same.”

“As President one of my highest national security priorities is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, including to the Iranian government. Since taking office, I have made it clear that the United States is prepared to begin a new chapter with the Islamic Republic of Iran, offering the Iranian government a clear choice.  It can fulfill its international obligations and reap the benefits of greater economic and political integration with countries around the world, or it can continue to defy its responsibilities and face even more pressure and isolation.  Iran has chosen the path of international isolation.  As long as Iran continues down this dangerous path, the United States will continue to find ways, both in concert with our partners and through our own actions to isolate and increase the pressure upon the Iranian regime.”

House Dem Defends White House's Approach To Deficit Talks

By Mike Hothi

Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) said Friday that he remains hopeful that the so-called “super committee” will come to an agreement on a $1.3 trillion deficit reduction plan by Thanksgiving.

Larson told reporters that he hopes the committee focuses on growing the economy, saying more jobs leads to more tax revenue.

“By putting the country back to work, more than a third of the revenue needed to lower the deficit comes into play,” he said. “That’s the hugest amount of money coming into our coffers to deal with our deficit.”

Larson defended President Obama against criticism that he’s been detached from the negotiations so far.

“The President learned a lesson,” Larson said, referring to this past summer’s debt limit standoff, in which Obama thought he had struck a deal with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on a large deficit reduction package, only to see it fall apart.

Obama “had the carpet pulled out from underneath him,” Larson said.

On other issues, Larson actually commended House Republicans for scheduling a vote later today on a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, but called it a “bridge too far for a lot of Democrats” to support.

Obama Signs Temporary Spending Bill

President Barack Obama signed legislation Friday that will keep the government funded through December 16^th.

The continuing resolution, the latest in a series of temporary spending bills, was included in a legislative package alongside appropriations bills for several government agencies- Agriculture, Justice, Transportation, Commerce and Housing and Urban Development.

On Thursday, the bill passed through the House with a 298-121 vote and through the Senate 70 to 30. The measure, priced at approximately $130 billion, is a clean extension of current funding levels.

Obama Welcomes Election Year Healthcare Ruling

A White House spokesman told reporters in Hawaii Monday that President Obama is not bothered by the Supreme Court’s decision to rule on his Affordable Care Act in the middle of an intense re-election campaign next year.

When asked whether Obama is worried about the timing of the ruling on his signature legislative accomplishment so far in office, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said simply, “he’s not.”

Earnest said that the White House is encouraged by the news that the healthcare law, which has slowly made its way through the federal court system, will be reviewed by the High Court. He added that the individual mandate, the heart of the law that has been challenged by many, will ultimately be judged constitutional.

“There is a political calculation that was reached by the opponents of the Affordable Care Act to pick this fight,” Earnest said. “We are confident that it’s something that’s going to be upheld by the Supreme Court.”

Obama Weighs In On Penn State Scandal

By Mike Hothi

President Obama weighed in on the Penn State sexual abuse scandal Sunday, accusing the school of putting too strong an emphasis on their own prestige.

“What happened at Penn State indicates that at a certain point, folks start thinking about systems and institutions and don’t think about individuals,” Obama said during a press conference in Hawaii

“Evil can thrive in the world just by good people standing by and doing nothing,” Obama added. “And all of us I think have occasion where we see something that’s wrong, we’ve got to make sure that we step up.”

The scandal is centered on Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who allegedly sexually assaulted a child in a school locker room.

The incident was reported the it to head coach Joe Paterno the following day. Paterno then reported the assault to university administrators who dealt with the matter internally.

Amid allegations of a coverup, Paterno was fired last week and two of the University’s administrators resigned.