We have already started 2021 off with Capitol riots, our Commander in Chief getting Impeached for the SECOND time, and Inauguration Day. Yes, President Biden is now the 46th president of the United States of America. And as the current president, he has already started signing executive orders. Quite a lot, actually. Oh boy, here we go. 



The most basic question to ask at the moment is, "What is an executive order?" Well, here's your answer. An executive order is just like what it sounds like. Orders produced by the President, head of the executive branch- that are generally directed to, and govern actions, by Government officials and agencies. Okay, maybe it's not what it sounds like. To clarify, it's a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law. Executive Orders are issued by the White House and are used to direct the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government. It states mandatory requirements for the Executive Branch and has the effect of law. Here's an example of an executive order. ( Or two, or three)


Some of the most notable executive orders in the past include President Franklin D Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 ( February 19, 1942), which authorized the mass internment of Japanese Americans during WWII; President Harry S. Truman's Executive Order 9981, which abolished racial segregation in the U.S. military; and President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Executive Order 10730, which dispatched federal troops to protect the civil rights of the Little Rock Nine during the integration of Little Rock's Central High School. 


So far, as of today, President Biden has signed 30 executive orders. So, I'm going to list the top 5 which I think are the most important. This is for two reasons. One, it's a better idea to point out the most important and key ones rather than all. Two, I don't have enough energy to write about all 30.

  1. Executive Order on Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security

Section 1 ( Purpose):

  • " The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  To that end, this order creates the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President and takes other steps to organize the White House and activities of the Federal Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future biological and pandemic threats." - White House

Section 2: (  Organizing the White House to Combat COVID-19. COVID-19 Response Coordinator)


Reason: One word to sum up 2020 is, Coronavirus. When we look back to 2020, we will forever remember what the pandemic did to our lives. There were huge numbers of deaths, and every day there were more cases reported than the last. Seeing how bad the virus was this time, the one next time will very much be much, much worse. We need to make sure we have some sort of firm plan and strategy for next time so that we don't go through something worse.


2.  Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing  

 

Section 1 ( Policy): 

  • "It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures.  Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing... Put simply, masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives." - White House

Section 3: ( Encouraging Masking across America)


Reason: Even though a vaccine is out, we must still wear masks to protect ourselves from the pandemic. Even though it shouldn't be forced, it should be HIGHLY encouraged. Hopefully, if we encourage people to do so, they will agree to wear masks. They should still have an option on whether they want to or not, but encouraging helps as well. Especially now. Now that we are slowly, very slowly, fighting back against the virus, we shouldn't stop what safety measures we were doing. 




3. Executive Order on the Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities

Section 1 ( Policy): 

  • "Immigrants have helped strengthen America’s families, communities, businesses and workforce, and economy, infusing the United States with creativity, energy, and ingenuity.  The task of enforcing the immigration laws is complex and requires setting priorities to best serve the national interest.  The policy of my Administration is to protect national and border security, address the humanitarian challenges at the southern border, and ensure public health and safety.  We must also adhere to due process of law as we safeguard the dignity and well-being of all families and communities.  My Administration will reset the policies and practices for enforcing civil immigration laws to align enforcement with these values and priorities. " - White House

Reason: America is like a Melting pot. ( I think of crayons when I hear this.) America is America because immigrants from all around the world come together, sharing just a little bit of their culture, their style, their flavor, and blending it with other cultures. Everything comes together, and you have America. It's where a small crayon shaving from each country gets added to this melting pot to create something truly amazing.  Without it, it doesn't feel right. Immigrants shouldn’t be treated harshly when they come. They should feel safe when coming and not threatened or worried that something would happen to them.  

4. Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers

Section 1 ( Policy):

  • “ Every student in America deserves a high-quality education in a safe environment.  This promise, which was already out of reach for too many, has been further threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic.  School and higher education administrators, educators, faculty, child care providers, custodians, and other staff, and families have gone above and beyond to support children’s and students’ learning and meet their needs during this crisis… However, leadership and support from the Federal Government are needed.  Two principles should guide the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with respect to schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and higher education institutions.  First, the health and safety of children, students, educators, families, and communities is paramount.  Second, every student in the United States should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, during and beyond the pandemic.”- White House

Reason:  When the topic of reopening schools first came up, the president decided to hand it over to the state governors and let them decide. The state governors then decide to give it to school districts. They both passed down such an important thing to school districts, and let them decide what they want to do. It may be a pro, but I feel that it's more like a con. If the federal government had taken this matter into its own hands from the beginning, it wouldn’t have been a problem now. Cases of COVID are popping up in schools, one after the other, and I think it would have been better if the federal government had originally taken this into their own hands instead of handing it down, twice. 


5.  Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act

Section 1 ( Policy): 

  • “ In the 10 years since its enactment, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has reduced the number of uninsured Americans by more than 20 million, extended critical consumer protections to more than 100 million people, and strengthened and improved the Nation’s healthcare system.  At the same time, millions of people who are potentially eligible for coverage under the ACA or other laws remain uninsured, and obtaining insurance benefits is more difficult than necessary.  For these reasons, it is the policy of my Administration to protect and strengthen Medicaid and the ACA and to make high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every American.” - White House


Section 2 ( Special Enrollment Period): 

  • “The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered historic public health and economic crisis.  In January of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency.  In March of 2020, the President declared a national emergency.  Although almost a year has passed, the emergency continues — over 5 million Americans have contracted the disease in January 2021, and thousands are dying every week.  Over 30 million Americans remain uninsured, preventing many from obtaining necessary health services and treatment…”

Reason: The ACA has helped many in the past ( not too long ago) for people who were in need of medical help and were uninsured. It helped reduce the number ( of uninsured Americans) by more than 20 million and was taken out. It’s a good thing that it will be reinstated and strengthened at this time, for COVID patients that are uninsured. Many, many Americans ( 30 mill. +) do not get the medical treatment and necessary health services required for COVID, simply because they are uninsured.  I think it will help to reduce the number of Americans dying from COVID if they get treated even without insurance. Yes, there will be more cases, but at least they will be treated and given the necessary health services to help them. 


I am truly sorry for posting this a week late. It just took a while to make sure I had everything in order and I had the right sources to update me and so on. I had to cut down the number of executive orders mentioned to save time, but I have linked a MarketWatch link with a list of key executive orders and a link from the White House with a list of the presidential actions and more details on it.  ( I have also added the link for each order listed after the first section.) I hope you are well, bye!



Sources:

Britannica- Executive orders


White House- Presidential Actions


https://www.marketwatch.com/story/all-of-president-bidens-key-executive-orders-in-one-chart-2021-01-21


Today's post is on the members of Mr. Biden's Cabinet. Below is a table of all the Cabinet members and my opinion on them. ( I know this is not yet completed, but this is what I have so far. I had to finish since it's getting late and because I'm really exhausted. Like, my brain isn't even helping me process my thoughts properly and I'm spacing out. I'll update this tomorrow, and have the full, completed list ready. Bye!  )


Cabinet member

Info/opinion

Secretary of State: Antony Blinken

Bio: Mr. Blinken has held senior foreign policy positions in two administrations over the two decades. He has a recurring mantra: the U.S. should work with its allies and within international treaties and organizations. He also views U.S. leadership in multilateral institutions as essential. He has spent a 6-year term in the Senate with Mr. Biden and has strong ties to other, close Biden advisors.

Opinion:

https://www.politico.eu/article/nine-things-to-think-about-antony-blinken/

Secretary of Treasury: Janet Yellen

Bio: https://www.federalreservehistory.org/people/janet-l-yellen

Secretary of Defense: Lloyd Austin

Bio: Mr. Austin is a retired American four-star Army general who served as the 12th commander of United States Central Command. He was greatly involved in the internal U.S. discussions and the negotiations with the Iraqi Government leading up to the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement. The would-be the first Black defense secretary. 


Opinion: 


Attorney General: Merrick Garland

Bio:  Mr. Garland is an American lawyer and jurist who serves as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The New York Times reported, "Mr. Biden’s choice reflects his respect for Mr. Garland’s reputation as a centrist and his belief that he can restore the Justice Department’s independence and inspire a deeply demoralized workforce."

Opinion:

Secretary of Interior: Deb Haaland

Bio: Ms. Haaland is a member of the U.S. House, representing New Mexico's 1st Congressional District. In a press release, Biden’s office said, “Haaland is a barrier-breaking public servant who has spent her career fighting for families, including in Tribal Nations, rural communities, and communities of color...”If confirmed, she will be the first Native American Cabinet secretary.


Opinion: I’m not sure if Ms. Haaland is the right nominee for Secretary of Interior. Yes, she has spent her career fighting for families of rural communities and of color, but I’m not sure if that is enough experience for this. 


 

Secretary of Agriculture: Tim Vilsack

Bio: Mr. Vilsack has held 0m

.this position before in the Obama administration from 2009-2017. As head of the USDA, Mr. Vilsack was responsible for implementing programs that provided "leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management."


Opinion: Mr. Vilsack has indeed put as much as he can into supporting programs that provide food, agriculture, natural resources, etc., and has really dedicated a lot to it. I think he is the right nominee for this. 

Secretary of Commerce: Gina Raimondo



Bio: Ms. Raimondo served as the general partner of Point Judith Capital, a venture capital firm headquartered in Rhode Island. The New York Times reported that Ms. Raimondo "is seen as a relatively traditional choice for commerce secretary, a post that oversees relations with the business community but also technology regulation, weather monitoring and the gathering of economic data, among other duties."

Opinion: To be honest, currently I am not sure what to expect from Ms. Raimondo. I don’t have enough information/ evidence to actually make an opinion so, for now, only time will tell. 

Secretary of Labor: Martin Walsh

Bio: Mr. Walsh was previously a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, serving in that office from 1997 until 2014 and representing the Thirteenth Suffolk district. He was the Chairman of the Committee on Ethics and served as a Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party Labor Caucus.


Opinion: 

Secretary of Health and Human Services: Xavier Becerre

Bio:Mr. Becerre is an American politician and lawyer serving as the 33rd and current Attorney General of California since 2017. He previously was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Downtown Los Angeles in Congress from 1993 to 2017. 

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Marcia Fudge


Bio: Ms. Fudge is a member of the U.S. House, representing Ohio's 11th Congressional District. Ms. Fudge has also served as chief of staff to U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones during Jones's first term in Congress. 

Opinion:

Secretary of Transportation: Pete Buttigieg



Bio: Mr. Buttigieg is an American politician and former U.S. Navy intelligence officer. Mr. Biden said in a statement, "Jobs, infrastructure, equity, and climate all come together at the DOT, the site of some of our most ambitious plans to build back better. I trust Mayor Pete to lead this work with focus, decency, and a bold vision — he will bring people together to get big things done."


Opinion:

Secretary of Energy: Jennifer Granholm


Bio: Ms. Ganholm is a Canadian-born American politician, lawyer, educator, author, and political commentator. She clerked for U.S. Judge Damon Keith on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1990 she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. In 1994, she was appointed Wayne County Corporation Counsel. 


Opinion: 

Secretary of Education: Miguel Cardona


Bio: Mr. Cardona is an American educator who has served as the Connecticut Commissioner of education since 2019. He began his career in education as an elementary school teacher. Mr. Cardona then became the youngest principal in Connecticut at the age of 28. 


Opinion: I think that Mr. Biden made a good decision in nominating Mr. Cardona to be Secretary of education. Even though he may or may not have a lot of knowledge and experience in politics, he was an education” figure”. To know how to do something is different from experiencing it. This is similar to Mr. Cardona. Even though he may or may not be as experienced as the other members in politics, he knows schools and what it is like being a teacher, and how things will affect kids.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Denis McDonough

Bio: Mr. McDonough is a former White House chief of staff, serving in the Obama administration.

Secretary of Homeland Security: Alejandro Mayorkas



https://ballotpedia.org/Joe_Biden_presidential_transition

 H-hey! This blog may be short but I wanna know your thoughts. So if you may or may not know, I am a writer. Well, duh, I blog. But I also write novels and stories. (I'm not very good at finishing them though.) I am a huge fan of non-fiction and fantasy stories, so you can always expect some crazy imaginative idea in them, but yesterday- actually a few nights ago- I had an idea and I was like, dang brain, you're genius! I don't read a lot of realistic fiction, but I was reading something that gave me this idea and I really like it. 

The title is called, When Can I See You Again? and it's a book on a girl who lives an everyday, normal life. She goes to college and has a job. She has good friends and stays out of trouble. But one day she gets into a car accident, and she loses her sight. She's blind. Her life goes through so many changes and her world is turned upside-down by these struggles. Can she accept her new life and the way she is, or will she forever be troubled by the event? 

I originally wanted the main character to have some medical disease but I wasn't sure how I was going to write such struggles without knowing what it actually is like. I don't want to write something wrong or false, or even something that can offend others. I think "blindness" was a safer option. (Please note, I'm not trying to say anything harmful about blind people or people who cannot see. They are also struggling, and I just thought it would be easier to write on blindness, than on a life-threatening medical disease.) 

Anyway, I just wanted to know your thoughts on this idea and the ideas you have on how the plot could move forward. Here is a snippet of chapter one. ( This is what I have so far. There may be some grammar mistakes and things I need to take out, but this is what I have so far.) 

When Can I See You Again?

 

My name is Serendipity Esma Williams. I know. My first two names are savvy and unique whilst I have a bland last name. People often question how I got my name. I’m not sure. My parents say that I was an unexpected good fortune in their lives or something. I don’t care. As long as I can find a good nickname for it, it’s not a big deal. Usually, I’d ask people to call me Esma, but now I’ve been asking them to call me Ren. It’s boy-ish but who says it can’t be a girl’s name? I’m currently 19 and am living with my two close colleagues and friends: Evangeline “Evans” Bennet and Mari “Mar” Tartal. 

 I’m a stickler for nicknames as I just can’t stand addressing people close to me with a formal name. Evans and Mar don’t mind. They’ve seen enough to know this is the most normal thing about me. I’ve lived with them for about 3 years, after wanting to get away from my family to become independent. Not as independent as I expected. Evans and Mar take care of me like a baby even though I’m months older than them. I always try to act more mature and start the day off by cooking a breakfast buffet for them and helping them get ready. Yet in the end, they’re the ones sending me to bed early so I wake up for college on time. I have a normal life- with normal friends and lifestyle- and thought it would stay the same. Oh how I was wrong.

If you remember, maybe or maybe not, I wrote a post on legally vs. ethically, and another one shortly after. This goes back to that post, so if you haven't checked it out, here's the link. ( ICE link and My voice. - both also relate to this topic) 

Anyway, I want to talk about ethically vs. legally vs. morally because it plays a key factor in the Capitol riots and in the company firings. People are being fired for participating in the riots or even for agreeing with the riots. But why?  This is where these three parts come in. Let's first go to the start of all this. When President Trump told people to go to the Capitol. People have the right to excise their first amendment as much as they want, but there's a line to this. There's a line to everything. Let's ask: Why is President Trump wrong in this? President Trump is, well, the president. He's a public figure which everyone knows and has an influence on others. People will listen to him. People look up to him or even other public figures and look to their influence. It would have been fine if President Trump wasn't a public figure, but because he is, it was wrong of him to tell people to go to the Capitol. Think of it this way. ( WW2 reference)

During WW2, were all the Germans at fault for their heinous crimes and actions? No. In a battle, soldiers are only following the order given by their superiors such as generals or commanders. They aren't doing anything wrong, just following the order given by someone who has an influence. This is the same as the Germans. They only did these things under the influence of Adolf Hitler. He was a public figure and had quite a way with words, which heavily influenced a lot of the actions committed by the Germans. Don't read this wrong. I'm saying that the influence President Trump has as a public figure is strong, and people will listen and will follow him. His responsibility as a public figure was "broken". But also, it is the people who are also at fault. President Trump should have been stopped possibly years ago before he became a public figure. We don't know the future or what could happen, but we should have stopped him long ago. 


Why are the rioters also at fault? It's because they crossed the line of their First Amendment. Of course, they were LEGALLy allowed to exercise their rights, but ethically it was wrong. They made the wrong decision in following what President Trump said. What they did was disrespectful and incredibly shocking. People stormed the Capitol and disrupted the electoral vote counting. They threw desks and pedestals over and vandalized the building. Here is the line they have crossed. The line that when crossed, does not protect them.
" Speech provoking actions that would harm others-true incitement and/or threats- is also not protected, but again determining what words have qualified as true incitement was been decided on a case-by-case basis."

 This is exactly what happened. Let's move on to businesses. Businesses have been firing people because of their morales. When companies hire someone, they look at their morals and intentions. They want to hire people with the right intentions and morals when doing something. A Texas attorney was fired because he made a post supporting what the rioters did. Legally he did nothing wrong. Nothing wrong at all. he stayed within the limits of his first amendment, but he got fired because he should NOT have said it. It was not right to make that post. If the companies kept the peopel who did something like this, people would question their morals. They would wonder what company would hire people who would riot the Capitol. Not many peopel would come to work for them. And so, that is why they would fire the workers. Not because of the legal acts or not, but the morales. ( Well, maybe legal acts. They can't just hire someone who was in prison for getting away with murder or something.) Everything is a question between legally or ethically. Is it legal to do this, and even, is it right? Is it the right morale or not?

 It's been about a day, since the Capitol riots and there have been millions or even thousands of Twitter and Facebook and social media posts about the event. Even though it's such a serious matter and topic, people have been making "jokes" about it which I have to agree with. On Twitter people have been starting lists of what is more heavily protected than the Capitol. Some examples were: Black Haircare products, Password Journals, baby formula, etc. Even though it's a serious topic, it is true. Black Haircare products are protected well and not the Capitol, an important government building? Well, the Capitol IS protected. It's just that they were not prepared during the attack. I find it perplexing and ridiculous. 

During BLM there were officers and military guards standing outside the Capitol, each step shadowed by an officer. They had their defense up. They were ready. They were prepared. What happened this time? Maybe they were off guard by the sudden attack from their fellow Americans. Maybe this was one of the least expected scenarios though. But why? When handicapped people were protesting about health care teh officers and guards dragged them out of the Capitol. Why didn't they do that this time? 

The amount of disrespect during the riot is unbelievable! A man was wearing a sweatshirt about Camp Auschwitz, a jew concentration camp, INSIDE the Capitol. Not only that, people brought a  CONFEDERATE flag into the Capitol. This is the first time the Confederate flag has appeared in the Capitol in U.S. History. Hundreds of years ago, lives were lost in an attempt to make sure this flag never appeared in the Capitol, and now it has. The FBI has already started finding the people who were part of this shocking event. And this is where the geniuses of our country come in. I think the ones who will get found first are the ones who made themselves the most noticeable. The crazy bull-horn guy who painted his face the American flag, the guy wearing the Camp Auschwitz hoodie, and even the guy who wore his WORK ID there. Seriously?! I mean, sir, it feels like you are making yourself get caught. 

Apart from all of that, the most shocking part of this is President Trump's actions. He has tweeted 3 posts that say he loves those rioters for doing this and told the rioters in the first place to go do this. There are tweets and posts on President Trump's term and how he was first given and now left the Capitol. 

Twitter post: https://mobile.twitter.com/liddiebajiggie/status/1347053549230944260/photo/1?ref_url=https%3a%2f%2ftwitter.com%2f

Here are the photos.

This is a before picture of the Capitol when President Trump was inaugurated.


And now, here is the after photo of how he has left it.




https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-significance-of-the-confederate-flag-waved-inside-the-us-capitol-7137213/

On Wednesday, January 6th, and January 5th, 2021, there has been a breach in the capital. A breach. In the U.S. CAPITOL. Riots from pro-Trump supporters made their way into the United States Capitol. A place where the House of Representatives and Senate seat. Where they come together to discuss, debate and consider national policy. 

The motivation of these supporters was to prevent the inauguration of President-elect Biden and to prevent the electoral count. They want to resist Mr. Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. 

The President himself told the mob himself to march up to Capitol Hill and stop them from counting the electoral votes. A building with levels and floors and corners heavily secured and protected by the police was raided and stormed into by Americans. They had not only breached into the Capitol but made their way to teh Chamber where the votes were being counted. People were hanging from the building walls, climbing into the Capitol, barging through rooms, pushing pedestals, and even putting their feet up on desks. It's incredibly disrespectful and terrifying. Why weren't the security and police expecting this? Why weren't they prepared? What went wrong?! Shouldn't it be their job to prevent things like this from happening? The Senate floor, a sacred room for handling legislative work, heavily guarded by security was stormed into. It's madness and unbelievable. It's an attack on democracy! 

A woman was shot and lost her life from this whilst others have been wounded. Tear gas has once again been released as an effort to clear the mob. If this keeps going on more lives will be lost. More Americans will be injured. Members of our government almost were injured today as they tried to evacuate the building. Senate representatives and House members were told to wear gas masks and needed to get out of the building safely. They were told to stay in rooms and studios, away from windows that could shatter any minute by protestors, and remained there for almost an hour and a half. Please, listen! 

Yes, you've lost the election. Yes, President Trump lost and will not be the next president. Yes, you are upset, but please get over it. This is not right! An innocent life has been lost from this and many others have been badly injured and wounded. This is utter chaos and madness! This is not right at all. President Trump, please listen to those around you. Your family members and advisors. Please listen to the ones who are trying to convince you to call this off. These protestors are believing in everything you say. They are following you, and this is not ta all right! Mr. President this is not the right leadership. Please, stop! Yes, you are upset and believe that the election was rigged, but how much longer will you say this?! It has been proven many times. Mr. Biden will be the next President of the United States. This has gone too far! Way too far! Calling a mob of protestors, believing in you, and supporting you when you say that the election was fake and telling them to storm Capitol Hill is not at all right. Not at all!




President Trump has been tweeting about this, thanking the supporters and saying that they love them. Twitter has even locked President Trump's account for 12 hours. 

 

It's an attack on democracy. It's outrageous! This is not American. This is not the way to do things! It is very dishonorable, disrespectful, shocking, and outrageous. 


Senate and House chambers raided:

https://www.msnbc.com/mtp-daily/watch/watch-protesters-reach-the-floor-of-the-house-and-senate-chambers-98943557849

Live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f437y6UVjD8

President Trump's message:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_JxN9CwIMU