Biden: “Status Quo Is Unacceptable”
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009Vice President Joe Biden says the U.S. must revamp its health care system, adding that doing nothing would be unacceptable. (:23)
Posts Tagged ‘change’
Iranians Have New Mandate: Change
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009Ken Ballen, President of Terror Free Tomorrow, says that even if President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is reelected, the people desire change (0:25).
Obama Administration Needs To Work With Latin America
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service
Sergio Bendixen, President of Bendixen and Associates; Dr Cynthia McClintock, Professor of political science and international affairs, and director of the Latin America and Hemispheric Studies Program at George Washington University, Eric Farnsworth, Vice-president of the Council of Americas and Ray Walser, senior policy analyst for Latin America in The Heritage Foundation’s Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy studies, gave testimonies today before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
The witnesses created a lot of attention, with people lining up outside to hear the testimonies on “U.S. Policy Toward Latin America in 2009 and Beyond”.
Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), said: “You can tell by the way the room is filled today the interest in the Western Hemisphere”.
Subcommittee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) opened the hearing by welcoming Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) as the committee’s new Ranking Member and then outlined some positive steps he would like the Obama administration to pursue.
“First and foremost, I believe that President Obama’s participation in April’s Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago would send an extremely positive message to the heads of the state from Latin America, to the Caribbean. Second, as Chairman Berman moves forward with foreign aid reform and the Obama administration prepares its FY 2010 budget, it is essential that we increase funding for countries in the Western Hemisphere…Third, cooperation between the US and Brazil significantly expanded during the Bush Administration. This relationship needs to be further deepened under President Obama…Fourth, we must continue to support our friends in Mexico through the Merida Initiative…Fifth, I would urge President Obama to focus on Ecuador and Paraguay…and sixth, we must continue to support disaster recovery efforts in Haiti”, Engel said.
Chairman Engel then went on to discuss the attacks in a synagogue in Caracus, Venezuela.
“On Monday, I sent a letter, along with 19 of my colleagues, to President Chavez urging him to end the bullying and harassment of the Jewish community in Venezuela and to extend the community the robust protection it deserves in light of the threats it faces. The Venezuelan government must quickly change its tune with regard to the country’s Jewish community”.
Dr McClintock said: “In Lationobarometer surveys between 2000 and 2005, approval ratings of the United States fell by more than 20 points in Ecuador, Chile, Brazil and Bolivia; more than 30 points in Mexico and Uruguay; and more than 40 points in Argentina, Paraguay, and Venezuela”.
Ray Walser commented on America’s dependence on the oil industry, with Congressman Ron Klein (D-FL) backing up his argument and stated that America needs to stop “buying oil from a country {Venezuela} that is hostile to our interests”.
The committee also discussed the American economy and its ability to assist Latin American countries. Sergio Bendixen said: “We need to be realistic. Not only about what our friends want but what Latin America wants…we have economic limitations”.
Other issues the committee discussed were the desires from the Obama administration, the April 2009 summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, human rights in Cuba, immigration, drugs control and free trade.
Eric Farnsworth suggested in his testimony that Brazil and Mexico should be allowed to join the G8. “Listening to Latin America is important…the rest of the hemisphere also has good ideas”.
Chairman Engel said: “We cannot ignore our own backyard”.
The committee hearing ended after 120 minutes as Congress was called to vote.
“Venezuelan government must quickly change its tune”
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service
This was a said at the Subcommittee meeting on the Western Hemisphere today, by committee Chairman Eliot Engel, (D-NY). February 4, 2009.
Senator John F. Kerry speaks at Climate Change Hearing
Thursday, January 29th, 2009Sen. John Kerry speaks at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Climate change and says that, “We need a transformation in public policy thinking to embrace the reality of what science is telling us.” We need to come to terms with the implications of the climate problems that we face because the consequences will be catastrophic if we don’t.(0:47)
by Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
Senator John F. Kerry speaks at Climate Change Hearing
Wednesday, January 28th, 2009Sen. John Kerry speaks at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Climate change and says that, “We need a transformation in public policy thinking to embrace the reality of what science is telling us.” We need to come to terms with the implications of the climate problems that we face because the consequences will be catastrophic if we don’t.(0:47)
by Suzia van Swol and Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
Tom Vilsack gets to work as Agriculture Secretary
Monday, January 26th, 2009By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service
Tom Vilsack, Agriculture Secretary, tells Talk Radio News Service in a conference call today what the American people can expect from his team. Vilsack today signed an ethics agreement called for by President Obama to ensure that all departments operate under transparent and collaborative government. Vilsack said: “It is vital that we have these standards in place, that they be rigorous and that they meet the expectations of the citizens and taxpayers of this country.”
Health care reform needed says James Kvaal
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009Former Congressman Bob Ney talks to James Kvaal about health care reform at Radio Row on January 19, 2009 (01:52).
Barbour: Obama, the “candidate of change,” agreed with the president
Sunday, September 28th, 2008Speaking to reporters after the first presidential debate, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour says that he found it interesting that Barack Obama, the “candidate for change,” agreed with the president on the financial crisis package, while the Democratic Party didn’t care what he had to say. (0:27)
Obama to “seize this moment’s promise”
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama discusses the many consequences of war in Iraq during foreign policy and national security speech. Obama mentions how he wants “America once again to lead.” (1:36)