Nelson Mandela’s struggle against South African apartheid inspired millions. And his great call for justice and equality continues to resonate around the world, as new generations of young people pursue the ideals he embraced.
Earlier today in Johannesburg, President Obama paid tribute to a hero and a leader — and spoke about the path that’s still ahead.
It’s a powerful, moving speech. Watch this tribute to Nelson Mandela:
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| In this week’s address, President Obama says that before Congress leaves for vacation, they should extend unemployment benefits for 1.3 million hardworking Americans who will lose this lifeline at the end of the year. |
Click here to watch this week’s Weekly Address.
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Economic Mobility: On Wednesday, the President spoke about the growing inequality and lack of upward mobility in the United States. “The idea that so many children are born into poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth is heartbreaking enough,” the President said.
But the idea that a child may never be able to escape that poverty because she lacks a decent education or health care, or a community that views her future as their own, that should offend all of us and it should compel us to action. We are a better country than this.
The President called reversing this lack of upward mobility the defining challenge of our time and said he is driven to expanding opportunity to ensure that if you work hard, you have a chance to get ahead. Click here to read his full remarks.
The passing of Nelson Mandela: Thursday evening President Obama delivered a statement on the passing of former South African President and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. “We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again,” the President said. “So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love; to never discount the difference that one person can make; to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.”
White House Youth Summit: The White House held a Youth Summit on Wednesday, where youth leaders from across the country gathered to discuss issues important to their generation, including the Affordable Care Act. They participated in panels and breakout workshops with administration officials, and even had a surprise drop by from the President.
I look around the room and I see a lot of leaders who are going to be leading the charge well into the future on a whole range of issues. Don’t get discouraged. Be persistent. You may get a few gray hairs as a consequence — but I think at the end of the day you’ll think it’s worth it.
Holidays at the White House: Over the weekend, the Official White House Christmas tree was delivered to the White House by a horse-drawn carriage. The 18 1/2-foot high and nearly 11-foot-wide Douglas Fir tree is decorated in honor of military families and displayed in the Blue Room. Another National Christmas tree will be lit tonight at the 91st annual holiday tree lighting ceremony, which features a talented line-up of performers.
On Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed military families to the White House to preview this year’s holiday decor, centered on the theme ‘Gather Around: Stories of the Season.’
The President and First Lady joined a long line of past presidents in celebrating Hanukkah on Thursday. The two Hanukkah receptions included a candle lighting ceremony and a kosher meal.
You can check out more holiday happenings at the White House and find some holiday crafts here.
World AIDS Day: The White House hung a red ribbon from the North Portico on Monday to mark World AIDS Day. The President spoke in South Court auditorium
Each exhibition features a narrative which links the archive material together to unlock the different perspectives, nuances and tales behind these events. Among others you’ll see:
As with the other archives that we’ve helped bring onto the Internet, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, you can zoom in to see photos in great detail and search through millions of items for a specific country, person, event or date. Watch our video for some guidance about how to find your way around the exhibitions.
The historical collections are the latest chapter in the work of the Google Cultural Institute, following the Art Project, World Wonders and the Nelson Mandela archives. We’re working closely with museums, foundations and other archives around the world to make more cultural and historical material accessible online and by doing so preserve it for future generations.
You can explore the many exhibitions at www.google.com/culturalinstitute. You can also follow us on our Google+ page. What you see today is just the start, so if you’re a partner interested in contributing your own exhibitions, please fill out this form.
Posted by Mark Yoshitake, Product Manager, Google Cultural Institute
What’s the Word? 
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For most people, prison is punishment. For a few, it becomes a badge of honor.
One Member of Congress told me that every few years, he gets arrested. So that people can see whose side he’s on.
Eugene Debs was sentenced to ten years in prison for protesting against United States involvement in World War I. Debs ran for President from prison, and he received almost a million votes (3.4% of the total).
And on March 11, 1986, on his 21st birthday, you would have found Jesse Jackson, Jr. in jail, for protesting at the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C., against apartheid in South Africa.
Both before and after that, if you wanted to find Jesse Jackson, Jr. at lunchtime on Thursdays, you wouldn’t go looking for him in a diner or a fast-food joint. You’d find him at 444 N. Michigan Avenue, in Chicago, in front of the South African Consulate, protesting against apartheid. Week after week after week. The protests at the Consulate started in 1977, and they went on for more than a decade.
The protests ended only after Nelson Mandela was released from his 27 years of incarceration – another badge of honor. On the day of his release, Mandela made a speech that was broadcast around the world. Mandela called for peace and reconciliation. On the stage with Mandela that day was Jesse Jackson, Jr.
For the past quarter-century, in one way or another, Jesse Jackson, Jr. has devoted himself to the causes of justice, equality and peace. He is the kind of Democrat that Democrats always ask for: tough, fearless, compassionate and unstoppable.
He faces a serious challenge in his primary on Tuesday, from a former Democratic Member of Congress.
He needs our help. He deserves our help. Let’s help him.
Remember, we don’t just need more Democrats. We need more Democrats, and better ones. We can’t let one who is this good slip away.
Courage,
Paid for and Authorized by the Committee to Elect Alan Grayson
Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the Chanllenger Space Shuttle tradgedy with thoughts of the families of our 7 Astronauts.
It has been a couple of days, The President and his SOTU address is all over the air-waves and as talking heads debate, interpret and beat down the ” WintheFuture. “ plan. It was odd to hear that the President’s “WintheFuture” plan was leaked but can imagine that the numerous right of center reporters were excited and ready to write their articles to disapprove of the President’s plan way before he gave the SOTU address let alone “WintheFuture and while Sarah Palin took a swipe at it she also made herself look less than Presidential material.
The Plan, “WintheFuture” did not stray too far away from his original statements in 2009 in my opinion but it did include an obvious roadmap at what needs to get done and how to get it done. The reports are that polls taken after the SOTU were great with Cnn reports 84% felt the SOTU was positive, 52% were very positive and CBS reported that 91% agreed to and liked the President’s proposals. We the People need to push shove and the most important would be to call our Congress to move “WintheFuture” through so issues like abortion can be dealt with and the Dream Act, education, energy, and climate change can be more than just possible laws but realities. However, the Republican Tea Party managed to waste time for 2 years and continues to in hope for enough negative outcomes, negative responses by tea partiers, comrades and voters trying to make Obama fail in 2012.
It is entirely possible that Republicans are not reading or listening to the news and or Polls because they definitely are not giving credit and or respect to the American people’s ability to ferret out the slight of hand these folks are engaging in. It is encouraging to see that more and more Americans like the new Health Care Law though if you spoke to Republicans they seem stuck in their midterm election win and not the change of attitude by even their own constituents. It is obvious the HoneyMoon is over but will the Republican Tea Party is it and accept they have gone to far right of center.
I still feel the house of Bush and Republicans are completely responsible for the state of our economy. Apparently, people like Glenn beck got it; some Conservatives seem to be avoiding or walking away from Bush, stating that big spending big government happened, but if we get back into office, we will not do it again but the fact is they keep saying they want to go back to 2006 so the lesson was obviously not learned.
I have been listening to both sides since the midterm election and have heard nothing-different coming out of the mouths of Republicans, Conservatives and or the tea party movement that sounds anything different from the Bush Administration. We the People need to call our Members of Congress and ask; whose side are you on because 53% voted this President in and knew exactly what we were doing but the Republican Tea Party definitely are not listening because it would interupt their move to PRIVATIZE everything. Americans, over half voted for change we can believe in. I for one would love it if the Republican Tea Party stopped holding up our President’s ability to govern, stop being Obstructionists that have now defined who and what Republicans stand for.
The Democratic Political Party needs to come together… negotiate, support and pass the issues our President campaigned on. We pay Congress to create, make and pass laws. There were a lot of folks left of center who seemed at odds with President Obama before the midterms and threatened to hold their votes hostage if he did not do as they wanted whiched seemed awfully childish to me and the other push was for President Obama to use his pen of power to get things done. In my opinion the push toward getting the President to use Executive Order to get things done is not in our best interest because it would make the law subject to being repealed way too easily. I also feel that having Congress do what we all pay them for is just plain ole common sense.
my take
Other News …
**Tea Parties first caucus recruits about 4 people …those who called themselves tea party members did not show up …hmmmm interesting for constituents to think about
**25th Anniversary ceremony at Kennedy Space Center
**Egyptians defy police and protest
**Rahm’s Mayorial campaign continues
**GDP growth up 3.2% falls short in 4th qtr tho it still is an indication of economic growth
**Nelson Mandela is released from Hospital
**Funeral for Ugandan gay activist,David Kato was held:and FYI: Uganda’s Rolling Stone is reported as having published names of several people saying they were gay with the headline “Hang them”
** Egypt: Nobel Peace Winner is under house arrest
**Seattle, City Officials have backed off from raising parking rates up to 4dollars an hr due to substantial complaints-though free parking is still after 8pm instead of the old 6pm time
**Arizona: a bid to block citizenship for illegal immigrants “anchor babies” -Lawmakers in AZ and some other States are challenging the 14th Amendment … AGAIN
CSPAN …
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs conducts a daily briefing at the White Houss: http://c-span.com/Events/White-House-Briefing-with-Press-Secretary-Robert-Gibbs/10737419201/
Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Philip Crowley conducts a daily briefing at the State Department. http://c-span.com/Events/State-Department-Press-Briefing/10737419203/
A number of Senators debated Senate Resolution 10, which would change Senate rules on considering legislation. It would change how filibusters are conducted and require a Senator’s name to be made public if they put a hold on a bill. It would also change rules for offering amendments. http://c-span.com/Events/Senate-Floor-Debate-on-Procedural-Changes/10737419227/
Commander Charles Benson, U.S. Marine Corps psychiatrist, deputy surgeon and director of the Concussion Restoration Care Center at Camp Leatherneck conducted a briefing at the Pentagon on combat stress and concussion care of troops in Afghanistan. http://c-span.com/Events/Defense-Department-Briefing-on-Combat-Stress-amp-Concussion-Care/10737419202/
This morning, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission (FCIC) released a report on the causes of the 2008 financial and economic crisis. At the event, the Commission is delivering the results of its inquiry and its conclusions as to the causes of the crisis based on this inquiry. http://c-span.com/Events/FCIC39s-Report-on-Causes-of-2008-Economic-Crisis/10737419171/
CBO:2011-2021 forecast: The agency charged with reviewing congressional budgets unveiled it’s annual economic forecast for the federal government’s 2011 fiscal year. The new estimate predicts the federal deficit will reach almost $1.5 trillion in 2011. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Doug Elmendorf appeared before The Senate Budget Committee today to detail the latest CBO report and participated in a question and answer session with lawmakers. http://c-span.com/Events/CBO39s-2011-2021-Forecast-Detailed-in-Hearing/10737419170/
The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing to investigate how Boeing and EADS received sensitive information about each other through an Air Force clerical error. Both companies are competing for a $50 billion contract to replace the Air Force’s aging refueling airplanes. The error gave both companies access to each other’s intellectual property which could have serious consequences for the bidding competition. A contract announcement could come as early as February. http://c-span.com/Events/Senate-Armed-Services-Cmte-Hearing-on-KC-X-Competition/10737419204/
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, French President Nicolas Sarkozy defended the euro and said France and Germany would never let the currency fail. He also outlined the economic and financial priorities of the G20. France will chair both the G8 and G20 summits this year. http://c-span.com/Events/French-Pres-Nicolas-Sarkozy-Remarks-at-World-Economic-Forum/10737419205/
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