<![CDATA[India Journal

<![CDATA[India Journal - Politics]]>Tue, 18 Apr 2023 19:18:01 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Trump condemns white supremacy after mass shootings]]>Mon, 05 Aug 2019 17:16:02 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/trump-condemns-white-supremacy-after-mass-shootingsWASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Monday said that the US must condemn bigotry, racism and white supremacy, following two mass shootings over the weekend that killed 29 people. On Saturday, a gunman killed 20 people at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, in what officials said appeared to be a racially-motivated hate crime.

Later, another gunman in Dayton, Ohio, killed nine people. Dozens were also wounded in both shootings.
Addressing the nation on Monday, Trump called the El Paso gunman a "wicked man" and urged the country to condemn white supremacy.
"The shooter in El Paso posted a manifesto online consumed by racist hate. In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy."
The President, however, stopped short of acknowledging his own divisive and racist rhetoric.
Officials said the El Paso shooter may face hate crime charges after the police found a racist, anti-immigrant document they believe was written by the 21-year-old white male suspect.
The four-page document posted online espoused white nationalist and racist views. It railed against immigrants and Hispanics, blaming immigrants and first-generation Americans for taking away jobs and for the blending of cultures in the US.
Trump called the weekend shooting attacks "domestic terrorism," adding that he had called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to devote further resources to preventing further attacks.
He said the Internet "provided a dangerous avenue to radicalize disturbed minds and perform demented acts". "We must shine a light on the dark recesses of the internet and stop mass murderers before they start," he added.
Trump said during his White House statement that he was "directing the Department of Justice to propose legislation ensuring that those who commit hate crimes and mass murders face the death penalty." He added that capital punishment in these cases should be "delivered quickly, decisively, and without years of needless delay".
Earlier in the day, the President called on lawmakers to pass legislation requiring strong background checks for gun users following the shootings.
Trump said the victims' deaths could not be "in vain" and called on both Republicans and Democrats to take steps to require further screenings for gun buyers.
"We cannot let those killed in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, die in vain. Likewise for those so seriously wounded. We can never forget them, and those many who came before them," Trump tweeted. The President also suggested tying immigration reform to strengthening background checks. "Republicans and Democrats must come together and get strong background checks, perhaps marrying this legislation with desperately needed immigration reform. We must have something good, if not great, come out of these two tragic events!"
Trump also suggested that the media was responsible for the scourge of mass shootings and "the anger and rage that has built up over many years".

]]><![CDATA[Trump announces new tariffs on Chinese imports]]>Thu, 01 Aug 2019 23:26:42 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/trump-announces-new-tariffs-on-chinese-importsWASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a new set of tariffs on goods from China that will take effect September 1, just as Washington and Beijing are supposed to be preparing to resume trade talks. "Our representatives have just returned from China where they had constructive talks having to do with a future Trade Deal.

We thought we had a deal with China three months ago, but sadly, China decided to re-negotiate the deal prior to signing," he said on Twitter. "Trade talks are continuing, and during the talks the US will start, on September 1st, putting a small additional Tariff of 10 per cent on the remaining 300 Billion Dollars of goods and products coming from China into our Country. This does not include the 250 Billion Dollars already Tariffed at 25%," the President wrote.
A team led by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spent Tuesday and Wednesday negotiating in Shanghai with a high-level Chinese delegation headed by Vice Premier Liu He, the Efe news reported.
"The two sides discussed topics such as forced technology transfer, intellectual property rights, services, non-tariff barriers and agriculture," the White House said in a statement.
The latest round of trade talks did not result in an agreement, but the White House said the negotiations were positive. "The meetings were constructive, and we expect negotiations on an enforceable trade deal to continue in Washington, D.C., in early September," the White House said. On Thursday, however, Trump emphasised his disappointment with China and its President, Xi Jinping. "More recently, China agreed to buy agricultural product from the US in large quantities, but did not do so. Additionally, my friend President Xi said that he would stop the sale of Fentanyl to the United States - this never happened, and many Americans continue to die!," the US President tweeted.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more potent than morphine, is used in the US to treat moderate-to-severe chronic pain. But its similarity to heroin has made the drug liable to abuse.
"We look forward to continuing our positive dialogue with China on a comprehensive Trade Deal, and feel that the future between our two countries will be a very bright one!," Trump said on Thursday. The world's two largest economic powers have been engaged in a trade war for more than 18 months, levelling allegations at each other and slapping tariffs on imports.
In May, Trump increased from 10 per cent to 25 per cent a tariff on Chinese imports worth $200 billion. China retaliated by slapping tariffs on US imports worth $60 billion.
Trump later threatened to impose tariffs of up to 25 per cent on another $325 billion of Chinese imports, causing concern in financial markets and the business community due to the possible effect on consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of the US economic activity.
In Osaka, Trump and Xi agreed to a truce in the trade war, which is rooted in Washington's unhappiness over China's massive trade surpluses with the US.
In 2018, the US posted a trade deficit of $419 billion with China due, largely, to the fact that US exports to Asia's largest economy totalled just $120 billion, while American imports from China reached $540 billion.
During the first five months of 2019, the US trade deficit with China was $137 billion.

]]><![CDATA[Obama shares African Americans' letter slamming Trump for racism]]>Mon, 29 Jul 2019 05:17:28 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/obama-shares-african-americans-letter-slamming-trump-for-racismWASHINGTON - In an unexpected endorsement, former US president Barack Obama has shared on his Twitter handle a letter by former members of his administration that rebuked racism in American politics and called out President Donald Trump for his racist comments made against four Congresswomen of color. The letter, co-signed by 149 African Americans,

appeared as an op-ed in The Washington Post on Friday. Sharing it on Twitter late on Saturday, Obama wrote: "I've always been proud of what this team accomplished during my administration. But more than what we did, I'm proud of how they're continuing to fight for an America that's better."In the op-ed titled, "We are African Americans, we are patriots, and we refuse to sit idly by", the former Obama administration officials vowed to stand up against the "racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia... wielded by the President (Trump)".
"There is truly nothing more un-American than calling on fellow citizens to leave our country -- by citing their immigrant roots, or ancestry, or their unwillingness to sit in quiet obedience while democracy is being undermined," they wrote.
The letter was written as a reaction to Trump's tweet that the four minority lawmakers should "go back" to the places they came from. Trump reportedly post the tweet after a crowd of his supporters at a campaign rally chanted "Send her back!" at the mention of US Representative Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, a Somali refugee who became a US citizen in 2000.

]]><![CDATA[Trump not exonerated of obstructing justice in Russia meddling probe: Mueller]]>Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:30:21 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/trump-not-exonerated-of-obstructing-justice-in-russia-meddling-probe-muellerWASHINGTON - Former US Special Counsel Robert Mueller said here on Wednesday his report on the Russia probe did not exonerate US President Donald Trump of obstructing justice. "The President was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed," Mueller told a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigation into alleged...

Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and whether Trump had obstructed justice.
He told lawmakers he would not say if the president had committed a crime, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Based on Justice Department policy and principles of fairness, we decided we would not make a determination as to whether the President committed a crime. That was our decision then and it remains our decision today," Mueller said during the hearing.
He also cited Justice Department rules that he could not prosecute a sitting president, while suggesting that Trump could face legal hurdles after leaving the White House. In a series of tweets on Wednesday morning, Trump renewed his attacks on the investigation and accused Mueller of being "highly conflicted."
Mueller is slated to appear before the House Intelligence Committee later in the day. The two hearings are expected to last roughly five hours combined. He has reiterated that his testimony will stay within what's already been revealed in his report.
Appointed by the Justice Department in May 2017 to take over the Russia probe, Mueller concluded his 22-month investigation in March by submitting a report to William Barr, who became Attorney General about a month earlier.
The report stated that there was no evidence that Trump's campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 election but didn't conclude if the President had obstructed justice.
Instead, Mueller recounted 10 episodes involving Trump and discussed potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an obstruction offence.
It was the Justice Department that concluded that Mueller did not have "sufficient" evidence to support a charge in the obstruction case, a decision that has drawn scrutiny from Democrats, who have called for more investigations and the former special counsel's Congressional appearance.
The Russia investigation, which Trump has called a "witch hunt," haunted the White House for nearly two years, while leading to criminal charges against 34 individuals, including several Trump campaign associates, and three Russian entities.
Russia has repeatedly denied meddling in the election.

]]><![CDATA[Impeachment move fails, Trump steps up attacks on 'left wing' Democrats]]>Thu, 18 Jul 2019 19:42:30 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/impeachment-move-fails-trump-steps-up-attacks-on-left-wing-democratsNEW YORK - Democratic Party leaders in the House of Representatives have thwarted an attempt by the more impetuous members to impeach President Donald Trump, but the reprieve was clouded by a vote to prosecute two members of his cabinet for criminal contempt. "We just received an overwhelming vote against impeachment, and that is the end of it,"

an unrepentant Trump boasted at a rally on Wednesday before redoubling his attacks on the four "left-wing" non-white women Representatives that had got him a House censure on Tuesday.
The move to impeach Trump was opposed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior moderate leaders who fear it could play into Trump's hands and become a distraction in an election year while having no chance of passing in the Senate.
Although there have been suggestions for beginning impeachment proceedings against Trump, they had been stalled until Wednesday when Representative Al Green used a procedural tactic to force a vote on his proposal to impeach the president. The measure to indefinitely delay its consideration -- which effectively stops it without formally killing it received 332 votes. But the 95 votes by Democrats against the move was a sign of the rage boiling against Trump that the leaders could not contain.
Pelosi has instead pushed for inquiries against Trump's and his family's business and personal dealings by Congress because those could lead to legal action against him while in office or out of it. Justifying her policy she told reporters that six committees "are working on following the facts" and "that is the serious path that we are on".
Voting along party lines, the House approved a motion to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Ross in criminal contempt for refusing to testify before a House committee and asked the Justice Department to prosecute them.
This was the first time Trump's cabinet officials had been held in contempt by the House.
A House Committee had wanted the two officials to testify before it on an attempt by the administration to include a question in the census forms wanting to know if those answering were citizens. The question was opposed by Democrats who said it would discourage non-citizens, especially illegal immigrants, from participating in the census. This, in turn, could lead to an undercount that would affect how legislative seats are apportioned.
A court blocked the Commerce Department, which runs the census, from including it in the forms for next year's headcount.
The Democrats victory could end up being symbolic because the Justice Department that Barr heads may not prosecute him using several legal manoeuvres.
Dealing Trump another symbolic blow, the House also voted to prevent Trump from selling weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, but he has threatened to veto it and despite the support of some Republicans Congress wouldn't be able to override it.
Democrats and some Republicans have opposed the arms sale because of the bombings carried out by the Saudi-led forces in Yemen, which has claimed many civilian lives, and the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudis.
At his meeting of supporters in Greenville in North Carolina -- in effect a campaign rally for next year's election -- Trump painted the Democratic Party as an organisation of left-wing socialists out to destroy the US and thundered, "Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country". That is setting the tone for a visceral appeal to his base in the election campaign rather than showcasing his economic successes like the growth, the record low unemployment and the stock market performance.
He tried to pin the four radical women, who are called "The Squad", as the face of the Democratic Party, saying: "A vote for any Democrat in 2020 is a vote for the rise of radical socialism and the destruction of the American Dream -- frankly, the destruction of our country."
The House on Tuesday had condemned Trump, denounced as racist his tweets directed at Representatives Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley. Although all are US citizens and except for Omar the other three are born in the US, he told them to go back where they came from - an attack often directed against immigrants.
"These left-wing ideologues see our nation as a force for evil", he told the rally.
"They don't love our country. I think, in some cases, they hate our country. You know what? If they don't love it, tell them to leave it," he said.
As he listed some controversial statements by them and in particular Somalia-born Omar calling the 9/11 al-Qaeda attacks as "some people did something", the crowd chanted, "Send her back, send her back". It sounded like a reprise of his supporters yelling at his 2016 rallies at the mention of Hillary Clinton, "Lock her up".

]]><![CDATA[2020 Democrats debate: Biden slammed on race record]]>Fri, 28 Jun 2019 17:06:15 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/2020-democrats-debate-biden-slammed-on-race-recordWASHINGTON - Former US Vice-President and Democratic White House frontrunner Joe Biden has been slammed by Senator Kamala Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican descent, for his record on race in a televised debate and challenged on his previous comments about segregationists. The debate on Thursday night came a day after the first batch of...

the 10 presidential hopefuls squared off in an event hosted by television network NBC in Miami, as the party decided to divide the field of 20 candidates into two groups of 10. The debate - the second over two days to accommodate the huge field of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination - saw Biden face off against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, the US media reported. The dramatic moment of the evening came in response to a question about race and policing, when Harris interjected, saying that she had a right to respond as the only black candidate on stage. She then directed her comments to Biden, denouncing his record on race. "I do not believe you are a racist," Harris said, looking directly at the former Vice-President. "But," she continued, "it is personal and it was actually hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two US senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country." Her attack was a reference to a remark Biden made recently on the campaign trail in which he spoke fondly of his relationship with segregationist senators. When called upon by his rivals to apologize, he refused, Efe news reported.Harris also accused Biden of supporting policies that would have prevented young minority students like herself from attending school in white majority districts. She said when he opposed bussing, there was a little black girl in Oakland, California, who was being bussed to a better school. "There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bussed to school every day," Harris said. "That little girl was me."
Biden sought to defend his record, saying he was only against "busing ordered by the Department of Education" but didn't oppose local integration efforts, and tried to put his comments about former Senate colleagues in context.
"It's a mischaracterization of my position across the board. I did not praise racists," he said.
Biden drew criticism last week when he referred to the two racist Southern senators when speaking of a time when the Senate could achieve "civility".
The candidates also criticized President Donald Trump and sparred over racial issues, the scope of healthcare policies and the universality of government assistance programmes.
Thursday's stage featured Biden, Sanders, Harris, South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Colorado Senator Michael Bennett, former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, California Representative Eric Swalwell, activist and author Marianne Williamson and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
The common denominator between all candidates was a withering criticism of Trump's actions in his time in office, as well as their rejection of the tax cut package passed by the Republican-dominated Congress in 2017 that benefited the wealthiest segments of the American society and is estimated to carry a loss of $1.5 trillion to US coffers.
Biden also faced challenges from a new generation of presidential hopefuls who took aim at his decades-long record as a Delaware senator and questioned whether the party's Obama-era policies have gone far enough in achieving progressive goals.
The arguments pivoted over the role of government in healthcare and other issues - and whether the party should embrace aspects of democratic socialism, a position repeatedly pushed by Sanders. Two of Biden's chief rivals -- Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren -- have advocated steep tax increases for the wealthy and corporations to fund their sweeping plans for an expansive healthcare system, college affordability and safeguards against climate change.
The two rounds of debates were held ahead of Sunday's second-quarter fundraising deadline, which may yield more clarity on the candidates' viability as their totals trickle out ahead of a July 15 reporting deadline.

]]><![CDATA[US should no longer need tariff threat with Mexico: Trump]]>Mon, 10 Jun 2019 17:01:59 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/us-should-no-longer-need-tariff-threat-with-mexico-trumpUS President Donald Trump on Sunday said that it would likely not be "necessary" to threaten Mexico with tariffs again because that country's government was now helping to contain the flow of migrants to the country. In a series of tweets, Trump said he was confident that the deal with Mexico would be successful after speaking by telephone on Saturday with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the Efe news reported.

"For many years, Mexico was not being cooperative on the Border in things we had, or didn't have, and now I have full confidence, especially after speaking to their President yesterday, that they will be very cooperative and want to get the job properly done," Trump said.
Trump said he expected that there was "now going to be great cooperation between Mexico & the USA, something that didn't exist for decades." "However, if for some unknown reason there is not, we can always go back to our previous, very profitable, position of Tariffs - But I don't believe that will be necessary," the US leader said.
Trump responded to a report in The New York Times saying that the immigration agreement with Mexico included measures that the Lopez Obrador administration had committed to taking months ago. The daily said the upcoming deployment of the Mexican National Guard to the southern border had been agreed to in secret talks held in Miami by former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Mexican Government Secretary Olga Sanchez in March.
Trump said the story was not true and took a shot at the media, saying that "the Failing @nytimes, & ratings challenged @CNN, will do anything possible to see our Country fail! They are truly The Enemy of the People!"
"We have been trying to get some of these Border Actions for a long time, as have other administrations, but were not able to get them, or get them in full, until our signed agreement with Mexico," Trump said.
The US President criticised the media for not giving him "credit" for his accomplishments.
"If President Obama made the deals that I have made, both at the Border and for the Economy, the Corrupt Media would be hailing them as Incredible, & a National Holiday would be immediately declared. With me, despite our record setting Economy and all that I have done, no credit!" Trump tweeted.
While Trump has hailed the deal as a victory, Mexican officials did not sign a safe third country agreement with Washington that would have allowed the US authorities to legally reject asylum requests from migrants unless they first asked for asylum in Mexico.
The pact, however, will allow the Trump administration to expand a program that requires migrants seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed, a situation that can last for months or years.

]]><![CDATA[Indian elections 'an inspiration to democracies': US]]>Fri, 24 May 2019 19:43:20 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/indian-elections-an-inspiration-to-democracies-usNEW YORK - The Indian parliamentary election is "an inspiration to democracies and individuals around the world", State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Friday. "We applaud the Indian people for turning out to vote in historic numbers and the government of India for their exceptional execution of this massive undertaking," she said in a statement. "India's elections are the largest exercise in democracy in human history."

According to the Election Commission, 67.1 percent of India's 900 million voters voted. In contrast, only 55.5 percent of Americans turned up at the polling stations in 2016.
Looking ahead to Modi's second term, Ortagus said that Washington was confident that the relations between the two countries centered around the US Indo-Pacific strategy will continue on an "upward trajectory". "We look forward to working with the newly elected government on a range of important issues, including expanding economic and energy ties, enhancing defence and security cooperation, countering the threat of terrorism, and enhanced collaboration in space," she said. "We are confident that the strong and upward trajectory of our partnership will continue. "The United States and India enjoy a strong strategic partnership that stands on a foundation of shared values, extensive people-to-people ties and a commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," she added. Ortagus told reporters: "We're confident in the fairness and the integrity of the Indian elections."

]]><![CDATA[Escalating confrontation, Democrats to hold AG in contempt]]>Mon, 06 May 2019 17:58:28 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/escalating-confrontation-democrats-to-hold-ag-in-contemptNEW YORK - Escalating the confrontation with US President Donald Trump's administration, the Democrats moved on Monday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt after he refused to turn over to a Congressional panel the entire report of a probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Jerry Nadler, the chair of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee,

said that it would vote on Wednesday on a motion to hold Barr in contempt for refusing to comply with its orders to hand over by 9 a.m. Monday the report without portions of it blacked out.
"The Attorney General's failure to comply with our subpoena, after extensive accommodation efforts, leaves us no choice but to initiate contempt proceedings in order to enforce the subpoena and access the full, unredacted report," he said after the deadline passed.
Barr has released a version of the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller that redacted certain portions of it like secret testimonies and matters relating to ongoing investigations or individuals deemed innocent. Democrats, who control the House, are pursuing leads that may have the potential to lead to impeachment of Trump for interfering with the probe or help with other Congressional investigations of Trump and his family. The issue heated up with the letter written by Mueller to Barr questioning the completeness of a report summary he released in March.
The inquiry report absolved Trump of colluding with Russia, while establishing that Moscow did interfere in the elections. It also was inconclusive about allegations that Trump meddled with the probe, which Democrats are now pursuing. Trump has stood by Barr's refusal to testify before the Judiciary Committee or to release the report and has said that former White House lawyer Don McGahn and other officials should not appear before Congressional panels. Barr appeared last week before the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. But he was grilled there by Democrats like former prosecutor Kamala Harris, who lunged into him with prosecutorial acuity, stumping him at times.
Barr refused to testify before the House Judiciary Committee objecting to its plans to have lawyers question him in addition to Representatives. If Barr is held in contempt, it would only be the second time it happens to a cabinet member. The only case so far is of then President Barack Obama's Attorney General Eric Holder who was held in contempt by a Republican-controlled House in 2012 for failing it give a panel documents about a federal law enforcement sting operation involving guns that went awry.

]]><![CDATA[Trump notes 'tremendous potential' of US-Russia ties]]>Sat, 04 May 2019 22:23:46 GMThttp://www.indiajournal.com/politics1/trump-notes-tremendous-potential-of-us-russia-tiesWASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Saturday praised his latest call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying there is "tremendous potential" for US-Russia ties. "Very good call yesterday with President Putin of Russia," Trump tweeted. "Tremendous potential for a good/great relationship with Russia, despite what you read and see in the Fake News Media." "Look how they have misled you on 'Russia Collusion.'

The World can be a better and safer place. Nice!" Trump said, Xinhua reported.
Trump tweeted on Friday that he has had a "very productive" talk with Putin on "trade, Venezuela, Ukraine, North Korea, Nuclear Arms Control and even the 'Russian Hoax'."
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders also told reporters that Trump and Putin had spoken for more than an hour. For its part, the Kremlin said on the same day that Putin and Trump had also discussed the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. Putin informed Trump of the main results of his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last month, saying that Pyongyang's "good-faith fulfillment of its commitments" should be accompanied by reciprocal steps to reduce the sanctions pressure on North Korea.

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