Obama To Announce Limits On Drones In Major Counterterrorism Speech

President Barack Obama on Thursday will outline his administration's counterterrorism policy in a major speech to be given at National Defense University in Washington, D.C. at 2pm Eastern.

Obama will use the speech to announce new restrictions on unmanned drones, an announcement that comes on the heels of the U.S. government's admission that it has killed four American citizens with drone strikes.

White House livestream:

Concluded: May 23, 2013 2:00 PM EDT
President Obama Speaks on Counterterrorism Policies, National Defense University, Washington, DC

UPDATED: Video, transcript and White House links below the fold.

Morehouse graduates in the rain cheer President Obama at commencement address (Pete Souza)

If you have not yet listened to, and watched President Obama delivering the commencement address at Morehouse College, on Sunday, May 19, 2013 it is posted here for you to absorb and view.

This was the 129th commencement ceremony at Morehouse, an historically black college (HBCU). What made it different from all of the ones that preceded it, was that the "Mighty Men" of Morehouse were being addressed by the President of the United States. Black man to young black men.  

UPDATE: Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office Revises Death Toll Down To 24, Including 7 Children

Dozens Killed In Massive Tornado Near Oklahoma City

A massive tornado ripped through the southern suburbs of Oklahoma City, Monday afternoon, killing at least 51 people 24 people, according to the state medical examiner's office.

The death toll was expected to rise.

Helicopter images showed large tracts of Moore, Okla., completely leveled by what the National Weather Service says was at least an EF-4 tornado with winds in excess of 166 mph. The tornado stayed on the ground for 40 minutes and traveled 20 miles.

Read More: Massive Tornado Blasts Through Oklahoma City Suburbs (Slideshow)

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Oklahoma GOP Sen. Tom Coburn Will Seek To Offset Tornado Aid

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn will seek to offset federal aid to victims of a massive tornado that blasted through Oklahoma City suburbs on Monday with cuts elsewhere in the budget.

"That's always been his position [to offset disaster aid]," a spokesman told the Huffington Post Monday night. "He supported offsets to the bill funding the OKC bombing recovery effort."

Read More: Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) on Sandy Relief

Cole called it "hypocritical" for lawmakers whose districts have benefited from federal aid after previous disasters to require sweeping spending cuts in order to authorize the storm aid. "We have never done that in the past in a disaster, and we certainly shouldn't do so now," Cole said.

From the White House - Weekly Address

President Obama talks about his belief that a rising, thriving middle class is the true engine of economic growth, and that to reignite that engine and continue to build on the progress we've made over the last four years, we need to invest in three areas: jobs, skills and opportunity.

I am not sure which makes me more angry: that I am supposed to give a rat's patootie that Chuck Hagel is experiencing discomfort or that all he can muster is "frustration".

Every day 70 women serving our country in the armed forces is sexually assaulted. Every week another REAL scandal comes to light suggesting that men in command positions are being protected from prosecution by a culture of ... what exactly?  

First, let's start with what the Constitution defines as offenses warranting impeachment and removal from office.  Those can be found in Article II, Section 4:

The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Treason and bribery are pretty straightforward, but what, exactly, constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors.  Here's what former House Minority Leader (and former president) Gerald Ford (R-Michigan) said about them:

An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history; conviction results from whatever offense or offenses two-thirds of the other body considers to be sufficiently serious to require removal of the accused from office.

Though this story is about specific organizing in NYC, I think it's important to share the steps that are being taken there by a broad based coalition of progressive activists, which can be applied across the U.S.

New York City's Stop and Frisk laws are racist, and negatively affect black, brown, and gay New Yorkers. A majority of those who have been targeted are young people. Communities United for Police Reform is organizing to stop this.

Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) is an unprecedented campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change. The partners in this campaign come from all 5 boroughs, from all walks of life and represent many of those most unfairly targeted by the NYPD. This groundbreaking campaign is fighting for reforms that will promote community safety while ensuring that the NYPD protects and serves all New Yorkers. We are a movement that is here to stay - a Campaign that will be a visible, lasting presence on the streets of neighborhoods citywide. We will be in communities and on the streets, educating people about their rights; and in the courts and on the steps of City Hall and the state capitol, demanding change to the NYPD -- until these policies end.

Earth's climate is changing. It affects our weather, the oceans, ice, ecosystems, and society. Some of it is natural. But, humans are contributing to climate change in profound ways. Billions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other gases that trap heat are released into the atmosphere each year. These greenhouse gases are measured and monitored by several agencies. The level of CO₂ is currently at 400 ppm (parts per million) and continues to rise.

This is not new information. It has been known for the past 50 years that Earth's CO₂ is trending upward. What is new is this particular number. It is going to be higher in the future. The issue should have been addressed by the global community in a comprehensive way back then and through the decades that followed to the present. My fear is that the story will get some news coverage for a few days, and then fade away like it has in the past. 

For a controversy which has played in so many committee rooms the factual narrative of events in Benghazi seems pretty hard to follow and has been largely subsumed in partisan assumptions. The State Department Accountability Review Board report gives an impressively coherent blow-by-blow of the tragic events at the Special Mission compound; though it fails to mention, by name, the CIA operation it is publicly alleged that the 'mission' was largely established to conceal and protect:

The U.S. effort in Benghazi was at its heart a CIA operation, according to officials briefed on the intelligence. Of the more than 30 American officials evacuated from Benghazi following the deadly assault, only seven worked for the State Department. [...]

The CIA worked from a compound publicly referred to as the "annex," which was given a State Department office name to disguise its purpose. The agency focused on countering proliferation and terrorist threats, said an American security contractor who has worked closely with CIA, the Pentagon and State. A main concern was the spread of weapons and militant influences throughout the region, including in Mali, Somalia and Syria, this person said.

Adam Entous, Siobhan Gorman and Margaret Coker - CIA Takes Heat for Role in Libya WSJ 1 Nov 12

With one in six Americans living at risk of hunger, our food banks are stretched thin and providing food assistance to nearly six million people each week. Food donations are crucial to our goal of a hunger-free America. ~ Bob Aiken, President and CEO of Feeding America.

The statistics are staggering. From Feeding America, some facts on food insecurity and very low food security:

•  In 2011, 50.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 33.5 million adults and 16.7 million children.
•  In 2011, 14.9 percent of households (17.9 million households) were food insecure.
•  In 2011, 5.7 percent of households (6.8 million households) experienced very low food security.
•  In 2011, households with children reported food insecurity at a significantly higher rate than those without children, 20.6 percent compared to 12.2percent.
•  In 2011, households that had higher rates of food insecurity than the national average included households with children (20.6 percent), especially households with children headed by single women (36.8 percent) or single men (24.9 percent), Black non-Hispanic households (25.1 percent) and Hispanic households (26.2 percent).
•  In 2011, 8.8 percent of seniors living alone (1 million households) were food insecure.
•  Food insecurity exists in every county in America, ranging from a low of 5 percent in Steele County, ND to a high of 37 percent in Holmes County, MS.v

Trying to top last Saturday-"Gun Day"-which the Texas House spent passing 12 firearms bills in a transparent effort to pander to the NRA, the 83rd TX Legislative Session has now protected the rights of professional Santas to visit children in public schools again. And I'm not even going to try to list the ridiculous antics of Texas Republican politicians here and in Washington, DC.

I applied for and have now accepted a Battleground Texas Summer Fellowship. Are you fed up enough to apply as well? To attend a 1 1/2 hour training to become a Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar for your county? Or to call Democratic supporters to let them know about BGTX?

After traveling around the state and meeting with 3500 activists, Battleground Texas is now scheduling Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar (VDVR) trainings in many counties. The Austin American-Statesman has published an excellent and lengthy update: Battleground Texas wraps up 1st phase; now hard part begins:

"Texans are so excited, it's unlike anything I've seen before," said Battleground Texas' executive director, Jenn Brown, the 31-year-old community organizer from Southern California who ran Obama's field operation in indispensable Ohio in 2012. "Texans are ready. It's time."

From the White House - Weekly Address

President Obama discusses the housing market and urges Congress to confirm Mel Watt to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency and take action to give every responsible homeowner the chance to refinance and save money on their mortgage.

It has been more than twenty years since the first Gulf War hauled awareness of the Arab world across the screens of American homes. An entire generation has been born and grown in that time. The Internet has gone from being a dark den of techno-academics to the utility of knowledge defining civilized existence.

Twenty years ago it may have been true that force was the only way to deal with geopolitical threats like Saddam Hussein. Ten years ago it may have been true that force was the only way to deal with festering extremist threats like Al Qaeda. But today we live in a world where we can attack the very soil that violent intolerance and extremism rise from. We can rob it the pestilential conditions it needs by encouraging environmental conditions where opportunities provide hope to the Millenials who are preparing to take over from their Cold War parents.

Events of the past decade - and the past month - have shown the limits of kinetic tools in combating violent extremism. The time has come to drain the swamp with infrastructure rather than explosives.

Re-creation of burned Greyhound Freedom Rider bus, National Civil Rights Museum

The recreation of the burned out Greyhound bus pictured above doesn't begin to capture the horror of the actual event, that took place on Mother's Day outside of Anniston, Alabama.

Perhaps this actual photo illustrates more of the tale that is told by those Freedom riders who were on the bus that day.

It is May. Springtime. A month of hope and rebirth. It is also a month of memories that we need to revisit yearly until the seeds of hate no longer can sow sorrow in the U.S.A.

I was only 13 years old in May of 1961. Not too young to be concerned with civil rights however, and I looked up to those young people, only a few years older than I, who packed up their bags and headed off to do battle against racial segregation.

They were black, and white, and they knew they were facing possible death.

Yet they got on buses and headed south.

From the White House - Weekly Address

President Obama describes the incredible opportunities to create middle-class jobs in America by deepening our economic ties and expanding trade in Latin America and discusses recent Senate bill that takes commonsense steps to fix our broken immigration system.

Echoing the words of First Lady Michelle Obama:

President Obama called NBA player Jason Collins Monday to offer his support after Collins announced he's gay, becoming the first openly gay major league professional athlete, CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett has learned.

The president offered congratulations and support on Collins' courage and willingness to be the first in the four dominant pro sports to make this announcement.

First lady Michelle Obama also showed her support for Collins on Twitter Monday.

"So proud of you, Jason Collins! This is a huge step forward for our country. We've got your back!" she tweeted, signing it "-mo," which indicates she - not an aide - sent the message.

In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor admitted that the Court possibly erred when it decided to take Bush v. Gore:

Maybe the court should have said, 'We're not going to take it, goodbye.

That, however, wasn't even the kicker.  This was:

It turned out the election authorities in Florida hadn't done a real good job there and kind of messed it up. And probably the Supreme Court added to the problem at the end of the day. (emphasis my own)

Think about that for a second.  She pretty much admits that the biggest decision rendered while she sat on the Supreme Court she provided the necessary vote to get it wrong and swing a presidential election.  Perhaps this could have been somewhat understandable if George W. Bush had won the popular vote and there was a sense in the nation that the courts should step in to make sure the popular vote winner took office.  That, however, was not the case.  Bush lost the popular vote and her vote helped pave the way for the loser to take office.

From the White House - Weekly Address

President Obama says that because Republicans in Congress allowed a series of harmful, automatic budget cuts-called the sequester-to take effect, important programs like Head Start are now forced to reduce their services. After travelers were stuck for hours in airports and on planes this past week, members of Congress passed a temporary band-aid measure to stop the cuts that impact airlines - but they must do more to stop cuts to vital services for the American people. That's why it's time for a balanced approach to deficit reduction that makes smarter cuts and reforms in the tax code while creating jobs and strengthening the middle class.

Today's post is emitting a high-pitched squealing noise that sounds suspiciously like an alarm. But the sound it is making is a little too much like your neighbor's car alarm that goes off at 10:00pm every night and that you have learned to ignore.

There are few people in the world who do not know the face of Desmond Tutu. When Nelson Mandela appointed him to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, he became the public face of an extraordinary process that few people could have even dreamed of or imagined during the long hard years of battling the brutal Apartheid regime.

The road to reconciliation was not easy.  

From the White House - Weekly Address

President Obama speaks to the American people about the act of terror at the Boston Marathon that wounded dozens and killed three innocent people on Monday, and says that through it all, Boston's spirit remains undaunted and Americans have proven they refuse to be terrorized.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is in custody. He was taken alive with injuries of unknown severity (apparently 1 gunshot wound from last night's exchange). It seems he was not Mirandized (some legal quirk that allows it in this sort of situation). I don't know how I feel about that.





The President is currently speaking.

Share your thoughts below the fold.

Add your thoughts, updates, and what-have-you.  Hope this all ends soon.

No more hurting people.

Peace

--Martin Richard