West Wing Week 07/27/12 "A Brighter Day Is Going To Come"

West Wing Week 07/27/12 "A Brighter Day Is Going To Come"

This week, the President addressed the nation on the tragedy in Colorado and made Aurora his first stop on a four day trip out West, then continued to Reno to address the VFW, and to New Orleans to speak at the National Urban League. Back in Washington DC, Dr. Biden announced a major Joining Forces initiative for social workers, the President signed an Executive Order on Education, and hosted a reception at the White House to honor the International AIDS Conference taking place in Washington DC.

Student Presidents

Student Presidents

“We both have degrees from Harvard,” President Obama told the White House correspondents at this year’s annual roast. “I have one, he has two.” Pause. “What a snob.” Perhaps. With Mr. Obama (law) or Mitt Romney (law and business) in the White House, every president from 1989 to at least 2017 will have had a degree from Harvard or Yale. But the presidency has not always been elitist: 11 presidents never graduated college, and in the early years many had only a few years of formal schooling. We turned to the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, whose mission is to expand understanding of the presidency, for a history lesson. ANDREA KAYDA, NYTimes
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West Wing Week 07/20/12 "The Biennial Bring Back the Gold Edition"

West Wing Week 07/20/12 "The Biennial Bring Back the Gold Edition"

West Wing Week 7/13/12 or "Let's Agree To Do What We Agree On"

West Wing Week 7/13/12 or "Let's Agree To Do What We Agree On"

This week the President signed the MAP-21 Act to extend funding for transportation and infrastructure projects and stopped student loan interest rates from doubling. He also urged Congress to cut taxes for the middle class, while the White House announced the 2012 Save Award initiative, and played host to a Google Plus Hangout.

Immigration Law Divides Washington DC-Area Community

VOAVideo: Immigration Law Divides Washington DC-Area Community

Both sides of the U.S. immigration debate have tried to claim victory after the Supreme Court's ruling on Arizona's tough immigration law. The Court upheld a provision of the law that allows local police to check the immigration status of people stopped or detained on some other legitimate basis. But critics argue there are other unintended consequences of these laws that could invite future legal challenges. Jeff Swicord reports from Prince William County, Virginia, which enacted a similar immigration law in 2007.

West Wing Week: 07/06/12 or "The Freedom Everybody is Looking for"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 07/06/12 or "The Freedom Everybody is Looking for"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President traveled to Colorado Springs to survey fire damage and honor responders, he also celebrated Independence day with a Naturalization Ceremony at the White House and a picnic for military families on the South Lawn. That's June 29th to July 5th or "The Freedom Everybody is Looking for."

America the Beautiful

wh.gov: America the Beautiful

Musician Keb Mo visited the White House earlier this year and performed a rendition of "America the Beautiful". Enjoy some great scenes of America and the President set to this classic song - in celebration of Independence Day

USCIS 100:99 July 4th, Slavery, and Fredrick Douglass

Frederick Douglass Quilt by the Negro History Club of Marin City & Sausalito, 1953

(re-posted from 02/10/2012) Today we continue our exploration of the USCIS History and Government questions and African American History. Today we will talk about USCIS 100:99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*.

We will first read about Q99 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Compromise of 1850, and abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. Then we will listen to a short reading from Fredrick Douglass speech: “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” Note that Negro was a common term for Black or African-Americans, but it is not often used today. Let's get started.

DOWNLOAD MP3

exerpt from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Fredrick Douglass

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?

I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim.

To him, your celebration is a sham;
your boasted liberty, an unholy license;
your national greatness, swelling vanity;
your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless;
your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence;
your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery;
your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings,
with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast,
fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages...

For more info:

See zinnedproject.org: Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom

Watch actor Danny Glover read abolitionist Frederick Douglass's "Fourth of July Speech, 1852" on October 5, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Part of a reading from Voices of a People's History of the United States (Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove.)

US Citizenship Podcast Independence Day Quiz

US Citizenship Podcast Independence Day Quiz

Celebrate Independence Day with uscitizenpod. Here is a quiz based on USCIS 100:08, 09, 61, 62, 63, 64, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100.

On The Clock - Policy Change on Immigration (Spanish)

wh.gov On The Clock - Policy Change on Immigration (Spanish)

Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecelia Muñoz talks about talks about an important policy change on immigration that more closely aligns our policy with our values.

On The Clock - Policy Change on Immigration

wh.gov: On The Clock - Policy Change on Immigration

Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecelia Muñoz talks about talks about an important policy change on immigration that more closely aligns our policy with our values.

President Obama Speaks on Health Reform

wh.gov: President Obama Speaks on Health Reform

The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act ensures hard-working, middle class families will get the security they deserve and protects every American from the worst insurance company abuses. June 28, 2012.

Read President Obama's speech

See WH.gov Supreme Court Upholds President Obama's Health Care Reform

Learn more at WH.gov Health Reform in Action

West Wing Week: 06/29/12 or "The Right Thing To Do"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 06/29/12 or "The Right Thing To Do"

This week, the President spoke at the annual NALEO conference, hosted the Congressional Picnic and addressed the nation on the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act, while his administration announced grants for cities hiring veterans as police officers, and spoke with students about college affordability.

US Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Act

VOAVideo: US Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Act

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Affordable Care Act, a key domestic policy achievement of President Obama, is constitutional. In part, the act requires insurance companies to include preventative health care, and it bans them from denying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions. The act also requires virtually all Americans to have some form of health insurance. VOA's Suzanne Presto in Washington has more.

USCIS 100:76 Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth VIDEO

uscitizenpod: USCIS 100:76 Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth VIDEO

Today we continue our exploration of the USCIS History and Government questions and African American History. Today we will talk about USCIS 100:76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

We will first read about Q76 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will listen to an interview with Robin Braxton who helps organizes our local Juneteenth festival. Robin will talk about Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Juneteenth celebrates the day when slaves in Texas heard about the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is also a holiday that celebrates African American history and culture. Let's get started!

You can also download the mp3.

West Wing Week: 06/21/12 o "Soñadores"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 06/21/12 o "Soñadores"

Esta semana, el Presidente habló sobre un mejoramiento importante en la política de inmigración que alinea mejor la política del gobierno con nuestros valores, y viajó a la Cumbre del G20 en Los Cabos, México para trabajar hacia la estabilización de la economía global.

West Wing Week: 06/21/12 or "Dreamers"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 06/21/12 or "Dreamers"

This week, the President talks about an important policy change on immigration that more closely aligns our policy with our values, and traveled to the Group of 20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, to work toward stabilization of the world global economy.

USCIS 100:76 The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth

USCIS 100:76 The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth (download mp3)

Today we continue our exploration of the USCIS History and Government questions and African American History. Today we will talk about USCIS 100:76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? 

We will first read about Q76 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will listen to an interview with Robin Braxton who helps organizes our local Juneteenth festival. Robin will talk about Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Juneteenth celebrates the day when slaves in Texas heard about the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is also a holiday that celebrates African American history and culture. Let's get started!

Juneteenth snd the Emancipation Proclamation

STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THE OCCASION OF JUNETEENTH

On this day in 1865, two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, word finally reached the people of Galveston, Texas that the Civil War was over. All enslaved men, women and children were now free.

Though it would take decades of struggle and collective effort before African Americans were granted equal treatment and protection under the law, Juneteenth is recognized by Americans everywhere as a symbolic milestone in our journey toward a more perfect union.

With the recent ground breaking of the first Smithsonian Museum dedicated to African American History and Culture, and the dedication of a monument to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the National Mall, this Juneteenth offers another opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come as a nation. And it’s also a chance to recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of guaranteeing liberty and equal rights for all Americans.

For more info, see Juneteenth.com

Red, White, and Dad!

Red, White, and Dad!

see more at Long May She Wave!