Several of President Biden ’s Cabinet nominees are experiencing tough confirmation hearings in the Senate. Many Republicans and even some Democrats have voiced opposition to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pick Neera Tanden , and nominees such as Deb Haaland for secretary of the Interior and Xavier Becerra for secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) will most likely be approved by slim partisan margins. These are qualified individuals, and depending on one’s politics, the opposition to their nominations is regrettable. But even more regrettable is the assumption that such opposition is based in racism or sexism, as some Democrats and activist groups have maintained. Regardless of whether one supports the nominees or not, their nominations have been controversial from the start for lawmakers in both parties for reasons rooted in politics and policy positions. Labelling any critique or questioning of these individuals as examples of racial or gender bias makes it that much harder to call out racism and sexism when it actually exists. For Tanden, there were early concerns from members of both parties over her negative comments made on Twitter, with a spokesperson for Republican Sen. John Cornyn John Cornyn Biden pledges support for Texas amid recovery from winter storm Partisan headwinds threaten Capitol riot commission Biden turns focus to winter storm with Texas trip MORE (R-Texas) stating in November that she had “ zero chance ” of being confirmed. It is true that there is clear hypocrisy among those who defended or dismissed former President Trump Donald Trump Biden to hold virtual bilateral meeting with Mexican president More than 300 charged in connection to Capitol riot Trump Jr.: There are 'plenty' of GOP incumbents who should be challenged MORE ’s offensive tweets and are now objecting to Tanden. But automatically equating that hypocrisy to a sexist double standard is highly ...
Linda thomas greenfield
Myanmar Police Toughen Crackdown Against Anti-Coup Protesters
The three-week crackdown against opponents of Myanmar’s military coup intensified Saturday as security forces seemed more aggressive while deploying early to suppress protests in cities and towns across the country. Popular protests have been staged across Myanmar daily since the military detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the civilian government February 1, claiming widespread fraud in last November’s election, which Suu Kyi’s NLD won in a landslide. The envoy said he represents the NLD, which is “the legitimate and duly elected” government – not the military leaders who seized power. He said the coup was illegal, unconstitutional and “not acceptable in this modern world.” “It is crystal clear that we all do not want to go back to the system that we used to be in before,” Kyaw Moe Tun said of the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken to the streets across Myanmar since the coup. The envoy accused the military of oppressing the people for decades, using “unspeakable, violent methods” to attack ethnic minorities, and that “these actions no doubt amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.” Kyaw Moe Tun said the military continues to act with impunity as it deploys violence against the peaceful protesters demanding a return to civilian rule and democratic norms. “The Myanmar military overthrows a democratically elected government, shoots to kill the peaceful protesters on the street, commits crimes targeting civilians, attacks ambulances and health care workers, arrests the democratically elected parliamentarians using unjust laws, issues arrest warrants without legal basis and breaches the fundamental human rights of the people of Myanmar,” Kyaw Moe Tun said. "The Myanmar military has become the existential threat for Myanmar,” he said. “We will continue to fight for a government which is of the people, by the people, for the people,” Kyaw Moe Tun said, his voice cracking. He then spoke briefly in his ...
Pompeo says Biden administration sending ‘mixed signals’ on China’s human rights abuses
close Video Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to Fox News at CPAC Pompeo discusses Iran, China and the future of the GOP at the Conservative Political Action Conference. ORLANDO, Fla. – Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday that the Biden administration has sent "mixed signals" on the Chinese persecution of religious minorities in Xinjiang -- and called for the administration to impose "real costs" on Beijing. Pompeo made the remarks in an interview with Fox News on the sidelines of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) about whether the Biden administration would follow through on his declaration that China had committed genocide against the Uyghurs. POMPEO SAYS BIDEN ECHOING 'CHINESE PROPAGANDA' ON UYGHUR PERSECUTION "The administration to date has sent mixed signals," Pompeo said. "Secretary [Antony] Blinken, who is my successor, said that he too believed genocide has taken place and was ongoing -- Im glad he said that because the facts clearly support whats taking place." Blinken said that his judgement is that "genocide was committed against the Uyghurs and that hasn’t changed." However, U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in her confirmation hearing, said that designation was being reviewed amid concerns that procedures were not followed. Pompeo had previously expressed concern about comments Biden made about his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, when he said that "culturally, there are different norms that each country and their leaders are expected to follow." Video "If forced sterililization and forced labor, separating families, the internment of a million people with the aim of the destruction of people who are non-Han Chinese, if thats not genocide then the world has lost its way," Pompeo told Fox. BIDEN LAYS OUT 'PRESCRIPTION' FOR U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS IN FIRST CALL WITH XI JINPING SINCE TAKING OFFICE ...
