Obama told me so

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Taking Action to Attract High-Skilled Immigrants, Graduates, and Entrepreneurs

The President is taking action, within his legal authority, to fix our broken immigration system. America needs a 21st century immigration system that lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants -- and that grows our economy.

According to an analysis by the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, the President’s executive actions on immigration stand to boost the nation’s GDP by $90 billion to $210 billion, while shrinking the Federal deficit by $25 billion over the next ten years. These actions will also increase the productivity and wages of all American workers, not just immigrants.

Many of these economic benefits spring from the President’s actions to “make it easier and faster for high-skilled immigrants, graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to our economy.” We need to build on our strengths -- after all, over one-quarter of all U.S.-based Nobel laureates over the past 50 years were foreign-born, and more than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or children of immigrants.

Keeping Up With the Cabinet: Our Trip to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit

President Obama and our Administration understand the importance of start-ups and small businesses to economic growth in the United States and around the world. As the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), we were proud to represent the U.S. last week at the premier forum on entrepreneurship in the world: the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES).

Traveling to Morocco with a delegation led by Vice President Biden, we came to GES with a clear purpose: to reaffirm President Obama’s commitment to entrepreneurship worldwide and to emphasize America’s leadership as the epicenter of invention and innovation – a model for other countries to follow.

We came to learn; to engage with young men and women from across the globe; and, hopefully, to inspire. And we have come away from this experience inspired ourselves.

President Obama Delivers a Statement On the Ferguson Grand Jury's Decision

Tonight, speaking from the White House Briefing Room, President Obama spoke to the American people about the announcement of the grand jury's decision in the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The President joined Michael Brown’s parents in calling on anyone who protests to do so peacefully.

In his remarks, the President offered a path forward for our country, noting that the situation in Ferguson speaks to broader challenges we still face as a nation including the mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color. The President asked the nation to heed a grieving father’s words tonight and called on the country to seize this moment tomorrow as an opportunity for change.

In Case You Missed It: A Look at the Presidential Medal of Freedom Ceremony

Speaking from the East Room this afternoon, President Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to eighteen individuals who have devoted their lives to public service.

What is the Presidential Medal of Freedom?

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

Father: Better that my son died in Arsal battle than as jihadis’ captive

BAALBEK: The family of Lance Cpl. Ali Qassem Ali said that finding out their son had actually been killed during the Army’s battle against jihadis nearly four months ago brought some small relief after thinking he had been held captive by the militants.

"Today and after we have verified that my son Ali was martyred and despite our deep pain, we are relieved to know that Ali died for the sake of his comrades in battle,” Qassem Ali told The Daily Star Saturday.

"I will not accept my son's body in exchange for the release of some prisoners the militants want the government to free ... I can only hope that authorities could repatriate my son's body and other martyrs.”

The family received dozens of people who came to offer their condolences in the eastern town of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley. The families of Abbas Medlej and Mohammad Hamieh, who were executed by militants in September, also offered their condolences to the Ali family.

A General Security official contacted the family Friday to inform them that Ali had been killed during the first days of the clashes in August when militants from ISIS and the Nusra Front attempted to overrun the border town of Arsal.

The father said the official told him that the militants had taken his son’s body when they retreated to the outskirts of Arsal after the five-day clashes with the Army.

Ali was killed when militants attempted to kidnap him and other soldiers.

The militants are currently holding 26 policemen and soldiers and have demanded the release of Islamist detainees from Roumieh Prison in exchange for the captives.

Beirut Bar Association: We want a president for Baabda

BEIRUT: The head of the Beirut Bar Association slammed the continued paralysis in the presidential seat Saturday, demanding politicians rise to the occasion and elect a new head of state, during a mass rally outside Baabda Palace to mark the 71 anniversary of Independence Day.

“Our main concern is not to fill the vacant seat but to maintain the functioning of a democratic republic and a balance of power,” George Jreij said, surrounded by dozens of lawyers who marched to Baabda Palace amid tight security measures.

"We have the right to speak out and we have the right to a respected republic, to have a capable state.”

"Doing the right thing [by canceling the celebrations] does not fill a vacuum. ... We want actions based on national responsibility. We want a president for this palace.”

Baabda Palace has been vacant since May 25 when former President Michel Sleiman departed the presidential seat, ending his six-year term without a replacement as politicians remain unable to elect a consensus candidate for the post.

Along with several scout associations, lawyers marched toward Baabda Palace, carrying Lebanese flags and wearing court dress.

Jreij, reading the Bar Association’s statement, said the group rejected constitutional violations and accused politicians of waiting for foreign powers to resolve the stalled election.

"We will not allow the paralysis to extend to all of the republic. The Bar Association rejects these constitutional violations and we refuse to see Lebanon waiting at the front doors of countries waiting for the password to elect a president,” he said.