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JOE BIDEN IS into his third day as US president and the new administration is beginning to stretch its legs.
On day one Biden signed a raft of executive orders aimed at reversing some Trump-era policies and there’s even been some symbolic remodelling of the Oval Office.
But as we get used to to the changes in the White House, here’s a short guide to some people you might be getting to know.
Every four years, we celebrate the beginning of a new administration. It’s the start of a bright new chapter. A time for us all to come together. I’m so grateful to all who worked to create an incredible day – especially in this uniquely difficult year. pic.twitter.com/P3L7OYoANR
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) January 21, 2021
The new First Lady Jill Biden is a community college teacher who has said she will continue to teach after moving into the White House, making her the first First Lady to keep a full-time job.
Biden kept her job during her eight years as Second Lady reportedly requested that the Secret Service accompanying dress as students to be less conspicuous.
Biden has preferred to refer to herself as ‘Dr B’ and the use of her academic title recently provoked headlines when a Wall Street Journal columnist criticised her for using it.
Biden had a significant impact on Wednesday’s inauguration after inviting 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman to take part. Gorman became a star of the day with verse on how democracy “can never be permanently defeated.”
The new First Lady and President Biden married in 1977 she became the mother of his two sons, Beau and Hunter. Their daughter, Ashley, was born in 1981.
Jill Biden wrote the bestselling memoir, Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself, and has also written a number of children’s books, including this year’s JOEY: The Story of Joe Biden.
I'm so incredibly honored and humbled to be the first @SecondGentleman of the United States. As we countdown to Inauguration Day, I've been doing my homework—and looking to the past for inspiration. pic.twitter.com/bhE7SvCls2
— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) January 16, 2021
Basically filling the role Jill Biden had for eight years, Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff will become the first ever Second Gentleman.
Emhoff, a lawyer specialising in media, sports and entertainment, has left the law firm he worked at will now teach at Georgetown Law school in Washington.
Georgetown Law has described him as “one of the nation’s leading intellectual property and business litigators.”
In a video released this week, Emhoff went to the Library of Congress to “do his homework” about the role of White House spouses.
Harris and Emhoff, married in 2014 after meeting the previous year in a blind date.
He is the father of two children and Harris has written about being a stepmom, referring to herself as ‘Momala’.
Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of a vice president and has said in his role he will “devote his time to the causes of justice, equality, and human rights”.
Jen Psaki is the new White House press secretary you’ll be seeing from the famous lectern from now own.
Psaki delivered her first briefing to reporters on the night of the inauguration and has promised that the briefings would be more frequent than the latter days of the Trump administration.
Playing nice with the reporters in the room on Wednesday, she said: “I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play.”
As with many of Biden’s team, Psaki is a veteran of the Obama administration having served as a press secretary in both of Obama’s campaigns. She has also worked as a commentator for CNN.
With the swearing in of two Democratic Senators from Georgia this week, Jon Ossof and Raphael Warnock, the party gained control of the senate.
The body now stands deadlocked at 50-50 but with Vice President Kamala Harris having the tie-breaking vote the Democrats have a loose grasp of the chamber.
As a result, Schumer becomes the majority leader of the Senate, taking over from Mitch McConnell.
In his first speech leading the Senate, the 70-year-old Schumer described himself as “a kid from Brooklyn, the son of an exterminator and a housewife, a descendant of victims of the Holocaust.”
Schumer is the father of two children and is also a cousin of comedian Amy Schumer.
Schumer will be a central playing in the next few weeks when the Senate conducts the impeachment trial of Donald Trump.
This won’t start until the “incitement of insurrection” charges are actually sent from the House of Representatives but much responsibility will then fall on Schumer to organise how the Senate operates during the trial.
There have been suggestions that Senate working days could be split between the trial and other business to allow Biden’s legislative work to begin.
Senate control should mean Biden will have an easier time getting his cabinet members and judge picks confirmed but passing legislation may prove more difficult. And on that point.
The nominations to Biden’s Cabinet have a 50/50 gender split and the first member has already been confirmed.
Former CIA official Avril Haines was confirmed as director of national intelligence by a clear vote of 84-10. The confirmation makes Haines the first woman ever to lead the 18 entities that make up the US intelligence community.
Another confirmation is ongoing with former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg soon to become Transportation Secretary.
Some of the other Cabinet positions we’re likely to hear a lot about include Anthony Blinken as Secretary of State, Merrick Garland as Attorney General and Dr. Janet Yellen as Secretary of the Treasury.
The vote on Yellen will be held later today and, with Republicans expressing concerns about Biden’s economic plans, the vote is likely to be seen as an early test of the potential for bipartisanship in the new era.
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One would hope that this would see the excision of any reference to “blasphemy” from our Statutes, no matter how much Mr. Ahearne was in love with it. It is a provision just awaiting some extremist to avail of.
That’ll unfortunately require a referendum as Dev put that stupid crime in the constitution and then never defined what it was.
The blasphemy law was put in place by Noel Ahearne during the last administration
Hopefully overhauling the equalities act to remove the religious public bodies right to fire someone for their religion (or lack thereof) and sexuality. If ever there was a backward law its one that technically allows a religious run hospital or school to fire someone for being gay or an atheist. Absurd.
Dermot not Noël I think. And the dope has since admitted it was a mistake.
Niall…. That’s BLASPHEMOUS!
Was it? Jesus Christ!
Its hard to beat the brand new law in Sweden that makes it legal to w**k in public.
Lol, you said, “hard to beat”.
It’s the Defamation Act, not a ‘blasphemy law’. Blasphemy is a small part of it and the language is so watered down nobody will ever be convicted under it (I hope).
Where did anyone call it a “blasphemy law”? Try reading the posts. Further the wording as it stands does admit of prosecution, whether or not your learned self thinks it would be successful or not.
Dermot Lane, above, called it ‘the blasphemy law’.
Any chance they could knock that law preventing TD’s being stopped and breathalysed because they are on their way to the Dail?
In the constitution as well. Broadly, TDs and senators can’t be impeded by police if they’re on the way to the Oireachtas.
Kerry, NONE WHATSOEVER,
How about getting rid of the law banning the sale of alcohol on good Friday and Christmas Day?
Because it would lead to violent outrages and general humiliation. #coppers
The penalty for suicide up until 1964 was death by hanging.i wonder could you appeal for leniency
So they rehang a poor suicide victim … That’s overdoing it a bit don’t you think
Yeah. A bit like flogging a dead horse. Hung as a sheep AND a lamb!
Is it still legal to take a dump but not a piss on a public street?
I think you’re allowed to do your wees as long as it’s against the wheel of your carriage.
It is illegal to take a piss on a public street. My “friend” got done for it.
@Denise. I’m trying desperately to imagine the anatomical position that would render that possible
@john. My “friend” got away with the former
I think it’s still legal for pregnant women but I stand open to correction on that.
Beat me too it…
It’s legal to pee in the street if you are a pregnant woman. Can anyone confirm that it is legal to ask for a police mans hat if you are caught short to crap in. I can’t remember where I heard it but it would be interesting to try
Does this mean that ye can marry yer horse without being hung drawn and quartered?
Well I married mine.
(hi honey)
Has the ‘Kings Birthday’ been removed as a day off for public servants?
Fair play to the angry mob.
“A general fast and humiliation”: Troika anyone?
Fast and humiliation…? The chap really was off his rocker.
Say theres a few Clare lads getting fierce excited the ‘obscure’ references to copulating with siblings will be removed from the books.
Clare folk have to have a hobby.
Once I can continue to play games of chance in the town market square I dont mind what they do
Isn’t fast & humiliation just another way of saying AUSTERITY!
Not much has changed!
There must be something they are tring to take on the sly. Between that and potential loss of sheanad and Supreme Court under their control we might not know it yet but we are doomed slaves and fools for letting the pigs run the farm!!
I think you can relax: I don’t think the Supreme Court is being abolished any time soon.
How about laws for victimless ‘crimes’
Nice one!! The White Boys get away with it! It was worth the wait…
I wonder what theGuinness Estate Act1883 , is?
Now I am as well.
We did this in Colorado about 30 years ago and there was an uproar from the clergy about removing adultery from our criminal laws. The Chief Justice said at the hearing, “I know a married man who tried adultery, and he said he couldn’t tell the difference.” It cracked up the proceedings. They left it on the books, but they removed the penalty associated with it, making it non-criminal.
Blasphemy is what last year’s leaf screams at this year’s bud. All laws associated with it are repugnant to human development. Let the clergy tear their sullied gowns over it while we laugh at their all powerful gods needing the help of the legislature, so they won’t be toppled over by reason and true compassion.
I wonder what the Guinness Estate Act 1883 was.
Have you tried here? http://tinyurl.com/GEA1883
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