LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: White House

  • “Drill, baby, drill” by Claire Mirkowski-Purdy

    “Drill, baby, drill” by Claire Mirkowski-Purdy

    White House photo

    by Claire Mirkowski-Purdy

    Loveland, Ohio, You may have heard our current president quoted for saying, “We are going to drill, baby, drill,” recently in the news or on social media. But what does all of this mean? Why is there so much excitement over this statement?

    For starters, Donald Trump is not the one to coin the phrase “drill, baby, drill.” In fact, former Republican governor of the state of Maryland, Michael Steele, first used the phrase in 2008 to add enthusiasm to drilling from Alaska in order to reduce energy costs in America. The increasingly popular phrase is one passed down through the Republican party.

    Our former president, Joe Biden, had called to reduce the drilling and mining in Alaska in hopes of helping the planet. Now that President Trump has been inaugurated, this is going to change.

    However, many are opposed to the idea of drilling because of the environmental degradation that is attached to it. Many scientists argue that we need to decrease more fossil fuel extractions, not increase them, so as not to increase the Greenhouse Effect anymore than it already has been. Drilling oil from Alaska is undoubtedly going to harm any and all ecosystems in the Arctic, possibly even leading to mass extinctions. Alongside that, the melting of our ice caps will increase, assisting in polluting our air and spreading respiratory diseases globally. There is a possibility for the damage done by Trump’s resumption of drilling oil from Alaska to have irreversible effects on our planet.

    With that being said, there is merit in drilling oil in Alaska. Millions of jobs will be created with the drilling reenacted. Also, a large amount of American tax dollars go towards oil and drilling, and that money is eventually used for American services in infrastructure and transportation, giving more leeway for the government to reduce the cost of necessities. In simple terms, since Alaska is far more local than other foreign oil extraction sites, it costs less to transport this fuel to Americans, making gas and groceries cheaper in the US.

    The argument of drilling in Alaska is quite polarizing, but that’s not to say there isn’t an agreement somewhere. Both former Vice President, Kamala Harris, and current President, Donald Trump, have agreed upon the fact that drilling, fracking, and mining should continue. However, that’s where the agreement ends. Donald Trump’s right-wing Project 2025 will drastically change the position that the Environmental Protection Agency has in America. If we are to look at Trump’s past, he rolled back over 100 environmental regulations in his first four years in office.  

    It’s important to note that gaining energy from renewable sources such as solar, wind, or geothermal is arguably more cost-effective over time and greener than mining and drilling. Many argue that in order to secure a healthier future, we must invest in renewable and cleaner energy sources, and others believe that the cost of these sources is unnecessarily high for a return on investment that will take many years to actualize. 

    President Trump’s right-wing phrase “drill, baby drill” comes with environmental consequences and economic benefits, no matter what, and there is validity on either side of the argument. The future of US energy policy depends on finding a way to meet in the middle, boosting our economy and environment, ensuring future generations a world where humanity and nature live in harmony.

  • Virtual Tour of the Art and Decor of The White House

    Virtual Tour of the Art and Decor of The White House

    Loveland, Ohio – Here is the virtual tour of the White House you’ve been hearing about.

    First Lady Jill Biden launched a new virtual tour of the White House. The White House, Google Maps, and Google Arts & Culture have collaborated to create a new virtual tour of the White House using Google Street View technology. It will live on WhiteHouse.gov/VirtualTour, as well as on both Google Maps and the Google Arts & Culture page.

    “Since day one of this Administration, the First Lady has worked to open the doors of the White House wider and wider, using technology and digital platforms to bring the “People’s House” to as many people as possible. Not everyone can make the trip to Washington, DC to tour the White House, so she is bringing the White House to them. We especially hope teachers everywhere can use this in their classrooms as a new interactive tool to educate their students about the White House – both past and present,” said Elizabeth Alexander, Communications Director for the First Lady.

    This is the first Google virtual tour of the White House with available Spanish translation and audio captions for those with disabilities. Audio captions were narrated by White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo. The opening video on the virtual tour of the President and the First Lady is the same video that plays at the White House Visitors Center, so those who come for the virtual tour will get the same experience and message as those who come in-person.

    TAKE THE TOUR

    ____________________

    The holiday theme at the White House in 2004 was “A Season of Merriment and Melody” which featured holiday songs that have been favorites for generations of Americans.

    These photos were taken by Loveland Magazine Managing Editor David Miller during a Holiday Open House during the administration of George W. Bush in 2004.

    All photos © DAVID MILLER/Loveland Magazine 2004.

     

  • A presidential election like none other, and now an inauguration like none other

    A presidential election like none other, and now an inauguration like none other

    President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

    By Laura Olson and Ohio Capital Journal

    Washington D.C. – As with so many other events during the year preceding it, the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden will be a ceremony unlike those of his predecessors.

    Tempering the celebratory tone is a directive from Biden’s inaugural team for supporters to refrain from traveling to D.C. for the Jan. 20 swearing-in. Instead, they’ve urged Americans to participate in the inaugural activities from home.

    It’s not yet clear what exactly those virtual festivities will include — or if President Donald Trump will attend Biden’s swearing-in. But the event will be scaled down in size, with an emphasis on safety precautions.

    “First and foremost, my objective is to keep America safe but still allow people to celebrate,” Biden said at a news conference this month.

    The crowd on the platform of the west front of the Capitol will be far less crowded than a typical inauguration. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies typically would be distributing 200,000 tickets, but instead will hand out enough for each of the 535 members of Congress to attend with only one guest each.

    U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who is chairman of the joint committee, said in a statement this month that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and rising case counts “warranted a difficult decision to limit attendance.”

    Blunt added that the committee is “working on enhanced opportunities to watch the ceremonies online, in addition to the traditional televised national broadcast.”

    “The election of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris was historic and we know that many Americans would have wanted to attend the inauguration in-person,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who also serves on the inaugural committee. “At the same time, safety must be our top priority.”

    Biden’s inaugural committee has tapped medical experts to oversee safety precautions, including former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler as its chief medical adviser.

    The details released so far have been vague beyond the limited number of tickets. A news release from Biden’s inaugural team described an “extremely limited” footprint for the swearing-in ceremony, and a parade that will be “reimagined.”

    That revamped parade could look similar to the Democratic National Convention’s virtual roll call, which featured video clips of delegates in their home states.

    “There probably will not be a gigantic inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue,” Biden said. “But my guess is you’ll see a lot of virtual activity in states all across America, engaging even more people.”

    Crowded inaugural balls also are likely out of the question due to the pandemic.

    The Walter E. Washington Convention Center that typically would host soirees was once again prepped this month for use as a COVID-19 field hospital.

    Another question looming over the inauguration: What will Trump do?

    Traditionally, the outgoing president and first lady would meet with the incoming first family at the White House, and then ride together to the Capitol for the noontime ceremony.

    But Trump has refused to accept the election results, launching a failed series of legal challenges and posting unfounded claims of election fraud, even after the Electoral College certified his defeat. Asked in a Fox News interview this month if he’ll attend Biden’s inauguration, Trump replied: “I don’t want to talk about that.”

    The last time a president did not participate in their successor’s inauguration was in 1869, when President Andrew Johnson left office and Ulysses S. Grant was sworn in.

  • Trump swipe at DeWine follows year of campaign support, and COVID-19 praise

    Trump swipe at DeWine follows year of campaign support, and COVID-19 praise

    President Donald Trump meeting with governors, including Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images.

    By Tyler Buchanan

    A year of Gov. Mike DeWine defending the president’s pandemic response and supporting his reelection effort was undone by a brief acknowledgment of reality on cable TV.

    To President Donald Trump, one comment is all it takes for someone to go from political ally to persona non grata.

    On Sunday, DeWine said on CNN that Trump has a right to legally challenge the 2020 election result, but should begin working toward a transition for President-elect Joe Biden. That clip was aired Monday morning on Fox News, a network Trump frequently watches at the White House, leading the president to target DeWine’s own reelection hopes in 2022:

    This tweet to the president’s 89 million followers bookends a year in which DeWine has consistently praised Trump and frequently dodged questions related to the president’s handling of the pandemic.

    DeWine’s office issued this statement in response to the president’s tweet: “I have always had a great working relationship with the President. I am proud to have served as President Trump’s Campaign Co-Chairman in Ohio where we won by the largest margin of any swing state in the country. And I intend to run a winning campaign for governor in 2022.”

    DeWine served as an honorary co-chair to Trump’s campaign in Ohio and recorded a video in support of Trump for the 2020 Republican National Convention. His lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, spoke at a Trump rally in September in favor of the president’s reelection — though the crowd of Trump supporters booed Husted for promoting mask-wearing to prevent COVID-19 spread. 

    While DeWine has emphasized the need for masks and social distancing, Trump has often undercut this public health message by hosting large campaign rallies and downplaying the effectiveness of face coverings.

    DeWine has sidestepped questions from reporters about these contradicting messages, instead choosing to praise the White House for its conference calls with governors and for its work in helping develop a vaccine. 

    The Trump tweet came anyway. 

    The president’s suggestion of a Republican primary comes as DeWine faces increasingly sharp attacks from seemingly all sides regarding his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Democratic leaders, who have generally been supportive of the Republican governor and the Ohio Department of Health, want him to take more aggressive steps to slow the spread as Ohio sees record numbers of infections and hospitalizations.

    Republican legislators have dialed up their own criticism of their party’s leader, insisting DeWine should refrain from issuing any further health orders such as business shutdowns.

    DeWine earned very high marks from the general public early in the pandemic for his aggressive response in partnership with then-Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton. That support led to widespread cooperation in the early weeks as the two enacted business closures and a stay-at-home order.

    Support for DeWine has gradually waned in the months since, though a Great Lakes poll in September found a majority of Ohioans still viewed DeWine’s coronavirus response favorably.

    Hours after Trump’s tweet, DeWine did receive a compliment from President-elect Joe Biden at a Monday afternoon press conference. Biden referred to DeWine as a leader in having “stepped up” to issue a mask mandate in Ohio.

    Outside of the electoral ramifications of Trump’s tweet, the public sentiment over the Ohio pandemic approach may impact DeWine’s ability to amass future cooperation for any health orders still to come.

    DeWine has hinted that orders pertaining to bars, restaurants and social gatherings could come as soon as this week. 

    The governor spent early Monday in West Virginia speaking to TV stations which broadcast to the southern and eastern portions of Ohio. DeWine has offered region-specific messages to Ohioans about the virus spike and how residents can slow the spread in their areas.

    With this year’s election now over, some Ohio Republicans have begun turning their attention to 2022. Among them is Jim Renacci, a former Congressman from Medina County and fervent Trump supporter who ran for governor against DeWine in 2017. Renacci quit the Republican primary to instead campaign for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown, who defeated Renacci in the 2018 General Election.

    State Rep. Jena Powell, R-Arcanum, has offered a similar view.

    “The solution today is taking away (DeWine’s) emergency powers,” Powell wrote on Facebook after the governor’s statewide address on Nov. 11. “The solution in two years is to not re-elect Mike DeWine.”

    Powell shared Trump’s tweet in agreement.

    “Even President Donald J. Trump knows Governor Mike DeWine is doing a terrible job,” she posted. “Ohio needs conservative leadership that actually represent the people first.”

    Some Ohio Democrats see the Trump tweet as a political lesson.

    U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is another Republican facing reelection in 2022. He has not yet acknowledged the presidential election result.

  • The divided reality of coronavirus

    The divided reality of coronavirus

    Marty Schladen

    by Marty Schladen
    Marty Schladen has been a reporter for decades, working in Indiana, Texas and other places before returning to his native Ohio to work at The Columbus Dispatch in 2017. He’s won state and national journalism awards for investigations into utility regulation, public corruption, the environment, prescription drug spending and other matters.

    Ohioans seem to be living in two realities. Coronavirus cases are soaring, but many refuse to acknowledge it.

    Spoiler alert: President Trump might have something to do with the dissonance.

    Ohio got some of its worse coronavirus news to date on Thursday, with Gov. Mike DeWine reporting yet another record in cases over the past 24 hours — 2,425— along with an alarming increase in hospitalizations due to the disease.

    And as he reported those numbers in his covid press conference, DeWine invited some sobering testimony from a prominent covid sufferer.

    “It’s like getting beaten up from the inside out,” former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said via Zoom, describing his recent bout with coronavirus that landed him in the intensive-care unit for six-and-a-half days.

    Go to the 6:10 minute mark of the news conference to watch the Zoom call between former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. Mike DeWine. (Video: The Ohio Channel)

    Christie described the isolation of lying alone in a room, communicating with hospital workers by white board through two-inch glass and not knowing whether he’d ever make it out.

    “That combination of physical and psychological stress was pretty unique in my life and pretty extraordinary,” he said. “I can’t emphasize enough: I know how tired everybody is… But as tired as you are of strapping that mask on or going to the sink and washing those hands again, I can tell you, you will take those days in a heartbeat compared to getting this disease.”

    Yet at the same time, people living in a very different reality were expressing themselves on DeWine’s Twitter feed. 

    Some were falsely arguing that the fall spike in cases is proof that wearing masks doesn’t mitigate the spread of the virus. Others were advancing a fringe theory that it would be worth the human cost to pursue herd immunity before a vaccine arrives.

    Still others claimed that the increase in cases was due only to the greater testing that is being done. 

    In response to DeWine’s admonition that Ohioans “pay attention and get serious” about the spike, one skeptic seemed to need the most grisly proof before being convinced that the pandemic was real.

    “Where are all the dead bodies, the mass burials, the pages upon pages of obituaries and the endless funeral processions?” #Trumpster tweeted. “I’m just not seeing it or believing it governor.” 

    The poster’s Twitter handle might have provided a clue as to the source of all the skepticism.

    Asked about some of the myths being posted as fact, DeWine took particular exception to the claim that coronavirus cases are only increasing because there’s more testing.

    “The whole idea that cases are going up solely because we are increasing testing is just nuts,” DeWine said, “It’s not right. The way you can tell it is look at our increase in (the rate of positive results.) Generally, if you go out and test a wider and wider group of people… and testing many people who don’t have symptoms, you would expect that the positivity rate would go down. That is not what has happened.”

    Yet that claim has repeatedly been made by the man DeWine is supporting for president — Donald Trump. Most recently, Trump made it in a “60 Minutes” interview that’s scheduled to air on Sunday. In violation of his agreement with CBS, Trump released an unedited, 37-minute recording of the interview.

    In the recording, Trump rarely allows the reporter, Leslie Stahl, to complete a sentence, but in a Tweet he claimed the opposite.

    “Watch her constant interruptions and anger,” he wrote. “Compare my full, flowing and ‘magnificently brilliant” ‘answers to their ‘Q’s’.”

    One of those “magnificently brilliant” statements was that the only reason covid case counts are spiking is due to increased testing. The same claim DeWine called “nuts.”

    There was a similar gulf between Christie’s comments and those of Trump, his close political ally. 

    Christie described his diligent mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing. And then, for the first time in seven months, he skipped those precautions when he went to the White House to help Trump prepare for the first presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

    Trump has mostly appeared in public without a mask and even mocked Biden during the debate for wearing one.

    “I walked through the gates and found out that I had tested negative at the White House Medical Unit, I took my mask off and I left it off, but only for the time I was inside those gates,” Christie said.

    He later added, “I made a huge mistake by taking that mask off and I hope it’s something no other Americans have to go through.”

    (This column was edited by Loveland Magazine)

  • As we reopen Loveland Schools: CDC director blocked from appearing before Congress to testify about reopening schools

    As we reopen Loveland Schools: CDC director blocked from appearing before Congress to testify about reopening schools

    CDC Director Robert Redfield

    The Loveland Board of Education voted unanimously on Wednesday to fully re-open schools. During their discussion, we heard repeatedly how the devil’s daily details are not yet known because staff and administrators are waiting for advice and guidelines from various local, State, and Federal agencies that have yet to be released. (In unanimous vote Loveland Board of Education approves reopening plan)

    Chris Wallace asks Education Secretary Betsy DeVos if she has authority to pull funding from schools that don’t reopen and about safely re-opening schools

    Meanwhile, we find out today as Bianca Quilantan reports in Politico that the White House is blocking CDC officials from testifying next week at a hearing on reopening schools.

    Separately, the CDC confirmed that more guidance for opening schools won’t be released until later this month. The report was expected to already be available.

    House Education and Labor Committee Chair Bobby Scott (VA-03) had invited CDC Director Robert Redfield, or a designee, to testify before the Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee on July 23 at a hearing on safely reopening schools.

    CNN’s Dana Bash speaks to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos about whether or not she has a plan for schools to safely reopen for students as Covid-19 cases surge in the US.

    Scott asked Redfield to discuss the immediate needs of K-12 public schools as many districts, including Loveland, Ohio schools, prepare to reopen in a few weeks.

    “It is alarming that the Trump Administration is preventing the CDC from appearing before the Committee at a time when its expertise and guidance is so critical to the health and safety of students, parents, and educators,” Scott said in a statement to Politico. “This lack of transparency does a great disservice to the many communities across the country facing difficult decisions about reopening schools this fall.”

    Ohio’s COVID 19 DASHBOARD today at 7:48 AM

    Aides, speaking on background, said the committee was told that Redfield would not appear, at the direction of the White House according to Politico.

    Science and evidence-based resources and tools could provide additional information for administrators, teachers and staff, parents, caregivers and guardians in Loveland, as they work towards the public health-oriented goal of safely opening schools this fall.

    House Education and Labor Committee Chair Bobby Scott

    Scott released this statement on Friday:

    “School reopening plans must be guided by the advice of public health experts. For that reason, we asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to testify in a public hearing to provide greater clarity on the steps we can take to help schools reopen safely.

    “It is alarming that the Trump administration is preventing the CDC from appearing before the Committee at a time when its expertise and guidance is so critical to the health and safety of students, parents, and educators. This lack of transparency does a great disservice to the many communities across the country facing difficult decisions about reopening schools this fall. 

    “The administration’s strategy of prioritizing politics over science has had a devastating impact on our country throughout this pandemic. It should not make that same mistake when it comes to reopening schools.”

    Hamilton County COVID 19 Dashboard today at 7:55 AM

     

    Ohio Public Health Advisory System The Public Health Advisory Alert System is a color-coded system designed to supplement existing statewide orders through a data-driven framework to assess the degree of the virus’ spread and to engage and empower individuals, businesses, communities, local governments, and others in their response and actions. (7-18-2020)

     

    Warren County COVID 19 Dashboard today at 8:02 AM

     

    Clermont County COVID 19 Dashboard today at 8:02 AM