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Lt. Dan Choi’s Military Board Recommends Discharge

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West Point grad Lt. Dan Choi, an Iraq War veteran and Arabic linguist, is gay. He came out recently on The Rachel Maddow Show. And today he had his discharge hearing. Because if you’re in the U.S. military, and you’re gay, and you get found out, you get kicked out. That’s the way “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” works.

Today, in Syracuse, NY, a military board recommended Choi be discharged for being gay. It is not the final step. The Post-Standard reports:

“The recommendation is not a final decision. Another recommendation will be made by the Commander of the First Army, a regional branch of the army. The chief of the National Guard Bureau has the final decision.

“I’m disappointed,” said Choi at a news conference tonight.”Today was a setback for me.”

But Choi said he plans to appeal to higher ranking officers. “I refuse to lie about my love relationship,” he said.”

Here’s a shot from Lt. Choi’s Twitter page, taken just moments ago:

ltdanchoi

Choi became a bit of an LGBTQ celebrity, thanks to his intelligence, passion, and dedication to his country. I had the honor of hearing him speak recently at the NYC Gay Pride Rally. He was truly impressive. One of the most impressive things about Lt. Choi is that he has said repeatedly that if he is discharged, and DADT is repealed, he will be the first in line to re-enlist.

Here’s Choi on The Rachel Maddow Show:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=uJMSFisKM50%26hl%3Den%26fs%3D1%26border%3D1

There was surprisingly little news about today’s events. Leading up to today, Courage Campaign posted an online petition to save Lt. Choi’s job. Over 260,000 people have signed it. Here’s the only news we have, via Knights Out, the organization Choi and others founded for LGBT military members. Here’s what Choi wrote, in reverse chronological order, I believe:

“More updates…expected verdict soon.

More from Dan Choi:

About three hours of deliberation and no vrdict yet. Every witness on both sides said I was an asset to the unit and the only evidence were statements of homosexuality . My statement included Arabic poem, I am gay, refuse to lie, my duty to ensure the message to every gay soldier that they are not alone.

Message from Dan Choi….2:50pm

“Still awaiting their verdict… I’ve received support text messages from around the world, and most importantly the members of my unit. My statement talked about Army values of integrity and sending a message from Knights Out to all the deployed soldiers or anyone who feels isolated, that indeed NO soldier stands alone. (Outside the hearing room is a poster with that exact message.) I also said I am gay. I refused to lie, and told them I refuse to stay silent, particularly since the soldiers in my unit respect honesty above personal gain. I recited the Iraqi poem of historic fame and of course translated it myself. In Arabic English and transliterated English. I presented the total 260,000 support letters and signatures to include statements by generals, admirals, and congressmen. I refuse to go quietly, and explained this as my duty.”

Updates from the hearing…from Sue Fulton…communications director

10:55am: Still no word from Dan, but 2 local tv stations are outside the gate. Marg, Pen, and I have a press rm set up @ the hotel.

11:41am: Dan at lunch break and afterwards the board plans to deliberate. Margaret suggests calling governor and president asking for immediate intervention! Tell them 3 brave women were prepared to support and stand up for Dan…why won”t they? Call now!

11:46am: Dan had just come out and talked to reporters so thank God I stayed off camera. CNN-NBC affiliate was happy so that’s good.

1:30pm: Back at the Best Western awaiting news from Dan. Inside now so it stopped raining again

1:43pm: Last night Margaret helped Dan print out OVER 150 letters of support! Plus 250,000 petition signatures.

At 8:00 am on Tuesday, June 30th, in Syracuse, NY, a board of Army Officers will convene to determine the fate of 1LT Dan Choi’s military career.

The address is 6900 Thompson Road, Syracuse, NY.

NOW is the time for FULL CITIZENSHIP for all Americans – for all the rights and responsibilities that some Americans take for granted – including the right for LGBT individuals to serve in the military.

Please continue to check the website for updates. If you can attend a protest rally in Syracuse, contact SpiritCPT@knightsout.org”

The post is dated Mon, 06/29/2009 – 06:53, but it seems that’s the original date and it was updated this afternoon a few times.

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News

Trump to Slip Away on Six-Day Florida Vacation as Americans Struggle With Soaring Costs

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President Donald Trump is heading to his Florida estate on Tuesday to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday. The president and First Lady will be staying at Mar-a-Lago for an extended break, returning to the White House early Sunday evening.

As the First Family enjoys their six-day trip, Americans are increasingly dismayed at the state of the Trump economy, which is producing near-record-low consumer sentiment, rising and record prices at the grocery store, increasing unemployment, persistent inflation, and — as the president recently declared — tariff payments that are about to “skyrocket.”

Inflation remains strong at 3.0%. The unemployment rate is now the highest it’s been in nearly four years. Prices for items like beef, coffee, and bananas have increased by double-digit percentages. Major corporations have announced plans to lay off thousands or tens of thousands of workers. Millions of Americans are seeing their health care premiums for next year in some cases double or even triple. And according to one economist, there is a possibility that some parts of the country may already be in a recession. Another economist last week sounded the stagflation alarm.

READ MORE: Family Food Costs Hit Record High Despite Trump Touting Cheaper Holiday Dinner

According to guidance from the White House, published by Roll Call, the president and First Lady will head to Palm Beach, Florida, at 6 PM on Tuesday, after pardoning the presidential turkeys.

The president has no public events scheduled on Wednesday. The only event scheduled for Thursday, Thanksgiving, is a 6 PM call with service members.

On other Thanksgivings, some presidents have visited troops in person, even overseas, or volunteered at food banks.

For Friday and Saturday, the president has no public events scheduled. On Sunday, the president and First Lady leave Palm Beach at 3 PM, headed for the White House.

Last month, President Trump was sharply criticized as “tone deaf” for hosting a Great Gatsby-themed party as millions of Americans were poised to lose their SNAP benefits.

READ MORE: Trump: Nearly All of Biden’s Pardons — Including the Turkeys — Are ‘Invalid’

 

Image via Reuters

 

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Trump: Nearly All of Biden’s Pardons — Including the Turkeys — Are ‘Invalid’

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A jovial President Donald Trump, set to jet off to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday, took time on Tuesday to participate in the annual presidential pardoning of two turkeys, but told attendees at the White House that nearly all of the pardons then-President Joe Biden had performed are “invalid.”

“You remember last year,” Trump said, “after a thorough and very rigorous investigation, by Pam Bondi and all of the people, at Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA, the White House Counsel’s Office, and the Department of Everything —we have a Department of Everything. You know what that is? I think that’s called the White House — into a terrible situation caused by a man named Sleepy Joe Biden.”

“He used an autopen, last year for the turkeys’ pardon.”

READ MORE: Layoffs Surge and Consumer Confidence Tumbles Under Trump as Holidays Approach

“So I have the official duty to determine, and I have determined, that last year’s turkey pardons are totally invalid,” the president, apparently joking, told onlookers.

“As are the pardons of about every other person that was pardoned, other than, uh, where’s Hunter?” Trump continued, referring to the former president’s son.

“No, Hunter’s was good,” Trump said. “That was the one pardon Pam that was good, right? The rest of them are all invalid.”

READ MORE: ‘Theater of the Absurd’: Trump’s Attacks Cast Doubt on Bipartisan Funding Deals

The president then appeared to stop joking.

“I don’t know what the h – – you’re gonna do about that, but that’s, now we’re gonna take a little of the joke, and that is a mess,” he said of the pardons.

Presidents, including President Trump, for at least decades have used autopens to sign documents. But Trump has strongly suggested that at least some of President Biden’s autopen-signed documents are invalid.

READ MORE: Republicans Scuttled Trump Health Care Fix Because They Felt ‘Left Out’: Report

 

Image via Reuters 

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Layoffs Surge and Consumer Confidence Tumbles Under Trump as Holidays Approach

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The Consumer Confidence Index dropped sharply in November, as disillusioned Americans indicated unease in the Trump economy amid rising prices, steady inflation, tariffs, increasing unemployment, and surging layoffs that are making finding a job more difficult.

The Consumer Confidence Index dropped 6.8 points to its lowest level since April, and consumer expectations “tumbled,” CNBC reported on Tuesday.

“Consumers were notably more pessimistic about business conditions six months from now,” said Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economist. “Mid-2026 expectations for labor market conditions remained decidedly negative, and expectations for increased household incomes shrunk dramatically, after six months of strongly positive readings.”

READ MORE: ‘Theater of the Absurd’: Trump’s Attacks Cast Doubt on Bipartisan Funding Deals

Now, just six percent of workers say that jobs are “plentiful,” down from 28.6% one month ago.

“Consumers’ write-in responses pertaining to factors affecting the economy continued to be led by references to prices and inflation, tariffs and trade, and politics, with increased mentions of the federal government shutdown,” Peterson also said in a statement, according to Bloomberg News.

The news comes just as another indicator of a weakening jobs market shows that “private companies shed an average 13,500 jobs over the past four weeks,” CNBC noted, citing data from payrolls processing firm ADP.

“That’s an acceleration from the 2,500 jobs a week lost in the last update a week ago,” CNBC also reported.

Other data also suggest a troubled economy.

READ MORE: Republicans Scuttled Trump Health Care Fix Because They Felt ‘Left Out’: Report

“Government figures out earlier on Tuesday showed retail sales moderated in September after several robust months,” Bloomberg added.

“As for November, the Conference Board’s report showed buying plans for big-ticket items, including cars and major appliances, declined. Home-buying plans also fell.”

Alex Jacquez, Chief of Policy and Advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative and a former Biden White House official, summed up his thoughts on the current situation:

“Good news: fewer people think we’re headed toward a recession. Bad news: more people think we’re already in one.”

READ MORE: GOP Lawmaker Suggests US ‘About to Go In’ to Venezuela for Oil

 

Image via Reuters 

 

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