Page 6 - Florida Sentinel 1-3-17 Online Edition

White House News
President Obama Creates 2 National Monuments; Enrages Republicans
Gallup Poll: President Is ‘Most Admired’ Man In U.S.
President Barack Obama created the Bears Ears National Monument Wednesday, protecting 1.35 million acres of land in southwest Utah. The region is rich in culturally significant sites for Native tribes that have lived there for genera- tions. Today’s proclamation also created the Bears Ears Commission to ensure that Tribal Nations have a say in how the land is managed.
It’s a controversial move in President Obama’s last month in office: supporters praise the president for pro- tecting lands and artifacts sa- cred to Native peoples. But opponents argue that the act was high-handed and pre- vents people in a poor region from taking advantage of the area’s natural resources. Re- publicans have vowed to fight it; Utah Senator Mike Lee tweeted that he will work tirelessly to undo the presi- dent’s act.
The President has the power to create national monuments under the fed- eral Antiquities Act of 1906, which he invoked to create the Bears Ears National Mon- ument and the Gold Butte National Monument — more than 300,000 acres in north- ern Nevada. Both of these are massive, compared to nearby national parks: Zion National Park is about 150,000 acres, and Arches National Park is
President Obama has again been named the nation's most admired man. This is the 9th consecutive year partici- pants in the annual Gallup poll have placed him at the top.
That puts President Obama not far behind Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was bestowed the honor a record 12 times. Donald Trump landed in 2nd place for the second year in a row.
It’s not uncommon for pres- idents-elect to take a back seat to those already in office. The only two U.S. leaders who gar- nered the top ranking prior to their inaugurations are Obama and Eisenhower.
In the category of most ad- mired woman, Hillary Clin-
PRESIDENT OBAMA
ton rose above all others. 2016 marks her 21st appearance in the number 1 slot, reports the Washington Post.
Bear Ears National Monument in Utah and Gold Butte National Monument in Nevada.
President Obama Plans To Write A Book Or Two After Leaving Office
approximately 76,000 acres, according to the Deseret News. These two new na- tional monuments bring the number created by Presi- dent Obama up to 29, total- ing 553 million acres of land and water, according to The Washington Post.
The Bears Ears Inter- Tribal Coalition has been pushing the federal govern- ment to protect the land for years..
“For the first time in his- tory, a President has used the
Antiquities Act to honor the request of Tribal Nations to protect our sacred sites. In doing so, he has given the op- portunity for all Americans to come together and heal,” said David Filfred, a Navajo Na- tion Council Delegate, in a statement.
How exactly the monu- ment designation will change land use in the Bears Ears National Monument isn’t yet clear, since protections vary from monument to monu- ment.
Last week, the LA Times wrote up an interview Presi- dent Obama gave with CNN’s David Axelrod, de- tailing the end of his two-term presidency and his plans for the future.
What’s up next for the Oba- mas? In addition to rumors that the president hopes to launch his own digital media company, he told CNN that he’s going to take Michelle on a nice, deserved vacation. And after that: “I’m gonna start thinking about the first book - - I want to write.”
By first book, President Obama doesn’t mean a first book, but rather a first post- presidency tome. He’s already written a memoir, something of a political credo, and a chil- dren’s book dedicated to his daughters, detailing the lives
PRESIDENT OBAMA
of altruistic Americans. Now, he’ll follow in the footsteps of past presidents by publishing after leaving the White House.
The New York Times wrote in September that such a title could rack up a deal in the tens of millions.
Of course, the choice would- n’t be purely economic. Presi- dent Obama’s interest in literature was clear from the outset of his presidency.
Official Who Called First Lady ‘An Ape In Heels’ Is Finally Fired
A West Virginia official who called First Lady Michelle Obama an “ape in heels” in a widely shared Face- book post has been perma- nently removed from her position.
Pamela Ramsey Taylor
will not continue as director of the Clay County Development Corporation, a state- and fed- erally funded nonprofit, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s office confirmed Tuesday morning.
“Following the state’s re- quest for specific assurances that the CCDC is following anti-discrimination policies, we have been assured that Pamela Taylor has been re-
deleted Facebook post: “It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”
In response to the racist post, the CCDC put Taylor on a six-week leave scheduled to end last Friday. But the gover- nor’s office determined Friday that the corporation she once led will be managed by the Ap- palachian Area Agency on Aging for the next six months.
Beverly Whaling, the mayor of Clay, West Virginia ― who replied to Taylor’s post, “Just made my day Pam” ― resigned following the uproar.
Obama Administration
Pamela Ramsey Taylor has been removed from her posi- tion.
moved from her position as CCDC director,” Tomblin’s communications director Jes- sica Tice said in a statement to The Huffington Post.
Shortly after Donald Trump’spresidentialvictory, Taylor wrote in a since-
Against Russia For Cyberassault
Announces Retaliatory Steps
The Obama administration announced retaliatory steps against Russia for a cyberas- sault on Democratic political organizations during the 2016 presidential campaign, accord- ing to sources familiar with the matter.
Federal authorities are also expected to expand on why Washington is confident that Russia was behind the hacks, which some officials believe in- fluenced the U.S. presidential election.
Sources said that groups be- lieved to be involved in the Russian-backed operations will be named.
Authorities said a Russian- backed cyberassault on Demo- cratic political organizations resulted in leaked emails that proved embarrassing to Demo- cratic leaders and at least one
Russian president Vladamir Putin is said to be directly be- hind the attack.
of Hillary Clinton’s cam- paign officials.
Sources told ABC News that today's expected announce- ment will include only public steps, particularly economic sanctions, and is not expected to reveal any possible covert ac- tions being taken by U.S. intel- ligence agencies.
PAGE 6 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017