The President's Daily Brief - September 21st, 2023: Fractured Alliances, Climate Calls, and Pennsylvania's Voting Gamble

Episode Date: September 21, 2023

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   We spotlight a potentially fracturing alliance between Ukraine and Poland as they navigate a tricky grain crisis. With a key ally looking shaky, what lies ahead for Ukraine?   Amid the diplomatic maneuvers at the UN General Assembly, UN Chief Guterres issues a dire warning.   The Biden Administration introduces its ambitious American Climate Corps program. Is this America's answer to climate concerns, or is it just creating an army of paid progressive activists?   In our Back of the Brief segment, Pennsylvania revamps its voter registration system. With residents now automatically registered to vote when they receive a driver's license, we question whether this strengthens election security or simply stirs more debates.   Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief.     Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Up first, signs of a growing rift emerge between Ukraine and one of the president. of its primary allies, Poland, could a growing dispute between the two countries over grain exports cause the Polish government to rethink its level of military support to Ukraine? At least one Polish minister believes so. Next, we turn our sights on New York City, where the UN General Assembly continues its long-standing tradition of emitting tons of hot air into the atmosphere. UN chief Kuteres, opening a climate session, declared that humanity has quote, opened the gates to hell and called on nations to end fossil fuel subsidies in order to save the

planet. Not to be outdone, the Biden administration introduces the American Climate Corps, a New Deal-style program with promises to employ 20,000 people in its inaugural year. Finally, in the back of the brief, the state of Pennsylvania rolls out a significant revamp of its voter registration system by automatically registering residents to vote when they obtain a driver's license or state ID card, is Pennsylvania strengthening election security or merely sparking more concerns? But first, today's PDB spotlight. While President Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky stood in New York City yesterday, urging a united front against Russia, a rift appears to be widening between Ukraine and one of its staunchest allies, Poland.

Shimon Shinkovsky-Velsenk, say that three times fast, the Polish Minister for EU Affairs has signaled a potential decrease in Poland's support for Ukraine due to tensions over Ukrainian agricultural imports. He states, Ukraine's actions influence Polish public opinion. The polls and current public sentiment toward aiding Ukraine reveal a shift that doesn't favor Ukraine, end quote. Velsenk explicitly warns that waning public support might translate into reduced assistance for Ukraine. So what ignited this disagreement? Well, starting in May of this year, Ukraine found itself in an economic tussle with several allies. Five EU nations, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria, instituted bans on Ukrainian

staples like wheat and maize, arguing that the influx of affordable Ukrainian grain was destabilizing their economies and hurting their farmers. The influx was essentially due to the fact that Russia had blockaded the ports, normally used by Ukraine to transport its grain exports. As a result, they turned to alternate land routes via the EU nations. Though these bans were poised to end recently, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia decided to reinforce them, aiming to further safeguard their agricultural sectors. Now, Ukraine isn't sitting on its hands, though. In his UN speech this week, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy accused these EU countries of indirectly aiding Russia, describing their prior support as mere, quote, political theater. Ukraine has now

initiated legal proceedings against Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia, accusing them of flouting international obligations. If these countries maintain their agricultural bans, Ukraine threatens to impose its own import restrictions in retaliation. But why is Poland adopting such a rigid position? Well, with upcoming parliamentary elections, officials appear keen to court a vital voting block, and that would be the farmers. Ukraine needs to navigate this situation carefully. Remember, Poland is more than just an ally. It's a critical pillar in Ukraine's military defenses. Highlighting this importance, as an example,

no country has sent more tanks to Ukraine than Poland, with a tally surpassing over 300. This rift with EU allies isn't the only potential fissure that Zelensky needs to worry about. He's heading to Washington, D.C. on Thursday, to meet with U.S. lawmakers. And it's expected that some politicians will want to ask serious questions, about the conflict and U.S. support. During his last visit to D.C., Zelensky received adoration

and standing ovations, but time has passed, and within some circles, there's growing concern about the endgame, the effectiveness of the counteroffensive, the amount of U.S. resources expended, and Ukraine's ability to account for that support. Now, it doesn't mean that the U.S. government will be shifting or decreasing its crucial support, but it does indicate that the U.S. that the Congress, at least some members, have moved from the flag-waving, unquestioning support stage to the what are we giving, where is it going, and how does it end stage. And that is a shift that Zelensky will need to navigate very carefully. All right, up next, UN General Secretary Antonio Gutierrez,

declares that humanity has, quote, opened the gates to hell in an overheated speech to the General Assembly, as President Biden unveils his own plans for an FDR-style make-work program known as the Climate Corps. I'll be right back. Own it all. Pay off your home, travel for life, drive a Ferrari. In celebration of the world premiere of the Monopoly Big Board Buckslot Machine by Aristocrat Gaming, Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is giving one person a $1.6 million dream package.

The biggest prize in Yamaba's history. Club Serrano members can earn daily instant prizes and secure a spot in the finale May 29th. and own it all, only at Yamava, celebrating its 40th anniversary. UN? Details at yamava.com must be 21-20. Please gamble responsibly. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. Welcome back to the President's Daily Brief. We're now three days into the UN General Assembly in New York. I know. It only seems like a month. And climate doom and gloom appear to be the top concern of the international body. On Wednesday, United Nations Secretary, General

Antonio Gutierrez, took center stage at the the Climate Ambition Summit, sort of a summit within a summit, a sub-summit, and painted a pretty grim picture, declaring that, quote, humanity has opened the gates to hell. Seriously? Look, humanity opened the gates to hell when TV executives greenlit Tiger King. Gutierrez went on to describe a world of horrendous heat, distraught farmers losing their crops to floods,

and rising temperatures, ushering in disease and God knows what else, slams, sleeping with lions, Democrats and Republicans cohabitating, real apocalyptic stuff. This all comes just one day after President Biden made similarly grim predictions and declared a need to, quote, climate-proof the world. Yeah, climate-proof. The UN, an organization that can't manage to officially censure Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, is entertaining talk about climate-proofing the world. But what does that mean exactly in the UN's playbook? Gutettis, with his acceleration agenda, seems to think it involves halting the fossil fuel subsidies dished out by nations around the world. Now, the subsidies have essentially been used to lower the cost of fossil

fuel production and incentivize the exploration and development of new energy sources. What's grabbed headlines recently is that those subsidies soared to $7 trillion in 2022, as governments recovered from the COVID pandemic and also dealt with spiking energy prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The invasion, you'll recall, that the UN can't collectively condemn because, well, with Russia, China and India, all holding veto power as permanent members of the UN Security Council, the organization can't organize panic in a doomed submarine. Secretary Gutierrez didn't stop with a call for an end of fossil fuel subsidies and his desire to close the gates of hell. He also pushed for putting a price on carbon and holding businesses and financial institutions feet to the fire,

ensuring that they honor climate promises. One has to wonder, is the UN all talk and no action? How do these grand plans turn into tangible results, especially when historically the United Nations climate targets have been, missed more often than not. It seems the world might be waiting quite some time for concrete results. And here's the thing. It's possible to hold competing or conflicting thoughts in your head at the same time, meaning you can believe that the planet's climate does change, and that mankind should be mindful of the planet and work to be good stewards of the environment. At the same time, you can

believe that the world of climate activism is populated by all sorts, from honest believers and serious-minded scientists to climate grifters looking to make money by fearmongering and bullying. Now, while UN Secretary Gutierrez preaches about ending oil subsidies, the Biden administration is rolling out another idea designed to stop the seas from rising, the American Climate Corps. Now, this claims to be a climate initiative, but let's Let's dig just a little bit deeper. On the surface, the program aims for lofty goals, like boosting community resilience to natural disasters. It even takes inspiration from the New Deal's Civilian Conservation Corps, which focused more on economic recovery than anything else.

The White House anticipates that the Climate Corps program could employ 20,000 individuals in its first year. However, Biden's climate policy advisor, Ali's, Zadie admits the program has, quote, broader goals beyond addressing the climate crisis. Ah, there's always broader goals. Tracing the origins of the climate core, you'll discover it's inspired by progressive groups like the Sunrise Movement. Its director, Varshini Prakash, envisions not just addressing climate, but also, quote, building a fair and equitable new economy. And a visit to the Sunrise Movement's website reveals their belief that climate justice is deeply entwined with racial reparations. So, is the American Climate Corps truly about climate change, or is it more about

mobilizing a paid brigade of progressive activists? Whatever, if anyone has any thoughts on what the price tag is for climate-proofing the planet, be sure to let me know. All right, in today's back of the brief segment. We're diving into Pennsylvania's new voting shakeup. How about this? Automatically registering to vote when you get a driver's license or state ID card? Well, it sounds convenient. But what about security concerns and the potential for ineligible voters? I'll be right back. Welcome back to the PDB. In today's back of the brief, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced a significant change to the state's voting system. From now on, when applicants obtain a driver's license or state ID, the state will automatically register them to vote. Instead of opting

in as before, residents now have to opt out if they don't wish to register. Shapiro believes this initiative will strengthen election security. This change has the potential to make a significant impact. 1.7 million Pennsylvanians are currently eligible to vote but have not registered. Importantly, Governor Shapiro made this decision unilateral. without the legislature's involvement. Given that non-U.S. citizens with legal status can get a driver's license or state ID, there are logical concerns about the voting registration process. However, the Pennsylvania Department of State assures that ineligible individuals won't encounter the voter registration option during DMV procedures. But this raises a question. Can we fully trust the

state bureaucracy to screen out non-eligible individuals? Pennsylvania's swing state status adds another layer of complexity. With a contentious election looming, many Pennsylvanians are scrutinizing the security of their electoral system. And here's an interesting twist. Pennsylvaniaans don't have to show an ID to vote. It seems erotic, right? So residents get registered to vote when they obtain a state ID, but aren't required to show it when they vote. Hmm. Going back to one of my favorite life themes, you can believe two conflicting things at the same time.

In this case, you can believe that it's important to make it easy for citizens to register and take part in the voting process. It should be considered a civic duty. But you can also believe that it's not asking too much to ensure that would-be voters show proof of citizenship and residency. Nations all over the world do it. Just try going and voting illegally in someone. else's country. Now, it's insulting to posture that people aren't capable of obtaining the necessary ID, and it's not insulting to ask them the show ID when voting. This isn't rocket science. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Thursday, September 21st. If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us at pdb at thefirsttv.com. I'm Mike Baker. Until tomorrow, Stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.