It is in our country's national interest to negotiate now with these near neighbors [Cuba and Mexico] to agree on a common, rigorous set of standards, a system for regulatory oversight, and the same operator adherence to the effective safety culture called for in this report, along with protocols to cooperate on containment and response strategies and preparedness in case of a spill.
Obama emphasizes the need for cooperation with Cuba and Mexico on oil spill standards.
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It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say.
The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views.
When we choose, when we make that decision, I do believe – and there is evidence for this – that the world gets incrementally better, and that is a worthy goal and it’s worth fighting for.
Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.
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