U.S. Conference of Mayors, San Francisco

The Daily Journal (San Mateo County), Bay City News/Hannah Albarazi, 6/20/15. "In Bay Area, Obama urges mayors to find solutions."

83rd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, 6/19/15 - 6/22/15

Think any of these U.S. city mayors drove down
the coast to see our "world class view" Taco Bell?

"U.S. President Barack Obama urged the country’s mayors assembled at the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s 83rd annual meeting in San Francisco Friday afternoon to more openly discuss solutions to racism and gun violence.The president said that regardless of their political allegiances, the mayors should recognize that a lack of gun safety laws has led to gun violence that “tears the fabric of community” and that “it costs this country dearly.”

 .... It is not enough to simply show sympathy in the wake of an act of gun violence, Obama said. Mayors need to talk to their constituents and resist shying away from such topics.  ... He said that while there certainly are violent, mentally unstable or hateful people in every country, it’s only in America where lenient gun laws allow these people to have easy access to deadly firearms.
 ....  Obama also discussed the importance of caring for human life by making a concerted effort to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. He praised those American cities that have been leaders in energy conservation and urged all cities to follow in their footsteps. Read more.

Related conference, President Obama.  San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate, Carla Marinucci and John Wildermuth, 6/19/15, "Obama calls for 'urgency' on guns in S.F. speech to mayors.".... “I refuse to act like this is the new normal or that it is simply sufficient to grieve,” Obama said in a speech before the U.S. Conference of Mayors at the San Francisco Hilton near Union Square. The president also pressed the mayors to back his initiatives on increasing the minimum wage, expanding paid family leave and investing in early childhood education, in a 26-minute address Friday afternoon." .... Obama also called on the mayors to help boost America’s middle class by tackling income inequality, climate change and other issues confronting urban America, despite the inaction in Congress." 

Related conference, Hillary Clinton.  USA Today/Jon Swartz, 6/20/15, "Hillary Clinton makes strong plea for gun control." .... "I will not be afraid to fight for common-sense reforms..." San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate, Carla Marinucci, 6/20/15, "Emotional Clinton urges mayors to fact 'deep fault line' of race." "Clinton urged more bipartisanship, saying “we are at our best when we pick each other up, when we fight back against those who would drive us apart.”

Related conference, broader view.  San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate, Emily Green, 6/18/15, "Mayors conference draws Obama, Clinton to S.F."  "The conference, which runs Friday (6/19/15) through Monday (6/22/15), will feature galas, hobnobbing and undoubtedly some soul searching as it comes after a year that saw racial tensions in a number of U.S. cities. For San Francisco and Mayor Ed Lee, the conference couldn’t come at a better time. The Golden State Warriors — soon to be the San Francisco Warriors — are celebrating their first NBA championship in 40 years, the economy is booming, unemployment is at an all-time low and Lee enjoys all-but-assured re-election in November."  Reference - Wikipedia.

Note photographs.  Bridge and City, face page image to San Francisco Travel.  Hilton Hotel, face page image to San Francisco Hilton Hotel Union Square. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh