President Obama in Action |
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Since President Obama has been in office, he has been decidedly putting into action things that he thinks are needed in America. We are reporting for you those actions as we learn of them.
3/17/10 When he released his new budget proposal on February 1, President Barack Obama asserted that the government "simply cannot continue to spend as if deficits don't have consequences; as if waste doesn't matter; as if the hard-earned tax dollars of the American people can be treated like Monopoly money; as if we can ignore this challenge for another generation."[1] Yet the President's new budget does exactly that-- raising taxes by $3 trillion and federal spending by $1.6 trillion over the next ten years. If enacted, this budget would increase the 2010 deficit to more than $1.5 trillion, and leave a deficit of more than $1 trillion even after an assumed return to peace and prosperity. Overall, the President's budget would double the national debt over the next decade.[2] From the Heritage Foundation When he released his new budget proposal on February 1, President Barack Obama asserted that the government "simply cannot continue to spend as if deficits don't have consequences; as if waste doesn't matter; as if the hard-earned tax dollars of the American people can be treated like Monopoly money; as if we can ignore this challenge for another generation."[1] Yet the President's new budget does exactly that-- raising taxes by $3 trillion and federal spending by $1.6 trillion over the next ten years. If enacted, this budget would increase the 2010 deficit to more than $1.5 trillion, and leave a deficit of more than $1 trillion even after an assumed return to peace and prosperity. Overall, the President's budget would double the national debt over the next decade.[2] (the whole budget proposal at the link.....if you have a strong stomach!) 3/10/10 2/27/10 Three sections of the Patriot Act that stay in force will: _Authorize court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones. _Allow court-approved seizure of records and property in anti-terrorism operations. _Permit surveillance against a so-called lone wolf, a non-U.S. citizen engaged in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group. Obama's signature comes after the House voted 315 to 97 Thursday to extend the measure. 2/19/10 2/11/10 Obama's surprise news conference: No, really let's work together, I mean it Two things out of President Obama's sudden news conference today. Well, 2.5 things.The half-thing is politicians love these quick-hit confrontations with the press because the media have not had the usual days of prep time to phrase the toughest possible questions where the exits are hidden and dodging is difficult. So the politician has the element of surprise and offense. Obama even admitted the same, perhaps accidentally. His final words today: "That was pretty good. Thanks." Not the comment of someone just waterboarded.Now, the other two points: One, remember earlier this year after the Massachusetts Republican upset in November when the president didn't really apologize for investing virtually all of 2009 on healthcare when the country was thinking jobs, as in J-O-B-S? And why doesn't this smooth-talking Windy City guy get it?But the Democratic White House occupant did produce the expected rhetorical pivot for the New Year and say that for 2010 Job One was going to be Jobs. By golly. Also the.......economy. Because while the employment situation is getting less awful under Obama's watch, it's still unsatisfactory. 2/2/10 2/1/10 Obama's
budget includes $100-billion jobs plan Reporting from Washington
- President Obama today will propose a $3.8-trillion federal
budget that includes a $100-billion jobs package, more education
spending and higher taxes on families earning more than $250,000
a year. The budgetary blueprint for fiscal 2011, which starts
Oct. 1, is 3% more than the government is spending this year,
according to the Office of Management and Budget.
1/29/10 Obama, GOP exchange barbs, ideas in rare encounter In a remarkably sharp face-to-face confrontation, President Barack Obama chastised Republican lawmakers Friday for opposing him on taxes, health care and the economic stimulus, while they accused him in turn of brushing off their ideas and driving up the national debt. The president and GOP House members took turns questioning and sometimes lecturing each other for more than an hour at a Republican gathering in Baltimore. The Republicans agreed to let TV cameras inside, resulting in an extended, point-by-point interchange that was almost unprecedented in U.S. politics, except perhaps during presidential debates.
1/27/10 1/25/10 Obama to seek freeze on part of budgetFacing voter anger over mounting budget deficits, President Barack Obama will ask Congress to freeze spending for some domestic programs for three years beginning in 2011, administration officials said Monday. Separately, Obama unveiled plans to help a middle class "under assault" pay its bills, save for retirement and care for kids and aging parents. The spending freeze would apply to a relatively small portion of the federal budget, affecting a $477 billion pot of money available for domestic agencies whose budgets are approved by Congress each year. Some of those agencies could get increases, others would have to face cuts; such programs got an almost 10 percent increase this year. The federal budget total was $3.5 trillion. The Pentagon, veterans programs, foreign aid and the Homeland Security Department would be exempt from the freeze. (of course) Here
are the five policy proposals President Barack Obama and
Vice President Joe Biden unveiled Monday, to aid middle-class
families:
OVERWHELMING Lies To America By Obama The accumulated weight of Obama's deceit is overwhelming... 1/21/10 "We have to get this done," Obama said at the White House. "If these folks want a fight, it's a fight I'm ready to have."The stock market reacted by dropping more than 200 points by midday as shares in Bank of America, Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. each fell by more than 5 percent.It was a stern, populist lecture from the president to Wall Street for what he perceives as its abandonment of Main Street. Obama said the government should have the power to limit the size and complexity of large financial institutions as well as their ability to make high-risk trades. 1/18/10 Obama Weekly Address: Getting Our Money Back From Wall Street President Obama uses his weekly address to discuss his plan for getting TARP funds back from banks. (video).....(the government giveth....and the government taketh away)Davidson:
Obama White House Is Lying to You Author, investor and
longtime Wall Street observer James Dale Davidson says our
government is lying to us: There is no genuine economic recovery
happening. 1/17/10 More troops, aid go to Haiti, but hunger persists Troops, doctors and aid workers flowed into Haiti on Monday even while victims of the quake that killed an estimated 200,000 people still struggled to find a cup of water or a handful of food. European nations pledged more than a half-billion dollars in emergency and long-term aid, on top of at least $100 million promised earlier by the U.S.But help was still not reaching many victims of Tuesday's quake — choked back by transportation bottlenecks, bureaucratic confusion, fear of attacks on aid convoys, the collapse of local authority and the sheer scale of the need. Hecklers Stop Obama Speech A heckler was removed Sunday during a Barack Obama speech supporting the Democratic candidate in the race to fill the seat of former Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. The incident occurred during the rally for Democratic state Attorney General Martha Coakley's at Northeastern University. The man held a sign that read, "Jesus Loves All Babies." The crowd booed the man as he interrupted the President's speech 1/16/10 Obama, Bush, Clinton stand 'united' for Haiti President Barack Obama on Saturday brought together his White House predecessors, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton, for a joint appeal for victims of Haiti's devastating earthquake."By coming together in this way, these two leaders send an unmistakable message to the people of Haiti and to the people of the world," Obama said in the Rose Garden, flanked by the two former leaders. Obama Grants Haitians Illegally in U.S. 'Protected Status' for 18 Months The U.S. Military in Haiti: A Compassionate Invasion Slug the Obama Story 'Disconnect' The first thing I learned in journalism is that every story has a name. At WEEI News Radio in Boston, the editor would label each story with one word, called a "slug," and assign a writer to write it for air. This week's devastating earthquake would be slugged "Haiti." A story about a gruesome murder might be "Nightmare."We're at the first anniversary of the inauguration of President Barack Obama, and the slug, the word that captures its essence, is "Disconnect."This is, still, a surprising word to use about the canny operatives who so perfectly judged the public mood in 2008. But they haven't connected since. There is a disconnect, a detachment, a distance between the president's preoccupations and the concerns of the people. There's a disconnect between his policy proposals and the people's sense, as expressed in polls, of what the immediate problems are. 1/15/10 PROMISES, PROMISES: Many Obama pledges unkept President Barack Obama ends his first year in office with his to-do list still long and his unfulfilled campaign promises stacked high. From winding down the war in Iraq to limiting lobbyists, Obama has made some progress. But the president has faced political reality and accepted — sometimes grudgingly — compromises that leave him exposed to criticism. Promises that have proven difficult include pledges not to raise taxes, to curb earmarks and to shut down theGuantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba by the end of his first year."We are moving systematically to bring about change, but change is hard," Obama told a town hall crowd in California. "Change doesn't happen overnight."That was in March. 1/12/10 Where is Obama’s Socialism Taking Us? Argentina’s Fall May Be Our Future HELEN THOMAS ' WHY ' QUESTION ANSWERED Helen Thomas ~ the Watchdog of Democracy asks why are we hated in the Muslim world ? White House Press correspondent Helen Thomas asked the pertinent question as to the motive of terrorists which the Obama administration avoids answering ~ but the answer is obvious to the world. The so called War on terror is a War of terror and we are the principle perpetrators of this ongoing Middle East criminal action against Iraq, Afghanistan and now Pakistan: Allen L Roland 1/9/10 NEW AGE MONOPOLY / OBAMANOMICS Our founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they became aware of the extent of our runaway indebtedness and lack of foresight ~ which has accelerated with the advent of Obamanomics : Allen L Roland 1/7/10 Geithner's New York Fed Pushed AIG To Keep Sweetheart Deals Secret Jack Cafferty Rips Obama on Failed Openness Pledge: 'Just Another Lie Told for Political Expediency' 1/5/10 Obama Flubs First Bay Of Pigs Moment Terror Moles Escape Purge. WASHINGTON, DC -- Obama's speech this afternoon was an incongruous performance. On the one hand, he angrily detailed a catastrophic breakdown in US intelligence procedures leading to the near-massacre of hundreds of airline passengers in the skies over Detroit on Christmas Day. On the other hand, there was no purge of the corrupt, complicit, and incompetent officials who had made this incident possible. No firings were announced. No heads rolled. The rogue network or invisible government of treasonous and subversive moles inside the US government which is behind the Detroit incident, and so many other incidents, remained untouched once again. 1/4/10 Obama Names Transgender Appointee President Obama has named Amanda Simpson to serve as a senior technical adviser to the Commerce Department, making her one of the first transgender presidential appointees. Simpson, a member of the National Center for Transgender Equality’s board of directors, is former test pilot who previously worked as deputy director in Advanced Technology Development at Raytheon Missile Systems, ABC reports. 12/31/09 Obama gives Interpol free hand in U.S. No presidential statement or White House press briefing was held on it. In fact, all that can be found about it on the official White House Web site is the Dec. 17 announcement and one-paragraph text of President Obama's Executive Order 12425, with this innocuous headline: "Amending Executive Order 12425 Designating Interpol as a public international organization entitled to enjoy certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities."In fact, this new directive from Obama may be the most destructive blow ever struck against American constitutional civil liberties. No wonder the White House said as little as possible about it.There are multiple reasons why this Obama decision is so deeply disturbing. First, the Obama order reverses a 1983 Reagan administration decision in order to grant Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, two key privileges. First, Obama has granted Interpol the ability to operate within the territorial limits of the United States without being subject to the same constitutional restraints that apply to all domestic law enforcement agencies such as the FBI. Second, Obama has exempted Interpol's domestic facilities -- including its office within the U.S. Department of Justice -- from search and seizure by U.S. authorities and from disclosure of archived documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by U.S. citizens. Think very carefully about what you just read: Obama has given an international law enforcement organization that is accountable to no other national authority the ability to operate as it pleases within our own borders, and he has freed it from the most basic measure of official transparency and accountability, the FOIA. 12/29/09 Obama acknowledges mistakes made in Detroit incidentPresident Obama today acknowledged that mistakes had been made in dealing with a Nigerian man who has been charged with trying to blow up a jetliner bound for the United States and vowed to move quickly to fix the errors. The comments, Obama’s second public remarks on the Christmas Day incident, comes as the GOP has stepped up its complaints that the Obama administration was moving too slowly on security issues. There apparently was a “mix of human and systemic failures that contributed to this potential catastrophic breach of security,” Obama said. “We need to learn from this episode and act quickly to fix the flaws in our system.” 12/15/09 Obama Far Outdoes Bush in Escalating War -- The Numbers Will Surprise You Increasing numbers of deployed soldiers, mercenaries and drones all add up to Obama being more of a war president than Bush, in terms of hard numbers. As Obama announced plans for escalating the war effort, it has become clear that the Obama Illusion has taken yet another horrifying turn. Before explaining how the Af-Pak surge is a direct attack on the US public, let’s peer through the illusion and look at the reality of the situation. Now that the much despised George W. Bush is out of the way and a more popular figurehead is doing PR for Dick Cheney’s right-hand military leader Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who is leading his second AF-Pak surge now, and with long time Bush family confidant Robert Gates still running the Defense Department, the masters of war have never had it so good. The whole story at the link.....please read...(.this is YOUR MONEY, YOUR BOTHERS, YOUR SISTERS, FATHERS AND MOTHERS AND FRIENDS ...AS WELL AS THE COUNTRIES WE HAVE 'INVADED'....ALL THE INNOCENTS WHOSE LIVES AND HOMELANDS ARE DESTROYED..... ) 12/13/09 Obama, Beware: Afghanistan Is 'Another Vietnam'Domestic issues must trump unwinnable war: Dem elder statesmanWhen George McGovern hears about President Obama's plans for Afghanistan, he reluctantly reaches an unavoidable conclusion. "I can only think: another Vietnam," the 1972 Democratic presidential nominee writes in the Washington Post. "I hope I am incorrect, but history tells me otherwise." After 9 years at war, he asks: "Why waste these fine soldiers any longer?"
President Obama has traveled to Oslo to accept the Peace Prize, which has 'nearly everyone' scratching their heads over...........'the Peace Prize"? ......as he sends of 30,000 more troops to war against Afghanis.... Peace Prize: President Says Piss Off The president accepted his Peace Prize by arguing for war. It had really seemed like he would need to thread a needle in Oslo, having to graciously to accept an award for bringing peace to the world while he primes a battlefield. He had to mollify or triangulate his right-wing critics who might see any inclinations toward peace, poetic or policy-wise, ritualistic or real, as evidence of his lack of purpose, will, and fiber. At the same time, he had to deal, although perhaps less so, with his left-wing critics who could soon start to see him, in his military pursuits, as a quisling-like president 12/12/09 Obama's Big Sellout The president has packed his economic team with Wall Street insiders intent on turning the bailout into an all-out giveawayBarack Obama ran for president as a man of the people, standing up to Wall Street as the global economy melted down in that fateful fall of 2008. He pushed a tax plan to soak the rich, ripped NAFTA for hurting the middle class and tore into John McCain for supporting a bankruptcy bill that sided with wealthy bankers "at the expense of hardworking Americans." Obama may not have run to the left of Samuel Gompers or Cesar Chavez, but it's not like you saw him on the campaign trail flanked by bankers from Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. What inspired supporters who pushed him to his historic win was the sense that a genuine outsider was finally breaking into an exclusive club, that walls were being torn down, that things were, for lack of a better or more specific term, changing. Then he got elected. A NEEDED CRITICAL RESPONSE TO OBAMA'S NOBEL SPEECH President Obama's explicit pro-war speech, while accepting the Nobel Peace prize, is a glaring indication of America's morally tainted priorities and deserves an equally explicit critical pro-peace response: Allen L Roland President Obama's saber rattling Nobel Peace Prize speech where he evoked the concept of "just war" and argued for the use of force that is "necessary" and "morally justified " ~ seemingly legitimizing our illegal wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the attacks on Pakistan as necessary Wars for Peace ~ begs for a critical response and Ramzi Kysia , an Arab-American essayist and an organizer with the Free Gaza Movement, is more than up to that task.Excerpt: " War is catastrophe. It is terrorism on a truly, massive scale. It is the physical, political and spiritual devastation of entire peoples. War is the imposition of such massive, deadly violence so as to try and force the political solutions of one group upon another. As such, war is the antithesis of democracy and freedom. War’s underlying and insuperable difficulty is that as a means of politics it is the most bloody, undemocratic, and violently repressive of all human institutions... President Obama is a frighteningly arrogant nationalist, who cannot seem to even entertain the possibility that America’s violence is as immoral as any other. The dead do not concern themselves over the ideology used to slay them. " A Pacifist Critique of Obama's Nobel LecturePeace is Not a Noun; Peace is Action By RAMZI KYSIA
12/11/09 Obama's Suddenly a Centrist President Obama must be worried about independents and moderates, because he’s made a dramatic shift to the center in recent days. In an economics speech Tuesday, Obama lavished praise on small businesses, promising tax cuts as incentives to grow. “This is how Republicans, moderates and centrists think, and talk,” writes Peggy Noonan for the Wall Street Journal. “It was as if he were waving his arms and saying, ‘Hey taxpayer, I’m not your enemy 12/10/09 U.S. sends a parade of promises to Copenhagen Obama dispatches a slew of Cabinet-level secretaries, advisors and envoys to prove to world leaders that the U.S. is serious about combating climate change. His own assurances might carry more weight. Obama dispatches a slew of Cabinet-level secretaries, advisors and envoys to prove to world leaders that the U.S. is serious about combating climate change. His own assurances might carry more weight. Obama's jobs package draws fire from left and right Reporting from Washington - As President Obama began selling his new jobs package, he was pressed Wednesday from both the left and the right, with Republicans warning about ballooning deficits and black lawmakers seeking bolder action on an unemployment rate that approaches 16% for African Americans.Obama and the Same Old Bush Lies, for the Same Reasons The war in Afghanistan is being escalated on false pretenses. There is zero chance to “win” the war with the “new” (which is the same old failed) strategy and everybody involved with it knows it. When Obama and McChrystal use the words “win” and “victory,” they are not using the same dictionary used by the rest of the human race. “Victory” to them, means that the greater undefined mission can continue, not come to an end. Afghanistan, like Iraq, will never see the withdrawal of American/NATO forces; that’s why all the giant super-bases are needed in both countries. That also applies to the massive super-embassy being built in Islamabad. “Victory” is not winning, but is the point in the war when large numbers of troops fighting this war can be safely transferred to the next war. This is what we are seeing in the so-called withdrawal from Iraq and will probably see in the anticipated withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2011. There will never be a real American withdrawal from any of these countries, unless it is forced upon them by the people. Obama's War: Why is the Largest Military Machine on the Planet Unable to Defeat the Resistance in Afghanistan Part of U.S. imperialism’s problem is that its occupation forces are required to rely on the most corrupt, venal and discredited warlords. The only interest these competing military thugs have is in pocketing funds for reconstruction and development. Entire government ministries, their payrolls and their projects have been found to be total fiction. Billions allocated for schools, water and road construction have gone directly into the warlords’ pockets. Hundreds of news articles, congressional inquiries and U.N. reports have exposed just how all-pervasive corruption is. Marines Launch Large Attack in S. Afghanistan US Marines and Afghan troops today launched the first offensive since President Obama announced an American troop surge, striking against Taliban communications and supply lines in a southern insurgent stronghold. In all, about 1,000 Marines as well as Afghan troops were taking part in the operation in Helmand provvince, known as "Cobra's Anger," designed to disrupt supply lines providing explosives for IEDs. Obama Worshipers Lose Their Messiah CRITICS PILE ON AND DISCOVER HE'S A MERE MORTAL AFTER ALL .. The "Church of Obama" is losing parishioners quickly, writes Dana Milbank. These are the liberal supporters who saw him as a "transformational figure who would end war, save the Earth from global warming, restore the economy—and still be home for dinner." The Afghanistan descision seems to have been the last straw for many, with big names like Michael Moore and Arianna Huffington questioning his leadership. Black Caucus Openly Feuds With Obama Long frustrated by President Obama's inaction on urban issues, the Congressional Black Caucus threw up its hands yesterday and walked out on a vote on financial reform following a heated meeting between Maxine Waters and Rahm Emanuel. The measure passed easily, but Waters said the CBC could side with the GOP next time if Obama doesn’t address its concerns. The caucus believes Obama, a former member, takes them for granted, and favors conservative Blue Dogs. OBAMA IS A NATIONAL TRAGEDY / A SYMBOL OF OUR TRAGIC TIMES President Obama is a national tragedy ~ a straw man without a spine. The perfect symbol for a Democratic party that refuses to act boldly and easy pickings for Republican Pit Bulls, like Sarah Palin, who has become a lightening rod for cross party anger towards both Obama and politicians in general: Allen L Roland In other words, It's time to take to the streets and, if necessary, shut the government down until the people's will is responded to by both the President and those in Congress. Want to have your voice heard. Call the White House at 202-456-1111 or email the President. Obama is betting his prestige and re-election on this War ( Occupation ) and he will eventually lose both. Troops, families mixed over Obama's Afghan surge Battle-weary troops and their families braced for a wrenching round of new deployments to Afghanistan, but many said they support the surge announced Tuesday as long as it helps to end the 8-year-old conflict. As President Barack Obama outlined his plan to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan — while pledging to start bringing them home in 2011 — soldiers, Marines and their families interviewed by The Associated Press felt a tangle of fresh concerns and renewed hopes. Some took in the televised announcement as they played darts in a barroom near their base, while others watched from their living rooms. All 40 GOP senators to fillibust Obamacare This Saturday’s Senate vote on National health care for America looks likely to turn into a long, drawn-out bloodbath as all 40 of the Republicans in the chamber have vowed to filibuster the bill.Even moderate Republican Olympia Snowe has saidshe will participate in the fillibuster against Obamacare.Democrats need to only get 60 votes to proceed to debate, where they only need a majority to pass the bill. This will allow Democrat Senators vulnerable in their re-election 2010 bids a John-Kerry-esque “I voted for the bill before I voted against it” line of politicking, where they can vote for the bill first and then against it to pass the legislation into law. How Obama Screwed Up It's polarized, lobbyist-laden business as usual in Washington, and President Obama is largely to blame despite his campaign pledges to change the way business is done in the capital, writes Fred Barnes. Obama mistook his personal election victory for a victory for liberalism and failed to try hard enough for bipartisan compromise when he had the chance, Barnes writes in the Wall Street Journal. Obama Shatters Spending Record for First-Year Presidents President Obama has shattered the budget record for first-year presidents -- spending nearly double what his predecessor did when he came into office and far exceeding the first-year tabs for any other U.S. president in history. In fiscal 2009 the federal government spent $3.52 trillion -- $2.8 trillion in 2000 dollars, which sets a benchmark for comparison. That fiscal year covered the last three-and-a-half months of George W. Bush's term and the first eight-and-a-half months of Obama's. That price tag came with a $1.4 trillion deficit, nearly $1 trillion more than last year. The overall budget was about a half-trillion more than Bush's for 2008, his final full fiscal year in office. Clinton: I Didn't Want The Job Hillary Clinton accepted the Secretary of State job only because Barack Obama badgered her into it. In a glowing profile in Vogue, Clinton tells Jonathan Van Meter that she was “stunned” Obama wanted her. “I didn't want to do it. I just really had a lot of doubts, and I kept suggesting other people.” What changed her mind? “"How do you say no?" she asks with a laugh. Adds a staffer, "Obama wouldn’t take no for an answer. He would not let her off the hook.” 10/31/09 Congress bucks Obama on spending cuts The House and Senate approve a bill preserving funding for programs the White House had sought to eliminate.Reporting from Washington - As it turns out, President Obama's proposed spending cuts aren't entirely the kind of change Congress can believe in. 10/30/09 Mr. Obama's Czar appointees, who they are, and what they do California National Bank expected to be seized tonight Bank regulators are expected later today to take over Los Angeles-based California National Bank in what would mark the fourth-largest bank failure in the country this year, according to people familiar with the situation.The bank, a unit of FBOP Corp., is expected to be acquired by the U.S. Bank unit of Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp, with no losses to be incurred by depositors, the sources said. The branches would reopen as usual Saturday or Monday as U.S. Bank branches. President Obama alleged to have given White House perks to top donors Senior Republicans demanded an investigation yesterday into reports that President Obama has given financial donors perks such as use of the White House cinema, golf games with the Commander-in-Chief and even the chance to shape policy.BORN IN THE USA?Judge dismisses California eligibility challenge. Plaintiffs promise appeal of ruling protecting Obama 10/29/09 House Dems unveil health bill, cheered on by Obama Cheered by President Barack Obama, House Democrats rolled out landmark legislation Thursday to extend health care to tens of millions who lack coverage, impose sweeping new restrictions on the insurance industry and create a government-run option to compete with private insurers. Obama considering scaled-down Afghan war plan President Barack Obama is considering sending large numbers of additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan next year but fewer than his war commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, prefers, U.S. officials said. Obama seeks new powers to dismantle nonbank firms A year after Lehman Brothers collapsed, helping to trigger the worst financial crisis in seven decades, the Obama administration is pressing Congress for the power to dismantle other nonbank firms considered so large and influential that they could bring down the entire economy. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was asking a House panel on Thursday to pass legislation that would enable federal regulators to identify and monitor big financial firms and step in to wind them down before they collapse.The proposal, worked out in an agreement with House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., also will give new powers to the Federal Reserve to enforce tougher requirements for these "too-big-to-fail" companies.(Oh yeah folks...pay attention to this one.....give them MORE POWERS!!!!) video......The Warning by Frontline about derivatives market. PROMISES, PROMISES: Obama keeps word on hate crime For this accomplishment, President Barack Obama sought maximum publicity.There was a bill signing at a wooden desk set up in the East Room, with the media invited, followed by a reception for joyous, champagne-sipping supporters and an address to them, again, from the East Room.Obama was keeping a campaign promise to gays and lesbians by putting his signature on a bill to include violence against gays in federal hate crimes law. Obama admin urges Congress extend homebuyer credit WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration on Thursday pressed Congress to back a limited extension of a popular first-time homebuyer tax credit that is set to expire at the end of November."This credit has brought new families into the housing market and contributed to three consecutive months of rising home prices nationwide," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a prepared statement.The statement made no mention of a possible expansion of the credit to repeat buyers of primary residences. ...(this money also is being CREATED by borrowing from our future, that of our children, grand-children and great grand-children....there is no such thing as FREE MONEY!) Obama honors fallen Americans at Dover Standing in the pre-dawn darkness, President Barack Obama saw the real cost of the war in Afghanistan: The Americans who return in flag-covered cases while much of the nation sleeps in peace.In a surprise midnight dash to this Delaware base, where U.S. forces killed overseas come home, Obama honored the return of 18 fallen Americans Thursday. All were killed in Afghanistan this week, a brutal stretch that turned October into the most deadly month for U.S. troops since the war began. 10/10/09 Obama urges creation of agency to regulate financial industry Reporting from Washington - President Obama tried to build momentum for the centerpiece of his overhaul of financial regulations -- a new agency to protect consumers -- by aiming to derail the strong opposition from business groups that threatens its passage by Congress. 10/9/09 Legal
Case Filed Against 4 U.S. Presidents And 4 UK Prime Ministers MADRID: Today
the Spanish Senate, acting to confirm a decision already
taken under pressure from powerful governments accused of
grave crimes, will limit Spain’s laws of universal
jurisdiction. Yesterday, ahead of the change of law, a legal
case was filed at the Audiencia Nacional against four United
States presidents and four United Kingdom prime ministers
for commissioning, condoning and/or perpetuating multiple
war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Iraq. Afghans puzzled by Obama's Nobel win Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan - Many Afghans are illiterate, and people in the countryside, by and large, had never heard of the Nobel prizes. But even among the educated elite in big cities such as Kabul, there was some bemusement over President Obama's selection."I'm not sure I understand -- this isn't for peace here, is it?" said bank worker Homaira Reza. "Because we haven't got any." Obama's Nobel: The Last Thing He Needs The last thing Barack Obama needed at this moment in his presidency and our politics is a prize for a promise.So when reality bites, it chomps down hard. The Nobel committee cited "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." His critics fault some of those efforts: those who favor a missile shield for Poland or a troop surge in Afghanistan or a harder line on Iran. But even his fans know that none of the dreams have yet come true, and a prize for even dreaming them can feed the illusion that they have. (See the Top 10 Obama Backlash Moments) Uncle
Sam gets insistent: Wrong to force people to buy insurance The
idea should be deeply troubling to liberals worried about
affordability, since the leading plan in Congress fails to
adequately address people's skyrocketing costs and limited
choices. It's also troubling for conservatives who prefer
limits on federal government. Ensign receives handwritten confirmation This doesn't happen often enough.Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) received a handwritten note Thursday from Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold confirming the penalty for failing to pay the up to $1,900 fee for not buying health insurance.Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and could face up to a year in jail or a $25,000 penalty, Barthold wrote on JCT letterhead. He signed it "Sincerely, Thomas A. Barthold." letter The note was a follow-up to Ensign's questioning at the markup Obama says $5B in grants will aid medical research Obama's War......trailer from Frontline ....why are we there? Company Backed by Gore Gets Taxpayer Millions Budget chief contradicts Obama on Medicare costs Poll: 50% oppose U.S. surge in Afghanistan Americans
threatened with jail time, huge fines for refusing to buy
health insurance (update 1) NaturalNews) More school: Obama would curtail summer vacation Students beware: The summer vacation you just enjoyed could be sharply curtailed if President Barack Obama gets his way.Obama says American kids spend too little time in school, putting them at a disadvantage with other students around the globe.(how about having some quality time with their parents Mr. Obama?.......) Another Obama program caught in undercover sting While President Obama delivers speeches praising the alleged success of Cash for Clunkers, a former rebate processor for the federal program – also working undercover for WND – is calling it "complete chaos." ('Milk it, baby – It's free money': You won't believe what happens inside Cash for Clunkers operation) New
Government Policy Imposes Strict Standards on Garage Sales
Nationwide Obama to CONTROL Your Garage Sale!!Americans
who slap $1 pricetags on their used possessions at garage
sales or bazaar events risk being slapped with fines of up
to $15 million, thanks to a new government campaign. Reports: FCC to propose 'Net neutrality' rules (net neutrality is not what it sounds like...read the truth) ObamaCare and me I have been sitting quietly on the sidelines watching all of this national debate on healthcare. It is time for me to bring some clarity to the table by explaining many of the problems from the perspective of a doctor.First off, the government has involved very few of us physicians in the healthcare debate. While the American Medical Association has come out in favor of the plan, it is vital to remember that the AMA only represents 17% of the American physician workforce. Is Disagreement with Obama Racism? LINE OF SUCCESSION IF OBAMA/SOETORO REMOVED FROM OFFICE OBAMA'S TEACHING MOMENT FALLING ON DEAF EARS White House Admits ‘Cap and Tax’ to Cost Families $1,761 a Year Dems unhappy with proposed tax in health care bill House votes to deny all federal funds for ACORN Unbelievable - Vehicle Tracking, Taxing Bill In House A Member of Congress proposes to use taxpayer money to fund the development of technology to track motorists as part of a new form of taxation.
9/10/09 Outburst and ovations There was a lot riding on President Obama's primetime speech on health care reform. Billed as a "make or break" moment, his address before Congress was designed to bring clarity and calm nerves. Sources say he was editing until the final hours, right around when new polls showed a jump in disapproval ratings on his handling of the issue. The stage was set for a pivotal moment in the contentious debate.Standing ovations abounded during Obama's speech, but blogs are buzzing most about N.C. Republican Rep.-turned-heckler Joe Wilson who loudly yelled "You lie!" after the president said health care reform wouldn't cover illegal immigrants. The moment threw Obama off track, if briefly. Michelle Obama was reported to have shaken her head in dismay from her seat. 8/25/09 Government (And Car Dealers) Hose You Again But many of those cashing in on the clunkers program are surprised when they get to the treasurer's office windows. That's because the government's rebate of up to $4500 dollars for every clunker is taxable. News on federal deficit likely to be used against Obama's agenda Obama nominates Ben Bernanke for a second Fed term7/13/09 Graham predicts Sotomayor OK 'barring meltdown' Senate Democrats praised Sonia Sotomayor as a Hispanic pioneer well qualified for the Supreme Court on Monday, but Republicans questioned her impartiality and President Barack Obama's views as well at the start of confirmation hearings.bama chooses Ala doctor as next surgeon general President Barack Obama turned to the Deep South for the next surgeon general, choosing a rural Alabama family physician who made headlines with fierce determination to rebuild her nonprofit medical clinic in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Regina Benjamin is known along Alabama's impoverished Gulf Coast as a country doctor who makes house calls and doesn't turn away patients who can't pay — even as she's had to find the money to rebuild a clinic repeatedly destroyed by hurricanes and once even fire. 7/12/09 The end of Obamania On his overseas trip, the president was met with a lot less cheering and a lot more tough talk. 7/11/09 In Ghana, Obama Outlines His Africa Policy -- Proud Ghanaians fanned out in this capital city in t-shirts, stocking caps and dresses printed with images of President Obama, who is making rounds Saturday on his first presidential visit to sub-Saharan Africa. Amid the excitement of the U.S. president's visit, some Ghanaians expressed regret that there would be no public address by the man they had been eagerly awaiting for two months.In Ghana, like many African countries, life is largely lived in public. But Obama outlined his Africa policy in a conference center, not in the oceanfront Independence Square named for Ghana's distinction as the first African country to shed colonialism in 1957. 7/9/09 Health care overhaul bill suffers another setback The drive to remake the nation's health care system suffered yet another setback in Congress on Thursday when a pivotal group of House Democrats rebelled against leadership-backed legislation taking shape and sought additional time to make changes."We need to slow down and do it right," Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., said outside a meeting of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 52 moderate to conservative Democrats. "It needs to do a much better job of cost containment" within the health care system, he added. 7/5/09 Biden: "We Misread How Bad The Economy Was" The Obama administration "misread" the depth of the economic troubles it inherited and still expects more new jobs in the long term as the spending pace from the $787 billion stimulus plan quickens, Vice President Joe Biden said.(Runner ups for the 'Darwin' Awards)........HELLOOOOO????? !!!! The painful side effects of Obama's healthcare reform. There are warnings signs that the president and his allies are looking at government-run rationing of care for the oldest and sickest. 7/4/09 Two-Faced NWO Dirt Bag Obama On McKinney - Silence 7/3/09 Senate bill fines people refusing health coverage Americans who refuse to buy affordable medical coverage could be hit with fines of more than $1,000 under a health care overhaul bill unveiled Thursday by key Senate Democrats looking to fulfill President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.(UMMMMM...EH...THIS IS FREE NATIONAL HEALTH COVERAGE?.....)
7/2/09 Obama's biggest character flaw The President of these United States recently expressed his love for "the Urdu poets," a piece of inspired BS that nobody in their right minds believed for a second. But then the P was narrowcasting to Pakistan, he thought, and Americans weren't supposed to be listening 6/27/09 Obama's curiously close labor friendship SEIU chief Andy Stern enjoys unusual access to the White House, but some in the fractious labor movement question its value. Obama's Incredible Record Of Betrayal I've lost count of how many times Barack Obama has claimed he was going to change the way Washington does business, how he was going to cut off the role of the big corporate lobbyists, stop government use of secrecy to cover for illegal actions, make government more accountable and transparent, stop corruption, and end cronyism. The record indicates that all these are part of the Big Lie--a concerted effort to deceive his own followers and the nation. Only the establishment media is silent about this growing dichotomy. None of the White House press corps dares question him in public about his backtracking.
6/6/09 America’s Violent Extremism By Paul Craig Roberts What are we to make of Obama’s speech at Cairo University in Egypt?(excerpt) Obama declared that "no system of government can or should be imposed by one nation on any other."......huh?....Isn't that what 'we' have been doing ...for a looong looong time 6/4/09 Obama nominee tied to CIA interrogation The Obama administration's pick for a top intelligence post at the Homeland Security Department has ties to the CIA's harsh interrogation program, a congressional aide said.This could become an issue during Philip Mudd's confirmation hearing, which is expected next week. Mudd was nominated to be under secretary of intelligence and analysis at Homeland Security.
6/3/09 Egyptians worry that Obama will inadvertently bless repression American capitalism gone with a whimper TORTURE MUST BE PROSECUTED / OBAMA NON-ACTION UNACCEPTABLE Part Three of Bill Moyer's award winning documentary TORTURING DEMOCRACY deals with the glaring moral and humanitarian injustice of Guantanamo which still festers as an open wound in our national conscience ~ a wound that Obama can no longer ignore: Allen L Roland. See part Three of Moyer's award winning documentary ~ and demand that the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity be prosecuted ~ starting with Dick Cheney.. VIDEO http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/torturingdemocracy/program/ U.S. Citizens vs Barack Hussein Obama Think about it, an authentic birth certificate just might have little Barry’s finger prints and foot prints on it. Any wonder he has spent $800,000 on just one law suit alone? (still trying to find if it was a requirement in Hawaii when Barry was born) Barack Obama 'too tired' to give proper welcome to Gordon Brown Barack Obama's offhand approach to Gordon Brown's Washington visit last week came about because the president was facing exhaustion over America's economic crisis and is unable to focus on foreign affairs, the Sunday Telegraph has been told. New GM (government motors) Releases 2010 Concept Car, “The Obama” This car runs on hot air and broken promises. It has three wheels that speed the vehicle through tight left turns. It comes complete with two Teleprompters, programmed to help the occupants talk their way out of any violations. The transparent canopy reveals the plastic smiles still on the faces of all the “happy” Democrat owners. AP source: US broke bombing rules in Afghanistan American troops made substantial errors and did not strictly follow rules for avoiding casualties during an air assault on Taliban fighters last month, a U.S. defense official said, underscoring a central quandary for President Barack Obama's new Afghan counterinsurgency campaign.(and what the hell are we doing there anyway? Is this the way you want YOUR MONEY spent folks?) Change You Don't Want to Believe In! A message to all Americans from a few Cubans... 5/28/09 Obama presses Abbas, Israel on West Bank WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says Israel must halt the expansion of its West Bank settlements as part of a broader, hard-fought deal toward Middle East peace. The president says Palestinians, too, must do their share by providing security in the West Bank and reducing anti-Israeli sentiment in school and mosques. 5/25/09 Response to court choice spans spectrum Reaction to the Supreme Court nomination of federal appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor on Tuesday spanned the spectrum of opinion, from rave reviews to thumbs down to let's wait and see. Big changes in store for US credit cardholders Every American with a credit card will see sweeping changes in the market, with limits on sudden hikes in interest rates that drive consumers deeper into debt. Even cardholders who pay off their balance each month may face new annual fees or lose out on lucrative rewards programs.In general, the new rules — which go into effect in nine months — will protect debt-ridden consumers from many of the surprise charges common in the industry, such as over-the-limit fees and costs for paying a bill by phone 5/17/09 Obama White House to Waffling Law Firm: ‘Chrysler Deal an Offer You Can’t Refuse’ 5/10/09 Obama To Fire His First Gay Arabic Linguist Full Video: Obama's White House Correspondents Dinner Speech Obama's Gay Marriage Flip Flop: He Was For It Before He Was Against It 5/7/09 Congressman Warns Obama White House on Abusing Power 4/27/09 American Legion 'disappointed' with Obama Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion - the largest American veterans organization - said that Obama move alarms Israel supporters The administration seeks changes that would permit aid to Palestinians even if officials backed by Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group, become part of a unified Palestinian government. 4/21/09 National service bill gets Obama's signature President Barack Obama on Tuesday signed a $5.7 billion bill that triples the size of the AmeriCorps national service program and expands ways for students and seniors to earn money for college through their volunteer work.The new law also makes a pitch for mentoring programs, park improvements and working with the poor. Obama vows to pursue Iran diplomacy despite tirade US President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday not to be deflected from "tough" direct diplomacy with Iran despite the latest anti-Israel tirade by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 4/20/09 Obama defends greeting Hugo Chavez Reporting from Tobago and Port-Of-Spain, Trinidad -- Rebuffing criticism of the warm greetings he exchanged with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, President Obama said Sunday that the United States, with its overwhelming military superiority and need to improve its global image, could afford to extend such diplomatic "courtesy." Picking Letters, 10 a Day, That Reach Obama Tens of thousands of letters, e-mail messages and faxes arrive at the White House every day. A few hundred are culled and end up each weekday afternoon on a round wooden table in the office of Mr. Kelleher, the director of the White House Office of Correspondence.
4/9/09 CIA 'no longer' using secret prisons: director. The CIA is "no longer" operating secret prisons used by the intelligence agency to interrogate terror suspects, and plans to shut all remaining "black sites," the spy agency's director said Thursday.The statement by the Central Intelligence Agency chief confirmed the spy service was carrying out an order from President Barack Obama to shut down the secret prisons that have been condemned at home and abroad as a flagrant violation of human rights. 4/5/09 W.H. team discloses TARP firm ties Lawrence Summers, a top economic adviser to President Barack Obama, pulled in more than $2.7 million in speaking fees paid by firms at the heart of the financial crisis, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America Corp. and the now-defunct Lehman Brothers. Sources: Pentagon seeks $3B for Pakistan military The Obama administration plans to seek as much as $3 billion over the next five years to train and equip Pakistan's military, and is considering sending 10,000 more troops to battle the Taliban in Afghanistan, defense officials said Wednesday. The money would include $500 million in an additional war budget request for the coming year that will go to Congress this month, The Associated Press has learned. In outlining the spending program publicly for the first time, defense officials told the Senate Armed Services Committee it is critical to train and equip the Pakistanis so they have the skills and will to fight. The $3 billion for Pakistan would complement a plan for $7.5 billion in civilian aid. That civilian request would come in legislation sponsored by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts, and the committee's top Republican, Richard Lugar of Indiana. With the administration's backing, their bill would provide $1.5 billion next year, linked to Pakistan's counterterrorism and democracy-building efforts, officials said. 3/27/09 Commentary: Obama is flunking economics Federal criminal complaint contends Obama ineligible Ex-officer alleges prez used 'contrivance, concealment, dissembling and deceit'. An ex-military officer has raised the stakes in the ongoing dispute over Barack Obama's eligibility to be president, filing a criminal complaint against the "imposter" with the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Retired U.S. Navy officer Walter Francis Fitzpatrick III, who has run a campaign for two decades to uncover and try to correct what he believes are criminal activities within the military, accused the president of "treason." PETITION FOR PUBLIC RELEASE OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE BORN IN THE USA? Justice, Supremes confirm getting eligibility challenge Taitz documents demanding proof of Obama's birthplace to be reviewed 3/19/09 Obama Officials Sought To Keep AIG Bonuses: Dodd In a stunning development, Sen. Christopher Dodd said that Obama administration officials asked him to add language to last month's federal stimulus bill to make sure the controversial AIG bonuses remained in place 3/16/09 Pew Confirms Obama's Poll Numbers Fading Fading, but not really falling precipitously, dropping from 64% in February to 59% now. With disapproval rising from 17% to 26%. American Legion commander “angered” after meeting Obama The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization says he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases. 3/14/09 Obama focuses on food safety, picks FDA new chief The nation's food safety system is a "hazard to public health" and overdue for an overhaul, President Barack Obama said Saturday as he focused on that task by filling the top job at the Food and Drug Administration.Obama used his weekly radio and video address to announce the nomination of former New York City Health Commissioner Margaret Hamburg as agency commissioner and selection of Baltimore's health commissioner, Joshua Sharfstein as her deputy. Consumer groups applauded the picks. 3/5/09 Newsflash: Wonderboy Treasury Secretary is in over his head For five weeks, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has battled the worst economic crisis in generations with no key deputies in place. That’s made for a rocky debut for the man President Barack Obama put in charge of addressing the financial crisis.With an awkward first television appearance, a bank rescue plan that lacked promised specifics and two restructured bailouts that raised taxpayer risk, Geithner has failed to calm financial markets desperate for answers. And, he is flying 'solo' President
Obama's czar system concerns some He has 'super aides'
for healthcare, the economy, energy and urban issues, with
more to come -- prompting some lawmakers and groups to worry
that he may be concentrating power and bypassing Congress.
Reporting from Washington -- As President Obama names more
policy czars to his White House team -- high-level staff
members who will help oversee the administration's top initiatives
-- some lawmakers and Washington interest groups are raising
concerns that he may be subverting the authority of Congress
and concentrating too much power in the presidency.
Byrd: Obama in power grab Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the longest-serving Democratic senator, is criticizing President Obama’s appointment of White House “czars” to oversee federal policy, saying these executive positions amount to a power grab by the executive branch. Obama Tied to Millions in Budget Earmarks President Obama and top members of his administration appear to be sponsoring hundreds of millions of dollars of earmarks in the 2009 budget that Obama is trying to push through Congress, CQPolitics.com reports. 2/209 Appointment of Richard Holbrooke unnerves South Asia Richard Holbrooke, is best known as the architect of the Dayton peace accord of 1995 that ended the war in Bosnia.The new envoy, a veteran diplomat nicknamed 'the Bulldozer,' called the Afghan government a failure and put pressure on Pakistan to battle extremists. 1/31/09 Obama readies road map for new bailout spending President Barack Obama on Saturday promised to lower mortgage costs, offer job-creating loans for small businesses, get credit flowing and rein in free-spending executives as he readies a new road map for spending billions from the second installment of the financial rescue plan. FDIC chairman shakes up Washington, Wall Street The Wall Street crowd that packed into the ballroom of the fancy Times Square hotel didn't know what was about to hit it. As the bankers and analysts sliced into their grilled beef tenderloin and chicken, Sheila Bair stepped up to the microphone and told them off. 1/23/09 Obama
shuts network of CIA 'ghost prisons'
bama signals commitment to end war President Barack Obama held firm on a timeline for pulling U.S. troops from Iraq, despite efforts to convince him to make a withdrawal flexible, officials said. Officials: Obama to reverse abortion policy WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama plans to sign an executive order ending the ban on federal funds for international groups that promote or perform abortions, officials told The Associated Press on Friday. The policy bans U.S. taxpayer money, usually in the form of U.S. Agency for International Development funds, from going to international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion. It is also known as the "global gag rule," because it prohibits taxpayer funding for groups that even talk about abortion if there is an unplanned pregnancy. Obama asks lawmakers to back stimulus bill President Barack Obama urged lawmakers from both parties Friday to back his economic stimulus package, saying the economy's dire problems require congressional action even if some members object to portions of the plan. Obama
Toughens Ethics Rules; Gitmo Closing Up Next The new
president ordered tough new ethics rules and prepared to
issue an order closing the detention center at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba, which has been at the center of the debate over
the treatment of prisoners by the
U.S. in the campaign against terror. Liberals
not pleased with go-slow approach by Obama Reporting
from Washington -- Slowly over the last few weeks, some of
Barack Obama's most fervent supporters have come to an unhappy
realization: The candidate who they thought was squarely
on their side in policy fights is now a president who needs
cajoling and persuading.
Barack Obama's Inauguration Speech Poem: I Have A President
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