‘open for suggestions’

See some of the suggestions at the Consumerfinance.gov website – here

on call

President Barack Obama talks with National Security Advisor Tom Donilon about developments in the Middle East, backstage at Intel Corporation in Hillsboro, Oregon, Feb. 18. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

march on

The President and First Lady will travel to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador March 19-23, where the President will meet with the leaders and speak to the peoples of these countries to discuss a broad range of issues including economic prosperity and job creation through increased trade and partnerships, energy and security cooperation, shared values and other issues of regional and global concern. The trip will provide an opportunity to engage key bilateral partners, to highlight the President’s engagement with the hemisphere, and to advance our efforts to work as equal partners to address the basic challenges facing the people of the Americas. The visit will include events in Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago and San Salvador.

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Also next month, the President will travel to Miami Beach, Florida (March 4th) to headline a fundraiser for Sen. Bill Nelson and to Boston (March 8th) for a Democratic leaders dinner

blue-chip president

President Obama speaks about advancing education for US students to compete on the international stage after touring a manufacturing facility at Intel in Hillsboro, Oregon, February 18

Text of the President’s speech here

“lego? i’m thinking, this is more my speed…..”

(The expression of the girl on the right cracks me up!)

“You know what I’m especially excited about is, it’s nothing against the guys, but seeing six girls do an amazing project like this is really exciting. A lot of times in the past, engineering, math, science…girls were saying that’s not for me. You guys are showing that you guys are going to be at the cutting edge of this stuff. I’m proud of you.”

President Barack Obama autographs a Lego robot as he meets student finalists of Intel’s Science Talent Search as he tours a semiconductor manufacturing facility at Intel Corporation in Hillsboro, Oregon February 18

“what am i looking at here?” “that’s the gop’s integrity, mr president”

President Barack Obama looks into Intel’s Transmission Electron Microscope during a tour of the semiconductor manufacturing facility at Intel Corporation in Hillsboro, Oregon, February 18

“Now, now – let’s be civil.” Sorry Mr President 😕

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doing the right thing. again.

Washington Post: The Obama administration rescinded most of a federal regulation Friday designed to protect health workers who refuse to provide care they find objectionable on personal or religious grounds.

The Health and Human Services Department eliminated nearly the entire rule put into effect by the administration of President George W. Bush during his final days in office that was widely interpreted as allowing such workers to opt out of a broad range of medical services, such as providing the emergency contraceptive Plan B, treating gay men and lesbians and prescribing birth control to single women.

Calling the Bush-era rule “unclear and potentially overbroad in scope,” the new, much narrower version essentially leaves in place only long-standing federal protections for workers who object to performing abortions or sterilizations. It also retains the Bush rule’s formal process for workers to file complaints.

…The new regulation, which goes into effect in 30 days, also ensures that no federal money can be used to “support coercive or discriminatory policies or practices in violation of federal law.”

The Bush regulation, if enforced, would have cut off federal funding for thousands of entities, including state and local governments, hospitals, health plans and clinics, if they did not accommodate doctors, nurses, pharmacists or other employees who refused to participate in care they felt violated their personal, moral or religious beliefs.

The rule was sought by conservative groups, which argued that workers were increasingly being fired, disciplined or penalized in other ways for trying to exercise their “right of conscience.”…

Full article here

next, portland

President Barack Obama waves upon his arrival at Portland International Airport

“it takes two obamas to make me look good”

😆

‘once in a lifetime’

White House: Every wondered what would happen if the President of the United States walked into an auditorium full of unsuspecting high school seniors? That’s exactly what happened on June 7, 2010 when President Obama surprised the graduating class at Kalamazoo Central High School, the winners of the 2010 Race to the Top Commencement Challenge. The Principal of Kalamazoo Central High School, Von Washington, described the experience of competing in – and winning – the 2010 Commencement Challenge this way:

“How do you begin to describe what shaking the hand of the President of the United States at your high school graduation means to a student? Every one of our students, and everyone within our community was changed by this once in a lifetime event…..”

We’re asking public high schools from across the country to demonstrate how their school best prepares them for college and a career, helping America win the future by out-educating our competitors and achieving President Obama’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

More here