Bloomberg: The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits dropped last week to the lowest level since April, a sign weakness in the labor market may be starting to abate.
Applications for jobless benefits decreased 22,000 in the week ended July 9 to 405,000, Labor Department figures showed today. Economists forecast 415,000 claims … The data included fewer layoffs in the auto industry than typical this time of the year….
A sustained reduction in firings is a first step toward a pickup in hiring after employers in June added the fewest workers in nine months and the jobless rate rose. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said yesterday that “disappointing” job growth in the last two months was due to temporary effects, such as high fuel costs and delayed parts shipments from Japan after the March earthquake and tsunami.
“The claims numbers suggests a positive development,” said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities. “Part of what’s going on is that in the auto sector a number of factories took their normal seasonal downturn early since a lot of them weren’t able to get parts back in May. They took their hiatus early.”
More here
The Obama Diary 
Hey Ms. Chips,
New Quinipiac poll out. 71% of people like PBO personally. They would blame repugs for the default if it occured and byt 2:1 they blame Bush more for the economy. Also they trust PBO to work on the deficit than repugs. Also, he’s seen as “the best of the worst , especially when it comes to the economy”—-sounds to me that they trust him more to handle the economy especially in comparison to GOP
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=1624
also should have added this:
“45 – 38 percent they trust the president more than congressional Republicans to handle the economy, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. “
Ah, a ray of sunshine! THANKK YOU, Chips!
Let me preface this by saying this is not an “I’m in a panic” comment. But I’m in a real pissy mood today because of the media. And, please, don’t anyone tell me to just turn them off. I want to stop the bastards from their lying and shilling for the party that is trying to destroy this country and therefore me. I want to stop their shilling for a bigoted, stupid woman like Michelle Bachmann and a lying elitist like Mitt Romney. The media also played a large role in the 2010 outcomes with their pushing the crazy tea party. I refuse to let them do it again. PBO is going to win re-election, but we need to kick the media in the ass.
What set me off was Chuck Todd. He really has just come all out for the republicans. He hardly has any democrats on his show and every word out of his mouth is a republican talking point. He — like most of them — never mentions the polls that are favorable to PBO. Example, he showed the new Q-poll number that showed high disapproval for PBO on the economy, but not any of the other numbers that show people don’t blame him and trust him over republicans. Then he shows a poll that shows Romney leading PBO in Iowa and NH. Again, no mention of the Q-poll that shows PBO leading ALL republicans.
I’ve been tweeting him on this, but want to do more. I’m just fed up with the media. I want to go on offense even more than we have on twitter or using any other methods. I’m open to suggestions. I’m tired of seeing republicans ugly, lying mugs paraded on tv every fucking minute.
The story about PBO’s supposed blow up: media keeps recounting it from liar Cantor’s viewpoint. Then as an aside mention that WH disputes it. Meanwhile Cantor’s lie it out there.
We own the airwaves and deserve balance and fairness.
We need a full scale boycott of media sponsors. That’s the only thing that works — taking away their money.
We need to target the democrats and demand that they demand equal time. Stop hiding. Steve Israel is fantastic and should be on all the time.
We need real dem strategists — not fakes like Karen Finney, etc. who never seem to know a damn thing when they’re on and who are trying to keep bookings.
Not the media, but we need to really go on offense against Greene and his lies. Sick of that weasel.
I’ve tried to reach out to Color of Change for some advice and guidance. Will keep trying.
Forgive my salty language. I’ve just had enough.
Good morning, *Proud Of Obama*, I certainly share your feelings, but I think It’s sho’ nuff praying time. I hope this doesn’t offend you or anyone else. I must say that I’m a believer, and I believe In prayer. Firstly, the Bible says, that no weapon formed against me, shall prosper. Now I believe the Bible. Second, when we get In trouble, or someone needs deliverance, or healing, or If the world needs Peace, then we go to the source, which Is Christ Jesus. This Is how I’m dealing with this thing. I not only pray for our leaders, and the Obama Administration, but I also pray for the enemy, and I ask God to grant them peace In the meetings, I ask God to have his way, I believe God’s gonna work It out. I find myself praying for Congress as I’m turning over In my sleep. I ask you to keep the Faith. Just think how the Lord has worked In your behalf In the past, gather strength from those times, and be encouraged. God’s going to work this out. Sometimes, we just have to wait on the Lord, especially, when we’ve done all that we can do. It’s In God’s hand now, so I’m gonna let him do his work. Because Prayer works, my Friend. Cheer up, and calm down, you are not alone In this. Take care, have a better rest of the day, and be blessed 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh I absolutely believe in prayer and pray everyday. And I do believe that God has blessed PBO and will continue to guide him and keep him. I also believe evil gets it in the end, witness Murdoch and his evil empire.
I’m just angry at these republicans who only care about lining their pockets. I’m 59, and if they have it their way with the help of the media, they will cut off people my age too in a heartbeat. I worked for 40 years and paid into my “entitlement” and these greedy bastards who have millions and billions would take what I’ve paid for without blinking. And you have the media helping them.
And I just feel we need to be on offense.
As I said this is not a panic post. It’s a pissed-off post. It’s a take action and kick republican and media butt post.
It appears that this is a free and open place for the OTeam in all our various forms of spirituality.
I came across a couple links on Twitter that I thought some of you might be interested in. One is about the story of that photo of PBO where there are several preachers laying their hands on him. The other is a YouTube of the speech he gave right after that. The speech is a total inspiration and consistent with all that we know of his character and I think quite useful at this moment.
http://gospelfab.blogspot.com/2008/08/obama-praying-with-bishops-of-ame.html
I can never believe these things anymore. They’ve been wrong so many times. Hope this debt ceiling craziness doesn’t hurt job growth in July.
Salazar announces new water projects for Crowe nation in Montana:
http://www.doi.gov/news/mediaadvisories/Secretary-Salazar-to-Attend-First-Regional-Tribal-Consultation-in-Billings-and-Celebrate-Major-Water-Rights-Milestone-with-Crow-Nation.cfm
AWESOME. PBO/Black Eagle’s parents must be very proud!!
And that number is despite, despite- Minnesota laying off 22k public employees last week!
Also, the market says we will raise debt ceiling somehow by august 2nd! The market knows all!
dear God please make people find jobs despite the Republicans
I think job hirings are being hidden some how – virtually every other economic number is showing growth and jobs is anemic. I figure the GOP knows the debt ceiling is holding off hiring and the plan was cuts without any revenue raises so they could peacock and say “see we made cuts and the markets responded and jobs were created” and are deathly against any revenues because the Dems could point and say “see taxes on the rich were raised and jobs were still created and the economy expanded”.
Me thinks this is a good idea! Have a camp David debt summit:
http://m.yahoo.com/w/news_america/obama-top-foe-clash-us-debt-talks-flare-020229831.html?orig_host_hdr=news.yahoo.com&.intl=us&.lang=en-us
What is going to get done at Camp David that can’t be done at the White House.
Chips, dang it, I did it again. Wrote a long comment and forgot to sign in so it’s sitting in moderation. Sorry,
Found it Proud! I hadn’t even time to read it, a bit busy at the moment but will catch up later 😉
No problem.
Nancy’s presser on now:
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Debt-Talks-Continue-Despite-Prolonged-Stalemate/10737422874-2/
LOVE her.
Nancy: “Job is no place in comparison to the President in his patience.” She is going on and on heaping praise upon praise on our President. She loves this man and is expressing that beautifully. I hope there will be a clip of this!!
I love Nancy! Thanks, meta 🙂
Meta,
I like her, but everybody can see there is a divide between a lot of house democrats and the president. Lawrence mentioned last night that Clinton actually signed into law ss cuts and not a peep out of the house dems or left leaning groups.
So, then what’s really going on?
There are some differences sure but Nancy has unyielding support for this President and she KNOWS how to command the focus of her caucus. She is a master of talking points and listens to Dems. She pulls it together every single time and gets the job done.
Meta is right Jovie. Nancy and PBO have disagreed on a few things i.e: the deal last december that included a continuation of the Bush tax cuts in order to get unemployment insurance extended, she didn’t show up for the signing even though DADT and a whole lot of other Dem victories were attached to the bill–but above all, Nancy really, really supports this president. Even when she disagrees with him, she never, never, ever makes it public. You will never see her on the floor of congress having a conniption fit like that ignorant git Bernie Sanders. You’ll never see her go on the Maddcow show and talk about how this president is doing the wrong thing a la that good for nothing Weiner. She has a lot of style, grace and class. She’s very old school politics: we may disagree on how the deal gets done, but at the end of the day, we all want the same thing–American prosperity and safety. I’ll go so far as to say that Nancy really, really likes PBO and considers him a friend.
Yes, in my mind, she is the model of a leader. She and the President are very close and have a tremendous amount of respect for each other. When I saw her at PBO’s last appearance here in April, there was no question in my mind.
Well said, Lisa and Meta. I too believe that Nancy respects and generally likes the President even though they may disagree on how to proceed on a topic, she will support him and not trash him in public. This is the mark of a Leader.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake is testifying before congress right now on CSPAN-3.
U.S. ECONOMIC OUTLOOK & MONETARY POLICY
Thanks! Livestream:
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Bernanke-Continues-Capitol-Hill-Testimony/10737422856-1/
I’ve been having a real sh*tty day so far and Joy Behar just put the President ending the meeting yesterday that way.She said the President last night acted like Mother Theresa who slapped a homeless person out of frustration 😆 😆 .Elizabitch (can someone please go after her on twitter) said that the stimulus didn’t work 🙄
Elizabeth is an idiot who knows absolutely nothing about politics and probably knows nothing about the differences in the idiosyncrasies between the two parties other than that she is a republican and only republicans can save the rich—no, slash that—country. Her republican talking points are indelibly inscribed in that vacuous egg shaped shell she calls a head.—— Sorry, i’ve always disliked her, it’s a grudge that goes back to 2005/2006…. she’s a nutbag.
She really is an off the wall cracked in the head person. She bitches about EVRYTHING. Everything is PBO’s fault. EVERYTHING. She never does proper research, just listens over and over again to Fox talking points and spews them out of her pea brain. She came form the reality show Survivor and in her fucked up head that qualifies her on every issue.
She really is an off the wall cracked in the head person. She bitches about EVRYTHING. Everything is PBO’s fault. EVERYTHING. She never does proper research, just listens over and over again to Fox talking points and spews them out of her pea brain. She came form the reality show Survivor and in her fucked up head that qualifies her to speak on every issue.
Bernanke is blowing my mind.
I know, this is riveting. How did you like the snarky remarks from Senator Corker. He’s a real winner.
He just can’t help himself. A complete JERK.
What blows my mind is that the Tea Party folks in the congress think THEY know more than the Fed Chairman Ben Bernake and this list below. It’s really astonishing. So this is what we have…..
Boehner, Cantor, McConnell & unhinged, deranged and just plain nuts Tea Party members (Ideology over Economics)
vs
President Barack Obama
Vice President Joe Biden
Majority of the American people
Democratic Leadership
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner
Wall Street
Chamber of Commerce
IMF
Gobal Investors
Economist from both sides of the aisle
Simpson/Bowles Commission
Senator Menendez: TAXES HAVE BECOME AN ENTITLEMENT FOR THE RICH (Ouch)
Sorry, typo ……TAX CUTS HAVE BECOME AN ENTITLEMENT.
The positive thing about this debt ceiling showdown (which should have been a routine matter, and will eventually be resolved) is that it’s serving to air out the whole financial picture of the U.S. and of the TeaOP’s horrible approach to fiscal responsibility. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and we’re getting a whole lot of it right now.
I bet the Three Stooges now wish they would have never opened this can of worms.
Joe Biden: “There’s no point in dying on a small cross.”
Hey Chips you are almost at 3 million hits!!!