all the president’s men

President Barack Obama talks with, from left, Senior Advisor David Plouffe, National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, and Chief of Staff Bill Daley in the Oval Office, Sept. 1, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

‘the recovery act worked’

Jared Bernstein: …. Republicans constantly ply the talking point “discredited stimulus” in the interest of blocking any similar ideas … but the evidence shows the stimulus worked, but ended too soon, before the private sector was ready to walk on its own. The evidence shows we need to do more of these sorts of policy interventions.

…. The first graph shows the growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) from 2007 up until the last quarter. The next picture shows job growth over the same period in both the total job market and excluding government jobs, since the temporary influx of Census working in 2010 distorts the overall series for a few months.

…. they a) present remarkably compelling evidence against the “failed stimulus” case, and b) show that we need to do more of these types of interventions.

…. As the stimulus fades, the positive trends begin to falter: both GDP and job growth slow significantly, and unemployment stagnates at a highly elevated level.

The message of these three simple graphs is itself disarmingly simple: the stimulus worked. It prevented recession from becoming depression. It just ended too soon.

And that’s why the President’s new jobs agenda is so damn important.

Full post here

‘a jobs plan that doesn’t need congress’

Fawn Johnson (The Atlantic): The president has asked federal agencies to find solutions on their own. His message to lawmakers: We can do this without you.

President Obama is either fed up with Congress or he’s testing his own administration’s mettle. Or both.

On Wednesday, Obama took a now-familiar path in adopting a program – this time a jobs and infrastructure effort – that can happen entirely within his domain. Obama directed several federal agencies to identify “high-impact, job-creating infrastructure projects” that can be expedited now, without congressional approval.

One week before he will make a major address to Congress on jobs, Obama is making sure they know he plans to move forward without them. The president has also directed the Education Department to come up with a “Plan B” updating the 2001 No Child Left Behind law in the absence of congressional action. The message to Congress is clear: Do your work or we’ll do it for you.

Under Wednesday’s order, the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, and Transportation will each select up to three high-priority infrastructure projects that can be completed within the control and jurisdiction of the federal government. The effort is labeled as a “common-sense approach” to spurring job growth “in the near term.”….

Full article here

‘the gop war on voting’

Here

Ari Berman (Rolling Stone): As the nation gears up for the 2012 presidential election, Republican officials have launched an unprecedented, centrally coordinated campaign to suppress the elements of the Democratic vote that elected Barack Obama in 2008.

Just as Dixiecrats once used poll taxes and literacy tests to bar black Southerners from voting, a new crop of GOP governors and state legislators has passed a series of seemingly disconnected measures that could prevent millions of students, minorities, immigrants, ex-convicts and the elderly from casting ballots. “What has happened this year is the most significant setback to voting rights in this country in a century,” says Judith Browne-Dianis, who monitors barriers to voting as co-director of the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C.

…. the GOP’s effort to disrupt voting rights has been more widespread and effective than ever. In a systematic campaign orchestrated by the American Legislative Exchange Council – and funded in part by David and Charles Koch, the billionaire brothers who bankrolled the Tea Party – 38 states introduced legislation this year designed to impede voters at every step of the electoral process…..

Full article here

there are no words…..

Think Progress: The Pima County GOP – which is in the same district where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was shot early this year – is holding a very insensitive fundraiser this week. The party is holding a raffle fundraiser, and the prize is a Glock handgun, the same category of weapon that was used to shoot Giffords.

play time

Thank you QuietObserver 😉

President Barack Obama hugs First Lady Michelle Obama after watching her jump rope for a double-dutch demonstration during a taping for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) challenge and Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play, on the South Lawn of the White House, July 15, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

a word from tally: he’s got this

by Tally

Namaste

~ deep breath everyone ~

FIRST OF ALL….. WHO was smart enough to usher in the Arab Spring, which has already affected Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and soon Syria, Israel, and Palestine?

Who handed The Donald his ass while he had Seal Team Six en route to – then successfully take out Osama Bin Laden? Then Bin Laden’s replacement and now the #2 guy in Al Qaeda?

All while not letting the US economy slide into another Great Depression, while up against the most regressive and obstructive, filibuster-happy Congress, who won’t even let everyone go on vacation so the President cannot make any recess appointments?

Who is the SMARTEST GUY IN AMERICA?????

Correct. President Obama.

Consider:

– Do not think for ONE MINUTE President Obama and his staff didn’t know EXACTLY WHEN the ClownCarCrazies™ were having their “debate.”

– Do not think for ONE MINUTE President Obama and his staff didn’t know EXACTLY WHAT their reaction would be.

– The Administration publicly released to the GOPMedia their letter of request – something that is never done.

– Boehner then jumped to release his response to the GOPMedia – something that is also never done.

Which means…… Obama set Boehner up, and Boehner took the bait like the stupid, one-track idiot he is. Boehner played right into the President’s hands…..

Boehner looks like the disrespecting douchebag that he is, and Obama looks like the HONORABLE PRESIDENT he is.

This proves once again, that the GOP cares more about themselves, and their ridiculous “debate”, six months before the first primary, which will be a showdown of who can be the most insane, FAR MORE THAN THEY CARE ABOUT GETTING AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.

The GOP not only disrespects Obama, but they disrespect THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, and EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY.

This is pure win for President Obama.

– More people will go watch the ClownCarCrazy® race to insanity on Wednesday. More people will see that they have NOTHING other than more tax cuts for the rich, more taxes for everyone else, who can get rid of SS & Medicare the fastest, who will go the farthest in debunking science and fact, who will repeal Obamacare, DADT, and everything Obama has done. Who will get rid of the EPA, FEMA, and every banking, Financial, and Trade regulation we have. And of course, who is Jesus’ #1 BFF, and require prayer everywhere, every day, by everyone.

– Even MORE people will watch the Joint Session on Thursday, which will be run ON EVERY NETWORK like it usually is, INCLUDING NBC (no pregame show), which will end right before kickoff, so NO ONE will be watching the GOP’s yammering, empty response. 😆

– EVERYONE will then know HOW easily jobs can be created IN THIS COUNTRY, and who has their best interest in mind. Obama will remind everyone that GM’s production is way up, that the stimulus created 2.9 million jobs, and how the GOP needs to get over their fixation on HIM, and put it on the American people who they claim to serve. Obama can beat them with all the way to Election Day.

Checkmate.

For once – Ed Schultz NAILED IT. Go catch the beginning of yesterday’s show at MSNBC.COM – it’s pretty epic.

Like Chips said, Quit your cryin’, he’s GOT THIS.

heads up

White House live

*** Delayed until 2.0 ***

al

‘we the people’

More here

Thanks Meta