President Obama leaves Andrews for Pennsylvania
****
****
You’re not deaf, there’s no sound!
****
President Obama visits with Patrick and Donna Festa in their Scranton home
****
You can see the speech at C-Span – thanks UT
Scranton High School
President Obama waves as he boards Air Force One before leaving Scranton International Airport
****
A gentle reminder:
Please vote for the kids at Desertflower’s school – the deadline is midnight tonight (see post below for more info).
You can do so either online or by text:
Go to the RefreshEverything website – registering takes two minutes, just type “desert shadows” in the search box and the school will come up. Then vote!
Or, Text 73774 and type in the message code 109320.
****
****
First lady Michelle Obama addresses military families in the East Room of the White House as the Christmas holiday decorations were previewed
The Obama Diary 
Fired up, Scranton!
Air-Force-One-landing fans:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=4
😉
Voted for Desert Shadows!
Hugs and thank you!!!
Hey DF, I voted through text message. Crossing my fingers for your school! 😀
Finally able to get my vote through. Hope your kids get the grant. Good luck! Thank you for taking such good care of the children.
I voted too. Good luck Desert Shadows!
On Daily Kos yesterday: ( http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/29/1040635/-WA-01:-Darcy-Burner,-third-times-the%C2%A0charm?showAll=yes&via=blog_1 )
“This site’s unofficial motto used to be “more and better Democrats”, but we’ve gradually evolved it to “better Democrats”. The reasons why are obvious.”
Yep. They’ve admitted it.
Interesting how a bunch of/ site full of Republicans & Libertarians think they know what makes a better Democrat. So full of BS that site.
Oh, God. I’m sorry, but if you lost in two elections that were boons to Democrats, your probably not a “better Democrat”
The President meets with a scranton family in a private residence. The media won’t like one.
the media can choke on the haterade
haterade,, Hehehe, I like that Fred, you have a way with words 🙂
well thank you Luci 😉
He didn’t dare look them in the eye, did he?
I loved the pic of the lady next door getting her pic of PBO when he left the neighbors house. Sweet.
The family looked pleased to have him there, so too bad media.
Ya’ know, I would definitely put up with the Secret Service all in my yard and house if the President saw fit to grace us with his presence.
Hello everyone
desertshadows
I’m not sure if I voted correctly. I tried to text but in the message box only symbols would come in the message box. Then I tried on line but they said I had to log in. I tried on facebook which I am not good at. Is there anyway I will know if my vote counted. Please help me.
Have a nice day everyone.
alice wrote how to do it down thread…couldn’t say it better than she did….thank you for voting for these kids!
Don’t feel too bad, relellit! I had similar problems. Couldn’t figure-out how to login through facebook, so signed-up for Pepsi account. But they said I already had an account; unfortunately, I couldn’t recall my password. Reset password then verify then login, then….lollol! Well, finally got through — wouldn’t want to disappoint desertflower and the kids;-)
Voted for Desert Shadows.
I had to leave several tweets for Michael Smerconish. I happened to be listening to his show while I was in my car this afternoon (we have no liberal stations in Indy) and he was pushing the meme about PBO dropping VP Biden for Hillary. And he allowed callers to claim that PBO has accomplished nothing in office.
I won’t go into all that I said. You can check out my timeline @LiberalPhenom. But how about helping set the record straight? PBO has been on this guy’s radio show a few times and that he would push this nonsense really angered me. Even though I believe he voted for PBO as a Repub he’s clearly going back to his ideological roots.
His twitter acct is @smerconish.
I’ve been wondering if it’s been that annoying Bill Clinton continuing to push that idea of President Obama dropping Biden for Hillary.
Just followed you, and retweeted most of your hits on Michael Smerconish. Now I have carpal tunnel! 🙂
I’m disappointed, since I’m pretty sure he said he voted for PBO.
Thank you! I’m pretty sure he voted for PBO too. And Michael is supposed to be an open-minded person. Certainly he’s aware of the facts of what PBO has achieved. Certainly he know that Schoen and Caddell are just hacks paid by the GOP. I couldn’t believe what I heard so I had to vent. Wonder if he acknowledged any of my tweets on his show. I turned him off so I wouldn’t know. Just wanted him to know that we are on to them with these lies.
Michael is on MSNBC with Tamron Hall every day. He rarely says anything interesting, and though a nice guy, he does not seem very bright.
When I used to watch Hardball and Michael was on, he always seemed very reasonable and intelligent.
Oh, maybe because he was talking with dumbo Chris Matthews.
Love your tweest LP. Will conact the wormy Smerconish.
Voted for Desert Shadows both text and online. Tweeted and shared on FB.
Hugs and thank you, Mary!!!
Does this mean we can vote more than once if we use different media?
If they don’t generate drama they lose audience share. Even something oppositional will get people hooked. I find it disgusting. More profit-before- people.
The Beltway wants to put Hillary on the ticket. Idea pushed probably by the clintonites and also republicans who want to make trouble.
I don’t like the idea one bit, for a lot of reasons. And anyway, it seems to me that Joe Biden is a bigger asset with independants than Hillary Clinton is. An experienced white man who comes from a blue collar family. Joe is reassuring. I see him as a big asset in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida.
The media loves the idea of Hillary because it would be more exciting for them. So many possibilities of controversy…
Her answer is still no. Criminy how many times can one woman say no?
I think Bill is the one putting it out there. Hillary has done a masterful job as SOS and it is obvious from her words and body language that she has PBO’s back. Fundamentally, even if she wanted to be prez, she is tired. She has had to deal with so much, I’m sure after the election she just wants to go home and sleep.
Gee, that amazing Christmas ornament that says Obama Biden all over it isn’t a good enough clue for these people? Must be a slow news day.
lolololol
touche’
they will ignore it Tien Le – The President responded to this, SOS Clinton said she wasn’t interested but if it doesn’t fit the narrative they will simply ignore it and write their own.
Plus, Joe Biden says he’s not eliminating the possibility that he might run for president after President Obama’s second term, so where would giving-up the vp-ship leave him? I’m sorry, but I don’t think the old Hillary camp has gotten the message that the Clinton’s are out of the Presidential race for now — through front door, back door or press door.
OK DF I got a vote in fer yez! I hope your school gets it!! 🙂
Relellit: I signed up for a Pepsi Account. they sent me a confirmation email and then I put “desert shadows” into the search box. There was a vote button. Hit that. done.
OK slinking back to work now…..shhhhh……
PS: DF Let us know what happens! 🙂
VOTEDDDDD…HOPE YOUR SCHOOL WINS.. 😀
hugs, alice! Thank you:)
I voted too *desert* 🙂
floI voted text and on line. will do again tomorrow. Good Luck Desert flower
DF,
I voted. Hope I did it right. Good luck to your kids!!
Thank you so much, africa! Hugs…
Oh and let’s show VP Joe Biden some twitter love today. @VP
Flotus!!!
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
FLOTUS is so real around those kids … well, and everybody else!
Don’t forget Bo, he’s a legend!
FLOTUS looks beautiful!! Love the dress, and Bo is cute as always.
Any pictures of FLOTUS today?
He’s such a good doggie, sitting so nice by all those fake Bo(s).
Yes, I think a Dog Whisperer or two or three have had little training classes with Bo. What an ideal pet!
I just listen to FLOTUS video , she is one wonderful First Lady.
Voted… Good luck DF!
Thank you and hugs, Nin!!!
Where was Perry speaking? He referred to Mr. Speaker is why I wonder. Anyway, he’s now ticked off the pubs by saying he wants the Wall St. fellas in jail. LOL go to it Rick, you’re the new entertainment.
My favorite is still Perry’s telling the 18-year-olds that they can’t vote.
Willard has major problems as a candidate that are just beginning to be revealed. Also, his staff does not appear to be any where near as strong as President Obama’s. There is nothing likeable about Willard. Trying to be objective, if he is nominated I do not see how he can possibly beat PBO.
He also has a glass jaw. Perry barely knocked him with the illegal immigrant workers and Romney went all red faced and sweaty and looked like he wanted to physically attack Perry. If nothing else we can thank Perry for pushing his buttons because we’ll have the “I’m running for office for pete’s sake” which should haunt Romney like “I was for it before I was against it” was hung around Kerry’s neck in 2004.
Than in the last debate he made the mistake of getting drawn into a one-on-one FP debate with Jon Huntsman and knew he stepped in it and was off the rest of the debate, a little sweaty and his hair a little disheveled.
The pressure is getting to him – this was supposed to be his time and he can’t get over 25%, he has shown he’s scared of Newt by even doing the Fox interview, and attacks Fox and Ailes tool Brett Baier for being too tough on him and pushing Dem talking points?
He’ll have two shots at Newt on Dec 10th and 15th in the final two debates before Iowa – he’ll hope others take on Newt so Romney can keep his hands clean. Newt will very likely ignore the rest of the fields attacks and always parry into an attack on Mitt. Unlike Mitt, Newt is smart enough to say “I made a mistake, that was the wrong thing to do” but Mitt can’t say that because his grand plan is to race back to the center come the general on those very remarks he’s flip-flopping no now.
Excellent and very valid points.
Good analysis – Mitt can’t openly backtrack because he’s made a living off his “no apologies” catchphrase, and admitting he made a mistake would be like apologizing for his prior position. Who wants a President who can never admit to making mistakes, and would rather flip-flop and lie? That’s a recipe for disaster.
The media seems against him big time ; they don’t protect him. Am I the only one who finds it suspect that they are going against Romney that harshly? The man was the frontrunner, he is Corporate America’s best friend, has many allies in Wall Street and the big lobbies. They normally would protect him a bit. Why are they telling the truth about him? A rare occurence in MSM…
Do they want to bring Romney down in favor of someone else, either Huntsman or Bloomberg, who would run as an independant?
Lovepolitics, you bring up an interesting point. The media not protecting Willard may be a desire to keep the crazies, though I am beginning to believe Willard is a crazy also, in the race for the entertainment value and to increase ratings. If Willard clinches the nomination by the end of January it could be a very boring run up until the general election heats up.
Although I notice GOPolitico’s 2012 election book, or whatever it is, is said to contain no real criticisms of Romney, unlike all the other candidates. The only thing came up with, for balance sake, was that he removes the cheese from his pizza and the skin from his chicken when he’s forced to eat those 2 items, that almost every meal is turkey breast, rice and veg, which goes along with the “boring” theme.
Love how Romney tells FOX folks they need to do more research. Talk about biting the hand that feeds ya.
That is so BRUTAL. For once I watched clips of that interview and he made me cringe at times.
He’s just not likeable, plain and simple.
And that’s an important factor. The narrative about Mitt has been long carved out and won’t be going away. Now, everything he does will just be used to reinforce the notion that he ia calculating phoney that nobody likes. President Obama still has his work cut out for him with campaigning, but I think he will come across as far far better than Mitt. People at least trust Obama–even the ones who aren’t sure they like his policies.
Here’s Exhibit A:
Internal Documents Reveal Mitt Romney’s Pork Barrel Past
On November 3, at a town hall event in Exeter, New Hampshire, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney laid out his plan to make the federal government “smaller, simpler, smarter.” As president, Romney would slash spending, root out waste, and balance the federal budget—to do otherwise, he said, would push the country to the brink of collapse. “If we keep spending like we’re spending, and borrowing like we’re borrowing, at some point we could face what Greece faces,” he warned. Behind Romney as he spoke hung a bright blue banner: “CUT THE SPENDING.”
Not long ago, however, he took a much different view of federal spending. Far from decrying Washington’s spendthrift ways, Romney, as governor of Massachusetts, sought to position his state to hoover up every federal dollar it could—and to use that money to help solve a state budget crisis.
~snip~
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/11/mitt-romney-republican-washington-spending-flip-flop
h/t Andy Kroll
Oh Lawd……this will leave a mark!!
Also the debate that he put his hand on Perry’s shoulder was the first time I wondered about his handling of conflict. He looked very nervous and flustered when he was challenged. Physically touching someone has always been considered to be not allowed. Remember when Al Gore walked up to GW Bush in a debate and it waas considered that he invaded GW’s space? That seemed like a turning point in that campaign. Many of the media spoke about it as a major foul.
Live coverage from Scranton High School has started:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=4
Do you have sound? I don’t.
No sound yet Alycee, I think CNN don’t want us to hear nice things about the President 😉
You know you’re right! See they finally put “No Audio” above their logo.
Chips you freaking rock! You are on the ball Chica. Methinks someone is trying some new java. Obamaespresso perhaps?
Mmm, Obamaespresso sounds good UT!!! 😆
Be prepared for a mic check. They’re pre-bragging about it, or so it seems.
I couldn’t watch the entire event. Did another mic check happen?
Rick Perry kills me with his ignorance. He doesn’t know that the voting age is 18 and the election is November 6, 2012. Or that New Hampshire does primaries; not caucuses. It’s like he just woke up one day and said you know what? It’d be fun to run for President. Easy as pie. He sure isn’t giving Texas A&M (Aggies) a ringing endorsement.
utaustinliberal, Perry is so dam dumb, what does that say about the folks of Texas who kept re-electing him
You’re not deaf, there’s no sound!
And there was the magnificent Pete Souza! What a gem!
Voted for Desert Shadows and donated twice to Dinner with Barack and Michelle. Long shot I know but I hope I win.
Hope you do too Jessica, thanks SO much for supporting desertflower.
Busy girl! Thank you so much:)
♥ ♥ ♥ Good Day Chips! Good Day TOD Family! ♥ ♥ ♥
Barack Obama Quote O’ The Day
Have a great afternoon, everyone! 😛
Hiya PJ, our Queen of the Quotes! Thank you so much, love these!
Hi Chips! ♥ ♥ ♥
Thank YOU for all you do!
I love your “Quote O’ The Day”. Please keep them coming.
Sure thing, Sabreen 😛
Love them! Great idea, very much appreciated.
PJ – Not only enjoyed the quote, but you are reminding me of candidate Obama’s brilliant speech in Philly. Thank you, as always!
Texted my vote, DesertFlower — keeping my fingers crossed!
Thank you, PJ…Fingers and toes are crossed! Hugs!
First photo, lady far right w/ her hand to heart! Awwww! My sentiments!
I noticed her right away, too. That’s how I feel when I see him!!
You’re so proper! 🙂 I wave my hand up high, and then my mouth, of it’s own accord, opens & out comes: I LOVE YOU, Mr. President! And everyone around me loses their propers! 🙂
Don’t worry, I’ve done my fair share of all of that, too!!
🙂 🙂
And here I sit, jealous of all. (Kidding – I’m happy for everyone who gets to see him!)
Nobody said the GOP were dummies – McConnell and GOP will propose to pay for payroll tax extension by extending wage freeze on all federal employees for two more years AND means test Medicare and SS for people worth over $1M.
They want to pit worker against worker.
It still gives the Dems the argument that those whose wages have been frozen for two years are still being asked to pay more than those who have had their incomes increase several hundred percentage points in those same two years, some of whom gave themselves big bonuses after causing the financial crisis in 2008 & 2009 (bonuses from taxpayer dollars). The GOP think they’re escaping the label of “do-nothing” and protecting the rich with this stunt, but it’s not going to work. And I hope Dems can hold it together and pressure them on the tax increases for the wealthy.
The GOP forgets that some of those federal employees work for the military and other entities they pretend to care about … although there aren’t too many government departments they care about, are there?
Former Treasury Secretary Paulson Gave Insider Information To Hedge Fund Buddies |
According to Bloomberg News, former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, who was at the helm when the financial crisis hit in 2008, leaked inside information regarding the government takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to several hedge fund traders, including former colleagues of his at Goldman Sachs. There’s no evidence that the traders used the information, as “tracking firm-specific short stock sales isn’t possible using public documents,” but at least one trader contacted a lawyer and was told that “Paulson’s talk was material nonpublic information, and [he] should immediately stop trading” Fannie and Freddie. As Reuters’ Felix Salmon put it, “Paulson was giving inside tips to Wall Street in general, and to Goldman types in particular: exactly the kind of behavior that ‘Government Sachs’ conspiracy theorists have been speculating about for years.”
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/11/29/377486/paulson-leaked-inside-info-fannie-freddie/
Why am I not surprised. They feed off each other.
The hell is going on . . .
Occupiers Go After The Democrats Who Praised Them
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/occupiers-go-after-the-democrats-who-praised-them.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
This is how you lose credbility.
Honestly, I think most reasonable, normal people are getting fed up with them and their mic check gimmicks. It’s rude and they sound so arrogant that it’s a real turnoff.
“their mic check gimmicks. It’s rude”
I agree
Occupiers for the most part are LIBERTARIANS, and Libertarians are far closer to Republicans than Democrats.
Agree about Libertarians. Not sure what Occupiers are, though. Might be a mixed bag.
Just voted for the sound system. It’s been my habit to look at HuffPo every am, but I think they are going down hill. I notice their headings are sort of sensational, something like Star magazine covers. If you read the item–it’s some idiot story–doesn’t have any depth. Gonna’ stay away from them.
Huffington has been a tabloid rag for a while now. I expect them to have “alien baby” stories soon. Waste of time and sanity.
Agree with both of you. I’ve avoided Huffington for eons now, and I’m much happier. However, my friend keeps telling me I’m missing some good people who post there, which is a shame – but still not worth visiting the site to find ’em.
Have you guys seen this one?
Movers, deputies refuse to evict 103-year-old woman
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/movers-sheriffs-deputies-refuse-evict-103-year-old/nFp4Q/
Praise the Lord!
What the heck w/ these Banksters: “Family members said they had enough money to pay the loan, but were having a difficult time getting Chase to accept a payment.”
OMG! Chips….I came home for lunch to this wonderful surprise!!! Tears are flowing now Thank you more than you can ever know for helping out with my kiddos…they are SO fabulous! They DO need to be heard…in every way. Chorus, music, band, plays…spelling bees…all of it!
I am honored to be part of this gracious, giving and caring community. Thank you all so much for all you do. Chips, I’m certain no naughty mat will be needed for you for all the days of your life!
And to my online family….you are the best. Love you all.Thank you.
🙂 We Love You Back DF!
Hope your kids get the sound system they need.
Yesssssssssssss, *desertflower*, yesssssssssss 🙂 I too hope you get It 🙂
You are quite welcome df.
I know I felt good when I voted! Hope you guys win!!!
Thanks for sharing this with us 🙂
PBO: “I DON’T QUIT.”
I love it when he says that. 🙂
November 30, 2011 10:30 AM
Overestimating presidential power
By Steve Benen
In our system of government, the president simply does not have the legal or institutional authority to approve sweeping economic legislation on his or her own. The number of voters who don’t seem to fully understand this is disconcerting.
Greg Sargent flags a remarkable quote from a Democratic official in Pennsylvania, where President Obama will visit today to talk about the economy.
“Enough with the soft approach,” said Corey O’Brien, a Democratic Lackawanna County commissioner and early backer of Mr. Obama. “He’s got to say, ‘I’m in charge, and I’m going to get it done with or without Congress.’ ”
“People are furious,” Mr. O’Brien added. “Everybody here is petrified they are going to lose their jobs tomorrow, and I mean everybody.”
Just to be clear, my point is not to pick on Corey O’Brien, an Obama supporter. He’s very likely frustrated and concerned, and knows plenty of people in his community who are equally frustrated and concerned. I don’t blame them in the slightest — given the larger economic circumstances, their anxiety is well justified.
But look again at the line he wants to hear from Obama: “I’m in charge, and I’m going to get it done with or without Congress.”
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/overestimating_presidential_po033796.php
November 30, 2011 12:35 PM
Boehner’s radical departure on tax policy
By Steve Benen
The prospects for an extension of the payroll tax break are improving in the Senate, but what about the House, where far-right Republicans dominate? House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters today he’s open to the idea, but he has some conditions, most notably the fact that the tax cuts must be offset with savings elsewhere.
Boehner, R-Ohio, said Republicans will continue trying to reach agreements with Obama on ways to create jobs. But he stopped short of saying he favored extending this year’s 2 percent reduction in the 6.2 percent payroll tax that workers pay or enlarging it, as Obama and many Democrats want.
“If in fact we can find common ground on these extensions, I think you can take to the bank the fact that they will be paid for,” Boehner told reporters.
Here are a few questions for enterprising Capitol Hill reporters who talk to the Speaker:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/boehners_radical_departure_on033805.php
I wonder if he’ll demand offset for when the Bush Tax Cuts need to be extended. I bet not.
That question needs tweeting!
November 30, 2011 1:40 PM
Choosing among the Romney frames
By Steve Benen
Mitt Romney’s opponents — in both parties — are presumably investing some time right about now in choosing how best to define the former governor. I’ve been working under the assumption that there are two overarching frames, but Alec MacGillis suggests I’m missing one.
The first is that Romney, after several ideological transformations, is a far-right ideologue. If elected, he’ll take the country backwards, pursuing a Bush-on-steroids kind of agenda.
The second is that Romney is an unprincipled, cowardly flip-flopper, who voters simply cannot trust. He’s so lacking in a fundamental integrity, Romney will say anything to anyone to advance his ambitions, depending on how the winds are blowing at the time.
And the third? Alec makes the case:
[T]his debate is overlooking the other potential frame for attacking Romney, as a plutocrat who made a quarter-billion or so in a business known for cold-hearted layoffs, who is showing no compunction about allying himself with the likes of Steve Schwarzman, and who personally benefits from a skewed tax system that, by some estimates, has his own millions taxed at no more than 15 percent. Even the conservative Union Leader of New Hampshire has noted that this attack packs punch in an era of the 1 percent versus the 99 percent. It would not be hard to imagine what the attacks would look like — Ted Kennedy’s team drew them up 17 years ago.
The plutocrat attack would not necessarily be in conceptual conflict with portraying Romney as a flip-flopper. But choices would still have to be made about which message to prioritize, which to use when and where. Presumably, the “lacking a core” frame is more potent now, as the Democrats seek to sow doubts about Romney among GOP voters. But that frame could become less productive during the general election, if, despite what Benen persuasively argues, it serves to reassure some independent voters that Romney will flip back to moderation in the White House. At that point, the plutocratic message could emerge as the more powerful one, especially in beleaguered battlegrounds like Ohio.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/choosing_among_the_romney_fram033806.php
PBO is on fire!!! Scranton, just as you don’t quit; I don’t quit! I don’t quit!.
Yes they are! I didn’t see the beginning of the speech. Were there any “Occupiers?”
Scranton when those media & cable types tell you that I’m a big tax raising spending liberal, tell them I gave you a tax cut! @BarackObama. Love PBO. He is not holding back.
Epic Media Fail on the part of Andrea Mitchell, Cnn, Chuck Todd, Bill Plante, Msnbc and other media types who said that Scranton had no love for PBO because he’s just so elitist and can’t relate to their life stories. Pure and utter bunk!
I believe PBO would have won over these people in 2008 if it had not been for Rendel…he went into overdrive for Hillary and we know why (promises, promises, promises). This was the point in the campaign when Hillary went all gangsta and all; she brought out the story about her daddy teaching her how to shoot guns, and she turned the “shot glass” up…and that’s when that Huff & Puff wannabe reporter secretly captured BO talking about the “gun toting, bible carrying….” voters who probably won’t vote for him…Hillary took that and ran with it. So, this media lie that “Scranton had no love for PBO beause he’s just so elitist and can’t relate to their life stories” is just bs.
He then proceeded to go on to win Scranton in the GE and beat McCain soundly in PA…
Yes, it wasn’t in the Scranton area, it was in the Southwest rural part of PA that PBO had problems with that “guns” statement. The PA cities, even the ones in the T came out big for Obama.
I never understood how Mark Penn & Com (Hillary, Bill and Ed….) were able to get that “elitist” label to stick…Hillary has just as much education/degrees as PBO and she has more money (millions) which enabled her to “loan” her campaign money…
Simple. He can’t bowl. He doesn’t hunt. He speaks all proper like, with big words and them. He is for sensible gun control. He is a “celeberty” and it helps that he is black to create the distance needed between him and the “white working class.” He is got a funny, foriegn name. He “comes” from exotic island some say is part of the US. Put that together and you can paint any man an elitist
Naw, it’s because he eats arugula.
Yes, Mayhill Fowler — same one trying to sue Arianna Dahlinkton for not paying her for blogging!
November 30, 2011 2:20 PM
The nature of the opposition to health reform
By Steve Benen
The latest Kaiser Family Foundation report on Americans’ attitudes towards health care reform included some pretty interesting tidbits.
We learned, for example, that while those with unfavorable attitudes towards the Affordable Care Act outnumber supporters, most Americans want the law left intact or expanded, not repealed. That’s probably not what Republicans hoped to see.
Also, KFF found that Americans tend to strongly support the provisions within the health care reform law, though they’re still unclear about what is — and isn’t — in the act.
But this was the survey result that stood out for me:
Unfavorable views of the health reform law may be a proxy for more general disillusionment with the state of the country and Washington politics. A plurality (44 percent) of those who view the law unfavorably say their negative view is more about their general feelings about the direction of the country and what’s going on in Washington right now, while just a quarter say it’s based on what they know about the law.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/the_nature_of_the_opposition_t033807.php
I wish Sec. Sebelius was doing more to educate the public on the ACA, but she’s not extremely exciting to listen to. She’s better as an administrator. She needs to run more ads. I saw one that informed seniors about their new benefits in getting them to enroll for Medicare. If they were running more ads for seniors and parents, it would go a long way to disputing the nonsense spewed from the right and uninformed.
I agree with you theo…I had an interesting converstation with my neighbor about the ACA…he didn’t anything. I was surprised because he and his wife have three children…
Not exciting is a kind word for her. Obama’s choice of a lot of these cabinet members might be right as far as competance and all, but they are no help to him in selling the adminstration’s ideas. Mrs. Clinton is the only one. Too bad.
Yes, but delegate, delegate, delegate ain’t a bad mantra! Hire some of these young ITers and unemployed acting professionals/high-profile supporters to create educational ads. Did someone say “funding?” Well, is it illegal for an outside fund to be set-up if the money isn’t in the budget? I mean, Jebus, ingenuity is all over the place, even residing with street artists. Where’s one of those 527s — made of the artistic community and financially supported by the well-paid amongst them? Forgive the rant, but I agree with Theo, Puddin’, et alia.
POTUS is on a roll. He is really calling out the GOP and laying it on the line. He’s pointing out over and over in different ways that the GOP is helping the rich and protecting their taxes while voting against the middle class American. POTUS is making it clear that if the GOP votes against the payroll tax cut then middle class taxes will go up. This is real money that goes in your pockets. If the GOP votes for it then your taxes will stay down. he also pointed out that taxes are lower than they have been in 60 years which is true. He is going at the GOP from every angle and the people in the audience are loving it. He’s talking about himself and Warren Buffet are willing to give more if they are asked. They are willing to help. America gave them a chance to succeed and they were helped and willing to give back. We are all in this together. What Congress has ahead of them are to ask a few who have done very, very well to add their fair share or penalize millions. What does it say when we protect a few rich people and corporate tax breaks rather than help police and firefighters. He’s on fire!!
A very practical and eloquent speech. He’s on it!!!! And the crowd loves it.
Uh oh. I missed the entire speech. I was watching the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. 😦 My bad.
Crowd chanting “Obama! Obama!”
Scranton loves it’s President!
No they don’t! Are you blind? Don’t you see all those blue collar types booing the Pres?? (SNARK)
Yes, he is failing to connect with “real Americans” once again!! 🙂
That speech has me fired up!
Loved when he said It’s for people, especially those in congress to stop talking about what’s wrong with America; Roll up your sleeves and do what’s right for America!
Mother Nature has gifted our President with a loud voice of superior quality and a brain to match or exceed.
Sometimes Mother Nature misses and gives certain folk loud voices without the brain to match.
This is true.
PBO is amazing. I loved the speech.
I missed seeing Reggie Love 😦
Apparently Rhandi Rhodes listened to PBO’s speech. she played Newt saying something and then she said I need to hear my president. She played the last part of PBO’s speech. 🙂
Thanks for this. I got a bit pissed with Randi last week. Maybe after her mini-break, she’s steadied herself. 😀 Will listen on the re-broadcast.
Yes, I’ve given Randi a break until she gets over the OWS stuff. I had it up to -here- with her last week. I had to turn her off.
I always notice articles on her radio site regarding PBO, and today is one asking if he is worse than Carter- his approval ratings are at an all-time low. The noise continues………..!
“approval ratings at an all-time low”
If that were true, PBO’s approval would be damn near zero (or less) by now. So we know that these so-called concern troll articles are BS.
sweet baby Jeebus! 😯 😯 ( I don’t like posting Huffcrap’s site but I just had to)
Susan Collins On Board To Tax Rich
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) bucked her party on the question of how to pay for an extension of the payroll tax cuts, namely coming out in favor of the Democratic plan to place a surtax on millionaires 3.1 percent.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/30/susan-collins-tax-the-rich-payroll-tax-cut_n_1121263.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008
Let’s see how she votes. She never backs up her words.
I’m not impressed. She talks out of both sides of her mouth. She’s a flake just like Sen. Snowe – no pun intended.
I won’t believe her until she actually casts her vote. She can double cross like any of the other double speak Repubs.
Did I miss the “Open Mic” attention seekers? My President looks so fresh and relaxed. The message was powerful and so was the audience.
I did not hear any open mic seekers. Maybe they changed their minds.
It sounded like there was someone shouting something in the middle of the speech, and the President got really loud and pounded one hand over the other, and the person was drowned out by the cheering crowd. I couldn’t hear, but it sounded like a disruptive sort. No mic check, though – thank heavens.
I thought they were going to do that at the fundraiser in NY….
How do you get into a fundraiser without showing you paid to be there. Are they actually contributing to the campaign to do this?
I believe they’re going to be outside in big numbers and try to shout down from the outside in – 35000 a plate they’re not paying to get in.
Newtbamacare: How The Affordable Care Act Incorporates Many Of Gingrich’s Health Care Proposals
By Igor Volsky on Nov 30, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Despite growing evidence — and video footage — that he has previously supported a national health insurance mandate, Newt Gingrich continues to characterize the Affordable Care Act as a government takeover of the health care system that he would repeal on his first day in office. But a closer look at Gingrich’s past health care proposals, his work at the Center for Health Transformation, and numerous books about health care reform, suggest that the law he seeks to repeal includes many aspects of his own health care philosophies and proposals.
As the table below demonstrates, the provisions included in President Obama’s health reform law are more progressive than Gingrich would have allowed, but they aim to expand coverage and lower health care costs in very similar ways:
~snip~
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/11/30/378228/newtbamacare-how-the-affordable-care-act-incorporates-many-of-gingrichs-health-care-proposals/
Newt seems to forget the fact that Newt can’t repeal any law on his first or last imagined day in office. Congress has that power. Only Congress.
The other thing these “states rights” people seem to forget is that President Obama accelerated the waiver to allow any state to obtain a waiver for the ACA if they can come up with a better plan to cover as many people with the same or better price tag. I think Vermont has been the only taker up to now.
LOL! Oh, the irony of it all…
Whether he intentionally meant it or not, new GOP presidential frontrunner Newt Gingrich may have let “the cat out of the bag” on Fox News pundits’ knowledge of issues. Speaking at a town hall event in South Carolina Tuesday evening, the former House Speaker shared an opinion about the network after getting stumped by a question on an HIV/AIDS vaccine.
“What you said is information that’s new to me, I don’t know enough about it to give you a direct answer,” Gingrich told the audience member. “I’m certainly sympathetic to what you just said. But one of the real changes that comes when you start running for President – as opposed to being an analyst on Fox – is I have to actually know what I’m talking about.”
Before his run for the presidency, Gingrich was listed as a contributor by Fox News Channel, regularly appearing on many of the network’s shows. Because of potential conflict during his campaign run, Fox terminated Gingrich’s contract this past May.
~snip~
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/11/30/gingrich-suggests-fox-news-analysts-dont-know-what-theyre-talking-about/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story%29
h/t Andrew Jones
I love it!
Got my vote in for Desertflower School! I love seeing people interact with our President. I just wish he would take his time going up and down stairs. Everytime I see him running on those stairs I’m like: “No, No! Hold onto the railing PBO.” I’d be so scared of tripping and falling (I am rather clumsy) but this President seems to have no fear!
I didn’t see the speech but tuned in during the meet and handshake portion. What I saw were very enthusiastic people…..one young man waving his hand as if to say…..”I shook his hand, OMG”….LOL. Many smiles in that audience. Anyone who says this President does not connect with people, tell them to talk to the hand, folks. When I saw that first photo of him smiling upthread, it warmed my heart. He definitely connects, just not to the naysayers of whom PBO is very aware, and in all their denials, they can never deny the effect PBO has on the masses. He has charisma in spades and that is exactly what they are afraid of. Even during this rough time in the nation’s history, people see the alternative to PBO, and run scared. Only the very cynical (this includes racists and such) will choose tyranny over the simple dedication of a true American patriot named Barack Obama. Let them have their thugs……they know we have the real thing.
Oh my, I just got the email from PBO saying that he’s bringing Michelle to the dinner you can win. That ups the ante! Man, that would be awesome.
I guess Lawrence O’Donnell is now planning to donate…
…or that knucklehead Tweety: he’ll get TWO thrills up his legs. 😆
On a totally superficial note PBO is so fiinne it’s ridiculous, look at the second picture!
I could stare at it for ages…….
i pride myself on not judging a book by it’s cover but I can’t help it with PBO, it’s the combination of his brains and heart.
He is the first politican, I actually care to listen to or want to know more about, prior to him I was pretty ignorant about politics………
Right there with you 😀
I’m in good company 😆
My husband thinks I’m obsessed
Well, a little obsession makes life interesting, n’est ce pas ? 😀
And me too, *holymoly*, me too 🙂
And I’ve been in tune with politics as long as I can remember, even as a young girl. But I have never seen anyone that even comes close to comparing to President Obama. Talk about the “right stuff”—–he’s got it—-every sterling quality you can name.
“fist bump” !
Aw:
LOVE it! Bo is the best!!!
They did a replica of Bo last year with those felt-covered pipecleaners and took a picture of the real Bo standing next to it. I have it as my desktop wallpaper for the holidays.
Awwww, I love this White House Administration and Staff!
Yes, this woman is terrific and ingenoius — may I say, crafty;-) Love her energy and inventiveness.
Oh, shoot — ingenious!
Bo is like, ‘what’s going on here’ lol
Whenever I see Bo I think of the late Senator Kennedy. He gave Bo to Malia and Sasha.
Everyday Gingrich just grows more and more on the Republican Party…
Newt Gingrich’s momentum is continuing to build, and he now leads Mitt Romney by over 25 points in both Florida and Montana.
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2011/11/gingrich-up-big-in-florida-and-montana.html
25 Points! 😯
I’m not even sure I believe any of these stupid GOP polls anymore. They seem so manipulated. Just last week, Rassmussen had PBO 12 points over newt, and this week Newt is supposedly 2 pts ahead of PBO according to Rassmussen. That makes NO sense to me, and it is also raising some serious alarm bells of deception among some of my fellow tweeters.
Rassmussen is a right-leaning poll. Take that poll with a grain of salt.
It’s public policy polling!
I was referring to the Rassmussen poll that hopefruit was talking abut.
hopefruit2, it’s crap. Newt ahead of President Obama. It’s crap.
What’s next on the agenda?!!
Kentucky Church Votes To Ban Interracial Couples From Becoming Members |
A small church in Pike County, Kentucky voted not to accept interracial couples as members or allow them to take part in some worship activities, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Melvin Thompson, minister at Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church, explained that the resolution “is not intended to judge the salvation of anyone, but is intended to promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve.” Thompson issued the ban after a white woman and her black fiance, a native of Zimbabwe, performed at the church in August.
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/11/30/378469/kentucky-church-votes-to-ban-interracial-couples-from-becoming-members/
h/t Travis Waldron
They’re only confirming the status of any Sunday all over America……the most segregated day of the week…..still ! I’m sure God, you know that omnipotent, omniscient Spirit, will have the final say.
This Kentucky church is full of alot of B.S. Just because you say you know who Jesus is does not make it so.
Silly question, but is this an AA or white congregation? The minister’s name makes me wonder. It’s fucked up no matter what, but if this is an AA congregation then lawdhamercy.
All indications are that the minister is white. She grew up in this church and participated fully until she brought her fiance who is African to the church in June.
Thanks Donna. Don’t meet many white “Melvin Thompsons” 😆 Anyway, fuck ’em 👿
They should lose their exempt status if they discriminate against people of color. Jesus, a jew, died so that gentiles could get into heaven.
Yesterday, a Deutsche Bank branch in Atlanta had requested the eviction of Vita Lee, a 103-year-old Atlanta woman, and her 83-year-old daughter. Both were terrified of being removed from their home of 53 years and had no idea where they’d go next.
But when the movers hired by the bank and police were dispatched to evict the two women, they had a change of heart. In a huge victory for the 99 Percent, the movers “took one look at” Lee and decided not to go through with it. Watch WSB TV’s Channel 2′s video report about the incident:
~snip~
The stress of the possible eviction made Lee’s daughter ill; she was rushed to the hospital the same day. Lee had one message for Deutsche Bank: “Please don’t come in and disturb me no more. When I’m gone you all can come back and do whatever they want to.”
http://thinkprogress.org/special/2011/11/30/378565/moves-and-deputies-refuse-eviction/
h/t Zaid Jilani
Our President was sure FIRED UP in Scranton! He did VP Biden proud.
OMG – If I won a dinner date with POTUS & FLOTUS, I would. I would, I don’t know WHAT I would do!!!!!!!!
GGail, dinner with POTUS and FLOTUS. OMG. If I won a dinner with them, honestly I don’t know what I would do or say. I just hope and pray I wouldn’t embarrass myself.
Oooo, I love the dress Michelle is wearing, and the slightly higher heels are sexy. Go First Lady!
Dow up almost 500 points!
THE WHITEBOARD
BO EVERYWHERE: The White House is capitalizing on the most popular member of the Obama family: Bo, the family dog.
From the WH Christmas guidance: “Bo Topiaries are featured throughout the tour route. The Bos are made from various materials like felt (35 yards of wool felt used), buttons (318 buttons in total), pom poms (750 pom poms used), candy (12 marshmallows, 1911 pieces of licorice), and even trash bags (6,850 feet worth)! Including Bo ornaments and other small Bos, you can find Bo in almost every room!”
Pool-
Senate defeats challenge to indefinite detention provision
The polarized US Senate on Tuesday beat back an attempt to set aside proposed rules on detention of terrorism suspects, defying a White House veto threat and criticisms from the FBI and the Pentagon. By a 37-61 margin, senators defeated an attempt to strip the proposed regulations from a vast annual spending bill that has yet to pass but is seen as a sure thing because it affects US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Democratic Senator Mark Udall’s amendment would have replaced the rules with a call for US military and intelligence officials to study the plan and offer their own blueprint for how to interrogate and detain alleged extremists. The proposed rules, which were likely to face challenges from other senators, are part of a $662 billion Defense Authorization bill that President Barack Obama has vowed to veto over the detainee provisions.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/11/29/senate-defeats-challenge-to-indefinite-detention-provision/
More photos added 😉
I love FLOTUS smile.
Pity about the lack of enthusiasm from the crowd in Scranton today. Oh well.
He sure lost the young-uns!
LOVE IT
They are all throwing eggs!
Ha, yeah, magic invisible eggs!!!! Must be OWS people.
Almost! You almost had it! Lol. Actually, it’s now the angry white working class Bradley effect anti bill ayers people, clinging to religion and guns in Pennsylvania who hate the Prez!
Ah, that bunch is back?! 😆
Can you say “mic check”?!?!
Governor Brownback (R-KS) does not receive receptions like that from high school girls.
Good one, Bill. 😆
Just signed up for my very first CAUCUS IN NEVADA. I used to live in California and i got here in 2008 just in time to help turn the state Blue. Now I’m fighting to KEEP IT BLUE IN 2012. Wish me luck…and strength (ole girl ain’t what she used to be 🙂 OBAMA 2012….”you becha!”
TJ Williams, good luck and Obama/Biden 2012!!!
TERRIFIC!! We’re counting on you, TJ!!
Good luck TJ!
Give ’em heck, TJ!
Good for you, TJ! You can do it — and thank you in advance for doing it!
I love all the Bos……there can’t be too many for me! We think he looks a lot like one of our dogs whom we just adore. She doesn’t have the white feet, and she is a poodle named Chanel, but their sweet faces are both adorable. Every time I see a picture of him I smile! I notice that everyone who sees him wants to pet him. He looks so cuddly.
That floral designer is having a good time making multiples of Bo!!!
Senate votes to advance Department of Defense authorization bill
By Josiah Ryan
The Senate voted on Wednesday morning to move forward with a bill to authorize funding for the Department of Defense in a 88-1 vote.
The spending bill, S. 1867, has been pending on the Senate floor for about a week and half as floor managers Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) have attempted to corral more than 100 amendments, both germane and otherwise, that senators have attempted to tack on to the bill.
Will Pres. Obama veto it as promised?
That is a horrible bill…it has a provision that would allow Americans to be put in Gitmo.
Only just logged in to see what was going on from the blog with the best US political content and news re PBO.
Hello everyone -something interesting on Jon Huntsman.
The press will cover it up, that is their Prince!
Also, people should be tired of Herman and the media getting away with the assertion that a women that is having financial problems is automatically a liar do to her financial situation.
Have tweeted this a couple of times today.
Reid files cloture on payroll-tax cut bill
By Josiah Ryan
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday filed a cloture motion to proceed on the latest iteration of President Obama’s summer jobs bill — the payroll-tax cut.
The cut — or officially The Middle Class Tax Cut Act, S. 1917 — would cut the employee and employer payroll tax to 3.1 percent, half of the 6.2 percent tax they would normally face. The bill applies this cut to the first $5 million in payroll for companies, which Senate Democrats estimate will cut payroll taxes in half for 98 percent of U.S. companies with payrolls below that cap.
Just read on Twitter that Senate Republicans want to freeze fed employees pay longer and cut workforce to pay for extending tax cuts. Once again they want to pay for this on the backs of working people rather than doing what the President asked which was raise taxes by 0.2% on the uber-rich.
Of course, it’s all a game to them, and when democrats vote against this measure, that will be the headlines.
Checkmate! They play the dc two step!
Andrew Sullivan, “The GOP From Abroad -Der Spiegel (German newsweekly) says what few US outlets are prepared to say. excerpt:
“…these eight presidential wannabes are happy enough not only to demolish their own reputations but also that of their party, the once worthy party of Abraham Lincoln. They are also ruining the reputation of the United States. They lie, deceive, scuffle and speak every manner of idiocy. And they expose a political, economic, geographic and historical ignorance compared to which George W. Bush sounds like a scholar. Even the party’s boosters are horrified by the spectacle…”
translated by Harpers:
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2011/11/hbc-90008328
“Dow
12,045.68
+490.05
+4.24%”
THIS IS OBAMA”S FAULT!
Hey guys C-SPAN has the video of President Obama in Scranton, PA for those who didn’t catch it live. He’s absolutely brilliant.
http://www.c-span.org/Events/President-Obama-Presses-for-Payroll-Tax-Cut-Extension/10737425872-1/
Hi everyone, new post here:
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/11/30/this-and-that/
Hi, Desert Flower, I made my vote online for your school! Good luck to you guys! That Politco article ran me hot, but later as I was reading, I kinda felt it was one of Ms Chips carefully crafted jokes. Please tell me I’m right. 🙂 My blood pressure needs to go down, ya’ll! 🙂
That video of President Obama coming out of the Festa’s house and greeting the neighborhood was shot by my brother Sean Gilroy on his iphone. It would be nice if you could give him the credit underneath where the video is posted. Also the group waving from the porch is my family. That residence is owned by Patrick and Mary Gilroy as we had a small “President Party” awaiting his arrival.