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Steve Benen: The general trend on initial unemployment claims over the last few months has been largely encouraging, despite occasional setbacks, and most analysts expected this morning’s report to show a modest uptick in filings.
The good news is, that didn’t happen. In fact, initial jobless claims reached a four-year low last week, and the new totals were unchanged this week.
More here
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Greg Sargent: At yesterday’s debate, Mitt Romney and the other candidates went all in on birth control – sorry, “religious liberty” – in blasting President Obama over the contraception controversy…. But some new polling out this morning from Quinnipiac illustrates the risk Republicans are taking with this latest reprise of the culture wars:
President Obama recently announced an adjustment to the administration’s health-care rule regarding religiously affiliated employers providing birth control coverage to female employees. Women will still be guaranteed coverage for birth control without any out-of-pocket cost, but will have to seek the coverage directly from their insurance companies if their employers object to birth control on religious grounds. Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama’s decision?
Approve: 54
Disapprove: 38
Independents approve 56-36; women 56-34.
More here
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Steve Benen: …… Romney added that Obama is “requiring the Catholic Church to provide for its employees and its various enterprises health care insurance that would include birth control, sterilization and the morning-after pill. Unbelievable.”
It is, in fact, literally “unbelievable,” since that’s not at all what the administration is doing.
It was painful enough to have so much of the debate focus on opposition to birth control, but Romney’s dishonesty managed to make a mind-numbing discussion even worse.
Full post here
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TPM (Thanks Desertflower)
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Ronald Brownstein (National Journal): ….. Some of Romney’s answers could come back to haunt him, not in the primary but in a general election, if he gets that far.
At a time when some Republicans are already concerned that he has narrowed his potential support among Latinos with an unflinching embrace of conservative positions on immigration (like “self-deportation”), Romney doubled down by insisting that on “day one” as president he would drop the federal legal challenge to Arizona’s tough state statute against illegal immigration.
And on the same day that an NBC/Marist poll already showed Romney trailing President Obama by 18 percentage points in Michigan, a state Republicans once hoped to contest this fall, Romney likewise doubled down on his criticism of the auto rescue engineered by Bush and Obama – and sprinkled in some especially sharp rhetoric against the United Auto Workers union for good measure.
More here
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ThinkProgress (Thanks Ladyhawke)
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E.J. Dionne: They say that President Obama is a Muslim, but if he isn’t, he’s a secularist who is waging war on religion. On some days he’s a Nazi, but on most others he’s merely a socialist….
Whatever our president is, he is never allowed to be a garden-variety American who plays basketball and golf, has a remarkably old-fashioned family life and, in the manner we regularly recommend to our kids, got ahead by getting a good education.
Please forgive this outburst. It’s simply astonishing that a man in his fourth year as our president continues to be the object of the most extraordinary paranoid fantasies … And now that the economy is improving, short-circuiting easy criticisms, Obama’s adversaries are reheating all the old tropes and cliches and slanders.
….. As for Obama as a socialist, ponder two numbers: 13,005, which the Dow Jones average hit this week, up from a low point of 6,547 in March 2009. Some socialist.
We are blessed with the freedom to say whatever we want about our president. But those who cast Obama as something other than one of us don’t understand him and don’t understand what it means to be American.
Full article here
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10:45: PBO departs the White House
1:25 Arrives in Miami, Florida.
1:45: Tours the Industrial Assessment Center at the University of Miami.
2:25: Delivers remarks to University of Miami students and faculty members.
4:20: Delivers remarks at a campaign event at the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, Florida.
5:55: Delivers remarks at a campaign event.
7:00L Departs Miami, Florida en route Orlando, Florida.
8:15: Arrives in Orlando, Florida.
8:55: Delivers remarks at a campaign event.
10:30: Departs Orlando, Florida en route Joint Base Andrews.
****
Morning everyone 😉
The Obama Diary 
Good morning everyone
Symmetry, you’re on a roll!!!! Morning everyone 😉
Oh my….
sigh…
😆 Are you okay Hopefruit?
I’m hanging in there Chips, hanging in there!! I’m trying my best to not end up on the naughty mat 🙂
*swoons*
Pure luck….I just happened to be at my desk at the time. Oh, how I love the way he looks at her.
GM symmetry..
Dittooooooooooo….. 😀
Good morning Symmetry. Happy first!
Great thread Chips. Thanks for all you do for us and the President.
Morning – and thanks! – Jackie, lots of good stuff to report today.
Good morning. Where is everybody?
Morning pat. Folks are still hanging out on the previous thread!
Chips is tardy today. I knew it would happen when she went gaga over that chucky boy.
amk, I see you are still seething over chucky? I thought Chips had pledged to return to you!
who? me ? I’m cool. There’s plenty of fish and ‘chips’ on my plate.
Excellent ad. Excellent. is it only playing in Michigan? Yeah the campaign slogan should be “Made in America” it hits all the right buttons including the swipe at the birther brigade. Reminds us Obots of the birth certificate mug. Tee hee. 😆
Loved it too Zizi, I half expected Clint Eastwood to appear!
Ha! If Clint appeared in an Obama ad, with PBO saying at the end “I approve this message” there will be civil war. The wingnuts nearly launched one two weeks ago when the Chrysler ad aired. A blatantly political Clint ad will just completely unhinge them. 🙂
Hahahahaha. Are you trying to give Karl Rove another faux heart attack?
UT, you need a heart to have a heart attack 😉
BAM.
The most succinct summary I read of last night’s debate was that the 4 men only made the case AGAINST the other candidates, but not one of them made a case FOR himself.
I would argue that is because THERE IS NO CASE TO BE MADE.
Morning TOD.
I agree, Brian. But they have never made the case for themselves. They offer nothing but vitriol, chaos and confusion.
LOl @ that poor dog.
What a pathetic joke…after he endorsed Mitt Romney for President, Mr. Huntsman is now calling for a 3rd party?!??!
// Jon Huntsman called for the rise of a third party on Thursday as he argued the remaining GOP presidential candidates lack big ideas.
The comments from the former Utah governor, who dropped out of the race in January after a disappointing showing in New Hampshire’s primary, were striking given his support for Mitt Romney, one of the four remaining GOP candidates for president. //
http://thehill.com/video/campaign/212187-huntsman-gop-debates-wasting-time-party-lacking-in-big-ideas
I saw him on Morning Joe. He also hinted that he’s looking at the political climate and is also looking at American’s Elect. When he said that, Mark McKinnon perked up and began urging him to do it! do it! do it! Told him he would garner all the independents to his side and win in 2012. BWaahahahahahahaha. I almost wet my pants in laughter. Huntsman has got to be the most anemic human being to ever run for office.
p.s. Looks like Buddy Roemer is also looking to hook up with American’s Elect and run as an Independent. He also wants to crash the GOP convention.
PBO’s team and Dems are laughing their heads off.
“most anemic human being”. 🙂 Nailed it. The guy needs to buy charisma by truckloads.
Jon Hunstman has shown himself to be an untrustworthy individual in more ways than one. And he’s to damn anemic to run for anything at this point. The best he can do is go on TV and hurl criticisms at those who are actually doing the work. Buddy Roemer and Americans Elect aren’t going anywhere.
He doesn’t believe one thing that the rest of the klown show believes. Except he accepts that the world is not flat.
there’s a platform for ya.
So Romney’s new thing is how he saved the Olympics? By hiring millions of dollars in lobbyists to get federal funds?
let the games begin!
Huntsman couldn’t scrape together the loose lint to win even one county let alone one state.
Well, the Big Money Brokers in America have been keeping their options open. They understand that Romney is a damaged candidate and that his chances of beating President Obama are slim. But with the polls starting to be better for Romney in the primary race, the idea of a brokered convention is probably tossed away. So those big money guys are making their move. And they have convinced Huntsman. It was not difficult since Huntsman is a very very very very ambitious man.
I’m the kind of person who tends to worry all the time and am indeed worried by this development. However, I hope americans won’t be fooled. And the video of his endorsement of Romney will come back to haunt him.
To me, American Elect is nothing else than an instrument for the 1% to get rid of the religious far right without losing power. Huntsman is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Lovepolitics…I’m not worried. First of all, it does not bode well for Huntsman when a couple months after endorsing Romney, he goes on TV and proclaims the GOP crop of candidates (including his own endorsement) short on ideas. That right there tells us something about Huntsman’s judgment and sincerity. He’s as disingenuous and devoid of ideas as those he criticizes. And one thing that voters dislike is someone who is not trustworthy.
Furthermore, by any objective standard, Huntsman simply doesn’t match up with President Obama. He lacks the stamina, charisma and persuasive rhetorical skill that PBO has. My guess is that Huntsman is pissed because he got humiliated during the GOP primaries and is mad that Romney is still in the running, when he was led to believe that he (Huntsman) would have had this whole thing all wrapped up by now – with Democrats and liberals flocking to him, while deserting Obama in droves. That’s what his corporate and PL media masters like Huffington, Morning Joke, Fineman, etc, told him and he believed the hype.
He needs to stop listening to these “advisors” from Americans Elect who are wealthy, but monumentally STUPID and unaware of human psychology. They see the world only in terms of $$$ because that’s how they were trained. Huntsman needs to check his ego or risk being completely destroyed not just for 2012, but for his entire political future.
I think Huntsman’s political career is already done for. If he was smart he would have cooled his heels until 2016. By then GOP would have completely imploded with their massive 2012 losses (which I’m confident of), sinking the Tea Party in the process. The GOP will realize that to stay a viable party that they need to get back to the center and fast by 2016. That would have been the perfect opening for Huntsman to step in and present himself as the ideal candidate. But now he’s damaged goods. The Tea Party is in charge and they will NEVER accept Hunstman because he worked for PBO. As for everyone else he’s shown himself to be extremely disloyal and untrustworthy by quitting his job for the sole purpose of unseating his boss, which most thinking people have a visceral reaction to.
Best for him to go back to Utah and get his band back together.
Yes remember that we the people elect the President and NOT the Big Money Brookers
so People VS Big Money I I put my money on the people , and for Huntsman he is a looser
he is a reject looser.
There will be no brokered convention. Even for the millennium-challenged Republicans, the idea of shoving another candidate into a slot without being put to the vote of the Republican party is assine.
One thing about the brokered convention talk that gives me some pause is and I heard this by someone on tv too that the Country is big on someone new when they are introduced. They gravitate to them right away and the GOP rise of different candidates and Sarah Palin’s introduction by McCain bears this out too. It takes TIME, gaffs and vetting for reality to hit and the public to lose faith in them. The GOP may have more hope by getting someone at the last minute that has not been vetted. The short time involved may work in favor of the GOP. I hope the Dems are looking at other potential GOP candidates just incase and will be ready to pounce on them with ads. Preparation is the best counter.
What a beautiful, factual, positive and informative ad from our President Obama. The juxtaposition of this ad with the divisive and ugly ads from coming the GOP could not be more stark. President Obama has an astonishing record of accomplishments that have enhanced the lives of the American people. While President Obama and his administration have been doing the hard work of governing, the Republican Party has been taking hostages, filibustering, obstructing and sabotaging the economic recovery, They have nothing to offer but their scorched earth tactics and personal attacks.
Biggest lies of last night. There’s some DOOZIES in there!
http://www.politicususa.com/en/republican-debate-fact-check
Jovie posted on the previous thread that the RNC has an ad ripping PBO over “Sweet Home Chicago?” Has anyone seen that ad, or know about it?
🙄
HAHAHA! All this silly ad has done is to expose the Republicans as manipulating the gas prices for political gain. It’s not going to turn America against the President – if anything the opposite. Even Mitt Romney last night refused to respond to the question about rising gas prices, because he knows damn well that Obama has nothing to do with it. In any case, people are going to flock to PBS come Monday night just to watch that Blues concert.
It’s like the stupid xenophobic GOPad against Democrat Debbie Stabenow that backfired big time and how has her in the lead by 20+ points!!
Furthermore, everyone in the ad looks HAPPY, not miserable, so this ad FAILS big time!!!
exactly! ads are all about impressions and feelings–funny how i didn’t really read the numbers on the sides of the screen, or focus on that weird chart thingy–i was just mesmerized by the president singing, the music coming from that amazing collection of greats, and the crowd’s energy. you can’t watch this without wanting to be there, be a part of it, get on board. yes! thanks, rethugs! everybody knows gas prices go up and down, but nobody’s ever seen this!
THIS AD IS JUST PLAIN MANUFACTURED STUPIDITY!
Pi-ti-ful. The RNC is pitiful.
Good morning Chips and friends. Leave it to the vile repugs to make something negative out of something so inspirational. Of course they do it with a big fat lie. 🙂
Let’s try to brainwash Americans and tell them that the reason gas is going up is who’s fault? While Barack Obama.
Good morning all. That is the most ridiculous ad, this proves the gop has got nothing.
Wow, that is beyond LAME. What a bunch of idiots they having working for that sad mess of a party!
Let’s concentrate on the ground this will be our game and Fuck the MSM , we have talked
to a lot of people here in our comunity and we are sollid for PBO and by the way Eva Langoria
is going to drive the Latina women Big time they all are in.
Not going to work. Big Oil is doing the manipulating and people know it. Gas prices have been fluctuating wildly long before The President took office. What’s the point besides more dog whistling?
This ad showcases the singing ability of the President. The RNC is pathetic. I wonder what the GOP will do when gas prices start to fall?
It also showcases the intimate relationship between PBO and FLOTUS. After he sings the first bar, he looks at her to see what her reaction is and gets more confidence to sing the second bar.
Good morning, my fellow TODObots! Cup of tea, we might see the sun today! I feel sad for that little dog in the cartoon also, amk.
I smile 🙂
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/as-contraception-fight-takes-center-stage-women-voters-turning-from-romney.php?ref=fpblg
Now with a handy graph!!!
Ooooooh, that’s one pretty graph! Added it to the post, thanks a million desertflower.
Good Morning, All. I am about to head out now. Hope to get a good spot on the sidewalk to see the President’s motorcade roll by. 🙂 I am really excited about this even though I can’t get into the auditorium to here him speak. Better luck next time. Weather is beautiful in South Florida.
Have a great day Renegade522/AuntSis!
Blame Oil Speculators, Not Obama, For Rising Oil Prices
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/02/22/430184/blame-oil-speculators-for-gas-prices/
Excellent, thanks for that Ladyhawke, just added it to the post.
That’s always been the case and the game. Fuck speculators.
hmmm–i’m afraid if you actually did that, you’d be in bed with a rethug.
From TP : The White House has proposed an online “bill of rights” that would give Internet users more online privacy protection and could give the government more authority to enforce the rules in large companies like Google and Facebook. President Obama said, “American consumers can’t wait any longer for clear rules of the road that ensure their personal information is safe online.”
Shit. That Constitution thingy again!
An Indiana union has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) over the state’s new right to work law that Daniels signed last month. The suit alleges that the law contains several provisions that violate both the state and federal constitution.
ThinkProgress.org
Good morning beloved TOD family!
I want to comment on something in relation to the auto industry bail-out. So often one hears memes such as “if only donkeys had elephant balls”, implying Democrats have no courage.
Some years ago, when I first got involved in local politics, I really wanted to help get things going. I proposed a membership mailing an it was agreed on by the board. These folks didn’t know me from Adam and I spent half of the treasury sending that mailing out. Let me tell you there were some pretty anxious moments for me while awaiting returns from that mailing! In the end we raised more than 10x what we spent and so the story had a very happy ending.
While my experience was so very tiny in comparison to the auto industry bail out, it has striking similarities in my mind. President had just come to the WH and inherited an overwhelming mess of an economy. One of the first things he did, with taxpayer dollars was the bold move to save Detroit. The risk was huge, of course but something had to be done and Obama placed his well thought out bets. If it had failed, well he’d likely be a one-term President. But it succeeded! Probably beyond the expectations of many. So, just as the punishment for failure would have been very big (buh–bye re-election) the reward for success should be and will be just as big, or bigger! He knew the risk and he took the chance. That was very brave. I don’t any such courage coming from the Republicans. Seems to me those on the right should be lamenting that elephants don’t have donkey balls.
I hope you all have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Julie
Excellent Julie! Thank you.
The GOP presidential candidates are not fiscally conservative: A new report to be released today finds that the national debt would soar under the tax plans proposed by the GOP presidential candidates, with Romney’s adding $2.6 trillion to the debt by 2021.
The phrase “fiscally conservative” is now completely unmoored from concerns about the debt, and now only means something approximating “in favor of tax cuts for the rich and theoretical cuts to government that will create the illusion that we want to pay for them.”
Greg Sargent
“No stranger to ethics controversies, Newt Gingrich’s campaign was warned for a second time about “widespread financial irregularities.” The Federal Election Commission says the campaign must explain why almost $1 million has been paid to Gingrich, his staff, and his fundraising consultants for questionable reimbursements.
—
oops Gingrich the Grifter .”
WHOOP! WHOOP! looky looky! Brand new, iPhone 4 cases, made in the USA, at the store NOW! so sorry I don’t know how to link! Whoa!
Man, these people never sleep!!
http://store.barackobama.com/?source=primary-nav
Thanks for the link, meta. It seems like a good idea to check the store every day now, they are ratcheting up the movement! And it is good!
I went to a Mama’s For Obama house meeting last night and tonight I will go to the regular OFA meeting. I told all the women there about “us” at The Obama Diary and they thought it was soooooo cooool. Anyway, tomorrow is payday and I will be donating and buying some OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 goodies!
Oooh, I was just telling my friends that my local Apple store has no good Iphone 4 cases. So thx for this link, going to buy ’em now.
Top of the morning TODville,
I’m back from an exhausting business trip. It’s been hard to be weaned off TOD. I had major withdrawal symptoms. It wasn’t a pretty sight. I have so much to catch up. My My My I see our Chipchica is now a star and the crooner in chief is at it again!
Things at my company haven’t been good for the last 6 months. We’re now going through a 3rd lay-off wave. People who’ve been there for 30, 20 years are laid off. The ambiance and morale is awful. This has nothing to do with the recession and all of it’s result of the owner’s bad decisions. I’m called into a meeting with the management team this afternoon, it’s either the pink slip or major changes in my irresponsibility. We’ll see, whatever happens, will be for a reason and I’m ready to embrace it. Everything is in order in the Universe.
I still haven’t got a chance to visit my grandma but have been calling the family more frequently. I did lots of research and it appears that doctors have had amazing results with organic virgin coconut oil as a cure for Alzheimer. Google it guys if you have/know anybody dealing with debilitating Neuro-degenerative disorders. Dr Bruce Fife and others are treating their patients and family with encouraging results. Youtube has plenty of videos as well., check them out if you want to learn more.
Hey, plenty of good news for our President and us. I see the TeaOP still eating their own. Karma is gonna bite them in the ass big time. Wait and see!
Thank you family for keeping me sane during this challenging time. Bless you all and may you always keep joy and peace in your hearts xoxox
I’m off to get ready for work. Catch up with you later 🙂
Big hugs to you CJ! 🙂
Back at you darling Pamela. I owe you a couple of replies.
♥ ♥ ♥
Sorry about your situation CJ. Here’s to hoping things going well for you soon.
Thank you so much for your kind words.
You don’t know it but you’re already helping me get through all this with your hilarious banter back and forth with Chipsticks. I read your exchange and start laughing all by myself. Keep it up 😀 😀 😀
Organic coconut oil? The folks used to make that when I was a child. Come to t hink of it, the old people in my village were sharp and most died from old age and not diseases. I have to do the research you suggested. Maybe we need to go back to the old way of doing things. Food for thought, thanks for that.
Hi miss pat, I had no idea until I learned about my grandma diagnosis few weeks ago. So I started doing lots of research and it’s all there if you’re looking.
I don’t understand that doctors don’t talk to their patients about natural alternatives especially if they can’t help them themselves. SMDH
Prayers to you CJ. My brother is also under the cloud of layoffs since he works for one of the big government contractors. Thank you for the heads up on the organic virgin coconut oil. I suspect my oldest brother maybe suffers from early alzheimers..it runs in our family so I will be watching closely.
thank you JoJo for your prayers, well received! It’s no fun to be in that uncertain situation. It can be very depressing. Sorry for your brother being under the cloud of layoffs. hope he’ll keep his job.
I’m sorry to hear your oldest brother is sick. Please read up on organic virgin coconut oil and its benefits, you might be able to help him.
(((((JoJothecat))))
President Obama’s corporate tax reform proposal
OUT-PLAYED AGAIN
By Bob Cesca
=============
Ironically, the Republicans have been calling for lowering the corporate tax rate for years, but now that the president has proposed doing so, they have to come out against it because their corporate masters aren’t interested in eliminating loopholes and special deductions.
This places the Republicans simultaneously in favor of loopholes and exploits, and against lowering taxes.
This is no accident. And Senator Orrin Hatch may actually be correct when he says this is designed for the campaign trail, but my response to that would be “Yeah. What are you going to do about it?”
=============
http://bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2012/02/out-played-again.html
Forbes was hi-larious this morning about this: “It’s a tax increase!” Yes. You are right, Steve Forbes.
His answer of fairness? The flat tax.
Bring it on, you monsters.
Good Morning, TOD family. Does anyone else wonder why the Quinnipiac poll numbers aren’t higher (56%) for women when about 99% of women have used birth control at some point? Seems to me to be some of a disconnect. Any ideas? The only thing I can think of is that maybe some women are uncomfortable discussing such a personal subject?
I think it’s more a function of the way the media is covering it that is confusing people. It’s the height of the controversy at this point, so the rhetoric is more effective. Once tempers calm and they move on to the next shiny object, women might be more willing to speak their true feelings to a pollster. The problem is that the pollsters will have moved on to the the next shiny object as well. Plus there really are that many women who will vote against their own self-interest in favor of religion right wing politics.
this was my feeling exactly. These numbers were lower than they were a few weeks ago. And I thought the wording of the question was non-biased and clear.
Never underestimate the confusion and lack of focus of the American electorate. Another reason we should be countering Repub memes at every chance to create our own ‘conventional wisdom’.
Chips I see that the “Sweet Home Chicago” is already over 1M views on Youtube In less than 48 hrs! Hmmm…
FYI –
@NancyPelosi’s hearing on #birthcontrol w @SandraFluke starting now. Watch online & follow tweets via #ihaveasay cs.pn/jzIHH7
Excellent. Go Nancy.
Republicans refused to acknowledge the hearing and forbid Nancy Smash access to House resources for broadcast. But reporters showed up on their own so it’s livestreamed. Sandra Fluke is testifying now.
I’m guessing many thousands if us signed Speaker Pelosi’s petition as well!
It is also live on tv. I started at 7:00 pst.
Oops meant “it”.
On cspan!
HOW ABOUT…’BRINGING AMERICA’S VALUES …BACK HOME!’ FOR A CAMPAIGN SLOGAN!…NONE OF THIS CESSPOOL WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WASHINGTON FOR DECADES HAD PLACED ITS VALUES AND PRIORITIES WHERE THEY BELONG TO BEGIN WITH!
I like that Sue, have bobfr the twitter Jedi master tweet it for us! Thank you!
OK…GLAD YOU LIKE IT…THIS IS WHAT IS MISSING IN AMERICA…OUR VALUES!
In case you miss this from last week: Pres. Obama signs $63B FAA funding bill into law
President Obama signed a $63.6 billion funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration Tuesday, bringing to an end a years-long fight over aviation funding that became engulfed in labor disputes.
After a year of debate — and a two-week partial shutdown of the FAA — the House and Senate approved a multi-year funding bill for the beleaguered agency for the first time since its last authorization expired in 2007, and the White House said Tuesday that Obama signed the measure.
FAA supporters applauded Obama for signing the bill Tuesday, saying it was a big deal for the aviation industry.
“This is a great day for our National Airspace System and we thank the President and Congress for bringing this long process to a successful conclusion,” National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Paul Rinaldi said in a statement.
“The FAA bill creates jobs, restores a fair collective bargaining process for tens of thousands of dedicated aviation safety professionals and provides for a safer and more efficient air traffic control system,” he said.
http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/aviation/210649-obama-signs-63b-faa-funding-bill-into-law
THIS IS INDEED A VICTORY AND VERY MUCH NEEDED TO SAFEGUARD THE AVIATION INDUSTRY!
Declaring that President Obama is the only candidate who will fight to preserve and expand the middle class, close the inequality gap and ensure everyone has a “fair shot” at success, the 1.5 million strong American Federation of Teachers announced today its endorsement of President Obama and Vice President Biden for re-election. (This happened on 2/7/12)
———–
The 3.2 million-member National Education Association voted to endorse Pres. Obama at its 2011 Representative Assembly, in Chicago.
Excellent.
Teachers shape the future!
TEACHERS ARE CUSTODIANS OF OUR FUTURE…THEY NEED TO HAVE THE NECESSARY TOOLS…BE RESPECTED AND THEY NEED TO BE PAID PROPERLY FOR THEIR JOB PERFORMANCE!
cue rw and msm faux poutrage of next week
President Barack Obama has apologised to the Afghan people for the burning of Korans by American troops at a US base.
In a letter to President Hamid Karzai, Mr Obama expressed his “deep regret” and said the incident earlier this week was a genuine mistake.
Demonstrations against the desecration have continued for a third day across northern and eastern Afghanistan.
Two US soldiers and two Afghans were killed in an attack on a military base. Elsewhere there were four other deaths.
On Wednesday, another seven people were killed and dozens injured in protests.
Mr Obama’s letter, delivered by the US ambassador to Afghanistan, assured the Afghan president that US authorities would question all those responsible.
“I convey my deep sympathies and ask you and the people to accept my deep apologies,” the letter said.
“The error was inadvertent; I assure you that we will take the appropriate steps to avoid any recurrence, to include holding accountable those responsible,” it continued.
President Karzai told members of the Afghan parliament that a US officer was responsible for the burning.
But he said it was done out of “ignorance”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-asia-17144726
Those soldiers that did that should be disciplined, and they should televise it on Al Jazeera!
Agreed.At the same time, it’s high time the moderate muslims took control of their religion and asked their own wingnuts to take a hike.
This.
so true.
Gee, doing the right thing no matter the political cost. What a concept……..
During the day on msnbc, it’s all Republican advisers from the GOP candidates.
Foes msnbc think Republicans watch their show?
I was appalled at Alex’s panel, even for Alex. All rabid right wingers except for…..wait for it……Ed Rendell. Always a consistent supportive voice for the President (snark).
Thanks Chips for posting lots of good stuff…really like PBO worker’s ad & the cartoon w/Willard’s poor pooch carrying him.
Someone pointed out that once Seamus got sick from riding on the roof of the car Willard stopped and hosed Seamus down—which really made things worse b/c the pooch then had to ride on the roof while wet…
————
Although Mr. Romney says Seamus lived happily ever after on a farm, New York Observer blogger Hunter Walker reported that two of Mr. Romney’s sons had said the dog ran away upon reaching Canada. This tale of seeking asylum with our good neighbor makes sense when you consider the possibility that Seamus may have picked up some French from his master, who performed more than two years of Mormon missionary service in France as a young man.
The story has at least four legs. 🙂
Hee! LMAO at your cleverness, but I will forever grieve for Seamus and his suffering during that trip. I am thrilled he ran away, and believe it to be true, as we all know now how much Myth enjoys spinning the truth, as in lying
Gallup says that Robney is up by 4 on the President.
Yeah right! Gallup has become a rightwing polling outfit!
The day after election after PBO is re-elected, Gallup will still have Romney up by 4….
LOL.
The Chairman of Gallup was on CNBC, after his conversation with the hosts even the right-wing one who was clearly confused by his statements (he used his on polling outfit to say that no President has been re-elected with a 44% rating, this was last week when everyone has President Obama at 50%, also he said some crazy stuff about the unemployment rate going back over 9%, this when the economist on CBS said he foresaw the unemployment rating shaving at least 1% point off before the end of the year), they are way out there I knew that when Gallup had Senator McCain beating President Obama still after everyone else had the President up. I don’t trust them and will never pretend to believe they are unbiased.
Every other poll even Quinnipiac (who I don’t trust but has the President up by 2) has President Obama beating flip flop by at least 5 or more points.
Thank you, Lorraine, for your clarifying comment. Gallup’s poll makes no sense in light of the myriad of other polls and polls that show Romney is LOSING support with independents , women and many in his own party don’t support him.
They’ve lost all credibility now. Too bad.
Search long and hard and you will see that Gallup real name is Gall right wing up. They are hiding the right wing, barely.
Even Fox polls have POTUS leading all the GOP field.
View the slide show photos of the women for Obama meet up, this is truly inspiring. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150557673656216.373285.23127196215&type=1&l=1cadb35b9f
You think that’s something check out this house party for Romney.
http://tinyurl.com/yfhwftw
Now that’s huge.
WOW…indeed…
Takes your breath away doesn’t it?
Talk about “bringin the house down”….you go Robme.
okay. I walked right into that one.
hah!
This is great Tulips. I think Florida will come through for PBO in the final analysis.
Obama adviser and former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs blasted the GOP presidential candidates as out-of-touch with the concerns of voters after last night’s GOP debate in Arizona.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt we got more out of ‘Downton Abbey’ than we have out of these twenty debates,” said Gibbs on CBS This Morning, in reference to the popular British television drama.
Gibbs said the tone of the debates would only turn undecided voters against the GOP field.
http://thehill.com/video/campaign/212191-gibbs-voters-got-more-out-of-downton-abbey-than-from-watching-gop-debates
Ah, Gibby, always succinct and to the point! ; )
Our Gibbs does remind me of “Gibby” on iCarly.
At least Downton Abbey is entertaining.
yes, and we have maggie smith to remind us that old ladies rock!
PBO leaving.
http://fbcache.ustream.tv/cbsnews
Why do men like to stand with their legs open? Is it a macho thing? 🙂
okay nevermind! It’s the military pose they’re doing 🙂
okay this is the first time I’ve actually witnessed AF1 depart…I get very excited to watch any aircraft take off and land.
(Reuters) – BP Plc and Anadarko Petroleum Corp are liable for civil damages under federal pollution laws over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a U.S. judge ruled, exposing them to billions of dollars in potential fines.
Wednesday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier in New Orleans allows the U.S. government to pursue civil penalties at a trial he is scheduled to oversee beginning on February 27.
BP spokesman Daren Beaudo said in a statement the oil company has paid out more than $8 billion in claims, and repeated its commitment to pay “all legitimate claims” and help economic and environmental restoration along the Gulf coast.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE81L2C620120223?irpc=932
Good, beepee made something like 20 bil net last year. Time to “soak” up all that cash.
Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Thursday that GOP White House hopefuls will do nothing to help consumers at the gasoline pump.
The Florida congresswoman’s comments come hours before President Obama is slated to give an energy speech in Miami aimed partly at rebutting GOP political attacks over rising gasoline prices. She said the GOP plans would keep the U.S. dependent on oil.
“The Republican field, like Mitt Romney, thinks that we just need to remain tethered and dependent on foreign oil because all they would do is more and more drilling, which is a very shortsighted approach and it would do nothing to prevent people who are struggling to put $80 into their gas tanks to be able to make sure that that’s more affordable,” Wasserman Schultz said on MSNBC.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/212243-dnc-head-wasserman-schultz-slams-gop-on-energy-ahead-of-obama-speech
Thank God for Debbie!
Here’s a good story on Robme and more tax evasion. This is from Bloomberg which is usually very pro Republican. (sorry for posting the whole story – couldn’t figure how to post the link which is on my bloomberg machine) Love the site Chips, I lurk daily!!!
Romney as Audit Chair Saw Marriott Son of BOSS Shelter Defy IRS
By Jesse Drucker
Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) — Mitt Romney has long had close ties
to hotel operator Marriott International Inc. The candidate for
the Republican presidential nomination, whose full name is
Willard Mitt Romney, was named after the chain’s founder, J.
Willard Marriott, a friend of his father. He joined the
company’s board in 1993, and has served on it for 11 of the past
19 years, including six as chairman of the audit committee.
During Romney’s tenure as a Marriott director, the company
repeatedly utilized complex tax-avoidance maneuvers, prompting
at least two tangles with the Internal Revenue Service, records
show. In 1994, while he headed the audit committee, Marriott
used a tax shelter known to attorneys by its nickname: “Son of
BOSS.”
http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-22/romney-as-auditing-chairman-saw-marriott-son-of-boss-tax-shelter-defy-irs
President Obama’s campaign is attacking the GOP presidential field in Michigan with a new ad that claims the Republicans “turned their back” on auto workers by opposing the bailouts in 2009.
The ad singles out Mitt Romney and his 2008 op-ed, titled “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt,” which called for the automakers to go through a managed bankruptcy.
“Made in America. For generations of Michigan autoworkers it’s more than a slogan; it’s a way of life,” says a voiceover in the ad. “But when a million jobs were on the line, every Republican candidate turned their back.”
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/212219-obama-reelection-campaign-releases-ad-touting-autobailout
Morning TOD family…TOTALLY OT but I wanted to share that today we made the FINAL payment on our student loan (we were on the 5,000 year plan…LOL)!! Please know that this site has been such a source of inspiration to keep pushing, pushing, pushing one step at a time to better days. There are so many things to be grateful for and all of you in this community have been such a source of inspiration, strength and much laughter when some days were let’s say… extremely difficult. Thanks to you all.
THAT’S AWESOME NEWS!
Congratulations, that’s fantastic news!!!!!
YES!
Congratulations StayingSteady! This is a BFD 🙂
WOOOOOTTTT!!!! What a tremendous feeling for you to finally be free of that burden. Congrats!!
It felt AMAZING. I even had a burning ceremony of past statements. No, I didn’t burn down my house. LOL
Congrats! It was a happy day when I finally paid mine off. Enjoy that extra change in your wallet.
Awesome..I know that was a huge relief and source of pride to make that final student loan payment.
Keep it up guys!
Chips for a minute I thought the DNC put that out. Glad to see Santorum picking up where Huntsman left off.
I thought the same Derbingle, I found myself saying “thanks Rick”! Looks like he’s hired Huntsman’s ad people, seriously loving watching them eat each other alive.
Morning TOD family. Had 40 women show up at my Women For Obama meeting where we heard from our fabulous First Lady. Wow, did we have a great time.. These ladies (and one man who came with his wife) are really fired up and ready to work. First Lady was so inspiring.
A poll out yesterday from the Detroit Free Press/WXYZ shows Rick Santorum still with a slight lead in Michigan, up just three points over Mitt Romney.
Santorum leads in the poll with 37 percent, compared with 34 percent for Romney. Ron Paul comes in third with 10 percent, and Newt Gingrich, who has skipped campaigning in Michigan entirely, drops to last place with 7 percent.
Still, the poll shows that Romney has picked up steam in the Detroit area, leading Santorum 41 percent to 26 percent.
http://www.politico.com//blogs/burns-haberman/2012/02/poll-santorum-clings-to-narrow-michigan-lead-115313.html
Did PO-LIE-tico bother to say how much $$$$ Romney spent in ads compared to any of the other candidates?
Archbishop Rickilieu probably be up a whole lot more if he had not wilted last night.
New post everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/02/23/florida-flyer/
Where is Ron Paul’s flag lapel pin? Just sayin……
Ha, good question Donna.
It’s California, but it’s still good to see PBO crushing the GOP in the polls.
Obama Widens Lead Over GOP Rivals in California
With the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination in increasing disarray, Democratic President Obama has significantly strengthened his hand in California, where his margin over his strongest GOP challenger, Mitt Romney, has doubled in the past three months, a new Field Poll shows.
Obama leads the former Massachusetts governor by 20 percentage points, 55-35, in the nation’s most-populous state. Independent voters, who will be critical in the November election, prefer the president 59 to 27 percent, the poll found.
The president has an even more commanding lead – of 28 points – over former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who is surging in Michigan and Arizona, where crucial primaries will be held Tuesday.
Obama holds a 23-point lead, the poll showed, over former House Speaker Newt Gingrich – who on Saturday will deliver the keynote address to California Republicans holding their state convention at the Burlingame Hyatt.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/22/MNJL1NB2J3.DTL