Bo, the Obama family dog, follows First Lady Michelle Obama as she walks across the South Lawn of the White House towards the Kitchen Garden, March 11 (Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
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Morning all, endless thanks again to everyone who got in touch to offer to help out with the blog, the response was just fantastic. Needless to say, I still haven’t got around to replying to anyone yet, but I will do later today and will start the techy process of setting people up to post at the blog.
Yo Ho Ho all you O’s!!!! It’s another great getting up day in TODville!!! Is anyone else looking forward to Paul Ryan’s budget release today? Doesn’t he ever learn, or does he just enjoy being ridiculed? You know you’re in trouble when the commentators and pundits from FOX questions your ‘rithmatic. Why would a party hang their hat on a guy who only received average grades in the required math courses from a mediocre college? He has no advance degree in math, nor economics. Isn’t there anyone else in that entire party who can add? He’s the best they got?
Also can’t wait to see Patty Murray’s budget. It’s gotta put ol’ Paul Rayn’s to shame. Now, let’s hear all about how the Dems haven’t had a budget since the IPod (even thought that wasn’t true). They got nothing to moan about now.
Now, tell me, why are you asking obvious questions this overcast Tuesday morning? (Isn’t there anyone else in that entire party who can add?) You know the Repubs always show off their BEST, ex. Mitt – cream rising to the top and all that jazz. Though I must add that CC reminded me recently of something else that rises to the top – SCUM. Can’t wait long enough for voters to scrape these imbeciles off’ the top’ and get rid of them so they can go feed somewhere else other than at the public trough.
It’s like deja vu all over again and again, or as a young voter said the other day about the ‘Pubs (close your ears), same ol’shyat, just in a different toilet.
Actually, I’d modify that a bit because it’s not the ‘toilet’ that changes but the ‘donor’. IMO ALL these Repubs dump on the same group of people, all the time, every time.
Increasing in water level, 57F. I have been awaiting a call-back from the town engineering department for about an hour now. I wanted to hear what they had to say before phoning a wet-proofing company to get THEIR estimate.
Hi 57F. I am resigned to the fact that it’s going to cost me and that whatever is in the basement is mostly spoiled; at the same time, however, I am not fearful (yet) of it rising to my level so ….I’m waiting. TODville is a great place to wait as it takes my mind completely off the problem. 😉
Sure does! When I’m online I don’t even think of the mess for long stretches of time. Just got one over the phone quote of $2800 to $3500, and that was just to dry things out, including the wall insulation. Very polite and helpful. Suggested calling them back once I’ve gotten the leak blocked. 😉
Did I miss something? What’s this about water in your home? So you have an indoor pool? Last I heard, you’d finished a bathroom. Did that project veer off course, leaving you in dire straights?
No. No. The new bathroom is fine, CM! Only yesterday I was showing it off to a friend’s mother who wants her own to be remodeled and was scouting satisfied customers. In fact I was only waiting for the contractor to finish staining my new stairs and do the bridging for my new flooring so that I could pivot to the kitchen. Seems that the basement felt jealous of all the attention being paid to upstairs, so decided to hone in on the action. Wandering downstairs with another friend to help her store some stuff in her new decision to ‘leave home’ we stumbled into my new unplanned pool. To say I was taken aback is an understatement since up to the night before nothing was visible. Anyway, according to the plumber it isn’t a plumbing problem (only cost me $201.34 for this ass.essment). The water is coming from outside from the melting snow and seeping (almost gleefully I might add) under the fireplace, then spreading itself around and about whatever is on the floor including a drum set, several boxes of books and papers, bookshelves of books – did I mention I am a book pack rat? – toys galore and my offspring’s teaching keyboards – the only things I decided to place on tables. Oh, and his downstairs computer & printer. Today I’ve been trying to get some feedback on wetproofing. Of the basement people I spoke to, the one that sounds experienced and reasonable cannot come before Friday! In the meantime I’ve decided that things can’t get any worse, so I set up an appointment for Friday and am avoiding going to look at the disaster. (Yes, ostrich-like behaviour. Maybe tomorrow I’ll change my mind and start looking around again.) Life can be so unexpectedly ‘exciting’!
oh my I’m so sorry to hear about the basement. sounds like you’re up the indoor creek without a paddle. My sympathies, I’ve been there….done that. It ain’t pretty, but your head in the sand approach is admirable. Be careful with the waterproofers, water has a way of seeking its own entryway. Short of building a dam to divert it, it manages to do as it pleases. At least it did in my case, much to cookeman’s dismay, who assured me that the sure fire contraption he built, would ward off even the first droplet of moisture. It was the flood of ’10 that had me deciding which old contraption I should give the heave ho first. This, after losing some pretty valuable, not monetary, but memorable items. Good luck to you. On a happier note, this sounds like a great reason for a complete basement remodel.
‘this sounds like a great reason for a complete basement remodel.’
Further evidence you and I are of like minds on many issues, CM! 😆
I suspect that once I get down there I will discover I have lost some valuables, but I just don’t feel like anticipating the loss today. I’ll mourn at the time of discovery. There is absolutely nothing I can do to stop the water until the ‘experts’ get here. My current theory is that there’s no sense being upset today and each day until I get this sorted out. I’ll bank it and be upset majorly when I see the final damage. I am also hoping that when my regular contractor returns on Thursday (his kids are on March Break and he is covering Mon to Wed; ex-wife gets Thursday on – Man I know more about his life than I want to know. The man’s a talker!) he might have a suggestion or two. 😕
Good luck! Just stopped back in after moving the fridge to my dining room (where’s a cookeman when u need him), so that I can start redoing the floor b4 appliances and cabinets arrive (3/22 & 4/5). I’m doing this myself cause it’s an afterthought and no money in the budget for my afterthoughts. I just couldn’t bring myself to put new everything on the old, though still in good condition ceramic tile floor. Hopefully, I’ll be able to salvage most of the original tile for the eventual basement redo. It’ll be perfect for laundry or bathroom area. Off I go again now, with protective eye wear, chisel, hammer, and a strong constitution at the ready.
You know, there ARE moments you make me feel guilty. Between you and Pamela always finding something to do with your hands I feel like a slacker. Hmmm. Then again, my fingers have been BUSY here in TODville all day. 😆 😆 Replacing tiles is not a job I would even contemplate! After I messed up painting, with everyone who came by remarking on the final product, I gave up trying to pretend I was ‘handy’. Be careful, and do a good job. Cookeman might even lend a hand when he comes home tired and sees your stellar efforts.
There are no bounds to my delight that the Ryan budget(?) is being released at same time as Murray one. Repugs have lied long enough. Now if the Dems would go on the offensive and not cower defensively we could win the media war.
Me too, but I don’t envy her having to get all gussied up just to go to the kitchen garden. I’d be a pitiful picture to take in my threadbare housecoat and worn out, but most comfortable slippers. Just ask my neighbors who’ve had the misfortune of catching me out early in the a.m. in my yard.
that was my thought, too, cookemom! my neighbors have surely learned their lesson, and they cover their eyes if they hear my screen door in the morning. 🙂
I’m hoping she is not saddened from all that vicious and unwarranted nastiness which was hurled at her yesterday. She so deserves only the very best support and love from us all. My heart is holding her close.
Actually, the nastiness is a sign that she is an astounding success, and the therefore the object of jealousy and blinding rage. She got a lot of nastiness in 2008, and she knows exactly what it means. If she were anything close to what they were saying about her, they would not be nearly as unhinged and angry. It’s the fact that she’s so damn amazing – they can’t stand it. So she’s going to keep on being an amazing First Lady living in the WH, while they continue to lose their marbles.
I agree, Hf, and I think she and PBO learned early on to rise above all the nasty names. If they had let that kind of thing deter them, President Obama would not have run for president and Michelle would have encouraged him not to. I’m pretty sure they knew what was coming and they went forward anyway. When Michelle O was asked about all the negativity, she said we also get a lot of love. I think they keep the love in their heart and move on. Michelle is a very savvy, as well as beautiful woman, and she’s not going to let some hateful nutcases get her down.
At least some of their terror is facing the realization that the next First Lady has no chance of filling these shoes. So they need to bring her down a peg….ain’t gonna happen!! I just could not have imagined Michelle Obama being this magnificent as a First Lady. And the girls are wonderful too!
That’s not it all. The nastiness was the crass and rude takeover of Mrs Obama’s Let Move event on twitter yesterday courtesy of michelle malkin and her ugly followers!!!
Oh my, I’m in another menage a tois for first! Not a bad place to be among friends.
Speaking of friends, please allow me my daily request for your vote/s for my #2 Kelauni Cook to win this dream job and a nice wad of cash. Vote daily, each one counts. Thanks for reals. http://www.mydestination.com/users/kelauni/bbb#.UT8y9Fcnw2Q
Would like the opinions of some of the wonderfully wise people here. I would like to start a twitter hastag GOPspeak. Basically it would take phrase Republicans use and translate them into what they really mean. For example:
If a Republican says PBO is arrogant they mean uppity.
If a Republican says PBO is lazy they mean shiftless.
If a Republican says “job creators” they mean “slave owners”.
If a Republican compalins about lack of jobs they mean “our plans are working”.
Of a Republican says “Obamabot” they mean “Ni..er lover.”
The last is a little on the edge, but I really believe that is what they are trying to saqy.
Japa, if I’m honest I have to admit I do not like hashtags, particularly those that focus on the Repubs. My main reason is that GOPs consistently get a lot of attention with the end result that Dems get a much smaller portion of the attention pie (graph). In addition, I think, we reinforce their negative messages indirectly, yet regularly. Take the current suggestion, *I* would be more on board if you tweaked it in some way that it shows something positive about PBO/Dems, or if unavoidable, GOP failures to perform. For example, off the top of my head and not perfect…..
If a Republican says PBO is arrogant …….it’s their way of criticizing the FACT he speaks with authority.
If a Republican says PBO is lazy they ……………..are ignoring his success at moving the country forward (or something more specific).
If a Republican says “job creators” they ……………are pandering to the rich who are sitting on trillions of $$$$.
If a Republican complains about lack of jobs they….are covering the fact that the #GOP House has not produced a single effective jobs bill.
If a Republican says “Obamabot” they ……are
YW. Phew! Okay. I confess now I was a tad nervous. 😆
It’s a quirk of mine that I find it easier to retweet and participate in hashtags when they inform (positively) about our side. I don’t like the flighty ones that only show how ‘clever’ the sender is and does little to inform or expand.
Japa & VC — LOVE the collaborative effort. VC, kudos to you for giving constructive criticism; Japa, kudos to you for graciously considering her points. Wish our congresscritters would grow up and follow our example!
For example – if a Republican says that PBO is “overexposed”………..they’re voicing displeasure at his ability to circumvent their lies and MSM propaganda by going directly to the people with FACTS.
TY, Hf. I like your example. 😛 I think if we approach it in this way we are shining light on the GOP AT THE SAME TIME we are giving direct credit to our side – puffing off our creds that are not repeated as often as they should. The fact is that a lot of the GOP positions/language/stupid theories are well-known BECAUSE they get repeated so often by them, the media AND us!
To acknowledge VC above, i submit my correction.
If a Republican says “cut the deficit” they are trying to take credit for POTUS already cutting the deficit massively.
Here’s another for you, Vicki C?
If a Republican demands “transparency about our drone program” they are trying to hide how effective PBO’s foreign policy has been.
I think it’s a great ideal, Japa. The Republican party has reached the point where they are ripe for parody and ridicule. They’ve also been at this for so long, we see right through them and they need to know that. I think a lot of people would enjoy the idea of calling them out like this.
For all the pundits who complain bitterly that Obama hasn’t done enough to schmooze with lawmakers, doesn’t an anecdote like this suggest the problem is not entirely the president’s fault? Are we to believe that all five — invited in secret so they wouldn’t have to take heat from Fox or the GOP base — were all washing their hair that night?
On a more substantive note, the piece also included this key piece of information:
What spurred Mr. Obama to reach out to rank-and-file Republicans with a flurry of phone calls, meals and now Capitol visits were the recent announcements by their leaders — Speaker John A. Boehner and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — that they will no longer negotiate with Mr. Obama on budget policy as long as he keeps demanding more tax revenues as the condition for Democrats’ support of reduced spending on Medicare and other entitlement programs.
This is important. Congressional Republican leaders are now saying they won’t even talk to the president unless Obama agrees — before any meetings even take place — to give them what they want. In other words, when the White House announces that all efforts at deficit reduction in the coming years will include literally nothing but 100% spending cuts, then GOP leaders will be prepared to negotiate with the president.
Please, Beltway pundits, remind me again how all the president has to do to resolve political paralysis is “lead” and offer good-faith compromises.
I forgot to give a special howdy do to Ms Chips! Hiya madam and have a wonderful, enjoyable day! Don’t let nobody turn you ’round my friend.
Now I’m off to start the retile of my kitchen floor. I’ve finally gotten the cabinets and appliances ordered and on their way. Then, I looked at the floor and thought, ‘I can’t put all new stuff on this old floor, now can I?’ So, off I go….out with the old, in with the new! Ciao TODdies!!
g’morning all, wishing everyone a great day. After being away the past week, I went back last night and read some of many posts I missed out on… Chips, I am so sorry you went through a trying time, it sounds as if someone was pretty rotten to you. You are amazing in the work, love and effort you put into this site.. I wouldn’t be able to get the truth or the news without ‘The Obama Diary’… I am completely grateful to you and in awe of you. Thank you!
As the media becomes consumed with talking about Rep. Paul Ryan’s soon-to-be-released budget, please note that Republicans are no longer talking about the deficit (the annual short-fall between revenues and expenses). Now its all about the debt (the total accumulated historic shortfall).
Just watched Paul Ryan’s budget roll out and the one thing that’s obvious? He’s been using Jennifer Rubin’s bong.
He uses the savings from ObamaCare, the revenue from the fiscal cliff deal Pres. Obama pushed for, and the savings Pres. Obama got from Medicare that extended Medicare for another eight years and then tried to deny it. It’s right there in black and white.
I believe the word he was looking for is hypocrite.
He also pushes for two income tax rates. 10% and 25% but he doesn’t let anyone know that the middle and working class will see a huge increase in tax rates because he’s giving the wealthy another massive tax cut at the expense of everyone else.
Paul Ryan on #ObamaCare: "We don't like this law; that's why we're proposing to repeal it" Yet he uses the savings from it in his budget.
Look at this lovely email I got from the CMSAF James Cody. Being enlisted E1-E-4 is tough enough and now we don’t even get TA anymore. Sometimes I don’t know why I even joined, we don’t get any respect from the people we blindly serve (ie Congress). Please see below.
Fellow Airmen,
As you know, our Nation and our Air Force are working through some significant fiscal challenges. The combined effects of continuing resolution and sequestration are forcing some very tough decisions. Unfortunately we’ll likely be forced to furlough nearly 180,000 civilian Airmen for 16 hours per pay period for the remainder of the fiscal year starting in April. This is one of many impacts on your units and our Airmen and Families. Given this environment we’ve had to make the decision to suspend military Tuition Assistance (TA) for the remainder of this fiscal year.
Effective 1700 EST, 11 March, Active Duty Airmen will no longer be able to submit requests for Tuition Assistance.
Believe me, this was a tough decision because our Air Force truly values education. This is evidenced by our requirement for a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) degree for senior rater endorsement (SRE) eligibility. SRE means a great deal in the promotion of Master Sergeant to Senior Master Sergeant, and this will not change. We understand suspension of TA benefits makes things tougher, but there are other ways for Airmen to complete CCAF degrees. CLEP exams, the G.I. Bill, scholarships, and federal grants are some options.
We remain as committed as ever to ensuring Airmen have the opportunity and means to pursue educational goals. We’re still looking at the impacts for FY14 and will do our best to have TA reinstated, although we’ll likely need to review the eligibility requirements to ensure sustainability. We owe you more information on this and will provide details as soon as we can.
This 6 mo. old baby girl died this morning after she and her dad were shot multiple times as he was changing her diaper in a van outside an apt. bldg yesterday. The father was said to be a target of a gang shooting. The innocent baby paid the price.
This is so heart breaking. When will the mayor DO something about the rampant gangs with guns? How would anyone want to go to Chicago for vacation or business. Maybe this epidemic needs to hit the city economically for the so-called leaders do something.
Been a bit since I’ve posted. This is absolutely sick. And I’d bet PBO is just as devastated by this as we are. We musn’t give up this fight, TOD. That precious little soul gone for no damn good reason.
Our Lady Mayor normally has a bit from Charles P, so here you go with him yesterday sharing something about our favourite WH press …
So it appears that life as part of the White House press corps is getting a bit dreary these days. The administration declines to pay out the news like it was Old Country Buffet, and there’s no C.J. for our Dannys to flirt with. What’s an ambitious young journo to do?
“It’s not a place that’s easy to generate real scoops. Unlike on Capitol Hill, where you can roam freely and find 535 generally willing sources, plus hundreds of aides, lobbyists, and others, in the White House you face physical and information constraints that make it hard to break out,” Baker, who has been a central figure in the coverage of a Times-reading president, told BuzzFeed. “It can be frustrating and soul-killing to listen to the same talking points and spin sessions day after day.”
As it happens, and only because I found it in a box that was laying around, I’m re-reading Tim Crouse’s seminal The Boys On The Bus, his chronicle of the campaign press during the 1972 presidential race. It’s an interesting experience in that every single problem that Crouse identified in the elite political press 40 years ago — the pack mentality, the faux balance, the timidity, the inability to call out obvious lies — has gotten worse over the last 40 years and not better.
…..//
I missed the Ashely Judd b.s. yesterday……In the morning Chuck Todd said Senate D’s were afraid she would be the face of the ’14 class, then
Howard Fineman in the evening said the WH doesn’t want her. Well I would like to respond w/ two simple tweets. Jan 21. Inaugural Day..
Maybe Senate candidate Ashley Judd hitched a ride with us. Gonna meet again at Rupp arena in a month. #mizzoupic.twitter.com/LgkJj4d5
She’s an intellectual, a global activist, a hard worker, a fighter for the cause, and a Democrat. She’d pick up national supporters in the primary, lots of them, which would build the momentum. She’ll have women Democrats with her, and groups like Emily’s List. I think she could win.
I would truly believe that the world was a better place. Here’s hoping. Word is that she will announce her campaign sometime this spring. But it is Kentucky…….
We can usually really determine if a race is winnable by getting in it, fighting like hell, getting some help from some story with legs and running a competent campaign!
who does KY Dems have that can fund raise and bringing the money and free media and name recognition that will be needed to fight against McConnell?
No one ever imageine that an African American would ever be elected Senator, then Hiriam Revels became the first AA elected to the Senate from Mississippi in 1870.
If you don’t take a step forward, then all you do is walk backward or stay stagnant.
Don’t that make sense, the Army don’t want the tanks, buy the guy who talks of to much spending is going to spend 181 million dollars for tanks the Army don’t want. A bunch of lying heartless bastards these Republicans are. Cut food stamps, cut meals on wheels, low income heating assistance, programs to help the disable, but build more un wanted tanks.
The View is doing their part today in rehabbing W’s reputation, seemingly ordered from on high in order to pave the way for the Jebster. It’s all the rage. Elisabeth just told a touching story about W being so nice to her family when they were invited to the WH, didn’t hit them or anything. And then he walked over to the portrait of Lincoln and said history has been kind to Abe, that he expected the same will be true of himself. And Elisabeth said she thought that would be true, that Lincoln and W will be remembered fondly in the same way and are the same, same, same. This mess started out with Whoopi quoting someone saying people are now thinking more highly of W’s presidency, “compared to what is happening now.” No one protested that much. Barbara slipped in something about the Iraq War at the end, but all seemed fine with that discussion. Wow.
That’s a whole bunch of nonsense. History kind to W? Please. 9/11 happened on his watch, Iraq war and add to all that the Great Recession and Financial meltdown all under his watch. Seeing as the guy responsible for 9/11 was gotten, Iraq war ended, and great recession finally eased after he left office. It does not seem likely that historian are going to airbrush away Obama’s presidency to attributes the correction of those blunders to W. These fools can keep smoking that good stuff, but W. is going to look worse when history is done with him.
We may not hate him like we did in 2008, but he is not going to be remembered fondly either.
Good thing I didn’t watch the View. But Elisabeth nice story doesn’t change the fact that G.W. Bush lied us into a un-necessary war, that GW Bush left this country in a darn mess.
Did you forget 2000? He helped with Harris, to get FL electoral votes for his brother. He guaranteed FL. Voters were purged. Ballots were designed in a deceptive way. So just lying now is just part of the pathology.
And I just read recently that Jeb is the true conservative believer who will pretend he’s moderate and try to create moderate coattails for his dim brother.
They are all delusional if they believe America will allow another Bush in the Oval Office….. Maybe JebBoy thinks if he is elected, he can command the entire 20th century to be re-written, in his favor. Never mind we are in an age of technology which captures truth in every moment, in a vast array of media. I repeat, delusional.
There’s a certain crowd in this country who would vote for Jeb, for all the wrong reasons … one of which is stupidity, which takes all forms. And there are people who just don’t pay attention, on both sides. Like somebody in 2006 who told me, very seriously, “This country will never be dumb enough to vote George W. Bush into office for a second term.” She was quite surprised when I spilled the beans. SMDH.
Magic ans Spells seem to be two things that Paul Ryan is selling.
He must have had the three Witches from Macbeth helping him out.
Or
Today being the 66th B-day of his former running mate, Willard Mitterrand Romney, Ryan is wishing him a happy birthday by wearing the Magic under garment given to him in 2012……magically wishing that this time, his Off the Planet Budget would take hold?
I’ve told ya before, Bob, your use of the word “serfs” slays me! I think it’s nervous laughter (like wanting to laugh in church), because it’s really dead serious since that’s where the 99% is heading, if people like Ryan get away with this stuff!
Good morning wonderful TOD family and our Ms Chips. I want to thank all you wonderful TOOders who have volunteered to help here at TOD. We must to all we can to keep our community. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
I just sent an email to the corporate offices of Five Guys Burgers & Fries. There is a franchise owner of 8 stores in North Carolina who has announced his plan to reduce employees hours in order to avoid the Affordable Care Act law of providing insurance to his employees. Go to fiveguys.com, click on Contact Us and respond as I did. I let them know I am a patron of 2 of their stores in my town and plan to NOT go there until I am assured by them that this has been addressed with the gentleman in NC. We must continue to call “bullshit” to these corporate punks!
Thanks will do!!! The Obamas helped make Five guys popular as it used to be a favorite burger sport for them!!!
Hopefully the founder remembers this and takes on his cheap franchisees!!!
Bob, I am sick and tired of people like Paul Ryan being taken seriously by the so-called beltway elite. It angers me that someone so patently ignorant and so utterly heartless gets paraded across the media as someone we should regard as even remotely credible. The fact that this little pipsqueak just tosses aside the needs, sufferings, and hardships of tens of millions of Americans like so much used trash makes him unqualified for any role on the national stage. The US Congress and many of our statehouses are filled with buffoons and loonies, but Paul Ryan is one of the few that actually make me feel called to revolution. He is absolutely odious and it should be the goal of every decent, thinking person in the US to make this his last term in Congress and the very last time that we have to listen to his twisted ideas or see his loathsome face.
“The US Congress and many of our statehouses are filled with buffoons and loonies, but Paul Ryan is one of the few that actually make me feel called to revolution.”
Our ‘revolution’ must be at the ballot box in 2014 and the focus must be on convincing every eligible voter to stop voting against their own interests by supporting people like Ryan, Cantor, Boehner, McConnell, etc.
With OFA growing more stronger by the day, we finally have a State by State, grass roots organization that can do the educating of the electorate so desperately needed between now and 2014, and for every election thereafter.
here here! thanks bob, for reminding us that the ‘loathsome’ ryan and his despicable cronies are ELECTED! and we know for sure that voters can be informed, rallied, and relied upon to vote their best interest, even against massive money-pot rethug efforts. witness the president in his second term!
Bob, I sure am working on it. I can’t change the whole country, but I can work as hard as I can to wake up the people in my congressional district. Republicans across the country have to be outed for the destructive creeps they are.
Jackie, it’s all about each of us doing all we can in our CDs. If everyone does that, we will retake the House and strengthen our presence in the Senate in 114th Congress and prepared for doing even more in the General Election of 2016.
Don’t forget his district was gerrymandered so he could stay in office. This was done by the State of Wisconsin – we need to be aware who we put into office on a state level as well. This is where the Koch brothers are focusing. If they can change enough states to red, they can push their policies through. We need to take our states back, where possible, to blue.
//…………………..
What [Paul Ryan] really sought with those first two budgets was not to egg Washington toward deficit hawkery, but to egg it toward cuts to programs he doesn’t like—Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, other projects that assist poor people, keep the air clean, and perform all those bothersome functions that keep America’s potential Galts in chains.
That’s Ryan’s game. But give him points for catching on, however slowly. Now it’s finally dawned on him to put forward a budget that balances in 10 years. And so what we’re likely to see Wednesday and Thursday, despite the laughingstock that his budget already is to those who’ve been watching him closely, is a thunderous round of harrumphs from the likes of Pete Peterson, Maya MacGuineas, The Washington Post’s editorial page, Alan Simpson, Erskine Bowles, Alice Rivlin, and all the other folks who go around insisting that the budget deficit is our biggest problem.
It’s not. Jobs are still are our biggest problem. ……………..
……………….//
I received this email and I can’t even bring myself to respond at this point. My blood is boiling and I am afraid of what I might say…..
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your patience throughout the White House tour request process.
Our office was notified today that the President has chosen to cancel all White House Tours after March 9th, 2013. Unfortunately, these tours will not be able to be rescheduled. The White House will notify me as soon as they are able to receive requests and schedule new tours.
As of right now, our office does not have any information about when tours will resume. I sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may cause.
Instead of cutting back on the President and First Lady’s expensive vacations, he has chosen to eliminate White House tours, which are very inexpensive, to show his displeasure over the sequester.
Our operating budget was cut as well, however, I can assure you that I will have staff on hand to give you a tour of the U.S. Capitol. If you have not previously scheduled a Capitol tour and would like one, please contact Sarah Bellott in my office at 202-225-5435.
Oh my! I haven’t gotten mine yet but “betcha” I get it soon. All these folks are truly C-R-A-Z-Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you going to one of the action days Saturday? I just got that email from June.
Symmetry, take a deep breath and then do two things: 1) call the Congressman’s office and tell them that their message to you was an affront to your intelligence and that you know very well who is responsible for the sequester and instead of complaining about the president and insulting his family, you want your congressman to do something about the sequester himself. Either support a bill to repeal the sequester or cooperate with the president on a balanced approach to reducing the deficit; 2) go to your conressman’s ‘contact’ page on his website and write him an e-mail saying the same thing. Say that you never again want to receive such a disgusting and untruthful communication from his office.
Go Dems. One budget is about growth, jobs and planning for the future. The other is about retreating, declining, and surrendering the future to other countries. Gee, which one would you choose?
Good news, Jer, although I would hate to meet the 33 percent idiots who have a favorable opinion of him. By all rights his approval rating should be in the teens, if that. I want this utterly incompetent governor not only be defeated, but crushed in 2014. He has simply no redeeming qualities whatsoever–none. And that’s the best I can say for him. Don’t get me started on what I really think.
I don’t ever want to appear disrespectful to Hispanic Americans so I didn’t reply to your tweet, but I was thinking you might add … en español … because ya just know he’s going to say he’s all for our Hispanic population because he’s “married to one.” Republicans think their credibility is by association (“I have Hispanic friends” or “My son speaks Spanish”), not as much by internal core principles of value to our country.
You make several important points, Jacqueline and I agree with all of them. Since I do not speak Spanish, it would be disingenuous of me to transmit it in that language. Sure hope someone who knows Spanish will do so, however 🙂
I didn’t expect it to be added, thanks, but just wanted to express how I felt, which you helped me do. And, of course, there will be a next time out of that crowd of charlatans.
JOB, it is beyond insulting to the Latino community to assume that they are stupid enough not to understand when someone is real and when they are feeding them crap. Since I have been working closely with the Latinos in our community for the last two and a half years, I can tell you that they “get out” and are not going to be swayed by these “my best friend is Spanish” frauds.
I’m with you. It’s getting to the UNBEARABLE stage, every damn day. I don’t care how old I am, if there’s a march somewhere, I’m going, and dragging my old baby boomer friends who are also saying ENOUGH.
In Pennsylvania, today is the deadline for filing petitions for municipal and county elections. We returned our county petitions to the Dem Party on Sunday. This morning, at 11:49 a.m., I filed our municipal petitions at the county courthouse. HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following positions are up for election: Tax Collector, four Council seats, Mayor, and School Board Director. We filed petitions for TC and council; were unable to find candidates for mayor & school board. That, I’m still recruiting for because if I can find someone interested, we can do a write-in during the primary. It only takes 10 qualified write-in votes to get on the ballot if the party has not fielded a primary candidate. Our slate is gender diverse council — 2 women, 2 men; wish we could have done better on race — 1 white, 3 black; HOWEVER, the repubs are running 4 white males — NO DIVERSITY!
The incumbent mayor is a white, female, repub; the incumbent school director is a white, male repub. As I said earlier, I’m still looking for candidates; the election is in 10 weeks — I know how to mount a write-in
I’m the incumbent tax collector, running for my 5th term, however, this is my first time running as a democrat. In 2009, I was still a member of the repub party, I was endorsed for reelection by our committeeman and committeewoman, however, as there were SOME active party members who were perturbed because I very publicly supported PBO’08 (State Vets co-chair, State Repub for Obama Steering Group), I was surprised that I didn’t have a primary challenger; meanwhile, the Dems not only didn’t run a candidate, they wrote me in on their ballot, so in the 2009 general election, I was on both the Dem & repub ballots. I flipped to the Dem party in Dec 2010. Surprisingly, I hear the repubs are not running a candidate for tax collector. I’ll find out next week when I review the opposing petitions.
Now, it is on to voter registration…
Oh, and for the really BIG news, our council now has a DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY, as we FLIPPED one of the repubs!
Congratulations Alycee. Our petitions were due in today as well. We have two Latinos running for City Council and one for School Board. Unfortunately, no one would step forward on the Dem side to run for Mayor. Still..it’s progress.
Jackie, Congrats! Don’t forget, you still have 10 weeks to find a credible write-in candidate. The number write-ins needed depends on the size of your municipality. It can be done…
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that Republicans will use the expiration of the debt limit this summer as leverage to get President Obama to consider entitlement reforms.
This could set up a standoff over the nation’s borrowing authority similar to the one that resulted in the nation losing its credit rating in 2011.
“Until we make our entitlement programs fit the demographics of our country, you can’t save America, you can’t save the healthcare system,” McConnell said. “There is no revenue solution, I would say to you.”
“We all anticipate that the president’s request of us to raise the debt ceiling, which we’ll probably do sometime this will generate another, hopefully, another discussion about solving the real problem,” he said.
McConnell said the only way to “straighten America out” is to “fix the entitlement issue.”
-/
Yes! Just what the country needs, another battle over the debt limit.
Question: if we just said ok to Ryan vouchers, can’t Obamacare pick up the slack for the Elderly? Because they are not going to stop until they ruin everything, it’s their goal. 😦
Jovie, the answer to your question is NOT ONLY NO, BUT, HELL NO!!!! Voucher care does not impose any cost controls on insurance companies, therefore, the value of the voucher will be drastically diminished over time. I view vouchers as just another scheme to transfer wealth from the poor and middle class TO the wealthy.
Based on the repub budget proposals, proposed rollbacks of labor laws and minimum wage scales, I’ve come to believe that the republican party wants to take us back to enslavement, indentured servitude, poor houses and debtors prisons…
No, but Ryan did in the past (haven’t perused his latest fairy tale yet); how, do you think, a mix of vouchers & ObamaCare would work?
Am stepping away for a few hours; taking my Mom to see Fela! in Philly. Haven’t been to a play in a couple of years, looking forward to it. Will check-in when I return…
“Make our ‘entitlement programs’ fit the demographics of our country” is McConnell code for ensuring that no people of color get entitlements. If he could wave a wand so only white Republicans could get Social Security and Medicare, he would be fine with it. The racists are fully out of the closet now, pandering to the KKK clubs across the country. McConnell thinks he’s a big guy threatening the president on the “debt ceiling” again, but it was big money guys who jerked his chain on that one the last time and he had to pull back. A sequester is one thing–it affects internal spending. The debt limit upsets the international markets, risks another downgrade and has serious consequences for Wall Street and the Republicans corporate masters and they are not going to like it and won’t stand for it.
Jed Lewison catches House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) delivering a line today he probably wishes he could take back.
For those who can’t watch clips online, Ryan said, in reference to his plans for health care:
“This to us is something that we’re not going to give up on, because we’re not going to give up on destroying the health care system for the American people.”
“I bring quadruple diversity to the Senate. I’m a woman. I’ll be the first Asian woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate. I’m an immigrant. I’m a Buddhist. When I said this at a gathering, they said, ‘Yes, but are you gay?’ I said, ‘Nobody’s perfect.”‘
Hey Japa, did you start that GOPspeak hashtag thingy or are you waiting for another day? I’ve wandered into twitter land a couple of times today to check but didn’t notice anything.
is it off-topic to offer a link about irish whiskey as we approach st paddy’s day? 🙂
‘Bottled at a husky 115.4 proof, the cask-strength edition of Redbreast’s cultish twelve-year whiskey is a bully of a dram — you can almost hear it cracking its knuckles when it sees you coming. But for all its overproof bluster, the stuff is awfully chummy on the tongue. ‘
Don’t you all see? The reason they want to repeal Obamacare while simultaneously voucherizing medicare?
Because the elderly would get subsidized for Obamacare. It’s almost redundant, and Ryan knows it.
George Stephanopoulos will interview PBO today and the intervew will air on 3 separate ABC segments beginning this evening on ABC’s World news with Diane Sawyer, followed by ABC’s Good Morning America tomorrow Wednesday morning, and then Nightline later past midnight Wednesday into Thursday morning (12:30AM)
Don’t know if the whiskey or George will give me the bigger headache. I will find a beverage of choice to get through his b.s. Of course PBO will shine.
Just as they tried to help Mitt Romney etch-a-sketch his numerous lies, job outsourcing and tax dodging antics, they think they can attempt again to deceive the American people with this nonsense. Memo to Librul Media: We The People were very alert to your crap in 2012, and that won’t change in 2016.
Bobfr, have you forgotten that Tweety has always been a Bush enabler? Here’s a refresher for you, plus the author’s conclusion. 😉
//…..
I plan to make it my life’s work to remind Chris Matthews of these little exchanges. It was the day that Matthews revealed that he and the other mediawhores were not just shilling for the GOP for professional reasons, but that they actually had a barely contained (and inexplicable) sexual attraction to George W. Bush. It explained so very much. Today, when you see him and Mrs Greenspan rushing to proclaim Cheney a big winner,for instance, perhaps it is best understood as a way of distancing themselves from an unrequited love while leaving the door open in case there is still a chance for a passionate encounter, for old time’s sake.
If there is one question that I would love to see somebody ask any member of the Bush administration, it is how come they are fighting for their lives when less than eighteen short months ago they not only had a 90% approval rating, they had the entire US press corpse on its knees, quivering and drooling in anticipation of a mere taste of the manly presidential life force. Seems to me that’s the real story of this election. How in the hell did they fall so far, so fast?”
laughing sooo hard!! have you seen this speech charles pierce wrote for rmoney?
‘ I’m Mitt Romney, bitches, and I’m still all you got.
Sure, I was down for about 10 or 15 minutes when it turned out that all the people I’d been listening to for all those months were wrong. Are all people in politics like that? Holy Moroni, if I’d hired those kind of morons at Bain, we’d have been selling frozen yogurt in Faneuil Hall within six months. But I carry no grudges. Wealth hath its privileges, and one of those is that I stopped pretending to give a fck about the rest of you 10 minutes after the room service guy bringing coffee to the suite on election night told me I’d lost. He said it with a smile. I got him fired. ‘
I’m confused. Howard Fineman doubled down today on “Obama’s people don’t want Ashley Judd to run.”
I expected Fineman to walk back this assertion from yesterday which I thought may have been made in the excitement of his having a “scoop.”
But no. He said it again today with more force.
I don’t believe that the Obama team is sending this message to Ashley, do you?
What’s going on?
Apart from the fact that Fineman works for the Corporate state.
Frankly, I don’t believe Fineman has access to “Obama’s people” so he just makes stuff up. He desperately WANTS access to President Obama’s close sources. This is not how President Obama and his people operate. This is totally out of character for what we’ve learned over the past five years. Doubling down is Howard’s exaggerated defensive behavior…..
We see the Repubs…especially the RWNJs — do it all the time. Their mind set seems to be it doesn’t matter if it’s not true; if I say it over and over in a tone with conviction, I sound as if I know what I’m talking about and people will THINK it’s true.
A lot of pundits have gotten the big head and think anything say will be taken as gospel because of who they are.
i have zero access to ‘obama people’, so this is just my opinion. (hmm–excellent sentence for fineman to have used in his piece!)
anyway, i think the punditry is bored with budget/math/policy/governance issues, mostly because it’s over their heads, but also because our president is so consistent and clear, that there’s not much for pundits to say after they quote pbo. so they cook up controversies, to give them something exciting to write about–and if they can include a beautiful woman with name recognition, then they’re really happy.
this way, they get a guaranteed scoop–nobody else has this news that you make up! and see how we all are talking about fineman now? his name is replacing woodard’s in the national conversation. win for him, right? he thinks so anyway. just my opinion–absolutely no insider sources contributed to this post! 🙂
I did not expect Fineman to walk back his assertion from yesterday. Habitual liars rarely walk back their lies. Despite his claims to the contrary, Fineman DOES have a dog in this fight,and he does not want McConnell the Republican to lose to Judd or any other DEM for that matter.
Notice that Fineman has not mentioned a thing about Mitch McConnell and his extremely low approval ratings, even among KY GOP – yet he has been relentlessly pushing unsourced rumors about “Obama’s people” & Ashley Judd?
Yup—-the “I don’t have a dog in this fight” was a definite lie. So another explanation, mentioned on TOD yesterday is that GOPTP/MSM are terrified Ashley Judd will win.
Here is the REAL reason why Howard Fineman keeps pounding on Ashley Judd and “Obama’s people” on MSNBC. As a way to distract from this: And it’s a shame that even GOPolitico is honest enough to report this but Howard is choosing to focus instead on a manufactured narrative about his potential DEM opponent.
We have to remember Fineman is from Kentucky. His “inside” sources are probably from Kentucky. I would say his inside source is Mitch McConnell……just guessing, but not a bad guess.
Did anyone see the ABC interview with the President? We were watching Rev. Al, and didn’t feel like listening to Diane Sawyer.
The Obama Diary 
Buon Giornot a tutti!
Congrat BillR. I forgot to log in before posting. You da man!
buongiorno a tutti 🙂
Hello Bill – wtg on first
Thank you for the new thread Ms Chips
Congrats on first, Bill – and with an Italian accent, to boot!
Noice one BillR, how long have y’all been at this? 😉
Yo Ho Ho all you O’s!!!! It’s another great getting up day in TODville!!! Is anyone else looking forward to Paul Ryan’s budget release today? Doesn’t he ever learn, or does he just enjoy being ridiculed? You know you’re in trouble when the commentators and pundits from FOX questions your ‘rithmatic. Why would a party hang their hat on a guy who only received average grades in the required math courses from a mediocre college? He has no advance degree in math, nor economics. Isn’t there anyone else in that entire party who can add? He’s the best they got?
Also can’t wait to see Patty Murray’s budget. It’s gotta put ol’ Paul Rayn’s to shame. Now, let’s hear all about how the Dems haven’t had a budget since the IPod (even thought that wasn’t true). They got nothing to moan about now.
Hideee-ho to you Mrs. Cookemom!
Now, tell me, why are you asking obvious questions this overcast Tuesday morning? (Isn’t there anyone else in that entire party who can add?) You know the Repubs always show off their BEST, ex. Mitt – cream rising to the top and all that jazz. Though I must add that CC reminded me recently of something else that rises to the top – SCUM. Can’t wait long enough for voters to scrape these imbeciles off’ the top’ and get rid of them so they can go feed somewhere else other than at the public trough.
It’s like deja vu all over again and again, or as a young voter said the other day about the ‘Pubs (close your ears), same ol’shyat, just in a different toilet.
Actually, I’d modify that a bit because it’s not the ‘toilet’ that changes but the ‘donor’. IMO ALL these Repubs dump on the same group of people, all the time, every time.
either way, they sure know how to stink up the joint.
Yep!
It’s the old story of doing the same thing and expecting different results. 5th year of the GOP not understanding that basic premise.
How’s the swimming pool?
Increasing in water level, 57F. I have been awaiting a call-back from the town engineering department for about an hour now. I wanted to hear what they had to say before phoning a wet-proofing company to get THEIR estimate.
Oh my God. That’s awful.
Hi 57F. I am resigned to the fact that it’s going to cost me and that whatever is in the basement is mostly spoiled; at the same time, however, I am not fearful (yet) of it rising to my level so ….I’m waiting. TODville is a great place to wait as it takes my mind completely off the problem. 😉
Well we’re here for moral support. Hope that helps some.
Sure does! When I’m online I don’t even think of the mess for long stretches of time. Just got one over the phone quote of $2800 to $3500, and that was just to dry things out, including the wall insulation. Very polite and helpful. Suggested calling them back once I’ve gotten the leak blocked. 😉
Damn…..
😦
Did I miss something? What’s this about water in your home? So you have an indoor pool? Last I heard, you’d finished a bathroom. Did that project veer off course, leaving you in dire straights?
No. No. The new bathroom is fine, CM! Only yesterday I was showing it off to a friend’s mother who wants her own to be remodeled and was scouting satisfied customers. In fact I was only waiting for the contractor to finish staining my new stairs and do the bridging for my new flooring so that I could pivot to the kitchen. Seems that the basement felt jealous of all the attention being paid to upstairs, so decided to hone in on the action. Wandering downstairs with another friend to help her store some stuff in her new decision to ‘leave home’ we stumbled into my new unplanned pool. To say I was taken aback is an understatement since up to the night before nothing was visible. Anyway, according to the plumber it isn’t a plumbing problem (only cost me $201.34 for this ass.essment). The water is coming from outside from the melting snow and seeping (almost gleefully I might add) under the fireplace, then spreading itself around and about whatever is on the floor including a drum set, several boxes of books and papers, bookshelves of books – did I mention I am a book pack rat? – toys galore and my offspring’s teaching keyboards – the only things I decided to place on tables. Oh, and his downstairs computer & printer. Today I’ve been trying to get some feedback on wetproofing. Of the basement people I spoke to, the one that sounds experienced and reasonable cannot come before Friday! In the meantime I’ve decided that things can’t get any worse, so I set up an appointment for Friday and am avoiding going to look at the disaster. (Yes, ostrich-like behaviour. Maybe tomorrow I’ll change my mind and start looking around again.) Life can be so unexpectedly ‘exciting’!
oh my I’m so sorry to hear about the basement. sounds like you’re up the indoor creek without a paddle. My sympathies, I’ve been there….done that. It ain’t pretty, but your head in the sand approach is admirable. Be careful with the waterproofers, water has a way of seeking its own entryway. Short of building a dam to divert it, it manages to do as it pleases. At least it did in my case, much to cookeman’s dismay, who assured me that the sure fire contraption he built, would ward off even the first droplet of moisture. It was the flood of ’10 that had me deciding which old contraption I should give the heave ho first. This, after losing some pretty valuable, not monetary, but memorable items. Good luck to you. On a happier note, this sounds like a great reason for a complete basement remodel.
‘this sounds like a great reason for a complete basement remodel.’
Further evidence you and I are of like minds on many issues, CM! 😆
I suspect that once I get down there I will discover I have lost some valuables, but I just don’t feel like anticipating the loss today. I’ll mourn at the time of discovery. There is absolutely nothing I can do to stop the water until the ‘experts’ get here. My current theory is that there’s no sense being upset today and each day until I get this sorted out. I’ll bank it and be upset majorly when I see the final damage. I am also hoping that when my regular contractor returns on Thursday (his kids are on March Break and he is covering Mon to Wed; ex-wife gets Thursday on – Man I know more about his life than I want to know. The man’s a talker!) he might have a suggestion or two. 😕
Good luck! Just stopped back in after moving the fridge to my dining room (where’s a cookeman when u need him), so that I can start redoing the floor b4 appliances and cabinets arrive (3/22 & 4/5). I’m doing this myself cause it’s an afterthought and no money in the budget for my afterthoughts. I just couldn’t bring myself to put new everything on the old, though still in good condition ceramic tile floor. Hopefully, I’ll be able to salvage most of the original tile for the eventual basement redo. It’ll be perfect for laundry or bathroom area. Off I go again now, with protective eye wear, chisel, hammer, and a strong constitution at the ready.
You know, there ARE moments you make me feel guilty. Between you and Pamela always finding something to do with your hands I feel like a slacker. Hmmm. Then again, my fingers have been BUSY here in TODville all day. 😆 😆 Replacing tiles is not a job I would even contemplate! After I messed up painting, with everyone who came by remarking on the final product, I gave up trying to pretend I was ‘handy’. Be careful, and do a good job. Cookeman might even lend a hand when he comes home tired and sees your stellar efforts.
M’Lady! 😉
Hel-loooooo, Ms P! 😀
There are no bounds to my delight that the Ryan budget(?) is being released at same time as Murray one. Repugs have lied long enough. Now if the Dems would go on the offensive and not cower defensively we could win the media war.
Good morning, everyone
Congrats too PFWHI 🙂
GM all
If it weren’t for stupid WP, I coulda been a contender.
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, and congratulations Bill & cookemom for 1st place 🙂 🙂
Thank You Chips, and have a pleasant relaxing day!!
Morning BillR, CM, & PFI – a good start to the day you have going there!
Howdy-doo-di, Ms Chips Chica! How’s that smile this morning?
Happy Tuesday (it had better be happy), TODobots!
I love this picture of FLOTUS and Bo!
Me too, but I don’t envy her having to get all gussied up just to go to the kitchen garden. I’d be a pitiful picture to take in my threadbare housecoat and worn out, but most comfortable slippers. Just ask my neighbors who’ve had the misfortune of catching me out early in the a.m. in my yard.
Heh! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ah – luckily my neighbor & I catch each other 🙂 🙂
that was my thought, too, cookemom! my neighbors have surely learned their lesson, and they cover their eyes if they hear my screen door in the morning. 🙂
I’m hoping she is not saddened from all that vicious and unwarranted nastiness which was hurled at her yesterday. She so deserves only the very best support and love from us all. My heart is holding her close.
Actually, the nastiness is a sign that she is an astounding success, and the therefore the object of jealousy and blinding rage. She got a lot of nastiness in 2008, and she knows exactly what it means. If she were anything close to what they were saying about her, they would not be nearly as unhinged and angry. It’s the fact that she’s so damn amazing – they can’t stand it. So she’s going to keep on being an amazing First Lady living in the WH, while they continue to lose their marbles.
Thank you, HF, your view soothes me. I’m certain you are quite correct! 😉
I agree, Hf, and I think she and PBO learned early on to rise above all the nasty names. If they had let that kind of thing deter them, President Obama would not have run for president and Michelle would have encouraged him not to. I’m pretty sure they knew what was coming and they went forward anyway. When Michelle O was asked about all the negativity, she said we also get a lot of love. I think they keep the love in their heart and move on. Michelle is a very savvy, as well as beautiful woman, and she’s not going to let some hateful nutcases get her down.
Spot on!
At least some of their terror is facing the realization that the next First Lady has no chance of filling these shoes. So they need to bring her down a peg….ain’t gonna happen!! I just could not have imagined Michelle Obama being this magnificent as a First Lady. And the girls are wonderful too!
I know hopefruit2 is right. POTUS and FLOTUS will continue to rise above this hate and seeing them do so will continue to eat those haters up.
That Malkin bitch is so jealous of FLOTUS.
Made me sick to red that garbage..but you are right..They can’t let it go..Bet they are really ugly on the inside too..
Not up to date, what was the nastiness yesterday?
They was a article about Adele and Beyonce performing at her 50 bday NEXT YEAR!
Oh, didn’t know what nastiness you meant. That was stupid!
That’s not it all. The nastiness was the crass and rude takeover of Mrs Obama’s Let Move event on twitter yesterday courtesy of michelle malkin and her ugly followers!!!
Oh my, I’m in another menage a tois for first! Not a bad place to be among friends.
Speaking of friends, please allow me my daily request for your vote/s for my #2 Kelauni Cook to win this dream job and a nice wad of cash. Vote daily, each one counts. Thanks for reals. http://www.mydestination.com/users/kelauni/bbb#.UT8y9Fcnw2Q
Done. I apologize for not doing it yesterday; was tied up with a project.
oh thanks so much Alycee, no apologies necessary. I appreciate all of you efforts to help us out.
Would like the opinions of some of the wonderfully wise people here. I would like to start a twitter hastag GOPspeak. Basically it would take phrase Republicans use and translate them into what they really mean. For example:
If a Republican says PBO is arrogant they mean uppity.
If a Republican says PBO is lazy they mean shiftless.
If a Republican says “job creators” they mean “slave owners”.
If a Republican compalins about lack of jobs they mean “our plans are working”.
Of a Republican says “Obamabot” they mean “Ni..er lover.”
The last is a little on the edge, but I really believe that is what they are trying to saqy.
You get the idea. Thoughts and opinions, please.
Morning Japa, wishing you a truly terrific Tuesday!
And many more.
Since you asked 😉 😉 😉
Japa, if I’m honest I have to admit I do not like hashtags, particularly those that focus on the Repubs. My main reason is that GOPs consistently get a lot of attention with the end result that Dems get a much smaller portion of the attention pie (graph). In addition, I think, we reinforce their negative messages indirectly, yet regularly. Take the current suggestion, *I* would be more on board if you tweaked it in some way that it shows something positive about PBO/Dems, or if unavoidable, GOP failures to perform. For example, off the top of my head and not perfect…..
If a Republican says PBO is arrogant …….it’s their way of criticizing the FACT he speaks with authority.
If a Republican says PBO is lazy they ……………..are ignoring his success at moving the country forward (or something more specific).
If a Republican says “job creators” they ……………are pandering to the rich who are sitting on trillions of $$$$.
If a Republican complains about lack of jobs they….are covering the fact that the #GOP House has not produced a single effective jobs bill.
If a Republican says “Obamabot” they ……are
etc. etc.
Just saying…..because you asked. 😉
.
Thanks for the input. I like what you say and will work on it.
YW. Phew! Okay. I confess now I was a tad nervous. 😆
It’s a quirk of mine that I find it easier to retweet and participate in hashtags when they inform (positively) about our side. I don’t like the flighty ones that only show how ‘clever’ the sender is and does little to inform or expand.
Why nervous. You hasve been in the twitterverse a lot longer than I have. I really respect your opinions.
Nervous because a weakness of mine is to be too critical, and I was about to criticize a good friend all based on my own personal quirk.
Making a suggestion is hardly being to critical. Stop being so hard on yourself.
Agreed, Japa, VC has wonderful views and input, always valuable…
TY both. 😳 (It’s so much easier to accept jabs in the ribs than compliments.)
Japa & VC — LOVE the collaborative effort. VC, kudos to you for giving constructive criticism; Japa, kudos to you for graciously considering her points. Wish our congresscritters would grow up and follow our example!
I like your idea vc!! 🙂
For example – if a Republican says that PBO is “overexposed”………..they’re voicing displeasure at his ability to circumvent their lies and MSM propaganda by going directly to the people with FACTS.
TY, Hf. I like your example. 😛 I think if we approach it in this way we are shining light on the GOP AT THE SAME TIME we are giving direct credit to our side – puffing off our creds that are not repeated as often as they should. The fact is that a lot of the GOP positions/language/stupid theories are well-known BECAUSE they get repeated so often by them, the media AND us!
Job Creators, I have always thought that their association there was To GOD, Himself.
They didn’t use Job Makers. Job Inventors. Job Masters.
Another wordsmith to deify the Righties and to dumb down the populace.
If a Republican says “cut the deficit” they mean starve the poor.
To acknowledge VC above, i submit my correction.
If a Republican says “cut the deficit” they are trying to take credit for POTUS already cutting the deficit massively.
😉 😉 Morning, She-who-shares-my-name! Once we tweak these in-house, we should get them out to the twitterverse.
Here’s another for you, Vicki C?
If a Republican demands “transparency about our drone program” they are trying to hide how effective PBO’s foreign policy has been.
Agree. I am working up some and will tweet a few as trial balloons.
I think it’s a great ideal, Japa. The Republican party has reached the point where they are ripe for parody and ridicule. They’ve also been at this for so long, we see right through them and they need to know that. I think a lot of people would enjoy the idea of calling them out like this.
Good Morning all. I wish everyone, especially Chips, a great day.
Frum is quoting Gerson here. At least some GOPers get it.
I don’t trust Rand Paul .
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/12/17283043-reaching-out-finding-nothing?lite
For all the pundits who complain bitterly that Obama hasn’t done enough to schmooze with lawmakers, doesn’t an anecdote like this suggest the problem is not entirely the president’s fault? Are we to believe that all five — invited in secret so they wouldn’t have to take heat from Fox or the GOP base — were all washing their hair that night?
On a more substantive note, the piece also included this key piece of information:
What spurred Mr. Obama to reach out to rank-and-file Republicans with a flurry of phone calls, meals and now Capitol visits were the recent announcements by their leaders — Speaker John A. Boehner and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — that they will no longer negotiate with Mr. Obama on budget policy as long as he keeps demanding more tax revenues as the condition for Democrats’ support of reduced spending on Medicare and other entitlement programs.
This is important. Congressional Republican leaders are now saying they won’t even talk to the president unless Obama agrees — before any meetings even take place — to give them what they want. In other words, when the White House announces that all efforts at deficit reduction in the coming years will include literally nothing but 100% spending cuts, then GOP leaders will be prepared to negotiate with the president.
Please, Beltway pundits, remind me again how all the president has to do to resolve political paralysis is “lead” and offer good-faith compromises.
http://www.politicususa.com/gop-logic-gun-mandates-necessary-healthcare-mandates-tyrannical.html Contact your congresscritter. Enough of this BS!
Hello TOD World ❗
I forgot to give a special howdy do to Ms Chips! Hiya madam and have a wonderful, enjoyable day! Don’t let nobody turn you ’round my friend.
Now I’m off to start the retile of my kitchen floor. I’ve finally gotten the cabinets and appliances ordered and on their way. Then, I looked at the floor and thought, ‘I can’t put all new stuff on this old floor, now can I?’ So, off I go….out with the old, in with the new! Ciao TODdies!!
The Morning Plum: Don’t let Paul Ryan skate this time
Posted by Greg Sargent
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/03/12/the-morning-plum-dont-let-paul-ryan-skate-this-time/
What a wonderful picture of the First Lady and Bo. To click on and see this picture, just makes my day.
Isn’t it nice to have such a thoughtful, normal, “everywoman” First Lady in the White House, whose outer beauty is only surpassed by her inner beauty?
GOP Leaders Refuse To Negotiate With Obama Unless He Surrenders
http://www.nationalmemo.com/gop-leaders-refuse-to-negotiate-with-obama-unless-he-surrenders/
Ladyhawke, that is so so so true.
Benen had a similar post.
Surrenders to what??? What’s done is done. He can’t do anything about the sequester. What is he surrending to?
PBO is sitting pretty in the White House while Republicans are feeling heat from their constituents. That’s what I see is happening.
Paul Ryan’s make-believe budget
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-paul-ryans-make-believe-budget/2013/03/11/f0e090e0-8a67-11e2-98d9-3012c1cd8d1e_story.html?tid=pm_opinions_pop
g’morning all, wishing everyone a great day. After being away the past week, I went back last night and read some of many posts I missed out on… Chips, I am so sorry you went through a trying time, it sounds as if someone was pretty rotten to you. You are amazing in the work, love and effort you put into this site.. I wouldn’t be able to get the truth or the news without ‘The Obama Diary’… I am completely grateful to you and in awe of you. Thank you!
| Live Now ︴ President Obama – http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/president-obama-speaks-president-s-export-council
Jamison Foser @jamisonfoser
————————————
REMINDER:
Paul Ryan is a lying http://politicalcorrection.org/blog/201106080009 … snake oil peddling http://politicalcorrection.org/blog/201104050010 … know-nothing http://politicalcorrection.org/blog/201110280011 …
—————————————
THIS TWEET NEEDS TO BE SPRINKLED AROUND THE INTERNET LIKE CONFETTI.
ANOTHER POST NEEDING THE TOD TWEETMENT
Deficit or Debt? Republicans move the goalposts
By Smartypants
———————————————–
As the media becomes consumed with talking about Rep. Paul Ryan’s soon-to-be-released budget, please note that Republicans are no longer talking about the deficit (the annual short-fall between revenues and expenses). Now its all about the debt (the total accumulated historic shortfall).
—————————————————
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/03/deficit-or-debt.html
Paul Ryan’s budget: Social engineering with a side of deficit reduction
Posted by Ezra Klein
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/12/paul-ryans-budget-isnt-about-the-deficit/
The Ryan budget, in one chart
Posted by Dylan Matthews
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/12/the-ryan-budget-in-one-chart/
Yikes,
Too wonky.
“Note that Social Security and revenue are assumed to be unchanged under the budget;”
Where ?
Not a good graphic.
Isn’t this the same budget he always releases? Gut the social safety net, explode military spending and protect the rich. Why is this news worthy?
Just watched Paul Ryan’s budget roll out and the one thing that’s obvious? He’s been using Jennifer Rubin’s bong.
He uses the savings from ObamaCare, the revenue from the fiscal cliff deal Pres. Obama pushed for, and the savings Pres. Obama got from Medicare that extended Medicare for another eight years and then tried to deny it. It’s right there in black and white.
I believe the word he was looking for is hypocrite.
How can he use the savings from Obamacare – he is going to repeal it?
Morning Chipsticks, TOD….
He also pushes for two income tax rates. 10% and 25% but he doesn’t let anyone know that the middle and working class will see a huge increase in tax rates because he’s giving the wealthy another massive tax cut at the expense of everyone else.
Look at this lovely email I got from the CMSAF James Cody. Being enlisted E1-E-4 is tough enough and now we don’t even get TA anymore. Sometimes I don’t know why I even joined, we don’t get any respect from the people we blindly serve (ie Congress). Please see below.
Fellow Airmen,
As you know, our Nation and our Air Force are working through some significant fiscal challenges. The combined effects of continuing resolution and sequestration are forcing some very tough decisions. Unfortunately we’ll likely be forced to furlough nearly 180,000 civilian Airmen for 16 hours per pay period for the remainder of the fiscal year starting in April. This is one of many impacts on your units and our Airmen and Families. Given this environment we’ve had to make the decision to suspend military Tuition Assistance (TA) for the remainder of this fiscal year.
Effective 1700 EST, 11 March, Active Duty Airmen will no longer be able to submit requests for Tuition Assistance.
Believe me, this was a tough decision because our Air Force truly values education. This is evidenced by our requirement for a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) degree for senior rater endorsement (SRE) eligibility. SRE means a great deal in the promotion of Master Sergeant to Senior Master Sergeant, and this will not change. We understand suspension of TA benefits makes things tougher, but there are other ways for Airmen to complete CCAF degrees. CLEP exams, the G.I. Bill, scholarships, and federal grants are some options.
We remain as committed as ever to ensuring Airmen have the opportunity and means to pursue educational goals. We’re still looking at the impacts for FY14 and will do our best to have TA reinstated, although we’ll likely need to review the eligibility requirements to ensure sustainability. We owe you more information on this and will provide details as soon as we can.
Thank you for your service to our Nation.
v/r
jac
JAMES A. CODY
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
I love the part where he says, thank you for our service to the nation. Ummm your welcome :(.
LOL
Not the Onion….
Paul Ryan the vampire.
Simon Maloy @SimonMaloy
————————————
Ryan on fiscal cliff revenues: “That’s the law!” Ryan on Obamacare: “We don’t like this law.”
———————————————
This 6 mo. old baby girl died this morning after she and her dad were shot multiple times as he was changing her diaper in a van outside an apt. bldg yesterday. The father was said to be a target of a gang shooting. The innocent baby paid the price.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-jonylah-watkins-20130311,0,418635.photo
How sick.
Evil. Sick. Wicked. Shameful. Those who continue to allow this carnage to happen, seriously need to LOOK in the Mirror.
Heartbreaking. So needless.
This is so heart breaking. When will the mayor DO something about the rampant gangs with guns? How would anyone want to go to Chicago for vacation or business. Maybe this epidemic needs to hit the city economically for the so-called leaders do something.
Where do the guns come from….follow the gun trail…
Been a bit since I’ve posted. This is absolutely sick. And I’d bet PBO is just as devastated by this as we are. We musn’t give up this fight, TOD. That precious little soul gone for no damn good reason.
Our Lady Mayor normally has a bit from Charles P, so here you go with him yesterday sharing something about our favourite WH press …
So it appears that life as part of the White House press corps is getting a bit dreary these days. The administration declines to pay out the news like it was Old Country Buffet, and there’s no C.J. for our Dannys to flirt with. What’s an ambitious young journo to do?
“It’s not a place that’s easy to generate real scoops. Unlike on Capitol Hill, where you can roam freely and find 535 generally willing sources, plus hundreds of aides, lobbyists, and others, in the White House you face physical and information constraints that make it hard to break out,” Baker, who has been a central figure in the coverage of a Times-reading president, told BuzzFeed. “It can be frustrating and soul-killing to listen to the same talking points and spin sessions day after day.”
As it happens, and only because I found it in a box that was laying around, I’m re-reading Tim Crouse’s seminal The Boys On The Bus, his chronicle of the campaign press during the 1972 presidential race. It’s an interesting experience in that every single problem that Crouse identified in the elite political press 40 years ago — the pack mentality, the faux balance, the timidity, the inability to call out obvious lies — has gotten worse over the last 40 years and not better.
…..//
As she would add – more here (rather at link below) 😉
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/buzzfeed-article-white-house-press-corps-031113
I missed the Ashely Judd b.s. yesterday……In the morning Chuck Todd said Senate D’s were afraid she would be the face of the ’14 class, then
Howard Fineman in the evening said the WH doesn’t want her. Well I would like to respond w/ two simple tweets. Jan 21. Inaugural Day..
Seems like Claire McCaskill was looking forward to a new colleague and for the WH, why do invite someone you don’t like to the most exclusive party in town? The night of inauguration!! She caught a ride to the WH with an off-dut SS officer. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2266156/Inauguration-2013-party-Obama-Ushers-Gangnam-Style-dance-Michelle-grooves-Beyonce.html
Fineman is trying to create controversy. The last thing he wants is for the Turtle to lose.
The WHPC wants her because she will lose so dramatically. I cannot imagine KY electing Ashley Judd to the Senate. A snowball’s chance in hell.
I think she’s terrific and I daresay mountains smarter than the vast majority of elected officials. But do we seriously think she could be elected?
She’s an intellectual, a global activist, a hard worker, a fighter for the cause, and a Democrat. She’d pick up national supporters in the primary, lots of them, which would build the momentum. She’ll have women Democrats with her, and groups like Emily’s List. I think she could win.
I do too. I plan to do what I can to support her. Howard Fineman really works my nerves.
I would truly believe that the world was a better place. Here’s hoping. Word is that she will announce her campaign sometime this spring. But it is Kentucky…….
Fingers crossed!
We can usually really determine if a race is winnable by getting in it, fighting like hell, getting some help from some story with legs and running a competent campaign!
Well, we’re getting better at doing that, that’s for sure! Hey, don’t get me wrong – I would LOVE for her to run, and win.
who does KY Dems have that can fund raise and bringing the money and free media and name recognition that will be needed to fight against McConnell?
No one ever imageine that an African American would ever be elected Senator, then Hiriam Revels became the first AA elected to the Senate from Mississippi in 1870.
If you don’t take a step forward, then all you do is walk backward or stay stagnant.
This is what they said about PBO
Don’t that make sense, the Army don’t want the tanks, buy the guy who talks of to much spending is going to spend 181 million dollars for tanks the Army don’t want. A bunch of lying heartless bastards these Republicans are. Cut food stamps, cut meals on wheels, low income heating assistance, programs to help the disable, but build more un wanted tanks.
This should be shouted from the rooftops, especially during this sequester.
The View is doing their part today in rehabbing W’s reputation, seemingly ordered from on high in order to pave the way for the Jebster. It’s all the rage. Elisabeth just told a touching story about W being so nice to her family when they were invited to the WH, didn’t hit them or anything. And then he walked over to the portrait of Lincoln and said history has been kind to Abe, that he expected the same will be true of himself. And Elisabeth said she thought that would be true, that Lincoln and W will be remembered fondly in the same way and are the same, same, same. This mess started out with Whoopi quoting someone saying people are now thinking more highly of W’s presidency, “compared to what is happening now.” No one protested that much. Barbara slipped in something about the Iraq War at the end, but all seemed fine with that discussion. Wow.
That’s a whole bunch of nonsense. History kind to W? Please. 9/11 happened on his watch, Iraq war and add to all that the Great Recession and Financial meltdown all under his watch. Seeing as the guy responsible for 9/11 was gotten, Iraq war ended, and great recession finally eased after he left office. It does not seem likely that historian are going to airbrush away Obama’s presidency to attributes the correction of those blunders to W. These fools can keep smoking that good stuff, but W. is going to look worse when history is done with him.
We may not hate him like we did in 2008, but he is not going to be remembered fondly either.
In a sense I hate him more. He has shown no remorse and has not used his position as a former POTUS to benefit the country or the world in any manner.
Correct. And, Jeb will find that he will be asked over and over and over again why he declared martial law in FL several days BEFORE 9/11.
#FORWARD
Good thing I didn’t watch the View. But Elisabeth nice story doesn’t change the fact that G.W. Bush lied us into a un-necessary war, that GW Bush left this country in a darn mess.
OMG…..Paul Ryan is the spawn of the devil. This budget is even worse than his last one. It’s horrific in all meaning of the word.
Eddie Munster all grown up with the same attitude as a 10 year old!
O/T but thought this might peak your interest Yardarm… http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/congress-asks-hagel-to-demote-drone-medal/
Yeah I saw that. I knew he’d have something to say about it.
Not the Onion part II
Jeb Bush truly loves his brother, why else would he lie for him.
History must be a new member of the Bush family.
Did you forget 2000? He helped with Harris, to get FL electoral votes for his brother. He guaranteed FL. Voters were purged. Ballots were designed in a deceptive way. So just lying now is just part of the pathology.
And I just read recently that Jeb is the true conservative believer who will pretend he’s moderate and try to create moderate coattails for his dim brother.
What a farce.
They are all delusional if they believe America will allow another Bush in the Oval Office….. Maybe JebBoy thinks if he is elected, he can command the entire 20th century to be re-written, in his favor. Never mind we are in an age of technology which captures truth in every moment, in a vast array of media. I repeat, delusional.
Good old Jeb Bush sign that “Stand Your Ground” bill into law . So the blood of Trayvon Martin is on his lying hands.
A lobbyist from the NRA was standing beside him when he signed the bill.
There’s a certain crowd in this country who would vote for Jeb, for all the wrong reasons … one of which is stupidity, which takes all forms. And there are people who just don’t pay attention, on both sides. Like somebody in 2006 who told me, very seriously, “This country will never be dumb enough to vote George W. Bush into office for a second term.” She was quite surprised when I spilled the beans. SMDH.
https://twitter.com/deaconmill/status/311505665015291904
Corrected version:
https://twitter.com/deaconmill/status/311506240918409216
Correction of correction
Magic ans Spells seem to be two things that Paul Ryan is selling.
He must have had the three Witches from Macbeth helping him out.
Or
Today being the 66th B-day of his former running mate, Willard Mitterrand Romney, Ryan is wishing him a happy birthday by wearing the Magic under garment given to him in 2012……magically wishing that this time, his Off the Planet Budget would take hold?
Hmm?
And—–oops.
I’ve told ya before, Bob, your use of the word “serfs” slays me! I think it’s nervous laughter (like wanting to laugh in church), because it’s really dead serious since that’s where the 99% is heading, if people like Ryan get away with this stuff!
But John Miller the problem with these haters isn’t were Barack Obama was born, the main problem is he is a black man.
uh-huh
I have always believed that.
Yes We Can
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5660/p/dia/action
😳 😳 😳 oh dear….
This might do it… http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=rc2O6fTJSBsC4rdDnXqWVoMnyZeg%2BQZQ
Good morning wonderful TOD family and our Ms Chips. I want to thank all you wonderful TOOders who have volunteered to help here at TOD. We must to all we can to keep our community. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
I just sent an email to the corporate offices of Five Guys Burgers & Fries. There is a franchise owner of 8 stores in North Carolina who has announced his plan to reduce employees hours in order to avoid the Affordable Care Act law of providing insurance to his employees. Go to fiveguys.com, click on Contact Us and respond as I did. I let them know I am a patron of 2 of their stores in my town and plan to NOT go there until I am assured by them that this has been addressed with the gentleman in NC. We must continue to call “bullshit” to these corporate punks!
Done
It is unbelievable how much personal info they wanted. I declined to give it to them. I will use Twitter.
Thanks will do!!! The Obamas helped make Five guys popular as it used to be a favorite burger sport for them!!!
Hopefully the founder remembers this and takes on his cheap franchisees!!!
Not the Onion part III
Bob, I am sick and tired of people like Paul Ryan being taken seriously by the so-called beltway elite. It angers me that someone so patently ignorant and so utterly heartless gets paraded across the media as someone we should regard as even remotely credible. The fact that this little pipsqueak just tosses aside the needs, sufferings, and hardships of tens of millions of Americans like so much used trash makes him unqualified for any role on the national stage. The US Congress and many of our statehouses are filled with buffoons and loonies, but Paul Ryan is one of the few that actually make me feel called to revolution. He is absolutely odious and it should be the goal of every decent, thinking person in the US to make this his last term in Congress and the very last time that we have to listen to his twisted ideas or see his loathsome face.
Hi Jackie …
“The US Congress and many of our statehouses are filled with buffoons and loonies, but Paul Ryan is one of the few that actually make me feel called to revolution.”
… understand how you feel. He is loathsome, but our problem is the people who voted for him (albeit, he lost his ‘home town’ to Zerban by a significant margin — http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/11/10/ryan_lost_his_hometown_badly.html).
Our ‘revolution’ must be at the ballot box in 2014 and the focus must be on convincing every eligible voter to stop voting against their own interests by supporting people like Ryan, Cantor, Boehner, McConnell, etc.
With OFA growing more stronger by the day, we finally have a State by State, grass roots organization that can do the educating of the electorate so desperately needed between now and 2014, and for every election thereafter.
Yes We Can
here here! thanks bob, for reminding us that the ‘loathsome’ ryan and his despicable cronies are ELECTED! and we know for sure that voters can be informed, rallied, and relied upon to vote their best interest, even against massive money-pot rethug efforts. witness the president in his second term!
Bob, I sure am working on it. I can’t change the whole country, but I can work as hard as I can to wake up the people in my congressional district. Republicans across the country have to be outed for the destructive creeps they are.
Jackie, it’s all about each of us doing all we can in our CDs. If everyone does that, we will retake the House and strengthen our presence in the Senate in 114th Congress and prepared for doing even more in the General Election of 2016.
Thank you for all you are doing!!
#FORWARD … Together
Don’t forget his district was gerrymandered so he could stay in office. This was done by the State of Wisconsin – we need to be aware who we put into office on a state level as well. This is where the Koch brothers are focusing. If they can change enough states to red, they can push their policies through. We need to take our states back, where possible, to blue.
Yes We Can
Michael Tomasky – March 12, 2013
//…………………..
What [Paul Ryan] really sought with those first two budgets was not to egg Washington toward deficit hawkery, but to egg it toward cuts to programs he doesn’t like—Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, other projects that assist poor people, keep the air clean, and perform all those bothersome functions that keep America’s potential Galts in chains.
That’s Ryan’s game. But give him points for catching on, however slowly. Now it’s finally dawned on him to put forward a budget that balances in 10 years. And so what we’re likely to see Wednesday and Thursday, despite the laughingstock that his budget already is to those who’ve been watching him closely, is a thunderous round of harrumphs from the likes of Pete Peterson, Maya MacGuineas, The Washington Post’s editorial page, Alan Simpson, Erskine Bowles, Alice Rivlin, and all the other folks who go around insisting that the budget deficit is our biggest problem.
It’s not. Jobs are still are our biggest problem. ……………..
……………….//
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/12/how-obama-should-respond-to-ryan.html
Expanded, affordable health care IS a job creator!
I received this email and I can’t even bring myself to respond at this point. My blood is boiling and I am afraid of what I might say…..
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your patience throughout the White House tour request process.
Our office was notified today that the President has chosen to cancel all White House Tours after March 9th, 2013. Unfortunately, these tours will not be able to be rescheduled. The White House will notify me as soon as they are able to receive requests and schedule new tours.
As of right now, our office does not have any information about when tours will resume. I sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may cause.
Instead of cutting back on the President and First Lady’s expensive vacations, he has chosen to eliminate White House tours, which are very inexpensive, to show his displeasure over the sequester.
Our operating budget was cut as well, however, I can assure you that I will have staff on hand to give you a tour of the U.S. Capitol. If you have not previously scheduled a Capitol tour and would like one, please contact Sarah Bellott in my office at 202-225-5435.
Thank you for understanding,
John J. Duncan, Jr.
Member of Congress
They have gone from Benghazi, to golf with Tiger, to WH tours. What manufactured “scandal” will be next?
Why don’t they ask questions about things that matter to the people like, J-o-b-s .
Oh my! I haven’t gotten mine yet but “betcha” I get it soon. All these folks are truly C-R-A-Z-Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you going to one of the action days Saturday? I just got that email from June.
I am not sure yet. I will be heading out of town on Tuesday and have a lot to get done prior to leaving.
K. Safe travels. I will either go to Farragut or Bearden location. Would love to see you!
It has been a while, so it’s time that I go visit my mom.
Tnmtngirl, is it appropriate in TN to throw shoes at him?
Symmetry, take a deep breath and then do two things: 1) call the Congressman’s office and tell them that their message to you was an affront to your intelligence and that you know very well who is responsible for the sequester and instead of complaining about the president and insulting his family, you want your congressman to do something about the sequester himself. Either support a bill to repeal the sequester or cooperate with the president on a balanced approach to reducing the deficit; 2) go to your conressman’s ‘contact’ page on his website and write him an e-mail saying the same thing. Say that you never again want to receive such a disgusting and untruthful communication from his office.
Thanks, Jackie. I plan to respond, I just have to wait until I am not so upset. He obviously thinks that I am one of his uneducated constituents.
Go Dems. One budget is about growth, jobs and planning for the future. The other is about retreating, declining, and surrendering the future to other countries. Gee, which one would you choose?
Good news, Jer, although I would hate to meet the 33 percent idiots who have a favorable opinion of him. By all rights his approval rating should be in the teens, if that. I want this utterly incompetent governor not only be defeated, but crushed in 2014. He has simply no redeeming qualities whatsoever–none. And that’s the best I can say for him. Don’t get me started on what I really think.
BooooooooooooM!!!!!
| Live Now | V.P. Biden Speaks at the National League of Cities’ 2013 Congressional City Conference – Audio Only: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/vp-biden-speaks-national-league-cities-2013-congressional-city-conference
| Live Now | V.P. Biden Speaks at the National League of Cities’ 2013 Congressional City Conference – http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=1
I don’t ever want to appear disrespectful to Hispanic Americans so I didn’t reply to your tweet, but I was thinking you might add … en español … because ya just know he’s going to say he’s all for our Hispanic population because he’s “married to one.” Republicans think their credibility is by association (“I have Hispanic friends” or “My son speaks Spanish”), not as much by internal core principles of value to our country.
You make several important points, Jacqueline and I agree with all of them. Since I do not speak Spanish, it would be disingenuous of me to transmit it in that language. Sure hope someone who knows Spanish will do so, however 🙂
#FORWARD
I didn’t expect it to be added, thanks, but just wanted to express how I felt, which you helped me do. And, of course, there will be a next time out of that crowd of charlatans.
JOB, it is beyond insulting to the Latino community to assume that they are stupid enough not to understand when someone is real and when they are feeding them crap. Since I have been working closely with the Latinos in our community for the last two and a half years, I can tell you that they “get out” and are not going to be swayed by these “my best friend is Spanish” frauds.
This is basically the lowering of Woodward’s coffin to stage “6 feet under”
lovelyplains, thank you so much for posting that link. A facinating read!
sure thing AJ
Thank you LP.
Fellow TODers – this article is a MUST READ!!!
#FORWARD
We are all in this together Bob4r, most of you have a bigger platform than I. I am just trying to do my part to keep the ball rolling……..#FORWARD
You are doing a great job, LP …. and, we are all each others ‘platform’ … that’s how communities hang together and enacting and enforce change 🙂
Thanks for the kind words Bob4r
MSNBC is reporting FLOTUS has been hacked and her SS# is on a web page.
This is getting serious and someone needs to land in jail–PRONTO. Enough of the racist crazy in this country. Enough!!!
I’m with you. It’s getting to the UNBEARABLE stage, every damn day. I don’t care how old I am, if there’s a march somewhere, I’m going, and dragging my old baby boomer friends who are also saying ENOUGH.
Apparently, Pres. Obama is on his way to Capitol Hill.
Is he still allowed to drive over, or does he have to walk the two miles ?
If he and the Secret Service skip lunch, I think he gets to use the car and have protection. (Grrr … )
Here is (IMO) a very interesting article on Bob Woodward. It’s a bit long, but it sure shows a defective journalistic character.
http://mobile.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/03/bob_woodward_and_gene_sperling_what_woodward_s_john_belushi_book_can_tell.html?original_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2F0Nc6gblw1c
Fascinating! Thank you!
It was, wasn’t it? YVW
In Pennsylvania, today is the deadline for filing petitions for municipal and county elections. We returned our county petitions to the Dem Party on Sunday. This morning, at 11:49 a.m., I filed our municipal petitions at the county courthouse. HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following positions are up for election: Tax Collector, four Council seats, Mayor, and School Board Director. We filed petitions for TC and council; were unable to find candidates for mayor & school board. That, I’m still recruiting for because if I can find someone interested, we can do a write-in during the primary. It only takes 10 qualified write-in votes to get on the ballot if the party has not fielded a primary candidate. Our slate is gender diverse council — 2 women, 2 men; wish we could have done better on race — 1 white, 3 black; HOWEVER, the repubs are running 4 white males — NO DIVERSITY!
The incumbent mayor is a white, female, repub; the incumbent school director is a white, male repub. As I said earlier, I’m still looking for candidates; the election is in 10 weeks — I know how to mount a write-in
I’m the incumbent tax collector, running for my 5th term, however, this is my first time running as a democrat. In 2009, I was still a member of the repub party, I was endorsed for reelection by our committeeman and committeewoman, however, as there were SOME active party members who were perturbed because I very publicly supported PBO’08 (State Vets co-chair, State Repub for Obama Steering Group), I was surprised that I didn’t have a primary challenger; meanwhile, the Dems not only didn’t run a candidate, they wrote me in on their ballot, so in the 2009 general election, I was on both the Dem & repub ballots. I flipped to the Dem party in Dec 2010. Surprisingly, I hear the repubs are not running a candidate for tax collector. I’ll find out next week when I review the opposing petitions.
Now, it is on to voter registration…
Oh, and for the really BIG news, our council now has a DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY, as we FLIPPED one of the repubs!
FORWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
congrats!!! forward indeed!!
Congratulations Alycee. Our petitions were due in today as well. We have two Latinos running for City Council and one for School Board. Unfortunately, no one would step forward on the Dem side to run for Mayor. Still..it’s progress.
Jackie, Congrats! Don’t forget, you still have 10 weeks to find a credible write-in candidate. The number write-ins needed depends on the size of your municipality. It can be done…
Clapppppppping for Alycee,,
Thanks!
Good stuff, Alycee! Here is a short video agreeing with you and Linda and JackieG and others. 😉
THANK YOU VC. Just trying to do my part…
Not only ‘trying’, but DOING! Really terrific! (I know a real politician! I know a real politician! You’re my first. :lol:)
more like ‘no, we WON’T take care of our people, our environment, our infrastructure’.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that Republicans will use the expiration of the debt limit this summer as leverage to get President Obama to consider entitlement reforms.
This could set up a standoff over the nation’s borrowing authority similar to the one that resulted in the nation losing its credit rating in 2011.
“Until we make our entitlement programs fit the demographics of our country, you can’t save America, you can’t save the healthcare system,” McConnell said. “There is no revenue solution, I would say to you.”
“We all anticipate that the president’s request of us to raise the debt ceiling, which we’ll probably do sometime this will generate another, hopefully, another discussion about solving the real problem,” he said.
McConnell said the only way to “straighten America out” is to “fix the entitlement issue.”
-/
Yes! Just what the country needs, another battle over the debt limit.
Question: if we just said ok to Ryan vouchers, can’t Obamacare pick up the slack for the Elderly? Because they are not going to stop until they ruin everything, it’s their goal. 😦
I can not stand that evil man McTurtle
Jovie, the answer to your question is NOT ONLY NO, BUT, HELL NO!!!! Voucher care does not impose any cost controls on insurance companies, therefore, the value of the voucher will be drastically diminished over time. I view vouchers as just another scheme to transfer wealth from the poor and middle class TO the wealthy.
Based on the repub budget proposals, proposed rollbacks of labor laws and minimum wage scales, I’ve come to believe that the republican party wants to take us back to enslavement, indentured servitude, poor houses and debtors prisons…
I said Obamacare replace?
No, but Ryan did in the past (haven’t perused his latest fairy tale yet); how, do you think, a mix of vouchers & ObamaCare would work?
Am stepping away for a few hours; taking my Mom to see Fela! in Philly. Haven’t been to a play in a couple of years, looking forward to it. Will check-in when I return…
“Make our ‘entitlement programs’ fit the demographics of our country” is McConnell code for ensuring that no people of color get entitlements. If he could wave a wand so only white Republicans could get Social Security and Medicare, he would be fine with it. The racists are fully out of the closet now, pandering to the KKK clubs across the country. McConnell thinks he’s a big guy threatening the president on the “debt ceiling” again, but it was big money guys who jerked his chain on that one the last time and he had to pull back. A sequester is one thing–it affects internal spending. The debt limit upsets the international markets, risks another downgrade and has serious consequences for Wall Street and the Republicans corporate masters and they are not going to like it and won’t stand for it.
Ryan’s unfortunate slip
By Steve Benen
——————————–
Jed Lewison catches House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) delivering a line today he probably wishes he could take back.
For those who can’t watch clips online, Ryan said, in reference to his plans for health care:
“This to us is something that we’re not going to give up on, because we’re not going to give up on destroying the health care system for the American people.”
Coming soon to a campaign ad near you.
———————————–
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/12/17286141-ryans-unfortunate-slip?lite
O/T For die-hards……..NFL free agency begins in 18 minutes, the dominos are falling already.
here’s our mazie:
“I bring quadruple diversity to the Senate. I’m a woman. I’ll be the first Asian woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate. I’m an immigrant. I’m a Buddhist. When I said this at a gathering, they said, ‘Yes, but are you gay?’ I said, ‘Nobody’s perfect.”‘
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/21579122/sen-hirono-joke-goes-viral-on-social-media
Hey Japa, did you start that GOPspeak hashtag thingy or are you waiting for another day? I’ve wandered into twitter land a couple of times today to check but didn’t notice anything.
Not yet. I will probably spend some time tonight working on some and put them out there tomorrow.
Okay, sir. Will keep an eye open tomorrow. 😉
Ugh…
Jonathon Alter and Gene Robinson in the same segment ?
Yes, twas difficult; yet, today they both made some decent points.
Remember this ACA video from the past?
is it off-topic to offer a link about irish whiskey as we approach st paddy’s day? 🙂
‘Bottled at a husky 115.4 proof, the cask-strength edition of Redbreast’s cultish twelve-year whiskey is a bully of a dram — you can almost hear it cracking its knuckles when it sees you coming. But for all its overproof bluster, the stuff is awfully chummy on the tongue. ‘
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2013/03/best-irish-whiskey-saint-patricks-day.html
Don’t you all see? The reason they want to repeal Obamacare while simultaneously voucherizing medicare?
Because the elderly would get subsidized for Obamacare. It’s almost redundant, and Ryan knows it.
excellent read. here’s a great line from pierce:
‘When he laughed at Paul Ryan in that debate, Joe Biden laughed for America.’
Read more: Paul Ryan 2014 Path To Prosperity Budget – What Is It About America He Doesn’t Get? – Esquire http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/paul-ryan-newest-budget-031213#ixzz2NMghKJic
George Stephanopoulos will interview PBO today and the intervew will air on 3 separate ABC segments beginning this evening on ABC’s World news with Diane Sawyer, followed by ABC’s Good Morning America tomorrow Wednesday morning, and then Nightline later past midnight Wednesday into Thursday morning (12:30AM)
Are we prepared to stomach George’s snippy, snide and useless questions?
ref guide to irish whiskey above 🙂
Don’t know if the whiskey or George will give me the bigger headache. I will find a beverage of choice to get through his b.s. Of course PBO will shine.
so true…
Strawman, right?
Tweety’s entire segment on Jeb being ” proud of his brother’s accomplishments ” left out Abu Ghraib and the torture program.
Thank you Bob….:-)
The “librul” media is on a mission to rehabilitate the Bush name so clear the way for Jeb to run.
Just as they tried to help Mitt Romney etch-a-sketch his numerous lies, job outsourcing and tax dodging antics, they think they can attempt again to deceive the American people with this nonsense. Memo to Librul Media: We The People were very alert to your crap in 2012, and that won’t change in 2016.
Bobfr, have you forgotten that Tweety has always been a Bush enabler? Here’s a refresher for you, plus the author’s conclusion. 😉
//…..
I plan to make it my life’s work to remind Chris Matthews of these little exchanges. It was the day that Matthews revealed that he and the other mediawhores were not just shilling for the GOP for professional reasons, but that they actually had a barely contained (and inexplicable) sexual attraction to George W. Bush. It explained so very much. Today, when you see him and Mrs Greenspan rushing to proclaim Cheney a big winner,for instance, perhaps it is best understood as a way of distancing themselves from an unrequited love while leaving the door open in case there is still a chance for a passionate encounter, for old time’s sake.
If there is one question that I would love to see somebody ask any member of the Bush administration, it is how come they are fighting for their lives when less than eighteen short months ago they not only had a 90% approval rating, they had the entire US press corpse on its knees, quivering and drooling in anticipation of a mere taste of the manly presidential life force. Seems to me that’s the real story of this election. How in the hell did they fall so far, so fast?”
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/tweety-does-full-180-bushs-mission-accompl
Haven’t forgotten anything about that dude, VC. Cheers!!
#FORWARD
laughing sooo hard!! have you seen this speech charles pierce wrote for rmoney?
‘ I’m Mitt Romney, bitches, and I’m still all you got.
Sure, I was down for about 10 or 15 minutes when it turned out that all the people I’d been listening to for all those months were wrong. Are all people in politics like that? Holy Moroni, if I’d hired those kind of morons at Bain, we’d have been selling frozen yogurt in Faneuil Hall within six months. But I carry no grudges. Wealth hath its privileges, and one of those is that I stopped pretending to give a fck about the rest of you 10 minutes after the room service guy bringing coffee to the suite on election night told me I’d lost. He said it with a smile. I got him fired. ‘
Read more: Mitt Romney Birthday – A Birthday Speech For Willard Romney – Esquire http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/mitt-romney-birthday-031213#ixzz2NMjcI400
I’m confused. Howard Fineman doubled down today on “Obama’s people don’t want Ashley Judd to run.”
I expected Fineman to walk back this assertion from yesterday which I thought may have been made in the excitement of his having a “scoop.”
But no. He said it again today with more force.
I don’t believe that the Obama team is sending this message to Ashley, do you?
What’s going on?
Apart from the fact that Fineman works for the Corporate state.
can any TOD person explain this?
Frankly, I don’t believe Fineman has access to “Obama’s people” so he just makes stuff up. He desperately WANTS access to President Obama’s close sources. This is not how President Obama and his people operate. This is totally out of character for what we’ve learned over the past five years. Doubling down is Howard’s exaggerated defensive behavior…..
We see the Repubs…especially the RWNJs — do it all the time. Their mind set seems to be it doesn’t matter if it’s not true; if I say it over and over in a tone with conviction, I sound as if I know what I’m talking about and people will THINK it’s true.
A lot of pundits have gotten the big head and think anything say will be taken as gospel because of who they are.
i have zero access to ‘obama people’, so this is just my opinion. (hmm–excellent sentence for fineman to have used in his piece!)
anyway, i think the punditry is bored with budget/math/policy/governance issues, mostly because it’s over their heads, but also because our president is so consistent and clear, that there’s not much for pundits to say after they quote pbo. so they cook up controversies, to give them something exciting to write about–and if they can include a beautiful woman with name recognition, then they’re really happy.
this way, they get a guaranteed scoop–nobody else has this news that you make up! and see how we all are talking about fineman now? his name is replacing woodard’s in the national conversation. win for him, right? he thinks so anyway. just my opinion–absolutely no insider sources contributed to this post! 🙂
I did not expect Fineman to walk back his assertion from yesterday. Habitual liars rarely walk back their lies. Despite his claims to the contrary, Fineman DOES have a dog in this fight,and he does not want McConnell the Republican to lose to Judd or any other DEM for that matter.
Notice that Fineman has not mentioned a thing about Mitch McConnell and his extremely low approval ratings, even among KY GOP – yet he has been relentlessly pushing unsourced rumors about “Obama’s people” & Ashley Judd?
Yup—-the “I don’t have a dog in this fight” was a definite lie. So another explanation, mentioned on TOD yesterday is that GOPTP/MSM are terrified Ashley Judd will win.
He is just SO cool. He can’t help it.
What an elegant man. so graceful.
Why am I grinning at this pic from ear to ear? Why?
Because we all are! 🙂
Swag meter on overdrive!
Yum.
Exquisite.
Unlike Senator Cruz and Ryan and McCain and Graham, Senator Warren is on the job for the American people..
Here is the REAL reason why Howard Fineman keeps pounding on Ashley Judd and “Obama’s people” on MSNBC. As a way to distract from this: And it’s a shame that even GOPolitico is honest enough to report this but Howard is choosing to focus instead on a manufactured narrative about his potential DEM opponent.
Thanks, hf. Mitch sucks and Ashley is smart and lovely. more than enough to frighten Corporate AOL puppets.
We have to remember Fineman is from Kentucky. His “inside” sources are probably from Kentucky. I would say his inside source is Mitch McConnell……just guessing, but not a bad guess.
Did anyone see the ABC interview with the President? We were watching Rev. Al, and didn’t feel like listening to Diane Sawyer.
Here is a short clip of the interview: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/obama-balance-budget-sake-balance-18713995
Rundown on the Dem caucus meeting-
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/287695-senate-democrats-pepper-obama-on-entitlement-reform
POTUS should just say I quit, you guys figure it out.
I mean, both sides have zero cooperation on anything!!