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Sarah Kliff: President Obama’s budget proposal will include $235 million in funding for new mental health programs, focused initiatives to help schools detect early warning signs and train thousands of new mental health professionals.
The new budget plan will propose $130 million for programs that train teachers and other adults to help recognize early signs of mental illness, referring them to help when they detect such warnings. That includes $55 million for a new program called Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education). That will give states and local school districts grants to administer such programs, while also collecting data on how well they work.
Another $50 million in funds would go toward training masters-level mental health specialists such as psychologists, nurses and counselors who work in schools. The idea is to expand the mental health workforce to prepare for the demands of millions of Americans who will gain health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Read more here
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Carrie Dann: Blasting opponents of new gun control measures for being in a “time warp,” Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday that a potential filibuster of pending gun legislation would be “embarrassing” for America’s reputation around the world.
“What an embarrassing thing to say,” Biden said of the stated intent of 13 senators to prevent a vote on new background check legislation.
“You’ve got leading senators of the most august legislative body in the world saying we’re not even going to talk about this tragedy that traumatized a nation and caught the attention of an entire world,” he said during remarks to law enforcement officers in Washington D.C. “The climax of this tragedy could be that we’re not even going to get a vote?” he added. “Imagine how this makes us look.”
Read more here
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The Obama Administration’s Record On Human Trafficking Issues
White House: President Obama delivered his seminal speech on the fight to end trafficking in persons at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in September 2012. During that speech, President Obama announced a number of new Administration commitments to combat trafficking at home and abroad. The four elements of this strategy include:
1) Preventing trafficking by raising awareness among vulnerable populations, leading by example, and educating the public and first responders;
2) Prosecuting traffickers through strengthened investigations and enforcement tools;
3) Protecting survivors through comprehensive social services, family reintegration, and immigration services; and
4) Partnering with civil society, state and local government, the private sector, and faith-based organizations to maximize resources and outcomes.
Read more here
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Washington Post: When she returns home here Wednesday to deliver a speech on gun violence, first lady Michelle Obama will be making a rare foray into the politics of the day that could presage a more activist role during her husband’s second term. “The speech is deeply personal,” said Valerie Jarrett, a senior White House adviser and close friend of the Obamas. “She will really speak from the heart as a mom, as a Chicagoan and as somebody who cares intensely about providing young people with the opportunities that they need to achieve their full potential.”
Obama will speak at a downtown fundraising luncheon for a new, $50-million public-private initiative to curb youth violence in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D), a former White House chief of staff, will introduce her, and an estimated 800 business executives and civic leaders plan to attend. After her speech, Obama will visit with students and counselors at Harper High, one of Chicago’s most dangerous schools; last year, 29 current or recent Harper students were shot, eight of them fatally.
Aides said Obama was motivated to take on the gun-violence issue publicly in February when she attended the funeral of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old majorette who was shot and killed at a Chicago park just days after traveling to Washington for President Obama’s second inauguration. “The first lady, sitting in Hadiya’s funeral and seeing the grief and heartache in the community just a block away from where Hadiya was murdered and the first lady’s home, was devastated, but she was also determined to do something to prevent this from happening again,” Jarrett said. “She was determined to turn her grief into action.”
Read more here
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Senator To Newtown Families: Gun Debate Has Nothing To Do With You (Jim Inhofe wins douchebag of the year)
Igor Volsky: As the Senate prepares to take up a comprehensive gun safety bill on Thursday, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) told reporters that the coming debate will have nothing to do with the families of the victims from Newtown, Connecticut.
“See, I think it’s so unfair of the administration to hurt these families, to make them think this has something to do with them when, in fact, it doesn’t,” Inhofe said and suggested that Obama is manipulating and misinforming the families for political purposes.
Read more here
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Brian Beutler: Mitt Romney’s unfathomably large IRA was a big political liability for him in 2012.
Fortunately for other financial titans who hope to be president, it’ll be hard in the future to skirt the rules and amass such enormous, tax-deferred savings — if President Obama gets his way. A new provision in Obama’s budget “[e]nds a loophole that lets wealthy individuals circumvent contribution limits and a cumulate millions in tax-preferred retirement accounts,” according to a budget summary released by the White House. The White House is unveiling its new budget Wednesday.
A senior administration official confirmed to TPM that the provision is a fresh addition to Obama’s budget, and intended to close the loophole that allowed Romney to amass upward of $100 million in his individual retirement account. The budget also proposes ending the so-called carried-interest loopholes, that allows financial managers to pay tax on what most would consider labor income at a lower capital gains rate.
Read more here
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It’s Wednesday; let “one of America’s best known Al Green impersonators” serenade you. 😀
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All Times Eastern
10:00AM: Pres. Obama and VP Biden receive the presidential daily briefing
10:00AM: Dr. Jill Biden meets with George Washington University student veterans and faculty
11:00AM: Pres. Obama delivers a statement in the Rose Garden
11:15AM: Pres. Obama meets with senior advisors
12:30PM: Pres. Obama and VP Biden meet for lunch
12:30PM: OMB Acting Director Jeffrey Zients discusses Pres. Obama’s FY 2014 Budget at a news conference
3:35PM: Pres. Obama and VP Biden meet with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew
6:30PM: Pres. Obama hosts Republican Senators for dinner
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Photo of the day by Pete Souza: Pres. Obama and Chief of Staff Denis McDonough walk along the South Lawn of the White House.
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Morning, Bonjour, Buenos Días, Buon Giorno, Maith Ar Maidin, Guten Morgen, Bom Dia. 😀
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The Obama Diary 
Good Morning!
It’s nice to drop in unexpectedly and see the door open & inviting. 😆
Wonder if this means today is the day to buy a lottery ticket?
Ahem …
I’m out of cough drops, sorry. Will pick up a packet IF I go out today.
heh…perfect, but who gets a rise out of doing bills? This just reminds me it’s tax day for me. ARGGGGHHHH!!!
Don’t mind Amk, CM. He’s only trying a ‘subtle’ shakedown.
We had a new moon this morning VC, conjunction in Aries, at 5:35amEDT! So, probably Yes! Good time for a fresh start!
A ‘fresh start’, eh? Hmmmmnn.
😀 😀 Morning, Pamela.
Early VC-Bird?! 😉
Goooood MooOOOooorning, Ms Chips! Did you see that above? 😉 😉 😆
Please excuse my manners, Utal. A very ‘Good Morning’ to you! ( I had to get that jab in at CC first.)
Congratulations VC!
Thanks, Utal, and have a great Wednesday!
Did you forget ‘Dia uit’ in your multilingual greetings or is that the same as ‘Maith Ar Maidin’? I confess that I’m not doing too well in my ‘Irish’ class. 😀
Good morning.
Go Biden. He nails it.
Howdy to all my O peeps!!! How’s everyone doing on yet another great getting up day on Avenue TOD?
PBO takes the podium at 11:00am est to announce his much awaited budget. Remember, we shouldn’t expect applause from the passion brigade of either side. Prepare for a Twitter Tornado and take care not to let all the hoopla get to you. There will be Facebook Fallout and Pinrest Unrest, just take it in stride. Can TODville be a safe haven when it gets too much? Do we really have to hear about the emoprogs and demogogs? Can we let the keyboard warriors flail and rail, while we do our thing by supporting PBO’s budget where it matters, with OFA, feet on the street.
Morning Cookemom! You sound up and ready to go. I guess all that partay-ing with the WH last night is still bubbling in your system.
You won’t hear about the ’emoprogs &/demogogs’ from me. My goal for twitter today is to drop an occasional reminder about gun violence prevention, mentioning the names of an occasional senator or two who needs to be reminded s/he isn’t hidden.
Hey vc, yes I did boogie way long and hard last nite. Then, I wrapped it up with a little bump and grind when they sang the slow jams. As a matter of fact, I got up much later than usual, after a most unforgettable night of partying. The only thing that could have made it any better, would have been a little serenade by you know who.
Seems to me, CM, PBO made the best choice for both you and himself! I don’t think YOUR heart could have handled any more strain than was put on it starting at 7:30pm, and he has, hopefully, broken the expectation that he will perform at these do’s!
I just wish I knew how to be more effective in pushing back. The whiny left has again latched on to ONE thing, they won’t bother to research it or look for truth, and they certainly won’t help any kind of progressive agenda.
There are days when teh Stupid is just overwhelming.
I LOVE it when I wake up and President Obama is my president!!
AMEN!!!! Have a wonderful day!!
A bipartisan group of senators has struck a deal to expand gun background checks to all commercial sales — whether at gun shows, via the Internet or in any circumstance involving paid advertising, according to Senate aides familiar with the talks.
The proposed agreement would be more stringent than current law, which requires checks only when purchases are made through a licensed dealer, but less than originally sought by President Obama and congressional Democrats, who were seeking to expand background checks to nearly every kind of sale.
The agreement should secure enough bipartisan support for the Senate to proceed to debate on an overarching bill that would expand background checks, make gun trafficking a federal crime for the first time and bolster federal funding for school security plans. Senate Democratic leaders have said they will permit senators of both parties to introduce amendments to the measure.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/10/bipartisan-deal-reached-on-gun-background-checks/
Watered down—–but I guess I’m supposed to be thankful for this first step? Am I right that this would not affect person to person sales that are at the root of all the gun violence in Chicago and other urban areas? Reporting this a.m. suggests that this is it—–nothing else has a chance—no limits on magazine clips etc. Pretty pitiful, imho.
You DO have to start somewhere… I’m not crazy about it either. Now we have to VOTE these clowns out in 2014 and work to beef it up after we get more Reps and Senators who have some sense.
Exactly, isonprize. This is a first step. When we get a Dem Congress we can do better. As PBO said at the outset, if we can stop one child from getting killed, it will be worth it.
Hello UT – thank you for the rise & shine (be it almost bedtime here 🙂 )
One thing that should NEVER be sold on the internet is guns and ammunition. Be interesting to see how they do background checks on internet buyers.
As for school security funding – they could give millions and it would make no difference – the only people who benefit from that are the security firms – who needless to say support the NRA.
Still – something is going to get debated & the voters should be able to see who has the courage to love children over guns – and the reverse
Is this the Manchin and Toomey proposal? With the loophole that exempts family members and ‘friends’?
I’m all for compromise, but the ‘friends’ loophole is big enough to drive truckloads of guns through.
How do you like the new reply/retweet popup in the same tab ? I had to work all week for it and hence the glitch in the last few days.
Huh? Could I have a Standard English translation please?
And a Good Morning/Afternoon to you, sir!
Till last week, when you reply/retweet, it will take you to a new page for you do it. Now, it pops up the same page you are viewing it making it a lot easier to reply/retweet.
Aaah! 😎
psst! I hesitate to be too effusive in case the bill finds its way to *my* door.
bill ??? Try bills. Claiming you haven’t yet received them so passe’.
Just buy that damned lotto tkt.
If you mean tweets posted on TOD, it’s always worked that way for me. It’s always popped up in a new frame on the same page. It’s never taken me to a new page or tab.
Same here…
Lemme guess, you all use chrome browser ?
Same here. I use Safari.
Good morning/evening!
Nope. Safari.
It’s a ff problem then.
amk, nope. I’m using Firefox.
I’m on firefox and it has always opened in the same window. So, I don’t think it’s a firefox problem. It might (and I stress “might”) be a settings issue.
Ditto. Ah, Safari! ❤
First time for me on ff . How about others ?
I wish I had a clue what you’re talking about. When I ‘reply’ I get a little drop down space on the same page. there’s nothing there about tweeting, twitting, or twatting on the drop down though. The only time I get a new page, is when I first log on to WP.
Me, too.
CollegeKay will be live tweeting Rand Paul’s speech at Howard University. The University has been trying to censor the students questions, but they’re pushing back.
He thinks he wants to run for President, but has to have his questions censored from a few college kids? He’s ridiculous, and not ready for prime time. And he’s a liar.
Rand Paul don’t want anyone to ask him about those racists papers his father were tied to, or ask him about civil rights, voter’s rights.
The truth is that his current and future plans are even more dangerous than his past. Those racist papers, while vile, were only read by fellow racists. His current plans to filibuster gun control legislation, and his future plans to run for President terrify me.
BTW, how ‘dare’ you assume that I was snarking at YOU on the twitter? I would never do that to ANY of my team members!!!! Fighting with you is a private in-family in-the-village ♥ thing. Jeez. To clarify, this applies to all TODobots; my comments on ‘the twitter’ would never be meant to put you on the spot.
Huh ? You mean weren’t snarking ? That makes it worse, doesn’t it ?
I was snarking BUT NOT AT YOU! Just using your tweet to snark at the hypocrites – obviously it didn’t work as you got the wrong message. I’m clarifying so you (and other TODobots) can be sure in future (if I try to be ‘funny’, ‘snarky’, or whatever on the twitter) it’s NEVER at the expense of the members on my team. I can’t tolerate team members who stab each other in the back, especially out in public – like some Dem senators/reps do re PBO. I have always believed that if they have a problem with his approach they should take it up with him and his admin first. If I have a problem (read ‘real criticism’) with you I’ll take it up quietly in-house. That’s just my way. Just saying.
Duly noted. 🙂
Good morning TOD family,
Very nice post UT and Congratz VC. Hanging out by yourself up there for a minute…….
It is another beautiful day in NYC!
Morning LDS! Yes, I had a chance to cast my ogles around the terrain while standing there alone. Not much movement at the time. 😉 😉
It’s your world. I am just a squirrel trying to get a nut!
Now, where did that come from! Oh, my, my, my…….
I know I heard that somewhere before….
Okay. Time for some green tea. Too early to get deep. Sounding like Sarah Palin…..argh!
You could never….. Sound like that, LDS, no fear. 😉
Will we be able to see FLOTUS speech today in Chicago?
NBC local news station WMAQ Channel 5, will be carrying it. Here’s the link, looks like it’ll be live streamed: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/First-Lady-Returns-to-Chicago-To-Discuss-Youth-Violence-200238791.html
Seems she has more fans in the US than anywhere else. I was in London for the QM funeral (2002) – millions in the streets – not a problem anywhere (well getting the tube home was a test of strength and patience). This is going to be very different.
Together with Reagan she started the hate and abandonment of the poor in favor of the rich. The sale of the council housing pitted the working classes against each other and caused the abandonment of a housing system that had created worthwhile communities. I cannot think of anything she did that was of benefit to most of the British people.
she has more
fans</del rwnj fanatics in the US./fixed.
dratz…
We get the message nontheless. 😀
I assumed the rwnj – cause no-one else would want her – it’s interesting to see who people have as their “heroes” – those that last the test of time are usually the humanists who care for people over money – anywhere, anytime.
It would be one thing if they held her up as a hero and they really understood her policies. But, just like with Reagan, the right wing crazies are exhibiting their extreme hypocrisy, because they idolize someone who was actually “guilty” of high taxes and spending more in social programs (against her will) than the RWNJ’s will allow here in their own country. She was horrible, though.
This is what I expected. After the MSM’s disgusting coverage after the death of Strom Thurmond, I expected canonization by the MSM for Thatcher.
tax cheaters like mittbot are going to find it increasingly difficult.
Awesome news! Pretty soon there will be no where to hide!
Good morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!! vc…look at you! Congrats on 1st…did you set your alarm clock to peek in the door extra early? 🙂 About time!! Going to be a good day….call your congresscritters today, and every day, until they do the right thing!
Morning, Df! It was really a fluke. 😆 I was feeling guilty about not exercising for a long while (nothing like a friend’s b-day party on Saturday to give incentive) so I got up early and turned on my zumba music CD. Of course that’s right beside my laptop so who could resist a little peek – not me. 😉
Magandang umaga TODvillians from around the world. We are a true international community. Stormy day in Chicago. Hopefully it will not impact FLOTUS’ trip here. I heard I am getting a special invitation to meet with her privately prior to her speech. Haven’t received it yet, but I was assured it was coming. Then I woke up.
japa21, I was believing everything you were saying, then I got to the woke up part. Thanks for the laugh. 🙂
😆 Me too, Japa, as I do not see any reason you would not be invited to meet FLOTUS, except of course, several of the TOD lads would need smelling salts (and naughty mats!) 😆
As would I.
Goes without saying! 😉
You should put up this linky.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/overview
The office of Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) says he still supports the filibuster.
What else would we expect from that bastard Burr? Would we expect him to act like a human being?
Maybe he is trying to join forces with Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. The right wingers from SC, TN, GA, AL, and MS do not support the filibuster.
I do not understand what happened in NC – I am really struggling with all the bad news coming in daily about our state legislature and then Burr to top it off.
Billionaire Art Pope has taken over the state. Republicans fear his power.
My son and daughter-in-law just moved to Charlotte. Two new Democrats, take heart. Things will change.
McTurtle says that is office was bugged in the same manner that Nixon used at the Watergate. Then he says, ‘that’s what lefties do’. I’m like, ‘huh…Nixon was a leftie…who knew?’ He’d better be worried about laws he and his aids broke by having campaign strategy sessions, instead of what the taxpayers pay them to do.
cookemom it just prove what we know about McConnell McTurtle, he is a bold face lair.
He is also a wimp anniebella – it’s all the GOP know – when they are shown up for their hate – they cry.
He’s got a great take on this: http://bobcesca.thedailybanter.com/blog-archives/2013/04/paranoid-conspiracy-theorist-mcconnell-planned-to-exploit-judds-mental-health.html
Turtle Turds might be in BIG TROUBLE if its found that LA’s used their work time on the govt (taxpayer!) dime to get down in the pig pen and find this OP research about Ashley Judd on the taxpayer’s dime. NOT ALLOWED. I hope this is the beginning of the end for this rancid piece of work from KY
That email McConnell sent was disgusting – an absolute lie – yet the low brained supporters will be talking of nothing else for days. The President compliments a woman & all hell breaks loose in the media – McConnell says “Liberals wire tapped his office” – and nothing.
He sure has the victim thing down pat doesn’t he, cookemom? And the lingo. Who says, “lefties” anymore? He scrambling like crazy trying to distract attention from what he said and the fact that his own staffers were there. We need to keep the pressure on him and I sure hope his Dem opponent starts speaking out.
But it’s working. That’s what’s being covered and not his horrible words.
I’ve heard pushback about he and his aids laughing at her condition as well. So far, he is not being treated favorably on any of this.
Yes. And using her depression against her. There was an eloquent call this morning on Stephanie Miller – who hasn’t experienced depression? Is that a reason to not run for office?
then I want to make being a sociopath an issue when running for office. We’d get rid of every Republican.
Musing aloud: I wonder if they had time to strap on her little white coat……
Ha!
Good grief, she might as well have made an I am Guilty announcement with this action. What kind of thugs does she hire as “aides”? She is a sick and corrupt piece of work.
Oh noes!!!!! I so look forward to Chicago’s annual Air and Water Show It attracts millions to the beaches of Lake Michigan each year. This year, due to the sequester, there will be air and there will be water, but not much of a show. The Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force’s Thunderbirds, the parachuters Golden Knights and all the other military showcase events have been cancelled…..sigh
PBO delivers remarks at 11:00. Is that about the budget?
Don’t know about the rest of you but when it was announced last night that the filibuster had (probably) been overcome and that we will proceed on gun legislation I felt like a giant weight was lifted from my heart.
Cannot help remembering the tobacco legislation parallels. As hard as the tobacco profiteers fought, eventually, reason prevailed.
Reason will prevail over the gun profiteers as well. Sooner than we think, let’s hope.
Yes, PBO will release his budget, the worst kept secret in the MSM. Wouldn’t it be a hoot, if his budget is totally different than what’s been all over the cable shows and blogs?
Dark, cold and rainy here in OKC. Temperature hovering at freezing…..lots of rain, wind and some hail during the night. Rose, our Brittany spaniel had a tough night. Thunder scares her. She’s resting now. Frankly, it looks like February outside, and feels the same way. I covered my just blooming hydrangeas and peonies…..cannot face the thought of losing them! Japa, I imagine you’re getting part of the same storm we got.
So glad Inhofe got the douchebag of the year award. If ever anyone deserved it, he does.
My acquaintance who protested the XL pipeline is 79 years old, about 5 feet tall, and was ARRESTED! Such a danger. She’s hoping to start a trend. She got a quarter page article in our paper today, but didn’t see anything on the local TV news. However, she made national news on Chris Hayes at least.
Thankful for her efforts—she’s doing something, putting herself out there for something she believes, something so important environmentally—dire, in fact, imho. One person can change a room……
Give your dog some Bach Rescue Remedy…found in stores like Sprouts ( if you have that there) or order online. It’s natural and will calm her down….
Well, she had to know that she would be arrested….but she did it for a good cause. That’s what this civil disobedience was all about. That comes with the territory..and anyone that engages in it should know that going in. That said, she did the right thing, she did a good thing, and brought attention to this disaster in the making. If I were there, I would’ve chained myself up right next to her! She did a brave, unselfish thing.
Thank you. Yes, we have Sprouts, and love it. I will get some, as thunderstorm season will begin in earnest here.
This blog is so good for so many things!!!
I was in the middle of saying this, when the boss came into my office and actually expected me to do some work.
There is a nation wide group of activitsts known as Raging Grannies, and they are a fierce lot. Our group here is Seattle Raging Grannies, I’ll try to find a link, but you could use the google…. These women are serious! (yes, I am raging granny, but they have made me an unofficial one for now, as they agreed I am still a bit young (at 62!) 🙂 also, I’m not technically a ‘granny’, yet….
DF already mentioned Rescue Remedy, which helps a lot.
My little Pearl is terrified of thunder. Rescue Remedy makes it better. Doesn’t take it away, but she’d be a total basket case without it.
I also recommend a thundershirt. It helps quite a bit. Again, Pearl would be much worse without it.
All of my dogs are adult rescues and I usually don’t know what they’ve been through. (Pearl was a puppy mill breeder – a yorkie. We adopted her in 2011. She was 7 years old). My Nickelby, a cairn/silky terrier mix, for some reason is [was] terrified of the sound of the oven door and the oven itself. He would cower like crazy. We started using the thundershirt and it helped immensely. The effects were cumulative, and now he’ll even come in the kitchen when the oven is on. He’s a good 90% better.
One other thing: I do try to get the thundershirt on Pearl and a dose of Rescue Remedy before she hears the thunder. Once she’s afraid, it’s more difficult to get under control. The other night she heard the thunder before I did. I wondered what the shaking was — it was Pearl, trembling against the sofa. She’s all of 9 pounds. Imagine how scared she was to shake the sofa.
NBCChicago at least will be covering First Lady’s appearance in Chicago—-12:30 central
http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/First-Lady-Returns-to-Chicago-To-Discuss-Youth-Violence-200238791.html
Earlier I heard David Gregory say background checks are not the real issue… the real problem is mental illness. He even felt registration was not a big deal. But how will law enforcement know if some looney bird is stock-piling weapons and ammunition in order to commit mayhem? More importantly, how does one define mental illness? For the moments I was listening to him, I wanted to stomp him in the ground, so maybe I’m mentally ill.
Kelly O’Donnell chimed in to say that two brothers who live in a rural area shouldn’t have to drive forty miles to exchange weapons. But they would have to register if they exchanged their trucks. I don’t get it. These are supposedly intelligent people making the most asinine arguments I have ever heard.
It wasn’t that long ago they were up in arms about “fast and furious”. The only reason such an asinine program even existed was because the law allows people to buy as many guns as they like, sell them to someone else who can then shimmy across the border.
He’s towing the right wing line. Did he explain then why the NRA has fought all efforts to study the links between gun violence and mental illness, and why the GOP have reduced mental health services and funding since Reagan emptied all the mental health facilities? They are blinded by their love of money, these right wing puppets.
And David Gregory is qualified as an “expert” on gun issues in what way? He’s an ignorant blowhard, always shilling as hard as he can for his right wing buds.
Does Gregory just get a memo from Priebus every morning? Does he think for himself, EVER?
No, it’s NOT just mental illness. It’s anger, it’s this insane culture that thinks that everything that bothers us should be settled with a gun. You don’t have to be certifiably mentally ill to lose your temper and grab your gun to settle a score. It’s despicable.
Liability insurance should be a big part of gun legislation. If they’re so damned responsible, let them take responsibility for the maiming and mayhem caused by their phallic toys.
However, I accept these steps as progress and we must continue to work to make the legislation better. this is an issue where we can change the conversation, change the accepted memes if we keep at it. It’s going to take awhile to undo conservative brainwashing, but only if we continue to keep this conversation alive.
Benen in mcturtle’s faux poutrage.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/04/10/17687175-the-dust-settles-on-mcconnells-furious-pr-push?lite
There was a real possibility that David Corn’s story would have been largely overlooked by the political world. After all, it shared details about a campaign strategy targeting a woman who isn’t even a candidate, and while the recordings point to some ugly tactics, those plans weren’t illegal and have been rendered moot.
It was, in other words, likely to be a one-day flap. It made McConnell’s team look a little desperate, and arguably a little sleazy, but the Kentucky senator and his aides looked pretty desperate and sleazy anyway.
But by turning this into a five-alarm fire, McConnell took a risk. If, for example, we learn that there was no secret bugging, this wasn’t done by liberals, and the senator misused taxpayer-paid staffers for campaign purposes, this will prove to be much more embarrassing than if he’d just ignored the story in the first place.
Yup! I hope this whole thing bites him in the ass. Hard!
“IF we learn there was no secret bugging” – if the FBI find any sort of a “bug” it would not have been put there by any “liberals” – much more likely a personal recording device – as McConnell will now know – even if he hasn’t the tech knowledge to have worked it out himself. McConnell trying to foist the ills of Nixon onto the democratic party – they NEVER stop with foisting their own illegal and hateful activities onto others.
Phil Russo, a libertarian-leaning, self-described “Goldwater Republican,” was one of the earliest supporters of the tea party. But now, in an op-ed published in the Grio on Tuesday, he proclaims that the conservative movement is dead, killed off by members of the “political and religious right” who have poisoned it with toxic strands of hypocrisy and racism.
Russo, who was active in the tea party for some time as a radio host and campaign consultant in Florida, writes that he joined the movement in hopes of broadening the GOP’s reach. He believed the tea party would call out hypocritical areas of the party’s platform on social issues, and draw in independent voters “genuinely angry about the bank bailouts” in the wake of the financial crisis.
It was working, Russo writes, until moneyed interests “hijacked” the tea party, allowing it to turn into the “religious right in tri-corner hats” sometime after the Republican wave elections in 2010. Since then, it’s gotten worse, Russo says.
Charming, I feel so sorry for you….. How ’bout now get your ass busy and UNDO some of the damage you have caused with your oh so broad values. A**hole. (not you amk, all you did was post the link) These people, so flippin’ self-righteous, never taking any responsibility… Never cleaning up after themselves.
“But now, in an op-ed published in the Grio on Tuesday, he proclaims that the conservative movement is dead, killed off by members of the “political and religious right” who have poisoned it with toxic strands of hypocrisy and racism.”
Is he trying to pretend that’s new? The conservative movement from the beginning was all about hypocrisy and racism. Not impressed.
Yup, Pamela. and the hijacking occurred because the vast majority of self-identified tea party members ARE racists and bigots. Who want government to allow them the ‘freedom’ to own all the guns they want, but are fine with the nanny state if it dictates what a woman can do with her body, plan her family, and tell doctors to lie to women. the tea party was the haven for the crazies, who flocked to it.
Hypocritical jackass.
How are you feeling, by the way? Are you behaving yourself and taking care of yourself?
Ya think! http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/04/10/1844721/paul-ryan-stumped-cant-name-a-single-area-of-compromise-in-his-budget/
The fucker keeps parroting the same talking points.
He does…and he’s becoming more and more irrelevant with each passing day. Moron.
Paul who?
Exactly.
Paul Ryan Stumped. End of story.
TThe leader of the al-Nusra Front, a jihadist group fighting in Syria, has pledged allegiance to the leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22095099
So, now you know why PBO isn’t for arming them like mcangry and other neocons demand.
PBO probably feels like me…we need to be trying to save the lives of the 30,000 people who get killed in our own country.
Bob says it best, “Trust Barack”
Isn’t this group just one of the many groups fighting in the region?
There are many whose affiliations are questionable. That’s why PBO, during his speech in Jordan, said that we have to be very careful about who we arm (so that it doesn’t come back and bite us in the ass in future). Look at Egypt now.
The neocons want perpetual war. It’s good for their investments. We discriminately armed the Taliban and bin Laden in the 80’s and the entire region went to hell. But let’s worship St. Ronnie, who made one of the most fantastic U.S. foreign policy blunders of the 20th century.
But by all means, let’s give anyone and everyone weapons.
Don’t forget that Hillary wanted to arm the Syrian rebels as well.
Good morning, ut and Chips and TODville. Looking forward to today’s budget release.
Great to wake up to my favorite photo of VP Joe.
BBL. Hunger pangs are starting to emerge. One of these days I’ll figure out how to put the kitchen etc arms length away from the CD player, treadmill and laptop. The last three are more or less now in place in relation to each other, but the kitchen is likely to be a problem. 😀
Test-tube baby pioneer Professor Sir Robert Edwards dies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-22091873
There are 1500 newspapers, 1100 magazines, 9000 radio stations, 1500 TV stations, 2400 publishers, owned by only 3 corporations.
Now do we understand why it doesn’t make sense to spend too much energy on what we hear on the MSM?
PBO had it figured out long ago. We have to bypass those media outlets and use our energy on getting our feet on the street through OFA and the ballot box.
GM TODers from every corner of this Green Earth.
Thanks for this information.
Please any link and do you have the names of these 3 corporations……thank you so much Cookemom.
When I first saw it I didn’t stop to check it out. So off I went to Googleland to do a fact check. What I found was a tad different than what I’d originally read. Here’s what I did find out, though I don’t know how current. I don’t know if there are mergers in the making or not, for example,I know Murdoch has his eyes on Tribune Company.
TV and Radio
Bain Capital/Thomas H. Lee Partners (Clear Channel)
CBS Corporation
Comcast Corporation
Gannett Co.
News Corp.
Time Warner, Inc.
Tribune Company
Viacom
Walt Disney Company
Washington Post Co.
Cable and Telecommunications
AT&T
Cablevision Systems Corporation
CenturyLink
Charter Communications, Inc.
Comcast Corporation
Sprint Nextel Corporation
T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Time Warner Cable, Inc.
Verizon
Print
Bertelsmann
Gannett Co.
The Hearst Corporation
News Corp.
Tribune Company
Washington Post Co.
Internet
Apple
Google
Microsoft
Yahoo!
Sorry about posting the other message before checking it out.
Thanks. I love to get information here and use it as a visit other sites with the facts in hand. Thanks.
That is a great statement. I adjusted it for twitter. Don’t know how to post my tweet. Didn’t have room to give you credit. Are you on Twiiter cookemom? I am MTmarilyn2.
Sat it ain’t so! I had no idea there were that few controlling interest. That’s how you make certain you propagandize a nation.
even the “y” couldn’t take that bit of news. 🙂
look at my response above ^^^^. I didn’t verify it, so I tried to get more info. See my above response ^^^^.
I didn’t verify this so before you tweet it check my response above^^^^. Btw i’m cookemom on Twitter.
I found you and followed. Here is what I said. “1500 papers, 1100 mags, 9000 radio, 1500 TV, 2400 publishers, 3 corps own. PBO figured it out must go around MSM, Work with OFA”
Tried to encourage to work with OFA.
This list may need to be updated. Warren Buffett is now venturing into newspapers. He is buying some as they become available. He believes there is a future in “hometown” newspapers. He bought the Tulsa World a couple of months ago, and already that paper is changing some of its editorial policy…..much more objective, away from the far right dogma.
Great Post thanks.
Yesterday posts were exquisite. Thank you.
Congrats on being Number One VC, then number Two, then Three……then Fourth too? 😉
Gold. Silver. Bronze. Lovely Rose Flowers 😉 and so on, and so on…. 😆 😆 😆
I forgot to add this VC 😉
OFA members, check your email for info on a policy briefing tonight. Jon Carson is going to walk us through PBO’s budget at 8pm Eastern.
http://www.barackobama.com/live-call/wednesday-policy-briefing
WASHINGTON — A court has denied Virginia Attorney General and 2013 gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli a full hearing to challenge a ruling that struck down the state’s anti-sodomy statute as unconstitutional.
The court issued a short, two-sentence statement on Monday denying the petition, filed on March 26, for an en banc hearing. The court noted that no judge requested the full hearing in front of 15 judges, after a three-judge panel ruled the statute unconstitutional on March 12.
The decision is a blow for the attorney general, a steadfast social conservative who is running in an increasingly liberal state.
Why is this party of “small government” so interested in other people’s lives? If they were trying to prevent assault, that would be one thing – but we know exactly what they’re trying to do, and it’s abhorrent. Why do they feel they have to legislate other people’s salvation, while they themselves are committing vile acts against their fellow man by preventing health care, food programs, education – and depriving children of a brighter, more prosperous future?
And this maniac wanted to add any ‘unnatural’ sex acts to the statute. Anything that doesn’t lead to procreation.
But by all means, preach to me about ‘freedom’. Is that not the definition of ‘nanny’ state? Telling everyone what they can and cannot do in the privacy of their bedrooms? But guns — well THAT’s freedom.
Thank God for David corn!
I don’t know if you guys know this but the Republhcabs are making a last stand to get rid of Obamacare.
They might even shutdown government and try and blame the President, they are that desperate.
This is not about cutting the debt, cutting entitlements, it’s about getting rid of Obamacare before it is fully implemented.
They hate it and Him!
Expect the May 19 th debacle to be the worst out of the bunch, as a result of…
I thought they passed a spending bill till September. God I loathe the things that they are doing. It’s ok. We will prevail!
Nope! The big one raising the debt limit is may 19th.
Boner wants another 1 trillion in cuts to raise it.
No new revenue.
And yet the liberals are focused on the president ?
Unbelievable!
So it looks like this is when the whole chained CPI thing will happen and the President will probably still get revenue. Ok well I’m still not worried, the President got this.
Is May the debt ceiling expiration perhaps ?
Yup! Last ditch effort to stop Obamacare.
That’s why you see the full court press on the budget now?
Also, from what I can see, separate from the ICBM missle launch that takes 3 days to fuel, the Nirth Kireans have shirt range missle launchers.
Sort of like what Hamas has, that’s why we got the Patriot 3 Batteries and the Aegis Destroyers in the area.
😦
LIVE NOW: Pres. Obama unveils his budget.
http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=4
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/
http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN3/
Breaking-
A deal in background checks!
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/292867-sens-manchin-toomey-to-unveil-details-on-background-check-talks
I hope Manchin and Toomey wait untion PBO is done…before the start their presser.
good grief * until.
Manchin Toomey on c-span 1 right now
Rand Paul is getting no love from Howard University students. CollegeKay and others are giving us the gist. He’s lying his ass off.
Best thing I’ve heard all day. Give him hell!!
He obviously went in there thinking he was dealing with stupid people. No surprise considering him and his father have a history of thinking that way towards Black People.
C-SPAN online has Rand Paul’s speech.
That was me holding the sign.
🙂
we’ll re-tweet and re-tweet so that everyone knows regardless of who is censored
Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the Democratic candidate for the First Congressional District, has been painted by Republicans as someone who will be little more than a rubber stamp for the agenda of Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi.
Colbert Busch has resisted that characterization and further evidence of her moderate stance on fiscal matters came on Wednesday when she announced she’d be opposing President Obama’s budget.
Colbert Busch even goes so far as to link Obama with Rep. Paul Ryan (R- WI) by cutting benefits to seniors. She also said the president’s budget does not cut spending enough. Her full statement:
http://columbia-sc.patch.com/articles/colbert-busch-opposes-obama-budget?national=patch&ncid=edlinkuspatc00000006
Good Grief…she is for a Balanced Budget Amendment ….. ( I will not pay attention to her any longer. )
I still want her to win. She’ll vote with Democrats sometimes. A Republican wins that sometimes turns to zero.
I’m shocked that she is for a balanced budget amendment – that would be a disaster and she should know better if she is serious about being a worthy representative.
I think she is serious. She’s also well aware of what state she’s running in as well.
there is that
She will still go Dem on most issues and be much better than the cheating male slut she is running against.
i understand the logic of voting for her/but her castigating the President is unaccpetable/why must her litmus test be that she is against PBO/altho McCaskil did not go to the DEM Convention…i do not remember her being so venoumous against the President
she’s running in a state that’s so strongly republican that a former governor, who skipped out to argentina to cheat on his wife while he was governor and lied about his whereabouts all while on taxpayer money, can just a few years later have a good chance of winning political office again, simply because he’s republican. can we give her a little slack given these EXTREME conditions she’s trying to win within? we’re fighting against the last throes of the john bircher republican billionaires, so let’s not fall into the “purity problem” right now that plagues the “donate-button leftists.”
This is not about purity…lawd knows that I am no wheres near pure….but to castigate the PBO…to call him names/to demonize him…is unnecessary
Good morning Ms Chips, good morning TOD! Congrats on first vc, and thanks to ut for the lovely, newsy Rise & Shine! Some great posts the last 2 days, have been busy but trying hard to catch up!
Howard University students are not letting Rand Paul get away with his lies.
Fantastic reporting ut, love these well-informed students!
Yikes! Even the tweets are too painful to read. He stinks.
Thanks to Nerdy Wonka for the info. I bet those students walk out of their wondering what the hell did Rand Paul come here for?
Sounds like this dude was toking before the event.
I want to ask what the hell is Rand Paul talking about. OMG.
You see he has never been around that many blacks before, specially smart black folks, good old Rand was scare stupid. Or just stupid.
Why did Howard invite Paul to speak there? Isn’t that just a huge waste of time? Was he forced on them by someone?
according to Rand Paul’s office…they did the outreach to Howard
I hope this is being taped and will be replayed to the public. Knowing Mr. Aqua Buddha the crumbling of “stand with rand” will not be televised. Thank God for cell phones with video though.
WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association on Wednesday called a Senate compromise deal on expanded background checks “a positive development,” but stressed the ongoing need for a “serious and meaningful solution” that addresses urban crime and deficiencies in the mental health system.
The response from the gun lobby came as a bipartisan deal to expand background checks on gun sales was announced Wednesday morning by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Democrat Joe Manchin (W.Va.). As part of the deal, the senators announced the intent to create a commission to study violence in society, a move that likely helped to soften the NRA’s previously strident opposition to expanded background checks.
The nation’s largest gun rights lobby said in a statement that “expanding background checks at gun shows will not prevent the next shooting,” and “no background check would have prevented” recent massacres in Newtown, Conn., and Aurora, Colo.
The group also took a swipe at President Obama, who strongly supports gun control measures, saying he should, “be as committed to dealing with the gang problem that is tormenting honest people in his hometown as he is to blaming law-abiding gun owners for the acts of psychopathic murderers.”
—-
Translation : We lost this one, but will continue to vilify President Obama
ut, Kind of like Mitt Romney when he went before the NAACP.
And his orange skin at his Latino forum.
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/04/10/chat-away-143/
UT, SOOOOOOOOOO sorry, I did it again, posted right after you 😳
I’m a mess!!!
Just made your post private for now because i had the live YouTube video for the budget briefing in the newer one, but you can use those blissful pics in your next post??
Sorry again!!
It’s all good Chiparoo. 😀
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/04/10/budget-briefing/
Oh, UT, there’s sure a lot of beauty in this post! Thank you (and, blushing, especially for the Joe Biden “I’m looking at you” image! – Ha!).
“Obamacare Beats The Hell Out Of I Don’t Care” makes me want to beat the hell out of congressional Republicans!