President Barack Obama and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke look out a window at Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier during a flight aboard Air Force One from Los Angeles, Calif., to Seattle, Wash., Aug. 17, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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GOP Desperation Is Hilarious
Steve Benen: Earlier this week, Reince Priebus, commenting on the Affordable Care Act, said, “People know what Obamacare is. It’s European, socialist-style type health care.” The quote struck me as fairly hilarious because the second sentence helps debunk the first — anyone who thinks the federal U.S. system is in anyway similar to European, socialist-style type health care clearly has no idea what “Obamacare” is.
In reality, there’s simply nothing in the Affordable Care Act that stops consumers from choosing their own doctor. Literally, not one provision. Under a variety of HMOs, there are limits on out-of-network physicians, but that was an American norm long before “Obamacare” came around. For that matter, if you’re a parent of a kid with seizures, the Affordable Care Act is perhaps the best friend you’ve ever had — not only does the law protect you and your family’s coverage, but it extends protections to those with pre-existing conditions, and ends annual and lifetime caps. And since treating children with seizures can get a little pricey, that’s important.
Careful, Kochs, your desperation is showing.
More here
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VERY IMPORTANT: Bookmark This Website. It Will Aid In Resources To Help You Get More People To The Polls. 2014 Is Crucial.
Voter ID Clinics: VoteRiders’ Voter ID Clinics help citizens to get a birth certificate, change-of-name and other documents required to secure a state-mandated photo ID for voting purposes. you will find access to our free Clinic-in-a-Box™ – Training Documents, Training Videos, Marketing Tools and Guidelines – for Partner Organizations conducting Voter ID Clinics. VoteRiders supports our Partners with national and local media campaigns, and asks communities to donate their time and money to aid their regional Partners’ Voter ID Clinics.
Help Getting Voter ID: Need to find out if your state has a voter ID law? As of August 2013, the following 33 states have some form of voter ID law in effect. Click on your state below to find out what the requirements are and if you have the right ID
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GOP Latino “outreach” continues its “successful” journey. 😆
Dylan Byers: In a highly anticipated move, the Republican National Committee voted unanimously on Friday to deny NBC and CNN the rights to host or sponsor a Republican primary debate unless those two networks cancel their respective Hillary Clinton film projects. On Friday, RNC communications director Sean Spicer told POLITICO that the boycott would extend to NBC and CNN’s Spanish-language channels: Telemundo and CNN Español.
But more importantly, all CNN debates were broadcast to America’s Spanish-speaking population on CNN Español. Without that channel, the RNC will need to find another avenue to reach Latino voters.
More here
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Jonathan Bernstein: Obamacare-Bashers Forget That Insurance Has Benefits
Ready for the absolute worst thing you’re going to see written about the (very real) issue of young, healthy people and the Affordable Care Act? I’m going to make you wait for it, though. Philip Klein is trumpeting a new “study” that purports to find that buying insurance in the exchanges is a really bad deal for young healthies. Only one problem: the study, by David Hogberg, ignores in his analysis that many of those young healthies will actually use that insurance.
It’s absolutely true that for most young healthies, buying insurance won’t be a big winner. For that matter, most people who buy homeowner’s insurance never suffer a fire or a flood, but somehow you won’t find a lot of financial analysts who will advise against it. Bottom line: there’s just no use looking at the costs of insurance without also looking at the benefits. Whether they’re the short-term direct benefits that actual insurance-holders certainly do claim, or the longer-term benefits involved in having a functioning system.
More here
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Tara Culp-Ressler: How Conservatives’ Attacks On ObamaCare Accidentally Ended Up Expanding Abortion Access
The latest media reports about the health reform law proclaim that the “abortion complication” is the Obama administration’s latest headache. That’s referring to the fact that a recent tweak to the health reform law may extend abortion coverage to members of Congress and their staffers, even though federal workers currently can’t get that coverage under their government-sponsored insurance plans. Abortion opponents are calling on the government to fix the discrepancy.
“It’s a radical deviation and departure from current federal law,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) said of the potentially expanded coverage for reproductive health care. He referred to the possibility that lawmakers and their staff may be eligible for insurance coverage for abortion as a “scheme” to get the government to fund the procedure. If it’s a scheme, it’s one that conservatives actually created themselves. Here’s the background on the current controversy, which wouldn’t be an issue in the first place if not for two Republican lawmakers
More here
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Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton, right, listens as President Barack Obama holds a round table discussion with local small business owners during a stop at Grand Central Bakery in Seattle, Wash., Aug. 17, 2010. The President met with the group to discuss strengthening the economy and creating jobs for the families and businesses of Washington State. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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Galesburg Senior High volleyball players join in a cheer after meeting President Barack Obama during an unannounced stop in Galesburg, Ill., Aug. 17, 2011, as part of a three-day bus tour in the Midwest. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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President Barack Obama surprises Military Aide Major Barrett Bernard with a birthday cake aboard Air Force One during the flight from Seattle, Wash., to Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 17, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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The Obama Diary 
hello ut and all!
GM Layla and congrats.
G’morning UT, Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and congrats to Layla on #1 🙂
Congrats and Good Morning Layla. Thanks ut for a great rise n shine. Do you like working days Layla, or am I mixing you up with someone else?
hey Carol, you are not mixing me up with someone else! I worked 2 days only and thoroughly enjoyed it! Back on nights tonight! sigh…however it looks like I will be offered many more days from now on! yeah for me!!!!
That’s good if to hear if you don’t mind the rotating shift. It’s getting very hard on my husband after all these years.
Good morning all. Thanks UT
Good morning everybody. Great work UT.
OBAMA FAMILY CHEERED BY CROWDS IN OAKS BLUFFS
… As the Obamas’ motorcade passed through Oak Bluffs Friday evening, crowds swarmed on the sidewalks. The motorcade passed by Flying Horses … and arrived at Jarrett’s house at 6:11 p.m.
As the president, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha and Malia entered the house, cheers erupted among the crowds of people who were gathered at homes nearby. … http://marthasvineyard.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/obamas-take-a-bike-ride-on-marthas-vineyard
Good morning jer! So appreciate all that you do here at TOD!
Thanks JER for the info and link!
Thanks for that JER. If I were there I would have been cheering too. I hope President Obama, First Lady Michelle, and the girls are having a wonderful time on their vacation.
Thanks JER. I’m so glad they are getting a warm reception. Was the reason for Pres. Obama’s leg bumps solved. I wasn’t able to make time to read the thread. I have had mosquito bites that big. There is a joke in WY and I think other States too that the mosquito is the State bird. We even have a mosquito trap. Right next to our Jackalope, our official State mythical animal. Oh and my husband has gotten much bigger hives. Sometimes he gets allergic reactions. Those are scary.
No word on the mosquito bites. These people are just desperate for something to write. And they are doing a poor job of it.
Gee, I thought they had a scoop. 😉
Good Morning TOD!
Happy Saturday everyone.
Another excellent Rise and Shine UT.
I saw the movie The Butler last night. It was a good film. Oprah will probably be nominated for an Oscar for her performance. She really took you back in time (60’s and 70’s) with her character as The Butler’s wife. Although most of the story outside of the WH was fictional to Mr. Allen’s real life the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War was indeed taking place during his years on the job. Anyone who watches this movie and doesn’t realize we still all have an obligation to continue to fight for equality for all mankind can’t possibly have a pulse. BTW the last few scenes are about the 2008 election of PBO and the pride that Mr. Gaines and his family had in seeing the first AA President elected to the highest office in the land. Unfortunately his wife dies the day before the election and never got to cast her ballot for PBO. This part of the movie was true.
Although I would have liked for this story to have been more about the main character (Mr. Eugene Allen) and the writers used a lot of creative license to bring this story to screen I was riveted by some of the scenes from the 60’s and 70’s so I do recommend you see it.
Here are some pics of Eugene Allen, the Man Behind The Butler
http://swampland.time.com/2013/08/14/eugene-allen-the-man-behind-the-butler/photo/eugene-allen-former-white-house-butler/
Thanks for this review, Donna. Without it, I must admit I would have avoided the film as I literally despise Lee Daniels.
Lots of great movies coming this fall.
Mandela with Idris Elba looks excellent
Now this, I want to see. As long as the filmmaker isn’t Lee Daniels, I’m cool. 🙂
Idris is such a great actor. Wish he would do more drama. I hear Luther is coming back, which is exciting.
Anything with Idris Elba looks excellent!
Also, remember when President Obama gave the order to take out those pirates who had taken over that freighter? This is the movie about that event.
Tom Hanks in “Captain Phillips”
Thanks Donna. This is the first I’m hearing about this film.
I love Tom Hanks!
This one is a must see for me.
What I recall about this incident was the Military press briefing during which the RW journos, Hans Nichols, etc, tried to get the person giving the briefing to deny that POTUS had a hand in the successful outcome.
Press was salivating like eager puppies until the direct question was asked, “Did the President order the Kill?”
“Yes,” came the General’s reply.
Silence.
Sounds very interesting donna. I wasn’t thinking of going to see the movie, but hearing from you makes me revise my initial thoughts. 🙂 Will keep you posted if I do get to see it!
Thanks for your review, Donna. I was sort of hedging about seeing it because it seems like they take way toooo much creative license. When I first read about Mr. Eugene Allen and his wife, they seemed like really great stand-up people, so I was shocked to learn that the movie depicts alcoholism and affairs??? Is that true? I like Oprah but sometimes she really gets on my last nerve, especially when she did things like devote a whole show to glorifying Trump.
I hear you, Meta. One would think amassing a $2 billion fortune would free one from the shackles of political prostitution.
Wow@ Political Prostitution…
sometimes we are our worse critics….sometimes we expect folks to be pure as the driven snow…and no matter what good they may do…that all gets thrown out the window if they do things we may not like…
I don’t know if the movie depicts alcoholism and affairs or not, but that is typical Lee Daniels. He simply must degrade history and Blacks with the most vile and debase depictions he can conjure. He is a weapon of mass destruction.
I just remember reading that story about Mr. Eugene Allen and his wife and being very moved by his real story and his dedication to serving the WH. He and his wife seemed like a very honorable people.
And I wish that the story had been more focused on his life than all that other personal stuff they created to try and make the story sensational. Although I’ll say again that the civil rights aspects of the moving were riveting and seeing those “change you can believe in” posters plastered all over their front porch in the movie were worth the price of the ticket for me being the proclaimed Obot that I am.
The movie is certainly not for everyone.
That does sound very compelling. I think I wish they hadn’t made it sound like it was about the real guy, then the expectations would be entirely different. I will more than likely see it, especially with your recommendation.
Yes I was taken aback by the alcoholism and affair part and it certainly was creative on their part. Had they not given us the history of the freedom riders, the despair that so many of us felt in losing family and friends in the Vietnam War as well as tidbits about the Black Panthers I probably would not have recommended it. Our youth are so void of this history and really need to know the real experiences of those times.
Oprah’s acting was actually quite good IMO but I’m no expert.
OK, so I see the perspective you’re getting at – thanks for explaining.
I agree 1000000% about how young people really need to understand what this country has been through. I remember requiring my freshmen students to read Bloods (an oral history about Blacks serving in Viet Nam) and they were shocked. And they could certainly use some education about civil rights, that’s for sure.
Had to duck away for a minute. My three year-old slavemaster was calling for his pancakes. 🙂
Just wanted to say, I think Donna did an excellent job of explaining what she appreciated about the movie. She also made it a point to say she felt they took a little too much artistic license. My own expression is strictly against the filmmaker and while I agree that our youth need to know our history, it is the license Lee Daniels takes with history that gives me pause.
As he said to an audience regarding “Precious”, “Y’all get to get a look at how we really live.” I just want to slap him. 🙂
*My three year old slavemaster* – Ha! Here are the words to a graphic I’m saving for my great grandson’s upcoming third birthday, as a gift for his mommy:
I am three.
I am not built to sit still, keep my hands to myself, take turns, be patient, stand in line, or keep quiet.
I need motion, I need novelty, I need adventure, and I need to engage the world with my whole body.
Let me play.
(Trust me I’m learning.)
Isn’t that great? Of course, if you have a three year old, you already know this!
It is a perfect description of the little wonderful monsters. Three is such a magical age.
Yes, truly wonderful at two, too! The “only” thing my great grandson has surprised us with is that he TOTALLY behaves in restaurants. The perfect little gentleman. Who would have thought that?
I replied to your email but wanted to make clear that was the bug I was experiencing but it appears to have gone away now. Now occasionally when I post the screen refreshes but my post doesn’t appear. I don’t get any error message though.
Grrrrr! Sorry! This was supposed to go with Chips’ query about people having trouble posting! I don’t know what is going on here.
However, THIS is what I wanted to reply to you, DD: it’s not just the youth that needs educating! Yesterday a discussion sprang up at summer school. The head of the sponsoring organization, Mike, was visiting and chatting about his time as a police officer attached to Pontiac school district. He’s white, the district is majority black. He was saying how some of the people under him resented him and accused him of calling them “boy”. One of the teachers said, “Why would that upset them? You call your friends ‘boy’ or ‘boys’ all the time!!” She really didn’t understand it. A couple of others joined in and I just had to say “Because for so long whites called black men “boy” to denigrate and insult them. It’s insulting!” Now the teller of the story was nodding his head as soon as I spoke and agreed with me and explained some more. One or two others, said “Oh!” like they had just remembered that, and the person who’d made the comment and a couple of others apparently hadn’t known that at all. Later Mike said to me he didn’t understand how someone could be a grown-up now and not know that.
So ignorance is everywhere. I know this teacher; she is a good person and I’m sure would not consider herself racist. I don’t think she’s racist in the sense of feeling superior or having poor opinions or hating black people. But if she is ignorant of their history, how can she truly serve the best interests of the black children in her classroom? (She’s younger than me and probably wasn’t old enough to be very aware of the civil rights movements of the 60s and 70s)
Thanks, always trust a review here more than the critics. Why did they take so much poetic license with his real story? I remember hearing a brief story about him at the time of the Inaguration. Our Team leader voted early so she wouldn’t lose her vote if she died. She is the most energetic person in her seventies I know.
At the time there was no early voting in DC.
I guess because I am such a political junkie that I was more interested in the Civil Rights aspect of the movie than the creative license they took.
Really, not even absentee? People aren’t immune from nature.
She was apparently physically well enough at the time to vote. I believe she died of a heart attack on election eve. In reading their real life story they were looking forward to going to the polling place on election day and casting their vote. It was a historic event that they wanted to personally partake in. They couldn’t have ever thought that either of them would not make it to that day.
That is so sad.
Do you see that military Aide in the last picture? Notice the yellow Ropes on his shoulders?
Me thinks he carries the football.
🙂
Thank yoooooooooooooooooooooou UT, another fabaRooney R&S!!!! MoooooOOOOoooooorning everyone!
..a great morning to you Chips!
And to you Layla!
And to you, Chips!
You’re welcome Chiparoo.
Rt
The voter suppression laws might really bite the Rethugs in some states. I’m not so sure all the rethugs will be able to understand their new rules. I don’t see much voter outreach on that side. They are wacky, just wacky.
Hiya everyone, has anyone been having trouble posting comments in the last week or two – have you been getting a “Sorry this comment could not be posted” message?
I had a couple of regulars contact me about this recently, they’re *definitely* not blocked here, but can’t get comments to go through – at least not consistently.
The “Sorry this comment could not be posted” message is, apparently, a WordPress bug, lots of people experiencing the same issue according to their support forums, will probably need to contact them for a fix, so just wanted to check if others were having the same problem.
Thank you!
Yep Chips its been going on for a couple of weeks. I have to log in then refresh my screen before posting any comments. Otherwise I get that message you mentioned.
Oh flip, thanks Donna, this place continues to be glitch-a-rama!
Yes, Chips, all of that, but only occasionally. It’s the price we pay WP to visit TOD, so I’m not complaining “much”!
Thank you Jacqueline!! Will see if WP can fix it.
We can handle life’s little annoyances, in the meantime, Chips! Thanks.
I have..
.there are times when I try to log onto the site using the WP logon…and i would get that error message of….SORRY THIS COMMENT COULD NOT BE POSTED….I have had to use my twitter logon….to gain access
Thanks Prettyfoot, I’m definitely going to contact WP about this and list all the problems people are having, it’s infuriating for you all!
Just so you know, I woke up with 2 mosquito bites this morning, in solidarity with POTUS. THAT’s the kind of Obot I am.
😆 You are truly devoted, Meta!! Heal quickly – I hate those blighters!
Mine look JUST like PBO’s except they’re on my arm. LOLz.
Congrats meta. You are indeed a true Obot!
Mosquitos travel great distances just to find me. It’s a blight.
This is probably what happened Meta!
Layla, it says I’m forbidden from seeing the page!
Sorry I do not know why this would happen…..let me try again..
No, still get the same message saying content is forbidden and I need permission from the site owner.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
LOLzzzzzzzzz!!!!
The obsession with “all things Obama” is simply sick.
Well, there’s “good obsession” and “bad obsession.” Ha!
We’re the good guys, luckily. I call it having a mild, passing interest – not being obsessed – with “all things Obama” (because I like to write my own narrative!). 🙂
And that works just fine. 🙂
Some good thoughts from Jim at Stonekettle Station – one of the best bloggers
http://www.stonekettle.com/2013/08/wright-answers-mail-and-dispenses.html
Morning, 99:) I love Jim! Smart, witty and a damn great blogger. Great piece….
Morning and g’nite df – late in my world.
Jim tells it like it is – using humor – but also honesty and experience. I love his explanations as to why he doesn’t suffer the fools who would “mess up” his place.
Morning!! UT, thanks for posting that important Voter ID info….we need to send this everywhere so that everyone is aware. I’m going to a meeting today with fellow OFA people and will share this with them as well….Great job on R/S!!
Yes indeed, this is valuable information! I shared with TOD sometime ago, my own mission to help people acquire voter’s ID. Friday, I celebrated the acquisition of ID number 50. Yay!!
HI, Fay!! You were missed here when you slipped out for a while:) I know I asked where you were! And then, POOF! you came back:) Well, congratulations to you for #50!!! That’s awesome work you did….such an important site with the important info people need to get the required docs in order to BE AN AMERICAN WITH A VOICE!! Thank you so much for all you’ve done with this. I hadn’t realized that you posted this site here before, but, as with so many important things, more is better.
Glad to see you back with your fighting gloves on:) This should be a MUST SHARE….
Oh no, Desert! I never posted the site. Thanks to fabulous UT it is posted here. I simply made a personal commitment in 2009 to help one person a month get their identification. I didn’t trust that measures to stop those evil Republicans would work, and even if they did, I knew that wouldn’t stop trying. I’m very glad we’ve finally mobilized forces to get it done.
I say, bitch, march, file lawsuits…whatever…but always prepare to meet them where they are, because if you ask me the judicial system is a crooked as they. So if they do away with Sunday voting…mobilize on Saturday.
Thank you for that #50 and everything you are doing! Now, THAT’s priceless.
Good morning!
Thanks for the great Rise and Shine, UT. I love the photos looking back at what was happening on that date in the past feature.
I finally caught up to the last thread. I was busy this past week doing Phone Banks for OFA and GOTV for Cory Booker. I’m so excited he won.
I had gone home, before it was announced he won. I will continue to help in the effects to get him and Barbara Buono elected. Yes, there are some of us dems here in New Jersey that haven’t fallen for Christie and realized what a disaster he’s been for our state.
Thanks so much for working with OFA and your GOTV efforts. I sincerely hope that Cory Booker is a visible and vocal ally of President Obama, if/when he wins, as well as Barbara Buono.
I believe he is out to help the people of New Jersey. He’s been in South Jersey quite a bit during the primary. I got an email from the campaign, today, showing a clip of his speech when he won the democratic primary. He says he wants to represent all the people from NJ equally. There has been a great divide in New Jersey between North and South Jersey, and Urban and rural areas He seems to be a pragmatic dem. During one of the debates, one of the other candidates brought up that he has worked with Christie. He said “he disagrees with the governor 97% of the time, but he is the mayor of Newark, and if he wants to help his constituents he has to work with him. ”
He really wants to end child poverty, and strongly believes in universal early childhood education.
I was born in Central New Jersey and lived there most of my life, so I still keep my eye on the politics there. I truly wish Cory Booker all the best, and hope he gets to make some good inroads wherever he can – especially relating to ending child poverty and enhancing early childhood education, if those are some of his stated goals!
I have a picture I took with Cory Booker in July when he came to Cherry Hill, but I don’t know how to post the link here.
Are you on Twitter? Perhaps you could attach it to a tweet and then bring the tweet here? Would love to see it, if you’re able!
No, I’m not on twitter or facebook. I got the picture through my email. I was going to cut & paste the link, but I’m not sure how much of the code after terrid.jpg that I need to post. Thanks.
Good morning!
Just trying to see if WordPress will let me in
Welcome back Hanna!!! I found you in pending! Did Donna’s tip work??
When I refreshed, I got back to the post before the comments. I then noticed that my name did not appear anymore when I clicked the button to comment. So I filled it in again and that’s when the comment went to moderation. I hope that this will work now. Thank you for helping and thanks to Donna as well.
Thrilled you’re back Hanna, and so sorry about all this glitchy madness – as I mentioned earlier, I will definitely contact WP to look for help in fixing it for once and for all! Again, great to have you back.
Really????!!! http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mcdonnells-wife-purchased-stock-in-star-scientific?ref=fpb
but the Governor didn’t know anything about it – a likely story – not.
The linked article (wapo) is worth a read
coming late to the Rise and shine…
Awsome again UT…need new words to describe your R & Ss….but Awesome comes to mind….I learn so much and are put in touch with so many thoughts and ideas as well as news stories….INVALUABLE….is the word for your Rise and Shine…
Wow…thank you so much for the nice words.
you are more than welcome UT…
The McDonnells are a piece of work and the level of grift in this family is almost unparalleled in the history of grifting. In one of these reports the Governor’s wife went on a shopping spree to New York on the dime of some guy and the guy reportedly purchased a Rolex watch for her, something about that rubs me the wrong way? As a man how do you let some guy buy clothes and jewelry for your wife, and as a wife how do you accept gifts like these from a man other than your husband?
hello Don…I do understand your feelings but for me is the bribery…thievery….and dishonesty running thru his administration….it gives all administrations a bad name…some folks will say that all administrations do this…he just got caught…I try not to be as jaded as that..
Good West Coast morning Chipsticks, UT & TOD family.
UT, the information & links for the Voter ID is fabulous! Thank U!!!
I’ve emailed it to my family in Michigan, Georgia and Louisiana .
Moooooorning GGail!! I echo your hats-off to UT for the Voter ID info, it’s completely excellent – I’ve added a link to that site in the sidebar on the right here, third from top, under the ‘ObamaCare’ link. Thank you UT!!
…[E]ven though the presidential motorcade didn’t get back to the First Family’s Chilmark vacation home until after midnight, according to pool reports, the Obamas were on the move again before 10 a.m. Saturday. The family is spending the morning at a private beach, according to pool reports. http://marthasvineyard.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/obama-girls-stay-up-late-for-oak-bluffs-fireworks
Off to tutor!
There are no words.
Answer: No.
Question:
Well, they can always scare away the 51 % minority:
Ha! Larry David!
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/08/17/pictures-smiles/