****
Gregory Korte: To Get Around Congress, Obama Turns To City Halls
President Obama has quietly racked up a series of legislative victories during the past few months as lawmakers have enthusiastically embraced his calls for a higher minimum wage, paid sick leave and universal pre-kindergarten. Instead of Capitol Hill, those victories happened in city halls, state houses and county buildings far from Washington. At least six major cities — Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Tacoma, Wash., and Washington, D.C. — have passed paid sick leave laws in the four months since Obama called for state and local action in this year’s State of the Union Address. Since the 2013 address when Obama called for an increase in the minimum wage, 17 states and six major cities have taken action, including Los Angeles last week.
Obama’s state-and-local strategy may be unprecedented in its scope and ambition. Though previous administrations have appointed top advisers to listen to concerns of state and local officials, the Obama White House appears to be the first to aggressively use those same channels to encourage them to adopt Obama’s policies. The strategy has been more effective on some policies than others. Since last September, more than 200 mayors have signed on to the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, a commitment to help boys and young men of color. The state-and-local strategy effort has been particularly effective on paid leave policies, which Obama championed in his State of the Union Address this year. “Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave — 43 million. Think about that,” Obama said. “So I’ll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own.” That pledge came with a $1 million budget from the Department of Labor to help fund feasibility studies for state and local governments, which will begin to be awarded this summer.
More here
****
Barack Obama is raising the minimum wage without congress, city by city. A must read >> usat.ly/1HsNrzP via @usatoday
—
BWD (@theonlyadult) May 26, 2015The mayor of Los Angeles just signed a $15/hr minimum wage bill into law read.bi/1QWh7KC http://t.co/FDq9Rk2REu
—
Business Insider (@businessinsider) June 14, 2015
The Obama Diary 
Bon jour, mon peuple
Congrats on 1st, LL. I might have had a chance, if I didn’t stop to read the post.
Things must be going smoothly…hope it continues.
Congrats on furst!
Thank you, NW!
Good afternoon/evening, TOD
🙂
Working hard for the people each and every day
Hey Nerdy, I hope all is well with you and your fantastic self. Thanks for all you do in partnering with Ms. Chips and Danny, to build TODville.
I hope you know that there is “absolutely nothing you can’t achieve”. Thank you sooooo much. If there is anything I can do for you in your life; just halla. 👍👌🌷🌹⭐
Thank you so much, RanMan.
All your wonderful feedback has been so much appreciated.
Thank you for this, Nerdy. People never understand that when our President says he’s going to do something, he needs to be believed. Those who think they have the power to stop him, underestimate him and always have.
Hey Jackie, I hope all is well. I always look forward to your blessed, gracious, and wonderful words of the day. I really hope you’re doing well. 🙏👌👍❤🎆
🙂
https://twitter.com/
Congratulations, LL! Yes, President Obama is laser-focused on helping average people! Got an obnoxious email from Rep. Peter DeFazio crowing about calling the TPA bullshit. I unsubscribed and wrote how rude and short-sighted Democrats like him are being.
I don’t get people who can’t see, plain as day, how much our President is for ‘the least of these.’
You don’t get them, I don’t get them, none of us get them. I’m just glad we’re not them.
PEOPLE WHO DON’T SEE THAT ARE BUSY DEMONIZING THE POOR IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE…SOCIETY TODAY IS SELFISH AND IGNORANT!
The only #NewLastNameForJeb I’d like to see is: Gone!
This is what ol’ Paulie B was responding to:
How about Clampett ?
So I’m not the only one who keeps hearing their theme song in my head? Ha!
ding ding ding!! winner!! 🙂
NW, this is for you girl…”Today is a good day” 🙂
Today, June 15, is the birthday of rapper, producer, actor and director Ice Cube.
The rapper, songwriter, producer, director and screenplay writer first made his debut in the entertainment world with the politically controversial West Coast rap group, N.W.A Dubbed “The World’s Most Dangerous Group,” Ice Cube, along with his N.W.A members, gave the world a style of music that represented the struggles of young black men growing up in urban communities. Ice Cube continued his hardcore political gangster rap into his solo career with his debut solo album, AmeriKKKA’s Most Wanted. He proceeded to make his stamp in the hip-hop hall of fame with classic albums such as Death Certificate, The Predator, Lethal Injection and many others.
Cube dove into the acting world with his role in the movie Boyz N Da Hood, a movie representing the socioeconomic struggles that African American youth were facing during the 1990s. From Boyz N Da Hood, Ice Cube continued acting in movies such as Trespass, Higher Learning, Player’s Club, All About The Benjamins and the classic Friday series, which he co-wrote. Ice Cube dabbled in daytime television series with shows like Barbershop and Are We There Yet?, which are based off of movies he starred in.
Still making music today, with songs such as “Everythang’s Corrupt,” Ice Cube has proven to the world that one can venture out and be successful in different fields of work and still remain gangster. He is currently filming the newest installment of the Barbershop, Barbershop 3, due out in theaters in 2016.
Happy Birthday, Ice Cube!
Is it NWs Birthday? 🎆🎂
No carolmae, it’s the rapper/actor, Ice Cube’s birthday today. I posted this for NW to show her that I’m still “hip” 🙂
You go Hip Gal! Obviously I’m not Hip, just old Hippie!
😀 😀
Woot! Wooot!
Thanks for this Oh, “Hip” GGail! 🙂
Fools and their foolish tweets are popping up all over!
Send that to April Ryan and ask her if those are cigarettes in his hand…..
Yep.
BETTER QUESTION….IS THERE A FLASK IN HIS POCKET???????????????????
We were chatting about all the GOP candidates the other day and a question came up that I was hoping somebody here would know: if Jeb Bush became the nominee, would the ballot read “Jeb Bush” or “John Ellis Bush”? And would this other name confuse the low-info voters? 🙂
Jimmy Carter had to go to court in Maine to get ” Jimmy ” as his name on the ballot.
A VERY BAD 2016 PUSH…YES…IT’S ANOTHER BUSH!!!!..GREAT T-SHIRT!
I love that top photo with the very young Barack Obama. TY for posting it, Nerdy.
🙂
Pretty nice and cozy here in the Moderation Lounge. 🙂
Aww, nice! 🍸🍹🍷 ✔️ Checking things off your bucket list are you? 👋🌞
I BOW TO NERDY WONKA.
I’d bow, too, if I weren’t here in the Moderation Lounge. Ha!
The what what? Hahahaaaaa!!
I’m in the mediation lounge, myself.
Oh maybe, it’s the meditation lounge, I don’t know.
*Blushes* 🙂
Jim Acosta was whining on CNN about Party-gate.
His feelings are hurt because John said he was jealous for not being invited to the party …….
Crybaby-gate.
* Josh…..
HAS ANYONE HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE BIDENS?…HOW ARE THEY?
Yes, they were both back at work. Here’s what Dr. Jill was doing on Saturday:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/06/15/dr-jill-biden-sponsors-and-christens-uss-gabrielle-giffords
YES…THANK YOU JB…I PUT THE CHRISTENING ON MY FB…JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THEY ARE ALL OK…THANK YOU!
Wait….. TPA already passed both Houses…….
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2015/index.asp
Only TAA failed to pass
Can’t do TPA without TAA, so TPA is still in limbo.
Then why did they vote on it ? It passed 219-211.
It was a colossal trick Boehner pulled at the last minute after saying he would’t put it up to a vote unless TAA passed. I guess he was hoping to put both the DEMS and POTUS in a bind.
The Senate rule calls for the two to be conjoined. So unless they somehow decouple them through some sort of procedural jujitsu, they NEED to pass TAA.
And then take another vote on TPA. It’s excruciating.
meanwhile, all the pund-nitwits announce it’s over and pbo lost. when the issue is finally concluded, and pbo gets what he really wanted (as usual) the news cycle will have moved on to something else, like bush’s new hairdo.
Yes, Luke Russert told Mrs. Greenspan that PBO’s Presidency is NOW OVER because of it. He will NEVER get another piece of Legislation passed before his term is OVER.!!!!!
I burst out laughing.
BBL…I HAVE TO CHECK THE INSULTS ON MY FB…CANNOT WAIT TO GET OUT OF THIS STATE!
Would you please consider “Liking” me? ☺️
Hee! Hee! My name is Prince…and I am FUNKY!!! I am so loving the misery of these sorry whiners!
Grover Norquist’s Grip On GOP Slips As 47 Kansas Lawmakers Break “No Tax” Pledge
47 of the 53 Kansas lawmakers who signed pledges not to raise taxes, abandoned their pledges by voting for a package of regressive tax increases that will place a heavy burden on low and middle-income Kansas residents. The 53 lawmakers had either signed Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform no taxes pledge, a similar pledge offered by the Koch Brother’s Americans for Prosperity or both. By Monday, June 15th, only 6 of the 53 lawmakers had not broken those pledges.
Facing a gaping budget hole created by Governor Sam Brownback’s fiscally irresponsible income tax cuts, the legislature discovered that it could not cut its way to solvency. Consequently, the lawmakers relented and agreed to over 380 million dollars in tax increases, with most of the tax burden falling on poor and middle-class Kansans.
The lawmakers eliminated certain income tax deductions, and they raised the cigarette tax from 79 cents to 1.29 a pack. However, the most controversial increase was boosting the state sales tax from 6.15 percent to 6.5 percent. The legislature also added a 47 million dollar tax on managed care organizations in Kansas.
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/06/15/grover-norquists-grip-gop-slips-47-kansas-lawmakers-break-no-tax-pledge.html
By being so obstructive and reactionary, Congress is working to make itself irrelevant, if the USAToday article on cities, states and counties enacting progressive legislation for workers is any thermometer. Congress had a chance to be progressive, and make popular policies for all people, and they have totally bungled that opportunity. If they had done half of what PBO asked them to pass, they could tout and promote themselves in a very positive light, but they would rather hate on PBO than look good themselves.
I got an email from Bernie Sanders today in which he said that when PBO was elected, he left his followers by trying to work with Boehner and McConnell, and when he’s elected, he certainly won’t do that. He also had a screed against the trade acts. I unsubscribed, and told him why. I told him he didn’t have a chance if he alienated the Obama coalition, and every time he spoke this way, he alienated more…..including my husband and me, who demographically should be in his corner. I told him the Obama coalition people were realists, not ideologues. Right now, I’m in no one’s corner since Joe Biden has not declared.
By the way, those of you who worry about stories in the lurid grocery store mags, here’s the latest: William and Catherine are moving to America!!!!!!!!! That’s how much truth those headlines have. I remember the last three years of GWB, every other week was a headline about Laura leaving him and seeking a divorce…….didn’t happen did it?
So glad the Obamas had a great party last night and everybody enjoyed themselves. The jealousy and envy of the WHPC just screams!!!!!
I have to laugh at Bernie…..does he think he can do everything by executive order without Congress passes any Bills into Law ?
😀 😀 about stories in the lurid grocery store mags >> Funny, Carolyn, I made a quick stop at the grocery store after a lunch date today and noticed that Michelle had had a face lift *at tax payer’s expense* no less! Such an occurrence and you guys here hadn’t told me. I was shocked…. *shocked*, I tell you!
THEY NEED TO SUE THESE JERKS AND STOP THEIR INCESSANT TRASH DELIVERIES TO THE PUBLIC……..THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT FEED THE REPUGNANT CAUSE….THEY NEED TO CEASE!
About the party…
It’s the fact that the First Couple had a party for FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE (if true), and they didn’t have a clue UNTIL IT WAS OVER.
For me, didn’t have to be 500…coulda only been 50…and the fact that those jackals didn’t know a damn thing….that many mouths stayed shut…..
that they DON’T have ‘ an in’ with this Administration, leaking shyt to them..
THAT is what makes them mad.
Amen. I love that no one knew about it. How wonderful for them. I hope they had a great time!!!!!
Boom
YEP! you are so right rikyrah. They detest this POTUS and FLOTUS for doing their own thing and shutting them out. NO drama in THIS WH except for the drama the media creates.
THE FIRST FAMILY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO INVITE PRESS TO ANY OF THEIR FAMILY CELEBRATIONS…IT IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS!
EX-ACT-LY.
FLOTUS has beautiful shapely legs.
Here’s another!
love that dress! she always looks so fresh and composed– i’d be a frazzled mess with half her schedule.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3124-845/Michelle-Obama-mother-daughters-fly-Britian-meet-Prince-Harry-tea-Number-10.html
Our FLOTUS, Mrs. Robinson, Malia, and Sasha have arrived in England.
I made a mistake about logging onto that dailymail.co.uk. site. Sorry!
FLOTUS looking lovely.
Can’t wait to see the pictures…..
THe link isn’t working for me. Drats.
This the link that worked for with search term Michelle Obama daughters arrive in england” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3124845/Michelle-Obama-mother-two-daughters-fly-Britain-meet-Prince-Harry-tea-Number-10.html The Malia and Sasha’s first cousin (maternal) joins them on the trip. I believe she is either a sophmore or junior at Princeton. Beautiful family – about 15 pics
idon, she is a Freshmen at Princeton.
Thanks Bella 🙂 She just started in fall of 2014.
From the link you shared, Idon.
[AP] US First Lady Michelle Obama, and her daughters Malia and Sasha, disembark from a plane at London Stansted Airport
Thank you vc 🙂 They are so beautiful and smart and classy and just awesome.
Jeb Bush Announces His Presidential Campaign And Promptly Falls Flat On His Face
Bush said his goal was to grow the economy at a rate of 4% a year and create 19 million new jobs. (George W. Bush averaged 1.6% growth and Ronald Reagan 3.5%. Obama’s economic growth in the third and fourth quarter in 2014 was 3.9% and 5%.) Bush is actually promising to grow fewer jobs than President Obama’s recent record.
The biggest problem with Jeb Bush as a candidate is that he is boring. His speech was dull, empty, and vague. Bush spent a lot of time talking about his time as governor and claiming that he is more prepared than Obama was for the presidency. Bush argued for privatizing schools, and taking the “power” away from teachers’ unions. Bush offered up the usual attacks against President Obama’s foreign policy and warned that the country was facing “military inferiority.” Inferiority to who or what was not made clear. Bush is going to stand up the Cuban red menace and buddy up to Bibi in Israel.
There is a gigantic structural problem facing the Bush campaign. Bush’s launch was a blatant pander to Hispanic voters, but the Republican Party is anti-Hispanic. The Republican Party is so anti-immigrant that they are beginning to oppose legal immigration. Bush is trying to appeal to voters who Republicans have been demonizing for years.
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/06/15/jeb-bush-announces-presidential-campaign-promptly-falls-flat-face.html
I didn’t know AG Lynch was in UK too.
Fun fact: the Magna Carta memorial at Runnymede was built by Americans.
Oooo, that’s interesting……
Our beautiful First Family.
BOTH OF THE ‘O’ DAUGHTERS ARE SUCH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES..MAKES PBO NERVOUS…LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
5 Policy Issues that Show Why Jeb Bush Will Lose the Latino Vote
1. Obama’s Executive Orders on Immigration….81%
2. Medicaid Expansion and Obamacare…77%
3. Raising the Minimum Wage…78%
4. The Importance of Addressing Climate Change…84%
5. Taxes on the Super Wealthy….87%
Latino Decisions Survey
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/latino-decisions/5-policy-issues-that-show_b_7584142.html
SHE’LL LOOK EVEN YOUNGER AFTER PBO IS NO LONGER A TARGET IN THAT WHITEHOUSE….
I DON’T SEE ANY DEMS. RUNNING I WOULD WALK ACROSS THE STREET FOR…I WILL BE BUSY MOVING AND NOT VOTING THIS TIME AROUND…NOONE TO VOTE FOR…:(
New post
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/06/15/white-house-mentorship-and-leadership-graduation-ceremony/