Common Sense….

Maybe we shouldn't be making it easier for people to quietly kill other people? https://t.co/tqc0nM6iZa

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 14, 2017

We should not live in a country where people can so easily obtain such powerful firearms that they can cause a massacre. https://t.co/EUMF2FkSMz

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 14, 2017

****

https://twitter.com/fivefifths/status/874978941790015488

Gun violence is all too common in America. So far, 2017 has seen:

27,760 gun incidents
13,474 injuries
6,862 deaths https://t.co/IiUzGwqHsF

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 14, 2017

****

Soooo... still no gun control? K.

— Luvvie (@Luvvie) June 14, 2017

The answer to the horrific #shooting tragedy this morning in Alexandria is not more guns and fewer gun laws. pic.twitter.com/D6ielP3npe

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) June 14, 2017

****

I have no problem with people expressing thoughts&prayers

I do have a problem w/ just thinking &praying but doing 0 to stop gun violence

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 14, 2017

Americans should be able to play baseball, dance in a nightclub and attend religious services without the threat of being shot.

Alexandria pic.twitter.com/LUWKIWWjTp

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) June 14, 2017

pete souza & chuck kennedy? magic.

…. with St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Lance Berkman after welcoming the team to the White House to honor their 2011 World Series victory, Jan. 17

….. greeting neighbors outside the home of William and Endia Eason in Cleveland, Ohio, Jan. 4

….  during the flight on Marine One to Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., Jan. 11

….. greeting Tuskeegee Airmen in the East Garden Room of the White House prior to a screening of the film “Red Tails” in the Family Theater, Jan. 13

….. watching a performance backstage with iCarly cast members prior to an iCarly screening at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Va., Jan. 13

Jan. 27

… boarding Marine One for departure from Cambridge-Dorchester Airport in Cambridge, Md., Jan. 27

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a potato sack race with Jimmy Fallon in the East Room of the White House, Jan. 25

…. signing items for Make-A-Wish child Rafael Mullet during a visit in the Oval Office, Jan. 25

….. with students at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, Va., Jan. 25

…. hugging Rep. Gabrielle Giffords before delivering the State of the Union address, Jan. 24

How did I miss these, they were posted on Flickr a week ago 😕

More photos here

afternoon all

A Journey of Courage

****

President Barack Obama walks to Marine One at the White House en route to Andrews Air Base and, from there, to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Jan. 25

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, President Barack Obama’s political strategist David Plouffe and Obama’s chief speechwriter Jon Favreau step off Marine One as they follow Obama (L) to Air Force One at Andrews Air Force

****

Democracycorps: Dial testing and follow-up focus groups with 50 swing voters in Denver, Colorado show that President Obama’s populist defense of the middle class and their priorities in his State of the Union scored with voters.

The President generated strong responses on energy, education and foreign policy, but most important, he made impressive gains on a range of economic measures. These swing voters, even the Republicans, responded enthusiastically to his call for a “Buffet Rule” that would require the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share.

…. These dial focus groups make it very clear that defending further tax cuts for those at the top of the economic spectrum puts Republicans in Congress and on the Presidential campaign trail well outside of the American mainstream.

More here

****

The Week

USA Today: After rounds of plant closures as the economy headed into recession – and some automakers headed into bankruptcy court – a resurgent auto industry is helping lead the way out with a hiring surge of an estimated 60,000 jobs this year.

…. Total jobs at all U.S. auto plants and parts factories will rise 10% to about 650,000 this year and hit 756,800 by 2015. That’s up from about 550,000 in the depths of the recent recession, but still well below more than a million a decade ago.

More here

****

White House

****

First Lady Michelle Obama joins the lunch line at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia January 25. The First Lady made the visit to speak about the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new and improved nutrition standards for school lunches

(Rachael Ray in the background)

****

Thanks Meta

****

An early heads-up:

12:20: Arrives in Cedar Rapids

12:40: Tours Conveyor Engineering & Manufacturing

12:55: Delivers remarks

2:30: Departs Cedar Rapids en route to Phoenix, Ariz

5:35: Arrives in Phoenix

6:30: Delivers remarks at Intel Ocotillo Campus

8:35: Departs Phoenix, Ariz. en route to Las Vegas, Nevada

9:30: Arrives in Las Vegas

****

christmas shopping

****

Pool report: Presidential motorcade left a soggy South Lawn at 12:45 p.m. for shopping and lunch. Fourteen minutes later the motorcade arrived at Potomac Yards in Alexandria, where the President headed into the Pet Smart store. By the time the pool was allowed in a shirtsleeved POTUS was at a checkout counter with Bo, who appeared to be sizing up a small brown “standard poodle” named Cinnamon, according to the dog’s owner.

“Okay, Bo, don’t get too personal here,” POTUS admonished, holding tightly to Bo’s leash. He pulled out a $50 bill to pay for two items, one a large dog bone. Total was slightly more than $41.

After a quick stroll POTUS entered the nearby Best Buy at 1:10 p.m. “This (stop) for the girls now,” he said as he went in.

After a round of handshaking he headed straight to the Wii section, where he bought a Just Dance game for his daughters.

“The girls beat me every time on these dance games,” he said, “but you’ll never get a picture of me (playing) because I get graded F every time.”

He also bought a pair of $50 iTunes gift cards and an unidentified game. Tab came to 194.48. “Let’s see if my credit card still works,” he said. It did.

After more grip-and-grins outside, motorcade left at 1:21 p.m. Nine minutes later, POTUS arrived via side streets at intersection of East Del Ray and Mount Vernon to pick up some pies at the Del Ray Pizzeria. More handshakes, a little sports banter…

Pool ushered out. Minutes later POTUS emerged with three large pizzas. Then he worked the crowd on all four corners of the intersection plus a fifth cluster of squealing well-wishers a bit further down Del Ray.

Motorcade including Bo rolling at 1:48, arriving South Lawn 2:05 p.m.

President Obama and his dog Bo with a poodle named Cinnamon as they check out at PetSmart in Alexandria, Va. Obama bought the presidential pup a toy bone and a bag of food while Bo played in the store with Cinnamon.

President Barack Obama speaks with customers while picking up his pizza order at Del Ray Pizzeria in Alexandria after purchasing gifts

President Barack Obama greets people after stopping for pizza at Del Ray Pizzaria in Alexandria, Virginia

President Barack Obama shops for Christmas gifts at a Best Buy store on December 21, 2011 in Alexandria, Virginia

patently smart

President Barack Obama talks with student Rebecca Hyndman before visiting classrooms at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., Sept. 16, 2011. Hyndman, a Senior at Thomas Jefferson, shows the President the patent she received in 2010 for her invention, Under-Floor Storage. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

cute. the baby is too.

President Barack Obama holds Veronique Dimyan, age 1, as he greets the audience after signing the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act into law at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Virginia, March 30, 2010.