Rise and Shine

Random old pic – Pete Souza: “Following remarks in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the fiscal cliff negotiations, the President greets a couple of OMB workers as he walked back across on West Executive Avenue as he walked back to the West Wing of the White House. He gave them an elbow-bump, because he had just put Purell on his hands.” (Photo by Pete Souza, Dec. 31, 2012)

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Sunday: The President has no public events scheduled

Monday: Will participate in an Ambassador Credentialing Ceremony at the White House

Will spend the rest of the week in Washington, DC and attend meetings at the White House

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A word from Bobfr:

Letter sent to PBO and VP Biden ….

Dear Mr President,

300+ million guns in the possession of folk in America is way beyond the proverbial ‘horse has left the barn.’ It would be great to ban anyone other than the military & police organizations from owning semi-automatic weapons, but I think you have a much more pragmatic way of addressing that issue and several other gun violence significant challenges.

You and your legal advisers are way more sophisticated than I ever will be so please forgive if you’ve already considered the following.

1. Focus on the ‘well regulated’ clause of the 2nd Amendment and leverage it to issue and enforce substantial reforms via Executive Order – i.e., use the law of the land to maximum extent rather than rely on new legislation (for all the reasons we know how intractable that path currently is);

2. ‘Well regulated’ would be reasonably interpreted as every gun being registered and accounted for at all times;

3. ‘Well regulated’ would be reasonably interpreted as each person in possession of a gun is properly trained, certified, licensed, free of any criminal record, & insured for liability for unintended or illegal harm they might cause;

4. ‘Well regulated’ would be reasonably interpreted as any person owning more than one gun was properly trained, certified and licensed for EACH gun and that their liability insurance covered EACH gun;

5. ‘Well regulated’ would be reasonably interpreted as ensuring that each gun owner had their certification and license to possess every gun they own be renewed on an annual basis;

6. ‘Well regulated’ would be reasonably interpreted as an accounting of every round of ammunition (as well as the equipment and components for assembling ammunition) a licensed gun owner purchased with limits set on the frequency of purchase no less stringent than the purchase of ‘Sudafed’;

7. ‘Well regulated’ would be reasonably interpreted as any violation of the use of a gun, any conviction for DUI, any conviction for assault of any form, any conviction for use of illegal drugs, and any conviction for any form of violent threat or crime automatically results in confiscation of any gun, ammunition, etc., in possession of the offender.

These pragmatic steps do not infringe on ‘2nd Amendment’ rights. These pragmatic steps do not require anyone to surrender whatever type of gun they have.

These pragmatic steps require any person in possession of one or more guns to prove they are properly trained, licensed and insured – requirements no more onerous than those drivers of automobiles, operators of a vast range of equipment, school bus drivers, etc., must adhere.

All those other activities do not have as their intended consequence killing. Only a gun has that intended consequence.

So, it is merely reasonable that the operator of a gun meet at least as rigorous a set of training, license and insurance responsibilities given that that device has ONLY ONE intended outcome – DEATH.

Thank you

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NYT: President Obama plans to push Congress to move quickly in the coming months on an ambitious overhaul of the immigration system that would include a path to citizenship for most of the 11 million illegal immigrants in the country, senior administration officials and lawmakers said last week.

Mr. Obama and Senate Democrats will propose the changes in one comprehensive bill, the officials said, resisting efforts by some Republicans to break the overhaul into smaller pieces — separately addressing young illegal immigrants, migrant farmworkers or highly skilled foreigners — which might be easier for reluctant members of their party to accept.

Full article here

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NYT: As lawmakers take to the Sunday shows to express their opinions on President Obama’s cabinet nominations, Colin L. Powell, the retired general and former secretary of state, will join NBC’s “Meet the Press” to voice his support for Chuck Hagel as the next secretary of defense.

NBC will also feature a roundtable discussion of Washington’s next debates on the debt ceiling and more with Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark and Haley Barbour, the former Mississippi governor.

🙄 —-> Senator John McCain and Senator Joe Manchin will appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation” to share their views on Mr. Obama’s national security picks…..

More here

Meet the Press: Colin Powell, Cory Booker, Haley Barbour, Mike Murphy, Andrea Mitchell

Face the Nation: John McCain, Joe Manchin, Stanley McChrystal, Antonio Villaraigosa, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, John Dickerson, Amy Walter

This Week: Jack Reed, Bob Corker, Richard Haass, Martha Raddatz, Joe Manchin, Jon Huntsman, Al Hunt, Paul Krugman, Peggy Noonan, David Walker, Judy Woodruff

State of the Union: David Keene, Chris Murphy, Joe Manchin, Jon Huntsman, Elijah Cummings, Marsha Blackburn, Jeff Zeleny, Michael Scherer

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MoooOOOoooOOOOoorning!

Rise and Shine

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Monday: The President has no public events scheduled in observance of Veterans Day

Tuesday: Attends meetings at the White House

Wednesday: Holds a news conference in the East Room. He will also meet with business leaders at the White House

Thursday: The President will travel to the New York City area to view the storm damage, talk with citizens who are recovering from the storm and thank first responders who put their lives at risk to protect their communities

Friday: The President will meet with Congressional leaders of both parties at the White House to discuss the action needed to be taken to keep the economy growing and reduce the deficit

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Cagle

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NYT: President Obama, emboldened by his decisive re-election and lessons learned over four years in office, is looking to the renewal of budget talks with Republicans this week as a second chance to take command of the nation’s policy debates and finally fulfill his promise to end gridlock in Washington, associates say.

As he prepares to meet with Congressional leaders at the White House on Friday, aides say, Mr. Obama will not simply hunker down there for weeks of closed-door negotiations as he did in mid-2011 …. He will travel beyond the Beltway at times to rally public support for a deficit-cutting accord that mixes tax increases on the wealthy with spending cuts.

…. with the election campaign over, the campaign for the Obama legacy begins: Mr. Obama will keep his grass-roots organization in place to “have the president’s back,” as its members like to say, on the budget negotiations and other issues in the second term. Democrats concede that the network has not been a particularly effective legislative lobby to date. But they argue that when it was activated to pass payroll tax cuts and low-interest student loans, the pressure made a difference.

…. His first trip outside Washington to engage the public will come after Thanksgiving, since Mr. Obama is scheduled to leave next weekend on a diplomatic trip to Asia.

Full article here

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@txvoodoo

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Absolutely adore the fact that the word ‘phew‘ trended worldwide on Twitter when President Obama was re-elected 😎

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Cagle

Cagle

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Now, I don’t want to go on about this – well, that’s a complete lie, I do – but thanks to a very kind TOD lurker called Mandy, I’ve finally seen another comment left here by Scout Tufankjian – one that settles an ugly exchange between me and Bobfr for once and for all:

Bob? I accept your apology which I’m sure you’ll post soon – don’t worry about it, we can, hopefully, move on from this.

Scout? I ♥ you! Rest well after the campaign, you deserve it.

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Moooooooooooorning everyone.

Rise and Shine

(I have about three words of Spanish …. but even I get this)

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Today:

10:45: President Obama departs the White House

1:20: Arrives Miami, Fla.

2:10: Participates in a town hall hosted by Univision (Live on Facebook – and here)

5:25: Departs Miami

6:20: Arrives in Tampa

6:50: Delivers remarks at a campaign event (private residence)

9:05: Departs Tampa

11:10: Arrives Joint Base Andrews

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Cagle

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Michael Tomasky: ….. One of the things that really gets me is hearing people say things like, “I voted for Obama because I hoped he’d be able to unite the country, and he hasn’t, and I’m very disappointed by that.” ….. this is like blaming Sharon Tate for failing to make peace with Charles Manson. The Republicans operate from a mindset of wanting to crush and destroy the Democrats, and I bring this up today because the debate over the “freeloading” 47 percent is as good an exhibit as exists with which to make the case…..

….. it’s Obama’s fault that the tone in Washington hasn’t changed? It may have been idealistic and naive of him to promise it, but at least he tried, and I’ll take idealistic and naive over dishonest and cynical. It’s a sad thing to say, but the country will be united only when the liars and cynics see that their tactics no longer work.

Full post here

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Cagle

#ADollarADayToOFA

Follow the legends that are Bobfr and amk (who came up with this highly excellent idea) on Twitter

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BarackObama.com

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TOD Fundraisers:

a4alice * Alycee * BWD * CollegeKay * Cookemom * DonnaDem4Obama

Hachikō * Hgerhard * HZ * Judith Fardig * Mae Who Love Our CIC

Marlz * Meta * Pamela *prettyfoot58 * proudmemberofglobalzero * Theo67 * The Obama Diary

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I don’t want to make you all blush, but you’ve been doing severely brilliant work with all your links, etc in the comments – a gazillion thank yous 😉

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People trying to comment here for the first time, please read here, thanks.

rise and shine

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From Bobfr:

Dear TOD,

Before launching a Twitter storm, which I think could be quite successful, wanted to share the idea with all of you.

The idea is TOTALLY inspired by HZ’s post of earlier today (see here)

All of the companies that provide advertising $$ to hatemonger Rush’s (and others) broadcast radio/TV should be challenged to channel those $$ to support, across the USA, the types of events/services for our troops that HZ outlined. They’d get enormous advert exposure – for something overwhelmingly positive – and they would be infusing their $$ into actions and not just hate-filled sound waves.

The tweets are rather simple and could easily become ‘viral’ – along the lines of “”USA – Tell ALL sponsors on @ClearChannel of #Rush to funnel their $$ to support #USATHANKStheTROOPS inspired by http://tinyurl.com/7b4h39f“”

And, it would be reasonable to contact Sandra Fluke and ask her if she would be supportive of the effort.

What do you think?

This is something a site with now more than 8 million hits should launch because you’d want as much immediate impact and sustained effort as possible.

I’m in – if you folks want to make it happen.

#PRESSON

~ ~ ~ ~

Bobfr, this is brilliant. You are our Twitter king, lead and we will follow!

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Remember this Michael D Higgins video from last week (it’s from May 2010)? Charles Pierce liked it, a lot:

“To close out an almost unimaginable week of conservative stupidity – that boothead judge out in Montana, Rush Limbaugh’s hocking up the foul weasel mucus from the bottom of his soul, the Blunt Amendment – a commenter brought this to my attention. The star of our show is Michael D. Higgins, president of Ireland. Playing the part of a pile of smoking meat by the side of the road when Higgins is finished with him is Michael Graham, a local talk-radio blight up here in Boston. Don’t bring that weak shit to Grogan’s on William Street, lad.

“A wanker whipping up fear.”

Good on ya, boyo!

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From yesterday:

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Will catch up later today, chat away everyone 😉

sign up!

Please sign Bobfr’s petition – here

Thank you

a word from bob….

by Bobfr

Simply, everyone of us, and every Democratic Party Leader and Candidate must be certain that “the official Republican plan is to destroy Medicare” are 8 words every American hears 1000s of times between now and Nov 2012.

Beyond that the simple mantra is a gift given to every Democratic candidate, to wit:

The Republicans promised jobs in 2010:

– instead they insisted on tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations

– instead they attacked collective bargaining

– instead they attacked education

– instead they attacked unemployment insurance

– instead they attacked women and girls

– instead they brought the Nation to the brink of default on its debt

– instead they tried to KILL DADT

NET RESULT TO DATE:

Republican jobs created – ZERO

Republican destruction of jobs – Large and accelerating

Republican pursuit of the destruction of America if that’s what it takes to defeat President Obama in 2012 – so obvious even some pundits and politicians have noticed what we have all known since Jan 2009.

Don’t muddle; don’t confuse – take full advantage of the blatantly obvious Republican attacks on the middle class, on Medicare, on Medicaid, on Social Security and the very solvency of the United States of America and make change happen, Americans.

Yes.We.Can. … DO.More.Together!

in a word……

‘Newstainer’: Employees and ‘guests’ of major corporate broadcast radio, tv and cable organizations whose primary function is to generate cash flow by manipulating and sensationalizing any information, and, whenever possible, do so to also undermine President Obama, destroy the American middle class, erode Medicare/Medicaid, privatize Social Security, and continue to undermine the American economy if that’s what it takes to defeat President Obama and Democratic candidates in 2012.

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Inspired by Urban Dictionary’s definition of ‘Gone Hamsher‘, Bobfr came up with ‘Newstainer’.

Bobfr? Will you marry me 😉

welcome home

From Bobfr

Dear Mr President,

Welcome home and thank you for the enormous achievement your trip to Ireland, UK and Europe represents.

You have won the hearts and minds of countless individuals; you have warmed them with the generosity of your spirit; and, you have restored respect for America – no small task given the vast damage GW Bush and his Administration did to our values and our reputation as a Nation of Laws and one that respects the life of every person.

To the Future!

Bob

Yes.We.Can. … DO.More.Together!

one last thing….

So, before I called it a night I was practicing that quadruple forward flip I did at the White House the other day….

….and just having one last look at that completely random photo…

….and then my email went “Ding!” and I saw this……

You know who you are, you bundle of loveliness 😉

Thank you so much!