News Of The Day

Pres Obama and VP Biden today outside Oval Office. Instagram.com/petesouza http://t.co/HLY45mYRj4

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  (@petesouza) August 01, 2013

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Kate Sheppard: Obama Issues Order To Prevent The Next West, Texas-Style Explosion

On Thursday, President Obama issued an executive order on chemical facility safety, three and a half months after the deadly ammonium nitrate explosion in a West, Texas fertilizer plant. The order outlines a number of new initiatives intended to modernize oversight of plants and strengthen the coordination of the various agencies responsible for safety at these facilities.

To take up those mandates, the order establishes a new Chemical Facility Safety and Security Working Group, which will include the top officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Homeland Security. It also directs federal, state, local, and tribal groups to figure out how to work together better on this issue.

More here

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I'm not saying people who tell people not to get health insurance should go to hell but they should spend 5 years working for $7.25 an hour

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  (@LOLGOP) August 01, 2013

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 Clare Kim: Meet The Academy of Motion Picture’s First African-American President

Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, becoming the first African-American and third woman to lead the organization that awards the Oscars every year.

Boone Isaacs, a marketing executive who currently heads CBI Enterprises, was voted in by the board of governors Tuesday night. She has consulted on films like The Artist, The King’s Speech and Precious. She has also served as executive vice president of worldwide publicity at Paramount Pictures and as president of theatrical marketing for New Line Cinema. Earlier this year, she produced the 4th annual Governors Awards for the Academy.

More here

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RT if you agree: It's time to raise the minimum wage because nobody who works full-time should live in poverty. http://t.co/BVYiN26Eoi

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The White House (@whitehouse) August 01, 2013

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President Obama’s America

U.S. manufacturing expands at fastest pace in two years as production and hiring soar: apne.ws/11wXKBT -MM

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The Associated Press (@AP) August 01, 2013

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Michael O’Brien: Obama Nominates Permanent IRS Commissioner

President Barack Obama named a new, full-time commissioner of the IRS on Thursday, giving the besieged agency a permanent leader.

Obama nominated John Koskinen, a veteran of government service who helped oversee the restructuring of mortgage giant Freddie Mac in the aftermath of the 2008-09 recession, to lead the IRS.

“John is an expert at turning around institutions in need of reform,” Obama said in a statement. “With decades of experience, in both the private and public sectors, John knows how to lead in difficult times, whether that means ensuring new management or implementing new checks and balances.”

More here

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House says they didn't have time to finish THUD? They are supposed to pass all 12 approps bills before August. They've passed 4.

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Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) August 01, 2013

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Joseph Diebold: Texas Republicans Want Wendy Davis To Pay For Special Session

After spending their first special session watching State Sen Wendy Davis’ (D) marathon filibuster and their second passing the abortion restrictions Davis was fighting against, the Texas legislature is back for a third session. Now, they need to handle the transportation measure that was the motivation for the original special session, before they got sidetracked with anti-abortion legislation.

Unfortunately for the state’s taxpayers, the extra time will cost them an additional $2.4 million. But one lawmaker has an idea for who should foot part of that bill: Davis herself. State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he thinks Davis should be on the hook for the cost of the extra lawmaking sessions.

Davis shrugged off the criticism, noting that Republican Gov. Rick Perry is the one who decides to add special sessions. “It’s unfortunate that the leadership in power squandered taxpayer dollars pursuing partisan politics before Texas priorities and forced an unnecessary special session,” she said.

More here

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Willard? Meet Your Waterloo….

Iowa State Fair, August 13 (OFA)

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OFA

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The Waterloo Center for the Arts, Iowa, August 14

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President Obama at the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 13

Cole Nelson, nine months, held by his mother Deborah Nelson, inspects President Obama’s face during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 13

… with Joy Dannelly, Iowa State Fair

Bayliss Park, Monday, Aug. 13

Denison, Iowa, on August 13

Boone, Iowa, August 13

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Council Bluffs, Iowa, August 13 (OFA)

The completely brilliant photographer Scout Tufankjian is back working for the campaign, check out more of her photos on Flickr

Heads Up: President Obama in Boone, Iowa

6:15 ET: The President delivers remarks at a campaign event at Boone, Herman Park, Iowa

C-Span

CNN

CBS

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First lady Michelle Obama, Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas and host Jay Leno during a taping of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in Burbank, Calif.

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Thank you Roberta in MN – a photo from today’s Rochester Roundtable

wrap-up

Original video here

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Pool report from Boone: POTUS stopped in this picturesque college town that is home to Appalachian State University…. he worked his way through the Mast General Store …. its major selling point appeared to be tubs of candy, and the sales clerk helped guide POTUS through the confectionery paradise.

As he made his way toward the press, Peter Nicholas of the LA Times said to him: “You won’t find this in the White House garden, Mr. President.”

“On Halloween, the First Lady doesn’t mind,” he replied, smiling, as he filled a bucket with maple nut clusters, macaroons, and York peppermint patties.

Rounding the corner, POTUS saw another long candy counter and said, “It just goes on forever.”

After putting more sweets in his bucket, he petted a little black dog that looked like a miniature version of Bo. “Bo says hi,” he said to the dog’s owner.

As cameras flashed, a group of girls mugged behind POTUS, prompting him to ask, “are you guys making rabbit ears behind me?”

Then it was time to heft a baby – in this case one-year-old Mason Wainwright….

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West Wilkes High School in Millers Creek, North Carolina – original video here

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OffTheCharts: We previously described the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) as one of the “most effective pieces of anti-poverty legislation in decades,” saying its temporary expansion of the safety net kept 4.5 million people out of poverty in 2009.  Actually, the impact was greater than we thought.

We now know that, when one follows recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) on how to measure poverty more comprehensively, seven of ARRA’s provisions kept more than 6 million Americans above the NAS poverty line – that is, out of poverty – in 2009.

Full post here

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Maddow Blog: Tina McGrevy writes from Springfield, Ohio: “My husband, a former Republican and voter of John McCain, stands next to the sign he placed in our front lawn. During our 15 years of marriage, our votes have just cancelled each other out. Thank you Gov. John Kasich for finally bringing us together, politically. We brought our early ballots to the Election Board on Charlie’s birthday as he will be out of state on Election Day. They were identical.”

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Steve Benen: For folks below a certain age, Robert Bork’s name is probably only vaguely familiar. Ronald Reagan nominated the right-wing jurist to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987, launching one of the fiercest and most important nomination fights in generations. Bork, by the way, lost that fight – the Senate concluded his ideology was simply too extreme for the high court.

That was the correct call. Bork had, after all, endorsed Jim Crow-era poll taxes, condemned portions of the Civil Rights Act banning discrimination in public accommodations, and argued against extending the equal protection of the 14th Amendment to women, among other things.

A quarter-century later, it’s not news that Bork is still an extremist … the salience here comes with appreciating what Bork is currently up to …. Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney chose Bork to serve as the co-chair of his “Judicial Advisory Committee.”

Full post here

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That photo:

Jonathan Capehart: 1 percent poster child: Romney photo Bain of his existence

From the “It was a good idea at the time” file comes this photo from the Boston Globe of Mitt Romney during his Bain Capital days. Look at all that cash Romney and the fellas are flashing…..

Folks are demonstrating all over the country – the world, now – under the “Occupy Wall Street” banner. They are protesting the excesses of corporations and the yawning economic divide, among a slew of other things. They might be out of work, burdened with debt or fearful that playing by the rules no longer means anything. The 99 percent are enraged by the 1 percent – and this photo is emblematic of why.

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ABC

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Wednesday:

10:30: Delivers remarks at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia. The President will be joined by First Lady Michelle Obama. As part of her Joining Forces initiative, the First Lady will announce a major private sector commitment to hire veterans and military spouses.

2:40: The President speaks to fire fighters at Fire Station 9 North Chesterfield, VA

Also on Wednesday, the First Lady and Dr Jill Biden travel to Game One of the World Series in St. Louis, Missouri where they will promote Joining Forces and MLB’s Welcome Back Veterans program. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden will join representatives from MLB and the St. Louis Cardinals in hosting a military families appreciation event at the St. Louis Veterans Center.

7:45: Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden will participate in a special pre-game ceremony with veterans and military families at Busch Stadium. Game One of the World Series will be broadcast live on FOX starting at 7:30.

Prior to the game, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden will answer questions on the Joining Forces initiative submitted by MLB fans through Facebook and Twitter. People around the country can submit questions for Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden through MLB’s Facebook page or on Twitter with the hashtag #AskMichelle.

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Five from today:

You have to worry about the enthusiasm gap.

😉

boone, nc

At the Mast General Store in Boone, N.C.