People Doing Good

Here’s a story about people doing good that's worth sharing: @BradPaisley and his wife @Kimwilliamspais saw food insecurity in Nashville and decided to do something about it. They just broke ground on a free grocery store to help families in need: https://t.co/o6pcAApZsm

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 4, 2019

afternoon all

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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden take their seats as they hold a roundtable meeting on Insourcing American Jobs, Jan. 11, in the Old Executive Office Building on the White House campus

… with US Trade Representative Ron Kirk

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CNN has the 6:50 speech in their live streaming schedule …. but it’s down for 4:50. Confused!

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Just to repeat one of the, eh, ‘house rules’ I mentioned recently: I HUGELY appreciate you letting us know about posts at other blogs and various news sites in the comments here, it’s a completely invaluable service for us all.

But! Please only include very short extracts from the posts – the aim should always be to give a taster of the post that sends the reader to the author’s blog, otherwise we’re effectively stealing their work.

So, please don’t include any more than 2 or 3 paragraphs (2 if it’s a short post), and always include the link at the end. Thanks.

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See the video here – thanks Tulips

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Actress Angelina Jolie is seen in the Oval Office of the White House, Jan. 11, during a meeting with President Barack Obama

According to a White House aide, “President Obama spoke with Ms. Jolie about her work to raise the profile of preventing mass atrocities and combating sexual violence against women.” Brad Pitt also visited.

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President Barack Obama waves as he leaves the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 11, for Chicago

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Another of those ‘rules’ I mentioned last week:

99.9% of you are civil to each other, even if you don’t always agree, and that’s the way I want it here. By all means, battle away with anyone you disagree with, but no personal abuse, okay? Not welcome here. And no personal call-outs …. I’ve deleted more than a few in the last week or two.

Okay, I’ve already started a crackdown on this, any one who has, or continues to, ignore appeals to stop personal attacks on other visitors here is gone from the blog. Sorry, I don’t want that stuff here.

stay classy, brad watson

This a clip of the interview the President did yesterday with WFAA-TV of Texas

Does this Brad Watson creature usually treat Presidents with that much disrespect and contempt, if he’s ever interviewed one before, or might he have a particular problem with President Obama?

In his (written) report on the interview (here), Watson said: “After the interview, Obama pointed out that he doesn’t like an interviewer challenging his comments. “Let me finish my answers the next time we do an interview, all right?” he said.”

You can hear the exchange at the end of the interview – where does the President say “he doesn’t like an interviewer challenging his comments”? He doesn’t. Watson speaks over the start of the exchange, in which the President says “… let me finish my… questions”, then says: “Let me finish my answers the next time we do an interview, all right?”

So, Watson lied. The President did not object to his comments being challenged, only to not being extended the courtesy of the chance to finish his answers.

But Watson lies to give the impression that the President cannot handle being ‘challenged’ by hard-hitting, truth-seeking reporters of his magnificent quality. And, as we all know, the President has soooooo little experience of being challenged. 🙄

I’m just surprised Watson didn’t ask: “Where’s your birth certificate, boy?”

You can contact the channel here or at feedback@wfaa.com or on 214-748-9631

There’s also an email address on the site for Watson (bwatson@wfaa.com) but I’m not sure there’s much point in contacting him directly – it would probably get lost in the avalanche of congratulations from Teabaggers.

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The President also did interviews yesterday with WRAL Raleigh (see here – thank you Donna), WTHR Indianapolis and KCNC Denver.

‘will 2010 medicare ads come back to haunt gop?’

This is a real Tea Party banner. Seriously.

CBS: The proposed 2012 budget that Republican Rep. Paul Ryan put forward today seemingly plays right into Democrats’ hands by proposing massive changes to Medicare…

The Republican party launched aggressive attacks against Democrats in the midterm elections for voting for President Obama’s health care reforms, which also included significant changes to the program….

Ryan’s plan would dramatically transform the health care plan for seniors. Instead of providing those over 65 with government-run health care, seniors starting in 2022 would receive “premium support” (subsidies given directly to insurance providers) to get the health care of their choice from private insurers….

Many Republicans have praised Ryan’s efforts today, but much of the praise has been reserved for Ryan’s leadership, rather than the substance of the proposal itself. Some of those Republicans may have 2010 in mind, when the GOP hammered the Democratic health care plan, which included $500 billion in Medicare cuts.

“Seniors do not want senators fooling with Medicare,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor on Dec. 4, 2009, ahead of the congressional votes on the legislation. “Let me say that again: Seniors do not want senators fooling with Medicare. They want us to fix it, to strengthen it… not raid it like a giant piggy bank to create some entirely new government program.”

…the Democratic health care plan provided potent fodder for the midterm elections. Republican Dan Coats, now the junior senator for Indiana, ran an ad against his 2010 opponent, Democratic Rep. Brad Ellsworth that blasted him for failing to “protect seniors”…….Coats office has not responded to an inquiry from Hotsheet as to whether he supports Ryan’s proposed budget.

Similarly, Republican Pat Toomey, now the junior senator for Pennsylvania, ran a 2010 ad railing against his opponent Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak for supporting the health care overhaul.

…”This budget is more proof that Tea Party extremists have toppled the Republican House leadership and completely taken over,” said Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg (N.J.). “The House Republican Tea Partiers started with cuts to Head Start, education and medical research, and now they want to privatize Medicare. If you are a child seeking an education or an older American seeking health care, the Tea Party budget is toxic to your future.”

Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey (Calif.) said the Ryan plan is “one of the most callous and reckless proposals I’ve seen during 18 years in Congress” and it amounts to “destroying Medicare.”

Democratic Sen. Max Baucus (Mont.) said that expert analysis shows the Ryan plan would “make deep cuts to the Medicare benefits seniors count on. It would end Medicare as we know it and funnel Medicare dollars directly into private insurance companies’ pockets.”

Full article here