Supreme Court Justice Stevens leaving the court

All the signals were there for some time now.

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Associate Justice Stevens resignation letter to President Obama

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Stop talking about health care and get on this recession and JOBS....

Look, the health insurance debate is over. Period.

Many have hardened how they feel about it, whether for or against. Period.

The Democrats and President Obama got to deal with many unhappy campers out here about it and their lack of understanding what this law means now. Democrats had more than a year to sell health insurance reform and did not do a good job, period. We know that, we saw it last summer. Since then the message has NEVER been retained, the Democrats lost the message on this.

Enough of explaining a bill, that was crappy from the onset, that had to be immediately FIXED and now trying to explain what the public will get, but most of it won't start until 2014. Yes, a cluster fuck. In fact, my sister told me that at her job, the human resources phone was ringing off the HOOK because many parents wanted to put their kids onto their insurance plan, IMMEDIATELY. You know the, "you can be insured until 26". Many thought that it would happen immediately, when in fact not until 6-8 months out. Again, misinformation running amuck.

So, can this President and Democrats move to this economy and NO JOBS OUT HERE. Why? Well, many have been unemployed for more than 6 months, with many moving towards over a year. Can we see some movement on how the Democrats plan to cope with this? And can we see some selling of this?

Am I frustrated much? You betcha. The mid-term elections will be about a few things: the econonmy, lack of jobs, fear of losing a job, continued mortage foreclosures in the millions, and anger at all these BAILOUTS to the banks, Wall Street and NO HELP out here for the average joe.

While the President is all smiles with President Medvedev of Russia on a re-boot of the Start Treaty for reduction of nuclear weapons, the public is viewing this as a huge YAWN. Yes, this is important (if it can get through the senate), but to the average joe, NOT MUCH, jobs and this economy is what is important to joe.

So, while President Obama and the Democrats are playing catch up, the polls are continuing to erode and how people feel out here on this very shitty economy is hardening. There is nothing like anger on populist messages to send everyone packing in November and that means, Democrats. Now, one of many stories of foreclosure and job loss.....

Since Richard Brown lost his job to the recession and his Boston home to foreclosure a year ago, he’s been working short-term consulting assignments until he gets back on his feet. In the meantime, he’s been “couch surfing.”

“I’ve lived with my brother, my cousin, my friend and my dad,” he said. “The IRS keeps calling me, asking me: ‘What’s your address?’ And I say, ‘What week is this?’”

Armed with college degree and an MBA, Brown, 49, built a solid resume over three decades as a corporate controller for several Fortune 500 companies, including W.R. Grace and Wal-Mart, before launching his own global consulting business with clients in Europe and Mexico. But when the Panic of 2008 sent clients scrambling, he was unable to keep up with a jump in his mortgage payments and lost his home to foreclosure.

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I guess someone in this country MUST take a bullet before GOP leadership find a clue

This right wing horrible hate rhetoric:



Let's be clear, this is not about any health care passage. This is about using the Tea Party, Republican Party and any issue from Barack Obama to spew this hate, period. The deafening silence from the Republican Party, for me, says it is "A-OK" and continue the course. Republican Party, "Where is your leadership?" Also, this bigot was on the GOP talking points about the health insurance bill, which is now law, which every point is inaccurate from his hate speech.

Death threats to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA):

Federal prosecutors have charged a Washington state man, Charles Alan Wilson, with repeatedly making threatening calls to Sen. Patty Murray's Seattle office, threatening to kill her because of her support for the health care bill.

FBI agents say they arrested Wilson after getting telephone records and calling him to confirm that his voice matched the one left on voicemail in Sen. Murray's office.

And does ANYONE believe this is about health care? Please.

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Recap of 2010 Easter Egg Roll @ White House

Lots of kids, parents, celebs, POTUS, FLOTUS, Obama Girls and First Grandma....

Welcome by Obama Family...



Apolo Ohno reads...



DJ Lance reads...



J.K. Rowling reads (she is the Harry Potter lady.....)



Mariska Hargitay reads.....



Reese Witherspoon reads.....



Ellen DeGeneres' mom reads...



FLOTUS reads....



and POTUS reads....



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If Karzai's mental capacity is questioned? (Video) What next?

Obama Administration is now re-thinking meeting Karzai in May. The White House should, the man said he is tempted to join the Taliban because he is tired of U.S. intervention. Now, Karzai may have a substance abuse problem from his own country's "number one" product? If Afghanistan don't want us there, can we bring the troops home? The number one product is heroin....



Now the White House may cancel their May meeting with Karzai in Washington, D.C.

On the surface, Afghan President Hamid Karzai's angry, anti-Western flare-up after last week's visit by President Barack Obama might be dismissed as a minor glitch, a verbal clash of political cultures.

But Karzai lost face during Obama's lightning visit. Now, he must show the Afghan people that he is not a puppet of Washington, his protector in the intricate mire of Afghan politics.

This does nothing to help close fissures that are deep and serious. Obama and Karzai are at odds over the way forward in Afghanistan. The U.S. soon will have 100,000 troops battling militant Taliban insurgents and their al-Qaida allies across the border with Pakistan. Karzai wants to open negotiations with the Taliban.

A string of testy and threatening statements issued by Karzai has the White House reconsidering the Afghan leader's Washington visit on May 12.

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President Obama's Weekly Address, April 3, 2010

Weekly Address: Holiday Greetings from The White House on Vimeo.

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Transcript

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Isn't this just lovely?? If you voted Obama, this doctor does not want your business

Talk about stupid. I hope he loses A LOT OF BUSINESS.

A doctor who considers the national health-care overhaul to be bad medicine for the country posted a sign on his office door telling patients who voted for President Barack Obama to seek care "elsewhere."

"I'm not turning anybody away — that would be unethical," Dr. Jack Cassell, 56, a Mount Dora urologist and a registered Republican opposed to the health plan, told the Orlando Sentinel on Thursday. "But if they read the sign and turn the other way, so be it."

The sign reads: "If you voted for Obama … seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years."

Orlando Sentinel
Think Progress
h/t Daily Kos

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President Obama's town hall in Portland, ME, April 1, 2010 (Video)

President Obama explains how reform will help control the costs of health care, one of the biggest burdens facing small businesses and middle-class families, at an event in Portland, ME.


Transcript
YouTube

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162,000 new jobs added, unemployment rate still at 9.7%

A start, but we need millions of new jobs created with the millions out of work. Remember, Secretary Treasurer Timothy Geithner said it will take a long time before the unemployment rate goes down. Also, a great insight and read on this from The Bonddad Blog.

After more than two years in which more than 8 million jobs were lost, the country’s nonfarm payrolls surged in March.

Employers added 162,000 jobs last month, and employment numbers in the previous two months were revised upward. Nationwide, the unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent.

To many ordinary, out-of-work Americans, the recovery may finally start to feel real.

“The key message from this report is that we’ve finally turned the corner,” said Nigel Gault, chief United States economist at IHS Global Insight. “Going forward, we should expect things to strengthen further over the rest of the year.”

Source

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Obama gives the A-OK for offshore "expansion" or drilling

Is anyone surprised at this? I am not. This is all about continuing to bring the Republicans into the fold, to work with them, etc. And it may work, because John McCain tweeted, "Drill Baby Drill, where is Pelosi and Reid on this?"

I hope President Obama gets Republican support, he wants it badly, but after the health care debacle which the Republicans were allowed last summer to destroy what the bill would do for the individual American, does anyone expect them to show good faith on ANYTHING going forward? I don't. And Obama, again, giving the Republicans their largest bone, "OFF SHORE DRILLING". Just as he gave them good cuts in the health insurance bill, but he still did not get ONE VOTE. just sayin'.....

President Obama will announce new plans to drill for oil and natural gas off America's coasts Wednesday but will rule out drilling off California, Oregon and Washington state through 2017, administration officials say.

Obama's plans will include opening new areas of coastal Virginia and other parts of the mid-Atlantic region, Alaska and the eastern Gulf of Mexico for drilling. But officials say the president will block drilling in Alaska's Bristol Bay, where the George W. Bush administration's drilling plans in 2007 angered environmentalists.

According to administration officials, the plan would:

* Eventually open two-thirds of the eastern Gulf's oil and gas resources for drilling.

* Proceed with drilling off Virginia, provided the project clears environmental and military reviews.

* Study the viability of drilling off the mid- and southern Atlantic coasts.

* Study the viability of drilling in Alaska's Beaufort and Chukchi seas -- areas hotly defended by environmentalists -- but issue no new drilling leases in either sea before 2013.

The eastern Gulf of Mexico leases hinge on Congress lifting a moratorium on drilling there. Even if that happens, administration officials said, Obama's plan included no drilling within 125 miles of the Florida coastline.

The announcement, scheduled for an energy security event at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, will be Obama's first major policy step into the politically charged area of offshore drilling.

The president's drilling plans run through 2017. The likely scope and details of the proposals represent compromises that risk angering energy companies and environmentalists alike. read more here....

Also, read a comprehensive diary on this with pictures of the possible drilling sites, here.

Oh, and don't forget what candidate Obama said about drilling for oil and how it would not help anyone. Yes, such a long time ago.



and the President's announcement today on the off shore drilling expansion, a decision he has not taken lightly....



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Presidents Obama, Sarkozy press conference at the White House (Video)

Transcript

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President Obama's interview with Matt Lauer from NBC's Today Show (Video)

Health Care Law:



Tea Party and the Political Divide:



Afghanistan:



Faith and Family:



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Obama kicks the banking industry out of the student loan business (Video)

The banking industry is one of the most irresponsible industries out here right now, they NEVER should have gotten into the student loan game. Their interest rates on many students were and are outrageous, they were allowed to take over this industry totally, under the Bush Administration. That will be NO MORE. It has become those who have money, rich, wealthy are the ones who are allowed access to higher education. The middle class in this country have been constantly squeezed out. Now, if we can do something about college tuition and its continuing to escalate in cost, that would be mighty helpful to many families out here. Read more here on the student loan, pell grant program.


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Dr. Jill Biden

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President Obama's surprise visit to Afghanistan

The President speaks to the troops at Bagram Air Force Base during a surprise trip to Afghanistan. March 28, 2010.


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Transcript

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President Obama's Weekly Address, March 27, 2010

The President looks back on a week that saw the passage of two major sets of reforms: one putting Americans in control of their own health care, and one ensuring student loans work for students and families, not as subsidies for bankers and middlemen.


Transcript
Vimeo Video

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President Obama in Iowa City, IA daring the Republicans to run on repealing the new health insurance bill (Video)

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