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Alex Sietz-Wald: This week, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough joined the chorus of those decrying the IRS for targeting Tea Party groups for extra scrutiny in applying for nonprofit status. “You can’t allow the government to tread on political speech,” Scarborough said. “The Internal Revenue Service — the taxman — to go after their political beliefs. … I can’t imagine much worse than this,” he added.
Targeting nonprofit groups because of their political beliefs is wrong — pretty much everyone agrees on that. So today’s Scarborough must be outraged by his 2003 self, which gave this monologue on his show “Scarborough Country” on July 13, 2003:
The leader of the NAACP bashes President Bush and the Republican Party. Why is this clearly partisan group still being funded by your tax dollars? [...]
[T]he NAACP continues to get a free ride off of taxpayers because of the tax-exempt status that’s conferred to them by our federal government, now, this despite the fact the NAACP produced and ran the most vicious campaign attack ad in the history of televised presidential campaign. [...]
More here
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Rick Ungar: Over the first four years of the Obama presidency, the deficit shrunk by a total of $300 billion dollars. That is not the national debt- it is the amount of money we spend each year relative to the amount we take in. According to the latest CBO report,
“Compared to the size of the economy, the deficit in 2013 is much lower than in 2009, when Obama took office. The deficit will be 5.3 percent of gross domestic product this year, nearly half the 10.1 percent of GDP in 2009.”
The improvement in the deficit as measured against GDP is the direct result of the deficit falling to $845 billion for fiscal year 2013—a $300 billion improvement over the previous year. And the positive trend is projected to continue though the next fiscal year where the the annual budgetary deficit will fall again to $430 billion.
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If anyone in DNC w/rap sheet like this was leading an investigation into the GOP, they would scream bloody murder! http://t.co/t3uQezEMfs
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Kate (@AKRNHSNC) May 19, 2013*******
Five Takeaways From The CBO’s Analysis Of Obama’s Budget
Dylan Matthews: For the most part, the description of President Obama’s budget found in the Congressional Budget Office’s analysis of it jibes with the description included in the initial budget release. But the CBO analysis does highlight some interesting features of the proposal. Here are a few.
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Interesting Interview With Sheila Bair – Former Director of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) – About The Strength Of The Dodd-Frank Law.
Mike Konczal: Sheila Bair: The FDIC will take control of a holding company and put creditors and shareholders into a receivership where they, not taxpayers, will absorb any losses. This will allow the subsidiaries to remain operational, avoiding systemic disruptions, as the overall entity is unwound over time.
We worked hard to make sure taxpayer bailouts are completely prohibited. I think the language is very tight on that. One of the things that frustrates me with critics of Title II is that they perpetuate the myth of Too Big To Fail by insisting that the government is still going to do bailouts, notwithstanding clear language in Dodd-Frank to the contrary. And that just continues the moral hazard by reinforcing market perceptions that the big institutions won’t be allowed to fail.
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Why The Health Cost Slowdown Is Great For Grandparents
Sara Kliff: The recent slowdown in health care costs matters a lot for the federal government, which buys health benefits for tens of millions of Americans. It also turns out to matter significantly for retirees.
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This is a MUST read. I duff my hat to our military men and women for always keeping it real
The best response EVER from a U.S. Marine about Pres. Obama and the so called "umbrella gate" wonkette.com/516692/guest-p…
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Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) May 18, 2013**********
Presidential Daily Schedule (All Times Eastern)
8AM The President departs the White House
9:50AM: Arrives Atlanta, Georgia
11:0AM: Attends Morehouse College commencement and delivers the commencement speech
Links: White House Morehouse College CBS Atlanta My Fox Atlanta WSBTV
2:10PM: Delivers remarks at a DSCC event at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Atlanta
3:10PM: Departs Atlanta
4:55PM: Arrives the White House
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This day in 2012, Chelsea mopped the floor with Bayern and won the Champions League. What you see is Pres. Obama cheering Chelsea on to victory: Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, President Barack Obama, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and others watch the overtime shootout of the Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich Champions League final, in the Laurel Cabin conference room during the G8 Summit at Camp David, Md., May 19, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
First Lady Michelle Obama paints a bench during a Congressional service event at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Youth Center in Washington, D.C., May 19, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)
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Four years ago:
May 19, 2009: “The President was leaving the State Floor after an event and found Sasha in the elevator ready to head upstairs to the private residence. He decided to ride upstairs with her before returning to the Oval Office.” (Pete Souza)
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Have A Baracktastic and Michelleicious Day! 
