I’m around,PI, just running in and out so often that I lose track of what’s going on. I do see you often in the running, but usually too late to give a meaningful handshake.
MY new agent has suggested I do not respond to you, Ms Chips, until you apologize for the public snub I was given last night. Or was it yesterday? I can’t exactly remember.
OS: When she asked for your autograph on your acquiring celebrity status at the Irish Obama Ancestral Home, and permission to brag about the PREVIOUS BFF status you both shared.
Pres.Obama to award MEDAL OF HONOR to former Army Sgt. Clinton Romesha of Minot,ND for"courageous actions"in Afghanistan.Ceremony 2-11-13.— PETER MAER (@petermaercbs) January 11, 2013
POTUS has asked Dep Def Sec Ash Carter to stay on in that capacity, reports @mikemountcnn. Carter was rumored to be a DOE candidate— Security Clearance (@natlsecuritycnn) January 11, 2013
The people spreading the rumours typically seem to have no insider knowledge. And their rumours just end up hurting people and reputations. Has Stephen Chu announced that he’s planning to leave, that there even would be a DOE position open?
The Portsmouth HS Marching Band, Portsmouth, RI is participating in the Inaugural Parade. My oldest son (deceased) was in that band twenty years ago… He would be bursting with pride!
I’m sure he is! In our final conversation the day before he died, we discussed the 2004 convention speech; he asked for “Dreams…” as a birthday gift; and predicted that if Kerry didn’t win in ’04, Obama would win in ’08. It was in his memory that I first started donating to Obama back in ’07 and started working on the campaign in ’08.
That’s completely beautiful Alycee, what an insightful man he was! I’m so sorry you had to live through that pain, you’re just the best for sharing those lovely memories.
Alycee, once a ‘bandy’ ALWAYS a ‘bandy’ I’ll make an effort to see your Portsmouth HS Marching Band!!
I loved my time in my marching bands. There is a camaraderie that stays for life. You watch out for each other, you care for each other and, if his band was anything like mine, you have a BLAST with each other.
I remember a time when the band bus got caught in traffic. It was announced that there would be no time for warm-ups. We basically would need to get off the bus dressed for pre-game, grab out instruments and hit the field. No privacy meant no prima donnas, you just did want you needed to do. Boys, girls, chaperones, managers – EVERYBODY helped EVERYBODY get dressed and get it together. A lasting memory.
I’m sure your son is watching are you will be bursting with pride!!!
As the kids say “BIG UPS!!” for the Portsmouth HS Marching Band, Portsmouth, Rhode Island!!
My instrument was piano so that didn’t make it on the field; however, I’m still a bandy, too (color guard — rifles and flags). Some of the best experiences of my HS life were band related — football half-times and band comps.
[Damn, that's a good line: "Under this President, Lee Atwater's Sun-Tzu quoting descendants have met their match." ] :
FORTUNE — Barack Obama handily won the November election. He cleaned the GOP’s clock in last week’s fiscal-cliff deal, seizing control of a supposedly Republican-controlled House. Now congressional Republicans, with a co-joined L on their foreheads and still leaking public support, can look forward to being out-maneuvered in an unwelcome string of upcoming legislative brawls.
As President Obama approaches his second inaugural, one thing has become clear: The 2008 peacemaker politician has emerged as a skilled guerrilla warrior. If Bill Clinton’s tactical legacy was disarming his opponents by stealing their ideas — welfare reform, “personal responsibility,” cutting spending — Obama’s may be his skill at dividing to conquer his Republican foes.
Conservatives were once the reigning champs of honing in and exploiting an opponent’s weakness. Under this President, Lee Atwater’s Sun-Tzu quoting descendants have met their match.
White males attack Obama's lack of Cabinet diversity, and Jack Lew takes over as Treasury Secretary. on.cc.com/VPl22Z— The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport) January 11, 2013
Drat! Sometimes I follow Colbert (Stweart) links and see the video right away, but more often like now it tells me it’s not available to me. Of course that means if I really want to see it I have to access the Comedy Network from my end and follow it through. Too much bother most of the time though.
You are a kind soul, LP, thanks. Colbert is right, if you can’t see the women every time, then PBO is dissing them. I often wonder how these journos got their jobs – what qualifications did they have to have, if any.
Obama came under fire from the GOP over the lack of diversity in his cabinet. Obama was like “You know I'll be there too right?" #fallonmono— jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) January 11, 2013
[I'm in to change all that in 2014, & as many thereafter. We all in?]:
[....] And in which recent midterms was drop-off greatest compared to the preceding presidential cycle? The 2010 and 1994 cycles — the most successful cycles for Republicans in the past six decades. The GOP captured both chambers of Congress in 1994, and in 2010 flipped the House and made key Senate gains that might have been still greater had Republican primary voters not nominated far-right candidates in Colorado, Delaware and Nevada.”
“It’s no mystery why Democrats generally perform better in presidential years while Republicans tend to excel in midterm cycles: Lower midterm turnouts tend to skew the electorate toward older, white and/or more affluent voters. Given the growing cleavage in recent decades between partisan preferences of white and non-white voters, cyclic differences in racial composition are particularly important.”
I’m getting mildly annoyed at Barney Frank and his Passive/Aggressive shtick. If he wanted to be a Senator he should have ran for it like everyone else. Now he wants to apply subtle pressure to Gov. Patrick in hopes of getting the nod. Barney should have had enough respect for both President Obama and Gov. Patrick by discussion this in private as opposed to going on “Mourning” Joe and asking for the job in public. And on top of that, Frank had the nerve to state that he’s not sure if he’ll vote for any of President Obama’s Cabinet nominations. Where the fuck do these guys get the balls to say anything sideways when it comes to President Obama? I don’t remember Frank or any other Democrat in office passing one fucking bill when it came to Health Care or DADT before Obama came to town, and now all of a sudden these motherfuckers act like they invented the wheel. And Chuck “I’m not sure I can vote for Hagel because of the things he says about the Jewish Lobby that everyone knows exist but nobody wants to say exist” Schumer, this guy had better dummy up real quick.
I know Dems love him but I don’t see it. I know he’s basically a good guy but I can’t stand the sound of his voice and his undermining of POTUS. And this stunt is extremely opportunistic. He should face his decision to retire.
X 2 I’m not knocking him, just admitting he has never jelled for me. He particularly has irritated me whenever he felt it necessary to speak adversely re Pres O’s actions or proposals.
That is what burns me the most, Frank saying the first thing that comes to his mind when it comes to President Obama. I miss the good old day when Smiley and West were running around mad at President Obama for not wearing a Dashiki.
Now Don, I’m not going to go as far as saying I miss Smiley-West as THEY irritate me just as much as Frank, Rangel and anyone who does not understand what team means. Given the fact that WE know we have a leader who is open to input, I don’t see why these jokers pretend not to know it. They are plainly and simply looking to draw attention to themselves, and in my opinion Barney has done it far too often. Reminds me of the ‘peacocks, jerks and whiners’ comment a worthy leader recently made.
I can’t stand neither Smiley nor his boy friend Dr. West. Both have stuck themselves in the 60s and blacked out. as I see them. I do not listen to these two hustling clowns. If their radio broadcast blacks out that would make me very smiley.
Sure I believe these dolts have a radio show. There are enough idjits out there with no concept of the meaning of ‘progressive’ who would regularly tune in to them to make it worth their time.
I just think Charlie Rangel had some dam nerve. Even doing the trouble Rangel was in, when there were talk of him being throw out of Congress, I supported him, but he really piss me off going on MSNBC running his mouth. And as far as Barney Frank goes, he should have stay in the House, I think the Governor will make the right choice, and if it isn’t Barney Frank, so be it.
I’m not concerned about the choice Gov. Patrick makes because I liked the position he took at the convention and I believe he’ll be true to that. What has grated for me, and will continue to grate, is the fact there are so many Dems (and IMO one is too many) willing to go to the media to air their contrary opinions at the drop of a hat, often without even knowing WHAT the President’s position truly is. It is just so unnecessary in relation to this President who I think is generally a square shooter. [a 'square' shooter - wonder where that expression originated....oh well..]
That’s exactly the way I feel! And if he wants to be a Senator then he should run for it. I find his behavior of publicly pressuring Gov. Patrick to appoint him to be unseemly! I particularly don’t care how good he, or his supporters, think he is.
Don, I feel like addressing this LBJ comment to the Barney Fs of the Dem party, but right now I’m going to hold my fire and listen to the Pres
GM, tweeple! I know the difference between a caucus and a cactus. In a cactus, all the pricks are on the outside.-LBJ Reminded of a few Dems— Vick C. (@sonamie) January 11, 2013
Dems who go public with their criticisms of this president ALWAYS annoy me, AlmaB, particularly because all reports say Pres. Obama is a leader who is willing to listen. Why these peacocks have to wave their laundry in public when it’s certainly not necessary says quite a lot about THEM, I think.
Well said, VC. This is something that irritates me to no end. Dems are their own worst enemies, and this is one area where they could learn something from the crazy right wing. Disagree in private, show a united front. Especially when you’re dealing with someone so open to input as President Obama.
To any Democrat, if there were any concern about the hiring of the President’s cabinet, why not go to the President and voice those concerns, why go on tv and fuel the B.S. that the media want them too. That is what really piss me off with the Democrats. It seem they take any chance they can to criticize this President. I would respect Charlie Rangel much better if he had said any concern I have I will discuss it with the President. I am not going to get into this made up controversy, because I know this President and I know what he stand for.
Barney will never get the appointment if he does not agree to vote with PBO. The guy making the appointment is a very good pal of PBO. Shumer has to play games because of his doners in NY. I’ll bet “after much thought” he votes for Hagel.
Bii you make a good point, maybe I’m just a little bit sensitive about the entire situation. I’m just tired of hearing from these guys that never made a peep in the past about anything but now they want to open up a big mouth.
I agree – it’s all politics. If Frank says he going to support the President all the way the media then starts the meme that he cannot be appointed followed by GOPers saying the same thing. I bet if he were to be appointed “after much thought as well” he’ll vote to support PBO. Although I’ll admit he sometimes doesn’t know when to be quiet and wait on the sideline. That has never been his personality. I find I sometimes have to take the good with the bad in many candidates. Support the good; pushback on the bad.
Indeed. Governor Deval Patrick won the governorship, which means he gets to choose who to put int hat position. I was infuriated the other night with Lawrence O’Donnell’s nonsense over this seat. It’s a three month seat! But, it’s critical to furthering the President’s first three months of his second term – when a lot of important things will be happening. Who in their right mind would appoint that seat to someone who says they’re going to oppose the sitting President who has just won re-election, and is working for the good of the country? And, most people screeching about this don’t even know who else is in the running, and if that person would actually be much better than Barney Frank, who has had decades in Congress to make his mark, and now is greedy for more. If he had any respect for Gov. Patrick, he would have done this privately, and presented his case.
If Barney Frank was promising to make that seat a vehicle to help push through the agenda, and using his public notoriety to lay the groundwork for the second agenda, I wouldn’t be as upset. But, he’s trying to tie the governor’s hand, and I don’t like it. It’s not his call. Where was Barney Frank when Scott Brown was getting elected the first time around?
Because the people of this country refuse to learn the lessons of the past. These people should be ashamed to show their faces. Sanford abandoned his four sons on Father’s Day weekend, and the people of his state to whom he was responsible, to have a clandestine affair. Now, he’s back asking the same people to trust him with additional responsibility? Republicans have no shame.
Sometimes I like to send our comments out in hopes someone involved may see them and think twice.
@wspa7onyourside:Sanford a favourite? Is this the best SC can do -recycling the same values-challenged, irresponsible #GOP 'leaders'? Sigh.— Vick C. (@sonamie) January 11, 2013
So apparently Feb.12 is 3 days before the earliest estimate Treasury could hit the debt ceiling, also it appears to be Mardi Gras. And as the apparent footnote in the press Lincolns B-day. Good times!
The date Boehner’s gavel will be much bigger than his brains!
Please take that damn thing away for him before he hits himself……on second thought, let home knock himself out.
If he cries one more time……just one more time, I am taking the gavel!
F****ing cry baby…
[For your calendars ... Betty & Coretta will premiere on Lifetime Saturday February 2 at 8/7c.]:
Here’s your exclusive first look at Golden Globe® Award-winner and Academy Award®-nominee Angela Bassett and nine-time Grammy®-winning recording artist Mary J. Blige in the upcoming Lifetime Original Movie “Betty & Coretta”. The film, premiering Saturday, February 2 at 8.7c, will tell the dual real-life stories of Coretta Scott King (Bassett) and Dr. Betty Shabazz (Blige) as they create an unbreakable life-long bond after their husbands’ tragic assassinations.
On Monday, Newark, N.J. mayor Cory Booker’s political campaign committee, “Cory Booker for Senate,” submitted organizing papers to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for his potential 2014 run.
Interesting. There’s going to be fierce competition for the cameras in the Senate, I see… Grayson, Heitkamp, Booker, Warren… Let’s see if they can actually get some work done while they’re there.
Yes, I agree that Elizabeth Warren looks like she’s there for business. My main concern around her is the media expectations and the far left pinning their hopes and dreams that she’s somehow going to be a miracle-worker. She’s one of 100 Senators, and she’s going to need to form alliances to get things done, in a body of people with HUGE egos. She’s also going to be quoted and misquoted, and they’ll apply their own interpretations of her words and deeds to keep themselves entertained, and then perpetually frustrated.
Just look at how Rachel Maddow has feasted this week on Elizabeth Warren’s one comment about AIG’s foolish lawsuit. It’s frightening how high they raise people onto a pedestal, and then usually thrill at watching them fall off that unrealistic perch. I think if they left her alone, she could prove to be a really useful and productive Senator.
I totally agree with you. And we can be sure that the “left” will scream at betrayal the minute Senator Warren has to take tough votes. Unless she becomes the “new” Feingold, they’ll throw her under the bus before long. And they’ll search for a new hero to worship. Wash, rince, repeat.
Great comment, Theo! May be I am getting too old, but I’ve come to a point in my life where I immensely dislike holier than thou ideologues of all stripes! I appreciate people with strong principles, but when it comes to legislating or serving as President, the nature of our political system requires people who are able to compromise without abandoning their principles. This is why the late Senator, Teddy Kennedy, was so successful at passing many legislations that slowly advanced the causes advocated by liberals/progressives. He was a master at trying to find common ground with some of his sane Republican opponents. When necessary, however, he also blasted them when they were trying to enact extreme legislations.
Thanks Nathkatun7 – I agree with you. This business about “not compromising principles” has been translated into “not compromising at all”, and the so-called principles that are being defended are actually bad policies that are very harmful. If the new Senate bunch can be vocal, use their newfound (or refound, in the case of Grayson) celebrity to good use and actually move popular opinion to apply pressure to Congress to get difficult stuff done – then I’ll be the first person telling everyone to watch these people on TV. But, it seems many of them get to Congress or Senate just to be famous. And they equate popularity with effectiveness or importance. That’s why many of them cannot recognize the hard work done by this President and his stellar administration, and can’t value the incremental and monumental progress that has been made through those persevering small steps.
I love my POTUS. He promised to end the wars responsibly and he’s doing that. Media and emoprogs be damned.
HUGE NEWS: According to Pres. Obama, U.S. troops in Afghanistan will have a different mission this Spring: training, advising & assistance."— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) January 11, 2013
O's rampant spending! RT @Reuters: FLASH: US budget deficit $260 million in December, narrowest December deficit since December 2007 surplus— David Pleasant (@dpleasant) January 11, 2013
Pres. Obama's a "huge spender" MT @Reuters: FLASH: US budget deficit $260M in December, narrowest December deficit since December 07 surplus— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) January 11, 2013
The best thing this country did was to remove that vile, hateful man from any position of power. The fact that a few crazy congress people thought he should be Speaker of the House is frightening. the GOP is actually dangerous to this country’s existence, and everything upon which it was founded.
Obama warns Taliban must respect Afghan constitution which protects women's rights Says 1 of best indicators of a country is how treat women— David Nakamura (@DavidNakamura) January 11, 2013
The State Department is throwing its weight behind controversial Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules that will force oil, gas and mining companies to disclose payments to foreign governments.
“The rule directly advances our foreign policy interests in increasing transparency and reducing corruption, particularly in the oil, gas and minerals sectors,” a State Department spokesman said.
“Corruption and mismanagement of these resources can impede economic growth, reduce opportunities for U.S. trade and investment, divert critically-needed funding from social services and other government activities, and contribute to instability and conflict,” State Department spokesman John Finn said.
[OK, which TODers are "Inaugural Luncheon Crashers?" Ummm ... /running after you all/ ... wait for me! P.S. Looks like Chuck Schumer has found a delicious alternative to being on my teevee 24/7! Keep on keeping on, Chuck!]:
[...] The luncheon for the first time this year breaks with the tradition of serving dishes honoring past Presidents, and is instead celebrating the theme of the inauguration, “Faith in America’s Future.” The food at President Obama’s first Inaugural Luncheon was an homage to Abraham Lincoln, but this year’s exquisite menu is an homage to the current buzzwords artisanal, sustainable and, where possible, local.
The luncheon will be held in Statuary Hall in the Capitol. It takes six months to organize and sixty minutes to eat. Limited to 225 guests from the highest echelons of government, plus Malia and Sasha Obama, an invitation is so coveted that Very Important People, who have not been invited, often show up and expect to be seated.
That’s why Dot Svendson, from the office of the Secretary of the Senate who is responsible for the logistics, has two complete place settings on standby and instructs staff to find a seat for the truly VIP crashers who can make it past the Capitol police without an invitation. [....]
I am so excited for this inauguration. And I’m thrilled that Malia and Sasha will be old enough to remember the details of this one, and maybe even attend the balls? It’s reassuring that the balls are all being held in one venue – maybe the Obama family can get home early enough to enjoy their own private party this time. They deserve it – especially since this will be the last one… unless Michelle or Malia or Sasha run for President, of course…
/excitedly/ Theo, Theo, those two standby place settings must be for us, the two VIP guests from TODville! Oh I’m SOOO excited. I thought they had forgotten us. Oh, oh, what shall I wear? What shall I wear? Do i have time to go get something new? I wonder if the hairdresser salon can fit me in? THIS is so awesome! Chips and TODville, we’ll tell you all about it upon our return, of course.
I hope Malia & Sasha are going to the Kids Ball — lots of fabulous stars performing there! Then, it would be lovely if the First Family and their closest friends (/whisper/ “Me too, me too. Wait for me!” LOL!) could have their own party!
Excellent article I cam across relating to corporate expenditures in the political realm and how they try to hide it.
The following is one paragraph, and I love how the writer of the article turned on what the representative of Aetna said.
Regarding the educational efforts, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini wrote to CREW explaining that Aetna “will continue to ensure the voice of customers and members is represented in the ongoing dialogue on how to fix the many problems facing our country.” But Bertolini should poll his customers. Do you really want your health insurer spending millions on ads to support candidates you may not endorse rather than, say, reimbursing a course of medical treatment you might need?
Read that. You can be sure that Faux News knows the truth. But they don’t want their viewers to know so they throw crap like this out there. Now, if their viewers get told anything differently, they can just not believe the truth.
RE: Cory Booker for Senate AKA Corey Booker takes his one man show on the road
I don’t really care for Booker. He’ll likely be a pest in congress. One of those idiot so-called “principled” democrats who publicly disagree with the president i.e.: Grayson who I’m disappointed to see is back on the Hill. I think he’s a show off, i think he acts in certain ways to build his brand, for what? I don’t know. the other day I heard he did the old tried and true living off of food stamps bit. Do we really need a well paid politician to voluntarily go on food stamps for a week to know that living off food stamps is difficult? Doesn’t the research already show that? Haven’t there already been tons of interviews over the last several decades about people/families making little or no money who have to use food stamps to supplement their incomes and put food on the table? Ridiculous Can you say gimmicky? It’s not like he’s going to be president, not unless he’s going to have some patron with a pot full of money to bankroll him from start to finish. I don’t think he’s genuine and he tries way too hard to be the next Barack Obama. Sorry if it sounds harsh, I’m just tired of the democratic brand in general and the idiot politicians associated with said brand in particular.
If I’m not mistaken, wasn’t Cory Booker one of the democrats who criticized the attacks on Bain Capital during the campaign ?
I’m not an unconditional fan of Cory Booker, but I acknowledge his rhetoric skills and I think he wants to improve the lives of people. He certainly is an ambitious man. The more generous thing I can say about him is that he is a talented politician, who I hope will learn to keep his ego in check. Energy and passion are good, but empathy, unselfishness, patience and wisdom make a true statesman.
I think he’s probably got a good heart but he can come off as very sanctimonious at times. And I absolutely despised that he stood up for Bain at precisely the time that PBO was making it the centerpiece of his attacks on Romney. Just unforgivable.
{{LisalovesO}} I hear you, and agree with much of what you’ve said. There are just some Dems that strike me the wrong way, especially when they start to grandstand. I tolerate them because we need as many in place as possible, but they do not generally have my respect. The truth is, I think, that for as many regular Dems that fawn over them, there is an equal number that senses their insincerity or their selfish motivation.
Use the 2nd Amendment AGAINST the #NRA (surrogates for the weapons & murder industrial complex aka #WMIC)
Dear @JoeBiden Demand #NRA define & support comprehensive measures to ensure the 'well regulated' clause of the 2nd Amendment is enforced.— Bobfr (@Our4thEstate) January 11, 2013
Dear @Lawrence Demand #NRA define & support comprehensive measures to ensure the 'well regulated' clause of the 2nd Amendment is enforced.— Bobfr (@Our4thEstate) January 11, 2013
BRAVO, Bravo, Bobfr! This is a great tweet and a great message! The “well regulated” clause of the second amendment should be the cornerstone of people who advocate sane laws to govern individual gun ownership. Contrary to the NRA and other gun nuts, the 2nd Amendment does not give blanket rights for the people to own all types of weapons. I doubt many people know that the 2nd Amendment has two clauses: the first clause is about ” A well regulated militia…” which is the basis of the second clause “the right of people to keep and bear arms….”
As Tally argued, in a previous post, to highlight the idiocy and absurdity of the gun nuts: if the people’s right to keep and bear arms is absolute under the 2nd Amendment, then people (probably billionaires) should have the right to own tanks, missiles, nuclear weapons, and chemical and biological weapons. I am sure quite a few billionaires can afford to buy some of these weapons.
In my humble opinion, the 2nd Amendment does not give blanket and absolute rights to individuals to own all sorts of weapons. Otherwise the Amendment would not have included the clause about ” A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state…”
If any one can own whatever type of weaponry he/she can afford, then why would we need Sherifs, the police, and a standing professional U.S. military? May be the government can give each individual a voucher to go out and purchase the necessary weapons for his individual protection. That way we would stop spending billions and billions for police and other local law enforcement units and for the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. Yet these same gun nuts who argue that each individual has a right to own military grade assault weapons because of the 2nd Amendment are the same ones who want unlimited amounts spent on the military, and prisons.
The 2nd Amendment talks about the people’s right “to keep and bear arms” in the context of ensuring the “security of a free state,” which, if I am not mistaken, is the sole purpose of our four branches of the military, the Defense Dept., the Homeland Security Dept., the the CIA, and of course all the State and local law enforcement agencies. There is absolutely no language in the 2nd Amendment that guarantees individuals the right to own all types of weapons; and especially the kinds of weapons, like assault weapons, which threaten the internal “security of a free state” if they are not regulated and end up in the hands of deranged people.
I like Rep. John Yarmouth, who was just on Bashir. I was wondering how such a smart, common sense person managed to get elected in Kentucky. I thought he must represent Louisville, the one bright light there. I was right.
We heard a few days ago that PBO won NY by 81%. Today it came out that that was the biggest % in NY since 1898. Yes, 1898!!
In other good NY news Gov. Cuomo took a sharp turn to the left in his state of the state message. He called NY the Progressive capital of the country and was fierce about passing gun control measures and equal pay equal work legislation.
Also pledged focus on Energy and said he hired Stephen Chu’s assistant.
I think the second administration of POTUS will be mindblowing in how much is acheived and how much support the President can count on.
Goodby to theoverwhelming influence of war profiteers and weapons makers. Hello to common sense and caring for the people of the USA.
No wonder the MSM/GOP alternates between rage and despair. How much they have lost must have started to sink in.
I agree with you about the potential for President Obama’s second term. The economy is on the mend, the greed-mongers are quivering in fear and on the run, and the President has a steeliness to him that means he knows he doesn’t have to run for re-election again. The pundits keep counting down the clock before they can call President Obama a lame duck President, but they clearly haven’t been paying attention. Even when the GOP were touting that they’d gotten 98% of what they wanted, the President was actually the silent winner. Now, he doesn’t have to be silent about it, and woe to anyone who underestimates this man and his final years as President. Look at what he accomplished when he still knew he had a re-election coming up, and had many spineless Democrats to cajole and convince. He’s already made history several times over. Now, it’s his time to have fun and do the stuff he wants to do before he leaves public office. That’s a great motivator, especially for someone who ran for office to do something, not just to be President. This second term is going to be fun.
How cool – I just went to my mailbox and got a large envelope from The Presidential Inauguration Committee containing a commemorative engraved invite to the inauguration! It looks very impressive. I guess it’s because I had entered our congressman’s lottery for tickets (and been turned down). Still, this will make a nice decoration whilst watching all the TV coverage on Inauguration weekend.
There’s also a sheet from the Inauguration store you’ve been talking about (it says you can take 10% off orders of $25 or more with the code SAVE10).
I know what Booker is doing, he did not want to run against Christie and lose. And he obviously was hoping Lautenberg would announce he would not run in 2014. But you cant push a 90 yr. old WWll vet around like that, especially in public. People might not know this, but have you ever heard of the ADP Jobs #’s? They come out at the end of every month on a Wed. typically with an survey/estimate of jobs created by business for the month. Separate from the household survey. Frank Lautenberg created that company and sold it for about 100 million dollars. Corey Booker has to raise money, especially if Lautenberg stays in a primary. Dont particularly like it but it is what it is.
NBC's David Gregory won't face charges for displaying a high-capacity ammunition magazine on "Meet the Press": apne.ws/Ucb75A -AB— The Associated Press (@AP) January 11, 2013
CDC: Flu outbreaks reach epidemic level
Elise Viebeck
01/11/13 05:07 PM ET
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nine of the 10 U.S. regions are experiencing “elevated” flu activity.…
And Boston just declared a health Emergency…
Just saw that—–probably needs to be committed also. Crazy nuts all over the place saying they’re ready to start shooting people to prevent gun control—–insanity squared.
A prior article says his company trains people in the use of various weapons…I wonder if he is a dealer as well? If so, IMO his permit should be pulled there too. I wonder if the Secret Service is eyeballing him too?
since lapierre is so adamant that gun violence is a result of our flawed mental health system, and since the rethugs he’s in bed with are so adamant that public funds should not be used to help people with mental illnesses, it seems logical that the very wealthy nra and its very wealthy supporters should provide mental health services to their whacko, bat-shit, nut-job, crazy-ass, insane members!
I’m glad, only thing I worry about is if his livelyhood, i.e. business/income, goes to hell in a handbasket, what will he do then. He still has his guns right?
Some of those crazy nuts are my relatives. At least we live a long ways away. Two of Doug’s brothers have bought semi-automatic guns. Just because they’re afraid of the dark. There really doesn’t seem to be a way to reason with them. Doug has a lot of guns, most of them for hunting and handed down from a relative. But he is very much for the assault rifle ban. The guns he has would never save us. They are locked in a very heavy duty safe. Shells hidden in another one. We’ve had a few suicides when the kids were in high school in our area. That’s what they suggested. That and gun locks. No one made a fuss about second amendment rights after those suicides. My son was a pallbearer at one of the funerals. He was on the cross-country track team with him. It was so sad. Guns have broken a lot of hearts. I’m praying for a way to reason with those who are scared of not having a gun.
Stay warm TOD friends. It turned very cold here. The snow has finally blown in. Making a big batch of chili in the morning or maybe tonight.
Carol, I know what you mean. I married into the gun culture. Thankfully my hubby grew up over the years and grew out of that and now he is very much in favor of strict gun control. But some of his relatives are still immersed in that lifestyle, and we have distanced ourselves from them, for many reasons…mostly that they’re just plain obnoxious jerks. I shudder to think of the conversations around their dinner tables these last few weeks.
Ok jaw saw this on the internet ether, ignore the fact that it a RW website, but poses a honest ? NBCsports is sponsoring the country’s largest gun show WTF is up w/ that http://freebeacon.com/comcasts-pro-gun-policy/
Am in traffic but just read Greg Sargent’s post “Top Senate Democrats to WH: If you unilaterally raise debt ceiling, we’ve got your back”. — Reid, Schumer, Durbin & Murray sent letter to WH! Sorry don’t know how copy link, but it was up top on his site.
Senate Democrats should be working as hard as they can to communicate to the American people, and to convince the unethical media and their fellow Republican members of Congress, that it’s Congress’ RESPONSIBILITY, under the Constitution, to raise the debt ceiling in order to pay the dent incurred by the United States. If they want to delegate Congress’ responsibility and burden of raising the debt ceiling on to the President, then they should introduce legislation to that effect. A letter to the President, by so called “Top Senate Democrats,” has no force of law and will not shield the President from the likely calls for his impeachment from Republicans because he violated the Constitution.
I respect people, like our illustrious Bobfr, who think the President can unilaterally raise the debt ceiling under the authority of Section 4, of the Fourteenth Amendment. But I think they are mistaken. In my opinion, Congress’ “power of the purse” under Article I, section 8, is not superseded by section 4 of the 14th Amendment. No where in the Constitution, directly or indirectly, is the power to pay U.S. debts given to the President of the United States. Section 4, of the 14th Amendment which is cited simply reads as follows:
“The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions
and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States
nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United
States, or any claim for the loss, or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims, shall be held
illegal and void.”
Those who urge the President to invoke this section of the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling inadvertently fail to mention Section 5 of the 14th Amendment, which clearly spells out the branch of government that has the power to enforce the 14th Amendment. So, here is the text of Section 5, of the 14th Amendment:
” The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislations, the provisions of this article.”
In my humble opinion, selectively reading one section of the 14th Amendment and then trying to put pressure on the President to enforce just that section, when Section 5, clearly states that it’s the Congress which has the POWER to enforce ALL the four sections of the Amendment, is misguided. What we should be doing is put all the pressure on all members of Congress to abide by their Constitutional responsibility of paying “the public debt of the United States, authorized by law.”
I am sorry, but I don’t want President Obama to face the possibility of being impeached because he usurped the power that the Constitution explicitly gives Congress. And even if Congress may not take the route of impeachment, Congress could sue in Court to challenge the President’s unilateral action to raise the debt ceiling, thus creating more chaos.
I am sorry but these “Top Senate Democrats” are shucking their Constitutional responsibilities and putting all the burden on the President. If they were courageous and responsible,they would not have to write a letter to the President> Instead, they would immediately introduce legislation granting the President the power to raise the debt ceiling.
I'm so old I remember when things like rape, pedophilia & mass murder didn't have a major political party to defend them. RT @Wolfrum#p2— Chien Jaune (@TheYellowDogDem) January 11, 2013
But they are not a major political Party. Only in DC and the Media are they considered Major, in the South, tea baggers really don’t like them but vote for them 100% of the time.
These were not part of my history either. Rationing, war news at the picture show, President Roosevelt addresses that held no meaning for me, and neighborhood race riots(no guns just bricks, bats and afew razors).
NRA’s LaPierre warns of mass executions of gun owners. Shouldn’t this insanity-mongering, gun sale promoting, this fear mongering of the ignorant be against the law? He’s stirring up every paranoid gun nut in the country, many of them mentally unstable.
I agree – isn’t this incitement of violence? The other one who posted a video threat to the general public and tried to backtrack today also needs to be kept away from innocent people – he’s a menace to society.
“PARIS—France on Friday responded to a cry for help from Mali, dispatching military forces to the African country to fight rebel groups that Western nations fear could destabilize the region and soon gain the ability to strike overseas.
President François Hollande said French soldiers were intervening alongside the local army and other troops from Western African countries to help stop the progression of rebel groups advancing toward the south of Mali. Mr. Hollande said the intervention is being conducted in full compliance with resolutions by the United Nations Security Council, which early Friday called for “a rapid deployment” of foreign troops in Mali.
Thousands of Malians gathered in Bamako, the capital, last month in a demonstration to support the deployment of an international force in the country’s north, which is controlled by Islamist rebels.
“This afternoon, French armed forces lent support to units of the Malian army to fight against terrorists,” Mr. Hollande said on national television. “This operation will last as long as needed.”
Late Friday, Malian President Dioncounda Traoré, who had called on France for military support a day earlier, urged all Malians to rally behind him to “defend every square centimeter of our national territory.”
This has been developing for more than a year. Mali has become ‘ground zero’ for AQ and affiliate terrorist groups. Once again, our President is handling a very, very dangerous situation in a manner that will, in time, become known as the ‘Obama Doctrine’ – a radical departure from PNAC insanity.
Obama admin says it supports French intervention in Mali; 'we share French goal of denying terrorists safe haven in region ://bit.ly/UWh9Lw— Dog Lovers 4 Obama (@Donna_West) January 11, 2013
The situation in Mali is getting very ugly. The AQ have been amputating people in the Northern region for violating Sharia Law, and they have banned music – even in ring tones! I’m glad France has intervened. I wish these AQ folks would just disappear.
Consider Northern Mali as a ‘roach motel’ … because for the past year that is essentially what the strategy has been. Only one way AQ will ‘disappear’ unfortunately. A whole bunch of them are definitely not going to be leaving Mali.
Dear @BarackObama Thank you for responsibly ending the GWB's horrific Iraq War & horrifically managed Afghanistan war. Well done, sir. @vj44— Bobfr (@Our4thEstate) January 12, 2013
Sorry if this is off point or if it has been shared here today.
I don’t know how many remember the UT gun Totting Soccer mom and her husband…..the wife went to soccer games strapping a gun…..was found dead, killed by her husband who also took his own life, leaving 10, 6 and 2 yrs old as orphans. The two oldest children ran out the home to the neighbor’s home telling them that their father had shot their mom. DKos has this story today.
Those are the kinds of images you never get out of your head completely. I was a paramedic for four years and I saw my fair share of gunshot wounds, from minor to fatal. I can see every one just as clearly now as I did when I was right there. Those poor kids deserve better than that.
Don’t feel bad! Phoenix is freezing, too! Literally! By the way, hello Seattle:) We used to live on the Hood Canal in a little beach house…before kids:)
It’s Coooooold in Los Angeles too. I’ve had the portable heater on round the clock. It’s funny my feet get hot at night and I have to take my socks off….
I’m here and ready to listen…for a while anyways.
Buddy I missed you!
I’m around,PI, just running in and out so often that I lose track of what’s going on. I do see you often in the running, but usually too late to give a meaningful handshake.
Hey, is that me up there?
Ha! I was waiting so patiently, iPad knew there was a shift in the wind! FB got in the way! WTG, VC! (maybe today….)
Thanks. Hi, Pamela. (maybe…….;) ) There’s always hope.
VC?
VC?!
MY new agent has suggested I do not respond to you, Ms Chips, until you apologize for the public snub I was given last night. Or was it yesterday? I can’t exactly remember.
Aw, when did this snub occur?
“Other self, tell her!”
OS: When she asked for your autograph on your acquiring celebrity status at the Irish Obama Ancestral Home, and permission to brag about the PREVIOUS BFF status you both shared.
Ah, okay! An autograph is no problem, my previous BFF, but be warned: you have to sign an agreement that you won’t try to sell it on Ebay.
What if I…I mean….she can’t write?
He speaks!
The people spreading the rumours typically seem to have no insider knowledge. And their rumours just end up hurting people and reputations. Has Stephen Chu announced that he’s planning to leave, that there even would be a DOE position open?
Woot!
And of course, any time someone mentions Marc Anthony…
Salsavaje!!
NBC is covering the press conference so I guess the other two networks will cover it also. Good for Pres. Obama.
CSPAN 1 TV is carrying it as well.
The Portsmouth HS Marching Band, Portsmouth, RI is participating in the Inaugural Parade. My oldest son (deceased) was in that band twenty years ago… He would be bursting with pride!
Ah Alycee, that’s amazing, I’m sure he’ll be smiling down on it all.
I’m sure he is! In our final conversation the day before he died, we discussed the 2004 convention speech; he asked for “Dreams…” as a birthday gift; and predicted that if Kerry didn’t win in ’04, Obama would win in ’08. It was in his memory that I first started donating to Obama back in ’07 and started working on the campaign in ’08.
That’s completely beautiful Alycee, what an insightful man he was! I’m so sorry you had to live through that pain, you’re just the best for sharing those lovely memories.
Wow, that’s beautiful. (((Alycee))) ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
alycee, that’s a beautiful family history to cherish. he’s playing with a very fine band now, jazz in the clouds!
Beautiful…what a wonderful memory Alycee
A wonderful moment and memory for you.
It is Meta, it is. Still have his band hat in the basement; going to break it out and use as a centerpiece on Inauguration Day.
Sweet.
Alycee, once a ‘bandy’ ALWAYS a ‘bandy’ I’ll make an effort to see your Portsmouth HS Marching Band!!
I loved my time in my marching bands. There is a camaraderie that stays for life. You watch out for each other, you care for each other and, if his band was anything like mine, you have a BLAST with each other.
I remember a time when the band bus got caught in traffic. It was announced that there would be no time for warm-ups. We basically would need to get off the bus dressed for pre-game, grab out instruments and hit the field. No privacy meant no prima donnas, you just did want you needed to do. Boys, girls, chaperones, managers – EVERYBODY helped EVERYBODY get dressed and get it together. A lasting memory.
I’m sure your son is watching are you will be bursting with pride!!!
As the kids say “BIG UPS!!” for the Portsmouth HS Marching Band, Portsmouth, Rhode Island!!
My instrument was piano so that didn’t make it on the field; however, I’m still a bandy, too (color guard — rifles and flags). Some of the best experiences of my HS life were band related — football half-times and band comps.
{{{{Alycee}}}} I love this story, thank you!
Alycee, this is a beautiful and very moving story. Thanks for sharing with us.(((((( Much Love to you)))))HZ
[Damn, that's a good line: "Under this President, Lee Atwater's Sun-Tzu quoting descendants have met their match."
] :
FORTUNE — Barack Obama handily won the November election. He cleaned the GOP’s clock in last week’s fiscal-cliff deal, seizing control of a supposedly Republican-controlled House. Now congressional Republicans, with a co-joined L on their foreheads and still leaking public support, can look forward to being out-maneuvered in an unwelcome string of upcoming legislative brawls.
As President Obama approaches his second inaugural, one thing has become clear: The 2008 peacemaker politician has emerged as a skilled guerrilla warrior. If Bill Clinton’s tactical legacy was disarming his opponents by stealing their ideas — welfare reform, “personal responsibility,” cutting spending — Obama’s may be his skill at dividing to conquer his Republican foes.
Conservatives were once the reigning champs of honing in and exploiting an opponent’s weakness. Under this President, Lee Atwater’s Sun-Tzu quoting descendants have met their match.
.
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/10/obama-fiscal-war/?iid=SF_F_River
Colbert was spot on his mockery of the media and this manufactured drivel.
“WHERE THE WHITE WOMEN AT!” – I cracked up super hard.
Drat! Sometimes I follow Colbert (Stweart) links and see the video right away, but more often like now it tells me it’s not available to me. Of course that means if I really want to see it I have to access the Comedy Network from my end and follow it through. Too much bother most of the time though.
best i could do for you VC is a small clip of part of it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfU1rq-xIpU&list=PLCD54AAAA6AF29ED5&index=1
You are a kind soul, LP, thanks. Colbert is right, if you can’t see the women every time, then PBO is dissing them.
I often wonder how these journos got their jobs – what qualifications did they have to have, if any.
The real eal explained. Hope this wasn’t posted earlier: http://www.alternet.org/americas-white-male-problem
Great Piece! Thanks Yardarm for sharing it.
The truth is an awesome thing!
alternet always seems to bring the heat
St8 up.
Hahahahahaha….Diversity begins at the TOP!
Psst, DD4O – just so you know that I really was thinking of you this Friday. {{{DD4O}}}
Yes, lots of good healing thoughts to her.
Ditto, DD!
[I'm in to change all that in 2014, & as many thereafter. We all in?]:
[....] And in which recent midterms was drop-off greatest compared to the preceding presidential cycle? The 2010 and 1994 cycles — the most successful cycles for Republicans in the past six decades. The GOP captured both chambers of Congress in 1994, and in 2010 flipped the House and made key Senate gains that might have been still greater had Republican primary voters not nominated far-right candidates in Colorado, Delaware and Nevada.”
“It’s no mystery why Democrats generally perform better in presidential years while Republicans tend to excel in midterm cycles: Lower midterm turnouts tend to skew the electorate toward older, white and/or more affluent voters. Given the growing cleavage in recent decades between partisan preferences of white and non-white voters, cyclic differences in racial composition are particularly important.”
.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/01/10/the_gops_reason_for_hope_in_2014.html
Speaker Boehner
I just saw your “invitation ” to OUR President for the State of the Union….
Are you 12 years old ? How condescending, disrespectful and childish you are..
You have some nerve even putting the word ” Leadership ” in the context of the invitation…..
Have you ever heard the term “Physician…heal thy self ? ”
http://www.speaker.gov/contact
( back to lurking )
Yes , he does. have some nerve.
The Boener is a big cry; cry babies have no concept of leadership
I’m all for telling Boehner what we expect.
This is protocol. Enough real battles to fight. Not worth wasting our energy.
I’m getting mildly annoyed at Barney Frank and his Passive/Aggressive shtick. If he wanted to be a Senator he should have ran for it like everyone else. Now he wants to apply subtle pressure to Gov. Patrick in hopes of getting the nod. Barney should have had enough respect for both President Obama and Gov. Patrick by discussion this in private as opposed to going on “Mourning” Joe and asking for the job in public. And on top of that, Frank had the nerve to state that he’s not sure if he’ll vote for any of President Obama’s Cabinet nominations. Where the fuck do these guys get the balls to say anything sideways when it comes to President Obama? I don’t remember Frank or any other Democrat in office passing one fucking bill when it came to Health Care or DADT before Obama came to town, and now all of a sudden these motherfuckers act like they invented the wheel. And Chuck “I’m not sure I can vote for Hagel because of the things he says about the Jewish Lobby that everyone knows exist but nobody wants to say exist” Schumer, this guy had better dummy up real quick.
I know Dems love him but I don’t see it. I know he’s basically a good guy but I can’t stand the sound of his voice and his undermining of POTUS. And this stunt is extremely opportunistic. He should face his decision to retire.
X 2 I’m not knocking him, just admitting he has never jelled for me. He particularly has irritated me whenever he felt it necessary to speak adversely re Pres O’s actions or proposals.
That is what burns me the most, Frank saying the first thing that comes to his mind when it comes to President Obama. I miss the good old day when Smiley and West were running around mad at President Obama for not wearing a Dashiki.
Now Don, I’m not going to go as far as saying I miss Smiley-West as THEY irritate me just as much as Frank, Rangel and anyone who does not understand what team means. Given the fact that WE know we have a leader who is open to input, I don’t see why these jokers pretend not to know it. They are plainly and simply looking to draw attention to themselves, and in my opinion Barney has done it far too often. Reminds me of the ‘peacocks, jerks and whiners’ comment a worthy leader recently made.
Can you believe those two fools have a talk show now on progressive radio now?
http://www.chicagoprogressivetalk.com/pages/pages.php?page=221
I can’t stand neither Smiley nor his boy friend Dr. West. Both have stuck themselves in the 60s and blacked out. as I see them. I do not listen to these two hustling clowns. If their radio broadcast blacks out that would make me very smiley.
Sure I believe these dolts have a radio show. There are enough idjits out there with no concept of the meaning of ‘progressive’ who would regularly tune in to them to make it worth their time.
Poverty pimps!
And very successful and selfish ones too!
Exactly!
I just think Charlie Rangel had some dam nerve. Even doing the trouble Rangel was in, when there were talk of him being throw out of Congress, I supported him, but he really piss me off going on MSNBC running his mouth. And as far as Barney Frank goes, he should have stay in the House, I think the Governor will make the right choice, and if it isn’t Barney Frank, so be it.
I’m not concerned about the choice Gov. Patrick makes because I liked the position he took at the convention and I believe he’ll be true to that. What has grated for me, and will continue to grate, is the fact there are so many Dems (and IMO one is too many) willing to go to the media to air their contrary opinions at the drop of a hat, often without even knowing WHAT the President’s position truly is. It is just so unnecessary in relation to this President who I think is generally a square shooter. [a 'square' shooter - wonder where that expression originated....oh well..]
I agree with you Meta. Frank and Chris Christie have that bullying thing in common. I don’ t care for Democratic or republican bullies.
” He should face his decision to retire.”
That’s exactly the way I feel! And if he wants to be a Senator then he should run for it. I find his behavior of publicly pressuring Gov. Patrick to appoint him to be unseemly! I particularly don’t care how good he, or his supporters, think he is.
Don, I feel like addressing this LBJ comment to the Barney Fs of the Dem party, but right now I’m going to hold my fire and listen to the Pres
That’s worth a retweet over and over….
Dems who go public with their criticisms of this president ALWAYS annoy me, AlmaB, particularly because all reports say Pres. Obama is a leader who is willing to listen. Why these peacocks have to wave their laundry in public when it’s certainly not necessary says quite a lot about THEM, I think.
Well said, VC. This is something that irritates me to no end. Dems are their own worst enemies, and this is one area where they could learn something from the crazy right wing. Disagree in private, show a united front. Especially when you’re dealing with someone so open to input as President Obama.
‘Disagree in private, show a united front.’ To quote my buddy – ‘Egg.zact.lee!’
Oh-oh! I spelled it incorrectly – better fix it before Amk wakes up…
Egg.zack.lee!
Phew!
To any Democrat, if there were any concern about the hiring of the President’s cabinet, why not go to the President and voice those concerns, why go on tv and fuel the B.S. that the media want them too. That is what really piss me off with the Democrats. It seem they take any chance they can to criticize this President. I would respect Charlie Rangel much better if he had said any concern I have I will discuss it with the President. I am not going to get into this made up controversy, because I know this President and I know what he stand for.
Bravo, VC!
Barney will never get the appointment if he does not agree to vote with PBO. The guy making the appointment is a very good pal of PBO. Shumer has to play games because of his doners in NY. I’ll bet “after much thought” he votes for Hagel.
Bii you make a good point, maybe I’m just a little bit sensitive about the entire situation. I’m just tired of hearing from these guys that never made a peep in the past about anything but now they want to open up a big mouth.
I agree – it’s all politics. If Frank says he going to support the President all the way the media then starts the meme that he cannot be appointed followed by GOPers saying the same thing. I bet if he were to be appointed “after much thought as well” he’ll vote to support PBO. Although I’ll admit he sometimes doesn’t know when to be quiet and wait on the sideline. That has never been his personality. I find I sometimes have to take the good with the bad in many candidates. Support the good; pushback on the bad.
Indeed. Governor Deval Patrick won the governorship, which means he gets to choose who to put int hat position. I was infuriated the other night with Lawrence O’Donnell’s nonsense over this seat. It’s a three month seat! But, it’s critical to furthering the President’s first three months of his second term – when a lot of important things will be happening. Who in their right mind would appoint that seat to someone who says they’re going to oppose the sitting President who has just won re-election, and is working for the good of the country? And, most people screeching about this don’t even know who else is in the running, and if that person would actually be much better than Barney Frank, who has had decades in Congress to make his mark, and now is greedy for more. If he had any respect for Gov. Patrick, he would have done this privately, and presented his case.
If Barney Frank was promising to make that seat a vehicle to help push through the agenda, and using his public notoriety to lay the groundwork for the second agenda, I wouldn’t be as upset. But, he’s trying to tie the governor’s hand, and I don’t like it. It’s not his call. Where was Barney Frank when Scott Brown was getting elected the first time around?
WhiteHouse.gov is like me….late again.
It’s 1:35pm. Anyone getting any movement elsewhere? This happens to me almost every time.
Okay, I got the 2minutes signal, so wh.gov is getting there.
Oh dear..is this Serial Sanford?
They just keep recycling the same old creeps. UGH.
Because the people of this country refuse to learn the lessons of the past. These people should be ashamed to show their faces. Sanford abandoned his four sons on Father’s Day weekend, and the people of his state to whom he was responsible, to have a clandestine affair. Now, he’s back asking the same people to trust him with additional responsibility? Republicans have no shame.
It defies common sense! He has nothing going for him.
Sometimes I like to send our comments out in hopes someone involved may see them and think twice.
So apparently Feb.12 is 3 days before the earliest estimate Treasury could hit the debt ceiling, also it appears to be Mardi Gras. And as the apparent footnote in the press Lincolns B-day. Good times!
Black History Month.
Date Boehner invited PBO to share SOTU 2013
The date Boehner’s gavel will be much bigger than his brains!
Please take that damn thing away for him before he hits himself……on second thought, let home knock himself out.
If he cries one more time……just one more time, I am taking the gavel!
F****ing cry baby…
[For your calendars ... Betty & Coretta will premiere on Lifetime Saturday February 2 at 8/7c.]:
Here’s your exclusive first look at Golden Globe® Award-winner and Academy Award®-nominee Angela Bassett and nine-time Grammy®-winning recording artist Mary J. Blige in the upcoming Lifetime Original Movie “Betty & Coretta”. The film, premiering Saturday, February 2 at 8.7c, will tell the dual real-life stories of Coretta Scott King (Bassett) and Dr. Betty Shabazz (Blige) as they create an unbreakable life-long bond after their husbands’ tragic assassinations.
.
http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/lifetime-movies-blog/first-look-betty-and-coretta
Thanks for the heads up. Should be well worth watching. Loved both women, real life ones and actors as well.
Thanks, Xtine for sharing this! They were both women of immense courage and perseverance!
On Monday, Newark, N.J. mayor Cory Booker’s political campaign committee, “Cory Booker for Senate,” submitted organizing papers to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for his potential 2014 run.
.
http://thegrio.com/2013/01/11/cory-bookers-senate-campaign-submits-organizing-papers-to-fec/
Interesting. There’s going to be fierce competition for the cameras in the Senate, I see… Grayson, Heitkamp, Booker, Warren… Let’s see if they can actually get some work done while they’re there.
But, I still wish Cory Booker well, because despite some missteps – he seems to be one of the good guys.
Theo, first 3 are peacocky, but 4th will get down to business. Cameras will have to paparazzi her.
Yes, I agree that Elizabeth Warren looks like she’s there for business. My main concern around her is the media expectations and the far left pinning their hopes and dreams that she’s somehow going to be a miracle-worker. She’s one of 100 Senators, and she’s going to need to form alliances to get things done, in a body of people with HUGE egos. She’s also going to be quoted and misquoted, and they’ll apply their own interpretations of her words and deeds to keep themselves entertained, and then perpetually frustrated.
Just look at how Rachel Maddow has feasted this week on Elizabeth Warren’s one comment about AIG’s foolish lawsuit. It’s frightening how high they raise people onto a pedestal, and then usually thrill at watching them fall off that unrealistic perch. I think if they left her alone, she could prove to be a really useful and productive Senator.
I totally agree with you. And we can be sure that the “left” will scream at betrayal the minute Senator Warren has to take tough votes. Unless she becomes the “new” Feingold, they’ll throw her under the bus before long. And they’ll search for a new hero to worship. Wash, rince, repeat.
Yup – we’ve seen this act before… sadly.
Totally hear you, Theo! Well, we’re going to have a lot of pushback to do! Busy years coming up! My sleaves are rolled up!
Me, too. I think we’re all going to have to keep our sleeves rolled up to protect the gains under President Obama.
Great comment, Theo! May be I am getting too old, but I’ve come to a point in my life where I immensely dislike holier than thou ideologues of all stripes! I appreciate people with strong principles, but when it comes to legislating or serving as President, the nature of our political system requires people who are able to compromise without abandoning their principles. This is why the late Senator, Teddy Kennedy, was so successful at passing many legislations that slowly advanced the causes advocated by liberals/progressives. He was a master at trying to find common ground with some of his sane Republican opponents. When necessary, however, he also blasted them when they were trying to enact extreme legislations.
Thanks Nathkatun7 – I agree with you. This business about “not compromising principles” has been translated into “not compromising at all”, and the so-called principles that are being defended are actually bad policies that are very harmful. If the new Senate bunch can be vocal, use their newfound (or refound, in the case of Grayson) celebrity to good use and actually move popular opinion to apply pressure to Congress to get difficult stuff done – then I’ll be the first person telling everyone to watch these people on TV. But, it seems many of them get to Congress or Senate just to be famous. And they equate popularity with effectiveness or importance. That’s why many of them cannot recognize the hard work done by this President and his stellar administration, and can’t value the incremental and monumental progress that has been made through those persevering small steps.
I already see a peacock, a whiner and a jerk.
Ha!
Oh, Don, you liked that description too, eh?
I plan to use it often when I happen to be on twitter and recognize anyone vying for any of the titles.
PBO is speaking now!
I love my POTUS. He promised to end the wars responsibly and he’s doing that. Media and emoprogs be damned.
Well lookey here.
I love this man, this President.
+1,000,000,000,000
Ditto!
You are not alone, Sherijr! I am absolutely convinced that objective historians will treat him more honorably than the current media vultures.
[LOL! NUTS letter on Ebay!]:
[...] A letter West wrote to the Florida office of CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, is listed for sale on the online auction site.
A CAIR official put the letter up for sale as a fundraiser. The current bid: $2,520.
The letter is short. It informs to CAIR officials that West is writing in response to their recent letter. West’s response? “NUTS!” [...]
.
http://thegrio.com/2013/01/10/allen-west-nuts-letter-to-muslim-organization-for-sale-on-ebay/
Who did West think he was? The American general defending Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge?
No, no, please don’t mention him near Bastogne or the Battle of the Bulge. The general was an honorable man. Loved by his men.
The best thing this country did was to remove that vile, hateful man from any position of power. The fact that a few crazy congress people thought he should be Speaker of the House is frightening. the GOP is actually dangerous to this country’s existence, and everything upon which it was founded.
But, but, but…..
The State Department is throwing its weight behind controversial Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules that will force oil, gas and mining companies to disclose payments to foreign governments.
“The rule directly advances our foreign policy interests in increasing transparency and reducing corruption, particularly in the oil, gas and minerals sectors,” a State Department spokesman said.
“Corruption and mismanagement of these resources can impede economic growth, reduce opportunities for U.S. trade and investment, divert critically-needed funding from social services and other government activities, and contribute to instability and conflict,” State Department spokesman John Finn said.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/276711-state-dept-says-sec-oil-rule-directly-advances-us-foreign-policy-interests
He is taking on Big Oil again! I love it!
David Sanger is pro War, can’t you tell?
[OK, which TODers are "Inaugural Luncheon Crashers?" Ummm ... /running after you all/ ... wait for me!
P.S. Looks like Chuck Schumer has found a delicious alternative to being on my teevee 24/7! Keep on keeping on, Chuck!]:
[...] The luncheon for the first time this year breaks with the tradition of serving dishes honoring past Presidents, and is instead celebrating the theme of the inauguration, “Faith in America’s Future.” The food at President Obama’s first Inaugural Luncheon was an homage to Abraham Lincoln, but this year’s exquisite menu is an homage to the current buzzwords artisanal, sustainable and, where possible, local.
The luncheon will be held in Statuary Hall in the Capitol. It takes six months to organize and sixty minutes to eat. Limited to 225 guests from the highest echelons of government, plus Malia and Sasha Obama, an invitation is so coveted that Very Important People, who have not been invited, often show up and expect to be seated.
That’s why Dot Svendson, from the office of the Secretary of the Senate who is responsible for the logistics, has two complete place settings on standby and instructs staff to find a seat for the truly VIP crashers who can make it past the Capitol police without an invitation. [....]
.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2013/01/behind-scenes-planning-presenting.html#more
I am so excited for this inauguration. And I’m thrilled that Malia and Sasha will be old enough to remember the details of this one, and maybe even attend the balls? It’s reassuring that the balls are all being held in one venue – maybe the Obama family can get home early enough to enjoy their own private party this time. They deserve it – especially since this will be the last one… unless Michelle or Malia or Sasha run for President, of course…
/excitedly/ Theo, Theo, those two standby place settings must be for us, the two VIP guests from TODville! Oh I’m SOOO excited. I thought they had forgotten us. Oh, oh, what shall I wear? What shall I wear? Do i have time to go get something new? I wonder if the
hairdressersalon can fit me in? THIS is so awesome! Chips and TODville, we’ll tell you all about it upon our return, of course.LOL, VC!
She’s speechless from ecstasy, folks. Look at the grin on her face and the sparkle in her eyes!
You are a character!
I am gonna have have own party……in front of the teevee.
Call it a “Ball” Jojo, why not?
Lots of Balls going on!
Very smart of you!
I hope Malia & Sasha are going to the Kids Ball — lots of fabulous stars performing there! Then, it would be lovely if the First Family and their closest friends (/whisper/ “Me too, me too. Wait for me!” LOL!) could have their own party!
We can always dream…
Oh, all right, then, I guess I’ll go….. Sheesh, the pressure!
Excellent article I cam across relating to corporate expenditures in the political realm and how they try to hide it.
The following is one paragraph, and I love how the writer of the article turned on what the representative of Aetna said.
Regarding the educational efforts, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini wrote to CREW explaining that Aetna “will continue to ensure the voice of customers and members is represented in the ongoing dialogue on how to fix the many problems facing our country.” But Bertolini should poll his customers. Do you really want your health insurer spending millions on ads to support candidates you may not endorse rather than, say, reimbursing a course of medical treatment you might need?
http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/09/corporations-dark-money-qualcomm/
[Somebody please tell me this is photoshopped, surely can't be that dumb! Oh, wait, wait, it's Faux News!]:
.
http://www.bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2013/01/super-stupid-34.html
Read that. You can be sure that Faux News knows the truth. But they don’t want their viewers to know so they throw crap like this out there. Now, if their viewers get told anything differently, they can just not believe the truth.
Right on, Japa. I think those who buy into Faux News crap choose to do so & would rather their mindframe not be disturbed by reality.
I have been catching up. Congratulations Chips!!!!!!!!!!! on your new international celebrity status!!
Hey Chips! Congrats on the vid-love! How thrilling!
Hope everyone in TOD ville is doing well!
Thought the sappy animal lovers here would appreciate this. SOOOOO CUUTTTE:
GoBrooklyn, that was cute! Did a cheer at the end!
Reminds me of one of my dogs teaching the other dog to use the doggie door…..they are smarter than we know!
Yes, this sappy animal lover does love it. Good cure for the Repugnant flu! 🐶
That was so adorable. The big dog was so sweet and patient. Made my day!
RE: Cory Booker for Senate AKA Corey Booker takes his one man show on the road
I don’t really care for Booker. He’ll likely be a pest in congress. One of those idiot so-called “principled” democrats who publicly disagree with the president i.e.: Grayson who I’m disappointed to see is back on the Hill. I think he’s a show off, i think he acts in certain ways to build his brand, for what? I don’t know. the other day I heard he did the old tried and true living off of food stamps bit.
Do we really need a well paid politician to voluntarily go on food stamps for a week to know that living off food stamps is difficult? Doesn’t the research already show that? Haven’t there already been tons of interviews over the last several decades about people/families making little or no money who have to use food stamps to supplement their incomes and put food on the table? Ridiculous 
Can you say gimmicky? It’s not like he’s going to be president, not unless he’s going to have some patron with a pot full of money to bankroll him from start to finish. I don’t think he’s genuine and he tries way too hard to be the next Barack Obama. Sorry if it sounds harsh, I’m just tired of the democratic brand in general and the idiot politicians associated with said brand in particular.
If I’m not mistaken, wasn’t Cory Booker one of the democrats who criticized the attacks on Bain Capital during the campaign ?
I’m not an unconditional fan of Cory Booker, but I acknowledge his rhetoric skills and I think he wants to improve the lives of people. He certainly is an ambitious man. The more generous thing I can say about him is that he is a talented politician, who I hope will learn to keep his ego in check. Energy and passion are good, but empathy, unselfishness, patience and wisdom make a true statesman.
I think he’s probably got a good heart but he can come off as very sanctimonious at times. And I absolutely despised that he stood up for Bain at precisely the time that PBO was making it the centerpiece of his attacks on Romney. Just unforgivable.
{{LisalovesO}} I hear you, and agree with much of what you’ve said. There are just some Dems that strike me the wrong way, especially when they start to grandstand. I tolerate them because we need as many in place as possible, but they do not generally have my respect. The truth is, I think, that for as many regular Dems that fawn over them, there is an equal number that senses their insincerity or their selfish motivation.
“LIKE!”
Use the 2nd Amendment AGAINST the #NRA (surrogates for the weapons & murder industrial complex aka #WMIC)
#FORWARD
Excellent—–I like this angle.
They want their ’2nd Amendment’ – let’s give’um the whole thing
BRAVO, Bravo, Bobfr! This is a great tweet and a great message! The “well regulated” clause of the second amendment should be the cornerstone of people who advocate sane laws to govern individual gun ownership. Contrary to the NRA and other gun nuts, the 2nd Amendment does not give blanket rights for the people to own all types of weapons. I doubt many people know that the 2nd Amendment has two clauses: the first clause is about ” A well regulated militia…” which is the basis of the second clause “the right of people to keep and bear arms….”
As Tally argued, in a previous post, to highlight the idiocy and absurdity of the gun nuts: if the people’s right to keep and bear arms is absolute under the 2nd Amendment, then people (probably billionaires) should have the right to own tanks, missiles, nuclear weapons, and chemical and biological weapons. I am sure quite a few billionaires can afford to buy some of these weapons.
In my humble opinion, the 2nd Amendment does not give blanket and absolute rights to individuals to own all sorts of weapons. Otherwise the Amendment would not have included the clause about ” A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state…”
If any one can own whatever type of weaponry he/she can afford, then why would we need Sherifs, the police, and a standing professional U.S. military? May be the government can give each individual a voucher to go out and purchase the necessary weapons for his individual protection. That way we would stop spending billions and billions for police and other local law enforcement units and for the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. Yet these same gun nuts who argue that each individual has a right to own military grade assault weapons because of the 2nd Amendment are the same ones who want unlimited amounts spent on the military, and prisons.
The 2nd Amendment talks about the people’s right “to keep and bear arms” in the context of ensuring the “security of a free state,” which, if I am not mistaken, is the sole purpose of our four branches of the military, the Defense Dept., the Homeland Security Dept., the the CIA, and of course all the State and local law enforcement agencies. There is absolutely no language in the 2nd Amendment that guarantees individuals the right to own all types of weapons; and especially the kinds of weapons, like assault weapons, which threaten the internal “security of a free state” if they are not regulated and end up in the hands of deranged people.
I like Rep. John Yarmouth, who was just on Bashir. I was wondering how such a smart, common sense person managed to get elected in Kentucky. I thought he must represent Louisville, the one bright light there. I was right.
We heard a few days ago that PBO won NY by 81%. Today it came out that that was the biggest % in NY since 1898. Yes, 1898!!
In other good NY news Gov. Cuomo took a sharp turn to the left in his state of the state message. He called NY the Progressive capital of the country and was fierce about passing gun control measures and equal pay equal work legislation.
Also pledged focus on Energy and said he hired Stephen Chu’s assistant.
I think the second administration of POTUS will be mindblowing in how much is acheived and how much support the President can count on.
Goodby to theoverwhelming influence of war profiteers and weapons makers. Hello to common sense and caring for the people of the USA.
No wonder the MSM/GOP alternates between rage and despair. How much they have lost must have started to sink in.
And 1898 was the first year all five boroughs were combined to form New York City.
I agree with you about the potential for President Obama’s second term. The economy is on the mend, the greed-mongers are quivering in fear and on the run, and the President has a steeliness to him that means he knows he doesn’t have to run for re-election again. The pundits keep counting down the clock before they can call President Obama a lame duck President, but they clearly haven’t been paying attention. Even when the GOP were touting that they’d gotten 98% of what they wanted, the President was actually the silent winner. Now, he doesn’t have to be silent about it, and woe to anyone who underestimates this man and his final years as President. Look at what he accomplished when he still knew he had a re-election coming up, and had many spineless Democrats to cajole and convince. He’s already made history several times over. Now, it’s his time to have fun and do the stuff he wants to do before he leaves public office. That’s a great motivator, especially for someone who ran for office to do something, not just to be President. This second term is going to be fun.
How cool – I just went to my mailbox and got a large envelope from The Presidential Inauguration Committee containing a commemorative engraved invite to the inauguration! It looks very impressive. I guess it’s because I had entered our congressman’s lottery for tickets (and been turned down). Still, this will make a nice decoration whilst watching all the TV coverage on Inauguration weekend.
There’s also a sheet from the Inauguration store you’ve been talking about (it says you can take 10% off orders of $25 or more with the code SAVE10).
Pretty cool, eh?
You’re a lucky one!
Truer words………
You are so right, Lisa. I wish I could like Cory Booker but his ego keeps pushing me away.
I know what Booker is doing, he did not want to run against Christie and lose. And he obviously was hoping Lautenberg would announce he would not run in 2014. But you cant push a 90 yr. old WWll vet around like that, especially in public. People might not know this, but have you ever heard of the ADP Jobs #’s? They come out at the end of every month on a Wed. typically with an survey/estimate of jobs created by business for the month. Separate from the household survey. Frank Lautenberg created that company and sold it for about 100 million dollars. Corey Booker has to raise money, especially if Lautenberg stays in a primary. Dont particularly like it but it is what it is.
Good afternoon everyone; just getting in and checking everything out. Enjoying the summer-like weather.
Congrats, Chips on the international presence of TOD; love that my favorite video is featured in Moneygall’s Obama site.
PS. Please get your flu shots if you have not done so; this is a dangerous time.
Too bad.
CDC: Flu outbreaks reach epidemic level
Elise Viebeck
01/11/13 05:07 PM ET
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nine of the 10 U.S. regions are experiencing “elevated” flu activity.…
And Boston just declared a health Emergency…
People don’t get their flu shots?
The problem is that there are usually several strains of the virus and one shot only works for one strain!
Very nice – was just about to post your tweet, but thanks for beating me to it! .
Should I not be thanking you, for wanting to post my tweet? Socrates 617 A.D
The nut job who threated to start shooting people if PBO took executive action on gun control just had his carry permit yanked…lol.
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/20566009/dept-of-safety-suspends-handgun-permit-of-local-man-after-gun-control-rage-video
Just saw that—–probably needs to be committed also. Crazy nuts all over the place saying they’re ready to start shooting people to prevent gun control—–insanity squared.
A prior article says his company trains people in the use of various weapons…I wonder if he is a dealer as well? If so, IMO his permit should be pulled there too. I wonder if the Secret Service is eyeballing him too?
since lapierre is so adamant that gun violence is a result of our flawed mental health system, and since the rethugs he’s in bed with are so adamant that public funds should not be used to help people with mental illnesses, it seems logical that the very wealthy nra and its very wealthy supporters should provide mental health services to their whacko, bat-shit, nut-job, crazy-ass, insane members!
ROFL Susanne…I think you’re onto something there!
I’m glad, only thing I worry about is if his livelyhood, i.e. business/income, goes to hell in a handbasket, what will he do then. He still has his guns right?
A logical, immediate consequence – I like it.
Me too, VC.
Some of those crazy nuts are my relatives. At least we live a long ways away. Two of Doug’s brothers have bought semi-automatic guns. Just because they’re afraid of the dark. There really doesn’t seem to be a way to reason with them. Doug has a lot of guns, most of them for hunting and handed down from a relative. But he is very much for the assault rifle ban. The guns he has would never save us. They are locked in a very heavy duty safe. Shells hidden in another one. We’ve had a few suicides when the kids were in high school in our area. That’s what they suggested. That and gun locks. No one made a fuss about second amendment rights after those suicides. My son was a pallbearer at one of the funerals. He was on the cross-country track team with him. It was so sad. Guns have broken a lot of hearts. I’m praying for a way to reason with those who are scared of not having a gun.
Stay warm TOD friends. It turned very cold here. The snow has finally blown in. Making a big batch of chili in the morning or maybe tonight.
Carol, I know what you mean. I married into the gun culture. Thankfully my hubby grew up over the years and grew out of that and now he is very much in favor of strict gun control. But some of his relatives are still immersed in that lifestyle, and we have distanced ourselves from them, for many reasons…mostly that they’re just plain obnoxious jerks. I shudder to think of the conversations around their dinner tables these last few weeks.
And hey that chili sounds yummy!
Thanks Rain. It is going very cold here. I grew up around guns, too. But taught to respect them thankfully.
Ok jaw saw this on the internet ether, ignore the fact that it a RW website, but poses a honest ? NBCsports is sponsoring the country’s largest gun show WTF is up w/ that http://freebeacon.com/comcasts-pro-gun-policy/
Am in traffic but just read Greg Sargent’s post “Top Senate Democrats to WH: If you unilaterally raise debt ceiling, we’ve got your back”. — Reid, Schumer, Durbin & Murray sent letter to WH! Sorry don’t know how copy link, but it was up top on his site.
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/banking-financial-institutions/276751-senate-dems-well-back-obama-if-he-raises-debt-limit-unilaterally
Thanks, Susanne! If UR able, could you add Sargent’s link, I think Chips has him on her Blogroll.
BTW, I’m not octopus driving thru traffic, commenting while driving. I’m cut/paste challenged by my smartphone!
sorry–i was away for a bit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/01/11/top-senate-dem-to-white-house-if-you-unilaterally-raise-debt-ceiling-youve-got-our-back/
This is interesting.
Senate Democrats should be working as hard as they can to communicate to the American people, and to convince the unethical media and their fellow Republican members of Congress, that it’s Congress’ RESPONSIBILITY, under the Constitution, to raise the debt ceiling in order to pay the dent incurred by the United States. If they want to delegate Congress’ responsibility and burden of raising the debt ceiling on to the President, then they should introduce legislation to that effect. A letter to the President, by so called “Top Senate Democrats,” has no force of law and will not shield the President from the likely calls for his impeachment from Republicans because he violated the Constitution.
I respect people, like our illustrious Bobfr, who think the President can unilaterally raise the debt ceiling under the authority of Section 4, of the Fourteenth Amendment. But I think they are mistaken. In my opinion, Congress’ “power of the purse” under Article I, section 8, is not superseded by section 4 of the 14th Amendment. No where in the Constitution, directly or indirectly, is the power to pay U.S. debts given to the President of the United States. Section 4, of the 14th Amendment which is cited simply reads as follows:
“The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions
and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States
nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United
States, or any claim for the loss, or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims, shall be held
illegal and void.”
Those who urge the President to invoke this section of the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling inadvertently fail to mention Section 5 of the 14th Amendment, which clearly spells out the branch of government that has the power to enforce the 14th Amendment. So, here is the text of Section 5, of the 14th Amendment:
” The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislations, the provisions of this article.”
In my humble opinion, selectively reading one section of the 14th Amendment and then trying to put pressure on the President to enforce just that section, when Section 5, clearly states that it’s the Congress which has the POWER to enforce ALL the four sections of the Amendment, is misguided. What we should be doing is put all the pressure on all members of Congress to abide by their Constitutional responsibility of paying “the public debt of the United States, authorized by law.”
I am sorry, but I don’t want President Obama to face the possibility of being impeached because he usurped the power that the Constitution explicitly gives Congress. And even if Congress may not take the route of impeachment, Congress could sue in Court to challenge the President’s unilateral action to raise the debt ceiling, thus creating more chaos.
I am sorry but these “Top Senate Democrats” are shucking their Constitutional responsibilities and putting all the burden on the President. If they were courageous and responsible,they would not have to write a letter to the President> Instead, they would immediately introduce legislation granting the President the power to raise the debt ceiling.
I’ve been hearing this crap a lot lately. Lies, all lies, but that never stopped them before!
http://everythingpossiblehappens.blogspot.com/2013/01/no-hitler-did-not-ban-guns-and-neither.html
Me too!!!!!
But they are not a major political Party. Only in DC and the Media are they considered Major, in the South, tea baggers really don’t like them but vote for them 100% of the time.
These were not part of my history either. Rationing, war news at the picture show, President Roosevelt addresses that held no meaning for me, and neighborhood race riots(no guns just bricks, bats and afew razors).
NRA’s LaPierre warns of mass executions of gun owners. Shouldn’t this insanity-mongering, gun sale promoting, this fear mongering of the ignorant be against the law? He’s stirring up every paranoid gun nut in the country, many of them mentally unstable.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/01/11/nras-wayne-lapierre-used-right-wing-medias-nazi/192199
I agree – isn’t this incitement of violence? The other one who posted a video threat to the general public and tried to backtrack today also needs to be kept away from innocent people – he’s a menace to society.
Howdy my TOD peeps
Howdy, Dudette!
Hi Pamela!!
Hey, Chips and Dudette and all you saavy video makers…here’s a song I’d love to see in a vid…
George was my favorite Beattle. Everyone else had a crush on Paul, but my guy was/is George. Love him! Always loved this song too.
My favorite also…and the best song writer of the Fab Four.
Did you see his Documentary on HBO ” Living in a Material World ” ? It is wonderful….
He’s my fave too and this was my favorite of his songs. Still very relevant for our times I think.
How about this Rain.
Oooh I love that song! It’s one of my mom’s favorite songs too!
Thanks for reminding me how old I am. Keep on living.
Aw, Sorry Yard! (((Hugs)))
Don’t be. I’m not. It’s been one hellofa ride!
VERY IMPORTANT ….
“PARIS—France on Friday responded to a cry for help from Mali, dispatching military forces to the African country to fight rebel groups that Western nations fear could destabilize the region and soon gain the ability to strike overseas.
President François Hollande said French soldiers were intervening alongside the local army and other troops from Western African countries to help stop the progression of rebel groups advancing toward the south of Mali. Mr. Hollande said the intervention is being conducted in full compliance with resolutions by the United Nations Security Council, which early Friday called for “a rapid deployment” of foreign troops in Mali.
Thousands of Malians gathered in Bamako, the capital, last month in a demonstration to support the deployment of an international force in the country’s north, which is controlled by Islamist rebels.
“This afternoon, French armed forces lent support to units of the Malian army to fight against terrorists,” Mr. Hollande said on national television. “This operation will last as long as needed.”
Late Friday, Malian President Dioncounda Traoré, who had called on France for military support a day earlier, urged all Malians to rally behind him to “defend every square centimeter of our national territory.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324081704578235222252420976.html
This has been developing for more than a year. Mali has become ‘ground zero’ for AQ and affiliate terrorist groups. Once again, our President is handling a very, very dangerous situation in a manner that will, in time, become known as the ‘Obama Doctrine’ – a radical departure from PNAC insanity.
#TrustBarack
The situation in Mali is getting very ugly. The AQ have been amputating people in the Northern region for violating Sharia Law, and they have banned music – even in ring tones! I’m glad France has intervened. I wish these AQ folks would just disappear.
Consider Northern Mali as a ‘roach motel’ … because for the past year that is essentially what the strategy has been. Only one way AQ will ‘disappear’ unfortunately. A whole bunch of them are definitely not going to be leaving Mali.
#FORWARD
I’m ok with that.
Bobfr, thank you for posting this! Saw an article @ Guardian-UK but wasn’t able to get back to it yet. Will do over weekend!
Sorry if this is off point or if it has been shared here today.
I don’t know how many remember the UT gun Totting Soccer mom and her husband…..the wife went to soccer games strapping a gun…..was found dead, killed by her husband who also took his own life, leaving 10, 6 and 2 yrs old as orphans. The two oldest children ran out the home to the neighbor’s home telling them that their father had shot their mom. DKos has this story today.
I heard about that, I feel so bad for those kids.
This is what those kids will remember forever when they think of their parents. Awful, just awful. This stuff has got to stop!
Those are the kinds of images you never get out of your head completely. I was a paramedic for four years and I saw my fair share of gunshot wounds, from minor to fatal. I can see every one just as clearly now as I did when I was right there. Those poor kids deserve better than that.
I takes a special soul to do that kind of work Rain. My hat’s off to those of you who can and do. Blessings of sweet and soothing peace to you friend.
I meant “IT takes a special soul…” Anyway, bless you dear. Thank you for all you did to serve your community.
Thank you Dudette, I sincerely appreciate that.:)
Hey, y’all techies, any idea why the weather app on my utilities would just stop working? I so love my weather app…..
Global warming?
Ain’t no global warming in Seattle today, brrrrr…. Frosty, yes. Frosty.
Don’t feel bad! Phoenix is freezing, too! Literally! By the way, hello Seattle:) We used to live on the Hood Canal in a little beach house…before kids:)
It’s Coooooold in Los Angeles too. I’ve had the portable heater on round the clock. It’s funny my feet get hot at night and I have to take my socks off….
hmmm… is there an upgrade avail?
New post!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/01/11/dc-date/
yo