President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with law enforcement officials to discuss policies the President put forward last month that would reduce gun violence in communities across America, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 28 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today:
9:20: President Obama departs the White House
2:25: Arrives Las Vegas
2:55: Delivers remarks on immigration at Del Sol High School
5:00: Departs Las Vegas
9:20: Arrives at the White House
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Washington Post: The Obama administration has developed its own proposals for immigration reform that are more liberal than a separate bipartisan effort in the Senate, including a quicker path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, people with knowledge of the proposals said.
President Obama is expected to provide some details of the White House plans during a Tuesday appearance in Las Vegas, where he will call for broad changes to the nation’s immigration laws. The speech will kick off a public push by the administration in support of the broadest overhaul of immigration law in nearly three decades.
More here
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Atlantic Wire: The gay community seemed to gasp in unison on Monday afternoon when the Senate revealed a much anticipated immigration plan that did not, in the end, include same-sex couples. But according to multiple reports Monday night, this is just the beginning: President Obama will include same-sex couples in the proposals of a major policy speech on immigration in Las Vegas on Tuesday afternoon that will seek to build on “momentum” from Congress for broad reform.
More here
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Steve Benen: After a bipartisan group of eight senators unveiled their proposal for comprehensive immigration reform, most proponents of improving the status quo, including President Obama and his team, were delighted. All eyes, however, quickly turned to House Republicans, who’ve long opposed reform and are in a position to kill it in this Congress.
More here
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Liberal Librarian: So, the news of the day is that a bipartisan group of senators have a plan for comprehensive immigration reform. That’s all to the well and good. This country needs a sensible immigration policy that allows for the legalization of those undocumented immigrants already in the country, and for a rational method for immigrants to come in legally.
Now, don’t be mistaken: this Damascene conversion on the part of a few Republican senators is due more to the stranglehold that the Democratic Party has on immigrant voters, rather than to any true change of heart that maybe it would be a good idea to decriminalize 11 million US residents.
Full post here
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ThinkProgress
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Washington Post: The nation’s housing market is surging again after years of historic declines, and the unique forces powering its return could last well into 2013.
The number of homes for sale is at its lowest level since before the recession, sparking competition among buyers that has led to 10 straight months of price increases. The volume of activity is the highest since 2007.
Builders broke ground in December on the most new housing developments in four years. And interest rates on mortgages are expected to remain near all-time lows through much of the year, galvanizing once-skeptical buyers.
More here
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President Obama hugs Donna Vanzant, the owner of North Point Marina, as he tours damage from Hurricane Sandy in Brigantine, N.J., Oct. 31, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)
Steve Benen: It’s taken far longer than it should have, but federal aid for areas affected by Hurricane Sandy is finally on the way.
…. it’s worth pausing to note the partisan split on Sandy relief - in the Senate, 36 Senate Republicans, including members representing coastal states like Florida, Texas, Alabama, and the Carolinas, voted against the federal aid. Or put another way, 80% of Senate Republicans opposed post-Sandy relief …. 78% of House Republicans voted against the emergency assistance.
….. it is now effectively the standard position of congressional Republicans to reject disaster relief unless the funding is offset by other spending cuts. So long, compassionate conservatism, we hardly knew you.
Full post here
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TPM: The Senate is fast-tracking its reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act to a floor vote expected by next week, two Democratic aides tell TPM.
But House Republican leaders remain silent on how they intend to proceed, which suggests that there has not been a breakthrough since last year, when the bill fell prey to the House GOP’s resistance to expand coverage to gays, illegal immigrants and Native Americans who have suffered domestic abuse.
More here
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Business Week: Last week campaign disclosure reports revealed that Hillary Clinton had finally retired the debt from her 2008 presidential campaign—with a little help from the guy who beat her, Barack Obama. Clinton’s debt once totaled more than $20 million, although it had dwindled to about $250,000 by last year. That’s when a team of top Obama donors decided to surprise Clinton, and thank her for her loyal service, by raising enough money to pay off her bills. As secretary of state, she was forbidden from political fundraising.
More here
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Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a Republican member of the Cabinet, feigns being a blocking back for President Barack Obama as he arrives backstage to meet with GOP House leaders before speaking to their issues conference at the Renaissance Baltimore Harbor Place Hotel in Baltimore, Md., Jan. 29, 2010 (Photo by Pete Souza)
AP: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the only Republican still left in President Barack Obama’s first-term Cabinet, says he plans to leave the Obama administration.
…. LaHood says he will not run for public office in his home state of Illinois, saying he believes “you should go out while they’re applauding.”
More here
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… with Darren Criss
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Morning!
White House.gov
Heavily overcast where I am, cold, and unfriendly-looking, but still a ‘good’ day! Good morning, Ms Chips and ALL TODobots! We are alive in the Age of Obama-Biden.
Well, G’morning and congratulations VC!!
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and Happy Tuesday :)
GM, Hf! I look at the top picture and a recent discussion comes to mind. Oh well, at least all the expressions seem to mirror the seriousness of the discussion.
Happy Tuesday Hopefruit!
Tuesday’s good. Congrats on the 17M hits, Chips, a little late!
Thank you J!
Congrats on first vcprez; going from a weekend of freezing temps to the 70’s. What’s that about climate change not being an issue?
Hi, SW! I’ll settle for a little bit of your 70’s. I’m trying not to complain, but after weeks of wear-your-coat-over -your-arm days it seems like winter has finally arrived here. I went out earlier this morning to drop offspring at the train station and it was cold.
It’s only for a day. Then a day of heavy rain and back to the cold temperatures. But I’ll take the short reprieve. :-)
I would too. :-)
Morning VC, morning everyone!
A very ‘Good Morning’ to yooouuu, Ms Chips!
And the very same to yourself, VC!
Y, TY, CC! ;) :razz: :lol: :lol:
I’m feeling extremely sleepy today for no apparent reason.
Were you up partying all night????
I wish.
Congrats vc.,:)
Thanks. It feels good looking down from on high on a dreary day weather-wise. :-)
;)
Good Morning TODers. My heart was touched by the last two threads. It hurts to know that there are so many people who care so little.
Many many more who care a lot.
Look at all this goodness! Morning, Chips:) Morning everyone:) Congrats, vc:)
Moooooooorning DF!!!!!
Looking forward to Pres. Obama’s immigration speech. Absolutely thrilled that he’s including same-sex couples in his immigration reform proposal. We keep moving forward in terms of fairness, equality, and justice under him and it warms my heart.
Classy gesture on the part of Pres. Obama and his team to help HRC retire her campaign debt and leave her with a surplus of $205K. The world is a better place with Barack Obama here. What a decent human being.
aloha and good morning chips and tods~
this just has me in tears. our dear president has so much on his mind, his heart, his shoulders. you can see that he is hurting for those people in syria, just as he hurts for the folks in newtown, and those whose lives have been devastated by hurricane sandy. we are so incredibly fortunate that he has the strength and courage to go forward, day after day, doing all he can to make life better for us all.
Good Morning, Everyone :)
Moooooooooooooorning Rikyrah!
Morning all! Looks like immigration, some progress on gun control will happen. GOP nervous about 2014. OFA firing up. And Chips has passed 17 million. A good day. Fired up and ready to go.
MoooOOOooOOOooooOOooorning Taiping!
uh ah - first 25?
Thank you for all the good news Miss Chips - looking at immigration reform & the losing VP candidate - I’m sure the McCain campaign promised health care and immigration reform and job creation in 2008 - McCain suddenly had a memory moment? - or maybe he reread that policy speech from his VP candidate.
“we’re ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the….uh, oh, it’s got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track”
My head hurts.
I think batshit crazy beck is doing rather well in the wingnut welfare circuits making millions out of rwnj rubes than the tundra twit, who finally seems to have had her 15 minutes. Or has she ? Who knows with the clueless rubes?
Yeah, loved the toon, the obscurity thing, but I wouldn’t have thought either of them has been left destitute!
Well if you don’t count their mental state, then I guess you can say they aren’t destitute.
Ah, true - they’re most certainly mentally and morally destitute!
It was I who coined the term tundra twit. Am rather proud of it.
Take a bow, Sir!
Of course you wanted to say “twit,” amk.
The Tundra Twit would be a good representative selling reverse mortages on teevee. It would fit her demographics. She could conclude the ads with a wink and a “you betcha”.
Or she may be cover girl for the gun show magazines (paper, not deadly).
Mornin’.
Good Morning TOD family, it’s a great day. President Obama will deliver his speech on Immigration today and it will set the course for this great country going forward. Funny how Barack always seems to be on the right side of history.
Morning Don!
Good morning all.
Live now: Hillary Clinton’s townhall forum
http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=4
? Hillary is doing a townhall? How comes?
Because Kerri is getting confirmed today, it’s her last day!
I wish the media had provided as much coverage for Hillary when she was logging those million miles doing her job as Secretary of State. Maybe the country, and Steve Kroft, would be more informed of exactly what the Administration has been doing around the world. The only place you could find info on her travels and work was through the State department website - and she did a lot! The only things I can remember the press covering were the misinterpretation of the “reset” button with the Russians, and the time she lost her temper in Africa when someone asked her what her husband thought about something. This is her last global forum - how many of her prior forums/fora have these media shown in full or even in clips? All in the effort of undermining the 2016 elections…
Absolutely true Theo, the ‘coverage’ of her work abroad has been pitiful, but it’s been similarly awful for PBO’s foreign trips too. The media is embarrassingly parochial, no interest in anything beyond, well, the beltway. No wonder so many people are uninformed.
Rachel Maddow - Left Wing Concern Troll……going after Organizing for Action
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/#50622246
don’t want to watch, but I’m curious, what’s got her bloomers in a twist now?
She was complaining because they launched it on a Friday night telling supporters to contact Congress on a Friday when no one is there.
He set her straight….telling her they are testing this to see what the response is they know what works and how to proceed….
She continued to whine regardless……
I only saw five minutes of it before switching the channel, where she told Bill Burton you can’t get a congresscritter on the phone on a Friday night, and he told her somewhere around 4:30 local time (think I recall) you could call, since they haven’t left for their happy hour yet. I’m just now seeing here what the context was. He wasn’t bothered by her idiocy AT ALL. None of his feathers were ruffled (as usual).
Of couse, she is not a democrat. She may vote democratic, but that’s because her Guy Nader, is out of the mainstream.
not a shock, yesterday msn had an article about OFA that was totally bogus, they’re trying very hard to push this as something ‘scary’. Of course Maddow would jump on that bandwagon.
Live now - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds a global town-hall style forum at the State Department: http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=1
Lahood to step down… Ap-
noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! I really like Ray. He’s such a decent guy.
He is the only Republican I can think of that I like.
Same here Bill. Most of them are lying heartless racists jackassess.
Same—-I always liked and respected him, seemingly the last Republican on the planet with a sense of decency. Obama and LaHood’s friendship goes way back to their Illinois state senate days.
Hagel and Powell are good too.
Agreed.
I have a hard time with Powell. If he hadn’t made the presentation before the U.N. things MAY have been different. That bullshit with anthrax took him over the edge. We haven’t even solved the mystery of anthrax here. What’s up with that? Someone conveniently committed suicide. And they ruined another mans life. Total incompetence on part of Bush administration.
He’s a good guy but let’s not feed into the media sensationalizing changes in PBO’s cabinet posts. This is another opportunity for PBO to hire someone just as good. These jobs are tiring and 2 years is a LOT.
I’m not feeding into anything, HF. My response was an honest one. I really like Ray and I’m sad to see him go. He and PBO appear to have a very good relationship and he’s done an awesome job. I’m just as sad to see Ray go as I was to see Gibbs, Axe and the rest leave, as in politics, you can’t have too many honest, loyal and just people on your side. Ray is a good man and I regret seeing him leave, but I’ll always appreciate everything he’s done as a professional in PBO’s administration, but more importantly, I’ll miss the camaraderie between PBO and him.
Okay lisa. Point well taken. :)
And he was always protective of PBO!
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a Republican member of the Cabinet, feigns being a blocking back for President Barack Obama as he arrives backstage to meet with GOP House leaders before speaking to their issues conference at the Renaissance Baltimore Harbor Place Hotel in Baltimore, Md., Jan. 29, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Sorry to see him go too.
There was an article just 6 days ago which reported that LaHood said he would stay on indefinitely. Now there are reports that he’s leaving. Which is it? Is the media trying to make something out of this?
Missed that Hopefruit, I hadn’t read anything about his plans,
Here it is:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/01/29/transportation-secretary-lahood/1873711/
Liked this -
LaHood says he will not run for public office in his home state of Illinois, saying he believes “you should go out while they’re applauding.”
Yes, I agree. These cabinet positions are exhausting, and PBO runs a tight ship. Bravo and thanks to Mr. Lahood for an excellent job. Thanks Chips.
And he’s 67, so no matter how healthy he is, it must all be incredibly demanding.
Indeed. And he’s living on a high note.
Bravo Ray LaHood. I totally agree with this and tried to live by it. I’ve known so many people in my life who hung on to a job or an illusion about themselves way past the time when they were useful and have seen them be regarded with pity or as relics of the past by those around them. I always admired the actress Alice Faye who refused to be relegated to lesser roles after her period of stardom. She drove off the studio lot, handed her keys to the gate guard and said to hell with it. She wanted to remembered for her good stuff and not pitied.
It’s a great attitude Jackie, “you should go out while they’re applauding”, and love the Alice Faye story!
‘ I’ve known so many people in my life who hung on to a job or an illusion about themselves way past the time when they were useful and have seen them be regarded with pity or as relics of the past by those around them.’
JackieG, are you ‘throwing words’ at maverick John McCain again? ;) :)
You’re right VC - I believe that John McCain was fully on Jackie’s mind when she posted that comment!
;) ;) Hopef.
And she was married to Phil Harris so her home life had to be amusing. They did a radio show together in the late 1940s. She did a little television in the 1960-1970s. They stayed together until his death in 1995. She was a real beauty.
Hillary also live here. ( CNN live does not work for me for some reason )
http://www.state.gov/
Thanks Linda, here’s another link:
http://www.ustream.tv/cbsnews
Thanks Linda - cnn doesn’t let me watch - very parochial
If you are outside the US (as I am) you can download one of several programs (Hide My IP is one) so that when it’s running you appear to be located in the US. Very handy for sites available only to US locations.
Hi guys! I am looking forward to seeing PBO’s speech on immigration. I will probably catch a video of it later though. We’ve just gotten back from a funeral and will be going to spend the afternoon with the widdow and child of the friend who was burried today. Been a tough few weeks especially for my son. This is the second friend of his who has lost his father in the past 3 months. Please could you remember his friend in your prayers. I know i am asking a lot lately and giving very little back but I do so appreciate you all.
Hiya Sam, so sorry about all this sadness you and your family are enduring, what a horrible time for you all. Look after yourself.
Thanks Chips. I appreciate you all here. We are ok I just want to make sure our friends are looked after, especially their precious little boy. I will hopefully be back to normal here soon. Love you all and appreciate you.
Sam, your son’s friend is in my prayers, as are you and your family.
sam, i’m sending prayers for your family and especially your son.
So POTUS is on his way to Nevada. Safe trip.
The President surely has width & depth in his Cabinet - Hillary’s answering questions on all aspects of everything - no notes written on hands!
Oh dear - I should use her title - Sec Clinton - the youth asking the questions are so very polite.
They really are 99ts, impressive manners!
According to the latest Quinnipiac poll, PA’s Corbett is tanking, especially among women. Now is the time for all good potential
Democratic candidates for governor to come to the aid of their party. Two years before an election is a good time for statewide candidates to start making positive noises and get themselves noticed. This is the tactic Corbett pulled in the years before 2010, getting his name in the paper and photo in the public eye so people became “used” to him. I hope other states with weak or despised governors are actively grooming the opposition now. We can’t afford to have ANY non winnable, weak candidates in 2014 and that’s what happens when state parties wait until the last minute. I intend to write call, twitter and e-mail my state party on a regular basis to get them to act.
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/institutes-centers/polling-institute/pennsylvania/release-detail/?ReleaseID=1835
LOL! What a thrill it must be for them :)
Actually, my hair looked just like that when I got up this morning - and I can’t even blame Marine One :???:
John Kerry is confirmed. May he be able to carry out his duties to the best of his ability.
That was just the panel, full vote later today in senate
Details!
Here is the article On Kerry Confirmation today-
http://hudsonvalley.ynn.com/content/top_stories/634390/sen-john-kerry-set-to-be-confirmed-as-next-secretary-of-state/
He will be SOS on Thursday…!
Thank you Jovie!
Wow, I’ve never seen that photo!
Isn’t it amazing Meta? To go from protesting with John Lennon against Vietnam, to being Sec of State? What a journey.
What was interesting to me was when he got emotional speaking about his father’s career. He’s had such a rich, full life and now it will only get richer and fuller. He’s a decent man.
Thrilled for him, I suspect he’s always wanted this job even more than the Presidency.
what a great picture! rethug heads exploding- such lovely music!
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has challenged PBO to a skeet shooting contest. What a nasty woman of no substance.
PBO should take her on and accidentally …… no, no, I’ll behave. Truly, this is like the Birth Cert Part II. He’s lying, he doesn’t shoot, therefore he’s not a real Murikan. Give me patience.
hahahhahahahahhahahahhahahahhahahhahahhahahhahahahaha!!! :lol: :lol:
If I were President Obama I wouldn’t go awaywhere near Marsha Blackburn with a gun in her hand, then Michelle would have to go all “Sheba Baby” on the Republicans.
I thought wimmin aren’t smart enough to handle guns and stuff that’s why they can’t be in the military….oh wait, it’s fine when you have guns for fun in mushy marsha brains.
Thanks but “No Thanks” Marsha Blackburn. Remember what Dick Cheney did to the old guy who was his friend. These people don’t like our POTUS. POTUS don’t go any where near them. They can’t be trusted.
Hillary Clinton was amazing…….
Really enjoyed it, her chat with the Australians was hilarious.
Always wondered what a Wanker is?
:shock: Did they say that Jovie?!?! It’s VERY rude!!! :lol:
No but austrailians have said that to me, in retrospect! :(
Sorry Jovie, but: :lol: :lol: Weeping!!!!!
This Guy Senator Sessions, is just a mean spirited son of a bitch.
That is all.
Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (full name) also looks like an elf.
Yes…the ” Keebler Cookie Elf “
To me, he looks like Stewie on family guy.
Alabama again … (hangs head in shame for having to live here).
…and you’re working to turn bama blue! thanks from a grateful nation!
No need to be ashamed, daisydem. Even us in blue California have a Darrell Issa.
I hope this is the last we hear from $arah Palin on the political front. I was on the Orange site and someone posted a video of her in Arizona and I don’t remember how recent that video was but she looked awful. She was rail thin, obviously wearing a wig, she was wobbly that first dude was holding her up as if she might fall. It was a video from a camera so it was very shaky and short. I truly think she is sick, either cancer or some illness. I don’t wish her any harm but said and did some pretty nasty things for a Christian woman. I suspect we might hear some bad news about her this year.
She is promoting getting fit. Maybe she took it to extreme.
They just hired Chris Cuomo away from ABC…. now with Tapper, that is two ABC Presstitutes.
They are giving Guomo the 7 AM slot with Erin Burnett…… ( I guess Soledad was not right wing enough )
Will not be watching Cuomo, Tapper, Erin Burnett. Sure won’t miss Carville, his wife Mary Matalin, Bill Bennett, Erick Erickson. As a matter of fact to heck with CNN. Have they gotten rid of Soledad?
Well James Carville has to rest up for his Clinton run, just the thought of all that slime coming back in 2016 is too much for me.
Anything can happen of course but I still don’t think Hillary is running in 2016.
I think that two years ago she had decided not to run. Now it seems things have evolved. Who can resist this mix of pressure and adulation that she’s receiving right now ? Being POTUS was her dream, and this time she doesn’t have a Barack Obama who can block her road to the nomination. And her popularity is higher than ever. She didn’t want at first to be SoS, but she “answered the call”. She’ll “answer the call” for the presidency; she won’t be able to resist. Mark my words.
For the record, I see how knowledgeable and competent she is. She would be a good president, I have NO DOUBT about it. However, it’s some of her political entourage I feel uncomfortable with. The Mark Halperins, James Carvilles, Ed Rendells, etc… The whole group of traditional political operatives back in the corridors of power ? Gosh I don’t like the idea. I don’t want democrats to go back to “old politics”. I want a democratic party that will continue to evolve towards a more inclusive, participatory, modern party. And a party less beholden to corporatists.
In short, I want Barack Obama’s legacy to last.
Her entourage may be a distraction but they don’t bother me. It’s the health thing I’m thinking about.
If HRC wants a good shot of winning, she should consider dumping the losers from her ’08 campaign.
I wouldn’t dump all of them.
Hillary is not running for President in 2016. Please get that out of your heads. The MSM is using this as a distraction and as an attempt to set up Dem voters to be emotionally invested in someone who’s not going to even be a candidate.
GM Chipsticks, TOD! Hope everyone had a goods nights sleep, I had impure thoughts on my way to bed last night.
Dwyane Wade was born on the South Side of Chicago.
Shane Battier was the captain of the 2001 Duke team that won the NCAA national championship. Reggie Love was a freshman on that team.
PBO has more than a passing connection with this Heat team.
Ah, interesting Bill, I wasn’t aware of those connections, thank you!
Dwyane Wade is also part of president Obama’s fatherhood initiative, notice his remarks yesterday about parenting http://www.fatherhood.gov/categories/fatherhood-stories
[Smartypants: “For the Mexicans living in those areas, it was the influx of European Americans who were the immigrants.” ]:
As the debate about immigration reform heats up, it might be helpful to pay some attention to the history of how we got here. Lets face it - the real controversy in this issue is not about immigration in general - but about Mexican Americans. And though we don’t pay much attention to it - this conflict has been going on for a very long time.
The whole thing can be summed up in two words…Manifest Destiny.
[QUOTE] … the belief or doctrine, held chiefly in the middle and latter part of the 19th century, that it was the destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory over the whole of North America and to extend and enhance its political, social, and economic influences. [UNQUOTE]
/////
In reading about some of this history, its fascinating to realize how race has always played such an important role in the development of this country. For example, the people who opposed the Mexican American war and the annexation of these areas as part of the United States did so because they were abolitionist and were fighting the expansion of slavery. In addition, some who opposed it did so because, when they talked about “manifest destiny,” they weren’t talking about “those people.” Here is how that was expressed by Senator John Calhoun of South Carolina.
[QUOTE] [W]e have never dreamt of incorporating into our Union any but the Caucasian race—the free white race. To incorporate Mexico, would be the very first instance of the kind, of incorporating an Indian race; for more than half of the Mexicans are Indians, and the other is composed chiefly of mixed tribes. I protest against such a union as that! Ours, sir, is the Government of a white race. [UNQUOTE]
So this whole thing was controversial from the start.
.
Complete post here: http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/01/to-many-mexican-americans-we-are.html
Peeps, Lilly Ledbetter joined twitter yesterday. Show her some love:
@Lilly_Ledbetter
She follows back!!
Excellent, thank you Meta!!
Gawd, I love the interwebs!!
:-) Sometimes!!
Well, then there’s WordPress………and it’s full-time well-paid staff of certified gremlins.
Exactly!!! It’s an on-going war!!!
Oh, yes, and they are hungry little mofos. Never seen anything like it.
Yikes, are they acting up again today??
Just a teeny bit. Nothing to worry about!
Grrrrr …… I think I’ll go after them with a skeet-shooty thing.
You mean ‘certifiable’, don’t you?
OMG, LL just favorited my tweet!! Squeeeeeee!!
WoooooOOOOOOOOoooooot!!! Lilly ♥s Meta!! :-)
And so shall it be. Congrats meta! :)
Okay, now we have to differentiate between LLs; at first read I wondered why you were were ‘squee-ing’ at Lib Librarian’s retweet. :lol:
:lol: :lol: :lol: All we need now is a Lilly Librarian to really confuse us!
Sweet!
I was looking back to see what PBO has said about immigration before he became PBO. What do you think? Did the bipartisan 8 get anywhere near his ‘rug’ to touch it?
http://obamaspeeches.com/065-Immigration-Rallies-Obama-Podcast.htm
*running in* Helloooooooo VC! ((((VC)))) :-P *running out*
Wait up, PJ! Can’t a girl be given enough time to say ‘Hi there!’
Good lord, all this exercise on this site is tiring! What with you running in and out, Cookemom actually going running regularly .. in winter :shock: , CJ running daily, and DD4O periodically mentioning regular exercise, I’d almost feel guilty except for the fact that my fingers get LOTS of exercise trying to keep up. (Come to think of it, I don’t remember any of the min mentioning exercise. Hmmmmm.)
What’s this “exercise” you are talking about?
Oh, just a reference to all this ‘running’ that’s been mentioned on the blog. ;)
Bo is such a schmoozer, love that in a dog.
He is Edwina! I just wish he was a little more aggressive towards the press, in a bite-their-legs-off kind of way.
Oh boy, “Bo-gate” would keep them busy for weeks. I could see the headlines now, “Does the president support dog agression?”
Is Bo being trained to hate the press?” “Are dogs really man’s best friend?” Over to you, Chuck.
G’Day Chips ;)…..Love the way you wanted Marsha……You know…..and now, Bo to go get…oops bite-their-legs-off kind of way. Those pesky WHPC…… :shock: :shock:
I love it.
It will be interesting to see how the President’s position has evolved since this …Floor statement of Senator Obama - April 2006
//……..
To begin with, the agencies charged with border security would receive new technology, new facilities, and more people to stop, process, and deport illegal immigrants. But while security might start at our borders, it doesn’t end there. Millions of undocumented immigrants live and work here without our knowing their identity or their background. We need to strike a workable bargain with them. They have to acknowledge that breaking our immigration laws was wrong. They must pay a penalty, and abide by all of our laws going forward. They must earn the right to stay over a 6-year period, and then they must wait another 5 years as legal permanent residents before they become citizens.
But in exchange for accepting those penalties, we must allow undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows and step on a path toward full participation in our society. In fact, I will not support any bill that does not provide this earned path to citizenship for the undocumented population-not just for humanitarian reasons; not just because these people, having broken the law, did so for the best of motives, to try and provide a better life for their children and their grandchildren; but also because this is the only practical way we can get a handle on the population that is within our borders right now.
To keep from having to go through this difficult process again in the future, we must also replace the flow of undocumented immigrants coming to work here with a new flow of guestworkers. Illegal immigration is bad for illegal immigrants and bad for the workers against whom they compete
…..//
http://obamaspeeches.com/061-Immigration-Reform-Obama-Speech.htm
Consistent POTUS. Fair POTUS. Diversity makes us stronger POTUS. Our POTUS!!!! YaY.
Vicki, isn’t it terrific how PBO never has to cobble his views together just before, or just after, an election? Real values formulated over a lifetime, that’s our President!
Major Shakeup At CNN: Managing Editor, James Carville, Mary Matalin And Erick Erickson All Leave Network
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/major-shakeup-at-cnn-managing-editor-james-carville-mary-matalin-and-erick-erickson-all-leave-network/
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKay……
Good riddance to bad rubbish. Still won’t help CNN though. They hired Jake Tapper. Says a lot about their alleged “smarts.”
Frying pan, fire. They’re a joke.
And the no-nothing dumb, dumb, Chris Coumo…..and Soledad is being thrown out of her spot and In Comes Erin Burnett? Sheesh.
Dana Loesch is back though….Ugh
https://twitter.com/NJedwina/status/296308991741538304
With Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) likely to be confirmed as Secretary of State today, the Boston Globe reports on Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s (D) potential picks to temporarily fill Kerry’s seat.
“Patrick has suggested he will choose a woman or a person of color to reflect the changing face of politics in Massachusetts. Top contenders are said by political insiders to include his former chief of staff, William ‘Mo’ Cowan, and Victoria Kennedy, Edward M. Kennedy’s widow.”
“Politically connected Democrats do not believe that Barney Frank, former US representative, who has openly urged Patrick to appoint him, will get the interim Senate job. Patrick and his political advisers have bristled at Frank’s public pursuit of the job.”
.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/01/29/patrick_readies_pick_to_fill_kerrys_seat.html
I want Patrick to fill the slot with someone who will back every one of PBO’s appointments without complaint. When Frank balked at Hagel, I no longer wanted him anywhere near that seat. Getting appointments through the Senate is hard enough without backstabbers in Democratic seats.
[LOL! I’ll raise you Motel 6 for Super 8, David!! :) ]
David Brooks: “It’s probably futile to try to change current Republicans. It’s smarter to build a new wing of the Republican Party, one that can compete in the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic states, in the upper Midwest and along the West Coast. It’s smarter to build a new division that is different the way the Westin is different than the Sheraton…”
“Would a coastal and Midwestern G.O.P. sit easily with the Southern and Western one? No, but majority parties are usually coalitions of the incompatible. This is really the only chance Republicans have. The question is: Who’s going to build a second G.O.P.?”
.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/01/29/a_second_republican_party.html
GOP gets ‘tonally sensitive’ talking points on immigration
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/01/29/16756029-gop-gets-tonally-sensitive-talking-points-on-immigration?lite
So what’s this I’m hearing about PBO calling out Fox “News”?
It was in the New Republic interview. He also called out Rush. His point was many Republicans are afraid of being criticized by FOX or Rush.
How’s Mrs. LL feeling today?
:)
Yes We Can
McConnell is a wily politician. I’ll count him out only after the votes are counted.
Priceless. Didn’t see the photo first refresh around.
Hello friends, Been at our food pantry this a.m. Just saw on FB that Martin Bashir has a brain tumor. SO sorry…..devastated. I am out and about. Can some check further?
What??? Going to check
Completely missed that news last week:
Martin Bashir was away from his MSNBC show on Friday because of health problems related to his brain tumor, he revealed over the weekend.
In 2008, Bashir was discovered to have a small growth in his pituitary gland. He still has it, though it appears to be under control.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/martin-bashir_n_2528632.html
God, please take care of Martin Bashir. Sorry to hear this.
amen.
sorry it’s a huffpuff link
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/martin-bashir_n_2528632.html
See you later friends. Hope there will be video of Pres. Obama. :)
Interesting:
‘A Word of Caution to Hillary Supporters’
http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2013/01/a-word-of-caution-to-hillary-supporters/
I read that article and commented.
Better not be All-About-Hillary at the expense of PBO.
The writer is talking to a very small contingent as far as I can tell.
I think they have done a pretty good job of delegitimizing themselves already. Any “news organization” that goes to court to defend its right to purposefully lie to its viewers ha done that job already.
Japa, I wonder if they typed ‘delegitimizing’ with a straight face? Nickelodeon is a more legitimate ‘news’ channel.
So is the Cartoon Network. I always check Sponge Bob Squarepants to find out what is really happening.
:-) A better source of news than most of the MSM creatures!
Paul Ryan Breaks With NRA, Says He’s Open To Gun Show Fix
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/01/29/1509321/paul-ryan-breaks-with-nra-says-hes-open-to-gun-show-fix/
Well, look who thinks he has a chance of running in 2016……..
I do believe you’re right. I saw a bit of footage yesterday of that fool (Paul Ryan) touting his opinions on President Obama and the GOP way forward. He’s completely clueless. And if he thinks that his failed policies, and his dubious background and hypocrisy will get him into the White House - then he’s either deluded, or the country is deranged if that ever happens. He’s a dangerous person, because he just doesn’t understand how bad he is, and how utterly incompetent and unqualified he is. I think he came out of 2012 believing the lies that he should have been the nominee. Dangerous.
the entire Republican field is dangerous. Look what they’ve done in the state houses they won in 2010. The spectre of what they would do with national office is indeed dangerous.
This is true.
bingo.
And still nobody cares what he thinks. They might report what he says, but nobody cares what he thinks.
good one, Jacqueline!
Thanks, Barb! Good to see ya!
With all the love feast of the Clintons we who reside in the South don’t see it. The Clintons has destroyed the ability of Dems on the South to win. Arkansas was used to be at least in Dems side but the Clintons did not lay good dround for them to prosper they just looked after themselves and their corp intrest like Wall mart and now there is no reasonable democratic party in Arkansas. Hillary has done a very good job and should be commended but the REtugs in the south would repeat would not vote for her they hate her husband deeply. So Dems lets be analytic about this things
A lot will happen over these next four years. There will be many candidates to consider, and the Vice President will decide whether he should throw his very worthy hat in the ring. The media lives in campaign mode, and they are obsessed over this nonsense. But, common sense will prevail. If Hillary decides to run, then she will have to compete like everyone else, and her merits will be weighed as with everyone else - we don’t even know who will be the full competition. And the GOP endorsements are working against her.
I heard a woman call into the Stephanie Miller show this morning, lamenting that yesterday’s show had dared to discuss challengers to the left of Hillary. There are plenty of people to the left of Hillary, and many of the things that the emoprogs attacked the President for are things that Hillary supported, or that her husband put in place. President Obama is to the left of Hillary. So, while it will be great to have a female President, it’s more important (to me) to have a person who will build on the foundation that President Obama has laid down these past four years, and will lay down over the next four years. For me, that person would be Vice President Biden, but again, we don’t know all the players who will put their hats in the ring. It may very well end up being Hillary. It’s just too early.
Theo, I so agree. I’m sick of 2016 talk. Let’s get things done now and focus on the mid terms. Things will sort themselves out after that and the best man or woman will get the nomination.
Admit It, Republicans: The Border Is More Secure Than It’s Been In Decades
By LOLGOP
————————————
The political motives behind Republicans joining a bipartisan effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform are clear. Mitt Romney won less of the Latino vote than John McCain, who won less than George W. Bush. And if this trend continues, at some point Republicans will lose Texas and basically end their hopes of ever winning the White House again.
This isn’t a ploy to win more more Latino votes. It’s a ploy to stop losing so many.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) pushed the so-called “Gang of 8″ to include a border commission in its plan. It will be made up of elected officials from the border region who have to certify that the border is secure before immigrants can proceed down the “tough but fair” path to citizenship. This means people like Arizona governor Jan Brewer could stop the whole process cold.
.
.
But this fact is untenable to Republicans, who can’t bear the thought that the guy who got Osama bin Laden is also better at securing the border than Bush.
—————————————————-
http://www.nationalmemo.com/admit-it-republicans-the-border-is-more-secure-than-its-been-in-decades/
I particularly enjoy watching McCain repeating this over and over: the only reason we’re doing this is to get votes. We have no inherent interest or understanding of why immigration reform is a good thing (except to help low-wage paying employers get richer off their labor - and get votes).
Especially since the Latino voter is a whole lot more savvy than Republicans are giving them credit for: they care about jobs, health care and education. You going to do something progressive about that too, Republicans?
The GOP have no idea that their policies are anathema to normal people. And it will be lovely to watch them do the right things for all the wrong reasons, and then still get a major smackdown in 2014. People aren’t stupid. They know when they are being used. The media might be fooled, but regular people know exactly what’s going on - as evidenced by the re-election of President Obama just last November.
I watched the Latino polls pretty closely and it was clear to me that they would not be fooled by phony posturing. And here’s McCain — saying out loud that it’s phony posturing.
I’ve heard a lot of Democrats panicking over this commission, but the fact is that the border is more secure than it’s ever been, and inflow of immigrants has slowed to a net zero rate under this President. If the GOP want to highlight that fact by creating a commission that will try and spread lies, they will be met with the truth.
(Plus, Mexico is getting universal healthcare… )
The thing I hated the most about GWB was his deep. profound, abject laziness. Also that he was smug, dishonest, self-righteous, uncurious, jingoistic, and a colossal dick. Just the polar opposite of PBO.
… anything else? :)
Luckily, ol’ calls-‘em-as-I-sees-‘em Mark can take half a day off, now. Ya know ’cause he heard “what happens in Vegas … “
I have an appointment for some chocolate tasting so I’m going to miss this very important speech that I’ve been waiting for all week but I’ll be looking forward to the video and all your comments here at TOD. And I’ll just say: THANK YOU, President Obama for speaking up for all and giving folks who’ve toiled very hard for our economy an opportunity to come forward and become Americans.
Oh meta, can I come. Chocolate Tasting sounds like heaven!
+1 Susan, how cruel was Meta to casually mention she was off for some chocolate-tasting? Grr.
Indeed, I think we should have been invited!
We certainly should have been Susan, she’s a meanie. Now I’m day-dreaming about:
mmmmmmmm
I once held a champagne New Year’s Eve with chocolate tasting. We sampled bits of chocolate from all over the world and wrote on a flipchart what we tasted. The words were very sexy. No wonder women love chocolate!
“The words were very sexy”
:-) I’m afraid to ask for examples!!!
Now you’re being mean. That was about 14 years ago and my memory isn’t what it used to be! I did keep the paper for a long time until just recently I decided I’d never need it. Funny, isn’t it, how things like that happen.
My fear is that if you mentioned any of the words, WordPress would shut the blog down!
Not to mention YA and his supply of naughty mats….
LOLzzzzz!!
Oh my God that looks so good. I love chocolate, but I haven’t had much chocolate since I was diagnosed with diabetes in Oct., 2011. It’s the one thing I miss most.
Yes! There will lots of really great dark stuff to test and then later some wine pairing. You will have to take notes!
Arrest meta immediately. This is cruel and unusual punishment.
Guilty, as charged!
Laughing out loud. What fun on a gray afternoon here in New England.
You work is in a museum in Moneygall!
See you laterz with all the goods from Nevada!!
funny you posting that picture; that’s how I feel about john mcpain (and a few others in his party)
Me too Barb!
That grumpy cat is now more famous than the original LOLcat.
lol, ll
Congrats VC for being 1st.
https://twitter.com/ThePresObama/status/296330695989673984
Mrs. Greespan just asked Ed Rendell if Hillary regretted the way PBO treated Israel at the beginning of his administration. This probably takes the prize for the lowest comment Mrs. Greenspan has said concerning PBO.
How did President Obama treat Israel at the beginning of his administration?
Mrs. Geenspan never said?
She just wanted to imply that the President mistreated Israel.
[Wwo!]:
[…..] Brendan Marrocco was the first soldier to survive losing all four limbs in the Iraq War, and doctors revealed Monday that he’s received a double-arm transplant.
Those new arms “already move a little,” he tweeted a month after the operation.
Marrocco, a 26-year-old New Yorker, was injured by a roadside bomb in 2009. He had the transplant Dec. 18 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, his father said Monday.
Alex Marrocco said his son does not want to talk with reporters until a news conference Tuesday at the hospital, but the younger Marrocco has repeatedly mentioned the transplant on Twitter and posted photos. […..]
.
http://news.yahoo.com/soldier-lost-4-limbs-double-arm-transplant-171015152.html
“Wow” not Wwo, unless that means something great! :)
From Patty Murray on the day Lilly Ledbetter joins Twitter and the anniversary of the FPA
“Four years ago today, I stood by President Obama as he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 into law. It was the first bill he signed as president, and it was a huge step toward guaranteeing that all Americans earn equal pay for equal work.
It was an historic day, and I was honored to be a part of it.
Yet despite that success, loopholes that allow for pay discrimination still remain. In Washington state, women earn only 77 cents for every dollar that a man earns. Over the course of a year, that’s a gap of nearly $12,000 that the typical hard-working woman and her family will never see.
So today — four years later — I am proud to announce that we are taking our next step toward eliminating pay discrimination by calling for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act of 2013. It’s a critical measure that will make it easier to identify discrimination, prohibit retaliation against whistleblowers, and help train women to negotiate a fair salary.
Click here to join me, and call for an end to pay discrimination by supporting the Paycheck Fairness Act!
Paycheck fairness is not just a women’s issue. As President Obama put it, this is also “a family issue” and a “middle-class issue.”
Today, women are participating in the workforce at a higher rate than ever before. That means that more and more families rely on a woman’s wage to pay for retirement, groceries, and their children’s education. When an employee isn’t paid what she deserves because of her gender, her family suffers too.
That’s why we worked so hard in 2008 and 2009 to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Act. It wasn’t easy — Republicans blocked it the first time — but we just couldn’t stand by while women earned less for doing the same work.
That’s also true for the Paycheck Fairness Act. When my colleague Senator Barbara Mikulski first introduced it in 2010, Republicans blocked it, and they did so again last summer.
But today — on the anniversary of our step toward equality with the Lilly Ledbetter Act — we’re reminded that if we raise enough support, and refuse to give up, we can take an even bigger step toward equal pay for equal work.
Stand with me today, and call for an end to pay discrimination by supporting the Paycheck Fairness Act!
All Americans deserve to be paid based on the quality of their work, not their age, gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. The Paycheck Fairness Act is our chance to ensure that our daughters have the same opportunities as our sons.
We won’t win this fight quickly, and it won’t be easy. But as we saw four years ago, our hard work will pay off.
Thank you for your support,
Patty Murray
U.S. Senator”
Great Susan! See the link I posted below… All kinds of great forms to sign and share.
Good Day Tods:-)
ChipsI think I found a link of PBO in Vegas
http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/01/29/WATCH-LIVE-Obama-pitches-immigration-reform-in-Las-Vegas-255pm-ET/2401359477473/
Thanks, Kasai.
Thank you Kasai!!!
YW:-)
Thank you Kasai!!!
YW:-)
It’s Live now:-)
You’re welcome:-)
http://www.democratsenators.org/o/45/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action Hey y’all! Hope this works, (hope my name isn’t in the field!) and now GOTTA RUN! (bye VC)
Well, whaddya know…. :oops: it worked…… Running.
Ed Rendell is all over my TV. I wonder what Cabinet post he’s dreaming about in his future fantasy Hillary Administration… This is going to be a painful four years. And the fact that he threw VP Biden under the bus, a fellow and loyal Democrat, tells me everything.
Hillary’s major weakness is the craven group of people who crowd around her with their own agendas. She should follow President Obama’s lead and surround herself with young people who are fresh-minded, dedicated, eager to learn and who have to live with the decisions they make. She’s a fierce role model, and many young people could learn a lot from her many years of wisdom. Toss these people like the Ed Rendells, the Andrea Mitchells and even her own husband (as a political force).
We will not allow the media to detract from PBO’s 2nd term by pushing a presidential election season 3 years early. No Sirree. Not this time.
No matter how much you’ve seen and heard this President speak, you’re still excited to hear to the next one, and the next, and the next…
Thanks so much for the link Kasai. Wow…..huge crowd.
YW:-)
FYI - CNN Live has a feed running without audio in preparation for the President’s remarks and whitehouse.gov/live indicates they will begin in ~ 22 min (current time 2:23 ET)
Heads up:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/01/29/heads-up-president-obama-delivers-remarks-on-immigration/
PBO on stage early!
OMG….POTUS is live now. Early!