The economy added 173,000 jobs in August—a record-breaking 66 consecutive months of private-sector job growth.
—
Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 04, 2025Good news: The unemployment rate fell to the lowest level since April 2008 last month → go.wh.gov/AugustJobs http://t.co/ADM56DGSm0
—
The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 04, 2025****
Thank you, First Lady Michelle Obama for Joining Forces
OIF/OEF vets unemployment rate for August is lowest month since BLS started tracking it -- 4.7%
National rate is at a 7-year low (5.1%)
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Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) September 04, 2025In 5 years, we've created 12 million jobs and insured 16 million without invading one Middle Eastern country. If only we were great again.
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(@LOLGOP) September 04, 2025****
How long until we hear the words "Obama boom." Seriously.
We now have a record 66 straight months of private-sector jobs growth.
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Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) September 04, 2025The underlying pace of jobs growth remains darn healthy. Over the past three months, we've added an average of +221k jobs per month.
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Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) September 04, 2025****
Private sector jobs growth…
Under W Bush: ↓ 463,000
Under Obama: ↑ 8,895,000
—
Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) September 04, 2025****
IMPEACH!
The health sector now makes up a bigger share of total employment than ever before recorded -- 10.67% in Aug. jobs report. cc @ddiamond
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John Tozzi (@jtozz) September 04, 2025Obamacare was signed into law in March 2010. The private sector hasn’t lost jobs since: onforb.es/1aP6xY4 http://t.co/QheGn5Qk2D
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Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) September 04, 2025****
One in four unemployed workers found jobs last month -- highest share of the recovery. #JobsDay http://t.co/SFs52hdX7s
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Ben Casselman (@bencasselman) September 04, 2025Basically this report looks the same as the run of recent jobs reports: Employment growth is humming along at around 200k per month.
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Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) September 04, 2025****
Unemployment is down 1 percentage point over the year and at its lowest since 2008 at 5.1 percent. This is real progress.
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Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) September 04, 2025Household survey shows employment growth of +196k.
Payrolls says +173k.
A reasonable guess is to weight them 20/80 = +178k
—
Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) September 04, 2025****
The black unemployment rate under Pres. Obama has fallen from a high of 16.8% to 9.5% now. data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS… http://t.co/ZP1oMSpJjS
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Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 04, 2025Last time jobless rate was this low was April of 2008. data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS…
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Ben White (@morningmoneyben) September 04, 2025****
#BREAKING Employers added 173,000 jobs in August as the unemployment rate falls to 5.1% usatoday.com
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USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 04, 2025BREAKING: US employers added 173,000 jobs in August; unemployment rate falls to 7-year low of 5.1 pct.
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The Associated Press (@AP) September 04, 2025****
5.1% unemployment rate. Thanks PBO.
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Matt Murphy (@MattMurph24) September 04, 2025Remember when Romney promised to lower unemployment to 6% by 2016? Unemployment is now 5.1%. bls.gov/news.release/e… http://t.co/r8pEGWoiJB
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Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 04, 2025****
Who will break it to fiscal hawks? *Total* U.S. debt now lower in nominal terms than it was in February; significantly lower in real terms
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Daniel Gross (@grossdm) September 04, 2025The U.S. economy added 173,000 jobs in August; unemployment is at 5.1%. nyti.ms/1NeQzqS via @NelsonSchwartz http://t.co/mJ9amCFkFw
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NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) September 04, 2025****
US employers added 173,000 jobs in August; unemployment rate falls to 7-year low of 5.1 pct. -@AP
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Mic (@micnews) September 04, 2025+173k in August, +44k in revisions, unemployment rate falls from 5.3 to 5.1 percent.
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Matt O'Brien (@ObsoleteDogma) September 04, 2025****
Remember median revision to August jobs number over 10 years is +69K so there is every reason to think 173K will turn into over 200K.
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Ben White (@morningmoneyben) September 04, 2025Economy adds 173,000 jobs in August, unemployment drops to 5.1 percent bit.ly/1PPJQ4c http://t.co/Lhf85fSR4l
—
Talking Points Memo (@TPM) September 04, 2025****
20-24 employment up +273 alone. 55+ -213k. Serious retirement NFP. So the acceleration in wages even more impressive.
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Matt Busigin (@mbusigin) September 04, 2025The unemployment rate falls to 5.1%, a 7-year low. THANK YOU, President Obama. #YESWECAN http://t.co/5nz8JohkPl
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meta (@metaquest) September 04, 2025****
This is a good report. Slight undershoot on headline payrolls number, but good revisions, unemployment rate move, av hourly earnings news.
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Neil Irwin (@Neil_Irwin) September 04, 2025The U.S. economy added 173,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate fell to 5.1%, lowest of the recovery.
#JobsDay
—
Ben Casselman (@bencasselman) September 04, 2025****
#Job growth since 2008:
2008: -3.5M
2009: -5.0M
2010: +1.1M
2011: +2.0M
2012: +2.2M
2013: +2.3M
2014: +3.1M
2015: +1.7M (Jan-Aug)
—
West Wing Reports (@WestWingReport) September 04, 2025And the U-6 unemployment/underemployment rates continues its steady decline, 10.3% vs. 12% a year ago.
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James Pethokoukis (@JimPethokoukis) September 04, 2025****
Under employment falls again.
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Joseph Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) September 04, 2025Last month was revised from 215K to 245K
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Joseph Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) September 04, 2025****
An extra 44,000 jobs were created in June and July, Labor Dept. says
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West Wing Reports (@WestWingReport) September 04, 2025Employers added 173,000 new jobs in August vox.com/2015/9/4/92603… http://t.co/lYzU3vz8Bn
—
Vox (@voxdotcom) September 04, 2025****
The U.S. gained 173,000 jobs in August — and 41,000 of them were in health care.
—
Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) September 04, 2025****
OH WOW. UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS TO 5.1%. BIG UPWARD REVISIONS. AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS GROWTH ACCELERATES
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Joseph Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) September 04, 2025This is a strong report.
—
Joseph Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) September 04, 2025
Hi, bye.
Are you on the way to the temple to pray for Ireland ahead of their clash-of-the-titans tussle with Gibraltar? You are? Thanks!
Thanks a trazillion Nerdy!!!
Go minnows!
Wait - who are you calling minnows?
Could be taken several ways, no? *serene smile*
‘Scuse me. Next to a flippin’ rock, Ireland are behemoths.
I mean, does Gibraltar actually have a league? Do they rotate in and out of the one stadium?
Well, about nine of the players currently doing their thing against Ireland are from the same team, so if there is a league, I suspect it’s not hugely competitive. And they have to play their matches in Portugal because Spain won’t host them, seeing as they reckon they own the place. The odds are against them, really.
:)
there are valid points made when looking at the Burning Man article in context.
Maybe because AA’s have bad experiences with white folks wanting to burn huge structures……plus this,
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/09/calif_family_threatened_on_camping_trip_i_didn_t_come_here_to_sleep_next.html
How terrifying!
I hope the lady follow up and if nothing else go after the racist for the terror he caused her and her family, especially her mother.
The community rallied around the family that was terrified and is raising money for them to come back in 2016 for a different experience….glad to see that the folks in the community will not allow one bad apple to ruin their experience.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/04/family-terrorized-california-campground-rally/71687620/
Thanks JoJo for this update.
Sensational round-up of the splendid economic news.
Thank you, Nerdy.
Whenever good job numbers come out it makes me remember that the numbers represent 173,000 individuals and families whose lives improved with being hired.
:)
We should all nominate Nerdy for this. She could totally do this. Her timeline is her portfolio. All Dan has to do is look.
Hahahahahahaha.
Thanks, Nospin. :)
Thanks for the round-up, NW! I will be doing my monthly Nightly network newscast taping to see how little if any jobs #’s will be covered. The last 3 months only CBS has covered the report every time (with actual objective segments)….ABC/NBC once for 20 secs….I’m expecting the same tonight :(
Interesting. Let us know of any developments.
Aye Aye Captain!
I tweeted that, hope he hires you Nerdy.
:)
A couple posted in tweet downthread. Should have posted it here. :(
Agreed!!!
GA TODville.
Wonderful photos from @petesouza on previous thread.
Going to Alaska had a “foreign adventure” feel. Loved it.
Completely O/T.
I’ve mentioned before that I check out UK’s Daily Mail for photos because they offer great wire photos on a single page.
Here’s today’s top story which I haven’t heard about on the radio:
“Firenado! 800,000 gallons of Jim Beam accidentally released into a Kentucky lake bursts into flames after being hit by lightning… before a tornado sucks the flaming liquid 100 feet up into the air.”
Spectacular sight.
Nerdy, thanks for putting all the economic good news in one place. Right now every Republican presidential candidate (ah-hem), every GOP congressperson, every GOP senator plus all the news media are frantically looking for a way to make this bad news for PBO. I hope they get stomach pains trying.
:)
Whatever you think of HRC this is some weak sauce….I can’t believe I used to watch that program occasionally up until ~2011
Morning Joke getting rewarded and is expanding to 4 hours while they are ditching Jose Diaz-Balart, Tamron Hall will expand to 10-12, then Mrs. Greenspan 12-1, Thomas Roberts 1-3, Kate Snow 3-5, Chuck Toad bringing back the Rundown 5-6, and yet to be named replacement after delegating Sharpton to Sunday mornings 8:00 a.m…..so MSNBC will be all white people expect Tamron Hall for 2 hours during the week. I can’t think of a person I could watch for over 15 minutes other than Steve Kornacki & on the rare occasion Lawrence (but someone at TOD would have to tell me to 1rst)
I stopped watching MSNBC in 2010 or 2011!
It is unbearable to watch….I only watch BBC/AJ-America/PBS for broadcast now….even NHK is fun to watch b/c I swear they are using cyborgs as anchors :grin: …I wish they would give Ayman Mohyeldin an hour to cover international news (somewhat similar to what Hala Gorani does on CNNi) or Wes Moore the flexibility to cover non-CW related stories….but that will never happen. In short order Brian Williams will be roaming 30-rock pretending to be Jimmy Fallon while *breaking news*
Wow, this is a real change in their scheduling. So they are changing Rev. Al to 8:00 Sunday morning when a lot of AA’s and others who watch his show will be attending church. This is their way of pushing him out.
Yep! They even made him show up on Morning Joke and do a whole segment on how happy he was being demoted (said he will get to catch people while they are getting dressed for church) and he will set the Sunday show agendas by *breaking* news before they air…claims it was always his dream & he will finally get to book guests he can’t during the week. It was painful watching him try to sell this company line, COS!
Oh, Rev, you don’t need MSNBC. Leave with your dignity.
LP, I am so happy that I did not see that. MSNBC continues it’s race to the bottom trying t be like Faux news. So they will be pissing off Hispanics also by getting rid of Jose.
Here’s the backstory for that adorable photo of @POTUS with the baby at the Dillingham N&N Market:
“As the pool waited for the president to make his way to the back of the store, Obama detoured, apparently distracted by a baby. Plans to meet up near the dairy case were abandoned, and the pool found Obama at the front of the store, bouncing the baby up and down in his arms. The baby’s mother looked on incredulously, apparently shocked to find the president at her local market.”
“As the pool waited for the president to make his way to the back of the store, Obama detoured, apparently distracted by a baby. ”
he really does love the babies. lol
Boy oh boy is he going to make a wonderful Grandpa……
This is freaking hilarious…for anyone who watched the TCU/Gopher game last night (I’m assuming I was the only one :D )
My husband watched most of it. I went to bed. 😊
I was checking in on that game while pulling for Utah to beat Michigan’s ass….I hate Harbaugh with a passion. Also TCU almost lost which would have been great for Tenn/Georgia & the logjam in the SEC West for possibly getting 2 teams into the CFB playoff. Minnesota looked terrible and still almost won (lost 17-23) so I don’t think TCU is going to be the world beater everyone predicted this season and will definitely drop its #2 AP ranking after the weekend.
Oh that is so hilarious.
Dems, please get a spine and don’t cower from this:
Honest question…is Steve Dennis trying to get fired? The FACTS he has been posting of late is very unseemly of the WHPC!
It’s the “Queens” birthday also!
https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/beyonce-birthday.gif?w=748&h=748&crop=1
Listen bud….stick to Europe and figuring out why Labour and your brother’s Party is such a disaster.
here is a more pertinent question if you want to do your UN envoy thing pal
BUUUUUUUUURN.
Don’t know what it is about these darn Labour fellas…Miliband, Brown, Blair….get run out of U.K. come to the U.S. and start trying to lecture us…rubs me the wrong way. Get your own house in order…then I might be open to listening to you. If these knuckleheads were such geniuses then why do they hire so many PBO alum!…smh
Venus Williams won today 6-3, 6-4. I think.
Came here when I saw reference to the 5.1, and there was a whole post about it. Ha. Why am I not surprised, NW! Thanks!
The reference was went down to 51 (as in for TOD members w/o an AARP card) …..move along, JB!
You’re too funny, LP! Keep being you!
I was still reeling from you leaving me out of the being *funny* compliment a few weeks ago :D :D :D
I don’t remember any such comment, but the “reeling” part is making me laugh tonight, so thanks.
Ha! :) :) :)
You said Nerdy was funny….conveniently left me out….which I’m not sure if you are pretending to forget purposefully right now :???: ….leaving me reeling even further into an abyss :(
I cannot be held responsible for your “seeing things” in all of my comments that weren’t (or were) there. :)
But the best part is that every now and then, you’ve got me throwing in a “Good job, LP,” even if you have nothing to do with the topic, because I know how you thrive on that verbal praise.
As do we all, eh? Cheer up! It’s the weekend! And at least you’re not old enough for the AARP, ya know?
Thanks for the pep talk (slyly calling me an egomaniac)….now tell me how great things are going to be tomorrow when I have 1-3 root canals…epic fail, JB! ….epic fail! “Cheer up!”….she says…smh
Oh, darlin’, the root canals of 2015 are so unlike the root canals of the 1960s, that I can’t even say much here but “Chin up!” You got this. :)
What a help you are….I guess I’m glad they still don’t make wooden teeth like back in your day :mrgreen:
I’m LMFAO! You really need to take your comic show on the road, LP. Really. You can start by telling your dental team tonight’s jokes when you see ’em tomorrow, eh?
All kidding aside, sending you a virtual hug. You’ll be fine - it’s just a little fork in the road.
Thanks, Boomer….if I end up 6ft under…know we left things on good terms :grin:
You’d better be 6 ft over, kiddo. Those are my terms! :)
:)
Such encouraging reports! Thanks NW!
Meta, love the pic of our handsome President in your tweet 😘
He’s irresistible!
:)
****O/T***BREAKING ANNOUCEMENT******
Good Afternoon/Evening TOD Family I have favor to ask of all of you who have twitter and those who would kindly sign up for twitter for a worthy cause.
I volunteer and help Kitties get forever homes with an organization called The Cat Posse. They are a No Kill and will take back cats they adopted out, because they do not want them turned out on the street as many people do when life happens, you lose a job, marry someone who does not like cats, new landlord won’t accept your pet, etc.
For the month of September, Centinela Feed and Supply in California, has chosen The Cat Posse as it’s charity to donate food. They have a contest called Food Frenzy and with your Instagram Account, for every posting of a picture of ANY animal, eating ANY food, with the hashtags #FOODFRENZY #CAT POSSE @CentinelaFeed and follow them.
I would appreciate it so much if my TOD Family would be so kind as to use your INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS, post pictures of your animals or any animal eating so that The Cat Posse can feed their deserving animals. Please tell friends, family, etc., and Thanks so much.
Thank you Chipsticks and Dannysticks for allowing me to promote this on The Obama Diary.
//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js
I will have to figure out Instagram for you. I am on it but haven’t posted on it. I’ll do it for my pets!!! Have a great day!
Thank you so much mtmarilyn. Have a great day and wonderful holiday weekend. Maybe I can copy and paste a picture from my cell phone….? Any suggestions TOD Instagram users?
Is this what you wanted to post, jojo?
just copy/past the URL of the individual pic in comments…..don’t try to embed anything. Hope that helps?
Thanks Lovelyplains……..
DON’T CLICK ON THE PICTURE DOES NOT APPEAR.
Here is a hopefully an easy guide how to post Instagram pics in the WP comment section:
In this example click on the hashtag #catposse from your pic above…..you will arrive at this page
Next you would move your mouse and select a picture (I picked the middle one)
Now you have two options:
1. If you look where it says (13w) under mightymouse_1979 [Follow] click the (13w) that will take you to the individual Instagram and all you have to do is copy the URL, paste it in WordPress comments, and hit ‘post comment’
If you want to skip step 1….before clicking (13w) the URL of the page is h ttps://instagram.com/p/3ShVZ-wpth/?tagged=catposse//// just
remove the ?tagged=catposse from the end of the URL and you will get the same result as hitting the (13w) and post it in comments
Thank you Lovelyplains….It took me a heck-of-a-time to figure out Instagram then it did for twitter.
Thank you LP. Now I have the weekend to see if I can figure it out.
NP. I have the Instagram app loaded on my phone with Periscope, Vine, Meerkat….I’ve never used any of them once!!!! Wouldn’t have the slightest clue….I’ll cross that bridge one day :cool: I just messed around and figured out how post Instagram pics in WordPress comments mainly because if someone sends a Tweet with an Instagram you cant view the photo….which makes no sense. My gut tells me that since Mark Zuckerberg bought Instagram he probably has something to do with that function not working (probably developing some Facebook app down the line :???:
He is forever on my “$%it” list!
THIS IS WHERE MY TOTAL FAITH IN GOD COMES IN…GOD HAS CONTROL AND A PLAN FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US…I PITY THE FOOLS WHO ALWAYS WANT WAR AND SUCK UP VIOLENCE LIKE IT WAS A MILKSHAKE..BUT ONE DAY…GOD WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT…AND HIS JUSTICE SHALL BE SERVED…THAT’S MY HOPE WHILE I’M STILL OCCUPYING A BEACHER IN THIS CIRCUS CALLED LIFE! I DON’T FLY OUT TILL MONDAY…WILL BE IN TOUCH AFTER THAT FROM MY BROTHER’S PUTER…:) HE’LL POST SOME PIX FOR ME TOO ON MY FB………………:)
Sue, thank you so much for what you do. I hope you have a safe trip, and please post some pix here when you are able to.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SWEET MESSAGE!
Has this been posted already?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/09/04/hey-democrats-its-a-trap/?postshare=9881441394890176
He needs to do a little more research because Coons stated in his speech that he will not filibuster. We have 3 definite no votes and they are: Menendez, Schumer and Cardin. So we start off with 44 dems plus 2 indies (46). So we already know that we only have potentially 43 Yes votes but Coons said he wants an up or down vote http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/02/politics/chris-coons-congress-vote-iran-deal/ meaning he will not support a Dem filibuster. Now we are down to 42 potential votes and Manchin has intimated that he will not support a filibuster so that gives us potentially 41 votes. That is a tight pathway to 41 votes to filibuster the vote especially since we are not sure what Heitkamp will do.
I understand the principle and all that but can’t they just give this President a full victory on this historic agreement just this one time, for crying out loud?
Don’t hold your breath waiting on that Meta. Democrats just don’t do that! So frustrating.
Current state of mind after learning the Eagles just traded former USC QB Matt Barkley to Arizona
NFL rosters have to be cut down to 53 from 75 by tomorrow…..this move all but guarantees Tim Tebow will be Philly’s 3rd string QB & NFL coverage is going to make me literally *jump* before the season is over :( :( :(
LL, I need your emotional support right now….where are you? Your boy Hundley went off last night for the Packers, threw 4 TD’s…
Hell, I didn’t even know Hundley declared for the draft. Ay-ay-ron Rodgers has some competition now.
He balled out…if Rodgers gets hurt Green Bay won’t be stuck with Matt Flynn…. stats from last night 16-of-23 passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns (for a 142.4 rating) http://espn.go.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/22870/packers-rookie-brett-hundley-finishes-as-nfls-preseason-passing-leader
BTW, Mora named true FR Rosen the starter…the kid might be have most cerebral/talented combo as HS QB I’ve seen in the last 3-4 years of recruiting. Don’t be surprised if he ends up being 1rst-Team Pac 12 and a dark horse Heisman finalist (depends on how good the Bruin D plays) but I promise you he is the closest to Andrew Luck I’ve seen!
OK, I just read that Trump is going to give a “historic” speech on national security and he’s going to do it on a battleship, the USS Iowa.
Grandstanding much?
Remind you of anyone? Really, you can’t make this stuff up.
Can he do that?
meta, the media will love Trumpster and this B.S of a speech
IS HE GOING TO HAVE A BIG BANNER THAT SAYS ‘MISSION ACCOMPLISHED’ BEHIND HIM????
YOU’RE KILLING ME, JOE
I remember when my mother got sick in the summer of 2007 and died within weeks of her diagnosis I was in a complete funk. It was as if there was a dark cloud hanging over me and that I couldn’t see the sun although it was shining everyday. My heart aches for him. The grieving process is so difficult. I think I grieved her death for about a year and then suddenly one day I realized that I had gotten through 2 or 3 days without being sad or crying and that’s when I knew that I was beginning heal.
It may be a while before he stops being sad everyday.
My heart breaks for him and for this process for you as well. I lost my brother last year and I still sometimes see his face or hear his voice. I was downtown the other day and saw a young man who looked just like him when he was younger. I broke into tears. It’s very, very hard and catches you at the oddest moments.
Beau was the spitting image of his father in every way. You could feel it emanating from him with every word, every gesture, every expression. I’m sure Joe is lost without him.
To lose a child (even an adult child) must be the hardest thing in the world. Your children are not supposed to go before you, that is not the order in which life cycles should go. Joe’s lived through some horrific things, losing a young wife, baby daughter all while being a newly minted Senator. He’s served his country well, raised his son’s, found happiness again with Jill, becomes VP of USA, loses his mother, then a son. He probably could not grieve because of this son’s who needed him and a newly elected position and being a younger man was probably easer to juggle those responsibilities. Now with his son gone too soon and a country who needs him disparately to run for office to continue the Obama/Biden work, it’s going to be harder to rebound being older.
{{Donna & Meta}}, so sorry for your loss.
Thanks Nerdy for all you do. Those tweets tell the whole story. Who needs MSM?
:)
I remember PBO campaigning for him when he was really in a close race. I am happy that he supports the Iran deal.
EXCELLENT…WATER IS GOLD AND THERE ARE ALREADY FIGHTS OVER IT…IT NEEDS TO BE MONITORED!
No wonder the US News Media isn’t covering this story.
They were quick to spout that Netanyahu, Israelis’ Parties and Various Gulf Countries were against the #IranDeal, including the House of Saud. Hmm? Cablers are pretty quite all of a sudden, hmm?
They have ink only for negative stories when it comes to POTUS.
To Alycée,
Goodness gracious! Enough cake for the entire TODVille!
Thank you NW for another of your thorough updates on the status of the #ObamaBOOM :)
We now have truly, indisputably have entered a New Era!
As to Cardin ….
And, Cantwell ….
Brilliant Collection of Newsy Tweets, NW >-I
Thank you.
Congrats Amk on Your FURST :star:
Kansas is the Koch Brothers petrie dish.
……………..
Friday, September 4, 2025
A Bad Judgment Call In Kansas
Posted by Zandar
I’ve been talking for months about how Kansas Republicans have effectively decimated the state, cutting taxes to the point where the state can no longer fund itself, under the nightmare tenure of Gov. Sam Brownback. But now the state is rapidly going from permanent Laffer Curve punchline to third-world banana republic status with blinding speed.
On Wednesday night, a district judge in Kansas struck down a 2014 law that stripped the state Supreme Court of some of its administrative powers. The ruling has set off a bizarre constitutional power struggle between the Republican-controlled legislature and the state Supreme Court. At stake is whether the Kansas court system will lose its funding and shut down.
Last year, the Kansas legislature passed a law that took away the top court’s authority to appoint chief judges to the state’s 31 judicial districts—a policy change Democrats believe was retribution for an ongoing dispute over school funding between the Supreme Court and the legislature. (Mother Jones reported on the standoff this spring.) When the legislature passed a two-year budget for the court system earlier this year, it inserted a clause stipulating that if a court ever struck down the 2014 administrative powers law, funding for the entire court system would be “null and void.” Last night, that’s what the judge did.
The Republican legislature has threatened to destroy the state’s court system unless the GOP can strip the power the judiciary has to appoint judges and give that power to lawmakers instead. The judiciary called the legislature’s bluff.
http://zandarvts.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-bad-judgment-call-in-kansas.html
So if there is NO state SC then they appeal to the SCOTUS? Is this what the People want? Crazy…..
Political Animal Blog
September 04, 2025 2:29 PM
A Counterrevolutionary Supreme Court Litmus Test in the Making
By Ed Kilgore
I really do appreciate the efforts of Constitutional Conservative legal beagles Randy Barnett of Georgetown and Josh Blackman of South Texas College of Law in laying out in some detail—and not in a legal journal but in the Weekly Standard—rules for examining future Republican Supreme Court appointments. It’s not just a litmus test in the making—which presidential candidates in both parties typically say they do not want to administer—but a rationale for a litmus test. And their piece has the advantage of being very clear on the key points.
To Barnett and Blackman, who first discuss the notorious history of Republican SCOTUS appointments they view as betrayals, the big thing is that prospective Justices have a clearly documented willingness to ignore both other branches of government—the principle behind the receding Republican doctrine of “judicial restraint”—and stare decisis—the principle against overturning well-settled Court precedent—in pursuit of the “original” meaning of the Constitution. That means treating SCOTUS as an all-powerful institution communing with eighteenth century Founders—or worse yet, Con Con mythologies about those Founders—and empowered to kill many decades of decisions by all three branches of government, precedent and democracy be damned. No wonder they talk repeatedly about needing Justices—and presidents—with courage! And the dividing line between good and bad “conservative” Justices could not be made much clearer: Alito goooood! Roberts baaaaaad! Barnett and Blackman even suggest their rules should be made clear to and then demanded by presidential primary voters!
If that actually starts happening, it will be as or even more important to watch as any other discussions of any other issues. As Brian Beutler recently noted in an important piece at TNR, Barnett and Blackman are among other things leading advocates for a return to the Lochner era of jurisprudence, whereby most regulations of private economic activity by the executive or legislative branches would be declared unconstitutional as an abridgement of “natural law” concepts in the original Constitution and an exotic understanding of the due process clauses in the 5th and 14th amendments. These are dangerous people to let anywhere near a Supreme Court nomination. But they and many others like them, who now play a dominant role in the very powerful conservative legal fraternity the Federalist Society, are likely to be right there with their litmus test in hand.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2015_09/a_counterrevolutionary_supreme057449.php
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/09/04/a-tweet-or-two-312/