03
Jul
13

This and That

President Barack Obama meets with members of his national security team to discuss the situation in Egypt, in the Situation Room of the White House, July 3 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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Statement by President Barack Obama on Egypt:

As I have said since the Egyptian Revolution, the United States supports a set of core principles, including opposition to violence, protection of universal human rights, and reform that meets the legitimate aspirations of the people. The United States does not support particular individuals or political parties, but we are committed to the democratic process and respect for the rule of law. Since the current unrest in Egypt began, we have called on all parties to work together to address the legitimate grievances of the Egyptian people, in accordance with the democratic process, and without recourse to violence or the use of force.

The United States is monitoring the very fluid situation in Egypt, and we believe that ultimately the future of Egypt can only be determined by the Egyptian people. Nevertheless, we are deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsy and suspend the Egyptian constitution. I now call on the Egyptian military to move quickly and responsibly to return full authority back to a democratically elected civilian government as soon as possible through an inclusive and transparent process, and to avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsy and his supporters. Given today’s developments, I have also directed the relevant departments and agencies to review the implications under U.S. law for our assistance to the Government of Egypt.

The United States continues to believe firmly that the best foundation for lasting stability in Egypt is a democratic political order with participation from all sides and all political parties —secular and religious, civilian and military. During this uncertain period, we expect the military to ensure that the rights of all Egyptian men and women are protected, including the right to peaceful assembly, due process, and free and fair trials in civilian courts. Moreover, the goal of any political process should be a government that respects the rights of all people, majority and minority; that institutionalizes the checks and balances upon which democracy depends; and that places the interests of the people above party or faction. The voices of all those who have protested peacefully must be heard – including those who welcomed today’s developments, and those who have supported President Morsy. In the interim, I urge all sides to avoid violence and come together to ensure the lasting restoration of Egypt’s democracy.

No transition to democracy comes without difficulty, but in the end it must stay true to the will of the people. An honest, capable and representative government is what ordinary Egyptians seek and what they deserve. The longstanding partnership between the United States and Egypt is based on shared interests and values, and we will continue to work with the Egyptian people to ensure that Egypt’s transition to democracy succeeds.

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NYT: Congressional Budget Analysts Release Positive Economic Assessment of Immigration Overhaul

Congressional budget analysts on Wednesday released a positive economic assessment of the broad overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws that passed the Senate last week, saying that the new legislation would cut more than $800 billion from the federal deficit over the next two decades and lead to 9.6 million new legal residents in the country.

Though the Congressional Budget Office had offered in June a similar estimate of the immigration bill that was then being debated in the Senate — in a report that found the benefits of an increase in legal residents from the immigration overhaul would outweigh the costs — the new report provides an analysis of the actual bill recently passed by the Senate.

More here

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Steve Benen: Koch brothers push GOP officials to sign anti-climate pledge

The Republican Party is certainly fond of its pledges. Grover Norquist, of course, has his infamous anti-tax pledge that has interfered with federal policymaking in recent decades, and in 2011, GOP presidential candidates were pushed to endorse an anti-gay pledge from the National Organization for Marriage.

But as it turns out, there’s another pledge that’s taken root in Republican politics that’s received far less attention. The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer reports this week on the “No Climate Tax Pledge” pushed by Charles and David Koch….

More here

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Too funny….

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Atlantic Wire: The Tale of the Re-Routed Bolivian President’s Plane Is Falling Apart

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One of Snowden’s, um, possible tyranny-free destinations:

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On a more cheerful note, a year ago tomorrow….

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Hugs in Johannesburg (Instagram)

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Chat away - and thank you again to UT for her wonderful post on Obamacare


112 Responses to “This and That”


  1. 1 carla4obama
    July 3, 2025 at 8:22 pm

    So glad our President is home.

  2. 3 utaustinliberal
    July 3, 2025 at 8:27 pm

    Anytime Chiparoo. :D

    • July 3, 2025 at 8:31 pm

      UT, I need to put a permanent link to that post in the sidebar - actually, I’ll stop talking about it and will do it now! Thank you again, it was sublime.

  3. 5 Liberal Librarian
    July 3, 2025 at 8:28 pm

    Kevin Drum? Really? Kevin fucking Drum?! I expect nothing out of Gigi; out of Drum I expect much more.

    • July 3, 2025 at 8:30 pm

      LL, my rusty memory failed me today - wasn’t it Drum who tweeted a comment a while ago about PBO and basketball, something really ignorant and, well, revealing??

      • 7 Liberal Librarian
        July 3, 2025 at 8:31 pm

        Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t have him on my Twitter feed. Ugh, I think I need to write a Night Owl chat featuring John Cleese videos.

        • July 3, 2025 at 8:39 pm

          I think it was him, fairly sure. I remember being really amazed by it because I had respected him, but it was such a lazy, pathetic, revealing comment, something I’d have expected from a RWNJ, to be honest. He writes great stuff, won’t deny that, but it’s just so depressing to discover that even someone like him can think like that.

          Your Night Owl Chat sounds perfect!

          • 9 Liberal Librarian
            July 3, 2025 at 8:44 pm

            I think I’ve really reached a point where I’m beyond being shocked any longer. Those who’ve had power in this country for 200 years are completely losing their shit that their monopoly is on the way out.

            Night Owl Chat is ready for the printer.

          • 10 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
            July 3, 2025 at 9:03 pm

            Chips, perhaps it was this …

            http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/03/barack-obama-dumb-and-lazy

            …. which I thought, at the time, was actually fair and insightful.

            But, what he did today is far from anything remotely acceptable. Let’s see how he digs his way out of the stupid-ish pit.

            • 11 forus50
              July 3, 2025 at 9:08 pm

              lol just saw your similar post now.

            • July 3, 2025 at 9:08 pm

              Hiya Bob, no, it was a tweet from him during - I think - a press conference by PBO, he made some really ignorant comment about basketball that had everyone going after him. I think he deleted it soon after, but it was, as I said, kind of revealing about his mindset.

              • 14 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
                July 3, 2025 at 9:18 pm

                Missed it, but glad you remembered it, Chips. What he did today he’ll never erase. And, we will never allow him to get away with it no matter how he tries.

                Should the day come that he apologizes to the President, well, good for him. But, that is now a matter between the two of them and I hope he is capable of growing to sufficient self worth to do so.

                #FORWARD

          • 15 forus50
            July 3, 2025 at 9:07 pm

            I did a Twitter search for Kevin Drum Obama and it was pretty interesting. As you said, it looks like all his writing is pretty good. You will see in the link (and in his defense of today’s headline) he’s written similar headlines before as a way of stating what the RWNJs are saying. (And to get eyeballs on it of course.) In fact one of his prior ones was “Obama is Dumb and Lazy” but the entire post is making the point that there is no validity to it and trying to understand where the RWNJ would even get any ammunition to say that. So like it or not (and I don’t) it’s somewhat his headline style.

            Check it out:
            https://twitter.com/search?q=kevin%20drum%20obama%20&src=typd

            • 16 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
              July 3, 2025 at 9:22 pm

              “So like it or not (and I don’t) it’s somewhat his headline style.”

              It’s his ‘style’ and I, like you, have never liked it.

    • 17 meta
      July 3, 2025 at 8:31 pm

      Drum can be a total emoprog at times. Today he went completely off the rails. It sickens me that these guys think they can spout these horrible insults and not think twice. And then he tried to fix it a la Paula Deen. Absolutely disgusting in every way.

    • 18 anniebella
      July 3, 2025 at 8:35 pm

      Our President is a thug. These white ass racists folks being wanting to call him that for the longest.

    • 21 arapaho415
      July 3, 2025 at 8:40 pm

      • 22 Sandy1110
        July 3, 2025 at 9:29 pm

        In emoprogland, everyone is credible except POTUS. You can’t trust a thing HE says or does.

        • 23 jacquelineoboomer
          July 4, 2025 at 12:32 am

          And, yet, he’s the one whom most of us trust the most. And, in many cases, exclusively and singularly. Because he’s earned it.

      • 24 jackiegrumbacher
        July 3, 2025 at 10:08 pm

        Yep, Arapaho, you’d think by now they’d learn to check to avoid so much caked egg on their faces, but they take every anti-PBO rumor out there and run with in. After all,in cuckoo land, Morales has earned our trust, unlike PBO who won two national elections and has worked miracles for the US for five years.

  4. 26 meta
    July 3, 2025 at 8:29 pm

    Oh, I so love that baby tossing video!! Just what we needed, Chips!!

  5. 27 Liberal Librarian
    July 3, 2025 at 8:29 pm

    BTW, happy birthday to Franz Kafka; we’re living through his times as we speak.

  6. 28 desertflower
    July 3, 2025 at 8:30 pm

    congrats to you, carla! Thank you, meta for trying to rescue me on the last thread:) My son helped me out:) Earned his keep for another month:)

  7. 32 Vicki
    July 3, 2025 at 8:31 pm

    LOL A dizzy Snowflake on the revolving luggage rack.

  8. 33 vcprezofan2
    July 3, 2025 at 8:33 pm

    Wowee! I can see I’m going to be busy for the next several hours trying to complete this thread and catch up on the ones missed earlier! Hmmm, where is my “Do NOT Disturbed” sign?

  9. 34 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
    July 3, 2025 at 8:39 pm

    Congrats on 1st Carla!

    Another stunning post, Chips!!!

    Fact:

    #TrustBarack

  10. 35 CEB
    July 3, 2025 at 8:42 pm

    All USA TODers:

    Have a happy Independence Day tomorrow.

    Happy Birthday wishes to Malia Ann Obama.

  11. 36 Bill R.
    July 3, 2025 at 8:43 pm

  12. 37 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
    July 3, 2025 at 8:43 pm

  13. 38 hopefruit2
    July 3, 2025 at 8:43 pm

  14. 39 arapaho415
    July 3, 2025 at 8:44 pm

    The Assange with #Snowden puppet toon was perfect.

    Love this thread!

  15. 40 carolyn
    July 3, 2025 at 8:44 pm

    I guess these on air pundits just expected President Obama to walk into Egypt and declare who they should have to govern them….or drop in and take out Morsi, as per Bush. Have they not figured out these are sovereign nations, who make their own decisions about governance…..they made the wrong one, and this is the only way they could remedy that decision.
    During this year living conditions have deteriorated in Egypt…….they need electricity, water, jobs, and tourism to come back. Tourism comprises a large component of Egypt’s economy, and for the past year it has been dead. Also, many American students study in programs in Cairo, and those too have been closed. The one our college participates in took their sessions to Jerusalem instead of Cairo. These decisions by Americans and Europeans had drastic economic consequences for the people. Morsi promised he would restore basic services, he didn’t. These people are like us, they need these services, and will demand them. I imagine whoever takes over now, will have an even smaller window to get the country up and running. Also, women in Egypt (pre Morsi)had more freedom than in many other ME countries. The Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi was working to limit that. I noticed many young women without scarves or headdresses on the streets protesting. They just cannot take their people back 200 years.
    This should have lessons for the Republican Brotherhood in this country. Women are not going to be taken back to the pre-60s in reproductive matters. If this kind of repression continues in our country, those rallies in Texas will look small in comparison to what’s coming.

    • 41 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
      July 3, 2025 at 8:50 pm

      “This should have lessons for the Republican Brotherhood in this country. Women are not going to be taken back to the pre-60s in reproductive matters. If this kind of repression continues in our country, those rallies in Texas will look small in comparison to what’s coming.”

      Oh, yes, Carolyn. Oh YES!!!!

      • 42 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
        July 3, 2025 at 8:55 pm

    • 48 jackiegrumbacher
      July 3, 2025 at 10:14 pm

      You’re absolutely right on, Carolyn, but the GOP isn’t smart enough to learn lessons. They never think these lessons apply to themselves.

    • 49 jacquelineoboomer
      July 4, 2025 at 12:51 am

      carolyn - I personally have never seen the term, “Republican Brotherhood,” before - is it yours? WHAT A PERFECT NAME FOR THEM. The caps signify excitement (sad to say this perfectly fits ’em). Thank you! May “we” borrow it?

  16. 50 lovelyplains
    July 3, 2025 at 8:50 pm

  17. 51 lovelyplains
    July 3, 2025 at 8:59 pm

    CBS News now in the business of Drudge bait………disgusting liars. What a sad sap of people we have representing US media!

    But the State Department said Kerry was not aboard a boat on Wednesday and has spent the day working the phones on Egypt. A call into the Situation Room would have to be made from a secure line, something not available on his personal boat.

    • 52 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
      July 3, 2025 at 9:05 pm

      • 53 arapaho415
        July 3, 2025 at 10:19 pm

        Goddamnit.

        The press corps just think they can get f#&Aing away with LYING.

        With no consequences — remember that RachelRHartman before PBO’s Africa trip

        Beyond disgusting.

        Sending you tweet too.

    • July 3, 2025 at 9:15 pm

      • 55 lovelyplains
        July 3, 2025 at 9:22 pm

        I think “axis of evil” and “now watch this drive” may be the only things I will ever remember GWB saying…… Chips you went for the jugular, and rightfully so….

    • 56 globalcitizenlinda
      July 3, 2025 at 9:22 pm

      when they MSM can’t find real fault with Team Obama, they make it up

  18. 57 arapaho415
    July 3, 2025 at 8:59 pm

    Sad news.

    Mark Udall and family’s worst fears were confirmed today:

    Along with Frank Church, Mo and Stewart Udall were giants of the Dem Party Western Division in the 1960s-70s.

    Condolences to the intermountain states tonight and to the Udall family.

    • 58 desertflower
      July 3, 2025 at 9:04 pm

      So sad to hear this news. I was hoping for a miracle. Thoughts to the Udall family.

    • 59 arapaho415
      July 3, 2025 at 9:12 pm

      Wind River Range, part of the spectacular US West landscape:
      CarolMaeWY sent me this pic today.

      And here’s another of the same area:

    • 60 Liberal Librarian
      July 3, 2025 at 9:59 pm

      Every time I go hiking, I let the missus know where and what trail. You just never know.

    • 62 Lynn
      July 3, 2025 at 10:28 pm

      “Randy left this earth doing what he loved most.” Says it all for me, arapaho. My dad was killed in a plane crash doing what he loved, My late ex-father-in-law died ice fishing. Again, doing what he loved.

      Wishing comfort and peace to the family, friends and admirers.

  19. 63 amk for obama
    July 3, 2025 at 9:10 pm

    The unclaimed baggage toon is hilarious.

  20. 65 yardarm756
    July 3, 2025 at 9:11 pm

  21. 72 lovelyplains
    July 3, 2025 at 9:12 pm

    Interesting take…

  22. 73 desertflower
    July 3, 2025 at 9:13 pm

    Mo Udall quote: Mo Udall says, “I have learned the difference between a cactus and a caucus. On a cactus, the pricks are on the outside.”

    Perfect.

  23. 74 Bill R.
    July 3, 2025 at 9:22 pm

  24. 76 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
    July 3, 2025 at 9:29 pm

  25. 77 lovelyplains
    July 3, 2025 at 9:29 pm

    O/T Techie ?’s….. did anybody notice yesterday on your twitter timelines (ME-your tweets) you could see a 1/4″ box on the top right that would display any twitpic that was part of that individual tweet? Secondly, for us PC losers….. Windows Explorer 10 automatically updated today, and now WordPress doesn’t work! Stuck using Chrome for now…. ok just want to know if I am hallucinating and/or any solutions. TY

    • 78 Liberal Librarian
      July 3, 2025 at 10:02 pm

      LP, I’m sorry, but you use IE? What’s wrong with you, hombre?! IE is to browsers what Snowden is to men of honor.

      • 79 lovelyplains
        July 3, 2025 at 10:10 pm

        Calm down champ…… I feel a pile on coming!!! I use explorer only as an open tab if I am working on a thread…use it for no other purpose… On my computer for some reason It loads faster than Chrome(Sony Viao) but now as of today you load wordpress homepage and all you get is a blank screen w/ the Blue WP toolbar and notifications that you can’t even click on!!!

    • 80 arapaho415
      July 3, 2025 at 10:03 pm

      Only yesterday for the 1/4″ box? And at the top of your twitter page or at the top of the tweet? (Confused.)

      There’s a way to go back to an earlier version of Windows IE (I’ve done it, and am probably the most technically-challenged person here).

      Try Google to see if you can go back to IE9.

      • 81 lovelyplains
        July 3, 2025 at 10:15 pm

        Top right corner of a tweet… Imagine one of your tweets displayed in your timeline… a 1/2″ by 3″ White Rectangle. Yesterday the top right corner of any tweet would display a 1/4″ square w/ any twitpic or a picture w/o having to expand your tweet. Was pretty cool……gone today? Did I make any sense…. I should have taken a screenshot… was going to ask you guys yesterday!

      • 82 lovelyplains
        July 3, 2025 at 10:26 pm

        Ok better visual than the jumble I just typed…You see where the time stamp says 11hr 21hr.. there was a 1/4″ pic in that corner instead

        • 83 maryl1
          July 4, 2025 at 2:09 am

          Yes, I saw that yesterday too. I also run Chrome, but need to use Explorer to access my school district’s intranet site properly. Right at the end of the year (after the IE update), it screwed up my access to IE. Apparently a lot people had issues with the update. If you google it you will probably find advice on fixing it. The suggestions I saw ranged from uninstall the update (some had an automatic updater that kept reinstalling it) to uninstalling Explorer completely and then reinstalling.

  26. 84 amk for obama
    July 3, 2025 at 9:29 pm

  27. July 3, 2025 at 9:33 pm

    Hellooooooo everyone, I’ve added a link to UT’s post today on Obamacare to the sidebar on the right, it’s just under the @barackobama Twitter feed at the top - so if you ever want to pass it on, just to spread some truthiness, just click the link!

    • 86 Bobfr (@Our4thEstate)
      July 3, 2025 at 9:34 pm

      Most excellent, Chips. Sure hope these folk read it ….

      #FORWARD

  28. 87 globalcitizenlinda
    July 3, 2025 at 9:49 pm

    went looking for some Obama-related stuff to divert me from the rapidly changing global events and found this footage I had missed - although it was filmed not very far from me.

    I love watching the landings, take off & motorcade footage of the First Transportation Fleet. Yes even Bus 1! I found this really cool!

  29. 88 lovelyplains
    July 3, 2025 at 9:51 pm

  30. 89 Liberal Librarian
    July 3, 2025 at 10:07 pm

    So we can probably run this thread for another hour before I post my night owl chat.

  31. 90 amk for obama
    July 3, 2025 at 10:11 pm

  32. 91 desertflower
    July 3, 2025 at 10:22 pm

    Comment on Cesca site: “Why is it that most of the people who are against abortion are people you wouldn’t want to fuck in the first place?” –George Carlin

    Regarding this: Jackass Quote of the Day
    Posted on July 3, 2025 at 3:30 pm by JM Ashby
    “Let’s get on with this and enjoy our holiday.” -State Senator Tom Apodaca (R-MotherFucker) on fast-tracking an abortion bill

    Pardon my french, but this man is an asshole.

    http://bobcesca.thedailybanter.com/blog-archives/2013/07/jackass-quote-of-the-day-9.html#disqus_thread

    I seriously loath them.

  33. 92 arapaho415
    July 3, 2025 at 10:25 pm

    Posting again for those who read from bottom to top.

    Unbelievable that media think they can get away with LYING about PBO’s administration. (Gosh what’s different about *this* president?)

    With everything going on in Egypt today, who in their right mind would believe that Kerry was on a yacht?

    There’s no possible way he could have even enjoyed himself on a yacht given today’s events.

    Dispicable. Vile. Unprofessional.

    Our unaccountable media.

  34. July 3, 2025 at 10:26 pm

    My work is done! Blog tyrants’ Twitter feeds added to the sidebar :cool:

  35. 106 LDS
    July 3, 2025 at 10:35 pm

    Thank you, Ms. Chips. I hope you get some well-deserved needed rest…..

  36. 108 arapaho415
    July 3, 2025 at 10:39 pm

  37. 109 Liberal Librarian
    July 3, 2025 at 10:41 pm

    Ok, I know that the Tour de France is probably still riddled with PED’s. I. Just. Don’t. Care. Every TDF is my yearly reminder that I need to get my ass to France for a 3 week vacation.

  38. July 3, 2025 at 10:42 pm

  39. 111 Liberal Librarian
    July 3, 2025 at 10:43 pm

    Okay, so the tonight and tomorrow are my breaks from temperance. Tonight I’m having some lovely gimlets—not many, because honestly 3 are enough to send me to the Land of Nod—and tomorrow I’ll be mixologist for my guests. Cheers, everyone!

  40. 112 utaustinliberal
    July 3, 2025 at 10:44 pm

    We need some fun. Today has been weird to say the least.

    http://theobamadiary.com/2013/07/03/night-owls-throwback-days/


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