Your opinion on the job that President Obama is doing so far (1 Viewer)

[RCon]

Ok I had no idea where to post this.Is is true we will now be getting taxed on my employers contribution to my helathcare, if it costs them 17000 I have to pay tax on that?If that is the case can I now claim my out of pocket expenses, copays etc ?

No, it isn't true. That's unfortunate, as such a plan would be the single best step we could take to lower healthcare costs.

Wrong...increasing taxes is not the single best step to lower healthcare costs. It does nothing to address the costs that medical providers are charging.

Not really a debate for this thread, but in simple terms, yes, putting health care decisions into the hands of those actually paying will lower costs.How much does an MRI cost? How much has it come down over the last 20 years? Most people have no idea. Why? Because they aren't paying for the MRI, and, therefore, don't care how much it costs. How much does laser eye surgery cost? Even if your eyesight is perfect, I bet you have a vague idea of the cost. Why? Because providers are forced to compete on price, since the consumers are paying (generally) out of their own pockets.

 

[flufhed]

It's really getting laughable. His approval rating in the polls is nearly exactly half of what it would be if he just acted like, and delivered on, the promises he made in his campaign. All he had to do was deliver, and he'd have clear sailing ahead.

actually i think he has delivered on a lot of the promises he made in his campaign, that's the problem.

Yeah, that's the way I am reading it.Can someone please give me an update as to whether Obama is pursuing his agenda too aggressively, or if he is failing to deliver on what he said he would do.

 

[Statorama]

Yes We Can! (echo....echo)

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yes We Can! (echo....echo)

Should have known he was a collectivist from the slogan on.Why "Yes WE Can" rather than the statement that's closer to the American spirit of "Yes YOU Can"?

 

[Jewell]

Can someone please give me an update as to whether Obama is pursuing his agenda too aggressively, or if he is failing to deliver on what he said he would do.

That fully depends on each person's perspective. For instance, this weekend Obama got heckled by a group that doesn't think he's doing enough for global AIDS funding. He does raise a legitimate point in the last two sentences.

Obama fires back at AIDS protesters, tells them to hassle GOP

By Vicki Needham, 10/30/10 (THE HILL)

President Obama deflected heckling by AIDS protesters during a Saturday rally, suggesting they take up their cause with "the other side" that's opposed to funding. 

A group of people interrupted Obama's speech before 9,000 in Connecticut chanting "Fund Global AIDS." 

The president was quick to respond to the chorus of protesters saying, "You’ve been appearing at every rally we’ve been doing. And we’re funding global AIDS. And the other side is not. So I don't know why you think this is a useful strategy to take."

Obama was in Bridgeport as part of a four-state swing during the final days before the midterm elections, stumping for Rep. Jim Himes, who is in a tight re-election race, and the state attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, who is seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Chris Dodd, who is retiring. 

"I think it would make a lot more sense for you guys to go to the folks who aren’t interested in funding global AIDS and chant at that rally," Obama said. "Because we’re trying to focus on figuring out how to finance the things that you want financed, all right?"

That led to chants of "Obama, Obama" as the crowd stirred and the president tried to calm emotions as the protesters were escorted out of the rally.

"It's very important to remember that an issue like global AIDS is very important," Obama said. "And the question we’ve got is which party is most likely to actually fund it in ways that help people around the world."  

He then added that it will be difficult to move forward on many issues until "we get the economy fixed, unless we can put people back to work, unless folks feel more confident about the future."

"It’s going to be hard to move forward on all these initiatives."

 

[bg0546]

Can someone please give me an update as to whether Obama is pursuing his agenda too aggressively, or if he is failing to deliver on what he said he would do.

That fully depends on each person's perspective. For instance, this weekend Obama got heckled by a group that doesn't think he's doing enough for global AIDS funding. He does raise a legitimate point in the last two sentences.

Obama fires back at AIDS protesters, tells them to hassle GOP

By Vicki Needham, 10/30/10 (THE HILL)

President Obama deflected heckling by AIDS protesters during a Saturday rally, suggesting they take up their cause with "the other side" that's opposed to funding. 

A group of people interrupted Obama's speech before 9,000 in Connecticut chanting "Fund Global AIDS." 

The president was quick to respond to the chorus of protesters saying, "You’ve been appearing at every rally we’ve been doing. And we’re funding global AIDS. And the other side is not. So I don't know why you think this is a useful strategy to take."

Obama was in Bridgeport as part of a four-state swing during the final days before the midterm elections, stumping for Rep. Jim Himes, who is in a tight re-election race, and the state attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, who is seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Chris Dodd, who is retiring. 

"I think it would make a lot more sense for you guys to go to the folks who aren’t interested in funding global AIDS and chant at that rally," Obama said. "Because we’re trying to focus on figuring out how to finance the things that you want financed, all right?"

That led to chants of "Obama, Obama" as the crowd stirred and the president tried to calm emotions as the protesters were escorted out of the rally.

"It's very important to remember that an issue like global AIDS is very important," Obama said. "And the question we’ve got is which party is most likely to actually fund it in ways that help people around the world."  

He then added that it will be difficult to move forward on many issues until "we get the economy fixed, unless we can put people back to work, unless folks feel more confident about the future."

"It’s going to be hard to move forward on all these initiatives."

He was pretty off base in the rest of his rant:

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — In her AIDS-scarred South African township, Sweetness Mzolisa leads a chorus of praise for George W. Bush that echoes to the deserts of Namibia, the hills of Rwanda and the villages of Ethiopia.

Like countless Africans, Mzolisa looks forward to Barack Obama becoming America's first black president Jan 20. But — like countless Africans — Mzolisa says she will always be grateful to Bush for his war on AIDS, which has helped to treat more than 2 million Africans, support 10 million more, and revitalize the global fight against the disease.

"It has done a lot for the people of South Africa, for the whole of the African continent," says Mzolisa, a feisty mother of seven. "It has changed so many people's lives, saved so many people's lives."

Mzolisa, 44, was diagnosed with the AIDS virus in 1999 and formed a women's support group to "share the pain." In 2004 she received a U.S. grant to set up office in a shipping container and start a soup kitchen from the group's vegetable garden. She stretches her $10,000 in annual funding to train staff to look after bedridden AIDS victims, feed and clothe orphans, and do stigma-busting work at schools and taxi ranks.

Hundreds of projects get funding

Hundreds of similar small grass-roots projects are being funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, alongside higher-profile charities and big state clinics.

Bush launched the $15 billion plan in 2003 to expand prevention, treatment and support programs in 15 hard-hit countries, 12 of them African, which account for more than half the world's estimated 33 million AIDS infections. The initiative tied in with a World Health Organization campaign to put 3 million people on AIDS drugs by 2005 — a goal it says was reached in 2007.

More here:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28605888/

 

[Jewell]

Can someone please give me an update as to whether Obama is pursuing his agenda too aggressively, or if he is failing to deliver on what he said he would do.

That fully depends on each person's perspective. For instance, this weekend Obama got heckled by a group that doesn't think he's doing enough for global AIDS funding. He does raise a legitimate point in the last two sentences.

Obama fires back at AIDS protesters, tells them to hassle GOP

By Vicki Needham, 10/30/10 (THE HILL)

President Obama deflected heckling by AIDS protesters during a Saturday rally, suggesting they take up their cause with "the other side" that's opposed to funding. 

A group of people interrupted Obama's speech before 9,000 in Connecticut chanting "Fund Global AIDS." 

The president was quick to respond to the chorus of protesters saying, "You’ve been appearing at every rally we’ve been doing. And we’re funding global AIDS. And the other side is not. So I don't know why you think this is a useful strategy to take."

Obama was in Bridgeport as part of a four-state swing during the final days before the midterm elections, stumping for Rep. Jim Himes, who is in a tight re-election race, and the state attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, who is seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Chris Dodd, who is retiring. 

"I think it would make a lot more sense for you guys to go to the folks who aren’t interested in funding global AIDS and chant at that rally," Obama said. "Because we’re trying to focus on figuring out how to finance the things that you want financed, all right?"

That led to chants of "Obama, Obama" as the crowd stirred and the president tried to calm emotions as the protesters were escorted out of the rally.

"It's very important to remember that an issue like global AIDS is very important," Obama said. "And the question we’ve got is which party is most likely to actually fund it in ways that help people around the world."  

He then added that it will be difficult to move forward on many issues until "we get the economy fixed, unless we can put people back to work, unless folks feel more confident about the future."

"It’s going to be hard to move forward on all these initiatives."

He was pretty off base in the rest of his rant:

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — In her AIDS-scarred South African township, Sweetness Mzolisa leads a chorus of praise for George W. Bush that echoes to the deserts of Namibia, the hills of Rwanda and the villages of Ethiopia.

Like countless Africans, Mzolisa looks forward to Barack Obama becoming America's first black president Jan 20. But — like countless Africans — Mzolisa says she will always be grateful to Bush for his war on AIDS, which has helped to treat more than 2 million Africans, support 10 million more, and revitalize the global fight against the disease.

"It has done a lot for the people of South Africa, for the whole of the African continent," says Mzolisa, a feisty mother of seven. "It has changed so many people's lives, saved so many people's lives."

Mzolisa, 44, was diagnosed with the AIDS virus in 1999 and formed a women's support group to "share the pain." In 2004 she received a U.S. grant to set up office in a shipping container and start a soup kitchen from the group's vegetable garden. She stretches her $10,000 in annual funding to train staff to look after bedridden AIDS victims, feed and clothe orphans, and do stigma-busting work at schools and taxi ranks.

Hundreds of projects get funding

Hundreds of similar small grass-roots projects are being funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, alongside higher-profile charities and big state clinics.

Bush launched the $15 billion plan in 2003 to expand prevention, treatment and support programs in 15 hard-hit countries, 12 of them African, which account for more than half the world's estimated 33 million AIDS infections. The initiative tied in with a World Health Organization campaign to put 3 million people on AIDS drugs by 2005 — a goal it says was reached in 2007.

More here:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28605888/

I know what Bush did in terms of global AIDS funding and you know what Bush did in terms of global AIDS funding, but Obama is banking on the fact that his audience doesn't know what Bush did.Sure someone could argue that maybe Obama didn't know what Bush did for AIDS funding in Africa (and the Caribbean), but this CNN article suggests Obama does know: Obama, Blair laud Bush's AIDS work in Africa.

So, essentially, what we're looking at is more lies and division from Obama.

That's why I noted that Obama raised a legitimate point in the last two sentences because the rest is completely illegitimate. The funny thing is -- wouldn't those same issues that Obama says are hampering his ability to fund AIDS programs also hamper the Republicans? That's why the current Republicans would be "cutting" or spending less than what they did during the Bush years -- a period which accounted for the greatest global AIDS funding in U.S. history.

 

[Daywalker]

Watch a broad spectrum of the news you get the sense that most of the criticism's of Obama are about perception rather then policy decisions.

"He focused too much on healthcare and not enough on jobs."

 

[Eric Stratton]

Watch a broad spectrum of the news you get the sense that most of the criticism's of Obama are about perception rather then policy decisions."He focused too much on healthcare and not enough on jobs."

Policy decisions are what has hurt Obama and the Dems. Stimulus bills and Obamacare are two major policy decisions that have brought on heavy criticism.

 

[Daywalker]

Watch a broad spectrum of the news you get the sense that most of the criticism's of Obama are about perception rather then policy decisions."He focused too much on healthcare and not enough on jobs."

Policy decisions are what has hurt Obama and the Dems. Stimulus bills and Obamacare are two major policy decisions that have brought on heavy criticism.

Dissaproval of "Obamacare" is mainly perception. When you poll on specifics most like it.Was the stimulus even a decision? Has anyone offered a viable alternative.

 

[Eric Stratton]

Watch a broad spectrum of the news you get the sense that most of the criticism's of Obama are about perception rather then policy decisions."He focused too much on healthcare and not enough on jobs."

Policy decisions are what has hurt Obama and the Dems. Stimulus bills and Obamacare are two major policy decisions that have brought on heavy criticism.

Dissaproval of "Obamacare" is mainly perception. When you poll on specifics most like it.Was the stimulus even a decision? Has anyone offered a viable alternative.

Do you live under a rock?

 

[Eric Stratton]

Watch a broad spectrum of the news you get the sense that most of the criticism's of Obama are about perception rather then policy decisions.

"He focused too much on healthcare and not enough on jobs."

Policy decisions are what has hurt Obama and the Dems. Stimulus bills and Obamacare are two major policy decisions that have brought on heavy criticism.

Dissaproval of "Obamacare" is mainly perception. When you poll on specifics most like it.Was the stimulus even a decision? Has anyone offered a viable alternative.

http://weaselzippers.us/2010/11/01/poll-wh...ling-obamacare/Rasmussen’s final pre-election poll on the repeal of Obamacare shows that independents favor repeal by the colossal margin of 45 points (70 to 25 percent). Likely voters on the whole favor repeal by a margin of 22 points (58 to 36 percent), men favor repeal (55 to 39 percent), women favor repeal (61 to 34 percent), every age-group favors repeal (with those in their 30s favoring it by the largest margin), and even 26 percent of Democrats favor repeal.

 

[Daywalker]

Watch a broad spectrum of the news you get the sense that most of the criticism's of Obama are about perception rather then policy decisions."He focused too much on healthcare and not enough on jobs."

Policy decisions are what has hurt Obama and the Dems. Stimulus bills and Obamacare are two major policy decisions that have brought on heavy criticism.

Dissaproval of "Obamacare" is mainly perception. When you poll on specifics most like it.Was the stimulus even a decision? Has anyone offered a viable alternative.

Do you live under a rock?

Was the "viable" alternative to cut government spending while everyone is unemployed? Or was it to increase the deficit by giving tax cuts to the top 2%.

 

[Eric Stratton]

Watch a broad spectrum of the news you get the sense that most of the criticism's of Obama are about perception rather then policy decisions."He focused too much on healthcare and not enough on jobs."

Policy decisions are what has hurt Obama and the Dems. Stimulus bills and Obamacare are two major policy decisions that have brought on heavy criticism.

Dissaproval of "Obamacare" is mainly perception. When you poll on specifics most like it.Was the stimulus even a decision? Has anyone offered a viable alternative.

Do you live under a rock?

Was the "viable" alternative to cut government spending while everyone is unemployed? Or was it to increase the deficit by giving tax cuts to the top 2%.

I suggest you do some research about why Obama and the Dems are getting hammered. The stimulus bills were POLICY DECISIONS and has nothing to do with perception of it. The reality of those policy decisions is that they didn't work. It is that reality that is one of the reasons the Dems will lose the house tomorrow.

 

[tommyboy]

you have an entire movment of political activism created in response to tone deaf policy decisions of this congress and this president and yet there are people who still think this?

Was the "viable" alternative to cut government spending while everyone is unemployed? Or was it to increase the deficit by giving tax cuts to the top 2%.

good grief

 

[Statorama]

Taxpayers to spend $200 Million per day on Obama's India vacation

This really got me

Mumbai: The US would be spending a whopping $200 million (Rs. 900 crore approx) per day on President Barack Obama's visit to the city.

"The huge amount of around $200 million would be spent on security, stay and other aspects of the Presidential visit," a top official of the Maharashtra Government privy to the arrangements for the high-profile visit said.

About 3,000 people including Secret Service agents, US government officials and journalists would accompany the President. Several officials from the White House and US security agencies are already here for the past one week with helicopters, a ship and high-end security instruments.

So my tax dollars are going to pay for Chuck Todd to have a sunny few days in India??? OH MAN I can't wait for 2012.

 

[Statorama]

Take your olive branch and shove it

"Hey, lets just forget how we treated you Republicans the last two years and work together now"

On the eve of a historic midterm election upheaval, President Barack Obama tried to walk back his gratuitous slap at Americans who oppose his radical progressive agenda. “I probably should have used the word ‘opponents’ instead of ‘enemies’ to describe political adversaries,” Obama admitted Monday. “Probably”?

Here is an ironclad certainty: It’s too little too late for the antagonist-in-chief to paper over two years of relentless Democratic incivility and hate toward his domestic “enemies.” Voters have spoken: They’ve had enough. Enough of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner’s rhetorical abuse. Enough of his feints at bipartisanship. Whatever the final tally, this week’s turnover in Congress is a GOP mandate for legislative pugilism, not peace. Voters have had enough of big government meddlers “getting things done.” They are sending fresh blood to the nation’s Capitol to get things undone.

Just two short years ago, Obama campaigned as the transcendent unifier. “Young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled, Americans have sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of red states and blue states,” he proclaimed. “We have been and always will be the United States of America.”

It’s been an Us vs. Them freefall ever since.

“We don’t mind the Republicans joining us,” Obama taunted a few weeks ago. “They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back.”

“They’re counting on young people staying home and union members staying home and black folks staying home,” the fear-mongering agent of hope and change jeered on the campaign trail last month.

“You would think they’d be saying thank you,” he sneered last April, when millions turned out for the nationwide Tax Day tea party protests.

“I want them just to get out of the way” and “don’t do a lot of talking,” he scoffed in response to prescient critics of the federal trillion-dollar stimulus boondoggle.

In addition to labeling GOP opponents of his open-borders policies “enemies” who needed to be “punished” by Latino voters, Obama accused them — that is, us — of lacking patriotism. “Those aren’t the kinds of folks who represent our core American values,” he told viewers of the Spanish-language network Univision.

Democratic leaders have taken their cue from Team Obama’s persistent politics of polarization.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called vocal citizens who protested the federal health care takeover bill during the town hall revolts of 2009 “un-American,” too. Remember? “These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American,” Pelosi and Hoyer blasted in an op-ed piece for USA Today last summer. “Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task for decades.”

This from the woman who called for a vengeful government investigation of grassroots opponents of the Ground Zero mosque.

Obama’s pal Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida, whom the president hailed as an “outstanding” member of Congress, accused Republicans of wanting elderly people to “die quickly” and of presiding over a “holocaust in America.” Vice President Joe Biden hailed Grayson as a “guy who doesn’t back away from a fight, and doesn’t back down from what he believes in” and told him at a fundraiser: “We owe you one, buddy.” No mention of Grayson’s smear of a female Federal Reserve adviser as a “K Street whore.”

In California, entrenched incumbent jerk Pete Stark derided immigration enforcement activists at a town hall by asking: “Who are you going to kill today?” To an elderly constituent who opposed the health care bill, Stark retorted: “I wouldn’t dignify you by peeing on your leg. It wouldn’t be worth wasting the urine.”

As voters who have been maligned by the ruling majority as stupid, unwashed, racist, selfish and violent headed to the polls Tuesday, Democrats released “talking points” attacking Republican leaders who “are not willing to compromise.” But “no compromise” is exactly the message that un-American Americans delivered to Washington this campaign season:

No more compromising deals behind closed doors.

No more compromising bailouts in times of manufactured crisis.

No more compromising conservative principles for D.C. party elites.

No more compromising the American economy for left-wing special interests.

No more compromising transparency and ethics for bureaucratic self-preservation.

Let us be clear, in case it hasn’t fully sunk into the minds of Obama and the trash-talking Democrats yet: You can take your faux olive branch and shove it.

Thank you.

 

[Statorama]

*** Halfway Mark ***

It'll be interesting to see if he FINALLY moves slightly toward the center.

 

[CrossEyed]

So where's the best place to watch the PC online at 1:00?

 

[Statorama]

Obamas India visit slammed

All because he wants to experience the "festival of lights". An entourage of 3,000 people????? What the hell

Washington: The costs of US President Barack Obama's upcoming trip to India has been criticised by a Republican leader as "over-the-top" spending but the White House said the figures cited by the lawmaker have "no basis" in reality."

When asked whether she would support cuts to Social Security and Medicare, Representative Michele Bachmann, a Republican from Minnesota fresh off a victory in her closely watched re-election bid, slammed the White House for the "massive overspending" for Obama's maiden visit to India.

She however refused to identify specific cuts to the federal budget when asked by CNN. Obama's three-day trip starts from Mumbai where he will arrive on Saturday before proceeding to New Delhi the next day.

A top official of the Maharashtra government privy to the arrangements for the high-profile visit has reckoned that a whopping $ 200 million (Rs. 900 crore approx) per day would be spent by various teams coming from the US in connection with Obama's two-day stay in the city.

"A huge amount of around $ 200 million would be spent on security, stay and other aspects of the Presidential visit," the official said in Mumbai.

About 3,000 people including Secret Service agents, US government officials and journalists would accompany the President. Several officials from the White House and US security agencies are already in Mumbai for the past one week with helicopters, a ship and high-end security instruments.

Unprecedented security has been put in place both in Mumbai and New Delhi.

"We have never seen this sort of an entourage going with the president before. And I think this is an example the massive overspending that we've seen--not only just in the last two years, really in the last four," Bachmann said.

Asked for comment about Bachmanns criticism of the trip, the White House said in a written statement that the figures cited by the Republican lawmaker "have no basis in reality."

"Due to security concerns, we are unable to outline details associated with security procedures and costs, but it's safe to say these numbers are wildly inflated," White House spokesperson Amy Brundage said.

Bachmanns comments come on the same day she formally announced her bid to join the House Republican leadership and become the chair of the House Republican Conference in the next Congress. She already has at least one rival for job.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, is also seeking the number four spot in the GOPs House leadership. Hensarling has already been endorsed by two powerful House Republican leaders.

 

[Statorama]

Does this clown even know which country's economy he's supposed to be stimulating???

 

[Courtjester]

The number that this trip is going to cost is around $2 billion. TWO BILLION dollars. 34 War Ships. 3000 people going.

In addition they are shutting down local businesses for two days in areas that are already hit hard by poverty, which is really irking the locals.

Just so he can see the Festival of Lights.....

 

[jonessed]

I understand that security is necessary but 3,000 people? That's absurd.

 

[Leviathan]

The number that this trip is going to cost is around $2 billion. TWO BILLION dollars. 34 War Ships. 3000 people going.In addition they are shutting down local businesses for two days in areas that are already hit hard by poverty, which is really irking the locals.Just so he can see the Festival of Lights.....

So he can see the Festival of Lights? Seriously? India is a ginormously important player in the war on terror. This is a good thing. As far as costs: You saw what happened to Bhutto, right?

 

[videoguy505]

Perhaps Drudge was mistaken.

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/11/04/no-o...india-with-him/

I’m relieved to say that we didn’t bite on this one, notwithstanding Drudge’s touting of it today. I did, though, link in Headlines the stories about his trip allegedly costing $200 million(!!!) per day and his team booking every room in a five-star hotel in Mumbai. I didn’t begrudge him that last one, actually; very bad things have been known to happen to hotels in Mumbai, so why not take all necessary precautions? As for the purported cost of the trip, yeah, $200 mil sounds nutty — but after a $2.5 trillion health-care bill and an $800 billion stimulus, I confess that no numbers seem implausible to me anymore when it comes to government expenditures.

Note to self: Don’t trust Indian media.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell did not shy away from dismissing reports that appeared in Indian media outlets, such as the Press Trust of India and the television network NDTV. The Press Trust of India is that country’s largest news agency…

“I will take the liberty this time of dismissing as absolutely absurd this notion that somehow we were deploying 10 percent of the Navy — some 34 ships and an aircraft carrier — in support of the president’s trip to Asia,” said Morrell at today’s Pentagon briefing. “That’s just comical. Nothing close to that is being done.”…

The Indian media reports also say security for the Presidential trip will cost $200 million a day. Morrell “there’s been a lot of creative writing that’s been done on this trip over the last few days. I’ve seen other reports with some astronomical figures in terms of what it costs to take these trips. I don’t know the cost. We don’t speak to the cost.” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was blunt in his characterization of the cost reports, “this trip doesn’t cost $200 million a day.”

More debunkery at the Journal:

Snopes.com, a website devoted to myth busting, noted that even if the Indian press has correctly reported the size of the president’s entourage – 3,000 – the cost would work out to $66,000 per person per day, “a figure that stretches credulity to the breaking point.” Factcheck.org noted that the entire war in Afghanistan costs $190 million a day.

But the report is demonstrably incorrect. It says the White House had blocked off the entire Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai – it hasn’t – and that the press traveling with Mr. Obama will be staying there. We won’t. Besides, the press pays its own way at considerable cost to the media outlets, not the U.S. taxpayer.

Near as I can tell, the mega-bombshell about Obama introducing a teleprompter to India’s parliament remains tragically, pathetically true.

 

[videoguy505]

3) TWO marine helicopters are being dismantled, flown to India, put back together to fly the Obamas around the country

That may be true... those are Marine Ones. Can't really fly a helicopter from DC to India on one tank.

 

[videoguy505]

“In the midst of debates on financial regulation and China’s currency in April, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner sat down to discuss the U.S. economy — with comedian Jon Stewart.”

 

[Fennis]

Jesus you guys will believe anything as long as Obama is made to look bad. 34 ships? Two billion dollars?

 

[Maelstrom]

Obamas India visit slammed

All because he wants to experience the "festival of lights". An entourage of 3,000 people????? What the hell

A tiny amount of research shows this isn't true. I tend to stay outta the political threads cause I feel people are way too irrational but...well...here is what I was able to come up with in 5-10 minutes poking around on Google.That number was thrown around willy-nilly, by 1 unverified and unconfirmed source. It has already been denounced as U.S. officials disclaimed numeric figures cited for the President's Asian visit as "wildly inflated" and "absurd". This is nothing more than any other president does - part of their job, in fact, arguably one of the main parts of their job, is to visit foreign countries and talk to their leaders. It doesn't hurt if he does some PR (i.e. sightseeing) while there, as unlike here in the US, people see that as a good thing. It is an official business trip (G20 summit along the way).

White House spokesman Tommy Vietor shot down the $200 million-a-day figure -- to put the outrageous sum in context, that's 5 million times Rachael Ray's recommended $40 a day.

"The numbers reported in this article have no basis in reality. Due to security concerns, we are unable to outline details associated with security procedures and costs, but it's safe to say these numbers are wildly inflated," Vietor said.

A military official also told Fox News the warship claim was inaccurate

India is just the first stop on a multi-leg Asian tour through Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

The quotes are from a Fox News story, btw.

 

[Statorama]

Well what the hell do you expect them to spin it as? What's their definition of "wildly inflated"? Off by 1 million a day?

There's lots of people out of work that the 199 Million Dollars a day could help.

ETA: and if it's a business trip, why is he taking his wife, kids and mother in law? Your tax dollars at work people.

 

[Statorama]

$36 Million Dollar US backed plan to train overseas workers

No use spending that money to train workers here, right?

U.S. To Train 3,000 Offshore IT Workers

Federally-backed program aims to help outsourcers in South Asia become more fluent in areas like Java programming—and the English language.

By Paul McDougall , InformationWeek

August 3, 2010 01:59 PM

Despite President Obama's pledge to retain more hi-tech jobs in the U.S., a federal agency run by a hand-picked Obama appointee has launched a $36 million program to train workers, including 3,000 specialists in IT and related functions, in South Asia.

Following their training, the tech workers will be placed with outsourcing vendors in the region that provide offshore IT and business services to American companies looking to take advantage of the Asian subcontinent's low labor costs.

Under director Rajiv Shah, the United States Agency for International Development will partner with private outsourcers in Sri Lanka to teach workers there advanced IT skills like Enterprise Java (Java EE) programming, as well as skills in business process outsourcing and call center support. USAID will also help the trainees brush up on their English language proficiency.

USAID is contributing about $10 million to the effort, while its private partners are investing roughly $26 million.

"To help fill workforce gaps in BPO and IT, USAID is teaming up with leading BPO and IT/English language training companies to establish professional IT and English skills development training centers," the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, said in a statement posted Friday on its Web site.

"Courses in Business Process Outsourcing, Enterprise Java, and English Language Skills will be offered at no charge to over 3,000 under- and unemployed students who will then participate in on-the-job training schemes with private firms," the embassy said.

USAID is also partnering with Sri Lankan companies in other industries, including construction and garment manufacturing, to help create 10,000 new jobs in the country, which is still recovering from a 30-year civil war that ended in 2009.

But it's the outsourcing program that's sure to draw the most fire from critics. While Obama acknowledged that occupations such as garment making don't add much value to the U.S. economy, he argued relentlessly during his presidential run that lawmakers needed to do more to keep hi-tech jobs in IT, biological sciences, and green energy in the country.

He also accused the Bush administration of creating tax loopholes that made it easier for U.S. companies to place work offshore in low-cost countries.

As recently as Monday, Obama, speaking at a Democratic fundraiser in Atlanta, boasted about his efforts to reduce offshoring. The President said he's implemented "a plan that’s focused on making our middle class more secure and our country more competitive in the long run -- so that the jobs and industries of the future aren’t all going to China and India, but are being created right here in the United States of America."

Obama in January tapped Shah to head USAID. At the time of his appointment, Shah—whose experience in the development community included senior positions at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—said the organization needed to focus more on helping developing nations build technology-based economies. "We need to develop new capabilities to pursue innovation, science, and technology," said Shah, during his swearing in ceremony.

Sri Lanka's outsourcing industry is nascent, but growing as it begins to scoop up work from neighboring India.

In addition to homegrown firms, it's attracting investment from Indian outsourcers looking to expand beyond increasingly expensive tech hubs like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. In 2007, consultants at A.T. Kearney listed the country as 29th on their list of the top 50 global outsourcing destinations.

 

[Statorama]

Due to security concerns, we are unable to outline details associated with security procedures and costs.

Wait, what? What security concerns are involved in telling the American taxpayers how much this vacation is costing them? I understand why they can't trumpet what the security procedures are, but there's no reason why they can't tell us how much this is costing us. NONE.

 

[Statorama]

Let the investigations begin

At Ricochet, Emily Esfahani Smith has written a post called "Let the Investigations Begin." They can begin soon because Republicans will soon control the House and thus be able to use the subpoena power to investigate whatever they chose to.

This is a welcome power, in part because it serves as a potential deterrent to egregious future wrongdoing by the administration. But it's a power that should be used judiciously. In my opinion, the public elected a Republican Congress for the purpose of repealing Democratic legislative excesses, preventing new overreaching legislation, and bringing spending under control. It did not elect a Republican Congress to persecute the executive branch.

With this in mind, let's look at the five areas of possible investigation that Emily, per the Daily Beast, has listed. They are: the Joe Sestak deal, the new Black Panther Party, the BP spill, the "czars," and the removal of the inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

- I would put the Sestak deal and the BP spill at the bottom of this list. To wallow in these matters strikes me as backward looking. Sestak lost and the spill response has already been investigated by a commission which issued a report critical of the White House.

- The administration's handling of the New Black Panther Party case is worthy of an investigation as part of a broader inquiry into the willingness of the Obama Justice Department's enforce civil rights laws in a racially neutral manner. There is reason to believe that DOJ is not willing to enforce these laws in cases where the rights of non-minorities are violated. It needs to understand that Congress will not tolerate such a double standard.

- The "czars" began as an annoying, but not terribly threatening phenomenon. But now, Obama has placed czars in top positions at the commanding heights of our economy. Specifically, he has bypassed the Senate confirmation procedure by (1) installing Don Berwick, via recess appointment, as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and (2) making Elizabeth Warren a "special adviser" so she can create and oversee the new consumer financial protection bureau. This should prompt an investigation. It should also spur the House to take action to thwart the two agencies in question until President Obama submits to the normal confirmation procedure.

- At first glance, the removal of, Gerald Walpin, the inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service, may seem insufficiently consequential to justify a backward looking investigation. However, as Stanley Kurtz points out in Radical-in-Chief, Obama included $1.4 billion in the 2011 budget to create a force of government-funded community organizers. His aim is to boost his political program while creating an army of young adherents in the process. The firing of Walpin appears to have an attempt to clear the way for this form of abuse. In this context, it is worthy of investigation by the House.

If readers have additional subjects they think should be investigated, we'd be happy to hear about them.

 

[timschochet]

I really hope the GOP thinks hard before starting investigations. We've been down this road so many times by both parties, you'd think they learned their lesson by now. It costs tons of money which we can't afford, the public is bored and disgusted, and very little gets accomplished. Ken Starr, stay at home.

 

[Statorama]

I really hope the GOP thinks hard before starting investigations. We've been down this road so many times by both parties, you'd think they learned their lesson by now. It costs tons of money which we can't afford, the public is bored and disgusted, and very little gets accomplished. Ken Starr, stay at home.

The Black Panther case in particular has teeth. I do agree that the BP / Sestak things should be let go, but we can't just sit back and let them get away with the shenanigans they've been perpetrating the last two years.Oh, and for those who think Obama somehow "learned his lesson",

with the George Soros backed group MoveOn.org which came after his "shellacking" speech to the nation.

 

[pittstownkiller]

I really hope the GOP thinks hard before starting investigations. We've been down this road so many times by both parties, you'd think they learned their lesson by now. It costs tons of money which we can't afford, the public is bored and disgusted, and very little gets accomplished. Ken Starr, stay at home.

If something wrong was done it should be investigated. I don't think anyone wants a witch hunt but voter intimidation and promising federal jobs not to run, are pretty serious allegations. "Money we can't afford" should not come into play to investigate crimes; to me that is money spent correctly. Did you feel this way when they investigated "Scooter" Libby, when they knew he wasn't the source of the leak about Plame? He didn't even commit a crime until he was asked a question, that he then lied about. Two billion for an overseas trip does sound excessive to me; if you want to be cost conscious.

 

[Statorama]

Notre Dame pays the price for Obama visit

After honoring President Barack Obama during last May's commencement ceremonies, the University of Notre Dame has seen less contributions and is feeling financial heat.

In May 2009, debate was heated over the fact that Notre Dame, a Catholic university, invited President Obama to speak at its graduation. It was controversial mainly because some of Obama's policies are contrary to church doctrine. Katie Walker of American Life League (ALL) tells OneNewsNow the school has paid a price.

"Notre Dame has come out $120 million short for the fiscal year in which President Obama spoke during commencement and received an honorary law degree," she reports.

She believes that staggering number is in direct response of alumni and others around the country who feel scandalized "that Notre Dame would host this man and give one of the most pro-abortion presidents in the nation's history an honorary law degree."

The pro-lifer points out that Obama "is a man whose philosophy of the law and philosophy of the country fundamentally is one that denies that all human beings deserve human rights," so she wonders, "Is this a man [one] that 'Our Lady's' university should be honoring and upholding and putting on a pedestal for her graduates?"

Walker feels the drop in funding should send a loud message to Notre Dame, which means "Our Lady."

$8.2 Million confirmed directly due to Obama

DEARBORN, MI (April 27, 2009)—Organizers of ReplaceJenkins.com, an online effort urging alumni and donors to the University of Notre Dame to withhold donations, announced Monday that they have personally confirmed over $8.2 million in withheld donations as a part of their national outreach effort.

The website ReplaceJenkins.com has received over 900 pledges from alumni and donors promising to withhold future donations. Several of the largest gifts include estate bequests to the University that have been removed from donors' wills. ReplaceJenkins.com organizers have personally confirmed a majority of the largest donations, and continue to verify the validity of millions of additional gifts.

ReplaceJenkins.com spokesperson David DiFranco (Class of '95) commented: "We knew many donors and alums were unhappy with the decision to honor a pro-abortion president, but we never expected this large of a response. We can hardly keep up, and this is only the beginning. We can only imagine what fundraisers at the University are experiencing, but understandably not reporting."

"The process of verifying the largest donors has been carefully conducted," DiFranco explained. "We dismissed the obvious bogus submissions, and are not counting a huge number of larger donations that we are still in the process of verifying. We are speaking directly with donors, and in several cases we have spoken with estate attorneys to confirm that Notre Dame has been stripped from a donor's will. We are going about this process with a critical eye in order that the numbers we report are accurate. For that reason, the $8.2 million we are reporting today is actually very conservative."

 

[Fennis]

I really hope the GOP thinks hard before starting investigations. We've been down this road so many times by both parties, you'd think they learned their lesson by now. It costs tons of money which we can't afford, the public is bored and disgusted, and very little gets accomplished. Ken Starr, stay at home.

If something wrong was done it should be investigated. I don't think anyone wants a witch hunt but voter intimidation and promising federal jobs not to run, are pretty serious allegations. "Money we can't afford" should not come into play to investigate crimes; to me that is money spent correctly. Did you feel this way when they investigated "Scooter" Libby, when they knew he wasn't the source of the leak about Plame? He didn't even commit a crime until he was asked a question, that he then lied about. Two billion for an overseas trip does sound excessive to me; if you want to be cost conscious.

I'm pretty sure congress didnt investigate Libby. The DOJ did.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

Notre Dame pays the price for Obama visit

After honoring President Barack Obama during last May's commencement ceremonies, the University of Notre Dame has seen less contributions and is feeling financial heat.

In May 2009, debate was heated over the fact that Notre Dame, a Catholic university, invited President Obama to speak at its graduation. It was controversial mainly because some of Obama's policies are contrary to church doctrine. Katie Walker of American Life League (ALL) tells OneNewsNow the school has paid a price.

"Notre Dame has come out $120 million short for the fiscal year in which President Obama spoke during commencement and received an honorary law degree," she reports.

She believes that staggering number is in direct response of alumni and others around the country who feel scandalized "that Notre Dame would host this man and give one of the most pro-abortion presidents in the nation's history an honorary law degree."

The pro-lifer points out that Obama "is a man whose philosophy of the law and philosophy of the country fundamentally is one that denies that all human beings deserve human rights," so she wonders, "Is this a man [one] that 'Our Lady's' university should be honoring and upholding and putting on a pedestal for her graduates?"

Walker feels the drop in funding should send a loud message to Notre Dame, which means "Our Lady."

$8.2 Million confirmed directly due to Obama

DEARBORN, MI (April 27, 2009)—Organizers of ReplaceJenkins.com, an online effort urging alumni and donors to the University of Notre Dame to withhold donations, announced Monday that they have personally confirmed over $8.2 million in withheld donations as a part of their national outreach effort.

The website ReplaceJenkins.com has received over 900 pledges from alumni and donors promising to withhold future donations. Several of the largest gifts include estate bequests to the University that have been removed from donors' wills. ReplaceJenkins.com organizers have personally confirmed a majority of the largest donations, and continue to verify the validity of millions of additional gifts.

ReplaceJenkins.com spokesperson David DiFranco (Class of '95) commented: "We knew many donors and alums were unhappy with the decision to honor a pro-abortion president, but we never expected this large of a response. We can hardly keep up, and this is only the beginning. We can only imagine what fundraisers at the University are experiencing, but understandably not reporting."

"The process of verifying the largest donors has been carefully conducted," DiFranco explained. "We dismissed the obvious bogus submissions, and are not counting a huge number of larger donations that we are still in the process of verifying. We are speaking directly with donors, and in several cases we have spoken with estate attorneys to confirm that Notre Dame has been stripped from a donor's will. We are going about this process with a critical eye in order that the numbers we report are accurate. For that reason, the $8.2 million we are reporting today is actually very conservative."

I didn't think there was anything that could make me like Obama more, but the fact that he may hurting Notre Dame financially just bumped him up a few notches on the Ramadan card list.

 

[timschochet]

I really hope the GOP thinks hard before starting investigations. We've been down this road so many times by both parties, you'd think they learned their lesson by now. It costs tons of money which we can't afford, the public is bored and disgusted, and very little gets accomplished. Ken Starr, stay at home.

If something wrong was done it should be investigated. I don't think anyone wants a witch hunt but voter intimidation and promising federal jobs not to run, are pretty serious allegations. "Money we can't afford" should not come into play to investigate crimes; to me that is money spent correctly. Did you feel this way when they investigated "Scooter" Libby, when they knew he wasn't the source of the leak about Plame? He didn't even commit a crime until he was asked a question, that he then lied about. Two billion for an overseas trip does sound excessive to me; if you want to be cost conscious.

That was the Department of Justice. If Congress had investigated the Plame matter, I would have considered it a waste of time. Don't forget many progressives wanted Obama to investigate **** Cheney for war crimes, and conservatives warned us there would be one hearing after another. Obama chose wisely not to do this. Why? Because Congress is unable to investigate anything in a non-partisan way. Also, the Black Panther story Stat is touting is the most ridiculous non-story of the last couple years. I think the GOP is smarter than to try and investigate that stuff. If they do, they will look like laughing stocks. The conservatives in the Judiciary are better off trying to scheme up disreputable ways to deprive the innocent children of illegal immigrants from getting citizenship. That seems to be a big Tea Party item; we'll see if they pursue it.

 

[tommyboy]

I really hope the GOP thinks hard before starting investigations. We've been down this road so many times by both parties, you'd think they learned their lesson by now. It costs tons of money which we can't afford, the public is bored and disgusted, and very little gets accomplished. Ken Starr, stay at home.

If something wrong was done it should be investigated. I don't think anyone wants a witch hunt but voter intimidation and promising federal jobs not to run, are pretty serious allegations. "Money we can't afford" should not come into play to investigate crimes; to me that is money spent correctly. Did you feel this way when they investigated "Scooter" Libby, when they knew he wasn't the source of the leak about Plame? He didn't even commit a crime until he was asked a question, that he then lied about. Two billion for an overseas trip does sound excessive to me; if you want to be cost conscious.

Also, the Black Panther story Stat is touting is the most ridiculous non-story of the last couple years. I think the GOP is smarter than to try and investigate that stuff. If they do, they will look like laughing stocks. The conservatives in the Judiciary are better off trying to scheme up disreputable ways to deprive the innocent children of illegal immigrants from getting citizenship. That seems to be a big Tea Party item; we'll see if they pursue it.

i completely disagree regards the black panther case. it is about the only thing worth investigating because actual federal laws have been broken. I don't think the reps should be going willy nilly on investigations either. But that one is ripe for the cold bright light of major attention. I"m willing to bet this is one of those 70/30 deals where a large majority of americans would be against racially selective enforecment of civil rights laws by the DOJ.

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

She believes that staggering number is in direct response of alumni and others around the country who feel scandalized "that Notre Dame would host this man and give one of the most pro-abortion presidents in the nation's history an honorary law degree."

How does this even matter? Since 1973 abortion has been legal and there's nothing a President can do about it. Catholics need to get a life.

 

[jafo]

Look at the bright side. If here were staying in the US he'd be finding ways to spend even more money than this trip will cost. I think we are making out alright.

 

[jon_mx]

She believes that staggering number is in direct response of alumni and others around the country who feel scandalized "that Notre Dame would host this man and give one of the most pro-abortion presidents in the nation's history an honorary law degree."

How does this even matter? Since 1973 abortion has been legal and there's nothing a President can do about it. Catholics need to get a life.

Obama appointing two radically pro-abortionist justices. So yes he already has done a lot about it. These two will vote to strike down any restrictions on abortions such as waiting periods or partial birth abortions or parental consent laws. Obama even has blood on his hands from going back to his Illinois days when he stop infanticide laws from going in effect, even with some evidence that infanticide was going on in his state. He is such a liar on the issue when he says he personally opposes abortion. Many democrats will say they personally oppose things, but then vote radically against that 'belief'.

 

[flufhed]

Jesus you guys will believe anything as long as Obama is made to look bad. 34 ships? Two billion dollars?

It also goes along with the ongoing GOP narrative of the ghetto Obamas gallabating about the world on the hard earned nickles of "regular Americans."Of course, they don't come right out and say that.

 

[Courtjester]

Jesus you guys will believe anything as long as Obama is made to look bad. 34 ships? Two billion dollars?

It also goes along with the ongoing GOP narrative of the ghetto Obamas gallabating about the world on the hard earned nickles of "regular Americans."Of course, they don't come right out and say that.

I frankly wish the trip was costing that much and there were that many ships going with him. Whether you like him or not, we as a nation, cannot afford anything to happen to Obama. To me, (just my .02) this is a huge and unneccesary risk for him to take at this point. Sure you want to go over and see our allies and shake hands, but to stay in the same hotel close to the anniversary of the attacks on it, is just tempting fate. I know this trip has been cancelled twice and so on, but we need him here and if something were to happen to Obama, it would send this country reeling.

 

[Statorama]

Another "stimulus and green jobs" failure

Solyndra Inc., the high-flying solar panel maker once touted by President Barack Obama as a model for a green energy future, said Wednesday it has scuttled its factory expansion in Fremont, a move that will stop the company's plans to hire 1,000 workers.

Solyndra said it will also close an existing factory in the East Bay. That will leave the company with one Fremont factory, a new plant visible from Interstate 880.

The moves mean that instead of having 2,000 workers in Fremont, Solyndra will cap its work force at 1,000, which is about the current level. Solyndra also will, over the next several weeks, eliminate 155 to 175 jobs in Fremont. That includes 135 contract employees and 20 to 40 full-time workers, said David Miller, a Solyndra spokesman.

 

[Statorama]

Just a side note : Hillary will not run for President in 2012

 

[Statorama]

Boehner talking tough about Obamacare

"Trust me. I'm Going To Make Sure This H'care Bill Is Never, Ever, Ever Implemented"

"There's a lot of tricks up our sleeves."

 

[Statorama]

Obama's Lesson Of The Midterms Is That He Needs To Speak To You Idiots Slower And Use Smaller Words

“I think that’s a fair argument. I think that, over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that, we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn’t just legislation. That it’s a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone,” Mr. Obama told 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft in an exclusive interview set to air Sunday.

“Making an argument that people can understand,” Mr. Obama continued, “I think that we haven’t always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it’s something that I’ve got to examine carefully … as I go forward.”

Really? You think none of the 54 speeches you've given on healthcare were enough?