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

[Maurile Tremblay]

Another broken promise: Obama's FDA puts its foot down on stem cells.

 

[Da Guru]

Obamacare fails to define what constitutes a "benefit"

The political revolt against ObamaCare came to Missouri Tuesday, with voters casting ballots three to one against the plan in its first direct referendum. This is another resounding health-care rebuke to the White House and Democrats, not that overwhelming public opposition to this expansion of government power ever deterred them before.

Missouri's Proposition C annulled the "individual mandate" within state lines, or the requirement that everyone buy insurance or else pay a tax. Liberals are trying to wave off this embarrassment, but that is hard to do when the split was 71.1% in favor in a state John McCain won by a mere 0.1% margin. The anti-ObamaCare measure carried every county save St. Louis and Kansas City with 668,000 votes, yet just 578,000 Republicans cast a ballot in the concurrent primaries.

If the practical effects of this conflict between state and federal law are likely to be limited, more importantly, Missouri's vote revealed once again that the country is still aghast over President Obama's health-care presumption. Earlier this week, the Congressional Research Service reported that the new bureaucracy the bill created is so complex and indiscriminate that its size is "currently unknowable." Capitol Hill's independent policy arm added that among "the dozens of new governmental organizations or advisory bodies," it is "impossible to know how much influence they will ultimately have." [/

No wonder Missourians rebelled, as with voters in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia last year. There will be more such what-have-they-done ObamaCare moments. Wait until the public discovers the government is now literally determining what qualifies as "health care" in America.

That isn't a typo. ObamaCare mandates that insurers spend a certain percentage of premium dollars on benefits, but Democrats never got around to writing the fine print of what counts as a benefit. So a handful of regulators are now choosing among the tens of thousands of services that doctors, hospitals and insurers offer. Few other government decisions will do more to shape tomorrow's health market, or what's left of it.

This command-and-control mechanism is the bill's mandate for insurance "medical loss ratios" (MLR) of 85% for large employers and 80% for small businesses and individuals. The MLR is an accounting statistic that measures the share of premiums paid out in patient claims ("losses"). In the individual market, MLRs typically run between 65% and 75%, and Democrats like Jay Rockefeller and Al Franken think this is evidence of excessive profits, executive pay, marketing and other supposedly wasteful overhead.

The same mentality prevails in the Administration, so it may well adopt a narrow definition of medical expenses when it issues final regulations by early fall. The insurance industry is lobbying for a less rigid standard: It will be easier to run a business and turn a profit if more of the costs are considered truly medical in nature.

More notable is that people partial to ObamaCare but largely outside of politics are coming to understand the mess Congress has created. To wit, much of health care's intellectual energy is moving toward a concept called the "accountable care organization," which would replace today's fragmented delivery system of mostly solo practitioners with teams of doctors and hospitals working together. These integrated groups would manage and coordinate care, use more information technology and try to improve treatment quality for chronic disease and complex conditions.

Yet "it isn't easy to draw a bright line, or even a fuzzy line, between traditional health services and some of the more innovative coordinated models," says Mark McClellan of the Brookings Institution and a leading accountable care proponent. The new model would rely on many tools that aren't strictly medical, like, say, a checkup or a CT scan.

For example, how to classify a program to double-check doctors orders to avoid one of the unnecessary surgeries that kill some 12,000 people every year? Or counseling, calls, emails and other types of case management to make sure patients comply with their diabetes regimen? Or investments in electronic medical records? Obviously these programs aren't the same as an O.R. visit, but they still cost money, often a lot of it, and many insurance programs pay or are starting to pay for them.

The possibility that these will be written out of the MLR definition is feeding a growing unease about politics shaping medicine more than it already does. The California Association of Physician Groups, the largest U.S. accountable care trade group, recently protested that a narrow MLR ruling "would create a disincentive for plans to contract with our members and undercut the coordinated care model."

Health Integrated, a respected medical consulting firm, urged regulators "to avoid discouraging or inadvertently extinguishing the successful innovation that (so frequently) arises only from a plan's ability to try new ideas." Even North Dakota's Democratic Rep. Earl Pomeroy, who voted for the bill, argues that tight MLR regulation "could have a chilling effect on future innovative programs."

"The real question is the overall philosophical thrust, which will determine the long-term direction of health care," Mr. McClellan says of the coming definition. The regulatory debate is dominated by Senator Rockefeller and others on the left who are still angry they never got a public option and are trying to use MLR as a proxy for controlling the insurance industry. The irony is that the new health models they claim to favor may be collateral damage, even as insurers take the fall for the problems Congress created.

Another danger concerns the individual market, where a wave of destruction could be imminent. If the MLR definition is so arbitrary that health plans can't cover their claims and expenses, they'll simply withdraw that book of business. Mila Kofman, Maine's insurance superintendent and an ObamaCare supporter, warned that "the federal standard may disrupt our individual health insurance market" and is seeking an exemption. Her protest is all the more notable given that Maine's health regulations closely resemble those that are about to be imposed nationwide.

Ms. Kofman and others are right to worry. In the 1990s, an MLR crackdown in Washington state caused the individual market to collapse in 36 of 39 counties. Too bad for the people with coverage today who were promised they could keep it if they liked it.

This fight over medical loss ratios is an early taste of how a "government takeover" operates in practice. The state insurance commissioners advising the federal government—and who know something about the business—have already missed several deadlines because writing a uniform definition of medicine is "time consuming," while a wrong move would "destabilize the marketplace and significantly limit consumer choices."

We predicted that under ObamaCare politicians and technocrats would dominate medicine, and here they come. Without more Missouri-style revolts—or perhaps in spite of them—the rest of us will soon learn how competent they really are.

What a mess!

 

[sjacksonfan]

Another broken promise: Obama's FDA puts its foot down on stem cells.

I was under the impression there's no evidence that they're an effective treatment yet. That 60 minutes piece last year made my blood boil. Companies taking advantage of the dying by offering miracle stem-cell cures that do nothing and in some cases cause harm. We're just not there yet.

 

[BoneYardDog]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

 

[Spiderman]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

The strategy is astounding. The boat is leaking and we are sinking, but rather than plugging the hole, we're just going to hand out more buckets to try and stay afloat...

 

[jamny]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

Wasn't that what the $800B stimulus was for? Is that all gone?

 

[Desert_Power]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

 

[jamny]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

Shame on you and everyone else that equates people's desire for fiscal responsibility with hate. It's sickening.

 

[Parrothead]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

lots of people have lost their jobs.. no one is safe anymore..

 

[4 - Digit Shark]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

When is it going to stop?News flash, if the local and state governments and school districts can't afford the teachers, police or fire fighters, they must go or they must make cuts to find ways to keep them. If they keep getting handouts from the federal government, who doesn't have the money to begin with, they'll continue to operate on a budget they can not afford. Time to experience a little more hard times now for those who are on the government payroll, sorry. Not our fault they over spent and some are going to have to lose jobs to right the ship.Again, when do you think it should stop? And, how long are you going to give the idiot government officials, who over spend year, after year, after year, before you tell them enough is enough? They don't care if handing out this money will be bad for the country, they just want to make sure these people don't lose their jobs, so they in turn don't lose their votes. It's a joke anymore.Also, why are these (police, fire, teachers) the only jobs that can be cut? They are not, they're just the jobs that the politicians know will cause the most people worry about, if they're gone. Why not cut some of their assistants, trips, and pencil pushers first?

 

[Anthony Borbely]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

When is it going to stop?News flash, if the local and state governments and school districts can't afford the teachers, police or fire fighters, they must go or they must make cuts to find ways to keep them. If they keep getting handouts from the federal government, who doesn't have the money to begin with, they'll continue to operate on a budget they can not afford. Time to experience a little more hard times now for those who are on the government payroll, sorry. Not our fault they over spent and some are going to have to lose jobs to right the ship.Again, when do you think it should stop? And, how long are you going to give the idiot government officials, who over spend year, after year, after year, before you tell them enough is enough? They don't care if handing out this money will be bad for the country, they just want to make sure these people don't lose their jobs, so they in turn don't lose their votes. It's a joke anymore.Also, why are these (police, fire, teachers) the only jobs that can be cut? They are not, they're just the jobs that the politicians know will cause the most people worry about, if they're gone. Why not cut some of their assistants, trips, and pencil pushers first?

Should it stop? Absolutely. Should it stop right now? Absolutely not.

 

[Desert_Power]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

When is it going to stop?

Maybe when we aren't still trying to get out of the worst economic crisis in 70 years? As for the rest of your misguided rant, you make it sound like these positions are some extremely wasteful and extravagant jobs. They're not. They are unaffordable because revenues have dropped and states generally cannot deficit spend. The states could not have prepared for this and it make sense for the federal government to help them through this time since it can spend. Unless you think continuing to add to unemployment while decreasing the availability of vital services in communities is a good thing.

 

[Desert_Power]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

Shame on you and everyone else that equates people's desire for fiscal responsibility with hate. It's sickening.

Spare me; you guys are in here #####ing about Obama bailing out "unions", not talking about fiscal responsibility. If you really had desire for fiscal responsibility, you would be talking about how the Bush tax cuts need to expire. Instead, your calls for fiscal responsibility only happen when it comes to cutting services for those who need them the most.

 

[Bogeys]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

When is it going to stop?

Maybe when we aren't still trying to get out of the worst economic crisis in 70 years? As for the rest of your misguided rant, you make it sound like these positions are some extremely wasteful and extravagant jobs. They're not. They are unaffordable because revenues have dropped and states generally cannot deficit spend. The states could not have prepared for this and it make sense for the federal government to help them through this time since it can spend. Unless you think continuing to add to unemployment while decreasing the availability of vital services in communities is a good thing.

They absolutely could have prepared for something like this, but they spend every freaking dime they can on everyone's pet projects so they can get the votes and stay in power. There is just as much pork per capita in state and local budgets as there is in the federal budget.

 

[Mookie Blaylock]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

Shame on you and everyone else that equates people's desire for fiscal responsibility with hate. It's sickening.

Don't worry, jamny, there's a bailout coming to a profession near you. Very soon. Corporate and municipal welfare...what a great idea!!!

 

[Bogeys]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

Shame on you and everyone else that equates people's desire for fiscal responsibility with hate. It's sickening.

Spare me; you guys are in here #####ing about Obama bailing out "unions", not talking about fiscal responsibility. If you really had desire for fiscal responsibility, you would be talking about how the Bush tax cuts need to expire. Instead, your calls for fiscal responsibility only happen when it comes to cutting services for those who need them the most.

Again, I wouldn't mind the Bush tax cuts expiring IF spending was also being cut at the same time. Hell, I would be happy with just a spending freeze for the next 5 years at last years levels (minus stimulus spending), actual cuts wouldn't even need to be made.

But as long as the feds are going to spend and spend and spend then my first priority will be letting as many people keep as much of the money that they have earned as possible.

 

[bg0546]

Spare me; you guys are in here #####ing about Obama bailing out "unions", not talking about fiscal responsibility. If you really had desire for fiscal responsibility, you would be talking about how the Bush tax cuts need to expire. Instead, your calls for fiscal responsibility only happen when it comes to cutting services for those who need them the most.

Oh please. Los Angeles just released the salaries of everyone in the city in light of the city of Bell fiasco. Go look at them. Look at what NJ has been able to accomplish since Christie got elected by not letting the unions influence their fiscal changes. It's sad that people such as yourself won't acknowledge how much the unions have effected the fiscal issues in most cities. Go to the thread about California's fiscal situation. I posted a link the other day to how much pensions are going to be costing Los Angeles in a few years. It's unsustainable. Does that word even mean anything to someone such as yourself? UNSUSTAINABLE.

 

[Desert_Power]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

Shame on you and everyone else that equates people's desire for fiscal responsibility with hate. It's sickening.

Spare me; you guys are in here #####ing about Obama bailing out "unions", not talking about fiscal responsibility. If you really had desire for fiscal responsibility, you would be talking about how the Bush tax cuts need to expire. Instead, your calls for fiscal responsibility only happen when it comes to cutting services for those who need them the most.

Again, I wouldn't mind the Bush tax cuts expiring IF spending was also being cut at the same time. Hell, I would be happy with just a spending freeze for the next 5 years at last years levels (minus stimulus spending), actual cuts wouldn't even need to be made.

But as long as the feds are going to spend and spend and spend then my first priority will be letting as many people keep as much of the money that they have earned as possible.

I do't know if anyone ever told you this, but two wrongs don't make a right. Particularly where the deficit is concered.

 

[Bogeys]

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

Shame on you and everyone else that equates people's desire for fiscal responsibility with hate. It's sickening.

Spare me; you guys are in here #####ing about Obama bailing out "unions", not talking about fiscal responsibility. If you really had desire for fiscal responsibility, you would be talking about how the Bush tax cuts need to expire. Instead, your calls for fiscal responsibility only happen when it comes to cutting services for those who need them the most.

Again, I wouldn't mind the Bush tax cuts expiring IF spending was also being cut at the same time. Hell, I would be happy with just a spending freeze for the next 5 years at last years levels (minus stimulus spending), actual cuts wouldn't even need to be made.

But as long as the feds are going to spend and spend and spend then my first priority will be letting as many people keep as much of the money that they have earned as possible.

I do't know if anyone ever told you this, but two wrongs don't make a right. Particularly where the deficit is concered.

I don't know if anyone ever told you this, but if you actually think that with the tax cuts expiring that the politicians won't just turn around and spend more vs. reducing the deficit past the next election cycle then you are very naive.

 

[Desert_Power]

I don't know if anyone ever told you this, but if you actually think that with the tax cuts expiring that the politicians won't just turn around and spend more vs. reducing the deficit past the next election cycle then you are very naive.

Why do you keep making excuses for supporting half of the problem?

 

[Desert_Power]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

When is it going to stop?

Maybe when we aren't still trying to get out of the worst economic crisis in 70 years? As for the rest of your misguided rant, you make it sound like these positions are some extremely wasteful and extravagant jobs. They're not. They are unaffordable because revenues have dropped and states generally cannot deficit spend. The states could not have prepared for this and it make sense for the federal government to help them through this time since it can spend. Unless you think continuing to add to unemployment while decreasing the availability of vital services in communities is a good thing.

They absolutely could have prepared for something like this, but they spend every freaking dime they can on everyone's pet projects so they can get the votes and stay in power. There is just as much pork per capita in state and local budgets as there is in the federal budget.

I don't think this is true. I'm fairly certain I read that a vast majority of state's reserve funds were at their highest levels ever in 2007. Essentially, there has never been a time when states were more prepared for this long and deep drop in revenues and they still couldn't handle it. I cannot find the link for this now though; I will try looking when I get home tonight.

 

[Bogeys]

I don't know if anyone ever told you this, but if you actually think that with the tax cuts expiring that the politicians won't just turn around and spend more vs. reducing the deficit past the next election cycle then you are very naive.

Why do you keep making excuses for supporting half of the problem?

Where am I wrong in my reasoning? Instead of just saying tax cuts are bad, where would you cut spending?Just because I am a realist on this type of thing doesn't mean I actually like it. I said in my first reply that I would have no trouble with the tax cuts expiring (and wouldn't be too against an increase on top of that) IF and only IF spending is cut or frozen at the same time. Where is your support of cutting spending for the whole of the federal government, not just cherry-picked spending you don't like? I would freeze the whole of the budget and make Congress pick priorities with that money as opposed to just increasing everything varying amounts every year. I would love to have a Constitutional amendment making a balanced budget mandatory.

 

[jamny]

I am especially impressed with the next 26 Billion bailout to the various state union members...

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

Shame on you and everyone else that equates people's desire for fiscal responsibility with hate. It's sickening.

Spare me; you guys are in here #####ing about Obama bailing out "unions", not talking about fiscal responsibility. If you really had desire for fiscal responsibility, you would be talking about how the Bush tax cuts need to expire. Instead, your calls for fiscal responsibility only happen when it comes to cutting services for those who need them the most.

So you honestly believe that people who don't support this new 26 billion dollar bailout hate teachers, policemen, and firefighters?

 

[Bogeys]

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

When is it going to stop?

Maybe when we aren't still trying to get out of the worst economic crisis in 70 years? As for the rest of your misguided rant, you make it sound like these positions are some extremely wasteful and extravagant jobs. They're not. They are unaffordable because revenues have dropped and states generally cannot deficit spend. The states could not have prepared for this and it make sense for the federal government to help them through this time since it can spend. Unless you think continuing to add to unemployment while decreasing the availability of vital services in communities is a good thing.

They absolutely could have prepared for something like this, but they spend every freaking dime they can on everyone's pet projects so they can get the votes and stay in power. There is just as much pork per capita in state and local budgets as there is in the federal budget.

I don't think this is true. I'm fairly certain I read that a vast majority of state's reserve funds were at their highest levels ever in 2007. Essentially, there has never been a time when states were more prepared for this long and deep drop in revenues and they still couldn't handle it. I cannot find the link for this now though; I will try looking when I get home tonight.

I would be interested in seeing that, so thanks in advance if you can find it later.I know that what happens in this state (we have to have a balanced budget by law) is that there is different tiers of spending and tier A always gets funded, then if money was left tier B gets funded and so on. Tier C generally doesn't get funded except in good economic times and this is the real pork spending layer.

 

[CBusAlex]

Another broken promise: Obama's FDA puts its foot down on stem cells.

Is this for real? With all the spelling and grammatical errors, that press release reads like a chain email. It is difficult to imagine a legitimate medical company putting out something like"What could so deadly that using your own bodies cells to regenerate and heal yourself and what is the real reason the FDA is trying to stop it?"

 

[Phurfur]

I'm impressed by how you guys can really frame aid that prevents teachers, policemen, and firefighters from being fired as a bad thing. Keep up the hate.

When is it going to stop?

Maybe when we aren't still trying to get out of the worst economic crisis in 70 years? As for the rest of your misguided rant, you make it sound like these positions are some extremely wasteful and extravagant jobs. They're not. They are unaffordable because revenues have dropped and states generally cannot deficit spend. The states could not have prepared for this and it make sense for the federal government to help them through this time since it can spend. Unless you think continuing to add to unemployment while decreasing the availability of vital services in communities is a good thing.

They absolutely could have prepared for something like this, but they spend every freaking dime they can on everyone's pet projects so they can get the votes and stay in power. There is just as much pork per capita in state and local budgets as there is in the federal budget.

I don't think this is true. I'm fairly certain I read that a vast majority of state's reserve funds were at their highest levels ever in 2007. Essentially, there has never been a time when states were more prepared for this long and deep drop in revenues and they still couldn't handle it. I cannot find the link for this now though; I will try looking when I get home tonight.

and the government is out there trying to regulate everything in sight except the cause of our problem in the first place: Federal, State and Local government.

 

[Statorama]

Ultra Liberals continue to rip Obama

This time it's for concentrating more on having a sports fantasy camp than actual press conferences.

BTW, Obama has already played twice as much golf than GW Bush did in 8 years.

"You must always remember that the president is about 6."

This advice was offered more than 100 years ago by a British friend of Teddy Roosevelt's. The nation has matured since then, and so has the presidency. Now the president is about 12.

While President Obama's wife and younger daughter were conducting international relations in Majorca on Sunday with Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, the commander in chief was at home hosting a fantasy camp for himself. He and his buddies had a birthday weekend barbecue and basketball game with LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning, Magic Johnson and other legends of the sport.

The day before, it was a four-hour golf outing for Obama and the boys. On Monday, he hosted the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints at the White House and talked about his own exploits on the gridiron last year with Saints quarterback Drew Brees. "He tossed me a nice tight spiral that I then lateraled to a kid on [Dallas Cowboys linebacker] DeMarcus Ware's shoulders," the president recalled. "I also want to point out I beat [Pittsburgh Steelers safety] Troy Polamalu over the middle on that throw." Obama turned to Brees. "You remember?"

Boys will be boys -- even if they're presidents.

It's a good thing Michelle Obama is back from her foreign trip. Otherwise Obama might have already invited the networks to film him playing H-O-R-S-E on the White House basketball court. Oh, wait: He already did that, in the spring, when basketball star and CBS Sports announcer Clark Kellogg shot some televised hoops with him.

According to unofficial presidential statistician Mark Knoller of CBS News, Obama has left the White House to play basketball 16 times so far, in addition to the countless times he has played on his home court. He's shot 44 rounds of golf, gone fishing and played tennis. Total sporting-related events hosted at the White House: 45. That's about six times the number of news conferences he has held.

 

[Parrothead]

Ultra Liberals continue to rip Obama

This time it's for concentrating more on having a sports fantasy camp than actual press conferences.

BTW, Obama has already played twice as much golf than GW Bush did in 8 years.

"You must always remember that the president is about 6."

This advice was offered more than 100 years ago by a British friend of Teddy Roosevelt's. The nation has matured since then, and so has the presidency. Now the president is about 12.

While President Obama's wife and younger daughter were conducting international relations in Majorca on Sunday with Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, the commander in chief was at home hosting a fantasy camp for himself. He and his buddies had a birthday weekend barbecue and basketball game with LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning, Magic Johnson and other legends of the sport.

The day before, it was a four-hour golf outing for Obama and the boys. On Monday, he hosted the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints at the White House and talked about his own exploits on the gridiron last year with Saints quarterback Drew Brees. "He tossed me a nice tight spiral that I then lateraled to a kid on [Dallas Cowboys linebacker] DeMarcus Ware's shoulders," the president recalled. "I also want to point out I beat [Pittsburgh Steelers safety] Troy Polamalu over the middle on that throw." Obama turned to Brees. "You remember?"

Boys will be boys -- even if they're presidents.

It's a good thing Michelle Obama is back from her foreign trip. Otherwise Obama might have already invited the networks to film him playing H-O-R-S-E on the White House basketball court. Oh, wait: He already did that, in the spring, when basketball star and CBS Sports announcer Clark Kellogg shot some televised hoops with him.

According to unofficial presidential statistician Mark Knoller of CBS News, Obama has left the White House to play basketball 16 times so far, in addition to the countless times he has played on his home court. He's shot 44 rounds of golf, gone fishing and played tennis. Total sporting-related events hosted at the White House: 45. That's about six times the number of news conferences he has held.

meh.. I'd rather him play than spend.. keep it up, I say..

 

[Statorama]

Obama popularity in the Middle East plummets

But....but....I thought they were supposed to love us once Barack was in charge!?!

A recent poll found that Obama's approval rating in the Middle East, that ignis fatuus of good will, is at an all-time low. The Financial Times reports:

The poll, organised by the University of Maryland and Zogby International, a public opinion research group, says the proportion of respondents with positive views about Mr Obama has more than halved from 45 per cent to 20 per cent since last year.

Those with negative views have almost tripled, from 23 per cent to 62 per cent.

People were questioned in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Lebanon and Jordan.

But he's the anti-Bush, he's burka neutral, he doesn't believe in 'terror' but 'man-caused disasters', and he's decidedly not a sleeper for Likud. This can't be right, can it? Reality and perception of reality are two different things in the Middle East, aren't they? Yes, but when the perception is "We hate you," the reality is "No, really. We hate you." Fortunately, David Cameron, who has been studying the Field Guide to Orientalist Pleasantries, has got a plan to bolster the West's image, a job will that be decidedly more difficult now that Iran has got a nuclear bomb:

I think that the European Union will be better off if we actually include a country like Turkey that will be a very strong trading partner for us, and we need to trade and invest. I think they will be a good political influence for us because they can help us solve some of the world’s problems, like the Middle East peace process, like the fact Iran has got a nuclear weapon.

Just like a good PR man, Cameron's just telling them what they want to hear.

 

[jamny]

Another day, another $26 billion bailout

Hardly worth starting a new thread over. I'm trying to find an actual copy of the bill HR1586 but did read that it will be paid for in part by a reduction in monthly food stamp payout? Can this be true?

also found this - a letter from the National Association of Manufacturers:

Jay Timmons

Executive Vice President

August 9, 2010

1331 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004

P 2026373043 F 2026373182 www.nam.org

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representatives:

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the nation’s largest industrial trade association representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states, urges you to oppose the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act.

While the NAM has taken no position on the spending provisions in the legislation, we remain adamantly opposed to using proposed tax increases on American worldwide companies to fund unrelated spending initiatives.

An estimated 22 million people in the United States – more than 19 percent of the private sector workforce and 53 percent of all manufacturing employees – are employed by companies with operations overseas. Manufacturers feel strongly that imposing $9.6 billion in tax increases on these companies as proposed in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1586 will jeopardize the jobs of American manufacturing employees and stifle our fragile economy.

Some of the proposed tax increases, which are mischaracterized as closing tax loopholes, actually represent significant changes to pro-growth tax policy supported by Congress and the Administration.

We are disappointed that many of the legislation’s proposed tax increases have not been adequately scrutinized during congressional hearings. In many cases, taxpayers have relied on these longstanding tax provisions in structuring their businesses. Changing the rules without fair and adequate hearings will cost in terms of jobs, investment and manufacturers’ ability to compete overseas.

Manufacturers believe strongly that changes to our international tax laws should be considered in the broader context of tax reform that makes the United States more competitive – not as “pay fors” for unrelated policy initiatives.

Moreover, targeting some international tax law changes in advance of the tax reform debate would make the goal of pro-growth, pro-competitiveness reform that much more difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.

The NAM’s Key Vote Advisory Committee has indicated that votes related to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1586, including procedural votes, may be considered for designation as Key Manufacturing Votes in the 111th Congress.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Jay Timmons

 

[bg0546]

Even Democrats are starting to distance themselves from Obama/Pelosi:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/ho...ances-self.html

 

[MongoL3]

Even Democrats are starting to distance themselves from Obama/Pelosi:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/ho...ances-self.html

Thats because all they care about is their own political rearends, what a bunch of cowards.

 

[Ilov80s]

Obama did a good job on The View and with all of the sporting games he's been to. It was a player move sending his wife to Spain so he could get his freak on for his b-day. However, he needs to hire a writer for his Twitter. His tweets are too dry. Last couple days all he has been tweeting about is education and some spending bills. Boooring

 

[dickey moe]

CUT SPENDING

 

[Josie Maran]

CUT SPENDING

Who are you yelling at?

 

[Statorama]

Obama's money laundering scam involving teachers unions

Your tax dollars funneled to Democratic political advocacy groups.

What Obama Said:

Now, this proposal is fully paid for, in part by closing tax loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas. So it will not add to our deficit. And the money will only go toward saving the jobs of teachers and other essential professionals.

It should not be a partisan issue. I heard the Republican Leader in the House say the other day that this is a special interest bill. And I suppose if America’s children and the safety of our communities are your special interests, then it is a special interest bill. But I think those interests are widely shared throughout this country -- a challenge that affects parents, children and citizens in almost every community in America should not be a Democratic problem or a Republican problem. It is an American problem.

Now the TRUTH

$10 billion of this money goes to the unions. Before the money gets to the "teachers" the unions skim off their share of mandatory "contributions".

The money skimmed by the unions goes directly into the union political advocacy/footsoldier network to get out votes for Dems.

 

[Mookie Blaylock]

Obama's money laundering scam involving teachers unions

Your tax dollars funneled to Democratic political advocacy groups.

What Obama Said:

Now, this proposal is fully paid for, in part by closing tax loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas. So it will not add to our deficit. And the money will only go toward saving the jobs of teachers and other essential professionals.

It should not be a partisan issue. I heard the Republican Leader in the House say the other day that this is a special interest bill. And I suppose if America’s children and the safety of our communities are your special interests, then it is a special interest bill. But I think those interests are widely shared throughout this country -- a challenge that affects parents, children and citizens in almost every community in America should not be a Democratic problem or a Republican problem. It is an American problem.

Now the TRUTH

$10 billion of this money goes to the unions. Before the money gets to the "teachers" the unions skim off their share of mandatory "contributions".

The money skimmed by the unions goes directly into the union political advocacy/footsoldier network to get out votes for Dems.

What a scumbag.

 

[jamny]

Another day, another $26 billion bailout

Hardly worth starting a new thread over. I'm trying to find an actual copy of the bill HR1586 but did read that it will be paid for in part by a reduction in monthly food stamp payout? Can this be true?

also found this - a letter from the National Association of Manufacturers:

So the bill will reduce the monthly payment to food stamp recipients by $59 in 2014. This isn't an actual cut because it was a provision in the original stimulus that is being reversed. More funny math. I'm sure the Dems/Obama received a lot of praise for this in the original stimulus. I wonder where the outrage is now?

 

[MongoL3]

Obama's money laundering scam involving teachers unions

Your tax dollars funneled to Democratic political advocacy groups.

What Obama Said:

Now, this proposal is fully paid for, in part by closing tax loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas. So it will not add to our deficit. And the money will only go toward saving the jobs of teachers and other essential professionals.

It should not be a partisan issue. I heard the Republican Leader in the House say the other day that this is a special interest bill. And I suppose if America’s children and the safety of our communities are your special interests, then it is a special interest bill. But I think those interests are widely shared throughout this country -- a challenge that affects parents, children and citizens in almost every community in America should not be a Democratic problem or a Republican problem. It is an American problem.

Now the TRUTH

$10 billion of this money goes to the unions. Before the money gets to the "teachers" the unions skim off their share of mandatory "contributions".

The money skimmed by the unions goes directly into the union political advocacy/footsoldier network to get out votes for Dems.

What a scumbag.

Yes, this is what we voted for. Hooray for us...laaaaaaame

 

[Statorama]

10 reasons why the Obama Presidency is in meltdown

OH HELL YEAH

Seems like the foreign press isn't as controlled as ours is

The stunning decline of Barack Obama: 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in meltdown

The last few weeks have been a nightmare for President Obama, in a summer of discontent in the United States which has deeply unsettled the ruling liberal elites, so much so that even the Left has begun to turn against the White House. While the anti-establishment Tea Party movement has gained significant ground and is now a rising and powerful political force to be reckoned with, many of the president’s own supporters as well as independents are rapidly losing faith in Barack Obama, with open warfare breaking out between the White House and the left-wing of the Democratic Party. While conservatism in America grows stronger by the day, the forces of liberalism are growing increasingly weaker and divided.

Against this backdrop, the president’s approval ratings have been sliding dramatically all summer, with the latest Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll of US voters dropping to minus 22 points, the lowest point so far for Barack Obama since taking office. While just 24 per cent of American voters strongly approve of the president’s job performance, almost twice that number, 46 per cent, strongly disapprove. According to Rasmussen, 65 per cent of voters believe the United States is going down the wrong track, including 70 per cent of independents.

The RealClearPolitics average of polls now has President Obama at over 50 per cent disapproval, a remarkably high figure for a president just 18 months into his first term. Strikingly, the latest USA Today/Gallup survey has the President on just 41 per cent approval, with 53 per cent disapproving.

Related link: The Obama presidency increasingly resembles a modern-day Ancien Régime

There are an array of reasons behind the stunning decline and political fall of President Obama, chief among them fears over the current state of the US economy, with widespread concern over high levels of unemployment, the unstable housing market, and above all the towering budget deficit. Americans are increasingly rejecting President Obama’s big government solutions to America’s economic woes, which many fear will lead to the United States sharing the same fate as Greece.

Growing disillusionment with the Obama administration’s handling of the economy as well as health care and immigration has gone hand in hand with mounting unhappiness with the President’s aloof and imperial style of leadership, and a growing perception that he is out of touch with ordinary Americans, especially at a time of significant economic pain. Barack Obama’s striking absence of natural leadership ability (and blatant lack of experience) has played a big part in undermining his credibility with the US public, with his lacklustre handling of the Gulf oil spill coming under particularly intense fire.

On the national security and foreign policy front, President Obama has not fared any better. His leadership on the war in Afghanistan has been confused and at times lacking in conviction, and seemingly dictated by domestic political priorities rather than military and strategic goals. His overall foreign policy has been an appalling mess, with his flawed strategy of engagement of hostile regimes spectacularly backfiring. And as for the War on Terror, his administration has not even acknowledged it is fighting one.

Can it get any worse for President Obama? Undoubtedly yes. Here are 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in serious trouble, and why its prospects are unlikely to improve between now and the November mid-terms.

1. The Obama presidency is out of touch with the American people

In a previous post I noted how the Obama presidency increasingly resembles a modern-day Ancien Régime, extravagant, decaying and out of touch with ordinary Americans. The First Lady’s ill-conceived trip to Spain at a time of widespread economic hardship was symbolic of a White House that barely gives a second thought to public opinion on many issues, and frequently projects a distinctly elitist image. The “let them eat cake” approach didn’t play well over two centuries ago, and it won’t succeed today.

2. Most Americans don’t have confidence in the president’s leadership

This deficit of trust in Obama’s leadership is central to his decline. According to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, “nearly six in ten voters say they lack faith in the president to make the right decisions for the country”, and two thirds “say they are disillusioned with or angry about the way the federal government is working.” The poll showed that a staggering 58 per cent of Americans say they do not have confidence in the president’s decision-making, with just 42 per cent saying they do.

3. Obama fails to inspire

In contrast to the soaring rhetoric of his 2004 Convention speech in Boston which succeeded in impressing millions of television viewers at the time, America is no longer inspired by Barack Obama’s flat, monotonous and often dull presidential speeches and statements delivered via teleprompter. From his extraordinarily uninspiring Afghanistan speech at West Point to his flat State of the Union address, President Obama has failed to touch the heart of America. Even Jimmy Carter was more moving.

4. The United States is drowning in debt

The Congressional Budget Office Long-Term Budget Outlook offers a frightening picture of the scale of America’s national debt. Under its alternative fiscal scenario, the CBO projects that US debt could rise to 87 percent of GDP by 2020, 109 percent by 2025, and 185 percent in 2035. While much of Europe, led by Britain and Germany, are aggressively cutting their deficits, the Obama administration is actively growing America’s debt, and has no plan in place to avert a looming Greek-style financial crisis.

5. Obama’s Big Government message is falling flat

The relentless emphasis on bailouts and stimulus spending has done little to spur economic growth or create jobs, but has greatly advanced the power of the federal government in America. This is not an approach that is proving popular with the American public, and even most European governments have long ditched this tax and spend approach to saving their own economies.

6. Obama’s support for socialised health care is a huge political mistake

In an extraordinary act of political Harakiri, President Obama leant his full support to the hugely controversial, unpopular and divisive health care reform bill, with a monstrous price tag of $940 billion, whose repeal is now supported by 55 per cent of likely US voters. As I wrote at the time of its passing, the legislation is “a great leap forward by the United States towards a European-style vision of universal health care, which will only lead to soaring costs, higher taxes, and a surge in red tape for small businesses. This reckless legislation dramatically expands the power of the state over the lives of individuals, and could not be further from the vision of America’s founding fathers.”

7. Obama’s handling of the Gulf oil spill has been weak-kneed and indecisive

While much of the spilled oil in the Gulf has now been thankfully cleared up, the political damage for the White House will be long-lasting. Instead of showing real leadership on the matter by acing decisively and drawing upon offers of international support, the Obama administration settled on a more convenient strategy of relentlessly bashing an Anglo-American company while largely sitting on its hands. Significantly, a poll of Louisiana voters gave George W. Bush higher marks for his handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with 62 percent disapproving of Obama’s performance on the Gulf oil spill.

8. US foreign policy is an embarrassing mess under the Obama administration

It is hard to think of a single foreign policy success for the Obama administration, but there have been plenty of missteps which have weakened American global power as well as the standing of the United States. The surrender to Moscow on Third Site missile defence, the failure to aggressively stand up to Iran’s nuclear programme, the decision to side with ousted Marxists in Honduras, the slap in the face for Great Britain over the Falklands, have all contributed to the image of a US administration completely out of its depth in international affairs. The Obama administration’s high risk strategy of appeasing America’s enemies while kicking traditional US allies has only succeeded in weakening the United States while strengthening her adversaries.

9. President Obama is muddled and confused on national security

From the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the War on Terror, President Obama’s leadership has often been muddled and confused. On Afghanistan he rightly sent tens of thousands of additional troops to the battlefield. At the same time however he bizarrely announced a timetable for the withdrawal of US forces beginning in July 2011, handing the initiative to the Taliban. On Iraq he has announced an end to combat operations and the withdrawal of all but 50,000 troops despite a recent upsurge in terrorist violence and political instability, and without the Iraqi military and police ready to take over. In addition he has ditched the concept of a War on Terror, replacing it with an Overseas Contingency Operation, hardly the right message to send in the midst of a long-war against Al-Qaeda.

10. Obama doesn’t believe in American greatness

Barack Obama has made it clear that he doesn’t believe in American exceptionalism, and has made apologising for his country into an art form. In a speech to the United Nations last September he stated that “no one nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold.” It is difficult to see how a US president who holds these views and does not even accept America’s greatness in history can actually lead the world’s only superpower with force and conviction.

There is a distinctly Titanic-like feel to the Obama presidency and it’s not hard to see why. The most left-wing president in modern American history has tried to force a highly interventionist, government-driven agenda that runs counter to the principles of free enterprise, individual freedom, and limited government that have made the United States the greatest power in the world, and the freest nation on earth.

This, combined with weak leadership both at home and abroad against the backdrop of tremendous economic uncertainty in an increasingly dangerous world, has contributed to a spectacular political collapse for a president once thought to be invincible. America at its core remains a deeply conservative nation, which cherishes its traditions and founding principles. President Obama is increasingly out of step with the American people, by advancing policies that undermine the United States as a global power, while undercutting America’s deep-seated love for freedom.

 

[Statorama]

Obama closes curtain on transparency

 

[bg0546]

Obama closes curtain on transparency

Did anyone still believe in Obama's transparency claims anyways? Maybe Adonis and Gunz, not many others I hope.

 

[Statorama]

2008: Hope and Change

2012: Pitchforks and Torches

 

[jamny]

Obama closes curtain on transparency

Did anyone still believe in Obama's transparency claims anyways? Maybe Adonis and Gunz, not many others I hope.

Wasn't there supposed to be a 72hr. period between passage of a bill and Obama's signature so people can review it's contents?

 

[Statorama]

Obamas planning fifth vacation....SINCE JULY

There they go again. For the fifth time since July, the first family has set plans to board Air Force One for a frilly vacation, a 10-day return trip to exclusive Martha’s Vineyard where they are expected to stay at the 28-acre oceanfront Blue Heron Farm that rents for up to $50,000 a week.

But first the Obamas will be traveling to the Gulf Coast of Florida for a mini-vacation as a way to encourage other vacationing Americans to head to the beaches that have been shunned by tourists worried about oil-slicked sands due to the Gulf oil spill. They are expected to travel to Florida this weekend, return to Washington for a few days then it’s off to the Massachusetts island August 19

 

[Konotay]

Obamas planning fifth vacation....SINCE JULY

There they go again. For the fifth time since July, the first family has set plans to board Air Force One for a frilly vacation, a 10-day return trip to exclusive Martha’s Vineyard where they are expected to stay at the 28-acre oceanfront Blue Heron Farm that rents for up to $50,000 a week.

But first the Obamas will be traveling to the Gulf Coast of Florida for a mini-vacation as a way to encourage other vacationing Americans to head to the beaches that have been shunned by tourists worried about oil-slicked sands due to the Gulf oil spill. They are expected to travel to Florida this weekend, return to Washington for a few days then it’s off to the Massachusetts island August 19

I think him taking an exorbitant amount of time on vacation and on the golf course is a great thing. Although these vacations are expensive it is cheaper than the legislation he wants passed.BTW Obama is a great president. His policies and actions will usher in a massive wave of Republicans and shows the world the dangers of the liberal economic policies. President McCain couldn't do that.

 

[MongoL3]

Obama closes curtain on transparency

Did anyone still believe in Obama's transparency claims anyways? Maybe Adonis and Gunz, not many others I hope.

All his sheep bought it

 

[Statorama]

Placeholder: Harvard University fund sells all Israeli holdings

If ANY university would get a heads up from the white house that something was going down, it would be Harvard (Obamas)

 

[Statorama]

Wisconsin candidate for Governor Scott Walker's open letter to the President

I am drawing a line in the sand Mr. President: No matter how much money you and Governor Doyle try to spend before the end of the year, I will put a stop to this boondoggle the day I take office.

It’s outrageous for Secretary La Hood to suggest that your administration can force Wisconsin to continue building a train it doesn’t want and cannot afford. Almost as outrageous as the fact that the decision to saddle Wisconsin taxpayers with untold millions in operating and maintenance costs, forever, was never debated or voted on by the Wisconsin legislature. If it had been, this letter would not be necessary.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, my opponent in the race to replace Governor Doyle, has made the Milwaukee to Madison train the centerpiece of his economic development plan for Wisconsin. The Mayor tells us that spending $810 million on high-speed rail will create thousands of new Wisconsin jobs, but according to the federal government’s own estimate, the total number of permanent jobs created will be 55. That’s $14.5 million per job, not including any hidden costs!

 

[Ilov80s]

Obama's money laundering scam involving teachers unions

Your tax dollars funneled to Democratic political advocacy groups.

What Obama Said:

Now, this proposal is fully paid for, in part by closing tax loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas. So it will not add to our deficit. And the money will only go toward saving the jobs of teachers and other essential professionals.

It should not be a partisan issue. I heard the Republican Leader in the House say the other day that this is a special interest bill. And I suppose if America’s children and the safety of our communities are your special interests, then it is a special interest bill. But I think those interests are widely shared throughout this country -- a challenge that affects parents, children and citizens in almost every community in America should not be a Democratic problem or a Republican problem. It is an American problem.

Now the TRUTH

$10 billion of this money goes to the unions. Before the money gets to the "teachers" the unions skim off their share of mandatory "contributions".

The money skimmed by the unions goes directly into the union political advocacy/footsoldier network to get out votes for Dems.

What a scumbag.

He is trying to buy the unions back after RTTP which many teachers unions opposed greatly. Interesting that he is passing money there way, while all of his education policy seems anti-union and anti-public school.