• Roland Burris

    Illinois Senator Roland Burris Will Not Run for U.S. Senate Seat in 2010

    U.S. Senator Roland Burris: A Democratic official says Burris will not run for a full Senate term in 2010. The source says Burris has begun informing Democratic officials about his decision. The official spoke anonymously because Burris had yet to announce his decision publicly.

    Roland Burris reportedly will not stand for election in 2010.

    Sneed has learned U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has decided NOT to seek election to the seat he fought the government to keep.

    Sen. Burris is planning to announce his decision Friday by issuing a statement to the press. But he’s reportedly not planning to field any questions from the press.

    The decision by Burris was based on his inability to raise campaign funds; campaign disclosures with the Federal Election Commission are expected to be filed next week…and he has reportedly only raised approximately $20,000

    A source tells Sneed that Burris, who was appointed to Barack Obama’s senate seat by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has been very concerned about his legacy.

    “After 20 years in government service, Burris didn’t want the last four months in office to be that legacy,” said a source.

    So, after all of that Blagojevich mess, Roland Burris is out anyway.

    Looks like the Illinois GOP might be able to make a competitive race next year for Obama’s former Senate seat.

    Stay tuned, because Burris has not formally announced his intentions.


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  • Barack Obama,  G-8,  Nicolas Sarkozy

    G-8 Photo of the Day: Obama and Sarkozy Check Out The ASSets

    U.S. President Barack Obama (C) and France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy (R) take their places with junior G8 delegates for a family photo at the G8 summit in L’Aquila, Italy, July 9, 2009. Leaders of the Group of Eight major industrial nations and the main developing economies are meeting in the central Italian city of L’Aquila until Friday to discuss issues ranging from global economic stimulus to climate change and oil prices

    Oh those pigs…….

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  • economics,  Joe Biden

    Oh That Joe: Biden Defends Economic Stimulus Plan in Ohio

    Joe biden 9 17 2008

    Vice President Joe Biden

    Another Biden gaffe?

    Vice President Joe Biden said the Obama administration’s efforts to rebuild America’s economy are working and he expressed frustration with those who say progress is too slow.

    “Remember, we’re only 140 days into this deal. It’s supposed to take 18 months,” Biden said in a speech after touring a redevelopment project in Cincinnati.

    Biden ticked off the programs funded through the $787 billion economic stimulus measure enacted in February. Thousands of jobs a day have been saved and interest rates have been kept low, saving middle-class families $1,200 to $1,600 a year in mortgage payments, he said.

    Ohio’s economy has been hit hard by the recession. The state’s unemployment rate in May was 10.8 percent, up from 10.2 percent in April and higher than the national average of 9.4 percent. The state lost 4.9 percent of its jobs between May 2008 and 2009, and manufacturing jobs plummeted by 16.7 percent during that period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    The vice president’s trip follows a poll that found that President Barack Obama’s approval rating has dropped by 13 percentage points from two months ago in Ohio, traditionally a critical swing state in presidential elections.

    The survey by Quinnipiac University released July 7 showed 49 percent of Ohio voters approved of Obama’s job performance, down from 62 percent in a May 6 poll. The disapproval figure for Obama in the new poll was 44 percent, up from 31 percent in May.

    Ohio “has been hard hit through no fault of your own,” Biden told the crowd today. So far, $4.4 billion in Recovery Act funds have been set aside for Ohio, including $2 billion for education, $1 billion for health care and $445 million for transportation, he said.

    “These investments are already lifting up Cincinnati,” he said.

    Biden toured the site of the American Can Company, an abandoned factory on the city’s north side which is being converted into a complex of apartments, offices and stores. Stimulus funds will pay $1.6 million of the project’s cost and create as many as 100 jobs, Biden said.

    No, just an embellishment of the truth which is worse.

    There has been NO economic stimulus in Ohio or anywhere from the ridiculous spending in the Obama Porkulus bill that passed with only three Republican Senate votes (one of which then defected to become a Democrat).

    Biden and the congressional Democrats need to take responsibility for their poor performance and patience in this case is just another excuse.

    How about a real economic stimulus and cancel the rest of the pork spending, Mr. Vice President?


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  • Sarah Palin,  Time Magazine

    Sarah Palin: “The Renegade” Makes The Cover of Time

    palintimecover

    John McCain was “The Maverick” and now Sarah Palin is “The Renegade.”

    Here is the Time Magazine feature story.

    An additional piece by Nancy Gibbs has interesting observations:

    “IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PALIN NEVER SAID SHE WAS LEAVING OFFICE TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HER CHILDREN”—Gibbs writes, “the idea that ambitious women reach a certain point in their professional lives only to be hauled homeward by some innate maternal imperative has a cultural life all its own…. When a very prominent woman takes on a commitment—say, as governor of a state, whose voters are supposed to be the ones who decide if she’s no longer able to be effective—and then walks away, a shudder goes through every venue where women fight to assert their rights and affirm their commitment…. Thus, it’s important to note that Palin never said she was leaving office to spend more time with her children….But there’s another relevant model as well: lots of women who make a detour aren’t looking to have more time for Gymboree; they’re doing it because they want to start their own business, make their own rules, be their own boss—and this seems more Sarah’s tune. Palin’s brand is maverick, and her mode is moxie.”

    Moxie is indeed correct.

    Stay tuned for more from “The Renegade.”


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  • Barack Obama,  Polling

    Poll Watch: Obama Continues to Sink – 43 Per Cent Say He is Doing Poor Job on Economy

    obama_index_july_9_2009

    President Obama continues to sink in the polls.

    The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 30% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-eight percent (38%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of –8. The President’s Approval Index rating has fallen six points since release of a disappointing jobs report last week (see trends).

    Thirty-nine percent (39%) now give the President good or excellent marks for handling the economy while 43% say he is doing a poor job. Those are by far his lowest ratings yet on the economy Premium Members can see crosstabs, trends, and Scott Rasmussen’s Daily Briefing.

    There is a gender gap when it comes to perceptions of Obama’s performance. By a 46% to 27% margin, men Strongly Disapprove. Women are more evenly divided—33% Strongly Approve and 30% Strongly Disapprove.

    Thirty-four percent (34%) of voters nationwide say the U.S. is heading in the right direction, the lowest level of optimism since mid-March. The Rasmussen Index shows consumer and investor confidence are down again today reaching the lowest level in three months. The Discover U.S. Spending Monitor fell for the first time in three months. A Rasmussen video report notes that 46% want the government to stay out of the housing market.

    Overall, 51% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance so far. Forty-eight percent (48%) now disapprove.

    American voters have been patient and given Obama the benefit of the doubt. Now, they demand results and not a fancy speech.

    Is there any wonder the Congressional Democrats are running for cover on another stimulus plan and the very costly Obamacare?

    Stay tuned while Obama and his family frolic in Italy at the G-8 while unemployment continues to increase at home.


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  • Barbara Boxer,  Bill Clinton,  Day By Day,  Hillary Clinton

    Day By Day by Chris Muir July 9, 2009 – Personal

    day by day 070909

    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    Haha, Chris.

    We all know the LEFT is first on the scene with the politics of personal destruction. I mean it is from the Saul Alinksy playbook.

    Remember Hillary Clinton did her senior thesis on Alinksy and she and Bill practiced the personal destruction attacks daily, hence the name Clinton Cabal, for those who joined with them.

    Also, remember when the photo of Obama with him wearing the Muslim garb emerged during the Democrat primary campaign. This would have worked but the Clinton Cabal leaked it too early in the primary season.

    Funny, but as Obama travels to Africa in the next week as President, I wonder if he will don the native costumes again?

    Somehow, I doubt it.

    Previous:

    The Day By Day Archive


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  • Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2009-07-08

    • House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that the health-care reform bill now pending in Congress would garner very few votes if lawmakers actually had to read the entire bill before voting on it.

      “If every member pledged to not vote for it if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes,” Hoyer told CNSNews.com at his regular weekly news conference.

      (tags: Obamacare)
    • Barack Obama's eldest daughter has a clear message for her father – it's time to get rid of the world's nuclear weapons.

      Just 48 hours after the U.S. President shook hands with Vladimir Putin over an agreement to reduce their stockpile of nuclear weapons, Malia spotted out wearing not one, but two anti-nuclear T-shirts.

      The 11-year-old wore tops bearing the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament's famous symbol as her father prepared for three days of G8 talks in Italy.

      (tags: barack_obama)
    • He is not yet back to work in the Senate chamber, but U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd is opposing "cap and trade" legislation pushed by the Obama administration.

      The 91-year-old Byrd, D-W.Va., was released from an unidentified Washington, D.C. hospital last week after a month-long stay for a staph infection. He expects to return to the chamber before the Senate begins debate on "cap and trade" – which is tentatively set for this fall, according to Byrd's office.

      "I cannot support the House bill in its present form," Byrd said in a statement. "I continue to believe that clean coal can be a 'green' energy. Those of us who understand coal's great potential in our quest for energy independence must continue to work diligently in shaping a climate bill that will ensure access to affordable energy for West Virginians. I remain bullish about the future of coal, and am so very proud of the miners who labor and toil in the coalfields of West Virginia."

    • President Obama and other leaders backed historic new targets for tackling global warming last night in an agreement designed to pave the way for a world deal in the autumn.

      For the first time, America and the other seven richest economies agreed to the goal of keeping the world’s average temperature from rising more than 2C (3.6F).

      They also agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 as they strove for a worldwide deal at Copenhagen in December.

      The moves were designed to put the squeeze on the world’s developing nations, most of whose leaders will join the G8 for a debate chaired by President Obama today.

    • Finance ranking member Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and his GOP colleagues said they were pleased with the session with Reid.

      “It was a very constructive meeting, and bipartisan talks are going to continue — and not continue under a very hard timeline,” Grassley said.

      Republican Finance members Mike Enzi (Wyo.) and Olympia Snowe (Maine), who joined Grassley in the meeting with Reid, concurred.

      Baucus, meanwhile, continued his efforts to reach a bipartisan health care deal, meeting with Finance Democrats and Republicans Wednesday afternoon.

    • Both of pop superstar Michael Jackson's arms were scarred with track marks, investigators probing his death say, and the marks are consistent with the finding of the potent sedative propofol (trade name Diprivan) in his home — a drug that is increasingly at the center of their probe into what caused Jackson's death, ABC News has learned.
      According to sources involved in the death investigation, several Hollywood and Beverly Hills doctors are now part of the investigation.
      The probe is being led by the Los Angeles Police Department in cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
    • Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage, sued the U.S. government Wednesday over a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

      The federal Defense of Marriage Act interferes with the right of Massachusetts to define and regulate marriage as it sees fit, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said. The 1996 law denies federal recognition of gay marriage and gives states the right to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

      (tags: gaymarriage)
    • When Vice President Joe Biden announced a new $3.3 billion grant program to upgrade the nation’s electricity network, the rationale was simple: “This is jobs — jobs,” he said in April.

      But the Obama administration is now saying it will not take the potential for job creation into account in “rating” proposed projects for possible funding — after initially saying that would be a primary consideration.

      In April, when the Energy Department first announced regulations for companies that wish to apply for “Smart Grid Investment Grants,” “job creation and retention” was among the explicit criteria.

      “Projects will be evaluated based on the extent to which they create and retain jobs,” the Energy Department wrote in its official “Notice of Intent” for the grant program.

      Other criteria included “project approach and feasibility” and “project impact.”

      But late last month, the department quietly modified the criteria to take the job piece out.

    • Daniel Halbert moved here from Phoenix this year to invest his life savings in what he hoped was a golden opportunity: the medical-marijuana business.

      But on Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council told him to shut down his dispensary, part of a broad crackdown against a growing and unregulated marijuana industry. More than 600 dispensaries have taken advantage of a loophole in city regulations to open shop here in the past two years.

      The unchecked growth has alarmed some city leaders.

      (tags: marijuana)
    • The deals, trumpeted loudly by the White House, would each help pay for a sweeping overhaul of the health care system.

      First, it was a broad consortium of health industry groups — doctors, hospitals, drug makers and insurers, all promising to slow the growth of medical spending by 1.5 percent. Then, it was the big drug makers, promising savings of $80 billion over 10 years, by lowering the cost of medicine for the elderly.

      On Wednesday, it will be major hospital associations, pledging to save more than $150 billion over a decade. And a deal with doctors is said to be on tap next.

      In each case, the Obama administration hailed the agreements as historic. But what has been little discussed is what the industry groups will be getting in return for their cooperation, whether or not the promised savings ever materialize.

      (tags: Obamacare)
    • Contrary to most reports, her decision had been in the works for months, accelerating recently as it became clear that controversies and endless ethics investigations were threatening to overshadow her legislative agenda. "Attacks inside Alaska and largely invisible to the national media had paralyzed her administration," someone close to the governor told me. "She was fully aware she would be branded a 'quitter.' She did not want to disappoint her constituents, but she was no longer able to do the job she had been elected to do. Essentially, the taxpayers were paying for Sarah to go to work every day and defend herself."
      (tags: sarah_palin)
    • On my way into work this morning, I heard a report on the radio about a proposal in California to tax marijuana in order to alleviate the state’s budget meltdown. With the money the state could raise, said one supporter, California “could hire 20,000 teachers.”

      Now, I have nothing insightful to say about the likely revenue or anything along those lines that would come from taxation of wacky tabacky – it’s not my issue. I can tell you, though, that the addiction that has largely brought California to its knees, ironically, is the very one that the would-be weed taxer in the story held up as a terrific target for resulting funds: state education spending, especially on teachers.

    • A widespread computer attack that began July 4 knocked out the Web sites of the Treasury Department, the Secret Service and other U.S. agencies, and South Korean government sites also came under assault.

      South Korean intelligence officials believe the attacks were carried out by North Korean or pro-Pyongyang forces. U.S. officials so far have refused to publicly discuss details of the attack or where it might have originated.

      The Washington Post reported Wednesday that its own Web site was among several commercial sites also hit.

      The U.S. government sites, which included those of the Federal Trade Commission and the Transportation Department, were all down at varying points over the holiday weekend and into this week. South Korean Internet sites began experiencing problems Tuesday.

    • When you're up to your waders in barracuda, blame the media.
      And quit your job.

      And say you did it for the people.

      And hire an agent.

      And try to keep a straight face.

      On your way to the bank.

      Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public, H.L. Mencken once said. Terribly elitist fellow, that Mencken. If only he were alive to witness the phenomenon of Sarah Palin, whose biography validates every cynical thought that ever found expression in his prolific prose.

      Let's just say, Palin is in no danger of going broke. From her book contract alone, she never has to worry about money again, according to one close insider.
      ++++++++
      The envious woman attacks Palin again.

      Gad Kathleen Parker is green.

      (tags: sarah_palin)