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links for 2010-10-07
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The number of New Yorkers qualifying for food stamps has grown more than 35 percent in the past couple of years, mirroring a nationwide trend. And the mayor’s proposal could raise concerns about equity, since it is aimed at one segment of the city, its poorest. When Minnesota sought its ban, welfare rights advocates there accused the state of being patronizing to food-stamp users.
Anticipating such criticism, Dr. Farley and Dr. Daines said that the food-stamp program already prohibited the use of benefits to buy cigarettes, beer, wine, liquor or prepared foods.
The ban would affect beverages with more than 10 calories per 8 ounces, and would exclude fruit juices without added sugar, milk products and milk substitutes. A 12-ounce soda has 150 calories and the equivalent of 10 packets of sugar, according to the health department. City health officials say that drinking 12 ounces of soda a day can make a person gain 15 pounds a year.
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Ignoring the real problem ….. -
Actually, that’s closer to the headline on MSNBC’s reprint (“White House allows big firms to dodge health reforms”) of this New York Times article than the one in the Times itself (“Waivers Address Talk of Dropping Coverage”), but the meaning is plain either way. Instead of enforcing the ballyhooed standards and mandates for insurers that Congress passed in ObamaCare, Kathleen Sebelius and the White House blinked in the face of bad press and exempted dozens of companies from the law. If the marketplace had uncertainty before, the administration has made the situation much, much worse:
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Obama let the economy sink while he passed ObamaCare which is a ppor excuse for health care reform. Now, he is allowing exceptions.Repeal the entire ObamaCare mess and quick.
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Nearly a million workers won't get a consumer protection in the U.S. health reform law meant to cap insurance costs because the government exempted their employers.
Thirty companies and organizations, including McDonald's (MCD) and Jack in the Box (JACK), won't be required to raise the minimum annual benefit included in low-cost health plans, which are often used to cover part-time or low-wage employees.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which provided a list of exemptions, said it granted waivers in late September so workers with such plans wouldn't lose coverage from employers who might choose instead to drop health insurance altogether.
Without waivers, companies would have had to provide a minimum of $750,000 in coverage next year, increasing to $1.25 million in 2012, $2 million in 2013 and unlimited in 2014.
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Wait until Americans really figure out how ObamaCare works.Repeal ObamaCare
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Why the Democrats Lose BIG in November – No Really!
A no brainer: 10.1% national unemployment.Unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, increased to 10.1% in September — up sharply from 9.3% in August and 8.9% in July. Much of this increase came during the second half of the month — the unemployment rate was 9.4% in mid-September — and therefore is unlikely to be picked up in the government’s unemployment report on Friday.
Certain groups continue to fare worse than the national average. For example, 15.8% of Americans aged 18 to 29 and 13.9% of those with no college education were unemployed in September.
And, some areas of California are over 20 per cent.
Americans will vote for change and oust incumbent Democrat Congressional POLS.
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NV-Sen Poll Watch: Is Sharron Angle Starting to Pull Away from Harry Reid?
Perhaps with the latest Rasmussen poll results.
Republican challenger Sharron Angle has now moved to a four-point lead over Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada’s bare-knuckles U.S. Senate race.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Nevada Voters shows Angle hitting the 50% mark for the first time since mid-August, while Reid earns 46% of the vote. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and two percent (2%) more are undecided.
This marks the widest gap between the two candidates since late June, but the race remains a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Senate Balance of Power rankings.
Just over a week ago, the race was virtually tied, with Reid at 48% and Angle at 47%. The two have been separated by a gap of three points or less since Reid came charging back in June with a series of blistering attack ads on Angle.
This race will go down to the wire.
But, the economy in Nevada continues to struggle and Nevada voters are angry.
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CO-Sen Video: Did Appointed Democrat Senator Michael Bennet Forget His Voting Record?
Last year, appointed Sen. Michael Bennet said, “I will not vote for a bill that I feel I can’t come back here and say persuasively… that this bill is paid for.” Question is… did the Senator forget his voting record when he made that statement?Apparently he did and why Republican Ken Buck is leading in the polls.
Pollster interactive Average: Ken Buck 48.2% Vs. Michael Bennet 44.1% -
CA-Sen: Will Sarah Palin’s Endorsement Hurt Carly Fiorina?
At the Susan B. Anthony List’s Celebration of Life Breakfast on May 14th, Governor Palin took to the stage to talk about the fabulous pro-life women mounting serious campaigns across the country. One such woman: Carly Fiorina running for U.S. Senate in California against pro-abortion activist and EMILY’s List champion, Sen. Barbara Boxer.Interesting that this piece showed up at the Politico after I had mentioned it yesterday – twice.
Carly Fiorina, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, has frequently touted her endorsement from Palin, but the survey shows Palin may be a drag on Fiorina’s numbers.
Fifty-three percent of those surveyed said they would be less inclined to vote for a candidate endorsed by Palin, while only 21 percent said they would be more inclined.
Among those who said they plan to vote in the Senate race, 47 percent of Fiorina supporters said they were more likely to back a candidate because of Palin’s support. But 84 percent of Boxer supporters said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate with Palin’s blessing.
The Fiorina campaign is not concerned about Palin’s poll numbers. Voters are evaluating the candidates in this race as individuals, said Fiorina spokeswoman Andrea Saul.
This is just a rehash and a dig at Sarah Palin with a slight swipe at Carly Fiorina. Interesting that The Politico did not parse further into a previous Field Poll that shows that President Obama in deep blue California is not doing so well either.
In my previous post, I mentioned the polarized California electorate with regards to Sarah Palin and President Obama. However, I subsequently found this graph which parses the data in another form.
But, I also discovered something mentioned in that piece which I missed. President Obama’s endorsement doesn’t mean so much for candidates either. From the California Field Poll of September 29, 2010: (PDF)
Most Californians (55%) continue to believe that the country is seriously off on the wrong track, while one in three (34%) feel that the U.S. is headed in the right direction.
If the President were to endorse a candidate running for political office in this state, 44% say that this would make them more inclined while 40% say this would make them less inclined to support the office seeker.
These are the findings from the latest Field Poll assessing California voter opinions about President Obama and the direction the U.S. is heading. The survey was conducted by telephone in English and Spanish September 14 – 21 among 859 registered voters statewide.
Sarah Palin on the 16th will rally the GOP base to get out the vote. Does anyone really think this will HURT Carly Fiorina?
Come on now.
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Amgen Tour of California Race Dates Announced
Amgen Tour of California 2010
Looks like a great race in 2011. I live just a few blocks away from Amgen’s corporate headquarters and it is always a treat when the race ends in Thousand Oaks.AEG Sports president Andrew Messick says the 800-mile Amgen Tour of California will begin May 15 at South Lake Tahoe and end May 22 in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Carol Chaplin of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority says it’s a big deal for the local economy. She says it will put the lake on the map of “must ride” trips around the country.
Auburn is among the newcomers on the 15-stage route; also Livermore, Claremont and Mt. Baldy. The other stops are Sacramento, Modesto, San Jose, Seaside, Paso Robles, Solvang and Santa Clarita.
The first stage ends at Tahoe’s Northstar ski resort. Stage 2 starts at Squaw Valley USA, host of the 1960 Winter Olympics, before heading to Sacramento.
The tour will visit 15 Host Cities in all for official stage starts and finishes. Stages for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California include:
* Stage 1: Sunday, May 15 – South Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe-Northstar at Tahoe Resort
* Stage 2: Monday, May 16 – North Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley USA to Sacramento
* Stage 3: Tuesday, May 17 – Auburn to Modesto
* Stage 4: Wednesday, May 18 – Livermore to San Jose
* Stage 5: Thursday, May 19 – Seaside to Paso Robles
* Stage 6: Friday, May 20 – Solvang Individual Time Trial
* Stage 7: Saturday, May 21 – Claremont to Mt. Baldy
* Stage 8: Sunday, May 22 – Santa Clarita to Thousand Oaks -
Day By Day October 7, 2010 – IED
Zed, you don’t want to joke around with the wife about physical scars.As you discovered “The Look” is all you need to scar you for life.
In blogging matters, this afternoon I am heading down to Los Angeles and the Nokia Theater to watch America’s Got Talent Live. Alice and I went last year in Las Vegas (Planet Hollywood) and had a great time.
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