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The Morning Flap: January 27, 2012
Graphic from Investors Business Daily
These are my links for January 26th through January 27th:
- Obama admits his presidency has been flawed… but claims economy is stronger – Barack Obama said he makes mistakes on an hourly basis as President but stood firmly behind his administration’s work in bolstering the U.S. economy and jobs market.
The President was in Las Vegas to champion investment in clean energy, declaring the U.S. ‘the Saudia Arabia of natural gas’ in a speech to UPS workers.
However in an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer last night, he said: ‘I second-guess constantly… I make a mistake, you know, every hour, every day.’
He added: ‘But when you look at the broad outlines of what we did, had it not been for the steps we took our economy would be profoundly weaker than we are right now.’
Obama spoke at a Las Vegas UPS center to showcase a refueling station that will permit vehicles that use liquefied natural gas to travel from the Port of Long Beach to Salt Lake City. The station was built with help from Obama’s 2009 economic stimulus plan.
He also announced the sale of oil and gas drilling leases for nearly 38 million acres in the Gulf Coast and promoted the completion of a highway corridor for vehicles that run on liquefied natural gas, a response to critics who say his policies have stifled domestic energy production.
- Obama: Bush Is Food Stamp President, Not Me – “First of all, I don’t put people on food stamps. People become eligible for food stamps. Second of all, the initial expansion of food-stamp eligibility happened under my Republican predecessor, not under me. Number three, when you have a disastrous economic crash that results in 8 million people losing their jobs, more people are going to need more support from government.”
- Obama: I Want An Economy “Where We’re Making Stuff And Selling Stuff And Moving It Around” – “On Tuesday at the State of the Union, I laid out my vision for how we move forward,” President Obama said at a campaign event in Las Vegas, Nevada. “I laid out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last, that has a firm foundation. Where we’re making stuff and selling stuff and moving it around and UPS drivers are dropping things off everywhere.”
“That’s the economy we want. An economy built on American manufacturing, with more good jobs and more products made here in the United States of America,” he also said.
- Is Obama Creating A Nation Of Dependents? Nearly Half Now Get Government Benefits – If the Republican primaries are any indication, one big debate in the upcoming election will be whether President Obama is pushing the country toward a European-style welfare culture.
Mitt Romney, for example, argues that “over the past three years, Barack Obama has been replacing our merit-based society with an entitlement society.”
Newt Gingrich has taken to calling Obama “the best food-stamp president in American history.”
Obama, in contrast, says the government must play an increasing role — what he likes to call “shared responsibility” — to ensure a society that is fairer.
So is Obama turning the country into a welfare society and away from one focused on opportunity?
While it’s true that the country has been headed in this direction for many years — with the explosion in entitlements since the 1960s and the aging of the population — Obama has, in fact, greatly accelerated the trend.
- 1.7% – Real GDP increased 1.7 percent in 2011 compared with an increase of 3.0 percent in 2010
- Worst News Story of 2012? | Power Line – Reuters and Sen Marco Rubio: Worst News Story of 2012? #tcot
- Mitt Romney’s Struggle With Truth Continues – RT @LizMair: Hilarious video. RT @mattklewis ‘Mitt Romney’s Struggle With Truth Continues’
- (500) http://flapsblog.com/2012/01/27/flap-twitter-updates-for-2012-01-27/ – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-27
- AD-38: Scott Wilk Vs. Patricia or Is It Rep. Buck McKeon? » Flap’s California Blog – AD-38: Scott Wilk Vs. Patricia or Is It Rep. Buck McKeon?
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News – Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News – Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News – Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News
- President 2012: GOP Debate Tonight – Long Knives Out for Newt Gingrich | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012: GOP Debate Tonight – Long Knives Out for Newt Gingrich
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News – Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income
- Obama-backed electric car battery-maker files for bankruptcy – The Hill’s E2-Wire – Another one bites the dust | Obama-backed electric car battery-maker files for bankruptcy
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – Mitt Romney’s campaign is amending the financial disclosure forms he filed in 2007 and 2011 to acknowledge that a Romney trust held a Swiss bank account, a detail that had been missing from both reports.
“An amendment is being filed to address this minor discrepancy,” a campaign official told ABC News in an email Thursday in response to questions about the apparent omission.
The discovery that the Romneys had $3 million in an account with the Swiss bank UBS came only after the Republican presidential candidate released his tax returns for 2010 on Tuesday. The campaign had maintained that it was not necessary to disclose the Swiss account because Romney’s money manager, Brad Malt, had shuttered it in early 2010.
Several Republican election lawyers told ABC News Thursday that the account still needed to be disclosed because a Romney trust earned about $1,700 in income on the account during 2010. The campaign’s decision to amend the forms was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News – OOPS | Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income #tcot
- InsiderAdvantage Poll: Romney Surges to Florida Lead – Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney apparently has reversed a surge by Newt Gingrich to retake the momentum in the Florida primary, according to the latest InsiderAdvantage/Florida Times-Union poll.
The poll shows that Republicans most likely to vote in the state’s closed primary now favor Romney over Gingrich by 40 to 32 percent. Rep. Ron Paul has 9 percent, while former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum has 8 percent.
Nine percent of those surveyed were undecided. The poll, which was conducted Wednesday night, was weighted for age, race, and gender and has a margin of error of plus and minus 4 percent.
The poll’s result also is supported by other polls conducted Wednesday and earlier this week. A CNN/Time/ORC International Poll also indicates that, although Gingrich surged following his 12-point victory in the South Carolina primary on Saturday, his momentum appears to be cooling off.
- CA-26: Ventura County Republican Party Endorses Tony Strickland for Congress | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – CA-26: Ventura County Republican Party Endorses Tony Strickland for Congress
- AD-38: Scott Wilk for Assembly Announces More Local Leaders on Campaign Team » Flap’s California Blog – AD-38: Scott Wilk for Assembly Announces More Local Leaders on Campaign Team
- Dole Unloads on Gingrich – Yes—>RT @politicalwire: Doesn’t having both McCain and Dole backing Romney actually help Gingrich make his point?
- Log In – The New York Times – Log In – The New York Times
- HPV study finds human papilloma virus carried in mouths – latimes.com – RT @latimes: Study finds that 7% of U.S. teens and adults carry human papilloma virus in their mouths
- Untitled (http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/84/159/2147483694/2cb9cd86-960a-4443-bac6-116c400614fb.pdf) – RT @fivethirtyeight: New SurveyUSA/Monmouth poll has Romney up 7 in Florida.
- Log In – The New York Times – Log In – The New York Times
- Reuters’ embarassing Rubio hit piece | Campaign 2012 | Washington Examiner – Reuters’ embarassing Sen Marco Rubio hit piece #tcot
- Log In – The New York Times – Apple’s iPad and the Human Costs for Workers in China
- Geithner Says Obama Won’t Ask Him to Lead Treasury if He Wins Re-Election- Bloomberg – Geithner Says Obama Won’t Ask Him to Lead Treasury if He Wins Re-Election
- The Morning Flap: January 26, 2012 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Morning Flap: January 26, 2012
- Obama admits his presidency has been flawed… but claims economy is stronger – Barack Obama said he makes mistakes on an hourly basis as President but stood firmly behind his administration’s work in bolstering the U.S. economy and jobs market.
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Day By Day January 27, 2012 – Movie King
Day By Day by Chris MuirI watched President Obama give a speech in Michigan this morning. He DOES deliver a good teleprompter served up speech.Obama is charming and knows how to work the crowd.
But…. this does not work with governance and polict which have been a disaster for the American people.
Will candidate Obama be able to persuade voters to give him another four years?
Fool me twice….
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Charles Manson and Two Nights of Mayhem – Four Decades Later
Photos by the AP
The Orange County Register has an excellent photo collage of Charles Manson and his two nights of mayhem – four decades later.Check it out here.
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President 2012: How Do Gingrich and Romney Look Against Obama in the Electoral College?
The 2012 Republican presidential primary battle shifts to Florida, where Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are locked in a tight battle. And, already, Republicans are starting to have visions of a Newt candidacy — and they don’t like what they see. That includes an electoral map that could look quite different — and much worse for them — than the one Romney or another Republican might compete on.Larry Sabato over at the University of Virginia Center for Politics has this excellent analysis. Long and short of it is: Newt Gingrich is more of a gamble to beat President Obama, should he win the Republican nomination.
To be clear, President Obama is vulnerable. His approval rating – 46% approve, 48.6% disapprove, according to the RealClearPolitics approval average — is middling. And against Mitt Romney, Obama’s vulnerability shows: in Pollster.com’s average of national polling, Obama leads Romney just 46.5% to 45.3%. But against Gingrich, the average tells a very different story — Obama, at 49.9%, leads Gingrich (39.1%) by more than 10 points.
Granted, there are outliers: Gallup on Tuesday had both Romney and Gingrich running evenly with Obama, both down 50% to 48%. But the bulk of the polling data indicates that Romney, at least at this point, is the stronger candidate against Obama.
Why does Romney fare better? Well, the best candidate against Obama remains “generic Republican” — that make-believe person who leads Obama by a single slim point, according to RealClearPolitics. Let’s be honest here: Romney’s the closest thing out there to a generic Republican available. He is not going to steal the presidency away from the incumbent if Obama’s having a good year and the economy is solid. Rather, if the country is ready to make a change, then Romney would be a credible alternative. The national polling numbers bear that out; they also show that Gingrich, at least right now, is not seen as a similarly acceptable alternative.
In other words, in the key battleground states of Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire, Iowa and Florida, Gingrich looks like a risk to LOSE these states.
Here is my Electoral College Map from some months ago:
This map is from the interactive site, 270towin.com
Sobato and his staff make the argument that Gingrich will perform worse (at least he is polling worse now) than Romney in the states, the GOP needs to win to beat Obama.
This may very well be true, and the GOP Establishment have their own maps and are looking at the Senate and House race polls across the nation.
Romney is SAFE and Gingrich MAY underperform Obama.
But, what does the GOP base want in a candidate? A generic Republican, Romney nominee or a firebrand, big idea guy, like Gingrich.
Guess we will find out next tuesday in Florida.
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@Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-27
- I wonder if Romney's attack machine will go after Obama like he did Newt and Perry? Doubtful but you never know… #
- At least with Romney, the GOP may very well be able to win the U.S. Senate majority and keep the House. The WH still doubtful #
- With about 30 minutes to go, it looks like Mitt Romney may very well have won the GOP Presidential nomination tonight. Romney thrashed Newt #
- How much time will Newt need to talk about his wives…..will they call time on him….nahhh probably not #
- What no jokes about illegal ALIENS from the moon? Guess workers? #
- Mitt Romney on Newt's Moon Base – You're Fired…. #
- RT @JonahNRO: Romney: Moon is an "enormous expense." My wife and I looked at building summer home there. The costs were prohibitive. #
- Mitt Romney on Newt's moon base = too expensive – so NO #
- Maybe Newt should try calling Wolf – Juan? #
- But, Romney doesn't explain as why his trustee has accounts in Swiss Banks and not in America? Why the Cayman Islands? Hedge risk? #
- Romney so out of touch he doesn't even know what ads he is running…come on now #
- In a minute Romney is going to raise his hand and say – hey what about letting me answer the question #
- Romney beat Gingrich on points over illegal immigration. But, I don't think it will matter much = plenty of ads out there.. #
- Wolf Blitzer changes up the first questioner's illegal immigration question just because…. sheesh…. #
- CNN with a long intro….. #
- The most important GOP Presidential debate of the cycle is beginning… who will show up tonight? Mean Newt or Professor Newt? #tcot #
- AD-38: Scott Wilk Vs. Patricia or Is It Rep. Buck McKeon? » Flap's California Blog http://t.co/Fq15CF0v #
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News http://t.co/Wh59GAU4 #
- AD-38: Scott Wilk Vs. Patricia or Is It Rep. Buck McKeon? http://t.co/rNmB1Nw3 #
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News http://t.co/1Uyqnz7o #
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News http://t.co/jhPgEzfv #
- President 2012: GOP Debate Tonight – Long Knives Out for Newt Gingrich | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://t.co/bnjfLwKP #
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income – ABC News http://t.co/F1Kfwx1X #
- Obama-backed electric car battery-maker files for bankruptcy – The Hill's E2-Wire http://t.co/tkDMCbQU #
- President 2012: GOP Debate Tonight – Long Knives Out for Newt Gingrich http://t.co/6eISFOXg #
- Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income http://t.co/7CONSGNV #
- InsiderAdvantage Poll: Romney Surges to Florida Lead http://t.co/LOP2DUlg #
- Another one bites the dust | Obama-backed electric car battery-maker files for bankruptcy http://t.co/rCjhdNuc #
- OOPS | Romney Failed to Disclose Swiss Bank Account Income #tcot http://t.co/OfZoOU7V #
- CA-26: Ventura County Republican Party Endorses Tony Strickland for Congress | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's D… http://t.co/z7RtvNLO #
- CA-26: Ventura County Republican Party Endorses Tony Strickland for Congress http://t.co/QY5bqdNL #
- AD-38: Scott Wilk for Assembly Announces More Local Leaders on Campaign Team » Flap's California Blog http://t.co/UPMLffF1 #
- AD-38: Scott Wilk for Assembly Announces More Local Leaders on Campaign Team http://t.co/PtP1QU2J #
- Dole Unloads on Gingrich http://t.co/GrM6tbCH #
- Yes—>RT @politicalwire: Doesn't having both McCain and Dole backing Romney actually help Gingrich make his point? http://t.co/jES7noze #
- Michael Reagan on Fox News calls Mitt Romney a Rockefeller Republican Vs. Newt Gingrich who is a Reagan Republican #tcot #
- HPV study finds human papilloma virus carried in mouths – http://t.co/5MtiqMbH http://t.co/z1jC10T8 #
- Untitled (http://t.co/e9KRWQ6c) http://t.co/y3qkICUB #
- Log In – The New York Times http://t.co/jWAcJVG6 #
- RT @latimes: Study finds that 7% of U.S. teens and adults carry human papilloma virus in their mouths http://t.co/ySNj4G2o #
- Reuters' embarassing Rubio hit piece | Campaign 2012 | Washington Examiner http://t.co/aQe3Bv0G #
- Log In – The New York Times http://t.co/8qo0WHZr #
- Geithner Says Obama Won’t Ask Him to Lead Treasury if He Wins Re-Election- Bloomberg http://t.co/HORV7OGT #
- Reuters' embarassing Sen Marco Rubio hit piece #tcot http://t.co/D4rXDPtM #
- Apple’s iPad and the Human Costs for Workers in China http://t.co/yvgt6U7x #
- Thou Shalt Not Write Bad Things About Obama http://t.co/hqzXB9y5 #
- Geithner Says Obama Won’t Ask Him to Lead Treasury if He Wins Re-Election http://t.co/ddB8h9kK #
- The Morning Flap: January 26, 2012 http://t.co/t6vrgmkz #
- President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Mitt Romney Has Jumped Back in Front of Newt Gingrich http://t.co/bx6Yb23v #
- As Obama demands rich Americans pay more in taxes, the IRS reveals 36 Obama aides are far behind in their taxes http://t.co/SPgoKsAu #
- Leak to media about House Ethics probes ignites chatter on source, motives http://t.co/Zne2eFfa #
- Post-State of the Union Analysis http://t.co/ORaLGnv7 #
- Post-State of the Union Analysis Where Americans stand on 16 issues Pres. Obama raised in the State of the Union http://t.co/m3s5hSmH #
- Flap’s California Morning Collection: January 26, 2012 http://t.co/Aij8xEGK #
- Many Patients Continue to Smoke Even After Being Diagnosed With Cancer http://t.co/nYaaSCrK #
- Florida's Rubio a star, but an unlikely VP pick
| Reuters http://t.co/OfLMG9Up # - Flap's Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: January 26, 2012 http://t.co/AreBXSgu #
- Florida's Rubio a star, but an unlikely VP pick http://t.co/FMcv45f7 #
- The Morning Drill: January 26, 2012 http://t.co/2n4R1gUQ #
- Day By Day January 26, 2012 – Da Damonator | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://t.co/nwwMJqLb #
- Day by Day January 26, 2012 – Da Damonator http://t.co/YuHB6gxd #
- The Buffett Ruse – http://t.co/7okzcU8P http://t.co/CNbcI9pq #
- The Buffett Ruse Obama's ploy means the highest capital gains tax rate since 1978 #tcot http://t.co/x2ZFzR1u #
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-26 | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://t.co/6uZJLShl #
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-26 http://t.co/gXwQdjHe #
- Dick Armey: Daniels could still run – CNN Political Ticker – http://t.co/briORGgz Blogs http://t.co/Z6Rn77s1 #
- RT @Students4Mitch: Dick Armey: Daniels could still run – http://t.co/1Z0y8r0c #
- When Gingrich Tried, and Failed, to Intimidate Tom Coburn – By Jim Geraghty – The Campaign Spot – National Revie… http://t.co/ztHpMGaT #
- (404) http://t.co/T http://t.co/T #
- When Gingrich Tried, and Failed, to Intimidate Tom Coburn http://t.co/ZyBRgLVk #
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President 2012: GOP Debate Tonight – Long Knives Out for Newt Gingrich
The Republican Party Establishment REALLY does NOT like Newt Gingrich.Watch the video below and listen to former Kansas Senator Bob Dole.
As usual, I will be covering the debate with my comments on Twitter. Follow me @Flap.
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CA-26: Ventura County Republican Party Endorses Tony Strickland for Congress
Again, an endorsement like this by the Ventura County Republican Party would never have occurred in year’s past, but like with the California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro, California Proposition 14 allows for this endorsement.This will definitely be an advantage for Tony Strickland over any other Republican who either enters or is already in the race (Ventura county Supervisor Linda Parks, is a registered Republican).
From the press release:
The Ventura County Republican Party Central Committee unanimously voted Wednesday night to endorse State Senator Tony Strickland for California’s newly drawn 26th Congressional District.
“There is no better choice to represent Ventura County in Congress than Tony Strickland,” said Ventura County Republican Party Chairman Mike Osborn, noting the unanimity of the endorsement vote. “Tony is the clear choice for Ventura County families concerned about the economy and the runaway spending in Washington. We stand united behind his campaign because of Tony’s record of distinguished service to our community. We’re proud to endorse his campaign for Congress.”
The Ventura County Republican Party joins California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro in endorsing Strickland.
California State Senator Tony Strickland will now identify himself as the ONLY Republican endorsed by both the California Republican Party Chairman and the County Republican Central Committee.
Now, it will be up to Linda Parks to decide whether to run as a Republican or as an independent. Of course, she could always re-register as a Democrat.
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The Morning Flap: January 26, 2012
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and President Obama yesterday
These are my links for January 25th through January 26th:
- Apple’s iPad and the Human Costs for Workers in China – In the last decade, Apple has become one of the mightiest, richest and most successful companies in the world, in part by mastering global manufacturing. Apple and its high-technology peers — as well as dozens of other American industries — have achieved a pace of innovation nearly unmatched in modern history.
However, the workers assembling iPhones, iPads and other devices often labor in harsh conditions, according to employees inside those plants, worker advocates and documents published by companies themselves. Problems are as varied as onerous work environments and serious — sometimes deadly — safety problems.
Employees work excessive overtime, in some cases seven days a week, and live in crowded dorms. Some say they stand so long that their legs swell until they can hardly walk. Under-age workers have helped build Apple’s products, and the company’s suppliers have improperly disposed of hazardous waste and falsified records, according to company reports and advocacy groups that, within China, are often considered reliable, independent monitors.
More troubling, the groups say, is some suppliers’ disregard for workers’ health. Two years ago, 137 workers at an Apple supplier in eastern China were injured after they were ordered to use a poisonous chemical to clean iPhone screens. Within seven months last year, two explosions at iPad factories, including in Chengdu, killed four people and injured 77. Before those blasts, Apple had been alerted to hazardous conditions inside the Chengdu plant, according to a Chinese group that published that warning. - Thou Shalt Not Write Bad Things About Obama – Drudge has a story about Obama getting off of Air Force One in Arizona, greeting Republican governor Jan Brewer, and immediately giving her a piece of his mind. Evidently our president did not appreciate something Brewer wrote about him. According to the pool report, they had a testy exchange from which the president walked away as Brewer was still speaking.
Sound familiar? Bobby Jindal got the same treatment when Obama came to visit Louisiana and the governor met him on the tarmac
- Geithner Says Obama Won’t Ask Him to Lead Treasury if He Wins Re-Election – Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, the last remaining member of the Obama administration’s original economic team, said he doesn’t expect the president to ask him to stay in office if re-elected.
“He’s not going to ask me to stay on, I’m pretty confident,” Geithner said in an interview with Bloomberg Television today. “I’m confident he’ll be president. But I’m also confident he’s going to have the privilege of having another secretary of the Treasury.”
Geithner, 50, has led President Barack Obama’s efforts to pull the U.S. economy out of the worst recession since World War II. Before joining the administration in 2009, Geithner was president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, playing a key role in the U.S. government’s bailouts of banks including Citigroup Inc. (C) and Bank of America Corp. (BAC), and automakers General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC.
- President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Mitt Romney Has Jumped Back in Front of Newt Gingrich | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Mitt Romney Has Jumped Back in Front of Newt Gingrich
- As Obama demands rich Americans pay more in taxes, the IRS reveals 36 Obama aides are far behind in their taxes – How embarrassing this must be for President Obama, whose major speech theme so far this campaign season has been that every single American, no matter how rich, should pay their “fair share” of taxes.
Because how unfair — indeed, un-American — it is for an office worker like, say, Warren Buffet’s secretary to dutifully pay her taxes, while some well-to-do people with better educations and higher incomes end up paying a much smaller tax rate.
Or, worse, skipping their taxes altogether.
A new report just out from the Internal Revenue Service reveals that 36 of President Obama’s executive office staff owe the country $833,970 in back taxes. These people working for Mr. Fair Share apparently haven’t paid any share, let alone their fair share.
Previous reports have shown how well-paid Obama’s White House staff is, with 457 aides pulling down more than $37 million last year. That’s up seven workers and nearly $4 million from the Bush administration’s last year.
Nearly one-third of Obama’s aides make more than $100,000 with 21 being paid the top White House salary of $172,200, each.
The IRS’ 2010 delinquent tax revelations come as part of a required annual agency report on federal employees’ tax compliance. Turns out, an awful lot of folks being paid by taxpayers are not paying their own income taxes.
- Leak to media about House Ethics probes ignites chatter on source, motives – A leak to the media that identified three Republicans who are being investigated by the House Ethics Committee has lawmakers and staffers wondering who the source is, and his or her motive.
There are many theories on who, over a four-day period, forked over the names of GOP Reps. Pete Sessions (Texas), Buck McKeon (Calif.) and Elton Gallegly (Calif.) to media outlets in reference to an ongoing investigation into VIP loans given to lawmakers by Countrywide.
The leaks stunned the three legislators, who have all denied accepting special rates on the loans in exchange for political favors.
Some are pointing the finger at House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) for releasing the publicly sensitive information, though his office is pushing back at that notion.
- Post-State of the Union Analysis – Post-State of the Union Analysis Where Americans stand on 16 issues Pres. Obama raised in the State of the Union
- Flap’s California Morning Collection: January 26, 2012 » Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Morning Collection: January 26, 2012
- How Patrick Swayze died: Why we should care – When I finished my book on famous patients, the most common question I received was “Are the stories of sick celebrities really relevant to other patients?” My answer was that yes, with some caveats, these experiences are well-worth knowing.
The same can be said for the story of Patrick Swayze’s terminal pancreatic cancer, which has now been told by his widow, actress Lisa Niemi Swayze, in a new book, “Worth Fighting For: Love, Loss and Moving Forward.” Patrick Swayze, a dancer and actor best known for his roles in the films “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost,” was diagnosed in January 2008 and died of the disease in September 2009 at the age of 57. He was originally told he would live only a few months.
First, the caveats. Like most celebrities, Swayze had the means, as his wife says, to “think outside the box.” He enrolled in a clinical trial at Stanford University, traveling regularly to Palo Alto from Los Angeles for experimental chemotherapy. Swayze also was a VIP patient, getting first-class attention from top doctors and hospital staffs. Most patients experience greater hurdles.
Nor should pancreatic cancer patients who read “Worth Fighting For” assume that they, like Swazey, can beat the odds and survive longer if they take the same medications that he did. Every case of pancreatic cancer, like all cancers, is different.
- Many Patients Continue to Smoke Even After Being Diagnosed With Cancer | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Many Patients Continue to Smoke Even After Being Diagnosed With Cancer
- Florida’s Rubio a star, but an unlikely VP pick
| Reuters – Florida’s Rubio a star, but an unlikely VP pick - Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: January 26, 2012 – The Morning Drill: January 26, 2012
- Day By Day January 26, 2012 – Da Damonator | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Day by Day January 26, 2012 – Da Damonator
- The Buffett Ruse – WSJ.com – Remember the moment in 2008 when Charlie Gibson of ABC News asked Senator Barack Obama why he would support raising the capital gains tax even though “revenues from the tax increased” when the rate fell? Mr. Obama’s famous reply: “I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness.” Well, we were warned.
Here we are four years later, and President Obama on Tuesday night linked the term “fair” to U.S. tax and economic policy seven times. The U.S. economy is still hobbling out of recession, real family incomes are falling and 14 million Americans are unemployed, but Mr. Obama declared that his top priority is not to reform the tax code to promote growth and job creation. His overriding goal is redistributing income.
Mr. Obama endorsed the political ruse he calls the Buffett rule, which asserts as a matter of moral principle that millionaires should not pay a lower tax rate than middle-class wage earners. Specifically, Mr. Obama is proposing that anyone earning more than $1 million pay at least 30% of that income to Uncle Barack.
The White House says that if a millionaire household’s effective tax rate falls below 30%, it would have to pay a surcharge—in essence a new Super Alternative Minimum Tax—to bring the tax liability to 30%. For those facing this new Super AMT, all deductions and exemptions would be eliminated except for charity.
- Review & Outlook: The Buffett Ruse – WSJ.com – The Buffett Ruse Obama’s ploy means the highest capital gains tax rate since 1978 #tcot
- Obama’s 30% millionaire tax – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs – Obama’s 30% millionaire tax –
- Drudge, conservative media criticize Newt Gingrich – Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen – POLITICO.com – SIREN — The Newt bomb: Conservative media leaders see possible Gingrich win in FL; blast him to avoid “disaster”
- Digital download tax: O’Malley proposes digital downloads be subject to state sales tax – baltimoresun.com – Beyond Amazon taxes: @GovernorOMalley is considering a tax on iTunes and app downloads:
- Untitled (http://www.memeorandum.com/120126/p7#a120126p7) – Times-Union/Insider Advantage poll: Romney 40, Gingrich 32 (Matt Dixon / Florida Times Union)
- Times-Union/Insider Advantage poll: Romney 40, Gingrich 32 | jacksonville.com – Times-Union/Insider Advantage poll: Romney 40, Gingrich 32 (Matt Dixon / Florida Times Union)
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-26 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-26
- Dick Armey: Daniels could still run – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs – RT @Students4Mitch: Dick Armey: Daniels could still run –
- When Gingrich Tried, and Failed, to Intimidate Tom Coburn – By Jim Geraghty – The Campaign Spot – National Review Online – When Gingrich Tried, and Failed, to Intimidate Tom Coburn
- (404) http://t.co/T – RT @fivethirtyeight: We’ve got Romney back ahead in our FL forecast and gaining quickly. Newt needs a big debate tomorrow. …
- The Christian Science Monitor – CSMonitor.com – Why Jerry Brown is standing firm on shaky California high-speed rail plan –
- Why Jerry Brown is standing firm on shaky California high-speed rail plan – CSMonitor.com – Why Jerry Brown is standing firm on shaky California high-speed rail plan
- Brewer, Obama exchange tense words over book, immigration at airport – Oh My! | Brewer, Obama exchange tense words over book, immigration at airport – #tcot
- The Page by Mark Halperin | Gen Elex Match-Ups, Sunshine State Edition – President 2012 Poll Watch: Romney 47% Vs. Obama 42% and Obama 49% Vs. Gingrich 40% Jan 22-24 Florida Likely Voters
- Warren Buffett’s Secretary Likely Makes Between $200,000 And $500,000/Year – Forbes – RICH | Warren Buffett’s Secretary Likely Makes Between $200,000 And $500,000/Year
- Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair – Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair
- Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair – Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair
- Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair – Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair
- Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair – Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair
- Poll: Romney Regains Momentum in Florida – Steven Shepard – NationalJournal.com – RT @HotlineSteve: New CNN/Time/ORC Fla. poll: Romney 36, Gingrich 34. But Romney regained the momentum most recently:
- Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair – RT @gallupnews: Americans Divided on Whether U.S. Economic System Is Unfair…
- CA-26: California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro Endorses Tony Strickland for Congress | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – CA-26: California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro Endorses Tony Strickland for Congress
- For Smokers Seeing Arterial Plaque Makes No Difference on Whether They Quit Smoking | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – For Smokers Seeing Arterial Plaque Makes No Difference on Whether They Quit Smoking
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: California Dental Association Supporting Dental Mid-Level Providers? – California Dental Association Supporting Dental Mid-Level Providers?
- Flap’s Dentistry Blog: The Morning Drill: January 25, 2012 – The Morning Drill: January 25, 2012
- Scott Walker leads in Wisconsin recall poll – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is ahead in his likely recall election even as his campaign raises — and spends — millions of dollars in expectation of a tough race later this year.
According to a new Marquette Law School poll the governor leads Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a likely candidate, 50 percent to 44 percent. He leads former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, the only declared Democratic candidate, 49 percent to 42 percent margin, former Rep. David Obey 49 percent to 43 percent and state Sen. Tim Cullen 50 percent to 40 percent.
Democrats started targeting Walker last year, when he spearheaded controversial legislation limiting collective bargaining for public employees. Under Wisconsin law, Walker was not eligible for a recall election until January of this year.
- President 2012: Pelosi Folds – No New Dirt on Gingrich | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – President 2012: Pelosi Folds – No New Dirt on Gingrich
- Flap’s California Morning Collection: January 25, 2012 » Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Morning Collection: January 25, 2012
- Gingrich says Pelosi is living in a fantasy world – The Hill’s Video – Gingrich says Pelosi is living in a fantasy world
- Rubio scolds Gingrich camp, says ad bashing ‘anti-immigrant’ Romney is ‘inaccurate, inflammatory’ | Naked Politics – Rubio scolds Gingrich camp, says ad bashing ‘anti-immigrant’ Romney is ‘inaccurate, inflammatory’
- 33% of GOP Voters Say It Would Be Good If New Candidate Entered Presidential Race – Rasmussen Reports™ – 33% of GOP Voters Say It Would Be Good If New Candidate Entered Presidential Race
- Senior Runners Improve Marathon Performance | Smiles For A Lifetime – Temporary (Locum Tenens) Dentistry – Senior Runners Improve Marathon Performance
- The Morning Flap: January 25, 2012 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – The Morning Flap: January 25, 2012
- Apple’s iPad and the Human Costs for Workers in China – In the last decade, Apple has become one of the mightiest, richest and most successful companies in the world, in part by mastering global manufacturing. Apple and its high-technology peers — as well as dozens of other American industries — have achieved a pace of innovation nearly unmatched in modern history.
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President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Mitt Romney Has Jumped Back in Front of Newt Gingrich
According to the latest Rasmussen Poll.Mitt Romney has jumped back ahead in the fevered Florida Republican Primary race with his support back to where it was before Newt Gingrich’s big win Saturday in South Carolina.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Wednesday night, shows Romney with 39% support to Gingrich’s 31%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum earns 12%, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with nine percent (9%). Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided.
I have sensed some momentum away from Newt Gingrich in the past few days, since the South Carolina primary.
And, tonight’s GOP Florida debate will be critical for Gingrich.
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Day By Day January 26, 2012 – Da Damonator
Day By Day by Chris MuirChris, it appears Damon is taking lessons from President Obama.Look at yesterday’s video where Obama and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer got into it when the President arrived in Arizona.
Is the President now trying to look tough or what?
Must be the Chicago way…..