My fellow Americans — Did you watch President Obama’s healthcare speech tonight? Neither did I. But I did learn from msnbc.com’s First Read that he hoped in his speech to explain to ordinary American voters — “call them Joe and Jane from Kansas City” — that his health-care reform will 1) cover nearly everyone and 2) cut costs in the long run. So let me get this straight — we’re going to spend money to save money! Does he think everyone in Kansas City is that stupid or just Joe and Jane? What — you don’t believe we can insure 50 million more people and cut costs at the same time? Well then, you’re an uninformed kook! You’re scared that those cost savings will come from drastically rationing access to care, particularly for people who are chronically ill and/or near the end of their lives? You’re un-American! Probably a Nazi!… Read more →
EppsNet Archive: Barack Obama
Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne
The most fitting eulogy I’ve read for Senator Kennedy . . . A Senator from Massachusetts has left office in the only manner possible for an incumbent Democrat, i.e., in a coffin. The New York Times leads off their story on Ted Kennedy’s death with “his sometimes-stormy personal life.” When I think of Ted Kennedy, though, my first thought is always sadness at the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, a promising young woman killed by Kennedy, who waited more than eight hours before seeking help for her rescue. One expects politicians to impoverish constituents with reckless spending; one does not expect them to kill constituents. . . . [Some friends asked today how I would have summarized Ted Kennedy’s biography, if not the way the New York Times did. I observed that he had spent his entire life either as the child of a wealthy family or as a government… Read more →
Appeasement
There’s a point at which realism shades over into weakness . . . It’s hard to avoid the sense that Mr. Obama has wasted months trying to appease people who can’t be appeased, and who take every concession as a sign that he can be rolled. — Paul Krugman As we all know, you can’t appease terrorists. Oh wait, sorry–appeasing terrorists is worth a try. It’s Republicans you can’t appease. — Best of the Web Today Read more →
White House Adds $2 Trillion to Deficit Forecasts
The nation would be forced to borrow more than $9 trillion over the next decade under President Obama’s policies, the White House acknowledged late Friday, bringing their long-term budget forecast in line with independent estimates. The new projections add approximately $2 trillion to budget deficits through 2019. Earlier this year, the administration had predicted that Obama’s policies would require the government to spend $7.108 trillion more than it collects in tax revenue over the next decade. An administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the report will not be formally released until Tuesday, said the change is due primarily to updated projections of economic growth that are far less rosy than data used when the White House released its first long-term budget outlook in February. — washingtonpost.com I think I’d be way more upset about this if the numbers weren’t beyond human comprehension . . . Read more →
Twitter: 2009-08-21
Want to buy a customized Michael Vick Eagles jersey for your dog? http://tinyurl.com/la3o36 # Obama: "We are God's partners in matters of life and death." Good mission statement for the death panels! # RT @diablocody: Obsolete memory: pushing card catalog drawers in and out at the library. Also, the tangy smell of the old cards. # Read more →
Explain That, Galileo!
Obama Drops Faster than Bush or Carter — RealClearPolitics [HT: Best of the Web Today] Read more →
Profiling??? PRO-filing?!??!
It took less than a day for the arrest of Henry Louis Gates to become racial lore. When one of America’s most prominent black intellectuals winds up in handcuffs, it’s not just another episode of profiling — it’s a signpost on the nation’s bumpy road to equality. If this man can be taken away by police officers from the porch of his own home, what does it say about the treatment that average blacks can expect in 2009? — Jesse Washington, AP National Writer [In Jim Mora voice]: Profiling??? You kidding me? PRO-filing?!??! “Profiling” implies an absence of facts or evidence. It means “I’m targeting you for suspicion simply because you’re black and therefore more likely to be engaged in criminal activity.” That’s not what happened here. A police officer responded to a 911 call reporting two black males breaking into a house. When he arrived, he found a black… Read more →
To Whom It May Concern
Via Best of the Web Today: “Obama Breaks Silence on Gaza, Voices ‘Deep Concern’ Over Civilian Deaths” — headline, Ha’aretz, Jan. 7 “Obama Voices Concern About Freed Guantanamo Inmates” — headline, Reuters, Feb. 2 “Obama Voices Concern About Pakistan” — headline, New York Times, April 30 “Obama Expresses Concern for Tissainayagam” — headline, TamilNet.com, May 2 “Obama: Long-Term Joblessness a Concern” — headline, CNN.com, May 20 “Obama Says North Korea Nuclear Test a ‘Grave Concern’ ” — headline, Reuters, May 25 “Obama to ‘Voice Concerns’ in Egypt Speech” — headline, Hill, May 29 “Obama Concerned at Sentence of Journalists in NKorea” — headline, Agence France-Presse, June 8 “Obama Names Video Games as Health Concern in Speech to A.M.A.” — headline, GamePolitics.com, June 15 “Obama Has ‘Deep Concerns’ About Iran’s Election” — headline, Newsweek Web site, June 16 “Obama Concern About Oil Speculation Unchanged-W.House” — headline, Reuters, June 18 “Obama Expresses… Read more →
Hot Dog Diplomacy
Iranian envoys hoping to get a piece of American pie, or at least a hot dog, will have to wait. The invitations extended last month to Iranian officials to attend Fourth of July celebrations at American embassies have been rescinded, reports The Times’s Mark Landler. — NYTimes.com Credit: misscharo I hope that’s because they continue to murder their own citizens in the streets and not just because they failed to RSVP in a timely manner. I stand side by side with President Obama in my support for human rights and opposition to totalitarian autocracy! NO IRANIAN DIPLOMATS WILL BE ALLOWED AT MY HOUSE FOR JULY 4 FESTIVITIES! Oh yeah, we’re playing hardball now . . . Read more →
Welcome to “The Obama Show”
During the eight years of the Bush administration, liberal outlets such as the Huffington Post often accused the White House of planting questioners in news conferences to ask preplanned questions. But here was Obama fielding a preplanned question asked by a planted questioner — from the Huffington Post. — washingtonpost.com Read more →
Goofus and Gallant
President Bush was unreflective and cocky for playing golf amidst serious world events. President Obama’s “frequent golf outings reflect a cool self-confidence.” Read more →
Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows
La Jueza Empática
I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life. — Judge Sonia Sotomayor President Obama has said he wanted justices with “empathy,” although in fairness he has also insisted that knowledge of the law would not disqualify a prospective nominee. — Best of the Web Today Read more →
Microblog: 2009-05-01
As the President intervenes in more and more industries, a key question is how he does it and what he is trying to achieve http://is.gd/vLUl # Read more →
Microblog: 2009-04-22
Why does Obama smile at dictators? http://twurl.nl/rzqd10 # More people I’m sick unto death of: Users of the phrase “spot on” # Read more →
Promises, Promises
WASHINGTON — One of President Barack Obama’s campaign pledges on taxes went up in puffs of smoke Wednesday. The largest increase in tobacco taxes took effect despite Obama’s promise not to raise taxes of any kind on families earning under $250,000 or individuals under $200,000. This is one tax that disproportionately affects the poor, who are more likely to smoke than the rich. — Associated Press Read more →
Tweets on 2009-03-30
Offering and accepting only rational, results-oriented behavior and communication: http://tinyurl.com/5z2rg6 # Financial collapse shows failure of free markets? http://tinyurl.com/cmoqqw # Diners can ‘have a ball’ at testicle festival: http://www.modbee.com/weird/story/645349.html # Obama to Back GM Warranties, OnStar Operator Service: http://tinyurl.com/c8k4xz # In Fargo, goodwill runs as deep as the river: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29962032 http://tinyurl.com/cw9o89 # Read more →
Tweets on 2009-03-20
RT @VJnator: The only time Obama is not using the teleprompter is when he uses the word “Look” beginning his sentence.That is the indicator. # Forgot my sunglasses, had to drive 2 work w/out them. Turns out to be overcast, no sun. It’s a good day… # Buy Ichiro’s house – $1.75 million: http://tinyurl.com/ddvkqj # @VJnator He does…it’s an arrogant way to start a sentence. in reply to VJnator # RT @PeteCarroll: Best of luck to Coach Floyd and the Trojans in Minneapolis! Beat the eagles!! # My brother’s visiting from the Pentagon. Not on official business. Nephew’s wedding this weekend. # Building credibility by admitting that you don’t know the answer: http://tinyurl.com/ctyq6s # Read more →
Thomas Jefferson: Obama Not Up to the Task?
Obama still has the approval of the people, but the establishment is beginning to mumble that the president may not have what it takes. — Newsweek.com Gee — do you really think so? What was your first clue? The loud noise of nest eggs being crushed all over America every time he opens his mouth? President of the United States is not a job for a dilettante three years out of the Illinois state senate. Before I was elected president, I served as governor of Virginia, minister to France, secretary of state under George Washington and vice president under John Adams. I also wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and, in my younger years, at age 33, a little something called the Declaration of Independence. President Obama’s accomplishments? I’ll step aside and let one of his supporters enumerate them: Read more →
Could Not Be More Serious
The situation could not be more serious. It is inexcusable and irresponsible for any of us to get bogged down in distraction, delay or politics as usual while millions of Americans are being put out of work. — Barack Obama LOOK, IT’S BRAD PITT! OMG!!! — Nancy Pelosi Read more →