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President Obama delivered the commencement address at Barnard College
New York, NY
May 14 at 12:30 PM EST
Live Braodcast: http://barnard.edu/commencement/webcast
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President Obama Honors Fallen Law Enforcement Officers- May 15, 2010
National Peace Officers Memorial Service
May 15, 2012
Washington, DC
Monday, May 14,, 2012
All Times Eastern
Vice President Biden meets with senior advisors.
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:35 AM
President Obama departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews.
9:50 AM
President Obama departs Joint Base Andrews en route New York City.
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
1:10 PM
President Obama delivers the commencement address at Barnard College
New York, NY
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
PresidentObama tapes an appearance on ‘The View.’
New York, NY
3:30 PM
First Lady Michelle Obama announces new “Let’s Move! “collaboration at Team USA Media Summit with U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and 2012 hopefuls
Dallas, TX
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
First lady Michelle Obama speaks at a campaign event
Dallas, TX
5:05 PM
President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at the Rubin Museum of Art.
New York, NY
6:00 PM
6:50 PM
President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event.
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
8:30 PM
President Obama departs New York City en route Joint Base Andrew.
9:00 PM
9:25 PM
President Obama arrives at Joint Base Andrews.
9:50 PM
President Obama arrives at the White House.
10:00 PM
May 14, 2012
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
1:10 PM ET
President Obama delivers the commencement address at Barnard College
New York, NY
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CNN http://live.cnn.com
1:10 PM ET
President Obama delivers the commencement address at Barnard College
New York, NY
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CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
10:00 AM ET
Bipartisan Policy Center Previews Upcoming Meetings with Iran
Ahead of next week’s meeting in Baghdad of the United States, its allies and Iran, the Bipartisan Policy Center holds a discussion on the goals and potential outcome of the talks, including what is at stake for the countries involved and international security. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Bipartisan-Policy-Center-Previews-Upcoming-Meetings-with-Iran/10737430649/
1:10 PM ET
President Obama delivers the commencement address at Barnard College
New York, NY http://www.c-span.org/Events/Pres-Obama-to-Deliver-Barnard-College-Commencement-Address/10737430640/
President Barack Obama to Speak at Barnard College Commencement
March 03, 2012 Barnard College
President Barack H. Obama will deliver the keynote address at Barnard College’s 120th Commencement ceremony on Monday, May 14, at 12:30 p.m. on Columbia University’s South Lawn. He will address approximately 600 members of the Class of 2012 and receive the Barnard Medal of Distinction, the College’s highest honor. The speech will be broadcast live on http://www.barnard.edu.
For the entire article: https://barnard.edu/march3announcement
May 15 2012
President Obama will speak at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service, an annual ceremony honoring law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty.
First Lady Michelle Obama to join U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and 2012 hopefuls at Team USA Media Summit in Dallas to announce new Let’s Move! collaboration
May 4, 2012 teamusa.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Committee today announced that first lady Michelle Obama will join U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls at the USOC’s 2012 Team USA Media Summit in Dallas on Monday, May 14, to announce a commitment to get more American children active in support of her Let’s Move! initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity.
Last week, Mrs. Obama spoke at the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games and this summer she will lead the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The first lady is working to turn the inspiration of the Olympic Games into action by getting more kids healthy and active.
“We’re incredibly honored to have Mrs. Obama join us in Dallas to celebrate the accomplishments of America’s finest athletes and announce new ways we can all work together to increase access to sport for young children,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “The Let’s Move! Initiative is an important one and something the entire Olympic family in the United States is eager to support.”
The Team USA Media Summit is a three-day opportunity for print, broadcast, internet and photo journalists to conduct interviews and photo sessions with Team USA’s top Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls just months prior to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The USOC has hosted a Media Summit each Olympic year since 1988. Previous host cities include Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Houston, New York City and Salt Lake City.
USA Olympic Comittee : http://www.teamusa.org/
May 14, 2012
Remarks by the First Lady Announcing Olympic Commitments to Get Kids More Active
Hilton Anatole
Dallas, Texas
2:42 P.M. CDT
MRS. OBAMA: Thank you so much, everyone. Wow. I’ve never been introduced as an athlete, so that’s pretty cool. But it’s a little intimidating with you guys up here. But I want to thank you, Natalie.
I am thrilled to be here with all of you today. I want to, again, start by thanking Natalie for that very kind introduction. I also want to recognize Scott Blackmun, the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and, of course, all of the phenomenal athletes who have taken the time to be with us here today. Thanks to all of you for your hard work, your advocacy, and your leadership in connection with this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.
I am beyond proud to be leading the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies in London this summer. And I want you to know that I’ll be doing this both as a First Lady who is honored to represent my country, and I’ll be doing it as a lifelong Olympic fan.
See, one of my happiest memories center around watching the Olympic Games on TV when I was a little girl — cheering on Mary Lou and Nadia and Carl Lewis, and so many others. And like so many young people, I was awed and inspired by those athletes, and as I watched their amazing feats of speed and endurance and grace I would dream about how maybe one day, if I worked hard enough, I too could achieve something great.
So when I’m sitting in that stadium in London cheering on Team U.S.A., I’ll be thinking about all those young people cheering them on at home. I’ll be thinking about the power of the Games to truly inspire a generation, and I’ll be thinking about how our Olympic and Paralympic athletes can serve as role models for our young people; as examples of the values we want our kids to learn.
This summer, our children will learn the stories of athletes like Jessica Long, a Paralympic swimmer. As a child, Jessica watched other kids walking up and down a hill in her neighborhood park and she spent an entire day practicing on her prosthetic legs, falling down over and over again until she could climb that hill too. Her advice to others about how to succeed is very simple. She says: “You have to practice. You will have days when you hate it, and days when you love it. But you have to stick with it.”
And then there’s John Orozco, a gymnast from the Bronx who I just got to meet today. Starting when he was just nine years old, John’s mother would drive him an hour or more each way to the gym, six or seven days a week, and he would often practice until 9 at night and then stay up past midnight to finish his homework. He soon began working at the gym between practices to make money, and when he received his first paycheck, I understand he turned it over to his parents and he told them, he said, “Here Dad. Put this in for the mortgage.”
This summer, so many athletes like Jessica and John will show our young people that the Olympic and Paralympic Games aren’t just about who wins the gold or who sets a new record. They’re about trying to your hardest and triumphing over adversity, and helping others do the same. And thanks to the commitments from the U.S. Olympic Committee and 10 of its governing bodies, this year, young people will be learning those values for themselves in schools and parks and athletic facilities all across this country.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/14/remarks-first-lady-announcing-olympic-commitments-get-kids-more-active
Michelle Obama gets U.S. athletes and kids moving
Published on May 15, 2012 by Messi Maradona
May 14, 2012
Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event
Hilton Lincoln Centre
Dallas, Texas
4:12 P.M. CDT
MRS. OBAMA: Wow! (Applause.) Thank you so much. See, now, usually when I come on stage I have to pull the mic up. With Vince, one of the few people I have to pull the mic down for.
You all, thank you so much. Thank you. (Applause.) Let me tell you, I am beyond thrilled to be with all of you today.
Let me start by thanking Vince, not just for that kind introduction — now, I feel bad now. (Laughter.) He was not with his mother to come introduce me. I just love — don’t you love him?
AUDIENCE: Yes!
MRS. OBAMA: Let me tell you, my husband loves Vince Carter. So he has just been amazing. We are so proud of him not just for the athlete that he is, but for the citizen, the man, the father the role model. Let’s give him a round of applause. (Applause.)
I also want to recognize a couple of other people. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson for her leadership — who is here looking good — and her service. And I want to give a big shoutout to my dear friend and his family, Hall-of-Famer Emmitt Smith — (applause) — your family. They are here. They have just been amazing. They brought their mentees with them, as well as their kids. And they are just — they have just been tremendous supporters and friends. And I love you all so dearly. I really do.
And finally, I want to thank all of you — truly — for taking the time out of what are I know busy lives to be with me today. And I know that you all are here and busy, but I know you’ve got families to raise and jobs to do. But there is a reason why you all have taken the time to be here, and it’s not just because we all support one extraordinary man who is our President. And I am biased. (Applause.) I think we have an amazing President.
And it’s not just because we want to win an election — which we do. But we’re here because of the values we believe in. We’re here because of the vision for this country that we all share. We’re doing this because we want all of our children to have good schools –- the kind of schools that push them, and inspire them, and prepare them for good jobs and an excellent future. We want that for all our kids.
For more; http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/14/remarks-first-lady-campaign-event
USDA 150th Anniversary
Established May 15, 1862
Today, I accompanied Secretary Vilsack on a trip to the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois to announce USDA’s year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of our founding in 1862. It is quite fitting that we are marking this celebration in the hometown of our founder, President Abraham Lincoln, which just so happens to be my hometown as well.
During today’s festivities, Secretary Vilsack unveiled the official 150th anniversary graphic to help mark the occasion which you can view at the USDA 150th anniversary website. This graphic will be used throughout the year as the USDA community celebrates this landmark anniversary by commemorating important events, such as the signing of the legislation to establish the Department on May 15, 1862 by President Lincoln, and the July signing of the Morrill Act to establish our public land grant universities.
http://blogs.usda.gov/2011/11/02/usda-announces-2012-commemoration-of-150th-anniversary/
May 14, 2012
Presidential Proclamation — 150th Anniversary of the United States Department of Agriculture
150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
On May 15, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation to establish the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and codified a commitment to the health of our people and our land. One hundred and fifty years later, USDA continues to realize that vision of service by applying sound public policy and science to an evolving food and agriculture system.
The USDA has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the American people for generations. During the Great Depression, the Department helped bring an end to the Dust Bowl by promoting soil conservation. Through two World Wars, the Victory Garden Program fed troops and families around the world. The USDA worked to bring electric power to rural communities, establish the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance and School Lunch Programs, implement our Nation’s food safety regulations, and protect our forests and private lands. For one-and-a-half centuries, USDA has empowered communities across our country and helped ensure we leave our children a future rich with promise and possibility.
Today, USDA continues to serve the public interest by providing leadership on agriculture, natural resources, safe and nutritious food, research, and a broad spectrum of related issues. With partners across the public sector and throughout industry, USDA is working to develop and expand markets for agricultural products, grow our businesses and our economy, and protect the quality of our food supply and our environment. As part of the White House Rural Council, the Department is striving to expand opportunity for millions of families by promoting job growth and investing in infrastructure that will drive progress in the 21st century. Through the Feed the Future initiative, USDA is supporting America’s commitment to combat hunger and improve food security worldwide. And with the America’s Great Outdoors initiative, USDA is supporting community-based conservation initiatives that will preserve our natural heritage for generations to come.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/14/presidential-proclamation-150th-anniversary-united-states-department-agr
Looking forward to PBO’s address at Barnard tomorrow!
You and me both Kat!
Steel
Published on May 14, 2012 by BarackObamadotcom
Learn more: http://www.romneyeconomics.com
Kansas City’s GST Steel had been making steel rods for 105 years when Romney and his partners took control in 1993. They cut corners and extracted profit from the business at every turn, placing it deeply in debt. When the company eventually declared bankruptcy, workers not only lost their jobs but were denied their full pensions and health insurance, and the government was forced to step in and provide a bailout.
The Week Ahead: Senate takes up Obama’s ‘to do’ list
5/14/12 By Emily Goodin – TheHill
The Senate starts to tackle President Obama’s “to-do” list while the president prepares for this weekend’s NATO summit.
In the House, lawmakers will spend most of the week debating the National Defense Authorization Act and will also vote on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
The Senate begins the week with a vote on the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, whose charter expires May 31.
Then the upper chamber moves on to one of the five elements of Obama’s five-point “To Do” list for Congress — a 10 percent tax credit for small businesses that hire.
World leaders begin arriving in town on Thursday for the NATO summit at Camp David.
Monday, May 14
President Obama will deliver the commencement address at Barnard College in New York City. He will also tape an appearance for ABC’s “The View,” which will air Tuesday, and then he’ll attend a couple of campaign fundraisers.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack holds a Twitter town hall, beginning at 1:30 p.m., to celebrate the Agriculture Department’s 150th anniversary. Use the #AskUSDA and #USDA150 hashtags.
For more: http://thehill.com/homenews/news/227079-the-week-ahead-senate-takes-up-obamas-to-do-list
Obama aide in Yemen in anti-al Qaeda drive
SANAA | Sun May 13, 2012 2:32pm EDT
(Reuters) – A senior aide to President Barack Obama flew to Yemen on Sunday to meet the leader of a country battling with al Qaeda insurgents that Washington believes has also targeted the United States, U.S. and Yemeni officials said.
The visit by John Brennan, Obama’s counter-terrorism adviser, comes as Yemen is on a new offensive against Islamist rebels and after Washington said it had foiled an airliner bomb plot linked to al Qaeda’s Yemen-based affiliate.
Washington has stepped up its drone attacks in Yemen since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February, and the Pentagon said this week it had recently resumed sending military trainers into the Gulf Arab country.
In a brief statement, the U.S. embassy in Yemen said Brennan had “conveyed President Obama’s strong commitment to support Yemen as it continues to implement its political agreement and prepares for a comprehensive national dialogue”.
For more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/13/us-yemen-bomb-idUSBRE84C09S20120513
Good Monday morning everyone! I HOPE that you have a good day!
Good morning CR and PPO Family. HOPE all moms, grandmothers and great-grandmothers had a wonderful Mother’s Day. Went on a weekend camping trip with my kids. Will post cndle link soon.
Hi Jackie! Sounds like you had a good Mother’s Day weekend
I absolutely did. It was a spur of the moment decision, but we had a blast.
Please join me in lighting a candle for our President, First Family and the Nation.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Thank you Jackie
Now Streaming…
1:10 PM ET
President Obama delivers the commencement address at Barnard College
New York, NY
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/Pres-Obama-to-Deliver-Barnard-College-Commencement-Address/10737430640/
Barnard College http://www.barnard.edu/
May 14, 2012
Remarks by the President at Barnard College Commencement Ceremony
Barnard College
Columbia University
New York, New York
1:28 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. (Applause.) Thank you. Please, please have a seat. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you, President Spar, trustees, President Bollinger. Hello, Class of 2012! (Applause.) Congratulations on reaching this day. Thank you for the honor of being able to be a part of it.
There are so many people who are proud of you — your parents, family, faculty, friends — all who share in this achievement. So please give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) To all the moms who are here today, you could not ask for a better Mother’s Day gift than to see all of these folks graduate. (Applause.)
I have to say, though, whenever I come to these things, I start thinking about Malia and Sasha graduating, and I start tearing up and — (laughter) — it’s terrible. I don’t know how you guys are holding it together. (Laughter.)
I will begin by telling a hard truth: I’m a Columbia college graduate. (Laughter and applause.) I know there can be a little bit of a sibling rivalry here. (Laughter.) But I’m honored nevertheless to be your commencement speaker today — although I’ve got to say, you set a pretty high bar given the past three years. (Applause.) Hillary Clinton — (applause) — Meryl Streep — (applause) — Sheryl Sandberg — these are not easy acts to follow. (Applause.)
But I will point out Hillary is doing an extraordinary job as one of the finest Secretaries of State America has ever had. (Applause.) We gave Meryl the Presidential Medal of Arts and Humanities. (Applause.) Sheryl is not just a good friend; she’s also one of our economic advisers. So it’s like the old saying goes — keep your friends close, and your Barnard commencement speakers even closer. (Applause.) There’s wisdom in that. (Laughter.)
Now, the year I graduated — this area looks familiar — (laughter) — the year I graduated was 1983, the first year women were admitted to Columbia. (Applause.) Sally Ride was the first American woman in space. Music was all about Michael and the Moonwalk. (Laughter.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do it! (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: No Moonwalking. (Laughter.) No Moonwalking today. (Laughter.)
We had the Walkman, not iPods. Some of the streets around here were not quite so inviting. (Laughter.) Times Square was not a family destination. (Laughter.) So I know this is all ancient history. Nothing worse than commencement speakers droning on about bygone days. (Laughter.) But for all the differences, the Class of 1983 actually had a lot in common with all of you. For we, too, were heading out into a world at a moment when our country was still recovering from a particularly severe economic recession. It was a time of change. It was a time of uncertainty. It was a time of passionate political debates.
You can relate to this because just as you were starting out finding your way around this campus, an economic crisis struck that would claim more than 5 million jobs before the end of your freshman year. Since then, some of you have probably seen parents put off retirement, friends struggle to find work. And you may be looking toward the future with that same sense of concern that my generation did when we were sitting where you are now.
Of course, as young women, you’re also going to grapple with some unique challenges, like whether you’ll be able to earn equal pay for equal work; whether you’ll be able to balance the demands of your job and your family; whether you’ll be able to fully control decisions about your own health.
And while opportunities for women have grown exponentially over the last 30 years, as young people, in many ways you have it even tougher than we did. This recession has been more brutal, the job losses steeper. Politics seems nastier. Congress more gridlocked than ever. Some folks in the financial world have not exactly been model corporate citizens. (Laughter.)
No wonder that faith in our institutions has never been lower, particularly when good news doesn’t get the same kind of ratings as bad news anymore. Every day you receive a steady stream of sensationalism and scandal and stories with a message that suggest change isn’t possible; that you can’t make a difference; that you won’t be able to close that gap between life as it is and life as you want it to be.
My job today is to tell you don’t believe it. Because as tough as things have been, I am convinced you are tougher. I’ve seen your passion and I’ve seen your service. I’ve seen you engage and I’ve seen you turn out in record numbers. I’ve heard your voices amplified by creativity and a digital fluency that those of us in older generations can barely comprehend. I’ve seen a generation eager, impatient even, to step into the rushing waters of history and change its course.
And that defiant, can-do spirit is what runs through the veins of American history. It’s the lifeblood of all our progress. And it is that spirit which we need your generation to embrace and rekindle right now.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/14/remarks-president-barnard-college-commencement-ceremony
PBO has the positive outlook and the brains and the strength that we would want in a President if we were inventing a President. Except we don’t have to, because he’s real.
Obama, gay marriage activist Evan Wolfson to receive Barnard honor
5/14/12 8:44 AM EDT POLITICO44
President Obama and Freedom to Marry founder and president Evan Wolfson will both receive the Medal Of Distinction at Barnard College Monday:
“I am deeply moved to join with President Obama to celebrate the next generation of leaders coming up among Barnard women, and to share the Barnard Medal of Distinction with him,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry. “And I will thank the President for doing what we elect presidents to do — showing moral leadership in standing up for freedom, fairness, and families — and for speaking in such personal terms about the journey he and so many Americans have made to understand who gay families are and why marriage matters.”
“In explaining his change of heart, the President spoke in heartfelt words that rang true, because he described the very same journey that so many Americans – a majority now – have made,” added Wolfson.
The Village Voice reports that it’s a coincidence — Wolfson was booked before Obama came out in favor of gay marriage last week. But part of the reason Obama spoke out on the issue was his calendar: between a big Hollywood fundraiser, an event with Ricky Martin and sharing a stage with Wolfson, Obama was going to face continual questions about his cagey stance.
“Cagey” my eye. He knew he had to handle this with delicacy or his support would do more harm than good. I had to laugh at the Log Cabin Republicans claiming that if he had endorsed marriage equality earlier, the North Carolina Republicans would never have outlawed SSM and civil unions.
Addressing Violence Against Native Women in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
Jodi Gilette, Lynn Rosenthal May 14, 2012 12:20 PM EDT
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee considered legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). However, the bill that came out of the House Judiciary Committee failed to include a key provision which has already been accepted by the Senate on a bipartisan basis and is essential to protecting Native American women.
Since 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has been an essential tool in helping to protect victims of domestic and sexual violence. Since the passage of the Act, annual incidents of domestic violence have dropped by more than 60 percent. Over the years, Congress has continued its commitment to addressing violence against women by working with advocates, law enforcement officials, court systems, and victims in order to build on what we have learned and make improvements to the Act in each subsequent reauthorization. This was recently demonstrated by the Senate’s VAWA reauthorization bill (S. 1925), introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) which passed last month with strong bipartisan support.
The Leahy-Crapo VAWA reauthorization bill addresses many pressing issues facing all victims of domestic violence, including those in Indian Country. Rates of domestic violence against Native women in Indian Country are now among the highest in the United States and the Leahy-Crapo bill directly confronts this epidemic.
Tribal police, prosecutors, and courts have had significant success in combating crimes of domestic violence committed by Indians in Indian Country, but tribes cannot prosecute a non-Indian, even if he lives on the reservation and is married to a tribal member. As a result, all too often, non-Indian men who batter their wives or girlfriends go unpunished. One provision of the Leahy-Crapo bill addresses this legal gap by providing tribes with concurrent authority to hold domestic violence perpetrators accountable for their crimes against Native women – regardless of the perpetrator’s race.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/14/addressing-violence-against-native-women-violence-against-women-act-reauthorization
Said it before and I’ll say it again. How many Administrations have paid so much attention to the needs of Native Americans, let alone Native American women?
I’m guessing none.
BTW, good and HOPEful Monday, CR and all friends!
>^..^<
Good and HOPEful Monday Kat!
Share Your Ideas for Improving Transportation for Veterans
Posted by Ray LaHood on May 14, 2012 at 01:00 PM EDT
Yesterday, DOT helped launch a national dialogue on strengthening transportation choices for America’s military veterans, wounded warriors, and their families. This online conversation, “Strengthening Transportation Choices So We Can Serve Those Who Have Served Their Country,” is open until June 8, and we invite those interested in helping veterans and service members to participate by visiting veteransdialogue.ideascale.com.
The benefits Americans enjoy today wouldn’t be possible without the courageous service of our nation’s veterans. So when they return home, we must turn our sincere appreciation of the men and women who bravely protect and defend the United States of America into action. We must help them and their families find meaningful work, a good education, and quality medical care—none of which is possible without access to reliable, affordable transportation.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/14/share-your-ideas-improving-transportation-veterans
3:00 PM ET
President Obama tapes an appearance on ‘The View.’
New York, NY
The View : President Obama on Gay Marriage! – The View
Published on May 14, 2012 by ABCTheView
Watch full episodes of The View at http://abc.go.com/watch/the-view/SH559080?cid=YTV_VIEW President Obama shares with the ladies, his thoughts on Gay Marriage.
5:05 PM ET
President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at the Rubin Museum of Art.
New York, NY
CNN http://live.cnn.com/
May 14, 2012
Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event
Rubin Museum of Art
New York, New York
4:40 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you! (Applause.) Well, it is wonderful to be with all of you. There are a couple of special acknowledgements I want to make. First of all, I just want to thank Ricky Martin for being here today. (Applause.) Those of you who haven’t caught “Evita” yet, go out there. I’m sure there’s still tickets available. (Laughter.) But you know that he’s going to be spectacular in it. And I’m so grateful for him stepping out and being willing to support me in this way.
I want to thank Donald and Shelley Rubin for not only making this extraordinary event possible, but all that they’ve done for the civic life of New York. Please give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I want to thank Raj Goyale, who helped to put this together. And he’s got two beautiful daughters, one of whom he’s still holding like this, and it’s — (laughter) — it reminds me of when Malia and Sasha were like this, and now they’re like this. (Laughter.) But I want to thank Raj for this.
Your outstanding Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman is in the house, so please give him a big round of applause as well. (Applause.)
So we’ve been busy. (Laughter.) We’ve got a few things to do here. I’m here to ask for your help, but I’m also here because your country needs your help. When we ran four years ago I think we all understood that the campaign wasn’t just about me. It was about the commitment we made to each other to make sure that this country lived up to the meaning its creed. The idea that all of us, if we worked, if we tried, we could make it here in America — regardless of what we look like, where we came from, who we loved, what our surnames were; the notion that those basic values of responsibility and hard work, of giving back, that that’s what built this country and we built it together. And we felt like we had lost some of those core values.
When I was first elected, we were looking backwards at a decade of manufacturing moving overseas and the middle class struggling with flat wages and flat incomes, even though the cost of everything from college to health care had been skyrocketing. We had seen recklessness by some on Wall Street, almost bringing the economy to its knees. An auto industry that was on the verge of collapse. A foreign policy that had not gained us the kind of respect that we needed in the world, and had cost us over a trillion dollars.
And so we understood we had a lot of work to do. And the month that I took office we were losing 800,000 jobs that month, and we had already lost 4 million, and we’d lose another 3 million after that. And so these have been tough times. It’s been tough times for the country, tough times for a lot of families all across America.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/14/remarks-president-campaign-event
6:50 PM ET
President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event.
Remarks to follow.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
All Times Eastern
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing.
Oval Office
Closed Press
10:00 AM
10:55 AM
President Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service, an annual ceremony honoring law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty.
U.S. Capitol Building
Open to pre-credentialed media
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
12:30 PM
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
2:15 PM
President Obama welcomes Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
White House.
East Room
Open Press
3:00 PM
First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a Let’s Move! soccer event with students from across the country and the Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
State Dining Room
3:30 PM
President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with Geithner.
Oval Office
Closed Press
4:00 PM
4:30 PM
President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with Secretary of Defense Panetta
Oval Office
Closed Press
5:00 PM
5:30 PM
President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with the Combatant Commanders.
Cabinet Room
Closed Press
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host a dinner for the Combatant Commanders and spouses at the White House; Vice President Biden also attends.
Blue Room
Closed Press
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
May 15, 2012
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
10:55 AM ET
President Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service, an annual ceremony honoring law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty.
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
2:15 PM ET
President Obama welcomes Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
White House.
3:00 PM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a Let’s Move! soccer event with students from across the country and the Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
State Dining Room
—-
CNN http://live.cnn.com
10:00 AM ET
Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to ‘Human
Freedom’ event
Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi speaks, via teleconference, to the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s “Celebration of Human Freedom”.
10:00 AM ET
The House Rules Committee meets on the National Defense Authorization Act
10:55 AM ET
President Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
1:00 PM ET
The House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights will hold a hearing to examine the status of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng.
1:00 PM ET
Pentagon briefing
Defense Department spokesman Capt. John Kirby and Assistant Defense Secretary George Little hold a briefing with reporters at the Pentagon.
2:15 PM ET
President Obama welcomes Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
White House.
2:30 PM ET
Hearing on how to solve the long-term unemployment crisis for older workers, at the Senate Aging Committee.
3:00 PM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a Let’s Move! soccer event with students from across the country and the Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
State Dining Room
—-
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
8:45 AM ET
Fiscal Summit to Showcase Political Leaders
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation (PGPF) holds its third annual “2012 Fiscal Summit: America’s Case for Action.” Participants include, Former Pres. Bill Clinton, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) and others.
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Fiscal-Summit-to-Showcase-Political-Leaders/10737430684/
10:00 AM ET
Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to ‘Human
Freedom’ event
Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi speaks, via teleconference, to the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s “Celebration of Human Freedom”. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Aung-San-Suu-Kyi-Participates-in-Human-Freedom-Event/10737430699/
10:00 AM ET
The House Rules Committee meets on the National Defense Authorization Act
10:00 AM ET
Hearing Discusses Legislation to Lower the Cost of HIV/AIDS Drugs
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Hearing-Discusses-Legislation-to-Lower-the-Cost-of-HIVAIDS-Drugs/10737430698/
10:55 AM ET
President Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
1:00 PM ET
The House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights will hold a hearing to examine the status of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Lawmakers-Hold-Hearing-on-Chinese-Activist-Chen-Guangcheng/10737430680/
1:00 PM ET
Pentagon briefing
Defense Department spokesman Capt. John Kirby and Assistant Defense Secretary George Little hold a briefing with reporters at the Pentagon.
2:30 PM ET
Hearing on how to solve the long-term unemployment crisis for older workers, at the Senate Aging Committee. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Cmte-on-Aging-Examines-Unemployment-of-Older-Workers/10737430697/
31st Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service
Sponsored by the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police and the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary. The Memorial Service will be held on the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
The Service begins at 11:00 a.m. and is expected to run approximately 2 hours. Contact: Andy Maybo (vice-president@dc-fop.org) or Linda Hennie (lshennie@aol.com). The Wreath Laying Ceremony will be held immediately following the Memorial Service at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, located in the 400 block of E Street, NW.
For more: http://www.policeweek.org
ABOUT NATIONAL POLICE WEEK
WASHINGTON NATIONALS:
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The Memorial Service began in 1982 as a gathering in Senate Park of approximately 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement. Decades later, the event, more commonly known as National Police Week, has grown to a series of events which attracts thousands of survivors and law enforcement officers to our Nation’s Capital each year.
The National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, which is sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, is one in a series of events which includes the Candlelight Vigil, which is sponsored by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and seminars sponsored by Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.)
For more: http://www.policeweek.org/
May 14, 2012
Presidential Proclamation — Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week
PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY AND POLICE WEEK, 2012
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Every day, public safety officers work tirelessly to protect our citizens, enforce our laws, and keep our neighborhoods safe. They report for duty knowing full well the dangers they face and the sacrifices they may be called upon to make. This week, we pay tribute to the thousands of men and women who serve us with extraordinary bravery, and we remember the heroes who have laid down their lives in pursuit of a safer, more just society.
While we can never fully repay them for their service, we must work to ensure our law enforcement officers are equipped with the tools and technology they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. My Administration has devoted significant resources to improving officer safety, providing bulletproof vests that have saved lives, training officers to prevent and survive potentially lethal encounters, and strengthening our ability to share information. We also continue to pursue our goal of deploying a nationwide wireless network for public safety. For the first time, this new system will give our Nation’s police officers and first responders a dedicated communication network in times of crisis helping fulfill our promise to provide these brave men and women with tools worthy of the sacrifices they make on our behalf.
We owe a profound debt to all those who have worn the badge, and to the families whose care enables them to serve with courage and pride. When the unthinkable happens and officers give their lives or are seriously injured in the line of duty, we have an obligation to give their loved ones the support they deserve. During Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, we recall the selflessness of our law enforcement officers and their families, and we honor all those who devote their lives to forging a stronger, safer America. Let us reflect on their invaluable contributions as we enjoy the peace they bring to our communities, and let us vow that their service will never be taken for granted.
By a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat. 676), and by Public Law 103 322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136 137), the President has been authorized and requested to designate May 15 of each year as “Peace Officers Memorial Day” and the week in which it falls as “Police Week.”
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2012, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 13 through May 19, 2012, as Police Week. I call upon all Americans to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also call on Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day. I further encourage all Americans to display the flag at half staff from their homes and businesses on that day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
BARACK OBAMA
Peterson Foundation to Convene 3rd Annual Fiscal Summit in Washington on May 15th
prnewswire
Speakers include former President Bill Clinton, Speaker of the House John Boehner, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Rep. Paul Ryan and others.
NEW YORK, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Against the backdrop of the upcoming elections, and with a series of key fiscal deadlines approaching at the end of the year, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s 2012 Fiscal Summit: America’s Case for Action features the nation’s leading experts and elected officials in discussions about the fiscal, economic, and political crossroads facing the country.
For the entire article: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/peterson-foundation-to-convene-3rd-annual-fiscal-summit-in-washington-on-may-15th-150664305.html
.
Peterson Foundation holds 2012 Fiscal Summit
May 15, 2012
Live Feed: http://www.fiscalsummit.com/
Geithner warns Boehner not to play with debt-ceiling increase
5/15/12 09:46 AM ET By Erik Wasson – TheHill
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on Tuesday warned Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) against playing with the U.S. debt ceiling.
Boehner, who’s giving a speech on the economy later in the day, will say that the debt ceiling, set to be breached early next year, should not be raised unless greater spending cuts and reforms are enacted, according to prepared remarks released by the Speaker’s office.
“When the time comes, I will again insist on my simple principle of cuts and reforms greater than the debt-limit increase. This is the only avenue I see right now to force the elected leadership of this country to solve our structural fiscal imbalance,” Boehner will tell the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s 2012 fiscal summit.
“Just so we’re clear, I’m talking about real cuts and reforms — not these tricks and gimmicks that have given Washington a pass on grappling with its spending problem,” he will add.
Boehner’s demand that the debt-ceiling increase be offset by spending cuts led to a standoff with the White House on the debt ceiling last year. Although the standoff was resolved, the wrangling led to a first-ever downgrade of the U.S. bond rating by Standard & Poor’s. A compromise solution created a supercommittee to find more cuts, but that panel failed to yield deeper spending cuts and has been a disappointment to conservatives.
S&P urged lawmakers to find a long term fiscal solution, which Boehner said he is seeking. The ratings company also said the fighting indicated the political system may be unable to handle the task. The GOP argues that U.S. credit rating is ultimately about reducing the debt and the debt ceiling is the best tool to fix it.
“This commitment to meet the obligations of the nation, this commitment to protect the creditworthiness of the country, is a fundamental commitment that you can never call into question or violate,” Geithner said Tuesday in reaction to the leaked Boehner remarks.
“You can’t put that into question, you can’t put that into doubt, you can’t threaten to put that into service … of the partisan political agenda of any side of the American political spectrum. It is not responsible to do that,” he said in his address to the Peterson Foundation.
Geithner sought to blame Congress for the fallout from the debt-ceiling debacle, which was followed by steep declines in equity markets.
“We hope they do it without the drama and the pain and the damage they caused the country last July,” he said.
The end of the 2013 will see automatic tax increases and spending cuts triggered by the failure of the supercommittee as well as the need to raise the debt ceiling.
Geithner said that the prospect of reaching this fiscal cliff is having an effect on the economy.
“We’re close enough now for this to matter a lot,” he said.
Geithner once again called for a mix of tax increases through tax reform and spending cuts to address the fiscal challenge.
He said, perhaps more plainly than before, that the end result will resemble the results of the Obama deficit commission, headed by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, which Obama failed to embrace last year.
“I think it is very likely that this debate will end on terms very similar,” he said.
He said Obama was not comfortable with the defense cuts or Social Security cuts in the Simpson-Bowles plan, but that broadly, Obama’s ideas are closer to that plan than the ideas of the GOP.
Geithner said that the U.S. economy is gradually improving, but that Congress needs to pass a five-point stimulus plan being pushed by Obama to better weather external shocks such as the European debt crisis.
The Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league’s second most-decorated club, after D.C. United.
The Galaxy are the reigning MLS Cup and MLS Supporters’ Shield champions. They have won the MLS Cup three times (2002, 2005, 2011), the MLS Supporters’ Shield four times (1998, 2002, 2010, 2011), the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup twice (2001, 2005), and is one of just two MLS teams to win the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup (now replaced by the CONCACAF Champions League) which they accomplished in 2000.
For more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Galaxy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LA Galaxy website: http://www.lagalaxy.com
David Beckham heads to the White House
5/14/12 By CAITLIN MCDEVITT – POLITICO44
Soccer star David Beckham will be kicking it at the White House on Tuesday.
Beckham and his team, the LA Galaxy, are visiting 1600 Penn. where President Obama will host a ceremony honoring their MLS Cup win, according to the White House.
The players will then join first lady Michelle Obama for a soccer clinic for students on the South Lawn.
Preview: White House visit
Published on May 14, 2012 by TheLAGalaxy
Galaxy players and coaches share their excitement about visiting the White House and meeting the President on Tuesday
Epcon Communities: Increase In Inquiries And Contracts Signal Turnaround Underway In Active Adult Housing Market
5/14/12 Epcon Communities – 9 hours ago
DUBLIN, Ohio, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The long-awaited turnaround in the housing market may finally be underway, at least in the Active Adult segment, if data provided by Epcon Communities are any indication.
Epcon Communities, a leading homebuilding and land development franchise operator based in Dublin, Ohio, has released data that show a significant uptick in homebuilding and home buying activity in recent months, and even greater growth since the beginning of 2012 alone.
Inquiries by builder partners to explore the opportunity to become an Epcon Communities franchise builder began to accelerate in July 2011, with an even greater spike beginning in October of last year and carrying through to the first three months of 2012.
Whereas the number of Q1 inquiries were five and 11 in 2010 and 2011 respectively, Epcon Communities has already received more that 30 requests from potential franchisees in the first three months of this year.
Already in 2012, Epcon Communities has initiated or executed more new franchise agreements in the first quarter than the company had in the entire three years prior, combined.
On the demand side of the equation, Epcon Communities builder partners have more new home communities pending or under construction in the first quarter of 2012 alone than they started in the entirety of the three previous years, indicating that builders are moving quickly to serve a loosening, more motivated buying market.
Home sales at Epcon Communities have increased nearly 230% in the first quarter of 2012, compared to the first quarter of 2011.
For more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/epcon-communities-increase-inquiries-contracts-140000831.html;_ylt=A2KJjb2akrFP4TQANiLQtDMD
A fundraising boost from same-sex marriage
May 14, 2012 by Nancy Marshall-Genzer – Marketplace
TRANSCRIPT
Kai Ryssdal: President Obama was in New York City today. He did the commencement address at Barnard College. He taped an appearance with the ladies of “The View”on ABC, and tonight he’s at a fundraiser hosted by singer Ricky Martin, co-sponsored by the LGBT Leadership Council, that’s a pro-gay rights group. The big donor gathering is another chance for the president to talk about his announcement last week that he personally suports gay marriage and in the process reap the campaign finance rewards.
Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Nancy Marshall Genzer: Tonight’s event was President Obama’s first fundraiser with gay and lesbian donors since his announcement on same-sex marriage. Turns out some of the president’s biggest fundraisers, or bundlers, are gay. They’re now fired up. And will approach the president’s major donors with new energy, according to Paul Light, a campaign finance expert who teaches public service at NYU.
Paul Light: That does open some wallets and makes the bundlers happier and it’s going to be easier to hit on the big givers.
The Obama campaign isn’t releasing official figures on how much it’s raised since the president’s announcement on gay marriage. But there are anecdotal signs of an uptick.
Robert Zimmerman is an Obama bundler in New York. He says newly enthusiastic gay donors jammed his phone lines after Obama’s announcement until one in the morning.
Robert Zimmerman: They were out there, not just writing their own checks, they were stepping up to call their friends and were looking to go to a swing state to knock on doors.
Obama fundraisers hosted by the gay community are becoming sellouts. One scheduled for next month in Beverly Hills might be moved necause now, there isn’t enough space.
For more: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/elections/real-economy/fundraising-boost-same-sex-marriage
Hey CR, another great thread.
Hey COS! Thanks!
Manufacturing in New York Region Rises More Than Forecast
5/15/12 By Lorraine Woellert – Bloomberg
Manufacturing in the New York region expanded more than forecast in May as shipments surged and new orders improved.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s general economic index increased to 17.1 this month from 6.6 in April. The median estimate in a survey of Bloomberg economists called for an increase to 9.
Readings greater than zero signal expansion in the so-called Empire State Index, which covers New York, northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut. The last negative reading was in October.
Manufacturers in the U.S. are getting a boost as auto sales running at the fastest pace in four years lift demand for goods from glass and machinery to sound systems. Companies are also benefiting from overseas demand, with exports hitting a record in March.
“Manufacturing continues to be a bright spot for the U.S. economy,” said Jay Bryson, a senior global economist for Wells Fargo Securities LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina, before the report. “The encouraging thing was that exports were as strong as they were.”
Other reports today showed that retail sales rose in April at the slowest pace of the year and consumer prices were unchanged, restrained by a drop in energy prices.
Stock-index futures held earlier gains after the reports. The contract on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index maturing in June rose 0.6 percent to 1,342.7 at 8:32 a.m. in New York as economic growth in Germany helped the euro area avoid its second recession in three years.
For more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-15/manufacturing-in-new-york-region-rises-more-than-forecast.html
Good Tuesday morning everyone! I HOPE that you have a good day!
Next Up…
10:55 AM ET
President Obama speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service, an annual ceremony honoring law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty.
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
May 15, 2012
Remarks by the President at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service
U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.
11:25 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you, Chuck, for that very kind introduction. Chuck is a proud police officer, he’s the proud parent of a police officer, and he has dedicated his life to law enforcement and their families. So I want to thank him for his extraordinary service.
I want to recognize the entire Fraternal Order of Police and its leadership, including Jim Pasco, for all your work on behalf of those who wear the badge. I’d like to recognize FOP Auxiliary President Linda Hennie, all the members of the FOP Auxiliary, members of Congress including Speaker Boehner, Congressman Hoyer, and Senator Leahy, as well as members of my administration. And most of all, I want to acknowledge and thank the families of those who have fallen.
As Scripture tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Our country’s law enforcement officers use force when they have to. They are well armed and they are well trained. But they never forget that theirs is a mission of peace. Their job is to keep the peace, to allow all of us to enjoy peace in our neighborhoods and for our families. And today, with heavy hearts, we honor those who gave their lives in the service of that mission. Their families are in our thoughts and prayers, as we remember the quiet courage of the men and women we have lost.
These are officers like Detective John Falcone, of Poughkeepsie, New York. In February, Detective Falcone responded to a shot fired call on Main Street. And when he arrived on the scene, he saw a man holding a gun with one hand, and a small child with the other.
In a situation like that, every instinct pushes us towards self-preservation. But when the suspect fled, still holding the child, Detective Falcone didn’t think twice. He took off in pursuit, and tragically, in the struggle that followed, he was shot and killed. He is survived by his parents.
But there’s another survivor as well: A three-year old child who might not be alive today had it not been for the sacrifice of a hero who gave his life for another.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/15/remarks-president-national-peace-officers-memorial-service
US builder confidence at highest level in 5 years
5/15/12 By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER | Associated Press – 1 hr 38 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Confidence among U.S. builders rose to the highest level in five years in May, a hopeful sign that modest improvement in the housing market will pick up.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index rose to 29 in May. That’s the highest reading since May 2007 and up from a downwardly revised reading of 24 in April.
The index rose for six straight months before falling in April.
Still, any reading below 50 indicates negative sentiment about the housing market. The index hasn’t reached hit that level since April 2006, the peak of the housing boom.
Homebuilders reported improving sales and higher traffic from prospective buyers. A gauge measuring confidence in sales over the next six months also rose, to 34 from 31.
The improved outlook follows other recent signs that the depressed housing market is slowly improving.
In March, builders requested the highest number of permits to build new homes and apartments in 3 ½ years. And the number of people who signed contracts to buy homes rose in March to the highest level in nearly two years.
Mortgage rates have fallen to record lows and hiring has picked up, making it easier for more Americans to buy homes. Still, many would-be buyers are having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can’t afford larger down payments required by banks.
VA and Department of Labor Program to Retrain 99,000 Unemployed Veterans Is Now Accepting Applications
Posted by Brad Cooper on May 15, 2012 at 10:03 AM EDT
Last November, the President signed into law the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Included in this law is a new program designed to help put veterans who aren’t eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill back to work – interested veterans can start to apply today!
The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) offers up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed veterans age 35-60. The re-training program will help our nation’s heroes gain meaningful training in a new skill that will increase their employability.
To qualify, a veteran must:
* Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
* Be unemployed on the day of application
* Have an other than dishonorable discharge
* Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
* Not be in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
* Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program
Participants may receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month). DOL will provide employment assistance to every Veteran who participates upon completion of the program. VA will begin accepting applications online starting May 15, 2012.
Participants must be enrolled in a program of education approved for VA benefits offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, (but not necessarily attain) and provide training towards a high demand occupation.
For More Information:
* Learn more about the VOW to Hire Heroes Act and its benefits for unemployed veterans
* Frequently Asked Questions about the the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program
May 15, 2012
Readout of the President’s Call with Prime Minister Gillard of Australia
The President spoke on the phone with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard late last evening, to continue their regular consultations on Afghanistan ahead of the May 21 ISAF Summit in Chicago. The President updated Prime Minister Gillard on recent key developments in the U.S. relationship with Afghanistan, including his recent trip to Afghanistan and the signing of the U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement. During their discussion, the President and Prime Minister confirmed their shared goals for the ISAF meeting, to include moving forward with our effort to transition to Afghan lead responsibility, and agreeing on sufficient and sustainable Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) that can continue the progress the international community has already made. The President noted that Australia is one of our closest partners in Afghanistan, and expressed appreciation for Australia’s significant contributions and Prime Minister Gillard’s leadership.
U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Now in Force
Christopher Blaha and Julie Anglin May 15, 2012 03:43 PM EDT
Today more than 80 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial products to Colombia become duty-free as part of the U.S. – Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement. This includes agricultural and construction equipment, building products, aircraft and parts, fertilizers, information technology equipment, medical scientific equipment, and wood. Also, more than half of U.S. exports of agricultural commodities to Colombia become duty-free, including wheat, barley, soybeans, high-quality beef, bacon, and almost all fruit and vegetable products.
The agreement also provides significant new access to Colombia’s $180 billion services market, supporting increased opportunities for U.S. service providers. For example, Colombia agreed to eliminate measures that prevented firms from hiring U.S. professionals, and to phase-out market restrictions in cable television.
Prior to the enactment of this agreement, the average tariff that U.S. manufactured goods faced entering Colombia was 10.8 percent. With entry into force today, Colombia’s average tariff rate for manufactured goods from the United States has been reduced to 4 percent.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/15/us-colombia-trade-promotion-agreement-now-force-0
April 06, 2011
FACT SHEETS: U.S.-Colombia Trade Agreement and Action Plan
President Obama is committed to pursuing an ambitious trade agenda that will help grow our economy and support good jobs for U.S. workers by opening new markets. To achieve that objective, we seek to provide a level playing field that creates economic opportunities for U.S. workers, companies, farmers, and ranchers, and that ensures our trading partners have acceptable working conditions and respect fundamental labor rights. As part of this broader trade agenda, the Obama Administration has worked closely with the government of Colombia to address serious and immediate labor concerns. The result is an agreed “Action Plan Related to Labor Rights” that will lead to greatly enhanced labor rights in Colombia. The Colombian government’s swift implementation of the Action Plan to date has cleared the way for the U.S.-Colombia Trade Agreement to move forward to Congress. The U.S.-Colombia Trade Agreement will expand U.S. goods exports alone by more than $1.1 billion and give key U.S. goods and services duty free access in sectors from manufacturing to agriculture. It will increase U.S. GDP by $2.5 billion and support thousands of additional U.S. jobs.
FACT SHEET: Benefits of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement
FACT SHEET: Leveling the Playing Field: Labor Protections and the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement
FACT SHEET: Trade & the U.S.-Colombia Partnership
FACT SHEET: U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement: Expanding Markets for America’s Farmers and Ranchers
Good and HOPEful Tuesday, CR and all friends!
>^..^<
So much news and information here! I love it.
Good and hopeful Tuesday to you Kat and CR. I agree. I had better fix my coffee and come back to catch up.
Good and HOPEful Tuesday COS!
Good and HOPEful Tuesday Kat!
Good morning CR, Kat, COS and PPO family. HOPE you all have a great Tuesday.
Please join me in lighting a candle for our President, First Family and the Nation.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Good Tuesday and thank you Jackie!
Thank you CR for the great info here.
Thank you for staying
Good morning Jackie.
A lesson never learned
May 15, 2012 By Steve Benen – maddowblog
It was, to my mind, the worst thing an American major party has done, at least in domestic politics, since the Civil War. Last summer, congressional Republicans held the full faith and credit of the United States hostage, threatening to impose a catastrophe on all of us, on purpose, to achieve a specific (and unnecessary) policy goal.
It was a move without parallel. The entirety of a party threatened to deliberately hurt the country unless their rivals paid a hefty ransom — in this case, debt reduction. It didn’t matter that Republicans were largely responsible for the debt in the first place, and it didn’t matter that Republicans routinely raised the debt ceiling dozens of times over the last several decades.
This wasn’t just another partisan dispute; it was a scandal for the ages. This one radical scheme helped lead to the first-ever downgrade of U.S. debt; it riled financial markets and generated widespread uncertainty about the stability of the American system; and it severely undermined American credibility on the global stage. Indeed, in many parts of the world, observers didn’t just lose respect for us, they were actually laughing at us.
It’s the kind of thing that should have scarred the Republican Party for a generation. Not only did that never happen, the Republican hostage takers are already vowing to create this identical crisis all over again, on purpose.
For more: http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/15/11717869-a-lesson-never-learned?lite
Reagan’s party no more
May 15, 2012 By Steve Benen – maddowblog
President Obama caused a minor stir last month in a speech at the Associated Press luncheon, when he argued, “Ronald Reagan … could not get through a Republican primary today.”
This sparked some worthwhile discussion, but I’ve been especially struck by the number of Republicans who agree with the argument.
Hagel added that there were similar divisions in the early 1950s between Eisenhower Republicans and GOP extremists like Joe McCarthy, but the difference is, in 2012, “the extremists are winning.”
Remember, Hagel’s voting record in the Senate wasn’t exactly Olympia Snowe’s — this guy’s a conservative from a reliably-”red” state. And yet, he believes Reagan “wouldn’t identify with this party.”
A few weeks ago, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) said the same thing. What’s more, Mike Huckabee said a year ago, “Ronald Reagan would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time being nominated in this atmosphere of the Republican Party.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had a nearly identical take in 2010, arguing Reagan “would have a hard time getting elected as a Republican today.”
I continue to believe this matters.
For more: http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/15/11716411-reagans-party-no-more?lite
The drivers of our debt
May 15, 2012 By Steve Benen – maddowblog
About a year ago, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) hosted a town-hall meeting with some constituents, one of whom said Bush-era policies are largely responsible for the current budget deficit. The Republican didn’t take the news well.
“This year’s deficit is due to George Bush? That’s insanity!” Grimm said. He added, “That’s insane.”
I can appreciate why Grimm’s pushback might resonate with some folks. George W. Bush left office more than three years ago, so it may seem as if today’s problems no longer have anything to do with him. Why blame Bush for Obama-era deficits? Grimm, who routinely struggles to understand the basics of current events, was incredulous, and I suspect plenty of Republicans agree.
But reality isn’t “insane,” and the facts are incontrovertible. Sahil Kapur published this chart this morning.
For more: http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/15/11715914-the-drivers-of-our-debt?lite
Ensuring that LGBT Victims of Domestic Violence Can Access Critically Needed Services and Protections
Posted by Lynn Rosenthal, Tonya Robinson on May 15, 2012 at 11:06 AM EDT
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee approved legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994, but failed to include critical provisions that would ensure that all victims of domestic violence can access vital services and protections. Victims are victims, and, if you have been battered, stalked or otherwise threatened with violence, you should not be turned away by a shelter or denied the assistance you need merely because the aggressor is the same sex as you or because you are transgender. Yet, the legislation approved by the House Judiciary Committee and being considered this week on the House floor would allow just that.
The guiding principle behind VAWA and each of its subsequent reauthorizations has been an unyielding commitment to the notion that no sexual assault or domestic violence victim should be beaten, hurt or killed because they could not access the support, assistance and protection that they need. In enacting VAWA in 1994, Congress acknowledged that the criminal justice system chronically failed to respond to the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, too often blaming victims and refusing to hold offenders accountable as violent criminals. In reauthorizing VAWA in 2000, Congress included new VAWA programs and provisions to help particularly vulnerable populations, including younger victims, immigrant victims, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. In the 2005 reauthorization, Congress once again strengthened the Act to improve the health care response to domestic violence, to include a new focus on prevention, and to expand protections for children exposed to violence.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/15/ensuring-lgbt-victims-domestic-violence-can-access-critically-needed-services-and-pr
Obama, bipartisan leaders to meet at White House
5/15/12 By Associated Press – 39 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will host bipartisan congressional leaders at the White House Wednesday to discuss economic proposals Obama wants Congress to act on this year.
Republicans will be represented at the meeting by House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. They will be joined by two Democrats, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Ahead of that meeting, the president will visit a small business in the Washington area to tout his proposals for giving an income tax credit to businesses that create new jobs or increase wages this year.
Obama is also calling on Congress to pass initiatives eliminating tax incentives for companies that ship jobs overseas and promoting new tax credits for small businesses and for companies to develop clean energy.
Now Streaming…
2:15 PM ET
President Obama welcomes Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
White House.
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
May 15, 2012
Remarks by the President Honoring the 2011 MLS Cup Champion L.A. Galaxy
East Room
2:12 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Everybody, please have a seat. Have a seat. Well, welcome to the White House, everybody. And congratulations to the L.A. Galaxy on your third MLS Cup. (Applause.) Number three.
Before we start, I want to acknowledge an L.A. native and my outstanding Secretary of Labor — I don’t know how her game is, but she’s a fan. Hilda Solis is here. (Applause.) We’ve got some proud members of the California delegation, the House of Representatives who are here. We’re thrilled to have them.
I’m not going to flatter myself by assuming these cameras are for me. (Laughter.) I want to thank the Galaxy for letting me share in the spotlight. (Laughter.) The truth is, in America, most professional soccer players have the luxury of being able to walk around without being recognized. But not these guys. This is the Miami Heat of soccer. (Laughter.) And together, they represent one of the most talented lineups that MLS has ever seen.
You’ve got Robbie Keane, all-time leading scorer of the Irish national team. (Applause.) Cousin of mine. (Laughter.) Robbie arrived halfway through last season, scored his first goal in the first 21 minutes of his first game. His teammates were so happy to have him that they filled his locker with what they called the “pleasures of Ireland” — Guinness, Bailey’s, and Irish Spring. (Laughter.) Hopefully Robbie has broadened their horizons a little bit since then.
We also have a young up-and-comer on the team, a guy named David Beckham. (Laughter.) I have to say I gave David a hard time — I said half his teammates could be his kids. (Laughter.) We’re getting old, David. Although you’re holding up better than me. (Laughter.)
Last year, at the age of 36, David had his best year in MLS, leading the team with 15 assists. He did it despite fracturing his spine halfway through the season, injuring his hamstring the week before the championship game. He is tough. In fact, it is a rare man who can be that tough on the field and also have his own line of underwear. (Laughter.) David Beckham is that man. (Laughter.)
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/15/remarks-president-honoring-2011-mls-cup-champion-la-galaxy
NARAL Pro-Choice America Pac Endorses President Obama
NARAL Pro-Choice America stands with President Barack Obama in his fight for re-election this November. We know that President Obama is the only choice to protect women’s reproductive health and freedom. We know that Mitt Romney will receive millions from anti-choice, anti-woman zealots. We know it will be a fight to the finish.
For more: https://secure.prochoiceamerica.org/site/Donation2?df_id=18885&18885.donation=form1
May 15, 2012
hhs.gov
Obama administration presents national plan to fight Alzheimer’s disease
HHS Secretary Sebelius outlines research funding, tools for health care providers, awareness campaign and new website
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released an ambitious national plan to fight Alzheimer’s disease. The plan was called for in the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), which President Obama signed into law in January 2011. The National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease sets forth five goals, including the development of effective prevention and treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by 2025.
In February 2012, the administration announced that it would take immediate action to implement parts of the plan, including making additional funding available in fiscal year 2012 to support research, provider education and public awareness. Today, the Secretary announced additional specific actions, including the funding of two major clinical trials, jumpstarted by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) infusion of additional FY 2012 funds directed at Alzheimer’s disease; the development of new high-quality, up-to-date training and information for our nation’s clinicians; and a new public education campaign and website to help families and caregivers find the services and support they need.
To help accelerate this urgent work, the President’s proposed FY 2013 budget provides a $100 million increase for efforts to combat Alzheimer’s disease. These funds will support additional research ($80 million), improve public awareness of the disease ($4.2 million), support provider education programs ($4.0 million), invest in caregiver support ($10.5 million), and improve data collection ($1.3 million).
“These actions are the cornerstones of an historic effort to fight Alzheimer’s disease,” Secretary Sebelius said. “This is a national plan—not a federal one, because reducing the burden of Alzheimer’s will require the active engagement of both the public and private sectors.”
The plan, presented today at the Alzheimer’s Research Summit 2012: Path to Treatment and Prevention, was developed with input from experts in aging and Alzheimer’s disease issues and calls for a comprehensive, collaborative approach across federal, state, private and non-profit organizations. More than 3,600 people or organizations submitted comments on the draft plan.
As many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and that number is likely to double in the coming years. At the same time, millions of American families struggle with the physical, emotional and financial costs of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.
The initiatives announced today include:
* Research – The funding of new research projects by the NIH will focus on key areas in which emerging technologies and new approaches in clinical testing now allow for a more comprehensive assessment of the disease. This research holds considerable promise for developing new and targeted approaches to prevention and treatment. Specifically, two major clinical trials are being funded. One is a $7.9 million effort to test an insulin nasal spray for treating Alzheimer’s disease. A second study, toward which NIH is contributing $16 million, is the first prevention trial in people at the highest risk for the disease.
* Tools for Clinicians – The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded $2 million in funding through its geriatric education centers to provide high-quality training for doctors, nurses, and other health care providers on recognizing the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and how to manage the disease.
* Easier access to information to support caregivers–HHS’ new website, http://www.alzheimers.gov, offers resources and support to those facing Alzheimer’s disease and their friends and family. The site is a gateway to reliable, comprehensive information from federal, state, and private organizations on a range of topics. Visitors to the site will find plain language information and tools to identify local resources that can help with the challenges of daily living, emotional needs, and financial issues related to dementia. Video interviews with real family caregivers explain why information is key to successful caregiving, in their own words.
* Awareness campaign – The first new television advertisement encouraging caregivers to seek information at the new website was debuted. This media campaign will be launched this summer, reaching family members and patients in need of information on Alzheimer’s disease.
For more: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/05/20120515a.html
U.S. launches ambitious Alzheimer’s plan with research push
5/15/12 By Julie Steenhuysen | Reuters – 39 mins ago
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The U.S. government launched a national plan to address Alzheimer’s disease on Tuesday with funding for a first prevention study in high-risk patients and tests on an insulin nasal spray that has shown promise in earlier studies.
The trials, funded by grants of $16 million and $7.9 million respectively, are initial steps in the National Alzheimer’s Plan, a sweeping effort to find an effective way to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s by 2025 and improve the care of those already afflicted with the brain-wasting disease.
“This is our roadmap that will help us meet our goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025,” Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told scientists at an Alzheimer’s summit at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
“The goal of the new law is to give us the kind of clear, national focus and attention on Alzheimer’s that we’ve given to other diseases,” Sebelius told the meeting, which was relayed by webcast, referring to the National Alzheimer’s Project Act signed by President Barack Obama last year.
Experts predict that without more effective drugs, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s will double by 2050 and annual related healthcare costs could soar to more than $1 trillion.
The fatal form of dementia affects about 5.1 million Americans today and current treatments address symptoms, but cannot prevent the disease or stop its progression.
Sebelius said progress had so far proven elusive.
“We’ve yet to harness the right formula for drug development and clinical-trial results continue to be disappointing,” she said. “We’ve yet to find effective treatments or proven ways to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, and that’s the ultimate goal.”
Among the immediate actions will be funding for a study involving an antibody drug that attacks amyloid — a protein thought to be a cause of Alzheimer’s — in an international study of people who are genetically predisposed to develop the disease early.
The second will test the use of an insulin nasal spray to restore memory in patients with Alzheimer’s.
An earlier, small study of the latter approach by Suzanne Craft of the University of Washington published last year showed memory improvements in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s or a pre-Alzheimer’s condition called amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
For more: http://news.yahoo.com/u-launches-ambitious-alzheimers-plan-research-push-040418910.html
Next Up…
3:00 PM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a Let’s Move! soccer event with students from across the country and the Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy
State Dining Room
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
May 15, 2012
Remarks by the First Lady at a Let’s Move! Event with MLS Cup Champion L.A. Galaxy
State Dining Room
3:12 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: Hey, again, guys. I got to hang out with the kids earlier. We got quick pictures, but we are excited to have you guys here at the White House. We’re in the State Room. The State Dining Room is where we greet special official guests, and you guys count as our special official guests. We’re excited to have you here.
I want to start by thanking all of you kids for joining us here at the White House today. Tell me — yell out — tell me the organizations you’re representing — somebody? See, you guys are from all over the place — some here, some from all over the country, right?
Well, thanks for coming and visiting us. I also want to thank the members of the L.A. Galaxy soccer team for taking the time to come and answer some questions, and share some wisdom and some advice for all of you. So let’s give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
So as soccer players, you know who these guys are, don’t you?
CHILDREN: Yes.
MRS. OBAMA: They’re pretty cool, right? They are some of the best soccer players in the entire country and the entire world. Amazing, huh? And they’re here! They’re right there, they’re right there.
And I want to congratulate them — join in with my husband in congratulating them on winning the third MLS Cup. Very cool, very cool.
But one of the things I want you guys to remember — all the kids here to remember, is that these stars were not born superstar athletes. They weren’t superstar soccer players from the beginning. In fact, many of them started out just like many of you — playing on a team at school, or just kicking a ball around on the playground with their friends. But they stuck with it. And I tell this to my girls all the time. I mean, you get to the point when there are things that you enjoy, they get to the point where they start getting hard — that’s when you know you’re getting good, and you have to stick through it even when it starts getting hard.
For some of you, soccer has always been fun, will always be fun, but sometimes, when you start growing, you get to the point where you really have to work hard. Well, they all hit that wall, and they stuck with it. They practice for hours every day doing all their drills and scrimmages, doing everything that their coaches and mentors told them to do. And that’s how they got to be national champions. But remember, they didn’t do all of this just because they wanted to win their games. Winning is great, right? We all know how to win. Winning is the easiest thing in the world to do. But what is the toughest thing? Is learning how to lose, right?
So they didn’t do it just to win. They didn’t do it because they wanted to grow up to be famous. They played soccer because they love the sport. And they played because it was challenging and fun, and because it made they feel strong and healthy. And that’s what sports like soccer are all about. And they’re learning about new skills. They’re learning how to compete. They’re learning how to lose gracefully, how to win with dignity. All of that stuff is important with sports.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/15/remarks-first-lady-lets-move-event-mls-cup-champion-la-galaxy
5:30 PM ET
President Obama and President Biden meet with the Combatant Commanders.
Senate approves Export-Import Bank in 78-20 vote
5/15/12 By Daniel Strauss – TheHill
The Senate passed legislation reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank on Tuesday after voting down five amendments that would have limited the program’s scope and power.
The passage of the bill, in a 78-20 vote, sends the legislation to President Obama, who is expected to sign the reauthorization, which runs through September 2014.
It also ends an unexpectedly long fight on Capital that divided the Republican Party.
The Export-Import Bank is generally considered a noncontroversial bill, but it came under attack this year from conservatives who argued it was a form of corporate welfare that distorted free trade.
For more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/227563-import-export-bank-passes-senate-78-20
Clinton pushes Democrats to rethink budget stance
May 15, 2012, 12:48 PM – marketwatch
At the moment, Democrats appear to have retreated to their fort on the budget, content to fire shots at House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s spending plan for gutting entitlement programs. President Bill Clinton, who may be the only Democrat who can get away with criticizing his party’s budget stance in a presidential election year, is urging them to open the fort gates, lay down their arms and move into the center.
The Democratic debt reduction plan may be better than the Republicans because the numbers add up, but it is still “too heavily bogged down in health care and retirement costs of the baby boom generation,” Clinton said in a speech on Tuesday at a conference on the looming budget impasse sponsored by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
Clinton said Democrats should embrace some reform proposals of Medicare, Medicaid and other health care programs that are already “floating out there.” The White House’s latest budget only calls for $300 billion in spending cuts from modest changes to these programs. Clinton said there are about one trillion dollars in savings that are just low-hanging fruit for politicians.
Spending would fall dramatically if the government made reducing diabetes a priority, got serious about reducing incentives for too many tests, and also cut wasteful spending on paperwork, he said. “I think Democrats should be willing to gamble” on these policy shifts, Clinton said. At the moment, the White House budget plan cuts discretionary spending by too much in order not to trim health care spending, he said.
“You simply cannot spend all your money on the present and the past,” Clinton said. “I don’t think it is a good idea for us to have discretionary spending where it was when Eisenhower was president when we’re 15th in computer download speeds.” For instance, the government should also boost spending to increase college graduation rates and retrain workers, Clinton said. If the Democrats would disarm, Republicans would have to show a willingness to cut defense spending and raise revenue to get a final deal, Clinton said.
For the entire article: http://blogs.marketwatch.com/election/2012/05/15/clinton-pushes-democrats-to-rethink-budget-stance/
White House threatens veto of House defense bill
5/15/12 By DONNA CASSATA | Associated Press – 10 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is threatening a veto of the House Armed Services Committee’s version of next year’s defense budget that totals $642 billion.
In a statement Tuesday, the administration criticized the overall amount of the legislation, which is $8 billion more than President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans agreed to last year.
The administration also said the measure imposes restrictions on implementation of a new treaty with Russia to reduce nuclear weapons and reverses cost-saving budget cuts.
Separately, analysts at the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill would raise net costs by $57 billion from 2014-17.
The Republican-controlled House is scheduled to begin debate on the bill on Wednesday and is expected to pass the measure on Friday.
7:00 PM ET
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host a dinner for the Combatant Commanders and spouses at the White House; Vice President Biden also attends.
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