Honoring Rosa Parks on the 100th Anniversary of her Birth
February 04, 2013 06:04 PM EST
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born on February 4, 1913. Her life inspired millions of people and challenged the conscience of our Nation. Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus on December 1, 1955, inspired a civil rights movement that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964. “When I made that decision,” she later said, “I knew that I had the strength of my ancestors with me.”
We stand on the shoulders of Rosa Parks, and so many other leaders who struggled and worked to ensure our country’s founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are achievable for everyone.
Their actions have profoundly affected not only African-Americans, but everyone who cares about equality, and the story of Rosa Parks continues to inspire many of us here at the White House, and across the Administration, as we work daily to bring more fairness and equality to our fellow citizens around our country. After all, Rosa Parks, and so many others who fought and sacrificed for equality and justice of all, paved the way for the election and re-election of the first African-American president.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/04/rosa-parks-centennial-honored-postage-stamp
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* Rosa Parks Library and Museum at Troy University
* The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development
* Rosa Parks bus on display at the Henry Ford Museum
* A Guide to Reference Materials for Rosa Parks from the Library of Congress
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President Obama delivers remarks at Dedication of Statue Honoring Rosa Parks – US Capitol
Authorized by Public Law 109-116, as modified by Public Law 110-120, the Rosa Parks statue represents the first commission of a full-sized statue approved and funded by the U.S. Congress since 1873. Per the statute, it will be installed in National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol.
The Rosa Parks statue is cast in bronze. The sculpture and its black granite pedestal are nearly nine feet tall and weigh approximately 2,700 pounds.
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Rosa Parks Statue Official Dedication
February 27, 2013 , 11:00 AM ET
Capitol National Statuary Hall Collection
Capitol Building, Washington D.C.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
All Times Eastern
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
President Obama and Vice President Biden receives the presidential daily briefing
10:00 AM
President Obama meets with senior advisors
11:00 AM
President Obama delivers remarks at the Rosa Parks Statue Official Dedication
Capitol National Statuary Hall Collection
Capitol Building, Washington D.C.
11:00 AM
Vice President Biden delivers remarks on gun violence at the meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.
White House Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
First Lady Michelle Obama appears on delivers remarks at The Clinton Public School District to make their schools healthier to support their children’s physical wellness and academic achievement”
Clinton, MS
3:00 PM
First Lady Michelle Obama attends a cooking competition between school chefs to highlighting the new healthier school lunches hosted by Rachael Ray
Clinton, MS
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden host a reception in honor of Black History Month
Naval Observatory
7:00 PM
7:30 PM
President Obama delivers remarks at the Business Council Dinner
Washington, D.C.
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
February 27, 2013
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
11:00 AM ET
President Obama delivers remarks at the Rosa Parks Statue Official Dedication
Capitol National Statuary Hall Collection
Capitol Building, Washington D.C.
11:00 AM ET
Vice President Biden delivers remarks on gun violence at the meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.
11:00 AM ET
White House Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press
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ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/Live/
8:30 AM ET
House Democrats voting rights briefing
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats speak outside the Supreme Court, where the justices will consider a challenge to the Voting Rights Act.
10:00 AM ET
Assault weapons ban legislation briefing
The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on proposed legislation that, if signed into law, would ban the sale and manufacturing of dozens of firearms.
10:00 AM ET
House Committee Financial Services
Monetary Policy and the Economy ; Ben Bernanke testifies
10:30 AM ET
New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks to Defense Department employees at the Pentagon.
11:00 AM ET
President Obama delivers remarks at the Rosa Parks Statue Official Dedication
Capitol National Statuary Hall Collection
11:00 AM ET
Vice President Biden delivers remarks on gun violence at the meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.
11:00 AM ET
White House Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press
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CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
8:30 AM ET
House Democrats voting rights briefing
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats speak outside the Supreme Court, where the justices will consider a challenge to the Voting Rights Act.
10:00 AM ET
House Judiciary Cmte. Looks for Drone-Kill Memos http://www.c-span.org/Events/House-Judiciary-Cmte-Looks-for-Drone-Kill-Memos/10737438392/
10:00 AM ET
House Committee Financial Services
Monetary Policy and the Economy ; Ben Bernanke testifies http://www.c-span.org/Events/Fed-Chairman-Appears-Before-House-Cmte-on-State-of-the-Economy/10737438367/
10:00 AM ET
Assault weapons ban legislation briefing
The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on proposed legislation that, if signed into law, would ban the sale and manufacturing of dozens of firearms. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Judiciary-Cmte-Looks-at-Assault-Weapons-Ban/10737438374/
10:30 AM ET
FAA Admin.Testifies on Modernization and Reform Act – See more at: http://www.c-span.org/#sthash.iIINlchq.dpuf
10:30 AM ET
New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks to Defense Department employees at the Pentagon. http://www.c-span.org/Events/FAA-AdminTestifies-on-Modernization-and-Reform-Act/10737438393/
11:00 AM ET
President Obama delivers remarks at the Rosa Parks Statue Official Dedication
Capitol National Statuary Hall Collection http://www.c-span.org/Events/President-Obama-Lawmakers-Dedicate-Rosa-Parks-Statue/10737438375/
11:00 AM ET
Vice President Biden delivers remarks on gun violence at the meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General. http://www.c-span.org/Events/VP-Biden-Addresses-Attorneys-General-on-Gun-Control/10737438368/
11:00 AM ET
White House Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press
12:30 PM ET
Experts Testify on Preparing Schools for Threats of Violence
- See more at: http://www.c-span.org/#sthash.iIINlchq.dpuf http://www.c-span.org/Events/Experts-Testify-on-Preparing-Schools-for-Threats-of-Violence/10737438391/
2:30 PM ET.
House Committee Judiciary | Immigration, Border Security and E-Verify Program Benefits http://www.c-span.org/Events/House-Immigration-Subcmte-Examines-E-Verify-Program/10737438394/
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Department of Defense http://www.pentagonchannel.mil
10:30 AM ET
New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks to Defense Department employees at the Pentagon.
Honoring Rosa Parks on the 100th Anniversary of her Birth
February 04, 2013 06:04 PM EST
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born on February 4, 1913. Her life inspired millions of people and challenged the conscience of our Nation. Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus on December 1, 1955, inspired a civil rights movement that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964. “When I made that decision,” she later said, “I knew that I had the strength of my ancestors with me.”
We stand on the shoulders of Rosa Parks, and so many other leaders who struggled and worked to ensure our country’s founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are achievable for everyone.
Their actions have profoundly affected not only African-Americans, but everyone who cares about equality, and the story of Rosa Parks continues to inspire many of us here at the White House, and across the Administration, as we work daily to bring more fairness and equality to our fellow citizens around our country. After all, Rosa Parks, and so many others who fought and sacrificed for equality and justice of all, paved the way for the election and re-election of the first African-American president.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/04/rosa-parks-centennial-honored-postage-stamp
February 01, 2013
Presidential Proclamation — 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Rosa Parks
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF ROSA PARKS
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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
On December 1, 1955, our Nation was forever transformed when an African-American seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. Just wanting to get home after a long day at work, Rosa Parks may not have been planning to make history, but her defiance spurred a movement that advanced our journey toward justice and equality for all.
Though Rosa Parks was not the first to confront the injustice of segregation laws, her courageous act of civil disobedience sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott — 381 days of peaceful protest when ordinary men, women, and children sent the extraordinary message that second-class citizenship was unacceptable. Rather than ride in the back of buses, families and friends walked. Neighborhoods and churches formed carpools. Their actions stirred the conscience of Americans of every background, and their resilience in the face of fierce violence and intimidation ultimately led to the desegregation of public transportation systems across our country.
Rosa Parks’s story did not end with the boycott she inspired. A lifelong champion of civil rights, she continued to give voice to the poor and the marginalized among us until her passing on October 24, 2005.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/01/presidential-proclamation-100th-anniversary-birth-rosa-parks
ROSA PARKS STATUE JOINS U.S. CAPITOL ART COLLECTION
Thursday, February 21, 2013 aoc.gov
Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, LEED AP, today shared some details about the Rosa Parks statue that is slated to join the U.S. Capitol Art Collection following an unveiling ceremony on February 27, 2013, hosted by House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Authorized by Public Law 109-116, as modified by Public Law 110-120, the Rosa Parks statue represents the first commission of a full-sized statue approved and funded by the U.S. Congress since 1873. Per the statute, it will be installed in National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol.
A national competition was managed by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Architect of the Capitol to select the statue’s design. Artists’ proposals were reviewed by a panel of experts and judged on artistic excellence and artistic merit. Ten semifinalists were selected by the panel to produce a maquette, or small-scale model, of the proposed sculpture. Several entries were then selected by the panel for the review and final selection by the Joint Committee on the Library.
The commission was awarded in November 2009, to Daub and Firmin Studios, LLC, which is based in Kensington, and San Pedro, California. Eugene E. Daub, a sculptor with more than 30 years of experience, was the master artist and sculptor. He studied at the University of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Academy for the Fine Arts, and Alfred University in New York. He is a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society. Dr. Rob Firmin, partner at Daub and Firmin Studios, provided research for this project and worked with Daub on the concept and design of the statue.
The Rosa Parks statue is cast in bronze. The sculpture and its black granite pedestal are nearly nine feet tall and weigh approximately 2,700 pounds.
For more: http://www.aoc.gov/press-room/rosa-parks-statue-joins-us-capitol-art-collection
Obama to speak at Rosa Parks statue dedication
2/20/13 3:15 PM EST By DONOVAN SLACK – POLITICO44
President Obama is heading to Capitol Hill next week for the official dedication of a statue of Rosa Parks.
He will deliver remarks at the ceremony at 11 a.m. next Wednesday, according to a White House official. The statue will be the first of an African American woman to be placed in the Capitol as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) wrote a joint letter to Obama inviting him to the event.
“As we prepare to pay tribute to Mrs. Parks on behalf of the American people, we sincerely hope you and the First Lady will consider joining us,” they wrote. “Your participation in this event would greatly add to its historic and cultural importance.”
The First Lady’s Let’s Move! tour schedule is below:
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013
First Lady Michelle Obama attends a cooking competition between school chefs to highlighting the new healthier school lunches hosted by Rachael Ray – Clinton, MS
First Lady Michelle Obama appears on delivers remarks at The Clinton Public School District to make their schools healthier to support their children’s physical wellness and academic achievement” – Clinton, MS
First Lady Michelle Obama Sees ‘Movement’ in Improving Childhood Obesity
2/26/13 By ARLETTE SAENZ | ABC OTUS News – 15 hrs ago
As she celebrates the third anniversary of her Let’s Move! initiative, first lady Michelle Obama told “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts that the country is seeing real “movement” on the issue of childhood obesity.
“We’ve really changed the conversation in this country. When we started, there were a lot of people in this country who would have never thought that childhood obesity was a health crisis. But now we’re starting to see some movement on this issue,” the first lady told Roberts. “Our kids are eating better at school. They’re moving more. And we’re starting…to see a change in the trends. We’re starting to see rates of obesity coming down like never before.”
“What we’re seeing is that there’s hope, and when a nation comes together, and everyone is thinking about this issue and trying to figure out what role they can play, then we can see changes,” she said.
Mrs. Obama is set to embark on a star studded national tour this week to promote and celebrate her Let’s Move! initiative. Her first stop will be in Clinton, Miss. on Wednesday when she appears at an event highlighting healthy school lunches with Rachael Ray.
“I’m going back to Mississippi because when I first went there, Mississippi was considered one of the most unhealthy states in the nation,” Mrs. Obama said.
“If we could fry water in Mississippi, we would, we would do that,” Roberts, who grew up in Pass Christian, Mississippi, said. “Food is a culture.”
“But the good news in Mississippi is that they’ve seen a decline in childhood obesity of 13 percent, so we’re gonna go celebrate and highlight what has been going on there. There’s still work to do,” the first lady said.
For more: http://news.yahoo.com/first-lady-sees-movement-improving-childhood-obesity-233321584.html;_ylt=AwrNUbECQi1RW3sAjt3QtDMD
2013 Illinois 2nd District Primaries Results
Last Updated 2/26/13 9:49 PM ET
District Results
District Candidate Party % of Vote Vote Count
2nd District
82.8% Reporting
Winner ====> R. Kelly Dem 52.9% 26,317
D. Halvorson Dem 23.2% 11,542
A. Beale Dem 11.0% 5,452
2nd District
82.8% Reporting
P. McKinley GOP 27.7% 753
E. Wallace GOP 26.7% 727
L. McAllister GOP 23.2% 632
B. Reid GOP 15.0% 408
J. Taylor GOP 7.3% 199
Gun control supporter wins Dem primary for Jackson Jr. House seat
2/26/13 09:11 PM ET By Cameron Joseph – TheHill
Gun control supporter Robin Kelly (D) cruised to victory over former Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.), who favors gun rights, on Tuesday in the Democratic primary to replace former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), giving supporters of new gun-control laws a big win in Illinois at a key moment in their battle.
Kelly led Halvorson 56 percent to 20 percent with 60 percent of precincts reporting. Halvorson has called Kelly to concede the race.
A Halvorson win would have dealt a major blow to advocates of increased gun regulations, and, early on, a crowded field and Halvorson’s high name identification in the district made that appear possible. But a combination of heavy spending against Halvorson, efforts by top Democrats to clear the field for Kelly and Halvorson’s own inability to raise any money or run much of a campaign led to her defeat.
For more: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/285139-gun-control-supporter-wins-democratic-primary-for-jackson-jr-seat
BREAKING: House Republicans Backing Down On Violence Against Women Act
FEBRUARY 26, 2013, 10:25 PM 2563 SAHIL KAPUR – tpm
After nearly a year of resistance that has damaged them politically with women voters, House Republicans have found a clever way to back down on the reauthorization of an expanded Violence Against Women Act, aides confirmed to TPM late Tuesday.
The original plan was for the Republican majority in the House to pass its version of the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and then go to conference conference committee with the Senate. The Senate has already overwhelmingly passed a more aggressive bill, with protections for LGBT, Native American and undocumented women that have been at the heart of the dispute with House Republicans.
But all that changed Tuesday night. The Rules Committee instead sent the House GOP’s version of the Violence Against Women Act to the floor with a key caveat: if that legislation fails, then the Senate-passed version will get an up-or-down vote.
The big admission implicit in this latest move is that House GOP leaders don’t believe they have the votes to pass their version of the bill but that the Senate version is likely to pass the chamber. So this way they’ll give House conservatives the first bite at the apple as a way of saving face and still resolve an issue that has hurt them politically.
Here’s how Democrats expect it to play out.
After the House finishes debating the GOP-version of the bill on Wednesday and Thursday, it will get a vote, but will fail to muster enough votes for passage due to conservative and Democratic opposition. So the Senate-passed bill will get a vote instead, and Democrats as well as a faction of more moderate Republicans will carry it to victory. Then it will go straight to President Obama’s desk for his signature.
“[Rules Committee Chairman] Pete Sessions laid it out in not so many words that this is what the majority’s plan is,” a House Democratic aide said Tuesday evening. “They’re anticipating that their version gets voted down. But it’s clear the Senate bill will pass with flying colors.”
A House Republican leadership aide didn’t dispute this characterization, but said that after the Rules Committee meeting Tuesday, the House “is still expected to take up a strong Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization later this week.”
After months of holding firm, Democrats are anticipating victory.
For more; http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/02/house-gop-backs-down-on-violence-against-women-act.php?ref=fpa
Durable Goods Orders
Released On 2/27/2013 8:30:00 AM For Jan, 2013
Prior Prior Revised Consensus Consensus Range Actual
New Orders – M/M change 4.6 % 3.7 % -4.0 % -7.0 % to -1.0 % -5.2 %
Ex-transportation – M/M 1.3 % 0.2 % -1.4 % to 3.0 % 1.9 %
Highlights
Durables orders are living up to their reputation as one of the U.S.’s most volatile monthly indicators. But there still were positives. New factory orders for durables in January reversed back down 5.2 percent, following a spike of 3.7 percent in December. Analysts expected a 4.0 percent monthly decline. The transportation component was the key culprit behind the drop, which plunged 19.8 percent after a 9.9 percent gain in December. Excluding transportation, durables orders increased a healthy 1.9 percent in January after a 1.0 percent rise the month before. Market expectations were for a 0.2 percent rise in orders excluding transportation.
Apparently, the manufacturing sector cannot wait for the government to decide on how to resolve fiscal issues. Despite some gloom seen in surveys, the actual national numbers are moderately positive at the core.
Source: http://bloomberg.econoday.com/byshoweventfull.asp?fid=456008&cust=bloomberg-us&year=2013&lid=0&prev=/byweek.asp#top
10:30 AM ET
New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks to Defense Department employees at the Pentagon.
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/FAA-AdminTestifies-on-Modernization-and-Reform-Act/10737438393/
Department of Defense http://www.pentagonchannel.mil
Hagel Vows to Ensure Well-being of Service Members, Families
Feb. 27, 2013 By Jim Garamone – American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON,– New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel promised today to always be frank with the men and women of the department and said he expects all to be direct in return.
Hagel spoke to the Pentagon workforce and a worldwide audience on the Pentagon Channel just after taking the oath as the nation’s 24th defense secretary.
“I’ll never ask anyone to do anything I wouldn’t do,” the secretary said. “I’ll never ask anybody to do more than I would do. That’s the story of your lives. I wouldn’t be worthy if that was not the case.”
Army Sgt. 1st Class John Werth, a native Nebraskan and combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, introduced the new secretary. He said Hagel already had held the most important job in the department: that of a combat infantryman. Hagel served in Vietnam as a young enlisted soldier and was wounded twice.
This is a defining time for the world, Hagel said.
“It’s a difficult time. It’s a time of tremendous challenge, but there are opportunities,” he added. “I think it’s important that we all stay focused, obviously, on our jobs, on our responsibilities, which are immense, but not lose sight of the possibilities for a better world.”
Service members should not forget that America is a force for good in the world, he said.
“We’ve made mistakes. We’ll continue to make mistakes. But we are a force for good,” he said. “And we should always keep that out in front as much as any one thing that drives us every day.”
The military needs to deal with the budget realities, the geopolitical challenges, cyber issues and the threats of terrorism, Hagel noted.
“We’ve got ahead of us a lot of challenges,” he said. “They are going to define much of who we are — not this institution only, but our country, what kind of a world our children are going to inherit. That’s the bigger picture of the objective for all of us.”
Facing these challenges is difficult, the secretary said.
“But it’s also pretty special,” he added. “When you think about … how many generations have had an opportunity to be part of something great, as difficult as this is … we can really do something pretty special for our country.”
The secretary promised service members he will do everything he can “to ensure the safety, the well-being, the future of you and your families.”
“Now, I’ve got to go to work,” he said.
Pending Sales of U.S. Existing Homes Increase More Than Forecast
Feb 27, 2013 7:00 AM PT By Shobhana Chandra – bloomberg
Contracts to purchase previously owned U.S. homes climbed more than forecast in January, a sign the industry will keep strengthening this year.
The index of pending home resales increased 4.5 percent to 105.9, the highest level since April 2010, after a revised 1.9 percent drop the prior month, a report from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for a 1.9 percent advance.
Home buying is coming within reach of more Americans as mortgage rates close to a record low and gains in employment bring more people into the market. Faster hiring and fewer foreclosures would ensure a more sustained rebound in housing, boosting its contribution to the world’s largest economy.
“Things are getting better in housing,” Daniel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York, said before the report. JPMorgan was the second-best forecaster of pending home sales over the past two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
“Low mortgage rates, an improving economy and an improving job market are helping demand. With home prices rising, most people who’d waited for prices to bottom will want to buy now.”
Estimates of 38 economists in the Bloomberg survey ranged from a drop of 1.8 percent to a rise of 6 percent. The Realtors’ group revised December data from a previously reported decline of 4.3 percent.
All four regions saw an increase, today’s report showed, led by an 8.2 percent jump in the Northeast. Sales rose 4.5 percent in the Midwest, 5.9 percent in the South and 0.1 percent in the West.
For more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-27/pending-sales-of-u-s-existing-homes-increase-more-than-forecast.html
10:00 AM ET
House Committee Financial Services
Monetary Policy and the Economy ; Ben Bernanke testifies
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/Fed-Chairman-Appears-Before-House-Cmte-on-State-of-the-Economy/10737438367/
Chairman Speech
February 27, 2013 10:00 AM ET
Description
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (FOMC Voting Member) semi-annual testimony before the House Financial Services Committee in Washington.
Highlights
Bernanke’s prepared comments matched yesterday’s testimony before the Senate.
During Q&A, Bernanke noted from a study by the CBO that economic growth would be reduced this year by 1-1/2 percent by sequestration. He sees differences between short run issues and long run issues on fiscal issues. Bernanke would prefer that fiscal solutions not be front loaded.
Regarding quantitative easing, he sees improvement in labor markets, autos, and housing.
He indicated that Treasury remittances are not a major issue.
Bernanke stated that the increase in house prices should benefit other sectors—an effect from quantitative easing.
The big issue being raised in the House hearing is whether QE has benefits that exceed costs. Bernanke continued with his response before the Senate yesterday that quantitative easing is making a positive contribution to the economy.
On a side note question on energy production issues, Bernanke noted that energy production has been a bright spot of the economy but also noted that there are conservation issues and that energy is not an area of his expertise—an appropriate response for discussing monetary policy.
Regarding helping savers, Bernanke said that the best strategy to boost returns is to boost the economy and this means not raising interest rates too quickly.
On remittance issues, Bernanke did state that the Fed may at times not transfer any profits to the Treasury but remittances are still expected to be above the norm on average. He noted that the Fed has unrealized capital gains of $200 billion on its balance sheet.
While the interest rate paid on excess reserves is likely a key future monetary policy tool, Bernanke said that cutting this rate now would not be a powerful tool.
Guidance is a big issue. Bernanke stated that the Fed will give lots of advance information about its unwinding strategy on quantitative easing. Slowness is a key theme. The Fed does not have to sell assets but also just let them mature.
Source: http://bloomberg.econoday.com/byshoweventfull.asp?fid=458452&cust=bloomberg-us&year=2013&lid=0&prev=/byweek.asp#top
Next Up..
11:00 AM ET
President Obama delivers remarks at the Rosa Parks Statue Official Dedication
Capitol National Statuary Hall Collection
Capitol Building, Washington D.C.
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/President-Obama-Lawmakers-Dedicate-Rosa-Parks-Statue/10737438375/
February 27, 2013
Remarks by the President at Dedication of Statue Honoring Rosa Parks — US Capitol
United States Capitol
11:45 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Speaker, Leader Reid, Leader McConnell, Leader Pelosi, Assistant Leader Clyburn; to the friends and family of Rosa Parks; to the distinguished guests who are gathered here today.
This morning, we celebrate a seamstress, slight in stature but mighty in courage. She defied the odds, and she defied injustice. She lived a life of activism, but also a life of dignity and grace. And in a single moment, with the simplest of gestures, she helped change America — and change the world.
Rosa Parks held no elected office. She possessed no fortune; lived her life far from the formal seats of power. And yet today, she takes her rightful place among those who’ve shaped this nation’s course. I thank all those persons, in particular the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, both past and present, for making this moment possible. (Applause.)
A childhood friend once said about Mrs. Parks, “Nobody ever bossed Rosa around and got away with it.” (Laughter.) That’s what an Alabama driver learned on December 1, 1955. Twelve years earlier, he had kicked Mrs. Parks off his bus simply because she entered through the front door when the back door was too crowded. He grabbed her sleeve and he pushed her off the bus. It made her mad enough, she would recall, that she avoided riding his bus for a while.
And when they met again that winter evening in 1955, Rosa Parks would not be pushed. When the driver got up from his seat to insist that she give up hers, she would not be pushed. When he threatened to have her arrested, she simply replied, “You may do that.” And he did.
A few days later, Rosa Parks challenged her arrest. A little-known pastor, new to town and only 26 years old, stood with her — a man named Martin Luther King, Jr. So did thousands of Montgomery, Alabama commuters. They began a boycott — teachers and laborers, clergy and domestics, through rain and cold and sweltering heat, day after day, week after week, month after month, walking miles if they had to, arranging carpools where they could, not thinking about the blisters on their feet, the weariness after a full day of work — walking for respect, walking for freedom, driven by a solemn determination to affirm their God-given dignity.
Three hundred and eighty-five days after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, the boycott ended. Black men and women and children re-boarded the buses of Montgomery, newly desegregated, and sat in whatever seat happen to be open. (Applause.) And with that victory, the entire edifice of segregation, like the ancient walls of Jericho, began to slowly come tumbling down.
It’s been often remarked that Rosa Parks’s activism didn’t begin on that bus. Long before she made headlines, she had stood up for freedom, stood up for equality — fighting for voting rights, rallying against discrimination in the criminal justice system, serving in the local chapter of the NAACP. Her quiet leadership would continue long after she became an icon of the civil rights movement, working with Congressman Conyers to find homes for the homeless, preparing disadvantaged youth for a path to success, striving each day to right some wrong somewhere in this world.
And yet our minds fasten on that single moment on the bus — Ms. Parks alone in that seat, clutching her purse, staring out a window, waiting to be arrested. That moment tells us something about how change happens, or doesn’t happen; the choices we make, or don’t make. “For now we see through a glass, darkly,” Scripture says, and it’s true. Whether out of inertia or selfishness, whether out of fear or a simple lack of moral imagination, we so often spend our lives as if in a fog, accepting injustice, rationalizing inequity, tolerating the intolerable.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/27/remarks-president-dedication-statue-honoring-rosa-parks-us-capitol
Next Up…
11:00 AM ET
Vice President Biden delivers remarks on gun violence at the meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CNN http://live.cnn.com
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/VP-Biden-Addresses-Attorneys-General-on-Gun-Control/10737438368/
Remarks to follow
Catching Up with The Curator: Watch Meeting–Dec. 31st 1862–Waiting for the Hour
Published on Feb 27, 2013
Go inside the White House with White House Curator, Bill Allman, as he gives insight into the painting Watch Meeting–Dec. 31st 1862–Waiting for the Hour by William Carlton and learn why President Obama hand-picked this painting to hang just outside his office in the West Wing.
2:00 PM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama appears on delivers remarks at The Clinton Public School District to make their schools healthier to support their children’s physical wellness and academic achievement”
Clinton, MS
February 27, 2013
Remarks by the First Lady on Healthy School Meals and Healthy Changes Happening in Mississippi
Eastside/Northside Elementary Schools, Clinton, Mississippi
2:08 P.M. CST
MRS. OBAMA: Good afternoon, everyone. I am beyond thrilled to be back here in Mississippi. And I want to start by thanking Emma. I mean, first of all, I know she’s glad that’s over. (Laughter.) Now she can actually enjoy this visit. But she did an outstanding job. I mean, just to hear her be able to articulate what good health and solid eating and strong programs and support from her school — just the intelligence and the eloquence with which she spoke — this is the reason why we do this. And we’re very proud of Emma and her family, and all of the students and faculty who have worked so hard to make life better for so many of our kids. So let’s give them a round of applause. (Applause.) Very proud of her.
And I also want to — you all, please be seated. (Laughter.) That’s not part of Let’s Move. (Laughter.) I could make you do some stuff, but you all rest. You’ve done the work. We’re here to recognize you. Thanks so much.
But to Dr. Lynn House, to Dr. Phil Burchfield, and to all of the partners — because there are many who have made this success possible — I want to thank them for their work.
And of course, I want to thank Rachael Ray, who is here and who — there she is in the back. She’s getting ready to cook and run around and do great stuff. Rachael has been such an important voice and advocate for making sure that our kids and our communities just eat healthy. So I’m thrilled that she has come here with me to Mississippi to help celebrate your accomplishments. Let’s give Rachael a round of applause. (Applause.)
Now, as you probably know, there’s a reason why I wanted to come here to this state for the very first day of our Let’s Move anniversary tour. And that’s because what’s happening here in Mississippi is really what Let’s Move is all about. It’s the story of what you all have achieved here that we want to tell. It’s the story we want to be telling in every state all across this country.
And I remember what things were like back when I visited here just three years ago. Mississippi had been declared the most obese state in America. And a lot of people thought that childhood obesity was an impossible problem. They thought it was too big, too complicated, and too entrenched for any of us to ever really be able to make a difference on this issue. But, fortunately, all of you here in this room had a different view on things.
Under the leadership of your former governor, folks across this state had already started stepping up to tackle this challenge head on. Your state legislature passed a law bringing more hours of physical activity and health education into your classrooms. Your state Board of Education set new standards for food and drinks in our school vending machines.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/27/remarks-first-lady-healthy-school-meals-and-healthy-changes-happening-mi
Please join me in lighting a candle for the President, First Family and the Nation.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
3:00 PM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama attends a cooking competition between school chefs to highlighting the new healthier school lunches hosted by Rachael Ray
Clinton, MS
Remarks to follow
February 27, 2013
First Lady Michelle Obama Praises Change Happening Across the Nation
From new school lunches to states like Mississippi where the childhood obesity rate is decreasing, Mrs. Obama lauds changes and encourages the nation to keep working for our children’s health
Clinton, MS – As part of the celebration of the third anniversary of Let’s Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama today highlighted change happening across the country to keep our children healthy, from new school lunches nationwide to localities where the childhood obesity rate is declining. Mrs. Obama praised these changes, and called on leaders from across the nation to keep working to improve our children’s health.
The First Lady joined TV personality and child nutrition advocate Rachael Ray to highlight the new healthy school lunches that are now being served across the nation. Thanks to the bi-partisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, championed by Mrs. Obama and Ray, and signed into law by the President in 2010, the 32 million students who eat lunch provided by their school are now seeing more fruits, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free milk varieties, and whole grains; less saturated fat and sodium; and proper portion size on their lunch trays. Mrs. Obama and Rachael Ray hosted a cooking competition between school chefs to highlight the new healthier school lunches, and over the next several weeks, LetsMove.gov will feature school lunch success stories from across the nation.
Mrs. Obama and Rachael Ray chose to highlight school lunches in Mississippi, which was rated the most obese state in the nation for several years, because the state’s childhood obesity rates have declined by 13% among elementary school students in recent years. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Mississippi is one of several states and cities to show decreases in childhood obesity, including Philadelphia, New York City and California. Mrs. Obama praised Mississippi’s efforts and called on other states and cities to follow suit.
“We’ve seen real, measurable declines in the rates of childhood obesity right here in Mississippi, and in places like Philadelphia, New York City and California. And there is no reason why this success can’t happen in cities and states all across this country, if we’re willing to work for it,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “So now is truly the time to double down on our efforts. We know what works, we know how to get results, now we just need to step up, and put in the energy, and effort and imagination.”
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/27/first-lady-michelle-obama-praises-change-happening-across-nation
Let’s Move Tour Day 1: Cafeteria Cook-off
Marisa Duswalt February 27, 2013 10:16 PM EST
Today, Rachael Ray joined First Lady Michelle Obama and 400 elementary school students in Clinton, Mississippi to celebrate the new, healthier school meals being served in cafeterias across the country. Two teams — cafeteria chef Fannie and celebrity chef Sunny Anderson versus cafeteria chef Wendy and celebrity Ryan Scott — competed in a Let’s Move! Cafeteria Cook-off to make the most delicious, healthy school lunch.
Rachael Ray and Mrs. Obama watched as student judges scored the lunches from blind taste tests. Before the winner was announced, the First Lady applauded the work of Fannie, Wendy, and their peers in school cafeterias across the country.
“These are major, major achievements. And I know that getting to this point hasn’t been easy. I know that a lot of folks had to put in a lot of time and effort to make all this possible. And I’m particularly proud of all of the school chefs, the food service workers at schools like this one all across this state, and all across this country. And I want to take time to recognize those folks in the kitchen who do the hard work of cooking for our kids and loving every minute of it. When we passed historic legislation to improve school lunches for the first time in 15 years, these were the folks who had to totally transform their menus in a matter of months. They went from frying to baking. They had to work with totally new ingredients. And they had to satisfy both strict nutrition requirements and, as we know, picky eaters.”
READ MORE: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/27/lets-move-tour-day-1-cafeteria-cook
Teacher of the Year, Megan Allen’s Sequester Story
Published on Feb 27, 2013
2010 Florida Teacher of the Year Megan Allen talks about how the harmful automatic spending cuts — known as the sequester — will affect her students, her school and her community.
6:00 PM ET
Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden host a reception in honor of Black History Month
Naval Observatory
7:30 PM ET
President Obama delivers remarks at the Business Council Dinner
Washington, D.C.
February 27, 2013
Remarks by the President at Business Council Dinner
Park Hyatt Hotel
Washington, D.C.
7:39 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Please — I didn’t think they were going to do the music. (Laughter.)
Andrew, thank you very much for your introduction and your leadership. I want to say hello to everybody. Many of you I’ve known for a very long time, and some of you I’ve met more recently. But let me say at the top what I always like to emphasize when I get a chance to speak to our business leaders, and that is I am very much rooting for your success, because what is absolutely true is that when your companies are thriving, when your bottom line is where it needs to be, then the possibilities of jobs and growth and people being able to achieve their dreams are greatly enhanced.
Now, the good news is, is that after four years of difficult times, we have seen a steady recovery, if not as robust as we would like. And we’ve seen over 6 million jobs created over the last 35 months. Housing is finally beginning to recover. There is reason for optimism as we move forward.
I think what everybody here is aware of, though, is that we’ve got a long way to go. Unemployment is still too high. Middle-class families are still feeling enormous stresses and strains. And what I think everybody is concerned about is the enormous uncertainty in terms of the political framework, the tax framework, the debt framework within which all of you are going to be operating over the next several years.
And right now, the biggest manifestation of that is the potential for a sequester that kicks in, starting at the end of this week. Now, I should point out and I’m sure you’ve heard from a number of experts and economists that this is not a cliff, but it is a tumble downward. It’s conceivable that in the first week, the first two weeks, the first three weeks, the first month — that unless your business is directly related to the Defense Department, unless you live in a town that is directly impacted by a military installation, unless you’re a family that now is trying to figure out where to keep your kids during the day because you just lost a Head Start slot — a lot of people may not notice the full impact of the sequester.
But this is going to be a big hit on the economy. And both private sector as well as public sector economists are estimating that we could lose as much as six-tenths of a point, maybe a little bit more, of economic growth. And that means, inevitably, hundreds of thousands of people who are not going to get jobs that otherwise would get them. It means that you have fewer customers with money in their pockets ready to buy your goods and services. It means that the global economy will be weaker, because although we obviously still have a long way to go in recovery, we’re actually doing significantly better than some of the other developed nations. And the worst part of it is it’s entirely unnecessary. It’s not what we should be doing.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/27/remarks-president-business-council-dinner
Machinery Orders Gain Shows U.S. Companies Plan to Grow
Feb 27, 2013 1:09 PM PT By Alex Kowalski – bloomberg
Orders for U.S. durable goods excluding transportation equipment climbed in January by the most in a year, showing companies are planning to expand capacity as they look beyond the budget impasse in Washington.
Bookings for items meant to last at least three years minus things such as aircraft climbed 1.9 percent, exceeding all forecasts of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and the biggest gain since December 2011, according to data from the Commerce Department issued today in Washington. Another report showed pending sales of existing homes jumped more than forecast.
Demand for machinery such as construction equipment and generators jumped by the most in more than two years last month, indicating companies were relieved the U.S. avoided the brunt of the so-called fiscal cliff of tax increases and budget cuts slated to take effect at the start of the year. Growing demand from abroad will probably supplement gains in investment to ensure manufacturing keeps contributing to economic growth.
“We expect the economy to perform better in the second half of the year and firms are gearing up for that,” said Michael Carey, chief economist at Credit Agricole CIB in New York. “Plus, it’s a good time to make capital expenditures since interest rates are so low.” Carey is the best forecaster of durable goods excluding transportation for the past two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
For more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-27/orders-for-u-s-non-transport-durable-goods-jump-most-in-a-year.html
Thursday, February 28, 2013
All Times Eastern
President Obama attends meetings at the White House
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
11:15 AM
President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing
12:00 PM
First Lady Michelle Obama will be joined by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, NIKE CEO Mark Parker, gymnasts Dominique Dawes and Gabby Douglas, among others, to make a “major announcement” about physical activity in schools
Chicago, IL
12:40 PM
President Obama and Vice President Biden meet for lunch
12:40 PM
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
3:25 PM
First Lady Michelle Obama will review changes Walmart has made to reduce sodium and added sugars from packaged food items, to make healthier food more affordable, and to include a simple front-of-package seal for identifying healthier food choices, the White House said.
Springfield, MO
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
February 28 , 2013
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
—-
ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/Live/
9:00 AM ET
A House education subcommittee looks at how U.S. schools are measuring teacher performance at a Capitol Hill hearing.
10:00 AM ET
State of the U.S. economy hearing
The Joint Economic Committee holds a hearing on the current state of the U.S. economy. The threat of forced budget cuts may be discussed.
10:30 AM ET
Rep Pelosi weekly briefing
The looming spending cuts will likely dominate discussion at House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s weekly briefing with reporters on Capitol Hill.
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
—-
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
8:30 AM ET
Administrators Discuss Transportation Issues at Washington Briefing http://www.c-span.org/Events/Administrators-Discuss-Transportation-Issues-at-Washington-Briefing/10737438450/
9:00 AM ET
A House education subcommittee looks at how U.S. schools are measuring teacher performance at a Capitol Hill hearing. http://www.c-span.org/Events/House-Education-Subcommittee-Discusses-Teacher-Assessment/10737438447/
10:00 AM ET
Joint Economic Committee Holds Hearing on Economy http://www.c-span.org/Events/Joint-Economic-Committee-Holds-Hearing-on-Economy/10737438446/
10:30 AM ET
Senate Hearing on Modernization Efforts for Medicare and Medicaid http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Hearing-on-Modernization-Efforts-for-Medicare-and-Medicaid/10737438429/
10:30 AM ET
Rep Pelosi weekly briefing
The looming spending cuts will likely dominate discussion at House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s weekly briefing with reporters on Capitol Hill. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Rep-Pelosi-Weekly-Press-Briefing/10737438452/
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
House to vote on Violence Against Women Act measures
February 27 By Rosalind S. Helderman – washingtonpost
Seeking to avoid a protracted and politically damaging fight over reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, Republican leaders are prepared to allow the House to vote Thursday on a version of the bill favored by Democrats, an unusual move that acknowledges GOP divisions on the touchy issue.
The House will vote first on a Republican version of the bill, which authorizes funding for programs to aid prosecution of domestic violence and sexual assault cases and assist victims.
But with Democrats unified in opposition and Republicans divided, the GOP’s alternative appears likely to fail.
The House would then move to a vote on a version adopted by the Senate this month on a broadly bipartisan 78 to 22 vote. It broadens the bill’s protections to gays and lesbians and expands the authority of tribal courts to prosecute non-native Americans accused in domestic violence cases on Indian reservations. It is supported by the White House and domestic violence advocates.
For more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-to-vote-on-violence-against-women-act-measures/2013/02/27/53837910-8121-11e2-a350-49866afab584_story.html?hpid=z3
February 28, 2013
Statement from the President on the House Passage of the Violence Against Women Act
I was pleased to see the House of Representatives come together and vote to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. Over more than two decades, this law has saved countless lives and transformed the way we treat victims of abuse. Today’s vote will go even further by continuing to reduce domestic violence, improving how we treat victims of rape, and extending protections to Native American women and members of the LGBT community. The bill also reauthorizes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, providing critical support for both international and domestic victims of trafficking and helping ensure traffickers are brought to justice. I want to thank leaders from both parties – especially Leader Pelosi, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Senator Leahy – for everything they’ve done to make this happen. Renewing this bill is an important step towards making sure no one in America is forced to live in fear, and I look forward to signing it into law as soon as it hits my desk.
Statement by Vice President Biden on the House Passage of the Violence Against Women Act
Today Congress put politics aside and voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Eighteen years ago, I envisioned a world where women could live free from violence and abuse. Since VAWA first passed in 1994, we have seen a 64% reduction in domestic violence. I am pleased that this progress will continue, with new tools for cops and prosecutors to hold abusers and rapists accountable, and more support for all victims of these crimes.
The urgent need for this bill cannot be more obvious. Consider just one fact—that 40% of all mass shootings started with the murderer targeting their girlfriend, or their wife, or their ex-wife. Among many other important provisions, the new VAWA will increase the use of proven models of reducing domestic violence homicides.
This morning I met with several parents whose beautiful young daughters were killed by abusive boyfriends. Nothing puts this legislation in to perspective more than their stories. This issue should be beyond politics—and I want to thank the leaders from both parties—Patrick Leahy, Mike Crapo, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Gwen Moore—and the bipartisan majorities in both the House and the Senate who have made that clear once again.
The First Lady’s Let’s Move! tour schedule is below:
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013
First Lady Michelle Obama will be joined by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, NIKE CEO Mark Parker, gymnasts Dominique Dawes and Gabby Douglas, among others, to make a “major announcement” about physcal activity in schools – Chicago, IL
First Lady Michelle Obama will review changes Walmart has made to reduce sodium and added sugars from packaged food items, to make healthier food more affordable, and to include a simple front-of-package seal for identifying healthier food choices, the White House said. - Springfield, MO
Shelby County vs Holder
Shelby County v. Holder is an upcoming United States Supreme Court case regarding the constitutionality of the preclearance requirements of section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The case is an appeal from a majority judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on May 18, 2012, affirming the decision of Judge John D. Bates of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on September 21, 2011 to uphold the constitutionality of section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
The Court granted certiorari on the limited question of “whether Congress’ decision in 2006 to reauthorize section 5 of the Voting Rights Act under the pre-existing coverage formula of Section 4(b) [sic] of the Voting Rights Act exceeded its authority under the Fourteenthand Fifteenth Amendments and thus violated the Tenth Amendment and Article IV of the United States Constitution.”
The United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral argument on February 27, 2013.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_County_v._Holder
Everything you need to know about the Supreme Court Voting Rights Act case
February 27, 2013 at 1:00 pm Posted by Sean Sullivan – washingtonpost
The Supreme Court today is hearing arguments for and against a key part of the Voting Rights Act designed to protect against racial discrimination at the polls. It’s an important case that could upend the way certain parts of the country go about making changes to voting laws. Below, we give you everything you need to know about it.
What is the Voting Rights Act?
Signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, the sweeping legislation was designed to prevent racially discriminatory voting practices.
What is Section 5?
This is the part of the Voting Rights Act under review by the high court today. The act stipulates that areas of the country with a history of racial discrimination must receive pre-clearance from the Justice Department or a federal court before making any voting law changes.
Which states are subject to Section 5?
Alabama, which is the subject of the Supreme Court case, and eight other complete states as well as some other selected jurisdictions elsewhere are subject to Section 5. Most of the the states are in the south.
Over the years, Congress has reauthorized Section 5 several times, most recently in 2006. That decision is at the heart of the current case involving Shelby County, Ala. The question before the court is whether Congress’ 2006 reauthorization — which extended the provision for another 25 years — exceeded its constitutional authority.
Why do opponents want to do away with Section 5?
They say that it is outdated. “The violence, intimidation and subterfuge that led Congress to pass Section 5 and this court to uphold it no longer remains,” says the Shelby County challenge. And as NPR notes, the formula still relies on election data from 1972. Shelby County Attorney Frank Ellis explains the opposition in this CBS News report.
Why do supporters want to keep it?
They believe it’s still a necessary preventive measure against changes to voter ID laws, district lines and other adjustments that could threaten the rights of minority voters. President Obama, who believes Section 5 should be kept in place, summed it up like this in a recent interview with Joe Madison of SiriusXM Radio.
For more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/02/27/the-supreme-court-voting-rights-act-case-explained/?wprss=rss_national
Supreme Court Weighs Future Of Voting Rights Act
February 27, 2013 3:03 AM by NINA TOTENBERG – NPR
Once again, race is front and center at the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday. And once again, the bull’s eye is the 1965 Voting Rights Act, widely viewed as the most effective and successful civil rights legislation in American history. Upheld five times by the court, the law now appears to be on life support.
The provision at issue in Wednesday’s case applies only to specific parts of the country where discriminatory voting procedures were once rampant. It covers all of nine states, mainly in the South, plus parts of seven other states. To head off discriminatory voting procedures before they happen, the law requires covered areas to get approval from federal officials before changes can take place. So, for example, if an Alabama town wants to change polling places, or to change from an elected board to an appointed board, or to annex another part of the county, it has to first get permission from the Justice Department or a federal court in Washington, D.C.
Congress came up with the formula in 1965 to cover areas of the country that had a history of blatant, even violent discrimination in voting; but the formula has not been changed since 1975, and it still relies on election data from 1972. That’s the crux of the issue before the court now: whether times have changed so much that Congress, in reauthorizing the law in 2006 without updating the formula, violated the Constitution.
For the entire article and audio interview: http://www.npr.org/2013/02/27/173012038/supreme-court-weighs-future-of-voting-rights-act
Sotomayor Leads Liberal Justices In Defending The Voting Rights Act
FEBRUARY 27, 2013, 4:45 PM 7014 SAHIL KAPUR – tpm
Seemingly aware that they were outnumbered and fighting an uphill battle, the four liberal justices on the Supreme Court defended the Voting Rights Act during Supreme Court oral arguments Wednesday with a mix of sharp questions, appeals to history, and indirect rejoinders to the more conservative justices.
All four of them participated actively in oral arguments. None was more emphatic than Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
The Obama-appointed justice asked the first question of the day. She hammered Burt Rein, the lawyer representing the challengers, Shelby County of Alabama, over its record of discrimination. The county contends that Section 5 is unfair to its residents and other jurisdictions that it requires to obtain federal preclearance before changing their voting laws.
“Assuming I accept your premise, and there’s some question about that, that some portions of the South have changed, your county pretty much hasn’t,” Sotomayor said of Shelby County, which is 90 percent white. “In the period we’re talking about, it has many more discriminating -- 240 discriminatory voting laws that were blocked by Section 5 objections. … You may be the wrong party bringing this.”
For more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/02/sotomayor-liberal-justices-defend-voting-rights-act.php?ref=fpa
Senate approves Lew as new Treasury chief
2/27/13 Anna Yukhananov – Reuters – 1 hr 38 mins ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Jack Lew as President Barack Obama’s new Treasury secretary, putting the former White House chief of staff in the middle of a bitter political fight over the government’s budget.
Senators backed Lew with a 71-26 vote. All of the chamber’s 53 Democrats voted for him. Some Republicans had expressed misgivings about Lew’s perks from previous employers Citigroup and New York University.
Lew’s most pressing task will be to find a compromise to lessen the economic blow from $85 billion in government spending cuts that are set to kick in on Friday.
But two more budget deadlines will quickly follow. Funds for most government operations expire on March 27, and the national debt will hit the U.S. government’s borrowing limit on May 19, setting the stage for a default unless an agreement can be secured to raise the ceiling again.
Lew, who served as Obama’s chief of staff before the president named him to succeed Timothy Geithner at the Treasury, has spent much of his career in Washington in public service.
He was previously White House budget director under both Obama and former President Bill Clinton.
By choosing him for the administration’s top economic post, Obama signaled the importance he places on Washington’s budget battles.
Now that he is confirmed, Lew is expected take the lead on difficult negotiations with Congress on how to trim U.S. budget deficits and keep a lid on $16.6 trillion U.S. national debt.
“If confirmed, we’ll be entrusting Mr. Lew to oversee America’s economic policy,” said Senator Max Baucus, a Democrat who chairs the Finance Committee that vetted Lew for the job. “It is a great responsibility, one I believe Mr. Lew will live up to.”
February 27, 2013
Statement from the President on the Confirmation of Jack Lew as Secretary of Treasury
I am pleased that the Senate took bipartisan action today to confirm Jack Lew as our nation’s next Treasury Secretary. At this critical time for our economy and our country, there is no one more qualified for this position than Jack. As my Chief of Staff, Jack was by my side as we confronted our nation’s toughest challenges. His reputation as a master of fiscal issues who can work with leaders on both sides of the aisle has already helped him succeed in some of the toughest jobs in Washington. And I will continue to rely on his advice and sound judgment as we work to create good, middle-class jobs, provide more people with the skills those jobs require, and ensure every hardworking American can earn a decent living.
Jack Lew sworn in as Treasury secretary
2/28/13 Anna Yukhananov and Mark Felsenthal – Reuters – 1 hr 27 mins ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Jack Lew was sworn in as Treasury secretary on Thursday, a White House official said, after winning bipartisan support in the Senate.
Lew, a budget expert and former chief of staff for President Barack Obama, was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday with 20 Republicans voting for him. He replaces Timothy Geithner, a former regulator with the New York Federal Reserve who left the Treasury last month.
Michelle Obama: The Business Case for Healthier Food Options
In recent years, they have generated more than 70% of the growth in sales for packaged-goods companies.
February 27, 2013, 7:29 p.m. ET wsj
By MICHELLE OBAMA
For years, America’s childhood obesity crisis was viewed as an insurmountable problem, one that was too complicated and too entrenched to ever really solve. According to the conventional wisdom, healthy food simply didn’t sell—the demand wasn’t there and higher profits were found elsewhere—so it just wasn’t worth the investment.
But thanks to businesses across the country, today we are proving the conventional wisdom wrong. Every day, great American companies are achieving greater and greater success by creating and selling healthy products. In doing so, they are showing that what’s good for kids and good for family budgets can also be good for business.
Take the example of Wal-Mart WMT +0.77% . In just the past two years, the company reports that it has cut the costs to its consumers of fruits and vegetables by $2.3 billion and reduced the amount of sugar in its products by 10%. Wal-Mart has also opened 86 new stores in underserved communities and launched a labeling program that helps customers spot healthy items on the shelf. And today, the company is not only seeing increased sales of fresh produce, but also building better relationships with its customers and stronger connections to the communities it serves.
For more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323884304578328682206937380.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop
Jobless Claims in U.S. Fell More Than Forecast Last Week
By Lorraine Woellert – Feb 28, 2013 5:50 AM PT
Fewer Americans than forecast filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, showing companies were looking beyond looming government spending cuts and maintaining staffing.
Jobless claims decreased by 22,000 to 344,000 in the holiday-shortened week that ended Feb. 23, the Labor Department reported today in Washington. The median forecast of 44 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for 360,000 applications. The number of people collecting unemployment insurance dropped to the lowest level since June 2008.
Stable headcounts are a sign demand is holding up in the face of rising gasoline prices, possible federal budget cuts and higher payroll taxes that are cutting into workers’ take-home pay. At the same time, further declines in firings are needed to stoke bigger gains in hiring and boost an economy that barely grew in the fourth quarter.
“It’s still a moderate recovery when looking at growth but I think there’s a little bit of momentum in the job market,” said Kevin Cummins, an economist at UBS Securities LLC in Stamford, Connecticut, whose forecast of 345,000 was the lowest in the Bloomberg survey. The labor market is “moving in the right direction.”
The economy expanded at a 0.1 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter, erasing a previously estimated contraction, as the smallest trade deficit in almost three years helped overcome the biggest plunge in defense spending since the Vietnam War era, revised figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington.
For more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-28/jobless-claims-in-u-s-decreased-more-than-forecast-last-week.html
Gay marriage: why corporations are coming out against DOMA
Nearly 300 US companies filed a brief on behalf of the New York woman whose challenge of DOMA has reached the Supreme Court. Why support gay marriage? For one, it’s just good business.
February 27, 2013 By Daniel B. Wood, CSM Staff writer
LOS ANGELES
Wading into the highly emotional but quickly shifting national debate over gay marriage, 278 companies filed an amicus brief Wednesday in support of Edith Windsor, the New York woman whose challenge of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) has been taken up by the United States Supreme Court.
Among the companies filing the brief are behemoths Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Starbucks, corporate entities associated with America’s youth culture. But others include pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, insurance mainstay Aetna, and Citigroup.
In addition to the challenge to DOMA, which centers on Ms. Windsor’s having had to pay a substantial federal estate tax following the death of her partner of more than 40 years, whom she married in Canada, the Supreme Court is also taking up California’s Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage. Windsor would not have had to pay any federal estate tax on the inheritance had the United States recognized her marriage. The court will hear arguments on Prop. 8 on March 26, and on DOMA on March 27.
So what interests do corporations, which usually shun controversy, have in urging the Supreme Court to sign off on gay marriage? One reason, it appears, is they think it’s just good business.
Interviews with legal experts, marketing and public relations specialists, and others say the reasons are more complex than just the increased social acceptance of gay marriage, reflected in opinion polls and such actions as President Obama’s historic embrace of it last year. They say businesses are acting in the interest of their own economic bottom line.
For more: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2013/0227/Gay-marriage-why-corporations-are-coming-out-against-DOMA?nav=89-csm_category-topStories
Obama to urge high court to allow gay marriage in California
2/28/13 By Lawrence Hurley and David Ingram | Reuters – 27 mins ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In President Barack Obama’s latest act in support of gay rights, his administration will urge the U.S. Supreme Court to allow same-sex marriages to resume in California, an administration official said on Thursday.
Thursday is the deadline for the administration to file a friend-of-the-court brief in a case that is due to be argued on March 26 on whether California’s 2008 law, known as Proposition 8, is constitutional.
The official confirmed an NBC News report of the administration’s plans. It was not clear as yet what form the administration’s legal argument would take.
The federal government is not a party in the case and it had been unclear whether the administration would file a brief. Gay rights activists were keen to have it intervene. The official’s confirmation meant that it would.
The court’s nine justices are under no obligation to pay close attention to the administration brief, or any of the dozens of other briefs filed by groups not a party to the litigation, including businesses, religious institutions, and states.
The Obama administration is already taking a stand on gay rights in another case before the court, to be argued a day later on March 27. That case challenges the constitutionality of a central part of the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage under federal law as being between a man and a woman.
In February 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder said the administration would no longer defend DOMA in that it violated the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the law.
In the DOMA case, the administration has said courts should tread carefully when addressing laws that treat gays and lesbians differently from heterosexuals but has not said whether all bans on gay marriage are unconstitutional.
Nine states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage. The nine are Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington.
The gay marriage movement has gained momentum since Proposition 8 was passed in 2008.
Obama Admin: Strike down Prop. 8
2/28/13 5:40 PM EST By JOSH GERSTEIN – POLITICO44
The Obama Administration filed a brief Thursday evening urging the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional Proposition 8, California’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage.
But the brief stopped short of explicitly endorsing a federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
“Proposition 8’s denial of marriage to same-sex couples, particularly where California at the same time grants same-sex partners all the substantive rights of marriage, violates equal protection,” the Justice Department brief declares. “Prejudice may not…be the basis for differential treatment under the law.”
The brief filed by Solicitor General Donald Verrilli mentions bans on same-sex marriage in seven other states that grant broad domestic partnership rights and suggests they are also unconstitutional, but the Justice Department did not directly attack same-sex marriage bans on the books in states without comprehensive rights for same-sex couples.
Gay rights advocates had hoped the Obama administration would offer an unqualified endorsement of same-sex marriage rights, but they said the legal arguments in the brief — if adopted by the Supreme Court — would eventually result in the demise of same-sex marriage bans nationwide.
Despite its nuances, the brief marks a remarkable turnaround for President Barack Obama, who opposed same-sex-marriage during his first run for the presidency while insisting that the issue should be up to each state to decide. By asking the Supreme Court to invalidate California’s action on the subject, he has clearly abandoned the view that states should be allowed to chart their own course.
The federal government was not a party to the California case and was under no obligation to file a brief. However, gay rights groups had urged the administration to use the case to publicly embrace a federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
The Supreme Court is set to take up two major gay marriage cases late next month. The Prop. 8 case goes before the justices on March 26. The next day the court will consider a case testing the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 federal law that bans same-sex spouses from received a wide array of benefits including federal employee insurance and filing of joint tax returns.
The Obama administration announced two years ago that it believes DOMA is unconstitutional and stopped defending the law, which is being defended at the high court by a lawyer retained by the House of Representatives. However, the constitutionality of the federal law is a different question than whether states, which have traditionally regulated marriage, should be compelled to recognize same-sex unions.
During the 2008 campaign, Obama said he was against same-sex marriage. However, he also opposed gay-marriage bans like Prop. 8, saying neither the states nor the federal government should use their constitutions to enshrine a ban on the practice.
Last year, shortly after kicking off his re-election campaign, Obama declared that he’d changed his mind on the issue. “I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” he told ABC News last May.
Despite Obama’s personal evolution on the subject, White House officials have dodged questions for more than a year on whether Obama believed that the U.S. Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/pro-gay-marriage-obama-brief-expected-88266.html?hp=bn
Consumer Comfort in U.S. Improves to Highest Level This Year
Feb 28, 2013 6:45 AM PT By Jeanna Smialek – bloomberg
Confidence among U.S. consumers improved last week to the highest level this year as the housing recovery and recent gains in stocks removed some of the sting from higher payroll taxes.
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index climbed for a fourth straight week, reaching minus 32.8 in the period ended Feb. 24 from minus 33.4 in the prior period. The share of Americans with a positive view of the world’s largest economy matched the highest since March 2008.
Rising residential real-estate values, combined with stock prices close to five-year highs, are speeding a rebound in household wealth that will help underpin spending. Nonetheless, the highest gasoline prices in four months and disagreement among lawmakers on how to close the federal budget deficit may check the recent gains in sentiment.
“Thus far, most Americans appear to be blissfully unaware, much like they were regarding the tax hikes at the beginning of the year, of the risk due to a greater fiscal drag on growth,” said Joseph Brusuelas, a senior economist at Bloomberg LP in New York.
“Rising gasoline prices and policy tensions are likely to weigh on sentiment going forward over the next several weeks.”
Another report today showed fewer Americans than forecast filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, indicating companies were looking beyond looming government spending cuts and maintaining staffing.
Jobless claims decreased by 22,000 to 344,000 in the holiday-shortened week that ended Feb. 23, the Labor Department reported today in Washington. The median forecast of 44 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for 360,000 applications. The number of people collecting unemployment insurance dropped to the lowest level since June 2008.
For more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-28/consumer-comfort-in-u-s-improves-to-highest-level-this-year.html
12:00 PM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama will be joined by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, NIKE CEO Mark Parker, gymnasts Dominique Dawes and Gabby Douglas, among others, to make a “major announcement” about physical activity in schools
Chicago, IL
February 28, 2013
Remarks by the First Lady to Kids at Let’s Move! Active Schools Launch
McCormick Place
Chicago, Illinois
12:29 P.M. CST
MRS. OBAMA: Isn’t this exciting? (Applause.) Oh my goodness. Thank you, Serena, Allyson, thanks to all the athletes. And let me just tell you, I wanted to take a moment before we got into some fun, because I wanted to talk to you all — I’m in my home town. (Applause.)
So listen up, just a little serious business because all of these incredible athletes you see here — they have traveled here today to my home town because, like me, they wanted to be here with all of you amazing kids. We wanted you to know that there are millions — do you hear me, millions — of people like us all over this world who love you so much. We love you more than you can ever know. We love you so much. (Applause.)
And we care about you — I want you to hear this — we care about you. We care and believe in you. We believe that you have what it takes to accomplish anything that you want in this life. But we also want you to understand, and I want you all to listen, we want you to understand that the only difference between all of you all out there and all of us standing up here on this stage are the choices that you make in life.
It is so important for each of you to realize that every day you, and you alone, have the power to choose the life you want for yourself. Whether you spend your day watching TV or whether you use that time to pick up your books and finish your homework — see, that’s your choice. Whether you fill your bodies with chips and candy or fruits and vegetables — see, that’s on you. Whether you sit around all day playing video games or get up and move your bodies — these are all the choices that will determine who you will become and what you can achieve.
See, every one of these great athletes standing with me today had to make good choices, and they had to work hard to get where they are. See, what you guys have to understand — they weren’t just born faster or stronger or smarter. And maybe it’s hard for you to believe, but many of us didn’t have it easy growing up. I mean, some of us are from tough neighborhoods where we had to watch our backs. Or we went to schools where the books were torn and the lockers were beat up and stuff didn’t always work. Yes, some of us grew up without a father — or we saw people we loved involved with gangs and drugs. And it was a struggle to get each other’s backs and hang together as a family.
And let me tell you, I can tell you that growing up, my family didn’t have a lot of money. We live in a little bitty apartment on the South Side of Chicago. (Applause.) South Side. (Applause.) And for most of my life growing up, I shared a tiny bedroom with my big brother. And some nights, let me tell you, it was hard to get my homework done because it was so noisy that I could barely think. And I know some of you know what that’s like, right?
AUDIENCE: Yes!
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/28/remarks-first-lady-kids-lets-move-active-schools-launch
February 28, 2013
First Lady Michelle Obama Announces Unprecedented Collaboration to Bring Physical Activity Back to Schools
Mrs. Obama calls for school champions to sign up at LetsMoveSchools.org to help all students get active, sets ambitious goal of engaging 50,000 schools in the next five years and praises range of partners, including a $50 million investment from NIKE, Inc.
Chicago, IL – First Lady Michelle Obama today launched Let’s Move! Active Schools – an unprecedented collaboration to bring physical activity back to America’s schools. The program provides simple steps and tools to help schools create active environments where students get 60 minutes of physical activity before, during and after the school day. Mrs. Obama called on school staff, families and communities to work together to reach an ambitious goal of engaging 50,000 schools in this program over the next five years.
The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD) and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation are the managing organizations guiding the development and implementation of the program.
Funding and other resources for Let’s Move! Active Schools are being kick-started by NIKE, Inc., the GENYOUth Foundation, ChildObesity180, Kaiser Permanente, and the General Mills Foundation, the inaugural sponsor of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. Over the next five years, NIKE, Inc. will invest $50 million in the U.S. to increase the physical activity of kids in schools and communities as well as target advocacy efforts to inspire kids and draw additional resources to this important effort. Collectively, the other groups are committing over $20 million to help America’s schools engage all students in quality physical activity.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/28/first-lady-michelle-obama-announces-unprecedented-collaboration-bring-ph
February 28, 2013
Remarks by the First Lady Launching Let’s Move! Active Schools — Chicago, Illinois
McCormick Place
Chicago, Illinois
11:41 A.M. CST
MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. I am thrilled to be here today as we launch Let’s Move Active Schools –- this unprecedented effort to bring physical education back to America’s schools.
And I want to start by recognizing Secretary Duncan, Mayor Emanuel, Jim Gavin, Allyson Felix. I want to thank you all for your extraordinary leadership and for taking the time to join us here today.
I also want to thank the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, who are working with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition to launch this new effort. (Applause.) Absolutely. Yay. Well done.
And of course, I want to thank Nike and their CEO Mark Parker for their groundbreaking investments and passionate engagement to make all of this possible. And I also want to recognize Child Obesity 180, GenYouth, and Kaiser Permanente. Thank you all, thank you so much for your tremendous support. This is a groundbreaking, earth-shattering, awesomely-inspiring day. (Applause.)
And finally, I want to thank all of you. All of you, yes — our educators, administrators, community leaders and parents who work hard every day on behalf of our children. You all know better than anyone else just how critical physical activity is for our children’s health and well-being. And you also know that today, we are nowhere near giving our kids the opportunities they need to be active.
Only one in three of our kids is active every day — just one in three of our kids. And as Secretary Duncan said, that’s not just bad for their bodies, it’s also bad for their minds, because being less active can actually hurt kids’ academic performance as well.
The other thing we know is that it hasn’t always been this way. Just think back to what things were like when all of us old people were kids. Now, I grew up just a few miles from where we are today, over on the South Side. You guys know my background — my family certainly wasn’t rich. Our neighborhood was just barely working-class. I attended public schools all through kindergarten all the way up through high school.
But my brother Craig and I, we had countless opportunities to be active every single day. We played freeze tag on the playground before school. I jumped double-dutch — still can, actually — at recess. We played softball. My brother played on hoops at a high school, basketball, every day after school.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/28/remarks-first-lady-launching-lets-move-active-schools-chicago-illinois
February 28, 2013
First Lady Michelle Obama Announces Unprecedented Collaboration to Bring Physical Activity Back to Schools
Mrs. Obama calls for school champions to sign up at LetsMoveSchools.org to help all students get active, sets ambitious goal of engaging 50,000 schools in the next five years and praises range of partners, including a $50 million investment from NIKE, Inc.
Chicago, IL – First Lady Michelle Obama today launched Let’s Move! Active Schools – an unprecedented collaboration to bring physical activity back to America’s schools. The program provides simple steps and tools to help schools create active environments where students get 60 minutes of physical activity before, during and after the school day. Mrs. Obama called on school staff, families and communities to work together to reach an ambitious goal of engaging 50,000 schools in this program over the next five years.
The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD) and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation are the managing organizations guiding the development and implementation of the program.
Funding and other resources for Let’s Move! Active Schools are being kick-started by NIKE, Inc., the GENYOUth Foundation, ChildObesity180, Kaiser Permanente, and the General Mills Foundation, the inaugural sponsor of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. Over the next five years, NIKE, Inc. will invest $50 million in the U.S. to increase the physical activity of kids in schools and communities as well as target advocacy efforts to inspire kids and draw additional resources to this important effort. Collectively, the other groups are committing over $20 million to help America’s schools engage all students in quality physical activity.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/28/first-lady-michelle-obama-announces-unprecedented-collaboration-bring-ph
Happy and HOPEful last day of February, CR and all friends!
>^..^<
The House has passed the Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act through 2018 — it's on its way to President Obama's desk!
Happy and HOPEful Thursday Kat!
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
Done — 16 now.
3:25 PM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama will review changes Walmart has made to reduce sodium and added sugars from packaged food items, to make healthier food more affordable, and to include a simple front-of-package seal for identifying healthier food choices, the White House said.
Springfield, MO
FLOTUS has not only been a voice for healthier food, she has been actually getting real changes made in the food industry. Impressive achievements!
Senate GOP blocks sequester compromise plan, seals fate
Feb 28, 2013 3:43 PM EST By Steve Benen – maddowblog
Following up on an earlier item, the Senate scheduled two votes today on addressing automatic sequestration cuts set to begin tomorrow. Both failed this afternoon, though one of those votes was more important than the other.
First up was the Republican alternative, which gave the GOP exactly what it wanted — 100% cuts, 0% revenue — but would force President Obama to decide where to make over $85 billion in cuts this year. The plan failed miserably, drawing just 38 votes. Voting against were all the Senate Democrats as well as Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, John McCain, Rand Paul, Kelly Ayotte, Lindsey Graham, and Susan Collins.
Next came the Democratic compromise plan, which would replace the sequester with a combination of spending cuts and new revenue from closed tax loopholes. Unlike the GOP approach, a majority of the Senate supports the compromise, but like the GOP plan, this attempt was shot down, too.
Senate Republicans have filibustered a Democratic bill that would pay down sequestration’s indiscriminate spending cuts for a year. [...]
The final vote was 51-49. It needed 60 votes to pass. Sens. Kay Hagan (D-NC), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Mark Pryor (D-AR) voted with a unified GOP conference to block the bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also switched his vote from yes to no — a procedural maneuver that preserves his right to call the measure up for a vote again quickly in the future.
The result was rather anticlimactic — the question wasn’t whether the plan would pass, but rather, how badly it would fail — but nevertheless informative in some important ways.
Continue reading this entry: http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/02/28/17135236-senate-gop-blocks-sequester-compromise-plan-seals-fate?lite
February 28, 2013
Statement from the President
Today, Republicans in the Senate faced a choice about how to grow our economy and reduce our deficit. And instead of closing a single tax loophole that benefits the well-off and well-connected, they chose to cut vital services for children, seniors, our men and women in uniform and their families. They voted to let the entire burden of deficit reduction fall squarely on the middle class.
I believe we should do better. We should work together to reduce our deficit in a balanced way – by making smart spending cuts and closing special interest tax loopholes. That’s exactly the kind of plan Democrats in the Senate have proposed. But even though a majority of Senators support this approach, Republicans have refused to allow it an up-or-down vote – threatening our economy with a series of arbitrary, automatic budget cuts that will cost us jobs and slow our recovery.
Tomorrow I will bring together leaders from both parties to discuss a path forward. As a nation, we can’t keep lurching from one manufactured crisis to another. Middle-class families can’t keep paying the price for dysfunction in Washington. We can build on the over $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction we’ve already achieved, but doing so will require Republicans to compromise. That’s how our democracy works, and that’s what the American people deserve.
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THIS POST IS NOW CLOSED NBLB
Come on over to my newest post titled: ” Equality”
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