Can Republicans Win the Senate in 2014?
February 20, 2013 By NATE SILVER
(Excerpts)
Democrats, faced with a daunting set of Senate races in 2012, not only survived but thrived, adding two seats to their majority.
The party will face a difficult map again in 2014, however.
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House 2014: A Narrowing Battlefield?
It appears that only about one of every 15 House members will come from a district that voted for a different party in its presidential and House elections. That would be the lowest proportion of split seats produced by any presidential election in at least the past 60 years. (We’re comparing the 2012 estimate to those contained in Vital Statistics on American Politics for prior elections.)
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The 2012 Democratic Platform
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REBUILDING MIDDLE CLASS SECURITY
* Putting Americans Back to Work
* The Middle Class Bargain
* Cutting Waste, Reducing the Deficit, Asking All to Pay Their Fair Share
* Economy Built to Last
AMERICA WORKS WHEN EVERYONE PLAYS BY THE SAME RULES
* Wall Street Reform
* 21st Century Government: Transparent and Accountable
* Lobbying Reform and Campaign Finance Reform
* Strengthening the American Community
* Protecting Rights and Freedoms
* Ensuring Safety and Quality of Life
STRONGER IN THE WORLD, SAFER AND MORE SECURE AT HOME
* Responsibly Ending the War in Iraq
* Disrupting, Dismantling, and Defeating Al-Qaeda
* Responsibly Ending the War in Afghanistan
* Preventing the Spread and Use of Nuclear Weapons
* Countering Emerging Threats
* Strengthening Alliances, Expanding Partnerships, and Reinvigorating International Institutions
* Promoting Global Prosperity and Development
* Maintaining the Strongest Military in the World
* Advancing Universal Values
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Political Action
Volunteer
Democratic Nantional Committee: http://www.democrats.org/
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: http://www.dccc.org
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: http://www.dscc.org
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee: http://dlcc.org
* Volunteer to canvass (door-to-door)
* Phone bank
* Register voters
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Register to Vote
RockTheVote http://www.rockthevote.co/rtv_register.html?ms=indexNoPop
GottaVote http://gottavote.org
GottaRegister http://gottaregister.com/
League of Women Voters :http://electionimpact3.votenet.com/lwv/voterreg2/index.cfm
The Federal Voting Assistance Program – http://www.fvap.gov
The Election Assistance Commission – http://www.eac.gov/default.aspx
The U.S. Justice Department, Civil Rights Division, Voting Section –http://www.justice.gov/crt/voting/
Homeless People’s Voting Rights http://www.nationalhomeless.org/projects/vote/court.html
Democrats Abroad: http://www.democratsabroad.org/
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Electoral fraud can occur at any stage in the democratic process, but most commonly occurs in voter registration. The two main types of electoral fraud are preventing eligible voters from casting their vote freely (or voting at all); and altering the results. Any GOTV volunteer entrusted with assisting a voter registrant is responsible for having the form filled out correctly and having the form mailed out in a timely fashion.
VOTE SMART. VOTE DEMOCRAT.
Monday, March 11, 2013
All Times Eastern
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
10:00 AM
10:15 AM
President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing
11:00 AM
President Obama meets with senior advisors.
11:05 AM
First Lady Michelle Obama answers some questions about @LetsMove & how we can improve the health of our kids.
12:00 PM
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
12:30 PM
President Obama and Vice President Biden meet for lunch.
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
March 11, 2013
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
11:05 AM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama answers some questions about @LetsMove & how we can improve the health of our kids.
12:00 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
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ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/Live/
12:00 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
—-
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
9:00 AM ET
American Public Transportation Assn.
American Public Transportation Association Conference, Part 1 – http://www.c-span.org/Events/Transportation-Secretary-Addresses-APTA-Conference/10737438683/
10:00 AM ET
AARP
Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment Cuts http://www.c-span.org/Events/AARP-Examines-Implications-of-COLA-Changes/10737438684/
12:00 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
1:45 PM ET
American Public Transportation Assn.
American Public Transportation Association Conference, Part 2 – http://www.c-span.org/Events/Transportation-Secretary-Addresses-APTA-Conference/10737438683/
2013 Political Participation = Democrat Strength in 2014
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What the 2014 landscape looks like:
* While they narrowed House Republicans’ majority last November, Democrats still face a steep climb toward netting the 17 seats they need to win the majority in 2014. Thanks in part to to the decennial redistricting process, the House map is more polarized than in recent years, with fewer of the “swing” districts that are most vulnerable to flipping control. And more districts lean Republican than Democratic, which only toughens the task before the current minority party. In a nutshell, not only is it a historically tough task to pick up seats in the second midterm, but the specifics of the upcoming one don’t make the work any easier.
* The Senate landscape shouldn’t be overlooked in all of this. Over in the upper chamber, Republicans — for the third cycle in a row — have a realistic chance of regaining the majority. The Democratic Caucus padded its majority in 2012, and currently holds a 55-45 advantage over the GOP. But with Democrats defending a dozen seats in red or swing states, there is definitely room for Republicans to pick up the six they need to win the majority, assuming they don’t cough up any of their own seats. In short, regardless of what happens in the House, there is no guarantee Obama’s party will control the Senate in 2015.
As Wilson and Rucker note, Obama is not sitting back. He’s taking the challenge in front of him head on, committing to more fundraisers for House candidates, and putting the muscle of his campaign organization behind the effort, too. And he’s emboldened by a reelection win that reaffirmed the strength of his coalition and has boosted his popularity. There’s a certain “strike while the iron is hot” mentality at work here. So while Obama’s task is no ordinary one, neither is the effort he is applying.
The president will hope to boost his popularity — and that of Democrats — beyond the bloc of voters Democrats consistently count on. Obama has to expand his popularity into some unfriendly terrain, too, given the extent to which the House map favors Republicans.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/03/04/can-obama-defy-history-in-second-midterm-election/
Twenty-one of the 35 seats up for election are now held by Democrats. Moreover, most the states that will be casting ballots for the Senate in 2014 are Republican leaning: 7 of the 21 Democratic-held seats are in states carried by the former Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, while just one of the Republican seats is in a state won by President Obama.
Democrats could also suffer from the downside to presidential coattails. Most of the seats up for grabs in 2014 were last contested in 2008, a very strong Democratic year. Without having Mr. Obama on the ballot, and with an electorate that is likely to be older and whiter than in presidential years, some Democrats may find that their 2008 coattails have turned into a midterm headwind instead.
Source: http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/can-republicans-win-the-senate-in-2014/
Republican Platform
* Preserving and Protecting Traditional Marriage
* Reforming Welfare programs “will free individuals from the poverty trap to increase work requirements” , “taking a part time job, working an extra shift, or even just marrying someone who works [would] discouraging the very acts necessary to achieve the American Dream”
* Reforming to ADA to a “Employment First” program “to replace dependency with jobs”
* Repeal Obamacare – Ends a women’s right to choose (even in cases of rape or incest. Approves of mandating ultrasounds for women seeking abortions
* Reforming Medicare “increase in the eligibility age for those who aren’t about to retire” and turn it into a voucher system
* Reforming the FDA
* Repeal the Sixteenth Amendment
* Police the universities for liberal bias
* Defend the Electoral College at all costs
* Taxes - Raise Taxes On 95% Of Americans
* Immigration – Encourages Extreme Immigration Laws similar to Arizona’s SB1070
———————–
The CPAC TeaBaggers Side Show – March 14-17 Maryland
Get your official CPAC Tea Bags, CPAC White Bed Sheet and CPAC Binders Full of Women at the door.
Seminars on how to make paranoia work for you.
Those with ‘limited futures’ in GOP politics
Mar 5, 2013 4:06 PM EST By Steve Benen – maddowblog
As we discussed last week, the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, is the year’s biggest event for Republicans and the right in general. The speakers’ list for the multi-day event reads like a who’s who for conservatives, and the more ambitious the GOP candidate, the more he or she desperately wants to win CPAC attendees’ approval.
With this in mind, it’s interesting to see who gets invitations to the gathering and who gets snubbed. Last week, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) was told he would not be welcome at CPAC 2013. Today we learned that that Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R), suddenly and inexplicably the target of far-right ire, was also deemed unworthy of the CPAC stage.
An unnamed CPAC insider said invitations will not go to those with a “limited future” in Republican politics. It’s what makes news like this all the more startling.
Chris Christie may not be solid enough a conservative for CPAC organizers, but Donald Trump apparently is.
The real estate mogul will be a speaker, announced the American Conservative Union today.
I suppose this means the strange television personality has an unlimited future in Republican politics?
Trump, incidentally, defended retired basketball player Dennis Rodman yesterday, despite his bizarre cozying up to North Korea’s regime, telling Fox News that Rodman is “probably better than what we have” when it comes to international diplomacy.
But in the larger context, we’re not just looking at a misguided conservative movement; we’re also looking at a shrinking one. In 2013, after another rough electoral cycle for the Republican Party, CPAC envisions a landscape in which popular Republican governors are to be kept at arm’s length if they fail any part of a lengthy and undefined litmus test, while clownish conspiracy theorists like Trump are embraced, despite several years in which the man has positioned himself as a national laughingstock.
I suspect many on the left who’d like to make CPAC look ridiculous in the eyes of the American mainstream are delighted to see organizers give liberals a hand.
#AskFLOTUS About Let’s Move!
Posted by Kori Schulman on March 10, 2013 Let'sMove
To celebrate the third anniversary of Let’s Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama traveled around the country to highlight healthy changes being made in schools, towns and businesses across America.
Tomorrow, we're continuing the celebration on Twitter to discuss the First Lady's initiative to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential.
On Monday, March 10th at 11:05 a.m. EDT, First Lady Michelle Obama will answer some of your questions about Let's Move! using her office's @FLOTUS account. Here's how you can join:
* Ask a question using the hashtag #AskFLOTUS now and during the chat
* Follow along live through the @FLOTUS Twitter account
* If you miss the live event, we'll post the full Q&A on LetsMove.gov
* Be sure to follow @FLOTUS for updates from the First Lady's Office and @LetsMove for the latest about the initiative.
Senate panel readies budget markup for week of March 11
3/01/13 04:12 PM ET By Vicki Needham – TheHill
The Senate Budget Committee is expected to mark up its budget blueprint the week of March 11, ahead of the arrival of President Obama’s plan to Capitol Hill.
So far, specific dates have not been announced, but if the panel marks up a resolution that week it would be on track toward Senate approval before lawmakers leave town for a two-week Easter recess on March 22, according to a Senate aide.
Senate Budget Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has vowed to mark up a budget resolution, which would be the first budget markup in four years for the panel.
For more: http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/285767-senate-budget-expected-to-hold-mark-up-week-of-march-11
March 11, 2013
U.S. Women vs. Sweden Women
10 a.m. ET
Estadio Municipal
Lagos, Portugal
pay-per-view
3/11/13 12:53 ET Final Score:
US Women 1:1 SWE Women
Morgran 5’6 – Dahlvist 4′
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Alex Morgan Scores as U.S. Women Tie Sweden 1-1 to Earn a Berth in the 2013 Algarve Cup Final
March 11, 2013 ussoccer.com
Alex Morgan scored a goal in the second half to give the U.S. Women’s National Team a 1-1 tie against Sweden and a berth in the 2013 Algarve Cup championship game. With the tie, USA advanced to its 10th Algarve Cup Final in the past 11 years and will face Group A champion Germany on March 13 with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Estadio Algarve in Faro, Portugal. Fans will be able to watch the clash for the Algarve Cup on TV or online via Pay-Per-View and follow along on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_WNT.
* USA Will Face Germany in Algarve Cup Final on March 13
* American Women Advance to 10th Algarve Cup Final in Past 11 years
* Ashlyn Harris Earns First Cap at Senior Level
LAGOS, Portugal (March 11, 2013) – Alex Morgan scored a goal in the second half to earn the U.S. Women’s National Team a 1-1 tie against Sweden and a berth in the 2013 Algarve Cup championship game.
With the tie, the USA advanced to its 10th Algarve Cup Final in the past 11 years and will face Group A champion Germany on March 13 with a kickoff and venue to be announced this evening. Fans will be able to watch the clash for the Algarve Cup on TV or online via Pay-Per-View and follow along on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_WNT.
The USA finished first in the Group B with seven points from three matches, followed by Sweden with five points, China with four points and Iceland with zero points. China defeated Iceland, 1-0, in the other Group B match.
For more: http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2013/03/WNT-Wins-Group-B-at-2013-Algarve-Cup-to-Advance-to-Final.aspx
*honk* is the same in English, Swedish and Portugese.
Honk!
Happy and HOPEful Sunday, CR and all friends!
Good topic, CR! 2014 is not far away.
>^..^<
Happy and HOPEful Sunday Kat!
Bureau of Indian Affairs 189th Anniversary
Bureau of Indian Affairs established March 11, 1824
Love the way that you put these lists together. You make me think.
Thanks!
11:05 AM ET
First Lady Michelle Obama answers some questions about @LetsMove & how we can improve the health of our kids.
Ask a question using the hashtag #AskFLOTUS
The rule Congress forgot: First, do no harm
Mar 11, 2013 10:35 AM EDT By Steve Benen – maddowblog
When a nation tries to recover from an economic downturn, there are a variety of things policymakers have no control over. After the Great Recessions, for example, neither the White House nor Congress could control the Eurozone crisis, a natural disaster in Japan, or unrest in the Middle East.
It’s an unpredictable world with inter-connected economies and volatility often lurking just out of sight. But this realizations only reinforces a lesson congressional Republicans have forgotten: U.S. policymakers should, at a minimum, not make matters worse.
Consider, for example, what unemployment would be if government weren’t trying to create jobs and lay off public-sector workers at the same time.
Federal, state and local governments have shed nearly 750,000 jobs since June 2009, according to the Labor Department’s establishment survey of employers. No other sector comes close to those job losses over the same period. Construction is in second worst place, but its 225,000 cuts are less than a third of the government reductions. To be sure, construction and other sectors performed worse during the depths of the recession, but no area has had a worse recovery.
A separate tally of job losses looks even worse. According to the household survey, which is where the unemployment rate comes from, there are nearly 950,000 fewer people employed by the government than there were when the recovery started in mid-2009. If none of those people were counted as unemployed, the jobless rate would be 7.1%, compared with the 7.7% rate reported on Friday.
I’m including this New York Times chart to reinforce a larger point: during every recent economic downturn, we didn’t slash public-sector employment. Policymakers simply understood that forcing more Americans out of work would not bring down unemployment or improve the economy.
This recent historical context is important for a couple of reasons. The first is the realization that those calling for more public-sector hiring aren’t proposing some radical, hyper-liberal approach to employment policy. We’re simply talking about adopting the same approach used by policymakers in both parties in every economic downturn over the last half-century.
For more: http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/11/17269682-the-rule-congress-forgot-first-do-no-harm
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
Obama meets with Arab-American groups
3/11/13 3:47 PM EDT By BYRON TAU – POLITICO44
President Obama met Monday with a number of Arab American groups in advance of his trip to the Middle East next week, according to a statement released first to POLITICO.
“We are pleased to have shared with President Obama our recommendations for the vital message that he should convey to the Palestinian people. Today’s meeting was an important opportunity for Arab Americans to share our views, and continue to serve as a bridge between the US and the Arab world. Our meeting underscored the President’s recognition of the importance of our community’s contributions to discussions of policy in the region,” four groups said in a joint statement following the meeting.
Obama met with representatives from American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, American Federation of Ramallah Palestine, American Task Force for Palestine, Arab American Institute.
The meeting was in advance of Obama’s scheduled trip to Israel — the first of his presidency. He and Secretary of State John Kerry are expected to discuss the stalled Middle East peace process during Obama’s first trip to the Jewish state.
Continue Reading: http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/03/obama-meets-with-arab-american-groups-159015.html
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
All Times Eastern
11:10 AM
President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam. Vice President Biden also attends
White House
7:00 AM
7:30 AM
Vice President Biden hosts a breakfast meeting with Secretary Kerry at the Naval Observatory.
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing
10:00 AM
10:20 AM
President Obama Speaks at President’s Export Council
The White House
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
12:30 PM
President Obama and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah meet for lunch.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press.
1:00 PM
1:30 PM
President Obama meets with the Senate Democratic Caucus
Capitol Hill
1:50 PM
Vice President Biden speaks to the National League of Cities’ 2013 Congressional City Conference
Washington, DC
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:35 PM
President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with Secretary Hagel.
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
March 12, 2013
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
9:30 AM ET
Meeting of the President’s Export Council
The White House
10:20 AM ET
President Obama Speaks at President’s Export Council
The White House
11:10 AM ET
President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam. Vice President Biden also attends
White House
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press
1:50 PM ET
Vice President Biden speaks to the National League of Cities’ 2013 Congressional City Conference
Washington, DC
—-
ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/Live/
10:00 AM ET
Worldwide threats hearing
New CIA Director John Brennan testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee as lawmakers hold their annual hearing on worldwide threats.
10:15 AM ET
Senate Judiciary Committee: Gun Legislation Markup
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press
1:50 PM ET
Vice President Biden speaks to the National League of Cities’ 2013 Congressional City Conference
Washington, DC
2:30 PM ET
Secretary of State John Kerry and his Norwegian counterpart hold a briefing with reporters in Washington.
2:30 PM ET
FCC oversight hearing
The Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing on the policies of the Federal Communications Commissions.
3:00 PM ET
SEC oversight hearing
A House appropriations subcommittee holds a hearing on oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
9:30 AM ET
Senate Looks at U.S. Strategic and Cyber Commands http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Looks-at-US-Strategic-and-Cyber-Commands/10737438704/
10:00 AM ET
Worldwide threats hearing
New CIA Director John Brennan testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee as lawmakers hold their annual hearing on worldwide threats. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Intelligence-Cmte-Hearing-on-Worldwide-Threats-to-the-US/10737438688/
10:00 AM ET
Senate Banking Committee to Press CFPB & SEC Nominees http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Banking-Committee-to-Press-CFPB-SEC-Nominees/10737438703/
10:15 AM ET
Senate Judiciary Committee: Gun Legislation Markup http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Judiciary-Cmte-Continues-Work-on-Gun-Legislation/10737438702/
12:30 PM ET
Vice President Biden and Sen. John McCain address city leaders during the National League of Cities’ 2013 Congressional City Conference
Washington, DC
12:30 PM ET
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs the press
1:30 PM ET
Pres. Obama Meets with Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Pres-Obama-Meets-with-Senate-Democrats-on-Capitol-Hill/10737438709/
2:30 PM ET
Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee: FCC Oversight
2:30 PM ET
Secretary of State John Kerry and his Norwegian counterpart hold a briefing with reporters in Washington.
2:30 PM ET
FCC oversight hearing
The Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing on the policies of the Federal Communications Commissions. http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Commerce-Cmte-Hosts-FCC-Commissioners/10737438705/
3:00 PM ET
SEC oversight hearing
A House appropriations subcommittee holds a hearing on oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
March 06, 2013
Statement by the Press Secretary on the visit of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam to the White House
President Obama will welcome His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam to the White House on Tuesday, March 12, 2013. The United States and Brunei have strong bilateral relations and have a shared interest in working together to ensure the continued peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia Pacific region. The President looks forward to discussing preparations for the East Asia Summit and U.S.-ASEAN Summit, which will be held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei in October, and to consulting with His Majesty on a broad range of strategic and economic issues of mutual concern.
The Sultan’s visit underscores the strategic importance the President places on the Asia Pacific region and to substantive engagement with our friends and partners in the region. It highlights the President’s commitment to participating fully in the region’s multilateral forums in order to foster cooperation, maintain stability and promote economic growth. The visit also provides an opportunity for the two leaders to continue progress on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Lots of pushing and pushback in the GOP-controlled Washington State Senate today. Our Democratic Gov. Inslee on the phone with former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who called lawmakers to urge passage of a bill closing the gun show loophole and mandating background checks. No vote today, so I will keep an eye on what happens tomorrow.
And a happy and HOPEful Monday evening, CR and all friends!
>^..^<
Thanks for the update. Happy and HOPEful Monday evening Kat!
NFIB Small Business Optimism Index
Released On 3/12/2013 7:30:00 AM For Feb, 2013
Prior Consensus Consensus Range Actual
level 88.9 90.1 87.0 to 91.0 90.8
Highlights
Optimism is up among small business owners based on a solid 1.9 point gain in the small business optimism index to 90.8 in February. Inventory building, which is often a sign of optimism, leads February’s gain followed by plans to increase capital outlays which is another sign of optimism. Gains are wide across components and also include a rise in current job openings. Despite the month’s strengths, the report notes that the index level remains in recessionary ground.
Source: http://bloomberg.econoday.com/byshoweventfull.asp?fid=456541&cust=bloomberg-us&year=2013&lid=0&prev=/byweek.asp#top
ICSC-Goldman Store Sales
Released On 3/12/2013 7:45:00 AM For wk3/9, 2013
Prior Actual
Store Sales – W/W change 0.2 % 0.7 %
Store Sales – Y/Y 1.8 % 1.8 %
Highlights
ICSC-Goldman reports mixed results for the March 9 week with week-to-week same-store sales up 0.7 percent but with the year-on-year rate unchanged at a very soft plus 1.8 percent. The report’s year-on-year growth rate is trending near recovery lows. ICSC-Goldman notes that grocery sales were strong in the week as were apparel sales. Redbook, which will post its weekly results later this morning, has been reporting more strength over the last month than ICSC-Goldman.
Source: http://bloomberg.econoday.com/byshoweventfull.asp?fid=455504&cust=bloomberg-us&year=2013&lid=0&prev=/byweek.asp#top
Redbook
Released On 3/12/2013 8:55:00 AM For wk3/9, 2013
Prior Actual
Store Sales Y/Y change 2.2 % 2.7 %
Highlights
Redbook reports solid strength in same-store sales during the March 9 week, at a year-on-year plus 2.7 percent which is more than one full percentage point above lows in January. Redbook’s month-to-month data call not only for a gain in February but now for a gain in March relative to February, an expected gain tied to this year’s earlier Easter which will pull sales out of April. Strength in Redbook’s month-to-month comparison is a positive signal for the government’s ex-auto ex-gas reading. In sharp contrast to Redbook, ICSC-Goldman, released earlier this morning, has been reporting some of its weakest rates of the recovery. The government gets the next say, posting February retail sales tomorrow morning.
Source: http://bloomberg.econoday.com/byshoweventfull.asp?fid=455561&cust=bloomberg-us&year=2013&lid=0&prev=/byweek.asp#top
Next Up…
9:30 AM ET
Meeting of the President’s Export Council
The White House
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
March 12, 2013
Remarks by the President at Meeting with the President’s Export Council
Room 350
Eisenhower Executive Office Building
10:22 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: I want to get back to the official business at hand. But I did want to stop by. First of all, I just want to say thanks to the PEC for the unbelievable work that you guys have done and the extraordinary leadership that you’ve provided to our team and the administration as we’ve tried to promote exports all around the world. And I’m glad to see that we’ve got a couple of our outstanding senators here as well who I know care deeply about exports because their states benefit from exports. We all do.
And I assume that part of these charts was Becky going over the progress that we’ve made over the last several years, so I won’t reiterate it. The good news is we are well on our way to meeting a very ambitious goal that we set several years ago to double U.S. exports. And what we know is, is that a lot of the growth, a lot of the new jobs that we’ve seen during the course of this recovery, have been export-driven.
What’s also encouraging is it’s been coming from a whole variety of sectors. Obviously, our agricultural sector has always been strong and it’s gotten even stronger. But what we’ve also seen is, is that our manufacturing base, our high-tech, our services across the board we’re seeing significant increases. And the question now becomes how do we sustain this momentum?
Part of it is making sure that we get in place strong trade deals. And having ratified with the help of a number of our legislators the Panama, Colombia and, most significantly, South Korean trade deals, we’ve now been moving aggressively on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a high standards trade regime that we think can advantage U.S. companies and U.S. workers because it sets a bar that ensures that trade is fair and free. And for those of us who abide by high labor standards and high environmental standards, obviously being able to lock in those kinds of high standards in the fastest-growing region of the world and the most populous region of the world can yield enormous benefits and help to generate billions of dollars in trade and millions of jobs.
As I announced at the State of the Union address, we’re also going to be launching an effort to lock in a EU-U.S. trade deal as well. And already, Europe is our largest trading partner — the EU as a whole — and we think that we can expand that even further. And some of this has to do with us being able to break down some existing barriers across the Atlantic to U.S. products and services, but some of it also has to do with smoothing out differences in regulatory approaches, just trade frictions that arise that are unnecessary that carries over from earlier periods. And we think just as the TPP can be an enormous boost to U.S. trade and growth that our trade with Europe can expand substantially, and that will advantage U.S. companies and U.S. businesses.
But in order for us to do this, we’re going to need the help of industry and labor and all the parties that are represented here. One of the things that we’ve also been trying to do during the course of this process is to make sure that it’s not just the Xeroxes and the Dow Chemicals that are benefiting from this — although we want our Fortune 100 companies to be selling as much as possible. They also have a whole lot of suppliers, so small businesses stand to benefit immensely from this process. We actually think that there’s room for small and medium-size businesses to export directly — not just supplying large businesses, but also to break open and enter into these markets. And that can make a huge difference in terms of our long-term prospects.
So overall this is a good story; this is an optimistic story; but it’s one that we’re going to have to continue to sustain.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/12/remarks-president-meeting-presidents-export-council
Now Streaming…
10:20 AM ET
President Obama Speaks at President’s Export Council
The White House
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
March 12, 2013
Remarks by the President at Meeting with the President’s Export Council
Room 350
Eisenhower Executive Office Building
10:22 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: I want to get back to the official business at hand. But I did want to stop by. First of all, I just want to say thanks to the PEC for the unbelievable work that you guys have done and the extraordinary leadership that you’ve provided to our team and the administration as we’ve tried to promote exports all around the world. And I’m glad to see that we’ve got a couple of our outstanding senators here as well who I know care deeply about exports because their states benefit from exports. We all do.
And I assume that part of these charts was Becky going over the progress that we’ve made over the last several years, so I won’t reiterate it. The good news is we are well on our way to meeting a very ambitious goal that we set several years ago to double U.S. exports. And what we know is, is that a lot of the growth, a lot of the new jobs that we’ve seen during the course of this recovery, have been export-driven.
What’s also encouraging is it’s been coming from a whole variety of sectors. Obviously, our agricultural sector has always been strong and it’s gotten even stronger. But what we’ve also seen is, is that our manufacturing base, our high-tech, our services across the board we’re seeing significant increases. And the question now becomes how do we sustain this momentum?
Part of it is making sure that we get in place strong trade deals. And having ratified with the help of a number of our legislators the Panama, Colombia and, most significantly, South Korean trade deals, we’ve now been moving aggressively on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a high standards trade regime that we think can advantage U.S. companies and U.S. workers because it sets a bar that ensures that trade is fair and free. And for those of us who abide by high labor standards and high environmental standards, obviously being able to lock in those kinds of high standards in the fastest-growing region of the world and the most populous region of the world can yield enormous benefits and help to generate billions of dollars in trade and millions of jobs.
As I announced at the State of the Union address, we’re also going to be launching an effort to lock in a EU-U.S. trade deal as well. And already, Europe is our largest trading partner — the EU as a whole — and we think that we can expand that even further. And some of this has to do with us being able to break down some existing barriers across the Atlantic to U.S. products and services, but some of it also has to do with smoothing out differences in regulatory approaches, just trade frictions that arise that are unnecessary that carries over from earlier periods. And we think just as the TPP can be an enormous boost to U.S. trade and growth that our trade with Europe can expand substantially, and that will advantage U.S. companies and U.S. businesses.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/12/remarks-president-meeting-presidents-export-council
Next Up…
11:10 AM ET
President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam. Vice President Biden also attends
White House
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
March 12, 2013
Remarks by President Obama and His Majesty Sultan of Brunei Darussalam After a Bilateral Meeting
Oval Office
11:54 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, it is a great pleasure to welcome my good friend, His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei. The Sultan and I had the opportunity to get to know each other from a series of multilateral meetings, particularly the ASEAN East Asia Summit meeting. He is a key leader in the Southeast Asia region but also widely respected around the world.
And part of the reason that we thought now was a good time for a meeting here in the Oval Office is because His Majesty will be hosting the next ASEAN East Asia Summit meeting in Brunei this October. There are a range of issues that we’ve worked on together, and that should be no surprise because the friendship between the United States and Brunei actually dates back 160 years.
His Majesty himself has led his country for 40 years now and he’s gone through nine U.S. Presidents. I won’t ask him which one was his favorite — (laughter) — but our interest in having a strong, peaceful, prosperous Asia Pacific region is something that we share.
And so at the ASEAN East Asia Summit, we will be discussing a wide range of issues — everything from how we deal with issues of energy and climate change to how we expand commerce, potentially through the Trans-Pacific Partnership that has the opportunity of creating jobs and prosperity here in the United States but also throughout the region.
We’ll be discussing maritime issues. Obviously there have been a lot of tensions in the region around maritime issues and His Majesty has shown great leadership in trying to bring the countries together to make sure that everybody is abiding by the basic precepts of rule of law and international standards so that conflicts can be resolved peacefully and effectively, and that everybody is brought into that kind of structure.
We’ve also had a chance to work together on educational issues. His Majesty himself and Brunei have helped to finance a number of English language instructors so that more youth in the Southeast Asia region are learning English, which obviously can help to expand commerce, but also strengthen the ties between the United States and the region.
And we’re also going to be doing, for the first time, a joint ASEAN-U.S.-Chinese joint exercises around disaster and humanitarian relief, which points to the fact that our militaries, that are extraordinarily capable, and the bilateral military relationship between the United States and Brunei has the capacity to help people in times of need and to try to help avoid conflict rather than start conflict.
For more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/12/remarks-president-obama-and-his-majesty-sultan-brunei-darussalam-after-b
The United States of America and the Brunei signed The Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce and Navigation on June 23, 1850. This treaty outlined the relationship of the United States and Brunei and is still in place today. It was ratified by Millard Fillmore on January 31, 1853 and proclaimed by President Franklin Pierce on July 12, 1854. The relations between the USA and Brunei began on the U.S.S. Constitution’s trip around the world, and that ship’s visit to Brunei on April 6, 1845.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Peace,_Friendship,_Commerce_and_Navigation
Job Openings Increase as U.S. Labor Market Improves
Mar 12, 2013 7:36 AM PT By Alex Kowalski – bloomberg
Job openings in the U.S. rose in January, rebounding from a slump the prior month and showing the labor market will keep making progress in 2013.
The number of positions waiting to be filled climbed by 81,000 to 3.69 million from a revised 3.61 million the prior month, the Labor Department said today in Washington. Hiring also picked up while firings slowed.
Budding job opportunities suggest companies are gearing up for stronger demand in 2013, which would help the nation’s 7.7 percent unemployment rate drift lower throughout the year. Job gains also indicate businesses weren’t discouraged by political bickering as Congress debated how to cut the budget deficit.
“We’ve got a long way to go to get back to a fully employed economy, but we are on the road,” James Glassman, a senior economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York, said during an interview on Bloomberg Radio. “If you look at the labor market data, you can’t find any evidence of this political debate that is going on, the fiscal cliff, all that.”
Stocks were little changed today after a seven-day rally in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index drove the gauge to within nine points of a record. The S&P 500 Index fell less than 0.1 percent to 1,555.21 at 10:36 a.m. in New York.
For more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-12/job-openings-increased-in-january-as-u-s-labor-market-improved.html
1:30 PM ET
President Obama meets with the Senate Democratic Caucus
Capitol Hill
CSPAN http://www.c-span.org/Events/Pres-Obama-Meets-with-Senate-Democrats-on-Capitol-Hill/10737438709/
Senate panel OKs Dems gun background check bill
3/12/13 By ALAN FRAM | Associated Press – 46 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Senate Judiciary Committee approved a Democratic bill Tuesday expanding required federal background checks to nearly all gun purchases, giving President Barack Obama an early victory on curbing gun violence in a fight that still faces difficult odds.
The vote was 10-8, with all Democrats supporting the measure and every Republican opposing it.
As expected, the panel delayed voting on a plan by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to ban assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines. The committee was expected to approve that measure Thursday. Feinstein was chairing a separate intelligence hearing.
The background check measure would expand the requirement to firearms sales between private individuals, such as those that occur at gun shows. Currently, the checks are required only for sales by federally licensed firearms dealers.
“This isn’t going to be a perfect bill. But it will sure reduce crimes,” said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., the bill’s sponsor.
Schumer said he hopes he can strike a compromise on the measure with Republicans, which would enhance its chances of passing in the full Senate. The chamber is expected to consider gun legislation next month, and GOP lawmakers have shown little enthusiasm for expanding the requirement to private firearms transactions.
For more: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-panel-oks-dems-gun-background-check-bill-152747937–politics.html
1:50 PM ET
Vice President Biden speaks to the National League of Cities’ 2013 Congressional City Conference
Washington, DC
WhiteHouse.gov http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
CSPAN http://www.cspan.org/
March 12, 2013
Statement by the Press Secretary on the House Republican Budget
The President believes that there is an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to come together around a balanced plan to grow the economy and shrink the deficit by investing to create jobs, cutting wasteful spending, and strengthening programs like Medicare and Medicaid. This approach will require both parties to compromise and make tough choices.
While the House Republican budget aims to reduce the deficit, the math just doesn’t add up. Deficit reduction that asks nothing from the wealthiest Americans has serious consequences for the middle class. By choosing to give the wealthiest Americans a new tax cut, this budget as written will either fail to achieve any meaningful deficit reduction, raise taxes on middle class families by more than $2,000 – or both. By choosing not to ask for a single dime of deficit reduction from closing tax loopholes for the wealthy and well-connected, this budget identifies deep cuts to investments like education and research – investments critical to creating jobs and growing the middle class. And to save money, this budget would turn Medicare into a voucher program–undercutting the guaranteed benefits that seniors have earned and forcing them to pay thousands more out of their own pockets. We’ve tried this top-down approach before. The President still believes it is the wrong course for America.
That’s why the President has put forward a balanced approach to deficit reduction with no sacred cows. It includes more Medicare savings over the next decade than the House Republican budget, but it does so by cracking down on waste and fraud, not by asking middle class seniors to bear the burden. It closes tax loopholes for the wealthiest and biggest corporations so we can still afford to create jobs by investing in education, manufacturing, infrastructure, and small businesses. The President’s plan puts our nation on a fiscally sustainable path and grows our economy from the middle class out.
While the President disagrees with the House Republican approach, we all agree we need to leave a better future for our children. The President will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to grow the economy and cut the deficit in a balanced way. This is the approach the American people overwhelmingly support, and that is what the President will continue to fight for each day.
Senate Democrats Reveal Details Of Their Own Budget
MARCH 12, 2013, 1:11 PM 1188 SAHIL KAPUR – tpm
In an attempt to draw a sharp contrast with House Republicans, Senate Democrats on Tuesday revealed important details of their own upcoming budget resolution — their first in four years — which represents a return to the negotiating position President Obama adopted after his re-election in November.
The topline figures, according to a Democratic source familiar with the plan: $975 billion in targeted spending cuts, including the repeal of sequestration, and $975 billion in new revenue attained by closing tax loopholes on upper incomes. Combine that with $100 billion in new spending for a jobs package and the plan reduces the deficit by $1.85 trillion.
The target largely mirrors President Obama’s November proposal to find $1.6 trillion in additional revenue. He banked $620 billion in the fiscal cliff deal and the Democrats’ proposal achieves the rest by closing tax loopholes and deductions that benefit wealthy Americans and big corporations.
The spending cuts are divided up this way: $493 in domestic savings, including $275 in health care cuts that the Democratic source said would not harm seniors or families. Defense spending would be cut by $240 billion in accordance with troop drawdowns from overseas operations. An additional $242 billion in savings come from reduced interest payments.
For more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/senate-democrats-reveal-details-of-their-own-budget.php?ref=fpb
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
Tesla repaying Obama admin loan 5 years early
Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:58 AM EDT By Steve Benen – maddowblog
Ordinarily, a story like this wouldn’t come with any kind of political significance, but Tesla’s progress in repaying U.S. loans reminded me of something.
Tesla Motors Inc., which received $465 million in U.S. Energy Department loans to develop and build electric cars, will repay the funds five years ahead of schedule in a plan approved by the government.
The carmaker said in its annual report yesterday that the department approved amended terms of the loan agreements that enable it to complete repayment by December 2017. Starting in 2015, the Palo Alto, California-based company will make accelerated payments from excess free cash flow, Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja said in a telephone interview. [...]
The maker of battery-powered Model S sedans, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has a goal of becoming profitable this quarter, with deliveries of the vehicle forecast to rise to a record 20,000 units in 2013.
I’ll concede that I’m no expert when it comes to cars or auto manufacturers’ finances, though it certainly seems like good news that the Obama administration took a chance on an innovative car company, and now that company is paying taxpayers back — ahead of schedule.
The political part kicks in, however, when we look back at the 2012 presidential election. I read the transcript of just about every speech and interview Mitt Romney did last year, and I seem to recall the Republican condemning Obama’s loan to Tesla all the time. In the final months of the race, it was a standard line of attack: the president was recklessly using our money, Romney said, to “pick losers.” Obama was so irresponsible, he even invested in Tesla Motors.
Romney was so fond of the criticism, he even brought it up during one of the debates. Paul Ryan joined in on the fun, condemning Tesla’s loan on the stump as well.
I’m curious, given these new developments, whether the GOP still considers the administration’s loan an outrageous abuse worthy of public scorn.
Colorado lawmakers approve bill for same-sex civil unions
3/12/13 Reuters – 41 mins ago
(Reuters) – Colorado lawmakers approved a bill on Tuesday to legalize same-sex civil unions, and the U.S. state’s Democratic governor, who has indicated his support, was expected to sign the measure into law.
The Colorado House Democrats said the measure, which passed by a 39-26 vote in the state House of Representatives, would provide benefits, protections and responsibilities to gay couples similar to those granted heterosexual pairs.
The measure had already been approved by the state Senate.
“This bill is about three simple things: it’s about love, it’s about family and it’s about equality under the law,” Colorado House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, an openly gay Democrat and a sponsor of the bill, told fellow lawmakers.
Nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage. Voters in Washington state, Maine and Maryland last November became the first in the nation to approve same-sex marriage at the ballot box.
Eight other states allow civil unions, according to gay rights group the Human Rights Campaign.
For more: http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-lawmakers-approve-bill-same-sex-civil-unions-173400433.html
Hello CR. This is a fantastic and informative thread. Thank you.
Hey COS!!
All-Star STEM Students Meet the President!
Posted by Becky Fried on March 12, 2013 at 06:36 PM EDT
Today at the White House, President Obama met with 40 of the Nation’s top scientists and engineers, including the inventor of an inexpensive water filter that can reduce toxic E.coli levels in water by as much as 99 percent; the developer of an algorithm that detects oncoming seizures before they happen; a scientist who identified a new drug candidate to treat a common blood cancer; and the creator of an imaging agent that helps surgeons visualize malignant tumors.
These extraordinary innovators have something in common other than STEM excellence: they’re all in high school.
The exceptional students are finalists in the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search (STS) competition. Winners of the competition will be announced tonight at a gala event in Washington, DC.
Learn more about the finalists and the Intel STS competition here.
Sara Volz – Winner of the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search
Published on Apr 18, 2013
Sara Volz – Winner of the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search speaks on her research into biofuels. Sara visited the White House met President Obama along with other finalists for the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search.
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