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Subscribe to RSSObama’s promises kept… And promises broken… President pins the debt-ceiling responsibility on Congress… Executive recommendations on guns… Keeping track of the cabinet shuffle… Boxer backs Hagel… And a deeper look at Hagel’s “openly aggressive gay” comment.
Alex Wong / Getty Images
President Barack Obama speaks during his final news conference of his first term at the East Room of the White House Jan. 14, 2013.
*** Promises kept… : With President Obama’s second inaugural address now less than a week away, we took a look at his biggest three speeches over the past five years -- the 2007 presidential announcement speech in Springfield, IL, the 2008 convention acceptance speech in Denver, and the 2009 inaugural -- to checklist what he promised. And, by and large, he accomplished many of his big objectives. Or he mostly accomplished them. He promised ending the war in Iraq. (“America, it's time to start bringing our troops home,” he said in his ’07 announcement speech.) He promised health care reform. (“Let's be the generation that says right here, right now, that we will have universal health care in America by the end of the next president's first term,” he said in that same ’07 address.) And he promised quick action in dealing with the financial collapse of 2008. (“The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth,” he said in his ’09 inaugural.) Of course, there is still debate about whether his fixes will work, but the point is: He made a promise and got his vision of a fix.
Chuck takes a deep dive look into the promises President Obama made before his first term – during his campaign speeches and first inaugural address – and compares them to the things the President did accomplish in his first term.
*** … and promises broken: But he also didn’t accomplish some of his other goals -- like changing the country’s politics, a huge recurring theme in all three speeches. (“On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics,” he said in his ’09 inaugural.) Or recruiting more teachers when it turns out that about 212,000 teacher jobs have been cut between 2009 and 2011. (“Let's recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability,” he said in that ’07 speech.) And then there are the issues that barely got mentioned in those three big speeches, issues that ironically will make up the bulk of Obama’s second term agenda. Guns only received one mention. (“Don't tell me we can't uphold the 2nd Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals,” he said in ’08 acceptance speech.) Ditto immigration. (“Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.”) And if you believe the increased burden on the government for natural disaster cleanup is related to climate change and global warming, you’ll also be disappointed. Looking back at those most important Obama speeches from ’07, ’08 and ’09, the issue BARELY got a mention. Indeed, it’s remarkable what was in those speeches and what wasn’t.
*** Pinning the debt-ceiling responsibility on Congress: It appears that the chief goal of Obama’s press conference yesterday was to pin the responsibility -- and potential blame -- on Congress for raising (or not raising) the debt ceiling. “There's one way to get around this. There's one way to deal with it. And that is for Congress to authorize me to pay for those items of spending that they have already authorized,” Obama said. And there’s also a reason why the White House decided to abandon the idea of any Plan B (like the $1 trillion platinum coin or the 14th Amendment): They will own part of the chaos if they pursue a Plan B. But by having no Plan B, the Obama White House is trying to ensure that raising the debt ceiling is all on Congress. What’s more, Obama seemed to accept that a government shutdown -- and not the debt ceiling -- is the better place to have a fiscal fight. “Well, ultimately, Congress makes the decisions about whether or not we spend money and whether or not we keep this government open… I think [a government shutdown] would be a mistake. I think it would be profoundly damaging to our economy… But they’re elected representatives, and folks put them into those positions and they’re going to have to make a decision about that.”
*** Executive recommendations on guns: Per NBC’s Frank Thorp, House Democrats were told yesterday that Vice President Joe Biden and his task force have developed 19 areas where President Obama could use executive orders to institute new gun control policy. The New York Times has more: “Actions the president could take on his own are likely to include imposing new limits on guns imported from overseas, compelling federal agencies to improve sharing of mental health records and directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct research on gun violence, according to those briefed on the effort.”
*** The cabinet shuffle: Yesterday, we learned that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will remain in their jobs during President Obama's second term. So to recap, here are the cabinet secretaries who are remaining:
Napolitano (DHS)
Duncan (Education)
Vilsack (Agriculture)
Holder (Justice)
Sebelius (HHS)
Shinseki (Veterans Affairs)
And here are the cabinet members leaving, plus their nominated replacements if applicable:
Clinton at State (John Kerry nominated)
Panetta at Defense (Chuck Hagel nominated)
Geithner at Treasury (Jack Lew nominated)
Solis at Labor
Jackson at EPA
*** Boxer backs Hagel: Yesterday, Sen. Barbara Boxer -- who is Jewish -- came out in support of Hagel. “After speaking extensively with Sen. Hagel by phone last week and after receiving a detailed written response to my questions late today, I will support Senator Hagel’s nomination as Secretary of Defense,” Boxer said. “First and foremost, he has pledged without reservation to support President Obama’s polices – policies that I believe have made our world safer and our alliances stronger.” More: “I asked him about a number of issues – including America’s special relationship with Israel, the threats posed by Iran to the world and the treatment of women and gay and lesbian members of our military – and his answers were reassuring and show a sensitivity and understanding of these issues. In addition, Sen. Hagel has pledged to meet with me once he has been confirmed for a more detailed discussion about the Defense Department’s efforts to combat sexual assault in the military.”
*** “Openly aggressive gay”: Yesterday, we took an in-depth look at Chuck Hagel’s controversial “Jewish lobby” remark. Today, we examine his nearly 15-year-old description of James Hormel, nominated to be ambassador to Luxembourg, as an “openly aggressive gay.” Explaining his opposition to Hormel in a 1998 interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Hagel said: “They are representing America. They are representing our lifestyle, our values, our standards. And I think it is an inhibiting factor to be gay -- openly aggressive gay like Mr. Hormel -- to do an effective job.” Later, the Omaha World-Herald noted that Hagel said “he has seen another video clip that showed Hormel at what Hagel called an anti-Catholic event in San Francisco, featuring the ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,’ a group of male drag queens.” Luxembourg is mostly Catholic.
*** Apology accepted -- but not by all: Hagel has apologized for the 1998 remarks on Hormel. "They do not reflect my views or the totality of my public record, and I apologize to Ambassador Hormel and any LGBT Americans who may question my commitment to their civil rights. I am fully supportive of ‘open service’ and committed to LGBT military families.” Hormel accepted the apology, and so did the Human Rights Campaign. "Sen. Hagel's apology and his statement of support for LGBT equality is appreciated and shows just how far as a country we have come when a conservative former senator from Nebraska can have a change of heart on LGBT issues,” the organization said. But the Log Cabin Republicans took out a full-page ad in the Washington Post hitting Hagel’s record on gay rights. “Chuck Hagel’s Apology: Too Little, Too Late,” the ad said.
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You know what the problem with Americans Are? They think there's a left and right.
READ, WEEP, PRINT AND KEEP!
This should be on the front page of every newspaper.
Charley Reese's Final column!
A very interesting column. COMPLETELY NEUTRAL.
Be sure to Read the Poem at the end..
Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel... He has been a journalist for 49 years. He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.
Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.
This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!
545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.
Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.. ( The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.)
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House?( John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. ) If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to. [The House has passed a budget but the Senate has not approved a budget in over three years. The President's proposed budgets have gotten almost unanimous rejections in the Senate in that time. ]
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.
If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ..
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power.
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees... We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:
Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.
Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.
Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...
Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'
When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!
GO AHEAD. . . BE AN AMERICAN!!!
SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW
I have lived through 11 presidents and my husband has lived through 13 presidents and NEVER have we seen this country so divided as we have seen as under this president.
And it's going to get worse................
is it the president? his race? his demenor? My guess is number 2-yours? or something other? trully would like to know??
Congress is reponsible. Bush is responsible. NRA is responsible.
It must make you sad to see how worthless and lazy Americans have become. I meant to say, liberals.
@troll
Your comment makes no sense.
not a troll
You see Mr. uneducated(not a troll) has nothing credible to say(like all libs) so he plays the race card.
Your a worthless American TROLL, go to the hood or some liberal puke in the media and spout your racist claims, intelligent Americans laugh at you and everyone else who throws out the race card.
not a troll, only cowards play the race card eh.
TROLL, right when I think you might be normal, you prove me wrong. Most people could care less about his race, which you know is white and black, raised by whites. It's his ideology that we disagree with. He is a believer in socialism period.
not a troll, only cowards play the race card eh.
That's why we need our guns!
"A mother is forced to leave her baby" when she's deported? No such thing, unless she fails to tell ICE that she has a child. Mom is free to take her child with her. Whatever criminals would Obama have absolved of their crimes because they have kids here? We might also remember that many illegal aliens LEAVE FAMILIES BEHIND IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES when they choose to come here illegally.
and your point is? what has changed since obama became president-answer nothing-you do realise obama has deported more illegals than any other president ever and that your hero reagan pardoned all illegals , yes he did so the only ones your talking about are the ones since your hero reagan pardoned them are you not? Don't believe me google it!!
Troll - your spelling is making my eyes cross..........go pick up a dictionary or use spell check, if you know how.
Wow Troll, you are getting your arse kicked here today--
Crawl back under your bridge! LOL- loser lib!
Tomorrow Obama will parade out a group of children to use as a prop for his gun controll speech, this man knows no boundaries when it comes to pushing his liberal agenda on the American people. The real trouble is we have an electorate that isnt capable of making an intelligent choice since most are on some form of means tested welfare and others vote race.
even a man such as you realises a guns only purpose is to kill, target practice is just so you can kill if needed, you do realise this, maybe to kill in self defense but still to kill none the less, can you deny it otherwise? Maybe what you intend to kill is a animal for food, but face it humans are animals too and they can and actually are used for that pupose!
Umm Troll it's time for your thorazine---
I served in Iraq and had no problems using a gun and I would have even less problems using it to protect my family. Any disturbed individual can commit murder with or without a gun, Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, hows that working out.
Troll - your momma is calling - lunch is ready.
@stopfreeloaders - Thank you for your service to our country. I agree - I wouldn't hesitate at all to use a firearm to protect my family.
Not correct. It is also a deterrant. If you know I have one, you won't want to come and threaten my household.
If you believe everything a Politician promises then you deserve exactly what you get. If they did everything they promised there would be no complaints on this board. What ever change that has been made should benefit the vast majority of people and not just a select few.
Spend, spend, spend.
There is no hope when you have a Dope in the White House.
Please Please Mr. Obama A detailed plan that lays out in detail your step by step plan that addresses the debt and deficit. Not platitudes and talking points or generalizations. A step by step program that details the elements of your plan to solve this problem. As the President of the USA You should never stop trying if you fail the first time try again and again.
He's never had a plan!
nor will he get one, other than spend, spend, spend!
So I guess during the 50's when educational segragation was the law you felt that the country was unified? Maybe you should consider other reasons than the President for our polarization
How about the promise that he wouldn't raise taxes except on the rich? (Not that I agree with that either, but it was a promise.) Everybody with a job just saw a two percent payroll tax increase. I've seen my first check and it's $50 lighter. Times that by 24 and I now get $1200 less a year. I guess they redefined rich as anybody that has a job.
That was not President Obama raising taxes, that was the end of a payroll tax holiday. It is an increase of taxes, but it was a previously agreed upon occurence-not a presidential dictate.
I guess Obama's promise to cut the debt in half is never going to happen. He talks about the 1 trillion in cuts and it is all to areas such as defense and the protection of all of us. There is no mention of welfare cuts or the people on ssi sucking social security dry with all of the made up pains. By the time Obama leaves office we will be on the verge of a depression in this country. If you showed Obama a basic accounting book he would think it was some form of forein language. He is a true liberal spend until you are broke and bitch when the bank will not give you another loan and it is the banks fault when you go broke.
Obama is a two-faced liar. His mentor when he was growing up was a communist. So just think what he really wants for our country.
"mrrp" Its good to see that intellegent people like yourself actually know whats going on in America!
I say deport Obama back tp to Russia or Iran where he belongs!
Not a Troll, I see you are a big fan and believer in INCOMPETENCE, the rest of us here are not!
It used to be a joke about how you could tell a politician was a liar as his lips were moving; not it is just the samo-samo every time the head thief opens his mouth and spouts more drivel.
Obama is nothing more then a enept low life. arrogant Marxist that was put in office by clueless leeches, mooches and parasites. And in the end America will overcome the damage this evil monster does.
Obama.
Quite simply a complete disgrace and total A-hole.
Something else to consider.
All i have heard for the past 2-3 years are rants about the elite class of rich who dont pay their share, how these people and corporate america rule the country.
well you are right, look at the rich in house and senate....if you took a closer look at them all, you will find they have investments in the big rich corporations of America and abroad.
I could post a list of both democrats and republicans who among the rich and powerful in washington, but im sure you know of them already.
simply put, why with all the anger toward the nations rich, do we put them into office.
do you really believe they are looking out for you and me and the best interest of our country?
why is it that you and i are the one's who pay the price as they get richer?....remember, they are the one's who make the laws as you pays the price and who doesn't.
i don't know about you people, but i am just tired of it.
if you want true change, then join me and get away from the norms in voting and vote the elite and lifers out of power and replace them with the ordinary man or woman.
you don't have to be a rich man to work in Washington.
Isn't video a bitch. Don't know how many videos I have seen where Obama makes all these promises (ie. I am going to have transparency in Washington, no back room deals, everything will be on TV) then does the complete opposite. Anything for a vote. If we are looking at discretionary income, I have less now because the payroll tax went back up, gasoline prices are still higher than when Obama took office, the company raised my heltcare premiums because of Obamacare. Yes Mr. President, thank you so much for all you have done for my state.
Looks like a lot of Federal Employees commenting here today; Go back to work.
An item that wasn't on the list of promises broken: Most open and transparent administration. Why then is the EPA fighting tooth and nail to release emails that are covered under FOI laws? There are other examples of blatant non-transparency, which have nothing to do with national security, or that are being blocked by Republicans. This is totally on Obama. Apparently campaign "promises" are just words.
Did I miss, under the "broken promises", the part where "If you earn under $250,000.00, you will NOT have your taxes raised ONE DIME ?? Not one single dime!!" I didn't think so, some more selective, slanted reporting!!
No one can fix this country WE have allowed it to become too broken.
Where's the 2 1/2 dollars in spending cuts for every dollar raised in tax increases? This president is a lying chump and told over and over by the so called extreme right wing.
Ovomit. that's what happens every time he opens his mouth.
4 MORE years of teapublican frothing... LOL!!!
Should get quite entertaining....
Stay tuned !!!!
k1200
Food stamp(wick card), govt housing, which is it?
KY1200 is on all forms of public assistance. I just hope he wrecks on that stupid motorcycle of his and --- eats it hard!!!
The Dev
Lets hope it does him in or our tax dollars will be paying for his recovery.
How many times have you seen on tv people who were yelling vote Obummer he "gives" food stamps.
Good call U2-- I hope KY1200 doesn't wear a helmet!
Sherri- they were yelling "Boma give me stamp" but thanks for translating it for us. :)