Obama Jobs Speech Thursday Night: President Gives In To Boehner Over Congress Joint Session Address: "WASHINGTON -- After a vacuous back-and-forth over whether or not the president would be invited to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Sept. 7, or Thursday, Sept. 8, the White House buckled to GOP demands and chose the latter date.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney emailed a statement to the press Wednesday evening, emphasizing that the administration had consulted GOP leadership before it requested to speak on Wednesday. But, he added, the president was willing to move the date back to accommodate House Speaker John Boehner's concerns. "
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Ron Paul Addresses Hurricane Irene, Says 'There's No Magic About' FEMA (VIDEO)
Ron Paul Addresses Hurricane Irene, Says 'There's No Magic About' FEMA (VIDEO): "Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul told NBC News on Friday that "there's no magic about" the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He said that he doesn't see the need for a federal response to Hurricane Irene as the powerful storm makes its way up the east cost.
"We should be like 1900, we should be like 1940, 1950, 1960," said the Texas congressman in weighing in on the matter during a stop in New Hampshire. He regarded FEMA as a "great contribution to deficit financing."
The presidential contender explained that he lives on the Gulf Coast back in the Lone Star State. He said, "We deal with hurricanes all the time. Galveston is in my district.""
'via Blog this'
"We should be like 1900, we should be like 1940, 1950, 1960," said the Texas congressman in weighing in on the matter during a stop in New Hampshire. He regarded FEMA as a "great contribution to deficit financing."
The presidential contender explained that he lives on the Gulf Coast back in the Lone Star State. He said, "We deal with hurricanes all the time. Galveston is in my district.""
'via Blog this'
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Congress Approval Rating: Poll Shows 87% Disapprove Of Congress
Congress Approval Rating: Poll Shows 87% Disapprove Of Congress: "WASHINGTON — Americans are plenty angry at Congress in the aftermath of the debt crisis and Republicans could pay the greatest price, a new Associated Press-GfK poll suggests.
The poll finds the tea party has lost support, Republican House Speaker John Boehner is increasingly unpopular and people are warming to the idea of not just cutting spending but also raising taxes – anathema to the GOP – just as both parties prepare for another struggle with deficit reduction.
To be sure, there is plenty of discontent to go around. The poll finds more people are down on their own member of Congress, not just the institution, an unusual finding in surveys and one bound to make incumbents particularly nervous. In interviews, some people said the debt standoff itself, which caused a crisis of confidence to ripple through world markets, made them wonder whether lawmakers are able to govern at all."
'via Blog this'
The poll finds the tea party has lost support, Republican House Speaker John Boehner is increasingly unpopular and people are warming to the idea of not just cutting spending but also raising taxes – anathema to the GOP – just as both parties prepare for another struggle with deficit reduction.
To be sure, there is plenty of discontent to go around. The poll finds more people are down on their own member of Congress, not just the institution, an unusual finding in surveys and one bound to make incumbents particularly nervous. In interviews, some people said the debt standoff itself, which caused a crisis of confidence to ripple through world markets, made them wonder whether lawmakers are able to govern at all."
'via Blog this'
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Obama Jobs Plan Meets Early Resistance From Republicans
Obama Jobs Plan Meets Early Resistance From Republicans: Following a few dismal weeks on Wall Street and talk of a double-dip recession, President Obama will soon announce a new jobs plan that is expected to include an extension of payroll tax cuts, new revenue for transportation projects and an extension of emergency unemployment benefits for the 9.1 percent of Americans who still can't find a job. Obama's campaign advisor, David Axelrod, said on Sunday that there's nothing in the proposal "that reasonable people shouldn't be able to agree on" -- but many fired-up Republicans are already preparing to reject whatever the President puts on the table.
The Hidden History of ALEC and Prison Labor | The Nation
The Hidden History of ALEC and Prison Labor | The Nation: The breaded chicken patty your child bites into at school may have been made by a worker earning twenty cents an hour, not in a faraway country, but by a member of an invisible American workforce: prisoners. At the Union Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Florida, inmates from a nearby lower-security prison manufacture tons of processed beef, chicken and pork for Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises (PRIDE), a privately held non-profit corporation that operates the state’s forty-one work programs. In addition to processed food, PRIDE’s website reveals an array of products for sale through contracts with private companies, from eyeglasses to office furniture, to be shipped from a distribution center in Florida to businesses across the US. PRIDE boasts that its work programs are “designed to provide vocational training, to improve prison security, to reduce the cost of state government, and to promote the rehabilitation of the state inmates.”
The 2012 Speculatron Weekly Roundup For August 19, 2011
The 2012 Speculatron Weekly Roundup For August 19, 2011: Perry didn’t participate in the Ames Straw Poll, but by Sunday night, it was like that whole big fried-butter build-up had never even happened, because thanks to his flair for retail politics and Michele Bachmann’s decision to cop a ‘tude at an evening event in Waterloo, Perry managed to stride from the scene, leaving behind a cloud of buzz and admiration. Snap polls documented Perry’s surge to the top, and momentarily forgetting the essential Fred Thompson-ness of it all, the 2012 race was declared a three-way between Perry, Mitt Romney, and Michele Bachmann.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
President Obama's Unemployment Inaction Puts Approval Among Blacks At Risk (VIDEO)
President Obama's Unemployment Inaction Puts Approval Among Blacks At Risk (VIDEO): Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is the latest African-American politician or public figure to call out President Barack Obama on his lack of attention to the nightmarish unemployment rates in the black community, his most reliable supporters.
Speaking at a jobs forum in Detroit on Tuesday, Waters blasted the president’s bus tour through the country’s heartland, a tour that has so far skipped African-American communities.
"We don't know why on this trip that he's in the United States now, he's not in any black community," she said. "We want to give him every opportunity, but our people are hurting. The unemployment is unconscionable. We don't know what the strategy is," she continued. “We’re supportive of the president, but we getting tired, y’all, getting tired."
Speaking at a jobs forum in Detroit on Tuesday, Waters blasted the president’s bus tour through the country’s heartland, a tour that has so far skipped African-American communities.
"We don't know why on this trip that he's in the United States now, he's not in any black community," she said. "We want to give him every opportunity, but our people are hurting. The unemployment is unconscionable. We don't know what the strategy is," she continued. “We’re supportive of the president, but we getting tired, y’all, getting tired."
Bachmann Charity Work: Christian And Controversial
Bachmann Charity Work: Christian And Controversial: This article is part of a series in which HuffPost is taking a close look at the charitable giving of Republican presidential candidates. How much and to whom did they give? How does their giving compare with their fellow Americans? And what impact did they ultimately have?
Michele Bachmann loves to regale voters with examples of how her Christian faith informs her choices. It has also influenced the groups she has chosen to support over the years, and nearly all of them have shared her evangelical view of the world.
When on the stump she is by turns humble and righteous. She rarely lets more than a few minutes pass without a quote from scripture or a reference to the Divine. But for all her emphasis on Christian virtue, and the Bible's directive to "honor the Lord with your wealth" [Proverbs 3:9], there is scant record of donations Bachmann has made to charity.
Michele Bachmann loves to regale voters with examples of how her Christian faith informs her choices. It has also influenced the groups she has chosen to support over the years, and nearly all of them have shared her evangelical view of the world.
When on the stump she is by turns humble and righteous. She rarely lets more than a few minutes pass without a quote from scripture or a reference to the Divine. But for all her emphasis on Christian virtue, and the Bible's directive to "honor the Lord with your wealth" [Proverbs 3:9], there is scant record of donations Bachmann has made to charity.
Rick Perry King of Porn? Say it aint so!
Rick Perry King of Porn? Say it aint so!: Conservative Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Hypocritically Invested in Nation’s Largest Pornography Distributor.
Austin, TX—Via his campaign’s website, Governor Perry criticizes his
opponent—Carole Strayhorn—claiming she, “is sadly not above exploiting
child tragedies … What a despicable thing to do.” FN1. Despicable
indeed. Yet, as a private citizen, Perry has profited from his
investments in Movie Gallery, Inc—America’s largest pornography
distributor—a company that profits from exploitation and violence
against women. FN2.
Austin, TX—Via his campaign’s website, Governor Perry criticizes his
opponent—Carole Strayhorn—claiming she, “is sadly not above exploiting
child tragedies … What a despicable thing to do.” FN1. Despicable
indeed. Yet, as a private citizen, Perry has profited from his
investments in Movie Gallery, Inc—America’s largest pornography
distributor—a company that profits from exploitation and violence
against women. FN2.
Rick Perry’s Hardcore History of Investment in Porn
Rick Perry’s Hardcore History of Investment in Porn: Here’s the story of how Rick Perry’s name became synonymous with “Teens with T*ts” in some circles. I’ve tried to make this safe for work, but if it’s not, blame Rick Perry, for such are the perils of reporting on good “Christians” like Mr James Richard Perry. If your employer has a problem with this, tell them to see Rick Perry; it’s his money trail we’re following.
A tale of two Texans: Perry vs. Bush - CNN.com
A tale of two Texans: Perry vs. Bush - CNN.com: Austin, Texas (CNN) -- If Rick Perry and George W. Bush had been born in the same family, W would have become known to friends as "the smart one."
Perry is not W. That's the simplest statement about the two Texans. But there is subtlety and confusion abounding in the comparison, which is probably best articulated by Dale Berra, former professional baseball player and son of the Yankee great Yogi, who was once asked to compare himself to his famous father. "When it comes to my dad and me," he said, "our similarities are different."
Perry is not W. That's the simplest statement about the two Texans. But there is subtlety and confusion abounding in the comparison, which is probably best articulated by Dale Berra, former professional baseball player and son of the Yankee great Yogi, who was once asked to compare himself to his famous father. "When it comes to my dad and me," he said, "our similarities are different."
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Rick Perry: The Biggest Little Hypocrite in Texas | The Nation
Rick Perry: The Biggest Little Hypocrite in Texas | The Nation: "his story originally appeared at Truthdig. Robert Scheer is the author of The Great American Stickup: How Reagan Republicans and Clinton Democrats Enriched Wall Street While Mugging Main Street (Nation Books).
It is unfathomable that yet another Texas blowhard governor has emerged as a front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination. The persistent appeal of the mythology of Texas as a model for the nation defies the lessons of logic and experience, and yet here we are with Rick Perry, a George W. Bush look-alike, as a prime contender to once again run our nation into the ground."
It is unfathomable that yet another Texas blowhard governor has emerged as a front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination. The persistent appeal of the mythology of Texas as a model for the nation defies the lessons of logic and experience, and yet here we are with Rick Perry, a George W. Bush look-alike, as a prime contender to once again run our nation into the ground."
The Obama rope-a-dope? - Achenblog - The Washington Post
The Obama rope-a-dope? - Achenblog - The Washington Post: "The simplest explanation for President Obama’s recent negotiating weakness and rhetorical insipidness is that he’s simply not a very good politician. The solidifying consensus is that he shouldn’t have let the debt ceiling debate get rolling to begin with — that he should have said (as I suggested) that default wasn’t a negotiable issue. His base feels he caves to the GOP. Friendly pundits have soured on him."
Monday, August 15, 2011
Obama attacks GOP field on bus tour - Yahoo! News
Obama attacks GOP field on bus tour - Yahoo! News: "DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — Hitting back against an emboldened GOP, President Barack Obama launched a rare direct attack Monday on the Republican presidential field, criticizing his potential 2012 rivals for their blanket opposition to any deficit-cutting compromise involving new taxes.
'That's just not common sense,' Obama told the crowd at a town hall-style meeting in Cannon Falls, Minn., as he kicked off a three-day bus tour through Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.
'You've got to be willing to compromise to move the country forward,' the president said later in the day as he delivered the same message at a town hall in Decorah, Iowa.
At the same time Obama was forced to defend his own record as Iowa voters asked him about all the compromises he's made with the GOP.
'I make no apologies for being reasonable,' Obama declared as he stood in front of a cheery red barn, surrounded by bales of hay."
'That's just not common sense,' Obama told the crowd at a town hall-style meeting in Cannon Falls, Minn., as he kicked off a three-day bus tour through Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.
'You've got to be willing to compromise to move the country forward,' the president said later in the day as he delivered the same message at a town hall in Decorah, Iowa.
At the same time Obama was forced to defend his own record as Iowa voters asked him about all the compromises he's made with the GOP.
'I make no apologies for being reasonable,' Obama declared as he stood in front of a cheery red barn, surrounded by bales of hay."
Tim Pawlenty Quits: Former Governor Drops Out Of Presidential Race (VIDEO)
Tim Pawlenty Quits: Former Governor Drops Out Of Presidential Race (VIDEO): "ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination on Sunday, hours after finishing a disappointing third in the Iowa straw poll.
'I wish it would have been different. But obviously the pathway forward for me doesn't really exist so we are going to end the campaign,' Pawlenty said on ABC's 'This Week' from Iowa shortly after disclosing his plans in a private conference call with supporters.
Pawlenty senior adviser Phil Musser told The Huffington Post that the Minnesota Republican 'just wasn't willing to risk debt to soldier on -- part of why he would have been a good president.'
The low-key Midwesterner and two-term governor had struggled to gain traction in a state he had said he must win and never caught fire nationally with a Republican electorate seemingly craving a charismatic, nonestablishment, rabble-rouser to go up against President Barack Obama."
'I wish it would have been different. But obviously the pathway forward for me doesn't really exist so we are going to end the campaign,' Pawlenty said on ABC's 'This Week' from Iowa shortly after disclosing his plans in a private conference call with supporters.
Pawlenty senior adviser Phil Musser told The Huffington Post that the Minnesota Republican 'just wasn't willing to risk debt to soldier on -- part of why he would have been a good president.'
The low-key Midwesterner and two-term governor had struggled to gain traction in a state he had said he must win and never caught fire nationally with a Republican electorate seemingly craving a charismatic, nonestablishment, rabble-rouser to go up against President Barack Obama."
Rick Perry schools Michele Bachmann in Waterloo - Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com
Rick Perry schools Michele Bachmann in Waterloo - Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com: "WATERLOO, Iowa — Rick Perry came to Michele Bachmann’s home town Sunday evening and schooled the newly minted Iowa front-runner in her native state’s demanding retail political culture.
The day after Perry announced his candidacy and Bachmann won the Ames straw poll, the two candidates spoke to the Black Hawk County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day dinner, the sort of endless regional event that is a staple of the long Iowa campaign."
The day after Perry announced his candidacy and Bachmann won the Ames straw poll, the two candidates spoke to the Black Hawk County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day dinner, the sort of endless regional event that is a staple of the long Iowa campaign."
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Michele Bachmann Repeatedly Sought Stimulus, EPA, Other Government Funds
Michele Bachmann Repeatedly Sought Stimulus, EPA, Other Government Funds: "WASHINGTON -- Few candidates in the Republican presidential primary field have decried the federal government with as much gusto as Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). The three-term congresswoman has belittled the stimulus package, deemed the Obama administration both corrupt and 'gangster,' and lamented the 'orgy' of spending she sees happening in Washington.
The contempt has served her well, helping her craft the type of fiscally conservative, anti-government message that has catapulted her into frontrunner status for the Iowa Caucus and, more immediately, Saturday's crucial Ames Straw Poll.
But it's simply not supported by the Minnesota Republican's actual record."
The contempt has served her well, helping her craft the type of fiscally conservative, anti-government message that has catapulted her into frontrunner status for the Iowa Caucus and, more immediately, Saturday's crucial Ames Straw Poll.
But it's simply not supported by the Minnesota Republican's actual record."
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Newsvine - Social Security is Not an Entitlement
Newsvine - Social Security is Not an Entitlement: "I am sick and tired of the whiners and liars claiming that Social Security is an entitlement. It is a payroll tax that is paid for by both the employe and the employer. Thus it can be stated that it is part of the earnings of an employee. Yes employers split the cost, but it is part of our wages. Here is a link to who pays for Social Security. http://loopholelewy.com/loopholelewy/10-payroll-taxes/payroll-taxes-02-social-security-medicare-taxes.htm
Those who are trying to call it an entitlement are trying to say that they do not want to have to pay their employees this 12.4% for their old age retirement savings. They are trying to take away what was put in place to keep the corporations and the wealthy from enslaving the American workers for all of their lives. They think people should be forced to live as they want us to, always crawling on our hands and knees to them for the crumbs they make us sweat for."
Those who are trying to call it an entitlement are trying to say that they do not want to have to pay their employees this 12.4% for their old age retirement savings. They are trying to take away what was put in place to keep the corporations and the wealthy from enslaving the American workers for all of their lives. They think people should be forced to live as they want us to, always crawling on our hands and knees to them for the crumbs they make us sweat for."
Webb calls for end to development aid to China | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Webb calls for end to development aid to China | Richmond Times-Dispatch: "Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., along with Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oka., has called for an end to U.S. development aid to China.
In a letter to the Appropriations Committee, Webb and Inhofe highlight the fact that since 2001, the U.S. has provided more than $275 million to China for various projects, such as expanded Internet service and transportation infrastructure.
In 2009, U.S. agencies provided more than $65 million in grants to China, the world's second-largest economy. China also receives billions of dollars from multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and World Bank, to which the U.S. is among the largest contributors.
'With more than $3 trillion in foreign exchange reserves and a double-digit economic growth rate, China certainly has the financial resources to ... care for its citizens without relying on U.S. assistance,' the senators wrote."
In a letter to the Appropriations Committee, Webb and Inhofe highlight the fact that since 2001, the U.S. has provided more than $275 million to China for various projects, such as expanded Internet service and transportation infrastructure.
In 2009, U.S. agencies provided more than $65 million in grants to China, the world's second-largest economy. China also receives billions of dollars from multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and World Bank, to which the U.S. is among the largest contributors.
'With more than $3 trillion in foreign exchange reserves and a double-digit economic growth rate, China certainly has the financial resources to ... care for its citizens without relying on U.S. assistance,' the senators wrote."
Economic Meltdown Villain George W. Bush’s Staggering Debt Numbers - The Daily Beast
Economic Meltdown Villain George W. Bush’s Staggering Debt Numbers - The Daily Beast: "As we thunder toward a double-dip recession on a possible worldwide scale, let’s step back and remember how all this happened. I’ve been pretty hard on Barack Obama lately (and will be again on Monday, as you’ll see). But Obama is not the villain in this story. Every time I step back and ponder this sordid history, I am amazed that the Republican Party has any credibility and even 100 members of Congress, let alone a sizable House majority and enough juice to be driving the nation’s agenda as it is."
Tea Party’s Next Targets: Blocking Judicial Appointees, Killing Gas Tax - The Daily Beast
Tea Party’s Next Targets: Blocking Judicial Appointees, Killing Gas Tax - The Daily Beast: "As the nation sweated the very real possibility that America would default on its debt, a band of the freshman congressmen blamed for the standoff gathered for a long-promised pot of seafood gumbo at the home of Rep. Steve Southerland (R-FL), just a few blocks from the panicked Capitol.
These 19 Tea Party freshmen, as they’ve become known—derided as “terrorists” by Vice President Joe Biden and “bizarro” by their own Republican Party icons like John McCain—showed no remorse about bringing the nation to the brink of financial Armageddon."
These 19 Tea Party freshmen, as they’ve become known—derided as “terrorists” by Vice President Joe Biden and “bizarro” by their own Republican Party icons like John McCain—showed no remorse about bringing the nation to the brink of financial Armageddon."
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tea Party To Push Paul Ryan Medicare Plan In Town Halls
Tea Party To Push Paul Ryan Medicare Plan In Town Halls: "WASHINGTON -- With Medicare at the top of lawmakers' fall agenda, Tea Party movement leaders hope to ignite support for Republican plans to transform the popular federal healthcare program for the elderly.
Thousands of Tea Party movement activists are expected to descend this month on town hall meetings across key battleground states as part of an intensifying campaign ahead of the 2012 presidential and congressional elections.
Their priority is a plan to slash Medicare costs proposed by House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, which could gain momentum now that a debt-limit deal between President Barack Obama and Congress has made potential Medicare cuts a centerpiece of the deficit debate.
A new congressional committee charged with finding $1.5 trillion in spending cuts by November 23 is expected to focus on Medicare, and the program would see automatic cuts if the committee failed to reach agreement, or if Congress did not approve its recommendations by December 23. Market values of companies that depend on Medicare spending fell more than 10 percent in a sell-off on Wall Street after the agreement."
Thousands of Tea Party movement activists are expected to descend this month on town hall meetings across key battleground states as part of an intensifying campaign ahead of the 2012 presidential and congressional elections.
Their priority is a plan to slash Medicare costs proposed by House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, which could gain momentum now that a debt-limit deal between President Barack Obama and Congress has made potential Medicare cuts a centerpiece of the deficit debate.
A new congressional committee charged with finding $1.5 trillion in spending cuts by November 23 is expected to focus on Medicare, and the program would see automatic cuts if the committee failed to reach agreement, or if Congress did not approve its recommendations by December 23. Market values of companies that depend on Medicare spending fell more than 10 percent in a sell-off on Wall Street after the agreement."
Rick Perry's 'Texas Miracle' Includes Crowded Homeless Shelters, Low-Wage Jobs, Worker Deaths
Rick Perry's 'Texas Miracle' Includes Crowded Homeless Shelters, Low-Wage Jobs, Worker Deaths: "AUSTIN, Texas -- It was 105 degrees outside late last week when Vanessa Surita, 24, planted herself on the sidewalk and stretched her legs. Her young daughter sat in a stroller within arms length, outside the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless. Her needs were great: housing, a job, a high school diploma. She could mark progress in job applications filled out.
A local pizza chain, a Pizza Hut, a local grocery chain, a Family Dollar -- each the equivalent of a professional lottery ticket.
'I just recently tried to apply at Whataburger,' Surita said. 'It's been like two weeks ... I've been calling them. They still haven't had a chance to look at my application. They still haven't had a chance to look at my application. They're like 2,000 people that apply every month, so I don't know.'"
A local pizza chain, a Pizza Hut, a local grocery chain, a Family Dollar -- each the equivalent of a professional lottery ticket.
'I just recently tried to apply at Whataburger,' Surita said. 'It's been like two weeks ... I've been calling them. They still haven't had a chance to look at my application. They still haven't had a chance to look at my application. They're like 2,000 people that apply every month, so I don't know.'"
Buchanan: Didn't intend to slur Obama with quip - Yahoo! News
Buchanan: Didn't intend to slur Obama with quip - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK (AP) — Pat Buchanan says he didn't mean to slur President Barack Obama by referring to him as 'your boy' during a discussion with Al Sharpton.
The former GOP presidential candidate and current MSNBC analyst appeared on 'Morning Joe' Wednesday to explain remarks he made on that network's Sharpton show 12 hours earlier. Buchanan was discussing Obama's political strength with Sharpton when he referred to Obama as 'your boy.'
Sharpton responded: 'My what? My president, Barack Obama? What did you say?'
Buchanan said Wednesday that he was using a boxing analogy. 'Some folks took what I said as some kind of a slur,' Buchanan said. 'None was meant, none was intended, none was delivered.'"
The former GOP presidential candidate and current MSNBC analyst appeared on 'Morning Joe' Wednesday to explain remarks he made on that network's Sharpton show 12 hours earlier. Buchanan was discussing Obama's political strength with Sharpton when he referred to Obama as 'your boy.'
Sharpton responded: 'My what? My president, Barack Obama? What did you say?'
Buchanan said Wednesday that he was using a boxing analogy. 'Some folks took what I said as some kind of a slur,' Buchanan said. 'None was meant, none was intended, none was delivered.'"
New Jersey Democrat resigns after nude photos circulated - Yahoo! News
New Jersey Democrat resigns after nude photos circulated - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - After an online sexting scandal brought down Congressman Anthony Weiner, the last thing a politician would even consider is sending a nude self-portrait over the Internet. Apparently not.
Cumberland County freeholder Louis Magazzu, 53, stepped down on Tuesday after nude photos he sent to a woman with whom he had a long online relationship were posted on the website of conservative blogger Carl Johnson, said Magazzu's lawyer Rocco Cipparone.
'Unfortunately, in my personal life, I did not always demonstrate the wisdom and balance that I expected from myself, and that the people of Cumberland County deserve and have every right to expect,' Magazzu said in a statement.
Magazzu, a Democrat, hired Cipparone to pursue legal action against Johnson, a Republican. He said the images were meant to be seen only by the woman and he was set up."
Cumberland County freeholder Louis Magazzu, 53, stepped down on Tuesday after nude photos he sent to a woman with whom he had a long online relationship were posted on the website of conservative blogger Carl Johnson, said Magazzu's lawyer Rocco Cipparone.
'Unfortunately, in my personal life, I did not always demonstrate the wisdom and balance that I expected from myself, and that the people of Cumberland County deserve and have every right to expect,' Magazzu said in a statement.
Magazzu, a Democrat, hired Cipparone to pursue legal action against Johnson, a Republican. He said the images were meant to be seen only by the woman and he was set up."
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Steve King: Covering Birth Control Could Make Us A 'Dying Civilization' (VIDEO)
Steve King: Covering Birth Control Could Make Us A 'Dying Civilization' (VIDEO): "WASHINGTON -- The new set of guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services this week that will require health insurers to cover birth control with no co-pays have been controversial for a number of reasons, ranging from cost issues to moral objections.
Some conservative groups, such as Americans United for Life, have condemned the guidelines because they might force insurers to cover the morning after pill, which many anti-abortion advocates equate with abortion. The Catholics for Choice organization opposes the fact that the guidelines exempt certain religious organizations from having to cover birth control. And some businesses worry that the expanded coverage will raise insurance premiums for everyone."
Some conservative groups, such as Americans United for Life, have condemned the guidelines because they might force insurers to cover the morning after pill, which many anti-abortion advocates equate with abortion. The Catholics for Choice organization opposes the fact that the guidelines exempt certain religious organizations from having to cover birth control. And some businesses worry that the expanded coverage will raise insurance premiums for everyone."
Illinois DREAM Act Signed By Governor Quinn (PHOTOS)
Illinois DREAM Act Signed By Governor Quinn (PHOTOS): "On Monday, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a law that makes it easier for the children of immigrants--legal or illegal--to pay for college.
The Illinois DREAM Act, which passed the state Senate by a wide margin in May, creates a nine-person commission and a 'DREAM Fund,' a privately funded account to hold donations for grants and scholarships. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Quinn personally pledged $1,000 to the fund, which will not use any tax dollars.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel also attended the Monday signing.
“Immigrants are a driving force in our city’s cultural and economic life, and opening the way for all Chicago students to earn an excellent higher education will make our city even stronger,' Emanuel said in a statement. “I am proud that families and students across Illinois will now have a better shot at the American Dream — which starts with a great education.”"
The Illinois DREAM Act, which passed the state Senate by a wide margin in May, creates a nine-person commission and a 'DREAM Fund,' a privately funded account to hold donations for grants and scholarships. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Quinn personally pledged $1,000 to the fund, which will not use any tax dollars.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel also attended the Monday signing.
“Immigrants are a driving force in our city’s cultural and economic life, and opening the way for all Chicago students to earn an excellent higher education will make our city even stronger,' Emanuel said in a statement. “I am proud that families and students across Illinois will now have a better shot at the American Dream — which starts with a great education.”"
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