President Obama's Weekly Address - December 29, 2012

Congress Must Protect the Middle Class from Income Tax



...and a bonus! Yesterday's press conference saying basically the same thing.


President Obama Makes a Statement on Averting Tax Hikes for Middle Class Families



I'm almost convinced that the Republicans will balk and Harry Reid will have to bring a bill to the floor for an up or down vote (provided some insane Senator doesn't filibuster) and it will be sent to the House for a vote. Will John Boehner find his balls and bring it to a vote or will he side with the extremist crazy minority of his party and refuse to vote on it? We'll find out soon enough.

President Obama's Weekly Address - December 1, 2012

Urging Congress to Extend the Middle Class Tax Cuts

John McCain's Sour Grapes Doctrine

The Politics of Hate and Revenge

I've been obsessing about John McCain lately - but only because he's such a vile, little man. You don't have to look very hard to see through McCain's thin skin into his black heart to recognize that holding a grudge is Johnny Maverick's forte.

I mean, seriously, what else is this guy good at? Foreign policy? Hardly. Just because you were a war hero doesn't make you an expert at all things foreign policy. Unless that sole policy position is war escalation no matter the circumstance. Rachel Maddow had a great piece on this earlier in the week, showing McCain's response to foreign affairs over the years. 

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

But McCain's biggest flaw, of a myriad of flaws is that he is a sore loser. He ran for President in 2000 and after winning the New Hampshire primary, was attacked with a George W. Bush whisper campaign about fathering an illegitimate black child. That child happened to be McCain's adopted daughter from Bangladesh. After Bush won the nomination and eventually became President, John McCain adopted a policy of revenge. What I call his Sour Grapes Doctrine.

In hindsight, what looked like McCain opposing Bush policies and voting against them for what Democrats at the time assumed were the right reasons, it was all a matter of getting back at the dweeb who beat him in the 2000 primary, especially after those vicious smear tactics.

Steve Kornacki: "...McCain’s various self-reinventions as a politician are best understood as acts of sore loser-dom. A decade ago, for instance, he took up a sudden interest in closing the gun show loophole, enacting a patients’ bill of rights, and stopping tax cuts for the wealthy. Not at all coincidentally, this came just after he’d lost a bruising campaign against George W. Bush. Bush and his team had been rough – very, very rough – on McCain, and McCain had deemed them unworthy victors. His sudden cooperation with Democrats in 2001 was his version of payback, giving the new Bush White House fits."

Of course, that all ended with 9/11 and by 2004, McCain was ignoring the swiftboating of another war hero, John Kerry, while supporting the re-election of Dubya, complete with head-on-shoulder man hugs. And apparently being presented a birthday cake while a major US city drowned is all you need to let bygones be bygones. Sorry about that bastard black baby thing... Here's a cake!

Fast forward four quick years and this time John McCain wins the Republican nomination but botches the general election while singing "Bomb Iran, "picking The Hockey Mom From Wasilla as his unfortunate running mate, suspending his campaign to sit in on a financial Wall Street crisis meeting where he promptly adds nothing by keeping his mouth shut, and referring to his opponent as "that one" in a debate.

But since he's had so much practice at grudge politics, McCain tacks to the right and decides to become a thorn in President Obama's side as he did with Bush, to the point of not just accusing US Ambassador Susan Rice of being incompetent and "not very bright" by repeating intelligence reports given to her by the CIA which happened to be vague and still pending information (intelligence reports that McCain himself probably had a copy of),  but threatening to filibuster not only her possible nomination as the next Secretary of State, but ANY nomination President Obama would propose to succeed Hillary Clinton, because he wants answers on what happened in Benghazi. And he'll even miss classified briefings about what happened in Benghazi to hold a press conference to demand answers on what happened in Benghazi!

John McCain is a vindictive, curmudgeonly, sour little prick who can't get over the fact that he blew his chance. And now he's using his elected office to continue an obstructionist strategy, despite seeming more and more unhinged. If only he'd use his powers for good instead of pettiness.

ADDING... Here's Steve Kornacki's rant on The Cycle. It's worth watching if you can stomach S.E. Cupp... which is not an easy task.

President Obama's Weekly Address - October 27, 2012

Protecting the American People with New Wall Street Reforms

President Obama's Weekly Address - October 6, 2012

Congress Should Keep America Moving Forward

Unemployment Drops to 7.8%

This is the lowest unemployment percentage in the last 44 months.

"The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent last month, dropping below 8 percent for the first time in nearly four years. The rate declined because more people found work, a trend that could have an impact on undecided voters in the final month before the presidential election. 

The Labor Department said Friday that employers added 114,000 jobs in September. The economy also created 86,000 more jobs in July and August than first estimated. Wages rose in September and more people started looking for work."

We're not nearly out of the woods. It's been a long, hard slog - I'd argue that had it not been for Republican obstructionism for the last three and a half years, we might be under 7% - but this is good news nonetheless.

Purely on a political level, this is also good news for President Obama and his re-election bid, killing one of the GOP's favorite talking points about Obama promising unemployment numbers under 8%.

And now anyone who doesn't like the numbers purely for political purposes (I'm looking at you Jack Welch, you fucking asshole) is accusing the Bureau of Labor Statistics of cooking the books to help the President. Why is it that these fuckballs point to the numbers when they're in their favor and then dismiss them, or even worse, accuse the very same people of fraud?!

October surprise, motherfuckers!

President Obama's Weekly Address - September 29, 2012

It’s Time for Congress to Help Responsible Homeowners

President Obama's Weekly Address - September 22, 2012

Congress Must Act to Create Jobs and Grow the Economy

Quote of the Day

"... the explanation you get from people in the White House, people around the President, [is] that there's no way he could have led on that because his proposals become instantly toxic."

That's journalist Dan Balz on MSNBC this morning. The "that" he's talking about is the Simpson-Bowles commission created by President Obama to address policies and look for fiscal solutions to help long term financial sustainability.

The reason the Obama administration hasn't moved on or promoted Simpson-Bowles, despite the fact that it still sits on the White House website, is because Republican intransigence has made it virtually impossible for the President to take any stand, make any comment, decision or proposal on any policy issues without getting immediate and unanimous pushback from the opposition party.

The reason is obvious, as stated by Sen. Mitch McConnell.

“The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”

That includes blocking any nominations, blocking any votes on the floor through filibuster or placement of anonymous holds, and your general obstructionist shenanigans to make it seem like the Obama administration can't get anything done, even though contrary to popular belief, this administration has been one of the most prolific in decades.

Who else agrees with Dan Balz? Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson. And here's his reasoning:

"Co-chairman Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, said it was 'the saddest thing' to see 'no' votes from senators who had fought for the congressional commission for years. 'What was the purpose of that?' he asked at a bipartisan forum Sunday with several dozen governors. 'As far as I can discern, it was to stick it to the president.'"

Correct, Mr. Simpson. 100% correct.

This isn't to infer that the drastic cuts in the commission are the only way to go, but instead to point out that no matter what the President does, he will encounter fierce opposition from the Republican Party solely for the purpose of electoral defeat in 2012, regardless of the consequences it causes the country.

(Cross-posted on ABLC)

Senate GOP Filibusters DISCLOSE Act

If there's any question left at all where the Republicans stand on campaign finance reform or transparency, think no more.

Last night, Senate Republicans led by Minority Leader and resident Galapagos tortoise Mitch McConnell, voted against bringing a bill to the floor requiring disclosure of anyone who donates to independent groups that spent more than $10,000 on campaign ads.

Once the supposed leaders in campaign finance disclosure (remember John McCain?), not one, single Republican voted in favor of the ‘Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2012’ or 'DISCLOSE' Act. Not even John McCain.

And what is wrong with wrong with disclosing who is behind the the financing of specific independent ads on either side of the political spectrum? According to a McConnell op-ed, he considers it "un-American." He believes it "punishes political enemies." How so if the bill is equally enforced towards ads supporting both parties? McConnell also says it's a First Amendment infringement on free speech. Well, if what you are financing is something you believe in, something you stand for, why would you be ashamed of attaching your name to it?

The truth of the matter is it has nothing to do with protecting free speech or punishing political enemies. Republicans are blocking a vote on this bill because the majority of anonymous money is funding anti-Obama ads. And for the last three years, the GOP has made it clear that their number one priority above all else is to make President Obama a one term president. If the roles were reversed and it were Romney who was in the crosshairs of most of the superPACS, I would posit that there would have been no such filibuster.

The Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court overturned McCain-Feingold except for the ban on foreign corporations or foreign nationals in decisions regarding political spending. But how are we to know where the money is actually coming from to fund the superPACS when the donations are anonymous? This loophole could possibly allow foreign entities to play a role in our albeit fractured political campaign finance system. Whether or not this is the most important reason for disclosure is a conversation for another day (I think it should be a major reason), but I digress.

The fact remains that Republicans would rather have millions upon hundreds of millions of dollars pumped into the political process without any care as to where it came from. It's dangerous. It should stop. And maybe one day it will when it's the Republicans who are on the short end of the stick.

President Obama's Weekly Address - July 7, 2012

Pushing Congress to Create Jobs, Keep College in Reach for Middle Class

President Obama's Weekly Address - June 23, 2012

Congress Must Act on Transportation Bill and Student Loans

President Obama's Weekly Address - June 16, 2012

Ending the Stalemate in Washington

My Son on Those Who Love President Obama & Those Who Don't

POSTED BY JHW22

My son divided his stuffed animals into two groups: those who like President Obama and those who don't and he articulated the differences. Pretty spot-on for a kiddo. We did a few of these because he likes watching them on the computer afterward and I decided not to post the one where he said the ones who don't like President Obama steal his underwear and pants.

President Obama's Weekly Address - January 28, 2012

President’s Blueprint Includes Renewal of American Values

Dumbass Quote of the Day

“It’s astounding to me that the president is claiming these are recess appointments and within his authority, when Congress was not in fact in recess. These appointments are an affront to the Constitution. No matter how you look at this, it doesn’t pass the smell test. I hope the House considers my resolution as soon as we return to Washington so we can send a message to President Obama.”

—Rep. Diane Black (R-TN)

...As soon as we return to Washington from where, you goddamn moron? If the house is in session, shouldn't you be there?

Look, I'm not saying that they aren't technically pulling the "pro forma" stunt that Harry Reid did when George Bush was in office, but Democrats also didn't block every fucking confirmation vote the way the current 112th Congressional Republicans are obstructing every Obama nomination because they don't have the balls to put it up to a vote.

(H/T Chris U.)

President Obama's Weekly Address - January 7, 2012

Continuing to Grow the Economy in the New Year

President Obama's Weekly Address - December 10, 2011

Ensuring a Fair Shot for the Middle Class

President Obama's Weekly Address - December 3, 2011

Extending and Expanding the Payroll Tax Cut

President Obama's Weekly Address - October 29, 2011

We Can’t Wait to Create Jobs