GOP Attacks Joe Biden! Falsely Accuses Him Of Agreeing With China's Forced Abortion Policies! Its A Lie!

Biden In Trouble For Not Condemning China's 'One-Child-Per-Family' Policy


Vice President Joe Biden has bought himself a controversy boomlet after briefly commenting on China's draconian one-child-per-family policy without strenuously condemning it, or single-handedly putting an end to it, or something. Here's your latest, greatest "Biden gaffe," which occurred on Sunday when he was trying to explain, to China, what the super committee (your latest, greatest, "America gaffe") is and will do.

What we ended up doing is setting up a system whereby we did cut by $1.2 trillion upfront, the deficit over the next 10 years. And we set up a group of senators that have to come up with another $1.2 to $1.7 trillion in savings or automatically there will be cuts that go into effect in January to get those savings. So the savings will be accomplished. But as I was talking to some of your leaders, you share a similar concern here in China. You have no safety net.

Your policy has been one which I fully understand -- I'm not second-guessing -- of one child per family. The result being that you're in a position where one wage earner will be taking care of four retired people. Not sustainable.

So hopefully we can act in a way on a problem that's much less severe than yours, and maybe we can learn together from how we can do that.

Biden "understands" the policy, it seems. As does everyone! China permits each family to have one child, understand? He also says he's not "second guessing" it, but I don't know -- that whole part where he describes China's "safety net" as "not sustainable" because it results in "one wage earner...taking care of four retired people," which contrasts with the United States in such a way that it makes our "problem...less severe than yours," certainly seems like he is, on some level, doing some "second guessing."

But if you were wondering what it would take to get GOP 2012 frontrunner Mitt Romney to emerge from his tortoise shell and briefly start campaigning for president again, it's China's one-child-per-family policy. His campaign issued the following statement on Tuesday: "China's one-child policy is gruesome and barbaric.

Vice President Biden's acquiescence to such a policy should shock the conscience of every American. Instead of condoning the policy, Vice President Biden should have condemned it in the strongest possible terms. There can be no defense of a government that engages in compulsory sterilization and forced abortions in the name of population control."

Romney has a point, of course, in that the policy is "gruesome and barbaric." So, Biden should have really let the Sichuan University students he was talking with have it. (I mean, beyond pointing out that the policy was resulting in an unsustainable situation where China's safety net was much worse off than the one in the United States.)

What's amusing about this kerfuffle is that everyone's missing the statement Biden made that truly is bizarre, which he made seconds before his glancing mention of China's one-child-per-family policy:

The bottom line is we have to deal with two elements of our economy. One is what we call entitlement programs -- long-term commitments to our people in the area of particularly Medicare. That is the safety net we have for people once they reach the age of 65 to be able to be assured that they have health care.

And it is not sustainable without some changes in large part because we had what we call a baby boom, which doesn't sound like much to Chinese -- 40 million people is not a big deal, I know. (Laughter.) But adding 40 million people to those who will benefit from the Medicare -- Medicaid payment -- Medicare payments has put the program in a position where changes have to be made.

It's easy to make those changes, and we had a tentative agreement to do that between the major political leaders of the Republican Party and the Democratic Party and the administration. But there is a group within the Republican Party that is a very strong voice now that did -- wanted different changes, and so that deal fell through at the very end.

Wait. So, if it weren't for the alluded-to Tea Party, making changes to entitlement programs are "easy?" Since when did entitlement programs stop being the "third rail in American politics?" Well, not to worry, because as Biden told the good students of Sichuan University, the super committee is on the case, and "the savings will be accomplished."

Of course, that's not what Biden told reporters two days later on Tuesday:

The new 12-member panel has "a shot of getting a deal that would be viewed by Wall Street, be viewed by everyone, be viewed by the international community as a significant alteration of a trajectory of long-term debt.... We still may end up with the trigger being pulled," Biden told reporters traveling aboard Air Force Two in Asia. Reaching a deal will be "very difficult," he added.

The fact that one can no longer discern when reforming entitlements was easy and when it was difficult and whether or not the super committee is more likely to make things better or worse is a measure of just how awesomely dysfunctional our system has become. Fortunately, we have an easier-to-grapple-with "Biden gaffe" to distract us!

UPDATE: Apparently, Biden spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff emailed a statement to the Daily Caller's Caroline May:

"The Obama Administration strongly opposes all aspects of China's coercive birth limitation policies, including forced abortion and sterilization," Biden's spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff told The Daily Caller in an email. "The Vice President believes such practices are repugnant."

Barkoff explained that Biden was attempting to critique the restrictive system with his comments.

"He also pointed out, in China, that the policy is, as a practical matter, unsustainable," Barkoff added. "He was arguing against the One Child Policy to a Chinese audience. "

Right, I actually noticed that "Biden was attempting to critique the restrictive system with his comments," after I read his comments, discovered that they were written in a language in which I was fluent, and then used what I learned about that language's grammar to determine the meaning of those comments.


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Sources: AP, CBS News, CNS, Huffington Post, White House, Youtube, Google Maps

Obama Administration Spends $1 Billion Of Recovery Act Funds To Hire 4,699 Police Officers (Stimulus Watch)

Whitehouse.gov, Charlotte Observer----


The Recovery Act is providing $1 billion in grants to fund the hiring and rehiring of law enforcement officers in all 50 states. The grants will be awarded to 1,046 agencies across the country, and will provide 100 percent of the salary and benefits for 4,699 officers for three years. The Vice President explained that these Recovery Act funds will not only save and create jobs, but will also help build safer communities as we move forward:

A big part of the Recovery Act is about building communities – making them as strong as they can be, allowing every American family to live a better life than the one they are leading now. And we can’t achieve the goal of stronger communities without supporting those who keep our streets safe.

The Recovery Act grants will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The Department of Justice received over 7,200 requests for the grants. Attorney General Holder explained how grant recipients were chosen:

And these officers will go directly to the places they are needed most. These funds are focused on hiring officers who will be on the streets, in our neighborhoods, and on the front lines of our fight to keep the American people safe. And let us not forget: keeping brave and well-trained police officers employed is also good for our economy.

These grants not only represent 4,699 men and women across our country fighting crime, but also 4,699 men and women who will be able to make house and car payments, make ends meet, and save for their children’s future.

Of course, with such an incredible program, it’s no surprise that the number of grant requests was overwhelming. We received applications from more than 7,000 cities and towns, and made funding decisions based on crime rate, financial need, and community policing activities.

The thousands of applications that poured in are indicative of both the tough times our states, cities and tribes are facing and the unyielding commitment by law enforcement to making our communities safer. I’m proud to be a part of an administration that backs up the commitment of our law enforcement community not just with words, but with the resources our partners need.



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Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Recovery.gov, Charlotte Observer, Flickr, Google Maps

Pres. Obama Uses White House Luau For Bi-Partisan Congressional Team Building Retreat (Photos)

MSNBC----

WASHINGTON - Straw huts, hula dancers and kids playing with hula hoops were all on display Thursday evening in the White House's backyard — not the typical congressional picnic.

President Barack Obama wanted it this way for the annual picnic for members of Congress and their families.

"I just want to say to all the members of Congress, you've been working hard. I wish I could give you all trips to Hawaii," Obama said in his brief remarks. "But I figured since, given our budget crunch we can't do that, that we'd at least bring Hawaii to you."

The Obama White House turned its first congressional picnic into a Hawaiian luau, in celebration of the president's home state. Tents were set up on the South Lawn, tiki torches lined the perimeter, and potted palm trees were brought in. More than 2,000 guests, many wearing leis and sipping drinks, were scattered on the South Lawn under the blue sky.

Traditional Luau foods on menu:

All wearing leis, the president, first lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters 10-year-old Malia and 8-year-old Sasha along with Vice President Joe Biden walked from the White House to meet the crowd. Before Obama shouted an "aloha" to guests, he and Sasha could be seen boogying to the music.

On the menu were traditional luau foods like kalua pig and lomi lomi salmon prepared by famed Hawaii chef Alan Wong.

Wong said he's been discussing the menu with the White House for more than a month. In addition to luau fare, he was flavoring the menu with some picnic favorites_ but with a twist, like wasabi potato salad.

Wong first met Obama several years ago, when the then-senator ate at one of his Hawaii restaurants. Wong said the president is showing his guests great respect by throwing a luau.

"To do a luau in Hawaii is a special occasion," Wong said. "You throw a luau for your child's first birthday, or you throw a luau for a wedding."

Hawaii has seen its profile raised in Washington since its native son moved into the White House. In January, the 50th state held its first state inaugural ball — also a luau — and the marching band from the president's high school, the Punahou School in Honolulu, performed in the inaugural parade.

Hula dancing as part of entertainment:

In addition to a Hawaiian meal, the White House said traditional island entertainment was being offered, including a performance by Tihati, a group featuring members from each of the Hawaiian islands.

Darlene Morikawa, of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, said they offered a blend of Polynesian and traditional hula dancing.

Morikawa said she wouldn't be surprised to see the president get into the act. "He seems to be a good sport," Morikawa said.

Also proving to be good sports? White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, who took his turn in the dunk tank.

Many members of Congress and other top figures sent their RSVPs for the luau, including Democratic Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka of Hawaii; Roberta McCain, the mother of the 2008 Republican presidential candidate; House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio; and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.

"I hope everybody's got their Hawaiian shirts and their muumuus for our luau tonight," Obama told lawmakers gathered at the White House Thursday for a meeting on immigration.

Before the luau, the Obamas put some members of Congress to work in their ongoing effort to promote community service. Five representatives joined the Obamas at Fort McNair, where they assembled 15,000 backpacks for children of military families.

The event was part of the president's ongoing effort to promote community service. He launched a new service initiative, "United We Serve," aimed at getting people to tackle problems in the areas of education, health, energy and the environment and community renewal.

Sources: MSNBC, Today Show, Huffington Post

Pres. Obama Hosts White House Barbeque To Encourage Responsible Fatherhood, Bobby Flay Grills (Photos)

Whitehouse.gov----


"And when fathers are absent -- when they abandon their responsibilities to their children -- we know the damage that that does to our families. Some of you know the statistics: Children who grow up without fathers are more likely to drop out of school and wind up in prison. They’re more likely to have substance abuse problems, run away from home, and become teenage parents themselves."

"And I say this as someone who grew up without a father in my own life. I had a heroic mom and wonderful grandparents who helped raise me and my sister, and it's because of them that I'm able to stand here today. But despite all their extraordinary love and attention, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t feel my father's absence. That's something that leaves a hole in a child’s heart that a government can't fill."

"If we want our children to succeed in life, we need fathers to step up. We need fathers to understand that their work doesn’t end with conception -- that what truly makes a man a father is the ability to raise a child and invest in that child.
We need fathers to be involved in their kids’ lives not just when it’s easy -- not just during the afternoons in the park or at the zoo, when it’s all fun and games -- but when it’s hard, when young people are struggling, and there aren’t any quick fixes or easy answers, and that's when young people need compassion and patience, as well as a little bit of tough love."

"Now, this is a challenge even in good times. And it can be especially tough during times like these, when parents have a lot on their minds -- they're worrying about keeping their jobs, or keeping their homes or their health care, paying their bills, trying to give their children the same opportunities that they had. And so it's understandable that parents get concerned, some fathers who feel they can't support their families, get distracted. And even those who are more fortunate may be physically present, but emotionally absent."

"I know that some of the young men who are here today might have their own concerns one day about being a dad. Some of you might be worried that if you didn’t have a father, then you don't know how to be one when your turn comes. Some of you might even use that as an excuse, and say, "Well, if my dad wasn’t around, why should I be?"

"Let’s be clear: Just because your own father wasn’t there for you, that’s not an excuse for you to be absent also -- it’s all the more reason for you to be present. There’s no rule that says that you have to repeat your father’s mistakes. Just the opposite -- you have an obligation to break the cycle and to learn from those mistakes, and to rise up where your own fathers fell short and to do better than they did with your own children."

"That’s what I’ve tried to do in my life. When my daughters were born, I made a pledge to them, and to myself, that I would do everything I could to give them some things I didn’t have. And I decided that if I could be one thing in life, it would be to be a good father."




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Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Examiner, Google Maps

V.P. Biden Laughs At G.O.P.'s Future & Discusses Stimulus Money Reality Check On "Meet the Press" (More Jobs On The Way)

Huffington Post, The Page

Two interesting moments came towards the end of Joe Biden's big interview on Sunday, in which the vice president first declined to deny his ambitions to be president, and later fell into a brief laughing fit when asked to assess the state of the Republican Party.

Sitting down with "Meet the Press," Biden was pressed by host David Gregory to play political prognosticator with the GOP. After a hearty chuckle and a Cheshire cat grin, the vice president noted that history has a way of bringing even the most fractious minority party back into relevancy.

"I just know there's a ferocious debate -- there appears to be ferocious debate within the Republican Party and what they're going to look like in the future," said Biden. "I was elected in 1972 as a 29-year-old kid. My party went through the exact same thing. I ran with George McGovern. He got clobbered nationally. I barely won here. For the next two and a half to four years we were in a very intense debate of the future of the party. I think it's predictable. I think the Republican Party will come out of this, I think they'll come back. They'll be strong again. The pendulum swings."

Earlier in the interview, Gregory asked Biden to assess his own political future. Recounting the arrangement that the Delaware Democrat agreed to when becoming vice president -- a roving portfolio and final or near-final consultation on all important matters -- the host asked whether proximity to the president made Biden eager to one day hold that office himself.

"We have the order of this operation correct," said Biden, who has run twice for the White House.

"But you don't want to become president?" Gregory responded.

"I didn't say that," said Biden "What I said is I think he's going to be a great president and I think he's off to a great start and I'm glad to be a part of it."

Pressed one more time whether he would rule it out, the vice president replied: "No, I won't rule it out, no."

Biden, for the record, would be 74 years old if he were to run for office in 2016. The oldest president ever elected was Ronald Reagan, who won at the age of 69.

Key Quotes from the interview regarding Economic recovery & Stimulus money:

"No one realized how bad the economy was. The projections, in fact, turned out to be worse. But we took the mainstream model as to what we thought -- and everyone else thought -- the unemployment rate would be."

"Everyone guessed wrong at the time the estimate was made about what the state of the economy was at the moment this was passed."

"The bottom line is that jobs are being created that would not have been there before."

"Can I claim credit that all of that's due to the recovery package? No. But it clearly has had an impact."

Sources: Newsweek, The Page, Huffington Post, Day Life, MSNBC

Pres. Obama Sends Letter To Key Dem Senators Re: Health Care Reform...What He Said....Translation

(President Obama's letter released from the White House.)

June 2, 2009

The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy
The Honorable Max Baucus
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Baucus:

The meeting that we held today was very productive and I want to commend you for your leadership -- and the hard work your Committees are doing on health care reform, one of the most urgent and important challenges confronting us as a Nation.

In 2009, health care reform is not a luxury. It's a necessity we cannot defer. Soaring health care costs make our current course unsustainable. It is unsustainable for our families, whose spiraling premiums and out-of-pocket expenses are pushing them into bankruptcy and forcing them to go without the checkups and prescriptions they need. It is unsustainable for businesses, forcing more and more of them to choose between keeping their doors open or covering their workers. And the ever-increasing cost of Medicare and Medicaid are among the main drivers of enormous budget deficits that are threatening our economic future.

In short, the status quo is broken, and pouring money into a broken system only perpetuates its inefficiencies. Doing nothing would only put our entire health care system at risk. Without meaningful reform, one fifth of our economy is projected to be tied up in our health care system in 10 years; millions more Americans are expected to go without insurance; and outside of what they are receiving for health care, workers are projected to see their take-home pay actually fall over time.

We simply cannot afford to postpone health care reform any longer. This recognition has led an unprecedented coalition to emerge on behalf of reform -- hospitals, physicians, and health insurers, labor and business, Democrats and Republicans. These groups, adversaries in past efforts, are now standing as partners on the same side of this debate.

At this historic juncture, we share the goal of quality, affordable health care for all Americans. But I want to stress that reform cannot mean focusing on expanded coverage alone. Indeed, without a serious, sustained effort to reduce the growth rate of health care costs, affordable health care coverage will remain out of reach. So we must attack the root causes of the inflation in health care. That means promoting the best practices, not simply the most expensive. We should ask why places like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, and other institutions can offer the highest quality care at costs well below the national norm. We need to learn from their successes and replicate those best practices across our country. That's how we can achieve reform that preserves and strengthens what's best about our health care system, while fixing what is broken.

The plans you are discussing embody my core belief that Americans should have better choices for health insurance, building on the principle that if they like the coverage they have now, they can keep it, while seeing their costs lowered as our reforms take hold. But for those who don't have such options, I agree that we should create a health insurance exchange -- a market where Americans can one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose the plan that's best for them, in the same way that Members of Congress and their families can. None of these plans should deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, and all of these plans should include an affordable basic benefit package that includes prevention, and protection against catastrophic costs. I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest.

I understand the Committees are moving towards a principle of shared responsibility -- making every American responsible for having health insurance coverage, and asking that employers share in the cost. I share the goal of ending lapses and gaps in coverage that make us less healthy and drive up everyone's costs, and I am open to your ideas on shared responsibility. But I believe if we are going to make people responsible for owning health insurance, we must make health care affordable. If we do end up with a system where people are responsible for their own insurance, we need to provide a hardship waiver to exempt Americans who cannot afford it. In addition, while I believe that employers have a responsibility to support health insurance for their employees, small businesses face a number of special challenges in affording health benefits and should be exempted.

Health care reform must not add to our deficits over the next 10 years -- it must be at least deficit neutral and put America on a path to reducing its deficit over time. To fulfill this promise, I have set aside $635 billion in a health reserve fund as a down payment on reform. This reserve fund includes a number of proposals to cut spending by $309 billion over 10 years --reducing overpayments to Medicare Advantage private insurers; strengthening Medicare and Medicaid payment accuracy by cutting waste, fraud and abuse; improving care for Medicare patients after hospitalizations; and encouraging physicians to form "accountable care organizations" to improve the quality of care for Medicare patients. The reserve fund also includes a proposal to limit the tax rate at which high-income taxpayers can take itemized deductions to 28 percent, which, together with other steps to close loopholes, would raise $326 billion over 10 years.

I am committed to working with the Congress to fully offset the cost of health care reform by reducing Medicare and Medicaid spending by another $200 to $300 billion over the next 10 years, and by enacting appropriate proposals to generate additional revenues. These savings will come not only by adopting new technologies and addressing the vastly different costs of care, but from going after the key drivers of skyrocketing health care costs, including unmanaged chronic diseases, duplicated tests, and unnecessary hospital readmissions.

To identify and achieve additional savings, I am also open to your ideas about giving special consideration to the recommendations of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), a commission created by a Republican Congress. Under this approach, MedPAC's recommendations on cost reductions would be adopted unless opposed by a joint resolution of the Congress. This is similar to a process that has been used effectively by a commission charged with closing military bases, and could be a valuable tool to help achieve health care reform in a fiscally responsible way.
These are some of the issues I look forward to discussing with you in greater detail in the weeks and months ahead. But this year, we must do more than discuss. We must act. The American people and America's future demand it.

I know that you have reached out to Republican colleagues, as I have, and that you have worked hard to reach a bipartisan consensus about many of these issues. I remain hopeful that many Republicans will join us in enacting this historic legislation that will lower health care costs for families, businesses, and governments, and improve the lives of millions of Americans. So, I appreciate your efforts, and look forward to working with you so that the Congress can complete health care reform by October.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA


Politico's translation of key points.----

After months of avoiding the public back-and-forth on health care reform, President Barack Obama waded deeper into the debate last week with a letter sharing some of his thoughts with leading Democratic senators. It came just as Congress enters a key period of negotiations this week, with House and Senate committees promising to produce draft bills.

The letter was dense and carefully worded, aiming to provide more specificity, but not so much that Obama could be boxed in.

Here is a translation of key passages:

"In short, the status quo is broken, and pouring money into a broken system only perpetuates its inefficiencies. Doing nothing would only put our entire health care system at risk. ... We simply cannot afford to postpone health care reform any longer."

TRANSLATION: Don’t try to slow walk health care.

Senate Republicans question the aggressive timetable, saying Democrats are rushing the most far-reaching legislative overhaul in generations. “Let’s answer these questions. What the hell is wrong with that?” said Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), a Finance Committee member. “This is an all-encompassing bill that the more you get into it, the more you realize the law of unintended effects.”

But if Obama has any hope of passing a bill in his first term, administration officials and political experts say he needs to get it done this year. His best opportunity is the next two months; given the magnitude of the bill and the slow-moving ways of Congress, look for the president to portray health care as a crisis. He upped the ante in his Saturday radio and Internet address: “If we do nothing, everyone’s health care will be put in jeopardy.”

"I strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. This will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive and keep insurance companies honest."

TRANSLATION: This was Obama’s way of saying something about the public insurance option without saying too much, and he accomplished two goals with the careful wording.

First, he bucked up the progressive base, which is the glue of the grass-roots support he needs to mobilize. Although Obama backed a public plan during the campaign, his supporters wanted to hear it again — and reaffirming that pledge ahead of the kickoff on Saturday of a Democratic Party-led national health campaign had to have helped.

But — and this is the second point — Obama didn’t tie himself to one solution. There are many ways to structure a public plan. This may be why a statement from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) pointed out that Obama’s position “doesn’t draw lines in the sand.”

"So we must attack the root causes of the inflation in health care. That means promoting the best practices, not simply the most expensive. We should ask why places like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and other institutions can offer the highest-quality care at costs well below the national norm. We need to learn from their successes and replicate those best practices across our country."

TRANSLATION: Reducing health care costs doesn’t have to mean lower quality.

Slowing the annual growth rate of health care spending is central to the long-term success of Obama’s health care overhaul. But there is a communication disconnect between policy experts and the public when it comes to health costs, Kaiser Family Foundation President Drew Altman wrote in a commentary on its website last month. Experts say the system wastes too much money on unnecessary tests and procedures, yet Kaiser polling found 67 percent of Americans think they don’t get the tests and treatments they need.

Cue the Mayo Clinic — well-known for its quality, the president wants you to know, but also its cost efficiency. The message: What he is proposing to do nationwide is already proven to work.

"Health care reform must not add to our deficits over the next 10 years — it must be at least deficit neutral and put America on a path to reducing its deficit over time."

TRANSLATION: He agrees with the deficit hawks. And he doesn’t buy the argument of some Democrats and key interest groups that Congress should suspend pay-as-you-go rules on health care, since much of the savings would be realized beyond the rules’ 10-year budget window.

A suspension of the rules could spare members from having to approve so many upfront tax increases and spending cuts. This would lessen the pain of having to defend these tough actions next year on the campaign trail — well before most of their constituents are likely to see a benefit from the bill.

But after approving a $787 billion stimulus package, inking an auto industry bailout and providing more assistance to the financial sector, Obama is keen to portray health care reform as not another bloated government initiative — despite its estimated $1 trillion cost over 10 years.

"I understand the committees are moving toward a principle of shared responsibility — making every American responsible for having health insurance coverage and asking that employers share in the cost. I share the goal of ending lapses and gaps in coverage that make us less healthy and drive up everyone’s costs, and I am open to your ideas on shared responsibility. But I believe if we are going to make people responsible for owning health insurance, we must make health care affordable. If we do end up with a system where people are responsible for their own insurance, we need to provide a hardship waiver to exempt Americans who cannot afford it."

TRANSLATION: Hillary Clinton wins.

The central health care policy difference between her and Obama was the individual mandate, which Clinton supported, and which lawmakers now prefer to call “shared responsibility.” Obama concedes for the first time in his letter that Clinton’s idea could win out.

"I know that you have reached out to Republican colleagues, as I have, and that you have worked hard to reach a bipartisan consensus about many of these issues. I remain hopeful that many Republicans will join us in enacting this historic legislation that will lower health care costs for families, businesses and governments, and improve the lives of millions of Americans."

TRANSLATION: Despite inviting only Democratic senators to the White House last week, despite not taking up an offer from the House GOP leadership to meet on health care and despite addressing this letter only to the Democratic chairmen, Obama still hopes to get Republican votes. The lack of recent interaction with the president hasn’t gone unnoticed on the Hill.

Roberts said Republicans would “try to work with him — if he ever invites us.”


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Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Politico, Flickr, Google Maps

V.P. Biden To Embark On Recovery Act Funds Tour...More Jobs Coming (Economic Stimulus Package Update)

Whitehouse.gov/ Roadmap to Recovery----


Dear Mr. President,

Our "Roadmap to Recovery" initiative is an ambitious effort to reflect the commitments of your Cabinet members for a stepped up level of activity in implementing the Recovery Act in the next 100 days. We intend to deliver this increased pace at virtually every agency, and in countless programs.

In this report, we have highlighted ten of these commitments and provided a graphic representation of where Americans can expect to see the Recovery Act in action across the country this summer.

These ten spotlighted commitments include:

* Enable 1,129 Health Centers in 50 States and Eight Territories to Provide Expanded Service to Approximately 300,000 Patients – This HHS program will create jobs and support health center efforts to improve access to quality, comprehensive, and affordable care.

* Begin Work on Rehabilitation and Improvement Projects at 98 Airports and Over 1,500 Highway Locations Throughout the Country – Projects will include runway construction at selected airports to increase capacity, and interstate repaving projects to reduce bottlenecks and congestion.

* Fund 135,000 Education Jobs Including Teachers, Principals and Support Staff – The Recovery Act funds will help to keep outstanding teachers in America’s schools and help with necessary reforms to ensure that every child in America can receive a complete and competitive education.

* Begin Improvements at 90 Veterans Medical Centers Across 38 States – Upgrading existing Veterans Medical Centers will increase the quality of the facilities to deliver the care our soldiers deserve.

* Hire or Keep on the Job Approximately 5,000 Law Enforcement Officers – These funds will be used to hire new officers while also retaining our veteran force.

* Start 200 New Waste and Water Systems in Rural America – These projects will replace outdated water mains and build waste-water treatment facilities for small communities.

* Begin Work on 107 National Parks – Through these projects, we will preserve the National Park System, and launch long overdue projects.

* Begin or Accelerate Cleanup Work at 20 Superfund Sites from the National Priority List – Superfund work will boost local economies by creating and maintaining jobs while also protect¬ing human health and the environment.

* Create 125,000 Summer Youth Jobs – Empowering our young people through meaningful summer employment will keep them off the streets and provide them with valuable work experience.

* Initiate 2,300 Construction and Rehabilitation Projects at 359 Military Facilities Across the Nation – Department of Defense projects will improve personnel living quarters and install green technologies throughout the country for the United States Military.

We have included maps that describe the location of major commitments over the next 100 days. The map on the following page paints a broad picture of how Recovery is impacting areas across the United States.

When you signed the Recovery Act, you promised that, "Once the money starts to go out you’ll be able to see how, when and where it is spent." The information included here is only a down payment on that promise. We are working with the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board to help them get the data they need to make Recovery.gov even better than it is today. We share with the Board the goals of transparency, accountability and timeliness of providing detailed information to the American people.

The bottom line is that we are working hard to get Recovery Act funds out into the communities across the nation to create good jobs and serve as a pillar of the economic recovery we all want to see.

Cordially,

Joe Biden


The Recovery Bill

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a strategic and significant investment in our country’s future. The Act will save and create jobs immediately while also laying the foundation for a robust and sustainable 21st century economy by modernizing our health care, improving our schools, modernizing our infrastructure, and investing in the clean energy technologies of the future.


VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN TO KICK OFF "ROAD TO RECOVERY" TOUR THIS WEEK


Will Attend Groundbreaking Events for Recovery Act Transportation Construction Projects in Pennsylvania, Kansas and Michigan


On Thursday June 11, Vice President Biden will kick off his "Road to Recovery" tour where he will travel to communities across the country highlighting Recovery Act funds at work creating jobs and improving our nation’s infrastructure. The tour will begin Thursday with stops in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and Overland Park, Kansas. While in Carlisle, Vice President Biden will attend the groundbreaking for the Route 34 bridge project. The Vice President first toured this bridge back in February, one week before the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed. The Vice President will be joined by Governor Edward G. Rendell, Senator Arlen Specter and other local officials.

Afterwards, the Vice President will travel to Overland Park, Kansas, where he will attend the groundbreaking for the US Highway 69 project. The Vice President will be joined by Governor Mark Parkinson, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and other local officials.

On Friday June 12th, the Vice President will be in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the I-94 widening and Westnedge Avenue interchange reconstruction project. The Vice President will be joined by Governor Jennifer Granholm, United States Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and other local officials. Afterwards, the Vice President will make remarks regarding communities affected by the auto industry at the Kalamazoo airport.

These events will be open press. Additional media details and logistics will follow shortly.



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Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Flickr, Google Maps

Pres. Obama's Health Care Reform Plan Is Likely To Pass This Year (The Facts)

Politico----

If Congress were to take a vote on a health reform bill today, Democrats and Republicans would find a surprising level of agreement — so much so that the broad outlines of a consensus plan already are taking shape.

Sick or healthy, rich or poor, all Americans would be guaranteed access to health insurance.

In fact, they’d probably be required to purchase it — perhaps through mandates in the law that would include stiff tax penalties for anyone who tried to opt out.

Newly created insurance marketplaces would make finding a plan as easy as shopping for cheap airfare. People could keep their coverage, even if they switched jobs. And they might be able to choose between private insurers and a government-backed plan.

But here’s the catch — none of this would come free, with the wealthiest Americans likely to face higher taxes to help pay for coverage for all.

It’s hard to believe that only three months ago, health care advocates worried that President Barack Obama would drop the health reform issue from his first-year agenda. Now, with an August deadline to pass a bill, a compromise that once seemed unimaginable is considered quite possible, both sides say.

Congress this week begins a two-month sprint to pass legislation overhauling the health care system — an aspiration that has eluded generations of American politicians. The task is exceedingly complex and faces the legislative equivalent of an Ironman triathlon, tested at every stage by monied interests, political alliances and an estimated 13-figure price tag.

So there’s no guarantee every piece is going to fall into place just like this or even that a final compromise will be forged. But here’s a look at what could be expected in a bill — and what details have yet to be resolved:

Everybody gets in and stays in:

The guiding principle of congressional efforts remains universal coverage, or something close to it. This means not just finding a way to cover 50 million uninsured Americans but also making the system more stable and affordable for those who already have insurance through their employer. Now, losing a job means losing coverage.

Why it looks likely:

Lawmakers view universal coverage not as much as a moral imperative but as an economic issue. If the aim is to lower insurance premiums for everyone, then the young and the old, the sick and the healthy must be funneled into the system as a way to spread the costs of high-risk patients.

The unresolved fight:

How to compel participation in the system and how to pay for it. Last month, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said “we’re going to try to get as close as we can” to universal coverage, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates the proposals would reach about 95 percent of Americans. But the package of options for achieving even near-universal coverage requires lawmakers to find hundreds of billions of dollars in new tax revenue and spending cuts — money that it hasn’t found yet.

Orbitz for insurance:

If there was such a thing as a sure bet in the bill, this would be it: the creation of an insurance marketplace, or “exchange,” where individuals and small employers could compare plans side by side, find options with a minimum benefits package and buy coverage. Insurers would be required to take all comers, regardless of pre-existing conditions. Proponents say it would give individuals a place to find affordable insurance that could go with them from job to job.

Why it looks likely:

It is the cornerstone of Democratic and Republican health care proposals. Experts from the conservative Heritage Foundation and the liberal Center for American Progress endorse it. Federal lawmakers already participate in an exchange called the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program — and they have been promising for years to provide the same choices to voters.

“That has to be the one thing that is close enough to a guarantee as you can find,” said David Merritt, a health policy expert at Newt Gingrich’s Center for Health Transformation.

The unresolved fight:

How to structure it. The CBO, which has been reviewing the legislative proposals to determine their fiscal impact, hinted in a report last week at the scope of options under consideration. They could be “private online clearinghouses similar to Orbitz” — the online travel-booking site — or they could involve more government involvement.

Higher taxes — for somebody:

Obama and congressional Democrats are considering an overhaul that could exceed $1 trillion over 10 years, and spending cuts will get them only so far. That means some people will take a tax hit. The hot target at the moment: levying a tax on health benefits provided through employers, which currently aren’t subject to taxation.

Why it looks likely:

It’s a cash cow. The deduction on health benefits is worth more than $200 billion annually. Baucus does not want to eliminate the deduction, but he has floated a cap that would tax plans worth more than a certain amount. Liberal and conservative academics support the change. And congressional Republicans have advocated eliminating the tax-free status of employer insurance, giving the idea bipartisan credibility (although the GOP would want to return all the money to individuals in the form of tax credits).

The unresolved fight: Unions hate it:

They fought for years for generous health plans, and their workers would most likely have to pay taxes for the first time on their benefits. As a candidate, Obama ran against the idea of taxing health benefits. It could also endanger his pledge not to raise taxes on individuals earning less than $200,000 annuually. Still, White House aides have sent signals that Obama would not veto a bill that changed the tax treatment of health benefits.

Buy coverage — or else:

Democrats and Republicans agree that government must do more to nudge Americans into buying insurance. Republicans favor incentives and perhaps an automatic enrollment system in which families would be signed up and would have to actively decline coverage. Or it could mean mandates on individuals to buy insurance or face tax penalties and on employers to offer insurance or make a payment to the government. At the very least, Americans are likely to see government exert far more pressure on those who do not have insurance to buy it.

Why it looks likely: The economics of an overhaul don’t work unless the government does everything it can to funnel people into the system.

The unresolved fight:

How large of a stick the government should wield in encouraging Americans to buy insurance.

Going public:

Establishing a public insurance option to compete with private insurers remains one of the most contentious aspects of the reform debate. Democrats maintain a public plan will keep private insurers honest while Republicans argue that it would create another bloated government entitlement. But even some in the GOP say a bill will include at least a public “fallback” plan, which would be put in place if private insurers did not do enough to cut costs and improve access. Republicans backed this structure in the 2003 bill on Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Why it looks likely:

Democrats hold the cards. They have a popular president, dominate the House and claim a near-filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Plus, they can still use “reconciliation,” a procedural tool that allows them to pass a bill with 51 votes if an agreement isn’t reached by Oct. 15.

The unresolved fight:

Democrats are unlikely to settle for a “fallback” option, so they will continue to push for as robust a public plan as possible. But expect to see Republicans, physicians and private insurers resist this for as long as they can.


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Sources: Politico, Wikipedia, Google Maps

The First Health Care Reform Bill Draft Has Been Released

Politico----

The Senate committee chaired by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) began circulating draft language Friday of a Health Care Reform bill that would create a public insurance option to compete with private insurers.

The bill also proposes requiring individuals to own insurance, mandating businesses
to provide insurance or pay a fee to the government, creating state insurance marketplaces where people can compare and buy plans, and providing subsidies for low-income individuals to buy coverage. The bill comes from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

The contours of the draft legislation, which did not include specific dollar figures or numbers, match up with the outline of a bill that first leaked last week. As expected, the bill contains some of the more liberal options that the Senate will consider.

Kennedy spokesman Anthony Coley said the 171-page bill was "a draft of a draft."

"HELP Democrats are still discussing options among themselves and their Republican colleagues," Coley said.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who is leading the committee’s health care effort while Kennedy receives treatment for brain cancer, has said he hopes to begin debating a bill in committee June 15.

Once the bill passes and is signed into law by President Obama, all Employers would be required to provide Health Care Benefits for their employees.


Sources: Politico, Bradenton Herald, Day Life, Reuters

The Stimulus Bill, Political Pattern Dilemma....Win Some, Lose Some

Politico----

Since Congress passed President Barack Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus bill in February, administration officials have traveled to at least 66 events across the country to tout the massive spending program or hand out stimulus cash to grateful local officials.

But a POLITICO examination of the travel reveals a distinctly political trend line: Top officials have hosted events predominantly in states that Obama won in 2008.

What’s more, the examination revealed that Obama officials all but avoided Southern states that Obama lost.

It is not unusual for a presidential administration to find ways to reward its supporters through federal largesse, particularly in this case, when the goal of the stimulus program is push money out the door to states and localities that can spend it quickly to jump-start the economy. The Bush administration was criticized in 2004 for sending Cabinet officials on trips that critics said doubled as campaigning for the president’s reelection bid.

But the numbers tell the tale: 52 of the 66 events were in states that backed Obama. And taken together, the itineraries
amount to a veritable map of Obama’s election-night victories — big-money states like California and New York, swing states like Ohio and Colorado that Obama turned blue and other solidly Democratic states Obama kept in his column.

The events were weighted to big cities that provided Obama some of his biggest election-night margins: Cleveland, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.

Of the other 14 events, Vice President Joe Biden and Cabinet officials often touched down in places where Obama lost narrowly and that Democrats hope to pull into their column by 2012, such as Missouri, Arizona, Montana and North Dakota.

Only two Southern states were visited by Cabinet officials for stimulus-related trips: Georgia and Kentucky, according to information provided by the White House and an examination of news releases from all 21 Cabinet-level agencies.

White House officials noted that stimulus spending is going to all 50 states based on a proportional formula. Biden holds weekly conference calls about stimulus projects with officials from all over the country, including Democrats and Republicans. As of May 28, those calls had included 46 governors, 51 mayors and 15 county executives, including officials from both parties.

And the White House sharply denied that there was any political motivation to the travel. “Politics plays no role in implementation of the Recovery Act or highlighting its successes. Period,” said Liz Oxhorn, press secretary for the Recovery Act.

Still, the stimulus bill has the potential to be a publicity bonanza for the Obama administration for years to come — through the 2010 midterm elections and beyond. As of mid-May, the administration had spent only 6 percent of the money Congress allotted for the program, and the White House says officials will continue to travel the country until all of the money is spent.

The events generally come in the form of roundtable discussions, upbeat speeches and sweeping announcements of billions of dollars for local communities. Some have all the hallmarks of campaign events, featuring banks of television cameras, flag-bedecked stages and local politicians working the crowds. Many generate the kind of admiring local media coverage that politicians crave — and largely escape the attention of national outlets.

At one event in Arlington, Va., Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano handed over a made-for-TV, supersize check to the United Way.

“It’s always great to play Santa Claus when the sack is bottomless,” said Jack Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College in California. Pitney says there’s a clear political rationale behind the travel pattern: “It’s better to shore up your base and spend time in swing states than it is to spend time in states that will probably go against you anyway.”

Obama officials have visited 28 states and the District of Columbia, and the most heavily visited are Ohio, with six events, and four states that have played host to five events each: California, New York, Colorado and Indiana, all carried by Obama. Arizona, which Obama lost, had four events.

In recent days, the administration has been stepping up the pace, taking trips to Ohio and Indiana as part of its effort to focus on communities hardest hit by automaker bankruptcies. On Wednesday, for example, administration officials — including Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis — held five events in Ohio and Michigan. The day before, they held eight events in New York, Indiana and Michigan featuring Biden, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and others.

In the border state of Missouri on April 16, for example, Biden addressed a crowd of hundreds at a transformer factory operated by the power company ABB in Jefferson City. Standing before a group of smiling plant workers on a stage decorated with American-flag bunting, Biden delivered remarks, flanked by Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) and Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon as audience members held up cameras and cell phones to snap pictures. Chu also spoke, and Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, a Democrat who is running for the Senate in 2010, worked the room along with several other local officials, including some Republicans.

The vice president touted $3.3 billion in smart-grid technology development grants and an additional $615 million in stimulus spending on smart-grid storage, monitoring and technology viability. Afterward, he greeted spectators along a rope line. The event was a success, garnering coverage in both the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Columbia Missourian.

Missouri was a hard-fought battleground state in 2008. It was the last state in the nation to be decided, tilting toward Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) with a margin of less than 1 percentage point.

Biden will travel to Kansas, a state Obama lost, on June 11 for the first stimulus event held there.

Still, the White House says its stimulus events are not political rallies. Instead, they are intended to let Obama administration officials meet and gather ideas from the local officials and business leaders who are most affected by the stimulus spending. And the White House says the trips also help alert Americans to stimulus money they might not have known was available to them.

But not everyone agrees that the great stimulus road trip is free of political considerations. “They have never left the campaign election trail, and I suspect they never will,” said Katon Dawson, former South Carolina Republican Party chairman, who predicts the economic downturn will continue to generate voter anger through the election cycle. “If there’s going to be a ‘throw the bums out’ mentality in 2010, the race is on to define who the bum is.”


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Sources: Politico, Day Life, Reuters, Google Maps

President Obama & V.P. Biden Ray's Hell For Small Businesses

Despite working hard to turn around our hurting Economy, neither President Obama nor Vice-President Biden have failed to show continued support for America's Small Businesses via their patronage.

In January President Obama visited Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C., yesterday it was Ray's Hell Burger Joint.

On Tuesday both of the Political Chieftains decided to pop in for some chow at Ray's Hell Burger located in Arlington, VA.

Setting an example for other high profile leaders, both men waited patiently in line to order, afterward paying for their own meals just as regular citizens would do.

Let's just say that Ben's Chili Bowl and Ray's Hell Burger may now have to expand after receiving such great, FREE publicity from the Media.

Kudos to both President Obama and V.P. Biden for giving the "little guy" a boost in the world of Free Market Enterprise.

For more info. on both eating establishments check out the links below.

Ben's Chili Bowl

Ray's Hell Burger

(Both President Obama and V.P. Biden stop for lunch at Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington.)



(President Obama pops in for lunch at Ben's Chili Bowl in DC.)




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Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Huffington Post, Biz Journals, Ben's Chili Bowl, Ray's Hell Burger, DC Foodies, CBS News, Youtube, Google Maps

Joe Biden Educates The World On Containing H1N1 Flu Pandemic....You Gotta Love Him

During an interview with Today Show's Matt Lauer "Dr. Joe Biden" educates the world on how to best contain the H1N1 Flu Pandemic.



Afterward White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs tactfully and ever so politely interprets what "Dr. Joe" really meant to say.



Sources: Today Show, Whitehouse.gov, Huffington Post, MSNBC, Youtube

North Carolina To Get High Speed Rail! (I Told You So!!)

Yesterday during a Press conference President Obama with Vice-President Biden, Rahm Emanuel and his Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood (R) in attendance, unveiled his extensive plan to develop Fast Track, High Speed Rail in America.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration he will launch a new and efficient high-speed passenger rail network in 100-600 mile corridors that will connect communities across the nation.

If you recall I mentioned this same topic in a previous post dated April 8Th entitled, "Charlotte's 2009 Mayoral Race is On!".

In that post I described how due to silly political power struggles, North Carolina Democrats seemed to be holding up the progress for High Speed Rail in the Southeast.

In that same post I also gave kudos to current Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory (R) for working diligently to help build the FIRST Light Rail system in the entire Tarheel state!

Of course my weblog wasn't the first publication to mention this development but I was probably one of the first to remind you.

Hmmm could it be possible that someone within President Obama's administration read my post? If so I'm flattered!

When he signed the Stimulus bill into law on Feb. 17Th, there was $8 Billion dollars plus allocated specifically for both High Speed Rail and Inner City Light Rail.

Of course everyone knows its going to take longer than 4 years and much more than $8 Billion dollars to develop and build cross country High Speed/ Light Rail, but I'd say its a good start don't you think?

While speaking before reporters, President Obama emphasized how America is miles behind other countries such as China, Spain, Japan (rail with speeds of more than 300 mph) and France in the use of cross country high speed rail.

I totally agree! How can we compete with other countries on the cutting edge of Green Energy, Clean Air, Education, Technology, Science, Communication, Job Creation, etc., if we are still only using cars, planes or Greyhound as our main modes of transportation?

In addition how can we as a country upgrade Urban Planning for the Inner Cities if we don't offer the people who live in those areas a better, faster way of getting to work?

As the project continues to unfold, the 10 major corridors expected to be included in the Federal Railroad Administration's blueprint for High Speed Rail are listed below.

President Obama stated that only Leaders from the 10 major corridors who submit plans right away for construction will get the money.

Well Governor Bev. Perdue and the North Carolina Legislators what on you waiting on? Get moving!

Now as you smile at the thought of this wonderful vision, just don't forget that I told you so!

• California corridor (Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego

• Pacific Northwest corridor (Eugene, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver British Columbia)

• South Central corridor (Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Little Rock)

• Gulf Coast corridor (Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Birmingham, Atlanta)

• Chicago hub network (Chicago, Milwaukee, Twin Cities, St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville)

• Florida corridor (Orlando, Tampa, Miami)

• Southeast corridor (Washington, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Macon, Columbia, Savannah, Jacksonville)

• Keystone corridor (Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh)

• Empire corridor (New York City, Albany, Buffalo)

• Northern New England corridor (Boston, Montreal, Portland, Springfield, New Haven, Albany

President Barack Obama unveils his plans for High Speed Rail to the nation.




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Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Huffington Post, MSNBC, Time.com, Federal Railroad Administration, Black Political Buzz, MSNBC, NPR, Charmeck.org, Flickr, Google Maps, Youtube