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17 Jun 2009 20:44

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U.S.: Obama: If we have to, we’ll classify these torture photos

  • Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham regaled the knowledge to Congress. Have a desire to see some pretty crazy stuff that the U.S. did to imprisoned terror suspects? Possibly just to see if you can take how disturbing these photos are reported to be? Well, good news, kids. You can’t see them. Apparently the Obama administration is going to classify these photos if it prevents them from getting out. He prefers an act of Congress, but isn’t afraid to just block them himself. Good for them. We don’t need to see terror porn. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Jun 2009 20:25

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U.S.: Nevada Sen. John Ensign, then and now. It’s pretty sad, kids.

  • Ensign, a social conservative, was one of Bill Clinton’s harshest critics during the Monica Lewinsky saga, saying “the truth must come out.” He also trashed on Larry Craig pretty badly. source
  • The rising Republican star took a detour from rising when he admitted last night to an affair with one of his Congressional staffers. Why now? Dude probably wants to run for president. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Jun 2009 11:03

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U.S., World: Also being blamed for Iran’s 99 problems: The U.S.

  • Iran’s Foreign Ministry is trashing on Obama for speaking out. The ministry got a hold of the Swiss ambassador, who handles U.S. affairs in the country, complaining about “interventionist” statements Obama made regarding the hotly-contested election. The U.S. hasn’t had consistent ties with Iran since shortly after the Islamic revolution in 1979, though Obama is trying to get his foot in the door. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Jun 2009 09:28

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U.S.: Obama boosts same-sex partner benefits for federal employees

  • Today, Obama will sign an executive order that gives wider benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. source
  • The order doesn’t go nearly as far as it could, stopping just short of giving full health care benefits to them. source
  • Obama has faced criticism from gay-rights groups for not doing enough – but he’s trying to avoid a fight. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 23:25

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Biz, U.S.: What Obama’s doing to fix flaws in financial oversight

  • Cutting back As predicted a couple of weeks ago, the Office of Thrift Supervision, which supervises savings and loan programs and allowed the AIG fiasco, is going away completely, along with the charter that allows savings and loans to exist. source
  • Cutting back As predicted a couple of weeks ago, the Office of Thrift Supervision, which supervises savings and loan programs and allowed the AIG fiasco, is going away completely, along with the charter that allows savings and loans to exist.
  • Streamlining In an effort to prevent future financial crises while allowing breathing room for financial firms, the Federal Reserve will have more oversight over wide-scale economic risks that require longer-term planning to avoid. source
  • Cutting back As predicted a couple of weeks ago, the Office of Thrift Supervision, which supervises savings and loan programs and allowed the AIG fiasco, is going away completely, along with the charter that allows savings and loans to exist.
  • Streamlining In an effort to prevent future financial crises while allowing breathing room for financial firms, the Federal Reserve will have more oversight over wide-scale economic risks that require longer-term planning to avoid.
  • Obama’s take “Whether it’s on the consumer protection side, the investor protection side, the systemic risks … It’s going to be a much more effectively integrated system than previously,” he said. Congress needs to weigh in, BTW. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 22:35

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U.S., World: Currently weaving through Congress: A big war-spending bill

  • $106 billion to fight wars in Iraq & Afghanistan source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2009 10:57

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U.S.: Obama’s not mentioning who’s visiting the White House

  • A nonpartisan watchdog group asked for a list. Obama said no way. Wondering who’s coming a-knockin’ for influence calls at the White House? Well, the Obama administration is tight-lipped. This is despite the administration’s promises of transparency. And despite court rulings that say they need to. So, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (or CREW) will file a lawsuit today, saying they’re deeply disappointed that they’re following the same path as Bush. (We kinda are, too.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

16 Jun 2009 10:24

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U.S., World: John McCain: Obama needs to be more forceful about Iran

  • He should speak out that this is a corrupt, fraud, sham of an election. The Iranian people have been deprived of their rights.
  • Sen. John McCain • Who coulda been in the position Obama is currently in, but instead is watching from the Senate. He feels that Obama is being too careful with his words and needs to outwardly support the Iranian people. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Jun 2009 22:41

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U.S., World: Ready guys? Obama finally has something to say about Iran

  • I can’t state definitively what happened one way or another with respect to the election. But what I can say is there appears to be a sense on the part of people who were so hopeful and so engaged and so committed to democracy, who now feel betrayed.
  • President Barack Obama • Finally speaking out on the Iranian election which has gripped large portions of the world and the Twittersphere so tightly that it’s unavoidable in some circles (unless you’re CNN). • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Jun 2009 18:12

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Politics, U.S.: Dick Cheney rebuffs criticism from CIA leader Leon Panetta

  • I hope my old friend Leon was misquoted. The important
    thing is whether the Obama administration will continue the policies that have kept us safe for the past eight years.
  • Former Vice President Dick Cheney • On CIA head Leon Panetta’s calling out of Cheney for apparent questionable motives in his sudden re-emergence into the public eye. We want to see which of these old guys would win in a no-holds-barred cage match. We’re guessing Cheney because he would probably start biting first. By the way, John McCain has Cheney’s back in this case. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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