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22 Jul 2009 21:08

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U.S.: Obama’s doing his whole talking to America thing again

Obama is trying to steer the ship of health care back in his favor, giving straight talk to a room full of press people. Good luck, bro. source

20 Jul 2009 22:42

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U.S.: California’s budget agreement: Everyone comes out on the short end

  • Politicians Facing the kind of political deadlock only captured in movies, it’s surprising they even pulled it off. “There isn’t a whole lot of good news in this budget,” said Democratic Senate leader Darrell Steinberg. source
  • Politicians Facing the kind of political deadlock only captured in movies, it’s surprising they even pulled it off. “There isn’t a whole lot of good news in this budget,” said Democratic Senate leader Darrell Steinberg.
  • The poor Welfare checks get cut – or go away entirely – for many families. Health care gets cut for thousands of children, along with their grandparents. To cut the budget by $26.3 billion, social welfare goes the way of the dodo. source
  • Politicians Facing the kind of political deadlock only captured in movies, it’s surprising they even pulled it off. “There isn’t a whole lot of good news in this budget,” said Democratic Senate leader Darrell Steinberg.
  • The poor Welfare checks get cut – or go away entirely – for many families. Health care gets cut for thousands of children, along with their grandparents. To cut the budget by $26.3 billion, social welfare goes the way of the dodo.
  • Cutbacks State workers will continue to get their days cut. Prisoners (unless you’re a Manson) will get out early, making the streets “safer.” But despite all of this, politicians managed to largely avoid raising taxes. source

20 Jul 2009 11:48

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U.S.: Public support for Obama’s health care plan is flagging

  • 49% of those surveyed said they support the way Obama’s handling health care – the first time it’s dipped below 50% since he took office source

19 Jul 2009 17:45

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Politics: Max Headroom: Trashing on Canada, remembering Cronkite

  • A friend in Canada … On “Meet the Press,” top-ranking Sen. Mitch McConnell discounts the idea of health care for all Americans using an argument involving both Ford Motor Co. and a friend of a friend who died because Canada wouldn’t allow him to get a medical procedure. Hm.

  • A friend in Canada … On “Meet the Press,” top-ranking Sen. Mitch McConnell discounts the idea of health care for all Americans using an argument involving both Ford Motor Co. and a friend of a friend who died because Canada wouldn’t allow him to get a medical procedure. Hm.

  • “It was about news” CBS’ Bob Schieffer, who’s had a full weekend of comments about Walter Cronkite to make, makes yet another one on CNN about what made Cronkite stand out – he cared about the news above all else. “He loved no scoop better than HIS scoop,” Schieffer said.

  • A friend in Canada … On “Meet the Press,” top-ranking Sen. Mitch McConnell discounts the idea of health care for all Americans using an argument involving both Ford Motor Co. and a friend of a friend who died because Canada wouldn’t allow him to get a medical procedure. Hm.

  • “It was about news” CBS’ Bob Schieffer, who’s had a full weekend of comments about Walter Cronkite to make, makes yet another one on CNN about what made Cronkite stand out – he cared about the news above all else. “He loved no scoop better than HIS scoop,” Schieffer said.

  • From bad to worse Fox News had a friendly chat this morning with Obama budget wizard Peter Orszag, who says that the economy is worse than anyone thought – backed by unemployment figures. “You can’t go from job losses of 700,000 a month … to job growth like that,” he said.

15 Jul 2009 14:40

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Politics, U.S.: Gee, House Republicans, when you explain health care like this …

healthcare0716
  • Wow. Where to start, where to start … We are not going to blame the Democrats for coming up with a complex, bureaucracy-filled health care plan. NO. We’re going to blame the Republicans for coming up with the most complicated, noise filled graphic possible to explain their point. You can make anything seem like the scariest thing ever when you make it look like this. Gray background? Not necessary. Loud, garish colors? Even less so. This is politics through bad design. (Grab the full PDF to get an idea.)source

15 Jul 2009 12:43

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U.S.: So the poor get healthcare, the rich get surtaxed?

  • 5.4% size of the proposed surtax recommended for wealthy Americans in the House’s health care bill source

11 Jul 2009 17:35

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Politics: More penny math, this time on Obama’s health care plan

  • OK, another interesting animation, but we wonder: Is this guy fiscally conservative? He doesn’t mention a political persuasion in any of his videos but they mostly seem to be anti-Obama. For our curiosity, we just want to know whether they’re pushing an agenda. No matter which way you lean, keep making them. They’re good.source
 

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

15 Jun 2009 13:00

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Biz, U.S.: Obama: U.S. could go the way of GM with faulty health care

  • If we do not fix our health care system, America may go the way of GM — paying more, getting less and going broke.
  • President Barack Obama • Speaking to the American Medical Association today. A president claiming that the U.S. could go bankrupt for any reason is a big deal, and it’s an even bigger one when it’s because of health care. Wow. • source

15 Jun 2009 10:38

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U.S.: Obama explains himself to the American Medical Association

  • 26 years since a sitting president met with the AMA; tough crowd source