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25 Jan 2011 21:43

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Politics: High-speed plans for building high-speed rail

  • 85% of Americans to have access to high-speed rail within 25 years source

25 Jan 2011 21:36

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Politics: Education: Obama calls for extension of tuition tax credit

  • I ask Congress to go further, and make permanent our tuition tax credit – worth $10,000 for four years of college.
  • President Obama • Getting specific with education policy. source

25 Jan 2011 21:16

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Politics: Obama gives bipartisan seating plan a shout out

  • What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight, but whether we can work together tomorrow.
  • President Obama • Remarking on the bipartisan seating arrangement during the State of the Union. source

25 Jan 2011 14:11

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Politics: Obama unlikely to tip hand on deficit reduction tonight

  • Reaching agreement requires both sides to demonstrate a willingness to compromise. He’s going to want everyone to show their hand at the same time.
  • Rep. Chris Van Hollen • The Maryland congressman, who is the most senior Democrat on the House Budget Committee, commenting on President Obama’s likely tact on deficit reduction in his State Of The Union address. its been widely said the President will not endorse any specific suggestion of the Deficit Commission tonight, in particular their proposal to raise the retirement age and make cuts to Social Security. source

23 Jan 2011 21:50

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Politics: Supreme Court justices may skip this year’s State of the Union

  • last year Obama gave the Supreme Court a piece of his mind during his State of the Union speech, making the justices collectively uncomfortable as he ripped them for hurting campaign finance reform.
  • this year The big statement that the justices could make is whether or not to sit out. Samuel Alito is staying home. John Roberts is undecided but has questioned whether justices should attend anymore. source

22 Jan 2011 19:16

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Politics: Obama’s State of the Union plan: Jobs, jobs and more jobs

  • My number one focus is going to be making sure that we are competitive, that we are growing, and we are creating jobs not just now but well into the future.
  • President Barack Obama • Revealing to supporters through his Organizing for America grassroots thingy that he would be focusing on jobs during the State of the Union this time around. “We’re up to it, as long as we come together as a people – Republicans, Democrats, Independents – as long as we focus on what binds us together as a people,” he said. Odds are that Tea Partier Michele Bachmann will pop a hole in that optimism for bipartisanship by the second minute of her response-to-the-response SOTU response, which, based on her long track record, will most assuredly be loaded with lies. So much for that hope, Obama. source

20 Jan 2011 11:18

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Biz: Wal-Mart: We’re going to make our foods healthier, kids

  • Wal-Mart is in a unique position as a big-time grocer. With 140 million people who shop at their stores each week, their products can have a major effect on the food that people eat – both good and bad. So, as a way to take advantage of that, the mega-corp announced it would be making some changes to the foods it stocks, in line with Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign:
  • 25% the amount of salt Wal-Mart plans to remove from its processed foods by 2015 (good job!)
  • 10% the amount of sugar the retail chain plans to remove from those foods, which is a great idea source
  • » Also good to note: They’ll also be ditching such unhealthy things as trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils. They made this announcement while chief executive Bill Simon was randomly hanging out with Michelle today. “No family should have to choose between food that is healthier for them and food they can afford,” Simon said. So, has the federal government ditched their pro-cheese program yet?
 

20 Jan 2011 10:59

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Politics: Obama laughs off U.S. ambassador’s 2012 presidential plans

  • I’m sure that him having worked so well for me will be a great asset in any Republican primary.
  • Barack Obama • Talking about former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, the current U.S. ambassador to China, who has brought up plans of running for president in 2012. Did Obama just extinguish a guy’s 2012’s chances with a single quip? It sure sounds like it. Haha. source

19 Jan 2011 10:57

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Politics: Should Obama turn health-care debate back on Republicans?

  • If the president said, ‘Okay, John Boehner, you bet, now that you’re in power, as soon as you pass a version that covers the same number of people for less, I’ll be happy to put my approach aside and cut a deal,’ he’d remind Americans about the discussion Republicans refuse to have.
  • Washington Post opinion writer Matt Miller • Arguing that Obama should frame the debate around health care not in terms of what the Republicans are claiming to do (save money), but in terms of what they as of yet have been unwilling to do – find a comprehensive approach to insuring 30 million Americans that saves more money than Obama’s plan, which he says is imperfect but still important. “Back in the universe in which we actually live, Obamacare was a historic first step. We need to mend it, not end it.” What do you guys think? source

19 Jan 2011 10:37

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Biz, World: Obama’s meeting with China bears airplane-shaped fruit

  • $19 billion deal for China to buy 200 aircraft from Boeing source