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19 Jun 2010 09:09

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Politics: Obama’s still upset he can’t get anything done with Congress

  • I was disappointed this week to see a dreary and familiar politics get in the way of our ability to move forward on a series of critical issues that have a direct impact on people’s lives.
  • President Barack Obama • In his weekly radio address this week. What’s the president so upset about? First, the Senate stonewalled his latest stimulus plan. It wasn’t just the GOP – a number of Democrats voted against it, too. Second, he’s ticked that he can’t get a bill through uncapping how much the oil companies can pay to individuals. “We should remove that cap,” he said. “But the Republican leadership won’t even allow a debate or a vote.” But, here’s the big one: Obama’s been in office for a year and a half, and he still has 136 position appointments being held up in the Senate.  “I know the political season is upon us in Washington,” he said. “But gridlock as a political strategy is destructive to the country.” We agree. source

08 May 2010 12:46

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Politics: Sen. Richard Shelby: Financial reform missing Fannie, Freddie

  • When home prices finally collapsed, these ticking time bombs exploded, saddling taxpayers with hundreds of billions of dollars of debt.
  • Sen. Richard Shelby • Saying why he thinks the financial reform bill should include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two major mortgage companies that fell apart during the financial crisis. He thinks that the financial reform bill should do something about the mortgage giants, which he characterized as costing taxpayers significant amounts of money. During his statement, in response to Obama’s weekly radio address (which tackled health care’s successes), Shelby also criticized a proposed consumer protection watchdog bureau in the Federal Reserve for possibly raising costs for taxpayers. source

11 Apr 2009 10:32

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U.S., World: Obama: The U.S. needs help from other nations

  • These are challenges that no single nation, no matter how powerful, can confront alone. The United States must lead the way. But our best chance to solve these unprecedented problems comes from acting in concert with other nations.
  • President Barack Obama • In his weekly radio/Interweb address. The president just returned from an overseas trip through Europe and Iraq, so his words carry extra significance. • source

08 Feb 2009 10:19

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U.S.: Obama ups the pass-the-stimulus pressure on Congress

  • In the midst of our greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people were hoping that Congress would begin to confront the great challenges we face. That was, after all, what last November’s election was all about.
  • Barack Obama • in his weekly radio address. Obama has pushed hard for the $800+ billion stimulus bill to pass, particularly in the last week, when he’s seen resistance from Republican senators. They’re trying to accomodate, though: Senators debated the details of the plan in a rare Saturday session. • source