Obama defends 'Race to the Top'

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Sunday August 01, 2010 · 10:03 AM PDT

2010/08/01 · 10:03

There’s been some pushback from the (so-called) radical left (unions, bloggers, etc., ) on some of Obama’s signature education plan. Recently, at the Urban League, he offered a defense of his approach
NYTIMES ARTICLE

Reforming education is perhaps "the economic issue of our time," President Obama [said]
"All I’m asking in return, as a president and as a parent," Mr. Obama continued, "is a measure of accountability. Surely we can agree that even as we applaud teachers for their hard work, we need to make sure they’re delivering results in the classroom. If they’re not, let’s work with them to help them be more effective. And if that fails, let’s find the right teacher for that classroom."

inforet

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Friday July 09, 2010 · 1:36 PM PDT

2010/07/09 · 13:36

Yesterday there was some huffing and puffing about a dairy that discussed the relative conservatism of Reagan and Obama.

According to one diarist, the other diarist was an insensitive nincompoop because he was comparing Reagan, apparently a vile racist, with Obama, the first black president. Well I guess that makes Obama an insensitive blockhead too for saying this in 2008:

I don’t want to present myself as some sort of singular figure. I think part of what’s different are the times. I do think that for example the 1980 was different. I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s and government had grown and grown but there wasn’t much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people, he just tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.

Poll

73 votes Show Results

From now till november

73 votes Vote Now!

From now till november

no one should post diaries criticizing the president or democrats

19 votes

diaries that criticise, should also make certain that they list all 'achievements' of the administration

4 votes

free speech rules here and you can post on anything you want, as long as its not rude or derogatory

50 votes

Gulf Disaster: The BRITS, BBC & Obama (apparently British pensioners trump Gulf Coast Americans)

inforet

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Thursday June 10, 2010 · 12:20 PM PDT

2010/06/10 · 12:20

For anyone not keeping track of the international media on the gulf disaster, I thought you might find this stuff emanating from across the pond quite amusing.

Unfortunately I cant find transcripts so you are going to have to listen to this. But then, why would you want to read anything that is lectured to you in the perfect Queens English? In fact, YOU HAVE TO HEAR IT TO APPRECIATE! So go ahead , enjoy!

The first clip is the inimitable mayor of London, a pompous upper class poppinjay.
BBC NEWS: BORIS JOHNSON (LONDON MAYOR) VENTS

The second is more complex , and may cause sweaty palms in some of the boosters of the obama administration. Funnily, I actually felt quite defensive about ole Barack when I heard this. (start at about 9 minute mark(after introduction of other news).

It has a US congressman (John Abney Culberson, R (Texas), basically siding with the Brits against the American President (patriotism anyone?) and being egged on by the apparently 'even handed' BBC 'presenter'. Again, enjoy....

BBC NEWS : BP, OBAMA, GULF DISTASTER

Poll

35 votes Show Results

The most important thing is

35 votes Vote Now!

The most important thing is

British pensioners

4 votes

the environment

12 votes

both (of which are screwed)

19 votes

OBAMA: "It turns out, by the way, that oil rigs today generally don't cause spills,"

inforet

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Wednesday June 09, 2010 · 10:11 AM PDT

2010/06/09 · 10:11

For those of you skeptical of the administration response and posturing on the gulf oil spill, I think you might want to read this before you jump to any conclusions

The Spill, The Scandal and the President

Scientists were stunned that NOAA, an agency widely respected for its scientific integrity, appeared to have been co-opted by the White House spin machine. "NOAA has actively pushed back on every fact that has ever come out," says one ocean scientist who works with the agency.

From the start, the administration has seemed intent on allowing BP to operate in near-total secrecy. Much of what the public knows about the crisis it owes to Rep. Ed Markey

The Obama Justice Department took more than 40 days after the initial blast killed 11 workers to announce it was opening a criminal probe.

inforet

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Saturday June 05, 2010 · 12:12 PM PDT

2010/06/05 · 12:12

the pictures speak for themselves.

Sorry I have so few. The only open access photos are ones of "administration officials" hugging each other, or BP crew 'cleaning' birds and beaches. I did a search over the web and could only find these that were embeddable . No a single one of the tormented wildlife. Even Flickr has so little! Apparently only a few AP photographers have gotten through. So no open access in this day of millions of DIgital Photography enthusiasts. Positively creepy. like everything else these days.

Mr. Levin has been struggling — as every photojournalist has — with restricted access and sanitized scenes on the Gulf coast. Speaking of Mr. Riedel’s work, he said: "I would love to have taken it. I’m sad that it had to be taken. But I’m glad it got taken."

a link to some REAL PICS in the NY Times story

I guess Thad Allen at the behest of BP and I presume "the administration" has decided its best for us not to see these images, and so has restricted access to photographers to "feel good" images, like the last of the shrimp Gumbo being eating. And people hugging each other.

inforet

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Monday May 24, 2010 · 4:15 AM PDT

2010/05/24 · 04:15

A recent recommended diary (similar title) claims that the average American and the Media is supposed to find out what the governments plan, response, contingencies for the Gulf Oil Spill are by surfing on TWITTER. We should all be gathering up our own information through TWITTER links and Google, to try to understand what BP and the government are up to.

Apparently, this is the "new technology" model.

Apparently the Obama Administration does not need to go on TV to deliver detailed statements on what exactly is the state of affairs are, and to take questions at length from the Press. Apparently its enough if a Coast Guard Administrator just repeats to us what BP is telling him (apparently he trusts BP).

inforet

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Sunday May 23, 2010 · 9:09 AM PDT

2010/05/23 · 09:09

Let me be clear, I can't stand windbags like Carville. I couldn't stand him when he was in the Clinton administration and I cant stand him now. While its true he's not an expert on anything (except windbagging), his ( and Chris Matthew's) rant gave front-page voice to frustrations that have been welling beneath the surface (pun unintended) for a large number of reasonable-minded people. This includes many prominent scientists, moderate and reasonable writers like Bob Edwards, and many reasonable blogger's on DailyKos

For example (follow me over the fold)

PS. (in case of HR fever) The title is a take on Carville's famous mantra from the Clinton years

Poll

132 votes Show Results

The administrations response on this crisis in terms of leadership, information flow, communication (e.g. pressers), guidance of BP, optics, etc. has been

132 votes Vote Now!

The administrations response on this crisis in terms of leadership, information flow, communication (e.g. pressers), guidance of BP, optics, etc. has been

Entirely proactive and adequate in my opinion

30 votes

Surprisingly inadequate given the rhetoric from the president before he was elected

91 votes

I dont have an opinion eiether way

11 votes

Obama's true concern about the Gulf

inforet

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Saturday May 22, 2010 · 4:40 AM PDT

2010/05/22 · 04:40

You really have to have spent time in the gulf region, Florida keys, marshlands and wetlands to experience the uniqueness of the vegetation and wildlife, and how its one of the few regions truly rich in fauna and birdlife left in the US, in order to realize what a tragedy this is.

When your sitting in the Whitehouse, and penning numbers (with your feet on the oval office desk) about how much economic damage can be sustained by a tax payer bailout, how much you think you can force BP to pay up, without affecting their contributions to the campaign, but at the same time enough for public PR, etc.. etc...you're really not thinking about turtles or pelicans or poor/middle class folk's way of life. Or what an emotional nightmare this is for so many people in the Gulf region and those who visit.

What you are thinking about is that state visit to London, and how the new PM will greet you based on how badly you treat BP, and whether Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsey will be making dinner... And how your picture will look in DailyKos photo diary.

inforet

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Friday May 21, 2010 · 12:46 PM PDT

2010/05/21 · 12:46

I am just disgusted by the large number of diaries hogging the front page about the Gulf Spill, how the Obama administrations response resembles the Bush administration, and all the unjustified outrage that the government allowed BP to misrepresent the amount of Oil gushing from the well, because it would likely reduce BP's liability.

I'm also disgusted by all the front page and recommended diaries whining about how the financial reform package that just passed is a shadow of what it should have been--empowering the Fed even more and conveniently finessing past the Volker rule and an independent Consumer Protection agency.

Poll

21 votes Show Results

Obama is

21 votes Vote Now!

Obama is

just doing the right thing

7 votes

whatever

14 votes

SHHHHH...dont use the M word!

inforet

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Friday March 12, 2010 · 7:33 AM PST

2010/03/12 · 07:33

It’s really interesting that the writings of democrats promoting this bill (and subliminally insinuating that we should ignore the 'rabid liberals'), always seem to miss the same single word that is missing from all press reports of HCR. And that word is 'Mandates'. If Mandates are not such a bad thing, and if they are necessary for comprehensive and meaningful care, why is everyone so reluctant to use the term?

Poll

47 votes Show Results

My ideal for reconciliation is

47 votes Vote Now!

My ideal for reconciliation is

The senate health care bill

2 votes

Reconciliation with an upperdown vote on PO

36 votes

Kill the bill

9 votes

10 reasons why you should support passing HCR

inforet

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Monday December 21, 2009 · 11:33 AM PST

2009/12/21 · 11:33

I have been an ardent foe of the no-public-option-with-mandate Senate Health Bill. I just couldn't convince myself that it was worth supporting. And the dishonesty that has been emanating from the Whitehouse on almost everything this entire year, hadn't helped either.

But in the last couple days I have changed my mind. Please follow me over the fold on why I think you should too

Poll

50 votes Show Results

What do you say

50 votes Vote Now!

What do you say

I now support this bill

14 votes

my head hurts

36 votes

Why so-called liberals and democrats suddenly love Bolton

inforet

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Thursday July 20, 2006 · 8:13 AM PDT

2006/07/20 · 08:13

Voinovich has come out to say that he'll support Bolton this time around, and is urging everyone else to do so. This is of course--to anyone paying attention--is deja vu all over again. Read More

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Obama defends 'Race to the Top'

...but Obama ADMIRES Reagan, so whats all the fuss?

Gulf Disaster: The BRITS, BBC & Obama (apparently British pensioners trump Gulf Coast Americans)

OBAMA: "It turns out, by the way, that oil rigs today generally don't cause spills,"

Where are the REAL pictures of the GULF?

What Obama is NOT doing about the BP oil Spill

Its NOT the Carville, Stupid! its the GULF!

Obama's true concern about the Gulf

Rand Paul is more important than Gulf Oil Spill

SHHHHH...dont use the M word!

10 reasons why you should support passing HCR

Why so-called liberals and democrats suddenly love Bolton