update: Wow now over 170 thousand Signatures for WH Petition Resulting from the CT tragedy (link)

Tearful Obama mourns 'beautiful kids'

Source: aap

US President Barack Obama wiped away tears and struggled to compose himself on Friday as he mourned the dead in the Connecticut school shooting, and promised "meaningful" action to stop gun tragedies.

"The majority of those who died today were children, beautiful little kids between the ages of five and ten years old," Obama said. "They had their entire lives ahead of them, birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own."

Obama paused for several seconds, and breathed heavily, several times wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, as he gave his first reaction to the killing of at least 27 people, including 18 children, in the White House briefing room.

"Among the fallen, were also teachers, men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams," Obama said.

"Our hearts are broken today, for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children and for the families of those who are lost.

"As a country we have been through this too many times," Obama said, mentioning earlier shooting massacres, in Colorado, Oregon and Wisconsin.

"These neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, these children are our children.

"We are going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this regardless of the politics.

Read more: http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8580619/tearful-obama-mourns-beautiful-kids

Reich: Why is Washington Obsessing About the Deficit and Not Jobs and Wages?

link



Why is Washington Obsessing About the Deficit and Not Jobs and Wages?

It was the centerpiece of the President’s reelection campaign. Every time Republicans complained about trillion-dollar deficits, he and other Democrats would talk jobs.

That’s what Americans care about — jobs with good wages.

And that’s part of why Obama and the Democrats were victorious on Election Day.

It seems forever ago, but it’s worth recalling that President Obama won reelection by more than 4 million votes, a million more than George W. Bush when he was reelected — and an electoral college majority of 332 to Romney’s 206, again larger than Bush’s electoral majority over Kerry in 2004 (286 to 251).The Democratic caucus in the Senate now has 55 members (up from 53 before Election Day), and Republicans have 8 fewer seats in the House than before.

So why, exactly, is Washington back to obsessing about budget deficits? Why is almost all the news coming out of our nation’s capital about whether the Democrats or Republicans have the best plan to reduce the budget deficit? Why are we back to showdowns over the deficit?

It makes no sense economically. Cutting the budget deficit — either by reducing public spending or raising taxes on the middle class, or both — will slow the economy and increase unemployment. That’s why the so-called “fiscal cliff” is so dangerous.

In the foreseeable future our government has to spend more rather than less. Businesses won’t hire because they still don’t have enough consumers to justify additional hires. So to get jobs back at the rate and scale needed, government has to be the spender of last resort.

The job situation is still horrendous. Twenty-three million Americans can’t find full-time work. Less than 59 percent of the working-age population of the nation is employed, almost the lowest percent in three decades. 4.8 million Americans have been out of work for more than six months. The 40-week average spell of joblessness is almost three times the post-1948 average.

And even those who have jobs are finding it harder to make ends meet. Jobs created since the trough of the recession pay less than jobs that were lost. The median wage is 8 percent below what it was in 2000, adjusted for inflation. And wages are still heading downward: Average hourly earnings in October were 3.1 percent below what they were in October, 2010.

This isn’t just an ongoing tragedy for 23 million Americans and their families. It also robs all of us of what these people would produce if they were fully employed – roughly $2 trillion worth of goods and services that won’t be created this year.

more here

Madeleine Albright On Susan Rice's Withdrawal: 'It's Appalling What Happened Here'

Source: huffpo

WASHINGTON -- Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said she found the treatment of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice by Republican senators "appalling," arguing that her consideration to be the next Secretary of State became a "political football" that had very little to do with her actual career and record as a public servant.

"I just think it's appalling what happened here. Appalling," she told The Huffington Post in an interview on Friday morning, noting she had known Rice since she was 4 years old. "I think there are many aspects to this which ... are just completely fabricated and unfair, and just not the right way to treat someone who has dedicated her life to serving the United States."

On Thursday, Rice called President Barack Obama and formally took herself out of the running to be the next secretary of state. In a Washington Post op-ed, Rice said she decided to withdraw after "it became clear that my potential nomination would spark an enduring partisan battle."

"I think it was a political attack, in many ways, that had not much to do with her," said Albright on Friday, saying Rice had become a "political football."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/14/madeleine-albright-susan-rice-secretary-of-state_n_2299529.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

CALL ME ENTITLED

Now that the war on Christmas is over.... it's time to kill the old meme with a new one:

Real Life Scrooge Sends Letter to His Tenants Wants to Know if They Voted Obama so He Can Raise Rent

This guy decides to send this right before Christmas? Sounds Like there are some old folks at the apartment.... I am sure this is freaking them out.

huffpo link

John Obringer, Colorado Landlord, Threatens To Raise Rent For Tenants Who Voted For Obama



They say you shouldn't mix business and politics, but one landlord is doing just that.

John Obringer, landlord of Casa Adobe Apartments in Colorado Spring, Colo., issued a letter to his tenants on Nov. 27 threatening to raise rents for tenants who voted for President Barack Obama, KRDO reports.

The letter blames the Obama administration for a “continued assault on small business" that is "resulting in increased taxes, regulations and mandates.” Consequently, Obringer claims he'll have to resort to layoffs, pay cuts and shorter business hours to survive.

"If you voted 'Democrat' on Nov. 6, please notify me ASAP so I can raise your rent first to help pay for what you asked for," he concludes the letter.

View the full letter below (I highlighted the part about raising the rent and why):

full story at link

Just Saying..We Could End Homelessness With The $ Americans Spend On Christmas Decorations (graphic)

The latest annual report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development shows that the national homeless population held steady from 2011 to 2012, hardly good news but perhaps better than expected given the relatively weak economic climate.

Progress is being made within the veteran community, with homeless rates falling by 17 percent since 2009, and among the chronically homeless, with 17 percent fewer people living on the streets as in 2007. But in the fight to end homelessness by the year 2020 — the stated mission of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness in their 2010 plan — progress isn’t happening fast enough:

“[The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness] have set ambitious goals for themselves, but I don’t think those are goals that aren’t doable,” said Nan Roman, the president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “But not at the rate that we’re going.”

Wow, this Video... (MI) Senator Gretchen Whitmer Slams Republicans over Right to Work.

She Nails it

Judge finds NC ‘Choose Life’ plates unconstitutional

Source: fox

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge has ruled it is unconstitutional for North Carolina to issue pro-life license plates unless the state offers similar plates supporting abortion rights.

U.S. District Court Judge James C. Fox ruled on Friday that North Carolina cannot produce or distribute the “Choose Life” plate.
Judge Fox concluded, “The State’s offering of a Choose Life license plate in the absence of a pro-choice plate constitutes viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation had filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in Sept. 2011 on behalf of North Carolinians seeking a specialty license plate that supports a woman’s right to reproductive freedom.

“This is a great victory for the free speech rights of all North Carolinians, regardless of their point of view on reproductive freedom,” said Chris Brook, legal director of the ACLU-NCLF.

Brook said the government cannot create an avenue to express one side of a political issue while denying an equal opportunity to citizens with an opposing view.

Read more: http://myfox8.com/2012/12/10/judge-finds-nc-choose-life-plates-unconstitutional/