[xico]

Originally Posted by ekim68

I've been concerned about this too eggplant....I just keep hoping it's an anchor being pulled up...

Yes, it's disgusting. But that's why the Wall Street atoorneys were backing Obama from the beginning. They knew something that we didn't. Yet, you know, if he really tried to change it, he'd go the way of JFK, the last pres who thought he had the power to make changes. Yes, he's a little to the left of W, but (LOL) not much.

[LANMaster]

Yah .... turns out that Obama was the real Corporate Socialist afterall.

...... in addition to him being a Government Socialist

[Wino]

Originally Posted by LANMaster

Yah .... turns out that Obama was the real Corporate Socialist afterall.

...... in addition to him being a Government Socialist

LAN, you're beginning to make General Jack D. Ripper look sane.

[LANMaster]

Originally Posted by Wino

LAN, you're beginning to make General Jack D. Ripper look sane.

That a euphamism for Obama?

[poochee]

States move quickly to put highway stimulus funds to work

By Margaret Talev | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Every state and five U.S. territories have declared ahead of a June 29 deadline how they'll spend at least half the highway funds set aside for them in the $787 billion economic stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama earlier this year.

Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will announce that benchmark later Thursday at a meeting of the Recovery Act Cabinet, administration aides said. They see the benchmark as evidence the stimulus is putting more people back to work ahead of schedule.


http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/70654.html

[poochee]

Doctors, health care executives accused of Medicare fraud
updated 4:14 p.m. EDT, Wed June 24, 2009
By Terry Frieden
CNN Justice Producer

Story Highlights
•NEW: "We will ... root out the few who corrupt the system," Holder says
•More than 50 doctors, health care executives indicted
•Nearly 40 face allegations of falsely billing Medicare
•Officials stress government's commitment to combating health care fraud


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than 50 doctors and health care executives have been indicted and dozens of them arrested by the FBI in a $50 million Medicare fraud case centered in Michigan, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Nearly 40 of the suspects named in a federal indictment in Detroit, Michigan, are expected to appear in courts in Detroit and Miami, Florida, on Wednesday to face allegations of falsely billing Medicare, authorities said.

Attorney General Eric Holder, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and FBI Director Robert Mueller announced the indictments and arrests Wednesday.

The officials stressed the government's commitment to combating fraud in health care programs.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/24/...sts/index.html

[LANMaster]

Obama a hypocrite on health care?

Won't pledge to stay within government-run plan if own family needs specialized care

[poochee]

Holder tells Congress new hate crime law needed
June 25, 2009 12:03 PM EST | AP

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder urged Congress Thursday to pass a new hate crimes law which would allow the federal government to prosecute cases of violence based on sexual orientation, gender or disability.

"One has to look at the unfortunate history of our nation. There are groups that have been singled out, that have been targets of violence," the attorney general said. "We have to face and confront that reality."

About half of all hate crimes are motivated by racial bias. The other two most frequent hate crimes are those motivated by religion or sexual orientation.

Excerpts from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-w...r-hate-crimes/

[xico]

Neda Soltan's Family "Forced Out of Home" by Iranian Authorities
http://www.truthout.org/062509M?n
A correspondent in Tehran, The Guardian UK: "The Iranian authorities have ordered the family of Neda Agha Soltan out of their Tehran home after shocking images of her death were circulated around the world. Neighbours said that her family no longer lives in the four-floor apartment building on Meshkini Street, in eastern Tehran, having been forced to move since she was killed. The police did not hand the body back to her family, her funeral was cancelled, she was buried without letting her family know and the government banned mourning ceremonies at mosques, the neighbours said."

Tragic and heart rendering, as Obama said. But how heart rendering is the killing of 60 Pakistanis with the unmanned drones? Or are Iranians worth more emtionally than Pakistanis?

[poochee]

Analysis: Obama balances realism, idealism as Iran simmers
updated 1:43 a.m. EDT, Thu June 25, 2009
From Elise Labott
CNN State Department Producer

Story Highlights
•Obama's position has evolved since first comments after Iran election
•He walks line between preserving U.S. interests, being on right side of history
•President has repeatedly said he doesn't want to be used as "foil" by regime
•Recent overtures to Syria could be part of strategy in dealing with Iranian influence

But President Obama is nothing but a realist. In taking a cautious approach to the crisis, he is also maintaining flexibility to preserve his stated policy of engaging with Iran, in particular the prospect of direct negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program.

Regardless of the outcome in Tehran, the U.S. and its Western allies believe the Iranian regime will be left in a weakened state. This, coupled with a changed Mideast political landscape, could provide a strategic advantage to the United States.

As if to further manipulate the chess board, the State Department announced Wednesday the U.S. would send an ambassador back to Syria, after a four-year hiatus. The Obama administration has maintained engaging the Syrian regime could weaken Syria's strategic alliance with Iran.

Obama's election and his Cairo speech were viewed as presenting a voice of hope and change, particularly in the Middle East. The Iran crisis presents this young president with an early test of his ability to deliver on those promises.

Excerpts from: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/...iref=polticker

[LANMaster]

[poochee]

June 25, 2009
Senate committee cuts health reform costs under $1 trillion
Posted: 11:55 AM ET
–CNN's Ted Barrett contributed to this report

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Senate Finance Committee has crafted a health care reform bill that is less than $1 trillion, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Montana, announced Thursday.


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...er-1-trillion/

[poochee]

June 25, 2009
U.S., Venezuela reinstate top diplomats
To advance and enhance outreach to the Venezuelan people.
Posted: 03:28 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The United States and Venezuela will reinstate each others' ambassadors in the coming days, nine months after a diplomatic spat resulted in their expulsions, the State Department said Thursday.

An exchange of diplomatic notes paved the way for U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy to return to Venezuela, and for Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez Herrera to retake his post in Washington, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...top-diplomats/

[poochee]

Senate ends delay on Koh confirmation
Published: Thursday, June 25, 2009
By Mary E. O’Leary, Register Topics Editor

Harold Koh, former dean of the Yale Law School, is expected to be confirmed today by the U.S. Senate to the position of top legal adviser at the State Department.

By a vote of 65-33 Wednesday, the Senate voted for cloture to end the delay on confirming Koh, who was nominated for the important position by President Barack Obama in mid-March.

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2...-nekohvote.txt

[poochee]

Huffpost - Hamas Welcomes Obama's "New Language"
ALBERT AJI | June 25, 2009 04:50 PM EST |

DAMASCUS, Syria — The top Hamas leader on Thursday welcomed what he said is "new language" by President Barack Obama toward the Islamic militant group _ part of Hamas' cautious outreach to Washington in recent weeks.

In a televised speech, Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal avoided any mention of the recent turmoil in Iran, even though the Islamic militant group is backed by the Tehran regime.

Earlier Thursday, Iran's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, accused Obama of meddling because of growing U.S. criticism of Iran's clampdown on opposition protesters. Iran's other militant ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, has sided with Iran's ruling clerics.

Hamas has been trying to reach out to the Obama administration in hopes of breaking out of its international isolation and prying open the borders of blockaded Hamas-ruled Gaza.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_221053.html