Category: Politics

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executive orders Politics

Here Are The 23 Executive Orders On Guns Signed By President Obama

Obama-signs-executive-ord-011 Here Are The 23 Executive Orders On Guns Signed By President Obama

Today, the President has announced that he and the administration will:

1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system.

2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.

3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.

4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.

5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.

6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.

7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.

8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.

10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement.

11. Nominate an ATF director.

12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper
training for active shooter situations.

13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.

14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.

15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies.

16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.

17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.

18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.

19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education.

20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.

21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.

22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.

23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.

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Politics

The NRA Targets Obama’s Daughters In New Web Ad

We are talking about the NRA here. These are the same folks who, one week after 20 children were gunned down in Newtown Connecticut, came out and said, the only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.

Nothing is off-limits for the group of crazies who runs this organization, so when they released this new ad today, I was taken aback. But I soon realized who was responsible for putting out something so low.

The NRA!

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Politics republican fail

The Tide is Turning For Obama

Whatever happened to the Republican opposition? President Obama hasn’t even taken the oath of office for the second time and already the GOP has caved on the fiscal cliff, the prospect of immigration reform, and Sandy relief. Oh, and their opposition to any and all forms of gun control is going to cost them at the ballot box. Maybe not in their gerrymandered districts, but on a national level. Newtown was a tipping point. Mark my words.

The negotiations over the debt ceiling and spending cuts will likely go the president’s way too. Why? Because more of the public wants a compromise that includes modest adjustments to entitlements rather than the slash and burn Greek/Spain approach that the “take your medicine” caucus led by Eric Cantor is proposing. Do not ever forget that the true purpose of the Republicans Party’s spending program is to overturn the New Deal and Great Society. They’ve hated those programs for almost 80 years now and for a long time they could taste the victory they believed was rightfully theirs.

But then came November 2012 and the revenge of the real math league that correctly forecast an Obama victory. That didn’t just anger the right; it led to conspiracy theories and a final take-no-prisoners approach to governing that the GOP thinks is a winning strategy. It isn’t.

So now they’re talking about forcing the president to accept drastic cuts in exchange for a debt ceiling rise. The only problem is that most Americans are on Obama’s pragmatic side because they understand that the Recession caused the deficit, not the other way around. Once we get ourselves out of the downturn, and we’re slowly doing just that, the deficit will narrow. People will be productively back at work. Tax revenues will rise. Consumers will begin spending again, if only cautiously. So the GOP’s strategy is doomed to fail. They’ve tried it before and our credit rating was cut. Now there’s evidence that it could be cut more. We’ve seen this movie. It doesn’t end well.

President Obama seems like a new man these days, issuing ultimatums and using the power of his office to effect change on gun control and, I’m assuming, on immigration. He’s said that he’s no longer going to negotiate on the debt ceiling and he’s exactly right. If push comes to shove, he should invoke the 14th Amendment and let the Congress and the Courts figure out if he’s right. He’s said he won’t do that. Too bad. The other option is to call Congress’s bluff and let them take the heat when the government shuts down. Ask Newt Gingrich how that worked out the last time.

Oh, wait. I don’t care what Newt says.

The boss has a new attitude. And things are about to change.

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Politics Sports

Cervelli’s Dream

We are just under a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to their respective spring training camps. Right now, however, these camps are quiet. Not a creature stirring, not even a mouse. Well, with one exception. Francisco Cervelli has already reported to Tampa to get a head start on making a big league run this year with the Yankees. Cervelli’s chances of becoming the club’s primary catcher are pretty good coming into camp. If the Yankees continue to look internally for the solution to their vacant catcher position, the options are Cervelli, Chris Stewart and Austin Romine.

None of theses options are what you would call “sexy.” But I have always loved Cervelli’s intensity and heart. He plays with a fire that most guys don’t have. Romine is young and calls a very good game. His hitting is not where the organization hoped it would be. He was improving a great deal until he hurt his back and missed most of the 2012 season. Chris Stewart isn’t a bad option but he is definitely not your starting catcher if I had any say. Come Opening Day, my two catchers would be Cervelli and Romine. Spring training will tell who gets the start on Opening Day.

As long as the Yankees stick to their plans of getting a righty outfielder/DH and don’t go get a catcher, the job is Cervelli’s to win. He has something to prove to himself and to this team. He’s looking to show everyone that he can help the big league club and not just as a back up. He told Bryan Hoch of Yankees.com that this is his dream opportunity and he’s not about to settle. It will be interesting to watch him in spring training. He’s a great team guy and he’s a fan favorite. I’m pulling for him.

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Barack Obama Politics

President Obama’s Half Brother Is Running For Office… In Kenya

Malik Obama, the step-brother of U.S. President Barack Obama, said he will run for governor of the western Kenyan county of Siaya, where he may face a sibling of Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Obama, 54, will compete as an independent candidate during the March 4 national elections, he told a public gathering yesterday in Kogelo, about 310 kilometers (193 miles) west of the capital, Nairobi. Obama, who shares the same father as the U.S. president, said he will use his relationship with his half- brother to address issues such as poverty and unemployment.

“Siaya county is facing a lot of problems from poor infrastructure to poverty due to bad leadership,” he said. “I will change this if elected.”

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Benghazi Benghazi Politics

Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton Scheduled To Testify On Benghazi

This is what the Republicans have been waiting for. With this news, they can now feel that their work in Congress is complete.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will testify Jan. 23 before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the deadly Sept. 11 assault on the U.S. mission in Libya.

That’s the word from Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the panel. He said in a statement late Monday that Clinton will answer questions about the raid that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi.

Clinton had been scheduled to testify last month but she suffered a concussion when she fell during an illness. She was later hospitalized with a blood clot in her head.

She’s also expected to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee around the same time as her House testimony. That date has not been announced by the committee.

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Politics

President Obama – Not Raising The Debt Ceiling Is “Irresponsible” And “Absurd”

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Monday warned Republicans against refusing to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, calling such talk “irresponsible” and “absurd” and saying it would set off an economic crisis and financial hardship.

“They will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the American economy,” Mr. Obama said during his final news conference of his first term in office. “The full faith and credit of the United States of America is not a bargaining chip.”

The president repeated his vow to seek what he called a “balanced” approach to reduce the nation’s deficit during the months ahead. But he said he would not negotiate on the debt ceiling, and he said Republicans in Congress would be responsible for the effects of a refusal to raise it.

“It would be a self-inflicted wound on the economy,” Mr. Obama said. “It would slow down our growth and tip us into recession. To even entertain the idea of this happening is irresponsible. It’s absurd.”

He added: “America cannot afford another debate with this Congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they’ve already racked up.”

h/t New York Times

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Politics

Colin Powell – “Republicans Have An Identity Problem” And “They Look Down On Minorities.”

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell went on NBC’s Meet The Press today, and a discussion on today’s Republican party ensued.

During the interview, NBC’s David Gregory asked Powell why he continued to consider himself a Republican after supporting President Obama in 2008 and 2012 and taking moderate policy positions. Powell replied;

“I think the Republican Party right now is having an identity problem, and I am still a Republican,” Powell explained. “In recent years, there has been a significant shift to the right and we have seen what that shift has produced: two losing presidential campaigns.”

“When we see that in one more generation that the minorities of America — African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans — will be the majority of the country, you can’t go around saying, ‘We don’t want to have a solid immigration policy, we’re going to dismiss the 47 percent, we are going to make it hard for the minorities to vote,’ as they did in the last election.”

“There is also a dark vein of intolerance in some parts of the party. They still sort of look down on minorities. How can I evidence that? When I see [Palin] saying that the president is ‘shucking and jiving,’ that’s a racial-era slave term. When I see [Sununu] after the president’s first debate, where he didn’t do very well, says that the president was ‘lazy’ — he didn’t say he was slow, he was tired, he didn’t do well — he said he was lazy. Now, it may not mean anything to most Americans, but to those of use who are African Americans, the second word is ‘shiftless’ and there’s a third word that goes along with it.”

“Why do senior Republican leaders tolerate this kind of discussion within the party? I think the party has to take a look at itself. It has to take a look at it’s responsibilities for health care, it has to take a look at immigration, it has to take a look at those less fortunate than us.”

You will be welcomed in the Democratic party Mr. Powell. Come on over!

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Politics

White House Responds To The ‘Deport Piers Morgan’ Petition

The Petition to deport CNN’s Piers Morgan gathered over 109,000 signatures, far more than the 25,000 required to get an official response from the White House. Well that response is finally here.

By Jay Carney

Thank you for participating in We the People to speak out on an issue that matters to you.

Let’s not let arguments over the Constitution’s Second Amendment violate the spirit of its First. President Obama believes that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. However, the Constitution not only guarantees an individual right to bear arms, but also enshrines the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press — fundamental principles that are essential to our democracy. Americans may disagree on matters of public policy and express those disagreements vigorously, but no one should be punished by the government simply because he or she expressed a view on the Second Amendment — or any other matter of public concern.

We recognize that the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, sparked an intense, and at times emotional, national conversation about the steps we can take as a country to reduce gun violence. In fact, your petition is one of many on the issue, and President Obama personally responded by sharing his views on this important issue.

n a recent press conference, President Obama also addressed the Second Amendment and the important perspective that law-abiding gun owners bring to the public conversation on this issue:

Look, like the majority of Americans, I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. This country has a strong tradition of gun ownership that’s been handed down from generation to generation. Obviously across the country there are regional differences. There are differences between how people feel in urban areas and rural areas. And the fact is the vast majority of gun owners in America are responsible — they buy their guns legally and they use them safely, whether for hunting or sport shooting, collection or protection.

But you know what, I am also betting that the majority — the vast majority — of responsible, law-abiding gun owners would be some of the first to say that we should be able to keep an irresponsible, law-breaking few from buying a weapon of war. I’m willing to bet that they don’t think that using a gun and using common sense are incompatible ideas — that an unbalanced man shouldn’t be able to get his hands on a military-style assault rifle so easily; that in this age of technology, we should be able to check someone’s criminal records before he or she can check out at a gun show; that if we work harder to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, there would be fewer atrocities like the one in Newtown — or any of the lesser-known tragedies that visit small towns and big cities all across America every day.

Jay Carney is White House Press Secretary

Alex Jones, the man who started the petition was invited on Morgan’s CNN show to discuss gun issues. It was an invite we’re sure Morgan regretted making. The show turned out to be an absolute disaster.

Categories
gun control Politics shootings violence

Gun Advocate – Stop Background Checks, End Gun Free Zones

Larry Pratt, an advocate for the Gun Industry and Director of Gun Owners of America went on Fox News Sunday today and shot down the idea that background checks would result in less mass murders. Pratt also embraced the NRA’s suggestion that everyone should have a gun, when he said that gun-free zones are not the solution because it tells people with bad intent where to attack.

Larry Pratt

“I think it’s false security that somehow we’re going to stop problems, when there’s really no way to spot these problems,” Pratt said. “Some of the most horrendous mass murders that have happened recently — including the one in Newtown — would not have been stopped by a background check.”

“We’re wasting our time going in that direction when we should be talking about doing away with the gun-free zones, which have been so convenient and such a magnate to those who would come and slaughter lots of people knowing that there’s going to be nobody that’s legally able to defend themselves in these zones.”

“In fact, background checks wouldn’t have stopped most of these mass murders that have occurred… We got to face the reality that we’ve got to empower average people, including teachers and other people in schools to be able to defend themselves.”

This is not the first time Pratt has made these claims. He embraced the NRA’s favorite Congressman Rep Steve Stockman, who introduced a bill to repeal the gun free zone around schools. Stockman, representing Houston, is considered one of the most vocal gun advocates in Congress. In promoting his Safe School Act to end gun free zones, Stockman said;

“Not only have so-called ‘gun-free school zones’ proven to be anything but that, they appear to have placed our children in even greater danger. Co-sponsoring the Safe School Act is the first step toward protecting our children.”

“The time has come to end the deadly experiment of disarming peaceable, law-abiding citizens near schools.”

Steve Stockman and Larry Pratt

Yes, you cannot completely stop mass shootings but sensible gun laws including background checks and regulations on the size of a clip can make a difference. New York has some of the strongest gun control laws in the nation, but the last mass shooting in this state occurred in 1993, twenty years ago, when 35 year old Colin Ferguson boarded a Long Island Commuter train and opened fire. He fired 30 rounds, six people died and nineteen were injured.

Gun lovers would say if everyone on that train had a gun, Ferguson would not have killed so many people. That argument in itself makes no sense. One man fired 30 times in a crowded commuter train and killed six people. Imagine how many more would have died if everyone in that car had a gun and started shooting.

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New York Politics

Public Health Flu Emergency Declared In New York

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a public health emergency in New York on Saturday in response to this year’s severe flu season.

Cuomo issued an executive order allowing pharmacists to provide flu shots to patients between the ages of six months and 18 years old. The order suspends state law that restricts pharmacists from administering the vaccinations to minors.

Two children in New York and 18 children nationwide have died because of the flu this season.

To date, 19,128 cases of influenza have been reported in New York this year. In comparison, there were 4,404 positive laboratory tests for the flu last year.

Since Jan. 5, the state Department of Health has received reports of 2,884 patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza, compared with 1,169 total hospitalizations in 2011.

h/t USA Today

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Piers Morgan Politics white house petition

White House Answers Petition To Secede – No, You Can’t

The White House politely shot down the secession petitions circulating on the White House petition website late Friday, dashing the hopes of malcontents who have submitted petitions to allow their states to withdraw from the union in the wake of President Obama’s reelection last November.

“Democracy can be noisy and controversial. And that’s a good thing,” wrote Jon Carson, director of the White House’s Office of Public Engagement. “Free and open debate is what makes this country work…But as much as we value a healthy debate, we don’t let that debate tear us apart.”

Carson offered the would-be secessionists a history lesson, explaining that the Constitution guarantees “the right to change our national government through the power of the ballot – a right that generations of Americans have fought to secure for all. But they did not provide a right to walk away from it.”

He also invoked the sad history of the Civil War as a cautionary tale for those who would so casually seek a repeat of our bloodiest conflict, writing, “More than 600,000 Americans died in a long and bloody civil war that vindicated the principle that the Constitution establishes a permanent union between the States.”

n/t CBS

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