Tag: President Obama

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Egypt Foreign Policies News Politics Russia United States war

The World Gets Dangerous

You can’t say we weren’t warned that Vladimir Putin might try to flex some muscles in Ukraine. After all, the Olympics are over, there were no terrorist attacks, Russia won the most medals, and Viktor Yanukovych turned out to be better suited for the summer games, beating a hasty vamoose from Kiev all the way to Moscow. Perhaps we could have a Dictator’s Marathon in Rio come 2016. I’d watch “Baby Doc” Duvalier run from shouting crowds. And you would too. After all, you watched Curling, right?

Let’s move on.

The latest is that Russian security forces are now in the Crimea and are asking Ukrainian forces to defect. They’re also trying to neutralize and reverse the events of last week when crowds in Kiev forced the President from his post. Putin is painted as the bad guy here, but the West has a problem on its hand that is similar to what happened in Egypt last year. A democratically elected government has been overthrown in a decidedly non-democratic manner, but since the people who have taken over are seen as a better alternative, the western powers are accepting the change. This is dangerous.

Of course, Yanukovych made this problem worse by leaving. Had he stayed and honored the agreement he made with the opposition, then the system would not be under such strain. And I suppose he could be invited to come back as part of a Putin-sponsored deal that restores the legitimately elected government and keeps Yulia Tymoshenko out of jail. I don’t expect this, but I didn’t expect the Crimea to become a world headline and another part of the world that most Americans can’t find on a map.

President Obama and John Kerry will need to finesse this so that we don’t look weak, but that we also don’t get involved in a shooting war. I trust that they’ll hold off the Republicans who want us to refight the Cold War with hot weapons and show Vlad the Invader what a real country does with its taxpayer-bought arsenal.

Maybe we can use Governor Christie’s expertise and cause a traffic jam that bottles up the Russian forces until we can get the UN to negotiate an exit.

This one bears watching, and is a reminder that we need to be thankful that we have a level-headed team in the White House to see us through.

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Foreign Policies Politics Russia

President Obama Warns Putin – Stay Out of Ukraine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama warned Russia on Friday that military intervention in Ukraine would lead to “costs,” as tension with old foe President Vladimir Putin rose in a Cold War-style crisis.

“We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of Ukraine,” he told reporters.

Obama and European leaders would consider skipping a G8 summit this summer in the Russian city of Sochi if Moscow intervenes militarily in Ukraine, a senior U.S. official said.

“The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine,” Obama said in the White House briefing room.

Facing yet another confrontation with Putin after butting heads with him over Syria, Obama said any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be “deeply destabilizing.”

Obama did not spell out what he meant by Russian military intervention.

Russia has a huge naval base in Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula and says it has the right to move troops in Ukraine under an agreement between the two former Soviet neighbors.

U.S. officials said they saw indications of Russian troop movements into Crimea but that their numbers and intentions were unclear.

The crisis has presented Obama with a difficult challenge days after pro-Western protesters prompted Ukraine’s pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovich to flee to Russia.

Armed men took control of two airports in the Crimea region in what the new Ukrainian leadership described as an invasion by Moscow’s forces, and Yanukovich surfaced in Russia a week after he fled Kiev.

Ukraine fell into political crisis last year when Yanukovich spurned a broad trade deal with the European Union and accepted a $15 billion Russian bailout that is now in question.

A U.S. response to any Russian intervention in Ukraine could include avoiding deeper trade and commerce ties that Moscow is seeking, the senior U.S. official said.

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Dick Cheney military cuts Politics

Dick Cheney – Obama is Cutting The Military to Increase Food Stamps

‘Dick’… Cheney was true to name and self last night when he did a telephone interview on Fox’s Hannity Show. Asked about the news that the Obama administration is considering cutting the military, Cheney responded with the usual racist stereotypes, typical of… well… racists.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is proposing cuts to the military to meet the Pentagon’s budgeted needs. The plan would reduce the military from its all time high of 570,000 to a more feasible number, between 450,000 to 490,000.

Cheney called the plan “absolutely dangerous” and went on to say that it “does enormous long-term damage to our military.”

He then dropped this piece of racist stereotypical nugget.

“He’d much rather spend the money on food stamps than he would on a strong military or support for our troops.”

You know, the first black president and all. Despite the fact that southern whites make up a larger population of food stamp recipients than blacks, the racists would still use this argument when they have nothing else to say and when they know that their base is looking for their daily dose of hate.

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Healthcare

President Obama Has a Message For YOU – Video

Millions of Americans have already signed up for affordable health insurance through HealthCare.gov.

But millions more are eligible for new or improved coverage. And if you’re one of them, make sure you get covered before March 31st.

President Obama recorded a message just for you — watch it now, then go to HealthCare.gov. Make sure you stick around for the end for a special surprise:

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Politics ted nugent

Ted Nugent Almost Kinda Apologized For His Remarks About President Obama

Feeling pressure from other Republicans who themselves are running or will run for office, Ted Nugent went on CNN earlier today and offered somewhat of an almost oh by the way apology, not so much to President Obama, but to all the “much better” men out there… namely the Republican men.

“I do apologize–not necessarily to the President–but on behalf of much better men than myself,” he said in an interview with conservative radio host Ben Ferguson, who’s also a CNN political commentator.

Texas attorney general Greg Abbott, the likely GOP gubernatorial nominee this year, came under heavy criticism from Democrats this week for campaigning with Nugent, who’s known for making outlandish comments about the President.

Nugent said he apologizes “for using the streetfighter terminology of ‘subhuman mongrel’ instead of just using more understandable language, such as ‘violator of his own- the Constitution.”

In his apology, Nugent appeared to regret more the fact that his language has been tied to Republican politicians from his state, such as Abbott, Gov. Rick Perry, and Sen. Ted Cruz.

“I apologize for using the term,” he said. “I will try to elevate my vernacular to the level of those great men that I’m learning from in the world of politics.”

While Perry and Cruz both said they found Nugent’s comment inappropriate, they didn’t rule out campaigning with him.

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Politics

President’s Weekly Address – Calling on Congress to Raise the Minimum Wage

Earlier this week, President Obama took the initiative by signing an order requiring that federal contractors pay their employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour. In this week’s weekly address, the president once again called on Congress to do their part for the American people and the economy, by raising the minimum wage.

But to finish the job, Congress needs to act.  In the year since I first asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, six states have passed laws to raise theirs.  More states, cities, counties, and companies are taking steps to join them.  An overwhelming majority of Americans support raising a minimum wage that’s worth about 20% less than when Ronald Reagan took office.

Right now, there’s a bill in Congress that would boost America’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.  That’s easy to remember: ten-ten.  And remember, the average worker who would get a raise if Congress acts is about 35 years old.  Most lower-wage jobs are held by women.  And raising the minimum wage wouldn’t just raise their wages – its effect would lift wages for about 28 million Americans.  It would lift millions of Americans out of poverty, and help millions more work their way out of poverty – without requiring a single dollar in new taxes or spending.  It will give more businesses more customers with more money to spend – and that means growing the economy for everyone.

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executive order Politics

President’s Executive Order Raises Wage for Disabled Too

President Obama’s executive order to raise the minimum wage for workers under future federal contracts includes a key provision to address concerns raised by advocates for disabled workers, according to the White House.

The president, who is set to sign the order at a ceremony in the White House East Room on Wednesday afternoon, announced his plan to take unilateral action at last month’s State of the Union Address and hike the minimum wage for low-wage workers to $10.10 from the current rate of $7.25.

Almost immediately after announcing his plan, advocates for the physically and intellectually disabled began pressing the White House to include the group among those getting raises. Under a government program that dates back to 1938, employers could pay certain disabled workers subminimum wages — sometimes for a fraction of the prevailing minimum wage.

But with Obama’s executive order, that practice will be discontinued with disabled workers laboring under federal contracts in the future.

“Under current law, workers whose productivity is affected because of their disabilities may be paid less than the wage paid to others doing the same job under certain specialized certificate programs,” according to a White House memo detailing the order. “Under this Executive Order, all individuals working under service or concessions contracts with the federal government will be covered by the same $10.10 per hour minimum wage protections.”

The White House says Obama will continue to push Congress to back legislation that would gradually raise the minimum wage for all workers to $10.10 by the end of his presidency, but the effort faces stiff resistance in the GOP-controlled House.

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Featured racist

Russia’s Olympic Official Sent Racist Tweet about Obama and First Lady – Tweet

You’d think Russia Olympic officials would do a bit more vetting before including these people in their Olympic ceremony. It is now being revealed that the lady who lit the Olympic flame to begin the games in Russia has some controversial tweets in her past. Notably one showing the President and First Lady looking at a digitally imposed banana.

Three-time gold medalists Irina Rodnina, who won gold in 1972, 1979 and 1980, tweeted this photo back in September. And like expected, the Republicans and racists here in America (most of the times, they’re all the same) rejoice in 3, 2, 1…

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Politics weekly address

President’s Weekly Address – Providing Opportunity for All – Video

President Obama gave his weekly address with a focus on the middle class and ways to provide the necessary opportunity they need, so that anyone who works hard, can succeed. The president again stressed on the ‘year of action’ concept he outlined in the State of The Union address and said that he will work with Congress but will do it on his own if Congress fails to act and within the confines of the Constitution.

I want to work with Congress on this agenda where I can. But in this year of action, whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, I will.  I’ve got a pen and a phone – a pen to take executive action, and a phone to rally citizens and business leaders who are eager to create new jobs and new opportunities.

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Abortions Politics

American Abortion Rate Lowest in Three Decades – Thanks Obama!

The report did not say conclusively that the lowest abortion rate in over 30 years is due to the growing use of contraceptives, but come on. If you prevent the pregnancy in the first place, you obviously have no use for abortions in the future, right? It’s that simple. The report however, is trying to be politically correct. They’re not trying to anger the Republicans who, as you know, are against contraception.

Here’s a Republican talking point you’ve probably already heard – that Obama’s policies encourages abortions. Well if that’s the case, what happened here?

The abortion rate among American women declined to its lowest level in more than three decades in 2011, according to a new report released Monday that is widely considered the country’s most definitive examination of abortion trends.

The 1.1 million abortions reported in 2011 represented a rate of 16.9 per thousand women of childbearing age, down from 2008, when a similar study estimated that 1.21 million abortions were performed at a rate of 19.4 per thousand women.

Resuming a long-term downward trend that stalled in the middle of the last decade, the 2011 rate was far below the peak, in 1981, of 29.3 per thousand, according to the report from the Guttmacher Institute, a private research group that supports abortion rights.

The decline in abortions from 2008 to 2011 was mirrored by a decline in pregnancy rates. The report did not include a detailed analysis of the reasons for these trends, which pose complicated research issues.

But the decline in abortions, the researchers said, appears in part to reflect the growing use, especially among younger women, of nearly foolproof long-term contraceptives like intrauterine devices. It may also reflect the impact of the recession and economic uncertainty, which can lead to fewer pregnancies, births and abortions, according to the authors, Rachel K. Jones and Jenna Jerman.

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bill o reilly Politics Super Bowl

Watch President Obama Keep Bill O’ Reilly In His Place – The Interview

In the first go around, Bill O’Reilly had his way with the first term President. Bill showed a level of disrespect to the president not seen in a long, long time. O’Reilly  lived up to his Fox News expectation and interrupted, cut off, spoke over the young Barack Obama. So when I heard that the President was offering O’Reilly another interview, I couldn’t understand the reason.

I do now. Like he did in the second debate against Mitt Romney, President Obama kept Bill O’ Reilly and his Fox News talking points at bay.

In the second go around, President Obama stood his ground and directly pointed out that Bill O’Reilly and the people at Fox are the ones pushing the misinformation to the country. He refused to allow Bill O’ to run the show like he did in the first interview and over the 10 minutes of the interview, President Obama got his message across, leaving Bill O’ to try to cut the interview short, but the President continued, letting the country know that he is doing his part, unlike those who wish to continue push a misleading narrative to their listeners… like Fox News.

Watch the interview below.

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Politics

Republican Senator Proclaims “The world is literally about to blow up” Because of Obama

Didn’t know the president’s State of the Union address had that much power. If you listen to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham,  you’ll be on the next flight to Mars if you’re a man, Venus if you’re a woman.

After praising President Barack Obama on immigration, South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham blasted the foreign policy portion of the State of the Union speech.

“The world is literally about to blow up,” Graham said, saying he completely disagrees with Obama on Iran policy.

Obama pledged to veto any additional sanctions legislation while negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program are ongoing.

“The world as I know was not remotely described by the president. Syria is a contagion,” Graham said.

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