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The First PiP I Love President Obama Thread
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The First PiP I Love President Obama Thread |
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JenniferMaxwell
since 2006-09-14
Posts 2423 |
For True Fans - a place to scream your head off about the wonderful things he’s done for We the People and our country. “Together, in February 2009, we passed the Recovery Act -- taking our economy from the brink of disaster to the road to recovery, and keeping President Obama's campaign promise of giving 95% of working Americans a tax cut. Now, it's tax season, and there are more than a dozen ways the Recovery Act is helping folks save -- credits for new homeowners, help with saving for college, and rewards for making your home more energy efficient.” See How Much You Could Save Thanks To The Recovery Act http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/taxsavings |
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JenniferMaxwell
since 2006-09-14
Posts 2423 |
President Obama - working to make our country and the world safe from terrorists. "An Opportunity -- Not Simply to Talk, But to Act" Today the President and delegations from 46 other nations are working to address the most dire threat of our time: nuclear terrorism. It is the second day of the Nuclear Security Summit, following a first day during which several nations made significant commitments which will strengthen the global effort to maintain nuclear security and nonproliferation. For instance: •Chile has shipped its highly enriched uranium to the United States; Ukraine has agreed to ship its highly enriched uranium out of the country within two years; and Canada has agreed to ship its used highly enriched uranium to the United States. •The United States and Russia have reached an agreement on plutonium disposal, a deal that has been stalled since 2000, and which commits both countries to eliminate enough total plutonium for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons. •Recognizing the importance of this summit, and that its goals require a long-term commitment, South Korea has agreed to host the next Nuclear Security Summit in 2012. And of course this summit follows two major steps on the issues of nuclear security, non-proliferation, and the threat of nuclear terrorism: the release of the Nuclear Posture Review and the signing of the New START Treaty with Russia. This morning the President addressed the first of two major Plenary Sessions, offering his condolences to the people of Poland for their recent losses, and once again laying out the scope of the threat before closing on his vision for progress.” http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/04/13/opportunity-not-simply-talk-act |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
FACT CHECK: Obama skips fine print in nuke speech AP WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama laid out a nightmare scenario on Tuesday — a terrorist with atomic bomb materials no bigger than an apple who could launch an attack killing hundreds of thousands of people. In doing so, Obama skimped on details that make that kind of attack a more remote danger than he implied in his brief opening remarks to more than 40 world leaders, even as he got the broad picture right. The gathering, called by Obama, was intended to focus global attention on the problem of nuclear materials that could fall into the wrong hands. Here's a look at the facts behind Obama's outline of the threat from nuclear terrorism: OBAMA: Said in comparing today's threat to that during the Cold War: "The risk of a nuclear confrontation between nations has gone down, but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up." THE FACTS: Yes, the bleak Cold War vision of mutual annihilation is all but gone now, and in its place is a new kind of risk. But linking the two, as he did, implies that the outcome from both scenarios is comparable. He is correct that the numerical risk of an attack is higher now simply because there is so much material stockpiled and so many ways it could be misused. Yet the consequences are more limited now than from a nuclear exchange between superpowers with thousands of warheads each. The more likely scenario now is a limited attack confined to one city rather than global nuclear winter. OBAMA: Said nuclear materials that could be stolen or sold for use as a weapon exist in dozens of nations. THE FACTS: Correct. Arms control experts count roughly 40 nations with either weapons stocks or other nuclear facilities or material that could be misused. In most cases, however, the material or facilities are under what those nations claim is sufficient control. OBAMA: "Just the smallest amount of plutonium — about the size of an apple — could kill and injure hundreds of thousands of innocent people." THE FACTS: The apple might be a nice visual, but perhaps a little misleading. Brookings Institution arms control expert Steven Pifer, largely agreeing with Obama, has one quibble: He says such a package would be closer to the size of a grapefruit. More broadly, it is true that highly trained scientists and engineers with specialized equipment could fashion a small bomb that, as Obama said, could kill hundreds of thousands. But the facilities and technique needed to do so are presumed to be beyond the current reach of most terrorist groups or militant movements. The scenario of a miniature but extraordinarily lethal bomb is hardly impossible, nonproliferation experts say, but probably represents less of a risk than a terrorist group getting hold of 50-80 pounds of enriched uranium and fashioning a crude device that would be larger and harder to conceal. Such a crude device might, however, be just as deadly. OBAMA: "Terrorist networks such as al-Qaida have tried to acquire the material for a nuclear weapon, and if they ever succeeded, they would surely use it." THE FACTS: Al-Qaida's desire for at least crude nuclear capability is taken as a given, although Obama and other U.S. officials have not spelled out exactly how the terrorist network has pursued atomic weapons so far. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100414/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_nuclear_fact_check |
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Juju Member Elite
since 2003-12-29
Posts 3429In your dreams |
Wow I should have started one for Bush lol. I think I will. -Juju |
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Local Rebel Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-21
Posts 5767Southern Abstentia |
quote: It would appear that Anne Gearnan skipped the lesson in journalism school on the difference between facts and opinions. There is no fine print on Mr. Obama's statement and he doesn't 'link' the two -- he compares the two. Gearnan is the one who is 'linking'. The President makes no such implication.  |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
So what comes after the nuclear summit in range of importance? Unemployment is regarded by every poll available to be the most important point to the American people. Instead of addressing it, Obama spent his time promoting cap and trade. After that was over, did he zero in on unemployment? Nope. Then came health care, the majority of which will not even take place for 4 years. That took his every waking moment for months. Surely, after that came to a conclusion, he would go after unemployment, right? Guess again..the nuclear summit came along to occupy all of his time once again. When that finishes, what will be the next priority that will replace unemployment at the top of Obama's to-do list? One can only imagine.... |
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Local Rebel Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-21
Posts 5767Southern Abstentia |
So, then, Mike? You think it's up to the government to fix the nation's unemployment problem? |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Excellent question, LR. To fix it...no. To allow it to fix itself? I would say yes. Do you feel that the government bears no responsiblity concerning a record unemployment level? Obama seems to feel that it is, since he has made fixing it his highest priority....several times. |
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Local Rebel Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-21
Posts 5767Southern Abstentia |
When the whole house is left burning Mike your highest priority is always putting out the fire in the kitchen, the bedroom, the living room, the garage, the bathroom, the closet, the porch, the dog house, the roof, the basement, the yard, the trees, the neighbor's house..... |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
True enough....and when you're dying of hunger, you spend money on food that you can eat now, not sunblock, that will prevent you from skin cancer you may get years down the road. Health care, the majority that won't even take place for years and nuclear disarmaments, which may or may not protect us from attack years from now, come in distant seconds and thirds to people out of work and starving NOW. Yes, it is a question of priorities.... |
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Bob K Member Elite
since 2007-11-03
Posts 4208 |
We can argue priorities as long as we want. While we spend our time doing so, it's useful to have some activity under way. Nobody said that the Senate or the House can't come up with some legislation on job creation on its own, and that the sponsors of that legislation have to be Democratic. Having a few decent Republican-sponsored bills might get the Democrats moving, if only to co-sponsor or to offer ammendments to keep the Republicans from getting all the credit. This wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, would it? Making a hydrogen weapon is apparently fairly difficult, since you need an atomic weapon to set it off, but the basic technology to make an atomic bomb is not all that difficult for trained engineers to pull off, according to Tom Clancy, who apparently does have a pretty good understanding of this stuff. Most of the basic material is not classified any more, and there are more than enough folks with engineering training who are capable of building atomic bombs to have spread the ability to do so to Indian and Pakistan and North Korea and, presumably, Israel. |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Jennifer, I have to use this link as my source to Rachael - seems Canadians can't see the live shows online. Do you have a link other than this one that may work for the poor Canuck up here? I would sure appreciate it. http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/ I was in journalism for years, and this woman has admirable integrity, and is about the only honest journalist I have seen and read in a long, long, time. Sometimes it is not about the money. I found MSN will now take me to the States if I direct it there, is this where the live broadcasts are done? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Mysteria, you are a wonderful lady and a good friend and I would not want to say anything to irritate you in any way but I also feel that you are fair enough to want to be sure of the truth. Just type in the words Maddow lies into your google search engine and then decide about her integrity and honesty. Or don't and that's fine, too  |
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Grinch Member Elite
since 2005-12-31
Posts 2929Whoville |
quote: I’d agree with you if all that was achieved was a reduction of existing nuclear weapons Mike but that isn’t what has just been agreed. When it comes to clear and present threats to the US jobs aren’t even in the ball park compared to the issue that the recent agreement sets out to tackle. . |
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JenniferMaxwell
since 2006-09-14
Posts 2423 |
Sorry I can't help you much Mysteria, I watch on her blog. I believe her show is live M-F 9pm eastern msnbc. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Which clear and present threats are you referring to, Grinch, and how is the nuclear pow-wow reducing their immediacy? |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Is Respect good enough? |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
WASHINGTON — Nearly four dozen nations signed a non-binding agreement Tuesday to secure vulnerable nuclear material by 2014, a goal President Obama said would make the world safer from a stockpile big enough to produce 120,000 nuclear bombs. Obama acknowledged there is no way to enforce the commitments made at the summit. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-04-13-nuke-summit_N.htm?csp=34&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomWashington-TopStories+%28New s+-+Wa shington+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo grinch, I would contend that the unemployment rate NOW is definitely in the ball park with actions that may or may not occur 4 years from now to combat a "present" threat. |
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Grinch Member Elite
since 2005-12-31
Posts 2929Whoville |
quote: Mike the aim is to secure the loose nukes and fissile material by 2014 not in 2014. That equates to around 30,000 less nukes per year available to terrorists who are itching to pull off another high profile attack against America. Think 9/11 times 100 if they manage it Mike, I’d say avoiding that is fairly important. . |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Important indeed....but is what they are doing now going to prevent that? 30,000 less nukes available? That's nice. How many nukes do terrorists need? The people or countries willing to supply them aren't there. The people wanting them for nefarious purposes aren't there. What is being done there that will stop them? |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
"The White House issued its Nuclear Posture Review Tuesday. It told our enemies that the U.S. won't respond to a biological attack with nukes. From now on if we want to destroy a country, we're just going to send them the White House economic advisers." --comedian Argus Hamilton |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Seriously now, that last post? I dunno. I'll try to be a serious non-irritant type of responder, but I would not deign to say that terrorists lack imagination, and even if they did? Movies, books, etc. provide enough material to keep anybody busy. Not to mention...the internet. Nod. I just watched a National Geo special on DARPA--which gave me a case of the wonders. |
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JenniferMaxwell
since 2006-09-14
Posts 2423 |
OVERDUE PROGRESS ON HOSPITAL VISITATION RIGHTS.... "The Obama administration has taken some important steps over the last year on gay rights, but arguably none is more important than the change announced last night. President Obama on Thursday ordered his health secretary to issue new rules aimed at granting hospital visiting rights to same-sex partners. The White House announced the rule changes, which will also make it easier for gay men and lesbians to make medical decisions on behalf of their partners, in a memorandum released Thursday night. In it, the president said the new rules would affect any hospital that participates in Medicare or Medicaid, the government programs to cover the elderly and the poor. "Every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindness and caring of a loved one at their sides," Mr. Obama said in the memorandum, adding that the rules could also help widows and widowers who rely on friends and members of religious orders who care for one another. But he says gay men and lesbians are "uniquely affected" because they are often barred from visiting partners with whom they have spent decades. ...... The change was reportedly inspired, at least in part, by the ordeal a Florida family endured in 2007. Lisa Pond was stricken with a fatal brain aneurysm, and partner of 18 years, Janice Langbehn, and their four adopted children, were prohibited from seeing her. Langbehn had power of attorney for Pond, but officials still refused. Pond died before her loved ones were even allowed into her hospital room. ...... A spokesperson for the Family Research Council, a leading anti-gay religious right group, characterized the policy shift as "pandering," and whined, "The memorandum undermines the definition of marriage." This is the same Family Research Council that recently labeled Obama "our first gay president." Whatever. The far-right can pout and send ugly fundraising letters about this, but decent people will still be able to consider this development for what it is: another breakthrough for decency, compassion, and common sense." http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023366.php |
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