[Arab News] President Barack B.O. Obama said Friday that "putting the economy into overdrive" is a top priority, even as a new poll showed the public giving him poor marks in this area.
Possibly because each thing he is proud of accomplishing hobbled the economy yet another notch. Such a clever man, who thinks we'll all be fooled by his version of "It's the economy, stupid."
The News Agency that Dare Not be Named-GfK poll underscored the selling job that confronts the president as he prepares to seek a second term: People like Obama personally, but just 35 percent say the economy's gotten better during his tenure.
Do people like him personally, or are they just being polite to the nice pollster?
Appearing in Schenectady, New York, on Friday, Obama announced that he was naming General Electric Co. CEO Jeffrey Immelt as the head of a Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, his latest move to court a business community that he's clashed with amid continued high unemployment. Addressing workers at a GE plant, Obama recommitted himself to spending the next two years trying to speed up the economic recovery. His success or failure there is likely to be the central issue of the coming 2012 presidential campaign.
Pass another bill to repeal Obamacare, O House Republicans, or to track down waste from Stimulus I or II, and we'll see what the central issue becomes.
"Our job is to do everything we can to ensure that businesses can take root, and folks can find good jobs," the president said.
True. It's nice to see you doing as much as just talking about it, Mr. President. That's a major improvement on your previous positions on the subject of business.
"We're going to build stuff, and invent stuff," said Obama, emphasizing the need to boost American exports to countries around the world, an issue that was a focus during the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to the White House this week.
Remove the impediments you put in place, Mr. President, and American businesses won't need the government to boost anything.
"That's where the customers are. It's that simple," Obama said.
His choice of Immelt to head the competitiveness panel won applause from the Chamber of Commerce, which called it a "promising step" toward creating jobs and enhancing US competitiveness. But the Alliance for American Manufacturing condemned the choice, dismissing Immelt as "an outsourcing CEO" whose appointment would "alienate working class voters." That underscored a fine line for Obama in pushing for growth into the global marketplace while still looking out for the interests of US workers.
The competitiveness panel replaces Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which had been chaired by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker. Obama announced late Thursday that Volcker, as expected, was ending his tenure.
Did they ever actually advise anything?
The change in the advisory board signals Obama's intention to shift from policies that were designed to stabilize the economy after the 2008 financial meltdown, to a renewed focus on increasing employment. The White House says the board's mission will be to help generate ideas from the private sector to speed up economic growth and promote American competitiveness.
Reduce regulations, reduce paperwork, reduce requirements on business employees, Mr. President. There, now you can disband this advisory board, too.
The shift in focus is aimed at winning over a public that remains skeptical of the administration's economic policies. Over half of those surveyed in the AP-GfK poll disapprove of how Obama has handled the economy, and 75 percent rate the economy as poor. However, The infamous However... three-quarters do say it's unrealistic to expect noticeable improvements after two years; they say it will take longer.
Mindful of those sentiments Obama told listeners Friday that "it's a great thing that the economy's growing
Is it? There are those who say this is but a false dawn, from the train entering the other end of the tunnel.
-- but it's not growing fast enough." For Obama, the visit to General Electric was also an opportunity to claim credit for tax, trade and energy policies pursued by his administration as the nation attempts to recover from the worst recession since the 1930s. It's the first of many treks during the second half of his term that the president is expected to take to put a more hopeful countenance on the economy amid stubbornly high unemployment.
Yes! It's time to put lipstick on that pig! May I recommend Sparkly Passionate Fuschia, Mr. President?
Or will it just be the usual dollop of Chicago Wheel Grease?
The GE plant is benefiting from a power turbine contract with India announced during Obama's Southeast Asia trip in November. Immelt also has been an advocate of alternative forms of energy, and the GE facility, the company's largest energy plant, is the future site of GE's advanced battery manufacturing program. New battery technology has become something of an Obama pet project as a symbol of innovation, clean energy and job creation.
Immelt's appointment adds another corporate insider to the White House orbit, underscoring the administration's efforts to build stronger ties to the business community.
Earlier this month, Obama named former Commerce secretary and JPMorgan Chase executive William Daley as chief of staff.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2011 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
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#1
"putting the economy into overdrive"
Yeah, uh Barry, might want to get it out of reverse before you do that.
#3
According to the Wall Street Journal, he definitely means new spending, never mind budget concerns on the other side of the aisle:
President Barack Obama will call for new government spending on infrastructure, education and research in his State of the Union address Tuesday, sharpening his response to Republicans in Congress who are demanding deep budget cuts, people familiar with the speech said.
Mr. Obama will argue that the U.S., even while trying to reduce its budget deficit, must make targeted investments to foster job growth and boost U.S. competitiveness in the world economy. The new spending could include initiatives aimed at building the renewable-energy sector—which received billions of dollars in stimulus funding—and rebuilding roads to improve transportation, people familiar with the matter said.
#4
#2 I think he's talking about a great leap forward.
Posted by: Matt ||
01/23/2011 9:35 Comments ||
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#5
New Government Spending: Giving more borrowed money to his cronies and leaving the taxpayers with the bill.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
01/23/2011 9:44 Comments ||
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#6
This headline requires correction:
Obama stresses US economic potential Economy
Barry is the problem, he has not a clue and he sold US to the Chinese this last week; Immelt - we are all going to Melt; The Daleys, right like I bet Bill has been advising his brother Jim on economic issues in Chicago and Illinois.... real winners there !
#7
So if 3/4 of people say 2 years is not enough time to measure the economy, but barry is out there saying it is good and getting better all the time, puts shades on, then he is of the minority opinion.
Its the problem with the concept continuous campaign human made effort to promote a person for public office, everything must have a happy face on it. Maybe all he did is promise to not start a trade war (everyone must agree something happened, Hu didn't just stop by for apple pie and wine) but even that would be important to US business to know...other than his close affiliates that is. Its like the coach and QB coming up with a play, but not telling anyone else what it is.
Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, sounds like adding people's democratic republic in front of a country's name.
#8
I think any halfway intelligent person can give O'bumble a better plan than he's working on right now:
1. Cut spending. Half or more of it's a waste anyway.
2. Fire the "Czars". They only get in the way and cost far more than they're worth.
3. Reduce taxes, especially those on business and investment.
4. Reduce the regulatory burden. It costs us over $1 trillion a year.
5. Reduce or eliminate most of the burden on developing domestic energy production.
6. Allow more drilling, faster.
7. Speed up the approval for nuclear energy plants.
8. Reduce the regulatory burden on the development of domestic mineral resources.
9. Quit the stupidity of CO2 being a "pollutant".
10. Reduce or eliminate farm subsidies, especially on ethanol.
11. Reduce the power of labor unions and their drag on the economy. Why are the railroads still saddled with a 1942-era Executive Order requiring them to be unionized?
12. Start fighting wars to WIN, not "tied". Build up the national defense structure to where we can fight two wars simultaneously without being totally dependent upon the National Guard and Reserves. We're going to have MORE wars in the future, not fewer.
13. Restore public confidence in the voting process by actually prosecuting voter fraud, instead of sweeping it under the rug.
14. Secure the borders and start cleaning house of all the "undocumented immigrants" - i.e. illegal aliens. We have a process for immigration - strengthen it and ensure it's followed.
15. Cut the size of government by at LEAST one-fourth. We have far too many "civil servants".
16. Stop putting burdens on the states they didn't ask for, and can ill afford.
That didn't even take me five minutes. I'd bet that if these suggestions were implemented, even if only 50% of them were implemented, or if they all were only halfway implemented, our economy would BOOM.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/23/2011 16:38 Comments ||
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#9
ION BAMMER, DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > THE GORBACHEV PREDICAMENT: HOW OBAMA'S POLITICAL CHALLENGES RESEMBLE GORBACHVE'S. Obama-ism setting the stage for USSR-style implosion of the USA in 21st century???
* SAME > IRAN TO CONSTRUCT FIVE BASES ALONG BORDERS. Iran being organized into five strategic militarys ectors, each wid a major Milbase???
* ISRAEL NN > IRAN: WARSHIPS TO SAIL IN MEDITERRANEAN [+ Red Sea near Israel]. Navy ships will also be charged to "collect intelligence"???
This post is NOT an invitation to indulge birther fantasies in the comments. AoS.
[Arab News] Hawaii's governor will end his quest to prove President Barack B.O. Obama was born in Hawaii because it's against state law to release private documents, his office said Friday.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat who was a friend of Obama's parents and knew him as a child, launched an effort last month to find a way to dispel conspiracy theories that the president was born elsewhere.
So-called "birthers" claim Obama is ineligible to be president because they say there's no proof he was born in the United States, with many of the skeptics questioning whether he was actually born in Kenya, his father's home country.
The governor said at the time he was bothered by people who questioned Obama's birthplace for political reasons.
State Attorney General David Louie told the governor he can't disclose an individual's birth documentation without a person's consent, Abercrombie spokeswoman Donalyn Dela Cruz said.
"There is nothing more that Gov. Abercrombie can do within the law to produce a document," said Dela Cruz.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/23/2011 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
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#1
Can we speculate as to whether He is the anti-Christ?
#2
I would like to see it, but I think he was born in Hawaii.
I will just settle for the fact he is a liberal dipshit that has no real understanding or desire to know how the real world works and prefers to lead from his fantasy.
#4
seems to me that Governor dumbass went and fanned the flames on this by promising more than he could deliver.
if he kept his trap shut this would die down. by promising to present the documentation then not delivering he has put up the impression that something is being hidden.
that does not mean there is something to hide, but the promise then the vague 'documents' that wont be made public sure gives the impression that something is up.
Posted by: abu do you love ||
01/23/2011 1:01 Comments ||
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#5
Obama could stop this birth certificate issue in it's tracks. But why should he? As long as it simmers the left can paint the right as a bunch of birther crazies.
The long form certificate might show up at a strategic time in the 2012 campaign.
#7
I don't get it. You have to provide a birth certificate to join the military but he doesn't have to show one to be the Commander in Chief and send you to war?
And no, gromgoru, it is about not who the father is, though that may be another interesting aspect to this story, it is the fact that the Hawaii governor and another HI Records official have publically made it clear that there is not a long certificate on file nor any record from the hospitals in Hawaii on his birth.
I don't see the reason to act smug when you mock those who point out the obvious. It doesn't matter if he has one or not. The point is that I have to present a birth certificate to get a driver's license and the POTUS should have to present one as well. What makes him above the law?
Posted by: Martini ||
01/23/2011 4:52 Comments ||
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#8
Barry is obviously above the rules and laws that govern the rest of us. Personally I think the reason he doesn't put this to rest, assuming he can, is out of disdain and arrogance. Either that or the BC has something icky on it like "Muslim" under religion deal or whatever.
Posted by: Jefferson ||
01/23/2011 6:58 Comments ||
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#9
Gov. Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat who was a friend of Obama's parents and knew him as a child, launched an effort last month to find a way to dispel conspiracy theories that the president was born elsewhere.
No, he didn't. He blew a 'dog-whistle' which attracted enough attention from birthers to allow the left-wing press to smear anyone to the right of them as kooks.
The Governor knew darn well he couldn't release private records. This was a very simple play, and he played it well.
#10
Yet, the Illinois Donks got the sealed portions of divorce proceedings opened to remove former Govenor Ryan (R) from the Senate race of which Obama was their candidate. Now what's this issue about privacy? /rhet question
#12
You have to provide a birth certificate to join the military but he doesn't have to show one to be the Commander in Chief and send you to war?
If you consider that OBumbles probably wouldn't be given any sort of security clearance if he wasn't President (or Senator) based on his association with a known, unrepentant, terrorist (Ayers) and his history.
#13
The Constitution does not say so much that he must be a US Citizen, or that his parent(s) must be born in the US, but that HE (or she) must be born in the US.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
01/23/2011 10:14 Comments ||
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#14
Rambler, it states that the person must be a natural born citizen. The problem is it does not specify what a natural born citizen is.
#15
Lucianne has a link today from a blog that posits that the issue behind not showing the birth certificate is that the name on it was changed to Barry Soetto (sp?) when he was adopted, and since he never legally changed it (back) to Barak Obama it would be embarassing.
Personally I don't care where he was born. It's his actions that offends me.
#19
Exactly my point. He wouldn't meet the constitutional requirement of being a natural born Citizen. Probably wasn't breast fed, either. Explains a lot.
#20
I have heard he went to Harvard on a Foreign Student Scholarship. I'm not sure as to the validity of this statement. If so, he either de-frauded his scholarship by being an American Citizen posing as a foreigner in order to receive a scholarship or he was never a citizen to begin with.
#21
I find it interesting barry's dad was friends with a once and future governor, along with many other interesting acquaintances and happenstance throughout the year...almost like a grooming from the get-go (not necessarily for prez but sure had a lot of lucky bounces).
If caesarian it would make him one of those garlic nosed people his ol' pastor does not like.
Question: if pro-choice, is it required for the parents to file paperwork officially recognizing a fetus as more than a growth, granting rights and privilages?
#22
meh. I'd rather see his transcripts, his thesis, and who paid for his high dollar education. Manchurian Riyadhian Candidate
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/23/2011 12:53 Comments ||
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#23
Kenyan and Indonesian Citizan...
So he is a kenyesian!
And yes it is crazy about proof of citizenship. It is out there, needed that stuff for a passport, DL, and de fact everytime needed ID for check writing, buying a beer or pack of smokes, registering class schedule, purchase of a house.
What should piss people off is that holding public office, person should be open to public scrutiny. It is not barry's lack of info which rubs me, it is that it has been decided to not be shared and that is a big red mistrust flag. It is the courtesy of proof of contract in everything from renting a movie to buying a house.
And that is what pisses me off about Obumble. Why do that, why not give consent? Running for the highest office in the land, and we are requesting you birth certificate, just like you'd need to provided for an I-9 working at McDonalds, or (as others mentioned) to join the military (in the role of Commander in Chief)
Its the absolutely narcissistic ARROGANCE of that empty-suited, crooked, Chicago machine-pol, shallow, moronic, popinjay occupying the White House that really angers me.
I'd love to be able to pop him one right in the nose. Hard.
#25
I could give a flying F on weather Obumbles is a natural born citizen or not.
What I am concerned about is what else is being hidden? Why would O need to hide his birth certificate so badly? And his school records?
The MF MSM refuses to go into any of his background. Not the birth certificate or his school records. Why? What is so horrible that it needs to be hidden so badly? If anything.
I think its more than simply respecting his 'privacy'. They sure didn't flinch from invading the privacy of Sarah Palin and her family - even to her grandson's 'other' grandmother.
You would think that 'investigative reporters' from the MSM would be slavering at the bit for a chance to investigate this.
But something is scaring them off.
Ok next question - does this tinfoil hat make my butt look fat?
#26
once again (sigh) the issue is that people entering the military, applying for a drivers license, passport or other documents don't have the right to scream racist, bigot, birther, conspiracy or any other holier-than-thou chant. They just have to put up or shut up and produce the damn document.
All attempts to wave this away are allowing that Obama (or any other presidential candidate) is more important than the rest of us and somehow immune to such basic scrutiny.
What the hell is wrong with you people who think that asking him to produce a certificate proving his eligibility is somehow an unreasonable request?
Posted by: Martini ||
01/23/2011 17:22 Comments ||
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#27
UPDATE Republican House Majority Leader Cantor said today he believes Barack Hussein "may" be a citizen of the United States...
#28
so freaking what? How does that change what I just wrote above?
Posted by: Martini ||
01/23/2011 17:37 Comments ||
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#29
oops - sorry. Didn't meant to shoot the messenger. Thanks for the update.
Posted by: Martini ||
01/23/2011 18:15 Comments ||
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#30
The 2008 election was the first one where any candidate had multiple passports or was born outside of U.S. territory, so neither political party had the idea of needing to check citizenship. Recall, there were questions raised about John McCain, too, because he was born in Panama. Fortunately, he was born on a U.S. army base (or navy, air force, whatever -- in these cases for us civilians, "army" covers the entire range of American forces, ok?), which is U.S. territory.
I have begun to wonder if someone didn't at some point wander in to the Hawaiian Bureau of Birth Statistics and steal his birth certificate, just to make sure things would never be proved. His grandparents and their friends were active Stalinists, after all, and this is just the kind of stupid spy game one of them might have thought clever... only forgetting to replace the stolen document with an exact copy one that didn't have whatever information they thought incriminating.
After all, if there was a notation in the log about the birth certificate, there should have been some kind of certificate there, no matter where he was born. The State Department should have something on file, too, attached to his first passport application when he moved to Indonesia... It's long enough ago that WikiLeaks probably hasn't managed to get hold of that particular file.
And, yes, Hellfish, somebody did. Google Phil Berg. As I recall, the final ruling was that he did not have "standing" in the case and so it was thrown out. I don't know how the judge reached that conclusion. Seems to me that anybody who is a registered voter at the time of the election would have had a legitimate standing. This whole story stinks to high heaven.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
01/23/2011 20:28 Comments ||
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#33
This is all dumb. Just pass a law in your state that anyone wanting to run for President in your state has to file proof of qualification for office along with the requisite petition signatures and forms. Then to be re-elected Obama will have to turn up the papers or not run in your state and give up on your state's electoral votes.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
