Debby Williams's Blog

Community Meeting - Healthcare Insurance Reform

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:53:40 EDT

Crowd of approx. 400 were in attendance at Rep. Rob Andrews “Community Meeting” at Rowan University on Monday, August 24th.

I arrived at about 4:35pm and witnessed many OFA supporters, there were a few tea baggers waiting in line ripping up the information that was being handed out. They weren’t protesting with disrespectful signs.

Rep. Andrews began by letting us all know that everyone that wants to be heard will, and there will be NO SHOUTING or OVER TALKING ANYONE!

**Rep. Rob Andrews pretty much stated that…

Insured (those who currently have insurance) – will get to keep the insurance they have or can shop around in the exchange without discrimination (especially preconditions). The amount you pay for coverage depends on your income. There will be a cap on out-of-pocket costs.

Medicaid, Medicare, Veterans – coverage stays the same

Seniors will pay less and have coverage for the entire year

Immediate relief, cutting brand name drug cost in the donut hole by 50%

Uninsured – will be able to obtain affordable healthcare coverage or get it through their employer. Your employer will be responsible for paying a reasonable share of the premium, no less than 72% for individual and 65% for family coverage

The benefit of Public Option is that it will force competiton with private healthcare insurers’ examples: Etna, BlueCross BlueShield

Small Businesses with 25 employees or less and have an average income of less then $40,000 qualify for tax credits up to 50% of the cost of providing health insurance.

How will it be paid for…?

1-by eliminating wasteful spending of Medicare

2-tax increases for couples whose adjustable gross income is $325,000 & individual adjusted income of $275,000

Tort reform – will not bring down the cost of health insurance premiums…Texas tried tort reform and it has failed, their premiums have risen tremendously

Rep. Andrews basically answered the same questions over & over again to the tea baggers that came fully scripted. He stayed on message, and would not let them take control of the meeting. Not one of them agreed with any of the above, and not one of them ask a valid question.

You Have To Work For It !

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:49:25 EDT

Post from Obama for America: Letter to the Editor: "You have to work for it"By Christopher Hass - May 7th, 2009 at 7:34 pm EDT Comments | Mail to a Friend | Report Objectionable Content

Yesterday, Mitch Stewart sent out a message to supporters thanking them for the work they did in helping pass the President's 2010 budget -- a budget that invests in energy, health care, and education. He also encouraged them to take advantage of our online Letter to the Editor feature to help spread the word about the work they're doing in communities across America.

Andrea in Pensacola, Florida commented:

It was very fast and easy to write the letters to the editors.

The tool above takes you through every step, gives you tips and sends the emails for you!

Please take the time out to write a few letters to papers in your area. It's a great way to keep the movement going and to let others know how to get involved.

Marilyn from Crystal Beach, Florida:

Just sent mine. Here it is ...

I am about to turn 60 years old this month. I have been through many presidents. I am a baby boomer who marched in Washington for Civil Rights, Women's Rights, peace and I protested the Vietnam War.

November 4, 2008 was a milestone for me and for so many of my generation. To elect the first African-American President was something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. I am seeing it. But with President Barack Obama, it goes way beyond that. This is a man who came from humble beginnings and has shown the world that anything really is possible if you work hard at it. Even becoming President of the United States.

Now he is working as hard as he can to make good on all the promises he made during the campaign. He is doing that. To those who oppose him and think "Change" is something that has to happen now or there is no change, I say this: Nothing in life happens by wishing it to be so, you have to work for it. President Barack Obama is working for the change he promised us.

Take a few minutes to share your story with your local newspapers . . .

Reader Comments

FLOTUS!!!

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:40:25 EDT

Moments that shaped Michelle's imageBy NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON | 4/28/09 4:26 AM EDT Text Size:

In the East Wing, the talk sometimes turns to Michelle Obama’s legacy.

Nearly 100 days in, Obama’s aides look 100 years out and see a signature achievement they believe will last — the kitchen garden at the White House.

It might not seem like much, a small patch of earth to grow some vegetables. But aides say Obama wanted the garden because it signifies more — from the importance of healthful eating, to getting schoolkids outdoors to help, to making the White House seem more accessible. Those are some of the themes — practical, sensible, maternal even — that Obama has embraced in her new role.

The transformation from candidate’s wife into first lady is complex, just like the expectations and duties placed on whoever holds the job. But it is through the garden and a series of other events — some tightly scripted, others spontaneous, even a course correction or two — that Michelle Obama has begun to fill out her image in the public mind, and the public has embraced her in return.

Americans use words to describe Michelle Obama that are similar to those they used to describe Laura Bush eight years ago — nice, classy and intelligent. But they also see Obama as strong, elegant and confident — different from Bush, who was seen as conservative and quiet.

“She has come in as a first lady who is dynamic, who is a professional and strong, but there is something about the way she is handling the issues that make her seem like an everywoman,” said Michelle D. Bernard, of the conservative Independent Women’s Forum. “She shows that you can go to Princeton, you can go to Harvard and work at University of Chicago and still be a spouse and not be diminished. She’s made it clear that she is mom in chief and that she’s also incredibly talented.”

Here are seven events that shaped the public image of a woman now known simply as Michelle.

Day One: Everymom

On Inauguration Day, daughters Malia and Sasha were well-behaved and excited, but not too excited — just the way parents around the country would hope their own kids would behave. Sasha even gave her dad the thumbs up after he took the oath. Michelle was beaming.

On that day, moms “saw in her a piece of themselves. Someone you could run into at the grocery store, or see her at the girls’ schools, meeting with their teachers,” said Susan Kane, editor in chief of Parenting magazine. “She shared her family’s biggest moment with the world and every step of the way left America with a sense that her family was in this together, not just dad leading mom leading the kids.”

Protector in chief

Michelle Obama had barely been in the White House a week when “Sweet Sasha” and “Marvelous Malia” plush dolls began flying off store shelves, from the same company that made Beanie Babies.

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1st 100 Days

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:59:43 EDT

By meta Today at 10:29 am EDT (Updated Today at 10:29 am EDT)

Signed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Created White House Council on Women and Girls
Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel
Banished lobbyists from Government
Commitment to Transparency and Open Government
Transformed White House website
Initiated YouTube weekly address
Signed State Children's Health Insurance Program
Memorandum on Presidential Signing Statements
Established White House Office of Urban Affairs
Established Chief Performance Office and Chief Technology Officer
Appointed George Mitchell special envoy to the Middle East
Traveled to Canada to discuss trade and diplomatic relations
Established President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board
Established Domestic Policy Council
Passage of Recovery Bill with stimulus to create jobs and recovery.gov to track spending and access to all
Passage of 2010 budget, imstituting a more honest accounting of spending
Instituted a pay freeze for federal workers
Commitment to Clean Energy
Commitment to reform No Child Left Behind
Called for a comprehensive review and reform of DOD budget
Instituted bank stress tests
Instituted program to refinance home loans @ makinghomeaffordable.gov/
Conducted auto recovery review/recommendations
Called for overhauling the procurement and contracting process
Established The White House Office Of Health Reform
Put an end to torture as a policy of the United States
Plan to withdraw from Iraq
Executive Order to close Guantanamo
Transfer of Detainee to Control of the Attorney General
Major review of Afghanistan and a new plan
Removed Barriers to Stem Cell Research
Attended G20 and NATO meetings and formed new relationships to improve our security and national interests
Trip to Iraq to address the troops in Baghdad/met with Maliki
Opened up family financial support/travel to Cuba
Initiated nuclear non-proliferation talks
Commitment to high-speed rail
Commitment to improve Veteran's benefits, including digitzing medical records
Commitment to improve border security with Mexico to stop the flow of drugs and weapons
Traveled to Mexico and Summit of the Americas
Approved California Request for Waiver Under the Clean Air Act
Charged the Economic Recovery Advisory Board with tax code reform
Handled crisis with Somali pirates
Implemented small business and student loan lending initiatives Proposed reform for the student loan process
Signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
Initiated credit card protection legislation
Commitment to basic scientific research with funding and tax credits
Appointed a President's Advisory Council on Science & Technology to promote scientific and technological advancement, including international cooperation
Tripled the number of fellowships in science

HEALTHCARE

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:25:32 EDT

Tentative deal reached to move health carePosted: 12:30 PM ET
From CNN Congressional Producers Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh

House and Senate Democratic negotiators reached a tentative deal Friday to use a fast-track budget process to move President Obama's health care overhaul.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — House and Senate Democratic negotiators reached a tentative deal Friday to use a fast-track budget process to move President Obama's health care overhaul, according to Democratic leadership sources in both chambers.

Use of the special process - known as budget reconciliation - signals major health reform is likely to pass this year because, under the process, Republicans won't be able to filibuster the legislation. Democrats, who currently control 58 seats in the Senate, would be able to pass it with a simple majority vote, instead of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster.

Republicans, and some Democrats, had warned against using the tool to pass major policy changes without bipartisan support. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-WY, a key senator on health care matters, recently compared it to a "declaration of war" against Republicans.

Both the House and Senate are expected to pass the budget measure next week. Democrats have set a goal of passing health care reform by August.

Some posible movement on health care reform. CNN Radio's Lisa Desjardins reports

OBAMA AT 100 DAYS: BY THE NUMBERS

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:34:01 EDT

Posted: Friday, April 24, 2009 12:00 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: White House, The First 100 Days, Barack Obama

From NBC's Mark Murray, Harry Enten and Athena Jones
Today is President Obama's 95th day as president, but it's as good of a time as any to begin looking at his first 100 days -- numerically:

-- he's conducted 10 press conferences (Wednesday's will make it 11)
-- he's given at least 10 major speeches
-- he's held seven town halls (Wednesday's will make it eight)
-- he's embarked on 13 different trips (Wednesday's will make it 14)
-- he's signed 13 bills into law
-- he's signed 19 executive orders
-- he's, according to our friends at PolitiFact, kept 27 promises, broken six, and compromised on seven others
-- and he's thrown out ZERO first pitches at Major League Baseball games

Note: All other recent past presidents -- Bush 41, Clinton, and Bush 43 -- threw out Opening Day pitches during their first 100 days.

Note 2: By Wednesday, the only modern presidents who will have conducted more press conferences in their first 100 days than Obama are Truman (14) and Clinton (13).

Note 3: Of Obama's domestic trips, only three have been to states that weren't battleground states in 2008, and one of those exceptions -- Arizona -- will most likely be a battleground in 2012.

FLOTUS!

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:47:58 EDT

First lady says she sneaks off to fun restaurants

AP – First lady Michelle Obama speaks to children of executive office employees in the East Room of the White …

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press Writer Darlene Superville, Associated Press Writer – 43 mins ago

WASHINGTON – First lady Michelle Obama pulled back the curtains a little bit on life in the White House, revealing that she and her staff like to sneak out to eat at fun places.

Three months into her new role, she said Thursday she has the best job in the White House, doesn't miss cooking and that new dog Bo is "kind of crazy."

"Every now and then I have this thing that I like to do with some of my staff members, and we sneak out, without telling anybody, and we go and test out all the fun places to eat in D.C.," Mrs. Obama told children visiting the White House.

"I went to Five Guys and nobody knew it," she said, naming a popular chain of hamburger restaurants. "It was good."

Mrs. Obama didn't mean that she sneaks out of the White House without the Secret Service agents who protect her, but that she sometimes goes out without reporters following her, an aide said.

Mrs. Obama answered questions from children attending a program marking Take Your Child to Work Day.

She said would pick being first lady if she had to choose from any job in the White House.

"I think I have the best job in the White House. I don't have to deal with the hard problems every day," Mrs. Obama said. "I have some problems that I have to deal with, but I get to do the fun stuff."

"Because I don't get paid, I get to do whatever I want to do," she said.

She likes eating food prepared by the kitchen staff. "I don't miss cooking. I'm just fine with other people cooking," she said in a tone that made the children laugh. "Their food is really good."

Her least favorite thing to do at the White House? Running on the treadmill.

"Everything that I do here is really pretty worthwhile, even if it's hard," said Mrs. Obama, who gets up early to work out in an upstairs gym. "Maybe it's running on the treadmill ... sometimes I don't like to do that."

The students asked about Bo, the 6-month-old Portuguese water dog that joined the president's family last week; he was a gift for daughters Malia and Sasha. The first lady said she is spending a lot of time walking and training him.

A member of an energetic breed, Bo plays late into the night, as he did on Wednesday.

"It was, like, 10 o'clock. Everybody was asleep and we hear all this barking and jumping around," she said. "The president and I came out and we thought somebody was out there. And it was just Bo. He was playing with his ball. And it was like there was another person in the house."

"He's kind of crazy, but he's still a puppy. So he likes to play a lot," Mrs. Obama said.

She also divulged that "he loves to chew on people's feet."

More than 100 children and grandchildren of executive branch employees were invited to see where their parents work. Vice President Joe Biden's granddaughter, Maisy, 8, was among them.

Mrs. Obama quipped later Thursday about the kids being a tough audience.

"They asked me a ton of questions. They were hard," she said. "I think that was my first official press conference."

Obama's People Exhibition Opens in Birmingham UK

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:17:53 EDT

On January this year, The New York Times Magazine Picture Editor, Kathy Ryan, commissioned photographer Nadav Kander, to photograph Obama's new administration team as it was being assembled. 53 images later and we have 'Obama's People', which ran as a slideshow on the website of The New York Times Magazine at the time of Obama's inauguration.

The story of how this came to be in Birmingham, UK, as the World Premiere of the Obama's People exhibition, is all to be seen from the project website - www.obamaspeopleexhibition.com -

The exhibition is making national and international press and drawing huge crowds to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. So go read the story.

Obama: 100 days, 100 ways

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:01:05 EDT

From closing down Guantanamo and banishing lobbyists, to dressing down in the Oval Office and planting vegetables on the South Lawn, the Obama presidency is reshaping America. David Usborne takes stock

Wednesday, 22 April 2009

REUTERS

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech during a meeting with young people at the Rhenus sporthall in Strasbourg

enlarge

1 When presidents get invited to the annual Gridiron Dinner for a night of political skits among the Washington press corps, they always go. Not this one, who became the first sitting President politely to decline.

2 We have had lots of canine companions on the rugs of the Oval Office, but Obama's is the first first whose name, Bo, is also his master's initials. Better still, Portuguese water dogs come with fine Democrat credentials – Senator Ted Kennedy has litters of them

3 Americans have become accustomed to knowing that the so-called "enemy combatants" were being held at a safe distance – at Guantanamo Bay. But BO comes into office and instantly declares he will close it within a year.

4 Never mind the Bush policy of hostility to Iran, BO has been making tentative overtures, asking Tehran to cooperate on Afghanistan and edging towards face-to-face talks on its nuclear programme without preconditions.

5 In his first formal press conference, BO took a question from a correspondent of The Huffington Post, the political blog site. In this White House, old journalism must compete with new journalism.

6 As soon as the first cherry buds were bursting in Washington, Michelle Obama, accompanied by local school children, was breaking sod for the First Family's organic vegetable patch.

7 America is no longer shrugging its shoulders at the drug cartel violence shaking Mexico. BO and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton acknowledged that the US is fueling the problem, supplying guns and consuming the drugs.

8 The Beast. The new first limousine – a Cadillac with more armour than your average tank and bullet-proof windows – has already prowled the streets of London, Strasbourg, Prague and Istanbul. And Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day.

9 Rush Limbaugh is the conservative blowhard on the radio who millions of Americans long ago learned to love or hate. But now his visibility, ratings and influence have soared. Some even tag him the unofficial head of the Republican opposition.

10 When Nato fed live footage of Barack and Michelle arriving for a dinner hosted by Angela Merkel into a packed press room, scores of normally cynical reporters rose to their feet to clap.

11 It was President Rutherford Hayes who, in 1878, established the tradition of the "egg roll" on the White House lawn at Easter. But BO did it a bit differently, inviting gay parents and their kids to join in.

12 It did not take long before BO was attempting to warm up relations with Russia, hinting at dropping US plans for missile defence bases in Eastern Europe if Moscow could see its way to being more helpful on the Iran nuclear issue.

13 Sorry tennis fans, this was always going to happen. BO has installed basketball hoops on the White House tennis court, thus giving him a place to indulge his ball-bouncing passion – and keep in shape.

14 This president has been slower than almost any in filling all the seats of his cabinet which only met for the first time this week. Some of his nominees ran into ethics (tax-payment) problems.

15 BO ordered the release of Bush-era Justice Department memos purporting to give legal cover to "enhanced" interrogation techniques used on terrorist suspects that some would call torture and describing exactly what they involved.

16 Never mind if he spent half the election campaign battling rumours that he was a closet Muslim. In Turkey this month, BO – middle name Hussein – played up his years spent living in Muslim-majority Indonesia as a child and visited the Blue Mosque.

17 If Americans thought they were smart rejecting a white-haired oldie (John McCain) in favour of youth, they need to look more carefully at the man who won. Flecks of grey are now visible in the short-buzzed Obama coiffure.

18 At the Summit of the Americas, BO didn't run for cover when Hugo Chavez approached and thrust into his hand a book decrying American imperialism in Latin America. He said it was a "nice gesture".

19 J.Crew, the US high-street clothing chain that Michelle adores, has become America's most fashionable label. At the inauguration celebrations, she wore Crew shoes and gloves – and on the visit to London for G20, there she was at Downing Street in a sparkly Crew cardigan.

20 The anti-Carter. BO could hardly have been better served by those sharp-shooting Navy Seals who picked off three pirates off the coast of Somalia and rescued Captain Richard Phillips. Protracted hostage crisis averted.

21 It sounds so 1990s, but BO and Dmitri Medvedev of Russia agreed in London to get working again on reducing their nuclear warhead arsenals to even lower levels and soon, perhaps to just 1,500 each or even less.

22 Some thought it inappropriate with millions on their knees financially, but BO saw nothing wrong with using The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as a forum for selling his economic policies. No sitting president has done the late-night TV circuit before.

23 Never mind the West Wing, what about the West West presidential retreat? It's bye-bye Crawford, Texas, as BO looks to his native Hawaii as the best place spend down time with his family. Big air miles for travelling press corps.

24 Goodie bags are not BO's strength. First he gave Gordon Brown a DVD box set of classic movies and then an iPod to the Queen. You put those white bits in your ears, Ma'am.

25 The order was in long before he was President, but BO thought a programme to replace his Marine One helicopter fleet at a cost of nearly $12bn a bit extravagant. Looks like he will cancel it.

26 Reinventing the bow. Conservatives frothed when BO executed what looked awfully like a bow when visiting King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Not so insisted the White House, he just bent his body in the middle a little bit.

27 Kyoto is no longer a swear word in the White House. With other countries getting ready to renegotiate the emissions-cutting treaty, BO says America won't drag its feet but get out in the lead.

28 Rainbow cabinet. Bill Clinton used to show off the diversity of his cabinet that "looked like America". But BO's may be more diverse still, with seven women, four African Americans, three Asian Americans and two Hispanics.

29 Remember how George Bush Sr abhorred broccoli? Well, BO has a pet hate on the vegetable plate too. Or call it the red scare. There will be no beets grown in Michelle's veggie garden.

30 They may not be the best basketball team on the map, but the Washington Wizards have a new fan. Yup, BO actually showed up for a game the other day – against his hometown Chicago Bulls. (Wizards won.)

31 On edge since day one of the new administration – the leaders of Washington DC's various protestant flocks. The Sundays fly by, but the First Family has yet to pick a church in the nation's capital to worship at.

32 Rejoice, the rail age is back. BO says he is ready to spend $13bn developing a handful of regional networks of high-speed trains. It's not a lot of money, but it's been a long time since any president showed train travel some love.

33 Some call BlackBerry phones a gateway device (they are addictive) and others see them as a security risk when in the hands of a US president. But BO didn't care. He still has his.

34 Kid-friendly. The sounds of children are back in the White House – and on the lawn. The mini-Obamas – Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7 – have been given a spanking new climbing frame and swing set.

35 Lessons in not taking offence. BO is serene about his intellectual abilities, even though Arizona State University declined to promise him an honorary degree when he speaks to students on campus next month. He is too young and inexperienced, ASU said.

36 Lessons in riding the roundabouts with the swings. Three days after speaking at Arizona State, BO will visit Notre Dame University in Indiana, which will be giving him an honorary degree.

37 In his quest to curb the influence of lobbyists on government, BO has banned them from talking to his own officials about projects that might qualify for federal stimulus money. The lobbyists ain't happy.

38 Casual Saturdays. White House staff were told that the old Bush rule requiring suits and ties seven days a week was no more. For West Wing weekends, "business casual" will do just fine. (No flip-flops in other words.)

39 Setting a precedent, the White House forced General Motors to ditch its CEO, Rick Wagoner. The message is clear: if you want taxpayers' money (and lots of it), the government wants some control.

40 The medical research industry is flourishing again, following the lifting of Bush's restrictions on federal funding for stem cell research, seen by many as holding the key to cures for diseases like Alzheimer's.

41 America has its first black President and First Lady.

42 BO declared he would end the war in Iraq – carefully. Indeed, the end does seem to be in sight, though for some it could come sooner. Combat operations will cease late next year. The President expects to leave 50,000 soldiers in Iraq to "police it" until the end of 2010.

43 It's a sort of weekly letter from the White House and few Americans pay attention. But at least now, anyone who's interested can watch as well as listen to the Saturday radio address by the President. Since BO came in, it's been on YouTube, too.

44 There are 47 million uninsured Americans. This President says he is going to reform the healthcare system to give everyone coverage. Well, almost everyone. His words are encouraging, but there is a history here that is not.

45 There is no generational bias in this White House when it comes to music. Within hours of the swearing in, the Jonas Brothers (very young) were visiting the Obama girls; weeks later, Stevie Wonder was also in the building (older).

46 Sporting traditions are there to be broken, apparently. It went without saying that BO would throw out the first ball at the opening game of the Major League Baseball season for the Washington Nationals. They invited him on the mound. He turned them down.

47 It is what George W didn't want America to see: coffins arriving at Dover Air Force Base bearing the bodies of US soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pushing his agenda for transparency, BO lifts the ban on media coverage and pictures begin to be published.

48 Overload is a word this President may have never used, but might begin thinking about the next time he tells his staff he wants to give a press conference/speech/policy address or general pep-talk. An occasional day without him on television might be refreshing.

49 Havana here we come: the US blockade is 47 years old, but in his first 100 days in office this President has changed the mood music across the Florida Straits entirely. The embargo remains, but already he has ended travel and remittance restrictions for Cuban-Americans.

50 The Obama White House has been opened to regular visits by Washington-area schoolchildren to give them a first-hand view of government in action.

51 Barely one second after the swearing in on 20 January, a new White House website was on the internet with a feel and functionality far removed from the staid version that was there before. At www.whitehouse.gov you could look at slide shows or read the rolling Obama blog.

52 There are strong signals everywhere that the administration is preparing to get tough on domestic emissions, especially since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) categorised carbon dioxide and five other warming gases as deleterious to public health.

53 Wall Street is still reeling – as are New York's tax collectors – after BO set a $500,000 limit on salaries that can be paid to top executives of banks that take taxpayers' money to stay afloat.

54 We still don't know for sure where all of them were – in as many as eight countries perhaps – but we do know that the secret prisons used by the CIA for the holding and interrogation (torture?) of some "high-value" terror suspects have now been formally closed.

55 He told Americans he would cut the federal deficit, but so far everything he does points to it getting bigger and bigger. Not much help will come from his asking his cabinet this week to identify $100m spending cuts in the next 90 days. A drop in the proverbial bucket.

56 Openness about money. The first couple revealed that their combined 2008 income was $2.7m (£1.8m). Not quite as good as 2007, when they raked in $4.2 million. Where did most of it come from? BO's best-selling books, of course.

57 Talk of building a fence along the US-Mexican border has fizzled – it was never practical anyway. Instead the US now has a border Tsar. He is Alan Bershin and his job will be to reduce violence near the border and stop smuggling – of bodies northwards and guns southwards.

58 Reaching out to Jews too. When BO held a traditional Seder (dinner) at the White House to mark the beginning of Passover, it was another first for the kitchen and for the office of the President altogether.

59 Yes, he's a star. But Michelle is, too. There's no question that she rivals him in the celebrity ratings, which is why Madame Tussauds in Washington recently added a likeness of the First Lady next to the new Commander-in-Chief, lest tourists be disappointed at getting just one Obama instead of two.

60 He may have been wary of mixing too frequently with Hollywood A-list types, but his White House doesn't mind hiring an actor or two. Kal Penn, star of House and the Harold and Kumar comedy film series, has been hired to do public outreach.

61 BO says he will enforce laws prohibiting the export of assault weapons over the Mexican border but has so far shown no sign of wanting to renew the expired ban on such shooters in the US.

62 If Iraq is another man's war, maybe Afghanistan will be this one's. Already BO has increased troop numbers in the country by 21,000 and has unveiled a sweeping new strategy which see a much closer focus on neighbouring Pakistan also and new police and military training efforts.

63 When people protest against this President they say they are having tea parties. How very quaint. The reference of course is to the Boston Tea Party and the point at several of these parties this month was to protest against the tax code and all that federal spending that's going on.

64 Technology does not scare this one. And so we have witnessed the first virtual town hall meeting ever hosted by a US President. Among questions he took while standing before a small live audience in the White House: do you approve legalising marijuana?

65 $2,300,000,000,000: That's the little disagreement between Obama and the independent Congressional Budget Office, which thinks his spending/tax revenue projections vastly underestimate the deficits he will run under his budget plans over the next decade.

66 Stressed? Not he. It's Mr Cool, even in the financial crisis. It is the banks that are under stress, facing a "stress test" designed to see whether they can stay solvent through a long recession. The results are due out next month, and not a few executives are sweating.

67 Not a salad dressing, Cinco de Mayo is the national holiday for Mexicans that is coming up fast. Never one to miss a chance to reach out to another community – a massive one in the US – this White House is planning a big 5 May bash in the garden. Hit the piñata, not the President.

68 Don't mention your bonus, because BO doesn't want to hear about it, especially if your employer is called AIG. Under this President, you even have to give it back!

69 From bad grammar to bad taste. BO's gaffes are a lot less funny than GW's, and he left the politically correct gasping when he likened his bowling to "the Special Olympics or something". Cue much apologising to the Shriver family, which organises the event for disabled athletes.

70 As summiteers go, he ain't bad. At the G20, he didn't get the stimulus he wanted from inflation-wary Europeans, but there was new money for global trade and the IMF. And he won his diplomacy spurs by taking the French and the Chinese into separate corners on tax havens.

71 Email from the Prez. The army of supporters that elected him is still getting spammed, pressed into action in support of the economic stimulus plan, for instance. The theory is that voters can be cajoled into supporting his policies just as they were cajoled into electing him. We will see.

72 America hit by acronym storm. With his PPIPs (public-private investment partnerships), TALF (Term asset-backed securities loan facility) and SSFI (systemically-significant failing institutions programme, for which read, billions of dollars handed to the insurer AIG), it is hard to keep up.

73 Tongue-tying is so passé, thanks to the new resident of the White House who has made it acceptable to rely on a Teleprompter at any and all occasions where a speech may be called for. Any danger you will have to say grace at lunch on Sunday? Get a Teleprompter installed.

74 Relations between any president and the US Congress are rarely smooth. Kudos then for persuading both chambers to pass 2010 budget resolutions that more or less reflected the blueprint handed to them by the White House.

75 No president likes wayward family members. And yet this one doesn't seem to get distracted by a half-sister in Boston who has apparently overstayed her visa and faces deportation and a half-brother who couldn't persuade British passport officials to let him in at all.

76 Talk of brackets from this White House has nothing to do with taxes. BO saw no reason at the start of the March Madness basketball tournaments not to join everyone else betting which teams would reach which stages and finally win – putting them in the appropriate brackets.

77 Remember when Wall Street and the White House were in love? How they have drifted apart! Where financial types once would have queued to serve the new administration in the Treasury, now they are running away. Someone? Anyone? Timothy Geithner needs help!

78 When individual states like California and New York wanted to set their own limits on car emissions, the Bush administration said no, that's federal business. Less than a week in office, BO swept that aside, giving the states a free hand to get tough on Detroit.

79 She went sleeveless even before the daffodils came up. If Michelle has any regrets about the worldwide fascination with those bras sportifs of hers, maybe she shouldn't have posed without a stitch on either of them in her official portrait released back in February.

80 The charm offensive has had its dividends, particularly in the wooing of leaders abroad. Medvedev, Sarkozy, Brown... the Obama conquests are many and varied. But one leader is entirely unimpressed. That would be Kim Jong Il of North Korea with his toy chest of missiles.

81 Pity the Washington lobbyist. Not only is he or she barred from contacting officials about stimulus spending, among BO's first acts was barring them joining the ranks of his staff. Some exceptions have since been made.

82 This President has pecs – which is why he is featured shirtless on the cover of the latest issue of Washingtonian magazine in swimming shorts. Really. McCain would have been so lucky.

83 This Vice President – Jo Biden – may be less stud-like but has a key role in the White House, even standing in for BO at the Gridiron Dinner. Plus, he has multiple portfolios including running the Middle-Class Task Force and speaking for his boss at home and abroad.

84 The road never gets shorter, but we now have a new pledge to arrive at peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution with a Palestinian state alongside Israel, a deal between Israel and Syria and the latter's return to the Golan Heights. But...

85 It was anathema to its own executives, but when it came to General Motors, BO signalled that he was not averse to a solution that would involve America's largest car-maker entering bankruptcy, at least for a short time.

86 The election of a Democrat was a disappointment to those conservative commentators, anchors and reporters at Rupert Murdoch's Fox News. But guess what, the channel is positively thriving now as the opposition broadcaster.

87 Old George has been pretty classy, keeping a low profile since leaving office; but not so Dick Cheney, who can't seem to stay away from TV studios – at Fox – to attack BO for his every foreign policy decision.

88 WAG alert! It was the induction of Carla Bruni, the first lady of France, into the exclusive Wives and Girlfriends Club that turned international summits into paparazzi fiestas. But move over Carla, Michelle is the centre of attention for now.

89 Remember the "you-are-with-us-or-against-us" days? This President goes around the world telling people he wants to listen. Some governments barely know how to react.

90 The presentation of Bobama the Portuguese water dog revealed there is still some spontaneity in how the First Family present themselves to the press. The girls decided only at the last moment to join mum, dad and pooch on the lawn. Unplanned but a perfect camera moment.

91 On the campaign trail he sometimes forgot where he was. As Prez, he did it again during his first foreign trip – to Canada. "It's a pleasure to be here in Iowa... er... Ottawa." Oops.

92 If he can't always get out to watch sports, he can always invite the players in for tea. Spied at the White House this week, Tiger Woods and members of the White Sox, his favourite baseball team from Chicago.

93 We haven't seen the results yet, but we do know that the Obamas are dipping into their pockets to remodel the private quarters of the White House, refusing a $100,000 subsidy on offer from Congress. But, hey, with their joint income, that seems cool.

94 Guns galore. BO is dithering, but gun enthusiasts still fear he will unleash his liberal instincts and impose sweeping new controls. Result: gun sales have surged since his swearing in.

95 It's OK to tell unkind jokes about him too, like: He has already has signed a new book deal. It's going to be about how he's made TOUGH decisions in his first 100 days. The chapter on how he made them will be called ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS.

96 He makes no secret of his reluctance to pursue those who may or may not have committed war crimes during the Bush era. Time to move on and all that. But the pressure is growing so fast BO may not be able to resist it.

97 He is nice to Chavez, Castro, Ahmadinejad, Assad of Syria and would probably give Kim Jong Il a hug if they met. But however chummy he tries to be with Republicans on Capitol Hill, they refuse to give the love back.

98 A new BO-hating star is born – Glenn Beck, formerly of CNN, now of Fox, who can't make up his mind if BO is dragging the US towards the abyss of socialism or fascism. Since January, he has built an audience of 2.2 million regular viewers.

99 Not a good number: 600,000 new jobless Americans each month since BO took office.

100 So, the Republicans, are they thriving in opposition? Do they have a convincing challenger to Obama whose name is not Palin? Do they have alternative plans for the economy? No. Not yet, anyhow.

From:The White House Blog

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:44:01 EDT

Monday, April 20th, 2009 at 3:31 pm$100 million there, $100 million hereToday the President held his first cabinet meeting, and made clear that relentlessly cutting out waste was part and parcel of their mission to make the investments necessary for recovery and long-term stability. Speaking to the press afterwards, he began his remarks expressing his pride in his Cabinet and the work they have been doing to start creating jobs again, then turned to the central message of the day for them:Many of the agencies have already taken some extraordinary steps to consolidate, streamline, and improve their practices. Just a couple of examples: Veterans Affairs has cancelled or delayed 26 conferences, saving nearly $17.8 million, and they're using less expensive alternatives like videoconferencing. The USDA, under Secretary Vilsack, is working to combine 1,500 employees from seven office locations into a single facility in 2011, which we estimate will save $62 million over a 15-year lease term. Janet Napolitano at the Department of Homeland Security estimates that they can save up to $52 million over five years just by purchasing office supplies in bulk.So there are a host of efficiencies that can be gained without increasing our personnel or our budget, but rather decreasing the amount of money that's spent on unnecessary things in order to fund some of the critical initiatives that we've all talked about. Obviously, Bob Gates just came out with a historic budget proposal with respect to the Pentagon, and we expect to follow up with significant procurement reform that's going to make an enormous difference.He laid out a specific undertaking as a first step:So one of the things that -- messages that I delivered today to all members of the Cabinet was: As well as you've already done, you're going to have to do more. I'm asking for all of them to identify at least $100 million in additional cuts to their administrative budgets, separate and apart from the work that Peter Orszag and the rest of our team are doing to go line by line with the budget and identify programmatic cuts that need to be made. And in the next few weeks we expect to cut at least 100 current programs in the federal budget so that we can free up those dollars in order to put them to use for critical areas like health care, education, energy, our foreign policy apparatus, which is so important.Read our fact sheet to go deeper into savings being found across government, ranging from rooting out fraud perpetrated on the USDA, to eliminating an international attaché at the Department of Education, to energy efficiency at DHS to going paperless at DOJ and the State Department.The President took a key question at the end of his remarks:Q A hundred million dollars, isn't that a drop in the bucket, sir?THE PRESIDENT: It is, and that's what I just said. None of these things alone are going to make a difference. But cumulatively they would make an extraordinary difference because they start setting a tone. And so what we're going to do is line by line, page by page, $100 million there, $100 million here, pretty soon, even in Washington, it adds up to real money. All right, thank you, guys.

Why Obama is Exceptionally Good at His Job

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:23:31 EDT

HALPERIN'S TAKE: Why Obama is Exceptionally Good at His Job

1. On major decisions, almost without exception, he does what he thinks is right, rather then what might appear to be the politically expedient thing to do; in the end, doing what he thinks is right actually turns out to be better politics.

2. He-- and his vice president, chief of staff, deputy chiefs of staff, congressional relations office-- are experts on Congress and know how to approach, manage, manipulate, finesse, and meld with the institution in virtually every respect. (Up to and as far as the considerable limits of three-branch government and multiple egos).

3. He is temperamentally suited to both the public and private aspects of the job.

4. His honeymoon with the media and the public continues unabated.

5. His political operation (and its closely coordinated allies) is modern, well-funded, and skilled at not leaving fingerprints.

6. He has vast reservoirs of charm.

7. He trusts his staff. Clear guidelines, no micro-managing, accountability, less back-stabbing than most governments.

8. He knows how to control his public image.

9. He is emotionally stable, and has a rock-solid support system of immediate family, close friends, and reliable advisers.

10. Criticism from his political opponents-- no matter how personal, vile, or off base-- bothers him no more than such things bothered Dick Cheney (which is to say, not at all).

11. He's not afraid of losing-- because he doesn't expect to.

12. He talks to his constituents as if they are adults who are willing and able to deal with complexity-- which is intellectually and practically satisfying to him, pleasing to elites, and gratifying to many citizens.

13. He has created a political organization that has unprecedented access to polling and focus groups, but he maintains a healthy distance from the up-down-in-out minutia, even as his advisers use the data to maximum effect.

14. The cyclical nature of economics, politics, and sociological trends seems to be on his side. For now.

15. He is rarely angry, intimidated, stressed, fearful, or joyless.

16. He likes the job-- its challenges, its history, its resonance, its power, its perks

Healthcare...Let's Help Dr. Dean !!

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:35:24 EDT

From: info@democracyforamerica.com [mailto:info@democracyforameri ca.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 5:02 PM
To: Rich
Subject: Frame the media message

Looks like you got their attention.

Less than two weeks ago, Governor Dean launched StandwithDrDean.com and asked you to join him in demanding healthcare for all Americans. We blew past our goal of 10,000 signatures in one day. In fact, we hit 250,000 yesterday -- that's less than two weeks!

You've asked what else you can do to make healthcare for all a reality. Today's target is your local newspaper.

From the New York Times (4/1/09):
"Lobbyists and Congressional aides have discussed a possible compromise: Congress would authorize a new government-run insurance program, but it would come into existence only if certain conditions were met - if, for example, private insurers failed to rein in health costs by a certain amount after several years."
"If certain conditions were met"? "After several years"? That's not reform. That's more of the same. The media needs to hear from you. We need to fight back before the opposition's message becomes the policy.

WRITE YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR NOW ( Link )

It's exciting that the New York Times editorial board announced their support for a public healthcare option today; it shows just how much momentum is building on our side. But one editorial is not enough when lobbyists can get their message into articles on the front page.

The fight to guarantee healthcare for all depends on giving every American the freedom to choose between keeping their private insurance - if they have any - and a universally available public healthcare option like Medicare. Without choice, Americans are stuck with the same broken healthcare system that leaves 1 in 6 without any coverage and millions more under-insured for the care they need.

President Obama's Prague speech transcription.

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:12:22 EDT

by Mark Halperin | Monday, April 06, 2009Obama's Remarks Sunday in Prague

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Hradcany Square
Prague, Czech Republic

10:21 A.M. (Local)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you so much. Thank you for this wonderful welcome. Thank you to the people of Prague. Thank you to the people of the Czech Republic. (Applause.) Today, I'm proud to stand here with you in the middle of this great city, in the center of Europe. (Applause.) And, to paraphrase one of my predecessors, I am also proud to be the man who brought Michelle Obama to Prague. (Applause.)

To Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, to all the dignitaries who are here, thank you for your extraordinary hospitality. And to the people of the Czech Republic, thank you for your friendship to the United States. (Applause.)

I've learned over many years to appreciate the good company and the good humor of the Czech people in my hometown of Chicago. (Applause.) Behind me is a statue of a hero of the Czech people –- Tomas Masaryk. (Applause.) In 1918, after America had pledged its support for Czech independence, Masaryk spoke to a crowd in Chicago that was estimated to be over 100,000. I don't think I can match his record -- (laughter) -- but I am honored to follow his footsteps from Chicago to Prague. (Applause.)

For over a thousand years, Prague has set itself apart from any other city in any other place. You've known war and peace. You've seen empires rise and fall. You've led revolutions in the arts and science, in politics and in poetry. Through it all, the people of Prague have insisted on pursuing their own path, and defining their own destiny. And this city –- this Golden City which is both ancient and youthful -– stands as a living monument to your unconquerable spirit.

When I was born, the world was divided, and our nations were faced with very different circumstances. Few people would have predicted that someone like me would one day become the President of the United States. (Applause.) Few people would have predicted that an American President would one day be permitted to speak to an audience like this in Prague. (Applause.) Few would have imagined that the Czech Republic would become a free nation, a member of NATO, a leader of a united Europe. Those ideas would have been dismissed as dreams.

We are here today because enough people ignored the voices who told them that the world could not change.

We're here today because of the courage of those who stood up and took risks to say that freedom is a right for all people, no matter what side of a wall they live on, and no matter what they look like.

We are here today because of the Prague Spring –- because the simple and principled pursuit of liberty and opportunity shamed those who relied on the power of tanks and arms to put down the will of a people.

We are here today because 20 years ago, the people of this city took to the streets to claim the promise of a new day, and the fundamental human rights that had been denied them for far too long. Sametová Revoluce -- (applause) -- the Velvet Revolution taught us many things. It showed us that peaceful protest could shake the foundations of an empire, and expose the emptiness of an ideology. It showed us that small countries can play a pivotal role in world events, and that young people can lead the way in overcoming old conflicts. (Applause.) And it proved that moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon.

That's why I'm speaking to you in the center of a Europe that is peaceful, united and free -– because ordinary people believed that divisions could be bridged, even when their leaders did not. They believed that walls could come down; that peace could prevail.

We are here today because Americans and Czechs believed against all odds that today could be possible. (Applause.)

Now, we share this common history. But now this generation -– our generation -– cannot stand still. We, too, have a choice to make. As the world has become less divided, it has become more interconnected. And we've seen events move faster than our ability to control them -– a global economy in crisis, a changing climate, the persistent dangers of old conflicts, new threats and the spread of catastrophic weapons.

None of these challenges can be solved quickly or easily. But all of them demand that we listen to one another and work together; that we focus on our common interests, not on occasional differences; and that we reaffirm our shared values, which are stronger than any force that could drive us apart. That is the work that we must carry on. That is the work that I have come to Europe to begin. (Applause.)

To renew our prosperity, we need action coordinated across borders. That means investments to create new jobs. That means resisting the walls of protectionism that stand in the way of growth. That means a change in our financial system, with new rules to prevent abuse and future crisis. (Applause.)

And we have an obligation to our common prosperity and our common humanity to extend a hand to those emerging markets and impoverished people who are suffering the most, even though they may have had very little to do with financial crises, which is why we set aside over a trillion dollars for the International Monetary Fund earlier this week, to make sure that everybody -- everybody -- receives some assistance. (Applause.)

Now, to protect our planet, now is the time to change the way that we use energy. (Applause.) Together, we must confront climate change by ending the world's dependence on fossil fuels, by tapping the power of new sources of energy like the wind and sun, and calling upon all nations to do their part. And I pledge to you that in this global effort, the United States is now ready to lead. (Applause.)

To provide for our common security, we must strengthen our alliance. NATO was founded 60 years ago, after Communism took over Czechoslovakia. That was when the free world learned too late that it could not afford division. So we came together to forge the strongest alliance that the world has ever known. And we should -- stood shoulder to shoulder -- year after year, decade after decade –- until an Iron Curtain was lifted, and freedom spread like flowing water.

This marks the 10th year of NATO membership for the Czech Republic. And I know that many times in the 20th century, decisions were made without you at the table. Great powers let you down, or determined your destiny without your voice being heard. I am here to say that the United States will never turn its back on the people of this nation. (Applause.) We are bound by shared values, shared history -- (applause.) We are bound by shared values and shared history and the enduring promise of our alliance. NATO's Article V states it clearly: An attack on one is an attack on all. That is a promise for our time, and for all time.

The people of the Czech Republic kept that promise after America was attacked; thousands were killed on our soil, and NATO responded. NATO's mission in Afghanistan is fundamental to the safety of people on both sides of the Atlantic. We are targeting the same al Qaeda terrorists who have struck from New York to London, and helping the Afghan people take responsibility for their future. We are demonstrating that free nations can make common cause on behalf of our common security. And I want you to know that we honor the sacrifices of the Czech people in this endeavor, and mourn the loss of those you've lost.

But no alliance can afford to stand still. We must work together as NATO members so that we have contingency plans in place to deal with new threats, wherever they may come from. We must strengthen our cooperation with one another, and with other nations and institutions around the world, to confront dangers that recognize no borders. And we must pursue constructive relations with Russia on issues of common concern.

Now, one of those issues that I'll focus on today is fundamental to the security of our nations and to the peace of the world -– that's the future of nuclear weapons in the 21st century.

The existence of thousands of nuclear weapons is the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War. No nuclear war was fought between the United States and the Soviet Union, but generations lived with the knowledge that their world could be erased in a single flash of light. Cities like Prague that existed for centuries, that embodied the beauty and the talent of so much of humanity, would have ceased to exist.

Today, the Cold War has disappeared but thousands of those weapons have not. In a strange turn of history, the threat of global nuclear war has gone down, but the risk of a nuclear attack has gone up. More nations have acquired these weapons. Testing has continued. Black market trade in nuclear secrets and nuclear materials abound. The technology to build a bomb has spread. Terrorists are determined to buy, build or steal one. Our efforts to contain these dangers are centered on a global non-proliferation regime, but as more people and nations break the rules, we could reach the point where the center cannot hold.

Now, understand, this matters to people everywhere. One nuclear weapon exploded in one city -– be it New York or Moscow, Islamabad or Mumbai, Tokyo or Tel Aviv, Paris or Prague –- could kill hundreds of thousands of people. And no matter where it happens, there is no end to what the consequences might be -– for our global safety, our security, our society, our economy, to our ultimate survival.

Some argue that the spread of these weapons cannot be stopped, cannot be checked -– that we are destined to live in a world where more nations and more people possess the ultimate tools of destruction. Such fatalism is a deadly adversary, for if we believe that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable, then in some way we are admitting to ourselves that the use of nuclear weapons is inevitable.

Just as we stood for freedom in the 20th century, we must stand together for the right of people everywhere to live free from fear in the 21st century. (Applause.) And as nuclear power –- as a nuclear power, as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it, we can start it.

So today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. (Applause.) I'm not naive. This goal will not be reached quickly –- perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence. But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change. We have to insist, "Yes, we can." (Applause.)

Now, let me describe to you the trajectory we need to be on. First, the United States will take concrete steps towards a world without nuclear weapons. To put an end to Cold War thinking, we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy, and urge others to do the same. Make no mistake: As long as these weapons exist, the United States will maintain a safe, secure and effective arsenal to deter any adversary, and guarantee that defense to our allies –- including the Czech Republic. But we will begin the work of reducing our arsenal.

To reduce our warheads and stockpiles, we will negotiate a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with the Russians this year. (Applause.) President Medvedev and I began this process in London, and will seek a new agreement by the end of this year that is legally binding and sufficiently bold. And this will set the stage for further cuts, and we will seek to include all nuclear weapons states in this endeavor.

To achieve a global ban on nuclear testing, my administration will immediately and aggressively pursue U.S. ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. (Applause.) After more than five decades of talks, it is time for the testing of nuclear weapons to finally be banned.

And to cut off the building blocks needed for a bomb, the United States will seek a new treaty that verifiably ends the production of fissile materials intended for use in state nuclear weapons. If we are serious about stopping the spread of these weapons, then we should put an end to the dedicated production of weapons-grade materials that create them. That's the first step.

Second, together we will strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a basis for cooperation.

The basic bargain is sound: Countries with nuclear weapons will move towards disarmament, countries without nuclear weapons will not acquire them, and all countries can access peaceful nuclear energy. To strengthen the treaty, we should embrace several principles. We need more resources and authority to strengthen international inspections. We need real and immediate consequences for countries caught breaking the rules or trying to leave the treaty without cause.

And we should build a new framework for civil nuclear cooperation, including an international fuel bank, so that countries can access peaceful power without increasing the risks of proliferation. That must be the right of every nation that renounces nuclear weapons, especially developing countries embarking on peaceful programs. And no approach will succeed if it's based on the denial of rights to nations that play by the rules. We must harness the power of nuclear energy on behalf of our efforts to combat climate change, and to advance peace opportunity for all people.

But we go forward with no illusions. Some countries will break the rules. That's why we need a structure in place that ensures when any nation does, they will face consequences.

Just this morning, we were reminded again of why we need a new and more rigorous approach to address this threat. North Korea broke the rules once again by testing a rocket that could be used for long range missiles. This provocation underscores the need for action –- not just this afternoon at the U.N. Security Council, but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons.

Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something. The world must stand together to prevent the spread of these weapons. Now is the time for a strong international response -- (applause) -- now is the time for a strong international response, and North Korea must know that the path to security and respect will never come through threats and illegal weapons. All nations must come together to build a stronger, global regime. And that's why we must stand shoulder to shoulder to pressure the North Koreans to change course.

Iran has yet to build a nuclear weapon. My administration will seek engagement with Iran based on mutual interests and mutual respect. We believe in dialogue. (Applause.) But in that dialogue we will present a clear choice. We want Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations, politically and economically. We will support Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy with rigorous inspections. That's a path that the Islamic Republic can take. Or the government can choose increased isolation, international pressure, and a potential nuclear arms race in the region that will increase insecurity for all.

So let me be clear: Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile activity poses a real threat, not just to the United States, but to Iran's neighbors and our allies. The Czech Republic and Poland have been courageous in agreeing to host a defense against these missiles. As long as the threat from Iran persists, we will go forward with a missile defense system that is cost-effective and proven. (Applause.) If the Iranian threat is eliminated, we will have a stronger basis for security, and the driving force for missile defense construction in Europe will be removed. (Applause.)

So, finally, we must ensure that terrorists never acquire a nuclear weapon. This is the most immediate and extreme threat to global security. One terrorist with one nuclear weapon could unleash massive destruction. Al Qaeda has said it seeks a bomb and that it would have no problem with using it. And we know that there is unsecured nuclear material across the globe. To protect our people, we must act with a sense of purpose without delay.

So today I am announcing a new international effort to secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world within four years. We will set new standards, expand our cooperation with Russia, pursue new partnerships to lock down these sensitive materials.

We must also build on our efforts to break up black markets, detect and intercept materials in transit, and use financial tools to disrupt this dangerous trade. Because this threat will be lasting, we should come together to turn efforts such as the Proliferation Security Initiative and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism into durable international institutions. And we should start by having a Global Summit on Nuclear Security that the United States will host within the next year. (Applause.)

Now, I know that there are some who will question whether we can act on such a broad agenda. There are those who doubt whether true international cooperation is possible, given inevitable differences among nations. And there are those who hear talk of a world without nuclear weapons and doubt whether it's worth setting a goal that seems impossible to achieve.

But make no mistake: We know where that road leads. When nations and peoples allow themselves to be defined by their differences, the gulf between them widens. When we fail to pursue peace, then it stays forever beyond our grasp. We know the path when we choose fear over hope. To denounce or shrug off a call for cooperation is an easy but also a cowardly thing to do. That's how wars begin. That's where human progress ends.

There is violence and injustice in our world that must be confronted. We must confront it not by splitting apart but by standing together as free nations, as free people. (Applause.) I know that a call to arms can stir the souls of men and women more than a call to lay them down. But that is why the voices for peace and progress must be raised together. (Applause.)

Those are the voices that still echo through the streets of Prague. Those are the ghosts of 1968. Those were the joyful sounds of the Velvet Revolution. Those were the Czechs who helped bring down a nuclear-armed empire without firing a shot.

Human destiny will be what we make of it. And here in Prague, let us honor our past by reaching for a better future. Let us bridge our divisions, build upon our hopes, accept our responsibility to leave this world more prosperous and more peaceful than we found it. (Applause.) Together we can do it.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Prague. (Applause.)

END 10:49 A.M. (Local)

FLOTUS

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:52:08 EDT

The First Lady accompanied her husband to Downing Street first thing for breakfast with British premier Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah before the men discussed Thursday's G20 summit and the women visited a cancer care centre.
Later, she was to meet "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling when she sits next to her at a pre-summit dinner.
Michelle Obama's understated chic has injected a welcome dash of class into the run-up to Thursday's G20 as world leaders descend on London amid rowdy protests in the City of London financial district.

"A razzle dazzling performance from the mighty Michelle," was the London Evening Standard's verdict on her arrival.

Change We Can Believe

Debby, NJ...Foot Soldier 'til 2016 !!! — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:35:41 EDT

Good Afternoon Obama Family:

This is my first time here...just wanted to let all know that you are doing a fantastic job getting the vote out for Obama...such dedication, and so refreshing.