WASHINGTON (AP) -- President-elect Barack Obama has increased his employment goal with the nation's economic outlook worsening, seeking to create or save 3 million jobs in the next two years instead of the 2.5 million he proposed last month.
Obama set the more ambitious target earlier this week after meeting with top economic advisers who cautioned that the nation's unemployment rate could exceed 9 percent given the current pace of job losses, Obama transition officials said Saturday.
During the presidential campaign, Obama pledged to create or save 1 million jobs. He increased that goal to 2.5 million over two years just last month.
Obama and his family traveled Saturday to his home state of Hawaii for a two-week vacation. But advisers were using Obama's guidance as a roadmap for a draft stimulus package to have ready when he returns on Jan. 2, advisers said.
Obama met with Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his economic leadership team Tuesday in Chicago.
Transition officials said Christina Romer, an economics professor who Obama has chosen as chair of his Council of Economic Advisers, opened the meeting by arguing that historical data and wide-ranging expert opinions suggest that upcoming economic problems could be more severe than anything the country has faced over the past half century. She said the country is likely to lose another 3 million to 4 million jobs over the next year without significant action.
Biden and Obama responded by pushing for a more ambitious jobs plan, driven by federal investments in health care, education and energy that could have a stimulative effect and lay the ground work for long term reform and a more sustainable economy. Ideas included weatherizing 1 million homes, shifting to a paperless health system, investing in disease prevention and modernizing schools.
Obama's team and congressional staff over the last week have been scrambling to come up with details of a plan to pump up the droopy economy with $650 billion or more in government spending over the next few years.
The aides met in the basement of the Capitol on Friday to devise ways to pump public money into science, energy, education, health care and infrastructure programs, as well as to help the poor and unemployed.
They hope unleashing a torrent of spending in the near term will create jobs and lift the economy.
Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress want to enact the still-emerging plan as soon as possible after he takes office on Jan. 20.
The plan, which some Obama aides think could swell to about $850 billion after negotiations with Congress, would be the largest investment in public infrastructure since the federal highway system was established in the 1950s. It also would provide tens of billions in dollars of aid to financially strapped states.
Obama declined Friday to put a price tag on his plan, but said the economic problems require a bold approach.
"I'm not going to give you a number because we're still making these evaluations," he said in response to a question at a Chicago news conference where he named four new members of his administration. "But you are exactly right that what we've seen, in terms of the evaluation of economists from across the political spectrum, is that we're going to have to be bold when it comes to our economic recovery package."
Biden, speaking in an interview set to air Sunday, said he believed there will be another stimulus package of roughly $700 billion to keep the economy from "absolutely tanking."
"The economy is in much worse shape than we thought it was in," Biden told ABC's "This Week," according to excerpts released Friday.
Transition officials said Obama and Biden directed the team to incorporate several principles into their job-creation programs, including:
-No earmarks for any spending proposals.
-Requirements that states and local governments use federal funds quickly to ensure immediate job creation.
-New public-private partnerships to support innovation. Transition officials said Obama expressed frustration with Washington's failure to jump-start "smart grid" power lines to increase electricity savings and said more partnerships with the private sector could help that idea get under way.
-Full transparency to ensure citizen oversight of fund allocation.
-Investments in ideas that work over ideology.
-A focus on reducing waste in the federal budget.
-Steps to protect workers from future recessions by enacting measures like the existing unemployment insurance program that automatically expand stimulus in tough times.
WE DID IT!!! WE WON NOT ONLY THE ELECTION BUT WE WON FLORIDA AS WELL!!! GREAT JOB EVERYONE AND NOW IT IS TIME TO PARTY!!!!
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR WORKING ALONG SIDE THOSE THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH!
THIS IS THE GREATEST MOMENT IN MY LIFE!
GOD HAS TRULY BLESSED AMERICA TONIGHT!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY
I know we are all tired but today is the day to make the change we have been calling for!
The time for our voices to be heard is now!
Lets get out there and make this happen!
YES WE CAN!
Early Voting for the entire state of Florida has just been extended.
Every Early Vote location in Florida will now be every day from 7am-7pm up through November 2.
Please pass along this great news to everyone you know who will be voting in Florida. Click here to find your nearest early vote location.
Here's the release:
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS ~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~October 28, 2008Contact:GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008. "I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote." Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting. Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting. Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29. Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217. STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217 WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties; WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; andWHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008. GOVERNORATTEST:SECRETARY OF STATE
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS
~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~
October 28, 2008
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.
"I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote."
Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting.
Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting.
Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29.
Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217.
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217
WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and
WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and
WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and
WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties;
WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; and
WHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:
I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008.
GOVERNOR
ATTEST:
SECRETARY OF STATE
Today was a great day. I got into the Hollywood office for the Campaign for Change and got on the phones. I called as many people as I could before my brain turned into marshmallow (that turned out to be 170 or so). I want to say I am glad I decided to get involved. It is easy to sit and say you want change but if you truly want the change you will do what you need to do to get it. I urge everyone reading this to go to their local office and volunteer, if you can't do that use the neighbors for neighbors on this site! Get involved, help create the change! It is the truest form of Democracy on the ground level and I have to say I love it!! In order to achieve change we have to get involved and defeat the apathy.
Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice. ----Arnold Toynbee
Bad things are going to happen, with or without the "bail out." They are throwing the politics of fear at us once again.
Bush wants another blank check, just like Iraq ... You see where that got us!
Now, they're conceding "Limited executive compensation." What does that mean? The people who raped our financial system will walk away with only $1,000,000, instead of $10,000,000? That'll hurt! OUCH! Poor CEO's!
And, despite all of this, today the Fed gave (something like) $30,000,000 to 4 countrys who are not exactly hurting (Australia & Finland among them).
Now McShame is going to swoop in & save us all. He has to do something. His #'s are getting worse. So, he'll try to play hero & hope he lands at the right place at the right time so he can once again take the credit for something he didn't do.
Nausaeting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement after the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations' hearing entitled, Dividend Tax Abuse: How Offshore Entities Dodge Taxes on U.S. Stock Dividends. Today, Subcommittee Chairman Carl Levin released a report on his investigation of dividend tax abuse:
"This report exposes yet another corporate tax abuse that costs American taxpayers billions of dollars each year.
"It is unacceptable for U.S. banks to reap enormous profits by helping foreign investors avoid paying the taxes they owe on dividends earned in this country. We also must close loopholes that allow hedge funds or other entities with shell companies in the Cayman Islands to use financial gimmicks to dodge American taxes. Everyday Americans don't become rich when they avoid paying taxes, and neither should these companies and investors.
"I applaud Chairman Levin for conducting this investigation and I join him in demanding tougher IRS enforcement and new legislation to block these sham dividend tax transactions that distort our tax system and unfairly increase the burden on working families."
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on the House Judiciary Committee's hearing on the proposed deal between DHL and UPS. In July, Senator Obama called on the Bush Administration to carefully examine the consolidation of DHL air operations under UPS, which could result in the loss of 8,000 jobs throughout Ohio:
"I commend the House Judiciary Committee for holding a hearing today on the implications of the proposed deal between DHL and UPS, which would allow UPS to assume DHL's air transport services. I have called for a hearing on the same subject in the Senate.
"Several years ago, DHL purchased Airborne's trucks and hired much of its personnel. However, DHL was unable to buy the entire company, which included air transport services, because of federal rules preventing foreign firms from owning domestic airlines. ABX was then established in Wilmington, Ohio, to take control of Airborne's air transport operations, which DHL uses as its primary contractor for that service. Today, DHL wants to terminate that contract and instead contract with UPS, a primary competitor, for those services.
"This proposed deal creates two problems. First, as a matter of consumer policy, it threatens competition to allow two direct competitors to act as partners. Second, it would eliminate 8,000 jobs in Wilmington as well as other jobs that depend on DHL workers, and it would abandon the infrastructure they currently use. Because UPS will use its existing infrastructure and employees to handle DHL's delivery needs, this deal is unlikely to create new jobs.
"While these companies are not proposing a merger, DHL and UPS intend to partner to have UPS provide a key component of the delivery service DHL sells. I have asked the Department of Justice to examine the proposed deal because I believe that it would be bad for consumers and competition, and may possibly violate antitrust laws. This deal would result in DHL becoming almost entirely dependent on its main competitor - UPS - to deliver packages for DHL, and therefore may very well cause serious harm to competition in the express package delivery market. The Justice Department should oppose any deal that would substantially reduce competition and consumer choice in this vital market.
"If the antitrust scrutiny concludes that the deal is legal and it moves forward, the federal government has a real responsibility to step in and help all of those that will be unemployed. Unfortunately, this situation would not qualify these workers for trade adjustment assistance since the jobs are not being shifted overseas; nor are they the result of a free trade agreement. Instead these jobs are being lost in the context of a global market and competition among multinational firms.
"If we know in advance that a deal like this will disrupt a community, then the government should have a strong rapid response strategy that combines federal and state resources and lets people know we will not abandon them. We have reached out to the Administration on this issue, and to its credit, the Administration has a team working on it.
"After everything the people of Ohio did to attract DHL's business, DHL owes it to them to try to negotiate, in good faith, an alternative structure or a new contract to save these 8,000 jobs. Congress was responsive and open to DHL when high-priced Washington lobbyists represented its interests in purchasing Airborne years ago. Now, Congress owes it to the hardworking people of Ohio and American consumers the same level of access, deference, and responsiveness that DHL received."
To even consider putting Palin on par with Joe Biden is an absolute OUTRAGE and insult to Senator Biden who has been in the Senate nearly 40 years, is Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a Constitutional law expert, has been involved in thousands of policy initiatives throughout the years, knows and has known global leaders personally from all over the world. WHAT in heavens name are these people thinking who took CNN's poll and have a more favorable rating for Palin than Biden? What dream world do they live in??? I interned for Joe Biden when in high school (way back in the 70's) and Palin was a CHILD then!! The difference in their world and political experience is NIGHT AND DAY! Heck, there are more people in the tiny state of Delaware than ALL of Alaska!
What experience does she have with a global economy, the war, healthcare, education, immigration, crime, the mortgage crisis and the impending credit crisis to follow, campaign finance reform, pending legislation on numerous issues of policy, or anything else ON THE ISSUES? Why is she hiding from the press? Do you know why; so she can be coached on all these issues where she has NO EXPERIENCE, and knows NOTHING. Granted McCain is the top of the ticket but seeing as he offers nothing new beyond the Bush Administration, and is elderly, has senior moments, and has cancer....what happens when he dies in office and we are left with this neophyte to run the country???
Obama is handling the recent lies from Palin and McCain with confidence and dignity. He needs to come out strong against attacks but not let the GOP take him off message. McCain has been focused on hiding Palin instead of coming up with ideas to get this country back on track. McCain's campaign manger Rick Davis sounds stupid with his sorry excuses as to why they won't let Palin talk on her own. If I were Obama I would jump on the fact that the McCain camp is scared to let their VP speak for herself to the press. I think when Palin finally does speak, her handlers will have versed her on every possible answer to every question they can think will be asked of her instead of her answering based on judgement and knowledge.
Beside what I just mention if I were Obama I would not really address Palin to much individually, that is giving her to much power. I think when speaking he needs to package McCain and Palin as a team of two Bush's. So if you vote for them you will be screwed twice as much. (great campaign slogan, LOL). Anyway, Obama needs to stand strong and hammer policy even when the McCain camp tries to divert everyones attention. Many people only get sound bites of Obama, so he needs to be able to reach those who don't have cable news or internet so that he can get his message out to the average Joe and older folks. Obama should contrast his policies from McCain. If I were him I would go down the list of concerns facing America and spell out in detail my plan and in detail how it differs from McCain's and what the results will be with each plan. Obama needs to be blunt like he was on Keith Olbermann's show and tell the people if you want four more years of a lost jobs, foreclosures, high healthcare cost, etc. vote for McCain. If you want someone who does not let lobbyist and campaign managers make his decisions for him, someone with sounds plans on the economy, healthcare, foreign policy, education etc. then vote for me.
Obama does not need to get angry but he needs to be firm. If the other camp is lying then he needs to use the word lie. I would like to see Michelle campaigning more side by side with Barack, so America can see them as a strong family unit and know that they are going to have a winning team in the White house. On the stump Michelle could talk about what she would like to do as first lady and speak about Barack's role as a husband and father and how that has shaped his character and how these attributes will make him a great president because he wants to not only see his family live in a thriving America, he wants to see every family thriving.
I would like to see Obama in more casual clothing when stumping. He looks great in suits but one appears on a more personal level when they are dressed the same as the people that they are speaking to. I don't think Barack should go overboard in trying to prove that he is like everyone else (we already know tha), but I think more up close and personal events with voters will help him connect more effectively with undecided voters. If the campaign stands firmly on just talking about issues in the end everyone will know Barack's plan for the county and realize that the only thing they know about the McCain/Palin ticket is a constantly repeated biography and that moose can be cooked many ways.
Days since Palin has refused to talk to anyone in the media following the RNC:
Countdown Clock
I am way behind on my blogs but I had to comment on Fox News nasty coverage of the Dems convention. I don't watch Fox anymore unless their is something extra special on, but I wanted to get views from all cable news coverage of the convention to see how the coverage differed. Of course MSNBC had excellent coverage, CNN was even on negative and positive comments but FOX was mostly all negative. Even if they are in the can for the GOP, they could have at least acknowledged the historical importance of Barack's nomination with positive words. Instead FOX commentators made alot of nasty remarks about that. It makes me so angry that they have the nerve to say that they are fair and balanced.
When I look at the commentators on Fox they look rather dumpy (especially the Fox & Friends circus cast). They dont have clean cut looks like Olbermann, Mathews, Maddow, Blitzer and Cooper. Bret Hume looks like a stone wall with his lack of expression and lack of excitement. Greta is so boring when I had sleeping problems after leaving night shift work and could not sleep even with a sleep aide, (I kid you not) watching her show actually bored me to sleep a couple of times. Fox news just does not have the same professional caliber of commentators like MSNBC and CNN. Their commentators are constantly making very ignorant statements and some appear to be ditzy.
