This week, the First Couple is in Denmark promoting Chicago and its positives to lure the 2016 Summer Olympic Games there. Yet, concerns mount over youth crime in the city following the beating death of an Honor Student killed when he walked into a gang fight while on his way home from school. Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs says, President Obama is aware of the tragedy and plans to speak on issues of youth violence soon.
NATO leader agrees war strategy should be reviewed
WASHINGTON - As the White House began Tuesday to debate in earnest the increasingly unpopular Afghanistan war, NATO’s secretary-general said President Barack Obama is right to delay troop decisions until a possibly revamped approach is devised.
“The first thing is not numbers,” Anders Fogh Rasmussen, chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, told reporters as he and Obama wrapped up their Oval Office meeting.
Still, Fogh Rasmussen said U.S. and allied troops will remain in Afghanistan “as long as it takes.”
Associated Press Writer
11:33 AM EDT, September 29, 2009
WASHINGTON (AP) - The recession has hit middle-income and poor families hardest, widening the economic gap between the richest and poorest Americans as rippling job layoffs ravaged household budgets.
The wealthiest 10 percent of Americans - those making more than $138,000 each year - earned 11.4 times the roughly $12,000 made by those living near or below the poverty line in 2008, according to newly released census figures. That ratio was an increase from 11.2 in 2007 and the previous high of 11.22 in 2003.
Household income declined across all groups, but at sharper percentage levels for middle-income and poor Americans. Median income fell last year from $52,163 to $50,303, wiping out a decade’s worth of gains to hit the lowest level since 1997.
Poverty jumped sharply to 13.2 percent, an 11-year high.
“No one should be surprised at the increased disparity,” said Richard Freeman, an economist at Harvard University. “Unemployment hurts normal workers who do not have the golden parachutes the folks at the top have.”
Analysts attributed the widening gap to the wave of layoffs in the economic downturn that have devastated household budgets. They said while the richest Americans may be seeing reductions in executive pay, those at the bottom of the income ladder are often unemployed and struggling to get by.
Large cities such as Atlanta, Washington, New York, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago had the most inequality, due largely to years of middle-class flight to the suburbs. Declining industrial cities with pockets of well-off neighborhoods, such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Buffalo, N.Y., also had sharp disparities.
Up-and-coming cities with growing middle-class populations, such as Mesa, Ariz., Riverside, Calif., Arlington, Texas, and Henderson, Nev., were among the areas showing the least income differences between rich and poor.
It’s unclear whether income inequality will continue to worsen in major cities, said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. Many Americans are staying put for now in traditional cities to look for jobs and because of frozen lines of credit.
“During the years of the housing bubble, there was middle-class movement from unaffordable metros with high-income inequality,” Frey said. “Now that the bubble burst, more of the population may be headed back to the high-inequality areas, stemming their middle-class losses.”
As to poverty, the biggest shifts last year were increases in metropolitan areas in Florida and central California. Stockton, Calif., jumped from 14.1 percent to 16.8 percent, while Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla., rose from 12.7 percent to 15.4 percent. Tampa-St. Petersburg, Orlando, Bradenton and Palm Bay - all in Florida - also saw gains in the share of poor residents.
Among other findings:
-Income at the top 5 percent of households - those making $180,000 or more - was 3.58 times the median income, the highest since 2006.
-Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia had higher poverty rates than the national average, many of them in the South, such as Mississippi (21.2 percent), Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisiana (each with 17.3 percent). That’s compared with 19 states and the District of Columbia that ranked above U.S. poverty in 2007.
-Use of food stamps jumped 13 percent last year to nearly 9.8 million U.S. households, led by Louisiana, Maine and Kentucky. The increase was most evident in households with two or more workers, highlighting the impact of the recession on both working families and unemployed single people.
-Pharr, Texas, and Flint, Mich., each had more than a third of its residents on food stamps, at 38.5 percent and 35.4 percent, respectively.
-Between 2007 and 2008, income at the 50th percentile (median) and the 10th percentile fell by 3.6 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively, compared with a 2.1 percent decline at the 90th percentile. Between 1999 and 2008, income at the 50th and 10th percentiles decreased 4.3 percent and 9 percent, respectively, while income at the 90th percentile was statistically unchanged.
-Plano, Texas, a Dallas suburb, had the highest median income among larger cities, earning $85,003. Cleveland ranked at the bottom, at $26,731.
The findings come as the federal government considers new regulations to rein in executive pay at companies in which it has invested. President Barack Obama also typically cites the need for higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for health care overhaul and other measures, arguing that the wealthy have disproportionately benefited from tax cuts during the Bush administration.
The 2008 figures come from the Current Population Survey and the American Community Survey, which gathers information from 3 million households. The government first began tracking household income in 1967.
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Associated Press writer Frank Bass contributed to this report.
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President Obama will be making a personal pitch for the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Chicago. It is a first for any United States President to make an appeal of this nature. The President will join Mrs. Obama in making direct pitches to the IOC. Those familiar with her speech say it will not leave a dry eye in the house.
The White House issued a statement on the Presidents decision to travel to Denmark for the October 2, 2009 pitch.
President Barack Obama to Travel to Copenhagen
President will join the First Lady to Support Chicago’s Bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games
WASHINGTON - Today, the White House announced that President Barack Obama will travel to Copenhagen, Denmark to support Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games at the 121st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session. On Friday, October 2nd, IOC members will elect the host city for the 2016 Summer Games.
President Obama will join First Lady Michelle Obama, who will be leading the United States delegation to Copenhagen. Mrs. Obama will arrive in Copenhagen on Wednesday, September 30, along with Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama and head of the White House Office on Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport.
President Obama will depart Washington on the evening of Thursday, October 1 and arrive in Copenhagen on the morning of October 2 local time, just prior to Chicago’s presentation to the voting members of the IOC. He will arrive back in Washington on Friday afternoon.
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will both make presentations to the IOC during Friday’s session. They will discuss why Chicago is best to host the 2016 Summer Games, and how the United States is eager to bring the world together to celebrate the ideals of the Olympic movement.
While in Denmark, the President and First Lady will meet with Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness, the Prince Consort. President Obama will also meet with Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.
President Obama makes his first trip to the United Nations for his first General Assembly Session as president. The primary focus engaging with the world body to keep America safe from nuclear threats and terrorism. The presidents schedule is full during his time in New York before heading to the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. United States Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice spoke of the Presidents planned meeting with African leaders on job creation, African agriculture and trade expansion.
Ambassador Rice on the trip and the focus of foreign policy.
The White House acknowledges an up tick in passions during recent political debates, especially on the issue of Health Care and Insurance Reform. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs believes we all have to check our emotions. Gibbs. at the same time, discounts race has anything to do with the recent mainstream outbursts against President Obama.
Mrs. Obama pushes Insurance Reform
Mrs. Obama is the latest voice in support of President Obama’s Health Care Reform push. This time Mrs. Obama discusses Insurance Reform and personal experience she believes is one of the many examples to justify the push for reform.
Richard Prince Journal-isms
Reporter Tweets Obama’s Off-the-Record “Jackass”
“President Obama called musician Kanye West a ‘jackass’ during an interview Monday with CNBC, an ABC News anchor reported to his followers on Twitter. But the tweet caused some red faces at ABC, and the network soon apologized for publicizing what had apparently been an off-the-record comment,” Garance Franke-Ruta reported Monday for the Washington Post.
[On Tuesday, TMZ posted the audio of the exchange, in which Obama engages in friendly banter with reporters, who laugh at the remark. "I'm assuming all this stuff -- cut the president some slack, I've got a lot of stuff on my plate," he says.]
“Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a ‘jackass’ for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT’S presidential,” “Nightline” co-anchor Terry Moran wrote Monday evening. Moran has more than 1 million followers on the microblogging service.
“CNBC objected to the post, which was apparently from a portion of the interview that was supposed to be off the record. Moran quickly deleted the comment (although it still can be accessed online), and an ABC spokesperson apologized for the tweet in a statement first posted on Politico.
“Moran ‘prematurely tweeted . . . before our editorial process had been completed. That was wrong. We apologize to the White House and CNBC and are taking steps to ensure that it will not happen again,’ the spokesperson said.
“The president was apparently responding to West’s interruption of Taylor Swift after she won an award at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday. West took the microphone from Swift to proclaim that Beyonce had a better video than she did.
“West later apologized for his actions.”
TMZ
The audio was recorded just before Obama went on camera to do an interview with CNBC. Before the interview began, Obama — referring to Kanye’s antics on stage — said “I thought that was really inappropriate,” then adding, “He’s a jackass.”
After making the remarks, Obama said “Where’s the pool?” Presumably, he was worried the joke would go wide. He noted the last time that happened, he got burned for killing a fly.
Obama said, “Cut the President some slack.”
The audio was recorded just before Obama went on camera to do an interview with CNBC. Before the interview began, Obama — referring to Kanye’s antics on stage — said “I thought that was really inappropriate,” then adding, “He’s a jackass.”
After making the remarks, Obama said “Where’s the pool?” Presumably, he was worried the joke would go wide. He noted the last time that happened, he got burned for killing a fly.
Obama said, “Cut the President some slack.”
Click here to the TMZ link for the audio
http://www.tmz.com/2009/09/15/obama-calls-kanye-a-jackass/#ixzz0RK8bpKO8
OPENING REMARKS:
Mister Speaker, this Resolution addresses an issue of great importance to current and future members of this august body-the proper conduct of its members. Despite statements made by various leaders of the other party, this is not about partisan politics or ‘inappropriate comments.’ To the contrary, this is about the rules of this House and reprehensible conduct. I stand here as a former public school teacher and the proud father of a current public school teacher who teaches in the Congressional District represented by Congressman Wilson. My grandchildren attend public schools in that District.
But Mister Speaker, this Hall is the most prominent classroom in this great country, and all of us are teachers. We are bound by duty and the offices we hold to conduct ourselves as such. Classroom teachers and school children across the country and around the world looking in on our proceedings should see proper decorum and hear civil discourse. Our teachers are expected to teach and our students to learn proper behavior. All of us are expected to give appropriate support and deference to the institutions that help us develop and maintain a civil and orderly society.
Our three separate branches of government have defined roles to play in this process, and those of us who hold positions within these branches are expected and are duty bound to treat each other with proper dignity and respect. Whether we like it or not, teachers and students see us as role models.
But none of us is perfect. We all make mistakes and we sometimes fall short of expectations. But when we do, proper contrition is expected. When one of us, while seated in a formal Session, severely violates the rules of this Body, by shamelessly hurling accusations of mendacity towards the President of these United States, our Commander-in-chief, and refuses to formally express remorse, we-at a minimum-are duty bound to express our disapproval. Our teachers, students and constituents deserve no less.
DEBATE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I want to first of all say to my friend, the [Minority] Leader, that before coming to this Congress I spent 18 years running state agencies-a state agency in South Carolina. In those 18 years I worked for four governors, two Democrats and two Republicans.
Many of you remember one of those Republicans for whom I worked for eight years was Caroll Campbell, a former member of this body. We were good friends. We often consulted with each other in the evenings. But we always respected each other, even though we were polls apart politically.
This is not a partisan stunt. I do not participate in partisan stunts. And I think every member here knows that. This is about the proper decorum that should take place on the floor of the United States House of Representatives.
I’d like to say to the leader, and I think he knows that he has not represented the facts correctly. On October 23, 2007, a member of this body, Representative Stark, came to this floor and apologized for behavior, as I would read, “I want to apologize to first of all, my colleagues.” And then, “many of whom have been offended,” and then he went on to say “to the president, to his family, to the troops.” That took place on this floor in 2007, October 23.
I will remind the Leader on July 23, which incidentally, happens to be Carol Campbell’s birthday, on July 23, Chairman [Bill] Thomas came to this floor, and he offered an apology, “Because of my poor judgment, the stewardship of my party as the majority party in the House has been unfairly criticized…,” and he went on to apologize.
And so all we’ve ever asked is that this body, this House receives from Mr. Wilson a similar statement of contrition. It’s all about the decorum of this House.
I will reiterate, I have never stood on the floor of this House in my 17 years and participated in any kind of partisan stunt. And I think the other side knows that.
I reserve the balance of my time.
CLOSING REMARKS :
Mr. Speaker, the leader, the Republican leader earlier referenced the great preacher. His reference can be found in the third chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes who says there’s a time and a place for everything. I agree with that. I believe very seriously that there is going to be a time for us to discuss health care, a time for us to discuss energy policies and education and the economy.
But, Mr. Speaker, the rules of this House provide the vehicle by which we carry out those discussions. If the rules are not honored, if the rules of this House are not there to maintain order we can never get to these discussions and do so in a way that would make the people of our great country proud.
The gentle lady from Michigan indicated that this is a teachable moment. Yes, it is. This is a time for us to teach not just by precept but by example, that which we say to our children, that which we say to our constituents that there are certain things that you do and certain things that you don’t do. And when you do those things that you don’t do, the proper thing to do is to show proper contrition. Not the way you may think is proper but the accepted form of contrition. The accepted form of contrition when the rules of this body are violated is to come to this floor and to request the apology of these members. And until that is done, Mr. Speaker, proper contrition has not been made.
My father used to teach me all the time, son, he would say, the first sign of a good education is good manners. I took that to heart. And I would hope that this body today would demonstrate to all of those schoolchildren who are looking in on these proceedings that we are here to demonstrate what is proper decorum for you to follow in your classrooms. We must, here today, support our teachers and help them educate our children.
Silence gives consent. We cannot be silent in this matter because we do not consent to the conduct of Mr. Wilson. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Text of the resolution is attached and can be found here:
http://majorityleader.gov/docUploads/HoyerPrivelegedResolution091509.pdf
Inside the Beltway, they want to elevate the conversation on Health Care Reform without distraction. South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson has apologized for his outburst calling the President a liar. White House Officials and the Republican Party want an end to the story as President Obama accepted Wilson’s apology. But, it may not be that easy. Many are still calling for some sort of punishment for Congressmen Wilson. Below, the unfolding story in video.