Washington Watch: Week 11

You could hear the pin drop...

President Obama released his 2014 budget plan this week to what the Washington Post called a "yawning political void." 

Now some say that a good budget in a political environment is when all sides don't like it. Shared misery it's called. But what happens if it doesn't work? What happens if one side is so entrenched in their opposition to you that they are against everything you propose (even if they once supported it)? 

Well shared misery won't work in the cold war between the President and the GOP. The GOP has shown time and time again that they are willing to go nuclear. It's what brought us the sequester.

Part of the President's latest budget deal (which was declared DOA by Congress) is a cut in Social Security's Cost-of-Living adjustments. This is a new policy for Obama. Huffpo ran a piece from Campaign 2008 with his quote:

""John McCain's campaign has gone even further, suggesting that the best answer for the growing pressures on Social Security might be to cut cost-of-living adjustments or raise the retirement age. Let me be clear: I will not do either," Obama said in a rarely viewed video that was posted online."

They even posted the video.

What's going on? Will he be the Compromiser-in-Chief or the President? He's not running for re-election and now is the time for him to come out stronger for us.  The ones who elected him -- Latino's, African-Americans, Women, Seniors, the Poor, well you know the crowd -- Mitt Romney's 47%. 

I give the President an 'A' for effort in trying to be bi-partisan, however HE WON and should act accordingly. We went along with his attempts to win over the GOP his first term. It didn't work. They stayed lock-step in their opposition and retook the House in 2010. Thankfully, they didn't get the Presidency or the Senate. But, they are still the party of NO.

Now, it's as if President Obama keeps shooting the ball and it keeps getting blocked. As I stated in my Huffpo blog from February 2010 (when the Dems still had control of Congress) : The Man With the Plan (And the Ball And the Court):

"....we already know what to expect. We've seen them play all year and it will go something like this: 'Kobe' will play offense while the rest of his team huffs and puffs their way up and down the court trying to keep up. The other team has only one play -- they all gather under the basket and block every shot."

Obama is still the best player on the court. Go for the foul. Let them foul out. Go big.

Again...YOU WON, and most of the time you have public opinion on your side.

What's going on with the President's team? Are they tired? Are they out of ideas? 

He turned the election around when he got more forceful...time for that now! It is way too early for lame-duck status.


Karl Rove has an opinion on what's going on with President Obama,
Not That We Asked for it...

Karl Rove, who still faces protesters who say he is a war criminal for the Iraq war, offered an opinion on Obama's efforts to help the Dems overtake the house in 2014 in a Wall Street Journal editorial.

btw...in Rove's response to protesters regarding his Iraq actions, he reminded the audience that Hillary Clinton voted to sanction the war, saying:

"If you object to that, I want you to show up the next time Hillary Clinton comes here and tell her you disagree with her vote," Rove yelled back as he completely lost his temper on stage. "It's either that or you're saying those people were hoodwinked and that's an insult to those people including Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, and others."

Which brings me to a blog I wrote in May of 2008:  "Lie, Lies, and More Lies Got us into Iraq."  It wasn't just the Bush Administration that got us into the Iraq war.

Will this be an issue in 2016? Not for Hillary Clinton. She served her country well as Secretary of State. 



Why We Still Have a Long Way to Go...

It's easy to think we're in a post-racial society, especially if you live in liberal-leaning areas. After all, we have an African-American President and a Latino electorate beginning to flex its mighty muscle. However, there are parts of our country...many parts...where racial slurs in public office are normal and the poor and downtrodden are trampled upon.

As evidence:

Think Progress (who keeps an eye out for us on these matters) reports on a movement in the Tennessee legislature to tie receipt of welfare benefits to report cards. The bill would make a family's benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program conditional on their child’s educational performance. Huh?

This is distressing considering, as the article reports:

"Research shows that children from impoverished homes tend to struggle more in school than children from economically secure households."

read more

Think Progress also reports on Jim Gile, a Republican commissioner in Kansas, who after using a racial slur (the 'n' word), said he isn't racist because he’s “built Habitat homes for colored people,” and also that he has a black friend."

read more

In fairness, we know we don't have to go to Tennessee or Kansas to find such attitudes. Many of us can just look within our own family or network of acquaintances.  What's scary though is when these folk are in elected office. When they influence policy and procedure. 

Obama may be in the White House .... but who else is in elected office around the country?

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President Obama's First Term

A Look Back at Week 11 - 2009: 

(Excerpts from my National Scene Blog -- Week Eleven)

• Upon completion of a successful trip abroad, President Obama recognized the 2000th project approved under his Recovery Act. From road construction projects, to child disease prevention programs, the stimulus money makes it way across the country. The President gave a major economic speech to the nation this week, and quoting Scripture, reminded Americans we must build our financial house “upon the rock.”

• A 21st-century VA. Days after visiting our troops in Iraq, the President announced needed changes for VA Health Centers. Saying the time is now to give our veterans “the care they were promised and the benefits they have earned,” Obama announced the creation of a “unified lifetime electronic health record” for members of the armed services that will contain their administrative and medical information.

• Bo, The First Dog, Arrives. The Obama girls—Sasha and Malia—finally got that puppy their father promised them during his Presidential campaign. Bo, a 6-month-old male Portuguese water dog was given to the family as a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy. It is reported that Bo is actually related to Kennedy's own two pooches. The name Bo is for Michelle Obama’s late dad who was reported to be a fan of musician Bo Diddley.

• Lifting Restrictions on Cubans. In a statement that was announced in English and Spanish, President Obama signaled an increased flow of information and humanitarian items to the Cuban people, and a lifting of restrictions on family travel and money transfers between Americans and their relatives in Cuba

• Obama Approves Use of Force Against Somali Pirates. In what is being called his first national security test, President Obama directed the use of necessary military force in the rescue of American Captain Richard Phillips who had been held hostage for five days. 

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And Finally.....back to 2013:

Remembering Ron Brown. This week the administration remembered the late Commerce Secretary Ron Brown. Brown was the 30th U.S. Secretary of Commerce and served during the first term of Bill Clinton. Brown also had served as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1989 to 1993.He died, along with 34 others, in a 1996 plane crash in Croatia.

Ron Brown
August 1, 1941 - April 3, 1996

Washington Watch: Week 10

Since many celebrated Spring Break last week (and for some this week):

Let's Keep it Short and Sweet!  

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• With reform, will Health care premiums go up or down?  From the L.A. Times:  Insurers see way to dodge federal healthcare law next year:

"Many lower-income people will qualify for federal premium subsidies, which will be available only when purchasing new coverage available in state- or federal-run insurance exchanges. It would make financial sense to take advantage of that government aid. Individuals earning less than $46,000 or families below $94,000 annually would be eligible for subsidies.

However, many people who are middle income or above could face significantly higher premiums next year with no subsidies."

read more

Two Words:  "Who Knows?"

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• A Huffpo report -- Sequester Cuts Trickle Down From The Middle Class:

Three Words:  "Wake up America"

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• Huffpo Reports:  Sean Hannity Blasts Obama Daughters' Spring Break Vacation (VIDEO):

One Word:  "Really?"

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• Also reported this week:  Fox News Ratings: Hannity, Van Susteren Plunge To New Lows 

Two Words: "See above"

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• Lighter news reported by Politico...as part of the Performance at the White House Series, the Obamas will host 'Memphis Soul' next week. Performers will include Al Green, Cyndi Lauper, Justin Timberlake, Queen Latifah, Joshua Ledet, Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, and others. The concert will air on PBS on April 16th at 8:00 EST.

Three Words: "Can I Attend?"

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President Obama's First Term

A Look Back at Week 10 - 2009: 

(Excerpts from my National Scene blog, March 31, 2009)

• With still high approval ratings, the President got tough with the automakers this past week, forcing the departure of General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner. Meanwhile, as global economic conditions continue to prevent growth in developed countries, the President prepared to meet with world leaders at the G-20 economic summit in London. Accompanied by the First Lady, the eight-day European trip will be Obama’s first as President.

• The First Online Town Hall. In a continuing effort to make use of today’s technology in government, the President conducted the first ever “virtual town hall” with almost a hundred thousand participants and more than three and a half million votes on questions. The session mixed online participants with a White House audience of about a hundred. The President answered questions from both groups. 

• Financial Transparency for Bailout Funds.The Treasury Department has launched FinancialStability.gov, a website dedicated to showing the public how monies are spent and documenting the administration’s economic actions.

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And Finally.....back to 2013:

The Obamas and the Bunny

Over 30,000 people (and the Easter Bunny) joined the Obamas at the 135th annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House. Trivia question...which President started the event?

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, and Marian Robinson listen to Jessica Sanchez sing the National Anthem on the South Portico at the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll, April 1, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Yes, that's American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez singing the National Anthem.

Washington Watch: Week 9

Repercussions...

So much going on this week in Washington. All with major repercussions on how we live. I'll summarize here and then continue with the stories that moved me the most this week.

Healthcare

A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that most Americans  (indeed nearly two/thirds!) do not understand the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare to most) or how it will affect themselves and their families.

Recognize that we are three years after the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the ACA), and the subsequent Supreme Court Ruling on the mandate...yet there is little coverage on the major provisions which are coming in 2014.  Little coverage ..and NO EXPLANATION of what the states are, and are not, doing to prepare for implementation. So many questions, including the basics:

Will everyone be covered? What are the costs for individuals and families? Will insurance premiums increase? Will everyone have access to quality care? What are these 'exchanges' we hear about? Will Medicare and Medicaid (or MediCal in California) continue as is?

2014 is coming soon and the American public knows very little.  For the full findings of the Kaiser tracking poll click here.

This is Obama's baby and the Administration is NOT getting the information out to the masses. Congress has no reason to do so because they want to overturn the President's health reform bill, (at least the GOP-controlled House does).

DOMA and Prop 8 

The Supreme Court takes on Gay rights as they hear arguments to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (which defines marriage for federal purposes as between a man and a woman) and California's Proposition 8 which outlawed same-sex marriages. In a stunning reversal, in just a few short years, the American public now supports same-sex marriage, as does the President and many in Congress on both sides of the aisle. All eyes are now on the Supreme Court.

Oral arguments continue, although the Administration is not defending DOMA (signed into law by Bill Clinton who now believes it should be overturned); neither is California Attorney General Kamala Harris going to argue in favor of Prop 8. Stay tuned.

The Sequester Festers

Who knows where we are with the Sequester and the Federal budget?  The media seems to be able to report only one major story a week and the budget has been off of the front page for the past couple of weeks.  Cuts are being made (last week I talked about cuts to Veteran's programs) but it only seems to matter to those being affected.  Which is why....

Americans are Unhappy With Government

Eight out of ten Americans are unhappy with government according to a CBS News poll released Tuesday. According to HuffPo:

"Eighty percent of Americans expressed some level of unhappiness with things in Washington -- 30 percent said they were "angry" and another 50 percent said they were "dissatisfied." Just 18 percent expressed positive opinions.
There have also been other signs of dissatisfaction in Washington. President Barack Obama's approval rating, which bounced after his reelection, has since fallen back below 50 percent in most polls. Congress, which has suffered low approval for years, is at a near record-low of 11 percent, according to CBS."

From the 'Other' America (AND their numbers are growing):

While Washington spins its wheels, there is real suffering going on in America. There were two stories which moved me this week. Those of us who interface with the homeless know these stories...we can put real faces on these stories...still to read them reminds us there is SO much to be done to fight hunger, homelessness and poverty in America. Remember, many of these people had jobs, homes, healthcare, and stable lives at one point. Maybe their condition is compounded by bad decisions, but there is no denying the economy's effect on these citizens. Read the stories.

The American Prospect reports (warning...this is a lengthy story), the Great Recession has turned formerly stable families into the new homeless.  

And then there's The Nation's: Old, Female, and Homeless, the title says it all.

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President Obama's First Term

A Look Back at Week 9 - 2009: 

(Excerpts from my National Scene blog, March 24, 2009)

• Obama Meets with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
  The President held a meeting with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss immigration and the US-Mexico relationship, including how the two countries can work together to stem Mexico’s drug-related violence. President Obama, who supports comprehensive immigration reform, announced that he will travel to Mexico next month to meet with President Calderon.
• The President Visits Orange County
  President Barack Obama led a town hall meeting in an auditorium on the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.  The purpose of the meeting was to drum up support for his economic plans while reassuring “average” Americans that he understands the economic challenges they are facing.  Attendees waited in long lines overnight to get seats to the event.
• MakingHomeAffordable.gov
  As part of the Administration’s desire to disseminate needed information on the economic stimulus, the Treasury Department launched a website called -- MakingHomeAffordable.gov. The purpose of the site is to ensure that everybody who can take advantage of the President’s housing plan has access to information which explains how the plan works and who qualifies.  The site is one of several tools the Administration is using to slow down the foreclosure crisis that has gripped the nation. The site includes a calculator that allows homeowners to estimate the reduction to their monthly mortgage payment that the plan provides. Another tool for distressed homeowners is the Homeowner's HOPE Hotline (888-995-HOPE).
• Lessons Learned in California
  While meeting representatives from the National Conference of State Legislatures, President Obama described lessons from his town halls in California, namely—on the heels of the AIG bonus scandal—the need for accountability. The President stated, “Over the last two days I've been traveling in California, talking with Americans about the challenges they're facing as a result of this economic crisis.” He stressed the importance of responsible investing by the Legislators saying, “Decisions about how Recovery Act dollars are spent will be based on the merits."

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And Finally.....

This past week, in the first foreign trip of his second term, President Obama embarked on a four-day visit to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.
In Jerusalem.....

President Obama tours the crypt containing the birthplace of Jesus. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Washington Watch: Week 8

What Sequester?

Notice how we're not hearing much about the sequester anymore, although painful cuts are being made to homeless Veteran programs and active duty personnel tuition assistance. Fox News reports: (Yes, I am quoting FOX News.)

"Under a federal housing program that helps roughly 100,000 Americans, homeless and formerly homeless veterans will lose assistance due to the sequester. The program is run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides state grants to help veterans get housing.

Active duty military personnel also will feel the impact of sequestration.

The Army announced Friday that it will no longer accept applications for its Tuition Assistance program, which gives soldiers as much as $4,500 annually to take courses, at accredited schools, toward high school and college diplomas. Army officials could not give a specific amount on how much the cuts would save but said 201,000 soldiers used the program in fiscal 2012 at the cost of $373 million.
In addition, the Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard announced this week that their programs also have been suspended."

Read more

This Tent has Lots of Holes

What did make news this past week was the annual gathering of Republicans called CPAC (Conservative Political Action Committee). I encourage everyone to visit this website just to see the speaker's list! Click above or paste:  http://conservative.org/cpac/2013/

Headliners included Marco Rubio, Sarah Palin, Paul Ryan, and Rand Paul.  Other featured speakers included folks like Donald Trump, Allen West, Jeb Bush, and Mitt Romney!

Funny....the Republican with the best chance of running a decent campaign in 2016 -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie -- wasn't invited. Guess they're still mad about the Obama hug.

In a report for the Washington Post, Aaron Blake summarized the gathering in an article titled: Conservative gathering highlights split in Republican Party, saying:

"If there was any doubt about the huge amount of discord within the Republican Party, the three-day Conservative Political Action Conference should put it to rest.

The suburban Washington gathering of the most conservative elements of the GOP this week featured speaker after speaker picking fights with other Republicans and offering criticisms — sometimes indirect and often direct — of party figures such as Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Karl Rove, former president George W. Bush and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie."

Read More

Notice -- they criticized Romney and he was there! Why did he go? 

Failing Grades

Continuing their domination of the airwaves this week, the GOP announced the results of their postmortem on what went wrong in 2012. They concluded that they just might be out-of-touch with 'some' Americans. I think they are 'out-of-touch' with many Americans -- including Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, Gays, Youth, Women, Workers, and Seniors. That's all.

They announced new outreach efforts to minority voters.

Hmmmm, didn't they try to disenfranchise them during the past election?

Looks like they will be putting up a fight for relevancy in the years to come. Maybe Christie won't look so bad after all.

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President Obama's First Term

A Look Back at Week 8 - 2009: 

(Excerpts from my National Scene blog, March 17, 2009)

• AIG Bonuses Anger Obama. Speaking to a group of small business owners, Obama contrasted their hard work with the greed and excess displayed in reports of tens of millions of dollars in bonuses being given out to employees of AIG, stating: “I've asked Secretary Geithner to use leverage and pursue every single legal avenue to block these bonuses,” President Obama made it clear that he was not happy with executive bonuses paid by the insurance conglomerate after receiving a massive bailout from the federal government.

• The President Addresses Food Safety in America. Calling the nation's food safety system a “hazard to public health” the President created a special advisory group to coordinate food safety laws and recommend how to update them stating, “Many of these laws have not changed since they were written early in the last century.”  

• Obama Gives Marching Orders for Federal Money. At the White House Conference on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation, he stressed that accountability will never fall by the wayside.The White House Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation Conference, led by Vice President Joe Biden, is part of a large effort to ensure that dollars invested and spent as part of the Recovery Act are effective, transparent, and efficient.

• St. Patrick’s Day Meeting With Irish Prime Minister.President Obama met with Brian Cowen the Prime Minister of Ireland. The meeting was followed by the appointment of NFL Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney as United States Ambassador to Ireland.

• First Presidential Visit to California. The popularity of the new President remains high as thousands of Southern Californians camp out for tickets to his town hall meeting in Costa Mesa and anxiously await his first official visit to California as President.

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And, Finally....

Who says they can't get along? Guess it takes the 'luck of the Irish.'

President Barack Obama, Taoiseach Enda Kenny of Ireland, and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, talk together during a St. Patrick’s Day lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 19, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Washington Watch: Week 7

An Olive Branch or a Hammer?

Much is being made of the President's gestures toward House Republicans...he's had them over at the White House for a meal and took a trip to the Capitol to meet on their turf. (Presidents don't usually do this.) 

Democrats are worried that the President may 'give' too much to get a budget compromise - especially when it comes to Social Security and Medicare. Others suggest he may be wasting his time because Republicans will never compromise with him.

So is it just a photo opportunity?  Maybe...but Obama doesn't have to run for office anymore. We know what that means as far as the GOP is concerned....but what about Democrats? Does he have to be as beholding to his party as he was the first term? 

Maybe he's just trying to get something done! He will need support from both parties to get this budget deal and the American people want to see this.

Still, Progressive Democrats don't want to see the poor and the needy abandoned when it comes to America's signature entitlements (unsustainable as they currently are) ...Social Security and Medicare.

The Huffington Post describes a meeting between the President and Senate Progressive Democrats who expressed concerns over what his 'entitlement reform' might look like.

"A top administration official noted that increasing Medicare's eligibility age, which the president was willing to do in 2011, has been repeatedly ruled out of current negotiations. But Obama is scheduled to meet with House Republicans on Wednesday, and Senate Republicans on Thursday. The GOP members are expected to push Obama to broach the subject again.
Heading into those discussions, some Democrats said they lack a clear picture of exactly what Obama will and won't negotiate."

Read the rest of the article here

Sequester, or no Sequester, (notice we didn't hear the word as much this week?), the GOP continues its strategy of no cooperation with the White House. Not only that, there is movement (and probably a plan) to roll back Obama's most significant achievement -- health care reform, or 'Obamacare' as they call it.

Lisa Miscaro of the LATimes reported this week:

"Republicans in Congress are renewing their political assault on the nation’s new healthcare law, trying to repeal President Obama's signature domestic achievement as part of the next battle over the federal budget."

Read more of the article here

The President had lunch Thursday with Paul Ryan, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee -- not sure it helped.  The Washington Post reports Ryan's playing the same tune (the one that didn't help him win the national election or his home state.)  

On Tuesday, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) rolled out a 10-year spending plan that would revive the most controversial prescriptions from last year’s GOP budget, including a partial privatization of Medicare and a repeal of the health-care law that is Obama’s signature policy achievement.

Read more of the article here 

Dinner with Bill and Hillary...or is it Hillary and Bill?

President Obama had a private dinner with the Clintons this past week.  Yeah..I know, who wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall for that meeting.  And, not just because of the political talk of a possible Hillary 2016 run --no, I think most of us recognize that these are three extremely bright people who have fascinating opinions on our country and where it's headed.  So many topics they could cover -- climate change, hunger in America, the Arab Spring, immigration, education reform...three of our nation's greatest minds...leading the country, leading the world. I think there is much mutual respect among these three.


Who's on the Export Council?

This past week the President met with his export council to discuss trade and export-related issues. Here's a video of the excerpts:

Wonder who's on the council?  Look below (from the International Trade Administration website)

Private Sector Members (Appointed by the President)

• W. James McNerney, Jr., PEC Chair, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Boeing Company
• Ursula M. Burns, PEC Vice Chair, Chief Executive Officer, Xerox Corporation
• Mary Andringa, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vermeer Corporation
• Stephanie A. Burns, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dow Corning
• Scott Davis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, UPS
• Richard L. Friedman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Carpenter & Company, Inc.
• Gene Hale, Founder and President, G&C Equipment Corporation
• William Hite, General President, United Association
• Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company
• Charles R. Kaye, Co-President, Warburg Pincus
• Andrew N. Liveris, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Dow Chemical Company
• Gary W. Loveman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Caesars Entertainment Corporation
• Denise Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer of Campbell Soup Company
• Alan Mulally, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ford Motor Company
• Raul Pedraza, Founder and President, Magno International L.P.
• Ivan Seidenberg, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon
• Glenn Tilton, Non-Executive Chairman, United Continental Holdings, Inc. and Chairman of the Midwest, JPMorgan Chase
• James S. Turley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ernst & Young
• Patricia A. Woertz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Archer Daniels Midland Company

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President Obama's First Term

A Look Back at Week 7 - 2009: 

(Excerpts from my National Scene blog, March 12, 2009)

• As Barack Obama completes his first 50 days in office—and while critics are suggesting his agenda is too ambitious—the President continues to tackle the major issues of our time.  Introducing new proposals for health care reform, stem cell research, and an overhaul of the education system, Obama stressed the need for government leaders to multitask. Acknowledging a change from business-as-usual in Washington, Obama insists all of these issues, as well as the economic crisis, need to be addressed simultaneously to move America forward. 
• Happy Birthday to Ted Kennedy. In a surprise appearance, President Obama led a chorus of “Happy Birthday” for Senator Ted Kennedy at the Kennedy Center, celebrating the senator's 77th birthday this past February.  The event featured dignitaries from the world of politics and entertainment, including Bill Cosby, Lauren Bacall, and members of Senator Kennedy’s family.  Kennedy was presented the  Profile in Courage Award.
• Ban on Stem Cell Research Reversed.
  Fulfilling a campaign promise, President Barack Obama removed restrictions on the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research put in place by the Bush administration. 
• First Lady Honors Courageous Women.
  First Lady Michelle Obama joined Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in honoring women from around the world who lead the fight for women’s rights. Eight women were presented with the State Department’s International Women of Courage Award. Mrs. Obama saluted the women saying, “The women we honor today teach us three very important lessons. One, that as women, we must stand up for ourselves. The second, as women, we must stand up for each other. And finally, as women, we must stand up for justice for all.”

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And, Finally....

'Tweet This'
The First Lady takes to Twitter to answer questions about her "Let's Move" program.

Follow @FLOTUS and@LetsMove on Twitter for updates and news about the Let’s Move! initiative and how you can get involved.