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"I think he's out of touch with what he needs to do," Schoen said. "I don't think he needs another speech. I don't think it's a question of oration. I think it's a question of the bill, the agreement, showing presidential leadership in getting the Democrats and Republicans in Congress, and their leadership, to the White House to hammer out an agreement that works in the interest of the American people." White House officials say Obama will be more specific about what he wants. But, they caution, he won't be too specific. They cannot say, for example, if Obama will...

GDP down over 3% after five grueling quarters of recession. Unemployment at 9%. A federal budget deficit shaping up to be four times greater than average. These are our times, to the number. Uncannily, these were also precisely the economic statistics recorded during the recession of 1974-75.Our times differ only in that inflation and interest rates now are nil, whereas both were in the double digits then. How we ever came to call ours today the worst economic crisis since the 1930s is anyone's guess. But what we learned then, in the mid-'70s, can also help us now. Rather than...

"A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future.” President Obama State of Union Speech The distribution of income is central to one of the most enduring issues in political economics. On one extreme are those who argue that all incomes should be the same, or as nearly so as possible, and that a principal function of government should be to redistribute income from the haves to the have-nots. On the other extreme are those who argue that any income redistribution by government is bad… Alabama Constitution: “That the...

Here are the five key sets of questions they have to confront, both in the Roosevelt Room and in their consultations with Congress: 1 – What is “death with dignity” for the public option? Is it better for the president to sacrifice it himself? Or convince Democratic leaders behind closed doors to come to him? Some will argue for taking the public option issue to the floor, passing it through the House and sacrificing it in conference - but once you’ve gone that far, it may be impossible for House Democrats to back down. So, giving it up on the...

We live in a very interesting time to say the least. I was watching Glenn Beck tonight and I was struck by the pro-communist or socialist art that has littered our Republic. So much so, that it has become either accepted or gone unnoticed. Images are very powerful things. Images, Icons and art can form a bias and a belief that are embedded so much, that we don't realize their influence on us or those around us. Glenn's show tonight was one of his best. I am very aware, as are most of you, of the socialist creep that has...

This is the Obama Big Brother Zero 'dollar' (it is not a real dollar). It is political artwork that is roughly the same size as currency so that you can carry it easily in a wallet and have handy for reference or to give to someone, or to leave somewhere for another to find and take. Front of the bill first, then the back. For the whole series of Zero dollar bills, go here: "Flickr Zero Bill Archive"

Freepers, I was pondering the other day about what Conservatives can do (especially because we are worried about Obama/A.C.O.R.Ns' power grab over this very important issue- since it represents how many representatives we have in the House). WELL I HAVE A UNIQUE STRATEGY I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO HEAR (and comment on if you like): We know that the RNC/Republican members of Congress will probably sue the Obama Administration over the Census since their power grab may give an un-fair advantage to Democrats.. This is likely to fail, IMO becuase our courts are so far leftist that we are...

The recession is finally hitting city budgets, with overall city revenues inching down in fiscal 2009 for the first time since 2002, according to a report to be released Tuesday by the National League of Cities. Weak growth in property taxes, reflecting soft housing prices, did not counterbalance sharp declines in other sources of income, including sales taxes, income taxes and state aid, according to a survey of 379 league member cities. Overall city revenues declined by 0.4%, even as expenses rose 2.5%, and city officials expect steep drops in tax collections in the next two years, making for the...

If we had children they would be snarky and fabulous. They would also be staying home from school on September 8th because there’s no way in Hell we’d allow them to be indoctrinated by Dr. Utopia on his “National Give Me Your Children Day”. We didn’t think anything could be worse than the whole “Report Your Neighbors Program” the White House pushed, where citizens were encouraged to report their friends, family, and neighbors if any of them were overheard disagreeing with liberal Democrats and their push for socialized medicine. But, forcing school children to listen to Dr. Utopia…in a speech...

    At the FReeper Canteen! C'mon and take a break ! Walk on over to the water cooler and lets chat. Post your thoughts, opinions, news of the day, rantings, ravings, pontificates, hypothesis, hyperboles, your soap box cause, your mantra, your baggage, your garbage, your blogging, your secrets, whatever you feel would make talk around the water cooler real interesting! Please remember that The Canteen is here to support and entertain our troops and veterans and their families, and is family friendly.       A little humor.... MOUSE CALIBRATION FOR SUMMER 2009 You should actually do this...

At a time when retail landlords are struggling with record vacancies, a novel sales strategy employed by some tenants is helping them fill the gaps and earn some additional rental income. Pop-up stores, which allow a retailer to sign a temporary lease lasting anywhere from two months to six months, have traditionally been scoffed at by mall and shopping center owners who could take their pick of permanent tenants. But in today’s environment, with retailers wary of new store openings, pop-ups are becoming a hot new trend and landlords are finding it suits them just fine. “I am seeing more...

Neil Cavuto Vs. Dr. Kavorkian...

For months it's been the policy (written or unwritten, no one is sure), that the Department of Homeland Security can do pretty much whatever it wants with your laptop, cell phone, or other electronic gadgets when you, a U.S. citizen, return to the country from overseas. It's understandable why they want our laptops: If you're a terrorist, chances are you have the plans to destroy the world just sitting in your inbox, and the feds would like the chance to read them while you're waiting in line at the airport. But going through multiple gigabytes of data takes time, and...

A brash new generation of traders is making a fortune by remaking financial markets. Political furor aside, that's good for the little guy. Daniel Tierney and Stephen Schuler share a lot of traits with many other enigmatic traders populating the financial world. Their firm, Global Electronic Trading Co., is tucked behind a nondescript door on the second floor of the Chicago Board of Trade's art deco building. Until this summer, when it added some company specifics, its Web site contained little more than a reading list with recommendations like Reminiscences of a Stock Operator. Not a single photo is publicly...

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Afghanistan's opium production dropped dramatically this year partly because of new aggressive drug-fighting tactics in the country, a United Nations study found. According to the report from the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, production dipped by 10 percent this year, while cultivation fell by 22 percent. "At a time of pessimism about the situation in Afghanistan, these results are a welcome piece of good news and demonstrate that progress is possible," said Antonio Maria Costa, the office's executive director. The United Nations notes that drugs originating in Afghanistan have "catastrophic consequences." "They fund the activities...

It is a clear homage to perhaps the most iconic White House photograph. Almost 46 years after the world first saw two-year-old John F. Kennedy Jr playing under the Oval Office desk as his father worked, the White House has released a picture of Sasha Obama, 8, hiding behind a sofa as President Obama reads briefing papers at the same desk. According to the White House, Sasha is sneaking up on her father as he nears the end of a working day behind the Resolute desk, which was a gift from Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1879....

The Obama administration late Wednesday withdrew a recommendation that school children who watch a video featuring President Obama next week write about how they might "help the president" as part of a classroom assignment. The decision came after conservative critics attacked the plan by federal education officials that teachers supplement the speech with a special curriculum that was designed in concert with the White House.

Conversations with a number of White House officials make it clear that, at this point, even they don't know. The argument was raging as recently as last night, and appears to have hardened into two main camps. Both camps agree that the cost of the bill has to come down. The question is how much, and what can be sacrificed. The first camp could be called "universal-lite." They're focused on preserving the basic shape of the bill. They think a universal plan is necessary for a number of reasons: For one thing, the insurance market regulations don't work without universality,...

Meet The Black Brazilian Mother Who Has Three White Children By Daily Mail Reporter 02nd September 2009 A black mother has baffled scientists after giving birth to three albino children. [Pics in URL] Parents Rosemere Fernandes de Andrade and her partner Joao are dark-skinned Afro-Brazilians, yet three of their five children are albinos. Albino siblings Esthefany Caroline (l), Ruth Caroline (2nd l), Kauan (c) pose with their mother Rosemere Fernandes and their brothers at home in Brazil Albino siblings Esthefany Caroline (l) and Kauan Fernandes (r) play with their cousin Taina (c) outside their home Genetics professor Valdir Balbino of...

She is doing a great job and looks Beautiful.