The Obama Administration thread

[The Dog]

Big Ups to Obama for reversing Bush's asinine stem cell ban.  Fuck you Bush and your science stifling agenda, go ride a dinosaur you fucktard.   

PRAISE SCIENCE!!  High five Nancy Regan! 

Maddening how we hit pause on some of our brightest minds while the rest of the world moved on. 

[Smoking Guns]

Big Ups to Obama for reversing Bush's asinine stem cell ban.  Fuck you Bush and your science stifling agenda, go ride a dinosaur you fucktard.   

PRAISE SCIENCE!!  High five Nancy Regan! 

Maddening how we hit pause on some of our brightest minds while the rest of the world moved on. 

Maybe this will lead to more breakthroughs.....

Who read Buffett's comments today.  Something about them seemed odd.

[The Dog]

Big Ups to Obama for reversing Bush's asinine stem cell ban.  Fuck you Bush and your science stifling agenda, go ride a dinosaur you fucktard.   

PRAISE SCIENCE!!  High five Nancy Regan! 

Maddening how we hit pause on some of our brightest minds while the rest of the world moved on. 

Maybe this will lead to more breakthroughs.....

Who read Buffett's comments today.  Something about them seemed odd.

in what way?

my guess is one of the big banks goes under - gov is going to have to pick one to save while the others die.  i think they've all been holding back just how really bad they f'ed up.  still just incredible how bad these banks dropped the ball. 

[C0ma]

Barack Obama sends bust of Winston Churchill on its way back to Britain
Barack Obama has sent Sir Winston Churchill packing and pulse rates soaring among anxious British diplomats.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4623148/Barack-Obama-sends-bust-of-Winston-Churchill-on-its-way-back-to-Britain.html

A bust of the former prime minister once voted the greatest Briton in history, which was loaned to George W Bush from the Government's art collection after the September 11 attacks, has now been formally handed back.

The bronze by Sir Jacob Epstein, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds if it were ever sold on the open market, enjoyed pride of place in the Oval Office during President Bush's tenure.

Diplomats were at first reluctant to discuss the whereabouts of the Churchill bronze, after its ejection from the seat of American power. But the British Embassy in Washington has now confirmed that it sits in the palatial residence of ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald, just down the road from Vice President Joe Biden's official residence. It is not clear whether the ambassador plans to keep it in Washington or send it back to London.

American politicians have made quoting Churchill, whose mother was American, something of an art form, but not Mr Obama, who prefers to cite the words and works of his hero Abraham Lincoln. Indeed a bust of Mr Lincoln now sits in the Oval Office where Epstein's Churchill once ruled the roost.

Churchill has less happy connotations for Mr Obama than those American politicians who celebrate his wartime leadership. It was during Churchill's second premiership that Britain suppressed Kenya's Mau Mau rebellion. Among Kenyans allegedly tortured by the colonial regime included one Hussein Onyango Obama, the President's grandfather.

The rejection of the bust has left some British officials nervously reading the runes to see how much influence the UK can wield with the new regime in Washington.

Now it is likely that Gordon Brown will offer a alternative symbol of Anglo-American fealty when he visits Washington to meet Mr Obama for the first time since he became President. Diplomats are still working to finalise a date for the visit which is expected in the final week of this month or early in March.

One suggestion, given Mr Obama's interest in the Lincoln era, is that Mr Brown should offer an artefact relating to the career of John Bright, the 19th Century MP and political reformer who became the most prominent British supporter of Lincoln's Union forces during the American Civil War.

A British Embassy spokesman said: "The bust of Sir Winston Churchill by Sir Jacob Epstein was uniquely lent to a foreign head of state, President George W Bush, from the Government Art Collection in the wake of 9/11 as a signal of the strong transatlantic relationship.

"It was lent for the first term of office of President Bush. When the President was elected for his second and final term, the loan was extended until January 2009.

"The new President has decided not to continue this loan and the bust has now been returned. It is on display at the Ambassador's Residence."

I'm glad we are ready to open lines of communication with Syria and Iran... but we are pissing in the face of our strongest ally

[freedom78]

Barack Obama sends bust of Winston Churchill on its way back to Britain
Barack Obama has sent Sir Winston Churchill packing and pulse rates soaring among anxious British diplomats.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4623148/Barack-Obama-sends-bust-of-Winston-Churchill-on-its-way-back-to-Britain.html

A bust of the former prime minister once voted the greatest Briton in history, which was loaned to George W Bush from the Government's art collection after the September 11 attacks, has now been formally handed back.

The bronze by Sir Jacob Epstein, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds if it were ever sold on the open market, enjoyed pride of place in the Oval Office during President Bush's tenure.

Diplomats were at first reluctant to discuss the whereabouts of the Churchill bronze, after its ejection from the seat of American power. But the British Embassy in Washington has now confirmed that it sits in the palatial residence of ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald, just down the road from Vice President Joe Biden's official residence. It is not clear whether the ambassador plans to keep it in Washington or send it back to London.

American politicians have made quoting Churchill, whose mother was American, something of an art form, but not Mr Obama, who prefers to cite the words and works of his hero Abraham Lincoln. Indeed a bust of Mr Lincoln now sits in the Oval Office where Epstein's Churchill once ruled the roost.

Churchill has less happy connotations for Mr Obama than those American politicians who celebrate his wartime leadership. It was during Churchill's second premiership that Britain suppressed Kenya's Mau Mau rebellion. Among Kenyans allegedly tortured by the colonial regime included one Hussein Onyango Obama, the President's grandfather.

The rejection of the bust has left some British officials nervously reading the runes to see how much influence the UK can wield with the new regime in Washington.

Now it is likely that Gordon Brown will offer a alternative symbol of Anglo-American fealty when he visits Washington to meet Mr Obama for the first time since he became President. Diplomats are still working to finalise a date for the visit which is expected in the final week of this month or early in March.

One suggestion, given Mr Obama's interest in the Lincoln era, is that Mr Brown should offer an artefact relating to the career of John Bright, the 19th Century MP and political reformer who became the most prominent British supporter of Lincoln's Union forces during the American Civil War.

A British Embassy spokesman said: "The bust of Sir Winston Churchill by Sir Jacob Epstein was uniquely lent to a foreign head of state, President George W Bush, from the Government Art Collection in the wake of 9/11 as a signal of the strong transatlantic relationship.

"It was lent for the first term of office of President Bush. When the President was elected for his second and final term, the loan was extended until January 2009.

"The new President has decided not to continue this loan and the bust has now been returned. It is on display at the Ambassador's Residence."

I'm glad we are ready to open lines of communication with Syria and Iran... but we are pissing in the face of our strongest ally

I can't imagine this matters in the slightest.  I'm sure Brown will quickly find that his Labor gov't has much more in common with Obama than it did with Bush. 

Big Ups to Obama for reversing Bush's asinine stem cell ban.  Fuck you Bush and your science stifling agenda, go ride a dinosaur you fucktard.   

PRAISE SCIENCE!!  High five Nancy Regan! 

Maddening how we hit pause on some of our brightest minds while the rest of the world moved on. 

Maybe this will lead to more breakthroughs.....

Who read Buffett's comments today.  Something about them seemed odd.

in what way?

my guess is one of the big banks goes under - gov is going to have to pick one to save while the others die.  i think they've all been holding back just how really bad they f'ed up.  still just incredible how bad these banks dropped the ball. 

Apparently Citi has a profit...it'll be interesting to see if this is the start of a trend or a flash in the pan. 

[Axl4Prez2004]

COma, seriously, a relative of yours is tortured upon orders from a leader...and you're cool with keeping a bust of the guy up in your residence...try to put your anti-Obama sentiment aside for one second and put yourself in his shoes. 
"pissing in the face of our strongest ally?"...hardly.

[C0ma]

COma, seriously, a relative of yours is tortured upon orders from a leader...and you're cool with keeping a bust of the guy up in your residence...try to put your anti-Obama sentiment aside for one second and put yourself in his shoes. 
"pissing in the face of our strongest ally?"...hardly.

Yet he is releasing terrorists from Cuba... what about the families of the people they killed (directly or indirectly)? So he can throw a hissy fit over government policy that affected HIS family, but has no problem instituting government policy that releases terrorists.

[Axl4Prez2004]

COma, seriously, a relative of yours is tortured upon orders from a leader...and you're cool with keeping a bust of the guy up in your residence...try to put your anti-Obama sentiment aside for one second and put yourself in his shoes. 
"pissing in the face of our strongest ally?"...hardly.

Yet he is releasing terrorists from Cuba... what about the families of the people they killed (directly or indirectly)? So he can throw a hissy fit over government policy that affected HIS family, but has no problem instituting government policy that releases terrorists.

and those families too, can choose not to have a bust of President Obama in their house.  btw, yeah, "releasing terrorists," I'm sure if we've got Al Qaida we're just letting them go on their merry way.  You really think that huh?  Must be a scary time for you to live in, eh?

[C0ma]

and those families too, can choose not to have a bust of President Obama in their house.  btw, yeah, "releasing terrorists," I'm sure if we've got Al Qaida we're just letting them go on their merry way.  You really think that huh?  Must be a scary time for you to live in, eh?

Where do you think they are going when they are released to other countries to deal with? What about the few that will be tried in US courts under a constitution that wasn't designed to protect them. I can't wait until the first one is released on a technicality while being defended by a tax payer funded public defender (or even worse, the ACLU)

[loretian]

Once again, excellent critical thoughts on Obama from the pro-Obama Camille Paglia:


Yes, free the president from his flacks, fixers and goons -- his posse of smirky smart alecks and provincial rubes, who were shrewd enough to beat the slow, pompous Clintons in the mano-a-mano primaries but who seem like dazed lost lambs in the brave new world of federal legislation and global statesmanship.

Heads should be rolling at the White House for the embarrassing series of flubs that have overshadowed President Obama's first seven weeks in office and given the scattered, demoralized Republicans a huge boost toward regrouping and resurrection. (Michelle, please use those fabulous toned arms to butt some heads!)

First it was that chaotic pig rut of a stimulus package, which let House Democrats throw a thousand crazy kitchen sinks into what should have been a focused blueprint for economic recovery. Then it was the stunt of unnerving Wall Street by sending out a shrill duo of slick geeks (Timothy Geithner and Peter Orszag) as the administration's weirdly adolescent spokesmen on economics. Who could ever have confidence in that sorry pair?

And then there was the fiasco of the ham-handed White House reception for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which was evidently lacking the most basic elements of ceremony and protocol. Don't they read the "Iliad" anymore in the Ivy League? Check that out for the all-important ritual of gift giving, which has cemented alliances around the world for 5,000 years.


... And it continues.

[Smoking Guns]

Big Ups to Obama for reversing Bush's asinine stem cell ban.  Fuck you Bush and your science stifling agenda, go ride a dinosaur you fucktard.   

PRAISE SCIENCE!!  High five Nancy Regan! 

Maddening how we hit pause on some of our brightest minds while the rest of the world moved on. 

Maybe this will lead to more breakthroughs.....

Who read Buffett's comments today.  Something about them seemed odd.

in what way?

my guess is one of the big banks goes under - gov is going to have to pick one to save while the others die.  i think they've all been holding back just how really bad they f'ed up.  still just incredible how bad these banks dropped the ball. 

Warren later said he regretted making those comments... Hmmmmm.....

[Smoking Guns]

I am giving Obama a break, even though some of his chosen ones seem like major fucking tools, and or idiots.  Instead I am really pissed about pelosi and reid.  They are beyond a disgrace.

[SLCPUNK]

Apparently Citi has a profit...it'll be interesting to see if this is the start of a trend or a flash in the pan. 

Some smaller banks have already turned around thanks to government help. Larger institutions that are much more complex in nature (ie global) would obviously take more time to nurse back to health. I am optimistic about Citi.

[Smoking Guns]

Apparently Citi has a profit...it'll be interesting to see if this is the start of a trend or a flash in the pan. 

Some smaller banks have already turned around thanks to government help. Larger institutions that are much more complex in nature (ie global) would obviously take more time to nurse back to health. I am optimistic about Citi.

Smaller banks maybe made better decisions regardless of the government.

[freedom78]

Apparently Citi has a profit...it'll be interesting to see if this is the start of a trend or a flash in the pan. 

Some smaller banks have already turned around thanks to government help. Larger institutions that are much more complex in nature (ie global) would obviously take more time to nurse back to health. I am optimistic about Citi.

Smaller banks maybe made better decisions regardless of the government.

Wouldn't surprise me if they did.  Operate with a smaller margin for error and you'll be a little more careful.

[Smoking Guns]

Apparently Citi has a profit...it'll be interesting to see if this is the start of a trend or a flash in the pan. 

Some smaller banks have already turned around thanks to government help. Larger institutions that are much more complex in nature (ie global) would obviously take more time to nurse back to health. I am optimistic about Citi.

Smaller banks maybe made better decisions regardless of the government.

Wouldn't surprise me if they did.  Operate with a smaller margin for error and you'll be a little more careful.

Exactly. 

What do you guys know about these potential new ammo laws?

[C0ma]

What do you guys know about these potential new ammo laws?

They have realized they can't control the guns themselves so they are going to try and 'backdoor' gun control by coding the ammo and allowing it to be entered into state and national databases.

http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m2d16-Liberal-Politicians-Forget-Controlling-Guns-Lets-Control-the-Ammo

[Smoking Guns]

What do you guys know about these potential new ammo laws?

They have realized they can't control the guns themselves so they are going to try and 'backdoor' gun control by coding the ammo and allowing it to be entered into state and national databases.

http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m2d16-Liberal-Politicians-Forget-Controlling-Guns-Lets-Control-the-Ammo

I think they are trying to get unmarked ammo destroyed.  Who knows.  Gun sales through the roof for a reason..... 

[Smoking Guns]

Lets see, what can we discuss today?

Obama's NCAA Tourney Bracket? 

This Timothy Geitner clown? 

This is all such a fucking clusterfuck.  I really don't care about the bracket, but why the fuck is that even a story?  Frankly, shouldn't be more supportive of all the teams instead of selecting who he thinks should win?  I am not sure about this one.  I know he wants to be viewed as a regular guy, but he is the president.

Bob Gibbs is the biggest joke of a press. secretary ever.

[Smoking Guns]

Chris Matthews said this 90% tax is unconstitutional, I agree.

Olbermann loved it.

Maddow loved it.

Maddow had moderate democrats on tonight.  I like how she engages with people that think different than her.  Keith does not do that.  Maddow is a much better show than Keith.

I too am very angered by this whole AIG bonus thing.  Those execs there are major POS's, but they were empowered to do what they do.  I agree with those saying, "whoops, we made a mistake, lets force this through to cover up our blunder".  That is what it is, because it is not well thought out enough.  I am disgusted and I like Dave Ramsey's ideas of mandatory term limits to cleanse our House/Senate.