Mitt Romney, neglecting all the similarities with his own health care law, lashed out at President Barack Obama today, bashing the president’s health care overhaul during a campaign stop in Sterling, Virginia.
** NEW COLUMNS COMING UP … THE “SLOW BORING OF HARD BOARDS” IN AN ERA OF LIMITS and SUPERHEROES AND A BIG YEAR OF ACTION CINEMA.
** QUICK HITS. All quiet on the White House front as the US Supreme Court’s decision on the national health care program looms. Meanwhile, the unconsciously facetious Mitt Romney blasted President Barack Obama for a plan largely inspired by Romney’s own Massachusetts program. … Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today, speaking in Helsinki, hailed early actions by Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Morsi, the USC-educated former Cal State University engineering professor. She particularly likes the Muslim Brotherhood leader’s pledge to honor Egypt’s treaties, which includes a peace treaty with Israel. … California’s budget “trailer bills” passed today in the state legislature, with the compromise plan worked out by Governor Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders essentially intact. … Amusingly, legislative Republicans balked at shifting kids out of the Health Families program to the cheaper alternative of Medi-Cal. I guess they are still for reforms instead of cuts. …
** NEW POLL: CONFIDENCE IN BANKS AT RECORD LOW. A new Gallup Poll survey contains bad political news for the financial sector. Confidence in US banks is now at a record low, shading the previous record low reached in 2009 as denial of the great global recession ended and realization set in.
Throughout much of 2008, politicians and pundits on the starboard side of the spectrum repeatedly denied that the economy was in recession, though it clearly was.
Only Congress and health maintenance organizations rank below the banking sector in public confidence.
The banks are now tied with TV news, big business, and organized labor as the third least respected institutions in America.
What’s at the top of the heap in public confidence and respect?
The US military, of course, by a huge margin.
Americans’ confidence in U.S. banks is now at a record-low 21%, down slightly from 23% in the past two years and one percentage point below the 22% found in 2009. The percentage of Americans saying they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in U.S. banks is now about half the pre-recession level of 41%, recorded in June 2007. …
Gallup since 1973 has asked Americans to say how much confidence they have in a variety of U.S. institutions, including annually since 1993. Confidence in banks is higher than only two of the other institutions tested in this year’s poll — Congress (13%) and Health Maintenance Organizations (19%). Tied with banks are television news, organized labor, and big business — all at 21% and third from the bottom out of the 16 U.S. institutions rated. …
The UN Human Rights Council has released its report on last month’s massacre in the central Syria town of Houla. It says it was unlikely that opposition fighters were behind the deaths. 108 people were killed in the attack, most of them women and children. The report also warns of worsening violence across Syria, and says the violence is taking on a more sectarian character. The UN will host a conference on the Syrian crisis Saturday in Geneva, but Iran will be excluded at American request and Saudi Arabia at Russian request, making it all still more problematic.
** NEW COLUMNS COMING UP … THE “SLOW BORING OF HARD BOARDS” IN AN ERA OF LIMITS and SUPERHEROES AND A BIG YEAR OF ACTION CINEMA.
** OBAMA TODAY. After two days of campaigning across the country, President Barack Obama is in Washington.
He received the daily intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
Obama then met for lunch with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed in the Private Dining Room.
At 12 noon Pacific, Obama attends a fundraiser at the Jefferson Hotel.
At 4 PM Pacific, Obama delivers remarks at a picnic for Members of Congress on the South Lawn.
The White House awaits a likely US Supreme Court decision Thursday on the national health care law enacted early in Obama’s first term.
Obama has no scheduled public events on Thursday and Friday, allowing ample opportunity to pivot on the decision, whichever way it goes.
I expect the Court to throw out the mandate, which lies at the core of the Obamacare program, just as it did with Romneycare in Massachusetts.
Which would make this very dicey once again for the conservative Republican challenger.
Obama is monitoring several geopolitical crises involving the Arab Awakening, Iran and Israel, Syria, Iraq, and AfPak.
Military Crisis Zone Times: The Arabian Gulf is ten hours ahead of Pacific time, and Afghanistan is eleven and a half hours ahead of Pacific time.
In opting to become the nation’s largest city to seek federal bankruptcy protection, Stockton, California — a Central Valley city of 300,000, making it California’s 13th largest — took a rare financial step of last resort after struggling with the economic downturn, soaring pension costs and contractual obligations. The city made big ongoing financial commitments based an ever-rising housing market that crashed.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES. Governor Jerry Brown is in Sacramento.
He has no scheduled public events as of this morning.
California legislative committees took budget action on “trailer bills” (merely necessary to have an actual budget) late on Tuesday.
Legislative floor votes on the state budget are taking place today.
California Forward’s initiative for various would-be governmental reforms, mostly procedural but not uncontroversial, has qualified for the November ballot, on which it is likely to be near the top beneath Governor Jerry Brown’s revenue initiative. (Which will move up by legislative action, as it is a constitutional amendment, like the CalForward package.)
** A RUGGED TIME FOR OBAMA’S BIG GEOPOLITICAL PIVOT. … From my June 22nd essay.
** THE “FAIR SHOT” VS. THE “TO DO LIST” — A BIG REVEALING BLAH IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE. … From my June 20th column.
** THE ENLIGHTENMENT DIVIDES AMERICAN POLITICS. … From my June 16th essay.
** LOOKING FORWARD FROM MAD MEN‘S MEANDERING SEASON 5: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (ONE CAN ONLY HOPE) … From my June 13th essay.
** MIDWAY: 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF HISTORY’S MOST PIVOTAL BATTLES CAME IN MIDST OF OBAMA’S BIG STRATEGIC PIVOT TO THE PACIFIC. … From my June 9th essay.
** MAD MEN: THE ANVIL HAS LANDED. … From my June 6th review.
** JERRY BROWN FOR PRESIDENT + 20. … From my June 6th essay.
** FIAT LUX, WILLARD! … From my June 1st column.
** FROM GOVERNATOR TO MOONBEAM. … From my January 3rd, 2011 feature.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.) … From my January 19th, 2009 Huffington Post column.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in major military operations in the region, and the Arab awakening underway, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer. The NWN live link to AJ does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer from the Russia Today channel. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the state-run channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Having crashed over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, 2008, crude oil is trading around $80 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This is up about $46 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity, and down about $34 per barrel from the price at the time of the Osama bin Laden raid.
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| Comments (32) |
Good bad news Al Jazeera news video on Syrian massacre.
Good bad news news video of the Stockton crisis.
I don’t know how this has a good ending…
Jonas says:
June 27, 2012 at 11:49 am
Good bad news Al Jazeera news video on Syrian massacre.
They chose poorly.
Jonas says:
June 27, 2012 at 11:51 am
Good bad news news video of the Stockton crisis.
JB, getting it done.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES. Governor Jerry Brown is in Sacramento.
He has no scheduled public events as of this morning.
California legislative committees took budget action on “trailer bills” (merely necessary to have an actual budget) late on Tuesday.
Legislative floor votes on the state budget are taking place today.
I love it!!!
BB:Obama already is in the lead in three key battleground states which may decide the election: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
Iran crisis video today?
What’s-in-it-for-me test hasn’t worked for National Health Care. Maybe this is for the best…
Bradley: I expect the Court to throw out the mandate, which lies at the core of the Obamacare program, just as it did with Romneycare in Massachusetts.
Which would make this very dicey once again for the conservative Republican challenger.
Obama already is in the lead in three key battleground states which may decide the election: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
They never explained the damn thing, maybe because it can’t be explained…
Only if Assad likes the French Riviera.
Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 12:04 pm
I don’t know how this has a good ending…
Jonas says:
June 27, 2012 at 11:49 am
Good bad news Al Jazeera news video on Syrian massacre.
Not hard to figure this.
** NEW POLL: CONFIDENCE IN BANKS AT RECORD LOW. A new Gallup Poll survey contains bad political news for the financial sector. Confidence in US banks is now at a record low, shading the previous record low reached in 2009 as denial of the great global recession ended and realization set in.
Throughout much of 2008, politicians and pundits on the starboard side of the spectrum repeatedly denied that the economy was in recession, though it clearly was.
Only Congress and health maintenance organizations rank below the banking sector in public confidence.
The banks are now tied with TV news, big business, and organized labor as the third least respected institutions in America.
What’s at the top of the heap in public confidence and respect?
The US military, of course, by a huge margin.
romney cracks me , he’s so shameless.
Hahah!!
… Amusingly, legislative Republicans balked at shifting kids out of the Health Families program to the cheaper alternative of Medi-Cal. I guess they are still for reforms instead of cuts. …
JB is getting it done.
… California’s budget “trailer bills” passed today in the state legislature, with the compromise plan worked out by Governor Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders essentially intact. …
Romney is such a dick.
** QUICK HITS. All quiet on the White House front as the US Supreme Court’s decision on the national health care program looms. Meanwhile, the unconsciously facetious Mitt Romney blasted President Barack Obama for a plan largely inspired by Romney’s own Massachusetts program. …
Good news video of Mitt Romney’s attack on President Obama.
Is anyone going to bother to explain that the “individual mandate” only applies to 2% of the population. The radical right has made great advances waving the bloody flag of the individual mandate, and few people understand how limited it is.
Turkey-Syria crisis video today?
Yes, though not the Turkey part.
Why do you think the mandate only applies to 2%?
>larry says:
June 27, 2012 at 8:28 pm (Edit)
Is anyone going to bother to explain that the “individual mandate” only applies to 2% of the population. The radical right has made great advances waving the bloody flag of the individual mandate, and few people understand how limited it is.
He is shameless.
>Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 5:13 pm (Edit)
Romney is such a dick.
** QUICK HITS. All quiet on the White House front as the US Supreme Court’s decision on the national health care program looms. Meanwhile, the unconsciously facetious Mitt Romney blasted President Barack Obama for a plan largely inspired by Romney’s own Massachusetts program. …
Indeed.
>Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 5:13 pm (Edit)
JB is getting it done.
… California’s budget “trailer bills” passed today in the state legislature, with the compromise plan worked out by Governor Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders essentially intact. …
I aim to entertain.
>Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 5:12 pm (Edit)
Hahah!!
… Amusingly, legislative Republicans balked at shifting kids out of the Health Families program to the cheaper alternative of Medi-Cal. I guess they are still for reforms instead of cuts. …
Amazingly so, and amazing how much of a free ride he has gotten. So far.
>Cooper Hawks says:
June 27, 2012 at 4:45 pm (Edit)
romney cracks me , he’s so shameless.
NO, but Obama is schizo about it.
>Jack Aubrey says:
June 27, 2012 at 3:44 pm (Edit)
Not hard to figure this.
** NEW POLL: CONFIDENCE IN BANKS AT RECORD LOW. A new Gallup Poll survey contains bad political news for the financial sector. Confidence in US banks is now at a record low, shading the previous record low reached in 2009 as denial of the great global recession ended and realization set in.
Throughout much of 2008, politicians and pundits on the starboard side of the spectrum repeatedly denied that the economy was in recession, though it clearly was.
Only Congress and health maintenance organizations rank below the banking sector in public confidence.
The banks are now tied with TV news, big business, and organized labor as the third least respected institutions in America.
What’s at the top of the heap in public confidence and respect?
The US military, of course, by a huge margin.
Heh.
>Jack Aubrey says:
June 27, 2012 at 3:22 pm (Edit)
Only if Assad likes the French Riviera.
Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 12:04 pm
I don’t know how this has a good ending…
Jonas says:
June 27, 2012 at 11:49 am
Good bad news Al Jazeera news video on Syrian massacre.
Except, of course, it was upheld. Except on CNN and Fox …
>Requiem says:
June 27, 2012 at 2:33 pm (Edit)
What’s-in-it-for-me test hasn’t worked for National Health Care. Maybe this is for the best…
Bradley: I expect the Court to throw out the mandate, which lies at the core of the Obamacare program, just as it did with Romneycare in Massachusetts.
Which would make this very dicey once again for the conservative Republican challenger.
Obama already is in the lead in three key battleground states which may decide the election: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
Few people really understand it.
>Jack Aubrey says:
June 27, 2012 at 3:20 pm (Edit)
They never explained the damn thing, maybe because it can’t be explained…
Shocking, positively shocking.
>Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 12:07 pm (Edit)
I love it!!!
BB:Obama already is in the lead in three key battleground states which may decide the election: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
It’s one thing not to cut back, but they expanded.
>Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 12:06 pm (Edit)
They chose poorly.
Jonas says:
June 27, 2012 at 11:51 am
Good bad news news video of the Stockton crisis.
I just don’t know how it plays out.
>Capitol Boy says:
June 27, 2012 at 12:04 pm (Edit)
I don’t know how this has a good ending…
Jonas says:
June 27, 2012 at 11:49 am
Good bad news Al Jazeera news video on Syrian massacre.
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