It’s Monday, and the Cape Wind meeting with Sec Salazar, Tribes and Energy Management happens today, the Senate is back in session battling it out on Ui benefits and more around 2pmET watch it live-stream; the House is not in session today.
The impact of just one Senator, Bunning, has put a complete stop to all types of construction projects, including Medicare programs that will need to be put on hold and leaving people who need a doctor without; putting not just construction workers out of work temporarily, but doctors will be losing 21%payments and they won’t be taking new patients.
The President along with Colin Powell/wife and Sec of Ed Arne Duncan will be announcing the 900million dollars in grants for the education program called Helping a America become a Grad Nation in association with Americas Promise Alliance.
PATTY MURRAY (D-WA):
“I’ve been consistently supportive of a public option so that Washington’s families and businesses have choices in their health care options and so insurance companies are finally forced to compete for the business of the American people. Nothing has changed that support. I don’t know whether the votes exist in the Senate right now, but if the public option came up for a vote as we move ahead with reform, including under reconciliation, I would vote yes.”
Thank you Patty Murray
on CSPAN today …
Partisan Divide Affects Unemployment Benefits
Sen. Maj. Ldr. Reid (D-NV) plans to introduce a bill in the Senate to extend federal unemployment and other benefits. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) blocked passage of the House-approved package of provisions on Friday. The benefits began to phase out yesterday, potentially leaving some people without unemployment and health benefits until a final Senate vote.
Rep. Hoyer on Fiscal Responsibility and PAYGO legislation
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) will talk about fiscal responsibility in a speech at the Brookings Institution. He’s expected to discuss the new bipartisan fiscal commission charged with recommending solutions for reducing the federal deficit, and also the “PAYGO” legislation recently enacted into law that requires federal spending or tax cuts to be offset by savings or revenue increases. Brookings Institute: C-SPAN at 1pm ET
The Commission on Wartime Contracting will hold a hearing on how to improve cooperation among contract agencies in Iraq and Afghanistan. This hearing builds on previous testimony that exposed problems with planning and organizing contract projects. Government witnesses are set to testify on their actions to promote interagency coordination.
The Cato Institute hosted a panel of legal scholars to preview the Supreme Court case McDonald v. Chicago and its implications for gun rights and other constitutional liberties.
It’s the end of the weekend and while all tsunami warnings have been cancelled the assessments and clean up begins in Chile and around other areas hit by the earthquake and tsunami.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The state Senate’s Democratic majority has narrowly approved its plan for balancing the state’s $2.8 billion budget deficit.
The Senate budget counts on about $920 million in tax increases. But Senators haven’t settled on the details of their tax package yet.
The budget also calls for about $840 million in spending cuts, $580 million in federal aid, and $500 million in one-time fixes like fund transfers.
Majority Democrats say it’s a balanced approach that would protect critical state programs. But Republicans say it relies too heavily on tax hikes and short-term solutions.
The budget passed on the Senate a 25-19 vote. It will have to be blended with a competing budget from the House before legislators can adjourn their short, election-year session.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s doctor says the commander in chief’s first medical checkup since he took office finds the 48-year-old is in “excellent health” and is “fit for duty.”
The 4man US bobsled team won GOLD, the first in 62yrs. Saturday 2/27/2010 at or around 1:30AMET an 8.8 earthquake rocked Chile, 200miles from the epicenter, with after shocks of up to 6.9 even 8hours after the original, over 900times stronger than the Haiti earthquake. Over 400thou victims in the BioBio region; This quake has made an impact on 2million or more people in Chile and south of there as well as the entire Pacific basin. Warnings of Tsunami’s possible all along the coast of the epicenter, people have been told to move to higher ground; with some possibility of Tsunamis threats to the Philippines, Alaska,Russia, Japan, California, Oregon, Guam, American Samoa, and the Australian coast as well as Hawaii. A 6.0 earthquake hit Argentina killing 2 people.
TVNZ reports that Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said a huge wave hit the Juan Fernandez islands, and archipelago where Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned in the 18th century inspiring the novel Robinson Crusoe. “There was a series of waves that got bigger and bigger, which gave people time to save themselves,” pilot Fernando Avaria told TVNZ television by telephone from the main island. Six people were killed and 11 are still missing there, he said.
Bachelet said residents were evacuated from coastal areas of Chile’s remote Easter Island, a popular tourist destination in the Pacific famous for its towering Moai stone statues.
Unusually big waves battered Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, where residents were moved to higher ground as a precaution.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a Pacific-wide tsunami warning for the US state of Hawaii and countries as far away as Japan, Russia, Philippines, Indonesia and the South Pacific. French Polynesia was also put on alert. “Chile probably got the brunt force of the tsunami already. So probably the worst has already happened in Chile,” said Victor Sardina, geophysicist at the warning centre. “The tsunami was pretty big too. We reported some places around 8 feet. And it’s quite possible it would be higher in other areas,” he added.
To find info about your loved ones please call 1 888-407-4747
other news this weekend ... leading up to Tuesday …
The President call’s for the GOP to help get HCR done sooner than later will probably ring on deaf ears as they seem to have decided to remain being the Political Party of NO; Cap and Trade is all but dead if you listen to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, yet, the Washington Post reports that Senator Reid (D-Nev.) told Kerry this week that he and his colleagues need to produce a bill as soon as possible to have any chance of passage in 2010. Jim Manley, Reid’s spokesman, said it is the majority leader‘s “hope to bring it up to the floor for a vote,” adding, “But we’ve got a whole host of other things on our plate, and a Republican Party that’s making it difficult for us to pass all but the most routine legislation.” Kerry said that although the package the three senators will unveil will not have 60 votes when it becomes public, he is confident that it will win over skeptical lawmakers. “What people need to understand about this bill is this really is a jobs bill, an economic transformation for America, an energy independence bill and a health/pollution-reduction bill that has enormous benefits for the country,” Kerry said.
and …
Monday will be filled with meetings to move ui benefits, cobra and other temp measures forward as they expire on Sunday; votes for these may not happen until Tuesday. The Cape Wind project meeting is scheduled on March 1, with hopes of an agreement by both parties involved; rumors that land being used was sacred, while tribal leaders have said the wind turbines would be in everyone’s best interest, which, made me confused because of the information about NPS ruled the Nantucket Sound a historic landmark because of it’s cultural and spiritual significance to 1st nations people; however, that has been challenged and information should be corrected after the March 1 meet-up.
things we should know about …Rubio brings up in his attack on Crist the name of Terri Schiavo…stay classy Rubio; can i say yup this is the real deal right there…not worthy of a Public Servant position; if you didn’t know before … Newt Gingrich runs A HEALTH INDUSTRY “TRADE ASSOCIATION,anyway he says he wont register as a lobbyist/TP; ok, so who is his proxy?
Tobacco taxes are a win-win-win for states facing budget shortfalls — a BUDGET WIN that will raise billions in revenue and help preserve essential services such as health care and education; a HEALTH WIN that will prevent kids from smoking and save lives; and a POLITICAL WIN that is popular with voters.
This report details the revenue and health benefits to each state of increasing its cigarette tax by $1 per pack, as well as the national benefits if every state took such action.
Team USA .. played and out scored the Canuks in a win for Team USA 5-3, it was obvious Miller, the goaly was truly the msvp of the evening, blocking over 40 shots from Canada. It’s well known that Team USA has quite a few young players and was not expect to win tonight. In the last 4minutes Canada managed to score but it just wasn’t enough for the night game. The rink was very quiet as Team USA celebrated on the ice. This is just one more game toward the gold, woo hoo Team USA.
Washington State News …For years, federal law at National Parks allowed people to bring in unloaded weapons as long as they were stowed away. But starting Monday, that will change. Now anyone with a legal permit can bring in a loaded gun, concealed or otherwise, as long as it concurs with state laws.For years, federal law at National Parks allowed people to bring in unloaded weapons as long as they were stowed away. But starting Monday, that will change. Now anyone with a legal permit can bring in a loaded gun, concealed or otherwise, as long as it concurs with state laws.For years, federal law at National Parks allowed people to bring in unloaded weapons as long as they were stowed away. But starting Monday, that will change. Now anyone with a legal permit can bring in a loaded gun, concealed or otherwise, as long as it concurs with state laws/by ROBERTA ROMERO / KING 5 News.
Point/Pounterpoint: This news is very disappointing; only time will tell what impact this decision will have on the people using our Great Parks here in Washington State …
Bills would make it easier to force mentally ill into care.
Washington State … complete article on seattletimes.nwsource.com
Legislation before a state Senate committee would make it easier to commit and treat potentially dangerous mentally ill people under the controversial Involuntary Treatment Act.
news of Republican Senator Mitch McConnell still …trying to deny that Republicans are engaging in the art of obstructionist behavior on the Foxnews Sunday interview; i’d say he is well seasoned at what he does and practices obstructing quite often
…and
Terry Moran of ABC news interviewed Governor Schwarzenegger of California, who calls out the GOP for stating the stimulus money didn’t create jobs; as stated by our President and some reporters the GOP not only spent the money given to them; they went to ribbon cuttings, handed out some giant checks, took credit for it and some even went back for more. I find it disturbing that so many people are so willing to condemn the so-called back room deals Democrats did for Jobs and HCR when the Political Party of NO 110 of them have kept THEIR STIMULUS Money SPENDING a SECRET ; where is the outrage? It’s even more of an outrage to me that mainstream tv stations and cable news have conveniently avoided reporting the Republican Hypocrisy until people like Rachel Maddow and Keith Oberlmann actually showed pictures of various Republicans in action, such as: Gov Bobby Jindal, Eric Cantor, Kit Bond, mike Castle, Mark Kirk, John Boehner
Apparently, Gov Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania stated that President Obama botched the Stimulus Sales Job; Appearing on ABC’s This Week; Huffington Post reports that the Pennsylvania Democrat said it was ironic that “the best communicator in the history of political campaigning turned out in his first year in office to not communicate very well.” He was referring, specifically, to what went wrong when it came to selling the president’s stimulus package … read more on Huffingtonpost.com
Some online reporters say they have low expectations on whatever will come out of the health-care summit; though the summit has yet to meet; everyone has a right to their opinion but it seems a bit cynical to be a naysayer before the fact, though it probably will likely get them more viewers; especially if they do a lot of cable and get paid; people need the facts not a whole lot of speculation and last, the tea party movement is discussed and analyzed further by R rep Tom Price.
Sec. of Education addresses Governors at Winter Meeting
Sec. of Education Arne Duncan will address education policy in the Obama Administration at the afternoon session of the Governors Conference. This year’s meeting is also focusing on health care issues facing the states and the morning plenary session will discuss health care and the economy.
Health care and tea party movement focus of Newsmakers
This week on Newsmakers, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) will discuss the upcoming health care summit and the his party’s perspective on health reform. He is a former orthopedic doctor. Rep. Price will also address the influence that the tea party movement has had on the GOP.
listening to various Media whine, cry and complain about not getting access to Tiger, well, they need him more than he needs them. The only news you can find this early Friday morning seems to be Tiger Woods, the Media keeps throwing stones, badgering his family, follow his wife around, call him names, judge him and still say he owes the people and the Media even after the Press conference. I say BS, the only people who truly care is in fact the Media, contrary to what the Media states, the general public have lives to live and would like to be informed about more important issues in the news. The Media wants him to speak again, stating Tiger’s choice of no questions was phony, scripted and continue to verbally abuse him, it’s damned if you do damned if you don’t. So, it’s the Media vs. Tiger, is it just me or is the Media just flying off the edge of verbal insanity? MSNBC did an interview with Buzz from VanityFair, first of all. He and his magazine have questionable behavior when it comes to people of colour. I just recently decided to boycott this mag, hearing him say Tiger deceived us; come on, it’s magazines like his and the Media who put Tiger on a pedestal, unfortunately people believed mags like VanityFair, shame on him and others in the Media who have put such an importance on Tiger, it’s pretty obvious that it has probably cost his magazine money as maybe a couple of stocks associated with Tiger, get over it; not once did he talk of Tiger’s family, the kids and how that was the most important thing, even the jerk on Cnn, waiting for Tiger’s statement sounded like he had stones ready to throw …still? The Media needs to stop pushing their personal ideals on the public. Tiger gave his speech though many are still bashing him and will continue to do so. I am glad he controlled what the Media got and hopefully Tiger, his cubs and wife will bounce back. So, my advice to the Media? It’s over done…move on. It would be nice to see more on Haiti, that Public Option is still alive and why it will help all Americans… facts over fiction or gossip from the Media would be nice.
and while Tiger is on every single station …
The President is stumping for Senator Reid as well as providing great information on what needs to be done to get America back on track; gotta say this guy, Reid has been a tough character, has devoted his entire life to politics and with all of his controversy he seems like someone we need in the Senate; the town hall mtg should give people a better view of Senator Reid and make the right choice, we need democrats to correct what the house of Bush did …
So, does Iran have nukes? Reports say there was some knowledge of something going on in 2007, maybe even before that, ok, so why didn’t the house of Bush do something about it then? Why did the Bush admin let it slide? here we are, it’s 2010 and the deception by Iran about how close they are to nuke power seems like such a surprise now, really? … or did the last admin just ignore the warnings? just one of many issues left by the last admin for President Obama to clean up and with possible sanctions coming to Iran, which, btw includes other countries cooperating with each other; definitely a big difference from the last admin… cooperation… novel idea right?
and other stuff in the news …
**Olympia Washington’s Mayor Pro Tem Joe Hyer has decided to take a leave of absence amid allegations of drug trafficking. But local Republicans insist he should resign.
**Tim Pawleny said at CPAC “let’s get the 9iron, like TWood’s wife and smash the windows of gov’t, i kind of wonder if there was more to his comment than meets the eye, just askin
**CPAC … We all need to see and hear what these people are up to-watch for yourself the 2/18/2010 and 2/19/2010 sessions below
Partisan Divide Affects Unemployment Benefits
CNN Politics: Lone Senator Blocks Unemployment
Congressional Agenda: Now on C-SPAN
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