Michele Bachmann Speech Attacks Obama Care

Michele Bachmann State Of The Union Response Speech Attacks Obama Care Stimulus And More

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) delivered her own rebuttal to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday night despite Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) being tapped to give the official Republican response (video below).

CNN was the only cable network to carry the Tea Party favorite's speech.

Bachmann suggested she's "not in competition with Paul Ryan," according to CNN.

The Atlantic relays advanced excerpts of Bachmann's remarks.

Click here for live coverage of the 2011 State of
After the $700 billion bailout, the trillion-dollar stimulus, and the massive budget bill with over 9,000 earmarks that the President signed, many of you implored Washington to please stop spending money we don't have.

But, instead of cutting, we saw an unprecedented explosion of government spending and debt at President Obama's direction; unlike anything we have seen in the history of our country.

For two years President Obama made promises... He claimed that he would find solutions to fix our economy and help create jobs.

Well, here are a few suggestions:

The President could stop the EPA from imposing a job-destroying cap-and-trade system.

The President could agree with House Republicans and commit himself to signing a Balanced Budget Amendment.

The President could also agree to an all-of-the-above energy policy whereby we increase American energy production, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reduce the price of gas at the pump, and create good-paying jobs in the U.S.

The President could turn back some of the 132 regulations put in place in the last two years that each have an impact of $100-million or more on our economy.

Thanks to all of you, there's reason to hope that real spending cuts are coming. Last November many of you went to the polls and voted out big-spending politicians and you put in their place men and women who have come to Washington with a commitment to follow the Constitution and cut the size of government. And I believe that we are in the early days of a history-making turn here in the House of Representatives.

Last week we voted to repeal ObamaCare, and each day going forward, we must work hard to dismantle the massive government expansion that has happened over the past two years.

Video:

Supreme Court Justices State Of The Union Address 2011

State, Of The Union Address 2011: Supreme Court Justices Won't All Attend

WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John Roberts will lead a contingent of six Supreme Court justices at President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech, quieting speculation that only Democratic appointees to the court would attend.

Roberts had objected to the partisan atmosphere at last year's address, particularly after Obama offered rare criticism of the court during his speech.

Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg confirmed that six justices would be present at Tuesday's speech, although she would not say which ones. But as three of the nine justices had previously all but ruled themselves out, it seemed a safe assumption that Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy would join their four colleagues who were appointed by Democratic presidents.

Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor also are expected to attend. For Kagan, it would be her first speech since Obama nominated her last year. Sotomayor was Obama's first high court pick.

Justice Samuel Alito, who mouthed the words "not true" in response to Obama's criticism, is spending this week as "jurist in residence" at the University of Hawaii law school. Justice Antonin Scalia, at the Capitol Monday to speak to the Tea Party Caucus, has not attended a State of the Union speech at least since the mid-1990s. Justice Clarence Thomas said last year that he doesn't go because "it has become so partisan," although he attended Obama's first speech to Congress in February 2009.

Last year, six justices in their black robes sat silently while Obama leveled criticism at the court – and specifically its conservative majority – for the decision it had announced just days earlier freeing corporations and labor unions to spend freely in elections for Congress and president. Roberts, Alito and Kennedy, Republican appointees, were there, along with Breyer, Ginsburg and Sotomayor, named to the court by Democrats.

Roberts addressed the issue in a speech in Alabama in March. "To the extent the State of the Union has degenerated into a political pep rally, I'm not sure why we're there," he said.

Roberts said anyone is free to criticize the court and that some have an obligation to do so because of their positions.

"So I have no problems with that," he said. "On the other hand, there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum. The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court – according the requirements of protocol – has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."

The shootings in Tucson this month that killed six people and left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords wounded have led some lawmakers to abandon the tradition of sitting by political party, creating an expectation that the atmosphere surrounding this year's speech might be less partisan.

Roberts has been to every State of the Union since he joined the court more than five years ago. Kennedy has attended the last four speeches.

Breyer appears to have missed only one State of the Union in his 16 years on the court, and has been the only justice present on at least four occasions. No one from the court attended when Breyer was ill in 2000.

Occ Foreclosure

Key Senator Urges Obama To Push Foreclosure Relief In State Of The Union

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) is urging President Barack Obama to pledge a new round of foreclosure relief during his State of the Union address next week. In a letter to the president obtained by The Huffington Post, Merkley said the administration's current anti-foreclosure programs have proven woefully inadequate, and pushed for a more thorough program to keep families in their homes.

"A record one million families lost their home to foreclosure last year," Merkley wrote. "Next week, Mr. President, you will have the attention of the nation. I urge you to use this opportunity to renew efforts to tackle the national foreclosure crisis."

Merkley's call for presidential leadership on foreclosures comes as infighting among federal regulators appears to have stalled out key reforms to the bank divisions that work with troubled borrowers and process foreclosures.

The FDIC has been pushing to impose new requirements on the operations of those divisions, which are known as mortgage servicers. The agency has been engaged in heated negotiations with other regulators at the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the Fed had initially opposed the plan, but agreed to support the rules after a few weeks of negotiations. The OCC, however, which is currently responsible for regulating the largest mortgage servicers -- Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup -- has resisted those rules. The OCC has never publicly sanctioned a mortgage servicer, despite widespread court findings of servicer fraud in the foreclosure process.

The Treasury Department, which had supported the new rules, had expected an agreement between agencies by Friday, Jan. 14, according to a spokesman. That anticipated agreement has not yet come to fruition.

But Treasury itself is engaged in a delicate dance on foreclosure policy -- defending the foreclosure prevention program criticized by Merkley, even as it urges sweeping reform of the bank divisions that participate in that program.

"The goal of the [Home Affordable Modification Program] was to prevent three to four million foreclosures," Merkley wrote, "but to date, fewer than 600,000 homowners have been approved."

Merkley is a persistent advocate for financial reform, and co-authored a key provision of last year's Wall Street overhaul legislation known as the Volcker Rule, which bars banks from speculating with taxpayer money.

At a Wednesday meeting of the Mortgage Bankers Association, Cindy Gertz, Treasury's Director of Operations for HAMP, praised the servicers involved in the Treasury plan, noting that they had ramped up staffing in order to deal with the foreclosure flood. Treasury spokeswoman Andrea Risotto told HuffPost that Gertz's praise for servicers was restricted to HAMP, and not to any other servicer activities. But servicer abuses within HAMP have been widely documented, with borrowers frequently making good on loan modification arrangements only to be foreclosed on.

Risotto noted that Treasury has a "compliance agent" that inspects servicers once a month to make sure banks are implementing the program correctly. Nevertheless, servicer employees have admitted to fraudulently robo-signing hundreds of foreclosure documents a day as a matter of ordinary procedure. Treasury has never sanctioned a servicer for violating HAMP rules, and maintains that it has no authority to do so, because the program is voluntary for banks.

But as Treasury defends servicers with one hand, it is also demanding fundamental reform of the servicer industry with the other. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner called for an overhaul of the way servicers are paid, arguing that the status quo is a "broken" system.

Regulatory agencies are debating whether to include standards for servicer conduct in new "skin-in-the-game" regulations for the mortgage bond market. The Wall Street overhaul legislation contains a provision requiring banks to retain at least five percent of the default risk whenever they sell mortgages off to investors. But there's a key exception to the rule: for standardized, top-quality loans, banks will not have to retain any of the risk. The FDIC hopes that by including mortgage servicing rules in the definition of a standardized, top-quality mortgage, they can create a new gold standard for mortgage lending that is immune from current abuses.

But these new regulations would only reform the way that servicers operate with regard to new mortgages. They will not help the millions of borrowers already trapped in unaffordable loans, nor will they provide a way to manage the widening gyre of fraud allegations and other improprieties that pose massive potential losses at the nation's too-big-to-fail banks.

In a speech Wednesday, FDIC Chair Sheila Bair warned, "Chaos in mortgage servicing and foreclosure is introducing a dangerous new uncertainty into this fragile market." Bair suggested creating a foreclosure disaster fund akin to the BP oil spill fund that would compensate wronged homeowners and investors, while capping liabilities for big banks.

Merkley wants to find a solution that deals with homeowners already facing foreclosure (and bank fraud). He's pushing for a six-point program to overhaul the current foreclosure system, including new standards for servicer conduct and new legal mechanisms to provide debt relief to deserving families.

Central to the program is a reform of the bankruptcy code, dubbed by Merkley as "lifeline bankruptcy reform." Mortgages are currently excluded from the bankruptcy process, so even if borrowers declare bankruptcy -- a process that is difficult to qualify for and comes with serious financial penalties -- they cannot get debt relief on their mortgage. By making mortgages subject to renegotiation in bankruptcy under the supervision of a judge, Merkley hopes to establish a process that would allow borrowers to remain in their homes without simply granting a get-out-of-debt free card to everyone whose home value has declined since the collapse of the housing bubble.

"This makes much more sense than paying for modifications," economist Dean Baker, co-Director of the Center for Economic Policy and Research, told HuffPost. Under HAMP, the Treasury pays servicers $1,000 to implement each loan modification, plus an additional $1,000 for every year that borrowers keep paying on the modified loan.

A similar program for farm loans was adopted during the mid-1980s and helped thousands of family farms avoid foreclosure, and a recent IMF report suggested bankruptcy reform as an effective solution to the U.S. mortgage mess. The same report found that the high rate of foreclosure may be responsible for between 1 percent and 1.25 percent of the U.S. unemployment rate, currently at 9.4 percent.

Mortgage bankruptcy reform was endorsed by then-Sen. Barack Obama during his presidential campaign, but died in the Senate in Spring 2009 amid weak backing from President Obama. Senate Republicans, who pushed for bankruptcy to be the appropriate way to deal with faltering megabanks, did not believe that consumers should receive the same treatment. Several bank-friendly Democrats also opposed the bankruptcy overhaul, prompting Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to fume that banks "frankly own the place," referring to Congress.

Merkley also calls for an end to the "dual-track" system, in which mortgage servicers begin the foreclosure process even as they negotiate loan modifications with troubled borrowers. The system allows banks to foreclose as quickly as possible if the modification falls through, but also leads to many unnecessary foreclosures as banks improperly continue with foreclosures on successful modifications. Merkley would also require servicers to establish a single individual to contact borrowers, preventing paperwork mix-ups and other bank confusion which lead to improper foreclosures, and establish an independent party to review whether banks have followed the rules on foreclosures.

OCC policy already bans the dual-track system unless the process is required by mortgage bond agreements, but the OCC is yet to enforce that ban with any sanction against banks that violate it.

The potential impact of other elements in Merkley's plan is less clear. He would implement a "short-refinance" plan, which would allow homeowners who owe more on their loan than their house is worth to refinance into a new loan at the current value of their home. Government agencies would then pay the existing bank to expunge the remaining debt levels. But Baker was skeptical that such a program would be workable. With home prices down dramatically nationwide from their bubble-level peaks, even outright housing speculators will be sure to seek relief, triggering a government payout to the very banks who caused the problem by lending recklessly in the midst of a bubble. "There is not going to be any plausible means test that you can put in place that will prevent almost anyone in this situation from taking advantage of the opportunity," Baker said.

Merkley would also provide a $5,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers in an effort to boost home sales. But Baker said such an arrangement is unlikely to be an efficient mechanism to lift the struggling housing market.

State of the Union Barack Obama use address

State of the Union: Barack Obama to use address

Barack Obama will use Tuesday’s State of the Union address to cement himself in the political centre as he aims to capitalise on a series of unexpected recent political successes.
White House advisers have indicated that the speech will be used as a rebranding amid a revival in his fortunes that he hopes lead to his being re-elected next year.
The annual address on Tuesday night, which last year was watched by 48 million, will pull together the themes the US president has been developing over the past two months as he sought to rescue his presidency following what he described as a “shellacking” for Democrats in the November midterm elections. Read Full Story

Peru recognizes Palestinian state

Peru said on Monday it had recognized a Palestinian state, joining a growing number of Latin American countries in making an endorsement the United States has called premature.

Israel has warned that declarations by Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia and Ecuador, among others, could undermine the Middle East peace process.

Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde did not specify if Peru recognized the Palestine state along borders that existed before 1967.

"Palestine is recognized as a free and sovereign state," he said on RPP radio.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas thanked Brazil several weeks ago for allowing his nation to open its first embassy in the Americas and said other countries were following suit.

Palestinian authorities are hoping for a diplomatic domino effect to back their claim for a state in all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel disputes the Palestinian claim on all the West Bank and East Jerusalem, land it captured from Jordan in a 1967 war and has extensively settled.

U.S.-sponsored peace negotiations dating back two decades are predicated upon a Palestinian state being delineated with Israel's consent.

Direct peace talks revived by Washington in September after a year's suspension collapsed within weeks. A U.S. drive to keep the process alive via third-party talks is in limbo.

In December, a senior U.S. diplomat said recognition of a Palestinian state is premature. U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns said, "It's only through negotiation between the parties themselves, Palestinians and Israelis, that we'll be able to realize the two-state solution." [ID:nN10225076]

Israel has called Latin American countries' recognition of a Palestinian state "highly damaging interference" by countries that were never part of the Middle East peace process.

News From: www.reuters.com

Empire State Of Mind Lyrics video mp3 songs

Jay-Z: Empire State Of Mind Lyrics video mp3 songs Watch Online

Yeah, yeah, I'ma up at Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca
Right next to De Niro, but I'll be hood forever
I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here
I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere

I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicanos
Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's
Took it to my stash spot, 560 State Street
Catch me in the Kitchen like a Simmons whipping pastry

Cruising down 8th Street, off-white Lexus
Driving so slow, but BK is from Texas
Me, I'm up at Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie
Now I live on Billboard, and I brought my boys with me

Say what up to Ty Ty, still sipping mai tai
Sitting courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high fives
Nigga, I be spiked out, I can trip a referee
Tell by my attitude that I am most definitely from

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made, oh
There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you, let's hear it for New York
New York, New York
(I made you hot, nigga)

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game
Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can
You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though
But I got a gang of niggas walking with my clique, though

Welcome to the melting pot, corners where we selling rock
Afrika Bambaataa shit, home of the hip hop
Yellow Cab, Gypsy Cab, Dollar Cab, holla back
For foreigners that ain't fifty, they act like they forgot how to act

Eight million stories out there, and they're naked
Cities is a pity, half of y'all won't make it
Me, I gotta plug, Special Ed "I Got It Made"
If Jesus payin' LeBron, I'm paying Dwyane Wade

Three dice, Cee-lo, three-card Monte
Labor Day Parade, rest in peace, Bob Marley
Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade
Long live the king, yo, I'm from the Empire State that's

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made, oh
There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you, let's hear it for New York
New York, New York

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders
So they can step out of bounds quick
The sidelines is blind with casualties
Who sipping life casually, then gradually become worse

Don't bite the apple, Eve, caught up in the in crowd
Now you're in style, end of the winter gets cold
En vogue with your skin out, the city of sin is a pity on a whim
Good girls gone bad, the cities filled with them

Mommy took a bus trip, now she got her bust out
Everybody ride her just like a bus route
Hail Mary to the city, you're a virgin
And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church ends

Came here for school, graduated to the high life
Ball players, rap stars addicted to the limelight
MDMA got you feeling like a champion
The city never sleeps, better slip you an Ambien

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you, let's hear it for New York
New York, New York

One hand in the air for the big city
Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Come on, come on)

In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made, oh
There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you, let's hear it for New York
New York, New York

Jay-Z: Empire State Of Mind video songs Watch Online

Video From: www.youtube.com

2011 State of the Union Drinking Game

The Barack Obama 2011 State of the Union Drinking Game

4 taxpayers of any sex: 1 rich white banker- type wearing dark suit with loosened tie. 2 ordinary folks wearing jeans; 1 in a blue or flannel work shirt, the other in a white shirt, sleeves rolled up. 1 poor bedraggled person wearing clothes that look like they were retrieved from the bottom of a rodeo dumpster behind the animal performer stalls.

1 living room with a TV tuned to the State of the Union Address.

1 shot glass per person. Everybody brings own, scattering array on coffee table in front of TV. Banker gets first choice for use during game. White shirt picks next, then work shirt. Banker pockets last shot glass as well, and Rags either rents it from him, steals a replacement from the kitchen or drinks out of own cupped hands.

Ante up 25 bucks. Cash. Except Banker, who tosses in an I.O.U. and Rags who everybody just avoids eye contact with.

3 packages of steamed Vienna Beef Chicago style hot dogs in the middle of table with butter grilled buns, tomatoes, onions, and some of that weird neon green relish on the side.

1 bottle of bourbon.

A large stash of beer in cans on ice. Rags gets whatever is on sale, like Heileman's Old Style Ice Light Dry. Banker gets import of choice. Jeans get whatever they want, but have to buy all the beer, bourbon, hot dogs, condiments and carry the groceries by themselves.

RULES OF THE GAME:

Every time Barack H Obama mentions bipartisanship, everybody has to drink 2 shots of beer. If he talks about the lessons of Tucson, the last person to throw their arms in the air, fall to their knees and shout "Hallelujah!" has to drink 1 entire beer.

Everybody has to drink 2 shots of beer whenever John Boehner appears to cry. 1 shot of bourbon if he breaks down sobbing and disappears entirely from view.

Every time Barack H Obama says "Democratic leadership," the first person to stop laughing is exempt from drinking 2 shots of beer.

If either Vice President Biden or the Speaker of the House Boehner is seen nodding off on camera, last person to start singing "Wake Up, Little Susie" has to drink 3 shots of beer.

If the President says the State of the Union is good, but could be better, the last person to eat a fully accoutered hot dog has to drink 1 shot of bourbon.

Whenever the President defends ObamaCare, everybody drinks 2 shots of beer. If he mentions Congress voting to repeal it, drink a whole beer and throws hot dogs at the television. The first person to hit Nancy Pelosi in the head is exempt from having to drink 2 shots of bourbon.

If the President relates a touching heartfelt story of a supporter who was denied a decent education, Rags gets to kick everybody else once. Twice, if the subject of the anecdote is in the audience. 3 times, if he/ she is sitting next to a 2 star general.

Every time President Barack Obama talks about his resolve and adopts a frowny look with his brow all furrowed and stuff, drink 1 shot of beer.

If the Chief Executive winks at or points at Michelle, all 4 players swordfight with hot dogs. Whoever is left with an intact weenie does not have to eat an entire shot glass full of that weird green relish.

If the president mentions the Chinese President by name, the last person to ask "Hu Dat?" has to drink 2 shots of beer.

EXTRAS:

Optional: Have all players drink with left hand. Unless left- handed. If they are caught drinking with dominant hand, they must watch the entire Republican response and no drinking allowed.

If the Dancing Baby from Ally McBeal appears on the screen at any time, stop drinking immediately.

Banker takes home money, shot glasses and bourbon. The I.O.U. is discarded.

Leftover beer and hot dogs go home with Rags after he/ she finishes washing the dishes.

San Francisco based political comedian, Will Durst, writes sometimes: this is an example. Coming soon from Ulysses Press: "Where the Rogue Things Go!" Pre- order your copy at Amazon.

News From: www.sfgate.com

Ohio State Basketball

Ohio State Basketball, (AP) - Southern California officials hope their second round before the NCAA is better than the first. School president Max Nikias, athletic director Pat Haden and four representatives from other universities spent more than four hours Saturday to talk with offenses Appeal Board in the hope of reducing some of the sanctions imposed against the Trojans’ football program legendary. A decision is expected in four to eight weeks.

“All I can say is that I want to thank the NCAA for giving us the opportunity before the Appeal Board to have a good and fair hearing,” Nikias said after the

meeting in a hotel of Indianapolis. “Now we must await the decision.”

The Trojans want the NCAA to reduce a two-year bowl ban for one year. They are also hoping that the NCAA limit reductions football scholarships to five in each of the next three years instead of 10 planned.

The NCAA imposed sanctions on June 10 after the decision of the Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and basketball player OJ Mayo received improper benefits. The university was also cited for a lack of institutional control. Bush gave up his Heisman Trophy.

After forcing schools to prove “abuse of power” after a change of rules introduced in 2008, only one appeal was successful. The 10 others have failed.

NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the rules do not permit school officials to present new information in the appeals phase.

Haden and Niki showed up about 45 minutes before the start of the hearing. A member of the delegation made a circuit board, which described the sanctions against the school of origin, and for two short, breaks in Southern California contingent huddled in discussions.

Nikias made the opening statement. Haden, the old quarter of the Trojans and Rhodes scholar, has made the argument, the school said in a statement.

After accepting the self-imposed sanctions Southern California men’s basketball and women’s tennis, the football program took the biggest hit. Football coach Pete Carroll and basketball coach Tim Floyd have both left school.

Two weeks after the decision of June, school officials said they would appeal the sanctions of, calling them excessive. The Trojans received four years probation, had to leave 14 wins and were necessary to ban the Bush program.

Critics of the original decision NCAA think that recent decisions of the NCAA football programs involving Auburn and Ohio State should play in the favor of the Trojans.

Tigers quart Cam Newton was allowed to continue playing despite a decision NCAA that his father had asked the State of Mississippi for money when her son was recruited out of junior college. Investigators said neither son nor Auburn knowledge of the plan. Newton liquidation leading Auburn to the national championship and won the Heisman Trophy, too.

Three weeks later, five Ohio State players were suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season after the NCAA ruled that they had sold their championship rings, jerseys and awards and received improper benefits to from a tattoo parlor. But every five years, including quarterback Terrell Pryor, were allowed to play in bowl game the Buckeyes.

Neither Nikias, nor the school statement said if Southern Cal cited the case of Ohio State or Auburn at the hearing.

The reductions of scholarships could be a problem even more pressing for a program that has won seven straight Pac-10 crowns and back-to-back national titles in 2003 and 2004.

Period of this year’s football signing takes place from February 2 to April 1, and if the decision does not come by then, the appeal board could delay the sentence of three years 2011-13 to 2012-14.

All Cal South can do is wait.

“The legal team of the University presented the case of small penalties,” said state school. “Devolution and the academic community we welcome the decision of the appeal board violations. Until then, the delegation will have no further comment. ”

2011 State of the Union

State of the Union 2011 Watch Video

On January 25, President Obama will give his third State of the Union address. With a struggling economy, two ongoing wars, and a new Republican majority in the House, the president is under pressure to outline a compelling vision for the nation.

If you were in his shoes, what would you say? What's happening in your corner of the country, and what should we do about it? In a minute or less, give us your "State of the Union." We'll feature the best ones here on washingtonpost.com.

SHARE YOUR STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

WHAT: In a minute or less, tell us what you think is the biggest challenge facing our nation. What is YOUR take on the state of the country?
WHEN: Now through Friday, Jan. 21, 2011
HOW: Log in below with your YouTube account; videos must be your own




News From: voices.washingtonpost.com

Michelle Obama's State Dinner Dress

Right-Wing Fashion Police Attack Michelle Obama's State Dinner Dress

The right-wing media attacked First Lady Michelle Obama for wearing a red dress to the White House State Dinner, suggesting she did so to honor "Commie Red China."

The Drudge Report displayed a prominent picture of Mrs. Obama with the words "Commie Red" underneath. This echoed remarks from pundit blogger Jim Hoft who called the event the 'Commie Red China Obama State Dinner.'

Popluar conservative columnist and blogger Michelle Malkin featuered a guest post on her blog from Doug Powers suggesting that the dress, and other preparations were conciliatory to China.

"As for the state dinner for the Chinese president, Michelle Obama appropriately enough wore a red dress, and an all-star cast of Broadway stars performed a rousing musical rendition of 'If my friends could see me Mao' to close out the evening," he wrote.

The comments follow an event that itself was marked by partisan politics. A number of Republican politicans refused to accept the invitation to the State Dinner from the Democratic White House.

Ohio's John Boehner, the new Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, declined the invitation, saying he was meeting with Hu Thursday on Capitol Hill. He has declined invitations to the dinners every time.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell also declined his state dinner invitation, he cited logistical reasons. Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada also cited similar reasons for not showing up.

News From: www.ibtimes.com

Barack Obama to grant Hu Jintao dinner denied by Bush

Barack Obama to grant Hu Jintao the state dinner denied by George W Bush

Barack Obama will on Wednesday grant Hu Jintao, the president of China, the honour of a White House state dinner, in marked contrast to his previous visit to the US when George W Bush offered him only lunch.

Mr Obama will be hoping for an evening free of controversy as he returns the hospitality he was shown at a state dinner in Beijing on a visit in November 2009.

That trip proved awkward however, with Beijing making it clear it was either unwilling or unable to play the role of the co-operative superpower that Washington sought. Mr Obama faced criticism back home for "kowtowing" to the Chinese.

The Obama administration has since toughened its tone, complaining that the exchange rate of China's yuan is hindering the US economic recovery and criticising Beijing's human rights record.

China has meanwhile bristled at a visit by the Dalai Lama, the Tibet spiritual leader, to Washington, and US arms sales to Taiwan while North Korea has also exposed diplomatic fault lines.

"America and China have arrived at a critical juncture, a time when the choices we make, big and small, will shape the trajectory of this relationship," said Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, ahead of the visit.

Mr Hu said both sides needed to find "common ground" but respect each other's differences. With China holding most American sovereign debt, he knows that Washington's scope for criticism is limited.

With US unemployment near 10 per cent, Obama officials have said that a stable relationship with China is indispensable.

It will be the first state dinner for a Chinese leader for 13 years, and will serve as the highlight of a four-day visit that began on Tuesday night with a working dinner at the White House and will include a visit to Chicago, America’s mercantile centre.

"This is a relationship that has huge economic benefits for Americans," said Timothy Geithner, the Treasury Secretary.

"Last year, our exports to China passed the $100 billion mark ... China is likely to become our biggest trading partner sometime roughly ten years from today," he added.

Mr Obama's predecessor Mr Bush, mindful of anti-Chinse protests and his own friendship with the Dalai Lama, disappointed his visitor in 2006.

Mr Hu was then welcomed with a pomp-filled arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, including a 21-gun salute. But the ceremonies were spoiled by a woman protesting against China's treatment of the banned Falun Gong religious movement and a White House announcer who fluffed China's formal name by calling it the "Republic of China" – the name for Taiwan – instead of the "People's Republic of China."


News From: www.telegraph.co.uk

China leader to get state dinner reception

China leader to get state dinner, but a tough reception

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama welcomes China's leader Tuesday as Hu Jintao begins a three-day Washington visit that will include a state dinner at the White House for the first time in 13 years.

Hu apparently felt snubbed at the lack of a state dinner when he visited George W. Bush five years ago, and it is hoped Wednesday's opulent, black-tie affair with Obama — the grandest of White House soirees — could help smooth the latest tensions between the world's two largest economies.

However, amid the pomp, it's likely that Hu will also face some tough meetings. The New York Times pointed to tough statements made by several cabinet officials in recent days, saying they indicated the administration was seeking to take an assertive stance with the Chinese leader.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned the U.S. would step up military investment to counter China's increasing military strength; Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said China should allow its currency to gain value and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized the country's human rights record, raising the case of imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.

"There's been this well-orchestrated and clearly well thought-out campaign, over the past two weeks, involving the secretary of state, Treasury, defense and commerce making strong statements regarding currency, the trade imbalance, human rights and China's military stance," David Rothkopf, a national security expert who worked in President Bill Clinton's administration, told the Times.
"So you're welcoming the leader of the most important rival power in the world into the capital, and the way you pave his entrance into the city is laid with these four big thorny issues," he added.

Trouble during last visit
The April 2006 summit did not pass off completely smoothly.

The Chinese leader was upset by the lack of a state dinner — Bush held few of such formal events but was also sensitive to human rights concerns.

A ceremony on the White House's South Lawn was also disrupted by a woman protesting China's treatment of the banned Falun Gong religious movement. Bush apologized after he and Hu went into the Oval Office.

And then a White House announcer called China the "Republic of China," which is the formal name for Taiwan, the democratic island that China claims as its territory.

For this year's visit, workers began preparing the South Lawn for the arrival ceremony on Monday, and U.S. and Chinese flags flapped in the breeze on Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol.

The state dinner will only be Obama's third, following those for India in 2008 and Mexico last year.

"This time, China is getting everything that it wants in terms of the symbols of a visit," said Bonnie Glaser, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who focuses on China.
Story: China lends more than World Bank to developing nations

However, the visit will include at least one opportunity for trouble when the stiff, media-averse, 67-year-old Hu takes questions from reporters Wednesday, a White House demand that could create some awkward moments.

While Hu is seen on state TV in China almost daily, his appearances are always set pieces: speeches, attendance at important meetings or carefully scripted interactions with farmers, workers and students.

The only high-level news conference of the year is conducted by his premier, the more personable Wen Jiabao.

Hu has taken questions in public before, notably at a 2005 news conference with President George W. Bush in Beijing. But he refused to do so when Obama visited in 2009; instead, the two leaders stood stiffly in the Great Hall of the People and read statements to reporters.

On the eve of this trip, Hu submitted written answers to questions from The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Skilled ballroom dancer
Though Hu is purported to have been a skilled ballroom dancer in his university days, he seems to lack the affinity for public displays that his predecessor, Jiang Zemin, was famous for.

He is known for his photographic memory and meticulous preparation and will likely come well-armed with platitudes and stock answers to deflect questions on sensitive issues such as human rights.

While he may not win the hearts of the American public, he may blunt some of the harsher criticisms, Joseph Cheng, who heads the Contemporary China Research Center at the City University of Hong Kong, said.

"He wants to try to do a little public relations and get his message across," he said.

"China's rising international status is increasingly a source of legitimacy for the government, and Chinese leaders want to exploit this nationalist sentiment as much as they can," he added.

Four questions will be allowed at the news conference, two from Chinese reporters


News From: www.msnbc.msn.com

Minister of State Wael Abou-Faour

Minister of State Wael Abou-Faour:
‘If we were in Hezballah’s place, we would have supported Saad Hariri and safeguarded internal stability’

“We’re optimistic as to the success of the Saudi-Syrian initiative, since the Arab side is concerned with preventing any explosion in Lebanon”, said Wael Abou-Faour, a member of the Progressive Socialist Party led by MP Walid Jumblatt, who serves in the national unity cabinet as Minister of State. “If we were in Hezballah’s place, we would have supported the courageous position of the head of the government, Saad Hariri, who opted for the solution of the crisis on the basis of his concern to preserve the country and its security. “But”, Abou-Faour added, “the prime minister may face difficulties inherent in the whole situation, and that is why we must help him so that the ongoing dialogue between Prime Minister Hariri and Hezballah can lead the country to the safe harbor”. The interview took place before the March 8 camp reportedly announced it would withdraw its ministers from the cabinet because, it said, the Saudi-Syrian initiative had reached an impasse.

Tides of pessimism and optimism alternate in regard to the Saudi-Syrian initiative. Where does this initiative stand?
It goes without saying that Riyadh and Damascus are keen to settle the dossiers over which the Lebanese are divided. Ideas are also exchanged between the two capitals around contentious issues among the Lebanese.
We are optimistic in this regard, since the Saudi-Syrian initiative, supported by our Arab brothers, is a long-term effort.
None of the brotherly states will allow the deterioration of the situation in Lebanon. The efforts of Riyadh and Damascus are evolving in a slow but sure way which is carefully-studied and realistic. We are sure that the coming weeks will succeed in putting everything in order in Lebanon and that the white smoke will appear announcing the final solution.
Is Walid Jumblatt aware of the plan being considered by Damascus and Riyadh to resolve the Lebanese crisis?
Walid Bey is aware of a large part of the Saudi-Syrian initiative, although he is not aware of all the details. The discussions are centered on the international tribunal and the indictment.
Naturally it’s about getting the country out of the state of paralysis that prevents the state from dealing with the vital issues of concern to the citizens in their daily lives.

The reasons for the delay…
What are the factors delaying the success of the efforts now being made?
The delay is principally due to the state of health of King Abdallah bin Abdelaziz. We wish him a prompt recovery, given the Arab guarantee that he represents in the Arab and Islamic world. The Lebanese dossier contains problems whose settlement needs time.

Did you bring specific ideas to the president of the Republic during your recent meeting?
Our exchange of points of view with President Michel Sleiman were centered on the necessity of reactivating the constitutional institutions, especially the cabinet, since a large number of issues need to be tackled.
What I can say is that there is an exchange of points of view to determine the responsibility that the political forces assume towards the Lebanese citizens. The Council of Ministers is absent, while a large number of problems need to be settled.

Who might be responsible for the paralysis?
We can exchange the accusations as to who is responsibility for the paralysis. Even Speaker Berri is working from his side, as well as Prime Minister Hariri to find an exit, because with the dossier of the false witnesses, all the political forces are closing the door of Parliament against Hariri with a key they then throw very far away.
The big question, the principal issue, is of course the international tribune, and Arab capitals are working to reach a Lebanese-Lebanese understanding in order to dispel the possible dangers resulting from the international tribunal’s indictment.

A cabinet reshuffle?
Do you expect a ministerial reshuffle in the near future?
Nobody is talking about such a possibility, and my personal conviction, is that we are not on the way to such a possibility.

Some say that Prime Minister Hariri cannot offer new concessions. What is requested from him now?
I think he is requested to adopt a position towards the indictment. Saad Hariri is not of the opinion that the indictment by the STL is the cause of division on the Lebanese scene. Moreover, he affirmed that the blood of Rafik Hariri will not be the cause of strife in Lebanon. I think that there is an agreement between Prime Minister Hariri and Hezballah to preserve stability, as all the political forces request. There may be disagreement on timing, but there is no disagreement, and I think that Prime Minister Hariri has opted for the solution on the basis of his concern to safeguard stability. He could face difficulties, and that is why we should help him.

Hezballah’s aid
How could Hezballah help Saad Hariri?
First, I understand Hezballah’s position. The party is targeted but its good relations with Hariri and its dialogue with him continue, and we will succeed in preventing the indictment from dividing the Lebanese. Some think that this will burn the Resistance’s cards.

Can we expect an initiative from Hezballah after the publication of the indictment?
Prime Minister Hariri has affirmed that he will not allow the blood of his father to be a cause of strife. This is very clear and frank.

But there is still a disagreement over the timing: Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is ready to accept a solution before the publication of the indictment while the other side is ready to accept a solution after the publication. And if you were in Hezballah’s place, how would you react?
Hezballah is worried and it is right to be so, because it is the target of a big international more particularly from the United States, Israel and other parties. If Rafik Hariri had not been assassinated, these other parties would have found a different pretext to act against Hezballah.
If we were in the place of Hezballah, we could have counted on Prime Minister Hariri’s positive position and we would have taken the courageous position that its national responsibility imposes on it.

Is Walid Jumblatt moving in this context between the two parties?
There is no mediation that the PSP leader could undertake. We always try to help the president of the Republic and House Speaker Nabih Berri to settle the contentions problems.

Georgia DOT Clear Interstates and State Routes from Snow

Georgia DOT: Prepared to Clear Interstates and State Routes from Snow and Ice in West Central GA

Winter weather preparations kicked into high gear this evening as 399 Georgia DOT employees were on call and the first shift of the maintenance crews in District Three in West Central Georgia gassed up trucks equipped with snow plows and salt and stone spreaders, in case roads become covered with snow or ice.

In the 31 counties of West Central Georgia, the state DOT has the following resources to deal with the current winter weather storm:

399 employees on call
45 snow plows
7 Hopper Spreaders
17 motor graders
4,600 tons of salt
4,000 tons of gravel

When winter weather hits West Central Georgia, keeping the state highways safe for emergency vehicles becomes a top priority. Georgia DOT crews focus first on clearing interstates and heavily traveled state routes from snow and/or ice, and will specifically target areas vulnerable to freezing, like bridges, ramps and interchanges.

Motorists are urged to:

* Slow down and stay behind the snowplows. The road behind the plow will be the safest place to drive. Allow at least ten car lengths between your vehicle and snowplows or hopper spreaders.
* Do not pass. The plows are wide, and sometimes a group of trucks will work in tandem to clear snow quickly, especially on major highways.
* Be particularly aware of black ice conditions on surfaces such as bridge decks and entrance and exit ramps late tonight and the early hours of tomorrow morning.
* Remember that technology helps, but only to a point. Four-wheel drive, anti-lock brakes and traction control are beneficial advancements in today's cars, trucks and SUVs, but they can't take the place of good driving habits and the need to reduce speed on snowy or icy roads.
* Call 511 or visit www.georgia-navigator.com to get current information on road conditions. Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org

Good Travel Conditions May Change

Travel Conditions are better than expected across Georgia on Christmas Eve. (Image Courtesy Georgia Navigator)

ATLANTA — Forecasts for a white Christmas may bekeeping last minute shoppers and travelers off the road. State officials say traffic across Georgia has been calm and free of congestion. Local county police departments that braced for an onslaught of crowds were surprised as the roads remained clear.
Christy Lowe with Georgia Navigator says although conditions are good now, highways could change at any moment.

“There are a hand full of people that are out shopping but with the traffic it could change at any time. Right now we’re not showing any problems. Tomorrow should be about the same but it could change because of the weather.”

Lowe says it’s impossible to predict what will happen later in the evening. But, she says if the weather does change, Georgia Navigator will have alerts about road closures and dangerous conditions throughout the weekend. People can reach Georgia Navigator by dialing 511 or by visiting www.georgia-navigator.com

McKinney ISD students

11 percent of McKinney ISD students have state i.d. number

Our paper had a page one story yesterday that tried to answer the difficult question of how many illegal immigrant children are in Texas public schools. The story came with charts showing local districts' percentage of kids who have a state i.d. number, as opposed to a Social Security number. As the story points out, there can be various reasons - apart from immigration status - for why a state i.d. number is assigned. But McKinney has 2,636 state i.d. students, representing 11 percent of the total, and costing $21.5 million to educate a year. Click here for the story and charts.

MISD Bands See 109 Receive All-Region Honors

McKINNEY, Texas – McKinney Independent School District middle school band students competed in the Region 25 All-Region Band auditions on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Scott Johnson Middle School in the McKinney ISD and received selections to the All-Region Bands.
McKINNEY, Texas – McKinney Independent School District middle school band students competed in the Region 25 All-Region Band auditions on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Scott Johnson Middle School in the McKinney ISD and received selections to the All-Region Bands.

A total of 1,600 middle school band students from across the region participated in the auditions with 350 students selected to the All-Region bands. Approximately 200 band students from McKinney ISD middle schools auditioned and a total of 38 band students from the district were selected. McKinney ISD middle school band students totaled a staggering 11 percent of the total number of students selected to the All-Region bands.

The auditions included middle school band students from Sherman, Denison, Plano, Allen, Wylie, Lovejoy and other smaller North Texas school districts in Region 25.

“Students who participate in the All-Region band tryout process must prepare three pieces of music that are very difficult and perform them in front of three judges,” said Roy Renzenbrink, Director of Fine Arts for McKinney ISD. “By preparing and going through the process they can’t help but become better musicians. We are very proud of every student who tried out and extremely proud to have so many young musicians selected to be part of the Region 25 All-Region Band. It is a tribute to their hard work and the excellent teaching of their fine band directors.”

Students participating in the regional auditions are rated by a panel of judges and then placed in one of four regional bands, Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Symphonic or Concert, based on their overall performance. Wind Ensemble is the highest placement a student musician can receive.

Cockrill Middle School had a total of 12 students selected to one of the four All-Region Bands. Evans Middle School had a total of 15 students selected, Dowell Middle School had a total of four students,
Faubion Middle School had three students and Scott Johnson Middle School had four students selected.

The band directors at Dowell Middle School are Tiffany Lisko and Clark Eacker. The band directors at Evans Middle School are Lisa Smith, James Rees and Jason Myers. The band directors at Faubion Middle School are Brian Beck and Brittney Williams. The band directors at Scott Johnson Middle School are Paul Stephens and Stephanie Pavlasek. The band directors at Cockrill Middle School are Gary Williams and Matt Harp.

Below are the 2010 Middle School All Region Band selections from McKinney ISD:

Cockrill Middle School
Kendall Farrar - Flute
Mackenzie Higginbotham - Flute
Lauren Anderson - Oboe
Austen Baechle - Bassoon
Bailee Jones - Clarinet
Gbeke Fawehinmi - Clarinet
Abigail Meza - Clarinet
Kyle Kung - Clarinet
Maddie Warhol - Clarinet
Brittany Muoneke – Bari Sax
Mikael Abera - Tuba
Brian Jenkins - Percussion

Dowell Middle School
Aric Eggers - Percussion
Mia Norton - French Horn
Esteban Ley - Trombone
Adriane Gerona - Clarinet

Evans Middle School
Nathan Salazar - Alto Saxophone
Jacob Boring - Trumpet
Chase Chastain - Tuba
Brianna Alvear - Tuba
Austin Powers - Trumpet
Frances Humphrey - French Horn
Harrison Card - Euphonium
Hunter Lusk - Tuba
Marques Jones - Percussion
Alejandre Velez - Trumpet
Jenna Lenhard - French Horn
Kevin Hoehne - French Horn
Juan Ramirez - Tenor Saxophone
Kyle Robinson - Tuba
Sumeet Gautam - Percussion

Faubion Middle School
Cameron Bonner – Bassoon
Kevin Sells - Trumpet
Evan Davies - Trombone

Scott Johnson Middle School
Brian Stephens - Trombone
Robert Webb - French Horn
Shawn Sparkman - Percussion

For more information about the McKinney ISD bands and Fine Arts programs, contact Roy Renzenbrink, Director of Fine Arts at 469-742-4087 or at rrenzenbrink@mckinneyisd.net.