President’s Day, in theory, is a day for Americans to honor their presidents… all their presidents, yet many feel that we should be celebrating Washington and Lincoln‘s Birthdays, respectively, as has been done for generations. Many feel that kids should spend their days at school on the 22nd (Washington) and the 12th (Lincoln) learning about these men and their times instead of having a couple days off to ‘hang out’, and that parents (adults) who are off should spend the day taking their kids to a (relatively) nearby presidential library or watching a movie or reading a book with their kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews about these two men or another American president… instead of shopping or hanging out in Vegas or at the river.
We don't care what that newspaper ad says, there's no official 'Presidents' Day' holiday. By law, it's 'George Washington’s Birthday' honoring the Father of Our Country, and only him.
John Godzieba, portraying Gen. George Washington, walks with his troops toward the boat dock during a re-enactment of Washington's historic crossing of the Delaware River. A strong current kept the re-enactors from making the crossing from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. Joseph Kaczmarek/AP
WASHINGTON: We know we’re swimming up a creek without a paddle here, but there is no federal Presidents’ Day holiday. We don’t care what your mattress ad says – is that a legal document?
The official name of Monday’s day off is “George Washington’s Birthday.” It’s supposed to honor the Father of Our Country, and only him. Not Abraham Lincoln, not Franklin D. Roosevelt, not any other of the nation’s former chief executives. Chester A. Arthur will just have to get his own holiday, if he can.
If you still don’t believe us take a look at the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management list of 2013 holidays. It’s the official word for the time off US bureaucrats enjoy. It calls Monday, Feb. 18, “Washington’s Birthday,” with an asterisk. At the bottom of the page the asterisk leads to a footnote.
“This holiday is designated as ‘Washington’s Birthday’ in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees,” says OPM. “Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in law.”
Washington’s Birthday has been a national holiday since 1885.
In 1968, when Congress was considering a shuffle of three-day weekends with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, some Illinois lawmakers tried to get the February holiday stretched to cover Abe Lincoln by calling it “Presidents Day.” But according to an account in the National Archives Prologue Magazine, Virginia legislators, jealous of their state’s prerogatives, blocked the change and maintained Washington as First in Our Hearts, First in the National League East, and First in Special-Today-Only Used Car Discounts.
Some Obama supporters are already talking about putting Barack Hussein Obama on Mount Rushmore; a little premature don’t you think… even if you do like him?
How about Ronald Reagan first, if we are going to add someone? He is a man/president that almost everyone loved or at least respected, while he was alive and in office, even if they didn’t agree with his politics. Not so with BHO…
Thought or the Day… What Would Our Former Presidents Have Thought and Said If They Were Alive Today?!?
"If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a small chance of survival. There may even be a worse case: you may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves." -- Winston Churchill
House Approves Speaker Boehner's Revised Debt Plan
Senate plans to vote to kill House bill as early as tonight
The U.S. House has passed its version of a bill to raise the debt ceiling. The final vote was 218 to 210. 22 Republicans voted against it, because Boehner’s either bill didn’t go far enough in cuts or a guaranteed trigger for them to support it, and no Democrats voted in favor of the plan.
Here are the Republicans who voted against the bill (Freshman members are in bold): Amash (MI), Bachmann (MN), Broun (GA), Chaffetz (UT),Cravaack (MN), DesJarlais (TN), Duncan (SC), Graves (GA) Gowdy (SC), Huelskamp (KS), Johnson (IL), Jordan (OH), King (IA), Latham (IA), Connie Mack (FL), McClintock (CA), Mulvaney (SC)Ron Paul (TX), Tim Scott (SC), Southerland (FL), Walsh (IL), Wilson (SC).
This was the third version of a debt plan House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) produced this week in an attempt to garner enough Republican votes to pass it. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has said he has enough votes to table, or discard, it immediately. And, if the Senate successfully tables Boehner’s bill, the body is likely to move onto Sen. Reid’s version, which lifts the debt ceiling through 2012 and cuts $2.2 billion in spending.
Senate Democratic leaders said they could hold a procedural vote on Senator Reid's proposal to lift the debt ceiling as early 1 am ET Sunday.
In remarks this morning, President Obama said Mr. Boehner's bill "does not solve the problem." The President pointedly called out Speaker Boehner's efforts to appease members of the Tea Party. "What’s clear now is that any solution to avoid default must be bipartisan. It must have the support of both parties that were sent here to represent the American people -– not just one faction," he said.
Today's sequence of events came after the House was minutes away Thursday evening from voting to lift the debt ceiling and cut $900 billion in spending. But Republican leaders pulled the bill from the floor after Speaker Boehner spent the evening attempting to finalize support for his bill but fell short.
The road to lifting the debt ceiling has been rocky. Negotiations between a bipartisan group of lawmakers and Vice President Biden failed. So did talks between the President and Speaker Boehner, as did subsequent talks between the President and Congressional leaders.
No agreement between Republicans and Democrats and the House and Senate means the path forward is still uncertain with the August 2nd deadline imposed by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner fast approaching.
House Democrats encouraged the President to invoke the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution to unilaterally lift the debt ceiling without Congressional authorization. The White House continues to reject that option. (This is a completely unviable option considering that the 14th Amendment does not apply here. Per Judge Andrew Napolitano: The provisions in the 14th Amendment were written to deal with unique issues caused by the Civil War and the execution of the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves. The left keeps distorting the facts and the Constitution and wrongly applies the provisions to allow them to do whatever they want… not what is legal, Constitutional or what the American People want!! Read more at: Review: The Debt Ceiling and Economic Crisis Debate Rages On.)
July 28, 2011
Curious to know the impact Obama’s budget would have on America’s fiscal future? The chart below provides a rather painful preview of the next decade under the President’s budget alternative.
Picture this — Obama’s budget for America
As Heritage’s Mike Brownfield explains, ”Obama’s budget would set America on a dangerous fiscal course that leads to massive deficits well into the future—hitting $1.2 trillion in 2012 and, after dipping slightly, rising back to $1.2 trillion again by 2021.”
According to the Congressional Budget Office’s projections, the President’s budget would more than double the national debt in 10 years – totaling approximately $9.5 trillion.
The tea party… which means “We the People” are not happy. A Balanced Budget Amendment and no raising of the debt ceiling is what most people want. That is what they voted for in 2010. The problem is when you only control half a branch of government, it is a tough battle and when you have people like Harry Reid and the President running interference, telling tales and controlling the mainstream media it is even tougher!!
75% of Americans support a balanced budget Amendment
66% of American support Cut, Cap and Balance
Most people say they don’t care if we go into so-called default, mind you we won’t really go into default… there are funds to pay what is most important to Americans as well as the interest on our debt.
And the powers that be feel that America’s Credit Rating will be down-graded from AAA status to AA status even if we raise the debt-ceiling.
Regardless whether you are happy or not with the outcome… the GOP has passed 3 plans in the House and Boehner, like the results or not, tried his best to work a compromise. (And Republican Senator Mitch McConnell has another last ditch bill ready in the Senate.) The Dems have passed nothing, finally proposed one bill that is a ruse and have run interference for the President… who also has put ‘no’ deal on paper. If we lose our AAA credit rating and go into pseudo default it will be President Obama and the Democrats fault… not the GOP’s and not the tea party’s.
If we keep letting Obama spend and up the national debt… it is all our faults!
Within hours after the House passed their second bill dealing with the debt crisis in about a week, Harry Reid again tabled the discussion and the vote on this bill. My question is, if you are so sure you are right and the people and your party are with you, Harry… why won’t you allow a vote on these bills? And if Obama really wanted to make this go away, all he and the Dems needed to agree to was to begin the process of a balanced budget amendment that 75% of the American people want. So why not do it? After all Obama will either be long out of office before that amendment goes into affect, or he will be a dictator and it won’t matter anyway.
So, why not? Because destroying the the economy of the United States has always been part of Obama and his handlers’ plan! And that is the elephant in the room that nobody is willing to discuss!!
Best Quote I’ve heard this week is: “The tea party is the Dem’s new George Bush, so no matter what you don’t like… it’s their fault!”
Ask Marion~
Tweets of the Day:
If 3rd World Dictator Obama is pres after Jan-20, 2013, an AA rating will be a memory
How can they put a man with Dementia in charge of the Senate?
Rubio: "Compromise that's not a solution is a waste of time."
Related:
As the Party of Socialism tries to convince the GOP that is it not the Party of Reagan, but the Party of Surrender, Harry Reid is desperately searching for sixty votes in the Senate so he can get his “I want to destroy the American economy bill” passed.
Obama called out GOP again today to compromise… Because $14.5 Trillion is not enough!!!!!!! Compromise!, and I guess neither were Boehner’s attempts?!?
No budget in 800 days? Liberals saying Democrats had a budget this year. Obama… that was rejected by all? Clueless how budgets get passed? However he is not clueless about raising the debt ceiling… without meaningful matching cuts and or a balanced budget amendment! Obama knows it would be another nail in the coffin of America and another step toward his plan to fundamentally transform America… into a second rate nation!
Many, including Trump, feel that the GOP doesn't know they are in the driver's seat. All they have to do is sit back & wait for Senate & Obama to pass #CCB. Tick, tick, tick... Time for the GOP to play poker!
Last Update: 07.30.11: 4:07p.m. ET - Reid’s Debt Ceiling Increase Bill defeated in the house. The vote was 246-173. Senior official confirms Pres Obama has summoned Dem Leaders Reid and Pelosi to WH meeting on debt limit stalemate… no Republicans. So Speaker Boehner and Senate Minority McConnell just appeared together in short press conference:
Pres. Obama needs to tell us what he can sign. We're in those discussions now. –McConnell
Boehner: It's time for the POTUS to tell us what he's for.
McConnell: "I think we all know that if the president decides to reach an agreement w/ us, the Democrats...will fall in line."
Boehner says POTUS has driven Congress into cul-de-sac
Former Fox News White House Correspondent Major Garrett: Remember that driving metaphor from POTUS and 2010 campaign (reverse/forward)? The press would be a lot more credible if they treated POTUS the way they treat Boehner and McConnell. Amen
**Unnamed conservative reporter at Boehner/McConnell press conference said it appears that Obama and Reid might be getting the message that the tide is changing and they they will get the deserved blame for this debacle they’ve created, so my be talking compromise now.**
***At the end of the day, the most amazing thing to me is how many people are still completely disengaged… clueless. Jon Stossel went out in the street… Leno Jay-Walking style and asked people what the debt ceiling was, how much it was and who John Boehner is and most didn’t have a clue and many said they did care. I can only pray that those people choose not to vote!!***
In the entire history of our country, I'm not sure there has ever been a presidential honeymoon period as tender and loving as the one that Barack Obama is experiencing today.
In Perry County, Alabama they have already voted to create a paid holiday called "Barack Obama Day." That's an honor not bestowed on "lesser Presidents" like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and Teddy Roosevelt -- whose accomplishments, though great, surely will not eclipse those of "President Government" after his time in office. But, that's just a county holiday. Topeka activist Sonny Scroggins, with the support of the NAACP, is actually working on a national holiday for Obama.
Given the way that our mainstream media is fawning over Barack Obama, we shouldn't expect much resistance to the idea of creating a holiday to honor a man whose only real accomplishment so far is winning elections.
For example, MSNBC anchor Alex Witt was so taken with Obama that she was shocked that the mere fact that he was elected didn't end terrorism worldwide,
..."There are many who suggested that with the outgoing Bush administration and the incoming Obama administration there would be something of a lull in terrorism attacks. There had been such a global outpouring of affection, respect, hope, with the new administration coming in, that precisely these kinds of attacks, it was thought -- at least hoped -- would be dampered down."
Then there's Chris Matthews who said it is his "job" to make "this new presidency work," a sentiment that seems to be widely shared in the media, even if most of them aren't foolish enough to share that view of their "job description" with their audience.
That's part of the reason why Obama's hard core supporters, which would include most members of the mainstream media, haven't had much to say about the fact that he has already started rapidly backing off his campaign promises on everything from the windfall profits tax to the Bush tax cuts, to a rapid withdrawal from Iraq. Of course, many of Obama's supporters were so ignorant of what he stands for that they probably have no idea he's breaking his promises in the first place.
Heck, the Presidential honeymoon has gotten so gushy that even a lot of conservatives have been writing mash notes to Obama of late because some of his cabinet picks aren't to the left of Michael Moore. Of course, the real question about his cabinet at this point is what's Dennis Kucinich doing these days? After all, since Obama seems to be trying to bring everybody who ran against him into his administration, he might as well create a Department of Peace for Kucinich to run, put Chris Dodd in charge of HUD, and hire John Edwards to be Bill Clinton's wingman at sorority parties. Speaking of the Clintons, with all the Clinton staffers Obama is hiring, you have to wonder how many of these people will ultimately be loyal to Hopey McChange and how many of them will secretly support Slick Willie and the Wicked Witch of New York? The first time something goes wrong overseas and either the Secretary of State or the President has to take the blame, the leaks will tell you where the staffers' loyalties really lie.
But, that brings us back to the crux of the matter: Barack Obama hasn't actually started governing yet. We have a rookie senator who's never made a tough decision in his adult life getting ready to enter the White House in what may be the toughest time to lead the country since Jimmy Carter was wrapping the country around a telephone poll.
The economy is now officially in the toilet and is likely to remain so for at least a year or two -- and the bailouts? They've just started and they're already unpopular. How is that corporate welfare on steroids going to look as more and more companies come to Congress with their begging bowls? How about when we're running trillion dollar deficits? What happens after the unemployment rate cracks 8%, large numbers of Americans are really worried about paying their bills, and they're reading about the latest round of hand-outs to companies? How can Obama possibly fulfill his campaign promises, many of which are staggeringly expensive, when the country is in a recession and the government is running record deficits? It's not a pretty picture.
We're also still in the midst of a global war on terror. In Iraq we're winning, but Obama has to finish the job or be "the President who lost the war." In Afghanistan, things aren't going as well, but Obama has promised to get us back on the right track. Plus, we can't forget that Al-Qaeda is looking to hit the homeland, Iran getting perilously close to a nuclear weapon, our ongoing negotiations to disarm North Korea -- and Obama's squawking, bratty liberal base that will demand we forego necessary security measures, get out of Iraq and Afghanistan ASAP, and oppose military action against foes of the United States -- while demanding we send the troops to places where no American interests are at stake.
Speaking of Obama's base, they may be quiet now, but they certainly will not remain so. They're looking at the size of the Democratic majority in Congress and expecting Obama to dramatically tilt the country to the left. Woe be unto him if he doesn't meet those expectations. Meanwhile, the Democrats who have to run in red states or districts will urge Obama to remain in the center, lest the party take a beating in 2010. Then there are the competing Democratic interest groups and the people who projected their own hopes and dreams onto Obama and now expect him to pay up. Remember the Obama supporter who famously said she was backing him because,
"I won't have to worry about putting gas in my car, I won't have to worry about paying my mortgage. You know, If I help him, he's gonna help me."
That's the problem with promising to be all things to all people in order to get elected: if you actually win that way, they expect you to pay up.
On January 20, 2009 -- Barack Obama is going to face an extraordinarily difficult situation that would test the most capable of Presidents. It's not quite a "I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy" spot, but it's going to be tougher than a Waffle House steak, particularly so for Obama because you can't vote "present" in the White House.
So, before we carve Barack Obama's face right there on Mt. Rushmore beside of Abe Lincoln, perhaps we should wait to see if he's as good at tackling this country's very real problems as he is at raising money, reading speeches off a teleprompter, and chucking his former friends and allies under the bus.
It appears that we are putting the cart before the Obama Horse Runs!
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