Hypocrisy: Concert Rocks Fiscal Doomsaying White House

-By Warner Todd Huston

As President Obama is heard scolding Republicans on a near daily basis for forcing a sequester that is shutting down government and halting funding for things like White House tours, he and First Wife Michelle geared up Tuesday for a star-studded, soul music concert in the White House that featured such stars as Justin Timberlake, Queen Latifah, and the Reverend Al Green.

Only a few days before the big April 9 gala concert, President Obama was still warning of the evils of sequestration, but the purported “severe” cutbacks of government spending didn’t stop the President from enjoying a night of stirring soul music during the program titled, In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul.

The First Lady kicked off the April 9 tribute to Soul with an hour-long, morning program held in the White House State Dining Room and billed as a “guidance” on the upcoming Memphis Soul performance at the White House. The event was held for students and music lovers and featured soul greats Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite, Ben Harper and also featuring pop star Justin Timberlake as panel members taking questions from the audience.
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Hypocrisy: Concert Rocks Fiscal Doomsaying White House”


Fisker Motors Meltdown, Fires 80% of Staff

-By Warner Todd Huston

Fisker Automotive, Inc., the much-celebrated maker of luxury electric cars, has announced that it is firing 80% of its employees after failing to finalize an investment deal.

The manufacturer of the rechargeable Karma auto informed 160 workers of the layoffs coming to the Anaheim, California-based company. Fisker was said to have employed 200 before this week’s announcement.

This is only the latest blow to the “green” auto company. Only last month the company’s name-sake, Henrik Fisker, resigned over “unspecified” disagreements with other executives and the company stopped production of its cars after its lithium-ion battery supplier declared bankruptcy.

The battery company, A123 Systems Inc., declared bankruptcy in October of last year despite the millions in in tax dollars pumped into the company by President Obama.

According to Bloomberg, Fisker has retained the services of Kirkland & Ellis LLP to explore a restructuring of the company.
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Fisker Motors Meltdown, Fires 80% of Staff”


Even Piers Morgan Criticizes Obama Over Lavish Vacation Spending

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Wednesday, April 3, President Obama announced he would be returning 5% of his paycheck to the federal treasury in a show of shared sacrifice with federal workers facing furloughs because of the sequester. The news came as he once again flew about the country pushing his anti-Second Amendment policies and only days after another lavish vacation indulged by the first family was in the news.

Morgan lambasted Obama’s attempt to spread the pain of austerity to his own household calling it a “pointless exercise” and despaired that the President wasn’t doing something more substantive.

Morgan railed saying, “if he gave up the vacations, which are costing the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars, it might have more impact than five percent of $400,000.”

But even here Morgan soft-pedaled the money the American people have spent on Obama’s many vacations.
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Even Piers Morgan Criticizes Obama Over Lavish Vacation Spending”


Foreign Policy Mag Maligns Ted Cruz as ‘Most Hated Man in the Senate’

-By Warner Todd Huston

Foreign Policy magazine has made the stark pronouncement about Texas Senator Ted Cruz. According to FP’s Erica Grieder, Cruz is “the most hated man in the U.S. Senate.”

In a March 29 piece, Grieder made this extreme pronouncement based on the new Senator’s outspoken positions on many issues as well as on how irksome he is to old guard Senators who imagine that first year colleagues should be seen and not heard.

Grieder starts her piece with several gratuitous insults. Right off she says that Cruz is “the human equivalent of one of those flower-squirters that clowns wear on their lapels.” She then calls his initiatives and ideas “non-sequiturs” and says they are “self-defeating.” This was all just the first paragraph.

Next we learn that Cruz has “irritated” Democrats like Dianne Feinstein and been a “headache for GOP leaders.” This all because he stands up strongly for his principles and the positions that got him elected.

Does this really make him “hated,” though? He may elicit distaste in these old guard Senators and in those Senators that stand squarely against his principles, but “hated”? That is quite a subjective assessment.
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Foreign Policy Mag Maligns Ted Cruz as ‘Most Hated Man in the Senate’”


Should Congressional Staffers Have Their Private Twitter Accounts Published?

-By Warner Todd Huston

A Congressional watchdog group called LegiStorm has announced a sweeping new project aimed at government transparency. But part of that project has staffers on Capitol Hill crying foul because it lists all their private Twitter accounts.

On April 3, LegiStorm announced its new StormFeed tool saying it is a, “real-time, full-text searchable access to every official press release and official tweet from Capitol Hill plus the tweets of thousands of congressional staffers.”

But many staffers began to complain when they began finding their own private info on the thing. Worse, many found out of date or simply wrong info on it. As one staffer told Politico, “I was pretty surprised to show that they even listed who I married, when I married him and where. Why in the world does that need to be in there?”

Politico also said this: “A Democratic staffer said the new feature brings an unwelcome level of scrutiny to a group of people who haven’t sought the spotlight.”

Democrat or no, isn’t this staffer correct, here?
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Should Congressional Staffers Have Their Private Twitter Accounts Published?”


Eagle-Killing, Investment-Wasting ‘Renewable’ Energy

-By Warner Todd Huston

The “Green Energy” sector has been hit with a series of setbacks over the last few years. From a wind farm being cited for killing an endangered eagle, to solar energy’s tumble from investor favor over dismal performance, to a growing list of companies gone bankrupt even after President Obama pumped millions of our tax dollars into them, the so-called Green Energy sector has certainly seen better, more hopeful days.

In the realm of farce, a wind farm in Nevada finds itself at an unfortunate crossroads of political correctness. Even as the wind farm in White Pine County, Nevada is a favored “Green Energy” nirvana, the company that runs it is under threat of sanctions by the federal government. Why? Because a protected Golden Eagle flew into one of the farm’s turbines killing itself.

Now, San Francisco-based Pattern Energy is awaiting a decision from the feds on whether or not they will have to pay a $3,000 fine for killing the endangered bird.

But as the President might say, that is but “a bump in the road.” Worse than the death of a protected eagle, a recent analysis reveals that the bottom has fallen out of solar energy investments.
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Eagle-Killing, Investment-Wasting ‘Renewable’ Energy”


Iowa Newspaper Posts, Then Pulls Interactive Map Showing Schools With No Security Officers

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Des Moines Register courted controversy on Wednesday by posting on the Internet an interactive map featuring the locations of Iowa schools that didn’t have security guards. But after a wave of criticism, only hours later the newspaper pulled the map down and reworked it to eliminate the names and addresses of the specific schools. The map was re-launched later that evening.

Initially the map featured flag pins which when clicked would bring up detailed information about the school the flag represented. Each flag had the name of the school, the location of the school and its security situation when known. Red flags were schools with no security guards, green flags were schools with guards, and gray were schools that had not supplied the paper with enough information to delineate whether there were guards or not.

But almost immediately Iowans began to complain, alarmed that the newspaper would set up a map to every school that was totally unprotected. Citizens accused the paper of putting thousands of kids in danger.
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Iowa Newspaper Posts, Then Pulls Interactive Map Showing Schools With No Security Officers”


Chgo Reporter Attacked by Chgo Teachers Union Thugs at Rally

-By Warner Todd Huston

Jeremy Segal was filming the protesting Chicago Teachers downtown on Monday trying to get a few questions in with Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis and agitator Rev. Jesse Jackson when operatives for the union began to push him, manhandle his video equipment and punch him in the chest.

Segal was filming for EAGnews,org when the assault occurred.

It was witnessed by a CTU supporter who was so unnerved by the violent treatment that she told police what she saw.

But even though the police gathered up the men that assaulted the reporter, they were later let go even though Segal told police he wanted to file charges.
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Chgo Reporter Attacked by Chgo Teachers Union Thugs at Rally”


VIDEO: What Can Washington Politicians Learn From America’s Moms?

Bankrupting America asks American mothers what Washington D.C. could do better. Their answers are so filled with common sense, that one wonders how Washington could be so stupid.

Listen to your mothers, Washington!

http://BankruptingAmerica.org


New Gov’t Testing Proves Britain Has at LEAST 900,000 Liars

-By Warner Todd Huston

This story from Britain is hilarious on several levels. It really shows the worst of government waste, helps prove how pernicious government welfare programs are, not to mention that people can’t be trusted.

So, after the British government decided to institute a test to prove that disability applicants really have medical problems that would lead them to need the benefit, 900,000 Brits mysteriously stopped applying for their free government checks.

The new requirements force applicants to have actual, real, medical excuses to apply for the “sickness benefits” and went into force at the end of March. As soon as they had to actually prove they had real medical problems, some 900,000 Brits that were sponging off the system suddenly found they weren’t as sick as they thought… or pretended.
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New Gov’t Testing Proves Britain Has at LEAST 900,000 Liars”


All Other Problems Solved, Chicago Democrats’ New Law Worried About Dogs Behind the Wheel

-By Warner Todd Huston

Having apparently solved all of the other debilitating problems Illinois is facing, Chicago Democrats have now turned their considered attention to making sure dog owners don’t let their puppies get behind the wheel of an automobile.

This important bill (HB1581) amends the Illinois vehicle code to ban drivers from putting their pooch on their laps as they drive. Presumably the Democrats understand it is the humans that are doing the driving, not the dogs–but we may need to launch a second legislative campaign to clarify that.

As Chicago-based Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Bully Burke, says, “Because I travel, I can’t help but observe the number of people with dogs on their laps.” And so, ol’ Billy is out to correct this egregious public safety issue. He’s all about solving the puppy-distracted driver issue.

This is a vital issue, to be sure.

Why? Well, it’s obvious that Illinois Democrats have solved every other nagging issue in the Land of Lincoln, right?
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All Other Problems Solved, Chicago Democrats’ New Law Worried About Dogs Behind the Wheel”


VIDEO: Basketball’s Magic Johnson: ‘Obamacare is Working’

-By Warner Todd Huston

Former NBA great Earvin “Magic” Johnson has seen Obamacare and has pronounced it good. According to Johnson, “a lot” of CEOs at hospitals have told him that Obamacare “is working.”

Johnson was invited on MSNBC to talk about the sport’s March Madness tournaments, but as the interview ended, he had an off topic and unsolicited assessment of Obamacare.

“Obamacare is working,” Johnson suddenly said. “I talk to a lot of CEOs of hospitals–it is working. And I’m glad Governor Scott down in Florida accepted Obamacare because it will work”

This is an interesting assessment seeing as how the President’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010–dubbed Obamacare–doesn’t really kick in fully until 2014. In fact, the current phase of the law, the Health Insurance Marketplace which was supposed to be ready by now, is being put off because of poor planning, confusion, and other problems among the various states.
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VIDEO: Basketball’s Magic Johnson: ‘Obamacare is Working’”


As Local Police Beg for Ammo, Dept. of Homeland Security Orders 1.6 Billion Rounds

-By Warner Todd Huston

As local police departments across the country are beginning to find ammunition difficult to find, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ordered up to 1.6 billion rounds for its more than 100,000 armed agents.

Rep. Timothy Huelskamp (R-Kansas) has been attempting to get DHS to explain why it is ordering so many rounds, but the Congressman has reported that the department has thus far refused to answer some key questions submitted by members of Congress.

In a news report, Police Chief Cameron Arthur of Jenks, Oklahoma says that his department and others are starting to have trouble getting rounds for their officers. Some departments are even starting to barter with each other to fulfill needs because suppliers cannot fill orders.

“Ammunition and assault weapons in general have skyrocketed. In the past, $3,000 would get us several rifles or a great deal of ammunition. But we have seen prices go up 30, 40, 50 percent. In addition… the time to get it could be six months to a year, or in some cases even longer,” Arthur said.
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As Local Police Beg for Ammo, Dept. of Homeland Security Orders 1.6 Billion Rounds”


Faux Sequester: U.S. Dept. of Ed Offers New, Six-Figure Job

-By Warner Todd Huston

Even as the Department of Education prepares to make cuts to federally-funded schools on Native American reservations, DOE is also offering a new six-figure job to promote “Educational Excellence for African-Americans.” Worse, the job seems to be going to a an adviser to Democrat Representative Charlie Rangel.

Reports note that Native American schools in Minnesota are freezing salaries, leaving job openings unfilled, enlarging classroom sizes, and making other cost savings moves to satisfy demands being enforced by the Dept. of Education.

Among those cuts in Minnesota, the White Earth Reservation tribal school may cut the school year down to save money and Red Lake School District has cut security staff.

Minnesota’s Democrat Representative Betty McCollum is calling the cuts “indefensible.”
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Faux Sequester: U.S. Dept. of Ed Offers New, Six-Figure Job”


IRS Wastes Your Taxes on Faux Star Trek Parody ‘Training Film’

-By Warner Todd Huston

You may have caught wind of this story last week, the story that unveiled that millions a year that the IRS wastes on faux training films and its own TV studios. But now the video of its schlocky, badly acted Star Trek parody is finally out.

The IRS pawned off this cringe inducing film on the country calling it a “training film,” but it really is just fluff and waste. There isn’t a second of any training perceivable in this $30,000 waste of tax dollars. It is supposed to be a parody of Star Trek, but, well, you watch and cringe at every bad second of this six-minute waste of money…

Thanks to CBS News for getting the FOIA together to force the IRS to release this embarrassing mess.
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IRS Wastes Your Taxes on Faux Star Trek Parody ‘Training Film’”


Feds Waste $3.8 Million to ‘Decrease Human-Elephant Conflict’

-By Warner Todd Huston

The federal government is looking into the serious issue of the “conflict” between humans and elephants. To help out on that important issue, the government generously gave $3.8 million of your tax dollars to study the matter.

The princely sum was awarded in 2011 and 2012 for the African Elephant Conservation grant and was sent to “any African government agency responsible for African elephant conservation and protection and any other organization or individual with demonstrated experience in African elephant conservation.”

Despite the millions offered, the federal government assured our African partners that no documentation or credentials were required to apply for the grant.

As CNSNews reports, the grant objectives were “to provide financial assistance to support projects that will enhance sustainable conservation programs to ensure effective, long-term conservation of African elephants.”

More is coming for 2013, despite the sequester that the President said would shut down the government.
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Feds Waste $3.8 Million to ‘Decrease Human-Elephant Conflict’”


TN Lawmakers Demand UofT Dump Sex Week or Face Defunding

-By Warner Todd Huston

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville agreed to fund its first “Sex Week” to the tune of $20,000 of university funds but a group of Tennessee lawmakers demanded that the school put an end to the event or face losing state funding.

The event is scheduled for April 7 through 12, and sponsors even set up a Facebook page to urge on UofT students to join the event.

“Sex is big. Sex is everything. Sex is coming to UTK in 2013 for a WHOLE WEEK! Sex, Sexuality, Relationships, Gender!,” the hosts said of their event.

But State Sen. Stacey Campfield was not amused by the carnal carnival. He told Fox News, “We should be teaching these children what is important to learn so they can get jobs.”
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TN Lawmakers Demand UofT Dump Sex Week or Face Defunding”


Sequester? Federal Gov’t Still Offering High-Paid Internships

-By Warner Todd Huston

Even as President Obama ginned up fears of a government shut down because of cuts from sequestration, the federal government is still offering a myriad of high-paid internships.

A search by Fox News of the federal employment site found 84 new internships and student programs that had been posted in the last 10 days.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture warned meat producers that inspections would have to be halted due to sequestration, but even as the dept. threatens to shut down food production it is offering 12 new openings.
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Sequester? Federal Gov’t Still Offering High-Paid Internships”


As Calif. Drowns in Debt, Group Advocates For Free Healthcare for Illegals

-By Warner Todd Huston

Even as the state of California is drowning in debt and already suffering under an avalanche of unfunded mandates, a powerful healthcare advocacy group in the Golden State is pushing for free healthcare for all illegal aliens.

The group, The California Endowment, has launched a new program called “Health Happens Here” to push expanded healthcare. To highlight the issue, Cal. Endow. has debuted a new video titled, “Dreaming of Healthcare.”

The video features young, illegal immigrants pleading to be included in Obamacare as well as California’s healthcare system.

“I’m undocumented, but I dream that one day we will all be treated as one people, because we are one people,” the young people tell viewers. “Now, our country has spoken saying that everyone should have affordable healthcare.”

“I dream that one day, ‘everyone’ will include me,” they say.

This new burden would drive the state further into bankruptcy. California is already rated as one of the worst run states in the nation.

Having eight of the ten worst foreclosure areas in the nation, the state has lost over $2 trillion in homeowner equity–a number that exceeds its yearly income–has the 3rd worst unemployment rate in the country, and finds within its borders nearly 1/3 of the nation’s welfare recipients.
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As Calif. Drowns in Debt, Group Advocates For Free Healthcare for Illegals”


Adam Andrzejewski: ‘I’m Not Running for Office in 2014’

-By Warner Todd Huston

Many thought that conservative activist Adam Andrzejewski was going to announce that he would be running for Illinois State Treasurer this afternoon, but he pulled a fast one on everyone with his announcement on March 19 at the University Club in Chicago.

Andrzejewski, who ran for Governor on a reform agenda in 2010, called a press conference on Tuesday morning leaving some in the room clearly stunned when he announced that instead of seeking office in 2014, he would dedicate himself to his various government transparency efforts.

“After consulting with supporters, donors, advisors, and my family,” Andrzejewski said in a statement, “I have decided not to run for office in 2014 election cycle.”

Andrzejewski went on to announce that he is going to dedicate himself to his newest project to put the federal checkbook online. The effort called Open The Books (http://www.openthebooks.com/) will give citizens access to government spending across the nation.
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Adam Andrzejewski: ‘I’m Not Running for Office in 2014’”


Reuters Regurgitates Democrat Talking Points on Budget Plan

-By Warner Todd Huston

On March 12, Representative Paul Ryan (R, WI) released the GOP’s budget proposal sparking an afternoon of analysis and criticism. By Tuesday evening Reuters was contrasting Ryan’s budget with one sponsored by Senator Patty Murray (D, WA). But there is one problem with Reuters’ analysis. The Democrats didn’t actually release any budget for Reuters to analyze at the time of publication. So, Reuters simply regurgitated Murray’s talking points.

In the Reuters report, the pair of budgets were deemed difficult to pass because they appear “crafted to appeal to their respective party bases.”

Reuters claimed that the problem with Ryan’s budget is that it is likely aimed at getting Rep. Ryan the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination as opposed to being a serious attempt to solve Washington’s budget problems.
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Reuters Regurgitates Democrat Talking Points on Budget Plan”


CPAC 2013: Mitt Romney Speaks

-By Warner Todd Huston

Apologizing for not winning the last election, a chastened and humbled Mitt Romney came before the crowd at CPAC here today vowing to be a “coworker” with conservatives to get the country back on the right track.

Romney entered the stage to loud applause, some of the loudest for the day. His appearance certainly seemed to find approval with this crowd.

His speech was very good. One wag noted that he may be the most inspiring loser ever.

The former GOP nominee for President spoke all in big terms today, not much getting down in the weeds of specific programs. He was stopped occasionally by respectful and sometimes enthusiastic applause. He ended to a standing ovation, as well.

One thing is sure, the crowds at CPAC are mainstream Republicans as opposed to strictly hard right conservatives. If this crowd were more hardcore a moderate like Mitt Romney would never have been received, nominee or no, as well as he has been here in the last three years.
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CPAC 2013: Mitt Romney Speaks”


CPAC–Rand Paul: Not a Penny to Countries That Burn U.S. Flag

-By Warner Todd Huston

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul didn’t disappoint on yesterday’s appearance at CPAC at one point in his speech saying of foreign aide, “I say not one penny more to countries that are burning our flag.”

When he kicked off his address he joked that he’d only been given 20 minutes to speak but had brought 13 hours of material. He went on to joke that because of his filibuster Obama might ant to “drone” him.

This set Paul up to discuss theObama’s drone program, the National Defense Authorization Act, and how it is borderline unlawful to use drones on American soil without the due process of law.
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CPAC–Rand Paul: Not a Penny to Countries That Burn U.S. Flag”


Reuters Regurgitates Democrat Talking Points on Budget Plan

-By Warner Todd Huston

On March 12, Representative Paul Ryan (R, WI) released the GOP’s budget proposal sparking an afternoon of analysis and criticism. By Tuesday evening Reuters was contrasting Ryan’s budget with one sponsored by Senator Patty Murray (D, WA). But there is one problem with Reuters’ analysis. The Democrats didn’t actually release any budget for Reuters to analyze by the time the news service had published its story. So, Reuters is simply regurgitating Murray’s talking points.

In the Reuters report, the pair of budgets are deemed difficult to pass because they appear “crafted to appeal to their respective party bases.”

Reuters claims that the problem with Ryan’s budget is that it is likely aimed at getting Rep. Ryan the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination as opposed to being a serious attempt to solve Washington’s budget problems.

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Reuters Regurgitates Democrat Talking Points on Budget Plan”


SHOCKING PHOTO: Obamacare and a Seven-Foot Tall Stack of New Regulations

-By Warner Todd Huston

The office of Senator Mitch McConnell, the GOP minority leader in the Senate, has sent out a shocking photo.

This is over 20,000 pages and measures 7′ 2.5″. These are all the Obamacare regulations published in the Federal Register up through last week. Then last Friday they added another 828 pages.

Unbelievable.

And hidden in this giant stack of intrusive new regulations that seem to grow every month is a major job loss problem.

Douglas Elmendorf, Director of the Congressional Budget Office, said in February of 2011 that Obamacare could cost 800,000 jobs and the Federal Reserve has stated that Obamacare is the reason for “planned layoffs.”
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SHOCKING PHOTO: Obamacare and a Seven-Foot Tall Stack of New Regulations”


NH Dem. Says Gov’t Employees are Like ‘Our Children’

-By Warner Todd Huston

The rap on Democrats is that they fully misunderstand what the relationship should be between citizen and government. Many claim Democrats think government should be mommy and daddy to us all. Well, one New Hampshire Democrat revealed that this is exactly what she thinks.

At a Belknap County budget meeting in the first week of March, NH State Representative Ruth Gulick decided she needed to speak up during the discussion about the budget where it concerns cutting costs with county employees.

During the open discussion on the cost cutting, Gulick said that there should be fewer cuts in county employee’s pay because the county is like the employee’s parents and we wouldn’t “short our kids” would we?

Here is exactly what Rep. Gulick said:
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NH Dem. Says Gov’t Employees are Like ‘Our Children’”


Tom Brokaw: Obama Spends Too Much Time Campaigning

-By Warner Todd Huston

Old NBC News hand Tom Brokaw made an appearance on MSNBC’s The Cycle on March 4 and criticized President Obama for campaigning too much instead of governing. Brokaw also castigated Obama for refusing to negotiate with Republicans over the budget impasse and the sequester cuts.

Extremely liberal panel member, Touré, asked Brokaw if the budget impasse was because the GOP is “refusing” to work with Obama because they are “incented” [sic] not to work with him.

Brokaw replied that he didn’t think that Republicans were flat out refusing to work with the President but are negotiating with an eye to the 2014 midterm elections and don’t want to give away too much. Brokaw went on to lament that Obama is doing little else but demonizing the GOP instead of looking for ways to work with them.

Transcript
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Tom Brokaw: Obama Spends Too Much Time Campaigning”


Bloomberg Businessweek Apologizes for ‘Racist’ Magazine Cover

-By Warner Todd Huston

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s media group has apologized for its February 21 cover of Bloomberg Businessweek over complaints that it used racist imagery to illustrate the feature story on the housing market.

With a title of “The Great American Housing Rebound: Flips. No-look bids. 300 percent returns. What could possibly go wrong?,” the cover illustration featured Latino and African American American caricatures awash in a sea of government money.

The image was criticized as racist by several organizations and media outlets.

Ryan Chittum of the Columbia Journalism Review praised Bloomberg Businessweek for being “edgier than its predecessor,” but went on to say that the February cover was over the line.

“The cover stands out for its cast of black and Hispanic caricatures with exaggerated features reminiscent of early 20th century race cartoons,” Chittum wrote. “Also, because there are only people of color in it, grabbing greedily for cash. It’s hard to imagine how this one made it through the editorial process.”
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Bloomberg Businessweek Apologizes for ‘Racist’ Magazine Cover”