1. Do you think embedded journalists in Iraq are useful and provide an accurate portrayal of the war?
2. Would you consider military sources open and willing to provide journalists with accurate information? Or is most information classfied/confidential? Are there stories that should be told but are passed up because the information can't be verified and sources won't to go on the record?
3. In your opinion do the reports on Iraq paint an accurate picture for the public? Or do you think the public has a skewed image of what is going on in Iraq?
4. When you expose the flaws of the military like you did in "Troops Confront Waste in Iraq" do your superiors or colleagues criticize your choice to go public with miliaty mishaps?
5. Do you think the U.S. media acts an objective truth telling force in regards to the war or do you think they show allegiance/favor to the U.S. troops in thier coverage?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Newest US troops in dangerous region near Kabul
… LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Close to 3,000 American soldiers who recently arrived in Afghanistan to secure two violent provinces near Kabul have begun operations in the field and already are seeing combat, the unit's spokesman said Monday.
The new troops are the first wave of an expected surge of reinforcements this year. The process began to take shape under President George Bush but has been given impetus by President Barack Obama's call for an increased focus on Afghanistan.
U.S. commanders have been contemplating sending up to 30,000 more soldiers to bolster the 33,000 already here, but the new administration is expected to initially approve only a portion of that amount. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday the president would decide soon.
The new unit — the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division — moved into Logar and Wardak provinces last month, and the soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y., are now stationed in combat outposts throughout the provinces.
Militants have attacked several patrols with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, including one ambush by 30 insurgents, Lt. Col. Steve Osterhozer, the brigade spokesman, said.
Several roadside bombs also have exploded next to the unit's MRAPs — mine-resistance patrol vehicles — but caused no casualties, he said.
"In every case our vehicles returned with overwhelming fire," Ostehozer said. "We have not suffered anything more than a few bruises, while several insurgents have been killed."
Commanders are in the planning stages of larger scale operations expected to be launched in the coming weeks.
Militant activity has spiked in Logar and Wardak over the last year as the resurgent Taliban has spread north toward Kabul from its traditional southern power base. Residents say insurgents roam wide swaths of Wardak, a mountainous province whose capital is about 35 miles from Kabul.
The region has been covered in snow recently, but Col. David B. Haight, commander of the 3rd Brigade, said last week that he expects contact with insurgents to increase soon.
"The weather has made it so the enemy activity is somewhat decreased right now, and I expect it to increase in the next two to three months," Haight said at a news conference.
Haight said he believes the increase of militant activity in the two provinces is not ideologically based but stems from poor Afghans being enticed into fighting by their need for money. Quoting the governor of Logar, the colonel called it an "economic war."
Afghan officials "don't believe it's hardcore al-Qaida operatives that you're never going to convert anyway," Haight said. "They believe that it's the guys who say, 'Hey you want $100 to shoot an RPG at a Humvee when it goes by,' and the guy says, 'Yeah I'll do that, because I've got to feed my family.'"
Still, Haight said there are hardcore fighters in the region, some of them allied with Jalaludin Haqqani and his son Siraj, a fighting family with a long history in Afghanistan. The two militant leaders are believed to be in Pakistan.
Logar Gov. Atiqullah Ludin said at a news conference alongside Haight that U.S. troops will need to improve both security and the economic situation.
"There is a gap between the people and the government," Ludin said. "Assistance in Logar is very weak, and the life of the common man has not improved."
Ludin also urged that U.S. forces be careful and not act on bad intelligence to launch night raids on Afghans who turn out to be innocent.
It is a common complaint from Afghan leaders. President Hamid Karzai has long pleaded with U.S. forces not to kill innocent Afghans during military operations and says he hopes to see night raids curtailed.
Pointing to the value of such operations, the U.S. military said Monday that a raid in northwest Badghis province killed a feared militant leader named Ghulam Dastagir and eight other fighters.
Other raids, though, have killed innocent Afghans who were only defending their village against a nighttime incursion by forces they didn't know, officials say.
"We need to step back and look at those carefully, because the danger they carry is exponential," Ludin said.
Haight cautioned last week that civilian casualties could increase with the presence of his 2,700 soldiers.
"We understand the probability of increased civilian casualties is there because of increased U.S. forces," said the colonel, who has also commanded Special Operations task forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Our plan is to do no operations without ANA (Afghan army) and ANP (Afghan police), to help us be more precise."
The U.S. military and Afghan Defense Ministry announced last week that Afghan officers and soldiers would take on a greater role in military operations, including in specialized night raids, with the aim of decreasing civilian deaths.
The presence of U.S. troops in Wardak and Logar is the first time such a large contingent of American power has been so close to Kabul, fueling concerns that militants could be massing for a push at the capital. Haight dismissed those fears.
"Our provinces butt up against the southern boundary of Kabul and therefore there is the perception that Kabul could be surrounded," Haight said. "But the enemy cannot threaten Kabul. He's not big enough, he's not strong enough, he doesn't have the technology. He can conduct attacks but he can't completely disrupt the governance in Kabul."
… LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Close to 3,000 American soldiers who recently arrived in Afghanistan to secure two violent provinces near Kabul have begun operations in the field and already are seeing combat, the unit's spokesman said Monday.
The new troops are the first wave of an expected surge of reinforcements this year. The process began to take shape under President George Bush but has been given impetus by President Barack Obama's call for an increased focus on Afghanistan.
U.S. commanders have been contemplating sending up to 30,000 more soldiers to bolster the 33,000 already here, but the new administration is expected to initially approve only a portion of that amount. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday the president would decide soon.
The new unit — the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division — moved into Logar and Wardak provinces last month, and the soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y., are now stationed in combat outposts throughout the provinces.
Militants have attacked several patrols with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, including one ambush by 30 insurgents, Lt. Col. Steve Osterhozer, the brigade spokesman, said.
Several roadside bombs also have exploded next to the unit's MRAPs — mine-resistance patrol vehicles — but caused no casualties, he said.
"In every case our vehicles returned with overwhelming fire," Ostehozer said. "We have not suffered anything more than a few bruises, while several insurgents have been killed."
Commanders are in the planning stages of larger scale operations expected to be launched in the coming weeks.
Militant activity has spiked in Logar and Wardak over the last year as the resurgent Taliban has spread north toward Kabul from its traditional southern power base. Residents say insurgents roam wide swaths of Wardak, a mountainous province whose capital is about 35 miles from Kabul.
The region has been covered in snow recently, but Col. David B. Haight, commander of the 3rd Brigade, said last week that he expects contact with insurgents to increase soon.
"The weather has made it so the enemy activity is somewhat decreased right now, and I expect it to increase in the next two to three months," Haight said at a news conference.
Haight said he believes the increase of militant activity in the two provinces is not ideologically based but stems from poor Afghans being enticed into fighting by their need for money. Quoting the governor of Logar, the colonel called it an "economic war."
Afghan officials "don't believe it's hardcore al-Qaida operatives that you're never going to convert anyway," Haight said. "They believe that it's the guys who say, 'Hey you want $100 to shoot an RPG at a Humvee when it goes by,' and the guy says, 'Yeah I'll do that, because I've got to feed my family.'"
Still, Haight said there are hardcore fighters in the region, some of them allied with Jalaludin Haqqani and his son Siraj, a fighting family with a long history in Afghanistan. The two militant leaders are believed to be in Pakistan.
Logar Gov. Atiqullah Ludin said at a news conference alongside Haight that U.S. troops will need to improve both security and the economic situation.
"There is a gap between the people and the government," Ludin said. "Assistance in Logar is very weak, and the life of the common man has not improved."
Ludin also urged that U.S. forces be careful and not act on bad intelligence to launch night raids on Afghans who turn out to be innocent.
It is a common complaint from Afghan leaders. President Hamid Karzai has long pleaded with U.S. forces not to kill innocent Afghans during military operations and says he hopes to see night raids curtailed.
Pointing to the value of such operations, the U.S. military said Monday that a raid in northwest Badghis province killed a feared militant leader named Ghulam Dastagir and eight other fighters.
Other raids, though, have killed innocent Afghans who were only defending their village against a nighttime incursion by forces they didn't know, officials say.
"We need to step back and look at those carefully, because the danger they carry is exponential," Ludin said.
Haight cautioned last week that civilian casualties could increase with the presence of his 2,700 soldiers.
"We understand the probability of increased civilian casualties is there because of increased U.S. forces," said the colonel, who has also commanded Special Operations task forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Our plan is to do no operations without ANA (Afghan army) and ANP (Afghan police), to help us be more precise."
The U.S. military and Afghan Defense Ministry announced last week that Afghan officers and soldiers would take on a greater role in military operations, including in specialized night raids, with the aim of decreasing civilian deaths.
The presence of U.S. troops in Wardak and Logar is the first time such a large contingent of American power has been so close to Kabul, fueling concerns that militants could be massing for a push at the capital. Haight dismissed those fears.
"Our provinces butt up against the southern boundary of Kabul and therefore there is the perception that Kabul could be surrounded," Haight said. "But the enemy cannot threaten Kabul. He's not big enough, he's not strong enough, he doesn't have the technology. He can conduct attacks but he can't completely disrupt the governance in Kabul."
Clinton bypassing Europe, heading for Asia, on first trip as Secretary of State
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Japan Monday to begin a week-long trip through four Asian nations, looking to begin building new international relationships to help tackle some of the world's toughest challenges.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo, Japan, Monday.
Speaking to reporters en route to Tokyo, Clinton said "going to Asia is, for me, a very big part of how we're going to demonstrate the Obama administration's approach to dealing with the multitude of problems that we see, but also the opportunities as well."
Her visits to Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and China will include discussions on a host of sensitive topics, from climate change to nuclear proliferation. And Clinton vowed that she will not be "shying away from talking about human rights issues."
But there will likely be few fireworks or confrontations. "I think it's fair to say that this first trip will be one intended to really find a path forward, to have as robust an engagement as possible on a range of issues," she said.
Clinton added: "I chose to go to Asia deliberately in order to send that message that we are reaching out. We do see Asia as part of America's future."
Her meetings will not be limited to government officials, Clinton said, "because I think it's important that we get out of the ministerial buildings and listen to the people in the countries where I'll be visiting. So to that end, I'll be doing town halls and visits in areas of concern that we can discuss with NGO leaders and local officials."
Clinton has had official travels through Asia previously, dating back to when her husband was U.S. president. She described the trip as "an opportunity to renew relationships with some people that I've known before" and to speak face-to-face with "those with whom I'll be meeting for the first time."
The backdrop for the visit is the global economic crisis, she said. All four nations are members of the G-20, which is composed of financial leaders of 19 nations and the European Union. The group was formed in the late 1990s to bring together key figures to help improve the world economy. The next G-20 meeting is in London in April.
"I will be discussing with them the approaches that each are taking, explaining what we have just done with the passage of our stimulus bill, and seeking greater cooperation about how together we're going to work our way through these very difficult economic times," Clinton said.
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Japan Monday to begin a week-long trip through four Asian nations, looking to begin building new international relationships to help tackle some of the world's toughest challenges.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo, Japan, Monday.
Speaking to reporters en route to Tokyo, Clinton said "going to Asia is, for me, a very big part of how we're going to demonstrate the Obama administration's approach to dealing with the multitude of problems that we see, but also the opportunities as well."
Her visits to Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and China will include discussions on a host of sensitive topics, from climate change to nuclear proliferation. And Clinton vowed that she will not be "shying away from talking about human rights issues."
But there will likely be few fireworks or confrontations. "I think it's fair to say that this first trip will be one intended to really find a path forward, to have as robust an engagement as possible on a range of issues," she said.
Clinton added: "I chose to go to Asia deliberately in order to send that message that we are reaching out. We do see Asia as part of America's future."
Her meetings will not be limited to government officials, Clinton said, "because I think it's important that we get out of the ministerial buildings and listen to the people in the countries where I'll be visiting. So to that end, I'll be doing town halls and visits in areas of concern that we can discuss with NGO leaders and local officials."
Clinton has had official travels through Asia previously, dating back to when her husband was U.S. president. She described the trip as "an opportunity to renew relationships with some people that I've known before" and to speak face-to-face with "those with whom I'll be meeting for the first time."
The backdrop for the visit is the global economic crisis, she said. All four nations are members of the G-20, which is composed of financial leaders of 19 nations and the European Union. The group was formed in the late 1990s to bring together key figures to help improve the world economy. The next G-20 meeting is in London in April.
"I will be discussing with them the approaches that each are taking, explaining what we have just done with the passage of our stimulus bill, and seeking greater cooperation about how together we're going to work our way through these very difficult economic times," Clinton said.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens proved a provocative and intelligent figure. His knowledge of history and powerful rhetoric made most people in the audotorium instant believers, or rather in this case nonbelievers. Only a few people challenged Hitchens and they were definitely not on equal ground as the idolized speaker. Hitchens has the characteristics of an excellent journalist. He is multilingual, worldly, well versed, and unintimidated by reporting from countries including Iran, Iraq, N.Korea, and Cuba.
Hitchens possesses the same assertive nature of Andrew Schneider, although I am the first to admit Schneider was a much more approachable and down to earth person. But what makes both of them such noble journalists? I think has something to do with the chances they take and their drive to find the truth at any cost. They both have an assertive nature and are not afraid to ask tough questions. I think both of them would die in Comm 295 if they had to write "....," Bob said. They are openly opinionated and write with distinct voice.
I am glad I went to see Hitchens speak, now I know Jefferson and Lincoln are atheists...who knew! On a more serious note seeing someone of such notoriety and intelligence is a great reminder of how thought provoking true and authentic journalism can be.
Hitchens possesses the same assertive nature of Andrew Schneider, although I am the first to admit Schneider was a much more approachable and down to earth person. But what makes both of them such noble journalists? I think has something to do with the chances they take and their drive to find the truth at any cost. They both have an assertive nature and are not afraid to ask tough questions. I think both of them would die in Comm 295 if they had to write "....," Bob said. They are openly opinionated and write with distinct voice.
I am glad I went to see Hitchens speak, now I know Jefferson and Lincoln are atheists...who knew! On a more serious note seeing someone of such notoriety and intelligence is a great reminder of how thought provoking true and authentic journalism can be.
Senate Bill Aims to Conserve Energy and Stimulate Washington’s Economy
Cassidy Gardner
The Energy Office of Washington State University may be a key player in weatherizing homes across Washington and stimulating the state’s economy.
The Energy Office of WSU operates out of Olympia and is the only state funded and state sanctioned energy office.
Currently Senate Bill 5649 is being decided on, the overarching goal of the bill is to weatherize 20,000 homes a year for the next five years in Washington. If passed the fiscal note estimates the cost to implement the bill will be nearly $1.7 million dollars.
Weatherization refers to improving the energy efficiency in structures. This is commonly achieved by practices including but not limited to upgrading heating and ventilation or by putting in new insulation.
Sheila Riggs, the communications legislative and administrative division manager of the Energy Office of WSU, said she is in favor of the bill and signed in pro at the initial hearing of the bill.
The bill is currently being refined and reworded. Sen. Phil Rockefeller is the lead sponsor of the bill. He is also the chair of the Environment and Water Committee.
According to Riggs, Rockefeller has encouraged the Office of Energy of WSU to work with energy providers from across the state to make the bill as effective as possible.
The main objective of the bill is to weatherize residential homes, farms, and commercial buildings that have an annual revenue of less than $1 million a year. Low-income residents will receive priority funding to weatherize their homes.
Amanda Stauffer, an intern in the office of Sen. Tim Sheldon, who is also sponsoring the bill, said the Energy Office of WSU will be responsible for developing and implementing an effective system for allocating grants on a competitive basis.
She went on to say, “People sponsoring this bill see it as a way to stimulate the economy. One of the key goals of the bill is to create 7,500 jobs. It will employee energy auditors and work will be contracted out to businesses in communities across the state.”
Dale Miller, the manager of housing development for the Community Action Center of Whitman County, said he has been expecting the weatherization of homes to be ramped up because President Barack Obama has put much emphasis on significantly increasing weatherization.
In the federal economic stimulus package it is proposed that one million homes be weatherized per year for the next five years.
“We already have plans ready to ramp up how many buildings and homes we will be weatherizing in Whitman County. They are just dependent on different levels of funding that is offered, Miller said. “Right now we have our own crew of auditors who analyze whether it is effective to weatherize homes. But if we get the additional funding we may be hiring a construction manager, maybe an enthusiastic WSU graduate to manage all of our projects.”
Currently 30-40 homes are being weatherized a year in Whitman County. Miller said more like 300 homes should be weatherized a year because more than 3,000 homes in Whitman County are in need of the service.
“When you weatherize homes you reduce the amount of energy needed. Using less energy reduces the cost. People take the money they would spend on their heating bill and spend it elsewhere, stimulating the economy,” Miller said.
He went on to say weatherization in Pullman means more work for local electricians, plumbers, and contractors.
“Overall weatherizing is good a thing because conserving energy is the first step to reducing our dependence on foreign resources and it saves families money. Making existing buildings energy efficient is the first step to becoming a sustainable community,” Miller said.
To obtain funding, businesses, residences, and farms in Pullman would file a request with Community Action Center of Whitman County. Low-income residents, meaning they make less than 80 percent of the mean local income, will be given priority to funding. The residence or building is then audited and it is determined whether weatherization is cost effective. In Whitman County there is a 20 year payback threshold, meaning weatherization is considered cost effective if the money spent to weatherize will be saved in the next 20 years.
If the bill is passed this will be the first time Whitman County will be auditing and weatherizing farms and local businesses, prior to this bill they have focused solely on homes and individual residences.
Riggs said, “It would be very exciting to get the money to fund this project because weatherization is a very important issue for the entire state.”
Sources:
Amanda Stauffer
(360) 786-7999
Sheila Riggs
(360) 956-2074
Dale Miller
(509) 334-9147
Cassidy Gardner
The Energy Office of Washington State University may be a key player in weatherizing homes across Washington and stimulating the state’s economy.
The Energy Office of WSU operates out of Olympia and is the only state funded and state sanctioned energy office.
Currently Senate Bill 5649 is being decided on, the overarching goal of the bill is to weatherize 20,000 homes a year for the next five years in Washington. If passed the fiscal note estimates the cost to implement the bill will be nearly $1.7 million dollars.
Weatherization refers to improving the energy efficiency in structures. This is commonly achieved by practices including but not limited to upgrading heating and ventilation or by putting in new insulation.
Sheila Riggs, the communications legislative and administrative division manager of the Energy Office of WSU, said she is in favor of the bill and signed in pro at the initial hearing of the bill.
The bill is currently being refined and reworded. Sen. Phil Rockefeller is the lead sponsor of the bill. He is also the chair of the Environment and Water Committee.
According to Riggs, Rockefeller has encouraged the Office of Energy of WSU to work with energy providers from across the state to make the bill as effective as possible.
The main objective of the bill is to weatherize residential homes, farms, and commercial buildings that have an annual revenue of less than $1 million a year. Low-income residents will receive priority funding to weatherize their homes.
Amanda Stauffer, an intern in the office of Sen. Tim Sheldon, who is also sponsoring the bill, said the Energy Office of WSU will be responsible for developing and implementing an effective system for allocating grants on a competitive basis.
She went on to say, “People sponsoring this bill see it as a way to stimulate the economy. One of the key goals of the bill is to create 7,500 jobs. It will employee energy auditors and work will be contracted out to businesses in communities across the state.”
Dale Miller, the manager of housing development for the Community Action Center of Whitman County, said he has been expecting the weatherization of homes to be ramped up because President Barack Obama has put much emphasis on significantly increasing weatherization.
In the federal economic stimulus package it is proposed that one million homes be weatherized per year for the next five years.
“We already have plans ready to ramp up how many buildings and homes we will be weatherizing in Whitman County. They are just dependent on different levels of funding that is offered, Miller said. “Right now we have our own crew of auditors who analyze whether it is effective to weatherize homes. But if we get the additional funding we may be hiring a construction manager, maybe an enthusiastic WSU graduate to manage all of our projects.”
Currently 30-40 homes are being weatherized a year in Whitman County. Miller said more like 300 homes should be weatherized a year because more than 3,000 homes in Whitman County are in need of the service.
“When you weatherize homes you reduce the amount of energy needed. Using less energy reduces the cost. People take the money they would spend on their heating bill and spend it elsewhere, stimulating the economy,” Miller said.
He went on to say weatherization in Pullman means more work for local electricians, plumbers, and contractors.
“Overall weatherizing is good a thing because conserving energy is the first step to reducing our dependence on foreign resources and it saves families money. Making existing buildings energy efficient is the first step to becoming a sustainable community,” Miller said.
To obtain funding, businesses, residences, and farms in Pullman would file a request with Community Action Center of Whitman County. Low-income residents, meaning they make less than 80 percent of the mean local income, will be given priority to funding. The residence or building is then audited and it is determined whether weatherization is cost effective. In Whitman County there is a 20 year payback threshold, meaning weatherization is considered cost effective if the money spent to weatherize will be saved in the next 20 years.
If the bill is passed this will be the first time Whitman County will be auditing and weatherizing farms and local businesses, prior to this bill they have focused solely on homes and individual residences.
Riggs said, “It would be very exciting to get the money to fund this project because weatherization is a very important issue for the entire state.”
Sources:
Amanda Stauffer
(360) 786-7999
Sheila Riggs
(360) 956-2074
Dale Miller
(509) 334-9147
Sunday, February 8, 2009
February 8, 2009
Payments to sister's company were 'legitimate,' Steele says
From CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart
RNC chairman Michael Steele responded Sunday to a recent Washington Post report.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – New Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele said Sunday that payments to his sister’s company by his 2006 Senate campaign were proper.
Steele’s former finance chairman alleged in documents provided to federal prosecutors that Steele arranged for his Senate campaign to pay tens of thousands of dollars to a company owned by his sister, according to a report by the Washington Post published Saturday.
Alan B. Fabian, the former Steele aide, alleged that the company never performed any services for the campaign in exchange for the money and the Post reported that the company was defunct at the time the payment was made.
“It was a legitimate reimbursement of expenses, Steele told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Sunday. “If my sister had not been reimbursed, I and she would have been in violation of McCain-Feingold finance law,” Steele added.
“Those allegations were leveled by a convicted felon who was trying to get a reduced sentence on his conviction,” Steele said of Fabian.
Steele told Stephanopoulos that the payment was made to reimburse his sister’s company at a time when her lawyers were in the process of dissolving the company.
Payments to sister's company were 'legitimate,' Steele says
From CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart
RNC chairman Michael Steele responded Sunday to a recent Washington Post report.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – New Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele said Sunday that payments to his sister’s company by his 2006 Senate campaign were proper.
Steele’s former finance chairman alleged in documents provided to federal prosecutors that Steele arranged for his Senate campaign to pay tens of thousands of dollars to a company owned by his sister, according to a report by the Washington Post published Saturday.
Alan B. Fabian, the former Steele aide, alleged that the company never performed any services for the campaign in exchange for the money and the Post reported that the company was defunct at the time the payment was made.
“It was a legitimate reimbursement of expenses, Steele told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Sunday. “If my sister had not been reimbursed, I and she would have been in violation of McCain-Feingold finance law,” Steele added.
“Those allegations were leveled by a convicted felon who was trying to get a reduced sentence on his conviction,” Steele said of Fabian.
Steele told Stephanopoulos that the payment was made to reimburse his sister’s company at a time when her lawyers were in the process of dissolving the company.
Obama fires up House Democrats to help push through stimulus
WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia (CNN) -- President Barack Obama said Thursday that "the scale and the scope" of his economic plan is right, turning up the heat on critics he said were hawking "phony arguments" and "false theories of the past" to chip away at the bill's programs.
President Obama said if a stimulus bill isn't passed the economy will continue to get worse.
"Don't come to the table with the same tired arguments and worn ideas that helped to create this crisis," the president said at the House Democrats' annual retreat in Williamsburg.
"We're not going to get relief by turning back to the very same policies that, for the last eight years, doubled the national debt and threw our economy into a tailspin," he said. "We can't embrace the losing formula that says only tax cuts will work for every problem we face, that ignores critical challenges like our addiction to foreign oil, or the soaring cost of health care, or failing schools and crumbling bridges and roads and levees.
"I don't care whether you're driving a hybrid or an SUV -- if you're headed for a cliff, you've got to change direction."
The Democrats welcomed the president with frequent interruptions for applause as he took on criticisms of the bill.
Obama said he valued "the constructive criticism and healthy debate that's taking place around this package," but added that speedy passage of the bill was essential.
"We're not moving quickly because we're trying to jam something down people's throats," he said. "We're moving quickly because if we don't, the economy's going to keep getting worse."
Obama rejected calls for more tax cuts and significant slashing of the bill's more than $800 billion price tag, and said complaints the package was a spending bill rather than a stimulus bill were off base.
"What do you think a stimulus bill is?" he said. "That's the point."
To critics who argue that the government shouldn't be spending billions with a large and growing deficit, Obama said, "I found this national debt doubled, wrapped in a big bow waiting for me as I stepped into the Oval Office."
The American people called for change in November, he said, "and that's what we're going to deliver."
"They did not send us here to get bogged down with the same old delay, the same old distractions, the same talking points, the same cable chatter," he said. "They did not vote for the false theories of the past, and they didn't vote for phony arguments and petty politics, and they did not vote for the status quo."
Obama told his fellow Democrats that they have "the capacity to do great things" on behalf of the American people, "but we are going to have to do it by not thinking about ourselves."
"It starts with this economic recovery plan," he said. "And soon, we will take on big issues like addressing the foreclosure problem, passing a budget, tackling our fiscal problems, fixing our financial regulation and securing our country."
But, he stressed, the battle over the stimulus bill is not "an abstract debate."
"If we do not move swiftly to sign [the act] into law, an economy that is already in crisis will be faced with catastrophe," he said. "This is not my assessment. This is not Nancy Pelosi's assessment. This is the assessment of the best economists in the country. This is the assessment of some of the former advisers of some of the same folks who are making these criticisms right now."
"This is not a game," he said. "This is not a contest for who's in power and who's up and who's down."
It's time, he said, to "set aside the gamesmanship in this town and get something done."
Behind closed doors after his speech, Obama fielded a handful of questions from House Democrats.
Asked about Afghanistan, Obama pointed to a number of reviews under way -- including ones by his national security team and by the U.S. Central Command -- of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.
The United States cannot win there by military means alone, Obama said. He stressed the need to make sure that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for terrorists. The president highlighted the importance of diplomatic efforts in Pakistan as well.
On the subject of fiscal discipline, Obama referred to the economic stimulus package, getting credit going again so small businesses can get loans, stemming home foreclosures with next expenditure of the Troubled Assets Relief Program, and the executive compensation limits his administration set this week for businesses that accept taxpayer bailouts.
Asked whether he would lift the ban on stem cell research, the president promised to sign an executive order to do so. Obama said he wants to coordinate with House and Senate leadership to craft an executive order - based on science, fact and reason -- strong enough to avoid a quick reversal. Obama's comments impressed Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Louisiana.
The president "said he'd rather do what's right and serve one term than just do what's politically good and be a mediocre president and get to serve two terms," Melancon said.
Melancon, a fiscal conservative, said he didn't support every program in the House bill.
"We couldn't explain some of them," he said. For instance, "how does giving out condoms put people back to work?"
But Melancon criticized Republicans who focused on only a small fraction of the stimulus bill, calling it "chump change."
He acknowledged that although a stimulus package might not work, he said Congress needs to act or risk "total collapse" of the economy.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland praised Republicans who voted with Democrats and said they showed true bipartisanship. But he railed against the Republican leadership, which told its members to vote against the original stimulus bill.
"Now they seem to be fired up and ready to say 'no,' Hoyer said. "We hope that they will change their minds."
Republicans have blasted numerous measures in the $819 billion stimulus package that the House passed last week, such as funding for veterans in the Philippines, sod on the National Mall and honey bee insurance. Such provisions have nothing to do with stimulating the economy, Republicans say.
Hoyer acknowledged a need for compromise on some points important to the Democrat leadership, but he declined to specify what he'd be willing to sacrifice to get the bill passed.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Legislature Story Proposals
1. The House Bill 1096, which is aimed at "enhancing small business participation in state purchasing" will require the Department of General Administration to develop procedures that give a "7 percent bidding preference to small business bidders in the state's purchasing of goods and services." This also applies to higher education institutions, like WSU. It would be interesting to see if WSU would be contracting businesses from the Pullman area or from the west side. I would like to see how this bill will impact the relationship between government entities and small businesses.
2. Senate Bill 5639 addresses the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program that is being created within the Energy Office at WSU. This program must coordinate with the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED). CTED is traditionally responsible for contracing weatherization projects. This program will provide grants and technical assistance for commercial buildings buildings with less than $1 million annual revenue in the past five years. It also helps to maximize the CTED program assistance for low-and-middle-inome households. I would like to look at how this program will operate at WSU and what it will mean for Pullman households.
3. Senate Bill 5252 addresses the distribution of pharmaceuticals in correctional facilities(like jails). Jails are authorized to provide medicatiosn for inmates by trained personnel. I would like to look at what this bill looks like in the Whitman County Jail and how they deal with adminstering pharmaceuticals and medical care to inmates.
2. Senate Bill 5639 addresses the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program that is being created within the Energy Office at WSU. This program must coordinate with the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED). CTED is traditionally responsible for contracing weatherization projects. This program will provide grants and technical assistance for commercial buildings buildings with less than $1 million annual revenue in the past five years. It also helps to maximize the CTED program assistance for low-and-middle-inome households. I would like to look at how this program will operate at WSU and what it will mean for Pullman households.
3. Senate Bill 5252 addresses the distribution of pharmaceuticals in correctional facilities(like jails). Jails are authorized to provide medicatiosn for inmates by trained personnel. I would like to look at what this bill looks like in the Whitman County Jail and how they deal with adminstering pharmaceuticals and medical care to inmates.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Bucking tradition, Clinton to head for Asia
Hillary Clinton will bypass Europe and travel to Asia on her maiden voyage overseas
From Elise Labott
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Bucking tradition, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will bypass Europe and travel to Asia on her maiden voyage overseas, diplomats familiar with the planning said Tuesday.
Bill Clinton looks at his wife Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as she is sworn in on February 2.
Clinton is expected to visit China, Japan and South Korea on her first trip overseas. The diplomats said she may also add other stops, including one in Southeast Asia.
The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because Clinton's schedule was still being finalized. The State Department has not commented on her travel plans.
Making Asia Clinton's first overseas destination illustrates the Obama administration's desire for a broader partnership with China and its commitment to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, as well as strengthening ties with Tokyo and Seoul, the diplomats said.
The White House said President Barack Obama told Chinese President Hu Jintao in a Friday phone call that he looked forward to "to early contacts and exchanges between senior officials of our two countries."
Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last month she hoped to make an early trip to Southeast Asia, in particular Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation where Obama spent part of his childhood. Clinton said she wanted to restart Peace Corps programs there, which were suspended in the 1960s.
However British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and German Foreign Secretary Walter Steinmeier will be Clinton's first foreign guests to the State Department on Tuesday.
Clinton was sworn in as America's 67th secretary of state on Monday -- for a second time. Watch Clinton being sworn in »
Biden administered the oath to Clinton in a ceremonial star-studded gathering at the State Department, with actor Chevy Chase and designer Oscar de la Renta among those on hand.
"It is an overwhelming honor ... to assume this position," Clinton said. "We have a lot of work to do [to ensure that] America's future can be even brighter than our storied past."
Holder becomes attorney general
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Eric Holder was sworn in Tuesday as U.S. attorney general, becoming the first African-American to lead the Department of Justice on a permanent basis.
Vice President Joe Biden swears in Eric Holder, left, as attorney general Tuesday at the Justice Department.
Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath of office after reading the Justice Department's mission statement.
"There's no mention of politics in that statement. There's no mention of ideology," Biden said. "And that's as it should be."
Loud cheers and long applause followed Holder's taking of the oath.
"Nowhere but in this great country could a person like me or the president hope to achieve the positions we are now so fortunate to hold," Holder said.
By a 75-21 vote, the U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed President Obama's nomination of Holder.
Holder, 58, is a former federal prosecutor and served as deputy attorney general during the Clinton administration. He was briefly acting attorney general in early 2001.
Don't Miss
Senate confirms Holder nomination
Holder takes over a Justice Department battered by a series of controversies during the Bush administration, from questions about how it laid legal groundwork for harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists to the firings of top federal prosecutors in several cities.
"There's a big job to do, and it's going to be Mr. Holder's duty to turn this department around and restore its credibility," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California.
During confirmation hearings, Republicans questioned his role in former President Bill Clinton's widely criticized last-minute pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich and questioned whether he would be independent of the White House.
Holder had a testy exchange with the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking Republican, Arlen Specter, who questioned Holder's "fitness" for the office.
Holder shot back that Specter was "getting close to the line in questioning my integrity," and Specter ultimately supported the nomination. But Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, cited the pardons and what he called Holder's insufficient support for gun rights in opposing the nomination.
"Mr. Holder is supportive of old ideas for gun control that have never made people safer at the expense of taking away their rights," Bunning said.
All 21 of the "no" votes were Republicans, but more than a dozen GOP senators joined Democrats in confirming Holder. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Missouri, said Holder convinced him he would be "looking forward to keeping the nation safe."
Bond, the ranking Republican on the Intelligence Committee, raised concerns that the administration would seek to prosecute U.S. officials involved in using what the Bush administration called "alternative" interrogation techniques, measures that critics said involved the torture of prisoners in U.S. custody.
Holder unambiguously called the use of waterboarding against suspected terrorists a form of torture that violated the Geneva Conventions, but he has said that prosecuting intelligence officials who followed Justice Department guidance would be "difficult."
Bond said that while Holder's answer focused on U.S. officials who were following the administration's legal advice, "I told him, and I believe he understood, that trying to prosecute these lawyers or political leaders would generate a political firestorm."
Hillary Clinton will bypass Europe and travel to Asia on her maiden voyage overseas
From Elise Labott
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Bucking tradition, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will bypass Europe and travel to Asia on her maiden voyage overseas, diplomats familiar with the planning said Tuesday.
Bill Clinton looks at his wife Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as she is sworn in on February 2.
Clinton is expected to visit China, Japan and South Korea on her first trip overseas. The diplomats said she may also add other stops, including one in Southeast Asia.
The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because Clinton's schedule was still being finalized. The State Department has not commented on her travel plans.
Making Asia Clinton's first overseas destination illustrates the Obama administration's desire for a broader partnership with China and its commitment to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, as well as strengthening ties with Tokyo and Seoul, the diplomats said.
The White House said President Barack Obama told Chinese President Hu Jintao in a Friday phone call that he looked forward to "to early contacts and exchanges between senior officials of our two countries."
Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last month she hoped to make an early trip to Southeast Asia, in particular Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation where Obama spent part of his childhood. Clinton said she wanted to restart Peace Corps programs there, which were suspended in the 1960s.
However British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and German Foreign Secretary Walter Steinmeier will be Clinton's first foreign guests to the State Department on Tuesday.
Clinton was sworn in as America's 67th secretary of state on Monday -- for a second time. Watch Clinton being sworn in »
Biden administered the oath to Clinton in a ceremonial star-studded gathering at the State Department, with actor Chevy Chase and designer Oscar de la Renta among those on hand.
"It is an overwhelming honor ... to assume this position," Clinton said. "We have a lot of work to do [to ensure that] America's future can be even brighter than our storied past."
Holder becomes attorney general
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Eric Holder was sworn in Tuesday as U.S. attorney general, becoming the first African-American to lead the Department of Justice on a permanent basis.
Vice President Joe Biden swears in Eric Holder, left, as attorney general Tuesday at the Justice Department.
Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath of office after reading the Justice Department's mission statement.
"There's no mention of politics in that statement. There's no mention of ideology," Biden said. "And that's as it should be."
Loud cheers and long applause followed Holder's taking of the oath.
"Nowhere but in this great country could a person like me or the president hope to achieve the positions we are now so fortunate to hold," Holder said.
By a 75-21 vote, the U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed President Obama's nomination of Holder.
Holder, 58, is a former federal prosecutor and served as deputy attorney general during the Clinton administration. He was briefly acting attorney general in early 2001.
Don't Miss
Senate confirms Holder nomination
Holder takes over a Justice Department battered by a series of controversies during the Bush administration, from questions about how it laid legal groundwork for harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists to the firings of top federal prosecutors in several cities.
"There's a big job to do, and it's going to be Mr. Holder's duty to turn this department around and restore its credibility," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California.
During confirmation hearings, Republicans questioned his role in former President Bill Clinton's widely criticized last-minute pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich and questioned whether he would be independent of the White House.
Holder had a testy exchange with the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking Republican, Arlen Specter, who questioned Holder's "fitness" for the office.
Holder shot back that Specter was "getting close to the line in questioning my integrity," and Specter ultimately supported the nomination. But Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, cited the pardons and what he called Holder's insufficient support for gun rights in opposing the nomination.
"Mr. Holder is supportive of old ideas for gun control that have never made people safer at the expense of taking away their rights," Bunning said.
All 21 of the "no" votes were Republicans, but more than a dozen GOP senators joined Democrats in confirming Holder. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Missouri, said Holder convinced him he would be "looking forward to keeping the nation safe."
Bond, the ranking Republican on the Intelligence Committee, raised concerns that the administration would seek to prosecute U.S. officials involved in using what the Bush administration called "alternative" interrogation techniques, measures that critics said involved the torture of prisoners in U.S. custody.
Holder unambiguously called the use of waterboarding against suspected terrorists a form of torture that violated the Geneva Conventions, but he has said that prosecuting intelligence officials who followed Justice Department guidance would be "difficult."
Bond said that while Holder's answer focused on U.S. officials who were following the administration's legal advice, "I told him, and I believe he understood, that trying to prosecute these lawyers or political leaders would generate a political firestorm."
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