Week 12 Print

OBAMA'S INCOME TAX PROPOSAL LOOKS PROMISING FOR AMERICANS

"We start from the simple premise that we should reduce the tax burden on working people, while helping Americans go to college, own a home, raise a family, start a business and save for retirement," he said. "Those goals are the foundation of the American dream, and they are the focus of my tax policy."

The vast majority of U.S. workers will benefit from the tax cuts included in the $787-billion economic stimulus signed into law this year, according to the White House. That relief started with modest payroll tax cuts on April 1 and includes $400 income-tax credits for individuals and $800 credits for families this year.

These breaks will offer relief for 120-million families, the president said, putting "$120 billion directly into their pockets, and it includes the most American workers ever to get a tax cut."


The administration also has advanced a $2,500 annual tax credit for college tuition that Obama said would help more Americans "get the education they need to succeed in a global economy."

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/04/16/news/na-obama-taxes16?s=lat&n=o&rd=topics.latimes.com&sessid=d991a45e48fdd7071c86f61b725cbddecacc3606&uuid=d991a45e48fdd7071c86f61b725cbddecacc3606&pgtp=article&eagi=&cat=finance+%26+insurance&pe_id=6675912&page_type=article&exci=2009%7C04%7C16%7Cnews%7Cna-obama-taxes16&pg=1


Link LA Times Article


PRESIDENT OBAMA IS GOING to Mexico TODAY TO COUNTER ISSUES SUCH AS drug violence and immigration reform.

Mexico needs assistance with combating powerful drug-trafficking organizations,immigration reform and trade issues.

The Obama administration has promised to put more agents along the border, step up southbound inspections, accelerate release of portions of the $1.4 billion in aid allotted under the so-called Merida Initiative and reexamine domestic drug-use policies.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-obama16-2009apr16,0,6875682.story

TAX PROTESTORS

In Ventura, more than 1,000 people gathered to vent wide-ranging concerns, from over-taxation and government spending to condemnation of a recent Homeland Security report tracking a rise in violence among right-wing groups.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/tax-protests/

OBAMA GETS NEW DOG "BO"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YAVP7JseLQ

President Obama's first White House Easter Egg Roll

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGMtcrooU0s&feature=channel


President Barack Obama is popular in Latin America, unlike George W. Bush, but he faces opposition over U.S. policies on Cuba and assault weapons.

The U.S. wants to cooperate with other nations on easing the economic crisis, curbing global warming and keeping people safe, Obama administration officials said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-obama-trip16-2009apr16,0,243893.story

Week 12 Entertainment

This week in the entertainment news circle there have been two words on everyone's lips: Bo Bama. The dog was promised during the Presidential Campaign to Barack Obama's girls, Sasha and Malia, and has finally arrived in Washington.


http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=223911&title=road-to-the-
doghouse-bo-obama


Next in our news for this week is the heroic rescue of an American cargo ship captian captured by pirates.

Heroic rescue
Pirate should face American justice
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009
ARTICLE OPTIONS
A A A

American negotiators did the right things throughout the five-day high-seas drama that culminated with the successful rescue of an American cargo ship captain held by pirates off the coast of Africa.

Officials tried negotiating with the four pirates for the release of Capt. Richard Phillips, whom they had held aboard a lifeboat since Wednesday. But when his life was placed in imminent danger, three Navy SEALs aboard the USS Bainbridge were given the go-ahead to shoot the pirates who were still aboard the lifeboat.

Firing at night from the stern of a ship rolling at sea, the snipers killed the pirates. The fourth, who was not aboard the lifeboat then, is in American custody.

There were many heroes throughout the ordeal, beginning with Capt. Phillips. He put his life on the line when he offered himself as hostage to the save the rest of the crew of the Maersk Alabama when it was boarded by pirates on Wednesday.
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20090414/OPINION01/304149961


http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=223909&title=the-buc-stops-here


Last topic of discussion. . . some Americans, who are unhappy with paying taxes, joined forces with like-minded citizens to create a modern day Boston Tea Party. Unfortunately for them, their neglect to plan ahead left them permit-less and stuck with thousands of tea bags.

www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/224723/april-15-2009/tax-atax

Week 12 - Online

First online news for this week is Barack Obama's second big trip abroad since becoming United States president.

President Barack Obama arrives in Mexico on Thursday to show support for the Mexican government's efforts to fight a devastating drug war and boost security along the U.S. border.

White House officials played up the symbolism of the stop in Mexico, which is struggling to contain unprecedented criminal violence and combat a drugs war that is spilling over into the United States.

the White House's National Security Council, said Obama's visit underscored U.S. support for its southern neighbor at the highest levels.

The Obama administration is tightening the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent trafficking of U.S. guns to Mexican cartels and is hoping to send Black Hawk helicopters to help Calderon defeat well-armed drug gangs that killed thousands last year.

Obama hopes to improve relations with Mexico and other Latin American countries during his trip after a deterioration in relations that his advisers blame on Republican former President George W. Bush.

He will also discuss energy and the economy with President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City before the Summit of the Americas on Friday.

Obama is expected to pledge to listen during the summit with hemispheric leaders as he tries to establish a cooperative new relationship with Latin America, but the issue of Cuba is likely to test that quest for stronger ties. On Monday Obama lifted limits on family travel and money transfers to Cuba and let U.S. telecommunications firms start providing service for Cubans.

President Obama Prepares for Mexico Trip & Hemispheric Summit
Youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No22sNc3cC8


Next online online news is Barack Obama's 2008 Salary.

Barack and Michelle Obama released their 2008 tax returns.
The couple earned $2.7 million last year, which White House says mostly came from the sales of the president's books, Dreams From My Father and other books.

the U.S. median household income is about $50,000. it was far more than that, and it was far less than the $4.2 million the Obamas made in 2007.

They paid more than $855,000 in federal income taxes, and more than $77,000 in Illinois state income taxes. They were set to receive a $26,000 refund, but instead applied the amount to their 2009 income taxes.

The couple also donated $172,050 to 37 charities, including $25,000 each to CARE, which fights global warming, and the United Negro College Fund.

The White House also released Vice President Joe Biden's tax returns. Biden and his wife, Jill, earned less than $270,000 last year, and they donated $1,800 to charity.

Obamas file Taxs.
AP:http://video.ap.org/?t=By%20Section/U.S.&p=&f=AP&g=0415dv_obama_taxes

Week 9 - Radio

Unless you do a lot a driving you probably don’t rely on the radio much for your news. The prevalence of video-driven news content on television and the internet is probably more enticing for most of us when we want to keep informed.

But with the iPod phenomenon in full effect there are more choices than ever for audio news in the form of podcasts. Most are available for free and have relatively few commercial interruptions.

So without completely turning this post into a podcast endorsement, here now are a few of this week’s radio/podcast news stories about President Obama.

NPR and KCRW

Santa Monica based KCRW is our local radio source for NPR news and political commentary. Here are a few recently aired stories.

NPR: Story of the Day Podcast - Link

This story details the growing frustration that Americans are experiencing with the poor state of the economy. Some are frustrated with the Obama administration for failing to spark a major economic turnaround, others say he’s been in office for less than three months and to give him time. Obama reminds citizens that the turnaround process will take years and possible multiple attempts at different solutions. We need to be patient and turn our frustration into constructive energy.

To the Point - Link

The Obama administration’s delicate balance with Mexico. Tensions are growing over the increasing drug-related violence taking place in Mexico. Fears that violence is spinning out of control in Mexico and will spill over into the U.S. if actions are not taken. Over 7000 related deaths have occurred in the past 16 months.

Which Way L.A.? - Link

Here, Which Way L.A.? covers President Obama’s recent town hall style appearance in Los Angeles. While republicans on Capital Hill make up some of Mr. Obama’s most fierce critics, republican Governor Schwarzenegger appeared as one of his biggest supporters. Schwarzenegger said Obama’s stimulus plan will bring $51 billion to California. The mood of the meeting was more like a campaign event rather than a town hall meeting. People were ecstatic about meeting and talking to the President.

Television Podcasts

Meet the Press - Link

NBC’s weekly Sunday news television program is available in podcast form. This week they discussed the public outrage following the AIG bonuses and Gov. Schwarzenegger talks of collaborating with President Obama about retooling government infrastructure. Also covers the nation’s supposed frustration with Obama’s reform plans. The mood of the program is quite clear from the style of the intro, the music is dramatic and the announcer sounds frantic. Is the end near!?

NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - Link

PBS news program NewsHour’s style is almost the polar opposite of Meet the Press. A very calm and collected take on the news. This podcast covers how Obama is lobbying for democratic support of his budget plan while party leaders are seeking changes to it. Obama administration claims it will cut the deficit in half in five years, critics say it will lead us further into the red.

Is radio dead?

While some may think the radio platform is boring compared to video-driven news, it can be quite powerful in the right reporters hands. Just listen to the powerful imagery Edward R. Murrow provides in his historic report of the bombing of Trafalgar Square in London. - Link

Week 8 Print

March 19, 2009 -As Federal Reserves declared today that in order to boost up economy, it would buy $300 billion of long-term U.S. Treasury securities in the next six months and a hundred million dollars more in mortgage backed securities. The rate for credit worthy mortgage customers fell to 4.75% today, and the value of U.S. currency continued to reach the floor.
Federal Reserves Chairman, Ben Bernanke hope this move will push down long-term borrowing rates benchmarked to treasury bonds, but can also backfire and fuel fear that the Feds, by using their power to print money to help government's finances are kindling inflation, according to Wall Street Journal.

Some top employees of American International Group Inc (AIG) have agreed to pay back some the retention bonuses (amounting $165 million)they received, due to public outrage. Lawmakers of from both parties questioned Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner did not do more to derail the bonuses and two Republicans called him to resign. However, President Obama expressed his confidence in Geithner. "He is making all the right moves in playing a bad hand." The president took the ultimate responsibility saying, "I am the president, I'll take responsibility. The buck stops with me."
Surprisingly, some to the biggest critics were those who received the most campaign contributions from AIG, including President Obama ($104,332), Senate Banking Chairman Christopher Dodd (103,900).
Among Republicans, former President George W. Bush received the most from AIG in the amount of $200,000.

March 20, 2009 -House passed a bill that would impose a 90% surtax on bonuses paid this year to executives of Wall Street firms getting more than $5 billion in bailout.
A 90% surcharge on bonuses on top of other income taxes will be imposed on those who received bonuses after Dec.31, 2008 and those who make $250,000 or more in gross income.

President Barack Obama appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and discussed current AIG and financial crisis on Wall Street. "...it took us a while to get into this mess, and it will take us a while to get out. [The American people] will give us time," said the president. President Obama is the first president to appear on a late night show, according to NBC.

March 23, 2009 - Two Obama cabinet members will be working at home and abroad to alleviate concerns regarding the drug wars along the Mexican borders. Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolian will address the crisis for the first time on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton will visit Mexico the same day. The Obama administration has expressed constant support of Mexican President, Felipe Calderon's crackdown on drug lords who are warring the nation and fighting over territory to sell drugs and export them into the U.S.

March 24, 2009 -President Obama tried to ease tension and woes to Wall Street after weeks of outrage and criticism. The Obama administration is trying to work with top bankers on Walls Street on a bailout plan which will rely on public-private investments to soak up toxic assets.

March 25, 2009 - President Barack Obama held a press conference last night and did not shy away from answering questions and did not hold back on delivering his message. The president used prime-time news conference to defend his $3.6 trillion budget plan and tax proposals, one day before the plan begins to move in Congress. He pressed for renewable-energy development, education and health-insurance renovation for when the economy is healed. He called for new authorities to cease and dismantle non-bank financial institutions such as AIG. When questioned about his economic plans President Obama was firm on his stance. "The alternative is to stand pat, and to simply say we are just going to not invest in health care; we're not going to take on energy, we'll wait until the next time that gas gets to $4 a gallon; we will not improve our schools, and we'll allow China or India or other countries to lap our young people in terms of their performance," he said. The president does not have a detailed plan as how to bring down the deficit, however he said the key will be controlling health-care costs. President Obama's spending plan is under attack by many Republicans as well as some Democrat leaders. Many are attacking the president's proposal to limit charitable deductions. "I'm assuming that [the deduction] shouldn't be the determining factor in as to whether you're giving that hundred dollars to the homeless shelter down the street," said the president. When the president was asked why he took so long to react to the AIG retention bonuses, the president snapped, "because I like to know what I am talking about." President Obama also expressed his optimism between the Israel and Palestinian state and insisted on persistence.

March 26, 2009 -President Obama holds the first ever virtual web-hall meeting. President Obama discussed healthcare, education reform and discussed ways to create jobs for Americans. "No dream is beyond our reach."

Sources
Los Angeles Times http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2009/03/obama-stocks-us.html
New York Times http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/index.html
The Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123808005152848441.html

Week 9 - Television

Last week President Obama made a trip to Southern California and of course the media had lots of reactions to it. Here are some clips…

This is a news piece highlighting President Obama’s reaction to some struggling high school students in Pomona, CA

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Also, some reaction to President Obama’s college basketball predictions
http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=3868968&referralPlaylistId=cdf6b55bc33febfa6b639972645aa7895d35e3d1


Here’s some commentary from Fox News Channel, Glenn Beck on President Obama’s appearance on the Tonight Show



With President Obamas 3.6 trillion dollar budget being debated in Congress, President Obama holds his second primetime news conference. He mentions “out years” in this clip which refers to the years after the recession.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7165877

And here’s Bill O’Reilly’s take on the press conference…

http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/

Michelle Obama was also in the news…


Watch CBS Videos Online

Fox News first 100 days

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/index.html

Week 9 Entertainment

President Obama didn’t look burdened by his office on “The Tonight Show” on Thursday; he seemed detached.

As he described the problems of American International Group and the credit crisis to Jay Leno, Mr. Obama behaved less like a beleaguered president than the head of a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia reporting back to the main office -- concerned and engaged, but intent on maintaining his professional distance and neutrality.

At times, he may have seem a little too removed. When he described the plight of Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner ( “He understands that he’s on the hot seat, but I actually think that he is taking the right steps”) Mr. Leno jumped in and said teasingly, “Now, see, I love that it’s all his problem.” Mr. Obama tensed up and tried to correct himself, and it took him several beats to surrender to the joke and laugh along with the audience.

But overall Mr. Obama, the first sitting president to be a guest on “The Tonight Show,” delivered a familiarly smooth, winning performance in an unfamiliar setting – a fireside chat for the flat screen age.


http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/video/clips/president-obama-full-interview-319/1067541/


Stephen Colbert does a rap battle against GOP leader Michael Steele

http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=222211

John Stewart grills Dick Cheney

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=220585

The Obama song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-yJBsjatW0

WEEK 8 (Print/Online)

Air Force One touched down at the Long Beach Airport today at 3:00 p.m. as Obama was headed to Costa Mesa for a town hall meeting. This was Obama’s first trip to the west coast since he was elected president.

Obama’s day was jammed packed with the town meeting, an appearance on the tonight show, the A.I.G thing, but the news in online entertainment was Barack-etology as the president filled out his NCAA tournament bracket.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3994021

Most of the focus of the local newspapers was the town hall meeting in Costa Mesa. The president mainly talked about A.I.G., and fielded some question from the audience. A teacher and a former automobile industry worker were some of the few that asked Obama questions, but still had hope. Even with all the problems the crowd was optimistic.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/

Week 8 Entertainment

In Entertainment News…So, unfortunately this is happening tonight so I can’t show you the clip, but Obama is going to be the first seated president to ever go on late night TV. He will appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Thursday night.
Reuters reported, “NBC said it would be Obama's first sit-down talk show appearance in studio with a live audience since his election last year, and the first ever appearance by a U.S. president while in office on a late-night chat show.”

Read more about the “historic” interview here.

Jon Stewart (March 17)
Everyone is angry about everything. Apparently people are even protesting through tea parties a la Boston.

Believe in something...even if it's wrong.

Monday Night Roundup
Collection of video clips from the Huffington Post online from a variety of shows Monday night.

punching babies

Saturday Night Live
I always love weekend update but I’m not sure how I feel about Seth Myers doing it… but that is beside the point.

Obama 2.0

The Onion keeps an update on highlights from Obama's first hundred days- here is this week...

DAY 57: Secret service agent Ted Scharpling stumps fellow agent Neal Vianna when he asks Vianna what he would do if Michelle Obama came at the president with a modified Glock 19 automatic.
DAY 56: To mark St. Patrick's Day, most of the White House staff wears green, except for Joe Biden, who never makes it into work.
DAY 55: Several weeks after reportedly being bit by a sheep dog, Eric Holder transforms into the shaggy attorney general at a critical moment during a press conference.
DAY 54: Obama's personal aide Reggie Love informs The New York Times that he's changed a lot since his May 27, 2008, profile and suggests they do a follow-up.
DAY 53: White House luncheon guests share a moment of awkwardness when someone says, "Madame, first lady," and both Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama turn around.
DAY 52: After refusing to take some of his state's stimulus money due to disagreements with the bill, Mississippi governor Haley Barbour wakes up to another burning tire on his lawn.
DAY 51: Reaching a milestone common for new presidents, Obama spends the afternoon seeing who is the most important person he can get on the phone in

Week 8 (Television)

As you all have probably seen or read the issue with AIG and how President Obama is dealing with it. President Barack Obama declared Monday that insurance giant American International Group is in financial bind because of "recklessness and greed" and said he intends to stop it from paying out millions in executive bonuses.

Obama spoke out in the wake of reports that surfaced over the weekend saying that the financially straped AIG was paying substantial bonuses to executives.

AIG was recieving larg amount of federal aid from the federal government, Obama said he has asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner "to use that leverage and pursue every legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole."
the Treasury Department will "use a planned $30 billion infusion into AIG to compel the company to repay the bonuses promised to employees of its financial-products group,


Obama made a very good point and really gave a good prespective of what responsibility means. Obama said that "All across the country, there are people who work hard and meet their responsibilities every day, without the benefit of government bailouts or multimillion-dollar bonuses. And all they ask is that everyone, from Main Street to Wall Street to Washington, play by the same rules."

"This isn't just a matter of dollars and cents," he added. "It's about our
fundamental values."



Mmany people feel that the amount of money that AIG was giving out in bonuses is something that is being delt with in to much depth.

Q:what is your opinion on this situation and is obama and the admistration putting to much focus in this issue.

Q:Do you feel that AiG has lost all there credibility with the governrmnt and what steps can AIG do to gain back there respect.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

The Notorious AIG

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Week 8: Radio

Because the Internet is the middle-ground between various news platforms, I can listen to the radio ON my computer! How progressive. This week's news centers (for a change) on the economy, as the Washington Post breaks the story that AIG plans to pay out millions of bailout dollars to company executives in the form of cash bonuses. There's also rioting, destruction and general chaos in Northern Ireland (also known as St. Paddy's Day) and Bernie Madoff's in jail (old news, Martha sent him dead roses last week*).

*not true

Almost all major news organizations have a presence in the podcast-world in addition to being online. From CNN to NPR, these networks have diversified the way viewers and listeners can access their news. Here's a look at how some places approach it:

Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO): daily interview segments

Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo (3-minute commentary)

The Takeaway: fast-paced PRI program out of WNYC with John Hockenberry and Adaori Udoji; conversational journalism

60 Minutes: entire weekly segment, sound-only

AC360 Daily Podcast: full video program reviewing day's top stories

Onion Radio News: daily 60-second story

In addition to providing comprehensive and balanced coverage on world events, National Public Radio has had a very successful online venture. It can go more in-depth on its shorter segments that aired, as well as link every story to a podcast provided to its listeners. There are stories not discussed on the air. Many reporters have their own blogs or, in the case of the program "Talk of the Nation," rely partially on listener feedback through its website to fuel conversation on the air.

Local radio stations that broadcast NPR programming include 89.3 (KPCC) and 89.9 (KCRW).

The Los Angeles Times published a story Sunday about the wane of conservative talk radio in California, blaming the low revenues of stations that turn to more accessible programming. Just as we've seen the daily in Seattle closing its print edition, so here is another example of journalism (a term I use loosely) narrowing its boundaries. Even though I see this happening, though, I don't see radio becoming obsolete by any means; people are just looking for it in different places. Freddie Mercury was right when he said radio has yet to have its greatest hour. Is the era of podcasting it? Time will tell.

Entertainment coverage of Barack Obama

Barack Angry!

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson portrayed an angry Barack Obama on Saturday Night Live last weekend.
In the sketch, Andy Samberg portrays Rahm Emmanuel, who urges the president to get angry at Washington foot-dragging. Johnson’s Obama gets angry and transforms in an Incredible Hulk-fashion to Angry Barack Obama.
Was the sketch just humorous, or did you see any true political implications behind the sketch?
Do you think Barack Obama can get angry? We really haven’t seen him look too stressed or upset over anything yet. Do you think that the state of the nation might eventually push him to get angry and upset?


A 3-D Presidency



"WASHINGTON—In what is being hailed as a breakthrough in the field of historical record-keeping, the National Archives announced Monday that it would immediately begin outfitting Barack Obama's chest, limbs, and face with an array of motion capture sensors for use in preserving a 3-D account of his time as president."


The Abs of Illinois Politicians...?

Congressman Aaron Schock is not dismissing a head-to-head contest with President Barack Obama on who has better abdominals. The 27-year-old freshman neither confirms nor denies if he has better abs than the president.

So what is it with Illinois congressmen? Does anyone actually care?


Who would play Barack Obama in a film about his presidency?
It's inevitable that a film will be based on Barack Obama's historic journey to the presidency. One of Hollywood’s actors will need to fill his shoes on the big screen

Which actor gets your vote?
It's inevitable that a film will be based on Barack Obama's historic journey to the presidency. One of Hollywood’s actors will need to fill his shoes on the big screen.

Which actor gets your vote?


Sippin' on some syzzurpppppp
One perk of being President? Courtside seats to see your favorite team play – even when they lose.

President Obama and Chicago pal Marty Nesbitt joined fans Friday at Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center to cheer on their beloved Bulls, who were ultimately defeated by the Washington Wizards, 113-90.

Is the president allowed to have a night off like this during a serious economic crisis? Does this portrayal of the president make you think he's more personable, more like all of us?

Radio

Why apologize to Rush?


Censorship?
The original Fairness Doctrine was formulated by the FCC in 1949. It stated that broadcast licensees who discussed controversial issues of public importance were required to give reasonable opportunity for the presentation of opposing viewpoints.

In 1967, the FCC specified that if a person's "honesty, character or integrity" is attacked on the air, that person must be offered the chance to reply. It also specified that if a station editorialized for or against a candidate, all other candidates for that office must be allowed an opportunity to reply.

There the Fairness Doctrine stood until 1987, when Ronald Reagan's FCC, with the hearty support of the boss, effectively terminated it.

Reagan and his FCC argued that the spectrum of media had so greatly increased since 1949, or 1967, that all viewpoints now had plenty of places to be heard.

Some Democrats, however, think talk radio tilts so far to the right that some form of "balance" needs to be mandated. More...


Campaigning against Limbaugh
The Democratic National Committee has unveiled its five best slogan ideas--chosen from among thousands of proposed entries--for a billboard attacking radio broadcaster Rush Limbaugh.

The slogan that receives the most votes on the DNC’s Web site will be put on a billboard in Rush's "hometown" of West Palm Beach, Fla. More...


XM/Sirius Radio
Unfiltered forum for political news and talk where listeners are free to express their opinions about politics, politicians and the press. More...

Stand up!
Pete Dominick has a simple agenda: he wants to learn, and to do so publicly, so that listeners can learn along with him. He believes learning can be both entertaining and participatory. More...

News of the Week - Online

This post is for the week of March 10th/12th.

Obama lifts Bush Restrictions on Stem Cell Research

On Monday, President Obama lifted restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research. This angered many anti-abortion opponents, but pleased those who believed the study could produce treatments for many diseases.

Obama supports the scientists who conduct the research and aims for America to lead the world in discoveries.

Shares of companies specializing in stem cell research rose as much as 73 percent.

Some believed George W. Bush based his actions on stem cell research on politics and religion. Religious conservatives who supported Bush opposed human embryonic research because it involves the destruction of embryos, which they viewed as human life.

When it comes to stem cell research, Obama believes that this is a call to care for each other and will work to ease human suffering.

The National Institute of Health has 120 days to come up with guidelines regarding stem cell research.

Question: *Government is put in a bind between morality and science. Do you believe government should use federal spending on research for the possible discoveries of treatment for diseases?


Sources: Cytori Therapeutics, Stem Cell Research Foundation, Gray's Anatomy, Advance Cell Technology

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE52721M20090309?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6QZdfblCZY


Obama Outlines Plan for Education Overhaul

On Tuesday, President Obama called for changes to American education by urging states to lift limits on charter schools and improving the quality of early childhood education and linking teacher pay to performance.

The president said it was time to erase limits on the number of charter schools, while closing those that are not working. 26 states and the District of Columbia now have caps on charter schools.

In his recent budget message, Obama hoped to double financing for charter schools. He called on states to impose tougher curriculum standards and said states should weed out bad teachers. Obama pledged to pursue programs that would reward teachers with money for improved achievement by students.

The address on Tuesday was the first step for the president's agenda to improve schools.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/us/politics/11web-educ.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA27kLJrHew


$410 billion Spending Package

On Wednesday March 11, President Obama signed a $410 billion spending package. He called it an "imperfect" bill, but insisted the bill must mean an "end to the old way of doing business."

The bill is to sponsor 8,000 projects through the fall, but there are many critics against the bill. Among the projects include $485,000 for a boarding school in western Alaska for at risk students and $1.2 million for the Helen Keller International nonprofit to provide eyeglasses for students with poor vision.

Obama believes that some of the money for projects in the past have been abused.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29632177/

Question * Why do you think Obama signed the bill in private and did not have a public signing ceremony? Obama usually signs bills in front of the media, but he declined a reporters question why he signed the bill in private.

News of the Week- Print

Obama Ponders Outreach to Elements of Taliban

In this New York Times article, President Obama declared that the U.S. was losing the war in Afghanistan and that he would consider reaching out to elements of the Taliban, similar to what the American military did with the Sunni militias in Iraq.

This strategy is also being considered by military leaders as it has shown success in he past. This reconciliation process has been credited with turning around the war in Iraq in the past two years along with the increase in American forces.

However, President Obama stressed that although there are similarities in the current conflicts, Afghanistan is much more complicated as he cited "a less governed region and a history of fierce indepence among tribes" among his concerns.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/us/politics/08obama.html?ref=todayspaper

Question: Do you think that this strategy can have the same outcome in Afghanistan as it did in Iraq?

Week 7 News of the Week - Television

The Hackberry

KTLA ran a story about President Obama's frequent use of technology - more than any other previous president but we all know that. What's interesting is that there have been hackers on the prowl, hungry to cause some funny business or perhaps something worse. According to the story, the president's Blackberry is vulnerable to hackers but is a Chief Information Officer and/or Chief Technology Officer really necessary? How concerned should Obama and Americans be about hackers?




Family Guy?! O.o

alright...



Embryonic Stem Cell Research

CBS reported on President Obama's executive order that lifts the federal ban on embryonic stem cell research, reversing restrictions originally implemented under Bush. Obama speaks with such vigor - absolutely confident and optimistic that embryonic stem cell research can treat or cure diabetes and paralysis. Opposition has been met with anti-abortion activists because they feel it is "unethical, unworkable, and unreliable" to destroy human embryos for medical research. So is Obama making the right decision? How do you feel about embryonic stem cell research?






Obama's First 50 Days



- stimilus package
- higher education
- greenhouse gas emissions
- interrogation policies
- embryonic stem cell research
- the war in Iraq
- children's health insurance
- renewed diplomatic activity

But ABC says that some critics feel that Obama is trying to do too much. Is there such thing as trying to do too much? What do crtics want from him?

Posted by Matthew Gastar

Pakistan and Obama

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/28/world/asia/28pstan.html



http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/

A new video purporting to show a U.S. officer giving a "motivational speech" to "lazy" Iraqi police is an instant hit on YouTube, with nearly 300,000 views and more than 1,300 comments.

The comments are expectedly heated: Some think the U.S. officer is giving a much-needed, if quite foulmouthed, wake-up call to slackers who should be taking responsibility for their own country, and others are angered that an "occupying" force is lecturing a country that it invaded on how to run things.

Warning, lots of swearing.


Obama's hair turns to gray.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/us/politics/05gray.html?_r=1&hp


Posted by Yuko Hirose

News of the Week - March 5 - PRINT

The New York Times, Front Page: Flecks of Grey??

After just 44 days into the presidency, Obama is showing the signs of a stressful job. The article in The New York Times shows a picture of President Obama back in 2007 versus now. It mentions Bill Clinton going from half a head of brown hair to fully white after two years in office, and George W. Bush going from "salt and pepper" to just "salt" in a short period of time.

According to the article, people are "blogging" about how President Obama must die his hair. According to Zariff however, his hairdresser of 16 years, it's 100% natural. According to Dr. Michael F. Roizen, "Presidents age two years for every year they're in office."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/us/politics/05gray.html?ref=todayspaper

*The Washington Post also ran an article on President Obama going grey, but it wasn't on the front page.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030403008.html

Los Angeles Times, Front Page: President Obama's Czar System Concerns Some



This article focuses on certain lawmakers and Washington interest groups that are concerned with the people President Obama is naming as his "policy czars." The high-level staff members will help him oversee the administrations top anitiatives. Based on the people he's appointing in such powerful positions, some lawmakers and interest groups worry that he is subverting the authority of Congress and putting too much power into the presidency.

So far, Obama has appointed special advisors to help him inside the White House regarding healthcare, the economy and energy issues. According to the article, "It's far too early to tell whether Obama's quest for efficiency will lead to overstepping the boundaries of presidential authority..."

Obama just recently appointed two women to lead his healhcare effort, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Nancy-Ann DeParle, who was named "health czar." He has also appointed Carol Browner as White House "energy czar" which, according to the article, "could overlap with the functions of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Energy Department and other agencies."

Main point of the article is the issue of appointing white house staffers to assume assumed certain duties that should be the responsibility of officials cleared through the Senate confirmation process. Although it is early in the Obama presidency, many are starting to question the "czar" setup.

Question: Do you think that Obama appointing these "Czars" to head certain policies and efforts he's trying to push is going to have a negative impact? Or do you think it's necessary to have people in these positions because of the challenges this country is facing right now? (Especially economically)

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-obama-czars5-2009mar05,0,3862215.story

The Washington Post: In Health Plan, Industry Sees Good Business

Since becomming president, Obama has proposed bigger discounts on medications that are bought through Medicaid. The plan is to hopefully save drug campanios billions a year.

Obama's goal to drastically expand the healthcare system is attracting a lot of support from insurers and hospitals that wasn't expected. What's enticing the medical industry, is the prospect of tens of millions of new customers, who as of now, are not insured.

President Obama has proposed a $634 billion "healthcare reserve fund" that will be paid for through cuts in payments to insurers, doctors, hospitals and drugmakers. According to the article, Obama's intention is to "dole out the pain in smal, easier-to-swallow bites." The ones that will sacrafice most are doctors, insurers, hospitals and wealthy seniors, but if Obama's system works, the hope is that no one will lose too much.

On the other hand, lobbyists and healthcare experts are warning that some major obsticles are ahead of us with Obama's proposition. AARP, the seniors lobby, opposes an increase in Medicare's prescrption drug premiums for wealthy retirees. Home-care providers are also objecting to cuts on their Medicare reimbursements.

In his young presidency, Obama has the stated goal of "assembling a broad reform package by the end of the year that would push the nation closer to universal coverage." 46 million American's are now estimated without health insurance. Despite the economic crisis, Obama has made this healthcare effort a "fiscal priority" calling it "a historic commitment to reform that will lead to lower costs and quality, affordable health care for every American."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030403938.html?sid=ST2009030501408

Question: What do you think about Obama's proposed healthcare plan? Does the oposition have a valid argument, or is it necessary right now, with so many uninsured Americans, to cut payments to doctors, hospital and drugmakers in order to insure more Americans?

Posted By: Amanda Berkley

Entertainment News of the Week

For the week of March 1 to March 6 not a lot of new entertainment media has been shown on broadcast television. However, what has been shown has been enlightening with the unique, signature twists of each comedian that presented it. On Monday, Stephen Colbert opened up The Colbert Report by discussing the current failure of Obama's presidency. According to Colbert, his failure is due to fraudulent Barack Obama Commemorative coins that were advertised by Montel Williams.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/220267/march-02-2009/p-k--winsome---defective-obama-collectibles

On Tuesday's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jay discussed different aspects of President Obama's bailout plan and poked fun at the assistance that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is offering the Palestinians. He also provided us with some jokes about the bad state of the economy and updated us on the Obama family's search for a dog.
http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/video/

Also on Tuesday night's The Daily Show, Jon Stewart profiled Rush Limbaugh's comments at the Conservative Political Action Conference. He then profiled Michael Steele's reaction and subsequent apology. Stewart transitioned into a segment he calls "MessO'Potama," which highlights President's Obama's plan on removing the troops from Iraq.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

Amy Paradise
3/5/2009
Jour 495
Entertainment News of the Week

For Your Entertainment

The following links display video clips of the Colbert Report, the Onion and the Daily Show. The presenters each give a humorous approach to the economic crisis rather than just reporting hard news.



http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=218380&title=hope-n-change-update-fort-myers

http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=218730

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive

Loriana Johnson

News of the Week-Radio

This week has had many definitive moments.  The U.S. will hopefully be forever changed for the better.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101103753
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1881675,00.html

The Bailout
With the unveiling of Obama’s new bailout, the stock market has been up and down this week. It looks like the stock market and our economy may pull itself out of the depths of recession.

-Why do you think the stock market did not climb as dramatically as some had predicted after the new housing bailout was revealed this week?
-What about the weeks to come? Do you think this will be a long drawn out climb or an overnight redemption?
-Who’s going to buy some penny stocks today?





http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/us/politics/23otext.html

Obama Radio Address for Saturday
Obama's focus for this week's radio address was the bailout plan, he did not update us on the Iraq War, or social security issues. He was very optimistic and his words were determined.

-What do you think the next step is for Obama's cabinet involving the bailout strategy?
-What if it fails? What do you think he'll try next?




http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/02/20/The-quickest-and-broadest-tax-cut-ever/

On taxing the wealthy
"Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans" is what Obama said in his radio address on Feb. 21. We are returning to a more democratic and less republican state of mind.

-How do you think taxing the rich will directly help the middle-class and lower-class Americans?

NOW Presentation- Entertainment Media- February 26, 2009

Video:

Barack Obama’s Congressional Address

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/219745/february-25-2009/barack-obama-s-congressional-address

Many of the members of Congress were on their PDAs during Obama’s speech…Is this a result of their lack of dedication or Obama’s failure to keep their attention?

Video:

Optimist Prime

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=219494&title=optimist-prime

Are Americans actually willing to work hard to get our economy back on track or are Americans just looking for a quick fix?

Video:

Canuck Obama

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=219481&title=Canuck-Obama

Article:

Nation’s Blacks Creeped Out By All The People Smiling At Them

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nations_blacks_creeped_out_by_all

Do you think that our country will continue breaking down the walls built by race as a result of Obama being elected or is it only a matter of time before the walls are up again?

Article:

Obama Debuts Annoying Catchphrase

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/obama_debuts_annoying

Do you think that Obama’s relaxed- easy to relate to- down to earth demeanor makes him more relatable to Americans or just makes him look less “presidential?”

Article:

Obama Peddling Stimulus Package Door-To-Door

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/obama_peddling_stimulus

Do you think Obama actually believes that what he is “selling” to our country will work or do you think he is trying to convince us to buy into his plan and give us something to shut us up for now?

News of the Week - Print - Feb. 26

This week in print, some of the top stories discuss the possibility of a new housing bailout plan, saving Social Security, bringing the troops in Iraq, cutting the deficit and the new public works projects.

• Housing Bailout

As the housing market continues to decline, Obama has stepped up his efforts to help struggling homeowners with a new bailout plan that could cost as much as $275 billion. The plan would help homeowners refinance their homes; modify existing mortgages and lower payments, among other things.

*Do you think this plan could actually help the market bounce back? Or is this just a short-term fix?

Housing Bailout at $275 Billion

• Comparing the New Deal to the Stimulus Plan

One of the major differences between the public works projects in the New Deal and our current stimulus plan is that our projects will be on a much smaller scale. Instead of building bridges and airports, we will be making buildings more efficient and repaving roads all over the country.

*Do you think that that this approach will provide enough jobs for Americans out of work?

Obama stimulus: More old school fix-ups, less New Deal grandeur

• Saving Social Security

Relying on Social Security for retirement has become outdated. People are setting money aside for their future and expecting less help from the government. Obama has previously said that he would like to address the issue with Social Security but is lacking support from both parties. The Democrats want him to spend the money elsewhere and Republicans do not want the funds to come from taxing the upper class.

Is saving Social Security important right now? Or, should Obama focus on other areas like health care and creating jobs?

Democrats Resisting Obama on Social Security

• Mid 2010 Pullout

Obama may decide to give the troops in Iraq three extra months to pull out of the country.

*Considering how adamant Obama was during his campaign to get the troops out as quickly as possible, are the extra three months necessary?

Obama Favoring Mid-2010 Pullout in Iraq, Aides Say

• Cutting the Deficit

Obama has said that his newest plan will cut the $1.3 trillion in half by the end of his term.

*Is such a task even feasible or is it too soon to tell?

President Obama's budget will seek to cut deficit in half

News of the Week -- Online

It's been a busy week for Barack Obama and his team.

They put the finishing touches on his $787 billion economic recovery plan last Tuesday and have turned their efforts to slashing the deficit, fixing healthcare and this Tuesday night's speech to Congress.

How to spend that much money

Speech to Congress

For all of Obama's hope-filled rhetoric what is a realistic timetable to expect results?

Some people are already tired of hearing the same campaign-type message from Obama but it's not like he has come into the White House and just rolled over.

He has taken serious steps to combat the dire economic situation and even the most critical opponent of his would have a hard time arguing he has lacked passion or aggressiveness.

"We will rebuild, we will recover"

The experts debate Obama's address to Congress

Healthcare

Cutting medicare and taxing the wealthy!

It's been no secret that since Obama burst onto the scene he has planned to tax the hell out of those with the most. To overhaul America's badly flawed system of healthcare the rich once again become easy prey.

Is it fair to tax the rich at a higher percent?

Like other things that don't personally affect me this subject is a difficult one to tackle. It's easy to say, "Sure! They have so much money already."

But didn't they earn that $2 million like I earned my $25,000 - through hard work?

$634-billion fund to bring healthcare to 47 million uninsured Americans

Iraq

It's now also being speculated, that as early as Friday, Obama will announce a date for troop pullouts in Iraq. It's being reported that the date he will set will be August 2010, or three months after he promised to bring the troops during his wildly successful campaign for President.

Later Iraq pullout?

A year and a half from now? If he really opposes this war what's keeping him from doing it much sooner? 

Cutting the Deficit

One final note on all this spending. Obama has said he hopes to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term but in case you haven't noticed all is he doing is spending.

When numbers like $787 billion get thrown around they are too big to even comprehend.

Even if with a change in medicare, more taxing of the wealthy and two Iraq War-free years is there anyway the deficit drops by the end of 2012?

Obama and the deficit

News of the Week- Television

"If you haven't been personally affected by this recession, then you probably know someone who has."

That is what Obama said during his first address to Congress Tuesday.

But he is hopeful, as always, and says, "we will recover."

CNN covered the story saying, his address was full of lofty promises to make unprecedented investments in government programs.

They are wondering if he will be able to meet his goals? Are you wondering the same thing?

See his entire speech here

The Day After

The day after Obama made his speech to Congress, NBC news covered him cracking down on Wall Street.

He also made a third attempt to name a Commerce Secretary, former Washington Governor Gary Lock.  Once again, Obama reminds the media, he will keep at something until he gets it right.

I love his tie in this video

There was another television story that looked at Obama's response to Mc Cain's comments about the budget deficit.

I've never owned a helicopter either Mr. President  

There are so many different television news shows that cover Obama everyday, like CNN, CBS news, NBC news, BBC, the Daily Show, etc.  

What do you think are the advantages of having so many different shows to get your news?

What are some disadvantages?   

News of the Week - Online

The biggest story online is the stimulus plan dubbed the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan." Although it doesn't have the same ring as the New Deal, we are still taking on a debt of epic proportions. The 3 trillion dollar debt is going to be met with a 787 billion dollar stimulus package that the following video will demonstrate from the Washington post.
Washington Post
Question - Do you believe this plan will be anywhere as effective as the "New Deal"? When do you believe that we will start to notice the effects of the plan?

On other terms President Obama will be sending 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan which is a 50% increase on the already 36,000 that are already there. This comes in opposition to his statements of less troops being deployed but he says this is a necessary and swift action that must be taken. Also noting that the troops in Iraq will be dwindling while the conflict in Afghanistan escalates. The generals are demanding as much as 30,000 troops but Obama is finding a middle group between both sides. This is according to the New York Times online.
NY Times
Question - Do you find this to be a contradiction to what he promised before his election? Do you believe they are just redirecting the military effort?

According to CNNMoney.com, President Obama will be unveiling a plan to help fix the foreclosure problem that America is facing in these present times. Although the exact details are being kept under wraps, the plan seems to be for a 50 billion dollar bailout to help not only homeowners but also the banks that supported and let this catastrophe happen. There are already a million homes in foreclosure and another two are suspected to succumb within the year. The plan will focus on the modification of loans given to homeowners and also a remodel of the loan plan and making it harder for banks to give away easy money. The following map shows a idea of the kind of problem that we are facing now.
Map
Question - Do you feel that he is misappropriating the bailout funds or do you feel this will help the current housing market?

The associated press noted that Obama is taking a stance on the issue of the arms race in North Korea. He notes that they will use their connections with Japan as a heart of America in the east to help and try to confront the Korean issue. He noted that he will try and encourage peace and to develop a position that will prevent what he calls the next arms race in the East. Although he has yet to make any formal plans on the issue he is announcing it as a issue he will face in his candidacy.
APOnline
Question - Do you think he needs to concentrate on the Middle East and our problems at home before trying to cure the world of all it's issues?

News of the Week--Print Journalism

This post is for the week of February 17th/19th.

This week has been all about the stimulus package. The proposed $787-billion boost to the American economy has had its supporters and its detractors. In this article by The Los Angeles Times, the undertone of the story is that no one is completely happy with the way things worked out, but that Obama is pushing ahead anyway.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-obama-stimulus17-2009feb17,0,2931930.story

Questions: *Do you think the stimulus package is a good idea? Why or why not? Is there a better solution to the economic crisis?

*Has Obama started off his presidency the way you thought he might? Has he been derailed by the realities of our economy?



Unlikely support has come from many Republican governors, such as California's own Arnold Schwarzenegger and Charlie Crist of Florida. This is mainly because these states are strapped for cash themselves and welcome help balancing the budget. In this New York Times article, it talks of how the two faces of the Republican party are at odds over this issue. On one side, we have the Republican lawmakers in Congress who almost unanimously voted against it, and on the other side, the Republican governors who are in favor of it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/us/politics/17repubs.html?_r=1

Questions: *Why do you think that the Republican party is at odds with each other right now? Do you think the Democrats are taking advantage of their majority in Congress? Why or why not?

* Do you think its a good thing that there have been so many concessions and negotiations on the stimulus package? Do you think that in the end, it will benefit us more if we have ideas from both parties?

Also, in relation to eveything thats been going on with the stimulus package, there has recently been controvery over a cartoon that appeared in the the New York Post. Its a picture of a chimp being shot by police officers, and them commenting on how they will now have to get someone else to write the next stimulus bill. Many people took it as a reference to Obama, but the editor of the Post said it was only riffing off the news story of the chimp that attacked a woman recently. Here is the link to the cartoon:

http://www.nypost.com/delonas/delonas.htm

News of The Week Online

During the week if February 10th through the 12th the main issue online during Obama's first 100 days was the issue of the stimulus bill and its affect on homebuilders and buyers. According to Nick Timiraos of the Wall Street Journal, the $15,000 homebuyer tax credit didn’t survive the final negotiations on the stimulus bill. Instead, Congress slightly increased to $8,000 an existing $7,500 credit for first-time homebuyers and eliminated repayment provisions. This is just one of the issues that people are talking about in terms of the stimulus bill.
What affect does this have on Obama? he is coming into office and taking on all these issues but now he is the focalpoint of all the issues. Has America forgot that he basically inherited all these problems? We are looking for a quick solution but it took us years to get in this position and it might take us years to get out of it. My question is this, Does America have time or patience for change? Change takes time to see it is a process but it seems like we are always looking for a quick fix to things and therein lies the issue. Quick and easy is not always the answer. I will post the link to these articles at a later time or you can check them out at www.wsj.com.

NOW- Entertainment Media

This week, President Obama tried to draw bipartisan support to push his economic plans and discussed them at this first press conference.

Track the progress of President Obama's 100 Days at The Onion.

Here is a clip from late-night comedians discussing highlights from President Obama's press conference.

Steven Colbert discusses "Loyal Opposition" in regard to partisan viewpoints.

In the following video, Bill Maher and Jay Leno discuss "White House Casual Friday."

The Hundred

Okay here's the blog for our class, I just picked default stuff, I'm going to look for an Obama-ey layout. If you guys have any concerns or questions, let me know.