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Politics : The Obama - Clinton Disaster -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: puborectalis who wrote (15756)	7/21/2009 10:36:30 AM
From: TideGlider	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 103300

A little lame to compare a six month tenure to 8 years. Are you giving Geitner a 7.5 year extra continuity bonus? LOL

To: puborectalis who wrote (15756)	7/21/2009 10:48:03 AM
From: longnshort	Respond to of 103300

"more transparent" you have to be kidding me. Firing IGs, appointing Czar to by pass the Senate. He won't even prove he's a citizen

To: puborectalis who wrote (15756)	7/21/2009 11:06:51 AM
From: longnshort	1 Recommendation Respond to of 103300

Mayo Clinic calls House plan bad medicine Obama loses support on reform By Christina Bellantoni (Contact) and Jennifer Haberkorn (Contact) A world-renowned clinic that President Obama held up as an example of good medicine said Monday that the American people would be "losers" under the House's health care proposal, joining the growing chorus of critics the Obama administration is trying to fend off as the debate intensifies from Capitol Hill to Main Street. Minnesota's not-for-profit Mayo Clinic, which Mr. Obama has repeatedly hailed as offering top quality care at affordable costs, blasted the House Democrats' version of the health care plan as lawmakers continue to grapple with several bills from each chamber and multiple committees. The Mayo Clinic said there are some positive elements of the bill, but overall "the proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher quality, more affordable health care for patients." "In fact, it will do the opposite," clinic officials said, because the proposals aren't [R]patient-focused or results-oriented. "The real losers will be the citizens of the United States." All day, Republicans took aim at Mr. Obama's weak spot as surveys showed that his poll numbers were slipping on the issue. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele charged that the president's plan amounts to a "reckless experiment," dubbing it "socialism." "He's conducting a dangerous experiment with our health care," Mr. Steele said at the National Press Club as the RNC started an ad campaign, which will run in Arkansas, Nevada and North Dakota using similar language. In the Senate, Sen. Charles E. Grassley, the Iowa Republican considered key to grabbing some bipartisan support, warned that the House call to raise taxes on wealthier citizens and, therefore, some small businesses to fund the $1 trillion overhaul is a non-starter. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, is floating an idea that could make proposed tax increases more palatable to the more fiscally conservative members of her party. She would like to limit income-tax increases to couples making more than $1 million a year and individuals making more than $500,000, Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said Monday. The bill passed by the House Ways and Means Committee last week would increase taxes on couples making as little as $350,000 a year and individuals annually making as little as $280,000. Mr. Obama is going all out to keep the national conversation focused on the need for reform and the political forces at play. He hit back at Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, for suggesting that health care should be the president's "Waterloo." Without naming Mr. DeMint, Mr. Obama offered the Republican's quote in a brief statement after a visit with health care providers at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington. washingtontimes.com

To: puborectalis who wrote (15756)	7/21/2009 11:16:46 AM
From: longnshort	2 Recommendations Respond to of 103300

"More transparent" looks like some Dems don't agree. Senior Democrats call on Treasury to be more open Jul 21 10:56 AM US/Eastern By JIM KUHNHENN WASHINGTON (AP) - Two senior congressional Democrats pointedly called on the Obama administration Tuesday to make the $700 billion financial bailout program more visible and accountable to taxpayers, with one complaining that Treasury's approach to the fund is, "Don't ask, don't tell." Edolphus Towns of New York, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, who heads the Senate Finance Committee, insisted that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner adopt recommendations from a government watchdog that the department has resisted. "There is no evidence that Treasury has made any attempt to determine whether (financial rescue) funding has resulted in increased lending and whether that has had any effect on reducing unemployment," Towns said. The criticism came as the oversight committee heard testimony from special inspector general Neil Barofsky, who oversees the massive Troubled Asset Relief Program. Barofsky on Tuesday delivered a quarterly report to Congress sharply critical of Treasury's reluctance to better track how federal bailout money is being spent. "The Special IG's recommendations on transparency are critical to the success of the program, and I will be pressing the secretary of Treasury to adopt these standards," Baucus said. Towns added: "The taxpayers now have a $700 billion spending program that's being run under the philosophy of 'don't ask, don't tell." In his report, Barofsky said Treasury has accepted some of his recommendations for greater accountability, but that the department has not taken steps to require all TARP recipients to report on their actual use of funds. He said Treasury also should report the values of its investments in banks and other financial institutions, disclose the identity of borrowers under a nonrecourse loan program and disclose trading activity under a public-private investment fund. Barofsky also pointed out that in response to a survey by his office, banks were able to provide information on how they used TARP money even though Treasury has declined to seek similar information. "The evidence is as we suspected," Barofsky said. "Contrary to Treasury's suggestions, banks can and should be required to report on how they're using funds." Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.