Divergence and Convergence

USATODAY.com - Bush plan gives huge tax break to buyers of big SUVs

2012-02-14T07:04:00.002-05:00

USATODAY.com - Bush plan gives huge tax break to buyers of big SUVs: "Buying big, luxurious sport-utility vehicles could cost a lot less under the Bush administration's economic stimulus proposal, even though a Bush appointee blasted SUVs last week as dangerous fuel hogs."

SUV, truck owners get a big tax break

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Zucotti Park

2012-02-14T05:40:00.002-05:00

nintai: "Here’s every punk album cover for the next five years taken last night during the violent arrests at Zucotti Park."

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ATHENS BURNS

2012-02-13T06:09:00.001-05:00

Greek Protests Continue As Lawmakers Pass Severe Austerity Measures: "Greek lawmakers on Monday approved harsh new austerity measures demanded by bailout creditors to save the debt-crippled nation from bankruptcy, after riots in Athens and other cities left stores looted and burned and more than 120 people hurt."

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New Hampshire Republican proposes end to lunch break law | The Raw Story

2012-02-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

New Hampshire Republican proposes end to lunch break law | The Raw Story:

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Romanian Man Accused Of Hacking Into NASA Computers

2012-02-09T12:13:00.000-05:00

Romanian Man Accused Of Hacking Into NASA Computers:

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Voter ID bills clears Va. Senate - Virginia Politics - The Washington Post

2012-02-09T08:15:00.001-05:00

Voter ID bills clears Va. Senate - Virginia Politics - The Washington Post: "
Voter ID bills clears Va. Senate"

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Virginia lawmakers vote to lift handgun purchase limit - The Washington Post

2012-02-09T08:15:00.000-05:00

Virginia lawmakers vote to lift handgun purchase limit - The Washington Post: "Virginia lawmakers vote to lift handgun purchase limit"

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Sen. McConnell Gets Sen. Barrasso to High-Five Him

2012-02-08T20:45:00.001-05:00

Marshmallow Cannon Creator Joey Hudy Pose For White House Science Fair Pictures

2012-02-08T06:05:00.001-05:00

BEST DAY EVER!!

Dirtbag gone!

2012-02-07T17:41:00.001-05:00

Karen Handel, Susan G. Komen's Anti-Abortion VP, Drove Decision To Defund Planned Parenthood

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the nation's leading anti-breast-cancer charity, has insisted that its since-reversed decision to pull funding from Planned Parenthood arose from a routine change in criteria for grant eligibility that had nothing to do with abortion politics.

But a Komen insider told HuffPost on Sunday that Karen Handel, Komen's staunchly anti-abortion vice president for public policy, was the main force behind the decision to defund Planned Parenthood and the attempt to make that decision look nonpolitical.

Obama super PAC decision: President blesses fundraising for Priorities USA Action - Glenn Thrush - POLITICO.com

2012-02-07T09:19:00.002-05:00

It's about damn time!!!

Calling all NFL players.
Calling all NBA players.
Calling all Hip Hop Moguls.
Calling all Latino business owners.
Calling all Asian business owners.
Calling all Muslim business owners.
Calling all Native American business owners.

Obama embraces the super PAC

Obama super PAC decision: President blesses fundraising for Priorities USA Action - Glenn Thrush - POLITICO.com: "In an act of hypocrisy or necessity, depending on the beholder — has reversed course and is now blessing the efforts of a sputtering super PAC, Priorities USA Action, organized to fight GOP dark-money attacks."

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Obama proposes new aid for vets

2012-02-05T17:07:00.001-05:00

Awesome.

We just can’t send a Vet to war and forget them.

President Barack Obama on Friday ramped up his efforts to help unemployed veterans find jobs by calling for $6 billion in spending aimed at service members returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Veterans “are the Americans that we want to keep serving here at home as we rebuild this country. So we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that when our troops come home, they come home to new jobs and new opportunities and new ways to serve their country,” Obama said at Arlington Fire Station No. 5, a Northern Virginia firehouse that sent some of the first emergency responders to the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=CC79C6EC-69F7-4E8B-AAE4-CE3DD74A5262

Obama pushes for veterans jobs programs

In an effort to cut the unemployment rate among veterans, President Barack Obama is calling for a new conservation program that would put veterans to work rebuilding trails, roads and levees on public lands.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-obama-pushes-for-veterans-jobs-programs-20120203,0,2725809.story
The president also will seek more grant money for programs that allow local communities to hire more police officers and firefighters.

U.S. Economy Added 243,000 Jobs in January - Unemployment Rate Is 8.3% - NYTimes.com

2012-02-03T11:25:00.003-05:00

The front wheels have lifted off the runway. Now, Americans are waiting to see if the economy can truly get aloft.

With the government reporting that the unemployment rate and the number of jobless fell in January to the lowest levels since early 2009, the recovery seems finally to be reaching American workers.

The Labor Department’s latest snapshot of the job market, released on Friday, makes clear that employers have been hiring more in recent months, with 243,000 net new jobs in January. The unemployment rate now stands at 8.3 percent, down from 8.5 percent a month earlier and from 9.1 percent as recently as last August.

U.S. Economy Added 243,000 Jobs in January - Unemployment Rate Is 8.3% - NYTimes.com:

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U.S. employment picture - The Washington Post

2012-02-03T11:23:00.002-05:00

U.S. employment picture - The Washington Post:

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Business News — CNBC — Oil Rush Not All Boom - CNBC

2012-02-03T10:31:00.000-05:00

Business News — CNBC — Oil Rush Not All Boom - CNBC:

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Rep. Lamborn: Working With Obama Is like ‘Touching a Tar Baby’

2012-01-29T16:23:00.001-05:00

Rep. Lamborn: Working With Obama Is like ‘Touching a Tar Baby’

“Even if some people say, ‘Well the Republicans should have done this or they should have done that,’ they will hold the president responsible. Now, I don’t even want to have to be associated with him. It’s like touching a tar baby and you get it, you’re stuck, and you’re a part of the problem now and you can’t get away,” Lamborn said Friday on the Caplis and Silverman Show on 630 KHOW talk radio.

NASCAR Drivers Deny Obama Snub

2012-01-29T16:22:00.001-05:00

NASCAR Drivers Deny Obama Snub

NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle says he’s “disgusted.” Tony Stewart is “very sorry.”

And both say they resent suggestions they rejected President Obama’s invitation to a tribute to the sport in the White House Rose Garden this afternoon.

Apparently the invitation was extended two weeks ago to 12 drivers who will be in nearby Richmond, Virginia, for a Saturday night race. Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson will be honored by the President and will attend.

“There’s a lot of people in this nation that would love to have that opportunity and spend time with the president and just have a couple minutes of his time,” Stewart tells the sports fan website SBNation.com . “It’s a tough schedule that we have.”

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/nascar-drivers-deny-obama-snub/

RSVPeeved: Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas, Colorado Rep. Snub President Obama

2012-01-29T16:17:00.001-05:00

Disrespected!

When Obama welcomed the NHL’s Boston Bruins to the White House Monday, goalie Tim Thomas, one of the hockey team’s star players, snubbed the presidential invite, staying home in protest of the state of Washington politics.

“I believe the federal government has grown out of control, threatening the rights, liberties, and property of the people,” Thomas said in a statement, adding that his decision not to attend the ceremony “was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country.”

Thomas’ snub is not the first cold shoulder Obama has gotten from a sports star.

In September, when Obama invited 12 NASCAR drivers to the White House, two declined the invite. Although Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart cited scheduling conflicts, their high-profile hooky did not go unnoticed or un-criticized by their fellow drivers.

“Regardless of political views, when (president of the United States) sends an invite and wants to honor you at the White House, you accept,” driver Jimmie Johnson tweeted, adding a hash tag with the word “respect.”

Later that month former Chicago Bears lineman Dan Hampton also chose not to attend an Oval Office celebration of the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl win, saying he’s “not a fan of the guy in the White House.” Obama honored the team’s 25-year-old win last September because the Bears’ initial visit with Ronald Reagan in 1986 was canceled after of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Disrespect!! Can someone find a picture where Bush gets this treatment.

2012-01-29T16:10:00.001-05:00

President Barack Obama’s three-day trip won’t be remembered for his talk here on rising college tuition costs. Or for his flogging of clean energy proposals in Nevada and manufacturing tax breaks in Iowa.

No, the enduring image of his tour through five key states this week will be Obama confronting Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer over months-old insults from her book, his dismissive mien facing down her French-manicured fingertip.

WODstack: WOD - Jackie

2012-01-28T09:26:00.001-05:00

WODstack: WOD - Jackie

Whose going to be the idiot tonight.

2012-01-24T21:12:00.001-05:00

SOTU!!!!!!!

Man Shoots Four at N.C. Lumber Yard - ABC News

2012-01-23T17:26:00.000-05:00

Man Shoots Four at N.C. Lumber Yard - ABC News:

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South Carolina primary: Newt Gingrich blows race wide open - Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com

2012-01-22T13:20:00.001-05:00

South Carolina primary: Newt Gingrich blows race wide open - Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com: "Less than two weeks ago, Mitt Romney seemed all but certain to become the Republican presidential nominee.

But after being thoroughly routed Saturday by Newt Gingrich in a primary Romney seemed likely to win just days earlier, the GOP frontrunner appears weaker than ever and the race seems likely to last at least until the spring."

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Obama Adopts Bush Plan to Cut U.S. Combat Brigades in Europe, Hammond Says - Bloomberg

2012-01-21T06:56:00.000-05:00

Obama Adopts Bush Plan to Cut U.S. Combat Brigades in Europe, Hammond Says - Bloomberg:

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At Disney World, Obama touts tourism initiatives to boost jobs - Politics Wires - MiamiHerald.com

2012-01-20T09:28:00.002-05:00

At Disney World, Obama touts tourism initiatives to boost jobs - Politics Wires - MiamiHerald.com: "The region’s $13 billion hospitality industry employs about 182,000 people in South Florida, according to federal figures, amounting to about 10 percent of Broward’s workforce and 12 percent of Miami-Dade’s. That does not include employees of the retail industry, much of which depends on tourism dollars. In 2010, the hospitality industry accounted for about 5 percent of the region’s $260 billion economy, though adding in foreign dollars in real estate, auto purchases, and shopping would make that amount bigger."

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Mitt Romney: Questions About Wall Street, Income Inequality Are Driven By 'Envy'

2012-01-20T08:16:00.002-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mitt Romney: Questions About Wall Street, Income Inequality Are Driven By 'Envy': "Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney claimed concerns about Wall Street, financial institutions and income inequality were the result of "envy.""

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It's Official: State Department Rejects The Keystone Pipeline

2012-01-18T17:57:00.000-05:00

It's Official: State Department Rejects The Keystone Pipeline: "It's Official: State Department Rejects The Keystone Pipeline"

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Marco Rubio Jumps Protect IP Ship Amid Internet Blackout Protest

2012-01-18T15:41:00.000-05:00

Marco Rubio Jumps Protect IP Ship Amid Internet Blackout Protest: " With thousands of websites large and small blacked out Wednesday in protest of the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act, a House bill, and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act, another co-sponsor of the legislation has withdrawn his support -- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)."

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Obama administration warns the left: You will not like our budget - TheHill.com

2012-01-17T07:37:00.000-05:00

Obama administration warns the left: You will not like our budget - TheHill.com: "Top White House officials are warning liberal and labor leaders to brace themselves for President Obama’s budget proposal.

Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council, sought in meetings last week to lift the left’s gloom about Washington’s crackdown on spending by promising that the president this year will focus on job creation rather than deficit cutting."

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Promise them anything, but give them death - Roger Simon - POLITICO.com

2012-01-17T07:36:00.000-05:00

Promise them anything, but give them death - Roger Simon - POLITICO.com: "
Just in case you sometimes get Mormons and Quakers confused, Mitt Romney cleared things up Monday night.

“Bin Laden got what he deserved,” Romney, a Mormon, said at a Republican debate in South Carolina. “A bullet in the head.”"

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Sheriff: Ronald Dean Davis Dies At UNC Hospital From Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound | digtriad.com

2012-01-16T16:48:00.000-05:00

Sheriff: Ronald Dean Davis Dies At UNC Hospital From Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound | digtriad.com: "The Montgomery County Sheriff says Ronald Dean Davis, 50, the suspect in the McBride Lumber Company shooting has died.

Davis died at 6:00 am Saturday morning at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head."

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Haley Barbour's pardons put Southern redemption on trial - CSMonitor.com

2012-01-16T10:57:00.002-05:00

Haley Barbour's pardons put Southern redemption on trial - CSMonitor.com:

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“A dialysis patient costs about $190,000
per year,” Barbour said. “All of these costs
will no longer fall on the state.

African-Americans And The GOP | On Point with Tom Ashbrook

2012-01-16T10:39:00.001-05:00

Discussion today at 1100.

African-Americans And The GOP | On Point with Tom Ashbrook: "President Obama was buoyed into office with the help of 95 percent of black voters. For the GOP, attracting black voters has been a struggle. And the Republican candidates can’t seem to get on message. Rick Perry, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have all had to make the case that their words, their actions, were not racist.

And their message of conservative values and small government doesn’t seem to be gaining any traction among African Americans."

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Obama tries to checkmate GOP

2012-01-13T16:01:00.001-05:00

This is good stuff! Henry Kissinger said a while back in an interview with Der Spiegel, “Obama is like a chess player.” Heck of a move Mr. Pres.!

President Barack Obama stepped firmly onto Republican turf Friday, announcing that he wants to merge a half-dozen agencies to cut spending and streamline the federal government.

Obama’s plan would merge the Commerce Department, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade representative and other independent business agencies into a new, unnamed Cabinet agency.

The president would need congressional approval to consolidate the agencies, and he virtually dared Republicans to vote against it, putting the GOP on the defensive for the second time in a month. The payroll tax cut fight forced Republicans lawmakers to choose whether to support the president or a tax increase. This would force them to support the president or the status quo — a tangled web of regulatory agencies that Republicans have held up as a barrier to job creation.

Pro-Gingrich Super PAC Airs Ads Attacking Romney's Business Career (VIDEO)

2012-01-13T07:03:00.001-05:00

Mitt Romney: "I like being able to fire people" for bad service - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

2012-01-09T17:31:00.001-05:00

Mitt Romney: "I like being able to fire people" for bad service - Political Hotsheet - CBS News: ""I like being able to fire people who provide services to me," Romney said at a Monday breakfast in New Hampshire, when talking about health care. "You know, if someone doesn't give me a good service that I need, I want to say, 'I'm going to go get someone else to provide that service to me.'""

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CrossFit Walter Reed - YouTube

2012-01-08T21:17:00.001-05:00

CrossFit Walter Reed - YouTube: ""

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Jon Huntsman Denounces Nasty, Jingoistic Video Allegedly Made By Ron Paul Supporters (VIDEO)

2012-01-07T07:52:00.001-05:00

Jon Huntsman Denounces Nasty, Jingoistic Video Allegedly Made By Ron Paul Supporters (VIDEO): "Jon Huntsman Denounces Nasty, Jingoistic Video Allegedly Made By Ron Paul Supporters (VIDEO)"

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Bush On Jobs: The Worst Track Record On Record - Real Time Economics - WSJ

2012-01-06T12:09:00.000-05:00

Bush On Jobs: The Worst Track Record On Record - Real Time Economics - WSJ: "President George W. Bush entered office in 2001 just as a recession was starting, and is preparing to leave in the middle of a long one. That’s almost 22 months of recession during his 96 months in office."

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Jobless Rate Dips To 8.5 Percent, 200,000 Jobs Added To Payrolls : The Two-Way : NPR

2012-01-06T09:28:00.001-05:00

Jobless Rate Dips To 8.5 Percent, 200,000 Jobs Added To Payrolls : The Two-Way : NPR: "The nation's unemployment rate edged down to 8.5 percent — its lowest level in nearly three years — as 200,000 jobs were were added to payrolls, the Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported."

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Romney's tax plan: Big benefits for the wealthy, higher deficits - CSMonitor.com

2012-01-06T09:23:00.000-05:00

Romney's tax plan: Big benefits for the wealthy, higher deficits - CSMonitor.com: "A new Tax Policy Center analysis finds that Mitt Romney’s tax plan would cut taxes for millions of households but bestow most of its benefits on those with the highest incomes. At the same time, it would significantly cut corporate taxes and add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit."

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John McCain Slips Up, Says 'Obama Will Turn This Country Around' (VIDEO)

2012-01-05T21:08:00.002-05:00

John McCain Slips Up, Says 'Obama Will Turn This Country Around' (VIDEO): ""I am confident, with the leadership and the backing of the American people, President Obama will turn this country around," McCain said, as seen above in a video from Goose Creek Patch."

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DC touts lowest homicide rate in nearly 50 years - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

2011-12-30T08:21:00.000-05:00

DC touts lowest homicide rate in nearly 50 years - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee: "District of Columbia officials say the city is on course to record the lowest homicide rate in nearly half a century.

The decline mirrors a nationwide trend of falling rates in major American cities. But it's startling in a city that was ravaged by the crack epidemic two decades ago and where homicides totaled 479 in 1991. There were 108 homicides as of Thursday. He says the number hasn't been that low since the early 1960s."

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Scott Brown Aligns Himself With President Obama

2011-12-29T07:14:00.000-05:00

Scott Brown Aligns Himself With President Obama: "Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) continued his re-election strategy of positioning himself as an independent thinker and voter, going as far as to align himself with President Barack Obama on Wednesday. Speaking on "Fox 25 Morning News," Brown cited pieces of legislation that he and the president both supported."

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RNC Memo: Here's How We're Going To Beat Obama

2011-12-29T06:55:00.000-05:00

RNC Memo: Here's How We're Going To Beat Obama: "A few things we can expect:
Obama will employ his trademark empty rhetoric
He will blame his failure on other individuals
He will blame his failure on other factors – Europe, natural disasters, etc.
He will claim “Things were worse than we thought”
He will weakly argue “It could’ve been worse”"

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Growing wealth widens distance between lawmakers and constituents - The Washington Post

2011-12-27T13:39:00.000-05:00

Growing wealth widens distance between lawmakers and constituents - The Washington Post:

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Memo: Gingrich praised Romney health plan - Houston Chronicle

2011-12-27T13:03:00.000-05:00

Memo: Gingrich praised Romney health plan - Houston Chronicle:

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Navy first: Same-sex couple share homecoming first kiss - YouTube

2011-12-26T19:29:00.001-05:00

Navy first: Same-sex couple share homecoming first kiss - YouTube: "Navy first: Same-sex couple share homecoming first kiss"

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For GOP, ‘repeal and replace’ has been nothing but a mantra on health-care law - The Washington Post

2011-12-26T14:55:00.001-05:00

For GOP, ‘repeal and replace’ has been nothing but a mantra on health-care law - The Washington Post:

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7 found shot dead in Dallas-area apartment - CBS News

2011-12-26T14:55:00.000-05:00

7 found shot dead in Dallas-area apartment - CBS News:

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Kwanzaa 2011: A Celebration Of Community For Some, A Conundrum For Others

2011-12-26T07:26:00.002-05:00

Kwanzaa 2011: A Celebration Of Community For Some, A Conundrum For Others:

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Merry Christmas! 2012!

2011-12-25T11:18:00.001-05:00

Tear the hell up!

Mitt: '41' support proves momentum

2011-12-24T16:34:00.001-05:00

Attack of the Blue Blood Republicans.

After the support — but not an endorsement — from George H.W. Bush on Thursday, Mitt Romney received a call from the former president while traveling between stops on his New Hampshire bus tour.
Romney said he spoke with the elder Bush for several minutes.
“I am very encouraged of the support of President Bush for my campaign. Obviously, you can tell there is growing momentum for this effort in New Hampshire and across the country,” the former Massachusetts governor told reporters here.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=FFC2CB8B-A517-419B-988A-A997DF2AC5C7

Enough Said

2011-12-24T16:32:00.001-05:00

Budget Bill Gives Gift To Big Coal, Endangers Miners

2011-12-24T16:28:00.000-05:00

Budget Bill Gives Gift To Big Coal, Endangers Miners: "As House Republicans and Democrats patted one another on the back over their new spending agreement Friday, advocates for coal miners were dismayed to see that the budget bill expected to pass the Senate this weekend will delay new regulations meant to reduce black lung disease"

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Study: 48% of schools left behind - MJ Lee - POLITICO.com

2011-12-24T16:25:00.001-05:00

Study: 48% of schools left behind - MJ Lee - POLITICO.com: "Almost half of U.S. public schools failed to meet the No Child Left Behind standards in 2011, according to a national report released Thursday that advocated for changes to the law.

Forty-eight percent of public schools nationwide didn’t make adequate progress under the standards – up from the 39 percent in 2010 and the highest failure rate since No Child Left Behind took effect in 2002, the Center on Education Policy report said."

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Payroll tax bill passes

2011-12-23T17:25:00.001-05:00

Congress on Friday easily approved a two-month extension of the payroll tax break and renewed several other provisions dealing with unemployment and Medicare, capping a wild week in which lawmakers engaged in one final nasty legislative fight before an annoyed American public.

The end was quick and painless for House Republicans, who capitulated to President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats after taking Capitol Hill to the precipice of a pre-Christmas crisis that threatened to raise taxes on 160 million Americans on Jan. 1.

Brent Bozell Likens President Obama To ‘Skinny, Ghetto Crackhead' On Fox News (VIDEO)

2011-12-23T10:49:00.001-05:00

Army Steel!

2011-12-23T10:48:00.001-05:00

Mitt Romney Flip-Flops On Iraq

2011-12-22T05:51:00.001-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mitt Romney, speaking on Wednesday to NBC News' Chuck Todd, seemed to shift positions on the Iraq War.

As highlighted by New York Magazine's Jonathan Chait, Romney explained to Todd, "If we knew at the time of our entry into Iraq that there were no weapons of mass destruction, if somehow we had been given that information, obviously we would not have gone in."

PLUS: Another Mitt Switch -- On Bin Laden

ROBERT REICH: Republicans Should Love The Payroll Tax Cut

2011-12-21T14:02:00.000-05:00

ROBERT REICH: Republicans Should Love The Payroll Tax Cut: "Every time I try to make sense of Republican tax doctrine I get lost.
For example, rank-and-file House Republicans are willing to increase taxes on the middle class starting in a few weeks in order to avoid a tax increase the very rich."

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Retirement Deal Keeps Bain Money Flowing to Romney - NYTimes.com

2011-12-19T07:57:00.001-05:00

Retirement Deal Keeps Bain Money Flowing to Romney - NYTimes.com: "Eventually, Mr. Romney turned his sights beyond the business world. In February 1999, he left Bain to help turn around the troubled organization of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. In 2001, Mr. Romney announced that he had formally transferred his ownership of Bain Capital Inc. to other partners.

But behind the scenes, Mr. Romney had negotiated his retirement agreement. Although he would no longer be a partner, he would continue to be paid a part of the firm’s profits in buyout deals and other businesses, much as active partners were. The agreement would cover any new fund or venture started by his former partners until February 2009, although his stake would decline with each successive fund.

He and his wife also would be permitted to invest their own money in co-investment vehicles typically reserved for Bain executives.

While some former business associates said they considered the deal generous, others said Mr. Romney might have gotten even more from Bain had he not wanted a quick move into public life."

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Finally, A Rich American Destroys The Fiction That Rich People Create The Jobs

2011-12-19T07:29:00.001-05:00

Finally, A Rich American Destroys The Fiction That Rich People Create The Jobs: "In the war of rhetoric that has developed in Washington as both sides blame each other for our economic mess, one argument has been repeated so often that many people now regard it as fact:
Rich people create the jobs.
Specifically, entrepreneurs and investors, when incented by low taxes, build companies and create millions of jobs."

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Just How American Is The Boeing 787 Dreamliner?

2011-12-19T07:24:00.002-05:00

Just How American Is The Boeing 787 Dreamliner?: "Boeing is one of the great American brands. But most people don't realize that most of Boeing's airplane parts come from external vendors from all over the world.
Below is a diagram from Goldman Sachs' 100 favorite charts (via Zero Hedge). It reveals just where all of the parts come from for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Basically, American companies make the front and back of the plane. The rest come from all over the world."

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THE TRUTH ABOUT TAXES: The Poor Pay The Highest Marginal Rates In The Country

2011-12-19T07:11:00.001-05:00

THE TRUTH ABOUT TAXES: The Poor Pay The Highest Marginal Rates In The Country: "A couple of days ago, I referred to the fact that poor people face some of the highest marginal tax rates in America.
I received several emails from economics professors, gently correcting me: they face all the highest marginal tax rates in America."

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Barney Frank Zings George Will, Paul Ryan on Marijuana Legalization

2011-12-18T22:14:00.001-05:00

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told columnist George Will and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Sunday that Republican opposition to marijuana legalization was "a great embarrassment to the conservatives."

During a town hall-style debate on ABC, Frank demanded a response from Will about decriminalizing marijuana.

"I mean, personal liberty, if someone wants to smoke marijuana who's an adult, why do you want to make them go to jail?" Frank asked.

"With regard to marijuana, I need to know more about whether it's a gateway drug to other drugs," Will replied. "I need to know how you are going to regulate it, whether you're going to advertise it."

"Welcome Home"

2011-12-18T22:05:00.001-05:00

Mission Accomplished–9 Years

2011-12-18T22:02:00.001-05:00

9 years
4000 + Service Members
$800 Billion

Occupy Des Moines Vows To Shut Down Obama Offices

2011-12-18T21:59:00.001-05:00

Occupy Des Moines activists on Saturday vowed to shut down President Barack Obama's campaign offices and set up a camp outside they plan to maintain around the clock.

"We have every intention to keep this place closed down until we are satisfied," said Frank Cordaro, an activist and founder of the Catholic Worker group in Des Moines.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/18/occupy-des-moines-vows-obama-office-shutdown_n_1156072.html

Haley catches flak with Mitt support - POLITICO.com Print View

2011-12-17T20:54:00.001-05:00

Haley catches flak with Mitt support - POLITICO.com Print View: "Nikki Haley’s attempt to boost Mitt Romney is threatening her own support here at home.

Romney’s campaign is using the South Carolina governor’s endorsement to build his acceptance among the tea party base that’s never been comfortable with his candidacy, especially in a state where Newt Gingrich has been running even stronger than elsewhere.

But the people in that base who propelled Haley to the governor’s mansion last year see the endorsement of the more moderate Romney as abandoning them — and giving them another reason to turn away from a governor whose approval rating has dropped to 34.6 percent.

Immediately after Haley announced her support Friday morning on “Fox and Friends,” her Facebook page lit up with accusations that the first-term governor was selling out her principles. Rush Limbaugh followed with a blistering broadside against her on his radio show Friday, leading a charge of conservatives nationally, in addition to locally, who accused her of selling out.."

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So Cal Edison Shooting: 3 Dead, 2 Wounded, Shooter Confirmed Dead (VIDEO)

2011-12-17T06:40:00.001-05:00

A utility company office worker shot four colleagues Friday with a semi-automatic handgun, fatally wounding two before killing himself in a business park outside Los Angeles, police said.

West compares Dems to Nazis. Again. - POLITICO.com Print View

2011-12-16T20:49:00.001-05:00

West compares Dems to Nazis. Again. - POLITICO.com Print View: "In a handwritten note to a fellow lawmaker, Rep. Allen West reiterated his charge that Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels would “truly be proud” of the “Democrat Party” because of its use of “lies and deceit,” escalating an already tense battle over his use of Nazi comparisons.

On Thursday, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the most senior black lawmaker in Congress, wrote to West, one of two black freshmen on the Republican side, to say that he was disappointed in a remark that West had made to reporters earlier in the day.

“He was a vicious notorious anti-Semite who went down in history as propagandist for Hitler. I beg of you to help raise the level of congressional discourse so that we can engage in vigorous debate without resort[ing] to personal attacks,” Conyers wrote on congressional stationery."

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Real cost of gas at Afghan bases: $400/gal. - World Watch - CBS News

2011-12-16T17:53:00.003-05:00

Real cost of gas at Afghan bases: $400/gal. - World Watch - CBS News: "Keeping American vehicles rolling in Afghanistan while avoiding the perils of hauling in fuel via ground transportation is costing the military big time.
Frosty relations between the U.S. and Pakistan - which led to Pakistan closing its border to Afghanistan-bound truck traffic- haven't helped, either."

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As Iraq war ends, Obama welcomes troops home

2011-12-15T11:10:00.001-05:00

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — More than three years after he campaigned against the Iraq war near this Army post, President Obama returned Wednesday to hail the hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops who fought to establish the “sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq” that America is leaving behind this month.

With his wife, Michelle, by his side, Obama marked the United States’ imminent departure from Iraq by telling hundreds of service members, many clad in fatigues and maroon berets signifying active airborne status, that the war was a “source of great controversy” at home. As a U.S. senator, Obama opposed the decision to invade Iraq and railed against the conflict in a 2008 campaign speech in nearby Fayetteville.

Census data: Half of U.S. poor or low income

2011-12-15T11:03:00.001-05:00

Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans — nearly 1 in 2 — have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income.

The latest census data depict a middle class that's shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government's safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.

Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans - nearly 1 in 2 - have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income.

U.S. War in Iraq Declared Officially Over (Cased the Colors)

2011-12-15T10:59:00.001-05:00

BAGHDAD — The United States military officially declared an end to its mission in Iraq on Thursday even as violence continues to plague the country and the Muslim world remains distrustful of American power.

In a fortified concrete courtyard at the airport in Baghdad, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanked the more than one million American service members who have served in Iraq for “the remarkable progress” made over the past nine years but acknowledged the severe challenges that face the struggling democracy.

“Let me be clear: Iraq will be tested in the days ahead — by terrorism, and by those who would seek to divide, by economic and social issues, by the demands of democracy itself,” Mr. Panetta said. “Challenges remain, but the U.S. will be there to stand by the Iraqi people as they navigate those challenges to build a stronger and more prosperous nation.”

The muted ceremony stood in contrast to the start of the war in 2003 when an America both frightened and emboldened by the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, sent columns of tanks north from Kuwait to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

As of last Friday, the war in Iraq had claimed 4,487 American lives, with another 32,226 Americans wounded in action, according to Pentagon statistics.

Jobless Rate Dips to Lowest Level in More Than 2 Years

2011-12-07T08:55:00.001-05:00

Somehow the American economy appears to be getting better, even as the rest of the world is looking worse.

In the midst of the European debt crisis, lingering instability in the oil-rich Middle East and concerns about a Chinese economic slowdown, the American unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped last month to 8.6 percent, its lowest level in two and a half years.

CBO figures throw cold water on cuts-only approach - David Rogers - POLITICO.com

2011-12-06T07:52:00.001-05:00

CBO figures throw cold water on cuts-only approach - David Rogers - POLITICO.com: "When all the brush is cleared, a new Congressional Budget Office report Tuesday shows that government spending flat-lined in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 — leading to a modest dip in the deficit, thanks to an estimated $141 billion increase in federal receipts."

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Jobs & The Economy:

2011-12-05T19:22:00.006-05:00

If Congress doesn't act,
your taxes will go up.
Find out how much
more you'll pay.

jobs/we-cant-wait

Obama Health Care Law: States Suing To Overturn Law Collect Federal Funding

2011-12-04T11:00:00.001-05:00

Obama Health Care Law: States Suing To Overturn Law Collect Federal Funding: "Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said 13 states will split grants totaling nearly $220 million to help set up health insurance exchanges. Millions of uninsured Americans will be able to buy private coverage through these online supermarkets starting in 2014, with taxpayer-provided assistance to cover the cost of premiums."

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Black Friday Draws Younger Shoppers - Bloomberg

2011-12-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Black Friday Draws Younger Shoppers - Bloomberg: "Retailers may have lured more shoppers on Black Friday as an earlier start to their bargain bonanzas drew younger consumers.
Toys “R” Us Inc. opened at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving, an hour earlier than last year. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) started offering its deals one hour later, followed by midnight openings at Macy’s Inc. (M), Best Buy Co. and Target Corp. (TGT) that drew young consumers to the biggest retail day of the year for the first time."

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Actress Eva Longoria takes on Newt Gingrich over 'poor children' remarks - The Hill's Twitter Room

2011-12-04T10:56:00.001-05:00

Actress Eva Longoria takes on Newt Gingrich over 'poor children' remarks - The Hill's Twitter Room: "Longoria took to her twitter account Saturday afternoon to criticize the former speaker, writing: "@newtgingrich you clearly know little about the Latina community, Latina entrepreneurs who start businesses at 6 times the national average."

She was referring to comments Gingrich made in Iowa Thursday, where he said "poor children" have no work habits unless it's "illegal.""

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Cain bows out - POLITICO.com Print View

2011-12-04T10:47:00.002-05:00

Cain bows out - POLITICO.com Print View: "Herman Cain bowed out of his presidential campaign Saturday, saying he was doing so because of “the continued distraction, the continued hurt to me and my family” after a series of accusations of sexual impropriety.

“We had to come to this conclusion that it would be best to suspend this campaign. That’s the bad news. The good news is, the pundits would like for me to shut up, drop out and go away,” he said at what was to have been his hometown headquarters opening.

But Cain insisted that’s not going to happen, announcing the launch of a website to show “the people are still in charge of this country,” he said — by promoting his trademark 9-9-9 tax plan and other positions."

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U.S. gives Camp Victory to the Iraqis - POLITICO.com Print View

2011-12-04T06:24:00.002-05:00

U.S. gives Camp Victory to the Iraqis - POLITICO.com Print View: "Camp Victory, a huge military base which once served as the headquarters for all U.S. military operations in Iraq, was handed over to Iraqi control on Friday.

“The base is no longer under U.S. control and is under the full authority of the government of Iraq,” said U.S. military spokesman Col. Barry Johnson, according to the AP.

At its height the base was home to as many as 40,000 troops and 30,000 contractors, reports ABC."

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A Quick Reminder Of How Much The Government Workforce Has Now Grown Under Obama

2011-12-03T16:07:00.002-05:00

A Quick Reminder Of How Much The Government Workforce Has Now Grown Under Obama:

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Group calls for Bush arrest | POLITICO 44

2011-12-03T07:16:00.001-05:00

Group calls for Bush arrest | POLITICO 44: "Amnesty International is calling for the arrest of former President George W. Bush while he is traveling overseas in Africa.

The human rights group issued a statement Thursday calling for the governments of Ethiopia, Tanzania or Zambia to take the former president into custody. According to Amnesty, the 43rd president is complicit in torture conducted by the United States during his administration and should be held pending an international investigation."

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REVEALED: The 30 American Companies That Paid Less Than $0 In Income Tax Over The Last 3 Years

2011-12-02T14:21:00.002-05:00

REVEALED: The 30 American Companies That Paid Less Than $0 In Income Tax Over The Last 3 Years: "The corporate tax rate in the U.S. is 35%, but there aren't many companies that end up paying that amount. According to a study by the Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the average tax rate of 280 S&P 500 companies investigated was 18.5% between 2008 and 2010.
Over 70 companies paid no taxes at all."

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Banks May Have Illegally Foreclosed On Nearly 5,000 Military Members

2011-11-30T08:08:00.001-05:00

Banks May Have Illegally Foreclosed On Nearly 5,000 Military Members: "Ten lenders are reviewing close to 5,000 foreclosures of homes belonging to active-duty service members in an attempt to discover if they were carried out improperly, according to data from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, cited by the Financial Times. The OCC's report is based on projections prepared by the lenders and and their consultants. Bank of America said it is reviewing 2,400 foreclosures of homes belonging to active-duty service members and Wells Fargo said it's looking at nearly 900 cases. Citigroup is reviewing 700 foreclosures, the bank said."

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Proposed Texas map a blow to GOP - Alex Isenstadt - POLITICO.com

2011-11-30T08:07:00.001-05:00

Proposed Texas map a blow to GOP - Alex Isenstadt - POLITICO.com: "A federal court-proposed map positions Democrats to gain as many as three congressional seats in Texas, dealing a sharp blow to Republicans who had hoped the state would help solidify their new majority.

Under the plan, Democrats could capture three of the four new seats Texas is gaining in the current round of reapportionment, and would be positioned to compete against one of the state’s freshman Republicans, Rep. Quico Canseco, whose southwestern Texas district would become considerably less GOP-friendly."

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Newt in 2005 Supporting Individual Mandate - YouTube

2011-11-29T15:36:00.001-05:00

Newt in 2005 Supporting Individual Mandate - YouTube: ""

style="font-size:13px" href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pengoopmcjnbflcjbmoeodbmoflcgjlk">'via Blog this'

How Pizza Became A Vegetable Through The Magic Of Influence-Peddling

2011-11-28T15:09:00.001-05:00

How Pizza Became A Vegetable Through The Magic Of Influence-Peddling: "On Tuesday, Congress decided that pizza is a vegetable. I have to imagine that this news instilled confusion in many Americans, as many Americans are (a) familiar with pizza, (b) familiar with vegetables and (c) sane."

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Just saying!!!

2011-11-28T14:23:00.001-05:00

EVERYONE REJECTS INCONVENIENT FACTS

2011-11-28T14:21:00.001-05:00

http://www.onthemedia.org/popup_player/#

In 2010, Professor Daniel B. Klein wrote The Wall Street Journal Op-Ed about the results of a study that showed that liberals and progressives knew less than conservatives and libertarians about basic economic policy matters. A year later he did another study that revealed that conservatives and libertarians actually didn't know any more than liberals or progressives on those matters. Brooke speaks with Klein about why everyone fared so poorly.

Rick Perry's Texas gets plenty of money from the feds

2011-11-28T14:12:00.001-05:00

The first rule of asking for extra federal dollars in Texas is to never make it seem like you are asking for extra federal dollars.

For Gov. Rick Perry, this is a tricky line to walk. Because as much as the Republican presidential candidate bashes the federal government in his campaign speeches, Texas gets a lot of money from the feds — and a lot of it is going to the health care system he insists Texas can handle on its own.

Elizabeth Nichols, Occupy Portland Protester Pepper Sprayed In The Face, Identified (PHOTO)

2011-11-28T13:40:00.002-05:00

Elizabeth Nichols, Occupy Portland Protester Pepper Sprayed In The Face, Identified (PHOTO): "In recent days pepper spray has become almost synonymous with the Occupy movement.

Most recently this photo, which is quickly becoming an iconic image from the movement, has gone viral. It shows Occupy Portland protester Elizabeth Nichols getting hit directly in the face with pepper spray by Portland police. The shot was taken by Randy L. Rasmussen, a photographer for the Oregonian, during Thursday's protests."

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Some Billionaires Paying Less Than One Percent In Taxes [WATCH]

2011-11-28T13:38:00.002-05:00

Some Billionaires Paying Less Than One Percent In Taxes [WATCH]: "The top 400 earners in the U.S. paid an average tax rate of 18 percent, according to a Bloomberg TV report noticed by Think Progress. And though that's a far lower rate than the 26.5 percent that many families making less than $100,000 pay annually in taxes, some of America's super-rich have been able to whittle their tax bill down even more, paying a tax rate as low as one percent, according to Bloomberg."

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Police pepper spraying and arresting students at UC Davis–video

2011-11-28T12:28:00.001-05:00

University police tore down tents at UC Davis yesterday afternoon, arresting 8 students in the process, Xeni Jardin of Boing Boing reports.

At one point, to clear a path to reach students that they had already arrested, they pepper-sprayed a line of seated, quiet protesters.

This video, which shows the pepper-spraying, is going viral. This comment, from venture capitalist Chris Sacca, sums up what lots of people who watch it are thinking:

Seriously. Right now. Stop what you are doing, watch this video, and reflect on what it means to be American:

Here's the video. The pepper-spraying happens right at the beginning. More context and photos below.

Rep. Barney Frank To Announce He Won’t Seek Re-election | Here & Now

2011-11-28T11:55:00.001-05:00

Rep. Barney Frank To Announce He Won’t Seek Re-election | Here & Now: "Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, one of the nation’s leading liberal voices, will hold a news conference Monday, where he’s expected to announce that he will not seek re-election next year.

Frank, who’s served in the House of Representatives since 1980, was one of the first lawmakers to announce that he’s homosexual. Last year he co-authored and helped pass the Dodd-Frank law to overhaul the U.S. financial system."

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Get our 2011 Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet to rebut your Republican relatives

2011-11-27T13:36:00.001-05:00

Get our 2011 Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet to rebut your Republican relatives: Get our 2011 Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet to rebut your Republican relatives: https://www.dccc.org/pages/tcs2011

First Lady Michelle Obama Gets Booed at Nascar Event - COLORLINES

2011-11-24T07:25:00.001-05:00

First Lady Michelle Obama Gets Booed at Nascar Event - COLORLINES: "NASCAR fans recently booed first lady Michelle Obama and the vice president’s wife, Jill Biden, after they were introduced as grand marshals for a race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The women were there to promote a campaign to support U.S military families.

That campaign was the Joining Forces project, which will helps military families gain opportunities for better wellness, education and employment. "

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