Follow Barack Obama prior and during his tenure as the 44th President of the United States. Read about my personal observations along with every day facts as they happen. This blog will only submit factual information about the first black President, now in his 2nd term of office.
BARACK OBAMA MEMORIBILIA available right HERE at www.obamaitems.info

BARACK OBAMA IN THE WHITEHOUSE

Send E-mail to the Editor at: obamainthewhitehouse@mail.com
Click on the GOOGLE TRANSLATE BUTTON BELOW AND SELECT YOUR LANGUAGE

Search This Blog

The Road the Country has Traveled in Obama's first Term

Saturday, April 28, 2012



It's time to look back and revisit the road the country has traveled since Barack Obama was elected to office. In just a few short months, the country plans to decide if they want to keep President Obama in office for a second term.
The last 4 years have been difficult for everyone, and no more than the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. In November 2008, President Obama was elected president. The newly elected Commander and Chief had no time to celebrate. He had just inherited the worst economy of any President since the great depression. Now the Republicans blame him for it. But it seems natural these days that people always blame someone else.
Nothing was more evident of the the big problems Barack Obama inherited by mid 2009. There was the
biggest crash of household wealth that anyone from the modern world could remember. Millions of people were loosing their jobs. The financial system was locked up and was about to totally collapse. The President took on a burden that no President from modern times had taken. But it was his inherited problem now, as a Republican President before him, George W. Bush was actually directly responsible for the collapse of the
U.S. economy, and all the hardships that Americans now had to face, with loss of jobs, savings, income, and retirement just because no-one from the Federal government took action to prevent the disaster from happening.
Many people didn't see it coming, because all they were conditioned to live with every day when President George W. Bush was in office that the only thing that was most important on his mind was to catch and kill Osama bin Laden. 8 years went by, and no Osama bin Laden. President Obama had no choice but to do what it took to get the country turned around.
The President took the boldest steps in doing what he called "remaking America". The course of the nation was resting on his tough decisions, and every step he took revealed his character. As President, he now had to figure out where to begin.
He started with the 'Recovery Act', giving health care where it was most urgently needed. The housing market was almost in full collapse, but President Obama turned to the people most affected, there were small business incentives, tax cuts for the middle class, and job training. He laid out the groundwork for a new economy. The next crisis was the U.S. auto industry. The auto executives asked for another bailout, as the money suppied to them from President George W. Bush. General Motors claimed that if the President failed to act and no funds were coming their way, and they need to service. If there was no GM, what would happen to the job market, what would happen to America's manufacturing base, what would happen to the auto industry. The road that GM was taking was very clear. They were on the brink of going bankrupt.
In a front page article from the New York times on November 19, 2008, Mitt Romney, the person that the Republicans have now picked to be their nominee for President to run against Barack Obama stated that the Federal government should "Let Detroit go Bankrupt".
The President accomplished allot for this country in his first term. He could have done allot more, but the determined radical minds of the Republican party have an agenda to do whatever it takes to remove the President from office in November, at the country's expense. The Republican controlled Senate repeatedly blocked progress for at least the last 2 years since gaining the majority in the House in 2010, and now they
blame him for the lack of leadership. We shall see who will win in the end. The country has allot to gain by keeping the current President in office. The Republicans have allot to loose if he is re-elected, along with the possibility of loosing control of the House again. That seems to be the
only thing important to them. CONTROL....  and even if the country has to suffer.
Somehow in the end, the country must find a way to work together. The President will continue to push towards better things and promote his policies. I've already predicted publicly on this blog that President Obama will win the election, and if he happens to loose, this blog may not continue to exist. Oh and by the way, it only took a couple of years for our current President to do what President Bush had started, even in the wake of all the stalling by the Republicans to get anything done in Congress. Osama bin Laden has been killed, General Motors is back in business, woman's rights have been strengthened, and the economy has been turned around. More and more people are going back to work, and the economy seems to be heading in the right direction. But success doesn't happen over night. The stock markets continue to be in difficult straights, but also have turned around from a steady decline to an unsteady gain, thanks to the world markets and the world economy that has also been shaken for the last several years. Gas prices are still very high,
and the president also has answers to solving that problem, as he has introduced several alternative energy plans, but the Republicans continue to fight against him, with the only thought in mind is to make President Bush look like he can never get anything done, and try to show that he hasn't kept many promises. One promise that he did keep at the reluctance of the Republicans is that the Iraq war is officially ended, as all troops have now returned home. The President is making good on other promises too, even at the reluctance of the Republicans who refuse to admit progress by this President.
On May 5th, President Obama will bring his campaign up to full swing as he will then start his campaign in for his second term against Mitt Romney.

Read more...

Take Time out from Politics and Send Flowers to that Special Person

Friday, April 27, 2012

It's time to take a time out with Politics, at least for the people who need to spend special thoughts at this moment for their loved ones. From time to time, your loved one, your spouse, mother, daughter or aunt should take a front and center spot on your mind. Sometimes just a spontanious thought for someone close to your heart is just the thing to get your mind off of the heat of the moment in our daily lives, as is with politics for me. With the Presidential race heating up, it's easy for me to forget those loved ones who are so special in my heart. Maybe just a simple thought of kindness and love is just what the doctor ordered in this special time. An easy way to display your love for your family or significant other is to send flowers online. It is so easy to do, and I don't know an easier way to display the love to your family that they deserve. What's nice is that it is so easy to order online, along with setting up shipping for any  custom delivery order that is made. At the same time, enjoy no service fees, but also receive more value for your money. Yes, it definitely sounds like a 'win,win' situation and something that people need to take advantage of when they can.

Read more...

President Obama to make it official on May 5th

Thursday, April 26, 2012


The President who is running for his second term in the White House will make it official on May 5th. On that day, he has two rallies scheduled with his First Lady Michelle. First, he will travel to Ohio and speak at Ohio State University in Columbus, and then will move on to Virginia, where he will speak at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond later in the day.
Barack Obama has listened to his competetors for over a year now, and has continued to hear rants from the soon to be Republican nominee Mitt Romney, but now it's President Obama's time. He is going to lay out his vision and begin his campaign in these two states as he believes that they will be critical in November. During the present time as Mitt Romney hasn't received flack back from the President, those times are just about over. The President will hit the campaign hard, in an effort to win over the American people, but with Mitt Romney's record, I don't believe that it will be too difficult.
The main item on the Mitt Romney agenda will be to highlight how President Obama has failed the country concerning the economy. The President is looking forward to debating Mitt Romney and denouncing everything Mitt Romney claims about how he (the President) has failed the country.
President Obama should begin a slow tearing apart of Mitt Romney's record, especially talk about his term as Governor of Massachusetts. Romney failed to mention anything about his records as Governor, during which was believed to be one of his best speeches ever, after winning the latest 5 states up for grabs in the primary according to Democratic and Republican commentators alike. Mitt did claim that his is capable of turning the economy around, but what I see is that he just doesn't get it, as the economy is already turned around and going in the right direction. ALL numbers reflect this. One thing that Mitt needs to do is to find his running mate for Vice President a.s.a.p. Normally, nominees find a running mate just before their respective conventions, but this year I don't believe that Mitt Romney has that luxury, as he needs every punch he can muster up in order to beat Barack Obama.
The way things are going now, it should be a clean sweep of states for Barack Obama in November and a very good chance that he will gain back a Democratic majority in the House. After Barack's second term, I'm now looking forward to 2016, when I fully expect that Hilary Clinton will then run for President.

Read more...

Speaker of the House Boehner not Confident that his Party will keep the House in 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The possibility of the Republicans may loose majority in the House of Representatives is of major concern for the House Speaker John Boehner. He claims that "there's a one-in-three chance" that the Republicans can loose control of the House of Representatives in 2012.
Obviously, he is concerned that he may loose is job as House Speaker if this happens, but he is also concerned that Nancy Pelosi may regain her seat as House Speaker, along with a Congress that would be free to implement just about anything President Obama wants to initiate as far as a law or bill during his second term if he gets re-elected.
All the Democrats would have to do is to pick up 25 seats to retake the majority in the House. There are several Congressional Districts that are now vulnerable for Mitt Romney and the Republican Senators, so now it appears that John Boehner is now sounding an alarm stating that it is entirely possible that the House can be lost in 2012.
At this point in time, the Democrats have elected not to comment on what the Speaker of the House has commented on, as they are being very careful not to sound overconfident.

Read more...

Small Business Tax Cut Unlikely to be signed by Obama

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

In the works, in answer to the Buffet Rule introduced by the Democrats, the Republicans in the House are now proposing to pass a small business tax cut that would be proposed for just one year. The tax cut would provide a 20 percent tax deduction on business income to business owners that have fewer than 500 employees.

The Republicans argue that this cut would be a better solution for the deficit situation than that of the Buffett rule, as they believe that the Buffett would cause harm to small businesses.

The President may have been more open to sign such a tax cut prior to the Republicans defeating the Buffett rule in the U.S. Senate where of course it failed by a vote of 51-41. Fifty Republicans voted against the bill.

Now the House which likely may pass the bill, doesn't really stand a chance of getting the bill passed, because President Obama claims that he will veto it. He plans to block the small business tax cut.

Opponents of the bill say that this cut would mostly help wealthy lawyers and consultants. But people who really need a tax break, middle class and low income class would not benefit. So the squabble between the House and Senate continues to go forward, but in a matter of days we will see if the small business tax cut is moved to Obama's desk for him to sign, but again, most likely he will veto it.

Read more...

Romney's insult to women on equal pay

 By Lilly Ledbetter, Special to CNN
updated 2:02 PM EDT, Tue April 24, 2012


Editor's note: Lilly Ledbetter is the co-author of "Grace and Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond" (Crown Archetype). She has campaigned and raised funds for President Barack Obama.

(CNN) -- It took more than 20 years to get an answer for the injustices I suffered as an unfairly paid worker, so I know what it's like to wait. But the six seconds of silence from Mitt Romney's campaign recently seemed like forever.

Romney's advisers held a conference call inviting reporters to ask questions. One was simple and straightforward: "Does Gov. Romney support the Lilly Ledbetter Act?"

In other words, when a woman is paid less than a man for doing the same work, does the presumptive Republican nominee support her right to fight for the equal pay she's guaranteed under the law? That's exactly what the bill that bears my name ensures -- it simply gives workers a fair shot to make their case in court.

It's not a hypothetical question. Women get paid just 77 cents for every dollar a man gets. That means a woman would have had to work from January 1, 2011, until this Tuesday to match what men earned in 2011 alone.

Romney's team has certainly had enough time to think about its candidate's positions -- he's been running for president for six years -- and about the law in question, which was the very first one that Barack Obama signed as president more than three years ago.

But Romney's team drew a blank. The line went silent. Crickets. When an adviser finally piped up, it wasn't to answer the question. It was to tell the reporter, "We'll get back to you on that."

The Republican nominee for president doesn't know whether he supports the principle of equal pay for an equal day's work? He needs some time to think about it? What an insult.

Romney then went on national television, where Diane Sawyer asked him if he would have signed the bill into law. He still wouldn't give a straight answer, saying that he had no "intention of changing that law." In other words, he ducked the question. For all we know, had the Ledbetter bill crossed Romney's desk instead of President Obama's, Romney would have vetoed womens' right to fight back. And if a future Republican Congress tries to repeal the Ledbetter law, we don't know whether Romney would let it. If the Paycheck Fairness Act, which goes even further to outlaw gender discrimination in the workplace, reached his desk, we don't know whether he would stop it.

Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter and Facebook.com/cnnopinion

While Romney decides whether he opposes gender discrimination, here is an important reality he should consider: This isn't just about women. It's about all families and their economic security.

The consequences of unequal pay reach far beyond the paychecks women take home every week. My pension and Social Security were based on an unfair salary, so over the course of my career, I was cheated out of hundreds of thousands of dollars that could have gone to my kids' education or my family's medical bills or to support the shops and small businesses in my community. I also worked countless hours of overtime, but the extra pay I earned was based on the same uneven scale.

The question Romney's campaign couldn't answer is a question of fairness and whether American workers have a level playing field on which everyone has the same opportunity to get ahead.

I know Obama believes in those values. As the grandson of a woman who worked in a bank long after she hit the glass ceiling -- and who was paid less than the men she trained -- he believes equal pay is an essential right. As the father of two girls, he cares deeply about making sure the work force they'll join one day isn't slanted against them.

But I have no idea where Romney stands -- and from the sound of it, neither do those closest to him.

What we do know about whom and what Romney supports is even more unsettling than his silence on this issue. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker recently took away citizens' rights to fight workplace discrimination. Romney called him a "hero" and a "man of courage."

He'd also repeal Obama's health reforms and bring back the discriminatory days when being a woman was considered a pre-existing condition, which means insurance companies could charge us more than men for the same coverage or deny it to us altogether.

When combined with pay inequality, Romney's promises would mean women would earn less income and then be forced to pay more for basic health care. That's devastating for our families and the economic security of the middle class.

Anyone who wants to be president of the United States shouldn't have to think about whether hardworking, responsible middle-class families deserve the opportunity to succeed. We know all too well what it's like to hear silence when we fight for fairness -- and we've heard enough.

Read more...

I'm Rubber, Your Glue Problem by Mitt Romney and His Campaign about Women's Rights !

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Written by 'James' Editor of the Obama in the White House Blog

Are Republicans attacking womens rights? One day after Rick Santorum dropped out of the race, Mitt Romney tried to shore up more support, as his campaign committee held a conference call on the Obama Economy and womens issues. It was an attempt to stop what most people conceive as a war on women that Republicans now are labeled for. Mr Romney comes out and publically states that it is President Obama who has a war on women problem. The republican campaign convened a conference call with the press to futher push this "I'm rubber, your glue" trick as 'Rachel Maddow from MSNBC called it, on the war on women problem.
What actually happened is almost indescribable. As Rachael said "They totally blew it".  One of Mitt Romney's bigest electoral problems is his popularity amongst women voters. So his campaign convenes a conferance call on womens issues to push the idea that the Republican presidency would be great for American women and of course comparing how horrible Barack Obama has been compared to his ability to help American women.
The calls came in were made and answered. But one came in by a reporter named Sam Stein, of the Huffington Post. Here is the question that he asked....

"Yeah, does Governor Romney support the Ledbetter Act?" asks Stein.....

  It was a simple 7 word question that was easy to understand, even when excluding the first word in the question 'YEAH'. There was a long, long silence from the Republican Committee which seemed like an eternity, and then the responder said, " Sam, we'll get back to you on that".
Oh my, they didn't have an answer for that question.  I wonder why?!?!?!?!!!!!

The Ledbetter act was the very first piece of legislation that President Barack Obama signed when becoming President of the United States, better known as the 'Lily Ledbetter fair pay act', which gives women access to the courts, to sue if they are paid less than men for doing the same work. The Romney campaign tries to convey that they are highly motivated on doing what it takes to help women, but when it came to one simple question, the campaign could not answer it.

Why do you think this was so? Mainly because if they acknowledged that the law was a good law, they would be further qualifying that President Obama supports women, and  what they say about President Obama and a 'war on women' would be now proven absolutely false. So the campaign could not answer the question honestly, because every answer that was given during the call was specifically designed to help their candidate and continue to put down the President, regardless of the stated truths or not.

They were caught in their own game. Mr. Mitt Romney now has his campaign committee to thank for pushing the issue about woman to be more favorable with Barack Obama. Eventually Mr. Romney's campaign released a statement saying that "Mr. Romney would not repeal the law when he becomes President." So what did that mean. The statement doesn't disclose that he (Romney) supports it, just that he would not repeal it. The response doesn't indicate that if the law came to his (Romney's) desk for signature, that he would have signed it.
The fact is that it would have never reached his desk if he was President, not with the present Congress.
When you look at the Republican Congress support for the bill just before it was signed into law, they overwhelming voted against putting the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act as law. Actually the vote by the  GOP was 7 votes 'YEA' and 203 votes 'NEA. The Democrats on the other hand voted 299 votes 'YEA' and 4 votes 'NAY'. The law was immediately signed by President Obama.

In a vain attempt to futher state his cause for womans rights, in damage control mode, his campaign rolled out 2 women from Congress to stand up for Mitt Romney stating that Mitt supports women to have equal pay for their work.  But further investigation proved that both women that Mitt Romney's campaign had to speak out for women's rights, voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay act. That didn't make any sense at all.

Will the Romney campaign ever get this issue right. I hardly doubt it. Another issue posing a major problem concerning women is that he (Romney) has supported recent ideas against 'Planned Parenthood'. Women of all race in this country dispise the Republican attempt to put down the rights of women concerning birth control and their own ability to control their pregnancy and also dispute the rights that Republicans say that doctors should have during doctors visits concerning pregnancy.

I would invite any readers of this blog to state their opinion on this by leaving a comment below. A vast majority of women support President Obama and the Democratic leadership on this topic and support the 'Lilly Ledbetter fair Pay Act'.

When are the Republicans just going to get it? !!!!!

Read more...

Romney really Screwing Up not Immediately Releasing Past Returns

Written by "James' Editor of the Obama and the White House blog


People from both sides of the isle are openly admitting that Mitt Romney is really "Screwing Up" by not releasing his tax returns. Why not release them? His father did it. President Obama did it. Other presidential hopefuls did it. But Mitt Romney just won't, at least up until now. Yes, he did finally release his 2010 returns in January, but his delayed reaction led him to loose a Republican primary race in South Carolina to Newt Gingrich. Has he learned a lesson? I guess not because he repeatedly states that it is unnecessary to release more tax returns.
But "Even the Republicans are starting to ask: What could possibly be in his old tax returns that is worse than creating the impression he has something to hide?". He really did suffer allot of political damage in January, but he finally came clean, only now to delay the release of his 2011 returns until later this year by filing an extension. The Obama reelection campaign and Democratic interest groups are pressing Mitt Romney to release up to as much as two decades worth. Why not? Mitt's own father did.
Everyone knows that Mitt Romney is one of the wealthiest people to ever run for president. His net worth is said to be nearly 190 million dollars. It's hard to find a past candidate that was richer. Everyone knows that he makes money on his past business interests and pays minimal taxes on them. He makes more money doing nothing than President Obama does working in office as President of the United States.
It must not be too important for Mitt Romney to become President of the United States, because when the last Republican ran for office, the candidate of that time received 23 years of returns from Romney, as Romney attempted to become McCains choice for vice-president?!!! Still, McCain did not choose him. Why? Maybe there is just too much black grease in the returns that would automatically disqualify him to run for Vice-President. Doesn't he think it's going to come out in the wash now? More so now because he is not running for VP this time, he is about to become the Republican nominee for President of the United States, to run against an incumbent President who already has released his previous tax returns.
If he wants to run toe to toe against Obama and wants people to believe in him and trust him, then he needs to provide the tax returns. Every day that he refuses to do so will bring up more and more suspicion of him. Maybe he thinks that he can get away with it, or at least not present the returns before the election. But maybe what is known by a few people who have seen them may automatically eliminate him as the nominee, thus he most likely has something to hide. If it's that bad, why would he chance loosing the election for his party, and allow President Obama to gain his second term in office?  It must be a disease call idiocy, or maybe there is part of his brain that must be brain dead, the common sense part of the brain.

Read more...

The GOP in the Senate fails to Act on the Buffett Rule

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Did anyone have any doubt that the Buffett Rule would fail when it came up for a vote in Congress?

As expected the proposal to implement the Buffett Rule was blocked in the Senate on Monday, but actually it's not the end of it, but the beginning. Proponents of the so called 'millionaire tax rule' have vowed to keep the issue going.

Actually, what had happened is exactly what the President knew was going to happen.

So now you may ask, why put the measure up for a vote if you know that it's going to fail?!!!

This happens to be one of the main issues that President Obama will run on in his campaign for re-election. He is running on fairness. He is making a point and will continue until the law is passed that rich people need to pay their fair share in taxes. Actually, it's not a matter of how much money the measure would bring in, because even if it would pass, the measure would not bring in very much money. So if it's not about the money, what is it about?
It's about what the Republican party still doesn't understand. They don't seem to understand that because that some people are rich, including Mitt Romney, they can't get excluded from paying the same taxes on their income as low and middle class people do. President Obama made slightly under a million dollars last year, but Mitt Romney made allot more, and has paid less taxes than the President. Warren Buffett also claims that he pays less taxes than his secretary does.
It's been said that if Warren Buffett believes so much that he should be paying more taxes, why don't he volunter to just pay more? Again, it's a matter of fairness. If he steps up, then all people in his financial position need to step up.
The Republican party has just fallen into President Obama's hands, and they know it. But they are so nieve to think that what they are doing will still get them elected to the White House. That idea cannot be further from the truth. And who are you going to have defend the rich. Mitt Romney, one of the richest candidates ever to run for the highest office in the land who pays less taxes then the incubent President?
Another reason why the Republicans will not pass the bill is because if they do, then they will openly admit that President Obama has become successful. They will go against one of the basic principles of the conservative pary, and they can't allow that to happen, regardless or not if almost 80% of the American people believe that the Buffett Law should pass. It's almost not fair, as they must feel that they are in a sense being put between a rock and a hard place. The Congress is not passing laws according to what the people of the United States want, rather to only pass laws that would be favorable to their agenda. Their number one agenda is to get a Republican in the White House. If you ask me, they are doing a lousy job of it. Every action they take hurts them. Every time they fail to pass a bill, it makes it harder for the American people to believe that under a Republican President that the country could move forward. Every time the Republians say no, it makes Americans realize that having a Republican in office would literally choke them futher and they will not be better off with a conservative in office.
Yes, Mitt Romney needs a good agenda to continue to run for office and he still doesn't have one. The issue of taxes will not be one of his high points, and most likely will continue to stray from the truth and ignore the issue. If he does attack it, he will continue to put himself behind the bulls eye, which is exactly what the Democrats want, including President Barack Obama.

Read more...

Mitt Romney Flip-Flop Quotes and Videos

Monday, April 16, 2012

In some polls, Mitt Romney is ahead of President Obama in support and shows that he would win if the election were held today. But it seems that people forget what he said time and time again, in various flip-flop quotes. The Republican candidate will loose and will embarass the Republican party. It won't be until 2016 until a Republican would have another chance to run for President. But then they would have another problem on their hands. They would either be running against Joe Biden if he elects to run for President, or another handfull of Democrats that would bid for the Democatic nomination.

Around January 9, 2012 Mitt Romney said, "I would like to be able to fire people". in what was described as the "f-bomb" by Politico.com. Immediately below is a link to the Romney speech.
He also says that politics is not his career. If that were the case, then why is he so deep in politics as to run for President?

http://cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/politics/2012/01/09/bts-romney-nh-fire-people.cnn.html.

In another video link below, Mitt Romney states that he wants everyone in the country to have health insurance, similar to the law that he passed in Massachusetts as he did say in several interviews, but when it came time to run as President of the United States, he now says that he does not support a Health Care Mandate for the country.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/mitt-romneys-health-care-flip-flops_n_1378738.html?ref=mostpopular

Then, his infamous flip-flop quotes; Below are some to just highlight a few....

In a direct quote, he said  "It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam." Then he says "I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there."

In another he says, " I will work and fight for stem cell research."  But then he says, "In the end, I became persuaded that the stem-cell debate was grounded in a false premise."

"I saw my father march with Martin Luther King." Then he says, "I did not see it with my own eyes."

"I've been a hunter pretty much all my life." Then he says, " I'm not a big game hunter... I've always been a rodent and rabbit hunter. Small varmints, if you will."

"I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush." Then he says "Ronald Reagan is ... my hero."

"Roe v. Wade has gone too far." Then he says "I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law of 20 years we should sustain and support it."

"I like mandates. The mandates work." Then he says "I think it's unconstitutional on the 10th Amendment front."

"I respect and will protect a woman's right to choose." Then he says "I never really called myself pro-choice."

"I think the minimum wage ought to keep pace with inflation." Then he says "There's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs."

"This is a completely airtight kennel mounted on the top of our car." Then he says "They're not happy that my dog loves fresh air."

These quotes as stated by the candidate for President should disqualify Mitt Romney from being the Republican candidate. The Republicans seem to have fogotten what he has said in the past. He cannot even stay in touch with what he says. Can they trust him to say and do the right thing in the future, especially if he becomes President? Or maybe to them, it really doesn't matter, as long as he beats President Obama in the fall.

Read more...

President Obama releases tax returns. Does he have to make them public?

The Obamas paid more than $162,000 in federal taxes on income of $789,674. The custom that presidents release their tax returns dates to the Nixon administration.

President Obama speaks about tax fairness and the economy at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, Tuesday. Obama released his 2011 tax return on Friday.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
President Obama released his 2011 Form 1040 on Friday, revealing that he and his wife, Michelle, paid more than $162,000 in federal taxes on income of $789,674.
The Obamas’ effective tax rate was 20.5 percent,according to the White House. That’s lower than the rate that hits many taxpayers who make less than the first couple, but it’s higher than presumptive GOPnominee Mitt Romney pays. Earlier this year, the Romney campaign released tax documents indicating that the former Massachusetts governor was planning to pay about 15.4 percent of his (substantially higher) income to Uncle Sam.
The disparity here is due to the fact that most of Mr. Romney’s cash inflow comes from investment income, which is taxed at a much lower rate than is earned income. Mr. Obama’s proposed “Buffett rule,” named after billionaire Warren Buffett, would force those who earn $1 million a year to pay at least 30 percent in taxes, whatever the source of their income – a point the administration was eager to highlight with the release of the Obama family return.
The Buffett rule would not have hit the Obamas this year, since their income was below the $1 million mark. 
In previous years, however, royalties from his books have pushed Obama’s earnings well into the seven figures.
Obama “believes that people like him should be paying an effective tax rate that is no lower than the rate paid by hard-working middle-class Americans,” said White House press secretary Jay Carney on Friday.
There is no law requiring US presidents, or US presidential aspirants, to release their tax returns to the public. If they choose, White House occupants are entitled to all the privacy in regard to their income that ordinary citizens enjoy.
The custom that presidents do release this information dates to the early 1970s, and the administration of that most maddening of modern-day chief executives, Richard Nixon.
Mr. Nixon’s 1974 resignation over Watergate today obscures the fact that he was also in trouble over how little he had paid in federal taxes.
In an effort to bolster his image, Nixon had boasted at a press conference that he’d been audited by the Internal Revenue Service and found clean. Long story short, this led to pressure to release his returns, Nixon’s developing political weakness led him to comply, and reporters discovered that he’d paid only $6,000 in taxes on cumulative income of $790,000 from 1970 to 1972, due to big deductions he’d taken on donating his vice-presidential papers to charity (among other things).
Upon further review, the IRS decided that Nixon owed $465,000 in back taxes.
Following Nixon’s resignation, new President Ford had to restore faith in the US system of government. In 1976, during the presidential campaign, he released his tax returns.
Jimmy Carter, after he was elected, followed suit, as has every president since.
Get daily or weekly updates from CSMonitor.com delivered to your inbox. Sign up today.





Read more...

Insite about Barack Obama - The Race is ON ! ! !

Opinion of the Editor, James 'Obama in the White House blog'  

On a call today with Michelle Obama at the chair, I was able to get a better incite of Barack Obama, from a personal side that is seen by the first lady.

She mentioned how he started with no money, even before he ran for office as a community organizer. He caught her eye prior to becoming her husband because he outwardly and continueously would show his passion and commitment to help others. He firmly believed in his cause to help people and to him, it was personal.

He never had it easy growing up. He was raised by a single mom, but his grandparents helped, especially when it was time for Barack to go to college.
He is very motivated, as proof of his continued commitment for the American people. He wants fairness in everything concerning everyone, Democrat and Republican alike.
His core values are never compromised. He is sincere in his beliefs and truly lives and promotes what he believes in. That is one of the reasons he became President. From just a community organizer to the office of the President of the United States is a terrific accomplishment, and now Barack Obama wants to continue to help the country with another 4 years in a second term of office. In a little under six months, on November 6, 2012, will be the day of recogning as Barack will aim at winning 270 electoral votes to become President of the United States for a second term.
His intellect, his values and the love for his country motivates him. He is determined to continue the fight for all Americans, regardless of their race, religion or their political stance. Regardless of what the competition says, namely the Republican party, he remains constant and unweathered and his stance remains strong. He never looses his cool, especially when the Republicans say something that is untrue about him, and that seems to be happening allot lately.
Obviously, the best thing for this country right now is another term in office by President Barack Obama. Anyone that believes that his rival Mitt Romney who is running against him is better than Obama really doesn't get it.
It's about who the people of this country believe can better run as President. It's about who the country thinks can best defend this country against all foes. It's about who this country belives is the best commander and chief. It's about who in this country thinks has the better moral values, and who will do everything in his power to protect the people. No doubt that President Obama fits that catagory. That's what I know. What you don't know is what the other guy can bring, or what he will do once in office.
Is the country ready to take another chance to have the likes of Mitt Romney become President and undermine everything President Obama has accomplished in his first term. I think not. Is the country ready for radical change in the hands of a Republican that believes in helping his own first, the rich and powerful. I think not. Is the country ready for a person who refuses to submit past tax returns, and is presently filing an extension of his present return. I think not. Is the country ready for a person who believes that bankruptcy is necessary in an economy so that it can turn around and become better. I think not. Where would the country be now if it was up to Mitt Romney and he allowed the auto industry to go belly-up? Allowing such a thing would have sparked a chain reaction with other industries and this country would be deep into a depression right now. Instead, President Obama has had 25 straight months of economic growth, because he acted from the core values he believes in.
For me, the race is already over. Mitt Romney still doesn't get it and never will. He will spend millions of dollars before he hangs up his gloves, even with his own Republican competetors on his tale, the likes of Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul.

Congratulations Barack Obama. Do not change. Stay strong. Show the American people that you do not waiver. Savor the moment in advance that you will be re-elected as President of the United States.


Read more...

Message from Stephanie Cutter - Obama Deputy Campaign Manager

James --

I love the Buffett Rule for the same reason Mitt Romney opposes it.

It levels the playing field in America by closing tax loopholes and ensuring that millionaires aren't paying a tax rate that's lower than what many middle-class families are paying.

And it's going to be one of the issues that will define this election.

We've got a new interactive tool that shows how Mitt Romney and some other millionaires play by their own set of rules -- the same rules they're trying to make sure you and I don't ever get to change.

Compare your tax rate to Mitt Romney's -- and see how the Buffett Rule makes him pay his fair share.

I can't think of a better way to illustrate the choice this country is facing in November. This is the way it breaks down:

The Buffett Rule closes loopholes and asks millionaires to pay at least as much as middle-class families, so that we can share the burden of reducing our deficit and investing in programs important to a strong middle class, like education, innovation and infrastructure.

Romney not only opposes the Buffett Rule, but he wants to make things even more unfair. He will explode the deficit by giving more tax breaks to the wealthy -- and place the burden of paying for them on the backs of the middle class and seniors.

This November, it's one or the other. We either stick with a President who fights for the middle class, or we choose a candidate who fights to protect an unfair status quo that benefits him at the expense of our economy and the middle class. You'll be hearing a lot about the Buffett Rule in the coming days. But remember this: It's not about class warfare, and it's certainly not about some arcane policy disagreement. It's about common-sense fairness.

If you're still curious about what the Buffett Rule would actually do, take a look around the new website now:

http://my.barackobama.com/Buffett-Rule-Calculator

Thanks,

Stephanie

Stephanie Cutter
Deputy Campaign Manager
Obama for America

P.S. -- Tax fairness is one of the most important issues we'll be fighting for in the next seven months. We need to keep growing this campaign from the ground up to reach as many voters as possible. If you can, please make a donation to support the President today.

Read more...

Obama submits his tax returns, Romney has not!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Isn't it fair that if President Obama released his personal tax returns, that the Republican soon to be nominee for President Mitt Romney also release his tax returns? If you are a Democrat, you would say "Of Course". But if you are a Republican, you would call the issue of Romney to release 10 years of his personal tax returns "a distraction to the real issues at hand".
Maybe it is or maybe it isn't. The fact is that it's time for fair play. Remember not so long ago that President Obama was pounded and pounded again about his birth certificate. Eventually President Obama presented undisputable proof that he was born in the United States. Now, the Democrats and President Obama are asking Mr. Mitt Romney to disclose his tax returns.
What would be the reason why the former Massachusetts governor had filed for a tax extension from the Internal Revenue Service and why is he hesitating in providing tax returns like President Obama has or even as his own father has in the past when he ran for public office?
Most likely it will be because that Romney has something to hide. But the fact of the matter is that it will eventually come out in the wash and hopefully soon, or the answer is 'yes', the Romney tax return squabble will continue to be a distraction to the Presidential race. But if he continues to try and hide his returns, what else must he be hiding and this goes to prove to ask the question of how much he could be trusted as President in the White House, if he cannot even disclose something as basic as a tax return.... No wonder why he supports getting rid of the IRS.!!

Yes, it is only fair that the Republican contender for the White House also release his tax returns as President Obama has. Obama has done nothing in office to give the voters of this country any doubts that he is honest, sincere and has nothing to hide. On the other hand, Mitt Romney is becoming more and more suspecious every day. Yes, it is true that Mitt Romney did release his 2010 tax returns, but what about 2011 and why is he filing for a tax extension. More than likely, Romney will eventually submit his 2011 tax returns for everyone to see. just the fact that he refuses to do what President Obama is willing to do and has done, along with a simple request from the President of the United States for Romney to provide his tax returns is very suspecious.

Hopefully in a few days, Mitt Romney will provide what the President requests from him. But I'm almost willing to bet that he doesn't.. Why, because he has something to hide.

Read more...

Obama vs. Romney - No Surprise !!!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Finally, it is now a two man race. Even before the long drawn out Republican race started, President Obama had pretty much decided that he would be facing Mitt Romney. When Rick Santorum dropped out of the race, the President was not suprised. The one thing that the Republican race accomplished for President Obama - the ability to really hone into Romney now as a wishy-washy protector of the rich. Mitt Romney most likely will try to hinge the race on the economy. The President will engage with his experts within his campaign organization that is extremely well financed.
The emurgence of Romney on-top now as the Republican challenger that will run against Obama really is now suprise to anyone. How well will Romney sum up against the President on all the major issues? The major issue without question will be about jobs. Romney professes to be an expert in this field, as he has been involved in an extremely lucrative buesiness and claims he knows the job market best. The President in turn will claim that more and more people are acquiring jobs thanks to his presidency, and there is proof of this fact. He will stipulate that the unemployment rate is dropping. Romney will counter the argument saying that more and more people have just given up looking for a job, and those people are not counted in President Obama's numbers for job growth or loss.
A major issue that displays a stark difference between the two men is that President Obama is very trusted by the American people. At the same time, Jim Messina, the campaign manager of President Obama states that less and less people now trust Romney, and that because he is a flip-flopper, he will never gain the trust of most Americans, but most likely will still carry the Republicans. Even that will be a difficult accomplishement for Mitt Romney.
Mitt Romney cites that it is his experience over Obama in business is the reason why he is electable and will win the Presidency this year. On the other hand, no matter how much Romney believes that he has more experience, you just have to note that Mitt Romney is just kidding himself. How can he say he has more experience than that of a sitting President who just lived 4 years as President of the United States.
During the entire Republican campaign, Mitt Romney has torn down principles of Ronald Reagan, and many noted Republicans have said so. Mrs. George H.W.Bush also stated recently that this is one of the worst campaigns ever for the Republican candidates. Now as their nominee, Mitt Romney must shore up the Republican base and make them believe that he truely supports the ideals of the very popular 40th President, Ronald Reagan. But in the process of trying to run damage control, he will have to fend off attacks from President Obama and his very capable campaign.
Right now, the advantage is definitely on the President's side, and only time will tell if Mitt Romney really has what it takes to run against Barack Obama. Soon there will be debates between the two men, which should prove to be very interesting.

Read more...

Obama Campaign Manager - Jim Messina's Note about Mitt Romney

James --

You saw the news: Mitt Romney is almost certainly the Republican nominee and our opponent in this election.

That means voters are going to have a very clear choice this November. The President is rebuilding an economy meant to last and restoring economic security for the middle class by reclaiming the values that made America great: the simple idea that America prospers when we're all in it together -- when hard work pays off, responsibility is rewarded, and everybody does their fair share and plays by the same rules.

Our opponent thinks our economy will grow by returning to the same failed policies that created the crisis in the first place -- an economy built on risky financial deals, outsourcing, and slashing taxes for millionaires like him, while paying for it by gutting programs that seniors and middle-class families rely on.

Before he gets any closer to the White House, each of us needs to know five key facts about Mitt Romney -- and be ready to share them with everyone we know.

Forward this email -- and if you're ready for this fight, become the newest member of the Truth Team today and help get the facts out from now till Election Day.

1. Romney is the most radically anti-women candidate in a generation. He supports banning all abortions, backed a so-called "personhood" amendment that could make certain forms of birth control illegal, and says he would "get rid of" federal funding for Planned Parenthood that provides preventive services like cancer screenings for millions of women.

2. Romney would repeal Obamacare. Insurance companies would once again be allowed to run up premiums, unjustifiably deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, drop patients when they get sick, discriminate against women by charging them more for coverage than men, and spend more of your premium dollars on CEO profits and bonuses instead of your actual health care.

3. Romney doesn't have what it takes to be Commander in Chief. He shifts positions on serious foreign policy and security questions for political reasons, and his only clear commitment is to endless wars: He has no plan to end the war in Afghanistan and would leave our troops there indefinitely. He called the President's decision to bring our troops home from Iraq by last Christmas "tragic."

4. Romney's economic plans would take more money from the middle class and give it to corporations and millionaires like him who don't need it. Under Romney, millionaires and billionaires would get a $250,000 tax cut, while families with kids making less than $40,000 a year would, on average, actually see their taxes go up. He also opposes the Buffett Rule so that millionaires can continue to take advantage of loopholes and special deals to pay a lower tax rate than the middle class. And he supports tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.

5. Romney would end Medicare as we know it -- replacing it with a voucher scheme that would drive profits for insurance companies by forcing seniors to purchase private insurance, paying whatever costs a voucher wouldn't cover out of their own limited budgets.

Romney and his special-interest allies are going to spend the next seven months trying to deny, downplay, or hide these facts from voters. It's on us to speak the truth.

So print these out, post them on your fridge, and share them on Facebook. Send this list around to friends who are on the fence.

When and if your mother-in-law, or cousin, or best friend claims that Romney is "moderate," you need to know what to say.

You are the President's voice out there, and I can't stress enough how you will be the difference between voters hearing our message or not. The more Americans learn about Mitt Romney, the less they like him and the less they trust him.

Sign up to join the Truth Team today -- help get the facts out every day, keep the other side honest, and make sure people know the truth about Mitt Romney's and the President's records:

http://my.barackobama.com/Join-the-Truth-Team

If people know the truth about Mitt Romney and President Obama, who they are, and their very different plans for this country, there's no way we can lose this thing.

This race is on.

Let's go,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

P.S. -- We put together a video highlighting some of Romney's severely conservative positions -- which we all need to remember as we head into the general election. Take a look, and make sure your friends see it too.

Read more...

Romney Expects Outward Support from Rick Santorum

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

It looks as if Mitt Romney expects some miricles to happen. He is already claiming that soon he expects to have Rick Santorum campaign with him. That would be nice for Mitt Romney, but he must have already forgotten that Rick Santorum slammed him pretty well on his heath car laws that he passed in Massachusetts when he was governor. Newt Gingrich already has pretty much said that he will support any candidate that will become the nominee, in a joint effort to beat President Barrack Obama in November.
The Republican base is not so enthusiastic in supporting Mitt Romney right now. They feel that they are now pushed in a corner and now must support Mitt Romney, even though they do not feel that he is truly a conservative candidate. Newt Gingrich also has stated publicly that he is the only true conservative in the race now, next to Rick Santorum, who has dropped out just yesterday.
So where does Mitt Romney begin to gather  his base of supporters, and at the same time, fend off President Obama who will now be attacking him from every corner. The flip-floppy side of Mitt Romney is about to get a new life, thanks to the continued efforts of Barack Obama, who will paint him as a flip-flopper in just about everything you can think of.
Through the efforts of Romney's opponents for the Republican nomination, President Obama now has the ammunition that he needs to confront Mitt Romney and let's just see how well he stands up. This time, all the money in the world will not really help him, as President Obama is now also receiving help with SuperPAC money to help his efforts for re-election.

Read more...

Obama against Romney with Gingrich and Paul still in The Race

Mitt Romney still has some big problems. He is only one of three candidates that vows to fight until the nomination process begins. Both Gingrich and Paul both vow to stay in the race regardless if Romney does become the inevitable winner. That is bad news for Romney. Still, most likely Romney will not devote any real time to campaign against his competition, because President Barack Obama is now in his full swing campaign mode. Obama knows that Romney now has little time for shoring up his conservative base, as his own mainstream party has previously voted for other candidates. Now, Republicans will try to rally around Romney. It seems to be all but over for Romney, but it will be interesting to watch President Obama earn his reelection as he campaigns against Romney. It seems that only the Republicans were the only ones who couldn't determine who Obams's competition was, as the President has been concentrating on Romney since he began to campaign for re-election.

Read more...

Rick Santorum QUITS!! Obama takes aim at Mitt Romney

It is official! Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum dropped out of the race and Mitt Romney will be the nominee for president to run against President Barrack Obama. So now the fun begins. After all the Republican candidates one by one tear into Mitt Romney, now President Obama will take his turn to destroy his opposition, Mitt Romney. The race for the Republican nomination has been no less than ugly, as each candidate tore into their
own parties belief founded by President Ronald Reagan, but now Mitt Romney must try to focus and bring his party together to rally around him.
Personally, I do not believe he can pull it off. Mitt Romney,known as the flip flipper by members of his own party, President Barrack Obama should have an easy time to make mince meat out of Romney. Thanks to his own party opposition in the likes of Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, President Barrack Obama now has ample ammunition to DESTROY Mitt Romney.
Now the race to the White House becomes interesting for the first time. Obama will continue to have help from two candidates, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, the only two candidates left besides Romney. They will continue to put down Romney, thus helping President Obama win the election. Watch President Obama turn up the heat and put the notion of a likely President Mitt Romney to Sleep!!!

Read more...

President Obama on Easter and Passover Reflections

Saturday, April 7, 2012

As President Obama reflects in the following video, millions of Americans and people from around the world will celebrate Easter. The President addresses the nation in this short speech about Easter and Passover.

Read more...

President Obama Addressing a Woman's political forum at the White House

As everyone is aware, the race to win the White House is now front and center in just about every news media around the country, from the conservative base trying to push President Obama out of the White House, to the Liberal base who back the President of the United States in his fight to stay in the White House.
It appears that President Obama will not have such a difficult time staying in the White House after all. In matter of fact, I will go out on a limb here and already claim his victory for re-election. Why? All you have to do is listen to the Republicans running for the highest office in the land. Rick Santorum is so radical in his thoughts, along with his rival for the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney, not even to mention that Newt Gingrich wants to spend money to build cities on the moon that President Obama seems to be having an easy time with counter-acting just about every statement made on the Conservative trail for President. Both of the Republican candidates are truly out of touch with the issues. Yesterday, President Obama addressed a political woman’s forum at the White House, and he outlined what the conservative party wanted to do for woman’s rights, and a woman’s ability to continue to be provided the heath care they need if the other party wins the election. The President immediately makes known that if the Republican party is elected this year, that Republican policies would reverse the progress that his administration has made for the last 3+ years, and that includes woman’s issues.
The very first bill that President Obama signed into law when he became President was a bill called the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, that expanded government loans for small businesses run by women to increase Pell grants for female college students. In the following video, watch how President Obama explains to his audience, who happen to be mostly women at this forum, what they stand to loose in benefits and freedom if health care reform is repealed, or if ‘Planned Parenthood’ no longer exists, a goal of the Republican party, which could be a possibility if he is not re-elected for President this year.

Read more...

  © Free Blogger Templates Columnus by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP