Hello
A lightweight this and that under the cut.
So after reading the Washington Post' Rahm story (Thanks to TomP, i should mention), i finally know what's the problem with Barack Obama: He listens too much to Rahm and he's just not listening enough to Rahm! Everything is so much more clear now. Or not.
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Oh well, Ezra almost always makes sense to me:
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In fact, what appears to be happening is that Barack Obama is listening to his policy people. He didn't scale back the health-care reform bill because they convinced him that the different pieces didn't work on their own. He's trying to close Guantanamo because a lot of people who work on this stuff think we should close Guantanamo. That's the thing about electing a smart technocrat as president: He's swayed by smart, technocratic arguments. The political people are being used to help sell and shepherd the policy, and to figure out how much of the policy can pass Congress, but they seem to be losing the major arguments over what that policy should be...
...But either way, I'd say that the White House's agenda has been a lot closer to what its policy experts advised than what its political team counseled. And that's a good thing.
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Another great idea that will probably die in congress
SAVANNAH, Georgia (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Tuesday proposed rebates of up to $3,000 to help homeowners pay for the cost of making their homes more energy efficient as part of a $6 billion program to create jobs...
....The efficiency plan, which must be passed by Congress, is intended to prompt Americans to invest in everything from insulation or new windows to overarching energy upgrades of their homes, creating construction and manufacturing jobs and boosting energy efficiency.
Consumers would be eligible for between $1,000 and $1,500 for simple home upgrades such as insulation, duct sealing, water heaters, air conditioning units, windows, roofing and doors.
Homeowners looking for more comprehensive energy retrofits would be eligible for a $3,000 rebate if the efficiency measures lead to a 20 percent energy savings...
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Three very-cool short clips from that trip to Savannah.
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GM and Ford score huge sales gains in chilly February
In a month that's supposed to be one of the worst of the year, both General Motors and Ford appear to have scored big sales gains.
GM says its sales rose 32% in February compared to the same dreary month a year ago. Ford's sales were up a whopping 43% in the same period. Ford boasted that it saw "higher sales for every brand and in every product category."
Best of all for both, retail sales were up. Those are car and truck sales to people like you and me, not big government, corporate or rental car fleet buyers. Retail sales are the most profitable -- and the strongest evidence to automakers that they are making cars the people are actually will to buy with their hard-earned cash. Ford said those retail sales were up 28%. GM said it was 7%.
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Couple of fun videos. The first is a collection of some priceless Obama facial reactions to Republicans lies during the summit last week.
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And this is something i doubt you'd see in Bush WH:
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Bunch of photos from the last few days. Please don't hot-link. Enjoy.
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President Barack Obama looks out the window of Marine One as he arrives back at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 2, 2010.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Barack Obama tours Meddin Studios, a recipient of a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, in Savannah, Georgia, March 2, 2010. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama shakes hands with employees during a tour of Chatham Steel in Savannah, Georgia, March 2, 2010. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama (R)stands alongside employees during a tour of Chatham Steel in Savannah, Georgia, March 2, 2010. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama sits down with other customers as he visits Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room in Savannah, Ga., Tuesday, March 2, 2010. At right is Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson. (AP/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama shakes hands at the Savannah Technical College March 2, 2010 in Savannah, Georgia. (Getty Images)
President Barack Obama poses for photos with students while touring the Youth Build Program at Savannah Technical College in Savannah, Georgia, March 2, 2010.(SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama salutes before boarding Marine One as departs the White House en route to Savannah, Georgia March 2, 2010 in Washington, DC (Getty Images)
President Barack Obama walks to Air Force One, prior to departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, on March 2, 2010. (AFP/Getty)
President Barack Obama is introduced by Alma Powell, wife of Colin Powell and chair of the The America's Promise Alliance Education, before Obama spoke about education, Monday, March 1, 2010, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama is greet by Founding Chairman General Colin Powell (L) during an American's Promise Alliance event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce March 1, 2010 in Washington (Getty)
President Barack Obama salutes as he boards Marine One at the National Naval Medical Center February 28, 2010 in Bethesda, Maryland. Obama visited the center to undergo a physical examination done on a yearly basis. Afterwards, he visited with wounded soilders who are being treated at the facility. (Getty)
President Barack Obama returns to the White House from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., following a medical exam, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, in Washington. The 48-year-old commander-in-chief signaled a thumbs-up when asked about his health. (AP Photo)
President Barack Obama returns to the White House from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., following a medical exam, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, in Washington. (AP)
President Barack Obama is accompanied by aide Reggie Love, right, and a U.S. Secret Service agent as he walks across Lafayette Park as he returns to the White House in Washington, Monday, march 1, 2010 (AP)
President Barack Obama reads some papers as he walks across Lafayette Park as he returns to the White House in Washington, Monday, March 1, 2010 (AP)
President Barack Obama, accompanied by aide Reggie Love, rear, and a U.S. Secret Service agent, left, crosses Pennsylvania Avenue while walking back to the White House in Washington, Monday, March 1, 2010, (AP)
President Barack Obama turns to answer a reporter's question as he walks through Lafayette Park back to the White House after he delivered an address at an America's Promise Alliance education event, March 1, 2010 (Getty)