Showing posts with label White House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label White House. Show all posts

Monday, March 13, 2017

Breaking: Trump White House Trolls for "Obamacare Disaster Stories"

I've gotten a lot of emails from The White House. The Obama White House, mostly. But apparently, Cheetolini must've inherited the mailing list. And just minutes ago, he used it to push out the most hyper-partisan, push-poll-feeling email I've ever gotten from that source.

"Share Your Obamacare Disaster Story"


That's the subject line. Isn't that nice? It assumes that you have such a story. Or, that if you have an Obamacare story, it must be a disaster. Or, more likely, that they only want stories from people who consider it a disaster. And here, ladies and germs, is a primo example of how the Trump White House differs from Obama's.

Firstly, the Obama version wouldn't have been so ham-handed and obvious about the desire to get only one sort of response. But secondly, the Obama team would have wanted examples of all types. They'd want to know if you have had good experiences or bad experiences. They did so. They helped people who were having difficulties and obstacles with that plan, and other issues. Not Trump! Tell me how awful it is!

In truth, clearly, this is about bolstering the need for (Please Don't Call It) TrumpCare. Trump's claims that it would cover everyone regardless of income, and that it would be cheaper and better are. Not. True. But in Trumpland, that's a minor detail. His followers have been remarkably willing to give him massive latitude on the exact wording of his promises. They will on this as well. And if you give them a few juicy stories to repeat ad nauseam for the next 8 years? Even better.

The letter:



https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=b05db1f0b53272ca852fedc87ffdc49a688a37d66be6ba304b49a6ba3b3409761159d0baaef5cc94d82b60bdf2758f7853fd784debf8d2b9

Obamacare has been a complete failure since the beginning, and things are only getting worse.

Today, President Donald J. Trump held a listening session to hear directly from Americans who have experienced significant hardship as a result of Obamacare's poor coverage and rising prices.

President Trump wants to hear from hard-working Americans like you. How has Obamacare affected you? Share your Obamacare disaster story.

https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=b05db1f0b53272ca852fedc87ffdc49a688a37d66be6ba304b49a6ba3b3409761159d0baaef5cc94d82b60bdf2758f7853fd784debf8d2b9

During the meeting, one woman revealed that she had her health insurance cancelled three times since Obamacare became law. Another attendee had her insurance jump from $17,000 a year to a devastating $52,500 a year for her struggling family, while yet another said her health insurance now costs more than her mortgage.

Obamacare came packaged as the healthcare solution for all Americans. Instead, the country was given hundreds of pages of broken promises.

Millions of hard-working Americans have been impaired by soaring costs, cancelled plans, and overbearing mandates. As one of those innocent Americans, President Trump wants to hear your story about how this disastrous law has affected you and your family.

Share Your Story



So, I propose we share all kinds of stories! Who's with me?


Saturday, February 11, 2017

Donald Trump a Prisoner in the White House?

My perfect dream casting (were she not dead): Rue McClanahan
for Donald J. Trump. Photo from source, Raw Story
It would seem by all outward indications that President Donald Trump (a phrase that still sounds like it comes out apocalyptic fiction) is not having a good time. He wanted the praise, the accolades, the title, the crown. I don't believe, and never believed for a minute, that he wanted the actual job. Oh sure, he'd take the bows, he'd love for "TRUMP" to be emblazoned upon monuments and memorials, and no doubt he'd like to leave a mark in the history books via Make America Great Again™ policy and appointments to courts.

But you can't guarantee a good legacy, and make good policy as a bull in a china shop. This is, I should note, what his followers wanted, partly. They claimed they wanted to shake things up, some went so far as "blow it up." And by his behavior, Trump certainly seems to be doing that. He is absolutely heedless of protocols, traditions, decorum, diplomacy. . .he is no different a sitting President than he was a brash candidate. He tweets and says things no other president (or upwardly mobile elected official) would say or do. He stomps all over regulations, policies and even laws, and that will probably be his undoing. Whether he quits, gets bounced, or croaks in office, it's going to be interesting (and horrifying) to see just how much damage he does on purpose versus how much he stumble-bums his way through, crashing like the Kool-Aid Man through every American institution.

And the worst part for him, is that he's apparently hating it bigly. Good. Stew, you ignorant man-baby, stew.

[Excerpt]

He doesn’t like this sh*t’: Trump reportedly hates his job and his staff after less than a month

After just three weeks on the job, President Donald Trump is reportedly frustrated with the realities of trying to run the U.S. government the way he manages his family-owned business.

Politico interviewed nearly two dozen people who have spent time with the former real estate developer and reality TV star since his inauguration — and they said Trump’s “mood has careened between surprise and anger as he’s faced the predictable realities of governing,” according to the report. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Friday, June 26, 2015

Proud to be an American: White House in Gay Pride Rainbow Light



Yessssss.

[Excerpt]

The White House Is Decked Out in Rainbow Colors to Celebrate Gay Marriage

The Obama administration blanketed the front wall of the White House in rainbow-colored lights Friday night in a show of support for the Supreme Court decision released earlier in the day that made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states. . .

Read more at: National Journal

 

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Secret Service isn't Servicing Very Well

Image from source, AOL
What in the world is up with the Secret Service? After a string of embarrassing lapses, including a prostitution scandal (!), it has just come to light that a) the guy who scaled the fence and got into the White House several days ago got deeply into the building, right past the entrance to the President's residential quarters; and b) a sniper shot seven shots into the southern façade of the building, that were not discovered for several days.

The Secret Service used to be a vaunted organization, almost on a James Bond kind of level. People may have been deterred, just from the reputation the organization held, as all-seeing, all-knowing. That's now blown all to hell, isn't it? Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down may not be so far-fetched after all, right? Okay, maybe not, but with these guys, who knows?

I haven't checked, but I wonder if Right Wing World is blaming this on President Obama himself. I mean of course they are, but I suspect it's something along the lines of, the Secret Service has no respect for Obama, and refuse to even give the appearance of protecting him. Am I right? Dan?

[Excerpt]

Reports: White House intruder made it far past the front door

The intruder who climbed a fence made it farther inside the White House than the Secret Service has publicly acknowledged, the Washington Post and New York Times newspapers reported Monday. The disclosures came on the eve of a congressional oversight hearing with the director of the embattled agency assigned to protect the president's life. . .

Read more at: AOL

Saturday, January 12, 2013

White House Vows Not to Build a Death Star

Awesome image from source, Raw Story.
The White House web page has an area for petitions, and they've pledged to publicly address any petition that meets a certain threshold. It's becoming ridiculous, as states petition to secede, people try to have Piers Morgan deported, and even try to have members of Congress tried for treason. It's getting to the point of absurdity. But it has produced this moment of awesome. And you know that the right wing won't believe that President Obama isn't working on a Death Star. . .

[Excerpt]

This Isn’t the Petition Response You’re Looking For


The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn’t on the horizon. Here are a few reasons: The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it. The Administration does not support blowing up planets. Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship? . . .


Read more at: Raw Story

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

America the Stupid: Charge Diane Feinstein with Treason?

It's official. The White House petition idea is played out. As long as you allow people to put up any dumb thing they want, they will put up anything they want. And do you really think it's hard to round up 20,000 other stupid people to sign it? Especially when you factor in the people who sign it because they think it's funny. If they were clever, I'd still be enjoying it, but they're not.

[Excerpt]

Petition to charge Sen. Feinstein with treason soars past White House threshold

Image from source, Raw Story
A petition started on the White House website seeking to charge Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) with treason has crossed the threshold needed for an official response. The petition, created last month, claims that Feinstein’s proposed assault weapons ban is a violation of the Second Amendment, which guarantees Americans right to keep and bear arms. Feinstein promised to introduce the assault weapons ban on the first day of the 113th Congress in the wake of the tragic Newtown elementary school shooting. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Bummer: White House Says No Contact with Aliens Yet

Actually, they really ought to take a look at Ron
Paul's DNA, just to be sure. Image from Raw Story
Well, they aren't admitting we've made contact anyway. Could we ever expect them to?

[Excerpt]


White House: No contact yet from E.T.

In a galaxy, far, far away, there is a mathematical chance that alien life exists — but the White House says it has no evidence that extraterrestrials have ever tried to contact humans.

In a blow to conspiracy theorists everywhere, a senior Barack Obama administration official also says there is also no credible information to suggest evidence of alien life is being kept from the public. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Monday, May 2, 2011

Stupid Monkey Planet on the Red Carpet

SMPN was lucky enough to have a photographer swoop down from the canopy at the White House Correspondents Dinner. We happened to catch a quick photo of "The Don-ald" on his way out...
He wasn't taking any questions.

On a footnote, his hair does look better.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on Robert Gibbs and President Obama

So, the White House Press Secretary said some things that really irritated the Democratic base the other day. I kind of ignored it because I've never been very big on any of the press secretaries, regardless of party. They're spin-meisters, and as we used to say about Tony Snow and Dana Perino, spokes-liars.  Robert Gibbs usually comes off better than they did--and he's a damned sight better than Scott McClellan--but I usually just don't care what he has to say.

Then again, Gibbs does speak for the President. Or is it for David Axelrod or for Rahm Emanuel?  Whatever. What he said indicates that within the administration, there is a disconnect as to what they think liberals think and want, and the reality.  Keith Olbermann thought enough of it to do a Special Comment on Tuesday's Countdown, so this is probably my final word on it. How could I top that?


Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Robert Gibbs Mocks Sarah Palin


Image from source, CBS News

Mean? Maybe. Funny? Yep.

[Excerpt]

Robert Gibbs Scrawls Notes on Hand, Mocking Sarah Palin

. . .Gibbs quipped that he had made the notes in case he and his family are snowed in by the storm approaching Washington. He said the words written on his hands included "eggs" and "milk" and that he had written "bread" but crossed it out. . .

Read more at: CBS News


Monday, January 25, 2010

This is Not a Rerun: Faux Outrage Over Obama's "Disrespect" for Office


Image from source, Media Matters

Sigh. After eight long years of an overgrown frat-boy in the White House, it's amazing to me that right-wingers are trying to pin a similar label to President Obama. It's kind of like when they pick on him for using a teleprompter, when George W. Bush used one. Or for Obama's speech patterns, when Bush could barely utter a coherent sentence (even with a teleprompter). Or countless other things.

But this one in particular is getting incredibly stale. They've already gone after Obama for not wearing a tie in the Oval Office, and for putting his feet on his desk. It's like that episode of South Park where Butters (as "Major Chaos") is trying to come up with an outrageous plan, only to have "General Disarray" tell him, "The Simpsons already did it!" In this case, Bush already did it. Endlessly. Obama bowed to a dictator? Hell, Bush held hands with and kissed one! On and on. So why are they back to this again?

[Excerpt]

Dear Fox Nation: Was Bush disrespecting the Oval Office, too?

The Fox Nation is currently highlighting a picture of President Obama with his feet up on his Oval Office desk, accompanied by the headline, "Is Pres. Obama disrespecting the Oval Office?"

If this sounds familiar, it should. . .

Read more at: Media Matters


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

My Idea: Fire Rahm Emmanuel, Hire Aaron Sorkin!


Image from source, Wikipedia

In his never-ending quest to be liked by everybody, President Barack Obama is instead turning both conservatives (who have been lock-stepping against him since day one) and liberals against him. Conservatives will oppose Obama no matter what he does, which should be clear to the man by now. Liberals are pissed because Obama just won't show enough oomph, won't fight for what he promised, and is too willing to compromise away liberal ideals in his futile attempt to get some sort of nominal "bipartisanship." It just ain't gonna happen.


Given that this is only Obama's first year of his first term, the damage isn't undoable. But it will be if something doesn't happen fast. My idea? Fire White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel--the man many progressives cite for some of the bizarre actions of the White House--and replace him with Aaron Sorkin. Yes, the creator and writer of The West Wing and the popular movie, An American President. I know he had a little "issue" with some illicit drugs (mushrooms and the like), but if he can write a speech like this for Obama? Holy smoke. That is what we need as a country, a Sorkin moment. At least hire the guy for some kick-ass speeches.

Now, I'm not talking specifically about the content of "President Shepherd"'s speech, more of the tone and tenor of it, the forcefulness. Even I thought the bit about guns was over the top. But if Obama returned to the tone of his campaign, if he figgin' laid down the law, said he was scrapping the current bill, demanding one that is "Medicare for everyone," through reconciliation. . .and demanded no less. Well, then we'd really have something.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Stephen Colbert on the White House Party Crashers

Every week, on top of legitimate news stories, there is at least one faux outrage, and at least one barely newsworthy story that blows up to overtake everything else. A few weeks ago, it was "balloon boy." This week, it's the White House party crashers. Yawwwwn. Leave it to Stephen Colbert to make it funny.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Amateur Hour at the White House
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorU.S. Speedskating



Wednesday, November 11, 2009

FOX "News" Ratings Bump Lacks Truthiness


Like many stories by and about FOX "News," there is more and less to this one than meets the eye. After the White House's Anita Dunn made a highly qualified statement--in the negative--about FOX "News," the story blew into a much bigger deal than it was, touted by FOX itself as a "war." I'm not sure an hour even went by for weeks that somebody on FOX didn't mention it. They were simultaneously reveling in it, and playing hyper defense. Ironically, much of their coverage helped to prove that they aren't a legitimate news outlet.

Much of the crowing coming from the opinion channel was to tout a supposed ratings spike, inspired by the White House "war." As often happens when FOX is crowing, the story was picked up all across the mainstream media. And, as happens all too often, it was reported as true, almost without question (except for MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The Rachel Maddow Show, the thorns in FOX's paw). But was there really a bump?

It turns out, if there was, it was very minor, and statistically insignificant. FOX "News" does get stellar ratings in the low-stakes cable news game, but the truth is, they barely budged in the two weeks following the trumped up war. [Editor's Note: Yes, this story is from last week. But if I just found it, maybe you haven't seen it yet either!]

[Excerpt]

The myth of Fox News' ratings spike

Fact: The breathless claim that Fox News' ratings recently spiked thanks to the White House's public critique is bogus hype -- hype that Fox News and the Beltway press have relentlessly pushed.

It's just not true. . .

Read more at: Media Matters


Sunday, October 25, 2009

FOX "News" Sunday Compares Obama to Untouchables Gangsters

OK, so Chris Wallace, the vaguely creepy host of FOX "News" Sunday is trying to prove that FOX "News" really is news by using the right-wing favorite trope of accusing President Obama of "Chicago-style" politics? And Al Capone-era Chicago at that? It would seem that FOX is still in a defensive crouch over the White House's oh-so-provable claim that FOX "News" isn't actually news. But it is so funny that their defense is to continue proving that they aren't!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Rachel & Keith Talk About White House Visit and Selective Amnesia at FOX "News"

One of the most aggravating things about political discourse is the trope of "selective amnesia." It is carping from the left to the right, or from the right to the left, for something their side has been equally or more guilty of. It is as bad when Terry McAuliffe does it or if Karl Rove does. Those two (and several others) are a certain species of creature in political news that will spin any event or utterance by a public figure as a "win" for their side or a "fail" for the other side. They are--on both sides of the aisle--worthless and contemptible in my opinion.

We expect this from them, and from arch partisans on AM talk radio. And we've gotten to the point as a nation where we either ignore them, or shrug our shoulders and say, "eh, what can you do." Only the most rabid political junkies give them credence. It is when this behavior spreads to--well--the entirety of FOX "News", that it can bleed into other areas, and into "conventional wisdom." That's when I get really torqued off. It reminds me of Sigourney Weaver's character Ripley from Aliens, when she said, "Did I.Q.s drop sharply while I was away?"

To hear Rove and others blast the White House for having a gathering of liberal news and opinion people is one of these selective amnesiac moments. The George W. Bush White House was legendary for their manipulation and use of the media. Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Mike Gallagher and many other far-right pundits like them were routinely invited to speak with President Bush. Liberals and progressives were effectively shut out. President Obama by contrast has had guests from both sides of the aisle. It is enormously frustrating to read and watch this sort of story play out, and only have the real story featured on The Rachel Maddow Show and Countdown with Keith Olbermann. And if you think I'm showing my own sort of blind spot here, watch the clips and tell me where I'm wrong.



(Worst Person in the World #2, Tucker Carlson, is the relevant part of this clip:)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Anita Dunn Stands by Anti-FOX "News" Slam

Good for her! Why back down from the truth? I know, this is politics, and uncomfortable truths are often back-pedalled, but I'm glad that so far she hasn't!

[Excerpt]

Dunn stands by Fox slam



White House Communications Director Anita Dunn asserted on Sunday the administration views Fox News as an "arm" of the Republican Party.

"It’s fair to say about Fox, and certainly the way we view it, is that it is a wing of the Republican Party," Dunn said on CNN's "Reliable Sources. . ."


Read more at: Politico

Morning Joe (Minus Joe) Discuss FOX "News"

Apparently, the White House's Anita Dunn (sounds like "I need it done," doesn't it?) has come out on CNN and flatly called FOX "News" a wing of the Republican Party, and not a legitimate news organization. Well, duh. I'm always glad when a consistantly denied truth finally gets admitted. But of course, it isn't that simple, even for MSNBC.

Yeah, MSNBC, often criticised as the flip side of FOX (which it kinda is, and kinda isn't). Their show Morning Joe is hosted by former Congressman Joe Scarborough, an actual conservative Republican, and he gets three hours of air time every weekday. Even with Joe absent from this clip, there is a fairly spirited defense of FOX. As soon as FOX "News" schedules a regular three-hour show hosted by a liberal, I'll admit MSNBC is their mirror image, but not before!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

White House Thinks Guns are OK at Presidential Events?


Image from source, Washington Post

OK, I'm still trying to figure this one out. I remember when people would be arrested for wearing the wrong T-shirt to events when George W. Bush was President. Now, people are swarming around with big honking guns, and that's just fine? That's a head scratcher for sure.

I have no doubt that most of the people showing up to these things with guns are doing so to prove a point. The point may be, "hey, it's legal, so I'm gonna do it." Or it might be, that they're afraid (wrongly, in my opinion) that President Obama is going to try to take their guns away. Or they might think it makes them look tough, and they'll probably get on the tee vee. To me it says, "I'm a big giant douche."

I have no problem with gun ownership. I don't have one, but I wouldn't be against the idea. But there is something more going on here. Some bizarre fetishism. They not only want the right to bear arms, they want to be sure you know it. I don't for a minute believe that this "show of force" isn't supposed to be threatening. It clearly is. My guess is that the White House is trying to play it cool, and on the surface say that this doesn't rile them. But I'll bet you that the Secret Service is on high alert.

[Excerpt]

White House Backs Right to Arms Outside Obama Events

Armed men seen mixing with protesters outside recent events held by President Obama acted within the law, the White House said Tuesday, attempting to allay fears of a security threat. . .

Read more at: Washington Post


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