Ouze wrote:
I see this thread has successfully gotten back on the usual message Re: Obama, History's Greatest Monster.

 whembly wrote:

 Ouze wrote:
I see this thread has successfully gotten back on the usual message Re: Obama, History's Greatest Monster.

Nah... it's the Media, History's Greatest Monster.

Case in point...

Four Dead in Benghazi- blame at the feet of the President: silence.
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest scandal ever.

NSA collecting records (without a warrant) on every American- "Hey, I read about it in the newspaper."
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest. Scandal. Ever.

IRS targeting Conservative groups: "Huh? What does that have to do with me?"
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest! Scandal! Ever!

ObamaCare website rolled out with massive security flaws and, oh yeah, flat out doesn't work, "Oh, no one told me..."
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest! Scandal! EVAH!!!

Email tells feds to make sequester as painful as promised

The White House announced Tuesday that it is canceling tours of the president’s home for the foreseeable future as the sequester spending cuts begin to bite and the administration makes good on its warnings of painful decisions.

Announcement of the decision — made in an email from the White House Visitors Office — came hours after The Washington Times reported on another administration email that seemed to show at least one agency has been instructed to make sure the cuts are as painful as President Obama promised they would be.

In the internal email, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service official Charles Brown said he asked if he could try to spread out the sequester cuts in his region to minimize the impact, and he said he was told not to do anything that would lessen the dire impacts Congress had been warned of.

“We have gone on record with a notification to Congress and whoever else that ‘APHIS would eliminate assistance to producers in 24 states in managing wildlife damage to the aquaculture industry, unless they provide funding to cover the costs.’ So it is our opinion that however you manage that reduction, you need to make sure you are not contradicting what we said the impact would be,” Mr. Brown, in the internal email, said his superiors told him.

Neither Mr. Brown nor the main APHIS office in Washington returned calls seeking comment, but Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack, who oversees the agency, told Congress he is trying to give flexibility where he can.

“If we have flexibility, we’re going to try to use it to make sure we use sequester in the most equitable and least disruptive way,” the secretary told Rep. Kristi L. Noem, a South Dakota Republican who grilled Mr. Vilsack about the email. “There are some circumstances, and we’ve talked a lot about the meat inspection, where we do not have that flexibility because there are so few accounts.”

Ms. Noem told Mr. Vilsack that the email made it sound like the administration was sacrificing flexibility in order to justify its earlier dire predictions.

“I’m hopeful that isn’t an agenda that’s been put forward,” the congresswoman told Mr. Vilsack.

Late Tuesday evening, the Agriculture Department issued a statement disputing Mr. Brown’s read of the situation. The department said Mr. Brown had suggested dividing his region’s cuts among a number of states but he was told that idea was already part of their sequester plans.

“The APHIS budget officer explained that USDA is already proposing these steps in order to avoid furloughs. USDA is committed to doing all we can to minimize the impact of sequester [for] our employees and the farmers, ranchers, and rural communities we serve,” the department said in its statement.

The $85 billion in automatic spending cuts began Friday, leaving the White House with tough decisions to make — though it argues its hands are tied by the way the cuts were written into law.

That’s left the administration trying to balance dire predictions with good management.

Last week, immigration officials confirmed they were releasing immigrants awaiting deportation from their detention centers in order to save money, and this week top officials said they were already seeing long lines at airports because of cuts in screenings.

But those decisions are being scrutinized as agencies continue to advertise for job openings and spend on other priorities.

The White House had to fend off questions Tuesday about the Homeland Security Department’s decision to sign a $50 million contract for new uniforms for airport screeners, just days before the sequesters.

All sides in Washington agree there should be a way to lessen some of the impacts of the cuts.

The House will take at least a step toward that Wednesday when it votes on a new spending bill for the rest of fiscal year 2013 that would mitigate at least some of the sequester impacts in the Defense Department.

Senate Democrats are looking to write an even broader bill to rearrange money in several accounts.

Mr. Obama is pushing for the broadest possible deal later this year that would raise taxes and cut entitlement spending in order to restore some of the money trimmed in sequestration.

The White House said he made calls to some key members of Congress to sound them out on the prospects for that kind of deal.

“The president is engaging with lawmakers of both parties and will continue to do so,” White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

For now, though, the cuts remain in place — and that means the end of White House tours.

“Due to staffing reductions resulting from sequestration, we regret to inform you that White House Tours will be canceled effective Saturday, March 9, 2013 until further notice. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule affected tours,” the White House said in an email to members of Congress.

The decision drew a derisive response from Capitol Hill, where Republicans said the move undercut Mr. Obama’s promises of openness.

Rep. Bill Johnson, Ohio Republican, said President Lincoln managed to keep the White House open during the darkest days of the Civil War, and wondered why Mr. Obama couldn’t do the same.

“If the president is unable to figure out how to keep the White House open to the American people after an 8.2 percent budget cut, then the American people are entitled to some answers from their chief executive as to why.”

The Capitol is facing its own cuts.

At the Capitol, staffers entering the building’s West Front were told Tuesday that the doorway there would be closed as of next week due to sequestration. That entrance is currently limited to credentialed visitors, so it won’t affect the public.

 Alexzandvar wrote:
The amount of tin foil hatting in this thread is so massive I swear you could see it from space.

The media was all OVER Bengazi, the IRS, The Obamacare website. What do you all watch!?!?!?

When Obamacare came out every news channel was jumping in on the disaster. I mean common, denying that the media doesn't give Obama just as much crap as the rest of the politicians in this country is absurd.

This is just like watching the daily show and seeing a segment were fox news makes a claim about OTHER networks not covering something negative about Obama, cut to OTHER netowrks covering something negative about Obama.

 whembly wrote:

 Ouze wrote:
I see this thread has successfully gotten back on the usual message Re: Obama, History's Greatest Monster.

Nah... it's the Media, History's Greatest Monster.

Case in point...

Four Dead in Benghazi- blame at the feet of the President: silence.
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest scandal ever.

NSA collecting records (without a warrant) on every American- "Hey, I read about it in the newspaper."
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest. Scandal. Ever.

IRS targeting Conservative groups: "Huh? What does that have to do with me?"
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest! Scandal! Ever!

ObamaCare website rolled out with massive security flaws and, oh yeah, flat out doesn't work, "Oh, no one told me..."
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest! Scandal! EVAH!!!

 d-usa wrote:

 whembly wrote:

 Ouze wrote:
I see this thread has successfully gotten back on the usual message Re: Obama, History's Greatest Monster.

Nah... it's the Media, History's Greatest Monster.

Case in point...

Four Dead in Benghazi- blame at the feet of the President: silence.
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest scandal ever.

NSA collecting records (without a warrant) on every American- "Hey, I read about it in the newspaper."
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest. Scandal. Ever.

IRS targeting Conservative groups: "Huh? What does that have to do with me?"
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest! Scandal! Ever!

ObamaCare website rolled out with massive security flaws and, oh yeah, flat out doesn't work, "Oh, no one told me..."
Lane Closure in NJ- Biggest! Scandal! EVAH!!!

How the hell do I know about any of these things? Oh yeah...the media.

 gorgon wrote:

 LordofHats wrote:
And to think. People actually kind of liked that guy. Oh well XD

People like him because all they know about him are brohugs with Obama and pics of him in a windbreaker standing on a boardwalk after the hurricane. As his exposure increases and people start learning about his record AND personality, he'll become less and less the great moderate hope.

In less than 24 hours, the big three networks have devoted 17 times more coverage to a traffic scandal involving Chris Christie than they've allowed in the last six months to Barack Obama's Internal Revenue Service controversy. Since the story broke on Wednesday that aides to the New Jersey governor punished a local mayor's lack of endorsement with a massive traffic jam, ABC, CBS and NBC have responded with 34 minutes and 28 seconds of coverage. Since July 1, these same networks managed a scant two minutes and eight seconds for the IRS targeting of Tea Party groups.

In contrast, journalists such as Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos pounced on the developing Christie story. The GMA host opened the program on Thursday by announcing, "Chris Christie in crisis. Calls at this hour for the feds to step in, investigate the explosive e-mails."

Stephanopoulos later wondered, "One of the big questions right now, how much has it hampered his White House prospects?" Guest Matt Dowd insisted that, on a scale from one to ten, the controversy was already at a "four or five."

On the CBS Evening News, anchor Scott Pelley sounded a similar alarm: "Tonight, a potential presidential candidate caught up in scandal. E-mails show massive New Jersey traffic jams were engineered by aides to Governor Chris Christie as political payback."

NBC Nightly News host Brian Williams immediately spun the story as a political pitfall for the possible presidential contender: "In a jam. A big problem for a man with big ambitions. Tonight, how a traffic nightmare on the world's busiest bridge has spilled into a full blown scandal with the power to damage Chris Christie's political future."

Since Wednesday night, NBC included six reports over 14 minutes and 14 seconds. CBS devoted five reports over 12 minutes and 27 seconds. ABC managed 4 stories over seven minutes and 47 seconds.

As a comparison over the last six months, NBC featured a scant five seconds on updating the IRS story. CBS responded with a minute and 41 seconds. ABC produced a meager 22 seconds.

Although the media downplayed the IRS controversy from July through December (it first broke in May), it's not as though there wasn't much happening. As the Media Research Center documented, many potential story leads developed.

In December, House investigator Darrell Issa announced that the FBI and IRS chief counsel is stonewalling the investigation. In October, newly obtained e-mails showed that the scandal-plagued Lois Lerner, the woman at the center of the controversy, illegally gave Tea Party tax info to the FEC. That same month, it came out that an IRS official may have given confidential information to the White House.

These stories were buried by ABC, CBS and NBC, the same networks that have immediately deluged Republican Chris Christie, a 2016 contender, with coverage for his scandal.

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:
The GOP's insane primaries blew the moderate hope out of the water last time:

Voters Shocked Christie Botched Such An Easy Political Cover-Up

WASHINGTON—Following revelations this week that staffers under New Jersey Governor Chris Christie manipulated traffic in a small New Jersey town to punish its mayor, mortified Americans across the nation reported that they were shocked to learn the potential 2016 presidential candidate could possibly fumble such an easy political cover-up. “Man, this guy wants to be President of the United States and he can’t even conceal an act of corruption this rinky-dink and run-of-the-mill from voters? It’s crazy,” Newark resident Carolyn Baum said in agreement with millions of stunned Americans, adding that she holds potential presidential candidates to much higher standards of subterfuge and graft. “I mean, this is a total softball. If he can’t even bully one little small-town mayor into submission by oppressing his constituents and get away with it, how can we reasonably believe he’s politically skilled enough to cover up national scandals like orchestrating a foreign war, illegally colluding with big business, or violating the civil liberties of millions of Americans? It’s a little scary, to be honest.” At press time, many Americans reported their faith in Christie’s presidential qualifications was somewhat restored after he released a series of statements pinning the blame on others and throwing top aides under the bus.

 Seaward wrote:

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:
The GOP's insane primaries blew the moderate hope out of the water last time:

See, Huntsman's what is known as "a Democrat." He had zero hope of making it through.

Christie doesn't have much, either, and it's got nothing to do with how long and hard he hugged Obama. He's been on the wrong side of what single issue voters care about. I, for example, wouldn't consider voting for him due to his stance on Second Amendment issues.

 whembly wrote:
Here's some food for thought:

There's Already 17 Times More Coverage on Christie Scandal Than in Last Six Months of IRS

 Seaward wrote:

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:
The GOP's insane primaries blew the moderate hope out of the water last time:

See, Huntsman's what is known as "a Democrat." He had zero hope of making it through.

Christie doesn't have much, either, and it's got nothing to do with how long and hard he hugged Obama. He's been on the wrong side of what single issue voters care about. I, for example, wouldn't consider voting for him due to his stance on Second Amendment issues.

 whembly wrote:
Here's some food for thought:

There's Already 17 Times More Coverage on Christie Scandal Than in Last Six Months of IRS

In less than 24 hours, the big three networks have devoted 17 times more coverage to a traffic scandal involving Chris Christie than they've allowed in the last six months to Barack Obama's Internal Revenue Service controversy. Since the story broke on Wednesday that aides to the New Jersey governor punished a local mayor's lack of endorsement with a massive traffic jam, ABC, CBS and NBC have responded with 34 minutes and 28 seconds of coverage. Since July 1, these same networks managed a scant two minutes and eight seconds for the IRS targeting of Tea Party groups.

In contrast, journalists such as Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos pounced on the developing Christie story. The GMA host opened the program on Thursday by announcing, "Chris Christie in crisis. Calls at this hour for the feds to step in, investigate the explosive e-mails."

Stephanopoulos later wondered, "One of the big questions right now, how much has it hampered his White House prospects?" Guest Matt Dowd insisted that, on a scale from one to ten, the controversy was already at a "four or five."

On the CBS Evening News, anchor Scott Pelley sounded a similar alarm: "Tonight, a potential presidential candidate caught up in scandal. E-mails show massive New Jersey traffic jams were engineered by aides to Governor Chris Christie as political payback."

NBC Nightly News host Brian Williams immediately spun the story as a political pitfall for the possible presidential contender: "In a jam. A big problem for a man with big ambitions. Tonight, how a traffic nightmare on the world's busiest bridge has spilled into a full blown scandal with the power to damage Chris Christie's political future."

Since Wednesday night, NBC included six reports over 14 minutes and 14 seconds. CBS devoted five reports over 12 minutes and 27 seconds. ABC managed 4 stories over seven minutes and 47 seconds.

As a comparison over the last six months, NBC featured a scant five seconds on updating the IRS story. CBS responded with a minute and 41 seconds. ABC produced a meager 22 seconds.

Although the media downplayed the IRS controversy from July through December (it first broke in May), it's not as though there wasn't much happening. As the Media Research Center documented, many potential story leads developed.

In December, House investigator Darrell Issa announced that the FBI and IRS chief counsel is stonewalling the investigation. In October, newly obtained e-mails showed that the scandal-plagued Lois Lerner, the woman at the center of the controversy, illegally gave Tea Party tax info to the FEC. That same month, it came out that an IRS official may have given confidential information to the White House.

These stories were buried by ABC, CBS and NBC, the same networks that have immediately deluged Republican Chris Christie, a 2016 contender, with coverage for his scandal.

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

 gorgon wrote:

 LordofHats wrote:
And to think. People actually kind of liked that guy. Oh well XD

People like him because all they know about him are brohugs with Obama and pics of him in a windbreaker standing on a boardwalk after the hurricane. As his exposure increases and people start learning about his record AND personality, he'll become less and less the great moderate hope.

The GOP's insane primaries blew the moderate hope out of the water last time:



A man who's reduced homelessness in the state of Utah by 74%, by giving all the homeless an apartment and a case worker and reduced the crime and health expenditure in doing so, saving his state's taxpayers by deploying common sense and preventative remedy.

Good grief, I'd have given him my vote, if I could vote, over here.

Moderate hopes can't get traction in the hardline primaries, so instead we ended up with a string of lunatics and a tractionless beige billionaire who shifted his opinions like a coastal breeze.

Even if Christie were some form of saint, he's embraced Obama, not towed the line on total opposition and that alone has seen him labelled a RINO, he wouldn't survive the primaries with the current climate in the GOP.

Too many fethtards booing gay servicemen and too many nominees unwilling to reprimand them.

 Easy E wrote:


Or, BridgeGate is breaking and still has some strings to follow, while the IRS story is old news and doesn't really lead anywhere else at the moment.

Conspiracy!

 whembly wrote:

 Easy E wrote:


Or, BridgeGate is breaking and still has some strings to follow, while the IRS story is old news and doesn't really lead anywhere else at the moment.

Conspiracy!

C'mon... there's a difference in reporting an event vs. investigating an event.

Can you agree with that?

 Tannhauser42 wrote:

 whembly wrote:

 Easy E wrote:


Or, BridgeGate is breaking and still has some strings to follow, while the IRS story is old news and doesn't really lead anywhere else at the moment.

Conspiracy!

C'mon... there's a difference in reporting an event vs. investigating an event.

Can you agree with that?

Certainly there's a difference, but which one brings in more viewers right now?

 Easy E wrote:
No, because that is what viewers actually want in News.... new stuff. Once the IRS Investigation learns some new stuff, it will then be in the news.

On second thought, forget everything I just said. It is much more fun when you are paranoid and believe in the vast left-wing media conspiracy. You want to believe!