Missing You
Missing from both Republican lists are two pillars of Mr. Obama’s agenda that many economists consider important for expanding the labor force and promoting long-run growth.
One is significantly higher spending for infrastructure. The International Monetary Fund recently called for such spending, saying it would pay off in broader economic growth.
The other is an overhaul of immigration laws. Despite business pressure to provide a path to citizenship for the millions here illegally, and to admit more foreigners with skills, Republicans’ opposition has only hardened in this campaign. (New York Times, 10/22/2014)
This would be hilarious if it were not so utterly dishonest. Does the Times think that Republicans are against economic growth and putting people back to work? They have been talking about these things for six years while Democrats have been talking about climate change and birth control. Infrastructure spending? First of all, that is nothing more than funneling money to labor unions who then rebate via political contributions to Democrats. Second, even Obama admitted that his "shovel-ready" jobs were a joke.
Sunk Cost
According to one Democrat strategist quoted in this report, "The ineptitude of the White House political operation has sunk from annoying to embarrassing." (Breitbart.com, 10/22/2014)
Dems said it.
Another First
A doctor in New York City who recently returned from treating Ebola patients in Guinea became the first person in the city to test positive for the virus Thursday, setting off a search for anyone who might have come into contact with him. (New York Times, 10/24/2014)
Still no flight bans from Africa. Not to worry... the doc only went bowling and took the NYC subway.
Bad Chemistry
American security officials said Thursday that they were looking into a new report that Islamic State militants had used chlorine gas as a weapon against Iraqi police officers last month near Balad, north of Baghdad. (New York Times, 10/24/2014)
Will Obama issue (and ignore) another "red line?" Stay tuned for the answer.
The Real Reason That Obama Won't Halt Flights To The U.S. From Liberia
The hearing thrust the Ebola virus and the government’s halting management of it into the realm of politics in the midst of a national election season. (New York Times, 10/17/2014)
Ebola isn't Obama's Katrina, the growing pile of his unprecedented incompetence is. After the ObamaCare rollout, the IRS, NSA, VA, ISIS, and the economy that wouldn't recover, the Obama Administration's arrogant, ignorant, and deadly mishandling of Ebola could finally tip the pile over. (John Nolte, Beitbart.com, 10/16/2014)
Fear of Ebola is spreading faster than the disease itself, and the growing paranoia in the United States is fueling calls to impose a travel ban on people coming from the three West African nations struggling with the outbreak.
...
Ultimately, health specialists said, a ban would do more harm than good because it would isolate impoverished nations that are barely able to cope with the outbreak, and possibly cut them off from the international aid workers who provide critical help to contain the disease.
The White House on Thursday repeated its opposition to such a ban. President Obama said that he was following the advice of health experts and that “a travel ban is less effective than the measures that we are currently instituting.” (New York Times, 10/17/2014)
So the nitwits in the White House will not institute a travel ban because that would isolate the countries where Ebola is found. Isn't that exactly the point?
And the real reason that Obama is against a travel ban? As a Kenyan-American, the optics of such a ban would destroy what is left of his presidency. The only continent where he is stilled liked is Africa and the only remaining constituency in the U.S. that supports him overwhelmingly are African-Americans. A ban would erode this support.
Hooked
About 7.3 million Americans are enrolled in private coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, and more than 80 percent qualified for federal subsidies to help with the cost of their monthly premiums. But many are still on the hook for deductibles that can top $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for families — the trade-off, insurers say, for keeping premiums for the marketplace plans relatively low. The result is that some people — no firm data exists on how many — say they hesitate to use their new insurance because of the high out-of-pocket costs. (New York Times, 10/18/2014)
Actually it is even worse than the Times lets on. For those who DO NOT get federal subsidies, Obamacare has delivered high deductibles AND high premiums.
Yet another Liberal-conceived federal entitlement program screw-up.
Oddly
In an odd moment in the trial of Robel Phillipos, a friend of the man accused of the Boston Marathon bombings, Michael Dukakis, the former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee, testified Thursday for the defense. Mr. Phillipos, 20, a friend of the suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is charged with lying to the authorities about his movements days after the attack. (New York Times, 10/16/2014)
The country sure dodged a bullet in 1988 by not electing Dukakis.
