Roots of Democracy
Past Articles of Interest from February - April, 2009 at RootsofDemocracy.com
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White House seeks health plan compromise - RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR – 04-15-2009 - WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's top health care adviser said Wednesday a compromise is within reach on a government health plan for the middle class that wouldn't drive private insurers out of business. Read more...
CIA Has Quit Operating Secret Jails, Chief Says - Karen DeYoung - Washington Post - Friday, April 10, 2009 - The CIA no longer operates any secret overseas prisons, Director Leon Panetta said yesterday, and has not detained anyone since he became chief in February. Read more...
Obama asks quick congressional OK of new war money - By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer – 04-10-2009 - WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama wants Congress to act quickly on his $83.4 billion request for U.S. military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, an appeal that's disappointing the most liberal, anti-war wing of his party. Read more...
Fidel Castro asks US lawmakers how to improve ties - By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer – Wed Apr 8, 2009 - HAVANA – A "very healthy, very energetic" Fidel Castro asked visiting Congressional Black Caucus members what Cuba could do to help President Barack Obama improve bilateral relations during his first meeting with U.S. officials since falling ill in 2006. Read more...
Obama embraces Muslim world - Politico - Mike Allen – 04-06-2009 - President Barack Obama sought Monday to make American amends with the Islamic world after eight years of tension, declaring in a speech to the Turkish parliament that he is determined to have a “partnership with the Muslim world.” Read more...
SNAP ANALYSIS - Obama, Germany, France winners in NATO deal - Sat Apr 4, 2009 - STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama won his spurs as a compromise broker at his first NATO summit on Saturday, persuading a reluctant Turkey to accept the Danish prime minister as the next head of the alliance. Read more...
A trillion-dollar healing touch for the world - 3 Apr 2009 - ET Bureau - MUMBAI: The leaders of the world’s 20 biggest economies announced a clutch of big-ticket measures to breathe life into the world economy, battered by the sharpest downturn since the Great Depression. Read more...
White House: House GOP Budget A "Joke" - April 1, 2009 - Sam Stein and Ryan Grim - Huffington Post - House and Senate Republicans emerged from an early morning meeting in a closed House chamber Wednesday morning to unveil their much-awaited budget alternative. Read more...
U.S. watchdog says billions of U.S. aid wasted in Iraq - Mar 25, 2009 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) – About $3 billion to $5 billion in U.S. aid for rebuilding Iraq has been wasted since 2003, and similar problems will likely haunt development in Afghanistan, a top U.S. watchdog said on Wednesday. Read more...
Obama to tighten screws on Wall Street - officials - By David Lawder WASHINGTON, March 25, 2009 (Reuters) - In an effort to quash Wall Street excesses that nearly collapsed the U.S. financial system, the Obama administration on Thursday will propose tough new restrictions on big financial firms, hedge funds and derivatives markets, officials said on Wednesday. Read more...
EDITOR'S NOTE: Food Safety Modernization Act (HR 875): could mean criminalization of Organic Farms and/or farmer's markets as we know them. We need to act now to protect our food chain. Be aware that Monsanto, known for genetic modification and dangerous poisons is a major backer of this bill. Read the following articles, then call or your your representatives and senators to make sure this one does not slip through without proper understanding.
Could the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 be the End to Farmers’ Markets and Organic Farms? - Jennifer Lance - March 10th, 2009 - EcoChildsPlay - H.R. 875: Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 could end farmers’ markets as we know it by requiring growers to register, be subject to inspections of their gardens by federal agents, and maintain safety records related to food production or face large fines. Read more...
WILL CONGRESS WIPE OUT HOME GARDENS, GROWERS MARKETS? By Sarah Foster - March 23, 2009 - NewsWithViews - The Internet’s buzzing about a bill in Congress its sponsor and supporters say is vital for protecting consumers from food-borne illnesses, but critics claim would place all U.S. food production “from farm to fork” under control of federal bureaucrats, effectively destroying family farms and farmers markets in the process and hijacking the burgeoning organic food movement. Read more...
Obama: Anger over AIG isn't governing strategy By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press - 03-23-2009 - WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says he cannot "govern out of anger" just because of public outrage over bonuses paid at financial institutions kept afloat by taxpayer dollars. Read more...
Obama unveiling $15B plan to help small businesses - By PHILIP ELLIOTT – 03-16-2009 - AP - ...Speaking to small business owners in the East Room, Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (GYT'-nur) described their plan to reduce lending fees, ease the tax burden and boost bank liquidity to get credit rolling. Read more...
Obama: AIG Bonuses an 'Outrage' to Taxpayers - By William Branigin - Washington Post - March 16, 2009 - President Obama today blasted the plan of insurance giant AIG to pay millions of dollars in bonuses to traders who helped bring the company to the brink of ruin, calling the payments an "outrage" that violates "fundamental values" and underscores the need for financial regulatory reform. Read more...
No more 'enemy combatants' at Guantanamo Bay - By David G. Savage - March 14, 2009 - LATimes - The Obama administration abandons the term favored under Bush and declares that the president may no longer order suspects deemed to be dangerous captured and held without trial. Read more...
U.S. calls for conference on Afghanistan - By Jill Dougherty CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent BRUSSELS, Belgium - 03-05-2009 - (CNN) -- The United States is calling for a conference on Afghanistan and the broader regional challenge to take place March 31, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Thursday. Read more...
Ex-Bush advisor Karl Rove to testify in Congress - 03-04-2009 - WASHINGTON (AFP) — A former top aide to George W. Bush, Karl Rove, is to testify in Congress as part of a probe into the controversial firings of federal prosecutors, after previously failing to appear, Congressional sources said Wednesday. Read more...
British Leader Sees Potential for Economic Growth - By BRIAN KNOWLTON - March 4, 2009 - NY Times - WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged American leaders on Wednesday to “seize the moment,” in tandem with their European allies, to work through the global economic crisis and prepare for a future that brings “the biggest expansion of middle-class incomes and jobs the world has ever seen.” Read more...
Bush-era memo claims unfettered rendition powers - By PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writer – Mon Mar 2, 2009 - WASHINGTON – A newly released Bush administration legal memo from 2002 claimed that the president has an unfettered right to transfer suspected terrorists to other governments without regard for whether they would be subject to torture. Read more...
US: CIA destroyed nearly 100 interrogation tapes - By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer - 03-02-2009 - The interrogations were a highly contentious issue during the administration of President George W. Bush, with many Democrats and other critics saying that some methods used amounted to torture — a contention Bush and other officials rejected. Read more...
Obama challenges lobbyists to legislative duel - By CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press Writer – Sat Feb 28, WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama challenged the nation's vested interests to a legislative duel Saturday, saying he will fight to change health care, energy and education in dramatic ways that will upset the status quo. Read more...
President Obama Submits His First Budget to Congress - On Thursday, February 26th, President Obama submitted his first budget to Congress, making the case for the vital investments that will lay the foundation for America's future prosperity. Watch online video short...
Tell Republicans that Americans Won't Take NO for an Answer - Americans United for Change - While President Obama acted, Republicans in Congress said NO. Tell Republicans that Americans won't take NO for an answer. Watch online video short...
Economic Scene Obama’s Budget Plan Sweeps Away Reagan Ideas - New York Times - 02-26-2009 - By DAVID LEONHARDT - The budget that President Obama proposed on Thursday is nothing less than an attempt to end a three-decade era of economic policy dominated by the ideas of Ronald Reagan and his supporters. Read more...
Top Republicans rip into Obama budget proposal - Thu Feb 26, 2009 - By Thomas Ferraro WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed $3.55 trillion federal budget drew swift words of anger and concern on Thursday from top Republicans in Congress, presaging major political fights over spending. Read more...
Obama's Budget Proposal Would Push Deficit to $1.75T - By William Branigin and Lori Montgomery Washington Post Staff Writers Thursday, February 26, 2009; 12:06 PM President Obama today unveiled a proposed $3.55 trillion budget for the coming fiscal year that he said discards "dishonest" accounting practices of the past and makes "a historic commitment to comprehensive health care reform." Read more...
SCENARIOS-Winners and losers in Obama budget - Feb 26, 2009 - (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's first budget is his clearest opportunity to date to put U.S. money where his mouth is by establishing priorities for his new administration. Read more...
Obama vows to lead US from dire 'day of reckoning' - By JENNIFER LOVEN, AP White House Correspondent - WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama promised a nation shuddering in economic crisis Tuesday night that he would lead it from a dire "day of reckoning" to a brighter future, summoning politicians and public alike to shoulder responsibility for hard choices and shared sacrifice. Read more...
George Clooney to Obama: Seize the ‘opportunity’ for Darfur peace - By Matthew Clark | Staff Writer 02.24.09 - After touring Darfur refugee camps in eastern Chad last week, Hollywood heartthrob and two-time “sexiest man alive” George Clooney met separately with both President Obama and Vice President Biden on Monday night. Read more...
Bernanke: Recession may end in '09; Stocks climb - By TIM PARADIS, AP Business Writer NEW YORK - 02-24-09 – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has steadied Wall Street by telling Congress the recession might end this year. Read more...
Bernanke: economy suffering 'severe contraction' By JEANNINE AVERSA, AP Economics Writer - 02-24-09 - WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Tuesday the economy is suffering through a "severe contraction" and pledged to use all available tools to lift the country out of the recession that already has cost millions of Americans their jobs. Read more...
Obama targets housing fix after stimulus victory - by Jitendra Joshi – 02-15-2009 - WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama readied to head west to unveil a new strategy to arrest the epidemic of home foreclosures after his gargantuan economic stimulus plan finally cleared Congress. Read more...
‘US should adopt holistic approach to terrorism’ - Daily Times, Pakistan - Feb 13, 2009 ISLAMABAD: The US should adopt a holistic approach to rid the region of the increasing threats of extremism and terrorism, President Asif Zardari said on Friday Read more...
House passes $787 stimulus bill, 246-183; No GOP support - Final Senate vote later today - Live C-Span2
House passes Obama's economic stimulus bill - By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer – 02-13-2009 - WASHINGTON – The House has passed a $787 billion plan to resuscitate the economy, handing President Barack Obama a big victory. Read more...
House members urge bank CEOs to win public - By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer – 02-11-2009 - WASHINGTON – The top members of a key House panel told banking leaders Wednesday they must win over a disgusted public and work harder to right the deeply troubled financial system. Read more...
Exclusive: Leahy Talks To White House About Investigating Bush - Huffington Post - February 10, 2009 05:45 PM - Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and White House Chief Counsel Greg Craig discussed on Tuesday the Senator's proposal to set up a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate potential crimes of the Bush administration. Read more...
New Hampshire Throwing Down the Gauntlet to the Federal Government - 02-03-2009 - A RESOLUTION affirming States’ rights based on Jeffersonian principles... Read more...
For now, Washington trumps Wall Street excess - Reuters - 02-04-2009 - By Andy Sullivan High-flying Wall Street executives have had their wings clipped by government officials who earn less than many junior bond traders after President Barack Obama on Wednesday capped at $500000 the salaries of executives whose companies take U.S. bailout money. ...Read more...
Obama to Congressional Leaders: Give in a Little Four GOP Governors Back Stimulus Bill By JAKE TAPPER Feb. 3, 2009 - ABC News - President Obama worked to win Republican support of his economic stimulus bill by calling in Democratic congressional leaders and telling them to make concessions to their GOP colleagues. Read more...
Senate confirms Holder as first black AG By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Writer Larry Margasak, Associated Press Writer – 02-02-2009 - WASHINGTON – Eric Holder won Senate confirmation Monday as the nation's first African-American attorney general, after supporters from both parties touted his dream resume and easily overcame Republican concerns over his commitment to fight terrorism and his unwillingness to back the right to keep and bear arms. Read more...
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