President Obama Visits Taylor Gourmet

President Barack Obama and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills, left, participate in a roundtable with small business owners at Taylor Gourmet in Washington, D.C., May 16, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

When Casey Patten and David Mazza moved from Philadelphia to Washington, DC, they were consistently disappointed by their inability to find a decent hoagie. So the two friends decided to take matters into their own hands. In 2008, they opened Taylor Gourmet -- with all the sandwiches named after streets in their former hometown. And it became a hit.

They've since expanded operations to three additional locations and seen their hoagies reviewed in the Washington Post, New York Times, and Travel & Leisure.

Today, they got a visit from President Obama.

He stopped by their newest restaurant on 14th Street in Washington, DC to talk about how his To-Do List for Congress would help small business owners like Patten and Mazza.

Before ordering a Spruce Street (roast turkey, prosciutto, roasted red peppers and sharp provolone), the President said:

One of the items on that “To-Do” list would be to provide tax breaks for companies like these that are hiring new employees or raising the wages and salaries of their existing employees. Either way, what that does is it gives them an incentive as their expanding to say, maybe we hire an extra two people. Maybe we hire an extra three people. Maybe we hire an extra ten people. 

When the President returned to the White House, he sat down for lunch with leaders from Congress. On the menu? Some of the hoagies from Taylor and another example of why lawmakers should act to help boost the economy.

Learn More

View the original article here

Candidate Interview: Pete Hegseth (R CAND, MN-SEN PRI)

From the diaries.

Pete Hegseth – Decorated Combat Veteran, Executive Director of Vets for Freedom, U.S. Senate Candidate, Patriot

Pete Hegseth, who is running for the GOP endorsement for U.S. Senate in MN, was kind enough to sit down and provide his valuable time for an interview. In the interest of time, I edited the interview down, but was careful to keep the core of his answers.

Some of what Pete has to say:

His insight into current GOP legislators, with good words for Marco Rubio, Jim DeMint and Paul Ryan. :22

How he wants to be a Senator that doesn’t go there to be popular or go along and get along 1:45

A reminder that social issues matter and we won’t hide from them, but this election is about jobs and the economy. Period. 2:00

How the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, our founding documents, still matter today. 3:00

His greatest accomplishment(s) – as much insight as you need into this man’s character. 4:33 (Don’t miss this!)

Why he is the best choice to gain the endorsement and face Amy Klobuchar in the fall. 5:59

I hope you’ll choose to support Pete Hegseth at the MN state GOP convention and beyond.

Pete for Senate Website

View the original article here

By the Numbers: 237

President Obama has been focused on making refinancing simpler for responsible homeowners since he took office, and in Nevada, where the President visted Friday, refinancing applications are up 237% since last November.

It began in 2009 when the administration launched the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), which helped nearly 1 million homeowners save thousands of dollars. But despite that success, the benefits from HARP have been limited because of eligibility requirements and costs associated with the program.

So last October, the President announced that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Finance Housing Agency would work with lenders to make it easier for even more mortgage holders to refinance.

And it's having an impact: Refinancing applications have increased by 50 percent since the fall.

But the reason that President Obama is in Nevada, calling on Congress to act, is because we've reached the upward limit for what the Obama administration can do alone. As part of his To-Do List, he's calling on lawmakers to cut the red tape so that responsible homeowners across the country who have been paying their mortgage on time can feel secure in their home and refinance at today’s lower rates.

View the original article here

My First Job: Jon Carson

My First Job: Jon Carson | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts State of the Union

Watch the Enhanced Video

Briefing Room Your Weekly Address Speeches & Remarks Press Briefings Statements & Releases White House Schedule Presidential Actions Executive Orders Presidential Memoranda Proclamations Legislation Pending Legislation Signed Legislation Vetoed Legislation Nominations & Appointments Disclosures Visitor Access Records Financial Disclosures 2011 Annual Report to Congress 2010 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff 2009 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff A Commitment to Transparency

Browse White House visitor logs

Issues Civil Rights It Gets Better Defense End of Iraq War The Way Forward in Afghanistan Disabilities Economy Jobs Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Strengthening the Middle Class Supporting Business Blueprint for an America Built to Last Education Energy & Environment Ethics Fiscal Responsibility Excess Federal Properties Interactive Map Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Rural Rural Tour 2011 Seniors & Social Security Service Taxes The Buffett Rule Tax Receipt Technology Urban Policy Veterans Joining Forces Women We Can't Wait

See executive actions President Obama has taken

Your Federal Tax Receipt

See how your federal tax dollars are spent

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden First Lady Michelle Obama Dr. Jill Biden The Cabinet 2010 Video Reports White House Staff Chief of Staff Jack Lew Deputy Chief of Staff Nancy-Ann DeParle Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco Counselor to the President Peter Rouse Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett Executive Office of the President Other Advisory Boards About the White House Inside the White House

Take an interactive tour

Inside the White House History Décor and Art Interactive Tour Video Series Google Art Presidents First Ladies The Oval Office The Vice President's Residence & Office Eisenhower Executive Office Building Camp David Air Force One White House Fellows President’s Commission About the Fellowship Current Class Staff Bios News and Newsletters White House Internships About Program Presidential Department Descriptions Selection Process Internship Timeline & FAQs Tours & Events 2012 Easter Egg Roll 2011 Easter Egg Roll Holidays 2011 Kitchen Garden Tours Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources /* Maximize height of menu features. */if(typeof(jQuery)!='undefined')jQuery.each($('.topnav-feature','#topnav'),function(i,v){var o=$(v),oh=o.height(),sh=o.siblings().height();if(oh Home • The White House Blog   #subhead-wrapper{background: url("/sites/default/themes/whitehouse/img/blog_breadcrum.jpg") top left no-repeat !important;height: 16px;}.blog-header{ background: url("/sites/default/themes/whitehouse/img/blog_header.jpg") no-repeat scroll left top transparent; height: 84px; width: 976px; position: relative;}.blog-header-text{ color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 3em; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 20px 0px 0px 20px; text-shadow: 2px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);}.blog-header-text a{ color: #fff; text-decoration: none;}.blog-header-text a:hover{ text-shadow: 3px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); text-decoration: none;}#breadcrumb{ color: #fff; height: 16px}#breadcrumb a{ color: #fff !important;}.header-subscribe{ position: absolute; right: 21px; top: 54px;}The White House BlogSubscribe Our Top Stories President Obama Calls for a Simpler Refinancing Process President Obama to Barnard College: "Fight for a Seat at the Head of the Table" President Obama's To-Do List for Congress: Reward American Jobs, Not Outsourcing President Obama on Ending the War in Afghanistan My First Job: Jon Carson
Colleen CurtisMay 17, 2012
01:40 PM EDT Share This Post Summer Jobs+ is a call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for young people in the summer of 2012. It's about helping people find their first jobs.

Today Jon Carson is the Director of the Office of Public Engagement at the White House. In the video below, he talks about his first job -- working on a farm in Wisconsin. He bailed hay, which meant spending his summer days unloading hay onto an elevator in a hot and dusty barn. His hard work paid off however, because this job is where he also earned his first raise.

So far, employers have listed more than 300,000 jobs, mentorships, and other employment opportunities this summer through Summer Jobs+.

You heard about Gene Sperling's first job. Now go find yours.

Learn more

Watch Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President, talk about her first jobWatch Cecilia Munoz, Director of the White House's Domestic Policy Council, talk about her first job.Watch Jimmy Fallon talk about his first job.See the list of participating employers and organizationsCheck out a range of web and mobile apps designed to connect young people to jobs. Related Topics: Economy, Wisconsin PREVIOUS POST
By the Numbers: $1 BillionNEXT POST
National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease #content #featured-content-block .title { font-size: 17px !important; font-weight: normal; text-indent:0;}.blog-featured-content-queue { float: left; margin-top:15px; margin-right:49px; width: 197px;}#featured-content-block .last {margin-right: 0;}#blog #content .blog-featured-content-queue-title {font-size: 12px;line-height: 14.4px;}#featured-content-block {margin-bottom:55px;margin-top:20px;}Featured ContentWe Can't WaitJob Resources for Returning HeroesEnd of the Iraq War Economy and Jobs WHITEHOUSE.GOV IN YOUR INBOX Sign up for economy and jobs updates PHOTOS OF THE DAY VIEW PHOTO GALLERIES JUMP TO: Other White House Blogs The White House Blog Middle Class Task Force Council of Economic Advisers Council on Environmental Quality Council on Women and Girls Office of Management and Budget Office of Public Engagement Office of Science & Tech Policy Office of Urban Affairs Open Government Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships US Trade Representative Office National Drug Control Policy   Home The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts Briefing Room Your Weekly Address Speeches & Remarks Press Briefings Statements & Releases White House Schedule Presidential Actions Legislation Nominations & Appointments Disclosures Issues Civil Rights Defense Disabilities Economy Education Energy & Environment Ethics Fiscal Responsibility Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Rural Seniors & Social Security Service Taxes Technology Urban Policy Veterans Women The Administration President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden First Lady Michelle Obama Dr. Jill Biden The Cabinet White House Staff Executive Office of the President Other Advisory Boards About the White House Inside the White House Presidents First Ladies The Oval Office The Vice President's Residence & Office Eisenhower Executive Office Building Camp David Air Force One White House Fellows White House Internships Tours & Events Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources En español Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy Contact USA.gov Subscribe to RSS Feeds Apply for a Job

View the original article here

First Lady Michelle Obama Tells North Carolina A&T University Class of 2012 "We Need You"

First Lady Michelle Obama Tells North Carolina A&T University Class of 2012 "We Need You" | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts State of the Union

Watch the Enhanced Video

Briefing Room Your Weekly Address Speeches & Remarks Press Briefings Statements & Releases White House Schedule Presidential Actions Executive Orders Presidential Memoranda Proclamations Legislation Pending Legislation Signed Legislation Vetoed Legislation Nominations & Appointments Disclosures Visitor Access Records Financial Disclosures 2011 Annual Report to Congress 2010 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff 2009 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff A Commitment to Transparency

Browse White House visitor logs

Issues Civil Rights It Gets Better Defense End of Iraq War The Way Forward in Afghanistan Disabilities Economy Jobs Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Strengthening the Middle Class Supporting Business Blueprint for an America Built to Last Education Energy & Environment Ethics Fiscal Responsibility Excess Federal Properties Interactive Map Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Rural Rural Tour 2011 Seniors & Social Security Service Taxes The Buffett Rule Tax Receipt Technology Urban Policy Veterans Joining Forces Women We Can't Wait

See executive actions President Obama has taken

Your Federal Tax Receipt

See how your federal tax dollars are spent

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden First Lady Michelle Obama Dr. Jill Biden The Cabinet 2010 Video Reports White House Staff Chief of Staff Jack Lew Deputy Chief of Staff Nancy-Ann DeParle Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco Counselor to the President Peter Rouse Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett Executive Office of the President Other Advisory Boards About the White House Inside the White House

Take an interactive tour

Inside the White House History Décor and Art Interactive Tour Video Series Google Art Presidents First Ladies The Oval Office The Vice President's Residence & Office Eisenhower Executive Office Building Camp David Air Force One White House Fellows President’s Commission About the Fellowship Current Class Staff Bios News and Newsletters White House Internships About Program Presidential Department Descriptions Selection Process Internship Timeline & FAQs Tours & Events 2012 Easter Egg Roll 2011 Easter Egg Roll Holidays 2011 Kitchen Garden Tours Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources /* Maximize height of menu features. */if(typeof(jQuery)!='undefined')jQuery.each($('.topnav-feature','#topnav'),function(i,v){var o=$(v),oh=o.height(),sh=o.siblings().height();if(oh Home • The White House Blog   #subhead-wrapper{background: url("/sites/default/themes/whitehouse/img/blog_breadcrum.jpg") top left no-repeat !important;height: 16px;}.blog-header{ background: url("/sites/default/themes/whitehouse/img/blog_header.jpg") no-repeat scroll left top transparent; height: 84px; width: 976px; position: relative;}.blog-header-text{ color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 3em; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 20px 0px 0px 20px; text-shadow: 2px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);}.blog-header-text a{ color: #fff; text-decoration: none;}.blog-header-text a:hover{ text-shadow: 3px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); text-decoration: none;}#breadcrumb{ color: #fff; height: 16px}#breadcrumb a{ color: #fff !important;}.header-subscribe{ position: absolute; right: 21px; top: 54px;}The White House BlogSubscribe Our Top Stories President Obama Calls for a Simpler Refinancing Process President Obama to Barnard College: "Fight for a Seat at the Head of the Table" President Obama's To-Do List for Congress: Reward American Jobs, Not Outsourcing President Obama on Ending the War in Afghanistan First Lady Michelle Obama Tells North Carolina A&T University Class of 2012 "We Need You"
Colleen CurtisMay 14, 2012
09:00 AM EDT Share This Post

Interim Provost Winser Alexander presents First Lady Michele Obama with a hood signifying her honorary degree following her commencement address during the North Carolina Agriculture & Technology commencement ceremony in Greensboro, N.C., May 12, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

First Lady Michelle Obama invoked the example of the "Greensboro Four" in her commencement address to North Carolina A&T University's class of 2012. More than half a century ago, four A&T students started the movement that led to desegregation at lunch counters across the country, and Mrs Obama said this shows what can happen when someone decides to "wake up and change the situation." The First Lady challenged the students to follow their lead:

As graduates of this proud university, as young people like those who always stoked the fires of progress, our country is counting on all of you to step forward and help us with the work that remains.  We need you.

Mrs Obama also challeged each member of the graduating class to think about what’s important, and ask themselves three questions:

Who are you going to be?What’s going on in the world around me? andHow can I help?

The answers, she said, would help the graduated keep their bearings as they advanced in their careers and in their lives as citizens: 

You’ve got to figure out what matters to you and stay true to those values. You’ve got to keep your eyes open as you make your way in the world....

The fact is, we simply cannot move forward unless all of us are engaged. And being engaged means not simply recognizing what’s wrong, not simply complaining about and talking about our problems, but acting. It means waking up and changing the situation.  And that’s a lesson that so many of you have already begun to learn during your time here at A&T... 
 
And with that kind of action and that kind of commitment, all of you have begun to carry on that proud legacy of the Greensboro Four.

Students react as First Lady Michele Obama delivers the commencement address at the North Carolina Agriculture & Technology commencement ceremony in Greensboro, N.C., May 12, 2012 (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

This was Mrs. Obama's second commencement address of 2012. You can read her full remarks here
  Related Topics: Education, North Carolina PREVIOUS POST
First Lady Michelle Obama Addresses Virginia Tech GraduatesNEXT POST
My First Job: Omar Epps #content #featured-content-block .title { font-size: 17px !important; font-weight: normal; text-indent:0;}.blog-featured-content-queue { float: left; margin-top:15px; margin-right:49px; width: 197px;}#featured-content-block .last {margin-right: 0;}#blog #content .blog-featured-content-queue-title {font-size: 12px;line-height: 14.4px;}#featured-content-block {margin-bottom:55px;margin-top:20px;}Featured ContentWe Can't WaitJob Resources for Returning HeroesEnd of the Iraq War Education WHITEHOUSE.GOV IN YOUR INBOXSign up for education updates PHOTOS OF THE DAY VIEW PHOTO GALLERIES JUMP TO: Other White House Blogs The White House Blog Middle Class Task Force Council of Economic Advisers Council on Environmental Quality Council on Women and Girls Office of Management and Budget Office of Public Engagement Office of Science & Tech Policy Office of Urban Affairs Open Government Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships US Trade Representative Office National Drug Control Policy   Home The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts Briefing Room Your Weekly Address Speeches & Remarks Press Briefings Statements & Releases White House Schedule Presidential Actions Legislation Nominations & Appointments Disclosures Issues Civil Rights Defense Disabilities Economy Education Energy & Environment Ethics Fiscal Responsibility Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Rural Seniors & Social Security Service Taxes Technology Urban Policy Veterans Women The Administration President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden First Lady Michelle Obama Dr. Jill Biden The Cabinet White House Staff Executive Office of the President Other Advisory Boards About the White House Inside the White House Presidents First Ladies The Oval Office The Vice President's Residence & Office Eisenhower Executive Office Building Camp David Air Force One White House Fellows White House Internships Tours & Events Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources En español Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy Contact USA.gov Subscribe to RSS Feeds Apply for a Job

View the original article here

The call for Mickey Mouse as a write-in in the CA-DEM Primary!

Slightly contra Instapundit, this call for Mickey Mouse as a write-in on the California ballot is a blogger’s joke rather than an actual movement [UPDATE: I am informed in comments here that this is meant absolutely seriously; please be assured that I had no intention of mocking either the sentiment or the activity], but if it’s kidding then it’s kidding on the square. And it’s illustrating something that is perhaps being under-reported: the way that Obama’s not been doing all that well in the primaries for an incumbent.

I mean, yes: we’ve had it noted that Obama only racked up 59.4% of the West Virginia primary vote; 80.9% of New Hampshire’s; and 79.2% of North Carolina’s. But here are some other primary race vote totals, thus far (all via The Green Papers): Rhode Island, 83.4%. Louisiana, 76.5%. Alabama, 80.8%. Massachusetts, 81.2%, Oklahoma, 57.1%. To give you a baseline… if you remove places like American Samoa or Guam, if I read this right in 2004 George Bush never dipped below 89.5% (Idaho) of the primary vote in states he won and 79.6% (New Hampshire) in states that he didn’t. Other states of note in 2004, to give you an idea: Alabama, 92.8%. Kentucky, 92.5%. Massachusetts, 90.6%. Rhode Island, 84.9%.

I note the Bush comparison not to make a direct one – I do not think that we can really quantify the respective partisan enthusiasms of 2004 Republicans and 2012 Democrats. I do bring it up because it’s becoming clear that the Democratic voters in various states are getting restless. Or perhaps ‘volatile’ is a better word; while most of the Democrats voting in protest in the primaries will vote for Obama in the general, they’re generally not showing that they’re particularly happy about having to do that. And unhappy voters just… vote.

I would be interested to see how the media will report this if the trend continues, but unfortunately I don’t live in the alternate universe where mainstream media sources provide that kind of analysis on Democratic candidates.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

PS: I really do want to caution people about reading too much into these numbers; a lot of these states have long histories of using the primaries to spout off. But if it’s legitimate to talk about North Carolina and West Virginia and New Hampshire, then it’s legitimate to note that the additional examples of Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Louisiana suggest that this is all not a series of unfortunate coincidences, or however that phrase goes.

View the original article here

Media Trackers Uncovers Massive Ballot Irregularities in Montana

From the diaries by Erick . . .

In at least two counties in Montana, the home of a competitive U.S. Senate race that could tip the balance of power in the upper chamber, massive mail-in absentee ballot irregularities have been uncovered by Media Trackers Montana, a non-partisan investigative research organization with operations in five states across the country.  In Broadwater county alone, where Sen. Jon Tester received only 35 percent of the vote in the 2006 general election, up to 600 erroneous mail-in ballots have been reported. Over a dozen Billings-area voters have complained that they received incorrect ballots.  Yellowstone county officials have also reported numerous complaints from voters receiving the wrong ballot.

And to top it all off, even a sample ballot available to individual voters on the Montana Secretary of State’s website is incorrect (this particular ballot allows the voter to select a state representative in two separate districts — districts 68 and 83).  A majority of Montana voters are expected to vote by mail this November.

The Media Trackers investigation found state political officials in total disarray.  One county elections supervisor gave Media Trackers Montana several conflicting reasons for the ballot snafu.  Broadwater County elections officer Rhonda Nelson, a Democrat, told Media Trackers that the county experienced a “computer glitch with the software vendor” which resulted in numerous ballot anomalies. But when pressed for more specificity, Nelson seemed to contradict herself, stating, “This happened because I was in the hospital the day the ballots were approved and while my deputy was watching things, it was one less set of eyes on the process.”  Despite the widespread and significant ballot problems, Nelson told Media Trackers that she was confident in the integrity of the mail-in ballot system and that she planned to “personally call everyone who received a bad ballot and let them know they will be getting correct ballots.”

Scott Aspenlieder, a Republican seeking to unseat current Secretary of State Linda McCulloch, a Democrat, issued a scathing press release after Media Trackers first reported the ballot irregularities.  “I call on our Secretary of State to begin a comprehensive audit of all of the 2012 absentee ballots to identify every single error, and immediately take steps to fix this process so a Montanan’s right to vote is never threatened again,” he wrote.  “This failure of leadership is simply unacceptable, and Montanans deserve better.”

Montana’s primary is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5.  Follow Media Trackers Montana on Facebook and Twitter to receive breaking updates on this developing story.

View the original article here

No, He Wasn’t Born in Kenya #EERS

No, Barack Obama wasn’t born in Kenya, but we’re going to talk about it tonight.

Listen live right here and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

Consider this an open thread.

View the original article here

Yes, Many Republicans Supported Obamacare All Along

Many of us have taken it for granted that all Republicans would work for full repeal of Obamacare.  After all, not a single Republican voted for it.  However, it is always important to understand the reasons why politicians support or oppose a piece of legislation.

When you listen to many prominent Republicans voicing their disdain for Obamacare, you generally hear the following complaints: it raises taxes, it cuts Medicare, it contains death panels, it is 2,700 pages long – and most notably – the individual mandate.

The problem is that these are all ancillary to the crux of what is so offensive about Obamacare.  The overarching concern about Obamacare is that it harnesses the factors that have already driven up the cost of healthcare and health insurance, most prominently, the mandates and subsidies, and multiplies them to the nth degree.  The tax increases, Medicare cuts, and individual mandate are merely tools to fund those interventions.  Many Republicans never had a problem with them.  This is why they were never repulsed by Romneycare, which doesn’t contain tax hikes and Medicare cuts.  As for the individual mandate of MassCare, they contend that there is nothing wrong with a state mandate.

As such, it comes as no surprise to read these tidbits in Politico:

If the law is partially or fully overturned they’ll draw up bills to keep the popular, consumer-friendly portions in place — like allowing adult children to remain on parents’ health care plans until age 26, and forcing insurance companies to provide coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. Ripping these provisions from law is too politically risky, Republicans say. […]

On Tuesday, the major options were discussed during a small closed meeting of House Republican leaders, according to several sources present.

Then on Wednesday, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) gave the entire House Republican Conference a preview of where the party is heading. His message: “When the court rules, we’ll be ready.”

But Boehner warned that they’ll relegislate the issue in smaller, bite sizes, rather than putting together an unwieldy new health care bill.

“If all or part of the law is struck down, we are not going to repeat the Democrats’ mistakes,” Boehner said, according to several sources present. “We have better ideas on health care — lots of them. We have solutions, of course, for patients with pre-existing conditions and other challenges.”

If Politico was the only source promulgating this, I wouldn’t be worried.  Unfortunately, top GOP leaders have expressed their desire to keep the slacker and pre-existing mandates in place on numerous occasions.  This sentiment has also been evident in the GOP’s partial repeal strategy in which they target the most “unpopular provisions.”  These mandates are emblematic of the worst provisions in the law – the ones that will drive up the cost of private insurance and force everyone into government-run healthcare.

I’ve long struggled with the question of whether Republicans lack a full understanding of the free market or whether they simply lack the communication skills and fortitude to articulate free market positions to the public.  I suspect that with most members there are elements of both.

Boehner is definitely correct is asserting that we should not make the same mistake as the Democrats by offering all our conservative reforms in one shot.  We obviously cannot expand HSAs, enact tort reform, institute premium-support Medicare, reform Medicaid, and eliminate all the insurance mandates in one bill.  But whatever piece-meal approach we take must reflect a conservative free market view, and it must only take place after full repeal of Obamacare, especially of the slacker and pre-existing conditions mandates.  It is better to give out pure subsidies to the real sick for healthcare than to destroy the entire system with the paradoxical pre-existing insurance mandate.

We better pray that the Supreme Court rules in our favor on severability and strikes down the entire law.

View the original article here

Don't Forget!

It's Mother's Day!

As rewarding as being a mom can be, it sure isn't easy. That's part of why the Obama Administration is taking steps to level the playing field for mothers and their families.

To help you show some appreciation for the mom in your life, we've put together two Mother's Day cards. One focuses on important health care reforms and the other on heroic military moms across the country.

Check them out and share them:

From all of us here at the White House, Happy Mother's Day!

View the original article here