Saturday, February 16, 2013

The Morning Pride: January 23, 2012

Welcome to The Morning Pride, ThinkProgress LGBT’s daily round-up of the latest in LGBT policy, politics, and some culture too! Here’s what we’re reading this morning, but please let us know what stories you’re following as well. Follow us all day on Twitter at @TPEquality.

- “From Stonewall to Homeless,” a look at the challenge of the growing LGBT aging population.

- Montana might finally repeal its outdated law criminalizing sodomy.

- A nondiscrimination bill is advancing in the Virginia legislature.

- Did the state of Georgia violate a resident’s free speech by denying him vanity license plates that advocate for gay rights?

- A Christian-run Nashville music venue fired an employee who wore a band shirt that also expressed support for same-sex marriage.

- Ireland’s Equality Tribunal has ruled in favor of a gay employee who complained that he was discriminated against because of his sexual orientation.

- Nepal has introduced gender-neutral citizen documents for people who do not wish to be identified as male or female.

- U.S. Women’s Soccer star Megan Rapinoe has partnered with GLSEN to speak out against homophobic language:


View the original article here

Hillary Clinton pays off 2008 campaign debt

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has finally paid off the debt from her 2008 presidential campaign.

According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Clinton paid the remainder of her debt in the last days of 2012. Clinton's campaign committee paid a total of $73,000 to polling firm Penn and Schoen on New Year's Eve, ending a debt to the firm that had, at one point, reached $5.4 million, according to CNN.

Clinton's campaign committee at one time reportedly owed $12 million to creditors and over $13 million to Clinton herself after she loaned the campaign money.

Clinton's campaign raised $158,000 in the fourth quarter of 2012 and began 2013 with $205,000, CNN also reported. Those funds can be used for future campaigns for federal office.

Observers have speculated that Clinton might run again for president in 2016. Clinton, however, has repeatedly said she plans to end her career in public office after she finishes her term as secretary of State.

"I have been on this high wire of national and international politics and leadership for 20 years," Clinton said in October. "It has been an absolutely extraordinary personal honor and experience. But I really want to just have my own time back. I want to just be my own person. I'm looking forward to that."

View Comments

View the original article here

How Yahoo Used Tax Havens To Cut Its Taxes By $42.8 Million

Tech companies are some of the most notorious tax dodgers, as their business is easily shifted from place to place and their revenues easily hidden in tax havens. Case in point, Yahoo has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into low-tax countries, saving it tens of millions of dollars in taxes, as Bloomberg News reported:

Yahoo has taken advantage of the law to quietly funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in global profits to island subsidiaries, cutting its worldwide tax bill. [...]

Yahoo’s offshore operations cut its taxes by $42.8 million in 2011, U.S. securities filings show. Last February, the company reported a dispute with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service regarding its overseas arrangements. It didn’t disclose the amount at stake.

Kimberly Clausing, an economics professor at Reed College, estimates that “Profit shifting into tax havens by corporations costs the U.S. $90 billion a year.” That cost then gets shifted onto other businesses and individuals in the form of higher taxes or decreased government services.

Across the globe, corporate tax rates have plummeted in recent years, which one major bank admits “lend[s] and argument to those calling for hikes“:

The Wall Street Journal reported today that much of the money that U.S. corporations claim is offshore, and thus exempt from taxation, is actually right here in America. As the Wall Street Journal put it, this fact “undermines a central argument made by companies seeking tax relief to bring home money they have earned abroad.”


View the original article here

Apex Publications’ Jason Sizemore On Genre Literature, Humor, And Perspective

If you like science fiction, fantasy, and horror, you’re probably already familiar with Jason Sizemore, the head honcho at Apex Publications. I got to know him a couple of years ago, when he published my short story, “Frank,” in Apex Magazine. (If you’re nervous about reading it, I assure you, it’s not a story about what a racist Lovecraft was, but instead about how an evil scientist’s zombie henchman teaches a woman to drive stick.) He regularly gives pretty awesome interviews–which you can read here, here, here, or here, just for starters–so, rather than retread familiar ground in my short time, I went straight for the questions about my favorite book he’s published and things pertinent to our discussions. He was kind enough to oblige. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and style.

Me: This past October I saw your author, Chesya Burke at the Southern Festival of Books. She was on a panel with George Singleton. There was supposed to be another author, but she couldn’t make it. Anyway, with just the two of them, the panel blew my mind. She writes horror stories that can be pretty damn funny and Singleton writes funny stories that can also be very horrifying.

It really got me thinking about how horror and humor compliment each other — and clearly Chucky and Freddie are funny (or supposed to be) and Cabin in the Woods has some great humorous moments. I’m just not sure why they work so well together. What do you think?

Jason: I won’t pretend to be a psychoanalyst, but I’ll give you what I *think* horror and humor works so well together. Horror makes us face aspects of our life that make us uncomfortable. This can be a variety of things… fear of death (probably the most common device used in horror)… the fear of pain, the fear of loss, etc. When we’re uncomfortable, we’re quick to find something that will cut the tension and fear. Humor does a good job of giving us an emotional distance from fear.
Gallows humor has been around a long time. I suspect guys like Joss Whedon, Sam Raimi, and Joe Lansdale have a better understanding of this dynamic, and thus why they’re famous and critically loved.

Speaking of Burke, I love her book Let’s Play White. It’s angry, funny, and scary as hell. How did you guys end up publishing that?

Speaking on behalf of Chesya, thank you! I’m always delighted when I hear a reader enjoys the work Apex publishes.

The genesis of Let’s Play White can be traced to World Fantasy Con in 2010 (the WFC held in Columbus, OH). At a professional convention like WFC, if you’re a publisher, editor, or agent, you should be ready to accept pitches from authors (after all, that is the primary reason many authors attend). So I was taking pitches throughout the weekend while working the Apex table. One of the line of writers who shared their book idea with me was Chesya. Chesya had several advantages over most other authors that weekend. She had read many of our books. She knew that I have an affinity for publishing stuff that can be considered unique, a bit edgy. And she had cultivated a friendly and professional relationship with me over the past four years. All the same, I would have published Let’s Play White without any of those factors based on the strength of her work. Let’s Play White is written by female person of color from southeast KY currently living in Georgia. She might have one of the most unique perspectives in all of genre literature.  This gives her stories an entertaining, eye-opening quality. She also knows how to ratchet the horror and stretch her imagination.

You and I live in the South. Okay, the South-ish. We live in a region of great ghost stories. And we live in a land of large houses where terrible things happened. Where’s our iconic haunted house story? How come New England spawns so many and we so few?

New England (and I would add Great Britain) certainly are the standard bearers when it comes to haunted house stories. But I would argue that the South has a fair share of well known stories. Lexington (KY) has several semi-famous haunted houses (Whitehall, chief among them).

Perhaps since there are so many supernatural things going on in the South, that the ghost house stories only seem to stick in a regional manner? I had never considered this question before. Now it will bother me to no end!

Did you read Paul Elie’s blathering about belief and novels of belief in the New York Times? Maybe I’ve tipped my hand by framing the question this way, but it seems like he missed the forest for the few trees he’s familiar with. Apex Publications is a small operation, and yet, just flipping through your titles, there are angels and crosses and other religious iconography and you’ve published two collections (Dark Faith and Dark Faith: Invocations) that are specifically about belief and believers. Is the problem that Elie’s not looking in the right places for the work he seeks? Is that because of the stupid way our culture treats genre fiction and literature like two separate things?

That last thing you said. Walk through the genre aisles and you’ll see no end of angel wings, demons, pagan imagery, etc. Paul Elie obviously needs to do some research before he talks out his ass about a subject he has no clue about. I believe I will mail him a copy of Dark Faith signed by the editors.


View the original article here

Rep. Fattah defends Beyonce from 'detractors'

By Alicia M. Cohn - 01/23/13 08:29 AM ET

Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) defended singer Beyonce's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

Beyonce earned rave reviews for her performance of the national anthem during President Obama's inauguration on Monday, but controversy followed on Tuesday when the singer was accused of lip-syncing the track. 

The U.S. Marine Corps Band confirmed that the track was prerecorded, but later backpedaled by saying that while the band was not live, the singing might have been.

The other singers who performed during the event, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor, both sang live. Beyonce has not commented.

The other singers Fattah thanked in his tweet, Alicia Keys and Katy Perry, performed at official inaugural balls over the weekend.

View Comments

View the original article here

Aegerion CEO on Promise of Biopharma

 Highlight transcript below to create clipTranscript:  Print  |  Email Go  Click text to jump within videoWed 23 Jan 13 | 06:43 AM ET Marc Beer, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals CEO, discusses a drug in the company's pipeline that treats patients with severe cholesterol disorder.

View the original article here

Remarks by the President and the Vice President at Inaugural Luncheon

Remarks by the President and the Vice President at Inaugural Luncheon | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama The White House Emblem Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

2012: A Year in Photos

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 2012 Annual Report to Congress 2011 Annual Report to Congress 2010 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff A Commitment to Transparency

Browse White House visitor logs

President Obama greets White House visitors

Issues Civil Rights It Gets Better Defense End of Iraq War Disabilities Economy Jobs Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Strengthening the Middle Class A Plan for Refinancing Support for Business Education Energy & Environment Ethics Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Taxes Tax Receipt The Buffett Rule Rural Urban Policy Veterans Joining Forces Technology Seniors & Social Security Service Snapshots Creating Jobs Health Care Small Business PreK-12 Education Women Violence Prevention Now Is The Time

To do something about gun violence

Now Is The Time

7 Things You Need to Know

About the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

Explore the President's Plan

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

We the People

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 White House On the Go

Download our mobile apps

Download our mobile apps

2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

2012: A Year in Photos

Inside the White House Interactive Tour West Wing Tour Video Series Décor and Art Holidays 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 Kitchen Garden Tours Mobile Apps 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($('#topnav'),function(i,v){var o=$(v),oh=o.height(),sh=o.siblings().height();if(oh HomeBriefing Room • Speeches & Remarks   The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 21, 2013 Remarks by the President and the Vice President at Inaugural Luncheon National Statuary Hall
United States Capitol

2:35 P.M. EST
 
SENATOR SCHUMER:  Mr. President, Dr. Biden, and your whole wonderful family, I now rise to toast the Vice President of the United States and my former colleague and my friend, Joe Biden.
 
Mr. Vice President, you’ve been an extraordinary leader of this nation and a true partner to our President these past four years.  You play many roles -- advisor, advocate, implementer, persuader, strategist, and most important of all, friend.  We're confident this unique partnership between you and our great President will only grow stronger and more productive over the next four years.
 
Mr. Vice President, on the surface, we don't share a common ancestry, but on a deeper level we do share a common story, an American story, of achieving our dreams thanks to the sacrifice of our immigrant forebears. 
 
As you embark on your well-deserved second term, in the spirit of those who came before us, and on behalf of all Americans, we offer you all our support and warmest wishes, and we say to you -- Sláinte.  L’chaim.  Salud.  Cent’anni.  And cheers.  To our great Vice President.
 
(A toast is offered.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Mr. President, and to all the
Presidents assembled -- I always enjoyed this lunch more than anything we did in the Capitol.  For the 36 years I served in the Senate, I had the great honor of being included in this lunch of former Presidents and Vice Presidents -- because it really is the place where we get together in a way unlike any other time when we gather.  It’s always a new beginning every time we're in this room.  And there’s a sense of possibilities and a sense of opportunity and a sense -- sometimes it’s fleeting, but a sense that maybe we can really begin to work together.
 
And, Chuck, we may come from different ancestries, but as all our colleagues know over the years, we're cut from the same cloth -- that we share that same common, absolute conviction that was expressed by Harry Truman when he said, “America was not built on fear.  America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” 
 
That's what you’ve done throughout your career, and that's what almost everyone in this room has done.  At the end of the day, it’s an absolute confidence -- absolute confidence -- there’s not a thing, a single thing this country can't do. 
 
I spent too much time with all of you not to know you feel it with every fiber in your being that there’s nothing – nothing -- this country is incapable of.
 
I must say the President kids me occasionally -- I know Harry Reid always calls me a Senate man.  I am proud to have been a Senate man.  I am proud to be President of the Senate.  But that pride is exceeded only by the fact I'm proud to be Vice President of the United States, serving as Barack Obama’s Vice President.  It’s been one of the great privileges -- (applause)  -- one of the great privileges of my life.
 
As a matter of fact, if the President will forgive me, as we were walking out and he was, as he said, savoring the moment, looking out at the crowd and all those Americans assembled, I found myself -- surprised me, even -- I turned to him saying, thank you.  Thanks.  Thanks for the chance.  Thanks for the chance to continue to serve.  
 
And so, folks, I raise my glass to a man who never, never, never operates out of fear, only operates out of confidence -- and I'm toasting you, Chuck.  (Laughter.)  And a guy who I plan on working with -- you can't get rid of me, man.  Remember, I'm still part of the Senate.  (Laughter.) 
 
God bless you, Chuck.  You’ve done a great job.  And, Lamar, you have as well.  To Chuck Schumer.  Good to see you, pal. 
 
(A toast is offered.)
 
SENATOR SCHUMER:  The best parts of these events are unscripted.  (Laughter.) 
 
I'd now like to introduce our Senate Majority Leader, my good friend and, really, foxhole buddy -- a great man, Harry Reid -- to offer the official toast to the President.  (Applause.)
 
SENATOR REID:  Americans todays are wishing the President Godspeed for the next four years.  People all over the world are looking at us, and our exemplary democracy, and wishing the President the best in the years to come. 

I’ve had the good fortune for the last many years to work on a very close, personal basis with President Obama.  I’ve watched him in the most difficult challenges that a person could face.  I’ve watched him do this with brilliance, with patience, with courage, wisdom, and kindness, for which I have learned a great deal. 
 
So, Mr. President, I toast and pray for you, your wonderful family, and our great country four more successful years. 
 
Barack Obama. 
 
(A toast is offered.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Michelle and the Speaker of the House came to a meeting of the minds that I may be delaying the proceedings too much.  And so I’m just going to be extraordinarily brief and say thank you -- to my Vice President, who has not only been an extraordinary partner but an extraordinary friend; and to Dr. Jill Biden, who has partnered with my wife with extraordinary generosity on behalf of our men and women in uniform. 
 
To the entire Cabinet that is here, I am grateful to you.  Some of you are staying and some of you are leaving, but I know the extraordinary sacrifices that you and my team have made to try to advance the cause of progress in this country, and I’m always going to be grateful to you for that.
 
To the Speaker of the House and Nancy Pelosi, to Democratic Leader Harry Reid, as well as Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and to all the congressional leaders and all the members of Congress who are here -- I recognize that democracy is not always easy, and I recognize there are profound differences in this room, but I just want to say thank you for your service and I want to thank your families for their service, because regardless of our political persuasions and perspectives, I know that all of us serve because we believe that we can make America for future generations.
 
And I'm confident that we can act at this moment in a way that makes a difference for our children and our children's children.  I know that former President Carter, President Clinton, they understand the irony of the presidential office, which is, the longer you're there the more humble you become and the more mindful you are that it is beyond your poor powers individually to move this great country.  You can only do it because you have extraordinary partners and a spirit of good will, and most of all, because of the strength and resilience and fundamental goodness of the American people.
 
And so I would like to join all of you not only in toasting the extraordinary work that Chuck Schumer and Lamar Alexander and others have done to create this special day for us, but I also want to thank each and every one of you for not only your service in the past, but hopefully your service in the future as well. 
 
And I would like to offer one last toast, and that is to my extraordinary wife, Michelle.  There is controversy about the quality of the President -- no controversy about the quality of our current First Lady.  (Laughter and applause.) 
 
Thank you, everybody.  God bless you, and God bless America.

END  
2:44 P.M. EST

Watch the Video President Obama and Vice President Biden Speak at an Inaugural LuncheonJanuary 21, 2013 2:00 PMPresident Obama and Vice President Biden Speak at an Inaugural Luncheon

Blog posts on this issue January 21, 2013 2:27 PM ESTThe Second Inauguration of Barack ObamaThe Second Inauguration of Barack Obama

Read the official transcript or watch the video of President Obama's Second Inaugural Address.

January 21, 2013 3:26 PM ESTBe a Part of the Next Four Years

The President's second term will offer many ways for citizens to participate in conversations with the President and his team about the issues that are most important to them.

January 21, 2013 10:23 AM ESTThese Four Historians Have Some Thoughts About Today's Inauguration

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Robert Caro, Michael Beschloss, and Douglass Brinkley have written more than a dozen books about American presidents, and they have some thoughts about the 2013 Inauguration.

view all related blog posts ul.related-content li.views-row img {float: left; padding: 5px 10px 0 0;}ul.related-content li.view-all {padding-bottom: 3em;} Stay ConnectedFacebookTwitterFlickrGoogle+YouTubeVimeoiTunesLinkedIn   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 Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Taxes Rural Urban Policy Veterans Technology Seniors & Social Security Service Snapshots Women Violence Prevention 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 Mobile Apps Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources The White House Emblem En español Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy Contact USA.gov Developers Apply for a Job

View the original article here

Clinton Scolds GOP Senator For Focusing On Whether Protest Sparked Benghazi Attack

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shot back at a Republican senator during today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Benghazi terror attacks, arguing that the Republicans’ focus on whether there was a protest against in anti-Muslim video at the time of the attack is irrelevant.

Much of the politicization surrounding the Benghazi affair centered on Republicans attacking the Obama administration’s initial assessment that the Benghazi attacks may have been sparked by the video protest, a determination that the administration later backed away from.

When Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) asked Clinton why she didn’t make “a simple phone call” to the evacuees to find out, the Secretary of State shot back: “With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans!” she said, “What difference does it make?”:

JOHNSON: Madam Secretary, do you disagree that a simple phone call to those evacuees to determined what happened would have ascertained immediately there was no protest? That was a piece of information that could have been easily, easily obtained. within hours if not days.

CLINTON: Senator, you know, when you’re in these positions, the last thing you want to do is interfere with any other process.

JOHNSON: I realize that. I realize it’s a good excuse.

CLINTON: No it’s a fact. [...]

JOHNSON: Again, we were mislead there was supposedly protests and something spraying out of that, assault spraying out of that. That was easily ascertained that was not the fact and the american people could have known that within days and didn’t know that.

CLINTON: With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans! Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night decided to go kill some Americans?! What difference at this point does it make?! It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again,

Watch the clip:


View the original article here

National Security Brief: Netanyahu Weakened In Surprising Election Results


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies “were sharply weakened” in national elections on Tuesday, forcing him to try to form a coalition government with his opponents. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports: In the past decades, the general understanding on the political scene was that Israeli elections are determined, above all, by voters’ sense of personal security. Apparently, however, the 2013 elections are different. Four years of relative calm did not help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Neither did his implied threats that the Iranian bomb is approaching, and the Arab Spring is out there raging. Many voters took advantage of the calm to vote according to what really bothered them: their economic situation, the social gaps, the fact that some Israelis bear the burden of the military and taxation while others do not, or a sense of just being plain fed up with the existing regime.

In other news:

The Pentagon said that it will not demand payment to transport French troops to Mali in American planes, however the U.S. has not agreed to a French request to provide refueling tankers for its warplanes. Meanwhile, British special forces have arrived in Mali helping to co-ordinate and advise the French military effort against the jihadi groups in the north.
The Wall Street Journal reports: Afghan rural areas will be at greater risk of falling to the Taliban if the U.S. accedes to Kabul’s demands to speed up the withdrawal of special-operations teams working with Afghan village self-defense units, an internal report prepared for the U.S. military warned.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will appear before both House of Congress today to answer questions about the attack that killed American diplomats and other personnel in Benghazi, Libya last September. It will be one of her last duties as America’s top diplomat.

View the original article here

Merck CEO: Significant Need for New Blockbuster Drugs

 Highlight transcript below to create clipTranscript:  Print  |  Email Go  Click text to jump within videoWed 23 Jan 13 | 05:30 AM ET Ken Frazier, CEO of Merck, tells CNBC about the challenges of finding new blockbuster drugs and how any change to Medicare funding must have a sustainable benefit.

View the original article here

Statement by the President on Roe v. Wade Anniversary

Statement by the President on Roe v. Wade Anniversary | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama The White House Emblem Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

2012: A Year in Photos

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 2012 Annual Report to Congress 2011 Annual Report to Congress 2010 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff A Commitment to Transparency

Browse White House visitor logs

President Obama greets White House visitors

Issues Civil Rights It Gets Better Defense End of Iraq War Disabilities Economy Jobs Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Strengthening the Middle Class A Plan for Refinancing Support for Business Education Energy & Environment Ethics Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Taxes Tax Receipt The Buffett Rule Rural Urban Policy Veterans Joining Forces Technology Seniors & Social Security Service Snapshots Creating Jobs Health Care Small Business PreK-12 Education Women Violence Prevention Now Is The Time

To do something about gun violence

Now Is The Time

7 Things You Need to Know

About the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

Explore the President's Plan

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

We the People

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 White House On the Go

Download our mobile apps

Download our mobile apps

2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

2012: A Year in Photos

Inside the White House Interactive Tour West Wing Tour Video Series Décor and Art Holidays 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 Kitchen Garden Tours Mobile Apps 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($('#topnav'),function(i,v){var o=$(v),oh=o.height(),sh=o.siblings().height();if(oh HomeBriefing Room • Statements & Releases   The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 22, 2013 Statement by the President on Roe v. Wade Anniversary

On the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we reaffirm its historic commitment to protect the health and reproductive freedom of women across this country and stand by its guiding principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters, and women should be able to make their own choices about their bodies and their health care. Today and every day, my Administration continues our efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, and minimize the need for abortion. On this anniversary, we recommit ourselves to supporting women and families in the choices they make and redouble our efforts to promote safe and healthy communities.

Blog posts on this issue January 21, 2013 2:27 PM ESTThe Second Inauguration of Barack ObamaThe Second Inauguration of Barack Obama

Read the official transcript or watch the video of President Obama's Second Inaugural Address.

January 21, 2013 3:26 PM ESTBe a Part of the Next Four Years

The President's second term will offer many ways for citizens to participate in conversations with the President and his team about the issues that are most important to them.

January 21, 2013 10:23 AM ESTThese Four Historians Have Some Thoughts About Today's Inauguration

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Robert Caro, Michael Beschloss, and Douglass Brinkley have written more than a dozen books about American presidents, and they have some thoughts about the 2013 Inauguration.

view all related blog posts ul.related-content li.views-row img {float: left; padding: 5px 10px 0 0;}ul.related-content li.view-all {padding-bottom: 3em;} Stay ConnectedFacebookTwitterFlickrGoogle+YouTubeVimeoiTunesLinkedIn   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 Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Taxes Rural Urban Policy Veterans Technology Seniors & Social Security Service Snapshots Women Violence Prevention 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 Mobile Apps Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources The White House Emblem En español Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy Contact USA.gov Developers Apply for a Job

View the original article here

Justiceline: January 23, 2013

Welcome to Justiceline, ThinkProgress Justice’s morning round-up of the latest legal news and developments. Remember to follow us on Twitter at @TPJustice


View the original article here

Ravens Player Hopes To Use Super Bowl To Promote Equality

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo was an outspoken advocate for marriage equality during the campaign in Maryland last year, but his support has not waned since that victorious conclusion. Now that the Ravens are bound for the Super Bowl, he wants to use that visibility to promote equality on a bigger scale:

He tapped out an email to Brian Ellner, a leading marriage-equality advocate with whom he had worked before, and Michael Skolnik, the political director for Russell Simmons, a hip-hop mogul who has become involved in many issues, including same-sex marriage.

Ayanbadejo wrote: “Is there anything I can do for marriage equality or anti- bullying over the next couple of weeks to harness this Super Bowl media?” The time stamp on the email was 3:40:35 A.M.

Ayanbadejo joked that this was his “Jerry Maguire email,” and told Frank Bruni at the New York Times that he’s really excited about the opportunity to do more:

“It’s one of those times when you’re really passionate and in your zone,” Ayanbadejo told me, referring to Maguire’s movie moment and to his own real-life one, in the wee hours of Monday morning. “And I got to thinking about all kinds of things, and I thought: how can we get our message out there?”

He may have his sights on winning the Super Bowl, but he’s looking past that too:

“That’s my ultimate goal after the Super Bowl,” Ayanbadejo told me. “To go on Ellen’s show, to be dancing with her, to bust a move with her.”

In addition to Ellner and Skolnik, he has reached out to Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally, to explore opportunities to do more to combat bullying and homophobia in athletics.

Ayanbadejo is the model of a straight ally: a football star who just found out he was going to the Super Bowl and reacted by asking what he could do to support the LGBT community. Plenty of individuals will step up when asked, but it’s the ones who take their own initiative who make the biggest difference.


View the original article here