Slower Growth of Health Costs Eases US Deficit

A sharp and surprisingly persistent slowdown in the growth of health care costs is helping to narrow the federal deficit, leaving budget experts trying to figure out whether the trend will last and how much the slower growth could help alleviate the country's long-term fiscal problems.

In figures released last week, the Congressional Budget Office said it had erased hundreds of billions of dollars in projected spending on Medicare and Medicaid. The budget office now projects that spending on those two programs in 2020 will be about $200 billion, or 15 percent, less than it projected three years ago. New data also show overall health care spending growth continuing at the lowest rate in decades for a fourth consecutive year.

Health experts say they do not yet fully understand what is driving the lower spending trajectory. But there is a growing consensus that changes in how doctors and hospitals deliver health care — as opposed to merely a weak economy — are playing a role. Still, experts sharply disagree on where spending might be in future years, a question with major ramifications for the federal deficit, family budgets and the overall economy.

Part of the slowdown stems from "the recession and the loss of income and wealth" causing people to cut back on health care, Douglas W. Elmendorf, the director of the Congressional Budget Office, said last week. But he added that a "significant part" of the slowdown "probably arises from structural changes in the health care system."

Some insurers have moved away from simply paying per procedure by giving health care providers financial incentives to reduce complications and rehospitalizations, for instance. Doctors, nurses and hospitals have also taken steps to reduce wasteful treatments. Many of the changes predate the 2010 health care overhaul, but the law has also contributed to the changes by offering some financial incentives, health care experts say.

Even if slower growth persists, the cost of health care poses one of the greatest threats to the country's fiscal health. It threatens to consume a larger proportion of the overall budget, meaning larger deficits, cuts to other programs, higher taxes or some combination of the three. Remaining on a lower cost trajectory would reduce the pressure on Democrats and Republicans seeking to put the country on a sounder fiscal path.

"We're not going from unsustainable to sustainable," said Jared Bernstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal-leaning research group in Washington. "Even if the recent changes persist, we're not done in terms of achieving sustainability in health care cost growth, but we have more time to figure out what's working without hacking away at social insurance," added Mr. Bernstein, a former economic adviser to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

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The United States Should Reduce Its Nuclear Arsenal

(Photo: AP)

In his State of the Union address last night, President Barack Obama referred to the need to reduce the force structure of our strategic military systems by cutting the number of deployed nuclear weapons. Press reports over the last year have indicated that military and civilian leaders have settled on a plan to reduce the number of deployed nuclear weapons by one-third, to between 1,000 and 1,100, down from 1,700. President Obama should push for such a reduction, which would follow the practice of his predecessors and improve our national security. As the Center for American Progress has argued for the last decade, this move makes sense both strategically and fiscally, and is long overdue.

When President George W. Bush entered the White House in 2001, he moved to cut our stockpile of nuclear weapons—which at that time numbered about 6,000 to the lowest-possible number consistent with our national security. The president offered to make these cuts unilaterally, but Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted the reductions codified in a treaty that would limit deployed nuclear weapons to less than 1,500 warheads for each country. In 2002, under pressure from Russia, President Bush agreed to a legally binding accord the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, or SORT—which stated that both sides will limit their arsenals to between 1,700 and 2,200 deployed nuclear weapons each.

Subsequently, in 2010 President Obama negotiated a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, with Russia that calls for reducing each country’s number of deployed nuclear weapons to 1,550 by 2018, but places no limits on the total number of warheads, which now number 5,000. This was an impressive and welcome achievement. But analyses by the Air War College, Gen. James Cartwright, the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and commander of U.S. Strategic Command; and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) all argue that these numbers of deployed and reserve nuclear weapons and warheads are far more than the United States needs for the purpose of deterrence in the 21st century.

Analysts at the Air War College argue that the United States can achieve deterrence with a total nuclear force (deployed and reserve) of 300 weapons, while Gen. Cartwright believes a total of 800 (400 deployed and 400 in reserve) would be sufficient.

These reductions would result in substantial savings. The United States currently spends about $55 billion a year to maintain its triad of nuclear-capable bombers, land-based ballistic missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Moreover, if the United States wants to refurbish, repair, and modernize its existing nuclear arsenal in its current size, we will have to spend about $600 billion over the next decade. Adapting the Cartwright plan would save approximately $120 billion. Depending on the specifics of its implementation, even President Obama’s more moderate target could save tens of billions over the next decade. Additionally, reducing our nuclear footprint will reduce long-term maintenance costs and reduce the risks of theft or mishandling of nuclear material.

Given the pressure that all government expenditures will face over the next decade due to our fiscal problems, maintaining our current oversized nuclear arsenal is unnecessary, unaffordable, and unwise. The savings from reducing our nuclear arsenal can be used for either more pressing national security priorities or to pay down the national debt. This is why the Center for American Progress has advocated for reductions to our nuclear spending for nearly a decade and why we fully support President Obama’s planned reductions.

Lawrence Korb is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress.

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Notice -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Libya

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

NOTICE

- - - - - - -

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO LIBYA

On February 25, 2011, by Executive Order 13566, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, his government, and close associates who took extreme measures against the people of Libya, including by using weapons of war, mercenaries, and wanton violence against unarmed civilians. In addition, there was a serious risk that Libyan state assets would be misappropriated by Qadhafi, members of his government, members of his family, or his close associates if those assets were not protected. The foregoing circumstances, the prolonged attacks, and the increased numbers of Libyans seeking refuge in other countries caused a deterioration in the security of Libya and posed a serious risk to its stability.

We are in the process of winding down the sanctions in response to developments in Libya, including the fall of Qadhafi and his government and the establishment of a democratically elected government. We are working closely with the new Libyan government and with the international community to effectively and appropriately ease restrictions on sanctioned entities, including by taking action consistent with the U.N. Security Council's decision to lift sanctions against the Central Bank of Libya and two other entities on December 16, 2011. The situation in Libya, however, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and we need to protect against this threat and the diversion of assets or other abuse by certain members of Qadhafi's family and other former regime officials. Therefore, the national emergency declared on February 25, 2011, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond February 25, 2013. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13566.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

BARACK OBAMA

President Obama issued an Executive Order directing federal departments and agencies to use their existing authorities to provide better cybersecurity for the Nation, efforts that will by necessity involve increased collaboration with the private sector.

Alan Krueger, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, answered questions from the public about President Obama's State of the Union Address in an “Open for Questions” session moderated by Yahoo! Finance. Check it out below.

The stars of the Oscar-nominated drama joined Mrs. Obama to help teach students about the hard work required to create a beautiful movie.

view all related blog posts

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Kentucky Basketball Star’s Injury Spotlights Absurdity Of The NBA’s Age Limit

With just more than eight minutes remaining on the clock, the University of Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel chased down Florida guard Mike Rosario and swatted away a fast-break layup attempt. It was Noel’s 106th block of his freshman season at Kentucky. It was also his last. As he returned to the floor, Noel bumped into the basket support, twisted his knee, and collapsed to the floor. His left anterior cruciate ligament was torn, his season — and likely his Kentucky career — ended on a block he never should have made in a game he never should have played.

Noel is only at Kentucky, and only in college, because the National Basketball Association instituted a rule in 2005 requiring all American-born players to be one year removed from high school before they can enter the league’s draft. Nevermind that Noel, the top-ranked player in the high school class of 2012, would have surely been a first-round pick were he eligible last year. Noel wanted to play in the NBA and an NBA team would have gladly accepted his services. He is in college not because he wanted to be, not because of some sense of amateurism or for an education. He is in college because he had to be.

Proponents of the NBA age limit (as well as those who think it should be stronger) argue that it is a good policy because it allows players to mature and improve their games before they jump to the pros. This is nonsense. The age limit exists because NBA teams, some burned by straight-from-high-school prospects that didn’t work out in the past, saw an opportunity to protect themselves against the possibility that the people they pay to scout and draft players aren’t very good at their jobs. Rather than risk millions of dollars on players who entered the draft right out of high school, the NBA now forces those players to perform a one-year trial run in the cost-free minor league that is college basketball.

It is entirely possible that Noel could have suffered the same injury at the professional level, but if he did, he would have already signed a contract and would have a guaranteed paycheck from his NBA team. Instead, he received a scholarship worth comparably little, and though he will still get drafted, the injury could cost him an untold amount of money if his draft stock drops. Even then, he is probably lucky, since an injury that was more likely to threaten his career entirely would have cost him even more.

But while Noel’s injury highlights problems with the limit, what makes it a bad rule is that it is another unnecessary form of restriction on young athletes that doesn’t exist for other workers. Replace Noel with a person with a different skill-set and basketball with a different industry, and no such policy would stand. An 18-year-old computer whizkid with an offer to join Apple is free to take the job. Someone of the same age with a talent for writing who had a job offer from the New York Times has the same opportunity. But because the NBA wants to protect itself from itself, no such chance exists for talented basketball players like Noel, who, even if an NBA team would be willing to pay them to play, are forced to spend one year as indentured servants in a system where everyone — the NCAA, the NBA, and their schools — makes money except them.

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Rep. Huelskamp: Employment Protections ‘Reward Homosexual Behavior’

As momentum for LGBT employment nondiscrimination protections increases, conservatives have begun to retaliate, claiming such policies somehow create special privileges for LGBT people. Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), one of the most anti-gay members of Congress, made just such a claim on Tony Perkins’ radio show on Tuesday. According to Huelskamp, equal protections under the law for gays and lesbians are “radical ideas” that “selectively reward homosexual behavior”:

HUELSKAMP: The response from the general leadership is: gosh, we can’t talk about social issues. But the President can? Someone has to stand up and defend the seventy percent position that most Americans support traditional marriage, most Americans understand the value of family, they understand it’s under attack and they understand that, they see it, they believe it. So we got to stand up. I’ve always been confused by Republicans that refuse to support a seventy percent position and say, ‘gosh we can’t take our stand there.’ But whether it’s Obamacare, whether it’s these radical DoD [Department of Defense] proposals coming out of the White House or changing all the employment rules to specifically and selectively reward homosexual behavior, those are really radical ideas and most Americans do not accept them.

So we’ll have an opportunity to hear from the President but again don’t forget he is a lame duck President, he’s not running for election again and I think this could be the most radical we’ll hear from him in a long time because it is Obama unleashed. We’re going to hear tonight probably exactly what he would like to do and he promised he’s going to change America and he’s still after that agenda and that goal.

Listen to it (via RightWingWatch):

A “reward” implies something special or extra that other people are not entitled to. The only “reward” of employment protections for gay people is getting to keep their jobs. Granting benefits to the same-sex partners of military servicemembers does not create “a new class of beneficiary” as the Family Research Council claimed on Tuesday; the only reason there is a separate class is because some families are still treated different than others.

It’s clear that opponents of equality would prefer that the LGBT community remain second-class citizens. When they object to basic nondiscrimination protections, the special “reward” they’re afraid of is fairness under the law.

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The Nine Most Insane Quotes From The NRA’s New Apocalyptic Op-Ed

Wednesday afternoon, National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre published a bizarre, paranoid screed on the Daily Caller outlining a series of wildly implausible scenarios in which (among other things) the police will cease to exist because of the deficit and al-Qaeda will provoke the government into stealing your guns. Here are the nine most absurd quotes from LaPierre’s piece:

1. Violent Latino Gangs Are Out To Get You: “Latin American drug gangs have invaded every city of significant size in the United States. Phoenix is already one of the kidnapping capitals of the world, and though the states on the U.S./Mexico border may be the first places in the nation to suffer from cartel violence, by no means are they the last.”

2. And They’re Streaming Over The Border: “The president flagrantly defies the 2006 federal law ordering the construction of a secure border fence along the entire Mexican border. So the border today remains porous not only to people seeking jobs in the U.S., but to criminals whose jobs are murder, rape, robbery and kidnapping.”

3. And So Is Al-Qaeda: “Ominously, the border also remains open to agents of al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. Numerous intelligence sources have confirmed that foreign terrorists have identified the southern U.S. border as their path of entry into the country.”

4. And Obama Will Use Them As An Excuse To Take Your Guns: “A heinous act of mass murder—either by terrorists or by some psychotic who should have been locked up long ago—will be the pretext to unleash a tsunami of gun control.”

5. If You Want Gun Safety, You Want Civilization To Collapse: “After Hurricane Sandy, we saw the hellish world that the gun prohibitionists see as their utopia. Looters ran wild in south Brooklyn. There was no food, water or electricity. And if you wanted to walk several miles to get supplies, you better get back before dark, or you might not get home at all.”

6. Thanks To Obama, There Will Soon Be No Cops: “Meanwhile, President Obama is leading this country to financial ruin, borrowing over a trillion dollars a year for phony “stimulus” spending and other payoffs for his political cronies. Nobody knows if or when the fiscal collapse will come, but if the country is broke, there likely won’t be enough money to pay for police protection. And the American people know it.”

7. But The NRA Is Totally Not Paranoid: “Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Riots. Terrorists. Gangs. Lone criminals. These are perils we are sure to face—not just maybe. It’s not paranoia to buy a gun. It’s survival. It’s responsible behavior, and it’s time we encourage law-abiding Americans to do just that.”

8. It’s Just That The Collapse Of Civilization Is Right Around The Corner: “We, the American people, clearly see the daunting forces we will undoubtedly face: terrorists, crime, drug gangs, the possibility of Euro-style debt riots, civil unrest or natural disaster.”

9. And We Shall Overcome: “We [the NRA] are the largest civil rights organization in the world.”

View the original article here

DAY'S END ROUNDUP

FROM THE BLOGS:

Does subsidized preschool pay off?
The Economist's Will Wilkinson writes on why President Obama's plan for universal preschool may not be entirely effective. 

Rubio's thirst was the best thing that could have happened to him
Talking Points Memo's Brian Beutler thinks Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) gave an unimpressive response to Obama's State of the Union address.

The schizophrenic State of the Union
S.E. Cupp argues in the New York Daily News that Obama's State of the Union address was vague and inconsistent.

Obama issues cybersecurity order, does not seize control of internet
Mother Jones' Dana Liebelson discusses why the President's recent executive order on cybersecurity is more moderate than some had originally thought.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Lew defends Cayman investment
Jack Lew, Obama's nominee for Treasury secretary, on Wednesday defended his $56,000 investment in a Cayman Islands fund, according to The Hill's Peter Schroeder.

Lawmakers say they're 'very close' to deal on post office overhaul
The Hill's Bernie Becker reports on potential legislation that could help the U.S. Postal Service get back on a sound financial footing.

View Comments

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Remarks by the First Lady at the Beasts of the Southern Wild Workshop

Remarks by the First Lady at the Beasts of the Southern Wild Workshop | 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 2012: A Year in Photos

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For Immediate Release February 13, 2013 Remarks by the First Lady at the Beasts of the Southern Wild Workshop State Dining Room

11:07 A.M. EST
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Hi!  How is everybody?  You guys good?  Good morning! 
 
AUDIENCE:  Good morning.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  I am thrilled, beyond thrilled.  You guys excited to be here?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes!
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Was it a good movie?
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, wonderful.  I am so glad you all are here to help us celebrate Black History Month at the White House.  We're doing a bunch of stuff this month, but this is one of the highlights.  And we are thrilled to be here with you all.
 
I want to start by thanking Rachel Goslins for agreeing to moderate the workshop today.  Rachel is a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.  And what that means is that her job is to connect all Americans, especially young people, to music, art, dance and film.  So thank you, Rachel, as always.  Thanks for all your hard work, and -- yes.  (Applause.) 
 
And, of course, I also want to thank our guests who are with us today -- Benh Zeitlin, Dwight Henry, and Quvenzhané -- my girl.  Did I say that right?  Did I get that right?  Quvenzhané Wallis for being here today.  Let's give them a round of applause.  (Applause.) 
 
But it's a special joy to have so many bright, smart and talented young people here.  You guys are looking good.  And I know that some of you have traveled all the way from New Orleans -- is that correct?  And many of you are here right from D.C., right in our neighborhood, our neighbors.  But let me tell you, no matter where you've come from or how far you traveled, we're just glad you're here today to watch what I consider to be one of the most powerful and important movies that has been put out this year -- or in a long time, quite frankly -- Beasts of the Southern Wild. 
 
And as I was telling the cast and the directors and the producers in the other room, I had the opportunity to watch this movie this summer with a large group of our friends and family.  And the ages ranged from three to 75 years old -- we had a big family.  But it's rare these days to find a movie that can so completely and utterly captivate such a broad audience, and that was one of the things that struck me about this movie.  It managed to be beautiful, joyful and devastatingly honest. 
 
It's a movie that makes us all think deeply about the people we love in our lives who make us who we are.  It shows us the strength of our communities, no matter what they look like.  It shows us that those communities can give us the power to overcome any kind of obstacles.  And it also tells a compelling story of poverty and devastation, but also of hope and love in the midst of some great challenges.
 
So there are so many important lessons to learn in that little 93 minutes.  That’s the other cool thing -- that a director and a set of writers and producers can say so much in just 93 minutes.  And it doesn’t always happen in a movie, quite frankly -- (laughter) -- but this one did it, and that’s why I love this movie so much and why our team wanted to bring it here to the White House and share it with all of you.
 
I am honored and grateful that the creators and actors of the movie have taken time to join us here today, particularly given their extremely busy schedules.  I mean, this is the high -- this is high season for film.  Benh, Dwight, and Quvenzhané -- did I get that right?  (Laughter.)  Do you have a nickname? 
 
MS. WALLIS:  A few.  (Laughter.) 
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  None you're willing to share with me? 
 
MS. WALLIS:  Q.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Q.  Can I call you Q?
 
MS. WALLIS:  Sure. 
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Okay.  (Laughter.)  They have been traveling all across the country promoting this movie and preparing for the Academy Awards in a couple of weeks.  Beasts of the Southern Wild is nominated for several awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress.  And, Q, my girl, Q, here, is the youngest nominee?  Is that -- the youngest person ever to be nominated for an Academy Award, and that’s a very big accomplishment.  (Applause.) 
 
But despite all of the national and international attention these folks are getting, they have taken the time to be here with all of you to discuss this very important film today.  They are all amazing people in their own right with amazing stories, and, hopefully, they will get a chance to share some of their stories. 
 
But I know that Benh developed this movie without a huge budget.  This is not a multi-billion-dollar movie.  He didn’t have much, so he had to be really creative and resourceful in order to get this movie made.  So, hopefully, he will talk a little bit about how he got that done. 
 
And I don’t know if you all know the story -- the world knows it -- but Dwight never acted a day in his life.  Never.  Not one -- no plays, no pageants, no nothing.  (Laughter.)  Before he was cast for this movie, do you know what Dwight did?  He ran a bakery across the street from where the movie was being filmed, or where the auditions were taking place.  So that’s what he was doing before he did what you just saw.  He's also busy raising his five kids, who I hope to one day meet, as well.
 
So when they asked him to play the role of Wink, he had to think long and hard about it because he didn’t have the experience.  But in the end, he decided to take the risk.  And now, he is headed to the Oscars.  I mean, imagine.  That’s what happens in America when you're ready for stuff, right? 
 
And then Quvenzhané, as you know, was just five years old when she auditioned for the film -- just five, okay.  Imagine.  Now, she seems like a grown woman sitting up here.  (Laughter.)  And I understand she often acts like one.  (Laughter.)  But she was only five, so hopefully she will tell you a little bit about how a five year old learns those lines and learns how to take on the role of that character and to bring that character to life, which is why she has been nominated for an Academy Award.  It was very profound.  Amazing -- and it doesn’t happen often. 
 
So I think that we can all agree that she did an extraordinary job, as did everyone involved in this film.  So these folks worked hard to make this incredible film, and I hope that you all take full advantage of this time today -- do you hear me, young people?  Take full advantage of this time.  Ask lots of questions.  Don’t be shy.  I can't imagine that you all are shy, so don’t act like it in here just because you're in the White House.
 
Because we are all here today for you, and that’s what I -- we are here for you.  We did this for you.  This event is important to me not only because I love and believe in this film, but also because I deeply love and believe in all of you.  Do you understand that?  I deeply love and believe all of you and I haven't even met you.  But I know you're out there and I know your potential, I know your promise.  And I want to find every opportunity that I can to continue to find ways -- whatever ways we can to inspire kids like you all over this country to do amazing things.  That’s why we're doing this.  This is for you.
 
Because the truth is that I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today, and I know that my husband, President Obama, wouldn’t be where he is today if he hadn't gotten that kind of inspiration from somebody in our lives.  We wouldn’t be who we are today without all those people who pushed us and believed in us and gave us opportunities to learn and grow and fulfill our potential.  We wouldn’t be here.
 
Like the characters in this movie, we know that our families and our communities gave us the love and support to go out and pursue our dreams.  But like Benh and Dwight and Quvenzhané, what I want you all to understand is that you have to do the work.  That’s my message:  You have to do the work.  We're not here because we didn’t do the work.  We all did the work. 
 
You all have to really be focused on preparing yourselves for the challenges and the opportunities that will lie ahead for all of you.  You've got to be prepared.  So that means you have to go to school.  Plain and simple.  Right now, your job -- as I tell Malia and Sasha -- is go to school.  No matter what is going on in your lives, you have to go to school and you have to do your homework every day -- every day.  That’s all you have to do.  That’s your job.
 
You have to prepare your minds and your bodies for greatness.  That’s how you have to think about it.  You're preparing yourself for greatness.  Because if Dwight wasn't ready, it wouldn’t have mattered what opportunity was waiting for him.  If he wasn't ready to take it, it would have passed him by.
 
So I want you all to understand that reading is important.  You have to read everything you get your hands on.  That’s one of the things that President Obama does -- he reads everything.  He reads all the time.  You have to read, read, and read again. 
 
And then I want you to think about everything you put in your body, the kind of foods you're eating.  Because if you're not eating healthy foods, you're not getting your mind or your heart ready for the greatness that lies ahead. 
 
And every day, I want you all to imagine who you are going to be.  That’s where it starts.  You have to think of who you want to be in your head every single day, and think of all the images and the people that you see -- whether it's me or Quvenzhané or Benh or the President. 
 
Think about who you want to be, and dream big.  Don’t aim low; aim high.  But then you have to get up every day and turn that dream into reality, and work towards being who you envision yourself to be in your head.  I still do that every day.  Every day I'm thinking about who I want to be and what I have to do every day; what kind of person I have to be, how honest and truthful and hardworking I have to be to achieve that image, that big, bold image I have of myself in my head.
 
That’s how me, the President, Benh, Dwight, Quvenzhané are doing what we're doing today.  That’s why we're up here.  And we know, absolutely know and expect nothing less from all of you, because we know you can be here, too.  That’s our expectation.  That’s the tradeoff of being here today, is that one day you'll be up here in some capacity doing some great thing.
 
So work hard.  Enjoy your time here today, and know that we love you all, okay?  Know that. 
 
I have to go, because they're going to have me do a bunch of more work.  (Laughter.)  But enjoy the discussion.  Rachel, I will turn things over to you so that you can continue to inspire these young people.
 
Thank you all for being here.  And thank you for all the teachers and staff and the folks who are working with these kids, the parents who are here today.  Thank you for your work, and enjoy. 
 
END
11:19 A.M. EST

Watch the Video February 13, 2013 5:11 PMInteractive Film Workshop for Students: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Blog posts on this issue February 13, 2013 6:39 PM ESTImproving the Security of the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure

President Obama issued an Executive Order directing federal departments and agencies to use their existing authorities to provide better cybersecurity for the Nation, efforts that will by necessity involve increased collaboration with the private sector.

February 13, 2013 5:15 PM ESTOpen for Questions: The State of the Union and the Economy

Alan Krueger, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, answered questions from the public about President Obama's State of the Union Address in an “Open for Questions” session moderated by Yahoo! Finance. Check it out below.

February 13, 2013 4:55 PM ESTFirst Lady Michelle Obama hosts a “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Movie Workshop for Students

The stars of the Oscar-nominated drama joined Mrs. Obama to help teach students about the hard work required to create a beautiful movie.

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Tea Party Senate Hopeful Brags To Donors: ‘I Was The First To Call Obama A Socialist’

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) made no secret of his controversial positions on everything from the dangers of science to eliminating the Voters Rights Act in his time as a Tea Party favorite. In preparation for a Senate run, however, Broun has chosen to keep his views to himself — and his potential donors.

Broun is currently the only Republican who has announced a bid to replace Sen. Saxby Chambliss in the Senate upon the latter’s retirement in 2014. In the interest of winning over a state-wide majority of voters, Broun has sought to moderate his positions somewhat, referring to bipartisan efforts in manufacturing jobs in a recent radio interview.

As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has pointed out, however, his new moderate tone has yet to reach the Congressman’s fundraising efforts. AJC’s Jim Galloway highlighted a few choice paragraphs from one of Broun’s fundraising letters to potential funders:

As a Member of the House of Representatives for the last few years, I have fought tooth-and-nail against President Obama’s agenda at every turn.

I was the first Member of Congress to call him a socialist who embraces Marxist-Leninist policies like government control of health care and redistribution of wealth….

On the Senate side, I’m a staunch ally of now retired Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina — and of course, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky….

Broun is likely right that he was the first to call Obama a Marxist back in 2008. In the same interview, he also compared President Obama to Adolf Hitler.

The statements in Broun’s fundraising letter sound much more like the four-term Congressman. In his time in the House, particularly on the House Science and Technology Committee, Broun has put forward no shortage of controversial statements. Last year, Broun referred to the Big Bang Theory and evolution as “lies straight from the pit of Hell.” He’s also called for the abolition of the Departments of Energy and Education and promoted lowering the debt ceiling. As recently as January, Broun said that President Obama only upholds the “Soviet Constitution.”

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FACT SHEET: PRESIDENTIAL POLICY DIRECTIVE ON CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AND RESILIENCE

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

To complement the Cyber Security Executive Order issued today, the Administration is also issuing a Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) on critical infrastructure security and resilience that updates the national approach from Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7, issued in 2003, to adjust to the new risk environment, key lessons learned, and drive toward enhanced capabilities.

The Nation’s critical infrastructure provides the essential services that underpin American society.  Proactive and coordinated efforts are necessary for us to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical infrastructure – including the assets, networks, and systems that are vital to public confidence and the Nation’s safety, prosperity, and well-being.  This endeavor is a shared responsibility among the Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities, and public and private owners and operators of critical infrastructure. 

The Nation’s critical infrastructure is diverse and complex.  It includes distributed networks, varied organizational structures and operating models (including multinational ownership), interdependent functions and systems in both the physical and cyber spaces, and governance constructs that involve varied authorities, responsibilities, and regulations.  Critical infrastructure owners and operators are uniquely positioned to manage risks to their individual operations and assets, and to determine effective strategies to make them more secure and resilient. 

While there has been extensive work done to enhance both the physical and cyber security and resilience of critical infrastructure, this PPD will create a stronger alliance between these two intertwined components.  The ability to leverage and integrate successes in both of these fields is crucial to the enhancement of our Nation’s security and resilience.

Three strategic imperatives drive the Federal approach to strengthen critical infrastructure security and resilience:

Refine and clarify functional relationships across the Federal Government to advance the national unity of effort to strengthen critical infrastructure security and resilience;Enable effective information exchange by identifying baseline data and systems requirements for the Federal Government; andImplement an integration and analysis function to inform planning and operations decisions regarding critical infrastructure.

Accomplishment of these imperatives will be through the successful completion of six key deliverables:

Development of a description of the functional relationships within the Department of Homeland Security and across the Federal Government related to critical infrastructure security and resilience within 120 days.Completion of an assessment of the existing public-private partnership model and recommended options for improving the partnership within 150 days.Identification of baseline data and systems requirements for the Federal Government to enable efficient information exchange within 180 days.Development of a situational awareness capability for critical infrastructure within 240 days.Update the National Infrastructure Protection Plan within 240 days.Completion of a national critical infrastructure security and resilience research and development plan within 2 years.

President Obama issued an Executive Order directing federal departments and agencies to use their existing authorities to provide better cybersecurity for the Nation, efforts that will by necessity involve increased collaboration with the private sector.

Alan Krueger, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, answered questions from the public about President Obama's State of the Union Address in an “Open for Questions” session moderated by Yahoo! Finance. Check it out below.

The stars of the Oscar-nominated drama joined Mrs. Obama to help teach students about the hard work required to create a beautiful movie.

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