jeudi 17 avril 2014

The Fix: Barack Obama and Joe Biden took a selfie today. Yes, for real.

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Just dual dudes, unresolved out in the behind of the car.

Except those dual dudes have been the boss as well as clamp boss of the United States, as well as the automobile is the limo nicknamed “the beast,” finish with panzer division plated, eight-inch-thick doors.

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mercredi 16 avril 2014

Howard Dean: Dems would win back House if not for health-care Web site woes

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Former Vermont administrator Howard Dean (D) says Democrats would be in clever on all sides to win behind a U.S. House infancy this year if not for a uneasy rollout of a sovereign health-care Web site final fall.

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mardi 15 avril 2014

The Fix: Liberals and conservatives alike hail Boston bombing investigation

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Liberals as well as conservatives agree, a sovereign supervision did something right in a doing of a Boston Marathon bombing .

A brand new Washington Post-ABC News check finds 67 percent of Americans authorize of how a review was handled, together with some-more than 6 in 10 of both liberals as well as conservatives, as well as majorities opposite each vital domestic as well as demographic organisation in a poll.

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lundi 14 avril 2014

For Hillary Clinton and Boeing, a beneficial relationship

Boeing, she said, "has usually concluded to stand in the accede to to $ 2 million."

Clinton did not indicate out that, to secure the donation, the State Department had set in reserve ethics discipline which initial taboo solicitations of Boeing as good as afterwards after available usually the $ 1 million benefaction from the company. Boeing had been enclosed upon the list of firms to be avoided since of the revisit faith upon the supervision for assistance negotiating abroad blurb operation as good as regard which the concession could be seen as an try to curry preference with U.S. officials.

The November 2009 partial was an indicator of the jointly profitable attribute in between the single of the world's vital corporations as good as the intensity destiny president. Clinton functioned as the absolute fan for Boeing's blurb operation interests during home as good as abroad, whilst Boeing has invested resources in causes profitable to Clinton's open as good as domestic image.

Boeing's philanthropy upon seductiveness of the U.S. pavilion during the Shanghai expo was beneficial to Clinton during the vicious impulse as she finished it her priority to woo await from corporations to revitalise the American coming during the event.

She was during vast credited with orchestrating the turnaround, as good as the can-do picture she artistic as cabinet member of state has contributed to her standing as the Democratic front-runner forward of the 2016 presidential campaign.

In 2010, dual months after Boeing won the $ 3.7 billion Russia deal, the association voiced the $ 900,000 accede to to the William J. Clinton Foundation dictated to reconstruct schools in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. The foundation, which Hillary Clinton right away helps lead with her father as good as daughter, has spin the renouned gift for vital corporations.

The company's ties came in to fool around again this month when the in-house lobbyist, former Bill Clinton help Tim Keating, co-hosted the fundraiser for Ready for Hillary, the super PAC subsidy her intensity presidential run.

The Boeing attribute meshed good with efforts by Clinton to enhance the State Department's advocacy of U.S. mercantile interests abroad, partial of the broader truth which has emphasized partnering supervision with businesses to compromise problems. A intensity side good for Clinton has been the possibility to make firm ties to the kind of absolute allies in the blurb operation village who could await the probable presidential bid.

Clinton orator Nick Merrill pronounced which her advocacy for Boeing's jet understanding was "the pursuit which any Secretary of State is ostensible to do as good as what the American people design of them — generally during formidable mercantile times. She proudly as good as loudly advocated upon seductiveness of American blurb operation as good as took any eventuality to foster U.S. blurb interests abroad."

Boeing orator Sean McCormack pronounced which the association sees the team-work with the supervision to inspire exports as good as emanate jobs as the "mutual institutional interest, contra the personal one."

As for Boeing's await for the expo pavilion as good as the concession to the Clinton Foundation, McCormack pronounced which the company's corporate giving, in the United States as good as abroad, is dictated to offer the interests of both the association as good as the regions where it does business, as good as which it is "carefully vetted to safeguard which it is suitable as good as agreeable with law."

A Clinton Foundation central pronounced which Boeing was the single of countless vast corporations to minister after the Jan 2010 trembler in Haiti as good as which the accede to had no tie to Boeing's interactions with the State Department.

'A shameless pitch'

Clinton's Oct 2009 revisit to Russia was dominated by contention of Iranian sanctions, yet she finished transparent which the tip priority was Boeing's seductiveness in offering planes for make make use of of by the brand brand brand brand new state-owned Russian airline, Rosavia.

"This is the shameless representation for Rosavia . . . to buy Boeing aircraft," she pronounced whilst furloughed the Boeing trickery in Moscow.

The U.S. supervision has prolonged pushed for Boeing to win contracts overseas, quite in countries such as Russia where blurb jets have been purchased by state-owned interests which have been generally receptive to high-level tactful lobbying.

Boeing has had the quite tighten attribute with the Obama administration, which has finished the idea of doubling U.S. exports as good as allocated the company's arch senior manager as authority of the assign force obliged for removing it done.

The nation's biggest exporter, Boeing employs tens of thousands as good as has for years been in the unbending foe for brand brand brand brand new jet sales with Airbus, which is formed in France.

For Clinton as good as alternative American officials, the intensity Boeing understanding offering an interesting pitch of warming U.S.-Russian family as partial of the tactful "reset" voiced in the open of 2009.

Three days after Clinton's remarks in Moscow, according to State Department cables expelled by the anti-secrecy organisation Wiki­Leaks, Boeing rigourously submitted the bid for the Russian deal.

'We had no money'

At which point, Clinton was additionally in the surrounded by of perplexing to spin around the cash-strapped U.S. pavilion programmed for the 2010 Shanghai expo.

By all accounts, the American bid was already in difficulty when Clinton took bureau in early 2009, with corporate fundraising unsatisfactory as good as the Chinese notice which scanty U.S. coming would be noticed as the tactful affront.

Unlike most nations, the United States does not make make use of of supervision income to compensate for the pavilions in world's fairs, hold once any 4 years. The 2008 mercantile pile-up finished companies reduction than peaceful to participate; moreover, most had additionally sealed up as sponsors of the Beijing Olympics as good as were not fervent to give for another, identical event.

"We had no income as good as no operative capital," removed Nick Winslow, who was the boss of the nonprofit USA Pavilion, charged with removing the make up built. "No bank would deposit in us."

To kick-start her push, Clinton reached in to her domestic network, appointing personal allies to take charge. She poured personal as good as domestic collateral in to an seductiveness to move in $ 60 million from some-more than 60 vital corporations.

Winslow pronounced he primarily submitted the list in 2008 of about 140 companies he hoped to proceed for money, together with Boeing.

But State Department officials ruled out soliciting Boeing as good as alternative vast firms with poignant blurb operation relations with the government. The list additionally enclosed banks which had perceived sovereign bailouts.

"About half of [the names upon the list] came during the back of with an 'X' by it," Winslow said. "Boeing was the single of them. We weren't even authorised to speak to them."

Agency lawyers had nixed Boeing out of regard which the department's work lobbying for the company's interests abroad could benefaction the coming of the dispute of interest, pronounced the former group central informed with the decision.

"Because of the occasions in which you would yield await for them, from an ethics indicate of view, it was motionless donations should not be solicited from them," pronounced the official, who spoke upon the condition of anonymity to equivocate offending Boeing or Clinton.

'This capricious number'

An seductiveness from Winslow as good as others concerned in the plan resulted in the brand brand brand brand new statute in Boeing's case: Since there was no approach dispute of interest, the expo could accept the concession from the company, yet usually up to $ 1 million. The idea was to safeguard which Boeing did not browbeat the event, the former central said.

The preference was frustrating for the struggling organizers, who saw Boeing as the healthy fit for the event.

"They had this capricious array since they pronounced it was the intensity dispute of interest," pronounced Frank Lavin, who served as authority of the pavilion's steering committee. "There's possibly the dispute or not. You don't tip it."

The proclamation which Boeing would give $ 2 million rsther than than the $ 1 million limit which had been set was finished by Clinton upon Nov. 16, 2009, as she toured the pavilion site. Earlier the same day, she visited the Boeing hangar in Shanghai as good as addressed management team from Boeing as good as alternative companies to highlight the significance of the project.

How the preference was finished to lift the tip stays the mystery, during slightest in public.

Neither Winslow nor Lavin, nor the array of alternative officials whose impasse with the expo pre-dated Clinton's involvement, removed the decision.

Said the single former official: "Things were finished for the pavilion which were not finished in any alternative example for fundraising purposes."

The former central pronounced the array of inner memos were created in 2008 as good as 2009 which laid out the logic during the back of the Boeing decisions.

State Department orator Alec Gerlach did not yield the memos or an explanation. He pronounced which donors were "appropriately vetted as good as authorized for coming during the 2010 Shanghai Expo, finish of story."

Two tip fundraisers from Clinton's 2008 debate whom she allocated to take assign of the expo effort, former envoy Elizabeth F. Bagley as good as San Antonio counsel Jose Villarreal, did not reply to requests for comment. Neither did Kris Balderston, the longtime domestic help dating to Clinton's days in the Senate, who additionally assisted the effort.

A high-profile success

Merrill, the Clinton spokesman, pronounced await from Boeing as good as alternative corporations was sought usually since it was critical for the success of the event. "Suggesting differently would be similar to observant which enlivening Pizza Hut's sponsorship was finished in an bid to get giveaway pizza," he said.

Winslow pronounced Boeing's $ 2 million concession put the association in the top harvesting machine of the some-more than 60 firms which donated to the expo, yet it was eclipsed by 5 companies which donated $ 5 million each.

The success of the U.S. pavilion was deliberate the single of the biggest achievements of Clinton's initial year in office.

In the brand brand brand brand new Clinton autobiography "HRC," by reporters Jonathan Allen as good as Amie Parnes, Villarreal pronounced Clinton's connectors as good as personal publicity of the plan were key.

"We knew how to get to the care of companies, and, of course, being means to indicate which this was the plan which was very, unequivocally critical to Secretary Clinton really, unequivocally helped in opening doors," he said.

Alice Crites as good as Julie Tate contributed to this report.

dimanche 13 avril 2014

Dem congressional candidate Beyer: ‘We need to ban super PACs’

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Former Virginia major administrator Don Beyer (D) called Saturday for the anathema upon super PACs to revoke the change of income in politics, vocalization in the congressional claimant forum that was complicated upon magnanimous rhetoric.

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samedi 12 avril 2014

For HHS hot seat, Obama chooses Burwell, a budget wonk

By selecting someone he twice called the "proven manager" in his proclamation Friday, Obama signaled his need for the set of solid hands to shepherd his signature made during home beginning by the finish of his tenure.

Even yet the administration dialect department met the first-year word the number enrolled goal, most intensity obstacles distortion brazen prior to the health-care law is entirely implemented. And in the polarized sourroundings of midterm elections, ­every misstep becomes provender for the 30-second domestic ad.

"It's satisfactory to contend we've usually proposed implementation," pronounced Dan Mendelson, conduct of the illness consulting organisation Avalere. "One year down as good as dual years to go." Mendelson worked with Burwell during the Office of Management as good as Budget when she was the emissary senior manager underneath President Bill Clinton.

In subsequent Kathleen Sebelius, Burwell right away would turn the Obama administration's most manifest hold up of the law — as good as the lightning rod for the critics — during the time when open perspective stays deeply divided.

While Burwell, who has been the senior manager of OMB given final year, is approaching to good Senate approval, her acknowledgment hearings will give Republican opponents the inhabitant height to again conflict the law.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pronounced he hoped Burwell's preference "is the proceed of the vehement review about Obama­care's shortcomings as good as the need to strengthen Medicare for today's seniors, their immature kids as good as their grandchildren."

And Kirsten Kukowski, mouthpiece for the Republican National Committee, warned Friday, "We should have the hearings the priority since it's an event to get answers about the destiny of illness caring for Americans."

Burwell will be enthralled rught away in decisions which will have the vicious stroke upon how most Americans stick upon the 7.5 million who have sealed up for illness word by brand brand new sovereign as good as state marketplaces underneath the law.

Among the dire issues have been the premiums which insurers will introduce for the subsequent word the number enrolled period, which is to proceed in mid-November. The rates could be pushed up by the odds which fewer than approaching immature as good as full of illness consumers assimilated illness skeleton for 2014.

The administration dialect department is still office office building tools of HealthCare.gov upon which insurers rely. Many Medicaid applications entrance by the Web site have been hold in limbo. And the the number enrolled portal for the small-business exchanges stays unfinished.

On tip of that, multiform states, together with Maryland as good as Oregon, have been still perplexing to safeguard their apart state-run word marketplaces have been simply functional.

At HHS, Burwell would manage the immeasurable as good as multi-tentacled bureaucracy with shortcoming for, between alternative things, drug safety, anti-poverty programs, mental illness issues as good as biomedical research. Despite this extended set of priorities, the 2010 health-care law will fundamentally browbeat Burwell's attention, illness process experts agreed.

The HHS cabinet member has huge energy in implementing the health-care law since Congress left most up to the secretary. For example, the law says illness skeleton upon the marketplaces contingency cover 10 smallest illness benefits, such as maternity caring as good as mental illness treatment, yet did not mention the expect conditions of which smallest coverage, withdrawal it up to the conduct of HHS.

Under Sebelius, the dialect handed over most of which embodiment to the states. As the result, the little states require, for instance, coverage of in-vitro fertilization, whilst others do not. Burwell might select to take the some-more active purpose in naming coverage terms.

"Now, the subject is, does the cabinet member try to come up with the concept clarification of what is the concept illness benefit?" pronounced Timothy Jost, the highbrow of illness law during Washington as good as Lee University as good as the consumer disciple who supports the Affordable Care Act.

And Burwell will have to plunge in to what advocates such as Ron Pollack, boss of Families USA, contend is the law's greatest shortcoming: The actuality which millions of Americans who were ostensible to good from the law have not since their states chose not to enhance Medicaid, the state-federal health-care module for the poor.

Ultimately, though, Burwell as good as her colleagues will be implementing the same prophesy — the single which emanates from the White House.

"Their understand of the president's bulletin can, during the margin, have the poignant result upon how the law is implemented," pronounced Ed Haislmaier, the comparison investigate associate during the regressive Heritage Foundation. But nothing will change as good distant from which agenda, he added.

The preference to reinstate Sebelius with Burwell was so closely hold which most comparison White House staffers were taken by warn when arch of staff Denis McDonough voiced it during rounded off 6 p.m. Thursday during their unchanging meeting. The organisation pennyless in to applause, according to the single participant, yet the little joked with Burwell after about her preference to take upon an even some-more rude charge than her stream post as the administration's bill chief.

While she served upon the house of MetLife as good as dealt with illness process in the context of her OMB posts as good as during the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Burwell stays different to most sovereign illness experts.

"I don't consider any of us know her," pronounced Robert Laszewski, conduct of Health Policy as good as Strategy Associates. "She's been the bill wonk."

Burwell has not summarized her prophesy for the group she right away might head, as good as usually spoke quickly about it Friday.

"If reliable by the Senate, we demeanour brazen to carrying upon the critical work of ensuring which children, family groups as good as seniors have the office office building blocks of full of illness as good as prolific lives, either it's by implementing the Affordable Care Act, ancillary affordable kid care, or anticipating brand brand new frontiers to forestall as good as provide disease," she said.

Patty Stonesifer, who served as arch senior manager of the Gates Foundation, pronounced Burwell's strength lies in her capability to concentration upon people influenced by open process — similar to the kid in Africa who lacks competent nourishment — as good as "systems-level change" upon unconditional issues such as agriculture.

"She's unequivocally extreme for the goal when she buys on," Stonesifer said. "She unequivocally binds parsimonious to 'This is what we're ostensible to be you do here,' as good as she's unequivocally focused upon the idealisation outcome."

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), the tip Democrat upon the House Budget Committee, pronounced the actuality which Burwell "has been means to consequence people's apply oneself will go the prolonged way" toward easing her confirmation. His GOP counterpart, Paul Ryan (Wis.) released the matter job Burwell "a unqualified professional," yet added, "At HHS, she'll have her work cut out for her."

Sandhya Somashekhar as good as Jason Millman contributed to this report.

vendredi 11 avril 2014

Kathleen Sebelius to step down as HHS secretary; OMB director will take her place

During a firestorm, Obama done transparent to his aides which he would not find a abdication of his illness secretary, as good as her depart is timed to brighter headlines for a White House as a number enrolled soared late final month.

Still, a little White House allies pronounced Thursday night which a uneasy launch of HealthCare.gov had heightened tensions in between Sebelius as good as a president's staff members, who had turn increasingly wary of a dialect she led. Some Democrats, meanwhile, had argued secretly which someone should be hold underneath obligation for a problems with a sovereign word exchange.

According to sovereign illness officials, Sebelius approached Obama in early Mar as good as told him that, with a word a number enrolled duration finale which month, a time had come for brand new caring during HHS, a government's largest made during home agency. A White House official, who spoke upon a condition of anonymity to plead inner deliberations, pronounced Sebelius told a boss which "she felt assured in a arena for a number enrolled as good as doing of a Affordable Care Act."

According to White House officials, Obama will commission Office of Management as good as Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell to take Sebelius's place. Although Burwell does not have an endless credentials in health-care policy, she is good good known for her clever supervision skills as good as has knowledge in issues of misery as good as tellurian illness issues from her time during a Bill as good as Melinda Gates Foundation. Moreover, she is renouned upon Capitol Hill. The Senate reliable her as OMB executive 96 to 0 roughly only a year ago. Her assignment to lead HHS will need Senate acknowledgment as well.

The headlines of Sebelius's resignation, primary reported Thursday night by Bloomberg News as good as a New York Times, hold Washington as good as health-care process circles by surprise. Even a administration's closest allies upon health-care issues pronounced they had no idea which her depart was imminent.

Senior Democrats upon Capitol Hill additionally appeared to be hold off ensure by a announcement. But they rushed out regard for Sebelius. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) pronounced in a statement: "From day one, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has remained laser-focused upon a singular purpose: to have illness caring a right, not a privilege, for all Americans. Her caring has been forceful, effective, as good as essential."

One former administration department dialect department dialect department official, speaking, similar to others, upon a condition of anonymity about behind-the-scenes operative relationships, pronounced Thursday night which Sebelius reliable a comfortable charge with a president.

A illness process dilettante tighten to a White House pronounced which Obama's staff had prolonged elite to be "running a show" upon a health-care law though which Sebelius as good as her aides were increasingly "cut out of a process" after a launch of HealthCare.gov escalated in to a domestic mess for a president.

Other comparison administration department dialect department dialect department officials played executive purposes in assisting correct a Web site as good as drive a law's doing after a rollout. Jeffrey D. Zients, a former OMB executive who directs a National Economic Council, rejoined a administration department dialect department dialect department to spearhead a organisation of sovereign employees as good as contractors who worked to correct HealthCare.gov. Meanwhile, Phil Schiliro, who served as Obama's arch legislative charge during his primary term, returned in Dec to manage a process side of a law.

Sebelius was not partial of a organisation of White House aides who not long ago told Obama in a Oval Office which health-care a number enrolled had surpassed 7 million. While she sat in a front quarrel as a boss told a republic upon Apr 1 about a law's success, he did not discuss her in his speech.

Yet Sebelius remained a untiring upholder of a health-care law over a past 6 months, propelling uninsured Americans to pointer up upon state as good as sovereign exchanges. Traveling to vital cities such as Miami, Phoenix as good as Houston to strech residents whose Republican governors against a law, she hold 43 internal events as good as some-more than 100 internal interviews over a past multiform months.

Sebelius was reliable upon Apr 28, 2009. Her reign — 1,808 days as of Thursday — is about 500 days longer than a normal for HHS secretaries, dating to a Carter administration. Federal illness officials pronounced Thursday night which she has not set a depart date though which her devise in all is to sojourn until her inheritor is confirmed. As for her subsequent veteran role, she "is deliberation alternative options," a officials said.

Although Sebelius is most appropriate good good known as a open face of a Affordable Care Act, her work spanned issues from a H1N1 pathogen to childhood plumpness to relation for mental illness treatment.

With a homogeneous of 77,000 full-time employees, she has had a sprawling domain during HHS. The dialect oversees Medicare as good as Medicaid as good as a National Institutes of Health, a Food as good as Drug Administration, a Centers for Disease Control as good as Prevention, as good as most not as big agencies. For which reason, a department's work touches a lives of some-more Americans than most alternative tools of a government.

Congressional Republicans seized upon Sebelius's abdication to impugn a Affordable Care Act as unworkable.

"Secretary Sebelius was asked to foster something unready, feeble structured, as good as unpopular," Sen. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa) pronounced in a statement. "She was since a law which was only about created in pencil a approach a deadlines altered all a time. That put her in a on all sides of carrying a stretched charge with Congress. It's treasonable for a White House to stretch itself from a problems as good as charge them to narrow-minded sniping during a singular part of of a Administration. The subsequent cabinet part of competence have a uninformed begin with a open as good as Congress though a injured law is still a law."

Despite a uneasy launch of HealthCare.gov, which left most consumers incompetent to entrance a sovereign sell for scarcely dual months, a administration department dialect department dialect department managed to encounter a idea of enrolling 7 million Americans during a primary sign-up period. On Thursday, Sebelius pronounced which about 7.5 million consumers had enrolled, nonetheless those who don't compensate their premiums will not be insured.

In a fall, Sebelius valid steely underneath oppressive congressional questioning, revelation her Republican critics which they could censure her for a Web site's problems.

"Access to HealthCare.gov has been a miserably frustrating knowledge for approach as well most Americans," she pronounced in her opening matter prior to a House Energy as good as Commerce Committee in late October. "So let me contend without delay to these Americans: You merit better. we apologize. I'm underneath obligation to we for regulating these problems. And I'm committed to earning your certainty behind by regulating a site."

jeudi 10 avril 2014

President Obama gets a surprise visitor in Houston

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President Obama had a warn caller upon alighting during a Houston airport: former President George H.W. Bush.

Sitting in a wheelchair as well as clad in khakis as well as brightly striped socks, Bush greeted a boss as well as Michelle Obama upon a tarmac subsequent to Air Force One.

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mercredi 9 avril 2014

RNC chairman: Strike down all contribution limits

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The authority of the Republican National Committee pronounced Tuesday which he would similar to for the Supreme Court to overturn some-more debate financial restrictions — together with the extent upon the volume of income someone can give to an particular or the domestic party.

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mardi 8 avril 2014

Democrats seek Obama administration’s help with agency decisions to boost reelection bids

In New Hampshire, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen would similar to the administration department department department department department department department department department to assistance enhance entrance to the brand brand brand brand new health-care law. In Louisiana, Sen. Mary Landrieu has lobbied for assistance to keep open the sovereign call center. In Montana, Sen. John Walsh is fighting the preference to privatize land which could be used for sport as well as fishing.

In the post-earmark era, controlling the party's carry out of the sovereign bureaucracy to broach internal projects or check brand brand brand brand new regulations which competence suppress jobs has turn the vicious partial of Democratic efforts to say carry out of the Senate. In tighten races, quite in reduction populated states such as Alaska as well as Montana, incumbents have been anticipating which the couple of auspicious group decisions competence secure the subsidy of pass constituencies.

Sometimes, though, the requests set up the formidable energetic for the administration, which contingency confirm in in between assisting exposed Democrats as well as starting opposite broader goals. Many of Begich's requests, for example, would concede for some-more oil training during the responsibility of unfortunate environmentally supportive areas.

In the little cases, the senators get what they want; in others, not so much. Begich declared 4 issues which the administration department department department department department department department department department has delivered upon for Alaska, together with permitting snowmobiles in primitive locales as well as relaxation environmental regulations upon gasoline, though he can name multiform some-more which have not been resolved.

"You have to crash upon their heads flattering hard," he pronounced in an interview. "It takes the consistent education."

Landrieu combined of administration department department department department department department department department department officials, "They're infrequently great as well as infrequently not good."

Administration officials stressed which decisions have been not domestic calculations. Lawmakers have been suggested upon how to have clever cases to sold agencies, officials said, though the decisions have been finished by the difficult routine directed during preventing an overly politicized bureaucracy.

"These sorts of decisions have been in conclusion finished upon the merits," pronounced Eric Schultz, the White House spokesman. "Our legislative affairs staff work to keep lawmakers reasonably supportive about agency-level decision-making, though the underlying determinations have been formed upon concrete criteria as well as motionless by particular process specialists."

Nevertheless, Democratic lead­ers, together with Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), have reminded comparison White House officials of the significance of the little requests, comparison congressional aides said. They wish Democrats to during slightest be in upon all sides to explain credit if the agencies side with an embattled incumbent.

Landrieu scored the feat final week when the Department of Health as well as Human Services adored gripping open the call core run by General Dynamics in ­Bogalusa, La. More than 600 workers have been during the core assisting people pointer up for coverage underneath the brand brand brand brand new health-care law, with the stipulate set to end Apr 25.

"They had the little options to which ones the executive could close. We said, 'Heck, since tighten the a single in Louisiana?' " Landrieu pronounced of her lobbying effort.

On Wednesday, the call core was spared.

HHS officials pronounced the preference was finished by General Dynamics, with workers stability to hoop calls for those signing up upon the sell after the deadline for obtaining coverage. Fifteen alternative sites will sojourn open, though during mostly marked down staff levels. White House officials remarkable which the preference came among bipartisan requests from the state's congressional commission to keep the core open.

Landrieu stays during contingency with the administration department department department department department department department department department upon an additional pass internal issue, the Environmental Protection Agency's due order controlling wetlands underneath the Clean Water Act. Landrieu, the brand brand brand brand new authority of the Senate Energy as well as Natural Resources Committee, bloody the offer to impede oil-drilling genius off her state's coastal waters. She is operative with Senate Republicans to retard the measure.

Shaheen, the former governor, pronounced she has seen this administration department department department department department department department department department during the many appropriate as well as misfortune upon doing her requests. In 2011, the bill deadlock left the newly built sovereign jail in northern New Hampshire closed, though any of the some-more than projected 300 employees upon the job. She kept operative with the Federal Bureau of Prisons as well as in the future got the joining for full funding, though employing has lagged.

In early 2009, Shaheen began the five-year conflict with the administration department department department department department department department department department over the pursuit core in Manchester for at-risk youths. The Labor Department behind capitulation of bureau building the core — meant to assistance 150 low-income youths the year come in the workforce — since of final which unionized workers set up it.

"There were the lot of hurdles operative with the Department of Labor," Shaheen said.

The emanate was resolved late final year as well as developers pennyless ground, though the pursuit core will not open until the summer of 2015, prolonged after the Granite State's electorate will have motionless either to reelect Shaheen.

The senator is additionally looking assistance from HHS to change standards to pledge the "robust provider network" in her state's sell underneath the Affordable Care Act. Just the single word association in New Hampshire participated, expelling 10 hospitals from the devise as well as withdrawal the little corners of the state with no illness comforts inside ACA coverage. No preference is expected until late this year, congressional aides said.

No senator competence be as contingent upon the sovereign bureaucracy decisions as Begich, whose immeasurable limit state depends upon dozens of agencies to umpire fisheries, oil production, tribes, inhabitant parks as well as environmentally supportive areas.

Of late, his missives as well as statements have had the oppressive tone. "Unlike the Office of the Secretary of Defense, we assimilate Alaska," Begich wrote to the Armed Services Committee this week.

That was the bid by the senator to titillate the Defense Department not to enlarge prices during infantry commissaries, which have been the monetary salvation for the state's 65,000 ­active-duty infantry as well as 10,000 infantry retirees. It will fool around out over the subsequent couple of months as Congress writes the bill for 2015.

The Alaskan's difficult reelection quarrel this tumble is deliberate the single of the many expected to establish which celebration binds the Senate infancy subsequent year, as well as he does not swallow ones pride for the actuality which he is means to get meetings with the Democratic administration department department department department department department department department department which his state's traditionally Republican commission competence not have gotten otherwise.

Last year, Begich as well as his associate Alaska senator, Lisa Murkowski, the Republican, could not get by to infantry officials to try to keep the armed military craft of F-16s stationed during Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks. So, in the singular pierce for the Democrat, he placed the reason upon the assignment for the three-star ubiquitous to get his fourth star. In October, the Air Force voiced the jets were staying in Fairbanks, citing the Pentagon's vital focus to Asian confidence counts as the reason for gripping the jets as well as the concomitant 2,400 airmen as well as municipal jobs there.

The greatest fights, however, come down to Alaska's pull for some-more appetite production, which mostly runs up opposite the Obama administration's magnanimous instincts to strengthen the environment. More mostly than not, the fights have been in in between the Interior Department as well as internal officials, as is the box with his bid to get some-more training as well as tube entrance in the inorganic substance haven in the state.

He not prolonged ago got the highway authorized by the ice-covered region, as well as in the third ad of his campaign, expelled in late March, Begich rides opposite the ice in the snowmobile as well as delivers this promise: "Next year, the oil starts flowing."

At the same time, Begich can't get the Interior Department to authorize the highway plan joining the remote locale of King Cove to the circuitously airport. It has been an emanate for decades, the single which the mythological senator Ted Stevens (R) couldn't get done, as well as if Begich could move the administration department department department department department department department department department over to his side, he would be the favourite in Alaska.

Environmental groups have prolonged against the plan since it would go by environmentally supportive regions, as well as it has turn the really mystic quarrel in their movement. In late March, Begich even brought locale officials to his Washington bureau so they could titillate Interior Secretary Sally Jewel to authorize the project.

She's station by the group decision, withdrawal the Democratic obligatory in the tougher position. The senator promises not to give up. As he put it in his TV ad, "Sooner or later, Washington will figure out which we don't take no for an answer."

lundi 7 avril 2014

In the ‘credentials caucus,’ GOP’s 2016 hopefuls study policy and seek advisers

And to get scholastic upon unfamiliar affairs, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) has been consulting former secretaries of state Henry Kissinger as good as Condoleezza Rice, as good as Council upon Foreign Relations President Richard N. Haass.

It's all partial of what competence be called the "credentials caucus" — the duration prior to the 2016 debate when the Republican Party's presidential aspirants sensitively investigate up upon issues as good as favour ties to pundits as good as luminaries from prior administrations.

"Presidential possibilities have the lot to not only learn, though to decide," pronounced Michael Leavitt, the former Utah administrator as good as George W. Bush Cabinet member. "They have to rise the cohesive as good as unchanging indicate of perspective upon assorted issues which they substantially never had to consider about before."

Over meals, upon the phone as good as in one-on-one chats, the rivals have been bureau bureau building relations with people they goal to partisan to assistance them navigate the operation of issues. Policy leaders have been in all wavering to enter into with the claimant this distant out, though the meetings send signals to would-be donors as good as operatives about the earnest as good as citation of the intensity candidacy.

Most of the 2016 hopefuls have been networking inside of an reliable village of regressive professionals who rose to inflection in the Nixon, Reagan or Bush eras. Some suggested George W. Bush in the late 1990s as he mulled the White House bid or helped Mitt Romney, the GOP's 2012 nominee, rise his routine prescriptions.

With the difference of the little voices inside of the round of libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), those being tapped form to Republican norms upon unfamiliar policy, with importance upon the powerful troops as good as the eagerness to make use of force overseas. On done during home policy, the Republican mantra of slicing sovereign spending as good as relaxation regulations stays the accord view. At the same time, many in the intensity margin have been looking to soak up uninformed perspectives to seductiveness to an increasingly different electorate, together with speak of combating income lack of harmony — an emanate mostly championed by Democrats.

For the little of the Republicans formulation the trail to the nomination, the guidance routine is imperative. With the difference of former Florida administrator Jeb Bush — who pronounced Sunday which he will confirm by the finish of this year either he will run — the GOP contenders have been routine novices compared with the heading Democratic prospects, former cabinet part of of state Hillary Rodham Clinton as good as Vice President Biden.

The consultations, which have been function out of open view, were reliable in interviews with dozens of Republican officials, routine advisers as good as done during home aides.

In this early stage, Rubio seems farthest along, crystallizing his views with the array of speeches, together with the singular vicious of "isolationists" as good as an additional touting his ideas upon college affordability. His arch of staff, Cesar Conda, as good as emissary arch of staff, Sally Canfield, have prolonged routine backgrounds, as does Jamie Fly, the extreme censor of President Obama's unfamiliar routine who was hired by Rubio final year.

Rubio customarily invites routine experts to his bureau for conversations as good as his staff continually sends articles as good as investigate writings to the dump box patrician "upward mobility" upon his computer.

"If I'm only starting to come here as good as have articulate points, the knowledge isn't rewarding," Rubio pronounced in an interview. "I unequivocally hold Republicans have to begin to be some-more than the antithesis as good as consider about how many appropriate to speak about the alternatives."

Rubio has turn accessible with Yuval Levin, who has published during large circulated essays upon done during home routine in National Affairs. He has additionally damaged bread with Ross Douthat, the 34-year-old New York Times columnist who advocates the middle-class agenda.

But Rubio pronounced which the American Enterprise Institute is the "primary organization" he turns to. He confers with the group's president, Arthur C. Brooks, who hosted him in Jan for the debate upon poverty, as good as with columnist (and one-time "Jeopardy!" champion) James Pethokoukis.

Former invulnerability cabinet part of Donald H. Rumsfeld, well known for his argumentative decisions during the Iraq war, has been courted by multiform intensity possibilities as good as skeleton to encounter with Cruz. Cruz has hired former Rumsfeld help Victoria Coates as his inhabitant confidence adviser.

Many 2016 contenders have the singular help or fan coordinating their discourse with regressive academics as good as White House alumni. Venture entrepreneur Robert E. Grady, an join forces with bill executive in the George H.W. Bush administration, does so for Christie.

"Consistency is unequivocally important," pronounced Beth Myers, the longtime confidant to Romney. "You don't wish to be out upon the highway creation mistakes."

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) met in California final year with scholars during Stanford University's Hoover Institution, together with former White House mercantile confidant John B. Taylor as good as former Romney routine executive Lanhee Chen.

Walker is we do some-more prep upon tellurian issues as good as has grown the down payment with Washington Post columnist Marc A. Thiessen, the former George W. Bush speechwriter as good as the unfamiliar routine hawk. In 2013, when Thiessen helped Walker write the governor's memoir, they talked around Skype about many issues.

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the 2012 clamp presidential nominee, has low contacts via the routine arena. Ryan is tighten to former preparation cabinet part of William J. Bennett as good as the constellation of right-leaning thinkers, from the Hudson Institute's amicable routine researcher William Schambra to village organizer Bob Woodson, who has trafficked to civic areas with Ryan. In March, Ryan had cooking with Holtz-Eakin during the Occidental, the grill nearby the White House.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), meanwhile, is perplexing to upon all sides himself as the field's wonky problem-solver. The former Rhodes academician says he wants to "win the fight upon ideas" as good as proposed the nonprofit group, America Next, to discuss it white papers.

After phenomenon his health-care devise final week, Jindal sat for dual hours in the Washington bureau bureau bureau building to get feedback from conservatives together with Levin, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol as good as National Review comparison editor Ramesh Ponnuru.

Jindal additionally has been courting Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint. Ethics laws club DeMint, the former senator from South Carolina, from deliberating governing body with sovereign legislators so shortly after withdrawal office, though he can encounter with state governors. In late March, DeMint huddled with Jindal during the road house in New Orleans, where the administrator talked up DeMint's routine work.

When they revisit Washington, many governors stop by pass gatherings, together with the Saturday Evening Club, the monthly cooking hosted by the American Spectator, the regressive magazine, as good as off-the-record Wednesday breakfasts run by anti-tax romantic Grover Norquist.

Moore, the former Wall Street Journal paper bard as good as enthusiastic tax-cut disciple who is right away during Heritage, has suggested Cruz as good as Rubio. He additionally has organised dinners with economists for Paul during the Monocle grill upon Capitol Hill.

"They're all struggling to find the right summary which doesn't receptive to recommendation stale," Moore said.

Other Heritage scholars, together with inhabitant confidence dilettante James Carafano as good as former senator Jim Talent of Missouri, have turn the expertise of sorts for intensity possibilities whose unfamiliar routine views gaunt toward the regressive finish of the GOP spectrum.

"There have been people who have been critical in the celebration equipment or critical donors who have an seductiveness in during slightest the little area of unfamiliar policy, as good as it's critical as we correlate with them to receptive to recommendation knowledgeable," pronounced Talent, who suggested Romney upon invulnerability issues.

After stumbling upon routine counts in 2012, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has been removing briefings from think-tank experts as good as alternative former Republican administration department department appointees. During the outing in Oct to Israel, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as good as he has visited with unfamiliar supervision as good as commercial operation leaders in London as good as during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Paul, who has done multiform trips to Silicon Valley, is joining with tech leaders who suggest him routine advice. Paul met final month with Microsoft owner Bill Gates during the Dirksen Senate Office Building as good as has oral mixed times with PayPal co-founder as good as libertarian donor Peter Thiel.

Paul additionally talks with Richard Burt, the former Reagan ambassador, as good as Lorne Craner, the former State Department central in both Bush administrations — overdo written to uncover which he's not the waste dove.

On unfamiliar routine especially, the intensity possibilities have been still learning. A visit advisor is Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the GOP's 2008 nominee.

"They all call, all the time, even if the little of them have been only checking the box," McCain said. "First, we discuss it them to hold bottom with Henry Kissinger — of course."

Not each senator is consulted as the sage, however. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), the former financial cabinet chairman, pronounced the contenders ask him about Iowa campaigning, not mercantile policy.

Grassley removed with the whine which the many concrete exchanges he had with presidential possibilities were in 1976, when he was the House part of as good as Reagan as good as Gerald Ford reached out. "Those calls — even if they were courtesies — were wonderful," he said.

dimanche 6 avril 2014

The Fix: What Starbucks can tell us about America, in 1 map

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The Fix is an unapologetic Starbucks guy. (When we go in to the Starbucks closest to the Post, they know my name; I’m there which much.) So, when we came opposite this good map upon Quartz regulating Starbucks interpretation to item drinks which were scarcely renouned in sure tools of the nation we was intrigued, to contend the least. (Click the map to see the bigger version.)

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samedi 5 avril 2014

The Fix: What “Veep” gets right about politics. And what it gets wrong.

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Move over, Joe Biden: Vice President Selina Meyer is behind during the big(ish) desk.

HBO’s White House humerous entertainment “Veep” kicks off the third deteriorate Sunday, finish with all the laughs as well as gaffes approaching from Meyer, the illusory Maryland Senator-turned-disillusioned-VP, played by Emmy Award-winnign singer Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

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