Barack Obama -- March 3, 2009

March 3, 2009

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From $1 trillion in debt
to $4 trillion in debt
in six weeks

event	description
Obama Backs Off On Missile Defense	Obama suggested to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev that the United States would back off plans for a missile defense system in Eastern Europe in exchange for help stopping Iran from developing long-range weapons, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Obama made the proposal in a secret letter that was hand-delivered to Medvedev three weeks ago, the Times reported, citing anonymous U.S. sources. Russia has vigorously opposed the missile shield, which would include sites in the Czech Republic and Poland, since it was proposed by the Bush administration. The stated aim of the shield is to deter Iran from launching nuclear-tipped missiles at U.S. allies in Europe. According to the Times, Obama's letter said the U.S. would not need to build the missile defense system if Iran's efforts to build a nuclear weapon were halted. The Obama administration has been vocal about its desire to repair rifts between the U.S. and Russia. In Munich last month, Vice President Joe Biden told a gathering of world leaders, "It's time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia."
Obama Cuts Military Aid To Israel	The The Jerusalem Post reported that the US is curtailing its military aid to Israel. Under new Pentagon guidelines, the Ministry of Defense must give a detailed accounting of how it uses every item it purchases with US aid money. As a consequence, the Defense Ministry issued new instructions to the Israeli Defense Forces that from now Israel's purchases from the US will be limited to defensive armaments and systems aimed at preserving its "qualitative edge" against its enemies.
Obama’s Foreign Aid	Obama’s foreign aid price tag will exceed $50 billion. Obama’s 2010 budget seeks to double U.S. aid payments to other countries despite a $1.75 trillion deficit and the worst recession in over a quarter of a century. Obama’s landmark proposal heralds a massive increase in the size of government, and, "puts the United States on a path to double U.S. foreign assistance," according to the White House budget overview. That would mean annual U.S. foreign assistance expenditures at over $50 billion a year, although it’s not clear yet how quickly Obama intends to attain that goal. Obama also plans to rapidly expand the size of the State Department, in accordance with his strategy of substituting 'soft' diplomatic power for the hard power of U.S. military might. Israel ($2.4 billion in 2008) and Egypt ($1.7 billion), the two signatories to the Camp David Accords, receive by far the most U.S. foreign aid. Other major recipients include Pakistan, Jordan, Kenya, South Africa, and Mexico. The White House overview says expanded foreign assistance "will help the world’s weakest states reduce poverty, combat global health threats, develop markets, govern peacefully, and expand democracy worldwide." Features of Obama’s plan to grease the wheels of diplomacy include: • An estimated $8 billion increase in the annual outlay to the International Monetary Fund. • Full funding for scheduled payments to the World Bank, plus 'a portion of the outstanding arrears to reinforce the U.S. commitment to play a leadership in these institutions.' • Increases non-military aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan, to counter the resurgence of the Taliban. • Increased funding, at an unspecified amount, for global health programs, including AIDS and family planning. • Support for United Nations peace keeping activities, and a promise to meet financial commitments 'to the United Nations and other international organizations that support a wide range of U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic goals.' • More funding for international programs on climate change, agriculture, and the Peace Corps. • There will also be additional counterterrorism and anti-nuclear proliferation funding.
The DOW And The Stimulus	The DOW-JONES Industrial Average since the passage of the stimulus bill. (link)
Mother Of All Ironies	While Barack Hussein Obama has to date never produced his long form birth certificate establishing his "natural born" U.S. citizenship status as required explicitly by the U.S. Constitution, Article II, which results in no one knowing for sure whether Hussein meets this requirement as a legitimization of his presidency and all of his enactments as POTUS, we can be assured of one thing, Barack Hussein Obama IS a natural born Muslim, and beyond as we are about to be informed by someone in the know. At Gates of Vienna we read excerpts from a Forbes article written by a Muslim woman, Asma Gull Hasan, who writes in part: Perhaps it is my — and most Muslims’ — loyalty to the umma that is behind our insistence on seeing Obama as Muslim. Islam survived and continues to survive because Muslims believe we have to respect and take care of each other, as members of the umma. If we were to start excluding members, or revising our broad guidelines for admittance, the very essence of the community feeling that is important in Islam, that gives me and other Muslims comfort everyday, would be undercut. Hasan continues: So when Obama says he’s not Muslim, my umma mentality says I know better. Once you have a Muslim parent, especially a dad, you’re in. Whether you like it or not, Muslims all over the world see you as one of them. There you have it. As I wrote in a comment to the GoV entry, "Hussein Obama may not be a natural born U.S. citizen, but he is definitely a natural born Muslim and all of Islam knows it." So while we in the Uni ... ummm ... fractured States argue over whether Hussein is a Muslim or not, there is, for all intents and purposes, absolute unity on the question within Islam -- Barack Hussein Obama IS a natural born Muslim, thus he'll always be a Muslim. Muslims, by Allah, have no choice in this matter. Once you're in, you are regardless how you got in, and in the strictest sense possible, IN. Or as it's so well put in the Eagles' song Hotel Isla ... er ... Hotel California, "you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave." In other words, once your fraternal parent makes the mistake of checking you into the elaborately adorned hotel of Islam in the act which results in your conception -- or especially once she makes this mistake, to be more exact -- you are, in point of fact, and by no right of choice or free will inherent to your being, a lifelong Muslim; a prisoner of Islam not of your own device. Resistance is futile. Furthermore, I find it quite ironic indeed that no single (non-Muslim) liberal Hussein Obama supporter can be any more sure of Obama's natural born U.S. citizen status (minus perhaps a few inner circle elites) than any opponent of Obama can be. Yet they defend him to the hilt, saying emphatically and dogmatically that they both can and do know that Obama is a natural born U.S. citizen, and not just beyond a reasonable doubt, but beyond, in fact, any doubt, reasonable or otherwise. There's more . . .
Obama Grants Eminent Domain Rights to China	The State Department says there is "no factual basis" to an Internet rumor that went viral over the weekend claiming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was willing to pledge American homes to China as collateral for Beijing buying U.S. debt. The rumor, in various versions, claimed Clinton brought with her last month to Beijing a written agreement offering to extend to China the option to exercise eminent domain rights within the U.S. The rights purportedly were offered as collateral for China's continued willingness to purchase additional trillions of dollars in U.S. Treasury debt the Obama administration hopes to sell to finance projected federal budget deficits. "There is no factual basis or substance to this report," Laura Tischler, a State Department press officer, e-mailed WND in response to an inquiry. the U.S. Treasury is planning to raise $2.5 trillion in debt in 2009 and an additional $4 trillion in 2010 to provide financing for the projected Obama administration deficits. The massive amount of U.S. Treasury debt financing is projected to increase the current $10 trillion national debt by 65 percent in just the first two years of the Obama administration. Underlying the Internet rumor was the fact that a major purpose of Clinton's February trip to China was to make sure the Chinese would continue to buy U.S. Treasury debt in the trillions of dollars the Obama administration will need to fund the massive budgetary deficits planned for economic bailouts and an unprecedented expansion of the welfare state. China and Japan are the two largest holders of U.S. Treasury debt, with China currently owning some $800 billion in Treasury debt securities. China wanted guarantees -- what DID they get?
Party Train	Since the presidency changed hands less than six weeks ago, a burst of entertaining has taken hold of the iconic, white-columned home of America's head of state. Much of it comes on Wednesdays. The stately East Room, where portraits of George and Martha Washington adorn the walls, was transformed into a concert hall as President Barack Obama presented Stevie Wonder with the nation's highest award for pop music on Wednesday. A week before that, the foot-stomping sounds of Sweet Honey in the Rock, a female a cappella group, filled the East Room for a Black History Month program that first lady Michelle Obama held for nearly 200 sixth- and seventh-graders from around Washington. Cocktails were sipped during at least three such receptions to date, all held on Wednesdays. Bookending the midweek activity were a Super Bowl party for select Democratic and Republican lawmakers and a dinner for governors, the new administration's first black-tie affair. It was capped with a performance by the 1970s pop group Earth, Wind and Fire, and a conga line. The flurry of entertaining is in keeping with the Obamas' promise to make the White House a more open place for everyone.
Obama's Urban Czar	Obama's newly minted urban czar pocketed thousands of dollars in campaign cash from city developers whose projects he approved or funded with taxpayers' money, a Daily News probe found. Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion often received contributions just before or after he sponsored money for projects or approved important zoning changes, records show. Most donations were organized and well-timed. In one case, a developer became a Carrion fund-raiser two months before the borough president signed off on his project, raising more than $6,000 in campaign cash. In another, eight Boricua College officials came up with $8,000 on the same day for Carrion three weeks before the school filed plans to build a new tower. Carrion ultimately approved the project and sponsored millions in taxpayer funds for it. Carrion resigned as borough president effective Sunday and begins his new job as director of the White House Office on Urban Policy Monday.
Obama's Health Care Czar	Obama is rounding out his health-care overhaul team Monday by naming Nancy-Ann DeParle, a veteran of the Clinton administration, as the White House health czar. DeParle will be announced with Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who is the president’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary. The decision to appoint DeParle, who has been working at a New York private equity firm and serving on corporate boards, shows that Obama has decided to split into two the job once meant for Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who was tapped as both health secretary and health czar. Daschle was forced to step aside last month amid questions about his taxes. DeParle brings a long resume of health care experience, and a reputation as a no-nonsense businesswoman and lawyer. She served as the Tennessee commissioner of human services in the late 1980s and spent the 1990s in the Clinton administration as a health care adviser at HHS, the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Health Care Financing Administration.
Gitmo	The Pentagon has announced its selection for the new commander of Guantanamo Bay's detention center. He's an officer based in Hawaii who went to Punahou School with President Barack Obama. Rear Adm. Thomas H. Copeman III is being assigned as commander of the Joint Task Force in Cuba. The announcement was made today by the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Gary Roughead. Copeman is currently deputy chief of staff for operations, training and readiness for the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Obama and the Copeman both graduated from Punahou, two years apart. Copeman has said he didn't know Obama then. The two have since met. The Pentagon announcement did not say when Copeman takes over at Guantanamo.