The Truth About The President And The Deficit
Posted by Michelle Moquin on May 29th, 2012
Good morning!
This write is for those of you who are “confused” or just want to “blame” the president for whatever reason…
The Truth About the President and the Deficit
Arguably the biggest lie coming from the Republicans and the Romney campaign is that President Obama is a tax and spend liberal who’s directly and personally responsible for record deficits and a crushing national debt.
Not only is Mitt Romney telling his supporters that President Obama continues to spend out of control, but additionally that the president is responsible for doubling the budget deficit since he took office. This is not a new attack. Republicans who blindly greenlit trillions in Bush-era spending have been engaged in this nonsense practically since the minute the president was inaugurated.
I like to do this from time to time, so consider this a one-stop source for debunking what the Republicans are claiming about the Obama administration’s fiscal record. Before I do, however, I’d like to note that Republicans often confuse the national debt with the federal budget deficit, not unlike the way they scramble the stimulus and the bailouts. (The “stimulus,” passed by President Obama, is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the “bailout,” passed by President Bush, is also known as TARP.) They’re not interchangeable terms.
For example, Karl Rove’s new and highly deceptive anti-Obama commercial somehow conflates the national debt and unemployment, calling it “job-killing debt,” even though job-creation and the national debt are about as interdependent as Rove and The Truth. We can assume that Rove simply doesn’t know what the debt actually is, or that he’s deliberately lying to voters.
To be clear: the federal budget deficit is the annual difference between what the government spends and what it collects in revenue. It’s often similar, higher or lower, than the previous fiscal year’s deficit. The debt is the total amount of money the United States owes to creditors, and this much larger figure accrues from year to year. A lot of people don’t know the difference, and I’ve even heard very serious cable news people mix them up, too.
So let’s start from the beginning — prior to 2009 when the president was inaugurated. While it’s true that, in a general sense, the deficit and debt are higher than ever before, it has less to do with President Obama, and more to do with the previous administration’s careless spending, ridiculously large tax cuts for the super-rich coupled with the globally massive economic depression from which we’re still extricating ourselves.
The following chart, using Congressional Budget Office numbers, precisely illustrates the sources of the federal budget deficit.
One layer is directly the result of Obama administration policies. The rest aren’t. And the “economic downturn” began prior to the president’s inauguration, and, as time goes on, we’re learning that the recession was far worse than we were led to believe at the time, making an escape and recovery even longer and more challenging than anticipated.
In terms of the debt, the strata are remarkably similar, even though the numbers are larger:
As you can see, much of the “record” deficit and debt had nothing to do with the Obama administration. But Republicans will insist that the deficit is out of control and that happened on Obama’s watch beginning in 2009, and has been getting worse every year since then.
This is a super-colossal lie.
Here’s Bob Beauprez, a former Republican congressman and current blogger for the popular conservative website Townhall.com lying to his readers:
The 2011 budget deficit for the federal government is $1.299 trillion according to numbers just released by the U.S. Treasury. That is the second highest deficit in history. [...]Obama will likely make it four in a row one year from now as his own budget shop is estimating a $1.1 trillion deficit for 2012.
The 2009 deficit still holds the record at $1.412 trillion. In 2010 the deficit reached $1.293. In just three years, more than $4 trillion of red ink has been added to the debt. The government’s fiscal year ends September 30.
Did you spot the lie? It’s 2009. Even though the president entered office in 2009, the fiscal year 2009 spending for October 2008 to September 2009 was requested by President Bush and worsened by his policies (see previous deficit chart). The Congressional Budget Office noted that President Obama inherited $1.2 trillion of the total $1.4 trillion deficit for 2009.
And even though it’s staring him in the face, Beauprez failed to note that the president has reduced the deficit nearly every year. Again, by Beauprez’s own numbers, the president has cut the deficit every year except for one. Between 2009 and 2012, the president will have reduced the deficit by $312 billion. Put another way, the president has cut the deficit by nearly 25 percent — so far.
Much to my personal Keynesian chagrin, President Obama cut spending, cut the deficit and cut taxes. (I’d rather he spend more in the short term to stimulate more growth and then cut the deficit when things have stabilized, but yeah.) In chart form:
A couple of months ago in Arizona, Mitt Romney attacked the president on this topic with a whopper lie: “He said he’d cut the deficit in half. He’s doubled it. He’s doubled it.”
Mitt Romney actually said that. Well, no, the president didn’t cut the deficit in half. And he hasn’t doubled it. Obviously. Romney lied again.
Actually, the president is on course to practically erasing the entire budget deficit by 2017, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The 2017 budget deficit, which will reflect President Obama’s final spending requests (a similar dynamic to Bush’s last deficit of 2009), could end up dropping close to zero, as a percentage of GDP.
Conversely, the Tax Policy Center reported that the Romney tax plan would explode the deficit by nearly $3 trillion over ten years. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the reversal of the president’s deficit cutting policies like the Affordable Care Act, or another recession, or whatever Romney decides to do in Iran.
Feel free to steal the above charts and pass them around. The Republicans have made it part of their strategy to flagrantly lie to their followers knowing that any fact-checking to debunk the lies will be met with a creepy “liberal bias” response. They’re counting on it — especially in the Romney campaign. The rest of us are tasked with being the reality-based grownups in the room.
UPDATE: I neglected to add this chart to the mix, via numbers from Market Watch. It turns out that annualized spending growth is the slowest of any president in the last 30 years.
Part of the reason for the slow growth is that Obama — unlike his Republican and Democratic predecessors — signed a law in February 2010 necessitating that new spending laws are paid for. In addition, Obama last year signed into law over $2 trillion in debt-reduction over the next decade.
No wonder the Republicans have to lie. The truth is too damaging to their prospects.
****
Readers: If some of you are still “confused”, I can’t help you – you’re a lost cause. If you still want to “blame” for whatever reason, then obviously you are with the party of “ABO”, and pretty much nothing I can say or do will change your mind. But don’t think that means I condone your attitude, false beliefs, lies, and behavior. It just means I can’t give up, and let that kind of thinking run and ruin our country.
And on that note, I’ll wish you all a beautiful day!
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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May 29th, 2012 at 6:49 am
Sucking on Powdered Caffeine: Good or Bad Idea?
Caffeine is certainly one of America’s most popular drugs, and having a cup of coffee or tea each day sure does feel good when you’re sleep-deprived.
So when a new product called AeroShot was recently introduced, enticing consumers to suck in flavored caffeinated powder, it caught my attention.
On the one hand, AeroShot is cheaper than a medium-sized flavored latte at Starbucks and it’s small enough to stick in your pocket and take anywhere, so it sounds like something that might be useful whenever you need a boost.
On the other hand, while the caffeine that AeroShot contains is natural (according to the company), there’s nothing “natural” about sucking in powder.
And does it give the same surge of energy that a coffee-based drink would?
Though AeroShot is already on the market, the FDA is evaluating the product’s safety, and other medical groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have concerns.
Curious to find out whether the product is actually as benign as coffee or tea, I talked to an expert.
SUCKING IN POWDER
AeroShot ($2.99 on http://www.AeroShots.com) is surprisingly basic considering the hype. In fact, I tested it out.
It’s a lipstick-sized tube—you just pull the tube open, put your mouth over one end of the tube and gently suck in the lime-, raspberry- or green apple-flavored caffeine powder.
(It brought back memories of Pixy Stix, actually.) The powder dissolves in your mouth and you swallow it. Be forewarned—it’s bitter!
According to the company, each tube contains B vitamins, niacin, and a total of about 100 mg of caffeine—about the same as in an eight-ounce cup of coffee.
You can suck in all 100 mg of caffeinated powder at once or take it in four to six small doses over time. The company suggests using no more than three 100-mg AeroShots per day.
THE FDA VS. AEROSHOT
Here’s the main concern with the product. You don’t technically breathe in the powder—you suck it in. But when you suck it in, how can you be sure that some of it doesn’t accidentally get into your lungs?
The company claims that because each granule of powder is above 10 microns in size, each is too large to accidentally make it into the lungs.
But the American Academy of Pediatrics questions that claim, and that’s why the FDA is continuing to evaluate the product’s safety.
The concern is that the powder might irritate or infect the lungs. “Caffeine is not normally inhaled into the lungs, and the safety of doing so has not been well-studied,” the FDA said in a news release.
IS IT SAFE?
To learn more, I called Daniel P. Evatt, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow and researcher at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, who specializes in drugs of dependence and abuse such as nicotine, alcohol and—yes—caffeine.
I asked him whether AeroShot is safe. Physiologically, said Dr. Evatt, caffeine from the powder is absorbed at the same rate as it would be from coffee, an “energy drink” or any other source. So it doesn’t “hit you” any harder, he said.
The powder does make an AeroShot easy to overuse. While an adult may be wise enough to use one responsibly, I worry that a young teen or college student might not be.
The company doesn’t recommend that people under age 18 use the product, but of course they will. Kids who want to party all night long might use far more than three AeroShots per day while drinking alcohol so that the caffeine masks how intoxicated they actually are.
And even by itself, too much caffeine can cause side effects including the jitters, heart palpitations and an upset stomach.
As with many things—moderation!
Sources: Daniel P. Evatt, PhD, postdoctoral fellow and researcher, department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:02 am
I agree Alycedale about that McMillian character. I mean if a woman is looking for advice about marriage, get advice from someone who’s been married a long time. Skip the advice from people who know how to get married badly.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:03 am
Marriage is over rated… just paper and a confusing mess when it comes to taxes. Not to mention I can’t get married in most states and its not reconized by the federal goverment so why bother?
May 29th, 2012 at 7:10 am
Michelle, This is why I worry about Obama’s reelection possibilities.
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Sources told Byers that it was possible that a bubble has burst: Limbaugh saw a spike in listeners due to the controversy, and now those people have stopped tuning in. Limbaugh’s ratings were also up in other markets, such as San Francisco.
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Who are the racists or dumb white women, that contribute to this rating spike for Limbaugh in San Francisco.?
It doesn’t seem to matter what the man does, if he can’t change his color they won’t vote for him.
Cecilia
May 29th, 2012 at 7:19 am
We were debating violence in America and the subject of the incident between Zimmerman and Martin came up. Some were arguing that it was the clothes he was wearing that in America one has to be careful about what he wears if he is black.
For me, his clothes do not matter….the issue is being confused…the real issue is why did Zimmerman leave is car when told not to.
None of what transpired after Zimmerman got out of his car and pursued Martin on foot would have happened if Zimmerman acted as directed.
Zimmerman disobeyed became the aggressive one and then once his aggression was responded to he was in fear of his life.
Please…there has been no comment on whether his gun was visible or not…whether he had his gun out or not…what would one think if a person started following them at night.
It appears unless there are facts to the contrary Martin was in fear of his life and rightfully so because he in fact did lose it.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:34 am
Zen lill, I liked your comment;
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I’m seriously considering doing seminars on mindful relationships, starting with the one you have with yourself. It’s really not that hard to have one or more relationships or whatever you want, here you go: get connected with yourself, then others, then just be, do and serve (be of service to people you care about) and do it bc you want to and stop attaching your life expectations to everyone other than yourself who enters the room.
Re: relationships – I’ve seen women with non-negotiable lists and or ‘characteristics’ lists a mile long, hmm, good luck with that, none of that crap produces connection with the self or anyone else. On first dates asking what men think of marriage is such rubbish it makes me ill, who cares, on a first date you should be wondering if you even like him and would he qualify for a second date, that’s it…
I have much more to say on that but I’ll save it for another time.
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You certainly have more to say than McMillian. I am looking forward to that “another time.”
Tracy
May 29th, 2012 at 7:36 am
Ulfa, lets clear this mess up. That kid had every right to walk down the street and be left alone, regardless of how he was dressed.
His had nothing to do with “stand your ground”. Last time I checked the ground doesn’t move, your not standing your ground when you follow someone, get out of your vehicle, and initiate a confrontation. Zimmerman should be in prison and I hope he ends up there.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:40 am
Isn’t this blog concerned anymore about aliens? I read this on this blog a few days ago
-===================
James Says:
May 28th, 2012 at 7:34 am
Howie please tell me this wasn’t an alien;
The officer…approached and saw that the naked man was actually chewing the other man’s head, according to witnesses. The officer ordered the naked man to back away, and when he continued the assault, the officer shot him.
The attacker continued to eat the man, despite being shot, forcing the officer to continue firing. Witnesses said they heard at least a half dozen shots.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/26/naked-man-eating-victims-face-killed-miami_n_1548359.html?utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Brief&utm_campaign=daily_brief
=============================
And I have been waiting for a comment ever since.
So was the guy an alien, zombie or what?
Scott
May 29th, 2012 at 7:43 am
Scott shouldn’t you have been more concerned about how the policeman handled the problem? I mean a better action would have been for the officer to club the man on the head with his baton or to taser him.
Jane
May 29th, 2012 at 7:44 am
Too bad the victim didnt have a way to stand his ground.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:46 am
Jane, if you read the article carefully, you would have noticed that the man continued to eat his victim after he was shot by the officer. I hardly think a club to the head or a taser would have helped.
George
May 29th, 2012 at 7:47 am
No Jane, killing solved the problem. No tax payer money for jail, court, and prison.
If that happens to more criminals caught in the act, we’d be better off as a society.
Ralfe
May 29th, 2012 at 7:49 am
Scott, I’m with you. I guess this is another instance the man with knowledge about all things alien is missed.
Howard
May 29th, 2012 at 7:52 am
Scott, here is the news clip I got on it.
========================
A witness says a naked man chewing on the face of another naked man on a downtown highway ramp kept eating and growled at a police officer who fatally shot him to make him stop.
“The guy was, like, tearing him to pieces with his mouth, so I told him, `Get off!’” Vega said. “The guy just kept eating the other guy away, like, ripping his skin.”
Vega flagged down a Miami police officer, who he said repeatedly ordered the attacker to get off the victim. The attacker just picked his head up and growled at the officer, Vega said.
As the attack continued, Vega said the officer shot the attacker, who continued chewing the victim’s face. The officer fired again, killing the attacker.
Miami police have released few details about the attack, other than confirming that there was a fatal officer-involved shooting. The name of the victim, who was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, had not been immediately determined by authorities, said Detective William Moreno. Messages left Monday for a police spokesman were not immediately returned.
A spokeswoman said Monday that the hospital would not be releasing any information about him.
A surveillance video camera from The Miami Herald building nearby captured images of the men’s naked legs lying side by side after the shooting.
Vega said the victim appeared gravely injured.
“It was just a blob of blood,” Vega said. “You couldn’t really see, it was just blood all over the place.”
======================
Sounds like a cover up to me. I mean why not release the autopsy report?
May 29th, 2012 at 7:54 am
Scott, I am not Howie. All I can say is that was not a good answer to high food prices.
Bob
May 29th, 2012 at 7:55 am
The guy watched Dawn of the Dead one too many times.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:57 am
Jane, WHATever!! If somebody was chewing on my face, I don’t care if it’s a cop or a saint, I would hope somebody would shoot him ASAP!! Geez. What if it was your kid?!
May 29th, 2012 at 7:58 am
Scott, All I want to say is that I hope this incident costs Obama Florida. This one incident could cost Obama Florida.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:01 am
This blog can get silly at times. My thoughts on the cannibal thing in Florida is while I don’t think it will cost Obama the state, I’ve never actually been THAT hungry.
Lucy
May 29th, 2012 at 8:01 am
If you’re going to do wierd things like lay around naked and eat faces, take it inside so I don’t have to try to explain your antics to my 3 & 7 year olds. K? Thanks!
May 29th, 2012 at 8:08 am
Landmark Study Shows 6 Exercises Can Relieve Neck Pain
If you suffer from neck pain, chances are you’ve tried heating pads, painkillers and perhaps even repeated visits to a physical therapist, osteopath or chiropractor.
But new research shows that simple neck exercises can relieve neck pain.
Important new research: In a landmark study published earlier this year in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers followed 272 people suffering from neck pain of less than three months’ duration with no specific known cause.
One group received pain medication and muscle relaxants for 12 weeks…another had 12 weeks of spinal manipulation sessions…and a third group did 12 weeks of special daily neck exercises.
Findings:
Spinal manipulation was more effective than medication at improving neck pain by the end of 12 weeks of treatment and one year later—and participants who did home neck exercises experienced improvement in their pain similar to that achieved with spinal manipulation.
WHY THESE EXERCISES WORK
Various factors contribute to neck pain, including chronic strain on the joints and ligaments due to poor posture, minor trauma and excessive work in front of a computer.
The neck exercises used in the neck pain study described above were adapted from a program developed by New Zealand physical therapist Robin McKenzie.
The “McKenzie Method” brings the neck into normal alignment by reinforcing its natural curves and rebalancing supporting muscles. Through numerous gentle repetitions, these exercises help you develop a healthier posture, eliminating stress on the neck’s joints and ligaments.
HOME EXERCISE PROGRAM
If you suffer from neck pain or stiffness, the following sequence of exercises should be performed six to eight times throughout the day (a total of about 30 to 40 minutes daily).*
Keep doing the routine as long as your neck pain continues to improve. Once you reach a plateau, do the exercises just once a day to maintain a healthy neck and prevent a recurrence.
All of the exercises should be done while sitting on a straight-backed chair or stool, except for the two lying-down versions. As you hold each position, take one full, deep breath—inhaling, then exhaling and relaxing.
EXERCISE 1:
Head retraction. While sitting in a relaxed position and looking straight ahead, slowly move your head backward as far as you can.
Next, tuck in your chin as much as possible toward your throat while continuing to look straight ahead. Hold this position for three seconds, then return to starting position. Repeat 10 times.
If this exercise is too difficult: While lying on your back on a bed (without a pillow), tuck in your chin toward your throat. Hold this position as you push your head backward into the bed for three seconds. Repeat 10 times.
EXERCISE 2:
Head retraction with extension. Tuck in your chin and pull your head backward, as in Exercise #1. While keeping your head pulled back, lift your chin up and tilt your head back as far as you can.
Hold this position for three seconds as you rotate your head a half inch to the right and then a half inch to the left. Return to the starting position. Repeat the sequence 10 times.
If this exercise is too difficult: While lying on your back on your bed with your head, neck and the tops of your shoulders extending off the bed, support your head with one hand.
Next, tilt your head backward as far as you can. Hold this position for three seconds as you rotate your head a half inch to the right and then a half inch to the left. Return to the starting position. Repeat the sequence 10 times.
EXERCISE 3:
Head retraction with side bending. Tuck in your chin and pull your head backward, as in Exercise #1. While continuing to look straight ahead, put your right hand on your head and gently tilt your head so that your right ear moves as far as possible toward your right shoulder.
Hold this position for three seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat five times on each side.
EXERCISE 4:
Head retraction with rotation. Tuck in your chin and pull your head backward, as in Exercise #1. While maintaining this posture, turn your head to the right as far as you can and hold this position for three seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat five times on each side.
EXERCISE 5:
Head flexion. Relax completely, then let your head fall forward so that your chin drops to your chest. Put your hands behind your head, then let your arms relax so your elbows point downward and the weight of your arms gently pulls your chin even closer to your chest.
Hold this position for three seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat five times. After completing Exercise #5, do 10 additional repetitions of Exercise #2.
EXERCISE 6:
Scapular retraction. This exercise strengthens the shoulders’ scapular muscles, which help support the base of the neck. Hold your arms at your sides with your elbows bent at 90º angles.
While maintaining this position and continuing to look straight ahead, pull your elbows back behind you until you feel a squeezing between your shoulder blades. Hold for three seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat five times.
*Check with your doctor before trying these exercises. If your neck pain worsens as a result of the exercises, stop them and see your doctor for advice.
Source: Gert Bronfort, DC, PhD, vice president of research at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minnesota. A leading researcher on chiropractic and complementary and alternative medicine,
Dr. Bronfort has authored several systematic reviews of the literature on treating neck, back and headache pain. He is also associate editor for the Cochrane Back Review Group and serves on the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Dr. Bronfort is coauthor, with Roni Evans, DC, of the neck pain study in Annals of Internal Medicine. Dr. Evans also contributed to this article.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:10 am
Jane, I tend to want to agree with you. Did the cop shoot him in the head?
What I’m getting at here is…WAS HE PROPERLY TRAINED to deal with ZOMBIES?
May 29th, 2012 at 8:11 am
The new republic is the wonderful banking industry and how the people caused the crisis taking out loans they could not afford.
Wow,who will they blame for making the bad bets? Will they just say the economy cannot be good all of the time. Faux is a cheerleader for banking and corporations.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:13 am
Michelle I say to all those out there who object to what is on your blog, to be educated, one must read points of view that differ from their own, rather than react angrilly when they hear these points of view.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:21 am
Michelle, I hope this appeal for you to send Madalene doesn’t fail. Here in Syria entire families are being murdered in their homes. Women and children have guns put to their heads and they are just executed.
Please help.
Bost
May 29th, 2012 at 8:34 am
Since I couldn’t say this as well I want to post a post I saw today on Huff post.
==================
THE ROMNEY EXCUSES:
1) Romney’s apparent rationale for continuing to associate with Trump is “I need to get 50.1 percent or more and Read More… All of this is true. BUT WHAT IS THE MOST DISTURBING ABOUT ALL THIS IS THE DEEPER ISSUE.
Birtherism represents two of this nations worst beliefs: racism and xenophobia. It is no secret that “birtherism” is racial, ultra-nationalist code for “he’s not one of us.”
In law silence denotes consent. If you do not object to something with which you are associated then you are seen to be agreeing with it. The closer your association the more likely it is that the beiefs of the other person will be seen as your beliefs.
So, while Romney can make a good case for not denouncing Ted Nugent’s call for gun based resistance to Dems in any but the most general of terms through spokespeople, or a reasonable case as to why he does not correct those in town halls who ask questions based on bizarre ideas, it is MUCH HARDER to make a case for his silence here.
ROMNEY HANGS OUT WITH THE GUY. HE TAKES HIS MONEY AND HIS FRIENDS’ MONEY IN LARGE AMOUNTS. HE CALLS HIM A GOOD PERSON, AN ALLY, A PERSON WHOSE SUPPORT HE IS PROUD TO ACCEPT. THIS IS NOT A RELATIONSHIP THAT CAN BE DISMISSED AS MINOR AND UNIMPORTANT. HE BEARS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT TRUMP SAYS.
WHAT SEEMS TO BE TRUE HERE IS THAT Trump’s function in the Romney campaign seems to be precisely to play the race card through birtherism.
There are SOME Mainstream Republicans who are also frustrated that the birther fantasies will not go away. Trump’s birther views being associated with the Romney campaign frustrates George Will, who calls Trump a “bloviating ignoramous.”
Still, does one hear this from Party leaders or elected officials? No. Not at all.
SILENCE IS CONSENT.
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As Robert,RT said RACE is the issue in this race.
Terrance
May 29th, 2012 at 8:38 am
Birthers don’t have a problem because they have presented their evidence that remains unrefuted even today . Obama and the Dem-libs got the problem because they cannot refute any of the evidence.
Name calling and denial won’t erase the evidence, it can only be refuted by another evidence which Obama for some reason cannot produce.
We understand your loyalty libs but it doesn’t mean we have to become wilfully blind like you.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:41 am
True, true, true, Michelle they are killing us in Houla.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:42 am
France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia announced on Tuesday that they were expelling the Syrian envoys from their capitals in response to the massacre of 108 civilians in Houla.
Also on Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius ruled out a military intervention in Syria. “The Syrian army is powerful. No state is ready to consider ground intervention at the current time. The risk of the conflict spreading throughout the region would be too high, particularly to Lebanon,”
May 29th, 2012 at 8:43 am
Canada Expels Syrian Diplomats
In the wake of the Houla massacre, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced that Syrian diplomats in Ottawa must leave the country.
“Canada and our partners are speaking loudly, with one voice, in saying these Syrian representatives are not welcome in our countries while their masters in Damascus continue to perpetrate their heinous and murderous acts,” Baird said.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:45 am
State Department To Expel Syrian Envoy
The U.S. State Department will expel Syria’s charge d’affaires, a U.S. official told Reuters. According to the official, Syria’s top diplomat will be given 72 hours to leave the United States. Reuters explains Syria’s ambassador to the United States left the country last year but was never replaced.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:49 am
Anybody see signs of what is happening in Syria being the same as what happened under Hitler ans Stalin? The rulers of all of the middle east countries are much the same . Unfortunately , even revolutions will not cure the problem .
Once the current rulers are eliminated , you can look for hard line Muslims to gain power and operate unde sharia law . This will happen in Egypt when their elections are over and we will then see some real sparks flying because Israel will not stand by and wait to be overrun .
I am afraid this will bring on world conflict again . The U.S. will hve no choice but to support Israel and you can look for Russia and Iran to support the Muslim dictators in the other countries.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:50 am
Way too much cash to be made for the one percent here in the Prison States of America, so we wont be doing anything that moral and proper for a long time. In the States, its all about the cash, not right and wrong, or honor for that matter.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Pakistan openly harbors and aids Al-Qaida with one hand while the other hand is openly accepting billions in American “aid.” Ironically, some of that aid probably goes to harbor the very terrorists we’re hunting down.
Would be nice if we cut Pakistan off and force terrorists into the mountains and caves to live like the animals they are. But, we keep on perpetuating things.
Back in the ‘Nam days, we had a saying, “war is good business.” Some things don’t change.
Permalin
May 29th, 2012 at 8:55 am
While you are knocking Obama, he is going about the business of getting the real people responsible for 9/11.
===========================
KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S.-led NATO force in Afghanistan killed al-Qaida’s second-highest leader in the country in an airstrike in eastern Kunar province, the coalition said Tuesday.
Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as Mushtaq and Nasim, was responsible for commanding foreign insurgents in Afghanistan and directing attacks against NATO and Afghan forces, the alliance said. He frequently traveled between Afghanistan and Pakistan, carrying out commands from senior al-Qaida leadership and ferrying in weapons and fighters.
The airstrike that killed al-Taifi and another al-Qaida militant took place Sunday in Kunar’s Watahpur district, the coalition said. A follow-on assessment of the area determined that no civilians were harmed, it said.
=======================
Obama just doesn’t play around. The top terrorists have been decimated.
Obama keeps us safe, believe that!
Nadine
May 29th, 2012 at 8:56 am
Looks like Obama’s kill list is more effective and cost efficient than occupying a country.
May 29th, 2012 at 8:58 am
It’s good to see those really responsible for 9-11 killed than those who had nothing to do with it, for a change.
May 29th, 2012 at 9:01 am
Scott, the eater’s name was Rudy Eugene, 31. This report; “Vega said when the police officer yelled at Eugene to back away, the naked man merely raised his head “with pieces of flesh in his mouth,” growled, and began chewing again.” gave me nightmares.
Linda
May 29th, 2012 at 9:03 am
If Obama had a son, he could very well look like Rudy Eugene.
May 29th, 2012 at 9:04 am
tastes just like chicken, homeless ‘ free range’ chicken, but chicken nonetheless!
May 29th, 2012 at 9:06 am
Scott, with or without Howie’s input, the question many are asking now is if we will see more of these sort of attacks in the very near future. If we do, that will tell a tale of something much bigger than a drug-induced frenzy.
Henry
May 29th, 2012 at 9:22 am
Is it true that apple cider vinegar helps circulation?
Absolutely. Apple cider vinegar has a lot of different benefits. One of which is to remove calcium deposits in blood vessel walls. In fact, there was a study conducted on dairy cows that showed a positive change in the blood vessels of cows fed apple cider vinegar. During slaughter, the cows fed the vinegar required much less pressure to cut through larger blood vessels. That indicates, ingesting apple cider vinegar helped to reduce calcium build-up in those blood vessels.
Apple cider vinegar also helps tremendously with circulation and with providing acid the stomach is supposed to furnish but sometimes doesn’t. I recommend 2 tablespoons in water twice a day with meals.
May 29th, 2012 at 9:24 am
Our politicians are consumed with the crisis in Syria and the suffering there, but I would like to draw their attention to the crisis in Sudan, too. I know we can’t police the world, but there is a simply solution worth exploring.
May 29th, 2012 at 9:27 am
I wish the lies would stop about Obama’s commitment to the survival of Israel.
==============
The Obama administration’s actual record is far more instructive than its critics’ politically inspired rhetoric in providing guidance in this year’s presidential election campaign to those of us who care about US-Israel relations. It is clear that under President Obama’s leadership, as he has repeatedly reassured both Israelis and Americans, the United States has consistently had and “will always have Israel’s back.”
The Obama administration has just allocated an additional $70 million to fund Israel’s Iron Dome defense system that has helped protect Israelis from rocket attacks launched against them from Gaza. According to US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta,
=========================
Agreed that the president has supported Israel. Agreed that the president cares about a two state solution. Agreed that the president cares about world peace and disarmament.
But how long must we represent Jews as a monolithic, unthinking, lacking in individual opinion? So it takes a professor to “lead the pack?”
Is self interest based on religious dogma the sole reason to vote for a president who is a renaissance man, a president who does not pander?
May 29th, 2012 at 9:31 am
A glass of red wine may be good for your heart but it’s definitely not great for your carpet. Red wine stains can be automatic eyesores, especially on light-colored carpets. Instead, tackle spills of the vino variety immediately with our easy and effective tip.
Simply apply a dollop of foam shaving cream over the wine stain. Then, use the curved side of a spoon to work the shaving cream in evenly over the stain.
Use a clean cloth or sponge dampened with warm water and wipe up the foam, gently scrubbing as needed. The shaving cream should absorb and lift out the stain.
Once all the cream has been removed, blot with a dry towel and let the damp carpet air dry.
May 29th, 2012 at 9:47 am
Have you noticed that racism and the way my race is so callous towards how members of our race treat others is so bad in this country that the racists and bigots feel free to practice their hatred upon the President of our country,
Witness, posts, #39 and #18. Just how #18 believes that Obama is connected to a man eating another man’s face would cost him Florida was lost on me until #39 explained that the eater was a black man.
Gosh, can racial hatred really be that blind.
Rita
May 29th, 2012 at 11:19 am
It doesn’t matter what Obama does as long as he is black most of white america will find some fault with him.
Delores
May 29th, 2012 at 5:13 pm
If you need another example of jUStice check out hat happened to Diane Tran a 17 year-old honor student.
====================
A texas judge sentenced her to spend a night in jail and fined her $100.
This is a another example of Texas being the racist’s glee that state law allows the majority to terrorize the minority.
She is working two jobs because her and her family needs money. So this judge fines her $100 for missing school. She’s an honor student taking college level AP spanish and college level algebra classes, obviously missing a few classes hasn’t hurt her grades.
Henrietta
May 29th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Rick Scott, the governor is trying to steal the vote in Florida before the presidential election . He is using voter purging by forcing people to prove he is a US citizen.
The people he put on a list are required to appear before a voter counsel to prove they are citizen. The people are forced to show their citizenship papers in 30 days or lose the right to vote. 180,000 have made the list of not being citizens.
90% of those on the list are registered democrats or Hispanic, or African Americans. This was specifically designed to steal the election. They have eliminated voting at churches, and limited the time in which the polls will be open.
There is not even a pretense of how much of a voter suppression this is.
Vivian
May 29th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Diane Tran has a lot on her plate for a 17-year-old. After Diane’s parents moved away, Diane stayed behind and started working two jobs to provide for her family — all while taking college-level classes at her high school.
But when Diane recently missed school due to exhaustion, she was charged with a crime and sentenced to pay a $100 fine and spend a night in jail.
Diane’s classmate, Devin, told reporters that between a full-time job, a part-time job, and making the honor roll, it’s no wonder Diane was tired. “She stays up until 7 in the morning doing her homework,” Devin says.
Judge Lanny Moriarty didn’t have to sentence Diane to a night in jail, but he wanted to make an example of her. “If you let one of them run loose, what are you going to do with the rest of them?” Judge Moriarty told reporters. “A little stay in the jail for one night is not a death sentence.”
Samuel Oh thinks working hard to provide for your family should not be cause for criminal punishment.
“Somehow Diane is not just an extraordinary worker and student, she’s an extraordinary human being with a fighting spirit,” Samuel says. “The institutions that are supposed to provide resources to youth and ensure justice are punishing her instead.”
There is some good news: when a reporter recently asked Judge Moriarty if anything could be done to get him to revoke Diane’s charges, he replied, “Yeah, it probably could.”
Samuel believes that if thousands of people sign his petition, Judge Moriarty will take this opportunity to do the right thing and revoke Diane’s charges.
Change.orb
May 29th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
I hope everyone had a very nice, relaxing, and reflective Memorial Day. If you haven’t read Rep. Allen West’s piece on Memorial Day, make sure you rectify that.
What we are working on today:
Government lines up $1.4 billion for conservation property purchases — From Audrey’s story in the print publication this week: “Controversial legislation tucked into a contentious highway-funding bill gives state and federal governments $1.4 billion to buy private property for new conservation efforts and adds even more inventory to the nation’s 635 million acre holding.
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, says this two-year funding mechanism for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is ‘particularly egregious’ because the government doesn’t have billions of dollars needed to care for the vast holdings.” Read more below.
Gay marriage fight may not be smart politically for Obama and Democrats — Giz is looking at the never-ending discussion over gay marriage.
As we have seen, with North Carolina the most recent, all states that have had gay marriage on the ballot have never passed it. Other states have used legislative means to get it on the books.
Giz looks at the states that could have the issue affect outcomes of Senate races. You can read more of that below.
Should America’s Syria strategy be one of non-intervention? — Quite a prescient story today, huh? With news that the U.S. has asked the Syria envoy to the U.S. to leave within 72 hours, the role we play in that country will be talked about more and more as days go by. Bob Maginnis’ analysis is below.
From the blog:
Live Action exposes “gendercide” at Planned Parenthood clinic – John Hayward posted this shocking video early this morning.
“The undercover filmmakers at Live Action are back, with a new round of videos shot at Planned Parenthood clinics across America.
This time, the subject is “gendercide” — abortions performed for no other reason than the parents’ desire to have a boy instead of a girl.
Planned Parenthood is apparently comfortable with gendercide… and in the first video of Live Action’s “Protect Our Girls” project, a staffer at a Texas clinic is not above suggesting a little Medicaid fraud to finance it…” Read more.
And finally: Chris Hayes will be this week’s not hot for sure.
PS: Be sure to pick up the paper this week for Hope Hodge’s story on the last remaining POW in war in Afghanistan. A heart wrenching story that you don’t want to miss.
Have a nice day.
-Adam
May 29th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
I watched Joe Scarborough criticize Obama”s intimate involvement in personally deciding which people should go on the list of targets for drone strikes.
=========================
On Tuesday’s “Morning Joe,” Scarborough said that the story made him “flinch.” He wondered whether it was right for the president to be so personally implicated in such choices. “Something to me is just not right about taking that into the Oval Office,” he said.
The other panelists all seemed to be fine with Obama’s participation, saying that it showed a willingness to confront the realities of his decisions.
============================
Being the President is a very difficut job and Obama has had more than his share of difficult decisions. Very few people are capable of looking at both sides of an issue and then making very tough decisions.
I think Obama has done an admirable job of weighing the pros and cons of serious decisions. To have someone like Joe disparage him is offensive.
Clyde
May 29th, 2012 at 7:06 pm
I read the article. Essentially Joe Scarborough is saying it is alright for a President to be involved in something that could have dire consequences if he can avoid the negative ramifications by claiming the decision was made outside of the White House.
Hence Joe”s “Something to me is just not right about taking that into the Oval Office.” The typical white boy character, of do it but hide your involvement so that if it turns out to be a bad decision you can lie, is front and center here.
Like bush did when he claimed he got bad advice from the CIA and that is why he started a war with Iraq.
As Mira Brzezinski said, “There could be critiques of a president who was disconnected as well and did not choose to look and did not choose think about every angle, including the moral choice, Don’t you think?”
But Joe S. was having none of it because he was out to slam Obama but was not aware that he was revealing the white boy side of his own character.
The hide behind someone else if it goes wrong, but if you think it is a winner, then don a phony Air Force uniform and proclaim “Mission Accomplished.”
Obama is accepting the consequences for these actions, (drones), and doesn’t want to pass it onto the military. If he should be blamed for it later then so be it, but he made the call.
Many times all blacks had were their family, home, or neighborhood, so when someone tried to hurt it, you hurt them.
This is why the comedians joke about how there couldn’t have been blacks on the planes during 911, because they wouldn’t have allowed them to take the plane with box cutters.
That is unfair to the brave people on the flights, but many blacks feel they would have went at those highjackers. It’s just a cultural thing.
If you are not black, ask a black friend how they feel about my explaination. Anyway, I don’t see the issue, what happened to the saying “the buck stops here”?
Dwight
May 29th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
God Bless our POTUS and the responsibility he is willing to shoulder. For every Time there is a Season.
Obama didn’t make it this way and I’m convinced he’d prefer another way. But it is his responsibility to protect us and sometimes that endeavor is very messy.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Was Joey flinching when Bush sent us into Iraq on a pack of lies? Give me a break. Joe and his thinly veiled Obama bashing makes me sick. Whenever he interrupts a guest or Mika, it is usually to pontificate, at which point I change the station.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:15 pm
I’m not a fan of targeted assassinations, let alone with drones or using foreign hit teams.
But if anyone has to be the person who makes that call and shoudlers the responsibility, I’d prefer it to be the elected Executive.
That would be far better than a cabal of secret government agents who pick who lives and who dies.
Edward
May 29th, 2012 at 7:20 pm
It seems that Romney has resorted to Carl Rove and Lee Atwater style of campaigning of using dirt and smears. It doesn’t matter how low or dirty he has to go as long as he can win.
Margaret
May 29th, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Both political parties are well-represented in my family and among my in-laws.
Mostly the nigger lovers see anything in the Obama concept of governing.
Mitch
May 29th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Rove should be in jail now for outing CIA agent Plame in response for her husband exposing the WMD lie in Iraq, you can throw war crimes into the list too.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:33 pm
Besides the fight between Carl Rove and Meghan McCain which has caused her to call him “‘A Pathetic Excuse For A Human Being,” there is the interesting cat fight between Donald Trump and George Will.
===================
The feud between Donald Trump and conservative pundit George Will took another turn when Trump returned fire for comments Will had made about the real estate mogul over the weekend.
On Sunday night, Trump tweeted:
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
George Will may be the dumbest(and most overrated) political commentator of all time. If the Republicans listen to him, they will lose.
==========================
This was after pundit Will had said that being associated with Trump would hurt Mitt Romney campaign’s, and that Trump was “a bloviating ignoramus” with a low IQ.
Of course that was before Trump’s shot at Will on Sunday was similar in sentiment to his proclamation about the pundit back in March.
Trump had called Will “a totally overrated fool” with “the little glasses and the hair slicked to the side” after the latter suggested that the GOP should give up on its bid for the White House and focus on controlling Congress instead.
Actually any commentator who uses bloviating in a sentence wins in my book. Heck, I could even find the definition in my google search.
Carrie
May 29th, 2012 at 10:59 pm
blo·vi·ate (blv-t)
intr.v. blo·vi·at·ed, blo·vi·at·ing, blo·vi·ates Slang
To discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner: “the rural Babbitt who bloviates about ‘progress’ and ‘growth’” (George Rebeck).
May 29th, 2012 at 11:09 pm
The description fits Donald Trump like a hand in glove. And yes, it really goes to show that he who holds the gold rules the world because while I happen to think that a rock is smarter than Donald Trump, there are people who hang on his every word just because he is rich.
It’s people like him that are using their money to ruin what was once a great nation
May 29th, 2012 at 11:10 pm
In the UK to ‘trump’ means to break wind. Make of that what you will.
May 30th, 2012 at 6:54 am
You Can Find a Great Vacation Rental Online
A Travel Insider Tells How
Imagine spending your vacation in a two-bedroom luxury apartment on the Thames in London for as little as $1,020 per week…a furnished studio apartment in the heart of Paris for $540…or a cozy apartment near the water in Miami Beach for just $273.
Hundreds of thousands of privately owned properties now are offered as short-term vacation rentals, an increasingly popular alternative to hotels.
They include everything from ordinary homes and apartments to ski chalets, beach houses and luxurious mansions.
http://www.HomeAway.com, the largest vacation rental site, reports 44% growth in rental listings over the past three years.
Rentals generally are significantly cheaper than hotel rooms of comparable quality, and they almost always offer more space, a homier feel and a kitchen. But choosing, booking and paying for a vacation rental are much trickier than staying in a hotel—and there are potential drawbacks that you usually don’t face in hotels.
Here’s what you need to know to save money and have a wonderful vacation rental experience…
THE CHALLENGES
Consider these possible drawbacks before booking a vacation rental…
You’ll probably have to sign a contract and pay a security deposit well in advance of the trip. It can be almost like signing a short-term lease.
Read the rental contract carefully before signing—it likely spells out important details, such as additional fees and what you must do to ensure that your security deposit is returned.
Helpful: As soon as you arrive for your vacation, walk through the property and take digital photos or video of any problems or damage.
Then confirm that the property owner is aware of these so that you don’t get blamed. Take another set of photos and video as you leave to prove that you left the property as you found it.
Cancellation penalties can be stiff. Canceling a vacation rental might mean sacrificing 50% to 100% of the rental price depending on the terms of the rental agreement and possibly on whether a replacement renter can be found.
Helpful: Travel insurance could cover this loss. Policies are available through some of the Web sites that list vacation rentals (see next page), but I recommend going through Squaremouth (800-240-0369,
http://www.Squaremouth.com) or InsureMyTrip (800-487-4722, http://www.InsureMyTrip.com), both of which provide quotes from many different insurers.
Some vacation rentals are in violation of local laws or homeowners association rules. Cities including New York, Paris and San Francisco have banned short-term rentals.
In theory, that could result in a guest being forced to vacate—though I’ve never heard of such a thing happening.
Maid service usually is not part of the deal. Guests often are charged a cleaning fee.
There might be other fees as well. Some rental owners charge for linens and towels or for exceeding some preset limit on the number of guests.
Others pass along the cost of electricity or charge extra when you arrive and/or depart on a weekend. These details might be buried in the fine print.
FINDING RENTALS
Searchable vacation rental Web sites enable travelers to quickly sort through many thousands of properties.
These sites usually do not own the properties. They list them on behalf of property owners and property-management companies.
The sites typically include online calendars indicating when a particular property is available—but property owners don’t always update them. It usually is necessary to communicate directly with property owners or managers to confirm availability.
Some Web sites offer little more than classified listings, while others provide reviews from other travelers and safeguards to increase the odds that travelers get what they pay for.
And while most sites don’t charge travelers a penny—they typically charge property owners to list their properties—a few do impose significant booking fees.
Options include…
HomeAway has more than 260,000 listings in 145 countries. It’s particularly strong in the US, France and Spain. HomeAway doesn’t charge travelers to use the service.
Travelers sign rental agreements and make payments with the property owner or a local property-management company. http://www.Homeaway.com
VRBO features 165,000 listings, especially US destinations such as California, the Carolinas, Florida and Hawaii.
It is now owned by HomeAway and has very similar programs and policies—travelers do not have to pay to use it. http://www.vrbo.com
Airbnb offers more than 100,000 listings worldwide, with an extensive selection in major tourist-destination cities such as New York, San Francisco, Paris and London.
Unlike most sites, Airbnb processes payments so that travelers can pay with credit cards or PayPal rather than send money directly to a stranger.
Airbnb holds payments until 24 hours after check-in so that travelers can confirm that the property is as described. It also offers a 24-hour support line in case anything goes wrong.
These added services come at a price, however—Airbnb charges guests a fee of 6% to 12% of the reservation amount. http://www.Airbnb.com
Helpful: Some Airbnb listings are just spare rooms in people’s homes. These listings can be quite affordable—I’ve had wonderful luck with them—but not everyone is comfortable sharing a home with a stranger.
FlipKey has more than 120,000 rentals worldwide, with the largest numbers in the US and Europe. Many FlipKey properties are represented by professional property managers, which sometimes are better equipped than property owners to cope with travelers’ problems.
The Web site takes steps to confirm that those who post reviews of vacation rentals actually stayed in the properties they’re reviewing, decreasing the odds of fake reviews. http://www.FlipKey.com
Wyndham Vacation Rentals features more than 90,000 properties, mostly in the US and Europe—especially in the UK.
Unlike the sites above, which list properties on behalf of property owners and property-management companies, WyndhamRentals.com lists properties that Wyndham—one of the world’s largest hotel companies—has an exclusive deal to manage on behalf of property owners.
That means travelers can book stays online without having to contact a separate owner or manager to confirm availability.
Guests have access to Wyndham’s customer service department if they encounter any problems. http://www.WyndhamRentals.com
Zonder offers about 10,000 properties, mainly in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. It has a toll-free customer service phone number in case travelers have questions or experience problems.
It offers a guarantee that it will find alternate accommodations or issue a refund if a property’s location or size is grossly misstated. Many Zonder listings feature extensive photos and video, making it easier to judge whether a property is right for you. Zonder does not charge travelers any added fees. http://www.Zonder.com
EVALUATING RENTALS
Favor vacation rental listings that feature lots of photos or videos of the property—it indicates that the property owner or manager has nothing to hide.
Carefully read the property description—and any reviews left by previous guests—before booking a stay.
Warning: Some property owners post reviews of their own properties. But Airbnb reviews are particularly likely to be legitimate because the site allows only people who actually have booked a stay at a property to review it.
Be extremely wary of rentals that ask renters to wire payments.
Once a payment is wired, there is no recourse if the property is not as described—or, worse, if the “property owner” actually is a scammer.
Instead, rent from those who accept credit card or PayPal payments—and if you pay with PayPal, make sure that your PayPal account is linked to a credit card.
Credit cards offer consumer protection in case of fraud or misrepresentation.
Worth asking…
Where, precisely, is this property located? If you can get a specific address before booking—or at least a specific block—you can confirm that the rental is as close to the beach or downtown as its listing suggests.
You also can use Google Maps’ satellite and street view functions to examine the area.
What is included…and what isn’t?
Some vacation rentals provide nice extras such as bikes or kayaks…while others don’t even provide basics such as free towels, sheets, parking, Wi-Fi and a phone.
Some have comfortable king-size beds, while others have lumpy mattresses on the floor or sofa beds. If you’re renting on an upper floor, confirm that there is an elevator if you need one.
Source: Pauline Frommer, creator of Pauline Frommer’s Travel Guides (Wiley) and cohost of The Travel Show, a nationally syndicated radio show.
Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, she is a two-time winner of the North American Travel Journalists Association’s Guidebook of the Year award. http://www.Frommers.com/pauline
May 30th, 2012 at 7:29 am
Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.
May 30th, 2012 at 7:52 am
Michelle, I’m new to your blog. I’ve been reading it for about a month. I came for the political banter. Yours seems to be open to anyone with absolutely no screening for language or topic.
It is the type of free-for-all that is representative of all that is good about free speech and what cries out for limits. It is who is or would be setting the limits that makes setting the limits scary.
Our SCOTUS hasn’t done a good job and I guest you have decided to let it ride full boar.
I like it. I do have a complaint about one of your regular entries.
——————————-
Health Info Says: May 29th, 2012 at 6:49 am
Sucking on Powdered Caffeine: Good or Bad Idea?
Though AeroShot is already on the market, the FDA is evaluating the product’s safety, and other medical groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have concerns.
————————-
The fact that the FDA would allow a product on the market before evaluating the product’s safety is another reason we need more and stronger regulations in that area.
I am certain that you will blame my party(Republican) for the lack there-of. Perhaps you are correct. But I am beginning to see a reason for that kind of legislation.
My son who is only 16 has almost overdosed on one of those caffeine loaded products. Why we allow an industry to flood the market with potentially dangerous products before they have been tested and designed to be difficult for children to purchase is just plain irresponsible.
George
July 12th, 2014 at 5:48 pm
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