President Obama's Peculiar Press Conference

Yuval Levin, NROI don't know who is more delusional, you or President Obama. Actually, I'd have to go with you. Obama is not delusional, he's just reacting to the reality of the situation: He's in way over his head and he knows it. He didn't sign on for this (this being having to lead and make tough choices), he signed on for being exclaimed as a savior, the greatest orator in American history, a God among men whose greatness would be extolled by the MSM and America's cultural elites.He never imagined that he would screw things up so badly, and so quickly, that he'd...

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2011/06/30/president_obama039s_peculiar_press_conference_258481.html

barak obama hillary clinton george w bush nancy pelosi harry reid

Greek Americans React To Turmoil Abroad

In Greece Thursday, lawmakers passed a bill clearing the way for international financial aid that is crucial to solving the country's debt crisis. As the country's parliament debated austerity measures this week, thousands of Greek protesters took to the streets — sometimes clashing with police. In Chicago, Greek Americans and immigrants watch the turmoil in their home country with dismay.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/30/137533710/greek-americans-react-to-turmoil-abroad?ft=1&f=1003

al sharpton bill oreilly fox news hamid karzai barak obama

Judge: Prison Can Forcibly Drug Tucson Suspect

A judge ruled Wednesday that prison officials can forcibly give the Tucson shooting rampage suspect anti-psychotic drugs in a bid to make him mentally fit for trial.

U.S. District Judge Larry Burns' decision came after Jared Lee Loughner's attorneys filed an emergency request last week to prevent any forced medication of their client without approval from a judge. The judge said he did not want to second guess doctor's at the federal prison in Springfield, Mo., who determined that Jared Loughner was a danger.

Defense attorneys said Loughner had been forcibly medicated since June 21.

"I have no reason to disagree with the doctors here," Burns said. "They labor in this vineyard every day."

Loughner, who was not at the hearing in San Diego, has been at the Missouri facility since May 28 after the judge concluded he was mentally unfit to stand trial and help in his in his legal defense. Mental health experts had determined the 22-year-old college dropout suffers from schizophrenia and will try to make him psychologically fit to stand trial. He will spend up to four months at the facility.

A prison administrative hearing about his medication was held on June 14 and found that Loughner was a danger to himself. Prosecutors say Loughner was repeatedly encouraged to attend the hearing, but refused to participate.

The judge had twice denied requests by Loughner's attorneys to be given notice before their client is drugged.

Prosecutors have argued that Loughner should be given anti-psychotic drugs because he has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and poses a danger to others.

"This is a person who is a ticking time bomb," prosecutor Wallace Kleindienst said Wednesday.

Prosecutors said in a filing Tuesday that Loughner "is properly receiving medication."

They cited an April 4 incident where Loughner spit on his own attorney, lunged at her and had to be restrained by prison staff. They also brought up an outburst during a March 28 interview with a mental health expert in which Loughner became enraged, cursed at her and threw a plastic chair at her twice.

Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges stemming from the Jan. 8 shooting that injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 12 others and killed six people, including John Roll, the chief federal judge for Arizona.

The hearing on Wednesday was held in the San Diego courthouse where Burns is based. Burns was appointed to hear the case after all federal judges in Arizona recused themselves.

If Loughner is later determined to be competent enough to understand the case against him and assist his lawyers, the court proceedings will resume.

If he isn't deemed competent at the end of his treatment, Loughner's stay at the facility can be extended. Loughner's lawyers haven't said whether they intend to present an insanity defense, but they noted in court filings that his mental condition will likely be a central issue at trial.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/29/137510692/judge-prison-can-forcibly-drug-tucson-suspect?ft=1&f=1003

bill oreilly fox news hamid karzai barak obama hillary clinton

White House Pushes For Higher Fuel Efficiency

The Obama administration and auto industry executives are starting talks over new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, which are to be announced in September. Sources say the administration is pushing for the average fuel economy for each carmaker's fleet to rise to 56 mpg by 2025. The companies want something closer to 47 mpg. The heavyweight in these negotiations could turn out to be California, which plans to set its own standard if the federal government doesn't go high enough.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/29/137506908/white-house-automakers-discuss-fuel-efficiency-standards?ft=1&f=1007

george w bush nancy pelosi harry reid john mccain al gore

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Obama Health Care Law

President Obama's controversial health care law got a major boost Wednesday when the first ruling by a federal appeals court affirmed that Congress can require Americans to have minimum insurance coverage.

A conservative law center had challenged the measure, arguing on behalf of plaintiffs who said potentially being required to buy insurance or face penalties was subjecting them to financial hardship. They warned that the law was too broad and could lead to more federal mandates.

The Thomas More Law Center, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., argued before the panel that the law was unconstitutional and that Congress overstepped its powers.

The government countered that the measure was needed for the overall goal of reducing health care costs and reforms such as protecting people with pre-existing conditions. It said the coverage mandate will help keep the costs of changes from being shifted to households and providers.

The three-judge 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel delivered a long opinion with disagreement on some issues.

"Congress had a rational basis for concluding that the minimum coverage provision is essential to the Affordable Care Act's larger reforms to the national markets in health care delivery and health insurance," Judge Boyce F. Martin, appointed by former President Jimmy Carter, wrote for the majority in the 2-1 ruling.

A George W. Bush appointee concurred; a Ronald Reagan appointee who is a U.S. district judge in Columbus sitting on the panel disagreed. Judges are selected for panels through random draw.

An attorney for Thomas More said the center expects to appeal. It could ask for the full circuit court to review the case or go on to the U.S. Supreme Court.

More than 30 legal challenges have been filed over the health care overhaul, some focusing on different issues.

The White House celebrated the ruling on its blog.

"Today the Affordable Care Act, and the millions of Americans and small businesses benefitting from it scored another victory when the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law is constitutional," wrote Stephanie Cutter, an assistant to the president and deputy senior advisor.

"We're gratified by today's ruling, which came from judges appointed by Democratic and Republican presidents who agreed that the law's individual responsibility provision (sometimes called the minimum coverage provision) is constitutional," she wrote.

Supporters of the law also took a victory lap.

"Today's decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's expansion of health coverage to tens of millions of people is a victory of common sense," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA.

"Every step of the way the health care debate has been polluted by partisan politics," said Ethan Rome, executive director of Health Care for America Now (HCAN). "Today's decision, made by judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents, is immune to that criticism. The court ruled on the merits, and it's as simple as that."

The Justice Department also cheered the ruling, saying it will continue to "vigorously defend the health care reform statue in any litigation challenging it."

"Throughout history, there have been similar challenges to other landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, and all of those challenges failed," Justice spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said in a statement. "We believe these challenges to health reform will also fail."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/EVouEFNWdgU/

john mccain al gore bill clinton newt gingrich sarah palin

Judge: Prison Can Forcibly Drug Tucson Suspect

A judge ruled Wednesday that prison officials can forcibly give the Tucson shooting rampage suspect anti-psychotic drugs in a bid to make him mentally fit for trial.

U.S. District Judge Larry Burns' decision came after Jared Lee Loughner's attorneys filed an emergency request last week to prevent any forced medication of their client without approval from a judge. The judge said he did not want to second guess doctor's at the federal prison in Springfield, Mo., who determined that Jared Loughner was a danger.

Defense attorneys said Loughner had been forcibly medicated since June 21.

"I have no reason to disagree with the doctors here," Burns said. "They labor in this vineyard every day."

Loughner, who was not at the hearing in San Diego, has been at the Missouri facility since May 28 after the judge concluded he was mentally unfit to stand trial and help in his in his legal defense. Mental health experts had determined the 22-year-old college dropout suffers from schizophrenia and will try to make him psychologically fit to stand trial. He will spend up to four months at the facility.

A prison administrative hearing about his medication was held on June 14 and found that Loughner was a danger to himself. Prosecutors say Loughner was repeatedly encouraged to attend the hearing, but refused to participate.

The judge had twice denied requests by Loughner's attorneys to be given notice before their client is drugged.

Prosecutors have argued that Loughner should be given anti-psychotic drugs because he has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and poses a danger to others.

"This is a person who is a ticking time bomb," prosecutor Wallace Kleindienst said Wednesday.

Prosecutors said in a filing Tuesday that Loughner "is properly receiving medication."

They cited an April 4 incident where Loughner spit on his own attorney, lunged at her and had to be restrained by prison staff. They also brought up an outburst during a March 28 interview with a mental health expert in which Loughner became enraged, cursed at her and threw a plastic chair at her twice.

Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges stemming from the Jan. 8 shooting that injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 12 others and killed six people, including John Roll, the chief federal judge for Arizona.

The hearing on Wednesday was held in the San Diego courthouse where Burns is based. Burns was appointed to hear the case after all federal judges in Arizona recused themselves.

If Loughner is later determined to be competent enough to understand the case against him and assist his lawyers, the court proceedings will resume.

If he isn't deemed competent at the end of his treatment, Loughner's stay at the facility can be extended. Loughner's lawyers haven't said whether they intend to present an insanity defense, but they noted in court filings that his mental condition will likely be a central issue at trial.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/29/137510692/judge-prison-can-forcibly-drug-tucson-suspect?ft=1&f=1003

john mccain al gore bill clinton newt gingrich sarah palin

Campaign Heats Up as Obama, GOPers Visit IA

Mark Landler, NY TimesRepublican presidential hopefuls have been thick on the ground in Iowa in recent days, searching for the kind of early voter validation that gave Barack Obama's long-shot candidacy a propulsive lift in 2008.On Tuesday, President Obama returned to the state that set him on a course to the White House, visiting an aluminum factory here to underline his commitment to creating manufacturing jobs. The political homecoming also served as a not-so-subtle riposte to Representative Michele Bachmann and other Republicans, who have been in Iowa regularly to hammer at his stewardship of the economy.

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2011/06/29/campaign_heats_up_as_obama_gopers_visit_ia_258371.html

hamid karzai barak obama hillary clinton george w bush nancy pelosi