Obama to unveil vision for space program

So why are Neil Armstrong and others bitching if he hasn't even announced his policy yet?

Washington (CNN) – President Obama will announce his administration's vision for America's space program during a visit to Florida on Thursday, according to documents provided to CNN by a White House official.

"The Administration is committed to a bold, new approach to human spaceflight, and is increasing the NASA budget by $6 billion over the next five years in order to embark on this ambitious strategy that will foster the development of path-breaking technologies, increase the reach and reduce the cost of human spaceflight, and help create thousands of new jobs," the documents say.

The future of the space agency as outlined in the White House documents would include a multi-billion-dollar moderization of Kennedy Space Center, expansion of private-sector and commercial space industries, creation of thousands of jobs and eventually human travel to Mars.

Poll: Media not impressive as watchdog

Hard to imagine since James "Electronic Surveillance" O'Keefe considers himself a "journalist".

PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 27 (UPI) -- American media's role as government watchdog during the first year of Barack Obama's

presidency has been so-so, a Gallup Poll released Wednesday indicated.

A third of the poll's participants said news media have done an "excellent" or "good" job as a government watchdog, while 37 percent said media earned "fair" marks, results showed.

Twenty-seven percent of participants ranked media as "poor," the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.

(snip)

Forty percent of respondents said news media could do a better job reporting on Obama's economic policies, followed by 30 percent saying healthcare, Gallup said.

Forty-three percent of survey participants said media's collective performance as watchdog under Obama was equal to how news outlets did during previous administrations. However, 31 percent of respondents said they believed the media were worse, compared to 21 percent who said television, newspapers radio and Internet were doing a better job.

Gosh, if they actually reported on policy and content instead of hype and jingoism, imagine how well they would poll.

Obama on DOMA: He IS Keeping A Promise, per fed attorney

By GottaLaff

Earlier I posted this. Now we have an opposing viewpoint. Short version-- Policy v. the law:

I am an attorney, and I am a federal government attorney. I am here to say that Obama is keeping a promise with regard to DOMA, just not one you are thinking about in your haste to call him out as having abandoned the GLBT community by filing a brief arguing in support of DOMA.

Here's the promise you claim he is breaking: By defending DOMA in court, he is breaking his promise to fight for gay and lesbian rights. He is breaking a policy promise.

I think that is incorrect.

Rather, here's the promise he is keeping: He is keeping his promise that he will serve and act as President as if America is a nation of laws, which it is. He is keeping his promise to uphold the law. [...]

The point is: The man I voted for told me he would return us to a nation of laws, not of men. That means we follow (and apply, and defend--or else it means nothing) the law. Regardless of the whims or policy desires of the man in the chair. Because he is bound by the law, too.

Have you all forgotten this so soon?

So rail about breaks of promises where policy is concerned; you should and you must petition your government for a redress of those grievances. We all must. We must use our voices to make Obama change the policy, make him change the law, make Congress change the law. Everywhere we think it needs changing. Hold his feet to the fire on those campaign policy promises, and beat him up when he doesn't.

But for God's sake, don't beat him up when he (and his DOJ) does his Constitutional duty--a duty ignored for 8 years--and defends and upholds the law.

Much more here. Your turn.

Gay rights group works to help Obama 'turn the corner' on Warren controversy

By GottaLaff

If P.E. Obama would agree to a few policy goals to compensate for the Rev. Rick choice, it would go a long way to assuage a whole lot of people. Constructive responses like this are helpful and offer a positive counterpoint to the crescendoing discontent:

The Human Rights Campaign petition is raising support for its "Blueprint for Positive Change," aimed at fostering equality for gays and lesbians.

HRC's Blueprint for Positive Change calls on President-elect Obama to:

•Issue an Executive Order within the first 100 days that reaffirms protections for federal workers based on sexual orientation and expands them to also include gender identity;

•Work with Congress to sign Hate Crimes legislation into law within 6 months;

•Support only a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA);

•In the first 100 days develop a plan to begin the process of eliminating the failed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; and

•Work with Congress to end unequal tax treatment of domestic partnerships benefits.

Sounds reasonable to me.

Obama Policy Leaders Chosen

By GottaLaff

What have I missed while I was at work? Look! Here's something now!

President-elect Obama's transition team released a list of policy working group leaders who will "develop the priority policy proposals and plans from the Obama Campaign for action during the Obama-Biden Administration."

Economic: Daniel K. Tarullo

Education: Linda Darling-Hammond

Energy and Environment: Carol M. Browner

Health Care: Sen. Tom Daschle

Immigration: T. Alexander Aleinikoff, Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar

National Security: James B. Steinberg, Dr. Susan E. Rice

Technology and Government Reform: Sonal Shah, Julius Genachowski, Blair Levin

Expect to see all of these people take senior roles in the Obama administration.

Whaddya think?

Middle class supports progressive policies

By GottaLaff

Via Think Progress

Nail Pastor McCain on pro-life specifics

By GottaLaff

So Pastor Sid is "pro-life". And how would he go about demonstrating that in the real world of governing? Atrios wonders that too:

And when McCain says he believes life begins at conception (cheer!) it's pretty meaningless unless he's asked to explain how that would be translated into policy. Are blastocysts entitled to child support? Do all late periods need to be reported to the Ministry of Health? And, of course, my favorite: Are those who implant multiple embryos during IVF treatments, knowing full well that most will die, guilty of negligent manslaughter?

I asked similar questions back in May, about equal rights for embryos. Somebody should ask J Sid a few questions, and this time make him answer.