Jeffrey D. Zients - Chief Performance Officer Biography

Jeffrey D. Zients (Photos by Post and AP)

On April 18, 2009 during his weekly address President Obama announced his intention to nominate a new Deputy Director of Management and Chief Performance Officer, Jeffrey Zients. If confirmed, Zients will fill a position first offered to management consultant Nancy Killefer, who withdrew from consideration in early February amid revelations about her personal income taxes.

Jeff (born c. 1966) has 20 years of business experience as a CEO, management consultant, and entrepreneur with a understanding of business strategy, process reengineering, and financial management.

Zients began his career in management consulting at Bain & Company and Mercer Management Consulting, where he focused on developing strategies and improving operations of Fortune 1000 companies.

After management consulting, He served as the Chairman of the Board of The Advisory Board Company and Chairman of the Board of The Corporate Executive Board Company. These two firms are leading providers of performance benchmarking and best practices across a wide range of industries, assisting senior executives at over 5,000 businesses to improve the efficiency of their operations. From June 2001 to November 2004 and January 2000 to April 2001, respectively. From July 1998 to June 2001, he served as Chief Executive Officer and from 1996 to July 1998 he served as Chief Operating Officer of The Advisory Board Company.

Both companies were established by Washington business legend David Bradley and they made Zientz and Bradley multimillionaires. Zients also played a key role in luring Major League Baseball back to Washington and partnered with a group of investors that failed to win ownership of the Washington Nationals. Mr. Zients currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Revolution Health, a holding company investing in consumer-driven healthcare, Best Practices, a provider of emergency medicine outsourcing services, and Timbuk2 Designs, a messenger bag and apparel retailer.

The Honorable Jeffrey Zients CIGIE Executive Chair (Photo by CIGIE)

He was a member of the board of directors of XM Satellite Radio until its 2008 merger.

Jeff is the Founder and Managing Partner of Portfolio Logic, an investment firm focusing primarily in business and healthcare services companies, and an active member of several corporate boards in diverse industries including consumer products, communications and healthcare.

He also co-founded The Urban Alliance Foundation, a non-profit organization that partners with corporations to provide economically disadvantaged youth with year-round paid internships, adult mentors and job training.

Jeff is a native of Kensington, Maryland and graduated summa cum laude from Duke University with a degree in Political Science, he lives in Washington D.C. with his wife, Mary and their 4 kids.

The President decided to make the Deputy Director for Management the government’s first Chief Performance Officer.

SOURCES:

• OMB - Blog Post - Move Over R2, CPO is Here
• Jeffrey D. Zients Profile - Forbes.com
• Jeffrey D. Zients - Portfolio.com
• Who Are Jeffrey Zients and Aneesh Chopra? - Federal Eye
• There's More Than Baseball in Jeffrey Zients's Days - washingtonpost.com
• Zients Is at the Top of His Game (washingtonpost.com)
• Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
• Jeffrey Zients From Wikipedia

Congressman Kevin McCarthy Weekly Republican Address 04/18/09 VIDEO TEXT

PODCAST Congressman Kevin McCarthy Delivers Republican weekly radio address download MP3 4.8 mb running time 4:07 min.

Full Text Transcript:

“This is California Congressman Kevin McCarthy – the House Republicans’ Chief Deputy Whip.

“Earlier this week, President Obama said that we need to get serious about fiscal discipline by trimming waste in the federal budget. Republicans couldn’t agree more. We want to work with the President to get our financial house back in order.

“Unfortunately, the Washington Democratic establishment has pushed all year for policies that spend too much, tax too much, and borrow too much from our children and grandchildren.

“When I think of the future, I think of my 15 year old son Connor and my 12 year old daughter Meghan. I worry about their future because your kids are as important to you as mine are to me. And I am unwilling to leave our children with so much debt.

“It’s irresponsible to borrow more than all previous American Presidents combined. And it must stop if we want to get our economy moving again.

“The trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ bill … the $410 billion dollar ‘omnibus’ spending bill… and the massive, fiscally-irresponsible Democratic budget that doubles the debt in just over five years, and triples the debt in just over ten years. All this money, but why are we funding a skateboard park in Rhode Island and new bike racks in Washington, D.C.? The Democratic governor of Ohio is planning to use $57 million dollars in ‘stimulus’ funds on studies instead of ‘shovel-ready’ projects that could create jobs now. And don’t forget that the same ‘stimulus’ bill authorized those outrageous AIG bonuses.

“When will all this spending and borrowing end?

“Hard working American families and small businesses are asking that same question. In fact, thousands of Americans turned out on Tax Filing Day to say they’ve had enough of the high taxes and borrowing to bankroll Washington’s spending spree.

“I attended one of these Tea Parties in my hometown of Bakersfield, California, and believe me, the message was heard loud and clear. Every day, America’s families, seniors, and small businesses are making tough choices. They’re worried about their jobs, their mortgages, and their savings. They’re sacrificing to pay the bills to make sure their children get a good education. But Washington isn’t willing to make the same difficult decisions.

“This is why Republicans are leading the way with solutions to provide a new direction. Rather than proposing more Washington spending, Republicans propose tax relief for American small businesses. We know America’s entrepreneurs and innovators create the jobs in our economy – over 70% of all American jobs come from small businesses.

“Republicans are also working to reduce taxes on hardworking American families, rebuild their savings, lower their energy costs, expand access to affordable health care, but most of all, curb Washington spending and borrowing. These are not Republican or Democratic ideas – these are common-sense American solutions that we have heard from millions of Americans.

“And we know that when the government spends our hard earned tax money, we should be guaranteed accountability. That’s why House Republicans are unveiling Washington Watch, a new website tracking misuse of taxpayer dollars and ‘stimulus’ waste. We invite you to visit that website at www.republicanwhip.house.gov. Together we can help stop wasteful Washington spending by shining a spotlight on the waste.

“In this time of economic crisis and financial instability, Republicans are reaching out to the President and Washington Democrats to find solutions to solve our country’s problems. We have incredible challenges before all of us, and we ask all Americans to join us in working together for better solutions. Because it’s not just our future… it’s all of our children’s future.

“Thank you for listening.”

President Obama Weekly Address 04/18/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, April 18, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 4.9 mb

It’s not news to say that we are living through challenging times: The worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. A credit crisis that has made that downturn worse. And a fiscal disaster that has accumulated over a period of years.

In the year 2000, we had projected budget surpluses in the trillions, and Washington appeared to be on the road to fiscal stability. Eight years later, when I walked in the door, the projected budget deficit for this year alone was $1.3 trillion. And in order to jumpstart our struggling economy, we were forced to make investments that added to that deficit through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

But as surely as our future depends on building a new energy economy, controlling health care costs and ensuring that our kids are once again the best educated in the world, it also depends on restoring a sense of responsibility and accountability to our federal budget. Without significant change to steer away from ever-expanding deficits and debt, we are on an unsustainable course.

So today, we simply cannot afford to perpetuate a system in Washington where politicians and bureaucrats make decisions behind closed doors, with little accountability for the consequences; where billions are squandered on programs that have outlived their usefulness, or exist solely because of the power of a lobbyist or interest group; and where outdated technology and information systems undermine efficiency, threaten our security, and fail to serve an engaged citizenry.

If we’re to going to rebuild our economy on a solid foundation, we need to change the way we do business in Washington. We need to restore the American people’s confidence in their government – that it is on their side, spending their money wisely, to meet their families’ needs.

That starts with the painstaking work of examining every program, every entitlement, every dollar of government spending and asking ourselves: Is this program really essential? Are taxpayers getting their money’s worth? Can we accomplish our goals more efficiently or effectively some other way?

It’s a process we have already begun, scouring our budget line by line for programs that don’t work so we can cut them to make room for ones that do. That means ending tax breaks for companies shipping jobs overseas; stopping the fraud and abuse in our Medicare program; and reforming our health care system to cut costs for families and businesses. It means strengthening whisteblower protections for government employees who step forward to report wasteful spending. And it means reinstating the pay-as-you-go rule that we followed during the 1990s – so if we want to spend, we’ll need to find somewhere else to cut.

And this Monday, at my first, full Cabinet meeting, I will ask all of my department and agency heads for specific proposals for cutting their budgets. Already, members of my Cabinet have begun to trim back unnecessary expenditures. Secretary Napolitano, for example, is ending consulting contracts to create new seals and logos that have cost the Department of Homeland Security $3 million since 2003. In the largest Department, Secretary Gates has launched an historic project to reform defense contracting procedures and eliminate hundreds of billions of dollars in wasteful spending and cost overruns. And I commend Senators McCain and Levin – a Republican and a Democrat – who have teamed up to lead this effort in Congress.

Finally, in the coming weeks, I will be announcing the elimination of dozens of government programs shown to be wasteful or ineffective. In this effort, there will be no sacred cows, and no pet projects. All across America, families are making hard choices, and it’s time their government did the same.

That is why I have assembled a team of management, technology, and budget experts to guide us in this work – leaders who will help us revamp government operations from top to bottom and ensure that the federal government is truly working for the American people.

I have named Jeffrey Zients, a leading CEO, management consultant and entrepreneur, to serve as Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget and as the first ever Chief Performance Officer. Jeffrey will work to streamline processes, cut costs, and find best practices throughout our government.

Aneesh Chopra, who is currently the Secretary of Technology for Governor Kaine of Virginia, has agreed to serve as America’s Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Aneesh will promote technological innovation to help achieve our most urgent priorities – from creating jobs and reducing health care costs to keeping our nation secure.

Aneesh and Jeffrey will work closely with our Chief Information Officer, Vivek Kundra, who is responsible for setting technology policy across the government, and using technology to improve security, ensure transparency, and lower costs. The goal is to give all Americans a voice in their government and ensure that they know exactly how we’re spending their money – and can hold us accountable for the results.

None of this will be easy. Big change never is. But with the leadership of these individuals, I am confident that we can break our bad habits, put an end to the mismanagement that has plagued our government, and start living within our means again. That is how we will get our deficits under control and move from recovery to prosperity. And that is how we will give the American people the kind of government they expect and deserve – one that is efficient, accountable and fully worthy of their trust.

Thank you.

Vice President Biden Tax Returns (FULL COPIES)

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Vice President. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2009

The Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden Release 2008 Income Tax Returns.

Today, the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden released their 2008 federal and state income tax returns. He and Dr. Biden filed their income tax returns jointly and reported an adjusted gross income of $269,256 and an after-tax income of $183,315. The family’s primary sources of income were salaries from the United States Senate, Widener University, Delaware Technical & Community College, as well as royalties from the audio rights to the Vice President’s book. The Bidens paid $46,952 in federal income taxes; $11,164 in Delaware state income taxes; and donated $1,885 to charity. The charitable donations claimed by the Bidens on their tax returns are not the sum of their annual contributions to charity. They donate to their church, and they contribute to their favorite causes with their time, as well as their checkbooks.

Copies of the returns are available below:

• Download the Vice President’s Federal 1040 form (pdf)
• Download the Vice President’s Delaware tax return (pdf)

President Obama Tax Returns (FULL COPIES)

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2009

President and First Lady Release 2008 Income Tax Returns

Today, the President released his 2008 federal income tax returns. He and the First Lady filed their income tax returns jointly and reported an adjusted gross income of $2,656,902. The vast majority of the family’s 2008 income is the proceeds from the sale of the President’s books. The Obamas paid $855,323 in federal income tax.

The President and First Lady also reported donating $172,050 – or about 6.5% of their adjusted gross income – to 37 different charities. The largest reported gifts to charity were $25,000 contributions to CARE and the United Negro College Fund.

The President and First Lady also released their Illinois income tax return and reported paying $77,883 in state income taxes.

Copies of the returns are available below:

• Download the President’s Federal 1040 form (pdf)
• Download the President’s Federal 709 form (pdf).
• Download the President’s Illinois State income tax return (pdf)

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) 2009 Pig Book VIDEO

Earmarks Rise to $19.6 Billion in CAGW’s 2009 Pig Book

(Washington, D.C.) - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released the 2009 Congressional Pig Book, the latest installment in the group’s 19-year exposé of pork-barrel spending. The Pig Book revealed 10,160 earmarks worth $19.6 billion.

“Everyone in Washington has promised a new era of transparency and restraint in earmarks, from President Obama to the leaders of both parties in Congress,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz. “Sadly, the hard numbers from the 2009 appropriations bills tell a different story. The current Democratic congressional majority is following the same trajectory as their Republican predecessors. They came into power promising to cut earmarks, and made a big show of it during their first two years. However, as the 2009 Pig Book amply illustrates, pork-barrel spending is growing fast.”

While the number of specific projects declined by 12.5 percent, from 11,610 in fiscal year 2008 to 10,160 in fiscal year 2009, the total tax dollars spent to fund them increased by 14 percent, from $17.2 billion to $19.6 billion.

Much has been made of reforms that require members of Congress to identify earmarks they request and the intended recipients of earmarked funds, but CAGW uncovered 221 earmarks worth $7.8 billion that were funded in circumvention of Congress’s own transparency rules. These stealth earmarks were particularly prevalent in the 2009 Defense Appropriations Act, which included 142 anonymous earmarks worth $6.4 billion, a staggering 57 percent of the earmarked tax dollars.

The Pig Book Summary profiles the most egregious examples, breaks down pork per capita by state, and presents the annual "Oinker" Awards. All 10,160 projects are listed in a searchable database on CAGW’s website www.cagw.org. Examples of pork in the 2009 Pig Book include

• $3.8 million for the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy in Detroit;
• $1.9 million for the Pleasure Beach water taxi service in Connecticut;
• $1.8 million for swine odor and manure management research in Ames, Iowa;
• $380,000 for a recreation and fairgrounds area in Kotzebue, Alaska;
• $143,000 for the Greater New Haven Labor History Association in Connecticut;
• $95,000 for the Canton Symphony Orchestra Association in Ohio; and
• $71,000 for Dance Theater Etcetera in Brooklyn for its Tolerance through Arts initiative.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government. -###-

Coming of age on the Internet

Patti Valkenburg

In the mid-90s, the Internet seemed like a dark place. Indeed, scientific studies from that time were documenting some real risks for teenagers, including fewer close friendships and more tenuous connections with family. It appeared that teens were sacrificing real relationships for superficial cyber-relationships with total strangers.

Is this still true? Social scientists are revisiting those early concerns, and some are coming to believe that the psychological benefits may now outweigh the detrimental effects. In a new report in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science,

Jochen Peter

psychologists Patti Valkenburg and Jochen Peter of the University of Amsterdam took a look at a decade of research on these questions, and they believe two important historical changes have altered the psychological landscape.

First, the sheer number of teenagers now using the Internet has transformed the technology into a true social networking tool. Even in the late 90s, only about one in ten adolescents were online, which meant that kids actually had to choose between online relationships and real relationships. There was very little overlap, so it was very difficult to maintain flesh-and-blood relations while exploring cyberspace. Today, Valkenburg and Peter say, the vast majority of teenagers in Western countries have access to the Internet, and most appear to use the technology to nurture their existing relationships rather than to forge new ones.

Second, the newer communication tools also encourage building on existing relationships rather than isolating. In the 90s, the few teens who did spend time on the Internet tended to hang out with strangers in public chat rooms and so-called MUDS, multi-user dungeons. The appearance of instant messaging and social networks like Facebook has changed all that, according to the psychologists. Today, more than eight in ten teenagers use IM to connect with the same friends they see at school and work.

Recent studies document the positive effects of these technological changes. But what exactly is going on in the minds of the teenagers to produce this greater sense of well-being? Valkenburg and Peter believe that the 21st century Internet encourages honest talking about very personal issues - feelings, worries, vulnerabilities - that are difficult for many self-conscious teens to talk about. When they communicate through the Internet, they have fewer sounds and sights and social cues to distract them, so they become less concerned with how others perceive them. This in turn reduces inhibition, leading to unusually intimate talk.

The psychologists have also shown that "hyperpersonal" Internet talk leads to higher quality friendships, and that these quality friendships buffer teenagers against stress and lead to greater happiness. However, solitary "surfing" of the Internet has no positive effects on connectedness or well-being, and hanging around public chat rooms - though much rarer - still appears psychologically risky. ###

For more information about this study, please contact: Patti M. Valkenburg (p.m.valkenburg@uva.nl)

Wray Herbert discusses this study in his blog, "We're Only Human..." (www.psychologicalscience.org/onlyhuman/)

Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, publishes concise reviews spanning all of scientific psychology and its applications. For a copy of the article "Social Consequences of the Internet for Adolescents" and access to other Current Directions in Psychological Science research findings, please contact Barbara Isanski at 202-293-9300 or bisanski@psychologicalscience.org

Contact: Barbara Isanski bisanski@psychologicalscience.org WEB: Association for Psychological Science

Governor Tim Pawlenty Weekly Republican Address 04/11/09 VIDEO TEXT

PODCAST Governor Tim Pawlenty Delivers Republican weekly radio address download MP3 2.8 mb running time 3:18 min.

Full Text Transcript:

"Hi, I'm Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota.

"This weekend, my wife Mary and I are finishing up our tax returns - just like I'm sure many of you are.

"It's a time when a lot of us look at our family's finances and ask some pretty tough questions, like are we saving enough for our kids' college? Will we be able to retire at a normal age? And what might happen if the recession gets worse, like it has over the last 2 months, when over 1 million Americans lost their jobs?

"I know for a lot of folks, the answer to these questions are pretty grim these days. Nationwide, unemployment is at a 25-year high as companies lay off employees or go out of business altogether. It's at times like this when families - and businesses - feel a need to hold on to every dollar they can.

"But think about this: according to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, the average American has to work from January 1st until this Monday, April 13th just to earn enough money to pay all their taxes for the year - that's just two days before taxes are actually due, on April 15th.

"And then consider this: If the Democrat majority in Washington gets its way, most family's tax burdens will be even higher.

"Now this isn't a Republican versus Democrat debate. I thought President Obama's proposal to eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses was a pretty good idea. And his pledge to lower taxes for middle class Americans was something Republicans whole heartedly supported.

"But the budget that Congress is considering doesn't provide that tax relief. And rather than eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses immediately so they can create jobs right now, their budget keeps those taxes high until after President Obama's term in office. And most concerning, this budget creates mountains of new debt that will ultimately will require higher taxes on all of us and our children.

"I think that's wrong. Families are hurting now and small businesses can't create new jobs soon enough.
"Isn't it time we stopped working for the government and that government started working for us?

"Here's a novel idea for the federal government: instead of collecting more taxes and then redistributing them through more federal programs, why don't you just let us keep more of our money in the first place?

"The federal government should keep a lid on taxes, control government spending, and borrow less - rather than increase the size and scope of the federal government so much that Washington is guaranteeing future tax increases. And while they're at it, they should also focus on making government work better, not making it bigger.

"It's time to prioritize spending, cut taxes to help families pay their bills and stimulate job creation. And let's get control of our national debt, so future generations aren't burdened with unbearable taxes.

"I urge President Obama and the Democrat-led Congress to let hardworking American families keep more of what they earn by cutting taxes and reining in spending. It's just common sense.

"I'm sure you will agree, especially on April 15th when your taxes are due.

"Thank you for listening and have a blessed Passover and Easter."

President Obama Weekly Address 04/11/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, April 11, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 3.8 mb

I speak to you today during a time that is holy and filled with meaning for believers around the world. Earlier this week, Jewish people gathered with family and friends to recite the stories of their ancestors’ struggle and ultimate liberation. Tomorrow, Christians of all denominations will come together to rejoice and remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

These are two very different holidays with their own very different traditions. But it seems fitting that we mark them both during the same week. For in a larger sense, they are both moments of reflection and renewal. They are both occasions to think more deeply about the obligations we have to ourselves and the obligations we have to one another, no matter who we are, where we come from, or what faith we practice.

This idea – that we are all bound up, as Martin Luther King once said, in "a single garment of destiny"– is a lesson of all the world’s great religions. And never has it been more important for us to reaffirm that lesson than it is today – at a time when we face tests and trials unlike any we have seen in our time. An economic crisis that recognizes no borders. Violent extremism that’s claimed the lives of innocent men, women, and children from Manhattan to Mumbai. An unsustainable dependence on foreign oil and other sources of energy that pollute our air and water and threaten our planet. The proliferation of the world’s most dangerous weapons, the persistence of deadly disease, and the recurrence of age-old conflicts.

These are challenges that no single nation, no matter how powerful, can confront alone. The United States must lead the way. But our best chance to solve these unprecedented problems comes from acting in concert with other nations. That is why I met with leaders of the G-20 nations to ensure that the world’s largest economies take strong and unified action in the face of the global economic crisis. Together, we’ve taken steps to stimulate growth, restore the flow of credit, open markets, and dramatically reform our financial regulatory system to prevent such crises from occurring again – steps that will lead to job creation at home.

It is only by working together that we will finally defeat 21st century security threats like al Qaeda. So it was heartening that our NATO allies united in Strasbourg behind our strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and contributed important resources to support our effort there.

It is only by coordinating with countries around the world that we will stop the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons. That is why I laid out a strategy in Prague for us to work with Russia and other nations to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons; to secure nuclear materials from terrorists; and, ultimately, to free the world from the menace of a nuclear nightmare.

And it is only by building a new foundation of mutual trust that we will tackle some of our most entrenched problems. That is why, in Turkey, I spoke to members of Parliament and university students about rising above the barriers of race, region, and religion that too often divide us.

With all that is at stake today, we cannot afford to talk past one another. We can’t afford to allow old differences to prevent us from making progress in areas of common concern. We can’t afford to let walls of mistrust stand. Instead, we have to find – and build on – our mutual interests. For it is only when people come together, and seek common ground, that some of that mistrust can begin to fade. And that is where progress begins.

Make no mistake: we live in a dangerous world, and we must be strong and vigilant in the face of these threats. But let us not allow whatever differences we have with other nations to stop us from coming together around those solutions that are essential to our survival and success.

As we celebrate Passover, Easter, and this time of renewal, let’s find strength in our shared resolve and purpose in our common aspirations. And if we can do that, then not only will we fulfill the sacred meaning of these holy days, but we will fulfill the promise of our country as a leader around the world.

Sarah Palin Against Missile Defense Budget Cuts

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and members of her senior staff discuss budget issues with legislators on April 9, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 09-80. Governor Palin Argues Against Cuts to Missile Defense Budget April 9, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin has urged the Secretary of Defense not to reduce the Missile Defense Agency’s budget. In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Governor Palin outlined her concerns about the proposed $1.4 billion in budget cuts to the agency.

“Your announcement of a proposed $1.4 billion reduction of the Missile Defense Agency’s budget is not the best decision for today’s threat environment. Alaska is committed to supporting continued missile defense implementation at Fort Greely and the development of future technology through our Kodiak Launch Complex, which has access to the Gulf of Alaska Maritime Exercise Area. This unique training space offers a safe and secure location to further develop and test future missile intercept technologies in conjunction with the latest sea-based and land-based radar.

“I am deeply concerned with North Korea’s development and testing program. It has the clear potential of impacting Alaska, Hawaii, and possibly the West Coast, with a nuclear-armed warhead. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we continue to develop and perfect our global missile defense shield.”

A copy of the letter can be found at: www.gov.state.ak.us/pdf/Letter-MissileDefense_Apr08-2009.pdf ###

Republican Budget Agenda VIDEO

Product ID: 284910-1, Format: Roundtable, Last Airing: 03/29/2009, Event Date: 03/26/2009, Length: 31 minutes, Location: Washington, District of Columbia.

House Budget Committee Ranking Member Paul Ryan talked about developing the fiscal year 2010 budget. Topics included the differences between President Obama's proposals and the budget blueprints of Democrats in Congress and the Republican proposals. After he left, the reporters discussed his responses with the host.

United Nations Zhang Yesui China VIDEO

Informal comments to the Media by the Permanent Representative of the China, H.E. Mr. Zhang Yesui, on Non-proliferation, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Media Stakeout VIDEO

United Nations Susan E. Rice North Korea VIDEO

Informal comments to the Media by the Permanent Representative of the United States of America, H.E. Ms. Susan E. Rice, on Non-proliferation, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Media Stakeout VIDEO

President Obama Weekly Address 04/04/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, April 4, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 4.2 mb

In this new century, we live in a world that has grown smaller and more interconnected than at any time in history. Threats to our nation’s security and economy can no longer be kept at bay by oceans or by borders drawn on maps. The terrorists who struck our country on 9/11 plotted in Hamburg, trained in Kandahar and Karachi, and threaten countries across the globe. Cars in Boston and Beijing are melting ice caps in the Arctic that disrupt weather patterns everywhere. The theft of nuclear material from the former Soviet Union could lead to the extermination of any city on earth. And reckless speculation by bankers in New York and London has fueled a global recession that is inflicting pain on workers and families around the world and across America.

The challenges of our time threaten the peace and prosperity of every single nation, and no one nation can meet them alone. That is why it is sometimes necessary for a President to travel abroad in order to protect and strengthen our nation here at home. That is what I have done this week.

I began my trip by attending a summit of the G20 – the countries that represent the world’s largest economies – because we know that the success of America’s economy is inextricably linked to that of the global economy. If people in other countries cannot spend, that means they cannot buy the goods we produce here in America, which means more lost jobs and more families hurting. Just yesterday, we learned that we lost hundreds of thousands more jobs last month, adding to the millions we’ve lost since this recession began. And if we continue to let banks and other financial institutions around the world act recklessly and irresponsibly, that affects institutions here at home as credit dries up, and people can’t get loans to buy a home or car, to run a small business or pay for college.

Ultimately, the only way out of a recession that is global in scope is with a response that is global in coordination. That is why I’m pleased that after two days of careful negotiation, the G20 nations have agreed on a series of unprecedented steps that I believe will be a turning point in our pursuit of a global economic recovery. All of us are now moving aggressively to get our banks lending again. All of us are working to spur growth and create jobs. And all of us have agreed on the most sweeping reform of our financial regulatory framework in a generation – reform that will help end the risky speculation and market abuses that have cost so many people so much.

I also met this past week with the leaders of China and Russia, working to forge constructive relationships to address issues of common concern, while being frank with each other about where we disagree. President Hu and I agreed that the link between China’s economy and ours is of great mutual benefit, and we established a new Strategic and Economic Dialogue between the U.S. and China. President Medvedev and I discussed our shared commitment to a world without nuclear weapons, and we signed a declaration putting America and Russia on the path to a new treaty to further reduce our nuclear arsenals. Tomorrow, I will lay out additional steps we must take to secure the world’s loose nuclear materials and stop the spread of these deadly weapons.

Finally, I met yesterday with our NATO allies and asked them for additional civilian support and assistance for our efforts in Afghanistan. That is where al Qaeda trains, plots, and threatens to launch their next attack. And that attack could occur in any nation, which means that every nation has a stake in ensuring that our mission in Afghanistan succeeds.

As we have worked this week to find common ground and strengthen our alliances, we have not solved all of our problems. And we have not agreed on every point or every issue in every meeting. But we have made real and unprecedented progress – and will continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead.

Because in the end, we recognize that no corner of the globe can wall itself off from the threats of the twenty-first century, or from the needs and concerns of fellow nations. The only way forward is through shared and persistent efforts to combat fear and want wherever they exist. That is the challenge of our time. And if we move forward with courage and resolve, I am confident that we will meet this challenge.

Thank you.

Congressman Paul Ryan Weekly Republican Address 04/04/09 VIDEO TEXT

Fuu Text Transcript:

Hello I’m Paul Ryan of Wisconsin the lead Republican on the House Budget Committee. America is in the midst of an economic crisis. Families and small businesses are hurting and too many Americans have lost their jobs. There is no doubt that President Obama inherited -- fiscal crisis. But the question is busy fixing it or is he making it worse. The president’s budget which passed the House and Senate this week we’ll make the crisis much much worse. Rather than getting spending under control it -- spending out of control. Rather than keeping taxes low to create jobs it chases ever higher spending with ever higher taxes and results in ever higher debt. An unprecedented. Unsustainable. Increase in -- It doubles our national debt in five years in triples our debt in ten years. Put simply. The Democrats’ budget spends too much tax is too much and borrows too much from our kids in their kids.

They’re budget puts all the sacrifice on future generations it makes no tough choices it’s only tough on our children and grandchildren. But it’s not enough for us to just criticize we must also proposed a better way forward and Republicans path. The budget house Republicans offered gives Americans a real choice it curb spending creates jobs in controls with debt. The Republican budget has lower deficits than the democratic plan every year in my -- nineteen has half the deficit proposed by the president. Under our plan the public debt would be three point six trillion dollars lower than president Obama’s plan.

Our budget gives priority to national defense and veterans health care. We freeze all other discretionary spending for five years we enact a spending cap backed up by tough budget enforcement. American families are making sacrifices and tightening their belts Washington should do the same. Our budget also takes steps toward health care reform and retirement security. Our goal is to make quality affordable health care accessible to all Americans.

By strengthening the relationship between patients and their doctors not with a big government takeover. We will preserve and improve the existing Medicare program as well. We have offered a concrete plan a path to prosperity. To tackle our nation’s problems with innovative in principled solutions. America’s not the greatest nation on earth by chance. We earned this greatness by rewarding individual achievement. By advancing and protecting natural rights and by embracing freedom. Our budget reflects those principles and we offer the American people a better way forward thank you for listening.

Harold Hongju Koh Biograhy VIDEO

Harold Hongju Koh is the 15th Dean of Yale Law School and Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law. On March 23, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Dean Koh to be Legal Adviser to the United States Department of State.

Upon confirmation by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Koh said in an e-mail message to the Law School community that he will resign from his deanship and take a public service leave. As legal adviser, Koh will serve as principal counselor on all legal matters to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton LAW ’73.

“There is no institution I love more than the Yale Law School. I have had the privilege of teaching here since 1985, and serving as your Dean since 2004,” Koh said in the e-mail message.

Contact Information: Yale Law School, P.O. Box 208215. New Haven, CT 06520. Contact Via Email

A Korean-American native of Boston, he holds a B.A. degree from Harvard College and B.A. and M.A. degrees from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar. He earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was Developments Editor of the Harvard Law Review, and served as a law clerk for Justice Harry A. Blackmun of the United States Supreme Court and Judge Malcolm Richard Wilkey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

He and has held a variety of positions in private practice, government service, and academia, including at the Hague Academy of International Law. He is the brother of former Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner and United States Assistant Secretary for Health Nominee Howard Kyongju Koh.

In the 1980's Koh worked as an adviser to the Office of Legal Counsel in the Reagan Justice Department.

He began teaching at Yale Law School in 1985 and has served since 2004 as its fifteenth Dean. From 1998 to 2001, he served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and previously had served on the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Public International Law. Before joining Yale, he practiced law at Covington and Burling from 1982-83 and at the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice from 1983-85.

He was nominated by President Clinton to become Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on September 10, 1998 and confirmed by the Senate on October 21, 1998.

Dean Koh is a expert on public and private international law, national security law, and human rights. He has argued before the United States Supreme Court and he has testified before the U.S. Congress more than twenty times. He has been awarded eleven honorary doctorates and three law school medals and has received more than thirty awards for his human rights work. He is recipient of the 2005 Louis B. Sohn Award from the American Bar Association International Law Section and the 2003 Wolfgang Friedmann Award from Columbia Law School for his lifetime achievements in International Law.

He is author or co-author of eight books, including Transnational Litigation in United States Courts, Foundations of International Law and Politics (with O. Hathaway); Transnational Legal Problems (with H. Steiner and D. Vagts), Transnational Business Problems (with D. Vagts and W. Dodge), and The National Security Constitution, which won the American Political Science Association's award in 1991 as the best book on the American Presidency. He was also the editor of The Justice Harry A. Blackmun Oral History Project (1994-95).

He has published more than 150 articles on international human rights, international business transactions, national security and foreign affairs law, international trade, international organizations, international law and political science, and procedure.

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, an Honorary Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, a former Visiting Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, and a member of the Council of the American Law Institute. He has held fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the Century Foundation.

He has sat on the Board of Overseers of Harvard University and sits on the Boards of Directors of the Brookings Institution, Human Rights First, the American Arbitration Association, and the National Democratic Institute. He has been named one of America's “45 Leading Public Sector Lawyers Under The Age of 45” by American Lawyer magazine and one of the “100 Most Influential Asian-Americans of the 1990s” by A magazine.

SOURCES:

• Yale Law School | Faculty | Harold Hongju Koh
• Harold Hongju Koh From Wikipedia
• Koh named for State post
• Curriculum Vitae

Ron Paul on the Economic Crisis VIDEO

Bankruptcy is Economic Stimulus

The distraction on Capitol Hill this week has to do with the jackpot bonuses that executives at AIG recently received. The argument is over a relative drop in the bucket. The total amount of bonuses given out was $165 million. The government has put $170 billion into AIG so far. Many now are demanding we get this money back. We ought to be spending our time and effort doing something more worthwhile, like figuring out how the Federal Reserve is handling the trillions of dollars they are creating and pumping into the economy, and how that is affecting the purchasing power of dollars in your pocket.

The big mistake was appropriating the TARP funds in the first place. A Johnny-come-lately bill of attainder won’t stop the spending epidemic. This whole situation is a perfect demonstration of why “doing nothing” and letting failing companies fail would have been much better than sinking valuable money and resources into them.

When a company makes a profit, it is a signal that it is taking resources and increasing their value while controlling costs. When a company operates at a loss, it is a signal that it is decreasing the value of its resources or letting out-of-control costs outstrip any value it has created. A company operating at a loss is therefore an engine of wealth destruction. Bankruptcies are a net positive for the economy because more productive competitors are rewarded by opportunities to buy up remaining assets at bargain prices to strengthen their operations. In an economy that allows this kind of growth and change, any jobs lost by bankruptcy are soon replaced by new ones as the most efficiently managed businesses gain access to more assets and expand.

Bankruptcy was the stimulus that we needed in the case of AIG. More bankruptcies would clean out malinvested resources and enable economic growth again.

AIG, by losing money and maneuvering their operations to the brink of bankruptcy, was telling us that they were inefficient. So what did we do? We forced the taxpayer to assume the losses, and now we are supposed to be shocked that it is not working out. Had AIG gone bankrupt, it would have been impossible to hand out these bonuses. The taxpayer would have been fleeced for $170 billion less last year. Had they gone bankrupt, the world would not have come to an end, it would just continue on with one less engine of wealth destruction.

We should have learned from Japan. The 1990’s is referred to as Japan’s “lost decade” because of the zombie banks kept on life support by the Japanese government. Any productivity was redirected through these engines of wealth destruction, resulting in long term stagnation. We should and can avoid this outcome if we come to our senses.

A recession should be a time of strengthening and regrouping for an economy. But as long as the government insists on maintaining the status quo by propping up failed institutions, we will continue to dig a bigger hole for ourselves. Texas Straight Talk A weekly column

President Obama Weekly Address 03/28/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, March 28, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 4.7 mb

Even as we face an economic crisis which demands our constant focus, forces of nature can also intervene in ways that create other crises to which we must respond – and respond urgently. For the people of North and South Dakota and Minnesota who live along rivers spilling over their banks, this is one such moment.

Rivers and streams throughout the region have flooded or are at risk of flooding. The cities of Fargo and neighboring Moorhead are vulnerable as the waters of the Red River have risen. Thousands of homes and businesses are threatened.

That is why, on Tuesday, I granted a major disaster declaration request for the State of North Dakota and ordered federal support into the region to help state and local officials respond to the flooding. This was followed by an emergency declaration for the State of Minnesota. And we are also keeping close watch on the situation in South Dakota as it develops.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency continue to coordinate the federal response. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is helping to oversee federal efforts and she remains in close contact with state officials. Acting FEMA administrator Nancy Ward has been in the region since yesterday to meet with folks on the ground and survey the area herself.

In addition, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assisting in the emergency construction of levees. The Coast Guard is aiding in search and rescue efforts while the Department of Defense is helping to move people and supplies. Members of the National Guard have been activated and are on the scene as well.

Hospitals and nursing homes in the area are being evacuated and residents in poor health or with special needs are being transported to higher ground. Teams from the Department of Health and Human Services are aiding in this work. And the Red Cross is in place to provide shelter and supplies for folks in need.

It is also important for residents in these states to remain vigilant in monitoring reports on flood crests and to follow instructions from their state and local leaders in the event that evacuations become necessary.

My administration is working closely with Governors John Hoeven, Mike Rounds and Tim Pawlenty. And I’ve been meeting with Senators Byron Dorgan, Kent Conrad, and Amy Klobuchar, as well as Congressmen Earl Pomeroy and Collin Peterson, to pledge my support. I will continue to monitor the situation carefully. We will do what must be done to help in concert with state and local agencies and non-profit organizations – and volunteers who are doing so much to aid the response effort.

For at moments like these, we are reminded of the power of nature to disrupt lives and endanger communities. But we are also reminded of the power of individuals to make a difference.

In the Fargodome, thousands of people gathered not to watch a football game or a rodeo, but to fill sandbags. Volunteers filled 2.5 million of them in just five days, working against the clock, day and night, with tired arms and aching backs. Others braved freezing temperatures, gusting winds, and falling snow to build levees along the river’s banks to help protect against waters that have exceeded record levels.

College students have traveled by the busload from nearby campuses to lend a hand during their spring breaks. Students from local high schools asked if they could take time to participate. Young people have turned social networks into community networks, coordinating with one another online to figure out how best to help.

In the face of an incredible challenge, the people of these communities have rallied in support of one another. And their service isn’t just inspirational – it’s integral to our response.

It’s also a reminder of what we can achieve when Americans come together to serve their communities. All across the nation, there are men, women and young people who have answered that call, and millions of other who would like to. Whether it’s helping to reduce the energy we use, cleaning up a neighborhood park, tutoring in a local school, or volunteering in countless other ways, individual citizens can make a big difference.

That is why I’m so happy that legislation passed the Senate this week and the House last week to provide more opportunities for Americans to serve their communities and the country.

The bipartisan Senate bill was sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Ted Kennedy, a leader who embodies the spirit of public service, and I am looking forward to signing this important measure into law.

In facing sudden crises or more stubborn challenges, the truth is we are all in this together – as neighbors and fellow citizens. That is what brought so many to help in North Dakota and Minnesota and other areas affected by this flooding. That is what draws people to volunteer in so many ways, serving our country here and on distant shores.

Our thanks go to them today, and to all who are working day and night to deal with the disaster. We send them our thoughts, our prayers, and our continued assistance in this difficult time.

Thank you.

Senator Judd Gregg Weekly Republican Address 03/28/09 VIDEO PODCAST TEXT

PODCAST Senator Judd Gregg Delivers Republican weekly radio address download MP3 5.6 mb running time 5:56 min.

Fuu Text Transcript:

"Hello, I'm Judd Gregg, Senator from New Hampshire. We all know these are difficult times. People are worried about keeping their jobs, paying their bills, the value of their homes and the cost of sending their kids to college. It's hard.

"Thus I appreciate, as do all Americans, the efforts being made by our President and his seriousness about addressing these issues.

"But what concerns many of us are his proposals in the budget he recently sent to the Congress that dramatically grow the size and cost of government and move it to the left.

"It is our opinion that this plan spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much.

"You may have heard this before that the budget of the President spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much.

"What do we mean? Well, let me give you a few examples.

"In the next five years, President Obama's budget will double the national debt; in the next ten years it will triple the national debt.

"To say this another way, if you take all the debt of our country run up by all of our presidents from George Washington through George W. Bush, the total debt over all those 200-plus years since we started as a nation, it is President Obama's plan to double that debt in just the first five years that he is in office.

"He is also planning to spend more on the government as a percentage of our economy than at any time since World War II.

"His budget assumes the deficit will average $1 trillion dollars every year for the next 10 years and will add well over $9 trillion dollars in new debts to our children's backs.

"He also is proposing the largest tax increase in history, much of it aimed at taxing small business people who have been, over the years, the best job creators in our economy. And further, he is proposing a massive new national sales tax on your electric bill. So that every time you turn on a light switch in your house, you will be hit with a new tax -- and it averages over $3,000 per household.

"These are staggering numbers and represent an extraordinary move of our government to the left.

"The President to his credit is not trying to hide this; in fact he is very forthright in stating that he believes that by greatly expanding the spending, the taxing and the borrowing of our government, this will lead us to prosperity.

"Here of course is where we differ. We believe you create prosperity by having an affordable government that pursues its responsibilities without excessive costs, taxes or debt. That it is the individual American who creates prosperity and good jobs, not the government.

"We believe that you create energy independence not by sticking Americans with a brand new national sales tax on everyone's electric bill, but by expanding the production of American energy, such as environmentally sound off-shore drilling, nuclear power, wind, solar while also conserving more.

"We also believe you improve everyone's health care not by nationalizing the health care system and putting the government between you and your doctor, but by assuring that every American has access to quality health insurance and choices in health care.

"We believe that you run a sound and affordable government not by running up the national debt to historic levels and unsustainable levels while over-taxing working Americans and spending as if there is no tomorrow, but rather by working on limiting the growth of government in a manner that is affordable not only today but for the next generation through limiting spending and addressing core issues like the cost of entitlements.

"Our nation has an exceptional history of one generation passing on to the next generation a more prosperous and stronger country, but that tradition is being put at risk. The dramatic move to the left and the massive increase in the size and cost of the government, proposed by the budget of President Obama, will lead to an immense national debt that not only threatens the value of the dollar and puts at risk our ability to borrow money to run the government. But it will also place our children at a huge disadvantage as they inherit this debt which will make their chances of success less than those given to us by our parents. It is not right for one generation to do that to another generation.

"Rather, we believe that if you properly steward the responsibilities of the government, if you do not spend too much, if you do not tax too much, if you do not borrow too much, we can leave our children a better nation where they will have even greater opportunity for prosperity, peace and freedom.

"Thank you for taking the time to listen, and have a great weekend."

Paid for by the Republican National Committee. 310 First Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 -- (202) 863-8500 -- www.gop.com. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

SOURCE Republican National Committee

President Obama "Scares" Dick Armey VIDEO

Rep. Armey Says Pres. Obama "Scares" Him, While speaking about Obama administration spending proposals and health care, Representative Armey said that President Obama "scares" him.

Daniel Hannan MEP: The devalued Gordon Brown VIDEO

"One of the advantages about being outside the EPP is that you get to speak on important occasions. Today was such an occasion. Gordon Brown was in town in advance of the G20 summit. There were a couple of things I wanted to tell him on behalf of my constituents"

Daniel Hannan

Daniel Hannan MEP: The devalued Gordon Brown - Download MP3 for Podcast 3.46 MB

Daniel Hannan, MEP for South East England, gives a speech during Gordon Brown´s visit to the European Parliament on 24th March, 2009.

Daniel John Hannan (born 1 September 1971, is a British politician, and Member of the European Parliament (MEP), representing South East England for the Conservative Party.

On March 24, 2009, after Gordon Brown had given a short speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg in advance of the G20 London summit, Hannan followed up by delivering a speech criticising in very strong terms the response by Gordon Brown to the global financial crisis.

SOURCES

• DanHannanMEP
• Daniel Hannan From Wikipedia
• Daniel Hannan : Telegraph Blogs

President Barack Obama press conference 03/24/09 LIVE VIDEO

Live Video Streams. Tuesday, March 24th, 5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m. EST, President Barack Obama will hold his second official, prime-time press conference. The president is likely to face question about the economy and foreign affairs. The press conference will be live on the network channels - ABC, NBC and CBS - and on cable news - C-SPAN CNN, MSNBC and Fox News.

White House Photo, 3/18/09, Chuck Kennedy

LIVE STREAMING VIDEO NEWS FEEDS

C-SPAN - Windows Media

C-SPAN - Real Media

CNN - Flash Media

CNN's player will attempt to open in a pop-up window, you may allow if your blocker does not allow. Turner media will ask you to install Octoshape which is a P2P application that shifts the broadcaster's share of the cost of bandwidth to the listeners instead by running servers on the listeners' machines, which you may decline. CNN's live stream will then open a pretty nice player that will allow full screen viewing.

FILE TYPES: (as more types become available, wmv, ogg, mp3 for download and podcast, they will be posted here)

Full Press Conference Washington Post

Full Press Conference MSNBC

Transcript: President Obama's Press Conference

CQ Transcripts Wire
Tuesday, March 24, 2009; 9:20 PM

SPEAKER: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

[*] OBAMA: Hello, everybody. Please have a seat.

Good evening. Now, before I take questions from the correspondents, I want to give everyone who's watching tonight an update on the steps we're taking to move this economy from recession to recovery, and ultimately to prosperity. Now, it's important to remember that this crisis didn't happen overnight and it didn't result from any one action or decision. It took many years and many failures to lead us here. And it will take many months and many different solutions to lead us out. There are no quick fixes, and there are no silver bullets.

That's why we've put in place a comprehensive strategy designed to attack this crisis on all fronts. It's a strategy to create jobs, to help responsible homeowners, to restart lending, and to grow our economy over the long term. And we're beginning to see signs of progress.

OBAMA: The first step we took was to pass a recovery plan to jump-start job creation and put money in people's pockets. This plan's already saved the jobs of teachers and police officers. It's creating construction jobs to rebuild roads and bridges.

And yesterday, I met with a man whose company is reopening a factory outside of Pittsburgh that's rehiring workers to build some of the most energy-efficient windows in the world.

And this plan will provide a tax cut to 95 percent of all working families that will appear in people's paychecks by April 1st.

The second step we took was to launch a plan to stabilize the housing market and help responsible homeowners stay in their homes. This plan's one reason that mortgage interest rates are now at near historic lows.

We've already seen a jump in refinancing of some mortgages, as homeowners take advantage of lower rates. And every American should know that up to 40 percent of all mortgages are now eligible for refinancing.

This is the equivalent of another tax cut, and we're also beginning to see signs of increased sales and stabilizing home prices for the first time in a very long time.

The third part of our strategy is to restart the flow of credit to families and businesses. To that end, we've launched a program designed to support the markets for more affordable auto loans, student loans, and small-business loans, a program that's already securitized more of this lending in the last week than in the last four months combined.

Yesterday, Secretary Geithner announced a new plan that will partner government resources with private investment to buy up the assets that are preventing our banks from lending money.

And we will continue to do whatever is necessary in the weeks ahead to ensure the banks Americans depend on have the money they need to lend, even if the economy gets worse.

Finally, the most critical part of our strategy is to ensure that we do not return to an economic cycle of bubble and bust in this country. We know that an economy built on reckless speculation, inflated home prices, and maxed-out credit cards does not create lasting wealth. It creates the illusion of prosperity, and it's endangered us all.

The budget I submitted to Congress will build our economic recovery on a stronger foundation so that we don't face another crisis like this 10 or 20 years from now.

We invest in the renewable sources of energy that will lead to new jobs, new businesses, and less dependence on foreign oil. We invest in our schools and our teachers, so that our children have the skills they need to compete with any workers in the world.

We invest in reform that will bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses and our government.

And in this budget, we have -- we have to make the tough choices necessary to cut our deficit in half by the end of my first term, even under the most pessimistic estimates.

OBAMA: At the end of the day, the best way to bring our deficit down in the long run is not with a budget that continues the very same policies that have led us to a narrow prosperity and massive debt. It's with a budget that leads to broad economic growth by moving from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest.

And that's why clean energy jobs and businesses will do all across America. That's what a highly skilled workforce can do all across America. That's what an efficient health care system that controls costs and entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid will do.

That's why this budget is inseparable from this recovery: because it is what lays the foundation for a secure and lasting prosperity.

The road to that prosperity is still long, and we will hit our share of bumps and setbacks before it ends. But we must remember that we can get there if we travel that road as one nation, as one people.

You know, there was a lot of outrage and finger-pointing last week, and much of it is understandable. I'm as angry as anybody about those bonuses that went to some of the very same individuals who brought our financial system to its knees, partly because it's yet another symptom of the culture that led us to this point.

But one of the most important lessons to learn from this crisis is that our economy only works if we recognize that we're all in this together, that we all have responsibilities to each other and to our country.

Bankers and executives on Wall Street need to realize that enriching themselves on the taxpayers' dime is inexcusable, that the days of outsized rewards and reckless speculation that puts us all at risk have to be over.

At the same time, the rest of us can't afford to demonize every investor or entrepreneur who seeks to make a profit. That drive is what has always fueled our prosperity, and it is what will ultimately get these banks lending and our economy moving once more.

We'll recover from this recession, but it will take time, it will take patience, and it will take an understanding that, when we all work together, when each of us looks beyond our own short-term interest to the wider set of obligations we have towards each other, that's when we succeed, that's when we prosper, and that's what is needed right now. So let's look towards the future with a renewed sense of common purpose, a renewed determination, and, most importantly, renewed confidence that a better day will come.

All right. With that, let me take some questions. And I've got a list here.

Let's start off with Jennifer Loven, A.P. FULL PRINT FRIENDLY TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Governor Haley Barbour Weekly Republican Address 03/21/09 VIDEO PODCAST TEXT

PODCAST Governor Haley Barbour Delivers Republican weekly radio address download MP3 3.5 mb running time 4:56 min.

Full Text Transcript:

"Hi, I'm Haley Barbour. It's budget time for a lot of states, and we governors, Republicans and Democrats alike, are working to balance our budgets.

"Though the stimulus package spends an incredible amount of money, with some of it going to state governments, the mandates about how we have to spend much of that money, plus the severe drop in most states' revenue, mean all governors are preparing a wide variety of significant spending cuts to balance our budgets.

"With the federal government it's just the opposite: President Obama's budget spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much.

"It's breathtaking: The new Administration's budget for next year alone calls for a one point two TRILLION dollar deficit ... nearly triple any past federal deficit.

"While families are cutting back, President Obama has proposed a massive government spending spree. It reminds me of how one of our old senators used to joke about the federal budget. He said it was like a newborn baby: insatiable appetite at one end and total irresponsibility at the other.

"This astronomical record federal deficit would be accompanied by the largest tax increases in history. But trillions of new taxes won't nearly cover all the new spending, so our children and grandchildren will be saddled with trillions more in debt.

"And this budget blowout comes on top of the debt for the $787 billion Obama stimulus package, the $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill passed by Congress this month, the $300 billion the Federal Reserve said this week it would spend to buy U.S. government bonds, and the $750 billion the Fed announced just Wednesday it would spend to buy mortgage-backed securities. Trillions and trillions in new spending mean record tax increases and record government debt.

"The cap and trade tax and other energy taxes will drive up both electricity and gasoline prices for families and for businesses. And while Wall Street gets trillions to bail them out, small businesses will get stuck with not only income tax increases but also enormous cost increases for energy: for electricity and gasoline. Families will get clobbered, too.

"Don't take my word for it; listen to what Barack Obama himself told The San Francisco Chronicle last year, and I quote: Under my plan of cap and trade, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.

"And President Obama was right. His energy taxes, like the cap and trade tax, will drive energy costs for American families through the roof.

"In this budget season we have choices. While states are controlling spending and balancing their budgets, the Obama budget spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much. It's not the right choice for America."

Paid for by the Republican National Committee.

310 First Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 -- (202) 863-8500 -- www.gop.com

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

SOURCE Republican National Committee

President Obama Weekly Address 03/21/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, March 21, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 4.82 mb

Last week, I spent a few days in California, talking with ordinary Americans in town halls and in the places where they work. We talked about their struggles, and we talked about their hopes. At the end of the day, these men and women weren’t as concerned with the news of the day in Washington as they were about the very real and very serious challenges their families face every day: whether they’ll have a job and a paycheck to count on; whether they’ll be able to pay their medical bills or afford college tuition; whether they’ll be able to leave their children a world that’s safer and more prosperous than the one we have now.

Those are the concerns I heard about in California. They are the concerns I’ve heard about in letters from people throughout this country for the last two years. And they are the concerns addressed in the budget I sent to Congress last month.

With the magnitude of the challenges we face, I don’t just view this budget as numbers on a page or a laundry list of programs. It’s an economic blueprint for our future – a vision of America where growth is not based on real estate bubbles or overleveraged banks, but on a firm foundation of investments in energy, education, and health care that will lead to a real and lasting prosperity.

These investments are not a wish list of priorities that I picked out of thin air – they are a central part of a comprehensive strategy to grow this economy by attacking the very problems that have dragged it down for too long: the high cost of health care and our dependence on foreign oil; our education deficit and our fiscal deficit.

Now, as the House and the Senate take up this budget next week, the specific details and dollar amounts in this budget will undoubtedly change. That’s a normal and healthy part of the process.

But when all is said and done, I expect a budget that meets four basic principles:

First, it must reduce our dependence on dangerous foreign oil and finally put this nation on a path to a clean, renewable energy future. There is no longer a doubt that the jobs and industries of tomorrow will involve harnessing renewable sources of energy. The only question is whether America will lead that future. I believe we can and we will, and that’s why we’ve proposed a budget that makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy, while investing in technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and fuel-efficient cars and trucks that can be built right here in America.

Second, this budget must renew our nation’s commitment to a complete and competitive education for every American child. In this global economy, we know the countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow, and we know that our students are already falling behind their counterparts in places like China. That is why we have proposed investments in childhood education programs that work; in high standards and accountability for our schools; in rewards for teachers who succeed; and in affordable college education for anyone who wants to go. It is time to demand excellence from our schools so that we can finally prepare our workforce for a 21st century economy.

Third, we need a budget that makes a serious investment in health care reform – reform that will bring down costs, ensure quality, and guarantee people their choice of doctors and hospitals. Right now, there are millions of Americans who are just one illness or medical emergency away from bankruptcy. There are businesses that have been forced to close their doors or ship jobs overseas because they can’t afford insurance. Medicare costs are consuming our federal budget. Medicaid is overwhelming our state budgets. So to those who say we have to choose between health care reform and fiscal discipline, I say that making investments now that will dramatically lower health care costs for everyone won’t add to our budget deficit in the long-term – it is one of the best ways to reduce it.

Finally, this budget must reduce that deficit even further. With the fiscal mess we’ve inherited and the cost of this financial crisis, I’ve proposed a budget that cuts our deficit in half by the end of my first term. That’s why we are scouring every corner of the budget and have proposed $2 trillion in deficit reductions over the next decade. In total, our budget would bring discretionary spending for domestic programs as a share of the economy to its lowest level in nearly half a century. And we will continue making these tough choices in the months and years ahead so that as our economy recovers, we do what we must to bring this deficit down.

I will be discussing each of these principles next week, as Congress takes up the important work of debating this budget. I realize there are those who say these plans are too ambitious to enact. To that I say that the challenges we face are too large to ignore. I didn’t come here to pass on our problems to the next President or the next generation – I came here to solve them.

The American people sent us here to get things done, and at this moment of great challenge, they are watching and waiting for us to lead. Let’s show them that we are equal to the task before us, and let’s pass a budget that puts this nation on the road to lasting prosperity.

Author: whitehouse.gov
Keywords: President Barack Obama; Weekly Address; White House
Creative Commons license: Public Domain

Battlestar Galactica at the United Nations VIDEO

United Nations, 17 March 2009 - a retrospective of the science fiction TV series "Battlestar Galactica" at UN headquarters. The show's Oscar-nominated actors Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos, and UN Assistant Secretary-General Robert Orr talk about the portrayal of UN themes like human rights, terrorism and reconciliation among civilizations and faiths.

Edward James Olmos, on his authority as Admiral of the Battlestar Galactica, tells the assembled crowd at the United Nations there is no race but the human race (so say we all). edgeofthewest

View the entire events (Real Media, 2 hours and 4 minutes): webcast.un.org/ramgen/ondemand...

News Story: www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp...

RNC Announces February Fundraising Numbers

WASHINGTON, March 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Republican National Committee (RNC) today announced its fundraising numbers for February 2009.

With $24 million cash-on-hand, the RNC raised $5.1 million in February and is currently debt free. The Committee's strong financial position entering March allowed it to transfer funds to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and the New York Republican State Committee throughout the past few weeks.

"The Republican National Committee is in a strong financial position thanks to our motivated base of supporters and contributors," RNC Chairman Michael Steele said. "We are building the organization we need to be successful in 2009 and beyond."

Paid for by the Republican National Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

SOURCE Republican National Committee

Federal Reserve says it will buy Treasury securities and more mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac VIDEO

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in January indicates that the economy continues to contract. Job losses, declining equity and housing wealth, and tight credit conditions have weighed on consumer sentiment and spending. Weaker sales prospects and difficulties in obtaining credit have led businesses to cut back on inventories and fixed investment. U.S. exports have slumped as a number of major trading partners have also fallen into recession. Although the near-term economic outlook is weak, the Committee anticipates that policy actions to stabilize financial markets and institutions, together with fiscal and monetary stimulus, will contribute to a gradual resumption of sustainable economic growth.

In light of increasing economic slack here and abroad, the Committee expects that inflation will remain subdued. Moreover, the Committee sees some risk that inflation could persist for a time below rates that best foster economic growth and price stability in the longer term.

In these circumstances, the Federal Reserve will employ all available tools to promote economic recovery and to preserve price stability. The Committee will maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and anticipates that economic conditions are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period. To provide greater support to mortgage lending and housing markets, the Committee decided today to increase the size of the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet further by purchasing up to an additional $750 billion of agency mortgage-backed securities, bringing its total purchases of these securities to up to $1.25 trillion this year, and to increase its purchases of agency debt this year by up to $100 billion to a total of up to $200 billion. Moreover, to help improve conditions in private credit markets, the Committee decided to purchase up to $300 billion of longer-term Treasury securities over the next six months. The Federal Reserve has launched the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility to facilitate the extension of credit to households and small businesses and anticipates that the range of eligible collateral for this facility is likely to be expanded to include other financial assets. The Committee will continue to carefully monitor the size and composition of the Federal Reserve's balance sheet in light of evolving financial and economic developments.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Charles L. Evans; Donald L. Kohn; Jeffrey M. Lacker; Dennis P. Lockhart; Daniel K. Tarullo; Kevin M. Warsh; and Janet L. Yellen.

2009 Monetary Policy Releases