The Daily Drift

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Fact-Checking Site Proves Just How Good President Obama Has Been for America

by Allen Clifton

Following his annual State of the Union speech, many Republicans have been quite critical of the supposed “arrogance” President Obama displayed while giving his address. Then again, what’s new? Republicans have been trying to paint the president as arrogant and “out of touch” for years.
But like with all recent SOTU speeches, fact-checking organizations usually work overtime in an attempt to investigate whether or not what the president said during his speech was factually accurate. And this year was no different.
And when it comes to the “Truth-O-Meter” over at Politifact, President Obama’s SOTU speech scored extremely high marks for accuracy and truth.
When he said that America is number one in wind power, that was rated as “Mostly True” with the only caveat being that China technically has the capacity to produce more wind power, but we convert more of it into electricity.
Then there was when the president said we’re creating more jobs than at any other time since 1999, Politifact rated that as 100 percent “True.” We all remember 1999, right? You know, the last time we had a Democrat in the White House.
When he talked about our unemployment rate he claimed that it’s now below where it was before the financial crisis hit our economy. That statement was rated as “Mostly True,” though Politifact claims they need clarification based upon how many people have simply stopped looking for work. That’s a statistic that’s nearly impossible to measure considering the reasons why people stop looking for work are varied and often have nothing to do with the strength of the economy. “Real unemployment” is a never taken into account when factoring in the unemployment rate, so using that as a variable to downgrade the honesty of a statement didn’t make much sense to me. But nevertheless, Obama’s statement is still factually accurate based on the same measure we’ve used for decades.
Who remembers all of the right-wing rhetoric over the last few years about Obama making the U.S. more dependent on foreign oil, which would then weaken our national security and could possibly threaten to send gas prices over $5 per gallon? It really is laughable to look back at all of the ridiculous claims Republicans have made against the president over the years. Well, during his SOTU speech the president proudly claimed that America is the number one producer of oil and gas. That’s another statement that was rated as completely “True.”
So, not only has Obama pushed the U.S. to convert more wind energy to electricity than any other nation on the planet, but we’re also producing more oil and gas than anyone else. Funny, George W. Bush couldn’t do that in eight years; President Obama did it in six.
Then when he said that the U.S. is the only developed country on Earth without a paid maternity leave, he was absolutely right. This was another statement that was rated as “Mostly True.” The only discrepancy found in his claim is that three states in the U.S. (California, New Jersey, Rhode Island) do mandate it. Just think about that for a moment. Many Americans claim that this is the “greatest nation on Earth,” yet we’re the only developed nation on Earth that doesn’t require paid maternity leave.
When he said our deficits have been cut by two-thirds, he was also factual about that as well. That statement received a “Mostly True” rating. The main “issue” being that it’s true if you base it off 2009 numbers when deficits were extraordinarily high and some are projecting deficits to eventually increase within the next few years, mainly due to the lack of revenue increases (such as tax hikes) and entitlement reform.
But even when you go beyond just his SOTU speech to a few other comments they’ve fact-checked of his leading up to his speech:
U.S. auto industry has created 500k new jobs in the last five years: True More factories are opening their doors today than two decades ago: Mostly True We’ve doubled our production of clean energy since 2009: Mostly True Since negotiating with Iran, we’ve seen the first year and a half that they haven’t made advancements in their nuclear program: Mostly True
And these are all very recent statements. But what do they tell us about the president? Well, he’s dramatically boosted our clean energy; moved us closer toward energy independence; presided over a half million jobs being created in the auto industry; massively reduced our deficits; has used diplomacy to make strides in the international community as opposed to just going to war; and we’ve seen the best period of job growth since the last time a Democrat lived in the White House.
By the way, none of this includes the fact that he ordered the killing of Osama bin Ladin and we’ve seen stocks hit numerous record highs (proving trickle-down economics doesn’t work).
So, when Republicans say that President Obama has been the “worst president in history,” they clearly don’t have a clue what the heck they’re talking about.

Clowns in Congress

Obama Beats Back Oil Industry, Protects Marine Life Haven Almost As Large As Connecticut

Stretching north from the Golden Gate Bridge, the protected area will now be nearly the size of Connecticut.

Traitor and Hypocrite

Army General Slams Tom Cotton For Illegally Undermining American Foreign Policy With Iran Letter

A former U.S. Army Major General has become the latest critic of GOP Senator Tom Cotton’s Iran letter stunt, accusing him of mutiny and the illegal undermining of American foreign policy.

Read more 

Iran letter blowback startles GOP

The fact that the GOP traitors were surprised simply goes to show how little respect they have for the US government and the citizens.

John McCain: 'It was kind of a very rapid process. Everybody was looking forward to getting out of town because of the snowstorm.'

by Burgess Everett

Some Republican senators admitted Wednesday they were caught off guard by the backlash to a letter warning Iranian leaders against a nuclear agreement with President Barack Obama. And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Republicans — many of whom blessed the missive during a brisk signing session at a Senate lunch a week ago, as senators prepared to flee a Washington snowstorm — should have given it closer consideration.

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Even Republicans Are Calling Their Sabotage Of Obama With Iran Letter A Disaster

Republicans are admitting anonymously that the Senate GOP attempt to sabotage President Obama with a letter to Iran has turned into a disaster.

Politico talked to insiders within both parties about the letter, and some Republicans are realizing that they are in trouble:

One-third of Republican insiders believe that Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and his GOP colleagues — including several potential presidential candidates — crossed the line when they published an open letter to Iranian leaders warning about a possible nuclear deal.

….

“The GOP letter — while sound in substance — caused the debate to shift from the administration’s wrongheadedness to the GOP’s tactics,” said a New Hampshire Republican, who — like all 92 respondents this week — completed the survey anonymously in order to speak candidly. “That’s not helpful.”

“Policy wise, the deal Obama is trying to cut is a bad one,” said another. “Politically speaking, however, the letter has been a disaster. The Democrats have totally framed and owned the debate, and our GOP senators are getting pummeled.”

The letter has turned into an unrelenting disaster of a story that is following Republicans wherever they go. Republican presidential candidates are being asked about it on the campaign trail. Republicans who didn’t have anything to do with the letter are being questioned about it. There is no escape for Republicans.

Sen. Tom Cotton’s letter created an issue where one didn’t exist. It is a self-inflicted wound that is not healing. There is nothing that Republicans can say that will explain or excuse the letter. The excuse making has been so feeble that John McCain tried to blame the weather for his decision to sign the letter.

The Republican opposition to any deal with Iran will now look partisan and petty. Republicans also shot themselves in the feet with Democrats by sending this letter. Senate Republicans were building a bipartisan consensus for passage of legislation that would have required any agreement to be reviewed and approved by the Senate, but that’s gone.

The level of disrespect in the letter has shocked people who don’t follow politics on a daily basis, but who vote in a presidential election. The behavior of the Senate Republicans can’t be undone. There is no way to repair the damage, and Republicans might have cost themselves their Senate majority with this blatant act of sabotage.

About That Letter ...

Texas Democrats Serve Anti-Gay Republicans Their Just Desserts … Equality Cakes Of Love

Those anti-gay Republicans want to eat cake? Fine. Let them eat cake. For Texas Democrats, living well is the sweetest revenge.

Read more 

The Staggering Hypocrisy of Trey Gowdy and the Republican Party

I really hate hypocrisy. I specifically hate Republican hypocrisy. South Carolina’s favorite Congressman Trey Gowdy doesn’t disappoint. Gowdy is the feather-haired silver fox leader of the so-called “Benghazi…

Hypocrisy

Raise the Minimum

Christie Campaign To Focus On Catfood For The Elderly

by Susie Madrak

All of a sudden, "moderate" Chris Christie wants to slash entitlements? No clearer sign of his intention to suck up a lot more campaign cash, which he'll need to come back from his extremely low numbers. But I don't see any rational way he expects to get past the primaries and actually win an election with this "House of Cards" stunt:

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) told leading GOP policy analysts this week that he will make overhauling Medicare, Social Security and other long-term entitlement programs a centerpiece of his likely presidential campaign, according to participants in the talks.
Christie’s decision to embrace a politically risky campaign theme is central to an attempt to revive his wilting national prospects, according to people familiar with his plans.
By casting himself in the coming months as a blunt truth-teller on issues that some in his party have resisted tackling, Christie hopes to win support among conservatives who have been reluctant to back him and are unsure of his rationale for running.

"Rationale"? He don't need no stinkin' "rationale"! He's a taker, and he's going to keep taking until he's gone as far as he can go!

But voters have long been wary of attempts by politicians in both parties to cut popular entitlement programs, which account for about half of all federal spending. Christie himself has expanded Medicaid as governor, calling it “the right decision for New Jersey.”
Christie made his intentions clear Monday in a conference call with former Republican administration officials and a former senior adviser to House GOP leaders. Over the course of nearly two hours, Christie indicated that he is planning to run a campaign focused on the nation’s fiscal health and recommending sweeping structural reforms.

Yep. Just like he did for New Jersey.

GOP senator: ‘Stop celebrating’ good Obamacare news

by Steve Benen

For those hoping to see the Affordable Care Act succeed, recent developments have been amazing. “Obamacare” is working better than expected on practically every front, from increased enrollments to lower costs, from expanded coverage to increased competition. Even the most knee-jerk, far-right ideologue has very little to complain about.

But that won’t stop them from trying.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), for example, called the ACA a “monstrosity” the other day, insisting, “[T]he greatest job suppressor in the so-called recovery that we’ve gone through is Obamacare.”

In reality, there is literally no evidence to suggest the reform law is suppressing job growth. On the contrary, 2014 was the first full year for ACA implementation and it was the best year for U.S. job creation since the 1990s. Or put another way, after “Obamacare” took effect, America created more jobs than any year in which Bush’s brother or father was president.

But Jeb’s argument was almost coherent compared to Sen. John Barrasso’s (R-Wyo.) latest ACA criticisms.

Barrasso, the 4th ranking Senate Republican, mocked the Obama administration for holding an event at the White House this week to cheer new healthcare enrollment figures at a time when the law remains mostly unpopular nationally.

“It’s time for the White House to stop celebrating and start thinking about the people,” Barrasso said on the Senate floor on Wednesday.

I generally find Barrasso’s health care arguments odd, but if The Hill quoted him properly, this latest offensive is genuinely bizarre. When the White House “celebrates” millions of Americans gaining access to affordable medical care, they are, in reality, “thinking about the people.” That’s the point. They’re cheering good news for actual people.

The far-right senator reportedly added, “The Obama administration and every Democrat who voted for it should be embarrassed for it.”

Embarrassed by success?

Barrasso’s rhetoric on the ACA has been strange for quite a while. After learning about lower premiums, the Wyoming Republican complained about the ACA increasing premiums. After learning about great enrollment totals, Barrasso, without proof, accused the administration of fraud.

But what’s striking about this latest broadside is Barrasso’s reluctance to deal with the facts as they exist. Instead of refuting the ACA’s recent successes, the Senate Republican leader simply ignores them, as if the good news didn’t happen at all.

The Hill’s report concluded, “Barrasso is leading the Senate’s working group to create an ObamaCare alternative.”

I can’t wait to see it, though I have a strong hunch the alternative will remain imaginary.

First Wisconsin casualty of Right to Work, Major company moving to Minnesota

Hoffman Construction, a major road building and mining company is abandoning Wisconsin because of the Right to Work legislation just passed.According to Duluth News Tribune "Hoffman said Monday night that the reason is twofold: he believes the right-to-work law will ultimately cost his company money, and he sees Minnesota's proposal to increase transportation funding as offering greater business opportunities."
Some companies realize that union work is an advantage to companies. Working together on problems, joint safety committees, agreeing on other items like seniority, vacation, health care can only make a company stronger.
Hooray for Hoffman Construction Company. Maybe more will follow their lead.

More

Nevada Bill Aims To Scrap Minimum Wage That Voters Passed By Ballot Initiative

Meanwhile, Democrats want to increase the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour.

It's the Economy Stupid

Wingnuts haven't got a clue

Fox News Starts Another International Incident After Guest Says U.S. Needs To Start ‘Killing Russians’

With friends like Fox, who needs enemies?
Typically, the misinformation jetstream that is Fox News and its television and radio offshoots is a problem...

Fox News Lies

Four States Seek To Undermine EPA Efforts To Combat Carbon Pollution At The Behest Of Koch Brothers

The resolutions were written by Americans for Prosperity, a libertarian group famously backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.

There Are Now Fewer Young Religious Conservatives Than Ever – And Here’s Why

The far-right’s rigid values are becoming less and less popular.
Read more