Colorado Dems Endorse Ballot Measure To Legalize
Pot

post from ThinkProgress on 16 April 2012 05:00:04 PM. © ThinkProgress

A Colorado ballot measure to legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol will likely be one of the more closely watched referenda in the country, thanks to decent chancing of becoming law. Adding to its momentum, Colorado Democrats officially endorsed Amendment 64 at the party’s convention in Pueblo this weekend. A majority at the Denver County Republican Assembly recently voted to support the measure as well. It wasn’t enough to make it part of the country GOP’s platform, but it gives the measure some bipartisan support. Fifteen counties in the state already have similar laws.

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http://thinkprogress.org/special/2012/04/16/465300/colorado-dems-legalize-pot/

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Ann Romney's counter-attack fails

post from Daily Kos on 16 April 2012 04:59:26 PM. © Daily Kos

Romney, campaign rally, all-men backdrop Mitt Romney at March campaign rally?before he had to pretend to care about the womenfolk.
(Marvin Gentry/Reuters)From the latest CNN/ORC poll (PDF):

Thinking about the following characteristics and qualities, please say whether you think each one applies more to Barack Obama or more to Mitt Romney: Is in touch with the problems facing women today?

Obama 55
Romney 27

And that's why we see numbers like these:

As of today, do you lean more toward ...?

Women: Obama 55, Romney 39
Men: Obama 49, Romney 46

Total: Obama 52, Romney 43

That +16 advantage with women is in line with other pollsters, it's a bigger advantage than the +13 Obama enjoyed on election day against John McCain in 2008, and it comes after last week's ferocious GOP counter-attack on the war on women?you know the one, in which the war on women didn't exist, but it did exist and was being waged by Obama, but it was unpatriotic to call it a war on women, but it actually did exist and was being led by someone no one had ever heard of named Hilary Rosen, and boy, isn't that Ann Romney amazing?

Apparently, the GOP's version of "I know you are but what am I?" isn't doing much to erase the gender gap.

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http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/qCwn1I0oGTU/-Ann-Romney-s-counter-
attack-fails

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Today on The Stars Hollow Gazette

post from Docudharma - Front Page on 16 April 2012 04:57:05 PM. © Docudharma - Front Page

Our regular featured content-On This Day In History April 16 by TheMomCatPunting the Pundits by TheMomCatThese featured articles-Pique the Geek 20120415: Beryllium, a Very Unusual Element Pique the Geek 20120415: Beryllium, a Very Unusual Element by[...]

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http://www.docudharma.com/diary/29635/today-on-the-stars-hollow-gazette

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Obamaites Charge Romney with Inveterate Richness

post from The American Prospect on 16 April 2012 04:48:59 PM. © The American Prospect

Priorities USA Action, the super PAC run by former Obama advisers, is up with a new ad explaining to voters that Mitt Romney is an extremely rich guy, who does richie rich things like hold up pieces of legal tender while surrounded by his richie rich friends. In short, the ad seems like little more than an attempt to get everyone to look at that now-famous photo from the founding of Bain Capital, in which Romney and his fellow Bainians demonstrate that their new company is all about job creation. There is one thing about this ad that may have Republicans crying foul, which is the fact that midway through they doctor the photo to put the current Mitt Romney's head on the much younger Mitt Romney from the photo. Take a look:

Is this unethical? Maybe, but it's essentially a misdemeanor. It would be seriously deceptive to put Romney's head on somebody else's body to make a point about Romney, but in this case it's Romney's head on his own body (and speaking as someone who's older than he used to be, I wouldn't mind if someone put my current head on the body I had 20 years ago). Obviously, the Priorities USA people want to make sure people know it's Romney in the photo. But let's be honest: What they really want is to make sure people associate today's Romney with everything the photo shows and symbolizes, from the vulturine grins to the sharp suits to the general sense that just off camera there might be a laid-off factory worker whom they've tied to a chair so they can whip him with their Hermes ties after they go over the latest BMW catalog.

In short, it's the image that matters. They'll put a script around it about Romney's income and personal taxes and his tax plan, but mostly they just want that picture to be reproduced as much as possible (and if the Romney campaign complains about the head substitution, all the better, as that would just mean more news stories showing the picture). This reminds us that Romney hasn't really told a persuasive story about how his personal wealth figures into his candidacy. Other rich candidates have; Ross Perot, for instance, argued that he put aside his successful business to help the country out of its terrible deficit problem. It seemed to make sense; there were reasons Perot didn't win, but being too rich wasn't one of them. Romney would like us to think that his success in business is evidence that he's smart, competent, and understands the economy, and these are all things that would make his presidency just as successful as Bain Capital. And maybe they would. But the Obama folks are going to do their best to make sure every time he tries to make that case, they're there to say, "Oh yeah? Just look at this picture."

Read The Full Article:
http://prospect.org/article/obamaites-charge-romney-inveterate-richness

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Obamaites Charge Romney With Inveterate Richness

post from The American Prospect on 16 April 2012 04:48:59 PM. © The American Prospect

Priorities USA Action, the super PAC run by former Obama advisers, is up with a new ad explaining to voters that Mitt Romney is an extremely rich guy, who does richie rich things like hold up pieces of legal tender while surrounded by his richie rich friends. In short, the ad seems like little more than an attempt to get everyone to look at that now-famous photo from the founding of Bain Capital, in which Romney and his fellow Bainians demonstrate that their new company is all about job creation. There is one thing about this ad that may have Republicans crying foul, which is the fact that midway through they doctor the photo to put the current Mitt Romney's head on the much younger Mitt Romney from the photo. Take a look:

Is this unethical? Maybe, but it's essentially a misdemeanor. It would be seriously deceptive to put Romney's head on somebody else's body to make a point about Romney, but in this case it's Romney's head on his own body (and speaking as someone who's older than he used to be, I wouldn't mind if someone put my current head on the body I had 20 years ago). Obviously, the Priorities USA people want to make sure people know it's Romney in the photo. But let's be honest: what they really want is to make sure people associate today's Romney with everything the photo shows and symbolizes, from the vulturine grins to the sharp suits to the general sense that just off camera there might be a laid off factory worker whom they've tied to a chair so they can whip him with their Hermes ties after they go over the latest BMW catalogue.

In short, it's the image that matters. They'll put a script around it about Romney's income and personal taxes and his tax plan, but mostly they just want that picture to be reproduced as much as possible (and if the Romney campaign complains about the head substitution, all the better, as that would just mean more news stories showing the picture). This reminds us that Romney hasn't really told a persuasive story about how his personal wealth figures into his candidacy. Other rich candidates have; Ross Perot, for instance, argued that he put aside his successful business to help the country out of its terrible deficit problem. It seemed to make sense; there were reasons Perot didn't win, but being too rich wasn't one of them. Romney would like us to think that his success in business is evidence that he's smart, competent, and understands the economy, and these are all things that would make his presidency just as successful as Bain Capital. And maybe they would. But the Obama folks are going to do their best to make sure every time he tries to make that case, they're there to say, "Oh yeah? Just look at this picture."

Read The Full Article:
http://prospect.org/article/obamaites-charge-romney-inveterate-richness

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Buffett Rule to Be Filibustered Today

post from Firedoglake on 16 April 2012 04:40:25 PM. © Firedoglake

Today, the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed to the Buffett rule, formally known as the Paying a Fair Share Act. A filibuster is expected, about 5:30 p.m. ET. This concludes a two-week push by Senate Democratic leaders and the Obama Administration[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/firedoglake/fdl/~3/092wwPY0nJg/

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Gold, Silver and Copper Investing Strategies and
M&A Ideas: Vishal Gupta

post from Jutia Group on 16 April 2012 04:30:43 PM. © Jutia Group

The Gold Report: You are an analyst and a geologist. Can you explain the fundamentals behind investing in base metals compared to precious metals?

Vishal Gupta: The fundamental difference is that base metals can be fairly straightforward in quantification when it comes to supply-demand balances. The world needs a certain amount of base metals to keep up its growth rate. Growing economies like India and China require base metals for their industrialization initiatives. For instance, copper would be required in electrical wiring and zinc would be required in steel galvanization. There is a specific purpose for base metals in industry.

Gold is valued more from a currency standpoint. There are actually very few uses for gold. That is why . . . → Read More: Gold, Silver and Copper Investing Strategies and M&A Ideas: Vishal Gupta

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http://jutiagroup.com/20120416-gold-silver-and-copper-investing-strategies-and-ma
-ideas-vishal-gupta/

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Romney Say, Romney Do

post from Firedoglake on 16 April 2012 04:10:11 PM. © Firedoglake

Wannabe your First Lady stepped away from your raising the family home cleaning duties to go shopping at her friend's place, which was closed to everyone else, because shopping is hard work and we should respect that.[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/firedoglake/fdl/~3/IiJz__OEvRQ/

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U.S. SECRETARY OF LABOR HILDA L. SOLÍS TO LEAD
LATINO COMMUNITY FORUM IN PHILADELPHIA

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro, NCLR
(202) 776-1566

Dave Lemmon, Families USA
(202) 628-3030

Forum to focus on new protections for families in health reform

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solís and a panel of seasoned health professionals and advocates will answer questions from the community on key provisions of the health reform law at a breakfast gathering on Wednesday, April 18. Solís, the highest-ranking Latina in the Obama administration, will lead the forum, which is intended to help Philadelphia?s Latino community better understand how the law will help and protect their families.

When President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, families gained a whole range of new consumer benefits and health insurance protections. The Wednesday gathering will allow community participants to ask questions about these new benefits, such as provisions that prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against children with preexisting conditions, allow adult children to stay on their parents? plan, make prevention a priority by providing free health screenings, and increase support for seniors with high prescription drug costs.

The forum is being hosted by Congreso de Latinos Unidos, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), and Families USA. The groups believe that it?s critically important for people to understand their options for better coverage and care under the law. The forum also provides a venue to elevate the top health care priorities of Latinos in Pennsylvania, as the state begins the implementation process of the health care law. The Affordable Care Act is especially significant for the Latino community, which is less likely to be insured and more likely to suffer from conditions that make access to high-quality, affordable insurance even more important.

Breakfast will be served immediately before the program commences. Interpretation for those who prefer Spanish will also be provided.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Hilda L. Solís, United States Secretary of Labor
Cynthia F. Figueroa, CEO, Congreso de Latinos Unidos
Jennifer Ng'andu, Deputy Director of Health Policy, NCLR
Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Chief Medical Officer, Complete Care Health Network
Sinsi Hernández-Cancio, Director, Health Equity, Families USA

WHAT: Bi-lingual Community Forum on Consumer Benefits and Protections in the ACA

WHEN: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Breakfast to be served at 9:15 am EDT
Program to commence at 10 a.m. EDT

WHERE: Congreso de Latinos Unidos
2800 N. American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Read The Full Article:
http://keystoneprogress.blogspot.com/2012/04/us-secretary-of-labor-hilda-l-solis-
to.html

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Meme-o-Matic

My pal Josh Green has the choice metaphor for the Buffett Rule which is destined to go down to a glorious defeat today in the senate. The BR, as we'll call it, is like Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars. "Strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Talking-Points-Memo/~3/NrQSrSKKwVE/meme-o-matic.ph
p

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