Daily Democratic Wire 9-30-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will give a speech at NIH where he will announce 5 Billion in funding through the Stimulus bill for work toward cures in cancer and other diseases - the National Institutes for Health is located in Bethesda and the President will be accompanied by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The Washington Post has more here.

This afternoon,the president will meet with his entire foreign policy team to discuss U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.

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Michelle Obama arrives in Copenhagen to promote Chicago as the host of the 2016 Olympics - Rio de Janeiro appears the be the other main competitor. Michelle will be joined by her husband tomorrow. You can read more here.

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More economic good news - 2nd quarter revised numbers show the gross domestic product (GNP) drop for the second quarter to be only 0.7% which is significantly lower than the 6.4% drop in the first quarter. Analysts are predicting growth up to 3% for the third quarter ending today. You can read more here.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also released a statement yesterday saying the global economy had turned the corner. They called for financial restructuring of the financial system to prevent another crisis. The NY Times has more here.

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"Public Option" fails to survive Senate mark up of health care bill - the Senate Finance Committee defeated Senator Jay Rockefeller's (D-W.Va.) proposal 15-8 and Senator Charles Schumer's (D-NY) amendment 13-10. However, do not count the public option out yet as there are numerous ways it could still end up included in a final bill. Reuters.com has more here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-29-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will meet with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen - In a speech, Rasmussen said NATO support in Afghanistan is a necessity, not a choice. The President will also meet with Defense Secretary Robert Gates. You can read more here.

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Time for Iran to answer nuclear question - the threat of Iran developing nuclear warheads is a problem world leaders are grappling with as they ready talks with Iran this week. Intelligence gathered from Israel, France, Britain and the U.S. differ on the progress Iran has made in developing nuclear warheads. The best way to avert an eventual showdown is for Iran to agree to allow UN inspectors unlimited access to their facilities as soon as possible. The NY Times has more on the difference in intelligence information here.

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"Public Option" set for vote in Senate Finance Committee - while most pundits have said this will not pass in the Senate version of the health care reform bill, others are saying it still has a shot. Leading the way is Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), a member of the Senate Finance Committee. TheHill.com has more here.

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Obama approval rating settles at 52% - in spite of the horrible economy, unpopular inherited wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the nonsense spread by right wing Republicans on health care reform. Politico.com has more here.

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Home Prices rise for sixth month in a row - reported by the Standards and Poor-Shiller home price index of twenty largest cities. The price rose 1.2% in June. However, prices are still 33% down from the high in 2006. MSNBC.com has more here.

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In Virginia, Democratic Governor hopeful Creigh Deeds receives boost from Warner - the former Virginia Governor and current U.S. Senator endorses and airs TV spot in support. Deeds is locked in a close battle with Republican Robert McDonnell. You can watch it here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-28-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama will travel to Denmark on Thursday to make case for Chicago hosting 2016 Olympics - Michelle will already be there and together they will meet with the International Olympic Committee. They will also meet with Queen Margrethe and Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rassmussen. You can read more here.

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Iran test fires another missile - more defiance and muscle flexing by Iran prior to scheduled talks this Thursday in Geneva. This type of missile reportedly has the range to hit targets in Israel and U.S. bases in Iraq. Representatives from the U.S., Russia, and China will be present and you can be sure discussion will be on allowing the UN immediate access to nuclear facilities in Iran. Reuters.com has more here.

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Defense Secretary Robert Gates says failure in Afghanistan would be a huge set back for U.S. - a familiar refrain dating back to the Viet Nam debacle. President Obama is currently reviewing the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and deciding on whether or not to send more troops. Politico.com has more here.

Interestingly, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other NATO country Foreign Ministers have signaled their support for current President Hamid Karzai. Seems the consensus is that even if the number of invalid votes from the recent election resulted in a run-off, Karzai would still win. The Washington Post has more here.

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"Public Option" to be brought up in Senate Finance Committee this week - the mark up of the Baucus health care bill continues and it is expected Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) will submit amendments to include a public option. It is not expected to pass in committee. TheHill.com has more here.

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All's Quiet in the City of Frederick, Md. Election

George Wenschhof

This election for mayor and board of alderman in the City of Frederick, Maryland continues to exhibit the characteristics of a movie you could not stay awake long enough to watch. The "yawner" resulted in only 18% of the registered Democrats and Republicans casting their votes on September 15, the day of the primary. Final official results can be read here.

Many of the residents like to claim the City of Frederick as being the second largest city in the state, but few chose to exercise their right to vote.

I have been a long proponent of moving the election to coincide with the presidential elections which will more than double the expected 30-35% general election turnout, while also allowing for schools to be used for polling locations.

However, it is what it is, so why is no one paying attention? Federal, state and local governments are feeling the crunch of the worldwide recession and there is little doubt the City of Frederick will be facing revenue shortfalls during the next administration.

Dealing with growth related problems such as congested and clogged roadways, sewer and water capacity, sustainability issues, sufficient fire and rescue services and over crowded schools doesn't seem to inspire a trip to the polls by the residents impacted.

Most of the candidates campaigned vigorously during the primary and the results were not surprising as the final field was set for the general election. However, the era of the door-to-door campaign may be coming to an end. A candidate that relies solely on this method to reach the voters will not likely receive the intended results. Door-to-door campaigning can be done with little or no funds (other than the cost of copied literature) and be novel as you sometimes actually talk with voters.

However, many voters tell me they are annoyed with the constant door knocking and would prefer more of a "meet and greet" or town hall setting. The ability of a candidate to personally reach the almost 32,000 registered city voters is also difficult today.

Brochures and Flyers mailed to voters are also very effective as a candidate can target voters with an effective voter file manager. The fund raising success of a candidate will be important as it takes money to deliver their message to the voter in means other than door-to-door.

The Jason Judd campaign combined a little of all of the above effectively. They led all candidates in fund raising, did many of the "meet and greets" in which a voter invites friends over to their home to meet the candidate, did some organized door-to-door lit drops and also some direct mail. While the Jennifer Dougherty campaign, perhaps due to low funds, concentrated on daily door-to-door efforts. Whether you supported Ms. Dougherty or not, you have to admire her work ethic as she seemingly went door-to-door every day.

Yet, throughout the primary, neither Democratic candidate for mayor attacked the other on any issue. The Judd campaign did a little questioning of tax hikes which occurred during the previous Dougherty administration. In addition, they tried to get (to no avail) some traction from the city sale of the old "Carmacks" building on North Market Street during the Dougherty administration to a developer who has done somewhat of a facelift to the building but has not leased it out. It never received much traction due to the fact the previous Republican James S. Grimes administration had purchased the "white elephant" and had a sale default prior to the Dougherty administration selling the building and the city benefit by receiving property taxes.

The Dougherty campaign, perhaps wary of how tough attacks on an inexperienced opponent would be perceived coming from her, stuck to a tactic of tearing down the record of Republican Mayor Jeff Holtzinger. The problem of that tactic was Holtzinger dropped out of the race and trying to focus on the issues and being nice did not work for Ms. Dougherty.

We are now five weeks away from Election Day and the only fireworks so far has come from the local Republican Central Committee who questioned the relationship of Jason Judd with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and SEIU. I hardly found this to be a surprise. Instead, I wondered why it took so long for this to be asked and why the Judd campaign was not prepared for an answer to the question.

Mr. Judd has worked for unions and the Services Employees International Union since the end of his education years, gaining valuable experience in working with others while supporting positions on issues that have benefited working men and women. ACORN did work as did the SEIU on several similar issues including advocacy on neighborhood safety, health care, voter registration and affordable housing. While certain individuals of ACORN have come under fire due to questionable actions, it is not an accurate reflection of the overall work performed by the organization, nor a reflection of the work performed by the SEIU.

Some voters in The City of Frederick and Frederick County have long been opposed to unions of any sort so the fact this experience of Mr. Judd has been brought up is no surprise to me. Mr. Judd has been quoted as saying he would not support city employees forming a union. I would prefer he say that he supports city employees having the right to make their own decision in regard to the forming of and their participation in a union.

Another question Mr Judd should be prepared to answer or be proactive and give his position on is in regard to the Employee Free Choice Act, more commonly referred to as the card-check bill. It is currently on the back burner in Congress due to the attention being given to health care reform.

Unions have played an important role in the lives of working men and women over the years from creating child labor laws, workplace safety laws, fair wages and more. There is nothing embarrassing or shameful for the work experience that has been gained by Mr. Judd. In fact, it aids him as he looks to manage the services provided by government at the local level.

The only other issue capturing some attention is the recent annexations of three properties into the city by the mayor and board. I asked the Democratic candidates for mayor and alderman their positions on these annexations when I interviewed them live online. You can read their answers by clicking on the Interview links provided in the right hand margin of my Home Page.

If you read the interviews, you will see the Democratic candidates were not in agreement in regard to these annexations. However, this did not become an issue in the primary election. Ms. Dougherty took a laissez-faire approach, saying the decision would be made prior to her taking office. Mr. Judd spoke of the need to take care of older neighborhoods first before the city spread out with new growth.

The Democratic alderman candidates who moved on to the general election were split on the annexations with Karen Young, Carol Krimm, and Donna Kuzemchak in favor and Michael O'Connor opposed. Kelly Russell was not asked this question and she was unable to contact me prior to publishing this article.

In fact, Mr. O'Connor indicated he would support a petition drive if it was started and it has been with Frederick County Commissioner Kai Hagen leading the way. Recent comments from Frederick County Commissioner President Jan Gardner also clearly points out the displeasure Frederick County Government have with the annexations. All of which indicate the need for regional and intergovernmental planning as we grow in the future - a subject for a future column.

One of the questions I asked the mayoral candidates was if they favored creating an Intergovernmental Relations Director position and no one indicated their support for the position. I believe it to be a critical position as relations between the city, county, state and federal government will improve as a result. The recent annexation squabble is but one example of how this position could have been helpful. In addition, the position would aid in bringing needed funds to the city.

So, with five weeks to go until the election, stay tuned. I will keep you posted when the mayoral and alderman forums will be held next month.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-27-2009

George Wenschhof

Yesterday afternoon, President Barack Obama attended his daughter Malia's soccer game - in the evening the First Couple attended the Congressional Black Caucus annual dinner. You can read more here.

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Iran test fires short range missiles - tweaking those who accuse it of having secret nuclear facilities, the military test fired some short range missiles yesterday, with additional tests planned for Monday. Iran has publicly stated the UN is welcome to inspect their nuclear facilities. You can read more here.

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Doubtful Gitmo Prison will close by January - the prison, located in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba was home for terrorists captured during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. A little over 200 prisoners remain and sources say the U.S. is nearing announcing a site in the U.S. to relocate many of the prisoners. Reuters.com has more here.

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Obama weighs Afghanistan advise - Admiral Mike Mullen met with General McChrsytal yesterday and officially received his request for additional troops. The President has also met with former Secretary of State Colin Powell who has expressed his reservations and reiterated the need for the U.S. to have a clearly defined mission. In addition, Vice President Joe Biden has also stated his preference for more special ops forces instead of a troop build up of strength. The NY Times has more here.

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Tonight, PBS will air first part of "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" - make sure you tune in to this six part series directed by Ken Burns. It promises to be a fantastic review of the history of the national parks and the important decisions made by influential Americans over the years. The first episode airs tonight on PBS beginning at 8:00 PM ET. PBS.org has more here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-26-2009

George Wenschhof

Tonight, President Barack Obama will attend the Congressional Black Caucus annual dinner - the Phoenix Awards dinner will be held at the D.C. Convention Center and the First Lady will also be in attendance.

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Paul Kirk sworn in as Massachusetts Senator - Vice President Joe Biden performed the ceremonial swearing in only hours after a Massachusetts Judge denied an appeal from the state Republican Party to block the appointment. Democrats now have 60 seats in the Senate as many close votes on issues are expected this fall included health care reform. The special election to fill the Senate seat in Massachusetts will be held January 19, 2010 and Kirk has indicated he will not run for the seat. You can read more here.

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Feingold wants Senate vacancies filled by special elections - there are now six serving Senators (click the link below to find out who the six are) who were not elected from the voters of their states. The Obama presidential victory led to him selecting many Senators to fill Cabinet positions and Governors of those states were able to appoint temporary replacements. Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) wants to amend the constitution to state the filling of vacant senate seats would be by special election as is done in the House of Representatives. Politico.com has more here.

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U.S. knew of secret Iran nuclear facility years ago - the underground complex was discovered during the George W. Bush administration. Interestingly, it was a recent note from Iran to the International Atomic Energy Agency disclosing the existence of this and their description of it as a pilot nuclear facility that led to the dramatic U.S. disclosure at the G-20 Summit. The NY Times has more here.

President Obama urges Iran to cooperate - on Thursday, the U.S. will conduct previously scheduled talks with Iran in Geneva. You can read more here.

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Vice President Biden tours Georgia - promises federal aid - the torrential rains in Georgia have caused an estimated 250 million in damages and have affected 20 counties across the state. President Obama has declared a major disaster to provide funds for the areas affected. CNN.com has more here.

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Ginsburg released from hospital - Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was released yesterday after spending the night in the hospital following her experiencing fainting spells. She indicated she had a clean bill of health and intended to serve another seven years on the court. Reuters.com has more here.

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Obama Weekly Address 9-26-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama discusses the successful G-20 Summit which he attended in Pittsburgh. Agreement to reform the global financial system was reached along with a commitment to reduce subsidies to fossil fuels. Click on the photo below to hear his full speech.

download .mp3 download .mp4 (79 MB) read the transcript

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Guests 9-27-2009

George Wenschhof

NBC "Meet The Press" - David Gregory will have former President Bill Clinton who will surely discuss his Global Initiative program which met in New York City earlier this week. Also expect his support of President Obama in the area of health care reform and also in foreign policy. The UN met in New York this week, the G-20 Summit took place in Pittsburgh and the U.S. revealed Iran had a secret nuclear underground facility.

Speaking of Obama, Gregory will also have as his guest New York Governor David Paterson who was asked not to run for reelection by the President. Paterson, believe is one of only two African-American Governors currently in office. The other is Democrat Deval Patrick of Massachusetts.

Also appearing will be Senators Jon Kyl (R-Az.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.) who will likely discuss health care reform.

ABC "This Week" - George Stephanopoulos welcomes Defense Secretary Robert Gates who answers questions pertaining to the revelation of the secret underground nuclear facility in Iran. To watch a teaser portion of the interview that will be aired on Sunday, click on the title link.

Also appearing will be Senator John McCain (R-AZ.).

CBS "Face The Nation" - Bob Schieffer also talks Iran and their nuclear development intent with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. See if she mentions Russian President Dimitry Medvedev earlier this week signaling he would favor sanctions against Iran. This was a significant development as Russia has considerable influence with Iran.

Also appearing will be Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

Fox News Sunday - more talk on Iran as Chris Wallace talks with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calf.) and Kit Bond (R-Mo.). Feinstein is chair and Bond a member of the senate select committee on intelligence.

Republican candidate for Governor in Virginia; Robert McDonnell is also a guest. McDonnell has a 4 point lead based on a recent poll over Democrat Creigh Deeds. McDonnell has been hurt by the recent disclosure of a thesis written by him many years ago which opposed women's rights.

The roundtable discussion will include Mara Liasson, Dana Perino, Charles Krauthammer and Juan Williams.

CNN "State of The Union" - John King also has Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Also Senators Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and Bob Corker (Mo.) will be discussing health care reform.

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Massachusetts Judge OKs Kirk Appointment to Senate

George Wenschhof

AP is reporting Suffolk Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly has rejected the Massachusetts GOP's request to delay the appointment of Paul Kirk to the vacant Kennedy U.S. Senate seat. You can read more here.

Yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick appointed Paul Kirk to the position after the state legislature had passed a bill permitting him to do so. The governor declared an emergency status to get around the normal 90 day period before a state law goes into effect.

Kirk is to be sworn in on the steps of the capitol in D.C. at 3:15 PM today.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-25-2009

George Wenschhof

Today President Barack Obama will attend the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh - more discussion expected in the status of the global economy and the role these nations can play in shaping the future. You can read more here.

At the opening of the summit, President Obama along with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and France President Nicholas Sarkozy demanded Iran open up it's nuclear facilities for full inspection or else face sanctions by December. You can read more here.

The NY Times reported today that U.S. intelligence had found evidence of the existence of a secret underground nuclear facility in Iran. You can read more here.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets today with Committee Chairs on health care reform - the goal is to combine the three bills from the Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees. Louise Slaughter, the chair of the Rules Committee said the plan is to have a bill out by mid October. Politico.com has more here.

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Senate continues mark-up of Baucus health care bill - expected committee vote today is on whether a "public option" should be included. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is still holding out hope for passage, if not in committee, then in the full Senate. Committee chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is not as optimistic. Instead a non-profit co-op option is expected to remain in the bill. Politico.com has more here.

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Massachusetts Judge hears arguments to stop Kirk Senate appointment - this morning the state GOP argued the appointment was unconstitutional as it did not follow the ninety day waiting period. They also argued against Governor Deval Patrick declaring an emergency which allows him to make the appointment. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly will announce his decision by noon today. Paul Kirk is set to be sworn in at 3:15 PM today. His appointment will give the Democrats 60 in the Senate. You can read more here.

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Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg taken to hospital - yesterday, the 76 year old Ruth Bader Ginsburg was taken to the hospital after feeling faint. She recovered from pancreatic cancer surgery and recently was given a clean bill of health. The faintness was attributed to a iron infusion she had received earlier. Reuters.com has more here.

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Closing Guantanamo Bay Prison easier said than done - seems the goal of closing the facility within one year will not be met. White House counsel Gregory Craig who had been overseeing the closing, has been replaced with Pete Rouse a senior adviser. The Washington Post has more here.

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Massachusetts GOP Files Suit to Stop Kirk Senate Appointment

George Wenschhof

More health care reform drama unfolds as this seat makes it 60 for the Democrats in the U.S. Senate when Independents Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and Joe Lieberman (Conn.) are added - both caucus with the Democrats.

As I mentioned earlier today, the state Republican Party questioned Democratic Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's authority to appoint an interim Senator to fill the vacant seat formally held by the deceased Ted Kennedy.

The state legislature yesterday passed legislation allowing the Governor to make the appointment, acting on a request received from the ailing Senator Kennedy prior to his death.

However, the state legislature fell short of the necessary 2/3 vote needed to allow the Governor to make an immediate appointment. Instead, the Governor would need to wait 90 days prior to the appointment, making it somewhat moot as the special election is scheduled for January 19, 2009. The legislation that passed however did allow for an immediate appointment upon a declared emergency by the Governor.

Governor Patrick did declare the emergency and named Paul Kirk this morning. The Senate has already scheduled his swearing in for tomorrow at 3:15 PM. FirstRead.MSNBC.com has more here.

The state GOP filed an injunction to stop the appointment at 10:51 AM today. TheHill.com has more here.

Stay Tuned.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-24-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will preside over the UN Security Council meeting - he is expected to discuss the need to reduce nuclear stockpiles and slow the spread of nuclear weapons across the world. The Washington Post has more here.

Then, the President is off to Pittsburgh to attend a two day G-20 summit. You can read more here.

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Paul Kirk to be named interim Senator to fill vacant Kennedy seat - Governor Deval Patrick is expected to make the announcement today. Kirk was a long time aide to Kennedy and was former DNC chair. Politico.com has more here.

An interesting twist is the approval granted to the Governor to make the interim pick included a section stating the appointment could not be made for 90 days unless the Governor declared an emergency. Evidently, that is what Governor Patrick intends to do today. TheHill.com has more here.

Democrats need this vote to help pass health care reform. The special election to fill the seat will not be held until January 19, 2010.

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Senate Finance Committee continues mark up of Baucus bill - over 500 amendments have been offered and Republican members of the committee are intent at slowing the process down. Democrats have a 13-10 advantage in the committee so do not expect this process to last more than a couple weeks. Reuters.com has more here.

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Financial system regulations move forward in House - the creation of a consumer financial protection agency is still included in the legislation being considered by the House. Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chair of the Financial Services Committee presented an amendment exempting various merchants, retailers and providers of retirement plans. His counterpart in the Senate Chris Dodd favors combining existing federal agencies into one consumer protection agency. Even with health care reform consuming much of the time in Congress, Democratic Leaders are still hopeful for passage by the end of the year. The NY Times has more here.

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New unemployment claims fall for third week in a row - new Labor department figures show a four week average of 553,500 claims, the lowest since January. However, this figure is way above the average of 325,000 claims in a healthy economy. You can read more here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-23-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will address the UN General Assembly - it is expected he will continue the theme of global cooperation in regard to global warming.

President Obama will also have meetings in New York with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. Politico.com has more here.

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Obama reviewing all Afghanistan options - realizing the U.S. does not need another quagmire, the president is not rushing to accept and move forward on one recommendation to increase the size of U.S. troops. Vice President Joe Biden has proposed a plan that would reduce the size of U.S. troops and increase the size of special ops targeted at Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The NY Times has more here.

Further exacerbating the problem is the extremely fragile government of Pakistan, a country will an armed nuclear arsenal.

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House extends unemployment benefits - as unemployment hit 9.7% at the end of August. Those who are unemployed in states with unemployment higher than 8.5% will receive 13 more weeks of benefits. This action will affect D.C. and 27 states. Reuters.com has more here.

What is surprising is that under the 800 Billion Stimulus bill there were not provisions for a major public service employment program. These work experience programs designed to put people to work in the area of public service have been proven to work over the years and have been a benefit to the many communities across the country during periods of high unemployment.

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Massachusetts state senate approves bill to allow interim appointment for vacant Kennedy seat - the bill is expected to be signed by Governor Deval Patrick by the end of the week. Leading contenders to be appointed by the governor to the U.S. Senate seat are Michael Dukakis and Paul Kirk. They would serve until the special election is held on January 19, 2010. Every Democratic seat in the senate is crucial during the final stages of a health care reform bill. Time.com has more here.

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Senator Byrd (D-WV) recent fall and hospitalization leads to speculation - the longest serving Senator has missed an overwhelming number of roll calls and votes over the past year. His vote will also be needed in the passage of health care reform. You can read more here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-22-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama to hold several meetings with Heads of State as UN meetings open in New York - the UN meeting will continue talks on global warming and proposed actions by participating nations to control greenhouse gas emissions. Obama will speak at the opening of the meeting.

The Waldorf Astoria hotel will be the site of several meetings today as the President meets with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. After those two meetings, all three Leaders will meet. Middle East Envoy George Mitchell has been busy working at a settlement, but so far, Israel has refused to stop all settlements in the West Bank. This is a condition necessary for Palestinian agreement. You can read more here.

Obama will also meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Free Trade and North Korea are expected to be on the table for discussion. Bloomberg.com has more here.

In what will be a very busy day for the President, he will also speak at the kick-off of the Clinton Global Initiative, a program that brings influential people together to work on solving world wide problems. You can read more here.

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Continuing Resolution bill to be considered by House today - I remember these from back in the late 70's when I was administering federal grants. A necessary move to continue the operations of government when appropriation bills have not been passed. The federal fiscal year ends September 30. The continuing resolution would allow money for another month of operations. TheHill.com has more here.

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A sneak peak at the Sausage making health care reform Senate bill - since the chair of the Senate Finance Committee; Max Baucus (D-Mont.) released his bill, 564 amendments have been offered by fellow Senators. The mark up of the bill now begins before the bill is voted on by the full Senate. Politico.com has a look at some of the key provisions in the bill here.

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F.D.I.C. short of funds - may need to borrow from Banks - not a good scenario as the failure of many Banks has left the F.D.I.C. short of funds used to insure depositors. Seems the government is considering borrowing money from healthy Banks to rescue the insurance fund. The NY Times has more here.

Certainly not a good situation as the Obama administration upped the insurance level from $100,000 to $250,000 to boost consumer confidence in Banks after the financial crisis unfolded across the world.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-21-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will give a speech on the economy at Hudsen Valley Community College in Troy, New York - he will discuss the need for innovation in the economy and how the Stimulus bill is helping in this area. You can read more here.

Later, Obama heads to New York City to tape a show with David Letterman that will air tonight.

Tomorrow, the President hosts meetings with Israel prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Later in the week, it is the G-20 Summit on the economy being held in Pittsburgh. Here the focus will be on the global economy and how the industrialized nations can work together to avert similar problems in the future. The Wall Street Journal has more here.

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Blue Dog Democrats question need for new consumer protection agency for the financial sector - this new agency is part of the financial regulatory reform sought by Obama. Instead, they look to combine existing agencies. Politico.com has more here.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) chair of the senate finance Committee also favors combining several agencies into one. He also is proposing new limits on banks for overdraft fees. MSNBC.com has more here.

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Will anyone responsible for Wall Street collapse ever be held accountable? - Americans continue to wonder this question as they lose their homes to foreclosure and find themselves out of work. While numerous investigations are underway, one year after the financial collapse, no one has been brought to trial. McClatchydc.com has more here.

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U.S. General Stanley McChrystal says more troops needed in Afghanistan to avoid failure - as the Obama administration intensifies discussion on strategy and the need for additional troops, this leak of an internal memo is reported by the Washington Post. You can read it here.

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Lieberman's ideas for climate bill likely to anger environmentalists - Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is looking to include money for coal power and nuclear plants in the bill. Politico.com has more here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-20-2009

George Wenschhof

This morning President Barack Obama will appear on most of the Sunday morning "Talking Heads" - as he continues to push for health care reform.

Obama will focus on foreign policy on Tuesday when he meets with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Time.com has more here.

The President will also meet with the G-20 nations this week and discuss the global economy. Politico.com has more here.

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Creigh Deeds (D) closes gap with Robert McDonnell (R) in Virgina Governor race - in mid-August, Deeds was 15 points down to McDonnell. After revelations surfaced pertaining to McDonnell's ultra conservative view on women's rights in a thesis written twenty years ago, a recent poll shows McDonnell leading by only 4 points; 51-47. The Washington Post has more here.

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Obama asks Paterson to drop out of NY Governor race - reports are circulating the president or one of his advisers recently asked the Governor not to run for reelection as they fear he will surely lose. Democrats do not want to lose the Governor seat in New York. In March of 2008 Paterson who was Lt. Governor assumed the Governor position when Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a prostitute scandal. MSNBC.com has more here.

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John Edwards and Rielle Hunter remain in the news - the former Democratic candidate for President in 2008 is reportedly moving toward admitting he is the father of the child of his former mistress. A grand jury is still reviewing information surrounding the payment of campaign funds to a company owned by Hunter and if payments made to Hunter by others should have been declared as campaign donations. The NY Times has more here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-19-2009

George Wenschhof

Yesterday, during taping of NBC "Meet the Press", President Obama said the health care debate was not about race - instead, he felt it a centuries old debate centered on the role of government. MSNBC.com has a preview of the interview to be aired tomorrow here.

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Republicans in Massachusetts state senate delay approval of interim senate appointment - using procedural rules, they slowed the approval process a few days until next week. Governor Deval Patrick has said he will sign it and quickly appoint a person to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat. The NY Times has more here.

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Republicans asked Treasury Secretary to end bail out bill at the end of the fiscal year - the Troubled Assets Relief program (TARP) is funded through September 30 which is the end of the federal fiscal year. It was passed at the end of the George W. Bush administration at the height of the financial crisis. TheHill.com has more here.

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DCCC continues to out raise RNCC - in spite of all the heated rhetoric on health care reform, the House Democratic fundraising committee continues to out raise their Republican counterpart. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee enters September with 10.74 million and the Republican committee reported 4 million. Politico.com has more here.

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Fox News gets into the spreading of untruths and other networks respond - seems not only some Republican officials can spread untruths. Fox News purchased an ad that indicated ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN and CBS had missed coverage of the tea party in D.C. last weekend. The only problem is all of the networks did provide coverage of the rally. So much for fair, accurate and balanced reporting at Fox News. CNN.com has more here.

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Obama Weekly Address 9-19-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, in his weekly address, the President discusses the status of the economy. He speaks about the regulatory reform needed on Wall Street and his plans to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

download .mp3 download .mp4 (100 MB) read the transcript

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Guests 9-20-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama spent Friday afternoon at the White House taping interviews with five talk shows airing on Sunday morning. Guess what one will not have him on - ok, an easy question - Fox News Sunday.

You can be sure health care reform will be the main topic of discussion for the president, but expect the White House announcement it would be dropping the Bush administration plans for a Eastern Europe missile shield, the status of the economy, and U.S. involvement in Afghanistan to receive some questions as well.

NBC "Meet The Press" - Dick Gregory will greet President Obama along with House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Oh.) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

The political roundtable will include Roger Simon and Eugene Robinson.

ABC "This Week" - George Stepanopoulos has a teaser from his interview with the President you can watch by clicking on the title link. They are discussing the issue of race and politics.

The political roundtable discussion will include George Will, Peggy Noonan, Donna Brazile, Ed Gillespie, and Robert Reich.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Bob Schieffer with Barack Obama.

Fox News Sunday - Chris Wallace has Acorn CEO Bertha Lewis. Acorn is a battle rallying cry for many Republicans. Also appearing will be Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calf.).

The roundtable discussion will include Mara Liasson, Paul Gigot, Brit Hume and Juan Williams.

CNN "State of The Union" - John King leads with his interview with President Obama. Also appearing will be Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Kent.) and Carl Levin (D-Mich.).

Mary Matalin and James Carville, the always entertaining couple with thoughtful analysis from both the Right and the Left, will also appear today.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-18-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will honor Employers who support National Guard enlistees - a ceremony will be held at the White House to present Secretary of Defense Support freedom awards. Politico.com has more here.

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Baucus Senate bill on health care reform to receive scrutiny from Senators - now that a Senate bill has finally been released by senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) the chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, reaction from all sides is expected. You can read more here.

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Massachusetts House approves interim appointment for vacant Kennedy Senate seat - the vote was 95-58 and will allow Governor Deval Patrick to appoint a interim replacement for the late Senator Kennedy. Time.com has more here. The special election will be held on January 19, 2010. Speculation is Michael Dukakis will be named. This interim appointment will ensure Democrats have one more vote in the Senate at a time when every vote is crucial for the passage of health care reform.

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Net neutrality bill gains support - Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calf.) added his support to the bill which would force Internet providers to treat all traffic the same. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski also is in support of the bill. TheHill.com has more here.

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Final Official City of Frederick, Md. Primary Election Results

George Wenschhof

A total of 276 Absentee ballots (174-D, 102-R) were counted today and their addition to the votes cast on Tuesday did not alter the results. Democratic alderman candidate Michael O'Connor finished third with 1417 votes - he had been tied with Carol Krimm with 1319 votes. Ms. Krimm finished fourth among the Democrats with 1402 votes.

You can read the final results provided by Stuart Harvey, Frederick County Board of Election Director here , courtesy of the City of Frederick website.

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Daily Democratic Wire 9-17-2009

George Wenschhof

Tonight, President Barack Obama will host a private viewing of the Documentary "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" - Ken Burns directed the PBS documentary and joining the president will be Interior Secretary Salazar and members of Congress. Politico.com has more here. Some local readers may remember former Frederick County Commissioner Board President Ron Sundergill. He and his wife now reside in California and he is Director-Pacific region for the National Parks Conservation Association.

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Unemployment claims drop and New Home construction is highest in nine months - new claims were down by 12,000 according to the latest Labor Department report. federal reserve chair Ben Bernanke recently said the worst of the recession is probably over but he expected moderate grow with unemployment figures being slow to come down. Bloomberg.com has more here.

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Baucus Senate Health Care bill receives a thorough examination - the CBO has placed the price tag at 774 Billion over next ten years. While may have already taken shots at the bill, there is much to like from all sides. The Washington post has more here.

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Obama administration will announce they will not pursue Bush administration plan for a missile shield in Eastern Europe - instead of planning to deploy missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic which has angered the Russians, shorter ranged defensive missiles will be deployed on ships and then later either in Turkey or southern Europe. The NY Times has more here.

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Commission begins review of U.S. financial meltdown - Congress appointed this ten member commission and provided a five million budget to review the reasons the financial sector failed and to provide recommendations to prevent future problems. They are charged with releasing their findings by December 2010 - this will be after the 2010 mid-term elections and probably after Congress acts on financial regulatory reform. The Boston Globe has more here.

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Strong Democratic Candidates Emerge from City of Frederick, Md. Primary

George Wenschhof

While the record low voter turnout of 16.5% is the main story of the City of Frederick, Maryland primary election held on Tuesday, the Democratic candidates for mayor and board of alderman who will move on to the general election are very strong.

Before, discussing the candidates, it is way past time, the city move the election to coincide with the presidential election. I have advocated for this change for over a decade. Take the time to read the columns I have linked in the right hand margin pertaining to changing the date of the election. The voter turnout would more than double and schools could be used again for polling locations.

Jason Judd won all but one precinct against his Democratic opponents Jennifer Dougherty and Chris Simpson. Only 2680 of 15, 385 or 17.8% of the registered Democrats (as of July 23, 2009) voted and Mr. Judd won handily with 1601 votes or 59.74% of the votes cast. Former Mayor Jennifer Dougherty, who I endorsed in an earlier column, came in second with 914 votes or 34.10%. She won precinct 12; 101-99 over Judd. 300+ absentee ballots remain to be counted on Thursday. Chris Simpson was last with 165 votes or 6.16%. You can read the election results posted on the City of Frederick website here.

Mr. Judd ran an effective citywide campaign among those who voted and Jennifer Dougherty failed to convince enough of the voters who did turn out that she deserved a return to city hall. Mr. Simpson, a late entry into the race, campaigned with vigor and I had expected him to receive up to 10-15% of the vote.

All in all, the Democratic mayoral campaign was civil, so much so, some would label it as boring. All the while, serious issues such as growth through annexations, public safety and financial management of limited resources are at stake for city residents and were discussed by the candidates. It appeared both the Dougherty and Judd campaigns worked to avoid the rancor that existed during the 2005 city election.

Some may count Dougherty out in future political office opportunities and I would think that is probably true in the immediate future. However, one thing the history of politics teaches us is to never say never and don't count potential candidates out. Ms. Dougherty is a very intelligent and hard working candidate who cares about her community.

Now, the focus is on Jason Judd and Democratic voters uniting to elect him on November 3. The voter turnout will increase in the general election and the voter dynamics will change a little with the addition of close to 6000 unaffiliated and 10,000 Republican voters. However, the voter turnout is not likely to exceed 35% of the close to 32,000 registered voters. Mr. Judd appears up to the task of defeating his Republican opponent Randy McClement.

I also wrote a column on the strong Democratic candidates for Alderman where I spelled out who were receiving my five votes. I spoke of how talented the nine Democratic alderman candidates were and how hard the choices were. Four of the five candidates I voted for; Carol Krimm, Donna Kuzemchak, Michael O'Connor and Kelly Russell did move on to the general election. The fifth; Josh Bokee came in a strong sixth. Karen Young, who I did not vote for, came in first and as I indicated in my column, her experience and professional background will be a plus as a alderman.

Incumbent David "Kip" Koontz did not move on to the general election, but don't count him out from appearing on a ballot next year as county and state positions are up for election. John Daniels also did very well and he is one who I would not be surprised to see as a county commissioner candidate next year. I had expected Andrew Kotkin would probably come in last as his campaign time was limited due to family and job commitments. Look to see him stay involved in city issues and try again in the next city election.

The five Democratic alderman candidates are all very strong and expect them to seriously compete for all five seats on the Board. Russell was previously a Republican and has strong Republican support and ran a disciplined primary campaign so expect her to do well in the general. Young, with her experience in working on many local community board of directors will also be strong across party lines. The same holds true with Michael O'Connor. Carol Krimm's experience in government is sure to impress Unaffiliated and Republican voters in addition to Democrats. Donna has gone through this for three previous elections and knows what to expect. Look to see her campaign hard, taking nothing for granted, even though she finished virtually tied for first with Karen Young.

I will leave up all of the links to the Democratic candidate websites in the right hand margin for another few days and then I will only provide the links to the Democratic campaign websites for the candidates in the general election.

City Democratic voters should be proud of the efforts of all their candidates in the primary and now it is time to come together to support the Democratic slate in the general election.

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