Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup - More on the Budget, a little on Libya, a look at the tornado destruction in Alabama and some election 2012 updates will be the main discussions tomorrow. For a look at the guests, Politico.com has more below.



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White House Dinner For Congressional Leaders - on Monday, the president will host a bipartisan dinner for leaders of Congress and chairs of the House and Senate committees. ABC News has more here.

One can only hope this will help reduce the vicious bipartisan rhetoric.

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Conservative Group Americans For Prosperity hosts GOP Presidential Wannabees - present last night was Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Santorum. Romney continued to try to deal with his health care act which passed when he was Governor of Massachusetts which resembles the Obama passed national health care plan. TheHill.com has more here.

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Gaddafi Offers Cease Fire - but, says he will not leave the country. Rebels and NATO refused to accept the request as the conflict has moved into what appears to be a stalemate. Reuters.com has more here.

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Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Agrees to End Federal Funding for Planned Parenthood - he will sign the bill in a move many believe signals his intent to run for the Republican party nomination for president in 2012. CNN.com has more here.

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof

The president continues his calls to end the 4 billion per year government gas subsidies to the oil industry and to invest in clean energy. This comes as oil companies are reporting record profits and the cost per gallon of gasoline has gone over 4 dollars a gallon.



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Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof

Representative James Lankford (Okla.) defends Representative Paul Ryan's 6 trillion budget reduction proposal and says it would not end medicare for baby boomers. Lankford also promoted increasing off-shore leasing - the latest version of the Republican theme of "drill, baby, drill".



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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama To Alabama Today - the president will tour tornado damaged areas of the state. An estimated 200 people were killed as the wave of deadly tornadoes hit the state. The Washington Post has more here.

The president will also attend the launch of the space shuttle Endeavor at Cape Canaveral today. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) will also attend to watch the lift-off. Her husband Mark Kelly is one of the astronauts. This is the first trip outside of the hospital for Giffords since being shot in the head three months ago.

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William and Kate Married - one could not help but know this royal wedding was coming up. Yet, I was one would did not know it was today and it was already over by the time I tuned in to the morning news. If you missed the 6:30 AM ET wedding like I did, you can watch the vows exchanged below.

An estimated one million people were in the streets outside Buckingham Palace as the wedding took place.



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More Democrats Calling for Deficit Reduction - the nations debt ceiling will be reached within the next couple of weeks and some Democrats are joining Republicans in calling for meaningful budget cuts before agreeing to lift the limit. Democratic Senators Kent Conrad (N.D.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Mark Pyror (Ark.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) are all now publicly calling for budget reductions. You can read more here.

House Republicans are discussing a plan to limit debt ceiling increases to two months at a time as a way to extract more budget cuts. TheHill.com has more here.

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New Hampshire Democratic Party Files Finance Complaint Against Romney - it did not take long for charges to be levied against former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a front runner for the Republican presidential nomination.

The complaint centers on the flow of soft money from state political action committees to Romney's presidnetial campaign. Reuters.com has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Tit For Tat - Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs asks Donald Trump for his tax returns for the last ten years. Just a day after President Obama finally released the long form version of his birth certificate. Politico.com has more here.

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Economy Grows Only 1.8% - Unemployment Claims Up - down from 3.1% in last quarter of 2010. Bloomberg.com has more here. Initial unemployment claims were up 25,000 for the week - the highest level in three months. More on unemployment here.

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Exxon's Profit Up 69% - for the first quarter in 2011. Reuters.com has more here. This highlights the inequity in gas pricing as consumers are now paying over $4.00 per gallon at the pump. Discontinuing government oil subsidies is long overdo.

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Senate To Vote On Ryan Budget - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced he will schedule a vote on Representative Paul Ryan's (R-Wisc.) budget passed by the House. Reid knows the plan will not pass in the Senate, but he wants republicans to vote so Democrats can use against them in next year's elections. TheHill.com has more here.

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Keith Olbermann is back with "Countdown" - the one hour show will be aired on Current TV and begin on June 20 at 8:00 PM ET. It will have the same name as his show on MSNBC and will air Monday through Friday.



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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Panetta To Be Nominated For Secretary of Defense - hardly a secret, President Obama will make it official that the Leon Panetta, who is C.I.A. director will be the one to replace Robert Gates who had announced his retirement from the position some time ago.

General David Petraus who is currently overseeing the U.S. operation in Afghanistan will be nominated to replace Panetta as director of the C.I.A.

Reuters.com has more here.

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Pakistan Tells Karzai to Turn to China for Help - the Wall Street Journal is reporting Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in a recent meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, urged him to turn to China for help in making peace with the Taliban. You can read more here.

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White House Releases Obama Birth Certificate - Donald Trump has been having a field day questioning the birth certificate of the president, playing off the long held "birther" issue held by some. You can see both the short and long form birth certificates here.

President Obama addressed the issue of his birth place in a morning press conference and Donald Trump when questioned by the press said he was pleased he was able to get the president to answer this long held question.

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Looks like the new U.S. Secretary of State will have his hands full.

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

President Obama Interviewed by Local Reporters Today - in his continuing strategy to reach out to different locations across the country to discuss his proposed budget and deficit reduction plan. He will be interviewed by reporters from Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit and Houston. You can read more here.

This is the second round of local interviews the president has granted and comes as polls indicate the rising price of gas has brought his approval numbers down. The Washington Post has more here.

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New Poll Shows Republicans Favored over Democrats on Budget - in more bad news for President Obama, the poll indicates Republicans have a 12% advantage over Democrats. The reaction to the budget reduction plans submitted by the President and Republican Representative Paul Ryan (Wisc.) However, are evenly split with concerns on both. USA Today has more here.

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Barbour Out, Paul Explores, Trump a No-Go? - Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour says "the fire is not in the belly" when he announced he will not run for the Republican party nomination for president - The NY Times has more here.

Ron Paul will announce tomorrow he has formed an exploratory committee for a presidential run - read more here.

Meanwhile, a new poll on Donald Trump find 50% feel he would make a terrible president, including 30% of Republicans - more info on the poll here.

While President Obama's approval rating are dropping, no Republican is emerging as a serious threat to his reelection. Stay tune for it is way early!

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State Pension Plans are Falling Short - the latest are of government benefits to come under the microscope. 1.26 Trillion is the projected shortfall in state pension plans, mainly a result of the 2008 Wall Street melt down. Reuters.com has more here.

Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is pushing for privatizing their state pension plan - TPM.com has more here.

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U.S. State Department Urges Americans to Leave Syria - some wonder what took so long for this announcement. Unrest has been growing in Syria for over five weeks as government forces have cracked down on dissenters. You can read more here.

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Charter Board Election A Constitutional Right

George Wenschhof

The push back on a special election for members of the Frederick County Maryland charter writing board has been intense and has led the print media in the community to editorialize on the issue.

The expressed feeling being the appointment process was open and transparent. Future charter board meetings will also be open to the public and coupled with the estimated cost for a special election of $250,000, the consensus is there is no need for an election,

In addition, an added argument against a special election for members of the charter writing board is the voters have the final say on whether a change to charter government will take place when the issue is placed on the 2012 general election ballot.

So, the argument continues, why have a special election for members of the committee, when if you do not like what is written, you can vote against it.

As one who applied for consideration to serve on the charter writing board, I share the view the selection process was a transparent effort and the member selection appears to have been a genuine effort to have the board members represent different segments of the population as well as different geographic locations in Frederick county. A bipartisan board which represents the community and who also come from different locations within the county is what I been calling for in columns for quite some time.

While, I may question why certain individuals were interviewed over others and why certain applicants were not selected, it is clear an open process was followed.

Providing the opportunity for members of the community to weigh in as the charter is being written is another long position I have espoused. My belief being the failure of the charter to pass in past attempts in the county were a result of a lack of understanding of what charter government is and the lack of input from the community in the writing of the document.

Again, my wish for public involvement in the process has been taken up by the charter writing board.

However, I stop short of opposing an effort by some to gather the necessary petitions to force a special election for the members of the charter writing board.

Changing the form of government is a significant action. So significant, that when the Maryland constitution section on establishing a charter form of government was written, a provision was included to allow for the opportunity of a special election for the members of the charter writing board.

The eight individuals who wish to serve on the charter writing board have until May 9 to obtain two thousand signatures, when verified by the local board of elections, will force a special election which must be held within ninety days.

They have the constitutional right to pursue this election. While, I have not heard a strong enough argument from any of the aspiring members of the board for me to sign the petition, I do not oppose their effort.

To date, the argument for a special election appears to mirror the 2010 Frederick county commission election with a emphasis on "growth" versus "no-growth" issues being the prevalent theme.

In all likelihood, should a special election take place, some current members would be replaced. Only two of the appointed board members and one of the aspiring board members have run for public office and won.

Outside of political wonks like myself, most voters are not following the effort to change to a charter form of government. Many of the appointed and aspiring board members are not known by voters.

An election may serve a valuable purpose in bringing attention to this issue. Candidates would hopefully provide their reason for wanting to serve on the board which would provide much needed education on the topic.

If a special election is held, I look forward to hearing from the candidates on why I should vote for them.

Obtaining two thousand signatures over a sixty day period by just the eight aspiring candidates is not a difficult task. One would believe a directed door to door effort would result in the necessary signatures.

If they fail in their effort, the question may be how serious of an issue was the selection process to the voters?

Staying with the current appointed board should also turn out well for the voters as their input will be received and the meetings will be open to the public.

Ultimately, voters will have the final say on charter government in Frederick county and that is how it should be.

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Time To Resolve Immigration Issue

George Wenschhof

The late John F. Kennedy wrote a book prior to becoming president entitled "Profiles in Courage", in which he focused on the acts of eight U.S. Senators who he felt had shown courage of conviction in the face of pressure from political parties and constituents.

An excerpt from the book, which is appropriate when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration and the need for Congress to act, goes as follows; "The true democracy, living and growing and inspiring, puts its faith in the people – faith that the people will not simply elect men who will represent their views ably and faithfully, but also elect men who will exercise their conscientious judgment – faith that the people will not condemn those whose devotion to principle leads them to unpopular courses, but will reward courage, respect honor and ultimately recognize right."

For too long, elected members of Congress have failed to act on many critical issues, concerned instead on poll numbers, political party majorities, and the likelihood of reelection.

The current debate of a budget reduction plan is yet another example as both Republicans and Democrats argue specifics of a four or six trillion reduction of the national debt over the next ten years. Sadly, both plans being discussed still add five to seven trillion to the nations debt according to the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

This follows three continuing resolution extensions for the fiscal year 2011 budget. Unfortunately, the latest agreement to reduce the current budget by 38 billion actually will save 353 million according to the Congressional Budget Office analysis.

Over eleven million illegal immigrants are estimated to currently reside in the United States. A staggering number and one that begs the question as to what is being done.

The lack of a federal comprehensive plan on immigration reform has only exacerbated the problem.

Previous bipartisan attempts to legislate a solution to the immigration problem in the United States have failed, such as the effort in 2007, prior to the 2008 presidential election.

That effort, spearheaded by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Az.) resulted in the "Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007."

The bill addressed strengthening U.S. borders and provided a convoluted manner for an undocumented immigrant to obtain citizenship.

It was the proposed so-called pathway to citizenship which contributed to the failure of the bill to pass. Asking a undocumented immigrant to pay a fine, return to their country and then pay thousands to be able to return, was simply a non-starter.

The areas which need to be addressed in regard to illegal immigration are not difficult to identify. An update of the current immigration procedures, securing borders, cracking down on employers who hire undocumented workers and providing a reasonable pathway to citizenship is what is needed.

The billion dollar border fence boondoggle was a failure from the start. The effort to stop illegal immigration along the U.S./Mexico border by building a high tech fence ended five years after it began under the George W. Bush administration.

The building of a fence hardly was fitting for the country which promotes it's Statue of Liberty as a symbol of freedom and opportunity.

However, increasing border patrol manpower and utilizing technology to monitor borders is certainly a sensible and practical solution.

Even with the efforts of zealots like Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Araipo, rounding up over eleven million undocumented immigrants will not happen.

Instead, providing a reasonable pathway to citizenship should be passed by Congress. One which will lead to taxes being collected that will help reduce the national debt.

A penalty is certainly warranted, but it needs to both entice and punish a undocumented immigrant.

Requiring two thousand hours of community service over a two-three year period should be considered. A fine will never encourage someone to identify themselves. Whereas, community service would serve the two fold purpose of providing a reasonable pathway for one to earn their citizenship while also providing needed service to the many communities across the country.

Those who did not opt for the community service program within a six month period from introduction of the program would not be eligible.

Of course, a undocumented immigrant who has a criminal record would not qualify and still face incarceration and deportation.

The creation of a universal identification card is long overdo in the United States. MSNBC political commentator Chris Matthews has been calling for it for some time as a means to crack down on employers hiring undocumented workers.

Which is the other area that demands attention from Congress. Employers who hire undocumented workers should face serious fines along with suspension or loss of license, when appropriate.

Agreement on, updating immigration policy and procedures, securing borders, creating a universal identification card, severely penalizing employers who hire undocumented workers and providing a reasonable pathway to citizenship can be reached by Congress.

There has never been a better time to tackle the issues surrounding immigration than the present.

Immigration reform can be accomplished in the United States and voters should demand action from members of Congress.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup - a hodgepodge of topics will be discussed with the budget and foreign policy leading the list. Senators Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) are two members of the "gang of six" senators drafting a budget reduction plan - they will appear on NBC "Meet the Press" along with Senator John McCain, who is in Egypt after visiting Libya. Below, Politico.com has a preview of the shows.



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Republican Senator Susan Collins (Maine) Opposes Ryan Budget - she become the first Republican Senator to publicly state she will not vote for the 6 trillion reduction plan passed in the House. The bill, if it comes to a vote in the senate, is expected to fail. TPM.com has more here.

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GOP Presidential Hopefuls Add Foreign Policy to Concerns with Obama Administration - as expected, the U.S. response to the upheaval in the Middle East is being questioned. The U.S. involvement in Libya receiving the most scrutiny. TheHill.com has more here.

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CNN Poll of Polls Shows Drop in Obama Approval Rating - only 45% approve of the job President Obama is doing in the White House. This is an average of three recent polls taken by ABC/Washington Post, CBS/NY Times and Gallup. CNN.com has more here.

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof

With gas prices continuing to rise, the president talks about the need to invest in clean energy options for the future and his recent efforts to appoint a task force to investigate fraud in the oil market.



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Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof

This week, senator Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) continues the Republican refrain of less government and less taxes.



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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Creates Team To investigate Gas Pricing - as gasoline prices continue to rise in the United States, the president has instructed the Department of Justice to see if any fraud and manipulation is involved in the recent upward swing in pricing. Reuters.com has more here.

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Bye Bye Ensign - the latest casualty among politicians who have had their dalliances publicized. The Republican Senator from Nevada has avoided prosecution to date surrounding the payment of money from his parents to the family of the mistress with whom he had an affair. Ensign is now under a Senate ethics probe. His resignation will be effective May 3. You can read more here.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) will appoint the replacement for Ensign. Republican Representative Dean Heller, who has already announced he was running for the seat, is the early front runner to receive the appointment.

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Budget Reduction Plans Still Add 5-7 Trillion To Debt Over Next Decade - the bipartisan Committee for a responsible federal Budget has reviewed the budgets presented by President Obama, Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and the White House deficit commission and all added at least 5 trillion to the nation's debt. The Washington Post has more here.

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Senator McCain in Libya - one of the bigger hawks in the Senate, he arrived in Benghazi, current home of the opposition forces. McCain continued to call for the ouster of Gadaffi and the use of more air strikes. You can read more here.

The AP is reporting President Obama has given his approval to the use of U.S. Drones in Libya. You can read more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Continues To Tout His 4 Trillion Budget Reduction Plan - yesterday, he was at Facebook headquarters for a town hall meeting which was streamed live online. FirstRead.com has more here. Today, the president will be in Reno, Nevada.

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Cantor Says No Debt Ceiling Raise Without Major Cuts - House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) spoke just one day after being named to a presidential task force on the budget reduction.

The latest Congressional battle of "chicken" between the Republicans and Democrats will come to a head within the next month as the 14.3 debt ceiling is reached. Politico.com has more here.

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BP sues Over Gulf Oil Spill - as expected, suits have been filed against Haliburton and Transocean, on eyear after the disaster. Both suits were in the range of 42 billion as fingers continue to point as to who was responsible for the explosion, the death of workers on the oil rig and the damage from the oil. TPM has more here.

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3,200 Abandoned Oil Wells in Gulf - AP reported yesterday evening that 3,200 abandoned oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico have not been sealed and merely sitting there unused with risks of significant leaks. This is in addition to the more than 27,000 wells who were sealed but receive no regular monitoring. A disturbing report. You can read more here.

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Battle for Misrata in Libya Continues - the only remaining major city held by rebels in the western part of the country. Photojournalist Peter Hetherington was among those recently killed in the fighting. Dissension continues within NATO as to the scope of their mission. Reuters.com has more here.

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Japan Bans Residents From Radiation Zone - in a legal move to ensure residents do not venture back to their homes. Unfortunately, residents fled back to their homes to grab clothing and mementos. The Washington Post has more here.

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Two Bids Received For Harry Grove Stadium

George Wenschhof

As expected, two proposals were received by The City of Frederick. One from Maryland Baseball Holding LLC, owners of The Keys and Frederick Atlantic LLC.

A question many have been asking around town is why was a Request For Proposals (RFP) issued for the use of Harry Grove Stadium? The Frederick Keys are a single-a Baltimore Oriole affiliated farm team who have called the stadium home since it opened in 1990, playing their first year in Frederick at the old McCurdy Field stadium.

The short answer to why an RFP was issued is money. The city negotiated with the Keys management for some time for an extension to the lease which ends after the current baseball season.

When I talked with former City of Frederick administrator Rick Weldon recently, he said "the lease rate was the stumbling block" to reaching an agreement. The annual lease fee is presently thirty thousand.

As baseball fanatics also know, rumors The Keys were for sale have been whirling around for at least the last six months with a March 11, 2011 article in Baseball Digest saying multiple sources indicate The Keys price tag was nine million and the sale was contingent on a lease agreement with The City of Frederick.

Frederick Keys General Manager Dave Ziedelis assured me the team was not for sale and expressed confidence in their bid proposal. Over the last seven years, Ziedelis told me he has been involved in three lease negotiations with three different city administrations.

The lease agreement years were 2005, 2007 and 2009. The two year periods, an oddity, as most minor league teams sign long term ball park deals.

Ziedelis also pointed out the team has paid around $175,000 annually in amusement tax and have also invested significant capital into stadium improvements.

Interestingly, The Keys competition comes from Frederick Atlantic LLC who has a strong relationship with Opening Day Partners. Opening Day Partners has Peter Kirk as their chairman and Baltimore Oriole star Brooks Robinson as a partner. Peter Kirk is what makes it interesting, as he was the original owner of The Frederick Keys back in 1989. The team would play in the independent Atlantic League.

I met Jack Lavoie; Frederick Atlantic LLC Majority Member and Michael Kidder; an independent communications consultant and over coffee discussed their interest in bringing an Atlantic League team to Frederick.

Mr. Lavoie said his group became interested as the rumors spread The Keys were for sale and media reports indicated The Keys lease extension with the City of Frederick had not been finalized.

When I asked him if Frederick Atlantic LLC planned to move one of the existing eight teams from the two divisions within the independent Atlantic League, he said no. Instead, Lavoie said "the team for The City of Frederick would be an expansion team".

Lavoie told me after hearing the rumors surrounding the Keys, he reached out and met with Mayor Randy McClement, the city aldermen and city administrator Rick Weldon to discuss his interest. He followed up those meetings with discussions with many community leaders.

Back in February and early March of this year, I was in the process of meeting with city officials for I wanted to "catch up" after I had mostly ignored them during the 2010 mid term elections.

A surprise to me was the topic which came up in every conversation was The Harry Grove stadium lease.

It was during my meeting with Mayor Randy McClement one morning in February at his Deli, the mayor informed me, that due to the failure to finalize a deal with The Keys, he was going forward with a request for proposals for the use of the stadium.

Perhaps, the move to a RFP was a result of the botched sole source lease proposal for use of first floor space in a city owned parking deck for a restaurant. The sweetheart deal, once publicized, has yet to come to fruition. Another example of why I have been calling for the city to establish policies and procedures in regard to the sale/lease of city owned properties.

The areas I heard the most discussion from elected officials during my meetings with them pertained to the lease amount, the use of the stadium during "off days" for other uses (concerts, Babe Ruth teams, etc.), and improvements to the facility.

A concern I have expressed previously is the price of the concessions at the stadium, which are close to the price one pays at Camden Yards; the home of the Baltimore Orioles. While the price of admission has been low to see The Keys play, feeding the kids a hot dog and bag of peanuts has become a stretch for families attending a game.

The other prevalently voiced concern by the aldermen centered on whether there would be a significant difference between a minor league team affiliated with a major league team and a independent league team. However, all of the elected officials I spoke with indicated they wanted what was best for The City of Frederick.

A look at attendance records of the two leagues does not indicate a significant difference. Mr. Lavoie, who lives in nearby northern Virginia, said "he would like to see Harry Grove Stadium become the Living Room for The City of Frederick".

He has spoken with local American Legion and Babe Ruth representatives and would welcome their use of the stadium along with other venues such as concerts, when the team is away. Lavoie has even entertained the thought of providing a prominent display of the local Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame memorabilia (currently located at the Talley Rec Center) at the stadium.

Whether The Keys are for sale or not should not be the sole question for city officials when they decide on the stadium lease, as minor league teams are often sold. The Keys themselves have been sold several times since 1989, the most recent sale coming after Comcast realized they were not in the baseball business. However, the likelihood the bidder will remain in the City of Frederick is important.

The decision should be based on the financial stability of the bidder, the viability of the bidder to field a team, the financial benefit to the city, and whether issues, such as "off day" usage and improvements to the stadium have been addressed.

City aldermen were provided the opportunity for input in the preparation of the RFP and Addendum, and when I reviewed them, it appears their areas of concern were included.

Now, the bids have been received, they will be reviewed by a committee which will make a recommendation to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, who will have the final approval. Mayor McClement indicated to me the review process will take at least three to four weeks.

One option in the RFP, reserved by the review committee, is to also ask for oral presentations from the bidders. An option, which would be prudent for the review committee to exercise.

It was a good move by the Mayor to issue an RFP for the use of the stadium, as the city should benefit as a result. What professionals in sports and in business want is a level playing field on which to compete - the issuance of an RFP should provide this.

May the best team for The City of Frederick win the bid.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Ground Troops Ready For Deployment in Libya - unfortunately, what I have been predicting from the beginning of the U.S. led U.N. intervention is about to take place. The European Union is set to send 1000 troops into Libya to help the rebels under attack in Misrata. Their mission? - to protect humanitarian supplies. Of course, if fired upon, they can defend themselves. And, so it continues.... The Guardian has more here.

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Obama Approval Rating Drops to 47% - the Washington Post/ABC News poll has the president 21 points lower than he was one month into his presidency. In regard to the economy, 57% disapprove of the way the president is handling the economy.

Fortunately for President Obama, less than 50% of respondents were satisfied with the Republican candidates for president. Mitt Romney led with 16%, followed by Donald Trump with 8%. The Washington Post has more here.

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Democrats Recruiting Sanchez For Senate in Texas - the retired former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq unfortunately come with baggage. Ricardo Sanchez is being recruited to run for the seat to be vacated by the retiring Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. The Latino/Hispanic population is significant in Texas and Democratic operatives believe Sanchez would be a plus in the state.

The drawback? Sanchez was forced to resign in the aftermath of the Abu-Ghraib scandal. Talking Points Memo has more here.

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Standard and Poor Weighs in on Budget Fight - in what should be hardly a surprise, the warning is the U.S. AAA Bond rating is at risk if Congress does not act to reduce the 14.3 trillion deficit. The initial reaction by Republican and Democratic leaders has been to point fingers at each other - another expected response and one voters are tiring of...

TheHill.com has more here.

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U.S. likely to Lose money in GM Bail Out - the initial public offering of stock has not gone as well as hoped and the government would need to sell it's 500 million shares at $53 to break even. The current share price is $30. The Wall Street Journal has more here.

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Former Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer Dies - best described as one of the more colorful characters in politics, Schaefer was mayor of Baltimore, Maryland Governor and state Comptroller. The Baltimore Sun has a good read here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

U.S. Secretly Supporting Syria Opposition - The Washington Post is reporting 6 million has already been spent in an attempt to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. The information became available as diplomatic cables released by wikileaks.org were reviewed. This information come just months after the Obama administration reestablished diplomatic relations with Syria. The Washington Post has more here.

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Ten Senators Tour China - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is heading up the ten member bipartisan delegation. Clean energy, trade, currency and human rights are issues expected to be discussed. TheHill.com has more here.

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Obama Takes His 4 Trillion Budget Reduction Plan on the Road - the president will visit North Virginia Community College tomorrow and then travel to California to do a Facebook town hall before going to Nevada for another town hall. He will further discuss his budget to reduce the deficit. You can read more here.

Today, the president will grant interviews with reporters from four new channels located in Colorado, Texas, Indiana and North Carolina to discuss his budget reduction plan.

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Sunday Morning "Talking heads" Highlights - CNN's Candy Crowley has a quick review below.



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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Hits Lowest Approval Rating - at 41% per the latest Gallup poll. President Obama received only 35% approval rating from Independents, a group of voters who were largely responsible for his victory in 2008. Gallup.com has more here.

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Trump Leads in latest Poll - a public policy poll shows Donald Trump with a nine point lead over Mike Huckabee. Trumps received 26%, Huckabee 17%, Romney 15%, Gingrich 11% and Palin 8%. You can read the full results here.

It is way to early to take these polls seriously, but it would indicate engaged Republican voters are not enamored with their "usual suspects" candidates. Trump has built his initial lead by fueling the "birther" issue and bashing President Obama's leadership skills. Below, is a clip from an Trump interview with Talking Points Memo.



Stay tuned for a Trump entry into the presidential contest will have an impact.

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Clinton Pledges Support to Japan - the Secretary of State was visiting after a previous stop in South Korea. the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant severely damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, promised to bring the plant, which is still leaking radiation, under control within the next 6-9 months. Reuters.com has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup - It is all about the nation's budget with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan appearing on several shows. Also making appearances will be Republican Paul Ryan (Wisc.) who will talk about his 6 trillion reduction plan. Politico.com has a quick rundown below.



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House Passes Ryan Budget Plan - yesterday, the vote was 235-193 with no Democrats voting in favor of the 6 trillion budget reduction plan. The bill which includes drastic revisions in medicaid and medicare has no chance of passage in the Senate. Time.com has more here.

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Obama Says he Will Not Abide To Czar Section in Budget Agreement - the recently negotiated budget deal for the remainder of this fiscal year was signed into law by the president yesterday. However, he added a "signing statement" that essentially says he will not abide by the section in the bill that defunded Czars he had appointed. The appointments were made to get around the required Senate confirmation of senior White House advisers. TheHill.com has more here.

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Job Training programs Cut in budget Agreement - in the negotiated agreement for the balance of this fiscal year, job training programs were cut by 870 million. However, members from both sides of the aisle have been critical of the job training programs currently in place and questions abound as to their effectiveness. The Washington Post has more here.

Since the financial crisis began and unemployment soared, I have been a proponent for a federal funded public service employment program which would put many of the current unemployed to work immediately and am at a loss to explain why no effort has been made by Congress to do so.

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Battle for Libya Continues - no sign from Gaddafi he is ready to step down as government forces continue to attack rebel held cities across the country. Meanwhile, dissension within NATO continues and the clamor for "boots on the ground" grows. Reuters.com has more here.

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Obama Weekly Address

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President Obama talks about his plan to reduce the deficit by four trillion over the next ten years and attacks the budget reduction plan proposed by Republican Paul Ryan (Wisc.), which passed a vote in the House without one Democrat voting in favor.



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Republican Weekly Address

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Representative Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) criticizes President Obama for attacking Republican plans for reducing the deficit and says the proposed plan by the president does not go far enough. Coburn is one of the "Gang of Six" bipartisan Senators who are crafting a debt reduction plan.



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The Debacle in Libya Continues - NATO now says it needs more planes. Meanwhile, alliance members Turkey and Germany oppose the action. This, as Gaddafi remains in power and the rebels are leaderless. BBC News has more here. Now, why was it the U.S. got involved in this military action? David Cameron, Nicholas Sarkozy and Barrack Obama are compelled to give their reasons in an op-ed here.

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House and Senate Pass 2011 Budget - the 39.5 billion cut has now been reported by the CBO as only 352 million - makes you wonder what all the fuss was about. The House vote was 267-167 with Pelosi led Democrats and Tea Party Republicans voting against - an odd combination. The Senate vote was 81-19 with 15 Democrats voting against. TheHill.com has more here.

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Planned Parenthood and Health Care Votes Fail in Senate - as part of the deal making that led to the budget agreement, these votes were put on the floor for a vote. The reason? - Both parties will use how a Senator voted on these measures in the 2012 election. And, so it goes..... You can read more here.

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Should Oil Reserves Be Tapped? - with gasoline hitting the $4 per gallon figure, more are saying it is time to tap into the U.S. oil reserves to keep the price down. President Obama says the U.S. needs to be cautious about using the reserves. Reuters.com has more here.

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Strategy in Afghanistan Not Working - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) questions the continued expense of 100 billion per year. CNN.com has more here.

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Obama Budget Speech Offers No Surprises - it was more of the same partisan rhetoric which has dominated politics of late. As expected, the president embraced a lot of what was proposed by Simpson/Bowles - the co-chairs of the bipartisan deficit reduction committee and taxing the high earners at a higher rate. A mention on revamping the current tax code was worth noting. However, few specifics were introduced by President Obama.

Republican response was as expected, with comments like you can not create jobs by raising taxes. Their alternative plan proposed by Representative Ryan (Wisc.) is a non starter with it's drastic cuts in medicare.

So, the 2012 budget battle and presidential campaign is underway.

The truth of the matter is the national budget is on a dangerous course and has been since George W. Bush was sworn in. Of the entitlement programs, social security is paying for itself, while the others are not. The cost of fighting three wars has never been paid for, adding significantly to the budget deficit. If Americans understood the cost of war and were ask to pay for it, some ill advised military actions would probably never take place.

At the end of 2000, the U.S. national debt was 5.6 trillion. Ten years later, it stands at almost 14.3 trillion, which is the current debt ceiling for the country.

The 2012 proposed budget by President Obama contains an additional 1.5 trillion in debt.

So, there is no question changes need to be made. The unanswered question is will our elected politicians be adult enough to address it in a reasonable across the board manner.

Meanwhile, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has reported it's review of the latest budget agreement forged by Congress for the remainder of 2011 - the total? - only 352 million this year - not the 38.5 to 39.5 billion touted by Congressional leaders.

This budget deal will receive a vote in the House and Senate today - Pelosi may vote "No" - TheHill.com has more here.

Stay tuned...

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Obama on ABC World News and Nightline Tonight - he is interviewed by George Stephanopoulos. Think, he will be asked about the budget?

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Unemployment Claims Rise - a further sign, the economic recovery is sluggish, at best. Claims were up 27,000 for the week ending April 9. Bloomberg.com has more here.

As seasonal jobs become available, claims should drop over the next four to five months. If, claims do not drop over this time frame, it will indicate the economy is in worst shape than thought.

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Rick Santorium is Latest Republican To Establish Exploratory Committee - the former Pennsylvania Senator will now be able to raise funds and judge support for his candidacy for president. Reuters.com has more here.

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DCCC Raised 19.6 Million in First Quarter - the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee used 11.5 million to reduce the 19.5 million in debt left from the 2010 midterm campaign. CNN.com has more here.

Campaign Finance Reform, Anyone?

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Confusion Reigns In Libya Intervention - air strikes by NATO are having limited effect on the Gaddafi government and the rebels are turning out to be a rag tag disorganized group incapable of governing the country. Meanwhile, NATO states it wants Gadaffi out. The NY Times has more here.

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Obama to Give Deficit Reduction Speech Today - at George Washington University this afternoon. It is likely he will be leaning more to the Simpson-Bowles plan which grew out of his bipartisan committee Obama appointed to address the problem.

Before the speech, the president has invited leaders of Congress to meet with him at the White House, where he is expected to brief them on his speech. The Washington Post has more here.

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CNN Poll Shows Americans Split On Republican Budget Reduction Plan - 51% say the spending cuts go too far and 47% say the cuts are not too deep. More importantly, 68% say the proposed Republican cuts unfairly favor some groups. You can read the full results of the poll here.

You can bet President Obama will read this prior to his speech today.

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Are Votes There to Pass Latest Budget Agreement? - the House and Senate will vote on the latest budget on Thursday. The budget for the remainder of the current fiscal year contains 38.5 billion in cuts. Now, members of Congress have reviewed the agreement, questions remain as to the support from both Republicans and Democrats. You can read more here.

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Hoyer and Boehner Talking Deal on Debt Ceiling - Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the House Minority Whip is reaching out to House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) to try to broker an agreement on raising the nations debt ceiling. Politico.com has more here.

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Confusion Reigns in Libya - NATO, Arab and African representatives met with rebels to discuss what is the next move. Questions remain as to who is leading the rebels. Reportedly, Gaddafi has accepted a framework for a cease fire proposed by The African Union. The NY Times has an update here.

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Pawlenty Says I'm Running For President - after the announcement yesterday by Mitt Romney. The campaign of the former Governor of Minnesota quickly said an announcement will be forthcoming within the next several weeks. Pawlenty is polling low among Republican hopefuls, so it is obvious why he wants to get started officially soon. TheHill.com has more here.

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Japan Nuclear Crisis Now Rated a level 7 - which is the highest rating possible and equal to the 1986 Chernobyl tragedy in Russia. The operators of the Fukushima nuclear plant are now saying the plant is slowing becoming stable. You can read more here.

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Romney Makes it Official - well, sort of. He announced the forming of a presidential exploratory committee. This allows him to raise funds prior to actually filing for office. The former Governor of Massachusetts is considered the favorite to win the Republican nomination.



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Failure to Increase Debt Limit Will Impact Wall Street - the stability of financial markets around the world hinge on U.S. Treasury Bills. If the U.S. debt ceiling is not raised within the next month, the impact could be catastrophic. TheHill.com has more here.

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Senate Gang of 6 Budget Reduction Plan Close to Release - the bipartisan group of Senators have been working for months on a plan to dramatically reduce the nations' deficit. The question will be if their proposal will have any "Legs" as it will come after Republican Representative Ryan (Wisc.) already released proposal and the President Obama proposal expected tomorrow. Politico.com has more here.

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Maryland General Assembly Closes 2011 Session - a 1.5 billion deficit was balanced, but the rest of the action brings mixed reviews. Gay marriage failed and in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants (Maryland version of the DREAM Act) passed. Alcohol tax saw a 50% increase and shipping of wine from out of state won approval. Two programs; a ban on use of septic systems and wind energy, pushed by Governor O'Malley were not passed. 75 million was approved for Invest Maryland and the ongoing financial debacle of the state owning the Rocky Gap resort continues with the state offering incentives for private investment into Slots - a continuation of pouring good money after bad into a losing situation. The Baltimore Sun has more here.

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Pakistan Tells U.S. They Want C.I.A. Out - the long simmering tensions between the Pakistani military and the U.S. government has resulted in the demand the unmanned drone missile attacks end in northwestern Pakistan and C.I.A. and special operatives leave Pakistan. The NY Times has more here.

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Highlights - in case you missed them, Candy Crowley of CNN has a quick rundown below.



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Cease-Fire in Libya? - a cease-fire proposed by South African President Jacob Zuma has been accepted by Gaddafi and will now be presented to the rebels. Voice of America has more here.

President Obama will be meeting with advisers this morning to discuss Libya.

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7.1 Level Aftershock Hits Japan - one month after the initial 9.0 level earthquake triggered the tsunami and subsequent Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Reports indicate 14,000 people are still unaccounted for since the initial earthquake.

The government has now also extended the evacuation distance from the Fukushima plant from the original 12 mile radius to 20 miles. Reuters.com has more here.

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Obama to Unveil Budget Reduction Plan Wednesday - as the nations debt ceiling nears and discussions begin of the 2012 budget, Republican leaders will be listening to what President Obama proposes in debt reductions. Early reports are he will again seek tax increases for the wealthy, but will indicate a willingness to tackle the major entitlement programs. The Washington Post has more here.

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62% of Americans Very Concerned About Inflation - in a poll taken by The Hill, the rising cost of food and gas has added to the anxiety level of Americans as the struggle to get the economy going remains a struggle. You can read more on the poll results here.

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Former OMB Director Orzag Takes job with Citigroup - in an article in Politico.com, peter Orzag talks about the infighting that took place inside the White House and how he never wanted the job as director of the Office of Management and Budget. You can read more here.

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Pawlenty Hires Ayers as Campaign Manager - the former Minnesota Governor moves closer to announcing his bid for the Republican 2012 presidential nomination. Nick Ayers is a former executive director of the Republican Governors Association. You can read more here.

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Case to Run for Hawaii Senate - the former Representative announced he will be running for the seat held by Senator Daniel Akaka, who announced he will be retiring. The Democratic infighting will continue as Ed Case ran against Akaka in 2006 and lost. Last year when Case ran to fill the open senate seat of Neal Abercrombie, who stepped down to run in and win the Governor race, Akaka supported Representative Colleen Hanabusa, who went on to win. You can read more here.

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New Poll Shows Obama Losing Florida - while it is way early, this is a state Obama can not lose if he is to be reelected next year. Only 34% of independents support President Obama and the president loses to both Mike Huckabee (49%-44%) and Mitt Romney (48%-43%). You can read more of the poll results here.

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President Obama Signs One Week Continuing Resolution - as the latest drama surrounding the nation's budget unfolds. The CR will cut an additional 2 billion from the budget as the details of the agreement for the remainder of the year are prepared for a vote by Congress.

The White House Blog has the details of the agreement here.

President Obama visited the Lincoln Memorial shortly after signing the budget extension.



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Nation Debt Ceiling Next Battle For Congress - amazingly, the 14.25 Trillion debt limit will be reached within the next month. Republican congressional leaders are saying they will not support raising the debt ceiling unless the President and Democrats agree to large spending cuts in the FY'12 budget which begins October 1. The NY Times has more here.

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Plouffe Makes Headlines on Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" - David Plouffe, the new White House senior adviser was busy making statements which will soon be headlines.

Plouffe had to answer why President Obama voted against raising the debt ceiling in 2006 when he was a U.S. Senator - the answer? - it was a mistake.

As to liberal Democrats, such as Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY), upset over President Obama compromising on the budget, Plouffe said he no interest in reassuring Weiner.

In regard to speculation Donald Trump will enter the 2012 presidential contest, Plouffe said he had no chance.

Plouffe also said President Obama will lay out a long term deficit reduction plan this week in a major address.

You can read more here.

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Last Minute Budget Agreement Reached - as I predicted Thursday morning, a one week continuing resolution was passed while the details of an agreement to cut 38 billion from the budget for the remainder of the current fiscal year are put to paper.

Politico.com has some details of the agreement here.

After all the sure to come political spin, will either political party come away with a win? Doubtful, as before the average voter can come to grips with what was agreed upon, the battle for the 2012 budget will begin. Oh, and by the way, the nation's budget ceiling will be reached within the next month.

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Protests Erupt Against Egyptian Army - the army has been the constant which, in many ways, is the reason the uprising in Egypt has been mostly peaceful to this point. Always, in power, it was the military who engineered the removal of President Mubarak and promised democratic reforms.

Now, protesters are demanding a quicker change to power to civilians and are also calling for a trial for Mubarak. Reuters.com has an update here.

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Civil War in Libya Continues - as Gaddafi loyalists press the attack against western cities held by rebels. It is becoming evident NATO air strikes will not be enough to topple the Gaddafi regime. You can read more here.

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Protests in Syria Grow in intensity - yet another Arab state where popular disdain for the existing government is on display. Hundreds of thousands are now demonstrating across the country and the military is clamping down. The NY Times has more here.

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Israel-Palestine Exchange Fire in Gaza - the never ending conflict continues a low boil as the U.S. sponsored peace talks ended months ago. Israel used air strikes and tanks to target sites in Gaza in retaliation to a missile fired from the Gaza strip which hit near a Israeli school bus, wounded two. The Washington Post has more here.

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Kissinger and Baker Offer Guidelines for U.S. Military Intervention - as events are unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa, the two former U.S. Secretaries of State have an op-ed in the Washington Post today which provides a framework for when America should intervene in foreign countries. You can read it here.

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup - New Senior White House Adviser David Plouffe makes the rounds tomorrow morning as he will appear on the four major networks. Plouffe and former White House senior adviser David Axelrod essentially switched positions as Axelrod is now involved in the reelection campaign for President Obama. Plouffe is considered the mastermind behind the online success of the 2008 Obama campaign. Also appearing tomorrow will be Republican Representative Paul Ryan (Wisc.) who will be discussing his FY'2012 budget. You can read more here.

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