REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS ON HEALTH CARE

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
_________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release September 9, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS
ON HEALTH CARE

U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-a-Joint-Session-of-Congress-on-Health-Care/

8:16 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, and the American people:

When I spoke here last winter, this nation was facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month. Credit was frozen. And our financial system was on the verge of collapse.

As any American who is still looking for work or a way to pay their bills will tell you, we are by no means out of the woods. A full and vibrant recovery is still many months away. And I will not let up until those Americans who seek jobs can find them -- (applause) -- until those businesses that seek capital and credit can thrive; until all responsible homeowners can stay in their homes. That is our ultimate goal. But thanks to the bold and decisive action we've taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink. (Applause.)

I want to thank the members of this body for your efforts and your support in these last several months, and especially those who've taken the difficult votes that have put us on a path to recovery. I also want to thank the American people for their patience and resolve during this trying time for our nation.

But we did not come here just to clean up crises. We came here to build a future. (Applause.) So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future -- and that is the issue of health care.

I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last. (Applause.) It has now been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for health care reform. And ever since, nearly every President and Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way. A bill for comprehensive health reform was first introduced by John Dingell Sr. in 1943. Sixty-five years later, his son continues to introduce that same bill at the beginning of each session. (Applause.)

Our collective failure to meet this challenge -- year after year, decade after decade -- has led us to the breaking point. Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy. These are not primarily people on welfare. These are middle-class Americans. Some can't get insurance on the job. Others are self-employed, and can't afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance companies decide are too risky or too expensive to cover.

We are the only democracy -- the only advanced democracy on Earth -- the only wealthy nation -- that allows such hardship for millions of its people. There are now more than 30 million American citizens who cannot get coverage. In just a two-year period, one in every three Americans goes without health care coverage at some point. And every day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage. In other words, it can happen to anyone.

But the problem that plagues the health care system is not just a problem for the uninsured. Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today. More and more Americans worry that if you move, lose your job, or change your job, you'll lose your health insurance too. More and more Americans pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or won't pay the full cost of care. It happens every day.

One man from Illinois lost his coverage in the middle of chemotherapy because his insurer found that he hadn't reported gallstones that he didn't even know about. They delayed his treatment, and he died because of it. Another woman from Texas was about to get a double mastectomy when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare a case of acne. By the time she had her insurance reinstated, her breast cancer had more than doubled in size. That is heart-breaking, it is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America. (Applause.)

Then there's the problem of rising cost. We spend one and a half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we aren't any healthier for it. This is one of the reasons that insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages. It's why so many employers -- especially small businesses -- are forcing their employees to pay more for insurance, or are dropping their coverage entirely. It's why so many aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford to open a business in the first place, and why American businesses that compete internationally -- like our automakers -- are at a huge disadvantage. And it's why those of us with health insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it -- about $1,000 per year that pays for somebody else's emergency room and charitable care.

Finally, our health care system is placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers. When health care costs grow at the rate they have, it puts greater pressure on programs like Medicare and Medicaid. If we do nothing to slow these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on Medicare and Medicaid than every other government program combined. Put simply, our health care problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close. Nothing else. (Applause.)

Now, these are the facts. Nobody disputes them. We know we must reform this system. The question is how.

There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada's -- (applause) -- where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everybody. On the right, there are those who argue that we should end employer-based systems and leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own.

I've said -- I have to say that there are arguments to be made for both these approaches. But either one would represent a radical shift that would disrupt the health care most people currently have. Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn't, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch. (Applause.) And that is precisely what those of you in Congress have tried to do over the past several months.

During that time, we've seen Washington at its best and at its worst.

We've seen many in this chamber work tirelessly for the better part of this year to offer thoughtful ideas about how to achieve reform. Of the five committees asked to develop bills, four have completed their work, and the Senate Finance Committee announced today that it will move forward next week. That has never happened before. Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors' groups, and even drug companies -- many of whom opposed reform in the past. And there is agreement in this chamber on about 80 percent of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been.

But what we've also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government. Instead of honest debate, we've seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.

Well, the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. (Applause.) Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on health care. Now is the time to deliver on health care.

The plan I'm announcing tonight would meet three basic goals. It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance for those who don't. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government. (Applause.) It's a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge -- not just government, not just insurance companies, but everybody including employers and individuals. And it's a plan that incorporates ideas from senators and congressmen, from Democrats and Republicans -- and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election.

Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan. First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, or Medicare, or Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. (Applause.) Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.

What this plan will do is make the insurance you have work better for you. Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a preexisting condition. (Applause.) As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it the most. (Applause.) They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or in a lifetime. (Applause.) We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick. (Applause.) And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies -- (applause) -- because there's no reason we shouldn't be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives. (Applause.)

Now, that's what Americans who have health insurance can expect from this plan -- more security and more stability.

Now, if you're one of the tens of millions of Americans who don't currently have health insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices. (Applause.) If you lose your job or you change your job, you'll be able to get coverage. If you strike out on your own and start a small business, you'll be able to get coverage. We'll do this by creating a new insurance exchange -- a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices. Insurance companies will have an incentive to participate in this exchange because it lets them compete for millions of new customers. As one big group, these customers will have greater leverage to bargain with the insurance companies for better prices and quality coverage. This is how large companies and government employees get affordable insurance. It's how everyone in this Congress gets affordable insurance. And it's time to give every American the same opportunity that we give ourselves. (Applause.)

Now, for those individuals and small businesses who still can't afford the lower-priced insurance available in the exchange, we'll provide tax credits, the size of which will be based on your need. And all insurance companies that want access to this new marketplace will have to abide by the consumer protections I already mentioned. This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right. In the meantime, for those Americans who can't get insurance today because they have preexisting medical conditions, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become seriously ill. (Applause.) This was a good idea when Senator John McCain proposed it in the campaign, it's a good idea now, and we should all embrace it. (Applause.)

Now, even if we provide these affordable options, there may be those -- especially the young and the healthy -- who still want to take the risk and go without coverage. There may still be companies that refuse to do right by their workers by giving them coverage. The problem is, such irresponsible behavior costs all the rest of us money. If there are affordable options and people still don't sign up for health insurance, it means we pay for these people's expensive emergency room visits. If some businesses don't provide workers health care, it forces the rest of us to pick up the tab when their workers get sick, and gives those businesses an unfair advantage over their competitors. And unless everybody does their part, many of the insurance reforms we seek -- especially requiring insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions -- just can't be achieved.

And that's why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance -- just as most states require you to carry auto insurance. (Applause.) Likewise -- likewise, businesses will be required to either offer their workers health care, or chip in to help cover the cost of their workers. There will be a hardship waiver for those individuals who still can't afford coverage, and 95 percent of all small businesses, because of their size and narrow profit margin, would be exempt from these requirements. (Applause.) But we can't have large businesses and individuals who can afford coverage game the system by avoiding responsibility to themselves or their employees. Improving our health care system only works if everybody does their part.

And while there remain some significant details to be ironed out, I believe -- (laughter) -- I believe a broad consensus exists for the aspects of the plan I just outlined: consumer protections for those with insurance, an exchange that allows individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable coverage, and a requirement that people who can afford insurance get insurance.

And I have no doubt that these reforms would greatly benefit Americans from all walks of life, as well as the economy as a whole. Still, given all the misinformation that's been spread over the past few months, I realize -- (applause) -- I realize that many Americans have grown nervous about reform. So tonight I want to address some of the key controversies that are still out there.

Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but by prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Now, such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple. (Applause.)

There are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false. The reforms -- the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You lie! (Boos.)

THE PRESIDENT: It's not true. And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up -- under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place. (Applause.)

Now, my health care proposal has also been attacked by some who oppose reform as a "government takeover" of the entire health care system. As proof, critics point to a provision in our plan that allows the uninsured and small businesses to choose a publicly sponsored insurance option, administered by the government just like Medicaid or Medicare. (Applause.)

So let me set the record straight here. My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. That's how the market works. (Applause.) Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75 percent of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies. In Alabama, almost 90 percent is controlled by just one company. And without competition, the price of insurance goes up and quality goes down. And it makes it easier for insurance companies to treat their customers badly -- by cherry-picking the healthiest individuals and trying to drop the sickest, by overcharging small businesses who have no leverage, and by jacking up rates.

Insurance executives don't do this because they're bad people; they do it because it's profitable. As one former insurance executive testified before Congress, insurance companies are not only encouraged to find reasons to drop the seriously ill, they are rewarded for it. All of this is in service of meeting what this former executive called "Wall Street's relentless profit expectations."

Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable. (Applause.) And the insurance reforms that I've already mentioned would do just that. But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange. (Applause.) Now, let me be clear. Let me be clear. It would only be an option for those who don't have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5 percent of Americans would sign up.

Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies don't like this idea. They argue that these private companies can't fairly compete with the government. And they'd be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option. But they won't be. I've insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects. But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits and excessive administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers, and would also keep pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat their customers better, the same way public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities. (Applause.)

Now, it is -- it's worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort I've proposed tonight. But its impact shouldn't be exaggerated -- by the left or the right or the media. It is only one part of my plan, and shouldn't be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battles. To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage available for those without it. (Applause.) The public option -- the public option is only a means to that end -- and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal. And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of health care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have. (Applause.)

For example -- for example, some have suggested that the public option go into effect only in those markets where insurance companies are not providing affordable policies. Others have proposed a co-op or another non-profit entity to administer the plan. These are all constructive ideas worth exploring. But I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans can't find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice. (Applause.) And I will make sure that no government bureaucrat or insurance company bureaucrat gets between you and the care that you need. (Applause.)

Finally, let me discuss an issue that is a great concern to me, to members of this chamber, and to the public -- and that's how we pay for this plan.

And here's what you need to know. First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits -- either now or in the future. (Applause.) I will not sign it if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period. And to prove that I'm serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don't materialize. (Applause.) Now, part of the reason I faced a trillion-dollar deficit when I walked in the door of the White House is because too many initiatives over the last decade were not paid for -- from the Iraq war to tax breaks for the wealthy. (Applause.) I will not make that same mistake with health care.

Second, we've estimated that most of this plan can be paid for by finding savings within the existing health care system, a system that is currently full of waste and abuse. Right now, too much of the hard-earned savings and tax dollars we spend on health care don't make us any healthier. That's not my judgment -- it's the judgment of medical professionals across this country. And this is also true when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid.

In fact, I want to speak directly to seniors for a moment, because Medicare is another issue that's been subjected to demagoguery and distortion during the course of this debate.

More than four decades ago, this nation stood up for the principle that after a lifetime of hard work, our seniors should not be left to struggle with a pile of medical bills in their later years. That's how Medicare was born. And it remains a sacred trust that must be passed down from one generation to the next. (Applause.) And that is why not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for this plan. (Applause.)

The only thing this plan would eliminate is the hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and fraud, as well as unwarranted subsidies in Medicare that go to insurance companies -- subsidies that do everything to pad their profits but don't improve the care of seniors. And we will also create an independent commission of doctors and medical experts charged with identifying more waste in the years ahead. (Applause.)

Now, these steps will ensure that you -- America's seniors -- get the benefits you've been promised. They will ensure that Medicare is there for future generations. And we can use some of the savings to fill the gap in coverage that forces too many seniors to pay thousands of dollars a year out of their own pockets for prescription drugs. (Applause.) That's what this plan will do for you. So don't pay attention to those scary stories about how your benefits will be cut, especially since some of the same folks who are spreading these tall tales have fought against Medicare in the past and just this year supported a budget that would essentially have turned Medicare into a privatized voucher program. That will not happen on my watch. I will protect Medicare. (Applause.)

Now, because Medicare is such a big part of the health care system, making the program more efficient can help usher in changes in the way we deliver health care that can reduce costs for everybody. We have long known that some places -- like the Intermountain Healthcare in Utah or the Geisinger Health System in rural Pennsylvania -- offer high-quality care at costs below average. So the commission can help encourage the adoption of these common-sense best practices by doctors and medical professionals throughout the system -- everything from reducing hospital infection rates to encouraging better coordination between teams of doctors.

Reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan. (Applause.) Now, much of the rest would be paid for with revenues from the very same drug and insurance companies that stand to benefit from tens of millions of new customers. And this reform will charge insurance companies a fee for their most expensive policies, which will encourage them to provide greater value for the money -- an idea which has the support of Democratic and Republican experts. And according to these same experts, this modest change could help hold down the cost of health care for all of us in the long run.

Now, finally, many in this chamber -- particularly on the Republican side of the aisle -- have long insisted that reforming our medical malpractice laws can help bring down the cost of health care. (Applause.) Now -- there you go. There you go. Now, I don't believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but I've talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs. (Applause.) So I'm proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine. (Applause.) I know that the Bush administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these ideas. I think it's a good idea, and I'm directing my Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on this initiative today. (Applause.)

Now, add it all up, and the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over 10 years -- less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration. (Applause.) Now, most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent -- but spent badly -- in the existing health care system. The plan will not add to our deficit. The middle class will realize greater security, not higher taxes. And if we are able to slow the growth of health care costs by just one-tenth of 1 percent each year -- one-tenth of 1 percent -- it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term.

Now, this is the plan I'm proposing. It's a plan that incorporates ideas from many of the people in this room tonight -- Democrats and Republicans. And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen. My door is always open.

But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than to improve it. (Applause.) I won't stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent what's in this plan, we will call you out. (Applause.) And I will not -- and I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.

Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it the most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true.

That is why we cannot fail. Because there are too many Americans counting on us to succeed -- the ones who suffer silently, and the ones who shared their stories with us at town halls, in e-mails, and in letters.

I received one of those letters a few days ago. It was from our beloved friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy. He had written it back in May, shortly after he was told that his illness was terminal. He asked that it be delivered upon his death.

In it, he spoke about what a happy time his last months were, thanks to the love and support of family and friends, his wife, Vicki, his amazing children, who are all here tonight. And he expressed confidence that this would be the year that health care reform -- "that great unfinished business of our society," he called it -- would finally pass. He repeated the truth that health care is decisive for our future prosperity, but he also reminded me that "it concerns more than material things." "What we face," he wrote, "is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country."

I've thought about that phrase quite a bit in recent days -- the character of our country. One of the unique and wonderful things about America has always been our self-reliance, our rugged individualism, our fierce defense of freedom and our healthy skepticism of government. And figuring out the appropriate size and role of government has always been a source of rigorous and, yes, sometimes angry debate. That's our history.

For some of Ted Kennedy's critics, his brand of liberalism represented an affront to American liberty. In their minds, his passion for universal health care was nothing more than a passion for big government.

But those of us who knew Teddy and worked with him here -- people of both parties -- know that what drove him was something more. His friend Orrin Hatch -- he knows that. They worked together to provide children with health insurance. His friend John McCain knows that. They worked together on a Patient's Bill of Rights. His friend Chuck Grassley knows that. They worked together to provide health care to children with disabilities.

On issues like these, Ted Kennedy's passion was born not of some rigid ideology, but of his own experience. It was the experience of having two children stricken with cancer. He never forgot the sheer terror and helplessness that any parent feels when a child is badly sick. And he was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance, what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent, there is something that could make you better, but I just can't afford it.

That large-heartedness -- that concern and regard for the plight of others -- is not a partisan feeling. It's not a Republican or a Democratic feeling. It, too, is part of the American character -- our ability to stand in other people's shoes; a recognition that we are all in this together, and when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand; a belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgment that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise.

This has always been the history of our progress. In 1935, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism, but the men and women of Congress stood fast, and we are all the better for it. In 1965, when some argued that Medicare represented a government takeover of health care, members of Congress -- Democrats and Republicans -- did not back down. They joined together so that all of us could enter our golden years with some basic peace of mind.

You see, our predecessors understood that government could not, and should not, solve every problem. They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom. But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, the vulnerable can be exploited. And they knew that when any government measure, no matter how carefully crafted or beneficial, is subject to scorn; when any efforts to help people in need are attacked as un-American; when facts and reason are thrown overboard and only timidity passes for wisdom, and we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter -- that at that point we don't merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges. We lose something essential about ourselves.

That was true then. It remains true today. I understand how difficult this health care debate has been. I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them. I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road -- to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.

But that is not what the moment calls for. That's not what we came here to do. We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it's hard. (Applause.) I still believe -- I still believe that we can act when it's hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test.

Because that's who we are. That is our calling. That is our character. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END 9:03 P.M. EDT

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff

Forbes ranks West Point as nation's top college

Forbes ranks West Point as nation's top college Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/h6cvq

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/forbes-ranks-west-point-as-nations-top.html http://tinyurl.com/mmeygc

http://twitpic.com/h6cvq

I spent time over the Labor Day holiday with family members who work at the West Point United States Military Academy. They are quite proud that “Forbes ranks West Point as nation's top college.” See this article in “Inside the Army” News…http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/08/07/25619-forbes-ranks-west-point-as-nations-top-college/ Show more results from www.army.mil

I had taken note of the Forbes’ accolades a month ago, yet figure it deserves yet additional attention…

Kevin Dayhoff September 10, 2009

Forbes ranks West Point as nation's top college

Aug 7, 2009

By USMA Public Affairs

WEST POINT, N.Y. (Army News Service, Aug. 7, 200) - A report released Wednesday by Forbes magazine ranked the U.S. Military Academy as the top college in the country in their America's Best College review.

"Marked by an intense work ethic and drive to succeed on all fronts, the West Point undergraduate experience also allows graduates to leave without a penny of tuition loans to repay," Forbes stated in its release.

In the Forbes rating, West Point outpaced other highly-ranked schools such as Princeton (#2), Cal Tech (#3), Harvard (#5) and the U.S. Air Force Academy (#7).

"All of us at West Point are very proud that Forbes has rated us as the number-one college in the nation," said Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan, dean of the Academic Board at West Point. "This ranking recognizes the exceptionally high quality of a West Point education. It is always exciting to be validated by independent organizations."

[…]

West Point was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering. Its mission remains constant: to educate, train, and inspire cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of duty, honor, country and prepared for a career of service to the nation as an officer in the U.S. Army.

To see the complete college rankings go to www.forbes.com.

Read more here: Forbes ranks West Point as nation's top college

20090807 Forbes ranks West Point as nations top college

Click here for other posts on Soundtrack about: Military Army United States Military Academy (USMA) West Point

20070711 "90 seconds" or click on http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/07/20070711-90-seconds.html

Click here: 20070610 The United States Military Academy at West Point for a number of pictures from my recent visit to West Point… or click here: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/07/20070610-united-states-military-academy.html

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http://twitpic.com/h6cvq Forbes ranks West Point as nation's top college http://tinyurl.com/mmeygc

 http://twitpic.com/h6cvq - Forbes ranks West Point as nation's top college http://tinyurl.com/mmeygc

 http://twitpic.com/h424s - Joan Didion “Her prose is her servant” http://tinyurl.com/le6r5e1 minute ago from TwitPic

 http://twitpic.com/gxqc0 - Dec 11 2006 The family at “Le déjeuner des canotiers” Renoir 1881 http://tinyurl.com/kw3glb2 minutes ago from TwitPic

 http://twitpic.com/gvupg - An ebullient porch http://tinyurl.com/kw3glb3 minutes ago from TwitPic

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack

Recent The Tentacle columns that touch upon Health Care Reform

Recent The Tentacle columns - http://www.thetentacle.com/author.cfm?MyAuthor=41 that touch upon Health Care Reform

September 9, 2009
Two Plus Two Equals Five
Kevin E. Dayhoff
By now we have all had an opportunity to either read or watch President Barack Obama’s national address to our schoolchildren that aired yesterday at high noon.

[…]

His speech, which was electronically delivered directly to our schoolchildren, comes in the middle of a national debate on whether or not to socialize medicine.

[…]

The rub is that most pundits, the sycophant Democrat Industrial Media Complex, and the ruling party, are totally missing the point over the increasing radicalization of dissent over the president’s initiatives and behavior. http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=3356

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August 12, 2009
Free Speech was great while it lasted
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Maryland’s Democrat U. S. Senator Ben Cardin got quite an earful at a town hall meeting Monday night in Towson on healthcare reform. Although I choose not to attend, according to many published accounts, those who did go soundly jeered and booed him throughout the evening. http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=3307

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June 17, 2009
The fall'll probably kill ya!
Kevin E. Dayhoff
On Monday, the ever-perpetual campaigner in chief, President Barack Obama, took his health care reform road show to Chicago for a 55-minute speech before the American Medical Association’s annual convention. http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=3213

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For more posts and essays on health care reform on http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ go to: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/Medicine%20Health%20Care%20Reform

20090909 sdsom Recent TT cols on HC reform

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack

Tweeting President Barack Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress

Tweeting President Barack Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress

September 9, 2009 9 PM

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff

 PBO lapsing into a campaign mode over at 9:00 pm 48 minutes 47 applause breaks..less than 20 seconds ago from web

 PBO "We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it."2 minutes ago from web

 PBO is really laying it on those who disagree...2 minutes ago from web

 PBO using the social security example 1935 Now the Medicare example from 19654 minutes ago from web

 PBO figuring out the role and size of govt always the stuff of rigorous debate Still talking about Ted Kennedy 8:565 minutes ago from web

 PBO is now playing the Ted Kennedy card - 8:52 PM.Quoting Ted Kennedy7 minutes ago from web

 The end of the world will result if the HC reform is not passed. All right that is not quite what he said...8 minutes ago from web

 PBO if u misrepresent his plan he will call u out9 minutes ago from web

 PBO says his plan will cost less that the Afghan Iraq wars - and the tx cuts for the wealthy under the republicans10 minutes ago from web

 PBO says The rep side says tort reform will reduce cost of medicine He is being careful to say that he is open to ways 2 protect patients11 minutes ago from web

 He will make Medicare err system more efficient. Most of the savings from Medicare pay for the new HC initiative13 minutes ago from web

 PBO "I will protect medicare."14 minutes ago from web

 He will use the savings to pay for Rx drugs15 minutes ago from web

 PBO sacred trust with seniors Not a dollar from medicare. Just the waste and fraud will be eliminated16 minutes ago from web

 Most of the plan can be pd by savings from existing HC covrage17 minutes ago from web

 PBO will not sign it if it adds to the deficit PBO Blaming Bush for deficits18 minutes ago from web

 I will not back down... on the public insur option I will make sure that no govt or insur bureaucrat gets between u and the coverage u need19 minutes ago from web

 Says it is like public colleges versus private colleges. End insur co abuses PBO says it is not a government takeover20 minutes ago from web

 PBO brought up the government insurance option - the public insurance option22 minutes ago from web

 PBO bringing up Wall Street's relentless profit motivation PBO I just want to keep them accountable23 minutes ago from web

 PBO Let me set the record straight Consumers do better when there is competition25 minutes ago from web

 PBO says that illegal aliens will NOT be covered. PBO No dollars will be used to fund abortions26 minutes ago from web

 PBO I realize there are those who are misinformed. PBO says that there will be no death panels.27 minutes ago from web

 PBO Details to be ironed out - got a laugh28 minutes ago from web

 Raising the issue of those who decide to not get coverage. It costs all of us... PBO plan requires everyone to get HC insurance29 minutes ago from web

 If u lose your job u would be able to shop in exchange...Tx credits for those who cannot afford coverage in the exchange...31 minutes ago from web

 End pre-existing conditions End dropping u when u r sick Provide wellness care33 minutes ago from web

 Provide HC for those that don't and slow the cost. PBO plan does not require you to change what u currently have34 minutes ago from web

 The time for bickering has past. Bring the best of both parties... 3 basic goals. Provide security for those who have HC35 minutes ago from web

 Healthcare represents one-sixth of our economy. PBO says he wants to build upon what works. Agreement in this chamber upon 80 percent37 minutes ago from web

 Examples of denial of care. Discussion of the cost.39 minutes ago from web

 I’m watching the president’s speech this evening because David Axelrod sent me an e-mail encouraging me to do so. And I want to obey…41 minutes ago from web

 A bill for comprehensive health care reform was first introduced by Rep Dingle in 1943. PBO is framing the issue.43 minutes ago from web

 PBO We have pulled this economic back from the brink We did not come here to clean up crises.about 1 hour ago from web

 8:13 The president has begun to speakabout 1 hour ago from web

FB I’m going to watch the president’s speech this evening because David Axelrod sent me an e-mail encouraging me to do so. And I want to obey…

Pres Obama will give an address to jt session of Congress nxt Wed on health care Democratic officials say http://www.washingtonpost.com/12:11 AM Sep 3rd from web

20090909 9 PM Tweeting President Obama Healthcare speech

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack

Joan Didion “Her prose is her servant”

Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/h424s

Joan Didion “Her prose is her servant” http://tinyurl.com/le6r5e

Technically, Didion is immaculate and original. As early as 1963, literary critic Guy Davenport could say, "Her prose is her servant" (371). She understands grammar as a source of "infinite power":

To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters the meaning of the object photographed.... The arrangement of the words matters, and the arrangement you want can be found in the picture in your mind.... The picture tells you how to arrange the words and the arrangement of the words tells you, or tells me, what's going on in the picture. (Didion 1986, 7)

“If I could believe that going to a barricade would affect man's fate in the slightest I would go to that barricade, and quite often I wish that I could, but it would be less than honest to say that I expect to happen upon such a happy ending” Joan Didion, Morning, After the Sixties 1979 p208

From “Joan Didion” by Sandra Braman
http://www.english.upenn.edu/~despey/didion.htm
Retrieved September 9, 2009
20090909 nd Joan Didion by Sandra Braman

http://twitpic.com/h424s Joan Didion “Her prose is her servant” http://tinyurl.com/le6r5e

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/joan-didion-her-prose-is-her-servant.html http://tinyurl.com/le6r5e

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack

The Historical Society of Carroll Co Antiques Appraisal Day is coming

"Something's coming, something good!" The Historical Society's 9th Annual Antiques Appraisal Day
Saturday, September 12, 2009 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM American Legion, Carroll Post 31 2 Sycamore Street at Green, Westminster, MD Expert appraisers offer verbal estimates of value $20 for the first item $10 for the second item $5 for the third item [Limit of three items per participant] Our own version of the popular Antiques Road Show but with · Comfortable seating for you with a table for your items · Shorter wait times · Good fellowship · Lunch available from the Legion's Ladies' Auxilary · Perhaps some happy surprises on the value of your own hidden treasure See below for our appraisers and sponsors FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL US AT 410-848-6494 APPRAISERS Aloysia C. (Nini) Hamalainen, ISA, AM, ASEA Montgomery Appraisal Group Olney, Maryland Fine & Decorative Arts, Furniture, Dolls & Toys, Pottery, Porcelain, Rare Books & Ephemera Lyndi McNulty Gizmos Art Westminster, Maryland Paintings, Prints, Primitives, Toys, Glassware, Brass & Tin, Antique Automobiles Michael Merrill Michael A. Merrill, Inc. Timonium, Maryland Coins, Silver, Watches Todd Peenstra Peenstra Antique Appraisals Annapolis, Maryland Fine & Decorative Arts, Furniture, Silver, Glass, Ceramics, Toys, Musical Instruments Kim Prehn Unique Jewelry Westminster, Maryland Jewelry Bob Riley courtesy of Gizmo's Art Westminster, MD Rugs N. Kenzie Smith N. Kenzie Smith & Sons, Inc. Frederick, Maryland Clocks Fred Winer, ISA, CAPP Parting with Possessions, Inc. Towson, Maryland Fine Art, Toys, Coins, Antiques & Decorative Arts Gold Sponsors: BB&T Herman Construction Lehigh Cement New Windsor State Bank Tevis Oil/Modern Comfort Systems WTTR Radio Silver Sponsors: Carroll Community College M&T Bank Bronze Sponsors: Airpark Animal Hospital Antrim 1844 MSK Partners PNC Bank Sundance Consulting Services

20090912

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT AFL-CIO LABOR DAY PICNIC

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-AFL-CIO-Labor-Day-Picnic/
_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release September 7, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT AFL-CIO LABOR DAY PICNIC

Coney Island
Cincinnati, Ohio

1:24 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Cincinnati! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, Ohio! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, labor! (Applause.) All-righty. It is good to be back in Cincinnati. (Applause.) It's good to be back in Ohio. (Applause.) It's good to be back among great friends, great leaders. And I want everybody to give a big round of applause to Charlie Dilbert for that great introduction. (Applause.) And I want to thank Kathy Mattea and the band for the entertainment. Give Kathy a big round of applause. (Applause.)

How you all feeling today? (Applause.) Are you fired up? (Applause.) Are you ready to go? (Applause.) I can't think of a better place to be on Labor Day than at America's biggest Labor Day picnic, and with the workers and families of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO. (Applause.)

I'm so proud to be on the stage with Charlie, because Charlie reminds us that in these tough times, America's working men and women are ready to roll up their sleeves and get back to work. (Applause.)

I want to salute your local AFL-CIO local leaders: Executive Secretary-Treasurer Doug Sizemore -- (applause) -- President Joe Zimmer -- (applause) -- State President Joe Rugola. And your outstanding national leaders: a man who we thank for devoting his life to working Americans -- President John Sweeney. (Applause.) He's right there. And the man who will pick up the mantle, who will take the baton of leadership, who we need to succeed because a strong labor movement is part of a strong economy -- is part of a strong economy -- Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka. (Applause.)

Although Ohio's wonderful governor and great friend of mine Ted Strickland couldn't be here, we've got Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher in the house -- (applause) -- Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner -- (applause) -- Attorney General Richard Cordray -- (applause) -- Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory -- (applause) -- Hamilton County Commissioner -- Commission President David Pepper. (Applause.)

We're joined by members of Ohio's outstanding congressional delegation: Congressman Steve Driehaus -- (applause) -- and a great friend who is at the forefront of every fight for Ohio's working men and women, including the battle for health insurance reform, Senator Sherrod Brown. (Applause.)

I'm also proud to be here with a leader who is reenergizing the Department of Labor, who realizes that it's not the Department of Management, it's the Department of Labor -- (applause) -- a daughter of union members, a daughter of a Teamster -- Secretary Hilda Solis. (Applause.) My director of recovery for auto communities and workers, Ed Montgomery, is in the house, and he's doing outstanding work. (Applause.)

Now, Cincinnati, like a lot of Americans, you're having some fun today. Taking the day off. Spending time with the kids. Some of you may be proud of your grilling skills. (Laughter.) Every man thinks he can grill -- (laughter) -- whether he can or not. That's what Michelle says. (Laughter.) Michelle says she's a better griller than me. (Applause.) I don't know. We'll have to have a grill-off someday. But you're enjoying some good music, some good food, some famous Cincinnati chili. (Applause.)

But today we also pause. We pause to remember and to reflect and to reaffirm. We remember that the rights and benefits we enjoy today weren't simply handed to America's working men and women. They had to be won. They had to be fought for, by men and women of courage and conviction, from the factory floors of the Industrial Revolution to the shopping aisles of today's superstores. They stood up and they spoke out to demand a fair shake and an honest day's pay for an honest day's work. (Applause.)

Many risked their lives. Some gave their lives. Some made it a cause of their lives -- like Senator Ted Kennedy, who we remember today. (Applause.)

So let us never forget: much of what we take for granted -- the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, health insurance, paid leave, pensions, Social Security, Medicare -- they all bear the union label. (Applause.) It was the American worker -- men and women just like you -- who returned from World War II to make our economy the envy of the world. It was labor that helped build the largest middle class in history. Even if you're not a union member, every American owes something to America's labor movement. (Applause.)

So as we remember this history, let's reflect on its meaning in our own time. Like so many Americans, you work hard. You meet your responsibilities. You play by the rules. You pay your bills. But in recent years, the American Dream seems like it's been slipping away, because from Washington to Wall Street, too often a different attitude prevailed. Wealth was valued over work, selfishness over sacrifice, greed over responsibility. The right to organize was undermined rather than strengthened. (Applause.)

That's what we saw. And it may have worked out well for those folks at the top, but it didn't work out for you and it didn't work out well for our country. That culture -- that culture and the policies that flowed from it -- undermined the middle class and helped create the greatest economic crisis of our time.

So today, on this Labor Day, we reaffirm our commitment. To rebuild. To live up to the legacy of those who came before us. To combine the enduring values that have served us so well for so long -- hard work and responsibility -- with new ideas for a new century. To ensure that our great middle class remains the backbone of our economy -- not just a vanishing ideal we celebrate at picnics once a year as summer turns to fall. We want it a reality for the families of Ohio and the families of America. (Applause.)

That's what we've been working to do ever since I took office. Now, I notice some people have already forgotten how bad it was just seven months ago. You notice that? They've got sort of selective amnesia. (Laughter.) So let's just remind them for a second. (Applause.) A financial system on the verge of collapse; about 700,000 workers losing their jobs each month; the worst recession of our lifetimes threatening to become another Great Depression.

That's what was happening just seven months ago. And that's why we took bold, swift action. That's why we passed an unprecedented Recovery Act, and we did it without the usual Washington earmarks and pork-barrel spending. And, Ohio, it is working. (Applause.)

Times -- times are still tough. Times are still tough, I know that. But we have given 95 percent of America's working families a tax cut -- 4.5 million families in Ohio, including here in Cincinnati -- a promise we made during the campaign; a promise I kept as President of the United States. (Applause.)

We cut taxes for small businesses, made new loans to more than 1,000 small businesses in Ohio so they could grow and hire more workers. We extended unemployment benefits for 12 million Americans, including Charlie and nearly 570,000 Ohio citizens. (Applause.) Across America, we've saved the jobs of tens of thousands of state and local workers, including teachers and first responders right here in Ohio. Don't take my word for it. Ask folks here in Ohio what they would have done if we hadn't passed the Recovery Act -- the cuts they would have had to make, the taxes they would have had to raise.

We're rebuilding America's infrastructure, including improvements to I-75 in Hamilton County, led by a local Cincinnati contractor. (Applause.) We've got more than 200 other highway projects across Ohio, and we're making a historic commitment to innovation -- much of it still to come in the months and years ahead: doubling our capacity to generate renewable energy; building a new smart grid to carry electricity from coast to coast; laying down broadband lines and high-speed rail lines and providing the largest boost in basic research in our history -- all of which will put people back to work. (Applause.) Steelworkers, plumbers, pipe-fitters, engineers, you name it.

So our recovery plan is working.

Q What about bricklayers?

THE PRESIDENT: Bricklayers, too. (Applause.) The financial system -- financial system has been saved from collapse. Home sales are up. We're seeing signs of life in the auto industry. Business investment is starting to stabilize. For the first time in 18 months, we're seeing growth in manufacturing. When was the last time you heard that here in the United States of America? (Applause.)

Now, on Friday, we learned that the economy lost another 216,000 jobs in August. And whenever Americans are losing jobs, that's simply unacceptable. But for the second straight month, we lost fewer jobs than the month before, and it was the fewest jobs that we had lost in a year. (Applause.) So, make no mistake, we're moving in the right direction. We're on the road to recovery, Ohio. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE: Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!

THE PRESIDENT: Yes we will. Yes we are.

AUDIENCE: Yes we will! Yes we will! Yes we will!

THE PRESIDENT: But -- but, my friends, we still have got a long way to go. We're not going to rest. We're not going to let up. Not until workers looking for jobs can find them -- good jobs that sustain families and sustain dreams. Not until responsible mortgage-owners can stay in their homes. Not until we've got a full economic recovery and all Americans have their shot at the American Dream. (Applause.)

Now, we can't do that if we go back to that old economy -- overleveraged banks, inflated profits, maxed-out credit cards, CEOs and bankers getting multimillion-dollar bonuses --

AUDIENCE: Booo!

THE PRESIDENT: -- an economy of bubbles and bursts, your wages and incomes stagnant while corporate profits soar. So even as we recover from the recession and work to cut the deficit, we have to build a new foundation for prosperity:

We need an America with a reformed financial system. We got to have regulations in place that protect consumers so that we never have a crisis like this again. (Applause.) I don't want to have to bail out any more banks. (Applause.) And we got to make sure we've got regulations in place to prevent it. (Applause.)

An America where energy reform creates green jobs that can never be outsourced and that finally frees America from the grip of foreign oil. (Applause.)

An America that commits to education because the countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow and the best jobs will go to the best educated. (Applause.) So we got to do a better job educating our sons and our daughters. And, yes, I'm going to have something to say tomorrow to our children, telling them to stay in school and work hard -- because that's the right message to send. (Applause.)

We need an America that once again invests in the middle class, which is why I've created our task force for middle-class working families, led by my outstanding Vice President Joe Biden to make sure that our policies always benefit you, the American worker. (Applause.)

Today we're taking another step. I'm naming Ron Bloom, who's right here -- raise your hand, Ron; he's right down in the front here. (Applause.) I'm naming Ron Bloom to lead our efforts to revitalize the sector that helped build the middle class: American manufacturing. (Applause.) Ron has worked with steelworkers, service employees, and management to create jobs. He helped guide our auto task force. And as my new point person on manufacturing, he's going to help us craft the policies that will create the next generation of great manufacturing jobs and ensure American competitiveness in the 21st century. (Applause.)

Oh, and by the way, just in case you were wondering, we're also going to build an America where health reform delivers more stability and security to every American. (Applause.) We are going to reform the system for those who have insurance and those who don't. Now, I'll have a lot more to say about this on Wednesday night. I might have to save my voice a little bit -- not get too excited. I don't want to give anything away. I want you all to tune in.

But let me just say a few things about this health care issue. We've been fighting for quality, affordable health care for every American for nearly a century -- since Teddy Roosevelt. Think about that -- long time. (Laughter.) The Congress and the country have now been vigorously debating the issue for many months. The debate has been good, and that's important because we've got to get this right. But every debate at some point comes to an end. At some point, it's time to decide. At some point, it's time to act. Ohio, it's time to act and get this thing done. (Applause.)

We have never been this close. We've never had such broad agreement on what needs to be done. And because we're so close to real reform, suddenly the special interests are doing what they always do, which is just try to scare the heck out of people.

But I've got -- I've got a question for all these folks who say, you know, we're going to pull the plug on Grandma and this is all about illegal immigrants -- you've heard all the lies. I've got a question for all those folks: What are you going to do? (Applause.) What's your answer? (Applause.) What's your solution? (Applause.) And you know what? They don't have one. (Applause.) Their answer is to do nothing. Their answer is to do nothing. And we know what that future looks like: insurance companies raking in the profits while discriminating against people because of preexisting conditions; denying or dropping coverage when you get sick. It means you're never negotiating about higher wages, because all you're spending your time doing is just trying to protect the benefits that you already fought for.

It means premiums continuing to skyrocket three times faster than your wages. It means more families pushed into bankruptcy, more businesses cutting more jobs, more Americans losing health insurance -- 14,000 every day. It means more Americans dying every day just because they don't have health insurance.

That's not the future I see for America. I see reform where we bring stability and security to folks who have insurance today -- where you never again have to worry about going without coverage if you lose your job or you change your job or you get sick. You've got coverage there for you. Where there is a cap on your out-of-pocket expenses, so you don't have to worry that a serious illness will break you and your family even if you have health insurance. (Applause.) Where you never again have to worry -- where you never again have to worry that you or someone you love will be denied coverage because of a preexisting condition. (Applause.)

I see reform where Americans and small businesses that are shut out of health insurance today will be able to purchase coverage at a price they can afford. (Applause.) Where they'll be able to shop and compare in a new health insurance exchange -- a marketplace where competition and choice will continue to hold down costs and help deliver them a better deal. And I continue to believe that a public option within that basket of insurance choices will help improve quality and bring down costs. (Applause.)

I see reform where we protect our senior citizens by closing the gaps in their prescription drug coverage under Medicare that costs older Americans thousands of dollars every years out of their pockets; reforms that will preserve Medicare and put it on a sounder financial footing and cut waste and fraud -- the more than $100 billion in unwarranted public subsidies to already profitable insurance companies.

I want a health insurance system that works as well for the American people as it does for the insurance industry. (Applause.) They should be free to make a profit. But they also have to be fair. They also have to be accountable.

That's what we're talking about -- security and stability for folks who have health insurance, help for those they don't -- the coverage they need at a price they can afford, finally bringing costs under control. That's the reform that's needed. That's the reform we're fighting for. And that's why it's time to do what's right for America's working families and put aside partisanship, stop saying things that aren't true, come together as a nation, pass health insurance reform now -- this year. (Applause.)

Few have fought harder or longer for health care in America's workers than you -- our brothers and sisters of organized labor. And just as we know that we have to adapt to all the changes and challenges of a global economy, we also know this: In good economic times and in bad, labor is not the problem. Labor is part of the solution. (Applause.)

That's why Secretary Solis made it her priority at the Labor Department to protect workers -- your safety, your benefits, your right to organize, your right to bargain collectively. (Applause.) That's why some of the first executive orders I issued overturned the previous administration's attempts to stifle organized labor. That's why I support EFCA -- to level the playing field so it's easier for employees who want a union to form a union. (Applause.) Nothing -- nothing wrong with that. Because when labor is strong, America is strong. When we all stand together, we all rise together. (Applause.)

That's why the first piece of legislation I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- (applause) -- guaranteeing equal pay for equal work. (Applause.) Lilly worked at a factory in Alabama. She did her job and she did it well. And then, after nearly two decades, she discovered that for years she was paid less than her male colleagues for doing the very same work. Over the years, she had lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages and in pension and Social Security benefits.

Lilly could have just moved on. Instead, this Alabama grandmother made a decision. She said a principle was at stake. She stood up and she spoke out for what was right -- all the way to the Supreme Court, and then Congress, and finally the White House, where she stood next to me as I signed the law that bore her name. (Applause.)

Ohio, that's the lesson this day -- that some things are worth fighting for. (Applause.) Equal pay. Fair wages. Dignity in the workplace. Justice on the job. An economy that works for everybody, because in America there are no second-class citizens. An economy where you can make a living and care for your families. Where you're leaving your kids something better. Where we live up to our fundamental ideals. Those words put on paper some 200 years ago -- that we're all created equal, that we all deserve a chance to pursue our happiness -- that's the calling to which we are summoned this Labor Day. That's the cause of my presidency. And that is the commitment we must fulfill to preserve the American Dream for all of America's working families.

But I'm going to need you to do it. At the beginning of this speech, I talked about whether you were fired up. (Applause.) I know that, over the last couple months, the economy has been bad, the recession has been wearing on folks -- people losing their jobs, people losing their health care, people losing their homes in some cases. It's been the usual bickering in Washington. Doesn't seem like that ever stops. Pundits on TV, they're saying how, oh, this isn't working and that's not working. You know, you start getting into a funk, and whenever I see folks in that negative place, I always think back to a story I told during the campaign. Some of you have heard it. But I just thought I'd say it again. (Applause.)

It's about where the phrase "fired up" comes from. So, this is when we were -- right at the beginning of the campaign for the presidency, nobody gave us a chance -- none of you all could pronounce my name. (Laughter.) And I went down to South Carolina. I went down -- I think I was -- where was I? (Laughter.) I was in Greenville -- am I right? Greenville. And the legislators were having a little banquet and they had invited me to come down to speak. And I sat next to a state representative. I had nobody supporting me back then, so I had to ask everybody. I said, will you support my campaign for the presidency of the United States? And this state rep looked me up and down and she said, "You know, I will give you my endorsement if you come to my hometown at Greenwood, South Carolina."

Now, I had had a glass of wine, so I said right away, I said, okay. (Laughter.) Let's shake on it. Come to find out that Greenwood is about an hour and a half from everyplace else. (Laughter.)

So about a month later, I fly in -- I've been campaigning for two weeks straight, haven't seen my family, I'm exhausted, I'm tired. Get to the hotel room, I'm dragging my bag into my room, about to go to bed. I get a tap on my shoulder. It's my staff member, says, "Excuse me, sir." I said, "What?" (Laughter.) He said, "You have to be in the car tomorrow at 6:30 a.m. in the morning. I said, "Why?" (Laughter.) He said, "Because we got to go to Greenwood like you promised." (Laughter.)

So the next day, I wake up and I feel worse than when I went to bed. I stagger over the window, open up the blinds -- it's pouring down rain outside; ugly day. I go out, get my newspaper, open it up, there's a bad story about me in The New York Times. I pack up my stuff, I go downstairs. My umbrella breaks and I get soaked. So that by the time I'm in the car, I'm sleepy, I'm wet, and I'm mad. (Laughter.) And we start driving, and we just keep on driving -- we're driving, we're driving, we drive -- goes on forever. Hour and a half we're driving.

Finally we get to Greenwood -- although you don't know that you're in Greenwood right away. (Laughter.) It's kind of -- a lot of fields and -- (laughter.) We pull up next to a little field house in a park and I get back out and I get a little more wet and I go inside. And after this hour-and-a-half drive, lo and behold, there are only 20 people inside. (Laughter.) And most of them are wet and don't look like they really want to be there either. (Laughter.)

So, you know, I'm a professional. I go and shake everybody's hands and I've got kind of a tight smile on my face. "How do you do? What do you do? Nice to meet you." Suddenly I hear this voice behind me, shouting out -- "Fired up?" And I'm surprised. I'm scared, almost. (Laughter.) But everybody else acts like this was normal and they all say, "Fired up!" "Ready to go?" People around me, they all say, "Ready to go!"

I don't know what's going on. I look behind me. There is a little woman. She couldn't be more than 5'2". Watch out -- you're little, too. (Laughter.) Little lady. She's about 50, 60 years old. She dressed like she just came from church. She got a big church hat. And she's smiling at me. She looks at me and she says, "Fired up!"

Turns out this woman is a city council member from Greenwood who is famous for her chant. Every event she goes to, she likes chanting. She goes, "Fired up? "Fired up!" "Ready to go?" "Ready to go!" And she does a little dance while she's doing it. (Laughter.)

So for the next five minutes, it seems like, she just keeps on saying this little chant. "Fired up?" "Fired up!" "Ready to go?" "Ready to go!" And I'm standing there and I'm thinking, this woman is upstaging me. (Laughter.) I don't know what to do. I'm looking at my staff. I'm thinking, when is this thing going to be over? (Laughter.)
But here's the thing, Ohio. After about a minute or two, I'm starting to feel kind of fired up. (Laughter and applause.) I'm starting to feel like I'm ready to go. (Applause.) So I start joining in the chant, and it's making me feel good. And for the rest of the day, whenever -- we campaigned the whole day. Whenever I saw my staff, I said, "Are you fired up?" They said, "I'm fired up, boss. Are you ready to go?" And I'd say, "I'm ready to go."

It just goes to show you how one voice can change a room. (Applause.) And if it can change a room, it can change a city. (Applause.) And if it can change a city, it can change a state. (Applause.) And if it can change a state, it can change a nation. (Applause.) And if it can change a nation, it can change the world. (Applause.) Your voice can change the world. Your voice will get health care passed. Your voice will make sure that the American worker is protected. You can build America. I need your help.

Thank you, Cincinnati. Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE: Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT: Ready to go?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Fired up?

AUDIENCE: Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT: Ready to go?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Fired up?

AUDIENCE: Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT: Ready to go?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: I love you. Bye-bye. (Applause.)

END
1:59 P.M. EDT

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama Back to School Event

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Back to School Event

http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009

The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack

Byron York - When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

Washington Examiner Political Digest http://tinyurl.com/lu69ra

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/

Byron York - When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
Unlike the Obama speech, in 1991 most of the controversy came after, not before, the president's school appearance. The day after Bush spoke, the Washington Post published a front-page story suggesting the speech was carefully staged for the president's political benefit. "The White House turned a Northwest Washington junior high classroom into a television studio and its students into props," the Post reported.

With the Post article in hand, Democrats pounced. "The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president, it should be helping us to produce smarter students," said Richard Gephardt, then the House Majority Leader. "And the president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action.'"

Byron York - Why did the press ignore the Van Jones scandal?
Certainly there's bias involved. Given what we know from the formal and informal polling of journalists at mainstream organizations, most of the people involved in political reporting are liberals, and likely Democrats. They want the Obama administration to succeed.
But the question may not be so much who they are, as who they hate, or at least who they intensely dislike.

Michael Barone - Is the Post's campaign to 'Macaca' McDonnell sputtering?
But I also take this column as advice to the Post’s news reporters, along these lines: your attempt to “Macaca” Bob McDonnell is sputtering, and if you want to elect Deeds you need to take a different tack—and you need some help from Deeds himself. Once again, that sounds like pretty good advice.

Susan Ferrechio - Congress looks to avoid overload as new session begins
When Congress gavels back in session Tuesday, lawmakers will be focused mainly on the effort to pass a major health care reform bill by the end of the year. But other big issues await the House and the Senate, including an unemployment rate that has grown from 9.4 percent to 9.7 percent since they left for the summer recess and new estimates that show the national debt will grow by $9 trillion in the next decade. And the congressional schedule could get even more complicated if President Obama opts to ask for more money to fund a major troop increase in Afghanistan that the military has signaled it wants.

Michael Barone - Unions in trouble on Labor Day
The Gallup findings are unequivocal. Approval of labor unions is down from 59% to 48%. Among Independents, it’s down even more, from 63% to 44%. Do unions mostly help or hurt the companies where they represent workers? Mostly help, 45%; mostly hurt, 46%. How about the U.S. economy in general? Mostly help, 39%; mostly hurt, 51%. Ouch.

20090908 BYork When Bush spoke to students Dems investigated

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff

Byron York - http://tinyurl.com/lu69ra When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated held hearings http://tinyurl.com/ngatl4

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/byron-york-when-bush-spoke-to-students.html http://tinyurl.com/ngatl4

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://www.westgov.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835 Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/ Blip.fm: http://blip.fm/kevindayhoff_soundtrack