519. The Fiscal Cliff Hanger

“Fiscal cliff” is the popular shorthand term used to describe the conundrum that the U.S. government will face at the end of 2012, when the terms of the Budget Control Act of 2011 are scheduled to go into effect.
Among the laws set to change at midnight on December 31, 2012, are the end of last year’s temporary payroll tax cuts (resulting in a 2% tax increase for workers), the end of certain tax breaks for businesses, shifts in the alternative minimum tax that would take a larger bite, the end of the tax cuts from 2001-2003, and the beginning of taxes related to President Obama’s health care law. At the same time, the spending cuts agreed upon as part of the debt ceiling deal of 2011 will begin to go into effect. According to Barron's, over 1,000 government programs - including the defense budget and Medicare are in line for "deep, automatic cuts."
(tags: Political Series, economy, president, congress, Barack Obama, Economics, money, taxes, laws, Health Care, House of Representatives, Senate, America, United States)

518. Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings

(tags: holiday, christmas, Political Series, Generic Series, Obama, president, Santa Claus, Hope, Barack Obama)

511. Romney Loses Election

Beating GOP candidate Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama won re-election exactly the way his campaign had predicted: by running up big margins with women and minorities, mobilizing a sophisticated registration and get-out-the-vote operation, and focusing narrowly on the battleground states that would determine the election.
(tags: election, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, DNC, GOP, 2012, President)

510. 2012 Likely Voters

(tags: election, 2012, vote, Republican, Democrat, Independent, President, Vice President, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, Statistics)

509. Halloween Booty

Sorting through the halloween goodies, 2012

(tags: Holiday, Halloween, pumpkin, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Election, Candy)

506. Back To The Future, Again.

(tags: election, 2012, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Sarah Palin, George W. Bush, Back To The Future, Delorean, Barack Obama, US Flag, GOP, vote)

505. B is for Budget

(Concept by Cali Tatum)

A day after the Twitterverse exploded in reaction to Mitt Romney's vow to fire Big Bird by cutting federal funding to PBS, "Sesame Street" declined to enter the political fray, turning down requests from TV talk shows for an appearance by the giant yellow avian.

But others voiced support on social media and elsewhere, reigniting a debate about taxpayer funding of public broadcasting. (read more http://alturl.com/rzvw7)

490. Tobacco Warnings, cont.

update 4/2/12 Louisville, Ky.— A federal law requiring cigarette packages to carry graphic warnings about the dangers of smoking and restricting how tobacco products may be marketed and advertised passes constitutional muster, a federal appeals court ruled. (more: http://alturl.com/842fb)
(tags: Cigarette, Tobacco, Smoking, warning, danger, Freedom, Economics, Barack Obama, President)

483. Obama Goes to Florida

Police in Sanford, Fla., have become the target of anger and protest around the country for failing to arrest George Zimmerman after he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
But Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law may have given them little choice.
That law grants immunity to anyone who uses deadly force, inside or outside his home, if he can reasonably claim he was defending himself.
According to 911 telephone records, 28-year-old George Zimmerman described Trayvon as a suspicious-looking black male wearing a hooded sweat shirt.

(tags: Political Series, Politics, Barack Obama, Florida, Murder, Crime, Hoodie, Trayvon, Zimmerman)

476. Obama and Netanyahu Confer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taking sharply different stands, President Barack Obama urged pressure and diplomacy to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his nation's right to a pre-emptive attack. Even in proclaiming unity on Monday, the leaders showed no give on competing ways to resolve the crisis.
and in related news: (CBS News) At a news conference at the White House on Tuesday, President Obama lashed out at Mitt Romney and the other GOP presidential candidates for "the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war," saying their rhetoric on Iran reflects the fact that they "don't have a lot of responsibilities."
and in related news:
UNITED NATIONS – Key U.N. Security Council members began discussing a possible new resolution Tuesday that demands an end to the violence in Syria, first by government forces and then by opposition fighters, in hopes of overcoming opposition from Russia and China.
and in related news:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taking sharply different stands, President Barack Obama urged pressure and diplomacy to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his nation's right to a pre-emptive attack. Even in proclaiming unity on Monday, the leaders showed no give on competing ways to resolve the crisis.
(tags: Politics, Political Series, Barack Obama, netanyahu, Middle East, War, Flag, Religion)

468. Gas Prices

NEW YORK -- The nationwide average for gasoline prices approached $3.74 a gallon Thursday, continuing a steady rise for the 23rd consecutive day, according to the motorist group AAA.
The average price rose 0.7 cent a gallon in the latest 24-hour period, AAA said. A month ago, the nationwide average was $3.44 a gallon.
Gas prices are up 14% so far in 2012. The average price is down 37.6 cents, or about 9.1%, from the record high of $4.11 on July 17, 2008.
(tags: Barack Obama, Obama, Political Series, Politics, Energy, Gas, Fuel, Petrol, Economy, election, 2012, DNC)

454. Bad Joke

This DEEP DIVE cARToon was inspired by Jason Stanford's commentary on the re-emergence of Texas Governor, Rick Perry, and what ensued at a republican event in Texas.

The Story has it that a George Washington impersonator's joke went something like: 

“A Communist, a Muslim and an illegal alien went into a tavern, And the tavern keeper said, ‘What will it be President Obama?’”

. . . and that got me thinking

Don't foget that back in July of 2009, Henry Louis Gates Jr., the Harvard professor and race-relations expert, and James Crowley, the police sergeant who controversially arrested Mr. Gates, stopped by for a round of brews that President Barack Obama hoped promoted racial comity.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs stated that "The president will drink Bud Light."
Read Mr. Stanford's commentary here: http://www.cagle.com/2012/02/governor-perry-re-emerges/ and follow him at http://jasonstanford.org/.

422. The Debt Ceiling Debacle

WASHINGTON — President Obama repeated his call Saturday morning, for House Republicans to accept a compromise that would allow the federal government to borrow more money, avoiding a potential default on its obligations. But there was no sign of progress toward a deal after the Senate on Friday night quickly rejected a Republican plan that had passed the House only hours earlier. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, were blocking a vote on a rival Democratic plan.
(tags: Political Series, Politics, Barack Obama, Obama, President, Congress, GOP, DNC, Debt, Debt Ceiling, Economy)

391. Obama 2012

U.S. President Barack Obama's campaign will lay out a huge amount of money to try to ensure he wins re-election in 2012, with many estimating that he will raise a record $1 billion.

(tags: Barack Obama, President, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, Joe Biden, Biden, Billion, Dollars, US Flag, Flag, Taxes)

386/168. Obama's Birth Certificate

see, there's all this controversy about whether Obama is a citizen, and therefore qualified to be President. Reportedly, he was born in Hawaii. This DEEP DIVE confirms that notion but introduces a new conundrum. His race. Get it? ok nevermind.

ATLANTA — Georgia is the latest state to propose legislation that questions whether President Barack Obama was born in the U.S., joining 10 other states who have measures that want more proof before his name is put on the 2012 ballot. (read more: http://alturl.com/kmcg5)

(tags: Barack Obama, Obama, Political Series, Politics, Birth Certificate, President)

383. QR Code

(tags: Political Series, technology, QR Code, Code, Barack Obama, Obama, Back To The Future)

378/3. Super Bowl Dream

(tags: Sport Series, Sports Series, Superbowl, Super Bowl, Hope, Barack Obama, Barack Obama, NFL, Football, XVL. Obama)

375. The 112th United States Congress



The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011 and will end on January 3, 2013.

363. Nobel Peace Prize In Absentia: Liu Xiaobo

NORWAY – CHINA Nobel Peace Prize goes to an empty chair

The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony went ahead without the winner, Liu Xiaobo, co-author of the pro-democracy manifesto Charter 08, who is serving 11 years in a chinese prison for demanding greater democracy in China. President Obama stated that Liu “is far more deserving of this award than I was.”

359. Obama Claus

An homage to the December 1963 Esquire Magazine cover featuring Sonny Liston, “the last man on earth America wanted to see coming down its chimney,”  and the 1967 classic, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner staring Sidney Poitier, as well as the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama.  Oh, and lest we forget, the notoriously generous, Santa Claus.

(tags: Barack Obama, Christmas, Entertainment Series, Holiday, Hope, Political Series, President, Santa, Santa Claus, Snow)