Vancouver Moose

Eight years of Bush = only 53% of American adults believe capitalism > socialism:

President Obama Fulfills Two Critical Campaign Promises to Vets:

When the Walter Reed scandal broke in February 2007 spurring a massive public outcry, the politicians in Washington said heads would roll. But silently, and more than two years later, our seriously wounded troops continue to fall through the cracks, suffering through redundant tests, misdiagnoses, and delayed treatment all because of lost medical records.

But their saga doesn’t end there. When these troops transition from the military to the VA healthcare systems, medical records and military service records regularly get lost in the shuffle, leading to long waits for disability benefits and a drop-off in the quality of care. Our nation’s heroes deserve much more than lost paperwork and endless delays.

Today, we are finally turning the page on this horrific chapter in our nation’s history. President Obama has announced an overhaul of military and VA record keeping that will help ease the transition home for our veterans.

The immigration legislation that Obama favors sounds pretty familiar:

If this sounds an awful lot like the immigration-reform legislation, promoted by then-President Bush, that died in 2007 because Rush Limbaugh’s flying monkeys descended upon it, that’s because largely it is. In other words, it’s not very different from what a Republican President recently proffered — but which died at the hands of the rabid nativist wing of his party.

Obama may or may not have a big fight on his hands over immigration, depending on whether or not he cares what the Republicans have to say aboot the mater (and at this point, why in Allah’s name would he). Good News for US immigrants – The two major labor federations in the U.S. “have developed a unified, worker-oriented approach to reforming our broken immigration laws in a way that works for all workers in the US — both citizens and immigrants”. Thanks for the tip off Jake

Obama seeks “new beginning” with Cuba:

“Let me be clear: I am not interested in talking for the sake of talking. But I do believe that we can move U.S.-Cuban relations in a new direction,” Obama said in prepared remarks at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago.

His speech before 33 other leaders from the hemisphere reflected a desire by the U.S. president to try to end more than half a century of ideological conflict between the world superpower and the communist-ruled island.

They came a day after Cuban President Raul Castro said his government was ready to talk about “everything” with the United States, including political prisoners and press freedom.

Earlier this week, Obama relaxed parts of the 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, and the conciliatory signals from both sides have raised hopes across the hemisphere of a historic rapprochement between Washington and Havana.

U.S. warm to Venezuelan overture to return ambassadors:

Chavez — whose anti-U.S. rhetoric has included calling former President George W. Bush the devil — made the announcement Saturday after President Obama presented a different approach to the United States’ neighbors, offering “favorable prospects” for the future, a White House economic adviser said.

A big deal was made aboot Obama and Chavez shaking hands at the recent Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago. Of course, the GOP Hate Machine sprung into action, but Obama deftly shrugged them off, a sign that for the time being the Right isn’t to be taken seriously. Hopefully he shows the same attitude with immigration reform.

Previous Politics:

• BC candidate withdraws over Facebook photos, BC voters choose reporting topics, and Gordy jumps into a pit of foamies
  

• Ukraine stops dirty bomb, China has too much credit, Failed Bolivian Assassination, and more Shoe-Throwing in India
• GST, Indian Affairs, The monarchy, US-Can Softwood, Our pledge to Africa, and Former White House Men to pitch Canada