Let's say you're preparing dinner and you realize with dismay that you don't have any certified organic Tuscan kale. What to do?
Here's how Michelle Obama handled this very predicament Thursday afternoon:
The Secret Service and the D.C. police brought in three dozen vehicles and shut down H Street, Vermont Avenue, two lanes of I Street and an entrance to the McPherson Square Metro station. They swept the area, in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with bomb-sniffing dogs and installed magnetometers in the middle of the street, put up barricades to keep pedestrians out, and took positions with binoculars atop trucks. Though the produce stand was only a block or so from the White House, the first lady hopped into her armored limousine and pulled into the market amid the wail of sirens.
Then, and only then, could Obama purchase her leafy greens. "Now it's time to buy some food," she told several hundred people who came to watch. "Let's shop!"
Cowbells were rung. Somebody put a lei of marigolds around Obama's neck. The first lady picked up a straw basket and headed for the "Farm at Sunnyside" tent, where she loaded up with organic Asian pears, cherry tomatoes, multicolored potatoes, free-range eggs and, yes, two bunches of Tuscan kale. She left the produce with an aide, who paid the cashier as Obama made her way back to the limousine.
There's nothing like the simple pleasures of a farm stand to return us to our agrarian roots.
The first lady had encouraged Freshfarm Markets, the group that runs popular farmers markets in Dupont Circle and elsewhere, to set up near the White House, and she helped get the approvals to shut down Vermont Avenue during rush hour on Thursdays. But the result was quite the opposite of a quaint farmers market. Considering all the logistics, each tomato she purchased had a carbon footprint of several tons.
The promotion of organic and locally grown food, though an admirable cause, is a risky one for the Obamas, because there's a fine line between promoting healthful eating and sounding like a snob. The president, when he was a candidate in 2007, got in trouble in Iowa when he asked a crowd, "Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?" Iowans didn't have a Whole Foods.
For that reason, it's probably just as well that the first lady didn't stop by the Endless Summer Harvest tent yesterday. The Virginia farm had a sign offering "tender baby arugula" -- hydroponically grown, pesticide free -- and $5 for four ounces, which is $20 a pound.
Obama, in her brief speech to the vendors and patrons, handled the affordability issue by pointing out that people who pay with food stamps would get double the coupon value at the market. Even then, though, it's hard to imagine somebody using food stamps to buy what the market offered: $19 bison steak from Gunpowder Bison, organic dandelion greens for $12 per pound from Blueberry Hill Vegetables, the Piedmont Reserve cheese from Everson Dairy at $29 a pound. Rounding out the potential shopping cart: $4 for a piece of "walnut dacquoise" from the Praline Bakery, $9 for a jumbo crab cake at Chris's Marketplace, $8 for a loaf of cranberry-walnut bread and $32 for a bolt of yarn.
The first lady said the market would particularly appeal to federal employees in nearby buildings to "pick up some good stuff for dinner." Yet even they might think twice about spending $3 for a pint of potatoes when potatoes are on sale for 40 cents a pound at Giant. They could get nearly five dozen eggs at Giant for the $5 Obama spent for her dozen.
But whatever the socioeconomics, there can be no doubt that Obama brought some serious attention to her cause. Hundreds of people crowded the market entrance on I Street as police directed pedestrians to alternative subway entrances. Hundreds braved a light rain and gave a hearty cheer when Obama and her entourage took the stage. "I can't imagine there's been a day in the history of our country when people have been more excited about farmers markets," Mayor Adrian Fenty, Obama's warm-up act, told the crowd.
The first lady, in gray slacks and blue sweater, marveled that the people were "so pumped up" despite the rain. "I have never seen so many people so excited about fruits and vegetables!" she said. (Must be the tender baby arugula.)
She spoke of the global reach of her cause: "The first thing world leaders, prime ministers, kings, queens ask me about is the White House garden. And then they ask about Bo."
She spoke of the fuel fed to the world's most powerful man: "I've learned that when my family eats fresh food, healthy food, that it really affects how we feel, how we get through the day . . . whether there's a Cabinet meeting or whether we're just walking the dog."
And she spoke of her own culinary efforts: "There are times when putting together a healthy meal is harder than you might imagine."
Particularly when it involves a soundstage, an interpreter for the deaf, three TV satellite trucks and the closing of part of downtown Washington.
Ahh... Now we're starting to see the whole Obamacare picture. If Barack Obama does not completely destroy this country's economy in his first four years it will be a miracle. The Washington Times reported:
President Obama said this week that his health care plan won't cover illegal immigrants, but argued that's all the more reason to legalize them and ensure they eventually do get coverage.
He also staked out a position that anyone in the country legally should be covered - a major break with the 1996 welfare reform bill, which limited most federal public assistance programs only to citizens and longtime immigrants.
"Even though I do not believe we can extend coverage to those who are here illegally, I also don't simply believe we can simply ignore the fact that our immigration system is broken," Mr. Obama said Wednesday evening in a speech to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. "That's why I strongly support making sure folks who are here legally have access to affordable, quality health insurance under this plan, just like everybody else.
Mr. Obama added, "If anything, this debate underscores the necessity of passing comprehensive immigration reform and resolving the issue of 12 million undocumented people living and working in this country once and for all."
Barack Obama can no more disown ACORN than he could disown his own shadow.
He IS ACORN. And ACORN is him. The “accountability” that White House flack Robert Gibbs says they take “extremely seriously” doesn’t extend to Team Obama itself — and the accountability they have evaded for pouring more than $800,000 into an ACORN front group for campaign advance work that was mysteriously re-classified as “get-out-the-vote” work.
As for the ACORN “advisory committee” that will “audit” the group’s illicit activities, I repeat:
President Obama dismayed America's allies in Europe and angered his political opponents at home today when he formally ditched plans to set up a missile defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The project had been close to the heart of Mr Obama's predecessor, President Bush, who had argued before leaving office in January that it was needed to defend against long-range ballistic missile attacks from rogue states such as Iran and North Korea.
But it had hobbled relations with Russia, which considered it both a security threat and an unnecessary political provocation in its own backyard.
At a White House appearance today, Mr Obama confirmed that the defence shield envisaged by the Bush Administration, involving a radar base in the Czech Republic and interceptor rockets sited in Poland, was being abandoned.
You'll never see this in the US press-- The Telegraph reported: "Group once linked to Barack Obama taped giving advice to 'brothel owners'"
The Telegraph reported what the US state-run media is hiding from the American public-- That the US Census Bureau has broken links with the controversial community group Acorn, once a close ally of President Barack Obama, after it supported a purported brothel owner with a stable of underage prostitutes.
ACORN is the largest radical Leftist group in America today. This radical group worked closely with the Obama campaign during the election. But, the community organizing group was not open about this. The photo below was scrubbed from the ACORN website before the election:
Maybe that's why the US media refuses to touch this story-- It might make the radical in the White House look bad.
Related... The ACORN story is not the only news the state-run media is ignoring. Last week The New York Times refused to report on the Van Jones scandal. Their first print story on the controversy hit the streets more than a day after he resigned. Kyle Smith at the New York Post reported on this embarrassment:
Long after Glenn Beck reported — back in July — that Jones was history’s first communist czar, and even after Gateway Pundit reported, on Sept. 3, that Jones had signed a wackadoodle 9/11 “truther” petition, The Times sent two reporters to Boston (in a story published Friday, Sept. 4) to pre-report the non-story of Joseph P. Kennedy II’s run for Ted Kennedy’s seat. (He later said he wasn’t interested. Also, the picture of Joseph the Times ran was actually of his brother Max.)
Granted, the Times must devote a lot of personpower to its vast corrections column. But if it is so flush that it can afford to hire, like the boy with the shovel who follows the elephant in the parade, a personal fact checker for TV critic Alessandra Stanley, surely it can scrounge up an intern to report that there’s a communist truther working as the president’s green jobs czar, or that a congressman was demanding his resignation (Sept. 4).
Jill Abramson, the managing editor, admitted only to being “a beat behind” the story but added that the paper had caught up — after the saga was over. The EMS equivalent of this statement would be, “Sorry I didn’t take your 911 call for four days. At least I was in time for the funeral.”
Although Abramson’s excuse was not an excuse, she proceeded to offer another one: “Mr. Jones was not a high-ranking official.”
Oh. And here I was, thinking that he was “one of Mr. Obama’s top advisers,” as I was told by, well, The Times, on its Caucus blog on Sept. 5. Confusing, confusing.
Only in Timesland can you be in charge of doling out $80 billion in contracts (“A Small White House Program” — The Times’ John M. Broder, on Sept. 6) and be less important than the Naked Cowboy.
Big Government continues to be all over the ACORN prostitution scandal.
Up to two million march to US Capitol to protest against Obama's spending in 'tea-party' demonstration
Up to two million people marched to the U.S. Capitol today, carrying signs with slogans such as "Obamacare makes me sick" as they protested the president's health care plan and what they say is out-of-control spending.
The line of protesters spread across Pennsylvania Avenue for blocks, all the way to the capitol, according to the Washington Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
People were chanting "enough, enough" and "We the People." Others yelled "You lie, you lie!" and "Pelosi has to go," referring to California congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
Demonstrators waved U.S. flags and held signs reading "Go Green Recycle Congress" and "I'm Not Your ATM." Men wore colonial costumes as they listened to speakers who warned of "judgment day" - Election Day 2010.
Richard Brigle, 57, a Vietnam War veteran and former Teamster, came from Michigan. He said health care needs to be reformed - but not according to President Barack Obama's plan.
"My grandkids are going to be paying for this. It's going to cost too much money that we don't have," he said while marching, bracing himself with a wooden cane as he walked.
FreedomWorks Foundation, a conservative organization led by former House of Representatives Majority Leader Dick Armey, organized several groups from across the country for what they billed as a "March on Washington."
Organizers say they built on momentum from the April "tea party" demonstrations held nationwide to protest tax policies, along with growing resentment over the economic stimulus packages and bank bailouts.
Celebrating the 9/12 rallies; Turnout estimated at 2 million
I can’t make it to Washington DC today for the national 9/12 march, but I’m with all the marchers in spirit.
It’s been an unprecedented year for limited government activism. It would never have been possible without the early initiative of grass-roots leaders in the #tcot community on Twitter, Smart Girl Politics #DontGo — and concerned women like Keli Carender and Amanda Grosserode who stood up in their communities against reckless spending in Washington before anyone was listening. Before the cable news was paying attention. Before it became fashionable for politicians to latch on.
Activists were derided as amateurs who couldn’t turn out a crowd. Then they were smeared as corporate shills. They were criticized for not having a coherent message. Then they were mocked for ideological single-mindedness. They are resented by professional strategists who accuse them of organizing empty protests that won’t translate into electoral gains. But the movement has given birth to a new generation of movers and shakers who have rejected establishment partisan politics for nimble, Internet-facilitated, issues-based advocacy.
The success of the Tea Party movement and its allies/successors shows that there’s no monopoly on “community organizing.”
So, how many were there? Allah looks at the numbers reports here. He writes:
However big it was, it was bigger than expected. From the NYT: “Many came on their own and were not part of an organization or group. But the magnitude of the rally took the authorities by surprise, with throngs of people streaming from the White House to Capitol Hill for more than three hours.”
As I joked after the Tax Day Tea Party: “When left-wing activists make crowd estimates, the algorithm is: Six figures = one million.”
Safe to say, by liberal math standards, today’s turnout rivaled the “Million Man March” and the “Million Mom March” for sure.
Late update: The misattribution to ABC News came from Freedomworks:
Conservative activists, who organized a march on the U.S. Capitol today in protest of the Obama administration’s health care agenda and government spending, erroneously attributed reports on the size of the crowds to ABC News.
Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks, the group that organized the event, said on stage at the rally that ABC News was reporting that 1 million to 1.5 million people were in attendance.
At no time did ABC News, or its affiliates, report a number anywhere near as large. ABCNews.com reported an approximate figure of 60,000 to 70,000 protesters, attributed to the Washington, D.C., fire department. In its reports, ABC News Radio described the crowd as “tens of thousands.”
Brendan Steinhauser, spokesman for FreedomWorks, said he did not know why Kibbe cited ABC News as a source.
As a result of Kibbe’s erroneous attribution, several bloggers and commenters repeated the misinformation.
Here’s an excerpt from my Dallas Tea Party remarks on July 4 in celebration of today’s events across the country:
I’ve been reading in the newspapers about how the Tea Party movement is “losing steam.” I’ve been told by my colleagues in the mainstream, lame-stream, drive-by, state-SPONSORED media that you have died.
I’ve been told by the smug vulgarians on cable TV (yes, that’s you Anderson Cooper) and I’ve been told by the bigoted know-nothings in Hollywood (yes, that’s you Janeane Garofalo) that you all are nothing more than a teeny, tiny minority of fringe extremists.
I’ve been told that…thousands upon thousands of committed, peaceful, principled sons and daughters of liberty [do not] exist.
Well, I am happy to report to the rest of the country that you Tea Party Patriots are alive and kicking and moving full steam ahead in the common defense of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
They want you gone.
They want you silent and out of sight.
They want you marginalized, demonized, and demoralized.
Will you let them?
…On July 3, 1776, John Adams expressed his wish to his wife Abigail that Independence Day would be “celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.” He hoped it would “be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty” and “solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.“
“My fellow Americans.” There are few words sweeter and more stirring than those three words. “My fellow Americans.”
Whether native-born or naturalized, we [are] united in citizenship, joined by common purpose, bound eternally as heirs of our founding fathers’ legacy.
We are not here merely for the games, sports, bells, and bonfires. We are here because we recognize the grave importance and civic duty to remember the reason for the July 4 season.
And the reason for the season is: LIBERTY.
The reason for the season is: LIBERTY.
As you all know, I am the daughter of legal immigrants from the Philippines. They stood in line, took their citizenship tests, filed mountains of paperwork, and — speaking in English — swore allegiance to the United States. The more- than-two-century-old oath of American citizenship declares, in part:
“I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty … I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic… I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
For millions of naturalized Americans by choice, the oath of allegiance is sacred. It is as sacred to them as the very first oath of allegiance our forefathers first swore to at Valley Forge. It is a solemn public commitment to embrace and defend American laws and institutions. The rights and responsibilities that accompany this coveted status are earned privileges, not entitlements.
That inheritance of rights as well as duties is in my bloodstream and in yours. Our skin may be brown, yellow, black, or white. But as fellow Americans, my fellow Americans, we share this transcendent fidelity to liberty.
On July 4, 1821, John Quincy Adams reminded us that our interest in commemorating the Declaration of Independence was not merely in enumerating its list of grievances against British tyranny. But more importantly, our lasting interest lies in commemorating the “principles which [the Declaration of Independence] proclaims.”
This extraordinary document was, JQ Adams said, “the first solemn declaration by a nation of the only legitimate foundation of civil government. It was the corner stone of a new fabric, destined to cover the surface of the globe. It demolished at a stroke the lawfulness of all governments founded upon conquest. It swept away all the rubbish of accumulated centuries of servitude. It announced in practical form to the world the transcendent truth of the unalienable sovereignty of the people.”
This transcendent truth, enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and embodied by America over 233 years, has indeed covered the surface of the globe. While we too often take it for granted, it thrives in the hearts and minds of fellow freedom lovers in China, Cuba, Honduras, Iraq, Iran, and around the world.
Every day should be July 4. Every day should be a day to count our blessings and marvel at the gifts our God and country have bestowed — and to which we have all been entrusted to protect and pass on to our children and their children.
At an Atlanta Tea Party in February, some kids held up a popular tongue-in-cheek sign that read: “When I grow up, I want to be free.”
What their parents certainly know, and what our Founding Fathers made clear to their oppressors and the world, is that we are born free.
Freedom is not for government to give.
But it is for all of us to ensure that government does not take away.
On this first principle, we can afford no moderation. The business of protecting our home life from meddling intrusion, our homeland from foreign invasion, and our commerce from reckless restriction is not to be conducted in dulcet tones with bent spines and bowed heads.
The founding fathers did not intend for us to politely implore the masters of government for freedom like oliver twist begging Mr. bumble to fill his meager bowl with more gruel:
“Please sir, I want some more.”
Only extreme vigilance – forceful, rabble-rousing, aggressive, unyielding vigilance, can safeguard our inalienable rights. And in practicing this extremism, we have nothing – NOTHING – to apologize for. Ever.
We have spent many months enumerating our grievances against the soft tyranny of a new age. And tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow we will continue to do so.
But today, we have no time to despair. There is no room for gloom. you have been mocked and derided and smeared. you will be mocked and derided and smeared some more.
But our forefathers have suffered far worse. And so have the men and women on the front lines over the ages who have given arms and legs, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, husbands and wifes.
John Adams knew the price they would pay, and yet maintained hope, real hope: “I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory.”
We take strength in each other. We take inspiration from the past.
We publicly declare our independence from the culture of dependency.
We publicly declare our independence from the false guardians of the free market.
We publicly declare our independence from the culture of corruption.
We publicly declare our independence from the poseurs of personal responsibility in both major political parties.
We should take these obligations freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help us God.
Today I have Signed up to participate with Project 2,996, a tribute to the victims of 9/11. Each year they honor them by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers.
Thomas Joseph Shubert, Age 43 had his life tragically taken away on September 11th, 2001. His life was lost but not forgotten. The following is a summery of his life and death so he will continue to be remembered.
Early Life:
"Thomas Shubert was born in Jackson Heights on February 4, 1958. He attended PS 27 for several years until entering St. Fidelis. He was an active young man in soccer, little league as well as the bowling league every Saturday at the old College Lanes. Thomas’ commitment to a solid work ethic is what propelled him on his way into the business world. After graduating high school, he went straight to Wall Street landing his first job with Irving Trust."
Family:
Thomas married Diane Rodriguez and together they had a daughter named Renee. Renee was only five years old when her father was killed. In a memorial page Renee says that she wishes she could have had more time with her dad:
"He was my father and from what I can remember a wonderful man. I was only 5 years old when he died, so all I can say is that I wish I could've gotten to know him better."
Thomas's mother Sheila Shubert says: "I used to look out the window and see him,” and his brother Edward Shubert states: "This was an attack on us as humanity, man as a whole,”.
A friend Tim Shelley sends his message to Tom:
"TOM: We were classmates in grade school. We learned our work ethic delivering newspapers from 5am to 7:30am everyday together before school at St.Fidelis. You had such a wonderful sense of humor. See you again someday. Your friend: Tim Shelley"
9-11-2001:
Thomas J. Shubert was an employee of Cantor Fitzgerald, he worked as an International trader inside the World Trade Center. He was murdered alongside his colleagues on this horrific day along with 657 other employees of Cantor Fitzgerald.
After Death:
Thomas Shubert was not forgotten among his his family and the people around him.
"On September 19, Cantor Fitzgerald made a pledge to distribute 25 percent of the firm's profits for the next five years, and committed to paying for ten years of health care, for the benefit of the families of its 658 former Cantor Fitzgerald, eSpeed, and TradeSpark employees."
"In 2006 the company completed its promise, having paid a total of $180 million."
Thomas's widow Diane Shubert and their daughter Renee both joined with City Councilman Tony Avella at an unveiling of a street sign to honor him and the many others who died on that day.
127th Street and 11th Avenue in College Point was renamed Thomas J. Shubert Avenue. Shubert and his brother played in the neighborhood when they were kids and his mother can see the sign right from her home. His mother says: “It will be like looking out the window all over again.". His brother also ads: “So I would hope that anyone who would walk by would stop for a second and remember what happened that day."
I had never heard of Thomas before I started to look up information about him but from what I can tell he seems like he was a very decent person with a loving family, someone with a life to live and ready to share with others and that's what matters most in his memory. Today I celebrate the people with life to give rather than the people that wish to take it away.
