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While most people will have to wait to honor Greek Independence Day, three hundred Greek-Americans, Greeks, and Greek-lovers descended upon the White House Tuesday night to celebrate three weeks early. As the President joked, the Greeks never need an excuse to have a good time.
And there’s no doubt a good time was had by all. Not only were our appetites satiated by the talented Iron Chef Cat Cora, but our hearts were warmed by the attendance of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and, for the first time, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and his wife, Ada. This year also marked the first time the First Lady joined …
“I’m Here Because of Natoma”
This afternoon the President was in Ohio as the year-long battle to finally reform America’s health insurance system draws towards a close – and he took the opportunity to remind everybody why he has fought so hard for so long against such powerful interests. He was introduced by Connie Anderson, the sister of Natoma Canfield – a woman whose awful but all-too-common struggles have served as a brutal symbol of what is wrong with our system for millions of others.
It began with a letter – the type of letter millions of Americans have written to their presidents since the founding of this country. But this letter, which she likely never expected anybody even close to the President to see, ended up in his hands. It told …
Shared Responsibility and Accountability for Our Children’s Education
This morning Secretary of Education Arne Duncan appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America, Fox News’ Fox and Friends, CNN’s American Morning and MSNBC’s Morning Joe to talk about the President’s new blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act to overhaul No Child Left Behind. From his appearance on Good Morning America:
We have to educate our way to a better economy. We should be leading the world in college graduates, not lagging many other countries, and the way we get there is through unprecedented investment. The president is putting tremendous resources behind this and we have to lead the country in a race to the top. If we can graduate every child from High School, college and career ready and prepared to fulfill …
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1 — in every six dollars in the U.S. economy is spent on health care today. [Source]
If we do nothing, in 30 years, 1 out of every three dollars in our economy will be tied up in the health care system. [Source]
Yesterday, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute, non-partisan research organizations, released a report analyzing the cost of maintaining the status quo on health care. Here’s just a sample of what they believe we could be facing in the years ahead:
Families will face dramatically higher health care costs. Individual and family spending on premiums and out-of-pocket health care costs will increase significantly. …
So, You Want to Boost Exports? Have I Got a Program for You!
Last week, President Obama gave an important economic speech about his goal for the US to double our exports over the next five years. Get this right, and we’re talking about two million good jobs making stuff here and selling it to other countries.
The President announced a set of initiatives that will help our firms sell into foreign markets, but I’d like to talk briefly about another policy the President and Vice-President have been touting of late: the (somewhat inauspiciously named) 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit.
This is a 30 percent tax credit that can be used to offset the costs of investment in building clean energy equipment right here in the good old USA. You heard me: we build it here to expand …
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks at the White House
Every seat of the White House Movie Theater was taken by, in Tom Hanks’ memorable words, "some sort of honcho and big shot" on Thursday evening for a screening of the first episode of HBO’s new miniseries The Pacific. Produced by Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the 10 part series tells the story of the brave Americans who fought in the Pacific theater of World War II, a story not told by Hollywood as frequently as the European front. We’ve got a a behind-the-scenes video with the producing duo as they prepare to show the first hour of their work to a First audience. See an Academy Award winning producer and director turn his hand-held camera on us and the President:
Weekly Address: Education for a More Competitive America & Better Future
The President discusses his blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act to overhaul No Child Left Behind, the latest step from his Administration to encourage change and success in America’s schools at the local level.
Update: Learn more from the Department of Education.
The Vice President in the Middle East
Click here to see the photo gallery.
Yesterday, Vice President Biden spoke at Tel Aviv University in Israel about the partnership between the United States and Israel:
Israel’s unique relationship with the United States means that you need not bear that heavy burden alone. Our nations’ unbreakable bond borne of common values, interwoven cultures, and mutual interests has spanned the entirety of Israel’s history. And it’s — it’s impervious to any shifts in either country and either country’s partisan politics. No matter what challenges we face, this bond will endure. As a result, generations of Israelis and Americans and American-Israelis have kept a foot in each country, enriching both our nations and peoples. I met with some of …
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