This photo is making the rounds of the office with the subject line: “cupcaaaakes.” The three extra a’s all stand for “amazing.”
If you missed the president’s State of the Union last night, here’s what we’re internally referring to as “the kick-ass section.” Watch the rest of the speech and get an overview of the key points here.
Hipster buttons: the official accessory of the Obama 2012 tech and design teams.
White House to propose raise for federal workers
The federal worker pay freeze might be over. The White House will propose a 0.5% pay increase for federal workers in its 2013 budget proposal, an official from the Office of Management and Budget said Friday.
Federal pay has been frozen since December 2010, when Congress signed off on an Obama administration proposal to freeze federal worker pay for two years in the name of deficit reduction.
The administration is expected to release its new budget in February, and any proposed increase in federal pay will require the approval of Congress.
After decades of watching American companies take jobs to other countries, we’re beginning to see entrepreneurs and manufactures make the decision to keep factories and production facilities here in the United States—or even bring jobs back to the U.S. from overseas.
Since President Obama took office, our oil imports have fallen by an average of 1.1 million barrels a day. Hashtag: progress.
Two banks repay bailout funds to Treasury
(Reuters) The Treasury Department said on Wednesday that two more banks have repaid a total $210 million in bailout funds that they received during the 2007-2009 financial crisis.
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The Treasury said in March that TARP’s bank investment programs had begun turning a profit. It said on Wednesday that, after the latest two repayments, it has recovered more than $258 billion from banks through repayments, dividends, interest and other income.
The Obama Administration and SOPA/PIPA
via Scientific American…
SOPA Opera: White House Shuts Down Online Anti-Piracy Bill
“The Obama administration is not backing down when it comes to shutting down foreign sites that distribute content illegally. However, the administration’s position also makes it clear that any proposed laws ‘must not tamper with the technical architecture of the Internet through manipulation of the domain name system (DNS), a foundation of Internet security.’ “
and from the Obama Administration…
“Right now, Congress is debating a few pieces of legislation concerning the very real issue of online piracy, including the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), the PROTECT IP Act, and the Online Protection and Digital ENforcement Act (OPEN). We want to take this opportunity to tell you what the Administration will support—and what we will not support. Any effective legislation should reflect a wide range of stakeholders, including everyone from content creators to the engineers that build and maintain the infrastructure of the Internet.
While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet.”
Guess whose birthday it is today? (Hint: she sometimes goes by “FLOTUS.”) Take a second to sign her card.
That Chicago HQ mural just got painted in.
Fed pays near-record billions to U.S. Treasury
[Agence France-Presse ][01.10.12]
The Federal Reserve said Tuesday it had paid $76.9 billion to the US Treasury from its estimated 2011 earnings, mainly income from interest collected on a range of securities. The amount was only three percent below the 2010 record payment of $79.3 billion, and reflected the extraordinary actions the Fed has taken to prop up the economy after the 2008 financial crisis.
Most of the 2011 earnings came from $83.6 billion in interest income on government-linked securities, such as US Treasury securities, the central bank said in a statement.
New Online Native American Business Primer to Help with Job Creation in Indian Country
The U.S. Small Business Administration yesterday launched a new online tool that helps Native American entrepreneurs prepare for business ownership. The Native American Small Business Primer: Strategies for Success is a free online business course developed for Native American entrepreneurs that gives an overview of basic business principles and of the SBA’s programs and services that help business owners get started.
The new primer is an important tool for American Indians, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian business owners that can lend in our nation’s overall economic health through business ownership and creating new jobs. Our ultimate goal is to help spur job creation and to stimulate economic and business development in our Native American communities.
President Obama sat down for a meal yesterday with Scott, Valarie, Kathie, and Bill—four campaign supporters who won our recent “Dinner with Barack” contest. As you can see, he had a terrible time.
We Can’t Wait to Help Young Americans Find Jobs
Today President Obama announced a new initiative, Summer Jobs+, that will make a difference.
“America’s young people face record unemployment, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they’ve got the opportunity to earn the skills and a work ethic that come with a job. It’s important for their future, and for America’s. That’s why I proposed a summer jobs program for youth in the American Jobs Act – a plan that Congress failed to pass. America’s youth can’t wait for Congress to act. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. That’s why today, we’re launching Summer Jobs+, a joint initiative that challenges business leaders and communities to join my Administration in providing hundreds of thousands of summer jobs for America’s youth.”
Summer Jobs+ is a call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012. The President proposed $1.5 billion for high-impact summer jobs and year-round employment for low-income youth ages 16-24 in the American Jobs Act as part of the Pathways Back to Work fund. When Congress failed to act, the Federal government and private sector came together to commit to creating nearly 180,000 employment opportunities for low-income youth in the summer of 2012, with a goal of reaching 250,000 employment opportunities by the start of summer, at least 100,000 of which will be placements in paid jobs and internships.
America’s Consumer Watchdog
Today the President will appoint Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has one important job: look out for the best interest of American consumers. He’ll work on behalf of millions of families across the nation to ensure they’re not being taken advantage of by debt collectors and credit reporting agencies. As America’s consumer watchdog, Cordray will work to ensure that families and students don’t get saddled with sky-high interest rates by mortgage or payday lenders. Bottom line: he’ll strengthen oversight and accountability in order to protect millions of families across the nation. This is an important step to protect the American people.
The President nominated Mr. Cordray last summer. Unfortunately, Republicans in the Senate blocked his confirmation. They refused to let the Senate go forward with an up or down vote. It’s not because Republicans think Cordray isn’t qualified for the job, they simply believe that the American public doesn’t need a watchdog at all. Well, we disagree.
And we can’t wait for Republicans in the Senate to act. Now, you might hear some folks across the aisle criticize this “recess appointment.” It’s probably the same folks who don’t think we need a tough consumer watchdog in the first place. Those critics might tell you that Wall Street should write their own rules. Or you might hear them say the American people are better off when everyone is left to fend for themselves. Again, we disagree with those critics.
