manic March Monday … madness

just another rant …

Phil’s Burrow (Photo credit: Heather Culligan)

On a cold February day, people on the east coast put on top hats and tuxedos while Woodchuck weatherman Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, but as the days passed record warmth as well as tornadoes rain and winter storms interrupted the living caused the deaths of many.

No one really had to tell us but as meteors flew by en masse, several trained meteorologists set out to dash our hopes for an early spring in strange and wonderful ways. I have to say it seemed as if most laughed it off at first but as we slid into the first day of spring those weather people confirmed that we will indeed have two more weeks of cold weather. In fact, just days from rain a snowstorm made itself known on the first day of spring. It was is sunny and or hot in parts of the country, mostly on the left coast while others are getting up to 30 inches of snow reminding us not only of that natural disaster Katrina but that climate change is no joke . The winter cold snap is still plaguing the Mid-West and East Coast while spring like weather tries to break out on the West Coast as cold morning’s move into afternoon warmth that dips into lower temperatures when the evening rolls back around. I will say it again, talk about some useless prairie dogs ok, they are from the woodchuck, whistle pig,  land and beaver family … whatever, Punxsutawney Phil was wrong !

Weekly Address: End the Sequester to Keep Growing the Economy.

In his weekly address, President Obama said that businesses have created jobs every month for three years straight — nearly 6.4 million altogether, and have added 246,000 new jobs in February. We must keep this momentum going, and that’s why the President recently met with Republican leaders to discuss how we can replace the harmful, arbitrary budget cuts, called the “sequester,” with balanced deficit reduction.

NMAAHC

As we gather with family and friends to share old memories and make new ones, everyone at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture wishes you and yours the happiest of holidays.We also offer our prayers and hopes for good health and prosperity for the New Year. Since we broke ground in February of this year, the construction at our site is proceeding full-steam ahead. In early 2013, the steel will start to rise,forever changing the landscape of the National Mall in Washington, DC. In the days ahead I promise to keep you fully informed of our progress. Finally, let me thank you for the support and commitment you have made to the Museum. You helped make 2012 a truly exciting year. I believe 2013 will surpass it, as together we speed toward the Museum’s grand opening in 2015. Thank you again. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! All the best, Lonnie Bunch Director

Lonnie G. Bunch at The NMAAHC

I’m writing to wish you and yours a happy Thanksgiving!

Today, I’d like to thank you for your support on behalf of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

This has been a big year for us — in February, we celebrated our groundbreaking. Construction is underway, and we are on target to open our doors in 2015.

With your loyalty and support, millions of people will experience the American story through a different lens, that of African American history and culture.

Thank you again for helping us build this important new addition to the Smithsonian family of museums. We can’t wait to see you in the Museum when we open!

From all of us here, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Edison R. Wato, Jr.
Membership Program Manager

the Progress Report

Jobs Day, By the Numbers

By ThinkProgress War Room

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

Today is Jobs Friday.

Here’s the rundown on the monthly employment report from the Department of Labor.

-647,000…the number of jobs created lost in state and local governments since August 2008.

-22,000…the average number of public sector jobs created lost each month in 2011, thanks to ongoing spending cuts at all levels of government which in turn continue to drive layoffs at the state and local level.

-14,000…the number of construction industry jobs created lost last month, something which could have been avoided and turned into a net positive for the economy if Republicans had not blocked the infrastructure investments in the American Jobs Act.

-6,000…the number of public sector jobs created lost last month, thanks to ongoing spending cuts at all levels of government which in turn continue to drive layoffs at the state and local level.

3…the number of consecutive months with more than 200,000 jobs gained.

24…the number of consecutive months of private sector job growth.

31,000…the number of manufacturing jobs created last month.

61,000…the additional jobs created during the months of December and January, according to revised figures released today.

61,000…the number of new health care jobs created last month.

227,000…the number of net new jobs created in February.

233,000…the number of private sector jobs created in February.

245,000…the average number of new jobs created over the past three months.

444,000…the number of jobs in durable goods manufacturing added since January 2010.

GOP Austerity in Action: Public Sector Job Losses Drag Down the Recovery

While Republicans are calling for tens or even hundreds of thousands more public sector workers to be axed, it’s clear that the public sector has already severely contracted even as the private sector recovers. Check out this chart (red is public sector employment, blue is private sector employment):

If Republicans had not blocked further aid to state and local governments and insisted on deep spending cuts, it’s almost certain that hundreds of thousands of public workers would still be gainfully employed and helping to fuel a strong recovery thanks to their own personal consumption. Instead, the 647,000 public sector jobs lost since August 2008 continue to provide a drag on the overall economy, in addition of course to creating untold hardship for those who lost their jobs.

(In case you’re wondering, that spike in public sector employment was due to the hiring of temporary census workers in 2010.)

Opposite Day: GOP Uses Improving Economy to Attack the President

When the news on jobs day was less encouraging than in recent months, the GOP had a singular strategy: blame Obama. And now in the face of months of solid job growth, the GOP’s strategy: ignore reality, find a way to blame Obama. Here’s a sample of some of the reactions to today’s good news on the economy:

Mitt Romney: “This president has failed.”

Speaker Boehner: “It is a testament to the hard work and entrepreneurship of the American people that they are creating any jobs in the midst of the onslaught of anti-business policies coming from this administration.”

RNC Chair Rience Priebus: “Today’s jobs report is yet another reminder that far too many Americans are out of work, and the situation is clearly not improving.”

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

Alabama’s primary could very well matter, even if it doesn’t doom Romney.

Jonathan Cohn asks, “when can we start calling it a recover?”

Sen. James Inhofe: The Bible proves climate change is a hoax.

Is pink underwear unconstitutional? If you’re Sheriff Joe Arpaio, it might be.

Mitt Romney used private emails to conduct official business while he was governor.

The Romney campaign once again heavily redacted a newspaper endorsement when distributing it to press, cutting out an attack on his tax plan and praise for President Obama.

Hug-gate: “smoking gun” on Obama from Breitbart website was a joke — literally.

Students silently protest professor who defended Limbaugh, ridiculed Sandra Fluke.

The GOP’s gains with women are vanishing.

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