Rush expresses what all intelligent people feel...

It's not so much that Obamacare was not repealed, it was that it was declared a tax. (Obama said it wasn't a tax, the Supreme Court has just said it is.) So it just opens the door for the government to tax us to our last dime. RUSH: Okay, folks. I now know what happened yesterday. I've had time to dig into this. Time that I did not have prior to yesterday's program and did not have during the program. And I can't tell you how sick I am. I am literally sick over what happened yesterday. I don't know how else to describe it. Literally sick. ...

A giant total fraud was perpetrated on this country yesterday. The Supreme Court as an institution is forever tarnished. There are now no limits anywhere on the size, scope, the growth of government. We were the victims of a purposeful, intentional fraud yesterday. There is no way, were anybody in Washington concerned about the Constitution, there is no way Obamacare gets anywhere close to being law in this country. There is no way it even approaches constitutionality. And the chief justice of the US Supreme Court knew that. He felt it was his duty, however, to save the legislation.

I don't even care about motivation. I don't care if it's because he wants the New York Times and Washington Post in love with him. I don't care if he wants to be the next John Marshall. I don't care. All I know is that we were defrauded in front of our eyes, wide open. We were taunted, defrauded, mocked, laughed at. I guess 5-4 court decisions are perfectly fine now. Oh yeah, hey, we'll take whatever we can get, we'll take it however we can get it. Even if they have to invent law, even if they have to rewrite a statute that was so poorly written, it wouldn't have gotten past a first grader who understood the Constitution.

Folks, having now learned what happened, and by the way, I can't take much more reading the faint praise for Justice Roberts. There are a lot of conservatives who are trying to find some comfort in all of this by pointing out that justice Roberts ruled that the Commerce Clause isn't a catchall that justifies anything Congress wants to do. "Hey, Rush, we got to look at what we won here." I understand that theory. You do want to try to take the best of things that you can. But this is theft! Theft of liberty and freedom right in front of our eyes. Okay. So the Commerce Clause has been limited, so? Now we get to pay a tax for something we don't do. But it's worse than that. It really is akin to going into a 7-Eleven, and saying to the clerk, "No, I really don't want to buy any gum."

"Well, okay, tax on that is $2.35."

That's what's happened here. I see all these people running around now thinking they've got free health care, and for the next year-and-a-half that's what it's gonna look like. Michelle Obama, "Guess what, contraception is now free." She's got a list of all the things that are free. AP has a list of all the things that are free for everybody. What happened here basically is that Justice Roberts stretched the limits to avoid being accused of activism. He wanted to avoid being accused of activism. Activism, in this case, would have been finding the law as it is unconstitutional. So he succumbed to fear that doing that, upholding the Constitution, would have resulted in him being accused of activism. So what he did, he stretched the limits to avoid being accused of activism, and in the process, he became more activist than any justice in recent memory.

He actually wrote this. It makes going without insurance just another thing the government taxes, like buying gasoline or earning income. That's all it is here. He's got this law, Congress wants this law, the president wants this law, it's entirely unconstitutional. And they all knew this. Other than the four liberals, they all knew the whole thing was unconstitutional and Justice Roberts decided to rewrite it. He rewrote the legislation in a way that Congress never intended it. It would be like a judge making up for an incompetent lawyer in court and finding somebody who's guilty totally innocent just because the judge wanted to appear magnanimous. Or vice versa. It makes going without insurance just another thing the government taxes, like buying gasoline or earning income.

Well, there's a big difference. You don't have to buy gasoline. And for 48% of the country, you don't have to earn an income. But we are all going to have to pay a tax for not doing something. And that starts a limitless universe of activity or lack of activity that can be taxed. There's a doctrine of law that says you don't reach constitutional issues if there is an alternative basis to decide the case. Do you recall we talked yesterday toward the end of the program, and I was admittedly confused because I hadn't had time to read the decision, nor read any analysis of it. Things were happening lickity split here, rat-tat-tat. But something yesterday that had me constantly confused was Justice Ginsburg's dissent. She's in the majority, what was she dissenting against?

If Holder *Didn't* KNow, He Was Incompetent

Holder and the President's big thing, apparently, is that they "didn't know" about Fast and Furious. It was a program set up under Bush.

Well, let's assume for a minute it was. Holder should have found out about it within the first week of taking office. Isn't that the first thing you do when you become Attorney General of the United States, have all your minions come in and give you a report on what's going on in your department?

RUSH: Drudge has a story up. The headline has been his lead item all day. "Secret Wiretaps Rock Department of Justice." It's a Roll Call story. And everybody's trying to read it and nobody can click on it because their servers are shut down. So I got people e-mailing me, "What's that about? What's that about, Rush?" Here it is. Let me tell what you it's about. The wiretap angle on Fast and Furious is this.

Federal law requires a prosecutor seeking a wiretap to describe to the judge what investigative techniques have been used in the investigation. You don't just get a wiretap because you ask for it. You've got to tell a judge what you're doing. Now, those wiretap applications must -- by law -- be approved by Justice Department officials before they can be submitted to the judge. Now, Holder is claiming that he and other DOJ officials didn't know about the gun-walking, and this puts the lie to that.

That's why the wiretaps have rocked the DOJ.

Now, if the wiretaps complied with federal law, the wiretap applications would have had to reveal the gun-walking to the court. They would have had to have been told about that. DOJ officials would have had to review and approve those wiretap applications before they could be submitted to the court, which means that the DOJ officials must have known about gun-walking long before Agent Terry was killed in December 2010. And, therefore, it's likely -- very likely -- that Holder was personally informed about it too.

And he's out saying he didn't know anything about it, that it was Bush's program under [Attorney General Michael] Mukasey, and he and Obama didn't know anything about it. The Department of Justice has so far refused to show Issa's committee the wiretap applications. So you put two and two together and everybody is asking, "What are they trying to hide?" They're trying to hide that they knew anything about it while they're trying to deny any knowledge of it. That's why everybody's trying to click on that and find out what that's all about.

29 June 2012, Fro, Rush Limbaugh headlines

--I Am Literally Sick Over This Obamacare Travesty
--Unbelievable! NRCC Fundraises Off of Decision, Agrees It Wasn't the Court's Role to Defend the US Constitution
--Why Didn't John Roberts "Stretch" to Find Arizona's Law Enforcing Federal Immigration Statutes Constitutional?
--Free Care? Ha! Regime Threatens to Veto Defense Bill Because It Doesn't Hike Health Care Fees for Military
--Marbury v. Madison is Out and Roberts v. America is In
--Barry's Katrina? Obama and the Colorado Wildfires
--Pundits Apply Tortured Logic to Applaud Roberts
--Caller Makes Us Feel Better About Ruling, Gets Free Tea
--Wiretaps May Prove Holder Knew About Fast & Furious

29 June, Thu, SoS Clinton and staff schedule

SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

Secretary Clinton is on foreign travel to St. Petersburg, Russia and Geneva, Switzerland. The Secretary is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Gordon, Ambassador Verveer, VADM Harry B. Harris, Jr., JCS, and Director Sullivan.
4:30 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with civil society representatives, in St. Petersburg, Russia
(OPEN PRESS FOR REMARKS)

6:00 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matvienko, in St. Petersburg, Russia
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING MEETING)

6:20 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton tours the Catherine Palace with Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matvienko, in St. Petersburg, Russia
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

7:00 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton delivers remarks at the APEC Women and the Economy Forum Reception, in St. Petersburg, Russia
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

8:05 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in St. Petersburg, Russia
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

8:25 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in a working dinner with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in St. Petersburg, Russia
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING DINNER)

DEPUTY SECRETARY BILL BURNS

9:30 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with the Republic of Korea Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kyu-hyun, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

10:15 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns hosts a ceremony for Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellows, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

11:00 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

3:30 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with Colombian Minister of Labor Rafael Pardo Rueda, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

4:15 pm Deputy Secretary Burns meets with OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

USAID ADMINISTRATOR RAJ SHAH

9:00 a.m. Administrator Shah attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS WENDY SHERMAN

10:00 a.m. Under Secretary Sherman meets with Republic of Korea Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kyu-hyun, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE

10:40 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine delivers remarks at the annual conference for the Department’s Information Resource Officers, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR CIVILIAN SECURITY, DEMOCRACY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS MARIA OTERO

12:00 p.m. Under Secretary Otero attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY FOR ARMS CONTROL AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ROSE GOTTEMOELLER

Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller hosts the P5 Conference on Implementing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), at the Department of State.

3:00 p.m. Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller participates in a US- Russia Committee on International Security and Arms Control meeting at the National Academies of Sciences, in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS RICK BARTON

Assistant Secretary Barton is on foreign travel through June 29 in Central America.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS JOHNNIE CARSON

10:00 am Assistant Secretary Carson appears before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights to deliver testimony on the Tuareg Revolt and the Mali Coup, on Capitol Hill.

(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND NONPROLIFERATION TOM COUNTRYMAN

2:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Countryman meets with U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia James Smith, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS PHIL GORDON

Assistant Secretary Gordon accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS ROBERTA JACOBSON

Assistant Secretary Jacobson is on foreign travel through June 29 to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR OCEANS AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS KERRI-ANN JONES

1:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Jones participates in a meeting of the Executive Committee on National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing, at the Department of Commerce.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR MICHAEL POSNER

10:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Posner will meet with Curt Goering, Executive Director of The Center for Victims of Torture, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POPULATION, REFUGEES AND MIGRATION ANNE RICHARD

8:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Richard delivers remarks to the Pittsburg World Affairs Council, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE AND COORDINATOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM DANIEL BENJAMIN

Ambassador Benjamin is on foreign travel in Paris, France to meet with French government officials to discuss counterterrorism initiatives.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE TO MONITOR AND COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS LUIS CDEBACA

Ambassador CdeBaca is on foreign travel to Switzerland and Morocco.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE STEPHEN RAPP, OFFICE OF GLOBAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Ambassador Rapp is on travel to Casablanca, Morocco to participate in official meetings on global criminal justice issues.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR GLOBAL WOMEN’S ISSUES MELANNE VERVEER

Ambassador Verveer is on foreign travel in St. Petersburg, Russia to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Women and the Economy Forum.

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS RETA JO LEWIS

10:00 a.m. Special Representative Lewis meets with James Smith, President of Northern State University and Mr. Todd Jordre, Director of the Northern State University Foundation to discuss connecting the university’s business and entrepreneurship education program to the State Department’s subnational engagement efforts, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

DIRECTOR OF POLICY PLANNING JAKE SULLIVAN

Director Sullivan accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel.

PRESS BRIEFING SCHEDULE
There will NOT be a daily press briefing.

29 June, Fri, Pres and VP schedule

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule
9:20 am
The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Local Event Time:
9:20 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

10:25 am
The President departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews
Local Event Time:
10:25 AM EDT
South Lawn
Open Press

10:40 am
The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Colorado Springs, Colorado
Local Event Time:
10:40 AM EDT
Travel Pool Coverage

11:55 am
The President arrives in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Local Event Time:
9:55 AM MDT
Colordao Springs Municipal Airport
Open Press

2:45 pm
The President departs Colorado Springs, Colorado en route to Joint Base Andrews
Local Event Time:
12:45 PM MDT
Colorado Springs Municipal Airport
Open Press

7:50 pm
The President arrives at Joint Base Andrews
Local Event Time:
7:50 PM EDT
Travel Pool Coverage

8:05 pm
The President arrives at the White House
Local Event Time:
8:05 PM EDT
South Lawn
Open Press

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/vice-president
9:20 am
The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Local Event Time:
9:20 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

28 JUne 2012, Thur, Rush Limbaugh headlines

--The Court Rules: Obamacare is the Largest Tax Increase in the History of the World
--Freedom of Choice Meets Its Death Panel
--It All Boils Down to November
--A Precedent for Unlimited Taxation
--Why Employers Will Dump Health Insurance
-- Listen Now (Members Only) Read Transcript What Happened to John Roberts?
--Our Only Choice: Win Elections
--Callers Weigh In on Obamacare Ruling

Stack of Stuff
--Artur Davis: Democrats Want to Marginalize the Majority.
--Romney Raises Over $1M After Ruling
--Did Supremes Wake Sleeping Giant

I wonder if the Supreme Court even read the bill they were judging?

Some weeks ago, some guy was up testifying to the Supreme Court about Obama care and Roberts, I think it was, said, "You expect us to read the whole 1,000 pages?"

Rush thought this was funny, but I thought it reflected very badly on Roberts and the Supreme Court. Of course you're supposed to read the whole thing! That's the only way you can judge it!  You have your law clerks encapsulate it and who knows what they'll miss - like the gazillions in new taxes, and the many thousands of small businesses that will now go out of business.

So what's the result of Obamacare. Everyone has to buy health care insurance, whether they can afford it or not. Except, of course, the folks who can't afford it now and never will be able to afford it - the poor. Who won't stop having babies even though they can't afford to raise them because, after all, why should they? Government will send some cash along.

Sad day.

28 June, Thur, SoS Clinton and Staff Schedule

SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

Secretary Clinton is on foreign travel to Helsinki, Finland, Riga, Latvia, and St. Petersburg, Russia. The Secretary is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Gordon, VADM Harry B. Harris, Jr., JCS, and Director Sullivan.

10:55 a.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with Latvian President Andris Berzins, in Riga, Latvia.
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING MEETING)

11:30 a.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with Latvian with Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, in Riga, Latvia.
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING MEETING)

12:30 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in a working lunch with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevics, in Riga, Latvia.
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING MEETING)

1:40 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in signing ceremonies and a joint press availability with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevics, in Riga, Latvia.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

2:10 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in a flower-laying ceremony at the Freedom Monument, in Riga, Latvia.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

2:30 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton holds a townterview with Latvian youth hosted by LTV, in Riga, Latvia.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

3:35 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in the dedication of Sumner Wells Street, in Riga, Latvia.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

4:05 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with the embassy staff and families of Embassy Riga, in Riga, Latvia.
(POOLED PRESS COVERAGE)

7:00 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in a flower-laying ceremony at the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, in St. Petersburg, Russia.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

DEPUTY SECRETARY BILL BURNS

10:15 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns delivers remarks at the 2012 Washington P5 Conference on Implementing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

11:15 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

12:30 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

DEPUTY SECRETARY TOM NIDES

7:30 a.m. Deputy Secretary Nides participates in a video conference with Embassy Kabul and USAID.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

10:20 a.m. Deputy Secretary Nides delivers opening remarks at the annual Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA) Pride Celebration, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

11:00 a.m. Deputy Secretary Nides meets with Curt Goering, Executive Director from the Center for Victims of Torture, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

12:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Nides delivers remarks at the Expeditionary Awards Ceremony, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

3:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Nides delivers remarks at the Ambassadorial Seminar, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

USAID ADMINISTRATOR RAJ SHAH

1:00 p.m. Administrator Shah swears in Leslie Reed, USAID Mission Director to Uganda, at USAID.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT PATRICK KENNEDY

9:15 a.m. Under Secretary Kennedy testifies before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense, and Foreign Operations, on the “Assessment of the Transition from a Military to a Civilian-Led Mission in Iraq,” with Chief of Staff for the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Peter Verga and USAID Assistant Administrator Mara Rudman, on Capitol Hill.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOUSE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT HORMATS

2:00 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends the farewell reception in honor of Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. Sameh Shoukry, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE

12:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine delivers remarks at American Security Project, in Washington, DC.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

2:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine delivers remarks at a departure event for participants of Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

3:15 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine addresses American Fulbright students and scholars at their departure orientation, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

5:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine attends the annual Dean Acheson lecture series, featuring U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, at the United States Institute of Peace.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR CIVILIAN SECURITY, DEMOCRACY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS MARIA OTERO

10:00 p.m. Under Secretary Otero meets with U.S. Ambassador-designate to Zimbabwe David Bruce Wharton, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

1:30 p.m. Under Secretary Otero meets with U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Mari Carmen Aponte, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:00 p.m. Under Secretary Otero attends the farewell reception in honor of Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. Sameh Shoukry, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

6:00 p.m. Under Secretary Otero delivers remarks at a celebration of the U.S. Independence Day reception, at the Inter American Development Bank.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY FOR ARMS CONTROL AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ROSE GOTTEMOELLER

Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller hosts the P5 Conference on Implementing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) through June 29, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR CAPRICIA PENAVIC MARSHALL

2:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall hosts a reception in honor of departing Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt His Excellency Sameh Shoukry and Mrs. Aziza Shoukry, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

5:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall hosts a Spirit of Summer reception for the Diplomatic Corps and members of the international business community, at the Meridian International Center in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESSED COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS RICK BARTON

Assistant Secretary Barton is on foreign travel through June 29 in Central America. .

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS WILLIAM BROWNFIELD

Assistant Secretary Brownfield is on foreign travel in Peru as a member of the U.S. delegation to the International Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Specialized National Agencies Against the World Drug Problem, in Lima, Peru.
(media determined by host)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS JOHNNIE CARSON

2:30 p.m. Ambassador Carson testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on African Affairs on “Economic Statecraft: Embracing Africa’s Market Potential,” on Capitol Hill.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY SENATE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND NONPROLIFERATION TOM COUNTRYMAN

9:45 a.m. Assistant Secretary Countryman attends the 2012 Washington P5 Conference on Implementing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

6:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Countryman attends the P5 Heads of Delegation Dinner, in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS JOSE FERNANDEZ

12:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Fernandez meets with Costa Rican Ambassador to the U.S. Muni Figueres, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS PHIL GORDON

Assistant Secretary Gordon accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS ROBERTA JACOBSON

Assistant Secretary Jacobson is on foreign travel through June 29 to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR OCEANS AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS KERRI-ANN JONES

9:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Jones participates in a briefing on the Extended Continental Shelf project, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Jones participates in a meeting of the inter-agency Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR MICHAEL POSNER

9:30 a.m. Assistant Secretary Posner participates in a Live@State briefing on the Human Rights Report, at Department of State.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

11:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Posner meets with President of The Asia Foundation David Arnold, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

1:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Posner participates in a teleconference with members of the Jewish Center for Public Affairs regarding the Human Rights Report.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POPULATION, REFUGEES AND MIGRATION ANNE RICHARD

Assistant Secretary Richard travels to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to meet with community stakeholders, local elected officials, resettled refugees, and representatives from local resettlement agencies.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOSTS)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL-MILITARY AFFAIRS ANDREW SHAPIRO

5:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Shapiro attends the annual Dean Acheson lecture series, featuring U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, at the United States Institute of Peace.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ANN STOCK

10:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Stock delivers remarks to youth returning home following participation in the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Study and Exchange (YES) and Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) programs, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Stock hosts the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Summer Town Hall Meeting, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE AND COORDINATOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM DANIEL BENJAMIN

Ambassador Benjamin is on foreign travel in Paris, France to meet with French government officials to discuss counterterrorism initiatives.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE TO MONITOR AND COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS LUIS CDEBACA

Ambassador CdeBaca is on foreign travel to Switzerland and Morocco.

OFFICE OF GLOBAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE-STEPHEN RAPP

Ambassador Rapp is on foreign travel to Casablanca, Morocco, to participate in meetings on global criminal justice issues.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR GLOBAL WOMEN’S ISSUES MELANNE VERVEER

Ambassador Verveer is on foreign travel in St. Petersburg, Russia to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Women and the Economy Forum.

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS KRIS BALDERSTON

Special Representative Balderston is on foreign travel in Edinburgh, Scotland through June 29 to participate in the Ted Global 2012 Conference. Special Representative Balderston meets with private and public sector leaders to discuss opportunities for partnerships.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

SPECIAL ENVOY TO MONITOR AND COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM HANNAH ROSENTHAL

6:00 p.m. Special Envoy Rosenthal delivers opening remarks at Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation Holocaust Remembrance Project event, at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

DIRECTOR OF POLICY PLANNING JAKE SULLIVAN

Director Sullivan accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel.

PRESS BRIEFING SCHEDULE
12:30 p.m. Daily Press Briefing with Spokesperson Victoria Nuland

28 June, Thur, Pres and VP Schedules

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule 10:00 am
The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Local Event Time:
10:00 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:15 pm
The President delivers a statement
Local Event Time:
12:15 PM EDT
East Room
Pooled Press

12:45 pm
The President and the Vice President meet for lunch
Local Event Time:
12:45 PM EDT
Private Dining Room
Closed Press

1:35 pm
The President departs the White House en route to Bethesda, Maryland
Local Event Time:
1:35 PM EDT
South Lawn
Open Press

1:45 pm
The President arrive in Bethesda Maryland
Local Event Time:
1:45 PM EDT
Travel Pool Coverage

2:00 pm
The President visits the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Local Event Time:
2:00 PM EDT
Bethesda, Maryland
Closed Press

4:40 pm
The President departs Bethesda, Maryland en route to the White House
Local Event Time:
4:40 PM EDT
Travel Pool Coverage

4:50 pm
The President arrives at the White House
Local Event Time:
4:50 PM EDT
South Lawn
Open Press

5:00 pm
The President and the Vice President meet with Secretary of Defense Panetta
Local Event Time:
5:00 PM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/vice-president
10:00 am
The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Local Event Time:
10:00 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:45 pm
The President and the Vice President meet for lunch
Local Event Time:
12:45 PM EDT
Private Dining Room
Closed Press

5:00 pm
The President and the Vice President meet with Secretary of Defense Panetta
Local Event Time:
5:00 PM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

The United States of Twilight Zone

Well, Obamacare has been upheld by the Supreme Court. The same Supreme Court that gutted Arizona's illegal immigrant law.

Over on Hannity, there's much rejoicing by Democrats, and much despair by Republicans.

Everybody - take a picture of the United States at this exact moment. For the next couple of days, write down  how much everything you buy costs, take photos of every inch of your city - or at least of your neighborhood - not the people but rather the buildings.

Ten years from now, take another photo. And no that the path of destruction, of decay, started after today.

Is Violence Ever Justified?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vnJBW49afzg

There's currently a debate on Hannity.com ... well, not a debate, only one person thinks what happened was outrageous! ... about the Muslims who retaliated when a bunch of Christians came along and spoiled their Muslim Pride day by shouting insults and carrying pigs heads on sticks.

Now, you all know how I feel about Islam. I don't like the way Islam treats its women (though fundamental Christianity isn't all that much better) and I don't like the way they get special dispensation to pray at schools when Christians can't, when crosses have to be taken down, ya da ya da. (This despite the fact I'm an atheist. I have no problem acknowledging I'm living in a country with a Judeo-Christian history.)

But this was beyond the pale.

Muslims in Dearborn, MI were having a neighborhood pride day. All they were doing was having ethnic food and games, or whatever the heck Muslims do, and a bunch of Christians showed up, with bullhorns, and pigs heads on sticks, and proceeded to ruin their day.

And, oh shock. The Muslims fought back! Beat up some people! 

More power to 'em, says I.

If it had been a bunch of Christians protesting Muslims doing something in front of Ground Zero, that would have been one thing. But it wasn't. It was people in their own neighborhood doing their own thing, and no one else had any right to interfere.

One of the folks on Hannity - I'm going to assume it's a woman, is saying the Muslims had no right to get violent, just proves they're not civilized, etc.

But please...I think the non-civilized ones were the Christians. I mean, what on earth did they think they would accomplish? You're going to convert a bunch of Muslims by treating them like dirt and telling them they'll burn in hell? I think not.

When was the last time a bunch of white folks rioted?

Well, because of a crime or something of that nature. Students rioting over the win of their college football team...I'm not really sure what the demographic of that is but I'd say its all over the spectrum.

But if Zimmerman is convicted, I don't think whites are going to riot. (Even white Latinos.) When OJ Simpson was judged not guilty of killing his wife, although practically every white person in the country thought he was guilty, there were no riots.

Now, if Obamacare is not upheld, the OWS crowd might riot. They might riot, indeed.

RUSH: We just were talking about this, and now we have a story from the Washington Examiner. Patrick Kennedy, who's the son of the late Senator Kennedy, Patrick Kennedy, former representative from Rhode Island -- I wonder if he's ever been there. Yeah, I guess he has, is close enough. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. "Patrick Kennedy warned in a fundraising email for Congressional Democrats that if the US Supreme Court upholds President Obama’s health care law, then 'dangerous Tea Party extremists will go on a rampage.' The fundraising email was sent out Wednesday afternoon, to raise money for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee," the same bunch that's told Democrats not to go to the convention.

He *did* say heads should roll

Rush was taking a guy named LZ Granderson to task today. As a journalist he's supposed to find out every little thing, apparently. But frankly I happen to be on Granderson's side about this. Just as Iran doesn't need to know that Obama has a "hit list" and stuff like that, so we - the people, and by extension, our enemies who read the same newspaper we do - don't need to know all the details of fast and furious. As long as Holder's head rolls, isn't that enough?

USH: Have any of you heard of an individual by the name of LZ Granderson? Snerdley? He has not heard of LZ Granderson. Dawn, have you? Brian, have you heard of LZ Granderson? Prior to last night I had not heard of LZ Granderson. However, LZ Granderson was named the Journalist of the Year by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender crowd. He has a column at CNN.com, and he also writes for ESPN. LZ Granderson named the Journalist of the Year. In an op-ed posted at CNN.com yesterday, LZ Granderson, talking about Operation Fast and Furious, said times have changed and not everything is our business anymore. We just need to butt out of this.

As for the people killed because of the operation, they're collateral damage. The Journalist of the Year as named by the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, said of Operation Fast and Furious, it's none of our business. Times have changed. We need to butt out. The people killed in this operation are collateral damage. Journalist of the year. This is an excerpt from the piece. "We are a nosy country. Though to be fair, it's not entirely our fault. Between the 24/7 news cycle, social media and reality TV, we have been spoon fed other people's private business for so long we now assume it's a given to know everything. And if there are people who choose not to disclose, they must be hiding something. Being told that something's 'none of your business' is slowly being characterized as rude, and if such a statement is coming from the government, it seems incriminating. Times have changed. Yet, not everything is our business. And in the political arena, there are things that should be and need to be kept quiet. ... Heads should roll because of the Fast and Furious debacle. We don't need every detail of that operation to be made public in order for that to happen." But we don't need to be told.

How Long Does it take to pay off a student loan?

If you get a job right out of college, maybe two if the first one doesn't pay very much, and don't get married or have kids, you could probably pay it off in 3 years. At that point, you'd have your student loan paid off, you'd know your significant other for 3 years so chance of a divorce is less likely, and you'll have a better marriage and life for it. (And why are your loans so high? Couldn't you have gotten a job during summer to earn money to help you pay off those college bills?)

RUSH: There's a couple things happening out there involving young people. This student loan thing is big. Yahoo News has a story today. They found a bunch of recent graduates talking about their student loan debt. And it ranges from $80,000 up to over $200,000 among the people they found. And these people are devastated. These young adults are saying they're not gonna have money to get married. They're not gonna have money to buy a house. They're not gonna have money to live a conventional life as they've seen it and been exposed to.

One woman even says to the writer of the story, "My boyfriend won't marry me because I'm $135,000 in debt and he doesn't want his name on it." Which we all know the answer, but I don't dare speak it here. (laughing) What are you doing marrying a guy who can't pay off 135 grand? Anyway, it's big, folks, these young adults to whom normally the national debt and deficits wouldn't matter a hill of beans are getting firsthand experience at what it does mean. And who put them in debt, who runs the student loan program? It's Obama. Who's out there pushing these things? Who's out there getting everybody in debt? The government. I don't know what they're complaining about. They get free birth control. Isn't that all they care about? That's what Obama wants us to believe.

27 June 2012, Wed, Rush Limbaugh headlines

--What's Your Obamacare Prediction?
--Obama Congratulates "Miami Heats"
--Democrat Rent-A-Mob: Anti-Karl Rove Protesters Don't Know Who Karl Rove Is
--LZ Granderson and David Brooks: Don't Be Nosy, Just Shut Up and Follow Obama
--If Obama is Bad for Democrats, How Can He Be Good for America?
--Tony in El Cajon
--How Will the Tea Party Respond to the Obamacare Decision?
--Middle Class Joe: It's a Depression

Stack of Stuff
--Dick Morris: Obama's Failed Presidency
--Big Education Loads Students with Debt
--College Grads Depressed and Demoralized..
--Is the Hispanic Vote Monolithic? The Time I Met Nora Ephron.
--Why Stockton, CA, is Bankrupt...

27 June 2012, Wed, SoS Clinton and Staff Schedule

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/appt/2012/06/194113.htm


SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

Secretary Clinton is on foreign travel to Helsinki, Finland. The Secretary is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Gordon, VADM Harry B. Harris, Jr., JCS, and Director Sullivan.
11:00 a.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with President of Finland Sauli Niinisto, in Helsinki, Finland.
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING MEETING)

12:15 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with Prime Minister of Finland Jyrki Katainen, in Helsinki, Finland.
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING MEETING)

1:00 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in a working lunch with Foreign Minister of Finland Erkki Tuomioja, in Helsinki, Finland.
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING MEETING)

2:10 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in a signing ceremony for the General Security of Information Agreement and a joint press availability with Foreign Minister of Finland Erkki Tuomioja, in Helsinki, Finland.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

2:55 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton tours Marimekko Factory and Design Space, in Helsinki, Finland.
(POOLED PRESS COVERAGE)

3:55 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in a Climate Clean Air Coalition and Green Embassy Event, in Helsinki, Finland.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

4:45 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton meets with the embassy staff and families of Embassy Helsinki, in Helsinki, Finland.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

DEPUTY SECRETARY BILL BURNS

10:00 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with the Indo-U.S. Parliamentary Forum Delegation, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

11:45 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns delivers opening remarks at the Department of State 2012 Caribbean-American Heritage Month Celebration, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

12:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

DEPUTY SECRETARY TOM NIDES

12:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Nides hosts a brown bag lunch with the Presidential Management Fellows, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

4:30 p.m. Deputy Secretary Nides meets with UK Ambassador to the U.S. Sir Peter Westmacott, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

6:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Nides drops by the reception on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowships, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

USAID ADMINISTRATOR RAJ SHAH

10:00 a.m. Administrator Shah swears in Peter Malnak, USAID Mission Director to Rwanda, at USAID.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

12:00 p.m. Administrator Shah meets with Michael Carroll, Acting USAID Inspector General, at USAID.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS WENDY SHERMAN

12:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sherman meets with United Arab Emirates Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nuhyan, in McLean, Virginia.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

3:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sherman meets with Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Kim Beazley, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT HORMATS

9:00 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with James McGregor, Senior Counselor for APCO Worldwide in China, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

10:00 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

12:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S. Sameh Shoukry, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

5:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with Sri Lanka Deputy Chief of Mission William Weinstein, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

7:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats attends the Semiconductor Industry Association’s Annual Salon Board Dinner, at the Hay Adams Hotel, in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE

11:00 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine hosts a live Q&A via Twitter, at the Department of State.

12:00 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

1:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine and Under Secretary Otero co-host a luncheon to discuss youth issues with foreign ambassadors, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR CIVILIAN SECURITY, DEMOCRACY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS MARIA OTERO

1:30 p.m. Under Secretary Otero and Under Secretary Sonenshine co-host a luncheon to discuss youth issues with foreign ambassadors, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:00 p.m. Under Secretary Otero participates in the US-Laos Bilateral Comprehensive Dialogue, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ARMS CONTROL AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ROSE GOTTEMOELLER

Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller hosts the P5 Conference on Implementing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) through June 29, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:00 p.m. Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller delivers remarks at the P5 Conference Public Event, “Three Pillars for Peace and Security: Implementing the NPT,” at the Department of State.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR CAPRICIA PENAVIC MARSHALL

12:30 p.m. Ambassador Marshall assists with the working visit of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates and Chairman of the Executive Council His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

3:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall delivers remarks about mentorship to the Running Start leadership program, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS RICK BARTON

Assistant Secretary Barton is on foreign travel through June 29 in Central America.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS WILLIAM BROWNFIELD

Assistant Secretary Brownfield is on foreign travel in Peru as a member of the U.S. delegation to the International Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Specialized National Agencies Against the World Drug Problem, in Lima, Peru.
(media determined by host)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS KURT CAMPBELL

12:15 p.m. Assistant Secretary Campbell delivers the keynote address at the 2nd Annual Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) conference, at CSIS in Washington, D.C. Please click here for more information.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS PHIL GORDON

Assistant Secretary Gordon accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel. Please click here for more information.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS JOSE FERNANDEZ

12:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Fernandez meets with Chair of the Center for American Progress John Podesta to discuss a range of issues including post-harvest technology and development finance, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS MIKE HAMMER

Assistant Secretary Hammer is on foreign travel in Rome, Italy, to meet with officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italian journalists, and young political leaders.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS ROBERTA JACOBSON

Assistant Secretary Jacobson is on foreign travel through June 29 to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Please click here for more information.

COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS DAWN MCCALL

9:00 a.m. Coordinator McCall delivers remarks to Information Resource Officers at their annual conference, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

4:00 p.m. Coordinator McCall attends a reception in honor of Information Resource Officers, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR MICHAEL POSNER

2:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Posner meets with Congressman Jim McGovern, on Capitol Hill.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POPULATION, REFUGEES AND MIGRATION ANNE RICHARD

Assistant Secretary Richard travels to Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburg, Pennsylvania to meet with community stakeholders, local elected officials, resettled refugees and the local resettlement agencies that assist refugees. (MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ANN STOCK

6:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Stock delivers remarks at the Opening Reception of the 2012 EducationUSA Forum, at the J.W. Marriott Hotel.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE TO MONITOR AND COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS LUIS CDEBACA

Ambassador CdeBaca is on foreign travel to Switzerland and Morocco.

GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR AMBASSADOR ERIC GOOSBY

Ambassador Goosby is on foreign travel in Haiti with Global Health Initiative Executive Director Lois Quam and representatives from the Global Fund. The delegation meets with the Haitian First Lady Sophia Martelly to discuss joint global-health collaboration, and participates in the signing of the Partnership Framework with the Government of Haiti, an important political milestone in the country’s reconstruction and health-system reform efforts.

OFFICE OF GLOBAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE-STEPHEN RAPP

Ambassador Rapp is on foreign travel in Tripoli, Libya to participate in meetings on global criminal justice issues.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR GLOBAL WOMEN’S ISSUES MELANNE VERVEER

Ambassador Verveer is on foreign travel in St. Petersburg, Russia to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Women and the Economy Forum.

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS KRIS BALDERSTON

Special Representative Balderston is on foreign travel in Edinburgh, Scotland through June 29 to participate in the Ted Global 2012 Conference. Special Representative Balderston meets with private and public sector leaders to discuss opportunities for partnerships.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO MUSLIM COMMUNITIES FARAH PANDITH

3:00 p.m. Special Representative Pandith delivers remarks to Running Start leadership program, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

DIRECTOR OF POLICY PLANNING JAKE SULLIVAN

Director Sullivan accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel.

PRESS BRIEFING SCHEDULE
12:30 p.m. Daily Press Briefing with Spokesperson Victoria Nuland

What is the Ellipse

From Wikipedia:
The Ellipse (officially called President's Park South) is a 52-acre (210,000 m²) park located just south of the White House fence. Properly, the Ellipse is the name of the five-furlong (1 km) circumference street within the park. The entire park is open to the public, and features various monuments. The Ellipse is also the location for a number of annual events. D.C. locals can often be heard to say they are "on the Ellipse", which is understood to mean that the individual is on the field that is bounded by Ellipse Road.

It is part of the President's Park.

History
In 1791, the first plan for the park was drawn up by Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant. The Ellipse was known as "the White Lot" due to the whitewashed wooden fence that enclosed the park.

During the American Civil War, the grounds of the Ellipse and incomplete Washington Monument were used as corrals for horses, mules, and cattle, and as camp sites for Union troops.

The Army Corps of Engineers began work on the Ellipse in 1867. The park was landscaped in 1879, and American Elms were planted around the existing portion of roadway. In 1880, grading was begun and the Ellipse was created from what had been a common dump. In 1894, the Ellipse roadway was lit with electric lamps.

In the 1890s, Congress authorized the use of the Ellipse grounds to special groups, including religious meetings and military encampments. As late as 1990, baseball fields and tennis courts existed in the park. Sporting events and demonstrations are still held on the Ellipse. President's Park South came under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service in 1933.

On Christmas Eve 1923, President Calvin Coolidge started an unbroken tradition by lighting the first "National Christmas Tree". The first tree, a cut balsam fir, was placed on the Ellipse by the District of Columbia Public Schools. From 1924 to 1953, live trees in various locations around and on the White House grounds were lit on Christmas Eve. In 1954, the ceremony returned to the Ellipse and with an expanded focus: the "Christmas Pageant of Peace". From 1954 through 1972, cut trees were used, but in 1973 a Colorado blue spruce from York, Pennsylvania was planted on the Ellipse. A replacement was planted in 1978.

On August 10, 1933, the Ellipse was transferred to the National Park Service, the legal successor of three federal commissioners appointed by the President under an act of July 16, 1790, which directed initial construction. Their authority developed through acts of May 1, 1802; April 19, 1816; March 3, 1849; March 2, 1867; July 1, 1898; February 26, 1925; March 3, 1933; and Executive Order of June 10, 1933. Under act of September 22, 1961, "the White House shall be administered pursuant to the act of August 25, 1916" and supplementary and amendatory acts. This NPS area was originally referred to simply as "The White House".

In 1942, during World War II, the National Park Service granted permission for the construction of barracks as a special emergency war-time measure. The temporary barracks were erected on the south side of the Old Executive Office Building and the entire First Division Monument grounds. The "White House Barracks" were demolished in 1954.

The Ellipse Visitor Pavilion was opened for visitors in May 1994. The facility is used to distribute free tickets for special events at the White House such as the Easter Egg Roll and the fall and spring Garden Tours. There also is an information window, concession area, restrooms, telephones, water fountains, and a first aid area, all accessible.

Features
Visitor pavilion (location of visitor facilities staffed by National Park Rangers and National Park Service volunteers)

Boy Scout Memorial by Donald De Lue

Bulfinch Gatehouses by Charles Bulfinch

Butt–Millet Memorial Fountain by Daniel Chester French

Enid Haupt Fountains

First Division Monument by Daniel Chester French

Second Division Memorial by James Earle Fraser

Original Settlers of the District of Columbia Memorial by Carl Mose

National Christmas Tree

Zero Milestone

Annual events on the Ellipse include the Christmas Pageant of Peace, the "Twilight Tattoo" military pageant, and the graduation ceremony for The George Washington University. It is also the queueing location for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll and the White House garden tours. Under the auspices of the National Park Service, the Capital Alumni Network and a number of neighborhood and military sports leagues play softball and flag football games on the grounds of the Ellipse. A number of ultimate competitions are also held by various groups throughout the warmer months.

The Ellipse Meridian Stone, located slightly under the surface near the center of the Ellipse, commemorates President Thomas Jefferson's idea of an American prime meridian.

27 June 2012, Wed, Pres and VP Schedule

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule 12:10 am
The President arrives at the Ellipse
Local Event Time:
12:10 AM EDT
The Ellipse
Pooled Press

12:00 pm
The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Local Event Time:
12:00 PM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:40 pm
The President meets for lunch with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed
Local Event Time:
12:40 PM EDT
Private Dining Room
Closed Press

3:00 pm
The President attends a campaign event
Local Event Time:
3:00 PM EDT
DC, Jefferson Hotel, Washington
Closed Press

7:00 pm
The President delivers remarks at a picnic for Members of Congress
Local Event Time:
7:00 PM EDT
South Lawn
Pooled Press

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/vice-president
11:30 am
The Vice President delivers remarks a campaign event
Local Event Time:
10:30 AM CDT
Dubuque, Iowa
Open Press

Don't mess with a city's sports teams!

This is funny.

RUSH: There's an Obama fundraiser event in Boston and taxpayers are having to cover security for that, or in Massachusetts somewhere. Obama went up there for his fundraiser in Boston, made some joke about the Red Sox trading Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox. He got booed in Boston, couldn't understand it. He's such a "man of the people." He had no idea how seriously Bostonians take the Red Sox. They weren't crazy about the trade. There's Obama, so-called White Sox fan, and they've seen Obama throw first pitches. They know they're looking at a freakin' girl throw a baseball when Obama tries it. Here he is making a joke about it and they booed him. You don't boo a narcissist like this.

RUSH: By the way, here's Obama getting booed in Boston over that joke. He had a fundraiser here last night in Boston. And he's talking about the trade of third baseman Kevin Youkilis from the Red Sox to the White Sox.

OBAMA: I just want to say, uhhh, "Thank you for Youkilis."

BOSTONIANS: (groans and boos)

OBAMA: Ummm..,.

BOSTONIANS: (boos)

OBAMA: I'm just saying, he's gonna have change the color of his socks.

BOSTONIANS: (boos mixed with laughter)

OBAMA: Ha-ha-ha-ha!

BOSTONIANS: (boos)

OBAMA: I didn't think I'd get any boos outta here, but...

BOSTONIANS: (laughter)

OBAMA: I guess I shouldn'ta --

BOSTONIANS: (boos)

OBAMA: I should not have brought up baseball!

BOSTONIANS: (boos)

OBAMA: I understand!

BOSTONIANS: (boos)

OBAMA: My mistake!

RUSH: Even in Massachusetts, they choose the Red Sox over Obama. Over Kardashian.

RUSH: Obama had better not go off teleprompter. Those were real boos out there, and he's not able to take that. You don't boo a narcissist. You don't. He doesn't get booed. He doesn't understand it. It doesn't compute.

Fat People Under Attack - as Usual

Rush had this to say:

RUSH: You're walking down the street. You're in the mall. You see an obese person. Do you think, does it cross your mind that there ought to be counseling centers for those people? Does it? When you see a bunch of obese people, do you think that? Is it one of the first thoughts that you have? Maybe the second or third thought? "You know, we need counseling centers for these people. We need the federal government to have counseling centers so these people could be talked to about it."

Do you think that, or do you just thank God you're not and move on? Or do you feel a little sorry or do you wonder how it's possible? Whatever you think, do you think we need counseling centers? Well, from the LA Times: "In a move that could significantly expand insurance coverage of weight-loss treatments, a federal health advisory panel on Monday recommended that all obese adults receive intensive counseling in an effort to rein in a growing health crisis in America.

"The US Preventive Services Task Force urged doctors to identify patients with a body mass index of 30 or more," that's currently one third of us, "and either provide counseling themselves or refer the patient to a program designed to promote weight loss and improve health prospects. Under the current health care law, Medicare and most private insurers would be required to cover the entire cost of weight-loss services that meet or exceed the task force's standards." Now, I don't know about you, but the last thing I think of when I see obese people walking down the street is, "We need federal counseling centers!"

But these people are everywhere in the regime.

They are everywhere, people who think this way about pretty much every form of behavior that they find disagreeable, or that they find repugnant.

26 June 2102, Tuesday, Rush Limbaugh headlines

--The Regime Refuses to Enforce the Border and Tells the State of Arizona to Go to Hell
--Obama Goes "Soviet" on Arizona
--Politico Warns Chief Justice Roberts
--Hillary, Huma and the Muslim Sisterhood
--Missouri Democrats Flee Ship: McCaskill Ditches DNC, Nixon Dumps on Obamacare
--Obama's Red Sox Joke Booed in Boston
--Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom on HBO: More Evidence That Liberalism is Losing
--Media to Mitt: It's Not the Economy, Stupid
--Romney Flubbed Arizona Response
--A Young Hispanic-American Who Supports the Rule of Law, Not Obama
--Call from a Citizen of Realville
--An Uncomfortable Week as We Wait for Court Pronouncements

Stack of Stuff
--Holder in 1995: We Have to Brainwash Against Guns
--Feds: Fat People Need Counseling
--Do Liberals Really Want to End Poverty?

26 June 2012, Tues, SoS Clinton and Staff

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/appt/2012/06/194024.htmhttp://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/appt/2012/06/194024.htm

SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

Secretary Clinton departs on foreign travel to Helsinki, Finland; Riga, Latvia; and St. Petersburg, Russia. The Secretary is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Gordon, VADM Harry B. Harris, Jr., JCS, and Director Sullivan.

DEPUTY SECRETARY BILL BURNS

11:00 a.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with USAID Administrator Raj Shah, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

3:45 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns delivers remarks at the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Awards Ceremony, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

DEPUTY SECRETARY TOM NIDES

1:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Nides meets with delegates from the Aga Khan Group, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

3:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Nides meets with Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Sherry Rehman, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

USAID ADMINISTRATOR RAJ SHAH

1:00 p.m. Administrator Shah attends USAID’s Mission Directors Consultation, at the National Press Club.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS WENDY SHERMAN

7:30 p.m. Under Secretary Sherman attends a farewell dinner for the Ambassador of Singapore Chan Heng Chee hosted by the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Yousef Al Otaiba, at the U.A.E. Ambassador’s residence.

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT HORMATS

10:30 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats participates in a Global Tiger Initiative panel discussion with Tiger Range Countries’ Ambassadors, at the World Bank.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

12:00 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats participates in a MENA Initiative Luncheon, at the New Democrat Network offices in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

4:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with the Tunisian Ambassador to the U.S. Mohamed Tekaya, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR CIVILIAN SECURITY, DEMOCRACY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS MARIA OTERO

2:00 p.m. Under Secretary Otero attends the Farewell Reception of the Netherlands Ambassador to the U.S. Regina Bos Jones, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR CAPRICIA PENAVIC MARSHALL

10:00 a.m. Ambassador Marshall hosts a reception in honor of the departing Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia His Excellency Andrejs Pildegovics and Mrs. Jelena Pildegovica, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:00 p.m. Ambassador Marshall hosts a reception in honor of the departing Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Her Excellency Regina Bos Jones and Dr. Richard Jones, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS RICK BARTON

Assistant Secretary Barton is on foreign travel through June 29 in Central America.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS WILLIAM BROWNFIELD

Assistant Secretary Brownfield is on foreign travel in Peru as a member of the U.S. delegation to the International Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Specialized National Agencies Against the World Drug Problem, in Lima, Peru.
(media determined by host)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS PHIL GORDON

Assistant Secretary Gordon accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS JOSE FERNANDEZ

11:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Fernandez meets with National Retail Federation Board of Directors First Vice Chairman and Saks Inc. Chairman and CEO Stephen Sadove on promoting tourist visas to the United States, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS MIKE HAMMER

Assistant Secretary Hammer is on foreign travel in Rome, Italy, to meet with officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italian journalists, and young political leaders.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS ROBERTA JACOBSON

Assistant Secretary Jacobson is on foreign travel through June 29 to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR OCEANS AND INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS KERRI-ANN JONES

2:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Jones meets with representatives of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition and other non-government organizations, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS DAWN MCCALL

11:30 a.m. Coordinator McCall meets with members of a social media delegation from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, in Washington, DC.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR MICHAEL POSNER

11:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Posner delivers keynote remarks at the Hyannis Compass Conference hosted by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights, in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POPULATION, REFUGEES AND MIGRATION ANNE RICHARD

12:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Anne Richard meets with Senator Bernie Sanders, on Capitol Hill.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ANN STOCK

9:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Stock hosts the Annual Awards Ceremony of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE AND COORDINATOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM DANIEL BENJAMIN

Ambassador Benjamin is on foreign travel in Berlin, Germany to meet with German government officials to discuss counterterrorism initiatives.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE TO MONITOR AND COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS LUIS CDEBACA

Ambassador CdeBaca is on foreign travel to Switzerland and Morocco.

GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR AMBASSADOR ERIC GOOSBY

Ambassador Goosby is on foreign travel in Haiti with Global Health Initiative Executive Director Lois Quam and representatives from the Global Fund. The delegation meets with the Haitian First Lady Sophia Martelly to discuss joint global-health collaboration, and participates in the signing of the Partnership Framework with the Government of Haiti, an important political milestone in the country’s reconstruction and health-system reform efforts.

OFFICE OF GLOBAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE-STEPHEN RAPP

Ambassador Rapp is on foreign travel in Tripoli, Libya to participate in meetings on global criminal justice issues.

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR GLOBAL WOMEN’S ISSUES MELANNE VERVEER

Ambassador Verveer is on foreign travel in Jordan. .

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS KRIS BALDERSTON

Special Representative Balderston is on foreign travel in Edinburgh, Scotland through June 29 to participate in the Ted Global 2012 Conference. Special Representative Balderston meets with private and public sector leaders to discuss opportunities for partnerships.
 (MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

SPECIAL ENVOY TO MONITOR AND COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM HANNAH ROSENTHAL

9:00 a.m. Special Envoy Rosenthal meets with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Filippo Grandi, UNRWA Washington Representative Matthew Reynolds and Washington Liaison Officer Chris McGrath, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

10:30 a.m. Special Envoy Rosenthal meets with Hungarian Government Commissioner András Levente Gál, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

DIRECTOR OF POLICY PLANNING JAKE SULLIVAN

Director Sullivan accompanies Secretary Clinton on foreign travel.

PRESS BRIEFING SCHEDULE
12:30 p.m. Daily Press Briefing with Spokesperson Victoria Nuland

26 June 2012, Tues, Pres and VP Schedule

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule
9:05 am
The President departs Boston, Massachusetts en route to Atlanta, Georgia
Local Event Time:
9:05 AM EDT
Boston Logan International Airport
Open Press

11:15 am
The President arrives in Atlanta, Georgia
Local Event Time:
11:15 AM EDT
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Open Press

1:25 pm
The President delivers remarks at a campaign event
Local Event Time:
1:25 PM EDT
Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel
Pooled TV, Open to Correspondents

2:10 pm
The President attends a campaign event
Local Event Time:
2:10 PM EDT
Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel
Closed Press

3:35 pm
The President departs Atlanta, Georgia en route to Miami, Florida
Local Event Time:
3:35 PM EDT
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Open Press

5:10 pm
The President arrives in Miami, Florida
Local Event Time:
5:10 PM EDT
Miami International Airport
Open Press

5:45 pm
The President attends a campaign event
Local Event Time:
5:45 PM EDT
Private Residence
Closed Press

8:30 pm
The President delivers remarks at a campaign event
Local Event Time:
8:30 PM EDT
The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater
Pooled TV, Open to Correspondents

9:45 pm
The President Miami, Florida en route to Joint Base Andrews
Local Event Time:
9:45 PM EDT
Miami International Airport
Open Press

11:55 pm
The President arrives at Joint Base Andrews
Local Event Time:
11:55 PM EDT
Joint Base Andrews
Travel Pool Coverage

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/vice-president
No.

Twilight Zone Part 2

The US is infested with illegals. We know that. Illegals from Mexico, Guatemala, China, everywhere.

Which would be fine if they lived with their legal families here and got not a dime of welfare or government help that is supposed to go to citizens.

But nope, they get here illegally and from day one they're treated just like citizens of this country. Meanwhile those immigrants who came here legally - they must be pretty pissed off right now.

The Supreme Court isn't supposed to be nice. It's supposed to be right. And they were dead wrong on this.

Here's where we are on this. This is essentially what happened. The Supreme Court struck down Arizona's requirement for aliens to carry registration papers. They struck down the law's application of criminal penalties for employing illegal aliens, and the authorization of warrantless arrests for deportable crimes. However, this is where it gets confusing because they broke this thing down into four provisions. However, all eight of the justices voted to allow the mandatory immigration check requirement to go into effect. It was unanimous, eight to zip. What's-her-face, Kagan, recused herself from this case. And that's what everybody thinks this case was about. Most people don't know about these other three provisions.

Most people think that the Arizona immigration case was about whether or not the cops can stop somebody and demand that they prove their status, and the court upheld that. Now, the other three provisions are not insignificant. It can be said that the regime won three out of four. And this one, this fourth provision, hangs by a thread because the court said that even though we're gonna allow the cops to stop people, do whatever they want to do -- this is the stop-and-the-check documents provision -- they upheld it for now, but they, in the ruling, invited litigation on that provision down the road if some kind of perceived violations take place.

So it could end up that this is gonna be challenged, and it'll be lost. Can you imagine if the states were not free to stop people and ask if they're here illegally? That could end up being the case because the fourth provision that was upheld, the thing everybody thought this case was about, the court invited litigation on it. So I don't know, folks. It's getting to the point here where you could say -- and we had Chief Justice Roberts and Kennedy joining the liberals on these three provisions, and it basically wipes out states, just gives the federal government total purview over pretty much everything.

It's like we're living in the Twilight Zone

People come to this country illegally. EE-LEE-GULL-LEE.

And we can't deport them?

RUSH: Today, Janet Napolitano, in the wake of the Supreme Court Ruling... "The Obama administration said it is suspending existing agreements with Arizona police over enforcement of federal immigration laws, and said it has issued a directive telling federal authorities to decline many of the calls reporting illegal immigrants that the Homeland Security Department may get from Arizona police." Janet Napolitano has just sent out a directive: Don't call us, Arizona. We're suspending whatever agreements we had with you.

Don't call us about illegals.

We're not helping you enforce federal immigration law.

"[F]ederal authorities to decline many of the calls reporting illegal immigrants..." Stop and think of that. Just today, after the Supreme Court decision, Napolitano tells Arizona: "Don't call us anymore!" Arizona can't do anything about it, the Supreme Court decision today, and the Feds have just said (paraphrased), "Don't call us. We're not doing anything about it." So Arizona is an open border. "Drop dead! We're not taking your calls." It's right here in my formerly nicotine-stained fingers. "Administration officials, speaking on condition they not be named, told reporters they expect to see an increase in the number of calls they get from Arizona police -- but that won't change President Obama's decision to limit whom the government actually tries to detain and deport."

Drop dead.

No wonder Europe is bankrupt

Compared to the US where there aren't even minimum vacation days on the books, this is amazing. NY Times:

For most Europeans, almost nothing is more prized than their four to six weeks of guaranteed annual vacation leave. But it was not clear just how sacrosanct that time off was until Thursday, when Europe’s highest court ruled that workers who happened to get sick on vacation were legally entitled to take another vacation.

“The purpose of entitlement to paid annual leave is to enable the worker to rest and enjoy a period of relaxation and leisure,” the Court of Justice of the European Union, based in Luxembourg, ruled in a case involving department store workers in Spain. “The purpose of entitlement to sick leave is different, since it enables a worker to recover from an illness that has caused him to be unfit for work.”

25 June 2012, Mon, Rush Limbaugh headlines

--Confusion Over SCOTUS Arizona Ruling
--Scalia's Dissent on Arizona Case
--An Angry Border Control Agent
--Join Rush 24/7 Today and Get the New "Most Dangerous Man in America" T-Shirt
--Supremes Rule Against Libs on PACs
--No Obama White House Scandals? Every Day We Ask, "They Did What?"
--Big Sis to AZ: Drop Dead
--Senator Marco Rubio: Democrats Don't Want to Fix Immigration Problem
--The Pre-Obamacare Ruling Spin
--Obama Congratulates Egypt's Brotherhood
--Fellow Inmates Taunt Sandusky with Song

Stack of Stuff
--EU Rules: If You Get Sick on Vacation, Take Another Vacation
--Rasmussen: Only 22% Thinks Government Has Consent of Governed
--Obama Losing White Support
--Gallup: Most Americans Can't Identify the President's Religion

Walcott: Don't Penalize Parents Who Raise Money for Their Schools

This is an interesting story from the New  York Times today

From NY Times, The School Book:  Walcott: Don't Penalize Parents Who Raise Money for Their Schools

School budget cuts, rising expenses and grander ambitions for student activities have driven up the cost of sending a child to a New York City public school. Earlier this spring, SchoolBook asked parents to tell us about their school-related spending. Journalists followed up on the hundreds of responses we received, resulting in a series of reports on SchoolBook, in The New York Times and on WNYC. You can find previous reports here.
As the gap between middle-class and poor public schools widens because of differing results from parent fund-raising, the city’s Department of Education is directing principals to a fund that was set up to deal with such disparities.
In 2002, the city inaugurated the Fund for Public Schools, a nonprofit organization designed, in part, to support needy schools. Over the past 10 years, the fund has raised more than $285 million for research, pilot programs, student scholarships, art and literacy grants, and new schools.
The fund has also provided more than 250 library grants of up to $10,000 each, assisted 70 schools by upgrading their art spaces with grants of up to $20,000 each, and begun an alumni initiative, collecting around $400,000, in part by signing up 4,000 alumni and friends.
And it has overseen the $1 million gift in 2009 from the fashion designer Georgio Armani, using it to help set up arts-based enrichment initiatives for students in the Bronx.
In an interview this spring —– before SchoolBook, The New York Times and WNYC began running a series of reports on parents’ contributions to public schools —– Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott was asked about the growing disparity in fund-raising between wealthier and poorer public schools.
The reports found that the city’s most affluent PTA’s were collecting more than a million dollars a year, while the poorest in the Bronx were bringing in barely anything, and that at least some public school parents —– including a former PTA fund-raiser at a top-earning Brooklyn elementary school —– said the frenetic pace with which parents at some schools raised money was increasingly problematic, exacerbating economic disparities between the city’s 1,700 schools and sending the wrong message to lawmakers in Albany.
Mr. Walcott, in the interview in April to mark his one-year anniversary as chancellor, had said the Fund for Public Schools could be an equalizer.
“It helps not necessarily level it to a level playing field,” Mr. Walcott said of the fund’s work in the city’s poorest schools. “But at least it gives them a leg up.”
He acknowledged the disparities. “The reality is that you have some schools that are raising a lot of money,” he said. And he has no intention of discouraging that, he said.
“I don’t want to penalize those that have the ability to raise money to support their schools,” Mr. Walcott said.
The C.E.O. of the Fund for Public Schools, Julia Bator, said it helped individual PTA;s by providing a fund-raising tool kit for them and managing their donations by serving as a kind of bank for them. “It’s a heavy lift to set up your own 501C-3,” she said, referring to the nonprofit groups that many PTA’s form.
The city has also moved to help students in poorer schools through its budgeting process. In 2007, it introduced a “fair funding formula,” which was put in place to allow schools with higher-needs students to receive more money.
But because of state budget cuts, as of this school year the city had yet to fully implement the formula. The year it was instituted, the city’s Independent Budget Office reported that students identified as needy received an average of $217 more than what they would have received under the old system.
The PTA at the Anderson School, a gifted-and-talented school on the Upper West Side, augments the spending of its principal by more than $1,000 per student.
Here is a transcript of Mr. Walcott’s full response to the question about fund-raising disparities, raised in that April interview:

As long as they’re meeting their mandates, then we have to make sure that they do it within the mandates that are set for them. Beyond that the disparity issue is something that’s out there, but I’m not going to restrict groups from raising money. I think the one thing I’ll say is that we have a resource through the Fund for Public Schools that can provide assistance to schools as far as how to identify local community organizations, local businesses, to help them in raising moneys in their neighborhoods as well. And so we’ve been utilizing the Fund for Public Schools to give some T.A. to principals and helping different schools organize. So you know we will have groups that are extremely adept in raising money and those that may not have the existing type of connections or the local businesses that may not be able to do that.
But I don’t want to penalize those that have the ability to raise money to support their schools. If anything, I want to support schools that may not have that capacity for a host of different reasons. To make them smarter and aware of how to do that so they’re able to enhance what’s taking place in their schools. So as long as they’re meeting their legal or chancellor requirements, then I’m fine with that. I think our goal is to provide the appropriate support.
The reality is, you have some schools that are raising a lot of money, and so how do we then support those that are not doing that? And so for example there was a principal here last week and I was talking to him about his P.A. and his school and then I introduced him to the Fund for Public Schools on how they can serve as a conduit if they identify local businesses or give some feedback or suggestions. So if there are ways we can do that, then it not exacerbates the disparity, it helps not necessarily level it to a level playing field, but at least it gives them a leg up and more than they had before when they started.

 

25 June 2012,m Mon, SoS Clinton and Staff Schedule

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/appt/2012/06/193964.htm

SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

9:15 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with the assistant secretaries, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

10:00 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with the 2011-2012 European Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellows, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

11:00 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with President Obama, at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

11:45 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with David Satterfield, Director General Of The Multinational Force And Observers (MFO), at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:30 p.m. Secretary Clinton meets with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

DEPUTY SECRETARY BILL BURNS

12:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns meets with David Satterfield, Director General Of The Multinational Force And Observers (MFO), at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Burns attends a meeting at the White House.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)

DEPUTY SECRETARY TOM NIDES

Deputy Secretary Nides is on foreign travel.

USAID ADMINISTRATOR RAJ SHAH

9:00 a.m. Administrator Shah swears in Jock Conly, USAID Mission Director to Pakistan, at USAID.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT HORMATS

10:15 a.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with Qatari Ambassador to the U.S. Mohamed Abdulla Al-Rumaihi, at Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

12:00 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats participates in the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation’s Off-the-record Discussion and Luncheon with Board Members and Supporters held at the ITIF office, in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

5:30 p.m. Under Secretary Hormats meets with Daniel Calleja Crespo, the EU’s Enterprise Director General, at Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE

10:00 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine hosts a town hall for the Public Diplomacy bureau, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

1:00 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine meets with U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Pamela White, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

UNDER SECRETARY FOR CIVILIAN SECURITY, DEMOCRACY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS MARIA OTERO

8:30 a.m. Under Secretary Otero delivers remarks to the Trans-Atlantic Dialogue to Combat Crime-Terror Pipelines, at the National Defense University, in Washington, DC.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

11:30 a.m. Under Secretary Otero meets with Honduran Members of Congress, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

3:30 p.m. Under Secretary Otero meets with USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ARMS CONTROL AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ROSE GOTTEMOELLER

Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller leads the U.S.-China Strategic Dialogue, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR CAPRICIA PENAVIC MARSHALL

11:00 a.m. Ambassador Marshall hosts a reception in honor of departing Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal Her Excellency Fatou Danielle Diagne, at the State Department.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONFLICT AND STABILIZATION OPERATIONS RICK BARTON

Assistant Secretary Barton is on foreign travel through June 29 in Central America.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS WILLIAM BROWNFIELD

Assistant Secretary Brownfield is on foreign travel in Peru as a member of the U.S. delegation to the International Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Specialized National Agencies Against the World Drug Problem, in Lima, Peru.
(media determined by host)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS JOSE FERNANDEZ

3:30 p.m. Assistant Secretary Fernandez meets with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Deputy Secretary General Richard Boucher, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

8:00 p.m. Assistant Secretary Fernandez meets with the Ambassadors from Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia, in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS MIKE HAMMER

Assistant Secretary Hammer is on foreign travel in Rome, Italy to meet with officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italian journalists and young political leaders.

COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS DAWN MCCALL

Coordinator McCall participates in the Science, Technology and Peacebuilding Roundtable of the National Academy of Engineering and the U.S. Institute of Peace, at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ANN STOCK

10:00 a.m. Assistant Secretary Stock attends a town hall for the Public Diplomacy bureau, led by Under Secretary Sonenshine, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE TO MONITOR AND COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS LUIS CDEBACA

Ambassador CdeBaca is on foreign travel to Switzerland and Morocco.

Ambassador CdeBaca participates in a UN Human Rights Council event on modern slavery titled "Remedies for Trafficking Victims: Civil Society and Law Enforcement Partnerships" in Geneva, Switzerland.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS KRIS BALDERSTON

Special Representative Balderston is on foreign travel in Edinburgh, Scotland through June 29 to participate in the Ted Global 2012 Conference. Special Representative Balderston meets with private and public sector leaders and discusses opportunities for partnership.
(MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS RETA JO LEWIS

1:00 p.m. Special Representative Lewis meets with Ambassador Stuart Holiday, President and CEO of Meridian International Center, in Washington, DC.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

PRESS BRIEFING SCHEDULE

12:30 p.m. Daily Press Briefing with Spokesperson Victoria Nuland

25 Jun 2012, Mon, Pres and VP Schedule

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule


10:30 am
The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Local Event Time:
10:30 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

11:00 am
The President and the Vice President meet with Secretary of State Clinton
Local Event Time:
11:00 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:05 pm
The President departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews
Local Event Time:
12:05 PM EDT
South Lawn
Open Press

12:20 pm
The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Local Event Time:
12:20 PM EDT
Joint Base Andrews
Travel Pool Coverage

1:35 pm
The President arrives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Local Event Time:
1:35 PM EDT
Pease Air National Guard Base
Open Press

2:05 pm
The President delivers remarks at a campaign event
Local Event Time:
2:05 PM EDT
Durham, New Hampshire, Oyster River High School
Open Press

4:05 pm
The President departs Portsmouth, New Hampshire en route to Boston, Massachusetts
Local Event Time:
4:05 PM EDT
Pease Air National Guard Base
Open Press

4:30 pm
The President arrives in Boston, Massachusetts
Local Event Time:
4:30 PM EDT
Boston Logan International Airport
Open Press

5:10 pm
The President attends a campaign event
Local Event Time:
5:10 PM EDT
Boston, Hamersley’s Bistro, Massachusetts
Closed Press

7:35 pm
The President delivers remarks at a campaign event
Local Event Time:
7:35 PM EDT
Boston, Massachusetts, Symphony Hall
Pooled Press

9:25 pm
The President delivers remarks at a campaign event
Local Event Time:
9:25 PM EDT
Private Residence
Print Pool

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/vice-president
10:30 am
The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Local Event Time:
10:30 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press

11:00 am
The President and the Vice President meet with Secretary of State Clinton
Local Event Time:
11:00 AM EDT
Oval Office
Closed Press