Senior presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett and her chief of staff, Michael Strautmanis, are in regular contact with MoveOn.Org, Americans United for Change and other liberal interest groups. Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina has collaborated with Americans United for Change on strategy and even ad copy. Ms. Jarrett invited leaders of the liberal interest groups to a White House social event with the president and first lady to kick off the lobbying campaign.
Its targets were initially Republicans, as team Obama ran ads depicting the GOP as the "party of no." But now the fire is being trained on Democrats worried about runaway spending.
Americans United is going after Democrats who are skeptical of Mr. Obama's plans to double the national debt in five years and nearly triple it in 10. The White House is taking aim at lawmakers in 12 states, including Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad, Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor. MoveOn.Org is running ads aimed at 10 moderate Senate and House Democrats. And robocalls are urging voters in key districts to pressure their congressman to get in line.
Runaway government spending has become a concern to Americans all across the political spectrum, as Democrats have begun joining Republicans in questioning the White House policies. White House budget director Peter Orszag told a reporter, "I don't know what spiraling debt you're referring to."
That should frighten every American.
China to launch campaign to "eliminate unnatural deaths" among prisoners
The beating death of a prisoner by four other prisoners has caused The Peoples Republic of China to launch an investigation into prison abuse. The original claim was that the prisoner died while playing hide-and-seek with other prisoners.
The UN's Committee Against Torture recently said there was evidence that ill-treatment of Chinese prisoners was both routine and widespread.
With this new campaign, China seems to be acknowledging that its inmates are not always treated as they should be.
"Officials should be brave to reveal their problems in the management of prisons and detention centers, and should exert efforts to address them," said a Ministry of Public Security official, who claims the campaign is designed to "improve prison officers' respect for the law, professional ethics and human rights."
Senate takes up bill to create White House "Cyberspace Czar"
The Senate could vote as early as today on a bill that would put not only public web networks under federal control, but private networks as well, all in the name of Cyber-security.
The measure co-sponsored by Sen John Rockefeller and Sen Olympia Snowe, would put the White House in control of the internet -- security and possibly even content. Private groups are understandably concerned about possible abuse of government power.
The Rockefeller-Snowe measure would create the Office of the National Cybersecurity Adviser, whose leader would report directly to the president and would coordinate defense efforts across government agencies. It would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish "measurable and auditable cybersecurity standards" that would apply to private companies as well as the government. It also would require licensing and certification of cybersecurity professionals.
The proposal would also mandate an ongoing, quadrennial review of the nation's cyberdefenses. "It's not a problem that will ever be completely solved," Rockefeller said. "You have to keep making higher walls."
Last week, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair told reporters that one agency should oversee cybersecurity for government and for the private sector. He added that the NSA should be central to the effort.
The Director of the NSA assured reporters that the program would "not being used to gather private information." I feel less than assured.
Rep John Conyers to launch probe into ACORN
Michigan Democrat John Conyers has announced that he is considering launching an investigation into possible wrong-doing by ACORN. Allegations include voter registration fraud, voter fraud and "mob-style" protection rackets against corporations.
Mr. Conyers' continued commitment to hearings bristles Capitol Hill Democrats because it threatens to rekindle criticism of the financial ties and close cooperation between President Obama's campaign and ACORN and its sister organizations Citizens Services Inc. and Project Vote.
The groups came under fire during the campaign after probes into suspected voter fraud in a series of presidential battleground states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Mexico and Nevada.
It is unclear whether an investigation conducted by the highly partisan Conyers would ever find any allegations against the group to be true, or whether instead, it would be a complete whitewash.
mistreated
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson