A law that was duly debated and passed should be modified at the whim of the president in direct conflict with text that was contained in the law?
really?
And btw, thanks for admitting and agreeing with me that Obama broke his own law.

an underestimation of how long it would take for 300million people to adjust means the law need to be canceled?
really? really? REALLY??

that's the answer to your question, boy. your argument sucks, that's the reason.

Not to belittle people that follow a faith by the way. Come on though, stop killing people!! Although it is a good way of reducing the population of Earth, soon we'll hit 8 billion and then we're all boned, religious or not!!

I agree with 7960, the circumstances are nothing alike. If the law allows the judge discretion in sentencing or to consider mitigating circumstances, then it is OK.

What Obama is doing is more like a judge ignoring a mandatory minimum sentence to impose what he feels is more just. That judge would be reversed on appeal and maybe censured.

I happen to think this is a great era for television. Virtually all of it is Pay TV but its where the great series are coming from. Is anyone watching "Fargo"? Crazy people from my home state of Minnesota, great acting led by Billy Bob Thornton and the amazing Martin Freeman [ from the equally amazing British series "Sherlock"]. Not to be missed. My favorite show from last season was "True detectives" with Matthew McConaughey as Detective Rustin Spencer "Rust" Cohle and Woody Harrelson as Detective Martin Eric "Marty" Hart. An extraordinary first season with two great actors in their prime and a amazing writer and director. Apparently it will be back next season with a completely new cast. "The Killing" will be back for a forth season in spite of being cancelled twice. They claim it is the last and will contain only 6 episodes. Last season was the best so far with the marvellous actor Peter Sarsgaard backing up deminitive regular Mirelle Enos and long, tall partner Joel Kinnamen { Mutt & Jeff}. Its a rain-soaked police drama set in Seattle where the cops and the bad guys are all depressed and walk around like Zombies. Nonetheless its a fascinating study of character and perversion and riveting to watch. I also can wait for the second season of Mod city which takes place in "1947, Los Angeles. Cop Joe Teague walks the line between the LAPD, led by William Parker, and the mob, led by Bugsy Siegel". A very moody period piece with a lot of late night tired jazz and young sexy but tired late night characters. Hot and humid. A dirty pleasure.
Seen any good television lately?

If the president isn't going to follow the law he passed, why should anyone follow any law?

if someone believes obamacare is shit (and there's plenty of reason to) then getting more people to see that it's shit and also not like it is pretty smart.

What's telling is that Obama, a lawyer, fought for and passed a law and then thought nothing of breaking it, and you're ok with it. You don't need damages, just mandamus or an injunction.

In theory it should help create American jobs by expanding foreign markets for US goods.
In practice it is little more than corporate welfare. One company -Boeing has received over 50% of funds in recent years.

I guess I'm just not sure. It has worked well enough for the last 60 years, and is only coming apart because Obama seems to be changing long standing policy. I'm just not sure if he's accomplishing what he wants to accomplish.

As far as SA....I expect a shitstorm within a decade. Too much money, too many warring cousins that aren't as bright as they think they are.

The president breaking the law is frivolous? And btw, it's not against the law for a meter aid to not ticket. Where in the law was the text that allowed the president to extend the deadlines?

Politifact is being misleading? Shocking. Of course, the simple truth is the Obama admin doesn't defend laws they feel are unconstitutional.

Now if your point is that Obama is as bad as Bush? Wow...high bar there.

it is scientifically proven that humans are very much bad decision makers a lot of the time making rash quick guesswork mostly instead of well thought out decisions when on the move day to day in our fast paced lives.

so those few that have a genius for good quick decision making, statistically better than most others, maybe these rascals think they have got some sort of precognition ?

steve jobs seemed to have had the quality of knowing what people would want in the future with his insight in to new product trends often being first to deliver, and turning apple around as a near bankrupt company into at one point the biggest firm in the world pipping exxon into 2nd place

What about the American businesses that are negatively impacted by the Export-Import Bank? If the US wants to be able to compete in the future in higher initial risk markets and against countries like China, Japan, and even South Korea and get its foot in the door in markets like Africa (which boasts the fastest growing middle class in the world) then we need something like the Ex-Im bank. That's what it is there for, and it is something that the private market has largely been unable to provide. Ex-Im isn't about short run profits; rather, it represents a long run investment into US business growth in emerging markets.

http://thehill.com/policy/internatio...k-to-join-nato

From The Hill:

McCain: Put Ukraine on track to join NATO

By Kevin Cirilli - 05/15/14 02:40 PM EDT

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Thursday said NATO should put Ukraine on a track for eventual membership and urged the U.S. to provide more military aid to Kiev.

“They want to be part of NATO,” said McCain at the New America Foundation's 2014 Conference. “There’s a long process, by the way. You don’t just accept membership. We could put them on a military assistance plan.

“We have military assistance plans with at least 50 countries. It would not be an earthshaking or new kind of thing to give these people some ability to defend themselves,” he added.

McCain has pushed for the administration to provide military help to Kiev to help it counter pro-Russian separatist groups in the east of the country.
At the conference, he said it was "shameful" that the U.S. had not provided more aid, noting that Ukrainian troops lacked body armor, night vision capability and other weapons.

"It would help the morale enormously," McCain said. "Believe me, at some point Ukraine will fight.

“The people of Ukraine have a long history of fighting for their independence and they’re not going to sit idly by and watch Vladimir Putin invade their country," he continued.

McCain mocked the Obama administration for instead sending meals, ready-to-eat.

"You can't make this story up: After a heated debate in the White House, the administration decided they would send MREs," McCain said. "But someone said, 'Well, we don't want to fly them in U.S. aircraft because that might provoke Vladimir Putin.' So we leased German trucks to take the MREs in."

"I think now we should call it MRE diplomacy," McCain joked.

http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine.../25204454.html

From Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty:

Interview: U.S. Senator McCain Discusses Pro-EU Demonstrations In Ukraine

December 18, 2013

U.S. Senator John McCain has accused Russia of trying to block Ukraine's efforts to join the European Union. Fresh upon his return from witnessing the pro-European Union demonstrations taking place in Kyiv, McCain spoke to RFE/RL's Golnaz Esfandiari about what may lie ahead for the country.

RFE/RL: Senator McCain, You just returned from Ukraine where you expressed your support for pro-EU protesters. You met with a number of opposition leaders and others. What are your impressions and what did protesters and opposition activists tell you about the crisis and their demands?

Senator John McCain: Well, I not only met with a lot of the opposition, I also met with oligarchs and I also met with President [Viktor] Yanukovych. So we had a good chance to get an impression of what's happening there.

I believe what's happening there is the majority of the people in Ukraine want to be aligned with the West, they want to be part of the European part of the world, rather than Russia, and not only do they want that but they're very tired of the heavy corruption that's there and also the lack of economic development, which they see in Europe. So the fact that they want to join the EU is not only because they want membership, they want to move to a European style of living and they're very sick and tired of the corruption and their inability to have good jobs and a good future.

I was not only impressed but uplifted by what I saw in the square there in Kyiv. The people are incredible, they brave harsh conditions as well as an attempted crackdown. I believe that peacefully they're demanding what are their rights, including an end to corruption there in Ukraine and including a better life that all of them deserve. So I must say it was one of the most moving experiences I've ever had to see a couple hundred thousand people braving the cold, a bitter cold, and standing up for what they think is a better life for themselves and their children.

RFE/RL: You've criticized the use of force against peaceful protesters. How concerned are you about their safety?

McCain: Well, I remain concerned, they remain concerned. I was invited to come there by [opposition UDAR party leader Vitali] Klitschko and others. I was very honored to be there and it was very moving experience for me to see all of these people in the square.

There was a crackdown by the police, many people were injured, and that stopped. In our meeting with the president, we told him that if there was violence, that the United States would have to consider, and I emphasize consider, sanctions, because we don't believe in that.

So I found the mood of the people to be very upbeat, and very cold weather, and now this latest agreement that we've heard about between [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Yanukovych -- we need to find out what in return Mr. Yanukovych promised Mr. Putin. It will be interesting to find that out.

RFE/RL: What is Russia trying to achieve?

McCain: I think the Russians are trying to keep Ukraine from joining the EU. One of the leaders of the [opposition] coalition [Fatherland party leader Arseniy] Yatsenyuk said, "Free cheese is only found in a mousetrap," and I think that he's right there. Mr. Putin is not notorious for giving away things, so we'll have to see. But the fact is, I think, this is an effort on the part of Putin and Yanukovych to keep Ukraine from moving into the European Union."

RFE/RL: Senator McCain, you said the United States should consider sanctions against Ukraine. What kind of sanctions or measures?

McCain: If violence was inflicted on peaceful protesters, I couldn't give you the exact kind of sanctions. But, as you know, we passed the Magnitsky Bill as the result of the needless murder of Sergei Magnitsky and that targeted individuals. That would be the kind of a model, but again, only if there was violence against peaceful demonstrators and we don't want to do that. We just think that if there was further violence against them, then the U.S. Congress would feel that we had to react to it. We hope it will never happen.

RFE/RL: Senator McCain, you've praised U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's strong criticism of the crackdown. What is your assessment of the response by the United States to the crisis in Ukraine?

McCain: I'm very pleased with Secretary Kerry's statement, I'm pleased with [U.S. Assistant Secretary of State] Victoria Nuland's handling of the issue, I think our ambassador has done a good job there so I think we've stood up for these people in the name of human rights and I hope we will continue to do so.

RFE/RL: Are there any other steps the United States should take to support pro-EU forces in Ukraine?

McCain: No, I was pleased to go there and support these people who are struggling for a better country and a better government. But the future of Ukraine will be determined by the Ukrainian people and I think right now they have some very fine leadership and I was really deeply impressed by the enthusiasm of these young people.

RFE/RL: Where is this crisis heading in your opinion?

McCain: I don't know. I think we have to examine this latest offer agreement that Putin has given to Yanukovych and find out what the details are. Again, usually the Russians don't give away free money and so we have to examine that. There is still a call for a unity government so they can deal with what is clearly an economic crisis in Ukraine.

That is not my opinion. I repeat: The U.S.'s goals are to bring Ukraine into NATO and closer to Europe and the EU. That is the U.S.'s goal. That is a fact. Therefore it is part of the U.S.'s strategic interest.

My opinion was stated as that Ukraine should stay out of NATO and the EU and have both a relationship with NATO/EU and Russia. That part was my opinion. The paragraph above states fact. This paragraph states opinion.

That is the U.S.'s goal: To bring Ukraine into NATO and the EU.

It is better for Ukraine to be on good terms with both Russia and the West. Have an equal relationship with both groups. That is my opinion.

So is Russia saying a Ukrainian fighter jet shot down Flight MH17?

In the fog of war, it's hard to tell. A thorough investigation should hopefully straighten all of this out.

However, having said all that, a Ukrainian fighter jet and a Ukrainian military transport were both shot down by surface-to-air missiles fired by pro-Russian separatists. It seems more likely that the third plane, MH17, was also shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired by pro-Russian separatists.

All income should be taxed at the same rate. i say that knowing it would increase my own taxes...but it is just fair.