In his weekly radio address, on Saturday morning, President Barack Obama says economic numbers reported during the past week show the economy has improved. While not a cause for celebration, it appears -- according to the President -- that the country is "moving in the right direction."
Obama used his address to say "there is much more to be done, but cites the recent turnaround in GDP as a sign of better things to come", and noted the Recovery Act has now created or saved more than a million jobs." 'Democrats' bill a government takeover'
House Republican John Boehner used his time, on Saturday to lay out the Republican plan for health care reform. He said the Democrats' proposal to overhaul health care is far too complicated, intrusive and expensive.
Meanwhile, the President and his family will be having a little fun on Halloween night.
For the first time in years, school-aged children are living in the White House. After dark, the Obama's are hosting a party for military familes from the Washington area. Outside - at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, there's not door bell for "trick or treating," but two thousand local school children have been inited to come, for treats.
770 KKOB & El Pinto Restaurant Cans the Canned Posole Edict & Busts the Bizcochito Ban
(11/12/08) This morning the ABQ Journal's Olivier Uyttebrouck reported that an 84-year-old tradition at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Albuquerque honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe was being stopped by the City’s Environmental Health Department. Officials revealed after all these years that health regulations mean that the church can no longer serve homemade traditional holiday foods as part of the celebration. No more Posole unless it’s the canned variety. No more delicious homemade Official State Cookies. The Bizcochitos from home are banned, and on and on and on.
Incensed by this tasteless situation afternoon 770 KKOB talk host Jim Villanucci contacted Jim Garcia, El Pinto Restaurant Director of Operations to see how this wrong could be overcome. Garcia talked with El Pinto owner John Thomas and they agreed to supply all the Posole, Bizcachitos, Tortillas, and any other needs to make the St. Francis Celebration delicious and agreeable. El Pinto’s kitchens comply with health regulations and their food is marvelous.
Updated - 8pm
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church was faced with the prospect of ditching plans to make a home cooked meal for more than 400 parishioners at its annual celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. Celebrating the holidays with fake – or canned – posole and store bought bizcochitos is not proper New Mexico etiquette.
“We are committed to being a community partner,” said El Pinto co-owner John Thomas. “We are always eager to support organizations in our community because these people are our neighbors.”
The parish had planned to have a home cooked meal served but the City of Albuquerque health inspector nixed the idea. “No worries now,” says Thomas. “The food will be fresh and will exceed City standards.
The festival will follow a procession honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 14, and is open to the public.
As President Bush prepares to address the nation tonight in a speech dealing with the serious financial crisis facing the country, Republican Presidential hopeful John McCain says he’s suspending his campaign to return to Washington to deal with the crisis. He’s asked President Bush to appoint a bi-partisian panel to work on a bailout package.
McCain has also asked Barack Obama to delay the first presidential debate scheduled for Mississippi on Friday so they both can work on the market turmoil.
Earlier today in Dunedin, Florida Barack Obama accused McCain of being slow to speak out against huge salaries for Wall Stree executives.
“Suddenly McCain is talking like a hard-charging populist. I sure wish he joined me when I blew the whistle on the fired CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac who tried to walk away with golden parachutes.
Bush’s prime-time talk is a dramatic gesture of last resort.The White House says if the government doesn’t take “decisive and bold action on a rescue package, the country could face financial calamity on main street, not just Wall Street.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has been criticized President Bush this morning, saying, “The President has been absent from what well may be the most important debate on economic policy in a generation.”
House Republicans met with treasury secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.House GOP Leader John Boehner (R-OH) is optimistic that republican and democrats will come together and devise a plan that will best service the American people.
“I do think that congress has a responsibility to act. And, I’m hopeful in the coming days we’ll be able to come together around a plan that will in fact stem this crisis,” Boehner said.
To read more about the possibility of “landing safely” read Heath Haussamen’s comments here.
