Romney: Obama Timid Defender of Freedom

By Leah Valencia
University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

Mitt Romney doesn’t like the way President Obama is doing business. The former Massachusetts governor and 2008 U.S. Presidential candidate, said that Obama’s mild approach to foreign affairs will create a rift between America and it’s allies.

“I think the President is indicating that he is a reluctant and timid defender of freedom,” Romney said Monday to hundreds at a forum hosted by the Foreign Policy Initiative and held at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Romney serves as the Honorary Chairman of the Free and Strong America PAC. He said the Obama administration is leading America toward a position of neutrality where it will no longer be the the world’s leading “defender of Democracy”. The forum comes in the wake of Obama’s decision to cancel the European Missile Defense System.

“Not surprisingly, this has come to the dismay of our allies who believe they can no longer depend on the U.S.,” Romney said. “The American image should be represented by it’s ability to have substantial military might... and Obama is jeopardizing that power.”

Romney, a potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate, recently finished second among conservative voters in a straw poll ballot in the 2009 Values Voters Summit held on Sept. 19. The former governor did not say whether he will run, but said voters will decide the direction the country will take in the 2010 Congressional elections.

Proposed Financial Regulatory Agency Will Protect Consumers, Claims Treasury Official

Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Treasury Department Director for Consumer Protection Peggy Twohig said that establishing a far reaching financial regulatory agency could create a system of checks and balances for financial institutions, thus ensuring the strength of the U.S. economy.

“An agency would create uniform protection for consumers and make a level playing field for all types of financial services,” she said.

While discussing the Obama administration’s proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency at the New American Foundation Friday, Twohig said it is necessary for all financial institutions to learn a sense of responsibility for the consumer by following base regulations

“The administration has supported that,” she said. “Part of the legislative proposal is for federal rules to be a floor not a ceiling that would apply to everyone.”

Twohig said there was not acceptable oversight of banking sectors in the past, adding that this caused a race to the bottom, where nonbank lenders offering aggressive products often steered consumers to unacceptable loans. As a result, banks who wanted to compete felt pressured and began to loan irresponsibly. Twohig said the proposed agency will prevent such an occurrence in the future.

“We need basic standards that will protect all consumers,” she said. “This will help the responsible players... who want to offer straightforward transparent products for consumers.”

Pelosi Gets Emotional In Response To Heated Rhetoric

Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) became uncharacteristically emotional Thursday when asked how she felt about the increasingly hostile political climate. Pelosi said she is concerned over the heated rhetoric because she has seen it turn violent in the past.

"I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw this myself in the late '70s in San Francisco," Pelosi said during her weekly press conference, suddenly becoming teary eyed. "This kind of rhetoric was very frightening."

Although Pelosi did not specify, this seemed to refer to the murders of gay activist and member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Harvey Milk and city mayor George Moscone in 1978. Pelosi was a California based Democratic activist during the 1970‘s and knew both MIlk and Moscone at the time of their murder. She went on to say that government officials should be cautious with statements made to the public.

“I wish that we could all curb our enthusiasm in the statements that we make and understand that some of the ears that it’s falling on are not as balanced as the person making the statement might think,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi added she is grateful that the U.S. allows so much freedom, but noted that with that freedom comes responsibility.

“Our country is great because people can say what they think and believe,” she said. “But I also think they have a responsibility for any incitement that they may cause.”

When asked about the Senate Finance Committee’s healthcare reform proposal Pelosi said she expected to see many changes before the legislation passes through the House.

“We’re just seeing the first blush of the Senate bill,” she said. “We hope that we can persuade them to our point of view.”

Pelosi said that she expected to see a public option, although the Finance Committee bill does not contain one.

“I fully support the public option,” Pelosi said. “A public option will be in the bill that passes the House of Representatives.”

When answering questions over her position on the allegations facing the community organizing group ACORN, she said any group that receives funds from the government need to be under tough scrutiny. Pelosi said the behavior of some at ACORN was inexcusable.

“A few of the individuals at ACORN did what I think is...despicable, and in any event, totally unacceptable,” she said.

She said it will be up to the Appropriations Committee to evaluate whether or not ACORN will continue to receive government funding.

Bernanke Says Recession Is Through

Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke announced the end of the recession Tuesday, but conceded that the U.S. will continue to feel its effects.

“From a technical perspective, the recession is very likely over at this point," he said. “[But] it is still going to feel like a very weak economy for some time,” said Bernanke during a speech at the Brookings Institute.

Bernanke warned that though the U.S. is leaving the recession behind, unemployment and low wages will continue to take their toll. He added that markets will remain weak through 2010, because economic growth will not be strong enough to create jobs.

“Unemployment will be slow to come down,” he said. “It will come down, but it may take some time.”

The bankruptcy of the Lehman Brothers occured exactly a year before Bernanke’s speech on Tuesday, marking the worst phase of the global financial crisis.

Bernanke said regulatory reform is needed to ensure that a crisis such as this does not reoccur.

“This has just been too big of a calamity and too serious of a problem.”

President Barack Obama delivered a similar message during a street to New York's financial community Monday.

While there has been some debate among policymakers over whether effective regulatory reform can make it through Congress, Bernanke remarked Tuesday that he was hopeful.

“I remain pretty optimistic that... reform will be forthcoming,” Bernanke said.

Health And Security Officials Prep Small Business For H1N1

Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills announced a guide to prepare small businesses to plan for possible H1N1 outbreaks this fall.

"Small businesses employ half of the nation's work force, and they are the supply chain for many critical industries," Napolitano said Monday during a conference call with reporters.

The preparedness guide encourages small businesses to identify a work place coordinator for H1N1, examine policies for teleworking and medical leave, identify essential employees and business functions and prepare a business continuity plan.

Mills said having a plan to prevent H1N1 outbreaks in the workplace is a necessity, especially in a small business setting.

"If one or two employees are out even for a few days, it is a health concern and a bottom-line concern," she said.

Daniel Jernigan, Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Influenza Division, said integrating these practices into the workplace may take major adjustments such as people evaluating and changing their medical leave policies and developing the ability for employees to work from home.

Outbreaks of H1N1 have been occurring since early this Spring and will likely become more common during the regular flu season. The preparedness guide allows for small businesses to prepare for various levels of H1N1 severity.

"We need to be prepared for many possibilities...we need to put this high on the agenda because it is good for employees, good for customers and ... it is good for business owners," Mills said.