Obama Makes 11th Hour Push For Health Care Bill

With the House vote on the Affordable Health Care for America Act expected within hours, President Barack Obama came to Capitol Hill Saturday to secure votes from Congressional Democrats.

The president spoke for approximately 15 minutes, veering away from controversial topics such as the public option and abortion funding.

“[It was] higher level,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) told reporters. “[Obama] talked about the imperative of the country, talked about the tough decisions, acknowledged that it was hard.”

Instead, the President focused on his desire to lower health costs for families and small businesses, casting the impending vote as a historic opportunity.

Obama acknowledged the heated opposition to the bill being waged by Conservative activists, telling the caucus that Democrats could not win them over simply by opposing the legislation.

Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who served in the House from 2002-2008, accompanied the President. Emanuel reportedly worked the room, talking to his former colleagues on an individual basis.

The president’s remarks were received warmly, with some members spontaneously bursting out with calls of “fired up, ready to go,” a popular slogan from Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Rahm Emanuel Reads To Children

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes read to young children as part of the “Read to the Top!” summer initiative at the Department of Education Monday.

U.S Secretary of Education Arne Duncan welcomed Emanuel and Barnes to the initiative, which aims to promote reading amongst young children during the summer vacation from school.

While Emanuel is infamous for his aggressive behavior and vocabulary, the Chief of Staff adopted a more family-friendly tone for Monday's event, making jokes while reading "Duck For President" that may have gone over the youngsters' heads.

Following a section of the book that described animals lining up to register to Vote for Duck, Emanuel noted that "It's obviously not in Chicago."

"'Have you seen the other one: Duck Runs For Congress?" Emanuel joked. "It's really good."

Wal-Mart and major union join hands on tax credit

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and Senate Democratic Conference Vice-Chairman Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) today introduced legislation that will expand the use of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Emmanuel and Schumer were joined by Alison Reardon, SEIU Director of Legislation and Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart Executive Vice President of the Global People Division, representatives of two of the groups that have endorsed the legislation.

Speaking to reporters at an afternoon press conference Emanuel said that his office every Saturday helps its constituents with the EITC process because it is so difficult for people to do on their own. The average person according to Emmanuel is eligible for $2,000 but that there are millions left on the table that no one claims. “Of all the credits that are out there the Earned Income Tax Credit has the lowest participatory rate,” said Emmanuel.

According to both Emanuel and Schumer the Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson has the ability to enact these procedures by executive order but has refused.
The program itself was first started under the Ford Administration and has gone on ever since.

Schumer though when asked if he was worried about a presidential veto said “I would hope not. This is just making sure that legislation that has a good purpose is applied and enforced.” But Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said he did not think it would be likely that Republicans would support such a measure. “I know they’ve introduced a lot of legislation and I don’t think we’re gonna pass one,” said Cornyn.