Hoax Claims SEIU Not Endorsing Obama

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is still endorsing President Obama in the 2012 election, despite claims in a fake press release that circulated Tuesday night.

“We stand by our Nov. 16, 2011 endorsement of President Obama as part of a broader ‘99 percent’ strategy to create good jobs now, end devastating cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and require everyone to pay their fair share,” read a statement on the SEIU blog.

The fake press release quoted SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry as saying, “Our members gave $60.7 million dollars to the Obama campaign in 2008 and fought hard for his election because we were promised change. We’re still waiting.”

No word yet on the identity of the prankster or the purpose of the hoax.

"We Can't Wait" Will Do Little To Help Homeowners, Charges House GOP'er

Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) declared Monday that the White House’s “We Can’t Wait” initiative has come along too late to help struggling homeowners.

As part of this new effort, the Obama administration announced a series of fresh housing refinancing opportunities to help those homeowners who are financially incapable of refinancing their mortgages.
 Mchenry, Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on TARP, Financial Services and Bailouts of Public and Private Programs, however, has stated that this new policy will do little to help homeowners.

“Today’s announcement by the President is just another step in the floundering strategy of an administration that has been grossly incapable of providing meaningful solutions to help struggling homeowners,” McHenry wrote in a press release. “When it comes to this administration’s housing policies, the time to act has long since passed. More than 6 million Americans are behind on their mortgage payments or facing foreclosure and the policies of this President have done more harm than good.”

The new housing refinancing options, meant to supplement Obama’s Home Affordable Refinancing Program (HARP), will reduce refinancing costs and allow easier eligibility for refinancing among other changes.

Report: Obama's Domestic Policy Adviser Stepping Down

Melody Barnes, President Obama’s Domestic Policy Adviser is stepping down at the end of the year, Politico reports.

Barnes, a former Executive Vice President for Policy for the Center for American Progress, joined the White House at the beginning of Obama’s term after serving on both the Presidential campaign and transition team.

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Obama Scolds GOP After Jobs Bill Provision Stalls

By Adrianna McGinley

The Senate blocked a $35 billion piece of the American Jobs Act Thursday night aimed at putting teachers and first responders back to work, but the President says he’s not done trying. 

“Our fight isn’t over,” Obama said in a statement Thursday. “We will keep working with Congress to bring up the American Jobs Act piece by piece, and give Republicans another chance to put country before party.”

In a 50-50 vote Thursday, far short of the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster, every Senate Republican and three Democrats voted against the legislation that would delegate billions to states and local governments to hire teachers and first responders. 

“That’s unacceptable,” Obama said. “Every Senate Republican voted to block a bill that would help middle class families and keep hundreds of thousands of firefighters on the job, police officers on the streets, and teachers in the classroom … Those Americans deserve an explanation as to why they don’t deserve those jobs.”

Carney Bullish On Jobs Bill Vote

The White House is betting that Congress will vote on at least part of President Obama’s jobs bill.

During his briefing today, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters that he’ll buy them each a beer if Congress fails to move on the legislation by the end of the year.

Carney, a devout Boston Red Sox fan, may need a few adult beverages himself to wash away memories of the Sox’ epic collapse which culminated last night in a season-ending 4-3 walk-off loss against the last-place Baltimore Orioles.

In less than a month, the Red Sox blew a nine-game Wild Card race lead over the Tampa Bay Rays, whose miraculous comeback win against the New York Yankees last night vaulted them a game ahead of Boston and into the American League playoffs.