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02/23/12--12:40: This Chart of America’s Per Capita Debt Should Worry You (chan 1005003)

The Senate Budget Committee Republican staff under Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-AL) released this alarming graph Thursday morning: What does this mean? Well, as the graph clearly indicates, America's per capita government debt is worse than that of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Greece (PIIGS), and France. Get that? America’s per capita debt is worse than the PIIGS! You know, the countries primarily responsible for pulling the eurozone into financial catastrophe? And it gets worse. As the Budget Committee notes, under the president’s plan, gross federal debt will reach $75,000 per capita by 2022. Big deal. How important is this anyway? Considering that per capita debt is a means of gauging the likelihood of a country's ability to repay its debts, that is, it helps determine whether a country’s government bonds are at risk of default, we'd say that it's a pretty big deal.


02/23/12--13:12: Franklin Graham Explains Obama Comments As CNN Host Wonders if He‘s ’a Republican in Preacher‘s Clothing’ (chan 1005003)

The political news cycle has been dominated by issues of faith this week. On Tuesday, the Rev. Franklin Graham ignited a fire storm following comments he made (or didn't make, for that matter) about President Barack Obama's Christian faith on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." During a Wednesday interview with CNN, he attempted to clarify these statements. (Related: See the Results of The Blaze Faith Poll) "Do you question the faith of our president?," host Kyra Phillips asked. The question, of course, reflected the same sentiment that was posed to the reverend the day before. "Listen, the president has said that he is a Christian and we'll just leave it at that...Only God knows the heart of all of these candidates...as it comes down to the candidates, it's really the issues that are the issue here," Graham explained. Then, the real element at the center of his opposition to President Obama emerged: Abortion. "I cannot...vote for the president because of abortion," he explained. "He supports abortion and I just cannot support that. The other candidates are more in line with my views on this..." Graham clearly felt the need to delve deeper. His comments, though they may remain unsavory to those who defend Obama and his stance on the issue, do provide greater insight into why the faith leader has had a difficult time overtly calling Obama a Christian. "The president supports [abortion]. He's going against what the Bible teaches," Graham explained. "The Bible is very clear about life and where life begins and I believe that the president is going against what the holy scriptures teach." Of course, there were a few awkward moments, particularly when Phillips said, "it sounds like you're getting political here...it sounds like you're a Republican in preacher's clothing." Watch the interview, below:

And here's the awkward MSNBC interview that started the initial debate:

If you missed the Rev. Al Sharpton's bizarre response to Graham's initial comments, you can find that here as well.

Even in the CNN interview, Graham declined to call Obama a Christian. Commentary Magazine's Peter Wehner took particular issue with this, writing:

The problem here is Graham is judging President Obama’s faith commitment based on a political, not a theological, basis. What Graham seems to be arguing is that Obama is a liberal, he’s wrong on “moral issues,” and so a question mark has to be put over the faith of the president, who has spoken in moving terms about his own journey to Christianity. [...] This is dangerous territory for Graham to reside in. For one thing, it sounds as if the Reverend Graham is questioning whether one can be a political liberal and a Christian at the same time. Of course one can be and to suggest otherwise is offensive.

Where do you stand? Is Graham right in his refusal to call Obama a Christian? Take the poll:


02/23/12--13:16: Market Recap: HP Drags on Dow But Jobless Claims Buoy Stocks (chan 1005003)

Markets closed up on Wall Street today:

▲ Dow +0.36 percent ▲ S&P +0.43 percent ▲ Nasdaq +0.81 percent ▲ Oil +1.75 percent ▲ Gold +0.55 percent

On the commodities front:

▲ Oil (NYSE:USO) rose to $108.14 a barrel

Precious Metals:

▲ Gold (NYSE:GLD) up to $1,781.10 an ounce ▲ Silver (NYSE:SLV) rose 3.36 percent to settle at $35.48

(Related: Do Central Banks Care More About the Dow or Gold?) Today’s markets were up because: 1) Jobs: New claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, holding steady for a second week at the lowest level seen since March 2008. The four-week moving average for new claims, a better measure of labor market trends, fell 7,000 to 359,000, also the lowest since March 2008, signaling that employers may be close to ending the long cycle of heavy layoffs, instead preparing for more hiring. 2) Europe: A strong report on Germany’s economy lent some early support to markets this morning, but the European Commission said Thursday that it expects the euro zone to face a mild recession in 2012, thanks to negative growth in Greece, Spain, Portugal, and four other countries in the 17-nation single-currency region. 3) Companies: Sears traded lower after reporting earnings that fell far short of expectations, while Target reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and issued a positive outlook for 2012. IBM, Travelers, and Disney helped offset Hewlett-Packard’s declines after the company reported dismal PC sales for the quarter ended January 31, dragging down 44 percent. [Editor’s note: the above is a cross post that originally appeared on Wall St. Cheat Sheet.]


02/23/12--13:48: Dem Congressman Admits Sending Harassing Texts to Married Federal Prosecutor (chan 1005003)

MIAMI (AP) — A contrite Florida state lawmaker who admitted using a hidden identity to send numerous inappropriate, harassing texts to a married federal prosecutor is facing a federal investigation into possible stalking. Rep. Richard Steinberg, a married Miami Beach Democrat, returned home from Tallahassee even though both legislative chambers were in session, said his spokesman Christian Ulvert. Steinberg, 39, and his wife have a young daughter. "It's a family matter. That's the No. 1 priority," Ulvert. Steinberg, responding to inquiries about the probe from The Miami Herald, issued a statement acknowledging that he sent "inappropriate and unsolicited messages" to Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos, an assistant U.S. attorney in Miami he said he has known for 15 years. Steinberg's spokesman also provided a copy to The Associated Press. "I deeply regret and wholeheartedly apologize for the disrespect that I have shown her, her husband and my constituents," Steinberg said in the statement. "Most importantly, words cannot express how sorry I am to my wife, for the disrespect I have shown her, and my entire family." According to the warrant filed in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court, investigators traced dozens of text messages sent under the user name "itsjustme24680" to Steinberg's home in Miami Beach. The number associated with that identity was a "spoof," according to investigators, meaning the true phone number was hidden on the victim's phone. The warrant details some of the texts, which began in August, and show that Fernandez-Karavetsos tried numerous times to get the sender to stop. "Sexxxy mama?" read one text. "How do I know you?" Fernandez-Karavetsos responded. Later, "itsjustme" wrote: "Good morning!" "Leave me alone" the prosecutor responded. "Is that any way to treat a friend? LOL" came the response. Then Fernandez-Karavetsos wrote: "This is the last time I'm going to ask, you've been texting long enough — who is this?" "Considering we're both married parents, probably best I not answer that at this point," wrote "itsjustme" in reply. Fernandez-Karavetsos, 37, is married to George Karavetsos, also a federal prosecutor and chief of the Miami U.S. attorney's narcotics section. Both declined comment Thursday. In a meeting with investigators, Fernandez-Karavetsos said she knew Steinberg "in a professional non-intimate way" and provided screen shots of the numerous messages on her phone. "The victim indicated that the messages have caused her substantial emotional distress and serve no legitimate purpose," Miami Beach police Det. Ricardo Arias wrote in a search warrant affidavit. The search warrant lists the potential offense as stalking, which is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison. Steinberg has not been charged with any crime. The Secret Service is the lead investigative agency with the Miami Beach Police Department assisting, said Miami Beach police spokesman Det. Juan Sanchez. Steinberg, an attorney, was elected in 2008 to represent part of Miami Beach in the state House of Representatives. Before that, he spent seven years as a Miami Beach commissioner, and he is the son of former state Sen. Paul B. Steinberg. _____


02/23/12--13:50: These Jeans Give New Meaning to the Word ‘Laptop’ (chan 1005003)

Can't get away from your laptop either at home or at work? These jeans could very well be a blessing or a curse to you. [caption id="attachment_248918" align="aligncenter" width="588" caption="(Photo via Daily Mail)"][/caption] Developed by Dutch inventors pants have a fully functional, built-in keyboard, mouse and speakers. The Daily Mail reports that these jeans coined "Beauty and the Geek" were handmade by Nieuwe Heren, a company run by Erik de Nijs and Tim Smit, to give the users "ease and movement":

"They’re not that heavy," de Nijs told WebProNews. "With the flexible keyboard, small speakers, and small mouse, they are only a little bit heavier than your regular jeans." He added: "The idea was that you could log in to your computer and control it without sitting in a closed environment behind your desk."

[caption id="attachment_248917" align="aligncenter" width="588" caption="(Photo via Daily Mail)"][/caption] You still need a computer to wirelessly connect the jeans via a USB device. The Daily Mail reports de Nijs saying as of right now the jeans are too complex and they don't have enough capital to bring them to the market. But if they did, they would retail for nearly $400.


02/23/12--14:04: Obama Campaign St. Patrick’s Day T-Shirt Screws up Actual Symbol of Ireland (chan 1005003)

[caption id="attachment_249072" align="alignright" width="278" caption="Image source: barackobama.com"][/caption] Less than one month out from St. Patrick's Day, President Barack Obama's re-election campaign seems to be hoping to cash in on supporters' Irish pride with some special campaign merchandise: "O'Bama" T-shirts and pint glasses. "Gear up for Saint Patrick’s Day in style with this fun O’Bama tee," the Obama online campaign store says. But the merchandise -- $30 for the T-shirt and $25 for the two-glass set -- isn't sitting well with everyone: The O'Bama design includes a large four-leaf clover, which is different from the three-leaf shamrock, the actual symbol of Ireland. Dave Hunt, a lifelong Democrat and the owner of the Irish saloon Coogan's in Manhattan, told the New York Times he finds the design "kind of off":

“That is my particular pebble in my shoe, when four-leaf clovers are interchanged with three-leafs,” said Mr. Hunt, 62, whose restaurant wall features a poster of John F. Kennedy adorned with (three-leaf) shamrocks. “People do it all the time. But if they were going to go to the trouble to do a T-shirt with the O and the apostrophe — which I think is very clever – someone on the staff should have gone to the trouble of finding out how many leaves to put on the clover.”

During Obama's visit to Ireland last year, he joked to a Dublin crowd: "My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall Obamas, and I've come home to find the apostrophe we lost somewhere along the way." [caption id="attachment_249079" align="alignright" width="217" caption="Image source: barackobama.com"][/caption] Hunt isn't the only one to take issue with the added clover leaf: A comment left on a Politico report about the new merchandise pointed out the same problem. "How ignorant of the Irish history is [Obama] when a four leaf clover is placed as the logo when the three leaf shamrock represents the faith of St Patrick's teachings? Tells you volumes about the man," commenter Julia Connolly wrote. But Kevin O’Neill, a professor of Irish History at Boston College and the cofounder of the school’s Irish Studies program, told the Times he doesn't see a real problem. “I think that’s creative license,” O’Neill said. ” If you can add an apostrophe, why not a leaf.” Hunt told the Times he fired off an email to the Obama re-election campaign about the error. He received an auto-reply in return. Asked about the logo by the Times, a campaign spokeswoman said she would check it out.


02/23/12--14:54: Occupy Imitates Tea Party, Founding Fathers With ‘The 99% Declaration’ (chan 1005003)

Liberals may like to make fun of the Tea Party for wearing period dress, but their mass movement has apparently realized that playing as the Founders can bring results. NPR reports that a group affiliated with Occupy Wall Street is planning a "national convention" in Philadelphia this summer, and the setup may sound more than a little familiar:

According to the group, which is dubbed "The 99% Declaration," an online election will decide on the 876 delegates — a man and woman from each Congressional district — who will gather in Philadelphia on July 4th. [...] On the group's website, they explain that the delegates will draft and ratify a "petition for a redress of grievances," which will then be sent to all members of Congress, the president and Supreme Court justices.

And if that doesn't give you Deja Vu, one of the group's spokespeople has even said, "We feel that following the footsteps of our founding fathers is the right way to go." They have made at least one step forward in that regard, in that this time the group has actually paid for a venue, rather than simply occupying it. For those wondering what the group's final petition for a redress of grievances might look like, they have helpfully listed a full 21 demands already on their website. The extended explanations of these demands are too long to reprint here, but the list of demands follows: 1. Elimination of the Corporate State/Ban on all "private political contributions" 2. Overturn the Citizens United case 3. Elimination of all private benefits to public servants 4. Term limits 5. A Fair Tax Code 6. Health Care for All/Medicare for all and/or adoption of a single-payer system 7. Protection of the Planet 8. Debt Reduction 9. Jobs for All Americans 10. Student Loan Debt Refinancing 11. Ending Perpetual War for Profit 12. Emergency Reform of Public Education 13. End Outsourcing and Currency Manipulation 14. Banking and Securities Reform 15. Foreclosure Moratorium, Mortgage Refinancing and Principle Write Downs 16. Review and Reform of the Federal Reserve Banking System 17. Ending the Electoral College and Enactment of Uniform Federal Election Rules in All of the States 18. Ending the War in Afghanistan and Care of Veterans 19. No Censorship of the Internet 20. Reinstitution of Civil Rights Including the Repeal of the NDAA 21. Curtailing the Private Prison Industrial Complex This is only a preliminary list of demands, which may grow or shrink, depending on the convention. Are these protesters "following in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers?" Weigh in below.


02/23/12--15:25: Santorum Uses Romney‘s Own Words Against Him in ’Say What’ Michigan TV Ad (chan 1005003)

WASHINGTON (the Blaze/AP) — TITLE: "Say What" LENGTH: 30 seconds. AIRING: On broadcast and cable in Michigan. KEY IMAGES: Against a black screen, a series of claims about Mitt Romney flash across in stark white text. As they appear, each one is punctuated by a sound akin to a prison cell door slamming shut. There are no other sounds or images, except of Rick Santorum end saying he approve the message. The claims are all backed up by citations: — "I don't line up with the National Rifle Association (NRA)" - Mitt Romney. Source: The Boston Globe. — "I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose." - Mitt Romney. Source: Debate, Suffolk University. — "Romney also professed support for state funding of abortions for low income women." Source: The Boston Globe. — "Romney Advisor Admits Romneycare was Blueprint for Obamacare." Source: RushLimbaugh.com. — "Under Romney fees and taxes increased more than $700 million a year." Source: Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation — "As Governor, Romney requested millions in U.S. earmarks." Source: Philadelphia Inquirer — "I'd be embarrassed if I didn't ask for federal dollars every chance I had." - Mitt Romney. Source: Washington Post ANALYSIS: Santorum's campaign takes the direct approach by using Romney's own words against him in an ad released days before Michigan's GOP presidential primary on Tuesday. The spot stands out for its stylistic choices. It's effectively a silent film; no narration, just dramatic sound effects designed to get the viewer's attention. But as content goes, it's fairly standard attack-ad fare. Citing a variety of media, the ad seeks to chip away at Romney's conservative credentials, mostly by highlighting the former Massachusetts governor's past comments. Romney did say he doesn't line up with the National Rifle Association. He did support abortion rights in previous runs for office, though never as a presidential candidate. A Romney adviser also did say the health care plan Romney put in place in Massachusetts was the basis for the national plan President Barack Obama signed into law nearly two years ago. But two of Santorum's claims are questionable. Fees and taxes did increase under Romney's leadership in Massachusetts. But Romney, for the most part, fought off tax increases while in office. He advocated a reduction in income taxes, which won him plaudits from anti-tax groups. He did raise business taxes by $140 million and approved millions of dollars in new fees and fines, which makes Santorum's claim technically true but not the whole story. As governor and in his tenure running the 2002 Olympics in Utah, Romney did seek earmarks, or targeted spending, from Congress. But Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator who secured millions of dollars in earmarks for his states and who defended the practice during a recent GOP debate, is hardly untarnished on this issue. Romney and Santorum both have said they would seek to end the practice of earmarks if elected. Santorum's decision to air his second negative Romney ad reflects the reality of the race in Michigan. Santorum, who had led in many polls in the state, has begun to see his lead shrink and is fighting back. If he's to continue to build on momentum from recent victories in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, he will have to defeat Romney in Michigan. Romney's supporters have spent millions on ads attacking Santorum's record.


02/23/12--16:02: Pelosi: Catholic Church ‘Has Not Enforced’ its Teaching on Contraception (chan 1005003)

During an event at Texas A&M University on Monday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi claimed the Catholic Church has never enforced its teaching on contraception and that the church is now looking to the federal government to enforce that teaching for it. "Ninety-eight percent of women in childbearing age that are Catholic use contraception. So, in practice the church has not enforced this and now they want the federal government and private insurance to enforce it. It just isn’t consistent to me," Pelosi said. CNSNews provides the video: The statement came after Pelosi was questioned about the conflict between the Catholic Church and the Obama administration over its new policy mandating that religious employers cover the cost of contraception and sterilization procedures for its employees. Pelosi added, "Whatever my personal beliefs or my personal upbringing are on this subject everyone has their own responsibility in terms of the size and the rest of their family." "So, I think this should be removed from the debate, it’s inflammatory--misrepresentations are made." All 181 Catholic bishops in the United States have vehemently denounced the Obama administration's mandate, calling it "an unprecedented attack on religious freedom."


02/23/12--16:24: Gay Marriage Close to Legal in Maryland (chan 1005003)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Gay marriage is all but legalized in Maryland with the legislature giving its final OK Thursday to the law that is awaiting the expected signature of the governor. The state Senate voted 25-22 for the law. The vote comes less than a week after the House of Delegates barely passed the measure. Maryland will become the eighth state to allow gay marriage when Gov. Martin O'Malley - who sponsored the bill - signs the legislation. Opponents, though, have vowed to bring the measure to referendum in November. They will need to gather at least 55,726 valid signatures of Maryland voters to put it on the ballot and can begin collecting names now that the bill has passed both chambers. Senators rejected some amendments to the legislation Thursday. Proponents warned that amending the bill could kill it because gathering enough support for altered legislation in the House would be difficult. Last year senators passed a similar measure by 25-21, but the bill died in the House after delegates rescinded their initial support citing concerns that it could violate religious liberties of churches and business owners who do not support same-sex unions.