Politics. On Point.

It is in Arizona Too. "We didn't win by a lot, but it was enough", said Romney after winning primary votes in both Michigan (his home state where his father once governed) and Arizona (where Jan Brewer, after endorsing Romney last week, has to be proud). Romney didn't sing this time (as he did after learning President Obama sang during a campaign event) but he did comment saying, "The people of Michigan looked into the hearts of the candidates, and all I have to say is 'I love you back." Still not over 50%, Romney received 41% of the votes in his Michigan home town, in front of Rick Santorum who received a close 37%.  Ron Paul received 12%, beating out Newt Gingrich with just 7%. In Arizona a different picture is painted with Romney winning higher with 49% of the votes. Rick Santorum trailed considerably with just 25%.  Voters again voted just 12% for Ron Paul, while Gingrich saw a slight uptick at 9%. Is America really starting t...

The White House, in celebration of African American History Month, held a workshop and live performance at the White House with some of America's best Blues artists. First Lady Michelle Obama addressed students from various schools around the country in a Blues workshop where she told them to never sell themselves short.  "Anything is possible" she said to the blues music lovers and future musicians. The White House State dining room was filled with the sound of Blues music as Blues artists B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, along with Mick Jagger delighted a crowd that included President Obama singing with Sweet Home Chicago. See the entire evening performance here .

Continuing his administration's efforts to increase jobs and grow the economy, President Obama has set a new precedent designed to do away with tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. In a statement today, President Obama called the current tax system outdated and unfair, and vows to eliminate tax loop holes. His full remarks are below. "In my State of the Union, I laid out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last -- where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone pays their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.  That includes a tax code that rewards companies who invest and create jobs in the United States of America.  Our current corporate tax system is outdated, unfair, and inefficient.   It provides tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas and hits companies that choose to stay in America with one of the highest tax rates in the world.  It is unnecessarily complicated and forces America’s small businesses to spend ...

First Lady Michelle Obama, along with dog Bo, surprised White House tour visitors yesterday, aneven the one wearing a Ron Paul T-shirt.   Still, the first lady had to remain poised, even in the face of a supporter of her husband's competition. Mrs. Obama also greeted military nurses, 'Ronald McDonald', and scores of school kids who were visiting from around the country - all of whom exchanged hugs, brief stories, and pleasantries. "We voted for you last time and we're voting again this time", said one visitor. "I was pulling for you to win" the push-up competition with Ellen , said another. First Lady Obama surprises White House visitors. This is where we learn that the talk show host wants a rematch with the first lady. "She said she went down farther and now she wants another competition", said Mrs. Obama. It wasn't the first time First Lady Michelle surprised a White House tour group, and just like then, she was cle...

Free preventive care also provided to 32.5 million in Medicare Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the Affordable Care Act provided approximately 54 million Americans with at least one new free preventive service in 2011 through their private health insurance plans. Secretary Sebelius also announced that an estimated 32.5 million people with Medicare received at least one free preventive benefit in 2011, including the new Annual Wellness Visit, since the health reform law was enacted. Together, this means an estimated 86 million Americans were helped by health reform’s prevention coverage improvements. The new data were released in two new reports from HHS. “Americans of all ages can now get the preventive services they need, like mammograms and the new Annual Wellness Visit, free of charge, as a result of the new health care law,” Secretary Sebelius said. “With more people taking advantage of these benefits, more lives can be saved, and co...

Making Healthy Sexy As we posted earlier , First Lady Michelle Obama is celebrating two years of her Let's Move! campaign! The celebratory tour started out in Iowa where the first lady is transitioning her message of healthy eating to U.S. military bases, focusing on the military's Food Transformation effort.    Here's a bit of her speech between the first lady and the military's 'top brass'. MRS. OBAMA : And have you seen changes since implementing the Food Transformation and how service members responded in terms of how they feel? COLONEL ROBINSON: I think they responded pretty well. We really tackled the physical fitness aspect first. And that I think manifested itself first and foremost because people would go to the AOR and Central Command in a very demanding environment, very hot, a lot of heavy lifting, very active, to get the mission done. And many people were exhausted and, frankly, couldn’t accomplish the mission or just couldn’t physicall...

President launches marshmallows. President Obama hosted his second Science Fair at the White House today, recognizing students from across the country for their innovation and contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). President Obama reviews a robot that plays soccer.  White House photo. Joking that their were robots running around the house, the president said, "I still don't know how they managed to get through the medal detectors". Among the science fair creations was a robot dubbed "Skype on Wheels" created by fourteen-year old  student Benjamin Hylak of West Grove, Pennsylvania. His bot is made out of a trash can with a computer monitor on top.  The robot was invented to help nursing home patients connect with family their family members. "This is what we should be talking about", said President Obama. The president, natually, tried out one of the science projects - a marshmallow compressor, launching a...

Need a new twist on an old chili recipe?    Try this White House chili recipe at your Super Bowl party this year.  Bon Appetit! While there aren't plans for an official White House Super Bowl party this year, (the First Fam opting instead to watch it together) this chili recipe sure sounds like a great way to warm up a chilly Super Bowl Sunday afternoon.

Obama campaign makes remarks. Mitt Romney won his second caucus since wowing in Florida.   With 48% of the vote, and an endorsement from Donald Trump, Romney has gained Republican momentum in his bid for the White House. "This isn't the first time you gave me your vote of confidence, but this time I'm going to take it to the White House", Romney said. Romney also won Nevada in 2008.  (How many times have you won twice in Vegas?) Romney's running mates, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Super Tuesday bound, came in with 23% of the Nevada votes, while Rep. Ron Paul gained a jump at 18% over Pennsylvania's Sen. Rick Santorum who managed 11% of the Nevada's votes. The White House won't speak (at least publicly) about the Republican debates and caucuses, but sure make mention of them in campaign emails. Here's what one Obama campaign email read last week about Romney's Trump endorsement suggesting they are not impressed, nor a...

We can hardly believe it's been two years already since First Lady Michelle Obama launched her Let's Move! campaign to inspire and teach America's children (and hopefully some grown-ups too!) the value of exercise and good nutrition! From jumping jacks at the White House, to doing the dougie at a local DC school, the First Lady talks the talk, and walks the walk.  She is on a roll!  And she (and a few friends) plan to take her message cross- country on a tour (starting February 9th through February 11th) to celebrate Let's Move!, Y2  (Year Two).  (The Y2, part is our creation). Here's the schedule we obtained from the First Lady's press office. Thursday, February 9th Kickoff Celebration   Let’s Move! Day in Iowa First Lady Michelle Obama will kick off her three day national tour in Des Moines, Iowa, to highlight Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative, a private-public partnership launched in August by Governor Terry Branstad and other g...

U.S. Departments of the Treasury and Labor today announced two executive actions designed to help enhance security for millions of Americans saving for retirement. The measures will (1) expand transparency in the 401(k) plan marketplace and (2) broaden the availability of retirement plan options so Americans can maximize their ability to save responsibly and securely. The Treasury Department’s proposal will also reduce regulatory burdens and make it easier for retirees to choose to receive their benefits as a stream of income in regular payments for as long as they live. These flexible “lifetime income” options can provide greater certainty in retirement and minimize the risk of retirees outliving or underutilizing their retirement savings. “When American workers take the responsible step of saving for retirement, we should do all we can to provide them with sensible, accessible choices for managing their hard-earned savings. Having the ability to choose from expanded options...

On Friday, February 3, the White House Business Council, the White House Council on Women and Girls , the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Barnard College ’s Athena Center for Leadership Studies will host an Urban Economic Forum on Barnard’s New York City campus to discuss the Administration’s commitment to supporting policies that create private-sector jobs and support the next generation of entrepreneurs who will not only strengthen our economy but compete globally. The Urban Economic Forum at Barnard College is the first of a multi-city series designed to connect urban entrepreneurs and business owners to the local and national resources and networks they need to grow and hire, and to discuss ways to enhance their success. In addition to New York City, the Urban Economic Forums will be held in Birmingham, Columbus, Detroit, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Phoenix. The mission of the White House Business Council is to provide a coordinated federa...

"No more red tape."  "Fairness and responsibility." In a Town Hall Twitter session at the White House last July President Obama, when asked what he would have done differently since he became president answered, "I wish I could have done more to help homeowners stay in their homes ." President Obama holds up a proposed one-page mortgage application at James Lee Recreation Center in Falls Church, Va. Speaking today, speaking at the James Lee Recreation Center in Falls Church, Virginia, the president outlined his plan to help responsible homeowners, those he described as those who "paid their mortgages on time", and played by the rules, recover from a housing bubble that saw many Americans lose their homes due to unfair practices by credit lenders and mortgage companies. "It was wrong.  It triggered the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes.  And it has been the single biggest drag on our recovery from a terrible recession", ...