Politics. On Point.

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama addressed the media, then took questions regarding the government shutdown, healthcare, the debt ceiling and other concerning issues he says the Republicans are being uncooperative about. House Speaker John Boehner took to the podium moments later arguing the case that President Obama is unwilling to negotiate. It's time both parties but an end this war of words and take action to put Americans back to work and on solid footing. Thankfully, good Samaritans have come forward to assist Americans in their time of need where the shutdown has affected everyday Americans.  (See military | See education ). Related On the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have fought the president tooth and nail. Oct 2008 : "You'll never get elected and pass healthcare." Nov 2008: "We'll never let you pass healthcare." Jan 2009: "We're gonna shout you down every time you try to pass healthcare." July 2009: ...

You Are What You Drink When we first got a swig (pun intended) of this upcoming event with Michelle Obama encouraging Americans to drink more water, we knew the crazies would come out against it. Apparently, the only ones who can talk about fitness, eating healthy, and drinking water are Jane Fonda , Jack LaLanne , the group Drink Water , and the bottled water company, Drink More Water . First Lady Obama wants Americans to drink more water. Even with a resume in fitness like the one of Mrs. Obama, she still receives backlash.   Speaking at an event yesterday in Watertown, Wisconsin the first lady gave a passionate appeal on why drinking water is healthy for all. "But I really care about your health like I care about my kids' health", said Mrs. Obama. "That's why I've devoted so much of my energy into making sure that your generation is as healthy as you can be.  We've been talking about how you got to move and keep active and eat right.  ...

First Lady Michelle Obama will sign copies of her book American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Garden Across America at the Politics & Prose bookstore.  The book offers a look at the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden and shares inspiring stories of Americans from across the country who are actively engaged in community, school, and urban gardens. Mrs. Obama accepted no advance for American Grown and all author proceeds will go to the National Park Foundation ( www.nationalparks.org ), the official charity of America’s national parks. Funds will be used for programs that promote gardening and healthy eating and give young people the opportunity to experience the outdoors and lead more active lives, as well as for the continued care of the White House Kitchen Garden.  Random House will also donate a portion of its profits to the National Park Foundation. Earlier this week Mrs. Obama and...

“ The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge ” Welcomes Children and Their Parents to Create Healthy Lunch Recipes for an Invite to a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House With the overwhelming success of the inaugural Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' “State Dinner” in 2012, First Lady Michelle Obama is again teaming up with Epicurious, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture to host a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy eating among America’s youth. “Last year’s Kids State dinner was one of my favorite events we’ve ever done for Let’s Move! because it perfectly captured how young people, parents, community leaders and businesses can come together for innovative, healthy solutions,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.  “Last year’s young chefs impressed and inspired me with their creativity, and I can’t wait to welcome a whole new group to the White House this summer and taste their creations.  So kids, let’s get cooking!” The second Hea...

First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a first ever White House State Dinner for children who submitted their favorite, healthy kid recipes to the White House in support of the First Lady's Let's Move healthy eating initiative. We have some real color commentary (too informative and extensive to waste) from a White House pool report that sums up the event quite nicely.   (Thanks to Eddie Gehman Kohan, Executive Editor of ObamaFoodorama , a web site she started that highlights the food events surrounding the The First Lady's Let's Move! initiative and the The Food Archive of the Obama Presidency). Before we get to that though, let me also add that we thought White House chef, Sam Kass, did a fabulous job working the 'Red Carpet' as the winners arrived through the part of the White House known as the Booksellers area.  Kass interviewed each winner before they entered the East Room of the White House getting reaction from them all on bein...

Health care law gives women control over their care, offers free preventive services to 47 million women Forty-seven million women are getting greater control over their health care and access to eight new prevention-related health care services without paying more out of their own pocket beginning Aug. 1, 2012, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today. Previously some insurance companies did not cover these preventive services for women at all under their health plans, while some women had to pay deductibles or copays for the care they needed to stay healthy. The new rules in the health care law requiring coverage of these services take effect at the next renewal date – on or after Aug. 1, 2012—for most health insurance plans. For the first time ever, women will have access to even more life-saving preventive care free of charge. According to a new HHS report also released today, approximately 47 million women are in health plans that must cover...

" Our Supreme Court has spoken " -  Sen Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-NV) The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision today, upheld the entire  healthcare provision put forth by President Obama, with Chief Justice John Roberts providing the decisive vote.  Ironically, then Sen Barack Obama, Joe Biden & Sen Harry Reid voted against Roberts for Chief Justice.  All three men, today, couldn't be happier about the ruling. President Obama, remarking from the East Room said, the court "reaffirmed a fundamental principle that here in America, in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no illness or accident should lead to any family’s financial ruin." The Affordable Care Act, under the Obama presidency, Ten Things You Now Get To Keep: "If you’re one of the more than 250 million Americans who already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance", said the president.  Explaining the existing plan the president continued his remarks saying, ...

AT Hyattsville, MD Olive Garden:  First Lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by Darden chef Julie Elkinton, second from right, talks to Charisse McElroy, right, and her daughter Jacqueline McElroy, 9.  Photo by AP's Manuel Balce Ceneta First Lady Michelle Obama was at the Hyattsville, MD Olive Garden restaurant today to announce that Darden Restaurants , the world’s largest full service restaurant company, would modify its kids' menus to include healthier sides and drink options. "Often, parents assume that when a restaurant offers a separate kids’ menu that the food on that menu will actually be good for their kids", said the First Lady. "They assume that the potion sizes will be reasonable. They assume that the food will be just as nutritious as food that they prepare for their kids at home."  It's considered that one of every two dollars spent on food is spent in restaurants, and over one-third of calories consumed in America are eaten at restau...

The First Lady helps Americans with healthier menu options for a healthier plate. As I look at the new MyPlate icon presented today by First Lady Michelle, USDA’s Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak and US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, I am reminded of a young boy at a gathering who had nothing but meatballs and cookies and on his plate. “You’re plate doesn’t have anything green on it”, I said to him, as I suggested he get some of the lovely salad and fruit that was also being offered. Reluctantly, he headed over the table with the fruit and salad. With the new MyPlate icon, kids and parents everywhere can make better food choices. The USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama launch new icon to help Americans choose healthy menu items, and portion sizes. The icon is a departure from MyPyramid. Visit MyPlate.gov.  "This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we're eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going ...

Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius is adamantly against any GOP attempts to repeal President Obama's health care bill. She writes in today's Chicago Tribune in an op-ed piece : "Unless we want to take coverage away from cancer patients, reduce oversight for insurance companies, raise prescription drug costs for seniors, weaken Medicare, add $1 trillion to the deficit and undo dozens of other reforms that are improving health around the country, we can't afford repeal. Repeal would also rip up the new Patient's Bill of Rights , which outlaws the worst abuses of health insurers. Thanks to the new law, insurance companies can no longer cancel your coverage without cause when you get sick. They may no longer put lifetime dollar limits on your benefits — limits that often meant your coverage was gone when you needed it most. And by 2014, most annual dollar limits on benefits will be a thing of the past." Another notably positive of t...

The First Lady participates in a Let's Move! event at Brock Elementary School in Slidell, Louisiana. We were wondering whether First Lady Michelle was going to take her message of healthy eating for a healthy lifestyle to the residence of New Orleans. After watching Spike Lee's latest documentary (which we're hoping the President and First Lady also watched) we were reminded of the rich, but unhealthy eating lifestyle of the residents of New Orleans. The First Lady must have read our minds. After visiting Louisiana last week with the president, this week the First Lady will return to New Orleans.  This time for a morning event at Brock Elementary School in Slidell, Louisiana, focusing on the next phase of the Let’s Move! campaign where she will highlight steps local schools and communities can take to combat childhood obesity. She will also salute participants in the US Healthier Schools Challenge program. Visit the Let's Move! web site to learn ...

USDA Encourages Schools to Take the HealthierUS School Challenge to Help Improve the Nutrition of School Children Nationwide New Steps Taken To Make Challenge Easier and More Successful Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today encouraged schools throughout the country to participate in the HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC), an initiative that helps improve the health and nutrition of children. USDA created the HUSSC to recognize schools that maintain healthy school environments by improving the quality of meals and increasing physical activity and nutrition education. The HUSSC is also a key component of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign to end childhood obesity within a generation. "Even as Congress considers legislation to make historic improvements to school meals, there are also steps that moms and dads and others in the community can take to improve the health and nutrition of the meals their kids eat each day," said Vilsack. "While m...

As we approach the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act , our First Lady writes an opinion piece in the today's Washington Post. The article can be read here , but we have excerpts below. First Lady Michelle Obama at  the Marie Reed Learning Center this past Spring. Photo/CD Brown. For years our nation has been struggling with an epidemic of childhood obesity. We've all heard the statistics: how one in three children in this country are either overweight or obese, with even higher rates among African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. We know that one in three kids will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives. We've seen the cost to our economy -- how we're spending almost $150 billion every year to treat obesity-related conditions. And we know that if we don't act now, those costs will just keep rising. None of us wants that future for our children or our country. That's the idea behind "Let's Move!" -- a nationwide c...

Let me just say that we continue to be in awe of our First Lady, Michelle Obama who, I might add is not letting any grass (White House garden or other) grow under her feet.  She continues to stay busy and we love what she is doing with young people. The First Lady was scheduled to have another Youth Series at the White House yesterday where she planned to host young people to engage in a youth fitness tennis clinic with the 2010 Wimbledon Champion, Serena Williams .   As you know, Williams cut her foot and was unable to attend.  Then, it rained yesterday and the entire event was postponed (we're disappointed), only to be rescheduled at a later date. But, First Lady Michelle doesn't let rain (or anything else) stop her as her week has already been full of activity with events that included a visit to Panama to take on BP's oil spill ( looking great doing so), speaking at the NAACP's 101st Anniversary , hosting a live chat announcing the relaunch of her Let'...