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President Barack Obama, seeking to restore confidence in his leadership, declared in his State of the Union address Tuesday that he would use executive power to try to narrow the gap between rich and poor and speed the nation's economic recovery.
By Michael Kitchen
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — As Republicans consider ways to register their opposition to President Barack Obama's executive order on immigration, one unprecedented option is making the rounds: blocking the State of the Union address.
While the president's State of the Union message to Congress is mandated by Article II of the Constitution, an actual speech is not. In fact until the early 20th century, most presidents just sent a written message, which was then read out to lawmakers by a congressional clerk.
Under current tradition, the speaker of the House formally invites the president sometime in December to deliver the "SOTU" at an agreed-to date, usually in January. But some conservatives are now suggesting that the Republican-held Congress deny the president this platform.
"I'd say to the president: 'Send us your State of the Union in writing. You're not welcome in our chamber,'" MSNBC quoted National Review editor Rich Lowry as saying.
Likewise, Breitbart.com editor-at-large Joel Pollak wrote last week in favor of the idea, saying: "The gesture would, no doubt, be perceived as rude, but it is appropriate — and would be far less jarring or uncomfortable than the hostile reception Obama would likely receive in person."
The MSNBC report notes that preacher Pat Robertson had urged Republicans to block Bill Clinton from delivering the SOTU in 1999, just as the Senate was deliberating on the articles of impeachment against the Democratic president.
Still, reports suggested that GOP leaders in Congress are unlikely bar Obama from speaking, as the move would risk making Republicans look petty.
In reporting on the possible move, Politico said earlier this week that stopping the address was among other proposals — such as a government shutdown — which congressional leadership believed were "nonsensical, since [they would] not serve any practical purpose."
TED JENKIN: Trapped in my office by the Snowpocalypse that hit Atlanta a few months ago, I had the opportunity to watch the State of the Union (#sotu) delivered by President Obama. Since we already have the SEP-IRA, SIMPLE-IRA, Rollover IRA, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, Beneficial IRA, etc., wouldn't it have just been easier to call it the My IRA instead of the new Webster's dictionary word called myRA?
Here's the most important thing to know about the new myRA. Good luck trying to make any money on your account! The principal in the myRA is guaranteed by the good old U.S. government much like regular U.S. savings bonds. The myRA account will earn the same variable interest rate (reset monthly) as government workers earn within the current Thrift Savings Plan Government Securities Investment Fund (G Fund). The current rate would be roughly 2.09% (and the 10-year at 3.39%). That is not the kind of account that will help someone with lower income to reach retirement. Most people in my opinion would just be better off setting up a Roth IRA.
The primary impetus behind this is that folks who are less fortunate have an affordable way to save for their retirement. The minimum investment to start an account is $25 and investments could be as small as $5 through your company payroll deduction.
Does anyone wonder if the government will accept money orders from 7-11 from those less fortunate? How about cash? With current rates and the rule of 72, it will only take 36 years or so to double your money.
TreasuryDirect.gov has a slogan that states "Ready. Save. Grow." If you are lucky with inflation, you'll safely be going backward each and every year. That's why I say whyRA to the myRA.
Ted Jenkin (@tedjenkin) is the co-CEO and founder of oXYGen Financial, a financial advisory firm focused on the X & Y generations. He also blogs at yoursmartmoneymoves.com.
Read the latest Investing in Funds & ETFs Report.
By Dante Chinni
The absolute priority question is valuable because it measures not just support for an idea, but support for that idea compared to other issues at a particular moment. It measures urgency.
Using that measure, one issue stood above all else in this week's poll for creating near universal agreement: jobs. More than 9 in 10 — 91% — of those polled said job creation should be a priority for 2014. And across the nation's many political and cultural divides those numbers largely held.
Creating Jobs Should be an "Absolute Priority" in 2014
In his State of the Union speech, Mr. Obama devoted more than 10% of his words to the issue of job creation, more than any topic except income inequality, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. So it would seem it is on the president's 2014 agenda.
But "job creation" is a broad idea, not a proposal, and different groups traditionally have had very different ideas of what's involved in it. For Republicans it often means calls for lower regulations and tax cuts, while for Democrats it often means direct government investment.
This week's poll numbers also suggest Mr. Obama was out of sync with public interest in deficit reduction. He used only about 2% of the speech's words to discuss the topic, but support for making that issue an absolute priority runs high across the board, with no group below 60%.
Reducing the Deficit Should be an "Absolute Priority" in 2014
In some ways, however, deficit reduction is like the jobs issue. Do Americans want deficit reduction tackled in 2014? Yes. The question is how?
Reducing the deficit is necessarily going to involve a mix of budget cuts and revenue increases and Democrats and Republicans always have different ideas of what that mix should be. Last year's protracted battle over government spending showed that. In the end a deal was reached, but not without hard contentious arguments and a government shutdown that neither party seems interested in reliving this year.
And when one gets away from broad agenda items, such as jobs and deficit, to look at specifics, such as raising the minimum wage, the poll numbers are more complicated. While the overall numbers show some support for raising the minimum wage – 51% say it should be an absolute priority – the splits between different groups are massive.
Raising the Minimum Wage Should be an "Absolute Priority" in 2014
Mr. Obama spent a fair amount of time on this issue and lots on the larger idea of income equality Tuesday night. But as the numbers above show, its real impact is likely as a wedge issue in this election year, given the sharp disparity in the Democratic and Republican numbers.
The fact that many people in urban and rural America see the issue as a priority is surprising. Voters in those kinds of communities don't agree on much. And it's noteworthy that rural Americans, who strongly disapprove of Mr. Obama's presidency, are evenly split on prioritizing an issue he is championing. That number bears watching this year. But with the splits in the polling above, it's still hard to see much happening on the minimum wage at the federal level this year.
The point? Whatever the driving force pushing a specific agenda in 2014, it looks like a very heavy lift in a divided country.
By Peter Nicholas
Nor did he have anything to say about the billions of dollars sloshing through the electoral system — a problem he memorably highlighted in his speech in 2010.
There are limits to how much policy a president can cram into one speech. And Mr. Obama, an accomplished author in his own right, no doubt wanted to leave room for a lyrical phrase here and there.
Still, given the enormous preparation that goes into a State of the Union speech, it's a fair bet there was a reason these issues didn't make the cut. Let's consider.
It's a problem for Mr. Obama no matter what he does. Approve the pipeline, which would carry Canadian crude oil to Gulf Coast refineries, and he risks a backlash from liberal donors and grassroots activists who see Keystone as an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen. Reject Keystone and he angers voters in Louisiana, Alaska and North Carolina, where Democratic Senators Mary Landrieu, Mark Begich and Kay Hagan, respectively, face tough re-election fights.
There's no way around it: Keystone just isn't a win-win. So, for Mr. Obama, the less said the better.
Gay Rights
Mr. Obama has already taken substantial steps on behalf of gay and lesbian Americans. He pushed to allow them to serve openly in the military, doing away with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. And he came out in favor of same-sex marriage.
Mr. Obama is wired such that he never proceeds too boldly in one direction. He prefers staking out a middle-ground. Having already won accolades from gay-rights advocates, he may have concluded he's done enough on this front for the time being.
Campaign Finance
At the 2010 State of the Union address, a show-stopper was the president's rebuke of the Supreme Court. He chided justices for their ruling in the Citizens United case, which he said allowed "special interests" to "spend without limits in our elections."
Sitting in the audience, Justice Samuel Alito appeared to say "Not true" in response. Mr. Obama then called on Congress to stanch the flow of big money in politics.
That didn't happen and Mr. Obama dropped the subject entirely in his speech Tuesday.
Robert Gibbs, a former Obama White House spokesman may have hit upon the reason why.
"The ability to change Washington is something that long ago the White House sort of stopped trying to do," Mr. Gibbs told MSNBC.
Follow @wsjwashington on Twitter
Watch a video in which Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Seib discusses what to expect from the House GOP in coming weeks:
The broad, optimistic vision President Barack Obama laid out in his State of the Union address Tuesday didn't even make it a day. On Wednesday, he encountered significant blowback—and not just from Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid broke publicly with the White House on trade policy, telling reporters he opposed "fast track" legislation that would ease the passage of free-trade agreements–punching a hole in a key piece of the economic agenda Mr. Obama laid out in his speech. Two sets of trade negotiations are in danger: one with the European Union and the other with countries in the Asian-Pacific region. William Mauldin and Siobhan Hughes report. http://on.wsj.com/1cvpkpc
In a less surprising twist, aides said Wednesday that the Republican-controlled House is unlikely to take up the issue of minimum wage, a central part of Mr. Obama's speech. Even in the Democratic-led Senate, five Republicans would have to join Democratic senators for the idea to advance, and none have expressed support. Michael R. Crittenden and Colleen McCain Nelson report. http://on.wsj.com/1fyeOfm
The instant rebuff of Mr. Obama's push to Congress shows that the days of partisan gridlock are far from over. Though the president said he would act unilaterally, he'll need legislative backing for the most significant policy changes. What's more, it suggests that the White House and Democrats in Congress are not on the same page when it comes to party strategy for winning November's midterms, which could mean a tough road for the administration's final two years.
–Rebecca Ballhaus
BONUS EARLY HIT: House Republicans may have some tricky midterms approaching, but that's not the first topic on their minds these days. Instead, it's what to do with the debt ceiling, a question House Republicans will seek to answer today at a meeting in Cambridge, Md., where they will map out the year's legislative strategy. GOP leaders are expected to warn their caucus to be unified in their demands and to remember the political costs of last October's government shutdown. Damian Paletta reports. http://on.wsj.com/1n0Xkee
Jerry Seib explains the tensions in Washington over how to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon. President Obama wants negotiations to go ahead but many in congress see strong sanctions as the only way to prevent a Nuclear Iran. VIDEO: http://on.wsj.com/1fixZeu
FED POLICY: Apparently unfazed by recent selloffs in emerging markets, the Federal Reserve said it will scale back its bond-buying program for the second time in six weeks, cutting its purchases of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities to $65 billion a month, down from $75 billion. Fed officials didn't mention recent worrisome trends in emerging markets—which have been exacerbated by new Fed policies—in their statement, but offered a rather rosy outlook for the U.S. economy. Jon Hilsenrath and Victoria McGrane report. http://on.wsj.com/1fwaTQ9
SURVEILLANCE APPLICATIONS: A federal judge ruled for the first time that the government has to let a defense lawyer see surveillance applications to a secret court, pushing open a new door to challenge the government's controversial electronic surveillance programs. Defense lawyers said they should be able to challenge the constitutionality of those applications, and would likely try to throw out evidence that stems from wire-tapping. Andrew Grossman reports. http://on.wsj.com/1iMWjc7
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS: Mr. Obama officially authorized new retirement-saving accounts aimed at workers who can't get traditional retirement accounts, like 401(k)s—about half the U.S. workforce. The accounts, first unveiled in the president's address on Tuesday, will protect investments but will offer relatively low returns. Anne Tergesen and Colleen McCain Nelson explore whether workers will actually use the accounts. http://on.wsj.com/1ctNRL4
SNOWDEN LEAKS: The top U.S. intelligence official offered heavy criticism of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, telling senators that Mr. Snowden's leaks have made the nation "less safe" and have allowed terrorists to [go] to school" on the information he revealed. In testy exchanges, senators fired back at the official's remarks, accusing surveillance operations of having engrained a "culture of misinformation." Siobhan Gorman details the findings of intelligence agencies' threat-assessment report. http://on.wsj.com/1fwEYPH
–Compiled by Rebecca Ballhaus
Michael Waldman, former head speechwriter for Bill Clinton, says on Salon says the most noteworthy aspect of President Obama's State of the Union speech, which had few memorable moments, was "a burst of real optimism about the direction of the economy – not, 'Oh, woe is us.' That's new for him, and something that we haven't heard before." http://bit.ly/Ldiw4b
In the Washington Post, E.J. Dionne calls President Obama's State of the Union address a "set of confidence-building measures" that seek to show that the government can make sensible moves and to urge Congress to act. Still, Dionne writes, the legislature structurally leans right and initiatives can be thwarted even with broad national support. Obama needs to "deal with the Congress he has, not the Congress he wishes he had." http://wapo.st/Ldjq0x
Washington lobbyists for powerful industry groups are skeptical they can stop President Obama's climate-change agenda, but they are banding together to try to "shape—and slow down—that agenda with both inside-the-Beltway lobbying and state grassroots work," Amy Harder writes in National Journal. http://bit.ly/LdiHg6
In the Weekly Standard, Michael Warren profiles Sen. Lindsey Graham as he seeks re-election, concluding that despite the complaints of national conservatives about his record, he is a master at tending to his state's needs and "is likely to keep his job for as long as he likes. For many conservatives, this may be a difficult pill to swallow." http://bit.ly/LdiVnm
The NSA spied on other governments ahead of and during the 2009 United Nations climate negotiations in Denmark, new documents from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden reveal. The documents show that the NSA planned to gather information about other governments' "last-minute policy formulating" and use that to brief U.S. officials, like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Huffington Post's Kate Sheppard and Ryan Grim report. http://huff.to/LdjflV
PARTY ID BY STATE: The Democratic Party had only a three-state advantage, 17 to 14, over and the Republican Party based on annual state averages of party affiliation tracked by Gallup in interviews with 178,000 adults. That's down from a seven-state lead for the Democrats in 2012, and well short of the party's 30-state lead in 2008. http://bit.ly/1fpvWFW
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Follow the Wall Street Journal's Washington bureau @wsjwashington on Twitter.
By Rebecca Ballhaus
That compares to Nielsen's estimate of an average audience of 33.3 million viewers on 13 networks, the event's smallest audience since 2000. Mr. Obama has lost TV viewers with every State of the Union, amid flagging viewer interest — a trend seen with both Mr. Obama and previous presidents — and competing ways to experience the event online.
The White House said its content was shared more than 9,000 times through the live-tweet tool on WH.gov, and the White House received more than 72,000 new email signups last night, it said.
The White House effort was just a small part of the overall social media interest in the event.
Members of Congress sent 750 tweets during the address, and Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings counts nearly 2.1 million tweets about the speech. Some of Mr. Obama's points sparked more conversation than others—his "Mad Men" joke about equal pay for men and women prompted 3,555 tweets per minute, according to Twitter, and his call to increase minimum wage garnered 29,859 tweets per minute.
The administration touted this year's address as the most interactive to date. Wednesday, administration officials are holding a "Big Block of Cheese Day," in which administration officials will answer questions on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ Hangouts and other forms of social media.
On Friday, Mr. Obama will participate in a "virtual roadtrip" to answer questions on a Google+ Hangout.
Follow @wsjwashington on Twitter
By Carol E. Lee, Peter Nicholas
President Obama tours the U.S. Steel Plant in West Mifflin, Pa., on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama is traveling on Wednesday to promote the build-the-middle-class message he laid out in his State of the Union address, while House Republicans meet to set their own 2014 agenda.
The president headed to a Costco store in Lanham, Md., to press Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25, a central part of his call for narrowing the gap between the rich and poor. He later plans to use a steel plant in Pittsburgh as a backdrop for fleshing out plans to create new retirement-savings accounts.
"Give America a raise," Mr. Obama said of Congress, while speaking to a few hundred people at Costco, a discount retailer. "If you put in a hard day's work, you deserve decent pay for it; That's a principle everybody understands, that everybody believes."
Mr. Obama, who took a hit in the polls last year after the botched rollout of his new health law, has promised to get out of Washington more and engage directly with the public.
Republicans, who complain Mr. Obama is going too far by carrying out some of his ideas through executive order instead of legislation, offered no signs Tuesday night of embracing the president's economic agenda. Many are still intent on criticizing the health law, which so far has made six million people eligible for Medicaid and prompted the enrollment of three million people through private-insurance plans and given the GOP something to rally against.
"He doesn't recognize that he is actually part of the problem in terms of incredibly slow economic growth," Rep. Peter Roskam (R., Ill.), the House GOP deputy whip, told a Chicago radio station on Wednesday.
House Republicans are gathering for a retreat in eastern Maryland that will test whether a burst of unity at the end of last year can continue in 2014.
Mr. Obama's speech essentially was a manifesto designed to inject new vigor into his languishing agenda and guide his presidency through the partisan divide in the capital. The goal was to position the president as the champion of struggling Americans fed up with the bickering in Washington, marshaling an array of policy proposals aimed at helping them save more, earn more and find work in a tough economy.
"Corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better. But average wages have barely budged," Mr. Obama said. "Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled. Our job is to reverse these trends."
The president told the joint session of Congress that "I'm eager to work with all of you," but his message was clear: "Wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do."
In vowing to act unilaterally, Mr. Obama was implicitly pointing to the limits of his ability to enact policy: Executive orders tend to have less reach and less permanence than legislation. Mr. Obama laid out a long list of proposals that would require congressional approval, including raising the minimum wage and changing the immigration system. But getting lawmakers to go along likely would be difficult.
Republican lawmakers warned of presidential overreach and cast Mr. Obama as having given up on trying to compromise with Congress. Sen. John Thune (R., S.D.) said Mr. Obama "ought to work with us on bipartisan measures," such as making changes to the 2010 health-care law and approving the long-stalled Keystone XL pipeline. "Instead, he's talking about taking unilateral action on a whole range of things."
Mr. Obama said Tuesday that he would sign an executive order in the coming weeks to raise the federal minimum wage for employees on new federal contracts, a move that would affect a fraction of low-wage workers—janitors and laundry workers on military bases, among others, the White House said. In a second action independent of Congress, he said he would create a new retirement-savings program coordinated by the government, a further bid to appeal to Americans' persistent sense of economic insecurity.
At the same time, he acknowledged he can't achieve certain goals alone and called on lawmakers to push through various proposals that have stalled in Congress. He urged the House and Senate to send him an overhaul of the immigration system, raise and expand the earned income tax credit for low-wage workers without children, and raise the federal minimum wage for all eligible workers to $10.10 an hour, up from $7.25.
"Opportunity is who we are," Mr. Obama said. "And the defining project of our generation must be to restore that promise."
The majority of the speech focused on domestic affairs, but Mr. Obama touched briefly on foreign policy. He indicated the U.S. ultimately would like to leave troops in Afghanistan after 2014, assuming an impasse in negotiations with the Afghan government can be resolved.
He also highlighted his administration's diplomatic efforts with Iran, saying that an agreement to curtail Tehran's nuclear program "may not succeed" but threatening to veto any of the legislation in Congress that would enact additional sanctions.
Mr. Obama renewed his call for closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and asked Congress to do away with barriers on moving detainees out of Guantanamo so the U.S. can shutter the prison this year.
The president asked lawmakers to tackle a number of his priorities. He called on legislators to overhaul the tax code and use the savings to fund infrastructure projects, a proposal he has made before that has gained little traction. He pressed the House and Senate to pass trade pacts that some members of his own Democratic Party oppose.
Mr. Obama's speech touched on issues that have divided the two parties. He declared "climate change is a fact" after saying he would act alone to increase fuel-efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks this year.
He also tried to show how his health-care overhaul has been successful, after a botched rollout that has heightened the country's doubts about the law. At the same time, he challenged Republicans to do more than complain.
"If you have specific plans to cut costs, cover more people, increase choice, tell America what you'd do differently," he said. "But let's not have another 40-something votes to repeal a law that's already helping millions of Americans."
The new retirement accounts would provide a guaranteed return, White House officials said. Eventually, people could convert them into traditional retirement-savings vehicles such as a 401(k) or an individual retirement account.
Mr. Obama's executive order on the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors is an attempt to lead the way as he presses employers to act voluntarily to lift minimum pay for their workers. It also is an opening salvo on an issue that Democrats plan to highlight in midterm elections.
Many Republicans oppose a minimum-wage increase, saying it would prompt employers to cut back on hiring, hurting low-wage workers. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said that when minimum-wage legislation comes to the Senate floor in the coming weeks, Republicans would offer alternatives that they believe would do more to create jobs.
Absent congressional action, Mr. Obama's executive order raising the wage for employees of federal contractors is an attempt to lead the way as he presses employers to act voluntarily to lift the minimum wage. It also is an opening salvo in an election-year push by Democrats to raise the federal minimum wage for all eligible workers. The White House has planned for months to make the minimum wage an issue in November's midterm elections.
An objective of the speech was to show that Mr. Obama isn't simply a player on the Washington scene but rather a president with a broad vision and independence from a Congress that polls show to be unpopular. It also was part of an effort by Mr. Obama to regain traction amid low job-approval ratings and pessimism about his abilities.
Many Democrats praised Mr. Obama's speech—"a practical agenda with specific ideas," said Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia—but Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he was concerned by the president's plans to bypass Congress, if necessary. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii) said she was disappointed that Mr. Obama didn't call for major changes to limit the surveillance of Americans' phone records, while Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D., N.D.) said she would have welcomed support for Keystone XL or "finding a viable path forward for coal."
John Engler, president of the Business Roundtable trade group, said there were plenty of proposals in the speech that corporations could rally behind, such as changes to immigration law, trade authority and tax-code changes. But he said it remains to be seen whether policy makers can bridge differences.
"There's much in the message that we could work with. The question is almost 100% on the execution," he said.
–Siobhan Hughes, Jared A. Favole, Michael R. Crittenden and Janet Hook contributed to this article.
Write to Carol E. Lee at email@example.com and Peter Nicholas at firstname.lastname@example.com
President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech Tuesday night was aimed at securing his legacy, and at the same time, it was careful to address issues he thought could help his party in this year's midterm elections, according to The Wall Street Journal's political reporters who analyzed the speech in a live video chat.
In talking about issues such as raising the minimum wage and creating a new type of retirement savings account for Americans that would have a government guarantee, the president was targeting Democrats and Independents, said WSJ correspondent Patrick O'Connor.
"He's clearly speaking to the two segments of the electorate that his party needs the most," Mr. O'Connor said.
Simultaneously, said fellow reporter Carol E. Lee, Mr. Obama's address to the nation tried to highlight the issues on which he hopes to create a legacy for himself: Healthcare reform and securing the middle class.
Ms. Lee, however, pointed out that in comparison to the sweeping speeches the president has previously given to the nation and to joint sessions of Congress, the State of the Union was "real small ball." Perhaps recognizing his past struggles to get big agenda items through Congress, the president may now be focused on highlighting things that he can get done.
"So now you're seeing a speech that's like the art of the possible … What can he possibly get done," Ms. Lee said.
For the full analysis of the State of the Union speech, watch the Spreecast at http://www.spreecast.com/events/can-obama-rebound or click the video player below.
By Janet Hook
President Barack Obama's State of the Union address pointed to some areas of common ground on policies to help the poor and immigration, but the president's emphasis on acting unilaterally through executive action is "deeply counterproductive," Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) said Wednesday.
Mr. Rubio was a leading proponent of the far-reaching immigration bill that passed the Senate last year to tighten border security and provide a path to citizenship for the 11 million people in the U.S. illegally. The House has been slow to move on the issue, as most Republicans there oppose the path to citizenship and have said they would rather deal with the issue piecemeal rather than in one comprehensive bill as the Senate did.
"One massive piece of legislation…is not going to pass," Mr. Rubio conceded.
He said, however, that the biggest obstacle to passing a bill allowing a path to citizenship is the mistrust many Republicans feel about whether Mr. Obama will enforce immigration laws.
On foreign policy, Mr. Rubio said that Mr. Obama's opposition to legislation to strengthen sanctions against Iran will be effective only if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) keeps it off the Senate floor as the White House has requested. Mr. Obama threatened to veto sanctions legislation but Mr. Rubio predicted that the bill would pass the Senate by a veto proof margin.
Mr. Rubio saw potential areas of compromise on anti poverty efforts and the Earned Income Tax Credit — a tax credit for the working poor. In his speech. Mr. Obama called for expanding its benefits for people without children, who now receive much less than families with children. Mr. Rubio recently called for scrapping the EITC in favor of different work incentives.
While he agreed that it was an "important issue" to provide more aid to childless people, Mr. Rubio said it would be a bigger improvement to pursue his new "wage enhancement" system that gives low income people a steadier stream of money than the EITC, which provides a lump sum only when they file their taxes.
On the president's proposal to raise the minimum wage, Mr. Rubio said was concerned that would be a disincentive for employers to create new jobs. While he shared the goal of wanting people to have larger paychecks, Mr. Rubio said, "My question becomes, if we want to empower people with higher pay, there are probably better ways to do it that are more enduring than simply a federal mandate on wage level."
Watch a video from the WSJ breakfast in which Sen. Marco Rubio discusses the future of the GOP:
Sen. Rubio on immigration reform:
Sen. Rubio on raising the minimum wage:
Why Rubio fears a nuclear Iran:
VIDEO Q&A at 1 p.m. Wednesday: What do you make of President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech? Can he push through a minimum wage increase nationwide? What about these new myRA retirement accounts? How about jobs or foreign policy challenges? Join the Journal's Aaron Zitner, Carol E. Lee and Patrick O'Connor for a video Q&A at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday, and submit your questions. http://www.spreecast.com/events/can-obama-rebound
Obama Seeks to Jump-Start Stalled Plans


text:
Last night was the Critics' Choice Awards in Hollywood, CA. Stars heated up the red carpet again in fabulous couture gowns from some of our favorite designers. My best dressed of the evening were Michelle Williams, Charlize Theron and Diane Kruger. Check out their looks below and find out who they were wearing!
Michelle Williams looks classic and poised for a win in a black and white Chanel dress, Fred Leighton jewels and Giuseppe Zanotti shoes.
Diane Kruger wears a two-tone yellow and grey Prada gown and House of Lavande bracelets.
Charlize Theron looks absolutely breathtaking in a Alaia gown and Bulgari jewels.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Georgios N. Lampadakis Law FirmRhodes, Greece
Full Service Law Firm in Greece+30 2241 034421
Our law firm was founded in 2005 in Rhodes and provides legal services to clients with ultimate responsibility and awareness of their needs and counseling exercise militant advocate in most areas of law.; Our law office is constantly developing its cooperation with law offices in Greece and abroad,...
Gerakios Flouda Law FirmAthens, Greece
Civil, Criminal & Finance Law Services+30 210 5222340
Our legal office was established at 1939 in Athens by the Attorney Nikolaos Gerakios. Keeping the tradition and going forward to the contemporary the GERAKIOS - FLOUDA LAW FIRM was created. Since then we practice civil as well as criminal law, specially cases concerning finance criminality.
Goulielmos & PartnersThessaloniki, Greece+30 2310 240224
Our law firm in its current form was established in 1947, from Spiros Goulielmos at Thessaloniki Greece and since then its main orientation of business is tax and company law. ; We are however fourth generation lawyers, with first our great grandfather, who was a Lawyer during the Turkish...
Hellenic Law FirmAthens, Greece
Property Law, Inheritance Law, Criminal Law, Commercial Law, Contract Law302103636025
We are a group of Greek lawyers who are doing litigation and have gained real experience for the procedures and legal requirements of matters on a daily basis. We are also providing legal consultation for both companies and individuals regarding issues that are entrusted to us.; As a group of greek...
Holman Fenwick WillanPiraeus, Greece
Global Law Firm Advising on All Aspects of International Commerce+30 210 4293978
At Holman Fenwick Willan, we have the legal knowledge, the experience, the international reach and the commercial focus to advise on all aspects of international commerce. With some 375 lawyers operating in 10 countries, we provide a global and seamless service 24 hours a day. We are dynamic,...
Iason Skouzos & Partners Law FirmAthens, Greece
Corporate & Tax Lawyers+30 210 3633243
Iason Skouzos & Partners was established in Athens in 1971 as a purely tax law firm. During the last decade, it has developed into a multidisciplinary commercial and tax law firm, while it retained the status as one of the best in the field of taxation. ; The relatively small size, combined...
Ioannis Mandelenis Law FirmCrete, Greece
Legal Services for Civil, Administrative and Penal Law+30 284 1021129
The Law office of Mandelenis Ioannis, thanks to the scientific formation and the continuous information on the new objects of legal science, constitutes a guarantee for the quality of the legal and advisory services, which it offers to its clients. The office offers legal services for all the...
Law Offices of Giannakopoulou & AssociatesAthens, Greece
Inheritances & Estates, Real Estate, Business, Family and Immigration Law Firm in Athens, Greece+30 (210) 935-1450
The Law Offices of Giannakopoulou & Associates is an Athens based boutique law firm specializing in real estate, inheritance, business, immigration, and family law matters. If you live outside Greece but have a Greek legal matter, if you are a foreigner living in Greece in need of legal...
Maria D. Spyridaki Law OfficesPiraeus, Greece
Maritime, Competition, Administrative, International & Financial Lawyer in Greece+30 210 4176427
Michael Kyprianou & Co. LLCAthens, Greece
A Cyprus International law firm+30 2103387060
Michael Kyprianou & Co LLC is a Cyprus International law firm with a team of over 25 lawyers and fully fledged offices in three major cities (Nicosia -Head office, Limassol-2 offices & Paphos) as well as a presence in Greece with the Athens office. Furthermore, the firm has excellent...
Other Offices: Thessaloniki
Michail Kontogiorgos Law OfficeThessaloniki, Greece
Civil, Penal and Administrative Litigation Law Firm in Greece+30 2310 502932
Mr. Michail Kontogiorgos offers legal services both in the area of litigation as well as in the area of legal counseling. He offers litigation services in all three jurisdictions of the Greek judicial system, namely the Civil, the Penal and the Administrative.; Especially in Public Law, Mr....
Paleologos and AssociatesAthens, Greece
Full Service Law Firm in Greece+30 694 6914521
We at Paleologou & Associates offer expert legal services since 1954. We have a staff of experts in many diverse areas of law. We are fluent in both English, French and Greek. The offices of Paleologou & Associates covers all areas of Hellenic & EU business law, including corporate,...
Pavlos K. SarakisAthens, Greece
Criminal and Civil Rights Law Firm in Athens, Greece+30 210 3841400
Pavlos K. Sarakis & Associates Law Firm provides a high level of legal services at a wide range of Law, at all instances of the Greek justice, as well as in the European Court of Human Rights. ; It is staffed with strictly evaluated Lawyers, who are well known for their legal erudition,...
Ragatsis-Zichnalis and PartnersThessaloniki, Greece
Domestic and International Law+30 2310 270671
The firm "Ragkatsis Chris-Zichnalis George & Associates" , featuring asset as the high scientific training, continuous and uninterrupted informing executives of the constantly changing and evolving science and discipline of legal science, and ongoing engagement of office the cases assigned,...
SDH & PartnersAthens, Greece
Full-Service Law Firm in Athens, Greece+30 21 07258988
With a global understanding of changing business environments as they intersect with law, public policy and technology, SDH and Partners is ideally positioned and suited to protect its clients' business and private interests in today's increasingly sophisticated world.; The firm brings a...
Stamoulos-Katsios-Goridaris and PartnersThessaloniki, Greece
Corporate, Intellectual Property, Family, Labor, Immigration and Criminal Law Firm in Greece+30 2310 276740
The Law Office "Stamoulos-Katsios-Goridaris and Partners" or "SKG Lawyers" was founded in 1980 by Thessaloniki lawyers Alexandros Stamoulos, Socrates Goridaris and George Gavrilakis, who were fellow students at the Law School of Thessaloniki. Having completed their studies and after taking...


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Infectious Mononucleosis in Teens and Young Adults
1 in 13 U.S. Schoolkids Takes Psych Meds: Report
1 in 4 U.S. Kids Underestimate Their Weight, Study Finds
ADHD Drugs May Up Risk of Heart Problems in Kids, Study Finds
Adult-Sized ATVs Deadly for Kids, Report Shows
Alcohol Tied to Domestic Violence on College Campuses
Almost All U.S. Teens Are Sleep Deprived, Study Finds
As Pot Use Rises, Teens' Grades May Fall: Study
As Summer Arrives, CDC Offers Pool Chemical Safety Tips
Assaults at Schools Send 90,000 Kids to ER Each Year: Study
Autism's Costs Can Run Into Millions for One Person
Ban Electronics in Kids' Bedrooms, Expert Says
Behavioral Therapy Might Ease Kids' Migraine Symptoms
Blood Thinners May Not Be Needed for Kids' Back Surgery
Booze Brands in Pop Lyrics May Spur Teen Drinking, Study Says
Brain Changes May Accompany Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis in Kids
Bullying May Have Lasting Health Effects on Kids
Bullying Rates Drop Among American Teens: Study
Childhood Eczema Often Persists Into Adulthood, Study Finds
Close Friends May Be Key to Teens' Drinking
College Alcohol Violations Often Draw a Slap on the Wrist: Study
College Drinking May Aggravate PTSD Symptoms
Concussion Laws Helping Student-Athletes, Study Finds
Could Childhood Nightmares Foreshadow Mental Ills as Teen?
Cyberbullying Seems to Ramp Up in Middle School
Delinquent Teens More Likely to Die Violently as Adults: Study
Drug Interactions Common Among Hospitalized Kids, Study Says
Early Puberty Linked to Increased Risk of Depression in Teens
E-Cigarette Use May Be Rising Among Teens
Falls Leading Cause of Serious Head Trauma for Kids, Study Shows
FDA Approves New Vaccine to Protect Against Meningitis
Fewer U.S. Kids Killed in Car Crashes; Safety Restraints Still an Issue
Fewer U.S. Teens Using Illegal Drugs and Alcohol, Report Finds
Fewer U.S. Teens Using Sunscreen, Study Finds
Fitness in Teen Years May Guard Against Heart Trouble Later
For Young Kids, Too Little Sleep Linked to Later Obesity
Frequent School Moves May Harm Kids' Mental Health
Good Schools May Be Good for a Teen's Health, Too
Gradual Exposure to Peanuts May Help Some Allergic Kids
Having Babies May Be 'Contagious' Among Long-Time Friends
Head Injuries May Raise Chances of Risky Behavior by Teens
Higher Doses of Antidepressants Linked to Suicidal Behavior in Young Patients: Study
HPV Vaccine Program in Australia Linked to Lower Infection Rates
Just 1 in 4 U.S. Teens Gets Enough Exercise: Report
Kids' Checkups Should Include Cholesterol, Depression Tests, Doctors Say
Kids' Concussion Symptoms Can Linger Long After Injury: Study
Kids' Concussions Defined by Where They Live, Study Finds
Kids' Diabetes Rates Up Dramatically in 8 Years, Study Finds
Kids' Happiness Doesn't Depend on 2 Natural Parents, Says Study
Kids Obese at Young Age Often Stay That Way, Study Shows
Kids Still Getting Too Much 'Screen Time': CDC
Kids' Suicide Risk Similar for All Newer Antidepressants: Study
Kids With ADHD May Face Higher Obesity Risk as Teens
Kids With Epilepsy Face Higher Early Death Risk, Study Reports
Knee Surgery May Put Kids at Higher Risk for Future Arthritis
Lack of Sleep Compounds Health Problems for Obese Teens: Study
Landmark ADHD Study Backed Drugs Over Therapy at a Cost: Report
'Little League Shoulder' on the Rise
Many Kids With ADHD May Be Missing Out on Talk Therapy
Many Teens May Get Several Pro-Marijuana Tweets a Day
Medications Plus Parent Training May Help Kids With Aggression, ADHD
Mental Illness to Blame for 10 Percent of Kids' Hospitalizations: Study
Millions of U.S. Kids Still Can Buy 'Harmful' E-Cigarettes: CDC
More Evidence That Bullying Raises Kids' Suicide Risk
More Young Adults Getting Preventive Care After Obamacare, Study Finds
Most Kids Eat Fruit, Veggies Daily: CDC
Most Medical Devices Approved for Kids Only Tested on Adults: Study
Moving Out of Poor Neighborhood May Disrupt Boys' Mental Health: Study
Music Therapy May Help Teens With Cancer Cope
News Coverage of Teen Suicides May Have Ripple Effect
No Rise of PTSD Seen in Children With Cancer
Obese Children With Leukemia Fared Worse in Study
Obese Girls Prone to Poorer Grades, Study Suggests
Outcomes Improving for Kids With Kidney Transplants
Parenthood May Push Cancer Patients to Seek More Treatment
Power Down to Speed Concussion Recovery: Study
Preemies' Thinking Skills May Catch Up by Adolescence
President's Panel Calls for More Girls, Boys to Get HPV Vaccine
Radiation-Free Cancer Scans: Coming Soon?
Research Questions Link Between Media Violence, Violent Behavior
Schools Add More Fruits, Veggies to the '3 Rs'
Schools Key to Reaching Kids With Mental Health Needs, Experts Say
Serious Health Issues May Await Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Single-Sex Education's Benefits Challenged in Study
'Social Host' Laws May Help Curb Underage Drinking, Study Says
Students' Health Habits Tied to School Success
Study Builds Case for Later High School Starting Time
Study Sees Differences in Brain Connections of Kids With ADHD
Substance Use at School Could Be Cry for Help
Teen Boys Who Think They're Skinny May Be at Higher Risk for Depression
Teen Bullies, Victims Armed More Than Other Kids, Study Says
Teen Pregnancy Rates Much Higher for Girls With Serious Mental Illness: Study
Teens Drawn to Heavily Advertised Alcohol Brands: Study
Teens' Energy Drink Habit May Be Linked to Booze, Tobacco, Drug Use
Teens Often Copycat Others Who Drink and Drive: Study
Teens Who Dine With Their Families May Be Slimmer Adults
Teens Who Indoor Tan Often Take Other Health Risks: Survey
The ABCs of Successful Classroom Design
Three-Quarters of Young Baseball Players Have Arm Pain
Timing Influences Risk of Complications From Circumcision: Study
Today's Teens Can Be Adept Multitaskers, Study Suggests
Too Few Teens Receive HPV Shot, CDC Says
Training Programs Protect Young Athletes From ACL Tears: Report
Trampolines Linked to More Than 1 Million ER Visits Over a Decade
Tweens Who Play Sports Less Likely to Smoke: Study
Twenty U.S. Kids Hospitalized Each Day for Gun Injuries: Study
Type 1 Diabetes Increasing Among White American Kids
U.S. Kids Experiencing Less Violence: Surveys
U.S. Kids Use ADHD Meds More During School Year
'Unconditional Regard' Buoys Kids' Self-Esteem
Underage Binge Drinkers Grab the Hard Stuff, Survey Finds
Violent Video Games Tied to Combative Thinking in Study
Vitamin D Might Help Kids With Eczema
What Parents Need to Know About Sports Participation
When a Parent Dies, What Helps a Child Cope?
When School's Out, Weight Can Pile On
When Your Child Asks for Contact Lenses
Working With Horses May Ease Stress in Kids
Young Binge Drinkers May Not Need Special Counseling From Family Docs
Young People With Epilepsy Face Higher Injury Risk: Study
Younger Age at First Drink, Higher Odds for Problem Drinking: Study


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Hardware Stores
Home Centers
Pro Dealers & LBM
Green Central
The Mile High City welcomed Ace Hardware's 2011 Denver Fall Convention & Exhibits, Oct. 15 to 17. The event brought 12,332 attendees and 2,564 booths to the show floor at the Colorado Convention Center.
Ace Hardware dealers file into the Wells Fargo Theatre at the Colorado Convention Center for the General Session. Ace executives promoted a "Play to Win" theme, including a list of top 10 marketing and merchandising strategies for success.
John Surane, senior VP consumer marketing, merchandising and paint for Ace Hardware, helped describe the top 10 plays for dealers. Among them: Clark + Kensington paint, the new Ace Rewards Visa, and Craftsman tools and outdoor power equipment.
On the show floor, retailers posed with the co-op's five J.D. Power & Associates awards for highest customer satisfaction in the major home improvement retail store category. Shown here is Don Mason of Naylor's Hardware in Oakland, Md.
Artist Eric Waugh fills his canvas with Clark + Kensington paint, Ace's new paint-and-primer-in-one product. The paint was a big story at the event. Some 1,500 dealers have signed up for the program.
Ace merchants pointed to the emerging category of decorative lighting and lighted fountains. A "Garden after dark" display presented the latest products in simulated nighttime conditions.
Ace Hardware chairman David Ziegler welcomed dealers to Denver. One of his slides focused on the 20th anniversary of the Ace Foundation, which has raised more than $46 million for charity.