Obama also named Richard Cordray to stay on as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The president used a recess appointment last year to bypass congressional opposition and install the former Ohio attorney general as head of the bureau. That appointment expires at the end of this year.

White spent nearly a decade as the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, handling an array of white-collar crimes and complex securities and financial fraud cases. She brought down mobster John Gotti and won convictions in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.

Obama said that experience makes White well-suited to implement legislation he championed to change the behavior on Wall Street.

“I’d say that’s a pretty good run. You don’t want to mess with Mary Jo,” Obama said at the White House. “As one former SEC chairman said, Mary Jo does not intimidate easily, and that’s important because she has a big job ahead of her.”

If confirmed by the Senate, White would take over the SEC from Elisse Walter, who is serving out the rest of former SEC chairwoman Mary Schapiro’s term. Schapiro resigned in December.

In 2000, White led the criminal prosecution of more than 100 people — including members of all five New York crime families — accused of strong-arming brokers and manipulating prices of penny stocks. At the time the action was called one of the biggest crackdowns on securities fraud in U.S. history.

White’s office also won a record $606 million in restitution from the securities arm of the Republic New York Corp. bank in 2001. That year, the bank pleaded guilty to conspiring with an investment adviser to hide hundreds of millions of dollars in losses from Japanese investors.

Cordray has run the consumer bureau since last year. Senate Republicans had opposed Cordray, as well as the concept of the consumer bureau.

Before she was elected to the Senate last fall, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., conceived of the idea of a consumer protection bureau. Obama considered naming her as commissioner, but her nomination would likely have run into deep opposition on Capitol Hill.

White, 65, heads the litigation department at law firm Debevoise & Plimpton.

She was the first woman to hold the position of U.S. attorney in Manhattan, one of the most prestigious positions in federal law enforcement. During her tenure from 1993 to 2002, White won convictions of white-collar criminals, drug traffickers and international terrorists. The most notable conviction was Ramzi Yousef, mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

She led the prosecution of Gotti when she was acting U.S. attorney in Brooklyn in 1992. Gotti died in prison in 2002.

If confirmed by the Senate, White would be the first prosecutor to head the 79-year-old SEC. Most SEC chairmen have come from Wall Street or the ranks of private securities lawyers. The choice of White is likely intended to bolster the agency’s enforcement profile in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

White’s background differs sharply from that of Schapiro, who guided the agency in the four years after the crisis. Schapiro worked at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the securities industry’s self-policing organization. Some consumer advocates have said Schapiro’s experience as CEO of FINRA made her more likely to seek compromise and less likely to aggressively pursue misconduct.

During Shapiro’s tenure, the SEC reached major settlements with the biggest banks on Wall Street, including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Citibank. But critics said the penalties were small compared with the banks’ revenues. And they complained that no senior executives were held accountable.

White would be expected to give high priority to expanding the enforcement efforts.

At the same time, much of the pressing work facing the agency involves writing new rules. The SEC is seeking stricter rules for money-market mutual funds and must get into shape the so-called Volcker Rule, which would bar banks from making certain trades for their own profit.

As head of litigators at Debevoise & Plimpton, White has represented a number of financial institutions likely to have crossed swords with the SEC in enforcement cases. Her clients also included former Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis, whom she represented in a 2010 civil lawsuit by then-New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo accusing Lewis of misleading shareholders in the bank’s merger with Merrill Lynch.

White also represented the largest U.S. hospital chain, HCA, in the insider-trading investigations by the SEC and the Justice Department of former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., whose family owned HCA. The investigations were closed in 2007 with no charges filed against Frist.

Source – AP Washington

Obama Triggers Blackouts by Blocking Of New Power Plants

According to the article “Planned power outages conducted by utility companies have caused outrage amongst officials at four major hospitals in Texas, at Parkland, Baylor, Methodist and Presbyterian Dallas.”

They also have reports of street lights and traffic lights being hit by outages, causing build up of traffic and a variety of hazards. The ability of power companies to meet the demand is reported as being a consequence of “Obama administration’s publicly stated goal to bankrupt the coal industry,” according to the article.

The entire article can be found of course on the Prison Planet website for those that may wish to read it. Meanwhile, we would like to know your opinion on the power outages across the U.S. and who you think is to blame for this. Is it down to the Obama administrations policies? Let us know what you think.

Mubarak Interview with Christiane Amanpour

President Mubarak went on to tell Amanpour how he is fed up with being a president and wants to leave office, but fears that he cannot, in case Egypt falls into chaos.

When asked how he felt about the attacks from his supporters on protestors he said “I was very unhappy about yesterday. I do not want to see Egyptians fighting each other.”

He was asked about how he felt when people were calling for his resignation as president. He said “I don’t care what people say about me. Right now I care about my country, I care about Egypt.”

You can view the full coverage of the crisis in Egypt in the videos below, including details of Christiane Amanpour’s interview with President Mubarak.

he Black History of the White House

Clarence Lusane juxtaposes significant events in White House history with the ongoing struggle for democratic, civil, and human rights by black Americans and demonstrates that only during crises have presidents used their authority to advance racial justice. He describes how in 1901 the building was officially named the “White House” amidst a furious backlash against President Roosevelt for inviting Booker T. Washington to dinner, and how that same year that saw the consolidation of white power with the departure of the last black Congress member elected after the Civil War.

Lusane explores how, from its construction in 1792 to its becoming the home of the first black president, the White House has been a prism through which to view the progress and struggles of black Americans seeking full citizenship and justice.

Dr. Clarence Lusane has published in The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, The Baltimore Sun, Oakland Tribune, Black Scholar, and Race and Class. He often appears on PBS, BET, C-SPAN, and other national media. The author of several books and former editor of Black Political Agenda, he teaches at Howard University.

Judge Roger Vinson Throws Obama a Curve Ball

Idaho and 20 other states filed suit over the reforms shortly after they were passed in March, alleging that the requirement that citizens purchase health insurance or be forced to pay a penalty is an overreach of federal authority.

In handing down his ruling, Vinson not only struck down the mandate, but said that the whole reform package is unconstitutional. ”Because the individual mandate is unconstitutional and not severable, the entire act must be declared void. This has been a difficult decision to reach, and I am aware that it will have indeterminable implications,” Vinson wrote.

The case will be appealed by the administration of President Barack Obama, but that didn’t stop Gem State politicians from cheering Vinson’s actions.

Perhaps the loudest applause came from Gov. Butch Otter, the first state executive in the nation to sign legislation authorizing the lawsuit last year. “…The handwriting seems to be on the wall for opponents of this slippery slope to nationalized healthcare,” wrote Otter. “There no doubt will be an appeal, but I’m confident we will prevail.”

Republicans pounced on the latest ruling, seeking fuel for their campaign to overturn the reform — a vain hope for now, as Obama could wield a presidential veto in the unlikely event a repeal law cleared Congress.

Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the court’s decision proved the health care law was a “massive overreach” and exceeded congressional authority.

“We should repeal this health spending bill and replace it with commonsense reforms that will actually lower costs, prevent unsustainable entitlement promises and make it easier for employers to start hiring again,” he added.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called the ruling a “major victory for the American people and job-creators all across the country.”

This speech offers the president an opportunity to redefine his administration

For the first time Obama will be facing a Republican House and many wonder if he can manage to invite some level of bipartisanship at the mid point of his term in office.

Tackling the economy by talking about the need for a much higher level of competitiveness in the world market place for the U.S. is almost certain to happen. Coming up with new efforts to curb unemployment levels would be great, but it is more likely he will just make the promise of future efforts in that direction, rather than give anything concrete, no matter how long he spends on the issue.

While he is highly unlikely to embrace any of the controversial provisions that were laid out by his deficit commission a few weeks past. He is more likely to sidetrack on any specifics, while calling on both parties to work together to tackle the issues.

This speech offers the president an opportunity to redefine his administration at the start of the 2012 presidential campaign. He really needs to now make people believe in him again and build a case against returning the White House to Republicans in 2012. Can he actually pull this off? Well I guess there is only one way to find out and that is tune in to his speech later tonight.

State of the Union 2011 could be Another Historic Speech

Daniel Hernández, the intern who is credited for helping save Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ life, will be honored during President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night.

Hernández, a University of Arizona Junior, will sit next to First Lady Michelle Obama, during the address which is coincidently the same day as his 21st birthday.

In the name of civility after the tragic shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords dozens of lawmakers have said they will dispense with the tradition of segregating members by party and will select a person from the opposing party as a seatmate for Tuesday’s address. But the wooing and details aren’t complete.

The new wrinkle has given the event the feel of a high school formal, with members looking for suitable partners for the evening. The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin, said he would sit with Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. “I’m bringing the popcorn. He’s bringing a Coke with two straws,” he kidded . A quick survey of the Oregon delegation reveals that only Sen. Ron Wyden has solid plans.

Since 1982, presidents have used 38 everyday Americans as human illustrations at State of the Union addresses and other big speeches before Congress.

They have been chosen precisely because they are ordinary, a human representation of everything that is right and good about the country. But a presidential mention is, of course, extra-ordinary. It hasn’t always been easy for these select few to return to the lives that won them recognition.

“The eyes of the world are on the president, and he’s speaking about me,” said Trevor Ferrell, 38. He was 13 in 1986, when President Ronald Reagan praised him for his work helping the homeless in Philadelphia. “Kinda makes you feel like, you know, ‘Gee, I’m still just a kid.’ ”

After Reagan mentioned him, Ferrell was invited to events in the Soviet Union and to help Mother Teresa in India. Groups asked him to join their boards of directors.

Sargent Shriver Funeral Ends another Era

Hundreds of mourners gathered at a church for Shriver’s wake Friday night. Maria Shriver was among those paying their respects. Sargent Shriver died earlier this week at the age of 95.

The burial will be held Saturday in Hyannis, Massachusetts, at the same cemetery as his wife, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

Other dignitaries at the funeral included, First Lady Michelle Obama, U2′s Bono, Oprah Winfrey, Clint Eastwood, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Muhammad Ali, Wyclef Jean (who played piano and sang All The Ends of the Earth), members of the shriver family and Vanessa Williams who sang Soon and Very Soon.

Maria Shriver and husband Arnold Schwarzenegger helped carry the casket of Sargent Shriver at Our Lady of Mercy Parish, the Shriver family’s church in Potomac, Md.

Prior to the funeral mass the Shriver family released this statement: “Due to the overwhelming outpouring of condolences and public sentiment regarding the impact of Mr. Shriver’s life and to honor the spirit of their father the family has decided to open the funeral Mass to the public. Seating for the public inside will be limited.”

Monsignor William English, the pastor at Our Lady of Mercy.

“I knew him primarily from the altar,” said English, who interacted with Shriver over the last six years since becoming the pastor. “He came to mass as many days as he could. Even when he was ill, he did the best he could to get to church.”

Toward the end of his life, Shriver still came to mass with his family members, although not as frequently, English said. Several of his children live in the area his son Timothy Perry Shriver lives in Chevy Chase, and his son Mark Kennedy Shriver is a Bethesda resident.

English described Shriver as a man with a deep faith in the Lord a relationship that guided his life and political decisions. When at mass, Shriver would often be totally engaged in prayer, English added.

“If everyone was like that, we would have remarkable prayer in the parish.”

Is Shailey Tripp Todd Palin's Mistress

Sources reveal that a massage therapist and computer technologist, Shailey Tripp, had an affair with Todd Palin that lead (sic) to her arrest March of 2010. Shailey Tripp was in fact arrested on March 4 of last year in Anchorage and charged with maintaining a house of prostitution. She pleaded no contest on June 13 of last year with sentencing set for June 15 of this year.

She must complete 80 hours of volunteer service, not post ads on CraigsList and pay a fine of $500. If she meets these conditions, Tripp can withdraw her no contest plea at the sentencing hearing and the case will be dismissed.

Tenants in the building where Tripp was apparently doing business claim that they saw Todd Palin coming in and out fo the building and that they also heard sounds like people where having sex. These are the same people that would have reported Tripp to the authorities.

Representatives for Mr. Palin are denying all allegations that he cheated on Sarah Palin as absurd. Only time will tell if all this is true or not.

George Clooney Malaria Caught in Sudan

The actor has recovered from the disease, and used it as an opportunity to push for more support for those in the developing world who die from malaria every day.
Clooney, 49, who has been working to ensure a peaceful election in Sudan, joked that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir may be to blame for the malaria-infested mosquitoes that bit the American star. Bashir is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

Clooney made two trips to Sudan in three months to lend his celebrity status to support free and fair elections in the divided and often unstable country.

“I keep coming back to keep the attention on it,” Clooney told GlobalPost during his recent trip. “I’ve always felt as if the more light that is shed on a subject, the less ability for humanitarian crisis to happen. I’ve been committed to [Sudan] since 2005 and you don’t abandon a place when it’s going through its changes.”

Clooney has been working on a Google-powered satellite surveillance project that aims to prevent abuses in Sudan or at least gather evidence if Bashir is brought before the ICC.