Delays hit major airports as control tower furloughs kick in--Obama damages the economy again to prove he is in charge

So, everyone who does not have an Air Force One is required to sit on a runway, wasting time, because Obama created the Sequester, and let it happen.

Then, HE decided what services would be cut.

This reminds me of the propaganda that California puts out about the "Extravagant Retirements" that public services get, especially police and fire. They quote the $100,00 a year retirement payments that a few top officials get, implying that anyone who retired from a police or fire career gets that.

What you DO NOT hear is how much Illegal Aliens draw in benefits in California. In 2010, it was OVER $21 BILLION. Why don't you hear about it? They are Democrat voters.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-jones/why-obama-is-to-blame-for_b_2805155.html

Posted: 03/05/2013 3:20 pm

Why Obama Is to Blame for Sequester Cuts

Over the past four years Republicans have been foolish in so many ways: McConnell's "one-term president" comment, the debt crisis, a ridiculous presidential campaign, and an open civil war have all contributed to a weaker party. These failings, among countless others, have left the party vulnerable and have strengthened President Obama's political position -- to the point where he can win almost any political battle in which he chooses to participate.

But, just because he can win doesn't mean he should fight.

I fear that President Obama has decided to fight every battle with the goal of crushing the opposition, rather than seeking conclusions that benefit the American people. His decision to continually campaign, rather than govern, could have negative and lasting consequences on our country.

The recent stalled discussions regarding the sequester, a poorly coordinated 2.4 percent immediate cut to the U.S. budget, is just another example of a fight that wasn't necessary. Over the past few years, I would lay much of the blame for congressional deadlock on Republicans, as they have stalled and blocked and filibustered; but this time is different.

The problem is this: Mr. Obama may win every battle, and yet our country may end up losing. Bob Woodward, the respected journalist who took down a powerful Republican president, has asserted that President Obama has "moved the goalposts" in his final sequester proposal. 

Mr. Woodward has had more access to negotiations than any other outsider and has interviewed countless individuals on both sides of the aisle. With this trove of insight forming his conclusions, he believes Mr. Obama has negotiated in a way that was not in the best interest of the American people.

From Woodward, we know that McConnell and Boehner agreed to extend the fiscal cliff beyond the election with the understanding that either the sequester would go forward or Congress would find more appropriate cuts (not tax increases). Now that the time for sequestration has come, Mr. Obama has decided to he wants to use this new "crisis" as a political football. Rather than proposing a new set of targeted cuts or agreeing to Republican suggestions -- as he led Congress to believe he would. Instead, President Obama has proposed closing tax loopholes (which functionally amounts to raising taxes).

In the final weeks before the sequester deadline, President Obama campaigned furiously, blaming republicans for the cuts and calling for them to compromise. However, he, too, refused to compromise, as he proposed a sequester alternative that he knew the Republicans could not accept. After acquiescing to his demands just two months earlier, he knew it would be politically impossible for them to raise taxes again, yet he was unwilling to yield in his proposals. He then proceeded to use scare tactics (as Bush did with his war on terrorism) to increase support for his position.

As president, Obama has the power and he is winning the argument. In a purely political sense, this fight has been very good for him and his party. He has considerable public support and does not need the "political win" the sequester could provide, so why play hardball and risk the country's well being? Rather than using the trust he has built to win the war for America, Obama decided he wanted to use his capital to win a fight with unpopular Republicans.

Public opinion seems to be indicating that the president has won this battle, as he has won the last several battles with Congress. The problem is this: one crisis after another is having a cumulative negative effect on the people of America, on the economy, on consumer confidence, on credit ratings -- on everything! 

The economy only grew by 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 and looks to be stalling. Now is the time for the president to use his popularity and his position to do more than win political arguments.

Obama is winning the battle but America is losing the war.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/sns-rt-us-usa-faa-furloughsbre93l03e-20130421,0,4570158.story

(VIDEO at Link)

Flight delays could get worse as federal budget cuts are now hitting air traffic controllers. CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson reports.

By Alwyn ScottReuters

8:46 a.m. EDT, April 22, 2013

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Travelers waited more than an hour for flights in New York and experienced delays at other U.S. airports on Sunday evening as furloughs of air traffic controllers began, reducing the ability of busy hubs to handle arrivals and departures, theFederal Aviation Administration said.

The furloughs that started Sunday reduced staffing by 10 percent across the country. Last week the FAA warned of delays up to 3-1/2 hours at some airports as the agency cuts spending to meet reductions required under federal budget cuts.

New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports reported delays of more than an hour, and Philadelphia international airport also reported delays due to furloughs, the FAA said.

Los Angeles International reported nearly a two-hour delay at 10 pm ET, and Newark Liberty International reported 28-minute delays, though the FAA could not confirm whether those were related to the staff cuts. Delays of up to 58 minutes in San Francisco and 29 minutes in Orlando, Florida, were due to construction and weather, the FAA said.

"Relatively good weather throughout the country and light traffic helped minimize air traffic delays," FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said.

The delays come as the FAA furloughs its 47,000 employees, including nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers who manage the nation's airspace.

The furloughs are set to last through September, the end of the U.S. fiscal year, and are expected to save about $200 million of the $637 million the agency must cut from its $16 billion budget, the FAA said last week.

Paul Rinaldi, president of the Air Traffic Controllers Association, said about 1,200 to 1,500 controllers will be staying home each day, on average, and that some airports might be able to shift staffing to reduce the effect of the furloughs. U.S. airports handle about 25,000 flights a day, he said.

(Editing by Mary Milliken and Stacey Joyce)

SO--Why am I not surprised. 
Well, as a law enforcer in California, you see all kinds. You get to know who needs to be in a padded room, and who is just fine out on their own.

In California, you could submit a person to a County Mental Health facility, and they could be held for 48 hours for tests and examination per Sec. 5150 of the Welfare and Institutions Code ---IF... A "mental health professional" declared them to be " A danger or threat to themselves or others". 

BUT- my perception of psychiatrists, psychologists, is that the person you submit for an exam damn near had to beat the crap out of that "Mental Health Professional" before they would make that declaration. 

Common Occurrence: You took a person into CMH (County Mental Health). You took them in. An hour later, they let them walk out the front door. 

The University of Colorado Denver psychiatrist seeing accused murderer James Eagan Holmes was so alarmed by his behavior that she notified the campus-wide threat-assessment team that she helped create years before, a source told The Denver Post.

Dr. Lynne Fenton, identified in a court document as Holmes' psychiatrist, in June took her concerns to members of the campus' Behavioral Evaluation and Threat Assessment team, but no further action was taken, a source with knowledge of the process told The Post.

University officials could not confirm or deny the report, citing the federal health privacy law and a judge's gag order in the case against Holmes.

The information was first reportedlate Wednesday by Denver's KMGH-TV, 7News. The station, citing unnamed sources, reported that CU-Denver officials did not contact Aurora police before the July 20 massacre at the Century Aurora 16 theater that killed 12 people and injured 58 others. There was no mention in the report of whether CU-Denver police were notified.

The Anschutz Medical Campus, where Holmes, 24, was enrolled in a doctoral program, is in Aurora.

He has been charged with 24 counts of first-degree murder and 116 counts of attempted murder in the case.

Fenton, director of student mental health services on the Anschutz Medical Campus, in 2010 was involved in the creation of the campus BETA team. The team is an ad hoc group of high-level CU academic employees skilled at assessing potential threats on campus. The group does not include CU-Denver police.

University Chancellor Don Elliman said Wednesday, "I believe, until it's been demonstrated otherwise, that our people did what they should have done."

In April 2010, Fenton was among three people who gave a presentation about the creation of the BETA team to the Academic and Student Affairs Leadership committee. The team will be a "way to determine when student action moves from an academic concern only to a broader campus concern," according to minutes from the meeting.

"One of the most difficult aspects is knowing when immediate action is required, or if there is time to convene the BETA team to discuss the issues," the minutes say.

"Generally, if you believe the threat is imminent, call campus police. If you think it's best to involve the BETA team, contact Lynne Fenton," the minutes say.

Fenton no longer is a BETA team leader but remains an adviser to the program, CU officials said.

CU's website says the BETA team is available whenever faculty, staff or student community members are confronted with people they believe are threatening, disruptive or otherwise problematic.

The team provides guidance and consultation and may make referrals to appropriate campus or community resources. It is not a law enforcement mechanism, said CU officials in a statement released Wednesday.

7News reported Wednesday that a source said Fenton first contacted the BETA team in "the first 10 days" of June, but the team didn't meet or move the matter forward because Holmes began the process of leaving CU.

Under a federal rule followed by psychiatrists, Fenton had a duty to take action if Holmes told her of a specific plan to harm others.

The revelation that Fenton was Holmes' psychiatrist came in a motion by Holmes' defense attorneys made public last week. That information has since been blacked out in the document posted on the Colorado State Judicial Branch's website.

Holmes had sent a package with a notebook to Fenton before the attack, according to court papers made public last week.

Fox News, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, said the package was sent several days before the attack and contained details about his murderous plan.

The university has said the package was delivered on July 23 and immediately turned over to authorities.

Staff writer Lynn Bartels and Staffer Charles Minshew contributed to this story.

James Holmes referred to University of Colorado threat-assessment team, sources say - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21212797/alleged-theater-gunman-was-referred-threat-assessment-team#ixzz2Pi5iG71z