Via Markos, Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, chairman of the GOP's Benghazi Oversight Committee, gives an articulate explanation [at 0:59] on why this is the worst scandal ever in American history:

"An act of terror is different than a terrorist attack."

[Blink*Blink]

Oh yeah, it all makes sense now.

But, Lord love a duck, there's more.

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America is in the grip of a societal economic panic. Lawmakers cry “We’re broke!” as they slash budgets, lay off schoolteachers, police and firefighters, crumbling our country’s social fabric and leaving many Americans scrambling to survive. Meanwhile, multi-billion-dollar American corporations like Exxon, Google and Bank of America are making record profits. And while the deficit climbs and the cuts go deeper, these corporations -- with intimate ties to our political leaders -- are concealing colossal profits overseas to avoid paying U.S. income tax.

"We're Not Broke" is the story of how American corporations have been able to hide over a trillion dollars from Uncle Sam, and how seven fed-up Americans from across the country, take their frustration to the streets and vow to make the corporations pay their fair share.

More here.

In an exclusive interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, President Barack Obama had this to say about Republicans who want to gut Medicare and replace it with health care "coupons" (vouchers), and cut Social Security before considering any Grand Bargain:

"Well– I understand. Which is why, at some point, I think I take myself out of this. Right now, what I’m trying to do is create an atmosphere where Democrats and Republicans can go ahead, get together, and try to get something done. And, y– you know– I think what’s important to recognize is that– we’ve already cut– $2.5– $2.7 trillion out of the deficit. If the sequester stays in, you’ve got over $3.5 trillion of deficit reduction already."

"And, so, we don’t have an immediate crisis in terms of debt. In fact, for the next ten years, it’s gonna be in a sustainable place. The question is, can we do it smarter, can we do it better? And– you know, what I’m saying to them is I am prepared to do some tough stuff. Neither side’s gonna get 100%. That’s what the American people are lookin’ for. That’s what’s gonna be good for jobs. That’s what’s gonna be good for growth."

"But ultimately, it may be that– the differences are just– too wide. It may be that ideologically, if their position is, “We can’t do any revenue,” or, “We can only do revenue if we gut Medicare or gut Social Security or gut Medicaid,” if that’s the position, then we’re probably not gonna be able to get a deal."

No debt crisis? But, the GOP has been screaming that the sky is falling ever since Obama took office. In fact, a recent poll by Bloomberg News asked Americans whether they believed the budget deficit was growing or shrinking, just six percent answered the question correctly. Ninety-four percent had no clue. And 62 percent actually thought it was getting bigger. So the next time you hear a poll about how Americans think it's important to shrink the budget deficit, remember that 94 percent of us don't even know that it's getting smaller.

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President Obama began this week’s address by praising the latest jobs numbers, a rebounding stock market and a quickening pace for new home sales. “And we need to do everything we can to keep that momentum going,” he said. “At a time when our businesses are gaining a little more traction, the last thing we should do is allow Washington politics to get in the way.” That's why he met with Republican senators on Wednesday, and is making plans to attend both the Democratic and Republican Party meetings in Congress next week. He hopes to “untangle some of the gridlock” and continue discussions to end the sequester. Obama acknowledged that progress won’t be easy, but added “I still believe we can come together to do big things.”

Full transcript of the President's remarks below the fold, or you can read it at the White House website.

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UPDATE: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration scrapped plans Wednesday to shutter the state’s Medicaid hospice program in February, meaning the state will continue to provide end-of-life care to people on their death beds who can’t afford private insurance:

Jindal’s health secretary Bruce Greenstein made the announcement as hospice program supporters were gathering for a candlelight vigil on the state capitol steps to protest the cut. Greenstein said his department will use grant funding to cover the hospice costs this year.

Cheers went up across the small crowd of people gathered in what they expected to be a somber vigil. Instead, they celebrated.

Full report here.

KPLC:

Some of the poorest, and most vulnerable people in the state of Louisiana are about to face a horrific turn of events that will impact the way that they live, and the way they spend the final days of their lives.

Starting February 1st, Medicaid will no longer pay for hospice care in Louisiana. 7News looks into what is behind the falling budget axe and what it means to dying patients.
...
The changes are because of a mid-year budget gap. Medicaid hospice is just one stripped program. Sherrill Phelps with the Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice Association says this will deprive terminally ill patients of the opportunity to die comfortably and with care. "They're deserving to have the help and the support and the financial payment to provide that care for those people," he said.

Louisiana will become one of only two states to eliminate Medicaid hospice. Arizona was in that mix, but has already reinstituted it because it costs more. "You're going to pick them up and bring them to the emergency room, to the hospital, which costs considerably more than the $140/day paid for by the state for the Medicaid program," said Phelps.

The hospice care changes will not affect Medicare, which covers most people over the age of 60.

There will be a candlelight vigil at the State Capitol steps Wednesday from 4:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. to protest the elimination of Medicaid hospice.

The US’ housing bubble burst nearly six years ago, but the worst may be yet to come. After a landmark settlement, the major banks have lifted a freeze on foreclosures and government relief has been too small to make a difference.

Public housing budgets have been slashed, leaving larger numbers of people with no place to call home. The line between home ownership and homelessness is growing ever more blurry.

Meanwhile, popular anger is rising over the perceived impunity of the banks and some have found innovative ways of fighting back in an age of austerity.

Fault Lines travels to Chicago and California to see how people at the frontlines of the crisis are confronting the collapse of the American dream.

Lucas Gray, the television animator of "The Simpsons," and "Family Guy," has created a great video animation that tackles the concept of "trickle-down" economics, and prosperity through budget cuts that take needed funds away from necessities like education for our children.

The three-minute video, is narrated with audio of a speech Barack Obama delivered at the Associated Press Luncheon in April of 2012, rips apart the concept of these tried and failed economic policies.

[Via WhyObamaNow.org/]

Protests in Athens have turned violent as protesters clash with police on Wednesday. A demonstration outside of Parliament deteriorated when anarchists began throwing gasoline bombs and pieces of concrete at riot police. Police in turn fired tear gas at demonstrators. An estimated 50,000 people have joined the strike, which is the first trade union–led action since a conservative government came to power in June. Protesters have been demonstrating against planned spending cuts of $15 billion, which are required if Greece is to receive its next round of bailout funds, without which the country could go bankrupt in weeks.

The 'Economic Suicides':

“I have no solution in front of me." -- Antonis Perris of Greece, unemployed for two years before he took the hand of his 90-year-old mother and climbed to the roof of their apartment building and leapt to their death.

In his last note on an online music discussion site, Perris wrote that his mother had Alzheimer’s disease and that he had recently learned he was ill. He had not expected a recession, so he had not saved money. His credit cards were maxed out. He had started selling his family’s possessions but saw no permanent solution to his problems. He blamed the “powerful of this Earth” for his situation.

Giuseppe Campaniello of Italy set himself on fire outside a government tax office in Bologna on March 28 after his company collapsed.

“I see no other solution than this dignified end to my life, so I don’t find myself fishing through garbage cans for my sustenance.” — Retired pharmacist Dimitris Christoulas, 77, who shot himself in Athens’s central square on April 4.

“Violence is to work 40 years for peanuts and to wonder if you’ll ever get to retire. . . . Violence is unemployment.” — Savvas Metoikidis, 44, who hanged himself in his father’s warehouse in Thessaloniki on April 21.

“I hope my grandchildren will never be born in Greece.” — A 61-year-old electrician who hanged himself from a tree in Athens on May 30.

To date there have been 7,387 Occupy protesters arrested in the United States alone. Bankers? Zero.

More articles on economic suicide:

Death by Foreclosure

Wells Fargo Drives Homeowner to Suicide

'Dying for Work' Billboard's Dangling Dummy Disturbs Drivers

German police officers escort an anti-capitalism protest march with some 20,000 people in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, May 19, 2012. The German police took off their helmets and marched with the protest clearing the way for them.

Police were escorting, not participating. However it was noted by many on Twitter that it was nice to see their faces, and their humanity coming through. Quite a contrast to the NoNATO protests in Chicago.

Protesters peacefully filled the city center of continental Europe's biggest hub in their protest against the dominance of the banks and what they perceive to be untamed capitalism, Frankfurt police spokesman Ruediger Regis said. The protest group calling itself "Blockupy" has called for blocking the access to the European Central Bank, which is located in Frankfurt's business district.

Organizer spokesman Roland Seuss said the protest is "against the Europe-wide austerity dictate by the [creditor] troika of ECB, the EU Commission and the International Monetary Fund."

"We are in solidarity with the people of Greece and other European countries who are already gravely suffering from [budget] cuts across the board which threaten their very existence," Mr. Suess said.

[WSJ, Blockupy Frankfurt]