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Doesn’t Californian  House Republican Darrell Issa have anything better to do than keep tabs on the First Lady?

You’d think it would be enough for the press to follow her around like celebrity hounding paparazzi. We get to comment on everything about her (including this blog!) as  she makes her public rounds but is it really necessary to sit in on all of her meetings?

Issa claims the public has a right to know the activities of Michelle Obama as well as future presidential spouses.

Being in the public eye has to be hard enough without passing a law to get in their business. Aren’t Americans spied upon and tracked like dogs with their mobile devices enough as it is? If Google had it’s way, every spy cam satellite would be streaming info on the web 24/7 and documented in a database. You couldn’t even go to the bathroom without someone knowing about it and having it broadcast on utube. Last time I checked this was akin to slavery, not the so-called ‘freedom’ that we supposedly enjoy.

What more do we need to know about the First Lady? We already know way too much as it is and more than any First Lady in history. The press is consumed with the type of hair spray she uses, when she exercises, the clothes (well, that’s ok!) she wears, or what she’s doing as First Lady.Under Issa’s amendment, any government policy group that Mrs. Obama or another first spouse regularly participates in would be subject to a law requiring meetings to be announced in advance and, in most instances, public.

Her daughters aren’t exempt either as their wardrobes are also commented on and we know they got a new swing set to play on. When the dog arrives it will be news.

If the Issa’s amendment were to pass, it would overturn the 1993 federal appeals court decision which held that First Lady Hillary Clinton could be considered the equivalent of a federal employee. The court rendered that as First Lady, Hillary Clinton did not have to tell the world about every meeting she held or attended as a member of the presidential Health Care Task Force.

Maybe Mr. Issa could spend more time working on issues on his own state like unemployment, housing, or the fact they are just plain broke. By now he’s probably regained some of the $12 million of his own money trying to get elected to the Senate in 1998. Back then he got bumped out by Matt Fong who lost to Barbara Boxer and then thought he had a chance at becoming Governor until Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to run.

Issa too bad we have people like this in office.

Michelle Obama announced she would be planting a vegetable garden on the South lawn with the digging starting on Friday.

This is the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden during World War II. Though there are 18 acres to play with, no White House resident since has had the urge to dig into the dirt and, with a little hard work, enjoy the delight of harvesting peas and tomatoes off the vine.

Why are the Obamas the first in more than 60 years to put in a vegetable garden?

Full article

Good question. After the Bush’s left the White House it was revealed they dined on organic vegetables so why not grow them in their own garden? It’s not like Laura would have had to do any actual digging or get dirty. Maybe a photo op once in awhile wearing some clean, brand new gardeing gloves.

Of course, in this picture, Michelle is hardly dressed for doing any real garden work and the guys wearing the white kitchen garb might be picking the tomatoes off the vine but cultivating? Probably not. Everybody knows the White House gardeners are really the ones running the rototiller.

Anyway, having your own kitchen garden is always a good idea. When Russia collapsed the citizens didn’t go hungry because 90 percent of the food consumed was grown in kitchen gardens.

It’s Spring. Get your tools ready and since you’re not the First Lady you’ll need some old clothes and gloves to prevent blisters and a ruined manicure. Plan to get dirty.

Read the whole story: mediabistro.com

We’ve already established the tremendous impact that Michelle Obama has on the fashion industry but why compare her to Carrie Bradshaw? While the Brooke Shields character on Lipstick Jungle is lesser known (and short lived) at least she wasn’t an airhead. We only remember Carrie for her Jimmy Choo’s and Prada labels, not for her writing ability. Our First Lady is not some clothes hanger and to compare her to Carrie Bradshaw is really insulting. Isaac must be the President’s bowling partner.

We agree that Michelle is the new Jackie-O but the influence of fashion has been around for ages and we like Marie Antoinette because in addition to promoting fashion, she was a woman in her own right.

From lucidcafe:
The stories of Antoinette’s excesses are vastly overstated. In fact, rather than ignoring France’s growing financial crisis, she reduced the royal staff, eliminating many unnecessary positions that were based solely on privilege. In the process she offended the nobles, adding their condemnation to the scandalous stories spread by royal hopefuls. It was the nobility that balked at the financial reforms the government ministers tried to make, not the King and Queen, who were in favor of change. In truth, Antoinette and Louis were placed in harms’ way not only by elements of their personalities, but by the changing face of political and social ideology in the 18th and 19th centuries.

If you let your hand rest naturally, all 4 fingers and thumb fall evenly and in order for the middle 2 fingers to curl back, one would have to consciously position them so.  Try it for yourself!

You might be old enough to remember the popularity of wearing orange and yellow back in the 1970s. It didn’t work then and it doesn’t look any better today. I’m guessing Michelle’s cardi is none other than a J. Crew import.

Oprah gets it right is her purple dress. It goes great with her skin and who knew that big gals could wear shirtdresses with such style? This dress looks great on her! It seems like Oprah is always struggling with her weight (aren’t we all) and maybe she should try some cleansing diets. Beyonce’s Lemonade diet is for those that aren’t overburdened with toxins and that’s usually the case with younger people.

The older you get the harder it is to lose weight and it takes longer to clean the junk out. Unfortunately, that’s what it takes to really get the metabolism working again. Oprah probably has a healthy diet with a personal chef and all the expert talk show guests have supposedly the best advice. It’s unlikely that she’s loading up on twinkies because she knows better!

Maybe Oprah has some good ideas on how America can recovery from the economic crisis. According to this picture, she’s got Michelle’s ear.

” First Lady” is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and receives no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the President. There is a strong tradition against the First Lady holding outside employment while occupying the office.^[2] The first lady frequently participates in humanitarian and charitable work; over the course of the 20th century it became increasingly common for first ladies to select specific causes to promote, usually ones that are not politically divisive. It is common for the first lady to hire a staff to support these activities. Additionally, many have taken an active role in campaigning for the President with whom they are associated.

Serving lunch to the homeless does provide a photo op but we predict Michelle will soon tire of this as a regular gig. The woman is an attorney! She didn’t pass the bar by dressing up in a salmon sweater and serving lunches.  Mostly, it  gives the press something to talk about and reminds us that we have a new President and “change is coming”. We suspect the Asian factory worker who made her J. Crew sweater could care less about the American economy. They’re not watching the news and feeling any pride that she’s wearing a sweater that they made.

In the upcoming health care summit the President has these words to say in his opening speech:

“The cost of health care now causes a bankruptcy in America every 30 seconds. By the end of the year, it could cause 1.5 million Americans to lose their homes,” according to an excerpt of his opening remarks released by the White House.

“If we want to create jobs and rebuild our economy, then we must address the crushing cost of health care this year, in this administration. Making investments in reform now, investments that will dramatically lower costs, won’t add to our budget deficits in the long-term – rather, it is one of the best ways to reduce them,” according to another excerpt.

A bankruptcy every 30 seconds?? At this pace Mrs. Obama won’t be able to keep up with all the lunch photo ops.

How can there possibly be economic recovery when most of our manufacturing has moved offshore and we’re nearly 11 trillion in debt?

These are sombering numbers. We should all be wearing black.

Her arms are becoming the stuff of legend.
I think I am developing a crush on America’s first lady. Michelle Obama is more compelling than her husband. He’s good, but she’s utterly fascinating.

Here she exercises good judgement by covering up with a pantsuit and a vest. Well, baby, it IS cold outside. The shirt has gotten some prior press (yea!) and the pants and jacket look like good staples from any woman’s closet. I doubt that any of her gowns will get a repeat performance as fashionistas will be the first to point fingers as they did with Mrs. Carter.

In 1977, Rosalynn Carter infuriated the U.S. fashion industry by recycling a blue chiffon evening gown and sleeveless coat trimmed with gold embroidery that she had worn during her husband’s gubernatorial celebration. Carter had purchased it off-the-rack at a Georgia store and most likely recycled the dress because we were in the midst of a recession. Maybe if the re-do had been well executed, Rosalynn’s thrifty ways wouldn’t have been so ill received.

This visit was the first tour in honor of Women’s History Month. Long and repeat tours of duty affect grandparents, parents, spouses and siblings, some of whom are left to look after the servicemember’s children, said Mrs. Obama at her visit to the America Memorial Center at Arlington National Cemetary.

Luckily, Mrs. Lisa Pagan will get to stay home with her 2 kids after a lengthy appeal to not repeat a tour of duty.  Maybe the individual ready reserve program should be repealed or modified so that a reserve can only be called up for a different war so they have time to live and raise families before called to active duty again. It seems that once you enlist, the government owns you. The excellent movie, Stop Loss, portrays how the men, women and their families are affected by repeat tours of duty. We’re guessing this wasn’t the topic of conversation at the Arlington Memorial Cemetary.

Public scrutiny is nothing new for First Ladies.  This sleeveless dress worn by Mamie Eisenhower for her official portrait in 1953 also caught media attention. Lest you think the baring of arms is some kind of Democratic affiliation, Mamie was the wife of a Republican.

Mamie was known for her outgoing manner and especially her love of fashion and jewelry.  She was a popular hostess during her husband’s term at the White House as we suspect Michelle will be as well.  From a diplomatic standpoint, this is a good thing.

Imagine if Michelle Obama were to wear something as revealing as Dolley Madison’s choice in 1809.  And we think the styles are slutty today? Oddly enough, the “girls” look like they are defying gravity on their own without the benefit of a corset. Maybe this is what prompted former First Lady, Abigail Adams, snide remark that she looked like a “nursing mother”.

Francis Cleveland, wife of President Grover Cleveland, was also partial to sleeveless gowns, prompting the Women’s Christian Temperance Union to circulate a petition in 1988 trying to get her to cover up. They believed she was an immoral influence on young girls. Yeah, well, that didn’t work because she continued to keep showing some skin and her style was widely copied by other women.

Mamie led the way in the armsgate controversy with Jackie Kennedy continuing the trend in the early 60s.

That was the style in the day and Jackie wore it like it was a uniform. Her look was considered to by classy and elegant, emulated by women all over America. Such is the power of dress! After being criticized for her penchant for French design, she took up with American designer, Oleg Cassini who produced more than 300 outfits for Jackie. It is said that her clothing bill far exceeded the President’s salary, but was paid for by her father in law, Joseph P. Kennedy.

In today’s world it is not uncommon for designers to send gifts to celebrities so they’ll wear the gown on the red carpet. Should this be the case for First Ladies? Who pays for Michelle’s wardrobe? The simple black Michael Kors dress Michelle wore for her official portrait retails for $3,195 but her dress was custom made especially for her. Such was probably the case for Jackie too but history tells us they weren’t freebies.

Chief Vogue Editor Anna Wintour and White House Secretary Desiree Rogers at New York Fashion Week

Desiree, can we have your job please? We don’t care much about hanging out with American Vogue Editor-in-chief Anna Wintour (of Devil Wears Prada fame) but front row at all the fashion shows would be The Sweetest gig ever. We thought the White House Social Secretary job to be all about appointments and calendars and thank you notes and not about Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Thakoon and Marc Jacobs. Actually, Ms. Rogers is the official party planner, responsible for all White House functions, state dinners and the like. Now she’s the Rachel Zoe of the White House and stated it was important for the Administration to be supportive of all the arts, including fashion. That’s cool, but fashion is also big business.

"Michelle and Sasha...." by artist Elizabeth Peyton

New York artist, Elizabeth Peyton, translated a magazine photo into an oil painting entitled “Michelle and Sasha Obama Listening to Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention August 2008″.  She is most famous for her works of Kurt Cobain and Leonardo DiCaprio. An oil on canvas of John Lennon sold for $800,000 in 2006 and her works are now in the collections fo the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. While this painting doesn’t make Ms. Peyton an overnight success (uh, 800 grand says she’s already arrived) we like the free press she’s gotten by painting the Obamas. It’s not surprising that past subjects include members of the Kennedy family since so many correlations have been drawn between the Obamas and the Kennedys.

If the Platform in Support of the Arts gets off the ground then the next generation of artists might have a chance to enjoy the same success. This is an excerpt from the campaign site:

Our nation’s creativity has filled the world’s libraries, museums, recital halls, movie houses, and marketplaces with works of genius. The arts embody the American spirit of self-definition. As the author of two best-selling books – Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope – Barack Obama uniquely appreciates the role and value of creative expression.
A PLATFORM IN SUPPORT OF THE ARTS
Reinvest in Arts Education: To remain competitive in the global economy, America needs to reinvigorate the kind of creativity and innovation that has made this country great. To do so, we must nourish our children’s
creative skills. In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts
education. Unfortunately, many school districts are cutting instructional time for art and music education. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that the arts should be a central part of effective teaching and learning.
The Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts recently said “The purpose of arts education is not to produce more artists, though that is a byproduct. The real purpose of arts education is to create complete human
beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society.” To support greater arts education, Obama will:

• Expand Public/Private Partnerships Between Schools and Arts Organizations: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will increase resources for the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants, which develop public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizations. They will also engage the foundation and corporate community to increase support for public/private partnerships.

• Create an Artist Corps: Barack Obama and Joe Biden support the creation of an “Artists Corps” of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities. Studies in Chicago have demonstrated that test scores improved faster for students enrolled in low-income schools that link arts across the curriculum than scores for students in schools lacking such programs.

• Publicly Champion the Importance of Arts Education: As president, Barack Obama will use the bully pulpit and the example he will set in the White House to promote the importance of arts and arts education in America. Not only is arts education indispensable for success in a rapidly changing, high skill, information economy, but studies show that arts education raises test scores in other subject areas as well.

• Support Increased Funding for the NEA: Over the last 15 years, government funding for the National Endowment for the Arts has been slashed from $175 million annually in 1992 to $125 million today. Barack Obama and Joe Biden support increased funding for the NEA, the support of which enriches schools and neighborhoods all across the nation and helps to promote the economic development of countless communities.

• Promote Cultural Diplomacy: American artists, performers and thinkers – representing our values and ideals – can inspire people both at home and all over the world. Through efforts like that of the United States Information Agency, America’s cultural leaders were deployed around the world during the Cold War as artistic ambassadors and helped win the war of ideas by demonstrating to the world the promise of America. Artists can be utilized again to help us win the war of ideas against Islamic extremism. Unfortunately, our resources for cultural diplomacy are at their lowest level in a decade. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will work to reverse this trend and improve and expand public-private partnerships to expand cultural and arts exchanges throughout the world.

• Attract Foreign Talent: The flipside to promoting American arts and culture abroad is welcoming members of the foreign arts community to America. Opening America’s doors to students and professional artists provides the kind of two-way cultural understanding that can break down the barriers that feed hatred and fear. As America tightened visa restrictions after 9/11, the world’s most talented students and artists, who used to come here, went elsewhere. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will streamline the visa process to return America to its rightful place as the world’s top destination for artists and art students.

• Provide Health Care to Artists: Finding affordable health coverage has often been one of the most vexing obstacles for artists and those in the creative community. Since many artists work independently or have nontraditional employment relationships, employer-based coverage is unavailable and individual policies are financially out of reach. The Obama-Biden plan will provide all Americans with quality, affordable health care. Their plan includes the creation of a new public program that will allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health care similar to that available to federal employees. Their plan also creates a National Health Insurance Exchange to reform the private insurance market and allow Americans to enroll in participating private plans, which would have to provide comprehensive benefits, issue every applicant a policy, and charge fair and stable premiums. For those who still cannot afford coverage, the government will provide a subsidy. His health plan will lower costs for the typical American family by up to $2,500 per year.

Ensure Tax Fairness for Artists: Barack Obama supports the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow artists to deduct the fair market value of their work, rather than just the costs of the materials, when they make charitable contributions.

Ok, this seems pretty ambitious considering the country is bankrupt. This could be a good cause for Michelle, getting the private sector to pony up some cash for these programs. There’s plenty of rich CEO’s out there. Hey, our friend, Mickey Drexler of J.Crew, has got an extra $65.5 million in stock he might be willing to donate.

Elementary school teachers usually don’t have budgets for art supplies so if you have some left over from crafts projects you can donate them to your local school. Scrapbooking supplies can be useful too.

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