Although 20 years short of qualifying for its own benefits, Medicare nevertheless reached an important milestone Friday.

45 years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare, the social insurance safety-net, into law.

President Barack Obama marked the anniversary by issuing a proclamation lauding the program and pledging its continued support under his administration.

“As President, I will protect the promise of Medicare and Medicaid, and make sure they continue to be strong and solvent for our children and grandchildren,” Obama wrote.

The President also took the anniversary as an opportunity to tout the health care reform legislation he signed into law this March.

“The health care reforms in the landmark Affordable Care Act (ACA) renew and strengthen our pledge to America’s seniors and families, ensuring Medicare and Medicaid will be there when they need it,” the proclamation states.

Also acknowledging the milestone, the Republican National Committee issued their own statement charging that Medicare will be slashed under the new health care law and accusing Obama of backtracking on his pledge to seniors to protect the program.

“Happy 45h Birthday, Medicare!” the statement reads. “President Obama gave plenty of “gifts” to seniors on Medicare this year.”

The Securities Exchange Commission is charging Texas billionaires Sam and Charles Wyly for allegedly participating in insider trading to the tune of $550 million.

The complaint filed Wednesday by the Commission states, “Sam Wyly and Charles Wyly engaged in a 13 year fraudulent scheme to hold and trade tens of millions of securities of public companies while they were members of the boards of directors.”

The Dallas-based Wylys founded the software company Sterling Silver, which the SEC claims the brothers attempted to defraud along with Scottish Annuity and Life Holdings Ltd. and Michaels Stores, Inc.

Also ensnared in the charges are the brothers’ lawyer Michael C. French and stockbroker Louis J. Schaufele III.

Aside from their roles as entrepreneurs, the Wylys are known as major donors to Conservative causes. According to the watchdog site OpenSecrets.org, the brothers have provided GOP candidates and committees with more than $2 million over the last two decades.

The SEC’s complaint can be read here.

In a briefing on future Afghanistan policy, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) said that 114 members of the House voted against the supplemental bill, indicating that Congressional support for the war is receding. (0:24)

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By Miles Wolf Tamboli - Talk Radio News Service

National Incident Commander Admiral�Thad Allen spent Thursday�morning with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Parish presidents from the Gulf region.

Speaking with reporters, the former Coast Guard official explained that the leaders had discussed and agreed upon three major issues: “to assess how we can move forward from response to recovery,” and to refine the team’s hurricane preparedness plans following Tropical Storm Bonnie in such a way that the command will be able to respond to more varied degrees of storm systems, and to develop a “joint vessel of opportunity employment plan,” said Allen.

“Vessels of opportunity” are generally local commercial boats that have been put out of work by the spill, and subsequently employed by the response team, explained Allen.� Unfortunately, the joint command will need to move to employing more specialized contractors in the near future, leaving many of these vessels out of work yet again.

The meeting also provided leaders the opportunity to voice their concerns over the large amount of boom that has yet to be deployed, which could end up further harming marshlands if not removed before any intense storm, explained Allen.

Allen further reported that BP’s next attempt to stop the leak, known as the “static kill,” may be implemented sooner than Monday, as authorities had initially expected. The static kill is similar to the top kill method, which BP had attempted but failed to implement earlier in the leak, but has a better chance of success, say authorities, due to the reduced pressure of the leak and the engineering of the “stacking cap” that is now keeping the leak contained.

During a briefing on the future of Afghanistan policy, Rep. Michael Honda (D-Calif.) pointed out that the U.S. spent 103 months in Vietnam and is now in its 105th month in Afghanistan. (0:11)

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Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) argues during a press conference that the U.S. military presence has not moved Afghanistan any closer towards peace and stability. (0:25)

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