News Roundup - Hour 1
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-12-17/news-roundup-hour-1
A compromise tax plan moves forward in the last days of a lame-duck Congress. The House approves a repeal of the policy against gays serving in the military. And the Justice Department files suit in the BP oil spill disaster. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.
Guests
Ron Elving
Washington editor for NPR.
Jeanne Cummings
Politico's assistant managing editor in charge of Enterprise.
Greg Ip
U.S. economics editor, The Economist, and author of "The Little Book of Economics: How the Economy Works in the Real World."
Friday News Roundup Extra
The panelists discuss the First Responders Bill and Comedy Central Daily Show host Jon Stewart's devotion of his last show of the year to the topic. Diane received many audience questions and comments about the proposed bill, which would provide $7 billion in benefits to 9/11 first responders who are now suffering health problems as a result of their work at or near ground zero. The bill has passed in the House, but Senate Republicans have filibustered it:
The panelists discuss what Politico's Jeanne Cummings described as a "pheonix-like" revival in the past week of the prospect of a Congressional repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell:"
Comments
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What is the status of the 9-11 First Responders Bill? Jon Stewart made a passionate appeal on his last show of the year with several 9-11 first responders asking for the Senate to take action now. Will this happen before the new year?
-Trey (Denton, TX)
Anyone else see us through the prism of the crumbling of the former Soviet Union? ..Seems obvious to me.
Gina,
Detroit
Can one of your guests explain the logic of Republicans who seem to believe that tax cuts are the answer to all our fiscal problems--particularly with the evidence shown during the Bush Administration. Aren't these individuals concerned about the impact from tax cuts on the national debt and their own personnaly legacies (for supporting policies that contribute to our rising debt).
"Uncertainty" is silly Republican talking point. If you want more certainty, stop passing new laws! Follow President Bush's original plan to have the tax cuts expire.
Why is it that the context of the discussion of the extension of the tax cut and the estate tax always presupposes that size of the government is a given? Cut spending, cut spending, cut spending!
Politicians would rather engage in class warfare and the media is completely buying into it.
The whole political system is motivated to feed the beast.
There is nothing more democratic that allowing people to keep the money they earn!
The estate tax is only paid when there is a death, so death tax is correct labeling. Applying it only to estates of a certain size is, by definition, discrimination.
Hank
Did anyone happen to see The Daily Show last night regarding the 911 first responders bill? On the show Jon Stewart pointed out how the media has not addressed this issue...it was beautifully done! I ask your panel to address this and I urge NPR to take this on as well.
I also want to know why the Senate Republicans are blocking a vote on the James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act?
It's been said that if the vote is delayed until the new congress the bill won't be passed. The excuse appears to be that it's too costly. It's disturbing that there is money for some but not others, more money for those that already have much, less or none for those who do not.
As a liberal democrat, I am astounded that President Obama is defending a Republican idea of tax cuts as stimulus.
I strongly object to the plan because it does not reflect democratic ideals or values.
It looks to me as if the current right wing Republicans have simply forgotten that they supposed to be participating in our government - not defeating it.
Perhaps they should reread the preamble to the Constitution, in which our founding fathers set forth their vision for the United States and our government:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The Omnibus Appropriations Bill and the House-passed continuing resolution both included the Food Safety Modernization Act. Congressional leaders now have to decide whether to keep this important new law in a short-term Continuing Resolution. The food safety law passed both House and Senate by large margins. It would be law now but for an error the Senate made by introducing language deemed to be "revenue producing."
The CDC just announced that 1 in 6 Americans gets sick from contaminated food each year. Letting this bill die now would not seem to enhance the public standing of the Congress.
If this legislation is allowed to die I'm confident Congress will be reminded of the above facts every time there is an outbreak. And the outbreaks will continue.
Carol L. Tucker-Foreman
Distinguished Fellow, Food Policy
Consumer Federation of America
Washington, DC
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President Obama's tax cut compromise barters the long term health of Social Security for short term gains. For the first time general funds will be used to support Social Security, undermining the rationale for SS as a social insurance program. This was not the intent when FDR created the program. Social Security should not be used as a bargaining chip in budget battles.
In addition, I believe that it is very unlikely that the payroll tax cut will actually be allowed to expire in one year.
Today's discussion has frequently used the term "victory for Obama." How can we change the tenor of Washington - partisanship - when the media continues to use terms like "victory"?
Why is it that the individuals that have used up their 99 weeks of unemployment are very rarely mentioned? It has been said that jobs will be created by these tax cuts. This will not happen overnight.
Each week there are thousands of people who will have reached their 99 weeks. After that they are not even included in the 10% unemployment statistic and the government does not even know how to count for all the millions of people that have used all their benefits. What is an unemployed person supposed to do in the meantime with so few jobs available?
There is no Tier 5 of unemployment benefits. Contrary to popular belief the latest 13 month extension of unemployment benefits is not for those that have exhausted their 99-weeks. There was a bill to give companies a $2,000 tax credit for every long term unemployed person they hire. What happened to that bill?
Companies are sitting on piles of money. They don’t invest this money because they say there is no demand. There are also companies that will not even look at a resume if that applicant is currently unemployed. Has anybody figured out that there is no demand because there are millions of people who cannot afford to buy anything because they are unemployed?
It's no mystery why the Republicans are fighting for the tax cuts for the rich, because most of them are "the rich". In no other profession do you get to give yourself a raise and control your tax rate. It would be very interesting to identify which members of congress fall into this tax bracket and how they voted. Unfortunately, I believe it would identify the constituents they are working for is themselves. Until this self-serving aspect changes, nothing will change.
I believe unemployment was extended for another year for those who have exhausted the 99-week program. That's 150-weeks of unemployment now. That doesn't do much for the defict, wonder why Tea Party-types weren't up-in-arms about that one!
When you get sued by the government, you are being sued by a entity with limitless resources and time as well as an entity that changes and enforces the laws. Good luck with that.
The first responder issue brings attention to the events of 9/11, and that's the last thing Congress, as well as other figures, want in the public eye. Likewise, medical analyses can reveal certain patterns that could raise questions about the collapse of the Twin Towers. Bottom line - keep anything to do with 9/11 off the shelf. Sidestep the issue and divert attention onto other topics.
Anyone else think it was strange how quickly today's guests glided over the 9/11 first responders issue? No mention of how outrageous the Republicans are being by blocking this? I guess Jon Stewart is the only pundit that actually cares about these people.
Greg Ip included the payroll tax cut in his list of stimulus items in the tax bill. Since it replaces the Make Work Pay tax credit that was given this year, it is not new stimulus. And it will raise taxes for those making less than $20,000 since it is smaller than the $400 credit. It is another transfer of tax breaks to those at the higher end of the pay scale since the Make Work Pay credit phased out.
As was suggested one of the panel members...I ask all that left a message regarding 9/11 first responders bill to call their senator/representative and request that the bill be brought up again before adjounment! I did.
I would also highlight comments about the payroll tax cut made late in the program. It was speculated that this cut would be made permanent and then stated that could be paid for by ending the Soc Security tax cap. Good Grief! Raising or ending the cap is a primary tool for closing the small long term funding gap in Social Security, yet now you would use it to lower the current tax rate.
This is exactly why progressives see the payroll tax cut as a trap laid by Republicans to cut Social Security. And now Diane Rehm has just fallen into it.
With the increase of the deficit due to the tax bill that Presisent Obama just signed, whatever happened to the Tea party people and their protests? Their silence is deafening. Methinks the wealthy politicians got the little guys to carry their water and dumped them once their purpose was achieved. Surely very few of us need worry about the estate tax or of taxes to be paid on incomes over $250,000. And yet there was such a brouhahah over the deficit, pre mid-term, that one would have thought every one of those tea party members were REALLY concerned about the deficit. Were it so, where is the indignantion now? Some people are so incredibly gullible!!!
In early March, Jordan Brand announced the Bin23 Collection, a series of Air Jordan models revitalized by colorways that were previously snubbed,Louis Vuitton Outlet, or thrown in a ‘bin’, to never be released. The second release of the Bin23 Collection was the Air Jordan IX in a pairing of white and a lustrous metallic gold with the Bin23 red stamp on the upper of the shoe. The most interesting part of this sample shown here is that this particular pair is numbered 0001/1,331, which might hold some extra value to those who might be interested in that sort of thing. If you haven’t picked up a pair of the Premio IX and would love to have number 1 of 1,331, take a look at the images after the jump and pick up this size 9 sample pair from ppnab1172010 on eBay.