10 Things to Know for Today
Photo
An opponent of President Mohammed Morsi, left, argues with Morsi supporters, not pictured, as the Egyptian Army deploys near the presidential palace to secure the site of overnight clashes between supporters and opponents of President Mohammed Morsi in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. The Egyptian army has deployed tanks outside the presidential palace in Cairo following clashes between supporters and opponents of Mohammed Morsi that left several people dead and hundreds wounded.
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and stories that will be talked about today:
1. TURMOIL BUILDS IN EGYPT
The street fighting between supporters and opponents of Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi were the first clashes between rivals since last year’s uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.
2. WHY THE 'FISCAL CLIFF' DEADLINE ISN’T SET IN STONE
The Obama administration could delay some of the tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect at the end of the year.
3. 'FISCAL CLIFF' FIXES THAT AMERICANS FAVOR
People want to raise taxes on the rich — but show little appetite for cuts to Social Security and Medicare, an AP poll shows.
4. A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR JAPANESE SCIENTISTS
Yuri Kageyama reports that experts who help set national radiation exposure limits had trips around the world to conferences paid for by nuclear plant operators.
5. POT IS LEGAL, BUT NOT IN PUBLIC
Washington State’s law legalizing marijuana took effect, and some celebrated by violating the law, lighting up in public under Seattle’s Space Needle.
6. THE FIRST AMERICANS TO GROW MARIJUANA
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp.
7. WHY ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS DROPPING
Experts say a weakened U.S. economy and a graying Hispanic population caused the first dip in a decade.
8. NEW YORK’S WANNABE SUBWAY HEROES
Straphangers say they would have helped save a man pushed off a platform to his death if they had been there.
9. LOOK WHO’S ON THE CATWALK
Transgender models are becoming more popular on runways in Brazil and Paris.
10. SPREADING THE GRAMMY WEALTH
Six different artists each snagged six nominations, including fun., Frank Ocean, Mumford & Sons and Kanye West.
Dec 6, 2012 at 4:06 p.m.
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jcommon, pastafarian is referring to the taxation of ss benefits.
Another issue is the wage base cap on taxation of social security wages (or Self-employement earning.) The taxation is capped, because the SS benefits are limited/maxxed out at a certain level. It makes sense to cap the wage base at some leve, becuase the benefits are capped.
Dec 6, 2012 at 2:26 p.m.
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Why have a cap at all for SS taxable income?
Dec 6, 2012 at 12:06 p.m.
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SS use to tax 90% of the total income of the US.
Now SS only taxes 80% of the income.
Lifting the cap to 200K would get the tax back to 90% and make SS solvent.
Dec 6, 2012 at 11:44 a.m.
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Is this the best you can come up with for a lead story? Pretty pathetic.
Dec 6, 2012 at 10:49 a.m.
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I've seen some good comments so far - garyprimer, yes you are correct about people are entitled as they have paid into these programs most of their lives. I would like to add to that though, there are a lot of people drawing money from these programs that really shouldn't be able too. SS isn't just a retirement program that we paid into. Its been stolen from to cover so many other costs. I think that is what some of us are upset about. Lets reform that and leave the money for the ones who are paying into it and or going to support the kids of parents that have paid into the system who have passed away. I'm sure there are other things that should be covered but this is just a starting point.
Eagle1 - you are absolutely correct about what the rich have. I'm friends with a US Treasury Officer and he told me the facts. If the US government was to take every penny/asset from every family in the US that makes $250k or more and kicked them to the curb, leaving them nothing but what they have on their backs and you would still only come up with just a little over $4 Trillion, still leaving us with over $12 Trillion in debt and climbing! Raising taxes on the rich is still a temporary solution but they still don't have a balanced budget which means, the debt will continue to rise no matter what! We need fixes and not bandaids to slow the bleeding! Unfortunately our current politicians which includes both parties, doesn't and will not go for real reform because that will not go over well with American's! It just won't!
Dec 6, 2012 at 10:20 a.m.
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what will 800 billion (proposed tax hike) over 10 years do when we run a deficit of between 1 and 2 trillion annually? Answer not a damn thing.
Dec 6, 2012 at 10:10 a.m.
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gary you are right they are not welfare but they are broken systems that need a major overhaul and people are not willing to face that. Social Security is a legal ponzi scheme look at the numbers of when it was started 16:1 workers to recipients it is it is on its way to 2 or 3 to 1. Medicare was started when life expectancy was well below 70, that has changed, another indication that system is broken with nobody willing to face it. So once again I go with my earlier statement... take from someone else I am not giving up anything, that attitude has to stop.
Dec 6, 2012 at 9:48 a.m.
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"Mr. Chambers," Patty cries,
"don't get on that ship!
The rest of the book
"The Path to Prosperity"!
"it's... it's a cookbook!"
Dec 6, 2012 at 9:17 a.m.
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What is you plan Mr President? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=end...
Dec 6, 2012 at 9:14 a.m.
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My how Obama flip-flops http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla... when presented with what he first asked for he wants more....
Dec 6, 2012 at 9:12 a.m.
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It is not greedy to want food, shelter, and medicine.
Social Security and Medicare are not welfare.
They are entitlements,
a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract,
and paid for by the recipients
over the course of their lifetimes.
Dec 6, 2012 at 9 a.m.
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MBHammer excellent point!
Dec 6, 2012 at 8:58 a.m.
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#3 should show polling data for foreign entitlements. My copy of the constitution does not indicate an edict to send any of our money to other countries. Upon the Obama visit to Myanmar he gave them 170 million dollars, then he returns after the visit to talk about spending and deficits. Very schizophrenic.
Dec 6, 2012 at 8:36 a.m.
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#3 shows the lack of historical perspective that 'people' have.
Dec 6, 2012 at 8:21 a.m.
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3. 'FISCAL CLIFF' FIXES THAT AMERICANS FAVOR
People want to raise taxes on the rich — but show little appetite for cuts to Social Security and Medicare, an AP poll shows.
that sums up exactly why we are in this mess. Taking all the wealth of the rich will not do a damn thing to help the situation and people are all for getting others stuff but don't take mine... who's is the real greedy?
Dec 6, 2012 at 8:09 a.m.
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Blah,blah,blah
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