fiscal cliff

POLITICAL REFLECTIONS: REPUBLICANS WIN THE "FISCAL CLIFF" DEBATE

By Mark Gabrish Conlan

The views expressed in this column reflect the views of the columnist and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine.

January 10, 2013 (San Diego) -- The first part of the “fiscal cliff” debate is over — and the Republicans won. That’s not the impression you’ll get from the corporate media, either the “objective” mainstream or the Right-wing media party of talk radio and Fox News. The mainstream media are reporting the swift passage of a bill through both houses of Congress continuing the Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans making $400,000 per year ($450,000 per couple) as a triumph for President Obama and at least a partial fulfillment of his pledge in both Presidential campaigns for a (slight) tax increase on the wealthiest Americans. (Ironically, the $400,000 at which the restored tax rates kick in also happens to be the salary of the President.) But the bill is actually a slap-dash scheme thrown together at the last minute to keep taxes from returning to Clinton-era levels for all Americans — and it leaves the Republicans with yet another opportunity to hold the American economy hostage and demand draconian cuts to what’s left of the social safety net when Congress next has to raise the U.S. debt ceiling in two months.


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GOOD MONEY: HAPPY 2013—TRUE MEANING OF WEALTH, PLUS“FISCAL CLIFF” DEAL HIGHLIGHTS

A column written for the East County Magazine
“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”
By: Judith L. Seid, CFP ®
President, Blue Summit Wealth Management

TRUE MEANING OF WEALTH FOR 2013

Happy New Year from all of us at Blue Summit Wealth Management. Our wish for 2013 is that this will be your best year ever!! We hope that you will consider recognizing what true wealth means to you. The true meaning of wealth is not the abundance of possessions and property as Merriam-Webster or modern society might lead us to believe. Let us and our children not be misled towards an illusory desire for personal consumption.


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ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

January 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

HEALTH

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RENO DISPATCH: WILL CONGRESS THROW VETERANS UNDER THE BUS?

January 2, 2013 (San Diego) – What has sadly been lost this week amid all the chatter about the so-called fiscal cliff is the fact that members of Congress are already threatening to throw our veterans under the bus. And it is nothing short of despicable.

Back in September, I reported for Newsweek/The Daily Beast that an unidentified Senator tried to block disabled veterans and their survivors from getting a cost-of-living adjustment to their benefits. The Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) increase for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, which typically passes the House and Senate without opposition, was cleared by Senate Democrats but was unconscionably placed on a “secret hold” by an unidentified Republican senator.

http://therenodispatch.blogspot.com/2012/12/will-congress-throw-veterans...


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CONGRESS APPROVES BILL TO AVOID FISCAL CLIFF; SAN DIEGO DELEGATION DIVIDED

By Miriam Raftery

January 2, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – By a 257-167 vote late last night, the House of Representatives approved without changes a “fiscal cliff” deal previously passed by the Senate 89-8.

The stock market reaction to ending the uncertainty was positive, rising 235 points or 1.9% on January 1 for a second-straight day of triple digit gains. It’s a deal that reflects compromise on both sides, averting a potential crisis short-term, but deferring major decisions on spending cuts and raising the nation's debt ceiling down the road.

The decision divided  the Republican leadership, as well as the local Congressional delegation. Lame-duck Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray joined with Democrat Susan Davis in voting for the measure, while Republicans Duncan Hunter and Darrell Issa voted against it.  (Bob Filner resigned his seat Dec. 3 to assume his new responsibilities as Mayor, leaving his seat vacant until Juan Vargas is sworn in later this month.)


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FISCAL CLIFF DEAL APPROVED BY CONGRESS

Update 11:15 p.m. - The Senate has approved the deal 89-8.  The House vote, up next, will not occur tonight.

Update January 2, 2013:  The House approved the Senate version Jan. 1 with no changes.  The President later signed the measure into law.

December 31, 2012 (San Diego's East County) -- It's now past midnight in Washington D.C., where Senate leaders in both parties and President Obama have reached a tentative agreement on a deal to avert the worst of the "fiscal cliff" impacts.  Though no vote was taken prior to the midnight year-end deadline, because tomorrow is a federal holiday, the worst of the impacts can yet be avoided if Congress takes action soon.  However the measure is expected to face opposition in the House, which Republicans control.

 


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FISCAL CLIFF LOOMS AS YEAR END DEADLINE DRAWS NEAR

How will failure of Congress to halt fiscal cliff impact you?

By Miriam Raftery

December 30, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – If Congress fails to agree by the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, automatic spending cuts of 8-9% across the board will take place as required through sequestration in both domestic programs and Defense.  That could cut the deficit by half, but theCongressional Budget office warns this could trigger recession as steep  tax hikes take effect along with spending cuts. It’s not just the rich who will feel the pinch—in fact middle class and low income earners would face severe economic impacts.

San Diego's biotech industry, military and Border Patrol offices are all bracing for potential painful cuts.

The deficit currently stands at $1.1 trillion, the lowest since 2008 but still a daunting figure that both sides seek to reduce, but with vastly different approaches.


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ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

December 26, 2012 -- (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


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ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

December 12, 2012 -- (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


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MILLILONS OF CALIFORNIA SENIORS, CHILDREN AND DISABLED COULD BE HARMED BY LAME DUCK CONGRESSIONAL DEAL TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID

Opponents to deliver photos of loved ones to be harmed by cuts at Rep. Hunter's office Wed. 

November 27, 2012 (Oakland)--Nearly 5 million Californians could be negatively impacted if Congress cuts Social Security, including 662,232 people with disabilities and 364,365 children, according to a new AFL-CIO report.

Of 11 million Californians who get health care coverage from Medicaid, 4.4 million children and nearly a million seniors could be affected if the lame duck Congress cuts Medicaid benefits. As the “fiscal cliff” approaches, members of Congress have suggested cutting these safety net programs, while calling for extending tax cuts benefitting the richest 2%.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

November 28, 2012 -- (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecti all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

HEALTH

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

November 20, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

Israel-Palestine conflict:

Other world news:

HEALTH

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ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

November13, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.