519. The Fiscal Cliff Hanger

“Fiscal cliff” is the popular shorthand term used to describe the conundrum that the U.S. government will face at the end of 2012, when the terms of the Budget Control Act of 2011 are scheduled to go into effect.
Among the laws set to change at midnight on December 31, 2012, are the end of last year’s temporary payroll tax cuts (resulting in a 2% tax increase for workers), the end of certain tax breaks for businesses, shifts in the alternative minimum tax that would take a larger bite, the end of the tax cuts from 2001-2003, and the beginning of taxes related to President Obama’s health care law. At the same time, the spending cuts agreed upon as part of the debt ceiling deal of 2011 will begin to go into effect. According to Barron's, over 1,000 government programs - including the defense budget and Medicare are in line for "deep, automatic cuts."
(tags: Political Series, economy, president, congress, Barack Obama, Economics, money, taxes, laws, Health Care, House of Representatives, Senate, America, United States)

375. The 112th United States Congress



The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011 and will end on January 3, 2013.

360. Homophobia Defined

WASHINGTON — A doubting John McCain led Republican opposition to letting gays serve openly in the military, sternly clashing with the Pentagon's top leaders and warning that troops would quit in droves if Congress repealed the "don't ask, don't tell" law. In tense exchanges with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, McCain and other Republicans dismissed a Pentagon study on gays as biased and said objections by combat troops were being ignored. (and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah)

(Tags: DADT, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, dont ask don't tell, Equality, Gay, GOP, Homophobia, Homosexual, Homosexuality, John McCain, Laws, McCain, Military, Political Series, Senate, Senator)

275. Kay Bailey Hutchison Reneges On Texas

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) reneged on her promise to resign her senate seat  "win or lose"  after the Texas gubenatorial primary, which she lost to Texas Governor Rick Perry (R).