Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords officially resigned from Congress on Wednesday. She resigned to focus more on her recovery from being shot in January, 2011 at a political event in Arizona. Giffords’ pledged to return one day saying, “Everyday, I am working hard. I will recover and will return, and we will work together again, for Arizona and for all Americans.” (NBC)

• In 2012 news, this week Mitt Romney released his tax returns from the past two years. Mitt has made $42.7 million the past two years and payed $6.2 million in taxes.  Romney had been attacked for not releasing his tax returns and some still want Mitt to release years further back. (CNN Money). One poll this week shows that Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are now tied in Florida, which is the next GOP primary on January 31st. This is news because until recently, Mitt Romney was the clear front-runner and now the 2012 GOP race looks to be a close two-man race between Romney and Gingrich.

• President Obama gave his State of the Union address on Wednesday night where he said that state of the union is getting stronger. President Obama defended his policies and called keeping the American Dream alive “the defining issue of our time.” In what could be his last State of the Union address if he’s not re-elected this year, the president proposed letting the Bush tax cuts expire, having the wealthy pay more in taxes, more refinancing for homeowners in trouble, and more clean energy initiatives among many other things in his speech. (Full CNN Speech Transcript)

• Finally, if President Obama is re-elected in 2012, his staff could look a little different for his second term. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said this week that he does not expect to remain in office if the president is re-elected. Geithner is the last remaining member of Obama’s original economic team. (BusinessWeek) . It is also being reported that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will not stay on the job if Obama is re-elected. Mrs. Clinton is reported to have said she is tired of the “high wire of American politics.” She has also previously denied that she will pursue another run for the presidency in 2016. (First post)

]]> http://99problems.org/2012/01/political-quick-hits-january-27th-edition/feed/ 0 http://99problems.org/2012/01/state-of-the-union-issue-breakdown-infographic/ http://99problems.org/2012/01/state-of-the-union-issue-breakdown-infographic/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:13:46 +0000 DJWillieShakes http://99problems.org/?p=20927

This Tuesday, President Obama proceeded to address the nation through his State of the Union speech for the fourth time since he’s been elected. As always, everyone from around the world checked in to see what issues he and his administration will be prioritizing in the near future. However, this year’s speech is a little more important than the last, given the fact that this could be Obama’s last opportunity, as president, to make an impact that would satisfy constituents.

The Washington Post created the featured infographic identifying the amount of time the president spent talking about a specific issue in comparison to the last few speeches.

Did President Obama leave out an issue that was important to you?

Janelle Monae speaks on her recent performance for the 44th president at a fundraiser that took place a month back at the University of Illinois, Chicago. As a young voter, she was very clear about continuing to support him in November. In the featured excerpt, Janelle highlights some of Obama’s statistics during his 4-year tenure as Commander in Chief:

“I was deeply honored to be invited by the President to perform at the rally in Chicago at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was an amazing feeling to be amongst so many people, young and old, black, white, red, disabled, all united, eager to help support a man who has ended the war in Iraq, gotten rid of ‘don’t ask don’t tell’- allowing anyone to serve this country regardless of who you love, made sure women were not paid less than men merely because they are women, doubled Pell grants, given 2.5 million young people health insurance, and has created a law that recognizes that crimes based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race or disability aren’t just any crime- they’re hate crimes that deserve justice. These are all things he said he’d do before he was elected and did them. There are more important accomplishments that can be added to this list. I strongly believe our nation should continue upon this path, bringing justice to all and change where needed. President Obama remains the candidate of hope and change, and he will continue to move our country forward, bringing even more change if re-elected.” – Janelle Monàe

Janelle Monae sure is, but are you sold on Barack Obama’s candidacy representing hope & change?

While on set for Snoop’s GGN, I bumped into one of the funniest female comics in the country, Luenell. You may know her name from various urban films such as “Think Like A Man,” “35 & Ticking” or even Katt Williams’ “American Hustle” DVD. If you’ve ever seen her perform, you’re not going to be caught off guard when you check out the featured video. As we continue to get the perspectives of stakeholders and tastemakers in the entertainment community, don’t hesitate to let us know who you will be going for this November.

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• White House Chief of Staff William Daley resigned Monday. Daley, a former banker and commerce secretary under the Clinton administration replaced Rahm Emanuel last January. Daley will be replaced by budget director Jacob Lew at the end of the month. The White House chief of staff’s duties include managing daily operations of the staff, weighing in on domestic/foreign policy, and helping manage relationships between the White House and Congress, Wall Street and other outside groups. (Washington Post)

• In 2012 news, Mitt Romney on Tuesday won the New Hampshire primary becoming the first non-incumbent Republican to win the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. Mitt is the clear favorite to win the 2012 Republican nomination. Next up is the South Carolina primary on January 21st.

• On Thursday, the Justice Department said that last week’s controversial recess appointments by President Barack Obama are constitutional. Richard Cordray was selected to become the director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Obama also named three members to the National Labor Relations Board. (CNN)

• Outgoing Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is in his last days in office, but he has caused quite a controversy this week when he approved full pardons for 199 people including 14 convicted murderers. Since the conservative governor took office in 2004, he has granted clemency to 222 people whose crimes ranged the gamut. Four men who were convicted of murder and received full pardons were released on Sunday. These four were all serving life sentences and worked as inmate trusties at the governor’s mansion. A murder victim’s sister has said about the pardons, “We will live in fear for the rest of our lives.” (CNN) A Mississippi judge has since put a halt to the release of 21 inmates still in custody who were pardoned as a court reviews whether Barbour broke the law. (USA TODAY)

As the 2012 presidential election approaches, it is becoming painfully clear that the U.S. economy may be the topic helping voters decided which candidate to choose. Unemployment has remained relatively high across the nation, but some populations have been hit harder than others. The Obama administration has made progress in its attempts to stabilize unemployment, and job growth has been on a small but steady rise. But if stabilizing the economy is the greatest challenge for the 2012 election, then increased employment is the only solution.

While job growth has increased, the questions regarding who is gaining employment still remains. Today, the White House released a press release announcing the Summer Jobs Act to employ nearly 180,000 youth between the ages of 16-24 nationwide. The White House has been encouraging youth employment since 2009, and has worked with many private companies to ensure that young people received on-the-job training and paid internship positions. However, today they took an aggressive stance toward youth employment stating:

“America’s youth can’t wait for Congress to act.”

Obama is moving forward without Congress by proposing $1.5 billion to make sure that youth can be hired not only in the summer, but year-round.

This is an important step to ending high rates of unemployment not only for youth and disadvantaged communities, but also for the nation as a whole. With all of the political circus, we often forget that the high school and college students WILL  grow up to become the leaders of this nation. We must do everything possible to support their growth and development in every realm of society. The administration also points out that in 2011, taxpayers contributed more than $93 billion “in direct cost and lost tax revenue to support young adults disconnected from school and work.”

Many conservatives, such as Rick Santorum, repeatedly state that they want to discontinue social welfare programs, however, unemployed and uneducated youth will cost us far more in lost tax revenue than in entitlement programs alone. Translation: It will cost us far less, as a society, to educate and hire the multi-ethnic youth of America.

In the next 60 days, the administration will launch  Summer Jobs+ Bank, an online job search through its business, non-profit, and government partner organizations. They hope that these summer jobs will lead to a more informed workforce prepared for long-term employment in the private and public sector.

Check out the full press release here.

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• The Obama administration announced Tuesday that they will be using the enticement of foreign aid to other countries as a way to promote gay rights around the world. The administration also vowed to combat efforts by other countries that criminalize homosexual conduct or abuse/ignore abuse on gay citizens. “Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct, but in fact they are one in the same,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. (NY Times)

• Rod Blagojevich, former Governor of Illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in prison this week on federal corruption charges that related to him trying to sell/trade a United States Senate seat that was left vacant when President Obama was elected to the White House. Blago is expected to serve at least 12 of the 14 years in federal prison. (NY Times)

• The Obama administration rejected a request to let anyone of any age buy the morning-after pill, Plan B, directly off of drugstore and supermarket shelves. The Department of Health and Human Services vetoed the FDA’s decision to make the contraceptive available without any restrictions. This split decision stunned both women’s health advocates and abortion opponents. President Obama said that he agreed with Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ decision though he “did not get involved in the process.” (Washington Post)

• On Thursday, the Senate failed to approve President Obama’s pick, Richard Cordray, to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The bureau become the symbol of the administration’s efforts to rein in Wall Street excess and abuse. Until there is a confirmed director, the consumer bureau can’t regulate financial products from non-banks, including student loan providers, debt collectors, payday lenders and check cashers. It also can’t regulate mortgage originators and servicers, something that played a role in the recent financial crisis. President Obama said that he is considering sidestepping Congress with a recess appointment. (CNN Money)

• Finally, in 2012 news, CNN polls released on Wednesday show that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is the frontrunner in three of the first four states to vote for the Republican nomination. The polls also show that it is still anyone’s race to face President Obama in 2012, as less than half the people questioned in each state say their minds are made up. The Iowa caucuses are January 3rd, followed by the New Hampshire primary on January 10th. (CNN)

I can remember it like it was yesterday. The moment that Barack Obama was elected president, you would’ve assumed Jay-Z and Young Jeezy had something to do with it, due to the amount of times their hit record, “My President is Black” played around the country. I have no exact number of plays, but it was definitely the hip-hop ode to candidate. However, three years after a black man was made president of this great country, some people are quietly asking if he was the right man for the job, while some are yelling it to the top of their lungs. At the end of the day, everyone isn’t in love with Barack just because he’s a cool public figure. We are all looking between the couches in search of the lil bit change we were promised.

The real question is, how influential will hip-hop be in the 2012 election? Is Barack still the popular candidate in the hip-hop community?

1. M1 of Dead Prez: “Obama Nation”

2. Lupe Fiasco: “Obama is the Biggest Terrorist”

3. Rhymefest: “I mean we got indecisive ass Barak Obama and confused ass Tiger Woods”

4. Killer Mike: “Burn”

5. Tyler The Creator: Aחԁ Obama wanted change, I threw a couple f**king pennies аt һіm

6. DMX: What the f**k?! That ain’t no f**kin’ name, yo. That ain’t that nigga’s name. You can’t be serious. Barack Obama. Get the f**k outta here.

7. KRS-One & Professor Griff: “The Obama Deception”

9. Prodigy: “Black Devil”

10. Big Krit: “Obama cool, but he ain’t sending me no free checks”

Here’s your weekly quick look at a few developing stories in the political arena:

• As expected, the Supreme Court announced this week that it will decide on the constitutionality of the Obama administration’s health care reform. The court will hear two major questions, the first being if the individual mandate requiring Americans to have health insurance is constitutional and if so, the second question is should all of the healthcare reform be scrapped? Arguments will likely be in February or March, with a ruling coming by June. The ruling will once again make health care an important issue for the 2012 presidential race. (CNN)

• Congress again avoided a shutdown threat by passing a temporary spending measure on Thursday that will keep the government funded until December 16. The government would have run out of  money midnight Friday if another temporary spending bill wasn’t passed. (CNN)

• As 99problems reported earlier this week, a nationwide crackdown of the various Occupy movements is happening this week. Occupy Wall Street and all of their set up was cleared out of  Zuccotti Park. A judge later ruled that protestors are allowed back in the park to protest during the day but cannot set up tents or sleeping bags there and must leave at night.

• Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, 21, allegedly fired nine shots at the White House last Friday, one cracking a bulletproof window. He was charged Thursday with attempting to assassinate the president or his staff. Ortega-Hernandez has a history of mental illness and believed President Obama to be the “Antichrist.” If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. (Washington Post)

• Finally, the congressional super committee has until next Wednesday to reach an agreement that will have at least $1.2 trillion in savings over the next decade. If the committee can doesn’t reach an agreement, Congress has one month (December 23) to vote on a deal. A failure to pass anything would result in $1.2 trillion in automatic across-the-board spending cuts starting in 2013. These cuts would be evenly divided between defense and non-defense spending. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this week that such cuts could cripple the American military establishment. So will this “do-nothing Congress” get something done?

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• In 2012 news, the dates for the 2012 presidential debates between President Obama and whoever wins the GOP nomination have been set. Debates will be held October 3rd at the University of Denver in Colorado, October 16th at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY,  and October 22nd at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. The only vice-presidential debate will be held October 11th at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. (Politico)

• GOP presidential nominee Herman Cain was accused of inappropriate behavior with female employees in the 1990s, according to a Politico report released this week. In the report, it says that Herman Cain, while head of the National Restaurant Association, engaged in “sexually suggestive behaviors” in front of at least two female employees. The women signed an agreement with the restaurant group that gave them financial payouts to leave the association. It is not yet known how this will affect Mr. Cain’s campaign, however his campaign has had its best fundraising week yet, raising $1.2 million since the story broke. Herman Cain has remained defiant against his critics this week, and even accused fellow GOP nominee, Rick Perry’s, campaign of being behind the leaks, which Perry has denied.

• Also in more 2012 news, the New Hampshire primary was officially set this week to be held on January 10th, this first in the nation primary will take place seven days after the Iowa caucuses. (ABC News)

• In what was seen by many as shameless politicking than actually trying to get any law passed, on Thursday, the Senate rejected both Republican and Democratic proposals to boost construction of roadways and other infrastructure projects. No infrastructure plans or jobs bills have been passed by Congress since President Obama urged Congress to act quickly on a jobs bill back in early September. (CNN)

• Finally, next Tuesday November 8th is Election Day, don’t forget to go out and vote!

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• The White House announced this week a new plan to help students buried in student loan debt. The plan allows students to consolidate federal loans, changes the interest rate, and limits the monthly payment down to 10 percent of a student’s income. But is that enough? Our article on that is here.

• Do you remember “Joe the Plumber” from the 2008 election? Well, Samuel Wurzelbacher (aka Joe the Plumber) has announced that he will run for Congress in Ohio. He will make his bid as a Republican nominee in Ohio’s 9th district, which is currently being contested by Democrats Marcy Kaptur and Dennis Kucinich due to redistricting. (Politico)

• The deadline to come up with $1.5 trillion in cuts over 10 years as part of the debt ceiling deal is now less than a month away. A deal must be in place by the bipartisan super committee by November 23rd. If nothing is agreed upon, automatic cuts would be triggered, which could really be felt across the economy by potentially affecting infrastructure projects, higher education, basic research, and state and local governments. This week, the GOP members rejected the Democrats’ deal saying it relied too heavily on tax increases on the rich. The super committee’s negotiations are described as being “deadlocked” over taxes. (CNN)

• Finally, in the most recent 2012 poll news, Mitt Romney is at or tied for the top spot in the first four states to vote for the Republican nomination. According to recent CNN polling of GOP voters, Romney holds an overwhelming lead in New Hampshire, leads in Florida and is essentially tied with Herman Cain in Iowa and South Carolina. My personal thoughts have always been that once the dust settles, it will be Romney v. Obama in 2012. (CNN)

As you may know, the Libyan Leader, Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule was put to an immediate end as he was recently captured and slain. However, you may not have caught the airing of the 1987 sitcom, ‘Second Chance,’ that displays the date July 29th, 2011 where he is sitting before God and is sent to hell. 83 days off, but what a guess. God Bless The Dead!

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed Thursday in his hometown of Sirte. Gaddafi was captured alive after a NATO airstrike but reportedly, he died during a crossfire between transitional government troops and his loyalists. His death comes two months after rebels took control of the capital Tripoli, where Gaddafi had ruled as a dictator with an iron fist for 42 years. A formal announcement of Libya’s liberation will be made on Saturday. President Obama pledged U.S. support for Libya after Gaddafi and told the people of Libya, “you have won your revolution.” (Reuters)

• The Iowa caucuses will be held on January 3, as it was announced this week. The caucuses are important as they are the first major electoral event in the nominating process for the presidential election. These caucuses will give us a first look at who is leading the race for the Republican presidential nomination. (Politico)

• Social Security checks are going to rise 3.6 percent starting in January. This cost of living adjustment is the first social security raise in three years. However, many seniors may not see the full amount since there are expected to be hikes in Medicare part B premiums. The hikes could eat up a big portion of the social security raise. The changes in Medicare premiums will be announced next month. (CNN Money)

• On Tuesday, another Republican Presidential Debate was held in Las Vegas. The biggest news out of the debate was a heated exchange between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. Rick Perry accused Romney of hiring illegal workers at his home, and a heated exchanged then followed.

• Finally, late Thursday night, the Senate rejected a key part of Obama’s job’s bill which was a proposal to send $35 billion to cash-strapped states to keep public school teachers, police and firefighters on the job. The senate voted 50-50 on the measure, which is short of the 60 votes needed. Three democrats joining the Republican-led opposition. This is just the first in a series of votes to come on jobs as Obama’s larger job package is being cut down into smaller parts to be voted on. (CNN)

This is the realest rant I have ever heard in my life! Felonious Monk has more than a point! I damn near don’t wanna pay my bills after seeing this. “You’re the leader, I’m following!!!”

Hank Williams Jr., who sings the famous Monday Night Football’s theme song, appeared on Fox & Friends Monday morning and compared President Obama to Hitler. Williams said that Speaker John Boehner’s recent golf game with the President was “one of the biggest political mistakes ever,” and it was like “Hitler playing golf with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.”  He went on to claim that President Obama and Vice President Biden were “the enemy,” also referring to them as “The Three Stooges.”

In response, ESPN pulled the “Are you ready for some football?” theme song from this week’s Monday Night Football game between Indy & Tampa Bay (ESPN). It’s one thing to disagree and be outspoken against the President of the United States of America and his policies, but it’s another thing to compare him to Adolf Hitler. Hank Williams Jr. responded to the issue by saying, “my analogy was extreme, but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me, how ludicrous that pairing was.”

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• On Thursday, the House approved a short-term funding bill that will avoid a partial government shutdown.  The government is now funded through October 4, then the House will have to consider bigger measures to keep the government funded through November 18. This bipartisan short-term funding bill also included an additional $2.65 billion in disaster relief needed by FEMA to help with the hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires that have happened across the country this year. (CNN)

• A decision on the constitutionality of President Obama’s health care law will likely be determined by the Supreme Court, with a decision likely coming next summer in the thick of the 2012 presidential campaign. All of the Republican candidates who are seeking the GOP nomination disagree with President Obama’s health care law. Some even say it’s unconstitutional, so the ruling that could come from the Supreme Court next summer on whether it’s constitutional or not could be a deciding factor in the presidential election. (Washington Post)

• The Center for Disease Control said that tainted cantaloupes was linked to the death of 13 people across the country – the most fatal U.S. outbreak of a food-borne illness since 1998. Seventy-two other illnesses have been reported across 18 states, which is being blamed on the Listeria bacteria. The CDC is warning consumers to throw out Jensen Farms cantaloupes and watch for illnesses. Listeria can take three weeks or longer to make a person sick, so more cases may  show up in the coming weeks. The cantaloupes are linked to Rocky Ford cantaloupes grown out of Jensen Farms in Colorado. The cantaloupes were distributed in 17 states: Illinois, Wyoming, Tennessee, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. (CNN)

• Finally, two influential members of Congress are calling for an Federal Trade Commission probe of Facebook regarding privacy concerns. Representatives Ed Markey and Joe Barton sent a letter to the FTC Wednesday, which took issue with Facebook’s practice of gathering information from websites users visited even after users have logged out. It’s not clear yet if the FTC will launch an investigation. (CNN Money)

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• On Monday, President Obama outlined his $3 trillion debt reduction plan, which includes taxing the wealthy. The plan was immediately criticized by top Republicans. Meanwhile, Obama’s jobs bill, which he announced two weeks ago, is still awaiting action in the Senate. Senate Democrats have not decided when they will take up the bill and if they will try to vote on the bill in its entirety or add their own ideas to it. (CNN)

• It finally happened – the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell became effective officially on Tuesday, ending an almost 18-year-old policy that barred gay, lesbian or bisexual individuals from openly serving in the military. (CNN)

• On Wednesday, the U.S. House defeated a bill that would have provided $3.6 billion for disaster relief as part of a bill to prevent a government shutdown at the end of next week. However, the House then passed a short-term spending plan early Friday that would keep the government funded for seven weeks after the end of the fiscal year which is September 30. Now, this sets up a fight in the Senate, which has a Democratic majority. The Senate Democrats are opposed to the spending cuts in this plan and oppose any offsets to counter emergency spending for natural disasters – something that plan proposes. The plans requires spending cuts to balance out additional disaster relief money. If this bill isn’t passed, there could be a partial government shutdown when the current fiscal year ends on September 30. However, a shutdown seems unlikely at this point given the political fallout which would come from this. (CNN)

• Carl Lewis Can’t Run: First he couldn’t, then he could, and now he can’t again. A federal appeals court removed Olympian Carl Lewis from a New Jersey state Senate race on Thursday. The court decided that he did not meet the four-year residency requirement. This should be the final straw in his on-and-off again candidacy. (CNN)

• Finally, a Fox News/Google Republican debate was held Thursday night in Florida. Once again, the crowd was the biggest star of the show during another ugly debate moment this year. A question was asked via YouTube from Stephen Hill, a solider currently serving in Iraq. He asked what candidates would do about the U.S. policy of LGBT individuals, like himself, serving in the military. He was booed by several people in the crowd. Candidate Rick Santorum replied essentially that he would reinstate Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the crowd thunderously applauded him. (Huffington Post)

On Monday, President Obama outlined his $3 trillion debt reduction plan which includes $1.5 trillion in new revenue generated largely by a higher tax on the wealthiest Americans. The plan was criticized by some Republicans as class warfare against the rich.

“This is not class warfare,” President Obama said.  ”It’s math. If we are not willing to ask those who’ve done extraordinarily well to help America close the deficit … then the logic, the math says everybody else has to do a whole lot more.”

Obama said that spending cuts alone would not solve our fiscal problems and promised to veto any other debt reduction legislation that cuts benefits without including higher taxes on the wealthy. Speaker of the House John Boehner has said for a while now there will be no tax increases. Obama’s plan would allow some of the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy to expire, along with closing various tax loopholes.

A new tax surcharge would also be set on millionaires, which the president has labeled the “Buffett Rule.” It was named after investor Warren Buffett, who has argued that the richest Americans are not taxed enough and should be taxed more during these hard economic times. The idea behind the Buffett Rule is that those earning more than $1 million per year should not be allowed to pay a smaller percentage of their income in federal taxes than Americans lower down on the income scale. Buffett, the second wealthiest American, famously demonstrated that he pays a smaller percentage in federal taxes than his secretary.

As far as spending cuts go, Obama’s plan has $580 billion in mandatory cuts, including $248 billion from Medicare.

According to CNN:

“Roughly 90 percent of those savings will come from reducing overpayments in the system, according to an administration official. Any changes to Medicare benefits won’t kick in before 2017, the official also said.”

President Obama’s plan does not include any Social Security reform proposals.

So what do you think of the plan?

Personally, I think it is a really good start. Our country needs to address its spending, obviously, but it also needs to tax the wealthy at the same time. The rich are doing just fine, corporations are having record profits, yet the economy is still in bad shape. These companies and these people are not hiring even with record profits, so it’s obviously not working. We must increase taxes on the wealthy. The tax is supported by Warren Buffett, who is one of the greatest economic minds and has a reported net worth of around $50 billion. Some Republicans have deemed the tax as class warfare on the rich. What about the class warfare that has been going on against the middle class for so many years?

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• Special Election 1: Republican Bob Turner won the special election held in New York’s heavily democratic 9th congressional district Tuesday. With 54 percent of the vote, Turner beat Democrat David Weprin in the special election, which was the result of Anthony Weiner’s resignation during his #Weinergate scandal. The election result was a bit of a surprise as the district has a 3-1 Democrat to Republican ratio. However, former NYC mayor Democrat Ed Koch crossed party lines and endorsed the Republican Turner. Koch, who is Jewish, hoped his support would send a message to the Obama Administration that many Jewish Americans are dissatisfied with Obama’s policies on Israel. Many believe the Jewish vote is important for Obama’s re-election chances in 2012. (CNN)

• Special Election 2: Republican Mark Amodei easily defeated Democrat Kate Marshall in Nevada’s 2nd congressional district special election held Tuesday. Amodei replaces Rep. Dean Heller who was appointed to replace embattled Sen. John Ensign. Ensign resigned in May after an affair with a staffer’s wife. A Democrat has never won the 2nd District before. (CNN)

• Olympian Carl Lewis’ name is back on the ballot in a New Jersey state Senate election. A federal appeals court voted Tuesday 2-1 to allow Lewis back on the ballot. He was taken off due to a question about residency requirements. (NPR)

• Dakota Meyer, an ex-Marine, was award the Medal of Honor on Thursday for his bravery during an ambush in Afghanistan, where he helped rescue three dozen other soldiers and recovered the remains of four fallen servicemen. President Obama awarded Meyer in a ceremony at the White House on Thursday where Meyer became the first living Marine to receive the nation’s highest award for valor.  (Full NYTimes story detailing his brave story)

• Finally, the Pentagon announced Thursday that the official full repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is on track for Tuesday. However, the repeal comes as two of the most powerful Republicans on the  House Armed Service Committee have called for the delay of the repeal. Rep. Buck McKeon and Rep. Joe Wilson say that Congress has not been adequately informed on the policy changes that will come with the appeal. (CNN)

Here’s your weekly quick look at few developing stories in the political arena:

• President Obama gave his much anticipated jobs speech on Thursday night, (Full video) laying out the “American Jobs Act” and called on Congress to pass it quickly.  President Obama said the bill would be paid for by a broader deficit reduction deal that would reform Medicare, while changing the current tax system to eliminate tax loopholes, lower the corporate tax rate and increase taxes for the wealthy. President Obama said of his plan, “It will create more jobs for construction workers, more job for teachers, more jobs for veterans, and more jobs for the long-term unemployed.” (CNN)

• U.S. officials said on Thursday night that they have “specific credible, but unconfirmed” information about a terrorist threat against America focused on New York and Washington D.C. coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attack.  The plot is believed to involve three people already in the United States using a bomb-laden vehicle. (CNN)

• The special deficit committee that was established with the debt ceiling held its first meeting on Thursday. The 12-member bipartisan panel has until November 23 to agree on $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction. (CNN)

• On Wednesday night, a Republican Presidential debate was held at the Reagan Library in California. It was the first debate that all the main GOP contenders participated in. Many political insiders believe that the GOP nomination is a two-person race between former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry. As we previously posted, here are some of the quick hits of what the candidates said at the debate on Wednesday.