Top News Stories of the Week
By Drudge Retort
Friday, December 10, 2010 at 08:00 AM
The following stories were the biggest news events of the preceding week, according to the users of the Drudge Retort.
The White House and GOP reached an agreement in principle today to extend all the Bush tax cuts for two years. In exchange, the GOP has agreed to raising the estate tax on estates larger than $5 million to 35 percent for two years and continuing to exempt smaller estates, making a one-year, two percent reduction in the payroll tax and extending unemployment benefits 13 months.
Posted by mysterytoy at 08:07 AM on December 07, 2010 | 552 COMMENTS
It was 30 years ago today that former Beatle John Lennon was murdered, shot in the back outside his apartment at The Dakota in New York, by one of those "quiet ones" George Carlin used to talk about. Had Lennon lived, he would have been 70 this year.
Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 12:55 PM on December 08, 2010 | 300 COMMENTS
The House of Representatives has narrowly passed a measure to extend the Bush tax cuts for individuals earning less than $250,000 a year. Almost all Republicans voted against the measure and were joined by 20 Democrats. Incoming House Speaker John Boehner called the vote "chicken crap."
Posted by Corky at 09:03 AM on December 03, 2010 | 241 COMMENTS
Reich: Super Rich Ruined the Economy
Robert Reich: The lousy economy is due to insufficient demand -- the result of the nation's almost unprecedented concentration of income at the top. The very rich don't spend as much of their income as the middle. And since the housing bubble burst, the middle class hasn't had the buying power to keep the economy going. That concentration of income, in turn, is due to globalization and technological change -- along with unprecedented campaign contributions and lobbying designed to make the rich even richer and do nothing to help average Americans, insider trading, and political bribery.
Posted by Hagbard_Celine at 05:32 PM on December 04, 2010 | 221 COMMENTS
Olbermann: Obama 'God-Damned Wrong'
In a commentary last night, Keith Olbermann tore into President Obama for his tax cut deal with the Republicans, calling it a betrayal of the people who campaigned for him. "It is not disloyalty to the Democratic party to tell a Democratic president he is wrong; it is not disloyalty to tell him he is god-damned wrong ... it is not disloyalty to remind the President that he was elected by people to whom he had given a clear outline of what he would do for them, and if he does not steer out of the skid of what he is doing to them, he will not only not be re-elected, he may not even be re-nominated."
Posted by rcade at 01:30 PM on December 08, 2010 | 211 COMMENTS
A place to discuss the stories that aren't making news, ask questions, complain bitterly about this site and its members, or just screw around. The only rule: Be nice or be funny.
Posted by rcade at 12:00 PM on December 05, 2010 | 199 COMMENTS
US Students Falling Behind World
American students lag significantly behind their counterparts around the world, according to a test of 15-year-olds by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). U.S. students trailed countries such as Finland, Belgium, Estonia, Iceland, France and the Slovak Republic -- and scored higher than only five OECD countries. "We're in a kayak and some other nations have been in a speedboat," said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and the former governor of West Virginia.
Posted by moneywar at 09:24 AM on December 08, 2010 | 175 COMMENTS
Repubs Defeat Extension of Tax Cuts
Senate Republicans have blocked legislation that would retain the Bush tax cuts except on incomes over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. The vote Saturday was 53-36, seven short of the 60 needed to advance the measure. Without action by Congress, all income tax cuts enacted when George W. Bush was president will expire Jan. 1
Posted by Buffalo_Bob at 01:14 PM on December 04, 2010 | 171 COMMENTS
House Democrats voted Thursday against considering the tax package that President Obama negotiated with Republicans. By voice vote in a closed caucus meeting, Democrats passed a resolution saying the tax package should not come to the House floor for consideration as written, even though no formal House bill has been drafted. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., introduced the resolution. Said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas: "If it's take it or leave it, we'll leave it."
Posted by 2008 at 05:12 PM on December 09, 2010 | 161 COMMENTS
A day after the announcement that cancer has spread to her liver and her health was deteriorating, Elizabeth Edwards has died. Doctors for the 61-year-old wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards had advised against additional treatment, her spokesperson said. She posted on Facebook, "It isn't possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day."
Posted by rcade at 05:04 PM on December 07, 2010 | 132 COMMENTS
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