Obama pushes colleges to keep tuition under control - Chicago Tribune

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Obama pushes colleges to keep tuition under control - chicagotribune.com jQuery = $; //rename $ function trblib.ns('trb').data = { contentId: '67679369', marketCode: 'chinews', section: '/news'}; xd.configure({ 'https://chicagotribune.signon.trb.com':{ sender : 'https://chicagotribune.signon.trb.com/registration/xd/xd_sender.htm', receiver : '/hive/common/includes/xd_receiver.html' } }); carnival.init({"hostname":"https://chicagotribune.signon.trb.com","apiKey":"","product":"chinews", "xd":"1", "activateMessages":"true", "ssorNavBackgroundColor":"", "ssorModalTextColor":"", "skipNewsletters":"0" , "captchaType" : "reCaptcha", "ssorSignInLinkUrl":"", "ssorSignUpLinkUrl":"" }); (function() { var cookieName = 'tribanalyticscookie', cookieData = readCookie(cookieName), ssorId = carnival.user.profile().masterId, data; if (!cookieData) { cookieData = guidGenerator(); createCookie(cookieName, cookieData, 3650); } data = 'k=viewcontent&u=' + cookieData + '&url=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location.href); if (ssorId) data += '&es=' + ssorId; if (trb.data.contentId) data += '&contentId=P2P-' + trb.data.contentId; if (trb.data.marketCode) data += '&marketCode=' + trb.data.marketCode; if (trb.data.section) data += '§ion=' + encodeURIComponent(trb.data.section); trblib.jQuery.ajax({ url: 'http://tribunegls.cloudapp.net/profiles/e949eb98-f19d-472c-92cd-ee7620ad47c7/analytics', data: data, dataType: 'script' }); function guidGenerator() { function s() { return (((1+Math.random())*0x10000)|0).toString(16).substring(1); } return s()+s()+'-'+s()+'-'+s()+'-'+s()+'-'+s()+s()+s(); }})(); var _sf_startpt = (new Date()).getTime();   News Home Mobile Alerts Trib Nation TribU Weather Obits Horoscopes Ask Amy Columns Photos Video Advertise Subscribe Help News Breaking Chicagoland Suburbs Nation & World Obits Clout Street Politics Watchdog Maps & apps Schools Religion Lottery Business Breaking Problem Solver Your Money Technology Chicago top stocks Promotions Executives to know Business lunches Columnists Sports Breaking Bears Bulls Blackhawks Cubs White Sox College Preps Plus Soccer Golf Smack Scores Columnists A&E Breaking TV Movies Music Theater Food & Dining Books Celebrity Events Arts Comics Puzzles Chicago Live! 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(Jason Reed/Reuters)

RelatedGraphic: State of the Union wordsVideo Reports: President ObamaGraphic: Can Obama do it again? Caren Bohan Reuters 11:56 a.m. CST, January 27, 2012

ANN ARBOR, Michigan (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, appearing before thousands of cheering students at the University of Michigan, touted his plan on Friday to reward colleges that keep their tuition under control with more federal aid as he makes school affordability a top election-year priority.

Obama, seeking to reform federal aid for students to pay spiraling college costs, unveiled fresh details of a proposal to make higher education affordable for more families that he first announced on Tuesday in his State of the Union address.

His plan is aimed at helping students pay for a higher education, which is seen as crucial for employment as the country is grappling with an 8.5 percent jobless rate. It also specifically targets the issue of income and access, a central focus of the November 6 presidential race that has zeroed in on the nation's widening wealth gap.

Obama's plan would have his administration redistribute campus-based aid, which is handled directly by schools, based on schools' performance: colleges that keep tuition costs in check and get students to graduate would get more money than other schools that do not.

"We're putting colleges on notice: you can't assume that you'll just jack up tuition every single year. If you can't stop tuition from going up, then the funding you get from taxpayers each year will go down," the Democratic president said at the speech that had all the trappings of a campaign event with striped bunting and a crowd-filled stage.

Obama couched his remarks in the broad populist themes of his re-election campaign - of sticking up for the middle class, rewarding companies for bringing jobs back home, and ensuring that the rich pay higher taxes.

"We should push colleges to do better. We should hold them accountable if they don't," he told a crowd of about 4,000 people.

Low-interest federal Perkins loans for poor students will also be expanded to $10 billion a year, the White House said in a statement. Another $1 billion grant will go to states that reform their higher education systems, it added.

Obama also called for a "college scorecard" that would give prospective students and families a uniform, easy-to-read look at information such as tuition and graduation rates across all universities -- just as labels on food packages offer a standard look at essential facts.

Other proposed changes would require congressional action, something many analysts and others see as unlikely in an election year.

Obama wants lawmakers to increase the number of work-study jobs over the next five years. He also has called on Congress to block an increase in interest rates on federal student loans set to take effect July 1, doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent for about 7.4 million students with Stafford loans, low-interest loans directly from the Department of Education.

(Writing By Susan Heavey; additional reporting by Alister Bull in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham and Vicki Allen) Copyright © 2012, Reuters

sns-rt-us-obama-educationtre80q1p7-20120127 Comments16 trblib.jQuery(function() { trblib.require('http://w.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js', function() { stLight.options({ publisher:'4b7449a5-38e2-462a-a6cd-97326133f123', onhover: false, newOrZero: 'zero' }); }); });   Comments (16)Add / View comments | Discussion FAQ ChiGirl58 at 12:43 PM January 27, 2012

Meanwhile, not a Chevy Volt in sight:

http://nevadajournal.com/2012/01/26/president-obama-leaves-event-promoting-clean-energy-motorcade-22-fossil-fueled-vehicles/

Blah Blah Blah.....I'm really serious now....vote for me.....I really mean it this time....

castlewood2 at 12:39 PM January 27, 2012

Blah, blah blah, look I'll help , vote for  me, blah, blah, all talk no definitive plans on how this can be acheved like all his other plans , anything that comes out of his mouth is just hot air!

Just continue to give our tax dollars to more solar panel and electric car battery companies who gladly take the money and immediately filed for bankruptcy!

Mr. President , you sir are an embarrasment to the office you hold.

Jean SmilingCoyote at 12:39 PM January 27, 2012

It would also help a lot if Obama made a national commitment to persuading employers to get all college graduates promptly hired into jobs which they want to put their college educations to work, and to start their careers. Politicians, journalists and pundits glibly tout the lower unemployment rate for college grads; but unemployment is unemployment regardless of one's educational attainment. The more an unemployed American could be doing for pay, the more hurtful the discrepancy, and the more costly to the nation, not the least of which is lost tax revenues. There is also a lot of discrimination against college grads seeking 1st jobs using their education. Many employers demand applicants with internships before they graduated; if that wasn't possible, they regard the college degree as completely worthless by itself. A survey would show that few employers who hire college grads, will hire grads with those same majors who don't already have paid work experience in the field. There's a system for bringing new MD's into the workforce as such, but none for most majors. We need the bottom rung on our career ladder restored and required. It can no longer be left to the whims of discriminatory employers.

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White House Pushes Payroll Tax Cut as GDP Growth Rate Slows - Bloomberg

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The White House called anew for passage of a payroll tax cut extension after the government reported less than expected growth in the economy in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Extending the tax break until the end of 2012 is “the most pressing matter” on President Barack Obama’s agenda, spokesman Jay Carney said. The break is set to expire Feb. 29.

Obama has been attacked by his Republican rivals for a weak economy, including a jobless rate of 8.5 percent that must come down or it will dim Obama’s chances for re-election. The only U.S. president re-elected since World War II with a jobless rate above 6 percent was Ronald Reagan. The unemployment rate on Election Day 1984 was 7.2 percent, having dropped almost 3 percentage points in the previous 18 months.

The Commerce Department reported today the economy expanded 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter, less than forecast, as consumers trimmed spending and government agencies cut back.

“This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and those who are struggling to get into the middle class,” said Alan Krueger, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, in a statement. “While the continued expansion is encouraging, faster growth is needed to replace the jobs lost in the recent downturn and to reduce long-term unemployment,” he said.

The economy must grow at an annual rate of 2.5 percent or more to reduce the unemployment rate, most economists say.

Gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services produced, climbed at a 2.8 percent annual pace following a 1.8 percent gain in the prior quarter, figures showed. The median forecast of 79 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for a 3 percent increase.

The Commerce Department said it was the economy’s 10th straight quarter of growth.

Obama, campaigning in Michigan, appealed today to Congress for action on jobs and job training.

The government should help make sure America is “selling stuff all around the world, products stamped with those three proud words ‘Made in America,’” Obama said at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Obama was capping a three-day swing through Iowa, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Michigan.

The economy is reviving four years after the start of the Great Recession, “though we’ve not yet reached escape velocity,” said Adam Hersh, an economist at the Center for American Progress in Washington.

The economy is $96 billion larger than December 2007 when the recession began, he said.

The Fed said Jan. 25 it plans to keep interest rates low through at least late 2014. The central bank is considering more bond purchases to boost growth, Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said.

“We’ve got some momentum but growth is too slow and there’s still too much fragility and too much slack in the system,” Jared Bernstein, former chief economist to Vice President Joe Biden, said in an interview. “Headwinds persist, and I worry about an oil-price spike. And stimulus is fading big-time.”

Risks include Europe’s debt crisis, potential shock from an unforeseen terror attack or natural disaster, confidence of consumers who account for 70 percent of the economy or political intransigence in Washington over extending the payroll tax cut to the end of the year, he said.

“There’s no question that would hurt near-term growth,” said Bernstein said. The 2.8 percent is “a decent pop” but “we shouldn’t get anywhere near the champagne.”

For 2011 as a whole, GDP rose by 1.7 percent, raising the level of real GDP after inflation 0.7 percent more than where it was at the start of the recession in the fourth quarter of 2007.

To contact the reporter on this story: Roger Runningen in Washington at rrunningen@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steven Komarow at skomarow1@bloomberg.net

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Second Conn. home invasion killer is sentenced to death - msnbc.com

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- A Connecticut man was sentenced Friday to die for killing a woman and her two daughters during a night of terror in their suburban home, a gruesome crime that unsettled the suburbs and halted momentum to abolish the death penalty in the state.

Joshua Komisarjevsky will be joining Steven Hayes on death row for killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11. He is scheduled to be executed in July.

The girls were tied to their beds and doused in gasoline before the house was set ablaze; they died of smoke inhalation. Komisarjevsky was convicted of the killings and of sexually assaulting Michaela.

The only survivor, Dr. William Petit, was beaten with a baseball bat and tied up but escaped.

"I will never find peace within. My life will be a continuation of the hurt I caused," Komisarjevsky said in court. "The clock is now ticking and I owe a debt I cannot repay."

Komisarjevsky said he walked out of court condemned to die by 12 members of the community. 

"It's a surreal experience, being condemned to die," Komisarjevsky said.

Forgiveness is not his to have, he said, and he needs to forgive his worst enemy -- himself.

Read story at NBCConnecticut.com

Before the sentencing, Judge Jon Blue said sentencing another human being to death is the most somber task a judge can have.

The court then heard some emotional victim impact statements from the Hawke and Petit families.

Petit read his statement as a slide show of his family played on the screen.

Petit called the crime a "personal holocaust" as he testified during the sentencing hearing. He said his wife was his friend and confidante, and a wonderful mother. He also noted that Hayley would have been in medical school by now and that Michaela loved to cook and sing.

"I lost my family and my home," he said. "They were three special people. Your children are your jewels."

Michaela came into the world smiling, Petit said. He recently received a card from one of Michaela's friends. It said it was sad to know that she wouldn't be in 10th grade this year.

"I miss her running to the door and yelling 'Dada's home,'” Petit said.

'Was it worth the price?'
The Rev. Richard Hawke spoke directly to the convicted killer and said he’s presided over many funerals, but never dreamed he would bury his daughter and grandchildren. It was the worst thing he’s had to go through.  

"Was it worth the price?" he asked at one point.

If Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela could endure the pain that Komisarjevsky put them through, their families can endure the pain of the trials, Hawke said.

“You have not only destroyed your family, you have destroyed your own and destroyed a noble family name,” Hawke told the man who killed his family members.

The statement from Jennifer’s mother, Marybelle Hawke, was also played in court and she said the love of family will carry them through.

The Petit and Hawke families left court before the sentence was handed down.

Lawyers fought for jurors to hear videotaped testimony from Komisarjevsky’s 9-year-old daughter, but the defendant made a plea against it. 

Last month, a jury delivered the death verdict for Komisarjevsky after finding him guilty of the crimes. On Friday, the judge handed down that sentence.

The Associated Press and NBCConnecticut.com contributed to this report.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News

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GOP debate slugfest: Did Romney hit hard enough? - CBS News

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This post originally appeared on Slate.

Mitt Romney may not drink, but he was loaded when he entered last night's debate in Jacksonville, Fla. He went after Newt Gingrich immediately and relentlessly. He scolded him, rendered him momentarily mute, and took answers about other topics and turned them into attacks on Gingrich on key issues like excessive government spending. Romney didn't just have good answers, he looked like a man in command of himself. His new debate coach Brett O'Donnell should double his fees.

There are now five days until the Florida primary, and state polls show that Romney and Gingrich are neck and neck. Newt Gingrich is up 9 points over Romney in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. Romney's strong performance will give him a little spring in his step and make his supporters feel like they're backing a winner again. Florida has 10 television markets, and if the editors and producers are good to Romney, he'll get about 12 hours of free coverage of the debate.

Romney was not flawless, but he showed aptitude over a wide range of subjects, learned new material, and adapted to the challenges he faces. For a candidate that has been called robotic he was nimble.

Romney started right away. If a candidate can deliver a strong moment that will run throughout the next day on cable and on local news, he wins the night. You just have to be good once, and preferably early in the evening. Romney had to know that Gingrich's claim that Romney was "anti-immigrant" would come up, and it came up early. He took offense and then took a hairbrush to Gingrich's bottom. He said the attack was "repulsive," called on Gingrich to apologize for the "kind of over-the-top rhetoric that has characterized American politics for too long."

Gingrich, inexplicably continued to defend the sentiment behind the "anti-immigrant" ad that he pulled down and that Sen. Marco Rubio had criticized. It gave Romney a chance to look indignant. This provides us with a quirk of political theater: Romney, who is authentically stiff and robotic in his natural state, looked "authentic" in what was no doubt a staged moment.

Romney also finally gave his best defense yet of his taxes. After Gingrich dared him to explain his Swiss bank account, Romney launched into a riff he'd clearly tried out a few times in front of the mirror. "I think it's important for people to make sure that we don't castigate individuals who have been successful. Let's put behind us this idea of attacking me because of my money."

He was in Gingrich's face all night. He criticized Gingrich for his ambitious plans to colonize the moon. "If I had a business executive come to me and say they wanted to spend a few hundred billion dollars to put a colony on the moon, I'd say, 'You're fired.' (Remember just a few weeks ago when Romney couldn't say the word fired? That's OK it was Newt he was firing.) "At another time he kneed Gingrich for pandering to local politicians, offering a new project in every state he visited. "This idea of going state to state and promising what people want to hear, promising billions, hundreds of billions of dollars to make people happy, that's what got us into the trouble we're in now. We've got to say no to this kind of spending."

During an exchange over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Gingrich offered a blustery attack on Romney's investments in the two companies. Romney pointed out that Gingrich had identical investments. "Right," was all Gingrich could say, as if being guilty of the charge he had just leveled at Romney were totally natural.

The pressure was so relentless that Gingrich, one of the great exaggerators in politics, was accusing Romney of using that tactic. I assume in the Romney debate camp they took it as a compliment.

It was not a universally good night for Romney, though. He denied that he was running an ad that his campaign was, in fact, running. In the radio ad, he accuses Gingrich of calling Spanish a "ghetto language." When Wolf Blitzer pointed out that Romney had actually said at the end of the ad "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message," Romney mumbled. For the audience at home it was probably confusing, but Romney looked like he was weaseling, not owning up to his words. He also sounded like he was ducking when talking about how his investments are in a blind trust he doesn't control. True, perhaps (though some accounts he does see), but it doesn't sound good. When Romney in response to Santorum's passionate critique of his health care plan said, "It's not worth getting angry about," you could hear those conservatives who have doubts about him say ... and that's our problem with you.

Newt Gingrich had a floppy night. It wasn't because the audience was prohibited from cheering. They just didn't cheer much for him. He didn't seem to have a game plan. Backed into a corner at one point, he said smugly to Romney, "I'll give you an opportunity to self-destruct." It didn't work.

He was even the least effective attacker of the media. He had to follow on after Rick Santorum had interrupted the bickering of the front-runners to call for a return to the issues. Gingrich tried to echo him, arguing that it was OK to attack Romney for his tax returns in a TV interview but "nonsense" to try to get him to talk about it during the debate--a theory that is itself nonsense. Moderator Wolf Blitzer stood his ground. For a man who has profited from the debates and promises to whup Obama in the debates, to shrink from repeating onstage what he says in interviews was confusing and weak.

Rick Santorum had another strong night. If you were judging in a vacuum, you could make the case that he had the best performance. He repeated his claim that he was the best person to debate health care reform with Barack Obama because he had not flirted with the individual mandate. "Folks, we can't give this issue away in this election. Those are not the clear contrasts we need if we are going to beat Barack Obama." Santorum's problem is that he doesn't have the money to run ads in the state and his debate performance, while strong, won't be enough to start a brushfire.

Ron Paul has been increasingly impish in the last few debates. Tonight he was piercing and funny. He had a quip for everything. What would you do if Fidel Castro called, he was asked. "I'd talk to him," he said, not joining the other Republican candidates in pre-assigning Castro to different kinds of hell. In discussing the possibility of exploring the moon, he suggested sending some politicians there.

More from Slate:

Obama's New Defense Cuts Are Too Modest. He Could Cut Even More.
The Alinsky Model
Was the Grand Inquisitor more humane than George Bush?

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Syria unrest: who are the Shabiha? -BBC News

17 August 2011 last update at 12:33 pm says the defiant motto: "Baniyas is the tomb of the Shabiha" the Syrian Government for much of the unrest blames "armed criminal gangs", since mid-March protests started pro-democracy, but activists accuse State-sponsored militias take part in the brutal crackdown that has left more than 1,700 civilians dead.

Here is, what is known about these armed regime supporters, known locally as "Shabiha".

In the five months of unrest, many Syrians say that they have seen heavily armed men in black struggle against the army and services dressed.

The men are accused of, not only kill and included killings, drive-by shootings and sectarian attacks against humans, to visit the demonstrations but also carrying out a campaign of intimidation,.

Activists say on that their presence has enabled the Government to deny any involvement in the very brutal actions against demonstrators.

"they are not afraid to use violence, violence, weapons, extortion and blackmail," said Ammar Qurabi Syria's national organization for human rights to the associated press.

"In this way the regime stays clean and will say: 'Gangs are seeing this, to do this, not us'."

"Thugs"

It is not clear exactly who they are and to whom they are loyal, but the term "Shabiha" was again used to describe them. Derived from the Arabic word for "Spirit", it has now as "Thugs" in the today's Syria.

The Government said armed gangs had targeted civilians in Latakia; The activists blamed shabiha

The term is believed, first appeared a RAID in the port city of Latakia, are in the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad to where a notorious, mafia criminal syndicate called that the Shabiha has existed for years.

In the cities along the Mediterranean coast, local Shabiha to gangs protection clubs, weapons and drug smuggling rings and other criminal enterprises are running. People car reportedly the name not mentioned.

Membership in the Shabiha is drawn largely minority Alawite sect, President Assad, which dominates the Government, the security services and the military.

In May of the European Union first imposed sanctions on Mr Assad's cousin, made and Munzir, for their alleged involvement in "the repression against the civilian population as members of the Shabiha".

The connection of the Assad family seems the Shabiha occur in the 1970s after Hafez al-Assad - father of Bashar - President in a coup d ' état was the opportunity type. The gangs with a few restrictions operate and are in General as is seen above the law and ruling by force.

Its members were armed Rifaat according to reports of military units under the command of Hafezs brother.

However, the Shabiha was allegedly too much of an embarrassment to the Assad in the 1990's disregard for the authorities in Latakia and the brutal enforcement of their protection racket.

Bashar was charged with reining in the Shabiha and restore law and order to the town by his father. In one incident, the future President had supposedly his cousin bodyguards detained due to a passerby beat up.

Such measures were braked the worst excesses of the Shabiha have, but his power and influence were not significantly eroded.

' Bare cut

In late March 2011 the Shabiha seems to have come, seek help from President Assad as large anti-Government protests in Latakia and Baniyas and based broke out in the nearby towns.

Militiamen refused Syrian officials with per-regime to intensify the crackdown

Residents said members of the Group joined soldiers from the army, 4th Panzer Division - commanded by the president's younger brother Maher - and civilians had attacked.

Gunmen fired automatic weapons from vehicles and sniper positions on rooftops, added she took. Others broke in the houses of demonstrators beat inmates and stuck in the houses on fire.

In may an attack on said people, Western village of Nimrud say on the Lebanese border is reporters fled, that their throat cuts in the Straits of black-uniformed "Shabiha" had some residents.

Some were the attacker from Qardaha, the ancestral seat of the family of Assad and ID cards to the local Sunni residents examined a predominantly Nusairier town in the Northwest, which is, she said. Say that Kalakh a Sunni village of 12 Nusairier villages is surrounded.

"When they, that he is a Sunni from its name see, they take him and him kill", said a woman told of Reuters.

"she destroyed the bin - Khattab Omar mosque, because according to a companion of Prophet Muhammad and love to Sunni named." "We have here is a sectarian war between the Alawites and Sunnis."

Such demands raised suspicion in the opposition, which was the Government Shabiha, to help it play fears of a sectarian divide.

'Outsourced repression'

There were also reports that kill soldiers and police officers tried to stop Shabiha of civilians in Nimrud say and elsewhere had been shot.

As in April killed a Brigadier General in the army together with his two sons and a nephew in Homs has been, blamed officials of criminal gangs. But witnesses and human rights activists said that he had been murdered by Shabiha.

Until June, said activists and witnesses had to be sent, hundreds - even thousands - of Shabiha security forces launch attacks to crush dissent in troubled cities or intimidate, to protest the elsewhere.

Videos posted online are displayed, point to beat men in civilian clothes, soldiers and police to join and to hold protesters in Homs. Stab other protesters gathered at a mosque in Damascus. Photographs were also of burnt-out vehicles, homes and businesses that were said belong to the well-known campaigners and demonstrators released.

Syrian officials have denied militias with per-regime to intensify the raid against the Protestants and to commit atrocities in their name.

It has instead insisted that criminal gangs or terrorists have targeted, civilians killed security forces and zerstörtes property.

However, the demands of the international community have released "outsourcing wave of repression" has accused President Assad.

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Democrats win callbacks; Republicans still in the control - courthouse news service

MADISON, Wisconsin. (CN) - won both senators democratic state their recall elections Tuesday, ending Wisconsin summer recalled. Republicans keep control of the Senate by a single seat, 17-16, after 9 reminds.
Republicans began in the summer by a margin of 19 - 14. Democrats picked up two seats last week when two six reminds of that the Republican incumbent were ousted.
All callbacks have been solved legislators, during the Republican anti-Union acts "budget repair bill", which for public employee of collective bargaining law for anything other than wages illegal made it. The law has promoted copycat legislation in other States around the nation.
On Tuesday, Senator Jim Holperin defeated incumbent State tea party Challenger Kim SIMAC, with 55 percent of the vote.
Incumbent State Senator Robert Wirch took 58 percent of the vote against Chicago-based lawyer Jonathan Steitz.
Wirch said in a statement: "the future of the Wisconsin depends on, on our work, middle-class families, and I look forward to his return to Madison with two new Democratic senators, to adopt a moderate, Wisconsin agenda that supports them."
The Democrats were two of the 14 of so-called "escape baggers" who left the State last winter quorate Republican Governor Scott Walker anti-Union Bill deny.
The recalls leaving the Republicans in the House and Governor's Office, but the party must in the Senate continue to their agenda to enforce strict discipline.
So far, Republicans approved significant education cuts, required some tax cuts, approved implementation of concealed weapons, photo ID at the polls from next year and eliminating taxpayer funds for political campaigns.
You were also legislative maps, which last week signed gov Walker in law.
Democrats say that the new vote districts are Republicans 2012 will give an advantage in the elections.
A federal lawsuit is claimed that the new district boundaries are unconstitutional under way. Unless, of course, is the action that redistricting will stop, neither State separation Holperin Wirch in November 2012 into their new life districts.
Democratic voters are expected to try Walker at he is entitled to recall that in January.

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More in taxes for the rich - New York Times

Grow with the budget deficit and tax at a 50-year low, a question remains in the center of the political debate in the coming months: should extend the Federal Government to increase taxes on the?

Warren E. Buffett, known as the Oracle of Omaha, billionaire investor pushing to stop to raise him and other wealthy Americans and their taxes "Coddling" the issue to the fore of this week pressing members of the new Congress Supercommittee on deficit reduction.

In an opinion piece in the New York Times on Monday Mr Buffett said he nearly $7 million in the federal payroll and income taxes last year about 17 percent of his income, a smaller percentage than anyone else in his Office paid.

Based on comments he has in the past, he called Congress make the tax system more fair by rolling back tax cuts on people, the more than $1 million per year earn so called Bush and income from profits and dividends. He would also close the gap allows hedge fund managers to be taxed at a lower rate.

What would be whatever the political viability, proposal a clear delle set of nation budget deficit. Based on projections of the Joint Committee on taxation, the Congressional Budget Office and the Ministry of finance, the tax increase on all three fronts would generate about $500 billion in new revenue over the next decade - about a third of what the Congress Committee, to the deficit to cut to.

"It is not the long-term budget deficit by itself, to solve," said Eric Toder, an economist at the nonpartisan tax policy Center. "The only way, that is to do have broader tax increases or claims to reduce." "But it would be an important piece of the puzzle."

His net worth at $50 billion, which made him the third richest person in the world - his comments as a result of Mr Buffett high degree of transparency and richness - Forbes estimates a flood of reaction. Mr Buffett remarks during his Midwestern bus tour on Monday, to say that it only fair that rich media cuts through tax increases on the compensated cheered President Obama, who unsuccessfully fought to increase taxes on top earners of the country.

Conservative bloggers and commentators wiped the proposals as sensationalism or initiate a gimmick in a middle-class tax increase and Pat Buchanan, a commentator on CNN, suggested that Mr. Buffett section of the internal revenue service Web site visit, which accepts donations.

Republicans have come together in their opposition to the tax increases, and proposals would Mr Buffett in fierce resistance on Capitol Hill. All six Republican members of the Committee have taken no tax pledge. Flatly rejected representative Kevin Brady, Member of the Committee ways and a Texas Republican, Mr Buffett ideas.

"This is not a serious solution for deficit control or retrieving this gloomy economy on its feet," said Mr. Brady. "Economic growth follows no tax increase." "So as I respect Mr Buffett level beats his proposal to virtually anyone."

Despite the intense antitax mood, which has helped the rise of the tea party movement since the beginning of Mr Obama, are tax rates in the United States at the lowest level since Harry Truman was President.

In 1950, which had upper income group a 91 percent rate; Today, it is 35 percent. Mr. Buffett called for two new tax brackets for high income - earning over $1 million per year and another of $ 10 million. While Mr Buffett a rate not suggest proposal, tax policy Center estimates that a 50-percent tax rate on income over $1 million would increase $48 billion over the next decade.

But one of the most important factors, the reduction in the relatively low tax rates on investment income is paid 15% for dividends, capital gains, and "carried interest," the hedge fund managers and private equity investors. Removal of carried interest would provide only $21 billion over 10 years according to the Congressional increase budget Office.

Restore the dividend would prices and profits to the level before the Bush tax cuts - if profits were taxed at a top rate of 20 percent and treated as ordinary income dividends - the Ministry of finance and bring additional $340 billion over the next decade.

These measures would face intense lobbying and a battle in Congress. Indeed, Democrats were able to roll back the tax credit carried interest or the Bush tax cuts for the rich themselves, when they controlled both houses of Congress. But with the prospect of severe spending cuts and another round of bitter deficit negotiations in Washington, proposals such as Mr Buffett call of taxes on the wealthy rise to ever more urgent part of the discussion is expected to become one.

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