Media

Two weeks ago, the Census Bureau reported that poverty in America had grown to 15.1 percent, capturing 46.2 million Americans, including over 16 million (22 percent of) children. Further analysis revealed that there was growth in "deep poverty" -- 6.7 perecent of Americans, the most ever, are living at 50 percent of the poverty line. For a two parent, two child household, that's just $11,000.

Were Republicans listening?

There are a great many ways in which the "Buffett rule" is a very clever proposal. It highlights an appalling loophole in the tax code, aligns Obama with America's most successful investor, and has focused attention on how Obama wants to raise taxes on the truly well off, as opposed to all those upper-middle class households making just over $250,000.

If you've heard anything about Mayor Michael Bloomberg and taxes in the past 24 hours, it is surely that Bloomberg slapped down the "Buffett rule". Or as CBS News trumpeted, "Mayor Bloomberg Speaks Out Against President Obama's 'Buffett Rule.'"

The Republican push to end the Department of Energy’s (DoE) guaranteed loan program as part of their budget plan is misguided and counter-productive. The program was established in 2005, under the Bush Administration, to encourage development of new energy technologies that create jobs and bring us closer to energy independence.

Here in the egalitarian paradise of the United States, there is apparently nothing worse than “class warfare” – which is why Republicans are trying to affix this damning label to President Obama’s new plan to raise taxes on the rich. One hitch, though, is that the billionaire Warren Buffett is not alone in his willingness to pay higher taxes. Many other wealthy Americans are also ready to see their taxes go up. The battle over taxes, its turns out, is not just between the rich and everyone else; the upper class itself is divided on this issue.

Earlier this year, Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed a budget through Albany that lowered taxes on the rich while imposing major cuts on education spending, among other things. This week, though, Cuomo came out in favor of President Obama's plan to raise taxes on high earners.

Here's something I don't get.

Ever since the September 7 Republican debate, a lot of attention has been paid to Governor Rick Perry's executive decision requiring that young girls receive a vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV). Perry's measure was admirable: Persistent HPV infections are the primary cause of cervical and anal cancers.

Americans rightly scoffed at Congressman John Flemming (R-FL) when he complained about only bringing home a net profit of $400,000 from his business. Never mind that Flemming is also paid $174,000 as a member of Congress. The more important point is that the Florida representative belongs to a growing sympathy brigade for Americans making over $250,000 annually -- swearing that these high earners can't spare a dime to address the nation's fiscal crisis.