1. DEBT CEILING DEBACLE Deal or no deal? Come on, Congress, this isn’t a game anymore. We’re less than one day away from crashing into the debt ceiling, meaning the U.S. is on track to run out of money to pay all its bills. At risk: Social Security checks, veterans’ benefits and the nation’s credit […]
1. SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN Watch your head with that low ceiling: We’re T-minus two days until we hit the debt ceiling, which means the U.S. is getting closer and closer to not being able to pay all its bills. The Senate’s Democratic and Republican leaders say they’re optimistic we might actually avoid default and get out of […]
1. SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN Brought to you by the numbers 14 and 3: It’s been 14 days since the federal government partially shut down, and three days to go before we hit the debt ceiling. So, where do we stand? Nowhere. The Senate met yesterday afternoon, with Majority Leader Harry Reid saying he would do “everything I can […]
1. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Light at the end of the tunnel vision: The government’s still partially shut down. House Republicans say they aren’t budging from that. But it looks like we could be spared the debt ceiling debacle. Late last night, GOP sources told us that lawmakers are preparing a proposal to temporarily raise it. And yesterday, President Obama saidhe […]
1. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Keep hope alive: Is there now a glimmer of hope in settling the weeklong government shutdown? Some on Capitol Hill think so. The White House offers a clue or two. No longer mum on a debt ceiling settlement, an administration spokesman says it’s up to Congress to decide how long to extend it. That […]
1. TERROR RAIDS You can run but you can’t hide: In two raids nearly 3,000 miles apart, U.S. military forces went after two high-value targets over the weekend. And while officials have yet to say whether the operations were coordinated or directly related, they show Washington’s reach, capability and willingness to pursue alleged terrorists. One operation took place […]
1. CAPITOL SHOOTING Tragic and surreal: A woman with a one year-old child in the back seat hits a security barrier at the White House and a Secret Service officer, then speeds off. Police chase her down some of Washington’s most famous streets. In a panic, she reaches speeds of 80 mph as she races toward the Capitol. […]
1. SHUTDOWN Elephants biting their nails: A small but growing group of House Republicans is increasingly worried about the fallout from the government shutdown and say it’s time for Speaker John Boehner to allow a simple vote on a spending bill. Defunding Obamacare can wait for now, they say. “I’m trying to be optimistic but at the […]
1. SHUTDOWN STANDOFF This insane leap into the abyss: When Genevieve Jeuck and Michael Sallemi came up with their romantic little idea, it seemed perfect. They’d get married in early October on the rim of the Grand Canyon, just as the cool autumn winds were starting to blow. With family and friends standing by, they’d pledge […]
1. SHUTDOWN COSTS Shutdown = Sandy + Katrina: Will the shutdown wallop the economy, really? Like a hurricane, some analysts say. The economic ruins could pile up as high as those left by Sandy and Katrina combined, if the shutdown lasts a couple of weeks. We are talking $55 billion in a month, one economist says. […]
1. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Blink? No, you blink: Can you hear the clucking on Capitol Hill? That’s the sound of the White House and Congress playing chicken. Lawmakers have until midnight to come up with a spending plan or government goes into shutdown mode. Not everything will come crashing to a halt, but lots of folks will be […]
1. CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT A hot topic: The U.N. is out with its latest climate change report. The conclusion? It’s “extremely likely” that people are to blame for at least half the global warming in the last 60 years. About 1,000 researchers from around the world worked on the report, and another 1,000 reviewed it. These things […]
