Obama To Speak To Veterans On End of Iraq Combat Ops

President Obama will discuss the end of combat operations in Iraq during a speech to the organization Disabled American Veterans today in Atlanta.  Combat missions in Iraq end on August 31, but Obama will say that troops stationed there will still “face likely danger.”  The speech marks the scaling back of US prescense in one theater of operations, Iraq, and a sharp increase in another, Afghanistan.

by Philip Bunnell

Chelsea Clinton Marries Mark Mezvinsky

Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former president Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, married Mark Mezvinsky in a private ceremony in Rhinebeck, New York this weekend.  Chelsea Clinton works at Avenue Capital Group and Mezvinsky is the son of former Iowa Congressman Edward Mezvinsky and former Pennsylvania Rep. Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky.

by Philip Bunnell

Floods in Pakistan Kill Over 1,100

Devastating floods in Pakistan have killed over 1,100 people, and have left another 30,000 stranded.  The floods have also affected bordering Afghanistan, killing 65.  The United States, the European Commission, and the United Nations have all pledged aid and relief money to Pakistan.

by Philip Bunnell

Latta Introduces TEA Act

Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) sent out the following press release earlier today:

“This week, Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) introduced H.R. 5959, the Tax Education and Accountability Act (TEA Act).

 

This legislation will repeal the provision in law that requires employers to deduct or withhold federal taxes from an employee’s paycheck, therefore requiring individuals to pay their own tax liability on a quarterly basis. 

 

“With this legislation, taxpayers will have a much better concept of exactly how much money Washington is taking from their paychecks.  Armed with this knowledge, it is my sincere hope that more taxpayers become interested in knowing exactly what their taxes go towards and how severe the out of control spending is under the Obama Administration and the Democrat Congress.  As our nation faces a record deficit of over $1 trillion for the second straight year and a $13 trillion debt that will hit $20 trillion by 2020, we are on a path towards fiscal disaster and the only way to stop it is for more people to be aware of what is happening right now with the taxes they send to Washington,” Latta stated after introducing the legislation.  

 

H.R. 5959 has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.”

Hoyer Defends Dissapointing GDP Report

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) is defending his party over criticism regarding the Commerce Deparment’s report today that the nation’s GDP during the 2nd quarter grew at a rate of only 2.4%. Conversely, GDP grew at a rate of 3.7% in the first quarter of the year.

“Today we learned that the U.S. economy grew by 2.4% between the months of April and June, meaning that our economy has consistently grown every quarter for a year,” said Hoyer. “The last time our economy grew for four quarters in a row was 2007. While there is still much to be done, our economy is recovering from the crisis inherited by President Obama from President Bush.”