If N. Korea fires missile toward Hawaii, is time for talking over?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
U.S relations with North Korea seem to get more tense with each passing day. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the U.S. could defend itself if North Korea launches a missile toward Hawaii.
S. Korean activists carry a mock missile at a rally in Seoul.
Gates says there are missile interceptors and radar equipment deployed, and "we are in a good position should it become necessary to protect American territory."
This comes after a Japanese newspaper reported that North Korea might fire its most advanced ballistic missile toward Hawaii sometime around July 4. Although the missile isn't expected to reach U.S. territory - it would be a real slap in the face to the U.S. and the international community.
And there's more... the U.S. is also tracking a North Korean ship in the Pacific; it's believed to be carrying illegal weapons or technology.
North Korea has been making waves since May - when it conducted a nuclear test, fired test rockets and threatened U.S. and South Korean ships near its waters. Also last month, U.S. satellites spotted vehicle activity at a North Korean ballistic missile facility.
The UN has since slapped new sanctions on the country... to which North Korea responded with threats of war and promises to expand its nuclear bomb-making program.
Meanwhile, a new Gallup poll shows more Americans view North Korea as a direct threat to U.S. security than any other country in this survey. President Obama says the country's nuclear program is a grave threat to the world.
Here’s my question to you: If North Korea fires a missile toward Hawaii, is the time for talking over?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Should illegal aliens collect damages if injured while working in U.S.?
(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Three illegal aliens have been awarded a total of $3.85 million in damages for accidents on New York City construction sites.
The lawyer for the men says all these cases involved "terribly unsafe working conditions" and he re-emphasizes to all undocumented workers that they have the same rights once they're on the job as any New York citizen.
In one case - An undocumented plumber from Mexico was scalded by an exploding pipe at a Wall Street construction site; he settled his damage claim for $2.5 million.
Another undocumented Mexican worker suffered severe injuries when a steel beam fell on his lower body; he settled for $750,000.
And a third laborer from Ecuador settled a damage claim for $600,000 after being injured when three large trusses collapsed onto him.
One immigrant advocacy group says while construction work is often dangerous - undocumented workers are likely to work at sites that lack safety equipment and don't meet regulations.
Of course, it is illegal for an employer to hire an undocumented worker; but according to New York City law - if an illegal alien is hired by an employer he then has the right to be paid minimum wage and overtime, the right to health protection and workplace safety and the right to organize to improve labor conditions.
That is - even though these workers are in the United States illegally in the first place... and should have never been hired.
Here’s my question to you: Should illegal aliens collect damages for injuries sustained while working in this country?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How has your definition of 'retirement' changed?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Thanks to the economy - millions of people are being forced to redefine what "retirement" will mean for them. USA Today reports how many of the 77 million baby boomers are coming to terms with a new reality: Working longer, saving more, and spending less.
AARP says nearly a quarter of Americans aged 45-to-54 have put retirement plans on hold.
They've seen the Wall Street crisis affect their retirement savings more than any other group. Many have lost jobs at a time they expected would be their peak earning years... and are now trying to find a new job.
Baby boomers are typically out of work longer than younger Americans - sometimes finding it harder to get a new job because they've had higher salaries; but also because they may be rusty at applying for jobs and their skills could be out of date. To make matters worse, their health care costs rise as they get older while their home values decrease.
Things are especially tough on a group known as the "Sandwich Generation" - people who are footing the bills for their children's college education and their elderly parents' long-term care, while trying to save for their own retirement.
According to A-A-R-P:
– 35-percent of people ages 45-to-54 have stopped putting money into their 401k, IRA or other retirement accounts
– 25-percent have withdrawn funds early from retirement accounts
– 56-percent have postponed a major purchase
– 24-percent have postponed plans to retire
As one boomer put it: "Today, I see myself working until I drop."
Here's my question to you: In light of the economy, how has your definition of "retirement" changed?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Should the U.S. do more to help the Iranian people?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
When it comes to showing support for thousands of Iranian protesters - critics say President Obama is not doing enough. Republican Congressman Mike Pence has introduced a resolution that would "speak a word of support for the people of Iran."
He says he doesn't think the U.S. should endorse the opposition candidate; but rather show support for protesters who are "risking their lives for free and fair elections."
Also, The New York Times reports that while some senior administration officials like Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton support the president's approach, they too would like to strike a stronger tone of support for the protesters.
But other officials believe a more cautious approach is the way to go... they say harsh criticism of Iran's government or more support for the protesters could end up backfiring - by making it seem like the U.S. is behind these efforts.
Some point out that the president can't only focus on the protesters since there are many issues to worry about when it comes to Iran - including the nuclear one.
Despite President Obama's more muted response to events, the Iranian government is still accusing U.S. officials of meddling. The State Department insists that Washington is withholding judgment about the election and not interfering with Iran's internal affairs.
Here’s my question to you: Should the United States be doing more to help the Iranian people?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Would you work without pay for a month to save your job?
A British Airways passenger jet comes into land at London’s Heathrow Airport. (PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Cardy/GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
British Airways is asking thousands of its employees to work for free for up to a month.
Because of financial problems, the airline has e-mailed workers offering them between one and four weeks of unpaid leave - but with the option to work during this time.
Last month, the company showed a record annual loss of more than $650 million. As the global recession drags on, the airline is seeing demand for passenger seats and cargo space fall... while ever higher oil prices translate to more and more expensive jet fuel.
The CEO of British Airways recently said there were "absolutely no signs of recovery" in the airline industry - calling it "by far the biggest crisis" they've ever faced. He says he's agreed not to take a salary for the month of July.
But, one of Britain's biggest unions says employees can't afford to work for free for a month; they say while the company's CEO might be able to do that, ordinary workers can't.
British Airways - which employs more than 40,000 people in the UK - says the voluntary pay cut would be spread over several months. They say more than 1,000 people have signed up for their work-for-no-pay plan so far.
Here’s my question to you: Would you be willing to work without pay for a month in order to try to save your job?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Confident economy will recover this year?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
One of the sharper financial minds out there says we're not out of the woods yet when it comes to an economic recovery. Despite what many see as glimmers of hope - economist Nouriel Roubini told a conference hosted by Reuters that the U.S. economy won't recover until the end of this year... And even then the growth will be weak and possibly short-lived.
Economist Nouriel Roubini - who predicted the global credit crisis - does not think our economy will recover any sooner than the end of the year; and even then, growth will be minimal.
Roubini is the guy who predicted the global credit crisis - so he's probably worth listening to.
He doesn't buy the idea that a rebound is imminent; and instead says there's a real chance of a so-called "double-dip" recession - where the economy expands slightly only to start contracting again, "In addition to green shoots there are also yellow weeds."
Roubini says the U.S. unemployment rate will reach 11-percent before improving. He points to the contradiction between surveys that show the economy improving; and the reality of industrial production, which is down sharply. Also, he doesn't see many options for growth considering American consumers are already tapped out.
Roubini believes the Fed will keep interest rates low for a while, but: "Inflation will be a time bomb after that." He says the central bank missed the seriousness of this crisis at the beginning, but eventually did the right thing to avoid a depression. But he says all these emergency lending programs are not sustainable.
Here’s my question to you: How confident are you the U.S. economy will recover by the end of this year?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Will Facebook and Twitter help bring down Iran's government?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Whether or not there's another political revolution in Iran - there's no doubt the country has already witnessed a technological revolution. Iranian officials have been trying to clamp down on the flow of information in all the ways these regimes do - restricting the coverage of western journalists, kicking others out of the country, shutting down web sites.
Iran's officials are trying to restrict the flow of information... but it's not working because of media tools like Facebook and Twitter.
But it's not working this time - and one of the big reasons is social media networks like Twitter and Facebook. Many of the young demonstrators - 70-percent of Iranians are under 30 - have used these technologies as a tool to coordinate their protests over the election's outcome. They're also posting graphic pictures and videos of the crackdown by officials.
The U.S. State Department points to Twitter as one of the ways Iranians can "get the word out," and officials in this country are even following these social networks. In fact, the government contacted Twitter at one point asking them to delay a planned update that would shut the system down temporarily.
Thomas Friedman writes in The New York Times about the diffusion of technology as one of the major factors changing the Middle East. He points to all this stuff - the Internet, blogs, YouTube, cell phone text messaging - as a way for people "to communicate horizontally, to mobilize politically and to criticize their leaders acerbically, outside of state control."
Here’s my question to you: Will technology like Facebook and Twitter eventually help bring down the establishment in Iran?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Why are women more likely to be Democrats?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
There is a fundamental gender gap when it comes to American politics. A new Gallup poll of almost 150,000 people shows women are significantly more likely than men to identify themselves as Democrats.
A woman wears Donkey glasses and an Obama temporary tattoo at the DNC in Denver in August 2008.
Consider this: 41 percent of women say they're Democrats; that's nine-points higher than the 32-percent of men who say that. 26-percent of women identify themselves as Independents - compared to 34-percent of men. As for those who identify themselves as Republicans, there's not much of a difference there - 25-percent of women compared to 28-percent of men.
What's especially interesting here is that the gender gap is evident across all age groups - from 18 to 85-year-olds. Also, it shows up within all major racial, ethnic and marital-status groups.
For example - African-Americans and Asians are more Democratic than whites; but within each of these groups, women are more Democratic than men.
The poll also shows Democrats have their greatest advantage among baby boomers and the very young; and relatively speaking, are the weakest among people in their late 30s and those in their mid-to-late 60s.
Gallup says these findings suggest that by the time young men and women are 18 years old - the different cultural and social factors that determine party identification are already well established.
Here’s my question to you: Why are women more likely to be Democrats?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How should U.S. respond to Iran’s election controversy?
A supporter of defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi protests in Tehran, Iran. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Obama is walking a fine line when it comes to the controversy over Iran's election.
After several days of a cautious response from the White House - the president came out yesterday saying he was deeply troubled by the violence he was seeing on TV and that free speech and the democratic process need to be respected. Nonetheless, he said he wants to respect Iran's sovereignty and that it's up to the Iranian people to decide who their leaders are. Mr. Obama said he's not trying to dictate Iran's internal politics.
Critics are calling on the president to be stronger in his support of the Iranian protesters. House Republican whip Eric Cantor says the administration's "silence in the face of Iran's brutal suppression of democratic rights represents a step backwards for homegrown democracy in the Middle East." Senator John McCain has called the election corrupt and says President Obama should speak out that this is a fraud election.
Also, other foreign leaders have been more forceful in their condemnation, but experts acknowledge that President Obama is in a no-win situation... strong criticism could backfire, while a muted response gives an impression of weakness.
Also, while the president's message of change matches with that of the Iranian protesters - a young and tech-friendly bunch, much like his own campaign... the president doesn't want the U.S. to become the story in Iranian politics.
Adding to the pressure on Washington was the move by Iran today to severely restrict journalists' access to the protest rallies. That has raised speculation the government plans a violent crackdown... on the order of what happened in Tiananmen Square 20 years ago.
Here’s my question to you: How should Washington proceed when it comes to Iran's election controversy?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is government too involved in our lives under Pres. Obama?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Obama wants to create another federal bureaucracy. This one would be a financial watchdog agency whose mission will be to protect consumers from deceptive or dangerous mortgages, credit cards and other financial products.
Supporters are calling it a "financial products safety commission" and compare it to the federal agency that oversees safety of toys and other products. The banking industry is not a fan of this idea, with critics saying it's bad for consumers and there are already several regulatory agencies that do this.
This new potential watchdog agency is just the latest in a string of moves by the Obama administration to increase the role of government - including everything from the bailouts and part ownership of the American auto companies GM and Chrysler, to the bank bailouts, to tighter rules on credit card companies and oversight of executive compensation.
Critics say the government is playing too big a role... Former President George H.W. Bush tells the Washington Times, "I think people are alarmed now. There's too much government intervention into everything... Too much. And too much spending."
Meanwhile - the American people seem to still be behind the president. A recent CNN/Opinion research Corporation Poll found 42 percent of those surveyed think the increased government involvement in how businesses are run is about right - 35 percent say the involvement has gone too far, while 23 percent think the government hasn't gone far enough.
Here’s my question to you: When it comes to the government's role in our lives, has President Obama gone too far?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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