Is it right that half of American households pay no federal income taxes?
(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Tax Day is around the corner - but it turns out that millions of Americans don't dread the April 15 filing deadline much at all:
That's because 47 percent of U.S. households will pay no federal income taxes for 2009. That's right - almost half of Americans will pay nothing.
So what we have in effect is roughly half the households paying the tax load for the whole country. One Washington research group says it's either because people's incomes are too low or they qualify for enough credits, deductions and exemptions.
In the past few years, credits for lower income families have grown so much that a family of four - with two children younger than 17 - making $50,000 will pay no federal income tax for last year. Nothing.
We now live in a country where half of the people aren't paying for the government services and programs that benefit everyone - that includes national defense, public safety, infrastructure and education. It's estimated that the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans pay about three-quarters of the income taxes collected by the federal government.
Under President Bush, the nation's wealthiest taxpayers got big tax breaks; but President Obama has been pushing tax cuts for poorer Americans and tax increases for the wealthiest.
Everyone gets hit paying lots of other taxes... things like federal payroll taxes and excise taxes on gasoline, alcohol and cigarettes - as well as state or local taxes. But when it comes to the government's biggest source of revenue - the federal income tax - almost half of all American households pay not one thin dime.
Here’s my question to you: Is it right that almost half of American households pay no federal income taxes?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Things in U.S. better or worse than one year ago?
(PHOTO CREDIT: STAN HONDA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Things are still bad in the U.S. - but not nearly as rotten as they were a year ago. At least that's the headline from a new national survey.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll shows 67 percent of those surveyed say things are going badly in this country... but that's down 10 points from a year ago. 32 percent now say things are going well.
The poll indicates optimism appears to have peaked last November - when 37 percent of Americans said things were going well.
As you might expect, this survey also shows a big partisan divide... With a Democratic president and Congress in charge, half of Democrats say things are going well... compared to just a quarter of Independents and even fewer Republicans.
With the national unemployment rate at just under 10 percent - jobs remain the top issue on many Americans' minds. And even though the economy is showing some signs of turning the corner… just today the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, said we still face a long road toward recovery:
"We are far from being out of the woods."
Bernanke highlighted unemployment, along with home foreclosures and weak bank lending as reasons why the economy will take time to rebound. But he said he's optimistic employment will slowly decline throughout the year, which should increase optimism for consumers.
Here’s my question to you: Do you think things in the U.S. are better or worse than one year ago?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Pres. Obama's new nuclear policy a good idea?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Iran continues to thumb its nose at the U.S. - this time by ridiculing President Obama's new nuclear strategy.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/07/art.obama.jpg caption="A landmark nuclear arms treaty between the U.S. and Russia imposes sweeping cuts on deployed Cold War-era nuclear warheads and missiles. Pres. Obama and Russian Pres. Dmitry Medvedev will sign the new pact in Prague tomorrow."]
In a speech to thousands of Iranians, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said: "Mr. Obama, you are a newcomer to politics. Wait until your sweat dries and get some experience.... American officials bigger than you, more bullying than you, couldn't do a damn thing, let alone you."
He was referring to Mr. Obama's new nuclear policy - in which the U.S. pledges to stop developing new nuclear weapons and not to use existing weapons to attack non-nuclear states that follow non-proliferation agreements.
The administration believes the greatest threat to security is no longer nuclear attacks between nations... but instead nuclear terrorism by extremists.
To that end - they're singling out states like Iran and North Korea... saying that if they don't play the rules "all options are on the table"... which is probably the part that punk in Iran was whining about.
Some experts suggest that by targeting Iran and North Korea, the U.S. could unintentionally strengthen hard-liners in those countries who say nuclear weapons are the only way to protect themselves.
Meanwhile - critics, including some Republicans, believe just the opposite - that the president isn't applying enough pressure on these state supporters of terrorism. They have a point. Remember Obama's so-called deadline for Iran's nuclear program that came and went last year? Iran ignored it. We did nothing.
The announcement of this new strategy comes just days before Pres. Obama is set to sign a new nuclear arms treaty with Russia - that would reduce both countries' nuclear weapons stockpiles.
Here’s my question to you: Is Pres. Obama's new nuclear policy a good idea or does it reduce the deterrent value of our arsenal?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Why unemployment among blacks & Hispanics significantly higher than whites?
Unemployed Americans line up to speak with prospective employers at the Los Angeles Career Fair on March 23, 2010. (PHOTO CREDIT: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
"Shockingly" and "unacceptably" high... that's how a top Obama economic aide describes the unemployment rate for minorities in this country.
He's got a point. The jobless rate for whites in the United States in March was 8.8 percent. For blacks it was nearly double - 16.5 percent; and for Hispanics 12.6 percent. These unemployment rates increased for both minority groups from the previous month - while it stayed steady for whites.
Officials say minority unemployment is so high because of a drop in certain sectors of the economy - like construction and manufacturing.
The State of Black America report from the National Urban League is calling on the president to push for a so-called jobs surge for hard-hit minority communities.
The report expects to see continuing high unemployment in the short term. It says these high jobless rates are unacceptable when the government just spent tons and tons of money bailing out the banks and auto companies.
The National Urban League recommends spending an additional $150 billion for direct job creation in the hardest hit communities... with a goal of creating three million jobs.
They're also pushing for spending several billion more to hire as many as five million teens in inner-city areas as part of a summer jobs program.
Here’s my question to you: Why is unemployment among blacks and Hispanics significantly higher than among whites?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
U.S. policy when it comes to Afghanistan?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
With friends like Hamid Karzai, who needs enemies?
Here's what America's alleged ally - the president of Afghanistan - has been up to lately...
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/06/art.karzai.jpg caption="Afghan President Hamid Karzai (R) speaks with visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad moments before a joint press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul on March 10, 2010."]
- First - he invited Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to hang out with him in Kabul
- Then Karzai blamed the fraud in Afghanistan's elections on foreigners who he says wanted a "puppet government" in his country.
- This past weekend, Karzai reportedly threatened to quit the political process and join the Taliban if he kept coming under "foreign pressure" to reform
- Lastly - our good friend told a group of tribal leaders that the U.S.-led alliance won't move against Taliban fighters in Kandahar quote "until you say we can."
Enough already - the United States has poured hundreds of billions of dollars into Afghanistan - propping up Karzai's government - since the 2001 invasion... not to mention American lives. For what?
Tom Friedman recently wrote in his New York Times column when you can steal an election - like Karzai did - you can steal anything. He asks how the U.S. can rebuild Afghanistan while relying on a corrupt partner like Karzai.
Friedman worries that "once we clear, hold and build Afghanistan for him, Karzai is going to break our hearts." If that happens, it won't be the first heart to be broken in that cesspool of a civilization.
Meanwhile this afternoon, the White House indicated it may have finally had enough... saying it could cancel Karzai's upcoming U.S. visit if he keeps making "troubling and untruthful remarks."
Here’s my question to you: What should U.S. policy be when it comes to Afghanistan?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Tea Party favorable rating almost as high as Dems & GOP
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at the Tea Party Express' "Showdown in Searchlight" rally March 27 in Searchlight, Nevada. The rally, held in the hometown of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), serves as the kickoff for a 42-city bus tour that ends in D.C. April 15. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's about time. The American people may have finally had it with both Democrats and Republicans... and might just start seriously considering another option.
A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows for the first time, the two major political parties are viewed unfavorably by most Americans. What's more - the Tea Party movement's favorable rating of 37 percent is nearly as high as the 41 percent for Democrats and 42 percent for Republicans.
This means the anti-tax, anti-big government movement that's only about one year old is ranking almost as high as these political machines that have been around for a couple hundred years.
The same poll shows 28 percent of all adults call themselves supporters of the Tea Party... more than a quarter of Americans is nothing to sneeze at. When it comes to their politics, Tea Party supporters mostly lean Republican and conservative. They're also more likely to be male and less likely to be poor.
But in many other areas, Tea Partiers are representative of the general public - including their age, education, employment status and race. And whether it ultimately comes from the Tea Party or not, it could finally mean some real competition for the 2 major parties, which have long since ceased to give much of a damn about American citizens.
Meanwhile an article in the British Newspaper "The Telegraph" suggests that with Americans so disgusted with their politicians, a real outsider is needed in the White House. They say no one stands out like General David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command.
Petraeus emphatically denies any interest in being president... but then again, so have lots and lots of other future candidates.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean when the Tea Party movement has a favorable rating almost as high as the Democrats and Republicans?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Future of Catholic Church in light of child sex abuse scandal?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
If the Vatican won't clean it up, there's another way to get the Catholic Church's attention... when it comes to a global sex scandal involving the molestation of tens of thousands of little children at the hands of priests.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/05/art.pope.jpg caption="Pope Benedict XVI is facing growing anger over the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal and allegations that the church hierarchy worked to cover up crimes committed by their priests."]
Take the pope's native Germany for example: When the news broke there and the church opened a hotline meant for victims of abuse, more than 4,000 people called in on the first day alone. The system was overwhelmed and therapists were only able to answer 160 calls.
But more importantly - as the scandal grows, the church in Germany is starting to suffer the fate that maybe it deserves: People are leaving in droves. One recent survey shows a quarter of Catholics in Germany say they've lost faith in the church's leadership.
Meanwhile, Easter Sunday has come and gone with little from the Church - the pope passed up another opportunity to address the scandal in his address. But we did get this: While defending the pope, one top cardinal denounced "petty gossip." That's what he called the accusations of sexual abuse of children by priests... "petty gossip."
If the pope and the rest of the church hierarchy remain silent on this scandal long enough, there may be nobody left in the pews to talk to about it. My guess is when the money that hits the collection plates every Sunday begins to disappear, the church may suddenly decide that it's time to admit, address and confess what they've been only too willing to turn a blind eye to for years and years and years.
Here’s my question to you: In light of the worldwide child sex abuse scandal, what’s the future of the Catholic Church?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How would you describe your dream job?
(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
If you could have any job, what would it be?
An Irish travel agency is offering the latest in a series of dream jobs.
Get this: The company RunawayBrideAndGroom.com is looking for "honeymoon testers" - a couple willing to travel around the world for six months and get paid to test out the most romantic wedding and honeymoon destinations.
More than 1,000 couples have already applied.
The so-called job will send them to resorts in Africa, Europe, Asia and the U.S.
The winners will have to blog about their experiences... and write for the Irish Times once a month.
The job pays around $27,000.
The deadline is April 7th... so you still have a few days left to apply.
Australia's tourism bureau started this whole dream job craze last year... when it was looking for someone to fill the so-called "best job in the world."
The winner made $140,000 to spend six months on an island in the Great Barrier Reef and blog about it.
The tourism agency got more than 34,000 applicants... not to mention tens of millions of dollars in free publicity.
There have been other similar campaigns too... like one in Florida where a couple was paid to spend several weeks visiting every theme park and attraction in Orlando and write about it; and another sponsored by a California company - looking for someone to be its "wine country lifestyle correspondent."
So - on a Friday evening.... all this got us dreaming ...
Here’s my question to you: How would you describe your dream job?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Trips to risqué nightclubs and mailers with sex hotline numbers help GOP?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's been a bad week for the Republicans. Very bad.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/02/art.steele.jpg caption="Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele"]
The party of family values and morality started the week addressing revelations of RNC-funded trips to a risqué Hollywood nightclub that features bondage... and finished it off with mailers that mistakenly directed party members to a phone sex hotline.
At a time when Republicans could be capitalizing on dissatisfaction with the Democratic agenda in Washington, particularly health care reform... they're stuck talking about bondage and phone sex.
The RNC says chairman Michael Steele is ordering "substantive changes" to their accounting procedures. This comes after reports the RNC reimbursed a Republican donor almost $2,000 for a night out on the town in Los Angeles.
The evening included a trip to a club where topless dancers mimic sex and bondage acts. Is bondage a family value? Just asking.
It gets better. The RNC unintentionally sent a phone sex number on a fund-raising letter to potential donors. People who tried calling the number were offered "live, one-on-one talk with a nasty girl" for $3 a minute.
These PR nightmares are hurting the party in one of the worst ways possible, financially. The GOP needs to raise a lot of money for the upcoming midterm elections.
But one top social conservative leader... the president of the family research council... is calling on members to stop giving money to the national Republican Party. He says these incidents show the party is "completely tone-deaf" to the values and concerns of party members.
Here’s my question to you: How much do trips to risqué nightclubs and mailers with sex hotline numbers help the Republican Party?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How will health care affect your vote in midterms?
President Obama signs the final version of the health care bill. (PHOTO CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The Democrats may have won the year-long battle over health care reform, but there are signs it may not translate into victory come November.
In fact, just the opposite. Several new polls out suggest that the Democrats could be in trouble in the midterm elections.
For starters, a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll shows that after the passage of health care, 55% of Republicans say they're "extremely" or "very" enthusiastic about voting in November. That's compared to 36% of Democrats. Although these numbers are up for both parties, the Democrats still face a double-digit "enthusiasm gap."
The poll also shows 48% of voters favor Republicans in their congressional district compared to 45% for Democrats. Add in the fact that Republicans usually vote at higher rates than Democrats, and you can see possible big trouble for Democrats.
To make matters worse, more than half of independents say they would back the Republican candidate. About the only silver lining for Democrats is a lot of people say they could still change their minds.
Meanwhile, a new USA Today/Gallup poll shows that Americans worried about unemployment and the economy are increasingly blaming President Obama.
The poll shows half of those surveyed say Mr. Obama doesn't deserve to be re-elected, and he doesn't get majority approval on his handling of the economy, foreign affairs, the deficit or health care.
Here’s my question to you: How will health care reform affect your vote in the midterm elections?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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