Is the federal government broken beyond repair?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Today is the 158th day the federal government has operated without a budget. The clock is ticking on the two week extension Congress approved last week which kept the government from effectively shutting its doors for business this morning.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/03/07/art.demint.jpg caption="U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC)."]
Here's sort of where we stand: Republicans want to cut spending by at least $61 billion which was what the House of Representatives agreed on a few weeks ago in their bill. But the Democratic majority in the Senate only wants to cut $10.5 billion.
Hello, we're looking at a projected deficit of $1.65 trillion for this year alone.
Not to suggest that our Congress people lack guts, but last Friday Republican Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn introduced a bill that would cut about $400 million a year from the budget by stripping all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. They want to kill Big Bird and Elmo.
Not a word about touching entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare; but children's programming apparently is on the table.
In this week's Time magazine cover story, Fareed Zakaria wonders if America's best days are behind us. He points to how the U.S. now compares with other wealthy countries when it comes to student test scores, graduation rates, life expectancy, crime, and of course national debt. We're falling behind on all fronts. Zakaria says: "The larger discussion in Washington is about everything except what's important." Like killing funding for Sesame Street.
Here’s my question to you: Is the federal government broken beyond repair?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What can Sarah Palin teach India about American politics?
Political buttons featuring Sarah Palin were sold at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in DC last month. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
You can't see India from Sarah Palin's house, so the former governor of Alaska who quit halfway through her first term is going to go there and get a firsthand look. Palin will be on her way to New Delhi next week.
She's been invited to deliver the keynote address at a two-day leadership event called the India Today Conclave. It's an annual conference that attracts business and political leaders from around the world. Attendees this year will include Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, one of the possible replacements for Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. Last year's keynote speaker was former President Bill Clinton.
The title of Palin's speech is My Vision of America, and Politico.com reports it comes as no surprise the group invited Palin. India is fascinated with American politics because so many Indians have immigrated to the United States and found success here. Many still have relatives in India. The Indian press regularly follows the careers of Indian-American politicians like Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and newly elected Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina. Both are Republicans. Palin's support for Haley has been credited with giving her campaign a boost. But the media in India also follow closely what's going on in Washington as well as outside the Beltway. Maybe Palin can learn from them while she's there.
Here’s my question to you: What can Sarah Palin teach India about American politics?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
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