Month: October 2010 Page 2 of 6

Here is your R&D for October 25th:

Key Tax Breaks at Risk as Panel Looks at Cuts from the Wall Street Journal
President Obama’s deficit commission is looking at eliminating tax deducation on mortgage interest and child tax credits in its quest to create a plan that will balance the federal budget by 2015.  The deficit commission is part of President Obama’s plan to move to the center prior to the 2012 elections.

Iraq war logs: US turned over captives to Iraqi torture squads from the Guardian
Liberal Democratic Leader Nick Clegg has called for an investigation into reports that U.S. forces turned Iraqi detainees over to torture squads.  The move comes after Wikileaks released thousands of classified documents on its website over the weekend.

Obama’s Playbook After Nov. 2 from the New York Times
What might President Obama do after the November midterm elections?  This article from the New York Times lays out what his future plans may be, especially when it comes to working with Republican leaders.

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Here is your R&D for October 22nd:

NPR, Juan Williams: Did firing put network smack in tea party’s crosshairs? from the Christian Science Monitor
National Public Radio’s firing of Juan Williams for comments about Muslims has created a conservative firestorm, with some figures like Mike Huckabee calling for a withdrawal of the public funds the network receives.

DCCC gets $17M line of credit from Politico
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has taken out a $17 million line of credit so that they can fend off GOP ads in the closing days of the 2010 midterms.  Democrats feel that the move is appropriate because experts estimate that 100 House seats are in play this cycle.

Latin Americans See Barriers to Entrepreneurship from Gallup
In this useful poll for economic speeches, Gallup finds that two-thirds of Latin American residents believe that their governments are not making it easy enough to start a business.

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Here is your R&D for October 21st:

W. Va. election becomes a test for Obama from the Washington Post
In this op-ed, conservative columnist George Will writes that the West Virginia Senate race is a major test for President Obama because his policies could drag down West Virginia’s popular Democratic Governor Joe Manchin.

Key Senate Battles Tighten from the Wall Street Journal
The number of Senate races considered “tossups” has jumped over the last several days.  Democratic candidates have tightened races in Colorado, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, while Republican candidates have gotten closer in Nevada and California.

Iraq’s Stalemate from the New York Times
In this op-ed piece, the New York Times argues that Iraq’s political stalemate is creating ethnic problems and delaying much needed reforms.

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Here is your R&D for October 20th:

China Said to Widen Its Embargo of Minerals from the New York Times
In a sign of increased economic strength, China is quietly halting the export of rare earth minerals to the U.S. and Europe.  Rare earth minerals help to manufacture advanced products and China’s actions will likely increase trade tensions with the West.  For its part, the Chinese government has refuted these accusations.

Pentagon is instructing recruiters to accept gays from the Washington Post
The Pentagon has instructed military recruiters to accept applications from homosexuals in light of U.S. District Judge Virginia A. Phillips ruling on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Obama’s boat to India springs leaks from the Asia Times
After revelations that U.S. intelligence failed to thwart the 2008 Mumbai attacks, U.S. relations with India have become strained.  This is bad timing because President Obama is set to visit the South Asian power next month.

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