This is an Open Thread: Open Minds Open Thoughts
USA
Thompson’s plan offers Americans flat tax option
Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson proposed an income tax plan yesterday that would allow Americans to choose a simplified system with only two rates: 10 and 25 percent.
Thompson’s proposal, announced on “Fox News Sunday,” would allow filers to remain under the current tax code or use the flat tax rates. “We’ve known for years any time we have lowered taxes and any time we’ve lowered tax rates, we’ve seen growth in the economy,” the former Tennessee senator said.
I’m sorry for the lack of content in todays Times. There was one finished and ready to be automatically posted to the Front Page but, reasons that shall remain a mystery it was deleted. Thank you for your understanding.
Obama PAC Is Active In Key Election States
N.H., S.C. Lawmakers Receive FundsBy John Solomon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 26, 2007; Page A06When Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) launched his presidential campaign in January, he stopped raising money for his Hopefund, the political action committee he used to raise millions for fellow Democrats in previous campaigns. But in recent months, Obama has handed out more than $180,000 from the nearly dormant PAC to local Democratic groups and candidates in the key early-voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, campaign reports show.
Some of the recipients of Hopefund’s largess are state and local politicians who have recently endorsed Obama’s presidential bid. Obama’s PAC reported giving a $1,000 contribution, for instance, to New Hampshire state Sen. Jacalyn Cilley on July 25, six days before she announced she was endorsing Obama for president.
Atlanta hospital struggles to heal itself
Atlanta’s Grady Memorial, a major healthcare provider for the poor, struggles amid budget shortfalls and who will control it.
By Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 26, 2007
ATLANTA — For more than a century, Grady Memorial Hospital’s mission has been to care for Atlanta’s poor. But now the hospital — by far the state’s largest healthcare provider for the poor — is struggling to avoid bankruptcy. It expects its deficit for the year to hit $50 million.Republican legislators and business leaders with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce have urged Grady to transfer day-to-day management to a private, nonprofit corporation. Today, the hospital board will vote on whether to cede operational control.
But many at the hospital and in the community fear that such a transfer of power will compromise Grady’s historic commitment to the poor — and shift control from a predominantly African American board to one that would probably be predominantly white.
Middle East
Iraqi Shiites denounce draft legislation
BAGHDAD – Shiite legislators on Monday denounced a draft bill to ease curbs on ex-Saddam Hussein loyalists in government services, dampening hopes of progress for the U.S.-backed legislation aimed at promoting national reconciliation.The debate over rehabilitating former members of Saddam Hussein’s ruling Baath Party has been a major obstacle to the ability of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government to bring minority Sunnis into the political process and stem support for the insurgency.
Parliament began debate on the latest version of the measure on Sunday. But the session adjourned after lawmakers loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr began pounding their fists on their tables in protest.
Final push for Middle East talks
The US secretary of state has met Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to try to bridge gaps between them before this week’s Mid-East peace conference.Condoleezza Rice, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian ex-PM Ahmed Qurei want to agree a joint document for the Annapolis meeting.
President Bush, who will host the meeting, said he remained personally committed to Middle East peace.
Europe
Riots break out in Paris suburbs
Youths have damaged police stations, shops and cars in two Paris suburbs, following the deaths of two teenagers whose motorbike hit a police car.Police said 21 officers were injured in the rioting in the northern suburbs of Villiers-le-Bel and Arnouville.
The Villiers-le-Bel police station was set ablaze and another in Arnouville was pillaged, police say. At least seven people were arrested.
Putin blames U.S. for vote monitor pullout
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Monday Russia had information suggesting the United States influenced a decision by OSCE international observers not to monitor the December 2 parliamentary election.
The main election monitoring unit of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) pulled out of Russia’s parliamentary vote earlier this month, accusing Russian authorities of obstruction.A spokeswoman for the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutes and Human Rights (ODIHR), which was running the aborted election observation mission, said Putin’s remarks were “simply not true.”
Latin America
Chavez: Colombia relations on ice
CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Monday that reconciliation is impossible with Colombia’s president as the two leaders traded stern warnings in an escalating diplomatic crisis that threatens trade ties between the South American neighbors.Chavez said Sunday he is putting relations “in the freezer” after President Alvaro Uribe ended the Venezuelan leader’s role mediating with Colombia’s leftist rebels. That announcement drew a strong rebuke from Uribe, who said Chavez’s actions suggest he wants to see a “terrorist government” run by leftist rebels in Bogota.
The spat is the bitterest yet between Chavez and the U.S.-allied Uribe, who in the past have sought to cultivate cordial ties despite their deep ideological differences.
Africa
Zuma ahead in ANC president race
South Africa’s former Deputy President Jacob Zuma is ahead in the race to become the next African National Congress leader, local media report.He has reportedly secured the backing of five provinces against four for President Thabo Mbeki.
Winning the party leadership would make Mr Zuma favourite to become South Africa’s president in 2009.
The leadership election will be conducted by secret ballot at the ANC’s national conference next month.
Asia
Sharif gets a hero’s welcome
By Laura King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 26, 2007
LAHORE, PAKISTAN — Tens of thousands of cheering, chanting supporters showered former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with rose petals as he triumphantly returned from exile Sunday, posing a new challenge not only to President Pervez Musharraf but also to pro-Western opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.Sharif’s homecoming took place 11 weeks after his last attempt to return from exile, in which he was summarily deported by Musharraf, the military leader who had overthrown him. His arrival marks a complex new phase in the political turmoil that has gripped nuclear-armed Pakistan, a key U.S. ally, for much of the year.
Asia-Pacific
Australia’s new prime minister ready to sign Kyoto pact
· No word on Iraq exit after phone call with Bush
· Howard likely to lose seat in landslide Labor victoryBarbara McMahon in Sydney
Monday November 26, 2007
Australia’s prime minister-elect, Kevin Rudd, moved swiftly yesterday on an election promise to make climate change a priority, marking a significant shift in his country’s attitude towards fighting global warming.The Labor leader, who ended 11 years of conservative rule in a decisive election win on Saturday, held meetings with government officials about signing the Kyoto pact on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the treaty that his predecessor, John Howard, refused to endorse.
3 comments
Thanks for all your hard work mishima!
Evidence for a parallel universe?
Finally… a place to send the neocons to.