WASHINGTON (AP) - A divided Senate approved
an $800 billion increase in the federal debt
limit Wednesday, a major boost in borrowing that
Sen. John Kerry and other Democrats blamed on
the fiscal policies of President Bush.
The mostly party line, 52-44 vote was
expected to be followed by House passage
Thursday. Enactment would raise the government's
borrowing limit to $8.18 trillion - $2.23
trillion higher than when Bush became president
in 2001, and more than eight times the debt
President Reagan faced when he took office in
1981.
In his first remarks on the Senate floor
since his presidential bid ended in defeat two
weeks ago, Kerry, D-Mass., said his former
opponent had presided over "the worst fiscal
turnaround in our nation's entire history."
He was referring to the change from the $5.6
trillion in surpluses that were projected for
the next 10 years when Bush took office in 2001,
to the $2.3 trillion in deficits now estimated
for the coming decade. Kerry and other Democrats
complained that those bills will have to be paid
by future generations.
"This can be called a birth tax, a birth tax
that is dumped on the back of every American
child unwillingly," said Kerry, who voted
against the borrowing increase.
Republican senators did not join in the
debate, underscoring how politically
uncomfortable the measure is for them. That
discomfort was highlighted when they refused to
bring the bill to a vote before the elections.
Administration officials urged lawmakers to
act quickly. The government reached its $7.38
trillion borrowing cap last month, and since
then the Treasury Department has paid federal
bills by taking cash from a civil service
retirement account, which it plans to repay.
"We are nearing the end of our rope, and it
is critical that Congress act," said Treasury
spokesman Rob Nichols.
Failure to raise the debt ceiling could force
a federal default and leave the government
unable to pay Social Security recipients,
federal workers and other obligations.
The Senate's debt-limit vote came as
congressional bargainers used the lame-duck
session to put some finishing touches on a
compromise $388 billion spending measure to
finance scores of agencies over the next 10
months.
That package - a combination of nine separate
spending bills - will finance the heart of the
government's domestic programs, everything
except the departments of Defense and Homeland
Security. The measures were supposed to be
approved by last Oct. 1, when the government's
budget year began.
In a letter to lawmakers, White House budget
chief Joshua Bolten threatened a veto if the
bill grew in size. Legislative leaders have
already decided to keep it within the bounds
Bush wants - aided by about a 0.75 percent cut
in all programs and reductions in a host of
presidential priorities from community colleges
to abstinence education.
Several legislative provisions that drew
White House veto threats are also being dropped
from the final bill, aides said. These include
lifting restrictions on trade with Cuba and
easing limits on aid to overseas family planning
efforts.
Democrats complained that the bill - which
will let non-defense, non-domestic security
programs grow by about 2 percent next year - was
too stingy. They said that clean water grants,
the National Science Foundation and federal
subsidies for hiring local police officers were
all being cut from last year and that funds for
education, biomedical research and veterans
health care were inadequate.
"I don't agree with these priorities, but it
is time to move the process forward," said Sen.
Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the top Democrat
on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Even so, Democrats were cooperating in
negotiating the bill's final form, and many of
them were expected to vote for it on grounds
that it was better than the alternative.
If the bill is not completed, GOP leaders are
offering to simply continue programs at last
year's levels. That formula would cut about $4
billion from overall spending, and eliminate the
thousands of home-district projects the bill is
likely to include.
One of the biggest remaining problems was the
bill financing energy and water programs,
popular with lawmakers because of the many local
projects it finances. Its knottiest dispute was
over funds to continue planning and building a
nuclear waste repository at Nevada's Yucca
Mountain, which is opposed by incoming Senate
Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted
Stevens, R-Alaska, said if no agreement is
reached, Yucca Mountain would probably get no
more than $500 million, less than last year.
Okay. I'm a married gamer. Here's my dilemma: I
recently purchased GTA:SA and own GTA:VC and GTA3.
My wife feels uncomfortable watching these games due
to content. Therefore, we have an agreement that I
will only play these games when she is not in the
house. Recently, she's given me a reprieve on SA,
mainly because of my sad puppy dog eyes and a
fervent promise not to run over pedestrians. Or kill
hookers.
Arguments for and against these games goes something
like this:
Me: It's a GAME.
Her: Which condones violent actions against innocent
people. I don't care if you play Metal Gear Solid,
because you are killing Bad Guys. The people in GTA
are innocent.
Me: The people in GTA are pixels.
Her: Okay, the concept of violence against innocent
people bothers me.
Me: I don't have a problem with it because the game
itself is not real, and you know full well I'm not
going to go out and do these things in real life.
Her: It's not about whether you will or won't. Why
do you give these people money to allow you to do
these things, even in a virtual setting?
Me: Well, it's a fun game.
Her: Killing innocents is fun? Murdering hookers is
fun?
Me: I'm..uh, not getting any tonight, am I?
Her: Go play your game.
Have you and a signifigant other (or Mom, or Dad)
had this type of argument before?
No, my dad realizes that what's fake is fake and
what's real is real. If you're mixing the two
together, you're a fucking nutjob (no offense to
"Her").
My mom just laughs...and finds the concept of
picking up a hooker, and then dumping her off and
killing her to get your money back hilarious. It's
almost a family event when I play.
posted
11-16-2004 10:24 PM
Despite Diva's recent
weeping for the country, there are still
signs that good does triumph over evil. This one
really warmed my heart.
quote:
Page Six:
TWO GOTTI SONS BEATEN AT MALL
November 16, 2004 -- VICTORIA Gotti's sons
Carmine, 18, and John, 17, took a beating
last weekend after they allegedly harassed a
15-year-old girl at a Long Island mall.
The 17-year-old brother of the aggrieved
girl delivered a beat-down to the Gotti boys
after they "pinched her butt and made
disgusting comments" at the Roosevelt Field
Mall on Saturday, says our source.
The enraged brother and two of his friends
approached the Gottis and their 10-person
crew after his sister complained about their
boorish behavior.
"Next thing you know this kid was really
beating the c--p out of Carmine," a witness
to the melee told PAGE SIX. "All the Gotti
friends were taking cheap shots, punching
and kicking the back of this kid's head, but
he didn't care. He just continued to beat
Carmine till he was bloody, and then he went
after John and whupped him, too.
"He was in a zone, repeating, 'Not my
sister. I don't care who you are.' And the
Gottis' crew couldn't hold him back. The
whole crowd of people was cheering, adults
were coming up to the kid after the fight
and congratulating him. He really showed
those boys they aren't above the law."
The Gotti brothers have appeared on their
A&E show, "Growing Up Gotti," picking up
girls at the mall.
Mall security guards and police broke up the
fracas, but no charges have been filed. Our
source claimed that mall security had
received "several complaints" about the
Gottis' behavior prior to the fight from
fed-up store owners and shoppers.
"One security guard said they got a
complaint from the mother of a 12-year-old
girl the Gottis and their friends had
harassed," another witness said.
The youth who beat up the Gottis "was like
5-foot-10," not that big. Their grandfather
[John Gotti] would be rolling over in his
grave if he saw that. They not only fought
like cowards, they're a bunch of wimps."
Victoria Gotti told PAGE SIX's Fernando Gil
the attack on her sons was an unprovoked act
caused by sheer jealousy: "Carmine dated a
girl he liked. Jealousy makes people do
crazy things. This boy was no exception to
the rule. It's unfortunate that boys can't
talk out their differences."
The father of the 17-year-old boy told us,
"This is a private matter between our two
families, and I hope that it gets resolved
soon. It was an unfortunate incident."
-------------------- In the interest of noise abatement, please
use the assigned runway.
Posts: 4322 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP:
Logged |
If this story is true, then I'm happy that
justice was done.
I just hope that nothing bad happens to the kid
now.
--------------------
Fuiste tú, mi gran anhelo,
Tentación de mis deseos, sólo tú
Mi cuerpo lleva tus huellas
Me robaste de inocencia y mi luz
Posts: 654 | From: A Field of
Paper Flowers and Candy Clouds of Lullaby |
Registered: Aug 2004 | IP:
Logged |
posted
11-16-2004 10:45 PM
I'd love to know that myself...I'm guessing it
wasn't since they didn't mention it. I refuse to
ever watch that show, but I would watch that
episode.
-------------------- In the interest of noise abatement, please
use the assigned runway.
Posts: 4322 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP:
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quote:
..."It's unfortunate that boys can't talk
out their differences."
Um... correct me if I'm wrong... but wasn't her
father John Gatti, the mobster? I don't believe
he was one to "talk out" his differences... But
then again, maybe she meant that once you're an
"adult," it's okay to stop talking out your
differences and just resort to senseless
violence and random whackings to those who piss
you off or enter your world without your
blessing. Just strikes me as slightly odd..
--------------------
Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a
better defense.
Posts: 409 | From: Nassau County
| Registered: May 2002 | IP:
Logged |
--------------------
"Ok. Go ahead. Try and get the president of the
United States on the phone. If you try any
preversions in there I'll blow your head off."
Posts: 6226 | From: **.***.**.***
| Registered: Nov 2001 | IP:
Logged |
quote:
Originally posted by Lucky027: Um... correct me if I'm wrong... but
wasn't her father John Gatti, the mobster? I
don't believe he was one to "talk out" his
differences...
She still maintains that her dad was just a
plumber.
-------------------- In the interest of noise abatement, please
use the assigned runway.
Posts: 4322 | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:
Originally posted by Lucky027:
Um... correct me if I'm wrong... but
wasn't her father John Gatti, the
mobster? I don't believe he was one to
"talk out" his differences...
She still maintains that her dad was just a
plumber.
Well, I guess in a way he was. He'd use lead
pipes to bash peoples heads in.
--------------------
Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a
better defense.
Posts: 409 | From: Nassau County
| Registered: May 2002 | IP:
Logged |
Qtraindash
NYC Council Transportation Committee Chairperson
Member # 469
posted
11-17-2004 12:23 AM
I told ya Roosevelt Field is full of gangs and
thugs!
Posts: 2169 | From: Nassau
county,NY | Registered: Feb 2001 |
IP:
Logged |
posted
11-17-2004 06:16 AM
You think the Luchese crime family had anything
to do with this?
And tell me if the Sopranos are "wetting
themselves" now after reading this lol
Posts: 7967 | From: In The
Directory | Registered: Jan 2003 |
IP:
Logged |
posted
11-17-2004 09:19 AM
spoiled kids like that need a good *** whupping
now & then...
Posts: 190 | From: Manhasset |
Registered: Feb 2003 | IP:
Logged |
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Sears Roebuck & Co. and Kmart
are merging in an $11 billion stock deal, the
companies announced Wednesday, combining two major
retailers that have both lost ground in competition
with discount retailers in recent years.
Consumers may not see an immediate impact, but one
retail analyst said he's confident the combined
companies will not hang onto all 3,500 stores they
own between them.
"Kmart never had appliances and had no reputation
for service," said analyst Kurt Barnard. "That's an
honor that belongs to Sears. And Kmart has
reputation for low prices, which Sears never has
had."
But he said that even the combined company will face
a challenge in competing with the more successful
brands now in the market.
Sears shares rose nearly 9 percent in before-hours
trading on Inet, while Kmart was down 6.8 percent,
according to Reuters.
The new company will be known as Sears Holdings and
be based at Sears current headquarters in suburban
Chicago. But both names will continue to be used on
stores.
The company said it will continue to operate with
both brand names but that some Kmart stores will
shift to Sears locations as Sears continues to move
away from mall locations.
And the companies say they're looking at $300
million in cost savings a year by the end of the
third year after the merger. They also expect $200
million in improved annual profits from
cross-promotion between the two companies.
They said cost savings should allow increased in
earnings per share the first year after a special
charge for merger-related costs. The deal is
expected to close by March 2005.
While the deal is advertised as a merger of equals,
details suggest it is tilted slightly towards a
Kmart purchase of Sears.
Sears shareholders will be able to chose between $50
in cash or 0.5 share of Sears Holdings, which the
companies said would be valued at $50.61, while
Kmart shareholders would get one share of Sears
Holding for each of their shares, which closed
Tuesday at $101.22.
That means the deal provide about a 10.6 to 12
percent premium for Sears (Research) shareholders,
while Kmart (Research) shareholders will see either
no premium or a slight decline, if the shares are
valued based on the cash offer to Sears
shareholders.
Edward Lampert, chairman of Kmart who owns 52.6
percent of the company's shares according to its
latest proxy, will be chairman of the new combined
companies. Lambert also owns about 14 percent of
Sears.
Sears Chairman and CEO Alan Lacy will serve with
Lambert and Kmart's current CEO Aylwin Lewis in the
company's office of the chairman. Lewis, not Lacy,
will be president of Sears Holdings and CEO of Sears
Retail.
Kmart was forced to file for bankruptcy court
protection in January 2002, but it has seen its
stock soar since emerging from bankruptcy in May
2003. The stock gain has been seen as driven by the
value of its real estate rather than its retail
operations.
Sears saw its shares lost about 28 percent of its
value from October 2003 through Nov. 4 this year.
The next day shares lept 23 percent on news that
real estate investment firm Vornado Realty Trust had
bought 7.9 million shares, or about a 4.3 percent
stake in Sears.
"This certainly came as a total surprise, but maybe
it shouldn't have," said Barnard. "I think we're
looking at a real estate deal here."
Barnard points out that Sears has been buying stores
from Kmart as it tried to move away from mall
locations.
He said he thinks the combined companies will
definitely shed more stores going forward and could
help them with competition with discounters such as
Wal-Mart Stores (Research), the world's largest
retailer,Home Depot (Research), the No. 2 retailer
and leading home improvement retailer, and Target
(Research), which will lose its place as the No. 3
retailer to the combined Sears Holding.
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