Topic: Barack Obama
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Fiscal deal will cost you: 8 tax changes
[Editor's note: This story was updated on Jan. 2 at 10:00 am ET.]
Congress has passed a fiscal deal that averts the worst of the tax increases under the "fiscal cliff." But most Americans will still end up paying more in federal taxes. Here are eight tax changes under the fiscal deal that may hit your pocketbook:
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2012's 'good news' stories
2012 saw jobs returning to the US, health concerns improve in historic numbers, and more.
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Focus
The Monitor's top 11 US stories of 2012
From storms to politics, the year was a wild ride. What are the most meaningful US stories of 2012? Here's the Monitor's list, in roughly chronological order.
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Briefing
US gun industry by the numbers
As the debate over gun control rages on, the firearms industry in the United States is thriving. Here are seven key figures.
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Top 5 product recalls in US history
Product recalls happen nearly every day, but these five had a lasting impact. Can you guess which product recall was the most significant?
All Content
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Readers Write: Obamacare should keep religious exemption narrow. What has Obama done for Palestinians?
Letters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of Dec. 31, 2012: The religious exemption to Obamacare's contraceptive mandate should remain narrow, so few groups have the right to deny employees insurance coverage for contraception. President Obama should stop support for Israel's West Bank takeover and bring US foreign policy in line with American democratic principles.
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Obama, Hillary Clinton top Gallup's most admired: Who else is on the list?
President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both extended their winning streaks as the man and woman most admired by Americans. The women's list is more diverse than the men's.
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'Fiscal cliff': How far apart are the sides now on tax cut deal?
Both sides have appeared to come closer together on Bush-era tax cuts, but many other issues remain, and Senate majority leader Harry Reid still isn't saying much publicly.
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Latin America Monitor
On cusp of new year, Chavez's health keeps Venezuleans fixated on futureOver the weekend, the Venezuelan government informed the nation that ailing President Hugo Chavez has suffered 'new complications' from surgery earlier this month.
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Focus
Obama's pivot to Asia? Middle East will still demand attention in 2013.The popular unrest of the last two years has left the Middle East volatile as 2013 kicks off.
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Fiscal cliff: 48 hours to go and Senate negotiations slow to a crawl
A late-breaking Republican demand to cut Social Security benefits through an alternative method of calculating inflation adjustments has put negotiations at an impasse.
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GOP governors waver on Obamacare
Republican governors like Rick Scott in Florida, and Chris Christie in New Jersey, are struggling on how to handle President Barack Obama's remake of the health insurance market. While some have said they won't set up state-run exchanges, others say they're open to having a 'conversation.'
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2012's 'good news' stories
2012 saw jobs returning to the US, health concerns improve in historic numbers, and more.
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Obama keeps up the pressure as Senators Reid and McConnell negotiate 'fiscal cliff'
President Obama appeared on 'Meet the Press' Sunday as Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell tried to work out a last-minute deal to avoid plunging over the 'fiscal cliff.'
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GOP 'fiscal cliff' endgame: Let big government sting the middle class?
For some tea party Republicans, part of the political calculation ahead of the 2014 elections is whether going off the fiscal cliff would spell political disaster or instead be seen as a return to principled governance.
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Fearful of ban, frenzied buyers swarm gun stores
The phones at gun shops across the country are ringing off the hook. Demand for firearms, ammunition and bulletproof gear has surged since the massacre in Newtown, Conn., that took the lives of 20 schoolchildren and six teachers and administrators.
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Three (thin) reasons why Congress could yet avoid the fiscal cliff
A deadline, the promise of a House vote on whatever the Senate can produce, and a sharp reaction on Wall Street boost prospects that gridlocked lawmakers will act to avert at least some aspects of the fiscal cliff by Jan. 1.
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Investors peek over 'fiscal cliff' and find ... blue skies?
Professional investors see plenty of minefields, but many believe a congressional deal will avert the worst of the 'fiscal cliff.' Another plus: Beyond the 'fiscal cliff' is a slowly improving economy.
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Experts: Trained police needed for school security
The National Rifle Association wants armed volunteers in all US schools. But school safety experts and school board members say there's a huge difference between a trained law enforcement officer who becomes part of the school family — and a guard with a gun.
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Obama, Congress struggle toward fiscal cliff deal
On Friday President Barack Obama met with congressional leaders once again to try negotiating a budget deal. Obama said he walked away from the meeting 'optimistic.'
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Stocks fall again with 'fiscal cliff' closing in
Stocks tumbled for a fifth day as a 'fiscal cliff' deal goes unfulfilled in Washington. Despite the fiscal gridlock in Washington, major stock indexes are holding on to gains for the year.
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Gay marriage at Supreme Court: Will military couples get more benefits?
Same-sex military couples are not eligible for many benefits that heterosexual married couples in the military receive, including housing and medical care. But the Supreme Court could redefine the federal status of gay marriage next year.
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Port strike averted in eastern US, for now. Is labor starting to claw back?
Eastern port operators and longshoremen agreed Friday on a royalties package, extending contract negotiations 30 days. The strike threat at ports signals that labor is ready to fight for its life, experts say.
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'Fiscal cliff' meeting at White House: Will it be 'Lincoln' moment for Obama?
Many Senate Republicans say that with Congress deadlocked on averting the fiscal cliff, it is up to Obama to force a deal. The lesson from the movie 'Lincoln,' they say, is 'the president has to lead.'
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Opinion: In fighting gangs, US should look to El Salvador
In combating the MS-13 gang, the Obama administration should look to El Salvador, which has adopted a far less confrontational approach, and is seeing a drop in gang violence as a result. A negotiated 'truce' with gangs is possible in the US and Mexico.
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Drone use surges in Yemen, the frontline against Al Qaeda
Drone strikes in Yemen skyrocketed in 2012, as much as tripling in frequency when compared to 2011.
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Robert Reich
Will Republicans avert the fiscal cliff? Don't bet on it.Despite public opinion running against the GOP, House Republicans are looking less interested in avoiding the fiscal cliff, Reich writes.
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Focus
Immigration reform: Is 'amnesty' a possibility now?Congress seems primed to address immigration reform in 2013, and even a path to citizenship – which critics deride as 'amnesty' for illegals – may be on the table. The shift in the national conversation came suddenly. Here's why.
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Energy Voices
Top energy stories of 2012. What's your pick?From the fracking revolution to the CAFE standards to India's record blackout, 2012 had plenty of energy stories. Vote for your pick of top energy story for the year.
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'Fiscal cliff': Finger-pointing furiously, Congress slouches toward deadline
Speaker Boehner, who called the House back into session Sunday evening, said Thursday it was up to the Senate to act, while majority leader Reid spoke on the Senate floor of a 'dysfunctional' GOP caucus.
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