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?
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‘Fiscal cliff’: Will Wall Street light a fire under Congress?
So far at least, many on Wall Street seem to think that no matter what happens over the next few days with the fiscal cliff, Congress will still come through early in the new year.
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EPA head Lisa Jackson will resign
Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, says she will step down at the beginning of President Obama's second term. Her four-year tenure includes some victories, especially car fuel-efficiency standards, but was marked with disappointments over global warming and coal ash controls.
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Chuck Hagel: why his candidacy for Defense post is losing altitude
Critics of Chuck Hagel's potential candidacy have focused on remarks he made years ago about Israel, Iran, and Hamas. Some even called him anti-Semitic, a charge branded as outrageous, even by other critics.
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No Ben Affleck? That's OK, Massachusetts Senate race still poised to be big.
If John Kerry's seat needs to be filled next year, it will be the fourth time Massachusetts voters have chosen Senate candidates in a six-year period. Actor-director Ben Affleck said Monday he won't run.
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The Monitor's View: Homes for the homeless: a smart investment in dignity
Despite a recent rise in poverty, homelessness is down. One reason? Providing a residence for the homeless creates enough self-respect for them to deal with underlying issues.
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Tax VOX
Worst fiscal policy ideas of 2012TaxVox's Lump of Coal Awards covers a broad swath of fiscal policy missteps for the year.
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Russia's adoption ban exposes political rift (+video)
Russian President Putin is expected to back the parliament's adoption ban. But the move has exposed a rare split in the government, with some top officials speaking out against the ban.
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'Fiscal cliff': Is Washington missing its chance to 'go big'?
President Obama and Congress are preparing to have another go at a deal on the fiscal cliff, but more and more it's looking like an opportunity for something grand to be wasted.
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Home for the holidays: Fewer US troops are absent this year
Christmas 2012 marks the smallest deployment of combat troops abroad in at least five years, as the war in Iraq ends and US forces deployed to Afghanistan have been drawing down.
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Decoder Wire
Might Ben Affleck try leap from Hollywood to US Senate? So far, he's cagey.The actor and director says he's 'happy being involved from outside in government.' But Ben Affleck didn't exactly put the kibosh on talk about a possible run for John Kerry's Senate seat.
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Deportations of illegal immigrants in 2012 reach new US record
The Obama administration deported at least 400,000 illegal immigrants in fiscal year 2012, a new record. It emphasizes deporting 'criminal aliens' to protect public safety, but the high figure serves to remind Latinos of the president's unfilled pledge to reform immigration policy.
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The Daily Reckoning
Welfare. Old elephants. And the entitlement cliff.Welfare states depend on growth to fuel their spending. But when growth slows to a crawl....
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Tax VOX
Fiscal cliff debate: It's not just the politics that are weirdIn trying to reach a compromise on the 'fiscal cliff,' Democrats and Republicans seem determined to protect millions of high-income people from paying more taxes. But the working class could easily end up paying more.
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Letters To God: Kenyans appeal for peaceful election
Thousands of Kenyans are taking up pen and keyboars to write letters praying for a peaceful March presidential election. US President Obama's step-grandmother is joining the effort, aimed at avoiding the violence that followed the 2007 vote.
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Gloomy predictions as Washington approaches the 'fiscal cliff'
It's still possible that the 'fiscal cliff' with its automatic tax increases and across-the-board spending cuts can be avoided. But the clock is ticking toward Jan.1, and most lawmakers are pessimistic.
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South Korea charges North building missile that could reach US
South Korean officials say they have evidence that North Korea is working on an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach as far as the United States.
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Head of nuclear security agency steps down
On Friday, Tom D'Agostino announced his resignation from the National Nuclear Security Administration. His departure comes while the agency is under scrutiny for installing an inoperable multimillion-dollar security system at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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Border security advocates eye remote lands
In an effort to beef up border security, some have argued wilderness areas near the Canadian and Mexican borders should not be subject to environmental review. Others say Border Patrol has enough roads, and more expansion could harm the soil and environment.
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Sen. Inouye praised as humble leader at Hawaii Capitol
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie said that Sen. Inouye went from being considered undesirable as a Japanese-American at the start of World War II to gaining the respect of the country's leaders.
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Energy Voices
Energy in 2013: What's next for oil, gas, renewables?Oil, natural gas, and coal will continue to dominate American energy in 2013 and beyond, but recent dramatic growth in solar and wind portends a transition to a clean energy economy.
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Are 'fiscal cliff' woes killing Christmas sales?
In last weekend before Christmas, traditionally a strong sales period, shoppers cite worries over taxes and so-so discounts as reasons to rein in spending. Experts warn of ho-hum holiday sales.
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Gun enthusiasts pack shows to buy assault weapons
Gun enthusiasts thronged to shows Saturday to buy assault weapons they fear will be outlawed after a massacre of school children in Connecticut prompted calls for tighter gun controls.
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In 'fiscal cliff' fight, Obama gets better marks than Boehner
President Obama's approval rating is at a three-year high; Speaker Boehner's is at an all-time low, and a majority of Americans view the GOP as too extreme. Is Boehner's position in danger?
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Is the NRA push for guns in schools crazy? It depends on where you live.
Reaction to the NRA’s controversial proposal to have armed guards in all schools illustrates the regional divide over guns – how and even whether to control the nation’s private arsenal.
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Armed guards in schools? Reaction to NRA is swift and strong.
Most gun control advocates rejected out of hand the NRA call for armed guards in every school in the country. New York Mayor Bloomberg said it offered 'a paranoid, dystopian vision' of America.
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