News July 20
July 20, 2011
Senator Sanders
Gang of Six A bipartisan group of senators unveiled a deficit-reduction plan that drew President Obama's praise but warnings from Sen. Bernie Sanders of "devastating cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and many other programs that are of vital importance to working families in this country," The Boston Globe reported. LINK
Sanders Calls Plan ‘A Disaster' "This proposal is a disaster. It lowers the tax rate very substantially for the wealthy, and it will make devastating ... cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, nutrition. You name the program that our struggling, working class in this country desperately needs, it is going to be cut," Sen. Sanders told Ed Schultz on MSNBC. VIDEO
Deficit Plan Attacked The plan drew fire from the right. Sen. Jim DeMint has "serious concerns" and Sen. Jeff Sessions says the plan hikes taxes by at least $1 trillion." And the left. Sen. Sanders spoke of "devastating cuts to Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid," ABC News and WINS-AM in New York reported. LINK and AUDIO
Not So Fast Sen. Sanders, the one senator who has stood most steadily in defense of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- and for fiscally sound budgeting -- is not joining the mob, The Nation's John Nichols blogged. LINK
World
Cameron Under Fire Prime Minister David Cameron defended himself Wednesday against accusations that he used poor judgment in hiring and associating with people tainted by the phone-hacking scandal roiling Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., The Washington Post reported. LINK
National
House Passes Debt Ceiling Bill House Republican leaders pulled out all the stops Tuesday to pass legislation tying a debt ceiling increase to a tight, long-term cap on federal spending. President Obama pledged to veto if it gets to his desk, the Los Angeles Times reported. LINK
Minnesota Shutdown Ends Minnesota lawmakers approved a budget deal early Wednesday that will end a 20-day state government shutdown as soon as Gov. Mark Dayton signs it, The Associated Press reported. LINK
Vermont
Gay Marriage Sen. Patrick Leahy, who voted to deny federal recognition of same-sex marriages, hailed President Obama's support for repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. The White House backing came one day before a Senate hearing on repealing the 1996 law, AP reported. LINK
Gay Marriage Two New York City women are suing a Lyndonville inn they say refused to host their wedding reception when they told the inn the wedding would have two brides but no groom, Vermont Public Radio reported. LINK
UVM President Daniel Fogel will step down a year earlier than planned, the Burlington Free Press reported. The departure of the University of Vermont president was hastened after news broke of a relationship between his wife and a school vice president. LINK
Vermont Yankee Two Vermont Law School professors say Vermont Yankee's owners are likely to prevail in their suit against the state. Professors Cheryl Hanna and Donald Kreis see signs in a federal judge's preliminary ruling that Entergy Corp. ultimately will win at a trial, AP reported. LINK
