BUSINESS
May 8, 2012 | Michael Hiltzik
The European elections have concluded and the results are clear: Voters in France and Greece are a lot smarter than economic policymakers in the United States. Or at least they're a lot more attuned to the folly of relying on austerity as a tool of economic growth. If you've missed the weekend's headlines, French voters elected their first Socialist president since Francois Mitterand left office in 1995. The new president, Francois Hollande, won after promising to loosen the reins of economic austerity and impose more sacrifices on the rich.
NEWS
May 8, 2012 | By Lisa Mascaro
WASHINGTON -- The political battle over President Obama's plan to keep student loan interest rates from skyrocketing escalated as Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic proposal to tax wealthier earners to pay for it. Republicans stopped the effort with a filibuster, even as some in the GOP view this as a politically risky move at a time when middle-class families continue to struggle to afford college. Rates for 7 million new undergraduate student loans are set to double to 6.8% on July 1 if Congress fails to act. The vote was 52-45, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome the GOP filibuster.
NEWS
May 8, 2012 | By Maeve Reston
For the Obama campaign, the creation of “The Life of Julia” was the latest campaign gimmick - drawing in female voters through social media to an infographic showing what a young woman's life might look like under the policies of a White House run by Mitt Romney, rather than by President Obama. But Romney does not seem amused. “This little cartoon that they have on the life of Julia really reveals the weakness of the president's policies,” the presumed Republican nominee told Fox News host Sean Hannity during a taped interview that aired Tuesday night.
NATIONAL
May 7, 2012 | By Kathleen Hennessey and Lisa Mascaro, Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - As lawmakers return to the Capitol this week, Congress will launch into a summer of political gamesmanship that will turn floor fights into proxy battles for the presidential campaign. The votes will do little to resolve crucial issues facing the country. But they will establish themes that help define President Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, in the minds of voters. Democrats will seek to portray Republicans as protecting the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
OPINION
May 3, 2012
Re "Sarkozy, rival won't get vote of far-rightist," May 2 Note to French President Nicolas Sarkozy: Before you cozy up to the far-right Marine Le Pen, ask the Republicans how well the tea party cooperates with its benefactor. Don't forget the law of unintended consequences. Barry Davis Agoura Hills ALSO: Letters: Nathan Fletcher's GOP defection Letters: Beverly Hills' subway obstructionism Letters: Congressional deadlock over student loans
OPINION
May 3, 2012
Re "Don't rush for Social Security," Business, April 29 While it is true that delaying collecting your normal Social Security benefit beyond your full retirement age gives you an 8% annual increase, to get that 8% increase you give up 100% of the normal benefit you could be collecting. Here's an example: You can start collecting $1,000 a month at 66 or delay until age 70 (48 months), and get $1,320 a month (8% yearly increase for 4 years). To get that extra $320 a month you've given up $48,000 that you could have already collected, and you'll be over 82 before you finally catch up - if you live that long.