Will income taxes go up at the end of the year?
Republicans and Democrats agreed in 2011 to extend Bush-era tax cuts for everyone for one year. If they don’t extend the cuts again before year’s end, everyone’s income taxes go up. President Obama wants to renew the cuts only for families making less than $250,000 a year. Republicans want cuts for everyone. The vote will be after the November elections, however, so control of the White House and Senate will be key factors.
Will the D.C. cop who allegedly threatened first lady Michelle Obama be charged?
The District motorcycle officer assigned to protect the first family allegedly threatened to kill Mrs. Obama and showed off a photo of the gun he would use, but he probably won’t be charged with a crime. Officials familiar with the incident say the comments were less of a threat and more of an ill-advised joke, though the officer should have known better. Early retirement is far more likely than jail.
Why were the U.S. Olympic team’s uniforms made in China?
The beret-and-blazer combo was designed by U.S. designer Ralph Lauren, who also created the team’s uniforms in 2008 and 2010. Like many U.S. manufacturers, Lauren’s products are actually made overseas where labor is cheaper. Previous U.S. uniforms were also made in China, but the outcry against the current outfits, including politicians’ calls to burn them, are being fueled in part by lingering anxieties about America’s own economic woes.
