Patch Poll: What's Your Biggest Worry If We Go Over the Fiscal Cliff?

Some lawmakers are in Washington, DC this weekend, trying to hammer out a last-minute deal to avoid the fiscal cliff, but if they don't, average citizens might feel the impact.

Our nation is less than two days from going over the "fiscal cliff"—and the compromise clock is ticking loudly. Senate leaders worked toward a last-minute compromise on Saturday to avoid middle-class tax increases and possibly prevent deep spending cuts, such as a 27 percent fee cut for doctors who treat Medicare patients. Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan think tank, predicts that nearly 90 percent of households would be affected if Congressional leaders fail to reach a compromise before the Jan. 1 deadline. Among the impacts to average citizens: Those things would hit people in the wallet, which in turn has the potential to adversely affect our already-weak economy. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has said the combination of tax …

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Sue T

10:50 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013

Again you miss my point NE12Ukid. My point was using statistics is a game. You can find a statistical test to support just about any postion. That's the problem presenting just one set. You need to look at the whole picture not just a snap shot. And I will repeat, trying to make this a democrat/republic issue is very short sided. The point is, we need to get those that have the ability to work …   more ›

Gov. Corbett: Too Early To Tell if Funding for Mental Health Treatment Will Increase

Corbett, while visiting St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories for a Presents for Patients event, also speaks about the fiscal cliff and Pennsylvania's budget.

Gov. Tom Corbett—who called for more attention to mental illness in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings—would not commit Thursday to increased funding for mental health treatment. The governor said it is too early in the budget process to commit to increasing or decreasing funding for anything. His remarks came during  a press conference at St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories in Valencia after a Presents for Patients presentation. Last week, the governor stressed the need to look at mental illness as reporters at a press conference pressed him on whether he would support an assault weapons ban. "It doesn’t matter whether it is an assault weapon or a handgun, it’s the mental illness issue that we have to work as much as we …

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Patch Poll: What's the Best Way to Avoid the 'Fiscal Cliff?'

Tell us what you think is the best way for President Obama and Congress to work together to keep tax rates from rising and major spending cuts from being enacted in January.

Patch Poll: What's the Best Way to Avoid the 'Fiscal Cliff?'

Tell us what you think is the best way for President Obama and Congress to work together to keep tax rates from rising and major spending cuts from being enacted in January.

Last year, Congress and President Barack Obama agreed to a program—now known as the "fiscal cliff"— to reduce the federal deficit. If Congress and the president don't reach an agreement within the next few weeks, tax rates will rise in January for almost all Americans and major spending cuts will automatically occur next year in most government spending programs. Democrats and Republicans don't agree about how to best raise the federal government's revenues. The president and most congressional Democrats favor tax rate increases on the wealthiest Americans. Most congressional Republicans call instead for closing loopholes and reforming the tax code. Both parties have indicated a willingness to implement spending cuts. A point of …

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Mike Jones

8:05 pm on Thursday, December 6, 2012

My mom lost all of her stock in the bailout. She's still bitter about it, but she would've lost it anyway if they had liquidated without the bailout. She probably should've sold it in the 90s. Still, I'm thankful that the bailout agreement left some legacy money/health care for my grandmother, who is practically dependent on it today.   more ›