Frontline journeys to the heart of the Syrian insurgency, embedding with rebels who are waging a full-scale assault on Assad’s forces. But how organized are Syria’s opposition groups? What dangers might the conflict unleash? And what would it take to end it?
Frontline turned to 10 experts — Syrian activists, journalists who have reported from the country’s dangerous front lines and analysts who specialize in the region — to explain the long-term impacts of Syria’s deadly conflict.
The long partisan battle last summer over whether to raise the debt ceiling increased the Treasury’s borrowing costs by about $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2011, and the bill is expected to climb, according to the Government Accountability Office.
In a report released on Monday, the investigative arm of Congress found that the battle between Republicans and Democrats over the conditions to increase the debt limit to its current level of $16.4 trillion led to uncertainty in the debt markets and higher borrowing costs. It said that a full accounting would be available later. “Further,” a summary of the report read, “according to Treasury officials, the increased focus on debt limit-related operations as such delays occurred required more time and Treasury resources, and diverted Treasury’s staff away from other important cash and debt management responsibilities.”
Has Congress learned its lesson about the risks of political brinksmanship? Apparently not. For starters, House Speaker John Boehner in May issued the same ultimatum on the debt ceiling that he issued in 2011. He said any debt ceiling increase must be accompanied by an even larger amount of spending cuts.
"The cost of last summer's recklessness by Republicans only continues to grow, yet they seem eager to do it all over again," said Sander Levin, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives' tax-writing committee.
Why can't we just send Mr. Boehner a nice big bill? Or, couldn't we take away his evil, government-run healthcare plan? He should have to pay for wasting money that belongs to the taxpayers.
Nearly 40 protesters have been arrested in Vermont at the gates of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Vermont lawmakers have tried to shutter the plant, but it is still in operation after its parent company, Entergy Corporation, won an extension from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a subsequent court battle. The Vermont Yankee facility is one of the oldest in the country and has had a series of radioactive tritium leaks. On Sunday, anti-nuclear activists approached the Yankee plant with a 600-pound, handmade "Trojan Cow" filled with renewable energy devices. Organizers say they plan to launch a flotilla next month to raise awareness about the plant’s polluting of the Connecticut River.
Despite acknowledging that the Cruzes foreclosure was due to a bank error and repeated claims that they are working “behind the scenes” to get the Cruz family back in their home, PNC Bank has refused to accept the documents necessary for the loan to be modified. So Alejandra and David Cruz, along with several supporters, are going to make a hand-delivery to PNC’s headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA!
TUESDAY: Minneapolis
Send-off: We will be having a send-off rally in front of the Cruz home, 4044 Cedar Ave S, at 5PM this Tuesday to support the Cruzes battle for justice. Bring signs, messages of support, and your wonderful self!
Action on Freddie Mac: the Cruz family will make a stop at Freddie Mac’s regional headquarters in Chicago on Wednesday to demand they stop tearing up our neighborhoods with their eviction profiteering.
THURSDAY: EVERYWHERE!
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION: Across the country, while Alejandra and David arrive at PNC headquarters, people will be demanding that PNC live up to their word and work with the Cruz family!
Actions being planned in:
Atlanta
Chicago Cincinnati
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
Washington, DC
And many more to come! Please, organize an event in your city! Email occupyHomesMN@gmail.com and let us know if you want to help!
