The Treasury Department won’t reveal the names of financial firms that are seeking to return the funds they received late last year and this year under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)–funds the firms no longer want and would like to give back to the Treasury in return for the federal government surrendering the ownership interests it took in the firms. Despite repeated requests for the information from CNSNews.com, Treasury spokesman Andrew Williams wouldn’t say how many financial institutions want to give the money back in exchange for getting their stock back.
A newly released Gallup Poll shows that public support for more restrictive gun laws has fallen to its lowest level in the nearly 20 years that Gallup has tracked the issue. Additionally, the poll shows that support for an outright handgun ban is at its lowest in the nearly 5 decades that Gallup has polled that issue.
The Missouri House has voted to lower the minimum age for concealed weapons permits to 21. Under current law, the minimum age is 23 years old. On a vote of 106-41 Wednesday, the House approved an amendment rolling back the existing prohibition. If approved, the law would also lift the ban on carrying concealed weapons at public colleges and universities, and would also allow the use of deadly force on private property.
Several states poised to jack up tax rates to cover governmental overspending.
A free fall in tax revenue is driving more state lawmakers to turn to broad-based tax increases in a bid to close widening budget gaps.
At least 10 states are considering some kind of major increase in sales or income taxes: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. California and New York lawmakers already have agreed on multibillion-dollar tax increases that went into effect earlier this year.
he housing bust has not been kind to the value of Bob Haines’ Germantown condo. Haines and his wife bought a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in a luxury development called the Ashmore at Germantown in 2006 for $378,000. Now he thinks it’s worth about $240,000. But it’s not just the slow housing market that’s giving Haines headaches. He and other property owners at the Ashmore say Montgomery County has made their problems much worse by giving a nonprofit developer a $5.4 million loan to buy the 29 remaining units and turn them into long-term, affordable rental housing units.
The White House is denying that the president bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at a G-20 meeting in London, a scene that drew criticism on the right and praise from some Arab outlets. “It wasn’t a bow. He grasped his hand with two hands, and he’s taller than King Abdullah,” said an Obama aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
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A Senate chairman on Tuesday urged Attorney General Eric Holder to sue any states that aren’t helping needy citizens to register to vote.
Federal laws call for state agencies to try to register people to vote when they are distributing aid, such as food stamps and unemployment benefits. “With the new leadership at the Justice Department, we hope states will be made to meet their obligations,” Senate Rules Committee Chairman Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement. “If that means taking certain states to court, so be it.”
Ann Coulter helps liberals put some perspective on the recent shootings of innocent unarmed people.
The rash of recent shooting incidents has led people who wouldn’t know an AK-47 from a paintball gun to issue demands for more restrictions on guns. To be sure, it’s hard to find any factor in these shootings that could be responsible — other than the gun. (snip) It might make more sense to outlaw men than guns. Or divorce. Or crack. Or to prohibit felons from having guns. Except we already outlaw crack and felons owning guns and yet still, somehow, Wong got crack and Mixon got a gun.
Texas police chief zaps wife with taser, now sitting in jail with 100K bond.
A Central Texas police chief is facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly using a tazer on his wife. Former Oakwood Police Chief Oly Ivy was arrested Monday in Palestine on a warrant for that charge. Ivy was dismissed from his official duties Monday in a special city council meeting.
Only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 20% disagree and say socialism is better. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are not sure which is better. Adults under 30 are essentially evenly divided: 37% prefer capitalism, 33% socialism, and 30% are undecided. Thirty-somethings are a bit more supportive of the free-enterprise approach with 49% for capitalism and 26% for socialism. Adults over 40 strongly favor capitalism, and just 13% of those older Americans believe socialism is better.
Three people – including Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart – were killed and another person was seriously injured at an intersection in Fullerton early this morning in a three-vehicle crash that authorities said was caused by a motorist who ran a red light. The Angels front office confirmed this morning that Adenhart was one of the victims.