::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

buzzz worthy. . . Statement by the President I’m pleased that with tonight’s vote in the Senate, for the first time in years, both parties in both houses of Congress have come together to pass a budget.  It’s a budget that unwinds some of the damaging sequester cuts that have harmed students and seniors and acted as headwinds our businesses had to fight.  It clears a path for critical investments in things like education and research that have always grown our economy and strengthened the middle class.  And it will continue to reduce our deficits at a time when we’ve seen four of the fastest years of deficit reduction since the end of World War II.  All told, it’s a good first step away from the shortsighted, crisis-driven decision-making that has only served to act as a drag on our economy.  It helps chart our economic course for the next two years, which means that the American people won’t be exposed to another painful and unwise government shutdow...

buzzz worthy. . . From the White House  EXAMPLES OF HOW THE SEQUESTER WOULD IMPACT MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, JOBS AND ECONOMIC SECURITY Unless Congress acts by March 1 st , a series of automatic cuts—called a sequester—that threaten thousands of jobs and the economic security of the middle class will take effect.  There is no question that we need to cut the deficit, but the President believes it should be done in a balanced way that protects investments that the middle class relies on.  Already, the President has worked with Congress to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion, but there’s more to do.  The President believes we can not only avoid the harmful effects of a sequester but also reduce the deficit by $4 trillion total by cutting even more wasteful spending and eliminating tax loopholes for the wealthy. Unfortunately, many Republicans in Congress refuse to ask the wealthy to pay a little more by closing tax loopholes so that we can prote...

buzzz worthy. . .  As the March 1 deadline for the sequestration looms, at 10:50 a.m. (EST) today President Obama explained why  mandatory budget cuts from Congress will slow economic recovery. The impact of the sequestration taking affect could mean more job loss across the board.  Read his entire remarks from the White House:      THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  (Applause.)  Please have a seat.  Well, welcome to the White House.  As I said in my State of the Union address last week, our top priority must be to do everything we can to grow the economy and create good, middle-class jobs.  That’s our top priority.  That's our North Star.  That drives every decision we make.  And it has to drive every decision that Congress and everybody in Washington makes over the next several years.  And that’s why it’s so troubling that just 10 days from now,  Congress might allow...