July 23, 2011 — Patrick Manteiga, Editor and Publisher of La Gaceta Newspaper

Thanks....
To our listeners, guests, crew and sponsors who make the Yo Soy Latino show possible a warm and heartfelt thank you.

Yo Soy Latino Radio has been bringing great radio to your neighbors, friends, family, and to you (our listeners) for the past two years. We have done so with help and advertisers like you. But like everyone else in this tough economy we’ve had to tighten our belts and made choices to keep quality programming alive.

If we are to keep the doors open, the lights on and maintain great quality programming like this on the air in Central Florida given these tough economic times, WE NEED YOUR HELP! Your generous contribution today to the Yo Soy Latino Radio Show will fuel its commitment to bringing Central Florida’s focus on public media.

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You can talk with the host on air by calling the station’s guestline at 407-774-0810 every Saturday from 12-1 p.m


Cool Trivia...
July 23, 2011
1726 – Benjamin Franklin sails back to Philadelphia
1827 – First US swim school opens in Boston MA
1851 – Treaty of Traverse des Sioux signed by Sioux Indians and US
1877 – First US municipal railroad, Cincinnati Southern, begins operations; while in Hawaii the first telephone and telegraph line is completed
1903 – Ford Motor Company sells FIRST model ‘A’ car
1921 – Chinese communist party forms under Henk Sneevliet
1925 – NY Yankee Lou Gehrig hits his first of 23 career grand slammers
1942 – World War II: Operation Edelweiss begins
1948 –Progressive party convention nominates Henry Wallace for President
1959 – VP Richard Nixon begins visit on USSR
1962 – The International Agreement n the Neutrality of Laos is signed
1973 – Pres Nixon refuses to release Watergate tapes of conversations in the White House relevant to the Watergate investigation
1980 – Billy Carter admits to being paid by Libya
1995 – Comet Hale-Bopp is discovered and becomes visible to the naked eye nearly a year later

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Movies...
Top 10 Box Office
July 23, 2011
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
3. Horrible Bosses
4. Zookeeper
5. Cars
6. Winnie the Pooh
7. Bad Teacher
8. Larry Crowne
9. Super 8
10. Midnight in Paris
Opening This Week:
Captain America: The First Avenger
Friends With Benefits
Another Earth
A Little Help
Sarah’s Key

Movie Review:
Friends With Benefits — Rating: 3.5 STARS
This movie is an infectiously smart-mouth romantic comedy with Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. Mila who plays the corporate headhunter recruits Timberlake for a position as Art Director with GQ. In showing him around the city, they talk and discover they were both burned by love once too often. It is then they decide to connect, keeping their arrangement uncomplicated.

Like two good friends who just happen to sleep together. And, why not! They get along famously, had tons in common and were gorgeous. Plus, they get to have trouble-free amazing sex without all that messy love stuff. However, there is a twist!

Overall, “Friends with Benefits” is quite entertaining. That is, up to a point for there are a few hiccups. Once you passed the flaws, it can actually make for a good summer flick.

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Breaking News...
World and Local News
July 23, 2011
Norway Struck by 2 deadly Attacks
Osio, Norway (CNN) — NEW...90 people are hospitalized after the blast in Oslo. The man in custody is a blond 32-year-old Norwegian. “A panic broke out; people tried to hide” when shooting began at the camp, an official says. At least 17 people are killed in the two attacks.

Some Democrats fuming at Obama
Washington (CNN) — Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Members of several minority congressional caucuses held a press conference Wednesday to discuss the debt ceiling because they have had it. At least when it comes to reports of what’s in a $3 trillion deal being shepherded by President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner — large spending cuts that include entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security, among other things.

More than $1 million in theme park tickets recovered in arrests, cops say
(Orlando Sentinel) Osceola County deputies recovered more than $1 million in theme park tickets (3,617 tickets) plus $41,000 in cash during a four-day undercover crackdown on illegal ticket-resale schemes. Fourteen (14) people were arrested as a result – Juan Roman Jr, 29; David Cohen, 21; Jokhan Pradeep, 22; Angele Gonzalez, 36; Mark Gramley, 26; Wayne Bradshaw, 51; Craig Dmitruk, 26; Cameron Hope, 43; Amber Beckwith, 23; Michelle Johnson, 22; Joseph Leech, 33; Michael Robinson, 56; Randy Gulkin, 53; and Aaron Kimmins, 20. Also arrested was 21-year-old Robert Campbell as a lookout at one of the ticket booths on a charge of obstruction of justice.

Missing Kissimmee boy found safe in Orange County
(Orlando Sentinel) — Mother (Jessica Contosta) left her son Tatum with homeless heroin addict Silverio Irizarry before being arrested on prostitution. If not for a worried tipster, nobody might have ever known that a 4-year-old Kissimmee boy was missing and last seen with this man. The child was found safe Friday morning at a Walgreens in Orange County near Sand Lake Road and Orange Blossom Trail. Irizarry, 45, isn’t facing any charges.

Valencia College bans Smoking on Campuses
(Orlando Sentinel) Valencia College one of the nation’s largest, will ban smoking on all its campuses starting in 2012. Meaning they won't allow students, faculty or visitors to smoke anywhere on school grounds — not even in cars in the parking lots.

Woman Lures Victim into Fire before Stabbing Him
Kissimmee (Orlando Sentinel) — A woman (Liyanely Prieto-Fernandez, 39) was charged with murder after the discovery of a body in her burning home. Fernandez set fire to her bedroom early Thursday in an Orange Gardens home she shared with her father, daughter and estranged husband then lures the victim into her room as it began burning and begins stabbing him repeatedly to his death, according to a police report released Friday. When asked why by detectives she replied “she thought something bad was going to happen.” The name of the victim has not been released until the police can locate his relates in Panama. This is being described as a ‘domestic dispute and not a random encounter.’

Jobless graduate takes search to the street
(Orlando Sentinel) — Frustrated with his 3-month job search, MBA grad Kris Orofino (25) took his quest for work to a busy street corner on Lake Mary with stacks of resumes. Dressed in a suit and holding a cardboard sign, Orofino explained his latest strategy as motorists whizzed by at intersection of Lake Mary Boulevard and Lake Emma Road.

On July 25, 2009 YSL aired a story of another frustrated Floridian (David Vindich, a retired USMC veteran) who took the street in business attire with a sign in hand saying ‘Unemployed, Need Work! What caught YSL host Jose Miranda’s eye was his novel approach to seeking work given the economy and who dared to be noticeable from the pack. His makeshift billboard sign was his resume, though he did have plenty of them readily available. So don’t be surprised if you see more unemployed professionals following suit, (no pun intended).

Lake County’s Unemployment Rate rises in June for FIRST Time in Recent Months
(Orlando Sentinel) — Lake County’s unemployment rate rose in June to 10.7 percent for the first time in several months, joining the rest of the region’s counties with slight increases in the percentage of jobless. Lake’s increased rate mirrors those in counties throughout Central Florida. The Metro Orlando rate rose to 10.4 percent; Seminole County rose to 9.9 percent; Osceola County 11.1 percent; and Volusia County 8.5 percent. Other rates include Sumter County 8.2 percent; Marion County 12.6 percent; Brevard 11.3 percent; and Flagler County 14.6 percent.


Cigars...
Fire Up with Jose’s top suggestions!
July 23, 2011
Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo Ponderosa
Gurkha Ninja Torpedo
Gran Habano Corojo #5 Imperial
Tatuaje Havana Artisan VI
E.P. Carrillo Core Line Club 52
AKA Hybride DNA
Illusione Mj12

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Today’s Highlights...
Patrick Manteiga, Editor and Publisher of La Gaceta Newspaper
A Tri-Lingual Newspaper in Tampa
By Haydee Ayala
July 23, 2011
Orlando, FL — YSL host Jose Miranda is known for taking calculated risk because it is then that one can stretch people’s ability and help them better understand the events of politics as it is today. How can so many Americans stay unemployed while politicians draw our attention to another impasse the debt ceiling? Could it be the public's unwillingness to let go of benefits such as Medicare and Social Security that have been earned over a lifetime of work and the GOP’s refusal to raise taxes on the top 2% of the countries wealthiest.

The president has had at least two proposals on the table. The first included spending cuts of 2.5 trillion while the latest 3.5 trillion. In addition, the president included 800 billion dollars in revenue garnered by revising loop holes, cutting Social Security and Medicare (which was met with much debate by other Democrats) as well as revising the tax code and tax breaks to the oil companies to allow the wealthy to participate and NOT have the middle to lower income Americans shoulder the burden. Also, during the bipartisan talks which took place in Washington, everything was agreed upon when it came to spending cuts but as soon as the talks turned to revenue the first to walk out was Eric Cantor.

YSL is not just about politics as it offers our audience a vast array of subjects but given the cataclysm affecting our economy and misinformation permeating the media with millions of Americans jobless couple by the nation’s debt crisis is almost certain to be a subject of conversation and controversy. However, to quote a Democratic aide (Harry Reid), “We are not a Banana Republic. You don’t run America like that.”

Further, the dealings of the debt ceiling more than likely will be a topic of debate during the heat of the 2012 presidential election and not the scantiness of the Republican Party. The raising of the debt ceiling as many will recall was never an issue in the past as the debt ceiling had been raised over 70 times under Republican presidents and 17 of which were under Reagan. Only now has it become a huge deal. But where are the jobs that the GOP promised to deliver when they were voted into office? That unfortunately will be downplayed.

Despite the perils that afflict our great nation, there was some lighthearted banter between it hosts Jose Miranda and Haydee Ayala. That is...up until Jose introduced Patrick Manteiga, Editor and Publisher of La Gaceta, a tri-lingual newspaper in Tampa. Whose opening dialogue drew us back to Social Security after a caller implied he was anti-Social Security. Mr. Manteiga is third generation running the oldest minority family-owned newspaper in Tampa. He was dumbfounded that anyone would be anti-Social Security.

Manteiga stressed that there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Saying I wish people would read more newspapers, do their own research and look at more reports to get a better understanding of what’s going on in the world before they voice opinions that are misleading or incorrect. Sounds like sound advice to me. Nonetheless, what the Republican Party is looking to do is cut, cut, and cut, and education is just a small part. If you tired of all this don’t sit back, get involved and do something about it. Write to your Congressmen/women and tell them you’ve had enough and are NOT going to take it anymore.

For a list of telephone number of your district representatives, go to www.house.gov/representatives. But if you prefer a more personal approach, send them an email. Go to http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/representatives/myrepresentative.aspx on the upper left hand corner it will say “find your representative” select that tab and a box will appear asking you for your personal details. Complete then hit enter and you will be directed to your Congressman/woman. Select email and send your message. Let them know enough is enough! It's time for the silent majority to stand up and speak out.

Following a brief intermission the show resumed with Ayala covering the week’s top summer blockbusters including an appraisal of Friends with Benefits. She described it as a powerful bond between two adults who team up together to establish a fulfilling sexual noncommittal merger as both were stung by love and their experiences painful. Shortly thereafter Jose joins in for a little fashion. The energy inside the studio was bouncy and full of life for more on this week’s show go to our archived shows. It’s worth the listen!

Well that concludes another hour at YSL. Tune in next Saturday at Noon on WEUS 810AM for “Talk Radio the Way It Ought to Be! Remember your radio isn’t on unless it’s tuned to Yo Soy Latino.



Fashion...
Breezy Summer Fashion for Men
July 23, 2011
There are several fantastic summer trends that can appeal to any man, especially when you are looking to step it out and ooze a little machismo. What's more? You can find just about anything under the sun, particularly if you live right here in Florida, as these outfits can take you from summer to fall and maybe into winter.

However, to begin with we need to narrow down his fashion sense. Is he more of the cool smart office guy, or the rugged outdoorsy non-traditional casual type? This summer the direction should be on bringing out the best in all men.

If it is something for the office, you may want it to be official yet untailored at the same time. A nice traditional white cotton shirt or any colored shirt, a tie (optional), casual weightless jacket and nice dark or light colored pant would work nicely. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a tailored suit to maintain a business professional look. It’s ok to keep it a bit unstructured.

For the non-traditional casual-type, it might be a good time to consider a no-fuss look perhaps inspired by the outdoors. Go for a more open-air look especially if your man is one who treks, climbs or hikes. This does not mean that you have to step out looking like a fashion disaster.

Think denims, shorts, polo shirts, or T-shirts during the day; and, for evening light summer suits, jackets, khakis, or a nice unrestricted Guayabera shirt with tie string waist cotton pant. There is always something for every man to enhance his summer fashion line, and as you do, take into account the budget and what would keep the man in your life at ease.

Also, consider an accessory. The legendary white Panama hat would make just the thing. This iconic status has graced the heads of many style greats ranging from Ernest Hemingway, Paul Newman to Justin Timberlake, and let’s not forget the Latino community.

What makes this great for summer is the construction. It is woven entirely by hand from fronds of the Toquilla palm thereby making it is very airy. More important, no two are exactly alike. Plus, it is the perfect timeless touch to boost any ensemble this season. But, hold on to your hat because if it looks good on you, imagine what it will look like on her!


Sports Box...
July 23, 2011
Baseball
Top Two Teams in Each Division — Standings: W/L
(MLB.MLB.com) As of Friday, 7.22.11
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East:
Boston (59-37)
NY Yankees (57-39)
Central:
Detroit (52-46)
Cleveland (51-46)
West:
Texas (56-43)
Los Angeles (53-46)

NATIONAL LEAGUE
East:
Philadelphia (61-36)
Atlanta (58-41)
Central:
Pittsburgh (51-45)
Milwaukee (53-47)
West:
San Francisco (57-42)
Arizona (53-46)

Basketball
NBA Releases 2011-12 Season Schedule
New York (ESPN NBA) — The NBA released its complete 2011-12 schedule Tuesday despite being in a lockout that could last months and cause it to be scrapped. The defending champion Dallas Mavericks will open the seaon — if it begins on time — at home Nov. 1 against MVP Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls. On the back end of the opening-night doubleheader: The Oklahoma City Thunder play the Lakers in Los Angeles. Most teams will begin Nov. 2. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh start their second season together on the Heat with a game against the Knicks.

Football
NFL Owners Approve a Proposed 10-Year Labor Agreement
(ESPN/NFL) — NFL owners approved a proposed 10-year labor agreement with the NFL Players Association on Thursday, leaving the potential end to the league’s lockout in the hands of the players who might vote on the proposed deal Thursday night.


Wines...
Top Choices for under $25
July 23, 2011
2008 Luli Chardonnay
2008 Hanna Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc
2008 Sineann Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio
2007 Siduri Sonoma County Pinot Noir
2007 Foxglove Zinfadel
2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Merlot
2006 Twenty Rows Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Copain Tous Ensemble Syrah


Special Interest...
Helping Others
The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has recently been through 2 winter storms leaving the reservation without power or water. They are in dire need of monetary contributions of any size to assist with the incurring expenses. Your donations and contributions will help in keeping their Tribal members alive, fed and warm.

For more information go to the link below: https://secure.piryx.com/donate/0oFFsK8c/Cheyenn-River-Sioux-Tribe/

Also, keep in mind that it’s been a tough year for many Americans and the world at large and your local American Red Cross was not immune. Give generously to this non-government humanitarian emergency assistance and disaster relief program so that they can continue to perform their acts of kindness; for more information go to www.redcross.org.


Recipe...
Duck Breast with Fresh Cherry Sauce and Grilled Apricots
July 23, 2011
Duck in the summer how yummy, especially when you can pair the meat with ripe apricots, peaches or cherries. Just marinate the apricots in garlic and thyme, then serve them alongside slices of golden, crispy-skinned duck and a bright cherry sauce, add a good Portugal red table wine or one from the Douro Valley both will have the backbone to stand up to this decadent duck.

Serving: 4 • Time: 1 HR 40 MIN (Active 40 MIN)

Ingredients:
Make Ahead
3 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 apricots, halved and pitted
1 cut apple juice or cider
½ cup red wine vinegar
Pinch of sugar
½ pound sweet cherries, pitted (2 cups)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 large fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced
4 boneless Pekin duck breasts (6 ounces each), skin scored in a crosshatch pattern
½ cup small arugula leaves
2 tablespoons minced chives

Directions:
In a shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with 1 tablespoon of the thyme and the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add the apricot halves and toss to coat. Let stand for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium saucepan, combine the apple juice, vinegar and sugar and boil over moderately high heat until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the cherries and boil until tender, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to a bowl. Add the shallots to the saucepan and boil over high heat until the liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Return the cherries to the saucepan. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of thyme and season with salt and pepper. Keep the cherry sauce warm.

Light a grill. In a medium bowl, mix the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil with the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the fennel and toss well.

Grill the apricots over a medium-hot fire until lightly charred and tender, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet. Season the duck breasts generously with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet, skin side down, and cook over moderately high heat until some of the fat has been rendered, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the duck breasts for 3 minutes. Turn the breasts and roast for about 3 minutes longer, until medium-rare. Transfer the breasts to a carving board to rest for 5 minutes.

Toss the arugula and chives with the fennel salad and arrange on 4 plates. Slice the duck breasts crosswise 1/4 inch thick; arrange the slices on the plates and top with the cherry sauce. Garnish with the grilled apricots and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The cherry sauce can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently before serving.

Source: foodandwine.com, contributor: Seth Bixby Daugherty.


Health...
How to Spot Skin Cancer
July 23, 2011
Detecting it early Could Save your Life
Stripping down and inspecting your moles, freckles, and other skin spots isn’t exactly fun, but it is smart. Particularly for anyone over 30, since catching even the riskiest skin cancers early almost guarantee a cure.

Keep an Eye on Your Skin
Want to cut your risk of fatal melanoma by almost half? Make an appointment with the mirror. Research shows that people who regularly check themselves for suspicious skin changes are 44% less likely to die from melanoma than those who do not check. One study found that nearly 75% of all incident melanomas were discovered by self-exam or by family members. Because melanoma becomes more dangerous the thicker it grows above and below the skin surface, early detection of melanoma is essential to survival.

Types of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer starts in the epidermis — the part of the skin you can see — so the warning signs are easy to spot. The two major classes of skin cancers are malignant melanoma, which affects the cells of the skin that produce pigment, and which is typically the most deadly; and non-melanoma skin cancer, which is more common but less deadly than malignant melanoma. All but 1% of non-melanoma skin cancers are either basal cell carcinoma orsquamous cell carcinoma.

How to Do a Self Exam
The goal of a skin self-exam is to look thoroughly at all areas of your body, so you'll need a well-lit room with a full-length mirror, plus a hand mirror and a blow dryer. The bathroom is generally an ideal location. Also, having your significant other around to help will make things much easier. Grab your camera so you can take pics of all the areas you can — and even can't — see. These will be useful for your doc to check in the future if anything suspicious shows up.

Patrol Your Skin in 6 Steps
1. Look at the front and the back of your body in a mirror.
2. Look at your left and right sides. Raise your arms and bend your elbows.
3. Look at your underarms, forearms, and palms and the back of your upper arms.
4. Sit down and look at the back of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes, and the soles of your feet.
5. Use a mirror to examine the back of your neck and scalp. Use a blow dryer on a low setting to examine your entire scalp.
6. Use a hand mirror to examine your back and your buttocks.

Source: realage.com

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Politics...
Can the GOP say YES to anything?
House Speaker Boehner calls off Debt Talks with President Obama
July 23, 2011
Washington (CNN) — House Speaker John Boehner walked away from debt talks with President Obama's administration Friday, raising the stakes in the country's ongoing effort to stave off national default.

"In the end, we couldn't connect. Not because of different personalities, but because of different visions for our country," Boehner wrote in a letter to fellow Republicans.

The House speaker said that "a deal was never reached, and was never really close."

"For these reasons, I have decided to end discussions with the White House and begin conversations with the leaders of the Senate in an effort to find a path forward," he wrote.

Speaking to reporters soon after news of Boehner's decision broke, a visibly frustrated Obama said that he has told the Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress to come to the White House on Saturday morning to "explain to me how we are going to avoid default" on the nation's debt.

The president said his administration had offered "an extraordinarily fair deal" to cut expenditures and raise revenues, in return for Congress agreeing to hike the nation's debt ceiling. But he said that Boehner "left (him) at the altar" by ending negotiations around 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said that he found it "disappointing that the talks with the White House (and Republicans) did not reach a favorable conclusion," even as he welcomed the news that the debt-ceiling discussions would be decided in Congress.

"It's time now for the debate to move out of a room in the White House and on to the House and Senate floors where we can debate the best approach to reducing the nation's unsustainable debt," he said in a statement.

The negotiations — necessary to stave off an unprecedented national default that could prove economically devastating — are testing the ability of leaders on both sides of the aisle to legislate effectively in an era of increasingly shrill and unyielding partisanship.

Republicans, who have railed against the growth of government, remain staunchly opposed to any tax increases. Democrats are trying to protect some of their party's primary legacies — entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare, programs forged at the height of the New Deal and Great Society.

Earlier Friday, the Democratic-controlled Senate rejected the GOP's "cut, cap, and balance" deficit reduction plan, voting 51-46 to set the measure aside and clear a path for further talks on what Democrats insist must be a more centrist measure balancing spending reductions and tax hikes.

"Cut, cap, and balance," which passed the Republican-controlled House earlier in the week, would have tied a debt ceiling increase to sweeping reductions in federal spending, caps on future expenditures, and a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

While the measure was never expected to become law, holding votes on it allowed Republicans to demonstrate their preference for steps favored by many in the conservative tea party movement.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, dismissed the vote Friday morning as a waste of time.

"There is simply no more time to waste debating and voting on measures that have no hopes of becoming law," Reid said. There is "no more time to waste playing partisan games."

Republicans argued Democrats are obstructing sorely needed spending reforms.

"The House has done its job," declared Boehner, R-Ohio. "We have a spending problem. Somebody's got to get serious about cutting spending."

The talks, meanwhile, have become a race against the clock. If Congress fails to raise the $14.3 trillion debt limit by August 2, Americans could face rising interest rates, a declining dollar and increasingly jittery financial markets, among other problems.

"Neither party is blameless for the decisions that led to this debt, but both parties have a responsibility to come together and solve the problem," President Obama wrote in an op-ed appearing in Friday's USA Today. "That's what the American people expect of us."

It is unclear — even if a deal is reached — that any sweeping package can be approved by the August 2 deadline.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney signaled to reporters earlier in the week that the president may now be willing to sign a short-term debt limit extension if Democratic and Republican leaders are close to agreement on a broad plan that includes both tax hikes and spending reforms.

Obama previously indicated he would veto any short-term extension.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are also continuing discussions focused on the $3.7 trillion debt reduction blueprint put forward by the "Gang of Six," a group of three Democratic and three Republican senators.

Under the group's proposal, $500 billion in budget savings would be immediately imposed, with marginal income tax rates reduced and the controversial alternative minimum tax ultimately abolished.

The plan would create three tax brackets with rates from 8% to 12%, 14% to 22%, and 23% to 29% — part of a new structure designed to generate an additional $1 trillion in revenue. It would require cost changes to Medicare's growth rate formula as well as $80 billion in Pentagon cuts.

Obama has praised the plan, calling it "broadly consistent" with his approach to debt reduction because it mixes tax changes, entitlement reforms and spending reductions.

The proposal, however, has been hit with a barrage of criticism from both the right and the left. Conservatives have complained about some of the plan's tax changes, while liberals have warned it would cut entitlement benefits too deeply.

If all else fails, party leaders could still turn to a fallback plan initially put forward by Senate Minority Leader McConnell. The measure would give Obama the power to raise the borrowing limit by a total of $2.5 trillion, but also require three congressional votes on the issue before the 2012 general election.

Specifically, Obama would be required to submit three requests for debt ceiling hikes — a $700 billion increase and two $900 billion increases. Along with each request, the president would have to submit a list of recommended spending cuts exceeding the debt ceiling increase. The cuts would not need to be enacted in order for the ceiling to rise.

Congress would vote on (and presumably pass) "resolutions of disapproval" for each request. Obama would likely veto each resolution. Unless Congress manages to override the president's vetoes — considered highly unlikely — the debt ceiling would increase.

The unusual scheme would allow most Republicans and some more conservative Democrats to vote against any debt ceiling hike while still allowing it to clear.

McConnell and Reid are also working on two critical additions to the plan, according to congressional aides in both parties. One would add up to roughly $1.5 trillion in spending cuts agreed to in earlier talks led by Vice President Joe Biden; the other would create a commission meant to find more major spending cuts, tax increases and entitlement reforms.

Changes agreed to by the commission — composed of an equal number of House and Senate Democrats and Republicans — would be subject to a strict up-or-down vote by Congress. No amendments would be allowed.

Sources say the panel would be modeled after the Base Closing and Realignment Commission, which managed to close hundreds of military bases that Congress could not otherwise bring itself to shut down.

Source: CNN.