July 30, 2011 — Jack Moriarity of the International Union of Police Associations and Millie Herrera for the DNC

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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Cool Trivia...
July 30, 2011
1863 – Pres Lincoln issues “eye-for-eye” order to shoot prisoner for every black prisoner shot
1935 – First Penguin book is published, starting the paperback revolution
1942 – FDR signs bill creating women’s Navy auxiliary agency (WAVES)
1948 – Professional wrestling premieres on prime-time network TV (DuMont)
1956 – US motto “In God We Trust” authorized
1963 – British spy Kim Philby found in Moscow
1965 – LBJ signs Medicare bill, which goes into effect in 1966
1966 – US airplanes bombs demilitarized zone in Vietnam
1968 – Wash Senator Ron Hansen makes 1st unassisted triple-play in 41 years
1971 – US Apollo 15 (Scott & Irwin) lands on Mare Imbrium on the Moon
1974 – House Judiciary Committee votes on 3rd & last charge of “high crimes & misdemeanors” to impeach President Nixon in the Watergate cover-up
1989 – Chile amends its constitution
1990 – The first Saturn automobile rolls off the assembly line
1992 – Lin Li swims female world record/or 200m medley (2:11.65)

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Movies...
Top 10 Box Office
July 30, 2011
1. Captain America: The First Avenger
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
3. Friends With Benefits
4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
5. Horrible Bosses
6. Zookeeper
7. Cars
8. Winnie the Pooh
9. Bad Teacher
10. Midnight in Paris
Opening This Week:
Cowboys & Aliens
Crazy, Stupid, Love
The Smurfs
Attack the Block
The Devil’s Double
The Future
Good Neighbors
The Myth of the American Sleepover
The Guard

Movie Review:
Crazy, Stupid, Love— Rating: 3.5 STARS
This is one sharply funny romantic comedy that keeps shooting up playful surprises throughout the entire movie. During the first hour there’s a lot of charm, humor and insight some of which is a little risqué then it turns swiftly into an old-fashioned fare with morals and lessons to be learned. Overall, it does work and makes for a good mix. Ryan Gosling’s character in this film pays off big (I think the last time was for his role in the 40-year-old Virgin). However, Carell and Moore are perfect together. As for the rest of the cast members, each plays the title’s words brilliantly. Surprisingly enough, it does not waver all the way through even the ending was pretty cool.

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Breaking News...
World and Local News
July 30, 2011
Senecas Seek President’s Help in Dispute with NY
Buffalo, NY (AP) — A western NY Indian nation is asking President Barack Obama to get involved in its dispute with the state over a 3-mile stretch of roadway (state Thruway) running through its territory (the Cattaraugus Reservation). A federal 1794 treaty promised the Senecas free use of the land. Seneca President Robert Odawi (oh-DOW'-wee) Porter says he's written to the White House as New York officials won't address the problem. The Senecas say the state didn't get proper federal approval for the road project in 1954. So the Senecas rescinded their authorization in 2007. Since then, they've been billing the state $1 per vehicle, but the state's not paying.

Man Busted at OIA swallowed almost a Kilo of Cocaine, Feds say
(Orlando Sentinel) — A man (Barratt Kalu Eni, 54) bound for Nigeria had to have emergency surgery to remove the cocaine from his intestines after being intercepted by authorities at an Orlando airport this month, federal authorities say. Though he denied having drugs initially, a drug dog indicated otherwise. Agents took Eni to Solantic clinic at OIA and an X-ray revealed “several foreign bodies” in his digestive tract. He confessed to swallowing about 50 pellets of an unknown narcotic. The medical personnel told agents that Eni’s life was in danger so the remaining pellets had to be removed surgically. The final total was 54 with a total weight of 933.2 grams. He was later arrested on a federal charge of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

Jobless man Wins Appeal but Still Can’t get Benefits
(Orlando Sentinel) — After an eight-month fight to win unemployment benefits, Glen Thibodeau’s victory rang surprisingly hollow. Florida’s Unemployment Appeal Commission had ruled in his favor, but the Orlando man was told he wouldn’t get the monies because he had forfeited benefits during his appeal for failure to file claims. And, if you don’t file in a timely manner, you don’t get paid.

Thibodeau and his attorney say he had been trying to file claims. But each time he went online or tried to claim by telephone, he was notified that his case had been closed. The state's computer brain didn't seem to care that the case was on appeal. State law requires unemployed Floridians to regularly claim their weeks or risk forfeiting benefits. However, the state's system appears to be preventing some — it's not clear how many — from doing so once they are declared ineligible. Thibodeau ultimately turned to state Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando, for help. Sally McArthur (Legal Aide Attorney) said the agency eventually determined Thibodeau had "good cause" for not filing his claims. When she last spoke to him, however, he still had not received a payment.

Are Baby Boomers to Blame for Debt Crisis?
Washington (CNN) — Baby boomers – those born between 1946 and 1964 – have been described as “the pig in the python” by author David Cork (a Canadian businessman) and the “sandwich generation.” Adding that they lived well, grew up in relative abundance and, some say, expected their Social Security, health care and government support to be there as they grew old. Now, as the future of the country’s economy is up in the air, is this group of 80 million aging Americans – many of whom are sprinting toward retirement age – the ones to blame for the nation’s shaky economic system? THE ANSWER IS NOT SO SIMPLE.

Baby boomers grew up during relative prosperity, from the economic boom of the post-World War II '50s to the "Me" generation of the '60s through the lucrative up tick in the Reagan '80s. And then there were the budget surpluses they enjoyed during the Clinton '90s. As a result, many were able to buy second homes, take out loans at low interest rates, buy cheap gas and pump money back into the economy. Life was good, many say, until September 2008.

In the last days of the Bush administration, the economy went belly-up, forcing Washington to bail out Wall Street in order to prevent another Great Depression. "Keep in mind that our parents who lived through the depression understand what adversity looks like. I'm not sure baby boomers know what that looks like," said David Cork,

"An analysis of data from the past three censuses shows that because of baby boomers' "aging in place," the population of those age 45 and over grew 18 times as fast as the population under age 45 between 2000 and 2010, said William Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute.

Frey's report also found that the baby boomers (or "pre-seniors," as he called them) are "growing rapidly in all areas of the country," including college towns like Austin, Texas, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Madison, Wisconsin. Regions experiencing the fastest senior -- age 65 and older -- growth are in the Sun Belt, which stretches from Western states such as California and Arizona east to Florida, according to the report.

Frey, also a boomer, said that although his generation is not necessarily taking the entitlement programs that their parents are, they can see what's coming down the road. "They're not trying to skim off money from everybody else," he said. "It's just that these are issues that are now front and center for them where they weren't before."

Still, as a generation, they will have paid less into the Social Security system than they are expected to take out. According to a report from the Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees, the Social Security system is expected to be solvent until about 2037 -- largely because of the surplus in the Trust Fund -- even though the payroll taxes flowing in stop being enough to cover the expenses flowing out in 2017.

Thomas Firey, a senior editor at the conservative Cato Institute and member of generation X, said it's unclear as to what's going to happen to Social Security. "Under current law, what's supposed to happen is once the trust fund runs dry, the benefits are to be cut by roughly 25% to bring it back into balance. Each year's income will equalize the outflow," said Frey, who wrote a 2001 column titled "Boomers Fleece Generation X with Social Security."But no one expects that to happen. (So) are we going to raise taxes on current workers? Are we going to get rid of the tax?"

But criticizing baby boomers is not necessarily a politically wise thing to do, especially when it comes to their voting behavior. Older voters consistently turn out in elections and are a key demographic for politicians on both sides of the aisle. Jerry Shereshewsky, the self-described "chief grown-up" at the firm GrownUpMarketing, is a baby boomer. The 65-year-old said it's not his generation group to blame, it's Congress'.

"It was not a secret that this largest cohort in American history was going to get older every year," he said. "The fact that Congress has not done a very good job of keeping up with what is really happening in the world: life expectancy, better medical care. You give people a lot of cake and ice cream they're going to eat it."

Frey added that any good demographer would have told you 20 years ago that "we would be hitting the wall around now. But it hasn't seemed to sink in for folks on Capitol Hill or anywhere else." Shereshewsky also issued a stern warning to those in Congress who may blame boomers for today's economic problems.

"If you want to look through the telescope and say who should be getting beaten up here a little bit, I would say every member of the legislative branch for the last 30 years should be taken outside and spanked, because they did really stupid things," he said. "Why did they increase these benefits? They get votes. Why don't they raise taxes? They're afraid someone's not going to vote for them."

David Certner, legislative policy director for the AARP, said the country got into its debt mess not because of older Americans but because of Washington's out-of-control spending. "The problem we're in today was caused by things we've done in the last two years, in particular engaging in two wars that haven't been paid for in any way, shape or form -- as well as the fact that we've had a significant drop in revenues partly as a result of our changes in the tax laws," he said.

Certner added that it's the rising health care costs that should worry all Americans. "Health care costs are burdening people right now who are trying to pay for it. ... We need to get the whole health care cost problem under control, because it really does put a crimp on the rest of the economy," he said. "People who are working now are probably seeing their wages go up slower because more of their money is going to health care costs."

And that's something 23-year-old Jordan Balkin is finding out at least when it comes to how much comes out of her paycheck for entitlement programs. "It's a little less than 1%. But when you add it up, it's about $100, which would be nice to use towards other things, especially not knowing if I will get a chance to see that money in the future," said Balkin, who works in social media in Washington.

As for whether she's worried about her own retirement, Balkin -- part of what's described as generation Y -- said she can only hope that some of the money will be returned. For now, it's all about the present. "I just keep thinking about saving for the near future when I want to have a family, buy a house," she said. "I mean, there is that offhand dream that I'll win the lottery -- hey, someone's got to be a winner."


Cigars...
Fire Up with Jose’s top suggestions!
July 30, 2011
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor
Camacho Corojo Churchill Natural
Ashton Classic Corona
Partagas Aristocrat
Oliva Series V Torpedo
Arturo Fuente Maduro
Nub Habano
La Gloria Cubana Series R #4 Maduro

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Today’s Highlights...
Jack Moriarity of the International Union of Police Associations and Millie Herrera for the DNC
July 30, 2011
Orlando, FL — During the past weeks the headlines were centered on the debt ceiling as many media personalities as well as radio hosts including our own, Jose Miranda, covered the issues surrounding “no taxes must be raised” to “Unions, Immigration, the Rezoning in Florida and its effects on Voters, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid” and other issues directly affecting many Americans regardless of those who believe we are too liberal in our thinking.

When Politicians conveniently use this agenda as their cause for debates and cross fires stating reduction of these programs would reduce the national debt substantially while excluding the top 2% of America’s wealthiest from the process then we have become too self-serving and much too removed from acting in the interest of the people.

Americans need jobs and though we all agree a cutback to offset the national debt is important why are we so ready to toss programs that millions of people have paid into. Many of our citizens who are social security and military recipients anxiously wonder if they are going to receive their checks. While the rest of the country including our middle-class society, are left frustrated because they are unable to find gainful employment. Meanwhile, our politicians continue to play cat and mouse with the American people.

Furthermore, to allege this will be the largest debt increase under the Obama administration is clearly a misnomer. The total percentage increase for the Democrats to date (including President Obama proposed increase) is 152%. Much less than that of President Reagan alone who increased the debt ceiling by 199% during his two terms in office and Bush 90% during his one term.

YSL host Jose Miranda has been speaking vigorously on this subject stating its time for the silent majority to stand up and speak out. When the GOP’s focus is in cuts that affect the lower classes of American society then there can be no compromises. As with any budget there needs to be a balance to offset the debit and the only solution is in increasing the revenue (taxes). Moreover, the burden should be shouldered by all Americans.

But, this is just an hour show so rather than continue the course we draw your attention back to YSL host Jose Miranda who makes a colorful presentation when introducing this week’s guest: Jack Moriarity of the International Union of Police Associations and Millie Herrera of the DNC.

After a brief intermission, Jose presents Millie Herrera. Herrera is well-known throughout the Dade-Miami County as she ran for State Representative (D) in 2010 and continues her involvement in the DNC. When asked, “What has the Democratic Party been doing all this time when all I keep hearing is what the GOP has done?

Herrera doesn’t hesitate to say, “The President has been doing everything in his power to protect the interest of the citizens of this country. He is also looking to pay a debt that the US has incurred and to pay this we need the monies. Therefore, we need to raise the debt. He’s not interested in playing politics but genuinely concerned about governing this country. And as far as everything else goes, people see the pettiness of the Congress and are listening to the self-interest of the GOP. They are not for the people.”

“In addition, there’s been a lot of misinformation during the past 12 months but the reality is that the president has created 1.3 million new jobs in 2010 through the stimulus and other incentives in the private sectors contrary to what the GOP has been saying.” Wow! That was quite informative. There is more to this conversation and Ms. Herrera not only is she engaging but very much on point. For more details of this dialogue go to the show’s archives.

Next, Jose introduces Jack Moriarity. Moriarity is an authority on the subject of “unions” and since the topic has been tossed around a bit in the studio it was time to bring in an expert. As a society we have short memories and tend to forget the good that’s come about by having unions but rather stay fixated on the injustices that unions have caused. Hopefully after listening to Mr. Moriarity of the International Union of Police Association (IUPA), we can strive to achieve a balance or at least get our listeners and readers to look at another side so that they can make an informed decision concerning unions.

Jose moves in and directly poses a question to Moriarity. Why should we care about unions? Jack answered, “The unions have attorneys that will fight for you and arbitrate with employers to get jobs reinstated with no tax or penalties to the employees. Unions help raise wages of its members and reduce wage inequality for low- and middle-wage workers. Plus, they set a pay standard that nonunion employers follow.”

Then Jose asked, “How do we get the general public to understand that unions are not the problem?” Jack responded, “Well, look at Florida. It’s the good old boy network!” At this point a caller, Katie Brown, joins the discussion. She adds that Florida is already a right-to-work state so you don’t have to belong to a union to hold a job but established that it’s all politics and confirmed Jack’s comment about it being a good old boy network! Jack then said, “Unions pulled an estimated $26 million. Where in the government can they say they did that? For more on this discussion, go to our archived show.

Well that concludes another hour of YSL. Tune in next week to see what’s brewing at Yo Soy Latino.


Fashion...
Summer Makeup — Keeping it Fresh and Flawless in the Summer Heat
July 30, 2011
To a woman beauty and fashion are inseparable. After all, where would we be without hair and makeup! The best way to enhance your appearance is by adding those finishing touches that will bring out one's individual beauty. Creating a suitable canvas for the image she wishes to portray.

Typically during these summer days when the thermostat rises, it is important to keep your makeup fresh. So, as a foundation, a good choice would be a mineral base make-up. This will give a beautiful finish to your face while adding some natural sun protection. Plus, the minerals in the powder absorb the oil and moisture that are so common in summer humidity.

Try to avoid cream shadows for they tend to cake and crease during these warm summer days and they do give a sloppy and heavier look. However, mineral powders come in a variety of colors and with a small wet brush will give your eyes a light finish that lasts. Plus it will protect your eyes against UVA and UVB rays!

When using mascara consider black-browns or brown for summer, particularly if you are starting to develop fine lines around the eyes. Try to stay away from deep black mascara as you get better results that way.

For summer lips choose light corals or pinks as your lip coverage. Lip liners are not really necessary; and, always protect your lips to keep them soft and healthy from the UV rays. Steer clear of using glossy lip shines that have no sun protection. Keep in mind that the gloss actually attracts the rays which can lead to lip cancer.

However, and this is key, locking in moisture and protecting your skin during these months is crucial! Choose a moisturizer that provides sufficient sun protection as well as a hint of tint for a more bronzed look, especially if you are one who does not use foundation of any kind.

Now you can make your summer look fresh and flawless regardless of the heat.


Sports Box...
July 30, 2011
Baseball
Top Two Teams in Each Division — Standings: W/L
(MLB.MLB.com) As of Friday, 7.29.11
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East:
Boston (64-39)
NY Yankees (61-41)
Central:
Detroit (56-50)
Cleveland (52-50)
West:
Texas (60-47)
Los Angeles (58-49)

NATIONAL LEAGUE
East:
Philadelphia (65-39)
Atlanta (61-45)
Central:
Milwaukee (57-49)
Pittsburgh (54-49)
West:
San Francisco (61-44)
Arizona (57-48)

Basketball
Lawrence Frank Accepts Offer
Auburn Hills, Mich. (ESPN NBA) — Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher Friday that Frank has accepted a four-year deal — the fourth year is a team option — with the Detroit Pistons to be their new coach, and news conference to announce the deal is scheduled for next week. Frank was 225-241 as coach of the Nets, who advanced to the conference semifinals three times with him at the helm.

Football
Nnamdi Asomugha Agrees to Sign With Eagles
Bethlehem, Pa. (ESPN/NFL) — Philadelphia has become quite the attractive free-agent destination of late. On Friday, Nnamdi Asomugha and the Eagles join in on the party. Asomugha’s deal will pay him $60 million over the life of it, with $25 million guaranteed. Even though he has just three interceptions in the last three years, Asomugha is considered one of the top cover cornerbacks in the NFL, and was courted by several high-profile teams, including the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. He’s one of the best—if not the best—cornerback in the National Football League,” Reid said.


Wines...
Top Choices for under $25
July 30, 2011
2008 Jenkins Spirit Hawk Chardonnay
2008 Franciscan Sauvignon Blanc
2008 Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare
2007 Healdsburg Ranches Unoaked Chardonnay
2008 Clif Family Winery The Climber
2008 Lander-Jenkins Spirit Hawk Chardonnay
2006 Camelot Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Snap Dragon California Red Wine
2006 Ten Mile The Broken Road


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...
Cocktail Meatballs
July 30, 2011
When entertaining add these tasty meatballs to your menu as they will disappear quickly before serving your main course. Place them in a chafing dish or on a platter with toothpicks as a satisfying snack. It’s sure to please any men in attendance.

Serving: Makes About 4 Dozen Mini-Meatballs • Time: 1 HR (Active 25 MIN)

Ingredients:
5 slices of packaged white sandwich bread
1 cup milk
3 large eggs, beaten
1 small white onion, minced
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground mace
2 pounds lean ground beef
Vegetable oil, for brushing
1 cup ketchup
½ cup currant jelly
½ cup dry Sherry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Preheat the broiler. In a large bowl, soak the bread in the milk for 1 minute, until softened. Squeeze out the excess milk and return the bread to the bowl. Add the eggs, onion, salt, paprika, dry mustard, pepper and mace and mix until smooth. Add the ground beef and mix until evenly combined.

Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Using a 2-tablespoon-size ice cream scoop, form the meat into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll until smooth. Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet and brush the tops with oil. Broil 10 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes, shifting the sheet occasionally, until the meatballs are sizzling and browned.

Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Using a 2-tablespoon-size ice cream scoop, form the meat into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll until smooth. Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet and brush the tops with oil. Broil 10 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes, shifting the sheet occasionally, until the meatballs are sizzling and browned.

Using a slotted spoon, add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over low heat until thickly glazed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a bowl and serve with picks.

Source: foodandwine.com, contributor: Debra Shaw.


Health...
Why is Vitamin D Important?
July 30, 2011
More and more research is showing just how important vitamin D is to your overall health. It is vital for the immune system, regulating inflammation, calcium absorption, and decreasing the risk for chronic diseases. It is estimated that 70 percent of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone that the body creates naturally from diet and sunshine. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is available from plants, and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is created from exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays from sunlight. The kidneys are responsible for turning these forms into calcitrol, the active form of the vitamin.

Vitamin D3, the kind synthesized from sunlight, is the most bio-available form to the body. A recent study from Denmark showed that vitamin D3 greatly increases immunity. When vitamin D deficiency is present, the body’s T cells will lie dormant and not react to a harmful invader. The T cells rely on vitamin D to become active and fight an infection, so when you are deficient, your immune system is sluggish. “When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or ‘antenna’ known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D,” said Carsten Geisler of Copenhagen University’s department of international health, immunology and microbiology, who led the study. “This means the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.” Current research also suggests that vitamin D is crucial for cellular health.

It seems that vitamin D deficiency makes us vulnerable to developing serious diseases over time. Maintaining a strong and vibrant immune system is something that should be practiced daily, not just when you are sick. Exercise, sunshine and a varied whole-foods diet are all effective daily tools for keeping your immune system in tip-top shape. Supplements such as medicinal mushrooms, herbs, and probiotics also benefit the immune system.
Source: lookhealthy.org

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Politics...
Boehner’s Debt-Reduction bill Dies in Senate
July 30, 2011
Washington (CNN) — Just two hours after the Republican-led House passed a hard-fought plan to raise the debt limit, the Democrat-led Senate followed through on their vow to vote the plan down.

The vote to table the House bill, which required a simple majority, was 59-41.
The votes come just four days before the Obama administration's deadline for raising the nation's $14.3 billion debt limit. Senate Democrats will now move forward on their own plan with an eye on crating a compromise that could pass both chambers of Congress. Lawmakers plan to work through the weekend in an attempt to craft a deal and avoid what the Obama administration and economists cast as a potential economic catastrophe.

There are already signs of strain, however. Even before the Senate voted down the House bill, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said he would not negotiate with his Democratic counterpart, Majority Leader Harry Reid, though he said he would consider direct negotiations with the president.

Special report: America's debt battle House GOP - finally - passes debt limit plan
Immediately following the vote tabling the House plan, Reid and McConnell engaged in an unusual debate on the Senate floor regarding Reid's own debt plan. McConnell sought a cloture vote that would have allowed an immediate final vote on Reid's proposal with a likely unachievable 60-vote threshold for passage. Reid was left trying to delay action on his own legislation, arguing that it should face a simple-majority vote.

The House Republican plan would initially reduce spending by $917 billion over ten years and increase the debt limit enough to cover about six months. Senate Democrats say the plan is unacceptable because it would create economic uncertainty and force another painful debt limit debate at the end of the year.

House Speaker John Boehner had to withdraw a planned vote on the plan Thursday night because the Tea Party-aligned fiscal conservatives in his caucus said it did not go far enough to address the nation's debt and deficit. He was able to win enough votes for passage Friday by requiring that the next debt ceiling increase be tied to passage of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution - something that would require a two thirds majority in both the House and the Senate.

Even with that sweetener, the bill barely passed the House, 218 to 210 - with the support of no Democrats. 22 Republicans voted against the bill, including presidential candidates Reps. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul. Eleven of the 22 no votes were from House freshmen. Republicans needed 216 votes for passage.

An angry-sounding Boehner complained on the House floor shortly before the vote that he "stuck my neck out a mile to try to get an agreement with the President of the United States," but that "a lot of people in this town can never say yes." To cheers from his caucus, he called on Democrats and the White House to "end this crisis now."

There is virtually no chance that a balanced budget amendment could get the two-thirds majority necessary for passage in both chambers. (To go into effect, it would also need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states.) If Congress ends up passing some sort of compromise legislation between the Senate and House plans, the balanced budget amendment will almost surely be stripped out.

"Now that yet another political exercise is behind us, with time dwindling, leaders need to start working together immediately to reach a compromise that avoids default and lays the basis for balanced deficit reduction," White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement after the House vote.

"Senator Reid's proposal is a basis for that compromise," he continued. "It not only achieves more deficit reduction than the bill passed in the House today and puts a process in place to achieve even more savings it also removes the uncertainty surrounding the risk of default. The President urges Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to find common ground on a plan that can get support from both parties in the House - a plan the President can sign by Tuesday."

The Senate Democratic plan would cut around $2 trillion in spending and extend the nation's borrowing authority through 2012. It's not clear that the plan has the 60 votes necessarily get out of the Senate, however, let alone pass the Republican-led House. And Boehner could simply opt not to bring the plan to the House floor.

The plan makes similar cuts to the first step of the Boehner plan, but it also includes about $1 trillion in savings tied to ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- something the United States is already planning to do. Republicans say the Reid plan is grounded in accounting tricks and doesn't do enough to address the nation's massive deficit and debt problem.

The House plans to take up Reid's bill Saturday to show it cannot pass the House.

Without a deal, the United States will soon run out of money, causing the nation to stop payment on some of its obligations, potentially including Social Security payments, and risk default on its debt. Default would lower the U.S. credit rating, having a negative impact on the global economy as well as increasing the cost of borrowing for the government and individuals.

Source: CBS.


Breakdown of Debt Ceiling Increases BEFORE Obama by Presidency:

Dwight D. Eisenhower (R): 4
John F. Kennedy (D): 5
Lyndon B. Johnson (D): 7
Richard M. Nixon (R): 7
Gerald R. Ford (R): 6
Jimmy Carter (D): 6
Ronald Reagan (R): 18
George H. W. Bush (R): 5 (added $8.35 Trillion in debt)
Bill Clinton (D): 4 (only added $2 Trillion)
George W. Bush (R): 7