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Newsvine - compilationhttp://www.newsvine.com/compilationNewsvine - compilationen-usCopyright 2013Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:48:25 +0000Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:35:11 +0000http://www.newsvine.comhttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssWHY IT MATTERS: Issues at stake in election http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/10/23/14652820-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionhttp://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/10/23/14652820-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionusapitus-newswhymatterscompilationWed, 24 Oct 2012 00:47:14 +0000http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post

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FILE - This Aug. 12, 2012 file photo shows a bullet hole on a door frame inside the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. Frightening episodes of gun violence have been splayed across front pages with alarming frequency this campaign season: The movie theater killings in Colorado, the Sikh temple shootings in Wisconsin, the gun battle outside the Empire State Building, and more. Guns are used in two-thirds of homicides, according to the FBI. But the murder rate is less than half what it was two decades ago. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)FILE - In this April 21, 2009, photo, then-Lt. General Keith Alexander, who was then-director of the National Security Agency, speaks at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Without warning, the electricity goes out, leaving you and your family in the dark for days, perhaps weeks. Or the gates of a dam holding back millions of gallons of water open suddenly and flood towns below. Or pipes in a chemical plant rupture, releasing deadly gas. Any one, or all, of these nightmare scenarios could be invisibly set in motion by hackers, terrorist groups or foreign governments with the motivation and technical know-how. Alexander, head of U.S. Cyber Command, has rated the countrys preparedness for a major cyberattack as poor, a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)FILE This April 21, 2006 file photo shows the statue of the bull, on Wall Street in Downtown Manhattan, New York. The 2008 financial crisis roiled the banking system and swamped the global economy, leaving millions of Americans jobless, underemployed or facing foreclosure. In its wake, Congress set out to overhaul how the government oversees Wall Street. The result was a sprawling law, the Dodd-Frank Act, which aims to prevent future crises by giving the government new tools and restricting banks' activities. The law may make future crises less likely, but it increases costs for companies, especially banks, and their customers. (AP Photo/David Karp, File)FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2012 file photo, gay marriage supporters gather at a rally outside of City Hall in Portland, Maine, in support of an upcoming ballot question that seeks to legalize same-sex marriage. On one aspect of whether same-sex couples should have the right to marry, both sides agree: The issue defines what kind of nation we are. Half a dozen states and the District of Columbia have made history by legalizing it, but its prohibited elsewhere, and 30 states have placed bans in their constitutions. (AP Photo/Joel Page, File)FILE - In this Dec. 5, 2011 file photo, Occupy DC protesters watch morning commuters walk through McPherson Square in Washington. The income gap between the rich and everyone else is large and getting larger, while middle-class incomes stagnate. That's raised concerns that the nation's middle class isn't sharing in economic growth as it has in the past. And it sparked the Wall Street protests that spread to other cities in the country. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2011 file photo, Joe Lubbers, left, and Rick McKee display a sign in front of the Statehouse before start of Organization Day in Indianapolis. Union members rallied at the Statehouse ahead of a 2012 session that was to be dominated by "right-to-work" legislation. A unionized job once meant a secure path to a middle class life. Labor unions are still big political players. But they have seen a steady decline in membership and clout since their heyday in the 1950s. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)FILE - This June 20, 2012 file photo shows the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. With four justices in their seventies, odds are good that whoever is elected in November will have a chance to fill at least one Supreme Court seat. The next justice could dramatically alter the direction of a court closely divided between conservatives and liberals. One new face on the bench could mean a sea change in how millions get health care, shape the rights of gay Americans and much more. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2011 file photo, Carol Gay, of Brick, N.J., holds a sign saying "Tax the Rich," as several groups including the Peoples Uprisings, October 2011 Coalition, and Occupy DC, "occupy" Freedom Plaza in Washington. The income gap between the rich and everyone else is large and getting larger, while middle-class incomes stagnate. That's raised concerns that the nation's middle class isn't sharing in economic growth as it has in the past. And it sparked the Wall Street protests that spread to other cities in the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)FILE- In this Nov. 5, 2009, file photo, an entrance to Fort Hood Army Base in Fort Hood, Texas, near Killeen remains in lock-down following a mass shooting. Osama bin Laden is dead and there hasnt been a successful attack by al-Qaida-inspired extremists on U.S. soil since the deadly shooting rampage in Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. But the danger of terrorism remains a reality for Americans, as seen in the attack in Libya in September that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. (AP Photo/Jack Plunkett)FILE - In this this May 10, 2012 file photo, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin E. Dempsey take part in a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, on the defense budget. Is the U.S. spending enough money on defense, and is it spending it in the right ways? In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks the money spigot was turned wide open, pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and expanding the armed forces. Now thats changing, and an important issue in the election is whether budget cuts have gone too far. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2011, file photo, a truck leaves a port in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province. Cheap imports of goods from China have benefited American consumers and helped keep inflation down. But those imports have hurt American manufacturers, and many U.S.-based companies outsource production to China to cut costs, which has also caused U.S. job losses. One study estimated that between 2001 and 2010, 2.8 million U.S. jobs were lost or displaced to China, the world's second largest economy. (AP Photo) CHINA OUTFILE - This May 17, 2012 file photo show the steel skeleton for the eastern end of the new Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland sits next to the existing span. Much of Americas infrastructure, including its interstate highway system, is more than half a century old and in need of serious work to keep pace with a rising population. Highway, rail and airport bottlenecks slow the movement of goods and commuters, costing billions in wasted time and fuel and even measurably slowing the economy. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)FILE - In this March 16, 2011 file photo, exhaust rises from smokestacks in front of piles of coal at NRG Energy's W.A. Parish Electric Generating Station in Thompsons, Texas. Everyone wants clean air and water. But people also want to drive their cars whenever they wish and light up a room by flipping a switch. Its a never-ending balancing act for government as it tries to protect health and the environment while promoting economic growth and jobs. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)FILE - This June 19, 2012 file photo shows a US soldier, part of the NATO forces, patrols a police station in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan. U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan, nearly 11 years after they invaded. Why? The answer boils down to one word: al-Qaida. The goal is to damage the terrorist group enough to prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks. (AP Photo/Allauddin Khan, File)FILE - This Oct. 9, 2012 file photo shows protesters kicking a police barrier during a protest in front of the parliament in Athens. Europe is struggling to control a debt crisis, save the euro currency and stop a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis that sent the world spinning into recession. The continents troubles are the No. 1 threat to the fragile U.S. economy. If the crisis spreads to the U.S., Americans could find it harder to get loans and the country could slip back into recession. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2012 file photo, smoke rises in this time exposure image from the stacks of the La Cygne Generating Station coal-fired power plant in La Cygne, Kan. This year the nationís weather has been hotter and more extreme than ever, federal records show. Yet there are two people who arenít talking about it, and they both happen to be running for president. In 2009, President Barack Obama proposed a bill that would have capped power plant carbon dioxide emissions and allowed trading of credits for the right to emit greenhouse gases, but the measure died in Congress. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, FilrIn this Oct. 20, 2012, photo, election workers Elena Soto, left, and Dave Carlson post early voting signs for a polling place along Frank Sinatra Blvd. behind The Mirage Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas. The nation's complexion is rapidly changing. A more racially and ethnically diverse population is rising so that, perhaps within three decades, whites will no longer be the majority. That means shifts in political power, the risk of intensified racial tensions and also the opportunity to forge a multiracial society unlike anything in America's past. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2012 file photo, a new Apple iPhone 5 is on display following the introduction of new products in San Francisco. With unemployment painfully high, its not surprising that fears over outsourcing, which first surfaced in the mid-2000s, have returned. Unemployment topped 8 percent for 43 months from February 2009 through August 2012, the longest stretch since the Great Depression. It dipped to 7.8 percent in September. Also fueling fears is the decision by Apple and other high-tech companies to manufacture many of their goods in China. That suggests it isnt just low-skilled jobs in industries such as textiles that are being lost. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2012 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows an illustration as he describes his concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions during his address to the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters. As concern intensifies over Iran's nuclear program and the rise of Islamist governments in the Middle East, America's top ally in the region, Israel, has become increasingly wary. Israel's security has been a U.S. foreign policy priority of both Democratic and Republican administrations since the Jewish state was created in 1948. Although small in size and population, Israel has significant influence in Washington and presidents of both parties have pledged their commitment to its defense. And it's always a potential flashpoint in a region that the U.S. depends on for oil. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)FILE - This April 19, 2011 file photo shows a member of the National Guard checking on his colleague inside a Border Patrol Skybox near the Hidalgo International Bridge in Hidalgo, Texas. Illegal immigration has slowed in recent years, with the Border Patrol recently recording the fewest arrests in almost 40 years. But many people worry that the Mexican border, the most popular crossing point for newly arriving illegal immigrants, still isnt secure more than a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Delcia Lopez, File)FILE - This March 28, 2012 file photo shows Janis Haddon,of Atlanta, holding a glove with a message outside the Supreme Court in Washington as the court concluded three days of hearing arguments on the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Americas health care system is unsustainable. Its not one problem, but three combined: high cost, uneven quality and millions uninsured. Major changes will keep coming. Every family will be affected. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)FILE - This June 12, 2012 file photo shows a Syrian revolutionary flag waving on top of a building on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria. Syria's conflict is the most violent to emerge from last year's Arab Spring. The protests started peacefully but prompted a brutal crackdown by President Bashar Assad's government. The fighting has escalated into a civil war that has killed just over 30,000 people over the last year and a half, according to activists. Despite intervening in Libya, the United States has steered clear of taking military action or arming Syria's rebels. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2012 file photo, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flashes a victory sign in Tehran, Iran. With the Iraq war over and Afghanistan winding down, Iran is the most likely place for a new U.S. military conflict. Despite unprecedented global sanctions, Irans nuclear program is advancing. The United States and other Western nations fear the Islamic republic is determined to develop nuclear weapons and fundamentally reshape the balance of power in the Middle East, while posing a grave threat to Israel. Iran insists its program is solely designed for peaceful energy and medical research purposes. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)WHY IT MATTERS: Issues at stake in election http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/10/19/14560745-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionhttp://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/10/19/14560745-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionuspoliticsitwhymatterscompilationFri, 19 Oct 2012 17:46:16 +0000http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post

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In this photo taken March 30, 2009, file photo General Motors workers view President Barack Obama's talk about the auto industry bailout in Detroit. The government bailout of General Motors and Chrysler is one of the most polarizing issues of the presidential campaign. Many Americans wonder why $62 billion in tax dollars went to keeping the two automakers afloat in 2008 and 2009. There's little doubt the bailout saved the automakers and huge numbers of jobs. But there's also little chance the government will get all its money back. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2009, file photo, a memorial to victims of the Fort Hood shooting is shown before the start of a memorial service, to be attended by President Barack Obama, at Fort Hood, Texas. Osama bin Laden is dead and there hasnt been a successful attack by al-Qaida-inspired extremists on U.S. soil since the deadly shooting rampage in Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. But the danger of terrorism remains a reality for Americans, as seen in the attack in Libya in September that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam, File)FILE - In this March 22, 2012 file photo, a pumpjack is silhouetted against the setting sun in Oklahoma City. Americans depend on energy for everything from driving their cars to powering factories, homes and offices — and of course our smart phones, laptops and tablets. How that energy is produced and where it comes from affect jobs, the economy and the environment. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2012 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows an illustration as he describes his concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions during his address to the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters. As concern intensifies over Iran's nuclear program and the rise of Islamist governments in the Middle East, America's top ally in the region, Israel, has become increasingly wary. Israel's security has been a U.S. foreign policy priority of both Democratic and Republican administrations since the Jewish state was created in 1948. Although small in size and population, Israel has significant influence in Washington and presidents of both parties have pledged their commitment to its defense. And it's always a potential flashpoint in a region that the U.S. depends on for oil. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)FILE - This Aug. 12, 2012 file photo shows a bullet hole on a door frame inside the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. Frightening episodes of gun violence have been splayed across front pages with alarming frequency this campaign season: The movie theater killings in Colorado, the Sikh temple shootings in Wisconsin, the gun battle outside the Empire State Building, and more. Guns are used in two-thirds of homicides, according to the FBI. But the murder rate is less than half what it was two decades ago. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)FILE - In this April 21, 2009, photo, then-Lt. General Keith Alexander, who was then-director of the National Security Agency, speaks at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Without warning, the electricity goes out, leaving you and your family in the dark for days, perhaps weeks. Or the gates of a dam holding back millions of gallons of water open suddenly and flood towns below. Or pipes in a chemical plant rupture, releasing deadly gas. Any one, or all, of these nightmare scenarios could be invisibly set in motion by hackers, terrorist groups or foreign governments with the motivation and technical know-how. Alexander, head of U.S. Cyber Command, has rated the countrys preparedness for a major cyberattack as poor, a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)FILE This April 21, 2006 file photo shows the statue of the bull, on Wall Street in Downtown Manhattan, New York. The 2008 financial crisis roiled the banking system and swamped the global economy, leaving millions of Americans jobless, underemployed or facing foreclosure. In its wake, Congress set out to overhaul how the government oversees Wall Street. The result was a sprawling law, the Dodd-Frank Act, which aims to prevent future crises by giving the government new tools and restricting banks' activities. The law may make future crises less likely, but it increases costs for companies, especially banks, and their customers. (AP Photo/David Karp, File)FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2012 file photo, gay marriage supporters gather at a rally outside of City Hall in Portland, Maine, in support of an upcoming ballot question that seeks to legalize same-sex marriage. On one aspect of whether same-sex couples should have the right to marry, both sides agree: The issue defines what kind of nation we are. Half a dozen states and the District of Columbia have made history by legalizing it, but its prohibited elsewhere, and 30 states have placed bans in their constitutions. (AP Photo/Joel Page, File)FILE - In this Dec. 5, 2011 file photo, Occupy DC protesters watch morning commuters walk through McPherson Square in Washington. The income gap between the rich and everyone else is large and getting larger, while middle-class incomes stagnate. That's raised concerns that the nation's middle class isn't sharing in economic growth as it has in the past. And it sparked the Wall Street protests that spread to other cities in the country. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2011 file photo, Joe Lubbers, left, and Rick McKee display a sign in front of the Statehouse before start of Organization Day in Indianapolis. Union members rallied at the Statehouse ahead of a 2012 session that was to be dominated by "right-to-work" legislation. A unionized job once meant a secure path to a middle class life. Labor unions are still big political players. But they have seen a steady decline in membership and clout since their heyday in the 1950s. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)FILE - This June 20, 2012 file photo shows the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. With four justices in their seventies, odds are good that whoever is elected in November will have a chance to fill at least one Supreme Court seat. The next justice could dramatically alter the direction of a court closely divided between conservatives and liberals. One new face on the bench could mean a sea change in how millions get health care, shape the rights of gay Americans and much more. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2011 file photo, Carol Gay, of Brick, N.J., holds a sign saying "Tax the Rich," as several groups including the Peoples Uprisings, October 2011 Coalition, and Occupy DC, "occupy" Freedom Plaza in Washington. The income gap between the rich and everyone else is large and getting larger, while middle-class incomes stagnate. That's raised concerns that the nation's middle class isn't sharing in economic growth as it has in the past. And it sparked the Wall Street protests that spread to other cities in the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)FILE- In this Nov. 5, 2009, file photo, an entrance to Fort Hood Army Base in Fort Hood, Texas, near Killeen remains in lock-down following a mass shooting. Osama bin Laden is dead and there hasnt been a successful attack by al-Qaida-inspired extremists on U.S. soil since the deadly shooting rampage in Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. But the danger of terrorism remains a reality for Americans, as seen in the attack in Libya in September that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. (AP Photo/Jack Plunkett)FILE - In this this May 10, 2012 file photo, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin E. Dempsey take part in a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, on the defense budget. Is the U.S. spending enough money on defense, and is it spending it in the right ways? In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks the money spigot was turned wide open, pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and expanding the armed forces. Now thats changing, and an important issue in the election is whether budget cuts have gone too far. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2011, file photo, a truck leaves a port in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province. Cheap imports of goods from China have benefited American consumers and helped keep inflation down. But those imports have hurt American manufacturers, and many U.S.-based companies outsource production to China to cut costs, which has also caused U.S. job losses. One study estimated that between 2001 and 2010, 2.8 million U.S. jobs were lost or displaced to China, the world's second largest economy. (AP Photo) CHINA OUTFILE - This May 17, 2012 file photo show the steel skeleton for the eastern end of the new Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland sits next to the existing span. Much of Americas infrastructure, including its interstate highway system, is more than half a century old and in need of serious work to keep pace with a rising population. Highway, rail and airport bottlenecks slow the movement of goods and commuters, costing billions in wasted time and fuel and even measurably slowing the economy. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)FILE - In this March 16, 2011 file photo, exhaust rises from smokestacks in front of piles of coal at NRG Energy's W.A. Parish Electric Generating Station in Thompsons, Texas. Everyone wants clean air and water. But people also want to drive their cars whenever they wish and light up a room by flipping a switch. Its a never-ending balancing act for government as it tries to protect health and the environment while promoting economic growth and jobs. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)FILE - This June 19, 2012 file photo shows a US soldier, part of the NATO forces, patrols a police station in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan. U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan, nearly 11 years after they invaded. Why? The answer boils down to one word: al-Qaida. The goal is to damage the terrorist group enough to prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks. (AP Photo/Allauddin Khan, File)FILE - This Oct. 9, 2012 file photo shows protesters kicking a police barrier during a protest in front of the parliament in Athens. Europe is struggling to control a debt crisis, save the euro currency and stop a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis that sent the world spinning into recession. The continents troubles are the No. 1 threat to the fragile U.S. economy. If the crisis spreads to the U.S., Americans could find it harder to get loans and the country could slip back into recession. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2012 file photo, smoke rises in this time exposure image from the stacks of the La Cygne Generating Station coal-fired power plant in La Cygne, Kan. This year the nationís weather has been hotter and more extreme than ever, federal records show. Yet there are two people who arenít talking about it, and they both happen to be running for president. In 2009, President Barack Obama proposed a bill that would have capped power plant carbon dioxide emissions and allowed trading of credits for the right to emit greenhouse gases, but the measure died in Congress. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, FilrIn this Oct. 20, 2012, photo, election workers Elena Soto, left, and Dave Carlson post early voting signs for a polling place along Frank Sinatra Blvd. behind The Mirage Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas. The nation's complexion is rapidly changing. A more racially and ethnically diverse population is rising so that, perhaps within three decades, whites will no longer be the majority. That means shifts in political power, the risk of intensified racial tensions and also the opportunity to forge a multiracial society unlike anything in America's past. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2012 file photo, a new Apple iPhone 5 is on display following the introduction of new products in San Francisco. With unemployment painfully high, its not surprising that fears over outsourcing, which first surfaced in the mid-2000s, have returned. Unemployment topped 8 percent for 43 months from February 2009 through August 2012, the longest stretch since the Great Depression. It dipped to 7.8 percent in September. Also fueling fears is the decision by Apple and other high-tech companies to manufacture many of their goods in China. That suggests it isnt just low-skilled jobs in industries such as textiles that are being lost. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2012 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows an illustration as he describes his concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions during his address to the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters. As concern intensifies over Iran's nuclear program and the rise of Islamist governments in the Middle East, America's top ally in the region, Israel, has become increasingly wary. Israel's security has been a U.S. foreign policy priority of both Democratic and Republican administrations since the Jewish state was created in 1948. Although small in size and population, Israel has significant influence in Washington and presidents of both parties have pledged their commitment to its defense. And it's always a potential flashpoint in a region that the U.S. depends on for oil. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)FILE - This April 19, 2011 file photo shows a member of the National Guard checking on his colleague inside a Border Patrol Skybox near the Hidalgo International Bridge in Hidalgo, Texas. Illegal immigration has slowed in recent years, with the Border Patrol recently recording the fewest arrests in almost 40 years. But many people worry that the Mexican border, the most popular crossing point for newly arriving illegal immigrants, still isnt secure more than a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Delcia Lopez, File)FILE - This March 28, 2012 file photo shows Janis Haddon,of Atlanta, holding a glove with a message outside the Supreme Court in Washington as the court concluded three days of hearing arguments on the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Americas health care system is unsustainable. Its not one problem, but three combined: high cost, uneven quality and millions uninsured. Major changes will keep coming. Every family will be affected. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)FILE - This June 12, 2012 file photo shows a Syrian revolutionary flag waving on top of a building on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria. Syria's conflict is the most violent to emerge from last year's Arab Spring. The protests started peacefully but prompted a brutal crackdown by President Bashar Assad's government. The fighting has escalated into a civil war that has killed just over 30,000 people over the last year and a half, according to activists. Despite intervening in Libya, the United States has steered clear of taking military action or arming Syria's rebels. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2012 file photo, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flashes a victory sign in Tehran, Iran. With the Iraq war over and Afghanistan winding down, Iran is the most likely place for a new U.S. military conflict. Despite unprecedented global sanctions, Irans nuclear program is advancing. The United States and other Western nations fear the Islamic republic is determined to develop nuclear weapons and fundamentally reshape the balance of power in the Middle East, while posing a grave threat to Israel. Iran insists its program is solely designed for peaceful energy and medical research purposes. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)WHY IT MATTERS: Issues at stake in election http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/10/06/14262487-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionhttp://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/10/06/14262487-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionuspoliticsitwhymatterscompilationSat, 6 Oct 2012 16:53:24 +0000http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post

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FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2012, file photo, anti-abortion and abortion rights supporters stand face to face in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, during the annual March For Life rally. There's been a lot of heated talk this year by Democrats contending that Republicans are waging a "war on women." That's hyperbole, retorts the GOP, but there are indeed stark differences between the two parties over these volatile issues. However, the next president — Obama or Romney — could have huge influence over the future of abortion policy if vacancies arise on the Supreme Court. For example, if two seats held by liberal justices were vacated and filled by Romney-nominated conservatives, prospects for a reversal of Roe v. Wade would increase. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)FILE - In this March 27, 2008, file photo, the Pentagon is seen in this aerial view in Washington. Is the U.S. spending enough money on defense, and is it spending it in the right ways? In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks the money spigot was turned wide open, pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and expanding the armed forces. Now thats changing, and an important issue in the election is whether budget cuts have gone too far. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)FILE - In this April 19, 2011, file photo, a member of the National Guard checks on his colleague inside a Border Patrol Skybox near the Hidalgo International Bridge in Hidalgo, Texas. Illegal immigration has slowed in recent years, with the Border Patrol recently recording the fewest arrests in almost 40 years. But many people worry that the Mexican border, the most popular crossing point for newly arriving illegal immigrants, still isnt secure more than a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Delcia Lopez, File)FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2011 file photo, Carol Gay, of Brick, N.J., holds a sign saying "Tax the Rich," as several groups including the Peoples Uprisings, October 2011 Coalition, and Occupy DC, "occupy" Freedom Plaza in Washington. The income gap between the rich and everyone else is large and getting larger, while middle-class incomes stagnate. That's raised concerns that the nation's middle class isn't sharing in economic growth as it has in the past. And it sparked the Wall Street protests that spread to other cities in the country. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)FLE - In this Aug. 14, 1935, file photo President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Bill in Washington. For millions of retired and disabled workers today Social Security is pretty much all they have to live on, even though monthly benefits are barely enough to keep them out of poverty. Monthly payments average $1,237 for retired workers and $1,111 for disabled workers. Most older Americans rely on Social Security for a majority of their income; many rely on it for 90 percent or more, according to the Social Security Administration. (AP Photo, File)FILE - In this June 12, 2012, file photo an Amtrak commuter train moves through a crossing gate in Springfield, Ill., on its way to Chicago. From bridges to broadband, Americas infrastructure is supposed to be speeding along commerce, delivering us to work and piping energy and water into our homes and businesses. Romney shuns the idea that public-works spending is a good way to jumpstart the economy, saying decisions on worthy projects should be based on need and potential returns. He also wants to privatize Amtrak by ending federal subsidies for the money-losing passenger rail system. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)Road construction signs are seen Monday, April 30, 2012 in Springfield, Ill. Much of Americas infrastructure, including its interstate highway system, is more than half a century old and in need of serious work to keep pace with a rising population. Highway, rail and airport bottlenecks slow the movement of goods and commuters, costing billions in wasted time and fuel and even measurably slowing the economy. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2012, file photo, Connecticut Light & Power's unionized linemen rally at the state Capitol in Hartford, Conn. The union, which has been without a contract since June, rallied over what they say are inadequate staffing levels. A unionized job once meant a secure path to a middle class life. Labor unions are still big political players. But they have seen a steady decline in membership and clout since their heyday in the 1950s. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)FILE - This Oct. 9, 2012 file photo shows Greek and European Union flags fly on the top of the Finance Ministry in Athens. Europe is struggling to control a debt crisis, save the euro currency and stop a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis that sent the world spinning into recession. The continents troubles are the No. 1 threat to the fragile U.S. economy. If the crisis spreads to the U.S., Americans could find it harder to get loans and the country could slip back into recession. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis, File)FILE - In this April 21, 2009, photo, then-Lt. General Keith Alexander, who was then-director of the National Security Agency, speaks at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Without warning, the electricity goes out, leaving you and your family in the dark for days, perhaps weeks. Or the gates of a dam holding back millions of gallons of water open suddenly and flood towns below. Or pipes in a chemical plant rupture, releasing deadly gas. Any one, or all, of these nightmare scenarios could be invisibly set in motion by hackers, terrorist groups or foreign governments with the motivation and technical know-how. Alexander, head of U.S. Cyber Command, has rated the countrys preparedness for a major cyberattack as poor, a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)WHY IT MATTERS: Issues at stake in election http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/29/14151202-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionhttp://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/29/14151202-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionuspoliticsitus-newswhymatterscompilationSat, 29 Sep 2012 15:18:08 +0000http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post

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FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2012, file photo, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flashes a victory sign in Tehran, Iran. With the Iraq war over and Afghanistan winding down, Iran is the most likely place for a new U.S. military conflict. Despite unprecedented global sanctions, Irans nuclear program is advancing. The United States and other Western nations fear the Islamic republic is determined to develop nuclear weapons and fundamentally reshape the balance of power in the Middle East, while posing a grave threat to Israel. Iran insists its program is solely designed for peaceful energy and medical research purposes. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2011, file photo, a truck leaves a port in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province. Cheap imports of goods from China have benefited American consumers and helped keep inflation down. But those imports have hurt American manufacturers, and many U.S.-based companies outsource production to China to cut costs, which has also caused U.S. job losses. One study estimated that between 2001 and 2010, 2.8 million U.S. jobs were lost or displaced to China, the world's second largest economy. (AP Photo) CHINA OUTFILE - In this Friday Sept. 2, 2011, file photo, a freighter is docked at the container terminal at a port in Qingdao, in east China's Shandong province. Cheap imports of goods from China have benefited American consumers and helped keep inflation down. But those imports have hurt American manufacturers, and many U.S.-based companies outsource production to China to cut costs, which has also caused U.S. job losses. One study estimated that between 2001 and 2010, 2.8 million U.S. jobs were lost or displaced to China, the world's second largest economy. (AP Photo) CHINA OUTFILE - This June 20, 2012, file photo shows a view of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. With four justices in their seventies, odds are good that whoever is elected in November will have a chance to fill at least one Supreme Court seat. The next justice could dramatically alter the direction of a court closely divided between conservatives and liberals. One new face on the bench could mean a sea change in how millions get health care, shape the rights of gay Americans and much more. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)FILE - This Sept. 16, 2012, image released by NASA shows the amount of summer sea ice in the Arctic, at center in white, and the 1979 to 2000 average extent for the day shown, with the yellow line. Scientists say sea ice in the Arctic shrank to an all-time low of 1.32 million square miles on Sept. 16, smashing old records for the critical climate indicator. Yet there are two people who arent talking about it, and they both happen to be running for president. (AP Photo/U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center, File)FILE - In this Monday, Aug. 8, 2011, file photo, a statue of former Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin is seen outside the Treasury Building in Washington. A sea of red ink is confronting the nation and presidents to come. The budget deficit — the shortfall created when the government spends more in a given year than it collects in taxes and fees— is on track to top $1 trillion for the fourth straight year. When there's not enough to pay current bills, the government borrows, mostly by selling interest-bearing Treasury bonds, bills and notes to investors and governments worldwide. It now borrows about 40 cents for every dollar it spends. The national debt refers to the total amount the federal government owes; the deficit is just a one-year slice. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)FILE - In Oct. 6, 2009, file photo, Ed Grandis, left, and Juan D. Rondon, hold hands after a bill allowing same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia was introduced at a city council meeting in Washington. On one aspect of whether same-sex couples should have the right to marry, both sides agree: The issue defines what kind of nation we are. Half a dozen states and the District of Columbia have made history by legalizing it, but its prohibited elsewhere, and 30 states have placed bans in their constitutions. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)FILE - This Aug. 12, 2012 file photo shows a bullet hole on a door frame inside the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. Frightening episodes of gun violence have been splayed across front pages with alarming frequency this campaign season: The movie theater killings in Colorado, the Sikh temple shootings in Wisconsin, the gun battle outside the Empire State Building, and more. Guns are used in two-thirds of homicides, according to the FBI. But the murder rate is less than half what it was two decades ago. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2012 file image made from video, Syrian President Bashar Assad delivers a speech in Damascus, Syria. Syria's conflict is the most violent to emerge from last year's Arab Spring. The protests started peacefully but prompted a brutal crackdown by President Bashar Assad's government. The fighting has escalated into a civil war that has killed just over 30,000 people over the last year and a half, according to activists. Despite intervening in Libya, the United States has steered clear of taking military action or arming Syria's rebels. (AP Photo/Syrian State Television via APTN) SYRIA OUT TV OUTWHY IT MATTERS: Issues at stake in election http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/14/13863869-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionhttp://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/14/13863869-why-it-matters-issues-at-stake-in-electionusitus-newswhymatterscompilationFri, 14 Sep 2012 16:03:48 +0000http://activitystrea.ms/schema/1.0/post

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FILE - In this March 30, 2010 file photo President Barack Obama, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, and others applaud after the president signed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 at a community college in Alexandria, Va. When you vote in November 2012, you'll be voting for more than a president; you'll be casting a ballot for and against a checklist of policies that touch your life and shape the country you live in. It can be hard to see through the process that the election is a contest of actual ideas, but it is always so. A candidate's words connect to deeds in office. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)FILE - In this June 27, 2012, file photo Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks at a "Putting Jobs First" campaign rally in Sterling, Va., with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, center left. When you vote in November 2012, you'll be voting for more than a president; you'll be casting a ballot for and against a checklist of policies that touch your life and shape the country you live in. It can be hard to see through the process that the election is a contest of actual ideas, but it is always so. A candidate's words connect to deeds in office. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)FILE - In this Jan. 25, 2012, file photo President Barack Obama speaks about manufacturing and jobs during a visit to Intel Corporation's Ocotillo facility in Chandler, Ariz. As of Sept. 2012 the economy is weak and the job market brutal. Nearly 13 million Americans can't find work; the national unemployment rate is 8.1 percent, the highest level ever three years after a recession supposedly ended. Obama wants to create jobs with government spending on public works and targeted tax breaks to businesses. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, file)FILE - In this Sept. 6, 2012, file photo Republican presidential hopeful and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney talks about his plan for creating jobs and improving the economy during a speech in Las Vegas. As of Sept. 2012 the economy is weak and the job market brutal. Nearly 13 million Americans can't find work; the national unemployment rate is 8.1 percent, the highest level ever three years after a recession supposedly ended. Romney proposes to generate hiring by keeping income taxes low, slashing corporate taxes, relaxing or repealing regulations on businesses and encouraging production of oil and natural gas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)FILE - In this Jan. 25, 2012, file photo President Barack Obama speaks about manufacturing and jobs during a visit to Intel Corporation's Ocotillo facility in Chandler, Ariz. The economy is weak and the job market brutal. Nearly 13 million Americans can't find work; the national unemployment rate is 8.1 percent, the highest level ever three years after a recession supposedly ended. A divided Washington has done little to ease the misery. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)FILE - In this Sept. 6, 2011, file photo Republican presidential candidate Gov. Mitt Romney talks about his plan for creating jobs and improving the economy at McCandless International Trucks in Las Vegas. Now in 2012 the economy is weak and the job market brutal. Nearly 13 million Americans can't find work; the national unemployment rate is 8.1 percent, the highest level ever three years after a recession supposedly ended. Romney aims to generate hiring by keeping income taxes low, slashing corporate taxes, relaxing or repealing regulations on businesses and encouraging production of oil and natural gas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012 file photo, job seekers wait in line at a construction job fair in New York. The U.S. economy is weak and the job market brutal. President Barack Obama wants to create jobs with government spending on public works and targeted tax breaks to businesses. Mitt Romney aims to generate hiring by keeping income taxes low, slashing corporate taxes, relaxing or repealing regulations on businesses and encouraging production of oil and natural gas. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)FILE - This June 19, 2012 file photo shows a US soldier, part of the NATO forces, patrols a police station in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan. U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan, nearly 11 years after they invaded. Why? The answer boils down to one word: al-Qaida. The goal is to damage the terrorist group enough to prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks. (AP Photo/Allauddin Khan, File)FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pauses at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan, nearly 11 years after they invaded. Why? The answer boils down to one word: al-Qaida. The goal is to damage the terrorist group enough to prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)FILE - In this May 2, 2012 file photo, President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai walk together after they signed a strategic partnership agreement at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. U.S. troops are still in Afghanistan, nearly 11 years after they invaded. Why? The answer boils down to one word: al-Qaida. The goal is to damage the terrorist group enough to prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)FILE This Sept. 23, 2011 file photo shows John Becker, a fourth grade teacher from DC Prep Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., top row center, reacting after he was acknowledged by President Barack Obama as he stands with educators and students as he speaks about No Child Left Behind Reform in the East Room at the White House in Washington. States and local governments have the primary responsibility for education in the United States. But the federal government gets a big say, too, by awarding billions in aid that often has strings attached. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)FILE - In this May 24, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greets Justic Green during a tour of the 6th grade language arts class at the Universal Bluford Charter School in Philadelphia. States and local governments have the primary responsibility for education in the United States. But the federal government gets a big say, too, by awarding billions in aid that often has strings attached. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2012 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign fundraiser in Stamford, Conn. The issue: This presidential election is on track to cost more than $1 billion. It's a staggering tab, and those who kick in big money to cover it stand to gain outsized influence over policy decisions by whoever wins. Your voice may not be heard as loudly as a result. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gets into his car to attend a fundraising event in Nantucket, Mass. The issue: This presidential election is on track to cost more than $1 billion. It's a staggering tab, and those who kick in big money to cover it stand to gain outsized influence over policy decisions by whoever wins. Your voice may not be heard as loudly as a result. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)FILE - In this March 23, 2010 file photo, President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington. When you vote in November 2012, you'll be voting for more than a president; you'll be casting a ballot for and against a checklist of policies that touch your life and shape the country you live in. It can be hard to see through the process that the election is a contest of actual ideas, but it is always so. A candidate's words connect to deeds in office. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)FILE - In this June 28, 2012, file photo Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks about the Supreme Court's health care ruling near the U.S. Capitol in Washington. When you vote in November 2012, you'll be voting for more than a president; you'll be casting a ballot for and against a checklist of policies that touch your life and shape the country you live in. It can be hard to see through the process that the election is a contest of actual ideas, but it is always so. A candidate's words connect to deeds in office. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)