The Path to Prosperity: Saving Medicare, Visualized

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Obama: Green with Failure After Failure...

When President Obama took office in 2009, he told Americans that he “will be held accountable.” He also told us that, within his first term, he would turn around a struggling American economy and put the country back on the right track.

I’m Fired Up! How ‘bout you?!

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MERRY CHRISTMAS! House Approves $1 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill

The Hill is reporting that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives easily approved a $1 trillion omnibus spending bill Friday, sending the bill to a Senate for a likely weekend vote.

Senate passage would send the bill to the White House and avert a government shutdown, but would not end Congress's business for 2012. Lawmakers are expected to return to Washington next week to complete work on an extension of a payroll tax cut.

After a brief debate, the House easily approved the omnibus, funding most areas of the federal government through the 2012 fiscal year.

Despite the public “frictions” between the two parties throughout the week, the bill was approved in an overwhelming 296-121 vote. Thirty-five Democrats and 86 Republicans voted against it.  Read the full story…

RELATED STORY

•  House Republicans Bill adds $25.3 Billion to Deficit
• Senate Passes Short-Term Payroll Tax Cut Extension, Budget

Report: Congress Members—Just over 8 percent majored in economics

A recent report from the Employment Policies Institute found that only one in five (20 percent) members of Congress have an academic background in business or economics.   The organization looked at lawmakers' college degrees and found that most of them—55.1 percent—majored in either a government-related field or "humanities." Just over 8 percent majored in economics, while almost 14 percent studied business or accounting.  This report sparked us to take a look at the business or economics backgrounds of our local elected officials.

On Friday, August 26, the following email was sent to each elected official in Franklin government, including the Franklin School Board.

[We] recently read that a report from the Employment Policies Institute found that only one in five members of Congress have an academic background in business or economics.   The organization looked at lawmakers' college degrees and found that most of them—55.1 percent—majored in either a government-related field or "humanities." Just over 8 percent majored in economics, while almost 14 percent studied business or accounting.

THE FRANKLININDEPENT JOURNAL (FIJ) is asking each elected official in Franklin government where their primary academic background lies, and is asking for your cooperation in participating in our survey.  The results will be published in an upcoming story in FIJ. If you wish to participate in this two question survey please answer the following questions—if not, please let us know that you will not participate in this survey.

1. What do you consider to be your primary academic background?
2. If you hold a college degree, what was your major?

Thank You for your participation and cooperation in this survey.

To-Date we've recieved four responces; two school board members and two Aldermen.

Look for our story on this survey on Wednesday, August 31.

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