Republican Congressman Paul Ryan (WI) unveiled his federal spending plan in Washington this morning. It contains many of the same proposals Republicans offered before the election including lower taxes and less spending. If history is any guide, that probably won’t be acceptable to Democrats. Just as their budget probably won’t be acceptable to Republicans. So the goverment may end up without a budget for another year — but does the U.S. really need a federal budget in the first place?
Today, the Senate Banking Committee considers President Obama’s pick to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mary Jo White was a former federal prosecutor, but she was also a private defense attorney who, among other cases, represented JPMorgan Chase against charges stemming from the financial crises. Her defense work raises questions about whether she would have to recuse herself from some SEC prosecutions.
The average commute time is about 30 minutes. For the almost 8 percent of us that drive to work, it takes a whole hour. And for the fewer than 1 percent the Census calls mega-commuters — poor mega-commuters — it takes 90 minutes. How does your commute compare to the rest of America? Check out the interactive map.
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