The average income reported on tax returns in 2005 was $55,238, nearly 1 percent less than the $55,714 average in 2000, after adjusting for inflation, the New York Times reported. The White House attributed the income drop after 2000 to the Internet stock bubble burst. Still, the wealthy have done OK: The number of taxpayers earning more than $1 million increased 26 percent from 2000 to 2005, and that group accounted for nearly 47 percent of the total income gains in 2005.
“The fact that average incomes remained lower in 2005 than five years earlier helps explain why so many Americans report feeling economic stress despite overall growth in the economy,” the Times reported. “Many Americans are also paying a larger share of their health care costs and have had their retirement benefits reduced, adding to their out-of-pocket costs.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Some much-anticipated testimony to Congress on the Iraq troop surge could come on the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, according to the Hill newspaper. Is it coincidence that Gen. David Petraeus (in photo) and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker would answer lawmakers’ questions in open session on Sept. 11? The symbolism would serve the Bush administration’s argument that Iraq is now the primary front in the war on terrorism. But White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the timing was dictated by Congress’ tight schedule.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Former CIA Director George Tenet and several other top CIA officials should be held accountable for not taking stronger action against al-Qaida prior to Sept. 11, the CIA’s inspector general recommended in a report released Tuesday. The report, which the CIA tried to withhold, also faulted the agency for its lack of cooperation with the FBI. At least 50 CIA officers knew of intelligence reports in 2000 that two of the Sept. 11 hijackers might have been in the United States, but none notified the FBI.
The report didn’t conclude that there was “a single point of failure” or a “silver bullet” that would have allowed the CIA to prevent the Sept. 11 attacks, the New York Times reported. But it fault the CIA for mismanaging resources devoted to counterterrorism, and it said that Tenet and other named CIA officials “did not discharge their responsibilities in a satisfactory manner.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Kansans pay attention to whether their senators are paying attention to them. This month’s SurveyUSA poll showed a 45 percent disapproval rate among Kansans for Sen. Sam Brownback, who has missed nearly 40 percent of votes this year to campaign for president; his August approval rate was 47 percent, down 10 points since last September. Meanwhile, Sen. Pat Roberts, who’s keeping a high profile in the state in advance of his 2008 re-election bid, has seen his disapproval rate improve from 42 percent last October to just 33 percent this month; his most recent approval rating is 54 percent.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Polls of Republicans have indicated many would prefer “none of the above” to the current choices to be the GOP presidential nominee, to which former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said this week: “Now they are finding out that the ‘none of the above’ is Mike Huckabee.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
