To the Point
Income Inequality and Politics in an Election Year
In this mid-term election year, can Democrats and Republicans even agree on extending benefits to the long-term unemployed? What about increasing the minimum wage?
By Warren Olney • • 51m ListenFrom Pope Francis to President Obama to Republicans including Paul Ryan and Rand Paul, it's time to focus on income inequality. Can Democrats and Republicans even agree on extending benefits to the long-term unemployed? What about increasing the minimum wage? Also, West Virginia lifts its tap water ban. On today's Talking Point, did New Jersey's Governor Chris Christie use federal relief money for Hurricane Sandy to advance his own political interests?
Banner image: (L-R) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV), Patty Murray (WA) and Charles Schumer (NY) call on Senate GOP to extend unemployment benefit for 1.3 million Americans, January 9, 2014. Photo: Senate Democrats
In this episode
3 storiesWest Virginia Lifts Tap Water Ban
In the aftermath of a chemical spill, some 300,000 West Virginians were told not to drink tap water, take showers or even wash their clothes. That was five days ago. Today, the ban was partially lifted. Ashton Marra is covering the story for West Virginia Public Radio .
Read the story8 minPoverty and Politics in an Election Year
Fifty years after Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty, President Obama says "the defining challenge of our generation” is income inequality. Both parties claim they want action, but even extending benefits to the 1.3 million long-term unemployed may be more than the Senate and Congress can manage.
Read the story33 minGovernor Christie's Sandy Ads under Investigation
Last week, it was all about gridlock on the George Washington Bridge . Today, the New Jersey Governor faces a federal investigation into possible misuse of government relief funds. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy's devastation of the New Jersey shore, Chris Christie aired a series of TV ads called, "Stronger than the Storm."
Read the story10 min
