Chad’s Morning Brief for 1.2.13

Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of January 2, 2013. Give Chad your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11 am.

1. We're Back!

The Chad Hasty Show returns today after taking a little over a week off. I'm not going to lie, I enjoyed being away but I'm glad to be back.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year with family and friends. I also hope you all got to get away from the political world for a while. You need to every now and then, if for no other reason than to stay sane. While I was out I took a few days and stayed away from political websites, the news, talking heads, etc. It was fantastic, but boy did I feel out of it for a while. After a few days I had to check the news and see what was happening out there. I don't know how people can spend their entire lives not paying attention to politics, but I know they are out there.

It's now 2013 and there is still so much for us to discuss on the air. Not only do we have the circus in D.C. to worry about, but we are now getting closer to the 2013 Texas Legislative Session.

I look forward to continuing our discussion in 2013.

2. The Fiscal Cliff

The US went over the fiscal cliff on New Year's Day. It didn't take long though to get a deal done. Last night the House passed a tax bill that went through the Senate in the early morning hours yesterday. However, it doesn't solve the problem of cutting spending. In fact, for every $44 dollars in new taxes, only $1 in spending was cut. The plan would add $4 trillion to the deficit and 77% of households would still see taxes increase. Remember that payroll tax cut of 2% in 2011 and 2012? Yeah, that is gone.

The bill that passed last night reinstated the Bush tax cuts and made them permanent for those making less than $400,000 a year or couples making $450,000. Those making over that threshold will see their taxes increase to 39.6%.

When I was flipping around from FOX to CNN I noticed that both had people weighing in on the Republican party and they were both right. The Republican Party is severely split right now. The Republican Party has no message and no leadership. The GOP has lost control of the House. Republicans are in a free-fall and I don't know how it's going to end.

For those who are wondering, Congressman Randy Neugebauer voted against the legislation.

3. Pay Raises Squashed (link)

The only good thing to come from last night was that the House voted to freeze congressional pay.

The House of Representatives is poised to vote as early as tonight on a bill addressing a series of tax increases and spending cuts taking affect this week. But first lawmakers voted on a plan to freeze the salaries of lawmakers and federal employees.

 

Despite Democratic objections, the bill passed 287 to 129, with 55 Democrats voting with Republicans to approve the measure.

 

House Democrats charged that the vote to freeze salaries was intended to provide political cover for conservative Republicans planning to vote against the fiscal cliff bill passed early Tuesday by the Senate.

Other Top Stories:

Debate Continues Over Armed Officers in Texas Schools

New Laws in 2013

Hispanic Pregnancies Fall in U.S.

Texas Can Bar Planned Parenthood For Now

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.