Chad’s Morning Brief: Voter ID Not Hurting Anyone in Texas, IRS Will Recognize All Gay Marriages, & More
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of August 30, 2013. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am. Remember, you can listen online at KFYO.com or on your iPhone/Android with the radioPup App.
1. Voter ID (link)
HAHAHA! The left has got to be going out of their mind. The city of Edinburg in Texas is having to go through the "painful" process of voting with Voter ID in place. The result? Everything is running smooth.
This Rio Grande Valley city is supposed to be the epitome of a community whose residents could be marginalized by the state’s voter ID law, according to opponents of the recently implemented measure.
The median household income here is about 20 percent less than the state’s $50,100 average, and the population is about 88 percent Hispanic, according to U.S. census figures. It is people in these demographics — the lower to middle classes and minorities — who would be disenfranchised by the 2011 law, critics argued.
The first day of early voting Wednesday in the three-candidate City Council race here only yielded about 400 votes, but some citizens who voted said they didn’t see a problem showing an ID to cast a ballot. And despite the war being waged over the measure between the state’s attorneys and the U.S. Department of Justice, the battle lines didn’t trickle down to many of the voters here.
“I didn’t have a problem,” Dina Martinez said. “I didn’t know about [the new law].”
Others said they were reminded of the rule change through announcements in regional newspapers, but they didn’t see a problem with the effort because it would help clamp down on the alleged voter fraud they say they hear about in local elections.
“I think it’s a great idea because it prevents any fraud,” said Ray Molina, whose younger brother, Richard Molina, is one of the candidates. John de la Garza and Armando Marroquin round out the rest of the ballot. Early voting ends Sept. 10, and the general election is Sept. 14.
The voter ID law had been on hold until a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for its implementation. Before that, both the Justice Department and a three-judge panel of federal judges in Washington had struck down the measure after denying Texas’ request for preclearance. The Supreme Court’s ruling, however, did away with the preclearance provision.
The Texas secretary of state’s office, which oversees elections in the state, has not received any complaints or concerns from Edinburg, said Alicia Pierce, an agency spokeswoman. She added that during a recent Galveston school district election, which also required voters to provide photo IDs, there were no reports of problems.
Lucy Alvarado, who leans Democratic but said she tries to be independent during general elections, said the state allows enough options that people shouldn’t complain. Voters can furnish a state-issued ID, driver’s license or concealed handgun license; a military ID, a U.S. passport or passcard; a citizenship or naturalization certificate; or an election identification certificate.
Well look at that! No problems and most have no problem with the law at all. That is going to piss off the left believe me. In fact, I still predict the liberals will come up with some type of drama.
2. IRS and Gay Marriage (link)
It doesn't matter what state you live in, the IRS will now recognize all gay marriages.
All legally married same-sex couples will be recognized for federal tax purposes, regardless of whether the state where they live recognizes the marriage, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service said Thursday.
The federal rules change is one of many stemming from the landmark Supreme Court decision in June that struck down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. That ruling found that same-sex couples were entitled to federal benefits, but left open the question of how the federal government would actually administer those benefits.
“Imagine a pair of women who marry in Albany and then move to Alabama,” Justice Antonin Scalia wrote at the time of the decision. “May they file a joint federal income tax return? Does the answer turn on where they were married or where they live?”
As of the 2013 tax year, same-sex spouses cannot file federal tax returns as if they were single. Instead, they will have to opt for filing as “married filing jointly” or “married filing separately.” The location of their marriage — as long as it is legal — or residence does not matter: a same-sex couple who marry in Albany and move to Alabama will be treated the same as a same-sex couple who marry and live in Massachusetts.
“Today’s ruling provides certainty and clear, coherent tax-filing guidance for all legally married same-sex couples nationwide,” Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew said in a statement. “This ruling also assures legally married same-sex couples that they can move freely throughout the country knowing that their federal filing status will not change.”
The Treasury said that the ruling applies to “all federal tax provisions where marriage is a factor, including filing status, claiming personal and dependency exemptions, taking the standard deduction, employee benefits, contributing to an I.R.A., and claiming the earned income tax credit or child tax credit.”
The ruling applies to all legal marriages made in the United States or foreign countries. But it does not extend to civil unions, registered domestic partnerships or other legal relationships, the Treasury said. Same-sex spouses will be able to file as married couples for the 2013 tax year, the Treasury said, and will also be able to file amended returns for certain prior tax years, meaning that many couples might be eligible for refunds.
3. Fat Fans (link)
Are you a little overweight? If so, maybe it's because you root for a losing team.
Believe it or not, a study published Monday in a Psychological Science found that after a sports team loses, fans of that team eat 16 percent more saturated fats than they usually do.
Fans of winning teams apparently are getting thinner, too. The study found the winning fans ate 9 percent less saturated fat.
Fans have such a deep attachment to their NFL teams that losing can trigger a food binge, the study said.
However, at the Fan Central booth at the Minnesota State Fair, some Vikings fans don’t buy it.
“I don’t know. The Vikings lost a lot last year and I actually stayed the same weight, so I don’t know if I actually believe it,” Vikings fan Steve Hanson said.
The study says fans after a loss not only eat more, they turn to fatty often fried comfort foods and sweets.
“I definitely don’t do that. I just hope they win the next game that is all you can do,” fan Michael Coleman said.
Other studies have linked sports losses to an increase in domestic violence and calls to police
A study released by the National Institute of Health said if a team — that is expected to win – loses, 911 calls to police increased by 10 percent. But overeating, while some fans say no – others agree.
Just wait until the first fatty sues a NFL team. I'm going to say the Cowboys have a pretty good shot at being sued.
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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.
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