An Ohio poll
worker is under investigation for voter
fraud. Melowese
Richardson, a resident of Cincinnati, said she voted for Barack Obama
twice in November. She cast an absentee
ballot as well as cast multiple votes at the polls. Ms. Richardson was working at the polls where
she could have voted under different names totaling 6 votes in all.
Ms. Richardson’s explanation for her multiple votes was that
she didn’t think her absentee ballot would be counted, so she voted in person
at the polls in her name as well as her grand daughter’s name. While Melowese says her voting strategy was “not
a big deal” election authorities think otherwise. Casting multiple votes and voting in someone
else’s name is illegal and compromises the basis of the electoral system.
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“President Obama’s presidency could be shaped by how he
handles entitlements,” says Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson. The programs like Medicare and Social
Security must be dealt
with in order to get the country on the right track, and get a handle on
the deficit.
Simpson and Erskine Bowles, the former
co-chairmen of the president’s deficit-reduction commission pitched a $2.4 trillion deficit reduction plan over the next
10 years. They urged that the spending
cuts not be made to defense and other programs.
Half of the plan comes from changes in health care spending and closing
tax loopholes. The rest of the $2.4
trillion reduction would stem from an adjustment of Social Security’s cost of
living increases.
The Simpson-Bowles plan does have some adverse views, even
from their own party. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin)
says, “Loopholes are necessary for tax reform, If you take them for spending
you’re blocking tax reform, and you’re really not getting the deficit under
control.”
The next fiscal cliff deadline comes on March 1 with the
implementation of $85 billion in cuts known as the sequester.
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NASCAR history was made Sunday when Danica Patrick won the pole position in the
Daytona
500. It is the first time ever that
a female has won the number one position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. The GEN-6
car will make its NASCAR debut in the Daytona 500 also. The 500 will be a great race to watch Sunday,
for an afternoon of firsts.
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All of you bourbon lovers can relax; Makers
Mark has reversed their plan to water down their popular drink. The plan was to reduce the alcohol content
from 45% to 42% to stretch their supply to meet the high demand. This prompted outrage with bar goers and
Makers Mark consumers everywhere. Based
on this response Makers Mark decided not to dilute their bourbon, but have
warned that this may create shortages in the supply. If you are a fan of the iconic drink sealed
with red wax, we recommend you buy a bottle while they are still available.
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The Cincinnati Reds are in full swing in spring training, no pun
intended. Their first pre-season game
is Friday, the 22nd, at 3:05.
The Reds will be taking the field for the first time against the
Cleveland Indians. The game will be
broadcast live on 700 WLW.